IAS Prelims GS Questions and Answers - Nov 28 & 29, 2015

ANSWER: Both

Explanation:
- A green bond publicly states that capital is being raised to fund ‘green’ projects, which typically include those relating to renewable energy, emission reductions and so on.
- There is no standard definition of green bonds as of now.
- Indian firms like Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency Ltd and Greenko have in the past issued bonds that have been used for financing renewable energy, however, without the tag of green bonds.
- Green bonds are issued by multilateral agencies such as the World Bank, corporations, government agencies and municipalities. Institutional investors and pension funds also have appetite for such bonds.
- For instance, investment funds BlackRock and PIMCO have specific mandates from their investors to invest only in bonds which fund green projects. The issuer provides periodic reports about the project.

ANSWER: Only 1

Explanation:
- Japan is planning to deploy about 500 ground troops on a southern island as territorial disputes with China continue to escalate.
- Ishigaki has jurisdiction over the Japanese-controlled Senkaku islands, which China also claims and calls the Diaoyu islands.
- Japan has stepped up defence readiness with the Chinese military build-up and its aggressive patrols near the disputed islands.
- Beijing insists it has sovereign rights to nearly all of the East China Sea and the South China Sea, a strategic waterway through which about one-third of all the world's traded oil passes.
- The disputed waters - also claimed in part or in whole by Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Brunei.

ANSWER: China

Explanation:
- Chinese naval forces involved in anti-piracy patrols in the Gulf of Aden have held their first joint drill with NATO ships carrying out the same mission.
- The exercise will help improve communications between ships on anti-piracy duties so that China and NATO can together maintain maritime security and stability in the Gulf of Aden.
- China said it was in talks with the Horn of Africa country Djibouti to build logistics "facilities" to support Chinese peacekeeping and anti-piracy missions.

ANSWER: Ministry of Human Resource Development

Explanation:
- The Indian Council for Historical Research (ICHR) is an autonomous body of the Ministry of Human Resource Development, which had been established by an Administrative Order of the then Ministry of Education and Social Welfare.
- Based in Delhi with Regional Centers in Bangaluru (Karnataka) and Gowahati (Assam)

ANSWER: China

Explanation:
- Yaogan – 29 is a remote sensing satellite which will focus on experiments on survey of land, crop yields and disaster relief.
- It was carried by a Long March-4C rocket & launched from Taiyuan in the country’s northern Shanxi province.
- This is the 219th mission for the Long March rocket family. China launched the first “Yaogan” series satellite, Yaogan—1, in 2006.
- The satellite will be used for experiments, land surveys, crop yield estimates and disaster relief, state run Xinhua news agency reported.

ANSWER: Only 1

Explanation:
- No outflow occurs from the lake, and due to high evaporation, the salinity level of its waters is 10 times that of the sea, making it the most saline in the world after Don Juan Pond.
- Lake Assal is the world's largest salt reserve, which is exploited under four concessions awarded in 2002 at the southeast end of the lake.

ANSWER: Only 1

Explanation:
- Li-Fi, while many magnitudes faster than current Wi-Fi, is limited because it works on light, not radio waves. This means, the information can't travel through walls.
- Li-Fi probably won't completely replace Wi-Fi. It is more likely to work alongside existing technology.

ANSWER: Anti-submarine warfare

Explanation:
- Kadmatt, the second of the four indigenously built stealth Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) corvette, was formally handed over to the Navy.
- Indigenously developed with special grade high-tensile, the hull of the ship has bulk of sensors and weapon system.
- The first ship of the series INS Kamorta was inducted into the Navy in August 2014.
- Two remaining corvettes of the series Kiltan and Kavaratti will be delivered to the Navy in 2016 and 2017 respectively.

ANSWER: Only 2

Explanation:
- Tana Bhagats is a tribal community in Indian state of Jharkhand. They are related to historical Tana Bhagat movement(1914).
- Tana Bhagats were formed by Oaron saints Jatra Bhagat and Turia Bhagat. The Tana Bhagats opposed the taxes imposed on them by the British and they staged a Satyagraha (civil disobedience movement) even before Gandhi's satyagraha movement.
- In its earlier phase it was called as Kurukh Dharam. Kurukh is literally the Original religion of the Oraons.
- The movement was anti-Zamindhari, anti-missionary, anti-British. Tana Bhagats are followers of Mahatma Gandhi, and believs in Ahimsa(Non-violence)