Daily Current Affairs for UPSC – 11 May 2023

Daily Current Affairs for UPSC 2023

Q) Which one of the following statement is correct about the Model Code of Conduct (MCC)?

1. MCC was issued for the first time in 1971.
2. MCC is prepared by the Ministry of Home affairs.
3. MCC is operational from the date on which nominations are filed.
4. It is statutorily backed under Representation of People’s act.

Daily Current Affairs for UPSC – 10 May April 2023

Explanation:

• Option (1) is correct, But Option (2) is incorrect: Election Commission’s Model Code of Conduct is a set of guidelines issued to regulate political parties and candidates before elections. It helps EC in keeping with the mandate it has been given under Article 324 of the Constitution, which gives it the power to supervise and conduct free and fair elections to the Parliament and State Legislatures. The Election Commission issued the code for the first time in 1971 (5th Election) and revised it from time to time.
• Model Code of Conduct is a set of norms has been evolved with the consensus of political parties who have consented to abide by the principles embodied in the said code and also binds them to respect and observe it in its letter and spirit.
• Option (3) and (4) are incorrect: The MCC is operational from the date on which the election schedule is announced until the date of the result announcement. Though the MCC does not have any statutory backing, it has come to acquire strength in the past decade because of its strict enforcement by the EC. Certain provisions of the MCC may be enforced through invoking corresponding provisions in other statutes such as the IPC 1860, CrPC 1973, and RPA 1951. Recently, Karnataka High Court allowed hotels to serve cooked food for free or at reduced rates to people who had cast their votes in the state Assembly Elections.

Q) Consider the following statements about Drone Technology:

1. Under the Liberalised Drones Rules, 2021, security clearance is needed before the registration of drones.
2. The drone imports for defence and security purposes are prohibited by the Indian government.
3. The ‘i-Drone’ initiative helps improve the vaccine delivery to remote areas in India.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

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

Explanation:

• Statement 1 is incorrect: A drone is an unmanned aerial vehicle that receives remote commands from a pilot or relies on software for autonomous flight. Liberalised Drones Rules, 2021 provide the necessary regulatory framework for commercial use of drones. Compliances and fees required to operate drones have been reduced. The need for a security clearance before any registration or issuance of licence has been dispensed with. R&D entities have been provided blanket exemption from all kinds of permissions. Restrictions on foreign-owned companies registered in India have also been removed.
• Statement 2 is incorrect: The Indian Government has banned the import of drones except for R&D, defence and security purposes. The move is aimed at giving a boost to domestic manufacturing of drones. The Government’s ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ (Make-in-India) drive is going all out to support domestic enterprises by fine-tuning policies and regulations so that more and more products are manufactured within the country.
• Statement 3 is correct: Drone Response and Outreach in North East (i-Drone) Initiative facilitates vaccine delivery to tough and hard-to-reach terrains of India. The i-DRONE was first used during the COVID-19 pandemic by the ICMR for distributing vaccines to remote areas.

Q) Consider the following statements:

1. It is a protected area located in the Cardamom Hills of the southwestern Ghats.
2. The Mullayar River passes through this area.
3. Tropical evergreen, semi evergreen and moist deciduous forests are prominent vegetation type here.
4. Lion-tailed macaques, Malabar giant squirrels and Nilgiri Tahr are commonly seen in this area.

Which one of the following Tiger Reserve is best described in the statements given above?

1. Mudumalai Tiger Reserve
2. Periyar Tiger Reserve
3. Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve
4. Kalakkad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve

Explanation:

• Option (2) is correct: The wild elephant named Arikompan was recently translocated to the Periyar Tiger Reserve. Periyar Tiger Reserve (PTR) is a protected area located in the districts of Idukki and Pathanamthitta in Kerala. It is situated high in the Cardamom Hills and Pandalam Hills of the southwestern Ghats along the border with Tamil Nadu. It was declared a Sanctuary during 1950 and declared as Tiger Reserve during 1978 under the Project Tiger initiative. The major rivers through the reserve are Mullayar and Periyar. PTR comprises of tropical evergreen, semi evergreen, moist deciduous forests and grasslands. Important fauna like Bengal tigers, Indian elephants, Indian bison (gaurs), Sambar deer, lion-tailed macaques, Malabar giant squirrels, Indian porcupines, and a variety of bird species are found here. It is also being considered as the habitat of the elusive Nilgiri Tahr. There are six tribal communities nestled inside the reserve such as Mannans, Paliyans, Malayarayans, Mala Pandarams, Uralis and Ulladans.

Q) With reference to Lithium metal, consider the following statements:

1. Lithium is used in the thermonuclear reactions.
2. Lithium must be stored in vacuum and inert atmosphere as it is highly flammable.
3. The alloy of aluminium and lithium is used for armour plating.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

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

Explanation:

• Statements 1 and 2 are correct: Recently, Geological Survey of India (GSI) termed media reports saying large lithium reserves being identified in Rajasthan as “baseless”. Lithium is a chemical element with the symbol Li and atomic number 3. It is a soft, silvery-white alkali metal. Under standard conditions, it is the least dense metal and the least dense solid element. Like all alkali metals, lithium is highly reactive and flammable, and must be stored in vacuum, inert atmosphere, or inert liquid such as purified kerosene or mineral oil. Lithium is also used in thermonuclear reactions. Lithium is an important component of electrochemical cells used in batteries of EVs, Laptops, Mobiles etc.
• Statement 3 is incorrect: Lithium is used to make alloys with aluminium and magnesium, improving their strength and making them lighter. Magnesium-lithium alloy is used for armour plating. Aluminium-lithium alloys is used in aircraft, bicycle frames and high-speed trains. In February, 2023, 5.9 million tonnes inferred resources of lithium were discovered in the Salal-Haimana area of Reasi district, Jammu & Kashmir, by the Geological Survey of India.

Q) Consider the following statements about the Project Cheetah:

1. The project aims to use the cheetah as a flagship and umbrella species for restoration of savanna ecosystems.
2. Under the project, the African cheetahs were translocated from both Namibia and South Africa to 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

Explanation:

• Both statements are correct: Recent death of 3rd Cheetah brought from Africa has posed a serious question on viability of Project Cheetah. Eight cheetahs were transported from Namibia to India on September 17, 2022, and first batch of 12 cheetahs (7 males, 5 females) were translocated from South Africa to India on February 18, 2023 under Project Cheetah. The major objectives of the Project Cheetah are:
• To establish breeding cheetah populations in safe habitats across its historic range and manage them as a metapopulation.
• To use the cheetah as a charismatic flagship and umbrella species to garner resources for restoring open forest and savanna systems that will benefit biodiversity and ecosystem services from these ecosystems.
• To use the ensuing opportunity for eco-development and eco-tourism to enhance local community livelihoods.

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