Daily Current Affairs MCQ: 12th September 2024 - UPSC MCQ

- Statement-I: The Attorney General's emphasis on the need for duty-specific legislation, schemes, and supervision to effectuate Fundamental Duties is accurate based on the information provided.
- Statement-II: The mention that the judiciary should not compel the legislature to enact laws regarding Fundamental Duties as they are typically under legislative review is also correct according to the context.
- While both statements are individually correct, Statement-II does not directly explain or elaborate on Statement-I. The two statements address different aspects of the Attorney General's observations regarding Fundamental Duties, making Option B the correct choice.

1. Correct: Phase III of PMGSY indeed focuses on consolidating 1.25 lakh km of rural roads connecting habitations to Gramin Agricultural Markets, Higher Secondary Schools, and Hospitals. This phase aims to enhance rural infrastructure by improving the connectivity of key rural institutions and economic centers.
2. Incorrect: The funding ratio for PMGSY Phase IV is not uniformly 60:40 for all states. While the general funding ratio is 60:40 between the Centre and the states, it is 90:10 for North-East and Himalayan States. This special provision takes into account the unique geographical and socio-economic challenges faced by these states.
3. Correct: Phase IV of PMGSY aims to construct 62,500 km of all-weather roads to connect 25,000 previously unconnected habitations, with a special emphasis on areas affected by Left-Wing Extremism (LWE), tribal regions, and remote locations. This focus is intended to bring these marginalized and often neglected areas into the development fold, improving their socio-economic conditions through enhanced connectivity.
Therefore, the correct answer is Option C.

1. Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971 - Correctly matched. This act makes it illegal to disrespect the National flag, the Constitution, and the National Anthem, aligning with the Fundamental Duty to respect national symbols.

2. Protection of Civil Rights Act, 1955 - Incorrectly matched. This act deals with the abolition of untouchability and enforcement of any disability arising from untouchability, not directly with protecting the fundamental rights in general.

3. Representation of the People Act, 1951 - Incorrectly matched. This act deals with the conduct of elections and the qualifications and disqualifications for membership of the houses of Parliament and state legislatures, not specifically with the regulation of political parties.

4. Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 - Correctly matched. This act is aimed at protecting the wildlife and ensuring biodiversity conservation, aligning with the Fundamental Duty to protect and improve the natural environment.

Thus, only pairs 1 and 4 are correctly matched.

Answer: Option B: Only two pairs

- Statement 1 is correct. The Fundamental Duties were indeed included in the Indian Constitution by the 42nd Amendment in 1976. This amendment added Part IV-A and Article 51A to the Constitution, specifying the duties of citizens.

- Statement 2 is correct. The 86th Amendment in 2002 added the 11th Fundamental Duty, which mandates that parents or guardians provide educational opportunities for their children.

- Statement 3 is incorrect. Fundamental Duties, as outlined in Article 51A, are not legally enforceable through the judiciary. They are moral obligations meant to guide citizens and are non-justiciable, which means they cannot be enforced by the courts.

Therefore, the correct answer is Option B: 1 and 2 Only.

The main aim of the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) is to enhance rural infrastructure by providing all-weather road connectivity to unconnected habitations. This initiative plays a crucial role in improving transportation, accessibility, and socio-economic development in rural regions. (Note: The PMGSY has been instrumental in connecting villages and improving accessibility to essential services, markets, and economic growth centers in rural areas, thereby contributing to the overall development of these regions.)

The Swaran Singh Committee, established during the Emergency in 1976, was tasked with recommending constitutional amendments. Its key contribution was the addition of Part IV-A and Article 51A to the Indian Constitution, which included 10 Fundamental Duties. These duties aimed to remind citizens of their moral responsibilities and the significance of upholding these obligations towards the nation.

Statement-I correctly describes the objective of Mission Mausam, which is to enhance research and development in weather surveillance, forecasting, and atmospheric sciences. However, Statement-II is incorrect as it states that the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) will not play a role, which is inaccurate. In reality, the Ministry of Earth Sciences will take the lead in implementing Mission Mausam according to the provided information.

The primary objective of Mission Mausam, as approved by the Union Cabinet, is to enhance research and development in weather surveillance and forecasting. This mission is designed to improve weather predictions, atmospheric sciences, and high-precision forecasting standards. It aims to benefit various sectors such as agriculture, disaster management, defense, aviation, shipping, energy, water resources, power, and tourism through better data utilization and forecasting accuracy.

Statement 1 is correct. The Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) is indeed leading the implementation of Mission Mausam. This is clearly mentioned in the mission's outline.

Statement 2 is also correct. The mission plans to utilize next-generation radars and satellite systems equipped with advanced sensors to enhance weather surveillance and forecasting capabilities.

Statement 3, however, is incorrect. While Mission Mausam is expected to have benefits for various sectors, including agriculture, by providing enhanced weather predictions, its primary focus is not solely on improving agricultural productivity. The mission aims to establish a new standard for weather forecasting and management, which includes various critical components such as the deployment of high-performance supercomputers and the creation of enhanced earth system AI models.

Therefore, the correct answer is Option B: 1 and 2 Only.

1. India Meteorological Department (IMD) - Ministry of Earth Sciences: Correct. IMD is an agency under the Ministry of Earth Sciences responsible for meteorological observations, weather forecasting, and seismology.

2. Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) - Ministry of Science and Technology: Incorrect. IITM is actually under the Ministry of Earth Sciences, not the Ministry of Science and Technology.

3. National Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasting (NCMRWF) - Ministry of Earth Sciences: Correct. NCMRWF is also under the Ministry of Earth Sciences, focusing on medium-range weather forecasting.

4. Sakthan Thampuran - Cochin Kingdom: Correct. Sakthan Thampuran, also known as Raja Rama Varma IX, was a significant ruler of the Cochin kingdom from 1790 to 1805.

Hence, three pairs are correctly matched.