Solution (d)

Explanation:

Supplementary Grant : It is granted when the amount authorised by the Parliament through the ap propriation act for a particular service for the current financial year is found to be insufficient for that year.

Additional Gran : It is granted when a need has arisen during the current financial year for additional expenditure upon some new service not contempleted in the budget for that year.

Excess Grant : It is granted when money has been spent on any service during a financial year in excess of the amount granted for that service in the budget for that year. It is voted by the Lok Sabha after the financial year. Before the demands for excess grants are submitted to the Lok Sabha for voting, they must be approved by the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament.

Vote of Credit : It is granted for meeting an unexpected demand upon the resources of India, when on account of the magnitude of the indefinite character of the service, the demand cannot be stated with the details ordinarily given in a budget. Hence, it is like a blank cheque given to the Executive by the Lok Sabha.

Article reference: Parliament proceedings | Lok Sabha passes supplementary demand for grants

Solution (b)

Explanation:  

• An initiative of the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC), Project RE-HAB (Reducing Elephant-Human Attacks using Bees) intends to create “bee fences” to thwart elephant attacks in human habitations using honeybees.
• The boxes are connected with a string so that when elephants attempt to pass through, a tug causes the bees to swarm the elephant herds and dissuade them from progressing further.
• Bee boxes have been placed on the ground as well as hung from the trees. High resolution, night vision cameras have been installed at strategic points to record the impact of bees on elephants and their behaviour in these zones.
• The biggest advantage of Project RE-HAB is that it dissuades elephants without causing any harm to them. Besides being extremely cost-effective as compared to various other measures such as digging trenches or erecting fences.

Article reference: ‘Bee fences’ to ward off elephant attacks

Solution (c)

Explanation: 

‘Absentee voter’ means a person belonging to such class of persons as may be notified, under clause (c) of section 60 of the Act, and who is employed in essential services as mentioned in the said notification, and includes an elector belonging to the class of senior citizen or persons with disability 

1. ‘person with disability’ means a person flagged as person with disability in the data base for the electoral roll;
2. ‘senior citizen’ for the purpose of this Part means an elector belonging to the class of absentee voters and is above 80 years of age; 
3. Person employed in essential services means those who are left out their due to engagements in various capacities in the discharge of essential services e.g., railways, state transports and aviation etc.

(So, statement 1 is incorrect and 2 and 3 are correct)

Article Link: High Court, Madras upholds ECI’s facility of Postal Ballot for absentee voters

Solution (b)

Explanation:

Water being a State subject, initiatives on water management including conservation and water harvesting in the Country is primarily States’ responsibility.

A number of States have done notable work in the field of water conservation/harvesting. Of these, mention can be made of 

• ‘Mukhyamantri Jal Swavlamban Abhiyan’ in Rajasthan, 
• ‘Jalyukt Shibar’ in Maharashtra, 
• ‘Sujalam Sufalam Abhiyan’ in Gujarat, 
• ‘Mission Kakatiya’ in Telangana, 
• Neeru Chettu’ in Andhra Pradesh, 
• Jal Jeevan Hariyali in Bihar, 
• ‘Jal Hi Jeevan’ in Haryana among others.

Article link: Water Stressed Districts

Solution (c)

Explanation 

The Stop TB Partnership was established in 2000 to eliminate tuberculosis as a public health problem. Its 1500 partner organizations include international, nongovernmental and governmental organizations and patient groups. The secretariat is based in Geneva, Switzerland, and, since 2015, has been administered by UNOPS. Previously it was hosted by the World Health Organization

The Partnership’s activities focus chiefly on raising awareness about TB and advocating for greater commitment to and funding for TB prevention, treatment and research.

The Partnership consists of a Coordinating Board, a Partnership Secretariat hosted by UNOPS in Geneva, Switzerland, and seven Working Groups (WG).

It also provides TB drugs directly to countries heavily affected by the disease through its Global Drug Facility

Article link: Dr. Harsh Vardhan delivers Acceptance Speech as new Chairman ofStop TB Partnership Board