29 July 2022: Daily Current Affairs & GK for HAS/HPAS & Allied Services
1. Consider the following statements regarding the Samudrayaan Mission:
1.
It would carry three humans to a depth of 6000m in the ocean.
2.
It has been developed by the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT),
Chennai.
Which
of the above statements is/are correct?
a)
1 only
b)
2 only
c)
Both 1 and 2
d)
None of the above
ANSWER
(C)
EXPLANATION:
- Samudrayaan Mission is aimed to develop a self-propelled manned submersible to carry 3 human beings to a water depth of 6000 meters in the ocean with a suite of scientific sensors and tools for deep ocean exploration. It has an endurance of 12 hours of operational period and 96 hours in case of emergency.
- The manned submersible will allow scientific personnel to observe and understand unexplored deep sea areas by direct interventions. Further, it will enhance the capability for deep sea man rated vehicle development.
- The projected timeline is five years for the period 2020-2021 to 2025-2026.
- National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), Chennai, an autonomous institute under MoES, has developed 6000m depth rated Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) and various other underwater instruments such as Autonomous Coring System (ACS), Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) and Deep Sea Mining System (DSM) for the exploration of deep sea.
2.
The International Chess olympiad was recently opened in which of the following
Indian city?
a)
New Delhi
b)
Kolkata
c)
Bengaluru
d)
Chennai
ANSWER
(D)
EXPLANATION:
- The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi declared open the 44th Chess Olympiad at JLN Indoor Stadium, Chennai today.
- This is the first time the Chess Olympiad is being held in the place of origin of chess, India. It is coming to Asia for the first time in 3 decades. It has the highest ever number of countries participating. It has the highest ever number of teams participating. It has the highest number of entries in the women’s section. The first ever Torch Relay of the Chess Olympiad started this time, he said.
3.
Consider the following statements regarding the Environmental Performance Index
(EPI) 2022
1.
It is a biennial index that ranks more than 180 countries.
2.
The index emphasises the extent of protected areas rather than the quality of
protection.
3.
Per capita emission is also given certain weightage in the index.
Which
of the following statements are correct?
a)
1 and 2 only
b)
2 and 3 only
c)
1 and 3 only
d) All the above
ANSWER
(D)
EXPLANATION: Environmental Performance Index (EPI) 2022
- The newly released Environmental Performance Index (EPI) 2022, measured by Yale and Columbia universities, ranks India at the bottom position among 180 countries.
- The Environment Ministry has issued a rebuttal saying the indicators used in the assessment are based on “unfounded assumptions”
- The EPI is an international ranking system of countries based on their environmental health. It is a biennial index, first started in 2002 as the Environment Sustainability Index by the World Economic Forum in collaboration with the Yale Center for Environmental Law and Policy and Columbia University Center for International Earth Information Network.
- EPI 2022 uses 40 performance indicators to assess and rank 180 countries. The report says it uses the most recent data, and the indicators “measure how close countries are to meeting internationally established sustainability targets for specific environmental issues”
- The 40 indicators are under the broad categories of climate change performance, environmental health, and ecosystem vitality. The 2022 EPI has included new parameters to its earlier assessments, with projections of progress towards net-zero emissions in 2050, as well as new air quality indicators, and sustainable pesticide use.
India's
Rank:
- With a rank of 180 and a score of 18.9, India has fallen from rank 168 and a score of 27.6 in 2020. India comes after Pakistan, Bangladesh, Vietnam and Myanmar, the poorest performers. Denmark tops the list with a score of 77.9.
- India ranks close to the bottom on a number of indicators including ecosystem vitality (178th), biodiversity (179th), biodiversity habitat index (170th), species protection index (175th), wetland loss, air quality (179th), PM 2.5 (174th), heavy metals such as lead in water (174th), waste management (151st) and climate policy (165th) including projected greenhouse gas emissions (171st).
4. Consider the following statements regarding the
"Rules of Procedure and conduct of Business" for the Parliament
1.
For suspension of a Member of Parliament, a motion has to be passed with simple
majority in the house where the said person is a member.
2.
There is an absolute exclusion of the Judiciary in any matter related to
suspension of any member of the legislature.
Which
of the above statements is/are correct?
a)
1 only
b)
2 only
c)
Both 1 and 2
d)
None of the above
ANSWER
(D)
EXPLANATION:
- Rules of Procedure and conduct of Business of Lok Sabha AND Rules of Procedure and conduct of Business of Rajya Sabha, 1952:
- These are the rules for ensuring the smooth functioning of Parliament which have been unchanged since 1952.
Rules
for suspension:
- First, the presiding officers can direct an MP to withdraw from the House for any disorderly conduct. If the MP continues disrupting the House, the presiding officer can “name” the legislator. After that, the House can move a motion to suspend the MP until the end of the session. These powers are common to the presiding officers of both Houses.
- In 2001, during Speaker G M C Balayogi’s term, Lok Sabha changed its rules to give the Speaker more powers to deal with grave and disorderly conduct. As per this new rule, the Speaker can “name” an MP, who shall then automatically stand suspended for five days or the remaining part of the session. This rule removes the need for the House to pass a motion for suspension.
- Rajya Sabha has not incorporated this provision in its procedures.
Powers of Judicial Review:
- Article 122 says that parliamentary proceedings cannot be questioned before a court: “No officer or Member of Parliament in whom powers are vested by or under this Constitution for regulating procedure or the conduct of business, or for maintaining order, in Parliament shall be subject to the jurisdiction of any court in respect of the exercise by him of those powers”.
- However, in some cases, courts have intervened. For example, the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly passed a resolution in its 2021 Monsoon Session suspending 12 BJP MLAs for a year. The matter came before the Supreme Court, which held that the resolution was ineffective in law beyond the remainder of the Monsoon Session.
5. Which of the following aircraft are popularly known as
flying coffins in India?
a)
MiG-21
b)
Sukhoi
c)
Mirage-2000
d) Jaguar
ANSWER
(A)
EXPLANATION:
- The Indian Air-force operates a mix of legacy and modern fighter jets, including MiG-21, MiG-27, and MiG-29. In the past various accidents have taken place in Mirage 2000s too. However, it is the MiG-21s, which are India's oldest jets that are still in use in India since 1961 with various retrofits and upgrades. These are known as Flying coffins due to their age.
- Why in News: Recently two pilots were killed in an accident where a MiG-21 crashed in Rajasthan.
- India is set to phase out 11 squadrons of these aging MiG-21s (flying coffins) and MiG-27s, the number may dip to 25 squadrons, which would eventually be replaced by Tejas and Rafaels.
6. Consider the following statements:
1.
Silicon has good electron mobility but poor whole mobility.
2.
The thermal conductivity of cubic boron arsenide is almost 10 times greater
than that of silicon.
3.
Silicon is not very good at conducting heat.
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: Silicon has good electron mobility but poor hole mobility, and other materials such as gallium arsenide, widely used for lasers, similarly have good mobility for electrons but not for holes.
- Statement 3 is correct: silicon is not very good at conducting heat, which is why overheating issues and expensive cooling systems are common in computers.
- Statement 2 is correct: The thermal conductivity of cubic boron arsenide is almost 10 times greater than that of silicon. They also showed that the material has a very good bandgap, a property that gives it great potential as a semiconductor material.
7. Consider the following statements:
1.
Money Bill is restricted only to the specified matters and cannot include
within its ambit any other matter.
2.
Before it turned into an Act in 2016, the Aadhaar Bill was introduced as a
money Bill in Lok Sabha.
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
(C)
EXPLANATION:
- Statement 1 is correct: A Money Bill is deemed to contain only provisions dealing with all or any of the matters under clauses (a) to (g) of Article 110(1), largely including the appropriation of money from the Consolidated Fund of India and taxation. In other words, a Money Bill is restricted only to the specified matters and cannot include within its ambit any other matter.
- Statement 2 is correct: Before the Aadhar bill turned into an Act in 2016, the Aadhaar Bill was introduced as a money Bill in Lok Sabha.
8. Consider the following countries:
1.
Oman
2.
Bahrain
3.
Iraq
4.
UAE
5.
Iran
Gulf
Cooperation Council includes which of the above countries?
a)
1, 2 and 3
b)
1, 2 ,3 and 4
c)
1, 2 and 4
d)
1, 2, 3, 4, and 5
ANSWER
(C)
EXPLANATION:
- The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is a political and economic alliance of six countries in the Arabian Peninsula: Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.
- Established in 1981, the GCC promotes economic, security, cultural, and social cooperation between the six states and holds a summit every year to discuss cooperation and regional affairs.
9.
Consider the following statements about Warehousing Development and Regulatory
Authority;
1.
It was constituted in 2010 under the Warehousing (Development and Regulation)
Act, 2007.
2. It is a statutory authority under the commerce
ministry.
3.
It promotes orderly growth of the warehousing business in the country.
Which
of the statements given above is/are correct?
a)
1 only
b)
1 and 2
c)
1, 2 and 3
d)
1 and 3
ANSWER
(D)
EXPLANATION:
Warehousing Development and Regulatory Authority
- It was constituted on 26th October 2010 under the Warehousing (Development and Regulation) Act, 2007. Hence statement 1 is correct.
- It is a statutory authority under the Department of Food and Public Distribution, Government of India. Hence statement 2 is incorrect.
- It is headquartered in New Delhi. The Act provides for the establishment of the WDRA to exercise the powers conferred on it and to perform the functions assigned to it under the Act, Rules and Regulations for the development and regulation of warehouses, negotiability of warehouse receipts and promote orderly growth of the warehousing business in the country. Hence statement 3 is correct.
10.
Gulf of Aden connects which of the following water bodies?
a)
Red sea and Arabian Sea
b)
Mediterranean Sea and Arabian Sea
c)
Red sea and Mediterranean Sea
d)
Black sea and Sea of Marmara.
ANSWER
(A)
EXPLANATION:
Gulf of Aden
- In the northwest, it connects with the Red Sea through the Bab-el-Mandeb strait, and it connects with the Arabian Sea to the east.
- To the west, it narrows into the Gulf of Tadjoura in Djibouti.
