UPSC Daily Current Affairs - 29th June 2024 - UPSC MCQ

The primary objective of the Starliner Crew Flight Test mission is to demonstrate the spacecraft's capability to safely ferry crew to and from low-Earth orbit. This mission is essential for NASA's efforts to have reliable transportation to the International Space Station and other destinations in space. It serves as a crucial step in advancing human spaceflight capabilities.

The Bhuvan Panchayat (Ver. 4.0) portal aims to support "Space-based Information Support for Decentralized Planning (SISDP)" by empowering citizens at the grassroots level with real-time land record data. This initiative reduces dependency on local administration, enhances transparency in land record management, and promotes ease of living through digitalization and better land revenue management.

This question tests your understanding of the primary objective of the Bhuvan Panchayat portal and its significance in empowering citizens through space-based information for decentralized planning.

The government proclaimed the Emergency in 1975 based on the ground of "internal disturbance," a unique occurrence in the history of India's Emergency declarations. This ground was utilized instead of the usual grounds of war or armed rebellion. The Constitution (44th Amendment) Act 1978 later removed this specific ground of "internal disturbance" as a basis for declaring an Emergency, emphasizing the exceptional nature of its use during that period.

- Statement 1 is correct. The Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, known as Panchsheel, were indeed proposed during bilateral talks between India and China over the Tibet issue in 1954.

- Statement 2 is incorrect. The Panchsheel Agreement did not recognize Tibet as an independent nation. Instead, it recognized Tibet as part of China while promoting trade and cooperation between India and China.

- Statement 3 is correct. The principles enshrined in the Panchsheel Agreement include mutual respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty, mutual non-aggression, mutual non-interference, equality and mutual benefit, and peaceful coexistence.

Therefore, the correct answer is Option C.

- Statement 1: The Kaziranga National Park is indeed a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was designated as such in 1985 due to its unique natural environment which is home to the largest population of the Indian one-horned rhinoceros.

- Statement 2: Orang National Park is also referred to as the mini Kaziranga due to its similar landscape and the presence of one-horned rhinoceroses.

- Statement 3: Both Kaziranga and Orang National Parks are located in the state of Assam. Kaziranga is situated in the Golaghat and Nagaon districts, while Orang is located in the Darrang and Sonitpur districts.

Therefore, all three statements are correct.

Statement 1 is correct. Lebanon shares land borders with Syria to the north and east, and Israel to the south.

Statement 2 is incorrect. The Blue Line was drawn by the UN after Israel’s withdrawal from southern Lebanon in 2000, not 2006.

Statement 3 is correct. Lebanon shares maritime borders with Cyprus.

Hence, the correct answer is Option C: 1 and 3 Only.

1. Uda Devi - Part of Begum Hazrat Mahal's royal guard (Correct)

- Uda Devi was indeed part of Begum Hazrat Mahal's royal guard and is known for her bravery during the 1857 Mutiny.

2. Bijli Pasi - Leader who ruled parts of UP in the medieval period (Correct)

- Bijli Pasi was a prominent leader among the Pasis of central Uttar Pradesh and ruled parts of UP during the medieval period.

3. Daldev - Notable Pasi figure from central Uttar Pradesh (Correct)

- Daldev is mentioned as one of the notable Pasi figures from the region of central Uttar Pradesh.

4. K.T. Shah - Proposed amendments to include God in the President's oath (Incorrect)

- K.T. Shah did propose amendments, but Mahavir Tyagi was also involved in proposing amendments to include God in the President's oath. This pair is not correctly matched with the context of notable Pasi figures.

Thus, three pairs are correctly matched.

1. CPI Inflation in May 2024 - 4.75%: Correct. The overall CPI inflation was 4.75% in May 2024.

2. FCI's Open Market Sale Scheme Impact on Wheat Inflation in May 2024 - 6.53%: Correct. The FCI's scheme brought down wheat inflation to 6.53% in May 2024.

3. Inflation Rate for Pulses in May 2024 - 17.14%: Correct. The inflation rate for pulses was 17.14% in May 2024.

4. Inflation Rate for Cereals in May 2024 - 25.37%: Incorrect. The correct inflation rate for cereals in May 2024 was 8.69%, not 25.37%.

The correctly matched pairs are 1, 2, and 3. Hence, the correct answer is Option C: Only three pairs.

1. Ways and Means Advances (WMA): Temporary loan facility provided by RBI to manage temporary mismatches in receipts and expenditures, not long-term fiscal deficits.
- Incorrectly matched

2. Special Drawing Facility (SDF): Provided against the collateral of government securities held by the state governments or Union Territories.
- Correctly matched

3. Auction Treasury Bills (T-Bills): Short-term debt instruments issued by the government through a competitive bidding process.
- Correctly matched

4. Normal WMA: Interest rate is charged at the repo rate, not two percentage points more than the repo rate (which applies to overdrafts).
- Incorrectly matched

Thus, only pairs 2 and 3 are correctly matched.

Statement-I correctly mentions that the Keshava Temple at Somanathapura is one of the last grand structures built by the Hoysala dynasty. However, Statement-II incorrectly states that the temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu and represented in three forms: Janardhana, Keshava, and Venugopala. In reality, the temple is dedicated to Lord Krishna and represented in the forms of Janardhana, Keshava, and Venugopala.

Statement-I is correct as the Caribbean region, where Panama is located, is indeed experiencing sea level rise at an average rate of 3 to 4 millimeters per year. Statement-II is also correct as it mentions the global sea level rise since 1880, which has been approximately 21–24 centimeters. However, Statement-II does not provide an explanation for the sea level rise in the Caribbean region mentioned in Statement-I, hence the correct answer is option B.

Both statements are factually correct. Statement-I mentions the inclusion of Indian Government Bonds in the JP Morgan Government Bond Index, Emerging Market (GBI-EM) from June 28, 2024. Statement-II states that JP Morgan had announced the inclusion of IGBs to its emerging markets bond index from June 2024. While both statements are true, Statement-II does not provide an explanation or further details about the inclusion mentioned in Statement-I, hence Option B is the correct answer.