DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 5th February 2024

Syllabus

• Prelims –IMPORTANT ORGANIZATIONS

Context: Recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the Commonwealth Legal Education Association (CLEA) – Commonwealth Attorneys and Solicitors General Conference in New Delhi.

Background:-

• The theme of the conference is Cross-Border Challenges in Justice Delivery.

About Commonwealth Legal Education Association (CLEA):-

• It was founded in 1971.
• HQ: London, UK.
• The Commonwealth Legal Education Association (CLEA) is dedicated to promoting and sustaining high standards of legal education in the Commonwealth.
• It is a Commonwealth-wide body with regional Chapters and Committees in Asia, Southern Africa, West Africa, the Caribbean and Europe.
• The goal of the Association is to raise standards in legal education so that it better serves the public and the legal community.

Objectives:-

• The goal of the Association is to make legal education socially relevant and professionally useful, particularly through:
  • the development of law curricula and teaching methodologies;
  • assisting law schools to prepare themselves for the demands of the profession in the context of the information revolution and other global challenges; and
  • supporting continuing legal education and distance learning programmes.
• Whilst this goal may be relevant to all jurisdictions across the world, the Association’s focus is on the Nations belonging to the Commonwealth, legal systems based or drawn from the Anglo-American tradition, or the Common law.
• The Association’s Programme of Action is based on the need to make legal education socially relevant and professionally useful.

CLEA activities:-

• Publications and Research
• Commonwealth Law Lecture Series: This is a unique series that takes place on a Commonwealth-wide basis.
  • Lectures are given by leading legal academics and judges.
• Curriculum Development
• Strengthening Law Schools
• Strengthening the Harare Commonwealth Principles

MUST READ: Commonwealth & Commonwealth Advantage

SOURCE: PIB

PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

Q.1) ‘Rapid Financing Instrument” and “Rapid Credit Facility” are related to the provisions of lending by which of the following:  (2022)

1. Asian Development Bank
2. International Monetary Fund
3. United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative
4. World Bank

Q.2) ‘Doctors Without Borders (Medecins Sans Frontieres)’, often in the news, is: (2016)

1. a division of World Health Organization
2. a non-governmental international organization
3. an inter-governmental agency sponsored by the European Union
4. a specialized agency of the United Nations

Syllabus

• Prelims –ECONOMY

Context: Recently, the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) and the Ministry of Women & Child Development have launched a new survey on “increasing women’s participation in the workforce”.

Background:-

• The EPFO, which is the retirement fund body for organised sector workers under the Ministry of Labour and Employment, has reached out to its subscribers seeking details regarding the facilities available for women workers in companies across the country, including provision of flexibility in working hours for women and ‘equal pay’ for female workers.

About Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO):-

• Ministry: Ministry of Labour and Employment, Government of India.
• Vision: An innovation-driven social security organisation aiming to extend universal coverage and ensure Nirbadh (Seamless and uninterrupted) service delivery to its stakeholders through state-of-the-art technology.
• It into existence with the promulgation of the Employees’ Provident Funds Ordinance on the 15th of November 1951.
• It was replaced by the Employees’ Provident Funds Act, of 1952.
• The Employees’ Provident Funds Bill was introduced in the Parliament in the year 1952 as a Bill to provide for the institution of provident funds for employees in factories and other establishments.
•  The Act is now referred to as the Employees’ Provident Funds & Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952 which extends to the whole of India.
• The Act and Schemes framed there under are administered by a tri-partite Board known as the Central Board of Trustees, Employees’ Provident Fund.

Schemes under EPFO:-

• EPF Scheme 1952
  • It provides for the accumulation plus interest upon retirement and death.
  • Partial withdrawals are allowed for education, marriage, illness and house construction.
• Pension Scheme 1995 (EPS)
  • It provides monthly benefits for superannuation/retirement, disability, survivor, widow(er) and children.
  • It provides a  minimum pension on disablement.
  • It provides past service benefits to participants of the erstwhile Family Pension Scheme, 1971.

• Insurance Scheme 1976 (EDLI)

• • It provides the benefit in case of the death of an employee who was a member of the scheme at the time of death.
  • It provides the benefit amount 20 times the wages.
    • Maximum benefit is 6 lakhs.

MUST READ: EPFO’s New Facility on UMANG App started

SOURCE: THE INDIAN EXPRESS

 PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

Q.1) Consider the following statements: (2022)

1. In India, credit rating agencies are regulated by the Reserve Bank of India.
2. The rating agency popularly known as ICRA is a public limited company.
3. Brickwork Ratings is an Indian credit rating agency.

Which of the statements given above is correct?

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

Q.2) In India, which one of the following is responsible for maintaining price stability by controlling inflation. (2022)

1. Department of Consumer Affairs
2. Expenditure Management Commission
3. Financial Stability and Development Council
4. Reserve Bank of India

Syllabus

• Prelims –GOVERNMENT SCHEMES

Context: Recently, Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM), organised a two-day regional workshop.

Background:-

• As many as 17 State Rural Livelihoods Missions (SRLMs) along with other key stakeholders deliberated on the roadmap to improve food, nutrition, health and WASH (FNHW) outcomes for more than 9.98 crore members of Self-Help Groups and their households across India.

About Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM):-

• Launched: June 2011.
• Ministry: Ministry of Rural Development.
• Objective: to reduce poverty by enabling the poor household to access gainful self-employment and skilled wage employment opportunities resulting in sustainable and diversified livelihood options for the poor.

Salient Features:-

• DAY-NRLM is a flagship poverty alleviation program of the Government of India.
• It is the world’s largest initiative to improve the livelihoods of the rural poor.

Values:-

• Inclusion of the poorest, and meaningful role to the poorest in all the processes.
• Transparency and accountability of all processes and institutions
• Ownership and key role of the poor and their institutions in all stages – planning, implementation, and monitoring
• Community self-reliance and self-dependence

Components of mission:-

The Mission seeks to achieve its objective through investing in four core components:-

Social mobilization and promotion and strengthening of self-managed and financially sustainable community institutions of the rural poor:

• At least one woman member from each identified rural poor household, is to be brought under the Self Help Group (SHG) network in a time-bound manner.

Financial inclusion of the rural poor:-

• It works on both the demand and supply sides of financial inclusion. On the demand side, it promotes financial literacy among the poor and provides catalytic capital to the SHGs and their federations.

Sustainable livelihoods:

• NRLM focuses on stabilising and promoting the existing livelihood portfolio of the poor through its three pillars: vulnerability reduction, livelihood enhancement and employment.

Social inclusion, social development and convergence:-

• NRLM places a high emphasis on convergence with other programmes of the MoRD and other Central Ministries.

MUST READ: National Creche Scheme (NCS)

SOURCE: PIB

PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

Q.1) Which of the following statements is/are correct regarding the Maternity Benefit Amendment Act, 2017? (2019)

1. Pregnant women are entitled to three months of pre-delivery and three months of post-delivery paid leave.
2. Enterprises with creches must allow the mother a minimum of six creche visits daily.
3. Women with two children get reduced entitlements.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

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

Q.2) The Multi-dimensional Poverty Index developed by Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative with UNDP support covers which of the following? (2012)

1. Deprivation of education, health, assets and services at the household level
2. Purchasing power parity at the national level
3. Extent of budget deficit and GDP growth rate at the national level

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

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

Syllabus

• Prelims –ENVIONMENT AND ECOLOGY

Context: Recent research by HSBC show that the overall carbon emissions are lower in hybrid vehicles  compared to electrics.

Background:-

• India’s electric mobility plan is currently focused on battery electrics.

About Hybrid vehicles:-

IMAGE SOURCE: IASBABA

• A HEV uses an internal combustion engine (ICE) (a petrol/diesel engine) and one or more electric motors to run.
• There are different types of hybrid systems, but the most common ones include:
  • Parallel hybrids: both the engine and electric motor can power the vehicle independently and
  • Series hybrids: only the electric motor drives the wheels, while the engine generates electricity.

Advantages:-

• Fuel efficiency: The design of hybrid vehicles for reduced engine size and car weight as compared to ICE vehicles, translates into increased mileage.
• More power: With the increase in total power and torque, HEVs can deliver instant torque and provide high torque even at low speeds.
• Minimum emissions: Better fuel efficiency means less carbon footprint of these vehicles, thus helping move towards the goals set out in Paris Climate Accord.
• To ensure a positive growth rate towards achieving India’s Net Zero Emissions by 2070, a transportation revolution is required in India. The transition to electric mobility is a promising global strategy for decarbonising the transport sector.

Challenges associated with electric vehicles in India:

• High initial cost
• Limited charging infrastructure
• Limited domestic manufacturing capabilities
• Lack of awareness
• Limited Government initiatives

Government Initiatives to Promote EV Adoption:-

• Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric Vehicles (FAME) Scheme II
• National Electric Mobility Mission Plan (NEMMP)
• National Mission on Transformative Mobility and Battery Storage
• Go Electric campaign
• Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme:
• Incentives for the manufacturing of EVs and components

MUST READ: Flex-Fuel Vehicles

SOURCE: THE INDIAN EXPRESS

PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

Q.1) The “Common Carbon Metric” supported by UNEP, has been developed for (2021)

1. Assessing the carbon footprint of building operations around the world.
2. Enabling commercial farming entities around the world to enter carbon emission trading.
3. Enabling governments to assess the overall carbon footprint caused by their countries.
4. Assessing the overall carbon footprint caused by the use of fossil fuels by the world in a unit of time.

Q.2) “R2 Code of Practices” constitute a tool available for promoting the adoption of (2021)

1. Environmentally responsible practices in the electronics recycling industry.
2. Ecological management of ‘’Wetlands of International Importance” under the Ramsar Convention.
3. Sustainable practices in the cultivation of agricultural crops in degraded lands.
4. ‘’Environmental Impact Assessment’’ in the exploitation of natural resources.

Syllabus

• Prelims –DEFENSE

Context: Recently, Mahindra Armado Military Vehicle Makes Its Debut At Republic Day Parade.

About Armado:-

• Armado gets a high level of ballistic protection by being up to the B7, Stanag Level II while being protected from all sides.
• This means that its armour offers protection against armour-piercing rifles.
• Armado has a 2-litre turbocharged direct-injection diesel powertrain that can also run on multi fuels.
• There is a good amount of power on tap with 215hp and 500 Nm of torque.
• It is India’s first Armoured Light Specialist Vehicle (ALSV).
• It is a fully indigenous vehicle designed and built by the Mahindra Defence Systems (MDS) for the Indian armed forces.
• An Armored Light Specialist Vehicle (ALSV) is a very important machine and is being used for various purposes.
• Being a modular vehicle, it can be used by quick response teams, Special Forces, counter-terrorism operations, border patrolling and more. (Submarine Vagir)
• It has a seating capacity of six passengers, including the driver, and can be configured to seat up to eight.
• Above the standard 1,000 kg load capacity, the ASLV can carry another 400 kg.

MUST READ: Defence Acquisition Council

SOURCE: ABP LIVE

PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

Q.1) With reference to Home Guards, consider the following statements: (2023)

1. Home Guards are raised under the Home Guards Act and Rules of the Central Government.
2. The role of the Home Guards is to serve as an auxiliary force to the police in the maintenance of internal security.
3. To prevent infiltration on the international border/ coastal areas, the Border Wing Home Guards Battalions have been raised in some states.

How many of the above statements are correct?

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

Q.2) Consider the following statements (2023)

1. Ballistic missiles are jet-propelled at subsonic speeds throughout their flights, while cruise missiles are rocket-powered only in the initial phase of flight.
2. Agni-V is a medium-range supersonic cruise missile, while BrahMos is a solid-fuelled intercontinental ballistic missile.

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, Finance Minister while  presenting the interim budget announced the expansion of the application of Nano DAP on various crops in all agro-climatic zones.

About Nano DAP:-

• Developed by: Indian Farmers Fertilizer Cooperative Limited (IFFCO).
• Nano-DAP (Di-ammonium Phosphate) is an advanced agricultural fertilizers.
• It is developed to enhance efficiency in nutrient delivery to plants.
• It is a unique liquid fertilizer product that contains nanoparticles of Diammonium Phosphate (DAP).
• It is a source of nitrogen and phosphorus – 2 key primary nutrients essential for the growth of crops.
• It contains 8% Nitrogen and 16% Phosphorus by volume.

Benefits:-       

• Increased Surface Area
• Improved Solubility
• Targeted Delivery
• Reduced Leaching
• Enhanced Nutrient

Significance:-

• The introduction of Nano Urea and Nano DAP is seen as a groundbreaking agricultural experiment, aiming to reduce urea use and promote natural farming.( Fertilizer sector in India)

 MUST READ: Reforming the Fertilizer Sector

SOURCE: THE INDIAN EXPRESS

PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

Q.1) With reference to chemical fertilizers in India, consider the following statements: (2020)

1. At present, the retail price of chemical fertilizers is market-driven and not administered by the Government.
2. Ammonia, which is an input of urea, is produced from natural gas.
3. Sulphur, which is a raw material for phosphoric acid fertilizer, is a by-product of oil refineries.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

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

Q.2) Bisphenol A (BPA), a cause of concern, is a structural/key component in the manufacture of which of the following kinds of plastics? (2021)

1. Low-density polyethylene
2. Polycarbonate
3. Polyethylene terephthalate
4. Polyvinyl Chloride

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 :

Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) was launched in 2015.

Statement-II :

It is under the Ministry of Rural Development.

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 Nano-DAP, consider the following statements:

1. It is an advanced agricultural fertilizers.
2. It is developed to enhance efficiency in nutrient delivery to plants.
3. It contains 8% Nitrogen and 16% Phosphorus by volume.

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

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

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

ANSWERS FOR ’  5th February  2024 – Daily Practice MCQs’ will be updated along with tomorrow’s Daily Current Affairs.st

Q.1) – a

Q.2) – b

Q.3) – a