[Mission 2022] Insta– QUED ( Questions from Editorials ) 23 December 2021 – INSIGHTSIAS

Solution: c)

The National Monetisation Pipeline (NMP) envisages an aggregate monetisation potential of ₹6-lakh crore through the leasing of core assets of the Central government in sectors such as roads, railways, power, oil and gas pipelines, telecom, civil aviation, shipping ports and waterways, mining, food and public distribution, coal, housing and urban affairs, and stadiums and sports complexes, to name some sectors, over a four-year period (FY2022 to FY2025).

According to NITI Aayog, the strategic objective of the asset monetisation programme is to unlock the value of investments in public sector assets by tapping private sector capital and efficiencies. The NMP policy advocates unlocking idle capital from non-strategic/underperforming government owned assets and reinvesting the funds, thus received, into new infrastructure projects and augmentation of assets such as greenfield infrastructure creation.

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Solution: c)

Eight core industrial sectors that support infrastructure such as coal, crude oil, natural gas, refinery products, fertilizers, steel, cement, and electricity have a total weight of nearly 40% in the Index of Industrial Production (IIP).

Going by the annual report (2020-2021) of the Department of Public Enterprises, Government of India, there are 256 operationally-run central public sector undertakings (CPSUs), employing about one million people; they posted a net profit of ₹93,294 crore (FY 2019-20). Out of these, 96 have been conferred the Ratna status (72, 14, and 10 are Miniratnas, Navaratnas, and Maharatna companies, respectively).

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Solution: c)

Recently, the “Pradhan Mantri Gati Shakti National Master Plan” for multi-modal connectivity was launched by the Prime Minister with an aim ‘to synchronise the operations of different departments of 16 Ministries including railways and roadways for seamless planning and coordinated execution of infrastructure projects in a timely manner’.

It is essentially a digital platform for information sharing among different Ministries and departments at the Union and State levels. It also entails analytical decision-making tools to disseminate project-related information and prioritise key infrastructure projects. Besides, it fosters a periodical review and monitoring of the progress of cross-sectorial infrastructure projects through the GIS platform in order to intervene if there is a need.

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Solution: a)

Durga Puja in Kolkata, one of largest cultural carnivals and street art festival of the country, received an important international recognition by making it to UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

With the inclusion of Durga Puja, the number of elements in the list of Intangible Cultural Heritage from India has increased to 14. The latest inclusion in the list prior to the Durga Puja is the Kumbh Mela, the largest peaceful congregation of pilgrims on earth, which was inscribed in 2017. Yoga was included in 2016.

The only large-scale festival that has been included in list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage list is the Kumbh Mela, and others are specialised rituals which are endangered.

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Solution: b)

• The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) recently published detailed rules to assist in the implementation of new international tax system, which will ensure multinational enterprises (MNEs) will be subject to a minimum 15 per cent tax rate from 2023.
• India is one among 137 countries that are signatory to new global tax regime.
• The minimum tax, known as Pillar Two, would discourage countries from competing to attract corporations by offering low tax rates. The new rules also let countries such as India impose an extra tax on companies not meeting a 15% effective minimum rate in another jurisdiction.

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