IAS Prelims GS Questions and Answers - Nov 08 & 09, 2015

ANSWER: Only 2

Explanation:
- Exercise INDRA are joint exercises of Indian military with Russia.
- Exercise Indra-2015 is the seventh edition in a series of bilateral exercises under this banner.
- The exercise would be conducted in two phases, namely 'Combat Conditioning & Tactical Training' and 'Validation' phases.

ANSWER: Only 1

Explanation:
- It is a joint venture between the Russian Federation's NPO Mashinostroeyenia and India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) who have together formed BrahMos Aerospace Private Limited.
- It is the world's fastest cruise missile in operation.
- India became the only country with supersonic cruise missiles in their army, navy, and air force.

ANSWER: Swachh Bharat

Explanation:
- Swachh Bharat is a national campaign by the Government of India, covering 4041 statutory towns, to clean the streets, roads and infrastructure of the country.
- The campaign was officially launched on 2 October 2014 at Rajghat.

Specific objectives are:

- Elimination of open defecation Conversion of unsanitary toilets to pour flush toilets (a type of pit latrine, usually connected to two pits) Eradication of manual scavenging 100% collection and processing/disposal/reuse/recycling of municipal solid waste
- A behavioural change in people regarding healthy sanitation practices
- Generation of awareness among citizens about sanitation and its linkages with public health Supporting urban local bodies in designing, executing and operating waste disposal systems
- Facilitating private-sector participation in capital expenditure and operation and maintenance costs for sanitary facilities.

ANSWER: All

Explanation:
- India was certified a Guinea worm disease free country in February 2000 by the World Health Organization.
- The national guinea worm eradication programme was launched in 1983.
- Guinea worm disease is also known as dracunculiasis, which in Latin means affliction with little dragons. In Africa it is also called empty granary as it erupts around harvest time debilitating the farmer and thus affecting the local food supply. It is a parasitic disease caused by the roundworm parasite Dracunculus medenesis.
- The affliction has been around for thousands of years and is so ancient that it has even been found in Egyptian mummies. It got its name Guinea worm after the Europeans saw the disease on the Guinea coast of West Africa in the 17th century.
- South Sudan, Mali, Ethiopia, and Chad — reported cases of guinea worm in 2014. 56% of all cases reported in 2014 were in South Sudan.
- Yaws has been eliminated from the country in 2006. This disease primarily affects tribal population living in remote, hilly and forest areas having difficult terrain.
- Yaws belongs to a group of chronic bacterial infections (endemic treponematoses, nonvenereal spirochetal diseases) caused by treponemes. Other diseases belonging to this group are bejel (endemic syphilis) and pinta.
- Yaws is the most common of all and occurs primarily in the warm, humid and tropical areas of Africa, Central and South America, the Caribbean, Indian peninsula and the equatorial islands of South-East Asia.

ANSWER: Both

Explanation:
- Any resident of India, Non Resident Indian (NRI) or any foreign citizen residing in India can apply for Aadhaar.
- Since Aadhaar is meant for establishing unique identity and not for granting citizenship, even NRIs and foreign citizen residing in India can enjoy the benefits of Aadhaar.
- An individual of any age can apply for Aadhaar number. A child of age less than 3 years does not require giving biometric information and in this case Aadhaar will be linked to the parents or guardian of that child.
- However, that child needs to give his/her biometric information when he is of 5 years in age. For a child who has enrolled for Aadhaar and is of the age of 5 to 15 years has to give his/her biometric information again when his/her age becomes 15 years.

ANSWER: Only 2

Explanation:
- National Population Register (NPR) project by Ministry of Home Affairs is a comprehensive identity database created by collecting specific information of all usual residents in the country.
- The National Population Register (NPR) is a Register of usual residents of the country.
- It is being prepared at the local (Village/sub-Town), sub-District, District, State and National level under provisions of the Citizenship Act 1955 and the Citizenship (Registration of Citizens and issue of National Identity Cards) Rules, 2003.
- It is mandatory for every usual resident of India to register in the NPR.
- A usual resident is defined for the purposes of NPR as a person who has resided in a local area for the past 6 months or more or a person who intends to reside in that area for the next 6 months or more.

ANSWER: Both

Explanation:
- The Group of Twenty is an international forum for the governments and central bank governors from 20 major economies.
- The members include 19 individual countries—Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States—along with the European Union (EU).
- The EU is represented by the European Commission and by the European Central Bank.
- In December 2014, Turkey took over the presidency of the G-20 from Australia, and will host the group's 2015 summit in Antalya.

ANSWER: HIV

Explanation:
- Genvoya contains a new form of the powerful antiviral medication tenofovir, which slows progression of the virus.
- This new form of the medication enters the body's cells, including those infected with HIV and where the virus replicates, more efficiently than previous forms of tenofovir.
- Therefore, its manufactures say it can be given at a lower dose, which results in 91 per cent less tenofovir in the bloodstream.
- The drug has fewer side effects . Its rate of kidney toxicity are lower, and decreases in bone density are also reduced in patients taking Genvoya, when compared with other drugs containing tenofovir.