Daily Current Affairs MCQ- March 15, 2024 - UPSC MCQ

In a major fillip to India’s fight against terrorism and organised crime, Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation virtually inaugurated a unique digital Criminal Case Management System (CCMS) and  also launches a mobile app ‘Sankalan in New Delhi.

• It will enable the National Investigation Agency (NIA) personnel to better coordinate in terrorism and organized crime cases, thereby improving justice delivery.
• The new stand-alone version of CCMS has been developed and designed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
• It is a user-friendly and easy-to-deploy, customizable, browser-based software to help the State Police forces in their investigations and prosecution.
• The state-of-the-art CCMS software would not only bring standardisation into investigations but also enable easy and streamlined compilation of terror-related data across the country. 

Hence only statement 1 is correct.

The Darien Gap route that spans parts of Central and South America has seen an increasing number of people attempting to pass on their way to claiming asylum in the US.

• It is a stretch of densely forested jungle across northern Colombia and southern Panama. Roughly 60 miles (97 kilometres) across, the terrain is muddy, wet and unstable.
• It has become a major route for global human migration.
• It is the geographic region of the easternmost Isthmus of Panama that extends into northwestern Colombia, around the Gulf of Urabá (a section of the Gulf of Darién).
• It forms the physiographic link between Central and South America.
• A hot, humid area typified by tropical rainforests, mangrove swamps, and low mountain ranges with cloud forest vegetation, Darién has always been sparsely populated.

Hence option (d) is the correct answer.

India has moved up a rank on the global Human Development Index (HDI), according to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) report ‘Breaking the gridlock: Reimagining cooperation in a polarised world’ released on March 13.

• It is a summary composite measure of a country's average achievements in three basic aspects of human development: health, knowledge and standard of living.
• It is a measure of a country's average achievements in three dimensions of human development:
• a long and healthy life, as measured by life expectancy at birth;
• knowledge, as measured by mean years of schooling and expected years of schooling; and
• a decent standard of living, as measured by GNI per capita in PPP terms in US$.
• The HDI sets a minimum and a maximum for each dimension, called "goalposts", then shows where each country stands in relation to these goalposts.
• This is expressed as a value between 0 and 1. The higher a country's human development, the higher its HDI value.
• The HDI is the geometric mean of normalized indices for each of the three dimensions.
• The HDI also embodies Amartya Sen’s “capabilities” approach to understand human well-being, which emphasizes the importance of ends (like a decent standard of living) over means (like income per capita).
• Since 1990, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has been publishing the Human Development Report every year and HDI is part of this report.

Hence only statement 2 is correct.

The Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairying will release a book and video on “Sagar Parikrama”. 

About Sagar Parikrama:

• It is an outreach program intended to reach out fishermen community across the entire coastal belt of the country through a predetermined sea route.
• The initiative has been launched to understand the issues, experiences, and aspirations of fishermen and also to create awareness of various schemes and programs of the Government available to fishermen in coastal areas.
• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairying.
• The Sagar Parikrama Yatra spanned over 12 captivating phases in just 44 days. The Yatra meticulously navigated the diverse coastal tapestry of India, covering an impressive coastal length of 7,986 Kilometres out of 8,118 Kilometres, touching 3,071 fishing villages in 80 coastal districts of all the Coastal States/UTs. 
• During the Sagar Parikrama events, certificates and sanctions related to the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) and Kisan Credit Card (KCC) were awarded to progressive fishermen, fish farmers, and young fishery entrepreneurs.
• Literature on various schemes, including PMMSY, KCC, and others, was disseminated through print media, electronic media, videos, and digital campaigns to raise awareness among fishers.

Hence option c is the correct answer.

Prime Minister recently inaugurated the first Oil Palm Processing Mill under Mission Palm Oil in Arunachal Pradesh.

About National Mission for Edible Oils - Oil Palm (NMEO-OP):

• Launched by the Government of India in 2021, NMEO-OP targets a substantial increase in oil palm cultivation and crude palm oil production.
• It is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme with a special focus on the North east region and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, with a focus on increasing the area and productivity of oilseeds and Oil Palm. 
• Scheme Outlay: A financial outlay of Rs. 11,040 crores have been made for the scheme, out of which Rs. 8,844 crore is the Government of India share and Rs. 2,196 crore is the State share, and this includes the viability gap funding also.
• Targets:
• To increase the area of oil palm to 10 lakh hectares from 3.5 lakh ha during 2019-20 by 2025-26 (an additional 6.50 lakh ha). 
• To increase the Crude Palm Oil production from 0.27 lakh tonnes during 2019-20 to 11.20 lakh tonnes by 2025-26.
• Increase consumer awareness to maintain a consumption level of 19.00 kg/person/annum till 2025-26.
• The State Department of Agriculture, State Department of Horticulture, Central University, ICAR-Institutions, CDDs, SAUs, KVKs, Central Agencies/Cooperatives, Oil palm processors/ Associations, DD Kisan, AIR, DD, TV channels will be the implementing stake holders of the NMEO-Oil palm.
• Features: The salient features of NMEO-OP include assistance for planting material, inputs for intercropping upto gestation period of 4 years and for maintenance, establishment of seed gardens, nurseries, micro irrigation, bore well/pumpset/water harvesting structure, vermi compost units, solar pumps, harvesting tools, custom hiring centre cum harvester Groups, farmers and officers training, and for replanting of old oil palm gardens etc.

Hence both statements are correct.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) bought 8.7 tonne of gold in January, making it the largest purchase by the central bank since July 2022, according to World Gold Council data.

About World Gold Council (WGC):

• It is the market development organisation for the gold industry.
• WGC is a nonprofit association formed in 1987 whose members comprise the world’s leading and most forward-thinking gold mining companies.
• The WGC was established to promote the use of and demand for gold through marketing, research, and lobbying. 
• Headquartered in London, with operations in India, China, Singapore, and the USA, the WGC covers the markets which comprise about three-quarters of the world's annual gold consumption.
• The WGC is also the global authority on gold, and they offer comprehensive analyses of the industry. 
• It is an advocate for gold consumption. The WGC aims to maximize the industry's potential growth by monitoring and defending existing gold consumption.
• It achieves this by setting up gold standards, proposing policies, ensuring fairness and sustainability in the gold mining industry, and promoting the usage and demand for gold for individuals, industries, and institutions.
• It also co-sponsors research in the development of new uses for gold, or of new products containing gold. 
• WGC was the creator of the first gold exchange-traded fund. 

Hence only statement 2 is correct.

Recently, the Union Cabinet approved the proposal of Department of Water Resources, RD & GR for continuation of “Flood Management and Border Areas Programme (FMBAP)” with total outlay of Rs. 4,100 crore for a period of 5 years from 2021-22 to 2025-26.

• It is a centrally sponsored Scheme.
• The scheme has two components: 
• Flood Management Programme (FMP) component: In this central assistance will be provided to State Governments for taking up critical works related to flood control, anti-erosion, drainage development and anti-sea erosion, etc.
• Funding: The pattern of funding to be followed is 90% (Centre): 10% (State) for Special Category States (8 North-Easter States and Hilly States of Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and UT of Jammu & Kashmir) and 60% (Centre):40% (State) for General/ Non-Special Category States.
• River Management and Border Areas (RMBA) component: Under this, flood control and anti-erosion works on common border rivers with neighbouring countries including hydrological observations and flood forecasting, and investigation & pre-construction activities of joint water resources projects (with neighbouring countries) on common border rivers will be taken up with 100% central assistance.
• The works implemented under RMBA component also protect important installations of security agencies, border out-posts, etc.  along the border rivers from flood and erosion.
• The Scheme has the provision of incentivizing the States which implement flood plain zoning, recognized as an effective non-structural measure for flood management. 
• Significance: This is particularly relevant as the increased incidence of extreme events has been witnessed during the last few years in view of the likely impact of climate change and situation may further aggravate in times to come exacerbating problem of floods in terms of extent, intensity and frequency. 

Hence both statements are correct.

Recently, the union Minister of Education and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship inaugurated the Rashtriya Udyamita Vikas Pariyojana, in Sambalpur, Odisha.

• It is tailored specifically for beneficiaries of the PM SVANidhi scheme, this unique National Entrepreneurship Development Project underscores the government's steadfast commitment to nurturing job providers across the nation. 
• Aim: It aims to equip individuals with comprehensive entrepreneurship training, creating job providers rather than job seekers.
• This initiative focuses on reskilling and upskilling employees to enhance their competitiveness and adaptability in an era of disruptive technology.
• It will offer comprehensive entrepreneurship training over a period of 22 weeks, combining theoretical knowledge with practical exposure through experiential learning.
• The training will be conducted through offline, online and hybrid modes, with certificates awarded upon completion, enhancing the course's credibility and value.
• The Government of India has partnered with Flipkart to skill street vendors and small shopkeepers.
• Under the pilot program, street vendors of 10 big cities of the country will be given a stipend along with training to expand their businesses.

Hence only statement 1 is correct.

Recently, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved ₹340/quintal as the Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) of sugarcane for sugar season 2024-25 at sugar recovery rate of 10.25%.

• It is the price declared by the government, which mills are legally bound to pay to farmers for the cane procured from them.
• Who determines it? The FRP is fixed by Union government (Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA)) on the basis of recommendations of Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP).
• The payment of FRP across the country is governed by the Sugarcane Control order, 1966 which mandates payment within 14 days of the date of delivery of the cane.
• Mills have the option of signing an agreement with farmers, which would allow them to pay the FRP in installments.
• Delays in payment can attract an interest up to 15 per cent per annum, and the sugar commissioner can recover unpaid FRP as dues in revenue recovery by attaching properties of the mills.
• The amended provisions of the Sugarcane (Control) Order, 1966 provides for fixation of FRP of sugarcane having regard to the following factors:
• cost of production of sugarcane
• return to the growers from alternative crops and the general trend of prices of agricultural commodities
• availability of sugar to consumers at a fair price
• price at which sugar produced from sugarcane is sold by sugar producers;
• recovery of sugar from sugarcane;
• the realization made from sale of by-products viz. molasses, bagasse and press mud or their imputed value
• reasonable margins for the growers of sugarcane on account of risk and profits

Hence both statements are correct.

In today's digital age, where smartphones are practically an extension of ourselves, smishing poses a real and growing threat.

• It is a form of phishing that targets individuals through text messages or SMS.
• It is just like phishing emails, smishing messages aim to trick you into divulging personal information or downloading malware onto your device.
• It is done in through following ways
• Fake alerts and warnings: Scammers send texts pretending to be from legitimate institutions like banks, government agencies, or delivery services. They'll claim there's a problem with your account or a package delivery, prompting you to click on a link for more information.
• Urgent requests: Smishers play on your emotions by creating a sense of urgency. They might promise prizes, warn of impending legal action, or claim your account is compromised, pressuring you to act quickly without thinking.
• Exploiting current events: During tax season, scammers might pose as the IRS, offering tax refunds or threatening penalties if you don't respond immediately. Similarly, they might capitalise on natural disasters or health crises to solicit donations or spread misinformation.

Hence option a is the correct answer.