Day-422 | Daily MCQs | UPSC Prelims | CURRENT AFFAIRS

Answer: B
Explanation:
Context: According to the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), India lost 1,059 tigers since 2012 with Madhya Pradesh, which is known as the ‘tiger state’ of the country, recording the highest number of deaths (270).
● Statement 1 is correct: It is a statutory body under the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change (MoEFCC). It was established in 2006 under Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972.
● Statement 2 is incorrect: It was established in 2005 following the recommendations of the Tiger Task Force. The Shailesh Nayak Committee was constituted in 2014 with the mandate of examining the issues of the coastal states and union territories of the country with respect to the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ).
● Statement 3 is correct: As per section 38L of ‘The Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972’, the National Tiger Conservation Authority shall consists of the following members, namely:
▪ The Minister in charge of the Ministry of Environment and Forests-Chairperson;
▪ The Minister of State in the Ministry of Environment and Forests—Vice-Chairperson;
▪ Three members of Parliament of whom two shall be elected by the House of the People and one by the Council of States;
▪ Eight experts or professionals having prescribed qualifications and experience in conservation of wildlife and welfare of people living in tiger reserve out of which at least two shall be from the field of tribal development;
● Statement 4 is correct: The objectives of NTCA are:
▪ Providing statutory authority to Project Tiger so that compliance of its directives becomes legal.
▪ Fostering accountability of Center-State in management of Tiger Reserves, by providing a basis for MoU with States within our federal structure.
▪ Providing for an oversight by Parliament.
▪ Addressing livelihood interests of local people in areas surrounding Tiger Reserves.

Answer: C
Explanation:
Context: The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment plans to provide grant-in-aid to healthcare agencies under the Atal Vayo Abhyuday Yojana for providing training to create a pool of trained caregivers to provide bedside assistance for needy elderly.
● Statements 1 and 3 are correct: The main objective of the Scheme is to improve the quality of life of the Senior Citizens by providing basic amenities like shelter, food, medical care and entertainment opportunities. The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment is implementing Integrated Programme for Senior Citizens (IPSrC), a component of Atal Vayo Abhyuday Yojana (AVYAY), under which grant in aid is provided to NGOs/ Voluntary Organizations (VOs) for running and maintenance of Senior Citizens Homes (old age homes), Continuous Care Homes, etc.
● Statement 2 is incorrect: It is a central sector scheme, it also aims to promote productive and active ageing by supporting the development of the capacity of State/UT Governments, NGOs, Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs), local bodies, and the community at large.

Answer: C
Explanation:
Context: In January 2023, the Border Road Organisation (BRO) developed Project Yojak in Himachal Pradesh to boost road infrastructure.
Project ELLORA:
● It aims to prevent the languages from lagging behind in the current advancements in language technology facilitated by artificial intelligence (AI) and sophisticated natural language models.
● Besides the 22 major languages recognized in the Indian Constitution, 19,569 dialects are spoken as mother tongues. According to UNESCO, around 192 of these languages are classified as vulnerable or endangered. Now, Microsoft—through Project ELLORA—wants to leverage the power of AI and help preserve these languages, which have limited written resources, let alone any digital presence.
Project Yojak:
● To speed up the border road infrastructure works, especially strengthening the connectivity to Ladakh, the Border Road Organisation (BRO) , an organization working under the Ministry of Defence, has constituted a new “Project Yojak”. The main task of the project will be to build more tunnels like Atal Tunnel and maintain the connecting roads.
Project 75:
● Project 75 is an indigenous construction of six submarines based on the Scorpene-class developed by the French defence major, Naval Group (formerly DCNS), and Spanish state-owned entity Navantia. In collaboration with Naval Group, these submarines are being constructed at Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) Mumbai. Recently, the fifth submarine of Project 75 to build Kalvari class diesel-electric attack submarines, Yard 11879, which when commissioned will be christened INS Vagir, was delivered to the Indian Navy.

Answer: D
Explanation:
Context: Recently, the cities across China have been witnessing waves of protests against the country’s tough zero-Covid policy in recent weeks.
● A series of protests against COVID-19 lockdowns began in mainland China in November 2022. The movement, which is no longer limited to China alone, is widely being dubbed the ‘white paper revolution’.
● This is because of the blank sheets of white A4-sized paper many of the demonstrators have been seen holding during these protests.
● Many of the protesters have been calling for the resignation of Chinese President Xi Jinping and the end of the Chinese Communist Party’s rule. Large-scale protests like these are rare in China, where public dissent is usually quickly stifled.
● The humble white sheet of paper became a symbol of the protests. It has come to symbolize the lack of free speech in the country.
● White papers as a sign of protest were previously used in Hong Kong in 2020, to avoid slogans banned under the city’s new national security law. Demonstrators in Moscow have also used them this year to protest Russia’s war with Ukraine.
● The hashtag “A4Revolution” — a reference to the size of the paper — began trending on Twitter after the protests started spreading across the nation.

Answer: C
Explanation:
Context: Recently, the Visakhapatnam railway station of East Coast Railway has been awarded the ‘Green Railway Station Certification with highest rating of Platinum’ by the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC).
● Statement 1 is correct: Green Railway Stations rating system is the first of its kind holistic rating in India to address environmental sustainability in Indian railway stations. The overarching objective of the rating is to facilitate adoption of green concepts, thereby reducing the adverse environmental impacts due to station operation & maintenance, and enhance the overall commuter experience at station.
● Statement 2 is correct: It is developed by Confederation on Indian Industry (CII) and Indian Green Building Council (IGBC). Visakhapatnam railway station of East Coast Railway has been awarded the ‘Green Railway Station Certification with highest rating of Platinum’ by the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) for adopting green concepts thereby reducing the adverse environmental impact.
Source: “The Perspective”- LUKMAAN IAS Current Affairs Magazine