Syllabus

• Prelims and Mains – Science

Context: In a historic milestone marking entry into the vital second stage of India’s three stage nuclear program, Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi witnessed , commencement of “Core Loading” at India’s first indigenous Fast Breeder Reactor (500 MWe) at Kalpakkam, Tamil Nadu.

Background:-

• The government had approved in 2003, the creation of Bharatiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam Ltd (BHAVINI) to construct and operate India’s most advanced nuclear reactor-Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR).

About PFBR and Indias Three stage nuclear program

• The PFBR is a machine that produces more nuclear fuel than it consumes. Its core-loading event is being hailed as a “milestone” because the operationalisation of the PFBR will mark the start of stage II of India’s three-stage nuclear power programme.
• In the first stage, India used pressurised heavy water reactors (PHWRs) and natural uranium-238 (U-238), which contains minuscule amounts of U-235, as the fissile material.
• In nuclear fission, the nucleus of an atom absorbs a neutron, destabilises, and breaks into two while releasing some energy. If the destabilised nucleus releases more neutrons, the reactor’s facilities will attempt to use them to instigate more fission reactions.
• The heavy water in PHWR – water molecules containing the deuterium isotope of hydrogen – slows neutrons released by one fission reaction enough to be captured by other U-238 and U-235 nuclei and cause new fission. The heavy water is pressurised to keep it from boiling. The reactions produce plutonium-239 (Pu-239) and energy.
• Only U-235, not U-238, can sustain a chain reaction but it is consumed fully in stage I. In stage II, India will use Pu-239 together with U-238 in the PFBR to produce energy, U-233, and more Pu-239.
• In stage III, Pu-239 will be combined with thorium-232 (Th-232) in reactors to produce energy and U-233. Homi J. Bhabha designed the three-stage programme because India hosts roughly a quarter of the world’s thorium. The three stages are expected to allow the country complete self-sufficiency in nuclear energy.

How does the PFBR work?

• PHWRs use natural or low-enriched U-238 as the fissile material and produce Pu-239 as a byproduct. This Pu-239 is combined with more U-238 into a mixed oxide and loaded into the core of a new reactor together with a blanket. This is a material the fission products in the core react with to produce more Pu-239.
• A breeder reactor is a nuclear reactor that produces more fissile material than it consumes. In a ‘fast’ breeder reactor, the neutrons aren’t slowed, allowing them to trigger specific fission reactions.
• The PFBR is designed to produce more Pu-239 than it consumes. It uses liquid sodium, a highly reactive substance, as coolant in two circuits. Coolant in the first circuit enters the reactor and leaves with (heat) energy and radioactivity. Via heat-exchangers, it transfers only the heat to the coolant in a secondary circuit. The latter transfers the heat to generators to produce electricity.

Source: The Hindu

Syllabus

• Prelims -Environment

Context: The Odisha government has sought the National Tiger Conservation Authority’s (NTCA) nod to introduce some female tigers to the Similipal Tiger Reserve.

Background:

• Odisha wants to bring in female big cats from the Central Indian landscape, which includes areas like Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Maharashtra to improve the tigers’ gene pool and improve the sex ratio.

About Similipal Tiger Reserve:

• Similipal Tiger Reserve is a national park and tiger reserve located in the Mayurbhanj district of Odisha, India.
• It is part of the Mayurbhanj Elephant Reserve.
• The reserve derives its name from the abundance of red silk cotton trees, known as ‘Simul’ in the local language.
• It is home to a diverse range of flora and fauna, including the Bengal tiger, Asian elephant, gaur, and chausingha.
• Notably, it is Asia’s second-largest biosphere and the country’s only wild habitat for melanistic royal Bengal tigers.
• The tigers of Similipal belong to a unique lineage with higher-than-normal levels of melanin, which gives them black-and-yellow-interspersed stripes on their coats. These tigers are not entirely black, and are therefore more accurately described as pseudo-melanistic.
• The reserve features two impressive waterfalls: the Barehipani Falls and the Joranda Falls.
• Similipal was declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1979 and a biosphere reserve in 1994.
• It has been part of the UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves since 2009.
• The region around STR is home to a variety of tribes including Kolha, Santhala, Bhumija, Bhatudi, Gondas, Khadia, Mankadia and Sahara.

Tiger Relocation Process

• The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) ’s approval is mandatory for any tiger relocation project within India.
• Before relocating tigers, the state government must seek permission from the NTCA.
• In the case of Similipal Tiger Reserve, the NTCA technical committee is expected to visit the reserve soon to study its landscape, climate, whether it has the required prey base and other aspects before giving its go-ahead.

Source: Indian Express

Previous Year Question

Q1. Consider the following protected areas:

1. Bandipur
2. Bhitarkanika
3. Manas
4. Sunderbans

Which of the above are declared Tiger Reserves?

1. 1 and 2 only
2. 1, 3 and 4 only
3. 2, 3 and 4 only
4. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Syllabus

• Prelims – Current Event

Context: Recently, Shri Amit Shah inaugurated the National Urban Cooperative Finance and Development Corporation Limited (NUCFDC).

Background:

• The minister suggested the Board of the NUCFDC to set up one urban cooperative bank in each unrepresented town/city in a time-bound program.

About NATIONAL URBAN COOPERATIVE FINANCE AND DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION LIMITED (NUCFDC) :

• The National Urban Cooperative Finance and Development Corporation Limited (NUCFDC) is an umbrella organization for Urban Cooperative Banks (UCBs) in India.
• Its primary role is to modernize and strengthen the Urban Cooperative Banking Sector in India.
• The National Urban Cooperative Finance and Development Corporation Limited (NUCFDC) has received Certificate of Registration (CoR) from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to operate as a Non-Banking Finance Company (NBFC).
• Additionally, the NUCFDC is allowed to function as a Self-Regulatory Organization (SRO) for the sector.

Key Objectives:

• Facilitate financial assistance and support to UCBs.
• Promote cooperative institutions in urban areas.
• Enhance financial inclusion and accessibility for citizens.

Benefits and Services:

• The NUCFDC aims to provide UCBs with facilities such as ATMs, credit/debit cards, clearing systems, SLR limits, and refinancing.
• It contributes to the overall development and well-being of cooperative banks and their customers.

 Source: PIB

Syllabus

• Prelims -Current Event

Context: Recently, National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has filed a complaint with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology against an App.

Background:

• The commission has requested MeitY to take action against Google and Apple and also urged the ministry to mandate stringent KYC norms for users accessing Ullu and similar apps on the marketplace

About National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR)

• National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) is a statutory body established by the Government of India under the Commission for Protection of Child Rights (CPCR) Act, 2005.
• NCPCR is established to safeguard the rights of children aged 0 to 18 years.
• Its mission is to ensure that all laws, policies, and programs align with the vision of child rights.
• It works towards promoting a child-centric approach in all regulations, guidelines, and executive actions in India.
• NCPCR operates under the Ministry of Women & Child Development of the Central Government.
• The Commission is further mandated to monitor the proper and effective implementation of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012, Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, and Right to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009.

Source: inc42

Syllabus

• Prelims – Environment

Context: Days after the clearance from the National Board of Wildlife (NBWL), the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) has sought to clear the path for building a six-lane elevated highway inside the Bannerghatta National Park (BNP).

Background:

• Faced with very high man-animal conflict and encroachments, BNP is already reeling under severe threats of fragmentation

About Bannerghatta National Park:

• Bannerghatta National Park is located near Bangalore, Karnataka.
• It was declared as a national park in 1974.
• In 2002, a small portion of the park became a zoological garden, the Bannerghatta Biological Park
• Between 1995 and 2021, the dry deciduous forests in the National Park shrunk approximately by 44% due to uncontrolled diversion of forest land for agricultural purpose, urbanisation, etc.
• Other national parks of Karnataka are Bandipur National Park, Anshi National Park, Kudremukh National Park, Nagarhole National Park.

Source: The Hindu

Syllabus

• Prelims & Mains – GS 3

Context: The finance minister in the Interim Budget 2024-25 has announced the expansion of the application of Nano DAP (Di-Ammonium Phosphate) as a fertilizer on various crops in all agro-climatic zones.

Background:

• If Russia were to develop and deploy such a weapon, it would be in violation of Outer Space Treaty as well as the Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty of 1963 that prohibits nuclear explosions in space. Russia is party to both treaties.

About DAP

• DAP is the second most commonly used fertilizer in India after urea.
• DAP is a preferred fertilizer in India because it contains both nitrogen and phosphorus which are primary macro-nutrients and part of 18 essential plant nutrients.
• Fertilizer grade DAP contains 18% nitrogen and 46% phosphorus. It is manufactured by reacting ammonia with phosphoric acid under controlled conditions in fertilizer plants.

What is Nano DAP?

• Nano DAP is a specialised form of DAP designed to improve the fertiliser’s effectiveness in promoting plant growth and development.
• In 2023 Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative (IFFCO) launched its Nano DAP, containing 8% Nitrogen and 16% Phosphorus by volume.
• Unlike conventional DAP, which comes in granular form, IFFCO’s Nano DAP is in liquid form.

Source: PIB

Syllabus

• Prelims & Mains – Environment and Science

Context: A recent study introduces a waste management technology called ‘BioTRIG,’ utilizing pyrolysis at the community level in rural India.

Background:

• The BioTRIG represents a sustainable solution that can improve the quality of life for rural communities, especially those living below the poverty line.

About BioTrig:

• BioTRIG is a community-level pyrolysis system designed to run on the waste generated by villagers.
• Pyrolysis is a chemical recycling process that transforms leftover organic materials into their component molecules.
• The system works by sealing the waste inside an oxygen-free chamber and heating it to temperatures above 400 degrees Celsius.
• During pyrolysis, useful chemicals are produced, including bio-oil, syngas, and biochar fertiliser.

Benefits for Rural Communities:

• Indoor Air Pollution Reduction: By utilizing BioTRIG, rural Indians can significantly reduce indoor air pollution. Cooking with fossil fuels in unventilated households disproportionately affects women’s and children’s health.
• Improved Soil Health: Biochar, one of the products of pyrolysis, can enhance soil fertility. It acts as a carbon sink while improving agricultural land quality.
• Clean Power Generation: The syngas and bio-oil produced by BioTRIG can power the pyrolysis system in future cycles. Surplus electricity can also benefit local homes and businesses.
• Productive Farmland: By using the biochar and other pyrolysis products, farmers can have more productive farmland.

Sources : Down To Earth

Q1.) In India, melanistic royal Bengal tigers can be found in their natural habitat in:

1. Ranthambore Tiger Reserve
2. Similipal Tiger Reserve
3. Bandipur Tiger Reserve
4. Kaziranga Tiger Reserve

Q2.)Consider the following statements:

Statement-I:

The National Urban Cooperative Finance and Development Corporation Limited (NUCFDC) is an umbrella organization for Urban Cooperative Banks in India.

Statement-II:

Its primary role is to modernize and strengthen the Rural Cooperative Banking Sector in India.

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

1. Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is the correct explanation for Statement-I
2. Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is not the correct explanation for Statement-I
3. Statement-I is correct but Statement-II is incorrect
4. Statement-I is incorrect but Statement-II is correct

Q3.) With reference to National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), consider the following statements:

1. NCPCR is a statutory body established by the Government of India.
2. NCPCR operates under the Ministry of Women & Child Development of the Central Government.
3. Chairperson and members are appointed by the Central Government.
4. The Chairperson and other members serve a term of three years.

How many statements given above are correct?

1. Only one
2. Only two
3. Only three
4. All four

Comment the answers to the above questions in the comment section below!!

ANSWERS FOR ’  5th March  2024 – Daily Practice MCQs’ will be updated along with tomorrow’s Daily Current Affairs.st

Q.1) – c

Q.2) – c

Q.3) – b