GK Quiz | 19 August 2020

Q1. Which of the following national mission is/are included in National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC)?

1. National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture
2. National Solar Mission
3. National Mission on Sustainable Habitat
4. National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

1. 1 and 3 only
2. 2 and 4 only
3. 1,2 and 3 only
4. 1,2, 3 and 4

Solution: D)

Explanation:

About National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC):

• It was launched in 2008.
• It aims at creating awareness among the representatives of the public, different agencies of the government, scientists, industry and the communities on the threat posed by climate change and the steps to counter it.
• Following are eight national missions outlined in NAPCC:
• National Solar Mission
• National Mission for Enhanced Energy Efficiency
• National Mission on Sustainable Habitat
• National Water Mission
• National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem
• National Mission for A Green India
• National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture
• National Mission on Strategic Knowledge for Climate Change

Hence, option D is correct.

 

Q2. Which of the following technical sessions would be available to the participants in the First World Solar Technology Summit?

1. Vision 2030 & Beyond
2. Towards a Decarbonised Grid
3. Disruptive Solar Technologies
4. Solar Beyond the Power Sector

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

1. 1 and 4 only
2. 2 and 3 only
3. 1,2, 3 and 4
4. 1, 3 and 4 only

Solution: C)

Explanation:

First World Solar Technology Summit will be organized by the International Solar Alliance (ISA) on 8^th September, 2020 on a virtual platform.

The event is aimed at bringing the spotlight on state-of-the-art technologies as well as next-generation technologies which will provide impetus to the efforts towards harnessing solar energy more efficiently.

There will be four technical sessions that would be available to the participants in different languages namely English, Spanish, French & Arabic.

• Session -1 “Vision 2030 & Beyond”: The overall context of Photovoltaic (PV) technology development and its future, on its way towards becoming the first source of energy worldwide, with PV technologies supplying 70% of the world’s electricity generation.
• Session -2 “Towards a Decarbonised Grid”: The most recent advances (conversion efficiency improvements and declining costs) regarding key components such as PV modules and storage technologies.
• Session -3 “Disruptive Solar Technologies”: On-grid applications, whether ground-mounted, floating, or integrated in residential and commercial rooftops.
• Session -4 “Solar Beyond the Power Sector”: Innovative applications where PV is used to move, heat, cool, and drive eco-friendly industrial processes and produce fuels as well as off-grid applications, to provide universal access to energy.

Hence, option C is correct.

              

Q3. Recently, the government has extended the scope of the Partial Credit Guarantee Scheme (PCGS) 2.0 with the aim-

1. To provide Greater flexibility to state-owned banks in purchasing bonds and Commercial Papers (CPs) of Non-Banking Financial Companies.
2. To Provide Loan facilities of up to Rs 50 lakhs to small and medium farmers.
3. To restructure of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) debt.
4. To mobilise funds from banking institutions for filling the gap between the actual fund requirements and availability of funds from budgetary sources.

Solution: A)

Explanation:

The government has recently extended the scope of the Partial Credit Guarantee Scheme (PCGS) 2.0 to provide Greater flexibility to state-owned banks in purchasing bonds and Commercial Papers (CPs) of Non-Banking Financial Companies.

The PCGS was announced in July 2019, the scheme allows for purchase of high-rated pooled assets from financially-sound non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) and housing finance companies (HFCs).

Hence, option A is correct.

 

Q4. Death Valley, recently seen in news, lies in which of the following desert?

1. Great Basin Desert
2. Mojave Desert
3. Chihuahuan Desert
4. Sonoran Desert

Solution: B)

Explanation:

Recently, Death Valley (USA) registered a temperature of 54.4°C.

About Death Valley:

• It is one of the hottest places on Earth, along with deserts in the Middle East and the Sahara.  It is the hottest and driest part of the North American Continent.
• It is a desert valley in Eastern California in North American Continent.
• It lies in the northern Mojave Desert.
• Death Valley is the principal feature of the Mojave and Colorado Deserts Biosphere Reserve, and constitutes much of Death Valley National Park.

Hence, option B is correct.

 

Q5. Consider the following statements with reference to Bhadbhut project:

1. It is a part of the larger Kalpasar Project.
2. It is located across the river Gandak.
3. Its aims to prevent salinity ingress.

Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct?

1. 1 and 3 only
2. 2 only
3. 2 and 3 only
4. 1,2 and 3

Solution: A)

Explanation:

Statements 1,2 and 3: Recently, the Gujarat government awarded the contract for the Bhadbhut project in Bharuch.

About Bhadbhut project:

• It is located across the river Narmada, 5 km from Bhadbhut village and 25 km from the mouth of the river, where it flows into the Gulf of Khambhat.
• It is part of the larger Kalpasar Project which aims to store Gujarat’s 25% average annual surface water resources and entails the construction of a 30-km dam across the Gulf of Khambhat between Bharuch and Bhavnagar districts.
• It aims to prevent salinity ingress.
• It will stop most of the excess water flowing out of the Sardar Sarovar Dam from reaching the sea.
• It is likely to impact fishing patterns, mainly those of hilsa.

So, statements 1 and 3 are correct and statement 2 is incorrect. Hence, option A is correct.

 

Q6. Consider the following statements regarding biofuels:

1. First generation biofuels are produced from non-food crops.
2. Second generation biofuels are produced from portions of food crops that are not edible.
3. Microorganisms are used in third generation biofuels.

Which of the statement(s) given above is/are incorrect?

1. 2 and 3 only
2. 1 only
3. 3 only
4. 1 and 2 only

Solution: B)

Explanation:

Statements 1,2 and 3: A biofuel is any hydrocarbon fuel that is produced from an organic matter in a short period of time.

Biofuels are categorized as follows:

• First generation biofuels:
• These are produced from food sources such as sugar, vegetable oil, starch, or animal fats using conventional technology.
• Examples: Bioalcohols, Biodiesel, Vegetable oil, Bioethers, Biogas
• Second generation biofuels:
• These are produced from non-food crops or portions of food crops that are not edible and considered as wastes.
• Examples: biodiesel and cellulose ethanol
• Third generation biofuels:
• These are produced from micro-organisms like algae.
• Fourth Generation Biofuels:
• These use genetically modified (GM) algae.

So, statement 1 is incorrect and statements 2 and 3 are correct. Hence, option B is correct.

 

Q7. Consider the following statements about PM-CARES Fund:

1. It is a public charitable trust with the Prime Minister as its Chairman.
2. Contributions to it are “100% tax free”.
3. It is a Public Authority under the ambit of Section 2(h) of the RTI Act, 2005.

Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct?

1. 1 and 3 only
2. 2 and 3 only
3. 1 and 2 only
4. 1,2 and 3

Solution: C)

Explanation:

Statement 1,2 and 3: The Supreme Court refused to direct the transfer of funds from the PM CARES Fund to the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF).

About PM-CARES Fund:

• It is a public charitable trust.
• Funds are given voluntarily.
• There is “no occasion” for the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) to audit a public charitable trust independent of budgetary support or government money.
• Contributions to it are “100% tax free”.
• It is not a Public Authority under the ambit of Section 2(h) of the RTI Act, 2005.
• Composition:
• Prime Minister as Chairperson
• Other members: Defence Minister, Home Minister, Finance Minister
• Three trustees nominated by the Prime Minister “who shall be eminent persons in the field of research, health, science, social work, law, public administration and philanthropy”.

So, statements 1 and 2 are correct and statement 3 is incorrect. Hence, option C is correct.

 

Q8. Consider the following statements about Cheetah:

1. It was declared extinct in India in 1952.
2. African cheetah is listed as vulnerable in IUCN red listed species.
3. It is protected under Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct?

1. 1 and 3 only
2. 2 and 3 only
3. 2 only
4. 1,2 and 3

Solution: D)

Explanation:

Statements 1,2 and 3: Mysuru zoo managed to get one male and two females from a cheetah conservation centre in South Africa under an animal exchange programme.

About Cheetah:

• It is the fastest land mammal of the world.
• It is listed as vulnerable in IUCN red listed species while Asiatic cheetah is listed as a “critically endangered” species in the IUCN Red List.
• Asiatic cheetah is believed to survive only in Iran.
• In India, the last spotted feline died in Chhattisgarh in 1947. Later, it was declared extinct in India in 1952.
• It is protected under Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

So, all statements are correct and hence, option D is correct.

 

Q9. Consider the following statements regarding Diabetes:

1. It is a Non-Communicable Disease (NCD).
2. Type 2 diabetes mostly affects children of age 14-16 years.
3. It is characterized by a high blood sugar level over a prolonged period of time.

Which of the statement(s) given above is/are incorrect?

1. 3 only
2. 1 and 2 only
3. 2 only
4. 1 and 3 only

Solution: C)

Explanation:

Statements 1,2 and 3: About Diabetes:

• It is a Non-Communicable Disease (NCD).
• It occurs
• either when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin or
• when the body cannot effectively use the insulin it produces.
• It is characterized by a high blood sugar level over a prolonged period of time.
• Following are three main types of diabetes:
• Type 1 diabetes: It results from the pancreas's failure to produce enough insulin. It mostly affects children of age 14-16 years) and thus, it is known as juvenile diabetes.
• Type 2 diabetes: This is the most common type of diabetes and it begins with insulin resistance. The population with 45 and above age group is the most affected with it. In this, the cells in the body do not respond to insulin properly.
• Gestational diabetes: It occurs in pregnant women when the body sometimes becomes less sensitive to insulin.
• Symptoms: increased thirst, frequent urination and increased hunger

So, statements 1 and 3 are correct and statement 2 is incorrect. Hence, option C is correct.