Daily Current Affairs MCQ / UPSC / IAS / 02-11-19 | Free PDF

MCQ 1

1. Greater Adjutant Storks is the world’s most endangered of the stork species. 2. In India it is found in Western Ghats Choose correct

 Choose correct

 (A) Only 1
(B) Only 2
(C) Both
(D) None

• Greater Adjutant Storks
• It is the world’s most endangered of the stork species.
• Earlier it was distributed throughout northern and eastern India and many countries of south and south-east Asia, it is currently only in Assam and Bihar and a few other locations in Cambodia. • It is listed as “Endangered” in IUCN Red list of threatened species.
• It is locally called ‘Hargila’ in the Brahmaputra Valley in Assam, which harbours more than 80% of the global population of the species.
• It is considered family by women of Dadara and Pacharia villages in Assam’s Kamrup district.
• Families observed a unique ceremony of baby shower for the greater adjutant nesting in their neighbourhood.
• They build colonies on tall trees during their breeding season in winter.
• A campaign was launched in Assam to save the birds by Aaranyak, a wildlife conservation organization in 2009.
• Assam’s renowned environmentalist Purnima Devi Barman has won the prestigious Whitley Awards, also known as the Green Oscars, for her efforts in conserving greater adjutant storks in association with Aaranyak.

MCQ 2

1. The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was launched in 2004 to promote cooperation among cities which recognized creativity as a major factor in their urban development.
2. Hyderabad is the only city chosen from India for it.

Choose correct

 (A) Only 1
(B) Only 2
(C) Both
(D) None

 UNESCO Creative City

• The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was launched in 2004 to promote cooperation among cities which recognized creativity as a major factor in their urban development.
• It aims to foster mutual international cooperation with and between member cities committed to investing in creativity as a driver for sustainable urban development, social inclusion and cultural vibrancy.
• The Network recognizes the following creative fields: 1) Crafts and Folk Arts 2) Media Arts 3) Film 4) Design 5) Gastronomy 6) Literature 7) Music
• The overall situation and activities within the Network are reported in the UCCN Membership Monitoring Reports, each for a 4-year period for a particular city.
• The Network recognizes the concept of creative tourism, defined as a travel associated with creative experience and participation
• The following three Indian cities has been added to UCCN – Varanasi for Music, Jaipur for Crafts and Folk Art and Chennai for Music.
• To become part of the network of 180 cities, where development is believed to be intricately linked to their creative traditions.
• Recent Developments – Hyderabad has now been officially designated as a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy and Mumbai in Film Category.
• These 2 cities are among 66 cities named by the UNESCO in the list of new Creative Cities which aims at pushing the Sustainable Development Goals through innovative thinking and action.
• Hyderabad is the city of biryanis, kebabs, haleem, kallu, shikampur and chowki dinners.
• Pre-Islamic Kakatiya cuisines (12th century) have interacted in an incredible fashion with the arrival of Turks in 15th century, followed by Mughal influences in the 17th century.

 MCQ 3

1. National Health Profile (NHP) 2019 has been released by NITI aayog
2. In rural areas the sex ratio has increased from 946 to 949 and in urban areas from 900 to 929.

Choose correct

(A) Only 1
(B) Only 2
(C) Both
(D) None

National Health Profile

• National Health Profile (NHP) 2019 has been released by the Central Bureau of Health Intelligence.
• It covers demographic, socio-economic, health status and health finance indicators, human resources in the health sector and health infrastructure.
• It is also an important source of information on various communicable and non-communicable diseases that are not covered under any other major programmes

. • Key Findings –

•  India has registered an improved sex ratio from 933 in 2001 to 943 in 2011.
• In rural areas the sex ratio has increased from 946 to 949 and in urban areas from 900 to 929.
• Kerala has recorded the highest sex ratio in respect of total population (1,084), rural population (1,078) and urban (1,091).
• The lowest sex ratio in rural areas has been recorded in Chandigarh (690).
• India also shows a decline in birth and death rates.
• Non-communicable diseases dominating over communicable in the total disease burden of the country.
• The estimated birth rate reduced from 25.8 in 2000 to 20.4 in 2016 while the death rate declined from 8.5 to 6.4 per 1,000 population over the same period.
• The total fertility rate (average number of children that will be born to a woman during her lifetime) in 12 States has fallen below two children per woman and 9 States have reached replacement levels of 2.1 and above.
• Delhi, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal have the lowest fertility rate among other States.
• Central Bureau of Health Intelligence (CBHI), established in 1961 by the Act of Parliament on the recommendation of Mudaliar committee, is the Health Intelligence Wing under Directorate General of Health Services , Ministry of Health & Family Welfare.

Use of CBHI in contemporary india:-

1. being a collaborative centre for WHO-FIC and south east asia region countries, national and international institutes it brings India into the international platform and addressing its issues in the global platform. Thus getting as much help as it can..
2.  by identifying & disseminating innovative practices for Health Sector Reforms it brings ICT(information and communication technology) in health sector thus promoting innovation in the global digital world in health sector
3.  developing human resources and master trainers in health sector for maintaining medical records in medical institutes it gives insights about capacity building needs and also the need to use for people to use ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE and MACHINE LEARNING in health sector
4.  to carry out need based operations and collecting data for evidence based policy research and implementation it is gradually becoming THINK TANK of indian health sector..collaboration with NITI AAYOG will strengthen it further..

MCQ 4

1. The Mekedatu Reservoir project envisages building a balancing reservoir in Krishna River
2. It would also supply drinking water to Bengaluru and Ramanagaram districts, besides generating power.

Choose correct

(A) Only 1
(B) Only 2
(C) Both
(D) None

Mekedatu Reservoir

• The Mekedatu Reservoir project envisages building a balancing reservoir in Cauvery River with storage of 67 thousand million cubic feet (tmc ft).
• It would also supply drinking water to Bengaluru and Ramanagaram districts, besides generating power.
• The proposal received the Karnataka Cabinet’s approval in February 2017 and the feasibility report was submitted to the Central Water Commission (CWC).
• CWC has allowed Karnataka to go ahead with the project with the prerequisite that it should get No-Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA).
• After obtaining NOC from CWMA, the proposal will be considered by Advisory Committee of the Ministry of Jal Shakti, whose concurrence is mandatory for a project on any inter-State river.
• Karnataka has been contending for the project to help store excess water in Monsoon surplus year. • Tamil Nadu has been opposing the project that it would effectively prevent the flow in the Cauvery, the lifeline for agriculture in delta districts, besides being a major drinking water source for several districts.

MCQ 5

1. Ministry of New and Renewable Energy hosted 2nd assembly of International Solar Alliance at New Delhi.
2. PM of India is the President of ISA Assembly

 Choose correct

 (A) Only 1
(B) Only 2
(C) Both
(D) None

 International Solar Alliance Assembly

• Ministry of New and Renewable Energy hosted 2nd assembly of International Solar Alliance at New Delhi.
• The assembly had the participation from member countries, ISA Partners, and other invitees.
• As of now, there are 83 member countries with Eritrea and St. Kittis and Nevis latest countries to join ISA.
• The Assembly is the supreme decision-making body of the ISA.
• It gives directions on various administrative, financial and programme related issues.
• India’s Minister for New and Renewable Energy and Power is President of the ISA Assembly and France’s Minister of State for the Ecological and Inclusive Transition is the Co-President of the Assembly.

UNFCCC COP

• The 25th Conference of Parties (COP 25) of The United Nations Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) was planned to be hosted by Chile.
• But due to domestic social unrest faced by the Chile government, it announced its withdrawal from hosting the event.
• The Spain government has offered to host the event, but Chile’s environment minister will remain the President of COP 25.
• The decision to change venues ultimately lay with the UN COP bureau, a 12-member panel of climate diplomats drawn from across the world and chaired by Head of the government of previously hosted nation.
• Currently the bureau is headed by Polish President as COP 24 was held in Katowice, Poland.
• The UN Climate Headquarters is in Bonn, Germany. MCQ 6 Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region and the North Eastern Council (NEC) have announced setting up of Bamboo Technology Park in A. Assam B. Manipur C. Meghalaya D. Ladakh

MCQ 6

Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region and the North Eastern Council (NEC) have announced setting up of Bamboo Technology Park in

1. Assam
2. Manipur
3. Meghalaya
4. Ladakh

 Bamboo Technology Park

• Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region and the North Eastern Council (NEC) have announced setting up of Bamboo Technology Park in Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh.
• The parks will be in Jammu, Srinagar and Leh and it is consonance with the National Bamboo Mission (NBM).
• The Cane and Bamboo Technology Centre (CBTC) under NEC will implement the project.
• The model for bamboo cultivation, harvesting and utilisation currently existing in the North Eastern Region shall be replicated in the 2 UTs.
• A Bamboo Industrial Park has already been approved to be set up in the Dima Hasao district of Assam

MCQ 7

1. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) conducts PISA every year
2. It assesses the learning levels of 15-year-old students in reading, mathematics, science, collaborative problem solving and money literacy.

Choose correct

(A) Only 1
(B) Only 2
(C) Both
(D) None

Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA)

• Union HRD Minister has recently reviewed the preparations of Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan and Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti in New Delhi for its participation in PISA, 2021.
• The PISA is a competency-based test to assess the quality of education systems across the world.
• It assesses the learning levels of 15-year-old students in reading, mathematics, science, collaborative problem solving and money literacy.
• The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) conducts PISA every three years.
• It does not test a student’s memory and curriculum-based knowledge.
• PISA’s science test, , measures three competencies —
• Ability to explain scientific phenomena
• Scientific interpretation of data and evidence
• Ability to design and evaluate scientific query.
• Similarly, PISA defines reading as an individual’s capacity to understand, use and reflect on written information in a range of situations.
• India’s Participation – The country participated in 2009 test with 16,000 students from 400 schools in Himachal Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.
• India was placed 72nd among the 74 participating countries.
• Indian government decided not to participate in 2012 and 2015 cycles.
• The decision was revisited in 2016 and HRD ministry approved the decision to participate in 2021 cycle.
• The students of Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan, Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti and Union Territory of Chandigarh will represent India in this examination.

MCQ 8

1. Copernicus is the most ambitious Earth observation programme to date.
2. It is launched by NASA

Choose correct

(A) Only 1
(B) Only 2
(C) Both
(D) None

 About Copernicus programme:

• Copernicus is the most ambitious Earth observation programme to date.
• It will provide accurate, timely and easily accessible information to improve the management of the environment, understand and mitigate the effects of climate change and ensure civil security.
• Copernicus is the new name for the Global Monitoring for Environment and Security programme, previously known as GMES.
• This initiative is headed by the European Commission (EC) in partnership with the European Space Agency (ESA).
• Services provided by Copernicus: land management, the marine environment, atmosphere, emergency response, security and climate change.
• Sentinel: ESA is developing a new family of satellites, called Sentinels, specifically for the operational needs of the Copernicus programme. The Sentinels will provide a unique set of observations, starting with the all-weather, day and night radar images.
• Data from the Sentinel-3 World Fire Atlas have been released.
• Data have been recorded under the Copernicus Sentinel-3 mission.
• Key findings:
• There were almost five times as many wildfires in August 2019 compared to August 2018- 79 000 fires in August this year, compared to just over 16 000 fires detected during the same period last year.
• 49% of fires were detected in Asia, around 28% were detected in South America, 16% in Africa, and the remaining were recorded in North America, Europe and Oceania.

MCQ 9

 What is Uluru?

(A)An asteroid
(B)A space telescope
(C)A tribe in Nagaland
 (D)A rock

• It is an ancient sandstone monolith in Central Australia.
• The rock has a circumference of 9.4 km, and its 1,140-foot summit — taller than Eiffel Tower — has been a popular climbing destination.
• Uluru is considered sacred by Australia’s indigenous Anangu people.
• Why in News? It was permanently closed to climbers recently to meet the wishes of Aboriginal people who hold the red monolith sacred.
• Uluru also known as Ayers Rock and officially gazetted as Uluru / Ayers Rock, is a large sandstone rock formation in the southern part of the Northern Territory in central Australia. It lies 335 km (208 mi) south west of the nearest large town, Alice Springs.
• Uluru is sacred to the Pitjantjatjara Anangu, the Aboriginal people of the area. The area around the formation is home to an abundance of springs, waterholes, rock caves and ancient paintings. Uluru is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• Uluru and Kata Tjuta, also known as the Olgas, are the two major features of the Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park.

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