QUIZ – 2019: Insights Current Affairs Quiz, 11 December 2019

Solution: a)

Article 356 of the Constitution of India gives President of India the power to suspend state government and impose President’s rule of any state in the country “if he is satisfied that a situation has arisen in which the government of the state cannot be carried on in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution”.

1. Upon the imposition of this rule, there would be no Council of Ministers. The Vidhan Sabha is either dissolved or prorogued.
2. The state will fall under the direct control of the Union government, and the Governor will continue to head the proceedings, representing the President of India – who is the Head of the State.
3. The imposition of the President’s rule requires the sanction of both the houses of Parliament.
4. If approved, it can go on for a period of six months. However, the imposition cannot be extended for more than three years, and needs to be brought before the two houses every six months for approval.

To revoke President’s Rule, the government can use a special Section in the Union government’s Transaction of Business Rules (Rule 12), which allows for revocation of President’s Rule without Cabinet approval if the Prime Minister “deems it necessary”.

• Rule 12 of the Government of India (Transaction of Business) Rules, 1961, allows the Prime Minister to depart from laid down norms at his discretion.
• It says, “The Prime Minister may, in case or classes of cases permit or condone a departure from these rules, to the extent he deems necessary.”
• The Cabinet can subsequently give post-facto approval for any decision taken under Rule 12.

Solution: c)

Recently Reserve Bank of India (RBI) sold its entire stakes in National Housing Bank. The government now holds a 100 per cent stake in NHB. NHB is an All India Financial Institution (AIFl), set up in 1988, under the National Housing Bank Act, 1987.

It is an apex agency established to operate as a principal agency to promote housing finance institutions both at local and regional levels and to provide financial and other support incidental to such institutions and for matters connected therewith.

NHB has been established to achieve, inter-Alia, the following objectives –

1. To promote a sound, healthy, viable and cost-effective housing finance system to cater to all segments of the population and to integrate the housing finance system with the overall financial system.
2. To promote a network of dedicated housing finance institutions to adequately serve various regions and different income groups.
3. To augment resources for the sector and channelise them for housing.
4. To make housing credit more affordable.
5. To regulate the activities of housing finance companies based on regulatory and supervisory authority derived under the Act.
6. To encourage augmentation of supply of buildable land and also building materials for housing and to upgrade the housing stock in the country.
7. To encourage public agencies to emerge as facilitators and suppliers of serviced land, for housing.

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Solution: d)

The Government of India is implementing One Stop Centre (OSC) scheme for setting up One Stop Centre since 1st April 2015 to support women affected by violence. Popularly known as Sakhi, Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD) has formulated this Centrally Sponsored Scheme.

It is a sub – scheme of Umbrella Scheme for National Mission for Empowerment of women including Indira Gandhi Mattritav Sahyaog Yojana.

Under the scheme, One Stop Centres are being established across the country to provide integrated support and assistance under one roof to women affected by violence, both in private and public spaces in phased manner.

Target group: The OSC will support all women including girls below 18 years of age affected by violence, irrespective of caste, class, religion, region, sexual orientation or marital status.

The Scheme will be funded through Nirbhaya Fund. The Central Government will provide 100% financial assistance to the State Government /UT Administrations under the Scheme.

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Solution: b)

The Indian Council of Medical Research has launched the ‘Malaria Elimination Research Alliance (MERA) India’ – a conglomeration of partners working on malaria control – in order to prioritise, plan and scale up research to eliminate the disease from India by 2030.

Over the past two decades, India has made impressive progress in malaria control. The malaria burden has declined by over 80 per cent, 2.03 million cases in 2000 to 0.39 million in 2018, and malaria deaths by over 90 per cent, 932 deaths in 2000 to 85 in 2018. This success has provided a strong foundation for the commitment from the leadership of the government of India to eliminate malaria from India by 2030.

National Vector Borne Diseases Control Program (NVBDCP) of India has developed a comprehensive framework to achieve the overarching vision of “Malaria free India by 2030“.

NVBDCP’s National Strategic Plan clearly recognises the critical role of research to support and guide malaria elimination efforts.

Solution: d)

India Biodiversity Portal had initiated a ‘Turtle Spotting Week’ as part of a unique exercise to document the creatures across India.

Among the turtles sighted in Tamil Nadu is the Cochin Forest Cane Turtle in the Anamalai Tiger Reserve, an extremely rare species which is endemic to India.  The rare Leith’s Softshell Turtle was also observed at Melagiri.

The Cochin forest cane turtle is listed as Endangered by the IUCN and is listed in CITES Appendix II.

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