Current Affairs Quiz 14 October 2024

Correct Answer : C

Green Leaf Volatiles (GLVs):
• Green Leaf Volatiles (GLVs) stand out as a crucial category among plant volatiles, playing a pivotal role in various ecological interactions.
• Composition: This group comprises six-carbon (C6) compounds, featuring a diverse array of substances such as alcohols, aldehydes, and esters. Notably, these aromatic messengers are emitted by nearly every plant.

Release Mechanisms:
• Triggered Responses: GLVs are unleashed into the atmosphere in response to specific stimuli, primarily mechanical damage inflicted upon the plant or in reaction to herbivory, including attacks by fungi or bacteria.

Ecological Implications:
• Multifaceted Roles: GLVs participate in a wide spectrum of ecological interactions. They exhibit the capacity to either repel or attract herbivores and their natural predators, showcasing their versatility in the plant kingdom.

Defence Mechanisms:
• Dual Defence Strategies: Plants employ two major defence mechanisms triggered by molecular cascades. When subjected to damage, GLVs are released as by-products, initiating a series of reactions. This defense response aims to render the plant less palatable or even indigestible to potential insect attackers.
• Calcium-Mediated Reactions: The intricate molecular cascade involved in plant defence is orchestrated by calcium, serving as a common mediator for both chemical and electrical signals. This calcium-mediated process underscores the sophistication of the plant’s defence strategy against external threats.

Answer: (c) 2, 3, and 4 only

Explanation:
• Statement 1 is incorrect: The MLALAD scheme does not provide funds directly to MLAs. Instead, MLAs are empowered to recommend works to be executed under the scheme, but the funds are released by the government.
• Statement 2 is correct: The projects sanctioned under the MLALAD scheme are typically restricted to “durable infrastructure work,” such as repairing roads and constructing community centers.
• Statement 3 is correct: All MLAs are entitled to recommend items for development within the yearly allocations for their constituency.
• Statement 4 is correct: The assistance provided under the MLALAD Scheme is treated as Grant-in-aid and utilized by districts for developmental projects.

Correct Answer : C

Decentralised Autonomous Organisations (DAOs): A Digital Paradigm Shift
• DAOs are digital entities functioning autonomously, free from centralized control, relying on smart contracts and member consensus.
• Utilizing cryptocurrencies for decision-making and resource allocation, DAOs have emerged across industries like finance, art, and governance.

Use Cases Across Industries:
• Global Financial Ecosystem: Platforms like Compound and Maker DAOs redefine decentralized finance, providing global financial services beyond traditional banks.
• Art World: Artists tokenize creations, employing DAOs for royalty management and intellectual property control.
• Supply Chain Management: DAOs in supply chains ensure transparency and traceability, enhancing product authenticity and quality.
• Governance of Online Communities: Platforms like DAOstack facilitate decentralized governance structures for internet communities.

Significance of DAOs:
• Decentralization: DAOs shift power away from central authorities, embodying a decentralized approach.
• Democratic Decision-Making: Token holders participate in proposing and voting on decisions, ensuring an inclusive and fair governance structure.
• Transparency and Immutability: DAOs leverage smart contracts for transparency and immutability, fostering trust and reducing opacity.
• Global Participation: DAOs transcend geographical and socio-economic barriers, promoting diversity and innovation.
• Direct Cooperation: DAOs facilitate direct collaboration among participants, eliminating the need for intermediaries.
• Encouraging Innovation: The structure of DAOs encourages innovation, cooperation, and the free flow of ideas, unrestricted by hierarchical structures.

Correct Answer : C

AstroSat
• AstroSat stands as India’s inaugural dedicated multi-wavelength space observatory, designed for the comprehensive study of celestial entities across X-ray, optical, and UV spectral bands simultaneously.

Key Launch Details:
• Launched on September 28, 2015, by the Indian Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), AstroSat boasts a lift-off mass of 1515 kg.
• Positioned in a 650 km orbit with a 6-degree inclination to the equator.

Mission Control:
• Ground Operations: The spacecraft is diligently managed by the spacecraft control center located at the Mission Operations Complex (MOX) of the ISRO Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network (ISTRAC) in Bengaluru.
• Mission Life: With a minimum anticipated mission life of around 5 years, AstroSat continues to contribute to scientific exploration.

Scientific Payloads:
• AstroSat is equipped with five scientific payloads, facilitating the imaging and analysis of galactic and extra-galactic cosmic sources across a broad spectrum of wavelengths on a unified platform.

Answer: A

• MPLADS is a Plan Scheme fully funded by Government of India. The annual MPLADS fund entitlement per MP constituency is Rs. 5 crore.
• MPs are to recommend every year, works costing at least 15 per cent of the MPLADS entitlement for the year for areas inhabited by Scheduled Caste population and 7.5 per cent for areas inhabited by S.T. population.
• In order to encourage trusts and societies for the betterment of tribal people, a ceiling of Rs. 75 lakh is stipulated for building assets by trusts and societies subject to conditions prescribed in the scheme guidelines.
• Lok Sabha Members can recommend works within their Constituencies and Elected Members of Rajya Sabha can recommend works within the State of Election (with select exceptions). Nominated Members of both the Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha can recommend works anywhere in the country.
• All works to meet locally felt infrastructure and development needs, with an emphasis on creation of durable assets in the constituency are permissible under MPLADS as prescribed in the scheme guidelines. Expenditure on specified items of non durable nature are also permitted as listed in the guidelines.