Q1. ‘Nord Stream 2’, seen in news recently is a gas pipeline that connects
(a) Russia and Germany
(b) Russia and China
(c) France and Norway
(d) Poland and Sweden
ANS-A
Explanation:
- Nord Stream 2 Pipeline In a development that could ratchet up tensions between the United States and Germany, the consortium building the Nord Stream 2 pipeline has said that it has resumed work on the controversial Project. In 2015,
- Gazprom and 5 other European energy firms decided to build Nord Stream 2, valued at around $11 billion.
- The 1,200km pipeline will run from Ust-Luga in Russia to Greifswald in Germany, and will carry 55 billion cubic meters of gas per year.
- The under-construction pipeline will run along the already-completed Nord Stream 1 system, and the two together will supply an aggregate of 110 billion cubic meters ofgas to Germany per year.
Source Hindu
Q2. Which of the following statements is/are incorrect:
- The 15th Finance commission (FC) presented two reports for the FY2020-
- FY2021-2026 and recommended devolution on the exactly the same parameters in both
- The 15th FC recommended more tax share with states than the 14th FC in the backdrop of COVID-19 pandemic.
- The 15th FC recommendation does not have any parameter based on the forestand ecology.
- Income of a state in 15th FC has been computed as average per capita GSDP during the five-year period between 2014-15 and 2018-19.
Select the correct option using the code given below:
(a) 1 and 4 only
(b) 1, 2 and 3 only
(c) 2, 3 and 4 only
(d) 1, 3 and 4 only
ANS-C
Explanation:
- The Fifteenth Finance Commission (Chair: Mr. N. K. Singh) was required to submit two reports.
- The first report, consisting of recommendations for the financial year 2020-21, was tabled in Parliament in February 2020, because of enactment of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019.
- The final report with recommendations for the period 2021-26 was tabled in Parliament on February 1, 2021. Hence statement 1 is correct.
- Statement 2 is incorrect: The 15thFinance commission recommended less tax share with states than the 14thFinance Commission: 41% by 15th FC than 42% by 14th FC. Because
- 1% is set aside for newly created UT of Jammu and Kashmir, this was earlier a state & UT of Ladakh.
- Statement 3 is incorrect: The 15thFinance commission recommendations have 10% weightage based on the forest and ecology in the tax share with the states.
- Statement 4 is incorrect: Income of a state in 15th Finance commission has been computed as average per capita GSDP during the three-year period between 2016-17 and 2018-19
Source ES 2022
Q3. In India, the right to form Co-operative societies is a:
(a) natural right
(b) legal right
(c) constitutional right
(d) fundamental right
ANS-D
Explanation:
- The 97th Constitutional Amendment Act of 2011 gave a constitutional status and protection to co-operative societies.
- It made the right to form co-operative societies a fundamental right (Article 19).
- It included a new Directive Principle of State Policy on promotion of co-operative societies (Article 43-B).
- Source PIB
Q4. Which one of the following countries of Asia is a land-locked country?
(a) Cambodia
(b) Lebanon
(c) Jordan
(d) Armenia
ANS-D
Explanation:
- Cambodia is open to Pacific Ocean.
- Lebanon is open to Mediterranean Sea
- Jordan is open to Gulf of Aqaba.
- Armenia is a land locked country in Asia.
- Hence option D is the correct answer.
Source Indian Express
Q5. “To protect and improve the environment and to safeguard forests and wild life” is a provision made in the
(a) Preamble of the Constitution
(b) Fundamental Rights
(c) Fundamental Duties
(d) Directive Principles of State Policy
ANS-D
Explanation:
- The 42nd Amendment Act of 1976 added four new Directive Principles to the original list.
It added this provision:
- To protect and improve the environment and to safeguard forests and wild life (Article 48 A).
Source Hindu
Q6. Why is thorium considered as the ideal and best fuel than Uranium in the nuclear
field?
- Thorium produces much less nuclear waste than Uranium
- The waste generated by thorium is much less radioactive and short-lived
- Thorium cannot directly be used for developing nuclear weapons
- Thorium is abundant in nature and does not require enrichment
Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
(a) 2 and 4 only
(b) 4 only
(c) 1, 2 and 3
(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
ANS-D
Explanation:
- Thorium sits two spots left of uranium on the periodic table, in the same row or series.
- Elements in the same series share characteristics.
- With uranium and thorium, the key similarity is that both can absorb neutrons and transmute into fissile elements.
- That means thorium could be used to fuel nuclear reactors, just like uranium.
- And as proponents of the underdog fuel will happily tell you, thorium is more abundant in nature than uranium, is not fissile on its own (which means reactions can be stopped when necessary), produces waste products that are less radioactive, and generates more energy per ton.
- Thorium is three times more abundant in nature than uranium.
- All but a trace of the world’s thorium exists as the useful isotope, which means it does not require enrichment.
- Thorium-based reactors are safer because the reaction can easily be stopped and because the operation does not have to take place under extreme pressures.
- Compared to uranium reactors, thorium reactors produce far less waste and the waste that is generated is much less radioactive and much shorter-lived.
- To top it all off, thorium would also be the ideal solution for allowing countries like Iran or North Korea to have nuclear power without worrying whether their nuclear programs are a cover for developing weapons.
Source Science Reporter
Q7. Which of the following best describes the objective of ‘National Mission on Sustainable Habitat’?
- Promoting energy efficiency as a core component of urban planning by extending the existing Energy Conservation Building Code (ECBC).
- Strengthening the enforcement of automotive fuel economy standards
- Using pricing measures to encourage the purchase of efficient vehicles and incentives for the use of public transportation.
Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
(a) 1 only
(b) 1 and 3 only
(c) 1, 2 and 3
(d) 2 and 3 only
ANS-C
Explanation:
The National Mission for Sustainable Habitat which is a component of the National Action Plan for Climate Change will broadly cover the following aspects:
- Extension of the energy conservation building code – which addresses the design
of new and large commercial buildings to optimize their energy demand;
- Better urban planning and modal shift to public transport – make long term
transport plans to facilitate the growth of medium and small cities in such a way that ensures efficient and convenient public transport;
- Recycling of material and urban waste management – a special areas of focus will
be development of technology for producing power form waste.
- The National Mission will include a major R&D programme, focusing on bio- chemical conversion, waste water use, sewage utilization and recycling options wherever possible.
Source PIB
Q8. Which of the following gives ‘Social Mobility Index’ ranking to the countries of the world?
(a) United Nations Development Programme
(b) UN Human Rights Council
(c) Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development
(d) World Economic Forum
ANS-D
Explanation:
- Social Mobility Index is newly compiled, released by the World Economic Forum ahead of the 50th Annual Meeting of the WEF.
- The Index measures countries across five key dimensions distributed over 10 pillars — health; education (access, quality and equity); technology; work (opportunities, wages, conditions); and protections and institutions (social protection and inclusive institutions). The Index shows that fair wages, social protection and lifelong learning are the biggest drags on social mobility globally; the Index is topped by Denmark. India ranks 76thout of 82 economies, the areas of improvement for India include social protection (76th) and fair wage distribution (79th), It ranks 41st in lifelong learning and 53rd in working conditions.
- The Areas of improvement for India include social protection (76th) and fair wage distribution (79th). The top five are all Scandinavian, while the five economies with the most to gain from boosting social mobility are China, the United States, India, Japan and Germany.
Source Hindu
Q9. With reference to Ramman, consider the following statements:
- It is a ritual theatre performance in Garhwal region of India.
- It is performed specifically to narrate the life and deeds of Lord Krishna.
- The ceremony involves pulling out of weeds all over the villages by the artists.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1, 2 and 3
(b) 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1 and 2 only
ANS-C
Explanation:
- The festival is Inscribed in 2009 on UNESCO’S the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
- Every year in late April, the twin villages of Saloor-Dungra in the state of Uttarakhand (northern India) are marked by Ramman, a religious festival in honour of the tutelary god, BhumiyalDevta, a local divinity whose temple houses most of the festivities. This event is made up of highly complex rituals: the recitation of a version of the epic of Rama and various legends, and the performance of songs and masked dances.
- Hence it is not specific to Lord Krishna. Lord Rama and village deity BhumiyalDevta are the main deities.
- Hence statement 2 is incorrect.
- The festival is organized by villagers, and each caste and occupational group has a distinct role.
- For example, youth and the elders perform, the Brahmans lead the prayers and perform the rituals, and the Bhandaris – representing locals of the Kshatriya caste – are alone entitled to wear one of the most sacred masks, that of the half-man, half-lion Hindu deity, Narasimha.
- The family that hosts Bhumiyal Devta during the year must adhere to a strict daily routine. Combining theatre, music, historical reconstructions, and traditional oral and written tales, the Ramman is a multiform cultural event that reflects the environmental (Weed out ceremony), spiritual and cultural concept of the community, recounting its founding myths and strengthening its sense of self-worth. In order to ensure that it remains viable, the community’s priorities are to promote its transmission and to obtain its recognition beyond the geographical area in which it is practised.
- In the Koorjogi ceremony, weeds (koor) from the village fields are pulled out by a Koorjogi, a character who carries a sack full of these weeds. There is much merriment as people throw these weeds at each other in a spirit of a communal sport. Hence statement 3 is correct.
Source Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav Page
Q10. With reference to river Brahmaputra, consider the following statements:
- The source of river Brahmaputra is the same as that of river Indus.
- River Manas originates in Bangladesh and it is a tributary of river Brahmaputra.
- The river Brahmaputra is home to the Gangetic river dolphin, which is listed as critically endangered species.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1, 2 and 3
(b) 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1 and 2 only
ANS-B
Explanation:
- The source of river Brahmaputra is the same as that of river Indus.
- It is incorrect because the source of river Brahmaputra (Angsi glacier, Lake Manasarovar) is near to that of river Indus (Kailash range near lake Manasarovar), and not the same.
- River Manas originates in Bangladesh and it is a tributary of river Brahmaputra.
- It originates in Bhutan. Hence it is incorrect.
- The river Brahmaputra is home to the Gangetic river dolphin, which is listed as critically endangered species. It is correct because Gangetic Dolphin is found in River Brahmaputra too.
- Hence only statement 3 is correct.
Source Indian Express