UPSC 2017: Weekly GK and Current Affairs Quiz May 28 - June 03

Indian manufacturers have supplied EVMs to Namibia, Nepal and Bhutan.

EVM is manufactured by two public sector undertakings, Bharat Electronic Limited and Electronics Corporation of India.

• India taking part in global disaster risk reduction meet in Mexico
• The GPDRR is a global forum for strategic advice, coordination, partnership development and review of progress in the implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (SFDRR) 2015-2030 which was adopted at the 3rd UN World conference on disaster risk reduction held in March 2015 in Sendai, Japan.

The Government has set up a Defence Acquisition Council headed by the Raksha Mantri (Defense minister)for decision making in regard to the totality of the new planning process.

The International Astronomical Union (IAU) currently recognizes five dwarf planets: Ceres; Pluto; Haumea; Makemake; and Eris.

MNRE renewable electricity targets have been upscaled to grow from just under 43 GW in April 2016 to 175 GW by the year 2022, including 100 GW from solar power, 60 GW from wind power, 10 GW from bio power and 5 GW from small hydro power.

The 100 GW has been split into 40 GW and 60 GW for solar rooftop panels and grid connected solar power plants(Solar PV and solar thermal).

The Defence Acquisition Council recently discussed the much-awaited ‘strategic partnership model’ under which select private firms would manufacture fighter jets, helicopters and submarines in India in partnership with foreign companies.

The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) or Banque Africaine de Developpment (BAD) is a multilateral development finance institution established by Laston M. to contribute to the economic development and social progress of African countries. The AfDB was founded in 1964 and comprises three entities: The African Development Bank, the African Development Fund and the Nigeria Trust Fund. The AfDB’s mission is to fight poverty and improve living conditions on the continent through promoting the investment of public and private capital in projects and programs that are likely to contribute to the economic and social development of the region. The AfDB is a financial provider to African governments and private companies investing in the regional member countries (RMC).

On the first day of the COP-21 summit, the International Solar Alliance was launched by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Francois Hollande as a union of countries with abundant sunlight. Under this alliance, 121 countries that fall within the tropics {i.e. between Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn} have been invited to make collaborative efforts to harness solar energy to generate the electricity. Most of these countries fall within Asia, Africa and South America.There are three objectives behind the International Solar Alliance. First is to force down prices by driving demand; second is to bring standardization in solar technologies and third is to foster research and development.

Recommendations for MPC Strong recommendations to set monetary policy committee in India had come from Urjit Patel panel report.

Setting up of MPC The Monetary Policy Committee was set up in 2015 after amending the RBI Act. Before that, Government and RBI made an agreement via which Government tasked RBI with the responsibility for price stability and inflation targeting. In context, a Monetary Policy Framework Agreement was signed on February 20, 2015.

Composition of MPC Monetary Policy Committee is an executive body of 6 members. Of these, three members are from RBI while three other members are nominated by the Central Government. Each member has one vote. In case of a tie, the RBI governor has casting vote to break the tie. MPC is required to meet for two days before deciding on rates. Further, it is needed to meet at least four times a year and make public its decisions following each meeting.

Olericulture is the production of plants for use of the edible parts

The world’s hottest chilli pepper, grown by Welsh farmer Mike Smith, has been named Dragon’s Breath. Researchers say the oil from the chilli is so potent that it could act as an alternative anaesthetic for those allergic to conventional drugs. The peppers measure 2.48 million on the Scoville heat scale.

Cobra lily :

• Arisaema translucens , very rare species.
• Recently rediscovered in the western Nilgiris after 84 years.
• The Toda tribals of the Nilgiris, who know the plant well, have an embroidery motif known as the podwarshk, which resembles it
• Cobra lilies are at greater risk of extinction from the commercial trade in exotic plants.

• Combustible ice is a frozen mixture of water and concentrated natural gas
• Technically known as methane hydrate, it can be lit on fire in its frozen state
• It is believed to comprise one of the world’s most abundant fossil fuels

VAJRA (Visiting Advanced Joint Research) Faculty scheme

• Implementing agency: The Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB), a Statutory body Department of Science and Technology.

Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana will be implemented by the Ministry of Rural Development.

NEERI falls under the Ministry of Science and Technology (India) of central government.

The 24th edition of bilateral maritime exercise “SIMBEX-17” has started between Navies of the Republic of Singapore and India in the South China Sea from May 18 and will continue to May 21, 2017. The purpose of the exercise is to increase interoperability between the two navies as well as to develop common understanding and procedures for maritime security operations. SIMBEX is an acronym for “Singapore-India Maritime Bilateral Exercises”.

The 52nd annual meeting of African Development Bank (AfDB) Group will be held at the Mahatma Mandir convention centre in Gandhinagar , Gujarat from May 22 to 26, 2017 with theme “Transforming Agriculture for Wealth Creation in Africa”.

: The Bhindawas Bird Sanctuary (BBS) is located in Jhajjar district, Haryana. It is home to many birds such as Blue Peafowl, Gray Francolin, Black Francolin, Shikra, Black Kite, Greater Coucal, White-throated Kingfisher, Coppersmith Barbet and Indian Roller. It is in news because the sanctuary will soon be developed as a beautiful tourist resort and the additional facilities to be provided to the tourists coming to this place would include arrangements for camping for night stay, beautification of the lake, and opening of dispensary for birds and the wild life.

In the Indus Valley, The script was boustrophedon. The script was written from right to left in one line and then from left to right in the next line.

• Explanation:

The Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill, 2016 {focus on broad aspects }

1. Regulation of surrogacy: The Bill prohibits commercial surrogacy, but allows altruistic surrogacy.  Altruistic surrogacy involves no monetary compensation to the surrogate mother other than the medical expenses and insurance coverage during the pregnancy.  Commercial surrogacy includes surrogacy or its related procedures undertaken for a monetary benefit or reward (in cash or kind) exceeding the basic medical expenses and insurance coverage.
2. Purposes for which surrogacy is permitted: Surrogacy is permitted when it is, (i) for intending couples who suffer from proven infertility; and (ii) altruistic; and (iii) not for commercial purposes; and (iv) not for producing children for sale, prostitution or other forms of exploitation.
3. Eligibility criteria for intending couple: The intending couple should have a ‘certificate of essentiality’ and a ‘certificate of eligibility’ issued by the appropriate authority.
4. A certificate of essentiality will be issued upon fulfilment of the following conditions: (i) a certificate of proven infertility of one or both members of the intending couple from a District Medical Board; (ii) an order of parentage and custody of the surrogate child passed by a Magistrate’s court; and (iii) insurance coverage for the surrogate mother.
5. The certificate of eligibility is issued upon fulfilment of the following conditions by the intending couple: (i) Indian citizens and are married for at least five years; (ii) between 23 to 50 years old female and 26 to 55 years old male; (iii) they do not have any surviving child (biological, adopted or surrogate); this would not include a child who is mentally or physically challenged or suffers from life threatening disorder or fatal illness.
6. Eligibility criteria for surrogate mother: To obtain a certificate of eligibility from the appropriate authority, the surrogate mother has to: (i) be a close relative of the intending couple; (ii) be an ever married woman having a child of her own; (iii) be 25 to 35 years old; (iv) be a surrogate only once in her lifetime; and (iv) possess a certificate of medical and psychological fitness for surrogacy.
7. Appropriate authority: The central and state governments shall appoint one or more appropriate authorities within 90 days of the Bill becoming an Act.  The functions of the appropriate authority include; (i) granting, suspending or cancelling registration of surrogacy clinics; (ii) enforcing standards for surrogacy clinics; (iii) investigating and taking action against breach of the provisions of the Bill; (iv) recommending modifications to the rules and regulations.
8. Registration of surrogacy clinics: Surrogacy clinics cannot undertake surrogacy related procedures unless they are registered by the appropriate authority
9. National and State Surrogacy Boards: The central and the state governments shall constitute the National Surrogacy Board (NSB) and the State Surrogacy Boards (SSB), respectively.  Functions of the NSB include, (i) advising the central government on policy matters relating to surrogacy; (ii) laying down the code of conduct of surrogacy clinics; and (iii) supervising the functioning of SSBs.
10. Offences and penalties: The Bill states the following offences: (i) undertaking or advertising commercial surrogacy; (ii) exploiting the surrogate mother; (iii) abandoning, exploiting or disowning a surrogate child; and (iv) selling or importing human embryo or gametes for surrogacy.  These offences will attract a minimum penalty of 10 years and a fine up to 10 lakh rupees.

: fDi Report 2017 compiled by FDI intelligence, division of Financial Times Ltd.

• India retained its number one position as the world’s top most Greenfield FDI investment destination for the second consecutive year, attracting USD 62.3 billion in 2016, says a report.
• India has remained ahead of China and the US as far as FDI inflows.
• In the year 2016, FDI gravitated to locations experiencing the strongest economic growth, while locations in recession or facing high levels of uncertainty saw major decline.
• China has overtaken the US to become the second biggest country for FDI by capital investment, recording USD 59 billion of announced FDI, compared with USD 48 billion-worth in the US.
• Globally, the real estate sector has claimed the top spot for capital investment.

• India retained its number one position as the world’s top most Greenfield FDI investment destination for the second consecutive year, attracting USD 62.3 billion in 2016, says a report.