Daily Current Affairs MCQ- June 21, 2024 - UPSC MCQ

The Indian delegation to the 112th International Labour Conference (ILC) led by Secretary, Ministry of Labour & Employment showcased the e-Shram portal and its present integrations and achievements during the sidelines of the ILC at Geneva, Switzerland.

• It was launched by the Ministry of Labour and Employment in 2021 for registration and creation of a comprehensive National Database of Unorganized Workers.
• It allows an unorganised worker to register himself or herself on the portal on self-declaration basis, under 400 occupations in 30 broad occupation sectors.
• It is a “One-Stop-Solution” for Unorganised Workers of the country.
• The registration in the portal is fully Aadhaar verified and Aadhaar seeded. Any unorganised worker can register himself or herself on the portal on a self-declaration basis.
• The Ministry aims to facilitate access of various social security schemes being implemented by various Ministries/ Departments for the benefit of the unorganised workers through e-Shram portal.
• The portal is presently integrated with National Career Service (NCS) Portal, Skill India Digital Hub (SIDH), myScheme portal and Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Mandhaan (PMSYM) scheme. 

Hence only statement 1 is correct.

Recently, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) announced two proposals—5G Intelligent Village and Quantum Encryption Algorithm (QEA)—aimed at catalysing innovation and technological advancement in the telecom sector.

• This initiative responds to the pressing need for equitable technological advancement by harnessing the transformative power of 5G technology to uplift rural communities.
• It aims to enable effective utilization of Ultra-Reliable Low-Latency Communication (URLLC) and massive Machine Type Communication (mMTC) aspects of 5G in selected villages, showcasing the advantages of 5G connectivity.
• It also addresses critical pillars such as agriculture, education, healthcare, governance, and sustainability.

Key facts about Quantum Encryption Algorithm (QEA)

• The call for proposals is for developing an India specific Quantum Encryption Algorithm (QEA) that will represent a cutting-edge approach to securing digital communication channels by leveraging the principles of quantum mechanics.
• The algorithm should ensure Unparalleled Security; Advanced Encryption Capabilities; Ultrafast and Efficient Encryption etc.
• These proposals shall be funded under Telecom Technology Development Fund (TTDF) scheme of the DoT.

What is Telecom Technology Development Fund?

• It has been setup under Universal Services Obligation Fund (USOF) of Department of Telecom (DOT), Government of India to promote the ecosystem for research, design, prototyping, proof of concept testing, IPR creation, field testing, security, certification and manufacturing of products etc.

Hence both statements are correct.

The UK police on Wednesday arrested two people, including an Indian-origin man, for spraying an orange substance on Stonehenge, the renowned prehistoric UNESCO World Heritage Site in England.

About Stonehenge:

• It is a prehistoric stone circle monument and archaeological site located in Wiltshire, England.
• It is comprised of roughly 100 massive upright stones placed in a circular layout.
• It was built in several stages:
• The first monument was an early henge monument, built about 5,000 years ago, and the unique stone circle was erected in the late Neolithic period, about 2500 BC.
• In the early Bronze Age, many burial mounds were built nearby.
• Purpose:
• Though there is no definite evidence as to the intended purpose of Stonehenge, it was presumably a religious site and an expression of the power and wealth of the chieftains, aristocrats, and priests who had it built.
• It is just one part of a larger sacred landscape that contained many other stone and wooden structures, as well as burials. 
• It was aligned with the Sun and possibly used for observing the Sun and Moon and working out the farming calendar. 
• Along with more than 350 nearby monuments and henges (ancient earthworks consisting of a circular bank and ditch), including the kindred temple complex at Avebury, Stonehenge was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1986.

Hence only statement 2 is correct.

The Chairman of the Economic Advisory Council (EAC) to the Prime Minister emphasized the need for a new poverty line at a data user conference organized by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) recently.

About Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM):

• It is an independent body constituted in 2017 to give advice on economic and related issues to the Government of India, specifically to the Prime Minister. 
• The Terms of Reference of EAC-PM include analyzing any issue, economic or otherwise, referred to it by the Prime Minister and advising him thereon, addressing issues of macroeconomic importance, and presenting views thereon to the Prime Minister. 
• These could be either suo-motu or on reference from the Prime Minister or anyone else. 
• They also include attending to any other task as may be desired by the Prime Minister from time to time.
• EAC also prepares a monthly report on economic developments at home and abroad for the Prime Minister.
• It monitors economic trends on a regular basis and bring to the PM’s attention important developments at home and abroad and suggests suitable policy responses.
• The council regularly interacts with stakeholders and the public, and communicates its findings and recommendations through reports, presentations, and public events.
• Composition:
• The EAC-PM is headed by the Chairman and includes a mix of economists and experts from academia, research institutions, and the private sector.
• There is no fixed definition of the exact number of members and staff of the EAC-PM.
• It is common for the Council to be reconstituted time and again with different organizational structures headed by various economists who are of recognized international eminence.
• For administrative, logistic, planning, and budgeting purposes, the NITI Aayog serves as the nodal agency for the EAC-PM.

Hence both statements are correct.

World Refugee Day is annually celebrated globally on June 20th.

About World Refugee Day:

• This day is dedicated to the millions of people who have been forced to escape their homes due to war, persecution, or natural catastrophes. 
• History of World Refugee Day:
• The first ever World Refugee Day was celebrated on June 20, 2001, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees.
• The day was earlier recognized as Africa Refugee Day, and later in December 2000, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) officially declared it an International Day for Refugees.
• The theme of World Refugee Day 2024 is 'For a World Where Refugees Are Welcomed.'
• Who is a refugee?
• According to the 1951 Refugee Convention, a person is considered a refugee if they are unable to return to their homeland because they have a legitimate fear of being harmed because of their race, religion, involvement in a social group, or differing political opinions.
• Refugees are forced to flee their homes due to conflict, persecution, violence, or other forms of human rights violations. They often arrive in host countries with nothing but the clothes on their backs. 
• Although relocating to a foreign country is the stereotypical picture of a refugee, these international refugees represent a relatively small percentage of all displaced individuals worldwide.
• Other non-typical refugee categories include stateless individuals, who have no country of citizenship claimed against them, and asylum seekers, who travel in search of international protection.
• In 2024, 130.8 million individuals were estimated by the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) to have been forcibly displaced, or stateless globally, with over 32 million of them being refugees.
• 75% of refugees worldwide reside in low- and middle-income countries, according to UNHCR figures.

Hence only statement 2 is correct.

The world is way off track on most of the sustainable development targets agreed in 2015, such as tackling poverty and hunger, says the recently released Sustainable Development Report 2024.

About Sustainable Development Report (SDR):

• It reviews progress made each year on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) since their adoption by the 193 UN Member States in 2015.
• It is annually published by the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN).
• Highlights of SDR 2024:
• Published on the eve of the UN Summit of the Future, the SDR 2024 recommends a set of key reforms to the UN system to meet the challenges of the 21st century. 
• Theme: The SDGs and the UN Summit of the Future
• This year’s edition also presents a new index of countries’ support for UN-based multilateralism and discusses long-term pathways to attain sustainable food and land systems.
• This year, Finland, Sweden, and Denmark top the rankings. 
• Globally, only 16% of the SDG targets are on track to be achieved by 2030, with the remaining 84% showing limited progress or its reversal.
• The pace of progress varies widely across country groups. Nordic countries continue to lead on SDG achievement, with BRICS demonstrating strong progress and poor and vulnerable nations lagging far behind. 
• Sustainable development remains a long-term investment challenge. Reforming the Global Financial Architecture is more urgent than ever.
• Global challenges require global cooperation. Barbados ranks the highest in its commitment to UN-based multilateralism; the United States ranks last.
• SDG targets related to food and land systems are particularly off-track. The SDR presents new FABLE (Food, Agriculture, Biodiversity, Land, and Energy) pathways to support sustainable food and land systems.

What is the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN)?

• The UN SDSN works under the auspices of the UN Secretary-General to mobilize the world’s universities, think tanks, and national laboratories for action on the SDGs and the Paris Agreement; empower societies through free online education; and translate scientific evidence and ideas into solutions and accountability.
• Established in 2012 by the former UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-Moon, and world-renowned economist and professor, Jeffrey Sachs, the SDSN promotes integrated approaches to implement the SDGs and the Paris Agreement, through education, research, policy analysis, and global cooperation.

Hence only statement 1 is correct.

Scientists recently discovered how to control the Casimir Effect and supercharge tiny machines.

About Casimir Effect:

• The Casimir effect is a physical phenomenon that occurs in quantum field theory where two uncharged conducting plates, positioned very closely, experience an attractive force known as the Casimir force. 
• This force arises from the quantum vacuum fluctuations of the electromagnetic field between the plates. 
• In quantum field theory, the vacuum is not truly empty but rather filled with fleeting virtual particles and fluctuations in electromagnetic fields. 
• Even though the space between the plates may seem empty, it's actually filled with virtual particles constantly appearing and disappearing.
• These particles influence the electromagnetic field, leading to a net attraction between the plates. 
• The effect was first predicted in 1948 by Dutch physicist Hendrik Casimir during his research on colloidal solutions.
• This effect has been experimentally verified and finds applications in various fields, such as nanotechnology and condensed matter physics.
• It has also contributed to our understanding of fundamental physics, including the nature of vacuum energy.
• Experimental physicists have recognized its impact on micromachined devices, while advancements in instrumentation have allowed for more accurate measurements of the force.
• Example of Casimir Effect:
• When colloidal particles are suspended in a vacuum, they experience the Casimir force due to their proximity to other surfaces.
• This force, which can be either attractive or repulsive depending on the separation distance and the dielectric properties of the surrounding medium, influences the motion and interactions of the colloidal particles. 
• For example, if two particles are close enough, they may experience an attractive Casimir force that pulls them together, leading to aggregation.

Hence option c is the correct answer.

National Monetisation Pipeline (NMP):

• The National Monetisation Pipeline (NMP) has been developed by NITI Aayog, in consultation with infrastructure line ministries, based on the mandate for “Asset Monetisation” under Union Budget 2021-22. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
• NMP estimates aggregate monetisation potential of Rs 6 lakh crores through core assets of the Central Government, over a four-year period, from FY 2022 to FY 2025. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.
• It aims to unlock value in brownfield projects by engaging the private sector, transferring to them revenue rights and not ownership in the projects, and using the funds generated for infrastructure creation across the country. Hence, statement 3 is not correct.

Sustainable Development Report 2024:

• The Sustainable Development Report (SDR) reviews progress made each year on the Sustainable Development Goals since their adoption by the 193 UN Member States in 2015. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
• It has been released by the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) since 2016. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.

Marsupials and Placentals:

• A marsupial is a mammal that raises its newborn offspring inside an external pouch at the front or underside of their bodies. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
• A placental is a mammal that completes embryo development inside the mother, nourished by an organ called the placenta. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.
• Both marsupial and placental mammal groups give birth to live young.
• Most marsupials can be found in Australia and South America although the fossil record shows that they were once more widespread. Hence, statement 3 is correct.