DTRS-2 | Daily Takkar Rapid Series | UPSC Prelims

Answer: A
Explanation:
Context:
The Union government has approved loans under the Special Assistance to States/Union Territories for Capital Investment (SASCI) scheme to develop the Ramappa Region Sustainable Tourism Circuit.
Statement 1 is correct: The Ramappa Temple, also known as the Rudreshwara Temple, is located in Palampet, Telangana. It was constructed during the reign of the Kakatiya dynasty.
Statement 2 is incorrect: The temple does feature unique floating bricks used in its construction, it is not the first structure in India to be inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. India has had numerous UNESCO World Heritage Sites inscribed before, In 2021, the temple was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site as “Kakatiya Rudreshwara (Ramappa) Temple, Telangana”.
Statement 3 is incorrect: The Ramappa Temple was constructed in the 13th century during the reign of the Kakatiya dynasty, not the Chola dynasty. Its architectural style is distinct to the Kakatiyas, characterized by intricate carvings, the use of lightweight floating bricks, and detailed sculptures.
Source:
https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Hyderabad/centre-approves-141-crore-loans-for-development-of-ramappa-circuit-and-somasila-retreat/article68928577.ece

Answer: c
Explanation:
Context:
Scientists at the HESS observatory in Namibia have found the most energetic cosmic rays ever detected, reaching up to 40 teraelectronvolts.
Statement 1 is correct: The High Energy Stereoscopic System (HESS) observatory is an array of Cherenkov Telescopes located in the Khomas Highlands in Namibia (South Africa). H.E.S.S. started operations in 2003 and has been operated very successfully since then. It observes gamma rays, the most energetic form of light, in the very high energy range (>100 GeV), which are produced by some of the most violent processes in the universe. Being in the southern hemisphere, H.E.S.S. is very well located for observations of gamma-ray sources within our galaxy, the Milky Way. Since gamma rays cannot penetrate the Earth’s atmosphere, H.E.S.S. detects them indirectly via their interactions with the air molecules. Besides sources
from our Milky Way sources, it has a rich and wide physics program, covering also outbursts in very distant galaxies and fundamental physics questions related to dark matter and Lorentz invariance.
Statement 2 is correct: The H.E.S.S. observatory is operated by a collaboration of more than 260 scientists
from about 40 scientific institutions and 13 different countries. Source:
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/etimes/trending/what-do-we-know-about-the-highest-energy- cosmic-rays-discovered-recently/articleshow/115813194.cms

Answer: B
Explanation
Context:
The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) organised a two-day global India Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) programme in association with the World Bank on 28th and 29th November 2024 in New Delhi.
Statement 1 is incorrect: The Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) Programme is a programme under the aegis of the World Customs Organization (WCO) SAFE Framework of Standards to secure and facilitate Global Trade. It is approved by or on behalf of the national administration in compliance with the World Customs Organization (WCO). The WCO in June, 2005, with a view to secure the international supply chain, adopted the SAFE Framework of Standards (WCO SAFE FoS). AEO is one of the three pillars on which the SAFE FoS is formed.
Statement 2 is correct: The programme aims to enhance international supply chain security and facilitate movement of legitimate goods. Under this programme, an entity engaged in international trade is approved by Customs as compliant with supply chain security standards and granted AEO status & certain benefits. An AEO is a business entity involved in the international movement of goods requiring compliance with provisions of the national customs law.
AEO helps to build a closer partnership between the customs department and the trade industry. WCO SAFE FoS is the basis of the Indian AEO programme. What is the India AEO programme?
• It was introduced in India by the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) in 2011.
• It is a voluntary programme administered by the CBIC.
• It seeks to provide benefits in the form of simplified customs procedures and faster customs clearances to those business entities that offer a high degree of security guarantees regarding their role in the supply chain.
• Thus, an entity with an AEO status can be considered a reliable trading partner and a secure trader.
• This segmentation approach enables customs resources to focus on less-non-compliant or risky businesses for control.
Source: https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2079189

Answer: B
Explanation:
Context:
Recently, the Ministry of Culture implements “Global Engagement Scheme” to promote India’s rich cultural heritage and enhance India’s image in the global arena in a concerted manner. Under the Scheme, the Festival of India (FoI) is organized abroad to promote people to people connect and bilateral cultural contacts. The artists from diverse cultural fields such as Folk Art including Folk Music, Folk Dance, Folk Theatre & Puppetry, Classical and Traditional Dance, Experimental/ Contemporary Dance, Classical/ Semi Classical Music, Theatre etc. perform in the ‘Festivals of India’ abroad.
About Global Engagement Scheme:
It was previously known as the Scheme for promotion of International Cultural Relations.
It promotes India’s rich cultural heritage and enhances India’s image in the global arena in a concerted manner.
It has following three components:
• Festival of India: Itis organized abroad to promote people to people connect and bilateral cultural contacts. The artists from diverse cultural fields such as Folk Art including Folk Music, Folk Dance, Folk Theatre & Puppetry, Classical and Traditional Dance, Experimental/ Contemporary Dance, Classical/ Semi Classical Music, Theatre etc. perform in the ‘Festivals of India’ abroad.
• Grant in aid to Indo Foreign Friendship Cultural Societies Scheme: The Grants under this scheme will be sanctioned with the object of fostering closer friendship and cultural contacts between India and foreign country concerned.
• Contribution Grant: This component is meant for Indian contribution towards membership of International Organizations like ICROM, UNESCO, World Heritage Fund and to facilitate Indian participation and hosting of international meetings
Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Culture Source:
https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=2078474#:~

Answer: A
Explanation:
Context: Addressing an event on the occasion of the 138th birth anniversary of Raja Mahendra Pratap, the Vice President observed that he is among the unsung heroes of the freedom struggle. Earlier, the Prime Minister laid the foundation stone for Raja Mahendra Pratap Singh University in Aligarh in September, 2024.
· Raja Mahendra Pratap was an alumnus of Mohammedan Anglo-Oriental College that later became Aligarh Muslim University.
· He was the President of the Provisional Government of India, which served as the Indian government-in-exile during World War I from Kabul in 1915.
· He also formed the Executive Board of India in Japan in 1940 during the Second World War, and also took part in the
Balkan War in the year 1911 along with his fellow students of MAO college.
Additional information:
· Raja Mahendra Pratap was an Indian freedom fighter, journalist, writer, revolutionary and social reformer born in the ruling Jat family of Mursan estate in Hathras.
· Raja Mahendra Pratap was also deeply involved with the Swadeshi movement and would constantly promote small industries with indigenous goods and local artisans.
· Deeply influenced by the speeches of Dadabhai Naoroji, Bal Gangadhar Tilak among others, he started the
movement to burn the foreign-made clothes in his state.
· He also visited foreign countries in an attempt to obtain support for India in its struggle for freedom. He also visited a military camp near the Polish border in order to gain knowledge about the army policies and its functioning.
· He was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1932. In recognition of his services, the government of India issued postage stamps in his honor.
· Though he is hailed as a ‘Jat king’, he gradually differed on the idea of organised religion and founded Prem Dharam (religion of love).
Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/indian-history-has-been-manipulated-and-doctored-says-jagdeep-dhankhar/article68934933.ece

Answers: B
Explanation:
Context:
Russia is set to deploy the RS-28 Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile, known as ‘Satan 2’, to replace older missiles.
Statement 1 is incorrect: The RS-28 Sarmat is a liquid-fueled intercontinental ballistic missile developed by Russia. It is named after the Sarmatian people of the fourth and fifth century BC. It has also been referred to in the West as the “Satan II”.
Features:
It is a three-stage, liquid-fueled missile with a range of 18,000 km.
It has a launch weight of 208.1 metric tons.
The missile is 35.3 meters long and 3 meters in diameter.
Designated as a “heavy” ICBM, the Sarmat can carry a 10-ton payload and can load a wide variety of warhead options.
It can reportedly load up to 10 heavy nuclear warheads, 16 smaller ones, a combination of warheads and countermeasures, or hypersonic boost-glide vehicles.
It is designed to elude anti-missile defence systems with a short initial boost phase, giving enemy
surveillance systems a narrow window to track it down. So, Statements 2 and 3 are correct. Source:
https://m.economictimes.com/news/defence/russias-satan-2-missiles-dubbed-as-most-destructive- weapon-on-earth-heres-all-about-it/articleshow/115773820.cms

Answer: B
Explanation:
Context:
The 1st edition of Joint Table Top Exercise, CINBAX commenced at Foreign Training Node, Pune. Statement 1 is incorrect: The Exercise CINBAX is conducted between the Indian Army and the Cambodian Army. It will focus on discussions pertaining to establishment of Joint Training Task Force for Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance besides planning of operations in CT environment. The exercise will also involve discussion on information operations, cyber warfare, hybrid warfare, logistics and casualty management, HADR operations
Statement 2 is correct: It is aimed to conduct of a joint Counter Terrorism (CT) operations. It will be conducted in three phases. Phase-I will focus on preparations and orientation of participants for CT operations during UN peace keeping missions.
Phase-II will involve conduct of the Table Top exercises
Phase-III will involve finalisation of plans and summing up. This will bring out practical aspects of the theme- based training and aims to enable the participants to comprehend the procedures through situation- based discussions and tactical exercises.
The exercise will also showcase weapons and equipment of the Indian origin promoting ‘Atmanirbharta’ and indigenous capabilities in defence production. Source: https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2079505

Answer: A
Explanation:
Context:
Recently, the Minister of State in the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs informed in Lok Sabha that the government has set up the Urban Infrastructure Development Fund (UIDF) through use of priority sector lending shortfall for creating urban infrastructure in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities.
Statement 1 is correct: Urban Infrastructure Development Fund was established through the use of priority sector lending shortfall. It will be used by public agencies to create urban infrastructure in tier-2 and tier-3 cities. It aims to supplement the efforts of the State Governments / UTs for urban infrastructure development works implemented through Public/ State Agencies, Municipal Corporations and Urban Local Bodies, by providing a stable and predictable source of financing for providing basic services like Sewerage and Solid Waste Management, Water Supply and Sanitation, construction and improvement of drains/ storm water drains, etc.
Statement 2 is incorrect: It is managed by the National Housing Bank. The initial corpus for this Fund is ₹10,000 crore. It is established on the lines of the Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF). States will be encouraged to leverage resources from the grants of the 15th Finance Commission, as well as existing schemes, to adopt appropriate user charges while accessing the UIDF. It currently covers 459 tier-2 cities and 580 tier-3 cities.
UIDF Loans:
The interest rate on UIDF loans has been kept at Bank Rate minus 1.5 per cent.
The loan (Principal) will be repayable in five equal annual instalments within seven years from the date of draw,
including a moratorium period of two years. Interest will be payable on a quarterly basis. Source:
https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=2078407

Answer: B
Explnation;
Context:
Recently, DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics (CDFD) handled the case of a family in which the father
offered to donate an organ to his ailing son. CDFD technicians generated DNA profiles of the donor, the patient, and also the patient’s mother. While the DNA profiles of the mother and the son were consistent with their claimed mother-son relationship, those of the father and his son were not.
Statement 1 is incorrect: The CDFD functions under the Department of Biotechnology, Government of India. CDFD offers forensic DNA fingerprinting services, which are vital for resolving legal disputes and criminal investigations.
Statement 2 is correct: The Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics (CDFD) is a government laboratory in Hyderabad. It provides DNA-based investigative services to the police, the judiciary, and to hospitals that offer organ transplant procedures.
Source:
https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/levirate-marriages-dna-profile-family- secrets/article68938019.ece

Answer: C
Explanation:
Context: Syria’s second-largest city of Aleppo slips from government control, falls to militants.
About the place:
· Aleppo is a city in Syria, which serves as the capital of the Aleppo Governorate, the most populous
governorate of Syria.
· With an estimated population of 2,098,000 residents as of 2021, it was Syria’s largest city until its population was surpassed by Damascus, the capital of Syria, the largest city in Syria’s northern governorates and also one of the largest cities in the Levant region.
· Idlib is a city in northwestern Syria near the body of Turkey and is the capital of the Idlib Governorate.

Source: https://www.indiatoday.in/world/story/syrian-russian-airstrikes-pound-idlib-rebels-seize-ground- aleppo-2643269-2024-12-02