QUIZ – 2017: Insights Current Affairs Quiz, 13 OCTOBER 2017

Solution: c.
The Cabinet has approved two new World Bank supported schemes – Skills Acquisition and Knowledge Awareness for Livelihood Promotion (SANKALP) and Skill Strengthening for Industrial Value Enhancement (STRIVE).

There has been a long felt need for a national architecture for promoting convergence, ensuring effective governance and regulation of skill training and catalysing industry efforts in vocational training space. The two schemes shall address this need by setting up national bodies which shall regulate accreditation and certification in both long and short term Vocational Education and Training (VET). The architecture shall help, for the first time in the history of vocational education in India, to converge the efforts of various central, state and private sector institutions thereby avoiding duplication of activities and bringing about uniformity in vocational training thus, creating better impact.

The two schemes are outcome-focused schemes marking shift in government’s implementation strategy in vocational education and training from inputs to results.

http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=171608;
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Solution: b.
Under this model, the development, operation and maintenance of the sewage treatment STPs will be undertaken by a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) to be created by the winning bidder at the local level. As per this model, 40% of the Capital cost quoted would be paid on completion of construction while the remaining 60% of the cost will be paid over the life of the project as annuities along with operation and maintenance cost (O&M) expenses.

One of the most important features of this model is that both the Annuity and O&M payments are linked to the performance of the STP. This will ensure continued performance of the assets created due to better accountability, ownership and optimal performance. Hybrid Annuity based PPP model has been adopted for the first time in the country in sewage management sector. Such a model has earlier been adopted successfully in highway sector only.

In the news: http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=171600;
About HAM: Refer solution, Q1, https://www.insightsonindia.com/2017/09/01/quiz-2017-insights-current-affairs-quiz-1-september-2017/;
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Solution: a.
The Union Cabinet has given its approval for International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse Authorities (IALA) to change its status from Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) to Inter-Governmental Organization (IGO). It will bring IALA at par with International Maritime Organisation (IMO) and International Hydrographic Organisation (IHO).

The IALA, having headquarters at St. Germainen Laye (France) was established in 1957 under French law. It is governed by a General Assembly having 83 National members, with its Council as the executive body. The IALA council consists of 24 National Members and India is one of the council members represented through the Directorate General of Lighthouses and Lightships (DGLL), Ministry of Shipping. DGLL establishes and maintains Aids to Navigation in general waters along coast of India including A&N and Lakshadweep group of islands, as per Lighthouse Act 1927.

http://www.dgll.nic.in/Content/64_1_Introduction.aspx;
http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=171614;
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Solution: c.
“The iconic North and South Block building flanking the Rajpath in the national capital began to shine with bright, shimmering reflected light combinations with the inauguration of new dynamic façade lighting tonight. The new light fittings are dust, vermin and moisture proof with outdoor weather protection of the highest order (IP-66) with robust design.”

The IP Code (Ingress Protection Rating or International Protection Rating) consists of the letters IP followed by two digits and an optional letter. The standard has been established by the International Electro Technical Commission. The code classifies the degrees of protection provided against the intrusion of solid objects (including body parts like hands and fingers), dust, accidental contact, and water in electrical enclosures.

Example: IP-66
The two digits represent different forms of environmental influence:
• The first digit represents protection against ingress of solid foreign objects (including body parts like fingers)
• The second digit represents protection against harmful ingress of water.

Larger the value of each digit, the greater the protection.

The standard aims to provide users more detailed information than vague marketing terms such as waterproof.

http://www.dsmt.com/resources/ip-rating-chart/;
http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=171628;
http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=171490;
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Solution: b.
Last month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged cooperatives to venture into areas like beekeeping and seaweed farming to help farmers double their income by 2022 and boost the rural economy. He noted that cooperatives were mainly present in the sugar and dairy sectors, and there was a need now to explore new avenues like beekeeping through which farmers could bring a “Sweet Revolution” to the cooperative movement.

Khadi & Village Industries Commission took the task of development of the beekeeping Industry with a view to uplift the financial status of people living in extremely interior rural areas by introducing and popularising modern beekeeping. The bee-keeping industry was organised in 1953 by KVIC, which later set up an institute in Pune to start “beekeeping in a modern and scientific way throughout the country”.

Some problems plaguing the bee-keeping sector today (Issues):
• Use of pesticides: Pesticide residues in honeybees reduces/leads to a loss of their ability to smell, which means the bees are unable to return to their hives
• Fertiliser-intensive crop areas have witnessed a decline in bee population, subsequently leading to a pollination deficit
• The foreign bee: Out of four honeybee species that are cultivated in India, three are indigenous. One species introduced from abroad in the 1980s gives good yields of honey but is prone to lots of diseases
• Beekeepers say they are harassed by farmers who believe that bees sucking out nectar causes plants to fade
• Beekeepers have no support system; the few cooperatives that are there in this sector are controlled by “big business people”

You can link the content of this IE article (http://indianexpress.com/article/explained/narendra-modi-farmers-seaweed-farming-beekeeping-cooperative-movement-pms-beekeeping-push-sweet-dream-is-wrapped-in-buzz-of-disappointment-4887681/) with this TH article (http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/regulatory-upgrade/article19847478.ece).
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