UPSC Current Affairs Quiz : 4 February 2025

Solution: a)

The Prime Minister Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana aims to boost agricultural productivity in 100 identified low-productivity districts by improving crop diversification, post-harvest storage, irrigation, and credit access. Unlike direct cash transfers or MSP expansion, the scheme converges existing initiatives and provides targeted interventions for small farmers and landless laborers.

About PM’s Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana:

• Ministry: Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare.
• Outlay: No separate allocation, but Rs 1,000 crore allocated for pulses, Rs 500 crore for fruits and vegetables, and Rs 100 crore for hybrid seeds.
• Aim: To boost agricultural productivity, crop diversification, post-harvest storage, irrigation facilities, and credit access in 100 low-productivity districts.
• Features:
  • Convergence of existing schemes and specialized measures.
  • Focus on sustainable agriculture and crop diversification.
  • Improved post-harvest storage at panchayat and block levels.
  • Enhanced irrigation and credit facilities.
  • Targets small and marginal farmers, rural women, and landless families.

Solution: a)

The VSHORADS (Very Short-Range Air Defence System), developed by DRDO’s Research Centre Imarat (RCI), Hyderabad, is a shoulder-fired missile system designed to intercept low-altitude aerial threats such as drones, helicopters, and low-flying aircraft. However, option a is incorrect because VSHORADS has an effective range of only 250 meters to 6 kilometers, not 12 km. Most MANPADS have a range between 3 and 8 km, making VSHORADS comparable but not superior in range. The missile also includes an adaptive proximity fuze, ensuring high precision in target engagement.

About Man Portable Air Defence System (MANPAD):

• What is MANPAD?
  • A lightweight, shoulder-fired missile system designed to target low-altitude aerial threats like drones, helicopters, and aircraft.
  • Provides mobility and flexibility to ground forces for air defence in combat zones.
• Developed By:
  • Designed and developed by DRDO’s Research Centre Imarat (RCI), Hyderabad.
• Aim:
  • To provide the Indian armed forces with an indigenous, advanced air defence systemcapable of neutralizing modern aerial threats.
  • To replace ageing systems like the Russian Igla MANPADS.
• Features:
  • Portability:Weighs 5 kg and can be shoulder-fired or mounted on a tripod.
  • Range:Effective range of 250 meters to 6 kilometres.
  • Speed:Maximum speed of Mach 1.5 (1,850 km/h).
  • Warhead:Equipped with a 2 kg adaptive proximity fuze for precise target destruction.
  • Target Engagement:Capable of intercepting low-flying drones and aircraft with reduced thermal signatures.
  • Operational Flexibility: Can be deployed in various combat scenarios, including mountainous and urban terrains

Solution: d)

The increase in FDI to 100% applies to the entire insurance sector, including life insurance, general insurance, and health insurance. The IRDAI regulates FDI policy in insurance, ensuring financial stability and consumer protection. The reform mandates that all foreign-owned insurers reinvest their collected premiums within India, preventing excessive capital outflows. The increase in FDI is expected to enhance insurance penetration, which declined from 4% in 2022-23 to 3.7% in 2023-24.

Solution: b)

South Georgia Island is an uninhabited British Overseas Territory, meaning it has no permanent human population. However, there is a seasonal presence of researchers, scientists, and administrative staff at King Edward Point, which serves as the administrative center. The island is located in the South Atlantic Ocean, and its climate is classified as subantarctic, characterized by cold, wet, and windy conditions year-round. It is a crucial breeding ground for various seabirds, penguins (including king and macaroni penguins), and seals, making it an important site for biodiversity and conservation.

Solution: c)

The Gyan Bharatam Mission is a nationwide initiative launched in Budget 2025-26 to identify, document, and conserve India’s manuscript heritage. It does not replace the NMM but rather expands its role with increased funding (₹60 crore, up from ₹3.5 crore). The initiative covers manuscripts from various languages and scripts, not just Sanskrit and Pali, making option b incorrect. Additionally, it does not create a single centralized digital library, but it aims for wider accessibility through digitization.

What is Gyan Bharatam Mission?

• A national initiative launched to survey, document, and conserve India’s rich manuscript heritage.
• Focuses on manuscripts held by academic institutions, museums, libraries, and private collectors.
• Ministry: Ministry of Culture.
• Budget Allocation:
  • National Mission for Manuscripts (NMM): Allocation increased from ₹3.5 crore to ₹60 crore.
• Aim:
  • To identify, document, and conserve India’s manuscript heritage.
  • To make manuscripts accessible to researchers, scholars, and the public.
  • To preserve the wisdom and knowledge contained in ancient texts for future generations.
• Features:
  • Survey and Documentation: Comprehensive survey of over one crore manuscripts across India.
  • Conservation: Advanced techniques to preserve fragile and ancient manuscripts.
  • Digitization: Digitizing manuscripts to ensure wider accessibility and prevent physical degradation.
  • Autonomous Body: Plans to establish an autonomous body for better implementation and management of the mission.
  • Collaboration: Partnerships with academic institutions, museums, and private collectors for effective execution.

Solution: b)

• Statement 1 is incorrect because India is the second-largest producer of cardamom, after Guatemala, which dominates the global export market.
• Statement 2 is correct as Idukki district in Kerala contributes over 50% of India’s small cardamom production.
• Statement 3 is correct as two new cardamom species, Elettaria tulipifera and Elettaria facifera, were discovered in the Agasthyamalai hills (Thiruvananthapuram), Munnar (Idukki), and Periyar Tiger Reserve.

What is Cardamom?

• Known as the “Queen of Spices,”cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum) is a highly aromatic spice belonging to the Zingiberaceae (ginger) family.
• Native to the evergreen rainforests of the Western Ghatsin South India, it is primarily cultivated in Kerala, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu.

Climatic Conditions for Growth:

• Rainfall:1500–4000 mm annually.
• Temperature:10°C to 35°C.
• Altitude:600–1500 meters above sea level.
• Soil:Acidic, loamy, and humus-rich forest soils with a pH of 5.0–6.5.

State-wise Production:

• Kerala:Contributes 58% of India’s cardamom production, primarily in Idukki district.
• Karnataka:Major production in Kodagu and Chikmagalur districts.
• Tamil Nadu:Cultivated in the Nilgiri hills.

Newly Identified Cardamom Species:

• Elettaria facifera:Found in Periyar Tiger Reserve, Idukki.
• Elettaria tulipifera:Discovered in Agasthyamalai hills (Thiruvananthapuram) and Munnar (Idukki).
• These species were previously misclassified under the genus Alpiniaand have now been reclassified under Elettaria.

Solution: c)

The scheme does not focus solely on cash crops, nor does it replace existing agricultural programs. Instead, it converges multiple schemes for better implementation. Moreover, it does not prioritize large agribusinesses, as its primary beneficiaries are small and marginal farmers, rural women, and landless workers.

Solution: d)

Explanation:

• Statement 1 is incorrect: Cardamom requires a tropical rainforest climate, making it unsuitable for Rajasthan and Punjab.
• Statement 2 is incorrect: The Spices Board of India regulates cardamom exports and sets quality standards.
• Statement 3 is incorrect: Guatemala is the world’s largest cardamom producer and exporter; it does not import Indian cardamom.

Solution: c)

• Statement 1 is incorrect: The mission does not focus exclusively on Sanskrit manuscripts; it aims to document manuscripts in multiple languages, including Tamil, Telugu, Persian, Arabic, and Pali.
• Statement 2 is correct: The mission incorporates advanced conservation techniques to preserve fragile manuscripts, ensuring long-term protection.
• Statement 3 is correct: The initiative includes AI-based text recognition and translation technologies to make manuscripts more accessible.
• Statement 4 is correct: The government is actively partnering with private collectors, academic institutions, and museums to expand the reach of the mission.

Solution: a)

• Statement 1 is incorrect: Insurance penetration is not based on the number of people with insurance coverage, but rather the ratio of total insurance premiums to a country’s GDP.
• Statement 2 is correct: Increasing FDI to 100% is expected to attract foreign insurance giants, bringing advanced technology, better underwriting practices, and diverse product offerings.
• Statement 3 is incorrect: The FDI increase is conditional, meaning that foreign companies must reinvest their collected premiums within India and adhere to IRDAI regulations.