Daily Current Affairs for UPSC – 27 December 2022

Daily Current Affairs for UPSC 2022

Q) Which one of the following is not a feature of National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013?

1. There is a provision of maternity benefit.
2. The beneficiaries are identified by the central government.
3. Pregnant women are entitled to meals as per prescribed nutritional norms.
4. There is a provision for food security allowance in the event of non-supply of entitled foodgrains.

Daily Current Affairs for UPSC – 26 December 2022

Explanation:

• Option (2) is incorrect: National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013 provide for food and nutritional security in human life cycle approach, by ensuring access to adequate quantity of quality food at affordable prices to people to live a life with dignity. 75% of the rural population and upto 50% of the urban population will receive subsidized foodgrains under Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS). Overall, NFSA caters to 67% of the total population. Pregnant women and lactating mothers and children (6-14 years) will be entitled to meals as per prescribed nutritional norms under Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) and Mid-Day Meal (MDM) schemes. Higher nutritional norms have been prescribed for malnourished children upto 6 years of age. Pregnant women and lactating mothers will also be entitled to receive maternity benefit of not less than Rs. 6,000. There is a provision for food security allowance to entitled beneficiaries in case of non-supply of entitled foodgrains or meals. The identification of eligible beneficiaries is done by the respective State/Union Territory government. Central Government will provide assistance to States in meeting the expenditure incurred by them on transportation of foodgrains within the State, its handling and FPS dealers’ margin as per norms to be devised for this purpose.

Q) Consider the following statements about green methanol:

1. Green methanol can be produced from biomass gasification.
2. It is considered as a substitute fuel for maritime fuel applications.
3. The ‘Green Methanol project’ aims to capture and convert carbon from all thermal power plants in India into green fuel.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

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

Explanation:

• Statements 1 and 2 are correct: Green methanol is a low-carbon fuel that can be produced from either biomass gasification or renewable electricity and captured carbon dioxide (CO2). Green Methanol serves as a base material for the chemical industry, storing renewable electricity, and even as a transportation fuel. It is also considered as a substitute fuel for maritime fuel applications.
• Statement 3 is incorrect: The Green Methanol Project involves capturing carbon from NTPC power plants and converting it into a green fuel. NTPC has signed a MoU with Tecnimont Private Limited to jointly evaluate and explore the possibility to develop commercial scale Green Methanol Production facility at NTPC project. Green methanol project aligns with NTPC’s commitment to sustainability and renewable energy, and will significantly contribute to the country’s energy transition.

Q) With reference to coal sector in India, consider the following statements:

1. Coal contributes to about 80 percent of India’s power generation.
2. India has set a target of achieving 5 billion tonne of coal production by FY2025.
3. India is the second largest producer and importer of coal.

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. 3 only

Explanation:

• Statement 1 is incorrect: Coal contributes to over 70% of India’s power generation. Of this, over 12 per cent is import-based coal. India witnessed coal supply shock due to Russia-Ukraine war, increasing power demand over the years, prolonged rains in coal mining areas like West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Tamil Nadu had resulted in lesser coal production etc,
• Statement 2 is incorrect:The Ministry of Coal has set target to achieve coal production of 1.3 billion tonne by FY2025 and 1.5 billion tonne by FY2030. The Parliamentary committee on coal has recommended the Centre and Coal India to look at acquisition opportunities for coal mines abroad. Coal India Limited (CIL) can pursue overseas acquisition of coal blocks after detailed study and analysis of the blocks, especially low ash coking coal, which is not abundantly found in the country and import is the only option left.
• Statement 3 is correct:India is the second largest producer, importer and consumer of coal after China.  Jharkhand, Odisha, and Chhattisgarh accounted for almost 70% of the total known Coal Reserves in India. India has 4th largest reserves of coal and holds about 286 billion of world’s some 850 billion of proven reserves.

Q) With reference to Antarctica, consider the following statements:

1. Population of all the native species of Antarctica would decline due to climate change.
2. Bharati is the first Indian base established in Antarctica.
3. Nematodes and tardigrades are important species found in Antarctica.

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

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

Explanation:

• Statement 1 is incorrect: Climate change won’t lead to a decline in all Antarctic species, in fact, some may benefit initially. These include two Antarctic plants, some mosses and the Gentoo penguin. These species may increase their populations and become more widely distributed in the event of more liquid water (as opposed to ice), more ice-free land and warmer temperatures. A new study has found that if necessary conservation efforts are not taken, up to 97 percent of land-based Antarctic species could decline by the end of this century due to climate change.
• Statement 2 is incorrect: India is expanding its infrastructure development in Antarctica. Dakshin Gangotri was the first Indian base established in Antarctica in 1984, it has weakened and become just a supply base. The newest base commissioned in 2015 is Bharati. India is rebuilding its second station, Maitri, to make it bigger and last for at least 30 more years.
• Statement 3 is correct: Native species of animals in Antarctica include mites, nematodes, penguins, seals and tardigrades. Where vegetation occurs, it is mostly in the form of lichen or moss. Antarctica is Earth’s southernmost and the fifth-largest continent. It is mainly a polar desert and is covered mostly by the Antarctic ice sheet, with an average thickness of 1.9 km. About 70% of the world’s freshwater reserves are frozen in Antarctica, which, if melted, would raise global sea levels by almost 60 metres.

Q) Consider the following statements about ‘Arecanut’:

1. Its cultivation is mostly confined to 28 degrees north and south of the equator.
2. Andhra Pradesh contributes 80 percent of the total arecanut production in India.
3. It is useful in the removal of intestinal parasites.

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 correct:Areca nut or betel nut, as commonly referred in India is a seed of the Areca Palm tree. The cultivation of arecanut is mostly confined to 28 degrees north and south of the equator. It grows well within the temperature range of 14ºC and 36ºC and is adversely affected by temperatures below 10ºC and above 40ºC. Arecanut is capable of growing in a variety of soils. June-December is found to be the optimum.
• Statement 2 is incorrect: Karnataka produces around 80 per cent of the country’s arecanut. Large areas under the crop have been damaged by yellow leaf disease, blast disease and fruit rot disease, especially in Shivamogga, Dakshina Kannada and Chikkamagaluru districts. The central government allowed the import of 17,000 tonnes of green (fresh) arecanut from Bhutan without minimum import price (MIP).
• Statement 3 is correct: Powdered areca nut is used as a constituent in some dentifrices. Arecanut exhibits various therapeutic properties. Its traditional uses include the removal of tapeworms and other intestinal parasites by swallowing a few teaspoons of powdered arecanut, drunk as a decoction, or by taking tablets containing the extracted alkaloids.

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