IAS Prelims GS Questions and Answers - Apr 01, 2016

ANSWER: Research

Explanation:

• IMPacting Research INnovation and Technology (IMPRINT), is a flagship national initiative of the Government which was launched on November 5, 2014. IMPRINT is a multi-disciplinary, multi-partner and multi-goal oriented national programme aimed at technology development covering all engineering disciplines, steered by all IITs and IISc.
• IMPRINT aims to synergize with all the major initiatives of the Government of India like Make in India, Digital India, Skill India, Namami Gange, Skill India, Unnat Bharat Abhiyan, Swachch Bharat Mission etc; and other Ministries of Government of India are engaged in research covering these domains, and there is a need to converge the efforts to avoid duplication of efforts.
• Ministry of Human Resource Development would be responsible for the following: Laying down the Policy for implementation; coordination with the other departments; Resolving the difficulties in implementation; and meeting 50% cost of the project cost. The other departments and the Ministries would be responsible for defining the requirements of research for inclusion in the IMPRINT programme; participating in the Apex Committee meetings for selection of the projects ; and to review the progress of the projects from time to time as a part of the Apex Committee.

ANSWER: VIDYUT PRAVAH

Explanation:

• Ministry for Power, Coal and New & Renewable Energy launched a mobile application ‘Vidyut PRAVAH- Electricity, Price Availability and Highlights’”.
• The mobile application provides highlights of the power availability in the country on real time basis.
• The Vidyut PRAVAH mobile application will provide date pertaining to market price of power from power exchange, value of current all India demand in GW and all India and State shortage including peak hour and total energy shortage.
• An all India Power map will showcase surplus power available at power exchange in current block, average market clearing price, current and previous day demand met at national level and previous day Peak hour Demand Shortage and Energy shortage etc. The State specific page will show the similar information of selected state.
• The Web / Mobile App provides a wealth of information pertaining to the current demand met, shortages if any, surplus power available and the prices in the Power Exchange.
• The real time data and comparison with previous day/year data is also available. Data from multiple sources, including the States and Power Exchanges, has been made available through a single portal for convenience of all.
• A user friendly interface, based on the Geographical map of India, facilitates all the consumers /stakeholders in visualization of the power availability and prices at the overall country level and at States/UTs level.
• The information disseminated through the Application will empower the consumer, thereby leading all the stakeholders to be more responsive and efficient, bringing more economy to the country.
• The Web application can be accessed through ‘vidyutpravah.in’. The mobile version will be freely available for download from the Playstore for both Android and iPhones

ANSWER: Both 1 and 2

Explanation:

• National Monsoon Mission is a state- of-the-art coupled ocean-atmospheric climate model for a) improved prediction of monsoon rainfall on extended range to seasonal time scale (16 days to one season) and b) improved prediction of temperature, rainfall and extreme weather events on short to medium range time scale (up to 15 days) so that forecast skill gets quantitatively improved further for operational services of Earth System Science Organisation- India Meteorological Department (ESSO-IMD).
• MoES has bestowed the responsibility of execution and coordination of this mission to the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM).

ANSWER: Both 1 and 2

Explanation:

• Scientists report the making of a living, replicating and stable cell that uses the minimum number of genes — 473 — to be considered biologically ‘alive’.
• The efforts dovetail with the fundamental question of whether there are a minimum number of genes without which a cell would be dead.
• That question is also of immense practical interest as there is an entire subfield — called synthetic biology — that’s modifying bacteria and other microorganisms at the level of genes to make organic machines that can be employed to, for instance, clear oil spills and industrial enzymes. To build complex organisms would mean having a fine-grained understanding of why some genes are more essential than others.

ANSWER: Only 2

Explanation:

• The safeguard duty is a trade remedy recognised by the World Trade Organisation.
• It is a temporary measure to counter the adverse impact caused to the domestic industry due to a sudden and unforeseen surge in (low-priced) imports of the item.
• Government is planning on extending safeguard duty on steel imports for three years.The DG Safeguards said the surge in imports was significant in relation to domestic production and total demand. It said the domestic steel makers have suffered serious consequences due to the huge increase in imports.

ANSWER: Indian IP Panorama

Explanation:

• A single window interface for information on Intellectual Property and guidance on leveraging it for competitive advantage.
• That is what the Indian IP Panorama, released by the Government of India today, offers. The portal seeks to increase awareness and build sensitivity towards IP, among stakeholders in the SME sector, academia and researchers.
• The Indian IP Panorama is a customized version of IP Panorama Multimedia toolkit, developed by World Intellectual Property Organization, Korean Intellectual Property Office and Korea Invention Promotion Association.
  
• The toolkit has been adapted to cater to SMEs and start-ups, especially in the ICTE sector of India, based on an agreement signed between WIPO and DeitY. The Indian IP Panorama is thus a customized version of WIPO’s original product and is in accordance with Indian IP laws, standards, challenges and needs of the Indian ICTE sector.

ANSWER: 2, 3

Explanation:
The Madrid System for the International Registration of Marks (Madrid system) offers trademark owners a cost effective, user friendly and streamlined means of protecting and managing their trademark portfolio internationally. The following five modules of the Indian IP Panorama have been released are:
1. “Importance of IP for SMEs”,
2. “Trademark”,
3. “Industrial design”,
4. “Invention and Patent” and
5. “Patent Information”.

ANSWER: 1, 3

Explanation:
The goals are to be achieved in 15 years i.e. till 2030. The goals are -
1. End poverty in all its forms everywhere;
2. End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture;
3. Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages;
4. Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all;
5. Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
6. Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
7. Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all
8. Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
9. Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all

ANSWER: All of the above

Explanation:
The goals are to be achieved in 15 years i.e. till 2030. The goals are –
1. Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation
2. Reduce inequality within and among countries
3. Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
4. Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts
5. Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development
6. Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss
7. Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels
8. Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development

ANSWER: Only 1

Explanation:

• This is to ensure building materials made out of C&D Waste do not jeopardize the structural safety and life.
• Further, to ensure the authenticity of products made from the C& D waste and create confident among the stakeholders on the utilization of such products.
• The Ministry of Urban Development, and the Ministry of Rural Development, Ministry of Panchayat Raj, shall be responsible for facilitating local bodies in compliance of these rules;
• The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change shall be responsible for reviewing implementation of these rules as and when required.
• Envisage the technical and financial support to the State Agencies from the Central Government for implementation of these Rules and modification of rules according to the requirement in future.