DAY – 15(InstaTest-15): Insta 70 Days Revision Plan-2021: Topic – AGRICULTURE, Subject-wise Test 12, 13 & Test 25 Revision , Textbook-wise Tests 15 , September 2020 CA

Solution: A

https://www.agrifarming.in/multi-layer-farming-process-and-benefits

Solution: D

Disadvantages of Monoculture

1. Destroys soil nutrients

Naturally, the soil contains nutrients and other functions. Monoculture eliminates all such functions due to the practice of only planting or rearing one type of crop or animal breed, respectively. As a result, there is no range of insect and soil microorganism species due to the lack of crop diversity that promotes insect and soil microbe biodiversity.

It also means there are no varieties in the plants to naturally provide nutrients to the soil that can improve the nutrient content of the soil. Also, it kills microorganisms and bacteria in the land, undermining its integrity.

2. Results in the use of harmful chemicals

With the nutrients in the soil eliminated, farmers have to introduce artificial products that could replicate the functions and nutrients lost like the introduction of large amounts of herbicides, fertilizers, bactericides, and insecticides.

These synthetic chemicals are used to prevent further damage to their crops by harmful insects, bacteria and weeds. Unfortunately, the chemicals leave traces in crops meant for human consumption, meaning they end up in the food chain and could result in serious health consequences due to bio-accumulation.

3. Pollutes groundwater supplies

Even if the plant is harvested, the chemicals remain in the soil. Since they are inorganic, they cannot be processed by microorganisms in the soil into organic matter. They leach through the ground and eventually pollute groundwater supplies and altering ecosystems that may be great distances away from the location of use. In the long-run, the chemicals may kill, harm, or deplete the diversity and vibrancy of neighboring ecosystems.

4. Adversely affects and alters the natural ecosystem

The overuse of such inorganic chemicals forces organisms to evolve and develop resistances to artificial insecticides and herbicides. As more and more inorganic compounds continue to be poured into the soil, it continues to affect natural ecosystems detrimentally.

5. Destroys the overall soil’s degradation and erosion

The use of chemical fertilizers in monoculture farming also destroys the soil’s health. When the crops are harvested, there remains no natural protection for the soil from erosion by wind or rain. Also, the topsoil does not become replenished, mainly because of erosions.

All of these combined further degrade the soil, making it unusable for agriculture. It might also lead some people to clearing forests to acquire new agricultural lands, starting the damaging cycle all over again.

6. Requires lots of water to irrigate

Since monoculture results in the topsoil cover being harvested all at the same time, the topsoil loses elements that could help it retain moisture. Contemporary monoculture agricultural practices, therefore, require vast amounts of water to irrigate the crops.

The water is pumped from rivers, lakes, and water reservoirs at high rates, depleting the aquatic resources. It also means the water resources will, in turn, be affected by the inorganic chemicals being pumped into the crops and soil by the farmers.

https://www.conserve-energy-future.com/advantages-disadvantages-examples-monoculture.php

Solution:  B

The System of Rice Intensification (SRI) involves cultivating rice with as much organic manure as possible, starting with young seedlings planted singly at wider spacing in a square pattern; and with intermittent irrigation that keeps the soil moist but not inundated, and frequent inter cultivation with weeder that actively aerates the soil.

Benefits of SRI

• Higher yields – Both grain and straw
• Reduced duration (by 10 days)
• Lesser chemical inputs
• Less water requirement
• Less chaffy grain %
• Grain weight increased without change in grain size
• Higher head rice recovery
• Withstand cyclonic gales
• Cold tolerance
• Soil health improves through biological activity

Disadvantages

• Higher labour costs in the initial years
• Difficulties in acquiring the necessary skills
• Not suitable when no irrigation source available

It is not widely practiced in Southern Parts of India.

http://vikaspedia.in/agriculture/best-practices/sustainable-agriculture/crop-management/sri-2013-new-method-of-growing-rice

Solution: C

Both the statements are correct.

Mycorrhizal fungi is hosted by the trees in their roots to receive nutrients from the soil. These fungi provide essential nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium from soil in exchange for carbon from the tree.

This plant-fungal symbiotic relationship is crucial for the health of the tree. However, high levels of the nutrition elements like nitrogen and phosphorus in the mycorrhizae changes them to act as pollutants rather than nutrients.

Solution: A

Smart Agriculture Solution Benefits

Increased Production

Optimized crop treatment such as accurate planting, watering, pesticide application and harvesting directly affects production rates.

Water Conservation

Weather predictions and soil moisture sensors allow for water use only when and where needed.

Real-Time Data and Production Insight

Farmers can visualize production levels, soil moisture, sunlight intensity and more in real time and remotely to accelerate decision making process.

Lowered Operation Costs

Automating processes in planting, treatment and harvesting can reduce resource consumption, human error and overall cost.

Increased Quality of Production

Analyzing production quality and results in correlation to treatment can teach farmers to adjust processes to increase quality of the product.

Accurate Farm and Field Evaluation

Accurately tracking production rates by field over time allows for detailed predicting of future crop yield and value of a farm.

Improved Livestock Farming

Sensors and machines can be used to detect reproduction and health events earlier in animals. Geofencing location tracking can also improve livestock monitoring and management.

Reduced Environmental Footprint

All conservation efforts such as water usage and increased production per land unit directly affect the environmental footprint positively.

Remote Monitoring

Local and commercial farmers can monitor multiple fields in multiple locations around the globe from an internet connection. Decisions can be made in real-time and from anywhere.

Equipment Monitoring

Farming equipment can be monitored and maintained according to production rates, labor effectiveness and failure prediction.

Solution: C

Both the statements are correct.

Salient features of Model Contract Farming Act, 2018

• The Act lays special emphasis on protecting the interests of the farmers, considering them as weaker of the two parties entering into a contract.
• In addition to contract farming, services contracts all along the value chain including pre-production, production and post-production have been included.
• “Registering and Agreement Recording Committee” or an “Officer” for the purpose at district/block/ taluka level for online registration of sponsor and recording of agreement provided.
• Contracted produce is to be covered under crop / livestock insurance in operation.
• Contract framing to be outside the ambit of APMC Act.
• No permanent structure can be developed on farmers’ land/premises
• No right, title of interest of the land shall vest in the sponsor.
• Promotion of Farmer Producer Organization (FPOs) / Farmer Producer Companies (FPCs) to mobilize small and marginal farmers has been provided.

• FPO/FPC can be a contracting party if so authorized by the farmers.
• No rights, title ownership or possession to be transferred or alienated or vested in the contract farming sponsor etc.
• Ensuring buying of entire pre-agreed quantity of one or more of agricultural produce, livestock or its product of contract farming producer as per contract.
• Contract Farming Facilitation Group (CFFG) for promoting contract farming and services at village / panchayat level provided.
• Accessible and simple dispute settlement mechanism at the lowest level possible provided for quick disposal of disputes.
• It is a promotional and facilitative Act and not regulatory in its structure.

Solution: A

Why in News?

Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sharad A. Bobde has questioned the infallibility of a land acquisition judgment delivered by a Constitution Bench, led by his former colleague, Justice Arun Mishra, saying the verdict had left things “unsaid”.

Important observations made by CJI:

The order gifted the government “laxity” in several aspects, which even Parliament did not bother to provide under the Act of 2013.

1. The verdict did not specify for how long the government could possess a land acquired without paying compensation.

Background:

In March this year, the Supreme Court Constitution Bench had reaffirmed the February 2018 ruling on Section 24 on land acquisition compensation awards in the Indore Development Authority case.

What’s the issue?

The judgment of the Constitution Bench was interpreting Section 24 (2) of the 2013 Act, which dealt with payment of compensation for land acquired by the government.

1. It said acquisition would not lapse as long as the government earmarked the compensation money by paying it into the treasury. In short, the money need not actually reach the farmer or the landowner.
2. Acquisition would also not lapse just because the farmer refused the compensation and claimed higher.
3. Similarly, there was no lapse in acquisition if the compensation had been paid but possession not taken of the land.

When would it lapse then?

The judgment had declared that acquisition would only lapse if the government had neither taken possession nor paid the compensation due to the landowner for five or more years prior to January 1, 2014.

It requires 70% consent for PPP projects. Hence Statement 3 is incorrect.

Solution: C

LPG reforms in the India resulted in

1. High Capital Formation in Manufacturing and Service Sector.
2. Urban employment is increased
3. Introduction of new technologies in agriculture due to import of technology.

Solution: D

PVTGs are more vulnerable among the tribal groups. Due to this factor, more developed and assertive tribal groups take a major chunk of the tribal development funds, because of which PVTGs need more funds directed for their development.

In this context, in 1975, the Government of India initiated to identify the most vulnerable tribal groups as a separate category called PVTGs and declared 52 such groups, while in 1993 an additional 23 groups were added to the category, making it a total of 75 PVTGs out of 705 Scheduled Tribes, spread over 17 states and one Union Territory (UT), in the country (2011 census).

Tribal communities are often identified by some specific signs such as primitive traits, distinctive culture, geographical isolation, shyness to contact with the community at large and backwardness.

Along with these, some tribal groups have some specific features such as dependency on hunting, gathering for food, having pre-agriculture level of technology, zero or negative growth of population and extremely low level of literacy. These groups are called Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups.

Solution: C

The crops that are sown in the rainy season are called kharif crops. (also known as the summer or monsoon crop) in India. Kharif crops are usually sown with the beginning of the first rains in July, during the south-west monsoon season. The crops that are sown in the winter season are called Rabi crops. (also known as the “winter crop”) in Pakistan and India. The Rabi means, when the crop is harvested. Crops that are grown in the winter season, from November to April are called Rabi Crops. Some of the important rabi crops are wheat, barley, peas, gram and mustard.

Solution: B

The Consumer Protection Act 2019 was notified on August 9th 2019. However, it came into effect from July 20th 2020.

While retaining certain old provisions, the New Act has certain new provisions that tightens the existing rules to further safeguard consumer rights and create exhaustive consumer protection law.

New provisions under Consumer Protection Act 2019

• Inclusion of E- commerce, Direct selling. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
• Establishment of Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA)
• Strict Norms for Misleading Advertisement
• Strict Norms for product liability
• Changes in the Pecuniary Jurisdiction
• Greater ease to dispute resolution
• Addition in the clause of “Unfair Trade Practice”:
• Unfair Contract
• Alternate Dispute Resolution through mediation

Who is not a Consumer ?

A person who obtains:

• goods free of charge
• who avails services free of charge. Hence, statement 2 is incorrect.
• who obtains goods for resale or for any commercial purposes
• who avails services for any commercial purposes
• who avails services under contract of service

As per the provisions of the Act, commercial purpose does not include use by a person of goods bought and used by him exclusively for the purposes of earning his livelihood by means of self-employment.

Product Liability means the responsibility of a product manufacturer or product seller, of any product or service, to compensate for any harm caused to a consumer by such defective product manufactured or sold or by deficiency in services relating thereto;

“Harm”, in relation to a product liability includes—

1. Damage to any property, other than the product itself;
2. Personal injury, illness or death;
3. Mental agony or emotional distress attendant to personal injury or illness or damage to property; or
4. Any loss of consortium or services or other loss resulting from a harm referred to in sub-clause (i) or sub-clause (ii) or sub-clause (iii), but shall not include

any harm caused to a product itself or any damage to the property on account of breach of warranty conditions or any commercial or economic loss, including any direct, incidental or consequential loss relating thereto.

Can I claim compensation if the product itself is damaged?

No, damage of the product itself cannot be the base for product liability compensation.

Hence, statement 3 is incorrect.

https://vikaspedia.in/social-welfare/social-awareness/consumer-education/faqs-on-consumer-education

Source: Yojana, December 2020

Solution: B

Solution: B

Vedic Literature

The word ‘Veda’ is derived from the root ‘vid’, which means to know. In other words, the term ‘Veda’ signifies ‘superior knowledge’. The Vedic literature consists of the four Vedas – Rig, Yajur, Sama and Atharva. The Rig Veda is the earliest of the four Vedas and it consists of 1028 hymns. The hymns were sung in praise of various gods. The Yajur Veda consists of various details of rules to be observed at the time of sacrifice. The Sama Veda is set to tune for the purpose of chanting during sacrifice. It is called the book of chants and the origins of Indian music are traced in it. The Atharva Veda contains details of rituals.

Besides the Vedas, there are other sacred works like the Brahmanas, the Upanishads, the Aranyakas and the epics Ramayana and Mahabharata. The Brahmanas are the treatises relating to prayer and sacrificial ceremony. The Upanishads are philosophical texts dealing with topic like the soul, the absolute, the origin of the world and the mysteries of nature. The Aranyakas are called forest books and they deal with mysticism, rites, rituals and sacrifices. The author of Ramayana was Valmiki and that of Mahabharata was Vedavyas.

Solution: C

Thalassemia is a blood disorder passed down through families (inherited) in which the body makes an abnormal form or inadequate amount of hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen. The disorder results in large numbers of red blood cells being destroyed, which leads to anemia.

Solution: B

The mapping of the ocean floor and palaeomagnetic studies of rocks from oceanic regions revealed the following facts:

(i) It was realized that all along the mid-oceanic ridges, volcanic eruptions are common and they bring huge amounts of lava to the surface in this area.

(ii) The rocks equidistant on either sides of the crest of mid-oceanic ridges show remarkable similarities in terms of period of formation, chemical compositions and magnetic properties. Rocks closer to the mid-oceanic ridges have normal polarity and are the youngest. The age of the rocks increases as one moves away from the crest.

(iii) The ocean crust rocks are much younger than the continental rocks. The age of rocks in the oceanic crust is nowhere more than200 million years old. Some of the continental rock formations are as old as 3,200 million years.

(iv) The sediments on the ocean floor are unexpectedly very thin. Scientists were expecting, if the ocean floors were as old as the continent, to have a complete sequence of sediments for a period of much longer duration. However, nowhere was the sediment column found to be older than

200 million years.

(v) The deep trenches have deep-seated earthquake occurrences while in the mid-oceanic ridge areas, the quake foci have shallow depths.

These facts and a detailed analysis of magnetic properties of the rocks on either side of the mid-oceanic ridge led Hess (1961) to propose his hypothesis, known as the “sea floor spreading”. Hess argued that constant eruptions at the crest of oceanic ridges cause the rupture of the oceanic crust and the new lava wedges into it, pushing the oceanic crust on either side.

Solution: A

The Ganga River System

The Ganga is the most important river of India both from the point of view of its basin and cultural significance. It rises in the Gangotri glacier near Gaumukh (3,900 m) in the Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand. Here, it is known as the Bhagirathi. It cuts through the Central and the Lesser Himalayas in narrow gorges. At Devprayag, the Bhagirathi meets the Alaknanda; hereafter, it is known as the Ganga. The Alaknanda has its source in the Satopanth glacier above Badrinath. The Alaknanda consists of the Dhauli and the Vishnu Ganga which meet at Joshimath or Vishnu Prayag. The other tributaries of Alaknanda such as the Pindar joins it at Karna Prayag while Mandakini or Kali Ganga meets it at Rudra Prayag.

The Ganga enters the plains at Haridwar. From here, it flows first to the south, then to the south-east and east before splitting into two  distributaries, namely the Bhagirathi and the Padma.

Solution: B

About AIDA:

• Asteroid Impact Deflection Assessment (AIDA) is a joint research mission between NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA) teams.
• It aims to study the viability of diverting an asteroid by crashing a spacecraft into its surface.
• The project aims to deflect the orbit of one of the two Didymos asteroids between Earth and Mars, with an observer craft gauging the effect of the impact more effectively than ground-based observers could manage.

Solution: D

India’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, in its fiftieth flight (PSLV-C48), has successfully launched RISAT-2BR1 along with nine commercial satellites from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) SHAR, Sriharikota. This is PSLV’s 50th successful mission and the 75 th launch vehicle mission from SDSC SHAR, Sriharikota.

What is RISAT-2BR1?

• It is a radar imaging earth observation satellite.
• It provides services in the field of agriculture, forestry and disaster management.
• Its mission life is 5 years.

Solution: A

The microdot technology which involves spraying the body and parts of the vehicle or any other machine with microscopic dots that can be read with a microscope and identified with a ultra violet light source, which give a unique identification.

Use of this technology will help check theft of vehicles and also use of fake spare parts

The microdots and adhesive will become permanent fixtures, which cannot be removed without damaging the asset, that is the vehicle itself. The notification says that the microdots, if affixed, will have to comply with standards specified by Automotive Research Association of India.

Solution: C

India’s PSLV-C47 successfully launched Cartosat-3 and 13 commercial nanosatellites from Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) SHAR, Sriharikota.

This is the 21st flight of PSLV in ‘XL’ configuration (with 6 solid strap-on motors).

Cartosat-3:
• It is an advanced earth imaging and mapping satellite. It would also boost the military’s space surveillance.
• The satellite will be placed in an orbit of 509 km at an inclination of 97.5 degrees.
• Cartosat-3, with an ISRO-best resolution of 25 cm, will be the first of a series of high resolution, third generation satellites planned for observing the Earth.
• The satellite will be able to pick up objects of that size (25 cm) from its orbital perch about 509 km away. This will make Cartosat-3 among the few sharpest, if not the best, civil earth imagers worldwide.
• Cartosat-3 will also have multi-spectral (captures light from across the electromagnetic spectrum) capabilities, which will help the military zoom in on enemy hideouts and terror hubs.
• ISRO’s rocket PSLV-XL will put into orbit Cartosat-3 and 13 commercial Nano satellites from the US. The 13 small U.S. customer satellites riding as secondary passengers will be placed in a polar orbit.

These satellites were launched under commercial arrangement with New Space India Limited (NSIL), the commercial arm of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).

https://www.isro.gov.in/launcher/pslv-c47-cartosat-3-mission

Solution: A

Pakke Tiger Reserve lies in the foothills of the Eastern Himalaya in the East Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh. Pakke is also known for its amazing sightings of four resident hornbill species. Pakke Tiger Reserve falls within the Eastern Himalaya Biodiversity Hotspot.

Solution: B

Natuna Islands is disputed between Indonesia and China

The Senkaku Islands dispute, or Diaoyu Islands dispute, concerns a territorial dispute over a group of uninhabited islands known as the Senkaku Islands in Japan, the Diaoyu Islands in the People’s Republic of China, and Tiaoyutai Islands in the Republic of China.

The Kuril Islands or Kurile Islands is a volcanic archipelago in Russia’s Sakhalin Oblast that stretches approximately 1,300 km northeast from Hokkaido, Japan to Kamchatka, Russia, separating the Sea of Okhotsk from the north Pacific Ocean. There are 56 islands and many minor rocks.

Solution: C

Western Ghats:

• The Western Ghats is one of the eight hotspots of biological diversity in the world and is spread across six states—Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
• It is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
• It is one of the eight “hottest hot-spots” of biological diversity in the world.
• According to UNESCO, the Western Ghats are older than the Himalayas. They influence Indian monsoon weather patterns by intercepting the rain-laden monsoon winds that sweep in from the south-west during late summer.

Solution: D

Sajjangarh Wildlife Sanctuary is located in Udaipur District of Rajasthan in the southern Aravalli Hills. The area of the sanctuary is 5.19 square kilometres. The sanctuary is located entirely within Girwa Tehsil of Udaipur district.

Solution: A

 Stockholm Convention on POPs:

• Stockholm Convention is a global treaty to protect human health and environment from POPs.
• It Aims to eliminate or restrict the production and use of persistent organic pollutants (POPs).
• It is legally binding.
• India ratified the Stockholm Convention in 2006.

Recently Union Cabinet has approved the Ratification of seven chemicals listed under the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs).The Cabinet has also delegated its powers to ratify chemicals under the Stockholm Convention to the Union Ministers of External Affairs (MEA) and Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) in respect of POPs already regulated under the domestic regulations.

These are:

• Chlordecone.
• Hexabromobiphenyl.
• Hexabromodiphenyl ether and Heptabromodiphenylether.
• Tetrabromodiphenyl ether and Pentabromodiphenyl ether.
• Pentachlorobenzene.
• Hexabromocyclododecane.
• Hexachlorobutadiene.

Solution: D

Let the original fraction be x/y.

If Numerator is increased by 300%, the numerator becomes four times the original numerator, i.e4x

If Denominator is increased by 100%, the new denominator becomes two times the original denominator i.e2x

New fraction =4x/2y = 30/19

Or 2x/y = 30/19

Or x/y = 15/19

Solution: A

Let the number be x. Then, as per the operation undertook by the student, we have  (x+12)/6 = 112 .

Therefore x= 660.

Hence, correct answer should have been (660/6)+12 =122.

Solution: C

Clearly, out of every 16 persons, there is one dance teacher.
So, the number of dance teachers = 1200/16=75

Thus, 75 is the required answer.

Hence, option (c) is the correct .

Solution: D

Let the age of Dolly be x. Then age of Abhay is 2x. Age of Akash is x+5 and that of Shyam is x+15.
Therefore,  x+ 2x+ x+5+ x+15 =70. Solving, we get x= 10.

So, the age of Abhay is 20 years and that of Akash is 15 years. Hence, the ratio of the age of Abhay to that of Akash is 20 : 15 i.e. 4:3.

Hence, option(d) is correct.

Ans. A.

The focus of the passage is on explaining the regulatory shortcomings which has allowed unethical operators to indulge in the practice of land grabbing in coastal areas which is creating an issue. Hence A.