Question : ‘PARIMAN’ portal is launched recently with an objective of:

helping to improve decentralized planning and management in NCR region
reducing air pollution depending on the current level of pollution in NCR region
validating property legally in an integrated way in urban India
building capacities of teachers and school principals at the elementary stage

• National Capital Region (NCR) is presently spread over 55,083 Sq. Kms and has four participating states (24 Districts and entire NCT of Delhi) as its constituent area.
• For the purpose of effective utilization of Remote Sensing and GIS technology, a web geo-portal has been developed through National Informatics Centre (NIC), initially for use by NCR Participating states and the Office of NCRPB.
• Geo-Portal for NCR known as ‘PARIMAN’ was launched on 31.08.2021.
• This Geo-Portal will help to improve decentralized planning and management in NCR region. The Portal consists of around 179 Layers presented as Line, Point & Polygon feature covering details of various sectors like Land Use, Transport, Industries, Water, Power, Health, Shelter, Heritage & Tourism, Disaster Management, etc.

Source: PIB

Question : The Operation “NARCOS”, recently in news, is a month long pan India drive against smuggling of narcotics initiated by:
Central Reserve Police Force
Railway Protection Force
Indo-Tibetan Border Police
Sashastra Seema Bal

• The Railway Protection Force recently started Operation “NARCOS”. RPF has been empowered to conduct search, seizure and arrest under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act since April 2019 and has been actively participating in the efforts of the Government to restrict this illegal trade.
• In order to bring attention to the menace of NDPS, a month-long pan India drive against smuggling of narcotics through rail, was launched under code name Operation “NARCOS” in the month of June-2022.
• Under this operation RPF has performed excellently against the carriers/transporters of Narcotics products through Indian Railways. RPF intensified its checks in trains and in identified black spots across the country in coordination with NCB and other LEA’s to target drug peddlers involved in this illegal trade. In the month of June 2022, RPF has recovered various narcotics products including designer products valued Rs.7,40,77,126/- and within its own domain arrested 165 persons who were carrying NDPS and handed them over to the concerned Law Enforcement Agencies for onward legal action.

Source: PIB

Question : Which of the following committee report/reports is/are associated with Protection of Western Ghats?

1. Gadgil Committee Report
2. Kasturirangan Committee Report
3. TSR Subramanian Committee Report

Select the correct answer using the codes given below.
1 only
1 and 2 only
2 and 3 only
1, 2 and 3

Recently, as Kerala hotly debated the Supreme Court order for maintaining at least a kilometre of Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ) for protected areas, the WGEEP report, popularly known as the Gadgil report, once again springs back to public discourse in Kerala.
The Gadgil Committee Report and Kasturirangan Committee Report are related to the Protection of Western Ghats. Gadgil was the chairman of the WGEEP which submitted a 522 page-report to the Ministry of Environment and Forests in 2011. Calling the Western Ghats region as “The Protector of Indian Peninsula”, Gadgil in his report suggested the designation of the entire region as Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA) and had classified the 142 taluks in the ghats into ESA 1, 2 and 3. Kasturirangan Committee Report classified 60% of the Western Ghats as a cultural landscape with human settlements, agriculture and plantations. Remaining area was termed as natural landscape, with37% “biologically rich” area, close to 60,000 sq km. Only 37% classified as an ecologically sensitive area (ESA). The report categorized areas on the basis of their ecological sensitivity.
T.S.R Subramanian committee report on environment aims to review the country's green laws and the procedures followed by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC). It suggested several amendments to align with the Government's economic development agenda.

Source:
The Hindu
Indian Express

Question : Consider the following statements regarding one of the most solemn occasions in the Parliamentary calendar - the President’s Address 

1. In India, the practice of the President addressing Parliament can be traced back to the Government of India Act of 1919.
2. When the Constitution came into force, the President was required to address each session of Parliament. 
3. Article 87 of the constitution provides two instances when the President specially addresses both Houses of Parliament.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?
1 and 2 only
3 only
1 and 3 only
1, 2 and 3

• In India, the practice of the President addressing Parliament can be traced back to the Government of India Act of 1919.
• This law gave the Governor-General the right of addressing the Legislative Assembly and the Council of State. The law did not have a provision for a joint address, but the Governor-General did address the Assembly and the Council together on multiple occasions. There was no address by him to the Constituent Assembly (Legislative) from 1947 to 1950. 
• Hence, 1st Statement is correct.
• When the Constitution came into force, the President was required to address each session of Parliament. So, during the provisional Parliament in 1950, President Prasad gave an address before every session. 
• The First Amendment to the Constitution in 1951 changed this position and made the President’s address once a year.
• Hence, 2nd Statement is correct.
• Article 87 provides two special occasions on which the President addresses a joint sitting. 
• The first is to address the opening session of a new legislature after a general election. The second is to address the first sitting of Parliament each year. 
• A session of a new or continuing legislature cannot begin without fulfilling this requirement. 
• Hence, 3rd Statement is correct.

Question :

1. To secure opportunities for healthy development of children.
2. To protect and improve the environment and to safeguard forests and wild life 
3. Equal pay for equal work for men and women.
4. To promote equal justice and to provide free legal aid to poor.

1, 2 and 3 only
1, 2 and 4 only
1, 2, 3 and 4

​Statement 1 is correct: 

• As it was added to the Article 39 of DPSP's through the 42nd Amendment Act, 1976.

Statement 2 is correct: 

• As it was added to th6e Article 48 A of DPSP's through the 42nd Amendment Act, 1976.

Statement 3 is not correct: 

• As it was a part of Article 39 of the original Constitution.

Statement 4 is correct: 

• As it was added to the Constitution through the 42nd Amendment Act, 1976, thus putting a new Article 39A.

Question :
Recognized Transgender people as a third gender 

Entry of Women in Temple and Mosques

Reservation in Local Self Government

• The five-judge Constitution Bench decision in K. Krishnamurthy (Dr.) v. Union of India (2010) wherein the Supreme Court had interpreted Article 243D (6) and Article 243T (6), which permit reservation by enactment of law for backward classes in panchayat and municipal bodies respectively, to hold that barriers to political participation are not the same as that of the barriers that limit access to education and employment.
• However, for creating a level playing field, reservation may be desirable as mandated by the aforementioned Articles which provide a separate constitutional basis for reservation, as distinct from what are conceived under Article 15 (4) and Article 16 (4) which form the basis for reservation in education and employment.
• Though reservation to local bodies is permissible, the top court declared that the same is subject to empirical finding of backwardness in relation to local bodies as fulfilled through the three tests.
• This is famously referred as ‘Triplet Test’.

Question :

1. Rights are necessary for the sustenance of a democracy.
2. Rights protect minorities from the oppression of the majority.
3. Rights are reasonable claims of persons recognised by society.

1 and 2 only
2 and 3 only
1, 2 and 3
1 and 3 only

• Rights are necessary for the very sustenance of a democracy. In a democracy every citizen has to have the right to vote and the right to be elected to government. For democratic elections to take place, it is necessary that citizens should have the right to express their opinion, form political parties and take part in political activities. 
• Statement 1 is correct:
• Rights protect minorities from the oppression of majority. They ensure that the majority cannot do whatever it likes. Rights are guarantees which can be used when things go wrong. Things may go wrong when some citizens may wish to take away the rights of others. This usually happens when those in majority want to dominate those in the minority. The government should protect the citizens‘ rights in such a situation. But sometimes elected governments may not protect or may even attack the rights of their own citizens. That is why some rights need to be placed higher than the government, so that the government cannot violate them. In most democracies the basic rights of the citizen are written down in the constitution. 
• Statement 2 is correct:
• Right has to be recognised by the society we live in. Rights acquire meaning only in society. Every society makes certain rules to regulate our conduct. They tell us what is right and what is wrong. What is recognised by the society as rightful becomes the basis of rights. That is why the notion of rights changes from time to time and society to society. Two hundred years ago anyone who said that women should have the right to vote would have sounded strange. Today not granting them vote in Saudi Arabia appears strange.
• Statement 3 is correct:
• Thus, Option C is correct.

Question : Consider the following statements:

1. The selection of Secretary to the Government of India is made by the Prime Minister
2. The Secretary to the Government of India is administrative head of the Ministry/Department.
3. He is chief advisor to the minister on all aspects of policy and administrative affairs. 
4. He represents his ministry/department before the Public Accounts Committee of the Parliament.

Which of the statement/s given above is/are NOT correct?
1 only
1 and 3 only
2, 3 and 4 only
1, 2 and 4 only

• A Secretary is designated as the Secretary to the Government of India, and not to his minister/ministry alone. He is administrative head of the Ministry/Department.
• His responsibility in this regard is complete and undivided. He is chief advisor to the minister on all aspects of policy and administrative affairs.
• He represents his ministry/department before the Public Accounts Committee of the Parliament.
• The Selection of the Secretary to the Government of India is made by Cabinet Secretary.

Question : Consider the following statements regarding the Censure motion:

1. Censure motion can be moved only in Lok Sabha or lower house in states
2. Censure motion can be moved against individual ministers or members
3. It must be specific and self-explanatory, stating the reasons for its adoption
4. If Censure motion is passed in the LokSabha, the council of ministers need to resign from the office.

Which of the statement/s given above is/are NOT correct? 

1 only
1 and 3 only
2 and 4 only
4 only

• Both censure motion and no-confidence motion can be moved in Lok Sabha or lower house in states.
• Statement 1 is correct
• While censure motion can be moved against individual ministers or members, no-confidence motion is moved against the entire council of ministers.
• Statement 2 is correct
• In case of censure motion, reasons must be stated for its adoption in the LokSabha.
• Statement 3 is correct:
• There is no impact on the government when a censure motion is passed, but the council of ministers have to resign and government collapses when a no-confidence motion is passed.
• Thus, Option 4 is incorrect.

Question :

1. No party has secured majority in a state assembly after General Elections or in the case of hung assembly.
2. Where the party having a majority in the assembly declines to form a ministry and the governor cannot find a coalition ministry commanding a majority in the assembly
3. Maladministration in the state or allegations of corruption against the ministry or stringent financial exigencies of the state.
4. When the state government is deliberately acting against the Constitution and the law or is fomenting a violent revolt.

1 and 2 only
2, 3 and 4
1, 2 and 4
1, 2, 3 and 4