IAS Prelims GS Questions and Answers - Nov 25, 2015

ANSWER: Establishment of AEC

Explanation:
- ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) will be EU-style regional economic bloc
- It will allow a single market with a free flow of goods, capital and skilled labour in the region.
- AEC will help less developed economies link up with more developed ones, bringing about more equitable economic development across the region.
- Asean as a single economy is forecast to become the fourth-largest economy in the world by 2030, behind only the European Union, the United States and China.
- ASEAN itself was inaugurated on 8 August 1967, when foreign ministers of five countries; Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand, signed the ASEAN Declaration, more commonly known as the Bangkok Declaration.

ANSWER: All

Explanation:
Asean leaders welcomed the formal establishment of the Asean Community, agreeing that this declaration as well as the community vision 2025 - the Asean Political-Security Community Blueprint 2025, the Asean Economic Community Blueprint 2025 and the Asean Socio-Cultural Community Blueprint 2025 - constitute the Asean 2025: Forging Ahead Together.

ANSWER: Only 2

Explanation:
- Dialogue partners of ASEAN: China, South Korea, Japan, India, New Zealand, Australia, the US and Russia.
-Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand were initial members.
- Since then, membership has expanded to include Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar (Burma), and Vietnam.

ANSWER: Only 1

Explanation:
- It is indigenously developed supersonic interceptor missile.
- The AAD is part of the first phase of India’s Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) initiative, along with the Prithvi Air Defense (PAD) missile.
- The Prithvi provides exoatmosphermic defense while the AAD is optimized for endoatmospheric performance.
- After the United States, Russia, and Israel, India is the fourth state to indigenously develop a BMD system.

ANSWER: Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs

Explanation:
- The Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) is a national agency of Government of India, with the remit to consider and recommend foreign direct investment (FDI) which does not come under the automatic route.
- It provides a single window clearance for proposals on FDI in India.
Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB):
1. Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs is a Chairman
2. Secretary, Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion
3. Secretary, Department of Commerce - Member Secretary (Economic Relation)
4. Ministry of External Affairs – Member
- The Board is empowered to co-opt Secretaries to the Government of India and other top officials of financial institutions, banks and professional experts of industry and commerce, as required.

ANSWER: Only 1

Explanation:
- AGNI IV has two-stage solid propulsion.
- It is 4000 kms range Nuclear Capable Ballistic Missile.
- The AGNI-IV missile propelled by composite solid fuel rocket motor technology was launched from its road mobile launcher indigenously developed by DRDO.

ANSWER: All

Explanation:
- Under the slogan ‘nutritious seeds for a sustainable future,’ the United Nations, led by its Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) launched the 2016 International Year of Pulses
- It will help to raise awareness about the protein power and health benefits of all kinds of dried beans and peas, boost their production and trade, and encourage new and smarter uses throughout the food chain.
- Pulses are important food crops for the food security of large proportions of populations, particularly in Latin America, Africa and Asia, where pulses are part of traditional diets and often grown by small farmers
- According to FAO, pulses, including all kinds of dried beans and peas, are not merely cheap and delicious; they are also highly nutritious source of protein and vital micronutrients that can greatly benefit people’s health and livelihoods, particularly in developing countries.

ANSWER: Satluj

Explanation:
- India and China signed two agreements including one in the field of water resources on sharing hydrological data
- While the pact in water resources was renewal of an agreement dealing with sharing hydrological data on Satluj
- Under the cultural pact, India will hold exhibition of art from the Gupta period, which was known as "golden period" in the country and during which famous Chinese traveller Fa Hien came

ANSWER: Russia to build nuclear power plant

Explanation:
- Russia has signed an agreement with Egypt to finance and build its first nuclear power plant at Dabaa on the Mediterranean coast in the northwest of the country.
- As per one of the agreement, Russia will extend a loan to Egypt to cover the cost of construction of the nuclear plant which is expected to be completed by 2022.
- Under the agreement Russia will grant a 35-year loan to the Egypt
- Dabaa Nuclear plant will be third-generation plant with four reactors with total capacity of 1,200 MW.
- On completion the plant will make Egypt a regional leader in terms of civil nuclear technology.

ANSWER: Prime Minister

Explanation:
- It is one of the standing committees constituted by government of India
Functions of CCEA

- Review economic trends on continuous basis
- Also the problems and prospects, with a view to evolving a consistent and integrated economic policy framework for the country directs and coordinates all policies and activities in the economic field including foreign investment that require policy decisions at the highest level.
- Matters regarding fixation of prices of agricultural products as well as reviewing progress of activities related to rural development including those concerning small and marginal farmers are in CCEA’s competence.
- Price controls of industrial raw materials and products, industrial licensing policies including industrial licensing cases for establishment of Joint Sector Undertakings,reviewing performance of Public Sector Undertakings including their structural and financial restructuring are also within the purview of CCEA, as are all matters relating to disinvestment including cases of strategic sale, and pricing of Government shares in Public Sector Undertakings.
- CCEA facilitates finalisation of factual reports on the accomplishments of the Ministries,Agencies and Public Sector Undertakings involved in implementation of prioritised schemes or projects for evaluation by the Prime Minister.
- The CCEA also considers cases of increase in the firmed up cost estimates/revised cost estimates for projects etc. in respect of the business allocated to the CCEA.

ANSWER: Both

Explanation:
- GITA is joint venture company which envisages supporting MSMEs through the following four programmes: Direct Support for Technology Acquisition, Indirect Support for Technology Acquisition through Patent Pool, Technology/ Equipment Manufacturing Subsidies and Green Manufacturing - Incentive Scheme.
- Being implemented by the Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion (DIPP), the Technology Acquisition and Development Fund (TADF) will empower Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) to acquire technology, customised products, specialised services, patents and industrial designs available in India and globally.

ANSWER: Both

Explanation:
Recommendations of 7th CPC:

1. Minimum basic pay of 18 thousand and maximum of 2.5 lakh rupees per month.
2. Abolition of grade pay and pay band structure.
3. The rate of annual increment for employees will be three percent.
4. The pay will go up by 16 percent, allowances by 63 percent and pension by 24 percent.
5. Abolition of 52 allowances and introduction of a Health Insurance Scheme.
6. One Rank One Pension (OROP) scheme for central government staffers, para military as well as armed forces personnel.
7. Increase in military service pay and revised pension formula for civil employees including Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) and Defense Personnel retiring before 1 January 2016.

ANSWER: Visakhapatnam

Explanation:
- The Second World Congress on Disaster Management (2nd WCDM) shall be held at Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India during 19-22 November 2015, in collaboration with Government of Andhra Pradesh and various local, national, regional and international organizations, six years after the First Congress.
- This would be the largest Congress on disaster management organized by a non-governmental organization.
- The Congress would deliberate on all possible aspects of disaster risk management in as many as 28 Thematic Sessions, structured around 10 Clusters.
- The Congress would highlight the need for coordinated research and action involving all stakeholders for holistic management of disasters, in all its cycles - during pre-disaster prevention, mitigation and preparedness; on disaster response and relief; and post-disaster recovery and reconstruction.
- The Congress would debate on the process of implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030.

ANSWER: Guwahati

Explanation:
- Lumding comes under North Frontier Railway zone
- Movement of foodgrains to Mizoram, Tripura, south Assam and Manipur takes place through the Barak valley.
- Silchar is the main city of the valley. The railway line is broad gauge from Assam's main city of Guwahati up to Lumding (in southern Assam).
- The rail line brings Assam's underdeveloped but strategically important Barak Valley on the broad gauge map.

ANSWER: Both

Explanation:
- The Bill defines “substantial damage” and “minor violation” where different levels of monetary punishment were proposed.
- The proposed Bill inserts “substantial damage to environment” as an act of direct violation, omission or negligence by which the environment is affected or likely to be adversely affected.
- “Minor violation” would mean an act of omission or commission by a person causing damage to environment but “not a substantial damage”.
- While “substantial damage” carries a minimum penalty of Rs 5 crore (depending on the aerial extent of the damage), “minor violation” would attract a fine of Rs 1,000 rising up to Rs 10,000. Violations “not causing substantial damage” would have been fined at Rs 1 lakh and extend up to Rs 5 crore.

ANSWER: 3,4,5,6

Explanation:
- India, Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh signed a landmark Motor Vehicles Agreement (MVA) for the Regulation of Passenger, Personnel and Cargo Vehicular Traffic among the four South Asian neighbours
- The MVA agreement between sub-grouping of four SAARC nations, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal (BBIN) will pave the way for a seamless movement of people and goods across their borders for the benefit and integration of the region and its economic development.

ANSWER: Bangladesh, Japan

Explanation:
- Matarbari port is Bangladesh’s first deep-sea port being developed by Japan.
- The deal would mark a setback for China in South Asia, where it’s seeking to establish economic and military ties in a region that carries about 80 percent of its oil imports.
- China will build a port at Sonadia island in Bangladesh.