1. Which of the following is true for Gaofen-11?
a)It is an optical remote sensing satellite, launched by China as part of its high-resolution Earth observation.
b) It was first military communication satellite launched by the ISRO in 2008.
c)It is one of the unique initiatives in India that use Satellite Communication (SATCOM) network and Earth Observation(EO) satellite data to reach out to the villages to address the needs of the local people in villages itself.
d)It is used to continue the long-term record of how Earth’s ice sheets, sea level, and underground water reserves are changing.
Gaofen-11
➢Gaofen-11, a sub-meter resolution optical satellite, will become part of the China High-resolution Earth Observation System (CHEOS), initiated in 2010 to provide all-weather, all-day coverage by 2020 with optical and synthetic aperture radar satellites, and could also include airborne and near-space systems such as stratospheric balloons.
➢Gaofen-11 was developed by the China Academy of Space Technology (CAST), a spacecraft and satellite maker under CASC
➢Chinese state media report that the Gaofen-11 satellite will be used for land surveys, urban planning, road network design, agriculture, and disaster relief, while its data will also be used for the country’s Belt and Road international trade and infrastructure initiative.
➢The satellite is the sixth in the Gaofen series launched this year, following a triplet of Gaofen-1 satellites, and the larger Gaofen-5 and -6, all placed in Sun-synchronous orbits. The series, which means “high resolution” in Chinese, also includes one geosynchronous satellite, Gaofen-4, launched in 2015. Gaofen-7 could also be launched to SSO before the end of the year.
➢The Gaofen-11 launch was the 63rd launch worldwide in 2018 and also sees China draw level with its record of 22 launches, set in 2016, which included one failure and another partial failure. The failure in August 2016 prevented the Gaofen-10 satellite from reaching orbit due to an issue with the third stage of the Long March 4C rocket.
2. Which of the following is true with respect to SAATHI initiative?
a)To incentivize employers promoting employment generation and providing social security benefits to the workers. b)To fulfill the vision of SKILL INDIA and achieve the over-riding goal of Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas.
c)To sustain and accelerate the adoption of energy efficient textile technologies in the power loom sector and cost savings due to use of such technology
d)None of the above
➢Ministry of Textiles and Ministry of Power have joined hands under the initiative SAATHI(Sustainable and Accelerated Adoption of efficient Textile technologies to Help Small Industries) in order to sustain and accelerate the adoption of energy efficient textile technologies in the power loom sector and cost savings due to use of such technology.
➢Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL), a Public Sector entityunder the administrative control of Ministry of Power, will replace old inefficient electric motors with energy efficient IE3 motors which will result in energy and cost saving up to 10-15% in the first phase.
➢The use of these efficient equipments will result in energy savings and cost savings to the unit owners at no upfront cost. Powerloom clusters at Ichalkaranji, Bhiwandi, Erode, Surat, Bhilwara and Panipat have been identified for pilot study
3. Which of the following is true about G-33?
a)It refers to the group of countries that agreed to participate in the General Arrangements to Borrow (GAB), an agreement to provide the IMF with additional funds to increase its lending ability
b)It is a coalition of developing countries who have “defensive” concerns regarding agriculture in relation to World Trade Organisation negotiations, and seeks to limit the degree of market opening required of developing countries
c)G-33 countries are taking bold climate action, leading the way towards a healthier and more sustainable future. d)None of the above
➢The G33 (or the Friends of Special Products in agriculture)[1] is a coalition of developing countries, established prior to the 2003 Cancun ministerial conference, that have coordinated during the Doha Round of World Trade Organisationnegotiations, specifically in regard to agriculture.
➢Dominated by India, the group has “defensive” concerns regarding agriculture in relation to World Trade Organisation negotiations, and seeks to limit the degree of market opening required of developing countries. The group has advocated the creation of a “special products” exemption, which would allow developing countries to exempt certain products from tariff reductions, and also a “special safeguard mechanism” which would permit tariff increases in response to import surges
4. Which of the following is false in context with BALLISTIC MISSILE DEFENCE SYSTEM of India?
1)It is being developed by DRDO.
2)Prithvi Defence Vehicle (PDV) missile and Adavnced Area Defence (AAD) missile are two Interceptor missiles for exo atmospheric ranges and endo atmospheric ranges respectively.
a)Only 1
b)Only 2
c)Both 1 and 2
d)None of the above
➢What is a Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) system? A Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) is a system that is designed to intercept and destroy an incoming ballistic missile on its trajectory much before it approaches the target. Theoretically, a hostile missile can be intercepted at the launch point, mid-course (flight through space), or terminal phase (during atmospheric descent). INDIAN BALLISTIC MISSILE DEFENCE PROGRAMME The Indian Ballistic Missile Defence Programme is an initiative to develop and deploy a multilayered ballistic missile defence system to protect from ballistic missile attacks
➢India has developed a functional ‘iron dome’ Ballistic missile which comprise of Endo and Exo Atmospheric Missiles.
➢ It consists of two interceptor missiles namely: 1) Prithvi Defence vehicle (PDV) missile for exoatmospheric ranges – capable of destroying targets at a high altitude of more than 120 km 2) Advanced Area Defence (Ashwin) missile for endo-atmosphere – capable of intercepting incoming targets at an altitude of 15 to 25 kms
➢ India is the fifth nation in the world to have a robust Ballistic Missile Defence system. Other countries are US, Russia, Israel and China.
5. Which of the following banks are referred to as D-SIB is India?
1)ICICI Bank
2)HDFC Bank
3)Axis Bank
4)State Bank of India
a)4 only
b)1,3 and 4 only
c)1,2 and 4 only
d)All of the above
➢ D-SIB means that the bank is too big to fail. According to the RBI, some banks become systemically important due to their size, cross-jurisdictional activities, complexity and lack of substitute and interconnection. Banks whose assets exceed 2% of GDP are considered part of this group. The RBI stated that should such a bank fail, there would be significant disruption to the essential services they provide to the banking system and the overall economy. ➢The too-big-to-fail tag also indicates that in case of distress, the government is expected to support these banks.
➢D-SIBs are categorised under five buckets. According to these buckets the banks have to keep aside the Additional Common Equity Teir 1 as a percentage of Risk Weighted Assets (RWAs).
➢They are domestically identified by Central Banks of a country and globally by BASEL committee on banking supervision.
6. MAP SPECIAL
Which of the following is matched correctly?
a)Dhuandhar Falls: Karnataka
b)Hundru Falls: Goa
c)Dudhsagar falls: Jharkhand
d)None of the above
7. POLITY SPECIAL
Which of the following subjects were transferred from State list to Concurrent List via 42nd amendment:
1)Trade unions
2)Prevention of cruelty to animals
3)Weights & Measures
4)Protection of Wild Animals and Birds
5)Administration of Justice
a)3,4 and 5
b)2,3,4 and 5
c)All of the above
d)None of the above
Through the 42nd Amendment Act of 1976 Five subjects were transferred from State to Concurrent List. They are:
➢Education
➢Forests
➢Weights & Measures
➢Protection of Wild Animals and Birds
➢Administration of Justice