0.0553
7667766266
x

Daily Current Affairs Prelims Quiz 21-06-2023 (Online Prelims Test)

1) Consider the following statements with respect to India Semiconductor Mission (ISM)

  1. It aims to provide attractive incentive support to companies that are engaged in Semiconductor sector.
  2. It focusses on design and manufacturing of Integrated Circuits (ICs) and semiconductor packaging and assembly.
  3. The mission operates under the guidance of the Indian Bureau of Mines (IBM).

How many of the statements given above are correct?

  • a. 
  • b. 
  • c. 
  • d. 
Answer : a

Indian government has set ambitious goals for the semiconductor industry but it has several challenges which needs to be addressed

  • India Semiconductor Mission (ISM) is a specialized and independent Business Division within the Digital India Corporation.
  • It aims to build a vibrant semiconductor and display ecosystem to enable India’s emergence as a global hub for electronics manufacturing and design.
  • The Secretary of Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology acts as the chairman for ISM committee.
  • It operates under the guidance of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and other relevant government bodies.
  • The advantage of semiconductors having a small freight-to-price ratio and a zero-custom duty regime under the Information Technology Agreement, 1996.
  • Benefits - The India Semiconductor Mission focuses on:
    • Integrated Circuit (IC) design and manufacturing
    • Semiconductor packaging and assembly
    • Testing and validation of semiconductor devices
    • Skill development and human resource capacity building
  • Challenges
    • High cost of setting up a semiconductor fabrication plant.
    • Lack of a strong ecosystem for chip manufacturing in India.
    • Lack of qualified engineers and technicians, and the supply chain for semiconductors ecosystem.
    • Competition in International market.

Semicon India Programme

  • It is a conference organised by the India Semiconductor Mission (ISM).
  • It aims to provide attractive incentive support to companies/consortia that are engaged in Semiconductor sector.
  • The program will give an impetus by facilitating capital support and technological collaborations.

2) Consider the following statements with respect to International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD)

  1. It is a subsidiary organ of UN Environment Programme (UNEP).
  2. It develops and shares research and innovations to empower people in the 8 regional member countries of the Hindu Kush Himalayan (HKH).
  3. India, Pakistan and China are members of ICIMOD.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

  • a. 
  • b. 
  • c. 
  • d. 
Answer : b

A recent report by International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) reveals that Himalayan glaciers could lose 80% of their volume if global warming isn’t controlled

  • ICIMOD is an intergovernmental knowledge and learning centre
  • It develops and shares research, information, and innovations to empower people in the eight regional member countries of the Hindu Kush Himalayan (HKH).ICIMOD
  • It is based at Kathmandu, Nepal.
  • Ice and snow in the Hindu Kush Himalayan ranges is an important source of water for the rivers, which flow through 16 countries in Asia.
  • Ice and snow in the Hindu Kush Himalayan ranges provide fresh water to 240 million people in the mountains and another 1.65 billion downstream.
  • Various earlier reports have found that the cryosphere, regions on Earth covered by snow and ice are among the worst affected by climate change.
  • Himalayan glaciers disappeared 65% faster since 2010 than in the previous decade and reducing snow cover due to global warming will result in reduced fresh water for people living downstream.
  • 200 glacier lakes across Hindu Kush Himalayan are deemed dangerous, and the region could see a significant spike in glacial lake outburst floods by the end of the century.

3) Consider the following statements with respect to Submersibles

  1. They are submarines that can be fully submerged into water and cruise using their own power supply and air renewal system.
  2. Submersibles do not function as an autonomous craft and relies on a support platform to deploy and return.

Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct?

  • a. 
  • b. 
  • c. 
  • d. 
Answer : b

Submersibles Vs Submarine

Recently tourist who went to visit titanic wreckage in Titan submersible vessel went missing.

  • Titan is a submersible capable of taking 5 people up to a depth of 4000 meters or more than 13,100 feet.
  • Submersibles are small, limited range watercrafts designed for a set mission, that are built with characteristics that allow them to operate in a specific environment.
  • These vessels are typically able to be fully submerged into water and cruise using their own power supply and air renewal system.
  • A submersible, unlike a submarine, doesn’t have enough power to launch itself into the ocean and return on its own.
  • Instead, it relies on a support ship to launch it and recover it.
  • Submersibles always operate in conjunction with a mother ship.
  • Also, submersible doesn’t have large propulsion systems and ballast systems like Submarine.
  • Unlike submarines, submersibles also have a viewport and external cameras to view the outside space surrounding the vessel.
  • The uses of Submersible include
    • Deep sea testing of hardware and software,
    • Site survey and inspection,
    • Research and data collection and
    • Film and media production.Submersibles

4) Consider the following statements with respect to Global Stocktake

  1. Global Stocktake is a periodic review of progress on climate action.
  2. Under the mandate of Paris agreement, it must be conducted every five years.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  • a. 
  • b. 
  • c. 
  • d. 
Answer : c

Global Stocktake

In the recently conducted Bonn climate conference the decisions on Global Stocktake was finally taken

  • The Global Stocktake is a periodic review of progress on climate action.
  • It is a Party-driven process conducted in a transparent manner and with the participation of non-Party stakeholders.
  • It enables countries and other stakeholders to see where they’re collectively making progress toward meeting the goals of the Paris Agreement.
  • It also decides ways and means to enhance global action to bridge the adequacy gap.
  • As a mandate of Paris Agreement, it must be conducted every five years starting from 2023.
  • Mitigation Work Programme (MWP) is a part of Global Stocktake which was set up at COP26 in Glasgow in 2021.
  • Annexure I of the 1992 UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) include group of about 40 rich and industrialised countries which are hugely responsible for climate change.
  • According to Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change global emissions have to come down by 43% from 2019 levels by 2030 to keep alive hopes of meeting the 1.50 target.
  • The loss and damage need of developing countries are assessed to be about USD 400 billion every year.
  • Developing countries need as much as USD 6 trillion before 2030 just to implement their climate action plans.

5) Which of the following statements is related to C+1 Strategy?

  • a. 
  • b. 
  • c. 
  • d. 
Answer : a

C+1 Strategy

India must use the C+1 Strategy to restore its trade imbalance with china

  • C+1 Strategy also known as China Plus One or just Plus One is a Strategy followed by companies to avoid investing only in China and diversify business into other countries.
  • For the past few decades western countries investing heavily in China have led to overconcentration of their business interests in China.
  • The driving factors C+1 Strategy includes China's cost advantage diminishing in recent years to growing geopolitical distrust between China and the West.
  • China’s continuing Zero-Covid Policy led to industrial and supply chain disruption.
  • Recently a grouping of 18 economies, including India, the US and the European Union, unveiled a roadmap for establishing collective supply chains that would be resilient in the long term.
  • China has emerged as India’s top source of imports and the share of China in India’s total merchandise imports has steadily increased.
  • While India has signed many Free Trade Agreements with different countries there has been no noticeable decline in China’s market share in India’s total imports.
Download PDF