PRELIMS CURRENT AFFAIRS – 10/08/24

01. With reference to the Clean plant programme, consider the following statements:

1. The objective is set to significantly boost India’s horticultural sector while aligning with Mission LiFE and the One Health initiatives.
2. It will promote sustainable and eco-friendly agricultural practices and reduces dependence on imported planting materials.
3. This programme will be implemented by the National Horticulture Board in association with Indian Council of Agricultural Research

How many of the above statements are correct?

1. Only one
2. Only two
3. All three
4. None

Answer:  (c)All three

In News:Cabinet approves the Clean Plant Programme under Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture

Explanation:

• The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, today approved the Clean Plant Programme (CPP) proposed by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
• With a substantial investment of Rs.1,765.67 crore, this pioneering initiative is set to revolutionise the horticulture sector in India and expected to set new standards for excellence and sustainability.  
• Announced earlier in the Budget Speech by the Finance Minister in February 2023, the CPP represents a major leap forward in enhancing the quality and productivity of fruit crops across the nation.
• The Programme will prioritise affordable access to clean plant material for all farmers, regardless of their landholding size or socioeconomic status.
• The Programme will actively engage women farmers in its planning and implementation, ensuring their access to resources, training and decision-making opportunities.
• The Programme will address the diverse agro-climatic conditions across India by developing region-specific clean plant varieties and technologies.
• The Clean Plant Programme is set to significantly boost India’s horticultural sector while aligning with Mission LiFE and the One Health initiatives.Hence statement 1 is correct.
•  It will promote sustainable and eco-friendly agricultural practices and reduce dependence on imported planting materials.Hence statement 2 is correct. 
• This programme will be a crucial step toward establishing India as a leading global exporter of fruits and driving transformative change across the sector.
• This programme will be implemented by the National Horticulture Board in association with Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).Hence statement 3 is correct.

Source:

https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2043920

02. With reference to Pradhan Mantri JI-VAN Yojana,consider the following statements:

1. The scheme aims to provide remunerative income to farmers for their agriculture residue, address environmental pollution, and create local employment opportunities.
2. It also supports the development of advanced biofuel technologies and promotes the Make in India Mission.
3. It also helps in achieving India’s ambitious target for net-zero GHG emissions by 2070.

How many of the above statements are incorrect?

1. Only one
2. Only two
3. All three
4. None

Answer: (d)None

In News:Cabinet approves Amendment in “Pradhan Mantri JI-VAN Yojana” for providing financial support to Advanced Biofuel Projects using lignocellulosic biomass and other renewable feedstock

Explanation:

• To keep pace with the latest developments in the field of biofuels and to attract more investment, the Union Cabinet approved the modified Pradhan Mantri JI-VAN Yojana.
• The modified scheme extends timeline for implementation of scheme by Five (5) year i.e. till 2028-29 and includes advanced biofuels produced from lignocellulosic feedstocks i.e. agricultural and forestry residues, industrial waste, synthesis (syn) gas, algae etc. in its scope.  “Bolt on” plants & “Brownfield projects” would also now be eligible to leverage their experience and improve their viability.
• To promote multiple technologies and multiple feedstocks, preference would now be given to project proposals with new technologies and innovations in the sector.
• The scheme aims to provide remunerative income to farmers for their agriculture residue, address environmental pollution, create local employment opportunities, and contribute to India’s energy security and self-reliance.Hence statement 1 is correct. 
• It also supports the development of advanced biofuel technologies and promotes the Make in India Mission. Hence statement 2 is correct.
• It also helps in achieving India’s ambitious target for net-zero GHG emissions by 2070.Hence statement 3 is correct.
• The Government of India’s commitment to promoting advanced biofuels through the Pradhan Mantri JI-VAN Yojana reflects its dedication to a sustainable and self-reliant energy sector.
• The Government has been promoting blending of ethanol in petrol under the Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) Programme wherein Public Sector Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) sell petrol blended with ethanol.
• OMCs are on course to achieve the 20% blending target by the end of ESY 2025-26. It is estimated that over 1100 crore litres of ethanol will be required during ESY 2025-26 to achieve 20% blending for which 1750 crore litres of ethanol distillation capacity needs to be installed to meet the blending requirement and for other uses (potable, chemical, pharmaceutical etc.).

Source:

https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2043925

03. The crop varieties VTL CH1’ and ‘VTL CH2’ recently seen in news are 

1. Cocoa
2. Coconut
3. Areca nut
4. Coffee

Answer:  (a)Cocoa

In News:PM to unveil CPCRI’s new coconut and cocoa varieties tomorrow

Explanation:

• Two coconut and two cocoa varieties from the Kasaragod-based Central Plantation Crops Research Institute (CPCRI) will be among the 109 crop varieties Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch on August 11. 
• During this occasion, two coconut varieties – ‘Kalpa Suvarna’ and ‘Kalpa Shatabdi’ — and two cocoa varieties — ‘VTL CH1’ and ‘VTL CH2’ — developed by the CPCRI will be released.Hence option(a) is correct.
• ‘Kalpa Suvarna’ is a dwarf, high-yielding, dual-purpose coconut variety with green coloured, oblong fruits, with sweet tender coconut water and good-quality copra. 
• This early flowering variety (30- 36 months after planting) is suitable for processing for tender coconut water and copra production. 
• The variety yields 108-130 nuts per palm per year under good management. CPCRI recommends this for cultivation in Kerala and Karnataka.
• ‘Kalpa Suvarna’ is a dwarf, high-yielding, dual-purpose coconut variety with greencoloured, oblong fruits, with sweet tender coconut water and good-quality copra. This early flowering variety (30- 36 months after planting) is suitable for processing for tender coconut water and copra production.
•  The variety yields 108-130 nuts per palm per year under good management. 
• CPCRI recommends this for cultivation in Kerala and Karnataka. ‘Kalpa Shatabdi’ is a tall, dual-purpose coconut variety with large fruits.
• It is suitable for copra and tender nut production. It bears greenish-yellow fruits with more volume (612 ml) of tender nut water

Source:

https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/agri-business/cpcris-coconut-cocoa-varieties-to-be-part-of-new-crop-variety-releases/article68504708.ece

04. Consider the following statements:

Statement -I:

Agri Stack is an infrastructure and foundational layer that enables various government and private entities to provide farmers with tailored services by providing them access to high-quality, validated, attested and current data

Statement -II: 

Agri Stack is being implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmer Welfare at the Centre in close collaboration with the Cooperative and Agriculture departments of State governments.

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

1. Both Statement – I and Statement – II are correct and Statement – II is the correct explanation for Statement – I
2. Both Statement – I and Statement – II are correct and Statement – II is not the correct explanation for Statement – I
3. Statement – I is correct but Statement – II is incorrect
4. Statement – I is incorrect but Statement – II is correct

Answer:  (c)Statement – I is correct but Statement – II is incorrect

In News:Pilot digital crops survey in 12 States to create verified sowing data

Explanation:

• The government has initiated the Digital Crops Survey (DCS) on a pilot basis in 12 States starting from kharif 2023 with the aim of creating a single and verified source for the crop sown data. 
• Responding to a question in the Rajya Sabha on Friday on whether the government plans to bolster its farm statistics system by undertaking regular digital crop surveys, Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Ramnath Thakur said the Ministry had taken initiatives, such as DCS and Digital General Crop Estimation Survey (DGCES), to modernise the system of area enumeration and yield estimation and to enable realistic crop production estimates. 
• Agri Stack is being implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmer Welfare at the Centre in close collaboration with the Revenue and Agriculture departments of State governments.Hence statement 2 is incorrect.
• Agri Stack is an infrastructure and foundational layer that enables various government and private entities to provide farmers with tailored services by providing them access to high-quality, validated, attested and current data.Hence statement 1 is correct. 

Thus, Agri Stack will:

• Provide the right support to farmers in terms of finance and agricultural inputs at the right time
• Provide localized and tailored Early Warning Systems for disasters including pest attacks, droughts, floods, etc.
• Simplify government scheme benefits lifecycle for farmers.
• Enable quick and easy access to affordable finance.
• Enable private participation in farmer service delivery, thereby increasing farmers’ choices.
• Enable ease of governance by providing required data at the right place for enhanced decision making, policy implementation, and feedback management.
• Improve targeting of government benefits (by maximizing inclusion and minimizing exclusion and fraud).

Source:

https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/agri-business/digital-survey-of-12-crops-being-carried-out-since-2023-kharif-season-centre-tells-rajya-sabha/article68505545.ece

https://agristack.gov.in/#/faq

05. Consider the following :

1. Eucalyptus
2. Fig
3. Red sanders 

How many of the above trees are actually native to India?

1. Only one
2. Only two
3. All three
4. None

Answer:  (b)Only two

In News:Madhav Gadgil writes: Wayanad tragedy exposes the gulf between haves and have-nots

Explanation:

• The Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel (WGEEP) took on board this historical background and painted a realistic picture of what was happening in India. 
• The theme of our report was that any nation, including India, may be viewed as harbouring four capital stocks, namely, natural (water, vegetation, biodiversity, agricultural, animal husbandry, fish production), social (cooperative behaviour, sense of security), human (education, health, employability) and man-made capital. 
• India is exclusively focused on building up highly subsidised man-made capital at serious costs to natural, human and social capitals, worsening economic, social, educational and health disparities and thereby depressing overall social welfare as well as the ability of our industrial enterprises to compete internationally
• This is a tragedy that exposes the terrible chasm in Indian society between the haves and the have-nots. 
• Mundakkai is just three kilometres away from Puthumala, the scene of a very similar disaster in 2019. 
• The steep slopes were dotted with tall buildings and land that had been levelled for tea plantations. 
• Throughout, the roads were covered with mud from the landslides from the road cuts. 
• The river of mud from the landslide had wound its way down a gorge for a kilometre and a half, with several shorter mud tributaries augmenting it along the way. 
• Several feet of mud had completely buried the 55 houses of the tea-estate labourers located at the bottom of the gorge, a site utterly unsuitable for human habitation. 
• This river of mud had left no trace of the eucalyptus plantations in its ruthless march, but one tree stood proud and erect on its route:
•  It was Ficus beddomei, characteristic of the original vegetation. This clearly brought out the fact that the replacement of the original natural tree cover by exotics like eucalyptus had contributed to this disaster.
• The fig tree, known as Ficus benghalensis in scientific terms, belongs to the family of Moraceae. 
• It is a deciduous tree that grows up to a height of 100 feet and has an extensive canopy that provides shade. 
• The tree is native to the Indian subcontinent and is found in abundance throughout India, including the states of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and West Bengal. The tree is known for its aerial roots, which grow downwards and take root in the ground, forming a secondary trunk. 
• The tree’s leaves are large and leathery, and the fruit is a pear-shaped structure that is green when unripe and turns purple when it ripens.Hence option(b) is correct.
• Red Sanders (Red Sandalwood) has fallen back into the ‘endangered’ category in the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List. 
• The species, Pterocarpus santalinus, is an Indian endemic tree species, with a restricted geographical range in the Eastern Ghats.

Source:

https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/wayanad-tragedy-haves-have-nots-gulf-9492702/

06. Consider the following :

1. Warangal
2. Kalaburagi
3. Lucknow
4. Navsari

In the recent past,which of the above cities have been finalised for PM Mitra Parks

1. Only one
2. Only two
3. Only three
4. All four

Answer:  (d)All four

In News:PM Mitra Parks to ensure strengthening of local economy & textile ecosystem

Explanation:

• The Government has approved setting up of 7 (Seven) PM Mega Integrated Textile Region and Apparel (PM MITRA) Parks in Greenfield/Brownfield sites with world class infrastructure including plug and play facility with an outlay of Rs. 4,445 crores for a period of seven years upto 2027-28.
• The Government has finalized 7 sites viz. Tamil Nadu (Virudhnagar), Telangana (Warangal), Gujarat (Navsari), Karnataka (Kalaburagi), Madhya Pradesh (Dhar), Uttar Pradesh (Lucknow), Maharashtra (Amravati) for setting up of PM MITRA Parks.Hence option(d) is correct.
• Once completed, it is envisaged that each park will lead to an investment (both foreign and domestic) of about Rs. 10,000 crores, benefiting the local economy and textile ecosystem.
• Special Purpose Vehicles (SPV) in respect of all 5 Greenfield sites viz. Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh have been incorporated. 

Source:

https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2043807

07.With reference to the Virtual Courts, consider the following statements:

1. It is an initiative of the Supreme Court of India aimed at doing away with the presence of a litigant or lawyer in the court and for adjudication of cases on a virtual platform.
2. Currently, the virtual courts are handling cases pertaining only to traffic challan cases.

Which of the statements given above is/are incorrect?

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2

Answer:  (d)Neither 1 nor 2

In News:Virtual Courts

Explanation:

• The Virtual Courts, an initiative of eCommittee, Supreme Court of India is a concept, aimed at doing away with the presence of a litigant or lawyer in the court and for adjudication of cases on a virtual platform. Hence statement 1 is correct. 
• This concept has been evolved to efficiently utilise court resources and to provide litigants with an effective avenue to settle disputes. 
• Currently, the virtual courts are handling cases pertaining only to traffic challan cases, which have not only reduced the costs of litigation but have also simplified the procedure for redressal of traffic challan cases.Hence statement 2 is correct.  
• As on 30.06.2024, there are 28 such courts in 21 States / UTs viz. Delhi (2), Haryana, Chandigarh, Gujarat (2), Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala (2), Maharashtra (2), Assam, Chhattisgarh, Jammu and Kashmir (2), Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, Meghalaya, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand (2), Madhya Pradesh, Tripura, West Bengal, Rajasthan and Manipur (2). 

Source:

https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2043474

08.With reference to Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of (Hybrid &) Electric Vehicles, Consider the following statements:

Statement -I: 

The Ministry of New and renewable energy formulated this Scheme in 2015 to promote adoption of electric and  hybrid vehicles in India

Statement -II: 

Phase-II of FAME India Scheme was implemented for a period of 5 years in  2019

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

1. Both Statement – I and Statement – II are correct and Statement – II is the correct explanation for Statement – I
2. Both Statement – I and Statement – II are correct and Statement – II is not the correct explanation for Statement – I
3. Statement – I is correct but Statement – II is incorrect
4. Statement – I is incorrect but Statement – II is correct

Answer:  (d)Statement – I is incorrect but Statement – II is correct

In News:PRODUCTION OF e-BUSES

Explanation:

• Government is not in receipt of orders for production of e-Buses from the State Government for their public transport utility.
•  Ministry of Heavy Industries(MHI) is not involved in any business of production or manufacturing of e-Buses.
• However, the Ministry of Heavy Industries formulated the Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of (Hybrid &) Electric Vehicles in India (FAME India) Scheme in 2015 to promote adoption of electric/ hybrid vehicles (xEVs) in India. Hence statement 1 is correct. 
•  The Phase-1 of the scheme was available up to 31st March, 2019 with budget outlay of Rs 895 Cr.
• Further, Phase-II of FAME India Scheme was implemented for a period of 5 years w.e.f. 01st April, 2019 with a total budgetary support of Rs. 11,500 Crore. Hence statement 2 is correct. 
• Under Phase-I of FAME India Scheme incentive for deployment of, 425 electric and hybrid buses were sanctioned to various cities in the country. The details are at ANNEXURE-I.
• Under Phase-II of FAME India Scheme incentive for deployment of, 6862 electric buses were sanctioned to various cities/STUs/CTUs/ State Government entities for intra-city and intercity operations

Source:

https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2043645

09.With reference to Rare diseases, consider the following statements:

1. Currently, 63 rare diseases are included under National Policy for Rare Diseases.
2. Financial support of up to Rs. 50 lakhs per patient is provided for the treatment at the notified Centres of Excellence (CoEs) for Rare Diseases.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2

Answer:  (c)Both 1 and 2

In News: Details of National Policy for Rare Diseases

Explanation:

• The Ministry of Health & Family Welfare launched the National Policy for Rare Diseases (NPRD) in March 2021. The key features of NPRD, 2021 are as under:
• The rare diseases have been identified and categorised into 3 groups as below:
• Group 1: Disorders amenable to one-time curative treatment.
• Group 2: Diseases requiring long term/lifelong treatment with relatively lower cost of treatment.
• Group 3:- Diseases for which definitive treatment is available but challenges are to make optimal patient selection for benefit, very high cost and lifelong therapy.
• Currently, 63 rare diseases are included under National Policy for Rare Diseases on recommendation of the Central Technical Committee for Rare Diseases (CTCRD).Hence statement 1 is correct
•  Financial support of up to Rs. 50 lakhs per patient is provided for the treatment at the notified Centres of Excellence (CoEs) for Rare Diseases.Hence statement 2 is correct
• Since the launch of the policy, a total number of one thousand one hundred and eighteen (1,118) patients have benefited under NPRD. Patients can approach any CoE across the country as per their convenience.

Source:

https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2043516

10. Who of the following rulers of medieval India gave permission to the Portuguese to build a fort at Bhatkal? UPSC-(2024)

1.  Krishnadevaraya
2.  Narasimha Saluva
3.   Muhammad Shah III
4.   Yusuf Adil Shah

Ans: (a) Krishnadevaraya

Explanation:

• Bhatkal is the southernmost point of the Uttara Kannada district in Karnataka. It is located on the south bank of the river Sharabi. 
• The name Bhatkal is said to be derived from the Jain saint Bhatta Akalanka who lived here in the ninth century CE.
• Bhatkal came into limelight with the advent of the Portuguese in India. Since the time of Vasco de Gama, Bhatkal chiefs were paying tributes to the Portuguese rulers.
• Emperor Krishnadevaraya allowed the Portuguese to build a fort here in 1510.Hence option (a) is correct.