DAY – 27 ( INSTA REVISION TEST – 27)INSTA REVISION PLAN 2.0, 2021 – INSIGHTSIAS

Solution: B

The monthly Index of Eight Core Industries (ICI) is a production volume index. ICI measures collective and individual performance of production in selected eight core industries viz. Coal, Crude Oil, Natural Gas, Refinery Products, Fertilizers, Steel, Cement and Electricity. It is compiled and released by Office of the Economic Adviser (OEA), Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion (DIPP), and Ministry of Commerce & Industry. The inter-se weights of these eight industries are largely in alignment with the respective weight of these industries in the Index of Industrial Production (IIP).

The base year of the ICI has been revised to 2011-12 from 2004-05 in alignment with the new series of IIP. Combined weight of these eight core industries is 40.27 percent of IIP with base 2011-12. The ICI with base 2004-05 had a weight of 37.90 percent in the IIP (2004-05). The comparison of industry-wise weights of different base years is given at Annexure. ICI for a reference month is released with a time lag of one month on last day of the next month, which is about twelve days prior to the release of IIP for the reference month. It is an important lead indicator for overall industrial performance and general economic activities in the economy.

The ICI series was initially compiled with base 1980-81 and subsequent revisions were done with base 1993-94 and 2004-05. Prior to the 2004-05 series six core industries namely Coal, Cement, Finished Steel, Electricity, Crude petroleum and Refinery products constituted the index basket. Two more industries i.e. Fertilizer and Natural Gas were added to the index basket in 2004-05 series. The ICI series with base 2011-12 will continue to have eight core industries.

https://www.eaindustry.nic.in/eight_core_infra/ICI_Compilation_Methodology.pdf

Solution: B

Kharif crops, monsoon crops or autumn crops are domesticated plants like rice that are cultivated and harvested during monsoon season, which lasts from June to November depending on the area.

Rice, maize, bajra, ragi, soybean, groundnut, cotton are all Kharif crops.

Rabi crops or rabi harvest are agricultural crops that are sown in winter and harvested in the spring.

Wheat, barley, mustard and green peas are some of the major rabi crops that grow in India.

Solution: B

Wildlife Crime Control Bureau is a statutory multi-disciplinary body established by the Government of India under the Ministry of Environment and Forests, to combat organized wildlife crime in the country. It was established under the Wild Life Protection Act, 1972.

Under Section 38 (Z) of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, it is mandated to collect and collate intelligence related to organized wildlife crime activities and to disseminate the same to State and other enforcement agencies for immediate action so as to apprehend the criminals; to establish a centralized wildlife crime data bank; co-ordinate actions by various agencies in connection with the enforcement of the provisions of the Act; assist foreign authorities and international organization concerned to facilitate co-ordination and universal action for wildlife crime control; capacity building of the wildlife crime enforcement agencies for scientific and professional investigation into wildlife crimes and assist State Governments to ensure success in prosecutions related to wildlife crimes; and advise the Government of India on issues relating to wildlife crimes having national and international ramifications, relevant policy and laws. It also assists and advises the Customs authorities in inspection of the consignments of flora & fauna as per the provisions of Wild Life Protection Act, CITES and EXIM Policy governing such an item.

http://wccb.gov.in/

Solution: A

The Great Indian Hornbill is one of the larger members of the hornbill family, distributed along Indian Subcontinent and Southeast Asia.

It is the State bird of Kerala and Arunachal Pradesh. Blyth’s tragopan is the state bird of Nagaland.

It is predominantly frugivorous, but is an opportunist and will prey on small mammals, reptiles and bird.

Due to habitat loss and hunting in some areas, the great hornbill is evaluated as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. (uplisted from near threatened in 2018). It is listed in the Appendix I of CITES.

Solution: C

Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) is founded in 1899. It is an intergovernmental organization located at The Hague, the Netherlands.

It provides a forum for the resolution of international disputes through arbitration and other peaceful means.

It provides services of arbitral tribunal to resolve disputes between member states, international organizations, or private parties arising out of international agreements. In PCA, parties can themselves select the arbitrators.

The organization is not a United Nations agency but has observer status in the UN General Assembly. The rulings of PCA are binding but the tribunal has no powers for enforcement. India is a party to it.

https://pca-cpa.org/en/about/

Solution: C

Bodhisattva is the one who has generated Bodhicitta (a spontaneous wish and a compassionate mind) to attain Buddhahood for the benefit of all sentient beings. It believes in Universal liberation and is a concept under Mahayana Buddhism.

Buddha in his previous births was Bodhisattva as contemplated in Jataka tales and the stories depict the various attempts of the bodhisattva to embrace qualities like self-sacrifice and morality. Under Theravada Buddhism, a person whose aim is to become fully enlightened is still subject to birth, illness, death, sorrow, defilement, and delusion.

On the path to become a Buddha, a bodhisattva proceeds through ten grounds or bhumis namely Great Joy, Stainless, luminous, radiant, very difficult to train, obviously transcendent, gone afar, immovable, Good discriminating wisdom, and Cloud of Dharma. By passing these 10 bhumis, he becomes an enlightened one.

Solution: C

Syrian and Russian planes have carried out deadly aerial strikes on schools, hospitals and markets in Idlib province. UN investigators have termed these attacks as war crimes.

Idlib is a city in northwestern Syria, 59 kilometers southwest of Aleppo, which is the capital of the Idlib Governorate. It has an elevation of nearly 500 meters above sea level.

Solution: D

Originally, the Constitution of India did not make any provision with respect to the Special Officer for Linguistic Minorities. Later, the States Reorganization Commission (1953–55) made a recommendation in this regard. Accordingly, the Seventh Constitutional Amendment Act of 1956 inserted a new Article 350-B in Part XVII of the Constitution.

This article contains the following provisions:

1. There should be a Special Officer for Linguistic Minorities. He is to be appointed by the President of India.
2. It would be the duty of the Special Officer to investigate all matters relating to the safeguards provided for linguistic minorities under the Constitution. He would report to the President upon those matters at such intervals as the President may direct. The President should place all such

reports before each House of Parliament and send to the governments of the states concerned.

It must be noted here that the Constitution does not specify the qualifications, tenure, salaries and allowances, service conditions and procedure for removal of the Special Officer for Linguistic Minorities.

At the Central level, the Commissioner falls under the Ministry of Minority Affairs. Hence, he submits the annual reports or other reports to the President through the Union Minority Affairs Minister.

Solution: C

Bosporus strait s a narrow, natural strait and an internationally significant waterway located in northwestern Turkey. It forms part of the continental boundary between Europe and Asia, and divides Turkey by separating Anatolia from Thrace.

The Bosporus connects the Black Sea with the Sea of Marmara, and, by extension via the Dardanelles, the Aegean and Mediterranean seas.

The Strait of Hormuz is a strait between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. It provides the only sea passage from the Persian Gulf to the open ocean and is one of the world’s most strategically important choke points.

Solution: A

In the Mandal case judgement (1992), the Supreme Court directed the central government to constitute a permanent statutory body to examine the complaints of under inclusion, overinclusion or non-inclusion of any class of citizens in the list of backward classes. Accordingly, the National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) was set up in 1993.

Later, the 102nd Amendment Act of 2018 conferred a constitutional status on the Commission. For this purpose, the amendment inserted a new Article 338-B in the constitution.

Hence, the Commission ceased to be a statutory body and became a constitutional body.

The Commission consists of a chairperson, a vice-chairperson and three other members. They are appointed by the President by warrant under his hand and seal. Their conditions of service and tenure of office are also determined by the President.

Solution: B

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Sites are important places of cultural or natural heritage as described in the UNESCO World Heritage Convention, established in 1972.

There are 38 World Heritage Sites located in India. These include 30 cultural sites, seven natural sites and one mixed-criteria site.

Jaipur city was recently added to World Heritage site list.

Properties into the list is finalized by the World Heritage Committee.

Extra Reading:

The World Heritage Committee selects the sites to be listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including the World Heritage List and the List of World Heritage in Danger, defines the use of the World Heritage Fund and allocates financial assistance upon requests from States Parties.

It comprises representatives from 21 state parties that are elected by the General Assembly of States Parties for a four-year term.

These parties vote on decisions and proposals related to the World Heritage Convention and World Heritage List.

Solution: D

GST Council

Composition of the council

The Council is a joint forum of the center and the states and consists of the following members:

(a) The Union Finance Minister as the Chairperson

(b) The Union Minister of State in-charge of Revenue or Finance

(c) The Minister in-charge of Finance or Taxation or any other Minister nominated by each state government.

The members of the Council from the states have to choose one amongst themselves to be the Vice-Chairperson of the Council. They can also decide his term.

The Union Cabinet also decided to include the Chairperson of the Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC) as a permanent invitee (non-voting) to all proceedings of the Council.

Solution: D

The Uighurs are Turkic Muslims who regard themselves as culturally and ethnically close to Central Asian nations.

Their language is similar to Turkish and about 11 million of them lives in China’s western Xinjiang region.

Solution: B

The superintendence, direction and control of the preparation of electoral rolls and the conduct of all elections to the panchayats shall be vested in the state election commission. It consists of a state election commissioner to be appointed by the governor. His conditions of service and tenure of office shall also be determined by the governor. He shall not be removed from the office except in the manner and on the grounds prescribed for the removal of a judge of the state high court. His conditions of service shall not be varied to his disadvantage after his appointment.

The state legislature may make provision with respect to all matters relating to elections to the panchayats.

Solution: D

National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) is a statutory Board constituted in 2003 under the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972.

It is the apex body tasked with according permissions for forest land diversions for industrial development. The NBWL is a 47-member body, chaired by the Prime Minister, of which 19 members are ex-officio members.

Functions

• No construction of commercial lodges, hotel etc. shall be undertaken except with the prior approval of the National Board.
• No alteration of the boundaries of a National Park except on a recommendation of the National Board.
• No destruction, removal of wildlife or forest produce from a National Park or diversion of habitat unless
• State Government in consultation with the National Board authorizes the issue of such permit.
• Ensure Tiger Reserves and areas linking one protected area with another are not diverted for ecologically unsustainable uses except in public interest and with the approval of the National Board.
• No alteration or de-notification of Tiger Reserves without the approval of the National Board for Wildlife.