IAS Prelims GS Questions and Answers - Sep 24 & 25, 2016

ANSWER: OceanSat-2

Explanation:

• SCATSAT-1 (Scatterometer Satellite-1) is a miniature satellite to provide weather forecasting, cyclone prediction, and tracking services to India.
• It is being developed by ISRO Satellite Centre, Bangalore whereas its payload is being developed by Space Applications Centre, Ahmedabad.
• The satellite will take place of Oceansat-2 which has become dysfunctional after its life span of four-and-a-half years.
• Currently India is dependent on NASA’s ISS-RapidScat for prediction of cyclone forecasting and weather prediction.
• The data generated by this mini-satellite will be used by NASA, EUMETSAT and NOAA.

ANSWER: Ludhiana

Explanation:

• National SC/ST Hub under the Ministry of MSME will be launched soon in Ludhiana.
• This will promote the SC/ST entrepreneurs.
• The Hub would primarily aid in strengthening market access/linkage, monitoring, capacity building, leveraging financial support schemes and sharing industry best practices etc.
• The hub would operate from National Small Industries Corporation (NSIC) Headquarters in Delhi, supported by a special cell created for this purpose.

ANSWER: 4%

Explanation:

• The public procurement order mandates 4% annual procurement by Central Ministries/ Departments and Public Sector Undertakings from SC/ST enterprises w.e.f 01.04.2015.
• It has been reported that at present the Government of India procurement from SC/ST enterprises in less than 1% due to low participation of the community.
• In the past, there has been some increase in the number of SC/ST owned enterprises but this number needs to increase substantially to enable the socio-economic empowerment of SC/ST communities.
• In this direction, the National SC/ST Hub in an initiative of the Government of India targeted towards developing a supportive ecosystem towards SC/ST entrepreneurs.

ANSWER: Only 1

Explanation:
Following proposals were approved for encouraging SC/ST units to participate in Government of India procurement:

• Subsidy of Single Point Registration Scheme (SSPRS) for SC/ST enterprises for participation in Government purchases - A nominal fee of Rs. 100 per unit of SC/ST enterprises will be charged under the scheme.
• Special Marketing Scheme (SMAS) to provide marketing support to SC/ST owned MSMEs - Under the scheme SC/ST units will get double the rate f country specified daily allowance as per MEA guidelines including expenses for accommodation, transport etc. The transport cost for participation in vendor development programmes will be reimbursed to SC/ST units.
• Subsidy for performance and credit rating scheme for SC/ST enterprises - Renewal subsidy to be given only to the SC/ST units having the rating up to 5 and additional subsidy for SC/ST units to be 15%.

ANSWER: Neither 1 nor 2

Explanation:

• The order creates the National Council for River Ganga (Rejuvenation, Protection and Management), as an Authority under the Chairperson of Hon’ble Prime Minister, in place of the existing NGRBA for overall responsibility for superintendence of pollution prevention and rejuvenation of river Ganga Basin.
• The government strengthened and elevated the National Mission on Clean Ganga (NMCG) to the level of an ‘Authority’ with powers to enforce pollution laws and penalise defaulters.
• The NMCG, currently registered as a society, works under the Water Resources Ministry as the implementing agency of policies framed by the National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA) that was created in 2010.
• It will now come under National Council for River Ganga (Rejuvenation, Protection and Management).

ANSWER: All of the above

Explanation:

• The order declares National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) as an Authority with powers to issue directions and also to exercise the powers under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 to enable it to carry out efficiently its mandate.
• NMCG will comply with the decisions and directions of the National Ganga Council and implement the Ganga Basin Management Plan approved by it; co-ordinate and carry out all activities.
• At the State level, it is proposed to create the State Ganga Committees in each of the defined States as Authority, to function as Authorities in respect of each State and perform the superintendence, direction and control over the District Ganga Protection Committees under their jurisdiction.
• Similarly, the District Ganga Committees in each of the Ganga Bank Districts will carry out the assigned tasks as an Authority at the district level, to take cognizance of local threats and needs of river Ganga and conceptualise such measures as necessary to ensure overall quality of water in river Ganga and monitor various projects being implemented.

ANSWER: Both 1 and 2

Explanation:

• NMCG will, however, take action only in the event when required action is not taken by CPCB. CPCB shall also take action jointly with NMCG under the provisions of said Act.
• Although, the NMCG has been functional as a registered Society since 2012 its role has been largely limited to fund the projects to implementing organisations.
• It neither had the mandate to take cognizance of various threats to river Ganga nor the powers to issue directions to the concerned authorities/polluters.
• While the organisation has been made responsible as custodian of river Ganga in both public eye as well as various courts, the mission is grossly ill-equipped to handle such expectations.
• It is expected that the move will ensure effective abatement of pollution and rejuvenation of the River Ganga; maintain ecological flows in the River; impose restrictions on polluting industries; and carry out inspections to ensure compliance.
• In addition, it is proposed to maintain and disseminate data and carry out research on the condition of the river.

ANSWER: 1, 2

Explanation:

• Sounding rockets are one or two stage solid propellant rockets used for probing the upper atmospheric regions and for space research.
• They also serve as easily affordable platforms to test or prove prototypes of new components or subsystems intended for use in launch vehicles and satellites.
• Sounding rockets made it possible to probe the atmosphere in situ using rocket-borne instrumentation.
• With the establishment of the Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station (TERLS) in 1963 at Thumba, a location close to the magnetic equator, there was a quantum jump in the scope for aeronomy and atmospheric sciences in India. Rohini Sounding Rocket (RSR) Programme is for developing Sounding Rockets.
• The sounding rocket programme was the bedrock on which the edifice of launch vehicle technology in ISRO could be built.

ANSWER: Both 1 and 2

Explanation:

• Scientists are able to accomplish their research at a specific time and place, because the sounding rockets can be launched from temporary sites all over the world, including aircraft carriers.
• It is possible to conduct coordinated campaigns by simultaneously launching sounding rockets from different locations. It is also possible to launch several sounding rockets in a single day.
• Scientific payloads are carried to altitudes from 30 miles to more than 800 miles. And although the overall time in space is short (typically 5 to 20 minutes), the experiment is perfectly positioned to carry out its mission successfully.
• This type of testing is unique because it's simple, cost-effective and time efficient.

ANSWER: Karnataka

Explanation:

• The restoration work of a part of a 500 years old unique ‘Mud Palace’ is about to get completed
• The palace is located in Sural village, close to Udupi in Karnataka.
• The palace, which belongs to the House of Tulu Jain Tholahars, the Jain chieftains, who ruled parts of Udupi district, is said to be have been built in 1511.
• The Tholahars were prominent till 1691 as per a copper plate inscription of Queen Madanadevi Tholaharti. They ruled from Sural for 400 years and co-operated with the Alupa and Vijayanagara dynasties
• One unique feature of the palace is that it has no foundation. Hopea-wood, jack-wood and wild jack-wood were used in its construction.
• Wooden pillars support the roof, using the inter-locking method. Not a single nail was used.
• The palace has ‘angalas’ (courtyards) and a ‘Pattada Chavadi’ (royal durbar room), and a small shrine of Padmavati Amma.
• The restoration work is taken up by Nirmiti Kendra at a cost of Rs. 1.6 crore, funded by the Department of Archaeology, Museums and Heritage, under Ministry of Kannada and Culture.
• The 5,000 sq. ft Chavady has a ground floor and a first floor. Its walls are being built using laterite stones cemented together using a mixture of slaked lime, sugarcane molasses and extract from leaves of Slow Match Tree (Careya arborea) as was done in the original construction. These materials bring down the room temperature.
• The restoration would increase awareness among people of the rich heritage of coastal Karnataka.