UPSC PRELIMINARY MOCK TEST 258

Alluvial is the most widely spread and important soil. In fact, the entire northern plains are made of alluvial soil. These have been deposited by three important Himalayan river systems- the Indus, the Ganga and the Brahmaputra. These soils also extend in Rajasthan and Gujarat through a narrow corridor. Alluvial soil is also found in the eastern coastal plains particularly in the deltas of the Mahanadi, the Godavari, the Krishna and the Kaveri rivers. Alluvial soils as a whole are very fertile. Mostly these soils contain adequate proportion of potash, phosphoric acid and lime which are ideal for the growth of sugarcane, paddy, wheat and other cereal and pulse crops. Due to its high fertility, regions of alluvial soils are intensively cultivated and densely populated. Soils in the drier areas are more alkaline and can be productive after proper treatment and irrigation.

Brahmaputra receives numerous tributaries in its 750 km long journey through the Assam valley. Its major left bank tributaries are the Burhi Dihing and Dhansari (South) whereas the important right bank tributaries are the Subansiri, Kameng, Manas and Sankosh. "

CPAO was created with the primary objective of simplifying procedure and reducing the number of agencies for pension payment and to expedite the process of authorization, revision and transfer of pension through Authorized Banks. Thus, statement 1 is incorrect.
The working of CPAO is fully computerized and it maintains a database of over 12 lakh Central (Civil) pensioners through Pension Authorisation, Retrieval and Accounting System (PARAS). Thus, statement 2 is correct.

CPAO has Pension Tracking System to check the latest status of the pension processing and SMS facility is also being provided to the pensioners at each stage. CPAO has taken many steps under Digital India Mission like e-Scroll, e-SSA, e-PPO project etc. to reduce the paper movement and creation of digital record of the Special Seal Authorities (SSAs), PPO (Pension Payment Order) etc.

http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=183924 "

There are four major types (or "ranks") of coal. Rank refers to steps in a slow, natural process called "coalification," during which buried plant matter changes into an ever denser, drier, more carbon rich, and harder material. The four ranks are:
* Anthracite: The highest rank of coal. It is a hard, brittle, and black lustrous coal, often referred to as hard coal, containing a high percentage of fixed carbon and a low percentage of volatile matter. In India, it is found only in Jammu and Kashmir and that too in small quantity.
* Bituminous: Bituminous coal is a middle rank coal between sub bituminous and anthracite. Bituminous usually has a high heating (Btu) value and is the most common type of coal used in electricity generation in the United States. Bituminous coal appears shiny and smooth when you first see it, but look closer and you may see it has layers. most widely available and used coal in India.
* Sub bituminous: Sub bituminous coal is black in color and dull (not shiny), and has a higher heating value than lignite.
* Lignite: Lignite coal, aka brown coal, is the lowest grade coal with the least concentration of carbon.
Also, there is peat. Peat is not actually coal, but rather the precursor to coal. Peat is a soft organic material consisting of partly decayed plant and, in some cases, deposited mineral matter. When peat is placed under high pressure and heat, it becomes coal. "