IAS Prelims GS Questions and Answers - Nov 09 & 10, 2016

ANSWER: Both 1 and 2

Explanation:

• The objective of Regional Connectivity Scheme, UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik) is to enhance air passenger traffic in the country by stimulating demand on regional routes.
• Amount collected as Regional Connectivity Fund (RCF) will be used to provide financial support to airlines in the form of Viability Gap Funding (VGF) for operations under the Scheme.
• As per the directions of MoCA, RCF will be funded by a small levy per departure on all domestic flights other than the ones on Category II / Category IIA routes under RDG, RCS Routes and aircraft having maximum certified takeoff mass not exceeding 40,000 kg.
• The RCF would channel funds generated from the sector to stimulate further growth and development of the sector itself.
• A part of the fund will also be contributed to by the states that have signed the UDAN MoU: 19 states have either signed or given their consent.

ANSWER: Only 2

Explanation:

• Regional Connectivity Fund (RCF) will be funded by a small levy per departure on all domestic flights.
• The national scheduled airlines providing services on domestic routes where such fee per departure is levied would also be eligible under the Scheme to avail benefits of RCS.
• Similarly, even the passengers would be benefited through additional connectivity on regional routes at prices which are at or below the airfare caps.
• The amount collected under the levy will be ploughed back into the sector.
• The economic importance of promoting regional or remote connectivity is well understood across the world. Geographically large countries like the USA, Canada, Brazil and Australia among many others support regional and remote connectivity.
• UDAN is the first-of-its-kind scheme globally which harnesses the power of the markets to provide a public good.

ANSWER: Manipur

Explanation:

• The first session hosted by UNDP India at COPP 22 focussed on ‘Innovations to enhance climate actions at sub-national levels’.
• The audience were informed that States in the country are adopting policies and incentivized low-emission and climate-resilient infrastructure serving as “innovation labs” for climate action.
• State initiatives like “Jalyuky Shivar Project” from Maharashtra and Manipur’s “Model carbon positive eco-village in Phayeng sanctioned by National Adaptation Fund was also appreciated by the gathering at the Pavilion.
• Bihar, Meghalaya and Puducherry also informed the gathering on the gains made through their state level initiatives.

ANSWER: Area with more renewable energy generation than needed to sustain the area

Explanation:

• The terms ‘carbon zero’, ‘carbon neutral’, ‘zero energy’ or ‘zero emission’ apply to buildings that use renewable energy sources on site to generate energy for their operation, so that over a year the net amount of energy generated on site equals the net amount of energy required by the building.
• Carbon positive moves beyond carbon zero by making additional ‘positive’ or ‘net export’ contributions by producing more energy on site than the building requires and feeding it back to the grid.
• Carbon positive projects can make significant contributions by helping to address the carbon intensity and damaging impacts of past building practices and lifestyles, and by offsetting situations where carbon zero homes are not possible.
• Also in such areas carbon sequestration is more than carbon emissions and not just zero emissions.

ANSWER: Rashtrapati Bhavan

Explanation:

• Various initiatives in villages in Haryana i.e. Dhaula, Alipur, Harchandpur and Rojka Meo adopted by Rashtrapati Bhavan under its Smart Gram Initiative have been launched.
• The focus of Rashtrapati Bhavan is on creating a sustainable and inclusive development model that can be easily replicated. This model is based on the convergence of resources and effort by the central government, state government, district administration, panchayati raj institutions, public sector, private sector and enlightened villagers.
• Some of the initiatives which were inaugurated include: upgraded infrastructure in the Udyog Kunj Alipur, Smart Gram Consortium Office, Smart Gram Training Centre, Gram Sachivalaya, Smart Gram Wellness Centre, Water ATM, Initiation of work of up-gradation of distribution network of electricity of DHBVN, Women’s Training by NIFTEM, Initiation of the work of construction of internal village road, Foundation Laying of building of Gramalaya, Distribution of energy efficient Chulhas and Sanitary Napkin Production Centre at Dhaula.

ANSWER: Avian Influenza

Explanation:

• H5N8 is a subtype of the Influenza A virus (sometimes called bird flu virus). Although H5N8 is considered one of the lower pathogenic subtypes, it is beginning to become more so.
• Many times, H5N8 is used as an incubator for the highly pathogenic H1N1.
• Recently there were small outbreaks in India of this avian influenza however they were contained immediately.

ANSWER: Both 1 and 2

Explanation:

• The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) is a global initiative focused on “making nature’s values visible”.
• Its principal objective is to mainstream the values of biodiversity and ecosystem services into decision-making at all levels.
• It aims to achieve this goal by following a structured approach to valuation that helps decision-makers recognize the wide range of benefits provided by ecosystems and biodiversity, demonstrate their values in economic terms and, where appropriate, capture those values in decision-making.
• TEEB is a study led by Pavan Sukhdev.

ANSWER: 3

Explanation:

• The TEEB study was launched by Germany and the European Commission in response to a proposal by the G8+5 Environment Ministers in Potsdam, Germany in 2007, to develop a global study on the economics of biodiversity loss.
• The second phase of the TEEB study is hosted by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) with support from a number of organizations, including the European Commission, German Federal Ministry for Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety and the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
• The TEEB Advisory Board includes experts from the fields of science and economics.

ANSWER: Only 2

Explanation:

• Green accounting is a type of accounting that attempts to factor environmental costs into the financial results of operations.
• It has been argued that gross domestic product ignores the environment and therefore policymakers need a revised model that incorporates green accounting.
• The major purpose of green accounting is to help businesses understand and manage the potential quid pro quo between traditional economics goals and environmental goals.
• Net Domestic Product (NDP) is newly defined as Green NDP, or also known as EDP. The green accounting formula is:
• EDP = Net Exports + C + NApec + (NAnp.ec - NAnp.n)
Where:
EDP = Environmental Domestic Product,
C = Final Consumption,
Nap.ec = Net Accumulation of Produced Economic Assets,
NAnp.ec = Net Accumulation of Non-produced Economic Assets,
NAnp.n = Net Accumulation of Non-produced Natural Assets.

ANSWER: Only 2

Explanation:

• Financial Stability and Development Council is an apex-level body constituted by the government of India.
• The idea to create such a super regulatory body was first mooted by the Raghuram Rajan Committee in 2008.
• Finally in 2010, the then Finance Minister of India, Pranab Mukherjee, decided to set up such an autonomous body dealing with macro prudential and financial regularities in the entire financial sector of India.
• The global economic meltdown has put pressure on governments and institutions across the globe to regulate their economic assets. This council is seen as India's initiative to be better conditioned to prevent such incidents in future.
• The new body envisages strengthening and institutionalising the mechanism of maintaining financial stability, financial sector development, and inter-regulatory coordination along with monitoring macro-prudential regulation of economy.