IAS Prelims GS Questions and Answers - Dec 18, 2015

ANSWER: Both

Explanation:
- The new proposed Act provides that in case a heinous crime has been committed by a person in the age group of 16-18 years.
- The crime will be examined by the Juvenile Justice Board to assess if the crime was committed as a ‘child’ or as an ‘adult’.
- The assessment will take place by the Board which will have psychologists and social experts.
- The board will ensure that the rights of the juvenile are duly protected if he has committed the crime as a child. The trial of the case will accordingly take place as a juvenile or as an adult on the basis of this assessment.

ANSWER: None

Explanation:
- PSLV C-29 put six Singapore satellites into orbit.
- The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has completed 50 launches from the Satellite Launching Station in Sriharikota Range
- This is the 32nd flight of PSLV and 11th flight of the launch vehicle in 'core-alone' configuration.
- Satellites : TeLEOS-1 is Singapore's first commercial earth observation satellite designed and developed by ST Electronics. The other five co-passenger satellites are VELOX-C1 (123 kg), VELOX-II (13 kg), Kent Ridge-1 (78 kg), Galassia (3.4 kg) and Athenoxat-1.

ANSWER: Only 1

Explanation:
- Earlier it was decided that ISRO will develop the orbiter and rover while Russian Federal Space Agency (Roskosmos) will provide the lander.
- Roscosmos withdrew in wake of the failure of the Russian Phobos-Grunt mission to Mars.
- India will develop lunar orbiter, a lander and a lunar rover by itself
Chandrayaan-2 will be launched by a Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) using Cryogenic Engine.

ANSWER: Only 1

Explanation:
- The Republic of China (Taiwan) ratified the treaty prior to the United Nations General Assembly's vote to transfer China's seat to the People's Republic of China (PRC) in 1971.
- The treaty bars state from installing weapons on the Moon or any other celestial body, or otherwise stationing them in outer space.
- It exclusively limits the use of the Moon and other celestial bodies to peaceful purposes.
- Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has initiated a process of formulating a National Space Act for India for supporting the overall growth of space activities, with enhanced levels of private sector participation and offering more commercial opportunities.

ANSWER: Google

Explanation:
- Project Loon is a research and development project being developed by Google X.
- It has the mission of providing Internet access to rural and remote areas.
- The project uses high-altitude balloons placed in the stratosphere at an altitude of about 18 km to create an aerial wireless network with up to 4G-LTE speeds.

ANSWER: 1,2,3,5

Explanation:
- A study has been conducted by the Indian Network of Climate Change Assessment (INCCA) to assess the impact of climate change on four key sectors of Indian economy, namely agriculture, water, natural ecosystems & biodiversity and health.
- It will be conducted in four climate sensitive regions of India, namely the Himalayan region, the Western Ghats, the Coastal Area and the North-East Region (NER).
- Based on this, a report titled "Climate Change and India : A 4X4 Assessment - A Sectoral and Regional Analysis for 2030s" was published in 2010.
- The report projects rise in temperature in the North Eastern Region (NER) in the range of 1.8°C to 2.1°C and increase in the mean annual rainfall in the order of 0.3% to 3% in 2030s, with respect to the 1970s.
- Projected increase of night-time temperature may lead to decrease in the production of rice and may affect the nutritional health of the population. Soil erosion due to increase in intensity of precipitation events may lead to an increase in occurrence of landslides, affecting agriculture activities, including tea plantations. The report also projects that the window of transmission of malaria may remain open for at least for 7 to 9 months in a year.

ANSWER: None

Explanation:
- Elected members of the State legislative council can not take part in election for post of President of India.
- Also nominated members of the State Legislative Council, nominated members of both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, nominated members of legislative assemblies of the Union Territories of Delhi and Puducherry an not take part in election for post of President of India.
- The President of India can be elected any number of times.

ANSWER: Only 2

Explanation:
- NALSA was formed on 5 December 1995 under the authority of the Legal Services Authorities Act 1987.
Purpose:
1. To provide free legal services to eligible candidates.
2. To organize Lok Adalats for speedy resolution of cases. 
3. To burden of judiciary.
- NALSA is headed by the Chief Justice of India. 
- On the same line of NALSA, State Legal Services Authority headed by Chief Justice of High Courts and District Legal Services Authority headed by Chief Judges of District courts is established.

ANSWER: Model Loan Scheme for Vocational Education and Training

Explanation:
- The Skill Loan Scheme has replaced earlier Indian Banks Association (IBA) Model Loan Scheme for Vocational Education and Training.
- Any Indian National who has secured admission in a course run by Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs), Polytechnics or in a school recognised by Central or State education Boards or in a college affiliated to recognised university, training partners affiliated to National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) Sector Skill Councils, State Skill Mission, State Skill Corporation can avail loan for the purpose.
- Amount of loan varies from Rs. 5,000 to Rs. 150, 000/- depending on the course having a repayment period of 3 to 7 years. Simple rate of interest @ 11% and 12% per annum is charged during the period of study.

ANSWER: National Skill Development Corporation

Explanation:
- National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) is the implementing agency for PMKVY.
- National Skill Development Corporation is not for profit “Company” under the Companies Act.
- It is set up by the Ministry of Finance, under Section 25 of the Companies Act. It has an equity base of Rs.10 crore, of which the Government of India holds for 49%, while the private sector has the balance 51%.
- National Skill Development Agency is an autonomous body under the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship.

ANSWER: Both

Explanation:
- Electricity Act, 2003 for governing renewable energy sector will be replaced by proposed Renewable Energy Act.
- The act will also establish National Renewable Energy Fund (NREF) with corpus of over Rs.17,000 crore.
- The NREF would be used for supporting all the objectives of the Act.
- It mentions funding for R&D, resource assessment, demonstrations and pilot projects, low cost financing, investments for skills development, supporting RE technology manufacturing, infrastructure development, promoting all forms of decentralised renewable energy.
- The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy “may offer a starting corpus” to such State Green Fund(s) from the National Renewable Energy Fund.