IAS Prelims GS Questions and Answers - June 02, 2016

ANSWER: 100%

Explanation:

• The Union Cabinet has given its approval for setting up the India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) as a Public Limited Company under the Department of Posts, with 100% Government of India (GOI) equity.
• All citizens, especially 40% of the country's population that is outside the ambit of formal banking in the country will benefit from this project. The project will be rolled out in the entire country in a phased manner.
• Its services will be available across the country through 650 payments bank branches, linked post offices and alternative channels riding on modern technology including mobiles, ATMs, PoS/ m-PoS devices, etc. and simple digital payments.
• Setting-up of the IPPB to further financial inclusion was one of the budgetary announcements during 2015-16. The Department of Posts had obtained the "in-principle approval" of the RBI in September 2015 to set up the India Post Payments Bank.

ANSWER: All of the above

Explanation:

• The proposal will further the cause of financial inclusion by providing basic banking, payments and remittance services and facilitate financial services like insurance, mutual funds, pensions and access to credit in tie-up with third party financial providers with special focus on rural areas and the unbanked and under-banked segments.
• It will generate new employment opportunities for skilled banking professionals and will generate opportunities for propagating financial literacy across the country.
• It will create the largest bank in the world in terms of accessibility and in time, will encourage the move towards a less cash economy.
• The India Post Payments Bank will leverage the Department’s network, reach, and resources to make simple, low-cost, quality financial services easily accessible to customers all over the country.

ANSWER: 9 sq. mt.

Explanation:

• Under Prime Minister’s Awas Yojana (Urban), minimum addition of 9.0 sq.mt of carpet area to the existing house will be required to be eligible for Central assistance under the ‘Beneficiary Led Construction’ component of the housing mission.
• Under BLC, beneficiaries will be assisted for construction of new houses and enhancement of existing houses to make them more livable. A minimum addition of 9.0 sq.mt of carpet to the existing pucca or semi-pucca house shall now be ensured for being eligible for Central assistance of Rs.1.50 lakh per beneficiary.
• Beneficiaries in slums which are not being redeveloped can be covered under this component if beneficiaries have a Kutcha or Semi-Pucca house.

ANSWER: Both 1 and 2

Explanation:

• A minimum addition of 9.0 sq.mt of carpet to the existing pucca or semi-pucca house shall now be ensured for being eligible for Central assistance of Rs.1.50 lakh per beneficiary.
• This enhancement shall include pucca construction of at least one habitable room or room with kitchen/bathroom /toilet as per the National Building Construction Norms.
• The new Guidelines also mandated that after the required minimum of 9.0 sq.mt carpet area enhancement, total carpet area shall not be less than 21 sq. mt. and must not be more than 30 sq. mt.
• Under BLC component of PMAY (Urban), eligible beneficiaries already owning pucca or semi-pucca houses are enabled to undertake enhancement of such homes to make them more liveable.

ANSWER: All of the above

Explanation:

• Prime Minister released the National Disaster Management Plan (NDMP). This is the first ever national plan prepared in the country.
• It aims to make India disaster resilient and significantly reduce the loss of lives and assets.
• The plan is based on the four priority themes of the “Sendai Framework,” namely: understanding disaster risk, improving disaster risk governance, investing in disaster risk reduction (through structural and non-structural measures) and disaster preparedness, early warning and building back better in the aftermath of a disaster.

ANSWER: 1, 3

Explanation:

• The plan covers all phases of disaster management: prevention, mitigation, response and recovery. It provides for horizontal and vertical integration among all the agencies and departments of the Government.
• The plan also spells out the roles and responsibilities of all levels of Government right up to Panchayat and Urban Local Body level in a matrix format.
• The plan has a regional approach, which will be beneficial not only for disaster management but also for development planning.
• It is designed in such a way that it can be implemented in a scalable manner in all phases of disaster management.
• It also identifies major activities such as early warning, information dissemination, medical care, fuel, transportation, search and rescue, evacuation, etc. to serve as a checklist for agencies responding to a disaster.
• It also provides a generalized framework for recovery and offers flexibility to assess a situation and build back better.
• To prepare communities to cope with disasters, it emphasizes on a greater need for Information, Education and Communication activities.

ANSWER: All of the above

Explanation:
For each hazard, the approach used in this national plan incorporates the four priorities enunciated in the Sendai Framework into the planning framework for Disaster Risk Reduction under the five Thematic Areas for Actions:

• Understanding Risk
• Inter-Agency Coordination
• Investing in DRR – Structural Measures
• Investing in DRR – Non-Structural Measures
• Capacity Development.

ANSWER: Switzerland

Explanation:

• In Switzerland, the world's longest and deepest rail tunnel, running under the Swiss Alps has been inaugurated.
• The 57-kilometer long Gotthard Base Tunnel will connect northern and southern Europe and shorten travel time for many rail routes.
• It overtakes Japan's Seikan tunnel, which measures 53.9 kilometres, as the longest rail tunnel in the world.