MCQs For UPSC ☑

2021-06-25 19:51:20 Build Back a Better World (B3W) initiative :

Sharing its view on B3W, India stated that development projects should be transparent, environment friendly and should not saddle recipient countries with debt.

B3W is a values driven, high-standard, and transparent infrastructure partnership to help narrow the USD 40+ trillion infrastructure needs in the developing world.

BRI has been slammed for saddling countries with debt and not being sensitive to the environment needs of the countries.

@MCQs4UPSC Open / Comment

2021-06-24 15:15:06 Karnataka : Channapatna toy, Kinnal toys

Andhra Pradesh : Etikoppaka Toys, Kondapalli toys

Telengana : Nirmal toys

Tamil Nadu : Thanjavur Golu Dolls, Choppu saman

Manipur : Laiphadibi

Assam : Asharikandi Terracotta Toys

Odisha : Sambalpur toys and paper mache and stone toy

Punjab : Chankana (a toy with a whistle), ghuggu (rattle box for babies), lattoo (spinning top), handwai (kitchen sets)

Gujarat : Thigda dhingla

@MCQs4UPSC Open / Comment

2021-06-24 15:11:54 Toycathon focuses on conceptualizing new and innovative toys using local materials which are economical, affordable, safe, environment friendly, with exceptional high quality for both Indian and global markets.

Toycathon 2021 is being organized by Ministry Of Education in coordination with five other Ministries.

Need to promote local toy industry :

> Toys can help connect the young minds with India's history and culture which is helpful in social mental development and cultivation of Indian outlook.

India imported around $1.5 billion worth toys in 2020, with China and Taiwan accounting for around 90% of domestic toy market.

> Study by Quality Council of India (QCI) had revealed that 67% of imported toys failed a testing survey, prompting an aggressive effort to produce safe toys locally.

Under National Education Policy 2020 toy- making will be introduced to students from the sixth standard onwards. Open / Comment

2021-06-18 06:27:33 Recently, China launched an unmanned module of its permanent space station that it plans to complete by the end of 2022.

The module, named "Tianhe", or "Harmony of the Heavens", was launched on the Long March 5B, China's largest carrier rocket. India has also set its eye on building its own space station in low earth orbit to conduct microgravity experiments in space in 5 to 7 years.

The only space station currently in orbit is the International Space Station (ISS), from which China is excluded.

A space station is a spacecraft capable of supporting crew members, designed to remain in space for an extended period of time and for other spacecraft to dock.

The ISS is backed by the United States, Russia, Europe, Japan and Canada.

China has been a late starter when it comes to space exploration. It was only in 2003 that it sent its first astronaut into orbit, making it the third country to do so, after the Soviet Union and the US.

So far, China has sent two previous space stations into orbit. The Tiangong-1 and Tiangong-2 were trial stations though, simple modules that allowed only relatively short stays by astronauts.

Significance for China:

China aims to become a major space power by 2030. It has ramped up its space programme with visits to the moon, the launch of an uncrewed probe to Mars and the construction of its own space station.

In contrast, the fate of the ageing ISS – in orbit for more than two decades – remains uncertain. The project is set to expire in 2024, barring funding from its partners. Russia has said recently that it would quit the project from 2025. Open / Comment

2021-06-17 08:33:51 Significance of Deep Ocean Mission

The Deep Ocean Mission plan will enable India to develop capabilities to exploit resources in the Central Indian Ocean Basin (CIOB).

One of the major objectives of this project is to mine and extract polymetallic nodules (PMN). The UN International SeaBed Authority has allotted India 75000 sq. kilometers in CIOB for the exploration of these polymetallic nodules.

What are Polymetallic Nodules (PMN)?

Polymetallic nodules are Fe-Mn oxide deposits
They are potato shaped and porous
Appearance wise, they are of a black earthy color
Size ranges from 2 to 10 cm in diameter
PMN is considered as the precipitate of hot fluids from upwelling hot magma from the deep interior of the oceanic crust, discharged through mineralized paths
These Rare earth minerals are considered as a great source of valuable minerals such as gold, silver, and zinc

Where can PMN be mined?

There are specific locations underwater where the mining of polymetallic nodules can be done. Any country which intends to mine PMN needs to get authorization from ISA, which was established under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) Open / Comment

2021-06-17 08:32:08 About the Deep Ocean Mission :

The mission has been laid on similar terms as the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) performs space research

However, India’s Deep Ocean Mission will solely focus on studying and exploring the deepwater bodies in our country for undiscovered minerals, stones, living or non-living entities

Both, man force and robotic machines will be used for the mission

Tasks like deep-sea mining, energy exploration, survey of the objects found, and off-shore desalination will be taken up rigorously

The technological developments done for the Deep Ocean Mission will be funded by the Government scheme “Ocean Services, Technology, Observations, Resources Modelling and Science (O-SMART)”

Study and research on the climatic changes in the Ocean and other advisory services will be done through this mission

The focus will also be given on underwater technologies for convenient research

Two key projects have been included in the Deep Ocean Mission
1. A Desalination Plant
2. Submersible Vehicle, which can explore upto 6000 metres in depth

The parts of the ocean which are yet to be explored and are hidden and undiscovered will all be covered through this mission.

It is a central sector scheme.

The major objectives of the Deep Ocean Mission are as follows:

1. Development of technologies for deep sea mining, underwater vehicles and underwater robotics;
2. Development of ocean climate change advisory services;
3. Technological innovations for exploration and conservation of deep sea biodiversity;
4. Deep ocean survey and exploration;
5. Proof of concept studies on energy and freshwater from the ocean; and
6. Establishing advanced marine station for ocean biology Open / Comment