INSIGHTS CURRENT AFFAIRS ( 18 March 2021) REVISION THROUGH MCQS

Ans: (d)

Explanation:

• What is Appropriation Bill?
  • Appropriation Bill is a money bill that allows the government to withdraw funds from the Consolidated Fund of India to meet its expenses during the course of a financial year.
  • As per article 114 of the Constitution, the government can withdraw money from the Consolidated Fund only after receiving approval from Parliament.
  • To put it simply, the Finance Bill contains provisions on financing the expenditure of the government, and Appropriation Bill specifies the quantum and purpose for withdrawing money.
• Procedure followed:
  • The government introduces the Appropriation Bill in the lower house of Parliament after discussions on Budget proposals and Voting on Demand for Grants.
  • The Appropriation Bill is first passed by the Lok Sabha and then sent to the Rajya Sabha.
  • The Rajya Sabha has the power to recommend any amendments in this Bill. However, it is the prerogative of the Lok Sabha to either accept or reject the recommendations made by the upper house of Parliament.
  • The unique feature of the Appropriation Bill is its automatic repeal clause, whereby the Act gets repealed by itself after it meets its statutory purpose.
• What happens when the bill is defeated?
  • Since India subscribes to the Westminster system of parliamentary democracy, the defeat of an Appropriation Bill (and also the Finance Bill) in a parliamentary vote would necessitate resignation of a government or a general election. This has never happened in India till date, though.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2021/03/18/appropriation-bill-gets-the-nod-of-lok-sabha/

Ans: (a)

Explanation:

• Both, the Lok Sabha as well as the Rajya Sabha are involved in the process of election and removal of the Vice President. But the RS alone can initiate the removal of the VP. Statements 2 and 3 are applicable to both RS and LS.
• Page 22.20, 22.28 and 22.29; Indian Polity 4^th Edition by M Laxmikanth

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2021/03/18/appropriation-bill-gets-the-nod-of-lok-sabha/

Ans: (b)

Explanation:

• S2: The power to frame policy and legislation relating to minor minerals is entirely delegated to the State Governments.
  • While policy and legislation relating to the major minerals are dealt by the Ministry of Mines under Union /Central Government.
  • Various State Governments have indeed prescribed rules for the grant of mineral concessions in respect of minerals classified as minor minerals under the MMDR Act, 1957. Minor Minerals get specified in the schedule appended in Minor Mineral concession Rules issued by States.
  • Thus, as opposed to major minerals, the regulatory and administrative jurisdiction of minor minerals falls under the purview of State governments. These include the powers to frame rules, prescribe rates of royalty, contribution to District Mineral Foundation, the procedure for grant of mineral concessions, regulation of their mining, control of illegal mining etc.
  • In the case of major minerals, States substantially regulate and develop minerals subject to provisions of the MMDR Act, and after prior permissions from the central government.
• S1: The central government has the power to notify “minor minerals” under section 3 (e) of the MMDR Act, 1957. On the other hand, as per Section 15 of the MMDR Act, 1957 State Governments have complete powers for making Rules for grant of concessions in respect of extraction of minor minerals and levy and collection of royalty on minor minerals.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2021/03/18/mmdr-amendment-bill-2021/

Ans: (d)

Explanation:

• The Bibek Debroy committee on the proposed restructuring of Indian Railways (IR) has recommended private sector participation in projects and setting up an independent regulator to promote competition in the segment.
• “It needs to be understood that this committee does not recommend privatisation of IR,” the panel clarifies. “It does, however, endorse private entry, with the provision of an independent regulator,” officials said the committee had said in its final report.
• The panel also said that if all its recommendations highlighted for the first five years — creation of a independent regulator, reorganisation of the Railway Board, reorganisation of Group A railway services, revision of dividend policy and many others — are implemented and issues related to social costs are addressed, the annual railway budget could be phased out. The Gross Budgetary Support (GBS) to IR could be mentioned as a paragraph in the Union Budget and no more.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2021/03/18/dont-privatise-railways-says-opposition/

Ans: (c)

Explanation: here the directive word is incorrect!!

• What are the possible actions EC can take against candidates and parties?
• The EC monitors the adherence of political parties and candidates to the ‘Model Code of Conduct’.
• If the violations are also offences under election law and the criminal law of the land, the EC has the power to recommend registration of cases against the offenders.
• However, for some violations — such as canvassing for votes during a period when electioneering is barred, making official announcements while the MCC is in force, and making appeal to voters on sectarian grounds — the EC has the power to advise or censure candidates, in addition to directing registration of cases.
• In some cases, as recent incidents would show, the EC may bar candidates or leaders from campaigning for specified periods.
• Asking individuals to leave a constituency or barring entry into certain areas are other powers that the EC may exercise. These powers are not necessarily traceable to any provision in law, but are generally considered inherent because of the sweeping and plenary nature of the EC’s responsibility under the Constitution to ensure free and fair elections.
• Its powers extend to postponing elections to any constituency, cancelling an election already notified, and even to abrogate or annul an election already held.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2021/03/16/how-election-commission-decides-on-party-symbols-3/

Ans: (b)

Explanation: What are the limitations of the EC’s powers?

• The EC does not have the power to disqualify candidates who commit electoral malpractices. At best, it may direct the registration of a case.
• The EC also does not have the power to deregister any political party. However, the Constitution empowers the EC to decide whether a candidate has incurred disqualification by holding an office of profit under the appropriate government, or has been declared an insolvent, or acquired the citizenship of a foreign state.
• When a question arises whether a candidate has incurred any of these disqualifications, the President of India or Governor has to refer it to the EC. The poll panel’s decision on this is binding.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2021/03/16/how-election-commission-decides-on-party-symbols-3/

Ans: (c)

Explanation:

• S1: The NOTA option in the EVM is given at the bottom of the candidates’ list. Earlier, in order to cast a negative ballot, a voter had to inform the presiding officer at the polling booth. Now the voter has to just press the NOTA option on the EVM.
• S3: NOTA is available only for direct elections such as the Lok Sabha and State assemblies, not for Rajya Sabha and the Legislative Council.
• S2: NOTA was first used in India in 2009. Chhattisgarh was the first State in the country to give this right to the voters in the local government elections. In the 2014 general elections, the maximum number of NOTA votes were polled in Uttar Pradesh.
• On September 27, 2013, the Supreme Court directed the Election Commission to make the necessary provisions in ballot papers and EVMs to provide a ‘None of the Above’ option for voters who come to the polling booth and decide not to vote for any of the candidates in the fray. This was to enable voters to exercise their right not to choose a candidate while maintaining their right to secrecy.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2021/03/16/nota-none-of-the-above/

Ans: (c)

Explanation: Great Indian Bustards (GIB):

• IUCN status: critically endangered.
• Listed in Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife (Protection)Act, 1972 and in the CMS Convention and in Appendix I of CITES.
• Identified as one of the species for the recovery programme under the Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitats of the Ministry of Environment and Forests.
• Project Great Indian Bustard — state of Rajasthan — identifying and fencing off bustard breeding grounds in existing protected areas as well as provide secure breeding enclosures in areas outside protected areas.
• Protected areas: Desert National Park Sanctuary — Rajasthan, Rollapadu Wildlife Sanctuary – Andhra Pradesh and Karera Wildlife Sanctuary– Madhya Pradesh.
• Habitats in India:
• Only two districts in Rajasthan — Jaisalmer and Barmer — have a breeding GIB population in the wild. The bird can also be found in very small numbers in Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh.

Refer: Facts for Prelims: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2021/03/16/insights-daily-current-affairs-pib-summary-16-march-2021/

Ans: (c)

Explanation:

• Desert National Park Sanctuary — Rajasthan, Rollapadu Wildlife Sanctuary – Andhra Pradesh and Karera Wildlife Sanctuary– Madhya Pradesh.

Refer: Facts for Prelims: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2021/03/16/insights-daily-current-affairs-pib-summary-16-march-2021/

Ans: (c)

Explanation: Baralacha Pass:

• For the first time ever, the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has started work on reopening the crucial Baralacha Pass in Himachal Pradesh much before schedule to restore connectivity to Leh in Ladakh.
• Baralacha Pass is a high mountain pass in Zanskar range.
• Connects Lahaul district in Himachal Pradesh to Leh district in Ladakh, situated along the Leh–Manali Highway.
• The pass also acts as a water-divide between the Bhaga river and the Yunam river.

Refer: Facts for Prelims: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2021/03/16/insights-daily-current-affairs-pib-summary-16-march-2021/