UPSC IAS Prelims 2021: Monthly Current Affairs Questions for Preparation | October 2020

Explanation:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Atal Tunnel in Himachal Pradesh's Rohtang. It will connect Solang Valley near Manali to Sissu in Lahaul and Spiti district. It is named after the former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. It is a 9.02 Km long tunnel. It connects Manali to Lahaul-Spiti valley throughout the year. Before that, the valley was cut off for around 6 months every year because of heavy snowfall.

It is built with ultra-modern specifications in the Pir Panjal range of Himalayas at an altitude of 3000 Mtrs (10,000 Feet) from the Mean Sea Level (MSL). Read Details

Explanation:

The Nobel Committees of the prize-awarding institutions are responsible for the selection of

the candidates, the institutions being:

1. Nobel Prize in Physics, Nobel Prize in Chemistry: The Royal Swedish Academy of

 Sciences

1. Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine: The Karolinska Institutet
2. Nobel Prize in Literature: The Swedish Academy
3. Nobel Peace Prize: A five-member Committee elected by the Norwegian Parliament

(Storting)

1. Prize in Economic Sciences: The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences

Explanation:

Before Kailash Satyarthi, Mother Teresa won, the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979.

Explanation:

Aenigmachanna Gollum’ remained hidden for a hundred million years, looks like a dragon and swims like an eel. The fish was discovered in the watery underground rocks and has been named 'Gollum', after the character from the 'Lord of the Rings' fantasy novel. 

As per the researchers, the Aenigmachanna is a Gondwanan lineage who has survived the separation of India and Africa around 120 millio

Explanation:

Every year the Global Hunger Index is jointly published by Concern Worldwide and Welthungerhilfe. In 2006, it was first produced and every October, it is published. The 2020th edition is the 15th edition of the Global Hunger Index. The objective is to comprehensively measure and track hunger at the global, regional, and country levels.  

In the Global Hunger Index (GHI) 2020, India has been ranked at 94 out of 107 countries. India has a level of hunger that is serious with a score of 27.2. Read more

Explanation:

SVAMITVA stands for Survey of villages and Mapping with Improvised Technology in Village Areas. 

About SVAMITVA Scheme

It was launched on 24 April 2020 on the occasion of National Panchayati Raj Day. It is an initiative of the Ministry of Panchayati Raj and is a central sector scheme.

Purpose of the Scheme

The main purpose is to provide rural people with the right to document their residential properties. This has been done so that they can use their property for economic purposes. And also enable them to use their property as a financial asset for taking loans and other financial benefits from the Bank.

Explanation:

1- Amid the unprecedented pandemic, the Indian delegation presented a package of 3,000 vials of the antiviral Remdesivir to help Myanmar in its fight against COVID-19.

2- Mayanmar has been prioritised by India in sharing the vaccines for COVID-19, whenever available. 

3- The operationalization of Sittwe Port in the first quarter of 2021 is promised. This will connect India's Kolkata to Sittwe in Myanmar and Myanmar's Kaladan river to India's north-east region. 

4- The progress on India-assisted infrastructural projects (India-Myanmar-Thailand trilateral highway and the Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project) were discussed.  

Explanation:

National Statistical Office (NSO), Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation released India's first Time Use Survey for the period January to December 2019. The National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) has been conducting socio-economic surveys employing scientific methods since 1950.

The survey covered 82,897 rural and 55,902 urban households. The information was collected from each member of the household of age 6 years and above on the use of time. 

Explanation:

The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QSD) also known as Quad, is an Inter-governmental security forum. 

2- It comprises of 4 countries-- India, the United States, Japan, and Australia. The member countries of the Quad organize summits, exchanges information, and military drills.

During their second ministerial meeting in Tokyo, External Affairs Minister of India S Jaishankar along with his counterparts from the US, Japan and Australia discussed the post-COVID-19 international order and sought responses over the various challenges caused by the unprecedented pandemic.

Explanation:

Pamban Bridge connects the town of Mandapam in mainland India with Pamban and Rameshwaram. In 1914, it started its operations. As we know that it was India's first sea bridge and was the longest sea bridge in India until the opening of the Bandra-Worli Sea Link in 2010. 

The new bridge will be constructed with the help of modern techniques. The beauty of this bridge is that its middle part gets lifted up to let ships pass through during travel. This technology is known as 'Scherzer' rolling lift technology. Read Details