Daily Current Affairs MCQ- August 10, 2023 - UPSC MCQ

• World Lion Day is observed annually on August 10 to raise awareness about their conservation and protection.
  • It was established in 2013 by environmentalists Dereck and Beverly Joubert.
• Statement 2 is correct:At present, Gir forests of Gujarat (India) is the only place where this race of lions i.e. Asiatic lion is found in its natural habitat.
• Statement 1 is correct:Protection Status:
  • IUCN Red List: Endangered
  • CITES: Appendix I
  • Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972: Schedule I
• Asiatic lions are slightly smaller than African lions.
• Conservation Efforts: The Union Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has initiated the “Asiatic Lion Conservation Project.”

• The procedure of renaming of the state can be initiated by either the Parliament or the State Legislator and the procedure is as follows:
  • The renaming of a state requires Parliamentary approval under Article 3 and 4 of the Constitution.
  • A bill for renaming a state may be introduced in the Parliament on the recommendation of the President.
  • Before the introduction of the bill, the President shall send the bill to the respective state assembly for expressing their views within a stipulated time. The views of the state assembly are not binding, neither on the President nor on the Parliament. Hence, Statement 3 is NOT correct.
  • On the expiry of the period, the bill will be sent to the Parliament for deliberation. The bill in order to take the force of a law must be passed by a simple majority.
  • The bill is sent for approval to the President. After the approval of the said bill, the bill becomes a law and the name of the state stands modified.

• Recently, four Members of Parliaments said that their names were included in a proposed select committee of the House for the Delhi services bill without their consent.
• Under Rule 125 of the Rajya Sabha Rules and Procedures, any member may move an amendment that a Bill be referred to a Select Committee.
• Statement 1 is correct: The Select committee consists of Members of Parliament (MPs) from both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.
• Statement 2 is correct: The members are chosen by the Speaker of the Lok Sabha or the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, as the case may be. 
• Statement 3 is not correct:The recommendations of the Select Committee are not binding on the Parliament.
• Select committees are formed to scrutinise specific bills, budgets or policies of the government. 

• Recently, Rajya Sabha passed the Inter-Services Organisation (Command, Control & Discipline) Bill, 2023.
• It provides commanders-in-chief and officers-in command of Inter-Services Organisations (ISOs) with disciplinary and administrative power over personnel from other forces serving in such establishments.
• It will ensure better coordination among the three services and bolster the integrated structure. 
• Statement 1 is correct:Personnel of Inter-services Organisation (ISO) will belong to at least two of the three services: the army, the navy, and the air force. 
• Statement 2 is correct:Superintendence of an ISO will be vested in the central government. 
• The Bill empowers the Commander-in-Chief or the Officer-in-Command of an ISO to exercise command and control over the personnel serving in or attached to it. 
• He would be responsible for maintaining discipline and ensuring proper discharge of duties by the service personnel. 

• Recently, the two-day meeting of the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (ACTO) began in Belem, Brazil.
• The Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (ACTO) is an intergovernmental organisation formed by the eight Amazonian countries: Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela, which signed the Amazon Cooperation Treaty (ACT).
• ACTO  is an example of the only socio-environmental block in Latin America. 
• The Amazon Rainforest is often called the “Lungs of the Earth” because of its significant role in absorbing carbon dioxide (a greenhouse gas) and releasing oxygen through photosynthesis.

Central Armed Police Force (CAPF)

• Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) is the collective term for central police organizations in India operating under the authority of the Ministry of Home Affairs.
• These forces are responsible for maintaining internal security, guarding borders, and other critical tasks within the country.

Evolution of Terminology:

• Formerly known as “Central Para-Military Forces (CPMF),” the term “Central Armed Police Forces” was adopted in 2011 to better reflect their roles and responsibilities.
• This change aimed to emphasize their paramilitary nature and the vital role they play in ensuring national security.

Responsibilities:

• CAPF is entrusted with a range of duties, including maintaining law and order, counterinsurgency operations, disaster response, and guarding sensitive installations.
• They serve as a crucial component of India’s security infrastructure.

About DigiSaksham:

• It is a digital skills programme to enhance the employability of youth by imparting digital skills that are required in an increasingly technology driven era.
• This joint initiative with Microsoft India is an extension of the Government’s ongoing programs to support the youth from rural and semi-urban areas.
• Through DigiSaksham initiative, free of cost training in digital skills including basic skills as well as advance computing, will be provided to more than 3 lakh youths in the first year.
• The Jobseekers can access the training through National Career Service (NCS) Portal (www.ncs.gov.in).
• The initiative gives priority to the job-seekers of semi urban areas belonging to disadvantaged communities, including those who have lost their jobs due to Covid-19 pandemic.
• Under the DigiSaksham initiative, there will be basically three types of training viz. Digital Skills – Self paced learning, VILT mode training (Virtual Instructor led) and ILT mode training (Instructor led).
• The ILT training which is in person training would be conducted at the Model Career Centres (MCCs) and National Career Service Centres (NCSC) for SCs/STs across the country.
• Through this initiative, nearly one crore active jobseekers registered on National Career Service (NCS) Portal will be able to access training in areas like Java Script, Data Visualisation, Advance Excel, Power Bi, HTML, Programming languages, software development fundamentals, Introduction to coding , etc, equipping them with the skills required in a digital economy. DigiSaksham will be implemented in the field by Aga Khan Rural Support Programme India (AKRSP-I).

National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP)

• The National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) is a centrally sponsored scheme launched in 1995 by the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD), Government of India.
• It aims to provide financial assistance to individuals below the poverty line (BPL) who belong to vulnerable groups, such as the elderly, widows, persons with disabilities, and bereaved families.
• The scheme provides social pensions to help fulfill the Directive Principles of the Indian Constitution, particularly Article 41, which calls for public assistance in cases of unemployment, old age, sickness, disability, etc., within the country’s economic capacity and development.

About Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS)

• Under the Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS) 100% guarantee coverage to be provided by National Credit Guarantee Trustee Company Limited (NCGTC) for additional funding of up to Rs. 3 lakh crore to eligible MSMEs and interested MUDRA borrowers.
• The credit will be provided in the form of a Guaranteed Emergency Credit Line (GECL) facility.
• Tenor of the loan under Scheme shall be four years with a moratorium period of one year on the principal amount.
• No Guarantee Fee shall be charged by NCGTC from the Member Lending Institutions (MLIs) under the Scheme.
• Interest rates under the Scheme shall be capped at 9.25% for banks and FIs, and at 14% for NBFCs.

Recently, green activists told that Manas National Park is almost 63% short of staff.

• It is located in the foothills of Himalayas in Assam. It is contiguous with the Royal Manas National Park in Bhutan.
• It is a national park, UNESCO Natural World Heritage site, a Project Tiger reserve, an elephant reserve and a biosphere reserve.
• Flora: It contains some of the largest remaining grassland habitats in the sub-Himalayan grassland ecosystems.
• Fauna: The Park is known for its rare and endangered endemic wildlife such as the Assam roofed turtle, hispid hare, golden langur and pygmy hog.
• The name of the park originates from the Manas River, which is named after the serpent goddess Manasa.
• The Manas River is a major tributary of Brahmaputra River, which passes through the Manas National Park.

Hence only statement 2 is correct.