Daily Current Affairs for UPSC – 23 March 2023

Daily Current Affairs for UPSC 2023

Q) Recently seen in news, ‘World Happiness Index’ was released by which one of the following organizations?

1. World Bank
2. World Economic Forum
3. Institute for Economics and Peace
4. United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network

Daily Current Affairs for UPSC – 22 March 2023

Explanation:

• Option (4) is correct: The World Happiness Report is an annual report published by the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network. The report is based predominantly on data from the main life evaluation question in the Gallup World Poll. Published since 2012, the World Happiness Report is based on two key ideas, that is, happiness or life evaluation measured through opinion surveys and identifying key elements that determine well-being and life evaluation across countries. Recently, Finland has topped as the world’s happiest country for the sixth consecutive year. India’s position in the World Happiness Report has improved from 136 to 126, although it is still behind its neighboring countries such as Pakistan (108), Sri Lanka (112), Myanmar (117), and Bangladesh (118). The World Happiness Report has ranked Afghanistan as the least happy country out of the 137 nations surveyed other nations such as Lebanon, Zimbabwe, and the Democratic Republic of Congo as being among the unhappiest countries, largely due to factors such as high levels of corruption and low life expectancy. The UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network uses six key factors to help rank the more than 150 countries (137 in 2023) based on their average life evaluations between 2020-2022, that is, social support, income, health, freedom, generosity, absence of corruption. Every year, each variable measures a populated-weighted average score on a scale of 0-10 that is tracked over a period of time and further compared with other countries.

Q) Consider the following statements about the ‘UN High Seas Treaty’:

1. It is a legally binding agreement under the framework of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
2. The High Ambition Coalition on ‘Biodiversity beyond National Jurisdictions’ was established by the Group of 20 under the UN High Seas Treaty.
3. The high seas are areas of oceans that lie within a country’s Exclusive Economic Zone.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

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

Explanation:

• Statement 1 is correct: UN High Seas Treaty is a legally binding international agreement being developed within the framework of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). The treaty will work as an implementation agreement under the UNCLOS, much like the Paris Agreement works under the UNFCCC. It aims to provide a comprehensive legal framework to protect oceans and marine life, particularly in the high seas, which were previously not covered by any such framework.
• Statement 2 is incorrect: The treaty is also known as the agreement on “biodiversity beyond national jurisdictions”, or BBNJ, as the high seas are open ocean areas that are outside the jurisdiction of any country. Although the process of creating the treaty was initiated in 2015, it was postponed due to the Covid-19 outbreak. In order to speed up the finalization of the treaty, the European Union established the High Ambition Coalition on BBNJ in 2022.
• Statement 3 is incorrect: Recently, nations of the world have finalized a new global treaty meant for the conservation and sustainable use of biological resources in the high seas. High seas are areas of oceans that lie beyond a country’s Exclusive Economic Zone (that extends up to 200 nautical miles (370 km) from the coastline). The high seas are also known as international waters or the open ocean. No country is responsible for the management and protection of resources on the high seas. The high seas comprise 64 per cent of the ocean surface, and about 43 per cent of the Earth.

Q) With reference to ‘SEED scheme’, consider the following statements:

1. It is related to the economic empowerment of religious minorities in India.
2. Under this scheme, health insurance will also be provided through the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana.
3. Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment is responsible for implementation of the scheme.

Which of the statements given above is/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 but statement 2 is correct: The Scheme for Economic Empowerment of Denotified Nomadic Semi-Nomadic (SEED) communities was launched in 2022 by the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment. De-Notified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Tribes are communities that were ‘notified’ as being ‘born criminals’ during the British regime under a series of laws starting with the Criminal Tribes Act of 1871. Such related acts were repealed by the Independent Indian Government in 1952, and these communities were “De-Notified”. There are nearly 1,500 nomadic and semi-nomadic tribes and 198 de-notified tribes, comprising 15 crore Indians, according to the Renke Commission, 2008. Major Components under SEED are:
• Educational empowerment: Free coaching to students from these communities for Civil Services, entry to professional courses like medicine, engineering, MBA, etc.
• Health Insurance through Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana of National Health Authority.
• Livelihoods to support income generation.
• Housing (through PMAY/IAY).
• Statement 3 is incorrect: The Development and Welfare Board for De-Notified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Tribes, set up in 2019, has been tasked with the implementation of the scheme. Scheme was launched with outlay of 200 crore until 2027. To ensure seamless registration there is an online Portal which acts as a repository of the data on these communities. Eligible families include those having income from all sources of Rs 2.50 lakh or less per annum and not availing any such benefits from similar Scheme of Centre Government or the State Government. The Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment has given a written reply in Rajya Sabha about Scheme for Economic Empowerment of DNT Communities (SEED).

Q) Consider the following statements about ‘Atmospheric Rivers’:

1. They are long and narrow regions in the atmosphere that carry the water vapor in the areas beyond the tropics.
2. They are a key feature in the global water cycle and are closely tied to both water supply and flood risks.

Which of the statements given above is/are not correct?

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

Explanation:

• Statement 1 is correct: Atmospheric Rivers are relatively long, narrow regions in the atmosphere-like rivers in the sky-that transport most of the water vapour outside of the tropics. Ex: Pineapple Express. These columns of vapour move with the weather, carrying an amount of water vapour roughly equivalent to the average flow of water at the mouth of the Mississippi River. When the atmospheric rivers make landfall, they often release this water vapour in the form of rain or snow.
• Statement 2 is correct: Atmospheric Rivers are a key feature in the global water cycle and are closely tied to both water supply and flood risks-particularly in the western United States. They can create extreme rainfall and floods, often by stalling over watersheds vulnerable to flooding. These events can disrupt travel, induce mudslides, and cause catastrophic damage to life and property. They can contribute to beneficial increases in snowpack. California has experienced an exceptionally wet winter with 11 atmospheric rivers affecting the state since late December.

Q) With reference to ‘Chandrayaan 3’ mission, consider the following statements:

1. The Rover associated with the mission will carry out chemical analysis of the lunar surface.
2. The mission will help measure the thermal conductivity and seismicity on the lunar surface.
3. It will be launched by the Indian Space Research Organization in year 2025.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

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

Explanation:

• Statement 1 is correct: Chandrayaan-3 Mission will demonstrate end-to-end capability in safe landing and roving on the lunar surface and consists of a lander-rover configuration. It is a follow-up to the Chandrayan-2 mission. It will be performing in-situ scientific observations. It consists of an indigenous Lander module (LM), Propulsion module (PM), and a Rover. It will have the capability to soft land at a specified lunar site and deploy the Rover which will carry out in-situ chemical analysis of the lunar surface during the course of its mobility.
• Statement 2 is correct but statement 3 is incorrect: Chandra Surface Thermophysical Experiment (ChaSTE) will measure the thermal conductivity and temperature. Lunar Seismic Activity (ILSA) will measure the seismicity around the landing site. Langmuir Probe (LP) will estimate the plasma density and its variation. Passive Laser Retroreflector Array from NASA is accommodated on the mission for lunar laser ranging studies. Spectro-polarimetry of Habitable Planet Earth (SHAPE) payload to study the spectral and Polari metric measurements of Earth from the lunar orbit. According to Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), Chandrayaan 3 is likely to be launched in the middle of 2023.

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