Day-601 | Daily MCQs | UPSC Prelims | CURRENT DEVELOPMENTS

Answer: B
Explanation:
Context:
Recently, the Paat-Mitro is a mobile application developed by the Jute Corporation of India Limited (JCI) to provide important information about the minimum support price and agronomy to jute farmers.
● The application is available in six languages.
● Other features which are made available on the app: Farmer-centric schemes like ‘Jute-ICARE’, weather forecasts, JCI’s Purchase Centres’ locations, Procurement Policies, etc.
● Farmers will also be able to track the status of their payments for the raw jute sold to JCI under MSP Operation.
● Latest technology features like Chatbot are included.

About Jute Corporation of India Limited:
It was created in 1971, with the primary objective of strengthening the jute sector by protecting the interest of the jute growers who are mostly marginal farmers.
➢ The institution comes under the administrative control of the Ministry of Textile.
Mission of the institution:
● Implementation of the policy of the government of India for providing minimum support price to the jute/mesta growers of the country.
● Serving as a price stabilising agency in the raw jute sector and taking the necessary measures in this respect.
● Undertaking various extension measures for implementation of different jute related projects.

Answer: B
Explanation:
Context:
The National Security Adviser represented India at the sixth meeting of senior security officials of the Colombo Security Conclave in 2024 at Port Louis, Mauritius. Colombo Security Conclave (CSC) was formed in 2011 as a trilateral maritime security group of India, Sri Lanka and Maldives.
The Colombo Security Conclave (CSC) is a group that works to ensure the security and stability of the Indian Ocean region and includes India, Sri Lanka, Mauritius and the Maldives. Observers country Bangladesh, Seychelles
Colombo Security Conclave (CSC) Members Objective:
o Creating a platform for closer cooperation in maritime security
o Narco-trafficking,
o Human trafficking,
o Piracy,
o Terrorism
o Shared experiences in combating internet and social media abuse
o and addressing challenges such as extremism.

India’s stance
There is a need for regional cooperation in view of Chinese influence. India will play an important role in this so that China’s crypto policy can be influenced. In view of the increasing number of security issues and uncertainties, there is a great need for cooperation in IOR. And India, along with its neighbours, must begin to accept that the IOR is evolving into a global commons area.

Answer: B
Explanation:
Recently, Washington social media users and conspiracy theorists claim that a new pyramid has been discovered in Antarctica.
Recently satellite photos related to this have surfaced. A mysterious triangular structure has been seen in the icy continent, which is being described as the world’s newest wonder.
Geographic location of the Ellsworth Mountains and their configuration
Statement 1 is correct: Mount Vinson is the highest point in Antarctica, standing at 16,050 ft (4,892 m) above sea level. It’s located in the Sentinel Range of the Ellsworth Mountains, about 1,200 km (750 mi) from the South Pole. This is a 360 km long and 48 km wide chain running in north-south direction from the Rhone Ice Shelf in the west.
Statement 2 is correct: Mount Vinson is located between the Sentinel Range and the Heritage Range. The Sentinel Range is in the north of the Ellsworth Mountains, and the Heritage Range is in the south.
Statement 3 is incorrect: It is one of the most recently discovered and explored of the Seven Summits, the highest peaks of the world’s seven continents. Not for a research center.
About Seven Summits:
● The Seven Summits are defined as the highest peaks on each of the seven continents.
● A mighty goal, climbing all of these mountains is a pinnacle achievement that many mountaineers dream of.
● It’s a phenomenal feat that requires extreme fitness, commitment, determination, resilience and courage and as such, joining the ‘Seven Summiters’ club is a very exclusive privilege held by few people.
Seven Summits
● Denali. (6,194 m)
● Mont Blanc. (4,810 m)
● Elbrus. (5,642 m)
● Everest. (8,848 m)
● Kilimanjaro. (5,895 m)
● Aconcagua. (6,961 m)
● Vinson. (4,892 m)
● Kosciuszko. (2,228 m)

Answer: A
Explanation:
Context:
European Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra’s recent statement at the UN Climate Summit that the main goal of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) was to stop carbon leakage was flawed, according to research body Global Trade Research Initiative.

• Carbon leakage is a concept to quantify an increase in greenhouse gas emissions in one country as a result of an emissions reduction by a second country with stricter climate change mitigation policies. Carbon leakage is one type of spill-over effect. Spillover effects can be positive or negative; for example, emission reductions policy might lead to technological developments that aid reductions outside of the policy area. Carbon leakage is defined as “the increase in CO2 emissions outside the countries taking domestic mitigation action divided by the reduction in the emissions of these countries.”It is expressed as a percentage, and can be greater or less than 100%. There is no consensus over the magnitude of long-term leakage effects.

Hence, Option (C) is the correct answer.
Additional Information:
● CBAM is part of the “Fit for 55 in 2030 package”, which is the EU’s plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55 by 2030 compared to 1990 levels
● The EU has agreed to the world’s first Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), a measure aimed at preventing “carbon leakage”.
● CBAM will initially cover several specific products in some of the most carbon-intensive sectors.
● CBAM, which some argue violates international trade rules, also aims to incentivize trading partners to decarbonize.
● CBAM extends the concept of carbon pricing to imports for the first time.
● Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) is a tariff on carbon-intensive products, such as cement or fertiliser. While CBAM’s implementation is still being worked out, we at least know the scheme’s scope.
● Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanisms are already in place in some regions around the world, such as California, where an adjustment is applied to certain imports of electricity. A number of countries such as Canada and Japan are planning similar initiatives. In addition,
● The IMF and the OECD have recently carried out work to study how such measures could support international efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Answer: B
Explanation:
A mobile app titled ‘Report Fish Disease’ recently has been introduced to help aquaculture farmers to report diseases on their farms.
Statement 1 is incorrect: The National Surveillance Program for Aquatic Animal Diseases (NSPAAD) project has introduced ‘Report Fish Disease’, a mobile app to track and monitor fish diseases across the country.It’s aim is to boost India’s aquaculture sector. It has been developed by National Informatics Center Pune.
Statement 2 is correct: Intends to empower fish farmers with a convenient and efficient platform to report diseases on their farms.

● Its intuitive and user-friendly interface enables easy accessibility to fish farmers.
● Geo-tagging technology facilitates swift response from authorities and the receivers get real-time updates on the status of their reported cases, ensuring transparency and accountability in the disease management process.
Additional Information
➢ Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMSSY)
➢ Introduced, as part of the ‘Atma Nirbhar Bharat’ package
➢ Fishermen are provided with insurance cover, financial assistance and a facility of Kisan Credit Card as well.
➢ The PMMSY is an umbrella scheme with two separate Components:
➢ Central Sector Scheme (CSS) and Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS).