UPSC QUIZ 22.03.2024

Explanation:

• World Air Quality Report 2023 has been released by Swiss organization IQAir. According to which India is the third most polluted country in the world.

Key Highlights of the World Air Quality Report 2023

• Ranked as the world's third most polluted country, with an average annual PM2.5 concentration of 54.4 micrograms per cubic meter.
• Bangladesh and Pakistan surpassed India in pollution levels, becoming the most and second most polluted countries, respectively.
• 9 out of the top 10 most polluted cities in the world are from India.
• India's air quality deteriorated compared to the previous year, with Delhi emerging as the world's most polluted capital city for the fourth consecutive time.
• Begusarai in Bihar is labelled as the world's most polluted metropolitan area, with an average PM2.5 concentration of 118.9 micrograms per cubic meter.

Explanation:

• A case of “Lyme disease” has been confirmed in Ernakulam district of Kerala by the National Institute of Virology department.
• This is a bacterial infection that is spread to humans through the bites of infected black-legged ticks, aka deer ticks.This disease is caused by the bacteria 'Borrelia burgdorferi'.
• This bacteria is found in grassy or wooded areas.The disease is named after the city of Lyme in the United States. Where this information was first received.

Explanation:

• Ministry of Commerce and Industry approved the 'e-Vehicle Policy' to make India a global hub for manufacturing electric vehicles. The policy is designed to attract investments in the e-vehicle sector by global EV manufacturers.
• Interested companies will have to set up their manufacturing centers in India.

Major provisions of e-vehicle policy

Investment limit

• Electric vehicle manufacturers will have to invest a minimum of ₹ 4150 crore, while there is no limit on the maximum investment.
• Companies will have to set up their manufacturing centers in India within three years.
• EV manufacturers will have to use 35% components from indigenous markets to manufacture vehicles.

Explanation:

• GRID-INDIA achieved Miniratna company status.
• This is an important milestone that Grid Controller of India Limited (GRID-India) has achieved by attaining the status of Miniratna Category-I Central Public Sector Enterprise (CPSE).
• The Ministry of Power has bestowed this recognition, which underscores GRID-INDIA's pivotal role in the nation's power landscape.
• Grid-India has the critical responsibility of overseeing the flawless and uninterrupted operation of the Indian electricity system, ensuring efficient transfer of electrical power within and across regions.
• Apart from this, there is an important responsibility to focus on reliability, economy, and stability, as well as to facilitate transnational power exchange.
• It facilitates affordable and efficient wholesale electricity markets and manages settlement systems.
• Grid-India comprising five Regional Load Despatch Centers (RLDC) and National Load Despatch Center (NLDC) bears the responsibility of managing the All India Synchronous Grid, one of the largest and most complex power systems in the world.
• Grid Controller of India Limited (GRID-INDIA):
• It is a division of the Ministry of Power, Government of India.
• Previously, it was known as Power System Operation Corporation Limited (POSOCO) changed to Grid Controller of India Limited (GRID-India) on November 09, 2022.
• It was founded in March 2009 and is headquartered in New Delhi.
• Mr. S.R. Narasimhan is the Chairman and Managing Director of the GRID-INDIA.

Explanation:

• India will join US-led co-operative work programme on carbon market.
• India will join one of the four cooperative work programmes launched under the clean energy pillar of IPEF.
• India is also considering two of other co-operative work programme initiatives.
• One is on clean electricity and other is on use of sustainable aviation fuel.
• India will join the cooperative working group on carbon markets via the Ministry of Power.
• Bureau of Energy Efficiency will be the nodal body.
• Indo Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) is an initiative led by US President Joe Biden.
• It was launched in May 2022. It brings together 14 regional partners.
• These partners are Australia, Brunei, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, the US, and Vietnam.
• The four pillars around which IPEF aims to have a common set of rules and standards are connectivity and digital trade, resilient supply chains, clean energy and corruption-free fair trade.