[MISSION 2024] RTM(Revision through MCQs)- 10 November 2023

Ans: (c)

Explanation:

• S1: BEE is a statutory body under the Energy Conservation Act, 2001. Its primary objective is to reduce the energy intensity of the Indian economy by promoting energy efficiency and conservation across all sectors of the economy.
• S2: BEE provides financial assistance to various institutions, including industries, non-profit organizations, and research institutions, to implement energy-efficient technologies and practices.
• S3: The Star Labeling Programme is a voluntary scheme that labels appliances and equipment based on their energy efficiency. The items covered under this program include refrigerators, air conditioners, water heaters, fans, and various other appliances.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2023/11/10/ecbc-high-energy-efficiency-standards/

Ans: (c)

Explanation:What is ECBC?

• ECBC sets minimum energy standards for commercial buildings, with the objective of enabling energy savings of between 25 and 50 per cent in compliant buildings. The code is applicable to commercial buildings like hospitals, hotels, schools, shopping complexes, and multiplexes which have a connected load of 100 kW or more, or contract demand of 120 kVA or more.
• It primarily looks at six components of building design including envelope (walls, roofs, windows), lighting systems, HVAC systems, and electrical power system, and the requirements under each of these components are split between mandatory and prescriptive. ECBC is for both new buildings and retrofitting existing buildings. Compliant buildings are assigned one of three tags in ascending order of efficiency, namely ECBC, ECBC Plus, and Super ECBC.
• Compared to ECBC, 2007, the updated 2017 code has additional priorities of renewable energy integration, ease of compliance, inclusion of passive building design strategies, and flexibility for the designers.
• While ECBC acts as a national standard, states across India have the flexibility to modify the code depending on unique regional needs. To enforce the code, states have to draft rules and notify them as state laws.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2023/11/10/ecbc-high-energy-efficiency-standards/

Ans: (c )

Explanation:

• State Energy Efficiency Index developed by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), a statutory body under the Ministry of Power, in association with Alliance for an Energy-Efficient Economy (AEEE), assesses, the annual progress of states and UTs in energy efficiency implementation, for FY 2020-21 and 2021-22. SEEI 2021-22 has an updated framework of 50 indicators aligned with national priorities. Programme-specific indicators have been included this year to track outcomes and impacts of state-level energy efficiency initiatives.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2023/11/10/ecbc-high-energy-efficiency-standards/

Ans: (a)

Explanation:

• Context: Srinivasa Ramanujan’s college, the historical Government Arts College in Kumbakonam (Tamil Nadu), is undergoing a restoration project.
• Srinivasa Ramanujan (1887–1920) was an Indian mathematician renowned for his extraordinary contributions to number theory, mathematical analysis, and continued fractions. He self-taught mathematics and gained recognition for his talent. Ramanujan’s work included groundbreaking results in mathematical analysis, infinite series, and elliptic functions.
• Despite facing initial challenges, he collaborated with British mathematician G. H. Hardy at Cambridge University. National Mathematics Day is celebrated on Srinivasa Ramanujan’s birth anniversary (22nd December)

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2023/11/10/srinivasa-ramanujan/

Ans: (d)

Explanation:

• Context: The Kondaveedu Fort in Andhra Pradesh now hosts a cultural gallery showcasing its rich historical significance from the 13th to the 20th century
• About the fort:
  • Kondaveedu Fort located south of River Krishna near Guntur, was constructed by Prolaya Vema Reddy. It was used as the capital by the Reddy dynasty between 1328 and 1482, shifting from their former capital at Addanki
  • It was taken by the Vijayanagara emperor Krishnadevaraya in 1516.
  • The Reddy dynasty was based in Coastal Andhra, spanning from Vishakapatnam in the north to Kanchipuram in the south. They were notable patrons of Telugu literature.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2023/11/10/kondaveedu-fort/

Ans: (b)

Explanation:

• Statement 1 is incorrect.
• About Vijayanagara ruler Krishnadevaraya:
• He was an emperor of the Vijayanagara Empire who reigned from 1509–1529.
• He belonged to the Tuluva Dynasty.
• Krishna Deva Raya earned the titles Kannada Rajya Rama Ramana, Andhra Bhoja and Mooru Rayara Ganda.
• He became the dominant ruler of the peninsula of India by defeating the Sultans of Bijapur, Golconda, the Bahmani Sultanate and the Raja of Odisha.
• The great south Indian mathematician Nilakantha Somayaji also lived in the Empire of Krishnadevaraya.
• Portuguese travellers Domingo Paes and Fernao Nuniz also visited the Vijayanagara Empire during his reign.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2023/11/10/kondaveedu-fort/

Ans: (b)

Explanation:

• Statements 1 and 2 are correct.
• It was the last capital of the last great Hindu Kingdom of Vijayanagar.
• S1:It was a part of the Mauryan Empire back in the third century BC.
• It is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
• S2: Its name is derived from Pampa which is the old name of the Tungabhadra River on whose banks the city is built.
• S3: The site used to be multi-religious and multi-ethnic;it included Hindu and Jain monuments next to each other.
• Architecture:
• It has been described by UNESCO as an“austere, grandiose site” of more than 1,600 surviving remains of the last great Hindu kingdom in South India.
• The buildings here predominantly followed South Indian Hindu arts and architecture dating to the Aihole-Pattadakal styles,but the Hampi builders also used elements of Indo-Islamic architecture in the Lotus Mahal, the public bath and the elephant stables.
• Hemkunta Hill,south of the Virupaksha temple contains early ruins, Jain temples and a monolithic sculpture of Lord Narasimha, a form of Lord Vishnu.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2023/11/10/kondaveedu-fort/

Ans: (c )

Explanation:

• Statement 1: Land revenue was the chief source of income. Land was divided into four categories for purposes of assessment, wet land, dry land, orchards and woods. Usually the share was one sixth of the produce. Land revenue could be paid in cash or kind. The rates varied according to the type of the crops, soil, method of irrigation, etc. So, 1 is clearly correct.
• Statement 2: Besides land tax, many professional taxes were also imposed. There were shopkeepers, farm servants, workmen, posters, shoemakers, musicians etc. There was also a tax on property. Grazing and house taxes were also imposed. Commercial taxes consisted of levies, duties and customs on manufactured articles of trade were also levied. Private owners of workshops paid an industries tax, which means 2 is correct.
• Source: UB Singh – Administrative System in India: Vedic Age to 1947 http://tinyurl.com/js458vk

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2023/11/10/kondaveedu-fort/

Ans: (c )

Explanation:

• He was the founder of Vijayanagar Empire.
• His initial military exploits established his control over the valley of Tungabhadra River (a tributary of Krishna), and gradually he expanded his control to certain regions of Konkan and Malabar Coast. By that time Hoysalas had lost its last ruler Veera Ballala III who died fighting the Sultan of Madurai, and the vacuum so created facilitated Harihara I to emerge as a sovereign power. The entire Hoysala territories came under his rule directly.
• Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harihara_I

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2023/11/10/kondaveedu-fort/

Ans: (d)

Explanation:

• Context: The 2023 Production Gap Report, authored by SEI (Stockholm Environment Institute), Climate Analytics, E3G, IISD, and UNEP, reveals a concerning trend where governments intend to produce approximately 110% more fossil fuels by 2030 than is consistent with limiting global warming to 1.5°C.
• The report was launched in 2019
• What is the Production gap?
  • Production Gap quantifies the difference between the projected extraction of coal, oil, and gas (fossil fuels) by governments and the global production levels required to meet climate goals, particularly those outlined in the Paris Agreement (warming to 1.5°C or 2°C)

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2023/11/10/2023-production-gap-report/