UPSC QUIZ 11.01.2024

Explanation:

• India and Pakistan have exchanged lists of their respective nuclear installations and facilities through diplomatic channels in New Delhi (India) and Islamabad(Pakistan).This exchange falls under the Agreement on the Prohibition of Attack against Nuclear Installations and Facilities between the two countries.

Agreement on the Prohibition of Attack Against Nuclear Installations and Facilities

• The Agreement on the Prohibition of Attack against Nuclear Installations and Facilities was signed on 31st December, 1988, by the then Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto and Indian PM Rajiv Gandhi.
• The treaty came into force on 27th January, 1991.
• The recent one is the 33rd consecutive exchange of such lists between the two countries, the first one having taken place on 01st January, 1992.
• Background: While other factors might have played a role, the direct trigger for the negotiation and signing of the agreement was the tension generated by the 1986-87 Brasstacks exercise by the Indian Army.
• Operation Brasstacks was a military exercise conducted in the Indian state of Rajasthan, near the Pakistan border.

Explanation:

• The landmark judgment in Justice K.S. Puttaswamy vs Union of India, 2017 declared the fundamental right to privacy.
• However, concerns have emerged regarding the extra-constitutional powers granted by Section 132 of the Income-Tax Act,1961 in India as they seem to violate the fundamental rights of the citizens.

Section 132 of the Income Tax Act,1961

• The section was introduced in 1961, as part of Income Tax Act,1961, to replace the Taxation on Income (Investigation Commission) Act, 1947, which was struck down by the Supreme Court in Suraj Mall Mohta vs A.V. Visvanatha Sastri (1954) on the ground that it treated a certain class of assesses differently from others, thereby violating the guarantee of equal treatment contained in Article 14 of the Constitution.
• The original income-tax law in 1922 lacked search and seizure powers.
• Section 132 of the Income-Tax Act, 1961, empowers the tax authorities to conduct searches and seizures of persons and properties, without any prior judicial warrant, if they have a “reason to believe” that the person has concealed or evaded income.

Explanation:

• Prime Minister of India inaugurated the Kochi-Lakshadweep islands submarine optical fiber connection (KLI-SOFC) project among various developmental projects \covering a wide range of sectors including technology, energy, water resources, healthcare and education.

Key Facts About the KLI-SOFC Project

• Lakshadweep required digital connectivity, prompting a high-capacity submarine cable link due to limitations in satellite communication, marked by inadequate bandwidth to meet growing demand.

KLI-SOFC Project

• The KLI-SOFC project will lead to an increase in internet speed, unlocking new possibilities and opportunities.
• The project introduces Submarine Optic Fiber Cable connectivity for the first time in Lakshadweep since independence.
• Fiber optics, or optical fiber, refers to the technology that transmits information as light pulses along a glass or plastic fiber.
• The Department of Telecommunications (DOT) funded by the Universal Services Obligation Fund (USOF), completed the project. Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) was the Project Executing Agency.

Explanation:

• India topped the list of source markets for tourism in Sri Lanka in 2023.
• In 2023, 1.487 million tourists reached to Sri Lanka, with India contributing more than 20%.
• Overall, more than 3 lakh Indian tourists visited Sri Lanka in 2023, followed by Russia, with a contribution of 1.97 lakh.
• Tourism occupies an important place in the Sri Lankan economy as the top foreign revenue source.
• Tourism contributed US$2.1 billion, up from US$1.1 billion achieved the previous year.
• With the resumption of air travel between Jaffna and Chennai in December 2022, connectivity between the two countries has improved compared to last year.
• Additionally, connectivity between Colombo and Mumbai has also improved with daily flights operating in the sector.
• Additionally, the commencement of ferry services between Nagapattinam and Kankesanthurai has also boosted the connectivity between the two countries.

Explanation:

• DRDO's anti-drone technology is ready, which is handed over to BEL and private companies.
• The counter-drone system developed by the DRDO is ready for production and has been demonstrated to the armed services and other internal security agencies with some orders already placed.
• DRDO is now focusing on high-end unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), while the industry has the capacity for smaller drones.
• DRDO is creating drone-based systems and anti-drone systems based on the requirements of user agencies.
• DRDO has developed a comprehensive integrated anti-drone system that includes the detection, identification, and neutralization of drones.
• The three services have already placed 23 orders with BEL for the technology developed by DRDO.
• Transfer of Technology (TOT) for the above technologies has been handed over to private industries, including BEL, Adani, Larsen & Toubro (L&T), and ICOM.
• This technology is capable of countering all types of drone attacks, soft kill, and hard kill, including micro drones, which are being developed in DRDO.
• In addition, Tapas Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) UAV developed for Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition, and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) applications is in the advanced stage of developmental trials.
• Archer, a short-range armed UAV for reconnaissance, surveillance, and low-intensity conflict, is being developed and developmental flight tests are in progress.