IAS Prelims GS Questions and Answers - July 16, 2016

ANSWER: Kerala

Explanation:

• Kerala has taken up the Open Defecation Free (ODF) challenge and is aiming to become India’s second ODF State (after Sikkim) by November 1, 2016.
• Kerala has adopted the slogan “My Waste is My Responsibility” as an important means to create public awareness.
• Kerala has the one of the highest level of rural consumption, which means that it is one of the largest generators of rural waste.

ANSWER: 1, 3

Explanation:
Village Swachhta Index (VSI) which will be the national metric to measure cleanliness of Indian villages in objective terms. Clean village is broadly defined as a village which:

• is Open Defecation Free.
• has effective Solid and Liquid Waste Management.
• has Visual Cleanliness.

ANSWER: 2016-2020

Explanation:

• Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (2016 – 2020) is a modified and an improved version of “PMKVY 2015 – 2016”.
• The objective of this Scheme is to encourage and promote Skill Development for the youth throughout the country by aligning itself with the “Common Norms” guidelines. The scheme also needs to be aligned to complement all other Missions of the Government like Make in India, Digital India, Swachh Bharat, and Smart Cities. Specifically, the Scheme aims to:
• Enable and mobilize a large number youth to take up industry designed quality skill training, become employable and earn their livelihood.
• Increase productivity of the existing workforce, and align skill training with the actual needs of the country.
• Encourage standardization of the Certification process and put in place the foundation for creating a registry of skills.
• Benefit 10 million youth over the period of 4 years (2016 – 2020).

ANSWER: 1, 2

Explanation:
The following will be mandatory and will be ensured by all Training Partners participating in PMKVY 2.0 at their Training Centres where the Training will be executed -

• Biometric Devices for capturing student and trainers’ attendance (Aadhaar enabled) shall be mandatory at the PMKVY Centres.
• Mandatory Aadhar number for Students, Assessors and Trainers.

ANSWER: indiaskillsonline.com

Explanation:

• Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship launched an online platform for imparting skills with an aim to reach millions of skill seekers in the country.
• The web portal (indiaskillsonline.com) is a part of the government’s Skill India campaign that aims to provide vocational training to 1 crore workers in the next four years.
• It will provide free online courses to aspirants registered for skill training schemes that can also be downloaded as mobile applications.
• Apart from domain specific, qualification pack courses, the website will also offer courses on soft skills, languages, digital literacy, orientation to regional cultures as well as modules on entrepreneurship, many of which are hurdles faced by skilled workers when they try to get jobs.

ANSWER: International Forum

Explanation:

• The Asia–Europe Meeting (ASEM) is an exclusively Asian–European forum to enhance relations and various forms of cooperation between the then 15 members of the European Union (EU) and its Commission, the then 7 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and the individual countries of China, Japan, and South Korea.
• It was officially established on 1 March 1996 at the first summit in Bangkok, Thailand.
• The main components of the ASEM process rest on the following 3 pillars:

1. Political Pillar
2. Economical Pillar
3. Social, Cultural & Educational Pillar

ANSWER: None of the above

Explanation:

• ASEM currently has 53 partners: 51 countries and 2 regional organisations.
• The European Union and the ASEAN Secretariat are the regional organisations involved.
• The Asia–Europe Meeting (ASEM) is an exclusively Asian–European forum to enhance relations and various forms of cooperation.
• A series of enlargements saw additional EU members join as well as India, Mongolia, Pakistan, and the ASEAN Secretariat in 2008, Australia, New Zealand and the Russian Federation in 2010, Bangladesh, Norway, and Switzerland in 2012,[3] Croatia and Kazakhstan in 2014.
• 11th ASEM Summit is being held in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. Ulaanbaatar is capital of Mongolia.