IAS Prelims GS Questions and Answers - Apr 15, 2016

ANSWER: Madhya Pradesh

Explanation:

• Mhow, officially known as Dr Ambedkar Nagar, is a cantonment in the Indore District in Madhya Pradesh state of India.
• The town was renamed as Dr Ambedkar Nagar in 2003, by the Government of Madhya Pradesh.
• It will be one of the Panchteerth that will be developed in memory of Dr. Ambedkar. The Panchteerth are 5 places that are associated with the lives of Dr. Ambedkar.

ANSWER: Militaries of both nations to share facilities

Explanation:

• In a significant decision that could have far-reaching implications for India’s military posture, India and the U.S. have agreed “in principle” on a logistics support agreement, Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) that would make it easier for both militaries to share each other’s facilities.
• LEMOA would not facilitate basing of U.S. troops in India as per the US.
• Though proposed in 2004, the UPA government opposed it as the agreement were perceived too intrusive and would be seen as compromising on India’s nonaligned stance.

ANSWER: 1, 3

Explanation:

• India and the U.S. have agreed “in principle” on a logistics support agreement, Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) that would make it easier for both militaries to share each other’s facilities.
• Besides LEMOA (traditionally called the Logistics Support Agreement), the others are Communications Interoperability and Security Memorandum of Agreement (CISMOA) and Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement for Geo-spatial Cooperation (BECA).
• The two countries also agreed to set up a new Maritime Security Dialogue between officials from respective Defence and External Affairs Ministries and conclude an agreement to improve maritime domain awareness with an arrangement to improve sharing of data on commercial shipping traffic.
• Both countries will also deepen cooperation in Maritime Domain Awareness by finalising a ‘White Shipping’ Agreement.
• With China in mind, the joint statement reiterated the importance of safeguarding maritime security and ensuring freedom of navigation and over-flight throughout the region, including in the South China Sea.
• In this context, the two countries agreed to start Navy-to-Navy discussions on submarine safety and anti-submarine warfare.

ANSWER: Dr. B. R. Ambedkar

Explanation:

• Aimed at improving rural livelihoods and strengthening the Panchayati Raj across the country, the Centre, in collaboration with States and panchayats, will launch an 11-day, nation-wide village self-governance campaign.
• The ‘Gram Uday Se Bharat Uday Abhiyan’ will begin on April 14 from Mhow in Madhya Pradesh, on the occasion of 125th birth anniversary of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar.
• During the campaign between April 14 and April 16, a ‘social harmony programme’ will be conducted in gram panchayats, through which villagers will honour Dr. Ambedkar.
• Between April 17 and April 20, ‘village farmer assemblies’ will be held in gram panchayats, focussing on agriculture and farmers. In these assemblies, information regarding agriculture schemes will be shared with farmers and their suggestions for improvements in agriculture will be solicited.

ANSWER: Potassium Chlorate

Explanation:

• Potassium chlorate was discovered by French chemist Claude Louis Berthollet during the end of the 18th Century.
• The principal reason for using it in pyrotechnics is for the production of beautiful colours.
• Despite its inherent risk, the reason it is sometimes used in pyrotechnics is because it is cheap and easily available.
• According to the Royal Society of Chemistry, potassium chlorate has very powerful oxidising ability. When heated, it decomposes to produce oxygen.
• The extra heat generated excites the electrons in the colour-producing chemicals added in the firework mixture and thus produces beautiful colours.
• The oxidising property of potassium chlorate is also its biggest disadvantage when used in fireworks. It has an inherent property to become very reactive, especially when mixed with sulphur.
• The potassium chlorate-sulphur mixture becomes dangerously sensitive to friction and may spontaneously ignite.
• Hence, potassium chlorate is banned for use in fireworks.

ANSWER: 1, 2

Explanation:

• Matchstick head contains tiny amount of potassium chlorate, antimony sulphide, red phosphorous and powdered glass.
• The powdered glass inside the head provides the friction that aids striking but also helps bind the materials and creates an even burn.
• When matchsticks are struck, the friction generated ignites the red phosphorus.
• Few additional materials - Ammonium phosphate, for instance, is impregnated into the matchstick wood to stifle afterglow when the flame dies. The stick is bathed in hot paraffin wax, which ensures the flame burns down past the head to the stick. Animal glue in the head has a dual purpose: It binds the materials and serves as extra fuel.
• The roles of Igniter, a fuel and an oxidizer in a match are played by red phosphorus, sulfur and potassium chlorate, respectively.

ANSWER: All of the above

Explanation:

• The Commerce Ministry wants the central bank, RBI to use a part of its foreign exchange reserves to give long-term loans at low interest rate to the Exim Bank of India, which can pass it on to exporters at lower rates than bank credit.
• The aim is to help reduce the costs and enhance the competitiveness of exporters at a time of global trade slowdown and weak demand overseas.
• Apart from these measures, tax exemptions and subsidies too can help in boosting exports.
• Indian Gold Reserves can be used to provide long term loans to the exporters. They are most useful in case of jewelers who import gold for value addition and exports.
• Rate of export credit in India is between 11 and 12 per cent as against 2-3 per cent in the Euro area (except Greece), 2.6 per cent in Taiwan, 4.6 per cent in Thailand, 5.5 per cent in China and 6.2 per cent in Malaysia.
• The Commerce Ministry had also supported a proposal of categorizing the entire export credit given by all lenders separately under priority sector lending without much riders to help bring down the cost of credit for exporters.

ANSWER: 1, 3

Explanation:

• Higher import cover indicates greater currency stability and India’s capacity to absorb external shocks, such as the impact of an outflow of funds following a rate hike by the US Fed, and support its domestic economy.
• Only higher foreign exchange can lead to higher import cover.
• The higher import cover is also due to shrinking import bill.

ANSWER: All of the above

Explanation:

• The salient features of the Resolution include: recovery of tiger in low density protected areas, acceleration of the implementation of Global Tiger Recovery Programme, which includes habitat improvement and anti-poaching surveillance through modern technology, align development and tiger conservation by ensuring intensive participation of locals and other stakeholders, promotion of tiger habitats to provide ecosystem service, economic growth and addressing climate change and strengthening cooperation to combat wildlife crime.

ANSWER: 1, 3

Explanation:

• The recovery of tiger in low density protected areas can be done by three Rs – Restoration, Reintroduction and Rehabilitation.
• India has agreed to help tiger range countries in reviving population of big cats and even relocating some if the environment is favorable for them to survive.
• The 3rd Asian Ministerial Conference on Tiger Conservation emphasized on recovery of tiger populations in areas with low tiger densities and restoration in areas from which they have been extirpated by using successful programmes of tiger reintroduction and rehabilitation of their habitats and prey.
• The tiger range countries agreed upon to strengthen cooperation at the highest levels of government to combat wildlife crime, address the demand for tiger products, and increase formal and informal trans-boundary coordination.

ANSWER: All of the above

Explanation:

• Projects have been identified across the areas of Port Modernization & New Port Development, Port Connectivity Enhancement, Port-led Industrial Development and Coastal Community Development.
• To modernize India’s port infrastructure, 5 to 6 new ports have been proposed to be built. There will be modernization of existing ports too.
• The second focus area is port connectivity, where over 80 projects are being planned. These include connectivity infrastructure projects like a heavy-haul rail corridor to evacuate large volumes of coal in Odisha, freight-friendly expressways to enable efficient movement of containers on key routes, and the development of strategic inland waterways.
• The third set of projects aims to tap into the potential of port-led industrialization to boost industrial and export growth along the coastline. This will be realized through 14 Coastal Economic Zones (CEZs) along the coastline, each of which will house a number of industrial clusters.
• Finally, the potential of coastal communities will be harnessed by focused skill-development to support port-led industrialization. The set of initiatives under this head also includes developing opportunities for fishermen and other coastal communities as well as development of the numerous islands along India’s coastline.