Test: Monthly Current Affairs July- 2 - UPSC MCQ

In News: Recently, it has been highlighted that the proposed Bunder diamond mining project may have a greater ecological impact on the region.

Option C is correct: Bunder diamond mining project is located in the Buxwaha protected forest region in Chhatarpur of Madhya Pradesh. Chhatarpur was categorised as a semi-critical region by the Central Ground Water Authority in 2017. The project was awarded to Essel Mining & Industries Limited, which stated that to meet water requirements and protect the mine from inundation, a seasonal nullah (stream) will be converted into a dam.

Option c is correct: Pegasus is spyware that can be installed on devices running some versions of iOS, Apple's mobile operating system, as well on devices running Android. It was developed by the Israeli cyberarms firm NSO Group. It mainly uses Exploit Links for its working. Clicking on such links automatically installs Pegasus on the user's phone. The method of Social Engineering is used.

In News: Recently, the first shipment of Geographical Indication (GI) certified Bhalia variety of wheat was exported to Kenya and Sri Lanka from Gujarat.

All the statements are correct: Bhalia is a variety of wheat that received GI certification in July 2011. It has high protein content and is sweet in taste. The crop is grown mostly across the Bhal region of Gujarat which includes Ahmedabad, Anand, Kheda, Bhavanagar, Surendranagar, Bharuch districts. This variety is grown in rainfed conditions without irrigation.

In News: Recently, India has diverted excess waters under the Indus Water Treaty (IWT) 1960 to irrigate its own land.

Option D is correct: Correct sequence of the tributaries of the Indus River from north to south is Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas and Sutlej.

In News: A recently published paper has concluded that there may be unknown methane- producing processes on Enceladus.

Option B is correct: Enceladus is the 6th largest moon of Saturn. NASA’s Cassini spacecraft detected an unusually high concentration of methane, along with carbon dioxide and dihydrogen, in Saturn’s moons by flying through their plumes. New statistical methods are being used to understand if methanogenesis (methane production by microbes) could explain the molecular hydrogen and methane on Enceladus.

Statement 1 is correct: World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) is an independent conservation organization. It is an international non-governmental organization founded in 1961. It works in the field of wilderness preservation and the reduction of human impact on the environment.

Statement 2 is not correct: United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) is UN’s fund and Programme. Its headquarters is in Nairobi, Kenya.

In News: Recently, the Union Cabinet approved modifications in the central sector scheme of financing facility under the 'Agriculture Infrastructure Fund'.

Both the statements are not correct: It is a pan India Central Sector Scheme launched in the year 2020. Aim: To provide a medium - long term debt financing facility for investment in viable projects for post-harvest management Infrastructure and community farming assets through interest subvention and financial support. Duration: Extended to 13 years (FY2020 to FY2032).

Option A is correct: Globally considered as a neglected tropical disease (NTD).

• It is a parasitic disease caused by microscopic, thread-like worms. Wuchereria bancrofti, is responsible for 90% of the cases. The adult worms only live in the human lymph system. The lymph system maintains the body’s fluid balance and fights infections.
• Transmission: It is spread from person to person by mosquitoes. It is a leading cause of permanent disability worldwide.

In News: Recently, the proposed Lemru Elephant Reserve in Chhattisgarh has become the subject of a controversy around its area.

Option C is correct: The proposal for the Lemru Elephant Reserve, in Korba district, was passed unanimously by the Assembly in 2005 and got central approval in 2007. Lemru was planned to prevent human-animal conflict in the region, with elephants moving into Chhattisgarh from Odisha and Jharkhand. Badalkhol Tamorpingla, the other proposed elephant reserve measuring 1048.30 sq km, was notified in September 2011, however no work has begun yet.

Statement 1 is not correct: As such, no specific qualifications are prescribed for being elected the Speaker. The Constitution only requires that the Speaker should be a member of the House.

Statement 2 is correct: The Speaker presides over the House proceedings and joint sittings of the two Houses of Parliament.

Option B is correct: Soberana, recently developed by Cuba, is a conjugate vaccine. While there are no inherent disadvantages to taking a conjugate vaccine approach for coronavirus vaccines, they have generally been used against bacteria and not viruses.

In News: Recently, the new list of Union Cabinet ministers has mentioned the name of ‘Kongu Nadu’, the informal name for a region in the western part of Tamil Nadu.

Statement 1 is not correct: In Tamil literature, it was referred to as one of the five regions of ancient Tamil Nadu. There were mentions of ‘Kongu Nadu’ in Sangam literature as a separate territory.

Statement 2 is correct: The name derives from Kongu Vellala Gounder, an Other Backward Caste (OBC) community with a significant presence in these districts.

Statement 3 is correct: The region includes prominent businesses and industrial hubs at Namakkal, Salem, Tirupur and Coimbatore.

In News: Recently, the world-famous Kesariya Buddha stupa in east Champaran district of Bihar has been waterlogged following floods after heavy rainfall in Gandak river’s catchment areas.

Statement 1 is correct: The stupa is located in Bihar, about 110 km from Patna. It has a circumference of almost 400 feet and stands at a height of about 104 feet and is regarded as the largest Buddhist stupa in the world.

Statement 2 is correct: This is also the place where Buddha presented “Kalama Sutta”, which is arguably his most revered discourse and revolves around the acceptance of his teachings only after observation, reflection and careful scrutiny.

Statement 3 is correct: Faxian (or Fah sien), a 5th century CE Chinese Buddhist monk, in his travels, mentioned a stupa which was built over Buddha’s alms bowl by Licchavis of Vaishali. It is now believed the stupa that was referred to was none other than Kesariya stupa. Another important Chinese Buddhist monk, Hsuan-tsang, also mentioned the stupa in his travels, however, gave no details.

Option B is correct: Article 48 of Indian Constitution states that the State shall endeavour to organise agriculture and animal husbandry on modem and scientific lines and shall, in particular, take steps for preserving and improving the breeds, and prohibiting the slaughter, of cows and calves and other milch and draught cattle.

In News: Recently, British businessman Richard Branson has given the official kickstart to space tourism, however, experts and space enthusiasts are in doubt whether the height to which he travelled can be termed ‘space’.

Option C is correct: The most widely accepted boundary of space is known as the Karman line, 100km above mean sea level. According to most experts, space starts at the point where orbital dynamic forces become more important than aerodynamic forces, or where the atmosphere alone is not enough to support a flying vessel at suborbital speeds. The chemical composition of the atmosphere is largely constant up to the mesopause (boundary between mesosphere and thermosphere) so layers beyond that can reasonably be identified as ‘outer space’. In the 1900s, Hungarian physicist Theodore von Karman determined the line.

Option c is correct: The European Union has approved a Military Training Mission in Cabo Delgado province of Mozambique to support armed forces there to protect the civilian population. Cabo Delgado is the northernmost province of Mozambique. As well as bordering the neighbouring country of Tanzania, it borders the provinces of Nampula and Niassa. The region is an ethnic stronghold of the Makonde tribe, with the Makua and Mwani as leading ethnic minorities.

Statements 1 and 3 are correct: The Mandal Commission, or the Socially and Educationally Backward Classes Commission (SEBC), was established in India in 1979 by the Janata Party government under Prime Minister Morarji Desai with a mandate to "identify the socially or educationally backward classes" of India. In 1955, after nearly two years of study, the Commission recommended that India's state boundaries should be reorganised to form 14 states and 6 territories. States Reorganisation Commission consisted of Fazal Ali, K. M. Panikkar and H. N. Kunzru. Rohini Commission, which took charge on October 11, 2017, is headed by retired Delhi high court chief justice G Rohini. The commission is constituted of Centre for Policy Studies director Dr J K Bajaj is a member and two other ex-officio members. It was set up to examine the possibility of creating categories within OBCs for the reservation to ensure “equitable distribution” of representation among all OBC communities.

In News: Recently, the European Commission has announced a plan called ‘Fit for 55 Package’ for all its members against climate change.

Option D is correct: The package will make the EU's climate, energy, land use, transport and taxation policies fit for reducing net greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030, compared to 1990 levels. These measures are the EU’s roadmap to achieve its target to reduce emissions by 55% by 2030, compared with 1990 levels. Its target is more aggressive than that of the United States, which committed to reducing emissions by 40% to 43% over the same period, but behind Britain, which pledged a 68% reduction. It includes a contentious plan called “Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism” which would impose tariffs on imported products based on the greenhouse gas emissions associated with them.

In News: Recently, the Lt Governor of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) has dismissed 11 government employees for alleged terror links under provisions of Article 311 (2)(c) of the Constitution. Article 311 of the Constitution deals with ‘Dismissal, removal or reduction in rank of persons employed in civil capacities under the Union or a State’. Under Article 311 (2), no civil servant can be “dismissed or removed or reduced in rank except after an inquiry in which he has been informed o f the charges and given a reasonable opportunity o f being heard in respect o f those charges” .

In News: Recently, it has been decided that Ultraviolet-C (UV-C) air duct disinfection systems would be installed in Parliament for mitigation of Covid-19.

Statement 1 is correct: Ultraviolet Light is a type of light or radiation naturally emitted by the Sun and covers a wavelength range of 100-400 nm (human visible light ranges from 380-700 nm).

Statement 2 is not correct: UV-A and UV-B rays from the Sun are transmitted through the atmosphere and all UV-C is filtered by the ozone layer.

Statement 3 is not correct: UV-B (wavelength 280-315 nm) can only reach the outer layer of skin or epidermis and can cause sunburns and are also associated with skin cancer. UV-A (315-400 nm) can penetrate the middle layer of skin or the dermis and can cause aging of skin cells and indirect damage to cells’ DNA. UV-C (100-280 nm) radiation from man-made sources has been known to cause skin bums and eye injuries.