Test: Weekly Current Affairs: March 8 to 14, 2024 - UPSC MCQ

• Only pairs 3 and 4 are correctly matched.
• Odisha: Cuttack Rupa Tarakasi (Silver Filigree)
• West Bengal: Banglar muslin (Traditional Handloom Craft)
• Madhya Pradesh: Ratlam Riyawan Lahsun (Garlic)
• Tripura: Risa Textile

• Context: Nagpur has initiated India’s first city-specific Zero Carbon Buildings Action Plan (ZCBAP), aiming to achieve net-zero carbon emissions from buildings by 2050.
• The plan covers public buildings, affordable housing, commercial buildings, and homes, focusing on decarbonization and sustainable development.
• Developed by Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) and Nagpur Smart and Sustainable City Development Corporation Limited (NSSCDCL), with support from international partners, the ZCBAP aligns with India’s climate goals and global commitments.

• Context: MethaneSAT, launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon9 rocket, is a satellite designed to track and measure methane emissions globally.
• MethaneSAT aims to monitor the oil and gas sector, providing data on emission sources, trends, and changes over time.
• About MethaneSAT:
  • Developed by the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) in partnership with Harvard University, the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, and the New Zealand Space Agency, MethaneSAT will orbit the Earth 15 times a day, collecting data that will be made publicly available in near real-time.
  • Equipped with advanced technology, including a high-resolution infrared sensor and spectrometer, MethaneSAT can detect methane concentrations as small as three parts per billion and identify both large and small emitters.​

• Context: The “Women, Business and the Law 2024” report by the World Bank Group examines laws and regulations affecting women’s economic opportunities across 190 economies.
• The report analyzes challenges hindering women’s workforce entry and economic contribution, updating the Women, Business and the Law index with new indicators like Safety and Childcare. Findings reveal a significant global gap in women’s legal rights, with potential economic growth if discriminatory laws are eliminated. India’s rank in the report improved marginally to 113 out of 190.

Context: INS Jatayu, India’s new naval base on Minicoy Island in Lakshadweep, signifies a crucial step in bolstering security infrastructure in the strategic archipelago. It is the second naval base in Lakshadweep. Situated in a strategically important location, the base strengthens India’s operational capability in the region, aiding anti-piracy and anti-narcotics operations in the western Arabian Sea.

• Context: Sweden has officially become the 32nd member of NATO, joining the military alliance two years after applying following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
  • Sweden’s NATO membership was delayed due to objections from Turkey and Hungary, but eventually received approval.
• NATO’s founding member countries were: Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, the United Kingdom and the United States.
  

• Context: CSIR-Indian Institute of Petroleum (IIP) and UCOST have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) under the “Adarsh Champawat” mission.
• Option B is correct because pine trees are gymnosperms, meaning they produce seeds that are not enclosed within a fruit. Instead, these seeds are typically found within cones. Option A is false because pine trees are gymnosperms, not angiosperms, which are flowering plants. Option C is false because most pine trees are evergreen, meaning they retain their leaves year-round, rather than being deciduous and shedding their leaves seasonally. Option D is false because pine trees have needle-like leaves, not broad leaves.

• Context: US envoy Amos Hochstein emphasized the importance of pursuing a diplomatic solution to end the escalating hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah (in Lebanon), along the Blue Line, demarcated by the United Nations.
• What is Blue Line?
  • The Blue Line is a border demarcation established by the United Nations in 2000 after Israeli troops withdrew from southern Lebanon. It serves as the boundary between Lebanon and Israel, aiming to prevent conflicts and provide a basis for security arrangements in the region.
    

Explanation: What is the UDGAM portal?

• Developed by RBI, it stands for Unclaimed Deposits-Gateway to Access inforMation. It serves as a centralized platform for the public to search for unclaimed deposits across multiple banks.
• The portal allows users to search for various types of accounts covered by the Depositor Education and Awareness (DEA) Fund of RBI. Users are required to register on the portal and provide specific inputs depending on whether they are searching for individual or non-individual accounts. While the portal facilitates the search for unclaimed deposits, it does not enable users to settle or claim these deposits directly; claims must be made directly with the respective bank.
• As of March 4, 2024, 30 banks are part of the UDGAM portal, covering approximately 90% of unclaimed deposits in the DEA Fund. Each unclaimed deposit is assigned a unique Unclaimed Deposit Reference Number (UDRN) generated by banks, ensuring seamless settlement of claims.

What is the Uncover program?

• The UNCOVER program is part of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) initiative aimed at uncovering insights about the early universe. Specifically, UNCOVER, which stands for Ultra-deep NIRCam and NIRSpec Observations Before the Epoch of Reionization, focuses on two main goals:
  • Identifying first-light galaxies during the Dark Ages
  • Studying ultra-low luminosity galaxies responsible for the epoch of reionization.
• The James Webb Space Telescope is a space telescope designed to conduct infrared astronomy. Its high-resolution and high-sensitivity instruments allow it to view objects too old, distant, or faint for the Hubble Space Telescope

• Context: The Ministry of Defence has denotified civil areas of 10 cantonments, including ones in Uttarakhand, UP, Maharashtra, Jharkhand, and Rajasthan. The process involves merging these areas with state municipalities. Himachal Pradesh, with seven cantonments, is also undergoing this process, with Khas Yol already denotified.
• S1: Cantonments are civilian areas that are under the control of the military, and they usually have a civilian population living in them as well. Military stations, on the other hand, are purely military areas where only military personnel and their families reside.
• S2: Cantonment administration falls under the purview of the Union Government (Ministry of Defence), as outlined in the Cantonments Act, 2006, following the guidelines set by the 74th Constitutional Amendment. While the Union Government holds administrative authority, State Governments have the prerogative to implement schemes within Cantonment areas.

Only 2 and 3 pairs are correctly matched

Only Statement 3 is correct.

• The G4 nations are a group composed of Brazil, Germany, India, and Japan, which aim to support each other’s bids for permanent seats on the United Nations Security Council. These countries seek reform in the composition of the Security Council to reflect contemporary global power dynamics.
• S1 is incorrect because the G4 nations’ main focus is not limited to economic cooperation within the Asia-Pacific region; rather, it’s centered around UN reform.
• S2 is incorrect as the G4 nations include Brazil and India, which are not European countries.
• S3 is incorrect because while the G4 nations might have interests in combating climate change and promoting sustainable development, this is not their primary purpose as a group.

Statement 1 is incorrect.

• Context: The Great Barrier Reef is experiencing its fifth mass coral bleaching event in eight years, driven by global heating and an El Niño climate pattern.
• Coral reefs are essentially just big limestone structures built by thousands of tiny coral creatures called polyps.
• Increased ocean temperature caused by climate change is the main cause of coral bleaching events. That’s when reefs expel the symbiotic algae responsible for their colour. If that happens over longer periods, the corals can eventually die.
• Coral reefs act like low-crested breakwaters and absorb 97% of wave energy. This substantially reduces coastal flooding and erosion.
• Coral reefs cover less than 0.5% of the earth’s surface, but they are home to about 25% of all marine species.

• Both statements 1 and 2 are related to Community reserves.
• Context: Villagers in Rajasthan oppose the state government’s proposal to classify sacred groves known as orans as deemed forests, fearing loss of access and livelihood. The notification, released on February 1, 2024, aims to give orans the status of deemed forests as per Supreme Court directives.
• Sacred groves are relic forest patches traditionally protected by communities in reverence of a deity. They are important repositories of forest biodiversity, providing refuge to many plant and animal species of conservation significance. India has over 13,000 documented sacred groves. These groves are known by different names in different regions, such as Kavu/Sarpa Kavu in Kerala, Devarakadu/Devkad in Karnataka, and Deorai/Devrai in Maharashtra.

• Context: The International Commission on Stratigraphy rejected the proposal of the Anthropocene epoch after a committee of 18 scientists recently voted against it.
• S1 is incorrect. The Anthropocene epoch is characterized by a significant increase, rather than a decrease, in human impact on the environment. This includes factors such as climate change, habitat destruction, pollution, and species extinction driven by human activities.
• S2 is correct. The term “Anthropocene” was indeed coined to emphasize the profound influence of human activities on Earth’s geological and ecological processes. It signifies the recognition that human actions have become a dominant force shaping the planet’s systems and landscapes.
• S3 is incorrect. The Anthropocene epoch is associated with increased biodiversity loss and heightened rates of species extinction, largely due to human-induced factors such as habitat destruction, pollution, and climate change. Thus, it does not mark a period of decreased biodiversity and species extinction rates.

Statements 1, 2 and 4 are correct.

• Context: The Great Barrier Reef is experiencing its fifth mass coral bleaching event in eight years, driven by global heating and an El Niño climate pattern.
• Using a remote-controlled submarine, researchers at Smithsonian Institution, Washington, discovered five new species of black corals living as deep as 2,500 feet (760 metres) below the surface in the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea off the coast of Australia.
• Black corals can be found growing both in shallow waters and down to depths of over 26,000 feet (8,000 metres), and some individual corals can live for over 4,000 years.
• Unlike their colourful, shallow-water cousins that rely on the sun and photosynthesis for energy, black corals are filter feeders and eat tiny zooplankton that are abundant in deep waters.
• Similarly to shallow-water corals that build colourful reefs full of fish, black corals act as important habitats where fish and invertebrates feed and hide from predators in what is otherwise a mostly barren sea floor.

• S1: The Pritzker Architecture Prize is specifically focused on honoring excellence in architecture, not urban planning.
• S2: Established in 1979 by the Pritzker family of Chicago, it recognizes living architects for their significant contributions to humanity and the built environment.
• S3: The laureate receives $100,000 and a bronze medallion. Riken Yamamoto, the ninth laureate from Japan, is known for projects like the Hiroshima Nishi Fire Station (2000) and the Koyasu Elementary School (2018), which emphasize transparency and interaction in architectural design.

• Context: Researchers genetically modified the Drosophila melanogaster fruit fly, typically a sexually reproducing species, to reproduce asexually.
• Parthenogenesis is a form of asexual reproduction where an embryo develops from an unfertilized egg cell.

• Context: The Gorsam Kora Festival, held annually in Arunachal Pradesh’s Zemithang valley, concluded, celebrating the shared Himalayan Buddhist cultural heritage and the enduring friendship between India and Bhutan.
• Located along the Nyanmjang Chu River, Zemithang is historically significant as the refuge where the 14th Dalai Lama sought sanctuary in 1959.
• The festival, centred around the 93-foot tall stupa – ‘Gorsam Chorten’ built in the 13th century, attracts thousands of devotees, including Bhutanese nationals, for prayers and traditional rituals.

• Context: PM Modi inaugurates the Sela Tunnel in Arunachal Pradesh, built at an altitude of 13,700 feet by the Border Roads Organisation.
• S1: The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) is a statutory body under the ownership of the Ministry of Defence of the Government of India.
• S2: The BRO undertakes projects in India and friendly countries. These projects typically include developing roads, bridges, and airfields in hostile environments shunned by private enterprises, whether due to security concerns related to hostilities, or because of environmental challenges.
• S3: Officers and personnel from the General Reserve Engineer Force (GREF) form the parent cadre of the BRO. It is also staffed by Officers and Troops drawn from the Indian Army’s Corps of Engineers on extra regimental employment (on deputation). BRO is also included in the Order of Battle of the Armed Forces, ensuring their support at any time.

• Context: India and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) signed a Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA) on March 10, 2024.
• What is EFTA?
  • EFTA, the European Free Trade Association, is an intergovernmental organization founded in 1960 to promote free trade among its member states, which include Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland. It operates independently of the European Union (EU).

Sponge iron, also known as direct reduced iron (DRI), is primarily produced through the direct reduction of iron ore in the presence of a reducing agent such as natural gas or coal. This process occurs in a direct reduction furnace, where iron ore pellets or lump ore are heated at a temperature range of 800°C to 1050°C. The reducing agent reacts with the iron oxide in the ore, resulting in the reduction of iron oxide to metallic iron. This method is distinct from traditional iron-making processes like the blast furnace, electric arc furnace, or open hearth furnace, making option B the correct choice.

• Statements 2 and 3 are correct.
• Parliamentary privileges are certain rights and immunities enjoyed by members of Parliament, individually and collectively, so that they can “effectively discharge their functions”. When any of these rights and
• Immunities are disregarded, the offense is called a breach of privilege and is punishable under law of Parliament.
• A notice is moved in the form of a motion by any member of either House against those being held guilty of breach of privilege.
• A member may, with the consent of the Speaker or the Chairperson, raise a question involving a breach of privilege either of a member or of the House or of a committee thereof. The rules however mandate that any notice should be relating to an incident of recent occurrence and should need the intervention of the House.
• The Speaker/RS chairperson is the first level of scrutiny of a privilege motion. The Speaker/Chair can decide on the privilege motion himself or herself or refer it to the privileges committee of Parliament.