1. #1: MH 370 & Anti-hijacking Policy in India
  2. #2: Tourist visa on arrival
  3. #3: energy coop with Sudan + USA
  4. PIB Misc.
  5. Mock MCQ Questions

#1: MH 370 & Anti-hijacking Policy in India

  • 8th March 2014: A Passenger flight of Malaysian Airlines from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing disappeared.
  • you can read all conspiracy theories on Dailymail click me
  • Let’s focus on two MCQ worthy topics

Transponder

  • Transponder = device on airplane. It reports an aircraft’s altitude, speed, direction etc. to ground controllers and nearby aircraft.
  • also, Helps radar to detect the plane.
  • When plane is on ground, the staff can turn it off. (to prevent wrong signal confusions.)
  • But MH-370’s transponder was turned off whil it was in air. => someone had hijacked it and perhaps wanted to use it as plane-missile like in 9/11 attack.

Infrasound

  • Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organisation(CTBTO) = HQ Vienna.
  • It monitors infrasounds to detect nuclear explosions.
  • If a large plane had crashed, their infrasonic sensors would have detected it as well.
  • by the way, Infrasound is produced by both
Natural Sources Man Made Sources
  1. volcanoes
  2. earthquakes
  3. meteors
  4. storms
  5. auroras
  6. elephants use it for communication.
  1. nuclear bombs
  2. mining operations
  3. chemicals explosions
  4. aircrafts
  5. rocket launches
  6. wind turbines (causes headache)
  • Infrasound are Low frequency sounds (<20Hz) =travel farther than high frequency sounds = ideal for long distance communication.

Anyways, India has deployed INS Saryu, INS Kumbhir and INS Kesari + two Dornier aircrafts to search MH-370 wreckage.

MH-370

India’s Policy against Hijacking (2005)

(topic becomes important given the MH-370 Development)

  • Hijacked plane can be shot down, IF there is evidence that
    • it’ll be used for 9/11 like attack.
    • it is carrying weapons of mass destruction.
  • The decision to shoot down the plane will be taken by panel of PM, Defence minister and a high ranking IAF officer.
  • If plane is high-jacked on Indian soil, the security agency can prevent its take off.
  • NO negotiations with hijackers on their demands.
  • If at all talks are started- it’ll be for preventing loss of life or ending the incident.
  • Hijacking = act of terror. Death penalty for hijackers.

Other than that:

  • International convention on Anti-Hijacking: Tokyo, Hague, Montreal.
  • India made Anti-high-jacking act, 1982 – too old. New bill made in 2010- but pending.

#2: Tourist visa on arrival

Under Ministry of Home Affairs.
2010 scheme started for five countries
2011 six more added
2014, Feb 180 countries

Why in news? Because PIB says it lead to boost in tourists.

Mechanism for (Tourist) Visa on Arrival

Following applicable from Sep’14 for 180 countries:

  • Foreigner has to apply online (3 days before arriving to India)
  • When he reaches India, pays 60$ fees, goes through biometric identification and gets the (Tourist) Visa.
  • Validity: 30 days, Cannot be renewed. He must leave after that.

But why should India give Visa on Arrival?

  1. Will boost tourism and business
  2. Can help us earn >40 billion USD by 2017
  3. Challenges: women security, bad infrastructure, unhygienic places.
Before 2014 from Sep.2014
~40 countries eligible for visa on arrival. Visa on arrival facility available to tourists from 180 countries. Including

  1. US (Despite Devyani!)
  2. China (Despite Dushmani!)
  3. UK
  4. UAE
  5. Bangladesh
Not eligible for Visa on Arrival [security reason]

  1. Pakistan
  2. Sudan
  3. Afghanistan
  4. Iran
  5. Iraq
  6. Nigeria
  7. Somalia
  8. Sri Lanka

Tourists from these countries need to apply for visa through Indian embassies in their country.

 Same continued.

By the way, India is not the first country in the world to have “Visa on arrival” facility. Following countries already offer this facility: Japan, Finland, Singapore, Indonesia, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Cambodia, Vietnam, the Philippines, Laos and Myanmar.

#3: energy coop with Sudan + USA

India USA

  • Recently meeting held Under PACE-R (Partnership to Advance Clean Energy –Research and development).
  • More details under my old article click me

India Sudan

  • India will help Sudan develop renewable energy resources -wind, solar, biomass and small hydro-plants.
  • training, resource assessment via our national research institutes + IREDA

Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA)

  • Under ministry of new and renewable energy
  • It is an non-banking financial institution, to finance renewable energy projects in the country.

Some additional fodder

  • Despite Sundan’s close relations with Paki, they shared a cordial reletions with us sinc freedom.
  • During WW2, Indian troops sacrificed in liberation of Sudan.
  • In past India has backed Sudan, when others tried to pass resolution against Sudan.
  • India have 25% stake in oil field in South Sudan.

PIB Misc.

E-KUBER
  • core banking solution /software of RBI
  • helps auctioning of government securities (G-Sec)
  • was in news- because government decided to re-purchase some securities (via RBI)
  • What will happen to money supply when RBI purchases g-sec from market? money supply increased or decreased? Think about it!
CIVIL REGISTRATION
  • Office of Registrar General & Census Commissioner = falls under Ministry of Home Affairs.
  • recently held workshop
  • Issue: at present ~80% of births and ~65% of deaths get officially registered. need to increase this to 100% by 2020
  • Need for web based portal for uniform civil registration throughout India.
INDIA AVIATION-2014
  • exhibition jointly organized by aviation ministry + FICCI
  • at Hyderabad
  • theme: Enhancing air connectivity
BOOK: “SUNRISE AND SLUMS” by Hindi poet Dr. Ravindranath Shrivastva. (Padmashree)
national Archives of India falls under culture ministry. Celebrated 124th b’day in March 2014

Mock MCQ Questions

Q1. Correct statement about Tourist visa on arrival scheme?

  1. This scheme is launched by Ministry of overseas affairs in 2014.
  2. India is the first country in the world to have “Visa on arrival” facility.
  3. Tourist from every country except Pakistan, Afghanistan and Somalia are eligible f or this scheme.

Answer choices

  1. only 1 and 2
  2. only 2 and 3
  3. only 1 and 3
  4. None of them

Q2. Correct statement

  1. The matters related to registration of birth and deaths fall under Ministry of Health and Family welfare.
  2. 12th Five year plan wants to achieve universal registration of births and deaths by the end of 2017.
  3. Both A and B
  4. Neither A nor B

Q3. Correct statements about Infrasounds

  1. Infrasound are inaudible to humans to audible to elephants.
  2. Auroras and meteors can produce infrasounds.
  3. They are ideal for short distance communication because they can travel a path than high frequency sounds.

Answer choices

  1. only 1 and 2
  2. only 2 and 3
  3. only 1 and 3
  4. All of them

Q4. What is the utility of a Transponder device on an airplane?

  1. It is a technical instrument inside “blackbox” that prevents data from being destroyed when plane crashes.
  2. Pilot uses this device to turn on the “Auto-Pilot” mode while the aircraft is at high altitude.
  3. It reports an aircraft’s altitude, speed, direction to ground controllers and nearby aircrafts.
  4. None of Above.