Daily MCQs for UPSC Preparation » Daily MCQs 25 August

Daily MCQs 25 August

Q 1. India’s first commercial Space Situational Awareness (SSA) Observatory will be set up in which state?

A. Uttarakhand

B. Himachal Pradesh

C. Sikkim 

D. Arunachal Pradesh

Answer: (A)

Option (A) is correct: India’s first commercial Space Situational Awareness (SSA) Observatory will be set up in the Garhwal region of Uttarakhand. The observatory will be set up by Digantara, a Bengaluru-based space sector start-up.

  • It will be strategically positioned to serve global space traffic management operations.
  • It will assist in tracking any activity in space including that of space debris and military satellites hovering over the region.
  • The observatory will bring value to the nation by serving as an essential data source for advancing knowledge of the realm of space.

Q 2. With reference to Swachh Bharat Mission Grameen (SBM-G), consider the following statements:

1. It was launched in 2014 by the Ministry of Jal Shakti to accelerate the efforts to achieve universal sanitation coverage and to put focus on sanitation.

2. The mission was implemented as nation-wide campaign which aimed at eliminating open defecation in rural areas.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

A. 1 only

B. 2 only

C. Both 1 and 2

D. Neither 1 nor 2

Answer: (C)

Over 1 lakh villages declared themselves as ODF (Open Defecation Free) Plus under Swachh Bharat Mission Grameen (SBM-G). These villages are sustaining their ODF status and have systems in place for managing solid and/or liquid waste and they would continue on their sanitation journey as they work towards making their villages cleaner, greener and healthier.

Statement 1 is correct: It was launched in 2014 by the Ministry of Jal Shakti to accelerate the efforts to achieve universal sanitation coverage and to put focus on sanitation. 

Statement 2 is correct: The mission was implemented as nation-wide campaign/Janandolan which aimed at eliminating open defecation in rural areas.

Q 3. Which of the following statement is not correct about the Universal Postal Union (UPU)?

A. The UPU was established by the Treaty of Bern, 1874.

B. It is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) that coordinates postal policies among member nations, in addition to the worldwide postal system.

C. It is the second oldest international organization worldwide and India joined the UPU in 1876.

D. Its headquarter is located in Zürich, Switzerland.

Answer: (D)

Recently, The Union Cabinet approved the ratification of amendments to the Constitution of the Universal Postal Union (UPU) as contained in the Eleventh Additional Protocol to the Constitution signed during the 27th Congress of the Universal Postal Union held at Abidjan 2021.

Option (D) is correct:  The Universal Postal Union was established by the Treaty of Bern of 1874. It is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) that coordinates postal policies among member nations, in addition to the worldwide postal system. It is the second oldest international organization worldwide (Oldest being the International Committee of the Red Cross) and India joined the UPU in 1876. The Universal Postal Union headquarters are located in Bern, Switzerland.

Q 4.  Which of the following is/are the function of the zonal council?

1. Any matter of common interest in the field of economic and social planning;

2. Any matter concerning border disputes, linguistic minorities or inter-State transport;

3. Any matter connected with or arising out of, the reorganization of the States under the States Reorganisation Act.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

A. 1 and 2 only

B. 2 and 3 only

C. 1 and 3 only

D. 1, 2 and 3

Answer: (D)

Recently, the 23rd Central Zonal Council Meeting chaired by the union home minister in Bhopal concluded. The Uttarakhand government has urged the Central government for an airport at Chaukhatia near Bharadisen of the state in the meeting.

Zonal Councils are the statutory (and not the constitutional) bodies.

They are established by an Act of the Parliament, that is, States Reorganisation Act of 1956.

The act divided the country into five zones- Northern, Central, Eastern, Western and Southern and provided a zonal council for each zone.

Organizational Structure of Zonal Councils:

  • Chairman – The Union Home Minister is the Chairman of each of these Councils.
  • Vice Chairman – The Chief Ministers of the States included in each zone act as Vice-Chairman of the Zonal Council for that zone by rotation, each holding office for a period of one year at a time.
  • Members- Chief Minister and two other Ministers as nominated by the Governor from each of the States and two members from Union Territories included in the zone.
  • Advisers- One person nominated by the Planning Commission for each of the Zonal Councils, Chief Secretaries and another officer/Development Commissioner nominated by each of the States included in the Zone.

Option (D) is correct: Functions of the councils:

  • Any matter of common interest in the field of economic and social planning;
  • Any matter concerning border disputes, linguistic minorities or inter-State transport;
  • Any matter connected with or arising out of, the reorganization of the States under the States Reorganisation Act.

Q 5. Tsunami waves are the undersea occurrence of earthquake exceeding 7.5 on Richter scale. Which one of the following statements regarding this is/ are correct?

1. It often generates strong waves.

2. The Pacific coasts are most vulnerable to Tsunami waves.

3. Tsunami waves are also called high-energy tidal waves or seismic sea waves.

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

A. 1 only

B. 2 only

C. 2 and 3 only

D. 1, 2 and 3

Answer: (D)

Recently, the experts said that the Tonga volcano wave was 9 times taller than the tsunami in Japan. The initial tsunami wave created by Tonga’s underwater Hunga Tonga volcano eruption in 2022 was 90 metres high. It was nine times higher than the tsunami recorded near Japan in 2011.

Option (D) is correct: A tsunami is basically a series of waves that takes place due to displacement of large volume of water. It is also known as seismic sea waves or tidal waves but with high level of energy. Tsunami is a Japanese word which means ‘harbour wave’. The Pacific Ocean Coasts are exposed to tsunami waves more than any other place in the world.