Daily Current Affairs MCQ- May 9, 2023 - UPSC MCQ

National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) in association with the National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) organized the ‘River-Cities Alliance (RCA) Global Seminar: Partnership for Building International River-Sensitive Cities’ recently in New Delhi.

• The River Cities Alliance (RCA) has been launched with the objective to provide the member cities with a platform to discuss and exchange information on aspects that are vital for sustainable management of urban rivers, sharing best practices and supporting innovation.
• The alliance has been launched initially with 30 cities namely Dehradun, Rishikesh, Haridwar, Srinagar, Varanasi, Kanpur, Prayagraj, Farrukhabad, Mirzapur, Mathura, Bijnor, Ayodhya, Patna, Bhagalpur, Begusarai, Munger, Sahibganj, Rajmahal, Howrah, Jangipur, Hugli-Chinsurah, Behrampore, Maheshtala, Aurangabad, Chennai, Bhubaneshwar, Hyderabad, Pune, Udaipur and Vijaywada.
• The Alliance is open to all river cities of India. Any river city can join the Alliance at any time.
• State Governments are implementing Action Plans for restoration of water quality of the identified polluted river stretches.
• The implementation is being monitored regularly at State level by Chief Secretary of the respective State/UT and at Central level by the Central Monitoring Committee under the Chairmanship of Secretary, Ministry of Jal Shakti.

Hence both statements are correct.

Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), Thiruvananthapuram, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Transferred Indigenous Technology of Power Quality Solution and Railways VCU solutions to industry partners recently.

• STATCOM: The Static Synchronous Compensator (STATCOM) based on PQ standard-IEEE519 & IEEE1459. The STATCOM technology has become increasingly relevant in recent years due to the growing demand for renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power, which are intermittent and variable in nature. The integration of these sources into the power grid can cause voltage fluctuations and instability, which can be mitigated by using STATCOMs. This Technology of STATCOMs developed by C-DAC, Thiruvananthapuram was transferred Trinity Energy Solution
• VCU: The VCU based on the Standard IEC-61375. The technology was based on TCN protocols available during early 2010s. Since then various enhancements have come up in TCN protocol. Further, it has been felt that there was a need to upgrade the VCU at par with contemporary technology. The existing C-DAC-VCU in terms of hardware and software and to handhold the technology for 5 years while in-house capacity is built at CLW to tackle the day-to-day and long term maintenance requirement of locomotive fleet. This Technology of VCU developed by C-DAC, Thiruvananthapuram was transferred CLW Chittaranjan.
• Loco Simulation Controller: The Loco Simulation Controller is based on the Railways standard. The VCU and its application software needs to be tested in locomotive to better debugging, understanding the response of the outputs given from VCU to various sub-systems of locomotives. This test platform could simulate the actual functionalities of locomotive and will be giving inputs to VCU as per actual locomotive logic. Similarly, it also takes inputs from VCU and processes it and generates outputs as of actual locomotive to VCU. This Technology of Loco Simulation Controller developed by C-DAC, Thiruvananthapuram was transferred to CG Power & Industrial solution.
• Rolling Stack Software: The Rolling Stack Software is as per the requirement of Indian Railways. The rolling stock application that controls the loco function is distributed among the 4 processors boards in the VCU set. So as to make the loco operation more reliable in case of processor board failures, the important functions are implemented redundantly. This will also help the loco pilot to steer the train without moving from the driving cab to rear cab to address the failure. This software of Rolling Stack Software developed by C-DAC, Thiruvananthapuram was transferred to CG Power & Industrial Solutions.
• Off-Loco VCU Test Kit: The Off-Loco VCU Test kit is as per the necessity of Indian Railways. The PCB test jig is used to verify the basic functions of the sub-system PCBs that are being used in C-DAC developed VCU for 3 phase electric locos. The OK/ Not OK status of VC MeitY U subsystem PCBs under test is used for screening the PCBs for use in VCUs. This technology of Off-Loco VCU Test Kit developed by C-DAC, Thiruvananthapuram was transferred to Electrical Loco shed, Rayapuram Southern Railway.

Hence both statements are correct.

Recently Bye Elections to the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council held by the members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs).

• India has a bicameral system of legislature.
• While the Parliament has two Houses, it is optional for the states.
• At the state level, the equivalent of the Lok Sabha is the Vidhan Sabha or Legislative Assembly; that of the Rajya Sabha is the Vidhan Parishad or Legislative Council.
• States, if they choose, can have a Legislative Council or Vidhan Parishad as the upper house in addition to the Legislative Assembly.
• Legislative Council is in those states with bicameral legislatures.

Creation/abolition of legislative council:

• Under Article 168, states can have either one or two Houses of legislature.
• Article 169 leaves the choice of having a Vidhan Parishad to individual states.
• Art 169 of the Constitution provides for the abolition or creation of Legislative Councils in States.
• Power of abolition or creation of Legislative council lies with the Parliament.
• To set up the council, the legislative assembly of state must pass a resolution by a majority of total membership & not less than 2/3rd of the members of the assembly present & voting.
• However, a resolution passed by legislative assembly of state for creation or abolition of its council is not binding on the Parliament. Parliament may or may not approve the resolution with simple majority.
• This step will not be deemed to be an amendment of this Constitution for the purposes of Article 368.

Membership:

• Under Article 171 of the Constitution, the Legislative Council of a state shall not have more than one-third of the total number of MLAs of the state, and not less than 40 members.
• All the members of the Legislative Council are either indirectly elected or nominated by the Governor.
• One third shall be elected by electorates consisting of members of municipalities, district boards and such other local authorities in the State as Parliament may by law specify
• One-third of the members of this House are elected by the Legislative Assembly from amongst persons who are not its members.
• One-twelfth of the members are elected by graduates of at least three years standing.
• One-twelfth of the members are elected by teachers of secondary schools having at least three years experience.
• About one-sixth of the members are nominated by the Governor from among persons possessing special knowledge and experience in the field of art, science, literature, social service and cooperative movement.

Hence only statement 2 is correct.

The sixty-fourth convocation of the International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS), Deemed to be University, Mumbai was held recently.

• The International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS), Mumbai, formerly known as the Demographic Training and Research Centre (DTRC) till 1970, was established in July 1956 under the joint sponsorship of Sir Dorabji Tata Trust, the Government of India and the United Nations.
• It serves as a regional centre for Training and Research in Population Studies for the ESCAP region.
• The Institute was re-designated to its present title in 1985 to facilitate the expansion of its academic activities.
• It was declared as a 'Deemed to be University' on August 14, 1985, under Section 3 of the UGC Act, 1956 by the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India.
• The recognition has facilitated the award of recognized degrees by the Institute itself and paved the way for further expansion of the Institute as an academic institution.
• IIPS holds a unique position among all the regional population centres.
• It was the first such centre started, and it serves a much larger population than any of the other regional centres.
• The Institute is under the administrative control of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India.
• There are seven Academic Departments in the Institute.

Hence both statements are correct.

Indian Coast Guard recently bought home ten rescued fishermen from Maldivian waters.

• What is it? It is an armed force that protects India's maritime interests and enforces maritime law, with jurisdiction over the territorial waters of India, including its contiguous zone and exclusive economic zone.
• History: it was formally established in 1978 by the Coast Guard Act, 1978 as an independent Armed force of India.
• Parent ministry: It operates under the Ministry of Defence.
• Administration: The organization is headed by the Director General Indian Coast Guard (DGICG).
• HQ: Coast Guard Headquarters (CGHQ) is located at New Delhi.

Hence only statement 1 is correct.

The Commission for Scientific and Technical Terminology (CSTT) is rushing to create technical and scientific terminology in 10 Indian languages underrepresented in the learning landscape.

About Commission for Scientific and Technical Terminology (CSTT):

• CSTT was established on October 01, 1961 in pursuance of a Presidential Order dated April 27, 1960 with the objective to evolve technical terminology in all Indian Languages. 
• It was established under clause (4) of Article 344 of the Constitution of India.
• It is functioning under Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education, Government of India with its headquarters at New Delhi. 
• Primary Function: Evolve standard terminology, propagate its use and distribute it widely.
• Other functions:
• Preparation and Publication of Bilingual and Trilingual Glossaries involving English/Hindi and other Indian Languages.
• Preparation and Publication of National terminology.
• Identification and Publication of School Level Terminology and Departmental Glossaries.
• Identification of Pan Indian Terms.
• Preparation of Definitional Dictionaries and Encyclopaedias.
• Preparation of University level textbooks,monographs and journals.
• Grant-in-Aid to Granth Academies, Textbook Boards and University Cells for University level books in regional languages.
• Propagation, expansion and critical review of terms coined and defined through training/orientation programmes, workshops, seminars etc.
• Free distribution of Publications.
• Providing necessary terminology to the National Translation Mission.
• In the process of evolution of scientific and technical terminology and reference material in Hindi and Indian Languages, the Commission shall have collaboration of State Governments, Universities, Regional Text-Book Boards and State Granth Academies.

Hence only statement 1 is correct.

According to Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) bulletins, ozone was identified as a prominent pollutant on recent days in Delhi.

About Ozone pollution:

• Ozone (O3) high in the Earth's atmosphere protects us from the sun's harmful radiation. But ozone at ground level (tropospheric ozone), is an air pollutant that harms people and plants. 
• Ground-level ozone is a colorless and highly irritating gas that forms just above the earth's surface.
• How ground level ozone is formed?
• It is called a "secondary" pollutant because it is produced when two primary pollutants react in sunlight and stagnant air. 
• These two primary pollutants are nitrogen oxides (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
• These precusrsor primary pollutants are each produced primarily by a variety of human activities, including burning of fossil fuels and various industrial processes. Certain types of volatile organic compounds can also be emitted from natural sources.
• Impacts:
• Ground-level ozone is known to have significant effects on human health. Exposure to ozone has been linked to pre-mature mortality and a range of morbidity health issues.
• It can significantly impact vegetation and decrease the productivity of some crops.  
• It can also damage synthetic materials, cause cracks in rubber, accelerate fading of dyes, and speed deterioration of some paints and coatings. 

Hence both statements are correct.

Raksha Mantri recently approved posting of Women Officers of the Territorial Army along the Line of Control.

• It aims to commemorate its raising by the first Governor General C Rajagopalachari on this day in 1949.

History:

• The Territorial Army (TA) was raised by the Britishers in 1920 through Indian Territorial Act of 1920 and it was org into two wings namely - 'The Auxiliary Force' for Europeans & Anglo-Indians and 'The Indian Territorial Force' for Indian Volunteers.
• After Independence Territorial Army Act was passed in 1948 and the Territorial Army was formally inaugurated by the first Indian Governor General Shri C Rajagopalachari on 09 Oct 1949.

Role:

• The Territorial Army is part of Regular Army and its present role is to relieve the Regular Army from static duties and assist civil administration in dealing with natural calamities and maintenance of essential services in situations where life of the communities is affected or the Security of the Country is threatened and to provide units for Regulars Army as and when required.

Eligibility:

• Any citizen between the age of 18-42 can be a part of the service.
• The pensionable age for a soldier below officer’s rank in the TA is the same as that of a regular soldier — 15 years.

Operations:

• The TA units were also actively involved in operations during the 1962, 1965 and 1971 wars.
• Since 2020, the Indian military has been recalibrating the TA for better operational and intelligence roles, especially in the Andaman Islands to keep an eye out for possible Chinese intrusions in the region.

Motto:

• The motto of the Territorial Army of India is ‘Savdhani Va Shoorta’ (Vigilance and Valour).

Hence both statements are correct.

Border Roads Organisation (BRO) celebrated its 64th Raising Day on May 07, 2023 at all its detachments across the country.

• The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) is a road construction executive force in India that provides support to Indian Armed Forces.
• BRO develops and maintains road networks in India's border areas and friendly neighboring countries.
• This includes infrastructure operations in 19 states and three union territories (including Andaman and Nicobar Islands) and neighboring countries such as Afghanistan, Bhutan, Myanmar, Tajikistan and Sri Lanka.
• BRO is also tasked with maintaining this infrastructure including operations such as snow clearance. BRO is instrumental in significantly upgrading and building new India-China Border Roads.
• Officers and personnel from the General Reserve Engineer Force (GREF) form the parent cadre of the BRO.
• It is also staffed by Officers and Troops drawn from the Indian Army's Corps of Engineers on extra regimental employment (on deputation).
• BRO is also included in the Order of Battle of the Armed Forces, ensuring their support at any time.
• The BRO undertakes projects in India and friendly countries.
• These projects typically include developing roads, bridges, and airfields in hostile environments shunned by private enterprises, whether due to security concerns related to hostilities, or because of environmental challenges.
• BRO has been active during the 1962 war, the conflicts with Pakistan in 1965 and 1971, and has also been active in anti-insurgency operations in North East.

Established:

• The BRO was formed on 7 May 1960 to secure India's borders and develop infrastructure in remote areas of the north and north-east states of the country.
• In order to ensure coordination and expeditious execution of projects, the Government of India set up the Border Roads Development Board (BRDB) with the Prime Minister as Chairman of the Board and Defence Minister as Deputy Chairman.

Motto:

• The organisation motto is Shramena Sarvam Sadhyam (everything is achievable through hardwork)

Hence only statement 2 is correct.

On the directions of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), a team of experts recently visited the Kuno National Park and reviewed the current status of the Project Cheetah. 

• Discussions to bring the Cheetah back to India were initiated in 2009 by the Wildlife Trust of India.
• Under the ‘Action Plan for Reintroduction of Cheetah in India’, 50 cheetahs will be brought from African countries to various national parks over 5 years.
• Most suitable site - Kuno Palpur National Park (KNP) in Madhya Pradesh:
• Amongst the surveyed sites of the central Indian states, KNP has been rated the highest, because of its suitable habitat and adequate prey base.
• It is assessed to be capable of supporting 21 Cheetahs and is likely the only wildlife site in the country where villages have been completely relocated from within the park.
• Kuno also provides the possibility of harbouring four of India's big cats - tiger, lion, leopard and Cheetah, enabling them to coexist as they have in the past.
• The other sites recommended are - Nauradehi Wildlife Sanctuary, Madhya Pradesh; Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary - Bhainsrorgarh Wildlife Sanctuary complex, Madhya Pradesh; Shahgarh bulge in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan; Mukundara Tiger Reserve, Rajasthan.
• As part of this project, 20 Cheetahs (8 from Namibia and 12 from South Africa) were Introduced in the KNP (since last year) to establish a free-ranging population for the first time since their extinction in India 70 years ago.

Hence both statements are correct.