DAY – 22 ( INSTA REVISION TEST)INSTA REVISION PLAN 2.0, 2020

Solution: B

Phazolicin:

1. It is a new antibiotic discovered in the soil of a tropical rainforest.
2. It was recently isolated deep in the tropical forests of Los Tuxtlas, Mexico.
3. Found in the root nodules of wild beans (Phaseolus vulgaris),this unusual antibiotic is produced by a symbiotic soil bacteriumthat fixes nitrogen for the plant and keeps harmful microbes away.
4. The antibiotic phazolicin is a class of peptideproduced in the ribosome, and is part of a diverse class of natural products with a variety of biological uses.
5. Benefits: Not only could this antibiotic attack a diverse group of bacterial cells, the authors found it could also enter the bacteria and bind to its ribosomes, messing with its ability to synthesise proteins – only the second peptide known to do this.

https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/variety/researchers-discover-new-antibiotic-in-mexican-forest/article29618223.ece

https://www.insightsonindia.com/2019/10/11/insights-daily-current-affairs-pib-11-october-2019/

Solution: D

Ganges river dolphins prefer deep waters, in and around the confluence of rivers. The distribution range of the Ganges river dolphins in India covers seven states namely, Assam, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal. The upper Ganga River (in Uttar Pradesh), Chambal River (Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh), Ghaghra and Gandak Rivers (Bihar and Uttar Pradesh), Ganga River, from Varanasi to Patna (Uttar Pradesh and Bihar), Son and Kosi rivers (Bihar), Brahmaputra from Sadia (foothills of Arunachal Pradesh) upto Dhubri (on the Bangladesh border) and Kulsi River, a tributary of the Brahmaputra River, form ideal habitats for the Ganges river dolphin.

The Gangetic Dolphins are generally blind and catch their prey in a unique manner. They emit an ultrasonic sound which reaches the prey. The dolphin then registers this image in its mind and subsequently catches hold of its prey.

Ganges River Dolphins have been included in Schedule I of the Indian Wild Life (Protection) Act 1972, in Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), in Appendix II of the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) and categorised as ‘Endangered’ on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List.

https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Delhi/annual-ganges-river-dolphin-census-begins/article29651342.ece

https://www.wwfindia.org/about_wwf/priority_species/threatened_species/ganges_river_dolphin/

Solution: D

The Union Government has launched Surakshit Matritva Aashwasan (SUMAN) to provide quality healthcare at zero cost to pregnant women, new mothers and newborns.

About the scheme:

It aims to provide dignified and quality health care at no cost to every woman and newborn visiting a public health facility.

Under the scheme, the beneficiaries visiting public health facilities are entitled to several free services.

These include at least four ante natal check-ups that also includes one checkup during the 1st trimester, at least one checkup under Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan, Iron Folic Acid supplementation, Tetanus diptheria injection.

Eligibility:

All pregnant women, newborns and mothers up to 6 months of delivery will be able to avail several free health care services

Features and benefits:

1. The scheme will enable zero expense access to the identification and management of complications during and after the pregnancy.
2. The government will also provide free transport to pregnant women from home to the health facility and drop back after discharge (minimum 48 hrs).
3. The pregnant women will be able to avail a zero expense delivery and C-section facility in case of complications at public health facilities.
4. The scheme will ensure that there is zero-tolerance for denial of services to such patients.

The scheme aims to bring down the maternal and infant mortality rates in the nation and to stop all preventable maternal and newborn deaths.

https://suman.nhp.gov.in/

https://www.insightsonindia.com/2019/10/11/surakshit-matritva-aashwasan-suman/

Solution: D

Mamallapuram:

The iconic Shore Temple of Pallavas at Mamallapuram (Mahabalipuram) was constructed during the reign of Rajasimha (700-728). The temple comprises three shrines, where the prominent ones are dedicated to Siva and Vishnu. The exterior wall of the shrine, dedicated to Vishnu, and the interior of the boundary wall are elaborately carved and sculpted. In southern India, this is one amongst the earliest and most important structural temples. Unlike other structures of the region, the Shore Temple is a five-storeyed
rock-cut monolith. The monolithic vimanas are peculiar to Mamallapuram.

The monolithic rathas are known as the Panchapandava Rathas. The
Arjuna Ratha contains artistically carved sculptures of Siva, Vishnu, mithuna and dwarapala. The most exquisite of the five is the Dharmaraja Ratha, with a threestoried vimana and a square base. The Bhima Ratha is rectangular in plan and has beautiful sculptures of Harihara, Brahma, Vishnu, Skanda, Ardhanarisvara and Siva as Gangadhara.

The most important piece of carving in Mamallapuram is the Descent of the Ganga (variously described as ‘Bhagirata’s Penance’ or ‘Arjuna’s Penance’). The portrayal of puranic figures with popular local stories reveals the skill of the artists in blending various aspects of human and animal life. The sculptural panel in the Krishna mandapa, where village life with cows and cowherds is depicted with beauty and skill, is yet another artistic wonder to behold.

Solution: A

The Red Sea is a seawater inlet of the Indian Ocean, lying between Africa and Asia. The connection to the ocean is in the south through the Bab el Mandeb strait and the Gulf of Aden. To the north lie the Sinai Peninsula, the Gulf of Aqaba, and the Gulf of Suez.

The six countries bordering the Red Sea are: Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Egypt, Sudan, Eritrea and Djibouti

https://thewire.in/energy/oil-prices-rise-briefly-after-reports-of-iranian-tanker-attack

Solution: C

Indo-Japan joint military exercise Dharma Guardian – 2019 is to be conducted at the Counter-Insurgency & Jungle Warfare School (CIJW) at Vairengte at India’s North Eastern State of Mizoram between October 19 to November 2. 

Indian Army and Japanese Ground Self Defence Forces (JGSDF) comprising twenty-five soldiers each will participate in the exercise with an aim to share experience gained during the various counter-terrorism operations in respective countries.

Exercise Dharma Guardian is an annual training event which has been conducted in India since 2018

https://m.economictimes.com/news/defence/dharma-guardian-2019-indo-japan-joint-military-exercise-underway-in-assams-silchar/videoshow/71775973.cms

Solution: A

Context: Inscriptions found on an ancient temple at Huligemmana Kolla near Pattadakalu in Karnataka indicate that the place may have once been the royal burial site of the Chalukya dynasty.

Pattadakkal: is a UNESCO World Heritage site. There are ten temples here – 4 in Nagara style and 6 in Dravida style. Virupaksha temple and Sangameshwara Temple are in Dravida style. Papanatha temple is in Nagara style. It is located on the west bank of the River Malaprabha.

The Virupaksha temple was built at the order of queen Lohamahadevi to commemorate the conquest of Kanchipuram by her husband
Vikramaditya II. The unique feature of the structural temple built by Rajasimha at Mamallapuram was adopted here by the Chalakyas.

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/explorer-stumbles-upon-graves-of-chalukyan-kings-in-pattadakal/article29661273.ece

https://www.insightsonindia.com/2019/10/14/insights-daily-current-affairs-pib-14-october-2019/

Solution: A

SARAS Aajeevika Mela is an initiative by the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM), Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD), Government of India, with an objective to bring the rural women Self Help Groups (SHGs) formed with support of DAY-NRLM, under one platform to show-case their skills, sell their products and help them build linkages with bulk buyers. Through participation in SARAS Aajeevika Mela, these rural SHG women get vital national level exposure to understand the demand and taste of urban customers. The Mela is organised by the marketing arm of the Ministry, Council for Advancement of People’s Action and Rural Technology (CAPART).

https://rural.nic.in/press-release/saras-aajeevika-mela-india-gate-lawns-october-10-%E2%80%93-23-2019

Solution: C

Petta Thullal ritual denotes the beginning of the last leg of the annual Sabarimala pilgrimage season in Kerala.

The presence of hazardous metals, including lead, arsenic and cadmium in the colours used during the ritual, causes skin troubles as well as pollution.

The usage of an organic vermilion has been suggested to minimize the environmental impact

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/colours-will-go-green-for-petta-thullal-at-erumeli/article29753237.ece

Solution: C

Global Snow Leopard and Ecosystem Protection (GSLEP) programme (GSLEP) is a range-wide effort that unites range country governments, nongovernmental and intergovernmental organizations, local communities, and the private sector around a shared vision to conserve snow leopards and their valuable high-mountain ecosystems.

The snow leopard range countries and partners unanimously agree to the shared goal of the GSLEP for the 7 years through 2020. The snow leopard range countries agree, with support from interested organizations, to work together to identify and secure at least 20 snow leopard landscapes across the cat’s range by 2020 or, in shorthand – “Secure 20 by 2020

Secure snow leopard landscapes are defined as those that contain at least 100 breeding age snow leopards conserved with the involvement of local communities, support adequate and secure prey populations, and have functional connectivity to other snow leopard landscapes, some of which cross international boundaries.

The mountainous region of western and eastern Himalayas is habitat to Snow leopards in India. They are primarily found in the states of Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh

https://www.globalsnowleopard.org/who-we-are/gslep-program/

Solution: A

IAF – Two BrahMos surface to surface missiles were fired by Indian Air Force at Trak Island in the Andaman Nicobar group of islands. The missiles were fired yesterday and today. The twin firings have been carried out as a part of the routine operational training.

In a tweet, Indian Air Force said, the missile engaged the designated mock targets close to 300 Kilometres away. A direct hit on the target was achieved in both cases. The firing of the missiles has enhanced Air force capability to engage the grounds targets with pinpoint accuracy from a mobile platform. Sentinelse tribes doesn’t reside in this island.

Solution: D

India continues to remain ranked 43rd on an annual World Competitiveness Index compiled by Institute for Management Development (IMD) with some traditional weaknesses like poor infrastructure and insufficient education investment keeping its ranking low, the international business school said on Tuesday.

Singapore has retained its top position on the 63-nation list.

Denmark has moved up to the second position (from 8th last year), Switzerland has gained one place to rank 3rd, the Netherlands has retained its 4th place and Hong Kong has slipped to the fifth place (from 2nd in 2019). the report is released by World Economic Forum

https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/economy/indicators/india-ranked-43rd-on-imds-world-competitiveness-index-singapore-on-top/articleshow/76404222.cms?from=mdr

Solution: A

Interconnect usage charge (IUC) is related to telecom sector.  IUC is paid by one operator to another, when its customers make outgoing mobile calls to the other operator’s customers. These calls are known as mobile off-net calls.

The term ‘interconnection’ refers to an arrangement under which telecom players connect their equipment, networks and services with other Telecom Services Providers. The regulator, TRAI, addresses the various issues related to interconnection arrangements. It also regulates the IUC.

This is a charge payable by a service provider, whose subscriber originates the call, to the service provider in whose network the call terminates. In a calling-party pays regime (CPP), if you originate a call, you pay your access provider, who in turn pays termination charges to the network you placed the call.

This is paid to cover the network usage costs as the operator, on whose network the call terminates, carries the call on its network to the customers. This requires infrastructure investment. Thus, IUC ensures operators make appropriate investments to carry voice calls without terminations.

IUC charges are fixed by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI)

https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/opinion/columns/slate/all-you-wanted-to-know-aboutinterconnection-usage-charge/article9833749.ece

Solution: C

Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO) is an apex department to control and administer manufacture, storage, transport and handling of explosives, petroleum, compressed gases and other hazardous substances in India.

It functions under the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

It is HQ at Nagpur. Also, Firecrackers licensing authority for units of higher capacity (in terms of chemical handling and production). The second category, of smaller units or ‘DM (district magistrate)-licensed units’, are monitored by the local revenue and police departments

Solution: B

Co-operative bank is a financial entity which belongs to its members, who are at the same time the owners and the customers of their bank. It is registered under the States Cooperative Societies Act.

It is regulated by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and governed by the Banking Regulations Act 1949 and Banking Laws (Cooperative Societies) Act, 1955.

Features of Cooperative Banks:

• Customer Owned Entities:Co-operative bank members are both customer and owner of the bank.
• Democratic Member Control: Co-operative banks are owned and controlled by the members, who democratically elect a board of directors. Members usually have equal voting rights, according to the cooperative principle of “one person, one vote”.
• Profit Allocation:A significant part of the yearly profit, benefits or surplus is usually allocated to constitute reserves and a part of this profit can also be distributed to the co-operative members, with legal and statutory limitations.
• Financial Inclusion:They have played a significant role in the financial inclusion of unbanked rural masses.

However, management elections are regulated by Registrar of Cooperative societies.