Answer: B
Soln:
Global Hunger Index 2024:
● The Global Hunger Index (GHI) is an annual report that measures and tracks hunger at
global, regional, and national levels. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
● The Index is a peer-reviewed report jointly published by Concern Worldwide (an Irish
humanitarian organization), Welthungerhilfe (a German aid agency) and the Institute for
International Law of Peace and Armed Conflict (an European academic institution).
Hence, statement 2 is incorrect.
● The GHI determines hunger on a 100-point scale, where 0 is the best possible score (no
hunger) and 100 is the worst. Each country’s GHI score is classified by severity, from low to
extremely alarming.
● It is based on 4 indicators:
○ Undernourishment - population with inadequate calorie intake;
○ Child wasting - the share of children under the age of five who have low weight for
their height, reflecting acute undernutrition;
○ Child stunting - children under the age of five who have low height for their age,
reflecting chronic undernutrition;
○ Child mortality - the mortality rate of children under the age of five. Hence,
statement 3 is correct.

● The reason for mapping hunger is to ensure that the world achieves “Zero Hunger by
2030” — one of the Sustainable Development Goals laid out by the United Nations. It is for
this reason that GHI scores are not calculated for certain high-income countries.

Highlights of the Index
● The 2024 GHI score for the world is 18.3, considered moderate, down only slightly from
the 2016 score of 18.8.
● The goal of Zero Hunger by 2030 now appears unreachable, and if progress remains at
the same pace, the world will not reach even low hunger until 2160.
● The report highlights the link between Gender inequality, climate change, and hunger.
Women and girls are typically hardest hit by food insecurity and malnutrition. They also
suffer disproportionately from the effects of weather extremes and climate emergencies.
● India has been ranked 105th out of 127 countries in the latest Index, placing it in the
"serious" category for hunger levels.
● With a GHI score of 27.3, India is listed alongside countries like Pakistan and
Afghanistan, which also face severe hunger challenges.
● The report reveals alarming statistics: 13.7 percent of India's population is
undernourished, 35.5 percent of children under five are stunted, 18.7 percent suffer
from wasting, and 2.9 percent of children die before their fifth birthday.

4. Consider the following statements about the Sagarmala project.
1. It aims to develop a string of ports along India’s coast to promote “Port-led development”.
2. Coastal community development is a pillar of focus in this project.
3. The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways has been appointed as the nodal ministry
for this initiative.

Answer: D
Soln:
Sagarmala:
● The Sagarmala project was launched in 2015 to develop a string of ports along India’s
7500 km long coast to promote “Port-led development”. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

● It aims to develop access to new development regions and enhance connectivity with main
economic centres and beyond through expansion of rail, inland water, coastal and road
services.
● The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways has been appointed as the nodal
ministry for this initiative. Hence, statement 3 is correct.
● To assist in implementation of the Sagarmala Programme, the Sagarmala Development
Company Limited has been incorporated under the Companies Act, 2013.
● The vision of the programme is to reduce logistics cost for Export-Import (EXIM) and
domestic trade with minimal infrastructure investment.
4-Pillars of Sagarmala

● Hence, statement 2 is correct.

5. CARICOM is a group of developing countries of which of the following region?

Answer: B
Soln:
CARICOM:
● The Caribbean Community and Common Market (CARICOM) is a group of 21
developing countries (15 full-time members and 6 associate members) in the Caribbean
that encourage common policy and economic goals. Hence, option B is correct.
● The CARICOM was formed in 1973 with the signing of the Treaty of Chaguaramas.
● The Treaty was later revised in 2002 to allow for the eventual establishment of a single
market and a single economy.
○ Known as the Caribbean Single Market and Economy (CSME), the single market
and economy is meant to integrate all of the member states of CARICOM. It is still in
development.

● CARICOM enjoys observer status at the United Nations General Assembly.
● The Secretariat is located in Georgetown, Guyana.

1. Consider the following statements.
1. The Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) is responsible for formulating the policy of the
Department of Atomic Energy.
2. Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) is responsible for design, construction,
commissioning and operation of nuclear power reactors.
3. NPCIL and AEC come under the control of the Union Ministry of Power.

Answer: B
Soln:
● The Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) was set up under the direct charge of the
Prime Minister through a Presidential Order on August 3, 1954. It is not under the Union
Ministry of Power. Hence, statement 3 is incorrect.
● The Atomic Energy Commission with full executive and financial powers was set up by the
Government through a resolution dated March 1, 1958.
● The Atomic Energy Commission is responsible for formulating the policy of the
Department of Atomic Energy. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
● Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) is a Public Sector Enterprise under
the administrative control of the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), Government of
India.
● NPCIL is responsible for design, construction, commissioning and operation of nuclear
power reactors. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
● M.R. Srinivasan, former Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission and Secretary of the
Department of Atomic Energy, passed away recently.
● In 1987, he was appointed Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission and Secretary of the
Department of Atomic Energy. That same year, he became the Founder-Chairman of the
Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd. (NPCIL).

2. Consider the following statements.
1. The Shirui Lily is the state flower of Mizoram.
2. The Shirui Lily is endemic to the upper reaches of the Shirui Hill range of Mizoram.
3. The Shirui Lily festival coincides with the blooming season of this rare flower.

Answer: A
Soln:
Shirui Lily festival:

● The Shirui Lily Festival is organised by the Manipur government’s Department of Tourism.
● It is named after the Shirui Lily, or the Lilium mackliniae, recognised as the state
flower of Manipur, the other major festival is named after the Sangai, or the Manipur
brow-antlered deer, recognised as its state animal. Hence, statement 1 is incorrect.
● The Shirui Lily festival coincides with the blooming season of this rare flower. Held in
Manipur’s Ukhrul district, which is home to the Tangkhul Naga community, the event is
designed as an eco-tourism festival to raise awareness about the Shirui Lily and to promote
tourism to the hills of Ukhrul. Hence, statement 3 is correct.
What is special about Shirui Lily?
● The Shirui Lily is endemic to the upper reaches of the Shirui Hill range in Ukhrul
district at an elevation of 2,673 m above sea level. Hence, statement 2 is incorrect.
● While locals had long been familiar with the plant — calling it the ‘Kashsong Timrawon’
after Timrawon, the daughter of mythical goddess Philava who resides and protects the hills
of Shirui — in 1946, botanist Frank Kingdon-Ward identified it and gave it its scientific
name. The name, Lilium mackliniae, draws from his wife Jean Macklin’s name.

3. Which one of the following species is known for mass nesting events called arribadas?

Answer: A
Soln:
● The Olive Ridley Turtle is considered the smallest and most abundant of all sea turtles
found in the world.
● Olive ridleys are found only in warmer waters, including the southern Atlantic, Pacific
and Indian Oceans.
● They are listed as vulnerable in the IUCN Red list.
Mass nesting
● These turtles spend their entire lives in the ocean, and migrate thousands of kilometers
between feeding and mating grounds in the course of a year.
● The Olive Ridley Turtles come to the beaches of Odisha coast annually between November
and December and stay on until April and May for mass nesting. Such mass nesting events
are called arribadas. Hence, option A is correct.
● While states like Maharashtra, Goa, and the offshore Andaman islands witness sporadic
nesting of olive ridley turtles, Odisha is the only state in India that sees mass nesting of
olive ridley turtles.
● Gahirmatha beach in Odisha is acclaimed as the world's largest-known nesting site for
the marine species. Apart from Gahirmatha, turtles turn up at the mouths of Rushikulya
and Devi river (both in Odisha) for mass nesting.
Threats
● The Olive Ridley's face serious threats across their migratory route, habitat and nesting
beaches, due to human activities such as turtle unfriendly fishing practices,
development and exploitation of nesting beaches for ports, and tourist centers.
● Though international trade in these turtles and their products is banned, they are still
extensively poached for their meat, shell and leather.
● All the five species of sea turtles occurring in India, including the Olive Ridley turtles,
are legally protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 and Appendix I
of the CITES Convention which prohibits trade in turtle products.
● As the nesting period stretches over six months, the Indian Coast Guard undertakes the
Olive Ridley Turtle protection program under the code name 'Operation Olivia' every year.

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