UPSC QUIZ 11.12.2023

Explanation:

• India Infrastructure Report 2023 on Urban Planning and Development was released by Shri Venkaiah Naidu, former Vice President of India, who served as the Chief Guest (virtually) along with India's G20 Sherpa and former Shri Amitabh Pant.
• IIR 2023 has been a collaborative effort of the IDFC Foundation, Infrastructure Development Corporation (Karnataka) Ltd. (iDeCK) and the National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA).
• The IIR systematically addresses key themes that are central to India's urban challenges.
• These include planning and governance, smart initiatives, public-private partnerships (PPPs) and financing, housing and migration, public service delivery, integrating infrastructure, and urban redevelopment.
• Criticizes existing planning mechanisms, particularly restrictions on building construction, for rendering cities "unlivable" and contributing to the emergence of slums.
• Highlights the role of poor planning as a major factor in urban challenges.

Explanation:

• Global Positioning System (GPS) is one of few everyday technologies that have had the kind of revolutionary impact on civilian, military, scientific, and urban realms, redefining our sense of location and impacting diverse sectors globally.

Global Positioning System

• The GPS, initiated by the U.S. Department of Defense in 1973, comprises three main segments,
• Space: Detailing the space segment, the 24 satellites in six orbits ensure global coverage, allowing receivers to access signals from at least four satellites simultaneously—a fundamental necessity for accurate positioning.
• All six orbits are positioned at an altitude of 20,200 km above the Earth, and each orbit has four satellites at all times. Each satellite completes two orbits in a single day.

Explanation:

• United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), during its 18th session of the Intergovernmental Committee in Botswana, officially added Gujarat's iconic Garba dance to its esteemed Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage(ICH) of Humanity.
• The Garba dance form is the 15th cultural item from India to make it to the UNESCO list. Kolkata’s Durga Puja was the last one added in 2021.

Garba Dance

• Garba is a form of Gujarati folk dance that is performed during the nine-day Hindu festival of Navratri, which celebrates the victory of good over evil.
• The name Garba comes from the Sanskrit word for womb, implying life and creation.
• Garba dances celebrate fertility, honor womanhood, and pay respect to any of an array of mother goddesses.
• The dance also customarily marks a girl’s first menstrual cycle and, later, her imminent marriage.

Explanation:

• Google has unveiled Project Gemini, an artificial intelligence (AI) model designed to demonstrate human-like behavior.
• This development is likely to fuel the ongoing race towards artificial intelligence (AI) and increase debate over the potential benefits and risks of the technology.
• Gemini aims to increase the ease and efficiency of Google's AI-powered chatbot Bard's tasks, especially those that involve planning.
• Google DeepMind, the AI division that operates Gemini, emphasizes the model's problem-solving skills in mathematics and physics, demonstrating potential scientific breakthroughs.
• However, there are concerns about job displacement and spread of misinformation due to artificial intelligence (AI).

Explanation:

• Women and Child Development Minister in a written reply in Rajya Sabha informed about the implementation of 'Mission Shakti', an integrated women empowerment program during the 15th Finance Commission, this program will ensure protection, security and empowerment of women.
• 'Mission Shakti' includes two sub-schemes 'Sambal' and 'Samarthya' for the protection and empowerment of women respectively.
• The schemes of One Stop Center (OSC), Women Helpline (181-WHL), Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) and Nari Adalat are part of the 'Sambal' sub-scheme.
• Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY), Palana, Shakti Sadan, Sakhi Niwas and the Hub component for empowerment of women are part of the 'Samarthya' sub-scheme.
• The Government has decided to implement the component of “Nari Adalat” under Mission Shakti in a phased manner. In the first phase, the State of Assam and Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir have been selected by the Ministry to implement the component of Nari Adalat.