DAY – 39 ( INSTA REVISION TEST)INSTA REVISION PLAN 2.0, 2020

Solution: C

Basavanna:

• Basavanna was a 12th-century philosopher, statesman, Kannada poet and a social reformer during the reign of the Kalachuri-dynasty king Bijjala I in Karnataka, India.
• Basavanna spread social awareness through his poetry, popularly known as Vachanaas. Basavanna rejected gender or social discrimination, superstitions and rituals.
• He introduced new public institutions such as the Anubhava Mantapa (or, the “hall of spiritual experience”), which welcomed men and women from all socio-economic backgrounds to discuss spiritual and mundane questions of life, in open.
• As a leader, he developed and inspired a new devotional movement named Virashaivas, or “ardent, heroic worshippers of Shiva”. This movement shared its roots in the ongoing Tamil Bhakti movement, particularly the Shaiva Nayanars traditions, over the 7th- to 11th-century.
• Basava championed devotional worship that rejected temple worship and rituals led by Brahmins, and replaced it with personalized direct worship of Shiva through practices such as individually worn icons and symbols like a small linga.
• He is the founding saint of the Lingayat sect.
• Basaveshwara is the first Kannadiga in whose honour a commemorative coin has been minted in recognition of his social reforms.
• In November 2015, the Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi inaugurated the statue of Basaveshwara along the bank of the river Thames at Lambeth in London.

Solution: A

State Election Commission:

• The Constitution of India vests in the State Election Commission, consisting of a State Election Commissioner, the superintendence, direction and control of the preparation of electoral rolls for, and the conduct of all elections to the Panchayats and the Municipalities (Articles 243K, 243ZA).
• The State Election Commissioner is appointed by the Governor.
• His conditions of service and tenure of office shall also be determined by the governor.
• SEC shall be removed from his office in the same manner & ground as a Judge of a High Court.
• As per article 243(C3) the Governor, when so requested by the State Election Commission, make available to the State Election Commission such staff as may be necessary for the discharge of the functions conferred on the SEC by clause (1).

Solution: C

Nihang:

• Nihang is an order of Sikh warriors.
• They are characterised by blue robes, antiquated arms such as swords and spears, and decorated turbans surmounted by steel quoits.

What does the word ‘Nihang’ mean?

• Etymologically the word nihang in Persian means an alligator, sword and pen but the characteristics of Nihangs seem to stem more from the Sanskrit word nihshank which means without fear, unblemished, pure, carefree and indifferent to worldly gains and comfort.

Origin:

• Sources trace their origin to Guru Gobind Singh’s younger son, Fateh Singh (1699-1705), who once appeared in the Guru’s presence dressed in a blue chola and blue turban with a dumala (piece of cloth forming a plume).
• On seeing his son look so majestic, the Guru remarked that it shall be the dress of Nihangs, the reckless soldiers of the Khalsa

How were Nihangs different from other Sikhs, and other Sikh warriors?

• Nihangs observe the Khalsa code of conduct in its strictest sense. They do not profess any allegiance to an earthly master. Instead of saffron they hoist a blue Nishan Sahib (flag) atop their shrines.
• Nihangs use the slogans ‘chhardi kala’ (forever in high spirits) and ‘tiar bar tiar’ (state of ever preparedness) for unforeseen events.
• The Nihangs are fond of a popular drink called shardai or sharbati degh (sacrament drink) which contains grounded almonds, cardamom seeds, poppy seeds, black pepper, rose petals and melon seeds.
• When a small measure of cannabis is added to it, it is termed sukhnidhan (treasure of comfort).
• A higher dose of cannabis in it was known as shaheedi deg, sacrament of martyrdom. It was taken (while) battling enemies.

Solution: C

Global Report on Food Crises

• A new edition of the annual Global Report on Food Crises has been released by the Global Network against Food Crises.
• The report reveals scope of food crises as COVID-19 poses new risks to vulnerable countries.

Key findings:

• At the close of 2019, 135 million people across 55 countries and territories experienced acute food insecurity.
• Additionally, in 2019, 183 million people were classified in Stressed condition — at the cusp of acute hunger and at risk of slipping into Crisis or worse if faced with a shock or stressor, such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Worst hit areas: More than half (73 million) of the 135 million people covered by the report live in Africa; 43 million live in the Middle East and Asia; 18.5 million live in Latin America and the Caribbean.
• The key drivers behind the trends analysed in the report were: conflict, (the key factor that pushed 77 million people into acute food insecurity), weather extremes (34 million people) and economic turbulence (24 million).

Solution: C

Cyclones are given many names in different regions of the world – They are known as typhoons in the China Sea and Pacific Ocean; hurricanes in the West Indian islands in the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean; tornados in the Guinea lands of West Africa and southern USA.; willy-willies in north-western Australia and tropical cyclones in the Indian Ocean.

Solution: C

National Board for Wildlife:

• It is a “Statutory Organization” constituted under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
• Its roles is “advisory” in nature and advises the Central Government on framing policies and measures for conservation of wildlife in the country.
• Primary function of the Board is to promote the conservation and development of wildlife and forests.
• It has power to review all wildlife-related matters and approve projects in and around national parks and sanctuaries.
• No alternation of boundaries in national parks and wildlife sanctuaries can be done without approval of the NBWL.
• Composition: The NBWL is chaired by the Prime Minister. It has 47 members including the Prime Minister. Among these, 19 members are ex-officio members. Other members include three Members of Parliament (two from Lok Sabha and one from Rajya Sabha), five NGOs and 10 eminent ecologists, conservationists and environmentalists.

Solution: D

Financial Action Task Force (FATF)

• The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is an inter-governmental body established in 1989 on the initiative of the G7.
• It is a “policy-making body” which works to generate the necessary political will to bring about national legislative and regulatory reforms in various areas.
• The FATF Secretariat is housed at the OECD headquarters in Paris.
• India is a voting member of the FATF.

Roles and functions:

• Initially it was established to examine and develop measures to combat money laundering.
• In October 2001, the FATF expanded its mandate to incorporate efforts to combat terrorist financing, in addition to money laundering.
• In April 2012, it added efforts to counter the financing of proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

Composition:

• The FATF currently comprises 37 member jurisdictions and 2 regional organisations, representing most major financial centres in all parts of the globe. It also has observers and associate members.

Objectives:

• To set standards and promote effective implementation of legal, regulatory and operational measures for combating money laundering, terrorist financing and other related threats to the integrity of the international financial system.

Solution: A

Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT)

• The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) is the Treaty banning all nuclear explosions – everywhere, by everyone. The Treaty was negotiated at the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva and adopted by the United Nations General Assembly. It opened for signature on 24 September 1996.
• The Treaty will enter into force after all 44 States listed in Annex 2 to the Treaty will ratify it. These States had nuclear facilities at the time the Treaty was negotiated and adopted.
• India, North Korea and Pakistan have not yet signed the Treaty.

Solution: A

The Golden Crescent is a mountainous area of Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan where opium has been grown for hundreds of years.

https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Mangalore/drug-trade-is-narco-terrorism-says-forensic-medical-expert/article28160533.ece

Solution: A

Nirmal Paintings are a popular form of paintings done in Nirmal District, Telangana, India. They form a small-scale industry in the town. The craftsmen have formed a community and stay at Nirmal and practice their art in the form of a small-scale business. The paintings have golden hues.

https://telanganatourism.gov.in/partials/about/arts-crafts/nirmal-paintings.html

Solution: C

Cabinet Committee on Security chaired by the Prime Minister has cleared the setting up of the Defence Space Research Agency (DSRA) which has been entrusted with the task of creating space warfare weapon systems and technologies.

The agency would be provided with a team of scientists and would be working in close coordination with the tri-services integrated Defence staff officers.

It would provide the research and development support to the Defence Space Agency (DSA) which comprises members of the three services (Army, Naval and Air Force).

The DSA has been set up in Bengaluru under an Air Vice Marshal-rank officer and will gradually take over the space-related capabilities of the three forces

Solution: B

Cyberdome is a Centre of Excellence for Kerala Police, to meet the long term security challenges in the digital arena of the modern world, by bridging the gap between the latest changes and innovations in the cyber space and the skill set development of Kerala Police, in combating the emerging cyber threats. It is envisaged as a collaboration Centre for both the public and private fraternity to converge and share information, as well as resources that will escalate the safety of our cyber space.

https://cyberdome.kerala.gov.in/

Solution: C

What is Voyager 2?

NASA’s Voyager 2 is the second spacecraft to enter interstellar space. On Dec. 10, 2018, the spacecraft joined its twin—Voyager 1—as the only human-made objects to enter the space between the stars.

• Voyager 1 and 2 were designed to take advantage of a rare planetary alignment to study the outer solar system up close. Voyager 2 targeted Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune.
• Voyager gets its power from a radioisotope thermoelectric generator (RTG) which turns heat from the decay of a radioactive material into electricity.
• It is the onlyspacecraft to study all four of the solar system’s giant planets- Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus andNeptune at close range.

https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/missions/voyager-2/in-depth/

Solution: C

Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that usually cause mild to moderate upper-respiratory tract illnesses, like the common cold. However, three new coronaviruses have emerged from animal reservoirs over the past two decades to cause serious and widespread illness and death.

It consist of a core of genetic material (RNA) surrounded by an envelope with spikes. There are hundreds of coronaviruses, most of which circulate among such animals as pigs, camels, bats and cats. Sometimes those viruses jump to humans—called a spillover event—and can cause disease. Four of the seven known coronaviruses that sicken people cause only mild to moderate disease.

https://www.niaid.nih.gov/diseases-conditions/coronaviruses

Solution: A

Central Zoo Authority was established as a statutory body under the Ministry of Environment & Forests in the year 1992 under Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.

The main objective of this Authority is to complement and strengthen the national effort in conservation of the rich biodiversity of the country, particularly the fauna as per the National Zoo Policy, 1998.

CZA also regulates the exchange of animals of the endangered category listed under Schedule- I and II of the Wildlife (Protection) Act