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Q.1- China-Pakistan Economic corridor starts from Xinjiang and ends at which of the following places? A. Gwadar B. Lahore C. Islamabad D. Gilgit Q.2- Which of the following ports are matched correctly with their country? 1. Chabahar : Iran 2. Hambantota : Sri Lanka 3. Gwadar : Bangladesh A. 1,3 B. 1,2 C. 2,3 D. All Q.3- Which of the following will help in increasing cashless transaction? 1. Linking bank accounts with Aadhar card. 2. Providing direct benefit transfer for schemes A. 1 only B. 2 only C. Both D. None Answer  1-A,  2-B,  3-C

Q.1- Which of the following is correct regarding NGT? 1. It's chairperson should be retired or serving High court or Supreme Court judge only 2. It looks cases environmental protection only 3. Present chairperson is justice swatanter Kumar. A. 1,2 B. 2,3 C. All D. 3 only Q.2- Article 239 AA is related to which of the following? A. Special power given to State of Jammu and Kashmir B. Special power to State of Manipur C. Special power to NCT Delhi and Puduchery D. Special power to NCT Delhi only Q.3- Which of the following is/are correct regarding National Company Law Tribunal? 1. National Company Law Tribunal was established by companies act,2013 2. Its principle bench is situated at Mumbai A. 1 only B. 2 only C. Both D. None  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Answer 1-D, 2-D, 3-A

Q.1- Which of the following is correct regarding India’s renewable energy targets. 1. India plans to make 175 Gigawatts by 2022 2. Of the target capacity, 100 GW would be from solar power. 3. 60 GW from biomass A. 1,2 B. 2,3 C. 1,3 D. All Q.2- Which of the following statements are correct regarding nuclear power in India? 1. India has 7 nuclear power plants in operation 2. Kudankulam Nuclear power plant is hosting French reactors A. 1 only B. 2 only C. both D. None Q.3- With respect to NPA which of the following statements is correct? a) NPA in public sector banks has decreased over last year. b) Infrastructure, iron and steel, textiles, aviation and mining are five main sector that are under stress. A) a only B) b only C) Both D) None  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Answer 1-A, 2-B, 3-B

Q.1- Which of the following is/are correct regarding real estate investment trusts? 1. It was first time created in India in 2014 2. The units or securities of REIT are required to be listed on a recognised stock exchange. A. 1 only B. 2 only C. Both D. None Q.2- Which of the following is not correctly matched? A. New Horizon : Pluto B. MOM : Mercury C. Messenger : Mercury D. All are correctly matched Q.3- Consider the following actions which the Government can take: 1. Devaluing the domestic currency. 2. Reduction in the export subsidy. 3. Adopting suitable policies which attract greater FDI and more funds from FIIs. Which of the above action/actions can help in reducing the current account deficit? A. 1 and 2 B. 2 and 3 C. 3 only D. 1 and 3  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . .. .Answer  1-C,2-B,3-A

A study by researchers from the University of East Anglia, United Kingdom, shows the negative effect of mega hydropower projects located in tropical forests on local biodiversity. The research published in PLOS ONE, a peer-reviewed science journal, reveals the drastic effects of the central Amazonian Balbina Dam on tropical rainforest biodiversity. Researchers have revealed how alteration in landscape structure and habitat quality has led to the loss of mammals, birds and tortoises from the islands formed by the creation of the Balbina Lake. The lake is one of the world’s largest hydroelectric reservoirs. Study lead author Maíra Benchimol, a former PhD student at UEA and now at the Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Brazil, was quoted in the UEA press release as saying, “Hydroelectric dams have been thought to be an environmentally-friendly source of renewable power and in recent years they have been built to supply the burgeoning energy demands of emergent tropical countries....

The theme of this year’s World Environment Day was zero tolerance to poaching of wildlife. For many people, showing concern for wildlife is redundant in view of the large number of people living below the poverty line in India. In a deeper analysis, it will appear that protecting wildlife is vital for the present as well as future generations. Life in the wild promotes biological diversity, which in turn, provides materials for food, clothing, medicines, papers, beverages and spices for daily use. From the days of the hunter-gatherer—when hunting animals and gathering fruits, tubers and herbs sustained humans—till the present time, human society, without even being aware of it, always depended on nature. Science helped us to understand the extent of diversity in the wild, study life cycles, domesticate wild species and breed, cultivate and trade them. Technology helped us add value and extract maximum profit from the use of natural resources. Recognising biodiversity Bio...

Life on Earth, a BBC TV series on biodiversity, was filmed in 10 hours by English naturalist David Attenborough. The diversity of life seemed chaotic till a logical system of classification and naming was initiated by Swedish physician and naturalist Carolus Linnaeus (1707-1778). It was Linneaus who first published his “systema naturalae” and founded the base for the science of taxonomy. During past 238 years the “system of taxonomic classification” remains globally an accepted phenomenon, barring some changes in higher classification of taxa. The basic morphological description, biometric data and association with specific ecological niches proved to be satisfactory ways in naming more than 1.5 million living species. International codes on botanical and zoological nomenclatures are now accepted platforms governing the system. Scientists believe that only 10 per cent of all living species have been recorded named, especially in the cases of animals without backbones or invert...

Nature never fails to surprise us. In many parts of the world, natural resources are the only source of livelihood opportunities available to people. They can be in the form of wild shrubs like Daphne papyracea and Daphne bholua (paper plant) that are used to make paper or Gossypium spp (cotton) that forms the backbone of the textile industry. Nothing can compete with the dynamism of biological resources. Recently, Girardinia diversifolia (Himalayan nettle), a fibre-yielding plant, has become an important livelihood option for people living in the remote mountainous villages of the Hindu Kush Himalaya. There is a community in Khar, a hamlet in Darchula district in far-western Nepal, which produces fabrics from Himalayan nettle. The fabric and the things made from it are sold in local as well as national and international markets as high-end products. A Himalayan nettle value chain development initiative implemented by the Kailash Sacred Landscape Conservation and Development Ini...

It was appalling to read the news item, “An uninhabited island of trash” (May 17), that mentioned the dismal condition of Henderson Island, a tiny, uninhabited island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, where researchers were astonished to find an estimated 38 million pieces of trash, most of it plastic, washed up on its beaches. . The fact that the island is a UNESCO World Heritage site makes the finding even more ironical. Our relation with plastics, considered unequivocally as a major enemy of the environment, needs revisiting. The continuous and unrelentless use of plastic and its accumulation across the world pose a serious threat to the environment. Although there are curbs and restrictions on their use in individual countries, all this goes in vain if implementation is tardy. A push for alternatives, awareness about the perils of using plastics, and, more importantly, strong community will are needed for any real changes to become visible on the ground. Environment and climate ...

Books that teach about investing in stocks Got some money to invest in the stock market? Not sure if you should do it yourself or part your hard-earned money with a money manager whose performance is very likely to be mediocre? Or just want to know if investing is your cup of tea? Whatever be the case, here are a some good books that can help you understand the fundamentals of investing, if not make you incredibly rich over time. F Wall Street, written by Joe Ponzio, a relatively unknown hedge fund manager, provides everything a beginner needs to know about investing. Unfortunately, it remains a hidden gem. The book provides a strong but accessible introduction to everything — from the philosophy of investing to how to value a business to keeping your patience. An equally good book is One Up on Wall Street, a bestseller by legendary American money manager Peter Lynch. It describes the tale of how Mr. Lynch found stocks whose price multiplied manifold over the years. The book has...

The movement empowered the women, but also feminised the men In this time of toxic masculinity, we must recognise and learn from the successes of the past. Mahatma Gandhi consciously feminised India’s freedom struggle to win against the brute masculinity of British power. He saw his mother Putlibai and his wife Kasturba (in picture) use peaceful resistance against patriarchy at home. His mother would fast to put moral pressure on his father, and his wife would refuse any act that he asked her to do if she did not agree with it. He personally experienced the power that resists rather than destroys. He incorporated this knowledge into a political tool, satyagraha, that combined civil disobedience with constructive action. Not only was each activity in civil disobedience possible for women to do, because it was non-violent, but each act of constructive action was especially suited to women. The Champaran trigger When on the famous day of April 16, 1917, Gandhiji was asked by the...

The U.S. will gain little by turning India into an adversary on climate change issues U.S. President Donald Trump’s accusation against India concerning the Paris Accord that “...the U.S. pays billions of dollars while China, Russia, and India have contributed (to pollution) and will contribute nothing” is inaccurate, misleading and unfair. In fact, India has walked with the U.S. from Stockholm to Paris via Rio de Janeiro, Kyoto and Copenhagen. New Delhi has fought for climate justice, equity and fairness all the way, demanding that developing countries should be entitled to maintain and increase their greenhouse gas emissions for survival and developed countries should mandatorily cut their luxury emissions. At the same time, India has also been sensitive to the constraints of the U.S. and the other industrialised nations in reducing emissions. Indira Gandhi had exposed the Western efforts to impose environmental colonialism at the Stockholm Conference in 1972 and declared that “p...

Sound policies on wastewater treatment and use are vital to sustainable development Each year a specific aspect of water is highlighted while observing International World Water Day (March 22); this year’s theme was “wastewater”, which is defined as any water that has been adversely affected in quality by anthropogenic influences and as a result of domestic, industrial, commercial and agricultural activities. In recent decades, population growth, accelerated urbanisation and economic development have resulted in an increase in the quantity of wastewater and the overall pollution load being generated. Most of our freshwater sources are under threat. When public awareness of pollution is limited, the cost of pollution to our health and the ecosystem is huge. The victims are generally the poor or socially vulnerable communities, and the end result is a high financial burden on the community and government. Water facts Globally, over 80% of the wastewater generated goes back to th...