15 July 2022: Daily Current Affairs & GK Update (In Hindi & English)

15 July 2022: Daily Current Affairs & GK Update (In Hindi & English)

1)      The e-NAM or National Agricultural market has been developed as a provider of which of the following services?

1.    Logistic services

2.    Quality assurance services

3.    Cleaning, grading, sorting and packaging services

4.    Warehousing services

a)       Select the correct answer from the options given below:

b)      1, 2 and 3 only

c)       1, 2 and 4 only

d)      1, 3 and 4 only

e)      All of the above

Answer - d

Explanation - e-NAM integrates the platform of Service Providers as "Platform of Platforms" which includes:

·         Composite Service Providers (Service Providers who provide holistic services for trading of agricultural produce including quality analysis, trading, payment systems and logistics),

·         Logistics Service Provider,

·         Quality Assurance Service Provider,

·         Cleaning, Grading, Sorting & Packaging Service Provider,

·         Warehousing Facility Service Provider,

·         Agricultural Input Service Provider,

·         Technology Enabled Finance & Insurance Service Provider,

·         Information Dissemination Portal (Advisory Services, crop forecasting, weather updates, capacity building for farmers etc.) and

·         Other platforms (e-commerce, international agri-business platforms, barter, private market platforms etc.).

The inclusion of various service providers not only adds to the value of the e-NAM platform, but also gives the users of the platform options to avail services from different service providers. It enables farmers, FPOs, traders and other stakeholders to access a wide variety of goods and services across the agricultural value chain through a single window, thereby giving more options to the stakeholders. Moreover, while selecting a good quality Goods/Service Provider, it saves the time and labour of the stakeholders.

2)      National Mission on Use of Biomass in Thermal Power Plants aims to use agricultural residue to produce biomass pallets. What are the properties of these pallets?

1.    These are carbonized burnt residue.

2.    It can be used along with coal as well as independent of it for firing in the thermal power plant.

3.    These pallets have a cylindrical shape with less than 5cm diameter.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

a)       1 and 2

b)      1 and 3

c)       2 and 3

d)      All of the above

Answer – c

Explanation - National Mission on Use of Biomass in Thermal Power Plants

·         Farmers training: two Farmers’ training & awareness programs held at Faridabad, Haryana and Nangal, Punjab in October ‘2021.

·         Both programs witnessed active participation by the Farmers wherein they were sensitized on negative impact of crop residue burning on the soil productivity and avenues to supplement their income by participating in the value chain of biomass co-firing in TPPs.

·         Pellet vendors were apprised of the latest technologies in the palletization process and the issues and challenges faced by them in venturing into this relatively new field were gathered and assessed.  

·         Biomass pelletization is a standard method for the production of high density, solid energy carriers from biomass. Pellets are manufactured in several types and grades as fuels for electric power plants, homes, and other applications. Pellet-making equipment is available at a variety of sizes and scales, which allows manufacture at domestic as well industrial-scale production. Pellets have a cylindrical shape and are about 6-25 mm in diameter and 3-50 mm in length.

·         Mandatory use: Ministry of Power's policy on “Biomass Utilization for Power Generation through Co-firing in Coal based Power Plants” issued in October 2021 mandates all thermal power plants in the country to use 5 to 10% biomass along with coal for power production. The policy has started showing promising results.

Why in News?

National Mission on the use of Biomass in Thermal Power Plants (SAMARTH) collaborated with NTPC and organized a one-day workshop today in Chandigarh, on ex-Situ utilization of agricultural residue for co-firing in thermal power plants.

SAMARTH (Sustainable Agrarian Mission on use of Agro Residue in Thermal Power Plants)- National Mission on Use of Biomass in coal based thermal Power Plants.

Under it, advertisement, awareness campaign and training activities are actively being pursued. Hoardings in public places and advertisement in popular newspapers in the northern states of Haryana, Punjab and UP have already started.

 3)      Which one the following statements is incorrect regarding Monkeypox?

a)       It can be transmitted through respiratory pathway.

b)      It is a rare viral disease.

c)       It was first identified in central and western Africa.

d)      Children and pregnant women are at high risk from the disease.

Answer - c

Explanation:

Why in News? The Health Ministry, in a communication to stakeholders on Thursday, said that while the COVID-19 pandemic continued to pose challenges, it was vital that the States remain aware, alert and ready to tackle other public health threats such as monkeypox, which is on the rise globally.

·         Monkeypox is a rare viral infection that is usually linked to travel to Central or West Africa, though it has been identified in other locations in recent weeks, including Europe, the Americas, Australia and Asia. The spread of the virus is being monitored by the World Health Organisation.

·         Since it was first identified in a colony of monkeys in Copenhagen in 1958, monkeypox has been largely overlooked by the Western world. An infectious poxvirus that causes fever, chills and rashes, the disease is endemic, or consistently regionally present, in ten African countries.

·         Spread of the virus is usually through direct contact with lesions, body fluids, respiratory droplets and contaminated materials such as bedding.

·         Most people who have monkeypox infection recover within two to four weeks, however severe illness can develop in a small percentage of people.

·         Young children, pregnant women and immunosuppressed people may be at higher risk of severe disease with monkeypox.

·         Anyone who develops symptoms, particularly if they have recently travelled overseas or had contact with a case, should call their GP for a telehealth appointment, or seek care at their nearest hospital. If going to hospital, it is important to call ahead and wear a mask.

 4)      Consider the following statements regarding the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao scheme.

1.    It also aims to provide a girl's toilet in every school.

2.    It aims to improve nutritional status of the girls.

3.    It currently covers all Indian districts.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

a)       1 and 2

b)      1 and 3

c)       2 and 3

d)      All of the above

Answer - d

Explanation: Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao(BBBP), 2015:

·         It aims to address the decline in Child sex ratio & is implemented by states with 100% central assistance.

·         A tri-ministerial scheme with Women and Child Development Ministry as the nodal ministry. The other two ministries involved are Health and Family Welfare and Education (Department of School Education and Literacy).

Objectives of the scheme:

·         To generate awareness and improve the efficiency of welfare services intended for girls.

·         Provide girl’s toilet in every school in 161 BBBP districts by 2017.

·         Effective enforcement of Pre-Conception & Pre Natal Diagnostic Techniques(PC&PNDT) Act &

·         Enabling girls' education.

·         Improve the Sex Ratio at Birth (SRB) in 100 gender critical districts by 10 points in a year.

·         Reduce Gender differentials in Under Five Child Mortality Rate from 8/1000 in 2011 to 4/1000 points by 2017.

·         Improve the Nutrition status of girls - by reducing number of underweight and anaemic girls under 5 years of age= ICDS.

Expansion of BBBP to all district:

·         Initially, it was introduced in only 161 districts. The programme is operational in 405 districts at present.

·         Multi-sectoral intervention was introduced in in 244 additional districts, where physical implementation of the scheme will happen under the leadership of Collector/DM/DC.

·         235 districts were to be covered through Alert District Media, Advocacy and Outreach,

·         It will now be extended across the country, according to guidelines issued by the Women and Child Development (WCD) Ministry recently, thus covering all 640 Census districts of the Country.

5)      ​​​​​​Which of the following statement is correct about the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Beema Yojana?

a)       It provides universal coverage to al crops.

b)      The premium over the crops is paid by the government and not by the farmer.

c)       It is not a voluntary scheme for the states.

d)      Many states including Gujarat, Bihar and Telangana have opted out from the scheme.

Answer - c

Explanation: Andhra Pradesh was one of six states that have stopped implementation of the scheme over the last four years. The other five, which remain out, are Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Jharkhand, and Telangana. Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Gujarat and Telangana left the PMFBY from rabi season 2019-20 because:

·         It stated that the scheme is not voluntary;

·         The states are not given options to choose the risks covered;

·         It is not universal;

·         The cut-off date for enrolment is not flexible;

·         The states do not have an option to use their own database of E-crop, as Andhra Pradesh uses an application to collect information about crops.

·         Premium rates are high in areas such as Bihar which have high rates of claims.

6)      Consider the following statements about the National Emblem of India:

1.    The National Emblem consists of four Asiatic lions, depicting power, courage, pride, and confidence.

2.    Dinanath Bhargava made 3D illustrations of the emblem from Ashoka’s pillar in the opening pages of the Indian Constitution.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

a)       1 only

b)      2 only

c)       Both 1 and 2

d)      Neither 1 nor 2

Answer - c

Explanation:

·         Statement 1 is correct: The National Emblem is an adaptation of ‘Lion Capital’ atop the Ashoka Column at Sarnath. It has four Asiatic lions, depicting power, courage, pride, and confidence, seated on a circular base.

·         Statement 2 is correct: After Independence, the task of adapting the emblem from Ashoka’s pillar was given to Nandalal Bose. He chose his student Dinanath Bhargava to make a 3D illustration, which adorned the opening page of the handwritten Constitution.

7)      Consider the following statements:

1.    The Global Gender Gap Index is published by the World Bank.

2.    Global Gender Gap Index consists of 3 dimensions which consist of Economic Participation and Opportunity, Educational Attainment, and Health and Survival.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

a)       1 only

b)      2 only

c)       Both 1 and 2

d)      Neither 1 nor 2

Answer - d

Explanation:

·         Statement 1 is incorrect: The Global Gender Gap Index for 2022 was released by the World Economic Forum and it ranks India at 135 out of 146 countries.

·         Statement 2 is incorrect: The Global Gender Gap Index benchmarks the current state and evolution of gender parity across four key dimensions (Economic Participation and Opportunity, Educational Attainment, Health and Survival, and Political Empowerment)

8)      Consider the following statements:

1.    Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a viral infection of the reproductive tract.

2.    A large majority of cervical cancer is due to HPV.

3.    India has recently developed its first human papillomavirus vaccine.

Which of the above statements are correct?

a)       1 and 2

b)      2 and 3

c)       1 and 3

d)      1,2 and 3

Answer - d

Explanation:

·         Statement 1 is correct: HPV is the most common viral infection of the reproductive tract. Most sexually active women and men will be infected at some point in their lives, and some may be repeatedly infected. More than 90% of the infected populations eventually clear the infection.

·         Statement 2 is correct: Cervical cancer is by far the most common HPV-related disease. Nearly all cases of cervical cancer can be attributed to HPV infection.

·         Statement 3 is correct: Serum Institute of India recently developed Cervavac, India’s first quadrivalent human papillomavirus vaccine (qHPV) vaccine. It is intended to protect women against cervical cancer. 

9)      Which of the following indices is not published by the World Economic Forum?

a)       Energy Transition Index

b)      Global Competitiveness Report

c)       Global IT Report

d)      World Economic Outlook (WEO)

Answer - d

Explanation: Some major reports published by WEF are:

·         Energy Transition Index

·         Global Competitiveness Report

·         Global IT Report

·         WEF along with INSEAD, and Cornell University publishes this report.

·         Global Gender Gap Report.

·         Global Risk Report.

·         Global Travel and Tourism Report

·         The World Economic Outlook (WEO) is a comprehensive report published twice a year by the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

10)  Which of the following nations is not a member of I2U2 grouping, which is also known as the West Quad?

a)       Israel

b)      United Kingdom

c)       USA

d)      India

Answer - b

Explanation:

·         I2U2 is the new grouping formed by four nations- India, Israel, UAE, and the US. It was given the name International Forum for Economic Cooperation.

·         It is focused on expanding economic and political cooperation in the Middle East and Asia, including through trade, combating climate change, energy cooperation, and coordination on other vital shared interests. The four-nation framework would foster support and cooperation in various domains like infrastructure, technology and maritime security.