IAS Prelims GS Questions and Answers - May 10, 2016

ANSWER: Gir Cow

Explanation:

• Gujarat is estimated to have only around 3,000 pure breed Gir cows left.
• Only recently, two containers with embryos of the breed were flown to Brazil to improve the stock of cows there. The embryos were developed in a laboratory in Bhavnagar which has been funded at a cost of Rs 2 crore by cattle breeders of Brazil.
• The last major export of the breed to Brazil took place in 1960, after which laws made import and export of animals difficult. The South American country has taken very good care of the breed, but they need fresh blood every three to four generations because of which the embryos were flown there.
• In Brazil, the Indian cows are known as the Zebu breed. Brazilian farmers first shipped three cattle breeds from India Gir and Kankrej from Gujarat and Ongole from Andhra Pradesh, in 1850. These breeds were essentially for use in agriculture and for beef. But they soon found out that Gir cow gave large quantities of milk.
• Pedigreed Gir cows in Brazil get the Pure Origin India (POI) tag. Each animal's pedigree and DNA is registered with Association of Brazilian Zebu Breeders, an apex body.

ANSWER: Gujarat

Explanation:

• The Gyr is a type of cattle originating in India. The cattle cows best known for their milking prowess. They originated in southwest India in the state of Gujarat and have since spread to neighbouring Maharashtra and Rajasthan.
• The Gir or Gyr is one of the principal Zebu breeds originating in India. It has been used locally in the improvement of other breeds including the Red Sindhi and the Sahiwal.
• It was also one of the breeds used in the development of the Brahman breed in North America.
• In Brazil and other South American countries the Gir is used frequently because, as a Bos indicus breed, it is resistant to hot temperatures and tropical diseases.
• It is very known for its milk producing qualities and is often bred with Friesian cows to make the Girolando breed.

ANSWER: Only 1

Explanation:

• The entire ration card database in all the States/UTs has been digitised.
• For bringing transparency and to check leakages & diversion of foodgrains, States/UTs have been asked to opt for any of the two models of Direct Benefit Transfer – Cash transfer of food subsidy into the bank account of beneficiaries or fair price shop (FPS) automation, which involves installation of Point of Sale (PoS) device at FPS, for authentication of beneficiaries and electronic capturing of transactions.
• The cash transfer of food subsidy is being implemented in 3 UTs namely Chandigarh, Puducherry and partially in Dadra & Nagar Haveli. For remaining areas, States/UTs have been requested to expedite the pace of FPS automation. Out of 5.32 lakh FPSs across the country, about 1.11 lakh FPSs have been automated.

ANSWER: All of the above

Explanation:

• A capital gain is a profit that results from a sale of a capital asset, such as stock, bond or real estate, where the sale price exceeds the purchase price.
• Capital gains may refer to "investment income" that arises in relation to real assets, such as property; financial assets, such as shares/stocks or bonds; and intangible assets.

ANSWER: Push and Pull

Explanation:

• UPI has ability to use personal mobile to "pay" someone (push) as well as "collect" from someone (pull).
• Its value lies in using customer’s mobile phone as the primary device for all authentications and authorizations for both “Direct Pay” (push money) and “Collect Pay” (pull money) transactions.

ANSWER: All of the above

Explanation:

• Internationalization of Rupee will facilitate greater degree of integration of Indian economy with rest of the world in terms of foreign trade and international capital flows.
• Key benefits of internationalization of Rupee include savings on foreign exchange transactions for Indian residents, reduced foreign exchange exposure for Indian corporate, reduction in dependence on foreign exchange reserves for balance of payment stability etc.
• According to the central bank ED, internationalization of the currency refers to a state where exporters from other countries agree to take payment in rupees and where the currency risks in international borrowings are borne by lenders rather than borrowers in India.
• One of the important drivers for internationalization of a currency is the country’s share in global merchandise and commercial services trade. India’s percentage share in the global trade is still on the lower side and it limits the pricing ability of domestic businesses in Indian Rupee.
• Moreover, the share of Indian Rupee in the Global foreign exchange market turnover at present is also very low. Internationalization of Indian currency would also require full capital account convertibility.
• As a policy, government has followed a gradual and cautious approach in opening up the capital account. The capital account is being progressively liberalized in accordance with the evolving macro-economic conditions and requirements of the Indian industries, individuals and financial sectors. Government has been taking measures to promote the internationalization of the Indian Rupee.

ANSWER: 1, 2

Explanation:

• The Hindu Marriage Act, the Parsi Marriage and Divorce Act and even the Special Marriage Act mandate only a year’s judicial separation.
• The government is going ahead with a proposal to amend a condition in a 147-year-old divorce law mandating Christian couples to live separately for two years before they can apply for dissolution of marriage. The Centre’s move is triggered by the Supreme Court’s comments that this condition, called judicial separation, “makes no sense” today.
• The Law and Justice Ministry is proposing to amend the Divorce Act, 1869 to reduce by half — from two years to one — the waiting period for Christians who have already decided to divorce.

ANSWER: Mercury

Explanation:

• NASA’s MESSENGER mission has unveiled the first global digital elevation model (DEM) of Mercury, revealing in stunning detail the topography across the entire innermost planet.
• It will also pave the way for scientists to fully characterise Mercury’s geologic history.
• This new model reveals a variety of interesting topographic features, including the highest and lowest points on the planet.
• The highest elevation on Mercury is at 4.48 km above Mercury’s average elevation, located just south of the equator in some of Mercury’s oldest terrain.
• The lowest elevation, at 5.38 km below Mercury’s average, is found on the floor of Rachmaninoff basin, an intriguing double-ring impact basin suspected to host some of the most recent volcanic deposits on the planet.
• More than 100,000 images were used to create the new model.

ANSWER: MGNREGA

Explanation:

• According to the data presented in Parliament, Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) payments (Rs.25,800 crore) made up to 42 per cent of total DBT schemes.
• 85 per cent of the MGNREGA payments made in 2015-16 were done directly into the beneficiary's bank accounts.
• The second largest head under which DBT transfers were made was the PAHAL scheme for the electronic transfer of LPG subsidies. The government transferred (Rs.21,400 crore) 35 per cent of the total amount transferred through DBT under the PAHAL Scheme.
• The Department of Higher Education (Rs.1,975 crore), Ministry of Minority Affairs (Rs.1,134 crore) and the Ministry of Tribal Affairs (Rs.955 crore) were the other government agencies that made substantial payments using the DBT model.