Daily Quiz #30 UPSC Prelims Marathon – December 5, 2019

Explanation: It is a type of genetic engineering in which DNA is inserted, deleted or replaced in the genome of an organism using artificially engineered nucleases, or “molecular scissors”. Human genome editing can be used to treat many human diseases & genetic disorders like HIV/AIDS, hemophilia etc.
•It could substantially bolster disease resistance in humans & increase life span.
•It could form the basis of highly efficient & cost effective next generation antibiotics (based on
•bacteriophage viruses).
•Gene editing can be used to protect endangered species or bring to life extinct species.
•It can be used to grow healthier food (via fortification) and increasing harvest.
•It has the potential to slow down the spread of diseases by eliminating its means of transmission. E.g.Gene editing can be used to introduce sterile mosquitoes into the environment.

Explanation: The Authority is operating the National Gene Fund constituted by Government of India under section 45 of the Act. Amongst other things, the fund is also utilised for supporting the conservation and sustainable use of genetic resources including in-situ and ex-situ collections. As per provisions of section 70 (2)(a) of the PPV&FR Rules, 2003, the Govt. of India in consultation with the Authority instituted the Plant Genome Saviour Community Award (five awards of Rs.10 lakhs each). This is being awarded since 2009-10, to the farming community / farmers, particularly of the tribal and rural areas engaged in conservation, improvement and preservation of genetic resources of economic plants and their wild relatives in the areas of agro-biodiversity hotspots (22 Agro-biodiversity hotspots distributed over 7 agro-ecological zones). The Government of India has notified the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers Rights (Recognition and Reward from the Gene Fund) Rules, 2012, whereby a farmer who is engaged in the conservation of genetic resources of land races and wild relatives of economic plants and their improvement through selection and preservation shall be entitled to “Plant Genome Saviour Farmer Reward & Farmer Recognition” along with cash prize from National Gene Fund. There are 10 rewards each comprising of citation, memento and cash of Rs. One and half lakh each and 20 recognitions each consisting of a cash prize of Rs. One Lakh, citation and memento in a year.

Explanation: According to the MoD’s annual report of 2013-14, Kautilya for space-borne ELINT System involves the development of Electronic Intelligence payload for integration on an indigenous mini satellite. The ELINT includes recordings and analysis of intercepted signals and helps create an RF signature of a radar which can in turn be used for locating and quickly identify the radar in subsequent encounters.

Explanation: The Union Government has already set up New Space India Limited (NSIL), a wholly owned Government of India undertaking/ Central Public Sector Enterprise (CPSE), under the administrative control of Department of Space (DOS) on 06th March 2019 to commercially exploit the research and development work of Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) Centre’s and constituent units of DOS.

Explanation: The Ice, Cloud and land Elevation Satellite-2, or ICESat-2, will measure the height of a changing Earth – one laser pulse at a time, 10,000 laser pulses a second. Launched in 2018, ICESat-2 will carry a laser altimeter that detects individual photons, allowing scientists to measure the elevation of ice sheets, sea ice, forests and more in unprecedented detail. Our planet’s frozen and icy areas, called the cryosphere, are a key focus of NASA’s Earth science research. ICESat-2 will help scientists investigate why, and how much, our cryosphere is changing in a warming climate. The satellite will also measure heights across Earth’s temperate and tropical regions, and take stock of the vegetation in forests worldwide.