PRELIMS CURRENT AFFAIRS -18/08/24

01. With reference to ASMITA project, consider the following statements:

1. It is one of the key initiatives to promote Indian languages in the education system in line with the National Education Policy 2020.
2. This project aims to create a robust ecosystem for translation and original book writing in Indian languages across various disciplines within higher education.
3. It will be a collaborative effort of the University Grants Commission (UGC) and Bharatiya Bhasha Samiti.

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: Centre launches project to produce 22,000 books in Indian languages

Explanation:

• The Union Ministry of Education and the University Grants Commission (UGC) on Tuesday launched a project to produce 22,000 books in Indian languages in the next five years.
• The Project titled ASMITA (Augmenting Study Materials in Indian languages through Translation and Academic Writing) was launched by the secretary, Higher Education, Sanjay Murthy.
• It is one of the several initiatives taken by the government to promote Indian languages in the education system in line with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.Hence statement 1 is correct.
• It will be a collaborative effort of the UGC and Bharatiya Bhasha Samiti, a high-powered committee under the ministry to promote Indian languages in education.Hence statement 3  is correct.
• This project aims to create a robust ecosystem for translation and original book writing in Indian languages across various disciplines within higher education.Hence statement 2 is correct. 
• The goal is to produce 1,000 books in 22 languages within five years, resulting in 22,000 books in Bharatiya Bhasha,” the UGC said in a statement.
• As many as 13 nodal universities have been identified to lead this project along with member universities from various regions. The UGC has also created a standard Operating Process (SOP) for the book writing process in each assigned language.
•  This SOP includes identification of Nodal Officers, Authors, allocation of title, subject and programme, writing and editing, submission of the manuscript, review and plagiarism check, finalisation, designing, proof-reading and e-publication

Source:

https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/centre-launches-project-to-produce-22-000-books-in-indian-languages-101721138657223.html

02. Consider the following:

1. Tuberculosis
2. Diphtheria
3. Pertussis
4. Pneumonia

How many of the above vaccines are covered under the Mission Indradhanush?

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

Answer: (d) All four

In News: What India’s vaccine numbers say

Explanation:

• There was a slight dip in childhood immunisation in 2023 compared to 2022, recently released WHO and UNICEF estimates of national immunisation coverage (WUENIC) revealed.
•  Notably, there was a two percentage point dip (from 95% in 2022 to 93% in 2023) in the coverage of the diphtheria, pertussis, and tetanus (DPT) vaccine, used as a proxy for the number of “zero-dose” children — those who have not received any routine immunisation.
• This number, however, was much higher than the 87% and 88% DPT coverage seen in 2020 and 2022 respectively, and higher than the 2023 global average of 89%.
• WUENIC showed that immunisation stalled globally in 2023, leaving 2.7 million additional children either unvaccinated or under-vaccinated, as compared to the pre-pandemic year of 2019.

Mission Indradhanush:

• Mission Indradhanush (MI) is a special catch-up campaign under India’s Universal Immunization Program (UIP). The goal of MI is to vaccinate children and pregnant women who are unvaccinated or partially vaccinated against vaccine-preventable diseases, especially in areas with low immunization coverage. The MoHFW, GoI, launched Mission Indradhanush in December 2014.The mission’s goal is to increase the percentage of children who are fully immunized to 90%.
• India’s Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP) provides free vaccines against 12 life threatening diseases, to 26 million children annually. India’s Universal Immunization Programme (UIP) was launched in 1985.
• The Universal Immunization Programme provides life-saving vaccines to all children and Pregnant women across the country free of cost to protect them against Tuberculosis, Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus, Polio, Hepatitis B, Pneumonia and Meningitis due to Haemophilus Influenzae type b (Hib), Measles, Rubella, Japanese Encephalitis (JE) and Rotavirus diarrhoea. Hence option(d) is correct.
• The Intensified Mission Indradhanush (IMI) is a nationwide immunization campaign by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. The campaign’s goal is to increase immunization coverage for all vaccines under the Universal Immunization Programme (UIP). The IMI also aims to improve measles and rubella vaccination coverage, and to eliminate both diseases by 2023.

Source:

https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-economics/explained-the-state-of-indias-informal-economy-9459931/

03. With reference to Annual Survey of Industries,consider the following statements:

1. The survey is being conducted under the statutory provisions of the Collection of Statistics  Act, 2008. 
2. It covers all factories registered under Factories Act, 1948.
3. The survey covers Bidi and cigar manufacturing establishments registered under the Beedi and Cigar Workers Conditions of Employment Act 1966.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. 1 and 3  only
2. 2 and 3 only
3. 1 and 2 only
4. 1,2 and 3

Answer:  (d) 1, 2 and 3

In News:The state of India’s informal economy

Explanation:

• The informal sector small and medium enterprises and household proprietary and partnership establishments  accounts for almost half of India’s economic output and more than three-fourths of employment. 
• But the sector faces challenges over the last seven years, many units have shut and about 16.45 lakh jobs have been lost, data from the Annual Survey of Unincorporated Enterprises (ASUSE) show.
• Manufacturing units other than those covered under the Factories Act, 1948 and the organised manufacturing sector’s Annual Survey of Industries (ASI), have been surveyed, along with informal establishments engaged in cotton-ginning, cleaning, and bailing, and manufacturing bidi and cigar. 
• Units for non-captive electric power generation, transmission, and distribution not registered with the Central Electricity Authority (CEA), are also covered.
• From ASI 2010-11 onwards, the survey is being conducted annually under the statutory provisions of the Collection of Statistics (COS) Act, 2008 and the rules framed there-under in 2011 except in the State of Jammu & Kashmir where it is being conducted under the J&K Collection of Statistics Act, 2010 and rules framed thereunder in 2012. 
• The Collection of Statistics Act, 2008 has been amended in 2017 as Collection of Statistics (Amendment) Act, 2017 which extends the coverage to All India.
•  The ASI extends to the entire country.
• It covers all factories registered under Sections 2(m)(i) and 2(m)(ii) of the Factories Act, 1948, where the manufacturing process is defined under Section 2(k) of the said Act. 
• The survey also covers Bidi and cigar manufacturing establishments registered under the Bidi and Cigar Workers (Conditions of Employment) Act 1966. 

Source:

https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-economics/explained-the-state-of-indias-informal-economy-9459931/

04. Navigating New Horizons, a global foresight report on planetary Health and Humans well being released by

1. United Nation Framework on Climate Change
2. United Nation Environment Program
3. UNESCO
4. World Economic Forum

Answer: (b) United Nation Environment Program

In News: UNEP Foresight Report

Explanation:

• Privatised micro-environmentalism may exacerbate social and economic inequalities and deepen polarisation, the United Nations has stated in a new report. 
• Navigating New Horizons A global foresight report on planetary Health and Humans wellbeing, 2024, published by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), noted that the threat of increasing commoditization and inequitable access to nature and ecosystem services will further the concentration of wealth towards the wealthy.Hence option(b) is correct.  
• The UN report estimated these effects to manifest around the year 2035. “Privatised environmentalism is defined as creation of private access, enclosed and sometimes artificial habitats that offer stable ecosystem to highly paying members.
• It further stated that independent of broader planetary decline, these private pockets significantly limit fair and equal access to nature-based quality of life and brush away any shared responsibility of conservation efforts, disrupting norms of environmental stewardship. 
• The UN identified signals of change which provide a brief summary of factors that may cause potential disruption and severity based on its outcomes from a survey.

Source:

https://www.downtoearth.org.in/environment/unep-foresight-report-private-micro-environmentalism-may-worsen-socio-economic-inequalities-burden-resources

05. Consider the following Countries:

1. Indonesia
2. Malaysia
3. Japan
4. Philippines

How many of the above Countries are members of the Indo Pacific Economic Framework?

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

Answer:  (d) All four

In News: IPEF: India likely to sign clean, fair economy pacts

Explanation:

• India is likely to soon be able to sign the clean economy and fair economy agreements under the US-led Indo Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) as Cabinet notes on the pacts are in an advanced stage of finalisation.
• The country, however, is not yet ready to join the trade pillar of IPEF as it continues to be uncomfortable with some of its components, such as framing of high-standard rules on digital economy, including cross-border data flows and data localisation, and labour and environment issues.
• In a move seen by many as an attempt to counter China’s growing influence in the Indo-Pacific region, US President Joe Biden launched the IPEF in Tokyo on May 23, 2022. 
• The 14 members include the US, India, Australia, Brunei, Fiji, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines,Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.Hence option(d) is correct.
• India was the only country in the 14-member IPEF bloc that had not endorsed the clean economy and fair economy pacts at the Ministerial-level meeting in Singapore in June because of its general elections. It assured other members that it would get domestic clearances after a new government was in place.

Source:

https://epaper.thehindubusinessline.com/ccidist-ws/bl/bl_delhi/issues/91268/OPS/G6BD2MLRN.1+GFID2O5F2.1.html

06.With reference to Multitranche Financing Facility Solar Rooftop Investment Programme, consider the following statements:

Statement -I: 

The World Bank approved the program in 2016 to help the Government of India establish a solar rooftop financing facility.

Statement -II: 

The program is aligned with the government’s long-term objective under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission launched in 2010.

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: ADB clears $240 m loans for rooftop solar systems

Explanation:

• The Asian Development Bank Said it has approved $240.5 million in loans to finance rooftop solar systems in India that will help the government expand energy access using renewable energy.
• The financing will support tranches 2 and 3 of the Multitranche Financing Facility (MFF) Solar Rooftop Investment Programme, approved by the ADB in 2016. Hence statement 1 is incorrect.
• The programme was restructured in 2023 to focus on deploying residential solar rooftop systems.
• The financing will be made available to State Bank of India and the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Nabard) to provide loans to developers and end users throughout India to install rooftop solar systems.
• ADB approved the program on 30 September 2016 to help the Government of India establish a solar rooftop financing facility. 
• The program cost was estimated at $1 billion, of which $500 million was expected to be financed through three MFF tranches until 30 June 2023. 
• The program is aligned with the government’s long-term objective under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission launched in 2010. Hence statement 2 is correct.
• This mission’s target of generating 20 gigawatts (GW) of solar power generation capacity by 2022 was revised to 100 GW, comprising an installed capacity of 40 GW from solar rooftop projects and 60 GW from utility-scale projects such as solar parks

Source:

https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/renewables/adb-approves-240-5-mn-loan-for-rooftop-solar-systems-in-india/articleshow/111823448.cms

07. With reference to Network for Greening the Financial System, consider the following statements:

1. The Network’s purpose is to help strengthen the global response required to meet the goals of the Paris agreement to mobilise capital for green and low-carbon investments.
2. At the Paris “One Planet Summit” in 2017, eight central banks and supervisors established the Network of Central Banks and Supervisors for Greening the Financial System.
3. The RBI is a member of Network for Greening the Financial System.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

1. 1 and 2 only
2. 2 and 3 only
3. 1 and 3 only
4. 1, 2 and 3

Answer:  (d) 1, 2 and 3

In News: The many challenges of BRSR

Explanation:

• Business Responsibility & Sustainability Reporting (BRSR) is now the medium through which listed companies report matters concerning Sustainability and ESG (Environment, Social and Governance) in the non-financial disclosure part of the annual reports.
• The BRSR has come a long way since the days it was known as Business Responsibility Reporting (BRR) which had evolved from the National Voluntary Guidelines for Responsible Business Conduct. It is still a work-in-progress
• Greenhouse gases are the main reason for climate change and they are related to anthropogenic activities.
•  The GHG protocols (World Resources Institute and WBCSD) are the pioneering studies in the measurement of GHG emissions which are classified into Scope 1, Scope 2 and Scope 3. 
• The RBI as a member of “Network for Greening the Financial System (NGFC)”, (a coalition of central banks) has been raising concerns since 2022 about the risks the business community is facing on account of climate change.Hence statement 3 is correct.
• At the Paris “One Planet Summit” in December 2017, eight central banks and supervisors established the Network of Central Banks and Supervisors for Greening the Financial System  (NGFS).Hence statement 2 is correct.
• The Network’s purpose is to help strengthen the global response required to meet the goals of the Paris agreement and to enhance the role of the financial system to manage risks and to mobilize capital for green and low-carbon investments in the broader context of environmentally sustainable development. Hence statement 1 is correct. 
• To this end, the Network defines and promotes best practices to be implemented within and outside of the Membership of the NGFS and conducts or commissions analytical work on green finance.

Source:

https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/opinion/the-many-challenges-of-brsr/article68415160.ece

08.Consider the following States:

1. Karnataka
2. Odisha
3. Andhra Pradesh
4. Tamil Nadu

How many of the above States are naturally a coffee growing states in India?

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

Answer:  (d) All four

In News: Robusta coffee continues to gain on supply issues in S-E Asia 

Explanation:

• Prices of robusta coffee continue to move up in India in sync with the global trend on supply issues in Vietnam, the largest producer, while the arabica prices are largely ruling stable
• Prices of robusta cherry, the widely produced variety in the country, crossed the ₹10,000-mark for a 50-kg bag recently and are currently hovering around ₹10,400 levels at the farmgate. Robusta cherry prices have gained by close to a tenth from the early April levels.
• and have moved up by over 50 per cent since early January. Similarly, the robusta parchment prices have moved up to record levels of ₹18,300 per bag — an increase of around 66 per cent over early January levels. 
• Globally, robusta futures at the ICE have also seen an increase of over 60 per cent in the year-till-date.
• Indian coffee is the most extraordinary of beverages, offering intriguing subtlety and stimulating intensity. India is the only country that grows all of its coffee under shade. Typically mild and not too acidic, these coffees possess an exotic full-bodied taste and a fine aroma.
• Non-traditional areas comprising Andhra Pradesh and Orissa in the Eastern Ghats of the country
• Traditional areas representing the southern states of Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.Hence option(d) is correct.
• The plantations in the south are the cradle of Indian coffee. They include the Bababudangiri in Karnataka, known as the birthplace of coffee in India. The Eastern Ghats and the North Eastern states are newly developed areas of coffee.

Source:

https://epaper.thehindubusinessline.com/ccidist-ws/bl/bl_kolkata/issues/91272/OPS/G8BD2MLTC.1+GFID2OITM.1.html

09. Recently species Hylarana gracilis,Pseudophilautus regius native to Sri Lanka were found in the Eastern Ghats are

1. Birds
2. Frogs
3. Frogs
4. Snakes  

Answer: (c) Frogs

In News: Leaping back in time: Sri Lankan frogs found in Indian Eastern Ghats hint at ancient connection

Explanation:

• In a surprising discovery, scientists have identified two frog species native to Sri Lanka thriving in a mountain range in India. 
• The Sri Lankan golden-backed frog (Hylarana gracilis) and Sri Lankan shrub frog (Pseudophilautus regius), previously unknown from India, were found in the Eastern Ghats.Hence option(c) is correct.
• A team of researchers from Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) and the Andhra Pradesh Biodiversity Board made the discovery. 
• The two amphibians are not new species, but their presence in the Eastern Ghats sheds light on the region’s ancient connection to Sri Lanka. 
• The researchers believe the frogs may have dispersed roughly 10,000 years ago, when a land bridge with forests existed between the Indian mainland and Sri Lanka.
• Geological events like fluctuating sea levels and changes in monsoons likely isolated these frog populations, leading to their disjunct distribution today, with a gap of nearly 700 kilometres between their known habitats.
• The Sri Lankan golden-backed frog lives in freshwater, whereas the Sri Lankan shrub frog develops directly. In a directly developing frog, an adult produces eggs that hatch into young ones who grow into adults without passing through the tadpole stage of development.

Source:

https://www.downtoearth.org.in/wildlife-biodiversity/leaping-back-in-time-sri-lankan-frogs-found-in-indian-eastern-ghats-hint-at-ancient-connection

10.Consider the following :(2024)

1. Battery storage
2. Biomass generators
3. Fuel cells
4. Rooftop solar photovoltaic units

How many of the above are considered “Distributed Energy Resources”?

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

Ans: (d) All four

Explanation:

• Distributed energy resources (DER) refers to often smaller generation units that are located on the consumer’s side of the metre.

Examples of distributed energy resources that can be installed include:

• Battery storage
• Biomass generators, which are fuelled with waste gas or industrial and agricultural by-products.
• Fuel cells
• Rooftop solar photovoltaic units.
• Other examples of DER include wind generating units, open and closed cycle gas turbines, hydro and mini-hydro schemes etc.Hence Option (d)  is correct.