[MISSION 2024] RTM(Revision through MCQs)- 13 January 2024

Ans: (a)

Explanation: The mandate of the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP); –

• The goal of NCAP (annual average ambient air quality standards at all locations in the country): 20%–30% reduction of PM2.5 and PM10 concentration by taking 2017 as the base year for the comparison of concentration.
• Under NCAP, 132 non-attainment cities have been identified across the country based on the Air Quality data from 2014-2018.
• Preparation of the city-specific action plans including measures to strengthen the monitoring network, reduce vehicular/industrial emissions, and increase public awareness.
• Implementation of the city-specific action plans to be regularly monitored by Committees at the Central and State level namely Steering Committee, Monitoring Committee and Implementation Committee.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2024/01/13/ncap-completes-five-years/

Ans: (c)

Explanation:

• “PRANA” – Portal for Regulation of Air-pollution in Non-Attainment cities, is a portal for monitoring the implementation of the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP).
• developed by Knowledge Lens collaborated with the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), GIZ and MoEFCC to develop PRANA.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2024/01/13/ncap-completes-five-years/

Ans: (a)

Explanation:

• Global Risk Report 2024 Released annually by the World Economic Forum.
• Global Economic Prospects Report 2024 Released by the World Bank Group.
• World Employment and Social Outlook Trends 2024 Released by the International Labour Organisation (ILO)
• “Digital Trade for Development” Report Joint publication by IMF, World Bank, WTO, OECD, and UNCTAD.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2024/01/13/recent-reports-in-news/

Ans: (d)

Explanation:

• Context: Denmark has introduced the Green Fuels Alliance India (GFAI) to enhance collaboration with India in the sustainable energy sector, aligning with both nations’ goals of achieving carbon neutrality.
• Aim: It aims to advance the green fuels sector, including green hydrogen, through innovation and partnerships. GFAI’s objective is to foster an ecosystem promoting sustainable energy growth in India, involving businesses, government entities, and research institutions.
• Background:
  • The initiative is part of the Green Strategic Partnership signed in 2020 between India and Denmark. The announcement coincides with India’s push for carbon neutrality by 2070 and Denmark’s top ranking in the 2024 Climate Performance Ranking.
• Other similar partnership initiatives:
  • Global Biofuels Alliance forged by Brazil, India, and the United States
  • India U.S.-India Strategic Clean Energy Partnership
  • Green / Clean Hydrogen India and Saudi Arabia
  • India-Australia Green Hydrogen Taskforce
  • Quad’s Climate Working Group for Clean Energy

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2024/01/13/green-fuels-alliance-india-gfai/

Ans: (b)

Explanation:

• Context: The Tea Association of India (TAI) has issued a warning about challenges reminiscent of the “dark phase” of 2002-07 in the country’s tea industry.
• Only statements 1 and 4 are correct.
• Statement 1 is correct: The Tea Board of India is a statutory body created under the Tea Act, 1953 and it was established for the purposes of regulating the Indian tea industry and protecting the interests of tea producers in India.
• Statement 2 is incorrect: It is functioning as a statutory body of the Central Government under the Ministry of Commerce.
• Statement 3 is incorrect: Tea Board of India’s Head Office is situated in Kolkata.
• Statement 4 is correct: The Tea Board of India has overseas offices in Moscow, Dubai, Hamburg, London and New York. Moscow office. The Moscow office of the Tea Board of India operates under the Embassy of India, and its area of activity includes Russia and the CIS countries, which comprise 50% of Indian tea exports.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2024/01/13/tea-industry-in-india/

Ans: (d)

Explanation:

• Context: China has launched a new astronomical satellite named Einstein Probe (EP) with a lotus-shaped design to observe transient and violent celestial phenomena in the universe.
  • The Einstein Probe (EP) satellite features wide-field X-ray telescopes (WXT) and follow-up X-ray telescopes (FXT). Its objectives include capturing initial light from supernova explosions, detecting X-ray signals linked to gravitational wave events, and discovering dormant black holes and celestial objects. The satellite’s X-ray detection tech, inspired by, showcases innovative lobster-eye telescopes
• The mission involves international collaboration with The European Space Agency and the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics in Germany.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2024/01/13/einstein-probe-ep/

Ans: (b)

Explanation:

• Statement 3 is incorrect.
• The study under National Mission on Himalayan Studies revealed a strong link between habitat use by Snow Leopard and its prey species Siberian ibex and blue sheep.
• Spiti Valley possessed a good habitat in and outside the protected areas which could support a viable population of both snow leopard and its prey species.
• Classified as ‘Vulnerable’ by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red list and listed in Schedule-I species of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, snow leopards are elusive mountain cats whose survival depends on depends primarily on wild ungulates.
• Higher up in the mountains, predators such as snow leopards regulated the populations of herbivores such as the blue sheep and Siberian ibex, thereby safeguarding the health of grasslands and a long-term absence of snow leopards could cause trophic cascades as ungulate populations would likely increase, leading to depletion of vegetation cover.
• Snow leopards have a vast but fragmented distribution across the mountainous landscape of central Asia, which covers different parts of the Himalayas such as Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Sikkim.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2024/01/13/darjeeling-zoo/

Ans: (d)

Explanation:

• Global Snow Leopard Population Estimated between 4k and 6.5k worldwide; China has the highest population; India has around 700-800 individuals
• Hemis National Park, Ladakh: Snow Leopard Capital of the world; State Animal of Ladakh & Himachal Pradesh
• Hemis National Park is a high-elevation national park in Ladakh, India. Globally famous for its snow leopards, it is believed to have the highest density of them in any protected area in the world.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2024/01/13/darjeeling-zoo/

Ans: (a)

Explanation:

• Only statement 2 is correct.
• S1: It is developed by using three genes viz., barnase, barstar and bar from Bacillus amyloliquefaciens for hybrid seed production.
• The barnase gene confers male sterility to a plant in which it is inserted and barstar gene restore the fertility to produce fertile hybrid plants and seeds.
• The third gene bar synthesize an enzyme call PAT, which is responsible for tolerance to glufosinate in the plant. Glufosinate is a broad spectrum herbicide, which indiscriminately eliminates weeds and any plant that does not have the bar gene.
• Glufosinate herbicides contain the active ingredient phosphinothricin, which kills plants by blocking the enzyme responsible for nitrogen metabolism and for detoxifying ammonia, a by-product of plant metabolism.
• S2: It has mainly two genes (‘barnase’ and ‘barstar’) that allow for cross-pollination and hybridisation in mustard, which is largely a self-pollinating plant because of its individual flowers containing both female and male reproductive organs. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
• S3: GM mustard was developed by scientists at Delhi University and the project was part-funded by the Department of Biotechnology, a division of the Science Ministry.

Refer: UPSC CSE 2018

Ans: (a)

Explanation:

• The carbon fertilization effect suggests that the increase of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere increases the rate of photosynthesis in plants. The effect varies depending on the plant species, the temperature, and the availability of water and nutrients.
• From a quarter to half of Earth’s vegetated lands has shown significant greening over the last 35 years largely due to rising levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide.

Refer: UPSC CSE 2018