Daily Current Affairs MCQs: 6th December 2024 - UPSC MCQ

The primary purpose of the Hornbill Festival celebrated in Nagaland annually is to showcase and preserve Nagaland's rich cultural heritage. This festival combines traditional and modern elements to promote unity among tribes and to highlight the diverse and vibrant cultural traditions of Nagaland. It serves as a platform to celebrate the cultural diversity and heritage of the various tribes in Nagaland.

- Statement 1: The African buffalo indeed has a distinctive feature where the bases of its horns are fused together, forming a solid bone mass known as a "boss." This is a correct statement.

- Statement 2: This statement is incorrect. Cape buffalo are not found exclusively in the forests of Africa's major mountains. They inhabit a range of environments including swamps, floodplains, mopane grasslands, and areas with dense cover like reeds and thickets, as well as open woodlands and montane grasslands. They are distributed across the savannas of eastern and southern Africa, not limited to mountain forests.

- Statement 3: This statement is correct. African buffalo are strictly herbivores, feeding on grasses, sedges, and leaves. They are also excellent swimmers, often crossing rivers to access better grazing areas.

Thus, the correct statements are 1 and 3. Hence, the correct answer is Option C: 1 and 3 Only.

- Statement 1 is correct. Lake-effect snow is a meteorological phenomenon that occurs when cold air moves over a lake with warmer water, causing moisture to be picked up and leading to snow formation downwind of the lake. This is a characteristic feature of regions surrounding the Great Lakes during late fall and winter.

- Statement 2 is correct. The International Advisory Body for Submarine Cable Resilience was established to bolster the resilience of submarine cables. This includes promoting best practices among governments and industries to protect these vital infrastructures from various threats.

- Statement 3 is correct. The formation and intensity of lake-effect snow are indeed influenced by several factors, including the temperature contrast between the lake and the air above, wind speed and direction, and the surrounding area's topography. These factors determine where and how much snow will fall.

Thus, all the statements are correct, making Option D the correct answer.

The correct answer is B: Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct, but Statement-II does not explain Statement-I.

• Statement-I is correct. Lake effect snow occurs when cold air moves over relatively warmer lake water, causing the air to pick up moisture. When the air reaches the cooler land on the downwind side of the lake, the moisture condenses and falls as snow. This phenomenon is common in regions near large lakes, such as the Great Lakes in the United States.
• Statement-II is also correct. The International Advisory Body for Submarine Cable Resilience was indeed created to address challenges related to the resilience and protection of submarine cables, which are vital for global communication and data transmission. However, this statement does not explain Statement-I, as it refers to a completely different topic related to submarine cables and infrastructure.

The main goal of the Global Strategy for Resilient Drylands (GSRD) initiated by CGIAR is to enhance food security, protect biodiversity, and develop strong livelihoods for the 2.7 billion people residing in dry areas, particularly in Asia and Africa. By focusing on these aspects, the strategy aims to address the unique challenges faced by populations living in arid regions and promote sustainable development in these areas.

The Global Strategy for Resilient Drylands (GSRD) is an initiative aimed at improving food security, protecting biodiversity, and developing strong livelihoods for the 2.7 billion people living in dry areas, particularly in Asia and Africa, not Europe and North America. Hence, Statement 1 is incorrect.

Statement 2 is correct. The GSRD was indeed introduced at the 16th Conference of Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (COP16), which supports the initiative's alignment with global efforts to address desertification and its impacts.

Statement 3 is also correct. The development of the GSRD involved extensive consultations with national research groups, governments, businesses, and community organizations. This collaborative approach ensures that the strategy effectively addresses the unique challenges and needs of various dryland regions.

Thus, the correct answer is Option D: 2 and 3 Only.

1. CGIAR - Founded in 1971: This pair is correctly matched. CGIAR, the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research, was indeed founded in 1971.

2. ICARDA - International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas: This pair is correctly matched. ICARDA is the correct acronym for the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas.

3. Anna Chakra - Initiative launched by the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT): This pair is incorrectly matched. Anna Chakra is not associated with ICRISAT. It is an initiative led by the Department of Food Public Distribution in partnership with entities like the World Food Programme (WFP) and FITT at IIT-Delhi, not ICRISAT.

4. SCAN Portal - Developed in partnership with the World Food Programme (WFP): This pair is incorrectly matched. While the SCAN Portal is associated with the Department of Food Public Distribution for subsidy claims, there is no mention of it being developed in partnership with the World Food Programme (WFP).

Thus, only pairs 1 and 2 are correctly matched.

Statement-I correctly summarizes the objectives of the Global Strategy for Resilient Drylands as mentioned in the text, focusing on improving food security, protecting biodiversity, and developing livelihoods in dry areas. Statement-II accurately describes the purpose of the Anna Chakra initiative in optimizing the supply chain of the Public Distribution System (PDS) in India. However, the two statements are independent of each other and do not provide an explanatory relationship. Thus, the correct answer is option B, as both statements are correct but Statement-II does not explain Statement-I.

- Statement 1: This statement is incorrect. The Union government's increasing use of cesses and surcharges has actually limited the financial resources available to states, thereby reducing their fiscal independence. Cesses and surcharges are not shared with states, which restricts the states' revenue generation capacity and fiscal autonomy.

- Statement 2: This statement is correct. The Fifteenth Finance Commission indeed managed to devolve only 33.16% of the Union's total tax revenue, even though it had promised a share of 41%. This indicates a shortfall in the expected distribution of resources, highlighting the challenge of inequitable resource distribution.

- Statement 3: This statement is correct. Advanced states like Tamil Nadu face specific challenges related to an ageing population and fast urban growth. These issues put pressure on financial resources, necessitating greater investment in infrastructure and services to meet the needs of these demographic changes.

Thus, statements 2 and 3 are correct, making Option D the correct answer.

- Statement-I correctly describes the establishment of the National Mission on Libraries (NML) Scheme in 2012 by the Ministry of Culture to implement the recommendations of the National Knowledge Commission (NKC) related to library and information sciences development.
- Statement-II accurately outlines the objectives of the National Mission on Cultural Mapping (NMCM), which include documenting India's cultural heritage, creating a National Register of Artists and Art Practices, and focusing on mapping villages and art forms. This statement complements and further explains the context provided in Statement-I, linking the two initiatives under the Ministry of Culture.