Answer: B
Explanation:
● Taiwan, officially known as the Republic of China (ROC), is an island separated from China
by the Taiwan Strait.
● The Taiwan Strait is often in the news because of rising tensions between China and Taiwan,
as China claims sovereignty over Taiwan and views the strait as part of its territory, while
Taiwan considers it an international waterway.
Explanation:
● Taiwan, officially known as the Republic of China (ROC), is an island separated from China
by the Taiwan Strait.
● The Taiwan Strait is often in the news because of rising tensions between China and Taiwan,
as China claims sovereignty over Taiwan and views the strait as part of its territory, while
Taiwan considers it an international waterway.
Answer: A
Explanation
● Microplastics are plastics less than 5 mm in length and occur in the environment as a
consequence of plastic pollution.
● Microplastics consist of carbon and hydrogen atoms bound together in polymer chains.
● Other chemicals, such as phthalates, polybrominated diphenyl ethers and
tetrabromobisphenol A, are also present in microplastics.
● There are two categories of microplastics: Primary and Secondary.
○ Primary microplastics are tiny particles designed for commercial use, such as
cosmetics, microfibers shed from clothing, fishing nets.
○ Secondary microplastics are particles that result from the breakdown of larger
plastic items, such as water bottles. This breakdown is caused by exposure to
environmental factors, such as erosion action of ocean waves.
Impacts of Microplastics
● Statement A is incorrect: Microplastics are not biodegradable and once in the
environment, they tend to accumulate and persist for a longer period of time.
● Statement B is correct: Microplastics are a source of air pollution, occurring in dust and
airborne fibrous particles.
● Ingestion of microplastics can cause aquatic species to consume less food thereby having
less energy to carry out life functions, such as feeding, breeding, etc.
● Statement C is correct: Microplastics can exhibit tendencies of biomagnification across
food chains, i.e., the concentration of chemicals can increase across food chains.
Explanation
● Microplastics are plastics less than 5 mm in length and occur in the environment as a
consequence of plastic pollution.
● Microplastics consist of carbon and hydrogen atoms bound together in polymer chains.
● Other chemicals, such as phthalates, polybrominated diphenyl ethers and
tetrabromobisphenol A, are also present in microplastics.
● There are two categories of microplastics: Primary and Secondary.
○ Primary microplastics are tiny particles designed for commercial use, such as
cosmetics, microfibers shed from clothing, fishing nets.
○ Secondary microplastics are particles that result from the breakdown of larger
plastic items, such as water bottles. This breakdown is caused by exposure to
environmental factors, such as erosion action of ocean waves.
Impacts of Microplastics
● Statement A is incorrect: Microplastics are not biodegradable and once in the
environment, they tend to accumulate and persist for a longer period of time.
● Statement B is correct: Microplastics are a source of air pollution, occurring in dust and
airborne fibrous particles.
● Ingestion of microplastics can cause aquatic species to consume less food thereby having
less energy to carry out life functions, such as feeding, breeding, etc.
● Statement C is correct: Microplastics can exhibit tendencies of biomagnification across
food chains, i.e., the concentration of chemicals can increase across food chains.
1. Which of the following would be the benefits of implementing the National Agricultural
Market (e-NAM)?
1. Increases farmers’s access to a wide market
2. Promotion of Monopsony market structure
3. Removes information asymmetry between buyers and sellers
4. Single window services for all APMC related information and services
Market (e-NAM)?
1. Increases farmers’s access to a wide market
2. Promotion of Monopsony market structure
3. Removes information asymmetry between buyers and sellers
4. Single window services for all APMC related information and services
Select the correct answer using the codes given below
Anonymous Quiz
8%
A. 1 and 3 only
54%
B. 1, 3 and 4 only
12%
C. 1, 2 and 3 only
25%
D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Answer: B
Explanation
● National Agriculture Market (e-NAM) is a pan-India electronic trading portal which
networks the existing Agricultural Produce Market Committees (APMCs)/Mandis to create a
unified national market for agricultural commodities.
● Launched in 2016, e-NAM is completely funded by the Central Government and is
implemented by Small Farmers Agribusiness Consortium (SFAC), under the aegis of
Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare.
● e-NAM portal enables farmers to trade their produce through their nearby e-NAM
mandis and facilitate traders to bid online from any location.
● The e-NAM portal provides single window services for all APMC related information and
services such as commodity arrivals, quality & prices and buy & sell offers, etc.
Benefits of the portal
● e-NAM platform promotes better marketing opportunities for the farmers to sell their
produce through an online competitive and transparent price discovery system and
online payment facility.
● e-NAM removes information asymmetry between buyers and sellers. It uses estimations
based on actual demand and supply, and promotes transparency in the auction process. It
allows farmers to access a nationwide market with prices commensurate with the quality of
his produce.
● It also promotes prices commensurate with quality of produce.
● The e-NAM portal provides single window services for all APMC related information and
services. This includes commodity arrivals, quality & prices, buy & sell offers & e-payment
settlement directly into farmers’ accounts, among other services.
● Farmers can access the information on e-NAM easily through their mobile phones from
anywhere. This online trading platform aims at reducing transaction costs, bridging
information asymmetry and helps in expanding the market access for farmers.
● Statement 2 is incorrect: Monopsony refers to a market structure where one buyer
interacts with many sellers. This market structure gives the buyer an advantage over the
sellers as they all try to sell to the same buyer. It is one of the criticisms of the present APMC
structures in many states.
● Implementation of e-NAM will increase the choice to farmers to sell their produce to a wide
range of buyers and undermine the Monopsony market structure.
Explanation
● National Agriculture Market (e-NAM) is a pan-India electronic trading portal which
networks the existing Agricultural Produce Market Committees (APMCs)/Mandis to create a
unified national market for agricultural commodities.
● Launched in 2016, e-NAM is completely funded by the Central Government and is
implemented by Small Farmers Agribusiness Consortium (SFAC), under the aegis of
Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare.
● e-NAM portal enables farmers to trade their produce through their nearby e-NAM
mandis and facilitate traders to bid online from any location.
● The e-NAM portal provides single window services for all APMC related information and
services such as commodity arrivals, quality & prices and buy & sell offers, etc.
Benefits of the portal
● e-NAM platform promotes better marketing opportunities for the farmers to sell their
produce through an online competitive and transparent price discovery system and
online payment facility.
● e-NAM removes information asymmetry between buyers and sellers. It uses estimations
based on actual demand and supply, and promotes transparency in the auction process. It
allows farmers to access a nationwide market with prices commensurate with the quality of
his produce.
● It also promotes prices commensurate with quality of produce.
● The e-NAM portal provides single window services for all APMC related information and
services. This includes commodity arrivals, quality & prices, buy & sell offers & e-payment
settlement directly into farmers’ accounts, among other services.
● Farmers can access the information on e-NAM easily through their mobile phones from
anywhere. This online trading platform aims at reducing transaction costs, bridging
information asymmetry and helps in expanding the market access for farmers.
● Statement 2 is incorrect: Monopsony refers to a market structure where one buyer
interacts with many sellers. This market structure gives the buyer an advantage over the
sellers as they all try to sell to the same buyer. It is one of the criticisms of the present APMC
structures in many states.
● Implementation of e-NAM will increase the choice to farmers to sell their produce to a wide
range of buyers and undermine the Monopsony market structure.
2. With reference to the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), consider the following
statements
1) It aims to provide connectivity to unconnected habitations of designated population size.
2) The Ministry of Rural Development along with state governments is responsible for the
implementation of PMGSY.
statements
1) It aims to provide connectivity to unconnected habitations of designated population size.
2) The Ministry of Rural Development along with state governments is responsible for the
implementation of PMGSY.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Anonymous Quiz
16%
A. 1 only
14%
B. 2 only
68%
C. Both 1 and 2
1%
D. Neither 1 and 2
Answer: C
Explanation
● Statement 1 is correct: The Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), was launched in
2000 as centrally sponsored scheme to provide connectivity to unconnected
habitations of designated population size (500+ in plain areas and 250+ in North-East,
hill, tribal and desert areas as per Census, 2001).
● Statement 2 is correct: The Ministry of Rural Development along with state
governments is responsible for the implementation of PMGSY.
● The Government had launched Phase III of PMGSY in 2019 for consolidation of Through
Routes and Major Rural Links connecting habitations to Gramin Agricultural Markets
(GrAMs), Higher Secondary Schools and Hospitals.
Guiding Principles of PMGSY
● The spirit and the objective of the scheme is to provide good all-weather road connectivity
to unconnected habitations. A habitation which was earlier provided all-weather
connectivity would not be eligible even if the present condition of the road is bad.
● The unit for this Programme is a Habitation and not a Revenue village or a Panchayat. A
Habitation is a cluster of population, living in an area, the location of which does not change
over time.
● PMGSY promotes the use of new and green technology in the process of rural road
construction. Locally available materials are used in road construction activities to
promote cost effective and fast construction.
● The PMGSY shall cover only the rural areas. Urban roads are excluded from the purview of
this Programme.
Funding pattern
● Currently, the fund sharing pattern of PMGSY is 60:40 between the Centre and States for
all states except for North Eastern and Himalayan States. For these states the fund
sharing pattern is 90:10.
● In union territories, 100% of funds will be provided by the Central Government.
Explanation
● Statement 1 is correct: The Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), was launched in
2000 as centrally sponsored scheme to provide connectivity to unconnected
habitations of designated population size (500+ in plain areas and 250+ in North-East,
hill, tribal and desert areas as per Census, 2001).
● Statement 2 is correct: The Ministry of Rural Development along with state
governments is responsible for the implementation of PMGSY.
● The Government had launched Phase III of PMGSY in 2019 for consolidation of Through
Routes and Major Rural Links connecting habitations to Gramin Agricultural Markets
(GrAMs), Higher Secondary Schools and Hospitals.
Guiding Principles of PMGSY
● The spirit and the objective of the scheme is to provide good all-weather road connectivity
to unconnected habitations. A habitation which was earlier provided all-weather
connectivity would not be eligible even if the present condition of the road is bad.
● The unit for this Programme is a Habitation and not a Revenue village or a Panchayat. A
Habitation is a cluster of population, living in an area, the location of which does not change
over time.
● PMGSY promotes the use of new and green technology in the process of rural road
construction. Locally available materials are used in road construction activities to
promote cost effective and fast construction.
● The PMGSY shall cover only the rural areas. Urban roads are excluded from the purview of
this Programme.
Funding pattern
● Currently, the fund sharing pattern of PMGSY is 60:40 between the Centre and States for
all states except for North Eastern and Himalayan States. For these states the fund
sharing pattern is 90:10.
● In union territories, 100% of funds will be provided by the Central Government.
3. Consider the following pairs with respect to agricultural revolutions in India
Revolution Related with
1. Golden Revolution - Jute production
2. Grey Revolution - Fish production
3. Round Revolution - Egg production
4. Yellow Revolution - Oil seeds Production
Revolution Related with
1. Golden Revolution - Jute production
2. Grey Revolution - Fish production
3. Round Revolution - Egg production
4. Yellow Revolution - Oil seeds Production
Which of the above given pairs is/are incorrectly matched?
Anonymous Quiz
32%
A. 1, 2 and 3 only
15%
B. 2 and 4 only
34%
C. 1, 2 and 4 only
19%
D. 2 and 3 only
Answer: A
Explanation
● The agricultural revolution refers to the significant change in agriculture that occurs
when there are discoveries, inventions or new technologies implemented. These changes
have positive implications on production and increase the production rate. The concept of
‘Rainbow revolution’ was instituted to increase agricultural production through an
integral development programme of agriculture, horticulture, forestry, sugarcane,
fishery, poultry and animal husbandry.
Agricultural revolutions in India
● Green Revolution Food grain Production
● Golden Revolution Fruit Production
● Grey Revolution Fertilizer Production
● Blue Revolution Fish Production
● Golden Fiber Revolution Jute Production
● Black Revolution Petroleum Production
● Pink Revolution Prawn Production
● Round Revolution Potato Production
● Red Revolution Meat/Tomato Production
● Silver Revolution Egg/Poultry Production
● White Revolution Milk Production
● Yellow Revolution Oil seeds Production
Explanation
● The agricultural revolution refers to the significant change in agriculture that occurs
when there are discoveries, inventions or new technologies implemented. These changes
have positive implications on production and increase the production rate. The concept of
‘Rainbow revolution’ was instituted to increase agricultural production through an
integral development programme of agriculture, horticulture, forestry, sugarcane,
fishery, poultry and animal husbandry.
Agricultural revolutions in India
● Green Revolution Food grain Production
● Golden Revolution Fruit Production
● Grey Revolution Fertilizer Production
● Blue Revolution Fish Production
● Golden Fiber Revolution Jute Production
● Black Revolution Petroleum Production
● Pink Revolution Prawn Production
● Round Revolution Potato Production
● Red Revolution Meat/Tomato Production
● Silver Revolution Egg/Poultry Production
● White Revolution Milk Production
● Yellow Revolution Oil seeds Production
4. Which of the following is/are features of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-
KISAN) scheme?
1. Annual financial assistance of Rs 6,000/-
2. Assured pension of Rs. 3000/- month after age of 60
KISAN) scheme?
1. Annual financial assistance of Rs 6,000/-
2. Assured pension of Rs. 3000/- month after age of 60
Quiz link:
https://youtube.com/live/N4SM2b9kIW4?feature=share
General Quiz by Officers IAS Academy(Online).
Date: September 18, 2024
Time: 6:00 PM
Don't miss out on this opportunity to showcase your knowledge and compete with fun! See you at the quiz!
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https://youtube.com/live/N4SM2b9kIW4?feature=share
General Quiz by Officers IAS Academy(Online).
Date: September 18, 2024
Time: 6:00 PM
Don't miss out on this opportunity to showcase your knowledge and compete with fun! See you at the quiz!
Join our WhatsApp channel for upcoming quiz and Events: https://www.whatsapp.com/channel/0029VailiJKHFxOzTmCQHa3M
Select the correct answer using the codes given below
Anonymous Quiz
47%
A. 1 only
22%
B. 2 only
28%
C. Both 1 and 2
3%
D. Neither 1 nor 2
5. Consider the following statements about the International Space Station (ISS).
1. The ISS is solely owned by the U.S.
2. It is placed in a Low Earth Orbit.
1. The ISS is solely owned by the U.S.
2. It is placed in a Low Earth Orbit.
Answer: A
Explanation:
● Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) is a Central Sector Scheme with 100%
funding from Government of India.
● Aim : To augment the income of the farmers by providing income support to all landholding
farmers’ families across the country.
● The Scheme initially provided income support to all Small and Marginal Farmers’ families
across the country, holding cultivable land upto 2 hectares. Its ambit was later expanded
w.e.f. 01.06.2019 to cover all farmer families in the country irrespective of the size of
their land holdings.
● Under the Scheme an amount of Rs. 6000/- per year is transferred in three 4-monthly
installments of Rs. 2000/- directly into the bank accounts of the farmers, subject to certain
exclusion criteria relating to higher income status
● Eligibility : All landholder farmer’s families in the country are eligible for the PM-Kisan
Scheme subject to the prevalent exclusion criteria. Farmers who do not own any land are
not eligible for this scheme.
● Excluded from the scheme
o Institutional land holders,
o Farmer families holding constitutional posts,
o Serving or retired officers and employees of state/central government as well as
PSUs and government autonomous bodies.
o Professionals like doctors, engineers and lawyers as well as retired pensioners with
a monthly pension of over Rs 10,000 and those who paid income tax in the last
assessment year.
● Identification of beneficiaries : The responsibility of identifying the eligible beneficiary
farmers and uploading their data on the PM-KISAN portal lies entirely with the state
governments.
Explanation:
● Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) is a Central Sector Scheme with 100%
funding from Government of India.
● Aim : To augment the income of the farmers by providing income support to all landholding
farmers’ families across the country.
● The Scheme initially provided income support to all Small and Marginal Farmers’ families
across the country, holding cultivable land upto 2 hectares. Its ambit was later expanded
w.e.f. 01.06.2019 to cover all farmer families in the country irrespective of the size of
their land holdings.
● Under the Scheme an amount of Rs. 6000/- per year is transferred in three 4-monthly
installments of Rs. 2000/- directly into the bank accounts of the farmers, subject to certain
exclusion criteria relating to higher income status
● Eligibility : All landholder farmer’s families in the country are eligible for the PM-Kisan
Scheme subject to the prevalent exclusion criteria. Farmers who do not own any land are
not eligible for this scheme.
● Excluded from the scheme
o Institutional land holders,
o Farmer families holding constitutional posts,
o Serving or retired officers and employees of state/central government as well as
PSUs and government autonomous bodies.
o Professionals like doctors, engineers and lawyers as well as retired pensioners with
a monthly pension of over Rs 10,000 and those who paid income tax in the last
assessment year.
● Identification of beneficiaries : The responsibility of identifying the eligible beneficiary
farmers and uploading their data on the PM-KISAN portal lies entirely with the state
governments.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Anonymous Quiz
15%
A. 1 only
60%
B. 2 only
20%
C. Both 1 and 2
5%
D. Neither 1 nor 2
Answer: B
Explanation
● The International Space Station (ISS) is the largest single structure humans ever put into
space.
● Statement 2 is correct: The ISS is in a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) about 400 km to 420 km
above Earth's surface
● Its main construction was completed between 1998 and 2011, although the station
continually evolved to include new missions and experiments.
● Statement 1 is incorrect: The ISS includes contributions from 15 nations. NASA (United
States), Roscosmos (Russia) and the European Space Agency are the major partners of
the space station who contribute most of the funding; the other partners are the Japanese
Aerospace Exploration Agency and the Canadian Space Agency.
● The ISS serves as a microgravity and space environment research laboratory in which crew
members conduct experiments in biology, human biology, physics, astronomy, meteorology,
and other fields.
● The station is divided into two sections, the Russian Orbital Segment (ROS), which is
operated by Russia, and the United States Orbital Segment (USOS), which is shared by
many nations.
Explanation
● The International Space Station (ISS) is the largest single structure humans ever put into
space.
● Statement 2 is correct: The ISS is in a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) about 400 km to 420 km
above Earth's surface
● Its main construction was completed between 1998 and 2011, although the station
continually evolved to include new missions and experiments.
● Statement 1 is incorrect: The ISS includes contributions from 15 nations. NASA (United
States), Roscosmos (Russia) and the European Space Agency are the major partners of
the space station who contribute most of the funding; the other partners are the Japanese
Aerospace Exploration Agency and the Canadian Space Agency.
● The ISS serves as a microgravity and space environment research laboratory in which crew
members conduct experiments in biology, human biology, physics, astronomy, meteorology,
and other fields.
● The station is divided into two sections, the Russian Orbital Segment (ROS), which is
operated by Russia, and the United States Orbital Segment (USOS), which is shared by
many nations.