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The Current Affairs questions are based on sources like ‘The Hindu’, ‘Indian Express’ and ‘PIB’, which are very important sources for UPSC Prelims Exam. The questions are focused on both the concepts and facts. The topics covered here are generally different from what is being covered under ‘Daily Current Affairs/Daily News Analysis (DNA) and Daily Static Quiz’ to avoid duplication. The questions would be published from Monday to Saturday before 2 PM. One should not spend more than 10 minutes on this initiative.
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Do remember that, “the difference between Ordinary and EXTRA-Ordinary is PRACTICE!!”
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Consider the following statements with respect to the P-15 Bravo-class or Project-15B:
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Solution (d)
The first ship of the four Project-15B state-of-the-art stealth guided missile destroyers, Visakhapatnam, being built at the Mazgaon Docks Limited (MDL), was delivered to the Navy.
The four ships are named after major cities from all four corners of the country — Visakhapatnam, Mormugao, Imphal and Surat
The Visakhapatnam-class destroyers, or P-15 Bravo-class, or simply P-15B is a class of guided-missile destroyers currently being built for the Indian Navy. The P-15B destroyers are modified versions of the earlier Kolkata-class destroyers (P-15A). The class consists of four vessels – Visakhapatnam, Mormugao, Imphal and Porbandar, all four are being built by Mazagon Dock Limited (MDL). Noted for being the largest-ever destroyers built by India, the P-15B class features substantial improvements in design, technology and stealth, over the P-15A class.
Article Link:
https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/navy-takes-delivery-of-warship/article37276917.ece
Solution (d)
The first ship of the four Project-15B state-of-the-art stealth guided missile destroyers, Visakhapatnam, being built at the Mazgaon Docks Limited (MDL), was delivered to the Navy.
The four ships are named after major cities from all four corners of the country — Visakhapatnam, Mormugao, Imphal and Surat
The Visakhapatnam-class destroyers, or P-15 Bravo-class, or simply P-15B is a class of guided-missile destroyers currently being built for the Indian Navy. The P-15B destroyers are modified versions of the earlier Kolkata-class destroyers (P-15A). The class consists of four vessels – Visakhapatnam, Mormugao, Imphal and Porbandar, all four are being built by Mazagon Dock Limited (MDL). Noted for being the largest-ever destroyers built by India, the P-15B class features substantial improvements in design, technology and stealth, over the P-15A class.
Article Link:
https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/navy-takes-delivery-of-warship/article37276917.ece
With respect to Ganges River Dolphins, consider the following statements
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Solution (c)
The Jal Shakti Ministry released a guide for the safe rescue and release of stranded Ganges River Dolphins.
The GRDs have been designated the National Aquatic Animal of India since 2010 and are listed as ‘Endangered’ under IUCN Red List Assessments, Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act (1972), Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
The species, whose global population is estimated at 4,000, are (nearly 80%) found in the Indian subcontinent. They often accidentally enter canal channels in northern India and are often entrapped, and die as they are unable to swim up against the gradient, eventually getting stressed and harassed by the locals.
Only three species of freshwater dolphins are remaining on the earth after the functional extinction of the Chinese river Dolphin (Baiji) in 2006.
Article Link:
https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/ministry-releases-guide-for-safe-rescue-release-of-ganges-river-dolphins/article37292366.ece
Solution (c)
The Jal Shakti Ministry released a guide for the safe rescue and release of stranded Ganges River Dolphins.
The GRDs have been designated the National Aquatic Animal of India since 2010 and are listed as ‘Endangered’ under IUCN Red List Assessments, Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act (1972), Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
The species, whose global population is estimated at 4,000, are (nearly 80%) found in the Indian subcontinent. They often accidentally enter canal channels in northern India and are often entrapped, and die as they are unable to swim up against the gradient, eventually getting stressed and harassed by the locals.
Only three species of freshwater dolphins are remaining on the earth after the functional extinction of the Chinese river Dolphin (Baiji) in 2006.
Article Link:
https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/ministry-releases-guide-for-safe-rescue-release-of-ganges-river-dolphins/article37292366.ece
Recently Supreme Court banned using toxic chemicals like Barium salts in firecrackers. In this regard consider the following statements:
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Solution (c)
Although inexpensive, barium chloride finds limited applications in the laboratory and industry. In industry, barium chloride is mainly used in the purification of brine solution in caustic chlorine plants and also in the manufacture of heat treatment salts, case hardening of steel. Its toxicity limits its applicability.
Firecrackers most commonly use the composition known as flash powder, which can be a mixture of potassium perchlorate and aluminum powder in a ratio (by weight ONLY) of 70% potassium perchlorate to 30% of high pyro quality aluminum powder. No matter what the name of today’s commercially produced firecracker (for example: M-100s, M-1000s…etc) ever since 1966, the maximum amount of explosive composition has been set at a 50mg limit. Before legislation passed in 1966, certain firecrackers used to contain several grams (there are 1,000mg per gram) of flash powder. There are many different ways of constructing various sizes of firecrackers and also many variants in the explosive compositions used.
Article Link:
https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/kolkata/cannot-impose-blanket-ban-on-crackers-says-supreme-court/article37281403.ece
Solution (c)
Although inexpensive, barium chloride finds limited applications in the laboratory and industry. In industry, barium chloride is mainly used in the purification of brine solution in caustic chlorine plants and also in the manufacture of heat treatment salts, case hardening of steel. Its toxicity limits its applicability.
Firecrackers most commonly use the composition known as flash powder, which can be a mixture of potassium perchlorate and aluminum powder in a ratio (by weight ONLY) of 70% potassium perchlorate to 30% of high pyro quality aluminum powder. No matter what the name of today’s commercially produced firecracker (for example: M-100s, M-1000s…etc) ever since 1966, the maximum amount of explosive composition has been set at a 50mg limit. Before legislation passed in 1966, certain firecrackers used to contain several grams (there are 1,000mg per gram) of flash powder. There are many different ways of constructing various sizes of firecrackers and also many variants in the explosive compositions used.
Article Link:
https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/kolkata/cannot-impose-blanket-ban-on-crackers-says-supreme-court/article37281403.ece
Consider the following statements:
Statement 1
Groundwater extraction which was at 35% in the 1960s and 1970s rose to 70% post the Green Revolution
Statement 2
Government subsidizing power for irrigation left tube wells running for hours.
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
Solution (a)
82% of Punjab’s land area has seen a huge decline in groundwater levels, wherein 109 out of 138 administrative blocks have been placed in the ‘over exploited’ category. Groundwater extraction which was at 35% in the 1960s and 1970s rose to 70% post the Green Revolution — a period which saw governments subsidizing power for irrigation that left tube wells running for hours.
Concomitantly, cultivation of water intensive crops such as paddy has further aggravated water depletion, even turning water saline. Immediate measures need to be taken to manage and replenish groundwater, especially through participatory groundwater management approaches with its combination of water budgeting, aquifer recharging and community involvement.
Ministry of Jal Shakti is a ministry under Government of India which was formed in May 2019. This was formed by merging of two ministries; Ministry of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation and Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation.
Seeing India’s looming water crisis through the locus of ‘urban’ and ‘rural’ not only allows a better grasp of the causative factors but also enables a stronger grip on the strategies to be deployed to reverse the water crisis. Fundamental to this is a preliminary understanding of the sources from which the country draws water to meet its varying needs. In the rural areas, 80%-90% of the drinking water and 75% of the water used for agriculture is drawn from groundwater sources. In urban areas, 50%-60% of the water supply is drawn from groundwater sources, whereas the remaining is sourced from surface water resources such as rivers, often located afar, in addition to lakes, tanks and reservoirs.
According to the composite water management index released by the think tank NITI Aayog in 2019, 21 major cities (including Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad) were on the brink of exhausting groundwater resources, affecting about 100 million people. The study also points out that by 2030; the demand for water is projected to be twice the available supply.
Article Link:
https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/finding-a-way-out-of-indias-deepening-water-stress/article37292441.ece
Solution (a)
82% of Punjab’s land area has seen a huge decline in groundwater levels, wherein 109 out of 138 administrative blocks have been placed in the ‘over exploited’ category. Groundwater extraction which was at 35% in the 1960s and 1970s rose to 70% post the Green Revolution — a period which saw governments subsidizing power for irrigation that left tube wells running for hours.
Concomitantly, cultivation of water intensive crops such as paddy has further aggravated water depletion, even turning water saline. Immediate measures need to be taken to manage and replenish groundwater, especially through participatory groundwater management approaches with its combination of water budgeting, aquifer recharging and community involvement.
Ministry of Jal Shakti is a ministry under Government of India which was formed in May 2019. This was formed by merging of two ministries; Ministry of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation and Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation.
Seeing India’s looming water crisis through the locus of ‘urban’ and ‘rural’ not only allows a better grasp of the causative factors but also enables a stronger grip on the strategies to be deployed to reverse the water crisis. Fundamental to this is a preliminary understanding of the sources from which the country draws water to meet its varying needs. In the rural areas, 80%-90% of the drinking water and 75% of the water used for agriculture is drawn from groundwater sources. In urban areas, 50%-60% of the water supply is drawn from groundwater sources, whereas the remaining is sourced from surface water resources such as rivers, often located afar, in addition to lakes, tanks and reservoirs.
According to the composite water management index released by the think tank NITI Aayog in 2019, 21 major cities (including Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad) were on the brink of exhausting groundwater resources, affecting about 100 million people. The study also points out that by 2030; the demand for water is projected to be twice the available supply.
Article Link:
https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/finding-a-way-out-of-indias-deepening-water-stress/article37292441.ece
With respect to Skills Strengthening for Industrial Value Enhancement (STRIVE), consider the following statements:
Which of the statements given above is/are not correct?
Solution (d)
Skills Strengthening for Industrial Value Enhancement (STRIVE) is a new World Bank funded project that has been approved by Expenditure Finance Committee (EFC) in November 2016 for a total cost of Rs. 2200 crore (US $ 318 million). The project falls under the Programme for Results (P4R) based category of World Bank that ensures outcome based funding. The project aims at creating awareness through industry clusters/ geographical chambers that would address the challenge of involvement of micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs). The Project would also aim at integrating and enhancing delivery quality of ITIs. In order to ensure achievement of outcome these ITI would be competitively selected for upgradation under the scheme.
Committee for Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved STRIVE and the loan agreement between Government of India & World Bank has been signed. The project management consultancy has been on-boarded. The operations manual has been prepared in consultation with World Bank and has been approved by National Steering Committee meeting chaired by Secretary, MSDE. Implementation of project has been started and workshops with states and industries clusters are planned.
Article Link:
https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/minister-khuba-launches-strive-programme/article37277553.ece
Solution (d)
Skills Strengthening for Industrial Value Enhancement (STRIVE) is a new World Bank funded project that has been approved by Expenditure Finance Committee (EFC) in November 2016 for a total cost of Rs. 2200 crore (US $ 318 million). The project falls under the Programme for Results (P4R) based category of World Bank that ensures outcome based funding. The project aims at creating awareness through industry clusters/ geographical chambers that would address the challenge of involvement of micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs). The Project would also aim at integrating and enhancing delivery quality of ITIs. In order to ensure achievement of outcome these ITI would be competitively selected for upgradation under the scheme.
Committee for Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved STRIVE and the loan agreement between Government of India & World Bank has been signed. The project management consultancy has been on-boarded. The operations manual has been prepared in consultation with World Bank and has been approved by National Steering Committee meeting chaired by Secretary, MSDE. Implementation of project has been started and workshops with states and industries clusters are planned.
Article Link:
https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/minister-khuba-launches-strive-programme/article37277553.ece
