3.58 T-Jul 2017

Question 1

POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

1. APPOINTMENT OF ELECTION COMMISSIONERS

Answer 1

• Recently, Supreme Court has asked the Union government to formalise appointment of election
commissioners (ECs) through law
BACKGROUND
• Article 324 provides that the appointments of the CEC and the ECs be made as per the enabling law,
but the law has not been enacted so far
• The constitution has not prescribed the qualification of the members of election commission
ARTICLE 324
• The Election Commission shall consist of the chief election commissioner (CEC) and such
number of other election commissioners (EC), if any, as the president may from time to time fix
• The appointment of the CEC and other ECs shall be made by the president.
• When any other EC is so appointed, the CEC shall act as the chairman of the election commission
• The president may also appoint after consultation with the election commission such regional
commissioners (RCs) as he may consider necessary to assist the election commission
• The conditions of service and tenure of office of the ECs and the RCs shall be determined by the
president
THE CHIEF ELECTION COMMISSIONER AND OTHER ELECTION COMMISSIONERS (CONDITIONS OF
SERVICE) ACT, 1991
• Enacted to prescribe conditions of service and tenure of office of the CEC and other ECs
• Tenure of CEC or EC: years or age of 65 years, whichever is earlier
• Salary and pension: Equal to the salary and pension of a judge of the Supreme Court.
• If the CEC and other EC differ in opinion on any matter, such matter shall be decided according to the
opinion of the majority
• However, the act is silent on the criteria based on which election commissioners can be selected

Question 2

2. THE CITIZENSHIP (AMENDMENT) BILL 2016

Answer 2

• Introduced in Lok Sabha and referred to Joint Committee on The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill,
2016
FEATURES
• The intended to make illegal migrants of Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian from
Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan, eligible for citizenship of India
• The bill proposed to relax the requirements of citizenship by naturalization by relaxing the 11
years requirement of residence in India to 6 years
• The bill, also, widens the ground for the cancellation of an OCI registration for violation of any
law in force in the country
CONDITIONS FOR CITIZENSHIP BY NATURALIZATION
• Belongs to a country where the citizens of India are allowed to become subjects or citizens of that
country by naturalization.• Renounces the citizenship of his country and intimated the renunciation to the Government of India.
• Has been residing in India or serving the government for 12 months before the date of making
application for naturalization.
• Possess a good character Posses working knowledge of Indian Languages Intends to reside in India
after naturalization
• Further, Government of India can waive any or all of the above conditions in case of a person who
has rendered distinguished service in the cause of Philosophy, science, literature, arts, world peace
etc

Question 3

3. GOVERNMENT E-MARKETPLACE

Answer 3

• Recently 5 States and a Union Territory (UT) formally adopted the Centre’s initiative called the
Government e-Marketplace (GeM)
ABOUT
• GeM is an Online Market platform to facilitate procurement of goods and services by various
ministries and agencies of the Government
• It is a completely paperless, cashless and system driven e-market place with minimal human
interface
• It functions under Directorate General of Supplies and Disposals (DGS&D), Union Ministry of
Commerce and Industries
• It has been envisaged as National Procurement Portal of India, with joining of more and more
states
• The present version viz., GeM 3.0 will offer standardised and enriched catalogue management,
powerful search engine, real time price comparison etc.

Question 4

4. MAHADAYI RIVER DISPUTE

Answer 4

• It is between the States of Karnataka, Goa, and Maharashtra
• Karnataka wants to divert water from the Mahadayi river basin to the Malaprabha river through the
Kalasa-Banduri Nala project for drinking water purposes which is opposed by other states
• Mahadayi Water Dispute tribunal constituted in 2010 to adjudicate the issue
MAHADAYI RIVER
• Also known as Mandovi river
• It rises in the Western Ghats, from the Bhimgad Wildlife Sanctuary in Belagavi district of
Karnataka
• It flows westward to enter into Goa and a number of streams join the flow of the river to form the
Mandovi
• It is one of two major rivers that flow through Goa, other is being the River Zuari
• The Mahadayi River stretches 111-km, out of which 76 km lies in Goa
• Its catchment area include some parts pf Maharashtra
• It is one of the few sweet-water sources in Goa
OTHER FACTS
• Water is a state subject, inter-state river and river valleys are placed in Union List in the 7th
schedule of the constitution
• Article 262, empowers the parliament to provide by law that neither the Supreme Court nor any other
court shall exercise jurisdiction in respect of inter-state water disputes
• The Inter-State Water Dispute Act (1956), constituted under this article to adjudicate the disputes
• This act empowers Central government to set up an ad hoc tribunal for the adjudication of a dispute
between two or more states
• The decision of tribunal would be final and binding on the parties of the dispute.
• Neither Supreme Court not any other court have jurisdiction with respect to disputes referred to
such tribunal under this act
• However, Supreme Court still allows these matters through “Special Leave Petition” under article
136

Question 5

5. COOPERATIVE SOCIETIES

Answer 5

• Rajasthan became the first State in India to lay down the minimum educational qualifications for
contesting elections to various other cooperative bodies including village cooperative societies
FACTS
• The 97th Constitutional Amendment Act of 2011 gave a constitutional status and protection to cooperative societies
o It made the right to form co-operative societies a fundamental right (Article 19)
o It included a new Directive Principle of State Policy on promotion of cooperative societies (Article
43-B)
o It added a new Part IX-B in the Constitution which is entitled “The Cooperative Societies”
(Articles 243-ZH to 243-ZT)
SALIENT FEATURES OF PART IX-B
• Reservation of one seat for SC/ST and two seats for women on the board of every co-operative
society
• Cooperatives could set up agency which would oversee election
• Uniformity in the tenure of Cooperative Board of Directors.
• Provisions for incorporation, regulation and winding up of co-operative societies based on the principles of
democratic process and specifying the maximum number of directors as twenty-one
• Providing for independent professional audit
• Providing for right of information to the members of the co-operative societies;
• Empowering the State Governments to obtain periodic reports of activities and accounts of cooperative societies; which have individuals as members from such categories;
• Providing for offences relating to co-operative societies and penalties in respect of such offences.

Question 6

6. MINISTRY OF HOUSING AND URBAN AFFAIRS

Answer 6

• Recently, Ministry of Urban Development, and Ministry of Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation
merged to form the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs
• With this merger, the number of ministries goes to 51 from 17 first government after the independence.
• In 2016, the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs (MOIA) was merged with the Ministry of External
Affairs (MEA)

Question 7

7. COMMIT

Answer 7

• The Union Government has launched a new training programme called Comprehensive Online
Modified Modules on Induction Training (COMMIT) for State Government officials
ABOUT
• Launched by the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pension
• Objective: improve the public service delivery mechanism and provide citizen centric administration
through capacity building of officials
• Developed by Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) in collaboration with United Nations
Development Programme (UNDP)
• It allows translating the content in local/regional languages
• State Administrative Training Institutes (ATIs) will be implementing the programme

Question 8

8. PROHIBITION OF SOCIAL BOYCOTT ACT

Answer 8

• Maharashtra became the first state in India to bring a law making social boycott a crime
• Under the Act, social boycott is a punishable criminal offence, which includes a fine of up to Rs 1 lakh and
imprisonment of up to three years or both

Question 9

9. OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE OF MC

Answer 9

• The Supreme Court (SC) has allowed the central government to replace the oversight committee (OC)
with a fresh panel of five eminent doctors
• The OC was set up by SC, using its powers under Article 142, to supervise the functioning of the Medical
Council of India (MCI)
MEDICAL COUNCIL OF INDIA
• MCI is a statutory body established in 1934 via the Indian Medical Council Act, 1933
• Mandate: to regulate medical practice and medical education
ARTICLE 142
• It states that the Supreme Court in the exercise of its jurisdiction may pass such decree or make such
order as is necessary for doing complete justice in any cause or matter pending before it
PREVIOUS USE OF ARTICLE 142
• Releasing under trials rotting in jails for greater periods than the maximum punishment which could have
been inflicted on them
• Cleansing of the Taj Mahal
• Union Carbide Case
RECENT USE OF ARTICLE 142
• Cancellation of coal blocks allocated since 1993
• The ban on the sale of alcohol along national and State highways
• The transfer of cases filed against persons accused in the Babri Masjid demolition case
• Appointment of Lokayukta in Uttar Pradesh
• Setup an oversight committee to administer the MCI
• Constituted the Lodha committee to suggest reforms in BCCI
• Allowed to parties to settle their loan dispute after the case was admitted by the NCLT

Question 10

10. INDIAN INSTITUTES OF MANAGEMENT (IIM) BILL 2017

Answer 10

• The Lok Sabha has passed the Indian Institutes of Management (IIM) Bill 2017 to allow them greater
autonomy and empower them to grant degrees instead of diplomas as is the practice now
• IIMs till now had been registered as societies and unable to grant degrees, including PhD, to their
students

Question 11

11. GOVERNMENT AT A GLANCE REPORT

Answer 11

• Released by OECD
• It show people confidence in their government and faith of people in government ability to effectively
deliver public services and protect its citizens from risk.
• According to the report 73% Indians have faith in the current government
• The report cites data collected by Gallup World Poll (GWP)
• Switzerland and Indonesia with 82% people having trust in their government rank first and second
respectively
• Greece ranked last
• The number of people who trust the government in India has fallen by 9% points between 2007 and
2016
ORGANISATION FOR ECONOMIC CO-OPERATION AND DEVELOPMENT (OECD)
• It is an international economic organisation to stimulate economic progress and world trade
• Members countries: 34
• Founded: 1961
• Headquarters: Paris, France
• It provides common platform for members to compare policy experiences, seek answers to common
problems, identify good practices etc.
• It maintains a “black list” of nations that are considered uncooperative tax havens
• It also publishes Global Economic Outlook, twice in a year
• Most OECD members are high-income economies with very high Human Development Index (HDI)

Question 12

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

12. DELHI DIALOGUE 9

Answer 12

• The 9th annual meeting of India and ASEAN members Delhi Dialogue 9 was organized in New Delhi in
July 2017
• Theme: “ASEAN-India Relations: Charting the Course for the Next 25 Years”
• It is a premier event to discuss politico-security, economic and socio-cultural engagement between
ASEAN and India.
• It has been held annually since 2009

Question 13

13. INDIA – JAPAN

Answer 13

• The India-Japan civil nuclear agreement came into force in July, 2017
• India, in 2016, has become the first non-NPT country with which Japan has signed a Civil Nuclear
Agreement
• The deal would enable Japan to export nuclear power plant technology, provide finance for nuclear power
plants in India, assist India in nuclear waste management and could undertake joint manufacture of
nuclear power plant components under the Make in India initiative
• India, so far, signed civil nuclear deals with 10 other countries viz. United States, Russia, South Korea,
Mongolia, France, Namibia, Argentina, Canada, Kazakhstan, and Australia

Question 14

14. G-20 SUMMIT

Answer 14

• The annual meeting of G-20 was held in July 7-8, 2017 at Hamburg, Germany
• Theme of summit: shaping an interconnected world
• Hamburg Action Plan: It aims to address major global challenges including climate change, harnessing
digitalisation and to contribute to prosperity and well-being
• Countries have agreed for taking concrete steps to stop funding of the terror activities.
• They also pledged for a joint crackdown on the global scourge of terrorism and check its funding sources
G20
• It is a deliberating forum for the governments and central bank governors from 20 major
economies on economic issues and other important development challenges.
• It was started in 1999 as a meeting of Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors in the
aftermath of the Southeast Asian (Tiger economies) financial crisis.
• First G20 Leaders’ Summit was held in Washington DC, (2008)
• 2017 Summit – Hamburg, Germany.
• 2018 Summit – Buenos Aires, Argentina
• It comprises total 19 countries plus the European Union (EU), representing 85% of global GDP, 80%
of international trade, 65% of world’s population
• Members: Australia, Argentina, Brazil, Canada, China, India, France, Germany, Indonesia, Italy,
Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Turkey, South Africa, UK, US and EU
• The G20 Digital Ministerial Meeting on Digital Economy was held in April, 2017 at Dusseldorf,
Germany

Question 15

15. WORLD HERITAGE COMMITTEE (WHC)

Answer 15

• The 41st session of UNESCO World Heritage Committee held in Krakow, Poland from July 2 to 12,
2017
• It included 3 new natural sites, 18 new cultural sites in the list
• From India, historic city of Ahmadabad has been included in the cultural list
UNESCO
• It is a specialized agency of the UN, founded on 16 November 1945
• It has 195 Members and 8 Associate Members
• Its purpose is to contribute to peace and security by promoting international collaboration
through education, science and culture in order to further universal respect for justice, the rule of law
and human rights along with fundamental freedom
• UNESCO has five major themes to its programs which include 1) education, 2) natural sciences, 3)
social and human sciences, 4) culture and 5) communication and information
ABOUT WORLD HERITAGE CONVENTION
• It was adopted by the UNESCO General Conference in 1972
• Currently 193 countries (The States Parties) have ratified the Convention
• The aim of the Convention is to ensure the proper identification, protection, conservation and
presentation of cultural and natural heritage with outstanding universal value to all mankind
• It established the World Heritage List of sites having special cultural or physical significance
• The list is maintained by international World Heritage Programme administered by the UNESCO
World Heritage Committee.
• Each World Heritage Site included in the list remains part of the legal territory of the state where it is
located
• Presently, Italy with 50 sites is home to the greatest number of World Heritage Sites
ABOUT WHC
• It monitors implementation of the 1972 World Heritage Convention
• Functions:
o It decides about inscriptions on the World Heritage List and the List of World Heritage in Danger
o Monitors the state of conservation of the World Heritage properties,
o Defines the use of the World Heritage Fund and
o Allocates financial assistance upon requests from States Parties.
• The committee comprises of 21 UNESCO member states which are elected by the General Assembly

Question 16

16. WORLD CUSTOMS ORGANIZATION (WCO)

Answer 16

• Recent initiatives to facilitate trade such as National Trade Facilitation Action Plan (NTFAP) and
implementation of GST etc. have been lauded by WCO Secretary General
NATIONAL TRADE FACILITATION ACTION PLAN (NTFAP).
• The 76-point National Trade Facilitation Action Plan (NTFAP) is a reflection of the government’s
commitment to implement the Trade Facilitation Agreement
• It was adopted by The National Committee on Trade Facilitation (NCTF)
• The national action plan aims to transform cross border clearance ecosystem through efficient,
transparent, risk based, coordinated, digital, seamless and technology driven procedures which are
supported by state-of-the-art sea ports, airports and land borders.
• The NCTF comprises stakeholders from the government and the private sector, including trade
community
WORLD CUSTOMS ORGANIZATION (WCO)
• It is an intergovernmental organization established in 1952 as the Customs Co-operation Council
(CCC)
• It was renamed as World Customs Organization in 1994
• Headquarters: Brussels, Belgium
• Members: 179
• It is governed by a Council representing all members, which meets once a year
• Functions:
o Development of global standards,
o Simplification and harmonisation of Customs procedures,
o Trade supply chain security,
o Facilitation of international trade,
o Enhancement of Customs enforcement and compliance activities,
o Anti-counterfeiting and piracy initiatives,
o Sustainable global Customs capacity building programmes
• It maintains international Harmonized System goods nomenclature and administers the technical
aspects of the WTO Agreements on Customs Valuation and Rules of Origin

Question 17

17. INVESTMENT FACILITATION MECHANISM

Answer 17

• The European Union (EU) and India announced the establishment of an Investment Facilitation
Mechanism (IFM) for a close collaboration of EU investments in India

Question 18

18. SASEC ROAD CONNECTIVITY INVESTMENT PROGRAM (SRICP)

Answer 18

• The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has given its approval for upgradation and widening
of 65 km of Imphal-Moreh Section of NH-39 in Manipur
• The Imphal-Moreh Section is a vital link in providing road connectivity up to Thailand and Malaysia
• The project is being developed with Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) loan assistance under the South
Asian Sub-Regional Economic Cooperation (SASEC) Road Connectivity Investment Program
ABOUT SRICP
• SRCIP is a strategic initiative that aims to achieve regional integration among the members of the
SASEC group by improving road connectivity
• The members of the programme are Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal.
• It is supported by the Asian Development Bank
• The program aims at expanding roads up to 500 kilometres in the North Bengal and North-Eastern region
for greater connectivity with this corridor
• It will provide route for safe transport of goods and people within India from these SASEC and ASEAN
member countries.
SOUTH ASIAN SUB-REGIONAL ECONOMIC COOPERATION (SASEC).
It comprises 7 countries viz., India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Myanmar.
• Formed in 2001
• It is project-based partnership that aims to promote regional prosperity, improve economic opportunities,
and build a better quality of life for the people of the sub-region

Question 19

19. NUCLEAR WEAPON PROHIBITION TREATY (NWPT)

Answer 19

• The United Nations has adopted a historic global treaty banning nuclear weapons
• The treaty was adopted by a vote of 122 members in favour
• The new treaty outlaws the entire range of activity relating to the production, stockpiling and use of
nuclear weapons
• The most central provision is Article 1(d) which categorically prohibits the use of nuclear weapons or a
threat to that effect, under all circumstances
• India and other nuclear-armed nations: the United States, Russia, Britain, China, France, Pakistan, North
Korea and Israel had not participated in the negotiations
• The Netherlands was the only country who voted against the treaty
• Singapore abstained from voting

Question 20

ECONOMY

20. HYDROCARBONS EXPLORATION AND LICENSING POLICY (HELP)

Answer 20

• It replaced existing New Exploration Licensing Policy (NELP)
FEATURES
• Uniform license for exploration and production of all forms of hydrocarbon
• Open acreage policy
• Easy to administer revenue sharing model instead of previous profit sharing model
• Marketing and pricing freedom for the crude oil and natural gas produced
• A graded system of royalty rates will also be introduced, under which royalty decreases from shallow
water to deep water and ultra-deep water fields
NATIONAL DATA REPOSITORY
• Centralised database of geological and hydrocarbon information that will be available to all.
• Helps in informed decision making and also will open up a new sector of hydrocarbon exploration and
selling the information they gathered

Question 21

21. GLOBAL FOREIGN EXCHANGE COMMITTEE (GFXC)

Answer 21

• India is all set to join Global Foreign Exchange Committee (GFXC)
ABOUT GFXC
• It is a newly-constituted forum of central bankers and experts working towards promotion of a robust
and transparent foreign exchange (Forex) market
• The committee has been set up under guidance of the Bank for International Settlements (BIS)
• Established in London (2017)
• It is an informal organisation of eight foreign exchange committees FXCs from Australia, Euro area,
Canada, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, UK and US.
• It will now also include representatives from existing, or soon to be established FXCs or similar structures
in China, India, Brazil, Korea, Mexico, South Africa, Sweden and Switzerland
• It will also maintain and update ‘Global Code of Conduct for the Foreign Exchange Markets’ issued by
BIS.
BANK FOR INTERNATIONAL SETTLEMENTS (BIS)
• BIS is an international financial organisation owned by 60 member central banks, representing
countries from around the world including India
• Founded in 1930
• It fosters international monetary and financial cooperation and serves as a bank for central banks.
• It carries out its work through its meetings, programmes and through the Basel Process – hosting
international groups pursuing global financial stability and facilitating their interaction.
• Headquarters: Basel, Switzerland

Question 22

22. TRADEMARK

Answer 22

• Recently the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel of Mumbai has received the trademark making it the first
structure in India to get this status.
• It has acquired an ‘image trademark‘ under the Trademark Act of 1999
• Henceforth, the image of Taj Mahal Palace hotel’s dome and exterior can be used only with the consent
of the owners
• Trademark refers to graphical representation of goods or services to make it distinguishable from the
others.
• Trademark can be words, symbols, sound, colours, shape of goods, graphics representation or packaging
etc.
ABOUT TAJ MAHAL PALACE HOTEL
• Opened in 1903
• It has a distinctive red-tiled Florentine Gothic dome and sits 240 feet above the street level
• The dome for a long time has been used by the Indian Navy as a `triangulation point’ which guides its
vessels to the harbour
• The dome was modelled on the dome of the Victoria Terminus of Mumbai
TRADEMARK ACT, 1999
• In India, trademarks are governed under Trademarks Act, 1999, under aegis of DIPP
• The Trade Marks Act of 1999 replaced the ‘The Trade and Merchandise Marks Act of 1958
• The Act deals with the precise nature of rights one can acquire in respect of trademarks.
• Unauthorised use of trademark by others for commercial purposes are liable to be prosecuted
• The implementing body is the Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trademarks

Question 23

23. INTERNATIONAL RICE RESEARCH INSTITUTE

Answer 23

• Union cabinet recently approved establishment of International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), South Asia
Regional Center (ISARC) at campus of National Seed Research and Training Center (NSRTC) in
Varanasi

Question 24

24. GOLDEN PEACOCK AWARD

Answer 24

• Indian Railways Organization for Alternate Fuel (IROAF) has been awarded the National level
“Golden Peacock Award for the Year 2017 for Eco-Innovation”
• IROAF received the award for substitution of fossil fuels (Diesel) by environment friendly CNG in DEMU
passenger train services

Question 25

GOVT SCHEMES AND PROGRAMMES.

25. PRADHAN MANTRI VAYA VANDANA YOJANA

Answer 25

• The Pradhan Mantri Vaya Vandana Yojana (PMVVY) has been launched by the Union Finance
Ministry
• It is a pension scheme exclusively for senior citizens aged 60 years and above.
• Under this scheme, senior citizens will get a guaranteed interest of 8% for 10 years depending upon the
investment made by them
FEATURES
• The scheme will be available from May 4, 2017 to May 3, 2018
• It is operated by Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC)
• It can be purchased offline as well as online through LIC
• This scheme provides an assured return of 8% per annum payable monthly for 10 years on single lump
sum premium ranging from minimum Rs.150000 to maximum Rs.750000
• Pension (minimum: Rs.1000/ month; maximum: Rs.5000) will be payable at the end of each period, during
the policy term of 10 years, as per the frequency of monthly, quarterly, half-yearly, yearly as chosen by
the pensioner at the time of purchase.
• It is exempted from GST
• The purchase price of the scheme along with the final pension instalment will be payable on survival of
the pensioner to the end of the policy term of 10 years,
• The scheme also offers loan up to 75% of the purchase price after 3 policy years to meet the liquidity
needs
• Loan interest will be recovered from the pension instalments and loan will be recovered from claim
proceeds.
• The scheme allows for premature exit for the treatment of any critical terminal illness of self or spouse.
• On such premature exit, 98% of the purchase price would be refunded.
• On death of the pensioner during the policy term of 10 years, the purchase price should be paid to the
beneficiary

Question 26

26. JUTE-ICARE PROJECT

Answer 26

• Recently, Central Research Institute for Jute and Allied Fibres (CRIJAF) developed a microbial
consortium called SONA under Jute-ICARE project
• The microbial will enhance the quantity of fibre yield by 20% as well as its quality in terms of grade by at
least 1 ½ grades
ABOUT JUTE-ICARE PROJECT
• Improved Cultivation and Advanced Retting Exercise for Jute (Jute-ICARE ) was launched in
2015, by National Jute Board
• Objective: Promote better agronomic practices through;
o line sowing of jute using seed drill to increase yield by 10-15%
o Distribution of quality certified seeds at 50% subsidy
o Reducing the cost of weeding by wheel hoeing/nail weeder instead of hand weeding
• In 2017, project was extended through State Agriculture extension machinery in which following
actions were taken:
o Jute ICARE programme under Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY).
o Supply farm implements under the Sub-mission in Agricultural Mission (SMAM)
o Construct retting tanks under MGNREGS.
o Krishi Melas are being held to support farmer
• Under the project, regular SMSes are sent in regional languages on improved practices in jute
cultivation, to registered farmers.
• Supply of Seed drills and Nail weeders is undertaken for demonstration purpose
NATIONAL JUTE BOARD.
• Established in 2009 under the National Jute Board Act, 2008
• Objective: Development of cultivation, manufacture and marketing of jute and jute products and for
matters connected.
• It is the apex body for promotion of Indian Jute.
• Headquarters: Kolkata
JUTE TECHNOLOGY MISSION (JTM)
• Started in 2006 and it has 4 mini Missions
• It was executed during the XI five year Plan
• Objectives:
o To strengthen agricultural research and technology achievements
o Development/extension of raw jute Ministry of and transfer of improved technology
o To develop efficient market linkages Ministry of for raw jute
o To modernize, technologically upgrade, improve productivity, Textiles diversify and develop
human resource for the jute industry
JUTE PACKAGING MANDATORY ACT, 1987
• As per this act, the food grain and sugar produced is reserved and mandatorily packed in jute bags
manufactured every year
• Recently, The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) approved extension of mandatory
packaging norms of food grains and sugar in jute material for Jute Year 2017-18 (i.e. July 2017 to
June 2018).
• The approval mandates that 90% of food grains and 20% of sugar products shall be mandatorily
packed in jute bags
JUTE CULTIVATION IN INDIA
• It is a natural fibre crop known as golden fibre
• 95% of world jute is grown in India and Bangladesh
• Jute is majorly cultivated in - West Bengal, Bihar, Odisha, Assam, Tripura, Meghalaya and
Andhra Pradesh
• It is normally cultivated as an inter-crop between the two main agricultural seasons, kharif and rabi.
• It grow in March-May season with hot and humid Climate
• Temperature: 24°C to 35°C
• Rainfall: 120 to 150 cm,
• Soil: loamy and sandy loam

Question 27

27. PRADHAN MANTRI MATRU VANDANA YOJANA (PMMVY)

Answer 27

• Draft guidelines for implementation of PMMVY have been prepared by the Ministry of Women and Child
Development
• The draft guidelines provide for - Aadhar linkage, Direct Benefit Transfer of Rs.5000 in beneficiary’s
bank/post office account in three instalments
ABOUT PMMVY
• It is earlier known as Indira Gandhi Matritva Sahyog Yojana
• It is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme
• It is implemented in all the districts of the country in accordance with the provision of the National Food
Security Act, 2013
• Under this government would provide aid to pregnant and lactating mothers for the first live birth
• The eligible beneficiaries would receive the incentive given under the Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY) for
Institutional delivery and the incentive received under JSY would be accounted towards maternity
benefits so that on an average a woman gets Rs.6000/-.
• Government employees are not eligible for the scheme

Question 28

28. SHE-BOX

Answer 28

• Launched by the Ministry of Women and Child Development (WCD)
• The Sexual Harassment Electronic-Box (She-Box) is a comprehensive online complaint management
system for women to lodge complaints of sexual harassment at workplace
• It is mainly be for women working in both public and private organizations
• Once complaint is submitted to portal, it will be directly sent to Complaint Committee (ICC) or Local
Complaint Committee (LCC) of concerned employer constituted under Sexual Harassment at Workplace
(Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013

Question 29

29. SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS (SDG) INDEX

Answer 29

• India has been ranked low 116 out of 157 nations on the 2017 Sustainable Development Goal (SDG)
Index and Dashboard report
• In 2016, India was ranked 110th
• It is released by Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) and Bertelsmann Stiftung
• The index assesses the performance of countries towards achieving the ambitious SDGs
• It ranks countries based on their performance across the 17 SDGs
• India is ranked behind the countries such as Nepal, Iran, Sri Lanka, Bhutan and China
• Pakistan is ranked 122
• Top Countries in 2017 SDG Index: Sweden (1st), Denmark (2nd), Finland (3rd), Norway (4th), Czech
Republic (5th), Germany (6th), Austria (7th), Switzerland (8th) and Slovenia (9th)
• United States was ranked 42nd on the Index, Russia and China ranked 62nd and 71st respectively
ABOUT SDSN
• It is an independent global network of research centres, universities and technical institutions
• Established in 2012 has been operating under the auspices of the UN Secretary-General
• It is part of the UN’s response to the outcome of the UN Conference on Sustainable Development
(UNCSD, or Rio+20)
• It works closely with United Nations agencies, multilateral financing institutions, the private sector, and
civil society.
• It works to mobilize scientific and technical expertise for problem-solving in relation to sustainable
development.
• It provide practical solutions for SDGs and Pairs Climate Change Agreement

Question 30

30. GARIB NAWAZ SKILL DEVELOPMENT CENTRES

Answer 30

• These will be established in 100 districts of the country
• By the Minister of State for Minority Affairs & Parliamentary Affairs
• These centres will effectively ensure employment oriented skill development of youth belonging to
Minority communities.
• The courses will be short term (2 to 6 months) in fields such as mobile and laptop repairing, security
guard training, housekeeping training, etc.
OTHER SKILL DEVELOPMENT SCHEMES FOR MINORITIES
• Seekho aur Kamao
• USTTAD (Upgrading the Skills and Training in Traditional Arts/ Crafts for Development)
• Nai Manzil.
• Maulana Azad National Academy for Skills (MANAS)

Question 31

31. AAYKAR SETU

Answer 31

• It is a new app launched by CBDT
• It will help the users to understand the various nuances of direct taxes, file income tax, apply for PAN,
check TDS statement, and share grievances with the right authorities

Question 32

32. AAJEEVIKA GRAMEEN EXPRESS YOJANA (AGEY)

Answer 32

• The Union Ministry of Rural Development is to launch Aajeevika Grameen Express Yojana (AGEY)
• It is a sub-scheme under Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAYNRLM)
• AGEY aims to provide an alternative source of livelihood to members of Self Help Groups (SHGs)
ABOUT AGEY
• AGEY will provide safe, affordable and community monitored rural transport services like e-rickshaws,
3 and 4 wheeler motorised transport vehicles to connect remote villages.
• These transport vehicles will connect villages with key services and amenities including access to
markets, education and health for the overall economic development of the area
• The scheme will be implemented in 250 blocks in the country on a pilot basis for a period of 3 years
from 2017-18 to 2019-20.
• Under it, Community Based Organisation (CBO) is proposed to provide interest free loan from its
own corpus to SHG member for purchase of the vehicle
ABOUT DAY-NRLM
• It is a poverty alleviation scheme implemented by Union Ministry of Rural Development
• It was launched as NRLM in 2011 but was succeeded by Deen Dayal Antyodaya Yojana in 2016.
• The scheme aims at promoting self-employment and organization of rural poor
• It has a special focus on women empowerment including a dedicated component for promoting farm
and non-farm based livelihoods for women farmers in rural areas.
• It ensures easy access to credit for self-employment
• It is implemented across the country in all States and Union Territories (except Delhi and
Chandigarh).
• It is supported by World Bank

Question 33

SECURITY AND DEFENCE

33. GLOBAL CYBERSECURITY INDEX (GCI)

Answer 33

• India has been ranked 23rd out of 165 nations in the Global Cybersecurity Index (GCI)
• It measures the commitment of nations across the world to cyber security
• Released by the UN telecommunications agency International Telecommunication Union (ITU)
HIGHLIGHTS
• India has been listed in the “maturing category” of the index
• TOP 11: Singapore (1st), United States (2nd), Malaysia (3rd), Oman (4th), Estonia (5th), Mauritius (6th),
Australia (7th), Georgia (8th), France (9th), Canada (10th) and Russia (11th)
• China ranked 34th
• Equatorial Guinea, with a score of zero, is placed at last
• ITU has ranked the countries based on the countries’ legal, technical and organisational institutions,
educational and research capabilities, as well as their cooperation in information-sharing networks.
• The report has observed that only about half of all countries have a cybersecurity strategy or in the
process of developing one

Question 34

34. ADVANCED MRSAM

Answer 34

• In July 2017, the Indian Army has signed a MoU with the DRDO to raise one regiment of the advanced
Medium Range Surface to Air Missiles (MRSAM)
• Previously, India and Israel have inked defence deals worth over $2 billion for advanced medium-range
surface-to-air missile (MRSAM) systems
ABOUT MRSAM
• It is an advanced, all weather, mobile, land-based air defence system
• It is capable of engaging multiple aerial targets at ranges of more than 50 km
• The system will be jointly developed by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) and DRDO with the
involvement of private sectors and DPSUs
• The system includes advanced phased-array radar, command and control systems, mobile launchers and
missiles with advanced RF seekers.
• The system will have majority indigenous content, giving boost to the Make-in-India initiative
• MRSAM is a land-based variant of the long-range surface-to-air missile (LRSAM) or Barak8 naval air
defence system, which is designed to operate from naval vessels

Question 35

35. MALABAR NAVAL EXERCISE

Answer 35

• The 21st edition of the ‘MALABAR-2017’ naval exercise was held in the Bay of Bengal near Chennai
• India’s aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya is participating for the first time
ABOUT
• Malabar Exercise began as an Indo-US bilateral annual naval drill in 1992
• It held alternatively in the Indian and Pacific oceans
• Japan joined as a permanent participant in 2015.
• Objective: Increase interoperability amongst the three navies and develop common understanding of
procedures for Maritime Security Operations and deepen defence relations.
• In 2007, the exercise also saw participation of Australia and Singapore

Question 36

36. GUARDIAN UAV

Answer 36

• The United States has cleared the sale of the state-of-the-art Guardian 22 unmanned Guardian drones to
India.
• These UAVs are high-altitude, long-endurance drones capable of flying non-stop for over 27 hours for
intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions
• The drones are capable of firing missiles and precision-guided munitions

Question 37

37. MISSILE SURYA

Answer 37

• It is an intercontinental ballistic missile being developed by the DRDO
• Also called as Agni-VI
SPECIFICATIONS
• It will be a four-stage intercontinental ballistic missile
• It can carry up to three-tonne warhead
• It will allow launching of several nuclear warheads Multiple Independently Targetable Re-entry
Warheads (MIRVs) with each warhead striking a different target.
• Each warhead called Manoeuvrable Re-entry Vehicle (MARV) performs evasive manoeuvres.
• Guidance system of Surya Missile or Agni 6 will include inertial navigation system with Ring laser
gyroscope, optionally augmented by IRNSS
• Agni-VI missile is likely to carry up to 10 MIRV warheads and will have a strike range of 8,000 km to
12,000 km

Question 38

38. MUNTRA

Answer 38

• Mission Unmanned TRAcked (Muntra), India’s first unmanned, remotely operated tank has been
rolled out by DRDO
• It has been launched in three variants Muntra-S, Muntra-M and Muntra-N for surveillance, mine
detection and reconnaissance in areas with nuclear and biological threats.
• The Muntra variants have surveillance radar, an integrated camera along with laser range finder which
can be used to spy on ground target 15km away

Question 39

ECOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENT

39. AEROSOLS’ IMPACT ON MONSOON

Answer 39

• Climatologist from Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology contended that aerosols(particulate matter) is
the major cause of weakening of the monsoon

Question 40

40. BIRD LIFE INTERNATIONAL

Answer 40

• In July 2017, Bird life International has identified nine more birds and biodiversity regions as
Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs)
• Kerala IBAs are home to three critically endangered species — Whiterumped Vulture, Indian Vulture,
and Red-headed Vulture.
New IBAs
• Achencoil Forest Division;
• Anamudi Shola National Park;
• Camel’s Hump Mountain,
• Wayanad; Kurinjimala Wildlife Sanctuary;
• Malayattoor Reserve Forest;
• Mankulam Forest Division
• Mathikettan Shola National Park;
• Muthikulam-Siruvani;
• Pampadum Shola National Park
BIRD LIFE INTERNATIONAL
• It is a worldwide alliance of nongovernmental organizations that promotes the conservation of
birds and their habitats
• Formed in 1922
• Headquarter: Cambridge, UK
• It publishes a quarterly magazine, Bird Life - The Magazine
• Bird Life International is the official Red List authority for birds, for the International Union for
Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
• It currently has 121 BirdLife partners worldwide, one per country or territory.
• It works with gross root level communities for conservation of birds and their habitats
• Key Biodiversity Area (KBA): These are sites that contribute to the global persistence of
biodiversity, including vital habitat for threatened plant and animal species in terrestrial, freshwater
and marine ecosystems.
• Important Bird and Biodiversity area (IBA): These are those KBAs which are identified for birds
using internationally agreed criteria applied locally by BirdLife Partners and experts

Question 41

41. NEW FORCE FOR RHINO PROTECTION

Answer 41

• The Assam government is going to raise a new Special Protection Force (SPF) for better protection of
one-horned rhinos
ABOUT ONE-HORNED RHINOS
• It is the largest of the Asian Rhinos
• Its preferred habitat is alluvial flood plains and areas containing tall grasslands along the foothills
of the Himalayas
• They are restricted to small habitats in Indo-Nepal terai and North Bengal, and Assam.
• They are found in Kaziranga, Orang, Pobitara, Jaldapara (in Assam), Dudhwa (UP) National Park
• Kaziranga National Park hosts two-thirds of the world’s Great One-horned rhinoceros
• It has been listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
INDIAN RHINO VISION 2020(IRV2020)
• IRV 2020 is a partnership between the Assam Forest Department, the Bodoland Territorial
Council, WWF, IRF, and the US Fish and Wildlife Service.
• Its goal is to have a wild population of at least 3,000 Greater one-horned rhinos in the Indian state of
Assam by the year 2020

Question 42

42. ECO-BRIDGES

Answer 42

• In a first of its kind, Telangana State will have eco-friendly bridges over a canal cutting across a tiger
corridor
• The corridor links Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR) of Maharashtra with the forests in Telangana’s
Kumram Bheem Asifabad district.
• It requires the laying of fertile soil to grow grass and plants over the structure, so that fragmentation of the
reserve forest is camouflaged.
• The ‘eco-bridges’ will be constructed at key spots along the 72 km-long, and at some places over a
kilometre wide, right flank canal of the Pranahita barrage

Question 43

43. MONGROVES

Answer 43

• According to a recent study the mangrove forest cover in the Indian Sundarbans has been depleting
alarmingly over the past few decades
FACTORS
• Climate change and sea level rise has contributed to the phenomenon of losing land
• Less fresh water flow and sediment supply in the western (Indian) part of the delta

Question 44

44. BANNING NYLON AND SYNTHETIC MANJA

Answer 44

• The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has imposed nationwide ban on the use of kite strings, made of nylon
or any synthetic material on the grounds that it poses a threat to animals and humans

Question 45

45. DEMU TRAIN

Answer 45

• Indian Railways has launched India’s first solar powered diesel multiple unit (DEMU) broad gauge
train.
• It is 1600 Horse Power (HP) train with all solar powered coaches
• The train will run from Sarai Rohilla in Delhi to Farukh Nagar in Haryana

Question 46

46. METAL AND MINERAL RESERVES

Answer 46

• Scientists from the Geological Survey of India (GSI) have discovered the presence of millions of tonnes
of precious metals and minerals deep under the waters of Exclusive Economic Zones surround peninsular
India
• Key finding:
o Phosphate sediment off Karwar, Mangaluru and Chennai coasts
o Gas hydrate in the channel-levee system of Mannar Basin off the Tamil Nadu coast,
o Cobalt-bearing Ferro-manganese crust from the Andaman Sea and
o Micro-manganese nodules around Lakshadweep Sea

Question 47

47. CASTOR PLANT

Answer 47

• It is found to be useful in fighting soil pollution
• The plant absorbs toxic metals from soil
• It also accelerate the remediation of polluted soils due to presence of some chemicals called
Chelators

Question 48

48. GREEN CLIMATE FUND (GCF)

Answer 48

• The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has signed an Accreditation
Master Agreement (AMA) with the Green Climate Fund (GCF)
• With this, NABARD becomes the first Indian organisation to get Direct Access Entity status of the GCF
• The accessibility to fund like GCF is important to meet India’s Intended Nationally Determined
Contributions (INDC)
ABOUT GCF
• The GCF is a fund within the framework of the UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention
on Climate Change) to assist developing countries in adaptation and mitigation practices to counter
climate change.
• Established in 2011
• It was intended to raise Climate Finance of $100 billion a year by 2020
• It supports projects, programmes, policies and other activities in developing country Parties using
thematic funding windows.
• The GCF is based in the new Songdo district of Incheon, South Korea.
• It is governed by a Board of 24 members and initially supported by a Secretariat

Question 49

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

49. ANTIBODIES

Answer 49

• Scientists from MIT for the first time have produced human antibodies in the laboratory.
• They have developed revolutionary technique which can help in rapid development of new vaccines to
treat a wide range of infectious diseases.
ABOUT ANTIBODIES
• Antibodies mainly function in the humoral adaptive immune system by secreting antibodies to fight off
infections caused by bacteria, viruses, and other invasive pathogens.
• They are produced by body’s B cells (B lymphocytes).• They are large Y-shaped proteins

Question 50

50. SAGAR VANI

Answer 50

• Launched by the Union Ministry of Earth Science
• It is an integrated information dissemination system that will serve the coastal community with the
advisories and alerts towards their livelihood as well as their safety at Sea
• Developed by ESSO-Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) through the
Industry M/s. Gaian Solutions Pvt. Ltd.
• It is a software platform where various dissemination modes will be integrated on a single central server

Question 51

51. KALA AZAR

Answer 51

• Recently, Scientists have found that parasite called Leptomonas seymouri hosting virus called Lepsey
NLV1 may be also responsible for spread of kala-azar
• Earlier it was believed that parasite Leishmanial donovani (sand fly) alone is responsible for spread of
the dreaded infection
• Also scientists from Indian Institute of Chemical Biology in Kolkata tested ancient remedy described in
Charaka Samhita to fight drug resistant kala-azar
ABOUT KALA AZAR
• Kala-azar also known as black fever and Dumdum fever
• It is most severe form of leishmaniosis
• It is parasitic infection transmitted by sand fly (Leishmania donovani), a blood-sucking pest, which is
found in moist (humid) mud and sand and in close proximity to livestock.
• It signs and symptoms include fever, weight loss, fatigue, anemia, and substantial swelling of liver and
spleen
• It is treatable but if untreated, it can cause death within two years of onset of ailment.
• Kala-azar belongs to Neglected Tropical Disease (NTD) family of diseases which affect poorest
populations.
• It is second-largest parasitic killer in world after Malaria.
• It is endemic to Indian subcontinent in 119 districts in four countries (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and
Nepal).
• India accounts for half the global burden of Kala-azar disease

Question 52

52. BIRD FLU

Answer 52

• In September 2016, India has officially declared itself free from highly contagious Avian Influenza (H5N1)
or bird flu and has notified the same to the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE)
ABOUT AVIAN INFLUENZA (AI)
• It is an infectious viral disease of birds and is zoonotic disease
• AI viruses are divided into 2 groups based on their ability to cause disease in poultry
o High pathogenicity: Viruses result in high death rates up to 100% mortality within 48 hours in
some poultry species.
o Low pathogenicity: Viruses are not generally associated with severe disease but causes
outbreaks in poultry.
• Human Infections: Most avian influenza viruses do not infect humans however A (H7N9) and A (H5N1)
virus strains have caused serious infections in people.
• However, infections in humans have been associated with direct or indirect contact with infected live or
dead poultry
WORLD ORGANIZATION FOR ANIMAL HEALTH.
• It is recognised as a reference organisation by the World Trade Organization (WTO)
• Currently it has a total of 181 Member Countries.
• It maintains permanent relations with 71 other international and regional organisations

Question 53

53. DOUBLE ASTEROID REDIRECTION TEST (DART)

Answer 53

• It is the first-ever mission that will deflect a near-Earth asteroid
• It is being developed by NASA
• The target for DART is an asteroid called Didymos that will have a distant approach to Earth in October
2022 and then again in 2024

Question 54

54. SOHUM

Answer 54

• It is an indigenously developed new-born hearing screening device
• Launched by the Union Ministry of Science and Technology
• Developed by School of International Bio-design (SIB)
• It is non-invasive battery-operated device

Question 55

55. JIGYASA

Answer 55

• It is a student- scientist connect programme, launched by the government in New Delhi
• Implemented by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) in collaboration with Kendriya
Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS)
• The main focus of the programme is to connect school students and scientists as well as to extend
student’s classroom learning to a very well-planned research laboratory based learning.
• The programme will connect 1151 Kendriya Vidyalayas with 38 National Laboratories of CSIR and will
target 100,000 students and 1000 teachers every year.
• Under this programme, the CSIR would launch a talent hunt among the visiting students for furthering the
cause of scientific development

Question 56

SOCIAL ISSUES

56. NATIONAL STRATEGIC PLAN FOR MALARIA ELIMINATION (NSPME)

Answer 56

• Launched by the Union Health Ministry and Family Welfare
• It has set malaria elimination deadline as 2027, three years ahead of the global deadline
ABOUT NSPME
• It is a year-wise roadmap for malaria elimination across the country
• The plan aims to achieve universal case detection and treatment services in malaria endemic districts to
ensure 100% diagnosis of all suspected cases, and full treatment of all confirmed cases.
• It seeks to maintain a malaria-free status for areas where transmission has been interrupted
• The plan divides country’s districts into four categories, from 0 to 3 based on their annual parasite
incidence (API)
• Funding: government sources, international donors, and the corporate sector as part of CSR

Question 57

57. E-EDUCATION INITIATIVES

Answer 57

• President Pranab Mukherjee has launched four digital initiatives to provide a push for e-education in India.
SWAYAM.• It is an indigenously designed massive open online course (MOOC) and will host all the courses taught in
classrooms from 9th class till post-graduation with a provision of certificate / credit-transfer.
SWAYAM PRABHA
• Will provide high quality educational content through 32 Direct-to-Home channels with an aim to bring
uniformity in standards of education
NATIONAL DIGITAL LIBRARY
• It is an online library containing 6.5 million books
NATIONAL ACADEMIC DEPOSITORY (NAD)
• It is a 24X7 online store house of all academic awards viz. certificates, diplomas, degrees, mark-sheets
etc. duly digitised and lodged by academic institutions / boards / eligibility assessment bodies.
• It ensures easy access to and retrieval of an academic award and also validates and guarantees its
authenticity and safe storage
PROGRAMME 17 FOR 17
• A 17 point action plan for 2017 – for building digital campuses and high quality education.
• The action plan covers measures like universal adoption of digital education, digital financial transactions
in the campuses from the current academic year

Question 58

58. THE COMMITMENT TO REDUCING INEQUALITY (CRI) INDEX

Answer 58

• India has been ranked 132nd among 152 nations in a new index, tracking commitment to reducing
income inequality.
• Sweden led the index while Nigeria remained the worst performer
• The index ranks nations on the basis of their welfare spending, the progressive nature of their tax
system, and prevailing wage inequality in the labour market.
• It measures the efforts of sovereign governments which pledged to reduce inequality in 2015 as part
of the Sustainable Development Goals
ABOUT CRI INDEX
• The index measures efforts of Governments of countries which pledged to reduce inequality in 2015
as part of the Sustainable Development Goals
• It has been prepared by Development Finance International, Inc. and international NGO Oxfam.
• The CRI Index measures government efforts in three policy areas or pillars‘: social spending, taxation,
and labour