Daily Current Affairs for UPSC – 6 February 2023

Daily Current Affairs for UPSC 2023

Q) Recently seen in news, the ‘Operation Sadbhavana’ is related to which one of the following?

1. Joint military operation of India and Central Asian nations
2. Rescue and rehabilitation of abducted children
3. Awareness generation program against manual scavenging
4. An initiative of Indian Army in remote areas of Ladakh

Daily Current Affairs for UPSC – 4 February 2023

Explanation:

• Option (4) is correct: The Indian Army has launched Operation Sadbhavana with the aim of supporting children in remote areas of Ladakh. The operation is a goodwill initiative of the Indian Army in the Union Territories of J&K and Ladakh, which has been implemented since 1998. The Indian Army is presently running 7 Army Goodwill Schools under ‘Operation Sadbhavana’ in Ladakh Region. The focus of Operation is to improve the overall core social indices of the region by improving Education, Women & Youth Empowerment, and Health care through implementation of community/infrastructure development projects. Women in remote areas of Ladakh are also being inducted in Vocational Training Centres, Women Empowerment Centres and Computer Centres organised and funded through Sadbhavana.

Q) With reference to ‘MISHTI’ Scheme, consider the following statements:

1. The programme aims to protect mangrove habitats on saltpan areas and along India’s coastline.
2. It will be implemented through convergence of funds available under MGNREGS and CAMPA.
3. It was launched during COP27 to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change held in November 2022.

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

Explanation:

• Statement 1 is correct: MISHTI (Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats & Tangible Incomes) Scheme is a new programme that will facilitate mangrove plantations along India’s coastline and on saltpan lands. The scheme is aimed at improving the management and preservation of mangrove habitats along coastlines. It also seeks to provide tangible income to the local communities that depend on these habitats for their livelihoods.
• Statement 2 is correct: MISHTI will be implemented through convergence between the MGNREGS (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme), CAMPA (Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority) Fund and other sources. By promoting the sustainable use and management of mangrove habitats, the MISHTI initiative seeks to ensure the long-term health of these ecosystems. Additionally, by providing tangible income to these communities, the initiative can help support their livelihoods and improve their standard of living.
• Statement 3 is incorrect: The Union Budget for 2023-24 announced an initiative for mangrove plantation along the coastline and on saltpan lands, under MISHTI (Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats & Tangible Incomes). MISHTI is in line with India’s Nationally Determined Contributions of creating an additional carbon sink of 2.5-3 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) equivalent by 2030.

Q) Consider the following statements:

1. Vaccine-derived poliovirus (VDPV) is caused by a strain related to the dormant poliovirus contained in the oral polio vaccine.
2. Inactivated poliovirus vaccine (IPV) consists of inactivated (killed) poliovirus strains of all three poliovirus types.

Which of the statements given above is/are not correct?

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

Explanation:

• Statement 1 is incorrect: A vaccine-derived poliovirus (VDPV) is a strain related to the weakened live poliovirus contained in oral polio vaccine (OPV). VDPVs emerge when not enough people are vaccinated against polio, and the weakened strain of the poliovirus from OPV spreads among under-immunised populations. The live attenuated (weakened) vaccine virus provides better immunity in the gut, which is where polio replicates. The vaccine virus is also excreted in the stool, and in communities with low-quality sanitation, it can spread from person to person. This mutated poliovirus can then spread in communities, leading to VDPVs. Recently a WHO committee has found that the risk of circulating vaccine-derived polio is high.
• Statement 2 is correct: Inactivated poliovirus vaccine (IPV) consists of inactivated (killed) poliovirus strains of all three poliovirus types. IPV is given as an injection in the leg or arm, depending on the person’s age and protects against paralytic disease caused by any type of poliovirus, including VDPV. WHO reiterates to all Member States the importance of reaching and maintaining polio vaccination coverage of more than 95% in each district or municipality. In addition, access to clean water, good hand hygiene habits, modern sewage systems and wastewater management further prevent poliovirus, from spreading.

Q) With reference to the ‘Green Deal Industrial Plan’, consider the following statements:

1. It is an agreement between G-20 countries to improve their manufacturing practices to reach climate neutrality by 2050.
2. The goal of the proposal is to open up access to resources like rare earth elements, which are essential for creating net-zero technologies.

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

Explanation:

• Statement 1 is incorrect: European Union (EU) has revealed the “Green Deal Industrial Plan”. Its objective is to provide a more supportive environment for the scaling up of the EU’s manufacturing capacity for the net-zero technologies and products required to meet Europe’s ambitious climate targets. EU included the environmental issue in its policies by including the principle of “polluter pays” in the Single European Act signed in 1987. European Green Deal was presented on 11 December 2019 and sets the goal of making Europe the first climate-neutral continent by 2050. It aims to set the EU on the path to a green transition, with the ultimate goal of reaching climate neutrality by 2050. It supports the transformation of the EU into a fair and prosperous society with a modern and competitive economy.
• Statement 2 is correct: The plan seeks to formulate a Net-Zero Industry Act, which will not only simplify rules but also speed up the issuance of permits for green projects, such as renewable energy generation arrays, carbon capture and renewable hydrogen production facilities. It also aims to provide access to materials like rare earths that are crucial for developing net-zero technology. European Climate Law enshrines in binding legislation the EU’s commitment to climate neutrality and the intermediate target of reducing net greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030, compared to 1990 levels.

Q) Consider the following statements about Muon:

1. They are subatomic particles that are similar to protons.
2. They are highly stable and can exist for a very long time.
3. They are produced when cosmic rays and atmospheric particles of Earth collide.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

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

Explanation:

• Statements 1 and 2 are incorrect but statement 3 is correct: Muons are subatomic particles raining from space. They are created when the particles in Earth’s atmosphere collide with cosmic rays-clusters of high-energy particles that move through space at just below the speed of light. Studies suggest that about 10,000 muons reach every square metre of the Earth’s surface a minute. These particles resemble electrons but are 207 times as massive. Therefore, they are sometimes called “fat electrons”. Because muons are so heavy, they can travel through hundreds of metres of rock or other matter before getting absorbed or decaying into electrons and neutrinos. In comparison, electrons can penetrate through only a few centimetres. Muons are highly unstable and exist for just 2.2 microseconds.

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