NITI Aayog, Centrally Sponsored Schemes - GS questions based on daily current affairs

ANSWER: Only 2

Explanation:
NITI Aayog has constituted a Committee of Chief Ministers representing different political parties to examine and promote the use of digital payment systems across the country.

The move is in line with the Government’s thinking to promote transparency, financial inclusion and a healthy financial ecosystem nationwide and to give a boost to the adoption of digital payments systems by people at the grass root levels and small businesses.

The Committee will also include Vice Chairman, NITI Aayog; CEO, NITI Aayog; and experts.

ANSWER: All of the above

Explanation:
Apart from above NITI Aayog’s functions are:

• To maintain a state-of-the-art Resource Centre, be a repository of research on good governance and best practices in sustainable and equitable development as well as help their dissemination to stake-holders
• To offer a platform for resolution of inter-sectoral and inter­ departmental issues in order to accelerate the implementation of the development agenda.
• To create a knowledge, innovation and entrepreneurial support system through a collaborative community of national and international experts, practitioners and other partners.
• To be the instrument through which ideas from outside are incorporated into policy-making

ANSWER: All of the above

Explanation:
Apart from above NITI Aayog’s functions are:

• To develop mechanisms to formulate credible plans at the village level and aggregate these progressively at higher levels of government
• To pay special attention to the sections of our society that may be at risk of not benefitting adequately from economic progress
• To ensure, on areas that are specifically referred to it, that the interests of national security are incorporated in economic strategy and policy
• Feedback for constant innovative improvements
• To mainstream external ideas into Government policies, through collaboration with national and international experts;
• To be the Government’s link to the outside world, outside experts and practitioners;

ANSWER: Singapore

Explanation:

• NITI Aayog has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with Singapore Cooperation Enterprise (SCE) to tap the expertise of Singapore in urban sector to build capacities in State Governments and Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) to facilitate in implementation of the Urban Rejuvenation Mission.
• The yearlong Programme would comprise of a series of highly interactive workshops and advisory sessions and focus on Singapore’s and international best practices in areas of Urban Planning & Governance, Water and Wastewater Management, Solid Waste Management and bringing in private sector efficiencies in urban infrastructure and also identify key challenges faced by implementing agencies in these areas.

ANSWER: Five-Year Plans

Explanation:

• NITI Aayog, the government’s policy think tank, is working on a sector-based medium-term planning framework.
• The new planning framework could replace five-year plans, the last of which is set to end in 2016—17. It was possible to synchronise with the finance commission cycle, the financial approval of schemes and projects of both the central and state governments.
• The current financial year, 2016-17, is the last year of the 12th five-year plan.
• With the Planning Commission scrapped, the process for formulating a 13th five-year plan government has not been initiated, as a consequence of which the era of five-year plans is set to end in India this year.
• The government had constituted a committee for proposing a new format of budget statements and accounts.
• From the next financial year, the plan and non-plan distinction will be done away with for expenditure classification in Budget.

ANSWER: NITI Aayog

Explanation:

• NITI Aayog launched today the first phase of the ‘Grand Innovation Challenge’ to seek citizens inputs on the key developmental challenges facing India.
• The ‘Grand Innovation Challenge’ is being launched on the MyGov portal, to involve citizens at the very first stage in innovating for India’s development. The idea is to work together with the States and every citizen as Team India to ensure progress, leaving no one behind.
• The focus is on the social sector, the most vulnerable sections and to involve citizens in crowd sourcing ideas to address challenges facing India’s development.
• In Phase I of the Grand Innovation Challenge, NITI Aayog will seek the views of the citizens on the key challenges facing India, across areas significant for the country’s development. The idea is to find out from the people what are the critical issues which need to be addressed to develop the social sector and the challenges which need to be tackled on a priority basis.
• In Phase II, a shortlist of the urgent challenges as suggested by citizens would be prepared and innovative solutions would be sought from the people to address them using appropriate technology.

ANSWER: Farm Land Leasing

Explanation:

• The NITI Aayog is all set to propose a Model Act for freeing up of farm land through leasing.
• The Act is meant for States that plan to legalise farm land leasing. State governments are expected to improvise it to suit the local socio-political requirements.
• Land ownership will remain secure and will revert to the owner and in case the parcel of land is sold before the tenure of the lease is complete, the rights of the tenants will be secure.
• No changes will be made in the land records.
• Attestation of the lease is proposed to be done at the level of the sarpanch, local bank official or notary. The Model Act proposes that farmers and farmer groups be allowed to lease out land.
• The definition of ‘farm land’ is proposed to be broadened to include food processing.
• The Model Act proposes quicker litigation process in case of disputes, by suggesting recourse through criminal proceedings and special tribunal.
• It is expected that the dispute settlement will be taken up at the level of the Gram Sabha, Panchayat and Tehsildar.
• At present, only land owners can avail of crop insurance schemes or loans. Also, disaster relief in case of drought and crop damage is provided only to the owners and not cultivators.
• The Model Act will enable share croppers to receive such benefits and relief. Lessee cultivators could raise crop loans on the basis of expected produce.

ANSWER: Neither 1 nor 2

Explanation:

• As per the new system, the Core of the Core schemes will retain their expenditure allocation framework. For example, MGNREGA had 75 per cent of the material expenditure from the Centre and 25 per cent from the states.
• The Core schemes will have a 60:40 formula, while the Optional schemes will have a 50:50 formula, with the states having the flexibility to decide whether to invest in these or not.
• Funds for Optional Schemes would be allocated to States by the Ministry of Finance as a lump sum and States would be free to choose which Optional Schemes they wish to implement.
• Additionally, the States have been given the flexibility of portability of funds from optional schemes (should it choose not to utilize to utilize its entire allocation under that head) to any other CSS component within the overall allocation for the state under Central Assistance to State Plan (CASP).

ANSWER: 2, 3

Explanation:

• This year government has introduced a new classification system for the Centre’s spending.
• The new system divides Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS) into three categories: Core of the Core, Core, and Optional Schemes. This system is based on the recommendations of a sub-committee of chief ministers formed by Niti Aayog for the rationalisation of the CSS.
• Only Schemes/Programmes in CSS in key identified sectors will comprise the National Development Agenda.
• Amongst the Core Schemes, those for social protection and social inclusion should form the Core of the Core and be the first charge on available funds for the National Development Agenda.
• Under the new classification, eight schemes will be classified as Core of the Core. including MGNREGA and all the umbrella schemes for the upliftment of minorities, Scheduled Castes, and Scheduled Tribes.
• The Core schemes, 33 in number, include schemes as far-ranging as the Krishi Unnati Yojana, the Smart Cities programme, and the modernisation of the police force.

ANSWER: Tamil Nadu

Explanation:
The report of NITI Aayog’s sub-group of Chief Ministers on Skill development, which was released in September last year, has suggested that the ICT Academy of Tamil Nadu can expand its activities across the country if the academy is given requisite support by the State Governments concerned. Instead of replicating the ICT Academy model in each State, the existing organisation can open chapters in willing States, it said. With focus on skill development, the ICT Academy of Tamil Nadu (ICTACT) has trained over 18,000 teachers, conducted 677 programmes, and has 13 corporate partners. It also takes up entrepreneurship development. According to Lakshmi Narayanan, chairman of the academy, the ICTACT has enabled college educated students in Tamil Nadu grab a little over 50 per cent of all entry level hiring throughout the country, competitively. This has made tier-two and tier-three college students competitive and has enabled them join the IT workforce in larger numbers. The ICTACT model has come for praise from NITI Aayog, with it recommending that this programme and model be expanded in other States. It plans to take up specific projects, depending on the requirement of a State and also the support from the industries and the respective State Governments. In a couple of States, it is in talks with the government to take up training activities. Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra, and West Bengal are some of the States that have more IT sector presence.