Daily Current Affairs MCQ - Feb 6, 2021 - UPSC MCQ

Global collaboration for the world’s largest radio telescope took formal shape with the constitution of an Intergovernmental Council.

• The Square Kilometre Array Observatory (SKAO) project, spanning two continents and involving the participation of 20 countries, is expected to be ready for carrying out observations towards the end of this decade.
• Its goals are: studying the universe and its evolution, the origin and evolution of cosmic magnetism, and dark energy and evolution of galaxies.
• It is proposed to be built in two phases, with an estimated 1.8 billion euros required for phase-I, planned over the next ten years.
• Headquartered and controlled from the UK, the SKA is not a single telescope but will be an array of antennas strategically designed and set up in South Africa and Australia.
• The telescope in South Africa will have 197 dishes, every 15 metres in diameter, and will be located in the Karoo region.
• The telescope in Australia will have 1,31,072 antennas, each measuring 2 m high. They will be installed on the campus of the Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory operated by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation.
• India is also participating in SKAO through the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) and the Department of Science and Technology (DST).
   

Canada has announced that it will be designating the US-based far-right group ‘Proud Boys’ as a terrorist entity in an attempt to crack down on “ideologically motivated violent extremism” in the country.

• With this, the all-male neo-fascist group will be added to a lengthy list of international terrorist organisations, that includes ISIS, Al Qaeda and al-Shabab.
• The all-male neo-fascist group was founded in 2016 by Vice Media co-founder and Canadian-British right-wing activist Gavin McInnes.
• The Proud Boys are known for their “anti-Muslim and misogynistic rhetoric”. The group is also known for anti-transgender, anti-immigration and anti-Semitic views.
• Members usually don a fixed uniform of red ‘Make America Great Again’ caps from Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign and black and yellow polo shirts.

The Danish government approved a plan to build an artificial island in the North Sea as part of its effort to switch to green energy.

• The project is being called the largest construction project to be undertaken in Denmark’s history with an estimated cost of DKK 210 billion.
• An energy island is based on a platform that serves as a hub for electricity generation from surrounding offshore wind farms.
• The artificial island will be located about 80 km into the North Sea and the majority of it will be owned by the Danish government. Its primary purpose is to provide large-scale offshore wind power.
• The idea is to connect and distribute power between Denmark and neighbouring countries.

• The move has come after the EU announced its plans to transform its electricity system to rely mostly on renewables within a decade and to increase its offshore wind energy capacity by over 25-fold by the year 2050.

The Centre has extended the tenure of The Commission to Examine Sub-categorisation of Other Backward Classes (OBCs) headed by Justice G Rohini, former Chief Justice of Delhi High Court. The commission now has until July 31 to submit its report.

• OBCs are granted 27% reservation in jobs and education under the central government.
• In September last year, a Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court reopened the legal debate on sub-categorisation of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes for reservations.
• The debate arises out of the perception that only a few affluent communities among the over 2,600 included in the Central List of OBCs have secured a major part of this 27% reservation.
• The argument for sub-categorisation — or creating categories within OBCs for reservation — is that it would ensure “equitable distribution” of representation among all OBC communities.
• To examine this, the Rohini Commission was constituted on October 2, 2017.
• Before the Rohini Commission was set up, the Centre had granted constitutional status to the National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC).
   

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) said that it will give small investors direct access to its government securities trading platform.

• Retail investors can directly open their gilt accounts with RBI, and trade in government securities. The RBI Governor described this as a “major structural reform.”
• Government Securities (or g-secs) are debt instruments issued by the government to borrow money.
• The two key categories are
  • treasury bills – short-term instruments which mature in 91 days, 182 days, or 364 days, and
  • dated securities – long-term instruments, which mature anywhere between 5 years and 40 years.
• Like bank fixed deposits, g-secs are not tax-free.
• They are generally considered the safest form of investment because they are backed by the government. So, the risk of default is almost nil. However, they are not completely risk-free, since they are subject to fluctuations in interest rates.
• Bank fixed deposits, on the other hand, are guaranteed only to the extent of Rs 5 lakh by the Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation (DICGC).
   

Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways has issued the guidelines for floating structures with a vision to set up world-class floating infrastructure all along the coastline in the upcoming projects.

• The guidelines set out technical aspects for implementation of Floating Jetties or Platforms for Marinas, Minor Harbors, Fishing Harbours or Fish landing centres, Waterdomes and such other similar facilities in coastal areas, estuaries, waterways, rivers and reservoirs.
• These guidelines may also be suitably utilized for floating pontoons or platforms in various waterborne systems and floating wave attenuators or breakwaters for Minor Harbors or Fish Landing facilities.
• Floating structure because of its inherent advantages is an attractive solution and it is being promoted by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways.
• The benefits of floating jetties or structures over the conventional quay and fixed concrete structures include its cost-effectiveness, faster implementation, easily expandable and re-locatable and having minimal environmental impacts.
• Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways has successfully implemented few projects including setting up of passenger floating jetties in Goa, water-aerodromes at Sabarmati River and at Sardar Sarovar Dam for the seaplane services which are working satisfactorily.
   

The Indian Navy received three "made in India" Advanced Light Helicopters (ALH) from the state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL). The helicopters are customised for coastal security.

• The naval version of ALH is fitted with an array of advanced sensors that can detect Mumbai terror attacks like intrusions on Indian waters.
• These helicopters have latest-generation avionics, indigenous low-frequency dunking sonar, full glass cockpit with integrated architecture display system and the powerful Shakti engines.
• It also has a nose-mounted surveillance radar with 270-degree coverage that can detect and track multiple marine targets. Its synthetic aperture radar and inverse synthetic aperture radar can detect targets on the sea.

The Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) received the Initial Operational Clearance (IOC) for the Indian Army from Centre for Military Airworthiness and Certification (CEMILAC).

• The LUH is a three-ton class new generation single-engine helicopter indigenously designed and developed by Rotary Wing Research and Design Centre of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) with features suitable for operations in the diverse operating conditions unique to India.
• The LUH will replace the ageing fleet of Cheetah/Chetak helicopters operated by the Services.
• The LUH is powered by a single turboshaft engine Ardiden 1U from M/s. Safran Helicopter Engine (SHE), France with adequate power margins to accomplish high altitude missions in the Himalayas with ease.
• LUH is equipped with Smart Cockpit Display System (Glass Cockpit), state-of-the-art HUMS (Health & Usage Monitoring System) and is designed for various utility and armed roles.
   

The 1st meeting of the Joint Working Group in the field of Renewable Energy between India and the Kingdom of Bahrain was held in a virtual format.

• An MoU between India and Bahrain was signed in 2018 for promoting bilateral cooperation in the field of Renewable Energy.
• Both sides agreed to forge deeper engagement in capacity building and focused cooperation between concerned agencies as well as the private sector of the two countries in this sector, particularly in the field of solar, wind and clean hydrogen.
• Bahrain is a sovereign state in the Persian Gulf.
• The island nation comprises a small archipelago made up of 40 natural islands and an additional 51 artificial islands, centred around Bahrain Island which makes up around 83 per cent of the country's landmass.
• The country is situated between the Qatari peninsula and the northeastern coast of Saudi Arabia, to which it is connected by the 25-kilometre King Fahd Causeway.
• The capital and largest city are Manama.
   

A library movement developed in a short span of time in Jharkhand’s Jamtara district is receiving students' steady flow.

• The district now has 45 functional public libraries. Unused government buildings have been renovated and converted into public libraries.
• The district’s love for books assumes huge significance as it has the dubious distinction of being the “phishing capital of India”.
• Many youth, mostly drop-outs in the 15-35 age group, have been turning to cybercrime to earn a few quick bucks.
• Police personnel from 22 out of 28 Indian States have visited the tiny district in search of cyber fraudsters in the past few years. It is said that the majority of online fraud calls received by people across the country emanate from the district.
• Netflix’s 2020 crime drama, Jamtara, was based on this.
• As many as 93 cybercriminals are languishing in Jamtara’s jails, while 156 online fraudsters were arrested in 74 different cases in 2020.