Daily Current Affairs for UPSC – 15 December 2022

Daily Current Affairs for UPSC 2022

Q) With reference to the ‘District Disability Rehabilitation Centres’ (DDRC), consider the following statements:

1. DDRCs are set up by the state governments under the “Scheme for Implementation of Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act,” 2016.
2. DDRC is jointly run by the District Management Team, headed by the District Collector, and an NGO.
3. DDRC arranges loans for people with disabilities for self-employment purposes.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

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

Daily Current Affairs for UPSC – 14 December 2022

Explanation:

• Statement 1 is incorrect: The District Disability Rehabilitation Centres are set up and funded under the Plan Scheme “Scheme for Implementation of Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 (SIPDA)” – an umbrella scheme under which grants-in-aid are provided to State Governments and various other bodies, set up by the Central and State Governments, including Autonomous Bodies and Universities, to support activities. DDRC’s are joint venture of Central and State Governments wherein Central Government will establish, initiate, and implement the centre for three years involving funding for man power contingencies as well as required equipments and coordination.  State Government will provide provision for rent free, well connected building, basic infrastructure, furniture, monitoring and coordination of activities through District Management Team (DMT) Chaired by the District Collector and also identification of implementing agency.
• Statement 2 is correct: These centers are run jointly by District Management Team headed by DM/Collector and a reputed NGO (Usually Indian Red Cross Society).  Each DDRC is to be run under the supervision of a District Management Team headed by the District Collector/District Magistrate and also to include district officials from Social Welfare, Health, Panchayati Raj, Women & Child Welfare Departments, nodal officer from implementing agency and representative from reputed NGOs/ public representatives for better coordination and monitoring. The State Government may notify the constitution of the DMT under the Chairmanship of District Collector. This team will also be the custodian of the assets of the DDRC.
• Statement 3 is correct: District Disability Rehabilitation Centres (DDRCs) would provide rehabilitative support to persons with disabilities through survey & identification of persons with disabilities through camp approach; facilitation of disability certificate, bus passes and other concession/facilities for persons with disabilities; assisting in the issue of Unique Disability Identity Card (UDID) to divyangjan in the District; Arrangement of loans for self employment, through banks & other financial institutions. Thus it does not directly provide any loans.

Q) Consider the following statements about the Internet Governance Forum (IGF):

1. IGF is an initiative of the World Economic Forum.
2. The IGF is a multi-stakeholder forum for discussing internet governance issues.
3. IGF adopts resolutions on internet policy that are binding on the member states.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

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

Explanation:

• Statement 1 is incorrect: Internet Governance Forum (IGF) is an initiative of the United Nations. IGF has conducted a three-day hybrid event in New Delhi. The establishment of the IGF was formally announced by the United Nations Secretary-General in July 2006. It was first convened in October-November 2006 and has held an annual meeting since then.
• Statement 2 is correct: The Internet Governance Forum (IGF) is a multi-stakeholder governance group for policy dialogue on issues of Internet governance. It facilitates common understandings and knowledge exchange of how to maximize Internet opportunities and address risks and challenges. The IGF also gives stakeholders from all countries, including developing countries, the opportunity to engage in the debate on Internet governance and it contributes to capacity building, allowing these stakeholders to build knowledge and skills that will facilitate their participation in existing Internet governance institutions and arrangements.
• Statement 3 is incorrect: The IGF does not adopt resolutions or create any binding treaties. It facilitate discourse between governments, intergovernmental organizations, private companies, the technical community and civil society organizations that deal with or are interested in Internet governance related public policy issues. IGF gatherings discuss proposed responses including regulatory frameworks, potential risks, global trends, as well as best and worst practices that have been adopted or are currently under discussion. Participants also examine the impact of treaties, recommendations and other documents adopted in various international venues within the Internet governance ecosystem.

Q) With reference to solar power, consider the following statements:

1. India has successfully achieved the target of installing 100 GW of solar power.
2. The Scheme for the Development of Ultra Mega Solar Power Projects aims to build 40 GW of solar capacity.
3. The capacity of the solar parks must be 500 MW and above under the Scheme for Development of Ultra Mega Solar Power Projects.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

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

Explanation:

• Statement 1 is incorrect: India had committed to installing 175 GW of renewable energy by 2022 of which 100 GW was to be solar power. As of October 2022, 61 GW of solar power has been installed so far. According to the figures revealed by the Minister for New and Renewable energy, only a fourth of the total sanctioned solar projects under the ‘Scheme for Development of Solar Parks and Ultra Mega Solar Power Projects’ has been commissioned so far.
• Statement 2 is correct: Scheme for Development of Solar Parks and Ultra Mega Solar Power Projects was rolled out in December 2014 by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE). It aims to facilitate the solar project developers to set up projects in a plug and play model. Under this scheme, it was proposed to set up at least 25 Solar Parks and Ultra Mega Solar Power Projects targeting over 40 GW of solar power installed capacity (which has been enhanced from previous target of 20 GW to 40 GW). These parks are proposed to be set up by 2021-22.
• Statement 3 is incorrect: The scheme facilitates and speeds up installation of grid connected solar power projects for electricity generation on a large scale. All the States and Union Territories are eligible for getting benefit under the scheme. The capacity of the solar parks shall be 500 MW and above. However, smaller parks are also considered where contiguous land may be difficult to acquire in view of difficult terrain and where there is acute shortage of non-agricultural land.

Q) Consider the following statements, about Forabot:

1. It uses artificial intelligence to identify microscopic marine fossils.
2. It is developed by the Indian National Center for Ocean Information Services.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither1 or 2

Explanation:

• Statement 1 is correct: Researchers have developed and demonstrated a robot, named forabot, capable of sorting, manipulating and identifying microscopic marine fossils. The robot’s AI uses images of the sample to identify the type of foram and sorts it accordingly. Foraminifera, also called forams, are simple protists (neither plant nor animal) that have existed in our oceans for more than 100 million years. These organisms secrete a tiny shell. When forams die, they leave behind their shells. Studying these shells give scientists insights into the characteristics of the oceans from a time when the forams were alive.
• Statement 2 is incorrect: Researchers at North Carolina State University have developed It has an accuracy of 79% for identifying forams, which is better than most trained humans. It can identify six different type of foram fossil and can process 27 fossils per hour. Physical inspection and sorting of the marine fossils require intense human efforts. The robot can automate the process.

Q) With reference to the Stiff-Person Syndrome (SPS), consider the following statements:

1. SPS is an auto-immune disease that makes the muscles spasm uncontrollably.
2. SPS affects the central nervous system of the body, and people with SPS are highly sensitive to noise.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither1 or 2

Explanation:

• Statement 1 is correct: Stiff-Person Syndrome (SPS), also known as Moersch-Woltman syndrome, is an auto-immune disease that makes the muscles spasm uncontrollably. It normally affects torso region, the arms and the legs. It is caused by antibodies to proteins, resulting in impaired GABAergic (Gamma amino butyric acid) inhibition of the motor nerves in the brain and spinal cord.
• Statement 2 is correct: SPS is a rare neurological condition that affects the central nervous system of the body. People with SPS are highly sensitivity to noise, touch, and emotional distress. It is commonly associated with symptoms such as anxiety, phobias and depression. The condition affects the posture of a person due to severe pain and stiffness in muscles in the trunk (torso), arms and legs. Over a period of time a person may develop abnormal and often hunched-over postures and could also cause disability in walking and movement. Treatment involves the use of both symptomatic agents to improve GABAergic influences and Immuno modulating treatment aimed at the autoimmune nature of the disease.

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