October 2019 Current Affairs Questions

OCTOBER 2019 CURRENT AFFAIRS QUESTIONS

OCTOBER - 2019 MCQs based on Current affairs

MENTORS4IAS and Bangalore IAS Academy Hebbal & Vijayanagar, Bangalore 9886151564 / 9886777417

©www.mentors4ias.com in Association with Bangalore IAS Academy 1 OCTOBER 2019 CURRENT AFFAIRS QUESTIONS

1. Which of the following statements are? 5. Earth Hour is organized by? 1. Asian Development Outlook Report is released (a) UN Environment by the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation. (b) The World Wide Fund for Nature 2. World Urbanization Prospects report that is (c) Global Footprint Network released by the Department of Economic and (d) Global Environment Facility

Social Affairs of the International Monetary Fund. 6. Which of the following statements are? (a) 1 only 1. Sri Lanka is the first country to liberalise its (b) 2 only economy in the South Asian Region. (c) Both 1 and 2 2. The Korean peninsula was divided in to South (d) Neither 1 nor 2 Korea and North Korea at the end of the First

World War. 2. Which among the following statements does (a) 1 only not reflect the objectives of Non Alignment (b) 2 only Movement? (c) Both 1 and 2 (a) Enabling newly decolonized countries to (d) Neither 1 nor 2 pursue independent policies

(b) Not joining any military alliance 7. Which among the following statements is (c) Focus on elimination of global economic incorrect with respect to National Crisis equalities Management Committee.? (d) None of the above (a) Prime Minister of India is it’s Chairman.

(b) Secretaries of all the concerned Ministries 3. Which of the following statements are true? /Departments as well as organizations are the 1. A channel that is no longer part of an active members of the Committee. river system and has ceased to be a conduit of (c) The NCMC gives direction to the Crisis water is commonly referred to as a palaeochannel. Management Group. 2. Palaeochannels occurs when rivers change their (d) It is constituted for effective implementation of course and are commonly occurring landforms in relief measures in the wake of natural calamities. alluvial landscapes. (a) 1 only 8. Which of the following statements are true? (b) 2 only 1. BrahMos Missile has been jointly developed by (c) Both 1 and 2 Russia and India (d) Neither 1 nor 2 2. The range of the BrahMos missile is fixed at 250 km due to technical restrictions of Missile 4. Which of the following rivers are not a tributary Technology Control Regime or MTCR. of River Ganga? (a) 1 only (a) Yamuna (b) 2 only (c) Both 1 and 2 (b) Tamsa (d) Neither 1 nor 2 (c) Punpun

(d) Dudhganga

©www.mentors4ias.com in Association with Bangalore IAS Academy 2 OCTOBER 2019 CURRENT AFFAIRS QUESTIONS

9. Which of the following statements regarding 13. Which of the following statements are true? electoral bonds are true? 1. Advance Pricing Agreement is an agreement (a) Sale of Electoral Bonds are done through between a taxpayer and the tax authority Authorised Branches of State Bank of India (SBI). determining the Transfer Pricing methodology for (b) Electoral bond is a banking instrument pricing the tax payer’s international transactions resembling promissory notes and carry interest for future years. rate of 2.5%. 2. An APA provides certainty with respect to the (c) It will not carry the name of the payee. tax outcome of the tax payer’s international (d) It can be bought for any value, in multiples of transactions. Rs 1,000, Rs 10,000, Rs 1 lakh, Rs 10 lakh or Rs 1 (a) 1 only crore. (b) 2 only (c) Both 1 and 2 10. ‘Festival of Flowers’ (Bathukamma) is (d) Neither 1 nor 2 celebrated by? (a) Karnataka 14. Repurpose Used Cooking Oil) initiative is (b) Andhra Pradesh initiated by? (c) Telangana (a) Food and Agricultural Organisaton (d) Tamil Nadu (b) Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (c) The Energy and Resources Institute 11. Which of the following statements are true? (d) National Institute of Food Technology 1. Ayushman Bharat is the world’s largest health insurance/ assurance scheme fully financed by the 15. Drone Innovators Network Summit is government. organised by? 2. It provides cashless access to health care (a) World Economic Forum services for the beneficiary at the point of service. (b) International Monetary Fund (a) 1 only (c) World Bank (b) 2 only (d) UNDP (c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2 16. Which of the following statements are true?

1. Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board 12. Which among the following statements is (PNGRB) is the first regulatory body set up by the incorrect with respect to Central Vigilance Commission? Government of India. (a) The CVC was set up by the Government on the 2. One of the tasks of PNGRB is to ensure recommendations of the Committee on competitive markets for gas. Prevention of Corruption, headed by Shri K. 3. Appeals against the decisions of PNGRB go Santhanam. before the Appellate Tribunals for Electricity. (b) The CVC is not controlled by any (a) 1 only Ministry/Department. (b) 2 and 3 only (c) It is only responsible to the President (c) 1, 2 and 3 (d) It is not an investigating agency. (d) 1 and 3 only

©www.mentors4ias.com in Association with Bangalore IAS Academy 3 OCTOBER 2019 CURRENT AFFAIRS QUESTIONS

17. In India, ‘extended producer responsibility’ 21. Which of the following statements are true? was introduced as an important feature in which 1. Ekuverin is the joint military exercise between of the following? India and Maldives. (a) The Bio -medical Waste (Management and 2. Nomadic Elephant It the Indo Mongolian joint Handling) Rules, 1998 military training. (b) The Recycled Plastic (Manufacturing and 3. Kazind – It is an annual military exercise Usage) Rules, 1999 between India and Kazakhstan. (c) e -Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, (a) 1 only 2011 (d) (b) 2 and 3 only (d) The Food Safety and Standard Regulations, (c) 1, 2 and 3 2011 (d) 1 and 3 only

18. With reference to communications 22. Bharath 22 is a? technologies, what is/are the (a) Bio -medical Waste Management Protocol difference/differences between LTE (Long-Term (b) Exchange-Traded Fund Evolution) and VoLTE (Voice over Long-Term (c) Indian semi-high speed intercity electric Evolution)? multiple unit 1. LTE is commonly marketed as 3G and VoLTE is (d) CSIR developed affordable Water Disinfection commonly marketed as advanced 3G. System 2. LTE is data-only technology and VoLTE is voice- only technology (a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2

19. Performance Smart-Board initiative is launched by? (a) The Ministry of Electronics and IT (MEITY) (b) The ministry of Environment (c) The ministry of Skill development and entrepreneurship (d) The Ministry of Women and Child

Development 23. Which of the following statements are true? 1. The Governor makes a customary address to 20. Which one of the following is not a sub-index Members of the House at the commencement of of the World Bank’s ‘Ease of Doing Business the first session of the year. Index’? 2. When a State Legislature does not have a rule (a) Maintenance of law and order on a particular matter, it follows the Lok Sabha (b) Paying taxes rule on that matter. (c) Registering property (a) 1 only (d) Dealing with construction permits (b) 2 only (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2

©www.mentors4ias.com in Association with Bangalore IAS Academy 4 OCTOBER 2019 CURRENT AFFAIRS QUESTIONS

24. The money multiplier in an economy increases 29. The Service Area Approach was implemented with which one of the following?? under the purview of? (a) Increase in the cash reserve ratio (a) Integrated Rural Development Programme (b) Increase in the banking habit of the population (b) Lead Bank Scheme (c) Increase in the statutory liquidity ratio (c) Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment (d) Increase in the population of the country Guarantee Scheme

(d) National Skill Development Mission 25. Which Article of the Constitution of India deals with commutation of death sentence by the 30. MOSAiC Mission is associated with? President? (a) Studying the impact of climate change on the (a) Article 70 Arctic (b) Article 72 (c) Article 78 (b) Understanding the pattern of spread of (d) Article 39 Measles in Asian Countries (c) Evaluation of changes in the world since the 26. Which of the following statements are true? end of Cold war 1. Trans fatty acids (TFAs) or Trans fats are the (d) ICT based solution for improvement of most harmful type of fats which can have much nutritional status among women and children more adverse effects on our body than any other dietary constituent. 31. Which of the following statements are true? 2. Artificial TFAs are formed when Oxygen is made 1. Green Crackers are the crackers with reduced to react with the oil to produce fats resembling emission and decibel level. pure ghee/butter. 2. They are known as ‘green’ firecrackers because (a) 1 only they have a chemical formulation that produces (b) 2 only water molecules which substantially reduces (c) Both 1 and 2 emission levels and absorbs dust. (d) Neither 1 nor 2 (a) 1 only

27. Farakka Barrage is built across? (b) 2 only (a) Ganges (c) Both 1 and 2 (b) Teesta (d) Neither 1 nor 2 (c) Ravi (d) Mahanadi 32. Chattogram and Mongla ports are located at? (a) Sri Lanka 28. Which of the following statements are true? (b) Myanmar 1. Sand is a ‘minor mineral’ according to the (c) Bangladesh prevailing law in the country.. (d) Maldives 2. State Government have the power to frame rules to prevent illegal mining of minor minerals. (a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2

©www.mentors4ias.com in Association with Bangalore IAS Academy 5 OCTOBER 2019 CURRENT AFFAIRS QUESTIONS

33. Which of the following statements are true? 36. Which of the following statements are true? 1. As per law, the Compensatory Afforestation 1. Children and adolescents residing in urban Fund Management and Planning Authority exists areas have a higher prevalence of iron deficiency at both National and State levels. compared to their rural counterparts. 2. People’s participation is mandatory in the 2. The rural children lag in the intake of zinc compensatory afforestation programmes carried compared with urban children. out under the Compensatory Afforestation Fund (a) 1 only Act, 2016. (b) 2 only (a) 1 only (c) Both 1 and 2 (b) 2 only (d) Neither 1 nor 2 (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2 37. Which of the following country is not belonging to Hindu Kush Himalayan Region? 34. Which one of the following is not the most (a) Mongolia likely measure the Government/ RBI takes to stop (b) Tajikistan the slide of Indian rupee? (c) Kyrgyzstan (a) Curbing imports of nonessential goods-and (d) Iran promoting exports (b) Encouraging Indian borrowers to issue rupee 38. Which of the following statements are true? denominated Masala Bonds 1. Dark matter is a hypothetical invisible mass (c) Easing conditions relating to external thought to be responsible for adding gravity to commercial borrowing galaxies and other bodies. (d) Following an expansionary monetary policy 2. Dark matter seems to outweigh visible matter roughly six to one, making up about 27% of the 35. As per the Solid Waste Management Rules, universe. 2016 in India, which one of the following (a) 1 only statements is correct? (b) 2 only (a) Waste generator has to segregate waste five (c) Both 1 and 2 categories (d) Neither 1 nor 2 (b) The Rules are applicable to notified urban local bodies, notified towns and all industrial townships 39. Global Competitiveness Index is released by? only (a) World Bank (c) The Rules provide for exact and elaborate (b) International Monetary Fund criteria for the identification of sites for landfills (c) World Economic Forum and waste processing facilities (d) European Union (d) It is mandatory the part of waste generator that the waste generated in one district cannot be moved to another district.

©www.mentors4ias.com in Association with Bangalore IAS Academy 6 OCTOBER 2019 CURRENT AFFAIRS QUESTIONS

40. Which one of the following suggested that the 43. Which of the following statements are true? Governor should be an imminent person from 1. The Aravali has been identified as one of the outside the State and should be a detached figure key degraded zones to be taken up for greening without intense political links or should not have under India’s target to restore 26 million hectares taken part in politics in the recent past? (mha) of its land. (a) First Administrative Reforms Commission 2. Delhi, Gujarat and Rajasthan had already degraded over 50% of their land. (1966) (a) 1 only (b) Rajamannar Committee (1969) (b) 2 only (c) Sarkaria Commission (1983) (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) National Commission to Review the Working of (d) Neither 1 nor 2 the Constitution (2000) 44. GEMINI Device is related to? 41. Which of the following statements are true? (a) Weather forecasting and Mapping 1. Automatic Exchange of Information (AEOI) is (b) Speech to text device for visually challenged systematic and periodic transmission of “bulk” persons taxpayer information by the source country to the (c) Digital tool for Census residence country. (d) Cloud seeding 2. It aims to reduce global tax evasion and is to be carried out under Common Reporting Standard 45. Which of the following is issued by registered (CRS) of WTO. foreign portfolio investors to overseas investors (a) 1 only who want to be part of Indian stock market without registering themselves directly? (b) 2 only (a) Certificate of Deposits (c) Both 1 and 2 (b) Commercial Paper (d) Neither 1 nor 2 (c) Promissory Note

(d) Participatory Note 42. Which of the following adopted a law on data protection and privacy for its citizens known as 46. Which of the following statements are true? ‘General Data Protection Regulation’ in April 2016 1. SANKALP is a Centrally sponsored scheme of and started implementation of its from 25th May, Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship 2018? (MSDE). (a) Australia 2. It is an outcome focused scheme marking shift (b) Canada in government’s implementation strategy in (c) EU vocational education and training from inputs to (d) USA results. (a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2

©www.mentors4ias.com in Association with Bangalore IAS Academy 7 OCTOBER 2019 CURRENT AFFAIRS QUESTIONS

47. What is Cas9 protein? 51. Which of the following statements are true? (a) A molecular scissors used in targeted gene 1. Mamallapuram was a port town even during the editing Sangam era about 2000 years ago. (b) A biosensor used in the accurate detection of 2. The mighty Pallavas, whose flourishing sea port pathogens in patients was Mamallapuram for a long time, had a (c) A gene that makes plants pest-resistant relationship with China and had even sent envoys (d) A herbicidal substance synthesized in there during their rule. genetically modified crops (a) 1 only (b) 2 only 48. Which of the following statements are true? (c) Both 1 and 2 1. National Council on India’s Nutrition Challenges (d) Neither 1 nor 2 was established under Poshan Abhiyan. 2. The key role of the council is to coordinate and 52. Ionospheric Connection Explorer Satellite is review convergence among ministers. launched by? (a) 1 only (a) NASA (b) 2 only (b) ESA (c) Both 1 and 2 (c) ISRO (d) Neither 1 nor 2 (d) ROSCOSMOS

49. With reference to India’s Five -Year Plans, 53. Which of the following statements are true? which of the following statements is/are correct?? 1. The name Mamallapuram derives from 1. From the Second Five -Year Plan, there was a Mamallan, or “great warrior”, a title by which the determined thrust towards substitution of basic Pallava King Narasimhavarman I (630-668 AD) was and capital good industries. known. 2. The Fourth Five -Year Plan adopted the 2. It was during his reign that Hiuen Tsang, the objective of correcting the earlier trend of Chinese Buddhist monk-traveller, visited the increased concentration of wealth and economic Pallava capital at Kanchipuram. power. (a) 1 only 3. In the Fifth Five -Year Plan, for the first time, the (b) 2 only financial sector was included as an integral part of (c) Both 1 and 2 the Plan. (d) Neither 1 nor 2 (a) 1 and 2 only (b) 2 Only (c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1,2 and 3

50. The word ‘Denisovan’ is sometimes mentioned in media in reference to (a) fossils of a kind of dinosaurs (b) an early human species (c) a cave system found in North -East India (d) a geological period in the history of Indian subcontinent

©www.mentors4ias.com in Association with Bangalore IAS Academy 8 OCTOBER 2019 CURRENT AFFAIRS QUESTIONS

54. With reference to Surakshit Matritva 58. Which of the following statements are true? Aashwasan (SUMAN) scheme, which of the 1. India is one of the founding members of the following statements are true? ADB. 1. Under the scheme, pregnant women, mothers 2. ADB is a UN observer. up to 6 months after delivery, and all sick (a) 1 only newborns will be able to avail of free healthcare (b) 2 only benefits. (c) Both 1 and 2 2. The beneficiaries visiting public health facilities (d) Neither 1 nor 2 are entitled to several free services. 3. The government will also provide free transport 59. Which one of the following statements is not from home to health institutions. correct? (a) 1 and 2 only 1. Functional chromosomes can be created by (b) 2 Only joining segments of DNA taken from cells of (c) 1 and 3 only different species. (d) 1,2 and 3 2. Pieces of artificial functional DNA can be created in laboratories. 55. mHariyali App is related to? (a) 1 only (a) Public engagement in planting trees (b) 2 Only (b) Vaccination information (c) 1 and 2 (c) Linking CSR initiatives with public (d) Neither 1 nor 2 (d) Geo tagging infrastructures 60. Which one of the following statements is not 56. Which of the following statements are true? correct? 1. HIV attacks CD4, a type of White Blood Cell (T (a) Hepatitis B virus is transmitted much like HIV. cells) in the body’s immune system. (b) Hepatitis B, unlike Hepatitis C, does not have a 2. T cells are those cells that move around the vaccine. body detecting anomalies and infections in cells. (c) Globally, the number of people infected with (a) 1 only Hepatitis B and C viruses are several times more (b) 2 only than those infected with HIV. (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Some of those infected with Hepatitis B and C (d) Neither 1 nor 2 viruses do not show the symptoms for many years

57. Project Beehive is related to? 61. Which of the following statements are true? (a) Real-time monitoring and response of Army’s 1. BIS is the National Standard Body of India for the workshops harmonious development of the activities of (b) Stop elephants from being hit by speeding standardization, marking and quality certification of trains at railway crossings goods. 2. The International Organization for Standardization is (c) Low altitude photographic reconnaissance of an international standard-setting body composed of selected military and intelligence targets representatives from various national standards (d) Genetically modified apiculture technology organizations. (a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2

©www.mentors4ias.com in Association with Bangalore IAS Academy 9 OCTOBER 2019 CURRENT AFFAIRS QUESTIONS

62. Which of the following pairs is correctly 67. Which of the following countries share land matched? border with Syria ? (a) Kalamkari - Chhattisgarh (a) Iran (b) Kosa – Andhra Pradesh (b) Saudi Arabia (c) Chanderi - Assam (c) Georgia (d) Baluchari – West Bengal (d) Iraq

63. Which of the following statements are true? 68. Which of the following statements are true? 1. The temples under the Chalukyas are a good 1. Kurds are the world’s largest stateless ethnic example of the Vesara style of architecture. group. 2. It is a combination of Dravida and Nagara styles. 2. They live in the highlands of southern and (a) 1 only eastern Turkey and northern Iraq only (b) 2 only (a) 1 only (c) Both 1 and 2 (b) 2 only (d) Neither 1 nor 2 (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2 64. Sendai Frame work is associated with (a) Disaster Risk Reduction 69. World Economic Outlook (WEO) has been (b) Limiting persistent organic pollutants (POPs) released by (c) Greater coherence in global economic policy- (a) IMF making (b) UNDP (d) Protect the stratospheric ozone layer (c) World Bank (d) Welthungerhilfe 65. Which one of the following groups of plants was domesticated in the ‘New World’ and 70. CITES- Convention is associated with introduced into the ‘Old World’? (a) Endangered Species (a) Tobacco, cocoa and rubber (b) Hazardous Waste Management (b) Tobacco, cotton and rubber (c) Ozone Layer depletion (c) Cotton, coffee and sugarcane (d) Invasive specie (d) Rubber, coffee and wheat 71. Which of the following statements are true? 66. Which of the following statements are true? 1. The project Local Treatment of Urban Sewage 1. Global Hunger Index report is a peer-reviewed streams for Healthy Reuse (LOTUS-HR) is an Indo- publication released annually by Welthungerhilfe Netherlands joint program. and Concern Worldwide. 2. It is supported by Department of Biotechnology. (a) 1 only 2. Pakistan and Bangladesh fared better in the (b) 2 only ranking than India. (c) Both 1 and 2 (a) 1 only (d) Neither 1 nor 2 (b) 2 only (c) Both 1 and 2 72. UK Sinha committee is associated with? (d) Neither 1 nor 2 (a) MSMEs (b) Prison Reforms (c) Assam NRC (d) Teesta water sharing

©www.mentors4ias.com in Association with Bangalore IAS Academy 10 OCTOBER 2019 CURRENT AFFAIRS QUESTIONS

73. Which of the following statements are true? 78. Which of the following statements are true? 1. Eat Right Movement was launched by the Food 1. Naseem Al-Bahr is the naval exercise conducted Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) between India and the UAE. 2. The movement aims to cut down salt/sugar and 2. AL Nagah is the joint bilateral exercise between oil consumption by 30% in three years. India and Iran. (a) 1 only (a) 1 only (b) 2 only (b) 2 only (c) Both 1 and 2 (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2

79. India Innovation Index 2019 released by 74. State of the World’s Children report for 2019 is (a) NITI Ayog released by (b) Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (a) UNICEF (c) National Innovation Foundation (b) UNDP (d) Centre for Development of Advanced (c) Human Rights watch Technology (d) Welthungerhilfe 80. M-STrIPES is associated with 75. 6X6X6 strategy is associated with (a) Tiger conservation (a) Anemia (b) Elephant Corridor (b) AIDS (c) Rhino conservation (c) Malaria (d) Gangetic Dolphin conservation (d) Dengue

76. Which of the following statements are true?

1. Microbial fuel cells are devices that use bacteria as the catalysts to oxidise organic and inorganic matter and generate current.

2. Microbial fuel cells can function in the dark. (a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2

77. Zanzibar and Dar es Salaam are located at? (a) Tanzania (b) Congo (c) Mozambique (d) Malawi

©www.mentors4ias.com in Association with Bangalore IAS Academy 11 OCTOBER 2019 CURRENT AFFAIRS QUESTIONS

81. Which of the following statements are true? 85. Shirui Lily Festival is celebrated by 1. Pressurised Heavy Water Reactor (PHWR) is a (a) Manipur pressure tube type reactor using heavy water (b) Nagaland (D2O) moderator, heavy water coolant and natural (c) Arunachal Pradesh uranium dioxide fuel. (d) Assam 2. The third phase of India’s Nuclear Power Generation programme is breeder reactors based 86. Which of the following statements are true? on Thorium- Uranium-233 cycle. 1. The International Criminal Police Organisation, (a) 1 only or Interpol, is a 194-member intergovernmental (b) 2 only organisation. (c) Both 1 and 2 2. It is headquartered in Hague, Netherlands. (d) Neither 1 nor 2 (a) 1 only (b) 2 only 82. Arrange the ancient Indian Dynasties in (c) Both 1 and 2 chronological order. (d) Neither 1 nor 2 1. Maurya Dynasty 2. Kushana Dynasty 87. Arrange the capitals from north to south. 3. Gupta Dyansty 1. Ashgabat (a) 1-2-3 2. Bishek (b) 3-2-1 3. Astana (c) 1-3-2 (a) 3-2-1 (d) 2-3-1 (b) 1-2-3 (c) 1-3-2 83. Which of the following statements are true? (d) 2-3-1 1. Mount Abu is a hill station in the Aravalli Range in Sirohi district of Rajasthan state. 88. Which of the following statements are true? 2. Palakkad Gap or Palghat Gap is a low mountain 1. National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) is pass in the Western Ghats a statutory body under the Ministry of (a) 1 only Environment, Forests and Climate Change. (b) 2 only 2. The Authority will have eight experts or (c) Both 1 and 2 professionals having qualifications and experience (d) Neither 1 nor 2 in wildlife conservation and welfare of people including tribals, apart from three Members of 84. World Intellectual property indicators report is Parliament of whom two will be elected by the released by House of the People and one by the Council of (a) United Nations States. (b) INSEAD (a) 1 only (c) European Patent Office (b) 2 only (d)United International Bureaux for the Protection (c) Both 1 and 2 of Intellectual Property (d) Neither 1 nor 2

©www.mentors4ias.com in Association with Bangalore IAS Academy 12 OCTOBER 2019 CURRENT AFFAIRS QUESTIONS

89. Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary is located at 94. Chilika lake is located at (a) Assam (a) Assam (b) Nagaland (b) Nagaland (c) Manipur (c) Odisha (d) Uttarakhand (d) Uttarakhand

90. Community policing scheme ‘Prahari’ was 95. Financial Stability Report (FSR) was published launched by by (a) Delhi (a) RBI (b) Kerala (b) NITI Ayog (c) Tamil Nadu (c) Finance Ministry (d) Puducherry (d) None of the above

91. Which of the following statements are true? 96. Which of the following statements are true? 1. Data Security Council of India (DSCI), is a not- 1. El Nino is a climatic cycle characterised by high for-profit, industry body on data protection in air pressure in the Western Indian Ocean and low India air pressure in the eastern. 2. DSCI engages with governments and their 2. During this event, there is a warming of the sea agencies, regulators, industry sectors, industry surface temperature in the eastern and central associations and think tanks for policy advocacy, equatorial Atlantic Ocean. thought leadership, capacity building and (a) 1 only outreach activities. (b) 2 only (a) 1 only (c) Both 1 and 2 (b) 2 only (d) Neither 1 nor 2 (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2 97. Ease of doing business is released by (a) World Bank 92. Siachen glacier is located at. (b) IMF (a) Karakoram range (c) WEF (b) Ladakh Range (d) ASEAN (c) Zazkar Range (d) Pirpanjal Range 98. Which of the following statements are true? 1. Snow Leopard is Listed as Vulnerable on the 93. Which of the following statements are true? IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 1. Nubra River is a tributary of Shyok river. 2. It is listed on Appendix I of the Convention on 2. It is a part of the Brahmaputra River System. International Trade of Endangered Species (CITES). (a) 1 only (a) 1 only (b) 2 only (b) 2 only (c) Both 1 and 2 (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2

©www.mentors4ias.com in Association with Bangalore IAS Academy 13 OCTOBER 2019 CURRENT AFFAIRS QUESTIONS

99. Which of the following states has the longest 104. Bishkek Declaration is associated with? shore line? (a) Snow leopard (a) Odisha (b) Tiger (b) West Bengal (c) Rhino (c) Gujarat (d) chinkara (d) Kerala 105. Justice K. S. Puttaswamy and Anr. vs Union Of 100. Where is the Maikal range situated? India case is associated with? (a) Chattisgarh (a) Right to Privacy (b) Rajasthan (b) CBI Reforms (c) Odisha (c) Criminalisation of Politics (d) Tamil Nadu (d) Ani defection law

101. Which of the following statements are true? 106. Which of the following statements are true? 1. Chenani-Nashri Tunnel links Kashmir Valley with 1. The first Buddhist Council, immediately after Jammu by an all-weather route. the Mahaparinirvana of Lord Buddha, was 2. Fitted with intelligent traffic mechanism, the convened at this place which presently is called tunnel has fully automatic smart control and no Rajgir. human intervention will be required for its 2. Lord Mahavira spent 14 years of his life at Rajgir operations. and nearby areas. (a) 1 only (a) 1 only (b) 2 only (b) 2 only (c) Both 1 and 2 (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2

102. Which of the following pairs are rightly matched? 1. Yangtze river: China 2. Mississippi river: Brazil 3. Yenisei river: South Africa (a) 1 only (b) 1 and 2 (c) 1 and 3 (d) 1,2 and 3

103. Which of the following statements are true? 1. Consumer Price Index is a measure that examines the weighted average of prices of a basket of consumer goods and services, such as transportation, food, and medical care. 2. The base year is 2012.

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2

©www.mentors4ias.com in Association with Bangalore IAS Academy 14 OCTOBER 2019 CURRENT AFFAIRS QUESTIONS

107. Which of the following pairs are rightly 112. Swarnamukhi river flows through? matched? (a) Andhra Pradesh 1.Nokrek : Meghalaya (b) Jharkhand 2. Pachmarhi : Madhya Pradesh (c) Kerala 3. Dibru Saikova : Assam (d) Gujarat (a) 1 only (b) 1 and 2 113. With reference to Mughal India, what is/are (c) 1 and 3 the difference/differences between Jagirdar and (d) 1,2 and 3 Zamindar? 1. Jagirdars were holders or land assignments in 108. Which of the following statements are true? lieu of judicial and police duties, whereas 1. Ajanta Cave Paintings is a classic masterpiece of Zamindars were holders of revenue rights without Buddhist Art in the State of Maharashtra. obligation to perform any duty other than revenue 2. It is a UNESCO world heritage site and a collection. protected monument of the Archaeological Survey 2. Land assignments to Jagirdars were hereditary of India. and revenue rights or Zamindars were not (a) 1 only hereditary. (b) 2 only (a) 1 only (c) Both 1 and 2 (b) 2 only (d) Neither 1 nor 2 (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2 109. Adjusted Gross Revenue (AGR) sometimes seen in news is associated with? 114. Kanya Sumangala Yojana is launched by (a) Mining Sector (a) Tamil Nadu (b) Coal auction (b) Odisha (c) Telecom Sector (c) Uttar Pradesh (d) Minor Forest Produce (d) Madhya Pradesh

110. Thotlakonda Buddhist Complexis situated at? 115. With reference to land reforms in (a) Karnataka independent India, which one of the following (b) Andhra Pradesh statements is correct? (c) Maharashtra (a) The ceiling laws were aimed at family holdings (d) Madhya Pradesh and not individual holdings (b) The major aim of land reforms was providing 111. Which of the following statements are true? agricultural land to all the landless. 1. Institution of Eminence Scheme is implemented (c) It resulted in cultivation of cash crops as a under the Union human resource development (HRD) predominant form of cultivation. ministry (d) Land reforms permitted no exemptions to the 2. The selected institutes will enjoy complete academic ceiling limits and administrative autonomy and they will receive special funding.

(a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2

©www.mentors4ias.com in Association with Bangalore IAS Academy 15 OCTOBER 2019 CURRENT AFFAIRS QUESTIONS

116. Which of the following statements are true? 120. He wrote biographies of Mazzini, Garibaldi, 1. Fly ash can cause destruction of mangroves, Shivaji and Shrikrishna; stayed in America for drastic reduction in crop yields, and the pollution some time; and was also elected to the Central of groundwater. Assembly. He was 2. Fly ash can be used for stabilization of soft soil. (a) Aurobindo Ghosh (a) 1 only (b) Bipin Chandra Pal (b) 2 only (c) Lala Lajpat Rai (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Motilal Nehru (d) Neither 1 nor 2 121. Which of the following statements are true? 117. Which of the following pairs are rightly 1. Companies are required to spend, in every matched? financial year, at least 2% of their average net 1. Hyderabad - Musi profits generated during the 3 immediately 2. Jabalpur - Narmada preceding financial years as CSR. 3. Amaravati - Krishna 2. India is one of the first countries in the world to (a) 1 only make CSR mandatory for companies following an (b) 1 and 2 only amendment to the Companies Act, 2013 (c) 1 and 3 only (Companies Act) in 2014. (d) 1,2 and 3 (a) 1 only (b) 2 only 118. Which of the following statements are true? (c) Both 1 and 2 1. The Sarayu originates from Lake Mansarovar in (d) Neither 1 nor 2 the Himalayas and is also known as the Ghaghra and the Manas Nandini. 122. Which of the following pairs are rightly 2. Ayodhya is situated on the banks of Sarayu. matched? (a) 1 only 1. Bhitarkanika Mangroves - Odisha (b) 2 only 2. Deepor Beel - Meghalaya (c) Both 1 and 2 3. Chandra Taal - Uttarakhand (d) Neither 1 nor 2 (a) 1 only (b) 1 and 2 only 119. Which of the following leaf modifications (c) 1 and 3 only occur(s) in the desert areas to inhibit water loss? (d) 1,2 and 3 1. Hard and waxy leaves 2. Tiny leaves 3. Thorns instead of leaves (a) 1 and 3 (b) 2 and 3 (c) 3 only (d) 1,2 and 3

©www.mentors4ias.com in Association with Bangalore IAS Academy 16 OCTOBER 2019 CURRENT AFFAIRS QUESTIONS

123. Which of the following statements are true? (b) 2 only 1. In the appointment of SC judges, the (c) Both 1 and 2 government can send the recommendation of the (d) Neither 1 nor 2 CJI (or the collegium) back to them for 127. Which of the following pairs are rightly reconsideration. matched? 2. In the appointment of the CJI the government 1. Prithvi : Surface-to-surface missile cannot send the recommendation of the CJI (or 2. Nag : Anti Tank Missile the collegium) back to them for reconsideration. 3. Akash : Surface to Air Missile (a) 1 only (a) 1 only (b) 2 only (b) 1 and 2 (c) Both 1 and 2 (c) 1 and 3 (d) Neither 1 nor 2 (d) 1,2 and 3

124. Which of the following statements are not 128. Which of the following statements are true? true? 1. The Global Bio-India 2019 is one of the largest 1. Prime Minister's Economic Advisory Council is a biotechnology stakeholders conglomerate will be non-constitutional, non-permanent and held for the first time in India at New Delhi. independent body constituted to give economic 2. Ministry of Science & Technology along with its advice to the Government of India, specifically the Public Sector Undertaking, Biotechnology Industry Prime Minister. Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) is organizing 2. The council serves to highlight key economic this event. issues facing the country to the government of (a) 1 only India from a neutral viewpoint. (b) 2 only 3. There is no fixed definition on the exact number (c) Both 1 and 2 of members and staff of the EAC-PM. (d) Neither 1 nor 2 (a) 1 and 3 (b) 2 and 3 129. NIRVIK scheme is associated with? (c) None of the above (a) Export Sector (d) 1,2 and 3 (b) Agricultural Subsidies (c) e- Governance 125. "Bhashan Char" Island is located at (d) CSR (a) Arabian sea (b) Bay of Bengal (c) Tasman Sea 130. Which of the following countries participate (d) Persian Gulf in Exercise Shakti with India? (a) France 126. Which of the following statements are true? (b) UK 1. The 44th Amendment to the Constitution of (c) USA India introduced an Article placing the election of (d) Sweden the Prime Minister beyond judicial review. 2. The Supreme Court of India struck down the 99th Amendment to the Constitution of India as being violative of the independence of judiciary. (a) 1 only

©www.mentors4ias.com in Association with Bangalore IAS Academy 17 OCTOBER 2019 CURRENT AFFAIRS QUESTIONS

Answers

1.Ans: d Justification: • According to the economic outlook of Asian Development Outlook Report-2019, the number of urban inhabitants in developing Asia has increased almost five times since 1970. • Asian Development Outlook Report is released by the Asian Development Bank (ADB). • It used the data from the World Urbanization Prospects report that is released by the Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations.

2.Ans: d Justification: • Founded in 1961 in Belgrade. • It was created by the heads of Yugoslavia, India, Egypt, Ghana and Indonesia. • The Non-Aligned Movement was formed during the Cold War as an organization of States that did not seek to formally align themselves with either the United States or the Soviet Union, but sought to remain independent or neutral. • The movement represented the interests and priorities of developing countries. The Movement has its origin in the Asia-Africa Conference held in Bandung, Indonesia in 1955.

3.Ans: c Justification: • A channel that is no longer part of an active river system and has ceased to be a conduit of water is commonly referred to as a palaeochannel. • It occurs when rivers change their course either due to the movement of tectonic plates or severe floods and cut new ones. • Some of the palaeochannels lie buried under younger sediments. • Palaeochannels are commonly occurring landforms in alluvial landscapes, and have an economic significance because of their use in the exploration for freshwater resources, artificial recharge and storage of groundwater. • Additionally, they are of importance in the location and assessment of mineral deposits such as uraniferous ores, gold, silver and other placer deposits hosted in them.

4.Ans: d Justification: • Tributaries of Ganga include Ramganga, Gomti, Ghaghara, Gandak, Kosi and Mahananda from left bank and Yamuna, Tamsa, Son and Punpun from right bank. • Major Tributaries of Krishna River are as follows: Left: Bhima, Dindi, Peddavagu, Halia, Musi, Paleru, Munneru. Right: Venna, Koyna, Panchganga, Dudhganga, Ghataprabha, Malaprabha, Tungabhadra

©www.mentors4ias.com in Association with Bangalore IAS Academy 18 OCTOBER 2019 CURRENT AFFAIRS QUESTIONS

5.Answer: b Justification: • Earth Hour is a worldwide movement organized by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). The event is held annually encouraging individuals, communities, and businesses to turn off non-essential electric lights, for one hour, from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m. on a specific day towards the end of March, as a symbol of commitment to the planet.

6.Ans: a Justification: • Sri Lanka was the first developing countries to successfully control the rate of growth of population and the first country in the South Asia to liberalise it's economy. • The Korean peninsula was divided in to South Korea and North Korea at the end of the Second World War along the 38th parallel.

7.Ans: a Justification: • Cabinet Secretary is it’s Chairman.

8.Ans: a Justification: • It flies almost three times the speed of sound at Mach 2.8 and has a range of 290 km. • The missile has been jointly developed with Russia and is named after the rivers Brahmaputra and Moskva in Russia. • It is extremely difficult to be intercepted by surface to air missiles deployed on leading warships around the world. • The range of the BrahMos missile can be extended up to 400 km as certain technical restrictions were lifted after India became a full member of the Missile Technology Control Regime or MTCR in 2016.

9.Ans: b Justification: • Although called a bond, the banking instrument resembling promissory notes will not carry any interest. • It will be a bearer instrument. • It will not carry the name of the payee. • It can be bought for any value, in multiples of Rs 1,000, Rs 10,000, Rs 1 lakh, Rs 10 lakh or Rs 1 crore.

10.Answer: c Justification:

©www.mentors4ias.com in Association with Bangalore IAS Academy 19 OCTOBER 2019 CURRENT AFFAIRS QUESTIONS

• It is the state festival of Telangana. • The festival was traditionally celebrated by women across the state.

11.Ans: c Justification: • Key Features Ayushman Bharat: • The world’s largest health insurance/ assurance scheme fully financed by the government. • It provides cover of 5 lakhs per family per year, for secondary and tertiary care hospitalization across public and private empaneled hospitals in India. • Coverage: Over 10.74 crore poor and vulnerable entitled families (approximately 50 crore beneficiaries) are eligible for these benefits. • Provides cashless access to health care services for the beneficiary at the point of service.

12.Ans: c Justification: • The CVC was set up by the Government in February, 1964 on the recommendations of the Committee on Prevention of Corruption, headed by Shri K. Santhanam. In 2003, the Parliament enacted CVC Act conferring statutory status on the CVC. • The CVC is not controlled by any Ministry/Department. It is an independent body which is only responsible to the Parliament. • It is not an investigating agency. The CVC either gets the investigation done through the CBI or through chief vigilance officers (CVO) in government offices. • It is empowered to inquire into offences alleged to have been committed under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 by certain categories of public servants.

13.Ans: c Justification: • The Finance Act, 2012, inserted sections 92CC and 92 CD in the ITA to provide the legal basis for APA in India. • An APA can be one of the three types – unilateral, bilateral and multilateral:

14.Ans: b Justification: • Launched by FSSAI. • The initiative will enable collection and conversion of used cooking oil to bio-diesel. • FSSAI wants businesses using more than 100 litres of oil for frying, to maintain a stock register and ensure that UCO is handed over to only registered collecting agencies.

15.Answer: a Justification: • Drone Innovators Network Summit-2019 is being held in New Delhi. • Organised by the World Economic Forum under the aegis of the Ministry of Civil Aviation.

16.Ans: b

©www.mentors4ias.com in Association with Bangalore IAS Academy 20 OCTOBER 2019 CURRENT AFFAIRS QUESTIONS

Justification: • The Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) was constituted under The Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board Act, 2006. • The Act provide for the establishment of Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board to protect the interests of consumers and entities engaged in specified activities relating to petroleum, petroleum products and natural gas and to promote competitive markets and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto. • The Appellate Tribunal established under section 110 of the Electricity Act, 2003 (36 of 2003) is the Appellate Tribunal for the purposes of Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board Act, 2006.

17.Ans: c Justification: • Extended producer’s responsibility (EPR) is the main feature of the E -waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2011, wherein the producer of electrical and electronic equipment has the responsibility of managing such equipment after its ‘end of life’, thus the producer is responsible for their products once the consumer discards them.

18.Ans: d Justification: • VoLTE is a technology update to the LTE protocol used by mobile phone networks. • Under LTE, the infrastructure of telecom players only allows transmission of data while voice calls are routed to their older 2G or 3G networks. This is why, under LTE, you cannot access your 4G data services while on a call. This leads to problems such as slow internet speeds and poor voice clarity. VoLTE allows voice calls to be ‘packaged’ and carried through LTE networks. This would mean 4G data accessibility even during calls. Hence, statement 2 is not correct. • LTE is commonly marketed as 4G LTE. Hence, statement 1 is not correct.

19.Ans: a Justification: • The Ministry of Electronics and IT (MEITY) has launched an Automated Real Time Performance Smart- Board to ensure effective monitoring of the key programmes of the Ministry.

20.Answer: a Justification: • Ease of Doing Business measures regulations affecting 11 areas of the life of a business. Ten of these areas are included in this Doing Business 2019 ranking on the ease of doing business: starting a business, dealing with construction permits, getting electricity, registering property, getting credit, protecting minority investors, paying taxes, trading across borders, enforcing contracts and resolving insolvency. Doing Business also measures labor market regulation, which is not included in this year’s ranking.

21.Ans: c Justification: • Self-Explanatory

©www.mentors4ias.com in Association with Bangalore IAS Academy 21 OCTOBER 2019 CURRENT AFFAIRS QUESTIONS

22.Ans: b Justification: • The Further Fund Offer 2 (FFO 2) of Bharat 22 Exchange-Traded Fund (ETF) will be opened as a part of government’s disinvestment programme. • Bharat-22 will comprise stocks of 22 blue-chip public sector units, State-owned banks and three private companies where Specified Undertakings of the Unit Trust of India (SUUTI) has stakes.

23.Ans: a Justification: • Article 176(1) of the Constitution of India enjoins that the Governor shall Address both the Houses assembled together at the commencement of the first Session after each general election to the Assembly and at the commencement of the first session of each year and inform the Legislature of the causes of its Summons. The Address of the Governor contains a review of the activities and Achievements of the Government during the previous year and their policy with regard to important internal problems as well as a brief account of the programme of Government Business for the session. • Article 208 in The Constitution Of India 1949 208. Rules of procedure (1) A House of the Legislature of a State may make rules for regulating subject to the provisions of this Constitution, its procedure and the conduct of its business (2) Until rules are made under clause ( 1 ), the rules of procedure and standing orders in force immediately before the commencement of this Constitution with respect to the Legislature for the corresponding Province shall have effect in relation to the Legislature of the State subject to such modifications and adaptations as may be made therein by the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, or the Chairman of the Legislative Council, as the case may be (3) In a State having a Legislative Council the Governor, after consultation with the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly and the Chairman of the legislative Council, may make rules as to the procedure with respect to communications between the two Houses. Hence there is no mention that the State Assembly follow the Lok Sabha rule.

24.Ans: b Justification: • Money Multiplier is the ratio of the stock of money to the stock of high powered money. It is the relationship between the monetary base and money supply of an economy. It explains the increase in the amount of cash in circulation generated by the banks' ability to lend money out of their depositors' funds. Therefore, it refers to how an initial deposit can lead to a bigger final increase in the total money supply.

25.Answer: b Justification: • Article 72 of the Constitution empowers the President to grant pardons to persons who have been tried and convicted of any offence in all cases where the: Punishment or sentence for an offence against a Union Law, Punishment or sentence is by a court-martial (military court), and Punishment is a Death sentence. • It empowers the President the power to grant pardons, reprieves, respites or remissions of punishment or to suspend, remit or commute the sentence of any person convicted of any offence.

26.Ans: a Justification:

©www.mentors4ias.com in Association with Bangalore IAS Academy 22 OCTOBER 2019 CURRENT AFFAIRS QUESTIONS

• Trans fatty acids (TFAs) or Trans fats are the most harmful type of fats which can have much more adverse effects on our body than any other dietary constituent. • These fats are largely produced artificially but a small amount also occurs naturally. Thus in our diet, these may be present as Artificial TFAs and/ or Natural TFAs. • Artificial TFAs are formed when hydrogen is made to react with the oil to produce fats resembling pure ghee/butter. • In our diet the major sources of artificial TFAs are the partially hydrogenated vegetable oils (PHVO)/vanaspati/ margarine while the natural TFAs are present in meats and dairy products, though in small amounts.

27.Ans: a Justification: • Farakka Barrage is a barrage across the Ganges River, located in the Indian state of West Bengal.

28.Ans: c Justification: • Sand is a minor mineral, as defined under section 3(e) of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 (MMDR Act). • Section 23C of the MMDR Act, 1957 empowers state governments to frame rules to prevent illegal mining, transportation and storage of minerals and for purposes connected therewith. Control of illegal mining is, therefore, under the legislative and administrative jurisdiction of state governments.

29.Ans: b Justification: • The Service Area Approach (SAA) introduced in April 1989, in order to bring about an orderly and planned development of rural and semi - urban areas of the country, was extended to all Indian scheduled commercial banks including Regional Rural Banks (RRBs). • Service area approach is an alternative and improved method of Lead Bank Scheme for deployment of bank credit for rural development. Under SAA, each bank branch in rural and semi -urban area was designated to serve an area of 15 to 25 villages and the branch was responsible for meeting the needs of bank credit of its service area.

30.Answer: a Justification: • Objective of the MOSAic mission is studying the impact of climate change on the Arctic and how it could affect the rest of the world. The ice, the ocean, the atmosphere, even the wildlife will be sampled. The year- long investigations are designed to give more certainty to the projections of future change.

31.Ans: c Justification: • Indian Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has developed green crackers, which are new and improved formulations of the previous sound-emitting crackers and other fireworks.

©www.mentors4ias.com in Association with Bangalore IAS Academy 23 OCTOBER 2019 CURRENT AFFAIRS QUESTIONS

• They are less harmful and less dangerous than the conventional ones. They are the crackers with reduced emission and decibel level. They are known as ‘green’ firecrackers because they have a chemical formulation that produces water molecules, which substantially reduces emission levels and absorbs dust.

32.Ans: c Justification: • Bangladesh opens Chattogram, Mongla ports for India trade: The Port of Mongla is the second busiest seaport of Bangladesh. It is located in the southwestern part of the country; and lies 62 kilometres north of the Bay of Bengal coastline.

33.Ans: a Justification: • As per law, the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority exists at both National and State levels. • It does not provide for mandatory people participation in the compensatory afforestation programmes carried out under the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Act, 2016.

34.Ans: d Justification: • Expansionary monetary policy is when the RBI would use its tools to stimulate the economy. That increases the money supply, lowers interest rates, and increases aggregate demand. • Lower interest rates will also tend to reduce the value of the currency. If domestic interest rates fall relative to elsewhere, it becomes less attractive to save money in domestic banks. • Therefore, it will lead to outflow of foreign currency and therefore, slide of Indian Rupee

35.Answer: c Justification: • The SWM Rules 2016 provide for detailed criteria for setting ‐up solid waste processing and treatment facility, solid waste management in hilly areas, for waste to energy process, for Sanitary Landfills, for site selection, development of facilities at the sanitary landfills, specifications for land filling operations and closure on completion of landfilling, pollution prevention, Closure and Rehabilitation of Old Dumps etc.

©www.mentors4ias.com in Association with Bangalore IAS Academy 24 OCTOBER 2019 CURRENT AFFAIRS QUESTIONS

36.Ans: c Justification: • Vitamin D Deficiency: Higher deficiency of Vitamin D in urban areas (19%) is observed compared to rural areas (12%). This is despite 74% of children living in cities consume dairy products as compared to 58% in rural areas. • Zinc deficiency: The rural children lag in the intake of zinc which causes diarrhea, growth retardation, loss of appetite and impaired immune function. Among children aged 1-4 years, zinc deficiency is more common in rural areas (20%) compared to urban areas (16%). • Iron Deficiency: Children and adolescents residing in urban areas have a higher (40.6%) prevalence of iron deficiency compared to their rural counterparts (29%) due to a better performance of the government’s health programmes in rural areas.

37.Ans: d Justification: • The Hindu-Kush-Himalayan (HKH) region is considered the Third Pole [after the North and South Poles], and has significant implications for climate. • The HKH region spans Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.

38.Ans: c Justification: • Dark matter is a hypothetical invisible mass thought to be responsible for adding gravity to galaxies and other bodies. • According to NASA, Dark matter seems to outweigh visible matter roughly six to one, making up about 27% of the universe. • Roughly 68% of the universe is dark energy. Dark matter makes up about 27%. The rest visible matter is 5% of the universe. • Why called dark matter? It is called so because unlike normal matter (i.e. stars and galaxies), dark matter does not interact with the electromagnetic force.

39.Ans: c Justification: • The Global Competitiveness Index is a yearly report published by the World Economic Forum.

40.Answer: c Justification: • Sarkaria Commission Report (1988) • Recommendation on appointment of Governor: Governor should be an eminent person and not belong to the state where he is to be posted. State chief minister should have a say in the appointment of governor. Governor should be a detached figure without intense political links or should not have taken part in politics in recent past. Governor should not be a member of the ruling party.

41.Ans: a Justification:

©www.mentors4ias.com in Association with Bangalore IAS Academy 25 OCTOBER 2019 CURRENT AFFAIRS QUESTIONS

• Automatic Exchange of Information (AEOI) is systematic and periodic transmission of “bulk” taxpayer information by the source country to the residence country, which is possible under most of the Double Taxation Avoidance Agreements (DTAAs) and Multilateral Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters (MAC). • It aims to reduce global tax evasion and is to be carried out under Common Reporting Standard (CRS) of OECD.

42.Ans: c Justification: • General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) aims to protect all European Union (EU) citizens from data breaches. The regulation, which was approved by the EU Parliament in April 2016 after about four years of preparation and debate, came into effect on May 25, 2018.

43.Ans: c Justification: • The Aravali has been identified as one of the key degraded zones to be taken up for greening under India’s target to restore 26 million hectares (mha) of its land. • A 2016 report from the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) had also indicated that Delhi, Gujarat and Rajasthan had already degraded over 50% of their land.

44.Ans: a Justification: • The device is developed for effective dissemination of emergency information and communication on Ocean States Forecast and mapping of Potential Fishing Zones (PFZ) to fishermen. • Ocean States Forecast provides the accurate state of the ocean that includes the forecasts related to winds, waves, ocean currents, water temperature, etc.

45.Answer: d Justification: • A Participatory Note (PN or P-Note) is a derivative instrument issued in foreign jurisdictions, by a SEBI registered Foreign Institutional Investor (FII) or its sub-accounts or one of its associates, against underlying Indian securities. The underlying Indian security instrument may be equity, debt, derivatives or may even be an index.

46.Ans: c Justification: • SANKALP is a Centrally sponsored scheme of Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE). It is an outcome focused scheme marking shift in government’s implementation strategy in vocational education and training from inputs to results. • It will provide market relevant training to 3.5 crore youth. • Objective: To enhance institutional mechanisms for skills development and increase access to quality and market-relevant training for the work force.

47.Ans: a

©www.mentors4ias.com in Association with Bangalore IAS Academy 26 OCTOBER 2019 CURRENT AFFAIRS QUESTIONS

Justification: • CRISPR-Cas9 is a system used by bacterial cells to recognise and destroy viral DNA as a form of adaptive immunity. Using components of the CRISPR system, researchers can remove, add or alter specific DNA sequences in the genome of higher organisms.

48.Ans: c Justification: • The National Council was established under Poshan Abhiyan. The key role of the council is to coordinate and review convergence among ministers. This is to help them providing policy directions to address nutrition challenges in India. Objectives of the council It provides policy directions through coordinated inter – sectoral action The Council reviews programs for nutrition on quarterly basis. It also reviews and coordinates convergence among ministries.

49.Ans: a Justification: • India adopted the strategy of Import Substitution Industrialization (ISI) in the fifties. The chief objective was to build self -reliant economy. From the Second Five Year Plan, there was determined thrust towards substitution of basic and capital goods industries. The ISI strategy was based on the model of growth as propounded by PC Mahalonobis. • The Fourth Plan provided a necessary corrective to the earlier trend which helped particularly the stronger sections in agriculture as well as in industry to enable them rapidly to enlarge and diversify the production base. In the long run, the full potential of growth cannot be realised unless the energies of all our people are put to profitable use. The emphasis on spreading the impetus and benefits of economic growth to the weaker sections is thus necessary in the interest of equality as well as growth. The Plan will now assist the less prosperous sections of our farming population to improve their position and make a yet bigger contribution to the national economy. • The financial sector become an integral part of the plan in the 9th five -year plan.

50.Answer: b Justification: • The first evidence for Denisovans or Denisova hominins was first discovered in 2008 in a cave in the Altai mountains in Siberia. Analysis of a fossil jawbone containing molars recovered from Baishiya Karst cave in Xiahe, Gansu, China shows Denisovans lived in the Tibetan Plateau some 1,60,000 years ago. This is the firsttime evidence of Denisovan presence has been found outside the Denisova cave.

51.Ans: c Justification: • The 2004 Saluvankuppam excavations in Kancheepuram district make it clear that Mamallapuram was a port town even during the Sangam era about 2000 years ago. • The mighty Pallavas, whose flourishing sea port was Mamallapuram for a long time, had a relationship with China and had even sent envoys there during their rule. • Celadon ware (pottery) of the first, second Century C.E. recovered on the eastern coast of Tamil Nadu gives us a clue to Chinese maritime activities.

©www.mentors4ias.com in Association with Bangalore IAS Academy 27 OCTOBER 2019 CURRENT AFFAIRS QUESTIONS

• Such finds and other archaeological evidences can be used to infer that regions, including coastal areas of present day Mamallapuram and Kancheepuram district had links with China.

52.Ans: a Justification: • NASA has launched a satellite to explore the mysterious, dynamic region where air meets space. • The satellite — called ICON, short for Ionospheric Connection Explorer — rocketed into orbit following a two-year delay. • The refrigerator-size ICON satellite will study the airglow formed from gases in the ionosphere and also measure the charged environment right around the spacecraft which is at a level of 580 kilometers above the Earth’s surface.

53.Ans: c Justification: • The name Mamallapuram derives from Mamallan, or “great warrior”, a title by which the Pallava King Narasimhavarman I (630-668 AD) was known. • It was during his reign that Hiuen Tsang, the Chinese Buddhist monk-traveller, visited the Pallava capital at Kanchipuram. • Narasimhavarman II (c.700-728 AD) aka Rajasimhan built on the work of earlier Pallava kings to consolidate maritime mercantile links with Southeast Asia.

54.Ans: d Justification: • Under the scheme, pregnant women, mothers up to 6 months after delivery, and all sick newborns will be able to avail of free healthcare benefits. • The beneficiaries visiting public health facilities are entitled to several free services. • There will be zero expense access to the identification and management of complications during and after the pregnancy. • The government will also provide free transport from home to health institutions. • There will be assured referral services with the scope of reaching health facility within one hour of any critical case emergency and Drop back from institution to home after due discharge (minimum 48 hrs). • The pregnant women will have a zero expense delivery and C-section facility in case of complications at public health facilities. • It will ensure respectful care with privacy and dignity, with early initiation and support for breastfeeding, zero dose vaccination and free and zero expense services for sick newborns and neonates.

55.Answer: a Justification: • The app is aimed to encourage Public engagement in planting trees and other such Green drives. • People can now upload information/photos of any plantation done by them, which is linked to app and will be displayed on the website epgc.gov.in. • The App provides for automatic geo-tagging of plants. This app will also enable nodal officers to periodically monitor the plantation. • The App is user friendly and works on any android mobile phone.

©www.mentors4ias.com in Association with Bangalore IAS Academy 28 OCTOBER 2019 CURRENT AFFAIRS QUESTIONS

56.Ans: c Justification: • HIV attacks CD4, a type of White Blood Cell (T cells) in the body’s immune system. T cells are those cells that move around the body detecting anomalies and infections in cells. • After entering body, HIV multiplies itself and destroys CD4 cells, thus severely damaging the human immune system. Once this virus enters the body, it can never be removed. • Weak immune system makes a person prone to opportunistic infections and cancer. It becomes difficult for a person infected with this virus to recover from even a minor injury or sickness.

57.Ans: a Justification: • The Army’s Corps of Electronics and Mechanical Engineers (EME) has launched a major initiative under Project Beehive for automation of the entire Corps to enable real-time monitoring and response of its 2,000 workshops across the country.

58.Ans: c Justification: • India is one of the founding members of the ADB. It is the fourth largest shareholder in the bank. In 1980s and 1990s the bank supported the government’s program of industrialization. India got its first loan from the bank in 1986 as Industrial credit to introduce new technologies and to modernize medium-sized industries. • ADB is a UN observer. Japan and US hold the largest shares of the bank as of 2016. China is the third largest shareholder followed by India and Australia.

59.Ans: a Justification: • DNA is an organic chemical molecule made from atoms of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, and phosphorous. Like many other organic molecules that are made inside living cells, DNA can also by synthesized in test tubes using the tools of organic chemistry. • Functional chromosomes can not be created by joining segments of DNA taken from cells of different species.

60. Answer: b Justification:

©www.mentors4ias.com in Association with Bangalore IAS Academy 29 OCTOBER 2019 CURRENT AFFAIRS QUESTIONS

• The hepatitis B vaccine is the mainstay of hepatitis B prevention. WHO recommends that all infants receive the hepatitis B vaccine as soon as possible after birth, preferably within 24 hours.

61.Ans: c Justification: • Self Explanatory.

62.Ans: d Justification: • Handlooms: Sarees - Kalamkari from Andhra Pradesh, Kosa from Chhattisgarh, Tasar silk from Jharkhand, IIkal from Karnataka, Chanderi and Bagh print from Madhya Pradesh, Paithani from Maharashtra, Tasar and Banda from Odisha, Kanchipuram from Tamil Nadu, Pochampalli from Telangana, Pashmina from Uttrakhand, Katha, Batik print, Tanth and Baluchari from West Bengal.

63.Ans: c Justification: • The temples under the Chalukyas are a good example of the Vesara style of architecture. This is also called the Deccan style or Karnataka Dravida or Chalukyan style. It is a combination of Dravida and Nagara styles.

64.Ans: a Justification: • The “Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030” was adopted during the Third UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction held in Sendai, Japan in March, 2015.

65.Answer: a Justification: • The phrase "New World crops" is usually used to describe crops, food and otherwise, that were native to the New World (mostly the Americas) before 1492 CE and not found anywhere else at that time. Many of these crops are now grown around the world and have often become an integral part of the cuisine of various cultures in the Old World. • Some of the plants was domesticated in the ‘New World’ and introduced into the ‘Old World’ are achiote (annatto), balsam of Peru, canna, chicle (ingredient in chewing gum), coca leaf, cocoa bean, cochineal (red dye), guarana, logwood, maple syrup, poinsettia flowers, rubber tree, tobacco, vanilla, yerba mate

66.Ans: c Justification: • India ranked 102 on the index among 117 qualifying countries with a score of 30.3. Even North Korea, Niger, Cameroon fared better than India. • Neighboring countries too bagged better spots — Sri Lanka (66), Nepal (73), Pakistan (94) and Bangladesh (88). • India bagged the top spot in child wasting rate in the world with an increase of 4.3 percentage points in nine years.

67.Ans: d

©www.mentors4ias.com in Association with Bangalore IAS Academy 30 OCTOBER 2019 CURRENT AFFAIRS QUESTIONS

Justification: • https://www.globalresearch.ca/syria-turkey-israel-and-the-greater-middle-east-energy-war/5307902

68.Ans: a Justification: • The majority among the Kurdish people today are Sunni Muslim, but there are adherents of other faiths too, including Sufism and other mystical practices. • They live in the highlands of southern and eastern Turkey, northern Iraq, the northeastern Syria, northwestern Iran, and parts of south Armenia, and are a minority in each of these countries. Small communities live in Georgia, Kazakhstan, Lebanon, and eastern Iran as well. • Kurds have long had a reputation for being fearless fighters, and they have served as mercenaries in many armies over the centuries. • The mediaeval warrior Saladin, founder of the Ayyubid dynasty that replaced the Fatimids in Egypt and ruled over large parts of the Middle East in the 12th and 13th centuries, was of Kurdish ethnicity.

69.Ans: a Justification: • IMF’s 2019 World Economic Outlook (WEO) has been released. • India retains its rank as the world’s fastest-growing major economy, tying with China. • It has a projected growth rate of 6.1 per cent for the current fiscal year, despite an almost one per cent cut in the forecast. • However, India’s economy is projected to pick up and grow by 7 per cent in the 2020 fiscal year.

70.Answer: a Justification: • CITES- the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (1974)

71.Ans: c Justification: • The project Local Treatment of Urban Sewage streams for Healthy Reuse (LOTUS-HR) is an Indo- Netherlands joint program. • It is supported by Department of Biotechnology. • It was initiated in 2017 and the 2nd phase was launched recently. • The project aims to demonstrate a novel holistic (waste) water management approach that will produce clean water for reuse purposes. • The pilot scale plant upon commissioning will treat 10,000 L sewage water per day.

72.Ans: a Justification: • The RBI-appointed U.K. Sinha-led committee, set up to study the problems faced by MSMEs, submitted its recommendations recently.

73.Ans: c Justification:

©www.mentors4ias.com in Association with Bangalore IAS Academy 31 OCTOBER 2019 CURRENT AFFAIRS QUESTIONS

• It was launched by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). The movement aims to cut down salt/sugar and oil consumption by 30% in three years. It also aims to engage and enable citizens to improve their health and well-being by making the right food choices.

74.Ans: a Justification: • UNICEF released its State of the World’s Children report for 2019. • Ranking of countries: The report has ranked countries in the order of ‘highest burden of death among children of under-5’ to the ‘lowest burden of death among children of under-5’.

75.Answer: a Justification: • POSHAN Abhiyaan or the National Nutrition Mission is playing a major role in improving nutrition indicators across India. • The Anaemia Mukt Bharat programme to fight anaemic prevalence has been recognized as one of the best programmes implemented by governments across the world to address malnutrition. • The 6X6X6 strategy (six target beneficiary groups, six interventions and six institutional mechanisms) of the programme has been highlighted for using anaemia testing and treatment as the entry point to provide information on healthy diets.

76.Ans: c Justification: • Microbial fuel cells are devices that use bacteria as the catalysts to oxidise organic and inorganic matter and generate current. • The electrons produced by the bacteria are transferred to the negative terminal and flow to the positive terminal. • Among conventional power sources, batteries must be replaced while solar panels rely on a source of sunlight. • MFC do not have both this constrictions.

77.Ans: a Justification: • As part of the Indian Navy's Overseas Deployment, four indigenously built ships of the Indian Navy are visiting the ports at Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar located in Tanzania.

78.Ans: d Justification: • Indian Air Force (IAF) is participating in the joint bilateral exercise EX EASTERN BRIDGE V with Royal Air Force Oman (RAFO). • Other Exercises Between India and Oman includes • Naseem Al-Bahr - naval exercise • AL Nagah - joint bilateral exercise between the armies

79.Ans: a

Justification: • The India Innovation Index (III) 2019 was released by NITI Aayog along with Institute for Competitiveness as its knowledge partner.

80.Answer: a Justification: • M-STrIPES, short for Monitoring System for Tigers - Intensive Protection and Ecological Status is a software-based monitoring system launched across Indian tiger reserves by the Indian government's National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) in 2010. • The system's objective is to strengthen patrolling and surveillance of the Endangered Bengal tiger. Forest guards in tiger reserves are equipped with personal digital assistants and GPS devices to capture data relating to tiger sightings, deaths, wild life crime and ecological observations while patrolling.

81.Ans: c Justification: • Stage 1 Pressurised Heavy Water Reactor (PHWR): The PHWR is a pressure tube type reactor using heavy water (D2O) moderator, heavy water coolant and natural uranium dioxide fuel. Considering the growing energy demands and the necessity to increase the energy potential, a second line of light water reactors have been added to the current indigenous programme of Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors. • Stage 2 Fast Breeder Reactor (FBR): India’s second stage of nuclear power generation uses the Pu-239 obtained from the first stage reactor operation, as the main fissile element of fuel core in fast breeder reactors (FBR). A blanket of U-238 surrounding the fuel core undergoes nuclear transmutation to produce fresh Pu-239 as more and more Pu-239 is consumed during the operation. The Fast Breeder Programme is in the technology demonstration stage. Sodium, because of its good heat transfer and nuclear properties, is used as the coolant to remove the heat generated in the reactor. • Stage 3 Thorium based Reactor: Thorium utilization is the long term objective of the Indian Nuclear Power Programme. The third phase of India’s Nuclear Power Generation programme is breeder reactors based on Thorium- Uranium-233 cycle.

82.Ans: a Justification: • Maurya Dynasty (300 BC-184 BC) • Chandragupta Maurya (324-300 BC) • Ashoka the great (273-236 BC) • Kushan Dynasty (40-176 AD) • Kanishka (78-101 or 102 AD) • Gupta Dynasty (320-550 AD) • Vardhana or Pushyabhuti Dynasty (560-647 AD)

83.Ans: c Justification: • Mount Abu is famous for its 11-13th century Hindu and Jain temples. The most famous tourist attraction in Mount Abu, the Dilwara temples was constructed between 11th and 13th centuries AD. Sacred to Jains, they are considered masterpieces of temple architecture.

• Palakkad Gap or Palghat Gap is a low mountain pass in the Western Ghats between Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu and Palakkad in Kerala. It has an average elevation of 140 metres with a width of 24–30 kilometres. The pass is located between the Nilgiri Hills to the north and Anaimalai Hills to the south

84.Ans: a Justification: • United Nations released World Intellectual Property Indicators Report-2019.

85.Answer: a Justification: • The northeastern state of Manipur is hosting the 3rd state level Shirui Lily Festival.

86.Ans: a Justification: • The International Criminal Police Organisation, or Interpol, is a 194- member intergovernmental organisation. • headquarteredin Lyon, France. • formed in 1923 as the International Criminal Police Commission, and started calling itself Interpol in 1956.

87.Ans: a Justification: • https://www.pakistankakhudahafiz.com/pkkhnew/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/CentralAsiaMap2.jpg

88.Ans: c Justification: • It is a statutory body under the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change. • Constituted under enabling provisions of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, as amended in 2006, for strengthening tiger conservation, as per powers and functions assigned to it under the said Act. • Composition: Set up under the Chairmanship of the Minister for Environment and Forests. The Authority will have eight experts or professionals having qualifications and experience in wildlife conservation and

©www.mentors4ias.com in Association with Bangalore IAS Academy 34 OCTOBER 2019 CURRENT AFFAIRS QUESTIONS welfare of people including tribals, apart from three Members of Parliament of whom two will be elected by the House of the People and one by the Council of States.

89.Ans: a Justification: • Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary is a wildlife sanctuary on the southern bank of the Brahmaputra in Assam, India.

90.Answer: a Justification: • Launched by Delhi Police. • To prevent crime and maintain law and order in Delhi. • Under this scheme, civil personnel such as chowkidars and security guards deployed in the commercial and VIP areas will act as the eyes and ears of the police.

91.Ans: c Justification: • Data Security Council of India (DSCI), is a not-for-profit, industry body on data protection in India, setup by NASSCOM. • It is committed to making the cyberspace safe, secure and trusted by establishing best practices, standards and initiatives in cyber security and privacy. • To further its objectives, DSCI engages with governments and their agencies, regulators, industry sectors, industry associations and think tanks for policy advocacy, thought leadership, capacity building and outreach activities.

92.Ans: a Justification: • It lies in the Karakoram Range system which is a part of western Himalayas. • Lies to the south of the zone that separates Eurasion Plate with the Indian Plate, which is the result of convergence boundary interaction in geographical terms. • It is the highest battle field in the world

93.Ans: a

Justification: • Siachen glacier is the source of many rivers including Nubra River, a tributary of Shyok, which is a part of the Indus River System.

94.Ans: c Justification: • Chilika Lake is a brackish water lagoon, spread over the Puri, Khurda and Ganjam districts of Odisha. • It is a RAMSAR Site.

95.Answer: a Justification: • The Reserve Bank of India releases Financial Stability Report (FSR). FSR is a biannual publication.

96.Ans: d Justification: • El Nino is a climatic cycle characterised by high air pressure in the Western Pacific and low air pressure in the eastern. • During this event, there is a warming of the sea surface temperature in the eastern and central equatorial Pacific Ocean. • It is one phase of an alternating cycle known as El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO).

97.Ans: a Justification: • World Bank’s ease of doing business ranking released. • India went up 14 rungs in the 2020 survey to score a 63, making it the one of world’s top 10 most improved countries for the third consecutive time.

98.Ans: c Justification: • Listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. • Inhabit alpine and subalpine zones at elevations from 3,000 to 4,500 m (9,800 to 14,800 ft). • State animal of Himachal Pradesh and the National Heritage Animal of Pakistan. • Habitat extends through twelve countries: Afghanistan, Bhutan, China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. China contains as much as 60% of all snow leopard habitat areas. • Listed on Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species (CITES).

99.Ans: c Justification: • State and Coastline(km) Gujarat 1915.29 Andhra Pradesh 1037 Tamil Nadu 864.73 Kerala 560 Maharashtra 510.31 Orissa 457.2 West Bengal 374 Karnataka 258.15 Goa

100.Answer: a Justification:

• The Maikal Hills are range of hills in the state of Chhattisgarh India. The Maikal Hills are an eastern part of the Satpuras.

101.Ans: c Justification: • The Chenani-Nashri tunnel, the longest tunnel in Jammu and Kashmir, will be renamed after Bharatiya Jana Sangh founder Shyama Prasad Mukherjee. • This tunnel links Kashmir Valley with Jammu by an all-weather route. • This 9 km long, twin-tube, all-weather tunnel between Udhampur and Ramban in Jammu & Kashmir is not only India’s longest highways tunnel but also Asia’s longest bi-directional highways tunnel. • Built at an elevation of 1200 metres on one of the most difficult Himalayan terrains, the tunnel cuts the travel time between Jammu and Srinagar by two hours, bypassing about 41 kms of road length. • Fitted with intelligent traffic mechanism, the tunnel has fully automatic smart control and no human intervention will be required for its operations.

102.Ans: a Justification: • Following are the top five longest rivers in the world: • Nile river: Egypt, Ethiopia, Sudan, Burundi • Amazon river: Peru, Brazil, Venezuela, Ecuador, Bolivia, Colombia, Guyana • Yangtze river: China • Mississippi river: USA • Yenisei river: China, Mongolia

103.Ans: c Justification: • CPI is a measure that examines the weighted average of prices of a basket of consumer goods and services, such as transportation, food, and medical care. • Changes in the CPI are used to assess price changes associated with the cost of living. • In India, CPI (Rural/Urban/Combined) is published by the Central Statistics Office (Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation) and CPI (IW/AL) is published by Labour Bureau in the Ministry of Labour and Employment. It is published on monthly basis • The base year is 2012.

104.Ans: a Justification: • Bishkek Declaration: To protect Snow Leopard and it’s environment.

105.Answer: a Justification: • Justice K. S. Puttaswamy (Retd.) and Anr. vs Union Of India And Ors is a landmark judgment of the Supreme Court of India, which holds that the right to privacy is protected as a fundamental constitutional right under Articles 14, 19 and 21 of the Constitution of India.

106.Ans: c Justification: • The first Buddhist Council, immediately after the Mahaparinirvana of Lord Buddha, was convened at this place which presently is called Rajgir. • It was at the Gridhakuta, the hill of the vultures, where Buddha made Mauryan king Bimbisara convert to Buddhism. • Rajgir is also known as Panchpahari as it is surrounded by five holy hills. • The legend has it that the ancient city Rajagriha existed even before Lord Buddha attained enlightenment. It was the ancient capital city of the Magadh rulers until the 5th century BC when Ajatashatru moved the capital to Pataliputra (which is now known as Patna). • Lord Mahavira too spent 14 years of his life at Rajgir and nearby areas.

107.Ans: d Justification: • Nokrek National Park, the core area of Nokrek Biosphere Reserve, is a national park located approximately 2 km from Tura Peak in West Garo Hills district of Meghalaya, India. • The Pachmarhi Biosphere Reserve is a non-use conservation area and biosphere reserve in the Satpura Range of Madhya Pradesh state in central India. • Dibru-Saikhowa National Park is a national park in Assam, India, It was designated a Biosphere Reserve in July 1997.

108.Ans: c Justification: • Ajanta Cave Paintings is a classic masterpiece of Buddhist Art in the State of Maharashtra. • It is a UNESCO world heritage site and a protected monument of the Archaeological Survey of India. • The first Buddhist cave monuments at Ajanta date from the 2nd and 1st centuries B.C. • During the Gupta period (5th and 6th centuries A.D.), many more richly decorated caves were added to the original group.

109.Ans: c Justification: • Adjusted Gross Revenue (AGR) is the usage and licensing fee that telecom operators are charged by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT). • It is divided into spectrum usage charges and licensing fees, pegged between 3-5 percent and 8 percent respectively.

110.Answer: b Justification: • Thotlakonda Buddhist Complexis situated near Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh, India. • Thotlakonda was well within the influence of ancient Kalinga, which was an important source of dissemination of Buddhism to Sri Lanka and various parts of Southeast Asia. • The recent excavations have established the existence of a Hinayana Buddhist complex which flourished 2000 years ago.

111.Ans: c Justification: • It is implemented under the Union human resource development (HRD) ministry with the aim to project Indian institutes to global recognition. • The selected institutes will enjoy complete academic and administrative autonomy and they will receive special funding. • The selection shall be made through challenge method mode by the Empowered Expert Committee constituted for the purpose. • Eligibility: Only higher education institutions currently placed in the top 500 of global rankings or top 50 of the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) are eligible to apply for the eminence tag.

112.Ans: a Justification: • The Swarnamukhi is a river in southern India. The holy Hindu temples of Tirumala and Srikalahasti are located in the river basin. It was mentioned as Mogaleru in the works of Dhurjati. Kalyani Dam with 25 million cubic meters live storage was constructed in 1977 across its tributary Kalyani river.

113.Ans: c Justification: • The Sultan was the fountain pen of judiciary system in Mughal period. He was all in all in the state .He was responsible for any kind of error in the state. The second agency of judiciary was the Qazi. Qazi had a bigger role in the judiciary system in the state and he held the court and gave justice. Whereas Jagirdars were those mansabdars who were given salary in lieu of military service in terms of jagirs(land). Hence statement 1 is not correct. The judicial and police functions were performed locally by zamindars. • An important feature of the jagir system was shifting of jagir -holders from one jagir to another for administrative reasons. This system of transfers checked the jagirdars from developing local roots. Thus jagirs were transferable and could be seized too. Zamindars on the other hand were hereditary. The zamindars were present in practically every part of the Mughal Empire and held the most significant position in the agrarian structure of Mughal India. Hence statement 2 is not correct

114.Ans: c Justification: • The Uttar Pradesh launched “Mukhya Mantri Kanya Sumangala Yojana”. • The scheme will provide Rs 15,000 to every family where a girl child is born. It will be released in a phased manner.

115.Answer: b Justification: • The Land Reforms in Indiaaimed at the redistribution of ownership holdings and reorganising operational holdings from the view point of optimum utilisation of land. • It has also aimed at providing security of tenure, fixation of rents and conferment of ownership

116.Ans: c Justification:

• Fly ash is composed of the particulates that are driven out of coal-fired boilers together with the flue gases. • Effects on environment: The destruction of mangroves, drastic reduction in crop yields, and the pollution of groundwater in the Rann of Kutch from the ash sludge of adjoining Coal power plants has been well documented. • fly ash can be used in the following ways: Concrete production, as a substitute material for Portland cement, sand, Fly-ash pellets which can replace normal aggregate in concrete mixture, Embankments and other structural fills, Stabilization of soft soils, Road subbase construction,Agricultural uses: soil amendment, soil stabilization in stock feed yards, and agricultural stakes etc.

117.Ans: d Justification: • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Indian_cities_on_rivers

118.Ans: c Justification: • Sarayu flows through Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh. This river is of ancient significance, finding mentions in the Vedas and the Ramayana. • The Sarayu originates from Lake Mansarovar in the Himalayas and is also known as the Ghaghra and the Manas Nandini. It merges with the Ganga in Bihar’s Saran district. • It forms at the confluence of the Karnali and Mahakali in Bahraich District. • Ayodhya is situated on the banks of this river. • It flows through the Kumaon himalayas.

119.Ans: d Justification: • These are plants growing in extreme dry conditions throughout the year. For example, plants growing in deserts (psammophytes), on rock (lithophytes) or alpine plants growing above 14000 feet altitude. Xerophytes Adaptations 1. Conservation of Water Modifications a. Leaves few or absent or represented by spines only b. Petiole modified into leaf like structure c. Stem reduced, branching sparse d. In some cases stem flattened, leaf like, green, photosynthetic in nature Thick, fleshy and succulent leaves as well as stem

120.Answer: c Justification: • Lala Lajpat Rai was gifted with a perceptive mind, he was a prolific writer and authored several works like – “Unhappy India”, “Young India: An Interpretation”, “History of Arya Samaj”, “England’s Debt to India” and a series of popular biographies His biographies of Mazzini, Garibaldi and. Shivaji were published in 1896 and those of Dayanand and. Shri Krishna in 1898. His purpose in selecting Mazzini and Garibladi was to infuse patriotic sentiment in the youth of Punjab, who had no access to books in English. He wanted his countrymen to become acquainted with the teachings of Italian leaders who had so impressed his own mind.

121.Ans: c Justification:

• India is one of the first countries in the world to make CSR mandatory for companies following an amendment to the Companies Act, 2013 (Companies Act) in 2014. • Under the Companies Act, businesses can invest their profits in areas such as promoting rural development in terms of healthcare, sanitation, education including skill development, environmental sustainability, etc. • Companies are required to spend, in every financial year, at least 2% of their average net profits generated during the 3 immediately preceding financial years. • For companies that have not completed 3 financial years, average net profits generated in the preceding financial years shall be factored in.

122.Ans: a Justification: • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Ramsar_sites_in_India 123.Ans: c Justification: • Self Explanatory

124.Ans: c Justification: • Prime Minister's Economic Advisory Council is a non-constitutional, non-permanent and independent body constituted to give economic advice to the Government of India, specifically the Prime Minister. • The council serves to highlight key economic issues facing the country to the government of India from a neutral viewpoint. • It is chaired by a Chairperson and consists of eminent economists as members. • There is no fixed definition on the exact number of members and staff of the EAC-PM. • Recent developments - It was recently reconstituted for the period of two years. • In the council's earlier terms, there were 5 full time and part time members in total. After the reconstitution, the strength of the council gone upto 7 with 2 full time and 5 part time members. • Bibek Debroy remains the chairman of the PMEAC and Ratan Watal its Member-Secretary.

125.Answer: b Justification: • Thousands of Rohingya living in Bangladesh refugee camps have agreed to move to an island named "Bhashan Char" in the Bay of Bengal. • However, there is a warning that the island emerged from the sea only about two decades ago, might not be able to withstand violent storms during the annual monsoon season.

126.Ans: b Justification: • The National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC) was a body tasked with appointing judges to the higher judiciary in India. Article 124 of the Constitution was amended through the 99th Amendment to reflect the change in the system of appointments from the collegium system, in which a body of judges would be consulted by the President to appoint the judges, with the judiciary’s opinion being final. • The composition of the NJAC includes as the Chief Justice of India, the two senior most judges of the Supreme Court, the Law Minister and two “eminent persons”. A sub -committee was further constituted to

©www.mentors4ias.com in Association with Bangalore IAS Academy 41 OCTOBER 2019 CURRENT AFFAIRS QUESTIONS appoint the “eminent persons”. The composition of the sub -committee includes the Prime Minister, the Chief Justice, and the Leader of the Opposition. • The composition of the NJAC, presents a problem as it allows excessive executive interference in the appointment of judges. More specifically, the term “eminent persons” has not been defined with clarity, leaving a lot to the discretion of the executive. • Therefore, it was natural for the judiciary to fear the abuse of such discretion by the executive, resulting in political appointments to the Supreme Court and the High Courts. Petitions were filed before the Supreme Court to strike down the 99th Amendment as being unconstitutional.

127.Ans: d Justification: • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Integrated_Guided_Missile_Development_Programme

128.Ans: c Justification: • It is to bring together stakeholders to strengthen the indigenous research capabilities, bio- entrepreneurship, investments and last-mile-delivery of technology across rural India and tier-2, 3 cities.

129.Ans: a Justification: • Nirvik scheme announced by the Union Government recently is expected to give a fillip to export lending and insurance cover for export credit.

130.Answer: a Justification: • Exercise Shakti is a series of joint military exercise between India and France. • It was commenced in the year 2011 and it is a biennial exercise.