January 31 2025 Current Affairs MCQs

Explanation

Statements 1 and 2 are correct

• The idea of OSOWOG was first floated by India in 2018 during the first assembly of the International Solar Alliance (ISA).
• It is a part of ISA and is a trans-national electricity grid supplying solar power across the globe.
• Objective: Facilitating global cooperation on building a global ecosystem of interconnected renewable energy resources and building a common grid to transfer solar power.
• Vision: The Sun Never Sets.

Statement 3 is not correct

• The initiative would be carried out in three phases:
  • Phase 1: Interconnect the grids of the Middle East, South Asia, and Southeast Asia.
  • Phase 2: Connect the Asian grid with the African grid.
  • Phase 3: Create a global grid.

Answer: (b) 3 only; Difficulty Level: Easy

Explanation

Statement 1 is incorrect, but Statement 2 is correct

• Recently, Guinea has successfully eliminated gambiense form of human African trypanosomiasis (HAT) as a public health issue.
  • Guinea is the latest among several countries, including Togo (2020), Benin (2021), and Ghana (2023), to be validated by WHO for eliminating the gambiense form of HAT.
• Human African Trypanosomiasis (HAT), also known as sleeping sickness, is caused by protozoan parasites of the genus Trypanosoma.
• It is endemic in sub-Saharan Africa.
• Transmission: By the bite of infected tsetse flies, which carry parasites from humans/animals to humans.
• Symptoms: Fever, headache, joint pain, progressing to neurological issues like confusion and disrupted sleep patterns in advanced stages. Untreated, it can be fatal.

Answer: (a) 1 only; Difficulty Level: Hard

Explanation

Option (c) is correct

• West Bengal has approved the construction of a new bridge over the Teesta River, enhancing connectivity between West Bengal and Sikkim.
• Project Swastik: An initiative by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) focusing on infrastructure development in Sikkim, including the construction of bridges over the Teesta River.
• Additional Bridges Over the Teesta River:
  • Singtam Bridge: A 300-foot Bailey Suspension Bridge inaugurated in August 2024, enhancing connectivity in Sikkim.
  • Munshithang Bridge: A 360-foot Bailey Suspension Bridge opened in March 2020 near Chungthang, North Sikkim, facilitating movement in the region.

Answer: (c) Teesta; Difficulty Level: Easy

Explanation

Statement 1 is incorrect

• State-specific e-Shram Microsites were introduced to enhance unorganised workers’ access to welfare programs & align workforce skills with industry demands.
• The initiative fall under the ambit of Ministry of Labour & Employment.

Statements 2 and 3 are correct

• The purpose of e-Shram Microsites is to build state-specific digital platforms integrated with the national e-Shram database to provide unorganised workers with seamless access to both Central and State welfare programs.
• Features:
  • Simplified registration process for unorganised workers.
  • Multilingual accessibility to cater to workers from diverse linguistic backgrounds.
  • Real-time updates on welfare schemes, employment opportunities, and skilling programs.

Answer: (c) 2 and 3 only; Difficulty Level: Medium

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct

• Nuclear fusion is the process of combining two light atomic nuclei to form a heavier nucleus, releasing a tremendous amount of energy.
• This process is what powers the sun and other stars.

Statement 2 is incorrect

• Nuclear bomb using fusion are referred to as thermonuclear bombs or hydrogen bombs.

Statement 3 is correct

• For fusion bombs, two extremely rare isotopes of hydrogen, deuterium and tritium, are used.
• The hydrogen isotopes are fused together under extremely high temperatures (millions of degrees Celsius) and pressure for the nuclear explosion to occur. (A fission trigger might be required)

Answer: (b) Only two; Difficulty Level: Medium

Explanation

Options 1, 2, 3 and 4 are correct

• Occupational Shortage Index (OSI):
  • A data-driven tool designed to identify occupations facing labor shortages, facilitating better alignment between workforce skills and industry demands.
  • Features
  • Based on International Labour Organization (ILO) guidelines and quarterly Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) data.
  • Measures the gap between demand and supply of workers in specific occupations.
  • Sub-Indicators: Hourly Wage Growth; Employment Growth; Growth in Hours Worked; Share of Under-qualified Workers

Answer: (b) Only four; Difficulty Level: Hard

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct

• Eutrophication:
  • Lakes receive their water from surface runoff and along with its various chemical substances and minerals.
  • Over periods spanning millennia, ageing occurs as the lakes accumulate mineral and organic matter and gradually, get filled up.
  • The nutrient-enrichment of the lakes promotes the growth of algae, aquatic plants and various fauna.
  • This process is known as natural eutrophication.

Statement 2 is correct

• Similar nutrient enrichment of lakes at an accelerated rate is caused by human activities and the consequent ageing phenomenon is known as cultural eutrophication.

Statement 3 is incorrect

• On the basis of their nutrient content, lakes are categorized as Oligotrophic (very low nutrients), Mesotrophic (moderate nutrients) and Eutrophic (highly nutrient rich).
• A vast majority of lakes in India are either eutrophic or mesotrophic because of the nutrients derived from their surroundings or organic wastes entering them.

Answer: (b) Only two; Difficulty Level: Easy

Explanation

Option (c) is correct

• China’s Artificial Sun: EAST.
  • EAST is a prominent tokamak that plays a critical role in advancing fusion energy technology.
  • Located at Institute of Plasma Physics in Hefei, China, EAST aims to replicate Sun’s nuclear fusion process to generate clean energy.
  • The EAST reactor became operational in 2006 as part of China’s nuclear fusion research efforts.
  • It is part of the ITER initiative, which involves collaboration with multiple countries including China, the EU, India, Japan, Korea, Russia, and the U.S.

Answer: (c) China; Difficulty Level: Easy