Daily Current Affairs MCQ / UPSC / IAS / 03-10-19 | Free PDF

MCQ 1

1. C40 is the first of its kind summit being organised for the first time in Copenhagen
2. It is an initiative of UN Habitat

 Choose correct

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

• The C40 World Mayors Summit is C40’s milestone event, serving as a unique forum for member cities to present the innovative actions they have taken to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve climate resilience; influence decision makers – from fellow mayors to CEOs and national leaders – to take the bold and urgent action needed to keep global temperature rise to below 1.5 °C; and inspire participants and citizens to take climate action in their own lives.
• Over the past decade, C40 has convened six Mayors Summits, hosted by London (2005), New York (2007), Seoul (2009), Sao Paulo (2011), Johannesburg (2014) and Mexico City (2016). Each C40 Mayors Summit has provided unique opportunities for the mayors of the world’s great cities to showcase their climate leadership on the global stage.
• With its agenda setting programme, and inspiring set of speakers, the C40 Mayors Summit is a unique global event. Previous C40 Summits have made headlines around the world by publishing groundbreaking research, showcasing cutting edge innovation from cities and launching new partnerships to promote creative urban solutions to climate change.
• Copenhagen is a true pioneer in creating the sustainable, healthy and liveable cities of the future. The C40 World Mayors Summit in Copenhagen will be the first to truly bring the citizens of the city into the Summit.
• C40 is a network of the world’s megacities committed to addressing climate change. C40 supports cities to collaborate effectively, share knowledge and drive meaningful, measurable and sustainable action on climate change.
• C40 Cities connects more than 90 of the world’s leading cities to take bold climate action and build a healthier and more sustainable future. Representing 700+ million citizens and one quarter of the global economy, mayors of C40 cities are committed to delivering on the most ambitious goals of the Paris Agreement at the local level, as well as to cleaning the air we breathe.
• The C40 World Mayors Summit will feature innovative events, plenary sessions, breakout sessions, press conferences and cultural activities.
• While C40 originally targeted megacities for their greater capacity to address climate change, C40 now offers three types of membership categories to reflect the diversity of cities taking action to address climate change. The categories consider such characteristics as population size, economic output, environmental leadership, and the length of a city’s membership.

Megacitie

•  Population:
• City population of 3 million or more, and/or metropolitan area population of 10 million or more, either currently or projected for 2025. OR GDP: One of the top 25 global cities, ranked by current GDP output, at purchasing-power parity (PPP), either currently or projected for 2025.

2. Innovator Cities Cities that do not qualify as Megacities but have shown clear leadership in environmental and climate change work. An Innovator City must be internationally recognized for barrier-breaking climate work, a leader in the field of environmental sustainability, and a regionally recognized “anchor city” for the relevant metropolitan area.
3. Observer Cities A short-term category for new cities applying to join the C40 for the first time; all cities applying for Megacity or Innovator membership will initially be admitted as Observers until they meet C40’s year-one participation requirements, for up to one year. A longer-term category for cities that meet Megacity or Innovator City guidelines and participation requirements, but for local regulatory or procedural reasons, are unable to approve participation as a Megacity or Innovator City expeditiously.

• The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) is the United Nations programme for human settlements and sustainable urban development.
• It was established in 1978 as an outcome of the First UN Conference on Human Settlements and Sustainable Urban Development (Habitat I) held in Vancouver, Canada, in 1976. UN-Habitat maintains its headquarters at the United Nations Office at Nairobi, Kenya.
• It is mandated by the United Nations General Assembly to promote socially and environmentally sustainable towns and cities with the goal of providing adequate shelter for all. It is a member of the United Nations Development Group.
• The mandate of UN-Habitat derives from the Habitat Agenda, adopted by the United Nations Conference on Human Settlements (Habitat II) in Istanbul, Turkey, in 1996. The twin goals of the Habitat Agenda are adequate shelter for all and the development of sustainable human settlements in an urbanizing world.
• Since January 2019 the Executive Director is Maimunah Mohd Sharif, who had served as the Mayor of Penang Island prior to her appointment in UN-Habitat by the Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres. The current Deputy Executive Director is Victor Kisob of Cameroon who was appointed by António Guterres in July 2018

MCQ 2

1. National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme is run by Ministry of heavy industries
2. The government has notified changes in Apprenticeship Rules (1992) which seek to raise hiring limit of apprentices to 15% of total strength of an establishment.

Choose correct

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

National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme

• The main objective of the scheme is to promote apprenticeship training and to increase the engagement of apprentices from present 2.3 lakh to 50 lakh cumulatively by 2020
• Apprenticeship Training is considered to be one of the most efficient ways to develop skilled manpower for the country. It provides for an industry led, practice oriented, effective and efficient mode of formal training. National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme is to promote apprenticeship training in the country.
• As per the scheme, Government of India will share 25% of prescribed stipend subject to a maximum of Rs. 1500 per month per apprentice with the employers. Government of India will also share maximum Rs.7500 per fresher apprentice (without any formal trade training) as a cost of basic training with Basic Training Providers.
• The scheme would commence from 1st October, 2016. Employers who have engaged the apprentices before 1st October, 2016 will get the benefits of scheme from 1st October, 2016 only.
• State Apprenticeship Advisers (SAAs) and Regional Directorates of Apprenticeship (RDATs) will act as implementing agencies in their respective State/Regions. The main objective of the scheme is to promote apprenticeship training and to increase the engagement of apprentices from present 2.3 lakh to 50 lakh cumulatively by 2020 National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme Apprenticeship Rules
• The government has notified changes in Apprenticeship Rules (1992).
• The rules envisage to increase skilled manpower in the country, and raise monetary compensation of apprentices.
• The new rules notified will come into effect from September 25.
• The Amendment Rules, 2019 seeks to raise hiring limit of apprentices to 15% of total strength of an establishment.
• The minimum amount of stipend prescribed ranges from Rs 5,000 per month for school pass outs between Class 5th and 9th .
• The stipend can be up to Rs 9,000 per month to graduate or degree apprentices in any stream.
• It has also lowered size-limit of an establishment with a mandatory obligation to engage apprentices on an optional basis from 40 to 30.
• It reduced the size-limit of an establishment wanting to engage apprentices from 6 to 4.

MCQ 3

 K.S. Valdiya committee was established for

1. Banking reforms
2. Sanitation survey
3. RBI reserves transfers
4. To find paleochannels and ancient rivers

Paleochannels

• A Paleochannel is an old or ancient channel, which are filled with younger sediments.
• It can store and transmit groundwater and therefore developed as a source of water.
• A paleochannel in Prayagraj (formerly Allahabad) that linked the Ganga and Yamuna rivers was recently excavated.
• The aim is to develop it as a potential groundwater recharge source.
• It is around 4km wide, 45km long and consisted of a 15-metre-thick layer buried under soil.
• These paleochannels reveal the course of rivers that have ceased to exist.
• It will play a very crucial role in planning of Ganga cleaning and protecting safe groundwater resource.
• The discovery was made by a team of scientists from the CSIR-NGRI (National Geophysical Research Institute) and the Central Groundwater Board.
• The genesis of the palaeochannel’s discovery followed a 2016 report of a committee headed by K.S. Valdiya commissioned by the Water Resources Ministry.
• This report concluded that evidence from palaeochannels suggested that the mythological Saraswati river did indeed exist.
• The K.S. Valdiya committee in its report submitted to the Union Water Resources Ministry has concluded that Saraswati River so far considered mythical, existed. The committee comprising of geologists, archaeologists and hydrologists say that they have found evidence of the course of the river Saraswati.
• Earlier, River Saraswati was considered as a mythological river and has been mentioned in the ancient Hindu scriptures like the Rig Veda, Ramayana, Mahabharata and others giving credence that it existed during those times.

MCQ 4

1. Vayoshreshtha Samman is given by Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions
2. It is conferred on the eminent senior citizens only who have served in govt service

Choose correct

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

Vayoshreshtha Samman

• It is a Scheme of awards instituted by the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment and it upgraded to the status of National Awards.
• It is conferred on the eminent senior citizens and institutions in recognition of their services towards the cause of the elderly persons.
• It is given annually by the President of India to mark ‘International Day of Older Persons’, celebrated every year on 1st October since the year 2005.
• It is awarded in two categories – Institutions and Individuals from any part of the country.
• Nominations are invited from Governmental and Non-Governmental Agencies.
• The following 3 notable institutions are among those honoured this year,
• Madhya Pradesh Municipality – Runs a day care centre for senior citizens
• NGO in Kerala – Sensitised people to the need for taking care of elders
• State of Tamil Nadu – Established Maintenance tribunals in each sub-division.

MCQ 5

Operation Polo was related to

1. 1984 Punjab militancy
2. Kargil war
3. Indo- China conflict
4. None

• U.K. Verdict on Nizam’s Fund
• U.K. court has recently given verdict over 71 years old case involving India, Pakistan.
• The case dates to days during Operation Polo in 1948.
• During the operation, India deployed armed forces in Princely State of Hyderabad to concede it into India.
• Osmal Ali Khan, Nizam of Hyderabad sought weapons from Pakistan and transferred the money (now worth £35 million) to the account of High Commissioner of Pakistan in London.
• However, Hyderabad’s armed forces had already surrendered during the military operation.
• Within days of surrender, the Nizam, sent a message to the National Westminster Bank demanding that the money be transferred back to his account.
• Pakistan also claimed the money as a gift or as payment for a shipment of arms.
• In 1965, the Nizam assigned to the President of India, his claim to the fund, and joined forces with India to fight for his claim on the money.
• After many twists and turns, the U.K. court has rejected Pakistan’s claim and ruled in favour of India and the Nizam’s descendants based in Turkey and the U.K.
• It granted them access to a £35 million fund.

MCQ 6

1. World Economic Forum’s 33rd edition of the India Economic Summit is going to be organised in New Delhi
2. The two-day event is jointly organized by the Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises and industry body CII.

Choose correct

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

• Emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and drones, environmental reforms, infrastructure, gender parity, start-up unicorns, education and South Asia’s economic outlook will be on top of the agenda at the World Economic Forum’s 33rd edition of the India Economic Summit beginning October 3 in New Delhi.
• Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will co-chair the Summit with Singapore’s Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat, according to an official release. Others co-chairing the Summit include Shobana Kamineni, Executive Vice Chairperson of Apollo Hospitals Enterprise, Shailendra Singh, Managing Director of Sequoia Capital, India and Sania Mirza representing UN Women.
• The summit will host more than 800 leaders from 40 countries, comprising senior public figures and leading representatives from civil society, arts and culture, science, business and academia, according to an official release

Innovating for India: Strengthening South Asia, Impacting the World

• Hosted in collaboration with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), the meeting will build on its more than three decades of success and will have a special focus on promoting deeper collaboration between South Asia and ASEAN to leverage their distinctive demographic and digital dividends to boost global growth and enhance our collective future.

Meeting objective

• The meeting will convene key leaders from government, the private sector, academia and civil society to accelerate the adoption of the Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies and boost the dynamism of South Asia to attain its growth potential.
• For more information, please refer to the Meeting Overview

Who is joining?

• Held under the theme Innovating for India: Strengthening South Asia, Impacting the World, the meeting will convene key leaders from government, the private sector, academia and civil society to address strategic issues of regional significance under four thematic pillars:
• The New Geopolitical Reality – Geopolitical shifts and the complexity of our global system
• The New Social System – Inequality, inclusive growth, health and nutrition
• The New Ecological System – Environment, pollution and climate change
• The New Technological System – The Fourth Industrial Revolution, science, innovation and entrepreneurship

 MCQ 7

1. Drone Innovators Network Summit-2019 is being held in New Delhi.
2. It is started by IAF with Ministry of Civil Aviation

Choose correct

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

• Drone Innovators Network Summit-2019 is being held in New Delhi.
• Organized by the World Economic Forum under the aegis of the Ministry of Civil Aviation.

Drone Innovators Network (DIN):

• Started by the World Economic Forum to hasten and contribute to healthy drone policies in need of legislation.
• Established to help overcome common challenges regulators are facing in enabling drones and unmanned aviation, such as how to enable beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) flights at scale, autonomous operations and flights over densely populated areas.
• Composition: Government aviation agencies, academics, and established drone entities.
• Inaugural Drone Innovators Network summit was held in Zurich in 2018.

Drone Regulation in India:

• India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation issued Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR), effective 1 December, 2018 for drones.
• As per the regulations, manufacturers of drone are required to comply with the requirements of No Permission, No Take-off (NPNT) on the Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS).
• These regulations (CAR Version 1.0) only permit operations of drones during daytime Visual Line of Sight.
• DigiSky is a portal for registration and flying of civil drones in India.

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