The National Common Minimum Programme had identified the need to have a continuing forum consisting of representatives from Government, the Industry, and the Academia for policy dialogue to energize and sustain the growth of the manufacturing industry. The National Manufacturing Competitiveness Council (NMCC) has been set up by the Government under DIPP, Ministry of Commerce to provide a continuing forum for policy dialogue to energize and sustain the growth of manufacturing industries in India. The NMCC is expected to suggest various ways and means for enhancing the competitiveness of the manufacturing sector including identification of manufacturing sectors that have the potential for global competitiveness. The Government also nominated Members of the Council who are from various fields of industry.

Hypertension is a cause of high blood pressure. Blood pressure is the measure of the force of blood pushing against blood vessel walls. The heart pumps blood into the arteries (blood vessels), which carry the blood throughout the body. Hypertension is dangerous because it makes the heart work harder to pump blood out to the body and contributes to the hardening of the arteries, or atherosclerosis, stroke, kidney disease, and the development of heart failure. The exact causes of high blood pressure are not known, but several factors and conditions may play a role in its development, including:

• Smoking
• Being overweight or obese
• Lack of physical activity
• Too much salt in the diet
• Too much alcohol consumption (more than 1 to 2 drinks per day)
• Stress
• Older age
• Genetics
• Family history of high blood pressure
• Chronic kidney disease
• Adrenal and thyroid disorders
• Sleep apnea

• The Jaintia, Khasi, and Garo hills of Meghalaya are largely made up of steep slopes and generally rocky terrain where the soil has low water retention capacity and where the use of groundwater channels is impossible. So, option 2 is correct.
• Water can be directed using pipes, but it can be expensive in a hilly terrain for tribals. So, option 2 is NOT correct.
• Since the soil has low water retention capacity, water stagnation and logging cannot take place at large scale levels. So, option 4 is NOT correct.

The molecules of air and other fine particles in the atmosphere have a size smaller than the wavelength of visible light. These are more effective in scattering light of shorter wavelengths at the blue end than the light of longer wavelengths at the red end. The red light has a wavelength of about 1.8 times greater than blue light. Thus, when sunlight passes through the atmosphere, the fine particles in the air scatter the blue colour (shorter wavelengths) more strongly than red. The scattered blue light enters our eyes. The red colour of the sun at sunrise is due to the scattering of light.

These reports (dealing with development) are being published every year published by:

• The Government of India (Economic Survey)
• United Nations Development Programme (Human Development Report)
• World Bank (World Development Indicators)

World Development Indicators is the primary World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially-recognized international sources. It presents the most current and accurate global development data available and includes national, regional, and global estimates.

• Rice is a commercial crop in Haryana and Punjab, but in Orissa, it is a subsistence crop.
• The selection of crops can be the same in both types of farming, technique is what essentially differs. So, statement 1 is NOT correct.
• Farm size must be small in subsistence farming as the farmer has to feed a single-family only.
• In commercial farming, produce is to sell in the market, so farms must be large and economically viable. So, statements 3 and 4 are correct.

Lignite is low-grade brown coal, which is soft with high moisture content. Coal that has been buried deep and subjected to increased temperatures is bituminous coal. Metallurgical coal is high-grade bituminous coal which has a special value for smelting iron in blast furnaces. Anthracite is the highest quality of hard coal. So, high-grade coal should be hard with less moisture and greater carbon content, and not the opposite. So, statement 1 and 2 are NOT correct.

The first look tells you that a policy cannot talk about a massive people's movement. But, this policy does. Also, the policy is all-inclusive as it does not talk only about arresting deforestation and countering its adverse effects, it goes beyond maintaining the livelihoods of the communities that inhabit the forests. 

In the year 1985-86, the erstwhile Ministry of Welfare was bifurcated into the Department of Women and Child Development and the Department of Welfare. Simultaneously, the Scheduled Castes Development Division, Tribal Development Division, and the Minorities and Backward Classes Welfare Division were moved from the Ministry of Home Affairs and also the Wakf Division from the Ministry of Law to form the then Ministry of Welfare Subsequently, the name of the Ministry was changed to the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment in May 1998.

The Social Defence Division of the Department mainly caters to the requirements of:

• Senior Citizens: The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment is the Nodal Ministry for matters relating to the Senior Citizens. As per Census 2011, the total population of Senior Citizens (people aged 60 years and above) is 10.38 crore, of which the population of males and females are 5.11 crore and 5.27 crore respectively.
• Victims of alcoholism and substance abuse- Drug and Alcohol abuse has become a major concern in India. The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment is the nodal Ministry for drug demand reduction. It coordinates and monitors all aspects of drug abuse prevention which include assessment of the extent of the problem, preventive action, treatment and rehabilitation of addicts, dissemination of information, and public awareness. 
• Transgender: Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment has been dealing with the matters relating to Transgender Persons with effect from July 2012. An Expert Committee was constituted to make an in-depth study of the problems being faced by the Transgender Community. The Committee has submitted its report on 27th January 2014, suggesting various measures to ameliorate the condition of the transgender persons. 
• Beggary: The word ‘beggar’ or ‘beggary’ is not mentioned in any of the lists of the Constitution. However, as per entry-9 of the State List in the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution, “Relief of the disabled and unemployable” is a State subject. As per entry-15 of the Concurrent List, “Vagrancy” is a concurrent subject.

Large reserves of natural gas have been discovered in the Krishna- Godavari basin. Along the west coast, the reserves of the Mumbai High and allied fields are supplemented by finds in the Gulf of Cambay. Andaman and Nicobar islands are also important areas having large reserves of natural gas.