IAS Prelims GS Questions and Answers - Mar 25 & 26, 2016

ANSWER: Mobile App

Explanation:

• The application, which is named ‘Autography’, is a first.
• Monuments are ruined by the writings and graffiti on them.
• To counter such things, the visitors can write their message digitally instead of on the monuments and historic places. Tablets will be installed near the historic monuments and artifacts in which the messages would be written.
• The app would allow the visitor to choose the surface [marble or wood for example], the color and the instrument they want to use [felt pen, paintbrush, aerosol] to leave a virtual message or drawing.
• The messages are stored online (http://autography.operaduomo.firenze.it/). They will be printed out each year and filed away in the Cathedral’s archives, alongside historic documents.
• The idea was to raise awareness among visitors about vandalism, but also give them the chance to leave behind a record, an everlasting sign of their passing through, without damaging the monument.

ANSWER: Electronic Data interchange

Explanation:

• The integrated mission mode project, Electronic Data interchange (EDI) for Trade (e-Trade) was conceptualized to facilitate effective and efficient mode of transacting business in the area of foreign trade.
• The Department of Commerce is the nodal agency for the implementation of the eTrade project.
• It is to enable the foreign trade to avail services from various regulatory / facilitating agencies involved in foreign trade in an online environment.
• The project is a Mission Mode Project (MMP) under National eGovernance Plan (NeGP) which is a part of Digital India Program and monitored at the level of Cabinet Secretary.
• The secretariat for the NeGP is Department of Electronics and Information Technology (DeitY).
• The project is being pursued in trade regulatory and facilitating agencies like Customs, Ports, Airports, Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), Banks, respective Container Corporation of India (CONCOR), export promotion organizations etc. who also happen to be the community partners of the project.
• The community partners have developed their own systems for internal processing. eTrade Project interconnects these community partners and enables them to exchange messages through web or FTP.

ANSWER: 1, 2

Explanation:
The objectives are –

• To introduce international standards and practices in the area of clearance of export/ import of cargo
• Provide 24 hours access to users with their partners
• Facilitate effective and efficient delivery of services
• Improvement in ease of doing business

ANSWER: Karnataka

Explanation:

• Bystanders and eyewitnesses often hesitate to help accident victims citing cumbersome police and hospital procedures.
• Karnataka is set to turn the Centre’s Good Samaritan guidelines, which protect citizens who help accident victims, into a law.
  
• The State government is in the process of bringing about a ‘Good Samaritan Act’, and could be the first State to do so.
• Although the Supreme Court had made the guidelines binding on all States earlier this month, making it into an Act is expected to strengthen its implementation.

ANSWER: 1, 2

Explanation:
The Supreme Court had directed the central government to develop a set of guidelines for protecting good samaritans from police harassment and legal hassles. Key guidelines include:

• A bystander or good samaritan, including an eyewitness of a road accident, who takes the injured to the hospital, should be allowed to leave immediately after furnishing address by the eyewitness only. No questions shall be asked to such a person.
• Such a person shall not be liable for any civil and criminal liability.
• A person, who calls to inform the police or emergency services for the person lying injured on the road, shall not be compelled to reveal his name and personal details on the phone or in person. Disciplinary action shall be initiated by the government against public officials who coerce or intimidate such person into revealing his name or personal details.
  
• It will be the Good Samaritan’s choice to share his name and contact details in medico legal case forms, which the police fill out when an accident victim is brought to the hospital for treatment.
• The guidelines, issued by the ministry of road transport and highways, have also asked the State governments to work out a plan to reward or compensate Good Samaritans to encourage citizens to come forward and help road accident victims.
• The accident eyewitnesses will be examined only once during police investigation or trial in court and action will be taken against government officials who force a bystander to reveal name and personal details. The guidelines will protect a person who helps an injured person on the road, from legal and procedural hassles at the hands of the police, hospitals and legal entities. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways will be issuing these guidelines.
• The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare shall issue guidelines stating that all registered public and private hospitals will:
• 
  (i) not detain a bystander or good samaritan, or
  (ii) demand payment for registration and admission costs, unless the person is a relative of the injured.

ANSWER: Both 1 and 2

Explanation:

• The e-waste exchange as an option has been provided in the rules as an independent market instrument offering assistance or independent electronic systems offering services for sale and purchase of e-waste generated from end-of life electrical and electronic equipment between agencies or organizations authorized under these rules.
• Deposit Refund Scheme has been introduced as an additional economic instrument wherein the producer charges an additional amount as a deposit at the time of sale of the electrical and electronic equipment and returns it to the consumer along with interest when the end-of-life electrical and electronic equipment is returned.

ANSWER: Only 1

Explanation:

• Collection and channelisation of e-waste in Extended Producer Responsibility - Authorisation shall be in line with the targets prescribed in the rules.
• The phase wise Collection Target for e-waste, which can be either in number or Weight shall be 30% of the quantity of waste generation as indicated in EPR Plan during first two year of implementation of rules followed by 40% during third and fourth years, 50% during fifth and sixth years and 70% during seventh year onwards.
• Thus producers will have to ensure 30 per cent e-waste collection, based on their projected sales, by 2018 and 70 per cent by 2023.
• They also have to pay for publicity and awareness programmes.

ANSWER: Only 2

Explanation:

• Collection is now exclusively Producer’s responsibility, which can set up collection centre or point or even can arrange buy back mechanism for such collection.
• No separate authorization from SPCBs for such collection will be required, which will be indicated in the EPR Plan of Producers.
• Shift from collection centre to collection mechanism approach and removal of need of separate authorization will ensure effective collection simultaneously ensuring flexibility for Producers for implementation.
• This will check leakage of flow of e-waste to unauthorised players.
• Option has been given for setting up of PRO, e-waste exchange, e-retailer, Deposit Refund Scheme as additional channel for implementation of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) by Producers to ensure efficient channelization of e-waste.
• Bulk Consumer is being redefined by adding ‘and health care facilities which have turnover of more than one crore or have more than twenty employees. They need to file annual returns.

ANSWER: Both 1 and 2

Explanation:

• Bioluminescence is the production and emission of light by a living organism. It is a form of chemiluminescence.
• Bioluminescence occurs widely in marine vertebrates and invertebrates, as well as in some fungi, microorganisms including some bioluminescent bacteria and terrestrial invertebrates such as fireflies.
• The principal chemical reaction in bioluminescence involves the light-emitting pigment luciferin and the enzyme luciferase, assisted by other proteins such as aequorin in some species.
• The uses of bioluminescence by animals include counter-illumination camouflage, mimicry of other animals, for example to lure prey, and signalling to other individuals of the same species, such as to attract mates.
• In the laboratory, luciferase-based systems are used in genetic engineering and for biomedical research. Other researchers are investigating the possibility of using bioluminescent systems for street and decorative lighting, and a bioluminescent plant has been created.

ANSWER: 1, 2

Explanation:
A Performance- based Incentive Grant Scheme, as part of SBM (G), is proposed to be launched through World Bank support credit funds. The performance of the States will be gauged through certain performance indicators, called the Disbursement-Linked Indicators (DLIs). Following are three DLIs.
1. Reduction in the prevalence of open defecation: The funds under this result area shall be released to the States on the basis of reduction in prevalence of open defecation amongst rural households in the State, compared to the previous year.
2. Sustaining Open Defecation Free (ODF) status in Villages: The funds under this result area, shall be released on the basis of estimated population residing in ODF villages,
3. Increase in percentage of rural population served by improved Solid and Liquid Waste Management (SLWM): The funds under this DLI will be based on the population served with acceptable level of SLWM services.

The States will pass on a substantial portion (more than 95 percent) of the Performance Incentive Grant Funds received from the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation, to the appropriate implementing levels of districts, Blocks, GPs etc. The end-use of the incentive grants will be limited to activities pertaining to the sanitation sector.

ANSWER: Only 2

Explanation:

• Under the scheme, financial assistance is provided for construction of pucca house to all houseless and households living in dilapidated houses.
• It is proposed that one crore households would be provided assistance for construction of pucca house under the project during the period from 2016-17 to 2018-19.
• It will Enhance the unit assistance to Rs. 1,20,000 in plain areas and to Rs. 1,30,000 in hilly states/difficult areas /IAP districts.
• The scheme would be implemented in rural areas throughout India except Delhi and Chandigarh.
• It will use Socio Economic and Caste Census (SECC)-2011 data for identification of beneficiaries.
• It will set up National Technical Support Agency at national level to provide technical support in achieving the target set under the project.

ANSWER: Only 2

Explanation:

• The cost of unit assistance to be shared between Central and State Governments in the ratio 60:40 in plain areas and 90:10 for North Eastern and hilly states.
• The additional financial requirement will be met by borrowing through National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) which is to be amortised through budgetary allocations after 2022.
• Under the existing rural housing scheme (Indira Awaas Yojana), financial assistance of Rs. 70,000 in plains areas and Rs. 75,000 in hilly/difficult areas is provided.
• The beneficiary is entitled to 90 days of unskilled labour from MGNREGA. This will be ensured through a server linkage between PMAY and MGNREGA.
• Locally appropriate house designs, incorporating features to address the natural calamities common to the region will be made available to beneficiaries.