Practice Test: Welfare Schemes- 1 - UPSC MCQ

To effectively address the emerging urbanization challenges, the Ministry of Urban Development has come out with a multi-pronged policy framework to promote living close to mass urban transit corridors. This new initiatives seeks to promote ‘Transit Oriented Development (TOD)’ which enables people to live within walking or cycling distance from transit corridors like the Metros, Monorail and Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) corridors, currently being taken up on a large scale.

The Ministry has formulated a ‘National Transit Oriented Development Policy’ which will be discussed with the States and Union Territories at a National Workshop on Urban Development to be held Tuesday next week. This policy seeks to enhance the depth of understanding of States and UTs on TOD as a viable solution to many of the challenges like haphazard urban growth and sprawl, mobility, rapidly rising private vehicles on roads, pollution, housing choices etc.. This new urban design and planning in the form of TOD, is being incentivised by the Ministry under two more initiatives viz., Metro Policy and Green Urban Mobility Scheme which also will be discussed with States and UTS for taking them on board.

Answer: d

Explanation:

Graphene is a carbon material that is one atom thick. Its thin composition and high conductivity means it is used in applications ranging from miniaturised electronics to biomedical devices.

These properties also enable thinner wire connections; providing extensive benefits for computers, solar panels, batteries, sensors and other devices. The potential applications of graphene include water filtration and purification, renewable energy, sensors, personalised healthcare and medicine, to name a few.

Graphene has excellent electronic, mechanical, thermal and optical properties as well. Its uses range from improving battery performance in energy devices, to cheaper solar panels.

Answer: b

Explanation:

After historic launch of 104 satellites at one go, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on 17 February 2017 successfully has tested its indigenously developed Cryogenic Upper Stage (CUS) for GSLV MkIII rocket.

The cryogenic upper stage, designated as C25, has been tested recently at ISRO Propulsion Complex (IPRC) at Mahendragiri in Tamil Nadu. It was tested for flight duration of 640 seconds. In order to validate all the systems, the C25 Stage was also successfully tested earlier for 50 seconds on 25 January 2017. With this successful test of the Cryogenic Upper Stage, India has joined the elite group of select countries that have the technology in manufacturing such engines. The other countries to have the same technology are Russia, the US, China, Japan and France.

Answer: a

Explanation:

Science Express Climate Action Special (SECAS II) will be flagged off from Safdarjung Railway station in Delhi.  Science Express, redesigned as SECAS, intends to contribute towards increasing understanding of the science of climate change, the observed and anticipated impacts, and different possible responses. Science Express has become the largest, the longest running and the most visited mobile science exhibition.  It has six entries in the Limca Book of Records.

The exhibition will convey a message about Climate Change and will also be a good opportunity to generate a dialogue and discussion. The state-of-the-art exhibition on board the SECAS aims to create awareness among various sections of society, as to how climate change can be combated through mitigation and adaptation.

The SECAS II is a unique collaborative initiative of Department of Science & Technology (DST), Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change (MoEFCC), Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Ministry of Railways and Vikram A Sarabhai Community Science Centre (VASCSC). MoEFCC has asked Wildlife Institute of India (WII) to extend support in the endeavour.

The correct option is C.

Explanation:

Statement 1 is incorrect because this is not related to smart cities. Statement 2 is correct and 3 is incorrect. The Smart India Hackathon was launched by the HRD ministry to provide opportunities for students across the country to give digital solutions to problems faced by people in India.

Answer: c

Explanation:

Under Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Unnat Krishi Shiksha (PDUUKS) Scheme the central government has opened 100 centres to promote agriculture education in the country. The Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Ministry has this information regarding opening up of new centres in the country.

Under the scheme the central government will provide the education to the agriculture graduates. From the year 2016-17, scholarship to the students has been increased from Rs 1000 to Rs 3000. Four new colleges have been opened in Rani Laxmibai Central Agricultural University, Jhansi, Bundelkhand, out of which 2 are in Uttar Pradesh and 2 Colleges are in Madhya Pradesh. IARI-Jharkhand has been established and students of the state are studying in various courses under Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Unnat Krishi Shiksha Scheme.

Answer: c

Explanation:

PSLV-C37 is a mission of the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle program, which carried 104 satellites to the orbit. PSLV-C37 broke the earlier records of launching 37 satellites by a Russian rocket and of 29 satellites launched by NASA. PSLV-C37 launched 104 satellites in a single mission from the ISRO space centre at Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh on 15th February 2017 making it the highest number of satellites launched by a single launch vehicle.

The rocket launched 104 satellites of which three are Indian, 88 are from the USA and the rest from Germany, Israel, Kazakhstan, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and the United Arab Emirates. The three Indian satellites launched are Cartosat-2D, INS-1A and INS-1B. The other foreign satellites contributed to approximately 820 kilogrammes making the total payload of approximately 1,500 kilogrammes. 

ISRO claimed that it would recover half the budget of the mission from the foreign countries whose satellites it would launch.

Answer: a

Explanation:

“Hunar Haat” is being organised by the National Minorities Development & Finance Corporation (NMDFC) under USTTAD (Upgrading the Skills & Training in Traditional Arts/Crafts for Development) scheme of Ministry of Minority Affairs. So, statement 2 is wrong.

The second edition of Hunar Haat has begun in New Delhi with the theme as “Craft Aur Cuisine Ka Sangam”. It is being organised by the Minority Affairs Ministry to encourage, promote and provide a national and international market to master artisans/craftsmen belonging to the Minority communities from across the country

Answer: c

Explanation:

India successfully test-fired Prithvi missile interceptor a gen-next state-of-the-art interceptor missile and hence achieving a significant milestone in its ongoing Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) programme.

Prithvi Defence Vehicle is the interceptor indigenously developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) which is capable of killing an incoming missile with a strike range of around 2,000 km outside the earth’s atmosphere.

India is the fifth nation in the world to have a robust Ballistic Missile Defence system. Other countries are US, Russia, Israel and China.

Answer: c

Explanation:

A digital India initiative of the government of India has transformed the digital profile of India significantly. Some of the key indicators of this are:

• Bharat Net is an optical Fibre Network to connect the villages of India has seen rapid growth. 

• MyGov is a new platform created for participative governance.

• Jeevan Pramaan Portal is a new initiative to provide convenience to pension holders.

• Digi Locker is a new initiative to provide safe, online document storage to the citizen.

• eNAM is an online National Agriculture, Market, created so that farmers can get the best price for their produce. 

• Land records have been computerised in 31 states and Union Territories.  Record of Rights (RORs) made online for 22 States/UTs.

• Digi Dhan Abhiyaan is done to promote digital payments across the country.

Taking this pace of digital development the Union Budget 2017 has not only given an impetus to the existing efforts but has clearly outlined the roadmap for the future of digital development of India.

Answer: a

Explanation:

As per the NSSO Survey, only 6% of rural households have a computer. This highlights that more than 15 crore rural households do not have computers and a significant number of these households are likely to be digitally illiterate. The PMGDISHA being initiated under Digital India Programme would cover 6 crore households in rural areas to make them digitally literate. This would empower the citizens by providing them access to information, knowledge and skills for operating computers / digital access devices.

The outlay for this project is to usher in digital literacy in rural India by March 2019. PMGDISHA is expected to be one of the largest digital literacy programmes in the world. To ensure equitable geographical reach, each of the 250,000 Gram Panchayats would be expected to register an average of 200-300 candidates.

Digitally literate persons would be able to operate computers/digital access devices (like tablets, smartphones, etc.), send and receive emails, browse the internet, access Government Services, search for information, undertaking cashless transactions, etc and hence use IT to actively participate in the process of nation building.

The implementation of the Scheme would be carried out under the overall supervision of Ministry of Electronics and IT in active collaboration with States/UTs through their designated State Implementing Agencies, District e-Governance Society (DeGS), etc.

Answer: c

Explanation:

A digital India initiative of the government of India has transformed the digital profile of India significantly. Some of the key indicators of this are:

• Bharat Net is an optical Fibre Network to connect the villages of India has seen rapid growth. 

• MyGov is a new platform created for participative governance.

• Jeevan Pramaan Portal is a new initiative to provide convenience to pension holders.

• Digi Locker is a new initiative to provide safe, online document storage to the citizen.

• eNAM is an online National Agriculture, Market, created so that farmers can get the best price for their produce. 

• Land records have been computerised in 31 states and Union Territories.  Record of Rights (RORs) made online for 22 States/UTs.

• Digi Dhan Abhiyaan is done to promote digital payments across the country.

Taking this pace of digital development the Union Budget 2017 has not only given an impetus to the existing efforts but has clearly outlined the roadmap for the future of digital development of India.

Answer: d

Explanation:

Prithvi II is a tactical surface-to-surface short-range ballistic missile (SRBM) developed by DRDO of India under the Integrated Guided Missile Development Program (IGMDP). It is deployed by India's Strategic Forces Command. Prithvi is India’s first indigenously-built ballistic missile.

The twin-engine Prithvi-II has the ability to dodge enemy missiles and has been designed to operate with both liquid and solid fuels and is capable of carrying both conventional and nuclear payloads. Prithvi II class is also a single-stage liquid-fueled missile having a maximum warhead mounting capability of 500 kg, but with an extended range of 250 km. It was developed with the Indian Air Force being the primary user. The missile features measures to deceive anti-ballistic missiles.

Answer: c

Explanation:

CERN is a European research organization that operates the largest particle physics laboratory in the world. It has 22 member states with Israel being the only non-European country to be granted full membership. India signed an association agreement with CERN in November 2016. However, Turkey, Pakistan, Serbia, Ukraine and Cyprus are other associate states of CERN.

CERN's main function is to provide the particle accelerators and other infrastructure needed for high-energy physics research. CERN is also the birthplace of the World Wide Web. The main site has a large computer facility containing powerful data processing facilities because of the need to make these facilities available to researchers elsewhere; it has historically been a major wide area network hub.

Answer: d

Explanation:

The Government of India formally launched “Housing for All” in rural areas under which the Government proposes to provide an environmentally safe and secure pucca house to every rural household by 2022. Some of the features are as follows:

• Named the Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana (Gramin), in its first phase the target is to complete one crore houses by March 2019. 

• The unit cost for these houses has been significantly increased and now through convergence a minimum support of nearly Rs. 1.5 lakh to Rs. 1.6 lakh to a household is available.

• The selection of beneficiaries has been through a completely transparent process using the Socio Economic Census 2011 data and validating it through the Gram Sabha.

• PMAY-G is a major step forward in bringing together Skill India, Digital India, Make In India, IT/DBT Aadhaar platform and Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY).

• The programme targets the poor households and uses ICT and space technology to further confirm correct selection of beneficiaries and progress of work.

Answer: c

Explanation:

Under the Committee of Shri B.Sivaraman, Government of India reviewed the arrangements for institutional credit for agriculture and rural development. The Committee felt the need for a new organizational device for providing undivided attention, forceful direction and pointed focus to the credit problems arising out of integrated rural development and recommended the formation of National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD). The Parliament, through National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development Act 1981 approved the setting up of NABARD.

NABARD was set up with an initial capital of 100 crore. To promote sustainable and equitable agriculture and rural prosperity through effective credit support, related services, institution development and other innovative initiatives was the key mission of NABARD

Answer: c

Explanation:

Dr Verghese Kurien was an Indian social entrepreneur known as the ‘Father of the White Revolution’ for launching Operation flood which was the world’s largest agricultural development programme. He is known as the ‘milkman of India’ and was also the founder-Chairman of the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB).

India ranks first in milk production, accounting for 18.5 % of world production, achieving an annual output of 146.3 million tonnes during 2014-15 as compared to 137.69 million tonnes during 2013-14 recording a growth of 6.26.

Answer: c

Explanation:

E-pashuhaat is a web portal launched by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India, under the Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries (DADF) to boost dairy productivity in India by organizing the livestock market.

The portal allows farmers and entrepreneurs find information about bovine animals, buy or sell livestock, frozen semen and embryos. It also helps them to check information on feed and fodder and manage the transportation of animals once a purchase is made. Sellers can create an account, upload the details of the animals, including images, edit those, and provide other relevant information along with their complete address so that buyers can easily reach out to them. After submitting the details, they need to bring the animals at Germ Plasm Market Place for public view.

Answer: d

Explanation:

ISRO has recently launched PSLV C36 Resource Sat-2A satellite. With this launch the ISRO the remote sensing data services to global users. The latest in a series of satellites launches by ISRO, the PSLV C36 is intended to continue the remote sensing data services to global users and will also carry similar payloads as carried by its predecessors Resourcesat-1 and Resourcesat-2. The satellite is 38th flight of ISRO’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) and is intended to continue the remote sensing data services to global users.

Answer: d

Explanation:

The village Akodara, located 90 km from Ahmadabad in the district of Sabarkantha has earned the coveted tag of becoming first digital village in India. The village, which sustains a total population of 1191 people, uses various cashless systems for payments of goods and services. All transactions in the village are carried out through digital modes like net-banking, SMS or debit cards. The village was adopted and developed by the ICICI Foundation as a digitised village through a rural branch of the bank.

In the village, most transactions between Rs. 10 and Rs. 5000 are done via SMS. The payment goes directly into the shopkeeper’s bank account as the buyer and seller are both connected through their accounts in the same bank.

Answer: d

Explanation:

The primary aim of the scheme is to incentivize digital transactions so that electronic payments are adopted by all sections of the society, especially the poor and the middle class. It has been designed keeping in mind all sections of the society and their usage patterns.

Lucky Grahak Yojana [Consumers]:

(i) Daily reward of Rs 1000 to be given to 15,000 lucky Consumers for a period of 100 days;

(ii) Weekly prizes worth Rs 1 lakh, Rs 10,000 and Rs. 5000 for Consumers who use the alternate modes of digital Payments

This will include all forms of transactions viz. UPI, USSD, AEPS and RuPay Cards but will for the time being exclude transactions through Private Credit Cards and Digital Wallets.

Answer: c

Explanation:

The scheme specially focuses on bringing the poor, lower middle class and small businesses into the digital payment fold. It has been decided that National Payment Corporation of India (NPCI) shall be the implementing agency for this scheme. It would be useful to reiterate that NPCI is a not for profit company which is charged with a responsibility of guiding India towards being a cashless society.

The scheme will become operational with the first draw on 25th December, 2016 (as a Christmas gift to the nation) leading up to a Mega Draw on Babasaheb Ambedkar Jayanti on 14th April 2017.

Answer: b

Explanation:

The salient features of the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Scheme are as under:

• Declaration under the Scheme can be made by any person in respect of undisclosed income in the form of cash or deposits in an account with bank or post office or specified entity.

• Tax at the rate of 30% of the undisclosed income, surcharge at 33% of tax and penalty at 10% of such income is payable besides mandatory deposit of 25% of the undisclosed income in Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Deposit Scheme, 2016. The deposits are interest free and have a lock-in period of four years.

• The income declared under the Scheme shall not be included in the total income of the declarant under the Income-tax Act for any assessment year.

• The declarations made under the Scheme shall not be admissible as evidence under any Act. However, no immunity will be available under Criminal Acts mentioned in section 199-O of the Scheme.

Answer: a

Explanation:

The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) is a specialized force constituted "for the purpose of specialist response to a threatening disaster situation or disaster" under the Disaster Management Act, 2005. The Apex Body for Disaster Management in India is the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA). The Chairman of the NDMA is the Prime Minister.

The responsibility for Disaster Management in India’s federal system is that of the State Government. The ‘nodal Ministry’ in the central government for management of natural disasters is the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).

Answer: b

Explanation:

NITI Aayog announces the launch of the schemes Lucky Grahak Yojana and the Digi-धन Vyapar Yojana to give cash awards to consumers and merchants who utilize digital payment instruments for personal consumption expenditures. The scheme specially focuses on bringing the poor, lower middle class and small businesses into the digital payment fold.

The primary aim of these schemes is to incentivize digital transactions so that electronic payments are adopted by all sections of the society, especially the poor and the middle class. It has been designed keeping in mind all sections of the society and their usage patterns. It has been decided that National Payment Corporation of India (NPCI) shall be the implementing agency for this scheme.