Daily Current Affairs for UPSC – 23 May 2023

Daily Current Affairs for UPSC 2023

Q) Recently seen in news, the Machilipatnam Port is located in which one of the following states?

1. Odisha
2. Karnataka
3. Tamil Nadu
4. Andhra Pradesh

Daily Current Affairs for UPSC – 22 May April 2023

Explanation:

• Option (4) is correct: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister will be inaugurating the Machilipatnam port construction works at Manginapudi in Krishna district. Machilipatnam Port is one of the three non-major ports (Ramayapatnam in Nellore and Moolapeta in Srikakulam district are the other two), being developed by the Andhra Pradesh Maritime Board (APMB). It’s being implemented by Machilipatnam Port Development Corporation Limited, a special purpose vehicle floated by the State government. It will handle total cargo capacity of approximately 116 Million Tons Per Annum (MTPA). The port is connected to National Highways 65, 216 and 216-A, and a 6.50 km four-lane road has been proposed to be laid from the port area for connecting it to NH-216. It will not only help Andhra Pradesh but the states like Telangana, Chhattisgarh, and Karnataka etc. The port-based industries will help generate employment to lakhs of people in Machilipatnam itself

Q) Consider the following statements about Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIC):

1. It was established as part of the Act East Policy in 1984.
2. The FIPIC includes ten Pacific Island nations.
3. FIPIC aims to address the challenges of climate change and disaster management.

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 but statement 3 is correct: Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIC) is a multinational grouping for cooperation between India and the Pacific Islands nations. The main objectives of FIPIC include enhancing political dialogue, fostering economic cooperation, promoting trade and investment, and addressing common challenges such as climate change, sustainable development, and disaster management. As part of the Act East Policy, India established the FIPIC and its inaugural gathering was convened by Prime Minister of India in Fiji in 2014.
• Statement 2 is incorrect: Recently Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled a 12-point development agenda for the Pacific Island Nations at the 3rd FIPIC (Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation) summit held at Port Moresby, the capital of Papua New Guinea. The summit was co-chaired by India along with Papua New Guinea. 14 Pacific Island countries are member of FIPIC. At the Summit, PM Modi asserted that the Pacific island nations are “large ocean countries and not small island states”. The 12-point development agenda encompassed various areas of cooperation, including commerce, technology, healthcare, and climate change etc.

Q) With reference to Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), consider the following statements:

1. Under the act, the Central Armed Police Forces deployed in disturbed areas are allowed to fire and kill anyone.
2. The decision of the government to declare an area disturbed under the act cannot be put to judicial review.
3. Both the central and state governments can declare an area as disturbed under the act.

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 and 2 are correct: Under the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA), 1958, the armed forces and the Central Armed Police Forces deployed in specified disturbed areas can fire and kill anyone acting in accordance of law. Arrest anyone based on suspicion, without a warrant. Individual arrested and taken into custody under this act has to be handed over to the officer in charge of the nearest police station. Security forces can search any premises without a warrant. They can stop and search any vehicle based on suspicion. There shall not be any judicial review of the government’s judgment on why an area is found to be disturbed.
• Statement 3 is correct: The act was amended in 1972 to give powers to the Central government, along with the States, to declare an area as “disturbed”. Security forces are given protection from prosecution and legal suits. The Central government’s sanction is required for prosecution.

Q) Consider the following statements about Narco Test:

1. Sodium thiopental is injected into the body of the accused before the test.
2. The results of the narco test are considered a confession against the accused.
3. The consent of the accused is necessary to conduct the narco test.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

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

Explanation:

• Statements 1 and 3 are correct: In a ‘narco’ or narco-analysis test, a drug called sodium pentothal (sodium thiopental) is injected into the body of the accused, which transports them to a hypnotic or sedated state, in which their imagination is neutralized. In this hypnotic state, the accused becomes incapable of lying, and is expected to say the truth. Sodium Pentothal is a fast-acting, short duration anaesthetic, which is used in larger doses to sedate patients during surgery. SC ruled that no lie detector tests should be administered “except on the basis of consent of the accused”. Those who volunteer must have access to a lawyer, and have the physical, emotional, and legal implications of the test explained to them.
• Statement 2 is incorrect: The results of these tests cannot be considered as confession as these tests are done in a drugged-induced state when the accused cannot exercise a choice in answering questions. However, any information subsequently discovered with the help of such a voluntarily-taken test can be admitted as evidence.

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

1. It will be a constituent body of the National Council of Educational Research and Training.
2. PARAKH will manage India’s participation in the Program for International Student Assessment.

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: PARAKH (Performance Assessment, Review, and Analysis of Knowledge for Holistic Development) is India’s first national assessment regulator. According to the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, PARAKH will function as a standard-setting body for student assessment and evaluation for all school boards in the country and will put an end to the emphasis on rote learning. While the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) is an autonomous organisation under the Ministry of Education, PARAKH will be a constituent body of the NCERT. PARAKH will manage India’s participation in international assessments like the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), or Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS). It will provide technical guidelines and inputs for boards to design, develop, and implement state-wide systems for measuring student learning aligned with state and national curricular standards.

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