IAS Prelims GS Questions and Answers - Sep 04, 2016

ANSWER: Only 1

Explanation:

• India is a leading country in coconut production and productivity in the world.
• The central government's new foreign trade policy for 2015-20 is to promote the export of coconut products, exports value (FOB) of up to 5% as incentives are given.
• The export of coconut products is likely to rise in the future, because price is being extremely competitive.
• From the beginning of this financial year, India, Malaysia, Indonesia and Sri Lanka has been exporting coconut oil, whereas in previous years coconut oil was being imported from these countries.
• Desiccated coconut export to US and Europe in large quantities is also being done from India for the first time.

ANSWER: Vishakhapatnam

Explanation:

• First Medical Technology Park has been set up in Vishakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh with an investment of Rs. 1200 crore.
• Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Telangana and Maharashtra have also shown interest in setting up such parks and Government of India is ready to support these efforts.
• Setting up of these parks can bring down the manufacturing cost by 30 per cent and make Indian Medical technology sector globally competitive , due to pooling of common facilities.
• Government is taking several steps to promote the medical devices sector in the country. The inverted duty structure has been set right. GST will further bring down the taxation in the sector by almost 12 per cent.

ANSWER: Both 1 and 2

Explanation:

• World Conservation Congress formerly was known as the IUCN General Assembly.
• The World Conservation Congress (Members’ Assembly) is IUCN’s highest decision-making body. The Congress convenes every four years, most recently in Jeju, South Korea, in 2012.
• It elects the Council, including the President, and approves IUCN’s work program and budget.
• This year in 2016, it is meeting at Hawai?i Convention Center, in the Hawaiian capital, Honolulu. It is being hosted by the State of Hawai?i with the support of the Department of State of the USA.

ANSWER: Only 2

Explanation:

• The IUCN Council is the principal governing body of IUCN.
• The Council provides strategic direction for the activities of the Union, discusses specific policy issues and provides guidance on finance and the membership development of the Union.
• The Council is composed of the President, four Vice Presidents (elected by the Council from among its members), the Treasurer, the Chairs of IUCN's six Commissions, three Regional Councillors from each of IUCN's eight Statutory Regions and a Councillor from the State in which IUCN has its seat (Switzerland).
• IUCN's current President is Zhang Xinsheng.
• The Council appoints a Director General, who is responsible for the overall management of IUCN and the running of the Secretariat. Inger Andersen is IUCN Director General since January 2015. She succeeded Julia Marton-Lefèvre.

ANSWER: 1, 2

Explanation:

• Towards the energy security mandate of the country, Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas, Govt. of India is creating Strategic Petroleum Reserves.
• Under Phase I storage program, three facilities have been created at Vishakhapatnam, Mangalore and Padur, with a total storage capacity of 5.33 MMT.
• The storage facilities entails storage of crude oil in underground rock caverns,
• Under Phase II storage program, plans currently are afoot to create Strategic Petroleum Reserves at two locations, namely Chandikhol in Odisha and Bikaner in Rajasthan which entails storage of crude oil in underground rock caverns and underground salt caverns respectively.
• Government of India is considering the proposal for establishment of Phase II storage program for a total storage capacity of 10.0 MMT which includes 4.4 MMT storage capacity at Chandikhol and 5.6 MMT storage capacity at Bikaner.

ANSWER: Both 1 and 2

Explanation:

• Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by impaired social interaction, verbal and non-verbal communication, and restricted and repetitive behavior.
• Parents usually notice signs in the first two years of their child's life.
• These signs often develop gradually, though some children with autism reach their developmental milestones at a normal pace and then regress.
• The diagnostic criteria require that symptoms become apparent in early childhood, typically before age three.
• While autism is highly heritable, researchers suspect both environmental and genetic factors as causes.
• Autism first appears during infancy or childhood, and generally follows a steady course without remission. People with autism may be severely impaired in some respects but normal, or even superior, in others.
• Overt symptoms gradually begin after the age of six months, become established by age two or three years, and tend to continue through adulthood, although often in more muted form.
• Workshop on Autism Training is the first of its kind in India organized by the National Trust and was inaugurated on 31st August 2016.

ANSWER: Water Attack Craft

Explanation:

• The Water Jet Fast Attack Craft (WJFAC), “TIHAYU” built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Limited (GRSE), Kolkata was handed over to the Indian Navy.
• Named after an island in the Andaman, “Tihayu” is fitted with three water jet propulsion systems powered by marine diesel engines generating 2720 KW of power.
• It is also fitted with CRN-91 indigenous 30mm Gun, to provide Artillery fire support during attack missions.

ANSWER: Only 1

Explanation:

• A sculpture of Chandesvarar, believed to belong to 10th century AD, has been found at Sundaikkai village near Umaiyalpuram near Trichy, Tamil Nadu.
• Chandesvarar is one of the 63 Nayanars of the Saivite sect and was the first among them to find a place in temples.
• He is housed in a separate shrine on the northern side of all the Saivite temples, facing the presiding deity.
• The most distinguished shrine of Chandesvara was built by Rajaraja I at the Rajarajesvaram at Thanjavur.

ANSWER: Neither 1 nor 2

Explanation:

• The 7th to 9th centuries saw the emergence of new religious movements in south India, led by the Nayanars (saints devoted to Shiva) and Alvars (saints devoted to Vishnu) who came from all castes including those considered “untouchable”.
• They were critical of the Buddhists and Jainas.
• They propagated love of Shiva or Vishnu as the path (marg) to salvation.
• They blended ideals of love and heroism as found in the Sangam literature with the values of bhakti.
• There were 63 Nayanars, belonging to different caste backgrounds such as potters, “untouchable” workers, peasants, hunters, soldiers, Brahmanas and chiefs.
• Two sets of compilations of their songs have been known – Tevaram and Tiruvacakam.

ANSWER: Only 2

Explanation:

• Quercetin is a flavonoid (plant pigment) commonly found in fruits and vegetables, especially onions, citrus, and apples.
• The primary benefit of quercetin is that it possesses potent antioxidants. Antioxidants fight against free radicals - chemically reactive compounds that damage cell membranes and DNA and also cause cell death.
• IISc Bangalore concluded study on quercetin recently and found it to be extremely useful for cancer patients.