DAY – 6 ( INSTA REVISION TEST – 6)INSTA REVISION PLAN 2.0, 2021

Solution: B

The Coral Triangle is an area encompassing almost 4 million square miles of ocean and coastal waters in Southeast Asia and the Pacific surrounding Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Timor Leste, and the Solomon Islands.

https://www.insightsonindia.com/2020/06/10/insights-daily-current-affairs-pib-summary-10-june-2020/

Solution: D

The Zaranj-Delaram highway in Afghanistan built by India and handed over to the Afghan government on January 22, 2009.

Source: RSTV: The Big Picture – The Afghanistan Puzzle & India

Solution: D

In order to achieve an AIDS-free generation, the UNAIDS has set an ambitious target code named 90-90-90, which aims to ensure that 90% of all people living with HIV will know their status, 90% of all people diagnosed will receive sustained antiretroviral therapy (ART), and 90% of all people receiving ART will have viral suppression, all by 2020.

Source: RSTV: In Depth – HIV: New Hope

Solution: D

The Pindari Glacier is a glacier found in the upper reaches of the Kumaon Himalayas, to the southeast of Nanda Devi and Nanda Kot. It is located in the state of Uttarakhand.

The glacier is about 9 kilometers long and gives rise to the Pindar River which meets the Alakananda at Karnaprayag

Zemu Glacier is the largest glacier in the Eastern Himalaya. It is about 26 kilometres in length and is located at the base of Kangchenjunga in the Himalayan region of Sikkim, India.

Sonapani Glacier is located in the state of Himachal Pradesh.

Source: RSTV: In Depth – Melting of Himalayan Glaciers

Solution: D

The Five Eyes (FVEY) is an intelligence alliance comprising Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States. These countries are parties to the multilateral UKUSA Agreement, a treaty for joint cooperation in signals intelligence.

https://www.insightsonindia.com/2020/06/27/u-n-75-declaration-delayed/

Solution: C

The Changpa or Champa are a semi-nomadic Tibetan people found mainly in the Changtang in Ladakh and in Jammu and Kashmir. A smaller number resides in the western regions of the Tibet Autonomous Region and were partially relocated for the establishment of the Changtang Nature Reserve.

The Changpa of Ladakh are high altitude pastoralists, raising mainly yaks and goats.

The Changpas rear the highly pedigreed and prized Changra goats (Capra Hircus) that yield the rare Pashmina (Cashmere) fibre. The Changra goats are not raised for their meat but for their fibre (pashm). The pashmina fibre (Pashm in Persian) is the finest fibre of all goat hair.

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/uneasy-frontier-robs-ladakhs-herders-of-pastures/article31734212.ece

Solution: D

Why in News:

The 163-MW Athirappilly hydroelectric project, proposed across the Chalakudy river in Kerala, has received the go-ahead from the Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) for River Valley and Hydroelectric Projects

https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/environment/kerala-government-gives-go-ahead-to-athirappally-hydel-power-project-71683

Solution: A

The Global Education Monitoring Report (GEM Report) is the global public good that serves this purpose. Established in 2002, the GEM Report is an editorially independent report, hosted and published by UNESCO.

https://www.insightsonindia.com/2020/06/26/global-education-monitoring-gem-report/

Solution: C

What is Persian Gulf region and why is it so significant?

The lands around the Persian Gulf are shared by eight countries- Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.

1. These countries are major producers of crude oil and natural gas, and thereby contribute critically to the global economy and to their own prosperity. 

1. The area has approximately two-thirds of the world’s estimated proven oil reserves and one-third of the world’s estimated proven natural gas reserves.
2. This factor has added to their geopolitical significance. 
3. A considerable amount of sea trade passes through the gulf, leading to heavy traffic in the region.

Given its significance, the framework for stability and security in the region should have the following:

1. conditions of peace and stability in individual littoral states;
2. freedom to all states of the Gulf littoral to exploit their hydrocarbon and other natural resources and export them;
3. freedom of commercial shipping in international waters of the Persian Gulf;
4. freedom of access to, and outlet from, Gulf waters through the Strait of Hormuz;
5. prevention of conflict that may impinge on the freedom of trade and shipping
6. prevention of emergence of conditions that may impinge on any of these considerations.

Why this is important for India too?

1. The Gulf is an integral part of India’s ‘extended neighbourhood’, both by way of geographical proximity and as an area of expanded interests and growing Indian influence.

1. India is dependent on the six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states for 42 per cent of its overall oil imports; three of the top five oil suppliers to India are Gulf states.
2. Indians make up the Gulf states’ largest expatriate community, with an estimated 7.6 million Indian nationals living and working in the region; especially in Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
3. The GCC is India’s largest regional-bloc trading partner, which accounted for $104 billion of trade in 2017–18, nearly a 7 per cent increase from $97 billion the previous year. This is higher than both India–ASEAN trade ($81 billion) and India–EU trade ($102 billion) in 2017-18.

https://www.insightsonindia.com/2020/06/08/insights-daily-current-affairs-pib-summary-8-june-2020/

Solution: C

About the IBC:

The IBC was enacted in 2016, replacing a host of laws, with the aim to streamline and speed up the resolution process of failed businesses.

The Code also consolidates provisions of the current legislative framework to form a common forum for debtors and creditors of all classes to resolve insolvency.

The code stipulates that the resolution process of a stressed company will have to be completed in a maximum of 270 days.

 When does the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) apply?
In March this year, the government raised the threshold for invoking insolvency under the IBC to Rs 1 crore from Rs 1 lakh with a view to prevent triggering of such proceedings against small and medium enterprises that are facing currently the heat of coronavirus pandemic.

The Code creates various institutions to facilitate resolution of insolvency. These are as follows:

Insolvency Professionals: A specialised cadre of licensed professionals is proposed to be created. These professionals will administer the resolution process, manage the assets of the debtor, and provide information for creditors to assist them in decision making.

Insolvency Professional Agencies: The insolvency professionals will be registered with insolvency professional agencies. The agencies conduct examinations to certify the insolvency professionals and enforce a code of conduct for their performance.

Information Utilities: Creditors will report financial information of the debt owed to them by the debtor. Such information will include records of debt, liabilities and defaults.

Adjudicating authorities: The proceedings of the resolution process will be adjudicated by the National Companies Law Tribunal (NCLT), for companies; and the Debt Recovery Tribunal (DRT), for individuals. The duties of the authorities will include approval to initiate the resolution process, appoint the insolvency professional, and approve the final decision of creditors.

Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board: The Board will regulate insolvency professionals, insolvency professional agencies and information utilities set up under the Code.  The Board will consist of representatives of Reserve Bank of India, and the Ministries of Finance, Corporate Affairs and Law.

https://www.insightsonindia.com/2020/06/08/insights-daily-current-affairs-pib-summary-8-june-2020/

Solution: D

Context: 12th edition of the biennial Environment Performance Index (EPI Index 2020) has been released.

About the index:

The index ranks 180 countries on 32 performance indicators across 11 categories covering environmental health and ecosystem vitality.

The index is a method of quantifying and numerically marking the environmental performance of a state’s policies.

This index was developed from the Pilot Environmental Performance Index, first published in 2002, and designed to supplement the environmental targets set forth in the United Nations Millennium Development Goals.

The EPI was preceded by the Environmental Sustainability Index (ESI), published between 1999 and 2005. Both indices were developed by Yale University (Yale Center for Environmental Law and Policy) and Columbia University (Center for International Earth Science Information Network) in collaboration with the World Economic Forum and the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission.

Performance of India and neighbours:

India secured 168^th rank. The country scored 27.6 out of 100 in the 2020 index.

1. India’s rank was 177 (with a score of 27.6 out of 100) in 2018.

1. India scored below the regional average score on all five key parameters on environmental health, including air quality, sanitation and drinking water, heavy metals and waste management.
2. It has also scored below the regional average on parameters related to biodiversity and ecosystem services too.
3. Among South Asian countries, India was at second position (rank 106) after Pakistan on ‘climate change’.
4. The 11 countries lagging behind India were — Burundi, Haiti, Chad, Soloman Islands, Madagascar, Guinea, Côte d’Ivoir, Sierra Leone, Afghanistan, Myanmar and Liberia.
5. All South Asian countries, except Afghanistan, were ahead of India in the ranking.  

Solution: B

https://www.insightsonindia.com/2020/06/08/insights-daily-current-affairs-pib-summary-8-june-2020/

Solution: C

Context:

India has been elected to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) as a non-permanent member from the Asia-Pacific category.

India has been elected as one of the non-permanent members to the UNSC with an overwhelming majority of 184 votes out of 192, where the minimum requirement was 128.

This was for the eighth time that India has been elected to UNSC. India has served seven times earlier: 1950-1951, 1967-1968, 1972-1973, 1977-1978, 1984-1985, 1991-1992 and 2011-2012.

India should work with all member countries to promote global peace, security, resilience and equity.

About United Nations Security Council:

1. The UNSC is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations and is charged with the maintenance of international peace and security.
2. Its powers include the establishment of peacekeeping operations, the establishment of international sanctions, and the authorization of military action through Security Council resolutions.
3. It is the only UN body with the authority to issue binding resolutions to member states.
4. The Security Council consists of fifteen members. Russia, the United Kingdom, France, China, and the United States—serve as the body’s five permanent members.
5. These permanent members can veto any substantive Security Council resolution, including those on the admission of new member states or candidates for Secretary-General.

The Security Council also has 10 non-permanent members, elected on a regional basis to serve two-year terms. The body’s presidency rotates monthly among its members.

Solution: C

What is Direct Seeding of Rice (DSR)?

Here, the pre-germinated seeds are directly drilled into the field by a tractor-powered machine.

There is no nursery preparation or transplantation involved in this method. Farmers have to only level their land and give one pre-sowing irrigation.

How is it different from conventional method?

In transplanting paddy, farmers prepare nurseries where the paddy seeds are first sown and raised into young plants.

The nursery seed bed is 5-10% of the area to be transplanted. These seedlings are then uprooted and replanted 25-35 days later in the puddled field.

 Advantage of DSR:

Water savings. The first irrigation (apart from the pre-sowing rauni) under DSR is necessary only 21 days after sowing. This is unlike in transplanted paddy, where watering has to be done practically daily to ensure submerged/flooded conditions in the first three weeks.

Less Labour. About three labourers are required to transplant one acre of paddy at almost Rs 2,400 per acre.

The cost of herbicides under DSR will not exceed Rs 2,000 per acre.

Reduce methane emissions due to a shorter flooding period and decreased soil disturbance compared to transplanting rice seedlings.

Limitations:

1. Non-availability of herbicides.
2. The seed requirement for DSR is also high,8-10 kg/acre, compared to 4-5 kg/acre in transplanting.
3. Further, laser land levelling is compulsory in DSR. This is not so in transplanting.

The sowing needs to be done timely so that the plants have come out properly before the monsoon rains arrive.

Solution: A

Where are India’s forex reserves kept?

The RBI Act, 1934 provides the overarching legal framework for deployment of reserves in different foreign currency assets and gold within the broad parameters of currencies, instruments, issuers and counterparties.

As much as 64 per cent of the foreign currency reserves is held in the securities like Treasury bills of foreign countries, mainly the US.

28 per cent is deposited in foreign central banks.

7.4 per cent is also deposited in commercial banks abroad.

India also held 653.01 tonnes of gold as of March 2020, with 360.71 tonnes being held overseas in safe custody with the Bank of England and the Bank for International Settlements, while the remaining gold is held domestically.

India’s forex reserves comprise Foreign Currency Assets (FCAs), gold reserves, Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) and India’s reserve position with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Foreign currency assets (FCAs) are the largest component of the forex reserves.