Daily Current Affairs MCQ - March 1, 2022 - UPSC MCQ

With the change in season and rise in temperature, culex or common house mosquitoes have made a reappearance across Delhi.

• Warmer temperatures are the main reason for the appearance of these mosquitoes.
• Their presence is especially felt more in areas around floodplains in East and South Delhi as it is an ideal condition of breeding.
• Culex mosquitoes are known carriers of Japanese encephalitis, a potentially life-threatening but rare viral disease that causes “acute inflammation” of the brain. They breed in dirty, stagnant water.
• They can fly up to a distance of 1-1.5 km.
• Unlike Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, which spread dengue and chikungunya and breed in clean water, culex mosquitoes breed in unclean stagnant water.

Hence both statements are correct.

Dust-laden winds swept Delhi on Tuesday, pushing the air quality into the poor category and increasing the concentration of coarse particles in the air.

• According to forecasts, strong winds that are carrying dust to Delhi from Rajasthan are expected to continue until Thursday.
• The concentration of particulate matter of 10 micrometres (PM10) — coarse particles suspended in the air — was 341 micrograms per cubic metre air (µg/m3) as of 5pm, against the 24 hour acceptable limit of 100 µg/m3.
• The concentration of PM2.5 — particles that are smaller in size and are released from combustion activities — was about 105 µg/m3, a little higher than the 24 hour acceptable limit of 60 µg/m3.
• The spike in PM10 concentration shows the impact of dust-laden winds on air quality, which, according to the Centre’s Early Warning System for Delhi, is expected to largely remain in poor category for the next five days.
• Weather and environmental experts said a cyclonic circulation over Rajasthan and high temperatures over the past few days in northwest India is contributing to this phenomenon.
• Delhi witnesses long-range transport of dust nearly every year from Rajasthan, and even from Afghanistan, during summer months.

Hence both statements are correct.

Financing agreements for developing STPs and Sewerage network for Digha and Kankarbagh zones of Patna were signed between DK Sewage Project Pvt Ltd (a subsidiary of VA Tech Wahagh) and PFS.

• The scope of the project includes development of Sewage Treatment Plants of 150 MLD capacity along with sewerage network of over 453 km in the Digha and Kankarbagh zones of Patna, one of the most populous cities on the banks of the river Ganga.
• This is the first of its kind project which comprises of a mix of Design, Build, Operate and Transfer (‘DBOT’) scope and Hybrid Annuity Model (HAM) scope.
• With the implementation of Digha and Kankarbagh sewerage projects all the sewage zones of Patna city will be covered with sewerage network and sewage treatment capacity to achieve the objective of the NamamiGange program of preventing any untreated waste water entering the river Ganga.

Hence only statement 2 is correct.

Dr. Harsh Vardhan, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare digitally participated in a panel discussion on vaccine production and distribution across Asia at the “World Immunisation and Logistics Summit”.

• The HOPE Consortium’s World Immunisation & Logistics Summit opened on March 30, 2021 to enhance collaboration in the world’s approach to tackle COVID-19 and ensure a healthier future for all.
• The two-day virtual Summit, hosted in by Abu Dhabi, kicked off under the patronage of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, with the participation of acclaimed global healthcare and philanthropic leaders, decision-makers, experts and senior government officials, to explore a unified global approach to fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.

HOPE Consortium spearheaded by the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi, who has led the formation of the emirate-wide consortium, the HOPE Consortium brings together leading brands to deliver an end-to-end solution to distribute COVID-19 vaccines globally.

Hence both statements are correct.

With a view to enhancing ease of doing business and transparency, the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) has revamped its Industrial Entrepreneurs Memorandum (IEM) portal. The upgraded portal offers single IEM for one company to capture details of all its locations and sectors.

• This Single form will facilitate filling of investment intentions (IEM-Part A) and reporting of commencement of production (IEM-Part B) in a seamless manner.
• Any amendments to the IEMs may also be done easily with respect to previously filed IEMs. This entire process avoids duplication in filling information.
• All approvals will be communicated on emails and SMS in purely paperless manner to applicants. Simultaneous information shall also send to concerned State Governments.
• The G2B portal can be accessed at http://services.dipp.gov.in for the purpose of submitting application and obtaining the IEM certificate.
• DPIIT operates the G2B Portal for receiving application of Industrial Entrepreneurs to file an Industrial Entrepreneurs Memorandum (IEM) under Industries (Development and Regulation) Act, 1951.

Hence both statements are correct.

The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation, in its draft budget for 2021-22, has set aside Rs 1,050 crore for the Sabarmati River Front Development phase 2, work on which is to begin soon.

• Sabarmati Riverfront is a waterfront being developed along the banks of Sabarmati river in Ahmedabad.
• Proposed in the 1960s, the construction began in 2005.
• The major objectives of project are environment improvement, social infrastructure and sustainable development.
• By channelling the river to a constant width of 263 m along the part that passes Ahmedabad city, 204 hectares have been reclaimed along the 11-km stretch of the Sabarmati Riverfront in the first phase of the project, on both the banks.
• The Sabarmati river is one of the major west-flowing rivers in India.
• It originates in the Aravalli Range of the Udaipur District of Rajasthan and meets the Gulf of Khambhat of Arabian Sea after travelling 371 km in a south-westerly direction across Rajasthan and Gujarat.

The major east flowing rivers are Godavari, Krishna, Cauvery, Mahanadi, etc. Sabarmati, Narmada and Tapti are major West flowing rivers.

Hence, option (1) is the correct answer.

The Centre plans to issue a 14-digit identification number to every plot of land in the country within a year.

• It will subsequently integrate its land records database with revenue court records and bank records, as well as Aadhaar numbers on a voluntary basis, according to a parliamentary standing committee report submitted to the Lok Sabha last week.
• The Unique Land Parcel Identification Number (ULPIN) scheme has been launched in 10 States this year and will be rolled out across the country by March 2022, the Department of Land Resources told the Standing Committee on Rural Development.
• An official, who did not wish to be named, described it as “the Aadhaar for land” — a number that would uniquely identify every surveyed parcel of land and prevent land fraud, especially in rural India, where land records are outdated and disputed.
• The identification will be based on the longitude and latitude of the land parcel, and is dependent on detailed surveys and geo-referenced cadastral maps.
• This is the next step in the Digital India Land Records Modernisation Programme (DILRMP), which began in 2008 and has been extended several times as its scope grew.
• The Department has taken new initiatives under the programme like NGDRS [or the National Generic Document Registration System], ULPIN, linking of court to land records, integration of consent based Aadhaar number with land records etc. which necessitated its further extension beyond 2020-21 till 2023-24.

Hence both statements are correct.

A public interest litigation has been filed in the Supreme Court by Wasim Rizvi seeking declaration of 26 verses of the Quran as unconstitutional, non-effective and non- functional on the ground that these promote extremism and terrorism.

• Under Indian law, only a “law” can be challenged as unconstitutional.
• Article 13(3) defines law, which includes any ordinance, order, by-law, rule, regulations, notification, custom or usage having in the territory the force of law.
• “Laws in force” on the commencement of the Constitution include laws enacted by a legislature or other competent authority.
• This definition certain does not cover any religious scripture including the Quran. Similarly, neither the Vedas nor the Gita, nor the Bible, nor the Guru Granth Sahib can be said to be “law” under Article 13 and thus challenged in a court of law.
• The divine books can be sources of law but not law in themselves. Thus, Quran in itself is not “law” for the purposes of Article 13.
• It is the paramount source of Islamic law and Muslim jurists extract laws from it through interpretation and also taking into account other sources of law such as Hadees (Prophet’s sayings), Ijma (juristic consensus), Qiyas (analogical deductions), Urf ( customs), Istihsan (juristic preference) and Istisilah (public interest).

Reaction to the petition

• The petition has led to protests among Muslims, and several clerics have issued fatwas against the petitioner.
• In Vishwa Lochan Madan (2014), the Supreme Court has already observed that such fatwas have no validity.

Hence both statements are correct.

The Election Commission’s recent decision to change the rules for appointing polling agents has sparked off a debate in West Bengal.

• A polling agent is a person appointed as a representative of a political party as it is not possible for a candidate to be physically present at every polling booth on the day of the elections.
• Therefore, the Election Commission allows a candidate to appoint a polling agent who keeps an eye on the voting process.
• As per the Election Commission’s rules, a polling agent should be familiar with the rules and procedures to conduct elections using EVMs and VVPATs, and with the working of these machines.
• Towards this end, a polling agent attends the demonstrations arranged by the Returning Officer, where the functioning and operation of these machines are explained.

New regulations:

• As per the new regulations, a political party can now nominate a polling agent for any booth within the assembly segment he/she is a voter from.
• Earlier, the polling agent had to be a voter of the booth or an adjoining booth that he/she is working at.
• The Trinamool has been opposing the change in rules, calling it “arbitrary, motivated and biased” and has also written to the Election Commission seeking withdrawal of the order.

Hence both statements are correct.

President Ram Nath Kovind has prorogued the fifth session of 17th Lok Sabha. The session had commenced on 29th January. President also prorogued the Rajya Sabha. The House was adjourned sine die on 25th of this month.

• Termination of a session of the House by an order made by the President under article 85(2) is called ‘prorogation’.
• The President in exercising the power to prorogue the House acts on the advice of the Prime Minister.
• Usually, prorogation follows the adjournment of the sitting of the House sine die.
• The time-lag between the adjournment of a House sine die and its prorogation is generally two to four days, although there are instances when a House was prorogued on the same day on which it was adjourned sine die.
• It is not necessary that both the Houses should be prorogued simultaneously.

Effects of prorogation on different categories of business pending before the House

• Article 107(3) of the Constitution of India expressly provides that a Bill pending in Parliament shall not lapse by reason of the prorogation of the House. This also covers Bills pending before a Select or Joint Committee of the House(s).
• Notices of intention to move for leave to introduce Bills also do not lapse on prorogation and no fresh notice is necessary in the next session for that purpose except where any sanction or recommendation granted under the Constitution in respect of a Bill has ceased to be operative.
• On the prorogation, all pending notices of Motions and Resolutions except those relating to introduction of Bills as mentioned above, lapse and fresh notices must be given for the next session.
• Any business pending before a committee shall not lapse by reason only of the prorogation of the House and the committee shall continue to function notwithstanding such prorogation.
• On prorogation of either House of Parliament, the President has the power to issue Ordinances under article 123.

Hence, option (a) is the correct answer.