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

The Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare recently notified a committee to promote zero-budget based farming and to make the MSP more effective and transparent.

• MSP is a form of market intervention (a policy decision not enforceable by law) by the Government of India to insure agricultural producers against any sharp fall in farm prices during bumper production years.
• These are announced by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (Chaired by the Prime Minister of India).
• The recommendations of the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP) at the beginning of the sowing season for certain crops forms the basis of these announcements.

Hence only statement 2 is correct.

Since inception, NCF has completed 52 projects with various donors.

• Government of India has set up National Culture Fund (NCF) as a Trust on 28th November, 1996 under the Charitable Endowment Act, 1890.
• NCF is managed by a (Governing) Council and an Executive Committee.
• The Council is chaired by the Union Minister of Culture and has a strength of 21 including 15 non-official members representing various fields including corporate sector, private foundations and not-for-profit voluntary organizations.
• The aim of National Culture Fund (NCF) is to establish and nurture partnerships in the field of Culture and Heritage with private and public sectors, government, non-government agencies, private institutions and foundations and mobilize resources for the restoration, conservation, protection and development of India’s rich, natural, tangible and intangible heritage.

Hence only statement 2 is correct.

A total of 1,63,370 Indians relinquished Indian Citizenship in 2021 and received citizenship from other countries, a trend noted highest since 2019.

• The number of Indians who relinquished Indian Citizenship in 2019 and 2020 are 1,44,017; 85,256 respectively. A maximum of 78,284 Indians relinquished Indian Citizenship and received citizenship of the USA followed by 23,533 who took citizenship in Australia; 21,597 in Canada; and 14,637 in the UK in 2021.
• Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai on Tuesday shared the data with the Lok Sabha that mentions "the number of Indians who relinquished Indian Citizenship in 2019, 2020, 2021 are 1,44,017; 85,256; and 1,63,370 respectively".
• Asked about the reasons given by these persons for renouncing Indian citizenship, Rai said "individuals renounced Indian citizenship for reasons personal to them".
• The data provided by the Minister mentions that there are 103 countries where Indians relinquished Indian citizenship.

Hence both statements are correct.

Jawaharlal Nehru Port has become the first 100 per cent Landlord Major Port of India having all berths being operated on PPP model.

• Ports, Shipping and Waterways Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said, this project will improve the utilization in crane and berth productivity of the terminal.
• The total handling of JNPT will increase to 1.8 million Twenty-foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) from the present handling capacity of 1.5 million TEUs in 2020-21.
• The Minister said terminal will also be handling Ro-Ro vessels which will not only lower the logistics cost and reduce transit time but will also contribute in reducing congestion on roads and promoting towards clean environment.

Hence both statements are correct.

The Government today clarified that it is not contemplating any legislative measures to control population in the country.

• This was stated by Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Dr. Bharati Praveen Pawar in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha today.
• The Minister said, the government accords top priority to the National Family Planning Programme with the objective of attaining Population Stabilization by the year 2045.
• She said, the government’s efforts have been successful in reining in the growth of population and the Total Fertility Rate has declined to 2.0 in 2019-21.
• Dr. Pawar said, contraceptive usage has also increased to 56.5 percent in the country and The Crude Birth Rate has declined to 19.7 in 2019.

Hence only statement 1 is correct.

The Weapons of Mass Destruction and their Delivery Systems (Prohibition of Unlawful Activities) Amendment Bill, 2022 was moved today in the Rajya Sabha amid din.

• The bill seeks to amend the Weapons of Mass Destruction and their Delivery Systems (Prohibition of Unlawful Activities) Act, 2005.
• The 2005 Act prohibits unlawful activities such as manufacturing, transport, or transfer related to weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery.
• Weapons of mass destruction are biological, chemical, or nuclear weapons. The bill bars persons from financing any prohibited activity related to weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems.
• The house could not take up discussion on the bill due to the opposition's protest over the inflation and GST hike.

​​​​​​​Hence both statements are correct.

The government has provided four crore 14 lakh Iron Folic Acid Supplementation to Adolescents under the Weekly Iron and Folic Acid Supplementation (WIFS) Programme in the last financial year.

• The Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Dr. Bharati Pravin Pawar stated this in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha today.
• Dr. Pawar highlighted that over seven thousand Adolescent Friendly Health Clinics have been established in the country and fifty-two lakh Adolescent clients received counseling and clinical services during 2021-22.
• The Minister stressed that the Scheme for Promotion of Menstrual Hygiene is implemented to promote menstrual hygiene among adolescent girls in the age group of 10-19 years. He said, nearly thirty-five lakh adolescent girls have been covered every month under this scheme.

Hence both statements are correct.

The Department of Commerce has notified a new Rule - Work from Home in Special Economic Zones Rules, 2006 across all Special Economic Zones.

• The notification was issued on demand from the industry for making a provision for a country-wide uniform Work From Home policy across all Special Economic Zones.
• As per the new notification, Work from Home may be extended to maximum 50 percent of total employees including contractual employees of the unit.
• There is flexibility granted to Development Commissioner of Special Economic Zones to approve a higher number of employees for any bona-fide reason to be recorded in writing. Work From Home is now allowed for a maximum period of one year.
• However, it may be further extended for a period of one year at a time by the Development Commissioner at the request of units.

Hence both statements are correct.

Recently, the Chief Justice of India (CJI) stated at the 18th All-India Legal Services meet organised by the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) that political opposition translating into hostility is not a sign of a healthy democracy.

National Legal Services Authority (NALSA):

• NALSA has been constituted under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987.
• It was established under Article 39 A of Indian constitution.
• It aims to provide free Legal Services to the weaker sections of the society and to organise Lok Adalats for amicable settlement of disputes.
• Currently, Justice Uday Umesh Lalit the Chief Justice of India is the Patron-in-Chief of NALSA.

Hence only statement 2 is correct.

‘Swavlamban’, the maiden seminar of the Naval Innovation and Indigenisation Organisation (NIIO), was held at New Delhi on 18-19 July 2022.

• The two day seminar saw enthusiastic participation by the academia, industry, policy makers, think tanks, students and senior government officials, in addition to the naval personnel.
• Personnel at Command Headquarters and outlying units of the Navy also assembled at designated auditoriums spread across the country to participate online.
• Hon’ble Prime Minister was shown a demo of ‘Varuna’ Personal Air vehicle – an autonomous multi-copter drone capable of carrying a passenger.
• The highlight of the seminar was the release of the iDEX DISC7 (SPRINT) challenges by the Prime Minister. SPRINT (Supporting Pole-vaulting in R&D through iDEX, NIIO and TDAC) is a collaborative project between the Defence Innovation Organisation (DIO) and NIIO aimed at developing atleast 75 indigenous technologies / products as a part of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav.
• The maiden seminar is ‘historic’ both in scope and ambition and will foster a new chapter in the naval thrust towards self-reliance in defence and an AatmaNirbhar Bharat.

Hence both statements are correct.