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Discuss the various achievements and issues, which were highlighted during the 2nd universal periodic review of India at UNHRC?
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·India highlighted the evolution of fundamental rights through judicial pronouncements over the years. ·India listed several initiatives taken around or after the first UPR of 2008 - Implementation of RTI Act to make governance transparent and accountable. ·Legislation promoting a rights-based approach in areas such as work and employment, education and food security. ·The right to approach the courts for enforcement of the Fundamental Rights has led to effective use of PIL leading to advancement of social, economic and political rights. ·India's efforts in social and economic advancement were significant, leading to decline in poverty by 9 per cent in a decade. ·The declining trend in the unemployment rate in rural and urban areas was equally visible among SCs, STs and minorities. ·About the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) - It has also been upheld by the Supreme Court. Government said there are several checks and balances that ensure that strict guidelines are followed by the armed forces. ·Protection of women, SC, ST - Domestic Violence Act, 2005 lacked effective implementation and the prejudice against women in the police force, legal system and the political class impeded dispensation of justice. ·The conviction rate under the SCs and STs (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 seeking to prevent atrocities against the communities continues to be very low, providing no deterrence for crimes. ·Although the Indian government claims that it has internal systems of inquiry and punishment to tackle violations by security forces, details of any prosecutions or convictions through such measures are seldom available. ·India also did not address the issue of forcible acquisition of land that affected the tribals, Dalits and marginal farmers the most. Though there is in place a policy of empowering Dalits and adivasis through targeted budgetary allocations, the Central government and respective State governments have failed to implement it
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##Question:Discuss the various achievements and issues, which were highlighted during the 2nd universal periodic review of India at UNHRC?##Answer: ·India highlighted the evolution of fundamental rights through judicial pronouncements over the years. ·India listed several initiatives taken around or after the first UPR of 2008 - Implementation of RTI Act to make governance transparent and accountable. ·Legislation promoting a rights-based approach in areas such as work and employment, education and food security. ·The right to approach the courts for enforcement of the Fundamental Rights has led to effective use of PIL leading to advancement of social, economic and political rights. ·India's efforts in social and economic advancement were significant, leading to decline in poverty by 9 per cent in a decade. ·The declining trend in the unemployment rate in rural and urban areas was equally visible among SCs, STs and minorities. ·About the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) - It has also been upheld by the Supreme Court. Government said there are several checks and balances that ensure that strict guidelines are followed by the armed forces. ·Protection of women, SC, ST - Domestic Violence Act, 2005 lacked effective implementation and the prejudice against women in the police force, legal system and the political class impeded dispensation of justice. ·The conviction rate under the SCs and STs (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 seeking to prevent atrocities against the communities continues to be very low, providing no deterrence for crimes. ·Although the Indian government claims that it has internal systems of inquiry and punishment to tackle violations by security forces, details of any prosecutions or convictions through such measures are seldom available. ·India also did not address the issue of forcible acquisition of land that affected the tribals, Dalits and marginal farmers the most. Though there is in place a policy of empowering Dalits and adivasis through targeted budgetary allocations, the Central government and respective State governments have failed to implement it
| 380
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“Inclusiveness is not something unproductive that can be afforded with growth but is essential for it” Comment on the statement in context of current Indian growth scenario.
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·When the 2008 global financial crisis hit India, the economy suddenly went into a free fall. The general consensus then was that India would be in for a prolonged period of difficulty, and recovery would occur along with that of the rest of the global economy. India surprised itself and the rest of the world by its extraordinary, swift and robust recovery and that too with a stimulus package that was crafted and implemented as the country went in for a general election. The actual fiscal stimulus was quite modest; less than one per cent of GDP and considerably less than that of most others. What made rapid recovery possible was that it was domestic demand driven . ·Domestic demand rose substantially on the back of some earlier political decisions (seen with unease and apprehension by most mainstream economic analysts); the positive wealth effect of the write off of farmers’ loans, the improvement in the terms of trade for farmers through higher support prices, and higher salaries for state employees on the implementation of the Pay Commission’s recommendations. ·The fiscal stimulus was not grandiose but aimed at creating demand immediately in the coming months across a wide spectrum, ranging from increased expenditure for Bharat Nirman projects to grants for purchase of buses for public transport in cities. ·Going by recent experience, inclusiveness would be critical for higher growth.Bharat Nirman needs to be carried further. Given the international situation, the recovery would depend entirely on the success in promoting domestic demand i.e. more inclusiveness. ·In the current scenario, depreciation of rupee should be of great advantage to domestic value addition in manufacturing both for the domestic market as well as for exports; with the open domestic market being more important in the current state of the global economy. Bridging the divide between India and Bharat could make the difference between a modest recovery and a surge to plus-nine per cent.
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##Question:“Inclusiveness is not something unproductive that can be afforded with growth but is essential for it” Comment on the statement in context of current Indian growth scenario. ##Answer: ·When the 2008 global financial crisis hit India, the economy suddenly went into a free fall. The general consensus then was that India would be in for a prolonged period of difficulty, and recovery would occur along with that of the rest of the global economy. India surprised itself and the rest of the world by its extraordinary, swift and robust recovery and that too with a stimulus package that was crafted and implemented as the country went in for a general election. The actual fiscal stimulus was quite modest; less than one per cent of GDP and considerably less than that of most others. What made rapid recovery possible was that it was domestic demand driven . ·Domestic demand rose substantially on the back of some earlier political decisions (seen with unease and apprehension by most mainstream economic analysts); the positive wealth effect of the write off of farmers’ loans, the improvement in the terms of trade for farmers through higher support prices, and higher salaries for state employees on the implementation of the Pay Commission’s recommendations. ·The fiscal stimulus was not grandiose but aimed at creating demand immediately in the coming months across a wide spectrum, ranging from increased expenditure for Bharat Nirman projects to grants for purchase of buses for public transport in cities. ·Going by recent experience, inclusiveness would be critical for higher growth.Bharat Nirman needs to be carried further. Given the international situation, the recovery would depend entirely on the success in promoting domestic demand i.e. more inclusiveness. ·In the current scenario, depreciation of rupee should be of great advantage to domestic value addition in manufacturing both for the domestic market as well as for exports; with the open domestic market being more important in the current state of the global economy. Bridging the divide between India and Bharat could make the difference between a modest recovery and a surge to plus-nine per cent.
| 381
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Discuss the major obstacles to National Integration in India. Critically evaluate the role of National Integration Council in achieving National Integration in India.
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- National Integration is a socio-psychological and educational process through which a feeling of unity, solidarity and a sense of common citizenship can be developed in the people. - This process has political, economic, social, cultural and psychological dimensions. - India has immense diversity with respect to religion, caste, language, region etc., therefore, undertaking the process of national integration is very essential for the all-round development of the country. - However, in India there are many obstacles to this process in India- 1. Regionalism – preference to a region or state rather than to the nation, manifestation- a. Secessionist- Khalistan, Dravid Nad, Mizoram, Nagaland etc b. Separate statehood- Telangana, Bodoland, Gorkhaland, Vidarbha c. Inter-state disputes- Boundary and river disputes d. Son of soil concept – preference to local people as against the people from other states e.g. in Maharashtra, Assam, prejudice against people of North-East 2. Communalism- preference to a religious community rather than to the nation, manifestation- a. Religion based politics- Akali Dal, BJP, Shiv Sena b. Religious pressure groups- RSS, VHP, Jamat-e-Islami c. Communal riots d. Religious disputes 3. Casteism- preference to a caste rather than to the nation, manifestation- a. Caste based politics- BSP, DMK b. Caste based conflicts- Ranvir sena c. Agitations related to caste based reservation- Gujjar 4. Linguism- preference to a own language and linguistic community rather than to the nation manifestation- a. Reorganisation of various states based on language b. Anti- Hindi protests in South India and West Bengal - Role of National Integration Council in achieving National Integration in India - Created in 1961, chairman- PM, members- Home minister, CMs , Leaders of major parties, UGC chairman, chairpersons of national commissions, representatives from Business, industry, trade etc. - It was criticized as not being very active and efficient; however the need for its proper functioning was felt after terrorism in Punjab. - Its role is to function as a forum for effective and proactive interaction n issues of national concern, review issues relating to national integration and make recommendations. - It has made efforts for promotion of education and a sense of security among minorities, promotion of communal harmony, promotion of equitable development to remove regional imbalances etc.
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##Question:Discuss the major obstacles to National Integration in India. Critically evaluate the role of National Integration Council in achieving National Integration in India.##Answer: - National Integration is a socio-psychological and educational process through which a feeling of unity, solidarity and a sense of common citizenship can be developed in the people. - This process has political, economic, social, cultural and psychological dimensions. - India has immense diversity with respect to religion, caste, language, region etc., therefore, undertaking the process of national integration is very essential for the all-round development of the country. - However, in India there are many obstacles to this process in India- 1. Regionalism – preference to a region or state rather than to the nation, manifestation- a. Secessionist- Khalistan, Dravid Nad, Mizoram, Nagaland etc b. Separate statehood- Telangana, Bodoland, Gorkhaland, Vidarbha c. Inter-state disputes- Boundary and river disputes d. Son of soil concept – preference to local people as against the people from other states e.g. in Maharashtra, Assam, prejudice against people of North-East 2. Communalism- preference to a religious community rather than to the nation, manifestation- a. Religion based politics- Akali Dal, BJP, Shiv Sena b. Religious pressure groups- RSS, VHP, Jamat-e-Islami c. Communal riots d. Religious disputes 3. Casteism- preference to a caste rather than to the nation, manifestation- a. Caste based politics- BSP, DMK b. Caste based conflicts- Ranvir sena c. Agitations related to caste based reservation- Gujjar 4. Linguism- preference to a own language and linguistic community rather than to the nation manifestation- a. Reorganisation of various states based on language b. Anti- Hindi protests in South India and West Bengal - Role of National Integration Council in achieving National Integration in India - Created in 1961, chairman- PM, members- Home minister, CMs , Leaders of major parties, UGC chairman, chairpersons of national commissions, representatives from Business, industry, trade etc. - It was criticized as not being very active and efficient; however the need for its proper functioning was felt after terrorism in Punjab. - Its role is to function as a forum for effective and proactive interaction n issues of national concern, review issues relating to national integration and make recommendations. - It has made efforts for promotion of education and a sense of security among minorities, promotion of communal harmony, promotion of equitable development to remove regional imbalances etc.
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“Regardless of challenges, there is a moment to celebrate years of Indian Parliament” Bring out the importance and various challenges for the institution of parliament in the Indian democratic setup.
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·In 60 years, the Indian Parliament has endured. It survives as the one true arena of representation and deliberation, holding together this complex country. And yet, it is also hard to deny that some of Parliament’s majesty has rubbed off over the years, and its effectiveness as an institution of accountability has also been questioned. ·Last year, the Anna Hazare-led mobilisation suggested that “civil society” was a truer expression of popular will, but there have been, over the decades, several legitimate critiques of Parliament. ·There are those who believe that it is little more than a club of powerful interests, that its legislative performance and monitoring of government have been underwhelming. ·As a forum of representation, Parliament has reflected the churn in Indian democracy, its membership and composition reflect the variegated interests of those who vote it in. ·As a site of deliberation, Parliament is meant to air and reconcile diverse views and, ideally, the stronger argument wins out. ·However, debate without disruption has not been easy to sustain in Parliament. With more value to be wrung out of grandstanding for TV cameras and for sparring rather than advancing an idea, Parliament is not really the model of public reasoning it is idealised as. ·Meaningful debates over marathon sessions have been few and far between in the last six decades. In contrast, disruptions and slogan-shouting over any number of frivolous issues have been frequent. Too often, a boisterous few have held the whole of Parliament hostage. ·The other question is that of Parliament’s careful balance with other institutions — as more critical decisions are outsourced to regulators or non-elected bodies, bypassing Parliament. ·What’s more, our courts have often taken on tasks of governance, coming into conflict with Parliament. In the years to come, Parliament must consider how best to manage this difficult division of labour as well as exert due authority. ·The self-evaluation and reinvention can only come from within Parliament. It needs to consider how best to give individual MPs greater consequence, or to strengthen parliamentary committees, how to hold the executive to account, how to cleanse itself — as it did, for instance, after the cash-for-votes scandal. ·Regardless of the challenges, however, this is a moment to celebrate our Parliament. There is no better alternative.
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##Question:“Regardless of challenges, there is a moment to celebrate years of Indian Parliament” Bring out the importance and various challenges for the institution of parliament in the Indian democratic setup.##Answer: ·In 60 years, the Indian Parliament has endured. It survives as the one true arena of representation and deliberation, holding together this complex country. And yet, it is also hard to deny that some of Parliament’s majesty has rubbed off over the years, and its effectiveness as an institution of accountability has also been questioned. ·Last year, the Anna Hazare-led mobilisation suggested that “civil society” was a truer expression of popular will, but there have been, over the decades, several legitimate critiques of Parliament. ·There are those who believe that it is little more than a club of powerful interests, that its legislative performance and monitoring of government have been underwhelming. ·As a forum of representation, Parliament has reflected the churn in Indian democracy, its membership and composition reflect the variegated interests of those who vote it in. ·As a site of deliberation, Parliament is meant to air and reconcile diverse views and, ideally, the stronger argument wins out. ·However, debate without disruption has not been easy to sustain in Parliament. With more value to be wrung out of grandstanding for TV cameras and for sparring rather than advancing an idea, Parliament is not really the model of public reasoning it is idealised as. ·Meaningful debates over marathon sessions have been few and far between in the last six decades. In contrast, disruptions and slogan-shouting over any number of frivolous issues have been frequent. Too often, a boisterous few have held the whole of Parliament hostage. ·The other question is that of Parliament’s careful balance with other institutions — as more critical decisions are outsourced to regulators or non-elected bodies, bypassing Parliament. ·What’s more, our courts have often taken on tasks of governance, coming into conflict with Parliament. In the years to come, Parliament must consider how best to manage this difficult division of labour as well as exert due authority. ·The self-evaluation and reinvention can only come from within Parliament. It needs to consider how best to give individual MPs greater consequence, or to strengthen parliamentary committees, how to hold the executive to account, how to cleanse itself — as it did, for instance, after the cash-for-votes scandal. ·Regardless of the challenges, however, this is a moment to celebrate our Parliament. There is no better alternative.
| 383
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What are various challenges for urbanization in India. Also discuss the various instruments for intervention for effective urbanization as per approach paper to th five year plan.
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· Challenges - ·First is to step up investment in new urban infrastructure assets and maintenance of assets ·Second, is to strengthen urban governance. A unified and effective administrative framework is necessary in urban areas with clear accountability to citizens. ·Third, is to strengthen the ‘soft infrastructure’ simultaneously with the building of the hard infrastructure. Therefore, along with the strengthening of governance structures, the enormous weakness in the capacity of human and organisational resources to deal with the challenges posed by the sector must be addressed ·Fourth, is to give adequate emphasis to long term strategic urban planning to ensure that India’s urban management agenda is not limited to ‘renewal’ of cities ·Fifth, is to address the basic needs of the urban poor who are largely employed in the informal sector and suffer from multiple deprivations and vulnerabilities that include lack of access to basic amenities such as water supply, sanitation, health care, education, social security and decent housing. ·Sixth, is to ensure the environmental sustainability of urban development. Such an approach would be in line with the objectives of the National Mission on Sustainable Habitats which seeks to make cities sustainable through improvements in energy efficient buildings, management of solid waste and a shift to public transport. · Instruments of Intervention ·It is also imperative to demarcate a careful division of responsibilities between State level bodies, Regional planning authorities and Urban Local Bodies (ULBs). ·Administration and technical management of urban development must become more professional ·There is an urgent need to shift focus in Urban Planning towards an outcome?based approach that is based on service level delivery rather than an approach that focuses only on investments and asset creation. ·There is need for better financial management for generate revenue to finance the process urbanization. ·Center govt should put focus on urbanization through various central sponsored schemes like JNNURM, RAY etc
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##Question:What are various challenges for urbanization in India. Also discuss the various instruments for intervention for effective urbanization as per approach paper to th five year plan. ##Answer: · Challenges - ·First is to step up investment in new urban infrastructure assets and maintenance of assets ·Second, is to strengthen urban governance. A unified and effective administrative framework is necessary in urban areas with clear accountability to citizens. ·Third, is to strengthen the ‘soft infrastructure’ simultaneously with the building of the hard infrastructure. Therefore, along with the strengthening of governance structures, the enormous weakness in the capacity of human and organisational resources to deal with the challenges posed by the sector must be addressed ·Fourth, is to give adequate emphasis to long term strategic urban planning to ensure that India’s urban management agenda is not limited to ‘renewal’ of cities ·Fifth, is to address the basic needs of the urban poor who are largely employed in the informal sector and suffer from multiple deprivations and vulnerabilities that include lack of access to basic amenities such as water supply, sanitation, health care, education, social security and decent housing. ·Sixth, is to ensure the environmental sustainability of urban development. Such an approach would be in line with the objectives of the National Mission on Sustainable Habitats which seeks to make cities sustainable through improvements in energy efficient buildings, management of solid waste and a shift to public transport. · Instruments of Intervention ·It is also imperative to demarcate a careful division of responsibilities between State level bodies, Regional planning authorities and Urban Local Bodies (ULBs). ·Administration and technical management of urban development must become more professional ·There is an urgent need to shift focus in Urban Planning towards an outcome?based approach that is based on service level delivery rather than an approach that focuses only on investments and asset creation. ·There is need for better financial management for generate revenue to finance the process urbanization. ·Center govt should put focus on urbanization through various central sponsored schemes like JNNURM, RAY etc
| 384
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Although Gandhi restrained mass movements but his popularity among the masses was not diminished. Explain this paradox.
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Gandhi restrained many movements but his popularity among the masses was not diminished because of the following reasons- 1. He was saint politician who employed moral means for the attainment of Political ends. He used soul force against brute force. 2. His success in South Africa. 3. His Constructive programmes which sought not only political freedom for India but also material, social and moral welfare of the masses. 4. His strong belief on Satya and Ahimsa created a huge trust among the masses. 5. His worked for Social improvement of the masses like abolition of all type of inequality and upliftment of the untouchable. 6. He condemned social evils of intemperance and worked strenuously for equality for women and Hindu Muslim unity. 7. His Philosophy of the charkha, the bullock cart and self sufficient village. 8. He used legal and extra legal methods but never immoral or dishonest means to achieve objectives.
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##Question:Although Gandhi restrained mass movements but his popularity among the masses was not diminished. Explain this paradox.##Answer:Gandhi restrained many movements but his popularity among the masses was not diminished because of the following reasons- 1. He was saint politician who employed moral means for the attainment of Political ends. He used soul force against brute force. 2. His success in South Africa. 3. His Constructive programmes which sought not only political freedom for India but also material, social and moral welfare of the masses. 4. His strong belief on Satya and Ahimsa created a huge trust among the masses. 5. His worked for Social improvement of the masses like abolition of all type of inequality and upliftment of the untouchable. 6. He condemned social evils of intemperance and worked strenuously for equality for women and Hindu Muslim unity. 7. His Philosophy of the charkha, the bullock cart and self sufficient village. 8. He used legal and extra legal methods but never immoral or dishonest means to achieve objectives.
| 385
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Trace the history of archaeology in India and access the contribution of Archaeological Survey of India to the Nation.
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Archaeology is a method of reconstructing the man’s past from the surviving traces of material remains of former societies. Archaeology helps in casting the history of man with the help of material remains. Even for the period for which written records are not available, archaeology provides useful information in the form of evidences and serves to fill up the gaps in the writing of history. The history of archaeology in India dates back to the early sixteenth century. The formal beginning of Indian archaeology can be traced back to the mid-dle of the eighteenth century, when academic interest in the Indian antiq-uities began. But the archaeology in India got real impetus in 1861 with the formation of Archaeological Survey of India(ASI) under British colonial administration by Sir Alexander Cunningham with the help of the then Viceroy Charles John Canning. . Archaeology in India has progressively changed from antiquarian pursuit to rigorous science. Since then, ASI has taken up important excavations at sites such as Kusinagara, which provided an archaeological basis for Buddhist history. It recovered the famous Lion Capital at Sarnath, which has become a part of the national emblem. It unearthed key evidence at the urn burial site at Adichchanallur, which spotlighted the unique features of the Iron Age in South India. The high point in the ASI’s history was the 1921 discovery of Indus Valley sites at Harappa (by Daya Ram Sahni) and at Mohenjodaro (by R.D. Banerji). contribution of Archaeological Survey of India to the Nation The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), under the Ministry of Culture, is the premier organization for the archaeological researches and protection of the cultural heritage of the nation. Maintenance of ancient monuments and archaeological sites and remains of national importance is the prime concern of the ASI. Besides it regulate all archaeological activities in the country as per the provisions of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958. It also regulates Antiquities and Art Treasure Act, 1972. While epigraphy, excavation, and setting up site museums were part of ASI activities from the start, the periodic conservation of monuments and sites was taken up only from the 1940s. Here too, much of the work has been first-rate, with the magnificent preservation of the millennium-old Brihadisvara temple at Thanjavur standing out as an example. The ASI has shared its expertise with other countries and done significant work at Bamiyan and Angkor Vat. On the flip side, it has been able to protect only 3,676 historic sites, leaving an estimated 700,000 heritage structures unattended. If this huge deficit can be blamed on poor funding by the government and shortage of trained human resources, the delays in writing and publishing excavation reports and the loss of 35 nationally important monuments to encroachment represent serious professional failures. Another area where the ASI has not done well is in adopting cutting edge technologies for Archaeological Prospection. The way forward is to correct these deficiencies, provide more autonomy to the ASI’s regional circle offices, and do regular performance audits. Finally, the ASI must be encouraged to engage local communities in the protection of archaeological heritage, a strategy found to be rewarding in many countries.
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##Question:Trace the history of archaeology in India and access the contribution of Archaeological Survey of India to the Nation.##Answer: Archaeology is a method of reconstructing the man’s past from the surviving traces of material remains of former societies. Archaeology helps in casting the history of man with the help of material remains. Even for the period for which written records are not available, archaeology provides useful information in the form of evidences and serves to fill up the gaps in the writing of history. The history of archaeology in India dates back to the early sixteenth century. The formal beginning of Indian archaeology can be traced back to the mid-dle of the eighteenth century, when academic interest in the Indian antiq-uities began. But the archaeology in India got real impetus in 1861 with the formation of Archaeological Survey of India(ASI) under British colonial administration by Sir Alexander Cunningham with the help of the then Viceroy Charles John Canning. . Archaeology in India has progressively changed from antiquarian pursuit to rigorous science. Since then, ASI has taken up important excavations at sites such as Kusinagara, which provided an archaeological basis for Buddhist history. It recovered the famous Lion Capital at Sarnath, which has become a part of the national emblem. It unearthed key evidence at the urn burial site at Adichchanallur, which spotlighted the unique features of the Iron Age in South India. The high point in the ASI’s history was the 1921 discovery of Indus Valley sites at Harappa (by Daya Ram Sahni) and at Mohenjodaro (by R.D. Banerji). contribution of Archaeological Survey of India to the Nation The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), under the Ministry of Culture, is the premier organization for the archaeological researches and protection of the cultural heritage of the nation. Maintenance of ancient monuments and archaeological sites and remains of national importance is the prime concern of the ASI. Besides it regulate all archaeological activities in the country as per the provisions of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958. It also regulates Antiquities and Art Treasure Act, 1972. While epigraphy, excavation, and setting up site museums were part of ASI activities from the start, the periodic conservation of monuments and sites was taken up only from the 1940s. Here too, much of the work has been first-rate, with the magnificent preservation of the millennium-old Brihadisvara temple at Thanjavur standing out as an example. The ASI has shared its expertise with other countries and done significant work at Bamiyan and Angkor Vat. On the flip side, it has been able to protect only 3,676 historic sites, leaving an estimated 700,000 heritage structures unattended. If this huge deficit can be blamed on poor funding by the government and shortage of trained human resources, the delays in writing and publishing excavation reports and the loss of 35 nationally important monuments to encroachment represent serious professional failures. Another area where the ASI has not done well is in adopting cutting edge technologies for Archaeological Prospection. The way forward is to correct these deficiencies, provide more autonomy to the ASI’s regional circle offices, and do regular performance audits. Finally, the ASI must be encouraged to engage local communities in the protection of archaeological heritage, a strategy found to be rewarding in many countries.
| 387
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Discuss the RBI guidelines on Ensuring Disaster Resilient Construction of Buildings and Infrastructure financed through
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Notified by RBI in 2011 An improved techno-financial regime for financing construction of houses and infrastructure by banks and other lending institutions in both urban and rural areas is seen as an opportunity for financial institutions to ensure disaster resilience in the construction sector. The financial institutions are also equally keen to ensure that the physical assets created through their lending schemes remain safe and disaster-resilient at least during the repayment period. Depending upon the nature of the assets and the vulnerability of the location to any or many of the disasters, the financial institutions could insist on ensuring that disaster resistant features are incorporated in the actual construction before the loan is sanctioned or disbursed. The improved techno-financial regime should be applicable to both new construction as well as additions, modifications, extensions or alterations to full or part of existing construction, including (a) the entire range of housing construction, from those built for selfoccupation to those provided by builders and developers to individual buyers, and (b) other bank-financed construction, such as critical lifeline structures, infrastructure, and commercial complexes and buildings. These Guidelines propose the modalities that will aid the banks for putting in place an improved and robust techno-financial regime, that will help the banks to ensure disaster-resilience and safety of bank-financed assets by themselves (without relying on the techno-legal processes controlled by ULBs). Using these Guidelines, the verification wings of banks and their empanelled technical experts will be in a position to check that the safety-related codes and regulations, as specified in NBC-2005 and various Indian Standards, are complied with and the designs of the proposed buildings and structures are multi-disaster-resilient. In case of a natural disaster, the bank-financed assets will perform as per the codes and standards, and the natural disaster will not have an adverse impact on these assets. These provisions will assist the banks to take a considered decision on the loan applications for financing such construction. The banking system would contribute to creating a disaster-resistant built environment in the country. tricti; Cad`? xK? ip on Publications. During the Independence struggle our foreign rulers did not allow the publication of anything they considered ‘seditious’. Naturally, those who had their stakes in such ‘seditious’ material had to resort to underground publications. The printing presses were not in abundance in those days. Also, most press owners were reluctant to print anti-Government literature. However, the ‘seditious’ books were published regularly, and banned as regularly by the British Rulers. Interestingly, it was seldom that any press was confiscated for the publication of subversive literature, Newspapers and journals could even publish some of the news or incidents connected with the freedom struggle. For example, Gandhiji’s Dandi March to violate Salt Laws was reported in all the papers. But complete censorship was imposed on the vernacular Press when Gandhiji’s arrest led to country-wide disturbances and the detention of about 60,000 persons.
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##Question:Discuss the RBI guidelines on Ensuring Disaster Resilient Construction of Buildings and Infrastructure financed through ##Answer:Notified by RBI in 2011 An improved techno-financial regime for financing construction of houses and infrastructure by banks and other lending institutions in both urban and rural areas is seen as an opportunity for financial institutions to ensure disaster resilience in the construction sector. The financial institutions are also equally keen to ensure that the physical assets created through their lending schemes remain safe and disaster-resilient at least during the repayment period. Depending upon the nature of the assets and the vulnerability of the location to any or many of the disasters, the financial institutions could insist on ensuring that disaster resistant features are incorporated in the actual construction before the loan is sanctioned or disbursed. The improved techno-financial regime should be applicable to both new construction as well as additions, modifications, extensions or alterations to full or part of existing construction, including (a) the entire range of housing construction, from those built for selfoccupation to those provided by builders and developers to individual buyers, and (b) other bank-financed construction, such as critical lifeline structures, infrastructure, and commercial complexes and buildings. These Guidelines propose the modalities that will aid the banks for putting in place an improved and robust techno-financial regime, that will help the banks to ensure disaster-resilience and safety of bank-financed assets by themselves (without relying on the techno-legal processes controlled by ULBs). Using these Guidelines, the verification wings of banks and their empanelled technical experts will be in a position to check that the safety-related codes and regulations, as specified in NBC-2005 and various Indian Standards, are complied with and the designs of the proposed buildings and structures are multi-disaster-resilient. In case of a natural disaster, the bank-financed assets will perform as per the codes and standards, and the natural disaster will not have an adverse impact on these assets. These provisions will assist the banks to take a considered decision on the loan applications for financing such construction. The banking system would contribute to creating a disaster-resistant built environment in the country. tricti; Cad`? xK? ip on Publications. During the Independence struggle our foreign rulers did not allow the publication of anything they considered ‘seditious’. Naturally, those who had their stakes in such ‘seditious’ material had to resort to underground publications. The printing presses were not in abundance in those days. Also, most press owners were reluctant to print anti-Government literature. However, the ‘seditious’ books were published regularly, and banned as regularly by the British Rulers. Interestingly, it was seldom that any press was confiscated for the publication of subversive literature, Newspapers and journals could even publish some of the news or incidents connected with the freedom struggle. For example, Gandhiji’s Dandi March to violate Salt Laws was reported in all the papers. But complete censorship was imposed on the vernacular Press when Gandhiji’s arrest led to country-wide disturbances and the detention of about 60,000 persons.
| 389
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Evaluate the role of the early Moderates in exposing the evils of 'un-British' rule in India.
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Framework: Define un-British: Means opposed to Justice and equality Dadabhai’s book “Poverty and un-British rule in India” exposed the role of British in India’s increasing poverty. Famines in India- 1876, 1896, 1900 ‘Drain Theory’- drain of wealth from India. India made a supplier of Raw materials and a captive market. This also lead to the collapse of village Economy and artisans. Gokhale’s speeches in the Parliament to expose the exploitative nature of British rule in India.
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##Question:Evaluate the role of the early Moderates in exposing the evils of 'un-British' rule in India.##Answer:Framework: Define un-British: Means opposed to Justice and equality Dadabhai’s book “Poverty and un-British rule in India” exposed the role of British in India’s increasing poverty. Famines in India- 1876, 1896, 1900 ‘Drain Theory’- drain of wealth from India. India made a supplier of Raw materials and a captive market. This also lead to the collapse of village Economy and artisans. Gokhale’s speeches in the Parliament to expose the exploitative nature of British rule in India.
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Discuss the major regulations enacted by the British rulers to curb the freedom of Press in India.
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In May 1799, the first Press regulations were issued requiring newspaper to carry the names of the printer, the editor and the proprietor. who were to declare themselves to the Secretary to the Government and to submit all material published in newspapers to his scrutiny. The Secretary was the censor and immediate deportation was the punishment for breach of the rules. Wellesley was at this time fighting Tipoo and the French, and later the Second Maratha War. Restrictions were imposed from time to time for non-observance of pre-censorship and censorship rules. Editors were repeatedly warned. In 1818, pre- censorship was abolished as Lord Hastings, governor-general, wanted to throw the responsibility wholly on editors. Lord William Bentinck, who introduced radical reforms in other fields and was helped by a Liberal regime in Britain, saw the advantage of newspapers published in the Indian languages working for social reform and relaxed restrictions imposed on the Press and introduced a liberal policy to. wards the Press. In this he was greatly influenced by Sir Charles Metcalfe, a member of his Council. When Metcalfe became Acting governor-general, he was helped by Macaulay and freed the Press and made English the official language. Under Canning, Queen Victoria's proclamation and his later policy of clemency, an Act for regulating the Press re-enacted with slight modifications the provisions of the Adam regulation of 1823 for the whole of India. The provisions of the Metcalfe statute were also retained. The new Act thus restored the system of licences in addition to the existing registration procedure. This was called the Gagging Act. Lord Lytton became the Viceroy in 1876 and made his regime notorious for the Vernacular Press Act. He had a pile of documents before him on the transgressions of the Indian languages Press. The new Act’s main objects were to place newspapers published in the languages of India under "better control" and to furnish the Government with more effective means of publishing and discouraging seditious writings calculated to produce disaffection towards the Government in the minds of the ignorant population. The Act excited fierce criticism. In 1880, the Liberals came to power in Britain and Gladstone, who had denounced the Act, was Prime Minister. The Indian Press Act, 1910 imposed strict restrictions and censorship on Publications. During the Independence struggle our foreign rulers did not allow the publication of anything they considered ‘seditious’. Naturally, those who had their stakes in such ‘seditious’ material had to resort to underground publications. The printing presses were not in abundance in those days. Also, most press owners were reluctant to print anti-Government literature. However, the ‘seditious’ books were published regularly, and banned as regularly by the British Rulers. Interestingly, it was seldom that any press was confiscated for the publication of subversive literature, Newspapers and journals could even publish some of the news or incidents connected with the freedom struggle. For example, Gandhiji’s Dandi March to violate Salt Laws was reported in all the papers. But complete censorship was imposed on the vernacular Press when Gandhiji’s arrest led to country-wide disturbances and the detention of about 60,000 persons.
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##Question:Discuss the major regulations enacted by the British rulers to curb the freedom of Press in India.##Answer:In May 1799, the first Press regulations were issued requiring newspaper to carry the names of the printer, the editor and the proprietor. who were to declare themselves to the Secretary to the Government and to submit all material published in newspapers to his scrutiny. The Secretary was the censor and immediate deportation was the punishment for breach of the rules. Wellesley was at this time fighting Tipoo and the French, and later the Second Maratha War. Restrictions were imposed from time to time for non-observance of pre-censorship and censorship rules. Editors were repeatedly warned. In 1818, pre- censorship was abolished as Lord Hastings, governor-general, wanted to throw the responsibility wholly on editors. Lord William Bentinck, who introduced radical reforms in other fields and was helped by a Liberal regime in Britain, saw the advantage of newspapers published in the Indian languages working for social reform and relaxed restrictions imposed on the Press and introduced a liberal policy to. wards the Press. In this he was greatly influenced by Sir Charles Metcalfe, a member of his Council. When Metcalfe became Acting governor-general, he was helped by Macaulay and freed the Press and made English the official language. Under Canning, Queen Victoria's proclamation and his later policy of clemency, an Act for regulating the Press re-enacted with slight modifications the provisions of the Adam regulation of 1823 for the whole of India. The provisions of the Metcalfe statute were also retained. The new Act thus restored the system of licences in addition to the existing registration procedure. This was called the Gagging Act. Lord Lytton became the Viceroy in 1876 and made his regime notorious for the Vernacular Press Act. He had a pile of documents before him on the transgressions of the Indian languages Press. The new Act’s main objects were to place newspapers published in the languages of India under "better control" and to furnish the Government with more effective means of publishing and discouraging seditious writings calculated to produce disaffection towards the Government in the minds of the ignorant population. The Act excited fierce criticism. In 1880, the Liberals came to power in Britain and Gladstone, who had denounced the Act, was Prime Minister. The Indian Press Act, 1910 imposed strict restrictions and censorship on Publications. During the Independence struggle our foreign rulers did not allow the publication of anything they considered ‘seditious’. Naturally, those who had their stakes in such ‘seditious’ material had to resort to underground publications. The printing presses were not in abundance in those days. Also, most press owners were reluctant to print anti-Government literature. However, the ‘seditious’ books were published regularly, and banned as regularly by the British Rulers. Interestingly, it was seldom that any press was confiscated for the publication of subversive literature, Newspapers and journals could even publish some of the news or incidents connected with the freedom struggle. For example, Gandhiji’s Dandi March to violate Salt Laws was reported in all the papers. But complete censorship was imposed on the vernacular Press when Gandhiji’s arrest led to country-wide disturbances and the detention of about 60,000 persons.
| 391
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Write about salient points of RBI’s draft strategy for financial education .Also discuss the importance of financial education in India.
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·The RBI’s draft strategy for financial education for consumersrecognises the important role financial literacy and financial education play in promoting financial inclusion and inclusive growth. ·In India, we need a tiered approach under National strategy in view of our diversity. ·The draft National Strategy has been prepared with the objectives of ·i) Creating awareness and educating consumers on access to financial services, various types of products and their features, ·ii)changing attitudes to translate knowledge into behavior and ·iii) Making consumers understand their rights and responsibilities as clients of financial services. ·The Strategy provides for conduct of a nation wide sample survey for assessing the state of financial inclusion and financial literacy. ·Governments have recognized that financial education should start at school and that people should be educated about financial matters as early as possible in their lives. ·There is also focus on synergizing the Efforts of Regulators in Spreading Financial Literacy. ·Financial inclusion, by itself, is one of the top policy priorities of the government. It is also an essential part of the larger social inclusion agenda. Financial education will help in promoting knowledge and skills which a relatively youthful population needs to avoid the pitfall of reckless spending through, say, the indiscriminate use of credit cards, a habit vigorously promoted by irresponsible marketing schemes. ·Financial education will have a positive, multiplier effect as ordinary citizens get to know the nuances of savings and investment. In turn, there will be a welcome deepening of the financial markets.
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##Question:Write about salient points of RBI’s draft strategy for financial education .Also discuss the importance of financial education in India.##Answer: ·The RBI’s draft strategy for financial education for consumersrecognises the important role financial literacy and financial education play in promoting financial inclusion and inclusive growth. ·In India, we need a tiered approach under National strategy in view of our diversity. ·The draft National Strategy has been prepared with the objectives of ·i) Creating awareness and educating consumers on access to financial services, various types of products and their features, ·ii)changing attitudes to translate knowledge into behavior and ·iii) Making consumers understand their rights and responsibilities as clients of financial services. ·The Strategy provides for conduct of a nation wide sample survey for assessing the state of financial inclusion and financial literacy. ·Governments have recognized that financial education should start at school and that people should be educated about financial matters as early as possible in their lives. ·There is also focus on synergizing the Efforts of Regulators in Spreading Financial Literacy. ·Financial inclusion, by itself, is one of the top policy priorities of the government. It is also an essential part of the larger social inclusion agenda. Financial education will help in promoting knowledge and skills which a relatively youthful population needs to avoid the pitfall of reckless spending through, say, the indiscriminate use of credit cards, a habit vigorously promoted by irresponsible marketing schemes. ·Financial education will have a positive, multiplier effect as ordinary citizens get to know the nuances of savings and investment. In turn, there will be a welcome deepening of the financial markets.
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Bring out the case for nutrient based subsidy in urea.
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·Farmgate prices of urea (a nitronegous fertilizer) and complex fertilizers have traditionally been controlled by the government. Consequently, any increase in the cost of production for fertilizer companies was reimbursed by the government in the form of a subsidy. ·To rein in the ballooning fiscal deficit, the government, in 2010, introduced an NBS regime in complex fertilizers, under which the subsidy was fixed for each nutrient. Simultaneously, farmgate prices of complex fertilizers were decontrolled. It was thought that the new regime would give pricing flexibility to the manufacturer, and partly insulate the Centre's subsidy burden from the volatility in global raw material as well as product prices. ·However one negative consequence of not implementing NBS in urea while implementing it in complex fertilizers is that the sharp difference in the retail prices make it more attractive for farmers to purchase urea . At present, the government is able to restrict this practice because it controls 50 per cent of urea supply. Any tilt towards urea consumption would disturb the targeted nutrient ratio and increase the dependence on imported urea. NBS in urea is, therefore, an imperative not only to achieve balanced nutrient consumption but also to improve the government’s finances.
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##Question:Bring out the case for nutrient based subsidy in urea.##Answer: ·Farmgate prices of urea (a nitronegous fertilizer) and complex fertilizers have traditionally been controlled by the government. Consequently, any increase in the cost of production for fertilizer companies was reimbursed by the government in the form of a subsidy. ·To rein in the ballooning fiscal deficit, the government, in 2010, introduced an NBS regime in complex fertilizers, under which the subsidy was fixed for each nutrient. Simultaneously, farmgate prices of complex fertilizers were decontrolled. It was thought that the new regime would give pricing flexibility to the manufacturer, and partly insulate the Centre's subsidy burden from the volatility in global raw material as well as product prices. ·However one negative consequence of not implementing NBS in urea while implementing it in complex fertilizers is that the sharp difference in the retail prices make it more attractive for farmers to purchase urea . At present, the government is able to restrict this practice because it controls 50 per cent of urea supply. Any tilt towards urea consumption would disturb the targeted nutrient ratio and increase the dependence on imported urea. NBS in urea is, therefore, an imperative not only to achieve balanced nutrient consumption but also to improve the government’s finances.
| 393
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Discuss the challenges that Indian Handicrafts industry is facing.
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The handicrafts sector is one of the most important employmentgeneratingsectors in rural and semi-rural India. However, this sector is facing several challenges: Handicrafts exports are falling behind the targets by more than 60% and have seen a decline since 2006-2007. The sector relies on a handful of export destinations (US, UK, Germany etc.) where the demand for handicrafts imports is receding. Hence there is a need to diversify the export markets. Only a part of traditional handicrafts are known to the world. There is a need for active promotion of other forms of handicrafts. Majority of exports of handicrafts are from a handful of states such as Rajasthan, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh. There is a need to diversify the source of exports. There is a need to train artisans in new techniques as there is a lack of trained manpower in this sector. Handicrafts is a state subject and so coordination among states is vital for progress of the Handicrafts sector. The Union Government has taken note of these issues. Under the aegis of the Development Commissioner (Handicrafts) efforts of states are being supplemented by central schemes for capacity building of Indian handicrafts sector.
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##Question:Discuss the challenges that Indian Handicrafts industry is facing. ##Answer: The handicrafts sector is one of the most important employmentgeneratingsectors in rural and semi-rural India. However, this sector is facing several challenges: Handicrafts exports are falling behind the targets by more than 60% and have seen a decline since 2006-2007. The sector relies on a handful of export destinations (US, UK, Germany etc.) where the demand for handicrafts imports is receding. Hence there is a need to diversify the export markets. Only a part of traditional handicrafts are known to the world. There is a need for active promotion of other forms of handicrafts. Majority of exports of handicrafts are from a handful of states such as Rajasthan, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh. There is a need to diversify the source of exports. There is a need to train artisans in new techniques as there is a lack of trained manpower in this sector. Handicrafts is a state subject and so coordination among states is vital for progress of the Handicrafts sector. The Union Government has taken note of these issues. Under the aegis of the Development Commissioner (Handicrafts) efforts of states are being supplemented by central schemes for capacity building of Indian handicrafts sector.
| 394
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“Social media is a force multiplier, it is a double-edged weapon” Discuss the positive and negative impacts of social media in wake of recent events.
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·Social media has shifted the balance of power from governments and formal media towards individuals. ·A positive development, it provides dispersed, perceptual support to events like the Arab Spring, Pussy Riot’s challenge to Vladimir Putin and Julian Assange’s standoff in London. ·But the picture turns grim when malicious communicators use the same levers of power. Add a malicious payload to a rumour, push it out on Web and SMS networks and you have a social engineering weapon capable of triggering or sustaining unrest. ·Recently after violence broke out in Myanmar, gruesome images, including a YouTube video, were used to heighten feelings about Rohingya Muslims being attacked by Buddhists. The violence is real and condemnable, but the images actually depict earthquake relief operations in China and a protest in Thailand. ·Their effect was felt when a protest against the Assam situation at Mumbai’s Azad Maidan turned into a riot in which two lives were lost. Apart from Assam, the killing of the Rohingyas was also a focus of outrage. Since the issue had got little space in formal media, social media was clearly in play. ·The exodus to the Northeast, perhaps the biggest mass displacement in peacetime. In this case too, the social and SMS media, which accumulate forces for positive change, were leveraged to spread rumours and disperse minorities by the fictitious threat of violence. ·What is needed for good use of Social media is ‘a responsible user’.
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##Question:“Social media is a force multiplier, it is a double-edged weapon” Discuss the positive and negative impacts of social media in wake of recent events.##Answer: ·Social media has shifted the balance of power from governments and formal media towards individuals. ·A positive development, it provides dispersed, perceptual support to events like the Arab Spring, Pussy Riot’s challenge to Vladimir Putin and Julian Assange’s standoff in London. ·But the picture turns grim when malicious communicators use the same levers of power. Add a malicious payload to a rumour, push it out on Web and SMS networks and you have a social engineering weapon capable of triggering or sustaining unrest. ·Recently after violence broke out in Myanmar, gruesome images, including a YouTube video, were used to heighten feelings about Rohingya Muslims being attacked by Buddhists. The violence is real and condemnable, but the images actually depict earthquake relief operations in China and a protest in Thailand. ·Their effect was felt when a protest against the Assam situation at Mumbai’s Azad Maidan turned into a riot in which two lives were lost. Apart from Assam, the killing of the Rohingyas was also a focus of outrage. Since the issue had got little space in formal media, social media was clearly in play. ·The exodus to the Northeast, perhaps the biggest mass displacement in peacetime. In this case too, the social and SMS media, which accumulate forces for positive change, were leveraged to spread rumours and disperse minorities by the fictitious threat of violence. ·What is needed for good use of Social media is ‘a responsible user’.
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Recently parliament passed amendment to the Right of Children to Freeand Compulsory Education Act, . Critically evaluate the impact of such provisions?
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·The RajyaSabha passed inthe Budget Session a Bill to amend the Right of Children to Freeand Compulsory Education Act, 2009 to extend its benefits to children withcerebral palsy, mental retardation, autism and multiple disabilities. Thereby providing for an integrated education process which would allow differently-abled children in the age group 6-14 the right of admission to any school. ·The parents of such children would have also the option of providing home-based education to children with severe disabilities. ·It gives school management committees an advisory role in minority schools, both aided and unaided. Amendment goes beyond the orders of the Supreme Court, which kept unaided minority schools out of the purview of the Act. As per the amendment, the school management committee will not have the final authority in all minority schools and its role will be advisory. ·It puts madrasas and Vedic schools and other institutions providing primarily religious instruction outside the mandate of the Act ·Extending the benefits of RTE act to the disabled children will surely help in making a more inclusive society where normal and disabled children can together learn. ·However, the option for parents of such children of providing home-based education can also have flip side. Without any legal compulsion most of the parents may feel reluctant to put their children in school with other normal children. Also how the quality check will be made on the home based education, how the resources will be made available for home based education – these are the aspects which needs further debate.
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##Question:Recently parliament passed amendment to the Right of Children to Freeand Compulsory Education Act, . Critically evaluate the impact of such provisions?##Answer: ·The RajyaSabha passed inthe Budget Session a Bill to amend the Right of Children to Freeand Compulsory Education Act, 2009 to extend its benefits to children withcerebral palsy, mental retardation, autism and multiple disabilities. Thereby providing for an integrated education process which would allow differently-abled children in the age group 6-14 the right of admission to any school. ·The parents of such children would have also the option of providing home-based education to children with severe disabilities. ·It gives school management committees an advisory role in minority schools, both aided and unaided. Amendment goes beyond the orders of the Supreme Court, which kept unaided minority schools out of the purview of the Act. As per the amendment, the school management committee will not have the final authority in all minority schools and its role will be advisory. ·It puts madrasas and Vedic schools and other institutions providing primarily religious instruction outside the mandate of the Act ·Extending the benefits of RTE act to the disabled children will surely help in making a more inclusive society where normal and disabled children can together learn. ·However, the option for parents of such children of providing home-based education can also have flip side. Without any legal compulsion most of the parents may feel reluctant to put their children in school with other normal children. Also how the quality check will be made on the home based education, how the resources will be made available for home based education – these are the aspects which needs further debate.
| 396
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Community Radio holds great promise as an important tool for Information, Communication and Education of rural masses. Discuss.
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Community radio (CR)is aradioservice thatbroadcasts content that is popular and relevant to a local, specific audience but is often overlooked by commercial or mass-media broadcasters. CR stations are operated, owned, and influenced by the communities they serve. Thus CR in rural areas can serve as an important tool for the communication, education and information in the following ways: Information can be conveyed in the locally intelligible language and dialect. Commercial and Public Broadcasts often ignore the need to convey information in local dialects. This is especially useful for rural areas where the dialect use differs from urban areas. The ownership and management structure of CR is mandated under CR Guidelines 2006 to be reflective of the community. Also as per guidelines,at least 50% of content must be generated with participation of local community. These provisions ensure a platform for the rural masses to educate themselves in the process of content creation and disseminate such information. Advertising of a restricted nature is permitted for up to five minutes per hour of broadcast as per CR guidelines. This ensures maximisation of program time for debate, discussion anddisseminationof information. The CR Guidelines allow non-governmental organisations and community-based groups, with a track record of developmental work, to set up Community Radio Stations. This enables further interaction of local community with civil-society and mutual sharing of information. Apart from communication, education and information, CR also has a number of other benefits: employment generation, it is in consonance with the principle of subsidiarity etc.
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##Question:Community Radio holds great promise as an important tool for Information, Communication and Education of rural masses. Discuss.##Answer: Community radio (CR)is aradioservice thatbroadcasts content that is popular and relevant to a local, specific audience but is often overlooked by commercial or mass-media broadcasters. CR stations are operated, owned, and influenced by the communities they serve. Thus CR in rural areas can serve as an important tool for the communication, education and information in the following ways: Information can be conveyed in the locally intelligible language and dialect. Commercial and Public Broadcasts often ignore the need to convey information in local dialects. This is especially useful for rural areas where the dialect use differs from urban areas. The ownership and management structure of CR is mandated under CR Guidelines 2006 to be reflective of the community. Also as per guidelines,at least 50% of content must be generated with participation of local community. These provisions ensure a platform for the rural masses to educate themselves in the process of content creation and disseminate such information. Advertising of a restricted nature is permitted for up to five minutes per hour of broadcast as per CR guidelines. This ensures maximisation of program time for debate, discussion anddisseminationof information. The CR Guidelines allow non-governmental organisations and community-based groups, with a track record of developmental work, to set up Community Radio Stations. This enables further interaction of local community with civil-society and mutual sharing of information. Apart from communication, education and information, CR also has a number of other benefits: employment generation, it is in consonance with the principle of subsidiarity etc.
| 397
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Discuss the problems specific to the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in India.
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·India has yet torecognise the nature of targeted violence in law; recognise those displaced by each episode of targeted violence not as mere “migrants” but as IDPs with certain inviolable rights; or creating national standards for comprehensive remedy and reparation, including relief, rehabilitation and compensation. ·When displacement takes place due to targeted mass violence, with loss of life, property, family and loved ones, and the destruction of the very fabric of a socio-economic and cultural community, rehabilitation calls for a new understanding. ·Today, without any framework, without statutory, uniform, nationally recognisedjusticiable norms even for immediate relief and compensation, we once again face the spectre of lakhs of desperate, scared human beings languishing in hundreds of makeshift relief camps with no standards of medical care, food, or water — let alone special provisions for women, children, the aged and the infirm. ·We have no single-window protocols in place for getting them back their documents, their homes, their land, their lost livestock, their livelihoods, and their dignity. ·There is no policy or law that recognises the grave gendered implications of violent displacement — separation of family members, alteration of gender roles when families are separated, break down of family structures, loss of community support, desperate pressures of child care, increased domestic violence, sexual exploitation in exchange for relief handouts, and the long-term psychosocial trauma that accompanies all this. ·We have arbitrary and selective amounts of compensation being doled out, guided by a sense of charity rather than by a rights standard. And all of this, with no possibility of reparative justice — of apology by States for failing to protect, of guarantees for the future — no participation of survivors in planning the terms of their resettlement, no promise of justice.
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##Question:Discuss the problems specific to the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in India.##Answer: ·India has yet torecognise the nature of targeted violence in law; recognise those displaced by each episode of targeted violence not as mere “migrants” but as IDPs with certain inviolable rights; or creating national standards for comprehensive remedy and reparation, including relief, rehabilitation and compensation. ·When displacement takes place due to targeted mass violence, with loss of life, property, family and loved ones, and the destruction of the very fabric of a socio-economic and cultural community, rehabilitation calls for a new understanding. ·Today, without any framework, without statutory, uniform, nationally recognisedjusticiable norms even for immediate relief and compensation, we once again face the spectre of lakhs of desperate, scared human beings languishing in hundreds of makeshift relief camps with no standards of medical care, food, or water — let alone special provisions for women, children, the aged and the infirm. ·We have no single-window protocols in place for getting them back their documents, their homes, their land, their lost livestock, their livelihoods, and their dignity. ·There is no policy or law that recognises the grave gendered implications of violent displacement — separation of family members, alteration of gender roles when families are separated, break down of family structures, loss of community support, desperate pressures of child care, increased domestic violence, sexual exploitation in exchange for relief handouts, and the long-term psychosocial trauma that accompanies all this. ·We have arbitrary and selective amounts of compensation being doled out, guided by a sense of charity rather than by a rights standard. And all of this, with no possibility of reparative justice — of apology by States for failing to protect, of guarantees for the future — no participation of survivors in planning the terms of their resettlement, no promise of justice.
| 398
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Discuss the relative fertility of different types of soils.
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Alluvial soils come from the silt that washes down into rivers.They are very fertile as alluvium consists of silt, sand, clay, and gravel and often contains a good deal of organic matter. Vertisols, or black soils, have high clay content, and a high ability to retain moisture. Vertisols range from dark grey to black and develop cracks in the summer. Unlike alluvial soils, black soils lack organic matter, but like alluvial soils, Vertisols have low amounts of phosphorous and nitrogen. However, Vertisols have a great deal of iron, lime, calcium, alumina, carbonates and magnesium. Red soils are more sand than clay and do not retain moisture. Red soils form from the weathering of old crystalline rocks and this soil is slightly acidic. Like alluvium and Vertisols, red soils are poor in phosphorous and nitrogen. Red soils are also low in lime but have iron and a small amount of humus. Farmers grow groundnut, millet, potatoes, rice, sugarcane tobacco and wheat in red soils. Laterite soils are formed when temperatures are high and there are wet and dry periods with high rainfall during the wet periods that leaches silica, but leaves iron and aluminum oxides behind, which is known as Laterite. When exposed to air the brown to yellowish soil becomes hard, making it a good building material. Cashew, coconut, coffee, rubber and tea trees grow in the soil, which is rich in iron and poor in lime, magnesium and potash. Desert soils are porous and coarse being 90 percent sand and 5 percent clay, with a low moisture content. This soil comes from weathering and wind deposit. This soil is rich in nitrates and phosphates but lacks nitrogen. Drought resistant crops such as barley and millet grow in desert soil. Mountain soils range from sandy to loamy in texture and are formed from organic matter from forests deposited in the slopes of hills. Farmers grow coffee, spices, tea and tropical fruits in it. r of t? ?w `? xK? ecause it is less dense, will ride over the edge of the older plate. er wo nt`? xK? adverse impact on these assets. These provisions will assist the banks to take a considered decision on the loan applications for financing such construction. The banking system would contribute to creating a disaster-resistant built environment in the country. tricti; Cad`? xK? ip on Publications. During the Independence struggle our foreign rulers did not allow the publication of anything they considered ‘seditious’. Naturally, those who had their stakes in such ‘seditious’ material had to resort to underground publications. The printing presses were not in abundance in those days. Also, most press owners were reluctant to print anti-Government literature. However, the ‘seditious’ books were published regularly, and banned as regularly by the British Rulers. Interestingly, it was seldom that any press was confiscated for the publication of subversive literature, Newspapers and journals could even publish some of the news or incidents connected with the freedom struggle. For example, Gandhiji’s Dandi March to violate Salt Laws was reported in all the papers. But complete censorship was imposed on the vernacular Press when Gandhiji’s arrest led to country-wide disturbances and the detention of about 60,000 persons.
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##Question:Discuss the relative fertility of different types of soils.##Answer:Alluvial soils come from the silt that washes down into rivers.They are very fertile as alluvium consists of silt, sand, clay, and gravel and often contains a good deal of organic matter. Vertisols, or black soils, have high clay content, and a high ability to retain moisture. Vertisols range from dark grey to black and develop cracks in the summer. Unlike alluvial soils, black soils lack organic matter, but like alluvial soils, Vertisols have low amounts of phosphorous and nitrogen. However, Vertisols have a great deal of iron, lime, calcium, alumina, carbonates and magnesium. Red soils are more sand than clay and do not retain moisture. Red soils form from the weathering of old crystalline rocks and this soil is slightly acidic. Like alluvium and Vertisols, red soils are poor in phosphorous and nitrogen. Red soils are also low in lime but have iron and a small amount of humus. Farmers grow groundnut, millet, potatoes, rice, sugarcane tobacco and wheat in red soils. Laterite soils are formed when temperatures are high and there are wet and dry periods with high rainfall during the wet periods that leaches silica, but leaves iron and aluminum oxides behind, which is known as Laterite. When exposed to air the brown to yellowish soil becomes hard, making it a good building material. Cashew, coconut, coffee, rubber and tea trees grow in the soil, which is rich in iron and poor in lime, magnesium and potash. Desert soils are porous and coarse being 90 percent sand and 5 percent clay, with a low moisture content. This soil comes from weathering and wind deposit. This soil is rich in nitrates and phosphates but lacks nitrogen. Drought resistant crops such as barley and millet grow in desert soil. Mountain soils range from sandy to loamy in texture and are formed from organic matter from forests deposited in the slopes of hills. Farmers grow coffee, spices, tea and tropical fruits in it. r of t? ?w `? xK? ecause it is less dense, will ride over the edge of the older plate. er wo nt`? xK? adverse impact on these assets. These provisions will assist the banks to take a considered decision on the loan applications for financing such construction. The banking system would contribute to creating a disaster-resistant built environment in the country. tricti; Cad`? xK? ip on Publications. During the Independence struggle our foreign rulers did not allow the publication of anything they considered ‘seditious’. Naturally, those who had their stakes in such ‘seditious’ material had to resort to underground publications. The printing presses were not in abundance in those days. Also, most press owners were reluctant to print anti-Government literature. However, the ‘seditious’ books were published regularly, and banned as regularly by the British Rulers. Interestingly, it was seldom that any press was confiscated for the publication of subversive literature, Newspapers and journals could even publish some of the news or incidents connected with the freedom struggle. For example, Gandhiji’s Dandi March to violate Salt Laws was reported in all the papers. But complete censorship was imposed on the vernacular Press when Gandhiji’s arrest led to country-wide disturbances and the detention of about 60,000 persons.
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India is a party to 5 major international conventions related to wildlife conservation. Discuss.
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- CITES - IUCN - IWC( International Whaling Commission) - UNESCO-WHC ( World Heritage Committee) - CMS ( Convention on Migratory Sp)
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##Question:India is a party to 5 major international conventions related to wildlife conservation. Discuss.##Answer: - CITES - IUCN - IWC( International Whaling Commission) - UNESCO-WHC ( World Heritage Committee) - CMS ( Convention on Migratory Sp)
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Highlight the various provision and issues concerning “Protection of Women Against Sexual Harassment at Workplace Bill, ”
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· Highlights of the Bill ·The Bill defines sexual harassment at the work place and creates amechanism for redressal of complaints. It also provides safeguardsagainst false or malicious charges. ·The first aspect is the legal responsibility of the employer, whether government, public sector or private, to provide a safe and conducive environment for the woman worker through implementation of certain clauses and provisions. ·The onus is on the employer, and if this is not complied with, the employer is liable for punishment including — in cases of repeated violations — cancellation of licences. This is in addition to any other criminal prosecution provided by any other law. ·The second aspect is the provision of concrete mechanisms and processes to enable an inquiry into individual complaints of sexual harassment and time-bound justice. ·Every employer is required to constitute an Internal ComplaintsCommittee at each office or branch with 10 or more employees. TheDistrict Officer is required to constitute a Local Complaints Committeeat each district, and if required at the block level. ·The Complaints Committees have the powers of civil courts forgathering evidence. ·The Complaints Committees are required to provide for conciliationbefore initiating an inquiry, if requested by the complainant. · Issues & Concerns ·The Vishakha guidelines are clear enough and mandate that “all workplaces” should be included. As is well known, the majority of the female workforce is in the unorganised agricultural sector. However, the word agriculture or agriculture-related work does not figure in the Bill at all. ·The Bill also requires clarity on the inclusion of the armed forces and all paramilitary forces within its purview. With the increasing number of women being employed in the defence services, there is no reason why they should be excluded. ·The Internal Complaints Committee has been given the powers of acivil court. However, it does not require members with a legalbackground nor are there any provisions for legal training. ·Also There could be feasibility issues in establishing an Internal ComplaintsCommittee at every branch or office with 10 or more employees ·Unlike sexual harassment legislation in many other countries, this Billdoes not provide protection to men.
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##Question:Highlight the various provision and issues concerning “Protection of Women Against Sexual Harassment at Workplace Bill, ”##Answer: · Highlights of the Bill ·The Bill defines sexual harassment at the work place and creates amechanism for redressal of complaints. It also provides safeguardsagainst false or malicious charges. ·The first aspect is the legal responsibility of the employer, whether government, public sector or private, to provide a safe and conducive environment for the woman worker through implementation of certain clauses and provisions. ·The onus is on the employer, and if this is not complied with, the employer is liable for punishment including — in cases of repeated violations — cancellation of licences. This is in addition to any other criminal prosecution provided by any other law. ·The second aspect is the provision of concrete mechanisms and processes to enable an inquiry into individual complaints of sexual harassment and time-bound justice. ·Every employer is required to constitute an Internal ComplaintsCommittee at each office or branch with 10 or more employees. TheDistrict Officer is required to constitute a Local Complaints Committeeat each district, and if required at the block level. ·The Complaints Committees have the powers of civil courts forgathering evidence. ·The Complaints Committees are required to provide for conciliationbefore initiating an inquiry, if requested by the complainant. · Issues & Concerns ·The Vishakha guidelines are clear enough and mandate that “all workplaces” should be included. As is well known, the majority of the female workforce is in the unorganised agricultural sector. However, the word agriculture or agriculture-related work does not figure in the Bill at all. ·The Bill also requires clarity on the inclusion of the armed forces and all paramilitary forces within its purview. With the increasing number of women being employed in the defence services, there is no reason why they should be excluded. ·The Internal Complaints Committee has been given the powers of acivil court. However, it does not require members with a legalbackground nor are there any provisions for legal training. ·Also There could be feasibility issues in establishing an Internal ComplaintsCommittee at every branch or office with 10 or more employees ·Unlike sexual harassment legislation in many other countries, this Billdoes not provide protection to men.
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Swaran Jayanti Shahri Rojgar Yojana
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·The main objectives of the new SJSRY are: ·Addressing urban poverty alleviation through gainful employment to the urban unemployed or underemployed poor by encouraging them to set up self-employment ventures (individual or group), with support for their sustainability; or undertake wage employment; ·Supporting skill development and training programmes to enable the urban poor have access to employment opportunities opened up by the market or undertake selfemployment; and ·Empowering the community to tackle the issues of urban poverty through suitable selfmanaged community structures like Neighbourhood Groups (NHGs), Neighbourhood Committees (NHC), Community Development Society (CDS), etc. ·SJSRY will have five major components, namely- ·(i) Urban Self Employment Programme (USEP) ·(ii) Urban Women Self-help Programme (UWSP) ·(iii) Skill Training for Employment Promotion amongst Urban Poor (STEP-UP) ·(iv) Urban Wage Employment Programme (UWEP) ·(v) Urban Community Development Network (UCDN)
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##Question:Swaran Jayanti Shahri Rojgar Yojana##Answer: ·The main objectives of the new SJSRY are: ·Addressing urban poverty alleviation through gainful employment to the urban unemployed or underemployed poor by encouraging them to set up self-employment ventures (individual or group), with support for their sustainability; or undertake wage employment; ·Supporting skill development and training programmes to enable the urban poor have access to employment opportunities opened up by the market or undertake selfemployment; and ·Empowering the community to tackle the issues of urban poverty through suitable selfmanaged community structures like Neighbourhood Groups (NHGs), Neighbourhood Committees (NHC), Community Development Society (CDS), etc. ·SJSRY will have five major components, namely- ·(i) Urban Self Employment Programme (USEP) ·(ii) Urban Women Self-help Programme (UWSP) ·(iii) Skill Training for Employment Promotion amongst Urban Poor (STEP-UP) ·(iv) Urban Wage Employment Programme (UWEP) ·(v) Urban Community Development Network (UCDN)
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. ‘Opindia’ Protests
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• Street protests in 18 cities nationwide protesting “Internet censorship,” by Anonymous India. • The protests were specifically over developments that sought to curb freedom of expression online: Section 69 of the Information Technology (Amendment) Act, 2008 that would allow government officials and investigating agencies to listen in to all phone calls, SMSs and emails even without a warrant from a Magistrate; and Information Technology (Intermediaries Guidelines) Rules, 2011 through which “Government has enacted laws that gives it a free pass to censor Facebook posts, listen to every Skype conversation, monitor tweets or blogs or access private photographs and documents stored online, or track locations using mobile phone to keep under surveillance all of our online activity.” • There were not enough provisions to safeguard Internet intermediaries — like search engines or file-sharing sites — whereas the amendments vested disproportionate powers with those who might complain of violations.
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##Question:. ‘Opindia’ Protests##Answer: • Street protests in 18 cities nationwide protesting “Internet censorship,” by Anonymous India. • The protests were specifically over developments that sought to curb freedom of expression online: Section 69 of the Information Technology (Amendment) Act, 2008 that would allow government officials and investigating agencies to listen in to all phone calls, SMSs and emails even without a warrant from a Magistrate; and Information Technology (Intermediaries Guidelines) Rules, 2011 through which “Government has enacted laws that gives it a free pass to censor Facebook posts, listen to every Skype conversation, monitor tweets or blogs or access private photographs and documents stored online, or track locations using mobile phone to keep under surveillance all of our online activity.” • There were not enough provisions to safeguard Internet intermediaries — like search engines or file-sharing sites — whereas the amendments vested disproportionate powers with those who might complain of violations.
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Subduction Zone
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Subductionis the process that takes place at convergent boundaries by which one tectonic plate moves under another tectonic plate and sinks into the mantle as the plates converge. Regions where this process occurs are known assubduction zones. When two oceanic plates collide, the younger of the two plates, because it is less dense, will ride over the edge of the older plate. er wo nt`? xK? adverse impact on these assets. These provisions will assist the banks to take a considered decision on the loan applications for financing such construction. The banking system would contribute to creating a disaster-resistant built environment in the country. tricti; Cad`? xK? ip on Publications. During the Independence struggle our foreign rulers did not allow the publication of anything they considered ‘seditious’. Naturally, those who had their stakes in such ‘seditious’ material had to resort to underground publications. The printing presses were not in abundance in those days. Also, most press owners were reluctant to print anti-Government literature. However, the ‘seditious’ books were published regularly, and banned as regularly by the British Rulers. Interestingly, it was seldom that any press was confiscated for the publication of subversive literature, Newspapers and journals could even publish some of the news or incidents connected with the freedom struggle. For example, Gandhiji’s Dandi March to violate Salt Laws was reported in all the papers. But complete censorship was imposed on the vernacular Press when Gandhiji’s arrest led to country-wide disturbances and the detention of about 60,000 persons.
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##Question:Subduction Zone##Answer:Subductionis the process that takes place at convergent boundaries by which one tectonic plate moves under another tectonic plate and sinks into the mantle as the plates converge. Regions where this process occurs are known assubduction zones. When two oceanic plates collide, the younger of the two plates, because it is less dense, will ride over the edge of the older plate. er wo nt`? xK? adverse impact on these assets. These provisions will assist the banks to take a considered decision on the loan applications for financing such construction. The banking system would contribute to creating a disaster-resistant built environment in the country. tricti; Cad`? xK? ip on Publications. During the Independence struggle our foreign rulers did not allow the publication of anything they considered ‘seditious’. Naturally, those who had their stakes in such ‘seditious’ material had to resort to underground publications. The printing presses were not in abundance in those days. Also, most press owners were reluctant to print anti-Government literature. However, the ‘seditious’ books were published regularly, and banned as regularly by the British Rulers. Interestingly, it was seldom that any press was confiscated for the publication of subversive literature, Newspapers and journals could even publish some of the news or incidents connected with the freedom struggle. For example, Gandhiji’s Dandi March to violate Salt Laws was reported in all the papers. But complete censorship was imposed on the vernacular Press when Gandhiji’s arrest led to country-wide disturbances and the detention of about 60,000 persons.
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Agromet Advisory Services
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·India Meteorological Department (IMD)started Integrated Agro-Meteorological Advisory Service (IAAS) in the countryfor the benefits of farmers. ·Agro-meteorological service rendered by IMD,Ministry of Earth Sciences is an innovative step to contribute to weatherinformation based crop/livestock management strategies and operations dedicatedto enhancing crop production by providing real time crop and location specificagromet services with outreach to village level ·The IAASprovides a very special kind of inputs to the farmer as advisory bulletin. ·Under IAAS, a mechanism was developed tointegrate weather forecast, climatic and agro-meteorological information toprepare agro-advisories.
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##Question:Agromet Advisory Services##Answer: ·India Meteorological Department (IMD)started Integrated Agro-Meteorological Advisory Service (IAAS) in the countryfor the benefits of farmers. ·Agro-meteorological service rendered by IMD,Ministry of Earth Sciences is an innovative step to contribute to weatherinformation based crop/livestock management strategies and operations dedicatedto enhancing crop production by providing real time crop and location specificagromet services with outreach to village level ·The IAASprovides a very special kind of inputs to the farmer as advisory bulletin. ·Under IAAS, a mechanism was developed tointegrate weather forecast, climatic and agro-meteorological information toprepare agro-advisories.
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Business Advisory Committee
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The Business Advisory Committee of Lok Sabha consists of 15 members including the Speaker who is the ex-officio Chairman. The members are nominated by the Speaker. Almost all sections of the House are represented on the Committee as per the respective strength of parties in the House. The function of the Committee is to recommend the time that should be allotted for the discussion of such Government legislative and other business as the Speaker, in consultation with the Leader of the House, may direct to be referred to the Committee. The Committee, on its own initiative, may also recommend to the Government to bring forward particular subjects for discussion in the House and recommend allocation of time for such discussions. The decisions reached by the Committee are always unanimous in character and representative of the collective view of the House. The Committee generally meets at the beginning of each Session and thereafter as and when necessary.
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##Question:Business Advisory Committee ##Answer:The Business Advisory Committee of Lok Sabha consists of 15 members including the Speaker who is the ex-officio Chairman. The members are nominated by the Speaker. Almost all sections of the House are represented on the Committee as per the respective strength of parties in the House. The function of the Committee is to recommend the time that should be allotted for the discussion of such Government legislative and other business as the Speaker, in consultation with the Leader of the House, may direct to be referred to the Committee. The Committee, on its own initiative, may also recommend to the Government to bring forward particular subjects for discussion in the House and recommend allocation of time for such discussions. The decisions reached by the Committee are always unanimous in character and representative of the collective view of the House. The Committee generally meets at the beginning of each Session and thereafter as and when necessary.
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Draft Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill,
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·The highlights of the Bill include - replacing the word `rape’ wherever it occurs by the words `sexual assault`, to make the offence of sexual assault gender neutral, and also widening the scope of the offence sexual assault. ·The punishment for sexual assault will be for a minimum of seven years which may extend to imprisonment for life and also fine for aggravated sexual assault, i.e., by a police officer within his jurisdiction or a public servant / manager or person talking advantage of his position of authority etc. The punishment will be rigorous imprisonment which shall not be less than ten years which may extend to life imprisonment and also fine. ·The age of consent has been raised from 16 years to 18 years in sexual assault. However, it is proposed that the sexual intercourse by a man with own wife being under sixteen years of age is not sexual assault. ·Provision for enhancement of punishment and for making acid attack a specific offence have been made.
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##Question:Draft Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill, ##Answer: ·The highlights of the Bill include - replacing the word `rape’ wherever it occurs by the words `sexual assault`, to make the offence of sexual assault gender neutral, and also widening the scope of the offence sexual assault. ·The punishment for sexual assault will be for a minimum of seven years which may extend to imprisonment for life and also fine for aggravated sexual assault, i.e., by a police officer within his jurisdiction or a public servant / manager or person talking advantage of his position of authority etc. The punishment will be rigorous imprisonment which shall not be less than ten years which may extend to life imprisonment and also fine. ·The age of consent has been raised from 16 years to 18 years in sexual assault. However, it is proposed that the sexual intercourse by a man with own wife being under sixteen years of age is not sexual assault. ·Provision for enhancement of punishment and for making acid attack a specific offence have been made.
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Classical Languages of India
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There are four Classical Languagesin India TAMIL,SANSKRIT,KANNADA AND TELUGU. This status based on the recommendation of a committee of linguistic experts constituted by the Ministry of Culture, Government of India. the following criteria were laid down to determine the eligibility of languages to be considered for classification as a "classical Language". High antiquity of its early texts/recorded history over a period of 1500-2000 years; A body of ancient literature/texts, which is considered a valuable heritage by generations of speakers; The literary tradition be original and not borrowed from another speech community; The classical language and literature being distinct from modern, there may also be a discontinuity between the classical language and its later forms or its offshoots.
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##Question:Classical Languages of India##Answer:There are four Classical Languagesin India TAMIL,SANSKRIT,KANNADA AND TELUGU. This status based on the recommendation of a committee of linguistic experts constituted by the Ministry of Culture, Government of India. the following criteria were laid down to determine the eligibility of languages to be considered for classification as a "classical Language". High antiquity of its early texts/recorded history over a period of 1500-2000 years; A body of ancient literature/texts, which is considered a valuable heritage by generations of speakers; The literary tradition be original and not borrowed from another speech community; The classical language and literature being distinct from modern, there may also be a discontinuity between the classical language and its later forms or its offshoots.
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Mandana
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Mandana Mandana, a popular folk art meant to grace the floors and walls of rural homes, is on the verge of extinction due to rapid urbanisation in Rajasthan. “Urbanisation is killing this rich art by rustic women as the mud houses are disappearing and concrete houses coming up,” “There is deep scientific and tantric approach in the circular, squire and hexameter diagrams of Mandana. The designs of Mandana are mainly drawn on the mud and crimson red soil-smeared platforms with white lime paste, khadiya.
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##Question:Mandana##Answer:Mandana Mandana, a popular folk art meant to grace the floors and walls of rural homes, is on the verge of extinction due to rapid urbanisation in Rajasthan. “Urbanisation is killing this rich art by rustic women as the mud houses are disappearing and concrete houses coming up,” “There is deep scientific and tantric approach in the circular, squire and hexameter diagrams of Mandana. The designs of Mandana are mainly drawn on the mud and crimson red soil-smeared platforms with white lime paste, khadiya.
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. ‘Swadhar Greh’
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A new Central scheme, ‘SwadharGreh', is being launched to protect destitute women, including those suffering from HIV/AIDS, prisoners released from jail and those who are without family so that they could “lead their life with dignity”.
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##Question:. ‘Swadhar Greh’##Answer:A new Central scheme, ‘SwadharGreh', is being launched to protect destitute women, including those suffering from HIV/AIDS, prisoners released from jail and those who are without family so that they could “lead their life with dignity”.
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. Pangasu Pass
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Pangsau Passlies on the crest of thePatkaiHills on theIndia-Burma(Myanmar) border. The pass offers one of the easiest routes into Burma from theAssamplains. It was in news in connection with the Pangasu Pass Winter Festival and recent decision of Union government to improve the existing border trade between India and Myanmar through Pangsau Pass.
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##Question:. Pangasu Pass##Answer: Pangsau Passlies on the crest of thePatkaiHills on theIndia-Burma(Myanmar) border. The pass offers one of the easiest routes into Burma from theAssamplains. It was in news in connection with the Pangasu Pass Winter Festival and recent decision of Union government to improve the existing border trade between India and Myanmar through Pangsau Pass.
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pseudo-urbanization
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Pseudo-urbanization is a state when a city is unable to contain its populace in terms of providing livelihood, housing and infrastructure. Pseudo-urbanization means that the process of urbanization is not in tune with either industrialization of modernization. The process of pseudo-industrialization is more activated by strong rural 'push' factor from the relatively poor areas rather than scope offered for employment from weak urban 'pull' factor. India's urbanization is often termed as over-urbanization/pseudo-urbanization.
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##Question:pseudo-urbanization##Answer: Pseudo-urbanization is a state when a city is unable to contain its populace in terms of providing livelihood, housing and infrastructure. Pseudo-urbanization means that the process of urbanization is not in tune with either industrialization of modernization. The process of pseudo-industrialization is more activated by strong rural 'push' factor from the relatively poor areas rather than scope offered for employment from weak urban 'pull' factor. India's urbanization is often termed as over-urbanization/pseudo-urbanization.
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M-STrIPES
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Monitoring System for Tigers’-Intensive Protection and Ecological Status, the software monitoring system launched by the Indian Government It would enable field managers to keep an eye on forest guards’ patrol intensity and spatial coverage. Initially being implemented in six tiger reserves, the system aims to reduce the vulnerability of tigers.
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##Question:M-STrIPES##Answer: Monitoring System for Tigers’-Intensive Protection and Ecological Status, the software monitoring system launched by the Indian Government It would enable field managers to keep an eye on forest guards’ patrol intensity and spatial coverage. Initially being implemented in six tiger reserves, the system aims to reduce the vulnerability of tigers.
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REDD+
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UN’s programme for Reducing Emissions from Deforestation & Forest Degradation.
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##Question:REDD+##Answer:UN’s programme for Reducing Emissions from Deforestation & Forest Degradation.
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Red Data Books
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Published by International Union for Conservation of Nature & Natural Resources (IUCN), contains the list of threatened plants & animal sp
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##Question:Red Data Books##Answer:Published by International Union for Conservation of Nature & Natural Resources (IUCN), contains the list of threatened plants & animal sp
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Rani Abbakka
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Rani Abbakka She was a Queenwho belonged to Chowta Dynasty during 1525 - 1570. She Fought bravely against Portugese and hence was also known as Abhaya Rani (Fearless Queen). An indigenously developed inshore petrol vessel Rani Abbakka is commissioned to the fleet of Indian Coast Guard. It is manufactured by Hindustan Shipyard Limited.
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##Question:Rani Abbakka##Answer:Rani Abbakka She was a Queenwho belonged to Chowta Dynasty during 1525 - 1570. She Fought bravely against Portugese and hence was also known as Abhaya Rani (Fearless Queen). An indigenously developed inshore petrol vessel Rani Abbakka is commissioned to the fleet of Indian Coast Guard. It is manufactured by Hindustan Shipyard Limited.
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Aundh Experiment
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Aundh Experiment The Aundh Experiment was an early test of village-level self government in British India which began in 1938. Mahatma Gandhi, the Raja of Aundh, and Maurice Frydman helped to draft the November Declaration, which handed over rule of the state of Aundh from the Raja to the residents, and became law in the Swaraj Constitution of Aundh in 1939. The Aundh Experiment was an unusual idea in pre-independence India, where the rulers of princely states were loath to hand over their power
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##Question:Aundh Experiment##Answer:Aundh Experiment The Aundh Experiment was an early test of village-level self government in British India which began in 1938. Mahatma Gandhi, the Raja of Aundh, and Maurice Frydman helped to draft the November Declaration, which handed over rule of the state of Aundh from the Raja to the residents, and became law in the Swaraj Constitution of Aundh in 1939. The Aundh Experiment was an unusual idea in pre-independence India, where the rulers of princely states were loath to hand over their power
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Hanuman Vyayam Prasarak Mandal
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The organization at present well-known by the name “Shree Hanuman Vyayam Prasarak Mandal, Amravati” founded by the Vaidya Brothers namely Anant Krishna and Ambadas Krishna in the year 1914, as a small gymnastic club was called Hanuman Club. They had two clear objectives, One was to link up the movement of physical education with the National movement of Indian renaissance and the second was to modernize and standardize the traditional Indian system of exercises in such a way that would bring in bold relief the best and knowledgeable elements inherent in it. The institute endorsed by none other than Mahatma Gandhi(inaugurated the main building) for its commitment to physical health will celebrate its centenary next year.
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##Question:Hanuman Vyayam Prasarak Mandal##Answer: The organization at present well-known by the name “Shree Hanuman Vyayam Prasarak Mandal, Amravati” founded by the Vaidya Brothers namely Anant Krishna and Ambadas Krishna in the year 1914, as a small gymnastic club was called Hanuman Club. They had two clear objectives, One was to link up the movement of physical education with the National movement of Indian renaissance and the second was to modernize and standardize the traditional Indian system of exercises in such a way that would bring in bold relief the best and knowledgeable elements inherent in it. The institute endorsed by none other than Mahatma Gandhi(inaugurated the main building) for its commitment to physical health will celebrate its centenary next year.
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LOFAR
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LOFAR is the Low-Frequency Array for radio astronomy, built by the Netherlands astronomical foundation ASTRON and operated by ASTRON's radio observatory. LOFAR is the largest connected radio telescope ever built, using a new concept based on a vast array of omni-directional antennas. It will help answer questions such as “Are we alone?” and “how did black holes grow in our universe?”
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##Question:LOFAR##Answer: LOFAR is the Low-Frequency Array for radio astronomy, built by the Netherlands astronomical foundation ASTRON and operated by ASTRON's radio observatory. LOFAR is the largest connected radio telescope ever built, using a new concept based on a vast array of omni-directional antennas. It will help answer questions such as “Are we alone?” and “how did black holes grow in our universe?”
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NuSTAR
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The Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array- NASA’s mission It is an Explorer mission that will allow astronomers to study the universe in high energy X-rays. Launched in June of 2012, NuSTAR is the first focusing hard X-ray telescope to orbit Earth. It is expected to greatly exceed the performance of the largest ground-based observatories that have observed this region of the electromagnetic spectrum. NuSTAR complements astrophysics missions that explore the cosmos in other regions of the spectrum. X-ray telescopes such as Chandra and XMM-Newton have observed the X-ray universe at low X-ray energy levels. By focusing higher energy X-rays, NuSTAR will start to answer several fundamental questions about the Universe including: How are black holes distributed through the cosmos? How were heavy elements forged in the explosions of massive stars? What powers the most extreme active galaxies? NuSTAR's primary science objectives include: Conducting a census for black holes on all scales using wide-field surveys of extragalactic fields and the Galactic center. Mapping radioactive material in young supernova remnants; Studying the birth of the elements and to understand how stars explode. Observing relativistic jets found in the most extreme active galaxies and to understand what powers giant cosmic accelerators. NuSTAR will also study the origin of cosmic rays and the extreme physics around collapsed stars while responding to targets of opportunity including supernovae and gamma-ray bursts. NuSTAR will perform follow-up observations to discoveries made by Chandra and Spitzer, and will team with Fermi, making simultaneous observations which will greatly enhancing Fermi's science return.
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##Question:NuSTAR##Answer:The Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array- NASA’s mission It is an Explorer mission that will allow astronomers to study the universe in high energy X-rays. Launched in June of 2012, NuSTAR is the first focusing hard X-ray telescope to orbit Earth. It is expected to greatly exceed the performance of the largest ground-based observatories that have observed this region of the electromagnetic spectrum. NuSTAR complements astrophysics missions that explore the cosmos in other regions of the spectrum. X-ray telescopes such as Chandra and XMM-Newton have observed the X-ray universe at low X-ray energy levels. By focusing higher energy X-rays, NuSTAR will start to answer several fundamental questions about the Universe including: How are black holes distributed through the cosmos? How were heavy elements forged in the explosions of massive stars? What powers the most extreme active galaxies? NuSTAR's primary science objectives include: Conducting a census for black holes on all scales using wide-field surveys of extragalactic fields and the Galactic center. Mapping radioactive material in young supernova remnants; Studying the birth of the elements and to understand how stars explode. Observing relativistic jets found in the most extreme active galaxies and to understand what powers giant cosmic accelerators. NuSTAR will also study the origin of cosmic rays and the extreme physics around collapsed stars while responding to targets of opportunity including supernovae and gamma-ray bursts. NuSTAR will perform follow-up observations to discoveries made by Chandra and Spitzer, and will team with Fermi, making simultaneous observations which will greatly enhancing Fermi's science return.
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Proprioceptive sensors
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Proprioceptive sensors sense the position, the orientation and the speed of the humanoid's body and joints. In human beings inner ears are used to maintain balance and orientation. Humanoid robots use accelerometers to measure the acceleration, from which velocity can be calculated by integration; tilt sensors to measure inclination; force sensors placed in robot's hands and feet to measure contact force with environment; position sensors, that indicate the actual position of the robot (from which the velocity can be calculated by derivation) or even speed sensors.
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##Question:Proprioceptive sensors##Answer: Proprioceptive sensors sense the position, the orientation and the speed of the humanoid's body and joints. In human beings inner ears are used to maintain balance and orientation. Humanoid robots use accelerometers to measure the acceleration, from which velocity can be calculated by integration; tilt sensors to measure inclination; force sensors placed in robot's hands and feet to measure contact force with environment; position sensors, that indicate the actual position of the robot (from which the velocity can be calculated by derivation) or even speed sensors.
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Voyager
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The Voyager program is a U.S program that launched two unmanned space missions, scientific probes Voyager 1 and Voyager 2. They were launched in 1977 to take advantage of a favorable planetary alignment of the late 1970s. Although officially designated to study just Jupiter and Saturn, the probes were able to continue their mission into the outer solar system, and are expected to push through the Heliosheath. These probes were built at JPL and were funded by NASA. Voyager 1 is the farthest human-made object from Earth. On 15 June 2012, NASA scientists reported that Voyager 1 may be very close to entering interstellar space and becoming the first human-made object to leave the Solar System. Both missions have gathered large amounts of data about the gas giants of the solar system, of which little was previously known. In addition, the spacecraft trajectories have been used to place limits on the existence of a hypothetical trans-Neptunian planet.
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##Question:Voyager##Answer: The Voyager program is a U.S program that launched two unmanned space missions, scientific probes Voyager 1 and Voyager 2. They were launched in 1977 to take advantage of a favorable planetary alignment of the late 1970s. Although officially designated to study just Jupiter and Saturn, the probes were able to continue their mission into the outer solar system, and are expected to push through the Heliosheath. These probes were built at JPL and were funded by NASA. Voyager 1 is the farthest human-made object from Earth. On 15 June 2012, NASA scientists reported that Voyager 1 may be very close to entering interstellar space and becoming the first human-made object to leave the Solar System. Both missions have gathered large amounts of data about the gas giants of the solar system, of which little was previously known. In addition, the spacecraft trajectories have been used to place limits on the existence of a hypothetical trans-Neptunian planet.
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Meerkat
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The meerkat or suricate, Suricatasuricatta, is a small mammal belonging to the mongoose family. Meerkats live in all parts of the Kalahari Desert in Botswana, in much of the Namib Desert in Namibia and southwestern Angola, and in South Africa. A group of meerkats is called a "mob", "gang" or "clan". A meerkat clan often contains about 20 meerkats, but some super-families have 50 or more members. In captivity, meerkats have an average life span of 12–14 years, and about half this in the wild
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##Question:Meerkat##Answer:The meerkat or suricate, Suricatasuricatta, is a small mammal belonging to the mongoose family. Meerkats live in all parts of the Kalahari Desert in Botswana, in much of the Namib Desert in Namibia and southwestern Angola, and in South Africa. A group of meerkats is called a "mob", "gang" or "clan". A meerkat clan often contains about 20 meerkats, but some super-families have 50 or more members. In captivity, meerkats have an average life span of 12–14 years, and about half this in the wild
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Differentiate between Lakshya, Nishant and Rustam
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Rustom 1,is a medium-altitude and long-endurance Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), developed by DRDO for the three services, Indian Army, Indian Navy and the Indian Air Force of the Indian Armed Forces. Unlike the other UAVs, which used to have a free fall with parachutes after executing their tasks, Rustom will carry out copybook style landing. Rustom 1 followed the two other UAVs developed by the ADE — Lakshya and Nishant. While Lakshya — a drone that is remotely piloted by a ground control station — provides aerial sub-targets for live-fire training, Nishant is a surveillance aircraft primarily tasked with intelligence gathering over enemy territory.
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##Question:Differentiate between Lakshya, Nishant and Rustam##Answer: Rustom 1,is a medium-altitude and long-endurance Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), developed by DRDO for the three services, Indian Army, Indian Navy and the Indian Air Force of the Indian Armed Forces. Unlike the other UAVs, which used to have a free fall with parachutes after executing their tasks, Rustom will carry out copybook style landing. Rustom 1 followed the two other UAVs developed by the ADE — Lakshya and Nishant. While Lakshya — a drone that is remotely piloted by a ground control station — provides aerial sub-targets for live-fire training, Nishant is a surveillance aircraft primarily tasked with intelligence gathering over enemy territory.
| 540
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TRIPS Plus
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In recent years, many developing countries have been coming under pressure to enact or implement even tougher or more restrictive conditions in their patent laws than are required by the TRIPS Agreement – these are known as ‘TRIPS plus’ provisions. Countries are by no means obliged by international law to do this, but many, such as Brazil, China or Central American states have had no choice but to adopt these, as part of trade agreements with the United States or the European Union. These have a disastrous impact on access to medicines. Common examples of TRIPS plus provisions include extending the term of a patent longer than the twenty-year minimum, or introducing provisions that limit the use of compulsory licences or that restrict generic competition. One of these provisions is known as data exclusivity. This refers to exclusive rights, granted over the pharmaceutical test data submitted by companies to drug regulatory authorities for obtain market authorisation. It means that information concerning a drug’s safety and efficacy is kept confidential for a period of, say, five or ten years. If a generic manufacturer wants to register a drug in that country, it is not allowed simply to show that their product is therapeutically equivalent to the originator product. Instead, it must either sit out the exclusivity period, or take the route of repeating lengthy clinical trials to demonstrate the safety and efficacy of the drug – trials that have already been undertaken. This happens even when the originator product is not patented. In other words, data exclusivity is a backdoor way of preventing competition, so that even when a medicine is not protected by a patent, a pharmaceutical company will receive a minimum period of market monopoly when artificially high prices can be charged. Data exclusivity and other TRIPS plus provisions are frequently pushed as a part of free trade agreements between developed and developing countries.
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##Question:TRIPS Plus##Answer: In recent years, many developing countries have been coming under pressure to enact or implement even tougher or more restrictive conditions in their patent laws than are required by the TRIPS Agreement – these are known as ‘TRIPS plus’ provisions. Countries are by no means obliged by international law to do this, but many, such as Brazil, China or Central American states have had no choice but to adopt these, as part of trade agreements with the United States or the European Union. These have a disastrous impact on access to medicines. Common examples of TRIPS plus provisions include extending the term of a patent longer than the twenty-year minimum, or introducing provisions that limit the use of compulsory licences or that restrict generic competition. One of these provisions is known as data exclusivity. This refers to exclusive rights, granted over the pharmaceutical test data submitted by companies to drug regulatory authorities for obtain market authorisation. It means that information concerning a drug’s safety and efficacy is kept confidential for a period of, say, five or ten years. If a generic manufacturer wants to register a drug in that country, it is not allowed simply to show that their product is therapeutically equivalent to the originator product. Instead, it must either sit out the exclusivity period, or take the route of repeating lengthy clinical trials to demonstrate the safety and efficacy of the drug – trials that have already been undertaken. This happens even when the originator product is not patented. In other words, data exclusivity is a backdoor way of preventing competition, so that even when a medicine is not protected by a patent, a pharmaceutical company will receive a minimum period of market monopoly when artificially high prices can be charged. Data exclusivity and other TRIPS plus provisions are frequently pushed as a part of free trade agreements between developed and developing countries.
| 541
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Ballistic Missile Defence Sytem
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It is an initiative to develop and deploy a multi-layered ballistic missile defense system to protect India from ballistic missile attacks. Currently it is a double-tiered system. Prithvi Air Defence (PAD) missile is for high altitude interception, and the Advanced Air Defence (AAD) Missile for lower altitude interception. Currently an incoming ballistic missile with the range of up to 5,000 km can be destroyed. Indian missile defence system is comparable with the U.S. Patriot 3 system.
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##Question:Ballistic Missile Defence Sytem##Answer: It is an initiative to develop and deploy a multi-layered ballistic missile defense system to protect India from ballistic missile attacks. Currently it is a double-tiered system. Prithvi Air Defence (PAD) missile is for high altitude interception, and the Advanced Air Defence (AAD) Missile for lower altitude interception. Currently an incoming ballistic missile with the range of up to 5,000 km can be destroyed. Indian missile defence system is comparable with the U.S. Patriot 3 system.
| 542
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Extra Gonadal Germ Cell Seminoma
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Is a form of cancer. Gonad=sex organs Germ Cell=A germ cell is a cell that develops into an egg or a sperm. Seminoma= germ cell tumor(cancer) Extra: Germ cell tumors are formed most commonly in the testes. However, 2-5% of germ cell tumors can occur in other locations. When tumors of germ cells are formed outside the gonads, they are termed ‘extragonadal germ cell tumors’. Cricketer Yuvraj Sing was diagnosed by this cancer. Extragonadal germ cell tumors are very rare. Whether you are born a male or female and your age can affect your risk of developing extragonadal germ cell tumors. Doctors are saying that Yuvraj has a ver y rare cancer and the cancer is curable
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##Question:Extra Gonadal Germ Cell Seminoma##Answer:Is a form of cancer. Gonad=sex organs Germ Cell=A germ cell is a cell that develops into an egg or a sperm. Seminoma= germ cell tumor(cancer) Extra: Germ cell tumors are formed most commonly in the testes. However, 2-5% of germ cell tumors can occur in other locations. When tumors of germ cells are formed outside the gonads, they are termed ‘extragonadal germ cell tumors’. Cricketer Yuvraj Sing was diagnosed by this cancer. Extragonadal germ cell tumors are very rare. Whether you are born a male or female and your age can affect your risk of developing extragonadal germ cell tumors. Doctors are saying that Yuvraj has a ver y rare cancer and the cancer is curable
| 543
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Ring Laser Gyro based Inertial Navigation System
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Gyro: A gyroscope* is a device for measuring or maintaining orientation. Applications of gyroscopes include inertial navigation systems where magnetic compasses would not work (as in the Hubble telescope) or would not be precise enough (as in ICBMs), or for the stabilization of flying vehicles like radio-controlled helicopters or unmanned aerial vehicles. Due to their precision, gyroscopes are also used to maintain direction in tunnel mining. A ring laser gyroscope (RLG) consists of a ring laser. Ring Laser : A ring laser is a laser in which the laser cavity has the shape of a ring. An inertial navigation system (INS) is a navigation aid that uses a computer, motion sensors (accelerometers) and rotation sensors
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##Question:Ring Laser Gyro based Inertial Navigation System##Answer: Gyro: A gyroscope* is a device for measuring or maintaining orientation. Applications of gyroscopes include inertial navigation systems where magnetic compasses would not work (as in the Hubble telescope) or would not be precise enough (as in ICBMs), or for the stabilization of flying vehicles like radio-controlled helicopters or unmanned aerial vehicles. Due to their precision, gyroscopes are also used to maintain direction in tunnel mining. A ring laser gyroscope (RLG) consists of a ring laser. Ring Laser : A ring laser is a laser in which the laser cavity has the shape of a ring. An inertial navigation system (INS) is a navigation aid that uses a computer, motion sensors (accelerometers) and rotation sensors
| 544
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Photoplethysmography
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Photoplethysmography Photoplethysmography is a non-invasive, simple and low-cost optical technique used to detect volume changes in the body. Touc HB (Innovative anemia detector; needleless blood test) has been developed using this technique. In this case, the instrument needed to measure the levels of Haemoglobin (Hb) in blood. This technology has been long known to scientists, since 1936 to be precise. The pioneer behind the science of photoplethysmography is Alrick Hertzmann.
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##Question:Photoplethysmography ##Answer:Photoplethysmography Photoplethysmography is a non-invasive, simple and low-cost optical technique used to detect volume changes in the body. Touc HB (Innovative anemia detector; needleless blood test) has been developed using this technique. In this case, the instrument needed to measure the levels of Haemoglobin (Hb) in blood. This technology has been long known to scientists, since 1936 to be precise. The pioneer behind the science of photoplethysmography is Alrick Hertzmann.
| 545
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New Millennium India Technology Leadership Initiative' (NMITLI)
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The New Millennium Indian Technology Leadership Initiative (NMITLI) was launched in 2003 by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) to foster public – private partnership designed to promote innovation led development and achieve global technology leadership position across various select science and technology sectors. The New Millennium Indian Technology Leadership Initiative (NMITLI) is the largest public-private-partnership effort within the R&D domain in India. It looks beyond today’s technology and thus seeks to build, capture and retain for India a leadership position by synergizing the best competencies of publicly funded R&D institutions, academia and private industry. The Government finances and plays a catalytic role. It is based on the premise of consciously and deliberately identifying, selecting and supporting potential winners. By 2008, the scheme involved 57 projects which networked between public and private institutions and enterprises in terms of 270 R&D groups, 80 industry partners, 1700 researchers with total project investment outlay of 78 million Euros. The financial support to all the projects under NMITLI Scheme is in the form of grant-in-aid to the institutional partners in public domain and as soft loan (@ 3% interest) to the industrial partners in the private sector. The main goals of the scheme are to: (i) Promote public – private partnerships in science led innovation to attain global leadership; (ii) Support for high risk technological development in high technology areas; (iii) Foster ‘Team India’ spirit by synergizing the best competencies in public funded labs, academia and private business enterprises; and (iv) Support project across all areas of science and technology by specifically spotting the potential winners.
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##Question:New Millennium India Technology Leadership Initiative' (NMITLI) ##Answer: The New Millennium Indian Technology Leadership Initiative (NMITLI) was launched in 2003 by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) to foster public – private partnership designed to promote innovation led development and achieve global technology leadership position across various select science and technology sectors. The New Millennium Indian Technology Leadership Initiative (NMITLI) is the largest public-private-partnership effort within the R&D domain in India. It looks beyond today’s technology and thus seeks to build, capture and retain for India a leadership position by synergizing the best competencies of publicly funded R&D institutions, academia and private industry. The Government finances and plays a catalytic role. It is based on the premise of consciously and deliberately identifying, selecting and supporting potential winners. By 2008, the scheme involved 57 projects which networked between public and private institutions and enterprises in terms of 270 R&D groups, 80 industry partners, 1700 researchers with total project investment outlay of 78 million Euros. The financial support to all the projects under NMITLI Scheme is in the form of grant-in-aid to the institutional partners in public domain and as soft loan (@ 3% interest) to the industrial partners in the private sector. The main goals of the scheme are to: (i) Promote public – private partnerships in science led innovation to attain global leadership; (ii) Support for high risk technological development in high technology areas; (iii) Foster ‘Team India’ spirit by synergizing the best competencies in public funded labs, academia and private business enterprises; and (iv) Support project across all areas of science and technology by specifically spotting the potential winners.
| 546
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Differentiate among MMRCA, FGFA, MRTT, AMCA aircrafts
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FGFA The Sukhoi/HAL Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA) is a fifth-generation fighter being developed by India and Russia. would be called Perspective Multi-role Fighter (PMF) advanced features such as stealth, super-cruise, ultra-manoeuvrability, highly integrated avionics suite, enhanced situational awareness, internal carriage of weapons and network centric warfare capabilities. production and joint marketing of the aircraft to third countries. AMCA The Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), formerly known as the Medium Combat Aircraft (MCA), is a twin-engined 5th generation stealth multirole fighter being developed by DRDO's lab ADA. Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) aircrafts being bought in India Following the fresh request for proposals, Boeing has also joined the fray with Airbus Military and Russia's United Aircraft that manufactures the Il-78. Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) : To fill the gap between the Light Combat Aircraft (Tejas still undergoing trials) and the Sukhoi-30 fighters in the Indian Airforce. The Indian Air Force Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) Competition, also known as the MRCA tender, was a competition to supply 126 multi-role combat aircraft to the Indian Air Force (IAF). On 31 January 2012 it was announced that Dassault Rafale won the competition due to its lower life-cycle cost.
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##Question:Differentiate among MMRCA, FGFA, MRTT, AMCA aircrafts##Answer: FGFA The Sukhoi/HAL Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA) is a fifth-generation fighter being developed by India and Russia. would be called Perspective Multi-role Fighter (PMF) advanced features such as stealth, super-cruise, ultra-manoeuvrability, highly integrated avionics suite, enhanced situational awareness, internal carriage of weapons and network centric warfare capabilities. production and joint marketing of the aircraft to third countries. AMCA The Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), formerly known as the Medium Combat Aircraft (MCA), is a twin-engined 5th generation stealth multirole fighter being developed by DRDO's lab ADA. Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) aircrafts being bought in India Following the fresh request for proposals, Boeing has also joined the fray with Airbus Military and Russia's United Aircraft that manufactures the Il-78. Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) : To fill the gap between the Light Combat Aircraft (Tejas still undergoing trials) and the Sukhoi-30 fighters in the Indian Airforce. The Indian Air Force Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) Competition, also known as the MRCA tender, was a competition to supply 126 multi-role combat aircraft to the Indian Air Force (IAF). On 31 January 2012 it was announced that Dassault Rafale won the competition due to its lower life-cycle cost.
| 547
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Super Symmetry (SUSY)
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Many physicists have developed theories of supersymmetry, particularly in the context of Grand Unified Theories, which attempt to unify the Strong, Weak, and Electromagnetic interactions to help explain why particles have the masses they have. The supersymmetric theory postulates that every particle we observe has a massive "shadow" particle partner. For example, for every quark there may be a so-called "squark" tagging along. No supersymmetric particle has yet been seen, but experiments underway at CERN beginning in Autumn 1995 have searched for the partner of the W boson, and experiments at Fermilab are looking for the partners of the quarks and gluons. One of the supersymmetric particles (the "neutralino") might make up the missing dark matter.
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##Question:Super Symmetry (SUSY)##Answer: Many physicists have developed theories of supersymmetry, particularly in the context of Grand Unified Theories, which attempt to unify the Strong, Weak, and Electromagnetic interactions to help explain why particles have the masses they have. The supersymmetric theory postulates that every particle we observe has a massive "shadow" particle partner. For example, for every quark there may be a so-called "squark" tagging along. No supersymmetric particle has yet been seen, but experiments underway at CERN beginning in Autumn 1995 have searched for the partner of the W boson, and experiments at Fermilab are looking for the partners of the quarks and gluons. One of the supersymmetric particles (the "neutralino") might make up the missing dark matter.
| 564
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PSLV-XL
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PSLV-XL is the uprated version of Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle in its standard configuration boosted by more powerful, stretched strap-on boosters The first version of PSLV-XL was the launch of Chandrayaan-1 by PSLV-C11. Other launches include the RISAT Radar Imaging Satellite and GSAT-12
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##Question:PSLV-XL##Answer: PSLV-XL is the uprated version of Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle in its standard configuration boosted by more powerful, stretched strap-on boosters The first version of PSLV-XL was the launch of Chandrayaan-1 by PSLV-C11. Other launches include the RISAT Radar Imaging Satellite and GSAT-12
| 565
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iPS Cells
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Induced pluripotent stem cells, commonly abbreviated as iPS cells or iPSCs are a type of pluripotent stem cell artificially derived from a non-pluripotent cell - typically an adult somatic cell - by inducing a "forced" expression of specific genes. iPSCs were first produced in 2006 from mouse cells and in 2007 from human cells in a series of experiments by Shinya Yamanaka's team at Kyoto University, Japan.
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##Question:iPS Cells##Answer: Induced pluripotent stem cells, commonly abbreviated as iPS cells or iPSCs are a type of pluripotent stem cell artificially derived from a non-pluripotent cell - typically an adult somatic cell - by inducing a "forced" expression of specific genes. iPSCs were first produced in 2006 from mouse cells and in 2007 from human cells in a series of experiments by Shinya Yamanaka's team at Kyoto University, Japan.
| 566
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AEWC
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An airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) system is an airborne radar system designed to detect aircraft, ships and vehicles at long ranges and control and command the battle space in an air engagement by directing fighter and attack aircraft strikes. The Airborne Early Warning and Control System (AEWACS) is a project of India's Defence Research & Development Organization to develop an AWACS system for the Indian Air Force. The AEW&C project aimed to supplement the larger and more capable EL/W-2090 AWACS acquired by the IAF from Israel. Three EL/W-2090 systems have been ordered, with follow-on orders of 3 more expected in 2010
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##Question:AEWC##Answer: An airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) system is an airborne radar system designed to detect aircraft, ships and vehicles at long ranges and control and command the battle space in an air engagement by directing fighter and attack aircraft strikes. The Airborne Early Warning and Control System (AEWACS) is a project of India's Defence Research & Development Organization to develop an AWACS system for the Indian Air Force. The AEW&C project aimed to supplement the larger and more capable EL/W-2090 AWACS acquired by the IAF from Israel. Three EL/W-2090 systems have been ordered, with follow-on orders of 3 more expected in 2010
| 567
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"The edifice of our constitution is based upon the basic elements mentioned in the preamble". Bring out the philosophy of the Indian polity as enshrined in the Preamble of the Indian Constitution.
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Preamble is an introductory statement, stating the aims and objectives of the constitution. Accordingly, the preamble to the Indian constitution spells out the basic philosophy contained in the body of the Indian Constitution. The preamble is as follows: "We the people of India, having solemnly resolved to constitute India into a sovereign, socialist, secular, democratic republic and to secure to all its citizens JUSTICE; social, economic and political, LIBERTY; of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship. EQUALITY of status and of opportunity and to promote among all its citizens; FRATERNITY assuring the dignity of the individual and the unity and integrity of the nation. In our Constituent Assembly this twenty-sixth day of November, 1949, do hereby adopt, enact and give to ourselves this Constitution." Reading through the Preamble, one can see the purpose that it serves, namely, the declaration of (1) the source of the constitution, (2) a statement of its objectives and (3) the date of its adoption. The opening words of the preamble ('we the people of India') emphasise the ultimate authority of the people from whose will the constitution emerges. Since the Constituent Assembly enacted and adopted the constitution in the name of the people of India, the question has been asked whether the Assembly was really representative of the people of India. This question was raised both within and outside the Assembly. The circumstances under which the Constituent Assembly came into being shows that it was impracticable to constitute such a body in 1946 with adult suffrage as its basis. No part of the country had the experience of adult suffrage. To prepare an electoral roll on the basis of adult suffrage for the country and to hold elections on that basis would have certainly taken a number of years. It was rightly thought unwise to postpone the task of constitution making until such an election was held. This was the main justification for accepting the Cabinet Mission Plan for constituting the Assembly through indirect election. Everyone will definitely agree with what Dr. Ambedkar said in the floor of the Constituent Assembly in 1949, "I say that the Preamble embodies what is the desire of every members of the House, that the constitution should have its root, its authority, its sovereignty from the people that it has". The Preamble proclaims the solemn resolution of the people of India to constitute India into a 'Sovereign socialist, secular democratic republic'. The words 'socialist' and 'secular' were introduced into the preamble in 1976 by the 42nd Amendment of the Constitution. India is 'Sovereign', in as much as it is free from any external control and having independent power and authority. Sovereignty of India does not come in the way of its remaining a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. Though the Queen of the UK is its symbolic head, it is a voluntary association and so does not violate India's sovereign status. India is 'democratic', as it has chosen a representative and responsible system of government under which those who administer the affairs of the state are elected by the electorate and accountable to them. The term "republic' implies an elected head of the state. By declaring to become a republic, India has chosen the system of electing one of its citizens as its President- the head of the state at regular intervals. Socialism in India has been accepted in the meaning of 'Democratic Socialism'. The main aim of the expression was to bring about a balance in the existing economic disparities. India is 'secular,' because it maintains perfect neutrality in religious matters. It does not have anything as state-religion and the people are free to accept or reject any religion of their choice. The Preamble proceeds further to define the objectives of the Indian Republic. These objectives are four in number: 'Justice', 'Liberty', 'Equality' and 'Fraternity'. The essence of justice is the attainment of the common good. It embraces the entire social, economic and political spheres of human activity. The term 'liberty' used in the Preamble is not merely a negative, but a positive concept. It signifies not only the absence of any arbitrary restraint on the freedom of individual action but also the creation of conditions which are essential for the development of the personality of the individual. 'Liberty' and 'Equality' are complementary. Equality does not mean that all human beings are equal mentally and physically. It signifies equality of status, the status of free individuals and availability of opportunity to everyone to develop his potential capacities. Finally, it is the spirit of brotherhood, that is emphasised by the use of the term "fraternity" in the Preamble. India being a multilingual and multi-religious state, the unity and integrity of the nation can be preserved only through a spirit of brotherhood that pervades the entire country, among all its citizens, irrespective of their differences. The Preamble of the Constitution of India is one of the best of its kind ever drafted. Both in ideas and expression it is an unique one. It embodies the spirit of the constitution to build up an independent nation which will ensure the triumph of justice, liberty, equality and fraternity. One of the members of the Constituent Assembly (Pundit Thakur Das Bhargav) rose to poetic heights when he said, "The Preamble is the most precious part of the Constitution. It is the soul of the Constitution. It is a key to the Constitution. It is a jewel set in the Constitution."
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##Question:"The edifice of our constitution is based upon the basic elements mentioned in the preamble". Bring out the philosophy of the Indian polity as enshrined in the Preamble of the Indian Constitution.##Answer:Preamble is an introductory statement, stating the aims and objectives of the constitution. Accordingly, the preamble to the Indian constitution spells out the basic philosophy contained in the body of the Indian Constitution. The preamble is as follows: "We the people of India, having solemnly resolved to constitute India into a sovereign, socialist, secular, democratic republic and to secure to all its citizens JUSTICE; social, economic and political, LIBERTY; of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship. EQUALITY of status and of opportunity and to promote among all its citizens; FRATERNITY assuring the dignity of the individual and the unity and integrity of the nation. In our Constituent Assembly this twenty-sixth day of November, 1949, do hereby adopt, enact and give to ourselves this Constitution." Reading through the Preamble, one can see the purpose that it serves, namely, the declaration of (1) the source of the constitution, (2) a statement of its objectives and (3) the date of its adoption. The opening words of the preamble ('we the people of India') emphasise the ultimate authority of the people from whose will the constitution emerges. Since the Constituent Assembly enacted and adopted the constitution in the name of the people of India, the question has been asked whether the Assembly was really representative of the people of India. This question was raised both within and outside the Assembly. The circumstances under which the Constituent Assembly came into being shows that it was impracticable to constitute such a body in 1946 with adult suffrage as its basis. No part of the country had the experience of adult suffrage. To prepare an electoral roll on the basis of adult suffrage for the country and to hold elections on that basis would have certainly taken a number of years. It was rightly thought unwise to postpone the task of constitution making until such an election was held. This was the main justification for accepting the Cabinet Mission Plan for constituting the Assembly through indirect election. Everyone will definitely agree with what Dr. Ambedkar said in the floor of the Constituent Assembly in 1949, "I say that the Preamble embodies what is the desire of every members of the House, that the constitution should have its root, its authority, its sovereignty from the people that it has". The Preamble proclaims the solemn resolution of the people of India to constitute India into a 'Sovereign socialist, secular democratic republic'. The words 'socialist' and 'secular' were introduced into the preamble in 1976 by the 42nd Amendment of the Constitution. India is 'Sovereign', in as much as it is free from any external control and having independent power and authority. Sovereignty of India does not come in the way of its remaining a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. Though the Queen of the UK is its symbolic head, it is a voluntary association and so does not violate India's sovereign status. India is 'democratic', as it has chosen a representative and responsible system of government under which those who administer the affairs of the state are elected by the electorate and accountable to them. The term "republic' implies an elected head of the state. By declaring to become a republic, India has chosen the system of electing one of its citizens as its President- the head of the state at regular intervals. Socialism in India has been accepted in the meaning of 'Democratic Socialism'. The main aim of the expression was to bring about a balance in the existing economic disparities. India is 'secular,' because it maintains perfect neutrality in religious matters. It does not have anything as state-religion and the people are free to accept or reject any religion of their choice. The Preamble proceeds further to define the objectives of the Indian Republic. These objectives are four in number: 'Justice', 'Liberty', 'Equality' and 'Fraternity'. The essence of justice is the attainment of the common good. It embraces the entire social, economic and political spheres of human activity. The term 'liberty' used in the Preamble is not merely a negative, but a positive concept. It signifies not only the absence of any arbitrary restraint on the freedom of individual action but also the creation of conditions which are essential for the development of the personality of the individual. 'Liberty' and 'Equality' are complementary. Equality does not mean that all human beings are equal mentally and physically. It signifies equality of status, the status of free individuals and availability of opportunity to everyone to develop his potential capacities. Finally, it is the spirit of brotherhood, that is emphasised by the use of the term "fraternity" in the Preamble. India being a multilingual and multi-religious state, the unity and integrity of the nation can be preserved only through a spirit of brotherhood that pervades the entire country, among all its citizens, irrespective of their differences. The Preamble of the Constitution of India is one of the best of its kind ever drafted. Both in ideas and expression it is an unique one. It embodies the spirit of the constitution to build up an independent nation which will ensure the triumph of justice, liberty, equality and fraternity. One of the members of the Constituent Assembly (Pundit Thakur Das Bhargav) rose to poetic heights when he said, "The Preamble is the most precious part of the Constitution. It is the soul of the Constitution. It is a key to the Constitution. It is a jewel set in the Constitution."
| 572
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Kulandei Francis
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He has been chosen for the Ramon Magsaysay Award for the year 2012, for economic empowerment of thousands of women and their families in rural India.
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##Question:Kulandei Francis##Answer:He has been chosen for the Ramon Magsaysay Award for the year 2012, for economic empowerment of thousands of women and their families in rural India.
| 574
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Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay
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KamaladeviChattopadhyay was an Indian social reformer, freedom fighter, and most remembered for her contribution to Indian independence movement, for being the driving force behind the renaissance of Indian handicrafts, handlooms, and theatre in post-Independence India, and for upliftment of the socio-economic standard of Indian women by pioneering the co-operative movement in India. Numerous cultural institutions in India today are a gift of her vision, starting with National School of Drama, SangeetNatakAkademi, Central Cottage Industries Emporium, and The Crafts Council of India, to name a few. The doyen of Indian arts and crafts, a person single-handedly responsible for reviving Indian crafts back from oblivion of 200 years of foreign rule where they went without any patronage, be it government or public, due lack of awareness of its richness as well as its accessibility to the common man.
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##Question:Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay##Answer: KamaladeviChattopadhyay was an Indian social reformer, freedom fighter, and most remembered for her contribution to Indian independence movement, for being the driving force behind the renaissance of Indian handicrafts, handlooms, and theatre in post-Independence India, and for upliftment of the socio-economic standard of Indian women by pioneering the co-operative movement in India. Numerous cultural institutions in India today are a gift of her vision, starting with National School of Drama, SangeetNatakAkademi, Central Cottage Industries Emporium, and The Crafts Council of India, to name a few. The doyen of Indian arts and crafts, a person single-handedly responsible for reviving Indian crafts back from oblivion of 200 years of foreign rule where they went without any patronage, be it government or public, due lack of awareness of its richness as well as its accessibility to the common man.
| 575
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Mukta Vidya Vani
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It is a pioneering initiative of the National Institute of Open Schooling, (NIOS) for using Streaming Audio for educational purposes MuktaVidyaVani on the World Wide Web is a modern interactive, participatory and cost effective programme, involving an academic perspective along with the technical responsibilities of production of audio and video programmes, which are one of the most important components of the multi channel package offered by the NIOS. This will enable a two way communication with any audience having access to an internet connection, from the NIOS studio situated at its Headquarters in NOIDA.
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##Question:Mukta Vidya Vani ##Answer: It is a pioneering initiative of the National Institute of Open Schooling, (NIOS) for using Streaming Audio for educational purposes MuktaVidyaVani on the World Wide Web is a modern interactive, participatory and cost effective programme, involving an academic perspective along with the technical responsibilities of production of audio and video programmes, which are one of the most important components of the multi channel package offered by the NIOS. This will enable a two way communication with any audience having access to an internet connection, from the NIOS studio situated at its Headquarters in NOIDA.
| 576
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Bandu Dhotre
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He is a wildlife activist who was on hunger strikefor protection of tigers in the Vidarbha region. He ended his strike after the Maharashtra government agreed to accept almost all his demands.
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##Question:Bandu Dhotre##Answer:He is a wildlife activist who was on hunger strikefor protection of tigers in the Vidarbha region. He ended his strike after the Maharashtra government agreed to accept almost all his demands.
| 577
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First Ministerial Conference on Healthy Lifestyles and Non-communicable Disease Control.
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First Ministerial Conference on Healthy Lifestyles and Non-communicable Disease Control was held in Moscow. India achieved a major success in the conference by pushing for inclusion of mental health in the list of non-communicable diseases. The principal non-communicable diseases are cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cancers and chronic respiratory diseases, which are the leading causes of preventable morbidity and disability, and currently cause over 60 per cent of global deaths, 80 per cent of which occur in developing countries. By 2030, the NCDs are estimated to contribute to 75 per cent of global deaths. Mental disorders will now form part of the global agenda and get attention.
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##Question: First Ministerial Conference on Healthy Lifestyles and Non-communicable Disease Control.##Answer: First Ministerial Conference on Healthy Lifestyles and Non-communicable Disease Control was held in Moscow. India achieved a major success in the conference by pushing for inclusion of mental health in the list of non-communicable diseases. The principal non-communicable diseases are cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cancers and chronic respiratory diseases, which are the leading causes of preventable morbidity and disability, and currently cause over 60 per cent of global deaths, 80 per cent of which occur in developing countries. By 2030, the NCDs are estimated to contribute to 75 per cent of global deaths. Mental disorders will now form part of the global agenda and get attention.
| 585
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The Electronic Service Delivery Bill, 2011.
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The Electronic Service Delivery Bill, 2011 , aims at delivering all public services to citizens in the electronic mode. By eliminating paperwork on a massive scale, the new measure can cut the red tape and corruption that notoriously plague governance in the country. The draft Bill published by the Ministry of Information Technology at its website is similar to the Right to Information Act, 2005 in that it incorporates a complaints mechanism and prescribes penalties for failure to comply with the provisions. Importantly, it sets a five-year deadline for all public services to make the online transition, with a further concession of three years in some cases. What people can expect in the new dispensation is electronic submission of forms and applications, issue or grant of any licence, permit, certificate, sanction or approval, and receipt or payment of money. No time must be lost in enacting the law, given India's poor record of delivery of citizen services. Moreover, services now facing severe bottlenecks, such as passports, should be prioritised for electronic processing. The draft provisions make it incumbent on the central and State governments to publish a list within six months of the date of enactment, and they would do well to pick the worst-performing departments for inclusion first.
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##Question:The Electronic Service Delivery Bill, 2011.##Answer: The Electronic Service Delivery Bill, 2011 , aims at delivering all public services to citizens in the electronic mode. By eliminating paperwork on a massive scale, the new measure can cut the red tape and corruption that notoriously plague governance in the country. The draft Bill published by the Ministry of Information Technology at its website is similar to the Right to Information Act, 2005 in that it incorporates a complaints mechanism and prescribes penalties for failure to comply with the provisions. Importantly, it sets a five-year deadline for all public services to make the online transition, with a further concession of three years in some cases. What people can expect in the new dispensation is electronic submission of forms and applications, issue or grant of any licence, permit, certificate, sanction or approval, and receipt or payment of money. No time must be lost in enacting the law, given India's poor record of delivery of citizen services. Moreover, services now facing severe bottlenecks, such as passports, should be prioritised for electronic processing. The draft provisions make it incumbent on the central and State governments to publish a list within six months of the date of enactment, and they would do well to pick the worst-performing departments for inclusion first.
| 587
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National Telecom Policy – 2012
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The Union Cabinet recently approved the National Telecom Policy-2012.The policy envisions providing secure, reliable, affordable and high quality converged telecommunication services anytime, anywhere for an accelerated inclusive socio-economic development. The main thrust of the Policy is on the multiplier effect and transformational impact of such services on the overall economy. The thrust areas of National Telecom Policy - 2012 are; • Increase rural teledensity from the current level of around 39 to 70 by the year 2017 and 100 by the year 2020 • Repositioning of Mobile phone- as an instrument of empowerment • Broadband –“'Broadband For All” at a minimum download speed of 2 Mbps • Domestic Manufacturing- Making India a global hub • Convergence of Network, Services and Devices • Liberalisation of Spectrum- any Service in any Technology • Simplification of Licensing regime- Unified Licensing, delinking of Spectrum from License, Online real time submission and processing • Consumer Focus - Achieve One Nation - Full Mobile Number Portability and work towards One Nation - Free Roaming • Resale of Services • Voice over Internet Protocol • Cloud Computing, Next Generation Network including IPV6 The policy seeks to provide a predictable and stable policy regime for a period of about ten years. Policy will be operationalised by bringing out detailed guidelines, as may be considered appropriate, from time to time. Implementation will enable smooth implementation of the policies for providing an efficient telecommunication infrastructure taking into account the primary objective of maximizing public good by empowering the people of India. The policy will further enable taking suitable facilitatory measures to encourage existing servic e providers to rapidly migrate to the new regime in a uniformly liberalised environment with a level playing field.
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##Question:National Telecom Policy – 2012##Answer: The Union Cabinet recently approved the National Telecom Policy-2012.The policy envisions providing secure, reliable, affordable and high quality converged telecommunication services anytime, anywhere for an accelerated inclusive socio-economic development. The main thrust of the Policy is on the multiplier effect and transformational impact of such services on the overall economy. The thrust areas of National Telecom Policy - 2012 are; • Increase rural teledensity from the current level of around 39 to 70 by the year 2017 and 100 by the year 2020 • Repositioning of Mobile phone- as an instrument of empowerment • Broadband –“'Broadband For All” at a minimum download speed of 2 Mbps • Domestic Manufacturing- Making India a global hub • Convergence of Network, Services and Devices • Liberalisation of Spectrum- any Service in any Technology • Simplification of Licensing regime- Unified Licensing, delinking of Spectrum from License, Online real time submission and processing • Consumer Focus - Achieve One Nation - Full Mobile Number Portability and work towards One Nation - Free Roaming • Resale of Services • Voice over Internet Protocol • Cloud Computing, Next Generation Network including IPV6 The policy seeks to provide a predictable and stable policy regime for a period of about ten years. Policy will be operationalised by bringing out detailed guidelines, as may be considered appropriate, from time to time. Implementation will enable smooth implementation of the policies for providing an efficient telecommunication infrastructure taking into account the primary objective of maximizing public good by empowering the people of India. The policy will further enable taking suitable facilitatory measures to encourage existing servic e providers to rapidly migrate to the new regime in a uniformly liberalised environment with a level playing field.
| 588
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Mobile Service Delivery Gateway (MSDG)
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Mobile services delivery gateway is the core infrastructure for enabling the availability of public services through mobile devices. The prime objective of creating the MSDG is to put in place government-wide shared infrastructure and services to enable rapid development, mainstreaming and deployment of m-governance services. It will enhance interoperability of mobile-based services among various Government Departments and reduce the total cost of development and deployment of applications for m-governance services. MSDG will have facilities such as hardware and software to test and deploy the m-governance applications. It will support delivery of both voice and data services and content in a network and device independent manner to the extent possible and feasible. MSDG is proposed to be used as a shared infrastructure by the central and state government departments and agencies at nominal costs for delivering public services through mobile services.
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##Question:Mobile Service Delivery Gateway (MSDG)##Answer:Mobile services delivery gateway is the core infrastructure for enabling the availability of public services through mobile devices. The prime objective of creating the MSDG is to put in place government-wide shared infrastructure and services to enable rapid development, mainstreaming and deployment of m-governance services. It will enhance interoperability of mobile-based services among various Government Departments and reduce the total cost of development and deployment of applications for m-governance services. MSDG will have facilities such as hardware and software to test and deploy the m-governance applications. It will support delivery of both voice and data services and content in a network and device independent manner to the extent possible and feasible. MSDG is proposed to be used as a shared infrastructure by the central and state government departments and agencies at nominal costs for delivering public services through mobile services.
| 589
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Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana
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The Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana aims at correcting the imbalances in the availability of affordable healthcare facilities in the different parts of the country in general, and augmenting facilities for quality medical education in the under-served States in particular. The scheme was approved in March 2006. It envisages setting up eight AIIMS like institutions. Each institution will have a 960 bedded hospital in 39 speciality/super-speciality disciplines. It also envisaged up-gradation of existing medical institutions in Various states. The project cost for upgradation of each medical college institution will be shared between central and the respective State Governments. It is hoped that consequent to the successful implementation of PMSSY, better and affordable healthcare facilities will be easily accessible to one and all in the country.
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##Question:Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana##Answer: The Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana aims at correcting the imbalances in the availability of affordable healthcare facilities in the different parts of the country in general, and augmenting facilities for quality medical education in the under-served States in particular. The scheme was approved in March 2006. It envisages setting up eight AIIMS like institutions. Each institution will have a 960 bedded hospital in 39 speciality/super-speciality disciplines. It also envisaged up-gradation of existing medical institutions in Various states. The project cost for upgradation of each medical college institution will be shared between central and the respective State Governments. It is hoped that consequent to the successful implementation of PMSSY, better and affordable healthcare facilities will be easily accessible to one and all in the country.
| 590
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Gram Nyayalayas act 2008
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The Gram Nyayalayas Act, 2008 has been enacted to provide for the establishment of the Gram Nyayalayas at the grass roots level for the purpose of providing access to justice to the citizens at their door steps. The Central government provides assistance to states for non-recurring expenses for setting up of Gram Nyayalayas and for meeting the cost of recurring expenses for running these Gram Nyayalayas for the first three years. The salient features of the Gram Nyayalayas Act are as follows:— (i)Gram Nyayalayas are aimed at providing inexpensive justice to people in rural areas at their doorsteps; (ii)the Gram Nyayalaya shall be court of Judicial Magistrate of the first class and its presiding officer (Nyayadhikari) shall be appointed by the State Government in consultation with the High Court; (iii) the Gram Nyayalaya shall be established for every Panchayat at intermediate level or a group of contiguous Panchayats at intermediate level in a district or where there is no Panchayat at intermediate level in any State, for a group of contiguous Panchayats; (iv) the Nyayadhikaris who will preside over these Gram Nyayalayas are strictly judicial officers and will be drawing the same salary, derivingthe same powers as First Class Magistrates working under High Courts; (v) the Gram Nyayalaya shall be a mobile court and shall exercise the powers of both Criminal and Civil Courts; (vi) the seat of the Gram Nyayalaya will belocated at the headquarters of the intermediate Panchayat, they will go to villages, work there and dispose of the cases; (vii) the Gram Nyayalaya shall try criminal cases, civil suits, claims or disputes which are specified in the First Schedule and the Second Schedule to the Act; (viii)the Central as well as the State Governments have been given power to amend the First Schedule and the Second Schedule of the Act, as per their respective legislative competence; (ix)the Gram Nyayalaya shall follow summary procedure in criminal trial; (x)the Gram Nyayalaya shall exercise the powers of aCivil Courtwith certain modifications and shall follow the special procedure as provided in the Act; (xi)the Gram Nyayalaya shall try to settle the disputes as far as possible by bringing about conciliation between the parties and for this purpose, itshall make use of the conciliators to be appointed for this purpose; (xii)the judgment and order passed by the Gram Nyayalaya shall be deemed to be a decree and to avoid delay in its execution, the Gram Nyayalaya shall follow summary procedure for its execution; (xiii) the Gram Nyayalaya shall not be bound by the rules of evidence provided in the Indian Evidence Act, 1872 but shall be guided by the principles of natural justice and subject to any rule made by the High Court; (i) appeal in criminal cases shall lie to the Court of Session, which shall be heard and disposed of within a period of six months from the date of filing of such appeal; (ii) appeal in civil cases shall lie to the District Court, which shall be heard and disposed of within a period of six months from the date of filing of the appeal; (iii) aperson accused of an offence may file an application for plea bargaining.
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##Question:Gram Nyayalayas act 2008##Answer: The Gram Nyayalayas Act, 2008 has been enacted to provide for the establishment of the Gram Nyayalayas at the grass roots level for the purpose of providing access to justice to the citizens at their door steps. The Central government provides assistance to states for non-recurring expenses for setting up of Gram Nyayalayas and for meeting the cost of recurring expenses for running these Gram Nyayalayas for the first three years. The salient features of the Gram Nyayalayas Act are as follows:— (i)Gram Nyayalayas are aimed at providing inexpensive justice to people in rural areas at their doorsteps; (ii)the Gram Nyayalaya shall be court of Judicial Magistrate of the first class and its presiding officer (Nyayadhikari) shall be appointed by the State Government in consultation with the High Court; (iii) the Gram Nyayalaya shall be established for every Panchayat at intermediate level or a group of contiguous Panchayats at intermediate level in a district or where there is no Panchayat at intermediate level in any State, for a group of contiguous Panchayats; (iv) the Nyayadhikaris who will preside over these Gram Nyayalayas are strictly judicial officers and will be drawing the same salary, derivingthe same powers as First Class Magistrates working under High Courts; (v) the Gram Nyayalaya shall be a mobile court and shall exercise the powers of both Criminal and Civil Courts; (vi) the seat of the Gram Nyayalaya will belocated at the headquarters of the intermediate Panchayat, they will go to villages, work there and dispose of the cases; (vii) the Gram Nyayalaya shall try criminal cases, civil suits, claims or disputes which are specified in the First Schedule and the Second Schedule to the Act; (viii)the Central as well as the State Governments have been given power to amend the First Schedule and the Second Schedule of the Act, as per their respective legislative competence; (ix)the Gram Nyayalaya shall follow summary procedure in criminal trial; (x)the Gram Nyayalaya shall exercise the powers of aCivil Courtwith certain modifications and shall follow the special procedure as provided in the Act; (xi)the Gram Nyayalaya shall try to settle the disputes as far as possible by bringing about conciliation between the parties and for this purpose, itshall make use of the conciliators to be appointed for this purpose; (xii)the judgment and order passed by the Gram Nyayalaya shall be deemed to be a decree and to avoid delay in its execution, the Gram Nyayalaya shall follow summary procedure for its execution; (xiii) the Gram Nyayalaya shall not be bound by the rules of evidence provided in the Indian Evidence Act, 1872 but shall be guided by the principles of natural justice and subject to any rule made by the High Court; (i) appeal in criminal cases shall lie to the Court of Session, which shall be heard and disposed of within a period of six months from the date of filing of such appeal; (ii) appeal in civil cases shall lie to the District Court, which shall be heard and disposed of within a period of six months from the date of filing of the appeal; (iii) aperson accused of an offence may file an application for plea bargaining.
| 591
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The model Property Rights to Slum Dwellers Act
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The model Property Rights to Slum Dwellers Act aims to improve the conditions of an estimated 93 million slum dwellers. The legislation would entitle every “eligible” slum dweller living in a slum to receive a dwelling place of 25 square metres of carpet area or its equivalent land area at “affordable” cost. It would confer property rights in the name of the female head of the household or in the joint name of the male head and his wife. This is a progressive course correction meant to check the prevalent male bias in determining housing rights. The proposed Act lays down a seven-year lock-in period to prevent the sale or lease of the allotted property but sensibly makes provision for mortgaging the dwelling units to raise loans for improving them. Criticism The proposal to fix a cut-off date to identify “eligible” slum dwellers and provide the “ineligible” ones only with an “all weather” space for rent and not a proper dwelling needs to be rethought. Arbitrary cut-off dates and a rigid quota system are impractical to implement. If the social objective is to create slum-free cities, an inclusive definition that maximises the number of beneficiaries is an imperative.
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##Question:The model Property Rights to Slum Dwellers Act##Answer:The model Property Rights to Slum Dwellers Act aims to improve the conditions of an estimated 93 million slum dwellers. The legislation would entitle every “eligible” slum dweller living in a slum to receive a dwelling place of 25 square metres of carpet area or its equivalent land area at “affordable” cost. It would confer property rights in the name of the female head of the household or in the joint name of the male head and his wife. This is a progressive course correction meant to check the prevalent male bias in determining housing rights. The proposed Act lays down a seven-year lock-in period to prevent the sale or lease of the allotted property but sensibly makes provision for mortgaging the dwelling units to raise loans for improving them. Criticism The proposal to fix a cut-off date to identify “eligible” slum dwellers and provide the “ineligible” ones only with an “all weather” space for rent and not a proper dwelling needs to be rethought. Arbitrary cut-off dates and a rigid quota system are impractical to implement. If the social objective is to create slum-free cities, an inclusive definition that maximises the number of beneficiaries is an imperative.
| 593
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Comment on the success of the Biological Diversity Act, 2002 in fulfilling the objectives of the Convention on Biological Diversity.
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India’s Biological Diversity (BD) Act was enacted in 2002. There is now a decade of its existence to reflect on. The genesis of the law can be traced to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), which was signed at the Rio Summit in 1992. While assessing the 10 years of the Act, one has to be mindful of how India itself has undergone change in these years. By the time the Act came into force, trade imperatives had begun to influence environmental law and policy-making both at the national and global level. The final shape of the Act and the manner of its implementation through the BD rules issued by the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) in 2004 reflect that bent. The “economic reforms” introduced in 1991 meant greater reliance on market forces, encouragement of the private sector and restructuring the role of the government. In 1995, the country had also become a member of the World Trade Organisation (WTO). This, among other things, meant changes in the country’s intellectual property (IP) regime. Economic liberalisation has created many new challenges for local communities. Situating the 10 years of the BD Act in this post-“reforms”, post-WTO context, helps to better understand the direction it has taken. Building Institutions The BD Act prescribed an institutional framework in order to implement the three CBD objectives of conservation, sustainable use, and equitable sharing of benefits arising out of the use of biological resources and related knowledge. So from the start, the central government was preoccupied with establishing the institutional structure, particularly at the national level. In 2003, the National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) was set up by the MoEF at Chennai. It has seen seven chairpersons up to date. The 15-member authority has largely consisted of bureaucrats or senior scientists, mostly ex officio appointments. Apart from that, the NBA has had the prescribed five non-official “specialists” and “expert” members. The NBA is required to function as the biodiversity board for the union territories but there is little to show on that front. Meanwhile, almost all states have state biodiversity boards (SBBs). The count on date is 26 out of 28,with Kerala, Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh being amongst the first to set up their SBBs. Most boards have forest and wildlife officials doubling up as chairpersons and member secretaries. Clearly, each of the SBBs is at different stages of implementation of the BD Act, yet their role has remained limited to that of receiving intimation from Indian institutions, corporate bodies or individuals who wish to use biological resources and related knowledge. Most SBBs have busied themselves with steering processes for biodiversity management committees (BMCs) to be set up at village, municipality or block levels and the documentation of local resources to be undertaken by them. Till December 2011, only 14 states had notified their BD rules. Access Rules The other objectives of conservation, sustainable use and benefit sharing have not received as much attention as access to biological resources and associated knowledge of the people of India by foreign persons, which requires the prior approval of the NBA. This is in line with the CBD requirement for the accessor to have the prior informed consent (PIC) of the country providing genetic resources.The CBD also requires that in exchange, domestic laws provide for fair and equitable benefit sharing on mutually agreed terms (MAT) when access is grantedand the benefits are to be routed back to local peoples who are the real keepers of biodiversity. The legal provisions dealing with grant of access were brought into effect only in 2004 after the NBA was fully in place.At its second meeting in 2004, the NBA processed the first eight access applications for biological resources received by it. By its third meeting in July 2005, the ABS agreements for access, material transfer and intellectual property rights were prepared using the expertise of different lawyers from various government departments. There was still concern that SBBs had not been formed in all states, which also meant that there were no functioning BMCs in some states at that time. Yet the work of processing access applications continued unabated despite the fact that the Act makes it mandatory for NBA and SBBs to consult BMCs before taking any decision.In 2005, at an NBA meeting members stressed the need to prioritise commercialisation with fair and just benefit sharing because out of all resources spent by NBA so far, not one penny has gone to the communities whose knowledge and resources we are supposed to care for. After 10 years of the Act, India has 100 ABS agreements to show.These were publicly announced by the union environment secretary in July 2012 at a CBD meeting in Delhi. It is yet to be seen if monetary collections from these 100 agreements going into the National Biodiversity Fund translate into real “benefits” for at least 100 local communities in India. The challenge with respect to many of these agreements is to reach out to the legitimate local “benefit claimers” who are yet to be fully identified in most cases. ABS implies that a user of genetic resources or related knowledge is now using them with permission; however, there is no mechanism to monitor post-access conduct of the accessor and compliance with the terms of conditions on which access was originally granted. At the global level, to make countries abide by each other's ABS procedures, in 2010 a global protocol was established under CBD at Nagoya, Japan.Though India has signed it, the protocol is yet to come into force. In any case, there is a need to build more capacity to deal with ABS-related issues at different levels. Another important aspect of access, as CBD insists, is that genetic resources be used sustainably and for environmentally-sound purposes. Yet many applications before the NBA also seek clearance for use or transfer of genetic material from India for developing products through modern biotechnology. In 2005, the private seed company Maharashtra Hybrid Seeds Corporation (MAHYCO) sought NBA approval for “transfer results of research” to ship out parental eggplant seeds from India to Bangladesh. This was required as the source population of eggplant RHR-51 used was from India into which MAHYCO had inserted its Cry 1AC gene to make genetically modified (GM) brinjal.In the absence of an effective biosafety regime in the country, there are concerns that the access regime will only encourage India's genetic wealth being marketed for the manufacture of potentially hazardous GM seeds and breeds. Intellectual Property A key expectation from the legislation was that it would check the grant of illegal and unjustified patents or other intellectual property rights (IPR) based on India’s biological resources by other countries and foreign companies. The country had been at the receiving end of “biopiracy”, with the basmati rice and neem fungicide patent cases making much news since the 1980s. Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), on behalf of the central government, had successfully challenged one such patent on use of turmeric in the US patent office in 1996. Post-BD Act, CSIR was amongst the first public research institutes to seek approval for IPR applications from the NBA. And in the last 10 years there has been no instance of the NBA invoking the legal provision that gives it the function and power to oppose the grant of any IPR in any foreign country on any biological resource or knowledge from India.The CBD itself does not provide for a global forum to take such cases. Biodiversity Governance Though CBD laid down the principle of national sovereignty over biological resources, from the point of view of people it was to translate into community sovereignty. The real biodiversity-keepers, be it farmers, fisherfolk, pastoralists, etc, are required to be central to preserving biodiversity, not simply their knowledge, innovations and practices. Integrating women's concerns also remains an issue that needs attention. In the villages in Uttarakhand women were denied an all-female BMC because it deemed to be legally impermissible. The BD Act so far only requires “consultation” with local communities, not their full or free PIC. BMCs have not breathed life into the idea of a grass-roots democracy. They are still to become the authorities on decision-making on local resources as prescribed by both the BD Act and CBD. Till the Act delivers, people require the immediate benefit of the living resources and intellectual heritage through which they get by. However, in the current development model, communities are being forced to move or migrate from their lands. With such shifting populations, who will constitute the BMC and who are “local” communities are fundamental questions that confront the administration. Given the law and the reality in which it operates, the question is whether the BD Act will come anywhere near to effecting biodiversity justice in the next 10 years, or will our most biodiversity-rich areas and peoples from them continue to remain in poverty.
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##Question:Comment on the success of the Biological Diversity Act, 2002 in fulfilling the objectives of the Convention on Biological Diversity.##Answer:India’s Biological Diversity (BD) Act was enacted in 2002. There is now a decade of its existence to reflect on. The genesis of the law can be traced to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), which was signed at the Rio Summit in 1992. While assessing the 10 years of the Act, one has to be mindful of how India itself has undergone change in these years. By the time the Act came into force, trade imperatives had begun to influence environmental law and policy-making both at the national and global level. The final shape of the Act and the manner of its implementation through the BD rules issued by the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) in 2004 reflect that bent. The “economic reforms” introduced in 1991 meant greater reliance on market forces, encouragement of the private sector and restructuring the role of the government. In 1995, the country had also become a member of the World Trade Organisation (WTO). This, among other things, meant changes in the country’s intellectual property (IP) regime. Economic liberalisation has created many new challenges for local communities. Situating the 10 years of the BD Act in this post-“reforms”, post-WTO context, helps to better understand the direction it has taken. Building Institutions The BD Act prescribed an institutional framework in order to implement the three CBD objectives of conservation, sustainable use, and equitable sharing of benefits arising out of the use of biological resources and related knowledge. So from the start, the central government was preoccupied with establishing the institutional structure, particularly at the national level. In 2003, the National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) was set up by the MoEF at Chennai. It has seen seven chairpersons up to date. The 15-member authority has largely consisted of bureaucrats or senior scientists, mostly ex officio appointments. Apart from that, the NBA has had the prescribed five non-official “specialists” and “expert” members. The NBA is required to function as the biodiversity board for the union territories but there is little to show on that front. Meanwhile, almost all states have state biodiversity boards (SBBs). The count on date is 26 out of 28,with Kerala, Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh being amongst the first to set up their SBBs. Most boards have forest and wildlife officials doubling up as chairpersons and member secretaries. Clearly, each of the SBBs is at different stages of implementation of the BD Act, yet their role has remained limited to that of receiving intimation from Indian institutions, corporate bodies or individuals who wish to use biological resources and related knowledge. Most SBBs have busied themselves with steering processes for biodiversity management committees (BMCs) to be set up at village, municipality or block levels and the documentation of local resources to be undertaken by them. Till December 2011, only 14 states had notified their BD rules. Access Rules The other objectives of conservation, sustainable use and benefit sharing have not received as much attention as access to biological resources and associated knowledge of the people of India by foreign persons, which requires the prior approval of the NBA. This is in line with the CBD requirement for the accessor to have the prior informed consent (PIC) of the country providing genetic resources.The CBD also requires that in exchange, domestic laws provide for fair and equitable benefit sharing on mutually agreed terms (MAT) when access is grantedand the benefits are to be routed back to local peoples who are the real keepers of biodiversity. The legal provisions dealing with grant of access were brought into effect only in 2004 after the NBA was fully in place.At its second meeting in 2004, the NBA processed the first eight access applications for biological resources received by it. By its third meeting in July 2005, the ABS agreements for access, material transfer and intellectual property rights were prepared using the expertise of different lawyers from various government departments. There was still concern that SBBs had not been formed in all states, which also meant that there were no functioning BMCs in some states at that time. Yet the work of processing access applications continued unabated despite the fact that the Act makes it mandatory for NBA and SBBs to consult BMCs before taking any decision.In 2005, at an NBA meeting members stressed the need to prioritise commercialisation with fair and just benefit sharing because out of all resources spent by NBA so far, not one penny has gone to the communities whose knowledge and resources we are supposed to care for. After 10 years of the Act, India has 100 ABS agreements to show.These were publicly announced by the union environment secretary in July 2012 at a CBD meeting in Delhi. It is yet to be seen if monetary collections from these 100 agreements going into the National Biodiversity Fund translate into real “benefits” for at least 100 local communities in India. The challenge with respect to many of these agreements is to reach out to the legitimate local “benefit claimers” who are yet to be fully identified in most cases. ABS implies that a user of genetic resources or related knowledge is now using them with permission; however, there is no mechanism to monitor post-access conduct of the accessor and compliance with the terms of conditions on which access was originally granted. At the global level, to make countries abide by each other's ABS procedures, in 2010 a global protocol was established under CBD at Nagoya, Japan.Though India has signed it, the protocol is yet to come into force. In any case, there is a need to build more capacity to deal with ABS-related issues at different levels. Another important aspect of access, as CBD insists, is that genetic resources be used sustainably and for environmentally-sound purposes. Yet many applications before the NBA also seek clearance for use or transfer of genetic material from India for developing products through modern biotechnology. In 2005, the private seed company Maharashtra Hybrid Seeds Corporation (MAHYCO) sought NBA approval for “transfer results of research” to ship out parental eggplant seeds from India to Bangladesh. This was required as the source population of eggplant RHR-51 used was from India into which MAHYCO had inserted its Cry 1AC gene to make genetically modified (GM) brinjal.In the absence of an effective biosafety regime in the country, there are concerns that the access regime will only encourage India's genetic wealth being marketed for the manufacture of potentially hazardous GM seeds and breeds. Intellectual Property A key expectation from the legislation was that it would check the grant of illegal and unjustified patents or other intellectual property rights (IPR) based on India’s biological resources by other countries and foreign companies. The country had been at the receiving end of “biopiracy”, with the basmati rice and neem fungicide patent cases making much news since the 1980s. Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), on behalf of the central government, had successfully challenged one such patent on use of turmeric in the US patent office in 1996. Post-BD Act, CSIR was amongst the first public research institutes to seek approval for IPR applications from the NBA. And in the last 10 years there has been no instance of the NBA invoking the legal provision that gives it the function and power to oppose the grant of any IPR in any foreign country on any biological resource or knowledge from India.The CBD itself does not provide for a global forum to take such cases. Biodiversity Governance Though CBD laid down the principle of national sovereignty over biological resources, from the point of view of people it was to translate into community sovereignty. The real biodiversity-keepers, be it farmers, fisherfolk, pastoralists, etc, are required to be central to preserving biodiversity, not simply their knowledge, innovations and practices. Integrating women's concerns also remains an issue that needs attention. In the villages in Uttarakhand women were denied an all-female BMC because it deemed to be legally impermissible. The BD Act so far only requires “consultation” with local communities, not their full or free PIC. BMCs have not breathed life into the idea of a grass-roots democracy. They are still to become the authorities on decision-making on local resources as prescribed by both the BD Act and CBD. Till the Act delivers, people require the immediate benefit of the living resources and intellectual heritage through which they get by. However, in the current development model, communities are being forced to move or migrate from their lands. With such shifting populations, who will constitute the BMC and who are “local” communities are fundamental questions that confront the administration. Given the law and the reality in which it operates, the question is whether the BD Act will come anywhere near to effecting biodiversity justice in the next 10 years, or will our most biodiversity-rich areas and peoples from them continue to remain in poverty.
| 594
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What are the salient features of The National Mission for a Green India?
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The National Mission for a Green India is one of the eight Missions under the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC). It recognizes that climate change phenomenon will seriously affect and alter the distribution, type and quality of natural resources of the country. The NAPCC addresses the urgent and critical concerns of sustainable development and identifies the close linkage of the economy with its natural resource base, and cautions that climate-sensitive sectors such as forestry may face a major threat because of the projected changes in climate. This will have repercussion for livelihoods of people in general, and forest dependant communities in particular. The Green India Mission therefore puts the “greening” in the context of climate adaptation and mitigation, aiming to enhance ecosystem services like carbon sequestration and storage (in forests and other ecosystems), hydrological services and biodiversity; along with provisioning services like fuel, fodder, small timber and NTFPs. The National Mission for a Green India with a planned investment of $10.3 billion over the next 10 years can have a major developmental impact in more ways than one. Such a massive exercise can raise fresh natural capital that is so vital for the tens of millions of people who depend on degraded forests. It can meet the twin objectives of assigning forest land to tribal and other forest-dwelling communities to enable livelihoods, and relieving extractive pressures on core dense forests to aid conservation of wildlife and biodiversity. The overarching benefit to the environment will be in the form of carbon sequestration to combat climate change. The Ministry of Environment and Forests, which has grasped the imperative to balance these concerns, aims to add an impressive five million hectares of forest cover, and also improve the quality of forests over a similar area. A central role for local communities in forest restoration and expansion is envisaged under the new plan. This can help correct the historical imbalance in their role in managing the commons. Overall, the Green India plan, which is expected to provide a higher forest-based livelihood income to three million households, is significant for its attempt to give people a central role in restoring forest health.
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##Question:What are the salient features of The National Mission for a Green India?##Answer:The National Mission for a Green India is one of the eight Missions under the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC). It recognizes that climate change phenomenon will seriously affect and alter the distribution, type and quality of natural resources of the country. The NAPCC addresses the urgent and critical concerns of sustainable development and identifies the close linkage of the economy with its natural resource base, and cautions that climate-sensitive sectors such as forestry may face a major threat because of the projected changes in climate. This will have repercussion for livelihoods of people in general, and forest dependant communities in particular. The Green India Mission therefore puts the “greening” in the context of climate adaptation and mitigation, aiming to enhance ecosystem services like carbon sequestration and storage (in forests and other ecosystems), hydrological services and biodiversity; along with provisioning services like fuel, fodder, small timber and NTFPs. The National Mission for a Green India with a planned investment of $10.3 billion over the next 10 years can have a major developmental impact in more ways than one. Such a massive exercise can raise fresh natural capital that is so vital for the tens of millions of people who depend on degraded forests. It can meet the twin objectives of assigning forest land to tribal and other forest-dwelling communities to enable livelihoods, and relieving extractive pressures on core dense forests to aid conservation of wildlife and biodiversity. The overarching benefit to the environment will be in the form of carbon sequestration to combat climate change. The Ministry of Environment and Forests, which has grasped the imperative to balance these concerns, aims to add an impressive five million hectares of forest cover, and also improve the quality of forests over a similar area. A central role for local communities in forest restoration and expansion is envisaged under the new plan. This can help correct the historical imbalance in their role in managing the commons. Overall, the Green India plan, which is expected to provide a higher forest-based livelihood income to three million households, is significant for its attempt to give people a central role in restoring forest health.
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“By all means, the year 2012 stands out as both exciting and eventful for the Indian space programme”. Comment.
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India, which took its first modest step into space with the launching of a sounding rocket from the Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station(TERLS) on the outskirts of Thiruvananthpuram way back in november 1963, has come a long way and is now poised for a quantum leap in space exploration as exemplified by the well concieved plans for planetary probes and human space exploration. By all means, the year 2012 stands out as both exciting and eventful for the Indian Space Programme. The successful launch of India's first microwave earth observation satellite RISAT-1 by means of the four stage, reliable space workhorse PSLV in april this year marked a major technological breakthrough for ISRO. For only a handful of countries have built up the capability to engineer such a technologically advanced spacecraft system that can provide data on a continous basis irrespective of darkness,haze and dust as well as cloud cover. With the launch of Risat-1, the heaviest ever satellite to be hoisted into space from the Indian soil, PSLV completed its 20th successful flight in row. Moreover the data from RISAT-1 featuring a C-band Synthetic Aperture Radar has applications in the areas of agriculture and disaster management. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)have launched a Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle in september, carrying the French SPOT-6 Earth observation satellite, along with a 15-kilogram Japanese microsatellite. SPOT-6, an optical remote-sensing satellite capable of imaging the earth with a 1.5-metre resolution, is built by Astrium SAS, a European space technology company.Proiteres is meant to study the powered-flight of a small satellite by an electric thruster and to observe Japan’s Kansai district with a high-resolution camera. Interestingly SPOT 6 is the heaviest foreign satellite to be carried by a PSLV rocket since 1999 when ISRO started launching satellites owned by foreign agencies. India’s GSAT-10 Communication Satellite was launched successfully on September 29, 2012 by the Ariane-5 vehicle from French Guiana. This 3400 kg satellite has been the heaviest Indian satellite that the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has built so far. Expected to become fully operational by November 2012, the satellite has a life cycle of fifteen years. GSAT-10 has 30 Communication Transponders. It also has a Navigation payload “GAGAN”, which would provide GPS signals of improved accuracy to be used by the Airports Authority of India for civil aviation requirements. GSAT-10 is the second satellite in the INSAT/GSAT constellation with a GAGAN payload; the first was GSAT-8, launched in May 2011. ISRO is also developing a high performance version of GSLV named GSLV-MKIII, which when ready would be capable of placing 4-tonne class satellite into geostationary transfer orbit. Its also working on development of a semi-cryogenic engine. And as a part of its long term vision of not only reducing the cost of access to space but also making space missions a routine affair, ISRO has set its sight on realizing a reusable space transportation syatem based on complex and challenging technology of air breathing propulsion. ISRO over the years has built up the expertise and confidence required to forge ahead with forays into deeper space. But then ISRO insists that while looking at the stars, its roots are firmly rooted in the ground. Its thrust continues to be on diffusing the fruits of space technology into the mainstream of National development.
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##Question:“By all means, the year 2012 stands out as both exciting and eventful for the Indian space programme”. Comment. ##Answer:India, which took its first modest step into space with the launching of a sounding rocket from the Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station(TERLS) on the outskirts of Thiruvananthpuram way back in november 1963, has come a long way and is now poised for a quantum leap in space exploration as exemplified by the well concieved plans for planetary probes and human space exploration. By all means, the year 2012 stands out as both exciting and eventful for the Indian Space Programme. The successful launch of India's first microwave earth observation satellite RISAT-1 by means of the four stage, reliable space workhorse PSLV in april this year marked a major technological breakthrough for ISRO. For only a handful of countries have built up the capability to engineer such a technologically advanced spacecraft system that can provide data on a continous basis irrespective of darkness,haze and dust as well as cloud cover. With the launch of Risat-1, the heaviest ever satellite to be hoisted into space from the Indian soil, PSLV completed its 20th successful flight in row. Moreover the data from RISAT-1 featuring a C-band Synthetic Aperture Radar has applications in the areas of agriculture and disaster management. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)have launched a Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle in september, carrying the French SPOT-6 Earth observation satellite, along with a 15-kilogram Japanese microsatellite. SPOT-6, an optical remote-sensing satellite capable of imaging the earth with a 1.5-metre resolution, is built by Astrium SAS, a European space technology company.Proiteres is meant to study the powered-flight of a small satellite by an electric thruster and to observe Japan’s Kansai district with a high-resolution camera. Interestingly SPOT 6 is the heaviest foreign satellite to be carried by a PSLV rocket since 1999 when ISRO started launching satellites owned by foreign agencies. India’s GSAT-10 Communication Satellite was launched successfully on September 29, 2012 by the Ariane-5 vehicle from French Guiana. This 3400 kg satellite has been the heaviest Indian satellite that the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has built so far. Expected to become fully operational by November 2012, the satellite has a life cycle of fifteen years. GSAT-10 has 30 Communication Transponders. It also has a Navigation payload “GAGAN”, which would provide GPS signals of improved accuracy to be used by the Airports Authority of India for civil aviation requirements. GSAT-10 is the second satellite in the INSAT/GSAT constellation with a GAGAN payload; the first was GSAT-8, launched in May 2011. ISRO is also developing a high performance version of GSLV named GSLV-MKIII, which when ready would be capable of placing 4-tonne class satellite into geostationary transfer orbit. Its also working on development of a semi-cryogenic engine. And as a part of its long term vision of not only reducing the cost of access to space but also making space missions a routine affair, ISRO has set its sight on realizing a reusable space transportation syatem based on complex and challenging technology of air breathing propulsion. ISRO over the years has built up the expertise and confidence required to forge ahead with forays into deeper space. But then ISRO insists that while looking at the stars, its roots are firmly rooted in the ground. Its thrust continues to be on diffusing the fruits of space technology into the mainstream of National development.
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"Indian Constitution grants Fundamental Rights with one hand and takes them away with the other" critically examine
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Recently there have been numerous violations of human rights by the Govt., Police and certain other official agencies, besides influentive landlords, captains of industry. The deviations and the gross excesses indulged in by the Police and certain unauthorised agencies have become too frequent to be ignored as mere aberrations caused in the Discharge of duty. Many of these violations are made in the name of national security and the public interest. Among these draconian laws which make nonsense of basic rights and liberties are the National Security Act (used even against journalists who try to expose act of corruption and the Government's malpractices), the Jammu and Kashmir public security Act and the terrorists and disruptive Activities (prevention) Act. 'Anti-terrorism and other similar acts have also been enforced in certain disturbed states such as Punjab, Assam and Kashmir. Moreover, despite the high sounding commitments to democracy federalism equality of citizens, justice and fair play for every one, the due processes of law have often been suspended and arbitrary measures adopted. Even third degree methods continue to be used by the police against suspects. Emergency provisions are great obstructions in the smooth functioning of federalism and peration of fundamental rights. These kinds of provisions are only expressly found in the constitution of India and Germany only. No body denies that the emergency provisions of the constitution can be abused by the Government and have been actually misused on certain occasions by the Govt. During the emergency period of 1975-77 thousands of peoples were put behind the bars and were subjected to severe hardships Experience shows that apex court of land has been very vigilant to safeguard the fundamental rights of persons. In M.S. Tara Sikka Vs. State of Punjab (AIR 1964 SC 381) court upheld the validity of order under article 359 but gave reliefs to the petitioner on account of malafide and illegal action of the executive. Other recent happenings that can also be detailed out : Ban on certain social media content, IT Act, Govt control on Press
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##Question:"Indian Constitution grants Fundamental Rights with one hand and takes them away with the other" critically examine##Answer:Recently there have been numerous violations of human rights by the Govt., Police and certain other official agencies, besides influentive landlords, captains of industry. The deviations and the gross excesses indulged in by the Police and certain unauthorised agencies have become too frequent to be ignored as mere aberrations caused in the Discharge of duty. Many of these violations are made in the name of national security and the public interest. Among these draconian laws which make nonsense of basic rights and liberties are the National Security Act (used even against journalists who try to expose act of corruption and the Government's malpractices), the Jammu and Kashmir public security Act and the terrorists and disruptive Activities (prevention) Act. 'Anti-terrorism and other similar acts have also been enforced in certain disturbed states such as Punjab, Assam and Kashmir. Moreover, despite the high sounding commitments to democracy federalism equality of citizens, justice and fair play for every one, the due processes of law have often been suspended and arbitrary measures adopted. Even third degree methods continue to be used by the police against suspects. Emergency provisions are great obstructions in the smooth functioning of federalism and peration of fundamental rights. These kinds of provisions are only expressly found in the constitution of India and Germany only. No body denies that the emergency provisions of the constitution can be abused by the Government and have been actually misused on certain occasions by the Govt. During the emergency period of 1975-77 thousands of peoples were put behind the bars and were subjected to severe hardships Experience shows that apex court of land has been very vigilant to safeguard the fundamental rights of persons. In M.S. Tara Sikka Vs. State of Punjab (AIR 1964 SC 381) court upheld the validity of order under article 359 but gave reliefs to the petitioner on account of malafide and illegal action of the executive. Other recent happenings that can also be detailed out : Ban on certain social media content, IT Act, Govt control on Press
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Discuss the pertinence of Article 39(b) in today’s politico-economic scenario.
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Article 39 (b) in The Constitution of India 1949 (b) that the ownership and control of the material resources of the community are so distributed as best to subserve the common good In today’s scenario following points need to be discussed: Inequality in the society Extent of Poverty Exploitation of Labor Comparison with other Societies like China Certain Laws which are exploitative – Criticism of Land Acquisition Bill Natural Resources Plight of farmers and their exploitation
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##Question:Discuss the pertinence of Article 39(b) in today’s politico-economic scenario.##Answer:Article 39 (b) in The Constitution of India 1949 (b) that the ownership and control of the material resources of the community are so distributed as best to subserve the common good In today’s scenario following points need to be discussed: Inequality in the society Extent of Poverty Exploitation of Labor Comparison with other Societies like China Certain Laws which are exploitative – Criticism of Land Acquisition Bill Natural Resources Plight of farmers and their exploitation
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Discuss the implications of the lack of sanitation facilities in India. What are the steps taken by the GoI to redress this?
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As per Census, 2011, data, there are 126 districts in the country, each having more than 5000 insanitary latrines i.e where the night soil is: (i) disposed into open drains, (ii) serviced manually, or (iii) serviced by animals, spread over 16 States and the NCT of Delhi Total Sanitation Campaign was launched in 1999 to counter manual scavenging. The TSC is being implemented in districts of the States/UTs with support from the GOI and the respective State/UT Governments. TSC Principles ? Demand driven ? Community driven & people centered Campaign mode approach ? Focus on IEC ? Alternative delivery mechan ? isms (Rural Sanitation Marts/ Production Centres) ? Strong focus on school sanitation & hygiene promotion ? Involvement of co-operatives, women Groups, self help groups, Youth Clubs, NGOs, PRI etc. ? Cost sharing in construction of sanitation facilities The States/UTs draw up a TSC Project for the select districts to claim GOI assistance. A TSC Project is expected to take about 3-5 years for implementation. At the district level, Zilla Panchayats implement the project. In case, Zilla Panchayat is not functional, District Water and Sanitation Mission (DWSM) can implement the TSC. Similarly, at the block and the Panchayat levels, Panchayat Samitis and respective Gram Panchayats are involved in implementation of the TSC. Although the TSC was launched in 1999, the pace of progress has been gradual. Rural sanitation being a State subject, it is necessary that State Governments accord high priority to the programme. Though most States have included TSC in their programmes, financial allocations for sanitation often are not adequate due to lack of priority attached to the programme which often takes a back seat to water which is a more politically important area The states where high priority is attached, good results are coming. The second reason has been less emphasis on Capacity building and IEC ctivities with inadequate capacity building at the cutting edge level for implementing a demand driven project -giving emphasis on social mobilization and IEC. The implementation machinery at the field level, which is quite familiar with working of the supply driven, target oriented schemes of the government need to be sensitized further to the challenges of this demand driven approach. For this change of attitude and ways of functioning of the persons responsible for the implementation of the scheme is needed. Management of this change in approach requires more attention. Some of the other challenges are existence of state level high subsidy schemes in many states, provision of low cost and region specific technological options, Quality of construction, usage and operation and maintenance of the sanitation facilities and Convergence with various other departments at National, State, district and grassroots level. Government of India instituted the Nirmal Bharat Puraskar on October 2, 2003 to recognize, encourage and facilitate Panchayati Raj Institutions and those individuals and organizations that helped them to achieve total sanitation. A new scheme for conversion of insanitary latrines in urban areas is also being formulated. Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Mukul Wasnik announced this while addressing the recently held meetings on rehabilitation of manual scavengers. Wasnik called upon the states and urged them to prepare a time-bound action plan to ensure that the evils of insanitary latrines and manual scavenging are completely eliminated at the earliest. He emphasized on the rehabilitation of all manual scavengers and their dependents in alternative occupations.Wasnik impressed upon them to start taking action on elimination of insanitary latrines and rehabilitating manual scavengers after identifying them under the available programmatic interventions.
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##Question:Discuss the implications of the lack of sanitation facilities in India. What are the steps taken by the GoI to redress this?##Answer:As per Census, 2011, data, there are 126 districts in the country, each having more than 5000 insanitary latrines i.e where the night soil is: (i) disposed into open drains, (ii) serviced manually, or (iii) serviced by animals, spread over 16 States and the NCT of Delhi Total Sanitation Campaign was launched in 1999 to counter manual scavenging. The TSC is being implemented in districts of the States/UTs with support from the GOI and the respective State/UT Governments. TSC Principles ? Demand driven ? Community driven & people centered Campaign mode approach ? Focus on IEC ? Alternative delivery mechan ? isms (Rural Sanitation Marts/ Production Centres) ? Strong focus on school sanitation & hygiene promotion ? Involvement of co-operatives, women Groups, self help groups, Youth Clubs, NGOs, PRI etc. ? Cost sharing in construction of sanitation facilities The States/UTs draw up a TSC Project for the select districts to claim GOI assistance. A TSC Project is expected to take about 3-5 years for implementation. At the district level, Zilla Panchayats implement the project. In case, Zilla Panchayat is not functional, District Water and Sanitation Mission (DWSM) can implement the TSC. Similarly, at the block and the Panchayat levels, Panchayat Samitis and respective Gram Panchayats are involved in implementation of the TSC. Although the TSC was launched in 1999, the pace of progress has been gradual. Rural sanitation being a State subject, it is necessary that State Governments accord high priority to the programme. Though most States have included TSC in their programmes, financial allocations for sanitation often are not adequate due to lack of priority attached to the programme which often takes a back seat to water which is a more politically important area The states where high priority is attached, good results are coming. The second reason has been less emphasis on Capacity building and IEC ctivities with inadequate capacity building at the cutting edge level for implementing a demand driven project -giving emphasis on social mobilization and IEC. The implementation machinery at the field level, which is quite familiar with working of the supply driven, target oriented schemes of the government need to be sensitized further to the challenges of this demand driven approach. For this change of attitude and ways of functioning of the persons responsible for the implementation of the scheme is needed. Management of this change in approach requires more attention. Some of the other challenges are existence of state level high subsidy schemes in many states, provision of low cost and region specific technological options, Quality of construction, usage and operation and maintenance of the sanitation facilities and Convergence with various other departments at National, State, district and grassroots level. Government of India instituted the Nirmal Bharat Puraskar on October 2, 2003 to recognize, encourage and facilitate Panchayati Raj Institutions and those individuals and organizations that helped them to achieve total sanitation. A new scheme for conversion of insanitary latrines in urban areas is also being formulated. Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Mukul Wasnik announced this while addressing the recently held meetings on rehabilitation of manual scavengers. Wasnik called upon the states and urged them to prepare a time-bound action plan to ensure that the evils of insanitary latrines and manual scavenging are completely eliminated at the earliest. He emphasized on the rehabilitation of all manual scavengers and their dependents in alternative occupations.Wasnik impressed upon them to start taking action on elimination of insanitary latrines and rehabilitating manual scavengers after identifying them under the available programmatic interventions.
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Critically analyse the idea of conditional cash transfer (CCT) to incentivise the use of health services. Present your views giving reference to any particular health related scheme in India using conditional cash transfer.
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For a general answer on CCT schemes Conditional cash transfers [“CCT”] are generally defined as welfare-oriented, state-sponsored programs that give indigent families cash conditional on specific, verifiable actions. They are usually directed towards gender empowerment and the nutritional and educational needs of children. CCTs are an integral part of the World Bank’s ‘safety net’ policy, and have enjoyed considerable success in several countries. Over the past decade, the Indian state has begun to use CCTs in many sectors as a part of its wealth-redistribution, poverty reduction programs. For example, in March 2008, “Dhanalakshmi” – a CCT scheme for female children for insurance cover – was introduced in Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Orissa, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Punjab. Similarly, the Delhi and Haryana state governments recently launched the ‘ ladli’ scheme to benefit the girl child. Some advantages of CCT-based programs Giving indigent families cash conditional on specified actions provides a strong incentive to change behaviour. If successful, CCTs can ensure specific results such as better immunisation records for dalit children in Andhra Pradesh. The benefits of CCTs have a better chance of reaching intended beneficiaries than other government welfare schemes like subsidies. Some disadvantages of CCT-based programs First , and most patently, there is the problem of corruption. An advantage of in-kind benefits (such as food grains and mid-day meals) is that the chance of the benefit getting siphoned off to corrupt officers is lower than if the benefit in question is cash. Second , CCTs require a lot of infrastructure to be successful. Beneficiaries need to be documented, correctly identified, need to have bank accounts and easily accessible biometric data. Much of this is unavailable in India. Third , the ultimate success of CCTs depends on the quality of service providers available. If cash transfers are made conditional on children going to bad schools or visiting bad hospitals, the CCT program would fail. Sadly, rural education and health care in India is far from adequate. Four , monitoring and evaluation is crucial to the success of CCT programs. To be added specifically for this question A scheme related to health is discussed here to highlight the complexity of the issues involved. The JananiSurakshaYojana (JSY) scheme is a conditional cash transfer (CCT) scheme to incentivise the use of health services. It is an intervention for safe motherhood and aims at reducing maternal and neo-natal mortality among poor women by encouraging institutional deliveries. It integrates financial assistance with delivery and post-delivery care for the mother and baby. The scheme also provides for the identification of pregnant women, antenatal care, assistance with transport and certification, postnatal care, and support and counselling services. Recent additions to these services include the cost of all medication and treatments, blood transfusions, consumables and diet. In some States, the scheme is complemented by the provision of public funds to private service providers in rural areas. While the JSY is a path-breaking initiative, its impact, when measured by maternal and child health outcomes, is dependent on the availability and accessibility of good health care services. The failure to document health outcomes of mothers and babies allows poor health care standards in many institutions to be masked by process indicators (e.g. institutional deliveries) employed for assessments. Unless good health care is provided at health institutions, CCTs for institutional deliveries will fall short of their goal of reducing infant and maternal mortality and improving standards of health. CCTs are not a panacea for poverty, ill health or for stabilising populations. As related to health, they will deliver only within the context of an effective health care system . Without a good public health delivery system, the aim of CCTs to bring people to hospital, to obtain effective health interventions, will be defeated. The use of CCTs as a proxy for the delivery of good health care is fallacious. They may change health-seeking behaviour, but it requires a good health care system to reduce maternal and child mortality rates. Similarly, CCTs for population stabilisation, by rewarding contraception and sterilisation, without a basic social security net for the poor will not be utilised and will be ineffective. CCTs are complex interventions and part solutions within a range of services provided for people. They cannot be an alternative to good health and social security services. Social determinants of health like clean water, sanitation, nutrition, housing, education, employment and social security play a major role in population health and growth. The use of CCTs should not result in the government abdicating its responsibility of providing public services to the poor. They should also not be viewed as another business opportunity for free market players. While recent efforts at improving health care delivery, food security and employment guarantee have made an impact, they have a long way to go before significantly influencing maternal and child mortality, family sizes and population numbers. CCTs are not complete solutions and call for a nuanced understanding of the strategy, context and issues.
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##Question:Critically analyse the idea of conditional cash transfer (CCT) to incentivise the use of health services. Present your views giving reference to any particular health related scheme in India using conditional cash transfer.##Answer:For a general answer on CCT schemes Conditional cash transfers [“CCT”] are generally defined as welfare-oriented, state-sponsored programs that give indigent families cash conditional on specific, verifiable actions. They are usually directed towards gender empowerment and the nutritional and educational needs of children. CCTs are an integral part of the World Bank’s ‘safety net’ policy, and have enjoyed considerable success in several countries. Over the past decade, the Indian state has begun to use CCTs in many sectors as a part of its wealth-redistribution, poverty reduction programs. For example, in March 2008, “Dhanalakshmi” – a CCT scheme for female children for insurance cover – was introduced in Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Orissa, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Punjab. Similarly, the Delhi and Haryana state governments recently launched the ‘ ladli’ scheme to benefit the girl child. Some advantages of CCT-based programs Giving indigent families cash conditional on specified actions provides a strong incentive to change behaviour. If successful, CCTs can ensure specific results such as better immunisation records for dalit children in Andhra Pradesh. The benefits of CCTs have a better chance of reaching intended beneficiaries than other government welfare schemes like subsidies. Some disadvantages of CCT-based programs First , and most patently, there is the problem of corruption. An advantage of in-kind benefits (such as food grains and mid-day meals) is that the chance of the benefit getting siphoned off to corrupt officers is lower than if the benefit in question is cash. Second , CCTs require a lot of infrastructure to be successful. Beneficiaries need to be documented, correctly identified, need to have bank accounts and easily accessible biometric data. Much of this is unavailable in India. Third , the ultimate success of CCTs depends on the quality of service providers available. If cash transfers are made conditional on children going to bad schools or visiting bad hospitals, the CCT program would fail. Sadly, rural education and health care in India is far from adequate. Four , monitoring and evaluation is crucial to the success of CCT programs. To be added specifically for this question A scheme related to health is discussed here to highlight the complexity of the issues involved. The JananiSurakshaYojana (JSY) scheme is a conditional cash transfer (CCT) scheme to incentivise the use of health services. It is an intervention for safe motherhood and aims at reducing maternal and neo-natal mortality among poor women by encouraging institutional deliveries. It integrates financial assistance with delivery and post-delivery care for the mother and baby. The scheme also provides for the identification of pregnant women, antenatal care, assistance with transport and certification, postnatal care, and support and counselling services. Recent additions to these services include the cost of all medication and treatments, blood transfusions, consumables and diet. In some States, the scheme is complemented by the provision of public funds to private service providers in rural areas. While the JSY is a path-breaking initiative, its impact, when measured by maternal and child health outcomes, is dependent on the availability and accessibility of good health care services. The failure to document health outcomes of mothers and babies allows poor health care standards in many institutions to be masked by process indicators (e.g. institutional deliveries) employed for assessments. Unless good health care is provided at health institutions, CCTs for institutional deliveries will fall short of their goal of reducing infant and maternal mortality and improving standards of health. CCTs are not a panacea for poverty, ill health or for stabilising populations. As related to health, they will deliver only within the context of an effective health care system . Without a good public health delivery system, the aim of CCTs to bring people to hospital, to obtain effective health interventions, will be defeated. The use of CCTs as a proxy for the delivery of good health care is fallacious. They may change health-seeking behaviour, but it requires a good health care system to reduce maternal and child mortality rates. Similarly, CCTs for population stabilisation, by rewarding contraception and sterilisation, without a basic social security net for the poor will not be utilised and will be ineffective. CCTs are complex interventions and part solutions within a range of services provided for people. They cannot be an alternative to good health and social security services. Social determinants of health like clean water, sanitation, nutrition, housing, education, employment and social security play a major role in population health and growth. The use of CCTs should not result in the government abdicating its responsibility of providing public services to the poor. They should also not be viewed as another business opportunity for free market players. While recent efforts at improving health care delivery, food security and employment guarantee have made an impact, they have a long way to go before significantly influencing maternal and child mortality, family sizes and population numbers. CCTs are not complete solutions and call for a nuanced understanding of the strategy, context and issues.
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“With an increasing reliance being placed on PPP projects, it has become necessary to adopt a well-defined institutional structure for overseeing the contract performance effectively”. Comment.
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The Government Of India defines a Public Private Partnership as "a partnership between a public sector entity (sponsoring authority) and a private sector entity (a legal entity in which 51% or more of equity is with the private partner/s) for the creation and/or management of infrastructure for public purpose for a specified period of time (concession period) on commercial terms and in which the private partner has been procured through a transparent and open procurement system." In the 21st century, Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) provide a unique perspective on the collaborative and network aspects of public management. Traditionally, infrastructure development in India has been financed through public investments but now the share of the public sector in infrastructure investment has gone down. The big thrust to infrastructure investment has come due to the participation of the private sector. Public Private Partnerships have been the primary means of channelizing private investments into infrastructure sector which is considered rather unattractive by private sector for reasons of poor return and long gestation period. Concerted efforts are made by the government towards creating an enabling environment for the development and long-term sustainability of PPP's. With this increasing reliance being placed on PPP projects across many wings of the governmnet, it has become necessary to adopt a well-defined institutional structure for overseeing contract performance effectively. The Institutional framework recently approved by cabinet committee requires project authorities to create a two-tier mechanism for monitoring the performance of PPP project: APPP Projects Monitoring Unit(PMU) at the project authority level APPP Performance Review Unit (PRU) at the ministry or state government level, as the case may be. The PMU is to prepare a report to be submitted to PRU within 15 days of the close of the relevant month. The report is to cover compliance of conditions, adherence to tima lines, assessment of performance,remedial measures, imposition of penalties, etc. The PRU is to review the reports submitted by the different PMU's and oversee or initiate action for rectifying any defaults or lapses. In addition to following the guidelines for the mechanism, the respective ministries will send a quarterly compliance report to the planning commission with a copy to the ministry of finance. Planning Commission, in consultation with the ministry of finance, will prepare a summary of these reports along with the recommendations relating to further action/improvements which would be placed before the cabinet committee on infrastructure once every quarter for the next two years. This is an important governance mechanism in an area which will see a lot of activity in the future. It will ensure good governance, accountability, efficiency and economy in spending. The planning commission will have a central role in ensuring high quality monitoring.
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##Question:“With an increasing reliance being placed on PPP projects, it has become necessary to adopt a well-defined institutional structure for overseeing the contract performance effectively”. Comment. ##Answer:The Government Of India defines a Public Private Partnership as "a partnership between a public sector entity (sponsoring authority) and a private sector entity (a legal entity in which 51% or more of equity is with the private partner/s) for the creation and/or management of infrastructure for public purpose for a specified period of time (concession period) on commercial terms and in which the private partner has been procured through a transparent and open procurement system." In the 21st century, Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) provide a unique perspective on the collaborative and network aspects of public management. Traditionally, infrastructure development in India has been financed through public investments but now the share of the public sector in infrastructure investment has gone down. The big thrust to infrastructure investment has come due to the participation of the private sector. Public Private Partnerships have been the primary means of channelizing private investments into infrastructure sector which is considered rather unattractive by private sector for reasons of poor return and long gestation period. Concerted efforts are made by the government towards creating an enabling environment for the development and long-term sustainability of PPP's. With this increasing reliance being placed on PPP projects across many wings of the governmnet, it has become necessary to adopt a well-defined institutional structure for overseeing contract performance effectively. The Institutional framework recently approved by cabinet committee requires project authorities to create a two-tier mechanism for monitoring the performance of PPP project: APPP Projects Monitoring Unit(PMU) at the project authority level APPP Performance Review Unit (PRU) at the ministry or state government level, as the case may be. The PMU is to prepare a report to be submitted to PRU within 15 days of the close of the relevant month. The report is to cover compliance of conditions, adherence to tima lines, assessment of performance,remedial measures, imposition of penalties, etc. The PRU is to review the reports submitted by the different PMU's and oversee or initiate action for rectifying any defaults or lapses. In addition to following the guidelines for the mechanism, the respective ministries will send a quarterly compliance report to the planning commission with a copy to the ministry of finance. Planning Commission, in consultation with the ministry of finance, will prepare a summary of these reports along with the recommendations relating to further action/improvements which would be placed before the cabinet committee on infrastructure once every quarter for the next two years. This is an important governance mechanism in an area which will see a lot of activity in the future. It will ensure good governance, accountability, efficiency and economy in spending. The planning commission will have a central role in ensuring high quality monitoring.
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Discuss the extent of success of the 72nd and 73rd amendment act in achieving its objectives in different states of the country.
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The 73 rd constitutional Amendment have created space for women in political participation and decision making at the grass root level by providing that 1/3 rd of the seats are reserved in all over the country. 73 rd constitutional amendment Act, 1992 says- It provides reservations for women in PRIs set up in two ways; for the office of the members and for that of the chairpersons. As per the clause (2) and (3) of Article 243(d), not less than one third of the seats meant for direct election of members at each tier of the Panchayats are to be reserved for the women. Social audit - formation of an FPS Committee by each Gram Panchayat The Gram Panchayats should be encouraged to form a FPS Committee which should include the Members of the existing Vigilance Committees for the Fair Price Shops of the area under its jurisdiction as also the representatives of the TPDS groups, women and SC/ST/OBC panchayat members to keep a watch on the functioning of the FPS. They should be given the right to inspect the records of the FPSs, the periodicity of which should be prescribed by the State Governments. The Committee should be required to report their findings to the Gram Sabha. They should also endorse a copy of the report to the prescribed civil supplies authority for action wherever required. Those states where properly constituted Gram Panchayats are not in position for some reason, the State Governments should evolve an alternative mechanism to discharge the aforesaid responsibilities of Gram Panchayats. The existing Vigilance Committees could be one such machinery. Involvement of the Gram Sabha in the running of the FPS The Government of India has already written to the States that Gram Sabhas should be convened four times in a year on January 26th ( Republic Day ), May 1st ( Labour Day ), August 15th ( Independence Day ) and October 2nd ( Gandhi Jayanti ). It is expected that the State Governments would have also prescribed the venue and time (publicized in advance) for these meetings because lack of information or insufficient information on these vital items is often made use of by the unscrupulous Gram Panchayat functionaries in preventing the larger body of Gram Sabha from attending its meetings. The extraneous considerations may be the motive in changing of the venue and time at the last moment thereby defeating the very purpose of transparency with regard to the Gram Sabha meetings. The report of the Gram Panchayat Committee on the functioning of the FPS of the area should be compulsory item on the agenda of the Gram Sabha to which the FPS owners should also be invited. Their presence in fact should be insisted upon. If the Gram Sabha does not find the functioning of the FPS satisfactory, a report to that effect shall be made to Government functionary prescribed by the State Government. This shall be done within one week of the Gram Sabha meeting. Duty of the Prescribed Authority on receipt of the report of Gram Sabha about the FPS functioning The prescribed authority on receiving a report from the Gram Sabha about the unsatisfactory functioning of the FPS and the details thereof shall conduct and complete the enquiry in a time bound manner as prescribed by the State Government. If the charges preferred by the Gram Sabha are found to contain substance, the licence of the FPS shall be suspended forthwith and he will be dealt with in accordance with the provisions of the law, again within a stipulated time frame to be prescribed by the State Government. Alternative arrangements regarding running of the suspended/cancelled FPS shall be made by the prescribed authority in accordance with the prescribed procedure for the purpose. Some Cases Studies ANDHRA PRADESH Janmabhoomi (Motherland) is a people- cantered development process launched in January 1997 by the State Government of Andhra Pradesh. This process has evolved out of the experience gained through the implementation of Prajala Vaddaku Paalana (taking administration to the door steps of the people) launched in November 1995 and Sramadanam (contribution of labour) launched in January, 1996. It aims at establishing an ideal society, which embodies and cherishes the principles of people's participation, equality, transparency and accountability leading to sustained economic development and excellence in all walks of life. The goal is, an enhanced quality of life for every man, woman and child in the State. The process aims to ensure people’s participation, making government institutions accountable to the people, and responsive to felt needs. It also aims at equity, equality, transparency, innovation and sustainability, leading to sustained economic development and excellence in all walks of life. The programme has several components, Pollution control, Women welfare, Farmers, Water harvesting, Supply of subsidized gas connections to the economically backward, Education, and Schemes for the handicapped. KERALA The legislation for Panchayati Raj system was followed by establishment of the State Planning Board (SPB), which was designated as the implementing agency for the programme. To create greater awareness of the initiative, the Board launched a People’s Campaign for Decentralized Planning. A People’s Plan Cell was specially created in the SPB to monitor the decentralization process and to create awareness among people about their rights under Panchayati Raj. The State Government recognised that information access is the key to making the right plans, therefore they started providing data and using information technology tools. The State Planning Board also serves as a forum for the state’s policy planners and economists to discuss and organize large-scale training and policy development programmes. The guiding principle of these reforms is that action must be taken at the level where it matters, and not at any higher level. This would help to ensure greater community participation. The People’s Campaign for Decentralized Planning played a crucial role in capacity – building institutions and individuals for implementing decentralized planning. Its programmes aimed to empower elected local bodies, and garner support and advice from experts, officials and volunteers. It helped Panchayats to put in place the first proposals and projects for implementation. Recognizing that knowledge about local resources is important for all planning exercises, SPB facilitated surveys and seminars to document both natural and human resources, thereby providing the baseline data for future planning for all panchayats. It is estimated that more than 100,000 volunteers helped in mobilizing people, and around 2.5 million people attended the various local body meetings. Besides ensuring people’s participation in decision-making, the other significant component in making decentralization a reality is the provision of adequate finances to support these programmes at the grass root level. About 40 per cent of the state’s outlay in the Ninth Five Year Plan for projects and programmes was allotted to local bodies, as against 9 per cent in earlier plans. Local body plans now form a major part of the total state plans. More than 65 per cent of agriculture-related issues have been transferred to Panchayats. This has helped focus on the real needs of the villages. Earlier, the state was spending only 5 per cent of its budget on agriculture. Now Panchayats are spending more than 10 per cent on agriculture.
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##Question:Discuss the extent of success of the 72nd and 73rd amendment act in achieving its objectives in different states of the country.##Answer:The 73 rd constitutional Amendment have created space for women in political participation and decision making at the grass root level by providing that 1/3 rd of the seats are reserved in all over the country. 73 rd constitutional amendment Act, 1992 says- It provides reservations for women in PRIs set up in two ways; for the office of the members and for that of the chairpersons. As per the clause (2) and (3) of Article 243(d), not less than one third of the seats meant for direct election of members at each tier of the Panchayats are to be reserved for the women. Social audit - formation of an FPS Committee by each Gram Panchayat The Gram Panchayats should be encouraged to form a FPS Committee which should include the Members of the existing Vigilance Committees for the Fair Price Shops of the area under its jurisdiction as also the representatives of the TPDS groups, women and SC/ST/OBC panchayat members to keep a watch on the functioning of the FPS. They should be given the right to inspect the records of the FPSs, the periodicity of which should be prescribed by the State Governments. The Committee should be required to report their findings to the Gram Sabha. They should also endorse a copy of the report to the prescribed civil supplies authority for action wherever required. Those states where properly constituted Gram Panchayats are not in position for some reason, the State Governments should evolve an alternative mechanism to discharge the aforesaid responsibilities of Gram Panchayats. The existing Vigilance Committees could be one such machinery. Involvement of the Gram Sabha in the running of the FPS The Government of India has already written to the States that Gram Sabhas should be convened four times in a year on January 26th ( Republic Day ), May 1st ( Labour Day ), August 15th ( Independence Day ) and October 2nd ( Gandhi Jayanti ). It is expected that the State Governments would have also prescribed the venue and time (publicized in advance) for these meetings because lack of information or insufficient information on these vital items is often made use of by the unscrupulous Gram Panchayat functionaries in preventing the larger body of Gram Sabha from attending its meetings. The extraneous considerations may be the motive in changing of the venue and time at the last moment thereby defeating the very purpose of transparency with regard to the Gram Sabha meetings. The report of the Gram Panchayat Committee on the functioning of the FPS of the area should be compulsory item on the agenda of the Gram Sabha to which the FPS owners should also be invited. Their presence in fact should be insisted upon. If the Gram Sabha does not find the functioning of the FPS satisfactory, a report to that effect shall be made to Government functionary prescribed by the State Government. This shall be done within one week of the Gram Sabha meeting. Duty of the Prescribed Authority on receipt of the report of Gram Sabha about the FPS functioning The prescribed authority on receiving a report from the Gram Sabha about the unsatisfactory functioning of the FPS and the details thereof shall conduct and complete the enquiry in a time bound manner as prescribed by the State Government. If the charges preferred by the Gram Sabha are found to contain substance, the licence of the FPS shall be suspended forthwith and he will be dealt with in accordance with the provisions of the law, again within a stipulated time frame to be prescribed by the State Government. Alternative arrangements regarding running of the suspended/cancelled FPS shall be made by the prescribed authority in accordance with the prescribed procedure for the purpose. Some Cases Studies ANDHRA PRADESH Janmabhoomi (Motherland) is a people- cantered development process launched in January 1997 by the State Government of Andhra Pradesh. This process has evolved out of the experience gained through the implementation of Prajala Vaddaku Paalana (taking administration to the door steps of the people) launched in November 1995 and Sramadanam (contribution of labour) launched in January, 1996. It aims at establishing an ideal society, which embodies and cherishes the principles of people's participation, equality, transparency and accountability leading to sustained economic development and excellence in all walks of life. The goal is, an enhanced quality of life for every man, woman and child in the State. The process aims to ensure people’s participation, making government institutions accountable to the people, and responsive to felt needs. It also aims at equity, equality, transparency, innovation and sustainability, leading to sustained economic development and excellence in all walks of life. The programme has several components, Pollution control, Women welfare, Farmers, Water harvesting, Supply of subsidized gas connections to the economically backward, Education, and Schemes for the handicapped. KERALA The legislation for Panchayati Raj system was followed by establishment of the State Planning Board (SPB), which was designated as the implementing agency for the programme. To create greater awareness of the initiative, the Board launched a People’s Campaign for Decentralized Planning. A People’s Plan Cell was specially created in the SPB to monitor the decentralization process and to create awareness among people about their rights under Panchayati Raj. The State Government recognised that information access is the key to making the right plans, therefore they started providing data and using information technology tools. The State Planning Board also serves as a forum for the state’s policy planners and economists to discuss and organize large-scale training and policy development programmes. The guiding principle of these reforms is that action must be taken at the level where it matters, and not at any higher level. This would help to ensure greater community participation. The People’s Campaign for Decentralized Planning played a crucial role in capacity – building institutions and individuals for implementing decentralized planning. Its programmes aimed to empower elected local bodies, and garner support and advice from experts, officials and volunteers. It helped Panchayats to put in place the first proposals and projects for implementation. Recognizing that knowledge about local resources is important for all planning exercises, SPB facilitated surveys and seminars to document both natural and human resources, thereby providing the baseline data for future planning for all panchayats. It is estimated that more than 100,000 volunteers helped in mobilizing people, and around 2.5 million people attended the various local body meetings. Besides ensuring people’s participation in decision-making, the other significant component in making decentralization a reality is the provision of adequate finances to support these programmes at the grass root level. About 40 per cent of the state’s outlay in the Ninth Five Year Plan for projects and programmes was allotted to local bodies, as against 9 per cent in earlier plans. Local body plans now form a major part of the total state plans. More than 65 per cent of agriculture-related issues have been transferred to Panchayats. This has helped focus on the real needs of the villages. Earlier, the state was spending only 5 per cent of its budget on agriculture. Now Panchayats are spending more than 10 per cent on agriculture.
| 606
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The policy of privatisation of power sector in various states has not reaped desired results in raising efficiency in generation, distribution and transmission of electricity. Evaluate
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##Question: The policy of privatisation of power sector in various states has not reaped desired results in raising efficiency in generation, distribution and transmission of electricity. Evaluate##Answer:
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Enlist demerits of parliamentary system
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Demerits of Parliamentary system: 1. Government by Amateurs: The Parliamentary government lacks competence and effectiveness, because the ministers are mostly amateurs. As the ministers have to be appointed from among the members of the legislature, the scope for appointing talented and competent people as ministers is limited. Many times, important considerations in appointing ministers are not skill, competence and talent but caste, religion, community faction and influence in the party. 2. Failure to Take Prompt Decision: As the Council of Ministers does not enjoy a fixed tenure, it is not able to adopt any bold, long-term policy. The problem is compounded I in a coalition government which is often unstable. The coalition partners tend to fight among themselves. As a result, they fail to adopt any bold policy. According to Dicey, I government fails to take prompt, bold and effective steps during a crisis or a war. The Prime Minister takes time to persuade his colleagues in the Cabinet to take a decision. Similarly, it is not easy for the government to persuade the legislature to take a prompt decision to manage a crisis. This stands on the way of taking quick decision even in I emergency situation. 3. Cabinet Dictatorship: The Council of Ministers, with the support of the majority in the lower house of the legislature, tends to be authoritarian and irresponsible. Being assured of the support of the majority, it does not care for the feelings and views of opposition. It has also little respect for the legislature as the majority is bound to supp the government. Thus, the Cabinet Government is reduced to party government, and parliamentary democracy is turned into Cabinet Dictatorship. Lord Herbert is, to so extant, right in criticizing the Cabinet system as 'the New Despotism'. 4. Partisanship: In a Parliamentary system, political parties are guided morel partisan motives than by national or people's interests. The ruling party and the opposition I pee each other as enemies. While the ruling party seldom sees any merit in the criticism the opposition, the opposition often opposes the government for the sake of opposition. 5. Weak Separation of Powers: In this system, the principle of separation of powers is violated. As the ministers are the members of the ruling party or coalition, they dominate policy-making though, in principle, policy-making is the domain of the legislature. 6. Control by Bureaucracy: While the Cabinet is powerful, more powerful is the bureaucracy. The ministers, being mostly amateurs, depend upon civil servants for expert advice and guidance. The civil servants exercise real powers in the name of minister. They do not come out to the front. They are not accountable to the legislature. It is the ministers who are held responsible for the decisions taken by civil servants in the name of ministers. This leads to irresponsibility and redtapism. Ramsay Muir has aptly observed, "Bureaucracy thrives upon the cloak of ministerial responsibility." Conclusion- The Parliamentary form of government, no doubt, has certain lacunae. In particular, it is handicapped by immense partisanship, lack of expertise, and difficulty in taking prompt decisions during crises, but its main merit is accountability.
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##Question:Enlist demerits of parliamentary system##Answer:Demerits of Parliamentary system: 1. Government by Amateurs: The Parliamentary government lacks competence and effectiveness, because the ministers are mostly amateurs. As the ministers have to be appointed from among the members of the legislature, the scope for appointing talented and competent people as ministers is limited. Many times, important considerations in appointing ministers are not skill, competence and talent but caste, religion, community faction and influence in the party. 2. Failure to Take Prompt Decision: As the Council of Ministers does not enjoy a fixed tenure, it is not able to adopt any bold, long-term policy. The problem is compounded I in a coalition government which is often unstable. The coalition partners tend to fight among themselves. As a result, they fail to adopt any bold policy. According to Dicey, I government fails to take prompt, bold and effective steps during a crisis or a war. The Prime Minister takes time to persuade his colleagues in the Cabinet to take a decision. Similarly, it is not easy for the government to persuade the legislature to take a prompt decision to manage a crisis. This stands on the way of taking quick decision even in I emergency situation. 3. Cabinet Dictatorship: The Council of Ministers, with the support of the majority in the lower house of the legislature, tends to be authoritarian and irresponsible. Being assured of the support of the majority, it does not care for the feelings and views of opposition. It has also little respect for the legislature as the majority is bound to supp the government. Thus, the Cabinet Government is reduced to party government, and parliamentary democracy is turned into Cabinet Dictatorship. Lord Herbert is, to so extant, right in criticizing the Cabinet system as 'the New Despotism'. 4. Partisanship: In a Parliamentary system, political parties are guided morel partisan motives than by national or people's interests. The ruling party and the opposition I pee each other as enemies. While the ruling party seldom sees any merit in the criticism the opposition, the opposition often opposes the government for the sake of opposition. 5. Weak Separation of Powers: In this system, the principle of separation of powers is violated. As the ministers are the members of the ruling party or coalition, they dominate policy-making though, in principle, policy-making is the domain of the legislature. 6. Control by Bureaucracy: While the Cabinet is powerful, more powerful is the bureaucracy. The ministers, being mostly amateurs, depend upon civil servants for expert advice and guidance. The civil servants exercise real powers in the name of minister. They do not come out to the front. They are not accountable to the legislature. It is the ministers who are held responsible for the decisions taken by civil servants in the name of ministers. This leads to irresponsibility and redtapism. Ramsay Muir has aptly observed, "Bureaucracy thrives upon the cloak of ministerial responsibility." Conclusion- The Parliamentary form of government, no doubt, has certain lacunae. In particular, it is handicapped by immense partisanship, lack of expertise, and difficulty in taking prompt decisions during crises, but its main merit is accountability.
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Verghese Kurien
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Dr Verghese Kurien, father of the “White Revolution”, died early today at the Muljibhai Patel Urological Hospital in neighbouring Nadiad after a brief illness. Founder chairman of the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB), Kurien led ‘Operation Flood’ to make India the biggest milk producing nation in the world, besides making Amul dairy a household name.
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##Question:Verghese Kurien##Answer:Dr Verghese Kurien, father of the “White Revolution”, died early today at the Muljibhai Patel Urological Hospital in neighbouring Nadiad after a brief illness. Founder chairman of the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB), Kurien led ‘Operation Flood’ to make India the biggest milk producing nation in the world, besides making Amul dairy a household name.
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What is meant by ‘Sine-die’ adjournment.
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Sine die is Latin word means 'without the day'. So an adjournment sine die means that the legislature proceedings will be adjourned without a date being set for them to be resumed.
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##Question:What is meant by ‘Sine-die’ adjournment.##Answer:Sine die is Latin word means 'without the day'. So an adjournment sine die means that the legislature proceedings will be adjourned without a date being set for them to be resumed.
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What is meant by ‘double jeopardy’?
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A partial protection against double jeopardy is aFundamental Rightguaranteed under Article 20 (2) of theConstitution of India. This states that ""No person shall be prosecuted and punished for the same offence more than once".This provision enshrines the concept of autrefois convict , that no one convicted of an offence can be tried or punished a second time. However it does not extend to autrefois acquit , and so if a person is acquitted of a crime he can be retried. In India, protection against autrefois acquit is a statutory right, not a fundamental right. Such protection is provided by provisions of the Code of Criminal Procedure rather than by the Constitution.
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##Question:What is meant by ‘double jeopardy’?##Answer:A partial protection against double jeopardy is aFundamental Rightguaranteed under Article 20 (2) of theConstitution of India. This states that ""No person shall be prosecuted and punished for the same offence more than once".This provision enshrines the concept of autrefois convict , that no one convicted of an offence can be tried or punished a second time. However it does not extend to autrefois acquit , and so if a person is acquitted of a crime he can be retried. In India, protection against autrefois acquit is a statutory right, not a fundamental right. Such protection is provided by provisions of the Code of Criminal Procedure rather than by the Constitution.
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What is the difference between Council of Ministers and Cabinet?
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The Council of Ministers is a bigger body which includes all categories of Ministers- cabinet minister, the Ministers of the State, and deputy minister. The Cabinet is a smaller body which consists of a few important senior ministers who are in charge of separate departments. The Cabinet is described as “a wheel within a wheel”. It is the nucleus of the Council of Ministers. The Cabinet Ministers are the senior most members of the Council of Ministers. It is left for the Prime Minister to decide who should be included in the Cabinet. The Cabinet is usually a smaller body consisting of nearly 10 to 20 persons. The Ministers of the State are not members of the Cabinet and they do not attend the Cabinet meetings. In special circumstances they may be requested to be present in the Cabinet meeting and express their views. The Cabinet holds the most important position in the Union Government. It exercises all powers on behalf of the Council of Ministers. The policy decisions are taken in the Cabinet. The Cabinet also prepaid legislative programmes for the Parliament. It serves as a ordinating body among the various departments of the Central Government. Thus the Cabinet is the most powerful body in a parliamentary form of Government. “In the words of M.V. Pylee “the Cabinet the formulator of national policies the highest appointing authority, the arbiter of inter-departmental disputes and the supreme organ of co-ordination in the Government”. The Cabinet, in fact, performs its varied functions through some committees. These committees are of either permanent nature like Standing Committees or they may be ad-hoc committees appointed from time to time to deal with new problems of importance. Sometimes the Cabinet has committees like Foreign Affairs Committee, Defence Committee Economic Affairs Committee etc. These Committees are usually composed of some eminent members of the Cabinet and are headed by the Prime Minister. We shall examine functions of the Cabinet and Council of Ministers below.
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##Question:What is the difference between Council of Ministers and Cabinet?##Answer:The Council of Ministers is a bigger body which includes all categories of Ministers- cabinet minister, the Ministers of the State, and deputy minister. The Cabinet is a smaller body which consists of a few important senior ministers who are in charge of separate departments. The Cabinet is described as “a wheel within a wheel”. It is the nucleus of the Council of Ministers. The Cabinet Ministers are the senior most members of the Council of Ministers. It is left for the Prime Minister to decide who should be included in the Cabinet. The Cabinet is usually a smaller body consisting of nearly 10 to 20 persons. The Ministers of the State are not members of the Cabinet and they do not attend the Cabinet meetings. In special circumstances they may be requested to be present in the Cabinet meeting and express their views. The Cabinet holds the most important position in the Union Government. It exercises all powers on behalf of the Council of Ministers. The policy decisions are taken in the Cabinet. The Cabinet also prepaid legislative programmes for the Parliament. It serves as a ordinating body among the various departments of the Central Government. Thus the Cabinet is the most powerful body in a parliamentary form of Government. “In the words of M.V. Pylee “the Cabinet the formulator of national policies the highest appointing authority, the arbiter of inter-departmental disputes and the supreme organ of co-ordination in the Government”. The Cabinet, in fact, performs its varied functions through some committees. These committees are of either permanent nature like Standing Committees or they may be ad-hoc committees appointed from time to time to deal with new problems of importance. Sometimes the Cabinet has committees like Foreign Affairs Committee, Defence Committee Economic Affairs Committee etc. These Committees are usually composed of some eminent members of the Cabinet and are headed by the Prime Minister. We shall examine functions of the Cabinet and Council of Ministers below.
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"The Directive Principles of State policy are the life giving provisions of the constitution" Explain
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The Directives are the life giving provisions of the Constitution. They constitute the stuff of the Constitution and its philosophy of social justice.They lay down the basic philosophy or ideal of democratic socialism. Taken together they inscribe the objectives of a modern welfare state as distinguished from a merely regulatory or negative state. The Directive Principles are like the Instruments of Instructions which were issued to the Governor General and the Governors of colonies and to those of India by the British Government under the 1935 Government of India Act. What is called ‘Directive Principles’ is merely another name for the Instrument of Instructions. The only difference is that they are instructions to the legislature and executive. The Directive Principles of State Policy embodied in Part IV (articles 36-51) are a unique feature of our Constitution. They are a unique blend of Socialism, Gandhism, Western Liberalism and the ideals of the Indian freedom movement. They are in the nature of directions or instructions to the state. Besides the precedent of the Irish Constitution, the basic inspiration for the DPSP came from the concept of a ‘Welfare State’ . The DPSP was aptly described by Dr. Ambedkar as a ‘novel feature’ of the Constitution of India. These Directive Principles are in the nature of general directions or instructions to the state. They embody the objectives and ideals which Union and State Governments must bear in mind while formulating policy and making laws. “They are manifesto of aims and aspirations.” It shall be the duty of the state to follow these principles both in the matter of administration as well as in the making of laws. They embody the object of the state under the republican constitution, namely, that is to be a ‘Welfare State’ and not a mere ‘Police State.’ Most of these Directives, aim at the establishment of the economic and social democracy which is pledged for in the Preamble. If the fundamental rights of the citizens declared in chapter III of the Constitution lay the foundations of political democracy in India, the Directive Principles spell out the norms of social and economic democracy in the country. They guide the path which will lead the people of India to achieve the noble ideals which the Preamble of the Constitution proclaims: Justice- social, economic and political; Liberty- Equality and Fraternity. Directive Principles of State Policy are “not legally enforceable by any court and the state cannot be compelled through the courts to implement them. Nevertheless, the constitution declares that they are fundamental in the governance of the country and that it shall be the duty of the state to apply these principles in making laws. § These principles are directive to the various governments and government agencies to be followed as fundamental in the governance of the country. § It shall be the duty of the state to apply these principles in making laws. § Thus, they place an ideal before the legislators of India while they frame new legislation for the country’s administration. § They lay down a code of conduct for the administrators of India while they discharge their responsibilities as agents of the sovereign power of the nation. On the basis of their nature DPSP can be classified into three classes: § Socialist/Welfare Principles § Gandhian Principles § Liberal-Intellectual Principles Socialist/Welfare Principles · Article 38 : To secure a social order for the promotion of welfare of the people. · Article 39 : The State shall, in particular, directs its policy towards securing- §The citizen, men, and women equally, have the right to an adequate means of livelihood; §The ownership and control of the material resources of the community are so distributed as best to subserve the common good; §The operation of the economic system does not result in the concentration of wealth and means of production to the common detriment; §There is equal pay for equal work for both men and women; §The health and strength of workers, men and women and tender age of children are not abused and that citizens are not forced by economic necessity to enter avocations unsuited to their age or strength. §The protection of children and youth against the exploitation. · Article 41 : Right to work, to education and to public assistance in certain cases. · Article 42 : Provision for just and humane conditions of work and maternity relief. · Article 43 : Living wages and proper conditions of work to all the workers. Gandhian Principles · Article 40: Organization of village panchayats. · Article 46: Promotion of education and economic interests of SC’s, ST’s and other weaker sections. · Article 47: Duty of the state to raise the level of nutrition and the standards of living and to improve public health by prohibiting the consumption of intoxicating drinks which are injurious to health. · Article 48: Organization of agriculture and animal husbandry on scientific lines · Article 49: Protection of monuments and places and objects of national importance. Liberal- Intellectual Principles · Article 46: Uniform civil code for the citizens “45. The State shall endeavour to provide early childhood care and education for all children until they complete the age of six years. · Article 50: Separation of Judiciary from executive. · Article 51: Promotion of international peace and security. DPSP added by Amendments Article added by 42 nd Amendments are · Article 39A: Equal justice and free legal aid to the poor · Article 43A: Participation of workers in management of industries · Article 48: Protection and improvement of environment and safeguarding of forests and Wildlife. · Article 39: Creation of opportunities for development of children. · Article 31-C: Inserted into the DPSP by the 25 th Amendment Act of 1971 seeks to upgrade the DPSPs. If laws are made to give effect to the Directive Principles over Fundamental Rights, they shall not be invalid on the grounds they take away the fundamental rights.
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##Question:"The Directive Principles of State policy are the life giving provisions of the constitution" Explain##Answer:The Directives are the life giving provisions of the Constitution. They constitute the stuff of the Constitution and its philosophy of social justice.They lay down the basic philosophy or ideal of democratic socialism. Taken together they inscribe the objectives of a modern welfare state as distinguished from a merely regulatory or negative state. The Directive Principles are like the Instruments of Instructions which were issued to the Governor General and the Governors of colonies and to those of India by the British Government under the 1935 Government of India Act. What is called ‘Directive Principles’ is merely another name for the Instrument of Instructions. The only difference is that they are instructions to the legislature and executive. The Directive Principles of State Policy embodied in Part IV (articles 36-51) are a unique feature of our Constitution. They are a unique blend of Socialism, Gandhism, Western Liberalism and the ideals of the Indian freedom movement. They are in the nature of directions or instructions to the state. Besides the precedent of the Irish Constitution, the basic inspiration for the DPSP came from the concept of a ‘Welfare State’ . The DPSP was aptly described by Dr. Ambedkar as a ‘novel feature’ of the Constitution of India. These Directive Principles are in the nature of general directions or instructions to the state. They embody the objectives and ideals which Union and State Governments must bear in mind while formulating policy and making laws. “They are manifesto of aims and aspirations.” It shall be the duty of the state to follow these principles both in the matter of administration as well as in the making of laws. They embody the object of the state under the republican constitution, namely, that is to be a ‘Welfare State’ and not a mere ‘Police State.’ Most of these Directives, aim at the establishment of the economic and social democracy which is pledged for in the Preamble. If the fundamental rights of the citizens declared in chapter III of the Constitution lay the foundations of political democracy in India, the Directive Principles spell out the norms of social and economic democracy in the country. They guide the path which will lead the people of India to achieve the noble ideals which the Preamble of the Constitution proclaims: Justice- social, economic and political; Liberty- Equality and Fraternity. Directive Principles of State Policy are “not legally enforceable by any court and the state cannot be compelled through the courts to implement them. Nevertheless, the constitution declares that they are fundamental in the governance of the country and that it shall be the duty of the state to apply these principles in making laws. § These principles are directive to the various governments and government agencies to be followed as fundamental in the governance of the country. § It shall be the duty of the state to apply these principles in making laws. § Thus, they place an ideal before the legislators of India while they frame new legislation for the country’s administration. § They lay down a code of conduct for the administrators of India while they discharge their responsibilities as agents of the sovereign power of the nation. On the basis of their nature DPSP can be classified into three classes: § Socialist/Welfare Principles § Gandhian Principles § Liberal-Intellectual Principles Socialist/Welfare Principles · Article 38 : To secure a social order for the promotion of welfare of the people. · Article 39 : The State shall, in particular, directs its policy towards securing- §The citizen, men, and women equally, have the right to an adequate means of livelihood; §The ownership and control of the material resources of the community are so distributed as best to subserve the common good; §The operation of the economic system does not result in the concentration of wealth and means of production to the common detriment; §There is equal pay for equal work for both men and women; §The health and strength of workers, men and women and tender age of children are not abused and that citizens are not forced by economic necessity to enter avocations unsuited to their age or strength. §The protection of children and youth against the exploitation. · Article 41 : Right to work, to education and to public assistance in certain cases. · Article 42 : Provision for just and humane conditions of work and maternity relief. · Article 43 : Living wages and proper conditions of work to all the workers. Gandhian Principles · Article 40: Organization of village panchayats. · Article 46: Promotion of education and economic interests of SC’s, ST’s and other weaker sections. · Article 47: Duty of the state to raise the level of nutrition and the standards of living and to improve public health by prohibiting the consumption of intoxicating drinks which are injurious to health. · Article 48: Organization of agriculture and animal husbandry on scientific lines · Article 49: Protection of monuments and places and objects of national importance. Liberal- Intellectual Principles · Article 46: Uniform civil code for the citizens “45. The State shall endeavour to provide early childhood care and education for all children until they complete the age of six years. · Article 50: Separation of Judiciary from executive. · Article 51: Promotion of international peace and security. DPSP added by Amendments Article added by 42 nd Amendments are · Article 39A: Equal justice and free legal aid to the poor · Article 43A: Participation of workers in management of industries · Article 48: Protection and improvement of environment and safeguarding of forests and Wildlife. · Article 39: Creation of opportunities for development of children. · Article 31-C: Inserted into the DPSP by the 25 th Amendment Act of 1971 seeks to upgrade the DPSPs. If laws are made to give effect to the Directive Principles over Fundamental Rights, they shall not be invalid on the grounds they take away the fundamental rights.
| 617
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How would you distinguish between preventive detention and punitive detention?
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Preventive detention and punitive detention: There is a vital distinction between “preventive detention” and “punitive detention”. The essential concept of preventive detention is that the detention of a person is not to punish him for something he has done but to prevent him from doing it. The basis of detention is the satisfaction of the executive of a reasonable probability of the likelihood of the detenu acting in a manner similar to his past acts and preventing him by detention from doing the same. Preventive detention invariably runs from the date specified in the detention order. In the case of punitive detention, no date is ordinarily specified from which the detention will commence, and all that is mentioned is the period of detention. In case of preventive detention the detaining authority applies its subjective judgement to the material before it and determines what should be the period for which the detenu should be detained, that is to say, the period during which he should be denied his liberty in order to prevent him from engaging in mischief. The Supreme court Verdict: In a major judgement, the Supreme Court has ruled that preventive detention of a known smuggler cannot be termed to be punitive in nature and the period of such detention could not be discounted from an imprisonment sentence awarded to him after conviction in a smuggling case. A Bench comprising Justice Shivaraj V Patil and Justice Arijit Pasayat said "detention under the preventive detention laws is not punitive but essentially a precautionary measure intended to prevent and intercept a person before he commits an infra-active act which he had done earlier." This ruling came on a petition filed by one Maliyakkal Abdul Azeez who claimed that he was entitled to set off as provided under Section 428 of the Criminal Procedure Code for the period of preventive detention under the Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities Act (Cofeposa) since the detention was quashed by the Delhi High Court. Quoting the famous 1917 case titled Rex Vs Halliday, the Bench said Preventive detention "is not punitive but precautionary measure." The Bench said "The object is not to punish a man for having done something but to intercept him before he does it and to prevent him from doing it."
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##Question:How would you distinguish between preventive detention and punitive detention? ##Answer:Preventive detention and punitive detention: There is a vital distinction between “preventive detention” and “punitive detention”. The essential concept of preventive detention is that the detention of a person is not to punish him for something he has done but to prevent him from doing it. The basis of detention is the satisfaction of the executive of a reasonable probability of the likelihood of the detenu acting in a manner similar to his past acts and preventing him by detention from doing the same. Preventive detention invariably runs from the date specified in the detention order. In the case of punitive detention, no date is ordinarily specified from which the detention will commence, and all that is mentioned is the period of detention. In case of preventive detention the detaining authority applies its subjective judgement to the material before it and determines what should be the period for which the detenu should be detained, that is to say, the period during which he should be denied his liberty in order to prevent him from engaging in mischief. The Supreme court Verdict: In a major judgement, the Supreme Court has ruled that preventive detention of a known smuggler cannot be termed to be punitive in nature and the period of such detention could not be discounted from an imprisonment sentence awarded to him after conviction in a smuggling case. A Bench comprising Justice Shivaraj V Patil and Justice Arijit Pasayat said "detention under the preventive detention laws is not punitive but essentially a precautionary measure intended to prevent and intercept a person before he commits an infra-active act which he had done earlier." This ruling came on a petition filed by one Maliyakkal Abdul Azeez who claimed that he was entitled to set off as provided under Section 428 of the Criminal Procedure Code for the period of preventive detention under the Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities Act (Cofeposa) since the detention was quashed by the Delhi High Court. Quoting the famous 1917 case titled Rex Vs Halliday, the Bench said Preventive detention "is not punitive but precautionary measure." The Bench said "The object is not to punish a man for having done something but to intercept him before he does it and to prevent him from doing it."
| 618
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In what ways can the President of India ascertain the views of the Supreme Court on a particular bill?
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The Constitution (Article 143) authorises the President to seek the opinion of the Supreme Court in the two categories of matters: (1) If at any time, it appears to the President that a question of law or fact has arisen, or is likely to arise, which is of such a nature and of such public importance that it is expedient to obtain the opinion of the Supreme Court upon it, he may refer the question to that Court for consideration and the Court may, after such hearing as it thinks fit, report to the President its opinion thereon. (2) on any dispute arising out of any preconstitutional treaty, agreement, covenant, engagement, sanad or other similar instruments.
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##Question:In what ways can the President of India ascertain the views of the Supreme Court on a particular bill?##Answer:The Constitution (Article 143) authorises the President to seek the opinion of the Supreme Court in the two categories of matters: (1) If at any time, it appears to the President that a question of law or fact has arisen, or is likely to arise, which is of such a nature and of such public importance that it is expedient to obtain the opinion of the Supreme Court upon it, he may refer the question to that Court for consideration and the Court may, after such hearing as it thinks fit, report to the President its opinion thereon. (2) on any dispute arising out of any preconstitutional treaty, agreement, covenant, engagement, sanad or other similar instruments.
| 619
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What is the common point between Articles 14 and 226 of the Indian Constitution?
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Arbitrriness Redressal of arbitrariness of state action in any form.
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##Question:What is the common point between Articles 14 and 226 of the Indian Constitution?##Answer:Arbitrriness Redressal of arbitrariness of state action in any form.
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Discuss the effects of National emergency on Centre-State relations.
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According to Article 352(1) , if the President is satisfied that a grave emergency exists, whereby the security of India or of any part of the territory thereof is threatened, whether by war or external aggression or armed rebellion, he may, by Proclamation, declare National Emergency to that effect in respect of the whole of India or of such part of the territory thereof as may be specified in the Proclamation. While a proclamation of Emergency is in force, the normal fabric of the Centre-State relations undergoes a basic change. This can be viewed under three heads viz, executive, legislative and financial. Executive: During a national eemergency, the executive power of the centre extends to directing any state regarding the manner in which its executive power is to be exercised. In normal times, the centre can give executive directions to a state only on certain specified matters. however, during a national emergency, the centre becomes entitled to give executive directions to a state on any matter. thus the state governments are brought under the complete control of the centre, though they are not suspended. Legislative: During a national emergency, the parliament becomes empowered to make laws on any subject mentioned in the state list. although the legislative power of a state legislature is not suspended, it becomes subject to the overriding power of the parliament. thus the normal distribution of the legislative powers between the centre and states is suspended, though the state legislatures are not suspended. in brief, the constitution becomes unitary than federal. the laws made by parliament on the state subjects during a national emergency become inoperative six months after the emergency has ceased to operate. Notably, while a proclamation of national emergency is in operation, the president can issue ordinances on the state subjects also, if the parliament is not in session. Further, the parliament can confer powers and impose duties upon the centre or its officers and authorities in respect of matters outside the union list, in order to carry out the laws made by it under its extended jurisdiction as a result of the proclamation of a national emergency. The 42nd amendment act of 1976 provided that the two consequences mentioned above extends not only to a state where the emergency is in operation but also to any other state. 3. Financial: while a proclamation of national emergency is in operation, the President can modify the constitutional distribution of revenues between the centre and the states. this means that the president can either reduce or cancel the transfer of finances from centre to the states. such modification continues till the end of the financial year in which the emergency ceases to operate. Also, every such order of the president has to be laid before both the houses of the parliament.
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##Question:Discuss the effects of National emergency on Centre-State relations.##Answer:According to Article 352(1) , if the President is satisfied that a grave emergency exists, whereby the security of India or of any part of the territory thereof is threatened, whether by war or external aggression or armed rebellion, he may, by Proclamation, declare National Emergency to that effect in respect of the whole of India or of such part of the territory thereof as may be specified in the Proclamation. While a proclamation of Emergency is in force, the normal fabric of the Centre-State relations undergoes a basic change. This can be viewed under three heads viz, executive, legislative and financial. Executive: During a national eemergency, the executive power of the centre extends to directing any state regarding the manner in which its executive power is to be exercised. In normal times, the centre can give executive directions to a state only on certain specified matters. however, during a national emergency, the centre becomes entitled to give executive directions to a state on any matter. thus the state governments are brought under the complete control of the centre, though they are not suspended. Legislative: During a national emergency, the parliament becomes empowered to make laws on any subject mentioned in the state list. although the legislative power of a state legislature is not suspended, it becomes subject to the overriding power of the parliament. thus the normal distribution of the legislative powers between the centre and states is suspended, though the state legislatures are not suspended. in brief, the constitution becomes unitary than federal. the laws made by parliament on the state subjects during a national emergency become inoperative six months after the emergency has ceased to operate. Notably, while a proclamation of national emergency is in operation, the president can issue ordinances on the state subjects also, if the parliament is not in session. Further, the parliament can confer powers and impose duties upon the centre or its officers and authorities in respect of matters outside the union list, in order to carry out the laws made by it under its extended jurisdiction as a result of the proclamation of a national emergency. The 42nd amendment act of 1976 provided that the two consequences mentioned above extends not only to a state where the emergency is in operation but also to any other state. 3. Financial: while a proclamation of national emergency is in operation, the President can modify the constitutional distribution of revenues between the centre and the states. this means that the president can either reduce or cancel the transfer of finances from centre to the states. such modification continues till the end of the financial year in which the emergency ceases to operate. Also, every such order of the president has to be laid before both the houses of the parliament.
| 621
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The edifice of our constitution is based upon the basic elements mentioned in the preamble". Bring out the philosophy of the Indian polity as enshrined in the Preamble of the Indian Constitution
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m
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##Question:The edifice of our constitution is based upon the basic elements mentioned in the preamble". Bring out the philosophy of the Indian polity as enshrined in the Preamble of the Indian Constitution##Answer:m
| 662
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Discuss the extent of success of the 72nd and 73rd amendment act in achieving its objectives in different states of the country
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The 73 rd constitutional Amendment have created space for women in political participation and decision making at the grass root level by providing that 1/3 rd of the seats are reserved in all over the country. 73 rd constitutional amendment Act, 1992 says- It provides reservations for women in PRIs set up in two ways; for the office of the members and for that of the chairpersons. As per the clause (2) and (3) of Article 243(d), not less than one third of the seats meant for direct election of members at each tier of the Panchayats are to be reserved for the women. Social audit - formation of an FPS Committee by each Gram Panchayat The Gram Panchayats should be encouraged to form a FPS Committee which should include the Members of the existing Vigilance Committees for the Fair Price Shops of the area under its jurisdiction as also the representatives of the TPDS groups, women and SC/ST/OBC panchayat members to keep a watch on the functioning of the FPS. They should be given the right to inspect the records of the FPSs, the periodicity of which should be prescribed by the State Governments. The Committee should be required to report their findings to the Gram Sabha. They should also endorse a copy of the report to the prescribed civil supplies authority for action wherever required. Those states where properly constituted Gram Panchayats are not in position for some reason, the State Governments should evolve an alternative mechanism to discharge the aforesaid responsibilities of Gram Panchayats. The existing Vigilance Committees could be one such machinery. Involvement of the Gram Sabha in the running of the FPS The Government of India has already written to the States that Gram Sabhas should be convened four times in a year on January 26th ( Republic Day ), May 1st ( Labour Day ), August 15th ( Independence Day ) and October 2nd ( Gandhi Jayanti ). It is expected that the State Governments would have also prescribed the venue and time (publicized in advance) for these meetings because lack of information or insufficient information on these vital items is often made use of by the unscrupulous Gram Panchayat functionaries in preventing the larger body of Gram Sabha from attending its meetings. The extraneous considerations may be the motive in changing of the venue and time at the last moment thereby defeating the very purpose of transparency with regard to the Gram Sabha meetings. The report of the Gram Panchayat Committee on the functioning of the FPS of the area should be compulsory item on the agenda of the Gram Sabha to which the FPS owners should also be invited. Their presence in fact should be insisted upon. If the Gram Sabha does not find the functioning of the FPS satisfactory, a report to that effect shall be made to Government functionary prescribed by the State Government. This shall be done within one week of the Gram Sabha meeting. Duty of the Prescribed Authority on receipt of the report of Gram Sabha about the FPS functioning The prescribed authority on receiving a report from the Gram Sabha about the unsatisfactory functioning of the FPS and the details thereof shall conduct and complete the enquiry in a time bound manner as prescribed by the State Government. If the charges preferred by the Gram Sabha are found to contain substance, the licence of the FPS shall be suspended forthwith and he will be dealt with in accordance with the provisions of the law, again within a stipulated time frame to be prescribed by the State Government. Alternative arrangements regarding running of the suspended/cancelled FPS shall be made by the prescribed authority in accordance with the prescribed procedure for the purpose. Some Cases Studies ANDHRA PRADESH Janmabhoomi (Motherland) is a people- cantered development process launched in January 1997 by the State Government of Andhra Pradesh. This process has evolved out of the experience gained through the implementation of Prajala Vaddaku Paalana (taking administration to the door steps of the people) launched in November 1995 and Sramadanam (contribution of labour) launched in January, 1996. It aims at establishing an ideal society, which embodies and cherishes the principles of people's participation, equality, transparency and accountability leading to sustained economic development and excellence in all walks of life. The goal is, an enhanced quality of life for every man, woman and child in the State. The process aims to ensure people’s participation, making government institutions accountable to the people, and responsive to felt needs. It also aims at equity, equality, transparency, innovation and sustainability, leading to sustained economic development and excellence in all walks of life. The programme has several components, Pollution control, Women welfare, Farmers, Water harvesting, Supply of subsidized gas connections to the economically backward, Education, and Schemes for the handicapped. KERALA The legislation for Panchayati Raj system was followed by establishment of the State Planning Board (SPB), which was designated as the implementing agency for the programme. To create greater awareness of the initiative, the Board launched a People’s Campaign for Decentralized Planning. A People’s Plan Cell was specially created in the SPB to monitor the decentralization process and to create awareness among people about their rights under Panchayati Raj. The State Government recognised that information access is the key to making the right plans, therefore they started providing data and using information technology tools. The State Planning Board also serves as a forum for the state’s policy planners and economists to discuss and organize large-scale training and policy development programmes. The guiding principle of these reforms is that action must be taken at the level where it matters, and not at any higher level. This would help to ensure greater community participation. The People’s Campaign for Decentralized Planning played a crucial role in capacity – building institutions and individuals for implementing decentralized planning. Its programmes aimed to empower elected local bodies, and garner support and advice from experts, officials and volunteers. It helped Panchayats to put in place the first proposals and projects for implementation. Recognizing that knowledge about local resources is important for all planning exercises, SPB facilitated surveys and seminars to document both natural and human resources, thereby providing the baseline data for future planning for all panchayats. It is estimated that more than 100,000 volunteers helped in mobilizing people, and around 2.5 million people attended the various local body meetings. Besides ensuring people’s participation in decision-making, the other significant component in making decentralization a reality is the provision of adequate finances to support these programmes at the grass root level. About 40 per cent of the state’s outlay in the Ninth Five Year Plan for projects and programmes was allotted to local bodies, as against 9 per cent in earlier plans. Local body plans now form a major part of the total state plans. More than 65 per cent of agriculture-related issues have been transferred to Panchayats. This has helped focus on the real needs of the villages. Earlier, the state was spending only 5 per cent of its budget on agriculture. Now Panchayats are spending more than 10 per cent on agriculture.
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##Question:Discuss the extent of success of the 72nd and 73rd amendment act in achieving its objectives in different states of the country##Answer:The 73 rd constitutional Amendment have created space for women in political participation and decision making at the grass root level by providing that 1/3 rd of the seats are reserved in all over the country. 73 rd constitutional amendment Act, 1992 says- It provides reservations for women in PRIs set up in two ways; for the office of the members and for that of the chairpersons. As per the clause (2) and (3) of Article 243(d), not less than one third of the seats meant for direct election of members at each tier of the Panchayats are to be reserved for the women. Social audit - formation of an FPS Committee by each Gram Panchayat The Gram Panchayats should be encouraged to form a FPS Committee which should include the Members of the existing Vigilance Committees for the Fair Price Shops of the area under its jurisdiction as also the representatives of the TPDS groups, women and SC/ST/OBC panchayat members to keep a watch on the functioning of the FPS. They should be given the right to inspect the records of the FPSs, the periodicity of which should be prescribed by the State Governments. The Committee should be required to report their findings to the Gram Sabha. They should also endorse a copy of the report to the prescribed civil supplies authority for action wherever required. Those states where properly constituted Gram Panchayats are not in position for some reason, the State Governments should evolve an alternative mechanism to discharge the aforesaid responsibilities of Gram Panchayats. The existing Vigilance Committees could be one such machinery. Involvement of the Gram Sabha in the running of the FPS The Government of India has already written to the States that Gram Sabhas should be convened four times in a year on January 26th ( Republic Day ), May 1st ( Labour Day ), August 15th ( Independence Day ) and October 2nd ( Gandhi Jayanti ). It is expected that the State Governments would have also prescribed the venue and time (publicized in advance) for these meetings because lack of information or insufficient information on these vital items is often made use of by the unscrupulous Gram Panchayat functionaries in preventing the larger body of Gram Sabha from attending its meetings. The extraneous considerations may be the motive in changing of the venue and time at the last moment thereby defeating the very purpose of transparency with regard to the Gram Sabha meetings. The report of the Gram Panchayat Committee on the functioning of the FPS of the area should be compulsory item on the agenda of the Gram Sabha to which the FPS owners should also be invited. Their presence in fact should be insisted upon. If the Gram Sabha does not find the functioning of the FPS satisfactory, a report to that effect shall be made to Government functionary prescribed by the State Government. This shall be done within one week of the Gram Sabha meeting. Duty of the Prescribed Authority on receipt of the report of Gram Sabha about the FPS functioning The prescribed authority on receiving a report from the Gram Sabha about the unsatisfactory functioning of the FPS and the details thereof shall conduct and complete the enquiry in a time bound manner as prescribed by the State Government. If the charges preferred by the Gram Sabha are found to contain substance, the licence of the FPS shall be suspended forthwith and he will be dealt with in accordance with the provisions of the law, again within a stipulated time frame to be prescribed by the State Government. Alternative arrangements regarding running of the suspended/cancelled FPS shall be made by the prescribed authority in accordance with the prescribed procedure for the purpose. Some Cases Studies ANDHRA PRADESH Janmabhoomi (Motherland) is a people- cantered development process launched in January 1997 by the State Government of Andhra Pradesh. This process has evolved out of the experience gained through the implementation of Prajala Vaddaku Paalana (taking administration to the door steps of the people) launched in November 1995 and Sramadanam (contribution of labour) launched in January, 1996. It aims at establishing an ideal society, which embodies and cherishes the principles of people's participation, equality, transparency and accountability leading to sustained economic development and excellence in all walks of life. The goal is, an enhanced quality of life for every man, woman and child in the State. The process aims to ensure people’s participation, making government institutions accountable to the people, and responsive to felt needs. It also aims at equity, equality, transparency, innovation and sustainability, leading to sustained economic development and excellence in all walks of life. The programme has several components, Pollution control, Women welfare, Farmers, Water harvesting, Supply of subsidized gas connections to the economically backward, Education, and Schemes for the handicapped. KERALA The legislation for Panchayati Raj system was followed by establishment of the State Planning Board (SPB), which was designated as the implementing agency for the programme. To create greater awareness of the initiative, the Board launched a People’s Campaign for Decentralized Planning. A People’s Plan Cell was specially created in the SPB to monitor the decentralization process and to create awareness among people about their rights under Panchayati Raj. The State Government recognised that information access is the key to making the right plans, therefore they started providing data and using information technology tools. The State Planning Board also serves as a forum for the state’s policy planners and economists to discuss and organize large-scale training and policy development programmes. The guiding principle of these reforms is that action must be taken at the level where it matters, and not at any higher level. This would help to ensure greater community participation. The People’s Campaign for Decentralized Planning played a crucial role in capacity – building institutions and individuals for implementing decentralized planning. Its programmes aimed to empower elected local bodies, and garner support and advice from experts, officials and volunteers. It helped Panchayats to put in place the first proposals and projects for implementation. Recognizing that knowledge about local resources is important for all planning exercises, SPB facilitated surveys and seminars to document both natural and human resources, thereby providing the baseline data for future planning for all panchayats. It is estimated that more than 100,000 volunteers helped in mobilizing people, and around 2.5 million people attended the various local body meetings. Besides ensuring people’s participation in decision-making, the other significant component in making decentralization a reality is the provision of adequate finances to support these programmes at the grass root level. About 40 per cent of the state’s outlay in the Ninth Five Year Plan for projects and programmes was allotted to local bodies, as against 9 per cent in earlier plans. Local body plans now form a major part of the total state plans. More than 65 per cent of agriculture-related issues have been transferred to Panchayats. This has helped focus on the real needs of the villages. Earlier, the state was spending only 5 per cent of its budget on agriculture. Now Panchayats are spending more than 10 per cent on agriculture.
| 663
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Discuss the implications of the lack of sanitation facilities in India. What are the steps taken by the GOI to redress this?
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As per Census, 2011, data, there are 126 districts in the country, each having more than 5000 insanitary latrines i.e where the night soil is: (i) disposed into open drains, (ii) serviced manually, or (iii) serviced by animals, spread over 16 States and the NCT of Delhi Total Sanitation Campaign was launched in 1999 to counter manual scavenging. The TSC is being implemented in districts of the States/UTs with support from the GOI and the respective State/UT Governments. TSC Principles ? Demand driven ? Community driven & people centered Campaign mode approach ? Focus on IEC ? Alternative delivery mechan ? isms (Rural Sanitation Marts/ Production Centres) ? Strong focus on school sanitation & hygiene promotion ? Involvement of co-operatives, women Groups, self help groups, Youth Clubs, NGOs, PRI etc. ? Cost sharing in construction of sanitation facilities The States/UTs draw up a TSC Project for the select districts to claim GOI assistance. A TSC Project is expected to take about 3-5 years for implementation. At the district level, Zilla Panchayats implement the project. In case, Zilla Panchayat is not functional, District Water and Sanitation Mission (DWSM) can implement the TSC. Similarly, at the block and the Panchayat levels, Panchayat Samitis and respective Gram Panchayats are involved in implementation of the TSC. Although the TSC was launched in 1999, the pace of progress has been gradual. Rural sanitation being a State subject, it is necessary that State Governments accord high priority to the programme. Though most States have included TSC in their programmes, financial allocations for sanitation often are not adequate due to lack of priority attached to the programme which often takes a back seat to water which is a more politically important area The states where high priority is attached, good results are coming. The second reason has been less emphasis on Capacity building and IEC ctivities with inadequate capacity building at the cutting edge level for implementing a demand driven project -giving emphasis on social mobilization and IEC. The implementation machinery at the field level, which is quite familiar with working of the supply driven, target oriented schemes of the government need to be sensitized further to the challenges of this demand driven approach. For this change of attitude and ways of functioning of the persons responsible for the implementation of the scheme is needed. Management of this change in approach requires more attention. Some of the other challenges are existence of state level high subsidy schemes in many states, provision of low cost and region specific technological options, Quality of construction, usage and operation and maintenance of the sanitation facilities and Convergence with various other departments at National, State, district and grassroots level. Government of India instituted the Nirmal Bharat Puraskar on October 2, 2003 to recognize, encourage and facilitate Panchayati Raj Institutions and those individuals and organizations that helped them to achieve total sanitation. A new scheme for conversion of insanitary latrines in urban areas is also being formulated. Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Mukul Wasnik announced this while addressing the recently held meetings on rehabilitation of manual scavengers. Wasnik called upon the states and urged them to prepare a time-bound action plan to ensure that the evils of insanitary latrines and manual scavenging are completely eliminated at the earliest. He emphasized on the rehabilitation of all manual scavengers and their dependents in alternative occupations.Wasnik impressed upon them to start taking action on elimination of insanitary latrines and rehabilitating manual scavengers after identifying them under the available programmatic interventions.
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##Question:Discuss the implications of the lack of sanitation facilities in India. What are the steps taken by the GOI to redress this?##Answer:As per Census, 2011, data, there are 126 districts in the country, each having more than 5000 insanitary latrines i.e where the night soil is: (i) disposed into open drains, (ii) serviced manually, or (iii) serviced by animals, spread over 16 States and the NCT of Delhi Total Sanitation Campaign was launched in 1999 to counter manual scavenging. The TSC is being implemented in districts of the States/UTs with support from the GOI and the respective State/UT Governments. TSC Principles ? Demand driven ? Community driven & people centered Campaign mode approach ? Focus on IEC ? Alternative delivery mechan ? isms (Rural Sanitation Marts/ Production Centres) ? Strong focus on school sanitation & hygiene promotion ? Involvement of co-operatives, women Groups, self help groups, Youth Clubs, NGOs, PRI etc. ? Cost sharing in construction of sanitation facilities The States/UTs draw up a TSC Project for the select districts to claim GOI assistance. A TSC Project is expected to take about 3-5 years for implementation. At the district level, Zilla Panchayats implement the project. In case, Zilla Panchayat is not functional, District Water and Sanitation Mission (DWSM) can implement the TSC. Similarly, at the block and the Panchayat levels, Panchayat Samitis and respective Gram Panchayats are involved in implementation of the TSC. Although the TSC was launched in 1999, the pace of progress has been gradual. Rural sanitation being a State subject, it is necessary that State Governments accord high priority to the programme. Though most States have included TSC in their programmes, financial allocations for sanitation often are not adequate due to lack of priority attached to the programme which often takes a back seat to water which is a more politically important area The states where high priority is attached, good results are coming. The second reason has been less emphasis on Capacity building and IEC ctivities with inadequate capacity building at the cutting edge level for implementing a demand driven project -giving emphasis on social mobilization and IEC. The implementation machinery at the field level, which is quite familiar with working of the supply driven, target oriented schemes of the government need to be sensitized further to the challenges of this demand driven approach. For this change of attitude and ways of functioning of the persons responsible for the implementation of the scheme is needed. Management of this change in approach requires more attention. Some of the other challenges are existence of state level high subsidy schemes in many states, provision of low cost and region specific technological options, Quality of construction, usage and operation and maintenance of the sanitation facilities and Convergence with various other departments at National, State, district and grassroots level. Government of India instituted the Nirmal Bharat Puraskar on October 2, 2003 to recognize, encourage and facilitate Panchayati Raj Institutions and those individuals and organizations that helped them to achieve total sanitation. A new scheme for conversion of insanitary latrines in urban areas is also being formulated. Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Mukul Wasnik announced this while addressing the recently held meetings on rehabilitation of manual scavengers. Wasnik called upon the states and urged them to prepare a time-bound action plan to ensure that the evils of insanitary latrines and manual scavenging are completely eliminated at the earliest. He emphasized on the rehabilitation of all manual scavengers and their dependents in alternative occupations.Wasnik impressed upon them to start taking action on elimination of insanitary latrines and rehabilitating manual scavengers after identifying them under the available programmatic interventions.
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Discuss the pertinence of Article 39(b) in today’s politico-economic scenario
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Article 39 (b) in The Constitution of India 1949 (b) that the ownership and control of the material resources of the community are so distributed as best to subserve the common good In today’s scenario following points need to be discussed: Inequality in the society Extent of Poverty Exploitation of Labor Comparison with other Societies like China Certain Laws which are exploitative – Criticism of Land Acquisition Bill Natural Resources Plight of farmers and their exploitation
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##Question:Discuss the pertinence of Article 39(b) in today’s politico-economic scenario##Answer:Article 39 (b) in The Constitution of India 1949 (b) that the ownership and control of the material resources of the community are so distributed as best to subserve the common good In today’s scenario following points need to be discussed: Inequality in the society Extent of Poverty Exploitation of Labor Comparison with other Societies like China Certain Laws which are exploitative – Criticism of Land Acquisition Bill Natural Resources Plight of farmers and their exploitation
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Comment on the success of the Biological Diversity Act, 2002 in fulfilling the objectives of the Convention on Biological Diversity
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India’s Biological Diversity (BD) Act was enacted in 2002. There is now a decade of its existence to reflect on. The genesis of the law can be traced to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), which was signed at the Rio Summit in 1992. While assessing the 10 years of the Act, one has to be mindful of how India itself has undergone change in these years. By the time the Act came into force, trade imperatives had begun to influence environmental law and policy-making both at the national and global level. The final shape of the Act and the manner of its implementation through the BD rules issued by the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) in 2004 reflect that bent. The “economic reforms” introduced in 1991 meant greater reliance on market forces, encouragement of the private sector and restructuring the role of the government. In 1995, the country had also become a member of the World Trade Organisation (WTO). This, among other things, meant changes in the country’s intellectual property (IP) regime. Economic liberalisation has created many new challenges for local communities. Situating the 10 years of the BD Act in this post-“reforms”, post-WTO context, helps to better understand the direction it has taken. Building Institutions The BD Act prescribed an institutional framework in order to implement the three CBD objectives of conservation, sustainable use, and equitable sharing of benefits arising out of the use of biological resources and related knowledge. So from the start, the central government was preoccupied with establishing the institutional structure, particularly at the national level. In 2003, the National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) was set up by the MoEF at Chennai. It has seen seven chairpersons up to date. The 15-member authority has largely consisted of bureaucrats or senior scientists, mostly ex officio appointments. Apart from that, the NBA has had the prescribed five non-official “specialists” and “expert” members. The NBA is required to function as the biodiversity board for the union territories but there is little to show on that front. Meanwhile, almost all states have state biodiversity boards (SBBs). The count on date is 26 out of 28,with Kerala, Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh being amongst the first to set up their SBBs. Most boards have forest and wildlife officials doubling up as chairpersons and member secretaries. Clearly, each of the SBBs is at different stages of implementation of the BD Act, yet their role has remained limited to that of receiving intimation from Indian institutions, corporate bodies or individuals who wish to use biological resources and related knowledge. Most SBBs have busied themselves with steering processes for biodiversity management committees (BMCs) to be set up at village, municipality or block levels and the documentation of local resources to be undertaken by them. Till December 2011, only 14 states had notified their BD rules. Access Rules The other objectives of conservation, sustainable use and benefit sharing have not received as much attention as access to biological resources and associated knowledge of the people of India by foreign persons, which requires the prior approval of the NBA. This is in line with the CBD requirement for the accessor to have the prior informed consent (PIC) of the country providing genetic resources.The CBD also requires that in exchange, domestic laws provide for fair and equitable benefit sharing on mutually agreed terms (MAT) when access is grantedand the benefits are to be routed back to local peoples who are the real keepers of biodiversity. The legal provisions dealing with grant of access were brought into effect only in 2004 after the NBA was fully in place.At its second meeting in 2004, the NBA processed the first eight access applications for biological resources received by it. By its third meeting in July 2005, the ABS agreements for access, material transfer and intellectual property rights were prepared using the expertise of different lawyers from various government departments. There was still concern that SBBs had not been formed in all states, which also meant that there were no functioning BMCs in some states at that time. Yet the work of processing access applications continued unabated despite the fact that the Act makes it mandatory for NBA and SBBs to consult BMCs before taking any decision.In 2005, at an NBA meeting members stressed the need to prioritise commercialisation with fair and just benefit sharing because out of all resources spent by NBA so far, not one penny has gone to the communities whose knowledge and resources we are supposed to care for. After 10 years of the Act, India has 100 ABS agreements to show.These were publicly announced by the union environment secretary in July 2012 at a CBD meeting in Delhi. It is yet to be seen if monetary collections from these 100 agreements going into the National Biodiversity Fund translate into real “benefits” for at least 100 local communities in India. The challenge with respect to many of these agreements is to reach out to the legitimate local “benefit claimers” who are yet to be fully identified in most cases. ABS implies that a user of genetic resources or related knowledge is now using them with permission; however, there is no mechanism to monitor post-access conduct of the accessor and compliance with the terms of conditions on which access was originally granted. At the global level, to make countries abide by each other's ABS procedures, in 2010 a global protocol was established under CBD at Nagoya, Japan.Though India has signed it, the protocol is yet to come into force. In any case, there is a need to build more capacity to deal with ABS-related issues at different levels. Another important aspect of access, as CBD insists, is that genetic resources be used sustainably and for environmentally-sound purposes. Yet many applications before the NBA also seek clearance for use or transfer of genetic material from India for developing products through modern biotechnology. In 2005, the private seed company Maharashtra Hybrid Seeds Corporation (MAHYCO) sought NBA approval for “transfer results of research” to ship out parental eggplant seeds from India to Bangladesh. This was required as the source population of eggplant RHR-51 used was from India into which MAHYCO had inserted its Cry 1AC gene to make genetically modified (GM) brinjal.In the absence of an effective biosafety regime in the country, there are concerns that the access regime will only encourage India's genetic wealth being marketed for the manufacture of potentially hazardous GM seeds and breeds. Intellectual Property A key expectation from the legislation was that it would check the grant of illegal and unjustified patents or other intellectual property rights (IPR) based on India’s biological resources by other countries and foreign companies. The country had been at the receiving end of “biopiracy”, with the basmati rice and neem fungicide patent cases making much news since the 1980s. Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), on behalf of the central government, had successfully challenged one such patent on use of turmeric in the US patent office in 1996. Post-BD Act, CSIR was amongst the first public research institutes to seek approval for IPR applications from the NBA. And in the last 10 years there has been no instance of the NBA invoking the legal provision that gives it the function and power to oppose the grant of any IPR in any foreign country on any biological resource or knowledge from India.The CBD itself does not provide for a global forum to take such cases. Biodiversity Governance Though CBD laid down the principle of national sovereignty over biological resources, from the point of view of people it was to translate into community sovereignty. The real biodiversity-keepers, be it farmers, fisherfolk, pastoralists, etc, are required to be central to preserving biodiversity, not simply their knowledge, innovations and practices. Integrating women's concerns also remains an issue that needs attention. In the villages in Uttarakhand women were denied an all-female BMC because it deemed to be legally impermissible. The BD Act so far only requires “consultation” with local communities, not their full or free PIC. BMCs have not breathed life into the idea of a grass-roots democracy. They are still to become the authorities on decision-making on local resources as prescribed by both the BD Act and CBD. Till the Act delivers, people require the immediate benefit of the living resources and intellectual heritage through which they get by. However, in the current development model, communities are being forced to move or migrate from their lands. With such shifting populations, who will constitute the BMC and who are “local” communities are fundamental questions that confront the administration. Given the law and the reality in which it operates, the question is whether the BD Act will come anywhere near to effecting biodiversity justice in the next 10 years, or will our most biodiversity-rich areas and peoples from them continue to remain in poverty.
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##Question:Comment on the success of the Biological Diversity Act, 2002 in fulfilling the objectives of the Convention on Biological Diversity##Answer:India’s Biological Diversity (BD) Act was enacted in 2002. There is now a decade of its existence to reflect on. The genesis of the law can be traced to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), which was signed at the Rio Summit in 1992. While assessing the 10 years of the Act, one has to be mindful of how India itself has undergone change in these years. By the time the Act came into force, trade imperatives had begun to influence environmental law and policy-making both at the national and global level. The final shape of the Act and the manner of its implementation through the BD rules issued by the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) in 2004 reflect that bent. The “economic reforms” introduced in 1991 meant greater reliance on market forces, encouragement of the private sector and restructuring the role of the government. In 1995, the country had also become a member of the World Trade Organisation (WTO). This, among other things, meant changes in the country’s intellectual property (IP) regime. Economic liberalisation has created many new challenges for local communities. Situating the 10 years of the BD Act in this post-“reforms”, post-WTO context, helps to better understand the direction it has taken. Building Institutions The BD Act prescribed an institutional framework in order to implement the three CBD objectives of conservation, sustainable use, and equitable sharing of benefits arising out of the use of biological resources and related knowledge. So from the start, the central government was preoccupied with establishing the institutional structure, particularly at the national level. In 2003, the National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) was set up by the MoEF at Chennai. It has seen seven chairpersons up to date. The 15-member authority has largely consisted of bureaucrats or senior scientists, mostly ex officio appointments. Apart from that, the NBA has had the prescribed five non-official “specialists” and “expert” members. The NBA is required to function as the biodiversity board for the union territories but there is little to show on that front. Meanwhile, almost all states have state biodiversity boards (SBBs). The count on date is 26 out of 28,with Kerala, Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh being amongst the first to set up their SBBs. Most boards have forest and wildlife officials doubling up as chairpersons and member secretaries. Clearly, each of the SBBs is at different stages of implementation of the BD Act, yet their role has remained limited to that of receiving intimation from Indian institutions, corporate bodies or individuals who wish to use biological resources and related knowledge. Most SBBs have busied themselves with steering processes for biodiversity management committees (BMCs) to be set up at village, municipality or block levels and the documentation of local resources to be undertaken by them. Till December 2011, only 14 states had notified their BD rules. Access Rules The other objectives of conservation, sustainable use and benefit sharing have not received as much attention as access to biological resources and associated knowledge of the people of India by foreign persons, which requires the prior approval of the NBA. This is in line with the CBD requirement for the accessor to have the prior informed consent (PIC) of the country providing genetic resources.The CBD also requires that in exchange, domestic laws provide for fair and equitable benefit sharing on mutually agreed terms (MAT) when access is grantedand the benefits are to be routed back to local peoples who are the real keepers of biodiversity. The legal provisions dealing with grant of access were brought into effect only in 2004 after the NBA was fully in place.At its second meeting in 2004, the NBA processed the first eight access applications for biological resources received by it. By its third meeting in July 2005, the ABS agreements for access, material transfer and intellectual property rights were prepared using the expertise of different lawyers from various government departments. There was still concern that SBBs had not been formed in all states, which also meant that there were no functioning BMCs in some states at that time. Yet the work of processing access applications continued unabated despite the fact that the Act makes it mandatory for NBA and SBBs to consult BMCs before taking any decision.In 2005, at an NBA meeting members stressed the need to prioritise commercialisation with fair and just benefit sharing because out of all resources spent by NBA so far, not one penny has gone to the communities whose knowledge and resources we are supposed to care for. After 10 years of the Act, India has 100 ABS agreements to show.These were publicly announced by the union environment secretary in July 2012 at a CBD meeting in Delhi. It is yet to be seen if monetary collections from these 100 agreements going into the National Biodiversity Fund translate into real “benefits” for at least 100 local communities in India. The challenge with respect to many of these agreements is to reach out to the legitimate local “benefit claimers” who are yet to be fully identified in most cases. ABS implies that a user of genetic resources or related knowledge is now using them with permission; however, there is no mechanism to monitor post-access conduct of the accessor and compliance with the terms of conditions on which access was originally granted. At the global level, to make countries abide by each other's ABS procedures, in 2010 a global protocol was established under CBD at Nagoya, Japan.Though India has signed it, the protocol is yet to come into force. In any case, there is a need to build more capacity to deal with ABS-related issues at different levels. Another important aspect of access, as CBD insists, is that genetic resources be used sustainably and for environmentally-sound purposes. Yet many applications before the NBA also seek clearance for use or transfer of genetic material from India for developing products through modern biotechnology. In 2005, the private seed company Maharashtra Hybrid Seeds Corporation (MAHYCO) sought NBA approval for “transfer results of research” to ship out parental eggplant seeds from India to Bangladesh. This was required as the source population of eggplant RHR-51 used was from India into which MAHYCO had inserted its Cry 1AC gene to make genetically modified (GM) brinjal.In the absence of an effective biosafety regime in the country, there are concerns that the access regime will only encourage India's genetic wealth being marketed for the manufacture of potentially hazardous GM seeds and breeds. Intellectual Property A key expectation from the legislation was that it would check the grant of illegal and unjustified patents or other intellectual property rights (IPR) based on India’s biological resources by other countries and foreign companies. The country had been at the receiving end of “biopiracy”, with the basmati rice and neem fungicide patent cases making much news since the 1980s. Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), on behalf of the central government, had successfully challenged one such patent on use of turmeric in the US patent office in 1996. Post-BD Act, CSIR was amongst the first public research institutes to seek approval for IPR applications from the NBA. And in the last 10 years there has been no instance of the NBA invoking the legal provision that gives it the function and power to oppose the grant of any IPR in any foreign country on any biological resource or knowledge from India.The CBD itself does not provide for a global forum to take such cases. Biodiversity Governance Though CBD laid down the principle of national sovereignty over biological resources, from the point of view of people it was to translate into community sovereignty. The real biodiversity-keepers, be it farmers, fisherfolk, pastoralists, etc, are required to be central to preserving biodiversity, not simply their knowledge, innovations and practices. Integrating women's concerns also remains an issue that needs attention. In the villages in Uttarakhand women were denied an all-female BMC because it deemed to be legally impermissible. The BD Act so far only requires “consultation” with local communities, not their full or free PIC. BMCs have not breathed life into the idea of a grass-roots democracy. They are still to become the authorities on decision-making on local resources as prescribed by both the BD Act and CBD. Till the Act delivers, people require the immediate benefit of the living resources and intellectual heritage through which they get by. However, in the current development model, communities are being forced to move or migrate from their lands. With such shifting populations, who will constitute the BMC and who are “local” communities are fundamental questions that confront the administration. Given the law and the reality in which it operates, the question is whether the BD Act will come anywhere near to effecting biodiversity justice in the next 10 years, or will our most biodiversity-rich areas and peoples from them continue to remain in poverty.
| 675
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The predicament of elderly women is aggravated by a life time of gender-based discrimination. Discuss the problems faced by elderly women in India
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The gendered nature of ageing is such that universally, women tend to live longer than men. In the advanced age of 80 years and above, widowhood dominates the status of women with 71 per cent of women and only 29 per cent of men having lost their spouse. Social mores inhibit women from re-marrying, resulting in an increased likelihood of women ending up alone. The life of a widow is riddled with stringent moral codes, with integral rights relinquished and liberties circumvented. Social bias often results in unjust allocation of resources, neglect, abuse, exploitation, gender-based violence, lack of access to basic services and prevention of ownership of assets. Ageing women are more likely to get excluded from social security schemes due to lower literacy and awareness levels. ‘Longevity’ dividend Just as all things end, so would the effects of India’s youth dividend. When people live longer, it offers society a chance to reap a ‘longevity’ dividend. This implies that the elderly continue to contribute significantly for an unprecedented period of time. In order to address this unprecedented demographic shift it is necessary to understandthe challenges of an ageing population. A joint study by the United Nations Population Fund and Helpage International called ‘Global Report on Ageing’ seeks to fill the knowledge gap. It is to be released nationwide on October 1, 2012, on the International Day for Older People. It has been a decade since the adoption of the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing (Mipaa) . Its bold agenda focused on three priority areas : older persons and development; advancing health and well-being into old age; and ensuring enabling and supportive environments. As a signatory to Mipaa, India has the responsibility to formulate and implement public policy on population ageing. Issues of poverty, migration, urbanisation, ruralisation and feminisation compound the complexity of this emerging phenomenon. Renewed efforts should be made for raising widespread awareness and access to social security schemes such as National Old Age Pension and Widow Pension Scheme. Provisions in terms of special incentives for elderly women, disabled, widowed should also be considered.
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##Question:The predicament of elderly women is aggravated by a life time of gender-based discrimination. Discuss the problems faced by elderly women in India##Answer: The gendered nature of ageing is such that universally, women tend to live longer than men. In the advanced age of 80 years and above, widowhood dominates the status of women with 71 per cent of women and only 29 per cent of men having lost their spouse. Social mores inhibit women from re-marrying, resulting in an increased likelihood of women ending up alone. The life of a widow is riddled with stringent moral codes, with integral rights relinquished and liberties circumvented. Social bias often results in unjust allocation of resources, neglect, abuse, exploitation, gender-based violence, lack of access to basic services and prevention of ownership of assets. Ageing women are more likely to get excluded from social security schemes due to lower literacy and awareness levels. ‘Longevity’ dividend Just as all things end, so would the effects of India’s youth dividend. When people live longer, it offers society a chance to reap a ‘longevity’ dividend. This implies that the elderly continue to contribute significantly for an unprecedented period of time. In order to address this unprecedented demographic shift it is necessary to understandthe challenges of an ageing population. A joint study by the United Nations Population Fund and Helpage International called ‘Global Report on Ageing’ seeks to fill the knowledge gap. It is to be released nationwide on October 1, 2012, on the International Day for Older People. It has been a decade since the adoption of the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing (Mipaa) . Its bold agenda focused on three priority areas : older persons and development; advancing health and well-being into old age; and ensuring enabling and supportive environments. As a signatory to Mipaa, India has the responsibility to formulate and implement public policy on population ageing. Issues of poverty, migration, urbanisation, ruralisation and feminisation compound the complexity of this emerging phenomenon. Renewed efforts should be made for raising widespread awareness and access to social security schemes such as National Old Age Pension and Widow Pension Scheme. Provisions in terms of special incentives for elderly women, disabled, widowed should also be considered.
| 812
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Discuss the recent steps that the Government has taken to meet the challenge of Tuberculosis in India
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After it took some dramatic and bold initiatives over the last one year, TB detection and management is no longer the same. In June 2012, the government banned serological tests. There are plans to go out and test certain target groups. But the landmark decision was making TB a notifiable disease . This has made it mandatory for laboratories, hospitals, nursing homes and doctors, both in the public and private sector, to report every TB case detected. The government system would kick in once a case is notified to ensure correct diagnosis and complete adherence to treatment during the entire duration of treatment. Two important panels have made recommendations to engage the private sector in multiple ways to rein in TB.
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##Question:Discuss the recent steps that the Government has taken to meet the challenge of Tuberculosis in India##Answer: After it took some dramatic and bold initiatives over the last one year, TB detection and management is no longer the same. In June 2012, the government banned serological tests. There are plans to go out and test certain target groups. But the landmark decision was making TB a notifiable disease . This has made it mandatory for laboratories, hospitals, nursing homes and doctors, both in the public and private sector, to report every TB case detected. The government system would kick in once a case is notified to ensure correct diagnosis and complete adherence to treatment during the entire duration of treatment. Two important panels have made recommendations to engage the private sector in multiple ways to rein in TB.
| 813
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Discuss in detail about the Open Government Platform (OGPL)
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The National Data Sharing and Accessibility Policy (NDSAP), which provides the framework for official data-sharing, will apply to all “non-classified data collected using public funds held by various Ministries/ Departments /Subordinate offices.” The NDSAP is intended to open up public access to such data “through established procedures and defined norms.” An Open Government Partnership launched by the United States and seven other governments, and supported by many countries, acknowledges the “right” of citizens to seek information on government activities. Though it is not part of this initiative, India has collaborated with the U.S. in developing the Open Government Platform (OGPL) used for setting up this data portal. The site that harbours the code for the Platform states that it will enable governments worldwide to create web and mobile applications to view, use and merge various data sets, provide online citizen services through forms, registrations and applications, and publish links to regulatory, statistical, and other information compiled by government agencies, among other things. The open source architecture of the OGPL, based on content management system Drupal , will make it possible for developers to create applications fast and make use of the data in different ways.
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##Question:Discuss in detail about the Open Government Platform (OGPL) ##Answer: The National Data Sharing and Accessibility Policy (NDSAP), which provides the framework for official data-sharing, will apply to all “non-classified data collected using public funds held by various Ministries/ Departments /Subordinate offices.” The NDSAP is intended to open up public access to such data “through established procedures and defined norms.” An Open Government Partnership launched by the United States and seven other governments, and supported by many countries, acknowledges the “right” of citizens to seek information on government activities. Though it is not part of this initiative, India has collaborated with the U.S. in developing the Open Government Platform (OGPL) used for setting up this data portal. The site that harbours the code for the Platform states that it will enable governments worldwide to create web and mobile applications to view, use and merge various data sets, provide online citizen services through forms, registrations and applications, and publish links to regulatory, statistical, and other information compiled by government agencies, among other things. The open source architecture of the OGPL, based on content management system Drupal , will make it possible for developers to create applications fast and make use of the data in different ways.
| 814
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The CAG is a constitutional authority who is under a mandate to place before Parliament or the State legislature concerned its findings. It is for the Parliament or the respective legislatures to act upon such reports. Comment. 30 Marks
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The Supreme Court has declined to entertain a writ petition which sought a declaration that the CAG had no power and authority under Article 149 of the Constitution and under the CAG’s (Duties, Powers and Conditions of Services) Act, 1971 to conduct performance audit of the schemes and policy of the Government of India. “CAG is not a munim [accountant] to go into the balance-sheets. The CAG is a constitutional authority entitled to review and conduct performance audit on revenue allocations relating to the Centre, the States and the Union Territories … and examine matters relating to the economy and how the government uses its resources.” Supreme court said. “The CAG is a constitutional authority who is under a mandate to place before Parliament or the State legislature concerned its findings. It was for Parliament or the respective legislatures to act upon such reports. It was for Parliament to consider, accept, partially accept or reject the CAG’s findings. Ultimately it was for Parliament to take a call on the CAG’s report and say ‘your [CAG] report is misconceived/misplaced and also reject the opinion. Don’t undermine the office of the CAG.’” The petitioner said the performance audit conducted by the CAG was ultra vires the Constitution. It was in effect authorising the CAG to review or assess a scheme or policy of the government, which was beyond the constitutional authority given to the CAG under Article 149 of the Constitution.
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##Question:The CAG is a constitutional authority who is under a mandate to place before Parliament or the State legislature concerned its findings. It is for the Parliament or the respective legislatures to act upon such reports. Comment. 30 Marks##Answer: The Supreme Court has declined to entertain a writ petition which sought a declaration that the CAG had no power and authority under Article 149 of the Constitution and under the CAG’s (Duties, Powers and Conditions of Services) Act, 1971 to conduct performance audit of the schemes and policy of the Government of India. “CAG is not a munim [accountant] to go into the balance-sheets. The CAG is a constitutional authority entitled to review and conduct performance audit on revenue allocations relating to the Centre, the States and the Union Territories … and examine matters relating to the economy and how the government uses its resources.” Supreme court said. “The CAG is a constitutional authority who is under a mandate to place before Parliament or the State legislature concerned its findings. It was for Parliament or the respective legislatures to act upon such reports. It was for Parliament to consider, accept, partially accept or reject the CAG’s findings. Ultimately it was for Parliament to take a call on the CAG’s report and say ‘your [CAG] report is misconceived/misplaced and also reject the opinion. Don’t undermine the office of the CAG.’” The petitioner said the performance audit conducted by the CAG was ultra vires the Constitution. It was in effect authorising the CAG to review or assess a scheme or policy of the government, which was beyond the constitutional authority given to the CAG under Article 149 of the Constitution.
| 815
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Critically analyse the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Bill, 2012 . 15 marks
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Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment introduced the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Bill, 2012 in the LokSabha. Welcomed as a panacea for the historically iniquitous, caste-ordained practice of manually handling human waste, the new Bill indicates renewed commitment but lacks a detailed vision for liberating manual scavengers. The Employment of Manual Scavengers and Construction of Dry Latrines (Prohibition) Act was enacted in 1993. The unfortunate condition under this Act was that the States had to formally adopt and enforce it, a process that has taken over two decades. The new bill may be appreciated for: (1) a somewhat broadened definition of a manual scavenger; (2) its clause on prohibition of hazardous cleaning of sewer and septic tanks; and (3) clauses on severe penalties and rehabilitation. However, the bill is weaker than the 2011 draft. The 2011 Draft cautioned against interpreting manual scavenging thinly and includes within its ambit, sewage and septic tank cleaning (in the wake of egregious human rights violations associated with manhole deaths across India). However, the new Bill dilutes the significance of the clause that prohibits the employment of persons for hazardous cleaning of sewer and septic tanks. It selectively mandates that a person handling excreta with the help of ‘protective gear’ shall not be deemed a manual scavenger. This is problematic insofar as such ‘protective gear’ becomes a mediating technology that helps sustain, if not perpetuate, the employment of persons for hazardous cleaning. It contradicts the stated intention of rehabilitating these workers out of such dehumanising squalor.
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##Question:Critically analyse the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Bill, 2012 . 15 marks##Answer: Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment introduced the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Bill, 2012 in the LokSabha. Welcomed as a panacea for the historically iniquitous, caste-ordained practice of manually handling human waste, the new Bill indicates renewed commitment but lacks a detailed vision for liberating manual scavengers. The Employment of Manual Scavengers and Construction of Dry Latrines (Prohibition) Act was enacted in 1993. The unfortunate condition under this Act was that the States had to formally adopt and enforce it, a process that has taken over two decades. The new bill may be appreciated for: (1) a somewhat broadened definition of a manual scavenger; (2) its clause on prohibition of hazardous cleaning of sewer and septic tanks; and (3) clauses on severe penalties and rehabilitation. However, the bill is weaker than the 2011 draft. The 2011 Draft cautioned against interpreting manual scavenging thinly and includes within its ambit, sewage and septic tank cleaning (in the wake of egregious human rights violations associated with manhole deaths across India). However, the new Bill dilutes the significance of the clause that prohibits the employment of persons for hazardous cleaning of sewer and septic tanks. It selectively mandates that a person handling excreta with the help of ‘protective gear’ shall not be deemed a manual scavenger. This is problematic insofar as such ‘protective gear’ becomes a mediating technology that helps sustain, if not perpetuate, the employment of persons for hazardous cleaning. It contradicts the stated intention of rehabilitating these workers out of such dehumanising squalor.
| 816
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What is the Bharat Broadband Project. Discuss in detail.
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The government’s largest-ever Rs. 20,000 crore ($4 billion) investment in building a National Optic Fibre Network (NOFN), popularly known as the Bharat Broadband Project , is set for commercial testing and deployment. The project, based on a unique PPP or Public Private Panchayat Model , is laying “incremental fibre” to the “pre-last mile” stage aimed at reaching 2.5 lakh gram panchayats. The government is expected to make the project public in the next few weeks, with 61 gram panchayats spread across Ajmer (30), Visakhapatnam (16) and North Tripura (15) likely to be available for commercial tests with complete electronic equipment in place. These pilot projects will be the first real test of fostering e-services in these panchayats. India is getting ready to fully embrace the Internet revolution. The NOFN super optic highway will connect 2.5 lakh villages and last mile connectivity will be given through mobile-wireless broadband. The deployment of e-services is a challenge by itself. The content, services and applications are expected to come from both the private sector and the government.
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##Question:What is the Bharat Broadband Project. Discuss in detail.##Answer: The government’s largest-ever Rs. 20,000 crore ($4 billion) investment in building a National Optic Fibre Network (NOFN), popularly known as the Bharat Broadband Project , is set for commercial testing and deployment. The project, based on a unique PPP or Public Private Panchayat Model , is laying “incremental fibre” to the “pre-last mile” stage aimed at reaching 2.5 lakh gram panchayats. The government is expected to make the project public in the next few weeks, with 61 gram panchayats spread across Ajmer (30), Visakhapatnam (16) and North Tripura (15) likely to be available for commercial tests with complete electronic equipment in place. These pilot projects will be the first real test of fostering e-services in these panchayats. India is getting ready to fully embrace the Internet revolution. The NOFN super optic highway will connect 2.5 lakh villages and last mile connectivity will be given through mobile-wireless broadband. The deployment of e-services is a challenge by itself. The content, services and applications are expected to come from both the private sector and the government.
| 818
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Discuss the recommendations of the Deepak Parekh panel for hiking power charges and rail fares. 15 Marks
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A high-level committee, headed by HDFC Chairman Deepak Parekh, submitted its report on funding the infrastructure sector. It has been estimated that the sector needs about $1 trillion during the XII Plan. The committee was mandated to review the existing policies and suggest necessary changes in the investment framework in the high-priority infrastructure sector, besides assessing the financing requirement in ten key physical infrastructure — electricity, roads as well as bridges, telecom, railways, irrigation, water supply as well as sanitation, ports, airports, storage, and oil as well as gas pipelines. Suggesting big-ticket reforms to attract investment in the infrastructure sector, it recommended increasing electricity charges and rail fares. The high-level committee also pitched for 100 per cent foreign direct investment (FDI) in the telecom sector. The limit at present is 74 per cent. The panel also suggested raising prices of natural gas. These recommendations are aimed at attracting Rs.51.46 lakh crore for funding the infrastructure sector during the XII Plan (2012-17. The government, the report says, should draw “a time-bound action plan...with a view to improving the enabling environment for private investment, which is expected to finance about 47 per cent of the projected investment during the XII Plan.’’ The share of private sector in infrastructure funding was 37.53 per cent during the XI Plan, the report says, adding that the contribution of public sector is estimated to decline to 53.32 per cent during the XII Plan from 62.47 per cent in the previous Plan. Reforms in many sectors suggested Suggesting a slew of reforms in various sectors, including rail, power, coal, gas supply and telecom highways, the report says that the projected investment of about Rs.51 lakh crore during the XII Plan should not be taken for granted, it is likely to fall short significantly if a number of measures necessary for removing policy and implementation impediments are not taken within a short time-frame. Sustainable pricing of commodities and services, especially energy, would be necessary, it says, while underlining the need for promoting the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model of development for projects in sectors such as rail, ports, airports and highways. The report further says that the increase in fuel cost should be passed on to the consumers to prevent piling up of losses of the power distribution companies. The committee has suggested rationalisation of gas allocations and pricing policy within the next two months as further delay would impact the viability of gas-based power stations. With regard to rail fares, the report calls for “rationalisation of the prevailing uneconomic rail fares, which have not been revised for a decade”. It has suggested greater involvement of private sector in rail projects and revamping of the Railway Board on commercial lines. As far as the telecom sector is concerned, the committee has made a strong case for raising the FDI cap to 100 per cent from 74 per cent now, arguing that it may be difficult for Indian partners to provide 26 per cent capital to companies seeking pan-India presence. In the case of telecom sector, the report underlines the need for rationalisation of the mergers and acquisitions policy to encourage consolidation in line with the international experience. In order to maintain flow of investment in the power sector, the report says, “Tariffs will have to be set at sustainable levels, while also improving the collection efficiency and reducing losses.’’ With regard to highways, the committee suggested that the National Highways Authority of India should draw a month-wise plan to award contract for 10,000 km during 2012-13. The government, it adds, should expeditiously set up the long-awaited Express Authority of India, and ensure that engineering procurement and construction projects for 5,000 km are awarded in the current fiscal.
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##Question:Discuss the recommendations of the Deepak Parekh panel for hiking power charges and rail fares. 15 Marks##Answer: A high-level committee, headed by HDFC Chairman Deepak Parekh, submitted its report on funding the infrastructure sector. It has been estimated that the sector needs about $1 trillion during the XII Plan. The committee was mandated to review the existing policies and suggest necessary changes in the investment framework in the high-priority infrastructure sector, besides assessing the financing requirement in ten key physical infrastructure — electricity, roads as well as bridges, telecom, railways, irrigation, water supply as well as sanitation, ports, airports, storage, and oil as well as gas pipelines. Suggesting big-ticket reforms to attract investment in the infrastructure sector, it recommended increasing electricity charges and rail fares. The high-level committee also pitched for 100 per cent foreign direct investment (FDI) in the telecom sector. The limit at present is 74 per cent. The panel also suggested raising prices of natural gas. These recommendations are aimed at attracting Rs.51.46 lakh crore for funding the infrastructure sector during the XII Plan (2012-17. The government, the report says, should draw “a time-bound action plan...with a view to improving the enabling environment for private investment, which is expected to finance about 47 per cent of the projected investment during the XII Plan.’’ The share of private sector in infrastructure funding was 37.53 per cent during the XI Plan, the report says, adding that the contribution of public sector is estimated to decline to 53.32 per cent during the XII Plan from 62.47 per cent in the previous Plan. Reforms in many sectors suggested Suggesting a slew of reforms in various sectors, including rail, power, coal, gas supply and telecom highways, the report says that the projected investment of about Rs.51 lakh crore during the XII Plan should not be taken for granted, it is likely to fall short significantly if a number of measures necessary for removing policy and implementation impediments are not taken within a short time-frame. Sustainable pricing of commodities and services, especially energy, would be necessary, it says, while underlining the need for promoting the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model of development for projects in sectors such as rail, ports, airports and highways. The report further says that the increase in fuel cost should be passed on to the consumers to prevent piling up of losses of the power distribution companies. The committee has suggested rationalisation of gas allocations and pricing policy within the next two months as further delay would impact the viability of gas-based power stations. With regard to rail fares, the report calls for “rationalisation of the prevailing uneconomic rail fares, which have not been revised for a decade”. It has suggested greater involvement of private sector in rail projects and revamping of the Railway Board on commercial lines. As far as the telecom sector is concerned, the committee has made a strong case for raising the FDI cap to 100 per cent from 74 per cent now, arguing that it may be difficult for Indian partners to provide 26 per cent capital to companies seeking pan-India presence. In the case of telecom sector, the report underlines the need for rationalisation of the mergers and acquisitions policy to encourage consolidation in line with the international experience. In order to maintain flow of investment in the power sector, the report says, “Tariffs will have to be set at sustainable levels, while also improving the collection efficiency and reducing losses.’’ With regard to highways, the committee suggested that the National Highways Authority of India should draw a month-wise plan to award contract for 10,000 km during 2012-13. The government, it adds, should expeditiously set up the long-awaited Express Authority of India, and ensure that engineering procurement and construction projects for 5,000 km are awarded in the current fiscal.
| 819
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Highlight the major provisions of the Companies Bill, 2011,
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The Union Cabinet recently approved amendments to the Companies Bill, 2011, The highlights of the Bill It not only aims to serve the interests of the stakeholders better but also mentions changes related to spending on corporate social responsibility activities. The revised Billhas limited the number of companies an auditor can serve to 20. It has also brought in more clarity on criminal liability of auditors. Appointment of auditors for five years shall be subject to ratification by members at every annual general meeting. In view of the various reformatory provisions proposed in the Companies Bill, 2011, together with omission of existing unwanted compliance requirements, companies will now be able to comply with the requirements of the proposed Companies Act in a more effective manner. It includes amendment to Clause 36 (c) to help in curbing corporate delinquency. It would also include punishment for falsely inducing a person to enter into any agreement with bank or financial institution, with a view to obtaining credit facilities. Provisions relating to audit of government companies by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) modified to enable CAG to perform such audit more effectively. Clause 186 has been amended to provide that the rate of interest on inter corporate loans will be the prevailing rate of interest on dated government securities.
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##Question:Highlight the major provisions of the Companies Bill, 2011,##Answer: The Union Cabinet recently approved amendments to the Companies Bill, 2011, The highlights of the Bill It not only aims to serve the interests of the stakeholders better but also mentions changes related to spending on corporate social responsibility activities. The revised Billhas limited the number of companies an auditor can serve to 20. It has also brought in more clarity on criminal liability of auditors. Appointment of auditors for five years shall be subject to ratification by members at every annual general meeting. In view of the various reformatory provisions proposed in the Companies Bill, 2011, together with omission of existing unwanted compliance requirements, companies will now be able to comply with the requirements of the proposed Companies Act in a more effective manner. It includes amendment to Clause 36 (c) to help in curbing corporate delinquency. It would also include punishment for falsely inducing a person to enter into any agreement with bank or financial institution, with a view to obtaining credit facilities. Provisions relating to audit of government companies by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) modified to enable CAG to perform such audit more effectively. Clause 186 has been amended to provide that the rate of interest on inter corporate loans will be the prevailing rate of interest on dated government securities.
| 820
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Critically analyse the Shome Panel's report on General Anti Avoidance Rule in India
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The ParthasarathiShome committee, originally constituted to frame guidelines for General Anti Avoidance Rules (GAAR), was handed the additional mandate of examining the taxation principles on transfer of shares in a foreign company with underlying assets in India. The immediate provocation for this was the furore over the retrospective amendment to tax laws in the last Budget that rendered Vodafone liable to pay a tax of Rs. 11,200 crore despite the Supreme Court ruling in its favour early this year. Amidst threats that this amendment would permanently antagonise foreign investors, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh referred the issue to the Shome committee well after the man who started it all in the Budget, Pranab Mukherjee, was safely settled in RashtrapatiBhavan. The committee has now delivered its draft report, which should be music to the ears of Vodafone and other foreign investors. If accepted, the recommendations will completely nullify the Budget proposal and let not just Vodafone off the hook but also foreign portfolio investors investing in the stock market through the undesirable route of participatory notes (P-notes). The committee has rightly said that the retrospective application of tax law should happen in the rarest of rare cases and for one of three reasons only: to correct anomalies in the statute, to matters that are clarificatory in nature such as technical/procedural defects that vitiate the substantive law and, to protect the tax base from abusive tax planning schemes whose main purpose is to avoid tax. Yet, in a touching display of affection for Vodafone, Mr. Shome’s report says that even in the exceptional situations where the law is applied retrospectively on the indirect transfer of assets, the taxpayer in question should not be slapped with interest and penalties on the tax deemed as payable. The grounds? There should be “no undue hardship caused to the taxpayer” even if the taxpayer in question is guilty of aggressive tax planning — a concession that is not extended to common taxpayers who are penalised even for small lapses. The Shome panel may also have given a leg-up to foreign portfolio investors using the P-note route, which has been frowned upon by the stock market regulator SEBI, as it hides the identity of the investor. This route has been used by industrialists to rig up their share prices in the recent past and SEBI had placed temporary restrictions on P-notes a couple of years ago. Given this, it is surprising that the committee has now recommended that they should not be taxed.
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##Question:Critically analyse the Shome Panel's report on General Anti Avoidance Rule in India##Answer: The ParthasarathiShome committee, originally constituted to frame guidelines for General Anti Avoidance Rules (GAAR), was handed the additional mandate of examining the taxation principles on transfer of shares in a foreign company with underlying assets in India. The immediate provocation for this was the furore over the retrospective amendment to tax laws in the last Budget that rendered Vodafone liable to pay a tax of Rs. 11,200 crore despite the Supreme Court ruling in its favour early this year. Amidst threats that this amendment would permanently antagonise foreign investors, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh referred the issue to the Shome committee well after the man who started it all in the Budget, Pranab Mukherjee, was safely settled in RashtrapatiBhavan. The committee has now delivered its draft report, which should be music to the ears of Vodafone and other foreign investors. If accepted, the recommendations will completely nullify the Budget proposal and let not just Vodafone off the hook but also foreign portfolio investors investing in the stock market through the undesirable route of participatory notes (P-notes). The committee has rightly said that the retrospective application of tax law should happen in the rarest of rare cases and for one of three reasons only: to correct anomalies in the statute, to matters that are clarificatory in nature such as technical/procedural defects that vitiate the substantive law and, to protect the tax base from abusive tax planning schemes whose main purpose is to avoid tax. Yet, in a touching display of affection for Vodafone, Mr. Shome’s report says that even in the exceptional situations where the law is applied retrospectively on the indirect transfer of assets, the taxpayer in question should not be slapped with interest and penalties on the tax deemed as payable. The grounds? There should be “no undue hardship caused to the taxpayer” even if the taxpayer in question is guilty of aggressive tax planning — a concession that is not extended to common taxpayers who are penalised even for small lapses. The Shome panel may also have given a leg-up to foreign portfolio investors using the P-note route, which has been frowned upon by the stock market regulator SEBI, as it hides the identity of the investor. This route has been used by industrialists to rig up their share prices in the recent past and SEBI had placed temporary restrictions on P-notes a couple of years ago. Given this, it is surprising that the committee has now recommended that they should not be taxed.
| 821
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