IAS Prelims GS Questions and Answers - July 08 & 09, 2016

1)   Constitution of India mentions ‘Cooperative Societies’ in

1) Directive Principles of State Policy
2) 7th Schedule
3) Local Governments (Panchayats and Municipalities)


a. 1, 2
b. 1, 3
c. 2, 3
d. All of the above
Answer  Explanation  Related Ques

ANSWER: 1, 2

Explanation:

  • Cooperatives find explicit mention in two places in our Constitution.
  • First, as part of Article 43 as a Directive Principle which enjoins the State to promote cottage industry through individual or cooperative basis in rural areas and second, in schedule 7 as entries 43 and 44 in the Union list and as entry 32 in the State list.
  • Cooperative Societies have been recognized as Constitutional Entities.


2)   Some of the reasons for weakening of the cooperative movement/cooperatives in India are

1) Over-bearing role and intervention from the Government
2) Politicization of cooperative leadership
3) Lack of professional management of societies


a. 1, 3
b. 1, 2
c. 2, 3
d. All of the above
Answer  Explanation  Related Ques

ANSWER: All of the above

Explanation:
Few reasons of weakness are -

  • There has been an over-bearing role and intervention from the Government, as cooperatives become instruments for delivery of goals set by the Government rather than a people’s movement of self-help.
  • The politicization of cooperative leadership eroded the welfare aspect of the movement. Cooperatives are often seen as a stepping stone for their political objectives.
  • The small size, the poor resource base and the low participation in the Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS), which has been a significant barrier to increasing the efficiency and volume of credit flows through them.
  • The lack of professional management of societies to improve governance.
  • Looking at the variations in the regional intensity of the cooperative movement, it becomes apparent that cooperatives have done well in areas where land reform had met with a greater degree of success. This would indicate that sovereign control of farmers over land, the primary factor of production in agriculture, remains an essential prerequisite for the success of cooperatives. At the same time, there is possible link of the cooperative movement’s success to the prevalent demographic and cultural factors.


3)   Which of the following is/are true regarding cooperatives in India?

1) Cooperatives have not yet been allowed entry into agriculture insurance.
2) Expansion of the telecom infrastructure provides the Cooperatives with means to increase their outreach.


a. Only 1
b. Only 2
c. Both 1 and 2
d. Neither 1 nor 2
Answer  Explanation  Related Ques

ANSWER: Only 2

Explanation:

  • Cooperative farming societies provide a medium for cultivators to enjoy the economies of large-scale farming through pooling of land and management resources.
  • Improved connectivity through telecom infrastructure between members and management of the Cooperatives will play a significant role in reducing the response time and opens up tremendous possibilities for improved access to financial services.
  • Developments like the Unique Identification (UID) project which provides biometric identity and the focus on financial inclusion agenda by the government provide an avenue for cooperative societies to regain their relevance by becoming active partners in these programmes.
  • With the passage of the Insurance Act, Cooperatives have been allowed entry into the insurance, including Agricultural Insurance business. This is a field where Cooperatives have tremendous potential for success, especially if they develop partnerships with other service providers.


4)   Golden Crescent, an area known for illicit opium production includes which of the following nations?

1) Afghanistan
2) Iraq
3) Iran
4) Pakistan


a. 1, 2
b. 1, 4
c. 1, 3, 4
d. All of the above
Answer  Explanation  Related Ques

ANSWER: 1, 3, 4

Explanation:

  • The Golden Crescent is the name given to one of Asia's two principal areas of illicit opium production (with the other being the Golden Triangle), located at the crossroads of Central, South, and Western Asia.
  • This space overlaps three nations, Afghanistan, Iran, and Pakistan, whose mountainous peripheries define the crescent.
  • The Golden Crescent has a much longer history of opium production than does Southeast Asia's Golden Triangle. The Golden Triangle emerged as a modern-day opium-producing entity only in the 1980s, after the Golden Crescent did so in the 1950s.


5)   Which country is the world’s leader in Opium production?

a. Afghanistan
b. Myanmar
c. Laos
d. Thailand
Answer  Explanation  Related Ques

ANSWER: Afghanistan

Explanation:

  • Myanmar is the world's second largest producer of illicit opium, after Afghanistan.
  • Afghanistan now produces over 90% of the world's non-pharmaceutical-grade opium. In addition to opiates, Afghanistan is also the world's largest producer of hashish.


6)   Radhika Menon is in news recently. She is a

a. Sculptor
b. Captain
c. Film Director
d. Social Activist
Answer  Explanation 

ANSWER: Captain

Explanation:

  • Captain Radhika Menon is the first woman captain in the Indian Merchant Navy and will be the first woman to receive the IMO Award for Exceptional Bravery at Sea.
  • The International Maritime Organization (IMO) – is the United Nations specialized agency with responsibility for the safety and security of shipping and the prevention of marine pollution by ships.
  • This annual Award was established by IMO to provide international recognition for those who, at the risk of losing their own life, perform acts of exceptional bravery, displaying outstanding courage in attempting to save life at sea or in attempting to prevent or mitigate damage to the marine environment.


7)   Which of the following is/are true regarding Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK)?

1) KVKs are established in the rural districts of the country.
2) The information related to KVK is not available at one place at the National Level.


a. Only 1
b. Only 2
c. Both 1 and 2
d. Neither 1 nor 2
Answer  Explanation  Related Ques

ANSWER: Both 1 and 2

Explanation:

  • There are 645 Krishi VigyanKendra’s (KVKs) in the country.
  • These centres are established in the Rural Districts of the country. Each KVK has direct interface with at least 1000 farmers.
  • As the information related to KVK is not available at one place at the National Level, the farmers and other stakeholders had difficulty in accessing the information.
  • Also there was no online monitoring system at the National level to review and monitor the functioning of KVKs against the mandates and objectives.
  • Recently Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) portal (http://kvk.icar.gov.in) has been launched.


8)   Which of the following are the features of the Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) portal?

1) Online monitoring of KVKs
2) Weather and Market related information can also be accessed
3) Question and answer facility will be available for the farmers


a. 1, 3
b. 1, 2
c. 2, 3
d. All of the above
Answer  Explanation  Related Ques

ANSWER: All of the above

Explanation:

  • The portal provides provisions for online monitoring of KVKs which will include reporting of major events on regular basis and submission of monthly reports online.
  • The portal will also provide information on different services being provided by different KVKs. Weather and Market related information can also be accessed by the farmers and others.
  • The forthcoming programmes will also be available on the website which will benefit farmers and youth in joining different training programmes being organized by KVKs.
  • Question and answer facility will also be available for the farmers.
  • Agriculture related information of the districts will also be available on the portal. The farmers and the Agricultural Officers may register themselves and seek different informations related to KVKs.