Daily Current Affairs MCQ - October 15, 2021 - UPSC MCQ

Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur launched MyParkings app in New Delhi.

• Parking is a difficult issue and this app is an effort to reduce stress and help people plan their trips better. Smart parking solution through app or through card is an effortless solution towards hassle-free parking.
• Booking of online parking slots will enable people to park their vehicles without inconvenience.
• Ease of parking through the app will also help reduce pollution from vehicles by minimizing the time spent searching for parking spots. The Minister hoped other Municipal Corporations will take a leaf out of the experience of MyParkings and adopt similar solutions.
• Hence, option (a) is the correct answer.

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved that the increased prices of Phosphatic and Potassic (P&K) fertilizers vide notification dated 20.5.2021 shall be rolled over for the whole year 2021-22 from 1.10.2021 to 31.3.2022.

• The increased international prices of Diammonium phosphate (DAP) have been absorbed by the Union Government.
• The Union Government has decided to increase the subsidy by Rs. 438 per bag of DAP as a special onetime package so that farmers can get DAP at the same price.
• The increased international prices of raw materials for production of three most consumed NPK grades (10:26:26, 20:20:0:13 and 12:32:16) have been absorbed by the Union Government by increasing subsidy by Rs. 100 per bag on these NPK grades as a special onetime package so that farmers can get these fertilizers at affordable prices.
• The Union Government has brought Potash Derived from Molasses (PDM) under Nutrient Based Subsidy (NBS) scheme for the first time since its inception in 2010 to give a push to its manufacturing by Sugar Mills as a byproduct. This Fertilizer is known as PDM-0:0:14.5:0.
• This move is expected to reduce India’s dependence on 100% import of more than 42 LMT of Mineral based Potash i.e. MOP which cost around Rs. 7,160 crores annually.
• This decision will not only improve the income level of sugarcane growers and sugar mills but also offer Rs. 73 subsidy per 50 kg bag being sold @ Rs 600-800 by Fertilizer Companies to farmers.
• It is expected that the Union Government will spend Rs. 156 crores (approx.) annually as subsidy on PDM and save a foreign exchange of Rs. 562 crores.
• Hence both statements are correct.

The Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Ministry of Science and Technology, GoI, supported a mega consortium on ‘One Health’ and launched the First ‘One Health’ project of DBT.

• This programme envisages carrying out surveillance of important bacterial, viral and parasitic infections of zoonotic as well as transboundary pathogens in India, including the North-eastern part of the country.
• Use of existing diagnostic tests and the development of additional methodologies when required are mandated for the surveillance and for understanding the spread of emerging diseases.
• This Consortium, consisting of 27 organisations led by DBT-National Institute of Animal Biotechnology, Hyderabad, is one of the biggest one health programs launched by Govt of India in post-COVID times.
• The One health consortium consists of AIIMS, Delhi, AIIMS Jodhpur, IVRI, Bareily, GADVASU, Ludhiana, TANUVAS, Chennai, MAFSU, Nagpur, Assam agricultural and veterinary university and many more ICAR, ICMR centres and wild life agencies.
• Hence both statements are correct.

Government has given go ahead for inviting the expression of interest for installation of 1000 MWh Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) as a pilot project.

• This is the joint effort of both Ministry of New and renewable energy and Ministry of Power who have been working on this to provide a road map for the installation of the energy storage system in the country.
• Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI), a CPSU under Ministry of New and renewable energy, has called for the expression of interest for procurement of 1000 MWh BESS.
• This will be published along with the RFS bid document and the draft comprehensive guideline for procurement and utilization of BESS as a part of generation, transmission and distribution assets and with all ancillary services.
• Based on the suggestions and the feedback from various stakeholders, the final RFS document will be floated in the first week of November 2021, along with the final comprehensive guidelines for procurement and utilization of BESS as a part of generation, transmission and distribution assets and with all ancillary services.

Going forward, India plans to use energy storage system under following business cases:

• Renewable energy along with the energy storage system
• Energy storage system as grid element to maximize the use of transmission system and strengthening grid stability and also to save investment in the augmentation of transmission infrastructure.
• Storage as an asset for balancing services and flexible operation. The system operator i.e. load dispatchers (RLDCs and SLDCs) may use storage system for frequency control and balancing services to manage the inherent uncertainty/variations in the load due to un-generation.
• Storage for distribution system i.e. it may be placed at the load centre to manage its peak load and other obligations.
• As a merchant capacity by the energy storage system developer and sell in the power market
• Any other future business models as a combination of the above.
• Hence both statements are correct.

As part of the ongoing Indo-US Defence Cooperation, the Joint Military Training Exercise “Ex Yudh Abhyas 2021” will be conducted at Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson, Alaska (USA) from 15 to 29 October 2021.

• Exercise YudhAbhyas is the largest running joint military training and defence cooperation endeavor between India and USA.
• This will be the 17th Edition of the joint exercise which is hosted alternately between both countries.
• The previous version of this exercise was held at Mahajan Field Firing Ranges in Bikaner, Rajasthan in February 2021.
• Hence, option (a) is the correct answer.

Since FS 2014-15, GSI has launched and undertook a national programme on landslide susceptibility mapping – National Landslide Susceptibility Mapping (NLSM).

Aims and Objectives

• To create a dynamic National Landslide Susceptibility Geodatabase for India
• To prepare GIS – based seamless Landslide Susceptibility Maps of India on 1:50,000 scale
• To prepare a nation-wide repository on GIS-based Landslide Inventory

Disputed area between Indian and Nepal — Lipulekh, Kalapani, and Limpiyadhura.

Galwan Valley is disputed region between India and China.

The protection of geo-heritage sites requires legislation. The Biological Diversity Act was implemented in 2002 and now there are 18 notified biosphere reserves in India. In 2009, there was an attempt to constitute a National Commission for Heritage Sites through a bill introduced in the Rajya Sabha. Though it was eventually referred to the Standing Committee, for some reasons the the bill was withdrawn.

Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) - a PSU under the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has announced the launch of “UFill” - a digital customer experience which delivers on BPCL’s promise of ensuring that their customers have complete control over Time, Technology and Transparency as part of their fuelling experience.

• With UFill, the invitation to customers is to “Fast forward your fill”, leveraging the latest in digital technology which obviates the need for looking at zero or final reading and such offline manual interventions.
• The UFill proposition has been launched in 65 cities across India and will soon be launched across the country.
• The technology provides the customer with control of fuelling as well as touch less pre-payment solution with the dispensing unit getting automatically preset for the value of fuel paid for by him/her in advance and eliminates any manual intervention at the point of sale.
• UFill is yet another milestone in Company’s digital transformation journey that is aimed to improve customer’s turn-around time (TAT) at fuel outlet and increase transactional transparency, thereby providing enhanced retail like experience.
• Hence, option (a) is the correct answer.

Union Minister for Minority Affairs announced that “Vishwakarma Vatika” will be set up at “Hunar Haats”, to promote and preserve precious traditional skills of artisans and craftsmen where they will also be displaying live how India’s traditional exquisite and elegant indigenous handmade products are made.

• The first such “Vishwakarma Vatika”, which has been set up in “Hunar Haat” at Rampur, Uttar Pradesh to protect, preserve and promote India’s glorious legacy of centuries-old skills and craftsmanship, will be inaugurated by Union Minister for Education and Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Shri Dharmendra Pradhan on 16th October, 2021
• Proficient craftsmen, sculptors, stonemasons, blacksmiths, carpenters, potter and other artisans from across the country, will give live demonstrations of hundreds of India’s traditional art and craft at one place in these "Vishwakarma Vatika".
• Hence, option (d) is the correct answer.