UPSC Editorials Quiz : 31 July 2024

Solution: b)

Statement 1 is incorrect.

The Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Government of India, introduced the ‘A-HELP’ (Accredited Agent for Health and Extension of Livestock Production) program.

This program aims to empower women by engaging them as Accredited Agents who play a vital role in disease control, animal tagging, and livestock insurance.

The ‘A-HELP’ initiative is being implemented in various Indian states and union territories, including Bihar, Gujarat, Jammu and Kashmir, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Jharkhand, through an MoU between the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying and the National Rural Livelihoods Mission.

The new scheme would enhance access to veterinary services at the farmer’s doorstep and empower Pashu Sakhis.

Solution: b)

Only Statement 2 is correct.

Changes in the design and form of bank notes and coins are decided by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the central government. Any change in design of a currency note has to be approved by the RBI’s Central Board and the central government. Changes in the design of coins are the prerogative of the central government.

Section 22 of The Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934, gives RBI the “sole right” to issue banknotes in India. Section 25 states that “the design, form, and material of bank notes shall be such as may be approved by the Central Government after consideration of the recommendations made by the [RBI’s] Central Board”.

The RBI’s Department of Currency Management — headed by Deputy Governor — has the responsibility of administering the core function of currency management. According to the RBI website, the Department addresses policy and operational issues relating to the “designing of banknotes; forecasting demand for notes and coins; ensuring smooth distribution of banknotes and coins throughout the country and retrieval of unfit notes and uncurrent coins from circulation; ensuring the integrity of bank notes”, etc.

Solution: b)

Statement 1 is incorrect.

Benefits of wastes to energy plants:

• In terms of volume, usually waste-to-energy plants incinerate 80 to 90 percent of waste, thus helping large cities from choking due to unmanageable waste.
• Waste to energy generates clean, reliable energy from a renewable fuel source, thus reducing dependence on fossil fuels, the combustion of which is a major contributor to Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions.
• Sometimes, the residue ash is clean enough to be used for some purposes such as raw materials for use in manufacturing cinder blocks or for road construction.
• Some waste-to-energy plants convert salt water to potable fresh water as a by-product of cooling processes.
• Waste-to-energy plants cause less air pollution than coal plants.
• It is carbon-negative – processing waste into biofuel releases considerably less carbon and methane into the air than having waste decay away in landfills or the lake.

Solution: b)

Option 1 and 2 is correct.

Brahmaputra River has its source in southwest Tibet.

The source of the Sutlej is west of the catchment area of Lake Rakshastal in Tibet, as springs in an ephemeral stream.

Ravi river rises in the Bara Bhangal, District Kangra in Himachal Pradesh.

Chenab river rises in the upper Himalayas in the Lahaul and Spiti district of Himachal Pradesh.

Solution: a)

Only Statement 1 is correct.

Depleted uranium is a byproduct of the process of creating enriched uranium, which is used in nuclear reactors and nuclear weapons. In comparison to enriched uranium, depleted uranium is much less radioactive and is incapable of generating a nuclear reaction. However, due to its high density — it’s more dense than lead — depleted uranium is widely used in weapons as it can easily penetrate armour plating.

Even though depleted uranium munitions aren’t considered nuclear weapons, experts suggest that such weapons must be used with caution because they emit low levels of radiation and can cause severe diseases.

Ingesting or inhaling quantities of uranium – even depleted uranium – is dangerous: it depresses renal function and raises the risk of developing a range of cancers. According to the International Coalition to Ban Uranium Weapons, depleted uranium munitions which miss their target can poison groundwater and soil.