DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 7th March 2024

Syllabus

• Prelims – Current Event

Context: PM Modi inaugurates India’s first underwater Metro in Kolkata

Background:-

• According to officials, from its inception in 1984 till 2014, only 27.99 km of the Metro network was functional in Kolkata. After 2014, the Metro network was expanded by 25.34 km.

About underwater Metro:-

• PM Narendra Modi inaugurated the Howrah Maidan-Esplanade section of Kolkata Metro’s East-West corridor, signalling India’s first venture into underwater Metro services.
• According to an official release, the 4.8-km stretch of the East-West Metro has been built at a cost of₹4,965 crore and will have the deepest Metro station in India at Howrah – 30 metres below the ground level.
• The Howrah Maidan-Esplanade section underwater Metro line has the first transportation tunnel under a river in India.
• It passes under the Hooghly River.

About Hooghly river

• The Hooghly River is a distributary of the Ganges River in West Bengal, India.
• The Hooghly River is approximately 260 kilometers (162 miles) long.
• It starts at Nurpur in the Murshidabad district, where it branches off from the Ganges.
• The river flows southwards through the state of West Bengal and eventually merges with the Bay of Bengal.
• The Kolkata Port, one of India’s major ports, is located on the Hooghly River and serves as a gateway for trade.
• The city of Kolkata is situated along the banks of the Hooghly River. The iconic Howrah Bridge spans the river, connecting the city with the Howrah district.
• The annual Ganga Sagar Mela, a pilgrimage and festival, takes place at Sagar Island at the confluence of the Hooghly River and the Bay of Bengal.

Source: The Hindu

Syllabus

• Prelims – Art & Culture

Context: President Droupadi Murmu on Wednesday conferred the Sangeet Natak Akademi Awards for the years 2022 and 2023 to eminent artists in the field of performing arts, including music, dance, drama, folk and tribal arts.

Background:

• Twelve people from the field of music, and equal number from dance, 9 from the field of theatre and 11 from folk and tribal arts have received the Akademi awards for 2023.

About Sangeet Natak Akademi:

• Sangeet Natak Akademi, the apex body in the field of performing arts in the country, was set up in 1953 for the preservation and promotion of the vast intangible heritage of India’s diverse culture expressed in forms of music, dance and drama.
• The management of the Akademi vests in its General Council. The Chairman of the Akademi is appointed by the President of India for a term of five years.
• The functions of the Akademi are set down in the Akademi’s Memorandum of Association, adopted at its registration as a society on 11 September 1961.
• The registered office of the Akademi is at Rabindra Bhavan, New Delhi.
• Sangeet Natak Akademi is an autonomous body of the Ministry of Culture, Government of India.
• The Sangeet Natak Akademi Awards are the highest national recognition conferred on practising artists.
• The Akademi also confers Fellowships on eminent artists and scholars of music, dance and drama; and has in 2006 instituted annual awards to young artists – the Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar.
• The Akademi’s archive, comprising audio and video tapes, photographs, and films is one of the largest in the country and is extensively drawn upon for research in the performing arts.

Source: The Hindu

Syllabus

• Prelims : Current Event

Context: Recently, the Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution launched the ‘e-Kisan Upaj Nidhi’ (Digital Gateway) in India.

Background:

• This initiative, led by the Warehousing Development and Regulatory Authority (WDRA), aims to transform the agricultural landscape by leveraging technology.

About e-KISAN UPAJ NIDHI:

• The e-Kisan Upaj Nidhi is a Digital Gateway initiative launched by the Warehousing Development and Regulatory Authority (WDRA).
• Its primary objective is to assist farmers in obtaining post-harvest loans against their stock stored in WDRA-registered warehouses. These loans are provided against electronic negotiable warehouse receipts, known as e-NWRs

Key Points:

• Purpose: The platform intends to ease farmers’ warehousing logistics and ensure fair prices for their produce.
• Storage Opportunity: Farmers can store their produce at any registered WDRA warehouse for up to six months at an interest rate of 7% per annum.
• No Collateral: The e-Kisan Upaj Nidhi initiative allows farmers to store their produce without collateral, encouraging them to utilize WDRA-registered warehouses.
• Integration with e-NAM: By integrating with the e-National Agriculture Market (e-NAM), farmers can access interconnected markets beyond the government’s Minimum Support Price (MSP).

Warehousing Development and Regulatory Authority (WDRA)

• The Warehousing Development and Regulatory Authority (WDRA) is a Statutory Authority under the Department of Food and Public Distribution, Government of India.
• It was established on October 26, 2010, with the objective of implementing the provisions of the Warehousing (Development & Regulation) Act, 2007.
• The WDRA regulates warehouses, promotes negotiability of warehouse receipts, and facilitates the orderly growth of the warehousing business in India.
• WDRA ensures the orderly growth of the warehousing business by setting standards, guidelines, and regulations.
• It promotes the use of negotiable warehouse receipts (NWRs). These electronic receipts represent commodities stored in registered warehouses.
• WDRA’s initiatives, such as the e-Kisan Upaj Nidhi, aim to benefit farmers by providing better storage options, reducing distress sales, and facilitating post-harvest loans against stored produce.

Source: PIB

Syllabus

• Prelims – Geography

Context: A new study suggested that a catastrophic super volcano eruption could severely impact Earth’s climate and lead to a volcanic winter.

Background:

• To qualify as a super eruption, a volcano must release more than 1,000 cubic kilometers of magma. These eruptions are extremely powerful and rare. The most recent super-eruption occurred more than 22,000 years ago in New Zealand.

About VOLCANIC WINTER

• Volcanic winter refers to a cooling effect on Earth’s surface caused by large-scale volcanic eruptions.

• Volcanic winter occurs after a particularly explosive volcanic eruption that is rich in sulfur.
• During such an eruption, sulfur dioxide (SO₂) is emitted into the atmosphere. The emitted SO₂ reacts with other atmospheric components, leading to the formation of sulfuric acid (H₂SO₄) aerosols in the stratosphere.
• It spread globally by winds, blot out the sun and prevent solar energy from reaching the earth’s surface.
• As a result, typical winter conditions are amplified while the winter season becomes longer.

Impact on Climate:

• Solar Dimming: The sulfate aerosols interact with solar radiation, causing phenomena like solar dimming and other optical effects in the stratosphere.
• Earth’s Albedo: The sulfuric acid droplets obscure the Sun, increasing Earth’s albedo (the reflection of solar radiation). This reduces the amount of sunlight reaching the surface.
• Cooling Effect: As a result, global temperatures decrease due to reduced solar energy absorption. The cooling impact of volcanic winter can last for several years after the eruption.

Historical Examples:

• Notable volcanic eruptions associated with cooling effects include the Tambora eruption in 1815 and the Pinatubo eruption in 1991.

Source: India Today

Previous Year Question

1. Consider the following statements:
2. The Barren Island volcano is an active volcano located in the Indian territory.
3. Barren Island lies about 140 km east of Great Nicobar.
4. The last time the Barren Island volcano erupted was in 1991 and it has remained inactive since then.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

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

Syllabus

• Prelims – Environment

Context: Recently, The Supreme Court has banned tiger safaris within the core areas of Jim Corbett National Park.

Background:

• Tiger safaris will now be restricted to the peripheral and buffer zones surrounding the national park. These areas provide opportunities for wildlife observation while minimizing disturbances to the core habitats.

About Jim Corbett National Park:

• Jim Corbett National Park, located in the Nainital district of Uttarakhand, India.
• Corbett National Park is part of the largest Corbett Tiger Reserve.
• It holds the distinction of being India’s first national park and the place where Project Tiger was launched in 1973.
• It is famous for Royal Bengal tigers, Asiatic elephants, and over 586 species of birds, making it one of India’s richest bird regions.
• Birdlife International has declared it an ‘Important Bird Area’.

Buffer Zone and Core Zone

• The buffer zone and core zone in national parks are defined and regulated by the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.

Core Zone:

• The core zone is a crucial area where the conservation of wildlife and natural resources is strictly protected by the forest department.
• It serves as a sanctuary for wildlife, where human activity is restricted to minimize disturbances.
• In the core zone, activities such as research, monitoring, and habitat restoration take place.

Buffer Zone:

• The buffer zone surrounds or adjoins the core areas.
• It acts as a transition zone between the wild and human-inhabited regions.
• In the buffer zone, regulated activities like sustainable use of natural resources, environmental education, and controlled tourism occur.
• This zone strikes a balance between conservation and compatible human uses of the land.

Source: Indian Express

Syllabus

•    Mains- GS II

Context: China and Nepal have signed 12 agreements to enhance bilateral cooperation in sectors including trade, road connectivity, and information technology.

Background:

• If Russia were to develop and deploy such a weapon, it would be in violation of Outer Space Treaty as well as the Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty of 1963 that prohibits nuclear explosions in space. Russia is party to both treaties.

About China and Nepal Relations

• China has historical ties with the communist movement in Nepal, particularly with the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre), which was involved in a decade-long armed insurgency against the Nepalese state. During this period, the Maoist movement received ideological, logistical, and even military support from China.
• China’s influence in Nepal has grown significantly in recent years, the almost Six-Month Economic Blockade of Nepal by India from September 2015 onward gave China a fast track into the country. China intervened aggressively in Nepal’s politics and played a role in bringing the two communist parties, Maoist Centre and Unified Marxist-Leninist together.
• Economic cooperation between China and Nepal has intensified, focusing on trade, investment, and infrastructure development. Key projects like cross-Himalayan railways, ports, and hydroelectric power plants are enhancing connectivity and contributing to Nepal’s economic growth.
• China and Nepal have engaged in joint military exercises and increased defence cooperation, focusing on capacity building and military training. China has provided military aid to Nepal, further strengthening its defence ties.
• In its new map, China refused to recognize a portion of land in Nepal’s north-western region—an area that Nepal had claimed and depicted in its map in 2020.

Implications of China’s growing presence in Nepal for India:

• China’s enhanced influence in Nepal could potentially lead to strategic encirclement for India, as it strengthens its presence in a country that shares a long border with India. This raises security concerns for India.
• China’s infrastructure projects and economic engagement in Nepal may compete with Indian investments and economic interests, affecting India’s access to resources and markets in the region.
• Nepal’s participation in China’s BRI Initiative can result in a significant increase in Chinese-backed infrastructure projects and connectivity, which will increase Nepal’s dependence on China for trade and consequently harm the interests of India.
• Nepal’s closer ties with China provide strategic depth to China in South Asia, potentially allowing China to project power and influence beyond its borders which might make it more challenging for India to coordinate regional responses and initiatives effectively.

Way Forward

• India needs to engage proactively with Nepal, enhance development assistance, strengthen economic ties, and foster people-to-people relations.
• India must work on multilateral initiatives and regional cooperation to counterbalance the expanding Chinese influence in Nepal and ensure stability and prosperity in the region.
• Diplomacy, dialogue, and collaboration will be crucial in managing these challenges effectively.

Source: The Print

Q1.) Consider the following statements:

1. The buffer zone and core zone in national parks are defined and regulated by the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
2. In core zone, regulated activities like sustainable use of natural resources, environmental education, and controlled tourism occur.

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

Q2.) Consider the following statements:

Statement-I:

A volcanic winter is a dramatic drop in temperatures experienced globally, in the aftermath of a massive volcanic eruption.

Statement-II:

The ash particles and gases such as sulfur dioxide, injected into the stratosphere during the eruption and spread globally by winds, blot out the sun and prevent solar energy from reaching the earth’s surface.

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 e-Kisan Upaj Nidhi, Consider the following statements:

1. It is a Digital Gateway initiative launched by the Warehousing Development and Regulatory Authority (WDRA).
2. The e-Kisan Upaj Nidhi initiative allows farmers to store their produce without collateral in WDRA-registered warehouses.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

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

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

ANSWERS FOR ’  7th March  2024 – Daily Practice MCQs’ will be updated along with tomorrow’s Daily Current Affairs.st

Q.1) – d

Q.2) – c

Q.3) – a