Daily Current Affairs MCQ - February 24, 2022 - UPSC MCQ

Joe Biden assumed office as President of the United States on January 20, 2021, and among the first orders he signed was one to restore America’s participation in the United Nations Paris Agreement on climate change.

• His decision on America’s return will take effect on February 19, which would be 107 days after its withdrawal under the Donald Trump administration became formal on November 4, 2020.
• In the past, the U.S., under George W. Bush, had pulled out of the previous pact, the Kyoto Protocol, in 2001.
• The withdrawal from the Paris Agreement meant that the U.S. was no longer bound by its national pledge made under the pact: to achieve an economy-wide reduction of its GHG emissions by 26%-28% below the 2005 level in 2025.
• America also stopped its contribution to the UN’s Green Climate Fund, to which it had pledged $3 billion, after transferring an estimated $1 billion.
• He has promised an “enforcement mechanism to achieve net-zero emissions no later than 2050”, including a target no later than the end of his term in 2025, aided by a planned federal investment that will total $1.7 trillion over ten years, besides private investments.
• The plan revolves around 10 million well-paying clean energy jobs with a focus on solar and wind power.
• This year’s UN climate conference in Glasgow will see the new administration engaging UNFCCC member-nations to raise global ambition.

Hence only statement 1 is correct.

The Indonesian Embassy in New Delhi has built a special room in recognition of the nation’s freedom struggle from Dutch colonialism 74 years ago, and named it after Biju Patnaik to honour his role in the nation’s freedom struggle.

• The former Chief Minister of Odisha, who was a skilled pilot, flew several missions in 1947 to transport Indonesian leaders, including the nation’s tallest leader, President Sukarno, Vice-President Hatta and Prime Minister Sutan Sjahrir out of Indonesia, at grave risk to himself.
• Eventually, Indonesia won back its freedom. In 1950, President Sukarno was the chief guest at India’s first Republic Day, and India-Indonesia ties remained strong for the next decade.
• Relations between the two countries soured after Indonesia didn’t support India in the 1962 war with China.
• Relations were revived only decades later, when in 2005, India and Indonesia signed a Strategic Partner- ship agreement; military exchanges and trade ties have grown since.
• The newly-inaugurated Patnaik room, is a reminder not only of the historical bonds between the two countries, but the imperative of keeping ties strong in the present as well.

Hence both statements are correct.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has suggested a tougher regulatory framework for the non-banking finance companies’ (NBFC) sector to prevent recurrence of any systemic risk to the country’s financial system.

• RBI released a discussion paper on the revised regulatory framework which is formulated on a scale-based approach, and sought comments within a month.
• The regulatory and supervisory framework of NBFCs will be based on a four-layered structure — the base layer (NBFC-BL), middle layer (NBFC-ML), upper layer (NBFC-UL) and the top layer.
• If the framework is visualised as a pyramid, the bottom of the pyramid, where least regulatory intervention is warranted, can consist of NBFCs currently classified as non-systemically important NBFCs (NBFC-ND), NBFCP2P lending platforms, NBFCAA, NOFHC and Type I NBFCs.
• Moving up, the next layer may comprise NBFCs currently classified as systemically important NBFCs (NBFC-ND-SI), deposit-taking NBFCs (NBFC-D), HFCs, IFCs, IDFs, SPDs and CICs.
• The extant regulatory framework for NBFC-NDs will now be applicable to base layer NBFCs, while the extant regulatory framework applicable for NBFC-NDSI will be applicable to middle layer NBFCs. NBFCs residing in the upper layer will constitute a new category.
• The revisions applicable to lower layers of NBFCs will automatically be applicable to NBFCs in the higher layers, unless there is a conflict or otherwise stated.
• The current threshold for systemic importance, which is ₹500 crore now, is proposed to be revised to ₹1,000 crore.
• As per the proposals, the extant NPA classification norm of 180 days will be reduced to 90 days.

Hence both statements are correct.

The Fund for Improvement of S&T Advisory Board (FISTAB) Meeting was held on January 22, 2021.

• During the meeting, a logo of FIST was launched designed by Ms. Nikita Malhotra of Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, to represent the face of FIST in a new avatar.
• Besides, the National Report on FIST Impact Evaluation Study and Report on Activities of FIST Program was released.
• The impact of the FIST Program and its associated benefits was discussed by different experts under the aegis of the Centre for Human and Organizational Resource Development (CHORD Division) of the Department of Science and Technology (DST).
• The FIST programme of the Department of Science & Technology (DST), Government of India was launched in the year 2000.
• The Scheme is intended to provide basic infrastructure and enabling facilities for promoting R&D activities in new and emerging areas and attracting fresh talents in universities & other educational institutions. 

Hence only statement 2 is correct.

CSIR-CMERI unveils ‘Aqua Rejuvenation Plant’ which facilitates an Organic Farming Model through treated Waste Water.

• CSIR-Central Mechanical Engineering Research Institute, Durgapur unveiled the first-ever WasteWater Treatment Technology Model which purifies Waste Water for Irrigation/Farming purposes.
• Aqua Rejuvenation Plant (ARP) is an Integrated Waste Water Rejuvenation Model which has Six-Stage purification profile for comprehensive treatment of Waste Water, based upon diverse purification parameters.
• The approx. 24,000 litres of Water that can be rejuvenated using ARP will be sufficient for almost 4 acres of Agricultural Land (barring seasonal variations in water requirements).
• The used filtration media have been specially developed to handle Indian Sewage Water Parameters and based upon Geographical Variations they may be modified.
• The system has dual benefit as while the treated water is being used for irrigation purpose, the filtered sludge generated is also utilized as manure / fertilizer.
• The bio char prepared from dry leaves falling in autumn season is also used for mixing in soil as it reduces the water requirement for irrigation thus saving precious water.

Hence only statement 2 is correct.

Union Health Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan released the 'National Non-communicable Disease Monitoring Survey (NNMS)’, the largest comprehensive national Survey on risk factors and health systems preparedness of NCDs.

• While two in five adults have three or more risk factors for non-communicable diseases (NCD) in India, the status of health system in responding to the disease burden is also underscored.
• More than one in every four adults and 6.2% adolescents were overweight or obese; almost three out of ten adults had raised blood pressure and 9.3% had raised blood glucose.
• More than two in five adults and one in four adolescents were doing insufficient physical activity and their average daily intake of salt was 8 gms.
• One in every three adults and more than one-fourth proportion of men used any form of tobacco and consumed alcohol in past 12 months respectively.
• Conducted during the period of 2017–18, The purpose of the survey was to collect reliable baseline data on key indicators (risk factors, select NCDs and health systems response) related to the National NCD monitoring framework and NCD Action Plan.
• This is the first of its kind of a comprehensive survey on NCDs using standardised tools and methods, covering the age groups of 15-69 years, males and females residing in urban and rural areas of the country.

Hence both statements are correct.

Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu inaugurated the Integrated Weapons System Design Centre at DRDO’s Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Missile complex in Hyderabad.

• The Integrated Weapon System Design facility is said to enhance the capability in design and development of command & control systems for surface-to-air missile (SAM) systems and ballistic missile defence (BMD) systems.
• Centre will give a thrust to the overall system design and evaluation methodology for state-of-the-art missile systems and will help in improving the performance of missiles.
• The Vice President inaugurated a new missile technology exposition and seminar hall on the campus. The exposition will display missile technologies and weapon systems and the centre will be the backbone for outreach activities.
• He was also briefed about the various ongoing projects and technological developments of missile complex laboratories namely Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL), and Research Centre Imarat (RCI).

Hence both statements are correct.

A study by Reserve Bank of India (RBI) noted that the cost of issuing green bonds has generally remained higher than other bonds in India, largely due to asymmetric information.

• The average coupon rate for green bonds issued since 2015 with maturities between 5 to 10 years have generally remained higher than the corporate and government bonds with similar tenure.
• For the US dollar-denominated green bonds with tenure of more than or equal to 10 years, the coupon rate was, however lower than the corporate bonds.
• Most of the green bonds in India are issued by the public sector units or corporates with better financial health.
• It is evident from the fact that the private sector issuers of green bonds, on average, reported lower debt-to-assets ratio compared to the non-issuers of green bond.
• Green bonds constituted only 0.7 percent of all the bonds issued in India since 2018, and bank lending to the non-conventional energy constituted about 7.9 percent of outstanding bank credit to the power sector, as of March 2020.
• High borrowing cost has been perhaps the most important challenge and analysis indicates that it could be due to the asymmetric information
• Therefore, developing a better information management system in India may help in reducing maturity mismatches, borrowing costs and lead to efficient resource allocation in this segment.
• A green bond is a type of fixed-income instrument that is specifically earmarked to raise money for climate and environmental projects.

Hence only statement 1 is correct.

The Indian Sunderbans, which is part of the largest mangrove forest in the world, is home to 428 species of birds, a recent publication of the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) states.

• The publication, Birds of the Sundarban Biosphere Reserve, released by the ZSI, not only documents the avifauna of the Sunderbans, but also serves as a comprehensive photographic field guide for the region.
• The scientists said of the 428 birds listed, some, like the masked finfoot and the Buffy fish owl, are recorded only from the Sunderbans.
• The area is home to nine out of 12 species of kingfishers found in the country as well rare species such as the Goliath heron and the spoon-billed sandpiper.
• The Indian Sunderbans, which covers 4,200 sq. km, also includes the Sunderban Tiger Reserve of 2,585 sq. km — home to about 96 royal Bengal tigers (as per the last census in 2020).
• It is a world heritage site and a Ramsar site (a wetland site designated to be of international importance).
• India has over 1,300 species of birds and if 428 species of birds are from the Sunderbans, it means that one in every three birds in the country is found in the unique ecosystem.

Hence both statements are correct.

The two-kilometre time trial — set at eight minutes and 15 seconds for fast bowlers and 8:30 for batsmen, spinners and wicketkeepers — has become mandatory for India’s centrally-contracted cricketers.

• On a standard athletics track, the distance is covered in five laps of 400 metres each. The timings can be measured with a stop-watch or an electronic clock.
• The 2k time trial is a speed-endurance test, according to Ramji Srinivasan, the 2011 World Cup-winning Indian team’s strength and conditioning coach.
• If an athlete meets the standard set for the time trial, he or she can be termed ‘fit’. Another benefit of the time trial is that it will help to redraw the fitness schedule of a cricketer, if needed.
• According to Srinivasan, Sri Lanka, South Africa, and New Zealand also put cricketers through the time-trial test.
• In the Yo-Yo test, two cones are placed 20 metres apart. At the first beep, the athlete starts and must reach the cone at the other end before the second beep, and then turn and run back to cross the starting point before the third beep.
• As the Yo-Yo test level gets tougher, the frequency of the beeps increases and the number of shuttles (up and down runs) also goes up before a player gets a short break.
• Yo-Yo tests have been used in football for ages.

Hence both statements are correct.