Daily Current Affairs MCQ- March 7, 2024 - UPSC MCQ

In an attempt to hit a target in Kyiv, Russian forces launched a 3M22 Zircon missile recently.

About Zircon Missile:

• The 3M22 Zircon, or SS-N-33, is a scramjet-powered maneuvering anti-ship hypersonic cruise missile developed in Russia.
• Features:
• The missile is reportedly capable of flying with speeds up to Mach 9 and a range of 1000 km.
• It’s a two-stage missile that uses solid fuel in the first stage and a scramjet motor in the second stage. 
• Zircon cruise missiles use cooled supersonic combustion ramjet engines, which power combustion by compressing air flowing at supersonic speeds due to the missile’s forward motion.
• This is in contrast to other hypersonic weapons like the China-made DF-17 or the Russian-made Avangard, which use a Hypersonic Glide Vehicle (HGV), which rely on the initial momentum provided by multi-stage rocket boosters like those used on a ballistic missile to accelerate them to hypersonic speeds.
• Guidance System: Active and Passive Radar Seeker.
• Another valuable aspect of the missile is its plasma cloud. During flight, the missile is completely covered by a plasma cloud that absorbs any rays of radio frequencies and makes the missile invisible to radars. 

Hence only statement 2 is correct.

Researchers recently demonstrated a new lab-based method to detect traces of Forever Chemicals from food packaging material, water, and soil samples in just three minutes or less.

About Forever Chemicals:

• PFAS (Per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances), also known as the Forever Chemicals, are a large chemical family of over 4,700 highly persistent man-made chemicals.
• These were first developed in the 1940s and are now found in a variety of consumer products, including nonstick pans, water-resistant textiles, and fire suppression foams, due to their ability to repel both grease and water.
• PFAS are the most persistent synthetic chemicals to date. They hardly degrade in the natural environment and have been found in the blood of people and animals all over the world, and are present at low levels in a variety of food products.
• The secret to PFAS’s indestructibility lies in its chemical bonds. PFAS contains many carbon-fluorine bonds, which are the strongest bonds in organic chemistry.
• These chemicals also cause pollution at every stage of production. At the PFAS chemical manufacturing facilities and garment factories, they often contaminate the air, water, and soil of the surrounding environment.
• Exposure to PFAS is linked to cancers, weakened immune systems among children, weight gain, and a wide range of other health problems.

Hence only statement 2 is correct.

The Union Minister for Power and New & Renewable Energy recently informed about the installation of Flue Gas De-sulphurisation (FGD) equipment in thermal power plants.

About Flue Gas De-sulphurisation (FGD):

• It is a technology to eliminate sulfur dioxide (SO2) from exhaust emissions.
• Where does Sulfur Dioxide come from?
• Fossil fuels such as coal and oil often contain high amounts of sulfur, and when these fuels are burned, around 95% or more of the sulfur is converted to sulfur dioxide (SO2), which is emitted as flue gas.
• Sulfur dioxide in itself is a major air pollutant which impacts all life. It is also a precursor of acid rain, which has significant adverse impacts on forests, freshwaters, and soils, in turn killing insect and aquatic life forms, causing paint to peel, corrosion of steel structures such as bridges, and weathering of stone buildings and statues.
• The removal of sulfur dioxide is critical to establishing a safe and clean environment where toxic emissions are kept to a safe level.
• FGD Process:
• FGD is done through the addition of absorbents, which can remove up to 95% of the sulphur dioxide from the flue gas.
• Substances such as ammonia or sodium sulphite are used as absorbents; however, the use of lime or limestone slurry (wet limestone scrubbing) is also widespread. 
• The uncleaned flue gas is sprayed in a scrubber tower (absorber tower) with a mixture of water and limestone (scrubbing slurry), whereby most of the sulphur dioxide is bonded by chemical reaction.

Hence option d is the correct answer.

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has come up with a list of high-traffic density corridors for private developers to build and operate under the build-operate-transfer (BOT) model.

About build-operate-transfer (BOT) Model:

• It is a type of agreement often used in infrastructure projects, particularly in the construction and operation of public facilities or utilities.
• It is a conventional public-private partnership (PPP) model in which a private entity (usually a company or consortium) is granted the rights and responsibilities to design, finance, construct, operate, and maintain a specific project or facility for a defined period of time.
• The private entity, known as the "concessionaire" or "developer," bears the financial and operational risks associated with the project during the contract period.
• The typical lifecycle of a BOT contract involves three phases:
• Build: The concessionaire is responsible for financing, designing, and constructing the infrastructure project. This phase usually includes obtaining the necessary permits and approvals.
• Operate: After the construction is completed, the concessionaire operates and maintains the facility for a specified duration. This can involve providing services, managing operations, and generating revenue from the facility (e.g., tolls, fees, or user charges).
• Transfer: At the end of the contract period, the ownership and control of the facility are transferred back to the government or public authority, which may have been the original owner. The transfer is often accompanied by a predetermined valuation or compensation mechanism.
• The private company gains revenue during the concession period, while the government benefits from infrastructure development without upfront investment.
• However, the specifics of the financial arrangements and incentives vary depending on the individual BOT contract.
• BOT is particularly well-suited for greenfield projects (new projects without prior work) and large-scale, capital-intensive projects. 

Hence option c is the correct answer.

Recently, the union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare launched the Agri-Insurance Sandbox Framework Platform SARTHI and Learning Management System (LMS) Platform for the farming community under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) in Delhi.

• Sandbox for Agricultural and Rural Security, Technology and Insurance (SARTHI) is the comprehensive digital insurance platform launched in collaboration with United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) India.
• It extends coverage to health, life, home, shop, agriculture implements, motor, and parametric products.
• It can be accessed via the AIDE app available on Android App Store.
• This ambitious endeavour, aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals, not only aims to safeguard farmers' livelihoods but also to fortify the resilience of the agricultural sector as a whole.
• Significance
• It marks a significant advancement beyond traditional crop insurance, offering a diverse array of products tailored to farmers' needs.
• By expanding insurance coverage to include vital assets like tractor machinery, SARTHI empowers farmers to comprehensively mitigate risks, securing their livelihoods and fostering long-term sustainability in agriculture.

Hence both statements are correct.

Recently, the Quality Council of India (QCI) and Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) announced the launch of the DigiReady Certification (DRC) portal.

• In this initiative, QCI, in conjunction with ONDC, aim to assess and certify digital readiness of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME) entities.
• By leveraging this online self-assessment tool, MSMEs can evaluate their preparedness to seamlessly onboard as sellers on the ONDC platform, thereby expanding their digital capabilities and business potential.
• The portal is meticulously designed to facilitate a streamlined seller journey, ensuring that MSMEs and small retailers can integrate seamlessly into existing digitized workflows.
• The certification process evaluates various aspects of digital readiness, including the presence of necessary documentation for online operations, proficiency in using software and technology, integration with existing digitized workflows, and efficient management of orders and catalogue offerings.
• This initiative presents additional business prospects for sellers, allowing them to become integral to the digital ecosystem.

Hence only statement 2 is correct.

President of India will inaugurate the Aadi Mahotsav 2024, an annual National Tribal Festival at Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium in New Delhi on 10th February.

• It is organized by Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India Limited (TRIFED)under the aegis of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, will showcase the rich diversity of India's tribal heritage.
• It is not only a platform to exhibit the extraordinary talent and craftsmanship of tribal artisans but also an opportunity to interact, learn, and contribute to the empowerment of tribal communities.
• The festival will feature an expanded showcase with over 300 stalls, offering varied display of Tribal art, handicrafts, natural produce, and delectable tribal cuisine.

Hence both statements are correct.

Recently, a lone male tiger safely entered its natural habitat of Papikonda National Park (PNP) from the Eluru district side.

• It is located in East and West Godavari districts of Andhra Pradesh.
• The area plays a key role in high precipitation and the consequent origin of various small streams and rivulets which drain and enrich the perennial River Godavari.
• A unique dwarf breed of goat known locally as the “kanchu mekha” originates in this region.
• It was declared as a national park only recently in 2008.
• The national park has been recognized as an Important Bird and Biodiversity Area by BirdLife International.
• Vegetation:
• Dry Mixed Teak Forests, Southern dry mixed deciduous forests and Southern moist mixed deciduous forests.
• The predominant and most extensive forest type found in the park is Southern Tropical Dry Deciduous type and the species found in this type are mainly dry deciduous species.
• Flora: Some species of flora include Albizia Amara, Latifolia, Albizia Lebbeck, Terminalias, Tectona Grandis, Lagerstroemia Lanceolata, Tomentosa, Arundinacea, Bambusa, Albizzia Amara, Dendrocalamus Strictus, Pterocarpus among others.
• Fauna: Tiger, Leopard, Hyena and vulnerable bovidae the Indian gaur area. It has species like sambar, barking deer, chowsinga, spotted deer etc.

Hence option b is the correct answer.

Recently, the union Minister of State for Food Processing Industries informed the Rajya Sabha about the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana.

• The Central Sector Scheme - SAMPADA (Scheme for Agro-Marine Processing and Development of Agro-Processing Clusters) was approved by the cabinet in May 2017.
• The scheme has now been renamed as the "Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana (PMKSY)".
• It is a comprehensive package of component schemes, which is aimed at creation of modern infrastructure with efficient supply chain management from farm gate to retail outlet.
• It provides a boost to the growth of food processing sector in the country, helps in providing better prices to farmers, creates employment opportunities especially in the rural areas, reduces wastage of agricultural produce, increases the processing level and enhances the export of the processed foods. 
• Objective: The objective of PMKSY is to supplement agriculture, modernize processing and decrease Agri-Waste.
• Components
• Mega Food Parks,
• Integrated Cold Chain and Value Addition Infrastructure
• Infrastructure for Agro-Processing Clusters,
• Creation of Backward and Forward Linkages,
• Creation/Expansion of Food Processing & Preservation Capacities,
• Food Safety and Quality Assurance Infrastructure and
• Human Resources and Institutions
• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Food Processing Industries

Hence both statements are correct.

Recently, astronomers from the Nanjing University in China and elsewhere have detected a radio pulsar in a supernova remnant known as CTB 87 by using the Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical radio Telescope (FAST).

• The Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical radio Telescope (FAST), located in a karst depression in Guizhou, China.
• It is the world’s largest single-dish radio telescope, with a receiving area equivalent to 30 football fields.
• It is expected that FAST will maintain its world-class status for the next 20 to 30 years.
• Goals
• Detect neutral hydrogen to the edge of the universe, reconstruct the images of the early universe;
• Discover pulsar, establish a pulsar timing array, and participate in pulsar navigation and gravitational wave detection in the future;
• Join the International Very-Long-Baseline Interferometry Network to obtain hyperfine structures of celestial bodies;
• Perform high resolution radio spectral survey. Detect weak space signals;
• Participate in the search for extraterrestrial intelligence.

Hence only statement 1 is correct.