UPSC QUIZ 31.10.2023

Explanation:

• Mars’s liquid iron core is likely to be surrounded by a fully molten silicate layer, according to a pair of studies published in Nature.
• These results offer a new interpretation of the interior of Mars, suggesting its core is smaller and denser than previously proposed.
• Data from three years of quakes in Mars, including two seismic events caused by meteorite impacts, were used for the study.
• NASA's InSight Mars Lander used an instrument called the Seismic Experiment for Interior Structure (SEIS) to record seismic waves passing through Mars’s interior

Explanation:

• India has marked a significant milestone in its pursuit of self-reliance, initiating the production of 'reference' grade petrol and diesel.
• It holds the promise of not only catering to domestic requirements but also tapping into the export market.
• Historically, only a select few companies, primarily from Europe and the US, provided reference fuels to India.

Reference Fuel

• Reference fuels (petrol and diesel), represent high-value premium products specifically utilized for calibrating and testing vehicles by automotive original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and institutions engaged in automotive testing and certification.
• They have higher specifications than regular or premium fuels. It includes various specifications such as Cetane number, flash point, viscosity, sulfur and water content, hydrogen purity, and acid number.
• For instance, reference grade petrol and diesel feature an octane number of 97, exceeding the octane numbers of regular and premium fuels, which stand at 87 and 91, respectively.

Explanation:

• Jharkhand Cabinet recently approved the ‘Abua Awas Yojna’ (AAY), a housing scheme designed to provide eight lakh pucca houses to homeless individuals in the state.
• With a total budget of Rs 16,320 crore, the scheme will be executed in three phases, targeting 2 lakh houses in the current financial year, 3.5 lakh houses in FY 2024-25, and 2.5 lakh houses in FY 2025-26.
• Despite the existence of multiple housing schemes in Jharkhand, including Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Rural and Ambedkar Awas Yojna, these initiatives have been unable to cover all eligible beneficiaries.
• Chief Minister Hemant Soren and Minister of Rural Development Alamgir Alam had raised concerns that approximately 8 lakh eligible beneficiaries had been excluded from housing schemes due to discrepancies and errors in the identification process.

Explanation:

• Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved the inclusion of Jamrani Dam Multipurpose Project of Uttarakhand under the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana-Accelerated Irrigation Benefits Programme (PMKSY-AIBP) of the Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation.

Key Points

• The Union Cabinet has approved central assistance of Rs 1,557.18 crore to Uttarakhand for completion of the project at an estimated cost of Rs 2,584.10 crore by March 2028.
• The project envisages construction of a dam near Jamrani village on Gola River, a tributary of Ram Ganga River in Nainital district of Uttarakhand. The dam extends its 40.5 km (about 25.17 mi) stretch to the existing Gola Barrage. Long canal system and 244 km. The long canal will give water through the system, which was completed in 1981.
• The project envisages additional irrigation of 57,065 hectares (9,458 hectares in Uttarakhand and 47,607 hectares in Uttar Pradesh) in Nainital and Udham Singh Nagar districts of Uttarakhand and Rampur and Bareilly districts of Uttar Pradesh.

Explanation:

• Indian experts have been named to a new global advisory body to support the international community’s efforts to govern artificial intelligence.
• On October 26, the UN Chief announced the High-Level Multistakeholder Advisory Body on Artificial Intelligence.
• It brings together experts from the government, the private sector, the research community, civil society, and academia.
• It is focused on building a global scientific consensus on risks and challenges, helping harness AI for the Sustainable Development Goals, and strengthening international cooperation on AI governance, a statement said.
• Members of the advisory body include Amandeep Singh Gill, the Secretary-General's envoy on technology.
• It also includes Sharad Sharma, co-founder of iSPIRT Foundation, and Nazneen Rajani, lead researcher at Hugging Face, India.
• The formation of the AI Advisory Body is an important step in the UN's efforts to address issues in the international governance of artificial intelligence.
• The new initiative will promote a globally inclusive approach, leveraging the unique convening power of the United Nations as a universal and inclusive forum on critical challenges.