1. Consider the following statements regarding Randomised Control Trials (RCTs), used by the recent Economics Nobel Laureates:
(1) It helps in combining smaller issues and solving it comprehensively.
(2) RCTs do not guarantee similar performance in different situations.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Answer: (b) Explanation: The recent Economics Nobel laureates Abhijit Banerjee, Esther Duflo and Michael Kremer are considered to be instrumental in using randomised controlled trials to test the effectiveness of various policy interventions to alleviate poverty RCTs break the more important questions about policy interventions into smaller, easier test studies. Breaking down the poverty problem and focussing on the smaller issues such as ho best to fix diarrhoea or deng e yielded some astounding results. For eg: if one wants to know whether better teachers or infrastructure will improve learning outcomes. Students will be divided into four groups of A, B, C and D. Group A will be given better teachers. Group B will be given better infrastructure. Group C will get both and group D will get neither of two. Therefore, RCTs break larger issues rather than combining them. So, statement (1) is not correct. RCTs do not guarantee that the thing if worked in Kerala, will also work in Bihar or if something that worked for a small group will also work at scale. So, statement (2) is correct. Therefore, the correct answer is (b)
2. Consider the following statements regarding Forest-PLUS 2.0 programme:
(1) It aims to enhance ecosystem services and increase economic opportunities, building on the success of Forest-PLUS 1.0.
(2) The World Bank will provide technical assistance to MoEF&CC to improve the management of forested landscapes.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Answer: (a) Explanation: The US Agency for International Development (USAID) and India's Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) officially launched Forest-PLUS 2.0: forests for water and prosperity program. It is a five-year program that focuses on developing tools and techniques to bolster ecosystem management and harnessing ecosystem services in forest landscape management. Various field tests, innovative tools and approaches for Indian forest management were developed under the Forest-PLUS 1.0 program like the promotion of bio briquettes in Sikkim, the introduction of solar heating systems in Rampur and development of an agroforestry model in Hoshangabad.
The Forest-PLUS focused on capacity building to help India participate in Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation (REDD+). The targets of Forest-PLUS 2.0 are- 1,20,000 hectares of land under improved management; new inclusive economic activity worth $12 million; three incentive mechanisms (strategy, capacity, and support) demonstrated in managing landscapes for ecosystem services. So, statement (1) is correct. It was launched in December 2018, and the USAID will provide technical assistance to MoEFCC to improve the management of targeted forest landscapes in three states in India namely Bihar (Gaya), Kerala (Thiruvananthapuram) and Telangana (Medak). The contrast in their landscapes drove the choice of these sites Bihar is a forest deficit area; Telangana is a relatively drier area where there is ample scope for community livelihood enhancement and Kerala is rich in biodiversity. So, statement (2) is not correct. Therefore, the correct answer is (a).
3. Phazolicin, sometimes in the news, is related to:
(a) a new anti-TB drug for treating Multi-drug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB).
(b) a new antibiotic discovered in the tropical rainforest soils of Mexico.
(c) a carcinogenic compound found in milk samples detected by FSSAI.
(d) None of the above
Answer: (b) Explanation: Bedaquiline is a new anti-TB drug for the treatment of MDR-TB as part of the Revised National Tuberculosis Control Program (RNTCP). The drug is a new anti-TB drug. This new class of drugs is a diarylquinoline that targets explicitly Mycobacterial ATP synthase, an enzyme essential for the supply of energy to Mycobacterium tuberculosis and most other mycobacteria. It will be given to multi-drug resistant TB patients with resistance to either all fluoroquinolone and/or all second-line injectables and extensive drug-resistant TB.
So, statement (1) is not correct. Scientists have discovered a new antibiotic - Phazolicin, produced by a soil bacterium found in a tropical forest of Mexico that may help develop new ways to tackle bacterial infections in both plants and humans. It is found in the root nodules of wild beans (Phaseolus vulgaris), this unusual antibiotic is produced by a symbiotic soil bacterium that fixes nitrogen for the plant and keeps harmful microbes away. This antibiotic could attack a diverse group of bacterial cells and it could also enter the bacteria and bind to its ribosomes, messing with its ability to synthesise proteins only the second peptide is known to do this.
So, statement (2) is correct. Carcinogen Aflatoxin was detected in FSSAI milk survey samples. The traces of Aflatoxin M1 (AFM1), a deadly carcinogen, were found in some of the milk samples tested as part of a national survey.
So, statement (3) is not correct. Therefore, the correct answer is (b).
4. With reference to Geochemical Baseline Atlas of India, consider the following statements:
(1) With this Atlas, policymakers would be able to assess the chemical compositional changes on Earth's surface.
(2) It will help in finding out future contaminations caused by industries or other bodies.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Answer: (c) Explanation: For the first time, Geochemical Baseline Atlas of India developed by CSIR- National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI) for use by policymakers to assess environmental damage was released. The atlas consisting of 45 maps of metals, oxides, and elements present in top and bottom soils across India will serve as a reference against which future generations of the country would be able to assess the chemical compositional changes on Earth surface. So, statement (1) is correct. To develop the maps, the globe was divided into 5,000 cells of 160 km by 160 km each. Of it, India has 122 cells.
The work has been started in 2007 from cell number 1, which is in Kanyakumari and the last cell is in Arunachal Pradesh. Soils from uninhabited places were collected. The work ended in 2011 and data has been collected for 22 metals. With a glance at it, we will get to know regions with high and low concentrations of metal. For instance, tanneries release chromium. By going through the map of chromium, policymakers will get to know regions with a high concentration of it and policymakers should not allow tanneries in those regions, Through this process, maps will help in finding out future contamination caused by industries or other bodies that cause pollution.
So, statement (2) is correct. Therefore, the correct answer is (c).
5. Consider the following statements regarding the 'Enhancing Coastal and Ocean Resource Efficiency (ENCORE) Project':
(1) It aims to strengthen integrated coastal zone management by improving protection and pollution abatement in coastal areas.
(2) The World Bank funds it under the Investment Project Financing (IPF) instrument.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Answer: (c) Explanation: The ENCORE is proposed as an eight-year Multiphase Programmatic Approach (MPA) operation with two overlapping phases of five years each that are anchored in the umbrella of India National Coastal Mission. The ENCORE Project phase I of MPA aims to strengthen integrated coastal zone management in all coastal States and Union Territories of India through the following components.
Component 1. Improved Capacity for Decentralized Coastal Management Component 2. Improved Protection and Pollution Abatement in Coastal Areas Component 3. Project Management, Monitoring, and Evaluation.
The Program seeks to assist the Government of India (GoI) in enhancing coastal resource efficiency and resilience, by building collective capacity (including communities and decentralised governance) for adopting and implementing Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) approaches. It will build upon and draw from the experience of the ongoing World Bank-supported Integrated Coastal Zone Management Project (ICZMP) including the linkages between coastal conservation, climate resilience, and poverty reduction. So, statement (1) is correct. Since this program is funded under the Investment Project Financing (IPF) instrument of the World Bank, its Operational Policies (OPs) and Bank Procedures (BPs) are applicable for the project. So, statement (2) is correct. Therefore, the correct answer is (c).