Daily Current Affairs for UPSC – 16 August 2023

Daily Current Affairs for UPSC 2023

Q) Which of the following statements about Aditya L1 mission is not correct?

1. It will be India’s first space-based observatory to study the Sun.
2. It is design and developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation.
3. It will be launched using the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV).
4. The Aditya L1 will be placed in a halo orbit around the Lagrange point 1.

Daily Current Affairs for UPSC – 14 August April 2023

Explanation:

ISRO shares first images of Aditya-L1 satellite ahead of India`s first-ever mission to study the Sun.

• Option (3) is the correct answer: Aditya L1 will be the first space based Indian mission to study the Sun. It is design and developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation. It is a 400 kg-class satellite that will be launched using the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) in XL configuration to the L1 orbit. Aditya-L1 is expected to be launched in early September this year. The spacecraft would be placed in a halo orbit around the Lagrange point 1 (L1) of the Sun-Earth system, which is about 1.5 million km from the Earth. A satellite placed in the halo orbit around the L1 point has the major advantage of continuously viewing the Sun without any occultation/eclipses. Many of the instruments and their components for this mission are being manufactured for the first time in India, presenting as much of a challenge as an opportunity for the country’s scientific, engineering, and space communities.

Q) Consider the following statements:

1. National Entrance cum Eligibility Test- Undergraduate (NEET-UG) has replaced the All-India Pre-Medical Test.
2. Admissions to medical courses are listed under Schedule 7 of the Indian Constitution.
3. Originally, education was placed under the State List in Schedule 7 of the Indian Constitution.

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

Explanation:

The Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu urged the President of India to transfer education to the state list of the Constitution, escalating the tussle with the Centre over the NEET Exam.

• Statement 1 is correct: The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (Undergraduate) or NEET (UG), formerly known as the All India Pre-Medical Test (AIPMT), is an all India pre-medical entrance test for students who wish to pursue undergraduate medical (MBBS), dental (BDS) and AYUSH (BAMS, BUMS, BHMS, etc.) courses in government and private institutions in India and also, for those intending to pursue primary medical qualification abroad. The All India Pre Medical Test, also known as AIPMT, held on 1 May 2016, was considered as the first phase of the NEET. Again in 2017, AIPMT was replaced successfully by the NEET.
• Statement 2 is correct: Admissions to medical courses are traceable to entry 25 of Concurrent List, Schedule VII of the Indian Constitution. Therefore, the State can also enact a law regarding admission and amend any Central law on admission procedures.
• Statement 3 is correct: In the original Constitution of India, education was placed under the State List under the 7th schedule, which meant that the responsibility for education primarily rested with the individual states. Later, the 42nd Amendment to the Constitution moved education from the State List to the Concurrent List and thus both the Parliament and the state assemblies can legislate upon it.

Q) Consider the following statements about the Vishwakarma Yojana:

1. The Vishwakarma scheme was originally announced in the Union Budget 2020.
2. It aims to benefit individuals skilled in traditional craftsmanship, especially from the Other Backward Classes community.

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:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while addressing the nation from Red Fort on 77^th Independence Day, announced the launch of the ‘Vishwakarma Yojana’ in the coming days.

• Statement 1 is incorrect but Statement 2 is correct: Vishwakarma Scheme was originally announced in the Union Budget 2023. This scheme aims to benefit individuals skilled in traditional craftsmanship, especially from the Other Backward Classes (OBC) community. Skilled artisans like weavers, goldsmiths, blacksmiths, laundry workers, and barbers, among others, will be empowered through this scheme. The scheme will see an allocation of Rs 13,000 cr to Rs 15,000 crore initially. It will encompass various elements such as financial aid, modern and green technology training, brand promotion, market connectivity, digital payments, and social security.

Q) Consider the following statements about the National Automated Fingerprint Identification System (NAFIS):

1. It is a web-based application functioning as a central information repository by consolidating fingerprint data from all states and Union Territories.
2. NAFIS enables law enforcement agencies to upload, trace, and retrieve data from database of crime and criminal-related fingerprints in real time on a 24×7 basis.
3. NAFIS uses the 12 digit individual unique identification Aadhaar number for each person arrested for different crimes registered under different First Information Reports (FIRs).

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

Explanation:

NAFIS of the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) won the Gold Award under the Excellence in Government Process Reengineering for Digital Transformation Category-1 of the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG).

• Statement 1 and 2 are correct: NAFIS project is a country-wide searchable database of crime and criminal-related fingerprints. It is a web-based application functioning as a central information repository by consolidating fingerprint data from all states and Union Territories. NAFIS enables law enforcement agencies to upload, trace, and retrieve data from the databases in real time on a 24×7 basis. It is managed by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) at the Central Fingerprint Bureau (CFPB) in New Delhi.
• Statement 3 is incorrect: NAFIS assigns a unique 10-digit National Fingerprint Number (NFN) to each person arrested for a crime. This unique ID will be used for the person’s lifetime, and different crimes registered under different FIRs will be linked to the same NFN. The ID’s first two digits will be that of the state code in which the person arrested for a crime is registered, followed by a sequence number. Further, NAFIS data will be connected to the CCTNS (Crime and Criminal Tracking Network & Systems) data to improve the effectiveness of the criminal detection and investigation process.

Q) Jal Samvardhan Yojana (JSY) is a water conservation program launched by the Government of which State in India?

1. Uttar Pradesh
2. Himachal Pradesh
3. Karnataka
4. Andhra Pradesh

Explanation:

• Option (3) is correct: Jal Samvardhan Yojana (JSY) is a water conservation program launched by the Government of Karnataka in 2014. The program aims to increase water storage, improve water quality, and promote water conservation awareness among the public. JSY has been implemented in all 30 districts of Karnataka. The program has been successful in increasing water storage by over 1 billion cubic feet. JSY has also helped to improve water quality by reducing the amount of sewage and industrial waste that is discharged into rivers and lakes. JSY is a success story that has the potential to be replicated in other parts of the world. The program is a model for how to address the challenges of water scarcity in a sustainable and equitable way.

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