UPSC Quiz – 2021 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz 9th October 2021

Solution (b)

The Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty (also known as the Madrid Protocol) provides for comprehensive protection of Antarctica, the last great wilderness on earth.

The Protocol was adopted in 1991. It harmonised and expanded on a range of earlier provisions relating to protection of the Antarctic environment.

The Protocol:

• designates Antarctica as a ‘natural reserve, devoted to peace and science’
• establishes environmental principles that must be a fundamental consideration in the planning and conduct of all activities
• prohibits mining indefinitely
• requires that all proposed activities must be subject to a prior assessment of their environmental impacts
• establishes the Committee for Environmental Protection, to develop advice and formulate recommendations to the Antarctic Treaty Parties on implementation of the Protocol
• requires the development of contingency plans to respond to environmental emergencies.

As of May 2013, the protocol has been ratified by 34 parties — Argentina, Australia, Belarus, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, the People’s Republic of China, Czech Republic, Ecuador, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, India, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Peru, Poland, Romania, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States, and Uruguay.

Article Link: 30th anniversary of Madrid Protocol

Solution (a)

The PM Mega Integrated Textile Region and Apparel (PM MITRA) scheme is launched to integrate the entire textile value chain from spinning, weaving, processing/dyeing, printing to garment manufacturing at one location.

The parks are a part of the government’s ‘Farm to Fiber to Factory to Fashion to Foreign’ push.

Under the scheme 7 Mega Integrated Textile Region and Apparel Parks (PM MITRA) will be setup at Greenfield / Brownfield sites located in different willing States.

Maximum Development Capital Support (DCS) of ₹  500 crore to all Greenfield PM MITRA and a maximum of ₹ 200 Crore to Brownfield PM MITRA will be provided for development of Common Infrastructure (@30% of the Project Cost) and ₹ 300 Crore of Competitiveness Incentive Support (CIS) will also be provided to each PM MITRA park for early establishment of textiles manufacturing units in PM MITRA.

The PM MITRA parks will have following:

• Core Infrastructure: Incubation Centre & Plug & Play facility, Developed Factory Sites, Roads, Power, Water and Waste Water system, Common Processing House & CETP and other related facilities e.g. Design Centre, Testing Centres etc.
• Support Infrastructure: Workers’ hostels & housing, logistics park,  warehousing, medical, training & skill development facilities.

The scheme will enhance the competitiveness of the textiles industry, by helping it in achieving economies of scale and will create huge job opportunities for millions of people. Leveraging Economies of Scale, the scheme will help Indian companies to emerge as Global Champions.

Article Link: Textile industry welcomes PM MITRA scheme

Solution (c)

The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has approved the Chhattisgarh government’s proposal to declare the combined areas of the Guru Ghasidas National Park and Tamor Pingla Wildlife Sanctuary as a Tiger Reserve.

The new Reserve is located in the northern part of the state, bordering Madhya Pradesh and Jharkhand. This will be the fourth Tiger Reserve in Chhattisgarh, after the Udanti-Sitanadi, Achanakmar, and Indravati Reserves.

Guru Ghasidas National Park was the last known habitat of the Asiatic cheetah in the country. Originally part of the Sanjay Dubri National Park, Guru Ghasidas Park was created as a separate entity in Chhattisgarh’s Sarguja region after the formation of the state in 2001.

Turning Guru Ghasidas into a Tiger Reserve is important because it connects Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh and provides a corridor for tigers to move between the Bandhavgarh and Palamau Tiger Reserves.

Article Link: India’s newest Tiger Reserve, No. 4 in Chhattisgarh

Solution (c)

Swadesh Darshan Scheme is a central sector scheme of the Ministry of Tourism. It aims for integrated development of theme based tourist circuits in the country.

The entire scheme is based on theme-based tourism. Each theme is called a “circuit” and composed of various tourist destinations.

Under the scheme, fifteen thematic circuits have been identified- Buddhist Circuit, Coastal Circuit, Desert Circuit, Eco Circuit, Heritage Circuit, Himalayan Circuit, Krishna Circuit, North East Circuit, Ramayana Circuit, Rural Circuit, Spiritual Circuit, Sufi Circuit, Tirthankar Circuit, Tribal Circuit, Wildlife Circuit.

Article Link: Ministry of Tourism to organise conference on Buddhist circuit to promote potential of Buddhist tourism

Solution (b)

SVAMITVA (Survey of villages and mapping with improvised technology in village areas) scheme is a new initiative of the Ministry of Panchayati Raj. It aims to provide rural people with the right to document their residential properties so that they can use their property for economic purposes.

The scheme is for surveying the land parcels in rural inhabited area using Drone technology. The survey shall be done across the country in a phase wise manner over the period 2020 -2025.

Objectives of the scheme are:

• To bring financial stability to the citizens in rural India by enabling them to use their property as a financial asset for taking loans and other financial benefits.
• Creation of accurate land records for rural planning.
• Determination of property tax, which would accrue to the GPs directly in States where it is devolved or else, add to the State exchequer.
• Creation of survey infrastructure and GIS maps that can be leveraged by any department for their use.
• To support in preparation of better-quality Gram Panchayat Development Plan (GPDP) by making use of GIS maps.
• To reduce property related disputes and legal cases

Article Link: SVAMITVA Yojna enhanced rural economy’s strength, to be implemented at national level: PM Modi