QUIZ – 2016: Insights Current Affairs Quiz – August 31, 2016

Solution: b.

“The LEMOA will give the militaries of both countries access to each other’s facilities for supplies and repairs.” This implies, this particular agreement – the LEMOA – will give access only to one nation – the USA – to access Indian military facilities for supplies and repairs.

“While it is an enabling agreement, LEMOA does not make logistical support automatic or obligatory for either party, the Minister and the Secretary said. The agreement does not involve allowing military bases either, they said. Each case will require individual clearance. The services or supplies accessed will be on a reimbursable basis. “That’s a very substantial enabler of our two countries to work together….on a case by case basis. But when they do agree, this is an agreement that makes it all go so much more smoothly and efficiently… It’s not a basing agreement of any kind,” said Mr. Carter…”

http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/india-us-to-share-defence-facilities/article9052252.ece

Solution: d.

Statement 2 refers to the possibility arising due to the US designation of India as a “Major Defense Partner” recently. Statement 3 refers to the other two foundational agreements that the USA has been insisting on – the CISMOA and BECA – The USA argues that the CISMOA and BECA would enable tech transfer and seamless communication between the military systems of the two countries. “The LEMOA, which comes after more than a decade of negotiations, puts an automatic approvals process in place for the two militaries to share each other’s bases for various operations.”

• The agreement will aid the sort of operations India has undertaken to rescue stranded Indians in conflict zones.
• Further, as the Indian military continues to expand its role to aid in disaster relief, as it did during the 2004 tsunami, it will benefit from easier access to America’s network of military bases around the world.
• The pact will also enhance the military’s capability to be an expeditionary force, at a time when Indian interests are distributed around the world with major investments planned both onshore and offshore in oilfields.

http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/the-lemoa-embrace/article9051237.ece

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Solution: b.

GSOMIA has already been signed by the two nations. No ‘MEDSA’ agreement exists between the two nations, neither is such an agreement being pushed for.

“The US argues that the CISMOA and BECA would enable technology transfer and seamless communication between the military systems of the two countries.”

http://www.idsa.in/askanexpert/what-are-lsa,-cismoa-and-beca-agreements

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Improvisation: http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/india-us-to-share-defence-facilities/article9052252.ece

Solution: c.

SAUNI stands for Saurashtra Narmada Avtaran Irrigation, a project launched by Narendra Modi in September 2012.

• SAUNI envisages filling 115 major dams of the arid Saurashtra region by diverting floodwaters overflowing from the Sardar Sarovar Dam across the Narmada in south Gujarat.
• SAUNI is an out-and-out irrigation and drinking water project designed solely for the Saurashtra peninsula.
• SAUNI aims to fill irrigation dams which already have canal networks to channel water to farms. Technically, therefore, SAUNI is a link project.
• Also, SAUNI will have pipe canals instead of conventional open canals. The government decided on pipelines in the planning stage of the project, based on memories of land acquisition problems it had faced while building minor and sub-minor canals of the Narmada dam project. SAUNI’s massive pipelines — of diameter 3 m to 500 mm — will run underground, require no land acquisition, and involve less loss of water as compared to conventional canals. Pumping stations will be constructed on government land.

Improvisation: http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=149342

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Solution: c.

“The maiden Joint Disaster Management Exercise named Prakampana (‘Cyclone’ in Sanskrit) aimed at synchronising resources and efforts of all agencies involved in disaster management has been inaugurated at Visakhapatnam today, 30th August 16. Several dignitaries from various Central and State Government agencies, representatives from PSUs located in Visakhapatnam, Professors, University reps and experts in the field of disaster management are participating in the exercise in addition to armed forces viz. Indian Army, Indian Navy and Indian Air Force.”

http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=149359

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Solution: d.

“Before the introduction of electronic voting machines, as provided under Rule 59A of the Conduct of Election Rules, counting of votes used to take place by mixing of ballot papers. The machine is expected to prevent disclosure of voting patterns across polling stations during counting, which will allay the fears of voters against any pre-poll intimidation or post-poll victimisation by any candidate.”

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/centre-moves-on-vote-totaliser-machines/article9046763.ece