General Knowledge (CDS-Solved Paper)

Both the statements are true. Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana was launched in 2015 with an objective to make quality education available of affordable prices for all particularly, poor and disadvantage.

It is implemented by Bureau of Pharma PSUs of India (BPPI) which is registered as an independents society under the Societies Registration Act, 1860.
Hence, both the statements are correct.

Pradhan Mantri Vaya Vandana Yojana (PMVVY) provides an assured pension based on a guaranteed rate of return of 8% per annum for 10 year. Its salient feature

(i) Investment limit extended upto 15 lakh.
(ii) Time period for subscription up to 21st March, 2020.
(iii) On premature exit 98% purchase price will be refunded.
(iv) Senior citizen will get a pension upto 10000 per month.

Army War College is located in Mhow (Madhya Pradesh). It is a Tactical training and research institution established in 1971.
High Altitude Warfare School is located in Gulmarg (Jammu and Kashmir). It is a training and research establishment of Indian Army set up in 1948.
Army Air Defence College is located in Gopalpur (Odisha). It is a training academy of Indian Army established in 1940.
Rashtriya Indian Military College is located in Dehradun (Uttarakhand). It is a military school for boys established in 1922.

Benefits of PMJAY Scheme have been enumerated below

(i) Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY) will provide a cover of up to ` 5 lakhs per family per year, for secondary and tertiary care hospitalisation.

(ii) When fully implemented, PMJAY will become the world’s largest fully government-financed health protection scheme. It is a visionary step towards advancing the agenda of Universal Health Coverage (UHC).

(iii) PMJAY will provide cashless and paperless access to service for the beneficiary at the point of service.

(iv) PMJAY will help reduce catastrophic expenditure for hospitalisations, which impoverishes people and will help mitigate the financial risk arising out of catastrophic health episodes.

(v) Over 10.74 crore vulnerable entitled families (approximately 50 crore beneficiaries) will be eligible for these benefits.

(vi) Entitled families will be able to use the quality health services they need without facing financial hardships.
Hence, statements 1, 2, 3 are correct and statement 4 is incorrect.

India improved its ranking from 100th position in 2017 to 77th position in 2018 (a jump of 23 positions) among 190 countries.

India has improved its rank in 6 out of 10 indicators in 2018 report. These parameters include ease of starting a business construction permits getting electricity, getting credit, paying takes, trading across borders, enfercing contracts and resolving insolvency.

India recorded a leap of 53 ranks in paying takes from 172 to 119 in 2018 improved from 136 to 103 in resolving insolving parameters.

World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business Index ranks 190 countries based on 10 parameters. India was placed at 63rd position in 2019 with an improvement of 14 places from 77th position in 2018.

The first edition of 2+2 dialogue between India-US held in New Delhi. In the inaugural meeting, Minister of External Affairs (MEA) Sushma Swaraj and Minister of Defence Smt Nirmala Sitharaman met with their US counterparts Secretary of State Mr.

Michael R. Pompeo and Secretary of Defence Mr. James N. Mattis. The second 2 2 + dialogue between India and US was held in Washington in December 2019.

The US Secretary Mike Pompeo and Defence Secretary Mark Esper hosted the meeting for MEA Shri. S. Jai Shankar and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. Hence, option (a) is correct.

On 18th April, 2018, the government has revamped the existing defence planning system by establishing a Defence Planning Committee (DPC) under the Chairmanship of the National Security Adviser (NSA).

The committee will be a permanent body and it will prepare national security strategy besides undertaking strategic defence review and formulating international defence engagement strategy.

It will consist of Chairman Chiefs of the Staff Committee (COSC), Service Chiefs, Defence Secretary, Foreign Secretary and Secretary (expenditure) in Finance Ministry.

Tejas is an Indian single-seat, single-jet engine, multirale light fighter designed by the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) and Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) for the Indian Air Force and Indian Navy.

It came from the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) programme, which began in the 1980s to replace India’s ageing MIG-21 fighters.
In 2003, the LCA was officially named
‘Tejas’. Hence, option (c) is correct

On 10th November, 2017 the government relaxed Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) norms in the defence sector by allowing FDI upto 49 per cent under automatic route and beyond that through the FIPB’s approval.

The government has also done away with the earlier requirement of mandatory permission from the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) beyond 49 per cent.

The policy on Strategic Partnerships in Defence sector was approved by Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) in May, 2017. Under this policy select private firms will be roped into build military platforms in addition to defence PSUs.

The following four segments have been identified for acquisition under Strategic Partnership (SP) route
(i) Fighter Aircraft
(ii) Helicopters
(iii) Submarines
(iv) Armoured Fighting Vehicles (AFVs)/ Main Battle Tanks (MBTs).