ENGLISH QUIZ 04.09.2020

1.Consider the following statements related to solar tree:

1.CSIR-CMERI develops world’s largest solar tree.

2.A single solar tree comprises of 55 Solar PV Panels each having a capacity of 330 wp each.

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 related to Telecom Firms:

1.Court Gives Telecom Firms 10 Years To Pay Dues.

2.The telecom sector was liberalised under the National Telecom Policy, 1984 after which licenses                  were issued to companies in return for a fixed license fee.

3.To provide relief from the steep fixed license fee, the government in 1999 gave an option to the                    licensees to migrate to the revenue sharing fee model.

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.What is India’s rank in the 13th edition of the Global Innovation Index (GII) 2020 jointly released by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), Cornell University and INSEAD Business School?

A. 48th

B. 42nd

C. 52nd

D. 62nd

4.Union Power Minister R K Singh launched the GTAM initiative that will lead to an increase in the number of participants in the Renewable Energy Sector. What is full form of GTAM?

A. Global Trade Appreciation Market

B. Green Term Ahead Market

C. Grass tradable ahead market

D. Green Tradable Ahead Market

5.Who becomes the first Indian to win a singles main draw match at a Grand Slam in the last 7 years?

A. Yuki Bhambri

B. Somdev Devvarman

C. Sumit Nagal

D. Ramkumar Ramanathan

6.Who becomes the first women Director-General of the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS)?

A. Soma Mondal

B. Shiva ganguly

C. Winnie Mahajan

D. Usha Padhee

 7.Which Life Insurance company has introduced an Artificial intelligence (AI)-powered voice chatbot, “LiGo”, on Google Assistant?

A. ICICI Prudential Life Insurance Company

B. Max Life Insurance Company

C. HDFC Life Insurance Company

D. Tata AIA Life Insurance Company

ANSWERS:-

Answer: 1)A      

Explanation

In a bid to promote the usage of Solar energy, CSIR’s Central Mechanical Engineering Research Institute have developed world’s largest ‘solar tree’ which is installed at its residential complex in Durgapur in West Bengal.The Solar Tree has been designed in such a way that it ensures maximum exposure of each Solar PV Panel to Sunlight. A single solar tree comprises of 35 Solar PV Panels each having a capacity of 330 wp each. The energy generation data of the tree can be monitored either real-time or on daily basis. This tree will also ensure minimum Shadow Area which will make it available for usage in Agricultural activities like High Capacity Pumps, e-Tractors and e-Power Tillers.

Application

• The Solar Trees can be aligned with agriculture to substitute price-volatile fossil fuels.
• One solar tree can reduce ten to twelve tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions. Also, the surplus power from these trees can be fed to the energy grids.
• The Solar tree also has capability to incorporate with Internet of Things based features. This includes wind speed, real-time humidity, rainfall prediction and soil analytics sensors.

E-Suvidha Kiosks

• The CSIR-CMERI along with the Solar Trees have also developed the E-Suvidha Kiosks that can be connected to the solar trees for real time access to vast majority of agricultural database and also to eNAM.
• This will help in making instant and real time access to an unified online market.
• Thus, Solar trees are a leap towards making carbon negative India

Harnessing Solar Energy with Agriculture

• The Government of India has launched KUSUM scheme to harness solar energy. The scheme aims to replace all the diesel pumps with solar pumps.
• Under the scheme, the excess power generated in the solar power is to be purchased by the state governments at profitable price to farmers.

How is solar tree highly potential solution?

• Solar energy is clean, renewable and is present throughout the year in India.
• However, the availability of land to install solar panel on a large scale is the basic hurdle in India.
• This problem is overcome by solar trees.

Answer: 2)B

Explanation

The Supreme Court  gave telecom companies 10 years to clear huge dues owed to the government, called adjusted gross revenue (AGR), amounting to about Rs 1.6 lakh crore, in staggered payments.

Background:

• The telecom sector was liberalised under the National Telecom Policy, 1994 after which licenses were issued to companies in return for a fixed license fee.
• To provide relief from the steep fixed license fee, the government in 1999 gave an option to the licensees to migrate to the revenue sharing fee model.
• Under this, mobile telephone operators were required to share a percentage of their AGR with the government as annual license fee (LF) and spectrum usage charges (SUC).
• License agreements between the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and the telecom companies define the gross revenues of the latter.
• The definition of AGR has been under litigation for 14 years. In 2005, Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) challenged the government’s definition for AGR calculation.
• However, DoT argued that AGR includes all revenues from both telecom and non-telecom services.
• The companies claimed that AGR should comprise just the revenue accrued from core services and not dividend, interest income or profit on the sale of any investment or fixed assets.
• In 2015, the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) stayed the case in favour of telecom companies and held that AGR includes all receipts except capital receipts and revenue from non-core sources such as rent, profit on the sale of fixed assets, dividend, interest and miscellaneous income.
• However, setting aside TDSAT’s order, the Supreme Court upheld the definition of AGR as stipulated by the DoT in October 2019.
• As per the government definition, AGR includes rental receipts, dividend income and income from any other-activity arising out of the telecom licence the company has.
• Later on, the Court rejected a 20-year payment timeline proposed by the central government and supported by telecom companies. Instead it has given 10 years’ time to repay the AGR dues.

What is the matter?

• The Supreme Court had earlier asked telecom companies to pay AGR dues by March 17, 2020.
• The companies then asked for a period of 15-20 years to pay the AGR dues.

What are AGR dues?

• The full form of AGR is Adjusted Gross Revenue.
• This is the usage and license fee charged by the DoT from the telecom operators. This license fee is divided into spectrum usage fees.
• This is fixed between 3% –5% and 8%, respectively.
• In total, the telecom companies owe Rs 92,642 crore to the Government of India.

Way Forward

• To enhance the growth of the telecom sector, improve the quality of service, and generate resources for the telcos, a new infrastructural policy is the need of the hour.
• The government needs to provide an enabling environment for telecom operators. In order to achieve that, a long-term vision plan must be made accordingly.
• Enhanced accessibility of the broadband services will enable the digital empowerment of India, hence adequate steps must be taken by the government to strengthen the overall telecom sector.

Answer: 3)A

Explanation

India has been ranked 48th in the Global Innovation Index (GII) 2020 overall rankings.India stands at 52nd position in 2019 and 81st in 2015.GII is co-published by UN World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), Cornell University, and INSEAD.GII 2020 comprises of 131 countries/economies that represents 93.5% of the world’s population and 97.4% of the world’s GDP.The index is topped by Switzerland, followed by Sweden and US.

Theme 2020: Who Will Finance Innovation?

Answer: 4)B

Explanation

Union Minister R K Singh launched the Green Term Ahead Market (GTAM) for electricity. The move, that will lead to an increase in the participants in the renewable energy sector. The initiative will also help in achieving 175 GW renewable energy (RE) target of the country. It will lessen the burden on RE-rich states and incentivize them to develop RE capacity beyond their own RPO (Renewable Purchase Obligation). This would promote RE merchant capacity addition and help in achieving RE capacity addition targets of the country.

Answer: 5)C

Explanation

Sumit Nagal (23 years) has become the first Indian to win a singles main draw match at a Grand Slam in the last 7 years.He went into second round of the ongoing US Open Tennis by defeating Bradley Klahn of USA 6-1, 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 in the first round of the US Open.Prior to him, Somdev Devvarman is the last player to reach the second round of the Australian Open, French Open and US Open in 2013.He will now face Austria’s Dominic Thiem in the 2nd round.

Answer: 6)D

Explanation

Usha Padhee has been given additional charge as Director General (DG) of the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS).She is the 1st woman and third IAS officer to have been appointed to BCAS’s DG. She was serving as the joint secretary in the Ministry of Civil Aviation and was handling flagship scheme of regional connectivity. She will replace Rakesh Asthana, who has been moved to the Border Security Force (BSF) as director general.

Bureau of Civil Aviation Security

• The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) is an attached office of the Ministry of Civil Aviation (India).
• It is the regulatory authority for civil aviation security in India. It is headed by an officer of the rank of Director general of police and is designated as Director general of Security (Civil Aviation).
• Director General of security (DG BCAS) is the appropriate authority for implementation of Annexure 17(Security: Safeguarding International Civil Aviation Against Acts of Unlawful Interference) to Chicago convention of International Civil Aviation Organization.
• Director General of security (CA) is responsible for the development, implementation and maintenance of the National Civil Aviation Security Programme.

Answer: 7)A

Explanation

ICICI Prudential Life Insurance has rolled out an AI-powered voice chatbot named as ‘LiGo’ on Google Assistant in English and 9 Indian languages. LiGo will enable its policyholders to get their queries addressed by simple voice commands. This service has been launched as part of customer service initiative. Using this, customers can instantly access information regarding their policies by activating ‘Google Assistant’ and speaking policy number or registered number.