04 ONLY IAS PRE-2019-CA-TEST-1-Q+A (@pdf4exams)

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Only IAS
Test Booklet
Preliminary Exam- 2019
Only Current Affairs: Test-4
A
Time Allowed: Two Hours Maximum Marks: 200
INSTRUCTION
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that questions.
1. Which of the following methods of Which of the above Concerns is/are
voting is being used in Indian elections? correct?
1. Voting by physically present (a) 1 and 2 only (b) 2 and 3 only

individual.
(c) 3 only (d) All of the above
2. Proxy Voting
3. Recently, the 4th summit of the Bay
3. Voting by Post of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral
Technical and Economic Cooperation
Which of the above statements is/are
(BIMSTEC) was held in:
correct?
(a) Bangladesh
(a) 1 and 2 only (b) 2 and 3 only
(b) India
(c) 1 and 3 only (d) all of the above
(c) Myanmar
(d) Nepal
2. India Recently signed long-pending
Communications Compatibility and 4. Consider the following statements
Security Agreement (COMCASA). about Varieties of Democracy Report:
Consider the following Concerns with
1. It is backed by the United
reference to COMCASA Agreement:
Nations.
1. This agreement may harm India’s 2. As per this report, quality of
strategic autonomy by making its democracy has declined over the
own communication network past ten years in India.
vulnerable to US spying.
correct?
2. US will retain control over its
equipment sold to India under (a) 1 only (b) 2 only
this pact and may manipulate
(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) neither 1 nor 2
decision-making.
5. Consider the following statements
3. It allows sharing of classified with reference to Indian Ocean
information to some of the Conference:
leading Private entities that
makes that information insecure.
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1. Recently, the third edition of (b) Finance Ministry
Indian Ocean Conference held in
(c) Ministry of Tourism
Vietnam.
2. It has been initiated by Delhi (d) Ministry of Housing and Urban
based think tank India Affairs
Foundation.
Which of the above statements is/are about Additional Surveillance
correct? Measures:
(a) 1 only (b) 2 only 1. Recently, Additional Surveillance

Measures was introduced by RBI.
6. Consider the following statements 2. It is intended to surveillance the

with reference to Idukki dam that was lending activities of all the banks
recently in news: with high Non-performing assets.
1. Idukki dam in Kerala is Which of the above statements is/are

constructed across the Periyar correct?
River, the longest river in Kerala.
(a) 1 only (b) 2 only
2. It was commissioned in the year
1973 with financial aid from (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) neither 1 nor 2
former USSR.
9. Consumer Price Index for Industrial
Which of the above statements is/are workers (CPI –IW) is prepared by:
correct?
(a) Niti Aayog
(b) Office of Economic advisor, DIPP,
(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) neither 1 nor 2 Ministry of Commerce and Industry
(c) Central Statistical Office, Ministry of

Statistics and Programme
7. Central Road and Infrastructure Fund
Implementation
(CRIF) recently seen in News come
under the domain of? (d) Labour Bureau, Ministry of Labour &
Employment
(a) Ministry of Road Transport and
Highways
10. Recently, Which of the following participating organizations and it
countries jointly signed Caspian Sea will be hosted alternatively in
Breakthrough Treaty? Nepal and India.
1. Azerbaijan Which of the above statements is/are

2. Iran correct?
3. Kazakhstan
4. Russia
5. Uzbekistan (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) neither 1 nor 2
6. Turkmenistan
13. Recently, India has been elected as
Choose the correct code? the President of the Asia-Pacific
Institute for Broadcasting Development
(a) 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 (b) 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6
(AIBD), Consider the following
(c) 2, 3 and 4 (d) All of the above statement with reference to AIBD:
1. India got the presidency of the

organization for the first time.
11. The term ‘M-STrIPES’ is sometimes
seen in the news in the context of:
2. It was established under the
(a) Captive breeding of Wild Fauna auspices of UNESCO.
(b) Maintenance of Tiger Reserves

3. The International
(c) Indigenous Satellite Navigation Telecommunication Union (ITU)
System and United Nations Development
Programme (UNDP) are founding
(d) Security of National Highways organisations of the Institute.

12. Consider the following statements correct?
with reference to recently held, Nepal- (a) 1 and 2 only (b) 2 and 3 only
India Think Tank Summit:
(c) 3 only (d) all of the above
1. It was the first ever Think Tank
summit between India and Nepal. 14. Consider the following statement
2. The summit is proposed to about Concession Financing Scheme:
become an annual feature for the
1. Recently, government extended 2. This exception from the export
the Concessional Financing control regime will allow the US
Scheme (CFS) for two years till to export sensitive technology to
2020. India without individual licences.

2. Under the scheme Ministry of
correct?
Finance selects the project.
3. It will now cover all Indian
entities, compared to the earlier
stipulation of minimum 75 per 17. Consider the following statements
cent Indian shareholding. about Infrastructure Investment Trusts
(InvITs) sometime seen in news:
correct? 1. These are mutual fund like
institutions that enable
investments into the
(c) 3 only (d) all of the above infrastructure sector by pooling
small sums of money from
15. Global Peace Index, sometime seen
multitude of individual investors.
in News is released by:
(a) International Peace Bureau 2. InvITs are regulated by Securities

and Exchange Board of India.
(b) World Bank
(c) Institute for Economics and Peace
correct?
(d) Amnesty International
16. U.S has recently placed India in
Strategic Trade Authorization-1 (STA-1)
license exception list. Consider the 18. Scutoid, recently seen in News, is:
following statements about STA-1 list:
(a) A luminous planet discovered
1. India is the only South Asian recently.
country to be on the list.
(b) A type of mineral.
(c) A geometric shape recently 1. The Ministry for Road Transport
discovered by scientists. & Highways
(d) A stealth submarine

2. Ministry for Shipping and Ministry
19. Recently, The Andhra Pradesh for Water Resources
government has announced Mukhya
Mantri Yuva Nestam scheme: 3. River Development and Ganga
Rejuvenation
(a) To provide unemployment allowance
(b) To encourage sports in youngsters
correct?
(c) To provide entrepreneurship skills to (a) 1 and 3 only (b) 2 only
young women
(c) 1 and 2 only (d) 1, 2&3
(d) To impart technical knowledge to
marginalized section in the state. 22. Which of the following became first
State to implement biofuel policy?
20. Consider the following statements:
(a) Rajasthan
1. Recently, the Asian Development
bank has launched the world’s (b) Kerala
first public bond created and
(c) Manipur
managed using only blockchain.
(d) Gujrat
2. State Bank of India (SBI) has been
mandated to be the sole arranger
about State Energy Efficiency
of the bond.
Preparedness Index (SEEPI):
1. The 1st edition of the State
correct?
Energy Efficiency Preparedness
(a) 1 only (b) 2 only Index (SEEPI) was released jointly
by the Bureau of Energy
Efficiency (BEE) and NITI Aayog.
21. Bidder Information Management
System (BIMS) And Bhoomi Rashi, two 2. Kerala is ‘Front Runner’ states in
IT platforms has been launched by: the inaugural edition of the
Index.
Which of the above statements is/are 2. It reduces emission of
correct? greenhouse gas from coal mining.

3. Its extraction prior to coal mining
(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) neither 1 nor 2 activities makes mining activities
safer.
24. Union Ministry for Environment,
Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) Which of the above statements is are
released National REDD+ Strategy. correct?
Which of the following will fund this
initiative?
1. Devolution of funds to states
attaching a weightage of 7.5% of 26. Recently, government launched a
the State’s forest cover, as per web based application, PARIVESH, it is
the recommendation of Finance related to:
Commission
(a) It is an integrated environmental
management system.
2. Compensatory Afforestation Fund
(b) It is an application to measure air
3. Green Climate Fund quality in highly polluting cities.
Which of the above statements is/are (c) It is an application to track cases of

correct? mob lynching on single platform.
(a) 1 and 2 only (b) 2 and 3 only (d) It is an application to monitor living
standard in rural areas.
with reference to SAATHI initiative:
1. SAATHI is an initiative of Ministry
with reference to Advantages of Coal
of Textile.
bed methane (CBM), recently seen in
News:
2. Energy Efficiency Services Limited
1. India has largest proven coal (EESL), a public sector unit under
reserves in the world. Ministry of power will help in
implementing the initiative.
Which of the above statements is/are 3. Nauradehi in Madhya Pradesh
correct? was found to be the most
suitable area for the cheetahs.
Which of the above match is/are
Correct?
with reference to Elephant Reserves:
1. Recently, Meghalaya government
declared the Singphan Wildlife 30. Recently, The Kaziranga National
Sanctuary as an Elephant Park (KNP) had been split into two
Reserve. divisions — Eastern Assam Wildlife and
Biswanath Wildlife Park, Consider the
2. Singhbhum Elephant Reserve in following statement about Kaziranga
Jharkhand is the first Elephant National Park:
Reserve of the Country.
1. Kaziranga has been recognized as
Which of the above statements is/are an ‘Important Bird Area’ by
correct? Birdlife International.

2. The Diphlu River passes through
(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) neither 1 nor 2 this national park.
29. Consider the following statement 3. It is a UNESCO world heritage

about Cheetah Reintroduction Project,
site.
frequently seen in News:
1. National Biodiversity Authority
correct?
(NBA) is nodal agency for the
Cheetahs reintroduction plan. (a) 1 and 2 only (b) 2 and 3 only

2. Cheetah is the only mammal to
become extinct in India in last
1,000 years.
31. Recently, The Government of India
has decided to ban the use of 18
pesticides on the recommendations of:
(a) B. N. Srikrishna Committee
2. The law prohibits recovery of the
(b) Pradeep Kumar Sinha committee
property held benami from
(c) Anupam Verma Committee benamdar by the real owner.
(d) Madhav Chitale Committee Which of the above statements is/are

correct?
with reference to recently constituted (a) 1 only (b) 2 only
Prime Minister' Science, Technology
and Innovation Council (PM-STIAC) by
Union Government: 34. Consider the following statement
with reference to Pradhan Mantri Jan
1. It is 21-member advisory panel
Arogya Yojana that has been frequently
chaired by the government’s
seen in news:
Principal Scientific Advisor.
1. It is India`s first healthcare
2. It will advise the PM on all scheme with its own Privacy
matters related to science, policy.
technology and innovation.
2. National Health Authority is its
implementing authority.
correct?
(a) 1 only (b) 2 only 3. People in Socio-economic caste

census can enrolled in this
scheme by filling an application
form with the help of
Aarogyamitras.
33. Consider the following statements 4. It has not placed any limitation on
about Benami Transactions number of family members.
(Prohibition) Amendment Act, which
was in news: Which of the above statements is/are
correct?
1. The law provides for up to seven
years’ imprisonment and fine for (a) 1, 2 and 3 (b) 1, 2 and 4
those indulging in such (c) 2, 3 and 4 (d) All of the above
transactions.
35. Recently, World’s first-ever thermal 38. Identify the national park with the
battery plant was inaugurated in: help of given information:
(a) Maharashtra 1. It creates the India's biggest

biosphere reserve popularly
(b) Gujarat
known as the 'Nilgiri Biosphere
(c) Andhra Pradesh Reserve.
(d) Kerala
2. The park is surrounded by the
36. Consider the following statements Kabini River in the north and the
about Public Financial Management Moyar River in the south while
System (PFMS), recently seen in News: the Nugu River runs through the
park.
1. It is implemented by the
Controller General of Accounts. 3. It was brought under Project
Tiger in 1973.
2. PFMS is used for Direct Benefit
Transfer payments under 4. Recently it was in news because;
MGNREGA scheme. Union Road Transport Ministry
Which of the above statements is/are has asked the state government
correct? to lift the ban on vehicle
movement during night in this
(a) 1 only (b) 2 only National park.
(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) neither 1 nor 2 Select the correct answer from options
given below:
(a) Khangchendzonga National

37. Tesla's Black HOLE machine,
Park
sometimes seen in new, is related to?
(b) Dibru-Saikhowa National Park
(a) Ocean Exploration
(c) Bandipur National Park
(b) Waste Management
(d) Namdapha National Park
(c) Space Research
39. “8888” Uprising, recently seen in
(d) Reveal the beginning of the universe
news, is related to:
(a) China (c) Indian aid to Philippines to counter
ISIS
(b) Saudi Arabia
(d) Disaster relief operation in flood-
(c) Egypt
battered Kerala
(d) Myanmar
40. Consider the following statements about e-Cigarettes, sometimes seen in
about Vidya Lakshmi Portal which was News:
recently seen in News:
1. Recently, Tamil Nadu
1. It is an IT-based mechanism Government has banned sale and
under the Pradhan Mantri Vidya possession of Electronic Nicotine
Lakshmi Karyakram to monitor Delivery Systems (ENDS) or e-
assistance given to unmarried Cigarettes in the state.
girls above 18 for higher
education. 2. Tamilnadu became 2nd state
after Punjab in the country to ban
2. It is being maintained under the e - cigarettes.
guidance of Department of
Financial Services, Department of
correct?
Higher Education and Indian
Banks Association (IBA). (a) 1 only (b) 2 only
Which of the above statements is/are (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) neither 1 nor 2
correct?

43. Atal Ranking of Institutions on
(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) neither 1 nor 2 Innovation Achievements has been
launched by:
41. “Operation Madad”, recently seen
in news, is related to: (a) NITI AYOG
(a) Indian relief assistance in Syria (b) Ministry of Human Resource

Development
(b) Humanitarian assistance to
Bangladesh for Rohingya refugees (c) Ministry of Science and Technology
(d) Ministry of Skill Development and Which of the above statement is/are
Entrepreneurship Correct?
44. Consider the following statements (a) 1 only (b) 2 only

about ‘Call for Code’ initiative:
1. It is launched by IBM in
47. Horizon 2020 most appropriately is
partnership with Indian IT
related to:
companies.
(a) Empowering sports person in India.
2. The aim is to build global
(b) European Union's Research and
solutions for disaster
management. Innovation programme.
(c) A Project to Jupiter.

correct? (d) Solar power plants.
(a) 1 only (b) 2 only 48. Consider the following statements
about Fourth edition of Asian electoral
stakeholder’s forum (AESF-IV)
45. O-SMART scheme, sometimes seen
in news is related to: 1. It was held in Thailand.
(a) Smart operation techniques in 2. This was for first time AESF was
Emergency. held in South Asia.
(b) Ocean Development activities. Which of the above statements is/are

correct?
(c) To increase Omega rich nutrients in
Food. (a) 1 only (b) 2 only
(d) None of the above. (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) neither 1 nor 2
46. Consider the following statement 49. Venezuela crisis, recently seen in
about Spitzer Space Telescope: news, is mainly related to:
1. It is a recently launched infrared (a) Balance of Trade

space telescope.
(b) Unemployment
2. It is launched by NASA.
(c) Deflation
2. A flash flood is a slow flooding of
(d) Hyperinflation
low-lying areas.
50. The Centre has signed MOU with
Uttarakhand, UP, HP, Rajasthan,
correct?
Haryana and Delhi for Construction of
Lakhwar Multipurpose Project on which (a) 1 only (b) 2 only
of the following river-
(a) Ganga
(b) Yamuna with reference to BRICS summit:
(c) Mahananda 1. The tenth annual summit held in

Brazil.
(d) Chambal
51. Consider the following statements 2. One of the new areas of BRICS
about Prime Minister’s Research cooperation proposed is
Fellows Scheme: establishment of a BRICS Gender
and Women’s Forum.
1. It will now be open to all
potential researchers.
3. Xiamen Declaration is related to
10th BRICS summit.
2. It is aimed at attracting the talent
pool of the country. Which of the above statements is/are
correct?
correct? (a) 1 and 2 (b) 2 and 3
(a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) 2 only (d) All of the above
52. Consider the following statements: 54. With reference to Kanyashree

scheme, consider the following
1. India has been designated as a
statements?
nodal centre for preparing flash-
flood forecasts by the World
Meteorological Organization.
1. There would not be any 2. It is oldest highway in Nepal.
ceiling for a family’s annual
earnings to be a beneficiary.
correct?
2. It is a conditional cash transfer (a) 1 only (b) 2 only

scheme.
57. If India does launch the Gaganyaan
correct?
mission, it will be the fourth nation to
(a) 1 only (b) 2 only do so after:
(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) neither 1 nor 2 (a) United States, Russia and China
55. Consider the following statements (b) United States, China, France
with reference to Biju Swasthya Kalyan
(c) China, France, Japan
Yojana:
1. It has been launched by (d) United States, Russia, United

Kingdom
government of Odisha.
2. It will provide Rs. 5 lakh per about Repurpose Used Cooking Oil
family per annum for all initiative (RUCO):
primary Cashless Health Care
Assistance. It has been launched by Ministry of
health and family welfare.
correct? It will enable collection and conversion
of used cooking oil to bio-diesel.
(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) neither 1 nor 2 correct?
56. Consider the following statements (a) 1 only (b) 2 only
about Postal Highways:
1. It is also called Hulaki Rajmarg
that across the Terai region of 59. With reference to National
Nepal. Payments Corporation of India,
Consider the following statements:
1. It is an umbrella organization (a) 1 only (b) 2 only
for retail payments system in
India.
61. Global Liveability Index, which
2. It is a not-for-profit ranks 140 cities for their urban quality
organization. of life based on assessments of
stability, healthcare, culture and
3. It was set up with the environment, education and
guidance and support of the infrastructure. Which of the following
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) publishes the Index mentioned above?
and Indian Banks’ Association
(IBA). (a) Cato and Fraser Institute
(b) World Economic Forum

4. It has ten core promoter
banks. (c) Economist Intelligence Unit
Which of the above statements is/are (d) German watch

correct?
(a) 1, 2&3 only (b) 2&4 only 62. National Payments Corporation of
(c) 1 only (d) All are correct India an upgraded and renewed version
of Unified Payments Interface (UPI)
named as UPI 2.0. With reference to this
which of the following is/are new
features?
60. With reference to World Congress
1. Allowing users to link their
of Philosophy, consider the following
overdraft account to UPI.
statements:
1. It is a global meeting of 2. Creation of one-time

philosophers held every five mandates and pre-
years. authorization of transactions
for payment at later date.
2. It is organized by UNESCO.

correct?
3. Checking the invoice sent by 2. Photo insensitive.
merchant prior to making 3. Resistant to climate change.
payment. 4. Cultivation of millets requires
less water.
5. Grow on poor soils.
correct?
(a) 1 & 2 only (b) 1 & 3 only
correct?
(c) 2 & 3 only (d) All are correct
(a) 1, 2 & 3 only (b) 1, 3 &5 only
(c) 3 & 4 only (d) All of the above
with reference to International
Nitrogen Initiative: 65. Consider the following statements
about LIGO- India project:
1. Its aim is to optimize nitrogen’s
beneficial role in sustainable 1. It aims to detect cosmic
food production. gravitational waves.
2. Recently, first time an Indian 2. It is piloted by ISRO.

has been elected to the Chair
of INI.
correct?
3. It holds conference once in (a) 1 only (b) 2 only

every ten years.
66. With reference to members in
correct?
Saltwater Crocodile, consider the
(a) 1 only (b) 1&3 only following statements:
(c) 1&2 only (d) All of the above 1. They are least concerned in
IUCN red list.
64. Millet is a common term to
categorize small-seeded grasses that
2. They are hypercarnivorous
are often termed nutri-cereals. Which
apex predator.
of the following characteristic is/ are
true with reference to Millets?
3. They are the largest riparian
1. Tolerant to drought. predator in the world.
Which of the above statements is/are 1. It is offshore/overseas derivative
correct? instruments (ODIs).
(a) 1 only (b) 1&2 only

2. It is issued by SEBI to overseas
(c) 2 only (d) All of the above investors.
67. With reference to World Hindi Which of the above statements is/are
Conference, Consider the following correct?
statements:
1. Recently, it's 11th conference
held in Mauritius.
70. The Supreme Court has accepted
2. The first World Hindi Conference the Centre’s proposal to use hologram-
was held in 1975 in Nagpur. based coloured stickers on vehicles,
plying in the Delhi-National Capital
Region (NCR), to indicate the nature of
correct?
the fuel used. With reference to this
(a) 1 only (b) 2 only which of the following is/ are correct?
(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) neither 1 nor 2 1. The Hologram-based sticker of

light-blue colour will be used for
diesel-driven vehicles.
68. All India Rural Financial Inclusion 2. Sticker of orange colour will be
Survey 2016-17 has been released by used for petrol and CNG-run
which of the following: vehicles.
(a) NABARD Which of the above statements is/are

correct?
(b) Niti Ayog
(c) Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers
Welfare (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) neither 1 nor 2
(d) Indian Agricultural Research Institute 71. With reference to Mental

Healthcare Act, 2017, Consider the
69. Consider the following statements following statements
about P-Notes:
1. It is mandatory to provide (b) Maharashtra
medical insurance for
(c) Andhra Pradesh
treatment of mental illness.
(d) Jharkhand
2. It Decriminalized suicide and
74. Data localization refers to:
prohibited electro-convulsive
therapy. (a) Credit information of the all the
public sector banks at one Centre.
3. A mentally ill person cannot
nominate a person who can (b) Storing data on any device that is
take decision on their behalf. physically present within the borders of
a specific country.
correct? (c) It is data of Locality based Pin code of
the cities.
(a) 2 only (b) 1&2 only
(d) None of the above.
(c) 2&3 only (d) All of the above
75. HELINA recently seen in news is a
72. Microcystallites are very small
crystals developed by researchers from (a) Weapon Locating Radar
Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced (b) Helicopter to be purchased from USA
Scientific Research (JNCASR),
Bengaluru. With reference to this (c) Anti-Tank Guided Missile.
Microcystallites are new type of:
(d) Fast attack craft
(a) Diamonds
76. Government of India has recently
(b) Silver gifted Panini language Laboratory to
which of the following country:
(c) Gold
(a) Mauritius
(d) Iron
(b) Nepal
73. Which of the following state has
recently launched for the first time (c) Indonesia
Disaster Response Force (DRF) vehicles?
(d) Australia
(a) Telangana
77. Consider the following matches:
1. Hand in Hand exercise: India-France (d) Sun like stars
2. Vajra Prahar Exercise: India-USA 80. Recently, The world’s largest 3-D
printed reef has been submerged in
3. Dharma Guardian Exercise: India-
which of the following island country:
Japan
(a) Indonesia
4. Exercise Maitree: India-Thailand
(b) Japan
Which of the following matches is/are
correct? (c) Maldives
(a) 1, 2 and 3 only (b) 2, 3 and 4 only (d) Seychelles
(c) 1, 3 and 4 only (d) all of the above 81. Consider the following statements
with reference to Consider the
78. Recently, we have seen weakening
following statements about National
of Indian Rupee. In the light of this
Crime Records Bureau (NCRB):
statement what are the impacts of this:
1. It has been designated as the
1. Country’s imports become more
nodal agency for monitoring the
expensive.
complaints for child pornography
2. Growth in domestic tourism can
and sexual violence videos.
be seen.
2. It would coordinate with service
3. Export-oriented industries may
providers and ask them to block
also create more jobs.
malicious videos and contents.
correct?
correct?
(a) 1&2 only (b) 2&3 only
(c) 1&3 only (d) All of the above
79. OSIRIS-REx Mission has been
82. Consider the following statement
launched for:
about NOTA recently seen in news:
(a) An asteroid
1. It is not allowed in Rajya Sabha
(b) A planet near earth elections.
(c) Natural Satellite

2. If it gets more than 50 percent (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) neither 1 nor 2
votes in Lok Sabha elections, it
85. Recently, FSSAI has notified food
will invite re-election in the
safety standards for honey. With
constituency.
reference to this Consider the following
Which of the above statements is/are notified standards:
correct?
1. FSSAI has fixed maximum 5%
(a) 1 only (b) 2 only limit for sucrose content in the
honey.
83. India wage Report is published by: 2. If a product is sold as honey

then food additives should not
(a) Ministry of Labour & Employment
be added to it.
(b) International Labour Organisation
(c) Niti Ayog correct?
(d) Oxfam (a) 1 only (b) 2 only
84. The centre has unveiled the draft

International Air Connectivity (IAC)
86. Which of the following country is
scheme. Consider the following NOT the member of QUAD Grouping?
statements with reference to this:
(a) Australia
1. It envisages increasing the
international ticketing to 20 crore (b) Japan
by 2027.
(c) South Korea
2. Ministry of external affairs will be (d) India

the implementing agency.
87. With reference to International
Which of the above statements is/are Council on Monuments and Sites
correct? (ICOMOS), consider the following
statements:
1. Recently, it has launched an 2. Its objective is to take the
initiative to assess the damage messages of POSHAN to the
to the rich cultural and built grass root level.
heritage in Kerala.
correct?
2. It is a non-government
organization. (a) 1 only (b) 2 only

3. It is an advisory body to the
UNESCO for cultural heritage 90. Consider the following statement
with reference to National Logistics
Portal:
correct?
1. It is being developed by
(a) 1&3 only (b) 1 only
Ministry of Communications
(c) 3 only (d) All of the above and Information Technology.
88. International Buddhist Conclave

2. It will link all the stakeholders
2018 held in which of the following
of EXIM, domestic trade and all
state:
trade activities on a single
(a) Maharashtra platform.
(b) Gujarat 3. There are four main

component of the portal.
(c) Bihar
(d) Uttar Pradesh
correct?
with reference to Poshan Maah:
(c) 2 and 3 only (d) All of the above
1. It has been organized by
Ministry of health and family 91. Which of the following applications
welfare. have been launched by CJI to Facilitate
Litigants and Lawyers?
1. e-Filing
94. With reference to Pradhan Mantri
2. e-Pay Awas Yojana (Urban), consider the
following statements:
3. National Service and Tracking
1. It is implemented by Ministry
of Electronic Processes
of Housing and Urban Poverty
(a) 1 and 3 only (b) 1 and 2 only Alleviation.
(c) 2 and 3 only (d) All of the above

2. It envisions provision of
92. Recently, 5 Thematic Reports on Housing for All by 2025.
Sustainable Development in Indian
Himalayan Region has been launched.
correct?
Which of the following has launched
this report? (a) 1 only (b) 2 only
(a) Niti Ayog (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) neither 1 nor 2
(b) Ministry of Environment, Forest and 95. With reference to Bombay Natural
Climate Change History Society (BNHS), consider the
following statements:
(c) Environmental Investment
Organization 1. It has started operating its first
regional centre in Odisha.
(d) Intergovernmental Panel on Climate

Change (IPCC) 2. It is one of the largest non-
governmental organizations in
93. NASA has launched the Ice, Cloud
India.
and Land Elevation Satellite-2 (ICESat-2)
mission. It is launched for which of the
3. It has been designated as a
following:
‘Scientific and Industrial
(a) Pluto Research Organization.
(b) Mars Which of the above statement is/are

correct?
(c) Earth
(a) 2 and 3 only (b) 2 only
(d) Moon
(c) 3 only (d) All of the above
2. It is 100% centrally funded for
96. G20 Digital Economy Ministerial
the project components
Meeting held in which of the following
undertaken for public funding.
countries:
(a) India
correct?
(b) Mexico
(c) Argentina
(d) South Africa
99. Which of the following country is
97. Consider the following statements NOT member of North American Free
with reference to Biofuel-powered Trade Agreement (NAFTA)?
plane:
(a) Canada
1. India has become the first
(b) Mexico
country in the world to have
such kind of Plane. (c) US
(d) Cuba
2. Spice Jet has operated India's
first biofuel-powered flight. 100. Consider the following statements
about Aeolus satellite:
1. It has been launched by NASA.

correct?
2. It will measure winds around the
(a) 1 only (b) 2 only globe and help improve weather
forecasting.
98. With reference to Exercise Swadesh
NOT correct?
Dashan Scheme consider the following
statement: (a) 1 only (b) 2 only
1. Its objective is to develop (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) neither 1 nor 2

theme-based tourist circuits in
the country.
Explanation
1. Answer (d) all are correct
• It was in News because recently, the

Lok Sabha passed the Representation of
the People (Amendment) Bill, 2017 to
allow for the proxy voting by the Non-
Residential Indians through amendment
in Section 60 (special procedure for
voting by certain classes of persons).
• Under proxy voting, a registered

elector can delegate his voting power to
a representative.
• This was introduced in 2003 for

elections to the Lok Sabha and
Assemblies, but on a limited scale.
• Only a “classified service voter” — a

definition that includes members of the
armed forces, BSF, CRPF, CISF, General
Engineering Reserve Force and Border
Road Organisation — is allowed to
nominate a proxy to cast vote on his
behalf in his absence.
• A classified service voter can also vote

by postal ballot.
2. Answer (a) Only 1 and 2 are Correct
• Recently, India and the USA began a

new generation of military and security
cooperation by signing Communications
Compatibility and Security Agreement Significance of BIMSTEC
(COMCASA).
• Around 22% of the world’s population
• It will allow U.S. Navy access to India’s lives in the seven countries around the
own secure communication network Bay of Bengal, with a combined GDP
and also that the information shared close to $2.7 trillion. A fourth of the
with the U.S. will be accessible to world’s traded goods cross the bay
Pakistan: this agreement may harm every year.
India’s strategic autonomy by making its
• It has high economic potential, given
own communication network vulnerable
the region’s economic dynamism, huge
to US spying. Hence 1st statement is
markets and rich natural resources.
correct.
• It appears as a connector to multiple
• Some critics are concerned that the US
regional initiatives. Among seven-
will retain control over its equipment
member countries, five members of
sold to India under this pact and may
BIMSTEC are also members of SAARC,
manipulate decision-making. Hence 2nd
two are part of ASEAN and six are part
statement is also correct.
of SASEC.
• It allows sharing of classified
• For India, it is a natural platform to
information from US Government and
fulfil our key foreign policy priorities of
American companies with Indian
‘Neighbourhood First’ and ‘Act East’.
government and defence Public Sector
Undertakings (PSUs) but not with Indian • Stagnation of SAARC is also a key
private companies. Hence 3rd statement reason for India to reach out to BIMSTEC
is NOT correct. as stagnation limited the scope of India’s
growing economic aspirations as well as
3. Answer (d) Nepal
the role it could play in improving
• Recently, the 4th summit of the Bay of regional governance.
Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral
• BIMSTEC provides new battleground
Technical and Economic Cooperation
for India-China. It could allow India to
(BIMSTEC) was held in Nepal. Hence
push a constructive agenda to counter
option (d) is correct.
Chinese investments such as in Belt and
• The meeting is taking place after a gap Road initiative, and follow international
of four years; the 3rd BIMSTEC Summit norms for connectivity projects which
took place in Nay Pyi Taw in 2014
Chinese projects are widely seen as declined since 2014. Hence 2nd
violating. statement is correct.
• It could develop codes of conduct that 5. Answer (c) both 1 and 2 are correct
preserve freedom of navigation and
• The third edition of Indian Ocean
apply existing law of the seas regionally.
Conference is set to begin on August 27
• It could stem the region’s creeping at Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam.
militarisation by instituting, for instance,
• The theme of the two- day conference
a Bay of Bengal Zone of Peace that seeks
will focus on ‘Building Regional
to limit any bellicose behaviour of extra
Architectures’, particularly with regards
regional power
to trade and commerce, security and
4. Answer (b) only 2 is correct governance.
• Recently, The Varieties of Democracy • This year, the Indian Ocean

Report for 2018 (V-Dem) has been Conference will emphasize on better
released which provides the most cooperation, strategic collaboration and
sweeping global examination of governance architectures.
democracy.
6. Answer (a) only 1 is correct.
• It is an international research project
• Idukki dam in Kerala is constructed
which aims to develop new indicators of
across the Periyar river, the longest
democracy in all countries all over the
river in Kerala. Hence statement 1 is
world from 1789 to the present.
correct.
• The project is led by the V-Dem
• It is one of the highest arch dams in
Institute at the University of
the continent, measuring 550ft in
Gothenburg, Sweden.
height.
• It is backed by the European Union
• It was commissioned in the year 1973
and funded by a multitude of different
with financial aid from Canada (Not
institutions (government and non-
USSR). Hence statement 2 is not
government) and think tanks. Hence
correct.
statement 1 is NOT Correct.
• It is built between two granite hills
• India is indicted as a "backslider" since
such as Kuravanmala and kuravathimala.
the quality of democracy has declined
over the past ten years and sharply
• It is owned by the Kerala State • The CRF launched in 2000 is basically a
Electricity Board. cess imposed along with excise duty on
petrol and diesel.
• It supports a hydroelectric power
station in Moolamattom. • The cess revenue was accrued to the
CRF which was uniquely created and out
• The hydel project is receiving water
of this major road projects were
from two other dams at Cheruthoni and
financed ever since its launch.
Kulamavu.
• It has prompted authorities in Kerala 8. Answer (d) neither 1 nor 2.

to issue an "Orange Alert" – • First statement is wrong because
precautionary messages to the public in Additional Surveillance Measures was
light of possibility of water release from introduced recently by SEBI (Not RBI).
the reservoir.
• Second statement is wrong because it
• The dam is going to be reopened after is a surveillance method in which SEBI
26 years. Previous opening was in 1981 impose trading curbs on excessively
and 1992. volatile stocks in the Indian market.
7. Answer (b) Finance Ministry
• For example, if the "Spread" - Price
• The administrative control of Central variation of a stock between the high
Road and Infrastructure Fund (CRIF) has and low price, in the last three months is
been transferred to the Department of 200 per cent or more, then it will be
Economic Affairs (DEA), Finance placed under ASM.
Ministry. Hence option (b) is correct.
• Once a stock is caught in the ASM net,
• So far, it was under the domain of it attracts a bunch of stricter exchange
Ministry of Road Transport and rules on intra-day price movements.
Highways.
• Such curbs discourage speculators and
• Over the last one and a half decade, intra-day traders from taking heavy
the Central Road Fund (CRF) was major positions in stocks and will result in
revenue for the government to finance stock prices to drop.
ambitious road projects.
• Stocks of PSUs, securities with
derivative products and stocks under
Graded Surveillance Measure are • These nations have already developed
exempted from ASM net. offshore oil and gas reserves that are
located near enough to their coast.
9. Answer (d) Labour Bureau, Ministry
of Labour & Employment • Projects in the northernmost waters-
Kazakhstan’s giant Kashagan field and
• This topic came in PIB when, The All- Russia’s Filanovsky and Korchagin
India CPI-IW for April, 2018 increased by deposits- are seen as sources of future
1 point. oil-output growth for the countries.
10. Answer (b) only 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6 are 11. Answer (b) Maintenance of Tiger
correct. Reserves
• Recently, five Caspian Sea States – • The android-based monitoring
Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia software M-STrIPES will be used across
and Turkmenistan - signed a all the Tiger Reserves of the country.
breakthrough agreement on Caspian
Sea’s legal status. Recently, it was in News because Forest
Department staff in seven forest ranges
• The 5 nations have tried to define the in
Caspian Sea’s legal status since the
collapse of Soviet Union in order to • Coimbatore Forest Division were given
divide up the waters and its natural training to use M-STrIPES (Monitoring
resources for new drillings and pipelines. System for Tiger-Intensive Protection
Iran, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan have and Ecological Status), an exclusive tiger
contested the ownership of several oil monitoring application developed by the
and gas fields. National Tiger Conservation Authority.
(The Hindu)
• According to an estimate by the US
Energy Information Administration in • It was launched by the Indian
2013, the Caspian offshore reserves Government in 2010 in some tiger
contain at least 20 Billion Barrels of Oil reserves.
and more than 240 trillion Cubic Feet of
• The same question has been asked in
natural gas.
UPSC Prelims 2017.
12. Answer (c) Both 1 and 2 are Correct.

• The first ever Nepal-India Think Tankn United Nations Economic and Social
Summit is going to begin in Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN-
Kathmandu.Hence statement 1 is ESCAP) in the field of electronic media
correct. development.
• It is being jointly organized by the • It was established in 1977 under the

Asian Institute of Diplomacy and auspices of UNESCO and the Asia-Pacific
International Affairs and Nehru Broadcasting Union (ABU) is a founding
Memorial Museum Library organisation of the Institute and is a
non-voting member of the General
• It aims to foster greater collaboration
Conference.Hence statement 2 is also
and knowledge-sharing among the think
correct.
tanks of the two countries.
• The summit is proposed to become an • It is hosted by Malaysia and its

annual feature for the participating secretariat is located in Kuala Lampur.
organisations and it will be hosted • The International Telecommunication
alternatively in Nepal and India. Hence Union (ITU) and United Nations
statement 2 is correct. Development Programme (UNDP) are
13. Answer (d) all is Correct. also founding organisations of the
Institute. Hence statement 3 is also
• Recently, India has been elected as the correct.
President of the Asia-Pacific Institute for
Broadcasting Development (AIBD) for a • Its function is to achieve a vibrant and
period of two years. cohesive electronic media environment
in the Asia-Pacific region through policy
• President status will help India in and mobilizing the intellectual and
leveraging itself as the broadcasting and technological resources available within
media hub in Asia Pacific Region. the national broadcasting organizations
• India got the presidency of the 14. Answer (c) only 3 is Correct.
organisation for the first time by
defeating Iran in the election. Hence • Recently, government extended the
statement 1 is correct. Concessional Financing Scheme (CFS) for
five years till 2023. Hence statement 1 is
• It is a regional inter-governmental NOT correct.
organisation servicing countries of the
• The scheme is aim to support Indian West Asia and and North Africa,
entities bidding for strategically according to the Global Peace Index
important infrastructure projects (GPI), released by Australia-based
abroad. Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP).
• Under the scheme government •The IEP is the world’s leading think
provide counter guarantee and interest tank that develops metrics to analyse
equalization of 2 % to EXIM Bank to peace and quantify its economic value.
offer concessional finance to any foreign
• India’s GPI rank was 137 out of 163
Govt. or controlled entity, if any Indian
countries in 2017, when the year 2016
entity, succeeds in getting contract for
was assessed. In 2018, when the year
the execution of a project.
2017 is assessed, India’s rank moved up
• It will now cover all Indian entities, to 136. This is in line with the
compared to the earlier stipulation of performance of some of the South Asian
minimum 75 per cent Indian countries. “
shareholding. Hence statement 3 is
•South Asia experienced the largest
correct.
regional improvement in peacefulness,”
• EXIM Bank extends credit at a rate not the report noted. It also noted that
exceeding LIBOR (avg. of six months) + peace continues to record a “gradual,
100 bps. The repayment of the loan is sustained fall” across the world.
guaranteed by the foreign govt.
16. Answer (c) both 1 and 2 is Correct
• Under the scheme Ministry of
• U.S has recently placed India in
External Affairs selects the project,
Strategic Trade Authorization-1 (STA-1)
keeping in view strategic interest of
license exception list.
India and sends the same to the
Department of Economic affairs. Hence • United States eased export controls
statement 2 is also NOT correct. for high technology product sales to
India, granting it the same access as
15. Answer (c) Institute for Economics
NATO allies — Australia, Japan and
and Peace
South Korea.
• India’s rank has marginally improved in
• STA allows for license exception with
“global peacefulness”, at a time when
regards to exports from the US.
there is an overall decline of global
peace owing to escalation of violence in
• This exception from the export control portion of the income to unit holders of
regime will allow the US to export InvITs, who pooled in the money. Hence
sensitive technology to India without statement 1 is Correct.
individual licences. Hence statement 1 is
• InvITs are regulated by Securities and
correct.
Exchange Board of India. Hence
• This type of US government statement 2 is also correct.
authorization allows a certain item to be
18. Answer (c) a geometric shape
exported under defined conditions
recently discovered by scientists.
without a transaction-specific license.
• Scientists have identified new
• It is a privilege hitherto reserved only
geometric shape called scutoid while
for 36 countries, mostly NATO members
studying epithelial cells.
or key allies like Japan and South Korea.
•Epithelial tissue is one of four kinds of
• India is the only South Asian country to
tissue that forms human body which
be on the list. Hence statement 2 is also
acts as safety shield of body that make
correct.
up cell walls lining our blood.
• It provides India with greater supply
•Scutoid shape has five sides on one end
chain conditions for defence and other
and six on the other and a triangular
high-tech products.
surface on one of its longer edges. And it
17. Answer (c) both is Correct is completely new to geometry and
resembles beetle’s scutellum (shield-like
• It was in news because, the
structure) from top-down view.
government is identifying assets,
including rail lines, national highways
and power transmission lines, for
19. Answer (a) to provide
monetising through infrastructure
unemployment allowance
investment trusts (InvITs).
• Recently, The Andhra Pradesh
• These are mutual fund like institutions
government has announced Mukhya
that enable investments into the
Mantri Yuva Nestam scheme to provide
infrastructure sector by pooling small
unemployment allowance of Rs 1000
sums of money from multitude of
per month to the unemployed youth
individual investors for directly investing
(between 22-35 years of age) through
in infrastructure so as to return a
DBT using Aadhar. Hence option (a) is • The technology has potential to deliver
correct. substantial cost savings as intermediary
activities can be eventually reduced or
20. Answer (d) neither 1 nor 2 removed.
• First statement is wrong because The
• It also improves the reputation of
World Bank (Not ADB) has launched the
crypto-technologies which are currently
world’s first public bond created and
viewed suspiciously.
managed using only blockchain in order
to test how the technology might 21. Answer (d) all 1, 2 and 3 are correct
improve current bond sales practices.
• The Ministry for Road Transport &
• The project is called ‘BONDI’ Highways, Ministry for Shipping and
(Blockchain Operated New Debt Ministry for Water Resources, River
Instrument), which is also reference to Development and Ganga Rejuvenation
the Bondi Beach in Sydney. had launched two IT initiatives – BIMS &
Bhoomi Rashi – with aim to expedite
• Second statement is wrong because pre-construction processes relating to
Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) bidding and land acquisition
has been mandated by the World Bank respectively.
to be the sole arranger of the bond.
Bidder Information Management
• It is a Kangaroo bond (foreign bonds System (BIMS)
issued in Australia in local currency).
• The portal will work as a data base of
Benefits of Blockchain Bonds information about bidders, covering
• The launch of the blockchain bond is basic details, civil works experience,
an initial step in moving bond sales away cash accruals and network, annual
from manual processes towards turnover etc. BIMS will be used by all
automation. the project implementation agencies of
the Ministry.
• Blockchain technology could help in
cutting down bond settlement time • It is aimed at streamlining the process
“from T+2 days currently to T+2 of prequalification of bidders for
minutes”. Engineering Procurement Construction
Mode of contracts for National Highway
works with enhanced transparency and just-in-time, and without any parking of
objectivity. funds.
• The bidders would be responsible for • It will act as one of the key
ensuring that their latest details are functionalities to facilitate payment
available on the BIMS portal. related to compensation for land
acquisition to all the beneficiaries
• The portal will be operated in directly through the Bhoomi Rashi
conjunction with the CPPP portal for system.
invitation of bids for civil works for EPC
mode. 22. Answer (a) Rajasthan
• It is estimated that BIMS portal will • Recently, Rajasthan became first state
significantly reduce the procurement in the country to implement National
time for projects through an objective Policy on Biofuels unveiled by Union
and transparent online evaluation Government in May 2018. Henec option
system thereby leading to accelerated (a) is Correct.
project implementation.
• Its implementation was approved by
Bhoomi Rashi high-power Biofuel Authority.
• It is a portal that has been developed • It was also decided that Government
in collaboration with National will release Biofuel Rules, 2018.
Informatics Centre (NIC), comprising the • Under this policy, State Government
entire revenue data of the country. The will lay emphasis on increasing
entire process flow, from submission of production of oilseeds and establish
draft notification by the State Centre for Excellence in Udaipur to
Government to its approval by the promote research in fields of alternative
Ministry is online. fuels and energy resources.
• The portal had been created for • Biodiesel plant of capacity of eight
expediting the process of publication of tonnes per day already has been
notifications. installed in State with financial
assistance of Indian Railways.
• It has been integrated with Public
Financial Management System (PFMS). • State government will give emphasis
With this payment of Compensation by to promote marketing of biofuels and
the Ministry to the beneficiaries will be generate awareness about them.
• State Rural Livelihood Development Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Maharashtra,
Council will also encourage women’s self Punjab, and Rajasthan based on
help groups (SHGs) to explore the scope available data. Henec statement 2 is
for additional income through supply of also correct.
biodiesel.
• These states are categorized as front
23. Answer (c) both is correct. runners.
• The 1st edition of the State Energy • Gujarat, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and
Efficiency Preparedness Index (SEEPI) Haryana have been categorised in the
was released jointly by the Bureau of second best category of ‘achiever’
Energy Efficiency (BEE) and NITI Aayog. states.
Hence statement 1 is correct.
24. Answer (d) all is correct
• The index accessed state policies and
programmes aimed at improving energy • Union Ministry for Environment,
efficiency in five key sectors. Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC)
released National REDD+ Strategy,
• The sectors are buildings, industries, which will help to fulfill India’s NDC
municipalities, transportation, commitment under Paris Agreement of
agriculture and electricity distribution. climate change.
• The criteria taken into account Need for National REDD+ Strategy
includes,
• Forest is the second-largest land use in
1. Sector-wise energy consumption, India after agriculture.
2. Energy saving potential • Forestry sector in India can make

positive contribution for climate change
3. States’ influence in implementing mitigation like carbon mitigation
energy efficiency services of India’s forest by improving
carbon stocks (carbon pools).
• It has classified states in to four
categories - front runner, achiever, • As estimated, REDD+ programme
contender and aspirant, based upon could provide for capture of around 1
their efforts towards energy efficiency. billion tonnes of additional CO2 over the
next 3 decades and significant financial
• The ‘Front Runner’ states in the
incentives as carbon services under
inaugural edition of the Index are:
REDD+ including flow of positive carbon dioxide (CO2) and heavier
incentives to local communities. hydrocarbons like ethane (C2H6). It is a
clean source of energy.
Fund for Initiative:
• During the initial years of mining, CBM
1. Devolution of funds to states
was vented out and wasted into the
attaching a weightage of 7.5% of
the State’s forest cover, as per the atmosphere as it was considered as
recommendation of Finance serious safety hazard while conducting
Commission coal mining operations.
2. Compensatory Afforestation Fund
3. Green Climate Fund • However, later with advancement of
technology it was possible to extract
CBM, a precious energy resource and an
25. Answer (b) only 2 and 3 is correct.
unconventional form of natural gas.
• First statement is wrong because,
26. Answer (a) it is an integrated
India has fourth largest (Not Largest)
environmental management system.
proven coal reserves in the world.
• Recently, government launched an
• Coal Bed Methane (CBM) is an
integrated environmental management
unconventional form of natural gas
system named; PARIVESH (Proactive
found in coal deposits or coal seams.
and Responsive facilitation by
• CMB is formed during the process of Interactive, Virtuous and
coalification, the transformation of plant Environmental Single-window Hub).
material into coal. Hence option (a) is correct.
•It is considered a valuable energy About PARIVESH

resource with reserves and production
• It is a web based, role-based workflow
having grown nearly every year since
application which has been developed
1989. Varied methods of recovery make
for online submission and monitoring of
CBM astable source of energy.
the proposals submitted by the
• CBM is generic term used for gas that proponents for seeking Environment,
is found in adsorbed state in coal. CBM Forest, Wildlife and CRZ Clearances from
is natural gas found in coal seams. Central, State and district level
authorities.
• It mainly consists of Methane (CH4)
with minor amounts of nitrogen (N2),
• It automates the entire tracking of of the Expert Appraisal Committee on
proposals which includes online their project proposal.
submission of a new proposal,
• It has been developed in pursuance of
editing/updating the details of proposals
the spirit of 'Digital India' and capturing
and displays status of the proposals at
the essence of "minimum government
each stage of the workflow.
and maximum governance".
• The system includes monitoring of
27. Answer (c) both is correct
compliance reports including geo-tagged
images of the site by regulatory body or • Sustainable and Accelerated Adoption
inspecting officers even through the of efficient Textile technologies to Help
Mobile App for enhanced compliance Small Industries (SAATHI) is a joint
monitoring initiative by Ministries of Power and
• It also provides access to previous Textiles. Hence statement 1 is Correct.
Environment Impact Assessment • It aims to accelerate the adoption of
Reports, which is a valuable reservoir of energy efficient textile technologies in
information. the powerloom sector and promote cost
Significance of PARIVESH savings.
• It will improve the entire process of • Energy Efficiency Services Limited

appraisal and environmental clearance (EESL), a public sector unit under
because delay in environment clearance Ministry of power will help in
can cause a huge monetary loss and implementing the initiative. Hence
negatively impact business prospect of statement 2 is also correct.
that region.
• EESL will replace old inefficient electric
• It will ensure transparency and motors with energy efficient motors.
expedite the process of granting
• It would procure energy efficient
clearance by enabling project proponent
power looms and other kits in bulk and
and citizen to track and interact with
provide them to the small and medium
scrutiny officers, generate online
powerloom units at no upfront cost.
clearance letters.
• The Project Proponent can also track 28. Answer (b) only 2 is correct
the movement of their application at • Recently, Nagaland (Not Meghalaya)
different stages and can see the findings government declared the Singphan
Wildlife Sanctuary as an Elephant • After the declaration it became the
Reserve, with the approval of central 30th Elephant Reserve in the country.
government. Hence statement 1 is
Other Protected areas in Nagaland:
INCORRECT.
Intanki National Park, Puliebadze
• Elephant is National Heritage Animal Wildlife Sanctuary, Fakim Wildlife
and categorised as Endangered under Sanctuary and Rangapahar Wildlife
IUCN list. Sanctuary.
• It is under schedule I of the Indian 29. Answer (b) only 2 and 3 are correct
Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 and in
• Recently, Madhya Pradesh forest
Appendix I of the Convention on
department seeks to revive the plan to
International Trade in Endangered
reintroduce Cheetahs in Nauradehi
Species of Flora and Fauna (CITES).
sanctuary.
• Singhbhum Elephant Reserve in
• National Tiger Conservation Authority
Jharkhand is the first Elephant Reserve
(NTCA), is nodal agency for the Cheetahs
of the Country. Hence statement 2 is
reintroduction plan. Hence statement 1
correct.
is wrong.
• Karnataka has the highest number of
• In 2009 Project Cheetah was launched
elephants followed by Assam and Kerala
and Kuno Wildlife Sanctuary (MP) and
respectively.
Shahgarh area in Rajasthan were also
About the Singhphan Elephant Reserve: identified as other two sites for cheetah
reintroduction plan.
• It is located in Mon district of
Nagaland and spreads over an area of • Nauradehi was found to be the most
5825 acres. suitable area for the cheetahs as its
forests are not very dense to restrict the
• It has huge tracts of forest,
fast movement of Cheetahs.Hence
strategically located in contiguity with
statement 3 is correct.
the Abhaypur Reserve Forest of Assam.
• Kaziranga protected area was
• Presently, elephant distribution
established in 1904 and is located on the
habitat in Nagaland is highly
edge of the Eastern Himalayan
fragmented, this move will give better
biodiversity hotspot. It is a UNESCO
protection and conservation of
world heritage site.
elephants in the state.
• The park is home to large breeding • The only mammal to become extinct in
populations of elephants, wild water India in last 1,000 years.Hence
buffalo, and swamp deer other than the statement 2 is also correct.
one-horned rhino.
• IUCN status: Vulnerable
• Kaziranga is recognized as an
About National Tiger Conservation
‘Important Bird Area’ by Birdlife
Authority:
International for the conservation of
avifaunal species. • It is a statutory body and has
overarching supervisory/coordination
• There are five ranges in the Eastern
role as provided in the Wildlife
Assam Wildlife Division. These are
(Protection) Act, 1972.
Kaziranga (Kohora), Eastern Range
(Agaratoli), Western Range (Bagori), • It approves the Tiger Conservation
Burhapahar Range and Northern Range Plan prepared by the State
with headquarters at Biswanath. Of Governments.
these ranges, four are located on the
About National Biodiversity Authority
southern bank of the Brahmaputra,
(NBA):
while the Northern Range is located on
the north bank of the river. 47 •The National Biodiversity Authority
www.visionias.in ©Vision IAS (NBA) was established by the Central
Significance of the move Government in 2003 to implement
India’s Biological Diversity Act (2002).
• It will make India the only country in
the world to host six of the world's eight • The NBA is a Statutory Body and it
large cats, including lions, tigers, jaguars, performs facilitative, regulatory and
panthers and leopards. advisory functions for the Government
of India on issues of conservation,
• Cheetah is the flagship species of the
sustainable use of biological resources
grasslands. This will help dryland
and fair and equitable sharing of
ecosystems of India to return to their
benefits arising out of the use of
natural state.
biological resources.
About Cheetahs:
30. Answer (d) all are correct
• It was declared extinct in India in 1952
• The Kaziranga National Park (KNP) had
and last spotted in Chhattisgarh 1947.
been split into two divisions — the
existing Eastern Assam Wildlife and the members of the National Anti-
new Biswanath Wildlife park with profiteering Authority.
Brahmputra flowing in between.
• Madhav Chitale Committee:
• Kaziranga is recognized as an Constituted by Ministry of Water
‘Important Bird Area’ by Birdlife Resources, River Development and
International for the conservation of Ganga Rejuvenation to Prepare
avifaunal species. Hence statement 1 is guidelines for desiltation of Ganga
Correct. River from Bhimgauda (Uttarakhand)
to Farakka (West Bengal) . It
•The Diphlu river passes through this
recommended an institute be
national park. Hence statement 2 is also
established for flood routing studies
correct.
• The Government of India has decided
• Kaziranga protected area was to ban the use of 18 pesticides following
established in 1904 and is located on the the recommendations of the Anupam
edge of the Eastern Himalayan Verma Committee. 45 www.visionias.in
biodiversity hotspot. It is a UNESCO ©Vision IAS
world heritage site. Hence statement 3
is also correct. • The complete ban of 12 pesticides
would come into effect immediately
•The park is home to large breeding while the rest 6 would be banned from
populations of elephants, wild water December 31, 2020.
buffalo, and swamp deer other than the
one-horned rhino. • The decision is based on Anupam
Verma committee which was
31. Answer (c) Anupam Verma Committee constituted in 2013 to review the use of
• B. N. Srikrishna Committee: Expert 66 pesticides (which are either banned
committee constituted by Meity for data or restricted in other countries.)
protection. recommended a ban on 13 ‘extremely
hazardous’ pesticides , phasing out of six
• Pradeep Kumar Sinha committee: The ‘moderately hazardous’ ones by 2020,
committee constituted by the Goods and review of 27 pesticides in 2018.
and Services Tax (GST) Council to
identify and recommend eligible persons 32. Answer (c) both 1 and 2 is correct
for appointment as the chairman and • Union Government recently
constituted new 21-member advisory
panel chaired by the government’s under the Benami Transactions
Principal Scientific Advisor, on science, (Prohibition) Act has been scuttled as
technology and innovation called Prime the special courts meant for the purpose
Minister’s Science, Technology and have not yet been set up across the
Innovation Advisory Council (PM-STIAC). country.
Hence statement 1 is Correct.
• Benami Transactions (Prohibition)
• The council includes secretaries from Amendment Act, 2016, designed to curb
various departments/ministries and is black money and passed by parliament
expected to act as a high level advisory in August, came into effect on
body to several ministries and execute November 1, 2016.
mission-oriented programmes. The new
• The new law amends the 1988 Benami
panel will advise the PM on all matters
Transactions Act.
related to science, technology and
innovation, and would also monitor the • The law provides for up to seven years’
implementation of the PM's vision. imprisonment and fine for those
Hence statement 2 is also correct indulging in such transactions.Hence
• It will replace two scientific advisory
committees for the prime minister and • The law prohibits recovery of the
the cabinet, and is aimed to streamline property held benami from benamdar
as well as cut down the number of by the real owner.Hence statement 2 is
committees and councils. correct.
• It will also advise government on • As per the Act, properties held benami
developing ‘Clusters of Excellence’ in are liable for confiscation by then
science including city-based R&D government, without payment of
clusters. It will work to bring together all compensation.
science and technology partners from • An appellate mechanism has been
academia and institutes to industries provided under the act, in the form of
near such centres or cities. an adjudicating authority and appellate
33. Answer (c) both is correct tribunal.
• It was in News because recently, the • According to the government, the four
prosecution of accused persons in authorities who will conduct inquiries or
almost 100 confirmed cases instituted investigations are the Initiating Officer,
Approving Authority, Administrator and insurers, employers, or pharma
Adjudicating Authority. companies.
34. Answer (b) Only 1, 2 and 4 are • People will have right to request
correct access to copies of their personal data,
information on the processing activities
•3rd statement is wrong because
carried out with it, request restriction of
People in SECC will get automatically
access or even withdraw consent.
enrolled in this scheme.
• National Health Authority will be its
• PMJAY has become the first healthcare
implementing authority.
scheme with Privacy policy.
• There will be a provision of Rs 5 lakh
• This scheme was earlier announced in
per annum as health assurance (no
2018 budget speech as PM Jan Arogya
premium to be paid by beneficiary) for
Abhiyan within the umbrella scheme of
each family and free of cost treatment
Ayushman Bharat (National Health
for serious diseases.
Protection Mission).
• The cashless benefits can be availed
• A miniature version of this scheme is
from any public or private empaneled
already going on in Telangana from
hospital across India. However, the
years. The entire IT platform used for
payment will be done on Package rate
this scheme will be outsourced from
basis (involving secondary and tertiary
there.
care) defined by Government.
• Since the scheme is based on Aadhar,
• This will be the world’s largest
several recommendations of Srikrishna
government-sponsored healthcare
Committee have been incorporated and
scheme (10 Crore family or 50 Crore
Right to Privacy has been kept intact.
people) covering a population the size of
• The scheme will have its own Data the US, Canada and Mexico.
Privacy Policy (Psudonymisation,
• States are free to choose the mode of
anonymistaion and data minimisation,
implementation, which could either be
etc. will be done along with encryption,
insurance-based, trust-route or mixed
firewalls, etc. at various level).
model.
• Digital health data will not be
• Benefits of the scheme: It will provide
disclosed for commercial purposes, or to
good quality, affordable healthcare to
all, new infrastructure in tier II and III matter on the basis of a
cities will reduce regional disparity, role physical/chemical reaction.
of middle men and money lender will
decrease and employment opportunities • When the sink of a thermal battery
will be created in health and IT sector. It receives heat, it transforms physically or
will be Rights based approach and will chemically, thereby storing energy,
help migrant communities as well. while the source cools down.
35. Answer (c) Andhra Pradesh • During operation, the sink is cooled
down, so it releases the stored energy,
• Recently, World’s first-ever thermal while the source heats up. Depending
battery plant was inaugurated in on the nature of the battery, the system
Andhra Pradesh. can derive heat from any source, which
makes a thermal battery very versatile.
• Conventional battery technology is
based on the system of 36. Answer (c) both 1 and 2 is correct
charging/discharging cycles that are
driven by electricity. •The Public Financial Management
System (PFMS) is an end-to- end
• For example, the Lithium-ion battery solution for processing payments,
consists of electric charges being tracking, monitoring, accounting,
transferred from electrodes. Energy is reconciliation and reporting.
derived from this battery, when lithium
atoms turn into lithium ions (Li+), and • It is administered by the Department
get stored when this reaction reverses. of Expenditure and It is implemented by
the
• Thermal batteries, on the other hand,
Controller General of Accounts. Hence
use thermal energy to operate, i.e., the
energy created by temperature
differences. • PFMS is also used for DBT payments
under MGNREGA and other notified
• A thermal battery consists of two
schemes of the Government of India.
parts: a cool zone known as sink, and a
hot source called source. • It provides scheme managers a unified
platform for tracking releases and
• Both these sides consist of compounds monitoring their last mile utilisation.
known as phase-changing materials
(PCMs), which can change their state of
• It provides platform for efficient unviable due to the rugged terrain and a
management of funds through tracking short window when roads remain open
of funds and real time reporting of hence BlackHOLE serve as solution to
expenditure and receipts through bridge that gap.
treasury and bank interface.
• The Black HOLE machine is small and
• The line ministries/departments can be installed anywhere in the city for
utilise this platform to monitor the garbage disposal without segregating
utilisation of funds provided to the dry and wet waste.
implementing agencies and state
• It reduces the volume of garbage in
governments.
the ratio of 1/300 – 1/400 and the
37. Answer (c) Waste Management residue can be used as a by-product for
improving soil conditions and can act as
• Tesla's Black HOLE machines are to be
a disinfectant, alter mixing with water.
used for waste management in
Ladakh.Henec option (c) is Correct. • The BRO (Border Roads Organisation)
has already agreed to buy the ash for
• To tackle the garbage crisis in Ladakh,
building roads on the mountainside.
Bengaluru-based Tesla Energy (an arm
of the US-based Tesla Green) has come • As compared to the incinerators, Black
up with a ‘Black hole’ machine that HOLE requires no high temperatures and
works without fuel or electricity, and secondary combustion system as it is
converts all waste, except glass & based on unique feature of Plasmic
concrete material, into ash. Decomposition
• Ladakh is suffering from a serious 38. Answer (c) Bandipur National Park
waste management crisis due to rising
• Presently, there is a ban on vehicle
tourist footfall during peak season in
movement during night in the reserve
June-August generating around 15-16
forest areas. But Union Road Transport
tonne of trash daily in a narrow arc
Ministry has recently asked the state
covering the popular tourist haunts of
government to lift the ban.
Nubra valley in north-west Ladakh,
Pangong-Tso and Tso-Moriri lakes in the • The ministry has also mooted a flyover
east. in the reserve area to avoid the
consumption of fuel because of the ban
• Sending trash to the plains for disposal
is economically and geographically
in vehicle movement on NH 766 during • August 8 marks the 30th anniversary
night. of the people’s uprising in Myanmar.
Hence option (d) is correct.
• However, the state government has
asserted that the ban will continue, • The ‘8888’ uprising (or the eighth day
citing the highest density of elephants in of August 1988) is one of Myanmar’s
the reserve area. most important historic days in the
context of the pro-democracy
• Bandipur National Park was formed
movement (Picture shows the student
from the forest areas of the then
flag with the ‘Fighting Peacock’ insignia,
Venugopala wildlife park in 1941.
and used during the uprising).
• Subsequently some adjacent reserve
forest areas were added to the Bandipur • It was a series of nationwide protests,
reserve. marches and civil unrest in Burma
(Myanmar) that peaked in August 1988.
• This reserve was brought under
Project Tiger in 1973. • Key events occurred on 8 August 1988
and therefore it is known as the 8888
• The Bandipur, Nagarahole, Wayanad, Uprising.
Mudumalai and Sathyamangalam Tiger
• ‘8888’ was a people’s movement that
Landscape is spread across the states of challenged the then ruling Burma
Karnataka (Bandipur-Nagarahole), Tamil Socialist Programme Party’s grip on
Nadu (Mudumalai-Sathyamangalam) political, economic and social affairs
and Kerala (Wayanad). which led the country into extreme
poverty.
• The park has a variety of biomes
including dry deciduous forests, moist • The objective of ‘8888’ was two-fold:
deciduous forests and scrublands.
1. To push for the transfer of power
• The park is surrounded by the Kabini from the military to a civilian leadership
River in the north and the Moyar River and
in the south while the Nugu River runs
through the park. 2. A change in the political system from
an authoritarian regime to a multi- party
39. Answer (d) Myanmar democracy.
• The protests and the bloody Education and Indian Banks Association
crackdown (IBA). Hence statement 2 is correct.
• Outcome: gave rise to the National • Students can view, apply and track the
League for Democracy (NLD), a political education loan applications to banks
party which paved the way for the anytime, anywhere by accessing the
current Myanmar State Counsellor, portal.
Aung San Suu Kyi’s entry into politics
• The portal also provides linkages to
and for the pro- democracy movement
National Scholarship Portal.
to continue.
41. Answer (d) Disaster relief operation
40. Answer (b) only 2 is correct in flood-battered Kerala
• As per National Securities Depository • Navy launches 'Operation Madad' in
Limited (NSDL) report, 22119 flood-battered Kerala. Hence option (d)
applications are pending as on is correct.
29.07.2018 for more than 6 months on
VidyaLakshmi Portal. • The operation ‘Madad’ has been
launched by the Southern naval
• It is IT-based mechanism under the command at kochi.
Pradhan Mantri Vidya Lakshmi
Karyakram to provide students a single • Nearly 54,000 people have been
window electronic platform for rendered homeless and 29 deaths have
Scholarships and Educational been reported so far from across the
Loans.Hence statement 1 is NOT state which has been receiving incessant
correct. rains since past several days.
• It aims to enable all poor and middle • It is for assisting the state
class students to pursue higher administration of Kerala and
education of their choice without any undertaking disaster relief operations
constraint of funds. due to the unprecedented flooding
experienced in many parts.
• It has been developed and being
maintained by NSDL e-Governance • Flooding in many parts is due to
Infrastructure Limited under the incessant rainfall and release of excess
guidance of Department of Financial water from Idukki and other dams.
Services, Department of Higher
• In addition, the Naval Hospital, INHS which are commonly used globally to
Sanjivani has been deployed for rank most innovative education
rendering medical assistance. institutions/ universities in the world.
More than quantity, ARIIA will focus on
• Naval helicopters are also deployed for
quality of innovations and will try to
ferrying divers, power tools, axes and
measure the real impact created by
relief material to the flooded areas to
these innovations nationally and
augment ongoing relief operations.
internationally.
42. Answer (a) only 1 is correct
✓ ARIIA will primarily focus on 5 main
• Recently, Tamil Nadu Government has
parameters:
banned sale and possession of Electronic
1) Budget Expenses and Revenue
Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS) or e-
generated through Innovation and
Cigarettes in the state. Hence statement
entrepreneurship
1 is correct.
development
• So far, Punjab, Karnataka, Kerala, 2) Facilitating access to advance centres
Mizoram, Jammu and Kashmir, Uttar / facilities and entrepreneurial support
Pradesh and Bihar already have system.
prohibited manufacture, import, sale 3) Idea to Entrepreneurship
and distribution of ENDs or e-cigarettes. 4) Development of Innovation
Hence statement 2 is NOT correct. Ecosystems Supported through Teaching
& Learning
43. Answer (b) Ministry of Human 5) Best innovative solutions Developed
Resource Development In-house for Improving Governance of
• Ministry of Human Resource Your Institution
Development (MHRD) has launched 44. Answer (c) both is correct
‘Atal Ranking of Institutions on
Innovation Achievements (ARIIA)’ to • It is an initiative launched by Global IT
systematically rank education giant IBM in partnership with Indian IT
institutions and universities primarily on companies. Hence statement 1 is
innovation related indicators. correct.
• The aim is to build global solutions for

About ARIIA:
disaster management. It also aims to
bring startup, academic and enterprise
• ARIIA considers all major indicators
developers together to respond to and the fourth and final of the NASA Great
recover from natural disasters. Hence Observatories program.
statement 2 is also correct.
• It was in news because NASA’s Spitzer
45. Answer (b) Ocean Development Space Telescope, the youngest member
activities of the “Great Observatory” programme,
has completed 15 years in space.
• The Cabinet Committee on Economic
Affairs has given its approval for the • Spitzer’s infrared eyes also allows
umbrella scheme “Ocean Services, astronomers see cooler objects in space,
Technology, Observations, Resources like failed stars (brown dwarfs),
Modelling and Science (O-SMART)”, for extrasolar planets, giant molecular
implementation during the period from clouds, and organic molecules that may
2017-18 to 2019-20 at an overall cost of hold the secret to life on other planets.
Rs.1623 crore.
47. Answer (b) European Union’s
✓ Highlights of the scheme: Research and Innovation programme.
✓ Horizon 2020 is the biggest EU

• The scheme encompasses a total of
Research and Innovation programme
16 sub-projects addressing ocean
ever with nearly €80 billion of funding
development activities such as Services,
available over 7 years (2014 to 2020) –
Technology, Resources, Observations
in addition to the private investment
and Science.
that this money will attract. It promises
•The services rendered under the O-
more breakthroughs, discoveries and
SMART will provide economic benefits
world-firsts by taking great ideas from
to a number of user communities in the
the lab to the market.
coastal and ocean sectors, namely,
fisheries, offshore industry, coastal
states, Defence, Shipping, Ports etc.
• It was in news because the European
46. Answer (b) 2 only is correct Union and India will collaborate in
research and innovation for developing
• First statement is wrong The Spitzer
a next generation influenza vaccine to
Space Telescope (SST), formerly the
protect people worldwide. The EU is
Space Infrared Telescope Facility
funding this under its programme for
(SIRTF), is an infrared space telescope
research and innovation ‘Horizon 2020’.
launched in 2003 (NOT RECENTLY). It is
• The EU and the Indian government’s • The first AESF was held in Thailand in
Department of Biotechnology have 2012 and had endorsed Bangkok
committed 15 million Euros each to fund Declaration on Free and Fair Elections.
this joint project.
✓ Key facts:
The aim is to advance the efficacy,
•This was for first time AESF was held in
safety, duration of immunity, and
South Asia.
reactivity against an increased breadth
•Theme: ‘Advancing Election
of influenza strains. The joint effort also
Transparency and Integrity: Promoting
aims to develop cost-effective and
and Defending Democracy Together‘.
affordable influenza vaccine rapidly
without compromising quality.
✓The key objectives of AESF-IV are:
✓ Eligibility: •To provide a venue for Election
• The projects require minimum three Management Bodies (EMBs), Civil
applicants from Europe (three different Society Organizations (CSOs), and other
EU member states) or countries stakeholders to share and learn about
associated to the EU programme the present electoral challenges as well
Horizon 20202) and minimum three as best practices in the region.
applicants from India. •To develop and endorse the “Colombo
• The projects are also ‘Open to the Strategy to Promote and Defend
World’ and thus applicants from other Electoral Democracy in Asia”.
countries can join the EU-India •To institutionalize capacity building
consortia. efforts in making elections more
meaningful and credible through
48. Answer (b) 2 only is correct
cooperation among stakeholders.
• First statement is wrong because the •To promote inclusiveness in elections
fourth edition of Asian electoral by paying special attention to sectoral
stakeholder’s forum (AESF-IV) was held cooperation.
in Sri Lanka to discuss the state of
✓About AESF:
elections and democracy in the region.
It was jointly organised by Election
•The AESF is the largest gathering of its
Commission of Sri Lanka and Asian
kind, and is sustained through a strong
network for free elections (ANFREL).
cooperation between the civil society
and election commissions.
•The Forum will cover a wide array of
crucial election issues like the current ✓What caused this increase?
state of democracy in Asia, the common
electoral challenges in the region, and • The plummeting oil prices since 2014
various good practices employed to is one of the main reasons why
make elections better. Venezuela’s currency has weakened
•It provides opportunity for Asian sharply. The country, which has rich oil
election commissions, election reserves largely depended on it for its
observers, non-government revenue. But when the oil price dropped
organizations (NGOs) and interstate drastically in 2014, Venezuela which
bodies to gather and discuss state of received 96 per cent of its revenue from
elections and democracy in the region. It the oil exports, suffered a shortage of
also provides platform for foreign currency. This made import of
institutionalizing capacity building basic essentials like food and medicines
efforts to pave the way for more difficult.
meaningful and credible election
50. Answer (b) Yamuna
through cooperation among
stakeholders. • Key facts:
•Project Will Generate 300 MW of

49. Answer (d) Hyperinflation Power Create 33,780 Hectare Irrigation
✓What is the Venezuela crisis? Potential and 78.83 MCM Water
Availability.
•Hyperinflation is the biggest problem •Uttarakhand Will Bear the Cost of
faced by Venezuela. The inflation rate Power Component, Get the Total Benefit
there is expected to reach a stunning of Power Generation.
one million per cent this year, putting it •Centre will Fund 90% of Irrigation
on par with the crises of Zimbabwe in Component, the Six States to the Fund
the 2000s and Germany in the 1920s, Remaining 10% and Share Water
according to the International Monetary Proportionately.
Fund. The government claims that the
country is the victim of an “economic ✓Lakhwar Multi- Purpose Project:
war” and that the major issues are due
to opposition “plots” and American •Lakhwar Project is a multipurpose
sanctions. scheme, primarily a peaking power
station, on river Yamuna in the district
of Dehradun in Uttarakhand. (PMRF) Scheme will now be open to all
•The scheme envisages construction of potential researchers from 2019 and
204 m high concrete dam on river not limited to candidates from IISc, IITs,
Yamuna near Lohari village. The NITs, IIEST and IISERs.
Multipurpose scheme also envisages
• The Prime Minister’s Research
construction of Vyasi HEP (2×60 MW)
Fellowship (PMRF) scheme is aimed at
(Hathiari power station) downstream of
attracting the talent pool of the country
Lakhwar HEP.
to doctoral (Ph.D.) programs of Indian
•The scheme also includes construction
Institutes of Technology (IITs) and
of a barrage at Katapathar about 3 Km
Indian Institute of Science (IISc) for
downstream of Hathiari power station
carrying out research in cutting edge
(Vyasi HEP) on river Yamuna.
science and technology domains, with
focus on national priorities.
✓Beneficiary States:
Eligibility
Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal
✓ The applicants for the PMRF should:
Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan and Delhi
are the six Upper Yamuna Basin states.
• have completed or be pursuing the
Upper Yamuna refers to the stretch of
final year of four (or five) year
River Yamuna from its origin to the
undergraduate or five year integrated
Okhla Barrage in Delhi.
M.Tech or five year integrated M.Sc. or
51. Answer (c) both is correct five year undergraduate-postgraduate
dual degree programs in Science and
• It was in news because the
Technology streams from
government has extended the scope of
IIEST/IISc/IITs/NITs/IISERs and centrally
Prime Minister’s Research Fellows
funded IIITs;
Scheme. The decision was made after
• have secured at least CGPA/CPI of 8.0
Government failed to find adequate
(in scale of 10.0). For applicants in five
number of candidates for PMRF this
year integrated or dual degree programs
year. Only 135 fellowships were finally
if separate CGPAs/CPIs are awarded for
offered against 1,000 positions.
UG and PG parts of the program then
the CGPA/CPI of UG part (first four year)
Changes introduced:
will be considered.
• have completed the required
• Prime Minister’s Research Fellows
academic qualification in the last five
years. ✓ Need for early warning:
• A research grant of Rs.2.00 lakh per

• Like India, several southeast Asian
year will be provided to each of the
countries depend on the monsoon and
Fellows for a period of 5 years to cover
are prone to its vagaries. The WMO says
their academic contingency expenses
flash floods account for 85% of flooding
and for foreign/national travel expenses.
incidents across the world, causing some
52. Answer (a) 1 only 5,000 deaths each year.
• The proposed model would provide
forecasts by computing the likelihood of
• Second statement is wrong because rainfall and the soil moisture levels to
flash flood is a rapid flooding of low- warn of possible floods.
lying areas (NOT SLOW): washes, rivers,
•The World Meteorological
dry lakes and basins. It may be caused
Organization (WMO) is a specialized
by heavy rain associated with a severe
agency of the United Nations dedicated
thunderstorm, hurricane, tropical storm,
to meteorology (weather), climatology
or meltwater from ice or snow flowing
(climate), operational hydrology (water)
over ice sheets or snowfields. Flash
and other related geophysical sciences
floods may occur after the collapse of a
such as oceanography and atmospheric
natural ice or debris dam, or a human
chemistry.
structure such as a man-made dam.
Flash floods are distinguished from 53. Answer (C) only 2 is correct
regular floods by having a timescale of
• First Statement is wrong because the
less than six hours.
2018 BRICS summit, the tenth such
•It was in news because India has been annual summit, is being held in South
designated as a nodal centre for Africa.
preparing flash-flood forecasts by the
• Third statement is wrong because
World Meteorological Organization
Xiamen Declaration is related to 9th
(WMO). That means India will have to
BRICS summit.
develop a customised model that can
issue advance warning of floods in • Theme: “BRICS in Africa: Collaboration
Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and for Inclusive Growth and Shared
Thailand.
Prosperity in the 4th Industrial
Revolution”. ✓ The Ninth BRICS Summit was held in
Xiamen, China under the theme “BRICS:
✓ The new areas of BRICS cooperation
Stronger Partnership for a Brighter
as proposed by South Africa, are as
Future”. The leaders built on
follows:
achievements already made with a
• Establishment of a Working Group on
share vision for future development of
Peacekeeping.
BRICS, discussed international and
• Establishment of a Vaccine Research
regional issues of common concern and
Centre for Collaboration with BRICS
adopted the Xiamen Declaration.
vaccine innovation and development
partners – this is intended to be a 54. Answer (c) Both 1 and 2 is correct
physical research centre focused on
• It was in news because West Bengal
research and development and vaccine
government has announced that there
innovation.
would not be any ceiling for a family’s
• Establishment of a BRICS Gender and
annual earnings to be a beneficiary
Women’s Forum – intended as a
under the UN award winning
dedicated track for gender and women’s
Kanyashree scheme. Till now, girls who
issues, given the economic benefit to be
belong to families with annual family
derived from the socio-economic
income not more than Rs 1.20 lakh is
empowerment of women, particularly in
entitled to get the benefits.
developing countries.
• Establishment of a BRICS Tourism
✓About Kanyashree scheme:
Track of Cooperation.
✓ BRICS is an acronym for the grouping • Kanyashree is a conditional cash

of the world’s leading emerging transfer scheme aiming at improving
economies, namely Brazil, Russia, India, the status and well-being of the girl
China and South Africa. child by incentivising schooling of
teenage girls and delaying their
✓Chairship: The Chairship of the forum
marriages until the age of 18. It
is rotated annually among the members,
received the United Nations Public
in accordance with the acronym B-R-I-C-
Service Award last year.
S.
• The UN Public Service Awards are
✓The First BRIC Summit was held in given by the world body to institutions
June 2009 in Yekaterinburg, Russia.
from across the world for their •All beneficiaries currently enrolled
innovation and excellence in providing under the Rashtriya Swasthya Bima
public services. Yojana (RSBY), as well as other low-
income families, are covered under the
• It highlights the pivotal role of public BSKY.
services in the implementation of the
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
• The Awards aim at discovering 56. Answer (c) both is correct
innovations in governance; reward
• It was in news because, the Indian
excellence in the public sector; motivate
public servants to further promote government has handed over a cheque
innovation; enhance professionalism in amounting Rs 33 crore to the Nepal
Government for construction of a Postal
the public service; raise the image of
public service; enhance trust in Highway.
government; and collect and ✓ About the Postal Highway project:
disseminate successful practices for
possible replication. • Postal Highway also called Hulaki
55. Answer (a) 1 only Rajmarg runs across the Terai region of
Nepal, from Bhadrapur in the east to
• Second statement is wrong because it Dodhara in the west, cutting across the
will provide Rs. 5 lakh per family per entire width of the country.
annum for all Secondary and Tertiary • It is the oldest highway in Nepal
Cashless Health Care Assistance and not constructed by Juddha Shumsher Jung
for primary healthcare assistance. Bahadur Rana & Padma Shumsher Jung
Bahadur Rana to aid transportation and
• Odisha government has launched Biju
facilitate postal services throughout the
Swasthya Kalyan Yojana, on the
nation.
occasion of the 72nd Independence
Day. 57. Answer (a) United States, Russia
and China
• Under this scheme, Women
beneficiaries can get health cover upto •Indian Space Research Organization
Rs. 7 lakh. (ISRO) unveiled details of its first
• This scheme will benefit 3.5 crore indigenous human space mission
people (70 lakh families) at any govt. dubbed as Gaganyaan to be launched in
and private empanelled hospitals. 2022.
•The mission was announced by Prime • FSSAI believes India has the potential
Minister Narendra Modi during his 72nd to recover 220 crore litres of used
Independence Day speech. Under it, cooking oil for the production of
three Indian astronauts (Gaganyatris) biodiesel by 2022 through a co-
will be taken to space on board ordinated action.
Gaganyaan spacecraft by 2022.
• According to FSSAI regulations, the
• This will be the first human space maximum permissible limits for Total
mission to be indigenously developed by Polar Compounds (TPC) have been set
ISRO. If successful, India will become at 25%, beyond which the cooking oil is
fourth nation in the world to send unsafe for consumption.
astronaut into space after US, Russia
and China.... ✓ what is Total Polar Compounds
(TPC)?
58. Answer (b) 2 only • In many countries, TPC is used to
measure the quality of oil. The level of
• First statement is wrong because, the
TPC increases every time oil is re-
Food Safety and Standards Authority of
heated. Some of the studies show that
India (FSSAI) have launched RUCO
TPC accumulation in oil without food is
(Repurpose Used Cooking Oil), an
slower than that in oil frying with food.
initiative that will enable collection and
conversion of used cooking oil to bio-
• Higher level of TPC in cooking oil
diesel.
leads to health issues like hypertension,
atherosclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease
• Under this initiative, 64 companies at
and liver disease.
101 locations have been identified to
enable collection of used cooking oil. 59. Answer (d) all are correct
For instance: McDonald’s has already
•It was in news because the National
started converting used cooking oil to
Payments Corporation of India (NPCI)
biodiesel from 100 outlets in Mumbai
has said the incident of cyber-attack in
and Pune.
Pune-based Cosmos Cooperative Bank,
• FSSAI wants businesses using more
that has caused an over ₹90-crore loss,
than 100 litres of oil for frying, to
is due to a malware attack on the bank’s
maintain a stock register and ensure
system.
that UCO is handed over to only register
collecting agencies. ✓ About NPCI
•National Payments Corporation of India investigations to encompass the diverse
(NPCI) is an umbrella organisation for forms of philosophizing by past and
operating retail payments and present thinkers across cultures, with
settlement systems in India. special attention to critical reflections
on philosophy itself and the tasks and
• Founded in 2008, NPCI is a not-for-
functions of philosophy in the
profit organisation registered under
contemporary world.
section 8 of the Companies Act 2013.
• To open the philosophical area to
• The organisation is owned by a enable philosophers to address
consortium of major banks, and has emerging global issues through fruitful
been promoted by the country's central interactions with other disciplines in the
bank, the Reserve Bank of India. humanities, social sciences, and natural
sciences, with other activities in
• Presently, there are ten core economic, social, political, and religious
promoter banks (State Bank of India, spheres, as well as with diverse cultures
Punjab National Bank, Canara Bank,
and traditions.
Bank of Baroda, and Union Bank of
• To encourage philosophical reflections
India, Bank of India, ICICI Bank, HDFC
to become public discourses on
Bank, Citibank and HSBC). recurrent human concerns, such as
60. Answer (a) 1 only ecology, justice, and peace.
•Second statement is wrong because, 61. Answer (c) Economist Intelligence

it is organized by the International Unit
Federation of Philosophical Societies
• The liveability index quantifies the
(FISP) in collaboration with one of its
challenges that might be presented to
member societies. ( NOT UNESCO) It was
an individual’s lifestyle in 140 cities
first organized in 1900.
worldwide, and assesses which locations
• Recently, 24th World Congress of provide the best living conditions.
Philosophy held in Beijing, China.
✓Aims of the 2018 Congress include an ✓ PARAMETERS OF THE GLOBAL
emphasis on exploring dimensions of LIVEABILITY INDEX:
the human and inquiring into the The list ranks 140 cities on a range of
challenges facing humanity: factors, including:
•Political and social stability.
• To globalize philosophical •Crime
•Education •Papua New Guinea’s Port Moresby at
•Access to healthcare. 136.
•Karachi at 137.
✓The survey rates cities worldwide •Nigeria’s Lagos at 138.
based on 30 qualitative and •Dhaka at 139.
quantitative criteria, which fall into five •Damascus at 140.
general categories:
✓ For India, only New Delhi and
1)Stability
Mumbai could make it to the list with:
2)Health care
•New Delhi at 112th position.
3)Culture and environment.
•Mumbai at 117th position.
4)Education
5)Infrastructure 62. Answer (d) all are correct
• National Payments Corporation of

As per Economist Intelligence Unit’s
India (NPCI) has launched UPI 2.0, an
(EIU) Global Liveability Index, 2018, the
upgraded and renewed version of
top 10 cities to live in the world are:
Unified Payments Interface (UPI).
1)Vienna
2)Melbourne
3)Osaka ✓ Key features of UPI 2.0
4)Calgary
5)Sydney 1. Linking of overdraft account: In
6)Vancouver addition to current and savings
7)Tokya accounts, customers can link their
8)Toronto overdraft account to UPI. Customers will
9)Copenhagen be able to transact instantly and all
10)Adelaide benefits associated with overdraft
account shall be made available to the
users. UPI 2.0 will serve as an additional
EIU’s Global Liveability Index, 2018, digital channel to access the overdraft
puts the following cities at the bottom account.
of the list:
•Senegal’s Dakar at 131. 2. One-time mandate: UPI mandate
•Algeria’s Algiers at 132. could be used in a scenario where
•Cameroon’s Douala at 133. money is to be transferred later by
•Libya’s Tripoli at 134. providing commitment at present. UPI
•Zimbabwe’s Harare at 135.
2.0 mandates are created with one-time Axis Bank, ICICI Bank, IDBI Bank, RBL
block functionality for transactions. Bank, YES Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank,
Customers can pre-authorise a IndusInd Bank, Federal Bank and HSBC.
transaction and pay at a later date. It
✓ About UPI
works seamlessly for merchants as well
as for individual users. Mandates can be • The Unified Payments Interface (UPI)
created and executed instantly. On the is a system developed by the NPCI and
date of actual purchase, the amount will the RBI to aid instant transfer of money
be deducted and received by the using a cashless system.
merchant/individual user.
• Using UPI services, one just requires a
3. Invoice in the inbox: According to smartphone and a banking app to send
NPCI, this feature is designed for and receive money instantly or to pay a
customers to check the invoice sent by merchant for retail purchase. In the long
merchant prior to making payment. It run, UPI is likely to replace the current
will help customers to view and verify NEFT, RTGS, and IMPS systems as they
the credentials and check whether it has exist today.
come from the right merchant or not.
Customers can pay after verifying the
amount and other important details ✓ The UPI ecosystem functions with
mentioned in the invoice. three key players:
4) Signed intent and QR: This feature is • Payment service providers (PSPs) to
designed for customers to check the provide the interface to the payer and
authenticity of merchants while the payee. Unlike wallets, the payer and
scanning QR or quick response code. It the payee can use two different PSPs.
notifies the user with information to • Banks to provide the underlying
ascertain whether the merchant is a accounts. In some cases, the bank and
verified UPI merchant or not. This the PSP may be the same.
provides an additional security. • NPCI to act as the central switch by
Customers will be informed in case the ensuring VPA resolution, effecting credit
receiver is not secured by way of and debit transactions through IMPS.
notifications.
63. Answer (c) 1&2 only
•UPI 2.0 member banks as on date are
State Bank of India (SBI), HDFC Bank,
• Third statement is wrong because INI meet up and discuss ideas and exchange
holds conference once in every three knowledge on nitrogen issues.
years. • The program is currently a sustained
partner of Future Earth, an international
(NOT TEN Years)
organisation that works to accelerate
•It was in news because Indian scientist transformations to global sustainability
Nandula Raghuram has been elected as through research and innovation.
the Chair of the International Nitrogen
Initiative (INI), a global policy making ✓Nitrogen:
initiative. He is the first Indian and Asian
to be elected to the Chair of INI. •Nitrogen is one of the five major
chemical elements that are necessary
✓About International Nitrogen for life. While nitrogen is the most
Initiative: abundant of these, more than 99% of it
• The International Nitrogen Initiative occurs as molecular nitrogen, or N2,
(INI) is an international program, set up which cannot be used by most
in 2003 under sponsorship of the organisms. This is because breaking the
Scientific Committee on Problems of the triple bond holding the two nitrogen
Environment (SCOPE) and from the atoms together requires a large amount
International Geosphere-Biosphere of energy, which can be mustered only
Program (IGBP). through high-temperature processes or
by a small number of nitrogen-fixing
• The initiative aims to optimise microbes.
nitrogen’s beneficial role in sustainable
64. Answer (d) All of the above
food production and minimize
nitrogen’s negative effects on human • It was in news because Continuing its
health. efforts to get ‘millets’ a global
• INI is coordinated by a Steering recognition for its promotion among
Committee, led by a chair and six consumers, India has written to Food
regional centre directors representing, and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of
Africa, Europe, Latin America, North the United Nations proposing
America, South Asia and East Asia. declaration of the upcoming year as
• The INI holds a conference once in “International Year of Millets”.
every three years, inviting members of
the international nitrogen community to
✓ Efforts by government to promote • They have multiple untapped uses
millets: such as food, feed, fodder, biofuels and
brewing. Therefore, millets are Smart
•In order to promote ‘millets’, India had Food as they are Good for You, Good
on its part notified these climate for the Farmer and Good for the Planet.
resilient crops as “Nutri-Cereals” and
allowed its inclusion in the Public • Nutritionally superior to wheat & rice
Distribution System (PDS) for improving owing to their higher levels of protein
nutritional support in April. with more balanced amino acid profile,
• Recognising millets’ anti-diabetic crude fiber & minerals such as Iron, Zinc,
properties, the notification called it a and Phosphorous, millets can provide
“powerhouse of nutrients” and nutritional security and act as a shield
identified several varieties of millets for against nutritional deficiency, especially
promotion. among children and women.
• The millets in the category of “Nutri-

• The anaemia (iron deficiency), B-
Cereals” include Sorghum (Jowar), Pearl
complex vitamin deficiency, pellagra
Millet (Bajra), Finger Millet (Ragi),
(niacin deficiency) can be effectively
Foxtail Millet (Kangani/Kakun) and
tackled with intake of less expensive but
Buckwheat (Kuttu) among others.
nutritionally rich food grains like millets.
• Besides, the government had in July
substantially hiked the minimum
• Millets can also help tackle health
support price (MSP) of millets so that
challenges such as obesity, diabetes and
more and more farmers may opt for
lifestyle problems as they are gluten
cultivation of these less water
free, have a low glycemic index and are
consuming crops.
high in dietary fibre and antioxidants.
✓ Benefits of Millets:
• Adapted to low or no purchased inputs
An important staple cereal crop for and to harsh environment of the semi-
millions of small holder dryland farmers arid tropics, they are the backbone for
across sub-saharan Africa and Asia, dry land agriculture.
millets offer nutrition, resilience, income
and livelihood for farmers even in • Photo-insensitive & resilient to
difficult times. climate change, millets are hardy,
resilient crops that have a low carbon
and water footprint, can withstand high Washington, north-western US, and one
temperatures and grow on poor soils is at Livingston in Louisiana, south-
with little or no external inputs. In eastern US. The proposed LIGO India
times of climate change they are often project aims to move one advanced
the last crop standing and, thus, are a LIGO detector from Hanford to India.
good risk management strategy for
• The LIGO-India project will be jointly
resource-poor marginal farmers.
coordinated and executed by three
Indian research institutions: the Inter-
University Centre for Astronomy and
Astrophysics (IUCAA), Pune and
65. Answer (a) 1 only Department of Atomic Energy
organisations: Institute for Plasma
• Second statement is wrong because
Research (IPR), Gandhinagar and the
LIGO-India project is piloted by
Raja Ramanna Centre for Advanced
Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) Technology (RRCAT), Indore.
and Department of Science and
Technology (DST). ✓ What is gravitational waves?
• It was in news because The •Gravitational waves are disturbances in

Environment Ministry has allowed the curvature (fabric) of spacetime,
scientists to test the suitability of land in generated by accelerated masses that
Maharashtra’s Hingoli district to host propagate as waves outward from their
the India wing of the ambitious Laser source at the speed of light. They were
Interferometer Gravitational Wave proposed by Henri Poincare in 1905 and
Observatory (LIGO) project. subsequently predicted in 1916 by
Albert Einstein on the basis of his
• The LIGO (Laser Interferometer
general theory of relativity. Gravitational
Gravitational-wave Observatory) is a
waves transport energy as gravitational
massive observatory for detecting
radiation, a form of radiant energy
cosmic gravitational waves and for
similar to electromagnetic radiation.
carrying out experiments. The objective
is to use gravitational-wave observations 66. Answer (d) All of the above
in astronomical studies.
• The project operates three • Salt crocodiles were in news because
gravitational-wave (GW) detectors. Two the Odisha government is setting up a
are at Hanford in the state of world-class interpretation centre at
Dangamal near Bhitarkanika National •The saltwater crocodile, also known as
Park to showcase its efforts in the estuarine crocodile, Indo-Pacific
protecting crocodiles and preserving its crocodile, marine crocodile, sea
rich mangrove diversity. The centre will crocodile or informally as saltie, is the
be developed both as a tourist largest of all living reptiles, as well as
attraction and a place for students to the largest riparian predator in the
learn about the environment. world.
•The project, which has been approved
• The saltwater crocodile is a large and
under the Integrated Coastal Zone
opportunistic hypercarnivorous apex
Management Project, will be taken up
predator.
at an estimated cost of ₹3 crore.
• Currently, the species is listed in CITES
• Bhitarkanika park is famous for its
as follows:
green mangroves, migratory birds,
turtles, estuarine crocodiles and
- Appendix I (prohibiting all commercial
countless creeks. It is said to house 70%
trade in the species or its byproducts):
of the country’s estuarine or saltwater
All wild populations except for those of
crocodiles, conservation of which was
Australia, Indonesia and Papua New
started way back in 1975.
Guinea;
✓ ‘BAULA’ PROJECT AT DANGAMAL: - Appendix II (commercial trade allowed
with export permit; import permits may
• ‘Baula’ is the Oriya term for Saltwater or may not be required depending on
Crocodile. At Dangmal in Bhitarkanika the laws of the importing country):
sanctuary, salt-water crocodile eggs Australia, Indonesia and Papua New
have been collected locally; and young Guinea wild populations, plus all
crocodiles have been released in the worldwide populations bred in captivity
creeks and the estuaries; and more than for commercial purposes.
2200 crocodiles have been released in
67. Answer (c) both 1 and 2
phases since 1977.
•This operation has been reasonably • 11th World Hindi Conference is being
successful and the crocodile population held at Mauritius.
in the Bhitarkanika river system has • Theme: “Vaishvik Hindi Aur Bharatiy
gradually been built up. Sanskriti“.
• The event, held once in three years, is
✓ saltwater crocodile
dedicated to Hindi language. It sees
participation from Hindi scholars, •Second statement is wrong because it
writers and laureates from different is issued by registered foreign portfolio
parts of the world who contribute to the investors (FPIs) to overseas investors
language. who wish to be part of the Indian stock
✓Key facts for Prelims: market without registering themselves
directly.
• The decision to organize the 11th
• It was in news because Investments
edition of the Conference in Mauritius
through participatory notes into Indian
was taken at the 10th World Hindi
capital markets have plunged to over
Conference held in Bhopal, India in
nine-year low of Rs 80,341 crore till
September 2015.
July-end amid stringent norms put in
• The first World Hindi Conference was
place by the watchdog Sebi to check
held in 1975 in Nagpur, India. Since
misuse of these instruments.
then, ten such Conferences have been
held in different parts of the world. • P-notes are used by overseas market
• The MEA has also set up the World participants that don’t want to get
Hindi Secretariat in Mauritius. The main registered as FIIs. P-notes are not issued
objective of the WHS is to promote in India, rather these are issued by an
Hindi as an international language and India registered FII to other overseas
further its cause for recognition at the investors. The FII will be the entity to
United Nations as an Official Language. initiate a transaction in our stock
markets, which could be on behalf of
68. Answer (a) NABARD
foreign clients. P-notes are then issued
•The survey covered a sample of 1.88 by the FII to the client, underlining that
lakh people from 40,327 rural the securities are held on behalf of the
households. Only 48% of these are client albeit in the name of the FII. The
defined as agricultural households, P-note holder is entitled to all the
which have at least one member self- dividends, capital gains and other
employed in agriculture and which payouts on the underlying securities. FIIs
received more than ₹5,000 as value of have to periodically report to Sebi on P-
produce from agricultural activities note issuance without the need to name
over the past year, whether they the final beneficiary.
possessed any land or not.
70. Answer (d) neither 1 nor 2
69. Answer (a) 1 only
• First statement is wrong because the schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder,
Hologram-based sticker of light-blue even though such covers are
colour will be used for petrol and CNG- commonplace in many countries.
run vehicles.( NOT for diesel-driven
✓ Important Features of the Bill
vehicles)
• Second statement is wrong because • Rights of persons with mental illness:

Sticker of orange colour will be used for Every person have the right to access
diesel-driven vehicles. (NOT for petrol mental health care by both public and
and CNG-run vehicles) private services. Right to access of
mental health care includes availability,
71. Answer (b) 1&2 only
affordability and accessibility.
•Third statement is wrong because a • Advance Directive: A mentally ill
mentally ill person shall have the right person shall have the right to choose the
to choose the way of treatment and can way of treatment and can nominate a
nominate a person who can take person who can take decision on their
decision on their behalf. behalf.
• Central and State Mental Health
• It was in news because Insurance
Authority:Authority has the
regulator IRDAI has issued circular
responsibility to
directing insurers to cover mental
To maintain register of all mental health
illness, which has reached serious
establishments
proportions in the country.
To develop quality service
✓ What’s the issue?
To train law enforcement officials
To receive complains
• The Mental Healthcare Act, 2017 —
To advise the govt. on the matters
which came into force from May 29 —
relating to mental health.
has made it mandatory to provide “for • Mental Health Review Commission
medical insurance for treatment of
and Board: It will be quasi-judicial body
mental illness on the same basis as is that will review the use and the
available for treatment of physical procedure for making advance directives
illness”.
and the advice the government on
protection of the rights of mentally ill
• But to date, none of India’s 33 insurers
persons.
has introduced a product that covers • Decriminalizing suicide and prohibiting
ailments such as depression,
electro-convulsive therapy: A person
attempting suicide is given mental Municipal Corporation (GHMC) DRF staff
treatment at that particular time and it and they will reach the emergency spots
is not considered as a crime under in no time.
Indian Penal Code. •The main aim to start this DRF is that a
state should have its own Disaster force.
• Electro-convulsive therapy is allowed
•DRF personnel have been trained in
with the use of muscle relaxants and
tackling of flooding, tree falls, structural
anesthesia which is prohibited for
collapses and any other site of normal
minors.
emergencies.
Insurance: Bill will facilitate insurance
•DRF has been first brought on to the
facility for both medical insurance as
ground with 120 personal with 8
well as physical illness.
specialised vehicles and other
72. Answer (c) Gold equipment’s which are required.
• These are a new type of gold in the

form of very small crystals developed
74. (b) Storing data on any device that
by researchers from Jawaharlal Nehru
is physically present within the borders
Centre for Advanced Scientific Research
of a specific country.
(JNCASR), Bengaluru.
• The microcystallites were synthesised • It was recently in news because US
by decomposing an organic complex technology giants plan to intensify
containing gold and other ions under lobbying efforts against stringent Indian
controlled conditions. data localisation requirements, which
• The microcrystal gold has been found they say will undermine their growth
to be nobler than gold — it do not ambitions in India.
dissolve in mercury and Aqua regia (a
✓ What does Data Localization mean?
mixture of nitric acid and hydrochloric
• Data localization is the act of storing
acid), and showed the least interaction
data on any device that is physically
with copper.
present within the borders of a specific
• Microcystallites are also more stable
country where the data was generated.
than the normal gold.
Free flow of digital data, especially data
which could impact government
73. Answer (a) Telangana
operations or operations in a region, is
•The vehicles will be parked at 24 restricted by some governments. Many
locations with Greater Hyderabad attempt to protect and promote security
across borders, and therefore encourage in the world.
data localization. • It was in news because, it was
✓ Policy goals: successfully flight tested from Army
• Goals set in the Draft National Digital Helicopter recently.
Communications Policy 2018, along with
• HeliNa, (Helicopter-launched Nag)
various government notifications and
with a range of 7–8 km, launched from
guidelines such as Reserve Bank of
twin-tube stub wing-mounted launchers
India’s notification on Payment Data
on board the armed HAL Dhruv and HAL
Storage 2018, and the Guidelines for
Light Combat Helicopter produced by
Government Departments for
state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd
Contractual Terms related to Cloud
(HAL).
Storage 2017, show signs of data
localisation. • It will be structurally different from
• The rationale behind such mandates the Nag.
has been attributed to various factors,
✓ what is NAG?
such as: securing citizen’s data, data
privacy, data sovereignty, national •The Nag missile is an Indian third
security, and economic development of generation "fire-and-forget" anti-tank
the country. The extensive data guided missile. It is an all-weather, top
collection by technology companies, due attack missile with a range of 3 to 7 km.
to their unfettered access and control of
user data, has allowed them to freely • It is being developed by India's
process and monetise Indian users’ data Defence Research and Development
outside the country. Organisation (DRDO) under the
Integrated Guided Missile Development
75. Answer (c) Anti-Tank Guided Program and is manufactured by Bharat
Missile. Dynamics Limited.
• It is indigenously developed 76. Answer (a) Mauritius
Helicopter launched Anti-Tank Guided
Missile. • Panini Language Laboratory’ has been
set up at Mahatma Gandhi Institute
• The Missile is guided by an Infrared (MGI) in Mauritius.
Imaging Seeker (IIR) operating in the • The lab, gifted by the Indian
Lock on Before Launch mode. It is one of government, will help MGI in teaching
the most advanced Anti-Tank Weapons Indian languages in Mauritius. It aims
to promote reading and writing Hindi indicators are intensifying.
amongst young generation and its ✓Why Indian Rupee is falling against
further development. It will serve as the US Dollar?
medium to generate more interest in • Turkish currency turmoil: The Indian
learning Hindi amongst youngsters currency had plunged by Rs 1.08, or 1.57
thereby strengthening language. per cent, to a record low of 69.91
against the US currency amid fears that
77. Answer (b) 2, 3 and 4 only
Turkish currency turmoil could turn out
into global financial crisis.
• The Spike in oil prices has pulled down
• First match is not correct because
the rupee, by pushing up dollar demand.
Hand in Hand exercise is between India
• Global Trade war fears triggered by
and China.
the US and China’s retaliatory import
(NOT France) tariffs have also weakened the Rupee.
• The Chinese yuan has fallen sharply in
• Exercise Maitree 2018 was held in the last few sessions. This also has
Thailand. The Exercise Maitree is an triggered a dollar flight from many
annual event designed to strengthen the emerging economies. The Spurt in dollar
partnership between Royal Thai Army outflow has pulled down most Asian
and Indian Army. currencies, including the rupee.
• The first joint military exercise named
“Dharma Guardian” between India and How it affects inflation?
Japan held at the Army’s Counter- •With rupee falling, country’s imports
Insurgency Warfare School at Vairengte become more expensive and exports
(Mizoram).The exercise is aimed at cheaper. The reason is simple. It takes
developing mutual understanding and more rupees to pay for the same
respect between militaries of both quantum of imports and fewer dollars
countries, as also facilitate in tracking for a buyer to pay for the same
worldwide phenomenon of terrorism. quantity of exports.
•More expensive imports are likely to
•With the rupee recently weakening drive inflation upward, especially in
past ₹70 to a dollar and hovering about India where input products constitute a
that level since, concerns over the large part of our imports. In addition, a
impact of the devaluation on economic depreciating rupee also impacts the oil
import bill since it costs more rupees 79. Answer (a) an asteroid
per barrel of oil, which plays its own
• It was in news because the OSIRIS-REx
part in pushing inflation up.
spacecraft has begun its final approach
toward the big near-Earth asteroid
✓What happens to GDP growth?
Bennu.
•On the one hand, costlier inputs and ✓ About the mission:
the subsequent increase in the prices of • OSIRIS-Rex stands for Origins,
finished goods should have a positive Spectral Interpretation, Resource
impact on GDP. But the consequent Identification, Security-Regolith
decrease in demand due to higher prices Explorer.
could nullify this.
•It is a NASA asteroid study and
sample-return mission.The mission's
•A depreciating rupee certainly affects
main goal is to obtain a sample of at
the exports and imports, since exports
least 60 grams (2.1 oz) from Bennu, a
are likely to receive a boost while
carbonaceous near-Earth asteroid, and
imports could flag somewhat. It remains
return the sample to Earth for a detailed
to be seen what impact a reduction in
household consumption would have on analysis.
demand, especially when the festive • OSIRIS-REx is the third mission in
season is nearing. NASA’s New Frontiers program, which
previously sent the New Horizons
✓How does it affect individuals? spacecraft zooming by Pluto and the
Juno spacecraft into orbit around
•A depreciating rupee means higher Jupiter.
prices of goods and services, costlier
petrol and trips abroad turning more 80. Answer (c) Maldives
expensive. On the flip side, the • The world’s largest 3-D printed reef
domestic tourism could grow as more has been submerged at Summer Island
tourists visit India since their currency Maldives, in what is hoped could be a
now buys more here. In the medium new technology-driven method to help
term, export-oriented industries may coral reefs survive a warming climate.
also create more jobs because export
becomes cheaper when Rupee • The artificial reef, assembled with
weakens. hundreds of ceramic and concrete
modules, was submerged at Summer • NCRB is the Nodal Agency for
Island’s ‘Blue Lagoon’ — a sandy part of authentic source of Data on crime,
the lagoon, where the resort hopes to accidents, suicides, and prisons for
create a new coral reef ecosystem. policy matters and research.
• It was set-up in 1986 to function as a
81. Answer (c) both 1 and 2
repository of information on crime and
• It was in news because a high-level criminals so as to assist the investigators
meeting was recently convened to in linking crime to the perpetrators.
discuss recommendations on ways to • It was set up based on the
curb “sexual violence” videos involving recommendations of the National Police
women and children. Commission (1977-1981) and the MHA’s
✓ Outcomes of the meeting: Task force (1985).
• It was decided in the meeting that the • It was set up by merging the
National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) Directorate of Coordination and Police
would be the designated nodal agency Computer (DCPC), Inter State Criminals
for monitoring the complaints received Data Branch of CBI, Central Finger Print
on a government portal that records Bureau of CBI, and Statistical Branch of
child pornography and sexual violence BPR&D.
videos.
• The NCRB would coordinate with
service providers such as Facebook, •Second statement is wrong because
YouTube and WhatsApp and ask them even if NOTA gets more than 50% votes
to block malicious videos and contents. or maximum number of votes in Lok
Sabha Elections still it will not affect the
✓ Impact: results of election. The Election
• NCRB is only a crime record agency. Commission also clarified that even
Therefore, a government notification though votes cast as NOTA are counted,
has been issued under the Information they are considered as invalid votes so
Technology Act, 2000 to enable it to they will not change the outcome of the
take action against such videos. Now, election process. They are not taken into
whenever such incidents are reported, it account for calculating the total valid
can write to service providers and ask votes and will not be considered for
them to block the content. determining the forfeiture of deposit.
✓ About NCRB:
• It was in news because the Supreme ✓ Highlights of the report:
Court has overruled an Election • Real average daily wages in India
Commission notification, saying that almost doubled in the first two decades
NOTA (None Of The Above) option after economic reforms, but low pay and
cannot be allowed in Rajya Sabha wage inequality remains a serious
elections. challenge to inclusive growth.
• Overall, in 2009-10, a third of all of
✓ Why SC scrapped the use of NOTA in
wage workers were paid less than the
Rajya Saba elections? national minimum wage, which is
• As per the court, the NOTA option is merely indicative and not legally
meant only for universal adult suffrage binding. That includes 41% of all casual
and direct elections and not polls held workers and 15% of salaried workers.
by the system of proportional • In 2011-12, the average wage in India
representation by means of the single was about ₹247 rupees a day, almost
transferable vote as done in the Rajya double the 1993-94 figure of ₹128.
Sabha. However, average labour productivity
• NOTA in indirect elections, such as in (as measured by GDP per worker)
the Rajya Sabha, would lead to horse- increased more rapidly than real
trading, corruption and use of extra average wages. Thus, India’s labour
constitutional methods to defeat a party share — or the proportion of national
candidate. income which goes into labour
•NOTA also make the system of compensation, as opposed to capital or
proportional representation by means of landowners — has declined.
single transferable vote nugatory and • The rise in average wages was more
otiose. rapid in rural areas, and for casual
• The option of NOTA for Lok Sabha and workers. However, these groups started
assembly elections was prescribed by at such a low base that a yawning wage
the SC in 2013. The option of NOTA in gap still remains. Thus, the average
RS polls was introduced by the EC in wage of casual workers — who make
2014.( But now SC has overruled this) 62% of the earning population — was
Thus, India became the 14th country to only ₹143 a day.
institute negative voting. • Daily wages in urban areas (₹384) also
remain more than twice as high as
83. Answer (b) International Labour those in rural areas (₹175). Regional
Organisation disparities in average wages have
actually increased over time, with wages fixed-wing aircraft only with more than
rising more rapidly in high-wage States 70 seats.
than in low-wage ones. • The scheme has proposed to set up an
International Air Connectivity Fund
• The gender wage gap decreased from (IACF) — a dedicated fund for providing
48% in 1993-94 to 34% in 2011-12, but subsidy support under the scheme. It
still remains high by international will be created through the
standards. And of all worker groups, the contributions of state governments.
average wages of casual rural female • The subsidy support shall be provided
workers was the lowest, at just ₹104 a to selected airlines only for the
day. passenger seats, which remain unsold at
the time of IAC flight operation, from
the total number of passenger seats for
• Second statement is wrong because which subsidy has been requested by
the Airport Authority of India will be the selected airline as part of its
the implementing agency of the proposal. The subsidy support will be
scheme. extended only up to three years.
✓ Features of the scheme 85. Answer (c) both 1 and 2
•Target: The scheme envisages • The regulator FSSAI has come out with
increasing the international ticketing to food safety standards for honey and its
20 crore by 2027. products, in a bid to curb adulteration.
• The scheme is to be made operational ✓ The standards notified:
only for states, which demonstrate their • Parameters: As per the FSSAI
commitment to implement and provide notification, honey should comply with
the requisite support for promoting 18 parameters like that of sucrose
operations under the scheme. content, glucose ratio, pollen count,
• Identification of routes: According to foreign oligosaccharides among others.
the draft, state governments will • Limits and standards: The FSSAI has
identify the routes to be connected, and fixed maximum 5% limit for sucrose
airline operators will assess demand on content in the honey, while 10% for
the identified routes and submit carviacallosa and Honeydew honey. The
proposals for providing connectivity. moisture percentage should be
• Permitted aircrafts: Operations under maximum 20% and pollen count should
the scheme will be permitted through be 25,000 per gram.
•With regard to by-products, the FSSAI honeycombs of bees of Apidae family
has fixed standards for ‘Bees wax’ and after the honey has been removed by
‘royal jelly’ also. draining or centrifuging. Beeswax
•The regulator has defined honey as the consists of a mixture of esters of fatty
natural sweet substance produced by acids and fatty alcohols, hydrocarbons
honey bees from the nectar of blossoms and free fatty acids. Minor amounts of
or from secretions of plants, which free fatty alcohols are also present.
honey bees collect, transforms and store The combs are melted with hot water,
in honey combs for ripening. steam or solar heat and the melted
• No additives: If a product is sold as product is filtered and cast into cakes of
honey then food ingredient, including yellow bees wax.
food additives should not be added to it.
It should not be heated or processed to •White bees wax is obtained by
such an extent that its essential bleaching the yellow bees wax with
composition is changed and its quality is oxidising agents.
impaired.
✓ Royal jelly
•Labelling: Honey can be labelled
•Royal jelly is the mixture of secretions
according to floral or plant source, if it
from hypopharyngeal and mandibular
comes from any particular source, and
glands of worker bees, free from any
has the organoleptic, physicochemical
additive. It is the food of larval and adult
and microscopic properties
queens. It is a raw and natural food,
corresponding with that origin.
unprocessed except for filtration which
•Pollen content: In the case of
does not undergo addition of
‘Monofloral Honey’, the regulator said
substances. The colour, taste and the
the minimum pollen content of the plant
chemical composition of royal jelly are
species concerned should not be less
determined by absorption and
than 45 per cent of total pollen content.
transformation by the bees fed with the
In case of ‘Multi Floral Honey’, the
following two types of foods during the
pollen content of any of the plant
royal jelly production time.
species should not exceed 45 per cent of
the total pollen content.
✓ what is bees wax? 86. Answer (c) South Korea
•Bees wax is obtained from the

•Regional coalition known as the unilateral military presence.”
‘Quad’, the quadrilateral formation •Naval fleets should evolve increasingly
includes Japan, India, United States and long range operations. This may require
Australia. All four nations find a consideration in Japan of new options
common ground of being the such as nuclear propulsion for its
democratic nations and common submarines.
interests of unhindered maritime trade
and security.
• It was in news because a report on the • The ICOMOS, a global monument
policy recommendations on Indian conservation body, has launched an
Ocean security by four think tanks from initiative to assess the damage to the
the Quad countries has been unveiled. rich cultural and built heritage in flood-
devastated Kerala and set up an
✓Important recommendations: emergency response platform.
• Maintain the momentum of high-level
consultations among the Quad • The initiative also aims at setting up a
countries with the aim of “free and platform for emergency response to the
open Info-Pacific region” and cultural heritage damaged by the floods
progressively move it to a political level. in Kerala.
• Australia, Japan, India and the US • ICOMOS has also approached the
should work with countries in the IOR International Centre for the Study of the
to help maintain independent security Preservation and Restoration of Cultural
and economic policies by supporting Property (ICCROM) to partner in the
high-quality alternatives to unilateral post-disaster work.
Chinese investments and political
• The International Council on
alignment with Chinese regional
Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) is a
objectives.
prestigious non-government
• The four countries should work to
organisation.
oppose the establishment of
• It promotes the application of theory,
permanent Chinese military bases in
methodology and scientific techniques
the IOR. This should include
for conservation of architectural and
demonstrating to China that its security
archaeological heritage across the
needs can be met through cooperation
world.
and consultation with other nations and
• ICOMOS is also an advisory body to
without the recourse to a “disruptive
the UNESCO for cultural heritage, in celebrated in the month of September.
particular for implementation of the • The Workshop focused on sensitizing
World Heritage Convention. the line Ministries, States/UTs and
District level functionaries and partners
88. Answer (a) Maharashtra
on various aspects of Rashtriya Poshan
• With an aim to encourage the Maah (National Nutrition Month) being
prominent Buddhist heritage and pilgrim celebrated during the month of
sites in the state of Maharashtra, September across the Country as part of
Maharashtra Tourism Development Jan Andolan under POSHAN Abhiyaan.
Corporation in association with Ministry
of Tourism recently organized the 6th ✓ About Poshan Maah (National
International Buddhist Conclave 2018 in Nutrition Month):
Aurangabad, Maharashtra. The • the primary objective of the
Conclave will highlight the traditional celebration of Poshan Maah is to take
and historical facets of Buddhism the messages of POSHAN to the grass
across the world. root level.
• Theme: ‘Buddha Path – The Living • The programme- and initiative of WCD
Heritage”. Ministry and NITI Aayog is supported by
• Significance: The International 18 line
Buddhist Conclave is testament of the Ministries/Departments/Government
Ministry of Tourism and Maharashtra Organizations.
Tourism Development Corporation • It seeks to synergise all efforts by
towards its commitment to advance the leveraging technology and intends to
experience of travellers as well as take nutrition awareness to the level of
tourists looking to experience the spirit Jan Andolan or People’s Movement.
of Buddhist inheritance of our country. • The programme focuses on 8 themes
– Antenatal Care, Optimal Breastfeeding
89. Answer (b) 2 only
(Early & Exclusive), Complementary
•First Statement is wrong because the Feeding, Anemia, Growth Monitoring,
Ministry of Women and Child Girls-education, diet, right age of
Development, Government of India had Marriage, Hygiene & Sanitation, Food
recently organized an orientation Fortification.
workshop for various stakeholders 90. Answer (c) 2 and 3 only
participating in the Poshan Maah
• First statement is wrong because A
(National Nutrition Month) being
National Logistics Portal is being
developed by the Ministry of wide range of services such as freight
Commerce and Industry to ensure ease forward, ocean freight, truck,
of trading in the international and warehouse, air freight, ICD services and
domestic markets. The portal will link packaging services, exchange e-contract,
all the stakeholders of EXIM, domestic generate invoice, pay electronically, and
trade and movement and all trade monitor physical flow of goods.
activities on a single platform.
•Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, in his

Budget speech last year, had announced
that the Department of Commerce will • Three new applications have been
create a portal which will be a single launched for the benefit of the litigants
window online market place for trade and lawyers.
and will connect business, create
opportunities and bring together These applications are: e-Filing, e-Pay,
various ministries, departments and and National Service and Tracking of
the private sector. Electronic Processes (NSTEP).
✓ Four main components ✓ e-Filing application:

• Stakeholders like traders, •The application is meant for online
manufacturers, logistics service registration of lawyers and litigants.
providers, infrastructure providers, Through the application, one can file
financial services, government cases from any part of India to any court
departments and groups and on registration.
associations will all be on one platform, Portfolio management of cases of
once the portal is created. There are litigants and lawyers is provided on the
four main components of the portal portal and one can get updates from
which include a logistics e-market place, time to time about filed cases, cases
a logistics certification platform, an under objection or rejected cases.
integrated regulatory platform and
✓ e-Pay application:
banking and financial services platform.
•It is a unified portal wherein facility to
• The logistics e-market place will allow pay online court fees is provided. The
a trader or exporter to plan end to end platform is user friendly which can be
shipment route, check availability, used with very little self help. At
enquire the rates make bookings for a present, the facility will be made
operational in two states – Maharashtra records from taluka/trial to appeal
and Haryana. courts; installation of video conferencing
(VC) facility and recording of witness
through Video Conferencing.
✓National Service and Tracking of
Electronic Processes (NSTEP): •Specific targets set under the Project
•It is launched as part of the eCourts include: computerization of all the
Project. It is a transparent and secure courts (around 20400) and DLSA and
system for transmission of process from TLSC; WAN and cloud connectivity in
one location to another and will address 3500 court complexes; full Installation
delays in process. It offers facility to and use of Video Conferencing facility at
send electronic processes directly to 3000 Court Complexes and 1150
registered mail of the addressee by prisons; charting out key identified
secured mechanism; enables uploading citizen services like electronic filing, daily
of documents associated with process; orders, delivery of decrees, online case
and facilities like tracking GPS, obtaining status in all the district courts etc.
photograph and on screen signature.
92. Answer (a) Niti Ayog
✓ About the e- courts project: • NITI Aayog has launched 5 Thematic
• The eCourts Mission Mode Project Reports on Sustainable Development in
(Phase I 2010-15; Phase II 2015-19) is a Indian Himalayan Region. The reports
national eGovernance project for ICT from the five working groups discuss the
enablement of district and subordinate significance, the challenges, the ongoing
courts of the country. actions and a future roadmap.
•Implementation: It is being
implemented by the Government of • Recognizing the uniqueness of the
India with a total outlay of 1670 crores Himalayas and the challenges for
(Phase II). sustainable development, NITI Aayog
•The major objectives of the Project are had set up 5 Working Groups (WGs) in
to make whole judicial system ICT June 2017 to prepare a roadmap for
enabled by putting in place adequate actions in 5 thematic areas.
and modern hardware and connectivity;
automation of workflow management in ✓ The themes include:
all courts; electronic movement of
1) Inventory and Revival of Springs in security & improved access to related
Himalayas for Water Security. programs/schemes are other key
2) Sustainable Tourism in Indian recommendations to transform shifting
Himalayan Region. cultivation.
3) Transformative Approach to Shifting • Strengthening of skill &
Cultivation. entrepreneurship will require focus on
4) Strengthening Skill & identified priority sectors where
Entrepreneurship Landscape in mountains have advantage, investment
Himalayas. in trainers, assessors and training
5) Data/Information for Informed centers in industry partnership.
Decision Making. • Having a Central Data Management
Agency for Himalayas to provide data
with high fidelity scenario while
✓ Immediate Challenges:
addressing data sharing, access,
• Nearly 30% of springs crucial to water
authenticity and comparability issues
security of people are drying and 50%
will go a long way in addressing data
have reported reduced discharge.
related issues.
Himalayan Tourism growing annually at
6.8% has created huge challenge related
✓ It also includes:
to solid waste, water, traffic, loss of bio-
•Setting up of a Himalayan Authority
cultural diversity etc.
for coordinated and holistic
development of entire Himalayan
✓ Important recommendations made:
region.
•Launching of “Himalaya Calling”: An
• Spring Mapping and Revival, using 8
Awareness to Action Campaign as
steps protocol be taken up across
people’s movement.
Himalayan States in phased manner.
•Setting up of Mission on Spring Water
• Apply carrying capacity concept to all
Management in Himalayas, National
major tourist destinations; implement
Mission/Program on Transforming
and monitor tourism sector Standards
Shifting Cultivation in North Eastern
and apply performance based incentives
States, demand driven network of skill
for States faring well on the standards.
and entrepreneurship development
• Assessment of nature & extent of
Centers in Himalayan States among
Shifting Cultivation area, improved
others.
policy coherence, strengthened tenurial
93. Answer (c) Earth
• NASA has launched the Ice, Cloud and • Second statement is wrong because
Land Elevation Satellite-2 (ICESat-2) the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana
mission to measure — in unprecedented (Urban) Programme launched by the
detail — changes in the heights of Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty
Earth’s polar ice to understand what is Alleviation (MoHUPA), in Mission mode
causing ice sheets to melt fast. envisions provision of Housing for All
by 2022,(NOT 2025) when the Nation
About ICESat- 2 mission: completes 75 years of its Independence.
•ICESat-2 will measure the average • It was in news because the Centre has
annual elevation change of land ice approved construction of nearly 1.12
covering Greenland and Antarctica to lakh more affordable houses for urban
within the width of a pencil, capturing poor in eight states under the Pradhan
60,000 measurements every second. Mantri Awas Yojna, with Andra Pradesh
•ICESat-2’s Advanced Topographic Laser bagging the largest share of over 37,000
Altimeter System (ATLAS) measures housing units.
height by timing how long it takes ✓ More About scheme
individual light photons to travel from
the spacecraft to Earth and back. •The Mission seeks to address the
housing requirement of urban poor
including slum dwellers through
✓ The satellite mission has four science
following programme verticals:
objectives:
• Slum rehabilitation of Slum Dwellers
•Measure melting ice sheets and
with participation of private developers
investigate how this effects sea level
using land as a resource.
rise.
• Promotion of Affordable Housing for
•Measure and investigate changes in
weaker section through credit linked
the mass of ice sheets and glaciers.
subsidy.
•Estimate and Study Sea ice thickness.
• Affordable Housing in Partnership with
•Measure the height of vegetation in
Public & Private sectors.
forests and other ecosystems
• Subsidy for beneficiary-led individual
worldwide.
house construction /enhancement.
✓ Key facts:
• The beneficiaries are poor and people
living under EWS and LIG categories in • With opening up its branch in Odisha,
the country. the BNHS would be engaged in
• The scheme is divided into three identifying the air route of the foreign
phases. In the first phase, a total of 100 birds flocking the Chilika lake during
cities will be covered from April 2015 to winter, sample collection, training
March 2017. In phase two, 200 cities will related to bird census, publishing bird
be covered from April 2017 to March migration atlas books, examining various
2019. In the third phase, the leftover diseases among the birds and to review
cities will be covered from April 2019 to the condition of the Nalabana bird
March 2022. sanctuary along with counting the birds.
• The government is providing an
interest subsidy of 6.5% on housing ✓ About Chilika Lagoon:
loans which can be availed by
beneficiaries for 15 years from start of • It is the largest coastal lagoon in India
loan date. and the second largest lagoon in the
• The government will grant Rs 1 lakh to world after The New Caledonian barrier
all the beneficiaries of the scheme. In reef in New Caledonia.
addition, Rs 1.5 lakh will be given to all • It is the largest wintering ground for
eligible urban poor who want to migratory waterfowl found anywhere
construct their houses in urban areas or on the Indian sub-continent.
plan to go for renovation in their • It is one of the hotspot of biodiversity
existing houses. One can also avail loans in the country, and some rare,
under this scheme to build toilets in vulnerable and endangered species
existing houses. listed in the IUCN Red List of threatened
Animals inhabit in the lagoon for atleast
95. Answer (d) All of the above part of their life cycle.
• On account of its rich bio-diversity and
• The Bombay Natural History Society
ecological significance, Chilika was
(BNHS), one of India’s premier avian
designated as the 1st “Ramsar Site” of
research institutes, has started
India.
operating its first regional centre on the
• The Nalaban Island within the lagoon
campus of Wetland Research and
is notified as a Bird Sanctuary under
Training Centre near Chilika Lake. (
Wildlife (Protection) Act, the National
Chilika lake is in Odisha)
Wetlands, mangroves and coral reefs
Committee of Ministry of Environment
& Forests, Government of India, have species found in India using Artificial
also identified the lagoon as a priority Intelligence technology, including
site for conservation and management. machine learning and computer vision,
• Chilika Lagoon lies in the districts of from digital photos that are uploaded by
Puri, Khurda and Ganjam of Odisha State the public.
along the eastern coast of India. It is well
connected to the Chennai and Kolkata 96. Answer (c) Argentina
through National Highway No 5, and the • In the framework of the Argentinian
Chennai Kolkata rail line passes along presidency of G20, the 2018 edition of
the western bank of the Lagoon Digital Economy ministerial meeting is
Balugaon, with Balugaon, Chilika and being held in Salta, Argentina. The
Rambha being the main stations along ministerial meeting was preceded by
the Western shoreline of the lagoon. the second meeting of the G20 Digital
Economy Task Force.
✓ About BNHS:
• The Bombay Natural History Society, • Argentina has selected the theme,
founded on 15 September 1883, is one ‘Building consensus for fair and
of the largest non-governmental sustainable development,’ for the 2018
organisations in India engaged in G20 Leaders’ Summit, and has identified
conservation and biodiversity research. three key issues for the agenda: the
future of work, infrastructure for
• BNHS is the partner of BirdLife development, and a sustainable food
International in India. It has been future.
designated as a ‘Scientific and
Industrial Research Organisation’ by ✓ Digital Economy Task Force:
the Department of Science and
Technology. • The Digital Economy Task Force (DETF)
was established under the 2017 German
• Logo: The BNHS logo is the great presidency, based on the decision
hornbill. adopted in Hangzhou in 2016 under the
Chinese Presidency.
• Internet of Birds: IT consultancy firm
Accenture and the Bombay Natural ✓About G20:
History Society have developed Internet
of Birds platform that identifies bird • The G20 is made up of 19 countries
and the European Union. The 19 •India has now joined the small league
countries are Argentina, Australia, of nations with the US and Australia to
Brazil, Canada, China, Germany, France, have flown a biofuel-powered aircraft.
India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico,
Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, • SpiceJet flew the Bombardier Q400
South Korea, Turkey, the United (VT-SUI) on biofuel from Dehradun to
Kingdom and the United States. Delhi.
• The G20 was born out of a meeting of
G7 finance ministers and central bank •The fuel was prepared by the CSIR-
governors in 1999 who saw a need for a Indian Institute of Petroleum (IIP)
more inclusive body with broader Dehradun.
representation to have a stronger •Significance: Biofuel flights could make
impact on addressing the world’s air travel cleaner and more efficient,
financial challenges. The G7 invited thus drastically reducing the cost of
leading markets – both developed and airline operations by reducing the
emerging – to form a new ministerial- dependency on aviation turbine fuel.
level forum: the G20. The biofuel is made partially from
97. Answer (b) 2 only renewable resources such as agricultural
residues, non-edible oils and bio-
•First statement is wrong because degradable fractions of industrial and
Countries like Canada, Australia and US municipal wastes.
already have Biofuele powered plane.
So India is not the first country in the 98. Answer (c) Both 1 and 2 are Correct.
world to have such plane. • It was in news because the Ministry of
Tourism has sanctioned two new
• But India is the first developing nation
projects under Heritage and North East
to experiment this.
Circuits of Swadesh Dashan Scheme for
https://www.google.com/amp/s/m.ec Rs. 164.95 Crores in Punjab and Tripura.
onomictimes.com/industry/transportat
✓ Heritage Circuit:
ion/airlines-/-aviation/india-to-join-
•Under Heritage Circuit in the state of
elite-club-on-monday-with-first-
Punjab, the project covers sites of
biofuel-flight-between-dehradun-and-
Anandpur Sahib – Fatehgarh Sahib –
delhi/amp_articleshow/65530257.cms
Chamkaur Sahib – Ferozpur – Amritsar –
Khatkar Kalan – Kalanour – Patiala at the
cost of Rs. 99.95 crores. ✓ About Swadesh Darshan Scheme:
•The project includes development of •The Tourism Ministry had launched
Jallianwala Bagh in Amritsar for Rs. 8 ‘Swadesh Darshan’ scheme with an
Crores, development of Tourist objective to develop theme-based
Infrastructure and Heritage Path at tourist circuits in the country. These
Anandpur Sahib for Rs. 28.99 crores, tourist circuits will be developed on the
development of Tourist Infrastructure at principles of high tourist value,
Fatehgarh Sahib among others. competitiveness and sustainability in an
•The facilities being developed include integrated manner.
Virtual Reality Shows (Jallianwala and
Hussainiwala Border), beautification and ✓ Features of Swadesh Darshan
landscaping, interpretation centres, Scheme:
façade development, wayside amenities,
parking, CCTV and Wi-Fi facilities, •The scheme is 100% centrally funded
Cafeterias, Open Air Theatre, drinking for the project components undertaken
water facility etc. for public funding.
•To leverage the voluntary funding
✓North East Circuit: available for Corporate Social
•Under North East Circuit in Tripura, the Responsibility (CSR) initiatives of Central
sites of Surma Cherra- Unakoti- Jampui Public Sector Undertakings and
Hills- Gunabati-Bhunaneshwari- corporate sector.
Matabari- Neermahal- Boxanagar- •Funding of individual project will vary
Chotta khola- Pilak- Avangchaarra are from state to state and will be finalised
covered with total project cost of Rs. 65 on the basis of detailed project reports
Crores. prepared by PMC (Programme
•The project envisaged infrastructural Management Consultant).
development of the sites with special •A National Steering Committee (NSC)
emphasis on developing an will be constituted with Minister in
Interpretation Centre, Tourist Visitor charge of M/O Tourism as Chairman, to
Centres, Cafeteria, Last Mile steer the mission objectives and vision
Connectivity, Illumination of sites and of the scheme.
monuments, Wayside Amenities, • A Mission Directorate headed by the
Floating Jetties, Camping Grounds, Member Secretary, NSC as a nodal
Parking Facilities, Adventure Activities, officer will help in identification of
Ghat Development at above sites. projects in consultation with the States/
UTs governments and other stake demand for an automatic expiration for
holders. the deal, known as a “sunset clause.”
• PMC will be a national level Instead, the United States and Mexico
consultant to be appointed by the agreed to a 16-year lifespan for the deal,
Mission Directorate. with a review every six years that can
extend the pact for 16 years.
99. Answer (d) Cuba •Mexico agreed to eliminate dispute
• The United States and Mexico have settlement panels for certain anti-
agreed to overhaul the North American dumping cases, a move that could
Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), putting complicate talks with Canada, which had
pressure on Canada to agree to new insisted on the panels.
terms on auto trade and dispute
settlement rules to remain part of the ✓What is NAFTA?
three-nation pact. If talks with Canada •NAFTA is the initialism for the North
are not wrapped up by the end of this American Free Trade Agreement, an
week, Trump plans to notify Congress agreement signed by Canada, Mexico,
that he has reached a deal with Mexico, and the United States that reduced or
but would be open to Canada joining. eliminated trade barriers in North
America. (Since the U.S. and Canada
✓Highlights of the new deal: already had a free trade agreement
•The deal would require 75% of auto (signed in 1988), NAFTA merely brought
content to be made in the NAFTA Mexico into the trade bloc.)
region, up from the current level of 100. Answer (b) 2 only is correct
62.5%. A fact sheet describing the
bilateral agreement specified the • First statement is wrong because The
content would be made in the United European Space Agency (ESA)
States and Mexico. has launched Aeolus satellite(NOT
•The deal improves labour provisions, in NASA) that will measure winds around
part by requiring 40% to 45% of auto the globe and help improve weather
content to be made by workers earning forecasting. The Earth Explorer Aeolus
at least $16 per hour. That measure satellite was launched into polar orbit
could move some production back to on a Vega rocket from Europe’s
the United States from Mexico and Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana.
should lift Mexican wages.
•The United States relented on its
• Aeolus is the first satellite mission to
acquire profiles of Earth’s wind on a
global scale.
• These near-realtime observations will

improve the accuracy of numerical
weather and climate prediction and
advance our understanding of tropical
dynamics and processes relevant to
climate variability.
• Aeolus is the fifth in the family of ESA’s
Earth Explorer missions, which address
key scientific challenges identified by
the science community and
demonstrate breakthrough technology
in observing techniques.

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DO NOT OPEN THIS TEST BOOKLET UNTILYOU ARE ASKED TO DO SO

TEST BOKLET SERIES

1. Voting by physically present (a) 1 and 2 only (b) 2 and 3 only

The Hindu ZoneOfficial

eSandesh (An Indian App)

For More download eSandesh App from play store

(a) 1 only (b) 2 only 1. Recently, Additional Surveillance

6. Consider the following statements 2. It is intended to surveillance the

1. Idukki dam in Kerala is Which of the above statements is/are

(c) Central Statistical Office, Ministry of

1. Azerbaijan Which of the above statements is/are

1. India got the presidency of the

(b) Maintenance of Tiger Reserves

Which of the above statements is/are

Which of the above statements is/are

(a) International Peace Bureau 2. InvITs are regulated by Securities

(d) A stealth submarine

(a) 1 only (b) 2 only

Which of the above statements is/are (c) It is an application to track cases of

(a) 1 only (b) 2 only

29. Consider the following statement 3. It is a UNESCO world heritage

(c) 1 and 3 only (d) all of the above

(d) Madhav Chitale Committee Which of the above statements is/are

(a) 1 only (b) 2 only 3. People in Socio-economic caste

(a) Maharashtra 1. It creates the India's biggest

(a) Khangchendzonga National

(a) 1 only (b) 2 only

(a) Indian relief assistance in Syria (b) Ministry of Human Resource

44. Consider the following statements (a) 1 only (b) 2 only

(c) A Project to Jupiter.

(b) Ocean Development activities. Which of the above statements is/are

1. It is a recently launched infrared (a) Balance of Trade

(c) Mahananda 1. The tenth annual summit held in

(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) neither 1 nor 2

52. Consider the following statements: 54. With reference to Kanyashree

2. It is a conditional cash transfer (a) 1 only (b) 2 only

1. It has been launched by (d) United States, Russia, United

(b) World Economic Forum

Which of the above statements is/are (d) German watch

1. It is a global meeting of 2. Creation of one-time

Which of the above statements is/are

2. Recently, first time an Indian 2. It is piloted by ISRO.

3. It holds conference once in (a) 1 only (b) 2 only

(a) 1 only (b) 1&2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) neither 1 nor 2 1. The Hologram-based sticker of

(a) NABARD Which of the above statements is/are

(d) Indian Agricultural Research Institute 71. With reference to Mental

(a) 1, 2 and 3 only (b) 2, 3 and 4 only (d) Seychelles

(c) Natural Satellite

83. India wage Report is published by: 2. If a product is sold as honey

(d) Oxfam (a) 1 only (b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) neither 1 nor 2

84. The centre has unveiled the draft

2. Ministry of external affairs will be (d) India

(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) neither 1 nor 2

88. International Buddhist Conclave

(b) Gujarat 3. There are four main

(c) 2 and 3 only (d) All of the above