Daily Current Affairs MCQ - October 13, 2021 - UPSC MCQ

The Environment Ministry has issued draft rules that mandate producers of plastic packaging material to collect all of their produce by 2024 and ensure that a minimum percentage of it be recycled as well as used in subsequent supply.

• It has also specified a system whereby makers and users of plastic packaging could collect certificates — called Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) certificates — and trade in them.
• The notification was expected to come into force by December 6 and, as of now, was open to public feedback.
• Only a fraction of plastic that cannot be recycled — such as multi-layered multi-material plastics — would be eligible to be sent for end-of-life disposal such as road construction, waste to energy, waste to oil and cement kilns.
• Only methods prescribed by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) would be permitted for their disposal.

Plastic packaging, as per the rules made public on October 6, fall into three categories.

• The first is “rigid” plastic;
• Category 2 is “flexible plastic packaging of single layer or multilayer (more than one layer with different types of plastic), plastic sheets and covers made of plastic sheet, carry bags (including carry bags made of compostable plastics), plastic sachet or pouches; and
• The third category is called multilayered plastic packaging, which has at least one layer of plastic and at least one layer of material other than plastic.

Other features

• Producers of plastic would be obliged to declare to the government, via a centralised website, how much plastic they produce annually. Companies would have to collect at least 35% of the target in 2021-22, 70% by 2022-23 and 100% by 2024.
• In 2024, a minimum 50% of their rigid plastic (category 1) would have to be recycled as would 30% of their category 2 and 3 plastic.
• Every year would see progressively higher targets and after 2026-27, 80% of their category 1 and 60% of the other two categories would need to be recycled.
• If entities cannot fulfil their obligations, they would on a “case by case basis” be permitted to buy certificates making up for their shortfall from organisations that have used recycled content in excess of their obligation.
• The CPCB would develop a “mechanism” for such exchanges on an online portal. Non-compliance would not invite a traditional fine. Instead an “environmental compensation” would be levied, though the rules do not specify how much this compensation would be.
• Hence, option (d) is the correct answer.

A study in The Lancet Planetary Health ranks European cities with the highest and lowest rates of mortality attributable to lack of green space.

• Researchers from the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal) analysed cities in 31 European countries.
• It concluded that up to 43,000 premature deaths could be prevented each year if these cities were to achieve the WHO recommendation that there should be a green space measuring at least 0.5 hectares at a distance of no more than 300 m from every home.
• The study used the indicator Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI).
• The study found that over 60% of the population has insufficient access to green space. This lack of green space is associated with 42,968 deaths, which could be prevented through compliance with the WHO recommendations, the authors said.

Hence only statement 1 is correct.

Govt. of India accorded ‘Maharatna’ status to the state-owned Power Finance Corporation Ltd (PFC), thus giving PFC greater operational and financial autonomy.

• An order to this effect was issued by the Department of Public Enterprises, under the Ministry of Finance. Incorporated in 1986, PFC is the largest Infrastructure Finance Company today, exclusively dedicated to Power Sector under the administrative control of the Ministry of Power.
• This new recognition will enable PFC to offer competitive financing for the power sector, which will go a long way in making available affordable & reliable ‘Power For All 24x7’.

Benefits:

• The grant of ‘Maharatna’ status to PFC will impart enhanced powers to the PFC Board while taking financial decisions.
• The Board of a ‘Maharatna’ CPSE can make equity investments to undertake financial joint ventures and wholly-owned subsidiaries and undertake mergers and acquisitions in India and abroad, subject to a ceiling of 15% of the Net Worth of the concerned CPSE, limited to Rs.5,000 crore in one project.
• The Board can also structure and implement schemes relating to personnel and Human Resource Management and Training.
• They can also enter into technology Joint Ventures or other strategic alliances among others.

Hence only statement 1 is correct.

The Union Cabinet approved the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation 2.0 (AMRUT 2.0) till 2025-26, as a step towards AatmaNirbhar Bharat and with aim of making the cities ‘water secure’ and ‘self-sustainable’ through circular economy of water.

• AMRUT 2.0, targets universal coverage of water supply by providing household tap connections in all 4,378 statutory towns. 100% coverage of household sewerage/ septage management in 500 AMRUT cities is other objective.
• Mission targets to provide 2.68 crore tap connections and 2.64 crore sewer/ septage connections to achieve the intended outcomes.
• Total indicative outlay for AMRUT 2.0 is ₹ 2,77,000 crore including central share of ₹76,760 crore for five years from FY 2021-22 to FY 2025-26.
• The projects will be geo-tagged.
• Cities will assess their water sources, consumption, future requirement and water losses through a city water balance plan. Based on this, city water action plans will be prepared which will be summed up as State Water Action Plan and will be approved by the Ministry of Housing and Urban affairs.
• The funds for the projects will be shared by Centre, State and ULBs. Central funds will be released to the States in three tranches based on allocation to the State as per State Water Action Plan.
• Other key features of AMRUT 2.0 (U) include Pey Jal Survekshan which will encourage competition among cities for benchmarking urban water services.
• Mission will also encourage mobilization of market finance by mandating implementation of 10% of worth of projects in cities with population above ten lakh through Public Private Participation. Mission will also bring in the leading technologies in water sector in world through technology sub-Mission.

Hence only statement 2 is correct.

Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved the proposal of the Department of Fertilizers for fixation of Nutrient Based Subsidy Rates for Phosphatic and Potassic fertilisers (P&K) for the year 2021-22.

• The approved rate for Nutrient Based Subsidy (NBS) in case of Nitrogen has been fixed at 18.789 rupees per kilogram, for Phosphorus it is 45.323 rupees per Kg, for Potash 10.116 rupees per Kg and 2.374 rupees per Kilogram for Sulphur.
• The total amount of rollover will be 28,602 crore rupees and a special one-time package of additional subsidy on Di-Ammonium Phosphate (DAP) at a tentative cost of 5,716 crore rupees has also been provided. The net subsidy required for the rabi season for 2021-22 will be 28,655 crore rupees after deducting savings.
• The CCEA also approved the inclusion of Potash derived from Molasses under the Nutrient Based Subsidy Scheme.
• It will give 438 rupees per bag benefit on Di-Ammonium Phosphate (DAP) and 100 rupees per bag benefit on NPK grades so as to maintain prices of these fertilizers affordable to the farmers.
• Hence both statements are correct.

• Quantum Key Distribution (QKD), also called Quantum Cryptography, is a mechanism to develop secure communication. It provides a way of distributing and sharing secret keys that are necessary for cryptographic protocols. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
• In the QKD, encryption keys are sent as ‘qubits’ (or quantum bits) in an optical fibre. Optical fibers are capable of transmitting more data over longer distances and faster than other mediums. It works on the principle of total internal Reflections. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
• In the QKD, the encryption is unbreakable and that’s mainly because of the way data is carried via the photon. A photon cannot be perfectly copied and any attempt to measure it will disturb it. This means that a person trying to intercept the data will leave a trace. Hence, statement 3 is not correct.

• Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) was notified by the Ministry of Environment, Forests & Climate Change in 2017.
  • It is a set of emergency measures to be taken to reduce air pollution.
  • In pursuant to the Supreme Court’s order in the matter of M. C. Mehta vs. Union of India (2016) regarding air quality in the National Capital Region of Delhi, a Graded Response Action Plan has been prepared for implementation under different Air Quality Index (AQI) categories namely, Moderate & Poor, Very Poor, and Severe. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
    • A new category of “Severe+ or Emergency” has been added.
• Till 2020, the Supreme Court-appointed Environment Pollution (Prevention & Control) Authority (EPCA) used to order States to implement GRAP measures.
  • The EPCA was dissolved and replaced by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) in 2020. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
  • CAQM is a statutory mechanism to coordinate and oversee diverse efforts to improve air quality in Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and UP, with the underlying remedial approach. Hence, statement 3 is correct.

• The National Green Tribunal Act (NGT) is a statutory body set up under the National Green Tribunal Act (2010) for effective and expeditious disposal of cases relating to environmental protection and conservation of forests and other natural resources. Hence, statement 1 is correct
• The NGT Act, 2010, prescribes that the tribunal shall consist of a full-time chairperson and not less than 10 judicial and 10 expert members but subject to a maximum of twenty full-time judicial and expert members. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
• NGT is mandated to dispose of applications or appeals finally within 6 months of filing the same. Hence, statement 3 is correct.

The Union Cabinet approved the continuation of Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban) till 2025-26.

• It’s focus will be on sustainability of Open Defecation Free (ODF) outcomes, achieving scientific processing of Solid Waste in all cities, and managing Wastewater in cities with less than 1 lakh population in Census 2011 [cities not covered under Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT)].
• A financial outlay of ₹1,41,600 crores has been finalized for SBM-U 2.0, including central share of ₹36,465 for the period 2021-22 to 2025-26 which is over 2.5 times the financial outlay of ₹62,009 crores in the last phase of the Mission.

Fund sharing pattern between Centre and States is as follows:

• Cities with million plus population: 25:75
• Cities with population between 1-10 lakhs: 33:67
• Cities with less than one lakh population: 50:50
• Union territories without legislature: 100:0
• Union territories with legislature: 80:20

Expected Outcomes under Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban 2.0

• Sanitation:
  • All statutory towns to become at least ODF+
  • All cities with <1 lakh population to be made ODF++
  • Putting in place systems and processes so that all wastewater is safely treated and optimally reused and no untreated wastewater pollutes water bodies
• Solid Waste Management:
  • All cities to achieve at least 3-star Garbage Free certification
• Hence both statements are correct.

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will launch PM GatiShakti - National Master Plan for multi-modal connectivity, on 13th October, 2021 at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi.

• PM GatiShakti will incorporate the infrastructure schemes of various Ministries and State Governments like Bharatmala, Sagarmala, inland waterways, dry/land ports, UDAN etc.
• Economic Zones like textile clusters, pharmaceutical clusters, defence corridors, electronic parks, industrial corridors, fishing clusters, agri zones will be covered to improve connectivity & make Indian businesses more competitive.
• It will also leverage technology extensively including spatial planning tools with ISRO imagery developed by BiSAG-N (Bhaskaracharya National Institute for Space Applications and Geoinformatics).

PM GatiShakti is based on six pillars:

1. Comprehensiveness: It will include all the existing and planned initiatives of various Ministries and Departments with one centralized portal. Each and every Department will now have visibility of each other’s activities providing critical data while planning & execution of projects in a comprehensive manner.
2. Prioritization: Through this, different Departments will be able to prioritize their projects through cross–sectoral interactions.
3. Optimization: The National Master Plan will assist different ministries in planning for projects after identification of critical gaps. For the transportation of the goods from one place to another, the plan will help in selecting the most optimum route in terms of time and cost.
4. Synchronization: Individual Ministries and Departments often work in silos. There is lack of coordination in planning and implementation of the project resulting in delays. PM GatiShakti will help in synchronizing the activities of each department, as well as of different layers of governance, in a holistic manner by ensuring coordination of work between them.
5. Analytical: The plan will provide the entire data at one place with GIS based spatial planning and analytical tools having 200+ layers, enabling better visibility to the executing agency.
6. Dynamic: All Ministries and Departments will now be able to visualize, review and monitor the progress of cross-sectoral projects, through the GIS platform, as the satellite imagery will give on-ground progress periodically and progress of the projects will be updated on a regular basis on the portal. It will help in identifying the vital interventions for enhancing and updating the master plan.

Hence both statements are correct.