Daily Current Affairs MCQ- August 25, 2023 - UPSC MCQ

Recently, powerful winds tormented the Bay Area and other parts of Central and Southern California, uprooting trees and disrupting the power supply due to Fujiwhara effect.

• It was identified by a Japanese meteorologist Sakuhei Fujiwhara.
• It was observed for the first time over the western Pacific Ocean, when typhoons Marie and Kathy merged in 1964.
• What it is?
• When two hurricanes (or cyclones, depending on where you live), spinning in the same direction, are brought close together, they begin ‘an intense dance around their common center’ – this interaction between two cyclones is called the Fujiwhara effect.
• When it Occur?
• If one hurricane’s intensity overpowers the other, then the smaller one will orbit it and eventually crash into its vortex to be absorbed.
• On the other hand, if two storms of similar strengths pass by each other, they may gravitate towards each other until they reach a common center and merge, or merely spin each other around for a while before shooting off on their own paths.
• In rare instances, the two ‘dancing’ cyclones, if they are intense enough, may merge with one another, leading to the formation of a mega cyclone capable of wreaking havoc along coastlines.
• Experts have noted the rising frequency of this unusual effect, attributing it to a rapidly warming world and the subsequent heating of ocean waters.

Hence only statement 2 is correct.

The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), Government of India, in collaboration with Generation India Foundation (GIF) and Amazon Web Services India Private Limited (AWS India) is providing ‘cloud’ skills training to 1,500 under project AMBER. 

• Accelerated Mission for Better Employment and Retention (AMBER) project is a joint initiative of the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) – under the aegis of Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) - and GIF create the necessary avenues.
• The initiative has been undertaken under the SANKALP programme of MSDE with a focus on women to improve gender diversification in the tech industry and underprivileged groups.
• This project aims to train 30,000 youth, 50% of whom will be women.
• Features the project
• As part of this collaboration, the learners take part in AWS (re/Start), a workforce development program for unemployed and underemployed individuals.
• It covers fundamental AWS cloud skills as well as practical career tips, including resume writing and interview preparation.
• Through real-world scenario-based exercises, labs, and coursework, learners are trained in multiple technologies, including Linux, Python, networking, security, and relational databases.
• The program also covers the cost for learners to take the AWS Cloud Practitioner Certification exam, an industry-recognized credential that validates their cloud skills and knowledge and connects the participants with job interview opportunities in cloud or IT with local employers.

Hence only statement 2 is correct.

Recently, Next-Generation Photonic Analog-to-Digital Converters (NG-PADC) developed by IIT Madras with support from the IMPRINT programme which is equipped with a time-stretched photonic ADC.

• Analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) are critical components for developing the next generation of advanced digital receivers.
• The limitation of electronic ADCs (EADCs) is that their vertical resolution is compromised at high bandwidths.
• There are two possible approaches to solve this problem through Photonics.
• Radio frequency, when modulated on a spectrally rich optical pulsed source, can be stretched in the optical domain through a dispersive medium, thus converting high-frequency RF signals into effectively low-frequency signals.
• This reduces the input bandwidth requirements of the back-end ADC as many times as the stretch factor of the optical pulse.
• The other Photonic approach is to use an optical clock whose fluctuations in timing (timing jitter) is much smaller an electronic clock; which is possible with a short pulsed laser.
• High bandwidth RF signals, when sampled with stable optical clocks, can provide a much higher effective number of bits (ENOB) compared to electronic clocks.
• It has time-stretched photonic ADC with effective bandwidth 12 times higher than EADC, which enables digitisation of signals with a much larger precision.
• A newly designed prototypes in the Next-Generation Photonic Analog-to-Digital Converters (NG-PADC) project which can carry out instantaneous frequency measurement, generation and transport of Radio Frequency (RF) through optical methods.
• Its effective bandwidth is 12 times higher than a corresponding EADC
• This could revolutionize various sectors, enabling faster digital communication, improved satellite communication, better medical imaging, and Photonic radars.

Hence both statements are correct.

Recently, National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) organized a brainstorming session with stakeholders for expediting adoption of Insurance Surety Bonds for its contracts. 

• These bonds can be defined in its simplest form as a written agreement to guarantee compliance, payment, or performance of an act.
• These are instruments where insurance companies act as ‘Surety’ and provide the financial guarantee that the contractor will fulfil its obligation as per the agreed terms.
• Surety is a unique type of insurance because it involves a three-party agreement.
• The three parties in a surety agreement are:
• Principal: The party and undertakes an obligation to perform an act as promised.
• Surety: The insurance company or surety company that guarantees the obligation will be performed. If the principal fails to perform the act as promised, the surety is contractually liable for losses sustained.
• Obligee: The party who requires, and often receives the benefit of the surety bond. For most surety bonds, the obligee is a local, state or federal government organization.

What are the advantages?

• It will act as a security arrangement for infrastructure projects and will insulate the contractor as well as the principal.
• The product will cater to the requirements of a diversified group of contractors, many of whom are operating in today’s increasingly volatile environment.
• The product gives the principal a contract of guarantee that contractual terms and other business deals will be concluded in accordance with the mutually agreed terms.
• In case the contractor doesn’t fulfil the contractual terms, the Principal can raise a claim on the surety bond and recover the losses they have incurred.
• Unlike a bank guarantee, the Surety Bond Insurance does not require large collateral from the contractor thus freeing up significant funds for the contractor, which they can utilize for the growth of the business.
• The product will also help in reducing the contractors’ debts to a large extent thus addressing their financial worries.

Hence only statement 1 is correct.

The mobile app Khanan Prahari is a significant step taken by the Ministry of Coal towards curbing illegal coal mining activities. 

• It allows citizens to report incidents of illegal coal mining through geo-tagged photographs and textual information.
• The corresponding web portal called as Coal Mine Surveillance & Management System (CMSMS) has been developed in association with the Bhaskaracharya Institute of Space Application & Geoinformatics, Gandhinagar, and CMPDI, Ranchi.
• Objective: To encourage public participation through reporting about illegal coal mining.
• The government aims to take transparent action against illegal mining, using space technology, as an e-Governance initiative.
• Key features of the app include:
• Reporting Incidents: Users can easily report incidents of illegal mining by taking photographs and providing comments on the incident. The app allows for the geotagging of photographs by enabling the GPS location feature.
• Confidentiality: The user's identity is kept confidential, ensuring privacy and security.
• Complaint Tracking: Complainants receive a complaint number, which they can use to easily track the status of their reported complaints on the Khanan Prahari mobile app.
• This is available for download on Google's Play Store for Android-based mobile phones and the Apple Store for iOS-supported iPhones.

Hence both statements are correct.

Recently, ISRO chair professor at the National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS), Bengaluru informed that NIAS has launched a pilot project involving geospatial artificial intelligence (GeoAI) and random forest technology to monitor and predict the city’s air quality.

• It is the application of artificial intelligence (AI) fused with geospatial data, science, and technology.
• It is used to accelerate real-world understanding of business opportunities, environmental impacts, and operational risks.
• It is transforming the speed at which we extract meaning from complex datasets, thereby aiding us in addressing the earth’s most pressing challenges.
• How does it work?
• With the help of simple smartphone applications, people can give real-time feedback about the conditions in their surroundings, for example, traffic congestion, the details of it, the peak hours, their experience of it, their rating: low, moderate, or dense.
• The data is then collated, sorted, analyzed and it enhances its accuracy and precision because of thousands of users contributing to the database.

What is random forest technology?

• It is a commonly-used machine learning algorithm which combines the output of multiple data to arrive at a result.
• Researchers use historical data collected from various air quality monitoring stations in a city and apply the random forest algorithm to predict the Air Quality Index.

Hence option (a) is the correct answer.

Scientists have developed a device that can translate paralysed people's brain signals into words at faster speeds than before.

• Brain-computer interface device is capable of decoding brain activity into speech faster, more accurately and covering larger vocabulary than existing technologies
• People with neurological disorders, including brainstem stroke or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, often face speech loss due to paralysis of muscles.
• Previous studies have shown that it is possible to decode speech from the brain activities of a person with paralysis, but only in the form of text and with limited speed, accuracy and vocabulary.
• Researchers demonstrated a BCI that collects the neural activity of single cells with an array of fine electrodes inserted into the brain, and trained an artificial neural network to decode intended vocalisations.
• With the help of the device, a patient with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis was able to communicate at an average rate of 62 words per minute, which is 3.4 times
• This BCI decodes brain signals to generate three outputs simultaneously: text, audible speech and a speaking avatar.

Hence both statements are correct.

Recently, the Gujarat State Board for Wildlife (GSBWL) deferred a decision on a proposal of the Gujarat State Minerals Development Corporation (GSDMA) seeking more land for “removing manganese dump” from the eco-sensitive zone (ESZ) of Jambughoda Wildlife Sanctuary in Panchmahal district.

• It is located in Gujarat’s south-central part.
• Vegetation: It contains Grasslands, water-borne plants, medicinal herbs, dry southern tropical rain forests, dry deciduous mixed and secondary forests, dry scrubs of the deciduous type.
• Flora: Teak, mahua and bamboo thickets cover the length and breadth of the forest.
• Fauna: Wild boars, nilgais (blue bull), jackals, hyenas, barking deer, sloth bears, and chausinghas (four-horned antelope) and leopards.

What are Eco-Sensitive Zones?

• Land within 10 km of the boundaries of national parks and wildlife sanctuaries are to be notified as eco-fragile zones or Eco-Sensitive Zones (ESZ).
• While the 10-km rule is implemented as a general principle, the extent of its application can vary.
• Areas beyond 10-km can also be notified by the Union government as ESZs, if they hold larger ecologically important “sensitive corridors”.

Hence option (b) is the correct answer.

Recently, Lion-tailed macaque has been sporadically spotted by conservationists in the forests of Nadugani, shared by the Nilgiris district in Tamil Nadu and Nilambur in Kerala.

• The Lion-tailed macaque (Macaca silenus) is an Old World monkey.
• One of the distinguishing features of this species is that males define the boundaries of their home ranges by calls.
• Overall, their communication system contains as many as 17 vocalizations. 
• Appearance
• They are characterised by the grey mane around their face.
• They are sometimes called bearded monkeys.
• The magnificent Lion-tailed macaque is named due to its lion-like, long, thin, and tufted tail.
• Habitat
• In the wild, these are only native to India.
• It is a primate endemic to small and severely fragmented rainforests of the Western Ghats in Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
• Threat
• The biggest threat to the overall population of this species is the destruction of their rainforest habitat. 
• Conservation status
• IUCN: Endangered
• CITES : Appendix I 
• The Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 : Schedule I

Hence only statement 2 is correct.

There has been a gradual increase in the population of Western Tragopan at Himachal Pradesh’s Sarahan pheasantry, the conservation breeding centre, bringing a glimmer of hope for its survival and growth.

• It is also known as the western horned tragopan, is amongst the rarest of all living pheasants.
• Due to its beautiful plumage and large size, this bird is locally known as ‘jujurana’ or ‘king of birds’.
• It is the state bird of Himachal Pradesh.
• Distribution: It is endemic to the northwest Himalaya, within a narrow range from Hazara in north Pakistan through Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh, to the western part of Garhwal.
• The upper part of Great Himalayan National Park’s (GHNP) forest zone holds the world’s largest known population of western tragopan.
• It prefers a habitat of ringal (dwarf) bamboo beneath dense forest.
• Diet: It feeds mostly on leaves, shoots and seeds, but also consumes insects and other invertebrates.
• Threats: Habitat loss, hunting pressure and anthropogenic disturbances which includes livestock grazing, minor forest produce collection like medicinal herbs etc.
• Conservation status
• IUCN: Vulnerable

Hence only statement 1 is correct.