IAS Prelims GS Questions and Answers - Oct 18 & 19, 2016

ANSWER: Only 2

Explanation:

• HFCs came in to replace the CFCs, or chlorofluorocarbons, gases that were being used extensively in the air conditioning, refrigerant industries, etc.
• CFCs were found to be primarily responsible for a hole in the ozone layer of the atmosphere, which could have dangerous health impacts.
• The HFCs, which were just as effective for industrial applications, replaced the CFCs all but seamlessly.
• It was realised only later that while HFCs did not deplete the ozone layer these were very powerful greenhouse gases, much more dangerous than carbon dioxide, which is mainly blamed for global warming.
• A set of 19 HFCs are used in different applications and many of them are several hundreds or thousands of times more potent than CO₂.

ANSWER: Financial inclusion initiative

Explanation:

• Vittshala is a financial inclusion intitiative.
• Vittshala is a Centre For Community Engagement (CCE) initiative, aimed at making communities equipped enough to manage financial resources effectively through community engagement, workshops, seminars, and discussions.
• Founded by a group of motivated teachers and students, the Cell wants to create an impact through its well-planned, community-oriented projects.
• Vittshala envisions a nation where every individual is financially literate and is empowered to act as a catalyst for economic growth.
• It is initiative of Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC), New Delhi.

ANSWER: 1, 3

Explanation:

• The Indian Bureau of Mines, on behalf of the mines ministry, has developed Mining Surveillance System (MSS), in co-ordination with the Bhaskaracharya Institute for Space Applications and Geo-informatics (BISAG), Gandhinagar, and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MEITY).
• It is a pan-India surveillance network using latest satellite technology, to check illegal mining.

ANSWER: Only 2

Explanation:

• Mining Surveillance System (MSS) technology will help design planned development of mining as also provide complete data of labourers working in the sector online, which will lead to better safety standards.
• MSS is a satellite-based monitoring system, which aims to check illegal mining activity through automatic remote-sensing detection technology.
• A check for illegality in operation is conducted and reported back using a mobile app.
• The process is underway to launch a similar system for minor minerals in coalition with the State Governments.
• The states of Haryana, Telangana and Chattisgarh have been selected for a pilot launch.
• The MSS has been hosted on the National Centre of Geo-Informatics portal

ANSWER: Neither 1 nor 2

Explanation:

• The Mining Surveillance System (MSS) checks 500 meters around the existing mining lease boundary to search for any unusual activity relating to illegal mining. Any discrepancy is flagged off as a trigger.
• Automatic software leveraging image-processing technology will generate automatic triggers of unauthorised activities.
• These triggers will be studied at a remote-sensing control centre of IBM and then transmitted to district-level mining officials for field verification.
• IT services major Wipro has been selected, through a tender process, to develop the Mining Tenement System (MTS).
• MTS is an online computerised register that is intended to bring computerisation and automation in the functioning at directorates of mining and geology (DMGs) of 11 states, IBM, GSI and the mines ministry.

ANSWER: Increase farmer income

Explanation:

• ‘Har Medh Par Ped’ campaign is related to Agro-Forestry.
• It will increase farmers’ income.

ANSWER: Only 2

Explanation:

• Khasra maps of mining leases have been geo-referenced in MSS, which are superimposed on the latest satellite remote sensing scenes obtained from CARTOSAT and USGS.
• Been developed under the Digital India Programme, MSS is one of the first such surveillance systems developed in the world using space technology.
• The current system of monitoring of illegal mining activity is based on local complaints and unconfirmed information. There is no robust mechanism to monitor the action taken on such complaints.
• A user-friendly mobile app has been created which can be used by these officials to submit compliance reports of their inspections. The mobile app also aims to establish a participative monitoring system where the citizens also can use this app and report unusual mining activity.

ANSWER: Land Parcel maps

Explanation:

• A khasra is a legal agricultural document used in India and Pakistan that specifies land and crop details.
• Khasras traditionally detail "all the fields and their areas, measurement, who owns and what cultivators he employs, what crops, what sort of soil, what trees are on the land."
• Systematic khasra documentation in the Indian subcontinent has existed for several centuries, far predating the British colonial period. Medieval khasra documents are a useful source for historians in reconstructing the economic history in specific areas of India and Pakistan.
• It is often used in conjunction with a shajra (or shajra kishtwar), which is a reference map of the village that administers the land described by the khasra.

ANSWER: 1, 2

Explanation:

• Comments on terrorism were made but no country was named as such directly. BRICS failed to reach a consensus on including Pakistan-sponsored terrorism in its Goa declaration.
• On Syria, the declaration called upon all parties involved to work for a comprehensive and peaceful resolution of the conflict taking into account the legitimate aspirations of the people of Syria, through inclusive national dialogue and a Syrian-led political process.
• They also resolved to continue the relentless pursuit against terrorist groups so designated by the UN Security Council including ISIL, Jabhat al-Nusra and other terrorist organisations designated by the UN Security Council.
• The declaration asks for a comprehensive reform of the UN, including its Security Council, with a view to making it more representative, effective and efficient, and to increase the representation of the developing countries so that it can adequately respond to global challenges.

ANSWER: Nepal

Explanation:

• Fourth BIMSTEC Summit will be held in Nepal in 2017.
• The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) is an international organisation involving a group of countries in South Asia and South East Asia. These are: Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bhutan and Nepal.
• 1^st BIMSTEC Summit – 2004 - Bangkok, Thailand
• 2^nd BIMSTEC Summit – 2008 - New Delhi, India
• 3^rd BIMSTEC Summit – 2012 - Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar