Daily Current Affairs MCQ - July 5, 2021 - UPSC MCQ

As the Permanent Chairman of Chiefs of Staff Committee, CDS will perform the following functions:

• Implementing weapons procurement procedures.
• Integrating operations of the Army, Air Force and Navy.
• Bring about jointness and ensure optimal utilisation of infrastructure in the three Services.
• Apart from being the military advisor for the government, the CDS also heads the Department of Military Affairs.
• Authority to create theatre commands as and when needed.
• Command tri-service agencies, organisations, and commands including those related to cyber and space.
• CDS will be member of Defence Acquisition Council and Defence Planning Committee
• Function as the Military Advisor to the Nuclear Command Authority.
• Bring about reforms in the functioning of three services aimed at augmenting combat capabilities of the Armed Forces by reducing wasteful expenditure.
• Assign inter-services prioritisation to capital acquisition proposals.
• The CDS’s salary and perquisites will be same as the service chiefs. The CDS will come under the Right to Information Act.

The Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (or SSLV) is a small-lift launch vehicle being developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) with payload capacity to deliver 500 kg (1,100 lb) to low Earth orbit (500 km (310 mi)) or 300 kg (660 lb) to Sun-synchronous orbit (500 km (310 mi)) for launching small satellites.

The first space launch from Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV), built by ISRO and marketed by the state-owned New Space India Limited (NSIL), is yet to happen. It is expected by end of 2021.

Due to greenhouse gas emissions, global warming is already 1°C higher than the pre-industrial levels. There is vast evidence that this has serious consequences for ecosystems and human being. The IPCC’s special report on Oceans and Cryosphere (published in 2019) reveals that the ocean is 0.8 degrees warmer than the pre-industrial age. It is more acidic, and less productive because of the carbon emission that was sunk by the oceans.

The impact of ocean warming would be an increase in the frequency of tropical cyclone winds and rainfall, as well as an increase in extreme waves, all of which would be accompanied by a rise in relative sea level. 

• Recently, the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) launched a project named Bamboo Oasis on Lands in Drought (BOLD) from the village NichlaMandwa in Udaipur, Rajasthan. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
• Under the project 5000 saplings of special bamboo species – BambusaTulda and BambusaPolymorpha from Assam – have been planted over 16 acres of vacant arid Gram Panchayat land of village NichlaMandwa.
• KVIC has thus created a world record of planting the highest number of bamboo saplings on a single day at one location.
  • It is the first of its kind exercise in India. It seeks to create bamboo-based green patches in arid and semi-arid land zones. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
  • It will reduce desertification and provide livelihood and multi-disciplinary rural industry support.
• It will also act as havens of sustainable development and food security.

• Indian constitution empowers the Union government to create new states out of existing states or two merge one state with another. This process is called reorganisation of the states.
  • The basis of reorganisation could be linguistic, religious, ethnic or administrative.
• With the passage of the Punjab Reorganization Act 1966, Haryana was separated from Punjab in 1966 to become the 17th state of India. Hence, statement 1 is not correct.
  • However, it was done in accordance with the earlier recommendations of the States Reorganization Commission.
• Article 3 provides the following procedure:
  • Presidential reference is sent to the State Assembly.
  • After presidential reference, a resolution is tabled and passed in the Assembly. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
  • The Assembly has to pass a Bill creating the new State/States.
  • A separate Bill has to be ratified by Parliament.

• The Arctic is a polar region located at the northernmost part of Earth.
  • The Arctic consists of the Arctic Ocean, adjacent seas, and parts of Alaska (United States), Canada, Finland, Greenland (Denmark), Iceland, Norway, Russia, and Sweden.
• Land within the Arctic region has seasonally varying snow and ice cover.
  • The Arctic and Antarctic act like the world’s refrigerator. Since they are covered in white snow and ice that reflect heat back into space (Albedo effect), they balance out other parts of the world that absorb heat. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
• Sea ice is a highway for inuit, who use it to travel and hunt.
  • The term Inuit refers broadly to the Arctic indigenous population of Alaska, Canada, and Greenland. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

The National Payments Corporation of India is an umbrella organisation for operating retail payments under the ownership of the Reserve Bank of India. It is headquartered in Mumbai. Why in the News? The Government of India has asked the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) to launch a platform for electronic vaccine vouchers. What are Electronic Vaccine Vouchers? These are like electronic prepaid instruments which can be used only for vaccination. Employers can buy these vouchers in bulk. Vouchers will be sent to the smartphone of the employee. The employee will then share the voucher at the hospital for cashless vaccination. With the help of vouchers, hospitals would get money instantly credited to their account.

Recently, the Government of Jammu & Kashmir ended the 149-year-old practice of ‘darbar move’. Darbar Move: It is the name given to the bi-annual shift of the secretariat and all other government offices of Jammu and Kashmir from one capital city to another. In 1872, the tradition was started during Dogra rule by Maharaja Ranbir Singh.

Institute of Chartered Accountants of India, ICAI, will launch a mobile app for students of foundation, intermediate and final course students. The mobile app named, “ICAI-BOS” will give next-generation interactive learning and innovative ways to enhance quality services to the students.

The Rajasthan Cricket Academy has announced that it will construct the world's 3rd-largest cricket stadium in Jaipur with a capacity for 75,000 spectators at an estimated cost of ₹300 crores. It will be built on around 100 acres of land. The project will be completed in 2.5-3 years.