IAS Preparation Questions for Prelims: 19 March 2018
Athar Imam Raza
By keeping the need of IAS aspirants in mind, we are providing five important Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) on a daily basis. The questions cover important current affairs events in the fields of economy, national, India-World relations, science and technology, environment, etc. Answers along with detailed explanations to the questions will help the aspirants in answering further questions on the given topic in all the phases of the IAS Exam – Preliminary, Mains Written and Personality Test.
1. Recently, the Union Government has signed a $120 million loan agreement with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for completion of works for double-tracking and electrification of railway tracks. Consider the following statements regarding this:
1. The tranche 3 loan is part of the $500 million multi-tranche financing facility for Railway Sector Investment Program approved by the ADB Board in 2011.
2. The loan amount will be used to complete the ongoing works commenced under earlier tranches.
3. The project mainly aims to enhance the efficiency of rail infrastructure through electrification, the introduction of modern signalling system and doubling rail tracks on the major routes in the country.
a. 1 only
b. 1 and 2
c. 2 and 3
d. 1, 2 and 3
The Union Government on March 16, 2018, signed a $120 million loan agreement with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for completion of works for double-tracking and electrification of railway tracks along high-density corridors to improve the operational efficiency of Indian the railways.
The tranche 3 loan is part of the $500 million multi-tranche financing facility for Railway Sector Investment Program approved by the ADB Board in 2011. The loan amount will be used to complete the ongoing works commenced under earlier tranches.
• The project mainly aims to enhance the efficiency of rail infrastructure through electrification, the introduction of modern signalling system and doubling rail tracks on the major routes in the country.
• It will help develop an energy-efficient, safe and reliable railway system that will result in reduced travel time along project rail routes and improved operational and financial efficiency.
2. Niti Aayog has released comprehensive roadmaps and detailed timelines for its initiative 'Sustainable Action for Transforming Human Capital in Education (SATH-E)' project. Consider the following statements regarding this:
1. The comprehensive roadmaps are for the coming two years, from 2018 to 2020.
2. These roadmaps present the first-of-its-kind, customised, action-oriented programmes, outlining interventions at the individual, district and state level.
b. 2 only
c. Both 1 and 2
d. Neither 1 nor 2
NITI Aayog has released comprehensive roadmaps and detailed timelines for its initiative 'Sustainable Action for Transforming Human Capital in Education (SATH-E)' project in New Delhi on March 17, 2018.
The roadmaps are released by NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant and the Chief Secretaries of Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh and Odisha after a day-long workshop with the Principal Secretaries of the States, State Project Directors and other experts and representatives operating in the field.
• The comprehensive roadmaps are for the coming two years, from 2018 to 2020.
• The prints lay out detailed interventions that will be taken up by the three participating states- Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh and Odisha – which aim to become 'role model states' in school education.
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3. Consider the following statements regarding the Electoral Bond Scheme, 2018:
1. Electoral Bond (EB) would be a bearer instrument in the nature of a Promissory Note and an interest-free banking instrument.
2. The electoral bond would be issued for a certain value denomination from the specified branches of the State Bank of India (SBI).
3. The scheme of EB is to provide anonymity to the donors but at the same time establish a transparent political funding system.
The Government notified the Electoral Bond Scheme, 2018 on January 02, 2018 to establish and cleanse the system of political funding in the country. Broad features of the said Scheme are under:
Electoral Bond (EB) would be a bearer instrument in the nature of a Promissory Note and an interest-free banking instrument. A citizen of India or a body incorporated in India are eligible to purchase the bond.
The electoral bond would be issued for certain value denominations from the specified branches of the State Bank of India (SBI).
Tenor of the Electoral Bonds is for 15 days during which it can be used for making donation only to the political parties registered under section 29A of the Representation of the Peoples Act, 1951 (43 of 1951) and which have secured not less than one per cent of the votes polled in the last general election to the House of the People or a Legislative Assembly. It will not carry the name of payee or the donor.
The bonds under the Scheme shall be available for purchase for a period of 10 days each in the months of January, April, July and October, as may be specified by the Central Government. An additional period of 30 days shall be specified by the Central Government in the year of the General election to the House of People.
The scheme of EB is to provide anonymity to the donors but at the same time establish a transparent political funding system. Bonds can be purchased only after making payment through a KYC compliant account. Further, the bond shall be encashed by an eligible political party only through a designated bank account with the authorised bank. Electoral Bond is envisaged as an additional banking instrument for giving donations to registered political parties.
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4. Consider the following statements regarding the Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi (RAN):
1. The RAN was set up to provide financial assistance to patients, living below poverty line and who are suffering from major life-threatening diseases, to receive medical treatment at any of the super speciality Hospitals/Institutes or other Government hospitals.
2. The financial assistance to such patients is released in the form of 'multiple-time grant', which is released to the Medical Superintendent of the Hospital in which the treatment has been/is being received.
3. Under RAN Revolving Funds have been set up in 13 Central Government Hospitals/Institutions located all over India for providing financial assistance for treatment up to Rs. 2 lakh.
The scheme Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi (RAN) is under implementation in the country. The details of scheme and salient features are given below:
The Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi (RAN) has been set up vide Resolution No. F-7-2/96-Fin-II dated 13/1/1997 and registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860, as a Society.
The RAN was set up to provide financial assistance to patients, living below poverty line and who are suffering from major life-threatening diseases, to receive medical treatment at any of the super speciality Hospitals/Institutes or other Government hospitals. The financial assistance to such patients is released in the form of 'one-time grant', which is released to the Medical Superintendent of the Hospital in which the treatment has been/is being received.
Under RAN Revolving Funds have been set up in 13 Central Government Hospitals/Institutions located all over India for providing financial assistance for treatment up to Rs. 2 lakh. In addition financial assistance is provided for individual cases referred by Government hospitals/institutions, which do not have a Revolving Fund and for cases referred by 13 Government hospitals/institutions with Revolving Funds for assistance exceeding Rs. 2 lakh.
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5. Consider the following statements regarding Government's National Strategic Plan (NSP) to control cases of Tuberculosis in the country:
1. The implementation of National Strategic Plan for TB Elimination (NSP 2017-25) has started in January 2017 and the funds allocated for FY 2018-19 is Rs.2770.91 Crore which includes funds for cash transfers and social welfare schemes.
2. As per the Global report 2017 of the World Health Organisation (WHO), India accounts for 1,47,000 estimated MDR-RR cases which is 24% of the Global cases.
3. As per the reports released by World Health Organisation (WHO), the incidence of TB in India has fallen from 217 per lakh population per year in the year 2015 to 211 per lakh population per year in the year 2016.
The Government launched the National Strategic Plan (NSP) to control cases of Tuberculosis in the country during the period 2012-2017.
The implementation of National Strategic Plan for TB Elimination (NSP 2017-25) has started in January 2017 and the funds allocated for FY 2018-19 is Rs.2770.91 Crore which includes funds for cash transfers and social welfare schemes.
As per the Global report 2017 of the World Health Organisation (WHO), India accounts for 1,47,000 estimated MDR-RR cases which is 24% of the Global cases. However, as per this report, the incidence of TB in India has fallen from 217 per lakh population per year in the year 2015 to 211 per lakh population per year in the year 2016.
After the introduction of NIKSHAY portal and Active Case Finding Scheme, a higher number of cases reported by private practitioners was included in the National data of TB case finding, this resulted in increased data on TB cases.
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