DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 12th October 2023

Syllabus

• Prelims –SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Context: Bihar witnesses 371 fresh cases of Dengue in 24 hours.

Background:-

• Last month, Bihar officially reported a distressing tally of a dozen deaths attributed to dengue.

About Dengue:-

IMAGE SOURCE: Top 10 Home Remedies

• Dengue is a vector-borne disease.
• Caused by: dengue virus (DENV).
• Transmission: It is transmitted to humans through the bite of an infected female Aedes Aegypti mosquito.
• The mosquito becomes infected when it feeds on the blood of a person infected with the virus.
• There are 4 serotypes of the virus that cause dengue.
  • These are known as DEN-1, DEN-2, DEN-3, and DEN-4.
• Dengue cannot be spread directly from person to person.
• Most cases occur in tropical areas of the world, including the Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia, Southern China, Taiwan, the Pacific Islands, the Caribbean, Mexico, Africa, and Central, and South America.
• It is more common in tropical and subtropical climates.
• It is mostly in urban and semi-urban areas.
• As per WHO, about half of the world’s population is now at risk of dengue with an estimated 100–400 million infections occurring each year.

Symptoms:-

• High fever (40°C/104°F)
• Severe headache
• Pain behind the eyes
• Muscle and joint pains
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Swollen glands
• Rash.

Treatment

• Most cases of dengue fever can be treated at home with pain medicine.

Prevention:-

• DNA Vaccines: DNA vaccines are often referred to as third-generation vaccines. (Dengue and DNA vaccines)
• Wear protective clothing.
• Use mosquito repellent.
• Reduce mosquito habitat.

MUST READ: Zika Virus Disease

SOURCE: DOWN TO EARTH

PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

Q.1) ‘Wolbachia method’ is sometimes talked about with reference to which one of the following? (2023)

1. Controlling the viral diseases spread by mosquitoes
2. Converting crop residues into packing material
3. Producing biodegradable plastics
4. Producing biochar from the thermos-chemical conversion of biomass

Q.2) With reference to recent developments regarding ‘Recombinant vector Vaccines’, consider the following statements: (2021)

• Genetic engineering is applied in the development of these vaccines.
• Bacteria and viruses are used as vectors.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

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

Syllabus

• Prelims –GOVERNANCE

Context: The Secretary of, the Department of Finance Services (DFS) chaired the stakeholder’s meeting on the Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF) recently.

Background:-

• Dr Vivek Joshi, Secretary, Department of Financial Services, Ministry of Finance, Government of India, chaired a Stakeholders meeting on the Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF) in the presence of Dr M. P. Tangirala, Addl. Secretary, DFS, Chairman, NABARD; Managing Director, National Housing Board (NHB); Finance Secretaries and other senior officers from State and UT Governments.

About Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF):-

• Establishment: 1995-96.
• Implementing Agency: National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development(NABARD).
• Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF) was instituted in NABARD with an announcement in the Union Budget 1995-96.
• Objective: giving low-cost fund support to State Govts. and State Owned Corporations for quick completion of ongoing projects relating to medium and minor irrigation, soil conservation, watershed management and other forms of rural infrastructure.
• Funding: The Fund is maintained by the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development(NABARD).
• NABARD:-
  • Establishment: 1982.
  • Ministry: Ministry of Finance, Government of India.
  • It was created by transferring the agricultural credit functions of RBI and refinance functions of the then Agricultural Refinance and Development Corporation (ARDC).
  • Consequent to the revision in the composition of share capital between the Government of India and RBI.
  • NABARD today is fully owned by the Government of India.
  • It is an apex regulatory body for the overall regulation of regional rural banks and apex cooperative banks in India.
  • It is active in developing and implementing financial inclusion.

Financed Activities:-

• The activities to be financed under RIDF as classified under three broad categories namely:-
  • Agriculture and related sectors (Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF))
  • Social sector (Rural Healthcare system)
  • Rural connectivity.

Eligible Institutions:-

• State Governments / Union Territories
• State Owned Corporations / State Govt. Undertakings
• State Govt. Sponsored / Supported Organisations
• Panchayat Raj Institutions/Self Help Groups (SHGs)/ NGOs

Mode of Finance:-

• NABARD releases the sanctioned amount on a reimbursement basis except for the initial mobilization advance @30% to North Eastern & Hilly States and 20% for other States.

Quantum of Loan and Margin/Borrower Contribution:-

• The project for rural connectivity, social and agri-related sectors, is eligible for loans from 80 to 95% of the project cost.
• Cost escalation proposals for certain genuine reasons are considered within two years of sanction.

Rate of interest:-

• With effect from 01 April 2012, the interest rates payable to banks on deposits placed with NABARD and loans disbursed by NABARD from RIDF have been linked to the Bank Rate prevailing at that point in time.

Repayment period:-

• Loan to be repaid in equal annual instalments within seven years from the date of withdrawal, including a grace period of two years.
• The interest shall be paid at the end of each quarter i.e. 31 March, 30 June, 30 September and 31 December every year, including a grace period.

Penal Interest:-

• Interest on the overdue interest amount is to be paid at the same rate as applicable to the principal amount.

Security for Loan:-

• Loans sanctioned would be secured by the irrevocable letter of authority/mandate registered with Reserve Bank of India/any other Scheduled Commercial Bank, Time promissory Note (TPN), Execution of unconditional Guarantee from State Governments (Additionally required for support to State Government sponsored organisations, etc.) and acceptance of terms and conditions of sanction in the duplicate copy of the sanction letter.

Phasing of RIDF projects:-

• The implementation phase for projects sanctioned is spread over 2-5 years, varying with the type of the project and also the location of the State.

MUST READ: Cooperative Sector Reforms

SOURCE: PIB

PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

Q.1) Consider · the following statements in respect of the Constitution Day : (2023)

Statement-I :

Constitution Day is celebrated on 26th November every year to promote constitutional values among citizens.

Statement-II:

On 26 November 1949, the Constituent Assembly of India· set up a Drafting Committee under the Chairmanship of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar

to prepare a Draft of the Constitution of India.

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

1. Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is the correct explanation for Statement-I
2. Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is not the correct explanation for Statement-I
3. Statement-I is correct but Statement II is incorrect
4. Statement-I is incorrect but Statement II is correct

Q.2) If a particular area is brought under the Fifth Schedule of the Constitution of India, which one of the following statements best reflects the consequence of it? (2022)

1. This would prevent the transfer of land from tribal people to non-tribal people.
2. This would create a local self-governing body in that area.
3. This would convert that area into a Union Territory.
4. The State having such areas would be declared a Special Category State.

Syllabus

• Prelims –POLITY-GOVERNMENT INITIATIVES

Context: The government has recently approved the establishment of an autonomous body Mera Yuva Bharat (MY Bharat) for development of youth and youth-led development.

Background:-

• Briefing reporters in New Delhi after the Cabinet meeting, Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Singh Thakur said that there are nearly 40 crore youth in the country who are in the age group of 15-29 years.
• The body will be dedicated to the nation on October 31, the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

About Mera Yuva Bharat (MY Bharat):-

• Establishment: 2023.
• Ministry: Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.
• Mera Yuva Bharat (MY Bharat) is an autonomous body.
• It will serve as an overarching enabling mechanism powered by technology for youth development and youth-led development.
• Objective: The primary objective of Mera Yuva Bharat (MY Bharat) is to make it a whole of Government platform for youth development.
• Under the new arrangement, with access to resources & connection to opportunities, youth would become community change agents and nation builders allowing them to act as the Yuva Setu between the Government and the citizens.
• It seeks to harness the immense youth energy for nation-building.
• It will benefit the youth in the age group of 15-29 years, in line with the definition of ‘Youth’ in the National Youth Policy.
• In the case of programme components specifically meant for adolescents, the beneficiaries will be in the age group of 10-19 years.
• It will provide equitable access to youth to actualize their aspirations and build Viksit Bharat across the entire spectrum of the Government.

Advantages:-

• Leadership Development in the Youth.
• Better alignment between youth aspirations and community needs.
• Enhanced efficiency through Convergence of existing programmes.
• Act as a one-stop shop for young people and Ministries.
• Create a centralized youth database.
• Improved two-way communication to connect youth government initiatives and activities of other stakeholders that engage with youth. (‘Responsible Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Youth’ program launched)
• Ensuring accessibility by creating a physical ecosystem.

Significance: –

• It will help ensure accessibility by creating a physical ecosystem. (National Youth Festival)
• It will help to increase the Youth outreach efforts of the Department of Youth Affairs.

MUST READ: Young Professionals Scheme

SOURCE: AIR

PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

Q.1) Consider the following statements in respect of the election to the President of India (2023)

1. The members nominated to either the House of Parliament or the Legislative Assemblies of States are also eligible to be included in the Electoral College.
2. The higher the number of elective Assembly seats, the higher the value of the vote of each MLA of that State.
3. The value of the vote of each MLA of Madhya Pradesh is greater than that of Kerala.
4. The value of the vote of each MLA of Puducherry is higher than that of Arunachal Pradesh because the ratio of total population to total number of elective seats in Puducherry is greater than compared of Arunachal Pradesh.

How many of the above statements are correct?

1. Only one
2. Only two
3. Only three
4. All four

Q.2) Consider the following statements: (2022)

1. The Attorney General of India and Solicitor General of India are the only officers of the Government who are allowed to participate in the meetings of the Parliament of India.
2. According to the Constitution of India, the Attorney General of India submits his resignation when the Government which appointed him resigns.

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

• Prelims –IMPORTANT PERSONALITIES

Context: Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has paid tributes to Bharat Ratna Nanaji Deshmukh on his Jayanti.

Background:-

• Shri Modi said that Nanaji Deshmukh dedicated his life to the development of villages and tribal areas of the country.

About Nanaji Deshmukh:-

• Birth: 11th October 1916.
• Birthplace: Maharashtra.
• Death: 27th February, 2010.
• Nanaji Deshmukh championed the cause of empowering rural communities through his relentless efforts.
• His life’s work was deeply rooted in the principle of “Antyodaya,” advocating for uplifting the last person in society.
• He embodied this philosophy through his tireless efforts, focusing primarily on the concept of “Gramodaya” – the development of villages.

Polittical Participation:-

• He was a leader of Bharatiya Jana Sangh and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.
• He actively participated in Acharya Vinoba Bhave’s Bhoodan.
• Deshmukh was the main force behind social activist Jayaprakash Narayan’s agitation for total revolution.

Social Work:-

• Nanaji played an important role in carrying out a social restructuring programme in over 500 villages of UP and MP.

 Works in Education:-

• He established Chitarkoot Gramoday Vishwavidyalaya in Chitrakoot.
• It was India’s first rural University.
• He established Saraswati Shishu Mandir (SSM), which runs a chain of private schools in India and is said to be the educational wing of the RSS.
• He started the country’s first SSM at Gorakhpur in 1950.
• He was the founder of the Deendayal Research Institute (DRI) situated at Chitrakoot.

Awards:-

• 1999: He was awarded Padma Vibhushan.
• 2019: He was posthumously awarded the Bharat Ratna.

MUST READ: Gandhi as Political thinker and a Social reformer

SOURCE: PIB

PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

Q.1) Consider the following freedom fighters: (2022)

1. Barindra Kumar Ghosh
2. Jogesh Chandra Chatterjee
3. Rash Behari Bose

Who of the above was/were actively associated with the Ghadar Party?

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

Q.2) With reference to Madanapalle of Andhra Pradesh, which one of the following statements is correct? (2022)

1. Pingali Venkayya designed the tricolour Indian National Flag here.
2. Pattabhi Sitaramaiah led the Quit India Movement of the Andhra region from here.
3. Rabindranath Tagore translated the National Anthem from Bengali to English here.
4. Madame Blavatsky and Colonel Olcott set up the headquarters of the Theosophical Society first here.

Syllabus

• Prelims –INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

Context: The 23rd Council of Ministers of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) met recently.

About the 23rd Council of Ministers of IORA:-

• Date: 11 October 2023.
• Host: Sri Lanka.
• Venue: Colombo, Sri Lanka.
• Theme: “Strengthening Regional Architecture: Reinforcing Indian Ocean Identity.
• Sri Lanka assumed the chairmanship from
• Sri Lanka will serve as chair for the next two years.
• India has assumed the Vice Chair in the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) for the next two years.

About Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA):-

• Establishment:  1997.
• Secretariat: Cyber City, Ebène, Mauritius.
• Objective: to ensure the sustainable development of the Indian Ocean region.
• The IORA is an intergovernmental organization.
• It was formerly known as the Indian Ocean Rim Initiative and the Indian Ocean Rim Association for Regional Cooperation (IOR-ARC).
• Membership: It comprises 23 member states and 11 dialogue partners hailing from regions surrounding the Indian Ocean.
• Members: Australia, Bangladesh, Comoros, French Republic, India, Indonesia, Iran, Kenya, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mozambique, Oman, Seychelles, Singapore, Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates, the Maldives, and Yemen.
• In 2014, India hosted the first Indian Ocean Dialogue in Kochi, Kerala.

Structure:-

• IORA’s apex body is the Council of Foreign Ministers (COM) which meets annually.
• It is the highest decision-making body of IORA.
• The United Arab Emirates (UAE) assumed the role of Chair from November 2019 – November 2021, followed by the People’s Republic of Bangladesh from November 2021 – November 2023.
• A committee of Senior Officials (CSO) meets twice a year to progress IORA’s agenda and consider recommendations by Working Groups and forums of officials, business and academics.

Functions:-

• It manages, coordinates, services and monitors the implementation of policy decisions, work programmes and projects adopted by the member states.
• Strengthen regional cooperation and promote sustainable development within the Indian Ocean region.
• Development through economic cooperation.

Focus Areas:-

• Maritime Security (GREEN MARITIME SECTOR)
• Trade and Investment Facilitation
• Fisheries Management
• Disaster Risk Reduction
• Academic and Scientific Cooperation (Indian Ocean Naval Symposium)
• Tourism Promotion and Cultural Exchanges
• Blue Economy

Significance:-

• The association gains importance by the fact that the Indian Ocean carries half of the world’s container ships, one-third of the world’s bulk cargo traffic and two-thirds of the world’s oil shipments.
• It is a lifeline of international trade and transport and the Indian Ocean region is woven together by trade routes and commands control of major sea lanes.

 MUST READ: International Maritime Exercise

SOURCE: AIR

PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

Q.1) Which one of the following countries has its own Satellite Navigation System? (2023)

1. Australia
2. Canada
3. Israel
4. Japan

Q.2) With reference to India’s satellite launch vehicles, consider the following statements: (2018)

1. PSLVs launch satellites useful for Earth resources monitoring whereas GSLVs are designed mainly to launch communication satellites.
2. Satellites launched by PSLV appear to remain permanently fixed in the same position in the sky, as viewed from a particular location on Earth.
3. GSLV Mk III is a four-stage launch vehicle with the first and third stages using solid rocket motors, and the second and fourth stages using liquid rocket engines.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

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

Syllabus

• Prelims –IMPORTANT PERSONALITIES

Context: The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has paid tributes to Loknayak Jayaprakash Narayan on his birth anniversary.

Background:-

• Union Home Minister Amit Shah unveiled a 15-foot statue of Jayaprakash Narayan or JP on his 120th birth anniversary on Tuesday (October 11), at the socialist icon’s birthplace, Sitab Diara village in Bihar’s Saran district.

About Loknayak Jayaprakash Narayan:-

• Birth: 11 October 1902.
• Birth Place: Sitab Diara, Bihar.
• Death: 8 October 1979.
• He quit college to join the non-cooperation movement.
• He was influenced by the ideas of Karl Marx.
• He was also called JP or Lok Nayak (People’s leader).

Political Participation:-

• 1929: He joined the freedom struggle and the Indian National Congress, upon the invitation of Jawaharlal Nehru and drawn by a speech by Maulana Abul Kalam Azad.
• 1932: he was imprisoned for a year for participation in the civil disobedience movement.
• 1939: he was imprisoned for his opposition to Indian participation in World War II on the side of Britain but escaped.
• He played a key role in the formation of the Congress Socialist Party (1934), a left-wing group within the Congress Party.

Post Independence:-

• After independence took it out of the Congress and formed the Socialist Party, which was merged with J B Kripalani’s Kisan Mazdoor Praja Party to form the Praja Socialist Party
• While Nehru was keen on JP joining the Union government, JP sought to distance himself from electoral politics, opting to focus on social causes instead.

The JP movement:-

• Students in Gujarat began demonstrating in late 1973, in response to mounting mess bills.
• The protests became widespread in the state, with workers, teachers and several other groups joining in the movement, calling for a change in government.
• JP saw the youth of Gujarat that had been able to bring about political change as an alternative route from electoral politics and recognized the power of students.
• The protests against corruption grew widespread, and students of Bihar began their movement in March 1974.
• The students approached JP, who left his self-imposed political exile and led the movement.
• At a rally in Patna on June 5, he called for Sampoorna Kranti (Total Revolution).
  • The program was against corruption and a call for social transformation.

Formation of the Janata Party:-

• JP launched a popular, mass movement against the Indira Gandhi government.
• His opposition led to the formation of the Janata Party government in the 1977 general election, the first non-Congress government in the country.

Awards and Recognition:-

• 1965: JP was awarded the Magsaysay Award for Public Service.
• 1999: JP was posthumously awarded the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian award for his social service.

MUST READ: Mahatma Gandhi

SOURCE: PIB

PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

Q.1) Who among the following is associated with ‘Songs from Prison’, a translation of ancient Indian religious lyrics in English? (2022)

1. Bal Gangadhar Tilak
2. Jawaharlal Nehru
3. Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi
4. Sarojini Naidu

Q.2) The Ghadr (Ghadar) was a: (2014)

1. revolutionary association of Indians with headquarters at San Francisco
2. nationalist organization operating from Singapore
3. militant organization with headquarters at Berlin
4. communist movement for India’s freedom with headquarters at Tashkent

Q1) Consider the following pairs:

How many of the above pairs are correctly matched?

1. Only one
2. Only two
3. All three
4. None

Q2) Consider the following statements

Statement-I :

JP was awarded the Magsaysay Award for Public Service in 2002.

Statement-II :

JP was posthumously awarded the Bharat Ratna in 1999.

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

1. Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is the correct explanation for Statement-I
2. Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is not the correct explanation for Statement-I
3. Statement-I is correct but Statement II is incorrect
4. Statement-I is incorrect but Statement II is correct

Q3) With reference to Dengue, consider the following statements:

• It is caused by dengue virus (DENV).
• It is transmitted to humans through the bite of an infected male Aedes Aegypti mosquito.
• It does not have any vaccine.

How many of the statements given above is/are correct?

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

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

ANSWERS FOR ’  12th October 2023 – Daily Practice MCQs’ will be updated along with tomorrow’s Daily Current Affairs.st

Q.1) – a

Q.2) – c

Q.3) – b