SHANKAR IAS ACADEMY TEST 8 – GEOGRAPHY - II - ANSWER KEY

1. Ans (c) Explanation: http://www.iasparliament.com/article/prelim-bits-18-07-2017?q=national%20park

2. Ans (d) Explanation: Sl. No. Integrated check post State Border 1. Petrapole West Bengal India-B’desh 2. Moreh Manipur India-Myanmar 3. Raxaul Bihar India-Nepal 4. Attari (Wagah) Punjab India-Pakistan 5. Dawki Meghalaya India-B’desh 6. Akhaura Tripura India-B’desh 7. Jogbani Bihar India-Nepal 8. Hili West Bengal India-B’desh 9. Chandrabangha West Bengal India-B’desh 10. Sutarkhandi Assam India-B’desh 11. Kawarpuchiah Mizoram India-B’desh 12. Sunauli Uttar Pradesh India-Nepal 13. Rupaidiha Uttar Pradesh India-Nepal

3. Ans (b) Explanation:  Devprayag: where river Alaknanda meet river Bhagirathi  Rudraprayag: where river Alaknanda meet river Mandakini  Karnaprayag: where river Alaknanda meet river Pinder  Nandprayag: where river Alaknanda meet river Nandakini  Vishnuprayag: where river Alaknanda meet river Dhauli Ganga

4. Ans (c) Explanation:  The Haryana government launched Asia's First 'Gyps Vulture Reintroduction Programme' at Jatayu Conservation Breeding Centre, Pinjore. SHANKAR IAS ACADEMY  The Centre has become prominent vulture breeding and conservation centre in the country-after successfully breeding Himalayan Griffon Vultures-an old world vulture in the family of Accipitridae-in captivity.  The government had released two Himalayan Griffon Vultures  The Himalayan Griffon is closely related to the critically endangered resident Gyps species of vultures but is not endangered.  Two Himalayan Griffons have been in captivity for over a decade and have been in the aviary with resident Gyps vultures. These birds were wing-tagged and were leg-ringed for identification. Almost 95 per cent vultures have disappeared and the reason is diclofenac, a pain killer drug given to cattle which can kill them.

5. Ans (b) Explanation:  The Surajkund Mela is unique as it showcases the richness and diversity of the handicrafts, handlooms and cultural fabric of India and is the largest crafts fair in the world.  The Mela is organized by the Surajkund Mela Authority & Haryana Tourism in collaboration with Union Ministries of Tourism, Textiles, Culture and External Affairs.

6. Ans (c) Explanation: The coefficient of variation of rainfall is highest in Rajasthan. When India is bifurcated along 77 degrees East longitude most of the high and medium region is located in the eastern India.

7. Ans (a) Explanation: It is a block mountain.

SHANKAR IAS ACADEMY 8. Ans (d) Explanation:  Blackbuck National Park at Velavadar is situated in the Bhavnagar District of Gujarat state, India.  Kutch Desert Wildlife Sanctuary is situated in the Great Rann of Kutch, Kutch district, Gujarat, India.  Indian Wild Ass Sanctuary also known as the Wild Ass Wildlife Sanctuary is located in the Little Rann of Kutch in the Gujarat state of India.  Jessore Sloth Bear Sanctuary is situated in the Banaskantha district formerly under Palanpur State in the Indian state of Gujarat.

9. Ans (b) Explanation: The total length of coastline along each of the coastal State/UT in the country is as follows:  Gujarat 1214.7  Andhra Pradesh 973.7  Tamil Nadu 906.9  Maharashtra 652.6  Goa, Daman and Diu 160.5  Karnataka 280.0  Kerala 569.7  Pudducherry 30.6  Odisha 476.4  West Bengal 157.5  Lakshadweep Islands 132.0  Andaman & Nicobar Islands 1962.0  Total Coastline 7516.6

10. Ans (b) Explanation: Basmati

STATE 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010

Punjab 3498.88 2292.75 2282.15 2832.12 2831.26

Haryana 3701.88 2898.98 2261.26 2676.77 2751.63

Uttar Pradesh 1260.69 1270.09 1428.48 2066.23 1442.77

Uttarakhand 66.41 54.16 53.9 80.13 97.06

Jammu & Kashmir 240.77 92.66 96.13 94.9 79.7

Himachal Pradesh 2.15 3.4 5.7 42.8 10.32

Delhi 3 4.09 6 6 4.93

Total 8773.78 6616.13 6133.62 7798.95 7217.67 Automobile  The majority of India's car manufacturing industry is evenly divided into three "clusters".  Near Mumbai, Maharashtra, along the Chakan corridor near Pune, is the western cluster  Chennai and surrounding areas are included in to the Southern Cluster  The northern cluster is around the National Capital Region, Gurgaon and Manesar, in Haryana, where the country's largest car manufacturer, Maruti Suzuki, is based.  An emerging cluster is the state of Gujarat, with a manufacturing facility of General Motors in Halol, and a facility for Tata Nano at their plant in Sanand. Ford, Maruti Suzuki, and Peugeot-Citroen plants are also planned for Gujarat SHANKAR IAS ACADEMY

11. Ans (b) Explanation: Thal ghat is located between Mumbai and Nasik. Bhor ghat is located between Mumbai and Pune.

12. Ans (c) Explanation: Banihal pass is located between Udampur and Srinagar.

13. Ans (b)

14. Ans (b) Explanation: China is an observer member in the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium.

15. Ans (c) Explanation: FASTag is an electronic toll collection system in India, operated by the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI)

16. Ans (c) Explanation: An endorheic lake is one from where there is no outflow to other bodies of water

17. Ans (a) Explanation: Micronesia is a subregion of Oceania, comprising thousands of small islands in the western Pacific Ocean. It has a shared cultural history with two other island regions, Polynesia to the east and Melanesia to the south.

18. Ans (b) Explanation:  The source of the Sutlej is west of Lake Rakshastal in Tibet.  Brahmaputra which originates from Tibet near Mansarover is also called Tsangpo in China which then enter into India from Arunachal Pradesh where it is called dihang and then Brahmaputra.  The Indus River flows through China (western Tibet), India (Jammu and Kashmir) and Pakistan. Originating in the Tibetan Plateau in the vicinity of Lake Mansarovar, the river runs a course through the Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir, towards Gilgit and Baltistan and then flows in a southerly direction along the entire length of Pakistan to merge into the Arabian Sea near the port city of Karachi in Sindh.  The Beas River rises on the southern face of Rohtang Pass in Kullu in the Himalayas in central Himachal Pradesh, India, and flows for some 470 kilometres (290 mi) to the Sutlej River in the Indian state of Punjab.

19. Ans (c) 20. Ans (d) Explanation: Laccadive Islands or Cannanore Islands are one of the three island subgroups in the Union Territory of Lakshadweep, India. It is the central subgroup of the Lakshadweep, separated from the Amindivi SHANKAR IAS ACADEMY Islands subgroup roughly by the 11th parallel north and from the atoll of Minicoy (Maliku) —far to the south— by the 9 Degree or Mamala Channel.

21. Ans (d) 22. Ans (b) Explanation: The Western coast of the Indian subcontinent is broken whereas the eastern coast is smooth. The indented and submergent western coast is conducive for natural harbours.

23. Ans (c) Explanation: Cities which are are located on the tropic of cancer experience overhead sun twice in two years.  Ranchi, capital of Jharkhand — 23.36°N 85.33°E  Bhopal, capital of Madhya Pradesh — 23.25°N, 77.416667°E  Gandhinagar, capital of Gujarat — 23.22°N 72.650°E

24. Ans (b) Explanation: Alluvial soil [43%], Red soil [18.5%], Black / Regur soil [15%] SHANKAR IAS ACADEMY

25. Ans (b) Explanation: Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Rann of Kutch are the other regions which also fall under Zone 5.

26. Ans (b) Explanation: • Sailesh Nayak Committee – Coastal Regulation • H Devaraj Committee – Review of Higher Education institutions • Deepak Mohanty Committee – Medium term path on Financial Inclusion

27. Ans (d)

28. Ans (c) Explanation: Nohkalikai Falls is India's tallest plunge waterfall, located in Meghalaya state, India. Jog falls is second tallest plunge waterfall in India.

29. Ans (a)

30. Ans (c) Explanation:  Rashtriya Kisan Agri Mandi (e-RaKAM), an e-platform for farmers to sell agricultural produce.  The e-RaKAM portal will leverage technology to connect farmers from the smallest villages to the biggest markets. This will also neutralise the role of middlemen in the farm trade.  E-RaKAM also aims to bring together farmers, farmer producer organisations (FPOs), PSUs, and buyers on a single platform to ease the selling and buying process of agricultural products.  The platform has been developed by the MSTC, a public sector unit under the steel ministry, and will receive assistance from the food ministry’s Central Rail side Warehouse Company for marketing and logistics

31. Ans (c) Explanation:  It derives its name from its usage as the principal ingredient in the preparation of the offerings to Govindajiu, the family deity of the Setts of Kolkata.  Gobindobhog was traditionally cultivated in the districts of Bardhaman, Hooghly, Nadia and Birbhum. Later, it began to be cultivated in Bankura and Purulia

32. Ans (d) SHANKAR IAS ACADEMY Explanation: Badlands are a type of dry terrain where softer sedimentary rocks and clay-rich soils have been extensively eroded by wind and water. Badlands are highly uneconomical for agriculture as most of the soil is eroded making it unfit for cultivation.

33. Ans (b) Explanation: The strikingly blue colour of the hills is attributed to the clustered bloom of the mass-flowering species ‘Strobilanthes kunthiana', called ‘Neela kurinji' in Tamil on the hill-slopes. The funnel-shaped blossoms appear only once in 12 years and are light blue in the young plants and purplish blue in the older ones.

34. Ans (b) Explanation: The retreating southwest monsoon season is marked by clear skies and rise in temperature. The land is still moist. Owing to the conditions of high temperature and humidity, the weather becomes rather oppressive. This is commonly known as the ‘October heat’. In the second half of October, the mercury begins to fall rapidly, particularly in northern India. The weather in the retreating monsoon is dry in north India but it is associated with rain in the eastern part of the Peninsula. Here, October and November are the rainiest months of the year.

35. Ans (b) Explanation: It is a local wind of Bengal.

36. Ans (c) Explanation:  The Kaveri rises in Brahmagiri hills of Kogadu district in Karnataka. Since the upper catchment area receives rainfall during the southwest monsoon season (summer) and the lower part during the northeast monsoon season (winter), the river carries water throughout the year with comparatively less fluctuation than the other Peninsular Rivers.  Luni is the largest river system of Rajasthan, west of Aravali. It originates near Pushkar in two branches, i.e. the Saraswati and the Sabarmati, which join with each other at Govindgarh. From here, the river comes out of Aravali and is known as Luni. It flows towards the west till Telwara and then takes a southwest direction to join the Rann of Kuchchh. The entire river system is ephemeral.

37. Ans (c) Explanation: Only the east coast experience winter rainfall.

38. Ans (a) Explanation: River regime denotes the variability of discharge. River regimes are quite variable for most rivers in India as substantial amount of rain is received during the monsoon region.

39. Ans (b) Explanation: As states in North-eastern India receive sunlight before the mainland they will have a time zone which is ahead of India. As the hypothetical time difference is one hour and the normal time for travel is 11 hours one more hour is to be accounted to the total. A twelve hour time difference from 6 a.m results in 6 p.m.

40. Ans (b) Explanation: There are no rivers which originate from Javvadu hills.

41. Ans (d) Explanation: Rivers Godavari and Mahanadi have dendritic drainage pattern while Brahmaputra has antecedent drainage pattern.

42. Ans (d) Explanation: Mumbai and Hyderabad are located in different latitude and there is no relation between the latitude and the date of onset. SHANKAR IAS ACADEMY

43. Ans (d)

44. Ans (b) Explanation:  Cabinet approved New Central Sector Scheme – SAMPADA (Scheme For Agro-Marine Processing And Development Of Agro-Processing Clusters).  SAMPADA is an umbrella scheme incorporating ongoing schemes of the Ministry like Mega Food Parks, Integrated Cold Chain and Value Addition Infrastructure, Food Safety and Quality Assurance Infrastructure, etc. and also new schemes like Infrastructure for Agro-processing Clusters, Creation of Backward and Forward Linkages, Creation / Expansion of Food Processing & Preservation Capacities.  The objective of PMKSY is to supplement agriculture, modernize processing and decrease Agri-Waste.  Impact:  The implementation of PMKSY will result in creation of modern infrastructure with efficient supply chain management from farm gate to retail outlet.  It will provide a big boost to the growth of food processing sector in the country.  It will help in providing better prices to farmers and is a big step towards doubling of farmers’ income.  It will create huge employment opportunities especially in the rural areas.  It will also help in reducing wastage of agricultural produce, increasing the processing level, availability of safe and convenient processed foods at affordable price to consumers and enhancing the export of the processed foods.

45. Ans (b) Explanation:  Preliminary results from the first-ever synchronized all-India Elephant Population Estimation pegs India’s Asian elephant population at 27,312. The estimate, derived from the sighting-based direct count method alone, will be confirmed with estimates from the indirect dung-count methood in three months.  According to the report, released by the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change on August 12, Karnataka has the highest number of elephants (6,049), followed by Assam (5,719) and Kerala (3,054).  The numbers are lower than from the last census estimate in 2012 (between 29,391 and 30,711). SHANKAR IAS ACADEMY http://www.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/files/file/Synchronized%20Elephant%20Population%20Estim ation%20India%202017.pdf

46. Ans (d) Explanation:  For the first time since 1990, the Assam government issued orders declaring the State a “disturbed area”, imposing the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) for six months.  Such orders were earlier issued by the Union Home Ministry, which recently gave up its power and asked the State government to decide on continuing the enforcement of the AFSPA in the State.  The AFSPA gives powers to the Army and Central forces deployed in “disturbed areas” to kill anyone acting in contravention of the law, arrest and search any premises without a warrant, and provide cover to the Armed Forces from prosecution and legal suits without the Centre’s sanction.  On July 8, 2016, in a landmark ruling, The Supreme Court of India ended the immunity of the armed forces from prosecution under AFSPA, Please refer the link  http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/assam-manipur-can-now-decide-on- afspa/article19498849.ece  http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/SC-ends-impunity-for-armed-forces/article14478391.ece

47. Ans (a) Explanation: Telangana does not have a coastline and hence lacks Swamp forest.

48. Ans (c) Explanation: Rubber and tapioca will grow only in well drained soil.

49. Ans (d) Explanation: Red Panda is also known as red cat bear, found mostly in the sub Himalayan states of North East. In India, Red Pandas are only found in the states of Sikkim, northern West Bengal (Darjeeling and Kalimpong), Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh. Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park also known as Darjeeling zoo has successful captive breeding programs of Red Pandas in India and also Himalayan salamander and Indian wolf.

50. Ans (a) Explanation: Regions which are proximal to the equator have less variation in insolation compared to regions beyond the tropics from the sun throughout the year. This is the primary reason for low annual range of temperature.

51. Ans (d) Explanation:  The Malabar Coast receives the maximum amount of rainfall of the given regions as south west monsoon is bountiful. The Mewar plateau receives the lowest rainfall as it is north western Madhya Pradesh where impact of south west monsoon is low and north east monsoon does not give rainfall.  Bastar region has higher annual rainfall than coramendal coast as it receives rain from both the monsoons whereas the latter receives rain only from north east monsoon.

52. Ans (d) Explanation:  Tripura is not a coastal state.  Mizoram is the only state shares border both Myanmar and Bangladesh.

53. Ans (c) Explanation:  Land locked nature of necessitates that air masses continue to stay over a large area and there is no turbulence from diurnal breezes which could dissipate smog.  Continentality of Delhi results in extremely low temperature in winter which contributes to temperature inversion facilitating formation of fog.

54. Ans (a) SHANKAR IAS ACADEMY Explanation: NCRB is headquartered in New Delhi and is part of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Government of India. Please refer the link http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=170140

55. Ans (d) Explanation:  The most significant issues covered under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) were setting limits, navigation, archipelagic status and transit regimes, exclusive economic zones (EEZs), continental shelf jurisdiction, deep seabed mining, the exploitation regime, protection of the marine environment, scientific research, and settlement of disputes.  ISA is an organization established by the Law of the Sea Convention.  Maritime boundaries between states are generally decided by bilateral negotiation (sometimes with the aid of judicial bodies), not by ISA.  The Authority obtained its observer status to the United Nations in October 1996

56. Ans (c) Explanation: The Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) functions in the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC). As per Rules, 1989, it is responsible for appraisal of activities involving large scale use of hazardous microorganisms and recombinants in research and industrial production from the environmental angle. The committee is also responsible for appraisal of proposals relating to release of genetically engineered (GE) organisms and products into the environment including experimental field trials.

57. Ans (a) Explanation: NH 7 connects Kanyakumari to Varanasi and traverses through the central region of the peninsula which is devoid of high rainfall and high mountainous regions. Hence the vegetation which is snakes through are deciduous and thorn forests.

58. Ans (a) Explanation:  Central Asia is landlocked and during winters the homogeneity of the landscape gives rise to the formation of cold air masses. The presence of Himalayas prevents the southward movement of cold winds from Central Asia.  The monsoons winds are prevented from moving past South Asia and precipitates at the foothills of the Himalayan region.

59. Ans (a) Explanation: Coral islands are found in Lakshadweep and Andaman and Nicobar islands of India.

60. Ans (a) Explanation: Shelter Belts are lines of trees which are planted to prevent cultivated crops from harsh weather conditions especially wind. Artificial headlands are structures which are used to control coastal erosion.

61. Ans (c) Explanation:  Hypothermia is reduced body temperature that happens when a body dissipates more heat than it absorbs. Hypothermia has two main types of causes. It classically occurs from exposure to extreme cold. It may also occur from any condition that decreases heat production or increases heat loss.  Mountaineers who scale high altitudes are at a risk of contracting hypothermia.

62. Ans (d) Explanation:  The commerce ministry forms a task force under IIT Madras’s V. Kamakoti to explore possibilities to leverage artificial intelligence for ‘India’s economic transformation’  The FRBM Review Committee headed by former Revenue Secretary, NK Singh was appointed by the government to review the implementation of FRBM. SHANKAR IAS ACADEMY  Bellur Narayanaswamy Srikrishna (born 21 May 1941) is an Indian jurist and a retired judge of the Supreme Court of India. From 1993–98, he headed the "Srikrishna Commission" that investigated causes and apportioned blame for the Bombay Riots of 1992–93. He is currently the chairman of the Financial Sector Legislative Reforms Commission (FSLRC)  Also He was the head of Sixth pay commission and Head of committee on separate telangana.  He will head a Committee of experts which has been formed in august 2017 to deliberate on a data protection framework for the country.

63. Ans (a) Explanation: S. Aparna, an IAS officer from Gujarat cadre has been appointed as Executive Director, World Bank to represent the constituency of India, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Sri Lanka for three years.

64. Ans (c) Explanation:  Under the Indus Waters Treaty, India is permitted to construct hydroelectric power facilities on tributaries of the Jhelum and Chenab rivers with certain restrictions, the World Bank has said.  Pakistan opposes the construction of the Kishanganga (330 megawatts) and Ratle (850 megawatts) hydroelectric power plants being built by India in Jammu and Kashmir  The IWT was signed in 1960 after nine years of negotiations between India and Pakistan with the help of the World Bank, which is also a signatory.  The World Bank said the IWT designates these two rivers as well as the Indus as the “Western Rivers” to which Pakistan has unrestricted use.  “Among other uses, India is permitted to construct hydroelectric power facilities on these rivers subject to constraints specified in Annexure to the treaty,” the Bank said in its fact sheet

65. Ans (c) Explanation: The conservation status of the Indian Wild Ass is Near Threatened. It is one among the Asiatic wild ass species.

66. Ans (b) Explanation: Ghaggar is the only inland drainage which is lost in the dry lands of Rajasthan. Narmada has its estuary in the state of Gujarat in Western India while Ghaghara is a tributary of the mighty Ganges.

67. Ans (b) Explanation: Kolkata is located on the banks of Hugli River not on its mouth.

68. Ans (d) Explanation: Delhi experiences highest annual range of temperature compared to others due to continentality aided by elevation of Delhi.

69. Ans (a) Explanation:  The UN World Health Organisation (WHO) said it had not recorded any case of polio disease in Somalia in the last three years, declaring the country polio free.  Afghanistan, Nigeria and Pakistan are the remaining countries where polio is still being recorded. The WHO chief warned Somalia remains at risk of importation of the virus from these countries.  http://www.newindianexpress.com/world/2017/aug/14/un-declares-somalia-free-of-polio- 1643028.html

70. Ans (b) Explanation: The is a small tectonic plate (a microplate) located off the coasts west of Ecuador and Colombia and south of Panama. It is the 57th plate to be identified. It is named after , the only emerged part of the plate. It is bounded on the west by the , on the south by the , on the east by the North Andes Plate, and on the north by the . This microplate was previously assumed to be part of the Nazca Plate. SHANKAR IAS ACADEMY

71. Ans (b) Explanation:  Nokrek in Meghalya receives higher rainfall compared to Wayanad in Kerala on account of its location. The Bay of Bengal branch of the south west monsoon gives highest rainfall to the Garo Khasi hills of Meghlaya. Wayanad is not located on the coast line but deeper inside Western Ghats.  Ranthambore located in Rajasthan has lower rainfall when compared to Kanha in Madhya Pradesh.

72. Ans (a) Explanation: The city of Mumbai is located on the windward side whereas Pune is located on the leeward side with respect to rainfall from the south west monsoon.

73. Ans (b)

74. Ans (c) Explanation:  The Union Cabinet has given its approval to the proposal to complete the balance works of the North Koel Reservoir Project in Jharkhand and Bihar. The project is situated on North Koel River which is a tributary of Sone River finally joining the river Ganga. The North Koel Reservoir is located in the most backward tribal areas in Palamau and Garhwa districts of Jharkhand State  Districts like Palamu and Garhwa in Jharkhand and Gaya and Aurangabad in Bihar will benefit from the project. The North Koel, along with its tributaries, meanders through the northern part of Betla National Park.  The Palamau Tiger Reserve is one of the nine original tiger reserves in India and the only one in the state of Jharkhand, India. It forms part of Betla National Park and Palamau Wildlife Sanctuary.The Palamau Tiger Reserve forms part of Betla National Park and Palamau Wildlife Sanctuary.

75. Ans (d) Explanation:  A six-member all-woman team of the Indian Navy is all set for a world tour.  The team will be circumnavigating the globe on the sailing vessel INSV Tarini.  An all woman crew will be managing the whole operation in this first ever global journey.  The name of the global journey is 'Navika Sagar Parikrama'.  Promoting women empowerment in the country, the team will be sailing over many oceans.  The entire distance will be covered in five legs and it will have stop overs at four ports for replenishment of ration and repairs as necessary. the ports are as follows: Fremantle (Australia), Lyttelton (New Zealand), Port Stanley (Falklands) and Cape Town (South Africa)

76. Ans (d) Explanation: NITI Aayog will launch the Mentor India Campaign, a strategic nation building initiative to engage leaders who can guide and mentor students at more than 900 Atal Tinkering Labs, established across SHANKAR IAS ACADEMY the country as a part of the Atal Innovation Mission. Atal Tinkering Labs have been established across the country as a part of the Atal Innovation Mission.

77. Ans (b) Explanation:  The Government of India, the Governments of Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh, the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education and the World Bank today signed a US$ 24.64 million grant from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) to improve forest quality, sustainable land management and benefits from Non-Timber Forest Produce for forest dependent communities in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.  The Ecosystem Services Improvement Project will support the Government of India’s Green India Mission’s (GIM) goal of protecting, restoring and enhancing India’s forest cover and responding to climate change.  The GEF Program is one of the largest and longest standing trust-funded programs in the World Bank Group. Since 1991, when the World Bank helped to establish the GEF, it has integrated global environmental benefits across the Bank programs through more than 790 investment projects and programs in 120 countries.

78. Ans (a) Explanation: Bhabar is composed of rocky boulders and not forests.

79. Ans (a) Explanation: The Research and Analysis Wing recruits most of its personnel indirectly through deputation from other services.

80. Ans (a)

81. Ans (b) Explanation: Thiruvananthapuram as it is located close to the equator when compared with Mumbai hence there is less variation in insolation received from the sun between seasons. This contributes to less variation in annual temperature when compared to Mumbai.

82. Ans (a) Explanation:  The NITI Aayog has proposed the introduction of a judicial performance index to reduce delays and the outsourcing of non-core functions of the police to private agencies or other government departments, in a bid to fix justice system that is in ‘dire need of reform.’  The creation of a judicial performance index that could help High Courts and their chief justices keep track of the performance and processes at district courts and subordinate levels for reducing delay, should be ‘the first step’ in judicial system reforms, the Aayog has said in its draft three-year action plan discussed with Chief Ministers

83. Ans (b) Explanation: DIPAM - Under the Ministry of Finance Vision 1. Promote people’s ownership of Central Public Sector Enterprises to share in their prosperity through disinvestment. 2. Efficient management of public investment in CPSEs for accelerating economic development and augmenting Government’s resources for higher expenditure Mission 1. List CPSEs on stock exchanges to promote people’s ownership through public participation and improving efficiencies of CPSEs through accountability to its shareholders. 2. To bring in operational efficiencies in CPSEs through strategic investment, ensuring their greater contribution to economy. 3. Adopt a professional approach for financial management of CPSEs in the national interest and investment aimed at expanding public participation in ownership of CPSEs.

84. Ans (a) SHANKAR IAS ACADEMY Explanation: The introduction of eGovernance on a massive scale in India is part of the Common Minimum Programme (CMP) of the UPA-II (2009-2014) government of India. The CSC project, which forms a strategic component of the National eGovernance Plan, was approved in September 2006. It, is also one of the approved projects under the Integrated Mission Mode Projects of the National eGovernance Plan. Objectives  Access to information : all remote/ rural citizens  Delivery of public services – G2C & B2C  ICT for rural Empowerment of socially disadvantaged people for inclusive growth  Access to quality education / skill upgradation  Access to cost efficient & quality health services CSC as a change agent - To promote rural entrepreneurship, enable community participation and effect collective action for social improvement Through collaborative framework, the objective of CSC is to integrate the twin goals of profit making and social services, into a sustainable business model for achieving rapid socio-economic change in rural India.

85. Ans (d) Explanation:  The logistics Data Bank Service would bring efficiency in the current Logistics & Supply Chain through use of information technology that would be helpful for tracking and viewing the movement of containers across the port to the ICD and end users.  Every container is attached to a Radio Frequency Identification Tag (RFID) tag and then tracked through RFID readers — aids importers and exporters in tracking their goods in transit.  On July 1, 2016, the LDB project was launched at the Jawaharlal Nehru Port, Mumbai. From May this year, its operations expanded to the container terminals at Adani Port Special Economic Zone, Mundra and Adani Hazira Port — both in Gujarat.  The LDB is being implemented through a Special Purpose Vehicle called Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor Development Corporation Logistics Data Services Ltd. (DLDSL) — that is jointly (50:50) owned by the Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC) Trust and Japanese IT services major NEC Corporation.

86. Ans (c) Explanation:  Creation of New AIIMS - Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY)  The Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY) was announced in 2003 with objectives of correcting regional imbalances in the availability of affordable/ reliable tertiary healthcare services and also to augment facilities for quality medical education in the country.  PMSSY has two components: (i) Setting up new AIIMS. • Six AIIMS are already functional. • AIIMS Rae Bareli is under construction. • Thirteen more AIIMS are announced. Out of which, Five AIIMS are approved by cabinet. (ii) Upgradation of government medical colleges. • Phase l : 13 GMCs • Phase ll: 06 GMCs • Phase lll : 39 GMCs • Phase lV : 13 GMCs • Phase VA : 2 GMCs

87. Ans (d) Explanation:  Parliament passes bill to allow RTE teachers time till 2019 to acquire qualifications  Eleven lakhs teachers appointed till March 2015 under the Right to Education (RTE) Act will now get time till 2019 to acquire the prescribed minimum qualifications for firming up their appointments SHANKAR IAS ACADEMY  Under the Act, no child can be held back in any class until the completion of elementary school (classes 1-8). The Bill amends this provision to empower the central or state government to allow schools to hold back a child in class 5, class 8, or in both classes.

88. Ans (b) Explanation:  The Supreme Court has imposed ban on use of five harmful heavy metals like lithium, antimony, mercury, arsenic and lead in the manufacturing of firecrackers as they cause air pollution.  The apex court held that it is the responsibility of the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO) to ensure compliance of ban order particularly in Sivakasi in Tamil Nadu where there are large number of firecracker manufacturers.  It also asked CPCB (Central Pollution Control Board) and PESO to make collaborative efforts for setting up of standards with regard to air pollution caused by the bursting of fire-crackers.  PESO is the apex department to control and administer manufacture, storage, transport and handling of explosives, petroleum, compressed gases and other hazardous substances in India.  It functions under the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP), Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

89. Ans (d) Explanation:  The Union Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MEITY) has announced National Cyber Coordination Centre (NCCC) which will be scanning the country's web traffic to detect cyber security threats.  The first phase of the NCCC is now operational and will be of great use in terms of cyber security using metadata and various permutations to get a situational awareness and fend off such threats in a timely manner.  NCCC is a multi-stakeholder cyber-security and and e-surveillance agency  It comes under the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In), Union Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology  It has powers under the Indian constitution with provision of section 69B of the Information Technology Act, 2000  It will be India's first layer for cyber threat monitoring and all communication with the government as well as the private service providers will be monitored round the clock  Its mandate is to scan internet traffic and communication metadata (which are little snippets of information hidden inside each communication) coming into the country to detect real-time cyber threats  The system will then alert various organisations as well as internet service providers (ISPs) for timely action against the threats  NCCC also will coordinate across multiple intelligence agencies  It will virtually be in touch with the control room of all ISPs, flowing at the point of entry and exit, including international gateways  Apart from monitoring the Internet, the NCCC will also look into various threats posed by cyber attacks  It will have top experts from the cyber security fields and will run like similar organisations in other countries like the United States, UK, Germany, France etc.

90. Ans (c) Explanation:  The bank was proposed by China in 2013 and the initiative was launched at a ceremony in Beijing in October 2014.  According to the Articles of Agreement (AOA) of AIIB, the Bank will “provide or facilitate financing to any member, or any agency, instrumentality or political subdivision thereof, or any entity or enterprise operating in the territory of a member, as well as to international or regional agencies or entities concerned with economic development of the Asia region.”  Furthermore, the AOA permits the Bank to provide financing in a variety of ways, including, inter alia, making loans, investing in the equity capital of an enterprise, and guaranteeing, whether as primary or secondary obligor, in whole or in part, loans for economic development. SHANKAR IAS ACADEMY  In addition, the Bank may underwrite, or participate in the underwriting of, securities issued by any entity or enterprise for purposes consistent with its purpose.

91. Ans (b) Explanation: There are nine states with observer status: China, Germany, Italy, Japan, Madagascar, Malaysia, Netherlands, Russia and Spain

92. Ans (d) Explanation:  Cyclones are formed in the Arabian Sea and are pushed by the Trade Winds towards the African continent.  The Sea sees reversal of ocean currents once in six months with reversal of monsoon winds and not three months.  Manatees habituate the Atlantic Ocean and not the Indian Ocean.

93. Ans (c) Explanation: River Sabarmati originates in the Aravalli ranges flows through Rajasthan and Gujarat and drains into the Arabian Sea.

94. Ans (a) Explanation: The months of June and July bring maximum rainfall to the Loktak lake which is located in Manipur. The South West monsoon sweeps the subcontinent during the months of June, July and August.

95. Ans (b)

96. Ans (c)

97. Ans (d) Explanation: The Godavari is India's second longest river after the Ganga. Its source is in Triambakeshwar, Maharashtra.It flows east draining the states of Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Karnataka and Puducherry (Yanam) and emptying into Bay of Bengal through its extensive network of tributaries. It forms one of the largest river basins in the Indian subcontinent, with only the Ganges and Indus rivers having a larger drainage basin.

98. Ans (c) Explanation: The Ganges also known as Ganga is a trans-boundary river of Asia which flows through the nations of India and Bangladesh. The river rises in the eastern Himalayas in the Indian state of Uttarakhand, and flows south and east through the Gangetic Plain of North India, after entering West Bengal, it is divided into two rivers, one is Hugly river or Adi Ganga, flowing through several districts of West Bengal and finally submerged with Bay of Bengal near Ganga Sagar. The second part is named as Padma flows into Bangladesh, where it empties into the Bay of Bengal.

99. Ans (b) Explanation: The Narmada, also called the Rewa, is a river in central India and the fifth longest river in the Indian subcontinent. It is the third longest river that flows entirely within India, after the Godavari, and the Krishna. Narmada rises from Amarkantak Plateau near Anuppur district. It forms the traditional boundary between North India and South India and flows westwards draining through the Gulf of Khambhat into the Arabian Sea.

100. Ans (a) Explanation:  The Sutlej River is the longest of the five rivers that flow through the historic crossroads region of Punjab in northern India and Pakistan. The Sutlej River is also known as Satadree. It is the easternmost tributary of the Indus River.  The waters of the Sutlej are allocated to India under the Indus Waters Treaty between India and Pakistan, and are mostly diverted to irrigation canals in India. There are several major hydroelectric projects on the Sutlej, including the Bhakra Dam, Karcham Wangtoo Hydroelectric Plant, and the Nathpa Jhakri Dam.