Plutus IAS ‘Weekly Current Affairs: Quizzes, 28 Novemebr to 03 December, 2022

EXPLANATION:

• The AEAN members agreed in principle to admit East Timor as the 11th member of the bloc. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is a regional bloc founded on August 8, 1967 in Bangkok, Thailand. East Timor was added as a new member of this regional grouping. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
• Timor Leste or East Timor is a half-island nation in the eastern Lesser Sunda Islands. It is situated at the southern extreme of the Malay Archipelago. It occupies the eastern half of the Island of Timor. It is bounded by the Timor Sea to the southeast, the Wetar Strait to the north, the Ombai Strait to the northwest and the western Timor (part of Indonesian territory) to southwest. East Timor was previously part of Indonesian territory. Indonesia occupied the island nation in 1976. Hence statement 2 is correct.
• Its member states are Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. India is not a member state of ASEAN. East Timor started applying for ASEAN membership in 2011. The ASEAN decided to admit the island nation as its 11th member more than a decade after Timor-Leste requested membership. This decision was made at Cambodia’s capital, Phnom Penh, where the 40th and 41st ASEAN and related summits officially began recently. East Timor was granted observer status at ASEAN meetings, including summit plenaries, until it was formally inducted into the regional bloc. Hence, statement 3 is not correct.

EXPLANATION:

• Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) is going to develop India’s first multi-modal logistics park (MMLP) near Chennai, Tamil Nadu. The Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) had awarded RIL the contract to set up India’s first multi-modal logistics park (MMLP) close to Chennai. India’s first MMLP is being set up in Mappedu village in Thiruvallur district, near the automobile and electronics manufacturing clusters on the Sriperumbudur-Oragadam industrial belt.Hence, statement 1 is correct.
• The reduction of logistics costs is critical for the Indian economy. Currently, India’s logistics cost as a percentage of GDP is at 16 per cent. In developed countries like the United States and European countries, it is just around 8 per cent. In China it is 10 percent. The Indian Government is currently targeting to reduce the logistics cost to 10 percent of the GDP. Hence statement 2 is Not correct.
• The Rs.1,424 project will be implemented under the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan, which was launched in October 2021. The model concession agreement for this project is on a Design, Build, Finance, Operate, and Transfer (DBFOT) model. The total concession period for the project is 45 years. The MMLP will be developed in 3 phases with an estimated developer investment of Rs.783 crore. The first phase will be completed by 2025.Hence, statement 3 is correct.

EXPLANATION:

• The Global Vaccine Market Report 2022 was released on November 9, 2022 by the World Health Organization (WHO). Vaccine inequality has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, more than 90 manufacturers are supplying vaccines to the WHO member states. However, less than 10 managed a bulk of the supply because of “broad portfolios, global reach and a diversity of deployable technology”.Hence, statement 1 is correct.
• The burden of cervical cancer is high in low-income countries despite the introduction of human papillomavirus vaccine (HPV) in 41 per cent of these countries. Over 83 percent of high-income countries have access to HPV vaccines. COVID-19 vaccine accounted for most of the 16 billion vaccine doses that were supplied in the global market in 2021. The total value of these vaccines are 141 billion USD. This is a major growth in the vaccine market, with the volume rising three-fold when compared with the 2019 (5.8 billion USD) and nearly three-and-a-half times the 2019 market value of 38 billion USD. Hence statement 2 is correct.
• Critical vaccines that are in high demand in high-income countries are in short supply in low-income countries. Due to the lack of market incentives, development of critical vaccines is facing hurdles. Decades-long progress in the development, supply and access to doses is getting reversed because of the unfavorable environment caused by free-market dynamics. The past 2 years witnessed an increase in vaccine supply. However, there has been a major backslide in the routine immunization of children during this period.Hence, statement 3 is correct.

EXPLANATION:

• The Indian Government issued notification on E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2022, which will come into effect from next financial year. Under the new rules, the number of items that have been categorized as e-waste has been increased from 21 to 106. It includes all electrical devices and radiotherapy equipment, nuclear medicine equipment and accessories, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), electric toys, air conditioners, microwaves, tablets, washing machine, refrigerator, iPad and others.Hence, statement 1 is not correct.
• The E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2022 was published by the Ministry of Environment, forest and climate change on November 2, 2022. The new rules will come to effect from April 1, 2023. They will apply to all businesses and individuals involved in manufacturing, sales, transfer, purchase, refurbishing, dismantling, recycling and processing of e-waste or electrical and electronic equipment. Hence statement 2 is correct.
• Imports or sales of new electrical and electronic equipment are allowed only if they comply with the government regulations. If the product does not comply with the rules, the manufacturer must withdraw all samples from the market. It is the responsibility of the manufacturer to collect e-wastes generated during the manufacturing process and ensure that they are recycled or disposed of as per the rules.Hence, statement 3 is correct.

EXPLANATION:

• Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has released a regulatory framework for the online bond platform providers (OBPPs) to streamline their operations. Online bond platform is defined as any electronic system (other than a recognized stock exchange or an electronic book provider platform) on which listed debt securities are offered or transacted. An individual who provides or operates such a platform is called the online bond platform provider. OBPPs are companies that are incorporated in India.Hence, statement 1 is correct.
• After being registered as a stock broker, the OBPP is required to apply as a bourse. In the application, the OBPP must comply with the roles and obligations, technology, and operating framework. It must put in place a KYC for on-boarding investors and sellers and ensure risk profiling of investors. The OBPP must ensure disclosure of all instances of conflict of interest occurring due to its transactions or dealings with related parties. Hence statement 2 is correct.
• During the last several years, there has been an increase in the number of OBPPs offering debt securities to non-institutional investors. Most of them are fintech companies or are supported by stock brokers. Many of the registered users have made transactions via the online bond platforms, which are outside the regulatory purview of the SEBI. Hence, statement 3 is correct.

EXPLANATION:

• The Global Carbon Budget 2022 report was released on November 11, 2022. The report was released by the Global Carbon Project – a group of scientists who track carbon emitted by human activities. The global carbon emissions are expected to reach 40.6 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere in 2022. This projection is close to the highest-ever annual total of 40.9 billion tonnes of CO2 emitted in 2019. There is no sign of carbon emission decline required for limiting global warming to 1.5 degree Celsius.Hence, statement 1 is correct.
• India is expected to witness the highest increase in carbon emissions in the world in 2022 when compared with the previous year. If the current emission levels continue, there is a 50% chance that the warming of 1.5°C will exceed in the next 9 years. Record level droughts, wildfires and flooding across the world is caused because the Earth’s global surface temperature has risen by around 1.1°C when compared with the average in pre-industrial levels. Hence statement 2 is correct.
• The United States is estimated to record the second-highest increase in carbon emissions. The 2022 carbon emissions will increase in India due to coal emissions (5% increase) and oil emissions (10% increase). This returns the carbon emission back to the 2019 levels. The country is already responsible for around a twelfth of global emissions. It is ranked third globally in terms of gross emission volume and ranked very low in per capita emissions. Hence, statement 3 is correct.

EXPLANATION:

• The Central Government released the new Draft Digital Personal Data Protection Bill, 2022. Protection of the rights of data principals (users) should not make even legitimate data processing impractical according to this bill. The need to create balance between the right to data privacy and the reasonable exception, especially when the government is processing personal data.Hence, statement 1 is correct.
• The law must be future-proof so that it can keep pace with the current technological development. The rights and remedies should be made easily exercisable by data principals, who have unequal bargaining power with respect to data fiduciaries (companies). The first draft of the Personal Data Protection Bill, 2018 was proposed by Justice Srikrishna Committee, which was set up to provide recommendations on the new data protection law in India. Hence statement 2 is correct.
• The DPDP Bill, 2022 gives maximum control to the data principal. It mandates a comprehensive notice to the data principals on different aspects of data processing. While non-consent based processing of personal data is present, the data principal is given the right to access, correct and delete their data. The data fiduciary will be allowed to process the data only for the stated purposes and no more. Hence, statement 3 is not correct.

EXPLANATION:

• The United Nations COP27 climate summit recently approved the creation of the “Loss and Damage” Fund to compensate economically vulnerable countries for the damages caused by climate-linked disasters. The Loss and Damage Fund is a special fund established to provide compensation to vulnerable countries for the damages they suffered because of global warming. Its aim is to unlock a greater ambition to mitigate and adapt to climate change.Hence, statement 1 is correct.
• Loss and Damage” is the term that is used to refer to the cost being incurred from climate-induced weather extremes or impacts like rising sea levels. Till date, climate funding mostly focused on reducing carbon dioxide emissions and addressing global warming. A third of this funding supported communities to adapt to climate change consequences. The “Loss and Damage” funding is different since it covers the cost of damages caused by climate crises that the countries cannot escape from or adapt to. Hence statement 2 is correct.
• At the COP27, an agreement was signed to help developing countries that are “particularly vulnerable” to the effects of climate change. The agreement provides a roadmap for future decision-making. It proposes setting up a transition committee, which will determine who will manage the fund. Hence, statement 3 is correct.

EXPLANATION:

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated the Kameng hydropower project to the nation. It is situated in Arunachal Pradesh’s West Kameng district. Stretching across more than 80 km, this project was developed at the cost of some Rs.8,200 crore. This run-of-the-river scheme makes use of the flows from Bichom and Tenga rivers – the tributaries of River Kameng. Hence, statement 1 is not correct.
• It has 2 dams (Bichom and Tenga) and a powerhouse having four units of 150 MW each to generate 3,353 million units of electricity each year. The 600 MW Kameng hydropower project was developed by the state-owned North Eastern Electric Power Corporation (NEEPCO). Hence statement 2 is correct.
• The project will be a major step towards achieving India’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) pledged under the 2015 Paris Agreement. It will be part of the projected hydro capacity addition of 30,000 MW by the end of the present decade. Arunachal Pradesh accounts for 40% of India’s hydropower potential. Therefore, this state is considered the “powerhouse of India”. Hence, statement 3 is correct.

EXPLANATION:

• India’s first National Centre of Excellence for Green Port & Shipping (NCoEGPS) was announced by the Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways. National Centre of Excellence for Green Port & Shipping (NCoEGPS) is a major initiative of the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways to provide sustainable solutions for the shipping sector. Its main purpose is to assist the union ministry in developing and maintaining a policy and regulatory framework for the promotion of green alternative technology in India’s shipping sector. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
• This center is in line with the Indian Government’s Mission LiFE movement. The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) is the knowledge and implementation partner of the MCoEGPS. Hence statement 2 is correct.
• The center will be set up with the assistance from Deendayal Port Authority Kandla, Paradip Port Authority, Paradip, VO Chidambaranar Port Authority, Thoothukudi and Cochin Shipyard, Kochi. Its ultimate goal is to ensure the sector’s shift towards carbon neutrality and circular economy (CE). Hence, statement 3 is correct.

EXPLANATION:

• The seventh edition of the Handbook of Statistics on Indian States 2021-22 was released recently by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). Handbook of Statistics on Indian States 2021-22 seeks to provide comprehensive data about the regional economies of India. It covers sub-national statistics on socio-demographics, state domestic product, agriculture, price and wages, industry, infrastructure, banking, and fiscal indicators across the states during various time periods ranging from 1951 to 2021-22.Hence, statement 1 is correct.
• Two new sections have been included in the recent edition – health and environment. It also included 9 new tables, which are: State-wise maternal mortality ratio under social and demographic section. State-wise total fertility rate under the social and demographic section. State-wise children aged 6-59 months who are anemic under the health section. Hence statement 2 is correct.
• The Indian economy showed remarkable resilience to multiple consecutive shocks it experienced since early 2020. It retained macroeconomic stability and sustained the momentum of economic growth’s recovery. The macroeconomic outlook is positive in the current fiscal. However, India is still impacted by global headwinds. Karnataka has the highest total installed capacity of grid-interactive renewable power among all states. It had a total installed capacity of 15,463 megawatts (MW). Hence, statement 3 is not correct.

EXPLANATION:

• Baliyatra made it into the Guinness World Record for making 22,000 paper boats in 35 minutes. The Guinness Record was created to raise global awareness about Cuttack’s Baliyatra. Baliyatra literally means “voyage to Bali''. It is one of India’s largest open-air fairs. The festival commemorates the 2,000-year-old maritime and cultural links between the ancient Kalinga (present-day Odisha) and Bali and other South and Southeast Asian regions that include Java, Sumatra, Borneo, Burma (Myanmar) and Ceylon (Sri Lanka). Hence, statement 1 is correct.
• The significance of the fair is to develop trade relations with south-east asia. The origin of the nine-day festival can be traced back to more than a thousand years. The celebrations commence on Kartik Purnima (full moon night in the month of Kartik). This is the day when traders traditionally begin their voyage across the sea, when the winds are favourable for the boita (boats). Hence statement 2 is correct.
• The most popular items for trade between Kalinga and Southeast Asia are pepper, cinnamon, cardamom, silk, camphor, gold and jewellery. The Cuttack district administration and Cuttack Municipal Corporation organized the Baliyatra in collaboration with several other government entities. Lakhs of people from Cuttack and neighbouring districts took part in the open-air fair by the Mahanadi river. Hence, statement 3 is correct.