10 PM Current Affairs Quiz #8 September 10, 2019

Explanation: Amrabad Tiger Reserve spreads over 2,800 sq.kms in the districts of Mahabubnagar and Nalgonda, is the largest tiger reserve in the country. Earlier, it was part of ‘Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam Tiger reserve’ but post-bifurcation, the northern part of the reserve is vested with Telangana state and renamed as ‘Amrabad Tiger Reserve’. The southern portion continues to be ‘NSTR’ is with Andhra Pradesh. There are an estimated 23 Tigers in the reserve.

Explanation: Close to 1.1 million cases of malaria were recorded in India in 2014. While the caseload has shown a declining trend since 2002, large parts of the Indian population remains vulnerable to the disease. At the same time, neighboring Sri Lanka has managed to eliminate the disease from the country using integrated vector-control approaches. Indian government has released a National Strategic Plan (NSP) for malaria elimination for years 2017-2022, targeting eradication by 2030. Under the plan, malaria transmission in the country’s districts have been divided into four categories: no cases in 3 years, less than 1 case per 1,000 people, more than 1 but less than 2 cases per 1,000 people, and more than 2 cases per 1,000 people.

Explanation: On the occasion of the nation’s 28th Independence Day, Tajikistan President Emomali Rahmon inaugurated the second phase of Roghun Hydropower plant (HPP) on Monday, thereby adding additional 600 MW to the country’s existing power capacity. The hydropower project-slated to be the tallest in the world upon its completion in 2028, with a height of 335 metres-has now achieved a capacity of 1,200 mega watt (MW), with the inauguration of its second phase. Once complete, the Roghun HPP will have an installed capacity of 3,600 MW. With the launch the second phase of Roghun HPP, the dam has now achieved a height of 135 m and the total hydropower capacity of the country has reached nearly 6,000 MW.

Explanation: National Highways Authority of India was set up by an act of the Parliament, NHAI Act, 1988 “An Act to provide for the constitution of an Authority for the development, maintenance and management of national highways and for matter connected therewith or incidental thereto”. It has been entrusted with National Highways Development Project, which along with other minor projects, has vested in it 50329 kms of National Highways for development, maintenance and management. Our objective is to ensure that all contract awards and procurements conform to the best industry practices with regard to transparency of process, adoption of bid criteria to ensure healthy competition in award of contracts, implementation of projects conform to best quality requirements and the highway system is maintained to ensure best user comfort and convenience.
National Highways are the arterial roads of the country for inter-state movement of passengers and goods. They traverse the length and width of the country connecting the National and State capitals, major ports and rail junctions and link up with border roads and foreign highways. The total length of NH (including expressways) in the country at present is 1,32,499 kms. While Highways/Expressways constitute only about 1.7% of the length of all roads, they carry about 40% of the road traffic.

Explanation: With a view to enhancing enrolment, retention and attendance and simultaneously improving nutritional levels among children, the National Programme of Nutritional Support to Primary Education (NP-NSPE) was launched as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme on 15th August 1995. In 2001 MDMS became a cooked Mid Day Meal Scheme under which every child in every Government and Government aided primary school was to be served a prepared Mid Day Meal with a minimum content of 300 calories of energy and 8-12 gram protein per day for a minimum of 200 days. The Scheme was further extended in 2002 to cover not only children studying in Government, Government aided and local body schools, but also children studying in Education Guarantee Scheme (EGS) and Alternative & Innovative Education (AIE) centres.
In September 2004 the Scheme was revised to provide for Central Assistance for Cooking cost @ Re 1 per child per school day to cover cost of pulses, vegetables cooking oil, condiments, fuel and wages and remuneration payable to personnel or amount payable to agency responsible for cooking. Transport subsidy was also raised from the earlier maximum of Rs 50 per quintal to Rs. 100 per quintal for special category states and Rs 75 per quintal for other states. Central assistance was provided for the first time for management, monitoring and evaluation of the scheme @ 2% of the cost of foodgrains, transport subsidy and cooking assistance. A provision for serving mid day meal during summer vacation in drought affected areas was also made.
In July 2006 the Scheme was further revised to enhance the cooking cost to Rs 1.80 per child/school day for States in the North Eastern Region and Rs 1.50 per child / school day for other States and UTs. The nutritional norm was revised to 450 Calories and 12 gram of protein. In order to facilitate construction of kitchen-cum-store and procurement of kitchen devices in schools provision for Central assistance @ Rs. 60,000 per unit and @ Rs. 5,000 per school in phased manner were made. In October 2007, the Scheme was extended to cover children of upper primary classes (i.e. class VI to VIII) studying in 3,479 Educationally Backwards Blocks (EBBs) and the name of the Scheme was changed from ‘National Programme of Nutritional Support to Primary Education’ to ‘National Programme of Mid Day Meal in Schools’. The nutritional norm for upper primary stage was fixed at 700 Calories and 20 grams of protein. The Scheme was extended to all areas across the country from 1.4.2008.