Daily Current Affairs MCQ- January 18, 2024 - UPSC MCQ

The Forest Department of Tamil Nadu has cleared 356.50 hectares of invasive growth of Senna spectabilis that posed a threat to biodiversity conservation in Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve (STR).

• It is a species of the legume family.
• It is native to South and Central America and is grown as an ornamental plant as it has bright yellow flowers. 
• It was introduced as shade trees for coffee and firewood in the country; it soon became a threat to native tree species as its dense foliage prevented the growth of other indigenous trees and grass species.
• It is considered as Least Concern under the IUCN Red List.

Hence option (a) is the correct answer.

Recently, the Prime Minister of India paid tributes to Saint Thiruvalluvar on Thiruvalluvar Day.

• Thiruvalluvar Day was first celebrated on May 17 and 18 in 1935.
• In the present time, it is usually observed either on January 15 or 16 in Tamil Nadu and is a part of Pongal celebrations.
• The occasion is named after and honours the poet, Thiruvalluvar.

Who is Thiruvalluvar?

• He was a poet and philosopher, is regarded as a cultural icon by Tamils.
• He is fondly referred to as Valluvar by Tamils.
• His most popular work is Thirukkuṛaḷ, a collection of couplets on ethics, politics, economy and love.
• Thiruvalluvar’s primary work Thirukkural contains 1330 couplets (kurals) that are divided into 133 sections of 10 couplets each.
• The text is divided into three parts with teachings on dharma, artha, and kama (virtue, wealth and love).
• Each section covers a wide range of topics and imparts moral, ethical, and practical guidance to the readers.
• The couplets are composed in a concise and poetic form, making them easily memorable and quotable.

Hence both statements are correct.

First in many years, a vulture was spotted in the skyline of Thane which has not been spotted over two decades in the city.

• The Indian vulture (Gyps indicus) is an Old World vulture native to Asia.
• They are also known as Indian long-billed vultures due to their comparatively longer beak. 
• It is a medium-sized and bulky scavengers feeding mostly on the carcasses of dead animals.
• Females of this species are smaller than males.
• Distribution: These are native to India, Pakistan, and Nepal.
• Habitat: They are usually found in savannas and other open habitats around villages, cities, and near cultivated areas.
• Threats: The Indian vulture has suffered a 97-99% population decrease due to poisoning caused by the veterinary drug diclofenac. This drug is toxic for vultures; it was given to working animals as it reduced joint pain and so kept them working for longer. 
• Conservation status
• IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered

Hence both statements are correct.

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has begun the process of revising the current National Essential Diagnostics List (NEDL) and invited relevant stakeholders to offer suggestions on adding or deleting diagnostic tests to the current list by the end of February. 

• The NEDL lists the essential and most basic tests that should be available at various levels of healthcare facilities in the country, including at the village level, in sub-health centres, health and wellness centres, and primary health centres.
• The ICMR had released the first NEDL in 2019 to make the availability of diagnostics an essential component of the healthcare system.
• The list includes general laboratory tests for a broad range of common conditions for the diagnosis of communicable and non-communicable diseases, disease-specific tests for HIV, hepatitis, tuberculosis, dengue, malaria, and area-endemic diseases.
• India is the first country to release the NEDL.
• Since 2018, the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends the development and implementation of a National Essential Diagnostics List (NEDL) to facilitate the availability of In-Vitro Diagnostics (IVDs) across the various tiers of the healthcare pyramid, facilities with or without a laboratory onsite.

Hence only statement 2 is correct.

Some of Africa’s dry areas face serious water shortages due to minimal rainfall. An ancient system of drawing water from aquifers, the “qanat system”, could help. 

• It is an ancient type of water-supply system, developed and still used in arid regions of the world.
• It taps underground mountain water sources trapped in and beneath the upper reaches of alluvial fans and channels the water downhill through a series of gently sloping tunnels.
• The qanats have been used for centuries in arid and semi-arid parts of north Africa, the Middle East and Asia, where water supplies are limited.
• It’s known by a variety of names, “foggara” in north Africa, “falaj” in Oman and “qarez” in parts of Asia.
• Many old qanāts are still used in Iran and Afghanistan, chiefly for irrigation.
• It’s a system that’s managed by everyone and its benefits are shared.
• Some of the region’s qanat systems, like those in Iran, are protected under heritage status.
• Significance of the system
• The qanat is sustainable as it works with gravity and no electricity is needed. It can even be used to create clean energy.
• Water lost to evaporation is minimal in comparison to surface water supplies.
• It can have a wide scale impact. Qanats are multiple kilometres long and once this water hits a floodplain, it can irrigate multiple hectares of land.
• It fosters social cohesion. Many people, with different skills, are involved in maintaining the system.
• The lifespan of the system extends beyond that of a deep water well, which is only about 20 years. Tunnels do not clog as easily as wells.
• The quality of water coming from the mountains is much better than water on the plains. It’ll have lower salinity and be better for crops and people.

Hence option (d) is the correct answer.

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) recently issued instructions for Residential Private Schools interested in joining SHRESHTA Scheme.

About Scheme for Residential Education for Students in High Schools in Targeted Areas (SHRESHTA):

• The scheme aims to provide access to the best private residential schools for meritorious students from Scheduled Caste (SC) communities. 
• It will provide scholarships to meritorious students from SC communities to study in private and NGO-run residential schools for Classes 9-12.
• The scheme is expected to provide admissions to around 3,000 students in Classes 9 and 11 each year.
• The core objectives of the scheme are to enhance the reach of the development initiatives of the government and fill in the gap in service-deprived SC dominant areas in the education sector. 
• The scheme will collaborate with voluntary organisations to provide an environment that can help create conditions for socio-economic upliftment and the overall development of the SC communities.
• Implementation agency: The Department of Social Justice and Empowerment, Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment.
• The scheme is being implemented in two modes. 
• First, there are SHRESHTA schools, which consist of the best CBSE/ state board-affiliated private residential schools. 
• Under SHRESHTA, outstanding students from SC communities, across states and UTs, will be selected annually through the National Entrance Test for SHRESHTA (NETS) and will be admitted to these schools for education in Classes 9 through 12. 
• The schools that will be part of this scheme will be selected based on a performance score of above 75 percent pass rate in Class 10 and 12 board examinations over the past three years.
• The second mode is based on NGO and voluntary organisation-run schools and hostels. The institutions run by such organisations that run up to Class 12 will also be made part of the scheme.
• Eligibility:
• Students whose annual parental income is less than Rs 2,50,000 and who belong to SC communities are eligible to participate in this scheme. 
• Only those candidates who have passed or are appearing in Class VIII/X in the given academic session can apply for taking admission to Class IX/XI.
• The scheme will cover the tuition fee, the hostel fee, and the mess fees for qualifying students.
• Students will also be allowed to choose from a range of schools based on their merit. 

Hence option c is the correct answer.

The remains of a 2,800-year-old human settlement have been recently discovered in Gujarat's Vadnagar.

About Vadnagar:

• Vadnagar is a town and municipality in the Mehsana district of the North Gujarat region of Gujarat state.
• It is a multi-layered and multi-cultural mercantile settlement, with its history stretching back to nearly 8^thCentury BCE.
• As a historical city, it was known by various names, such as Vridhanagar, Anandapur, Anartapur, and Nagar.
• The town represents a continuously evolving historic urban landscape/area that played a major role in the hinterland trade network of Western India.
• It is mentioned often in the Puranas and even in the travelogue of the great Chinese traveler, Hieu-en-Tsang (7th century), as a rich and flourishing town. 
• Features:
• The ancient town of Vadnagar is an L-shaped town with Sharmishtha Lake located on its northeastern edge.
• The whole ancient town of Vadnagar is built over an ancient mound. The topography of the mound is gently rising, with its highest point in the middle of the settlement, also called Darbar Ghat.
• Vadnagar town is divided into several blocks, also called Mohallas or Madhs. These mohallas are named after a temple, a community, or an occupation.
• The town’s fortifications, arched gateways (toranas), temples, wells, residential structures (kothis), and excavated sites like Buddhist monasteries and dedicated stupas showcase the architectural influence of various cultural periods.
• The oldest temple, Ambaji Mata Temple, dates back to the 10^th - 11^thCentury CE, while other important Hindu and Jain temples within the town are from 17^thCentury onward. 
• The current residential layer of the town is from late Gaekwad period (late 18^thCentury CE). 
• Vadnagar town is surrounded by fortifications made of bricks and partly stone, covering an area of 1km east-west and 700 m north-south.

Hence option b is the correct answer.

The Indian Vice President recently inaugurated the 12th General Assembly of the Asian Buddhist Conference for Peace in New Delhi.

About Asian Buddhist Conference for Peace (ABCP):

• It was founded in 1970 in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, as a voluntary movement of followers of Buddhism with both monastic (monks) and lay members. 
• Its aim is to bring together the efforts of Buddhists in support of consolidating universal peace, harmony, and cooperation among people in Asia.
• It is currently headquartered at the Gandanthegchenling Monastery in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia and the Supreme Head of Mongolian Buddhists is the ABCP President.
• The aims of ABCP: Striving to disseminate and implement the teachings of the Lord Buddha, ABCP aims to:
• Bring together the efforts of Buddhists in support of consolidating universal peace, harmony, and cooperation among the peoples of Asia.
• Furthering their economic and social advancement and promoting respect for justice and human dignity.
• Disseminating the Buddhist culture, tradition, and heritage.
• History:
• The roots of founding of ABCP lay in the Cold War politics of peace movements, and consolidation of allies, and building popular outreach among the masses through various organizations. 
• Most Venerable Gabji Samaagiin Gombojav, Khambo Lama of Mongolia, Venerable J. Gomboyev from Buriat, Khambo Lama of the former Soviet Union, Venerable Kushok Bakula Rinpoche from India, and Buddhist leaders from Sri Lanka and Nepal came together and officially founded the Asian Buddhist Conference for Peace (ABCP) in 1970 with a permanent headquarters in Ulaanbaatar.
• It drew active participation from Mongolia, Japan, India, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Bhutan, Russian Far East, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and other regional countries.
• ABCP was registered as an observer to the UN’s Economic and Social Council in 1988 in recognition of its contribution to the well-being of humanity.

Hence only statement 1 is correct.

The China National Space Administration (CNSA) recently announced that the Chang’e 6 sample return mission is on track to land on the surface of the Moon in the first half of 2024. 

About Chang’e 6 Mission:

• The Chang'e 6 mission is a planned lander designed to return samples from the lunar south pole.
• The mission aims to land on the Moon, collect samples from the lunar surface, and return them to Earth. This process will contribute crucial data to unravel the Moon's geological mysteries.
• Representing the first attempt to retrieve samples from the far side of the Moon, Chang'e 6 is set to bring back up to two kilograms of lunar samples, adopting a configuration similar to the successful Chang'e 5 mission.
• The mission involves international collaboration, with payloads from the European Space Agency (ESA) and the French space agency CNES.
• ESA contributes a lunar surface ion tester, while CNES provides equipment for measuring radon gas and its decay products.
• Additionally, an Italian laser corner reflector for radar instrument calibration and Pakistan's ICUBE-Q CubeSat will be part of the mission.
• Chang'e 6 will consist of both a lander and a rover.
• The lander will touch down on the lunar surface, while the rover will explore specific regions, conduct experiments, and aid in the sample collection process.
• The returned samples will be made available to the global scientific community for study.

Hence option c is the correct answer.

Recently, the Prime Minister of India visited the Kalaram Mandir on the banks of the Godavari in the Panchavati area of Nashik, Maharashtra.

• The Kalaram temple derives its name from a black statue of the Lord — Kala Ram translates literally to “Black Ram”.
• It was built in 1792 with the efforts of Sardar Rangarao Odhekar.
• It is located on the banks of Godavari in the Panchavati area of the city.
• Features
• The sanctum sanctorum has statues of Ram, Sita, and Lakshman, and a black idol of Hanuman at the main entrance.
• The main temple has 14 steps, which represent the 14 years of Ram’s exile. It has 84 pillars, which represents the cycle of 84 lakh species that one has to complete in order to be born as a human.

Hence both statements are correct.