IAS Prelims GS Questions and Answers - Feb 17, 2016

ANSWER: 1,2

Explanation:

• Pilot project ‘Integration of Homoeopathy/Yoga with National Programme for Prevention and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases & Stroke (NPCDCS) in Krishna District’ is launched at Gudivada near Amaravathi, Andhra Pradesh. The NPCDCS is a programme of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India and its integration with AYUSH is one of the mandates of NPCDCS programme.
• Homeopathy is the most accepted health care system after Modern medicine and Ayurveda medicine in our country.
• NPCDCS was launched by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare with the aim of health promotion and control of these diseases. Integration of AYUSH can act as a catalyst to operationalize its aims and objectives.
• For integration of NPCDCS and AYUSH, it was decided to utilize the services of the Homoeopathic doctors and yoga experts in Krishna (Andhra Pradesh) and Darjeeling (West Bengal) districts. The program aims to aid in reduction of Non Communicable Diseases (NCDs) burden by providing primary prevention of common NCDs through an integrated approach of health education (promotion of healthier life styles including yoga), timely screening of population for early detection/diagnosis of NCDs and early management of NCDs through homoeopathic treatment alone or as add on to standard care.

ANSWER: Only 2

Explanation:

• This is for the first time that a national policy has been framed for the sector. There was no previous policy.
• The policy envisages increasing exports from the current 27 per cent to 40 per cent of production while increasing share of domestic production in India's demand from 60 per cent to 80 per cent, thus making India a net exporter of capital goods.
• The policy also aims to facilitate improvement in technology depth across sub-sectors, increase skill availability, ensure mandatory standards and promote growth and capacity building of MSMEs.
• Some of the key issues addressed include availability of finance, raw material, innovation and technology, productivity, quality and environment friendly manufacturing practices, promoting exports and creating domestic demand.

ANSWER: Capital Goods

Explanation:

• Heavy Industry Export & Market Development Assistance Scheme (HIEMDA)
• The key policy recommendations in National Capital goods policy include strengthening the existing scheme of the DHI (Department of Heavy Industry) on enhancement of competitiveness of Capital Goods sector by increasing budgetary allocation and increasing its scope to further boost global competitiveness in various sub sectors of Capital Goods, enhancing the export of Indian made capital goods through a ‘Heavy Industry Export & Market Development Assistance Scheme (HIEMDA)’.
• It has also made provision for launching a Technology Development Fund, upgrading existing and setting up new testing & certification facility, making standards mandatory in order to reduce sub-standard machine imports and at the same time providing opportunity to local manufacturing units by utilizing their installed capacity and launching scheme of skill development for Capital Goods sector.

ANSWER: Deccan Plateau

Explanation:

• At least 25 sites were considered for the detector that will, most saliently, have two L-shaped four-kilometre-long arms.
• All of north India is ruled out [as a potential site] because of its seismicity, as are the deserts of Jodhpur because of sandstorms … the Deccan Plateau is best suited.
• Other than the benefit of having a third detector, which will likely improve the chances of spotting gravitational waves, an India detector would improve the chances of novel, exciting discoveries being made out of India and being made by Indians.
• INDIGO will be a replica of the two LIGO detectors and many of its components have already been built and are ready to be shipped from the United States.

ANSWER: All of the above

Explanation:

• Cancer cells can sometimes hide unnoticed by the body’s defenses, or simply overwhelm them and throw the immune system into overdrive.
• Due to this it is difficult to detect and eliminate cancer cells unless they show themselves or some symptoms.

ANSWER: Thymocytes cells

Explanation:

• To administer the T-cell therapy, doctors remove immune cells from patients, tagging them with “receptor” molecules that target a specific cancer, as other T-cells target the flu or infections. They then infuse the cells back in the body.
• T-cell therapy is often considered an option of last resort because reprogramming the immune system can come with dangerous side-effects, including cytokine release syndrome (sCRS) — and overload defence cells.
• Lowering the dose of T-cells can reduce the risk of side-effects.
• T-cells are a living drug, and in particular they have the potential to persist in our body for our whole lives. This is a living therapy

ANSWER: 1, 3, 4

Explanation:

• A military base in Djibouti along with major port development projects in Myanmar and Sri Lanka are defining the contours of China’s Maritime Silk Road—an oceanic connectivity project, of which, the Indian Ocean is the core.
• Djibouti would become an ideal location for securing sea lanes, in the vicinity, which radiate from this area towards Africa’s Indian Ocean coastline and the Arabian Sea.
• China says it is establishing naval “support facilities” in Djibouti, which has the ambition of emerging as another Singapore, leveraging its position at the intersection of busy shipping lanes.
• China has also quietly signed a deal to develop an Industrial Park and a deep water port in Kyaukphyu in Myanmar. The facility in the Bay of Bengal amplifies Beijing’s pitch to deepen its stakes in Myanmar in order to lower its dependence on the Straits of Malacca—a strategic commercial channel, dominated by the U.S. sixth fleet.
• China is already steering the Gwadar to Kashgar economic corridor, adding another node to its growing Indian Ocean profile.

ANSWER: Canbank Venture Capital Fund

Explanation:

• The Electronics Development Fund to support early-stage, angel, venture and private equity funds focusing on electronics, nano-electronics and information technology is launched.
• The government has appointed Canbank Venture Capital Fund to house the Electronic Development Fund in 2015. The fund has an initial corpus of Rs 2,200 crore.
• The Electronics Development Fund is set up as a ‘Fund of Funds’ to participate in ‘Daughter Funds’, which in turn will provide risk capital to companies developing new technologies in the area of electronics, nano-electronics and IT.