Current Affairs Questions

Explanation :

• A lesser known plant- Eugenia mooniana, located in Andamans has showed potential to solve missing link between Andamans and Peninsular India. Detailed taxonomical studies carried out by the scientists established the species as Eugenia mooniana, a plant that is hitherto known to occur only in Assam, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka.
• According to the Jawaharlal Nehru Tropical Botanic Garden and Research Institute (JNTBGRI) there are 1,026 common species for the Andaman-Nicobar islands and the Western Ghats of peninsular India. The fragmented distribution of these floral species reveals the geological link of these widely- separated regions in the remote past.

Eugenia mooniana:

• It is a species of plant in the family Myrtaceae which is native to Western Ghats of India and Sri Lanka. Flowers are white colored. Fruit is a globose, glabrous, single-seeded berry. Flowering starts from October and ends in December. It is known as Pinibaru by Sinhalese people in Sri Lanka.

Source: Civil Services Chronicle Online

Explanation :

• India has submitted proposals regarding changes to the listing of various wildlife species in the CITES secretariat meeting, scheduled to be held from 17^th – 28^th August, 2019 in Geneva, Switzerland.
• The proposals put forward are regarding changes in the listing of the smooth-coated otter, small-clawed otter, Indian star tortoise, Tokay gecko, wedgefish and Indian rosewood.
• For the Indian rosewood, the proposal is to eliminate the species from CITES Appendix II. The species covered by CITES are listed in three appendices on the degree of protection they require.
• India is among the parties proposing the re-listing of the star tortoise from CITES Appendix II to Appendix I. The two threats that the species face are: loss of habitat to agriculture and illegal harvesting for the pet trade.
• With regard to the two otter species, India, Nepal and the Philippines have proposed that the listing be moved from CITES Appendix II to Appendix I for the more endangered species.
• A similar proposal has been made to include the Tokay gecko in Appendix I.

CITES

• It is an international agreement to which States and regional economic integration organizations adhere voluntarily. Its aim is to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival.
• CITES was drafted as a result of a resolution adopted in 1963 at a meeting of members of IUCN (The World Conservation Union).

Source: Civil Services Chronicle Online

Explanation :

• The Geographical Indication (GI) under the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade hasrecenly registered 3 new GIs.These are:
• Tawlhlohpuan:a medium to heavy, compactly woven, fabric of good quality from Mizoram is known for warp yarns, warping, weaving & intricate designs that are handmade.
• MizoPuanchei:a colourfulMizo shawl/textile, from Mizoram, is regarded as the most colourful among the Mizo textiles. It is akey possession for every Mizo lady and also an important marriage outfit in the state.
• Tirurbetel vine from Kerala: which is mainly cultivated in Tirur, Tanur, Tirurangadi, Kuttippuram, Malappuram and Vengara block panchayaths of Malappuram District, is valued both for its mild stimulant action and medicinal properties.

Source:Civil Services Chronicle Online

Explanation :

• Researchers at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc.) have designed an Anti-Microbial Peptide (AMP) that can effectively and quickly kill a multidrug-resistant bacterium called Acinetobacterbaumannii.
• Researchers used a bioinformatics approach to design a new short protein (peptide) called Omega76 that can kill A. baumannii by breaking down its cell membrane.

Acinetobacterbaumannii:

• It is a Gram-negative bacillus that is aerobic, pleomorphic and non-motile.
• It is an opportunistic bacterial pathogen primarily associated with hospital-acquired infections.
• Commonly associated with aquatic environments, it has been shown to colonize the skin as well as being isolated in high numbers from the respiratory and oropharynx secretions of infected individuals.

Source: Civil Services Chronicle Online

Explanation :

• The six-member panel led byformer RBI governor Bimal Jalanwas formed on December 26, 2018, to review the Economic Capital Framework (ECF)for the Reserve Bank after the finance ministry wanted the RBI to pursue global best practices and transfer more surplus to the government.
• It has been charged with the responsibility of assessing the top practices followed by central banks globally in the process of assessment and provisions for risks. The government and the RBI under its former governor Urjit Patel had been at odds over the Rs 9.6 lakh crore surplus capitals with the central bank.
• The finance ministry was of the view that the buffer of 28% of gross assets maintained by the RBI is well above the global norm of around 14%.
• Other Members of the panel: Rakesh Mohan, Subhash C Garg, NS Vishwanathan, Bharat Doshi and Sudhir Mankad.
• Past Committees to deal with the ideal size of RBI's reserves:
• V Subrahmanyam (1997)
• Usha Thorat (2004)
• Y H Malegam(2013)

Source: Civil Services Chronicle Online

Explanation :

• On 17^th July, 2019, WHO declared  Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), which surfaced in August 2018, an international emergency.
• The declaration raises the outbreak’s visibility and public health officials hope it will awaken the global community to combat the spread of the fatal disease.
• The outbreak, the second largest in history, started in August 2018 and is affecting two provinces in DR Congo - North Kivu and Ituri.

Ebola Virus:

• The genus Ebolavirus is a virological taxon included in the family Filoviridae. The members of this genus are called ebolaviruses.
• There are six known ebolavirus strain according to the regions: Sudan, Tai Forest, Bundibugyo, Reston,Zaire and Bombali ebolavirus.
• The Zaire Ebolavirusis the most dangerous of the six ebolavirus species which are the causative agents of Ebola virus disease.
• Ebola virus disease (EVD), formerly known as Ebola haemorrhagic fever, is a rare but severe, often fatal illness in humans.
• Ebola is considered a zoonotic virus, meaning that it originated in animals and then spread to humans.

Source: Civil Services Chronicle Online

Explanation :

• On 10^th August, 2019, the Centre started the inter-state portability of ration cards with two clusters of states-Telangana-Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra-Gujarat, which is the beginning of major plan to roll out ‘One Nation, One Ration Card’ by June 2020.
• This means beneficiaries living in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh can buy their quota of ration from the Public Distribution System (PDS), also called ration shops, in either of the State. Similar would be the case in Maharasthra and Gujarat.
• The beneficiaries will be able to get the entitled food grain and can even have the option to buy certain portion of the entitled quantity. This is expected to be a huge help to migrant labourers.
• Meanwhile, seven States, Haryana, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Punjab, Rajasthan and Tripura, at present are testing intra-portability of ration cards, which means beneficiaries can lift their quota of ration from any PDS located within a State.

Source: Civil Services Chronicle Online

Explanation :

• On 7^th August, 2019, the Andhra Pradesh government announced to launch the NavodayamScheme, a complete outreach programme for thousands of ailing Micro,Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the state, with a one-time restructuring of loans that will provide the required lifeline for small industrial units.
• This initiative is to rejuvenate and give topmost priority thrust to facilitate and coordinate growth and development of the MSME sector.
• It will be aimed to provide a lifeline to stressed MSMEs by ensuring that all eligible units are permitted for one-time restructuring of accounts up to March 31, 2020.

Source: Civil Services Chronicle Online

Explanation :

Explanation:

• Statement 1: Chandrayaan- 2 was launched by the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark-III (GSLV Mk-III).It is a three-stage vehicle and is capable of launching 4-ton class of satellites to the Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO).So, the given statement is correct.
• Statement 2: Chandrayaan-2 will be making an attempt at landing a lander and the moon rover in a high plain situated between two craters called as Manzinus C and Simpelius N, at latitude of about 70° South. So, the given statement is correct.
• Statement 3: The lander called Vikram is designed to execute India’s first soft landing on the lunar surface. The rover Pragyan is 6-wheeled robotic vehicle, weighing 27-kg. It will set out on its job of collecting information on lunar surface.So, the given statement is correct.
• Statement 4: India will be placed in the elite group of countries (4^th after Russia, USA and China)which have successfully pull-off a soft landing on moon in the past. So, the given statement is correct.

Source: Civil Services Chronicle Online

Explanation :

• On 22^nd July, 2019, Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) facility was inaugurated at Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) in Hyderabad (capital of Telangana). It is the fourth such facility in the country.
• The CCMB can now sequence up to 30 human genomes or 384 diagnostic samples in a day.
• It will help prenatal genetic screening and counseling, thereby generating large scale genomic data critical for diagnosis and therapy. It will also be helpful for diagnostics of patients suffering from rare genetic disorders.
• By using the facility, scientists hope to find genetic cause of rare diseases and develop kits which can be used to find populationat the risk of genetic or other rare diseases. These services would be available to hospitals, industry, and academicians by paying charges.

Source: Civil Services Chronicle Online