UPSC EXAM QUIZ 25.09.2024

Explanation:

• India's diamond sector is facing a severe crisis as a sharp fall in both imports and exports over the past three years has led to payment defaults, factory closures and massive job losses.

Current State of Crisis in India's Diamond Industry

• Sharp Decline in Diamond Imports and Exports: Rough diamond imports fell by 24.5%, from USD 18.5 billion in FY 2021-22 to USD 14 billion in FY 2023-24.
• Exports of cut and polished diamonds dropped by 34.6%, from USD 24.4 billion in FY 2022 to USD 13.1 billion in FY 2024.
• High Inventory of Unprocessed Rough Diamonds: The gap between net imports of rough diamonds and net exports of cut and polished diamonds has widened significantly, from USD 1.6 billion in FY 2022 to USD 4.4 billion in FY 2024.
• Rough Diamonds refer to diamonds which are still in their natural state after being removed from the earth and before being shaped and polished.

Explanation:

• On the completion of 100 years of the announcement of the discovery of the Indus Valley Civilization, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has announced the installation of a life-size statue of John Marshall in Tamil Nadu. 20th September 2024, marked 100 years since the discovery of the Indus Valley Civilization, which was announced by archaeologist Sir John Marshall on 20th September 1924. This civilization spans over 2,000 sites across 1.5 million sq. km in India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan and is famous for its advanced urban planning and architecture.

Harappan Civilization

• The Harappan Civilization, also known as the Indus Valley Civilization (IVC), flourished around 2500 BCE along the Indus River .
• It was the largest of the four ancient urban civilizations alongside Egypt, Mesopotamia, and China.
• The IVC is classified as a Bronze-age civilization due to the discovery of numerous artefacts made from copper-based alloys.
• Daya Ram Sahni first excavated Harappa in 1921-22, and Rakhal Das Banerji began excavating Mohenjo-daro in 1922

Explanation:

• Centre approved the transfer of 256 acres of salt pan land in Mumbai to the Dharavi Redevelopment Project Pvt Ltd (DRPPL) for building rental housing for slum dwellers.
• Salt pans are low-lying tracts of land where seawater periodically flows in, leaving behind deposits of salt and minerals. This natural process plays a critical role in maintaining the balance of coastal ecosystems.
• Under the CRZ Notification of 2011, these ecologically sensitive areas are classified under CRZ-1B and restrict economic activities except salt extraction and natural gas exploration.

Salt Pans in India

• In Mumbai, a total of 5,378 acres have been designated as salt pan lands.
• On a national scale, around 60,000 acres of salt pan lands are identified, distributed across states like Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Gujarat, and Karnataka.
• Andhra Pradesh has the largest expanse (20,716 acres), followed by Tamil Nadu (17,095 acres) and Maharashtra (12,662 acres).

Explanation:

• India signed the 14-member IPEF (Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity) bloc's agreements to improve cooperation in the field of a clean and fair economy.
• These agreements would help to develop, access, and deploy clean energy and climate-friendly technologies.
• It would catalyze investment and strengthen measures for anti-corruption, tax transparency, etc.
• India signed and exchanged the first-of-its-kind agreements focused on Clean Economy, Fair Economy and the IPEF Overarching arrangement.
• The agreement on clean energy will accelerate the efforts of IPEF partners towards energy security, GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions mitigation, and capacity building.
• It will also facilitate investments, project financing, including concessional financing, and joint collaborative projects.
• India has also signed an IPEF agreement, which is an administrative pact to set up an oversight ministerial-level mechanism.

Explanation:

• A MoU has been signed between FSSAI and the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAPA) of Brazil.
• Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and MAPA of Brazil have signed MoU in the area of food safety.
• On the sidelines of the Global Food Regulators Summit in New Delhi, Agriculture and Livestock Minister Carlos Henrique Baqueta Fávaro and CEO of FSSAI, G. Kamala Vardhana Rao, signed MoU.
• The MoU is aimed at improving food safety through technical collaboration and joint projects.
• On the sidelines of the Global Food Regulators Summit, FSSAI also carried out a bilateral meeting with the Bhutan Food and Drug Authority (BFDA).
• The meeting concentrated on the implementation protocol of the agreement signed between India and BFDA in March 2024.

• This Agreement emphasises a shared commitment to improve food safety through facilitating technical cooperation, and streamlining the Food Import Procedure