IAS Prelims GS Questions and Answers - Nov 29 & 30, 2016

ANSWER: 1, 3

Explanation:
The National Programme for Bovine Breeding and Dairy Development (NPBBDD) has been formulated by merging four on-going schemes of the Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries in the dairy sector.

These are the National Project for Cattle and Buffalo Breeding (NPCBB), Intensive Dairy Development Programme (IDDP), Strengthening Infrastructure for Quality and Clean Milk Production (SIQ and CMP) and assistance to cooperatives.

This has been done to integrate milk production and dairying activities in a scientific and holistic manner for attaining higher levels of milk production and productivity, to meet the increasing demand for milk in the country.

ANSWER: All of the above

Explanation:
National Programme for Bovine Breeding and Dairy Development (NPBBDD) has the following three components -

• National Programme for Bovine Breeding (NPBB) - To arrange quality Artificial Insemination services at farmers' doorstep
• National Programme for Dairy Development (NPDD) - To create and strengthen infrastructure for production of quality milk including cold chain infrastructure linking the farmer to the consumer
• Rashtriya Gokul Mission - To undertake breed improvement programme for indigenous cattle breeds so as to improve the genetic makeup and increase the stock.

ANSWER: Only 1

Explanation:

• NPBBDD will be implemented throughout the country.
• NPBBDD will finance all components in those States where National Dairy Plan, Phase I is not being implemented.
• In the case of States covered by National Dairy Plan Phase-I (NDP-I), NPBBDD will cover those components that are not covered by NDP.
• The target beneficiaries are rural cattle and buffalo keepers irrespective of caste, class and gender.

ANSWER: Both 1 and 2

Explanation:
Under the Gokul Mission attempts will made to constitute Breeders Associations (Gopalan Sanghs) on self-sustainable basis.

Association will play role in sale and purchase of animals and collect cess from the purchaser.

Breeders association will collect fee from the members on management of data of that particular indigenous breed.

Under the component funds will be made available for establishment of breeders society (office, computers and other equipment) and revolving funds to meet recurring expenditure during the initial periods.

Under the mission it is proposed that the following Awards will be instituted:

1. “Gopal Ratna’ Awards: to Farmers maintaining the best herd of Indigenous Breed(s) and practicing best management practices.
2. “Kamadhenu” Awards: Best managed Indigenous Herd by Institutions/Trusts/ NGOs/ Gaushalas Breeders’ Societies

ANSWER: Only 2

Explanation:
NITI Aayog has constituted a Committee of Chief Ministers representing different political parties to examine and promote the use of digital payment systems across the country.

The move is in line with the Government’s thinking to promote transparency, financial inclusion and a healthy financial ecosystem nationwide and to give a boost to the adoption of digital payments systems by people at the grass root levels and small businesses.

The Committee will also include Vice Chairman, NITI Aayog; CEO, NITI Aayog; and experts.

ANSWER: 1, 2

Explanation:
Scientists have created the first 'water-wave laser' that emits a beam through the interaction of light and water waves, and may be used in 'lab-on-a-chip' devices to study cell biology and test new drug therapies.

The laser could someday be used in tiny sensors that combine light waves, sound and water waves. For now, the water-wave laser offers a "playground" for scientists studying the interaction of light and fluid at a scale smaller than the width of a human hair.

The study conducted by Technion-Israel Institute of Technology is the first bridge between two areas of research that were previously considered unrelated to one another: nonlinear optics and water waves.

Researchers, led by Professor Tal Carmon, showed for the first time that water wave oscillations within a liquid device can also generate laser radiation.

The possibility of creating a laser through the interaction of light with water waves has not been examined, mainly due to the huge difference between the low frequency of water waves on the surface of a liquid and the high frequency of light wave oscillations.

This frequency difference reduces the efficiency of the energy transfer between light and water waves, which is needed to produce the laser emission. To compensate for this low efficiency, the researchers created a device in which an optical fibre delivers light into a tiny droplet of octane and water.

ANSWER: Neither 1 nor 2

Explanation:
The Gram Nyayalayas Act, 2008 has been enacted to provide for the establishment of the Gram Nyayalayas at the grass roots level for the purpose of providing access to justice to the citizens at their door steps.

Some of its salient features are:

• the Gram Nyayalaya shall be a mobile court and shall exercise the poliwers of both Criminal and Civil Courts
• the Gram Nyayalaya shall try criminal cases, civil suits, claims or disputes which are specified in the First Schedule and the Second Schedule to the Act
• Gram Nyayalayas are aimed at providing inexpensive justice to people in rural areas at their doorsteps
• the Gram Nyayalaya shall be court of Judicial Magistrate of the first class and its presiding officer (Nyayadhikari) shall be appointed by the State Government in consultation with the High Court

ANSWER: Only 1

Explanation:
Some salient features -

• the Gram Nyayalaya shall not be bound by the rules of evidence provided in the Indian Evidence Act, 1872 but shall be guided by the principles of natural justice and subject to any rule made by the High Court
• appeal in criminal cases shall lie to the Court of Session (in civil cases shall lie to the District Court), which shall be heard and disposed of within a period of six months from the date of filing of such appeal
• the Gram Nyayalaya shall be established for every Panchayat at intermediate level or a group of contiguous Panchayats at intermediate level in a district or where there is no Panchayat at intermediate level in any State, for a group of contiguous Panchayats

ANSWER: Solar energy generation

Explanation:
Net metering (or net energy metering, NEM) allows consumers who generate some or all of their own electricity to use that electricity anytime, instead of when it is generated.

Monthly net metering allows consumers to use solar power generated during the day at night, or wind from a windy day later in the month.

Annual net metering rolls over a net kilowatt credit to the following month, allowing solar power that was generated in July to be used in December, or wind power from March in August.

ANSWER: Set of all messenger RNA molecules in one cell

Explanation:
A team of scientists from Centre for Ecological Science at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) and the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Pune, have not only sequenced the entire genome of the Asian Elephant, but have also for the first time mapped the ‘transcriptome’ - that is, a section of genes active in a particular cell - for the blood cells of the species.

The transcriptome is the set of all messenger RNA molecules in one cell or a population of cells.

Unlike the genome, which is roughly fixed for a given cell line (excluding mutations), the transcriptome can vary with external environmental conditions.

Since it includes all mRNA transcripts in the cell, the transcriptome reflects the genes that are being actively expressed at any given time.