Indian Governance and Policy

CCIS insurance was limited to

Directions: Read the given passage carefully and answer the question that follows.

Crop insurance in India accounts for less than 2% of income generated from agriculture in a year. This, despite the fact that more than 60% of India’s labour force is dependent on agriculture, and the remaining two sectors — industry and services — derive a large part of their demand from agriculture. Further, Indian agriculture is still subject to uncontrollable risks, prime among which are the vagaries of the monsoon. A large part of crop insurance happens in the kharif season, which is critically monsoon-dependent. About 82% of total sum insured is for the kharif crop as are the 87% of the farmers who have so far benefited from crop insurance schemes. Nevertheless, in absolute terms, crop insurance’s role in agriculture is miniscule compared to agriculture’s significance to the country. The total insured crop area is only about 10% of the overall area under food grains. 
This suggests that not too much headway has been made in agriculture insurance since its initiation. The first nationwide crop insurance scheme, Comprehensive Crop Insurance Scheme (CCIS), which was launched in 1985-86 by the General Insurance Corporation (GIC), did not achieve much. Over the years of its operation, the CCIS insured a total of 1.1% of the agriculture GDP over the period. From 1999-2000, a new scheme — the National Agriculture Insurance Scheme (NAIS) — was launched in place of the CCIS, with a newly-formed Agriculture Insurance Company of India (AIC) as its implementing agency. This has fared slightly better than the CCIS, partly because of its scope. While the CCIS insured only those farmers who had taken short-term loans, the NAIS covers all farmers. The average yearly sum insured forms about 3% of income generated by agriculture in a year. Some of the bigger crop-producing states like Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan did not participate in the insurance scheme.

When the writer says that India's Project Tiger established over 25 tiger reserves, he means that

Directions: The passage is followed by five questions. Read the passage carefully and answer the question that follows. For the question four probable answers bearing options (1), (2), (3) and (4) are given. Only one out of those is correct. You have to choose correct answer.

India is home to the world's largest population of wild tigers but only 11% of the original Indian tiger habitat remains. From 1973, India's Project Tiger established over 25 tiger reserves, where human habitation was not allowed. The project was credited with tripling the number of wild Bengal tigers from some 1,200 in 1973 to over 3,500 in the 1990s, but a 2007 report showed that numbers had fallen down to about 1,400 tigers because of illegal hunting.

Directions: The short passage below is followed by a question based on its content. Answer the question on the basis of what is stated or implied in the passage.

But this will require planning, coordination and monitoring by high-powered bodies right down to the district level. The onus for coordinating and implementing the National Plan of Action on Nutrition could be given to the women and child department but, if it is to be effective, it must be given ministerial status. Intersectoral committees will also be necessary at the State level and the district magistrates must be made accountable for the total social development of the area. The success of the adult literacy programme in certain districts has shown that wonders can be achieved by a DM. States should also formulate their own plans on the basis of the national policy to suit their special needs. Rajasthan has already done so by developing a hugely successful two-day village contact drive that informs people of the services available under ICDS, while Orissa is attempting to create grain banks. These are small beginnings but they could go a long way in bettering the nutritional levels of the children and in time of the population as a whole.

The passage is

If the argument above is true, which of the following must also be true?

Directions: Answer the question based on the following passage.

The investigative journalists and the public at large believe that the bombings in Wreckville were politically inspired. However, the government report on the same day called it a racially motivated heinous act. During the last 5 years, all the terrorist strikes conducted by Dukhara, the world’s largest terrorist group, had a racial background. It is, therefore, certain that the attack on Wreckville was wrongly ascribed to the government agencies and the investigative reports were inspired by extraneous considerations.

Each of the following, if true, would weaken the argument, EXCEPT:

Directions: Answer the given question based on the following passage:

China and India have a similarly large pool of human resources. However, China is surging ahead of India in terms of achievements in the sporting arena. For every medal that India won in the last Olympic Games, China won seven. India, like always, failed to win any Gold medals while China won 40. The difference can clearly be attributed to the proliferation of State run sporting academies in China. These academies identify young children with sporting talent, and take these children under their wing. For the next decade or so, these children live, breathe, eat, and sleep their respective sport. It is no wonder that they turn into prodigies. India needs to pout in place a similar system if it is to achieve some level of international recognition as a sporting power.

Which of the following statements about the Bus Rapid Transport System (BRTS) that is being implemented in several cities across the country are correct? I.          Pune was the first city where BRTS was launched II.         The selection of cities for BRTS is done by Union Urban Development Ministry III.        The cities selected for the BRTS receive grants under the Urban Infrastructure Development Scheme   for Small and   Medium Towns (UIDSSMT)

Which of the following statements about the National Investment Fund (NIF) are correct? I.          The allocation of capital for NIF is done in the Union Budget II.         The NIF is used in funding selected social sector schemes as well as for capital investment in profitable and revivable central public sector undertakings (CPSUs) III.        The NIF funds are managed by SBI, HDFC Bank and ICICI Bank

Which of the following statements is true regarding the Science Express which is journeying around the country? I.          The coaches used in Science Express have been specially fabricated for the department of Science & Technology (DST) by the Rail Coach Factory, Chittranjan, West Bengal II.         The exhibits displayed in the Science Express have been designed and developed by Karlsruhe Institute of Technology III.        The Science Express was flagged off by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and German Chancellor Angela Merkel from New Delhi in 2007

Which of the following statements about Subir Gokarn who was appointed Deputy Governor of the RBI recently are correct? I.          He was Asia-Pacific Chief Economist at credit rating agency Moody's before his appointment as RBI Deputy Governor II.         He was Chief Economist at Indian credit rating firm ICRA before joining Moody's in 2007 III.        He has also served as Chief Economist at the National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER)

Which of the following statements about Tarun Das who stepped down from his position at a leading industry association recently is/are correct? I.          He was associated with the Confederation of Indian Industry II.         He stepped down as the Director General of the industry association III.        He was earlier conferred won the honorary CBE (Commander of British Empire) by Her Majesty, the Queen of England, for his contribution to Indo-British Partnership