Daily Current Affairs Quiz: November 07, 2023

ANSWER: D

ANSWER: B

ANSWER: B

ANSWER: B

ANSWER: A

• Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Ann Yojana (PMGKAY) has been extended by Centre government by 5 years till 2028.

ABOUT PMGKAY

• Introduced in 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic, the PMGKAY was launched with the aim of providing 5 kg of free foodgrains to eligible ration card holders under the National Food Security Act, 2013.
• The scheme was slated to be in place up until December 2023, but has been extended again now for another five years.
• The PMGKAY covers two types of ration card holders under the NFSA—those falling under the Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) and Priority Households (PHH), both of which were integrated with the PMGKAY in January 2023.
• While AAY and PHH beneficiaries were entitled to 35 kg of free foodgrains (regardless of the number of family members) and 5 kg of free foodgrain for each family member respectively, the PMGKAY, when it was launched, offered free rations in addition to the aforementioned allotments.
• Identification of beneficiaries
  • PHH are to be identified by State Governments/Union Territory Administrations as per criteria evolved by them.
  • AAY families are to be identified by States/UTs as per the criteria prescribed by the Central Government.
• As of January 2023, there were over 81.35 crore beneficiaries of the PMGKAY scheme, equivalent to over two-thirds of India’s population.

ANSWER: B

• A two-step PCR-based assay of a small region of the Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) bacteria can help detect H. pylori infection and also identify clarithromycin-resistant bacteria and those that are drug-sensitive in six-seven hours has been developed by a team of researchers from the National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases (ICMR-NICED), Kolkata.
• Presently, as it takes three-four weeks to culture the bacteria and carry out drug-sensitivity tests, drug-resistant studies of H. pylori are rarely carried out.

ABOUT THE INFECTION

• In India, pylori infections affect 60-70% of the population.
• Most of the infections caused by the bacterium H. pylori are asymptomatic, but 10–15% of them develop peptic ulcer disorders or stomach cancer.
• Thus pylori infection is one of the robust known risk factors for gastric cancer.
• pylori infection is often acquired during childhood and remains in the stomach throughout life if not treated with antibiotics effectively.
• So, if someone suffers from gastroduodenal diseases along with the detection of H. pylori infection, eradication of the bacteria provides the most effective treatment.

ANSWER: C

• A new method developed by the researchers at the Laboratory for the Conservation of Endangered Species (LaCONES) can help in detection of biodiversity in a more efficient manner.
• They followed a molecular approach to extract and read the genetic information encoded in free-floating environmental DNA (eDNA).
  • LaCONES is a CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) laboratory headquartered in Hyderabad.
  • eDNA is DNA shed by all organisms into their surroundings through natural processes during their lifetime or after death.
• The new non-invasive method can assess the total biodiversity of any ecosystem by sequencing the DNA fragments found in the environmental samples such as water, soil or air.
• This method can detect all kinds of organisms, including viruses, bacteria, archaea, and eukaryotes such as fungi, plants, insects, birds, fish and other animals from just a few litres of water sample without any direct capture or counting of species.
• The new method is cheaper, faster, and highly scalable to large freshwater and marine ecosystems which can help in monitoring and conserving the rich biodiversity of our country.

ANSWER: A

• Sweden’s Saab has reportedly become the first foreign company that has bagged 100% FDI in India’s defence projects.
• It will set up a new facility in the country (likely in Haryana) that will manufacture shoulder-fired rockets.
• This will be the first time Saab will manufacture Carl-Gustaf M4 outside Sweden.
• The shoulder-fired rockets are used by Indian armed forces extensively, and countries like the US, and European nations also use them to take down fortified enemy positions, armour, and personnel.
• Currently, India allows only 74% FDI in the defence sector under the automatic route.
• Beyond that, clearance can be obtained on a case-by-case basis.
• However, the clearance rules were relaxed in 2015, still, no foreign firm was able to get permission for 100% FDI in defence.
• The Government has liberalised and allowed FDI under automatic route up to 74% and up to 100% through Government route wherever it is likely to result in access to modern technology.

ANSWER: D

• In the Cricket World Cup 2023 match between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, Sri Lankan batsmen ngelo Mathews became the first player to be timed out in an international cricket match.
• Specifically, section 40.1.1 of the playing conditions by ICC states: “After the fall of a wicket or the retirement of a batter, the incoming batter must, unless Time has been called, be ready to receive the ball, or for the other batter to be ready to receive the next ball within 2 minutes of the dismissal or retirement. If this requirement is not met, the incoming batter will be out, Timed out.”

ANSWER: B

• Renowned playwright, poet, painter, physician and thinker Gieve Patel passed away recently. He was 83.
• Born in Mumbai, Gieve Patel was a graduate of Grant Government Medical College.
• He rose to prominence in the world of arts and literature through his notable contributions as a playwright, poet, and painter.
• Literary contributions
  • Poems – How Do You Withstand, Body, Mirrored Mirroring and On Killing a Tree.
  • Plays – Princes, Savaksa and Behram

ANSWER: D

• The work on the Rs 1,555 crore Innovative Urban Ropeway Transport Project to decongest the state capital is likely to begin next year.
• Its detailed project report (DPR) has been submitted to New Development Bank (NDB), which will fund the project.
• It will be the second largest urban ropeway network in the world after La Paz in Bolivia.
• The 65-km ropeway with 13 boarding and de-boarding stations and one turning station is aimed at decongesting Shimla.
• Each of the 13 stations will have a distance of 1 km to 1.5 km.
• It will help in decongesting Shimla for the next 40 years and provide an eco-friendly and affordable overhead safe mode of public transportation.