DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 27th January 2024

Syllabus

• Prelims –ECONOMY/AGRICULTURE

Context: Recently, CSIR’s Republic Day Tableau highlights the Purple Revolution through Lavender Cultivation in Jammu & Kashmir.

Background:-

• Under the Viksit Bharat theme, Tableau highlights the Lab-to-Market success story of CSIR.

About Lavender Cultivation:-

• The Ministry of Science and Technology initiated the Purple Revolution or Lavender Revolution in 2016.
• The Aroma Mission of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research led the Purple Revolution.

Objectives:–

• To promote the cultivation of aromatic crops for essential oils.
• To enable Indian farmers and the aroma industry to become global leaders.
• To provide benefits to the farmers in achieving higher profits, utilization of waste lands and protection of their crops from wild and grazing animals.
• Provided employment to women farmers
• Under this, the government aims to promote lavender crops by incentivising farmers to shift to the indigenous aromatic crop from other foreign alternatives.
• The nodal laboratory for the Aroma Mission is the CSIR-Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (CSIR-CIMAP),
• Farmers who produced lavender for the first time were provided free lavender seedlings as part of the goal.
• Those who had sown the crop before were paid 5-6 by the government per plant.

Significance:-

• It is expected to enable Indian farmers and the aroma industry.
• Lavender cultivation has employed about 5,000 farmers and young entrepreneurs in geographically remote areas of J&K.
• It will promote the cultivation of aromatic crops for essential oils that are in great demand by the aroma industry.
• This will help in the production of an additional 700 tonnes of essential oil for perfumery, cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries.

MUST READ: Accelerating the Green Revolution

SOURCE: PIB

PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

Q.1) Consider the following statements: (2023)

1. The Government of India provides Minimum Support Price for niger (Guizotia aoyssinica) seeds.
2. Niger is cultivated as a Kharif crop.
3. Some tribal people in India use niger seed oil for cooking.

How many of the above statements are correct?

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

Q.2) Which of the following factors/policies were affecting the price of rice in India in the recent past? (2020)

1. Minimum Support Price
2. Government’s trading
3. Government’s stockpiling
4. Consumer subsidies

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

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

Syllabus

• Prelims –INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

Context: Recently, the President of India received the President of the French Republic at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Background:-

• Welcoming President Macron at Rashtrapati Bhavan, the President said that the leaders of two countries being guests of honour in each other’s successive National Day parade and celebrations is a historic moment, and a symbol of the depth of our friendship and the strength of our partnership.

About India and France Relations:-

• India and France are long-standing strategic partners in the Indo-Pacific.
• The diplomatic relations between the two countries were established in 1947.
• The relations upgraded to the strategic level in 1998.

Defence:-

• France is one of India’s key partners in the development of a self-reliant defence industrial and technological base.
• India and France are committed to cooperating in the co-development and co-production of advanced defence technologies, including for the benefit of third countries.
• An agreement for building six Scorpène submarines in India with French help was signed in 2005.
• The government-to-government agreement for 36 Rafale aircraft has taken place.

Economic:-

• Bilateral trade of over USD 12 billion in 2021-22.
• France is the 11th largest foreign investor in India.

Science and Technology:-

• For the first time, the two countries concluded a Joint Vision for Space Cooperation in 2018.
• As for nuclear energy, the two leaders must review progress in the joint construction of the world’s largest nuclear park in Jaitapur, Maharashtra.
• An agreement was signed about a decade ago for building six EPR (European Pressurized Reactors) nuclear power reactors with a total capacity of 9.6 GW for which negotiations have been on-going between the Nuclear Power Corporation of India (NPCIL) and Areva.

Environment:-

• The International Solar Alliance is set in motion jointly by India and France.
• France offered an extra $861.5 million by 2022 for solar projects in developing countries.

Bilateral military exercises:-

• Exercise Shakti (Army)
• Exercise Varuna (Navy)
• Exercise Garuda (Air Force)
• IMEX 22

MUST READ: Exercise ‘Varuna’ 2023

SOURCE: PIB

PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

Q.1) Which one of the following countries have been suffering from decades of civil strife and food shortages and was in the news in the recent past for its very severe famine? (2023)

1. Angola
2. Costa Rica
3. Ecuador
4. Somalia

Q.2) Consider the following statements: (2023)

The ‘Stability and Growth Pact’ of the European Union is a treaty that

1. Limits the levels of the budgetary deficit of the countries of the European Union.
2. makes the countries of the European Union share their infrastructure facilities
3. enables the countries of the European Union to share their technologies

How many of the above statements are correct?

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

Syllabus

• Prelims –ECONOMY

Context: Recently, Direct tax-GDP ratio rose to 15-year high in FY-2023.

Background:-

• Direct tax-to-GDP ratio, rose to a 15-year high of 6.11 per cent in the financial year 2022-23, time-series data released by the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) under the Ministry of Finance.

About tax-GDP ratio:-

• Tax to GDP ratio measures how much tax is collected in relation to the country’s GDP.
• It reflects the share of taxes in the overall output generated in the country.
• The tax-GDP ratio is used to determine how well the government controls a country’s economic resources.
• The tax-to-GDP ratio measures the size of a country’s tax revenue compared to its GDP.
• The higher the tax-to-GDP ratio, the better the country’s financial position.
• The direct tax-to-GDP ratio is the ratio of direct tax collected compared to national gross domestic product (GDP).
• Direct Tax is a tax levied directly on a taxpayer’s income, profit or revenue who pays it to the Government and cannot pass it on to someone else.

Implications of increase in direct tax-GDP ratio:-

• Due to an increase in direct tax revenues, the State can spend on national security, welfare system, public goods, etc.
• The borrowing can be reduced and the fiscal deficit be reduced.
• Higher tax collections increase the capacity of the government to incur expenditure for welfare schemes.
• There will be decreased dependence on indirect taxes which are regressive in nature.
• There will be a decrease in social inequality.

Significance:-

• The tax-to-GDP ratio is a key indicator of economic health.
• This signifies the efficiency of tax collection and the broadening of the tax base, reflecting a robust fiscal environment.

MUST READ: Tax administration in India

SOURCE: THE INDIAN EXPRESS

PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

Q.1) What is/are the most likely advantages of implementing ‘Goods and Services Tax (GST)’? (2017)

1. It will replace multiple taxes collected by multiple authorities and will thus create a single market in India.
2. It will drastically reduce the ‘Current Account Deficit’ of India and will enable it to increase its foreign exchange reserves.
3. It will enormously increase the growth and size of the economy of India and will enable it to overtake China in the near future.

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

Q.2) Consider the following statements : (2017)

1. Tax revenue as a percent of the GDP of India has steadily increased in the last decade.
2. Fiscal deficit as a percent of the GDP of India has steadily increased in the last decade.

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 –Environment and Ecology

Context: Recent reports suggest that, Agulhas long-billed lark is adapting and surviving despite farming taking over their nesting grounds in South Africa.

Background:-

• Because it only occurs in a small part of South Africa, the Agulhas long-billed lark presents ecotourism value and forms part of South Africa’s unique biodiversity.

About Agulhas long-billed lark:-

• Scientific Name: Certhilauda brevirostris.
• It is a small passerine bird.
• The Agulhas long-billed lark is only found in South Africa.
• It builds nests on the ground mainly in Renosterveld fynbos, a type of vegetation filled with grasses and wild spring flowers that is critically endangered by agricultural expansion.
• It is an endemic resident breeder in the Western Cape, South Africa.
• Its restricted range is centred on the Agulhas arable farmlands, from east of the Hottentots-Holland mountain range to Mossel Bay, and occupies a maximum of 15,000 km2 (5,800 sq mi).
• The Agulhas long-billed lark is 18–20 cm (7.1–7.9 in) in length.
• It is long-tailed and has a longish curved bill.
• It has a streaked buff-grey head and back, and the closed wings are grey.
• The underparts are cream-coloured with dark streaking on the breast and flanks.

Conservation status:-

• IUCN: Near-threatened

MUST READ:  Zebrafish

SOURCE: DOWN TO EARTH

PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

Q.1) ‘Invasive Species Specialist group’ (that develops Global Invasive Species Database) belongs to which one of the

following organizations? (2023)

1. The International Union for Conservation of Nature
2. The United Nations Environment Programme
3. The United Nations World Commission for Environment and Development
4. The World Wide Fund for Nature

Q.2) Which one of the following is a filter feeder? (2021)

1. Catfish
2. Octopus
3. Oyster
4. Pelican

Syllabus

• Prelims –SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Context: Recently, India is building its own ‘sovereign AI’.

Background:-

• India has pitched itself as a country that has effectively used technology to develop and deliver governance solutions at a mass scale.

About Sovereign AI:-

• Sovereignty in AI refers to a nation’s capability to exercise control and authority over AI technologies developed, utilized, or deployed within its jurisdiction.
• Sovereign AI emphasizes a nation’s desire to protect its interests, ensure ethical AI usage, promote national security, drive economic growth, and maintain control over critical AI infrastructure and applications.
• Governments need to create policies, laws, and regulations governing AI research, development, and deployment to ensure compliance with ethical standards, data privacy, security, and accountability.
• Nations need to formulate comprehensive strategies outlining AI development goals, investment plans, skill development, and ethical guidelines to drive innovation and competitiveness.
• Data Sovereignty is required.
• Sovereign AI involves efforts to develop AI technologies for national security, defense, and surveillance.
• It is important to incorporate ethical considerations into AI development and deployment.( A new global standard for AI ethics)

India and Sovereign AI:-

• The government of India wants to establish sovereign AI, emphasizing the importance of developing its own AI ecosystem rather than relying solely on global players like Google and Meta.
• Objective: to leverage AI for economic development and offer a sanctioned AI compute infrastructure for various use cases.
• The focus will be not only on competing in generative AI models but also on addressing real-world applications in healthcare, agriculture, governance, language translation, and more.
• India’s Ministry of Electronics and IT has proposed the creation of an India Datasets platform as part of the National Data Governance Framework Policy.
• The platform aims to house non-personal and anonymized datasets from Central government entities, which have collected data from Indian citizens.
• The objective is to make this non-personal data accessible to startups and Indian researchers, fostering an environment for artificial intelligence (AI) and data-led research and startups in the country.

MUST READ: ChatGPT and the AI challenge

SOURCE: THE INDIAN EXPRESS

 PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

Q.1) With reference to Web 3.0, consider the following statements:

1. Web 3.0 technology enables people to control their own data.
2. In Web 3.0 world, there can be blockchain based social networks.
3. Web 3.0 is operated by users collectively rather than a corporation

Which of the following given above are correct? (2022)

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

Q.2) Which one of the following is the context in which the term “qubit” is mentioned? (2022)

1. Cloud Services
2. Quantum Computing
3. Visible Light Communication Technologies
4. Wireless Communication Technologies

Syllabus

• Prelims –IMPORTANT AWARDS

Context: As per recent announcements, former Bihar CM Karpoori Thakur to be conferred Bharat Ratna posthumously.

Background:-

• Karpoori Thakur had made his debut as a legislator when he won the 1952 elections and remained one till his last Assembly election in 1985.
• Often remembered as the “voice of the oppressed and the downtrodden”, Thakur served as the chief minister of Bihar from December 1970 to June 1971 and from December 1977 to April 1979.
• Also called ‘jannayak’, he is widely considered as the pioneer of OBC and EBC reservations in the country.
• As the CM in 1978, Thakur implemented a layered reservation regime, despite resistance from the Bharatiya Jan Sangh, a major constituent of the then Janata Party government.

About Bharat Ratna:-

• Bharat Ratna is the highest civilian award in the country.
• It is awarded in recognition of exceptional service/performance of the highest order in any field of human endeavour.
• The recommendations for Bharat Ratna are made by the Prime Minister to the President of India.
• No formal recommendations for Bharat Ratna are necessary.
• The number of Bharat Ratna Awards is restricted to a maximum of three in a particular year.
• On conferment of the award, the recipient receives a certificate signed by the President and a medallion.
• The award does not carry any monetary grant.
• In terms of Article 18 (1) of the Constitution, the award cannot be used as a prefix or suffix to the recipient’s name.
• Dr.S. Radhakrishnan, C. Rajagopalachari and C.V. Raman were the first recipients of Bharat Ratna when it was instituted in 1954.
• There is no written provision that Bharat Ratna should be awarded to Indian citizens only.
• Bharat Ratna was awarded to a naturalised Indian citizen Mother Teresa in 1980 and two non-Indians — Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan in 1987 and Nelson Mandela in 1990. (Gandhi Mandela Award)

 MUST READ: Ramon Magsaysay Award

SOURCE: THE INDIAN EXPRESS

PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

Q.1) Consider the following statements in respect of the 44th Chess Olympiad, 2022: (2023)

1. It was the first time that Chess Olympiad was held in India.
2. The official mascot was named Thambi.
3. The trophy for the winning team in the open section is the Vera Menchik Cup.
4. The trophy for the winning team in the women’s section is the Hamilton-Russell Cup.

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 respect of the Bharat Ratna and Padma Awards. (2021)

1. Bharat Ratna and Padma Awards are titles under Article 18(1) of the Constitution of India.
2. Padma Awards, which were instituted in the year 1954, were suspended only once.
3. (C) The number of Bharat Ratna Awards is restricted to a maximum of five in a particular year.

Which of the above statements is not correct?

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

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 :

The tax-to-GDP ratio measures the size of a country’s tax revenue compared to its GDP.

Statement-II :

The lower the tax-to-GDP ratio, the better the country’s financial position.

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 Bharat Ratna, consider the following statements:

1. The award can be used as a prefix to the recipient’s name.
2. S. Radhakrishnan, C. Rajagopalachari and C.V. Raman were the first recipients of Bharat Ratna when it was instituted in 1954.
3. Bharat Ratna is awarded to Indian citizens only.

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

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

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

ANSWERS FOR ’  27th January 2024 – Daily Practice MCQs’ will be updated along with tomorrow’s Daily Current Affairs.st

Q.1) – a

Q.2) – c

Q.3) – a