IAS Prelims GS Questions and Answers - Feb 02, 2016

ANSWER: None of the above

Explanation:

• The Companies Law Committee was constituted in June 2015 for examining and making recommendations on the issues arising out of implementation of the Companies Act, 2013. The Committee was chaired by Secretary, Ministry of Corporate Affairs and nominees or heads of institutions like FICCI, CII, etc., Shri N.S. Vishwanathan, Executive Director from RBI and Shri P.K. Nagpal, Executive Director from SEBI as co-opted members and Joint Secretary (Policy), Ministry of Corporate Affairs as Member Convener. It had no MPs.
• The Committee has endeavored to reconcile the competing interests of the various stakeholders keeping in mind the difficulties and challenges expressed by them.
• It was also mindful of the Government’s objective of furthering ease of doing business, encouraging start-ups and the need for harmonizing various laws.
• The Committee also kept in mind the need to bring in greater clarity in the Act and Rules and harmonizing the various provisions.

ANSWER: 2 and 3

Explanation:
Some of the proposed changes are –

• Managerial remuneration to be approved by shareholders.
• Restriction on layers of subsidiaries and investment companies to be removed.
• Auditor to report on internal financial controls with regard to financial statements.
• Modify definition of associate company and subsidiary company to ensure that ‘equity share capital’ is the basis for deciding holding-subsidiary relationship rather than “both equity and preference share capital”.
• Provisions relating to forward dealing and insider trading to be omitted from Companies Act. Listed companies are covered under SEBI Act/Regulations.
• No filing fees if financial statements and annual returns filed within prescribed time.
• Foreign companies having insignificant/incidental transactions through electronic mode to be exempted from registering and compliance regime under Companies Act, 2013.

ANSWER: 1, 2, 3

Explanation:
Ministry of Tourism has launched following initiatives –

• Swachh Bharat – Swachh Paryatan
• Swachh Bharat – Swachh Smarak
• Swachh Bharat – Swachh Pakwan (Hunar Zaika)
• PRASAD Scheme
• Swadesh Darshan Scheme
• e-Tourist Visa

ANSWER: 52

Explanation:

• India has moved 13 positions ahead from 65th to 52nd rank in Tourism and Travel Competitive Index as per the World Economic Forum (Davos) Report.
• The overall index is made of three main sub-indexes: (1) regulatory framework; (2) business environment and infrastructure; and (3) human, cultural, and natural resources.
• The index is a measurement of the factors that make it attractive to develop business in the travel and tourism industry of individual countries, rather than a measure of country’s attractiveness as a tourist destination.
• Ministry has launched a ‘Welcome Booklet’ for distribution at immigration counters to tourists arriving at international airports. The ‘Welcome Booklet’ contains information on Do’s and Don’ts for Tourists, contact details of Indiatourism domestic offices and ‘Tourist Helpline Number’.
• Ministry of Tourism has launched a 24x7 ‘Incredible India Help Line’ in December, 2014 to provide the tourist with valuable information and to guide them during emergencies. It is intended to provide a sense of security to the tourists. The service is available toll free on telephone no. 1800111363 or on a short code 1363.

ANSWER: All of the above

Explanation:

• Ministry of Tourism has announced the constitution of the Medical and Wellness Tourism Promotion Board.
• The Board has been formed to tap the potential and advantages that India has in the field of medical and wellness tourism.
• It aims at enabling promotion and positioning of India as a competent and credible medical and wellness tourism destination.
• The Board is chaired by the Union Tourism Minister and consists of members representing the related Government Departments, Tourism & Hospitality sector and experts in the Medical, Wellness and Yoga.

ANSWER: National Plan for Conservation of Aquatic Ecosystems

Explanation:
The National Plan for Conservation of Aquatic Ecosystems (NPCA) provides the policy framework and support to State Governments for integrated management of wetlands. The State Wetland Authorities are envisaged to be entrusted the role of management and regulation of wetlands within their jurisdiction. In a strategic step towards increasing the capacity of wetland managers in integrated and holistic management, upgrading the existing Wetland Research and Training Centre of Chilika Development Authority at Barkul, Odisha into the National Capacity Development Centre for Wetlands is also being envisaged.

ANSWER: 2, 4

Explanation:
The changes made in the scheme are given below –

• Gold depositors can also give their gold directly to the refiner rather than only through the Collection and Purity Testing Centres (CPTCs). This will encourage the bulk depositors including Institutions to participate in the scheme.
• Gold to be deposited with the CPTCs/Refineries can be of any purity. The CPTC/Refiner will test the gold and determine its purity which will be basis on which the deposit certificate will be issued.
• Issues like the method of interest calculation and mechanism for taking loans against GMS deposits have also been clarified.
• Important clarification which brings GMS in sync with the gold bond scheme is that the interest rate for medium and long term gold deposits will be calculated in rupees and the value will be the prevailing one at the time of making a deposit.
• Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has modified the licensing condition for refiners already having National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) accreditation from the existing three years refining experience to one year refining experience. This is likely to increase the number of licensed refiners.
• Under the amended norms, principal and interest on a short term deposit (1-3 years) shall be denominated in gold. This is a change from the earlier norm where customers had a choice of collecting their interest in cash or gold during the time of redemption.
• In the case of medium term and long term deposits, the principal will be denominated in gold but the interest calculated in rupees, with reference to the value of gold at the time of the deposit.
• The lock-in period for medium term deposits will be three years; For long term ones, five years.
• The banks would be getting a 2.5 % commission for the scheme which will include the charges payable to the Collection and Purity Testing Centers/Refiners (1.5% handling charges and 1% commission).

ANSWER: Ministry of Minority Affairs

Explanation:
The Ministry of Minority Affairs launched an unique initiative of “Hamari Dharohar” aimed at preservation of rich heritage and culture of minorities, by supporting curation of iconic exhibitions, calligraphy, preservation of old documents, maintenance and restoration of heritage sites, digitization of archives, preservation and promotion of Languages, research and development, etc.

ANSWER: Kerala

Explanation:

• Launched by Ministry of Rural Development, under Rurban Mission clusters of 15-20 villages having about 30 to 40 lakh population will be developed.
• Rurban Mission to ransform rural areas to economically, socially and physically sustainable spaces will be launched on 28th Feburary, 2016 will be launched from Kerala.
• In first year 100 Rurban growth clusters will be developed. The mission aims to create 300 such clusters over the next 3 years, across the country.
• The funding for Rurban Clusters will be through various schemes of the Government converged into the cluster. To ensure an optimum level of development, fourteen components have been suggested as desirable for the cluster, which would include; Skill development training linked to economic activities.
• For the selection of clusters, the Ministry of Rural Development is adopting a scientific process of cluster selection which involves an objective analysis at the District, Sub District and Village level, of the demography, economy, tourism and pilgrimage significance and transportation corridor impact.

ANSWER: 1, 2, 3

Explanation:

• A team of scientists from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the Mars Society Australia and the Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany, Lucknow, will mount an expedition to Ladakh this August to study the similarities of certain parts of the region’s topography and microbial life to Martian surroundings.
• Ladakh offers a “high UV (ultra-violet) exposed, dry ecosystem with Mars analogue topological features that tell us heaps about the origin and evolution of our planet’s topological features.
• Before Ladakh, there have been expeditions to the deserts such in Atacama, Chile; Mojave, California; Arkaroola, Australia as well as the Arctic and Antarctica, organised since 2006.
• For the first time India is part of Spaceward Bound programme, which educates future space explorers and funds expeditions to places with extreme climate conditions.
• They will be testing a rover that will collect samples and analyze some of the high altitude springs etc.
• The Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany has expertise in studying ancient climate and life.