IAS Prelims GS Questions and Answers - Sep 29, 2016

ANSWER: Advaita

Explanation:

• Upadhyaya claimed that Integral Humanism followed the tradition of Advaita developed by Adi Sankara.
• Non-dualism represented the unifying principle of every object in the universe, and of which humankind was a part.
• This, claimed Upadhyaya, was the essence and contribution of Indian culture.
• The philosophy of Integral Humanism advocates the simultaneous and integrated program of the body, mind and intellect and soul of each human being.
• His philosophy of Integral Humanism, which is a synthesis of the material and the spiritual, the individual and the collective, bears eloquent testimony to this.

ANSWER: All of the above

Explanation:

• Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay certainly favoured economic freedom and opportunities for entrepreneurship, and criticized the government of the day for stifling avenues of investment.
• He emphasized decentralization of the economy, so as to empower local communities to make economic and developmental choices.
• He did not favour big business; he preferred the Gandhian ideal of large production from small units, “manufacture by the masses for the masses”.
• In agriculture, he favoured land ownership and strongly opposed Soviet-style cooperatives.
• He was no admirer of the planning process and strongly critiqued all the Five-Year Plans for failing to focus on employment, infrastructure, agricultural production, education and public health.

ANSWER: Only 1

Explanation:

• Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay’s (Panditji) theories were put in practice by two of his colleagues. Panditji’s vision was guiding beacon for them
• Dattopant Thengadi founded the Bharatiya Kisan Sangh and Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh, which went on to become the biggest trade union in the country.
• He also launched the Swadeshi Jagran Manch and famously turned down a Padma Bhushan from the Vajpayee government because he disapproved of its policies.
• Nanaji Deshmukh set up the Deen Dayal Research Institute, which created a model of rural development based on self-reliance.
• The fact that it boosted economic prosperity in the several hundred villages in Chitrakoot where it was applied attracts a great deal of attention from development agencies worldwide and drew fulsome praise from former President APJ Abdul Kalam.

ANSWER: 2016-2025

Explanation:

• The six (6) member countries of the South Asia Sub-regional Economic Cooperation (SASEC) program—Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka— released , the SASEC Operational Plan (OP) 2016-2025.
• The SASEC OP is the program’s first comprehensive long-term plan to promote greater economic cooperation among the member countries.
• Established in 2001, the SASEC program is a project-based partnership to promote regional prosperity by improving cross-border connectivity, boosting trade among member countries, and strengthening regional economic cooperation.
• The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is the secretariat and lead financier of the SASEC program.

ANSWER: Both 1 and 2

Explanation:

• The SASEC OP identifies regional road and rail links aligned closely with trade routes toward the east.
• Planned measures to streamline and harmonize trade procedures will cover both land-based and sea-based routes.
• This will open opportunities for the SASEC countries to participate more actively in regional value chains that are more advanced in Southeast Asia.
• The SASEC OP also promotes the development of economic corridors within and between the member countries.
• The energy strategy under the SASEC OP aims to diversify the energy mix in the SASEC countries to cope with the projected increase in demand.
• The immediate priority is to improve energy infrastructure that will allow countries to access commercial sources of energy and diversify their fuel mix.

ANSWER: It is generally one-sixth of the total estimation.

Explanation:

• Government cannot withdraw money from the Consolidated Fund of India till the enactment of the appropriation bill. This takes time but the government needs money to carry on its normal activities after 31 March (the end of the financial year).
• To overcome this functional difficulty, the Constitution has authorised the Lok Sabha to make any grant in advance in respect to the estimated expenditure for a part of the financial year, pending the completion of the voting of the demands for grants and the enactment of the appropriation bill.
• This provision is known as the ‘vote on account’. It is passed (or granted) after the general discussion on budget is over.
• It is generally granted for two months for an amount equivalent to one-sixth of the total estimation.

ANSWER: 116

Explanation:

• Article 116 of the Indian Constitution deals with the Vote on Account.
• It states that - The House of the People shall have power to make any grant in advance in respect of the estimated expenditure for a part of any financial year pending the completion of the procedure prescribed in article 113 for the voting of such grant and the passing of the law in accordance with the provisions of article 114 in relation to that expenditure.
• Vote of account has been a necessary feature since the adoption of the Constitution of India.
• By advancing of budget presentation by a month and completion of Budget related legislative business before 31st March, it would pave the way for early completion of Budget cycle and will also preclude the need for seeking appropriation through 'Vote on Account'.