Ans: C

Exp:

Following a deadly weekend of violence in the dual-island nation in the Caribbean that increased its annual death toll to 623, Trinidad and Tobago recently declared a state of emergency. 

• Pairs 1 and 3 are Correct: The government of Trinidad and Tobago declared a state of emergency on December 30, following a deadly weekend of violence in the Caribbean dual-island nation. At least 67 people were killed in December alone, increasing the country’s annual death toll to 623 — the highest since 2013.

• • Trinidad and Tobago has a population of 1.5 million and already accounted for one of the highest murder rates in the Caribbean, along with Jamaica and Haiti, according to the US Government Accountability Office (GAO).
• Pair 2 is Correct: China has approved the construction of the world’s largest hydropower dam close to the Indian border, raising concerns in riparian countries — India and Bangladesh.

Ans: D
Exp:

The Ministry of Steel is preparing ‘Green Steel Mission’ with an estimated cost of Rs 15000 Crore for helping the Steel Industry to reduce carbon emission and progress towards the Net Zero Target. 

• The Mission includes PLI Scheme for Green Steel, incentives for use of renewable energy and mandates for Government agencies to buy Green Steel.
• Steel → Alloy of iron and carbon containing less than 2% carbon and 1% manganese and small amounts of silicon, phosphorus, sulphur and oxygen. (With higher carbon content → It is known as cast iron)
• Production → India’s crude steel capacity reached 179.5 million tonnes in 2023-24.
• India is the 2nd largest producer of steel in the world after China
• The private sector dominates steel production, contributing about 83% of the total crude steel output.
• Major steel-producing States → Odisha, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Gujarat, and West Bengal, with Odisha leading in production.
• Low per capita consumption → Per capita finished steel consumption in 2023 was 219.3 kg for the world and 628.3 kg for China. The same for India was 97.7 kg in 2023-24
• Pollution → International Energy Agency says that steel produces 7% of the world’s GHG emissions
• Steel industry creates pollution as it uses coal and iron ore whose combustion releases various Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAH) compounds and oxides into the air.
• In steel furnaces → Coke reacts with iron ore → Releasing iron and generating major environmental pollutants.
• Pollutants released from steel producing units are → Carbon Monoxide (CO); Carbon Dioxide (CO2); Oxides of Sulphur (SOx); Oxides of Nitrogen (NOx); PM 2.5; Waste Water; Hazardous waste & Solid waste. Hence, Option D is Correct.

Ans: C

Exp: 

The Tobacco Board has undertaken several strategic initiatives to ensure the sustainability and growth of the tobacco industry.

• As the Board celebrates its formation day, it proudly highlights that Flue Cured Virginia (FCV) tobacco farmers’ earnings have more than doubled between  2019-20 and 2023-24 from Rs.124.00 per kg in 2019-20 to Rs.279.54 in 2023-24.

• Statement 1  is Correct: Tobacco plant was one of the plants domesticated in the ‘New World’ and introduced into the ‘Old World’.
  • This process of commodities introduction is called a Columbian exchange (named for Christopher Columbus).
  • It was the widespread transfer of plants, animals, culture, human populations, technology, diseases, and ideas between the Americas, West Africa, and the Old World during the 15th and 16th centuries.
  • The terms Old World and New World are used in reference to the Age of Exploration.
  • Old World refers to Europe, Africa, and Asia, while New World refers to North America, South America, and the Caribbean.

• • Statement 2 is Incorrect: The Portuguese introduced tobacco to India in 1605, during the reign of Akbar. 
    • Initially tobacco was grown in Kaira and Mehsana districts of Gujarat and later spread to other areas of the country. Attempts to improve Indian tobacco began with the establishment of the Calcutta Botanical gardens in Howrah in 1787.

• About India’s Tobacco Industry:

• • • Statement 3 is Incorrect: Presently, India is 2nd Largest Producer of tobacco globally, after China.
    • 4th Largest Producer of FCV Tobacco (Flue-Cured Virginia) after China, Brazil, and Zimbabwe.

• 2nd Largest Exporter of unmanufactured tobacco (in quantity) after Brazil.

• About Tobacco Board of India:

• • Statutory Body → Established under the Tobacco Board Act, 1975 (Act 4 of 1975). 
  • Headquarter → Guntur, Andhra Pradesh
  • Ministry → Ministry of Commerce & Industry.
  • Functions → Enhances the export of tobacco varieties, especially Flue-Cured Virginia (FCV) tobacco.
  • Manages FCV tobacco production and distribution to meet domestic and export demands.
  • Maintains quality standards and supports farmers in meeting export requirements.

Ans: A

Exp:

India may face challenges in achieving good scores on parameters like business entry, labour regulations, and international trade in the World Bank’s Business Ready report, according to the think tank the Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI).

• • The GTRI said that India is preparing for its inclusion in the B-READY framework, its focus should be on leveraging global insights while championing local reforms.

• India did not participate in the 2024 B-READY Report

• • Statement 1 is Correct: The World Bank launched the B-Ready Index in October 2024 as a replacement for the Ease of Doing Business (EoDB) rankings.
    • EoDB rankings was of discontinued in 2021 → Due to data manipulation issues and concerns over the integrity of certain rankings, leading to an independent review and methodology changes
    • Business-Ready (B-Ready) Index → Provides a quantitative assessment of the business environment (by focusing on three pillars) for private sector development → Published annually and covering most economies worldwide.

• The World Bank (WB) launched the first edition of its Business-Ready (B-READY) Index in October 2024.

• Pillars of B-READY → Three pillars:

• • Pillar I: Regulatory Framework → Focuses on the rules and regulations firms must follow during their life cycle, highlighting those that support clarity, fairness, and business sustainability
  • Pillar II: Public Services → Covers government-provided services and infrastructure that support regulatory compliance and business activities, with an emphasis on digitalization, interoperability, and transparency. 
  • Pillar III: Operational Efficiency → Measures how easily firms can comply with regulations and utilize public services relevant to their operations.  
• Statement 2 is Incorrect: The B-Ready Index generates two sets of scores: Topic Scores (based on the three pillars) and Pillar Scores (averaged across 10 topics). It does not provide a single composite score.
  • Topic Scores → Averaged from scores across the three pillars, based on indicators that reflect firm flexibility and social benefits. 
  • Pillar Scores → Averaged from scores across 10 topics → Standardised to range from 0 to 100. 
• Data Collection → For regulatory and public service aspects → collects data through expert questionnaires , and For operational efficiency → Through World Bank Enterprise Surveys
• Updates to expert data → Annually and firm-level data → Every three years

Ans: A
Exp:

Scientists found that the dark markings on a species of fluffy wasp reflected less than 1 percent of light.

• • Statement 1 is Correct: The Brazilian Velvet Ant is actually a wasp, despite its name. It is a member of the Mutillidae family, often called velvet ants due to their furry appearance.
  • Wasps are predatory insects.
  • Significance of Wasps:
    • Wasps play a crucial role in ecosystems as pollinators.
    • A chemical found in the venom of the tropical social wasp Polybia paulista, has been shown to selectively destroy various types of cancerous cells.
    • Many social wasps are generalist predators too, which means they control populations of a wide range of species, which makes them extremely useful, for minimising the need for toxic pesticides.
  • Statement 2 is Correct: Recent Findings states that female velvet ants have ultrablack parts that absorb almost all visible light.

• Comparison with Regular Black:

• • • Ordinary Black→ Caused by melanin and reflects some light (e.g., crow feathers).
    • Ultrablack→ Achieved through microstructures that swallow nearly all light hitting the surface.

• Functions of Ultrablack Color:

• • Defense→ Absorbs nearly all ultraviolet light, potentially protecting against predators with UV-sensitive vision.
  • Camouflage→ Researchers are unsure if the pigment is critical for hiding from predators, as velvet ants are already defended by painful stings, hard exoskeletons, and screeching sounds.
• Statement 3 is Incorrect: The Brazilian Velvet Ant is not endemic to South Africa, but it is found in Brazil and parts of South America.