Daily Current Affairs MCQ - September 9, 2021 - UPSC MCQ

El Salvador became the first country in the world to adopt bitcoin as legal tender.

• The law mandates that Bitcoin should now be accepted as a valid payment by all establishments, except those that do not have the technical wherewithal to do so.
• This puts the digital currency that does not answer to any government monetary policies on the same footing as the country’s primary currency, the United States dollar.
• Hence, option (a) is the correct answer.

Addressing the inaugural conclave of 'Shikshak Parv', Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a number of initiatives of Ministry of Education.

• Modi launched the Indian Sign Language Dictionary -- audio and text embedded sign language video for the hearing impaired, in conformity with Universal Design of Learning, along with 'Talking Books', which are audiobooks for the visually impaired.
• Among other initiatives unveiled by the prime minister include School Quality Assurance and Assessment Framework of CBSE and NISHTHA teachers' training programme for NIPUN Bharat.
• Hence, option (d) is the correct answer.

The prolonged closure of primary and upper primary schools since the onset of the pandemic has led to “catastrophic consequences” for school students, says The ‘Emergency Report on School Education’

• It says that only 8% of school students in rural India have been able to access online education, while at least 37% have stopped studying altogether.
• Reach of online education is very limited: the proportion of schoolchildren who were studying online “regularly” was just 24% and 8% in urban and rural areas respectively. One reason for this is that many sample households (about half in rural areas) have no smartphone.
• Dalit and Adivasi children were at a greater disadvantage as a mere 5% of the children from these groups had access to online classes.
• Access to online education among students in those houses with smartphones is also handicapped by the fact that the smartphones are mainly used by the working adults who are not always able to share the gadgets with the children at home.
• In addition to education, the closure affected the level of nutrition among the children in rural schools where the midday meals have been stopped.
• Hence both statements are correct.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Minister for Road Transport and Highways Shri Nitin Gadkari will Inaugurate Emergency Landing Field (ELF) and also witness aircraft operations on Emergency Landing Field (ELF) on NH-925 0n 09/09/2021 at Gandhav Bhakasar Section (NH-925) South of Barmer (Rajasthan).

• This is the first time that National Highway will be used for emergency landing of aircrafts of IAF.
• NHAI had developed a 3.0 Km section of Satta-Gandhav stretch of NH-925A from Km. 41/430 to Km. 44/430 as an Emergency Landing Facility (ELF) for Indian Air Force, which is part of newly developed Two lane paved shoulder of Gagariya-Bakhasar & Satta-Gandhav Section having total length of 196.97 Km. and Costing of Rs. 765.52 Crores under Bharatmala Pariyojana.
• This project will improve connectivity between villages of Barmer & Jalore districts located on international border. The stretch being located in the western border area will facilitate the vigilance of the Indian Army as well as strengthen the basic infrastructure of the country.
• Apart from this Emergency Landing Strip, 3 helipads (size 100 x 30 metres each) have been constructed in Kundanpura, Singhania & Bakhasar villages in this project according to the requirements of the Air Force/Indian Army, which will be the basis for strengthening the Indian Army and security network on the western international border of the country.
• Hence both statements are correct.

The Jharkhand Assembly passed ‘The Jharkhand State Employment of Local Candidates in Private Sector Bill, 2021’, which provides 75% reservation for locals in private sector jobs with a monthly salary of up to ₹40,000.

• Once notified, Jharkhand will become the third State, after Andhra Pradesh and Haryana, to pass such a law.
• Every employer shall register such employees receiving gross monthly salary as wages not more than ₹40,000 as the limit notified by the government from time to time on the designated portal,” states the Bill.
• Hence, option (b) is the correct answer.

• Guru Gobind Singh established the Khalsa order (meaning 'The Pure'), soldier-saints. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
• The Khalsa upholds the highest Sikh virtues of commitment, dedication and social consciousness. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
• The Khalsa are men and women who have undergone the Sikh baptism ceremony and who strictly follow the Sikh Code of Conduct and Conventions. Hence, statement 3 is correct.
• They wear the prescribed physical articles of the faith (5K’s: Kesh (uncut hair), Kangha (a wooden comb), Kara (an iron bracelet), Kachera (cotton underpants) and Kirpan (an iron dagger).

• The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) has cleared procurement of 56 C-295 MW medium transport aircraft for the Indian Air Force under the Make-in-India initiative in the aerospace sector.
  • The C-295MW aircraft will be purchased from Airbus Defence and Space S.A., Spain.
• The C-295 MW is a transport aircraft of 5-10 tonne capacity with contemporary technology.
  • It has a rear ramp door for quick reaction and para-dropping of troops and cargo.
  • It will be installed with the indigenous Electronic Warfare Suite.
• C-295 MW will replace the Indian Air Force’s ageing fleet of Avro-748 planes.
  • The Avro-748 planes are a British-origin twin-engine turboprop, military transport and freighter with a 6-tonne freight capacity. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
• Airbus Defence and Space and Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) will jointly execute the project to equip the air force with the new transport aircraft under the Make-in-India initiative in the aerospace sector.
  • Airbus will supply the first 16 aircraft in fly away condition while the remaining 40 will be assembled in India by TASL. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

• The GST Council is a constitutional body (Article 279A) for making recommendations to the Union and State Government on issues related to Goods and Services Tax. Hence, statement 1 is not correct.
• The GST Council is chaired by the Union Finance Minister and other members are the Union State Minister of Revenue or Finance and Ministers in-charge of Finance or Taxation of all the States. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.
  • It is considered as a federal body where both the centre and the states get due representation.

Government of India has approved Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for Textiles for MMF Apparel, MMF Fabrics and 10 segments/ products of Technical Textiles with a budgetary outlay of Rs. 10,683 crore.

• PLI for Textiles along with RoSCTL, RoDTEP and other measures of Government in sector e.g. providing raw material at competitive prices, skill development etc will herald a new age in textiles manufacturing.
• PLI scheme for Textiles is part of the overall announcement of PLI Schemes for 13 sectors made earlier during the Union Budget 2021-22, with an outlay of Rs. 1.97 lakh crore. With the announcement of PLI Schemes for 13 sectors, minimum production in India is expected to be around Rs. 37.5 lakh crore over 5 years and minimum expected employment over 5 years is nearly 1 crore.
• There are two types of investment possible with different set of incentive structure.
• Any person, (which includes firm / company) willing to invest minimum ₹300 Crore in Plant, Machinery, Equipment and Civil Works (excluding land and administrative building cost) to produce products of Notified lines (MMF Fabrics, Garment) and products of Technical Textiles, shall be eligible to apply for participation in first part of the scheme.
• In the second part any person, (which includes firm / company) willing to invest minimum ₹100 Crore shall be eligible to apply for participation in this part of the scheme.
• In addition, priority will be given for investment in Aspirational Districts, Tier 3, Tier 4 towns, and rural areas and due to this priority Industry will be incentivized to move to backward area.
• Hence both statements are correct.

The Union Cabinet has approved the signing of an agreement on the recruitment of Indian citizens to work in the Portuguese Republic between the Government of the Republic of India and the Government of Republic of Portugal.

• The present agreement would set an institutional mechanism for partnership and cooperation between India and Portugal on sending and accepting Indian workers.
• Under this agreement, a Joint Committee will be set up to follow up the implementation of the same.
• Signing this agreement with Portugal will add new destination for Indian migrant workers in an EU member nation, especially in the context of many Indian workers who have returned to India following the Covid-19 pandemic. Indian workers would have enhanced job opportunities to work in Portugal.
• Hence both statements are correct.