1) Consider the following statements with respect to Transport and Marketing Assistance (TMA) Scheme
It aims to provide assistance for the international component of freight and marketing of agricultural produce.
It is applicable only to specified Agriculture products.
It was launched by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Answer : d
Department of Commerce of the Ministry of Commerce & Industry has recently notified a scheme for Transport and Marketing Assistance (TMA) for Specified Agriculture Products.
It aims to provide assistance for the international component of freight and marketing of agricultural produce which is likely to mitigate disadvantage of higher cost of transportation of export of specified agriculture products due to trans-shipment and to promote brand recognition for Indian agricultural products in the specified overseas markets.
2) Consider the following statements with respect to Al Nagah
It is a bilateral naval exercise between India and Oman.
Al Nagah-2019, third in the series will be held in Oman.
The aim of this exercise is to enhance interoperability in counter terrorist operations in semi urban mountainous terrain.
Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Answer : c
Exercise Al Nagah III, third in the series of bilateral joint military exercise between India and Oman is scheduled to be held from 12 to 25 March 2019 at Jabel Al Akhdar Mountains in Oman.
The exercise will see both the armies exchanging expertise and experience in tactics, weapon handling and firing, with an aim to enhance interoperability in counterterrorist operations in semi urban mountainous terrain.
India-Oman bilateral security ties have continued to develop since the beginning of India-Oman Joint Military Cooperation meetings in 2006.
Exercise Al Nagah III follows the first two joint exercises that were held in Oman in January 2015 and India in March 2017 respectively.
3) Consider the following statements with respect to National Rural Economic Transformation Project (NRETP)
It focused on promoting women-owned and women-led farm and non-farm enterprises.
The project is an additional financing to the National Rural Livelihoods Project (NRLP) approved by the World Bank in 2011.
Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Answer : c
Recently, the World Bank and the Government of India signed a $250 Million Agreement for the National Rural Economic Transformation Project (NRETP) in New Delhi.
A Key Focus of the Project will be to promote women-owned and women-led farm and non-farm enterprises across value chains; enable them to build businesses that help them access finance, markets and networks; and generate employment.
The National Rural Economic Transformation Project (NRETP) is an additional financing to the $500 million National Rural Livelihoods Project (NRLP) approved by the World Bank in July 2011.
The NRLP which is currently being implemented across 13 states has so far mobilized more than 8.8 million women from poor rural households into 750,000 self-help groups (SHGs).
While these 13 states will continue to be supported under the new project signed recently, 125 new districts will be added from within these states.
4) Consider the following statements with respect to National Common Mobility Card (NCMC)
These are Debit/Credit/Prepaid cards issued by the government through Common Service Centres (CSC).
It is an initiative of Ministry of Finance.
The inter-operable transport card would allow the holders to pay for their bus travel, parking charges and even withdraw money.
Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Answer : a
National Common Mobility Card (NCMC) – The first Indigenously Developed Payment Eco-system for transport consists of
NCMC Card
SWEEKAR (Swachalit Kiraya: Automatic Fare Collection System (AFC))
SWAGAT (Swachalit Gate)
It is an initiative of Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs to enable seamless travel by different metros and other transport systems.
NCMC’s also known as 'One Nation One Card' is a bank issued Debit/Credit/Prepaid cards.
The inter-operable transport card would allow the holders to pay for their bus travel, toll taxes, parking charges, retail shopping and even withdraw money.
5) Consider the following statements with respect to Generalized System of Preferences (GSP)
It is the United States’ largest and oldest trade preference programme designed to promote economic growth in the developing world.
It involves reduced or zero tariffs for eligible products exported by beneficiary countries.
India has been the biggest beneficiary of the GSP regime.
Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Answer : d
The GSP, the largest and oldest US trade preference programme, is designed to promote economic development by allowing duty-free entry for thousands of products from designated beneficiary countries.
GSP involves reduced/zero tariffs of eligible products exported by beneficiary countries to the markets of GSP-providing countries.
India has been the biggest beneficiary of the GSP regime and accounted for over a quarter of the goods that got duty-free access into the US in 2017.
Recently, the US President Donald Trump has said that he intends to end India's preferential trade treatment under generalised system of preferences (GSP) that allows $5.6 billion worth of Indian exports to enter the United States duty-free.
The reason behind this move is that India has not assured the United States that it will provide equitable and reasonable access to its markets.
6) Consider the following statements with respect to Indo-Pacific Regional Dialogue (IPRD)
The idea of an Indo-Pacific Regional Dialogue (IPRD) was first conceptualised and conducted in 2018.
The 2nd edition of Indo-Pacific Regional Dialogue (IPRD): 2019 is being held in New Delhi.
The permanent theme of this biennial dialogue is a review of India’s opportunities and challenges in the Indo-Pacific region.
Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Answer : b
The idea of an Indo-Pacific Regional Dialogue (IPRD) was first conceptualised and conducted in 2018, as the apex level conference of the Indian Navy, organised by the National Maritime Foundation as the Navy’s Knowledge Partner.
The permanent theme of this annual dialogue is a review of India’s opportunities and challenges in the Indo-Pacific region.
The aim is to focus attention on the Indo-Pacific, as a maritime geographical-entity, while deliberating aspects of great relevance to regional geopolitics.
The second edition of Indo-Pacific Regional Dialogue (IPRD) - 2019 is being held at the Manekshaw Centre, New Delhi.
IPRD-2019 is likely to witness active participation of globally-renowned domain experts and policy-makers from thirteen countries of the Indo-Pacific — Australia, Bangladesh, Canada, China, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Seychelles, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America.
7) Artificial Sun Device sometimes seen in the news recently, is being developed by?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Answer : b
China’s HL-2M Tokamak device often dubbed as the “Artificial Sun” is designed to replicate the nuclear fusion process that occurs naturally in the sun and stars to provide almost infinite clean energy through controlled nuclear fusion.
China plans to complete the construction of the artificial sun this year, achieving an ion temperature of 100 million degrees Celsius.
8) Consider the following statements
Hurricanes are primarily oceanic phenomena, whereas Tornadoes are purely over-land phenomena.
Tornadoes are relatively small when compared to Hurricanes.
Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Answer : c
9) Consider the following pairs
Component – Manufacturer
AMRAAM Missile – U.S.A
F16 Fighter Jet – Russia
MiG-21 – France
Which of the pair(s) given above is/are correctly matched?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Answer : a
India has recently given proof to the US about the use of itsF-16 fighters and AMRAAM beyond visual range air-to-air missile by Pakistan during its unsuccessful aerial raid targeting Indian military installations on February 27, 2019.
As part of the purchasing agreement, the US had put restrictions and reportedly barred Pakistan from using the F-16’s against any third country.
10) Kole wetlands is located in which of the following states?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Answer : a
Kole wetlands spread over 13,632 hectares in Thrissur and Malappuram districts of Kerala.
It is a Ramsar site and IBA (Important Bird and Biodiversity Area)
The Kole fields account for more than 40% of the rice production in the State.
It is situated in the Central Asian Flyway of migratory birds.
The area contains subterranean habitats that are important habitats for some fresh water fish species which are endemic to southern Western Ghats.
Mining & quarrying of sand and clay mining, granite quarry and Fishing & harvesting aquatic resources are some of the threats to the Kole wetlands.
