UPSC Current Affairs Quiz: January 27, 2025

• Typhon (MRC) – United States: Correct. The Typhon, also known as the Mid-Range Capability (MRC), is a mobile, ground-launched missile system developed by the United States.
• Tomahawk Cruise Missile – Japan: Incorrect. The Tomahawk Cruise Missile is used by the United States and the United Kingdom, not Japan.
• 9K720 Iskander – France: Incorrect. The 9K720 Iskander is a Russian-made short-range ballistic missile system, not French.
• Iron Dome – Israel: Correct. The Iron Dome is a missile defense system developed by Israel to intercept short-range rockets, shells, and mortars.

• Gross Non-Performing Assets (NPAs): NPAs are loans that have not been repaid for a specified period, indicating a borrower’s financial distress.
• Credit risk: It encompasses the possibility of a borrower failing to meet obligations in accordance with agreed terms.
• Household debt: This is a critical economic indicator reflecting the financial health of households and their ability to manage debt.

Thus, all three statements are correct. The correct answer is (c) All three.

1. SANJAY operates with aerial and ground sensors (Incorrect): The system is designed to integrate inputs from both ground and aerial sensors, not solely on ground sensors.
2. SANJAY integrates data (Correct): It effectively combines data from multiple battlefield sensors to produce a Common Surveillance Picture, enhancing battlefield awareness and decision-making.

• Over 56% vulnerable (Incorrect): According to the India State of Forest Report (ISFR) 2021, over 36% of the country’s forest cover is indeed estimated to be vulnerable to frequent forest fires, highlighting a risk.
• The forest fire season in India is considered to be from June to October. Incorrect: November to June is considered to be forest fire season in India, with hundreds of thousands of small and large fires burning every year, especially from February onward as summer approaches. April-May are usually the worst fire months across the country.
• Odisha and Madhya Pradesh have reported over one lakh forest fire incidents each in the last five forest fire seasons. Correct: According to data from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change presented in the Rajya Sabha, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Maharashtra have reported over one lakh forest fire incidents each in the last five forest fire seasons. Collectively, these four States accounted for 4,73,834 forest fires, which constitute approximately 43 percent of the total forest fire incidents in India during this period.

• The Mudra Yojana was launched in 2015 (Correct): The Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana was introduced in April 2015 to provide loans to small and micro enterprises, promoting entrepreneurship and job creation.
• The Mudra Yojana categorizes loans (Correct): The scheme categorizes loans into three segments: Shishu (up to ₹50,000), Kishore (₹50,001 to ₹5 lakh), and Tarun (₹5,00,001 to ₹10 lakh), facilitating access to finance for varying stages of business growth.
• The Shishu category of the Mudra Yojana provides loans from ₹50,001 to ₹5 lakh. Incorrect:
  • The Shishu category of the Mudra Yojana provides loans up to ₹50,000.
  • The Kishore category offers loans ranging from ₹50,001 to ₹5 lakh.
  • The Tarun category extends loans from ₹5,00,001 to ₹10 lakh.