Daily Current Affairs MCQ- June 3, 2023 - UPSC MCQ

Recently, the Union Minister of Science and Technology launched the SUPREME initiative to provide financial support for the upgradation and maintenance of analytical instrumentation facilities (AIFs).

• The Support for Up-gradation Preventive Repair and Maintenance of Equipment (SUPREME), is a first-of-its-kind programme by the government.
• It extends financial support for repair, upgradation, maintenance, retrofitting, or acquiring additional attachments to increase the functional capabilities of existing analytical instrumentation facilities.
• Eligibility: Different facilities created under the projects/ Analytical instrumentation facilities (AIFs) created earlier from the support of DST, only will be considered for the funding support under this Scheme.
• Such facilities at institutions recognised by the University Grants Commission (UGC) are eligible to apply for grants under this initiative.
• Duration: The duration of support will be for a period not exceeding 3 years.
• Funding Pattern: The funding pattern in the scheme would be 75:25 for all private and govt owned institutions (except for state-funded institutions for which 100% funding would be considered).
• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Science and Technology.

Hence both statements are not correct.

Recently, the Delhi High Court directed the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to remove encroachments in the historic Tughlaqabad Fort.

• It was built by the Ghiyathu’d-Din Tughluq (1321-25) who belongs to the Tughluq dynasty.
• The fortified city was built in four years on the rocky terrain, as a defence mechanism.
• Features
  • It is in two parts, the citadel and palaces along the southern walls forming one unit and the city to the north the other.
  • The citadel is still intact, and the walls of palaces can also be discerned.
  • The city portion is, however, in extreme ruins, although one may make out the alignment of some of its streets.
  • Across the main entrance from the south is Ghiyathu’d-Din’s tomb is located.
  • It is faced with red sandstone relieved by marble, and with batter on the exterior, it is enclosed within high walls forming an irregular pentagon.
• The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) under the provisions of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act of 1958 (AMASR Act, 1958), the ASI administers more than 3650 ancient monuments, archaeological sites and remains of national importance. 
• It also regulates the Antiquities and Art Treasure Act, of 1972. 
• It was established in 1861 by Alexander Cunningham (He also became its first Director-General). 
  HQ: New Delhi. 
• Nodal Ministry: It is an attached office to the Ministry of Culture. 

Hence both statements are correct.

Recently, Bengaluru experienced a ‘Zero Shadow Day’, when vertical objects appear to cast no shadow.

• What it is? It is a sub-solar point where the sun is directly overhead at a particular latitude.
• When the sun is at the zenith (the highest point in the sky) its rays will be hitting a particular point exactly perpendicular to the surface. 
• This will make the shadow of a person exactly under him, making it look like there are no shadows. 
• There are two zero shadow days every year in May and July/August, observed in places that lie between the tropic of Cancer and the tropic of Capricorn.
• One falls during the Uttarayan (when the Sun moves northwards), and the other is during Dakshinayan (when the Sun moves southwards).
• It lasts for a small part of a second, but the effect can be seen for a minute to a minute-and-a-half.

Hence both statements are correct.

Recently, scientists have discovered a massive blue hole off the coast of the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico.

• A blue hole is a type of underwater sinkhole or vertical cave that is typically found in low-lying coastal karst platform regions.
• These are formed when limestone or other carbonate rock is dissolved by slightly acidic groundwater over a long period.
• Features of Taam Ja Blue hole
• It is around 900 feet deep and scientists have dubbed it the second-deepest blue hole found on the planet.
• It has a nearly circular shape at its surface with steep sides that form a large conic structure covered by biofilms, sediments, limestone, and gypsum ledges.
• It was found in the central portion of Chetumal Bay, where submerged coastal karstic sinkholes locally named ‘pozas’ have been reported.

Hence only statement 1 is correct.

The Mexican Giant Turtle, also known as the Red Eared Slider was recently found in West Bengal’s Howrah district.

About Mexican Giant Turtle:

• Mexican Giant Turtle, also called the Red Eared Slider, is the most destructive among the seven turtle species found in the world.
• It is considered as one of the world’s 100 worst invasive non-native species.
• Scientific Name: Trachemys scripta elegans
• Distribution: They are native to the south-eastern USA and Mexico but have found their way across the globe, including India, through the trade of exotic animals.
• Habitat:
• It occurs in a wide variety of aquatic habitats, but it prefers a mud bottom, plenty of aquatic plants, and abundant basking sites.
• It lives in both natural waters (including rivers, sloughs, and oxbow lakes) and human-made waters (such as ditches, ponds, and reservoirs).
• Features:
• It is known for its bright red circular or oblong spots near its ears.
• The carapace (upper shell) is olive-brown with numerous black and yellow lines.
• The exposed skin is dark green with narrow black and yellow lines.
• It is primarily aquatic and will emerge from the water for basking on rocks and logs.
• Average Life Span: 20 to 30 years.

Hence only statement 2 is correct.

A total of 6,448 schools from 28 states and Union territories have been selected for upgradation under the Pradhan Mantri Schools for Rising India (PM-SHRI) scheme.

About Pradhan Mantri Schools for Rising India (PM-SHRI) Scheme:

• It is a Centrally Sponsored scheme announced in 2022.
• Objective: Development of more than 14500 schools across the country by strengthening selected existing schools being managed by Central Government/ State/ UT Government/ local bodies.
• The duration of the scheme is from 2022-23 to 2026-27, after which it shall be the responsibility of the States/UTs to continue to maintain the benchmarks achieved by these schools.
• Features:
• The selected schools will act as exemplar schools showcasing all components of the National Education Policy 2020 (NEP) and offering mentorship to other schools in their vicinity.
• The PM SHRI Schools will be developed as Green Schools, incorporating environment-friendly aspects.
• The pedagogy adopted in these schools will be more experiential, holistic, integrated, play/toy-based (particularly in the foundational years), inquiry-driven, discovery-oriented, learner-centric, discussion-based, flexible and enjoyable.
• The focus will be on the learning outcomes of every child in every grade.
• Assessment at all levels will be based on conceptual understanding and application of knowledge to real-life situations and will be competency-based.
• Linkage with Sector Skill Councils and local industry for enhancing employability and providing better employment opportunities will be explored.
• A School Quality Assessment Framework (SQAF) is being developed, specifying the key performance indicators to measure outcomes. Quality evaluation of these schools at regular intervals will be undertaken to ensure the desired standards.

Hence only statement 2 is correct.

Recently, under the chairmanship of India, the XIX Council Meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Interbank Consortium (SCO IBC) was held in Goa.

• It was established by the member countries of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation on 26 October 2005.
• It provides funding and bank services for investment projects sponsored by the governments of the SCO member states.
• The main objectives of the consortium are to provide financial services, promote trade, and facilitate investment among the member states.
• The SCO IBC Council meets ad hoc upon the consensus of all of the parties at least once per year.
• The Presidency of the Council is carried out on a rotational basis.
• It consists of major banks from the member countries, such as the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, the National Bank of Kazakhstan, and the Bank of Russia.
• The first meeting of this organization was held in Beijing on 21–22 February 2006.

Hence both statements are not correct.

According to a new study Quasars the brightest and the most powerful objects in the universe - have a violent origin story.

• The quasi-stellar radio sources (Quasars) were first discovered six decades ago.
• These are very luminous objects in faraway galaxies that emit jets at radio frequencies.
• They are located in supermassive black holes, which sit in the centre of galaxies.
• These are formed by the energy emitted by materials spiralling around a black hole right before being sucked into it.  
• Most quasars are larger than our solar system. A quasar is approximately 1-kilo parsec in width.
• When galaxies collide, it pushes the gas from the outer reaches of the galaxies to the centre.
• As the supermassive black hole gorges on the gas, it releases ferocious fountains of energy in the form of radiation, leading to the quasar.

Hence both statements are not correct.

Recently, nine European countries during the second North Sea summit signed a declaration aimed at transforming the North Sea into a green power plant.

• It is the second summit which was held in the city of Ostend, Belgium.
• Participant countries: Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Luxembourg, Netherlands Norway, and the United Kingdom.
• Objective: To make the North Sea the largest green energy centre in Europe by accelerating the deployment of offshore wind turbines.
• The summit sets ambitious targets including the production of at least 120 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind energy in the North Sea by 2030.
• The first summit in 2022 had Esbjerg Declaration which was held in Denmark.
• The North Sea is the northeastern arm of the Atlantic Ocean located between the British Isles and the mainland of northwestern Europe.
• It is bordered by
  • The island of Great Britain to the southwest and west.
  • The Orkney and Shetland Islands are to the northwest. 
  • Norway to the northeast, Denmark to the east.
  • Germany and the Netherlands to the southeast.
  • Belgium and France to the south.
• It is connected to the Atlantic by the Strait of Dover and the English Channel.

Hence only statement 1 is correct.

Recently, after a six-year absence, the lesser flamingos have finally found their way back to Pulicat Lake.

• It is the smallest of all flamingos but has the largest population.
• It possesses the "hallux" or hind toe that some other flamingos do not have.
• Males are a little taller than females.
• Habitat: It inhabits coastal and inland wetlands.
• Geographical distribution: Africa, Asia continents and in that especially Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and North Africa.
• They mostly eat blue-green algae but occasionally will take crustaceans and small insects.
• It is serially monogamous, meaning they form pairs that remain together while they are raising the young.
• Conservation status
• IUCN: Near Threatened

Hence both statements are not correct.