Daily Current Affairs MCQ- March 15, 2022 - UPSC MCQ

Over 3000 State Mission staff and Self-Help Group (SHG) members logged in from 34 states to attend the third edition of ‘Gender Samwaad’ organised by the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM), Ministry of Rural Development on the 11th of March 2022.

• It is a national virtual initiative under the DAY-NRLM to generate greater awareness on the mission’s interventions across the country with a gender lens.
• The theme for this edition was ‘Promotion of food and nutrition security through women’s collectives’.
• The event enabled National and State Rural Livelihoods Missions (SRLM) to listen to voices from SHG women and for SRLMs to share and learn from best practices.

Hence only statement 2 is correct.

Union Minister of Electronics & Information Technology visited the Gallium Nitride Ecosystem Enabling Centre and Incubator ( GEECI ) facility at the prestigious Indian Institute of Sciences (IISc), Bengaluru.

• The facility has been jointly set up by Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and IISc Bengaluru aimed at establishing Gallium Nitride (GaN) based Development Line Foundry facility for strategic applications.
• Gallium nitride (GaN) is a very hard, mechanically stable wide bandgap semiconductor.
• With higher breakdown strength, faster switching speed, higher thermal conductivity and lower on-resistance, power devices based on GaN significantly outperform silicon-based devices.
• Gallium nitride crystals can be grown on a variety of substrates, including sapphire, silicon carbide (SiC) and silicon (Si).

Hence both statements are correct.

Scientists in the United Kingdom as part of a research project, GenOMICC (Genetics of Mortality in Critical Care), have identified 16 new genetic variants that make a person more susceptible to a severe COVID-19 infection.

• The GenOMICC— reportedly the largest of its kind — is a research study that brings together clinicians and scientists from around the world to find the genetic factors that lead to critical illnesses.
• The scientists involved compare the DNA of critically-ill patients with members of the general population. However, ferreting out such differences requires a large number of people and comparing their genetic structures at multiple levels of resolution.
• Since 2015, the GenOMICC has been studying emerging infections such as SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome), MERS (Middle East respiratory syndrome), flu, sepsis, and other forms of critical illness.

Hence both statements are correct.

Amid mounting calls to prosecute Russian president Vladimir Putin, the International Criminal Court (ICC) earlier this month launched an investigation into the alleged war crimes committed following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

• The International Criminal Court (ICC) is a permanent judicial body based at The Hague in the Netherlands.
• Background: It was created by the 1998 Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (its founding and governing document), and began functioning on 1 July 2002 when the Statute came into force.
• Mandate: The forum was established as a court of last resort to prosecute offences that would otherwise go unpunished, and has jurisdiction over four main crimes: genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression.
• Members: 123 nations are States Parties to the Rome Statute and recognise the ICC’s authority; the notable exceptions being the US, China, Russia, and India.
• Judges: 18; Elected for 9-year term.
• Relation with UN: While not a United Nations organization, the Court has a cooperation agreement with the United Nations. When a situation is not within the Court’s jurisdiction, the United Nations Security Council can refer the situation to the ICC granting it jurisdiction.

Hence only statement 1 is correct.

• Non-Performing Asset (NPA) refers to a classification for loans or advances that are in default or are in arrears on scheduled payments of principal or interest.
• In most cases, debt is classified as non-performing, when the loan payments have not been made for a minimum period of 90 days. Hence, statement 1 is not correct.
• Gross non-performing assets are the sum of all the loans that have been defaulted by the individuals who have acquired loans from the financial institution.
• Net non-performing assets are the amount that is realised after provision amount has been deducted from the gross non-performing assets.
  • Hence, statement 2 is not correct.

• Flood Plain Zoning has been recognized as an effective non- structural measure for flood management. Hence, statement 1 is not correct.
• The basic concept of flood plain zoning is to regulate land use in the flood plains to restrict the damage caused by floods. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
• It aims at determining the locations and the extent of areas for developmental activities in such a fashion that the damage is reduced to a minimum.
• It envisages laying down limitations on development of both the unprotected as well as protected areas.

• White phosphorus munitions are weapons that use one of the common allotropes of the chemical element phosphorus. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
• White phosphorus is pyrophoric (it is ignited by contact with air), burns fiercely, and can ignite cloth, fuel, ammunition, and other combustibles.
  • Apart from this, it is also used in smoke, illumination, and burning elements of tracer ammunition.
• In addition to its offensive capabilities, white phosphorus is a highly efficient smoke-producing agent, reacting with air to produce an immediate blanket of phosphorus pentoxide vapour. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
• Effects: In addition to direct injuries caused by fragments of their casings, white phosphorus munitions can cause injuries in two main ways: burn injuries and vapour inhalation

• The Australia Group (AG) is an informal forum of countries which, through the harmonisation of export controls, seeks to ensure that exports do not contribute to the development of chemical or biological weapons. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
• The formation of the Australia Group (AG) in 1985 was prompted by Iraq’s use of chemical weapons during the Iran-Iraq War (1980-1988).
• Coordination of National export control measures assists Australia Group members to fulfil their obligations under the Chemical Weapons Convention and Biological & Toxin Weapons Convention. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
• It has 43 members (including the European union). The members work on a consensus basis. The annual meeting is held in Paris, France.
• India joined (as 43^rd Participant) the Australia Group (AG) on 19^th January 2018.
  • The Australia Group decided to admit India as the Group’s through a consensus decision. Hence, statement 3 is not correct.

The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) is an Indian specialized force constituted “for the purpose of special response to a threatening disaster situation or disaster” under the Disaster Management Act, 2005. It works under the Ministry of Home Affairs.

The “Apex Body for Disaster Management” in India is the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).

• The Election Commission of India is an autonomous constitutional authority responsible for administering election processes in India at national, state and district level.
• The body administers elections to the Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha, state Legislative Assemblies, state legislative Councils, and the offices of the President and Vice President of the country.
• “The Election Commissioner Amendment Act, 1989” was adopted on 1 January 1990 which turned the commission into a multi-member body: a 3-member Commission has been in operation since then and the decisions by the commission are made by a majority vote.
• Election Commission of India decides the election schedule for the conduct of both general elections and bye-elections.
• Election Commission resolves the disputes relating to splits/mergers of recognized political parties.