Daily Current Affairs for UPSC – 8th September 2022

Daily Current Affairs for UPSC 2022

Q) Consider the following statements regarding I-STEM

1. I-STEM is a national web portal used for sharing research equipment/facilities. It acts as an umbrella platform under which many programmes for promoting collaborations in R&D and technological innovation take place
2. It is an initiative of NITI Aayog.

Which of these statements are incorrect?

1. 2 only
2. Both
3. 1 only
4. None

Explanation:

I-STEM:

• I-STEM is a national web portal used for sharing research equipment/facilities. It acts as an umbrella platform under which many programmes for promoting collaborations in R&D and technological innovation take place. (Statement 1 is correct)
• Initiative: It is an initiative of Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India and is part of Prime Minister Science, Technology and Innovation Advisory Council (PM-STIAC) mission. (Statement 2 is incorrect)

Q) Consider the following statements regarding Ganga Water Sharing Treaty, 1996

1. This treaty was signed in the year 1996, by the then Indian Prime Minister P. V. Narsimha Rao and Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
2. The treaty established a 30-year water-sharing arrangement (which is expected to be reviewed in 2026) and recognized Bangladesh’s rights as a lower-level riparian state.
3. The treaty allows for the formation of a joint committee for implementing the arrangements contained in this treaty.

Which of these statements are correct?

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

Explanation:

India and Bangladesh share 54 common rivers of which, the Ganga and the Brahmaputra are the major ones and are integral in maintaining food and water security in Bangladesh. This treaty was signed in the year 1996, by the then Indian Prime Minister H. D. Deve Gowda and Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. (Statement 1 is incorrect)   Key provisions of the treaty: The treaty established a 30-year water-sharing arrangement (which is expected to be reviewed in 2026) and recognized Bangladesh’s rights as a lower-level riparian state. (Statement 2 is correct) It allows for sharing of waters of the river Ganga during the lean season, January 1 to May 31. As per the 1996 treaty for sharing the Ganges waters at Farakka , the division is as follows: Availability at Farakka Share of India Share of Bangladesh 75,000 cusecs or more 40,000 cusecs Balance of the flow 70,000 cusecs or less 50% 50% 70,000 – 75,000 cusecs Balance of the flow 35,000 cusecs The treaty also permits the construction of barrages and irrigation projects by Bangladesh on Kushtia and the Gorai-Madhumati Rivers. The treaty allows for the formation of a joint committee for implementing the arrangements contained in this treaty. (Statement 3 is correct)

Q) Consider the following statements regarding PM – Gati Shakti Plan

1. PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan (PMGS-NMP) was launched on 13th October 2021 for providing multimodal connectivity infrastructure to various economic zones.
2. Gati Shakti will be implemented through a separate department under PMO that aims to bring 16 ministries and departments of the Government of India together.
3. It will remove long-standing issues such as disjointed planning, lack of standardization, clearance problems, and timely creation and utilization of infrastructure capacities

Which of these statements are correct?

1. 1 and 2 only
2. 2 and 3 only
3. All of the above
4. 1 and 3 only

Explanation:

PM Gati Shakti plan

• PM GatiShakti National Master Plan (PMGS-NMP) was launched on 13th October 2021 for providing multimodal connectivity infrastructure to various economic zones.
• PM GatiShakti is a transformative approach for economic growth and sustainable development. The approach is driven by 7 engines, namely:
  1. Railways
  2. Roads
  3. Ports
  4. Waterways
  5. Airports
  6. Mass Transport
  7. Logistics Infrastructure
• The projects pertaining to these 7 engines in the “National Infrastructure Pipeline” will be aligned with PM GatiShakti framework.
• Gati Shakti will be implemented through a digital platform that aims to bring 16 ministries and departments of the Government of India together.
• The plan will give new direction to development of modern infrastructure through planning, implementation, and monitoring, apart from cutting down on time and cost overruns of projects.

Q) Consider the following statements regarding Mohenjo-Daro

1. Mohenjo Daro, or “Mound of the Dead” is an ancient Indus Valley Civilization (IVC) city located off the right (west) bank of the lower Ravi River in Larkana District, Sindh, Pakistan.
2. The site was discovered in 1922 by Daya Ram Sahni.
3. Notable artefacts: Mother goddess terracotta sculpture, Priest-King steatite sculpture, Dancing girl bronze sculpture and the Pashupati seal.

Which of these statements are correct?

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

Explanation:

About Mohenjo Daro

• Location: Mohenjo Daro, or “Mound of the Dead” is an ancient Indus Valley Civilization (IVC) city located off the right (west) bank of the lower Indus River in Larkana District, Sindh, Pakistan.
• Discoverer: The site was discovered in 1922 by R. D. Banerji, an officer of the Archaeological Survey of India.
• Time period: Along with Harappa, Mohenjo Daro flourished in the valley of the Indus between roughly 3,300 BC and 1,300 BC, with its ‘mature’ phase spanning the period 2,600 BC to 1,900 BC.
• Prominent features: The site is famous for its elaborate town planning with street grids with brick pavements, developed water supply, drainage, and covered sewerage systems, homes with toilets, and monumental buildings such as the Great Granary and the Great Bath.
• Notable artefacts: Mother goddess terracotta sculpture, Priest-King steatite sculpture, Dancing girl bronze sculpture and the Pashupati seal.
• Reasons for the decline: The civilization went into decline in the middle of the second millennium BC for reasons that are believed to include catastrophic climate change.

Q) Consider the following statements regarding UNESCO World Heritage Site

1. A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the UNESCO.
2. To be selected, a World Heritage Site must be a somehow unique landmark which is geographically and historically identifiable and has special cultural or physical significance.
3. There are 44 World Heritage Sites located in India. Out of these, 36 are cultural, 7 are natural, and one, the Khangchendzonga National Park, is of mixed type.

Which of these statements are correct?

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

Explanation:

• A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the UNESCO. (Statement 1 is correct.)
• To be selected, a World Heritage Site must be a somehow unique landmark which is geographically and historically identifiable and has special cultural or physical significance. (Statement 2 is correct)

How is a World Heritage Site selected?

• Significance: A listed site gains international recognition and legal protection and can obtain funds from among others the World Heritage Fund to facilitate its conservation under certain conditions.
• India’s Status: There are 40 World Heritage Sites located in India. Out of these, 32 are cultural, 7 are natural, and one, the Khangchendzonga National Park, is of mixed type. (Statement 3 is incorrect)

Q) Consider the following statements regarding India’s External Debt

1. India’s external debt rose by 2.8% to stand at $620.7 billion on March 31, 2022 compared to $573.7 billion on March 31, 2021.
2. Out of total external debt, 53.2% of external debt was denominated in US dollars. Euro-denominated external debt was estimated at 31.2% and was the second largest.
3. The long-term debt estimated at $499.1 billion formed the largest chunk (80.4%) of the total external debt amount while the short-term debt, at $121.7 billion accounted for 19.6%.

Which of these statements are correct?

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

Explanation:

Key takeaways from the report:

• External Debt: India’s external debt rose by 8.2% to stand at $620.7 billion on March 31, 2022 compared to $573.7 billion on March 31, 2021. (Statement 1 is incorrect)
• Out of total external debt, 53.2% of external debt was denominated in US dollars. Indian rupee-denominated external debt was estimated at 31.2% and was the second largest. (Statement 2 is incorrect)
• Commercial borrowings, NRIs deposits, short-term trade credit and multilateral loans accounted for around 90% of the total external debt.
• The long-term debt estimated at $499.1 billion formed the largest chunk (80.4%) of the total external debt amount while the short-term debt, at $121.7 billion accounted for 19.6%. (Statement 3 is correct)
• External debt as a ratio to GDP: Fell marginally to 19.9% as of March 2022 compared to 21.2% of the year-ago period.
• Foreign currency reserves as a ratio to external debt: Stood slightly lower at 97.8% as of March 2022, compared to 100.6% of the year-ago period.
• Debt Service Ratio: The debt service ratio fell to 5.2% during 2021-22 from 8.2% during 2020-21 due to buoyancy in current receipts and a decline in debt service payments.

Q) Recently seen in news, Legionellosis is referred to as –

1. Treatment formula for legions
2. Disease Causing Bacteria
3. RNA Virus
4. None of the above

Explanation :

• Argentina has identified Legionellosis as the reason behind mysterious pneumonia outbreak in the country.

About Legionellosis:

Q) Consider the following statements regarding JEEViKA programme

1. JEEViKA programme is a Asian Development Bank funded rural social empowerment programme.
2. It is implemented by Ministry of Rural Development.

Which of these statements are correct?

1. 1 only
2. None
3. Both
4. 2 only

Explanation:

Context: Bihar government is preparing a plan to make glass bangles out of seized liquor bottles through its JEEViKA programme.

• About: JEEViKA programme is a World Bank funded, rural social empowerment programme implemented through the Bihar Rural Livelihoods Promotion Society (BRLPS), an autonomous body under the Department of Rural Development of Bihar. (Both the statements are incorrect)
• Aim: The programme is aimed at reducing poverty by enabling the poor households to access gainful self-employment and skilled wage employment opportunities, resulting in appreciable improvement in their livelihoods on a sustainable basis, through building strong grassroots institutions of the poor.

Q) Consider the following statements regarding Nord Stream 1

1. The Nord Stream 1 pipeline stretches 1,200km from the Russian coast near St Petersburg to north-eastern Germany, under the Baltic Sea.
2. It accounts for about 65% of Europe’s total Russian gas imports.
3. The pipeline is owned and operated by Nord Stream AG, which is majorly owned by European Union.

Which of these statements are correct?

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

Explanation:

About Nord Stream-1

• Location: The Nord Stream 1 pipeline stretches 1,200km from the Russian coast near St Petersburg to north-eastern Germany, under the Baltic Sea. (Statement 1 is correct)
• Capacity: The pipeline can send a maximum of 170m cubic metres of gas per day from Russia to Germany.
• It accounts for about 35% of Europe’s total Russian gas imports. (Statement 2 is correct)
• Operator: The pipeline is owned and operated by Nord Stream AG, which is majorly owned by Russian state-owned company Gazprom. (Statement 3 is incorrect)

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