Daily Current Affairs MCQ- May 18, 2024 - UPSC MCQ

Recently, the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (MDoNER) has taken a significant step towards promoting cleanliness and environmental sustainability with the launch of Swachhata Pakhwada and it will run from 16th May to 31st May 2024.

• It is an initiative launched in April, 2016 under the Swachh Bharat Mission. 
• Objective: It was launched with the objective of bringing a fortnight of intense focus on the issues and practices of Swachhata by engaging the central government  ministries/departments.
• Aim: It aims to include all ministries and departments through a common programme to contribute for Swachh Bharat Mission.  
• An annual calendar is pre-circulated among the ministries to help them plan for the Pakhwada activities.
• The ministries observing Swachhata Pakhwada are monitored closely using the online monitoring system of Swachhata Samiksha where action plans, images, videos related to Swachhata activities are uploaded and shared.
• For the Pakhwada fortnight, observing ministries are considered as ‘Swachhata Ministries’ and are expected to bring qualitative swachhata improvements in their jurisdictions.

Key facts about Swachh Bharat Mission

• The Indian government launched the swachh bharat mission on October 2, 2014.
• The mission covered all rural and urban areas.
• The urban component of the mission is implemented by the Ministry of Urban Development, and the rural component by the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation.
• The programme includes elimination of open defecation, conversion of unsanitary toilets to pour flush toilets, eradication of manual scavenging, municipal solid waste management and bringing about a behavioural change in people regarding healthy sanitation practices.

Hence both statements are correct.

Gradual warming of temperatures observed over the past few decades made Apple cultivation viable in the lower regions of Spiti, up to an elevation of 3,400 metres above sea level. 

• Apple (Malus pumila) is an important temperate fruit. 
• However, in India, the apple-growing areas do not fall in the temperate zone but the prevailing temperate climate of the region is due to the Himalayan ranges and high altitudes.
• Climatic conditions required
• Temperature: The average summer temperature should be around 21-24 degrees C during the active growth period.
• It can be grown at an altitude of 1500- 2700 m above sea level.
• Rainfall: Well-distributed rainfall of 1000-1250 mm throughout the growing season is most favourable for the optimum growth and fruitfulness of apple trees.
• Soil: Apples grow best on well-drained, loamy soils.
• Apple growing areas in India:
• In India apple is primarily cultivated in Jammu & Kashmir; Himachal Pradesh; the hills of Uttar Pradesh and Uttaranchal.
• It is also cultivated to a small extent in Arunachal Pradesh; Nagaland; Punjab and Sikkim.

Hence only statement 1 is correct.

Muria tribal farmer, who migrated from Chhattisgarh and settled in the dense forests of the Godavari Valley, is practising ‘deda’ method. 

• It is a method of preserving seeds that his ancestors handed over to his family. 
• How do they preserve?
• The seeds are preserved in leaves and packed almost airtight to look like boulders from a distance.
• The packaged seeds are, in turn, woven with Siali leaf (Bauhinia vahlii), which is locally known as ‘addakulu’ to make the deda. 
• A deda has three layers. In the first layer, wood ash is spread inside the Siali leaves.
• Later, the ash is covered with lemon leaves to form a casing, and, lastly, the seeds are preserved inside the casing and sealed. Each deda is crafted to support at least 5kg of seeds.
• Advantages
• The deda method guarantees protection of seed from pests and worms.
• In this method, the stored seeds can be used for cultivation for up to five years.
• It helps in preserving the seeds of pulses like the green gram, red gram, black gram and beans. 

Hence option (b) is the correct answer.

Marble mined in Gujarat's Ambaji has recently been awarded the Geographical Indication, or GI tag, by the Central Government. 

About Ambaji White Marble:

• It is a type of marble known for its stunning white appearance and unique natural patterns.
• It is named after the town of Ambaji in the state of Gujarat, where it is predominantly quarried. 
• It is also known as Amba White Marble and Ambe White Marble.
• It is characterized by its pristine white color, which often features subtle gray or beige veining.
• The veins can vary in intensity, ranging from fine and delicate to bold and pronounced, giving each slab a distinct and individualistic appearance.
• These variations occur naturallydue to the presence of minerals and impurities during the marble formation process.
• It has very long-lasting shine and durability. 
• The smooth and polished surface of the marble adds to its appeal and sophistication.
• It is widely used for luxury architectural projects, sculptures, and monuments.

Hence option c is the correct answer.

The Supreme Court recently held that the non-applicability of the provisions of Section 52 of the Transfer of Property Act, 1881 (TPA) wouldn't bar the applicability of principles of lis-pendens, which are based on justice, equity and good conscience.

About Doctrine of Lis Pendens: 

• “Lis Pendens,” when translated, means “pending suit or cause.”
• This doctrine has been expressed in the maxim: "pendente lite nihil innovature" which means nothing new should be introduced during the pendency of litigation.
• This doctrine prohibits the transfer of property in pending litigation.
• It is dealt with in Section 52 of the Transfer of Property Act, 1882, in India.
• It serves to protect the rights and interests of parties involved in a pending lawsuit concerning a specific property.
• The doctrine of lis pendens can be defined as the legal authority, control, or jurisdiction that a court holds over the propertyin question during the entire duration of a lawsuit, extending until a final judgment is reached.
• The underlying rationale behind the doctrine of lis pendens is to prevent the subject matter of a lawsuit from being transferred to a third party while the case is still pending.
• Conditions for Applicability: The Supreme Court has stated the required elements for the applicability of the rule of lis pendens under Section 52. They are as follows:
• The suit must be in proceeding.
• The instituted suit should be filed in courtwithcompetent jurisdiction.
• The right of title of an immovable property is directly and specifically in question.
• The suit directly affects the rights of the other party.
• The property in question is being transferred by either party.
• The suit must not be collusive (a suit in which a decree is obtained by a fraud or collusion) in nature.
• Non-Applicability of Doctrine: This doctrine is not applicable in certain cases. They are as follows:
• Sale made bymortgager in exercise of his power conferred under the deed.
• In cases where only the transferor is affected.
• In caseswhere proceedings are collusive in nature.
• When the property is not described correctly and makes it unidentifiable.
• When the right to the said property is not directly in question and alienation is permitted.
• This doctrine fails to apply when a court orders the restoration of immovable property under Rule 63 of order 21 under the Civil Procedure Code, 1908.
• Effect of Doctrine of Lis Pendens:
• The effect of the rule of lis pendens is not to invalidate or avoid the transfer but to make it subject to the result of the litigation.
• According to this rule, therefore, whosoever purchases a property during the pendency of a suit is bound by the judgment that may be made against the person from whom he derived title, even though such a purchaser was not aparty to the action or had no notice of the pending litigation.

Hence option b is the correct answer.

China's latest scientific milestone, the High Energy Photon Source (HEPS), set to be the first fourth-generation synchrotron light source in Asia, will begin operations by the end of this year. 

About Synchrotron:

• A synchrotron is a type of circular particle accelerator, where particles move in a loop.
• It works by accelerating charged particles (electrons) throughsequences of magnetsuntil they reachalmost the speed of light. 
• These fast-moving electrons produce very bright light, called synchrotron light. 
• This very intense light, predominantly in the X-ray region, is millions of timesbrighterthanlight produced from conventional sources and 10 billion times brighter than the sun.
• The light is channelled down beamlinesto experimental workstations, where it is used for research.
• Scientists can use this light to study minute matter such as atoms and molecules.
• They can examine how a sample scatters, diffracts, absorbs, or reemits the synchrotron light, which reveals various different details of structure or chemical composition.
• There are approximately 70 synchrotrons around the world in various stages of development. There are technical differences between the use and capabilities of synchrotrons, with some being used for appliances and others for fundamental/theoretical research.

Key Facts about High Energy Photon Source (HEPS):

• Location: It is located approximately 50 kilometers from Beijing in Huairou, China.
• The HEPS is designed to accelerate electrons up to energies of 6 giga electron volts within its 1.36-kilometer circumference storage ring.
• This process will produce high-energy X-rays that can penetrate deep into samples, revealing intricate details at the nanometer scale.
• HEPS will provide researchers with access to 14 beamlines catering to diverse fields such as energy, condensed matter physics, materials innovation, and biomedicine.
• Compared to third-generation synchrotrons like the Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility, which boasts a circumference of 432 meters and stands as China’s most advanced working synchrotron,HEPS will offer a time resolution 10,000 times superior.

Hence only statement 1 is correct.

Recently, the MethaneSAT satellite was launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon9 rocket from California. 

• It will track and measure methane emissions at a global scale.
• It will provide more details and have a much wider field of view than any of its predecessors.
• The entity behind MethaneSAT is the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) — a US-based nonprofit environmental advocacy group.
• It is developed in collaboration with Harvard University, the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, and the New Zealand Space Agency.
• It will orbit the Earth 15 times a day, monitoring the oil and gas sector.
• It will create a large amount of data, which will tell “how much methane is coming from where, who’s responsible, and are those emissions going up or down over time”,
• The data collected by this will be made public for free in near real-time. This will allow stakeholders and regulators to take action to reduce methane emissions.
• Features
  • It is equipped with a high-resolution infrared sensor and a spectrometer.
  • It can track differences in methane concentrations as small as three parts per billion in the atmosphere, which enables it to pick up smaller emissions sources than the previous satellites.
  • It also has a wide-camera view — of about 200 km by 200 km — allowing it to identify larger emitters so-called “super emitters”.
• The collected data will be analysed using cloud-computing and AI technology developed by Google — the company is a mission partner — and the data will be made public through Google’s Earth Engine platform.

Hence only statement 1 is correct.

Cycas circinalis is on the verge of extinction in the northern part of the Kerala State after being hit by an unknown and fast spreading plant disease.

• It is popularly known as Eenthu Pana in Kerala.
• It is known by different names like Mund isalu (Kannada), madana kama raja (Tamil) and Malabari supari (Marathi).
• These are cycads (family Cycadaceae) which are one of the world’s most threatened plant groups.
• These family trees have originated 300 million years ago during the Carboniferous period, cycads are the oldest extant group of seed plants.
• Features
• It is an evergreen palm-like tree that grows up to 25 ft.
• It typically occurs in fairly dense, seasonally dry scrubby woodlands in hilly areas.
• It is also facultative deciduous in extremely dry times.
• Eenthu Pana is like areca nut. It cannot be prepared unless it’s completely dry and this is difficult as it’s usually plucked in the rainy season. 
• They bear fruits after 40 to 50 years in most cases.
• Geographical distribution: It is known to be an Indian endemic, restricted to the Western Ghats, in the states of Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and the south of Maharashtra.
• Out of the nine species of cycads recognised within India, six are endemic.
• Applications: It is a nutraceutical plant for several indigenous communities in the Western Ghats.

Hence only statement 1 is correct.

Recently, the Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, Commerce and Industry and Textiles launched ‘e-Kisan Upaj Nidhi’ (Digital Gateway) in New Delhi.

• It is a digital gateway of the Warehousing Development and Regulatory Authority (WDRA).
• It is the initiative with its simplified digital process can ease the procedure of farmers' storage at any registered WDRA warehouse for a period of 6 months at 7% interest per annum.
• This digital intervention is poised to mitigate distress sales by providing farmers with viable post-harvest storage options.

Hence both statements are correct.

The traditional report cards students receive in schools are set to undergo a major change, with the National Council for Educational and Research Training (NCERT) introducing a new ‘holistic progress card’ (HPC).

About Holistic Progress Card (HPC):

• HPC, developed by Performance Assessment, Review, and Analysis of Knowledge for Holistic Development (PARAKH), a standard-setting body under the NCERT, for the foundational stage (Classes 1 and 2), preparatory stage (Classes 3 to 5), and middle stage (Classes 6 to 8), as per suggestions by the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, marks a paradigm shift in assessing students' overall progress.
• HPC incorporates feedback from parents, classmates, and even self-evaluation by students. 
• The approach aims to provide a comprehensive view of students' academic performance, cognitive abilities, socio-emotional skills, and creativity during class activities.
• HPC aligns with the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCFSE) to prioritise a learner-centric evaluation.
• Features:
• HPC, will no longer depend on marks or grades to evaluate a student’s academic performance. Instead, it will rely on a 360-degree evaluation.
• Under the HPC model, the students will be regularly assessed through class activities where they are not just passive learners but active agents.
• The activities will prompt students to apply diverse skills and competencies that will demonstrate whether they have been able to grasp concepts. 
• The difficulty level they experience while performing a task will also be assessed.
• Teachers, thus, will be able to register the strengths of a student, such as their ability to “collaborate”, “follow instructions”, show “creativity” or “empathy”, etc.
• Similarly, weaknesses like “lack of attention”, “peer pressure”, “lack of preparation” will help teachers identify areas where students need help.
• A key feature of the HPC is that students will have a say too, evaluating their own as well as their classmates’ performance. 
• It encourages students to reflect on their progress through statements such as "I learned something new" or "I expressed my creativity."
• At the middle stage (Classes 6 to 8), students are prompted to set academic and personal goals. 
• An "ambition card" allows students to outline their aspirations, areas for improvement, and the necessary skills and habits to fulfill their ambitions.
• The HPC seeks to involve parents in the learning process, integrating their insights on homework, classroom engagement, and balancing screen time with extracurricular activities.
• Peer evaluation is also a key element, with students assessing their classmates' contributions to activities.
• Benefits:
• The HPC goes beyond numerical grades, focusing on descriptive and analytical evaluations that encompass academic achievements as well as the development of critical skills in a child. 
• It promotes a shift from summative to formative assessment, fostering competency-based evaluation and holistic growth.
• Additionally, it seeks to provide teachers and parents with insights to support each student in learning.

Hence only statement 2 is correct.