All questions of October 2020 for UPSC CSE Exam

Statement 1: The sky is blue.

This statement is generally true. The sky appears blue during the daytime due to the scattering of sunlight by the Earth's atmosphere.

2. Statement 2: All birds can fly.

This statement is false. While most birds are capable of flight, there are some bird species that have lost the ability to fly, such as penguins and ostriches.

3. Statement 3: Water boils at 100 degrees Celsius.

This statement is true under normal atmospheric pressure. Water boils and turns into steam at 100 degrees Celsius at sea level. However, the boiling point of water can vary depending on altitude and pressure.

4. Statement 4: All mammals lay eggs.

This statement is false. While most mammals give birth to live young, there are a few exceptions such as monotremes (e.g., platypus, echidna) that lay eggs.

5. Statement 5: The Earth is flat.

This statement is false. Scientific evidence overwhelmingly supports the fact that the Earth is a sphere.

Explanation:

Statutory Minimum Price of Sugarcane:
- The statement that "The Statutory Minimum Price of sugarcane for each sugar season is decided by the respective state governments" is incorrect.
- The Statutory Minimum Price of sugarcane for each sugar season is fixed by the Central Government.
- The Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) for sugarcane is determined by the Central Government based on the recommendations of the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP).
- The FRP is the minimum price that sugar mills have to pay to sugarcane farmers.
- State governments do not have the authority to decide the Statutory Minimum Price of sugarcane.

Sugar and Sugarcane as Essential Commodities:
- The statement that "Sugar and sugarcane are essential commodities under the Essential Commodities Act" is correct.
- Sugar and sugarcane are considered essential commodities under the Essential Commodities Act, which empowers the government to regulate the production, supply, and distribution of essential commodities.
- This classification allows the government to impose stock limits, regulate prices, and take other measures to ensure the availability of these essential goods to the general public.
- The Essential Commodities Act plays a crucial role in preventing hoarding, black marketing, and price manipulation of essential commodities like sugar and sugarcane.
Therefore, the correct answer to the given question is option 'B) 2 only'.

Statement 1: INS Kavaratti is an anti-submarine warfare corvette built under Project 28.
Statement 2: It belongs to the same class as INS Kamorta, INS Kadmatt, and INS Kiltan.

Explanation:

INS Kavaratti:
INS Kavaratti is indeed an anti-submarine warfare corvette built under Project 28. Project 28 is a program by the Indian Navy to build a series of anti-submarine warfare corvettes. These corvettes are designed to detect, track, and engage enemy submarines. INS Kavaratti is the last of the four ships built under this project.

INS Kamorta, INS Kadmatt, and INS Kiltan:
INS Kamorta, INS Kadmatt, and INS Kiltan are indeed part of the same class as INS Kavaratti. These four ships are collectively known as the Kamorta-class corvettes. They are all anti-submarine warfare corvettes built under Project 28, and they share several common features and capabilities.

Conclusion:
Both statements 1 and 2 are correct. INS Kavaratti is an anti-submarine warfare corvette built under Project 28, and it belongs to the same class as INS Kamorta, INS Kadmatt, and INS Kiltan. Therefore, the correct answer is option D, "Neither 1 nor 2."

A. is the correct

The correct answer is option 'C' - Indian Academy of Highway Engineers (IAHE).

The Y. S. Malik Committee has been in the news recently in relation to the Indian Academy of Highway Engineers (IAHE). Let's delve into the details of this committee and its association with the IAHE.

The Indian Academy of Highway Engineers (IAHE) is an autonomous body under the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Government of India. It serves as a premier training institute for professionals in the field of highway engineering and management. The IAHE aims to enhance the knowledge and skills of highway engineers and professionals through various training programs and courses.

Now, let's understand the role of the Y. S. Malik Committee in the context of the IAHE.

1. Formation of the Committee:
The Y. S. Malik Committee was constituted by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways to review and restructure the IAHE. The committee was headed by Shri Y. S. Malik, former Secretary of the Ministry. Its primary objective was to analyze the functioning of the IAHE and suggest necessary reforms to improve its effectiveness and efficiency.

2. Review of IAHE's Functioning:
The committee conducted a comprehensive review of the IAHE's functioning, including its organizational structure, training programs, faculty, infrastructure, and overall operations. It assessed the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and challenges faced by the IAHE in fulfilling its objectives.

3. Recommendations for Restructuring:
Based on its review, the Y. S. Malik Committee made several recommendations for the restructuring of the IAHE. These recommendations aimed to strengthen the academy's role in capacity building, research, and development in the field of highway engineering. The committee suggested measures to enhance the quality and relevance of the training programs, improve infrastructure facilities, and upgrade the faculty's skills and expertise.

4. Implementation of the Committee's Recommendations:
The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways is responsible for implementing the recommendations of the Y. S. Malik Committee. The ministry will work towards implementing the suggested reforms to enhance the IAHE's effectiveness and ensure that it remains at the forefront of highway engineering education and training in India.

In conclusion, the Y. S. Malik Committee is associated with the Indian Academy of Highway Engineers (IAHE). It was formed to review and restructure the IAHE, and its recommendations will contribute to strengthening the academy's role in highway engineering education and training in India.

Nirbadh initiative launched by Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO)
EPFO recently launched the 'Nirbadh initiative' to ensure uninterrupted services to its subscribers. Let's delve into the details of this initiative.

Key Features of the Nirbadh initiative:
- The initiative aims to make services more accessible and efficient for EPFO subscribers.
- It includes initiatives such as the 'Nirbadh Sewa' portal and the 'Nirbadh Kiosks' for easy access to services.
- The portal allows subscribers to register complaints and track their status online.
- The kiosks provide a physical touchpoint for subscribers to avail services and resolve grievances.

Launch by Employees Provident Fund Organisation:
- The Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) is a statutory body under the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Government of India.
- It manages the largest social security scheme in the country, covering millions of workers in the organized sector.
- The 'Nirbadh initiative' is a step towards enhancing the overall experience of EPFO subscribers and ensuring seamless service delivery.

Significance of the Nirbadh initiative:
- With the launch of this initiative, EPFO aims to improve transparency, accountability, and efficiency in its operations.
- It also demonstrates EPFO's commitment to leveraging technology for the benefit of its subscribers.
- The initiative aligns with the government's vision of promoting digital governance and enhancing citizen-centric services.
In conclusion, the 'Nirbadh initiative' launched by the Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) is a significant step towards improving service delivery and enhancing the overall experience of its subscribers.

B- species of fish

This fish species has been named as Aenigmachannidae.

The World Bank in its biennial Poverty and Shared Prosperity Report mentions that Covid-19 can add around 27-40 million new poor in Sub-Saharan Africa and around 49-57 million in South Asia region.

The “new poor” will:

Be more urban poor.

Be more engaged in informal services and manufacturing and less in agriculture.

Live in congested urban settings and work in the sectors most affected by lockdowns and mobility restrictions.

Key Points

Extreme Poverty Projection: The COVID-19 pandemic is estimated to push an additional 88 million to 115 million people into extreme poverty this year, with the total rising to as many as 150 million by 2021, depending on the severity of the economic contraction.

Percentage of Population: The pandemic and global recession may cause over 1.4% of the world’s population to fall into extreme poverty.

Extreme poverty: It is defined as living on less than $1.90 a day. The World Bank measures poverty lines of $3.20 and $5.50, and also a multidimensional spectrum that includes access to education and basic infrastructure.

Increase in Rate of Poverty: Global extreme poverty rate is projected to rise by around 1.3% to 9.2% in 2020. If the pandemic would not have been there, the poverty rate was expected to drop to 7.9% in 2020.

Regions of Incidence: Many of the newly poor individuals will be from countries that already have high poverty rates (Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia).

Around 82% of the total poor will be in middle income countries (MICs).

Flood Prone Areas: About 132 million of the global poor live in high flood risk regions. The focus on flooding in this report primarily reflects the fact that floods are one of the most common and severe hazards, especially in lower-income countries.

Reverse of Progress Made: Current increasing poverty is reversal of the achievements made in two-and-a-half decades (1990-2015).

Extreme poverty rate declined by 26%. It dropped to 10% from nearly 36%.

During 2012-2017, the growth was inclusive and the incomes of the poorest 40% of the population grew.

The average global shared prosperity was 2.3% during the period.

Diminished Shared Prosperity: Average global shared prosperity is estimated to stagnate or even contract over 2019-2021 due to the reduced growth in average incomes.

Shared prosperity is defined as the growth in the income of the poorest 40% of a country’s population.

Reason: Global extreme poverty is expected to rise for the first time in 20 years because of the disruption caused by Covid-19.

It is exacerbating the impact of conflict and climate change, which were already slowing down poverty reduction.

Proposed Strategy

The World Bank recommends for a complementary two-track approach which involves short as well as long term strategy:

Short-run:

Without policy actions, the Covid-19 crisis may lead to an increase in income inequality, resulting in a world that is less inclusive.

Countries need to prepare for a different economy post-Covid, by allowing capital, labour, skills, and innovation to move into new businesses and sectors.

Long-run:

Continuing to focus on foundational development problems, including conflict and climate change as the key areas.

Poverty in India

Poverty estimation in India is carried out by NITI Aayog’s task force through the calculation of poverty line based on the data captured by the National Sample Survey Office under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MOSPI).

Poverty line estimation in India is based on the consumption expenditure and not on the income levels.

Global Multidimensional Poverty Index 2020:

India lifted as many as 270 million people out of multidimensional poverty between 2005-06 and 2015-16.

Impact of Covid-19: Covid-19 is having a profound impact on the development landscape.

The study finds that on average, poverty levels will be set back 3 to 10 years due to Covid-19.

Sustainable Development Goals: The index emphasises on measuring and monitoring progress under the goals to reach ‘zero poverty by 2030-Goal 1’ of the SDGs.

Recent Measures Taken:

The government enhanced its social safety programs including direct benefit transfers such as cash transfers under PM Kisan scheme, more liberal financing under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005 like advance disbursement, direct cash grants to construction workers and release of free and subsidized food grains under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana to about 800 million people to ensure food for all.

The Government announced a special economic package of Rs 20 lakh crore (equivalent to 10% of India’s GDP) under Atma Nirbhar Bharat Scheme with the aim of making the country independent against the tough competition in the global supply chain and to help in empowering the poor, labourers, migrants who have been adversely affected by Covid.

Way Forward

The challenge of poverty is enormous especially in the background of Covid-19. The need is to collaborate at both Global and Regional levels.

Collaboration in the form of sharing information on disease and cure.

Developmental and poverty eradication aid by the international financial organizations is of real meaning here.

At national level, respective governments must ensure both short and long-run strategies proposed by the World Bank apart from existing efforts of national governments.

Source: DTE