IAS Prelims GS Questions and Answers - Oct 05, 2016

ANSWER: 39

Explanation:

• The World Economic Forum (WEF) shows that India’s ranking in the Global Competitiveness Index (GCI) has improved by 16 places for the second year in a row.
• According to the latest ranking, he said that India is placed 39th among 138 countries, ahead of BRICS countries other than China which is ranked 28th.
• India’s rank has steadily improved from 71 in 2014-15 to 55 in 2015-16 and to 39 in the latest report.
• The landmark improvement in the Global Competitiveness rankings India is in consequence of the structural reforms and policy initiatives taken by GOI.
• India also ranks 8th in the strength of investor protection.

ANSWER: 12

Explanation:

• The Global Competitiveness Index released by the World Economic Forum is one of the major studies which indicates how a country scores in the scale of global competitiveness.
• The Index is calculated by aggregating indicators across 12 pillars which again are clubbed together in three broad sub-indices, namely basic requirements, efficiency enhancers and innovation and sophistication factors.
• The report covers both business and social indicators which, directly or indirectly, impacts the competitiveness of the country in the global arena.

ANSWER: All of the above

Explanation:

• 12 pillars underlying GCI include

1. Institutions,
2. Infrastructure,
3. Macroeconomic environment,
4. health and primary education,
5. higher education and training,
6. goods market efficiency,
7. labour market efficiency,
8. financial market development,
9. technological readiness,
10. market size,
11. business sophistication and
12. innovation
• India’s competitiveness has improved this year across the board, in particular in goods market efficiency, business sophistication and innovation.
• The macroeconomic environment also improved due to better monetary and fiscal policies and lower oil prices.

ANSWER: Neither 1 nor 2

Explanation:

• Possession and sale of fireworks of foreign origin in India is illegal and punishable under the Law.
• Fireworks in India have been declared as restricted item under ITC (HS) in respect of import by Director General of Foreign Trade.
• The manufacture, possession, use, sale, etc. of any explosive containing Sulphur or sulphurate in admixture with any chlorate is banned in the country.
• Till date, no license for import of fireworks has been granted under the Explosives Rules, 2008 by Petroleum & Explosives Safety Organization, a subordinate office of Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion.

ANSWER: Only 1

Explanation:

• Union Ministry of Coal has issued an order with respect to the amendment to the New Coal Distribution Policy (NCDP), 2007 to increase the annual cap of coal from 4200 tonnes per annum for sale through State Nominated Agencies (SNA) to 10,000 tonnes per annum.
• In addition to raising the annual cap of coal, the Ministry has also amended the phrase, ‘small and medium sector’, as mentioned in the NCDP to ‘small, medium and others’.
• The rationale for the amendment, as cited in the order, is that only small and medium sector consumers, having requirement less than 4200 tonnes per annum were entitled to take coal through SNA, large units having requirement of less than 4200 tonnes per annum were not recommended for coal by the District Industries Centre (DIC).
• Moreover, the limit of requirement of less than 4200 tonnes per annum needed to be revised as small units might have expanded over a period of time.
• As adequate quantity of coal at notified price through SNA would be available for this sector , this amendment is seen as one of the many steps taken by the Government to improve ease of doing business in the country and make more coal available for the small , medium and other sectors.

ANSWER: It was first proposed by India’s PM in Ufa, Russia

Explanation:

• The first BRICS Trade Fair and Exhibition will be staged just ahead of the BRICS political summit in Goa (October 15-16, 2016).
• This major initiative was proposed by the Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi, in 2015 during his address to the members of the BRICS Business Council at Ufa, Russia.
• In line with the overall core theme for BRICS in 2016, the focus of the Trade Fair is ‘Building BRICS – Innovation for Collaboration’.
• The Trade Fair is expected to give an impetus to intra-BRICS economic engagement and to foster connects amongst members of our business community.

ANSWER: Both 1 and 2

Explanation:

• The Fair will showcase about 20 key sectors. These include aerospace, agro-processing, auto and auto components, chemicals, green energy and renewables, healthcare and pharmaceuticals, railways, textiles and apparel, infrastructure, IT, engineering goods, tourism, gems and jewellery and skill development.
• The BRICS Trade Fair will be a platform for respective BRICS countries to exhibit the state-of-the-art technologies and advances made in industrial development. Besides established companies, start-ups and innovators from BRICS will showcase their offerings.
• The idea is to help technology solution providers from BRICS countries to share knowledge and expertise in dealing with the common development challenges in areas such as healthcare, education, energy efficiency, waste management and urbanization management.
• Besides, business leaders from BIMSTEC countries (Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand) have been invited for meetings and discussions with the BRICS business leaders and companies at the Trade Fair.
• This is a new dimension and complements the regional outreach efforts being made by respective governments to fortify South-South cooperation.

ANSWER: 5^th

Explanation:

• The BRICS Business Council was established during the fifth BRICS Summit in Durban, South Africa, with the objective of promoting and strengthening business, trade and investment ties amongst the business communities of the five countries.
• The seven working groups in the areas of Infrastructure, Manufacturing, Financial Services, Energy & Green Economy, Skills Development, Agribusiness and Deregulation have been formed under the aegis of the BRICS Business Council.
• They engage in interactions with a view to better understand the market opportunities and build synergies based on their respective competitive strengths and to promote industrial development and job creation.

ANSWER: New Delhi

Explanation:

• The Doha Round of multilateral trade negotiations at WTO provides a unique opportunity to strengthen the rules on anti-dumping so that its application becomes fairer, objective and transparent.
• The Delhi Regional Anti-Dumping Workshop for Asian Investigating Authorities organised in New Delhi by the World Trade Organisation and the Centre for WTO Studies, Indian Institute of Foreign Trade brings together 37 senior officials from 18 investigating authority systems.
• Senior experts from developing countries in the Asian region, along with select developed countries like Australia, Canada, the EU, Japan and the United States are participating in the workshop.
• This Workshop is a unique and the only event of its kind globally.
• The Workshop aims to assist Asian developing WTO Members' investigating authorities to further enhance their technical capacity to conduct anti-dumping investigations in a fair and efficient manner, in conformity with WTO rules.

ANSWER: Mysuru

Explanation:

• After being crowned the cleanest city, Mysuru is now declared as first Indian city with a population of over one million to be declared open defecation free.
• Mysuru is also known as one of the Heritage Cities.
• The city was declared the cleanest cities under the Swachh Bharat mission two years ago and it retained the position for second successive year too.
• The status of India's first open defecation free city was granted after a survey of 73 cities by the Quality Council of India.
• Local residents too pitch in by keeping a watchful eye on the offenders.
• Awareness was created about the Swachh Bharat Mission. Messages displayed educating the people.