Daily Current Affairs MCQ- January 24, 2023 - UPSC MCQ

Farmers in Rajasthan’s Barmer district were left baffled and agitated after the public sector Agriculture Insurance Company of India (AIC) has released paltry sums such as 4 paise, ₹1, ₹10 and ₹20 as compensation against claims for damage of kharif crops of 2021.

Agriculture Insurance Company of India (AIC):

• It was incorporated under the Indian Companies Act 1956 on 20th December, 2002.
• The company has an authorized capital of Rs. 1500 crore and paid-up share capital of Rs. 200 Crores.
• The Company is under administrative control of the Ministry of Finance.
• It is the biggest crop insurance company in the world (20 million farmers covered).
• It is headquartered at New Delhi, India.
• It is promoted by 6 Public Sector Financial Institution Viz. General Insurance Corporation, New India Assurance Company, Oriental Insurance Company, National Insurance Company, United India Insurance Company and NABARD.:
• AIC provides weather & yield-based crop insurance schemes in over 500 districts of India.
• AIC provides insurance cover to the farmers for financial losses arising from the failure of the crop (mentioned in insurance scheme) resulting from the pests, diseases, and natural calamities.

Hence only statement 1 is correct.

The 8th edition of the India International Science Festival (IISF) was recently inaugurated at the Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology (MANIT), Bhopal.

About India International Science Festival:

• It is an initiative of the Ministry of Science and Technology and Ministry of Earth Science of Government of India in association with Vijnana Bharati which is a science movement with Swadeshi spirit led by eminent scientists of the country.
• It is a festival to celebrate the achievements of India’s scientific and technological advancements with students, innovators, craftsmen, farmers, scientists and technocrats from India and abroad.
• ISF provides opportunities to people and scientific fraternity in the country and abroad to come together and work together.

IISF 2022:

• Location: Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh.
• It is the eighth edition since its inception in 2015.
• Theme: ‘Marching towards Amrit Kaal with Science, Technology, and Innovation’
• IISF 2022 is a four day festival and will feature 14 thematic events.

Hence only statement 2 is correct.

Assam Chief Minister recently said that the Central Government has decided to send a proposal to UNESCO nominating Charaideo Maidam of Ahom Kingdom as a World Heritage Site.

What is Charaideo Maidam?

• Charaideo commonly known as ‘Pyramids of Assam’ was the original capital of the Ahom Kings.
• Charaideo remained the symbolic center of Ahom Kingdom even though the capital of the kingdom moved many times.
• It was built by Chaolung Sukhapa the founder of the dynasty in about 1229 CE.
• Location: Located at the foothills of Nagaland, it’s situated at a distance of around 30 KM from the historical Sivsagar town in Assam.
• Why is Charaideo known as ‘Pyramids of Assam’?
• It contains sacred burial grounds of Ahom kings and queens and is also the place of the ancestral Gods of the Ahoms.
• Some 42 tombs (Maidams) of Ahom kings and queens are present at Charaideo hillocks.
• Architecture: It comprises a massive underground vault with one or more chambers having domical superstructure and covered by a heap of earthen mound and externally it appears a hemispherical mound.

Hence only statement 1 is correct.

New research in Scientific Reports reveals the genes that likely allowed whales to grow to giant sizes compared to their ancestors.

• The findings highlight the role of four genes — GHSR, IGFBP7, NCAPG, and PLAG1 — and suggest that they promote large body sizes.
• The researchers performed molecular evolutionary analysis on nine candidate genes: five genes from the growth hormone, and four genes associated with increased body size in hoofed animals.
• They assessed these genes in 19 species of whale.

Hence both statements are correct.

The Ministry of Tourism is organizing the 1st Global Tourism Investors Summit from 10th to 12th April 2023 at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi.

• It is organised under the aegis of India's G20 Presidency.
• The aim of the summit is to bring together global business leaders, and policymakers to understand and explore Tourism Business opportunities in India.
• The event focused on promoting India as an investment destination for travel, tourism, and hospitality by identifying State-Specific investment possibilities and discuss avenues to promote sustainable tourism.

Hence both statements are correct.

The first G20 Health Working Group meeting under India's presidency was held in Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala.

About First G20 Health Working Group:

• Various discussions are being held focussing on international cooperation for Universal health care, in the three-day conference.
• Discussions on strengthening medical value travel enabling easy travel to countries with low cost treatment facilities and also on holistic health care through the integration of traditional methods of treatment like Ayurveda were held.

Three priorities for the G20 Health Track:

• Priority I: Health Emergencies Prevention, Preparedness and Response (with focus on One Health & AMR).
• Priority II: Strengthening Cooperation in Pharmaceutical Sector with focus on Access and Availability to safe, effective, quality and Affordable Medical Countermeasures (Vaccines, Therapeutics and Diagnostics).
• Priority III: Digital Health Innovations and Solutions to Aid Universal Health Coverage and Improve Healthcare Service Delivery.

History:

• The G20 Health Working Group (HWG) was established under the German Presidency in 2017 to develop a shared international agenda on issues such as strengthening health-care systems, reducing malnutrition, health-crisis management and scaling up the fight against pandemics.
• India assumed presidency of the G20 on 1st December 2022.
• India is currently part of the G20 Troika comprising Indonesia, India and Brazil, marking the first time that the troika is consisting of three developing and emerging economies.

Hence both statements are correct.

G20's First Environment and Climate Sustainability Working Group (ECSWG) Meeting to be held from February 09-11, 2023 at Bengaluru.

• The discussions at ECSWG will focus on the agenda ‘Promotion of Blue Economy along with Coastal Sustainability’, ‘Restoration of Degraded Lands and Ecosystems’ and ‘Enhancement of Biodiversity’ and ‘Strengthening of Circular Economy’.
• It is to be hosted by Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC).

Initiatives by Karnataka State Forest Department:

• e- Parihara, an online application that helps in processing and sanction of ex-gratia claims in cases of man-animal conflicts; thus, bringing in transparency and efficiency in the processing of claims.
• e- Gastu an Android based platform captures forest patrolling/field activities undertaken by frontline staff of the forest department, which can be visualized by supervisory officers over satellite imageries, on regular basis.
• e- timber facility provides a near real time wood stock available in government timber depots and enables e-auction facilities for timber/ other forest produce in government timber depots.
• The Geo-Spatial Forest Information System developed by the Karnataka Forest Department is a unique platform which uses Remote Sensing and GIS technology and provides spatial database of all notified forest lands in the State, providing access to the forest land notifications, village maps, forest maps and digitised notified forest at cadastral level.
• The Forest Fire Management System is a comprehensive solution for planning, mitigation and analysis of forest fire which provides forest fire risk zonation mapping, fire start vulnerability mapping, burnt area assessment along with a robust system for dissemination of active forest fire alerts to ensure that all fire incidences are addressed and mitigated in a time bound manner.

Hence both statements are correct.

Recently, over the past few nights, Venus and Saturn have been gradually coming together in the sky which was visible through the naked eye.

• This is the phenomenon wherein the planets Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn were visible to the naked eye from Earth.
• This planetary meet-up, also known as a conjunction, makes the two planets appear close together or even touch in the Earth's night sky.
• Despite being millions of kilometres apart, the planets seem to occupy the same space in the night sky because of their alignment.
• Just after sunset in the west, a conjunction of Venus and Saturn were 0.4 degrees apart as seen from earth.

Hence both statements are correct.

The President of India will confer the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar, 2023 to 11 children at an Award ceremony in Delhi on 23 January 2023.

• Bal Kalyan Puraskar: This is given as recognition to Individuals and Institutions, who have made an outstanding contribution towards service for children in the field of child development, child protection and child welfare.
  • Eligibility criteria: An individual who is an Indian Citizen residing in India and should have attained the age of 18 years or above (as of 31st August of the respective year). S/he should have worked for the cause of children for not less than 7 years.
  • The institution should not be entirely funded by the government and should have been in the field of child welfare for 10 years and performing consistently in the field.
  • Award: The awards are given in each of the two categories - Individual and Institution - along with cash prizes (Rs. 1,00, 000 and Rs. 5,00, 000 respectively).
  • It was started in 1979 as the National Child Welfare Awards and in 2018 renamed Bal Kalyan Puraskar.

Hence only statement 1 is correct.

Recently, as part of the NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) program for 2023, NASA selected a bimodal nuclear propulsion concept for Phase I development which could reduce transit times to Mars to just 45 days.

• Bimodal nuclear propulsion is a two-part system that includes; Nuclear Thermal and Nuclear Electric Propulsion (NTP /NEP).
• It uses a wave rotor topping cycle.

How will nuclear propulsion work?

• The Nuclear Thermal system includes a nuclear reactor that will heat liquid hydrogen (LH2) propellant and turn it into ionised hydrogen gas (plasma) that will then be channelled through a nozzle to generate thrust.
• Nuclear Electric Propulsion depends on a nuclear reactor to provide electricity to a Hall-Effect thruster (ion engine), which will generate an electromagnetic field that will ionise and accelerate an inert gas to create thrust.
• Advantages: Fuel efficiency, a higher specific impulse, rating and unlimited energy density.

Hence both statements are correct.