August 03-2024 Prelims Practice Questions (PPQs)

Correct

Explanation

• Two private companies, RiceTec Inc. (USA) and Mahyco Pvt. Ltd. (India), have formed a joint venture (JV) named Paryan Alliance Pvt. Ltd.
• It focuses on technologies for growing rice by direct seeding and wheat through zero tillage, and reducing water, labour, fuel consumption, and greenhouse gas emissions in cultivation.
• The rice hybrids ‘Sava 134’ and ‘Sava 127’ (RiceTec/Savannah) and wheat varieties ‘Goal’ and ‘Mukut’ (Mahyco) have a mutated gene that allows them to tolerate the herbicide Imazethapyr, enabling farmers to spray it to kill only the weeds.

Statement 1 is correct but Statement 2 is incorrect

• US based RiceTec company’s ‘FullPage’ Direct Seeded Rice (DSR) technology incorporates the herbicide-tolerance trait as well as Direct Seeded Rice-compatible plant genetics and seed treatment solutions.
• It replaces water (a natural herbicide) with Imazethapyr.
• The “FullPage” Direct Seeded Rice (DSR) technology ensures high quality by promoting strong roots and stalks, and supports higher plant populations (35-40 per square meter) compared to the 15-20 plants per square meter typically seen in traditional transplanting.
• It contains a seed treatment solution (Squad) that includes micro-nutrients, fungicides, and insecticides, which aids in germination and protects young plants from soil-borne diseases and pests.

Answer: (a) 1 only; Difficulty Level: Hard

Correct

Explanation

• Vietnam is a Southeast Asian Country
• Recently, Indian PM and visiting Vietnamese PM underlined the importance of non-militarization and self-restraint in the conduct of all activities.
• They emphasized the legal framework set out by the UNCLOS within which all activities in the oceans and seas must be carried out.

• Capital: Hanoi.
• Land bordering countries: China (north), Laos and Cambodia (west).
• Maritime bordering countries: Thailand (Gulf of Thailand), and the Philippines, Indonesia, and Malaysia (South China Sea).
• Surrounding water bodies: Gulf of Thailand, South China Sea, Gulf of Tonkin.

Answer: (c) Thailand; Difficulty Level: Medium

Correct

Explanation

Statement 1 is incorrect but 2 is correct

• National Culture Fund (NCF) established as a Trust under the Charitable Endowment Act of 1890.
• It aims to mobilise extra resources through Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) to promote, protect, and preserve India’s tangible and intangible cultural heritage.

Statement 3 is incorrect

• Its Governing Council is chaired by the Minister of Culture.
• Donations to NCF eligible for 100% tax benefit under the Income Tax Act, of 1961.
• Its activities are covered under of the Companies Act, 2013, making it a valid receptacle for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) contributions.
• It establishes collaborations with Corporates, NGOs, and other organizations to implement heritage preservation and conservation projects.

Answer: (a) Only one; Difficulty Level: Medium

Correct

Explanation

Statement 1 is incorrect

• The Chaliyar River originates from the Elambalari Hills in the Nilgiris district, Tamil Nadu.
• It passes through the Malappuram and Kozhikode districts of Kerala.

Statements 2 and 3 are incorrect

• It is the Fourth-longest River in Kerala and drains into the Arabian Sea at Beypore port.
• Major Tributaries of Chaliyar river are: Cherupuzha, Iringipuzha, Kurumbanpuzha, Kanhirapuzha, Punnapuzha, Karimpuzha, Vadapurampuzha, Chaliyarpuzha.
• Historically, the river was crucial for the timber industry, particularly for transporting teak from the Nilambur forests to the Beypore port.
• The river banks are also known for their natural goldfields.
• The river has faced significant pollution issues in the past, primarily due to the discharge of effluents from a pulp factory at Mavoor, which severely impacted the river’s marine life.

Answer: (d) None; Difficulty Level: Hard

Correct

Explanation

Statement 1 is incorrect

• Southern Yellow-billed Hornbills are native to the dry savannas of southern Africa, it is found from Angola and Namibia to Mozambique, KwaZulu-Natal, Botswana, Zimbabwe, and northern South Africa.
• They are active all day, and roost in trees at night.
• Their diet consists of arthropods such as termites, beetles, larvae, and grasshoppers, along with occasional small mammals, berries, fruits, nuts, and eggs.
• Breeding occurs from September to March.
• They are keystone species in southern African savannas.

Statement 2 is incorrect

• The IUCN Red data list classified Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill as Least concern.

Answer: (c) Both 1 and 2; Difficulty Level: Hard

Correct

Explanation

Statement 1 is incorrect

• The coal sector is a crucial component of the country’s energy landscape meeting approximately 55% of India’s energy requirements.

Statement 2 is correct

• India’s coal reserves and production are among the largest in the world.
• Coal India, Ltd. has shut down approximately 130 mines since 2009, with around 300 mines closed overall due depletion of coal reserves and the economic non-viability of certain mines.
• The study underscores the need for ambitious transition plans to better support displaced workers in future transitions.

Answer: (b) 2 only; Difficulty Level: Hard