[Mission 2022] QUIZ – 2021: Insights Current Affairs Quiz , 31 May 2022

Solution: b)

System of Rice Intensification (SRI) was first developed in Madagascar in the 1980s and since then several countries in the world have been practising it, including India. It promises to save 15 to 20% ground water, improves rice productivity, which is almost at a stagnant point now. Experts said that it gives equal or more produce than the conventional rice cultivation, with less water, less seed and less chemicals.

Experts said that unlike Direct Seeding of Rice (DSR) technique, which is suitable only for mid to heavy textured soils, SRI is suitable in all types of soil including less fertile soil as in such soil the number of seedlings can be increased to double.

SRI doesn’t require continuous flooding, it needs intermittent irrigation. Indeed the plants’ roots should not be starved for oxygen through flooding. Irrigation is given to maintain soil moisture near saturation initially, and water is added to the field when the surface soil develops hairline cracks. Irrigation intervals will vary according to field conditions.

Unlike DSR when weeds are major problem and weedicides are sprayed simultaneously at the time of sowing, in SRI, which permits greater weed growth because of alternate wetting and drying of fields, the weeds are incorporated into the soil by operating a cono-weeder between rows, which are made at the time of sowing, which adds nutrients to the crop like green manures. First weeding is to be done 10-12 days after planting. Further weedings may be undertaken, depending on the necessity, at 10-15 days intervals, until the crop reaches panicle stage. Each weeding enhances yield through a process of soil aeration.

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Solution: a)

For any financial year, the two main variables of national income are GDP and GVA (or Gross Value Added). The GDP calculates India’s national income by adding up all the expenditures in the economy while the GVA calculates the national income from the supply side by looking at the value-added in each sector of the economy.

While both the variables measure national income, they are linked as follows:

GDP = (GVA) + (Taxes earned by the government) — (Subsidies provided by the government).

As such, if the government earned more from taxes than what it spent on subsidies, GDP will be higher than GVA. If, on the other hand, the government provided subsidies in excess of its tax revenues, the absolute level of GVA would be higher than the absolute level of GDP.

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Solution: d)

Broadly speaking, GDP has four engines of growth in any economy.

In India’s case, for instance, the biggest engine is private consumption (C) demand from individuals. This demand typically accounts for 56% of all GDP and is technically called the “Private Final Consumption Expenditure” or PFCE.

The second-biggest engine is the money spent on investments (I). This accounts for 32% of all GDP in India; and is technically called Gross Fixed Capital Formation or GFCF.

The third engine of GDP growth is the money spent by the government G) towards meeting its day-to-day arrangements. This demand accounts for 11% of India’s GDP, and is called “Government Final Consumption Expenditure (GFCE)”.

The fourth engine of GDP growth is the money spent on “Net Exports” (NX). The NX is nothing but the money spent by Indians on foreign goods (that is, India’s imports) subtracted from the money spent by foreigners on Indian goods and services (that is, India’s exports). Since in most years India imports more than it exports, the NX is the smallest engine of GDP growth and is often negative.

So, GDP = C (or PFCE) + I (or GFCF) + G (or GFCE) + NX

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Solution: c)

Agni-P is a two-stage canisterised solid propellant missile with dual redundant navigation and guidance system and has a range of upto 2000 km.

Agni-P as a new generation advanced variant of Agni class of missiles with improved parameters, including manoeuvring and accuracy. Canisterisation of missiles reduces the time required to launch the missile while improving the storage and ease of handling.

Agni-V, an Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) with a range of over 5,000 km, had been tested several times and validated for induction.

The Navy has been pushing for a second Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC-II) based on its force structure centred around three carriers. The country’s first IAC (IAC-I) Vikrant is currently undergoing sea trials.

Solution: c)

There are several ways of removing particulate matter; the most widely used of which is the electrostatic precipitator, which can remove over 99 per cent particulate matter present in the exhaust from a thermal power plant.

A scrubber can remove gases like sulphur dioxide. In a scrubber, the exhaust is passed through a spray of water or lime.

Catalytic converters, having expensive metals namely platinum-palladium and rhodium as the catalysts, are fitted into automobiles for reducing emission of poisonous gases. As the exhaust passes through the catalytic converter, unburnt hydrocarbons are converted into carbon dioxide and water, and carbon monoxide and nitric oxide are changed to carbon dioxide and nitrogen gas, respectively. Motor vehicles equipped with catalytic converter should use unleaded petrol because lead in the petrol inactivates the catalyst.