Daily Prelims Practice Questions (PPQs) – November 25 2023

Questions

• The questions below are based on PMF IAS Daily Current Affairs – November 2023.

Q1. {Modern India – Personalities} Consider the following statements:

1. Battle of Saraighat was an infantry battle fought in 1671 between the Mughal Empire and the Ahom Kingdom.
2. Under General Lachit Borphukan, Ahom’s defeated the Mughals in the Battle of Saraighat in 1671.
3. Maidam is a square shaped Ahom’s burial ground in Assam.
4. During their rule of 600 years, the Ahom’s were defeated only twice by the Burmese.

Which of the above statement(s) is/are correct?

1. Only One
2. Only Two
3. Only Three
4. All Four

Q2. {IE – Banking} Consider the Following Statements about Urban Cooperative Banks:

1. They provide banking services to urban and semi-urban areas, especially to low-income groups, small businesses, and self-employed people.
2. They are governed under the Multi-State Cooperative Societies Act, 2002.
3. Narsimhan Committee (1998) and Raghuram Rajan Committee (2014) are related to Urban Cooperative Banks.
4. New RBI guidelines allowed UCBs to raise capital through equity, preference shares, and debt instruments without the prior approval of RBI.

How many of the above statement(s) is/are correct?

1. Only One
2. Only Two
3. Only Three
4. All Four

Q3. {Envi – Conservation} Consider the following statements about Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework:

1. Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework is a Legally binding document which sets out 4 goals for 2050 and 23 targets for 2030.
2. KMGBF explicitly emphasizes respecting the rights of indigenous peoples and local communities in pursuit of its conservation targets.

Which of the above statement(s) is/are correct?

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2

Q4. {S&T – Tech} Consider the following statements about 3-D Printing:

1. The 3D printer is loaded with the required raw materials like plastic filament, resin, metal powder etc. based on the printing technology used.
2. The Main Con with 3-D printer is that during the time of quality check, if any dimensional defect or design inaccuracy is found, then it can’t be reprinted again.
3. Additive manufacturing using 3-D Printing could make a profound contribution to lightweighting, reducing the energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions of vehicles and other forms of transportation
4. AMAZE-28, Is Kerala’s First 28 Storeyed Building located in Thiruvananthapuram, which is built using 3-D Printed Construction.

How many of the above statement(s) is/are correct?

1. Only one
2. Only two
3. Only three
4. All four

Q5. {Geo – Earthquake} Coseismic Ionospheric Perturbations (CIP), recently seen in news is related to,

1. Cyclone
2. Earthquake
3. Solar Storm
4. Aurora

Q6. {Prelims – Agri – Miscellaneous} Operation Flood is related to,

1. Widespread development of Aquaculture in India.
2. World’s Biggest Dairy Development Programme.
3. A Period of substantial growth and development in the petroleum industry
4. The revolution aimed to achieve self-sufficiency in oilseeds cultivation and production.

Q7. {Infra – Scheme} Consider the following statements about PM Gati Shakti:

1. PM Gati Shakti is a digital platform that brings 16 ministries together for integrated planning and coordinated implementation of Infrastructure Connectivity Project.
2. Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Ministry of Railways, Ministry of Road Transport & Highways and State Maritime Boards have Jointly prepared the Comprehensive Port Connectivity Plan.
3. The Logistical Cost in India is higher than Developed Countries.
4. One drawback with this plan is that there is no mechanism to resolve inter-ministerial issues.

1. Only one
2. Only two
3. Only three
4. All Four

Questions with their Answers and Explanation.

Q1. {Modern India – Personalities} Consider the following statements:

1. Battle of Saraighat was an infantry battle fought in 1671 between the Mughal Empire and the Ahom Kingdom.
2. Under General Lachit Borphukan, Ahom’s defeated the Mughals in the Battle of Saraighat in 1671.
3. Maidam is a square shaped Ahom’s burial ground in Assam.
4. During their rule of 600 years, the Ahom’s were defeated only twice by the Burmese.

Which of the above statement(s) is/are correct?

1. Only One
2. Only Two
3. Only Three
4. All Four

Explanation

Statement 1 is incorrect

• It was a naval battle fought in 1671 between the Mughal Empire and the Ahom Kingdom on the Brahmaputra River at Saraighat, now in Guwahati, Assam.
• The weaker Ahom Army defeated the Mughal Army through diplomatic negotiations, guerrilla tactics, psychological warfare, and military intelligence.

Statement 2 is correct

• The Ahoms, under General Lachit Borphukan, defeated the Mughals in the Battle of Saraighat in 1671

Statement 3 is incorrect

• Maidam is a pyramid-like Ahom burial mound in Assam.
• It is the Ahom equivalent of the ancient Egyptian pyramids.
• The Centre has decided to nominate Assam’s Charaideo Maidams for the UNESCO World Heritage Centre this year.

Statement 4 is incorrect

• The Ahom Dynasty ruled Assam and remained undefeated for nearly 600 years.
• It fell to repeated Burmese invasions of Assam.
• With the defeat of the Burmese after the First Anglo-Burmese War and the Treaty of Yandabo in 1826, control of the kingdom passed into the East India Company’s hands.

Answer: Only One

Q2. {IE – Banking} Consider the Following Statements about Urban Cooperative Banks:

1. They provide banking services to urban and semi-urban areas, especially to low-income groups, small businesses, and self-employed people.
2. They are governed under the Multi-State Cooperative Societies Act, 2002.
3. Narsimhan Committee (1998) and Raghuram Rajan Committee (2014) are related to Urban Cooperative Banks.
4. New RBI guidelines allowed UCBs to raise capital through equity, preference shares, and debt instruments without the prior approval of RBI.

How many of the above statement(s) is/are correct?

1. Only One
2. Only Two
3. Only Three
4. All Four

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct

• UCBs are financial institutions that are registered as cooperative societies under the provision of either the State Cooperative Societies Act or the Multi-State Cooperative Societies Act

Statement 2 is incorrect

• They are registered under the Cooperative Societies Act of the State concerned or the Multi-State Cooperative Societies Act, 2002.
• Governed by the Banking Regulations Act, 1949, of the RBI.

Statement 3 is correct

• Narasimham Committee (1998): UCBs should be directly supervised by the RBI and required to maintain higher levels of capital and liquidity.
• Raghuram Rajan Committee (2014): UCBs should be consolidated and required to adopt a risk-based approach to lending.

Statement 4 is incorrect

• Amendments have been made to the Banking Regulation Act to empower the RBI with enhanced regulatory powers over UCBs, allowing them to take prompt corrective action and address issues related to capital adequacy, asset quality, and risk management.
• New RBI guidelines allowed UCBs to raise capital through equity, preference shares, and debt instruments with the prior approval of RBI.

Answer: (b) Only Two

Q3. {Envi – Conservation} Consider the following statements about Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework:

1. Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework is a Legally binding document which sets out 4 goals for 2050 and 23 targets for 2030.
2. KMGBF explicitly emphasizes respecting the rights of indigenous peoples and local communities in pursuit of its conservation targets.

Which of the above statement(s) is/are correct?

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2

Explanation

Statement 1 is incorrect

• KMGBF was adopted in the 15th COP to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).
• It set goals and targets for protecting biodiversity and halting its loss.
• The framework, which is not legally binding, sets out 4 goals for 2050 and 23 targets for 2030

Statement 2 is correct

• Indigenous people and local communities manage over 32% of global land in 87 countries.
• KMGBF explicitly emphasises respecting the rights of indigenous peoples and local communities in pursuit of its conservation targets.
• Governments often neglect human rights, especially those of indigenous communities, in conservation projects or protected areas, even post-KMGBF.

Answer: (b) 2 only

Q4. {S&T – Tech} Consider the following statements about 3-D Printing:

1. The 3-D printer is loaded with the required raw materials like plastic filament, resin, metal powder etc. based on the printing technology used.
2. The Main Con with 3-D printer is that during the time of quality check, if any dimensional defect or design inaccuracy is found, then it can’t be reprinted again.
3. Additive manufacturing using 3-D Printing could make a profound contribution to lightweighting, reducing the energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions of vehicles and other forms of transportation
4. AMAZE-28, Is Kerala’s First 28 Storeyed Building located in Thiruvananthapuram, which is built using 3-D Printed Construction.

How many of the above statement(s) is/are correct?

1. Only one
2. Only two
3. Only three
4. All four

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct

• A range of materials are used for 3-D printing including plastics like ABS, PLA, nylon, photopolymers, metals including titanium, aluminium, steel, gold, silver, alloys, ceramics, paper, wax, and even food materials like chocolate.

Statement 2 is incorrect

• Printed objects may require additional steps like cleaning, smoothening, baking, and polishing. Support structures are removed.
• Printed objects are checked for dimensional accuracy and compliance with design specifications. Defects may require re-printing.

Statement 3 is correct

• As opposed to traditional manufacturing, for instance, in which pieces are cut from larger blocks of material, additive manufacturing creates products layer-by-layer and prints only relevant parts, wasting much less material and thus wasting less energy in producing the raw materials needed.
• By making only the bare structural necessities of products, additive manufacturing also could make a profound contribution to lightweighting, reducing the energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions of vehicles and other forms of transportation.
• A case study on an airplane component made using additive manufacturing, for example, found that the component’s use saves 63% of relevant energy and carbon dioxide emissions over the course of the product’s lifetime.

Statement 4 is incorrect

• AMAZE-28 is a 380sq ft, 1 room Storeyed, summer building located in PTP Nagar in Thiruvananthapuram.
• Designed as a demonstration project, AMAZE-28 – as the summer house is named – was completed in 28 days. The project was carried out by Tvasta, a Chennai-based construction tech start-up launched by IIT-Madras alumni, with which Kesnik has inked an memorandum of understanding (MoU).

Answer: (b) Only Two

Q5. {Geo – Earthquake} Coseismic Ionospheric Perturbations (CIP), recently seen in news is related to,

1. Cyclone
2. Earthquake
3. Solar Storm
4. Aurora

Explanations

Option (b) is correct; option (a), (c) and (d) are incorrect

• Earthquake processes, even relatively smaller ones, have their reflection in the ionosphere, as they influence the amplitudes and periods of coseismic ionospheric perturbations (CIP) along with factors such as geomagnetism and line-of-sights geometry, according to a novel study.
• Coseismic vertical crustal movements excite acoustic waves (Aws) in the atmosphere. The waves propagate upward, reach the ionosphere, causing disturbances in numbers of electrons along the line-of-sights connecting ground Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receivers and satellites.
  • These disturbances are called as coseismic ionospheric perturbations (CIP). Such near-field CIP occurs normally within 500–600 km of the source.

• The finding can help observing earthquake source processes from the space which may pave the way for deciphering earthquake precursors using space-based observations.

Answer: (b) Earthquake

Q6. {Prelims – Agri – Miscellaneous} Operation Flood is related to,

1. Widespread development of Aquaculture in India.
2. World’s Biggest Dairy Development Programme.
3. A Period of substantial growth and development in the petroleum industry
4. The revolution aimed to achieve self-sufficiency in oilseeds cultivation and production.

Explanation

Option (b) is correct; option (a), (c) and (d) are incorrect

• “Operation Flood” is a mission to increase the performance of the dairy sector.
• Operation Flood is called the White Revolution in India.
• Operation Flood was launched in 1970 by National Dairy Development Board during the time of the Fourth Five Year Plan.
• Operation flood was the world’s biggest dairy development program which gave a major thrust to the milk production of the nation.
• It aimed at helping the dairy industry sustain itself economically while providing employment to poor farmers.
• The result was that India became the largest producer of Milk and Milk Products.
• Blue Revolution:- The term “blue revolution” refers to the remarkable emergence of aquaculture as an important and highly productive agricultural activity.
  • Dr. Hiralal Chaudhuri and Dr. Arun Krishnsnan are known as the Father of the Blue revolution.
  • Aquaculture refers to all forms of active culturing of aquatic animals and plants, occurring in marine, brackish, or freshwaters.
• Black Revolution:- Black revolution is related to Crude oil production.
  • To increase petroleum production, the Government planned to accelerate the production of ethanol and to mix it up with petrol to produce biodiesel.
  • Ethanol is a renewable source of energy and is a by-product of sugar production produced from molasses.
• Yellow Revolution:- The Yellow Revolution is associated with the production of oilseeds in the country.
  • The revolution aimed to achieve self-sufficiency in oilseeds cultivation and production. The targeted oilseeds are mustards, groundnuts, sesame seed, safflower, soybean, sunflower, linseed, niger, and castor.

Answer: (b) World’s Biggest Dairy Development Programme

Q7. {Infra – Scheme} Consider the following statements about PM Gati Shakti:

1. PM Gati Shakti is a digital platform that brings 16 ministries together for integrated planning and coordinated implementation of Infrastructure Connectivity Project.
2. Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Ministry of Railways, Ministry of Road Transport & Highways and State Maritime Boards have Jointly prepared the Comprehensive Port Connectivity Plan.
3. The Logistical Cost in India is higher than Developed Countries.
4. One drawback with this plan is that there is no mechanism to resolve inter-ministerial issues.

1. Only one
2. Only two
3. Only three
4. All Four

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct

• Gati Shakti is a national master plan designed to streamline the planning and implementation of infrastructure projects in India, with an ultimate goal of reducing logistics costs.
• The plan involves the coordination of 16 ministries and departments, including the Railways and Roadways, via a digital platform.

Statement 2 is correct

• Under PM Gati Shakti, DPIIT prepared a Comprehensive Port Connectivity Plan (CPCP) in consultation with Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Ministry of Railways, Ministry of Road Transport & Highways and State Maritime Boards in September, 2022.
• CPCP incorporates 298 connectivity projects of which 191 projects (101 road and 90 rail). These projects are aimed at enhancing last mile and hinterland connectivity of ports, which in turn will enhance the port efficiency, enabling the ports to handle more cargo.

Statement 3 is correct

• According to a study, the logistical cost in India is about 13% of GDP, which is higher than developed countries.
• Due to this high logistical cost, the competitiveness of India’s exports is greatly reduced.

Statement 4 is incorrect

• A specialized group under the Department of Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) will oversee the progress of key projects in real-time. They will identify and resolve inter-ministerial issues, ensuring smoother execution.

Answer: (c) Only three