DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 29th February 2024

Syllabus

• Prelims – Current event

Context: Hyderabad Nizam’s personal petrol pump was found inside  KBR National Park

Background:-

• The revelation sheds light on the park’s rich history.Previously under the possession of the Nizam of Hyderabad, the area was later acquired by the government under the Urban Land Ceiling Act. However, a portion of 2.40 hectares was permitted to be retained by the Nizam.

About Kasu Brahmananda Reddy National Park:-  

• Kasu Brahmananda Reddy National Park is a national park located in Jubilee Hills and Banjara Hills in Hyderabad, Telangana, India.
• The park provides an excellent lung space and environment from the busy city life and rising pollution levels.
• Some of the animals making their home in the park include: pangolin, small Indian civet, peacock, jungle cat and porcupines.
• It was declared as a National park by the Andhra Pradesh state government after getting approval from the central government in the year 1998.
• Other national parks in Telangana state are Mahavir Harina Vanasthali National Park and Mrugavani National Park.

Source: Wikipedia

Syllabus

• Prelims and Mains – Science

Context: February 28th is celebrated as national science day

Background:

• In 1986, the Government of India, under then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, designated February 28 as National Science Day to commemorate the announcement of the discovery of the “Raman Effect”.

About Raman Effect

• While passing through the Mediterranean Sea, Raman was most fascinated by the sea’s deep blue colour. Dissatisfied with the then-accepted answer (“the colour of the sea was just a reflection of the colour of the sky”), his curious mind delved deeper.
• He soon found out that the colour of the sea was the result of the scattering of sunlight by the water molecules.
• Fascinated by the phenomenon of light-scattering, Raman and his collaborators in Calcutta began to conduct extensive scientific experiments on the matter – experiments that would eventually lead to his eponymous discovery.
• Simply put, the Raman Effect refers to the phenomenon in which when a stream of light passes through a liquid, a fraction of the light scattered by the liquid is of a different colour. This happens due to the change in the wavelength of light that occurs when a light beam is deflected by molecules.
• In general, when light interacts with an object, it can either be reflected, refracted or transmitted.One of the things that scientists look at when light is scattered is if the particle it interacts with is able to change its energy. The Raman Effect is when the change in the energy of the light is affected by the vibrations of the molecule or material under observation, leading to a change in its wavelength.
• In their first report to Nature, titled “A New Type of Secondary Radiation,” CV Raman and co-author KS Krishnan wrote that 60 different liquids had been studied, and all showed the same result – a tiny fraction of scattered light had a different colour than the incident light. “It is thus,” Raman said, “a phenomenon whose universal nature has to be recognised.”
• CV Raman’s discovery took the world by storm as it had deep implications far beyond Raman’s original intentions. As Raman himself remarked in his 1930 Nobel Prize speech, “The character of the scattered radiations enables us to obtain an insight into the ultimate structure of the scattering substance.”
• The discovery would also find its use in chemistry, giving birth to a new field known as Raman spectroscopy as a basic analytical tool to conduct nondestructive chemical analysis for both organic and inorganic compounds.
• With the invention of lasers and the capabilities to concentrate much stronger beams of light, the uses of Raman spectroscopy have only ballooned over time.
• Today, this method has a wide variety of applications, from studying art and other objects of cultural importance in a non-invasive fashion to finding drugs hidden inside luggage at customs.

Source: Indian Express

Syllabus

• Prelims and Mains – Environment

Context: Recently, the National Conference on the Promotion of Seaweed Cultivation was held in Koteshwar (Kori Creek), Kutch, Gujarat.

Background:

• It’s a first national conference on seaweed cultivation which is an alternate for employment generation of seaweed products as it diversifies marine production and its opportunities for enhancing fish farmer income, reduces reliance on traditional fishing, and diversifies coastal communities’ livelihoods.

What are Seaweeds?

• The Seaweeds are macroscopic, multicellular, marine algae. They come in a variety of coluors, including red, green, and brown.
• They are referred to as the ‘Medical Food of the 21st Century’.
• Seaweeds are found mostly in the intertidal region, in shallow and deep waters of the sea, and also in estuaries and backwaters. Large seaweeds form dense underwater forests known as kelp forests, which act as underwater nurseries for fish, snails, and sea urchins.
• India boasts approximately 844 reported seaweed species in its seas. Some specific species, such as Gelidiella acerosa, Gracilaria spp., Sargassum spp., Turbinaria spp., and Cystoseira trinodis are cultivated for the production of agar, alginates, and liquid seaweed fertilizer.
• Abundant seaweed resources are found along the Tamil Nadu and Gujarat coasts, as well as around Lakshadweep and the Andaman & Nicobar Islands. Notable seaweed beds exist around Mumbai, Ratnagiri, Goa, Karwar, Varkala, Vizhinjam, and Pulicat in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Chilka in Orissa.

Significance:

• Seaweeds act as bio-indicator by absorbing excess nutrients and signalling marine chemical damage caused by waste from agriculture, industries, and households, often leading to algal blooming.
• They play a vital role in restoring ecosystem balance.
• Seaweed is a nutritional powerhouse, rich in vitamins, minerals, and dietary fibre.
• It is used in various food products, from sushi and salads to snacks and thickeners.
• Many seaweeds contain anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial agents. Seaweed is the best source of iodine.
• Seaweed extracts are used in a wide range of products, including cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and bioplastics. They offer sustainable alternatives to conventional options.
• Seaweed absorbs carbon dioxide from the atmosphere as it grows, making it a potential tool in the fight against climate change. Studies suggest cultivating and sinking seaweed could effectively store long-term carbon.
• Seaweed farming provides income and empowers coastal communities, particularly women and small-scale farmers. It requires minimal investment and offers relatively quick returns.
• Seaweeds are utilized for various purposes, including laxatives, pharmaceutical capsules, goiter treatment, cancer therapy, bone replacement, and cardiovascular surgeries.

Government initiatives regarding Seaweed:

• Seaweed Mission aims to commercialize seaweed farming and processing for value addition. It also aims to increase cultivation along India’s7,500-kilometer coastline.
• TheIndian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)- Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) has successfully commercialized two seaweed-based nutraceutical products, CadalminTM Immunalgin extract (CadalminTM IMe) and CadalminTM Antihypercholesterolemic extract (CadalminTM ACe). These products, developed with eco-friendly ‘green’ technology, aim to boost anti-viral immunity and combat high cholesterol or dyslipidemia (imbalance of cholesterol).
• Multi-Purpose Seaweed Parkhas been established in Tamil Nadu.

Source: PIB

Syllabus

• Prelims : Current Event

Context: Recently, Google DeepMind has introduced Genie, a new AI model

Background:

• Genie is currently not available to the public and only exists as a research model for now.

About GENIE AI MODEL

• The Foundation: Genie is a foundational world model trained on videos sourced from the Internet.
• Generative Capabilities: It can generate an endless variety of playable (action-controllable) worlds from synthetic images, photographs, and even sketches.
• Training: It is the first generative interactive environment that has been trained in an unsupervised manner from unlabelled internet videos.
• Functionality: These technical specifications let Genie act in generated environments on a frame-by-frame basis even in the absence of training, labels, or any other domain-specific requirements.
• Diversity: Genie can be prompted to generate a diverse set of interactive and controllable environments although it is trained on video-only data.
• Interactivity: It makes playable environments from a single image prompt. It can be prompted with images it has never seen. This includes real-world photographs, and sketches, allowing people to interact with their imagined virtual worlds.
• This revolutionary generative AI allows anyone, including children, to immerse themselves in generated worlds resembling human-designed environments.
• The standout aspect of Genie is its ability to learn and reproduce controls for in-game characters exclusively from internet videos.
• This is noteworthy because internet videos do not have labels about the action that is performed in the video, or even which part of the image should be controlled.

Source: The Indian Express

Syllabus

• Prelims and Mains – GS3

Context: Ahead of the 13th ministerial conference of World Trade Organization (WTO), a majority of the G-33 countries have called for a permanent solution to public stockholding for food security in a ministerial statement on agriculture trade negotiations.

Background:

• The statement emphasized the crucial role of public stockholding in ensuring food and livelihood security, rural development, and support for low-income or resource-poor producers in developing countries, including least developed countries (LDCs) and net food-importing developing countries (NFIDCs).

About G33

• The G-33 is a coalition of developing nations within the World Trade Organization (WTO).
• It was established prior to the 2003 Cancun ministerial conference.
• India, being a dominant member of this group, was part of the G33 since its inception.
• The group coordinates during the Doha Round of World Trade Organization negotiations, specifically in regard to agriculture.
• The group includes countries like India, China, and Indonesia, totalling 47 nations.
• They advocate for flexibility in market opening for agriculture, focusing on special products that are crucial for their development.
• The primary purpose of the G-33 is to advocate for the interests of developing countries in World Trade Organization negotiations, particularly in relation to agriculture.

The group focuses on:

• Special Products: They argue for flexibility in market opening for agricultural products that are crucial for their development.
• Public Stockholding: The G-33 calls for a permanent solution that allows them to maintain public stockholding programs for food security purposes. These programs play a crucial role in ensuring food security, livelihood security, rural development, and support for low-income or resource-poor producers in developing countries.
• Special Safeguard Mechanism (SSM): The group asserts the right of developing country Members to the SSM, an important instrument against major import surges or sudden price declines.
• Through these efforts, the G-33 aims to ensure that the interests of developing countries are adequately represented and protected in global trade negotiations.

Source: Economic Times

Previous Year Question

Q1. Consider the following statements about G-20:

1. The G-20 group was originally established as a platform for the Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors to discuss the international economic and financial issues.
2. Digital public infrastructure is one of India’s G-20 priorities.

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 – Economy

Context: The initial public offering (IPO) of Bharat Highways Infrastructure Investment Trusts (InvITs) was subscribed 22% on the first day of the bidding process.

Background:

• The Bharat Highways InvIT is established with the goal of acquiring, managing, and investing in a diversified portfolio of infrastructure assets across India.

About INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT TRUSTS (INVITS):

• InvITs function as collective investment schemes, akin to mutual funds.
• The primary purpose of InvITs is to pool funds from individual and institutional investors for direct investment in infrastructure projects.
• Investors receive a portion of the income generated by these projects as returns.
• The returns from InvITs come in the form of dividends, interest, and capital gains.
• Interest income from deposits in Infrastructure Investment Trusts (InvITs) is exempted from tax. However, it’s important to note that the dividends and capital gains received by investors are taxable.
• InvITs offer investors partial ownership in infrastructure projects.
• InvITs are regulated by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI).
• Infrastructure Investment Trusts (InvITs) are recognized as borrowers under the ‘Securitization and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interest Act, 2002’. This recognition allows InvITs to raise funds by issuing units to investors and invest in infrastructure projects. The Act provides a legal framework for the securitization and reconstruction of financial assets, ensuring transparency and investor protection.
• Any Infrastructure Development Company can take the role of the sponsor to form an InvIT.
• The sponsor establishes a trust, often in the form of a special purpose vehicle (SPV), to hold the infrastructure assets.
• The trust is managed by professionals, relieving investors of project management responsibilities.

Source: Livemint

Q1.)With reference to Infrastructure Investment Trusts (InvITs), consider the following statements:

1. InvITs aims to pool funds from individual and institutional investors for direct investment in infrastructure projects.
2. The returns from InvITs come in the form of dividends, interest, and capital gains.
3. Interest income from deposits in InvITs is exempted from tax.
4. InvITs are regulated by the Reserve Bank of India.

How many of the above statements are correct?

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

Q2.) Considering the following statements about G-33:

1. The G-33 is a coalition of developing nations within the World Trade Organization (WTO).
2. It was established prior to the 2003 Cancun ministerial conference.
3. India was part of the G33 since its inception.

How many of the above statements are not correct?

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

Q3.)Genie AI Model, recently seen in news is developed by

1. Meta
2. Google
3. Microsoft
4. Apple

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

ANSWERS FOR ’  29th February  2024 – Daily Practice MCQs’ will be updated along with tomorrow’s Daily Current Affairs.st

Q.1) – d

Q.2) – b

Q.3) – c