DAY – 54 (InstaTest-54): Insta 75 Days Revision Plan-2022: Topic – Polity, PREVIOUS YEAR UPSC PAPER 2001 , August &September 2021 CA – INSIGHTSIAS

Solution: B

In case of a conflict between the central law and the state law on a subject enumerated in the Concurrent List, the Central law prevails over the State law.

The Parliament can make laws on any matter in the state list for implementing the international treaties, agreements or conventions.

This provision enables the Central government to fulfil its international obligations and commitments.

Solution: C

Both the statements are correct.

Besides the Parliament’s power to legislate directly on the state subjects under the exceptional situations, the Constitution empowers the Centre to exercise control over the state’s legislative matters in the following ways:

(i) The governor can reserve certain types of bills passed by the state legislature for the consideration of the President. The president enjoys absolute veto over them.
(ii) Bills on certain matters enumerated in the State List can be introduced in the state legislature only with the previous sanction of the president. (For example, the bills imposing restrictions on the freedom of trade and commerce).
(iii) The President can direct the states to reserve money bills and other financial bills passed by the state legislature for his consideration during a financial emergency.

Solution: A

Centre’s Directions to the States

In addition to the above two cases, the Centre is empowered to give directions to the states with regard to the exercise of their executive power in the following matters:

(i) the construction and maintenance of means of communication (declared to be of national or military importance) by the state;

(ii) the measures to be taken for the protection of the railways within the state;

(iii) the provision of adequate facilities for instruction in the mother-tongue at the primary stage of education to children belonging to linguistic minority groups in the state; and

(iv) the drawing up and execution of the specified schemes for the welfare of the Scheduled Tribes in the state.

Solution: C

The Constitution contains the following provisions to secure cooperation and co-ordination between the Centre and the states:

• The Parliament can provide for the adjudication of any dispute or complaint with respect to the use, distribution and control of waters of any inter-state river and river valley.
• The President can establish (under Article 263) an Inter-State Council to investigate anddiscuss subject of common interest between the Centre and the states. Such a council was setup in 1990.

During the operation of a national emergency (under Article 352), 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.

Solution: A

The state legislature has exclusive power to levy taxes on subjects enumerated in the State List. Both the Parliament and the state legislature can levy taxes on subjects enumerated in the Concurrent List.

The residuary power of taxation (that is, the power to impose taxes not enumerated in any of the three lists) is vested in the Parliament. Under this provision, the Parliament has imposed gift tax, wealth tax and expenditure tax.

Solution: A

A state cannot raise any loan without the consent of the Centre, if there is still out-standing any part of a loan made to the state by the Centre or in respect of which a guarantee has been given by the Centre.

The Central government can make loans to any state or give guarantees in respect of loans raised by any state. Any sums required for the purpose of making such loans are to be charged on the Consolidated Fund of India.

Solution: D

Sarkaria Commission

In 1983, the Central government appointed a three-member Commission on Centre–state relations under the chairmanship of R S Sarkaria, a retired judge of the Supreme Court.

The Commission made 247 recommendations to improve Centre–state relations. The important recommendations are mentioned below:

1. A permanent Inter-State Council called the Inter-Governmental Council should be set up under Article 263.
   2. Article 356 (President’s Rule) should be used very sparingly, in extreme cases as a last resort when all the available alternatives fail.
2. When the president withholds his assent to the state bills, the reasons should be communicated to the state government.
3. The Centre should have powers to deploy its armed forces, even without the consent of states.

Solution: B

The Zonal Councils are the statutory (and not the constitutional) bodies. They are established by an Act of the Parliament, that is, States Re-organisation Act of 1956. The act divided the country into five zones (Northern, Central, Eastern, Western and Southern) and provided a zonal council for each zone.

The home minister of Central government is the common chairman of the five zonal councils. Each chief minister acts as a vice-chairman of the council by rotation, holding office for a period of one year at a time.

The zonal councils aim at promoting cooperation and coordination between states, union territories and the Centre. They discuss and make recommendations regarding matters like economic and social planning, linguistic minorities, border disputes, inter-state transport, and so on. They are only deliberative and advisory bodies.

Solution: A

During an Emergency, the Central government becomes all powerful and the states go into the total control of the Centre. It converts the federal structure into a unitary one without a formal amendment of the Constitution.

An emergency due to war, external aggression or armed rebellion (Article 352). This is popularly known as ‘National Emergency’. However, the Constitution employs the expression ‘proclamation of emergency’ to denote an emergency of this type. The word National Emergency is not mentioned in constitution

Solution: C

The proclamation of Emergency must be approved by both the Houses of Parliament within one month from the date of its issue. Originally, the period allowed for approval by the Parliament was two months, but was reduced by the 44th Amendment Act of 1978.

Every resolution approving the proclamation of emergency or its continuance must be passed by either House of Parliament by a special majority, which is, (a) a majority of the total membership of that house, and (b) a majority of not less than two-thirds of the members of that house present and voting.

Solution: B

During a national emergency, 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.

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

According to Article 358, when a proclamation of national emergency is made, the six Fundamental Rights under Article 19 are automatically suspended. No separate order for their suspension is required.

Solution: B

Article 358 is confined to Fundamental Rights under Article 19 only whereas Article 359 extends to all those Fundamental Rights whose enforcement is suspended by the Presidential Order.

Article 358 extends to the entire country whereas Article 359 may extend to the entire country or a part of it. Article 358 suspends Article 19 completely while Article 359 does not empower the suspension of the enforcement of Articles 20 and 21.

Solution: A

Article 355 imposes a duty on the Centre to ensure that the government of every state is carried on in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution.

It is this duty in the performance of which the Centre takes over the government of a state under Article 356 in case of failure of constitutional
machinery in state.

President’s automatically suspends state legislature.

Solution: B

The presidential proclamation imposing President’s Rule is subject to judicial review. The satisfaction of the President must be based on relevant material. The action of the president can be struck down by the court if it is based on irrelevant or extraneous grounds or if it was found to be malafide or perverse.

Secularism is one of the ‘basic features’ of the Constitution. Hence, a state government pursuing anti-secular politics is liable to action under Article 356.

Solution: C

Both the statements given above are correct.

Telangana is a new state and President’s rule was never imposed on it.

Effects of Financial Emergency

The consequences of the proclamation of a Financial Emergency are as follows:

1. The executive authority of the Centre extends (a) to directing any state to observe such canons of financial propriety as are specified by it; and (b) to directions as the President may deem necessary and adequate for the purpose.
2. Any such direction may include a provision requiring

(a) the reduction of salaries and allowances of all or any class of persons serving in the state; and

(b) the reservation of all money bills or other financial bills for the consideration of the President after they are passed by the legislature of the state.
3. The President may issue directions for the reduction of salaries and allowances of (a) all or any class of persons serving the Union; and (b) the judges of the Supreme Court and the high court.

Solution: B

Solution:

• The State Legislative Council, or Vidhan Parishad, or Saasada Mandali is the upper house in those states of India that have a bicameral state legislature; the lower house being the State Legislative Assembly.
• Its establishment is defined in Article 168 of the Constitution of India.
• As of 2022, 6 out of 28 states have a State Legislative Council.
• These are Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Telangana, Maharashtra, Bihar, and Uttar Pradesh.

Solution: A

Solution:

• The gig economy undermines the traditional economy of full-time workers who often focus on their career development.
• The gig economy can benefit workers, businesses, and consumers by making work more adaptable to the needs of the moment and the demand for flexible lifestyles.
• The gig economy has many benefits for both the employee and employer. An employer has access to a wide range of talent that they can hire. If the talent proves to be less than acceptable, there is no contract to keep the employee on or issues of letting them go.
• For employees, the gig economy’s benefits include having the option to do multiple jobs, work from anywhere depending on the specific job, freedom, and flexibility in their daily routine.

Solution: B

Solution:

• Cryptocurrency does not exist in physical form (like paper money) and is  typically not issued by a central authority.
• Cryptocurrencies typically use decentralized control as opposed to a central bank digital currency (CBDC).
• When a cryptocurrency is minted or created prior to issuance or issued by a single issuer, it is generally considered centralized.
• When implemented with decentralized control, each cryptocurrency works through distributed ledger technology, typically a blockchain, that serves as a public financial transaction database.
• A cryptocurrency is a tradable digital asset or digital form of money, built on blockchain technology that only exists online.
• Cryptocurrencies use encryption to authenticate and protect transactions, hence their name.
• There are currently over a thousand different cryptocurrencies in the world.

Solution: D

Solution:

The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) is an international organisation of seven South Asian and Southeast Asian nations, housing 1.73 billion people and having a combined gross domestic product of US$ 4.4 trillion (2022).The BIMSTEC member states – Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand – are among the countries dependent on the Bay of Bengal.

Fourteen priority sectors of cooperation have been identified and several BIMSTEC centres have been established to focus on those sectors. A BIMSTEC free trade agreement is under negotiation, also referred to as the mini SAARC.

Solution: D

Solution:

BOLD-QIT is the project to install technical systems which enable BSF to equip Indo-Bangla borders with different kinds of sensors in the unfenced riverine area of the Brahmaputra and its tributaries.

Solution: D

Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY) centrally sponsored scheme Ministry of women and child development. The Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY) is a centrally sponsored scheme under the National Health Mission (NHM), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.In both the above schemes financial assistance is provided to women.

Solution: C

Solution: Government of India & SIDBI set up the Credit Guarantee Fund Trust for Micro and Small Enterprises (CGTMSE) The aim of CGTMSE, is facilitate flow of credit to MSME sector without the need for collaterals / third party guarantees. Maharashtra tops India‘s list of MSMEs  

Solution : C

Solution: To  aims to provide connectivity, by way of an all-weather road to unconnected habitations.To connect population size 500+ in plain areas and 250+ in North-Eastern States, Himalayan States, Deserts and Tribal Areas as per 2001 census population.Funding is 70: 30 for States & 90 : 10 ratio for Himalayan states 

Solution: A

Solution: Indian Railways has announced the new scheme “Bharat Gaurav” to tap the huge potential of tourism in the country.

Solution: A 

State Development Loans (SDLs) are dated securities [for longer duration] issued by states for meeting their market borrowings requirements. SDL usually gives higher return than G-Sec  SDL securities are eligible securities for SLR and LAF of the RBI.

Answer : b

There are 10 stations on railway line the number of different journey

So, tickets between two stations from given 10 stations from one side = ¹⁰C₂ = [(10´ 9)/2] = 45

Similarly, number of different journey

tickets from other side = 45

Total number of tickets to be generated by authorities.

= 45 + 45= 90

Answer : c

According to the question,

5 men’s 1 day’s work= (1/15)                             ………………………..(1)

5 men’s 5 day’s work= (1/15)* 5 = 1/3

Remaining work = 1 – (1/3) = (2/3)

5 men + 10 women can do (2/3)of the work in 5 days.

5 men +10 women can do the whole of

the work in (15/2)days.

(5 men + 10 women’s) 1 day’s work = (2/15)                    ……………….(2)

10 women’s 1 day’s work

= (2/15)-5 men’s 1 day’s work

=(2/15)-(1/15)=(1/15)

10 women can finish the work in 15 days.

Sol . C

We can check divisibility of . 19⁵ +21⁵  by 10 by adding the unit

digits of 9⁵ and 1⁵ which is equal to 9 + 1 = 10

So, it must be divisible by 10.

Now, for divisibility by 20, we add 19 and 21 which is equal to 40.

So, it is clear that it is also divisible by 20

So, it is divisible by both 10 and 20

Sol . B

Let efficiency of A be  x days.

Then, efficiency of B = 3x days

Hence, B’s one day’s work= 1/3x

and A’s one day’s work = 1/x

Again, let time taken by B be t days.

Then, time taken by A = (t – 40) days

Now, t/3x = (t-40)

Hence, t = 60 days

So, B complete the work in 60 days and A complete the work in

20 days

If both of them work together, then they will complete the work in n

days (let).

n/60 + n/20 = 1

so, n = 15.

Hence, they will complete the work in 15 days when work together.

Sol. (c)

The passage talks about strengthening the capacities of ecological system.