Daily Current Affairs MCQs : 20 March 2024 - Humanities/Arts MCQ

E-Crop, a crop simulation model, offers growers SMS advice on water and nutrient needs. Developed by Santhosh Mithra of CTCRI, Kerala, it received a patent from the Indian Patent Office retroactively from 2014. Farmers utilize the ‘krihi kruthya’ app to record and transmit soil moisture data to the server for analysis. This innovative device aids farmers in optimizing water and nutrient management for enhanced crop yields.

The Election Commission of India initiated “Mission 414” in Himachal Pradesh to boost voter turnout in 414 polling stations with less than 60% participation in the last Lok Sabha elections. Ground-level outreach aims to educate voters about their rights. Additionally, in 8 Assembly constituencies with lower female voter turnout, “Mahila Preraks” will encourage women to vote, marking a concerted effort to ensure inclusive participation in the democratic process.

Exporters aiming for duty concessions on shipments to the UK must comply with new British regulations under the Developing Countries Trading Scheme (DCTS). Introduced by the UK Government, DCTS aims to integrate developing nations into the global economy, fostering trade partnerships and strengthening supply chains. It offers simpler, more generous preferential trading terms, reducing or eliminating tariffs on imports from 65 eligible countries, benefiting UK consumers and businesses while excluding certain upper-middle-income nations and those with UK free trade agreements.

Delhi was labeled as the world’s most polluted capital city in the 2023 World Air Quality Report by Swiss Organization IQAir. India ranked third in air quality with an average annual PM2.5 concentration of 54.4 µg/m³. Bangladesh and Pakistan were worse off, while Bihar’s Begusarai was named the most polluted metropolitan area. Ten of the top 11 polluted cities were Indian, with Lahore being the only exception. 96% of India’s population faces PM2.5 levels exceeding WHO guidelines.

Genetic rescue is proposed to conserve Ranthambore National Park’s tiger population by introducing new genetic variation through migration. This process, known as gene flow, involves transferring individuals from a larger, healthier population to a smaller one. The strategy aims to reduce genetic load, decrease extinction risk, and enhance the viability of endangered species. However, it can have both positive and negative effects, influenced by factors like gene flow magnitude and duration, as well as population dynamics.

Kozhikode in Kerala and Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh have made it to the prestigious creative cities list of UNESCO for contributions in the fields of literature and music, respectively. The announcement was made by UNESCO on its official website on October 31, which is designated as World Cities Day.

The Rafah border crossing is the only land crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt. It is located in the northeastern corner of the Gaza Strip, near the city of Rafah.

Shiv Nadar, the founder of HCL Technologies, topped the Hurun India Philanthropy List 2023 for the fifth consecutive year. He and his family donated Rs 2,042 crore in the fiscal year 2022-23. Nadar is a renowned philanthropist and has donated generously to various causes, including education, healthcare, and arts and culture.

The Kerala government has challenged its governor, Arif Mohammed Khan, in the Supreme Court over pending bills. The government has alleged that Khan has failed to fulfil his constitutional duties by delaying or withholding assent to bills passed by the state legislature.

Today, there are between 450,000 and half a million Chileans of Palestinian descent, many of whom reside in Santiago, the capital of Chile some 13,220 km away from Jerusalem. Through 150 years and a complex history of integration, persecution, and negotiation of identity, there has emerged a distinct identity of ‘Chilestinian’.