Daily Current Affairs MCQ- June 22, 2024 - UPSC MCQ

Western Ghats:

• The mountains of the Western Ghats are Block Mountains formed due to the down warping of a part of the land into the Arabian Sea. Hence, statement 1 is not correct.
• It is recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the eight hotspots of biological diversity in the world. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
• The Nilgiri ranges connect the Western Ghats to the Eastern Ghats. Hence, statement is 3 correct.
• Famous hill station: This range is home to many hill stations like Matheran, Lonavala-Khandala, Mahabaleshwar, Panchgani, Amboli Ghat, Kudremukh and Kodagu.

Climate Financing:

• As per the Copenhagen Commitment, 2009, developed countries agreed to provide USD 100 billion per year to developing countries by 2020. Hence, statement 1 is not correct.
• It refers to large-scale investments required for actions to mitigate or adapt to climate change.
• The 1992 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) mandated that high-income countries provide climate finance to the developing world. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

Booth Capturing during elections in India is a 'Corrupt Practice' Under the Representation of People Act, 1951 (RPA).

• Booth-capturing, defined in Section135A of the RPA, includes all or any of the following activities by any person or persons:
• Seizure of a polling station, affecting the conduct of elections;
• Taking possession of a polling station, allowing only his or their supporters to vote;
• Intimidating or threatening any elector and preventing him from going to the polling station;
• Seizure of a counting place affecting the counting of votes;
• Involvement of any person in government service in any of the above activities.
• It is punishable for a term of not less than one year, which may extend to three years for lay people, and not less than three years, extending to five years for government servants.
• In such cases, the Election Commission of India, based on the material facts, may
• Declare the poll at that polling station to be void and direct a fresh poll on a new date; or
• Countermand the election in the constituency in case booth capturing has taken place in a large number of polling stations, or if it has affected the counting of votes.

Hence all statements are correct.

The meeting of the Sub-Committee on Accreditation (SCA) of the UN-recognised Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI) worldwide will be held on May 1.

• It was established in 1993 as the International Coordinating Committee of National Institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights (ICC).
• It has been known as the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI) since 2016 and is a member-based network organization that gathers NHRIs from all around the world.
• It is one of the largest human rights networks worldwide.
• Members: As of December 2023, GANHRI is composed of 120 members: 88 “A” status accredited NHRIs and 32 “B” status accredited NHRIs.
• Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland

Accreditation by the GANHRI

• In a unique peer-review-based accreditation process, GANHRI ensures individual NHRIs’ compliance with internationally recognised standards – the Paris Principles – to ensure their independence, pluralism and accountability.
• The Paris Principles set out internationally agreed minimum standards that NHRIs must meet to be considered credible.
• The six principles require a country‘s human rights agency to be independent from the government in its structure, composition, decision-making and method of operation.
• The principles were adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1993.
• GANHRI,  through the Sub-Committee on Accreditation (SCA), is responsible for reviewing and accrediting NHRIs in compliance with the Paris Principles.
• An NHRI is reviewed by the SCA when –
• It applies for initial accreditation
• It applies for re-accreditation every five years
• The circumstances of the NHRI change in any way that may affect its compliance with the Paris Principles.
• NHRIs that are assessed as complying with the Paris Principles are accredited with ‘A status’, while those that partially comply are accredited with ‘B status

Hence both statements are correct.

Secretary of Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG) visiting Bangladesh for bilateral discussions regarding renewal of MOU between National Centre for Good Governance (NCGG) India and Bangladesh Ministry of Public Administration for the period 2024-2029.

• It is an autonomous institute under the aegis of Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances, Government of India.
• The NCGG has been set up to assist in bringing about governance reforms through studies, training, knowledge sharing and promotion of good ideas.
• It seeks to carry out policy relevant research and prepare case studies; curate training courses for civil servants from India and other developing countries.
• Background:
• It traces its origin to the National Institute of Administrative Research (NIAR). NIAR was set up in 1995 by the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA) the Government of India's apex training Institute for higher civil services.
• NIAR was subsequently renamed with an expanded mandate, as National Centre for Good Governance, which was inaugurated on February 24th, 2014.
• Objectives
• To function as a national repository on information on best practices, initiatives and methodologies that promote Good Governance, e-Governance etc.
• To advise on key issues in governance and develop synergy across various Ministries/ Departments of GoI, and State Governments;
• Governing Body
• The affairs of the NCGG are managed under the overall superintendence and direction of the Governing Body, which is headed by the Cabinet Secretary.
• It has Secretaries of 9 ministries/ departments and 5 eminent persons viz. academicians, eminent administrators, specialists, eminent innovators, heads of reputed institutions as members.
• The Director General, who is the Chief Executive of NCGG acts as the Member–Secretary of the Governing Body.
• Head office: Its head office is at New Delhi and branch office at Mussoorie.

Hence only statement 1 is correct.

The RBI and the Finance Ministry could take inspiration from the developing world, especially the ASEAN region, where a layered green taxonomy as a living document keeps getting updated with sectoral views of possible sustainable trajectories. 

About Green Taxonomy:

• A green taxonomy is a framework for defining what can be called environmentally sustainable investments.
  • It is a classification system that defines which economic activities and assets are “green” or environmentally sustainable.
• It is a useful instrument and has several complementary purposes:
• help prevent greenwashing;
• help investors make informed investment decisions; and
• channel investment toward sustainable or green economic activities and assets.
• Structurally, all taxonomies are similar. So far, they all include the goals of climate mitigation and adaptation and some also include other environmental objectives such as biodiversity conservation, for example.
• To be considered green, an activity must substantially contribute to at least one of the environmental objectives.
• Often, taxonomies also include “do no significant harm” criteria (i.e., an activity that substantially contributes to one environmental objective should not harm another environmental objective) and social safeguards (i.e., compliance with human rights). 
• Some taxonomies only define what is green and others, such as the recently launched Indonesian taxonomy or the proposed Singaporean taxonomy, use a “traffic light” approach, where the economic activities are split into different categories (i.e. green, amber, or red) to classify their environmental sustainability.

What is Greenwashing?

• It is the process of conveying a false impression or misleading information about how a company’s products are environmentally sound.
• It involves making an unsubstantiated claim to deceive consumers into believing that a company’s products are environmentally friendly or have a greater positive environmental impact than they actually do.
• In addition, greenwashing may occur when a company attempts to emphasize sustainable aspects of a product to overshadow its involvement in environmentally damaging practices. 
• Companies can also greenwash initiatives with vague claims that don't provide real data or scientific validation for the claims.

Hence both statements are correct.

The Ministry of Mines will hold a two day “Critical Minerals Summit: Enhancing Beneficiation and Processing Capabilities”, at the India Habitat Centre in Lodhi Estate, New Delhi.

About Critical Minerals Summit:

• It is organised by the Ministry of Mines, Government of India, in collaboration with the Shakti Sustainable Energy Foundation (Shakti), the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW), and the Indian Institute of Sustainable Development (IISD).
• It is designed to foster collaboration, share knowledge, and drive innovation in the field of critical mineral beneficiation and processing.
• The summit will bring together a diverse array of Indian and international stakeholders, including industry leaders, startups, government officials, scientists, academics, and policy experts. 
• It will address the increasing demand for Critical Raw Materials (CRMs) required for renewable energy systems and electric vehicles as part of India's strategic development goals.
• The Ministry of Mines has identified eight key minerals for focus at the summit, including Glauconite (Potash), Lithium – Rare Earth Elements (Laterite), Chromium, Platinum Group, Graphite, Tungsten associated with Graphite, Rare Earths (RE), and Vanadium associated with Graphite. 
• Participants will engage in active dialogue and interactive workshops focused on critical issues such as mineral auction progress, policy incentives for CRMs ecosystem development, and the advancement of commercially viable and environmentally sustainable solutions.

Key Facts about Critical Minerals:

• It is a metallic or non-metallic element that has two characteristics.
• It is essential for the functioning of our modern technologies, economies or national security and
• There is a risk that its supply chains could be disrupted.
• The 'criticality' of minerals changes with time as supply and society's needs shift.
• Applications:
• They are used to manufacture advanced technologies, including mobile phones, computers, fibre-optic cables, semiconductors, banknotes, and defence, aerospace and medical applications.
• Many are used in low-emission technologies, such as electric vehicles, wind turbines, solar panels, and rechargeable batteries.
• Some are also crucial for common products, such as stainless steel and electronics.
• Examples: antimony, beryllium, bismuth, cobalt, copper, gallium, germanium, lithium, vanadium, etc.
• Top Producers: Chile, Indonesia, Congo, China, Australia, and South Africa.
• Critical Minerals in India:
• Government has released a list of 30 critical minerals for India. 
• These minerals are Antimony, Beryllium, Bismuth, Cobalt, Copper, Gallium, Germanium, Graphite, Hafnium, Indium, Lithium, Molybdenum, Niobium, Nickel, PGE, Phosphorous, Potash, REE, Rhenium, Silicon, Strontium, Tantalum, Tellurium, Tin, Titanium, Tungsten, Vanadium, Zirconium, Selenium, and Cadmium.

Hence both statements are correct.

The first true copy of the painting Indulekha by Raja Ravi Varma will be unveiled at the Kilimanoor Palace, Kerala, where the eminent artist was born in 1848, on the occasion of his 176th birth anniversary celebrations.

About Raja Ravi Varma:

• He was an Indian painter and artist.
• He is considered one of the greatest painters in the history of Indian art.
• He was born as Ravi Varma Koil Thampuran of Kilimanoor palace, in the erstwhile princely state of Travancore (Thiruvithankur) in Kerala. 
• He is known for his amazing paintings, which revolve mainly around the Puranas (ancient mythological stories) and the great Indian epics, the Mahabharata and Ramayana.
• In addition to incidents in Hindu mythology, Varma painted many portraits of both Indians and British in India.
• He is believed to have made around 7,000 paintings before his death at the age of 58.
• His most famous works include Damayanti Talking to a Swan, Shakuntala Looking for Dushyanta, Nair Lady Adorning Her Hair, and Shantanu and Matsyagandha. 
• Features of his work:
• Before Raja Ravi Varma’s paintings, the paintings of Indian artists were greatly influenced by the Persian and Mughal schools.
• Varma was the first Indian to use Western techniques of perspective and composition and to adapt them to Indian subjects, styles, and themes.
• His works are one of the best examples of the fusion of European academic art with a purely Indian sensibility and iconography. 
• He was one of the first Indian artists to use oil paints and to master the art of lithographic reproduction of his work.
• He was notable for making affordable lithographs of his paintings available to the public, which greatly enhanced his reach and influence as a painter and public figure. 
• His paintings often depicted mythological characters and Indian royalty in a realistic style, challenging traditional artistic norms.
• Recognitions:
• He received widespread acclaim after he won an award for an exhibition of his paintings at Vienna in 1873.
• His paintings were also sent to the World’s Columbian Exposition held in Chicago in 1893, and he was awarded two gold medals.
• In 1904, Viceroy Lord Curzon, on behalf of the King Emperor, bestowed upon Raja Ravi Varma the Kaisar-i-Hind Gold Medal. At this time, his name was mentioned as “Raja Ravi Varma” for the first time.

Hence option c is the correct answer.

NASA is now publicly distributing science-quality data from its newest Earth-observing PACE satellite.

• The Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem (PACE) satellite is placed in Sun-synchronous orbit.
• It was launched by NASA.
• The primary science instrument for PACE is the Ocean Colour Instrument (OCI) which is designed to measure the ocean’s colour across a spectrum from ultraviolet to shortwave infrared.
• It features two polarimeters – the Spectro-polarimeter for Planetary Exploration (SPEXone) and the Hyper Angular Research Polarimeter (HARP2).
• These two working together will offer complementary spectral and angular sampling, polarimetric accuracy, and spatial coverage.
• This combination aims to provide improved atmospheric correction and a comprehensive range of aerosol and cloud science data beyond what the OCI alone could achieve.
• The synergistic payload of OCI, SPEXone and HARP2 is poised to make significant breakthroughs in aerosol-cloud-ocean research.
• The OCI observes the ocean, land, and atmosphere across a spectrum of ultraviolet, visible, and near infrared light. With this extensive spectral range, scientists can identify specific communities of phytoplankton.
• Significance: The data will allow researchers to study microscopic life in the ocean and particles in the air, advancing the understanding of issues including fisheries health, harmful algal blooms, air pollution, and wildfire smoke.
• With PACE, scientists also can investigate how the ocean and atmosphere interact with each other and are affected by a changing climate.  

Hence only statements 2 and 3 are correct.

Recently, it is highlighted that Kuchipudi artists are struggling for survival and going through a tough phase due to lack of patronage.

• It is one of the Indian classical dances belongs to the Andhra Pradesh.
• History

It was originally performed by a group of itinerant actors known as Bhagavathalu, who would travel from village to village, performing plays and dances based on Hindu mythology.

• In the 15th century, the great poet and musician, Siddhendra Yogi, played a major role in the development of Kuchipudi. He is credited with transforming the dance form from a simple folk art to a sophisticated and refined classical dance form. 
• Features
• The dance form is characterized by its intricate footwork, graceful movements, and subtle facial expressions.
• It incorporates pure dance (Nritta) and expressive dance (Nritya) elements, as well as storytelling through dance (Natya).
• It is also performed on the edge of a brass plate (known as Tarangam) on the beats of Carnatic music.
• It is largely developed as a Hindu god Krishna-oriented Vaishnavism tradition, and it is most closely related to Bhagavata Mela.
• The Kuchipudi performer apart from being a dancer and actor has to be skilled in Sanskrit and Telugu languages, music and manuscripts of the performance.
• The Kuchipudi dancers wear light make-up and ornaments like the Rakudi (head ornament), Chandra Vanki (arm band), Adda Bhasa and Kasina Sara (necklace). A long plait is decorated with flowers and jewelry. The ornaments are made of light wood called Boorugu.
• The typical musical instruments in Kuchipudi are mridangam, cymbals, veena, flute and the tambura.

Hence both statements are correct.