IAS Prelims GS Questions and Answers - Nov 17, 2015

ANSWER: 1,2,5

Explanation:
- The following countries are typically included in MENA: Algeria, Bahrain, Djibouti, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Malta, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, West Bank and Gaza, and Yemen. Ethiopia and Sudan are sometimes included.
- The MENA acronym is often used in academia, military planning, disaster relief, and business writing.
- The MENA region has vast reserves of petroleum and natural gas that make it a vital source of global economic stability.

ANSWER: Only 1

Explanation:
- CRA fund will consist of $10 billion of "paid-in capital" ($2 billion from each member to be provided over seven years) and an additional $40 billion to be "paid upon request".
- Out of the total initial capital of $100 billion, China will contribute $41 billion, Brazil, Russia and India would give $18 billion each, and South Africa would contribute $5 billion.

ANSWER: Only 2

Explanation:
- Special drawing rights (XDR or SDR) are supplementary foreign exchange reserve assets defined and maintained by the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- Their value is based on a basket of key international currencies reviewed by IMF every five years.
- Based on the latest review conducted on December 30, 2010, the XDR basket consists of the following four currencies: U.S. dollars ($), euro (€), pounds sterling (£), and Japanese yen (¥): 9.4 percent (compared with 11 percent at the 2005 review).
- The weights assigned to each currency in the XDR basket are adjusted to take into account their current prominence in terms of international trade and national foreign exchange reserves.

ANSWER: 1 and 4

Explanation:
- The retail outlet will sell drugs for cancer and heart diseases at highly discounted rates at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) to begin with.
- AMRIT will be launched in all Central Govt hospitals soon
- The AMRIT pharmacy would be selling 202 cancer and 186 cardio-vascular drugs, and 148 types of cardiac implants at very affordable prices.
- Patients can buy medicines and implants at 50 to 60 percent cheaper prices than the open market from AMRIT outlet in AIIMS.
- The project has been floated in a tie-up with government-owned HLL Lifecare Ltd (HLL) which is deputed to establish and run the AMRIT chain of pharmacies across the country.

ANSWER: Nagaland

Explanation:
The Government has declared the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Khaplang), NSCN (K), all its formations and front organizations as a terrorist organization under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.

ANSWER: Nagaland

Explanation:
- Centre will soon develop the Doyang Lake area as an eco-tourism spot for bird-watchers across the world to have a wonderful and rare sight of Amur Falcons, which come to roost every year at Doyang lake during their flight from Mongolia to South Africa.
- Pangti village in Nagaland is recognized as the world’s Amur Falcon capital, as more than one million birds can be seen in just 30 minutes.
- Amur falcons, weigh just 150 grams, cover 5, 600 kms, flying non-stop in five days from Mongolia, to arrive in Nagaland.
- Amur falcons are the longest travelling raptors in the world and come to Doyang every year in millions.
- Until recently, Naga tribesmen used to hunt thousands of Amur falcons for meat. But last year, after a vigorous campaign by wildlife activists, they pledged to protect the bird and since then, not a single bird has been hunted in the area.

ANSWER: None

Explanation:
- The annual Hundred Drums Wangala Festival recently began at Asanang in West Garo Hills in Meghalaya.
- Wangala is the most significant post harvest festival of the Garos generally held in the second week of November every year and it is a Thanks giving ceremony to Misi Saljong also known as Pattigipa Rarongipa (The Great Giver) for having blessed the people with rich harvest of the season.
- The festival was started in the year 1976 at Asanang. The festival has grown over the years under the patronage of the Government of Meghalaya. During the festival, indigenous sports competitions will be held.
- Indigenous sports and Ajea, Doroa and Grika competitions and Rugala ceremony will be held on the second day and will be concluded with the Hundred Drums Dance competition will be held.

ANSWER: All

Explanation:
- Kaziranga National Park is a World Heritage Site
- The park hosts two-thirds of the world's great one-horned rhinoceroses.
- It has the highest density of tigers among protected areas in the world and was declared a Tiger Reserve in 2006.
- The park is home to large breeding populations of elephants, wild water buffalo, and swamp deer.
- Kaziranga is recognized as an Important Bird Area by BirdLife International for conservation of avifaunal species.
- Compared to other protected areas in India, Kaziranga has achieved notable success in wildlife conservation.
- Located on the edge of the Eastern Himalaya biodiversity hotspot, the park combines high species diversity and visibility.

ANSWER: 3,4,5

Explanation:
- ICAN (International Civil Aviation Negotiations),2015 was held in Antalya, Turkey from 19th to 23rdOctober,2015.
- The Conference was attended by 106 countries out of ICAO membership of 191 countries
- The Indian delegation representing Ministry of Civil Aviation participated in the Conference and negotiated with the delegations from 11 countries.
- During these negotiations,“Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)” was signed with six countries namely Finland, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Sweden, Norway & Denmark, Oman and Ethiopia
- “Agreed Minutes” was signed with Serbia, Greece, European Commission and “Record of Discussions”with Brunei Darussalam and Qatar.