IAS Prelims GS Questions and Answers - Oct 28, 2015

ANSWER: None of the above

Explanation:
- Alfred Wegener is known as father of continental drift theory.
- Alfred Wegener first thought of this idea by noticing that the different large landmasses of the Earth almost fit together like a jigsaw puzzle.
- Alfred Wegener was convinced that all of Earth’s continents were once part of an enormous, single landmass called Pangaea.

ANSWER: Tropical evergreen forests

Explanation:
- Tropical evergreen forests are usually found in areas receiving more than 200 cm of rainfall and having a temperature of 15 °C to 30°C and have annual humidity exceeding 77%.
- In India, evergreen forests are found on the eastern and western slopes of the Western Ghats in such states as Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala and Maharashtra.
- They are also found in Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Tripura, West Bengal and Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
- Some of the trees found in Indian tropical forests are rosewood, mahogany and ebony. Bamboo and reeds are also common.

ANSWER: Only 1

Explanation:
- Eco-Development Forces (EDF) Scheme was established in 1980s as a scheme being implemented through Ministry of Defence
- Under this scheme, the establishment and operational expenditure on the Eco Task Force (ETF) Battalions raised by Ministry of Defence is reimbursed by Ministry of Environment and Forests
- The inputs like sapling, fencing, etc. and also the professional and managerial guidance is provided by the State Forest Departments.
- The force is constituted of regular servicemen.

ANSWER: Comet Lovejoy

Explanation:
- Formally known as C/2014 Q2, Lovejoy released 20 tons of water per second when it passed close to the sun on Jan 30.
- It also releases Ethyl alcohol, the same found in alcoholic beverages, and glycoaldehyde, a simple sugar.

ANSWER: Morocco

Explanation:
- The only African state that is not a member is Morocco, although Burkina Fasoand the Central African Republic have had their memberships suspended due to the recent coup d'état and on going civil war respectively.
- The AU's secretariat, the African Union Commission, is based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
- Morocco left the AU's predecessor, the Organisation of African Unity(OAU) in 1984, when the majority of member countries supported the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic

ANSWER: Kerala

Explanation:
- The first of the new hermit crab species named Paguristes luculentus was collected off the coast of Kollam.The species name luculentus(meaning colourful) refers to the livid living colour of the crustacean.
- The second species Diogenes canaliculatusis light brown or tan and named after the longitudinal furrows on the outer surface of the arm of the left chelate leg.
- Collected from Neendakara, Kollam, the third species Pagurus spinossior belongs to another hermit crab family Paguridae known as right handed crabs and is tan in colour. The name spinossiorrefers to the strong armature on the clawed legs of the species.
- A new species of pinnotherid crab, Afropinnotheres ratnakarawas found inside the brown mussel (Perna perna) at Kovalam. The species was name dratnakara which means Indian Ocean in Sanskrit, as the genus was reported for the first time from the Indian Ocean.

ANSWER: Both

Explanation:
- The Bhimbetka rock sheltersare an archaeological site of the Paleolithic, exhibiting the earliest traces of human life on the Indian subcontinent, and thus the beginning of the South Asian Stone Age.
- They were declared a World Heritage Sitein 2003.

ANSWER: New Delhi

Explanation:
- National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organization (NOTTO) is a National level organization set up under Directorate General of Health Services, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India.
- It is the apex centre for All India activities of coordination and networking for procurement and distribution of Organs and Tissues
- It also works as registry of Organs and Tissues Donation and Transplantation in the country.

ANSWER: Tax on certain goods harmful to society

Explanation:
A sin tax is an excise tax specifically levied on certain goods deemed harmful to society
E.g - Alcohol and tobacco, candies, drugs, soft drinks, fast foods, coffee, and gambling.

ANSWER: Inquire regarding Iraq war

Explanation:
- The Iraq Inquiry, also referred to as the Chilcot Inquiry after its chairman, Sir John Chilcot.
- It is a British public inquiry into the nation's role in the Iraq War.
- The inquiry was announced on 15 June 2009 by Prime Minister Gordon Brown, with an initial announcement that proceedings would take place in private.
- It was subsequently reversed after receiving criticism in the media and the House of Commons.

ANSWER: TSR Subramanian committee

Explanation:
Recommendations of TSR Subramanian committee :

- Under Environment Loss Management Act (ELMA) , set up National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) at central and State Environment Management Authority (SEMA) at state level.
- NEMA & SEMA would evaluate project clearance using technology and expertise, in a time bound manner, provide single window clearance.
- They also appraise and monitor projects & take powers of existing pollution control boards.

ANSWER: NITI Aayog

Explanation:
- The Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) is being set up under NITI.
- AIM will be an Innovation Promotion Platform involving academics, entrepreneurs, and researchers drawing upon national and international experiences to foster a culture of innovation, R&D in India.
- The platform will also promote a network of world-class innovation hubs and grand challenges for India.
- Initially a sum of Rs.150 crore will be alloted for this purpose

ANSWER: 1- v, 2- iv, 3-i, 4- ii ,5-iii

Explanation:
No explanation is available for this question!

ANSWER: None

Explanation:
- The Okavango Basinis anendorheic basin in southwestern Africa, which extends across portions of Angola, Botswana, Namibiaand, Zimbabwe.
- Abyssinian plateauis in Ethiopia

ANSWER: Kushan Empire

Explanation:
No explanation is available for this question!