IAS Prelims GS Questions and Answers - Dec 23, 2016

ANSWER: Only 1

Explanation:

• To further improve the country’s rank in the indicator ‘Getting Credit’, Department of Financial Services and Ministry of Corporate Affairs shall work towards integrating CERSAI database with ROC Registry of Charges to create a single registry of assets.
• In the indicator ‘Enforcing Contracts’, the Union Commerce and Industry Minister mentioned that country ranks poorly at 172 on this indicator and efforts are required on many reforms to bring the country among the top 50 nations. She also mentioned that the initiative of eCourts should be expedited for electronic filing of complaints, summons and payments especially in the Commercial Courts.
• On ‘Construction Permit’, Secretary, Ministry of Urban Development mentioned that the procedures shall be brought down to 8 which will be completed within 60 days.
• However, the Finance Minister desired that the Department should explore the possibility of commencing the construction on architect’s certification and approval being granted only at the time of the occupancy of the building.

ANSWER: Facilitate flexibility in utilization of domestic coal

Explanation:

• The Coal Mitra Web Portal has been designed to bring about flexibility in Utilization of Domestic Coal by transferring the reserves to more cost efficient State/Centre owned or Private sector generating stations, leading to lower generation costs and ultimately lesser cost of electricity for the consumers.
• The web portal would be used by the State/Central Gencos to display information about normative fixed and variable charges of electricity for the previous month as well as margin available for additional generation so as to enable the utilities identify stations for transfer of coal. It would host data on Operational and Financial parameters of each coal based station; Quantity and source of supply coal to the power plant; and Distance of Power plant form the Coal mine.

ANSWER: Power sector

Explanation:

• The Citizen Engagement Window ‘SAMVAD’ which has been created to enhance participation of public at large.
• The feedback and suggestions from the people would be automatically forwarded to the concerned Managing Director(s) and Superintending Engineer(s) of DISCOMs through SMS & e-mail on their dashboard for online monitoring and further action.
• SAMVAD is part of the GARV-II mobile App and is aimed at enhancing citizen engagement.

ANSWER: Toilet Locator App

Explanation:

• With construction of individual and public and community toilets in urban areas getting on to fast track, Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban) today moved to a new level of improving ‘ease of access to public toilets’.
• Minister of Urban Development launched ‘Google Maps Toilet Locator App’ to enable people to locate the nearest public toilet for use in five cities in National Capital Region and Bhopal and Indore in Madhya Pradesh.
• Shri Naidu said this facility now available in Delhi, Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad and Noida and the two cities of Madhya Pradesh would help in addressing open urination and open defecation.
• Using the key word ‘Swachh Public Toilet’, users can access 5,162 public toilets located near malls, hospitals, bus and railway stations, fuel stations, metro stations and public and community toilet complexes in the five cities in NCR and 703 in Bhopal and 411 in Indore.
• The App also gives information about the nature of the toilet seat available, free or pay for use, working hours etc.
• This facility will be extended to other cities in due course. Ministry of Urban Development has partnered with Google to enable this service.

ANSWER: New Delhi

Explanation:

• One ‘Reverse Vendor Machine’ set up by New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) at Gate No.2, Palika Market, New Delhi was also launched today.
• When a plastic bottle is dropped into this machine, it gives a receipt of credit of up to one rupee.
• A waste recipient bin cum kiosk is the latest innovative technology which will act as a waste receptacle recycling bottles and cans. Anyone can drop a plastic bottle in it and get attractive coupons and prizes in return.
• The aim is to promote recycling of waste material, behavioral attitude and change of mind set.
• NDMC is setting up 20 such machines which help in preventing littering of plastic bottles.

ANSWER: All of the above

Explanation:

• The Minister launched free to use ‘Smart Toilets’ set up by the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) under PPP model at National Gallery of Art on Shershah Road, opposite Haryana Bhawan on Copernicus Marg and near Tolstoy Marg Metro Station.
• Each such complex has one WC toilet seat and four urinals for gents, one WC each for women and differently abled, Water ATM, Bank ATM and Digital Health Centres.
• Other facilities are- Mobile Charging and four other Public Toilet Utilities.
• The NDMC will set-up 101 Smart Public Toilets in different areas of the capital out of which five have been constructed and another twelve are likely to be set-up by end of January, 2017. The rest of the Smart Toilets will be completed by June, 2017.

ANSWER: 8

Explanation:

• The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has approved a proposed master plan to develop 50 solar cities, including three in the national capital region.
• Out of the proposed 60 solar cities, sanctions have been issued for 50 cities.
• Eight cities are to be developed as ‘Model Solar Cities'.
• Of these 8 cities, Nagpur, Chandigarh, Gandhinagar and Mysore have so far been selected to be developed as ‘Model Solar Cities.
• Fifteen cities will be developed as ‘Pilot Solar Cities.’

ANSWER: One which aims at minimum 10% reduction in projected demand of conventional energy

Explanation:

• The Solar City aims at minimum 10% reduction in projected demand of conventional energy at the end of five years, through a combination of enhancing supply from renewable energy sources in the city and energy efficiency measures.
• The basic aim is to motivate the local Governments for adopting renewable energy technologies and energy efficiency measures.
• In a Solar City all types of renewable energy based projects like solar, wind, biomass, small hydro, waste to energy etc. may be installed along with possible energy efficiency measures depending on the need and resource availability in the city.

ANSWER: Neither 1 nor 2

Explanation:

• The Regulations provide that a liquidator should ordinarily sell the assets through auctions.
• He/ She may sell the assets through private sale only when the asset is perishable; the asset is likely to deteriorate in value significantly if not sold immediately or the asset is sold at a price higher than the reserve price of a failed auction.
• He/ She may sell an asset on standalone basis or assets in a slump sale, assets in parcels or a set of assets collectively.
• Regulations prohibit an insolvency professional from acting as a liquidator for a corporate debtor if he is not independent of the corporate debtor.