DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 11th January 2024

Syllabus

• Prelims –POLITY

Context: Recently, after a record 1,111 NGOs got Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) nod in 2023, 30 get clearance in January.

Background:-

• A Taiwan-headquartered Buddhist monastic order in Delhi has been granted clearance under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA), 2010, enabling the organisation to receive foreign funds.

About Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA):-

• The Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) was enacted during the Emergency in 1976 amid apprehensions that foreign powers were interfering in India’s affairs.
• The law sought to regulate foreign donations to individuals and associations so that they functioned “in a manner consistent with the values of a sovereign democratic republic”.
• The FCRA was amended in 2010 and 2020 by the government to give tighter control and scrutiny over the receipt and utilization of foreign funds by NGOs.

FCRA Registration:

• NGOs that want to receive foreign funds must apply online in a prescribed format with the required documentation.
• FCRA registrations are granted to individuals or associations that have definite cultural, economic, educational, religious, and social programs.
• Following the application by the NGO, the MHA makes inquiries through the Intelligence Bureau into the antecedents of the applicant, and accordingly processes the application.

FCRA Requirements:

• Broadly, the FCRA requires every person or NGO seeking to receive foreign donations to be:
  • registered under the Act,
  • to open a bank account for the receipt of the foreign funds in State Bank of India, Delhi, and
  • to utilize those funds only for the purpose for which they have been received and as stipulated in the Act.
  • They are also required to file annual returns, and they must not transfer the funds to another NGO.
• Changes in FCRA Rules:
  • The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in 2022 changed FCRA rules and increased the number of compoundable offences under the Act from 7 to 12.
  • The amendment also gave exemption from intimation to the government for contributions less than Rs 10 lakh – the earlier limit was Rs 1 lakh — received from relatives abroad, and increase in time limit for intimation of opening of bank accounts.
• Validity of FCRA Approval:
  • Once granted, FCRA registration is valid for five years.
  • NGOs are expected to apply for renewal within six months of the date of expiry of registration.
  • In case of failure to apply for renewal, the registration is deemed to have expired.
  • Once expired, the NGO is no longer entitled to receive foreign funds or utilize its existing funds without permission from the ministry.

Challenges of regulating foreign contributions:

• Administrative Delays.
• Stringent Compliance Requirements
• Political Interference
• Ambiguity in the Law
• Lack of Clarity

 MUST READ: Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) and NGO

SOURCE: THE HINDU

PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

Q.1) With reference to India, consider the following statements: (2021)

1. Judicial custody means an accused is in the custody of the concerned magistrate and such an accused is locked up in a police station, not in jail.
2. During judicial custody, the police officer in charge of the case is not allowed to interrogate the suspect without the approval of the court.

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 pairs: (2020)

International agreement/ set-up Subject

1. Alma-Ata Declaration – Healthcare of the people
2. Hague Convention – Biological and Chemical Weapons
3. Talanoa Dialogue – Global Climate Change
4. Under2 Coalition – Child Rights

Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?

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

Syllabus

• Prelims –POLITY

Context: Recently, Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh has said that the state government may consider setting up a committee to discuss the Scheduled Tribe status of Kukis in the state.

Background:-

• He was responding to questions about a representation made by a Meitei leader seeking that Kukis be removed from the list, while reiterating the long-pending demand of Meiteis for ST status.

About Kuki Tribe:-

• The Kukis are an ethnic group including multiple tribes originally inhabiting the North-Eastern states of India such as Manipur, Mizoram and Assam; parts of Burma (now Myanmar), and Sylhet district and Chittagong hill tracts of Bangladesh.
• The tribes associated with it came to be generically called Kuki under colonial rule.
• In Manipur, the various Kuki tribes, living mainly in the hills, currently make up 30% of the total population of the State.
• They are present in all Northeast Indian states except Arunachal Pradesh. ( Significance of Tribal Culture in Sustainable Development)
• Around fifty tribes of Kuki peoples in India are recognised as scheduled tribes.
• Traditionally the Kuki lived in small settlements in the jungles, each ruled by its own chief.
• The Kuki live an isolated existence in the bamboo forests, which provide them with their building and handicraft materials.
• Normally they do not arrange any marriage alliance outside their community.
• Traditionally they were not Christian but animist and worshipped different deities and spirits.
• But for the last 90 years, the majority of them have embraced Christianity as their religion.
• They have their own customary laws and village council.
• LAL is a term to denote village chief.
• The village chief generally looks up all sorts of social and religious disputes Including disputes related to marriage and divorce.

MUST READ:  Kuki Insurgency in Manipur

SOURCE: THE INDIAN EXPRESS

PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

Q.1) Consider the following statements about Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) in India: (2019)

1. PVTGs reside in 18 States and one Union Territory.
2. A stagnant or declining population is one of the criteria for determining PVTG status.
3. There are 95 PVTGs officially notified in the country so far.
4. Irular and Konda Reddi tribes are included in the list of PVTGs.

Which of the statements given above is correct?

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

Q.2) With reference to the ‘stand up India scheme’, which of the following statement is/are correct? (2016)

1. Its purpose is to promote entrepreneurship among SC/ST and women entrepreneurs.
2. It provides for refinancing through SIDBI.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

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

Syllabus

• Prelims –ECONOMY

Context: Recently, US regulators for the first time approved exchange-traded funds that invest directly in Bitcoin.

Background:-

• This move is heralded as a landmark event for the roughly $1.7 trillion digital-asset sector that will broaden access to the largest cryptocurrency on Wall Street and beyond.

About Bitcoin:-

• Bitcoin is a type of digital currency that enables instant payments to anyone.
• Bitcoin was introduced in 2009.
• Bitcoin is based on an open-source protocol and is not issued by any central authority.
• The origin of Bitcoin is unclear, as is who founded it.
  • A person, or a group of people, who went by the identity of Satoshi Nakamoto are said to have conceptualised an accounting system in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis.
• Bitcoin is the first decentralized digital currency. (Non Fungible Tokens)
• Bitcoins are digital coins you can send through the Internet.
• Bitcoins are transferred directly from person to person via the net without going through a bank or clearinghouse.

Advantages:-

• Low transaction cost.
• Lack of interference from the banking system.
• Lower Entry Barriers.

Disadvantages:-

• Assets are not backed by tangible entities such as land.
• Wastes computer power.
• Enables crime.
• Encourages anarchy.

MUST READ: Cryptocurrency

SOURCE: BUISINESS LINE

PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

Q1. The terms ‘WannaCry, Petya and EternalBlue’ sometimes mentioned in the news recently are related to (2018)

1. Exoplanets
2. Cryptocurrency
3. Cyber attacks
4. Mini satellites

Q2.  In India, it is legally mandatory for which of the following to report on cyber security incidents?

1. Service providers
2. Intermediaries
3. Corporate bodies

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

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

Syllabus

• Prelims –GOVERNMENT INITIATIVES

Context: Recently, the Union Minister for Textiles, Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution and Commerce and Industry, reviewed progress of Bharat Tex 2024.

Background:-

• The Union Minister also shared his vision and new ideas for branding and promoting Bharat Tex 2024 .

About Bharat Tex 2024:-

• Date: February 26 to February 29, 2024.
• Venue: New Delhi.
• The event, taking place at both Bharat Mandapam and the newly constructed Yashobhoomi in New Delhi.
• India’s textile industry, in collaboration with industry associations, will host “Bharat Tex 2024,”.
• It is being hailed as the world’s largest textile event.
• Bharat Tex 2024 represents India’s 5F vision, encapsulating the entire textile journey from Farm to Fibre to Factory to Fashion to Foreign.
• This vision emphasizes India’s readiness to compete globally in the textile sector, producing not only for the domestic market but also for the international audience.
• The four-day event is expected to attract global CEOs, policymakers, and more than 3,500 exhibitors from around the world.
• It signifies India’s ambitious aspiration to establish itself as a global textile powerhouse driven by innovation, cooperation, and the “Make in India” ethos. (Atmanirbharta for New India)

MUST READ: Textile Industry in India

SOURCE: PIB

PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

Q.1) Consider the following statements with reference to India: (2023)

1. According to the ‘Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development (MSMED) Act, 2006’, ‘medium enterprises’ are those with investments in plant and machinery between (‘ 15 crores and ’25 crore.)
2. All bank loans to Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises qualify under the priority sector.

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: (2022)

1. The India Sanitation Coalition is a platform to promote sustainable sanitation and is funded by the Government of India and the World Health Organisation.
2. The National Institute of Urban Affairs is an apex body of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs in the Government of India and provides innovative solutions to address the challenges of Urban India.

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 –SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Context: Recently, the WHO lanuches ICD-11, Traditional Medicine Module 2.

Background:-

• Union Minister of State for Ayush Dr. Munjpara Mahendrabhai launched the Module.

About ICD-11, Traditional Medicine Module 2:-

• WHO has developed a classification series called ICD to classify diseases internationally.
• The ICD provides information on the worldwide extent, causes and consequences of human disease and death through coded data.
• The ICD is developed and annually updated by the World Health Organization.
• The Ministry of AYUSH, in collaboration with WHO, has prepared a classification of data and terminology related to diseases based on AYUSH-ASU systems under the TM2 module of the ICD 11 series.
• The data and terminology relating to diseases based on Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani Medicine have been included in the WHO ICD-11 classification.
• With this effort, the terminology defining diseases in Ayurveda, Unani and Siddha medicine has been indexed as a code and included in the WHO Disease Classification Series ICD-11.
• The Ministry of Ayush has already developed the Code for Ayurveda, Siddha, and Unani Medicine through the National Ayush Morbidity and Standardized Electronic Portal (NAMSTE).
• Central Bureau of Health Intelligence (CBHI) is an agency under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare that serves as the WHO Collaboration Centre for ICD-related activities.
• The Ministry of AYUSH has also signed a Donor Agreement with the World Health Organization for the same.

Significance:-

• Inclusion of Morbidity Codes of Ayurveda, Unani and Siddha will give a boost to traditional medicine in a big way.
• This effort will bring global uniformity in ASU (Ayurveda, Unani and Siddha) medicine in the form of a code of terminology defining diseases.

MUST READ: WHO and Traditional Medicine

SOURCE: PIB

PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

Q.1) Consider the following statements in relation to Janani Suraksha Yojana (2023)

1. It is a safe motherhood intervention of the State Health Departments.
2. Its objective is to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality among poor pregnant women.
3. It aims to promote institutional delivery among poor pregnant women.
4. Its objective includes providing public health facilities to sick infants up to one year of age.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

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

Q.2) Consider the following statements in the context of interventions being undertaken under the Anaemia Mukt Bharat Strategy: (2023)

1. It provides prophylactic calcium supplementation for preschool children, adolescents and pregnant women.
2. It runs a campaign for delayed cord clamping at the time of childbirth.
3. It provides for periodic deworming to children and adolescents.
4. It addresses non-nutritional causes of anaemia in endemic pockets with a special focus on malaria, hemoglobinopathies and fluorosis.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

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

Syllabus

• Prelims –ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

Context: Recent reports suggest that over 25,000 people displaced by the Pong dam have been waiting to be relocated for over five decades.

Background:-

• Many of them were surviving by farming around the dam region. But a draft policy to declare Pong Dam eco-sensitive zone (ESZ) is likely to impact these oustees again, who are planning to protest against the Union ministry of forest, environment and climate change (MoEFCC ) decision.

About Pong dam:-

IMAGE SOURCE: researchgate.net

• Location: Kangra District of Himachal Pradesh.
• It was built on the Beas River.
• Pong Dam Lake is constructed for generating hydroelectricity and for irrigation purposes.
• It was constructed in 1975.
• The dam is based on the foothills of the Shivaliks.
• The Pong Dam is the highest earth fill dam in India.( Mullaperiyar dam issue)
• It is also known as the Beas Dam, Maharana Pratap Sagar and Pong Reservoir.
• The region boasts of rich wildlife and is a breeding ground of commercially viable fish.
• The reservoir is home to a large number of birds and hence, has been converted into a Bird Sanctuary.
• Pong Dam Lake was designated a Ramsar site in 2002 under the Ramsar criteria 5 and 8.
• The reservoir is bounded by the rugged Dhauladhar mountain range, the low foothills of the Himalaya on the northern edge of the Indo-Gangetic plains.

MUST READ: National Dam Safety Authority

SOURCE: DOWN TO EARTH

PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

Q.1) Consider the following pairs:

Reservoirs              :     States

1. Ghataprabha :     Telangana
2. Gandhi Sagar :     Madhya Pradesh
3. Indira Sagar :       Andhra Pradesh
4. Maithon :             Chhattisgarh

How many pairs given above are not correctly matched? (2022)

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

Q.2) Consider the following statements: (2019)

1. Under Ramsar Convention, it is mandatory on the part of the Government of India to protect and conserve all the wetlands in the territory of India.
2. The Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2010 were framed by the Government of India based on the recommendations of the Ramsar Convention.
3. The Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2010 also encompass the drainage area or catchment regions of the wetlands as determined by the authority.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

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

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 :

Bitcoin is the first decentralized digital currency.

Statement-II :

Bitcoins are transferred indirectly from person to person.

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 the Kuki tribe, consider the following statements:

1. They are present in all Northeast Indian states except Assam.
2. Around fifty tribes of Kuki peoples in India are recognised as scheduled tribes.
3. LAL is a term to denote village chief.

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. 3 only

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

ANSWERS FOR ’  11th January 2024 – Daily Practice MCQs’ will be updated along with tomorrow’s Daily Current Affairs.st

Q.1) – c

Q.2) – d

Q.3) – a