India

27.01.18 Arunachal Pradesh(APPSC) Current Affairs

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NORTH-EASTERN STATES

  • Model Code of Conduct in full swing in Nagaland
  • Nagaland Chief Electoral Officer Abhijit Sinhahas asked banks to report daily to the district election officer on suspicious withdrawal of cash from the bank account of any individual.

 

  • If cash exceeding Rs 50,000 was found in a vehicle carrying a candidate, his agent or party worker, it would be seized.

 

  • The directives were issued as part of the Model Code of Conduct which is in force in Nagaland in view of the elections to the 60-member Assembly on February 27.

 

  • Posters, election materials or drugs, liquor, arms or gifts items valued at more than Rs 10,000, likely to be used for inducement of electors, or any other illicit articles also found in a vehicle, shall also be seized, the statement said.

 

  • Unauthorized political advertisements at private property should also be removed.

 

  • There is a total ban on the use of official vehicles by any political party, candidate or agent for campaigning, electioneering or election-related travel during elections.

 

 

 

INTERNATIONAL

 

·        Doomsday Clock set to 2 mins to midnight closest since 1953

 

  • The Doomsday Clock close the planet is to an apocalypse was set at2 minutes to midnight, the closest since 1953 during the Cold War.
  • The Clock was moved 30 seconds forward compared to 2017, citing growing nuclear risks and climate dangers.
  • The Clock is maintained since 1947 by scientists worldwide including 15 Nobel Laureates.

 

Gk bit – Doomsday Clock

 

  • The Doomsday Clock has moved closer to midnight, from two-and-a-half minutes to two minutes.

 

  • The Doomsday Clock was created by the board of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientistsin 1947 as a response to nuclear The concept is simple – the closer the minute hand is to midnight, the closer the board believes the world is to disaster.

 

 

  • The clock was originally conceived by a group of atomic scientists who had been involved with the Manhattan Project, the scheme responsible for the first nuclear weapons. The scientists regularly produced a bulletin detailing progress and updates in nuclear weaponry and the clock was first designed as an illustration for the cover of the first edition.

 

  • Since then, the clock has moved backwards and forwards – from seventeen minutes to midnight in 1991 to two minutes to midnight in 1953.

 

 

  • India offers to create digital villages in ASEAN countries

 

  • India has offered to enhance rural connectivity in fellow Association of Southeast Asian Nations during the ASEAN-India Commemorative Summit.

 

  • Prime Minister, Narendra Modi said, “India offers to undertake a pilot project on rural connectivity, which would create digital villages in Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar and Viet Nam.”

 

  • PM Modi also proposed the ASEAN countries declare 2019 as the ASEAN-India Year of Tourism.

 

 

 

NATIONAL

 

  • President of India Receives Asean Heads of State and Government

 

  • The President of India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind, received the ASEAN Heads of State and Government at Rashtrapati Bhavan on January 25, 2018 and hosted a lunch in their honour.
  • Speaking on the occasion, the President said that India-ASEAN relations have come a long way since we established our Dialogue Partnership with ASEAN on January 28, 1992.

 

  • Today, ASEAN is a Strategic Partner for India.

 

  • We have 30 dialogue mechanisms between India and ASEAN, including Annual Summits and 7 Ministerial Meetings in a wide range of sectors.

 

  • Ministry of Highways signs MoU with IL&FS for construction of Zojila tunnel

 

  • An MoU was signed between National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation (NHIDCL) under the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways, and M/S IL&FS Transportation Networks Ltd for construction of the 14.150  km long,  2-lane bi-directional Zojila Tunnel in Jammu & Kashmir .

 

  • This would be India’s longest road tunnel and the longest bi-directional tunnel in Asia.

 

  • The construction of this tunnel will provide all weather connectivity between Srinagar, Kargil and Leh and will bring about all round economic and socio-cultural integration of these regions.

 

·        Small Finance Banks and Payment Banks to offer Atal Pension Yojana

 

  • Payments Banks and Small Finance Banks are a New Model of banks conceptualized by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
  • 11 Payment Banks and 10 Small Finance Banks have received a license from Reserve Bank of India to start banking operations in India.
  • Small Finance Banks and Payment Banks are new age banks and given the strength of the bank, expertise and it reaches, Small Finance Bank and Payment Bank can play a pivotal role in the outreach of 83 lacs subscribers under Atal Pension Yojana (APY).
  • APY is a Government’s Old Age Pension Scheme being implemented through all Banks across the country as per the mandate received from the Ministry of Finance and monitored periodically at PMO. PM Narendra Modi had launched the Social Security Scheme on May 9th, 2015 and dedicated the First Ever Guaranteed Pension Product to the people of the country.

 

·        Maharashtra wins best tableau prize in Republic Day parade

 

  • The Punjab Regiment has bagged the award for the best marching contingent among the three services and the Indo-Tibetan Border Police among the paramilitary and other auxiliary forces in the Republic Day parade.

 

  • Maharashtra got the first prize for the best tableau.

 

  • Maharashtra’s tableau was titled Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj coronation.

 

  • Assam’s tableau depicting traditional “masks and sastras” bagged the second prize.

 

  • The third prize went to Chhattisgarh’s display of Ramgarh’s ancient amphitheatre and artistes performing dance based on Kalidasa’s Meghadootam.

 

  • Among the tableaux by Union Ministries and departments, the first prize went to KheloIndia of the Youth Affairs and Sports Ministry.

 

  • Of the 23 tableaux, 14 were from the States and Union Territories.

 

  • The External Affairs Ministry presented two tableau depicting the “long socio-cultural, religious, educational and trade relations” between India and ASEAN countries.

 

·        Govt. to set up apex cybercrime coordination centre

  • To deal with cybercrimes such as financial frauds, circulation of communal and pornographic contents, the Union Home Ministry is planning to set up an apex coordination centre and has asked States to establish a similar mechanism in every district.
  • It has also released ₹83 crore for setting up of a cyber forensic training laboratory-cum-training centre for police officials in each State. The funds were given under the Cyber Crime Prevention against Women and Children Scheme.
  • The apex centre — Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) — would be set up in Delhi.
  • It would coordinate with State governments and Union Territories, and closely monitor the cyberspace and social media with due emphasis on vernacular content.
  • The centre would also block those websites which flout India’s laws and circulate child porn, and communally and racially sensitive content.
  • State governments have also been asked to set up a State cybercrime coordination cell at the headquarter-level and also establish district cybercrime cells.
  • The Ministry has already created a new wing — Cyber and Information Security Division — to deal with the new-age challenge.
  • The cybercrime cases are of varied types. These range from defacement of government websites, online financial frauds, online stalking and harassment, and data thefts. Each requires specialised investigative skill sets and forensic tools.
  • Phishing, scanning or probing, website intrusions and defacements, virus or malicious code and denial of service attacks are some types of cybercrimes.

 

Quality of life, life expectancy, literacy, standard of living and migration in India

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Quality of life, life expectancy, literacy, standard of living and migration in India

Human development—a comprehensive approach

  • Human development is a process of enlarging people’s choices. But human development is also the objective, so it is both a process and an outcome. Human development implies that people must influence the processes that shape their lives. In all this, economic growth is an important means to human development, but not the end.
  • Human development is the development of the people through building human capabilities, by the people through active participation in the processes that shape their lives and for the people by improving their lives.
  • It is broader than other approaches, such as the human resource approach, the basic needs approach and the human welfare approach

Measuring human development

  • The composite Human Development Index (HDI) integrates three basic dimensions of human development.
  • Life expectancy at birth reflects the ability to lead a long and healthy life.
  • Mean years of schooling and expected years of schooling reflect the ability to acquire knowledge. And gross national income per capita reflects the ability to achieve a decent standard of living.
  • To measure human development more comprehensively, the Human Development Report also presents four other composite indices.
  • The Inequality-adjusted HDI discounts the HDI according to the extent of inequality.
  • The Gender Development Index compares female and male HDI values.
  • The Gender Inequality Index highlights women’s empowerment. And the Multidimensional Poverty Index measures nonincome dimensions of poverty.

India’s Human Development Index 2016

  • India was ranked 131 in the 2016 Human Development Index (HDI) among the 188 countries.
  • India scored 0.624 and was placed in medium human development category.
  • The index was unveiled recently as part of the Human Development Report (HDR) 2016 titled Human Development for Everyone published by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
  • India related facts: India’s HDI value increased from 0.428 in 1990 to 0.624 in 2015. However, its average annual growth in HDI (1990-2015) was higher than that of other medium HDI countries.
  • Life expectancy at birth: In India, it has increased from 68 years to an average of 68.3 years — 69.9 years for women and 66.9 years for men.
  • Access to knowledge: India’s expected years of schooling remains at 11.7 years, while mean years of schooling increased from 5.4 to 6.3 years.
  • India’s Gross National Income (GNI) based on per capita purchasing power parity (PPP): It has risen from $5,497 to $5,663.
  • Gender Inequality Index (GII): India ranked 125 among 159 countries. Only 12.2% of Parliament seats are held by women. 8% of women above the age of 15 years are part of India’s labour force — compared to 79.1% men. The ratio of maternal mortality is 174 against every 100000 live births.
  • Inequality-adjusted Human Development Index (IHDI): It is difference between the HDI and IHDI, expressed as a percentage of the HDI, indicating the loss in human development due to inequality.
  • India’s HDI was pegged at 0.624, but its value falls 27.2% after being adjusted for inequalities, resulting in a HDI value of 0.455.
  • Life expectancy adjusted with inequalities between 2010 and 2015 fell 24%, resulting in a value of 0.565.
  • The percentage of inequality in education in 2015 was 39.4% or 0.324 and inequality in income 16.1% or 0.512.

Social Progress Index: India’s quality of life improves

  • The measurement of quality of life is critical to understand whether economic growth is fostering social development across the globe or not.
  • It is essential to ranks countries on the basis of government’s effectiveness at meeting basic human needs, at providing a foundation for well-being with basic education and environmental protection, and at creating opportunities for all citizens to make personal choices and reach their full potential.
  • This kind of framework is being used by the Social Progress Imperative to create the Social Progress Index. It is observed that the world incorporating 128 countries scores 64.85 on social progress.
  • It registers a 2.6 percent increase from 2014.
  • The performance is best in Basic Human Needs with a score of 89.62 followed by Foundations of Well-being and Opportunity.
  • The major factors that contribute to the improvements in social progress are increased access to information & communication and enhanced advanced education landscape. On the other hand, Personal Rights which includes measures of political rights and freedom of expression is declining in most countries.
  • A rapid deterioration of rights, especially in terms of falling political participation and worsening freedom of expression and assembly, points out that the choices of citizens are being threatened.
  • Also, the advancements in Personal Safety have been intangible. This is mainly due to the reverse changes in the homicide rate and violent crimes which some countries are experiencing.

Quality of life: Which is the best Indian city to live in?

  • One of the most difficult financial decisions one has to make in life is to decide the place where they would choose to stay. The location one chooses is influenced by a host of pros and cons. The cost of living, the availability of economic opportunities, the quality of life, education facilities, among others are some of the many deciding factors.
  • Mercer, the global human resources consulting firm, has released its 18th annual Quality of Living Survey, listing 2016 city rankings of best places to live in.
  • Mercer evaluated local living conditions in more than 440 cities surveyed worldwide according to 39 factors, grouped in 10 categories such as political and social environment, economic environment, socio-cultural environment, medical and health considerations, schools and education, public services and transportation, recreation, consumer goods, housing, and natural environment.
  • As per the Mercer ranking, Hyderabad has been ranked as the best city in India to stay in with a ranking of 139 out of 230 cities in the world.
  • Pune has been selected as the second best Indian city with a rank of 144.
  • Other Indian cities that found a place in the list are: Bangalore (145), Chennai (150), Mumbai (152), Kolkata (160), and New Delhi (161).

Literacy in India

  • The 15th official census in India was calculated in the year 2011. In a country like India, literacy is the main foundation for social and economic growth. When the British rule ended in India in the year 1947 the literacy rate was just 12%.
  • Over the years, India has changed socially, economically, and globally.
  • After the 2011 census, literacy rate India 2011 was found to be 74.04%.
  • Compared to the adult literacy rate here the youth literacy rate is about 9% higher. Though this seems like a very great accomplishment, it is still a matter of concern that still so many people in India cannot even read and write.
  • The numbers of children who do not get education especially in the rural areas are still high. Though the government has made a law that every child under the age of 14 should get free education, the problem of illiteracy is still at large.
  • Now, if we consider female literacy rate in India, then it is lower than the male literacy rate as many parents do not allow their female children to go to schools. They get married off at a young age instead.
  • Though child marriage has been lowered to very low levels, it still happens. Many families, especially in rural areas believe that having a male child is better than having a baby girl. So the male child gets all the benefits.
  • Today, the female literacy levels according to the Literacy Rate 2011 census are 65.46% where the male literacy rate is over 80%.
  • The literacy rate in India has always been a matter of concern but many NGO initiatives and government ads, campaigns and programs are being held to spread awareness amongst people about the importance of literacy. Also the government has made strict rules for female equality rights. India literacy rate has shown significant rise in the past 10 years.
  • Here are some facts about different states literacy rate, Kerala is the only state in India to have 100% literacy rate. It is followed by Goa, Tripura, Mizoram, Himachal Pradesh, and Maharashtra, Sikkim.
  • The lowest literacy rate in India is seen in the state of Bihar.
  • We also need to think why is the literacy rate is low here in India compared to other developed countries. Basically the population in India is very high. Being the 7th largest country its population stands 2nd in the world after China. There are over 1 billion people in India.
  • The number of schools and educational centers especially in rural areas is less. Even today many people are below the poverty line. Also people aren’t aware that children should get free education according to the law

Standard of living in India

  • Standard of living in India varies from state to state.
  • With one of the fastest growing economies in the world, clocked at a growth rate of 7.6% in 2015, India is on its way to becoming a large and globally important consumer economy.
  • According to Deutsche Bank Research, there are between 30 million and 300 million middle-class people in India. If current trends continue, India’s share of world GDP will significantly increase from 7.3 in 2016 to 8.5 percent of the world share by 2020.
  • In 2011, less than 22 percent of Indians lived under the global poverty line, nearly a 10 percent reduction from 29.8 percent just two years prior in 2009.
  • According to NCAER, India’s middle class population would be 267 million in 2016.
  • Further ahead, by 2025-26 the number of middle class households in India is likely to more than double from the 2015-16 levels to 113.8 million households or 547 million individuals.
  • Another estimate put the Indian middle class as numbering 475 million people by 2030.
  • It is estimated that average real wages will quadruple between 2013 and 2030.
  • The standard of living in India shows large disparity.
  • For example, there is widespread poverty in rural areas of India, where medical care tends to be very basic or unavailable, while cities boast of world class medical establishments. Similarly, the very latest machinery may be used in some construction projects, but many construction workers work without mechanisation in most projects.
  • However, a rural middle class is now emerging in India, with some rural areas seeing increasing prosperity. In general, the southern Indian state of Kerala ranks top for most of the indices.
  • In 2010, the per capita PPP-adjusted GDP for India was US$3,608.

Migration in India

  • One important facet of study on population is the study of migration arising out of various social, economic or political reasons.
  • For a large country like India, the study of movement of population in different parts of the country helps in understanding the dynamics of the society better.
  • At this junction in the economic development, in the country, especially when many states are undergoing faster economic development, particularly in areas, such as, manufacturing, information technology or service sectors, data migration profile of population has become more important.
  • When a person is enumerated in census at a different place than his / her place of birth, she / he is considered a migrant. This may be due to marriage, which is the most common reason for migration among females-or for work, what is the case as generally among males, etc.
  • It also happens that many return to their place of birth after staying out. To capture such movements of population census collect information on migration by last helps to understand the current migration scenario better.
  • In India, as per census 2001, about 307 million person have been reported as migration by place of birth. Out of them about 259 million (84.2%), migrated from on e part of the state to another, i.e., from one village or town to another village or town. 42 million (2%) from out side the country.
  • The data on migration by last residence in India as per Census 2001 shows that the total number of migrants has been 314 million. Out of these migrants by last residence, 268 million (85%) has been intra-state migrants, those who migrated from one are of the state to another.
  • 41 million (13%) were interstate migrants and 5.1 million (1.6%) migrated from out side of the country.

Why do people migrate?

  • People migrate for many different reasons. These reasons can be classified as economic, social, political or environmental:
  1. economic migration – moving to find work or follow a particular career path
  2. social migration – moving somewhere for a better quality of life or to be closer to family or friends
  3. political migration – moving to escape political persecution or war
  4. environmental causes of migration include natural disasters such as flooding
  • Some people choose to migrate, eg someone who moves to another country to enhance their career opportunities. Some people are forced to migrate, eg someone who moves due to war or famine.
  • A refugee is someone who has left their home and does not have a new home to go to. Often refugees do not carry many possessions with them and do not have a clear idea of where they may finally settle.

Push and pull factors of Migration

Push factors are the reasons why people leave an area. They include:

  1. lack of services
  2. lack of safety
  3. high crime
  4. crop failure
  5. drought
  6. flooding
  7. poverty
  8. war

Pull factors are the reasons why people move to a particular area. They include:

  1. higher employment
  2. more wealth
  3. better services
  4. good climate
  5. safer, less crime
  6. political stability
  7. more fertile land
  8. lower risk from natural hazards

Migration usually happens as a result of a combination of these push and pull factors.

20.01.18 Arunachal Pradesh(APPSC) Current Affairs

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NORTH-EASTERN STATES

·         Nagaland stands divided on assembly election announcement

 

ð  The announcement of election dates invited a polarised response in Nagaland, with political parties welcoming the move and local organizations strongly protesting against it – with the apex tribal body of the state threatening to boycott the electoral process.

 

ð  The demand for a resolution of the Naga crisis, talks for which have been on for decades, before the assembly polls has been gaining ground in the state. The Naga peace talks have centred around the creation of Nagalim, or greater Nagaland, encompassing Naga-dominated areas of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur. In 2015, the Centre signed a framework agreement with the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Isak-Muivah). Since then, the Naga people have been hoping for a resolution and had expected it to come by the end of 2017, especially after President Ram Nath Kovind hinted at the possibility in December last year.

 

 

INTERNATIONAL

 

·        India became 43rd Member of Australia Group

 

  • India joined the Australia Group export control regime and has become the 43rd Member of that Group.
  • It is an informal forum which seeks to ensure that exports do not contribute to the development of chemical or biological weapons.
  • The inclusion will raise India’s stature in the field of non-proliferation and help in acquiring critical technologies.
  • India managed entry into Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), the Wassenaar Arrangement and Australia Group despite not being a signatory to the Non-Proliferation Treaty.

 

Gk bit – Australia Group

 

  • The Australia Group (AG) is an informal forum of countries which, through the harmonisation of export controls,seeks to ensure that exports do not contribute to the development of chemical or biological weapons.

 

  • Coordination of national export control measures assists Australia Group participants to fulfil their obligations under the Chemical Weapons Convention and the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention to the fullest extent possible.

  • This is achieved by members through the harmonisation of export controls like using licensing measures.

 

  • It was established in the background of use of chemical weapons (in the form of nerve agents and sulphur mustard) by Iraq in the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s.

 

  • It has 43Members + European Union

 

 

·        India to offer Yoga classes at World Economic Forum

 

  • India will offer Yoga training sessions at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, in a move aimed at promoting Indian traditions abroad.
  • More than 70 heads of states are expected to attend the summit next week. PM Narendra Modi will be the first Indian Prime Minister to attend the summit in 21 years.
  • Two yoga teachers from India will hold daily classes next week at the summit, which has attracted 70 heads of state and government, including U.S. President Donald Trump as well as celebrities, chief executives and top bankers.
  • Modi will be the first Indian prime minister to attend the WEF in 21 years, since when the economy has more than doubled to $2.3 trillion and become the world’s seventh largest.

 

NATIONAL

 

  • MEITY launches Cyber Surakshit Bharat to strengthen Cybersecurity

 

  • The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), announced the Cyber Surakshit Bharat initiative in association with National e-Governance Division (NeGD) and industry partners at an inaugural event in Delhi.

 

  • It will include an awareness program on the importance of cybersecurity; a series of workshops on best practices.

 

  • Cyber Surakshit Bharat is the first public-private partnership of its kind and will leverage the expertise of the IT industry in cybersecurity.

 

  • Silvassa tops the List of Cities selected in Round 4 of Smart Cities

 

  • Shri Hardeep S. Puri , Minister of State (I/C) for Housing & Urban Affairs has announced the Round 4 winning cities of National Smart Cities Challenge.

 

  • The Minister informed that Silvassa from Dadar & Nagar Haveli has topped the list of winning cities in this round of competition.

 

  • Other winning cities are –

Erode, Tamil Nadu

Diu, Daman & Diu

Biharsharif, Bihar

Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh

Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh

Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh

Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh and

Kavaratti, Lakshwadeep

  • Maitre-2 bus services to connect India and Bangladesh

 

  • Maitre-2, the second passenger bus to Kolkata via Dhaka is started from Agartala, Tripura, to give a boost to the trans-border relationship between India and Bangladesh.

 

  • Recently, the Maitre-2 buses were flagged off by Tripura Road Transport Corporation Chairman.

 

  • The first Maitre bus service was launched in the year 2015.

 

  • Mauritius largest source of FDI in India, says RBI

 

  • Mauritius was the largest source of foreign investment in India, followed by the US and the UK, according to a census by the Reserve Bank.

 

  • Singapore and Japan were the next two sources of foreign direct investment (FDI), said the Reserve Bank of India.

 

Election Commission of India

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The Election Commission of India is an autonomous, quasi-judiciary constitutional body of India.It was established on 25 January 1950 under Article 324 of the Constitution of India. Originally the commission had only a Chief Election Commissioner. The commission presently consists of a Chief Election Commissioner and two Election Commissioners, appointed by the president.

The President appoints Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners. They have tenure of six years, or up to the age of 65 years, whichever is earlier. They enjoy the same status and receive salary and perks as available to Judges of the Supreme Court of India. The Chief Election Commissioner cannot be removed from office, except on the grounds and in the manner on which the Supreme Court judges can be removed. However, since the other Election Commissioners and the Regional Election Commissioners work under the Chief Commissioner, they may be removed by the President on his recommendations.

The Commission conducts elections in accordance with the constitutional provisions, supplemented by laws made by Parliament. The major laws include Representation of the People Act, 1950, which mainly deals with the preparation and revision of electoral rolls, the Representation of the People Act, 1951 which deals, in detail, with all aspects of conduct of elections and post election disputes.

Functions of The Election Commission of India

  • The Superintendence, Direction and Control of Election
  • Preparation of Electoral Rolls
  • To declare the date of Election
  • To reognise and derecognise Political Parties
  • To prepare code of conduct for Political Parties
  • Control over the staff connected with Election
  • To conduct Election
  • To establish Polling Stations
  • Safety of Ballot Boxes and Counting
  • To declare ineligible for contesting Election
  • To order Re-poll
  • To issue Direction

Electoral Reforms can be achieved by two types of measures: Preventive and Punitive

  • Preventive
    • Advertisements in the press to be issued to educate voters of their rights and responsibilities, besides highlighting ethical voting
    • Meetings with NGOs and citizens’ forums and appeal to political parties and candidates for self-restraint
  • Punitive
    • CEOs of the state would identify those constituencies which were prone to high expenditure and corrupt practices. Large number of assistant expenditure observers and more number of flying squads and surveillance teams would be posted in these constituencies
    • Expenditure observer to be appointed for each district
    • Each candidate to open a separate account for election expenditure
    • All election expenditure are to be incurred by issuing cheques
    • Banks would be required to report to the Commission any suspicious withdrawal of money exceeding Rs 1 lakh
    • Set up a 24*7 call centre and complaint monitoring mechanism
    • Static surveillance teams would keep a watch on large quantities of cash or illicit liquor or any suspicious item being carried in the constituencies
    • District level media certification and monitoring committees would go into the entire process of media advertisements to check paid news

 

Fundamental Rights

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Fundamental Rights

  • Discrimination not on grounds only of
    • Art 15: religion, race, caste, sex, place of birth
    • Art 16: religion, race, caste, sex, descent, place of birth, residence
  • Reservation
    • First Backward Classes Commission: 1953, Kaka Kalelkar
    • Second BCC: 1979, B P Mandal (by Morarji Desai govt)
    • Article 340
  • Reasonable Restrictions
    • Speech and Expression: sovereignty and integrity of India, security of the state, friendly relations with foreign states, public order, decency or morality, contempt of court, defamation and incitement to an offence
    • Assembly: sovereignty and integrity of India and public order
    • Association: sovereignty and integrity of India, public order and morality
    • Movement: interest of general public and the protection of interests of any scheduled tribe
    • Residence: interest of general public and the protection of interests of any scheduled tribe
    • Profession: in the interest of the general public
  • Protection against self-incrimination does not extend to civil proceedings
  • Protection provided under normal detention in Art 22 not covers arrest under the orders of a court, civil arrest, arrest on failure to pay the income tax and deportation of an alien

 

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Right To Information    

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Right to information is a fundamental right of any citizen of India to know what is happening with the government. Every individual has the freedom to seek any government related information through this RTI act 2005. The Right to Information Act (2005) is one of the key legislation enacted by the Parliament which guarantees the right and freedom of every citizen of India to get the information related to our government dealings, both at centre and the states.

 

Right to Information Act 2005 mandates timely response to citizen requests for government information. Right to Information empowers every citizen to seek any information from the Government, inspect any Government documents and seek certified photocopies thereof. Right to Information also empower citizens to official inspect any Government work or to take sample of material used in any work.

Right to Information is a part of fundamental rights under Article 19(1) of the Constitution. Article 19 (1) says that every citizen has freedom of speech and expression.

This act was passed in the Indian Parliament on 15th June 2005 and was brought into force on 12 October 2005.

 

Applicability: This Right to Information act is applicable to all the states and Union territories of India except the state of Jammu and Kashmir which has its own Right to Information act 2009. Every citizen of India has the right to seek information through this act. Only an Individual can use this RTI facility. A group or company cannot request for any information.

 

Covered Govt Offices: The citizen of India has all the right to seek information related to the Indian constitutional authorities, viz; the executive, the legislative, judiciary, any other institution or body constituted by the act of parliament or state legislature. Any private institution financed and supported by the constitutional authorities.

 

Who is responsible: Every government office will have its own PIO(Public Information Officer) who is responsible to accept the request from the public and provide the information within 30 days of their request. A minimum fee is charged from the public. People from BPL(Below PovertyLine) are exempted from paying any fee to seek any information. Also there are APIOs(Assistant Public Information Officers) available in the post offices located in main cities and towns.

 

Information type: This act facilitates the citizen of India to obtain government documents, to inspect government documents, to inspect government works and to get the samples. (Government document means anything big to small including the Ration card, Election ID card).

Time Frame: The time frame to obtain any information is 30 days from the date of application. If the application was submitted through APIO, then the time frame is 35 days. In the case of information relating to life and death warranting very urgent information, the information to be provided within 48 hours from the time of application.

 

Restriction of Information: There is a restriction in seeking information according to the official secret act 1923 and such information will not be revealed or provided to the citizen of India in the interest of the country’s security. No information pertaining to offices and section dealing with security of the nation which will endanger the national security, security to personnel,. Like the defence, CB CID, BSF,Police etc; However, any issues relating to malfunction or corruption in the department are excluded , and can be sought through this RTI act.

 

Appeals: An appeal can be made to the appellate authority. If the first appeal is not replied, then the second appeal can be made to the Information Commission.

 

Actions on delay information: The officer is charged Rs. 250 per day as penalty for the delay. He is likely to be charged Rs. 25000 for providing wrong information or for denial of information, and disciplinary action will be initiated against the officer who fails to provide information and if his explanation is not duly justified.

 

Word limit: There is no word limitation when the act was brought into force. Now the government is thinking to impose restriction on the word limit to 500 words per application.

 

Right to information act helps the citizen to exercise their fundamental right to get information without any denial from the authorities. It helps the people to get the information pertaining to self relating to the government. It also helps to find out the corrupt functioning of the government and its officials. It keeps a check on government to conduct its business in a very fair manner. This act creates a fear in the minds of government servants to think and work that they are the servants of the people of this nation. Many government scandals have been brought out

to light with the help of this good act.

 
This Right to Information act has been conceived and delivered in a better shape that will lead India to move forward by reducing corruption in government departments. With this a government servant recognizes and respects the citizen of India and the government fears its people for wrong doings.

 

Federal Dynamics.

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Federalism is a system of government in which the same territory is controlled by two levels of government. Generally, an overarching national government governs issues that affect the entire country, and smaller subdivisions govern issues of local concern. Both the national government and the smaller political subdivisions have the power to make laws and both have a certain level of autonomy from each other.

 

A federation is traditionally constituted when two or more independent neighboring states forge a Union for defined purposes of common interest by divesting themselves of a measure of sovereignty which is vested with the federal government. “The urge for union comes from the need for collective security against aggression and economic co-ordination for protection and expansion of trade and commerce. The federation is given only enumerated powers, the sovereignty of the states in the Union remains otherwise unimpaired”.

 

“A Federation in USA is of this type. Alternatively, a federation is formed when a sovereign authority creates autonomous units and combines them in a Union.” Once constituted, the national and state governments possess co-ordinate authority derived from the several constitutions and enjoy supremacy in their respective spheres of authority and jurisdiction. Canadian federation belongs to this category. However, the differences between the two lie in the degree and extent of emphasis on unitary features.

 

Characteristic Features of Federalism are:-

 

(i) Supremacy of Constitution:-Supremacy of the Constitution is a doctrine where by the Constitution is the supreme law of the land and all the State organs including Parliament and State Legislatures are bound by it. They must act within the limits laid down by the Constitution. They owe their existence and powers to the Constitution and, therefore, their every action must have its support in the Constitution.

 

(ii) The distribution among bodies with limited and co-ordinate authority, of different powers of government;

 

(iii) The authority of the courts as interpreters of the Constitution;

 

(iv) Double citizenship is another characteristic of some of the Federation.

 

 

 

A unitary system on the other hand has the highest degree of centralization. In a unitary state, the central government holds all the power. Lower-level governments, if they exist at all, do nothing but implement the policies of the national government. In a purely unitary state, the same set of laws applies throughout the nation, without variation. Unitary states create national policy, which is then applied uniformly. This uniformity sometimes serves as an advantage because people and businesses know exactly what to expect from the laws, regardless of geographical location. At the same time, to maintain its uniformity, a unitary government must overlook local differences that might call for different rules or policies.

 

Example: Most absolute monarchies and tyrannies operate under unitary systems. But democratic unitary states exist as well. In France, for example, the central government makes virtually all of the decisions.

 

The Indian Federation is a federation of its own type. It does not fall into either of the two conventional categories. The British provinces though largely autonomous after the attainment of independence in 1947 did not possess the attributes of sovereignty. Their position was just like Canadian provinces. They could not therefore form a compact of their own for common purposes of supra-provincial importance.

 

Moreover, the Union was not brought into existence by the British before they relinquished power. The representatives of the Indian people assembled in a Constituent Assembly and decided on the structure of the Union. Hence, they provided for the distribution of authority and functions between the national and regional governments.

 

The Indian Constitution, no doubt, fulfills some conditions of a federation, but it leans towards a strong Centre, it is a stable union of states and provinces (now termed as states) which have neither lost their entities nor claim complete autonomy. Evidently it does not violate the essentials of a federal polity. However, our federal system has been adjusted to the needs of our country, which has been falling prey to the foreign invaders on account of it being a house divided against itself.

 

Unitary nature of Indian constitution:

 

On the other hand the Indian constitution also incorporates many features of a unitary state. The unitary features of Indian constitution is given below:

 

  • It provides for single citizenship an integrated judiciary, dominance of bureaucracy, uniformity at the top levels, and above all gives greater powers to the union Government.
  • The Indian constitution sets up a very powerful union Government. A review of the division of powers in the Indian constitution clearly shows strong bias in favor of the union Government and several limitations on the autonomy of state Governments. For example, during the proclamation of a national emergency the union government can legislate on the subjects in the state list and can control the executive powers of the state government.
  • It is not only during an emergency that the Indian constitution becomes unitary in character. Even in its normal working, the union Parliament can reorganize the states or alter the boundaries by a simple majority vote, even without the consent of the legislature of the state so affected.
  • In case there is a conflict between a union law and a state law, the union law will prevail.
  • The state governors are appointed by the President.
  • State governments don’t have separate constitution of their own. They derive their powers from the same constitution, i.e., the Constitution of India.
  • There is a single judicial system in India. The highest judicial forum is the Supreme Court. The high courts and other lower courts are sub-ordinate to Supreme Court.

Arunachal Pradesh Schemes and Projects

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Arunachal Pradesh Schemes and Projects

Chief Minister’s Adarsh Gram Yoiana 2017

  • The Government of Arunachal Pradesh has decided to implement the Ghief Minister’s Adarsh Gram Yojana 2017 fot creating model villages in the state.

OBJECTIVE

  • The Objective of the scheme is to develop 60 Model Villages in Arunachal Pradesh, which are equipped with all basic amenities such as 24×7 Piped Drinking water,
  • Electricity at household level, primary school, primary health infrastructure, internal roads, avenues of employment generataon and are open defecation free.

SALIENT FEATURES

  1. A total of 60 model villages (l village per Legislative Assembly Constituency) will be developed initially within a period of 2 years.
  2. Selection of villages will be done by a committee headed by Deputy Commissioner along with HOO’s of respective districts and the concerned MLAs.
  3. A total outlay of Rs 1.5 Crores per village has been provided.
  4. Block Development Office will be the nodal implementing Agency.
  5. In order to generate rural employment, all works that do not require specific skills will be done by the villagers who are willing to work and are above 18 years of age. Wages will be paid as per latest MGNREGA guidelines and works will be dovetailed with MGNREGA scheme of Government of lndia.
  6. A shelf of works for the village will be recommended and approved by Gram Sabha and submitted to the BDO. This would be forwarded to the office of the Deputy Commissioner for Administrative and Technical Approval and Sanctions.
  7. All account and records relating to the scheme would be available for public scrutiny.
  8. There would be an effort on convergence with other CSS / State Plan Schemes including MLALAD for optimal results.

 

Chief Minister’s District Innovation and Challenge Fund

  • The Government of Arunachal Pradesh has decided to implement the Scheme of “Chief Minister’s District Innovation and Challenge Fund” to ensure that public investment in the district is responsive to local requirements of the districts.
  • The following would be the key objectives of the scheme:
    1. To fill in vital gaps in public infrastructure available at the district level which is not being fully utilized in absence of relatively small investment e.g. Gove:nment hospital witfr non-functional diagnostic equipment.
    2. Catalyze opportunities for Skill Development, Sustainable Livelihood and entrepreneurship.
    3. Schemes which have positive impacts of eFficient service delivery system.
    4. Schemes which are oriented towards social sectors – Health and Education.
    5. Schemes which are targeted on welfare of marginalized section of the society. Sub:- Chief Minister’s District Innovation and Challenqe Fund.
    6. Development of Eco-tourism

Chief Minister’s Krishi Rinn Yoiona

  • The Government of Arunachal Pradesh has decided to provide a facility of Zero interest crop loan to farmers of the State to enable them easy access to formal credit through banking channels.
  • The Government of Arunachal Pradesh has decided to launch “Chief Minister’s Krishi Rinn Yojana” which will have the following features:-
  1. The Government of Arunachal Pradesh would provide interest subvention oi 4o/o on crop loan / Kisan Credit Card limit up to Rs.3.00 lakhs sanctioned by all banks to all farmers of the State during the current financial year. This interest subvention will be over and above the subvention given by Govt of lndia to banks and the farmers as per policy circular issued by RBI/NABARD
  2. The farmers would also get interest relief @ 30k per annum who promptly repay their short term production credit (crop loan) within one year of disbursement / drawal of such loan. ln effect, farmers who take loan of upto Rs 3.00 lakhs and make timely repayments will get access to zero interest credit facility.
  3. NABARD will act as channel partner for reimbursement to banks against interest subvention amount claims in prescribed format, for which a circular will be issued to all the banks separately.
  4. The State Government will be issuing a notification wherein a certificate of area and crop being cultivated issued by Circle Officer which will be accepted as valid documents by bank for issuance of Kisan Credit Card to the farmers.
  5. This scheme will not be available for production of perennial food crop, plantation crop.
  6. Banks and district will give adequate publicity to the above scheme so that th6 iarmers can avail the benefits.
  7. Beneflt under scheme will be extended to farmers availing KCC / crop production loan from commercial banks, APRB and APSCAB Ltd at the same terms and conditions prescribed by RBI / NABARD. Banks will make available the KCC loan application formats being used at present to all the farmers willing to apply for KCC in short term crop loan.
  8. The State Government has set a target of 7500 farmers to be covered under crop loan under Chief Minister’s Krishi Rinn Yojana in this financial year. The districl wise/bank wise target will be circulated separately to all DCs and concerned banks. These targets will be reviewed in the DLCC meetings and SLBC meetings. Any bank which fails to meet the stipulated target would be reported to RBI and Department of Financial Services.
  9. The Circle Officers will function as Financial Extension Officers of the State Government and also help the banks in timely recovery of crop loans.

Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Bunkar Yojana

The Government of Arunachal Pradesh has decided to launch the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Bunkar Yojana to encourage the women weavers to access affordable credit from banks for working capital requirements.Arunachal Pradesh Schemes and Projects

  1. It has been decided to introduce 7% interest subvention on short term credit / Cash Credit limit / working capital limit / Weavers Credit Card / Swarojgar Credit card availed by the women weavers of the State. The Scheme will be applicable for loans availed from Commercial Banks, Regional Rural Bank on or after 01 .04.2017 and disbursed during current financial year.
  2. lnterest subvention will be qalculated on the short term loan amount from the date of its disbursement / drawl upto the date of actual repayment of the loan by the weavers or upto the due date of the loans fixed by the banks, whichever is earlier, subject to a maximum period of one year.
  3. The benefit of the Scheme will not be applicable to term loans and other loans extended by the Commercial Banks, Regional Rural Banks and Cooperative Banks to weaVers.
  4. The loan application will be forwarded through Circle Officer who will certify that the applicant is in p6ssession of a working loom(s).
  5. The Scheme will cover all categories of women weavers, irrespective of unit size /no. of looms and will be covered under the Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana.
  6. Only individual women weaVer or group of woman weavers will be eligible under the Scheme. Cbmpanies and partnership firms will not be eligible.
  7. The interest subvention will be applicable for working capital loan upto Rs. 2.00 lakh irrespective of the quantum of loan extended to the weaver by the bank.
  8. A target of 3000 women weavers has been fixed for this financial year and the bank wise / district wise target will be circulated in due course. Banks who default in targets would be reported to RBl.
  9. NABARD will act as channel partner for reimbursement of interest subvention to banks which have to be claimed by the banks in the prescribed format. NABARD will issue detailed circulars to the banks in this regard.
  10. The District Administration and the bank will make all efforts for wide publicity of the scheme and the Circle Officers shall educate women self-help groups and individual weavers for timely loan repayment.

Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Swalamban Yoiona

The Government of Arunachal Pradesh has decided to launch the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Swalamban Yojana to encourage unemployed youth to gain access to low cost capital for entrepreneurship.

  1. Under this scheme, a provision of 30% back ended capital investment subsidy has been made for entrepreneurs, who wish to set up small and medium enterprises with a loan from Rs. 10.00 lakhs upto Rs.1 .00 crore excluding the cost of land and building.
  2. Women entrepreneurs will be additionally eligible for 5% interest subsidy annually provided the entrepreneurs does not become Non-Performing Asset (NPA).
  3. Entrepreneurs will be required to be registered under Stand Up lndia Scheme. The sectors are covered under this scheme :-.
  1. Value addition in agriculture, horticulture and allied sectors including packaging, cold chain, cold storage, milk processing, food processing etc.
  2. Ecotourism including home stays and tour operators.
  3. Traditional textile weaving for modernisation of traditional looms and ‘ purchase of new looms to start a new weaving unit.
  4. (Small scale manufacturing units to be set up by qualified graduates.
    • Entrepreneurs would be required to contribute at least 10% of project cost as their contribution. Preference will be given to those who contribute a greater proportion.

Government sanctions a major power transmission scheme for Arunachal Pradesh & Sikkim to bring them fully into the grid

  • The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, approved the Comprehensive Scheme for Strengthening of Transmission & Distribution (T&D) Systems (CSST&DS) in Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim at an estimated cost of Rs.4754.42 crore.
  • The scheme is to be taken up under a new Central Sector Plan Scheme of Ministry of Power (MoP).
  • As the intra-state T&D systems in the North-Eastern states have remained very weak, the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) developed the CSST&DS for the North East Region (NER) in consultation with the Power Grid Corporation of the India Limited (PGCIL) and State Governments concerned.
  • Presently, only 5 out of 20 districts of Arunachal Pradesh are connected to transmission network at 132/220 KV.
  • The 33 KV system is the backbone of power distribution system in the State.
  • Due to low population density spread over its geographical area of 84,000 sq.km, power demand in Arunachal Pradesh is scattered over large distances. Hence it is necessary to provide 132 KV connectivity in the state for proper voltage management and lower distribution losses.
  • Similarly, the distribution system in Sikkim mainly relies on 66 KV network, which needs to be strengthened substantially.
  • In view of this, it is proposed to take up projects for strengthening intra-state T&D systems of the two States through 31 new 132 KV sub-stations, 14 substations of 66/11 KV, 2035 km of transmission lines (132 & 220 KV) and 2204 km of transmission lines (33 & 66 KV).
  • The project would be implemented through PGCIL with its consultancy fee of 1.2 percent of the execution cost.
  • After commissioning, the projects would be owned and maintained by the State Governments.
  • Initially the project was proposed to be funded under Non-Lapsable Central Pool of Resource (NLCPR – Central) of the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DONER).
  • But DONER has conveyed its inability due to budgetary constraints.
  • Hence it is proposed to take it up through a new Central Sector Scheme under the MoP’s budget.
  • The project is to be implemented within 48 months from the first fund release to PGCIL

50 Biotech Laboratories to be established in Senior Secondary Schools of Arunachal Pradesh

  • Department of Biotechnology, Government of India, will set up 50 Biotech Laboratories in Senior Secondary Schools of Arunachal Pradesh under the scheme Biotech Labs in Senior Secondary Schools (BLISS) to encourage young dynamic students.
  • 75 to 100 crores have been earmarked for the implementing the projects.
  • This project will be jointly funded by Department of Bio-Technology and Rural Technology Centre of Department of Science and Technology, Government of India.
  • A State Level Biotech Hub will also be set up in the State for conducting high-end researches and training North Eastern Region Researchers and students, to create and train employable manpower.
  • For protection of indigenous traditional knowledge of the State, an Intellectual Property(IP) Cell will be set up in the State Science and Technology Council.
  • Five centres of excellence will also be established in different areas of Biotechnology in the State.
  • Setting up biotechnology labs in the schools will directly benefit more than ten thousand students and teachers of the state towards promoting education in biotechnology and attracting billion young students with multidisciplinary research areas.
  • The outreach programme will immensely help in generating awareness and enhancing literacy and promoting public understanding of biotechnology in the state.

 

India’s longest bridge brings Assam closer to Arunachal Pradesh

  • The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, inaugurated India’s longest bridge – the 9.15 km long Dhola-Sadiya bridge over the River Brahmaputra, in Assam.
  • The bridge will ensure 24X7 connectivity between upper Assam and Eastern part of Arunachal Pradesh, marking a major transformation from the ferry-based, day-only connectivity that collapsed during floods.
  • It will also reduce the distance and travel time between the two states.
  • The distance between Rupai on NH- 37 in Assam to Meka/Roing on NH-52 in Arunachal Pradesh will be cut down by 165 KM. The travel time between the two places will come down from the current six hours to just one hour – a total five hour reduction.
  • Dhola-Sadiya bridge opens the door for economic development in the North East on a big scale.

 

Arunachal Pradesh Food security

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Arunachal Pradesh Food security

It means to provide Food and nutritional Security in human life cycle approach by ensuring access to adequate quantity of quality food at affordable prices to people to live a life with dignity and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.

Food and agriculture organization (FAO) says Food security is made up of four pillars viz. Availability, Affordability, Nutrition, and Stability.

Availability of Arunachal Pradesh Food security

Food should be available in sufficient quantity at all times and at all places. Various steps were taken to diversify the agriculture economy by encouraging the cultivation of cash crops like potatoes, and horticulture crops like apple, oranges, guavas, and pineapples, etc. Many important projects such as Regional Seed Foundation Potato Farm at Tawang, Regional Apple Nursery at Dirang, and State Horticulture Farm at Sheragaon were set up with the help of North-Eastern Council to boost agro-horticulture activities.

Apart from these Gramsevak Training Centre and farmers Training Centre located at various parts of the state impart training in scientific methods of rural development and agriculture respectively. In this way pre-agricultural level of technology in 1950 is now firmly established in the world of hybrid varieties, genes and biotechnology.

Affordability of Arunachal Pradesh Food security

Food should be affordable to poor people.

Through Targeted-PDS and National Food Security Act (NFSA), Government provides cheap grain to poor.

Public Distribution System of Arunachal Pradesh Food security

Arunachal Pradesh’s unique set of problems impinge on the implementation of the public distribution system in the state. Most significantly, many regions in the hill state are hard to access. Further, the state does not have a civil supplies corporation to manage the movement of foodgrains from the Food Corporation of India (FCI) godowns to Fair Price Shops (FPS). The FCI does not have its own godowns in the state either. In the prevailing situation, the task of procuring and transporting PDS .

The practical challenges of implementing the Public Distribution System (PDS) in Arunachal Pradesh led to the conceptualization of the Arun ePDS initiative to improve delivery through process re-engineering and use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs).

The first phase, currently under implementation, is already showing significant impact in reducing the pilferage of food rations. The initiative has resulted in rapid redressal of grievances, detection of ghost ration cards and issuance of cards to people hitherto excluded from the system.

Nutrition

Food should be nutritious to ensure healthy development of body of mind.

Through Mid-day meal, Food-security Act, Integrated-Child Development scheme (ICDS) and half dozen other schemes, Government ensures nutritious food to children.

Stability

In food prices and supply must be stable. Otherwise political and social unrest.

FCI keeps ‘buffer-stock’ of grains. It can be sold to open market or distributed among people during high inflation, natural disaster etc.Arunachal Pradesh Food security

National Food Security Act (NFSA)

Govt. of India promulgated and issued National Food Security Ordinance on  5th July’2013 to provide Food and nutritional Security in human life cycle approach by ensuring access to adequate quantity of quality food at affordable prices to people to live a life with dignity and for matters connected therewith or  incidental thereto. The Food Security Ordinance envisage right to receive foodgrains at subsidised price by persons belonging to eligible households under Targeted Public Distribution System, nutritional support to pregnant woman, lactating mother and nutritional support to children etc. Under NFSA  every identified beneficiaries is entitled to get 5kg of foodgrain per month @ Rs. 3/- Rs. 2/- & Rs.1/- for rice, wheat and Coarse grain.
As approved by the Cabinet in the meeting on 08.08.2013, the Govt. of Arunachal Pradesh had launched the NFSO’2013 in the State on 20th Aug/2013 at Itanagar.

Identification of Eligible Households

For the state of Arunachal Pradesh, the targetted coverage of population under the priority group (including AAY) is Rural 66.31% and Urban 51.55%. the state of Arunachal Pradesh took it as an opportunity under NFSA to prepare a new list of eligible households under NFSA by not only relying on old BPL and AAY lists.

Digitization of NFSA Beneficiaries
           After identification of the eligible households under NFSA, the  beneficifiaries data were digitized manually as per the standard presecribed by the GoI ensuring demographic data, FPS linkage, Family members data and PLC encoding (as per RGI standard) in ration cards for upload in the state portal for transparency and social audits. For centres with Arun ePDS running, the the data enumerations were done in the centres itself.

 

Integrity in Administration including measures and mechanism for Prevention of Corruption and Malpractices in India.

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Integrity

 

Integrity is one of the most important and oft-cited of virtue terms. The concept of integrity has to do with perceived consistency of actions, values, methods, measures, principles, expectations and outcome. When used as a virtue term, “integrity” refers to a quality of a person’s character. Some people see integrity as the quality of having a sense of honesty and truthfulness in regard to the motivations for one’s actions. Persons of integrity do not just act consistently with their endorsements, they stand for something: they stand up for their best judgement within a community of people trying to discover what in life is worth doing. Some commentators stress the idea of integrity as personal honesty: acting according to one’s beliefs and values at all times. Speaking about integrity can emphasize the “wholeness” or “intactness” of a moral stance or attitude. Some of the wholeness may also emphasize commitment and authenticity. In the context of accountability, integrity serves as a measure of willingness to adjust value system to maintain or improve its consistency when an expected result appears incongruent with observed outcome. Some regard integrity as a virtue in that they see accountability and moral responsibility as necessary tools for maintaining such consistency.

 

The Legal Framework

 

The assessment of the legal and institutional anti-corruption framework points to a combination of robust institutions and lack of accountability in key areas. Some institutions such as the Supreme Court or the Election Commission have taken a stronger stance to combat malpractice in recent years, while key pieces of legislation such as the RTI Act promote greater bureaucratic transparency, granting citizens access to public records. Important mechanisms are –

 

 

Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (POCA) is India’s principal legislation against corruption. Its main thrust is to prohibit public servants from accepting or soliciting illegal gratification in the discharge of their official functions. In addition, bribe-givers and intermediaries may be held liable under POCA for bribing public officials. However, prosecution under POCA requires prior approval of high authorities which severely limits its usefulness particularly where there is collusive activity within government branches.

In addition to POCA’s prohibitions, various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) provide criminal punishment for public servants who disobey relevant laws or procedures, frame incorrect or improper documents, unlawfully engage in trade, or abuse their position or discretion.

The Prevention of Money Laundering Act 2002 seeks to prevent money laundering including laundering of property through corruption and provides for confiscation of such a property. It mainly targets banks, financial institutions and intermediaries such stock market intermediaries. They must maintain records of all transactions exceeding Rs 10 lakhs. Later amendment has also brought non-profit organizations under PMLA. They have been the typical conduits for terror organizations. The Enforcement Directorate recently began action to attach properties of DMK-controlled Kalaignar TV under the PMLA to recover Rs 215 crore in connection with the 2G scam for which DMK MP Kanimozhi is in jail along with A Raja.

The 2005 Right to Information (RTI) Act represents one of the country’s most critical achievements in the fight against corruption. Under the provisions of the Act, any citizen may request information from a “public authority” which is required to reply within 30 days. The Act also requires every public authority to computerize its records for wide dissemination and to proactively publish certain categories of information for easy citizen access. This act provides citizens with a mechanism to control public spending. Many ani-corruption activists have been using the RTI to expose corruption. Lack of legal protection against whistleblowers, however, puts them in risky situation and many RTI activists have lost their lives in last six years.

There are various bodies in place for implementing anti-corruption policies and raising awareness on corruption issues. At the federal level, key institutions include the Supreme Court, the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC), the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the Office of the Controller & Auditor General (C&AG), and the Chief Information Commission (CIC). At the Sate level, there are local anti-corruption bureaus such as the Anti-corruption Bureau of Maharashtra.

In recent years, the Supreme Court has taken a stronger stance against corruption. It has challenged the powers of states in several instances. For example, in 2007 in Uttar Pradesh, it challenged the state governor’s powers to pardon politically connected individuals based on arbitrary considerations. In other instances, judges have taken on a stronger role in responding to public interest litigation over official corruption and environmental issues.

 

The Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) is the apex watchdog agency established in 1964. The CVC can investigate complaints against high level public officials at the central level; not at the state level. In 2005-09, CVC slapped penalties on 13,061 CASES (average 2612 per year). It Oversees and supervises vigilance and anti-corruption work in all central government ministries, departments and PSUs. All group A officers (joint secretary and above) come under its ambit.

Limitation: Needs prior sanction to prosecute. Cannot probe officials below Jt Secy level until government refers case. Limited staff, normally on deputation.

 

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is the prime investigating agency of the central government and is generally referred to as a credible and respected institution in the country. It is placed under the Ministry of Personnel, Pensions & Grievances and consists of three divisions: the Anti-Corruption Division, the Special Crimes Division and the Economic Offenses Division. The Supreme and High Courts can instruct the CBI to conduct investigations. It investigates offenses by central government and PSU employees. States too can seek help. Also probes criminal cases.

Limitation: Cannot probe or frame charges on its own. Cases have to be referred. Is under government control and not autonomous.

 

The Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (C & AG) is the apex auditing body. The C & AG has produced several reports on state departments such as railways, public sector enterprise, and tax administration. These reports have revealed many financial irregularities, suggesting a lack of monitoring of public expenses, poor targeting and corrupt practices in many branches of government. The most recent example is its report on Commonwealth Games that nailed the corrupt organizing committee members. It audits accounts of all government departments/ ministries/PSUs. Look into discrepancies of expenses made by government/departments government controlled companies. Submits reports to Parliament that are then referred to the Public Accounts Committee.

 

Limitation: Limited to audits and accounts. Cannot probe corruption as defined by the Prevention of Corruption Act; has powers only to recommend; no investigative or prosecution powers.

 

The Chief Information Commission (CIC) was established in 2005 and came into operation in 2006. It has delivered decisions instructing government, courts, universities, police, and ministries on how to share information of public interest. State information commissions have also been opened, thus giving practical shape to the 2005 Right to Information (RTI) Act. Of India’s 28 states, 26 have officially constituted information commissions to implement the RTI Act.

 

Pending Anti-Corruption Legislation

 

Important pieces of anti-corruption legislation have been pending for years, including the Corrupt Public Servants Bill, the Lok Pal Bill, which is supposed to address corruption in high offices, including the office of the Prime Minister, and the Judge Inquiry Bill designed to introduce an inquiry mechanism for allegations and complaints against members of the judiciary.