Daily Current Affairs MCQ- May 23, 2022 - UPSC MCQ

A team of scientists at the Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies (Kufos) has standardised the techniques for artificial breeding of Olive barbs (Kuruva Paral) and Filament barb (Kalakkodiyan), and have developed brood stocks for Highfin barb (Kooral) and Carnatic carp (Pachilavetti).

• These freshwater species of barbs and carp used to be found widely in the Idamalayar Dam, Bhoothathankettu, and the Kol fields of Thrissur district.
• However, indiscriminate fishing and changes in habitat conditions have brought these species, especially Kuruva Paral, to the brink of extinction.
• The conservation measures being taken up by Kufos are supported under the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)-India High Range Landscape project that also aims to help trained aquaculturists among Adivasis to take up farming of these freshwater species.
• The project, even though launched in January 2020, was delayed by a year due to the pandemic.
• The brood stocks for Kooral and Pachilavetti have been stored at the freshwater aquaculture facility at Kufos.

Hence both statements are not correct.

Parliament did not excessively delegate power to the Centre by authorising it to establish the National Green Tribunal (NGT), the Supreme Court held in a judgment.

• NGT was not an excessive case of delegation of powers to the central government.
• The NGT came into existence as a sui generis institution established for enforcement of environmental rights protected under the Right to Life (Article 21 of the Constitution).
• The National Green Tribunal has been established on 18.10.2010 under the National Green Tribunal Act 2010 for effective and expeditious disposal of cases relating to environmental protection.
• The Tribunal shall not be bound by the procedure laid down under the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908, but shall be guided by principles of natural justice.
• New Delhi is the Principal Place of Sitting of the Tribunal and Bhopal, Pune, Kolkata and Chennai shall be the other four place of sitting of the Tribunal.

Hence only statement 1 is correct.

Lower respiratory infection attributable to respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) was responsible for more than 1,00,000 deaths in children under five worldwide in 2019, according to a new estimate published in The Lancet.

• The study is the first to examine RSV disease burden in narrow age brackets.
• According to the report the incidence rate in India is 53 per 1,000 children per year (5.3%) and there were an approximate 61,86, 500 episodes of RSV-associated acute lower respiratory infection in children below five years.
• Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is also called human respiratory syncytial virus (hRSV) and human orthopneumovirus.
• It is a common, contagious virus that causes infections of the respiratory tract.
• It is a negative-sense, single-stranded RNA virus, and its name is derived from the large cells known as syncytia that form when infected cells fuse.
• RSV is the most common cause of acute lower respiratory infection in young children.
• Globally, only 26% RSV-associated deaths occur in a hospital. This is particularly apparent in low- and middle-income countries.

Hence both statements are correct.

India has set a target of doubling its air passenger traffic in the next two to three years by catering to at least 200 million passengers.

• To achieve this target, the government has planned to construct 200 airports, waterdromes and heliports across the country in the upcoming four years.
• Union Minister for Civil Aviation Jyotiraditya Scindia said, the government is focusing on developing infrastructure and increasing the fleet size by putting in place a suitable ecosystem for civil aviation. He said, 67 new airports, waterdromes and heliports have been built in the last eight years as compared to only 74 airports that were built in the 70 years before that.
• The Minister appreciated the innovative capabilities of Indian scientists and engineers for developing the GAGAN Navigation System. Recently, Indigo became the first airline in the country to land aircraft using the indigenous navigation system GAGAN.

Hence both statements are correct.

• The Indo-Gangetic Plain has the worst air pollution. New Delhi and several of the most polluted cities are located in this region. Hence statement 1 is correct.
• Lead poisoning or chronic intoxication is caused by the absorption of Lead in the circulatory system of the human being. It is characterized especially by fatigue, abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhea, loss of appetite, a dark line along the gums, and muscle paralysis or weakness of limbs.
• Lead exposure also causes anemia, hypertension, renal impairment, immunotoxicity and toxicity to the reproductive organs. Hence statement 2 is correct.

• The World Governance Index plays a key role in deciding the sovereign credit rating of any nation.
• The World Governance Indicators (WGI) is released by the World Bank. Hence statement 1 is not correct.
• World Governance Indicators are based on the following set of criteria:
  • Voice and Accountability, Political Stability and Absence of Violence, Government Effectiveness, Regulatory Quality, Rule of Law, Control of Corruption. Hence Statement 2 is not correct.

• It is the first and only Tri-Service theatre command of the Indian Armed Forces, based at Port Blair in Andaman and Nicobar Islands of India. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
• It was created in 2001 to safeguard India's strategic interests in Southeast Asia and the Strait of Malacca by increasing rapid deployment of military assets in the islands. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
• It is commanded by a three-star officer from the Navy, under whom officers and men from all three services (Navy, Air Force, Army) work.
• It conducts bi-annual coordinated patrols (CORPATs) with the navies of Thailand and Indonesia, the annual SIMBEX maritime exercise with Singapore, and the biennial Milan multilateral naval exercise. Hence, statement 3 is not correct.
• It also patrols India's exclusive economic zone to suppress gun running, narcotics smuggling, piracy, and poaching, and conducts maritime surveillance, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR).
• Lt Gen Ajai Singh is its current Commander-in-Chief.

Role of the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS):

• CDS acts as the permanent Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee which will also have three service chiefs as members. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
• His core function will be to foster greater operational synergy between the three service branches of the Indian military and keep inter-service frictions to a minimum.
• He also heads the newly created Department of Military Affairs (DMA) in the Ministry of Defence.
  • As the head of DMA, CDS is vested with the authority in prioritizing inter-service procurement decisions as Permanent Chairman-Chiefs of Staff Committee.
  • He also performs an advisory role in the Nuclear Command Authority (NCA). Hence, statement 2 is not correct.
• The CDS is also vested with the authority to provide directives to the three chiefs.
• However, he does not enjoy any command authority over any of the forces. Hence, statement 3 is not correct.
• CDS is first among equals, he enjoys the rank of Secretary within the DoD (Department of Defence)and his powers will be confined to only the revenue budget.

• The State of Inequality in India’ Report compiles information on inequities across sectors of health, education, household characteristics and the labor market.
  • The report consists of two parts – Economic Facets and Socio-Economic Manifestations which looks at five key areas that influence the nature and experience of inequality.
• The Report was released by the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister. Hence statement 1 is correct.
• Chandigarh, Delhi, Punjab, Goa in order is in the top in terms of wealth concentration. Punjab will be the top state not Goa. Hence statement 2 is not correct.
• In 2019-20, among different employment categories, the highest percentage was self-employed workers (45.78%), followed by regular salaried workers (33.5%) and casual workers (20.71%). Hence statement 3 is correct.

Recently, the Supreme Court of India (SC), held that Union and State legislatures have equal, simultaneous and unique powers to make laws on Goods and Services Tax (GST) and the recommendations of the GST Council are not binding on them.

• It is an indirect tax (not directly paid by customers to the government), that came into effect from 1 July 2017 through the implementation of the 101st Amendment to the Constitution of India.
• It has actually replaced various indirect taxes such as - service taxes, VAT, excise and others in the country.
• It is levied on the manufacturer or seller of goods and the providers of services.
• The sellers usually add the tax expense into their costs and the price the customers pay is inclusive of GST. Thus, one ends up paying a tax even if s/he is not an income taxpayer.
• It is divided into five different tax slabs for collection of tax - 0%, 5%, 12%, 18% and 28%.

Hence both statements are correct.