Apr 21, 2017

IASbaba's 60 Day Plan- Prelims Test 2017 Science & Technology and Current Affairs [Day 23]

Hello Friends So, here we are with the 23rd Day of 60 Days Plan. It is the third edition of 60 Days program but seems like the first one because of the excitement involved everywhere, including us :) We are equally excited and pumped. Our Team is working hard to make you realize your dream. Do not take it insincerely and let us down. Your faith and participation has to be in sync with the amount of hard work and effort we do. Let us pledge to make it a big game changer (better than last year) in the next 60 days! Importance of Self - Tracking: Learning from Last Year Last year, aspirants used to comment their answers in the comment box on daily basis. There were huge participation in discussion. Putting answers in comment box has been very effective to self track yourself after updating the score. In the end you can cross check your performance through disqus profile. It was highly effective in the last edition of 60 Days that propelled aspirants to monitor their performance and learn through discussion. Let you solve these questions with full honesty and write your result in the comment box. Interact with peers to know your mistakes. The importance of this initiative stands time bound and aggressive reverse engineering to learn the concepts. Many of you must be busy with your own strategy but let us tell you honestly that in the last two months, it is very important to revise and consolidate your learning. Just reading won’t suffice. So, take out few hours from your schedule and make it a revision exercise. How you can make the best use of it? Be honest to your effort and do not start competing with XYZ aspirants here just for the sake of marks. It is more important for you to introspect and check your learning than focusing on others. Try to answer the questions in 20 minutes only.  Do not get into negative feeling that I don’t have enough knowledge to answer these questions. Feel like you are taking the real exam. What would be your response then? The same will be replicated in UPSC exam. Here, you get marks only and nothing else matters. So make effort to know the answers of all questions. Do not cheat :P Baba's Gyan for REVISION Many of you, almost all, asks about effective revision strategy! Can there be any? Let us tell you something Baba does :D  You guys study a lot and there is no issue with the hard work that has been put in. But when it comes to input-output comparison, your performance is questionable. What to do? Just do this for a Week: Go to bed before stipulated time of your sleep, at least 1 hour before. Close your eyes and try to relax your mind. You should attain full comfort and calmness. Do this on the First Day: Imagine the full story of a recent movie that you have watched. Try to recollect from starting to end. See, whether you are able to depict the clear picture or not! Now, do the same for everything you learnt from morning specially the ones you struggled with. Since it is fresh, most of the things should flow into your mind smoothly. Check what is your recollecting capacity. For example, if you prepared Polity Day 2: Topics- Try to collect all important concepts and learning of the day. Trust us, this exercise if done with sincerity will give you immense confidence as well as boost your performance. There is no ideal time for revision and there cannot be any specific date put for it, as commonly done. This will always expose your weaknesses the very same day and if you tend to forget something, can always get back to consolidate and cement it. REPEAT IT FOR A WEEK & SEE THE MAGIC :D  Must to Do: Read the detailed article regarding Micro Analysis Matrix and follow the guidelines- Click Here Try to hold your nerves and learn to control the temptation. This is very important art to learn and implement! Are you ready? Let's start [Day 23]: SCIENCE & TECH & CURRENT AFFAIRS  ARCHIVES Q.1) Which of the following statements are correct comparisons between Geostationary and Geosynchronous satellite? Geostationary orbit is one while geosynchronous orbits can be many. Geostationary orbit is in equatorial plane while geosynchronous orbits are polar. Both the satellites look stationary in the night sky. Select the code from below: 1 only 2 and 3 1 and 3 All of the above Q.2) Which of the following statements are correct about GRAPES – 3 experiment located in Ooty? It has been designed to study the God’s particle (Higgs boson). It is specially designed to study cosmic rays. It is an observatory to study the Gravitational waves. It is neutrino observatory being built under the Hills in Ooty. Q.3) Copernicus observation program is the world’s largest single earth observation programme. Which of the following statements are correct about this project? It is an Earth’s monitoring program started by NASA. It consists of constellation of seven Sentinel Earth observation satellites. They will take high-resolution, colour and infrared images for a wide array of environmental initiatives, including crop forecasting and monitoring natural disasters. Select the code from following: 1 and 2 2 and 3 1 and 3 All of the above Q.4) Which of the following fuels are used in Cryogenic engines? Ammonium Nitrate Polybutadiene Acrylonitrile Kerosene Liquid Hydrogen Q.5) ISRO made history by launching world’s largest number satellites from one launch vehicle. It launched 104 satellites in one go. Which of the following vehicles were used by ISRO to launch these satellites? PSLV – C37 GSLV – Mark III PSLV – C21 Ariane – 5 Q.6) ISRO has recently​ commissioned Hypersonic Wind Tunnel at Vikram’s Sarabhai research center. Which of the following statements are not correct regarding this? Hypersonic Wind Tunnel is used to create zero gravity environment for the astronauts to train. This is the world’s largest hypersonic wind tunnel ever commissioned. These wind tunnels will be used to study the effects of air flowing past a solid object. Select the code from following: 1 and 2 2 only 1 and 3 All of the above Q.7) ASTROSAT, India’s space Observatory have captured a rare phenomenon of Vampire Star. Which of the following statements correctly explains the phenomenon of Vampire Star? The vampire star phenomenon is observed when smaller star sucks material (mass and energy) out of the bigger companion star, causing its eventual death. The Vampire Star phenomenon is observed when a large Star feasts on a smaller Star causing it’s eventual death. The phenomenon is observed when two similar binary stars fuse with each other and form a larger star. The Vampire Star phenomenon is observed when a star enlarges to engulf it’s planets. Q.8) consider the following statements regarding Sunspot activity: Sunspots are darker hotter regions on the surface of the sun. Sunspots are temporary and fade away after sometime. Which of the above statements are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.9) Which of the following countries have launched Gaofen project, a network of observation satellites orbiting Earth to provide global surveillance capabilities which is due to be completed in 2020? USA Russia Israel China Q.10) China has successfully launched experimental satellite XPNAV – 1. Which of the following statements are correct regarding this satellite? It is the world’s first pulsar navigation satellite or spacecraft. It will operate in a sun synchronous orbit. Select the code from below: 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.11) The Magnetospheric Multistage Mission (MMS) launched by NASA to map ‘magnetic reconnection'. Which of the following statements correctly explains the process of magnetic reconnection? A process that occurs as the sun and Earth’s magnetic fields interact. A process that occurs when the magnetic fields of two or more communication satellites interact and causes disturbance in transmission. The process of change of earth’s magnetic field. None of the above. Q.12) With reference to ‘Astrosat’, the astronomical observatory launched by India, which of the following statements is/are correct? Other than USA and Russia, India is the only country to have launched a similar observatory into space. Astrosat mission is capable of performing observations in Ultraviolet (UV), optical, low and high energy X-ray wavebands at the same time. Select the correct answer using the code given below: 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.13) A communication satellite is essentially – A transmitter station in space A repeater station in space A modulation station in space An attenuation station in space Q.14) Consider the following statements about Mangalyaan, launched by ISRO: It is also called the Mars Orbiter Mission It made India the second country to have a spacecraft orbit the Mars after USA It made India the only country to be successful in making its spacecraft orbit the Mars in its very first attempt Which of the statements given above is/are correct? 1 only 2 and 3 only 1 and 3 only 1, 2 and 3 Q.15) Consider the following statements: Both electromagnetic and gravitational waves travel with the speed of light. Both electromagnetic and gravitational waves can create ripples in space-time. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and Neither 1 nor 2 Q.16) Consider the following statements India is the largest recipient of Japanese official development assistance (ODA) India is the first non-member of the non-proliferation treaty (NPT) to have signed nuclear deal with Japan Which of the following statements is/are incorrect? Only 1 Only 2 Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.17) Which of the following statements is correct about ‘Saur Sujala Yojana’? Solar powered irrigation pumps will be provided to farmers at a subsidized price Setting up of over 300MW of solar PV power projects by defence establishments Development of solar parks and ultra-mega solar power projects Grid interactive solar power plants on the rooftop Q.18) Bhitarkanika National Park is located in which of the following states? West Bengal Odisha Both (a) and (b) Arunachal Pradesh Q.19) Consider the following statements about Pradhan Mantri YUVA Yojana It has been launched by Ministry of Human Resource Development It is envisaged to facilitate protection of Patents, Trademark and Designs of innovative and interested Start Ups It aims at creating an enabling ecosystem for Entrepreneurship development through Entrepreneurship education and training Select the correct statements Only 3 1 and 3 2 and 3 1 and 2 Q.20) The Bio-Indicator Lidar Instrument (BILI) is developed by ISRO Space X NASA European Space Agency Download The Solution : Click Here

Apr 20, 2017

IASbaba's 60 Day Plan- Prelims Test 2017 Economics and Current Affairs [Day 22]

Hello Friends So, here we are with the 22th Day of 60 Days Plan. It is the third edition of 60 Days program but seems like the first one because of the excitement involved everywhere, including us :) We are equally excited and pumped. Our Team is working hard to make you realize your dream. Do not take it insincerely and let us down. Your faith and participation has to be in sync with the amount of hard work and effort we do. Let us pledge to make it a big game changer (better than last year) in the next 60 days! Importance of Self - Tracking: Learning from Last Year Last year, aspirants used to comment their answers in the comment box on daily basis. There were huge participation in discussion. Putting answers in comment box has been very effective to self track yourself after updating the score. In the end you can cross check your performance through disqus profile. It was highly effective in the last edition of 60 Days that propelled aspirants to monitor their performance and learn through discussion. Let you solve these questions with full honesty and write your result in the comment box. Interact with peers to know your mistakes. The importance of this initiative stands time bound and aggressive reverse engineering to learn the concepts. Many of you must be busy with your own strategy but let us tell you honestly that in the last two months, it is very important to revise and consolidate your learning. Just reading won’t suffice. So, take out few hours from your schedule and make it a revision exercise. How you can make the best use of it? Be honest to your effort and do not start competing with XYZ aspirants here just for the sake of marks. It is more important for you to introspect and check your learning than focusing on others. Try to answer the questions in 20 minutes only.  Do not get into negative feeling that I don’t have enough knowledge to answer these questions. Feel like you are taking the real exam. What would be your response then? The same will be replicated in UPSC exam. Here, you get marks only and nothing else matters. So make effort to know the answers of all questions. Do not cheat :P Baba's Gyan for REVISION Many of you, almost all, asks about effective revision strategy! Can there be any? Let us tell you something Baba does :D  You guys study a lot and there is no issue with the hard work that has been put in. But when it comes to input-output comparison, your performance is questionable. What to do? Just do this for a Week: Go to bed before stipulated time of your sleep, at least 1 hour before. Close your eyes and try to relax your mind. You should attain full comfort and calmness. Do this on the First Day: Imagine the full story of a recent movie that you have watched. Try to recollect from starting to end. See, whether you are able to depict the clear picture or not! Now, do the same for everything you learnt from morning specially the ones you struggled with. Since it is fresh, most of the things should flow into your mind smoothly. Check what is your recollecting capacity. For example, if you prepared Polity Day 2: Topics- Try to collect all important concepts and learning of the day. Trust us, this exercise if done with sincerity will give you immense confidence as well as boost your performance. There is no ideal time for revision and there cannot be any specific date put for it, as commonly done. This will always expose your weaknesses the very same day and if you tend to forget something, can always get back to consolidate and cement it. REPEAT IT FOR A WEEK & SEE THE MAGIC :D  Must to Do: Read the detailed article regarding Micro Analysis Matrix and follow the guidelines- Click Here Try to hold your nerves and learn to control the temptation. This is very important art to learn and implement! Are you ready? Let's start [Day 22]: ECONOMICS & CURRENT AFFAIRS  ARCHIVES Q.1) Consider the following statements with reference to the recently launched India Post Payment Bank (IPPB) It can accept both Term Deposits and Demand Deposits The maximum loan that can be provided to a customer is one lakh rupees Which of the above statements is/are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.2) Consider the following statements with reference to the Small Finance Banks They can be started with a minimum paid up capital of ₹100 Crores They can accept demand deposits and provide loans 50% of their Net credit should be set aside to meet the Priority Sector Lending targets Which of the above statements is/are correct? 1 and 2 only 2 and 3 only 1 and 3 only All of the above Q.3) Recently Strategic Debt Restructuring Scheme was in news, consider the following statements with respect to the SDRC Under this scheme the loan outstanding by a company to the Bank will be converted into equity Banks will acquire the majority ownership in the debtor company Which of the above statements is/are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.4) Consider the following statements about the reverse repo rate It is an interest rate at which the Banks deposit their cash with the RBI If reverse repo rate is increased the bank’s lending rates to customers will also increase Which of the following statements is/are incorrect? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.5) Consider the following statements with reference to the Cash reserve ratio (CRR) It is a percentage of Bank’s Net time and Demand Liabilities that are kept with the RBI CRR deposits earn interest at the rate which is equal to reverse repo rate. Which of the above statements is/are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.6) RBI uses variety of Qualitative and Quantitative tools to control the Credit creation in the economy, in this regard which of the following is not a Quantitative tool? Reserve ratio requirements Regulating the Bank rate Setting margin requirements for different sectors Regulating the repo rate Q.7) Consider the following statements with reference to the MUDRA Bank It will provide long term loans directly to the small scale enterprises It will be the regulator of all Micro Finance Institutions in the country Which of the above statements is/are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.8) which of the following statements with respect to Marginal Standing Facility is incorrect? Under this scheme all the banks can borrow money from RBI for 1 day The minimum loan request has to be 1 crores and multiples there of Banks can borrow 1% of their Net time and Demand Liabilities Interest rate of repo rate plus one percent will be charged by the RBI Q.9) If RBI reduces the CRR requirements, which of the following are most likely to happen? Inflation will increase because of increased money supply Interest rates will increase because of decrease in the money supply. Interest rates on consumer loans will come down Which of the above statements is/are correct? 1 and 2 only 2 and 3 only 1 and 3 only All of the above Q.10) The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) acts as a bankers’ bank. This would imply which of the following? Banks keep their deposits with the RBI RBI provides loans to banks whenever they are in need It rediscounts the Bills of exchange Choose the correct answer using the codes given below. 1 and 2 only 2 and 3 only 1 and 3 only All of the above Q.11) Recently Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) was in the news, in this regard consider the following statements It will have six members including the RBI Governor who will be the Chairman All the members of MPC will hold office for a 5 year term Which of the above statements is/are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.12) Consider the following statements with reference to the Payment Banks They can issue Debit cards but cannot issue Credit Cards They are exempted from the CRR and SLR requirements The main objective of establishing the payment banks is to further Financial Inclusion Which of the above statements is/are correct? 1 and 2 only 2 and 3 only 1 and 3 only All of the above Q.13) Consider the following statements with reference to Sukanya Samruddhi Yojana Main objective of the scheme is to cover the Higher education and Marriage expenses of the Girl Child The Government will pay interest on the accounts opened under the scheme for 25 years Which of the above statements is/are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.14) Consider the following statements with reference to the Bharath QR code It will work as a common interface for all the debit/credit card payments in the country It is managed by the National payments corporation of India It is one of the initiates of the GOI to promote cashless transactions Which of the above statements is/are correct? 1 and 2 only 2 and 3 only 1 and 3 only All of the above Q.15) Consider the following statements with reference to the Banks Board Bureau It is a part of Indradhanush Mission to revamp the Public Sector Banks The board will appoint the new Directors of the Public Sector Banks  Which of the above statements is/are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2  Q.16) Ken-Betwa river linking project has become a stage for a unique man-animal conflict. The environmentalists fear that one of the tiger reserve/national park may get submerged. Which is the tiger reserve that we are referring to? Panna Pench Kanha Bandhavgarh Q.17) Global Youth Development Index is released by World Economic Forum World Youth International AIESEC None of the above Q.18) Consider the following statements about Pashupatinath temple It is a UNESCO World Heritage site It is built in the Nepalese pagoda style of architecture Select the correct statements Only 1 Only 2 Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.19) Which of the following is true about ‘Psyche’? Saturn’s biggest moon Largest metallic asteroid A Kuiper belt object None of the above Q.20) Consider the following statements about Sentinelese tribe They are the indigenous people of the Andaman Islands They are not designated as scheduled tribe of India They speak Jarawa language Select the correct statements 1 and 2 2 and 3 Only 1 All of the above Download The Solution : Click here

Apr 19, 2017

IASbaba's 60 Day Plan- Prelims Test 2017 Economics and Current Affairs [Day 21]

Hello Friends So, here we are with the 21st Day of 60 Days Plan. It is the third edition of 60 Days program but seems like the first one because of the excitement involved everywhere, including us :) We are equally excited and pumped. Our Team is working hard to make you realize your dream. Do not take it insincerely and let us down. Your faith and participation has to be in sync with the amount of hard work and effort we do. Let us pledge to make it a big game changer (better than last year) in the next 60 days! Importance of Self - Tracking: Learning from Last Year Last year, aspirants used to comment their answers in the comment box on daily basis. There were huge participation in discussion. Putting answers in comment box has been very effective to self track yourself after updating the score. In the end you can cross check your performance through disqus profile. It was highly effective in the last edition of 60 Days that propelled aspirants to monitor their performance and learn through discussion. Let you solve these questions with full honesty and write your result in the comment box. Interact with peers to know your mistakes. The importance of this initiative stands time bound and aggressive reverse engineering to learn the concepts. Many of you must be busy with your own strategy but let us tell you honestly that in the last two months, it is very important to revise and consolidate your learning. Just reading won’t suffice. So, take out few hours from your schedule and make it a revision exercise. How you can make the best use of it? Be honest to your effort and do not start competing with XYZ aspirants here just for the sake of marks. It is more important for you to introspect and check your learning than focusing on others. Try to answer the questions in 20 minutes only.  Do not get into negative feeling that I don’t have enough knowledge to answer these questions. Feel like you are taking the real exam. What would be your response then? The same will be replicated in UPSC exam. Here, you get marks only and nothing else matters. So make effort to know the answers of all questions. Do not cheat :P Baba's Gyan for REVISION Many of you, almost all, asks about effective revision strategy! Can there be any? Let us tell you something Baba does :D  You guys study a lot and there is no issue with the hard work that has been put in. But when it comes to input-output comparison, your performance is questionable. What to do? Just do this for a Week: Go to bed before stipulated time of your sleep, at least 1 hour before. Close your eyes and try to relax your mind. You should attain full comfort and calmness. Do this on the First Day: Imagine the full story of a recent movie that you have watched. Try to recollect from starting to end. See, whether you are able to depict the clear picture or not! Now, do the same for everything you learnt from morning specially the ones you struggled with. Since it is fresh, most of the things should flow into your mind smoothly. Check what is your recollecting capacity. For example, if you prepared Polity Day 2: Topics- Try to collect all important concepts and learning of the day. Trust us, this exercise if done with sincerity will give you immense confidence as well as boost your performance. There is no ideal time for revision and there cannot be any specific date put for it, as commonly done. This will always expose your weaknesses the very same day and if you tend to forget something, can always get back to consolidate and cement it. REPEAT IT FOR A WEEK & SEE THE MAGIC :D  Must to Do: Read the detailed article regarding Micro Analysis Matrix and follow the guidelines- Click Here Try to hold your nerves and learn to control the temptation. This is very important art to learn and implement! Are you ready? Let's start [Day 21]: ECONOMICS & CURRENT AFFAIRS  ARCHIVES Q.1) You may have heard the term Core Inflation in the news. The computation of Core Inflation does not include which of the following items. Consumer durables Food and fuel items Clothing and apparels Medical expenses Q.2) Consider the following statements with reference to the Consumer Price Index. It measures Inflation based on the final price paid by the consumer Service tax and Value added Tax are not included in the computation of CPI Which of the above statements is/are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.3) Consider the following statements with respect to the Wholesale Price Index (WPI) Price rise in both the Goods and Services are included in computing WPI It is published by Office of the Economic Adviser, Ministry of Commerce and Industry The current base year for WPI calculation is 2011-12  Which of the above statements is/are incorrect? 1 and 2 only 2 and 3 only 1 and 3 only All of the above Q.4) Consider the following statements with respect to Inflation measurement in India. RBI has adopted Consumer Price Index (Combined) as the key measure of inflation This was done based on the recommendation of Urjit Patel Committee Which of the above statements is/are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.5) Consider the following statements about the new series of Consumer Price Index The new series is published by the RBI It measures price rise against the base year prices of 2012 Which of the above statements is/are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.6) With reference to inflation in India, which of the following statements is correct? Controlling the inflation in India is the responsibility of the Government of India only The Reserve Bank of India has no role in controlling the inflation Decreased money circulation helps in controlling the inflation Increased money circulation helps in controlling the inflation Q.7) Consider the following statements: Inflation benefits the Bondholders Inflation benefits the producers Inflation benefits the debtors Which of the above statements is/are correct? 1 and 2 only 2 and 3 only 1 and 3 only All of the above Q.8) Consider the following statements with reference to The Open Market Operations of RBI RBI sells and purchases government securities under the OMO. It can either increase or decrease the amount of money available in the economy Which of the above statements is/are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.9) A rise in general level of prices may be caused by An increase in the money supply A decrease in the aggregate level of output An increase in the effective demand Select the correct answer using the codes given below. 1 and 2 only 2 and 3 only 1 and 3 only All of the above Q.10) Which of the following is likely to cause Demand-Pull inflation? Borrowing from the public to finance a budget deficit Borrowing from banks to finance a budget deficit Creating new money to finance a budget deficit Select the correct answer using the codes given below. 1 only 2 and 3 only 3 only None of the above Q.11) Which of the following is likely to cause the Cost-push Inflation? Decrease in the Bank lending rates Increased government spending Increased interest rates by the Commercial banks Increase in the disposable incomes of the people Q.12) Consider the following statements with reference to inflation High inflation will lead to increase in exports High inflation will cause the exports to decrease Which of the above statements is/are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.13) Consider the following statements with reference to the Philips Curve. It gives the relationship between optimal tax rates and tax collections It gives the relationship between the rate of inflation and rate of employment in the economy Which of the above statements is/are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.14) A situation where high inflation and high unemployment co-exist is called as Recession Stagflation Depression Hyper inflation Q.15) Consider the following statements with reference to taxation Higher direct taxes help in controlling Inflation in the economy Higher indirect taxes help in controlling the Inflation in the economy  Which of the above statements is/are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.16) SAFAR – India, an initiative of the Government of India, aims at providing financial and technical assistance to young start-up entrepreneurs disseminating information regarding air quality on real time promoting the Self Help Groups in rural areas financial inclusion scheme monitored by business correspondents (BC) in rural areas Q.17) Consider the following statement about ‘Fishing Cat’ It is listed as ‘critically endangered’ under the IUCN Red List It is the state animal of West Bengal and Odisha Select the correct statements Only 1 Only 2 Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.18) SAMPRITI is a joint military exercise between India and Nepal Bangladesh Bhutan Sri Lanka Q.19) Azerbaijan shares its border with which of the following countries? Iran Armenia Georgia Serbia Select the correct code: 1, 2 and 3 2 and 3 2, 3 and 4 All of the above Q.20) The Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS) is concerned with: Diamonds Gold Crude Oil None of the above Download The Solution : Click here

Apr 18, 2017

IASbaba's 60 Day Plan- Prelims Test 2017 History and Current Affairs [Day 20]

Hello Friends So, here we are with the 20th Day of 60 Days Plan. It is the third edition of 60 Days program but seems like the first one because of the excitement involved everywhere, including us :) We are equally excited and pumped. Our Team is working hard to make you realize your dream. Do not take it insincerely and let us down. Your faith and participation has to be in sync with the amount of hard work and effort we do. Let us pledge to make it a big game changer (better than last year) in the next 60 days! Importance of Self - Tracking: Learning from Last Year Last year, aspirants used to comment their answers in the comment box on daily basis. There were huge participation in discussion. Putting answers in comment box has been very effective to self track yourself after updating the score. In the end you can cross check your performance through disqus profile. It was highly effective in the last edition of 60 Days that propelled aspirants to monitor their performance and learn through discussion. Let you solve these questions with full honesty and write your result in the comment box. Interact with peers to know your mistakes. The importance of this initiative stands time bound and aggressive reverse engineering to learn the concepts. Many of you must be busy with your own strategy but let us tell you honestly that in the last two months, it is very important to revise and consolidate your learning. Just reading won’t suffice. So, take out few hours from your schedule and make it a revision exercise. How you can make the best use of it? Be honest to your effort and do not start competing with XYZ aspirants here just for the sake of marks. It is more important for you to introspect and check your learning than focusing on others. Try to answer the questions in 20 minutes only.  Do not get into negative feeling that I don’t have enough knowledge to answer these questions. Feel like you are taking the real exam. What would be your response then? The same will be replicated in UPSC exam. Here, you get marks only and nothing else matters. So make effort to know the answers of all questions. Do not cheat :P Baba's Gyan for REVISION Many of you, almost all, asks about effective revision strategy! Can there be any? Let us tell you something Baba does :D  You guys study a lot and there is no issue with the hard work that has been put in. But when it comes to input-output comparison, your performance is questionable. What to do? Just do this for a Week: Go to bed before stipulated time of your sleep, at least 1 hour before. Close your eyes and try to relax your mind. You should attain full comfort and calmness. Do this on the First Day: Imagine the full story of a recent movie that you have watched. Try to recollect from starting to end. See, whether you are able to depict the clear picture or not! Now, do the same for everything you learnt from morning specially the ones you struggled with. Since it is fresh, most of the things should flow into your mind smoothly. Check what is your recollecting capacity. For example, if you prepared Polity Day 2: Topics- Try to collect all important concepts and learning of the day. Trust us, this exercise if done with sincerity will give you immense confidence as well as boost your performance. There is no ideal time for revision and there cannot be any specific date put for it, as commonly done. This will always expose your weaknesses the very same day and if you tend to forget something, can always get back to consolidate and cement it. REPEAT IT FOR A WEEK & SEE THE MAGIC :D  Must to Do: Read the detailed article regarding Micro Analysis Matrix and follow the guidelines- Click Here Try to hold your nerves and learn to control the temptation. This is very important art to learn and implement! Are you ready? Let's start [Day 20]: HISTORY & CURRENT AFFAIRS  ARCHIVES Q.1) Consider the following statements with reference to the All India Kisan Sabha. It was formed in 1936 at Lucknow. Swami Dayanand Saraswati was its first President and N.G. Ranga was the General- Secretary. Which of the above statements is/are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2  Q.2) Consider the following statements about the Lucknow Session of 1916. The extremists and the moderates reunited into the congress. Muslim League and Indian National Congress reached an agreement known as the Lucknow Pact. Which of the above statements is/are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.3) Consider the following statements with reference to State People’s Conferences or Praja Mandals. These were formed by the people belonging to the Princely States. Jawaharlal Nehru was elected the President of All India State people’s Conference in 1927. Which of the above statements is/are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.4) Which of the following statements about the Indian Councils Act of 1861 is/are correct? The act restored the legislative powers of the Madras and Bombay Provinces. The act empowered the Viceroy to Issue ordinances. The act created the Bicameral legislatures in the Provinces. Which of the above statements is/are correct? 1 and 2 only 2 and 3 only 1 and 3 only All of the above Q.5) Consider the following statements with reference to the Cripps Mission of 1942. It suggested the creation of Constituent Assembly after the World War 2. Jawaharlal Nehru and Mahatma Gandhi were the official Congress negotiators to deal with Cripps Mission.  Which of the above statements is/are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2  Q.6) Consider the following statements with reference to Swaraj party. It advocated Council entry through taking part in elections. Vallabbhai Patel was the President of Swaraj party and Rajendra Prasad was the general secretary. Which of the above statements is/are incorrect? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.7) Consider the following statements with respect to the Mahalwari system. It was devised by Holt Mackenzie. It was introduced in Agra, Awadh and parts of central India. Under this system land revenue settlements were made with individual farmers.  Which of the above statements is/are correct? 1 and 2 only 2 and 3 only 1 and 3 only All of the above  Q.8) Consider the Following statement with reference to the Poona Pact It was an agreement reached between B.R. Ambedkar and Mahatma Gandhi. As per the pact the Depressed Classes were to get separate electorates. Which of the above statements is/are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.9) Consider the following statements with reference to the Charles Wood’s Dispatch of 1854. It suggested a 12 year school course. It proposed Universities based on the Model of London University to be opened at Calcutta and Bombay. It recommended setting up of Department of Public Instruction. Which of the above statements is/are correct? 1 and 2 only 2 and 3 only 1 and 3 only All of the above Q.10) Consider the following statements with reference to the Faizpur Congress session of 1937. It was the first Congress session to be held in a rural area. Jawaharlal Nehru was the President of Faizpur congress session. Which of the above statements is/are incorrect? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.11) Consider the following statements about the Congress Socialist Party. It was started in the year 1934 by a break-away faction of Congress. Acharya Narendra Deva, Ram Manohar Lohia and J.P. Narayan were the active members. Which of the above statements is/are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.12) The Interim Government of 1946 was setup under which of the following plans. The Cripps Mission Plan The Wavell Plan The Cabinet Mission Plan The Mountbatten Plan Q.13) “A machine with strong brakes but no engine” Jawaharlal Nehru made this remark in respect to which of the following. Cabinet Mission Plan Government of India Act 1935 Government of India Act 1919 Cripps Mission Plan Q.14) The Government of India Act of 1919 clearly defined The separation of power between the legislature and judiciary The jurisdiction of Central and Provincial Governments The jurisdiction of Viceroy and the Secretary of States for India The jurisdiction of British parliament and the Viceroy Q.15) Arrange the following in chronological order. Adoption of Purna Swaraj Resolution. Beginning of Salt March Arrival of Simon Commission Second round Table Conference Select the correct answer using the codes given below. 1-2-3-4 3-2-1-4 3-1-2-4 2-3-1-4 Q.16) Consider the following statements about International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) Article 7 of the Covenant recognises fair wages with equal pay for equal work, sufficient to provide a decent living for workers and their dependants; safe working conditions; equal opportunity in the workplace; and sufficient rest and leisure, including limited working hours and regular, paid holidays India is a party to the covenant The Covenant is monitored by the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Select the correct statements 1 and 2 2 and 3 1 and 3 All of the above Q.17) Ease of living index is concerned with World Economic Forum World Bank United Nations Development Programme None of the above Q.18) Consider the following statements about “superfluid” It is a fluid with zero viscosity All Bose-Einstein condensates can be regarded as superfluids Select the correct statements Only 1 Only 2 Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.19) Consider the following statements about Operation 'School Chalo' It was launched by the Indian Air Force and Indian Army in Jammu & Kashmir It identifies areas and provides students with free coaching and make them participate in extra-curricular activities Select the correct statements Only 1 Only 2 Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.20) Consider the following statements about World Meteorological Organization (WMO) It is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) WMO originated from the International Meteorological Organization (IMO), which was founded in 1873 to facilitate the exchange of weather information across national border The WMO and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) jointly created Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Select the correct statements 1 and 2 2 and 3 1 and 3 All of the above Download The Solution : Click here

Apr 17, 2017

IASbaba's 60 Day Plan- Prelims Test 2017 History and Current Affairs [Day 19]

Hello Friends So, here we are with the 19th Day of 60 Days Plan. It is the third edition of 60 Days program but seems like the first one because of the excitement involved everywhere, including us :) We are equally excited and pumped. Our Team is working hard to make you realize your dream. Do not take it insincerely and let us down. Your faith and participation has to be in sync with the amount of hard work and effort we do. Let us pledge to make it a big game changer (better than last year) in the next 60 days! Importance of Self - Tracking: Learning from Last Year Last year, aspirants used to comment their answers in the comment box on daily basis. There were huge participation in discussion. Putting answers in comment box has been very effective to self track yourself after updating the score. In the end you can cross check your performance through disqus profile. It was highly effective in the last edition of 60 Days that propelled aspirants to monitor their performance and learn through discussion. Let you solve these questions with full honesty and write your result in the comment box. Interact with peers to know your mistakes. The importance of this initiative stands time bound and aggressive reverse engineering to learn the concepts. Many of you must be busy with your own strategy but let us tell you honestly that in the last two months, it is very important to revise and consolidate your learning. Just reading won’t suffice. So, take out few hours from your schedule and make it a revision exercise. How you can make the best use of it? Be honest to your effort and do not start competing with XYZ aspirants here just for the sake of marks. It is more important for you to introspect and check your learning than focusing on others. Try to answer the questions in 20 minutes only.  Do not get into negative feeling that I don’t have enough knowledge to answer these questions. Feel like you are taking the real exam. What would be your response then? The same will be replicated in UPSC exam. Here, you get marks only and nothing else matters. So make effort to know the answers of all questions. Do not cheat :P Baba's Gyan for REVISION Many of you, almost all, asks about effective revision strategy! Can there be any? Let us tell you something Baba does :D  You guys study a lot and there is no issue with the hard work that has been put in. But when it comes to input-output comparison, your performance is questionable. What to do? Just do this for a Week: Go to bed before stipulated time of your sleep, at least 1 hour before. Close your eyes and try to relax your mind. You should attain full comfort and calmness. Do this on the First Day: Imagine the full story of a recent movie that you have watched. Try to recollect from starting to end. See, whether you are able to depict the clear picture or not! Now, do the same for everything you learnt from morning specially the ones you struggled with. Since it is fresh, most of the things should flow into your mind smoothly. Check what is your recollecting capacity. For example, if you prepared Polity Day 2: Topics- Try to collect all important concepts and learning of the day. Trust us, this exercise if done with sincerity will give you immense confidence as well as boost your performance. There is no ideal time for revision and there cannot be any specific date put for it, as commonly done. This will always expose your weaknesses the very same day and if you tend to forget something, can always get back to consolidate and cement it. REPEAT IT FOR A WEEK & SEE THE MAGIC :D  Must to Do: Read the detailed article regarding Micro Analysis Matrix and follow the guidelines- Click Here Try to hold your nerves and learn to control the temptation. This is very important art to learn and implement! Are you ready? Let's start [Day 19]: HISTORY & CURRENT AFFAIRS  ARCHIVES Q.1) Consider the following statements with reference to the Chamber of Princes. It was constituted in 1921, on the recommendation of Montagu-Chelmsford report. It had executive powers in dealing with the affairs of all the Princely States. The Viceroy was the Crown’s agent in dealing with the States. Which of the above statements is/are correct? 1 and 2 only 2 and 3 only 1 and 3 only All of the above Q.2) Consider the following statements with reference to the National Planning Committee (NPC) The Haripur session of the INC in 1938 set up the National planning Committee. Subhash Chandra Bose was the President of the National Planning Committee. Which of the above statements is/are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.3) Consider the following statements with reference to M.N. Roy. He started bi-monthly paper called Vanguard of Indian Independence. He published a book called India in Transition in 1922. He started a trade union called Indian Federation of Labour in 1941. Which of the above statements is/are correct? 1 and 2 only 2 and 3 only 1 and 3 only All of the above Q.4) Consider the following statements with reference to Mrs. Annie Besant She started two newspapers Commonweal and New India. She was the first Woman President of the Indian National Congress. Through the Home-Rule Movement she advocated complete independence of India. Which of the above statements is/are correct? 1 and 2 only 2 and 3 only 1 and 3 only All of the above Q.5) Consider the following statements with reference to the Karachi Session of INC (1931). Jawaharlal Nehru was the President of the Karachi Congress session. It passed a resolution on Fundamental Rights and Economic policy. Which of the above statements is/are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.6) Consider the following statements with reference to the Civil-Disobedience Movement. Gandhiji started the Movement by undertaking a March from Sabarmati Ashram to Dandi. Non-acceptance of the 11-point Ultimatum by the Viceroy became the immediate cause for the launching of the movement. Which of the above statements is/are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.7) Consider the following Statements with reference to the Nehru Report of 1928. The Report was prepared by a committee headed by Jawaharlal Nehru. The main demand of the report was Poorna Swaraj/Complete Independence. Which of the above statements is/are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.8) consider the following statements with reference to the Champaran Satyagraha of 1917. It was launched against the practice of compulsory growing of indigo by the peasants. Gandhiji was persuaded by Raj Kumar Shukla to come to Champaran. Gandhiji was accompanied by Sardar Vallabbhai Patel during the Champaran Satyagraha. Which of the above statements is/are correct? 1 and 2 only 2 and 3 only 1 and 3 only All of the above Q.9) Which of the following pairs is/are correctly matched?                         Conspiracy case                     :           Related to The Meerut Conspiracy case    :           Arrest of Philip Spratt and Benjamin F.                                                                              Bradley. The Lahore conspiracy Case   :             Arrest of Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and                                                                                   Rajguru. The Alipore Conspiracy case  :              Arrest of Nalini Gupta and S.A. Dange. Select the correct answer using the codes given below. 1 and 2 only 2 and 3 only 1 and 3 only All of the above Q.10) Who among the following played an important role in the signing of Gandhi-Irwin pact? Motilal Nehru. Tej Bahadur Sapru. Madan Mohan Malaviya. M. R. Jayakar Maulana Azad. Choose the correct answer using the codes given below I and 2 only 2 and 4 only 2 and 3 only 3 and 5 only. Q.11) Consider the following statements with respect to the Communal Award of 1932. It was announced by the British Prime Minister Ramsay Macdonald. It provided for the separate electorates for Muslims, Sikhs, Christians and Anglo Indians. Depressed classes and women were not given separate electorates under the award.  Which of the above statements is/are correct? 1 and 2 only 2 and 3 only 1 and 3 only All of the above Q.12) Consider the following statements with respect to Bardoli Satyagraha. It was launched against the tax demands made by the government. It was launched against the local Zamindars and money lenders. Sardar Vallabhai Patel was the leader of the Satyagraha. Which of the above statements is/are correct? 1 and 2 only 2 and 3 only 1 and 3 only All of the above Q.13) In 1939, the Congress ministries in the state legislatures resigned, as a reaction to Declaring India as a belligerent state without consulting Indian people. The arrests of Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru. The severity of repression unleashed on the Quit India demonstrators. Government’s callousness in handling the War related inflation. Q.14) The Azad Hind Government of 1943 was set up in which of the following countries? Germany Japan Singapore Austria Q.15) Consider the following statements with reference to the Worlis revolt of 1945. It was a tribal uprising against the forest contractors and money lenders. It was a peasant uprising against the land revenue demands of the zamindars. The Kisan Sabha took up their cause and launched a movement in 1945. Which of the above statements is/are correct? 1 and 2 only 2 and 3 only 1 and 3 only All of the above Q.16) India has been ranked 138th in the 2016 ICT Development Index out of a total of 175 countries. It is released by Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) International Telecommunications Union (ITU) Global Alliance for Information and Communication Technologies and Development World Economic Forum Q.17) Consider the following statements about ‘Pusa Arhar 16’ It is a variant of pigeon pea developed by Indian Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology (IIAB) It has a maturity period of 120 days instead of 160-270 days needed by varieties in use now Select the correct statements Only 1 Only 2 Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.18) Consider the following statements about ‘Mridaparikshak’ It is a MINILAB that can determine soil health It is developed by Indian Institute of Soil Science, Bhopal It is not compatible with the ‘Soil Health Card’ which led to discontinuation of the app Select the correct statements 1 and 2 2 and 3 1 and 3 All of the above Q.19) Demchok is located in which of the following states? Sikkim Arunachal Pradesh Uttarakhand Jammu & Kashmir Q.20) Consider the following statements about Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan (PMSMA) It aims to reach out to all pregnant women who are in the 2nd & 3rd trimesters of pregnancy. A minimum package of antenatal care services will be provided to the beneficiaries on the 9th day of every month at the Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Clinics Select the correct statements Only 1 Only 2 Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.21) Global Business Optimism Index is released by World Bank World Economic Forum World Trade Organisation None of the above Q.22) Consider the following statements about Magnetospheric Multiscale Mission (MMM) It is a joint mission by NASA and ESA It holds the Guinness World Record for highest altitude fix of a GPS signal Magnetic reconnection occurs when magnetic fields around Earth connect and disconnect, explosively releasing energy Select the correct statements 1 and 2 2 and 3 1 and 3 All of the above Download The Solution : Click here

Apr 16, 2017 Motivational Articles

Creative Guidance – Patience - The Best of All Virtues – Inspirational & Educative Articles

Patience - The Best of All Virtues There is a lot of time and space between two exciting moments of life. A lot of life happens quietly in the silence created by the noise of raging emotions and desires. Amidst of all the running around and constant stimulation, the one who is able to quietly enjoy the simple and silent moments of life will truly find the happiness he is searching for. How you are able to handle these infinite quite moments defines your ability to handle difficult situations and enjoy life. Impatience is probably the single most important reason for pain and suffering. Sometimes we simply forget that life is long; just doing the right thing and continuing to do it is the only thing that matters. Here is a story of a New York taxi driver and his lesson on patience and enjoying tiny moments of life. Have patience and read it slowly, you will love it! “I arrived at the address and honked the horn. After waiting a few minutes I honked again. Since this was going to be my last ride of my shift I thought about just driving away, but instead I put the car in park and walked up to the door and knocked.. ‘Just a minute’, answered a frail, elderly voice. I could hear something being dragged across the floor. After a long pause, the door opened. A small woman in her 90’s stood before me. She was wearing a print dress and a pillbox hat with a veil pinned on it, like somebody out of a 1940’s movie. By her side was a small nylon suitcase. The apartment looked as if no one had lived in it for years. All the furniture was covered with sheets. There were no clocks on the walls, no knickknacks or utensils on the counters. In the corner was a cardboard box filled with photos and glassware. ‘Would you carry my bag out to the car?’ she said. I took the suitcase to the cab, then returned to assist the woman. She took my arm and we walked slowly toward the curb. She kept thanking me for my kindness. ‘It’s nothing’, I told her.. ‘I just try to treat my passengers the way I would want my mother to be treated.’ ‘Oh, you’re such a good boy, she said. When we got in the cab, she gave me an address and then asked, ‘Could you drive through downtown?’ ‘It’s not the shortest way,’ I answered quickly. ‘Oh, I don’t mind,’ she said. ‘I’m in no hurry. I’m on my way to a hospice (A place of hospitality for the sick, wounded, or dying). ‘What route would you like me to take?’ I asked. For the next two hours, we drove through the city. She showed me the building where she had once worked as an elevator operator. We drove through the neighbourhood where she and her husband had lived when they were newlyweds. She had me pull up in front of a furniture warehouse that had once been a ballroom where she had gone dancing as a girl. Sometimes she’d ask me to slow in front of a particular building or corner and would sit staring into the darkness, saying nothing. As the first hint of sun was creasing the horizon, she suddenly said, ‘I’m tired. Let’s go now’. We drove in silence to the address she had given me. It was a low building, like a small convalescent home, with a driveway that passed under a portico. Two orderlies came out to the cab as soon as we pulled up. They were solicitous and intent, watching her every move. They must have been expecting her. I opened the trunk and took the small suitcase to the door. The woman was already seated in a wheelchair. ‘How much do I owe you?’ She asked, reaching into her purse. ‘Nothing,’ I said ‘You have to make a living,’ she answered. ‘There are other passengers,’ I responded. Almost without thinking, I bent and gave her a hug. She held onto me tightly. ‘You gave an old woman a little moment of joy,’ she said. ‘Thank you.’ I squeezed her hand, and then walked into the dim morning light.. Behind me, a door shut. It was the sound of the closing of a life. On a quick review, I don’t think that I have done anything more important in my life. We’re conditioned to think that our lives revolve around great moments. But great moments often catch us unaware-beautifully wrapped in what others may consider a small one.”   “The articles are a copyright of The Ahamo Movement and IASBABA.”  

Apr 15, 2017

IASbaba's 60 Day Plan- Prelims Test 2017 Environment and Current Affairs [Day 18]

Hello Friends So, here we are with the 18th Day of 60 Days Plan. It is the third edition of 60 Days program but seems like the first one because of the excitement involved everywhere, including us :) We are equally excited and pumped. Our Team is working hard to make you realize your dream. Do not take it insincerely and let us down. Your faith and participation has to be in sync with the amount of hard work and effort we do. Let us pledge to make it a big game changer (better than last year) in the next 60 days! Importance of Self - Tracking: Learning from Last Year Last year, aspirants used to comment their answers in the comment box on daily basis. There were huge participation in discussion. Putting answers in comment box has been very effective to self track yourself after updating the score. In the end you can cross check your performance through disqus profile. It was highly effective in the last edition of 60 Days that propelled aspirants to monitor their performance and learn through discussion. Let you solve these questions with full honesty and write your result in the comment box. Interact with peers to know your mistakes. The importance of this initiative stands time bound and aggressive reverse engineering to learn the concepts. Many of you must be busy with your own strategy but let us tell you honestly that in the last two months, it is very important to revise and consolidate your learning. Just reading won’t suffice. So, take out few hours from your schedule and make it a revision exercise. How you can make the best use of it? Be honest to your effort and do not start competing with XYZ aspirants here just for the sake of marks. It is more important for you to introspect and check your learning than focusing on others. Try to answer the questions in 20 minutes only.  Do not get into negative feeling that I don’t have enough knowledge to answer these questions. Feel like you are taking the real exam. What would be your response then? The same will be replicated in UPSC exam. Here, you get marks only and nothing else matters. So make effort to know the answers of all questions. Do not cheat :P Baba's Gyan for REVISION Many of you, almost all, asks about effective revision strategy! Can there be any? Let us tell you something Baba does :D  You guys study a lot and there is no issue with the hard work that has been put in. But when it comes to input-output comparison, your performance is questionable. What to do? Just do this for a Week: Go to bed before stipulated time of your sleep, at least 1 hour before. Close your eyes and try to relax your mind. You should attain full comfort and calmness. Do this on the First Day: Imagine the full story of a recent movie that you have watched. Try to recollect from starting to end. See, whether you are able to depict the clear picture or not! Now, do the same for everything you learnt from morning specially the ones you struggled with. Since it is fresh, most of the things should flow into your mind smoothly. Check what is your recollecting capacity. For example, if you prepared Polity Day 2: Topics- Try to collect all important concepts and learning of the day. Trust us, this exercise if done with sincerity will give you immense confidence as well as boost your performance. There is no ideal time for revision and there cannot be any specific date put for it, as commonly done. This will always expose your weaknesses the very same day and if you tend to forget something, can always get back to consolidate and cement it. REPEAT IT FOR A WEEK & SEE THE MAGIC :D  Must to Do: Read the detailed article regarding Micro Analysis Matrix and follow the guidelines- Click Here Try to hold your nerves and learn to control the temptation. This is very important art to learn and implement! Are you ready? Let's start [Day 18]: ENVIRONMENT & CURRENT AFFAIRS  ARCHIVES Q.1) Consider the following Grassland Wetland Mangroves Estuary Riparian Zone Which of the above are Ecotone Regions or Transitional Zones? 2, 3 and 4 1, 2, 3 and 4 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 2, 4 and 5  Q.2) You are trying to protect a National Park/Sanctuary from various pressures including a dam proposal and widening of a highway. Consider the following regarding this: You can directly approach National Green Tribunal in regard to your case You must have a lawyer to represent you for this case in front of National Green Tribunal Which of the above is/are correct w.r.t rules and procedure to approach National Green Tribunal? 1 Only 2 Only Both None Q.3) Which of the following correctly defines ‘Bio-mining’? Use of genetic information of ores to extract minerals Extraction of minerals using enzymes Use of microorganisms in the recovery of minerals from ores Use of biomedical devices in the recovery of minerals from ores Q.4) Certain special conditions which are necessary prerequisites for the growth and development of corals. Consider the following in this regard: For the growth and development of corals the surface temperature of the ocean must be below 20°C Shallow continental shelf Corals need saltwater to survive Low sediments If the salinity of the ocean water is very high, the lime content is bound to be low, which is favourable for the growth of corals Select the correct code 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 1, 3 and 4 only 2, 3 and 4 only 2, 3 and 5 only Q.5) With reference to food chains in ecosystems, consider the following statements: A food chain illustrates the order in which a chain of organisms feed upon each other. Food chains are found within the populations of a species. A food chain illustrates the numbers of each organism which are eaten by others. Which of the statements given above is / are correct? 1 only 1 and 2 only 1, 2 and 3 None Q.6) The ecological footprint is a measure of human demand on the Earth's ecosystems. It measures- How much of the biological capacity of the planet is demanded by a given human activity or population Ecological Footprints is calculated for overall activity of a nation or population and activities such as industrialization etc. The disadvantage of Ecological Footprint is that it cannot be calculated for individual people or area. Select the incorrect statement/s 1 and 2 Only 2 1 and 3 Only 3 Q.7) Consider the statements regarding ‘Coral bleaching’ It is the loss of zooxanthellae through either expulsion or loss of algal pigmentation. It happens due to increase in ocean temperature only All the corals undergoing bleaching are dead corals Select the correct code 1 and 3 Only 2 Only 1 2 and 3 Q.8) Consider the following Ocean Grasslands Lakes Mangroves Which one of the following is the correct sequence of ecosystems in the order of increasing productivity? Oceans, lakes, grasslands, mangroves Mangroves, oceans, grasslands, lakes Mangroves, grasslands, lakes, oceans Oceans, mangroves, lakes, grasslands Q.9) Which of the floral groups are found in India? Lichens Bryophytes Pteridophytes Gymnosperms Angiosperms Select the correct answers 1, 3 and 5 only 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 1, 2 and 4 Only 1, 4 and 5 Only Q.10) The migration pattern Amur Falcon, known to be one of the longest distances undertaken by migratory birds has been one of the interesting fields of research among scientists and ornithologists. Identify the regions where Amur Falcon travels during its migration? South Africa China Siberia Rajasthan Nagaland Select the correct code 1, 2 and 5 2, 3, 4 and 5 2, 3 and 5 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 Q.11) Bio-magnification refers to increase in concentration of a pollutant from one link in a food chain to another. Consider the conditions in order for bio-magnification to occur The pollutant must be short-lived The pollutant should be biologically active The pollutant must not be mobile The pollutant should have higher solubility in water Which of the above are incorrect? 1, 3 and 4 1 Only 1, 2, 3 and 4 None of the above Q.12)  As per the notification of Ministry of Environment and Forests, the coastal land up to 500m from the High Tide Line (HTL) and a stage of 100m along banks of creeks, estuaries, backwater and rivers subject to tidal fluctuations, is called the Coastal Regulation Zone(CRZ). Consider the following regarding CRZ The area up to 200 metres from the High Tide Line is earmarked as No Development Zone Fishing and allied activities are permitted in CRZ-IV Which of the above is/are correct? 1 Only 2 Only Both None Q.13) Which  of  the  following  are  the  methods  of ex-situ conservation? Biodiversity Hotspots Community Reserves Zoological Parks Gene Sanctuary Botanical Gardens Sacred Groves Seed banks Select the correct code 2, 4, 5 and 6 only 2, 3, 4 and 7 only 1, 2, 4 and 7 only 3, 5 and 7 only Q.14) Which among the following can effectively be examples of ‘Secondary Succession’?  Formation of a new Island after volcanic eruption The renewal of a forest after a fire A flooded land The renewal of a crop after harvesting Select the correct option 1, 2 and 3 2, 3 and 4 1, 3 and 4 All  Q.15) Which of the following adds/add nitrogen to the soil? Excretion of urea by animals Burning of coal by man Death of vegetation Select the correct answer using the codes given below 1 only 2 and 3 only 1 and 3 only 1, 2 and 3 Q.16) Consider the following statements about Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) All the members of BIMSTEC are members of Indian-Ocean Rim Association (IORA) Nepal and Bhutan have observer status in BIMSTEC Select the correct statements Only 1 Only 2 Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.17) Consider the following statements about African - Asian Rural Development Organization (AARDO) India is one of the founding members of the AARDO It is headquartered in New Delhi It enjoys observer status with United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Select the correct statements 1 and 2 2 and 3 1 and 3 All of the above Q.18) Which of the following countries left the Commonwealth of Nations recently? Maldives Gambia Ireland Zimbabwe Q.19) Consider the following statements about Zero Defect – Zero Effect (ZED) scheme The final ZED certification will be issued by Quality Council of India The ZED Scheme will be implemented nationwide through Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) and Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) only The scheme is mandatory for all the MSMEs Select the correct statements Only 1 2 and 3 1 and 3 All of the above Q.20) Consider the following statements about Mining Surveillance System (MSS) It is a satellite-based monitoring system It has been developed by Indian Bureau of Mines (IBM) in coordination with Bhaskaracharya Institute for Space Applications and Geo-informatics (BISAG) and Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MEITY) Select the correct statements Only 1 Only 2 Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.21) Agricultural Marketing & Farm Friendly Reforms Index is released by World Economic Forum NABARD Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) None of the above Download The Solution : Click here

Apr 15, 2017 AIR

All India Radio - India US Collaboration for Development in Third World Countries

India US Collaboration for Development in Third World Countries ARCHIVES TOPIC: General Studies 2 Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India's interests Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India's interests India and the US have signed a MoU to collaborate in the fields of developmental activities and aid in third world countries. The MoU has been signed between the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) and Development Partnership Administration (DPA) of the ministry of external affairs of India. Under it, both countries will work on grants which will fund country led solutions for reducing poverty and sustainable economic growth in those countries. As per the MoU, the two countries would collaborate on exchange of information and experience in sectors or issues pertaining to project development or implementation in partner countries. The bilateral MoU is a part of the series of agreements that were signed by India to engage with the USA in a pro-active manner. Some of the agreements signed between India and the USA in recent years are – In January 2017, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) and the US-CERT to facilitate closer cooperation in the field of cyber security. In December 2016, India signed a Rs 5000 crore defence deal with the USA to buy 145 M-777 Ultra-Light Howitzers under the Foreign Military Sales Programme. In August 2016, both the countries signed the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA). The LEMOA will enable both countries to use each other’s bases for repair and replenishment of defence supplies. In July 2016, a bilateral agreement was signed by both the countries. The agreement allows India to purchase four Poseidon-8I (P8I) long-range maritime surveillance and anti-submarine warfare aircraft’s from the USA. In July 2016, six bilateral agreements were signed after summit level talks between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Barack Obama to enhance cooperation in a wide range of areas including anti-terrorist operations and wildlife conservation. India has been active in development cooperation for many decades but in last 15 years, these activities have expanded in many areas. Line of credit- India has provided about 200 days line of credit to 65 countries in last 15 year. Half of these lines of credit are in Africa. Capacity building programmes- 10000 officials come from various developing countries to 47 institutions in India. There are 250 major training programmes Grant assistant project- it is being implemented in Afghanistan, Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Africa etc. India is expanding the development cooperation activities bilaterally with nations as well as organisations such as UNDP and FAO. The whole area has become important part of foreign security policy. In 2014, there was an agreement between India and USAID and now between India and USA. In USAID agreement, two areas were identified- agriculture and women empowerment. The agreement with USA is wider and can cover many areas and factors. India is not only receiving the help from other countries and organisations but also providing the assistance received. Thus, India does not call it developmental assistance as it is just sharing developmental experience from other developing countries. It is rather called development partnership. The activities done by India is around 2-3 billion USD every year. India’s outreach to third world countries Neighbourhood Many dynamics work in favour of bilateral relations between two nations. Aid and grants is one of the components of building better relations with other countries. Overall, with large number of countries, relations have been improved. There are other foreign, political, economic, policy issues etc that influence bilateral relations. The Neighbourhood First policy is being pursued which emphasises on neighbour nations. Bhutan- It is a major recipient of grants, aids and a partner in hydropower with India. Bhutan and India share warm and strong relationship since many decades. It is one country where India invested heavily and buying hydroelectricity from the same. It is win-win for both countries where India helps in development and also creates market for it. Nepal- India is generous in help when it comes to Nepal- it is largest in donating and first to help during disasters. But India and Nepal have their politically stressed areas. Afghanistan- India has done lot of infrastructural projects and so has USA. It is one example where India and USA have contributed positively and Afghanistan is benefitting. There is huge amount of developmental assistance that has come in last 15 years. India has implemented crucial projects in difficult situations. Cost of projects is relatively less but impact of projects has been greater. Hence, there exists goodwill about India in Afghanistan. Bangladesh- Last year, Chinese President waived off lot of credit. It is often compared with what India provides. In terms of numbers, China will do more and India is growing in same area. So competition and conflict is bound to happen. China is building lot of infrastructure projects but India cannot match infrastructure projects that china is building. China is major trading partner to many countries so it needs connectivity also. India is building wherever useful and required like in Bangladesh, SL, etc. Traditionally, India’s development activities was more concentrated in neighbourhood mainly South Asia and then extended to South East Asia. Now in last 15 years it has been also extended to Africa and more emphasis after India-Africa summit. India’s outreach to African nations has increased. There have been visits by President, PM and Vice-President. Most of the developmental activity is in form of line of credit. There is also large component of softloans and grants. 60-70% of line of credit is in areas of infrastructure. Most of the activities are in form of South-South cooperation. Even India has developmental issues but India is helping other developmental countries by sharing its own experience. In the process, the line of credits, unlike other western countries, and development cooperation activities are non-conditional. India does not prescribe which kind of project should be implemented. Instead, it is demand based. India and China in Africa African region is the fast growing region which requires development support. It also provides economic opportunities for trade and investment, plenty scope for both. Africa is looked as a place where both India and China are competing in matters of infrastructure, economic growth from grassroots. China has also implemented many infrastructure projects in Africa. But in some countries, there is resentment regarding how Chinese projects have been implemented there. So India should learn from Chinese mistakes and not repeat the same. Though there is some competition between the two in terms of increasing the scope of influence. Connecting the dots: Do you think India and US are coming closer to act as a joint force against China? Elucidate

Apr 15, 2017 PIB

IASbaba Press Information Bureau (PIB)- 12th March to 18th March, 2017

IASbaba Press Information Bureau (PIB) – 12th March to 18th March 2017 ARCHIVES GS-2 Lok Sabha Passes the Admiralty Bill,2016 (Topic: Government Scheme and policies) About: The Admiralty (Jurisdiction and Settlement of Maritime Claims) Bill, 2016 was passed by the Lok Sabha. Aim To establish a legal framework to consolidate the existing laws relating to admiralty jurisdiction of courts, admiralty proceedings on maritime claims, arrest of vessels and related issues. It also aims to replace archaic laws which are hindering efficient governance. Highlights The Bill confers admiralty jurisdiction on High Courts located in coastal states of India and this jurisdiction extends upto territorial waters. Need for repealing five obsolete British statutes on admiralty jurisdiction in civil matters, which are 126 to 177 years old. The Bill provides for prioritization of maritime claims and maritime liens while providing protection to owners, charterers, operators, crew members and seafarers at the same time. Footwear Design and Development Institute (FDDI) Bill, 2017  (Topic: Government Policies and Acts) About— Footwear Design and Development Institute (FDDI) Bill, 2017 in the Lok Sabha was introduced to declare the FDDI as an Institution of National Importance (INI). Objective: To facilitate and promote teaching, training and research in all disciplines relating to design and development of Footwear and leather products To enable FDDI to emerge as Centre of Excellence meeting international standards. Background: FDDI was established in 1986 with the objective of providing trained human resource and assistance to the sector. Venture Capital Fund Scheme for SC Entrepreneurs (Topic: Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections) About: Government has launched ‘Credit Enhancement Guarantee Scheme for Scheduled Castes’ with a view to support Banks and Financial Institutions who will be providing financial assistance to SC entrepreneurs. “Stand-up India Scheme” also promotes entrepreneurship among SC/ST and women. The SC/ST Hub will provide professional support to Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe entrepreneurs to effectively participate in public procurement policy. National Scheduled Castes Finance and Development Corporation (NSFDC) implements various credit based schemes for business ventures of SC beneficiaries. Inter-state River Water Disputes (Amendment) Bill, 2017 (Topic: Government Schemes and Policies) About: It was introduced in Lok Sabha. Highlights The bill proposes a Single Standing Tribunal (with multiple benches) instead of existing multiple tribunals. The SST will have one Chairperson, one Vice-Chairperson and not more than six other Members. Chairperson term of office– 5years or 70 years, whichever is earlier. Vice Chairperson and other members term of office– co-terminus with the adjudication of the water dispute. Appointment of Assessors to provide technical support to the tribunal. The total time period for adjudication of dispute has been fixed at maximum of four and half years. The decision of the Tribunal shall be final and binding with no requirement of publication in the official Gazette. The bill proposes to introduce mechanism to resolve the dispute amicably by negotiations, through a Dispute Resolution Committee (DRC) to be established by the Central Government before such dispute is referred to the tribunal. Background: Inter-state river water disputes are on the rise on account of increase in water demands by the States. The Inter State Water Dispute Act, 1956 which provides the legal framework to address such disputes, suffers from many drawbacks. Under this Act, a separate Tribunal has to be established for each Inter State River Water Dispute. Only three out of eight Tribunals have given awards accepted by the States, while Tribunals like Cauvery and Ravi Beas have been in existence for over 26 and 30 years respectively without any award. Reasons of delays No time limit for adjudication by a Tribunal No upper age limit for the Chairman or the Members Work getting stalled due to occurrence of any vacancy No time limit for publishing the report of the Tribunal Cabinet approves of MoU between India and Bangladesh on Aids to Navigation (AtoNs) (Topic: International Relations) About: Cabinet approved signing of MoU on Aids to Navigation (AtoNs) between the Directorate General of Lighthouses & Lightships (DGLL), Ministry of Shipping, Government of India and the Department of Shipping, Government of Bangladesh. The MoU envisages To extend advice on lighthouses and beacons; To extend advice on Vessel Traffic Service and chain of Automatic Identification System (AIS); and To impart training as per International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse Authorities (IALA) training module to AtoN Managers and Technicians for Bangladesh. It aims to help in greater cooperation in capacity building in the field of AtoN training in the South Asian region. This will give a boost to imparting training on the management of marine aids to navigation based on IALA Model Course E-141/1 Background: As per International Maritime Organisation’s (IMO’s) requirement, authorities in various countries, provide appropriate Aids to Navigation in their waters as per international recommendations and guidelines. Marine aids to navigation such as lighthouses, beacons, DGPS, navigational and mooring buoys are operated to enhance the safe and efficient navigation of vessels and/or vessel traffic. Directorate General of Lighthouses & Lightships establishes and maintains Aids to Navigation in India, for safe navigation in Indian waters. IALA It is an international body coordinating and harmonizing the use of all Aids to Navigation. India represented through DGLL, is a member of IALA Council. Health Insurance for all (Topic: Issues related to health) About: WHO: Out of Pocket expenditure as percentage of total expenditure on health in India was 62% in 2014. India ranked 182 out of 192 countries in terms of Out of Pocket expenditure as percentage of total health expenditure. Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is implementing RSBY Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY), a centrally sponsored health insurance scheme which covers BPL families (a unit of five) and 11 other defined categories- Building & Other Construction Workers, licensed Railway porters, Street Vendors, MGNREGA workers (who have worked for more than fifteen days during preceding financial year), Beedi workers, Domestic workers, Sanitation Workers, Mine Workers, Rickshaw pullers, Rag pickers and Auto/Taxi drivers They are entitled for cashless health insurance coverage of Rs.30,000/- per annum per family. SCHIS Senior Citizen’s Health Insurance Scheme (SCHIS) for Senior Citizens of age 60 years and above, belonging to above said categories has also been implemented from 2016. The health coverage is upto Rs. 30,000/- per annum per senior citizen for treatment packages, over and above RSBY entitlement. Decline in Healthcare Expenditure (Topic: Issues related to health) About: Economic Survey 2016-17- expenditure by Government (Central and State Governments combined) on health as percentage of GDP for last three years and current year is as under: 2013-14 – 1.2 % 2014-15 –  1.1% 2015-16 –  1.3% (RE) 2016-17 –  1.4 % (BE) The Draft National Health Policy 2015 envisages raising public health expenditure progressively to 2.5% of the GDP. Public health and hospitals is a state subject. However under NHM, Government provides technical and financial support to states to strengthen their healthcare system. National Health Mission (NHM) implementation framework seeks to achieve health goals through Strengthening state health systems Facility based service delivery Expanding the outreach services Strengthening community Benchmarking of Indian Institutions (Topic: Education) About: The global ranking systems give weightage to the parameters such as percentage of the international students and foreign faculty, and perception – where Indian institutions do not fare as well. In order to measure the excellence keeping in view the diversity of India, the National Institutional Ranking Framework has been introduced. Objectively measures parameters such as Teaching Learning Resources, Research productivity/impact, Graduation outcomes, Outreach and inclusivity and perception. Nine institutions from India have been figuring in the top 500 ranks in the World Best University rankings. IIT Madras has improved its global ranking in 2016 while others had lower rank compared to 2015. Government is taking several measures to improve the ranking of the Indian institutions by Promoting research through initiatives like the IMPRINT India, Uchhatar Avishkar Yojana (UAY) and Global Initiative of Academic Networks (GIAN) Providing opportunity to do better through e-shodh Sindhu, National Digital Library and SWAYAM. Vision Zero (Topic: Issues related to health) About: The international conference on the VISION ZERO and its relevance to Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) is being organised. The conference aims to focus on the Occupational Safety and Health issues and challenges in the Manufacturing, Construction and Mining sector. The conference is expected to introduce the fast emerging internationally accepted concept of ‘Vision Zero’ in India thereby leveraging the efforts of the Government of India to raise the occupational safety and health standards in the country. Target to Lower the Road Accidents (Topic: Infrastructure Development) About: United Nations had promulgated the UN Decade of Action targeting to reduce road accidents by 50% by the year 2020. All member countries of the UN including India are committed to this Mission. Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has taken a number of steps to prevent road accidents such as: Approval of National Road Safety Policy. This Policy outlines various policy measures such as promoting awareness, encouraging safer road infrastructure Constitution of National Road Safety Council as the apex body to take policy decisions in matters of road safety. Similar councils at state and district levels. Multipronged strategy- on road safety based on 4 ‘E’s viz. Education, Engineering (both of roads and vehicles), Enforcement and Emergency Care. Road safety has been made an integral part of road design at planning stage. Road Safety Audit of selected stretches of National Highways has been taken up. Setting up of model driving training institutes in States and refresher training to drivers of Heavy Motor Vehicle in the unorganized sector. Jal Marg Vikas Project (Topic: Infrastructure Development) About: The Jal Marg Vikas Project (JMVP) on NW-1 is being implemented with the financial and technical support of the World Bank. The Project entails development of fairway with 3 meters depth between Varanasi and Haldia (Phase-I) covering a distance of 1380 km Projects worth Rs.1871.56 crore for development of National Waterways have been implemented till March 2016 from the inception of IWAI in October, 1986. National Waterway-1 (NW-1), NW-2 & NW-3 have been developed for shipping and navigation during this period. Extra Mural Research Scheme   (Topic: Issues related to Health) About: The Department of AYUSH has introduced a Scheme for Extra-Mural Research in addition to the intra-mural research taken by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare three decades ago. Objective of EMS To support Research and development in Extra Mural mode (outside the establishment) for treatment of prioritized diseases. To Standardize/validate and develop scientific evidence for safety, efficacy and quality of AYUSH drugs & therapies. To make scientific exploration of AYUSH system with interdisciplinary approaches. To achieve need based outcome in a priority areas. To develop the potential of Human Resource in AYUSH system specially to inculcate aptitude and expertise to AYUSH systems. In news: The Ministry of AYUSH, under its Extra Mural Research Scheme, has approved a project, namely “Potential anti-oxidant effect of selected Ayurvedic herbs in Parkinson and Alzheimer disease. The EMR scheme has grown in popularity among the scientific community of the country. During last two years, 400 projects (approx.) have been received in the Ministry of AYUSH. The scheme has attracted the best scientists from reputed organizations, viz. All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), National Institute of Mental Health & Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS), Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) etc. National Health Mission  (Topic: Issues related to Health) About: The National Health Mission (NHM) aims for attainment of universal access to equitable, affordable and quality health care services, accountable and responsive to people’s needs, with effective inter-sectoral convergent action to address the wider social determinants of health. Five components Health Systems Strengthening including infrastructure, human resource, drugs & equipment, ambulances, ASHAs etc Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health Services (RMNCH + A) Communicable Disease Control Programmes Non-Communicable Diseases Control Programme interventions upto District Hospital level Infrastructure Maintenance– to support salary of ANMs and LHVs etc The NHM has been successful in accelerating the decline of Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR), Under 5 Mortality Rate (U5MR), Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) and Total Fertility Rate (TFR). It has also achieved many of the disease control targets. GS-3 Mission Fingerling (Topic: Economic Development) About: A Blue revolution is on cards as the government has come up with a programme to enable holistic development and management of fisheries. Called Mission Fingerling, the target is to “enhance fisheries production from 10.79 mmt (2014-15) to 15 mmt by 2020-21. Fish Fingerling production is the single-most important critical input visualised to achieve fish production targets under the Blue Revolution. The Department has identified 20 States based on their potential and other relevant factors to strengthen the Fish Seed infrastructure in the country. This program with a total expenditure of about Rs 52,000 lakh will facilitate the establishment of hatcheries and Fingerling rearing pond to ensure the fish production of 426 crores fish fingerling, 25.50 crore post-larvae of shrimp and crab in the country. This will converge in the production of 20 lakh tonnes of fish annually and will benefit about four million families. The implementation of this program will supplement the requirement of stocking materials in the country up to a large extent, which is a much needed input to achieve the enhanced fish production. Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay Rashtriya Krishi Vigyan Protsahan Puraskar (2016) (Topic: Agriculture) About: Year 2016 is the birth centenary year of Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay, pioneer of Antyodaya. “Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay Rashtriya Krishi Vigyan Protsahan Puraskar” has been launched on this occasion by Government of India. This year’s award goes to Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi IARI India’s premier national Institute for agricultural research, education and extension. financed and administered by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). The IARI was responsible for the research leading to the “Green Revolution in India” of the 1970s. The institute was originally established in 1905 at Pusa, Bihar, as Agricultural Research Institute (ARI). However the institute was damaged during the devastating Bihar earthquake of 1934. Krishi Unnati Mela 2017 (Topic: Agriculture) About: Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) every year has been organising Krishi Vigyan Mela(Agriculture Science Fair) to display and popularise the latest advancement in agricultural research and technology development among farmers and end users since 1972. It continues to be a highly important annual event for receiving feedback from the farming community, which helps in deciding the Institute’s future research strategy. Thousands of farmers and visitors from across the country are participating in the mela every year. Attractions of the Mela Digitization in agriculture Organic farming Agribusiness models Precision farming Skill building and entrepreneurship development Live demonstrations on production technologies of crops, horticulture, Integrated Farming System, Protected cultivation Farmers’ visits to experimental fields of IARI Water use efficient technology: micro irrigation and sensor based irrigation system Recycling of waste water for agriculture Display and sale of various products (farm equipments, quality planting materials, bio-fertilisers, agro-chemicals, innovative farmers' products) and machinery On-spot Soil and water testing Kisan Gosthi Recognition of Innovative farmer Madhukar Gupta Committee Report (Topic: Security issues) About: The Committee constituted under the Chairmanship of Shri Madhukar Gupta, has submitted its report to the Government to strengthen border protection and address vulnerabilities in fencing along the Indo-Pakistan border. The Committee has given its recommendations broadly on the issues of Threats and Border Protection, assessment of force level, deployment on the border, infrastructure and technology issues for protection of border and administrative issues. It has been decided to initiate action in light of the recommendations of the Committee in consultation with the stakeholders. Strengthening Disaster Management   (Topic: Disaster Management) About: National Disaster Management Plan (NDMP) defines the roles and responsibilities of various stake holders including Central Ministries/ Departments, State Governments, UT Administrations, District Authorities and local self-Governments. NDMP enjoins all stakeholders to develop detailed plans in accordance with roles and responsibilities. Implementation of the plan is a continuous process. Management efforts by the NDMA are as under (a)National Disaster Management Services (NDMS) : National Disaster Management Services (NDMS) was conceived by NDMA during the Financial Year 2015-16 for setting up of Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) Network connecting MHA, NDMA, NDRF, 36 State/ UT HQrs and 81 vulnerable districts (total 120 locations). The project is under implementation through BSNL. The scope of the Pilot Project is to provide the failsafe communication infrastructure and technical support for Emergency Operation Centre (EOC) operations across the country, as stated above. The NDMS Pilot Project envisages holding of workshops & imparting of training for the Capacity Building of disaster managers on usage of Communication equipments covered in the project. (b)Earthquake Disaster Risk Indexing (EDRI): NDMA has taken an initiative on Earthquake Disaster Risk Indexing (EDRI) for 50 important cities and 1 District in Seismic Zone IV & V areas. NDMA through Building Materials & Technology Promotion Council (BMTPC) has prepared Upgraded Earthquake Hazard Maps and Atlases for the country upto district level with sub-district boundary showing major faults, earthquake zones, epicenter of past earthquakes of magnitude of 5 and above indicating State boundary, district boundary, and district names. The BMTPC has executed the project in close collaboration with the inputs from various institutions/organizations and NDMA. (c)Geographical Information System (GIS): The Project envisages procurement of software and hardware, engagement of manpower, creation of data Inventory related to disaster management, integration of various other database system, development of Android Application for the responders, creation of applications and customization tools for better assessment of disaster scenario and creation of Decision Support System for the responders and decision makers etc. Uses of Maps and Atlases: Land Use Zoning and better habitat planning Useful for leaders and policy makers, engineers, architects, disaster management professionals etc. Formulation of Public & Financial Policies dealing with DM and Emergency Planning An aid for setting up techno-legal framework. Useful for Insurance Agencies At the sub-district level shall be useful in preparing DPRs to be taken up under the Smart Cities Projects and various projects under the Housing for All (Urban) Mission of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana etc. The concerned authorities may identify the districts requiring priority action in future planning, formulating integrated mitigating policies covering awareness, education and training, preventive and preparedness measures, improvement in warning systems. Uranium Reserves (Topic: Economic Development) About— Andhra Pradesh has the highest amount of uranium reserves in the country. It has established 1,22,691 tonne in situ U3O8 (1,04,042 tonne U). They are found in districts of Kadapa and Guntur. 1t U3O8 = 0.848 t uranium metal (U) Uranium Corporation of India Ltd. (UCIL), a Public Sector Unit of Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) has already constructed an underground mine at Tummalapalle, Kadapa with potential to mine 3000 tonnes of ore per day. Launch of Trade Infrastructure for Export Scheme (TIES) (Topic: Economic Development) About: The Scheme is focussed on addressing the needs of the exporters. The focus is not just to create infrastructure but to make sure it is professionally run and sustained. There will be an Empowered Committee to periodically review the progress of the approved projects in the Scheme and will take necessary steps to ensure achievement of the objectives of the Scheme. Objective: to enhance export competitiveness by bridging gaps in export infrastructure, creating focused export infrastructure, first mile and last mile connectivity for export-oriented projects and addressing quality and certification measures. Eligible for financial support– Central and State Agencies, including Export Promotion Councils, Commodities Boards, SEZ Authorities and Apex Trade Bodies recognised under the EXIM policy Background After delinking of the ASIDE Scheme in 2015, the State Governments have been consistently requesting the support of the Centre in creation of export infrastructure. This support is imperative to act as an inducement to the States to channelize funds from their increased devolution towards creation of export infrastructure. Export of Silk and Silk Products (Topic: Economy) About: The exports of silk and silk products have been declining in past three years. Some of the issues affecting silk exports are: Decreased demand from major consuming markets (Europe & USA) Rising prices of raw silk yarn/fabrics Increased competition from blended silk products (silk blends with synthetic and polyester fabrics) Silk not being major focus of current fashion trends in European and USA market Lack of on-shore availability of high quality silk and dependence on China for high end raw silk/fabric However, while exports have reduced to traditional markets like USA, Europe, silk exports are picking up in new/non-traditional markets like UAE, Malaysia, Sudan, Nigeria, etc. Way forward The quality of silk produced in India requires improvement, for making high fashion garments for export. India depends on import of high-grade bivoltine raw silk (4A & above quality) and fabric from China. At present, India has reached the level of production of 3A grade silk Under the present Foreign Trade Policy (FTP) providing rewards to majority of textile products including silk products under Merchandise Export from India Scheme (MEIS) under which Majority of the silk products have been covered with 2% Duty Scrip, Introducing Silk Mark label for 100% pure silk products for protecting the interests of consumers Participation of Indian Silk Export Promotion Council (ISEPC) along with silk exporters in different international expos. Promoting the Use of Organic Manure   (Topic: Agriculture) About: Government is promoting the use of Organic manures under the scheme Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY) of National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA). The Government is promoting the use of organic inputs in the country, through assistance as under: Financial assistance is provided under the component Integrated Manure Management of Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY) for Phosphate Rich Organic Manure (PROM) for procuring and application of PROM to soil to meet phosphorus/Zinc deficiency in soil. Financial Assistance is provided for vermi-compost. Promotion of Organic Inputs under Organic & INM Components of Soil Health Management, assistance is provided for Vermi-compost, Bio-fertilizers (Liquid / solid), Waste compost, Herbal extracts etc. The Government of India is providing a Market Development Assistance to Fertilizer Companies for sale of City Compost. Background The organic fertilizers presently available may supplement (N,P) by nearly 20-25%. Biofertilizers when applied along with compost @ 5t/ha or vermicompost @ 2t/ha, fertilizer saving is almost 50%. The advantages of these organic fertilizers are that they are eco-friendly and not only provide nutrients for maintaining soil fertility but also improve soil physical & biological health. Government is promoting judicious use of chemical fertilizers in conjunction with organic manures and biofertilizers to maintain soil health and productivity.

Apr 15, 2017 PIB

IASbaba Press Information Bureau (PIB)- 4th March to 11th March, 2017

IASbaba Press Information Bureau (PIB) – 4th March to 11th March 2017 ARCHIVES GS-2 Centenary Celebrations of Women’s Indian Association (Topic: Government Scheme and policies) About: The President of India, Pranab Mukherjee inaugurated the Centenary Celebrations of Women’s Indian Association at Adyar, Chennai. Highlights of speech No society can call itself civilized if it does not accord due value to its women and female children and guarantee their safety and security. Government schemes and programmes to promote gender justice can never succeed unless a deep commitment to basic human values is built into our very consciousness. Violence against women reflects violence in the hearts and minds of those that perpetrate these acts. The President remembered Annie Besant and Smt. Sarojini Naidu who had played a leading role in the foundation of the Indian Women’s Association. He said that role of Women’s Indian Association in the enactment and implementation of the Child Marriage Restraint Act - for raising the minimum age for marriage of women and the Sarada Bill - for abolishing the Devadasi system is well recognised. He said that he looks forward to more branches of the Women’s Indian Association taking up social causes with commitment and zeal to be the change they want to see. He expressed confidence that confident the Women’s Indian Association will continue to play a leading role in the realization of the collective aspirations of the women of India. India-Canada Trade and Investment Relations  (Topic: International Relations) About— The discussion focussed on expanding bilateral trade and investment between the Countries. Highlights of agreement Agreed to expedite the conclusion of Bilateral Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (BIPPA) and Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). The Canadian Trade Minister pointed out regarding the interest shown by Canadian Pension Funds in the Indian market and emphasised on the need for FIPA which will provide the required predictability and protection to investments. India has approved the model text as a template and the negotiation under FIPA should go forward in accordance with the model text. However, both sides should remain flexible to incorporate the essential elements of investment protection while negotiating the Agreement. India raised the issue of reforms in the Temporary Foreign Workers Programme (TWFP) which has been made more stringent by Canada and which adversely impacts the services trade from India. Recent initiative under the Global Skill Strategy Programme wherein the visa application for high skilled technicians, Professors, Researchers etc. will be disposed of within two weeks’ time. Similarly, for professionals visiting for less than a year, a fast track process is being set up which will be similar to a concierge service. This will be extended to companies invested in Canada on a priority basis. Work on Shahpur Kandi Dam to Resume Soon (Topic: Infrastructure Development) About— In a major step towards utilization of India’s rights on Eastern rivers of Indus basin, States of J&K and Punjab reach an agreement to resume works on Shahpur Kandi Dam project in Pujab/ J&K. The construction of Shahpur Kandi project was taken up in May 1999 but later halted in 2014 due to dispute between Punjab and J&K. The project will continue to be implemented by the Government of Punjab. However, there will be a tripartite team headed by Member, CWC and consisting of Chief Engineers of two States to monitor the project as and when required but atleast once in three months to ensure that the construction is as per the agreement. The dam– it is located in Gurdaspur district of Punjab, will help in providing irrigation facility to 5000 hectares of land in Punjab and 32173 hectares in J&K besides generation of 206 MW power. It is tagged as National Project by centre. It will bear the balance costs on account of compensation for land acquisition in respect of Thein (Ranjit Sagar) Dam on Ravi River. India and ADB sign $375 million in loans and grants for first phase of ECEC (Topic: Infrastructure Development) About: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of India signed here $375 million in loans and grants to develop 800-kilometer Visakhapatnam-Chennai Industrial Corridor, which is the First Phase of a planned 2,500–kilometer long East Coast Economic Corridor (ECEC). The Corridor is expected to spur development on India’s eastern coast in line with the Government of India’s Make in India policy to stimulate manufacturing, and Act East policy to integrate the Indian economy with Asia’s dynamic global production networks. Importance of ECEC The project is an important milestone in the process of developing the corridor and realizing the objectives of Make in India. Enhance industrial growth and create high-quality jobs Along with the ADB loans, agreement was also signed for a $5 million grant from the multi-donor Urban Climate Change Resilience Trust Fund that is managed by ADB to build climate change resilient infrastructure. The Government of India will provide extra funding of $215 million to the $846 million project. MoU between India and the United Nations Entity of Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women (UN-Women) (Topic: Welfare Schemes) About: he MoU seeks to provide technical support to the Ministry of Panchayati Raj in strengthening capacities of governance institutions including Panchayati Raj Institutions(PRIs) to better leverage opportunities created for gender equality through legislation, policies and programmes. MoPR and Un-Women have worked in collaboration with each other to promote participation of women in Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs). The parties agree that engendering the initiatives of MoPR, including capacity development efforts, will be of mutual benefit, and will further their shared mission of good governance, gender equality and women’s empowerment. The proposed MoU will facilitate the achievement of time-bound results within the broader framework for cooperation under the United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF). Activities done at sub-district level in 6 states: Andhra Pradesh, Telengana, Odisha, Karnataka, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. International Smart Grid Action Network (ISGAN) (Topic: Infrastructure Development) About— The Ministry of Power, Government of India is hosting the 13th Executive Committee (ExCo) Meeting of the International Smart Grid Action Network (ISGAN) at POWERGRID Corporate Center, Gurugram. This is the first ever Executive Committee Meeting of ISGAN being held in India. A total of 36 representatives from 18 countries namely Austria, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Korea, Norway, Russia, South Africa, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, US and UAE are participating in this event. ISGAN ISGAN is an agreement under International Energy Agency (IEA) and consists of representatives from 25 countries across the globe. India is one of the founding Member of ISGAN and Joint Secretary (Distribution), Ministry of Power, is the member representative of India. ISGAN creates a mechanism for multilateral government-to-government collaboration to advance the development and deployment of smarter electric grid technologies, practices and systems. What: In a major step today towards utilization of India’s rights on Eastern rivers of. Kamaladevi Chattopadhya National Awards (Topic: Women and Children Development) About: It is a new category of awards specially for women handloom weavers and women handicraft artisans. It has been noted that only one woman weaver has so far received Sant Kabir award. So, this award is to recognise the contribution of women weavers in India. Sant Kabir Award conferred to outstanding weavers who have made valuable contribution in keeping alive the handloom heritage The award was christened in the memory of sant Kabir, a 15th-century mystic poet and sant of India. Introduced in 1965 Kamaladevi Chattopadhya She was a social reformer and freedom fighter. She is most remembered for her contribution to the Indian independence movement; for being the driving force behind the renaissance of Indian handicrafts, handlooms, and theatre in independent India. She was also the first woman to run for a Legislative seat in India. Several cultural institutions in India today exist because of her vision, including National School of Drama Sangeet Natak Akademi Central Cottage Industries Emporium Crafts Council of India. National campaign launched to eliminate thigh reeling thigh reeling of tasar silk is usually practiced by marginal women entrepreneurs, working every day in their homes during spare time It is highly exploitative and unhygienic practice. 30% of the tasar silk produced in India is through the practice of thigh reeling. To stop this practice, Ministry of Textiles is starting the distribution of woman-friendly Buniyaad Reeling Machines to woman silk reelers. The Ministry of Power, Government of India is hosting the 13th Executive. Change in No-Detention Policy (Topic: Women and Children Development) About: Section 16 of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009 stipulates that ‘No child admitted in a school shall be held back in any class or expelled from school till the completion of elementary education’. Thus, the policy covers elementary stage of schooling covering classes 1 to 8. In a resolution adopted in meeting of the Central Advisory Board of Education (CABE) in 2012, a Sub-Committee was constituted for assessment of implementation of Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation (CCE) in the context of No-Detention provision in the RTE Act, 2009. After consultation with states, 23 states have suggested modification to the No Detention policy. Another sub-committee was constituted to review the feedback received from States/UTs on the ‘No-Detention’ policy. The recommendations of the Committee are as under: There should be an examination at Class 5. It should be left to the States and UTs to decide whether this exam will be at the school, block, District or State Level. If a child fails then allow the child an opportunity to improve. There should be additional instruction provided to children and the child should be given an opportunity to sit for another exam. If the child is unable to pass the exam in the second chance, then detain the child. At Classes 6 and 7, there should be a school based exam for students. At Class 8, there should be an external exam. In case the child fails, the child should be given additional instruction and then appear for an improvement exam. If fails again then detain. Maternity Benefits (Amendment) Bill, 2016 (Topic: Women and Children Development) About: The Lok Sabha has passed the Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Bill, 2016. It had been already passed by the Rajya Sabha during the Winter Session. With this, the Bill stands passed in the Parliament. The Bill seeks to amend the Maternity Benefit Act, 1961 to provide for the following:- Maternity leave increased from 12 weeks to 26 weeks for the first two children. Maternity leave for children beyond the first two will continue to be 12 weeks. Maternity leave of 12 weeks to be available to mothers adopting a child below the age of three months as well as to the “commissioning mothers”. (commissioning mother= biological mother who uses her egg to create an embryo planted in any other woman.) Every establishment with more than 50 employees to provide for crèche facilities for working mothers. Such mothers permitted to make four visits during working hours to look after and feed the child. The employer may permit a woman to work from home if it is possible Every establishment will be required to make these benefits available to the women from the time of her appointment. The Maternity Benefits (Amendment) Act, 2016 will come into the force only after the President’s assent. National Plan of Action for Children, 2016 (Topic: Women and Children Development) About: Ministry of Women and Child Development released National Plan of Action for Children (NPAC), 2016 It has four key priority areas of child rights Survival, health and nutrition Education and development Protection Participation It takes a sustainable, multi-sectoral, integrated and inclusive approach and focuses on strengthening the initiatives so that they are able to protect the rights of the children. The plan also highlights new and emerging concerns for children such as online child abuse, children affected by natural and man-made disasters and climate change, etc. Vision Zero (Topic: Issues related to health) About: The international conference on the VISION ZERO and its relevance to Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) is being organised. The conference aims to focus on the Occupational Safety and Health issues and challenges in the Manufacturing, Construction and Mining sector. The conference is expected to introduce the fast emerging internationally accepted concept of ‘Vision Zero’ in India thereby leveraging the efforts of the Government of India to raise the occupational safety and health standards in the country. Initiatives under the Family Planning Programme (Topic: Welfare schemes) About: Family Planning has been a key priority area of the Government and it has been vigorously pursued through the National Rural Health Mission launched in the year 2005 in line with the policy framework for population stabilization as envisaged in the National Population Policy, 2000. Objective of National Population Policy, 2000– address the unmet needs for contraception and achieving a stable population by 2045 Total Fertility Rate (TFR) has declined from 2.7 in 2006 to 2.2 in 2016 (NFHS- IV) decadal growth rate has declined from 21.54 % in 1990-2000 to 17.64 % during 2001-11 Crude Birth Rate has declined from 23.8 in 2005 to 20.8 (SRS 2015) 24 states/UTs have already achieved the replacement level TFR of 2.1 or less out of 36 states/UTs. Some of New interventions under Family Planning Mission Parivar Vikas– increasing the access to contraceptives and family planning services in the high fertility districts of seven high focus states with TFR of 3 and above. New Contraceptive Choices– Include new contraceptives viz. Injectable contraceptive, Centchroman and Progrsterone Only Pills (POP) Redesigned Contraceptive Packaging– packaging for Condoms, OCPs and ECPs has now been improved and redesigned so as to influence the demand for these commodities New Family Planning Media Campaign: A360 degree media campaign has been launched to generate contraceptive demand. Emphasis on Postpartum Family Planning (PPFP) services Appointment of dedicated RMNCH+A counsellors at high case load facilities Strategies Adopted By Jansankhya Sthirata Kosh/National Population Stabilization Fund for Population Control: Prerna Strategy: JSK has launched this strategy for helping to push up the age of marriage of girls and delay in first child and spacing in second child birth in the interest of health of young mothers and infants. Santushti Strategy: Jansankhya Sthirata Kosh, invites private sector gynaecologists and vasectomy surgeons to conduct sterilization operations in Public Private Partnership mode. National Helpline: JSK is also running a call centers for providing free advice on reproductive health, family planning, maternal health and child health etc. Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan (PMSMA) (Topic: Issues related to health) About: Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan (PMSMA) has been launched by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW), Government of India in 2016. At present under PMSMA, ante-natal care (ANC) services are provided by OBGY specialists/ Radiologist/ Physicians including private sector volunteers only at government health facilities. There is no proposal to implement it in private health facilities. GS-3 Aapda Mitra (Topic: Disaster management) About: It is NDMA’s volunteer training programme which aims to train at least 200 volunteers at the district level across the country. The need is to train volunteers right up to the village level and equipping them to act as first responders in the event of a disaster. The capabilities of forces are not optimally utilised and thus they need to proactively engage with the local administration and help in strengthening the overall capacity of the first responders. Training of Self-Organized Small & Medium Traders on Digital Payment Initiatives (Topic: Science and Technology) About: The objective of these training programmes is to understand and adopt simplified digital payment mechanisms like UPI, USSD, BBPS, AEPS etc. in a convenient manner, which would contribute towards establishing digital economy and convey the benefits of digital payments to traders through capacity building programs. About 13500 small and medium unorganized / self organized businesses/ traders are targeted. The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) shall be mobilizing traders and trade union leaders for training on digital payment initiatives. Under this programme, NIELIT shall be organizing 5 Regional Workshops at Delhi, Jaipur, Kolkata, Mumbai, Chennai and 30 State Workshops and 100 DigiDhan Camps, all over India. Goods and Services Tax GST) Council approves the Central Goods and Services Tax (CGST) Bill and the Integrated Goods and Services Tax (IGST) Bill (Topic: Economic Policies) About: The clearance of the bill clears the deck for the Central Government to take these two Bills to the Parliament for their passage in the ongoing Budget Session. Some main features are A State-wise single registration for a taxpayer for filing returns, paying taxes and to fulfil other compliance requirements. A taxpayer has to file one single return state-wise to report all his supplies, whether made within or outside the State or exported out of the country and pay the applicable taxes on them. Such taxes can be CGST, SGST, UTGST or IGST A business entity with an annual turnover of upto Rs. 20 lakhs would not be required to take registration in the GST regime, unless he voluntarily chooses to do so. A business entity with turnover upto Rs. 50 lakhs can avail the benefit of a composition scheme under which it has to pay a much lower rate of tax and has to fulfil very minimal compliance requirements. The Composition Scheme is available for all traders, select manufacturing sectors and for restaurants in the services sector. To prevent cascading of taxes, ITC would be admissible on all goods and services used in the course or furtherance of business, except on a few items In order to ensure a single administrative interface for taxpayers, a provision has been made to authorise officers of the tax administrations of the Centre and the States to exercise the powers conferred under all Acts. An agriculturist, to the extent of supply of produce out of cultivation of land, would not be liable to take registration in the GST regime. To provide certainty in tax matters, a provision has been made for an Advance Ruling Authority. Exhaustive provisions for Appellate mechanism have been made. An anti-profiteering provision has been incorporated to ensure that the reduction of tax incidence is passed on to the consumers. In order to mitigate any financial hardship being suffered by a taxpayer, Commissioner has been empowered to allow payment of taxes in instalments. Cabinet approves India’s accession to the Customs Convention on International Transport of Goods under cover of TIR Carnets (TIR Convention) (Topic: International Trade Relations) Background: TIR Convention 1975 is an international transit system under the auspices of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE). It facilitates the seamless movement of goods within and amongst the Parties to the Convention. At present there are 70 parties to the Convention, including the European Union. In News: India has been approved to join TIR Convention by Cabinet headed by PM. The Convention will help Indian traders to have access to fast, easy, reliable and hassle free international system for movement of goods by road or multi- modal means across the territories of other contracting parties As the TIR Carnet represents a guarantee for Customs duties and taxes and traffic in transit, there is no need for payment of such taxes and duties en route. The TIR Convention can be an instrument for movement of goods along the International “North-South” Transport (INSTC) Corridor and would be helpful in boosting trade with the Central Asian Republics and other Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), particularly using ports in Iran like the Chabahar port. Trade Mark Rules, 2017 (Topic: Economy) About: They replace erstwhile Trade Mark Rules 2002. Salient features are: Number of Trade Mark (TM) Forms have been reduced from 74 to 8. determination of well-known trademarks have been laid out Hearing through video conferencing has been introduced The provisions relating to expedited processing of an application for registration of a trade mark have been extended right upto registration stage (hitherto, it was only upto examination stage). Number of adjournments in opposition proceedings has been restricted to a maximum of two by for online filing has been kept at 10% lower than that for physical filing. Modalities for each party, which will help dispose off matters in time. The examination time for a TM application has already been brought down from 13 months to just 1 month in January 2017 The new Rules should give a boost to the Intellectual Property Regime in India. TIR Convention 1975 is an international transit system under the auspices of the India Shifts to OALP to boost oil output (Topic: Economy) Open Acreage Licensing Policy It allows a company to select their own exploration block, without waiting for the formal bid round. It will work under Hydrocarbon Exploration and Licensing Policy (HELP) that will give investors much freedom n pricing and marketing of crude oil and natural gas. National Data Repository will be opened up, which will have seismic data, among other details. Details of Indian sedimentary basins, gridded into sectors and divided into zones with the corresponding data will be made available for interested parties. The new policy is part of the strategy to double India’s existing oil production from current 80 million tonnes to about 150-155 million tonnes by 2022 India has 26 sedimentary basins. Major highlights of HELP will be its revenue sharing model, low royalty rates nd 100 percent FDI option. ‘Make in India-Make in Steel’ initiative   (Topic: Growth and Development) About: Unique qualities of steel– life cycle cost, recyclability, reusability, strength and durability. Steel structures have a longer life span, are low on maintenance and provide smart solutions as well. The secondary steel industry in Northern states use scrap intensive steel making thus reducing coking coal dependence and also is cost effective. Domestic steel industry, which contributes 2% to the GDP, has huge potential, but there is need for diversification and innovation to generate demand in the steel industry. The Indian steel industry has to become highly competitive and it has to benchmark the parameters for becoming a world-class steel producer. Arsenic problem in ground water and its remediation (Topic: Environment) About: High value of arsenic in groundwater is geogenic in nature, i.e. caused by natural geologic processes. Arsenic-containing groundwater in Ganga River basin is hosted by the sediments deposited by the rivers during the late Quaternary or Holocene age (<12 thousand years). But as a large population is dependent on groundwater resources for drinking purposes in Ganga basin and is under the risk of health hazards, it becomes emergent to go for mitigation measures as well as alternate sources of water so that locals can be protected from negative impact of arsenic in groundwater. Technical options to combat arsenic menace in groundwater are In-situ remediation of arsenic from aquifer system Ex-situ remediation of arsenic from tapped groundwater by arsenic removal technologies Use of surface water source as an alternative to the contaminated groundwater source Tapping alternate safe aquifers for supply of arsenic free groundwater Combination of above techniques Out of the above options, arsenic removal technologies and ex-situ treatment technique are being practiced widely. Web Portal for obtaining CRZ Clearances (Topic: Economy) About: http://environmentclearance.nic.in/ is a web-based system for obtaining clearances required from the Ministry under the “Coastal Regulation Zone” (CRZ) by the Project Proponents The system will enable the Project proponents and the concerned State/Union Territory bodies like the State Coastal Zone Management Authorities (SCZMAs) and Municipal/Town Planning agencies in tracking the status of their proposals. User friendly as it enables submission of applications for CRZ clearance in a single-window interface and facilitates quick flow of information related to CRZ clearances. It also aims to enhance efficiency, transparency and accountability in the process of CRZ clearances. There are other initiatives underway, like the notification of High Tide Line/Low Tide Line (HTL/LTL), ecologically sensitive areas falling under CRZ-1, hazard line etc. All these steps are aimed at minimising discretions and enhancing accountability at all levels. Sagar Parikrama Project (Topic: Science and Technology) Objective Launched in 2007 to inspire the youths of India to develop an understanding of the sea and a sense of adventure and spirit. To instill in the young officers of the Navy a sense of national pride and achievement through a successful solo-circumnavigation voyage. The objective of the Sagar parikrama I was solo-circumnavigation of the Globe in a sailboat. This was successfully accomplished in 2009-10 by a Naval Officer. After the success of ‘Sagar Parikarma  I’, in 2012-13, ‘Sagar Parikarma  II’ was undertaken with a solo ‘non-stop’ circumnavigation by another Naval Officer.