Daily Current Affairs MCQ - November 18, 2021 - UPSC MCQ

Researchers have developed an oral medication to treat diabetes which, they have reported in a new study, controls insulin levels while simultaneously reversing the inflammatory effects of the disease. The study has been published in Nature Biomedical Engineering.

• It has been developed by Tarek Fahmy, associate professor of biomedical engineering, Yale University said in a press release. It cited two critical advantages of the drug over the standard treatment for diabetes.
• Because it can be taken orally, it’s much simpler for the patient to stay compliant with his or her treatment.
• It also addresses three major issues with diabetes at the same time: it helps control immediate blood glucose levels, restores pancreatic function, and re-establishes normal immunity in the pancreatic environment.
• It’s all done within a nanocarrier composed of materials that our own bodies make — bile acids.
• This means that the carrier itself has therapeutic effects that works with the loaded agent to reinstate normal metabolism in the short-term, and restore immune competence in the longer term.
• Hence both statements are correct.

The International Students’ Day is being observed on November 17, 2021.

• The day is celebrated every year to focus on availing education for all students. The day aims to ensure that every student has access to education around the globe.
• The mission for the day is to encourage students to think beyond traditional career opportunities, prepare for future careers and entrance into the workplace.
• This day was chosen to be commemorated as the International Students’ Day due to the events that took place in Prague during World War-II.

Hence, option (a) is the correct answer.

The number of people using tobacco globally decreased to 1.30 billion in 2020, from 1.32 billion in 2015, the World Health Organization WHO has reported.

• This number was expected to decline to 1.27 billion by 2025, it added. However, several countries were still not adequately implementing policies to help tobacco users to quit.
• About 70 per cent of the world’s 1.3 billion tobacco users did not have access to tools to help them to quit successfully.
• Taxation was the single most effective tool for reducing tobacco use. But the illicit trade in tobacco products undermined the effectiveness of tax policies.
• Illegal tobacco trade is a threat to public health as it increases access to often cheaper tobacco products. The access to such products fuels the tobacco epidemic and undermines tobacco control policies. It also causes substantial losses in government revenues.
• Eliminating the illicit trade in tobacco products is an important goal for public health.
• Hence both statements are correct.

Jal Shakti Ministry will launch Water Heroes Share Your Stories contest from the 1st December of next month.

• This contest is aimed to encourage and collect best practices in water conservation and management from across the nation. It also aims to encourage such efforts across India to boost transformational action in the water sector.
• After the launch of the contest, entries would be invited for consideration of awards every month. A maximum of 10 entries can be considered for the awards. All selected entries will be awarded a cash prize of 10,000 rupees each along with a certificate.
• To take part in the contest, the participants will have to post their success stories on water conservation and management by making a video having a duration between one to 5 minutes along with a write-up of up to 300 words.
• Hence, option (b) is the correct answer.

The Union Cabinet has given nod to provide 4G mobile services in over 7,000 villages of 44 aspirational districts across Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, and Odisha.

• Mobile towers connectivity will be provided in Left Wing Extremist areas. The project is expected to be worth 6466 crore rupees.
• The project would be funded by Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF).
• This project will be completed within 18 months after the signing of the Agreement and is likely to be completed by 23 November 2023.
• The work related to providing 4G mobile services in identified uncovered villages will be awarded through an open competitive bidding process.
• The proposal for provisioning of mobile services in the remote and difficult uncovered areas of Aspirational Districts will enhance digital connectivity, facilitate learning, dissemination of information and knowledge, skill up-gradation, and development.
• Hence both statements are correct.

Annual Financial Statement (AFS) is a statement of the estimated receipts and expenditure of the Government in a financial year. In addition to it, the Budget contains:

• Estimates of revenue and capital receipts,
• Ways and means to raise the revenue,
• Estimates of expenditure,

The economic and financial policy of the coming year, i.e., taxation proposals, prospects of revenue, spending programme and introduction of new schemes/projects.

WazirX, CoinSwitch Kuber And CoinDCX are some of the Cryptocurrency Exchanges in India.

UNESCO Member States declared the first Thursday of November, the International Day against Violence and Bullying at School Including Cyberbullying, recognizing that school-related violence in all its forms is an infringement of children and adolescents’ rights to education and to health and well-being.

An MoU was signed between the Department of Animal husbandry (DAHD) and Dairying and the Ministry of Food Processing Industry (MoFPI).

• This MoU will facilitate extension of benefits to dairy entrepreneurs and dairy industries through convergence of various schemes of Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying.
• This will also help in generating income for sustainable development of the rural poor by providing credit support, strengthening quality control, and providing necessary technology.
• Hence both statements are correct.

The Union Cabinet has approved the continuation of Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY)-I, PMGSY-II, and Road Connectivity Project for Left-Wing Extremism Affected Areas (RCPLWEA).

• The CCEA approved the continuation of RCPLWEA up to March 2023.
• Areas that were not covered for road connectivity under phases one and two of Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana or the Left-Wing Extremism affected areas RCPLWEA and the tribal areas are going to be benefited. Roads will be built through dense forests, mountains, and rivers.
• A total of one lakh 12 thousand 419 crore rupees, including state share, is likely to be incurred from 2021-22 to 2024-25 for completion of all the ongoing interventions of PMGSY.
• Road Connectivity Project for Left Wing Extremism Affected Areas was launched in 2016 for construction and up-gradation of 5,412 Km road length and 126 bridges of strategic importance in 44 districts in 9 states, including Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Telangana, and Uttar Pradesh.
• 4,490 Km road length and 105 bridges have already been completed under RCPLWEA since 2016 in 44 districts in nine states.
• Hence both statements are correct.