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The Correct answer is Option 2. 

Key Points

• In the Union Budget speech for 2024-25, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman emphasized the government's focus on achieving self-reliance in oilseeds production as part of the "Atmanirbhar Bharat" initiative.
• The plan primarily targeted mustard, groundnut, sesame, soybean, and sunflower, with the aim of boosting domestic production of edible oils and reducing India's dependence on imports. Hence, option 2 is correct answer.
• Objective:
• Reduce the import burden on edible oils, which account for a significant share of India's import bill.
• Enhance domestic production and processing capacities for selected oilseeds.
• Specific Focus:
• Mustard, soybean, and sunflower were identified as priority crops for expanding cultivation under various schemes.
• These crops form the bulk of edible oil production in India and are critical to achieving self-reliance.
• Not Covered:
• Certain other oilseeds like palm oil were not included in the self-reliance strategy, as India imports a large portion of its palm oil requirements. Instead, palm oil is addressed through separate schemes like the National Edible Oil Mission - Oil Palm (NEOM-OP).
• Measures Announced:
• Incentives for Farmers: Subsidies and support for seeds, fertilizers, and mechanization to encourage oilseed cultivation.
• R&D in Oilseeds: Investments in research and development to improve yields and pest resistance.
• Processing Units: Establishment of processing plants closer to production hubs to add value to raw oilseeds.

The Correct answer is Option 4. 

Key Points

• Sheikh Ahmad Abdullah al-Ahmad al-Sabah was appointed as the new Prime Minister of Kuwait in April 2024. Hence, option 4 is correct.
• Appointment Date: April 15, 2024
• Predecessor: Sheikh Mohammed Sabah al-Salem al-Sabah, who resigned earlier in April 2024.
• Background: Sheikh Ahmad Abdullah al-Ahmad al-Sabah, born in 1952, is a senior member of Kuwait's ruling family with extensive experience in finance and government. He has previously held positions such as Minister of Finance, Minister of Communications, and Minister of Oil.
• Kuwait:
• Location:
• Situated in the Middle East, at the northern edge of the Arabian Gulf.
• Bordered by Iraq to the north and west, Saudi Arabia to the south, and the Persian Gulf to the east.
• Capital: Kuwait City
• Official language: Arabic

The Correct answer is Option 1. 

Key Points

• In the Maratha Empire, these terms had specific roles and responsibilities within the administrative and governance structure. Here's how they were defined:
• Peshwa:
• Role: Prime Minister and chief executive of the Maratha Empire.
• Responsibilities:
• Head of the administration, directly assisting the Chhatrapati (king).
• Military commander and strategist, leading expeditions and wars.
• Managed state affairs, taxation, diplomacy, and internal governance.
• Sachiva:
• Role: Secretary or Chief Administrator.
• Responsibilities:
• Assisted in state documentation and correspondence.
• Acted as a record-keeper and legal advisor.
• Often responsible for maintaining state archives and ensuring smooth communication within the empire.
• The Sachiva was one of the Ashta Pradhan (Council of Eight Ministers) under Shivaji’s administrative system.
• Samant:
• Role: Foreign Minister.
• Responsibilities:
• Managed and controlled specific territories under the Maratha Empire.
• Provided military support, including troops, during campaigns or wars.
• Paid tribute to the central authority and ensured law and order in their regions.
• Significance: Played a vital role in expanding and stabilizing the Maratha Empire, especially in decentralized areas.
• Amatya:
• Role: Finance Minister or Revenue Administrator.
• Responsibilities:
• Supervised revenue collection, tax management, and fiscal policies.
• Ensured proper accounting and budgeting for the empire.
• Worked closely with the Peshwa to manage the financial resources of the empire.
• Also a key member of the Ashta Pradhan, which was established by Shivaji. Hence, option 1 is correct.

The Correct answer is Option 4. 

Key Points

The Capital Goods and Infrastructure/Construction Goods indices experienced significant growth in the financial year 2023, according to the Index of Industrial Production (IIP) data from the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI).

• Capital Goods: This sector, which includes machinery and equipment used in industrial production, showed significant growth in 2023, reflecting positive trends in industrial investment and production capacity expansion.
• Infrastructure/Construction Goods: This category, encompassing materials and products essential for infrastructure and construction activities, also saw strong growth in 2023, highlighting ongoing development and construction projects across the country. Hence, option 4 is correct.

The Correct answer is Option 1. 

Key Points

• Heat transfer that does not require a medium is called radiation. Hence, option 1 is correct.
• Radiation is the transfer of heat through electromagnetic waves, such as infrared waves, and it does not require any medium (solid, liquid, or gas) for transmission.
• Example: The heat from the Sun reaches Earth through the vacuum of space via radiation.
• In contrast:
• Conduction requires a solid medium for heat transfer through direct molecular contact.
• Convection requires a fluid medium (liquid or gas) for heat transfer through bulk movement of particles.

The Correct answer is Option 1. 

Key Points

• The type of rock formed from the cooling and solidification of lava is called an igneous rock. Hence, option 1 is correct.
• Formation: When lava cools and solidifies on or near the Earth's surface, it forms extrusive igneous rocks (also known as volcanic rocks).
• Examples:
• Basalt: A common extrusive igneous rock, often formed from rapidly cooling lava.
• Pumice: A lightweight rock with a porous structure, formed from frothy lava.
• Obsidian: A glassy, smooth rock formed from rapidly cooling lava with minimal crystallization.
• Types of Igneous Rocks:
• Extrusive Igneous Rocks:
• Formed from lava cooling on the Earth's surface.
• Cool quickly, resulting in fine-grained or glassy textures.
• Intrusive Igneous Rocks:
• Formed from magma cooling slowly beneath the Earth's surface.
• Have coarse-grained textures (e.g., granite).

The Correct answer is Option 1. 

Key Points

• After the elections to the 18^th Lok Sabha, Giriraj Singh was appointed as the Union Minister of Textiles in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government. He officially assumed charge of the Ministry on June 11, 2024, succeeding Piyush Goyal. Hence, option1 is correct.
• Giriraj Singh, born on September 8, 1952, in Barahiya, Bihar, is a seasoned politician affiliated with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
• He has previously held several ministerial positions, including Minister of Rural Development and Minister of Animal Husbandry, Dairying, and Fisheries. He represents the Begusarai constituency in the Lok Sabha.

The Correct answer is Option 3. 

Key Points

• The human race that predominantly inhabits China, Mongolia, and Japan is the Mongoloid race. Hence, option 3 is correct.
• The Mongoloid race is characterized by specific physical features such as a flatter facial profile, epicanthic eye folds, straight black hair, and lighter skin tones (depending on geographic location).
• These features are commonly observed among the populations of East Asia, including Han Chinese, Mongolians, and Japanese people.
• The term "Mongoloid" is an anthropological classification historically used to describe people from East Asia, Southeast Asia, the Arctic, and the Americas.

The Correct answer is Option 3. 

Key Points

• The "Chach Nama", originally written in Arabic, was translated into Persian by Muhammad Ali Bin Abu Bakr Kufi in the 13^th century. Hence, option 3 is correct.
• The Chachnama (also known as the Fatehnama-i-Sindh) was originally written in Arabic by an unknown author.
• It is a historical account of the Arab conquest of Sindh, particularly focusing on the campaigns of Muhammad bin Qasim and the preceding rule of Raja Chach.
• It describes the governance, military campaigns, and cultural exchanges during the early Islamic expansion into South Asia.
• Translator: Muhammad Ali Bin Abu Bakr Kufi translated the Arabic text into Persian during his time in Uch, in modern-day Pakistan.
• Significance: The Chach Nama is one of the oldest historical chronicles of Sindh and provides valuable insights into the socio-political and cultural dynamics of the region during the early Islamic period.

The Correct answer is Option 1. 

Key Points

• The suitable conditions for the liquefaction of gases are:
• Low Temperature:
• Cooling the gas reduces the kinetic energy of its molecules, making it easier for intermolecular forces to bring the molecules together and condense them into a liquid state.
• High Pressure:
• Increasing the pressure forces the gas molecules closer together, promoting interactions between them and aiding in the transition to a liquid state.

 Additional Information

• Critical Temperature (Tc):
• Each gas has a critical temperature, above which it cannot be liquefied, regardless of the pressure applied. Liquefaction is only possible below this temperature.
• Critical Pressure (Pc):
• The minimum pressure required to liquefy a gas at its critical temperature.
• Example:
• Liquefaction of carbon dioxide:
• Critical temperature: 31.1°C.
• Critical pressure: 73.8 atm.
• To liquefy CO₂, the temperature must be below 31.1°C and the pressure increased beyond 73.8 atm.
• Techniques:
• Joule-Thomson Effect: Cooling a gas by allowing it to expand without doing external work.
• Linde Process: Using repeated compression and expansion cycles to cool the gas below its condensation point.
• These principles are widely applied in industrial processes, such as the liquefaction of natural gas (LNG) and in cryogenics.