ENGLISH QUIZ 02.11.2020

1.Consider the following statements related to Ramsar sites:

1.Two New Ramsar sites designated in India.

2.It is a 244-hectare stretch of the Asan River running down to its confluence with the Yamuna River            in Dehradun district of Uttarakhand.

Which of the above statement/statements are correct?

A. 1 only

B. 2 only

C. Both 1 and 2

D. Neither 1 nor 2

2.Consider the following statements:

1.NTPC Ltd. enters into foreign currency loan agreement with the Japanese Government’s financial            institution for JPY 50 billion under GREEN initiative.

2.It is an initiative of Japan Bank for International Co-operation (ABIC).

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

A. 1 and 2 are correct

B. 1 and 3 are correct

C. 2 and 3 are correct

D. All of the above

3.Consider the following statements:

1.India, US sign landmark defence pact BECA.

2.The BECA agreement will help India and the US in countering China’s growing influence in the                 Indo-Pacific region.

Which of the above statement/statements are correct?

A. 1 only

B. 2 only

C. Both 1 and 2

D. Neither 1 nor 2

4.Consider the following statements:

1.PLI Schemes for drugs & medical devices.

2.The tenure of the scheme has been extended by one year keeping in view the capital expenditure                 expected to be done by the selected applicants in FY 2021-22.

3.Accordingly, the sales for the purpose of availing incentives will be accounted for 5 years starting               from FY 2022-2023 instead of FY 2021-2022.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

A. 1 and 2 are correct

B. 1 and 3 are correct

C. 2 and 3 are correct

D. All of the above

5.Consider the following statements:

1.Shipping Ministry issues draft Coastal Shipping Bill, 2020.

2.The Ministry of Shipping has drafted a Coastal Shipping Bill, 2020 in lieu of part XIV of the                         Merchant Shipping Act, 1948.

Which of the above statement/statements are correct?

A. 1 only

B. 2 only

C. Both 1 and 2

D. Neither 1 nor 2

ANSWERS:-

Answer: 1)A      

Explanation

Kabartal Wetland (Bihar) and Asan Conservation Reserve (Uttarakhand) have been designated as Ramsar sites, making them ‘Wetlands of International Importance’. Earlier in 2020, India designated 10 more wetlands as a Ramsar site, taking the total number from 27 to 37. With 2 more inclusions, the total number of Ramsar sites in India is 39, the highest in South Asia.The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) serves as Depositary 1 for the Convention, but the Ramsar Convention is not part of the United Nations and UNESCO system of environmental conventions and agreements.

About Asan Conservation Reserve:

  • It is a 444-hectare stretch of the Asan River running down to its confluence with the Yamuna River in Dehradun district of Uttarakhand.
  • It is Uttarakhand’s first Ramsar Site.
  • The damming of the River by the Asan Barrage in 1967 resulted in siltation above the dam wall, which helped to create some of the Site’s bird-friendly habitats.
  • These habitats support 330 species of birds including the critically endangered red-headed vulture (Sarcogyps calvus), white-rumped vulture (Gyps bengalensis) and Baer’s pochard (Aythya baeri).
  • Other non-avian species present include 49 fish species, one of these being the endangered Putitora mahseer (Tor putitora).

About Kabartal Wetland

  • It is also known as Kanwar Jheel, it covers 2,620 hectares of the Indo-Gangetic plains in the Begusarai district of Bihar.
  • It acts as a vital flood buffer for the region besides providing livelihood opportunities to local communities.
  • Significant biodiversity is present, with 165 plant species and 394 animal species recorded, including 221 bird species. It is also a valuable site for fish biodiversity with over 50 species documented.
  • It is an important stopover along the Central Asian Flyway, with 58 migratory water birds using it to rest and refuel.
  • Five critically endangered species inhabit the site, including three vultures – the red-headed vulture (Sarcogyps calvus), white-rumped vulture (Gyps bengalensis) and Indian vulture (Gyps indicus) – and two waterbirds, the sociable lapwing (Vanellus gregarius) and Baer’s pochard (Aythya baeri).
  • Major threats to the Site include water management activities such as drainage, water abstraction, damming and canalization.

About Ramsar Site

  • The Convention on Wetlands is an intergovernmental treaty adopted on 2 February 1971 in the Iranian city of Ramsar, on the southern shore of the Caspian Sea.
  • Those wetlands which are of international importance are declared as Ramsar sites.
  • The 2nd February is celebrated as “World Wetlands Day” every year.
  • The Convention’s mission is “the conservation and wise use of all wetlands through local and national actions and international cooperation, as a contribution towards achieving sustainable development throughout the world”.

Secretariat

  • The secretariat of Ramsar convention is in Gland, Switzerland.

Bodies of the Convention

  • Government agencies of the contracting parties. nations are known as the country’s ‘Administrative authority’.
  • They appoint a National Focal Point to coordinate the national implementation of Ramsar projects and act as the daily focal point.
  • Every three years, Parties meet at Conference of Parties (CoP), to administer convention.

There are five International Organisational Partners (IOPs) to provide the necessary support to parties.

  1. Birdlife International
  2. International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
  3. International Water Management Institute (IWMI)
  4. Wetlands International
  5. Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF)

Benefits of Joining Ramasar Convention

  • Facilitates development at the national level of policies and actions for the wise use of wetlands.
  • Presents an opportunity for a country to be heard in the principal forum on conservation and wise use of wetlands.
  • Brings increased publicity and prestige for wetlands.
  • Encourages international cooperation on wetlands and brings access to expert advice on national and site-related problems of wetland, conservation, and management.
  • Provides access to financial aid through the Convention’s Small Grant Fund.
  • Brings access to information and advice on the application of the Conventions’ internationally accepted standards, such as guidelines on the application of the wise use concept and management planning in wetlands.

Obligations Under the Convention

  • To recommend sites for inclusion in the “List of Wetlands of International Importance”.
  • To ensure wise use of wetlands.
  • To establish reserves and promote training in wetland research, management and wardening.

Answer: 2)B

Explanation

Recently, the NTPC Ltd. enters into foreign currency loan agreement with the Japanese Government’s financial institution for JPY 50 billion under GREEN initiative. This loan is intended to provide NTPC with the necessary funds for solar power generation projects and installation of environmental equipment in India as a part of GREEN operations.

About GREEN initiative

  • It is an initiative of Japan Bank for International Co-operation (JBIC).
  • Under this support initiative, called GREEN (Global action for Reconciling Economic growth and ENvironmental preservation); JBIC has financed projects aimed at preserving the global environment.
  • It supports the projects that significantly reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions―while considering propagating advanced Japanese environmental technologies around the world.
  • It has also provided various financial instruments to support the overseas deployment of Japan’s advanced environmental technology.
  • GREEN projects include the development of photovoltaic generation facilities using advanced environmental technologies and highly energy-efficient power plants, as well as installation of energy-saving equipment which are intended to help protect the global environment.

Answer: 3)C      

Explanation

India and the US have recently signed the Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement (BECA) for geo-spatial cooperation.

What is BECA agreement?

  • The Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement (BECA) for geo-spatial cooperation is primarily a communication agreement proposed between the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency of the US Department of Defence and the Union Ministry of Defence.
  • The agreement will allow India and the US to exchange important military information such as advanced satellite and topographic data including maps, nautical and aeronautical charts and geophysical, geodetic, geomagnetic and gravity data.
  • Most of the information exchanged will be unclassified and it will be shared in either digital or printed format. BECA agreement also includes the provision of sharing classified information as well, with proper safeguards to ensure that it is not shared with any third party.

BECA is the last of the four foundational agreements signed between India and the US for strengthening defence ties. The other three agreements include:

  • General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA) in 2002. A follow-up extension agreement – Industrial Security Annex (ISA)- was signed in 2019.
  • The Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) in 2016.
  • The Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement (COMCASA) in 2018.

How will it impact China?

  • The BECA agreement will help India and the US in countering China’s growing influence in the Indo-Pacific region.
  • The two QUAD partners have also been focused on increasing engagement with their other two QUAD partners- Australia and Japan. Australia has also been included in the Malabar war games that will be held next month near Indian waters. With this, the Malabar military exercise will now see participation from all four QUAD nations.
  • The BECA agreement will also help narrow India’s military gap with China in the wake of India-China border tensions. India and China have been engaged in a border standoff since April-May after the Chinese PLA (People’s Liberation Army) transgressed into multiple areas into the Indian territory.

Answer: 4)D

Explanation

Chemicals and Fertilizers Ministry has recently revised the Production Linked Incentive Schemes for promoting domestic manufacturing of bulk drugs and medical devices. Globally, the Indian pharmaceutical industry is the third largest in terms of volume and contributes significantly to India’s economic growth and export earnings.

More about the revised guidelines

  • In the revised guidelines, the minimum threshold investment requirement has been replaced by committed investment considering availability of technology choices which varies from product to product.
  • The change has been made to encourage efficient use of productive capital.

Change in eligibility Criteria

  • There is also change in the eligibility criteria of minimum sales threshold in line with projected demand, technology trend and market development, for the purpose of availing incentive under the scheme.

Tenure

  • The tenure of the scheme has been extended by one year keeping in view the capital expenditure expected to be done by the selected applicants in FY 2021-22.
  • Accordingly, the sales for the purpose of availing incentives will be accounted for 5 years starting from FY 2022-2023 instead of FY 2021-2022.

Background

  • The PLI schemes were approved by the Cabinet on March 20, 2020, and detailed guidelines for the implementation of the schemes were issued by the Department of Pharmaceuticals on July 27, 2020.
  • The Department of Pharmaceuticals earlier come out with the two Production Linked Incentive schemes:
  • Production Linked Incentive scheme for promotion of domestic manufacturing of critical Key Starting Materials, Drug Intermediates and Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients in India.
  • Production Linked Incentive Scheme for Promoting Domestic Manufacturing of Medical Devices.
  • After approval of Cabinet, detailed guidelines for the implementation of the schemes were issued by the Department of Pharmaceuticals in July this year.

Answer: 5)A      

Explanation

The Shipping Ministry has issued draft ‘Coastal Shipping Bill, 2020’ for public consultation, in accordance with Prime Minister vision for augmenting people’s participation and transparency in the governance. The Ministry of Shipping has drafted a Coastal Shipping Bill, 2020 in lieu of part XIV of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1958.

Some of the highlights of the Bill are as under:

  • The definition of coastal shipping and coastal waters has been expanded.
  • It is proposed to do away with the requirement of trading license for Indian flag vessels for coastal trade.
  • The Bill seeks to create a competitive environment and reduce transportation costs, while encouraging Indian vessels to increase their share in coastal shipping.
  • The Bill also proposes integration of coastal maritime transport with inland waterways.
  • There is a provision for a National Coastal and Inland Shipping Strategic Plan.

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