Daily Current Affairs MCQ - March 3, 2021 - UPSC MCQ

Union Minister for Road Transport looked into request by carmakers from the Society of India Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) to postpone implementation of BS 6 CAFÉ Phase II regulations to April 1st 2024, on the grounds that the industry is still recovering from the impact of COVID.

• CAFE (Corporate Average Fuel Efficiency) regulations are similar norms to BS6 but with a different approach towards reducing the carbon footprint in the exhaust gasses of the vehicle.

• CAFE majorly focuses on COx emissions. BS6, on the other hand, focuses on overall emissions which include NOx (Nitrogen Oxides), SOx (Sulphur Oxides).

• The CAFE regulations aim to reduce the overall COx (Carbon Oxides) from the exhaust of the vehicle. The reduced carbon footprint leads to increased fuel economy.

• These regulations were first implemented in India on 1st April 2017 with the introduction of BS4 exhaust emission norms.

Union Minister for Tourism virtually laid the Foundation Stone for the project “Development of Maa Bamleshwari Devi Temple, Dongargarh, Chhattisgarh” approved under PRASHAD Scheme of the Ministry of Tourism.

• The ‘National Mission on Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual, Heritage Augmentation Drive’ (PRASHAD) is a Central Sector Scheme fully financed by the Government of India.

• It was launched by the Ministry of Tourism in the year 2014-15 with the objective of integrated development of identified pilgrimage and heritage destinations.

• The scheme aimed at infrastructure development such as entry points (Road, Rail and Water Transport), last mile connectivity, ATM/ Money exchange, area Lighting and illumination with renewable sources, waiting rooms, first aid centers, craft bazars etc.

• Till now, 13 projects have been successfully completed under PRASHAD Scheme to promote spiritual tourism. The completed projects include two projects each at Somnath, Mathura, Tamil Nadu and Bihar and one project each at Varanasi, Guruvayur and Amaravati (Guntoor), Kamakhya and Amritsar.

The Nag River Pollution Abatement Project has been approved at a cost of Rs. 2,117.54 crores.

• This was announced by Union Minister Nitin Gadkari after chairing a meeting of World Bank officials, DG NMCG and Nagpur Municipal commissioner.

• The project , approved under the National River Conservation Plan, will be implemented by the National River Conservation Directorate, NRCD.

• It will reduce the pollution level in terms of untreated sewage, flowing solid waste and other impurities flowing into the Nag river and its tributaries.

• The Nag River is a river flowing through the city of Nagpur in Maharashtra. Nagpur city derives its name from the Nag river.

• Forming a part of the Kanhan-Pench river system, the Nag River originates in Lava hills near wadi.

The Government of India, Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), and UN-based Better Than Cash Alliance hosted Merchant Digitization Summit 2021: Towards AatmaNirbhar (Self Reliance) Bharat with special focus on Himalayan Regions, North East Regions and Aspirational Districts of India.

• Based at the United Nations, the Better Than Cash Alliance is a partnership of governments, companies and international organizations that accelerates the transition from cash to responsible digital payments.

• The Alliance has 75 members which are committed to digitizing payments.

• The Alliance Secretariat works with members on their journey to digitize payments by:

  • Providing advisory services based on their priorities.

  • Sharing action-oriented research and fostering peer learning on responsible practices.

  • Conducting advocacy at national, regional and global level.

• It was created in 2012. It was launched by the United Nations Capital Development Fund, the United States Agency for International Development, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Citigroup, the Ford Foundation, the Omidyar Network, and Visa Inc..

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today inaugurated the ‘Maritime India Summit 2021’.

Key highlights of the summit:

• He informed that capacity of major ports have increased from 870 million tonnes in 2014 to 1550 million tonnes now.

• Mega ports with world class infrastructure are being developed in Vadhavan, Paradip and Deendayal Port in Kandla.

• India aims to operationalize 23 waterways by 2030.

• India has as many as 189 lighthouses across its vast coastline and has drawn up a programme for developing tourism in the land adjacent to 78 lighthouses.

• Steps are also being taken to introduce urban water transport systems in key states and cities such as Kochi, Mumbai, Gujarat and Goa.

• To encourage domestic shipbuilding, approval has been given to the Shipbuilding Financial Assistance Policy for Indian Shipyards.

• The Ministry of Port Shipping and Waterways has created a list of 400 investable projects. These projects have an investment potential of $ 31 billion or Rs 2.25 lakh crores.

• The Maritime India Vision 2030 outlines the priorities of the Government.

• The Sagar-Manthan: Mercantile Marine Domain Awareness Centre has been launched. It is an information system for enhancing maritime safety, search and rescue capabilities, security and marine environment protection.

• Government is in the process of installing solar and wind-based power systems at all the major ports across the country and aims to increase usage of renewable energy to more than 60% of total energy by 2030 in three phases across Indian ports.

Registration of political parties is governed by the provisions of section 29A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951.

• A party seeking registration under the said section with the Commission has to submit an application to the Commission within a period of 30 days following the date of its formation as per guidelines prescribed by the Commission in exercise of the powers conferred by Article 324 of the Constitution of India and Section 29A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951.

• As per existing guidelines, the applicant association is, inter-alia, asked to publish proposed Name of party in two national daily newspapers and two local daily newspapers, on two days for submitting objections, if any, with regard to the proposed registration of the party before the Commission within 30 days from such publication.

Recent development:

• The Commission has announced the General Elections for the Legislative Assemblies of West Bengal, Assam, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry on 26.02.2021.

• The Election Commission has given a relaxation and has reduced the notice period from 30 days to 7 days for the parties who have published their public notice on or before 26.02.2021.

Representation of the People Act (RPA), 1950 lays down procedures for delimitation of constituencies.

The Udaipur Science Centre, at Udaipur, Tripura was dedicated to the people by the Governor of Tripura.

• Udaipur Science Centre is the 22nd Science Centre which has been developed by National Council of Science Museums (NCSM) and handed over to the State Governments under the Ministry of Culture’s Scheme for Promotion of Culture of Science.

• This Science Centre has been developed at a cost of Rs 6 crore funded jointly by Ministry of Culture, Govt. of India and Dept. of Science, Technology & Environment, Government of Tripura.

• With this; NCSM has now set-up science centres in all the north eastern states.

• Udaipur, formerly known as Rangamati, is the third biggest city in Tripura.

• The city was a former capital of the state during the reign of the Maharajas. This city is famous for the Tripura Sundari temple also known as Tripureswari temple.

The Indian Air Force is participating for the first time in Exercise Desert Flag along with air forces of United Arab Emirates, United States of America, France, Saudi Arabia, South Korea and Bahrain.

• Exercise Desert Flag is an annual multi-national large force employment warfare exercise hosted by the United Arab Emirates Air Force.

• Exercise Desert Flag VI is scheduled from 03 Mar 21 to 27 Mar 21 at Al-Dhafra airbase, UAE.

• The IAF is participating with six Su-30 MKI, two C-17 and one IL-78 tanker aircraft.

• The aim of the exercise is to provide operational exposure to the participating forces while training them to undertake simulated air combat operations in a controlled environment.

Union Minister of Education released the study material of Bhartiya Jnana Parampara (Indian Knowledge Tradition) courses of National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) in Noida.

• NIOS is already making efforts to spread the Indian knowledge tradition in India and abroad.

• Vedic studies, Sanskrit grammar, Indian philosophy, Sanskrit literature and Sanskrit language courses have been prepared for Secondary and Senior Secondary level by NIOS on the basis of "Indian knowledge tradition" and their study materials are available to learners in Sanskrit and Hindi language.

• They are also being translated into English medium and further all these subjects are also being planned to be prepared in major foreign languages to promote the Indian culture and knowledge tradition abroad.

• The New Education Policy-2020 also emphasizes on the creation of a sense of pride towards Indianness in the learner's inner self as well as the establishment of our ancient knowledge, skills and values.

Central Revenues Control Laboratory (CRCL), New Delhi was recognized as a Regional Customs Laboratory (RCL) of the World Customs Organisation (WCO) for Asia-Pacific Region.

• Central Revenues Control Laboratory (CRCL), New Delhi is under the administrative control of Central Board of Indirect Taxes & Customs.

• Established in 1939, CRCL is the headquarters of 14 Revenue Laboratories, including 2 laboratories working at Government Opium & Alkaloid Works, Ghazipur & Neemuch.

• With its recognition as RCL, CRCL joins a select group of Customs Laboratories in the region like those in Japan & Korea.

• The World Customs Organization (WCO), established in 1952 as the Customs Co-operation Council (CCC) is an independent intergovernmental body whose mission is to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of Customs administrations.

• It is headquartered in Brussels, Belgium.