Explanation
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1.Answer c 

Only 1 2 and 3 are correct.

About Rabindranath Tagore: Early life:

• Popularly known as ‘Gurudev’, he was born in an affluent Family.

• Tagore was primarily known as a writer, poet, playwright, philosopher and aesthetician, music composer and choreographer, founder of a unique educational institution – Visva- Bharati and a painter.

• Tagore began writing poetry at the tender age of eight years old and at 16 years

of age, Tagore released his first collection of poems under the pen name ‘Bhanusimha’.

• He had spoken at the World Parliament for Religions in the years 1929 and 1937.

2.Ans a  Only 1 is correct 

About the Temple:

1. Built in the 13th century, the Konark temple was conceived as a gigantic chariot of the Sun God, with 12 pairs of exquisitely ornamented wheels pulled by seven horses.

2. It was built by King Narasimhadeva I, the great ruler of Ganga dynasty.

3. The temple is included in UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984 for its architectural greatness and also for the sophistication and abundance of sculptural work.

4. The temple is perfect blend of Kalinga architecture, heritage, exotic beach and salient natural beauty.

5. It is protected under the National Framework of India by the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (AMASR) Act (1958) and its Rules (1959).

3.Ans a

Who was Ramkinkar Baij?

Ramkinkar Baij (1906-1980), one of the most seminal artists of modern India, was an iconic sculptor, painter and graphic artist.

He was born in Bankura, West Bengal

In 1925, he made his way to Kala Bhavana, the art school at Santiniketan and was under the guidance of Nandalal Bose.

Along with Nandalal Bose and Benodebehari Mukherjee. he played a pivotal role in making Santiniketan one of the most important centres for modern art in pre-lndependent India.

4.Ans a

About Purandaradasa:

Purandara Dasa (1484-1564) was a Haridasa, great devotee of Lord Krishna and a saint.

He was a disciple of the celebrated Madhwa philosopher-saint Vyasatirtha, and a contemporary of yet another great Haridasa, Kanakadasa.

Purandaradasa was the pioneer who blended the rich musical streams, namely the Dravidian and Aryan music, into a single stream known as Carnatic music.

Prior to his initiation to Haridasa tradition, Purandara Dasa was a rich merchant and was called as Srinivasa Nayaka.

5.Ans b

PM paid tributes to Gopal Krishna Gokhale on his birth anniversary. He was born on 9 May 1866. Who was he?

Gopal Krishna Gokhale was an Indian political leader, a social reformer during the Indian Independence Movement and Mahatma Gandhi’s political mentor.

Gokhale campaigned for Indian self-rule and also social reform. He was the leader of the moderate faction of the Congress party that advocated reforms by working with existing government institutions

6.Ans b

Pearl Harbour is a sea port in USA.What led up to the attack on Pearl Harbour?

1. Before Japan attacked Pearl Harbour in 1941, relations between the US and Japan were already worsening.

2. In 1910, Japan annexed Korea and, in 1937, it invaded China, sending alarm bells ringing in the US and other Western powers about Japan’s manifest expansionist agenda.

3. Between December 1937 and January 1938, an episode which is referred to as the “Nanking Massacre” or the “Rape of Nanking”, occurred — Japanese soldiers killed and raped Chinese civilians and combatants.

4. Japanese historians estimate that anywhere between tens of thousands and 200,000 Chinese were killed.

5. The US was against Japan’s aggression in China, and imposed economic sanctions and trade embargoes after its invasion. Japan was reliant on imports for oil and other natural resources — this was one of the reasons why it invaded China, and later French Indo-China (present day Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia). The intention was to take control of the major Chinese ports to have access to resources such as iron, rubber, tin, and most importantly, oil.

7.Ans b

Key findings and important facts:

National birth rate in 2018 stood at 20. It was 36.9 in 1971.

• Best and worst: Bihar (26.2) continues to remain at the top of list in birth rate while Andaman and Nicobar (11.2) is at the bottom.

• The rural-urban differential has also narrowed. However, the birth rate has continued to be higher in rural areas compared to urban areas in the last four decades.

• There has been about an 11 per cent decline in birth rate in the last decade, from 22.5 in 2009 to 20.0 in 2018.

• The corresponding decline in rural areas is 24.1 to 21.6, and in urban areas, it is 18.3 to 16.7.

Death rate stood at 6.2 in 2018 from 14.9 in 1971.

• Best and worst: Chhattisgarh has the highest death rate, while Delhi has the lowest.

• The decline has been steeper in rural areas.

• In the last decade, death rate at an all-India level has declined from 7.3 to 6.2. The corresponding decline in rural areas is 7.8 to 6.7 and in urban areas, 5.8 to 5.1.

Infant mortality rate is at 32. It is about one-fourth as compared to 1971 (129).

• Worst and best: Madhya Pradesh (48) has the worst infant mortality rate in the country while Nagaland (4) has the best.

8.Ans a

About the star rating initiative:

The star rating protocol was launched by the central government in January 2018 to institutionalize a mechanism for cities to achieve garbage free status leading to a higher degrees of cleanliness.

The protocol includes components such as cleanliness of drains & water bodies, plastic waste management,managing construction & demolition waste which are critical drivers for achieving garbage free cities.

It is one of the various initiatives which intends to make Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban (SBM-U) as a successful project.

How cities are given ratings?

• The Star Rating is supported by self-assessment and self-verification for achieving a certain star rating.

• It also ensures the involvement of citizen groups for a transparent system of self-declaration.

9.Ans a

Factors responsible for the intensification of cyclones in BoB:

Higher than normal temperatures in the Bay of Bengal (BoB) may be whetting ‘super cyclones’ and the lockdown, indirectly, may have played a role.

1. Cyclones gain their energy from the heat and moisture generated from warm ocean surfaces. This year, the BoB has posted record summer temperatures a fall-out, as researchers have warned, of global warming from fossil fuel emissions that has been heating up oceans.

2. Lockdown impact: Reduced particulate matter emissions during the lockdown meant fewer aerosols, such as black carbon, that are known to reflect sunlight and heat away from the surface.

General factors responsible for the origin of Cyclones in Bay of Bengal region are:

1. Large sea surface with temperature higher than IT C.

2. Presence of the Coriolis force enough to create a cyclonic vortex.

3. Small variations in the vertical wind speed.

4. A pre-existing weak low-pressure area or low-level-cyclonic circulation.

5. Upper divergence above the sea level system.

10.Ans c 

Alcohol is not within the purview of the goods and services tax (GST). Exempting alcohol from GST was a key request put forth by state governments when the tax reform was being implemented across the country. 

Other major items that are beyond the ambit of GST are land, electricity and petroleum products such as petrol, diesel and aviation turbine fuel.

What is their income from excise on liquor?

The 29 states and Union territories collected a total of Rs.1.76 trillion through excise duty on liquor in 2019-20. This is 16.5% higher than the collection in 2018-19.

The average monthly collection in 2019-20 was Rs.15,000 crore, says the Reserve Bank of India; the pre-coronavirus projection for 2020-21 was even higher.

11.Ans a

What is Darbar Move?

Darbar Move is a century-old practice in which the government functions for six months each in the two capitals of the State, Srinagar and Jammu.

• The practice was reportedly started in the late 19th century by Ranbir Singh, the Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir, who used to shift his capital between Srinagar in the summer and Jammu in the winter to escape extreme weather conditions in these places.

• The government will function in Srinagar, the summer capital of the State, till late October and then move to Jammu, the winter capital, in the first week of November.

• Hundreds of trucks are usually plied to carry furniture, office files, computers, and other records to the capital.

• Regional parties in Jammu and Kashmir advocated the continuation of the practice “to help in the emotional integration between two diverse linguistic and cultural regions of Jammu and Kashmir.”

12.Ans a

Securitisation and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interest (Sarfaesi) Act, 2002:

1. It allows banks and financial institutions to auction properties (residential and commercial) when borrowers fail to repay their loans.

2. It enables banks to reduce their non-performing assets by adopting measures for recovery or reconstruction.

3. It is effective only against secured loans where banks can enforce the underlying security.

4. It promotes the setting up of asset reconstruction companies (ARCs) and asset securitization companies (SCs) to deal with NPAs accumulated with the banks and financial institutions

13.ans a

Anuradha Bhasin case (2020):

The Court declared that the freedom of speech and expression and the freedom to practice any profession or carry on any trade, business or occupation over the medium of Internet enjoys constitutional protection under Article 19(l)(a) and Article 19(l)(g) respectively.

While such freedom is not absolute, the restrictions imposed on it should be in consonance with the mandate under Article 19(2) and Article 19(6) of the Constitution, inclusive of the test of proportionality.

14.Ans c

The Law Commission in 2015, headed by Justice A P Shah proposed to abolish capital punishments. However, the commission had made the proposal only to non-terrorism cases. According to the commission, India is one among few countries that still carry out executions. The other countries that practice executions include Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, China. By the end of 2014, 98 countries had abolished death penalty.

15.Ans c

The aim is to ensure that opportunities for securing justice are not denied to any citizen by reasons of economic or other disabilities.

‘Nyaya Deep’ is the official newsletter of NALSA.

Composition:

As per section 3(2) of Legal Service Authorities Act, the Chief Justice of India shall be the Patron-in-Chief. Second senior-most judge of Supreme Court of India is the Executive-Chairman.

Important functions performed by NALSA:

1. Organise Lok Adalats for amicable settlement of disputes.

2. Identify specific categories of the marginalised and excluded groups and formulates various schemes for the implementation of preventive and strategic legal service programmes.

3. Provide free legal aid in civil and criminal matters for the poor and marginalised people who cannot afford the services of a lawyer in any court or tribunal.

16.Ans a

About NJAC and the Act:

NJAC is a body responsible for the appointment and transfer of judges to the higher judiciary in India. 

NJAC Bill sought to replace the collegium system of appointing the judges of Supreme Court and High Courts with judicial appointments commission wherein the executive will have a say in appointing the judges. 

A new article. Article 124A, (which provides for the composition of the NJAC) was to be inserted into the Constitution.

The Bill provided for the procedure to be followed by the NJAC for recommending persons for appointment as Chief Justice of India and other Judges of the Supreme Court (SC), and Chief Justice and other Judges of High Courts (HC).

17.Ans c

What are the types of committees?

1. ‘Standing’ committees: Their existence is uninterrupted and usually reconstituted on an annual basis. Some standing committees are departmentally related.

2. ‘Select’ committees formed for a specific purpose, for instance, to deliberate on a particular bill. Once the Bill is disposed of, that select committee ceases to exist.

3. Finance committees are considered to be particularly powerful. The three financial committees are the Public Accounts Committee, the Estimates Committee and the Committee on Public Undertakings.

18.Ans b

CAMPA does not protect tribal rights

19. Ans c

Composition of the Commission: According to the Delimitation Commission Act, 2002, the Delimitation Commission appointed by the Centre has to have three members: a serving or retired judge of the Supreme Court as the chairperson, and the Chief Election Commissioner or Election Commissioner nominated by the CEC and the State Election Commissioner as ex-officio members
 

20.Ans a

21.Ans b

Only Tamil Nadu propose the proposal.
 

22. Ans c

What is Capital to Risk Weighted Assets Ratio (CRAR)? The CRAR, also known as the Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR), is the ratio of a bank’s capital to its risk. It is a measure of the amount of a bank’s core capital expressed as a percentage of its risk-weighted asset. It is decided by central banks and bank regulators to prevent commercial banks from taking excess leverage and becoming insolvent in the process. • The Basel III norms stipulated a capital to risk weighted assets of 8%. • However, as per RBI norms, Indian scheduled commercial banks are required to maintain a CRAR of 9%.
 

23.Ans c

Who are insured by the DICGC? The corporation covers all commercial and co-operative banks, except in Meghalaya, Chandigarh, Lakshadweep and Dadra and Nagar Haveli. Besides, Only primary cooperative societies are not insured by the DICGC.  

The DICGC does not include the following types of deposits: 1. Deposits of foreign governments. 2. Deposits of central/state governments. 3. Inter-bank deposits. 4. Deposits of the state land development banks with the state co-operative bank. 5. Any amount due on account of any deposit received outside India. 6. Any amount specifically exempted by the DICGC with previous approval of RBI.

24.Ans c
 

25.Ans a

What is Absolute Liability Principle? Evolution: The Supreme Court, while deciding the Oleum gas leak case of Delhi in 1986, found strict liability woefully inadequate to protect citizens’ rights in an industrialised economy like India and replaced it with the ‘absolute liability principle’. What is it? Under the absolute liability principle, the apex court held that a company in a hazardous industry cannot claim any exemption. 1. It has to mandatorily pay compensation, whether or not the disaster was caused by its negligence. The court said a hazardous enterprise has an “absolute non-delegable duty to the community”. 2. The principle of absolute liability is part of Article 21 (right to life).
 

26.Ans a

27.Ans a

28.Ans c 

Key facts: • It envisages to setup six to eight new test facilities in partnership with private industry. This will facilitate indigenous defence production, consequently reduce imports of military equipment and help make the country self-reliant. • The projects under the Scheme will be provided with up to 75% government funding in the form of ‘Grant-in-Aid’. • The remaining 25% of the project cost will have to be borne by the Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) whose constituents will be Indian private entities and State Governments. The SPVs under the Scheme will be registered under Companies Act 2013 and shall also operate and maintain all assets under the Scheme, in a self-sustainable manner by collecting user charges

29.Ans C

Overview of the ‘J&K Grant of Domicile Certificate (Procedure) Rules 2020’: 1. Under the amended rules, eligible non-locals can also apply for the certificate. 2. There is a timeline of 15 days for issuance of certificates. 3. Domicile certificates have now been made a basic eligibility condition for appointment to any post under the Union Territory of J&K following the amendments in the previous Act. 4. To make the process transparent and time-bound, any officer not able to issue the certificate would be penalised ₹50,000. The amount would be recovered from his salary. 5. All Permanent Resident Certificate holders and their children living outside J&K can apply for the certificates. 6. Kashmiri migrants living in or outside J&K can get domicile certificates by simply producing their Permanent Residence Certificate (PRC), ration card copy, voter card or any other valid document. 7. Bonafide migrants can apply with the Relief and Rehabilitation department by providing documents like electoral rolls of 1988, proof of registration as a migrant in any State in the country or any other valid document.

30.Ans c

31. Ans d

TRAI regularly issues orders and directions on various subjects such as tariffs, interconnections, quality of service, Direct To Home (DTH) services and mobile number portability.

31.Ans c

About PMVVY: It is a Pension Scheme exclusively for the senior citizens aged 60 years and above. The Scheme can be purchased offline as well as online through Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) of India which has been given the sole privilege to operate this Scheme. Maximum investment: One can invest a maximum amount of ₹15 lakh under Pradhan Mantri Vaya Vandana Yojana (PMVVY) scheme. The tenure of the policy is set at 10 years. 

32.Ans a

Key features: • PMMSY is a scheme to bring about Blue Revolution through sustainable and responsible development of fisheries sector in India under two components namely, Central Sector Scheme (CS) and Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS). • The Scheme will be implemented during a period of 5 years from FY 2020-21 to FY 2024-25. • Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying. 

 33.Ans a  
FY 2020-21 to FY 2024-25

34.Ans c

35.Ans d 

Key objectives: 1. Generation of paid rural employment of not less than 100 days for each worker who volunteers for unskilled labour. 2. Proactively ensuring social inclusion by strengthening livelihood base of rural poor. 3. Creation of durable assets in rural areas such as wells, ponds, roads and canals. 4. Reduce urban migration from rural areas. 5. Create rural infrastructure by using untapped rural labour. 

36.Ans c

About AES: • Acute encephalitis syndrome is a basket term used for referring to hospitals, children with clinical neurological manifestation that includes mental confusion, disorientation, convulsion, delirium, or coma. • Meningitis caused by virus or bacteria, encephalitis (mostly Japanese encephalitis) caused by virus, encephalopathy, cerebral malaria, and scrub typhus caused by bacteria are collectively called acute encephalitis syndrome. • The disease most commonly affects children and young adults and can lead to considerable morbidity and mortality.

37.Ans c

What are ‘covid toe’ and chilblains? It is a kind of rash being reported as a manifestation in some Covid-19 patients’ toes. The researchers have likened it to pseudo-chilblain lesions. • Chilblains are small, itchy, red patches that appear on the toes and fingers after a person has been exposed to the cold. • A person with chilblains may see their toes and fingers swell up and become red. • The condition occurs due to inflammation in the small blood vessels in the skin, a response to repeated exposure to cold air. • Chilblains usually clear up within one-three weeks on their own
 

38.Ans b

Spread in ASSAM

About African Swine Fever (ASF): • ASF is a highly contagious and fatal animal disease that infects domestic and wild pigs, typically resulting in an acute form of hemorrhagic fever. • It was first detected in Africa in the 1920s. • The mortality is close to 100 per cent, and since the fever has no cure, the only way to stop it spreading is by culling the animals. • ASF is not a threat to human beings since it only spreads from animals to other animals
 

39.Ans c

The Global Nutrition Report was conceived following the first Nutrition for Growth Initiative Summit (N4G) in 2013 as a mechanism for tracking the commitments made by 100 stakeholders spanning governments, aid donors, civil society, the UN and businesses. 

Where India stands? • India is among 88 countries that are likely to miss global nutrition targets by 2025.

 India is also the country with the highest rates of domestic inequalities in malnutrition. • India is identified as among the three worst countries, along with Nigeria and Indonesia, for steep within-country disparities on stunting, where the levels varied four-fold across communities. • India will miss targets for all four nutritional indicators for which there is data available, i.e. stunting among under-5 children, anaemia among women of reproductive age, childhood overweight and exclusive breastfeeding.
 

40.ans a

A comprehensive initiative called PM e-VIDYA will be launched which unifies all efforts related to digital/online/on-air education. This will enable multi-mode access to education, and includes: a) DIKSHA (one nation-one digital platform). b) TV (one class-one channel) where one dedicated channel per grade for each of the classes 1 to 12 will provide access to quality educational material. c) SWAYAM online courses in MOOCS format for school and higher education. d) IITPAL for IITJEE/NEET preparation. e) Air through Community radio and CBSE Shiksha Vani podcast. f) Study material for the differently abled developed on Digitally Accessible Information System (DAISY) and in sign language on NIOS website/ YouTube.
 

41.Ans d

Four hundred hospitals in 35 countries would be comparing the benefits to COVID patients from taking either Remdesivir; Lopinavir/Ritonavir; Lopinavir/Ritonavir with Interferon beta-1a; and hydroxychloroquine.
 

42.Ans b

What is Stringency index? The Stringency Index is a number from 0 to 100 that reflects these indicators. A higher index score indicates a higher level of stringency. • It is among the metrics being used by the Oxford COVID-19 Government Response Tracker. • The Tracker involves a team of 100 Oxford community members who have continuously updated a database of 17 indicators of government response. • These indicators examine containment policies such as school and workplace closings, public events, public transport, stay-at-home policies.
 

43.ans a

What is it? UMANG is a Government of India all-in-one single, unified, secure, multi-channel, multi-platform, multilingual, multi-service mobile app, powered by a robust back-end platform providing access to high impact services of various organization (Central and State). • Launched in 2017 to bring all government services on a single mobile app, with a larger goal to make the government services accessible on the mobile phone of our citizens. • About 660 services from 127 department & 25 states, including utility payments are live and more are in pipeline.
 

44.Ans c
 

45.Ans d Please Pay attention to Direction.NOT Correct is being asked.

About Mission Sagar: Mission Sagar has been launched as part of the government’s outreach initiative towards five Island nations in the Indian Ocean amidst the ongoing COVID-19. Under the mission, Indian Naval Ship Kesari has departed for Maldives, Mauritius, Seychelles, Madagascar and Comoros, to provide food Items, COVID-related medicines including HCQ tablets and special Ayurvedic medicines with medical assistance teams. Also, as part of the mission, INS Kesari would enter the Port of Male in the Republic of Maldives, to provide them 600 tons of food provisions.
 

46.Ans a

Where is Naku La? Naku La sector is a pass at a height of more than 5,000 metres above Mean Sea Level (MSL) in the state of Sikkim. It is located ahead of Muguthang or Cho Lhamu (source of River Teesta). The other passes located in the state of Sikkim are Nathu La Pass and Jelep La Pass.
 

47.Ans a

Pangong Tso lake: It is a 135-km long lake, located in the Himalayas at the height of approximately 4,350 m, stretches out from India to China. One-third of water body, its 45 km stretch, is in Indian control while the rest of the 90 km is under Chinese control. It is formed from Tethys geosyncline. It is a salt water lake. Strategic significance: By itself, the lake does not have major tactical significance. But it lies in the path of the Chushul approach, one of the main approaches that China can use for an offensive into Indian-held territory. 
 

48.Ans a
 

49.Ans c

Hong Kong is a Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China. It has observed a “one country, two systems” policy since Britain returned sovereignty to China on July 1, 1997, which has allowed it certain freedoms the rest of China does not have.
 

50.Ans c

About BOBBLE: BoBBLE is a joint India-UK project. It seeks to examine the impact of ocean processes in the Bay of Bengal (BoB) on the monsoon system. It is is a project funded by Union Ministry of Earth Sciences and the Natural Environment Research Council of UK. The Bay of Bengal (BoB) plays a fundamental role in controlling the weather systems that make up the South Asian summer monsoon system.
 

51.Ans c

Background: Azerbaijan is the president of the grouping from 2019-2022 and the meet is being organised under the leadership of President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev. The title of the summit is “We stand together against COVID-19”. 

 

What is non- aligned movement? Non-Aligned Movement is an idea that emerged in 1950. NAM is the second-largest platform globally in terms of country membership after the UN. It currently has more than 120 members. 

52.Ans c

The treaty allows 34 countries to conduct unarmed surveillance flights over one another’s territories — including the US and Russia. 

It was signed in 1992 and went into effect in 2002. 
 

53.Ans b

Iran’s currency is set to be re-named and re-valued. • Long called the rial, Iran’s money will soon likely be called the Toman, and an impressive four zeros will be shaved off all denominations. • What was previously 10,000 rials will become one Toman under the plans. 

 

54.Ans b

Where is West Bank? It is a landlocked territory near the Mediterranean coast of Western Asia, bordered by Jordan to the east and by the Green Line separating it and Israel on the south, west and north. The West Bank also contains a significant section of the western Dead Sea shore. 

 

55.Ans d

In the 1967 Six-Day War, Israel captured the Sinai Peninsula and the Gaza Strip from Egypt, the West Bank and eastern Jerusalem from Jordan, and the Golan Heights from Syria. The Palestinians are seeking to establish an independent state in the occupied parts of the West Bank, along with the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip — with East Jerusalem serving as its capital. 

56.Ans c

Taiwan is a member of the World Trade Organization, Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation and Asian Development Bank under various names. 
 

57.Ans a

In mid-April, a report issued by the United States State Department on “Adherence to and Compliance with Arms Control, Nonproliferation, and Disarmament Agreements and Commitments (Compliance Report)” raised concerns that China might be conducting nuclear tests with low yields at its Lop Nur test site, in violation of its Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) undertakings. 
 

58.Ans a

The Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf 

The purpose of the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (the Commission or CLCS) is to facilitate the implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (the Convention) in respect of the establishment of the outer limits of the continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles (M) from the baselines from which the breadth of the territorial sea is measured. Under the Convention, the coastal State shall establish the outer limits of its continental shelf where it extends beyond 200 M on the basis of the recommendation of the Commission. 
 

59.ans a

The U.S. House of Representatives has approved a legislation calling for sanctions on Chinese officials responsible for oppression of Uighur Muslims. The Bill has been sent to the White House for President Donald Trump to veto or sign into law. 
 

60.Ans a

UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has published a report named UN the “Lost at Home” report. 

 

Key findings: 1. Almost 33 million new displacements were recorded in 2019 — around 25 million were due to natural disasters and 8.5 million as consequence of conflict and violence. 2. There were 12 million new displacements of children in 2019: around 3.8 million of them caused by conflict and violence, and 8.2 million, due to disasters linked mostly to weather-related events. 
 

61.Ans a

What is AIIB? 

Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) is a multilateral development bank with a mission to improve social and economic outcomes in Asia and beyond. It is headquartered in Beijing. • It commenced operations in January 2016. 
 

62.Ans c

About the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO): It is a permanent intergovernmental international organisation. It’s creation was announced on 15 June 2001 in Shanghai (China) by the Republic of Kazakhstan, the People’s Republic of China, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Russian Federation, the Republic of Tajikistan, and the Republic of Uzbekistan. It was preceded by the Shanghai Five mechanism. The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Charter was signed during the St.Petersburg SCO Heads of State meeting in June 2002, and entered into force on 19 September 2003

63.Ans d

About International Telecommunication Union (ITU): It is an agency of the United Nations (UN) whose purpose is to coordinate telecommunication operations and services throughout the world. Originally founded in 1865, as the International Telegraph Union, the ITU is the oldest existing international organization. Headquarters are in Geneva, Switzerland. 

64.Ans c

It is a multilateral development bank operated by the BRICS states (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa). • The New Development Bank was agreed to by BRICS leaders at the 5th BRICS summit held in Durban, South Africa in 2013. • It was established in 2014, at the 6th BRICS Summit at Fortaleza, Brazil. • The bank is set up to foster greater financial and development cooperation among the five emerging markets. • In the Fortaleza Declaration, the leaders stressed that the NDB will strengthen cooperation among BRICS and will supplement the efforts of multilateral and regional financial institutions for global development. The bank will be headquartered in Shanghai, China. 
 

65.Ans c

What is VRR? It is a new channel of investment available to FPIs to encourage them to invest in debt markets in India over and above their investments through the regular route. The objective is to attract long-term and stable FPI investments into debt markets while providing FPIs with operational flexibility to manage their investments. VRR scheme allows FPIs to participate in repo transactions and also invest in exchange traded funds that invest in debt instruments. 
 

66.Ans c

What is Coir geotextile? Coir is a 100% natural fiber, obtained from a renewable source – the coconut husk. Coir Geo Textile is naturally resistant to rot, molds and moisture, and free from any microbial attack hence it needs no chemical treatment. It has a permeable, natural and strong fabric with high durability. 

 

Benefits: • It has a permeable, natural and strong fabric with high dura bility. • It protects the land surface and promotes quick vegetation. •It is totally biodegradable, and helps in soil stabilisation. • It can dissipate the energy of flowing water and absorb the excess solar radiation. 

67.Ans a

Rajiv Gandhi Nyay Yojana will be launched by Chhattisgarh government to ensure “minimum income availability” to farmers of the state through direct bank transfer. The scheme will formally be launched in the state on May 21, the death anniversary of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi. 

 

68.Ans c

 International Energy Agency (IEA) has released its Global Energy Review 2020 report. 

 

Key findings: 1. Global energy demand is projected to fall six per cent in 2020. 2. This will be steepest decline in percentage terms in 70 years and the largest ever in absolute terms. 3. All fuels except renewables are set to experience their greatest contractions in demand for decades. 4. The projected 6% decline would be more than seven times the impact of the 2008 financial crisis on global energy demand, reversing the growth of global energy demand over the last five years. 5. According to the report advanced economies will experience the greatest declines in energy demand in 2020. 6. In India, energy demand would decline for the first time, following on from low demand growth in 2019. 7. Global oil demand in 2020 is projected to drop by 9 per cent or 9 million barrels per day on an average across the year, returning oil consumption to 2012 levels. Global coal demand is projected decline by 8 per cent, in large part because electricity demand will be nearly 5 per cent lower over the course of the year.  8. Global Electricity Demand has been declined by 20% during periods of full lockdown in several countries. However, the residential demand is outweighed by reductions in commercial and industrial operations. 

 

69.Ans c

Reports released by international atomic energy agency

1. Global Energy & CO2 Status Report. 2. World Energy Outlook. 3. World Energy Statistics. 4. World Energy Balances. 5. Energy Technology Perspectives. 
 

70. Ans c

Since 2017-18, every year Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) appoints an third party expert agency to conduct study for comparing the actual energy consumption due to different energy efficiency schemes, with the estimated energy consumption, had the current energy efficiency measures were not undertaken i.e. counterfactual. 

 The objective of this study is to evaluate the performance and impact of all the key energy efficiency programmes in India, in terms of total energy saved and the related reduction in the CO2 emissions. • The study assesses the resultant impact of current schemes at national as well as state level for the FY 2018-19 and compares it with a situation where the same were not implemented. 

 

Key findings: 1. India has reduced the energy intensity by 20% compared to 2005 levels which is a very good performance indeed. 2. Implementation of various energy efficiency schemes have led to total electricity savings to the tune of 113.16 Billion Units in 2018-19, which is 9.39% of the net electricity consumption. 

3. The study has identified following major programmes, viz. Perform, Achieve and Trade Scheme, Standards &Labelling Programme, UJALA Programme, Municipal Demand Side Management Programme, etc. 4. Energy savings (electrical + thermal), achieved in the energy consuming sectors (i.e. Demand Side sectors) is to the tune of 16.54 Mtoe, which is 2.84% of the net total energy consumption (approx..581.60 Mtoe) in 2018-19. 5. 

These efforts have also contributed in reducing 151.74 Million Tonnes of CO2 emissions, whereas last year this number was 108 Million Tonnes of CO2. 

 

71.Ans a

World Economic Forum has released its global Energy Transition index. 

 

What is ETI? The Energy Transition Index (ETI) is a fact-based ranking intended to enable policy-makers and businesses to plot the course for a successful energy transition. • The benchmarking of energy systems is carried out annually across countries. Part of the World Economic Forum’s Fostering Effective Energy Transition initiative, it builds on its predecessor, the Energy Architecture Performance Index. The ETI does not only benchmark countries on their current energy system performance, but also provides a forward-looking lens as it measures their readiness for the energy transition. 

  

72.Ans a

Atom Bomb at Pokhran was detonated in 1998

73. Ans C

UV light from the sun has shorter wavelengths than visible light and, therefore, is not visible to the naked eye. 
 

 74.Ans b

Difference between RT- PCR and RT- LAMP: While the current COVID-19 testing is done by real-time PCR their components are mostly imported. Further these tests are expensive; require highly trained manpower, costly instruments and a relatively high-end lab and cannot be deployed at remote locations in quarantine centers, airports and railway stations, etc. 
 

75.Ans a

About Magnetosphere: It is the region around a planet dominated by the planet’s magnetic field. Other planets in our solar system have magnetospheres, but Earth has the strongest one of all the rocky planets. Significance: The magnetosphere shields our home planet from solar and cosmic particle radiation, as well as erosion of the atmosphere by the solar wind – the constant flow of charged particles streaming off the sun. 

76.Ans b

The sun is said to have gone into a state called the ‘solar minimum’ and is about to enter the deepest period of ‘sunshine recession’ as sunspots are virtually not visibly at all. Some reports suggest that it has been almost 100 days this year when the sun has shown zero sunspots. 
 

77.Ans C

GI tag has been given to Black rice of Manipur, also called the Chak-Hao,  

Key facts: • Black rice variety has a deep black colour and is higher by weight than that of other coloured rice varieties like brown rice, etc. This is mainly due to the anthocyanin agent. 
 

78.Ans b

Gorakhpur Terracotta and Kadalai Mittai of Kovilpatti Having given G I tag .
 

79.Ans c

80.Ans d

81.Ans a

82.Ans a

What are neutrinos? Neutrinos are high-energy particles that pose no threat to us and pass through most solid objects without anyone even noticing. Neutrinos constantly bombard Earth and as per some estimates emerging from studies, 100 trillion neutrinos pass through your body every second.
 

83.: Ans b

The British government has approached the US with the prospect of creating a 5G club of 10 democracies, including India, amid growing security concerns related to Chinese telecom giant Huawei. 

 

What’s the issue? 1. This comes just months after British Prime Minister Boris Johnson granted Huawei a limited role in supplying kits for the UK’s 5G networks and capped its market share to 35 per cent. Back then, the UK was one of those who stood out in the face of a US-led drive to ban Huawei from entering the 5G sector. 2. But by the third week of May, the Johnson government came under increasing pressure from its own Conservative party members, who demanded that Huawei’s equipment should not be allowed in UK’s 5G networks beyond 2023, owing to potential national security concerns. 
 

84.Ans c

 Rejuvenation of the traditional water bodies. 2. Desilting of ponds and lakes. 3. Encroachments removal in the water bodies. 4. Catchment area treatment. 5. Construction and strengthening of inlets/outlets. 
 

85.Ans b

About Sundarbans: 1. The Sundarbans comprises hundreds of islands and a network of rivers, tributaries and creeks in the delta of the Ganga and the Brahmaputra at the mouth of the Bay of Bengal in India and Bangladesh. 2. Located on the southwestern part of the delta, the Indian Sundarban constitutes over 60% of the country’s total mangrove forest area. 3. It is the 27th Ramsar Site in India, and with an area of 4,23,000 hectares is now the largest protected wetland in the country. 4. The Indian Sundarban, also a UNESCO world heritage site, is home to the Royal Bengal Tiger. 5. It is also home to a large number of “rare and globally threatened species, such as the critically endangered northern river terrapin (Batagur baska), the endangered Irrawaddy dolphin (Orcaella brevirostris), and the vulnerable fishing cat (Prionailurus viverrinus).” 6. Two of the world’s four horseshoe crab species, and eight of India’s 12 species of kingfisher are also found here. Recent studies claim that the Indian Sundarban is home to 2,626 faunal species and 90% of the country’s mangrove varieties. 

 

86.Ans c

About CMS: In order to protect the migratory species throughout their range countries, a Convention on Conservation of Migratory Species (CMS), has been in force, under the aegis of United Nations Environment Programme. Also referred to as the Bonn Convention, it provides a global platform for the conservation and sustainable use of migratory animals and their habitats and brings together the States through which migratory animals pass, the Range States, and lays the legal foundation for internationally coordinated conservation measures throughout a migratory range.  

Classification of species: Under this convention, migratory species threatened with extinction are listed on Appendix I and Parties strive towards strictly protecting these animals, conserving or restoring the places where they live, mitigating obstacles to migration and controlling other factors that might endanger them

87.Ans a

Global Forest Resources Assessment 2020 has been released by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). 
 

88.Ans c

Global Forest Resources Assessment 2020 has been released by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). The FRA 2020 has examined the status of, and trends in, more than 60 forest-related variables in 236 countries and territories in the period 1990–2020. 

 

Key findings: • Forest area has declined all across the world in the past three decades. The world lost 178 mha of forest since 1990, an area the size of Libya. • The rate of forest loss has also declined due to the growth of sustainable management. The rate of forest loss in 2015-2020 declined to an estimated 10 million hectares (mha), down from 12 million hectares (mha) in 2010-2015. • The area of naturally regenerating forests worldwide decreased since 1990, but the area of planted forests increased by 123 mha. 

 

89.Ans b

About TATR: It is Maharashtra’s oldest and largest national park. Created in 1995, the Reserve includes the Tadoba National Park and the Andhari Wildlife Sanctuary. Tadoba” is taken from the name of the god “Tadoba” or “Taru”, worshipped by the tribes who live in the dense forests of the Tadoba and Andhari region, while “Andhari” refers to the Andhari river that meanders through the forest. Tadoba reserve covers the Chimur Hills, and the Andhari sanctuary covers the Moharli and Kolsa ranges. 
 

90.Ans a

The government had constituted a High Level Working Group under the Chairmanship of Dr. Kasturirangan to conserve and protect the biodiversity of Western Ghats while allowing for sustainable and inclusive development of the region. The Committee had recommended that identified geographical areas falling in the six States of Kerala, Karnataka, Goa, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu may be declared as Ecologically Sensitive Areas.  
 

91.Ans.c

What are Eco-Sensitive Areas? They are located within 10 kms around Protected Areas, National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries. ESAs are notified by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) under Environment Protection Act 1986. 
 

92.Ans.c

Importance of western ghats: • The Western Ghats is an extensive region spanning over six States. It is the home of many endangered plants and animals. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site. • It is one of the eight “hottest hot-spots” of biological diversity in the world. • According to UNESCO, the Western Ghats are older than the Himalayas. They influence Indian monsoon weather patterns by intercepting the rain-laden monsoon winds that sweep in from the south-west during late summer. 
 

93.Ans b

Advantages of stubble burning: 1. It quickly clears the field and is the cheapest alternative. 2. Kills weeds, including those resistant to herbicide. 3. Kills slugs and other pests. 4. Can reduce nitrogen tie-up. 
 

94.Ans c

It is a flammable liquid that is used in the manufacturing of polystyrene plastics, fiberglass, rubber, and latex. It is also found in vehicle exhaust, cigarette smoke, and in natural foods like fruits and vegetables.
 

95. Ans a

What happened in Bhopal? In what is the biggest industrial disaster of the last hundred years in India, 5295 people died and 5,27,894 were affected after being exposed to some 40 tonne of methyl isocyanate gas leaked from a pesticide plant owned by the US multinational, Union Carbide Corp, in Bhopal. It has been more than 35 years since the incident which happened on December 3, 1984, but there is still a massive debate on the number of people affected. Some activists estimate around 20,000 to 25,000 deaths. 

 

96.Ans a

Who are Brus? The Brus, also referred to as the Reangs, are spread across the northeastern states of Tripura, Assam, Manipur, and Mizoram. In Tripura, they are recognised as a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group. In Mizoram, they have been targeted by groups that do not consider them indigenous to the state. 

97. Ans a

The Computer Emergency Response of Team (CERT) of India has issued warning against a new malware called “EventBot”. 

 

Key facts: • The malware steals personal financial information from Android phone users. • The Eventbolt is a Trojan. It cheats victims secretly attacking computer or phone operating system. • It targets money-transfer services, financial applications. 

98.Ans c

 Hezbollah: • Germany has classified the organization Hezbollah as a terrorist organization in its soil. • The Hezbollah is a Shia Islamist political party that is based in Lebanon. The organization was founded by the Iranian effort in 1980s to aggregate Lebanese Shia groups. In the on-going Iran-Israel conflicts, Hezbollah acts as a proxy for Iran. 

99.Ans. a

Known as the festival of festivals, Thrissur Pooram has a tradition of more than 200 years. • This spectacular event was started by Sakthan Thampuran, the erstwhile ruler of Kochi. • Held on the Moolam asterism in the Malayalam month of Medam (April-May), festival related events take place at the Vadakkumnathan temple situated in the heart of Thrissur town and the adjoining Thekkinkadu ground. • 

100.Ans a

ATULYA: • It is a cost-effective solution to disintegrate corona virus. • This microwave steriliser can be operated in portable or fixed installations and helps in disintegrating the virus by differential heating in the range of 56 to 60 Celsius temperatures. • Developed by Defence Institute of Advanced Technology (DIAT), Pune.