Daily Current Affairs MCQ - November 2, 2021 - UPSC MCQ

The census of one of the world’s most threatened cetaceans, the Indus river dolphin (Platanista gangetica minor) — a freshwater dolphin that is found in river Beas, is all set to commence in the winter as part of a project by the Centre.

• However, Punjab’s wildlife preservation wing has gone a step ahead to not only protect the dolphins but also their natural habitat.
• The Indus river dolphin is classified as endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and, until recently, it was believed that these dolphins were endemic to Pakistan.
• But in 2007, a remnant but viable population of Indus dolphins was discovered in Punjab’s Harike wildlife sanctuary and in the lower Beas river.
• Since its discovery, research is being done by Punjab’s Department of Forests and Wildlife Preservation in partnership with WWF-India on the current distribution, habitat use and population abundance of the mammal.
• The Indus river dolphin was declared the State aquatic animal of Punjab in 2019.
• Extension programmes will be held in Punjab to develop a group of dedicated individuals, called ‘Beas-Dolphin Mitras’ [friends and protectors] of the river Beas.
• Hence only statement 2 is correct.

Signalling a greater shift towards formalisation of the economy, the share of the large informal sector in overall economic activity dipped sharply in 2020-21 even as informal workers continue to bear the brunt of the pandemic’s adverse effects, the SBI said in a research report.

• The share of the informal economy may have shrunk to no more than 20% of the economic output from about 52% in 2017-18.
• There are wide variations in the formalisation levels in different sectors but the SBI estimated that the informal economy is possibly at a maximum of 15% to 20% of formal GDP in 2020-21.
• The SBI projections suggest that the informal agriculture sector has shrunk from 97.1% of the sector’s GVA in 2017-18 to just 70%-75% in 2020-21, driven by the increased penetration of credit through Kisan credit cards. Real estate has also seen a significant dip in informal activity from 52.8% in 2017-18 to 20%-25% last year.
• The report estimated that about ₹1.2 lakh crore of cash usage has been formalised since the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Formal agriculture credit flows have grown ₹4.6 lakh crore between 2017-18 and 2020-21, with digital payments for petrol and diesel rising around ₹1 lakh crore in the same period.

Informal sector

• The informal sector consists of “own-account” or unorganised enterprises employing hired workers, with the highest share of such unorganised activity being in agriculture where holdings are small and fragmented.
• As per a National Sample Survey (NSS) of 2014, around 93% of the workforce earned their livelihoods as informal workers.
• An IMF policy paper earlier this year estimated that the share of India’s informal economy in the Gross Value Added (GVA) was at 53.9% in 2011-12 and improved only marginally to 52.4% in 2017-18.
• Hence both statements are correct.

A day ahead of the commencement of the 26th United Nations Conference of Parties (COP) in Glasgow, Scotland, India has officially endorsed a website by the name of Climate Equity Monitor, (https://climateequitymonitor.in), made by Indian climate experts, that lists the historical carbon dioxide emissions of developed countries.

• The Climate Equity Monitor is aimed at monitoring the performance of Annex-I Parties under the UNFCCC (developed countries) based on the “foundational principles” of the Climate Convention. The performance and policies of the Non Annex-I Parties (developing countries) will be provided for comparison.
• The website was conceptualised and developed by the Climate Change Group at the M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation, Chennai, and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Department at the National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bengaluru, with other independent researchers.
• The database aims to highlight the disparity between the emissions of developed and developing countries with countries such as the United States, Canada and Australia and those in Western Europe shown as having a net carbon debt while developing countries such as India and China having net credit.
• Hence only statement 1 is correct.

The Fit India Plog Run, an annual nationwide event organised as part of the Fit India Movement was held at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in the national capital this Sunday morning.

• Plogging is a unique activity that combines fitness and cleanliness - Swaachta and Swasth - in which participants collect litter while jogging.
• The day also marked the end of the 'Clean India' campaign for this year, which started on October 1.
• Ripudaman, who is known as the Plogman of India, guided the 500-member group with warm-up exercises at the start of the day's proceedings and administered the Plastic Free Pledge to participants at the end.
• Hence both statements are correct.

Shri Amit Shah, Union Minister of Home Affairs and Cooporation launched the "Dairy Sahakar" scheme at Anand, Gujarat, during the function organised by Amul for celebration of 75th Foundation Year of Amul.

• The Dairy Sahakar with a total investment of Rs 5000 crore will be implemented by NCDC under Ministry of Cooperation, Government of India to realize the vision, “from cooperation to prosperity".
• Under it, financial support will be extended by NCDC to eligible cooperatives for activities such as bovine development, milk procurement, processing, quality assurance, value addition, branding, packaging, marketing, transportation and storage of milk and milk products, exports of dairy products within the overall objectives of "Doubling the farmers income".
• There will also be a convergence with various schemes of Government of India and / or of State Government/UT Administration/ Development agencies/ bilateral/multilateral assistance/ CSR mechanism is encouraged.
• The Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying under Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Government of India is also implementing various schemes for development of the Animal Husbandry and dairy sector.
• This Dairy Sahakar will supplement the existing efforts for strengthening the dairy sector in the country.
• Hence both statements are correct.

• The Personal Data Protection (PDP) Law, commonly referred to as the “Privacy Bill” and intends to protect individual rights by regulating the collection, movement, and processing of data that is personal, or which can identify the individual.
  • It derives its inspiration from a previous draft version prepared by a committee headed by retired Justice B N Srikrishna. Hence, statement 1 is not correct.
  • The Supreme Court in the Puttaswamy judgement (2017) held that the right to privacy is a fundamental right.
• The Bill gives the government powers to authorise the transfer of certain types of personal data overseas and has given exceptions allowing government agencies to collect personal data of citizens.
  • A Data Protection Authority has been envisaged for ensuring the compliance of the law.
  • It also mentions ‘Right to be Forgotten’. It states that the “data principal (the person to whom the data is related) shall have the right to restrict or prevent the continuing disclosure of his personal data by a data fiduciary”. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

• Recently, NITI Aayog has released a comprehensive report titled Health Insurance for India’s Missing Middle.
  • The report brings out the gaps in the health insurance coverage across the Indian population and offers solutions to address the situation.
• According to the report, at least 30% of the population, or 40 crore individuals (referred as the missing middle in this report) are devoid of any financial protection for health.
  • The Ayushman Bharat – Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) and various State Government extension schemes, provide comprehensive hospitalization cover to the bottom 50% of the population.
  • Around the top 20% of the population – 25 crore individuals – are covered through social health insurance, and private voluntary health insurance.
• Hence, option A is correct.

• Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) is a statutory authority established on 12th July 2016 by the Government of India under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, following the provisions of the Aadhaar Act 2016. Hence statement 1 is correct.
• The UIDAI is mandated to assign a 12-digit unique identification (UID) number (Aadhaar) to all the residents of India. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.
• The UIDAI was initially set up by the Government of India in January 2009, as an attached office under the aegis of the Planning Commission.

• Human trafficking involves recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of persons, by means of the threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, for the purpose of exploitation.
  • Exploitation include, at a minimum, the exploitation of the prostitution of others or other forms of sexual exploitation, forced labour or services, slavery or practices similar to slavery, servitude, or the removal of organs.
• Relevant Laws in India:
  • Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act 1956 is the premier legislation to deal with this issue.
  • Article 23 and 24 (Right Against Exploitation) of the Constitution of India.
    • Article 23 prohibits human trafficking and begar (forced labour without payment). Hence, statement 1 is correct.
    • Article 24 forbids employment of children below the age of 14 years in dangerous jobs like factories and mines.
  • 25 sections in IPC such as 366A, 366B, 370 and 374.
  • The Juvenile Justice Act and the Information Technology (IT) Act and also the Prevention of Child Labour Act, the Bonded Labour (Abolition) Act, among others.
• In July 2021, the Ministry of Women and Child Development released Draft anti-trafficking Bill, the Trafficking in Persons (Prevention, Care and Rehabilitation) Bill, 2021.
• India has ratified the United Nations Convention on Transnational Organised Crime (the Palermo Convention) which among others has a Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
• India has ratified the SAARC Convention on Preventing and Combating Trafficking in Women and Children for Prostitution.

Y 12704 (Visakhapatnam), the lead ship of Project 15B stealth guided missile destroyers being built at Mazgaon Docks Limited (MDL), was delivered to the Indian Navy on 28 October 2021.

• The contract for four ships of Project 15B, as the Visakhapatnam class ships are known, was signed on 28 January 2011. This project is a follow-on of the Kolkata class (Project 15A) destroyers commissioned in the last decade.
• Designed by Directorate of Naval Design, Indian Navy’s in-house design organisation; and built by M/s Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd, Mumbai; the four ships are christened after major cities from all four corners of the country viz. Visakhapatnam, Mormugao, Imphal and Surat.
• The keel of Visakhapatnam was laid in October 2013 and the ship was launched in April 2015.
• The 163 metres long warship has a full load displacement of 7400 tonnes and maximum speed of 30 knots. The overall indigenous content of the project is approx. 75%.
• The destroyer is installed with major indigenous weapons which include:
  • Medium Range Surface-to-Air Missiles (BEL, Bangalore).
  • BrahMos Surface-to-Surface Missiles (BrahMos Aerospace, New Delhi).
  • Indigenous Torpedo Tube Launchers (Larsen & Toubro, Mumbai).
  • Anti-Submarine Indigenous Rocket Launchers (Larsen & Toubro, Mumbai).
  • 76mm Super Rapid Gun Mount (BHEL, Haridwar).

Hence only statement 1 is correct.