DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 10th April 2023

Syllabus

• Prelims –Science and Technology

Context: Recently, SpaceX launched NASA’s TEMPO air quality monitoring instrument.

About The Tropospheric Emissions: Monitoring of Pollution (TEMPO) instrument:-

IMAGE SOURCE: The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory is working with NASA to Build the First Space-Based Instrument to Continuously Monitor Air Pollution across North America | Smithsonian Global

• The Tropospheric Emissions Monitoring of Pollution (TEMPO) instrument will monitor major air pollutants across North America.
• It is going to be in a geostationary orbit.
  • Geostationary orbit: 36,000 kilometres above the equator, where the orbiting satellite will match the rotation of the Earth.
• It was launched by NASA in a Falcon 9 rocket.
• TEMPO will take important scientific observations, including that of ozone, nitrogen oxide, sulphur dioxide and formaldehyde levels.
• It is a payload on the satellite Intelsat 40E.

Applications:-

• measuring levels of various pollutants
• Provide air quality forecasts
• helping the development of emission-control strategies

Significance:-

• Using TEMPO data, scientists will be able to study rush hour pollution, the potential for improved air quality alerts, the impact of lightning on the ozone layer, the movement of pollution from forest fires and volcanoes and even the effects of fertiliser application.
• TEMPO will join South Korea’s Geostationary Environment Monitoring Spectrometer and the European Space Agency’s Sentinel-4 satellite to become an air quality monitoring satellite constellation that will track pollution across the Northern Hemisphere.
• It will be the first space-based instrument that is capable of measuring air quality over North America hourly during the daytime with a resolution of several square miles.
  • The current limit is about 100 square miles or about 258 square kilometres.

MUST READ: NavIC

SOURCE: THE INDIAN EXPRESS

PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

Q.1) If a major solar storm (solar flare) reaches the Earth, which of the following are the possible effects on the Earth? (2022)

1. GPS and navigation systems could fail.
2. Tsunamis could occur in equatorial regions.
3. Power grids could be damaged.
4. Intense auroras could occur over much of the Earth.
5. Forest fires could take place over much of the planet.
6. Orbits of the satellites could be disturbed.
7. Shortwave radio communication of the aircraft flying over polar regions could be interrupted.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

1. 1, 2, 4 and 5 only
2. 2, 3, 5, 6 and 7 only
3. 1, 3, 4, 6 and 7 only
4. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7

Q.2) Recently, scientists observed the merger of giant ‘blackholes’ billions of light-years away from the earth. What is the significance of this observation? (2019)

1. ‘Higgs boson particles’ were detected.
2. ‘Gravitational waves’ were detected.
3. Possibility of intergalactic space travel through a ‘wormhole’ was confirmed.
4. It enabled the scientists to understand ‘singularity’.

Syllabus

• Prelims –Science and Technology

Context: Recent studies show that radhuni seeds can relax the gut and airways and improve digestion

About Radhuni or wild celery (Trachyspermum roxburghianum):-

• Radhuni is a popular spice in Bengali cuisine used abundantly in West Bengal.
• Its scientific name is Trachyspermum roxburghianum.
• It is not a plant seed but rather dried fruits.
• It is called ajmod in Hindi, asamtavomam in Tamil and ayamodakam in Malayalam.
• It belongs to the family of cumin and fennel fruits, known as
• Distribution: South Asia, South East Asia, and Indonesia.
• In some nations, these are employed as herbal medicines.
• It is usually consumed as part of panch phoron, a blend of five tempering spices traditionally used in Eastern Indian cuisine.

Health benefits of Radhuni masala:-

• This spice is supposed to aid in our bodies’ detoxification.
• Menstrual cramp reduction is another benefit.
• It is also traditionally used to treat coughs and colds, asthma, digestive issues, etc.
• It also aids in the management of inflammation and pain.

Use of radhuni masala:-

• In Bengal, radhuni is a widely used
• It is employed to temper dal.
• The lentil dish masoor dal with radhuni phoron , Shukto in bengal is prepared using radhuni masala.

MUST READ: New genus of parasitic flowering plant

SOURCE: DOWN TO EARTH

PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

Q.1) Among the following crops, which one is the most important anthropogenic source of both methane and nitrous oxide? (2022)

1. Cotton
2. Rice
3. Sugarcane
4. Wheat

Q.2) With reference to “Gucchi” sometimes mentioned in the news, consider the following statements. (2022)

1. It is a fungus.
2. It grows in some Himalayan forest areas.
3. It is commercially cultivated in the Himalayan foothills of north-eastern India.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

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

Syllabus

• Prelims –Science and technology

Context: Recently, the government has given the final go-ahead to India’s Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory, or LIGO, project.

About Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory, or LIGO India, project:-

IMAGE SOURCE: LIGO-India gets the green light | Astronomy.com

• LIGO is an international network of laboratories.
  • It aims to detect the ripples in spacetime produced by the movement of large celestial objects.
• LIGO-India is a collaborative project between a consortium of Indian research institutions and the LIGO Laboratory in the USA, along with its international partners.
• It will be located in the Hingoli district of Maharashtra.
• It will begin scientific runs in
• It was built by the Department of Atomic Energy and the Department of Science and Technology with an MoU with the S. National Science Foundation
• Objective: To detect and study gravitational waves.
• LIGOs are designed to measure changes in distance that are several orders of magnitude smaller than the length of the proton.
• Significance: This project will see India join the global effort to detect and study gravitational waves, which were first theorized in Albert Einstein’s General Theory of Relativity.
• Gravitational waves are extremely weak and difficult to detect.
• They were first directly detected by the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) in 2015.
• LIGO-India is set to become the country’s largest scientific facility after the government gave the final green light for its construction.
• LIGO-India is intrinsically a multidisciplinary mega-science project that requires expertise from a variety of fields (e.g., laser, vacuum, optics, computer, etc., and of course Physics) and provides cutting-edge research opportunities.

MUST READ: India’s Space Economy

SOURCE: THE INDIAN EXPRESS

PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

Q.1) The experiment will employ a trio of spacecraft flying in formation in the shape of an equilateral triangle that has sides one million kilometres long, with lasers shining between the craft.” The experiment in question refers to (2020)

1. Voyager-2
2. New Horizons
3. LISA Pathfinder
4. Evolved LISA

Q.2) Consider the following phenomena (2018)

1. Light is affected by gravity.
2. The Universe is constantly expanding.
3. Matter warps its surrounding space-time.

Which of the above is/are the prediction/predictions of Albert Einstein’s General Theory of Relativity, often discussed in media ?

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

Syllabus

• Prelims –Science and technology

Context: Recently, Eight govt entities were hit by info-stealing malware.

About Raccoon Stealer:-

IMAGE SOURCE: Raccoon Stealer 2.0 Malware analysis – ANY.RUN’s Cybersecurity Blog

• It is an information stealing malware that is usually delivered through email.
• It is a kind of malware that steals various data from an infected computer.
• It was first observed in early 2019.
• Raccoon Stealer v2 first appeared in June of 2022.
  • It is capable of stealing information to include cookies and other browser data, credit card data, usernames, and passwords.
• It is a classic example of information-stealing malware, which cybercriminals typically use to gain possession of sensitive data saved in users’ browsers and cryptocurrency wallets.
• Raccoon Stealer is an info stealer sold on underground hacker/cybercriminal forums.
• In the case of browsers, targeted data typically includes cookies, saved login details, and saved credit card details.
• In the case of cryptocurrency wallets (henceforth, ‘crypto-wallets’), targeted data typically includes public keys, private keys, and seed phrases.
• Risk: once sensitive browser and crypto-wallet data is in the hands of cybercriminals, it will likely be used to conduct harmful activities, such as identity theft, cryptocurrency theft, and credit card fraud.

MUST READ: India’s cyber infrastructure

SOURCE: THE INDIAN EXPRESS

PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

Q.1) The terms ‘Wanna Cry, Petya and Eternal Blue’ sometimes mentioned in the news recently are related to (2018)

1. Exo-planets
2. Crypto-currency
3. Cyber attacks
4. Mini satellite

Q.2) In India, it is legally mandatory for which of the following to report on cyber security incidents?(2017)

1. Service providers
2. Data centres
3. Body corporate

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

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

Syllabus

• Prelims –Science and Technology

Context: As per recent announcements, Bengaluru will soon have India’s first post office constructed using 3D printing technology.

About India’s first 3D-printed post office:-

• India’s first 3D-printed post office would be located in Cambridge Layout in Ulsoor, Bangalore.
• The project is being implemented by Larsen & Toubro, which has experience in constructing 3D-printed buildings.
• It is a 1,100 sqft building which is expected to cost 30-40 per cent less than conventional buildings because of the technological intervention.

About 3D printing:-

IMAGE SOURCE: Benefits of 3d printers | Visual.ly

• 3D printing is a process of making three-dimensional solid objects from a digital file.
• It is achieved using additive processes.
  • In an additive process, an object is created by laying down successive layers of material until the object is created.
  • Each of these layers can be seen as a thinly sliced cross section of the object.
• 3D printing enables you to produce complex shapes using less material than traditional manufacturing methods.

MUST READ: 3D printing

SOURCE:THE INDIAN EXPRESS

PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

Q.1) “3D printing” has applications in which of the following? (2018)

1. Preparation of confectionery items
2. Manufacture of bionic ears
3. Automotive industry
4. Reconstructive surgeries
5. Data processing technologies

Select the correct answer using the code given below :

1. 1, 3 and 4 only
2. 2, 3 and 5 only
3. 1 and 4 only
4. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5

Q.2) Organic Light Emitting Diodes (OLEDs) are used to create digital displays in many devices. What are the advantages of OLED displays over Liquid Crystal displays? (2017)

1. OLED displays can be fabricated on flexible plastic substrates.
2. Roll-up displays embedded in clothing can be made using OLEDs.
3. Transparent displays are possible using OLEDs.

Select the correct answer using the code given below

1. 1 and 3 only
2. 2 only
3. 1, 2 and 3
4. None of the above statements is correct

Syllabus

• Prelims –Environment and Ecology

Context: Recently, a plant fungus infected a researcher in Kolkata.

About Chondrostereum purpureum:-

• Chondrostereum purpureum is a plant fungus.
• It causes silver leaf disease in plants, especially in species of rose families.
  • The silver leaf disease can be detrimental to the growth and health of plants, and can also cause economic losses for farmers.
• Human beings having compromised immune system are most susceptible to fungal infection.
• The recent case of Chondrostereum purpureum infection in a man is due to:-
  • Rising temperature due to global warming.
  • Many species of fungi are thermotolerant and can withstand high temperatures.

MUST READ: Dieback disease

SOURCE: THE TIMES OF INDIA

PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

Q.1) With reference to agriculture in India, how can the technique of `genome sequencing’, often seen in the news, be used in the immediate future? (2017)

1. Genome sequencing can be used to identify genetic markers for disease resistance and drought tolerance in various crop plants.
2. This technique helps in reducing the time required to develop new varieties of crop plants.
3. It can be used to decipher the host-pathogen relationships in crops.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

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

Syllabus

• Prelims –Science and technology

Context: In recent deliberations the experts emphasized on ways to strengthen the National Mission in Interdisciplinary Cyber Physical Systems (NM-ICPS).

About National Mission in Interdisciplinary Cyber Physical Systems (NM-ICPS):-

• National Mission in Interdisciplinary Cyber Physical Systems (NM-ICPS) is a comprehensive mission which would address technology development, application development, human resource development, skill enhancement, entrepreneurship and start-up development in Cyber-Physical Systems and associated technologies.
•  It aims at establishment of 15 numbers of Technology Innovation Hubs, six numbers of Application Innovation Hubs and four numbers of Technology Translation Research Parks (TTRP).
• These Hubs & TTRPs will connect to Academics, Industry, Central Ministries and State Government in developing solutions at reputed academic, R&D and other organizations across the country in a hub and spoke model.
• They mainly focus on four areas:
  • Technology Development,
  • HRD & Skill Development,
  • Innovation,
  • Entrepreneurship & Start-ups Ecosystem Development and International Collaborations.
• Cyber-physical systems:-
• They integrate sensing, computation, control and networking into physical objects and infrastructure, connecting them to the Internet and to each other.
• Potential applications:-
  •  Driverless cars that communicate securely with each other on smart roads
  •  Sensors in the home to detect changing health conditions
  •  Improving agricultural practices
  • Enabling scientists to address issues arising out of climate change,etc.

MUST READ: India and Cyber Power

SOURCE: PIB

PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

Q.1) In India, the term “Public Key Infrastructure” is used in the context of (2020)

1. Digital security infrastructure
2. Food security infrastructure
3. Health care and education infrastructure
4. Telecommunication and transportation infrastructure

Q.2) Consider the following statements about a digital signature: (2019)

1. An electronic record that identifies the certifying authority issuing it.
2. Used to serve as a proof of identity of an individual to access information of server on the Internet.
3. an electronic method of signing an electronic document and ensuring that the original content is unchanged.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

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

Syllabus

• Prelims –Governance

Context: Recently, the government has identified and documented distinctive features of more than one lakh villages across the country under the National Mission for Cultural Mapping.

About National Mission for Cultural Mapping:-

• It was launched by the Ministry of Culture in 2017
• Objective: to build a comprehensive database of artists, art forms and other resources from organisations under the Ministry.
• It is aimed at addressing the necessities of preserving the threads of rich Indian Art and Cultural Heritage, converting vast and widespread cultural canvas of India into an objective Cultural Mapping while creating a strong “Cultural Vibrancy” throughout the nation.
• It encompasses data mapping, demography building, formalising the processes and bringing all cultural activities under one.
•  Volunteers from the Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan, the National Service Scheme and students of sociology and social work would be deputed to collect such data from villages

MUST READ: Culture Mapping of 80 Villages

SOURCE: THE HINDU

PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

Q.1) Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana has been launched for (2015)

1. providing housing loan to poor people at cheaper interest rates
2. Promoting women’s Self-Help Groups in backward areas
3. promoting financial inclusion in the country
4. providing financial help to marginalised communities

Q.2) Consider the following statements: (2015)

1. The Accelerated Irrigation Benefits Programme was launched during 1996-97 to provide loan assistance to poor farmers.
2. The Command Area Development Programme was launched in 1974-75 for the development of water-use efficiency.

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

Syllabus

• Mains – GS 2 (Governance)

Context: The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has recently notified the final rules for online gaming.

• Every state in India, except Goa, Sikkim, and the Union Territory of Daman explicitly prohibits any sort of gambling, betting or wagering on games of chance.
• Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Nagaland, Odisha, Tamil Nadu and Telangana have placed restrictions on games of skill as well.

Key features:

• Defines ‘Online game’ as a game that is offered on the internet and is accessible by a user through a computer resource or an intermediary.
• The government will appoint multiple self-regulatory organisations (SROs) comprising industry representatives, educationists and other experts including psychology experts.
• It prohibits any game that involves betting and wagering.
• KYC verification is mandatory of online gamers of games involving real money.
• MEITY can also notify agencies to factcheck false and misleading information related to government business.

Responsibilities of Intermediaries:

• Intermediaries cannot host, publish or share any online game that can cause the user harm, or that has not been verified as a permissible online game by SROs.
• The intermediary will have to ensure that no advertisement or surrogate advertisement or promotion of an online game that is not permitted, is hosted on its platform.
• The intermediary will have to display a mark of verification by the SROs on such games; inform its users of the policy for withdrawal or refund of deposit, manner of determination and distribution of winnings, fees and other charges.
• The intermediary cannot give credit or enable finances by third parties to the users.

Functions of SROs:

• They will be responsible for declaring online games permissible on the basis of whether games allow wagers.
• The SRO can declare online real money games as permissible if it is satisfied that the online real money game does not involve wagering on any outcome.
• Permissibility will be determined with the simple principle of whether wagering is involved or not.
• It can inquire and satisfy itself that the intermediary and the game comply with the rules, the requirements under law are being competent to enter into a contract (currently at 18 years), and the framework safeguards against user harm.
• It can ensure that online game complies with the measures to safeguard through parental controls, age-rating mechanism, and measures to safeguard users against the risk of gaming addiction.

Significance of the rules:

• This industry is expected to generate revenues in excess of Rs 29,000 crore in 2025 with over 65.7 crore users.
  • It is estimated that more than 15,000 direct and indirect jobs will be created.
• The GST and Income Tax generated from this industry will add to the economic multiplier.
• Potential to attract significant global investments — current investments in gaming companies like Dream11 are good indicators.
• The revenue of the Indian mobile gaming industry is expected to reach $5 billion in 2025.
• The industry grew at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 38% in India between 2017-2020, as opposed to 8% in China and 10% in the US.
• It is expected to grow at a CAGR of 15% to reach Rs 153 billion in revenue by 2024, as per a report by VC firm Sequoia and management consulting company BCG.

Legality of Online Games in India:

• Legal Jurisdiction: The state legislators are, vide Entry No. 34 of List II (State List) of the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India, given exclusive power to make laws relating to betting and gambling.
• Types of Games in India: Most Indian states regulate gaming on the basis of a distinction in law between ‘games of skill’ and ‘games of chance’.
• Test of Type of Game: As such, a ‘dominant element’ test is utilized to determine whether chance or skill is the dominating element in determining the result of the game.
  • This ‘dominant element’ may be determined by examining whether factors such as superior knowledge, training, experience, expertise or attention of a player have a material impact on the outcome of the game.
• Status of Type of Games Allowed: Staking money or property on the outcome of a ‘game of chance’ is prohibited and subjects the guilty parties to criminal sanctions.
  • However, placing any stakes on the outcome of a ‘game of skill’ is not illegal per se and may be permissible.
  • It is important to note that the Supreme Court recognized that no game is purely a ‘game of skill’ and almost all games have an element of chance.
• Common Gaming House:
  • Another concept common to the gaming law in most states is the idea of a ‘common gaming house’.
  • Owning, keeping, or having charge of a common gaming house or being present for the purpose of gaming in any such common gaming house is ordinarily prohibited in terms of these state gaming laws.
  • A common gaming house is defined as any house, walled enclosure, room, or place in which instruments of gaming are kept or used for profit or gain.
  • Pertinently, courts have clarified in the past that the mere charging of an extra fee to facilitate playing the game and/or to maintain the facilities may not necessarily be seen as making a profit or gain.

Issues associated with online gaming:

• Gaming addiction: Numerous people are developing an addiction for online gaming. This is destroying lives and devastating families.
  • Compulsive gaming by children is affecting their performance in schools and impacting their social lives & relationships with family members.
• Impact on psychological health: Online games like PUBG and the Blue Whale Challenge were banned after incidents of violence and suicide.
  • This addiction is also said to be causing near-sightedness in our youth.
• Threat to Data privacy: Inadvertent sharing of personal information can lead to cases of cheating, privacy violations, abuse, and bullying.
• Betting and gambling: Online games based on the traditional ludo, arguably the most popular online game in India, have run into controversy, and allegations of betting and gambling.

Way Forward:

• Build checks and balances to prevent the youth from becoming pathological gamers
• Various high courts have nudged state governments to regulate the virtual gaming landscape.
• The Centre, in a recent advisory to states, has laid out useful dos and don’ts to educate parents and teachers.
  • Incidentally, the Chinese, as is their wont, have announced rules to limit online video games for those under 18 to three hours a week. The Chinese state media has called online gaming the “opium of the mind.”
• There is an urgent need to regulate this industry suitably.
• The government should ensure that KYC norms are strengthened.
  • Each game should follow a well-established age-rating mechanism and minors should be allowed to proceed only with the consent of their parents OTP verification on Aadhaar could potentially resolve this.
• No in-game purchases should be allowed without adult consent and wherever possible, the in-game chat option should be disabled.
• Gaming companies should proactively educate users about potential risks and how to identify likely situations of cheating and abuse.

Source:   Hindustan Times

Syllabus

• Mains – GS 3 (Biotechnology)

Context: 10,000 genomes are expected to be completely sequenced by the end of the year 2023 under the Genome India Project.

About Genome Sequencing:

• A genome is a complete set of genetic instructions which are present in an organism in its DNA.
• Sequencing is the sequence of occurrences of the four nucleotide bases i.e., adenine (A), cytosine (C), guanine (G), and thymine (T).
• The human genome is made up of over 3 billion of these genetic letters.
• The whole genome can’t be sequenced all at once because available methods of DNA sequencing can only handle short stretches of DNA at a time.
• While human genomes are made of DNA (Deoxyribonucleic acid), a virus genome can be made of either DNA or RNA (Ribonucleic acid).
• Coronavirus is made of RNA. Every organism has a unique genome sequence.
• Genome sequencing is a technique that reads and interprets genetic information found within DNA or RNA.

Significance of Genome Sequencing

• Understands the Virus: The purpose of genome sequencing is to understand the role of certain mutations in increasing the virus’s infectivity.
  • Some mutations explain immune escape or the virus’s ability to evade antibodies which have consequences for vaccines.
• Studying Efficacy: It helps in studying whether the vaccines developed so far are effective against such mutant strains of the virus and if can prevent re­infection and transmission.
• Tracing Mutations: Sequencing of the genomes of viral strains is important from a “know-thy-enemy” point of view as it becomes easier to trace the mutations.
  • Scientists can find mutations much more easily and quickly.
• Developing Vaccines: Knowledge generated through vital research assists in developing diagnostics and potential therapeutics and vaccines now and for the potential diseases in the future.
• Vital Information: Important information and findings can be derived from the Genome sequencing of those who tested positive for COVID or any other virus of concern.

Challenges in Genome Sequencing in India

• Very High target: The aim was to sequence at least 5% of the samples, the minimum required to keep track of the virus variants.
  • This has so far been only around 1%, primarily due to insufficient reagents and tools necessary to scale up the process.
• Low Capacity: The ten laboratories together can sequence about 30,000 samples a month, or 1,000 a day, six times less than what is needed to meet the target.
• Sample Collection: The healthcare system is already overstretched and this is one additional task for them to sort and package samples and RNA preparations regularly for shipping in a cold chain to sequencing centres along with recording extensive metadata to make sequence information useful.

About Genome India Project:

• It is a Centre-backed, Department of Biotechnology’s (DBT) initiative to sequence 10,000 Indian human genomes in three years and create a database.
• Progress and the target: The project has sequenced close to 7,000 genomes and 3,000 of these are already available for public access by researchers.
• Stakeholders: About 20 institutions across India are involved in the project though the analysis and coordination is done out of the Centre for Brain Research, Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore.
• Data collection: For conducting the project, investigators in hospitals will lead the data collection through a simple blood test from participants and the information will be added to biobanks.
• Priority areas: Some of the priority areas are Precision health, Rare genetic disorders, Mutation spectrum of genetic and complex diseases in the Indian population, Genetic Epidemiology of Multifactorial Lifestyle Diseases, and Translational Research.

Significance of the Project:

• Disease-based human genetics: The Indian population of 1.3 billion consists of over 4,600 population groups, and many of them are endogamous.
  • These factors have contributed to the genetic diversity of the current population.
  • Thus, the Indian population harbours distinct variations and often many disease-causing mutations are amplified within some of these groups.
  • Therefore, findings from population-based or disease-based human genetics research from other populations of the world cannot be extrapolated to Indians.
• Help in customising drugs and therapies: Creating a database of Indian genomes means that researchers anywhere can learn about genetic variants that are unique to India’s population groups and use that to customise drugs and therapies.
  • The United Kingdom, China, and the United States are among the countries that have programmes to sequence at least 1,00,000 of their genomes.
• Boost to biotechnology sector: It will also boost India’s biotechnology sector to expand and have more valuable companies and start-ups.
• Designing of genome-wide association chips: This would aid in the designing of genome-wide association chips which will facilitate further large-scale genetic studies in a cost-effective manner.

Way Forward:

This project allows India to draw upon its tremendous genetic diversity, given the series of large migrations historically, and thus, add greatly to the current information about the human species. This initiative reflects India’s progress in gene therapies and precision medicine, and its movement towards emerging next-generation medicine which yields the possibilities for greater customization, safety, and earlier detection.

Source:   The Hindu

Q.1) Consider the following statements regarding the National Mission for Cultural Mapping:

1. It was launched by the Ministry of Tourism in 2017
2. It encompasses data mapping, demography building, formalising the processes and bringing all cultural activities under one.

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

Q.2) Consider the following statements regarding the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory, or LIGO-India project:

1. LIGO-India is a collaborative project between a consortium of Indian research institutions and the LIGO Laboratory in the USA.
2. It will be located in the Raichur district of Karnataka
3. It was built by the Department of Atomic Energy

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

Q.3) Radhuni or wild celery (Trachyspermum roxburghianum) often mentioned in the news is a

1. Popular spice variety in India
2. Medicinal plant for cancer treatment
3. Plant fungal disease causing warm
4. None of the above

Comment the answers to the above questions in the comment section below!!

ANSWERS FOR ’ 10th April 2023 – Daily Practice MCQs’ will be updated along with tomorrow’s Daily Current Affairs.st

Q.1) – a

Q.2) – c

Q.3) – b