Daily Current Affairs MCQ- March 5, 2024 - UPSC MCQ

Tripura’s traditional tribal attire ‘risa’ gets received the Geographical Indication (GI) tag recently.

• It is a handwoven cloth used as a female upper garment, and also as headgear, a stole, or a present to express respect.
• It is woven in colourful designs and has a crucial social and religious significance.
• Adolescent Tripuri girls are first given a risa to wear in an event called Risa Sormani, at age 12 to 14.
• Religious relevance: The risa is used in religious festivals such as Garia Puja by tribal communities, a turban by men during weddings and festivals, a cummerbund over the dhoti, a head scarf by young girls and boys, and a muffler during winters.
• The cloth is also used as a makeshift hanger to hold an infant on mothers’ backs.
• It is presented as a mark of honour to distinguished recipients.
• Risa is common in almost all 19 indigenous tribal communities of Tripura.
• The traditional Tripuri female attire consists of three parts — risa, rignai and rikutu.
• Risa is a handwoven cloth used as a female upper garment.
• Rignai is primarily worn as the lower garment and literally means ‘to wear’.
• Rituku is mainly used as a wrap, or like a ‘chunri’ or a ‘pallu’ of the Indian saree. It is also used to cover the heads of newly married Tripuri women.
• The complete Tripuri attire is claimed to have originated even before the time of the Manikya kings, who ruled Tripura for over 500 years starting from the 15th century. 

Hence both statements are correct.

Recently, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) shared captivating pictures of clouds on a social media platform, showcasing the breathtaking view of Cavum clouds as seen from space.

• These clouds are also known as “hole-punch clouds or fallstreak holes.”
• How are Cavum clouds formed?
• These are formed when aeroplanes pass through layers of altocumulus clouds, which are mid-level clouds containing supercooled water droplets (water below freezing temperature but still in liquid form).
• As the aircraft moves through, a process known as adiabatic expansion can cause the water droplets to freeze into ice crystals.
• These ice crystals eventually become too heavy and fall out of the cloud layer, creating a hole in the clouds.
• These "mysterious clouds" has been ongoing for over 13 years.
• They are formed when planes pass through at a relatively steep angle.

Hence only statement 1 is correct.

Recently, the Minister of Communications, Railway, and Electronics & Information Technology Chauhan launched the Department of Telecommunications (DoT)’s ‘Digital Intelligence Platform (DIP)’ and ‘Chakshu facility on Sanchar Saathi portal.

• It is developed by the Department of Telecommunications (Ministry of Communication). It is a secure and integrated platform for real time intelligence sharing, information exchange and coordination among the stakeholders, Telecom Service Providers (TSPs), Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs), banks and Financial Institutions (FIs), social media platforms, identity document issuing authorities etc.
• The portal also contains information regarding the cases detected as misuse of telecom resources.
• The shared information could be useful to the stakeholders in their respective domains.
• It also works as backend repository for the citizen-initiated requests on the Sanchar Saathi portal for action by the stakeholders.
• The DIP is accessible to the stakeholders over secure connectivity and the relevant information is shared based on their respective roles. The said platform is not accessible to citizens.

Hence only statement 1 is correct.

Recently, the Union Minister of Defence launched the ADITI scheme during DefConnect 2024 in New Delhi.

• Acing Development of Innovative Technologies with iDEX (ADITI) is a scheme to promote innovations in critical and strategic defence technologies.
• Aim: It aims to develop about 30 deep-tech critical and strategic technologies in the proposed timeframe.
• Eligibility: Under the scheme, start-ups are eligible to receive grant-in-aid of up to Rs 25 crore for their research, development, and innovation endeavours in defence technology. 
• The scheme will nurture the innovation of youth and help the country leap forward in the field of technology.
• Time period: This scheme worth Rs 750 crore for the period 2023-24 to 2025-26.
• It falls under the iDEX (Innovations for Defence Excellence) framework of the Department of Defence Production (DDP), Ministry of Defence. 
• It also envisages creating a ‘Technology Watch Tool’ to bridge the gap between the expectations and requirements of the modern Armed Forces and the capabilities of the defence innovation ecosystem.
• In the first edition of ADITI, 17 challenges – Indian Army (3), Indian Navy (5), Indian Air Force (5) and Defence Space Agency (4) - have been launched.
• To motivate young innovators, iDEX was expanded to iDEX Prime, with the assistance increasing from Rs 1.5 crore to Rs 10 crore.
• The idea behind the schemes/initiatives such as ADITI, iDEX, iDEX Prime is to also transform India into a knowledge society.

Hence both statements are correct.

Every year, March 4 is observed as International HPV Awareness Day.

What is Human Papillomavirus (HPV)?

• HPV is a group of more than 200 related viruses, of which more than 40 are spread through direct sexual contact.
• Among these, two HPV types cause genital warts, and about a dozen HPV types can cause certain types of cancer.
  • More than 95% of cervical cancer is caused by the HPV virus.
• Transmission:
• It is the most common Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) globally. 
• It also spreads through skin-to-skin contact. 
• Once infected, most people do not develop any symptoms, thereby not being aware that they have the virus.
• Most of the time, the body can find and clear out HPV. But if the virus stays in the body for a long time, it can cause cancer.
• Getting vaccinated against HPV helps prevent cancer in men and women.
• HPV Vaccination:
• The HPV vaccine is a series of shots that can protect you from an HPV infection. 
• It prevents HPV infections that can progress to cancer or genital warts.
• It is more efficacious if given between the age group of 9-26 years.
• Once a person gets HPV, the vaccine may not be as effective.
• The HPV vaccine isn't given during pregnancy.

Hence only statement 1 is correct.

Germany recently announced that it would allow carbon capture and off-shore storage for certain industrial sectors.

About is Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS):

• CCS refers to a host of different technologies that capture CO₂ emissions from large point sources like refineries or power plants and trap them beneath the Earth. 
• Notably, CCS is different from Carbon dioxide Removal (CDR), where CO₂ is removed from the atmosphere.
• It’s a three-step process, involving: capturing the carbon dioxide produced by power generation or industrial activity, such as steel or cement making; transporting it; and then storing it deep underground.
• CCS involves three different techniques of capturing carbon, including post-combustion, pre-combustion, and oxyfuel combustion.
• In post-combustion, CO₂ is removed after the fossil fuel has been burnt. By using a chemical solvent, CO₂ is separated from the exhaust or ‘flue’ gases and then captured.
• Pre-combustion involves removing CO₂ before burning the fossil fuel. First, the fossil fuel is partially burned in a ‘gasifier’ to form synthetic gas. CO₂ can be captured from this relatively pure exhaust stream. The method also generates hydrogen, which is separated and can be used as fuel.
• In oxyfuel combustion, the fossil fuel is burnt with almost pure oxygen, which produces CO2 and water vapour. The water is condensed through cooling, and CO₂ is separated and captured. 
• Out of the three methods, oxyfuel combustion is the most efficient, but the oxygen burning process needs a lot of energy.
• After capture, CO₂ is compressed into a liquid state and transported to suitable storage sites. 
• Possible storage sites for carbon emissions include saline aquifers or depleted oil and gas reservoirs.
• There are also only a few operational CCS projects across the world, even though the technology has been pushed for decades.
• According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), there were 40 operational CCS projects in 2023, which captured more than 45 metric tonnes (Mt) of CO2 annually.

Hence option c is the correct answer.

India's rank improved to 113 out of 190 countries in the World Bank’s Women, Business and Law index.

About Women, Business and Law Index:

• It is a World Bank index measuring the enabling environment for women’s economic opportunity in 190 economies.
• The index measures how laws and regulations affect women’s economic opportunity on a scale from 0 to 100, where 100 means equal legal rights for men and women.
• The report covers eight related areas: Mobility, workplace, pay, marriage, parenthood, entrepreneurship, assets, and pension.
• The data offer objective and measurable benchmarks for evaluating global progress toward legal gender equality.
• It demonstrates the progress made while emphasising the work still to be done to ensure economic empowerment for all.
• Highlights of 2024 Index:
• It is the 10th edition of the report.
• Globally, none of the countries has a full score in the new index, indicating that women did not enjoy equal rights in any of the countries.
• India's ranking improved to 113 out of 190 countries.
• Indian women enjoyed 60% of the legal rights given to men as per the new report, lower than the global average of 64.2%.

Hence only statement 1 is correct.

The Defence Minister will inaugurate two big piers and seven towers with 320 homes for Navy officers and Defence civilians as part of Project Seabird at Naval Base Karwar in Karnataka. 

About Project Seabird:

• The largest naval infrastructure project for India, it involves the creation of a naval base at Karwar, Karnataka, on the west coast of India. 
• History:
• In the post-Indo-Pak War of 1971 scenario, India learned that the Indian Navy needs an additional naval base since Mumbai Harbour faced congestion, which led to security issues for its Western Fleet. 
• The project was originally conceived by Admiral OS Dawson, the Chief of Naval Staff, in the early 1980s.
• It was initially sanctioned in 1985, and the foundation stone was laid on October 24, 1986, by Rajiv Gandhi.
• This is a massive project spread over around 11,000 acres of land. With the first sealift facility in the country and a transfer system for docking and undocking ships and submarines.
• Its first phase, which included the construction of a deep-sea harbour, breakwaters dredging, a township, a naval hospital, a dockyard uplift centre and a ship lift, was commissioned in 2005.
• The development of phase 2 of INS Kadamba commenced in 2011.
• This phase is further divided into 2A and 2B. It was planned to expand the facilities to dock additional warships and a new Naval Air Station, among other projects. 
• Once completed, it will be the largest naval base in the Eastern Hemisphere.
• It will be able to accommodate around 32 warships, 23 submarines, and hangers for several aircraft.  

Hence option d is the correct answer.

Recently, the Birders have spotted the trail of species flying back home including the fire capped tit in the Aravalli hill region suggesting reverse migration as the season changes from winter to summer.

• It is a small bird species assigned to the family Paridae.
• Migration pattern: It is a Himalayan bird which flies down south towards Western Ghats and Kerala around Sept, and is back around Feb-end and March.
• Habitat: Inhabits forest feeding on invertebrates, nectar and pollen, usually high in canopy but will descend to low growth.
• It is found in montane broadleaf forest at middle to high elevations, sometimes mixed in with other species.
• These birds breed in the Himalayas during summer and have a melodious song.
• Distribution: 
• A local breeding summer visitor to northern mountains from Pakistan east to Arunachal Pradesh.
• Winters in foothills and rarely in plains south to Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh.
• Conservation status
• IUCN: Least Concern

Why early reverse migration?

• The winters were not very harsh in central India. So, the bird could have started moving early.

Hence only statement 1 is correct.

Recently, GROW report and portal was launched by a Member of NITI Aayog.

• The "Greening and Restoration of Wasteland with Agroforestry (GROW)-Suitability Mapping" portal allows universal access to state and district-level data.
• It is hosted on Bhuvan website.
• The GROW initiative aligns with national commitments, aiming to restore 26 million hectares of degraded land by 2030 and create an additional carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent.
• The initiative, led by NITI Aayog, involved a collaborative effort from multiple institutions and employed advanced technologies such as remote sensing and GIS to assess agroforestry suitability across all districts in India.
• Utilizing thematic datasets, the project resulted in the creation of an Agroforestry Suitability Index (ASI). This index enables national-level prioritization for greening and restoration projects.
• This project on prioritization of wasteland areas suitable for greening is based on the analysis of five remote sensing derived thematic layers viz. land use, wasteland, slope, water proximity and soil organic content.
• These parameters were selected as a result of expert consultations and considered to be the most critical layers in identifying area that are amenable for interventions with agroforestry. Highest weightages was given to wastelands.
• The developed system provides information on area suitable for agroforestry across India.
• The areas available in the system are classified as highly suitable, moderately suitable, less suitable for agroforestry.
• The key features of the system:
• Generates district level information of wasteland area suitable for agroforestry
• Generates area prioritization regime i.e highly suitable area, moderate and less suitable for agroforestry
• Generates live maps
• Generates area analysis-statistic report
• Offer an interactive mode/tool that provides flexibility in handling the weightages as per local conditions/need

Hence only statement 1 is correct.