Daily Current Affairs MCQ- November 14, 2023 - UPSC MCQ

A team of scientists and researchers have discovered a new species of gecko endemic to Mizoram.

• The new species has been named ‘Cyrtodactylus vairengtensis’ after the town in Mizoram where it was found.
• The common name suggested for the new species is ‘Vairengte bent-toed gecko’.
• The distinct feature of this new species is the number of femoral pores which distinguishes it from other members of the Cyrtodactylus family.
• Femoral pores are located on the underside of the hind legs in lizards that secrete a mixture of lipids and proteins and are thought to be used to attract mates and mark territories.
• It is endemic to Mizoram, taking the number of geckos native to the state to 6, and 22 across northeast India.
• There are 335 gecko species across the world, of which 42 are found in India.

Hence option b is the correct answer.

Recently, the ‘AAINA Dashboard for Cities’ portal has been made live by Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA).

• It would serve as a tool for comparing similarly placed Urban Local Bodies (ULBs ) and promoting peer learning amongst ULBs.
• This dashboard will inspire the ULBs by pointing to possibilities and areas of improvement and providing them the opportunity to learn and engage with frontrunners.
• It aims to create a robust database of the key performance metrics of Urban Local Bodies, which could be accessed by all stakeholders, and subsequently would open for public view once it gets populated.
• Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) across the country can participate in this pioneering initiative to voluntarily submit their key data on a regular basis, through a simple, easy-to-fill, data entry form on the portal.
• Objectives of the AAINA Dashboard are to help cities to
• See how they are faring vis-à-vis other cities.
• Inspire them by pointing to possibilities and areas of improvement and
• Providing opportunity to learn and engage with frontrunners.
• The Dashboard will present the data submitted by the ULBs on the basis of indicators across five broad pillars namely,
• Political & Administrative Structure
• Finance
• Planning,
• Citizen Centric Governance and
• Delivery of Basic Services.
• The ULBs will submit their data, including audited accounts, and self-reported performance metrics by logging in to the dashboard’s portal.
• ULBs would be free to update the information initially provided by them, anytime on the portal as per need.
• The Dashboard has been envisaged as a permanent platform for ULB related data, that would be updated on a regular basis.
• The Ministry through Digital India Corporation will provide handholding support to ULBs / States in the data submission process on a need basis.
• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs

Hence only statement 1 is correct.

As per the report submitted under the Global Tiger Recovery Program (GTRP) 2.0overall tiger population increased 60%.

• It was launched in 2010 under the Global Tiger Initiative (GTI) by the World Bank to save wild tigers. 
• This initiative set up the ambitious target of reversing the rapid decline of wild tigers across their range and doubling their population numbers by 2022.
• Alongside these top-level targets, the GTRP set out urgent thematic actions at a national level to strengthen wild tiger conservation in sync with this global goal.
• The first GTRP helped to pull focus to wild tiger conservation and secure a collective commitment from TRCs.
• It was endorsed in the St Petersburg Declaration in 2010 which saw 13 tiger range countries committing to reverse the decline of the species population.
• The 13 tiger range countries are Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Lao PDR Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Russia, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Hence both statements are correct.

The Vadhavan Port Project Ltd. (VPPL) has initiated the process for construction of the ₹76,220 crore port and public hearings are likely to begin in the next few months. 

About Vadhavan Port:

• It is a proposed Rs 75,000 crore container port project at Vadhavan in Maharashtra.
• The port will be developed as a joint venture by the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) and the Maharashtra Maritime Board (MMB).
• The new port has a natural draft of about 20 metres close to the shore, making it possible for it to handle bigger vessels.
• It will enable the call of container vessels of 16,000- 25,000 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) capacity, giving advantages of economies of scale and reducing logistics cost.
• It will be designed to handle around 254 million tonnes (MT) of cargo.
• It will be developed as a Green Port. It is planning to provide green fuel to ships coming to the port, and the construction and operations are planned to keep in mind the environmental issues. 

Jawaharlal Nehru Port:

• It is also known as the largest container port in India, handling around 55% of total containers handled by all Major Ports in India. 
• Location: It is located east of Mumbai, in Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra.
• This port on the Arabian Sea is accessed via Thane Creek. 
• It is also known as Nhava Sheva. Its common name derives from the names of Nhava and Sheva villages that were situated here. 
• This port is also the terminal of Western Dedicated Freight Corridor.

Hence option d is the correct answer.

The Prime Minister recently announced he will go to the native village of tribal icon Birsa Munda on his birth anniversary and launch a welfare scheme for the community.

About Birsa Munda:

• He was a folk hero and a tribal freedom fighter hailing from the Munda tribe.
• He spearheaded an Indian tribal mass movement that arose in the Bihar and Jharkhand belts in the early 19th century under British colonisation.
• Munda rallied the tribals to fight against the forceful land grabbing carried out by the British government, which would turn the tribals into bonded labourers and force them to abject poverty.
• He influenced his people to realise the importance of owning their land and asserting their rights over it.
• As a reaction to the introduction of the Zamindari system, or Permanent settlement in tribal areas, Birsa Munda in 1894 declared “Ulgulan”, or revolt, against the British and the Dikus – the outsiders.
• He created a faith called ‘Birsait’.
• Known as 'Dharti Abba' or the Earth Father, Birsa Munda stressed the need for the tribals to study their own religion and not forget their cultural roots.
• Birsa Munda propagated the principles of Hindu religion.
• He died on June 9, 1900, at age 25. 
• His struggle against exploitation and discrimination against tribals led to a big hit against the British government in the form of the Chotanagpur Tenancy Act being passed in 1908. The act restricted the passing on of land from the tribal people to non-tribals.
• In recognition of his impact on the national movement, the state of Jharkhand was created on his birth anniversary in 2000.
• November 15, the birth anniversary of Birsa Munda, was declared ‘Janjatiya Gaurav Divas by the Central Government in 2021.

Hence both statements are correct.

Israel recently confirmed that it used its sophisticated Arrow 3 missile interceptor against Iran-backed Houthi rebels.

About Arrow-3 Missile Defence System:

• It is an exo-atmospheric anti-ballistic missile defence system for long-range threat engagement.
• The missile was jointly developed by Israel Aerospace Industries and the Missile Defence Agency in the US.
• Initially deployed in 2017, Arrow-3 is the top layer of Israel's sophisticated air-defense network.
• It is designed to take out ballistic missiles while they are still outside of the atmosphere.
• Features:
• It uses two-stage solid-fueled interceptors to engage short- and medium-range ballistic missiles and consists of a launcher, radar, and battle management system.
• It provides a range of 2,400km and can intercept threats at an altitude of 100km.
• It has early warning and fire control radar. It provides extended-range acquisition as well as multi-target acquisition and tracking capabilities.
• How does it work?
• It uses hit-to-kill technology to destroy incoming missiles. 
• The missile is launched vertically, and then the direction is changed towards the estimated interception point. 
• The high-resolution electro-optical sensor acquires the target for the kill vehicle to hit the target and destroy the warhead.

Hence only statement 1 is correct.

An elusive echidna named ‘Zaglossus attenboroughi’, feared extinct after disappearing for six decades, has been rediscovered in a remote part of Indonesia.

About Zaglossus attenboroughi:

• Known as Attenborough’s long-beaked echidna (Zaglossus attenboroughi) or Sir David’s Long-beaked Echidna, the animal belongs to a small, unique group of egg-laying mammals called monotremes, which also includes the platypus.
• It is named in honour of naturalist Sir David Attenborough.
• It has never been recorded outside the extremely remote Cyclops Mountains of Indonesia's Papua region.
• Features:
• It is the smallest known species of long-beaked echidna, weighing between 5 and 10 kilograms.
• They have five claws on each foot, and adult males have a small, non-venomous spur on the inside of each ankle. Adult females lack these spurs.
• The fur is distinctive, short, fine, and dense, unlike other echidnas, and raw umber brown in color.
• There is short fur that covers the few spines on the middle back of this species.
• Adults have no teeth, but the tongue is covered in tooth-like spikes.
• Conservation Status:
• IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered
• What are Echidnas? 
• They are unique, quilled creatures with small eyes and a long nose.
• Similar to hedgehogs, echidnas are spiny, nocturnal creatures that roll into a ball when they sense danger.
• They are shy creatures that live in burrows and only meet others once a year during mating season.

Hence only statement 1 is correct.

India-US Relation:

• The 2+2 meetings have been held annually with the US leaders since 2018. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
• The 2+2 meetings signify the participation of two high-level representatives, Ministers holding Foreign and Defence portfolios, from each of the two countries who aim to enhance the scope of dialogue between them.
• Over the years, the strategic bilateral relationship with its partners, including the dialogues held in the 2+2 format, has produced tangible and far-reaching results for India.
• India and the US have four foundational defense agreements:
  • Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement for Geospatial Intelligence (BECA).
  • General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA).
  • Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA).
  • Communication Compatibility and Security Agreement (COMCASA). Hence, statement 2 is correct.

Status of India's Smart Cities Mission

The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs's latest data, as of 3^rd November 2023, provides insights into the status of India's Smart Cities Mission.

• With the mission's deadline approaching in June 2024, the analysis showcases top-performing cities, financial milestones, and regional variations in project completion.

Key Findings Regarding the Status of India's Smart Cities Mission:

• Leading Cities in Completion of Projects:
  • Surat (Gujarat) emerges as the top-performing city, leading in the completion of projects, fund utilization, and overall criteria. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
  • Agra (Uttar Pradesh(UP)), Ahmedabad (Gujarat), Varanasi (UP), and Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh) secure positions in the top five cities, showcasing commendable progress.
• Regional Disparities:
  • Union Territories (UTs) and cities in Northeastern states find themselves in the bottom 10.

Smart Cities Mission:

• It is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme, launched in June 2015 to transform 100 cities to provide the necessary core infrastructure and clean and sustainable environment to enable a decent quality of life to their citizens through the application of "Smart Solutions". Hence, statement 2 is correct.
  • The mission aims to meet the aspirations of India’s population living in cities through various urban development projects.

Recently, a farmer in North Goa’s Nanoda Bamber village found 832 copper coins in a pot buried in the soil which were believed to be minted in Goa around the 16th or 17th Century when it was under Portuguese rule.

• The Portuguese people issued coins in gold, copper and silver from Goa.
• The gold coins were termed as 'Cruzado' or 'Manoel' and were issued in the same size, value and weight as the 'Pagodas' or 'Hons'.
• Another type of gold coin named 'Meio-manoel', and 'Meia-espera' and 'Espera' in silver were also issued.
• The gold 'Manoel' and the silver 'Espera' had the Cross of the Order of Christ on the obverse and the armillary sphere, the device of the King D. Manoel on the reverse side of the coin were found.
• The half pieces of these coins bore the word 'MEA' surmounted by a crown on one side of the coin and the armillary sphere on the flip side of the coin.
• The Governor of Goa suspended the issue of these coins in 1519.
• After this in 1549, gold and silver coins were reintroduced.
• During this period, the Portuguese had adopted the Apostle St. Thomas as their patron saint for India.
• Since then it had been decided to etch the effigy of St. Thomas on their Indian coins and to give the coins the name of St. Thome.
• The gold and the silver coins had a seated or standing figure of St. Thomas with the letters S and T on one side of the coin and the crowned arm of Portugal with the initials of the reigning monarch on the other side of the coin.
• Sometimes small inscriptions were also found in the coins.
• The gold coins of Portuguese were of the value of 20, 10, 5 and 2 'Xerafirms'.
• Two mints were opened at Bassein and Daman in 1611 for issuing copper 'Buzaruccos'.
• Later on 'tutenag' coins were issued from these mints.
• The copper 'Buzaruccos' had the coat-of-arms on one side of the coin and a sheaf of arrows on the flip side of the coin.

Hence option d is the correct answer.