Economic and Social Development

Which one of the following is not a thrust area of the ‘Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT)’?

[amp_mcq option1=”Water supply” option2=”Storm water drainage to reduce flooding” option3=”Motorized urban transport and capacity building” option4=”Green spaces and park” correct=”option3″]

The Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) focuses on providing basic infrastructure services in urban areas. The five key thrust areas identified under AMRUT are: 1) Water supply, 2) Sewerage and septage management, 3) Storm water drainage, 4) Urban transport, and 5) Green spaces and parks.
Option A (Water supply), B (Storm water drainage), and D (Green spaces and park) are explicitly listed as thrust areas.
Option C mentions “Motorized urban transport and capacity building”. While Urban transport is a thrust area, the focus is primarily on non-motorized and public transport options and improving infrastructure for them. “Motorized urban transport” as a standalone or primary thrust area is not accurate; the emphasis is on sustainable transport. Capacity building is a component but not listed as one of the five core thrust areas in the same category as the others. Therefore, option C is the statement that does not correctly represent a core thrust area of AMRUT.

AMRUT aims to improve urban infrastructure through projects related to water supply, sewerage, drainage, urban transport (sustainable forms), and green spaces. It also includes reforms and capacity building components.

AMRUT was launched in 2015 with a focus on transforming 500 selected cities and towns. It complements other urban missions like Swachh Bharat Mission and Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban).

Which one of the following statements is not correct?

[amp_mcq option1=”The ‘Swarna Jayanti Shahari Rozgar Yojana’ is an urban self-employment programme.” option2=”Drought-Prone Area Programme and Desert Development Programme were launched in 1970s.” option3=”The ‘Sampoorna Grameen Rozgar Yojana’ was launched after restructuring the ‘Integrated Rural Development Programme’ in 2001.” option4=”The ‘Swarna Jayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana’ is a rural self-employment programme.” correct=”option3″]

The correct answer is C) The ‘Sampoorna Grameen Rozgar Yojana’ was launched after restructuring the ‘Integrated Rural Development Programme’ in 2001.

Statement C is incorrect. The Sampoorna Grameen Rozgar Yojana (SGRY) was launched in 2001 by merging two existing wage employment schemes: the Employment Assurance Scheme (EAS) and the Jawahar Gram Samridhi Yojana (JGSY). The Integrated Rural Development Programme (IRDP) was a self-employment program launched in the late 1970s and was later restructured and merged into the Swarnajayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana (SGSY) in 1999. Thus, SGRY was not a restructuring of IRDP.

A) Swarna Jayanti Shahari Rozgar Yojana (SJSRY) was indeed an urban anti-poverty program launched in 1997, focusing on self-employment and wage employment in urban areas.
B) The Drought-Prone Area Programme (DPAP) was launched in the Fourth Five Year Plan (early 1970s), and the Desert Development Programme (DDP) was launched in the Fifth Five Year Plan (late 1970s). So, they were launched in the 1970s.
D) Swarna Jayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana (SGSY) was a major rural anti-poverty program launched in 1999, focusing on promoting self-employment among rural poor through Self-Help Groups (SHGs).

Which one of the following States ranked first on Sustainable Development Goal India Index, 2020-21 released by NITI Aayog?

[amp_mcq option1=”Himachal Pradesh” option2=”Tamil Nadu” option3=”Kerala” option4=”Goa” correct=”option3″]

Kerala ranked first on the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) India Index 2020-21 released by NITI Aayog.

The NITI Aayog SDG India Index measures the progress of states and union territories towards achieving the 17 SDGs adopted in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Kerala has consistently performed well in this index.

According to the 2020-21 report, Kerala scored 75, maintaining its top position. Himachal Pradesh and Tamil Nadu secured the second position with a score of 74. The index evaluates performance across various indicators mapped to the SDGs.

SAUBHAGYA, a Central Government scheme, is related to

[amp_mcq option1=”providing cash money to women giving birth of single female child” option2=”connecting kitchen of every house-hold with piped cooking gas” option3=”strengthening and augmenting infrastructure for piped water supply” option4=”achieving universal household electrification in the country” correct=”option4″]

The correct option is D.

SAUBHAGYA is the acronym for Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana. This scheme was launched by the Government of India in 2017 with the objective of achieving universal household electrification in the country. It aimed to provide electricity connections to all remaining unelectrified households in rural and urban areas.

The scheme involved identifying unelectrified households, wiring their homes, and providing electricity connections. It included provisions for free connections for poor households and nominal charges for others, which could be paid in installments. The scheme significantly increased the number of electrified households in India.

The idea of social justice requires that

• 1. equal treatment be supplemented with principle of proportionality
• 2. due and equal consideration is given to all individuals
• 3. equality of treatment be transcended to recognise special needs

Select the correct answer using the code given below :

[amp_mcq option1=”1, 2 and 3″ option2=”1 and 3 only” option3=”2 only” option4=”2 and 3 only” correct=”option1″]

All three statements correctly describe aspects of social justice. Social justice is not merely formal equality (treating everyone exactly the same regardless of circumstances) but aims for substantive equality. This requires acknowledging historical disadvantages and existing inequalities. Statement 1 suggests supplementing equal treatment with proportionality, meaning treatment should be proportional to needs and circumstances, which aligns with addressing inequalities. Statement 2 is a basic tenet of justice – every individual deserves due and equal consideration. Statement 3 explicitly states the need to go beyond mere formal equality to recognise special needs, which is the basis for affirmative action or positive discrimination aimed at uplifting disadvantaged groups and achieving a more equitable outcome.

Social justice is concerned with the fair distribution of wealth, opportunities, and privileges within a society. It often involves addressing structural inequalities and ensuring that vulnerable groups are not disadvantaged. Key principles include equity (treating unequals unequally to achieve equality), recognition of rights, and participation.

Constitutional provisions in India, such as those related to equality (Articles 14, 15, 16) and provisions for reservations for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Other Backward Classes, are grounded in the principle of social justice, aiming to create a more equitable society by addressing historical discrimination and social backwardness. The Preamble of the Indian Constitution lists “Justice, social, economic and political” as its first objective.

PAHAL, an initiative to transfer the subsidy to direct bank account of the beneficiaries, is related to

[amp_mcq option1=”LPG consumers” option2=”internet consumers” option3=”farmers for fertilisers” option4=”Central Government Employees for medical treatment” correct=”option1″]

The correct option is A. PAHAL is an initiative related to transferring subsidy to LPG consumers directly into their bank accounts.

– PAHAL stands for ‘Pratyaksha Hastaantarit Laabh’.
– It is a Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) scheme launched by the Government of India.
– The primary objective of PAHAL is to transfer the subsidy amount for Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) cylinders directly to the bank accounts of eligible consumers, replacing the previous system of providing cylinders at subsidized prices.

PAHAL was rolled out nationwide in January 2015 and became the world’s largest cash transfer program (Guinness World Record). It aims to curb leakages and ensure that the subsidy reaches the intended beneficiaries efficiently.

Which of the following statements about employment situation in India according to periodic Labour Force Survey 2017-18 is/are correct ?

• 1. Construction sector gave employ- ment to nearly one-tenth of urban male workforce in India
• 2. Nearly one-fourth of urban female workers in India were working in manufacturing sector
• 3. One-fourth of rural female workers in India were engaged in the agri- culture sector

Select the correct answer using the code given below :

[amp_mcq option1=”2 only” option2=”1 and 2 only” option3=”1 and 3 only” option4=”1, 2 and 3″ correct=”option1″]

Let’s evaluate each statement based on Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) 2017-18 data:
1. Construction sector gave employment to nearly one-tenth of urban male workforce in India: According to PLFS 2017-18, the share of the construction sector in the urban male workforce was approximately 10.7%. So, this statement is correct.
2. Nearly one-fourth of urban female workers in India were working in manufacturing sector: According to PLFS 2017-18, the share of the manufacturing sector in the urban female workforce was approximately 14.2%. This is significantly less than one-fourth (25%). So, this statement is incorrect.
3. One-fourth of rural female workers in India were engaged in the agriculture sector: According to PLFS 2017-18, the share of the agriculture sector (including forestry and fishing) in the rural female workforce was approximately 61.5%. This is much higher than one-fourth (25%). So, this statement is incorrect.
Therefore, only statement 1 is correct.

The PLFS 2017-18 data showed construction as a significant employer for urban males (around 10%), while agriculture remained the dominant sector for rural females (over 60%). Manufacturing’s share in urban female employment was much lower than 25%.

PLFS is conducted by the National Statistical Office (NSO) and is a key source of data on employment and unemployment in India. The 2017-18 report was the first annual report of the PLFS.

What is the minimum reduction in projected demand of conventional energy at the end of five years as per the ‘development of solar cities’ programme ?

[amp_mcq option1=”2 per cent” option2=”5 per cent” option3=”10 per cent” option4=”15 per cent” correct=”option3″]

As per the ‘development of solar cities’ programme in India, the target was to achieve a minimum 10 per cent reduction in the projected demand of conventional energy at the end of five years.

The Solar Cities programme aimed to support urban local bodies in preparing a ‘Master Plan’ for their city to assess the current energy situation, project future demand, and propose a renewable energy development plan with a minimum 10% renewable energy share or demand reduction target.

The programme was launched by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) to encourage cities to adopt renewable energy technologies and energy efficiency measures. Many cities across India were selected under this initiative.

INSPIRE is an ongoing initiative of Government of India for

[amp_mcq option1=”attraction of talent for science and research” option2=”research advancement through nurturing” option3=”promoting research among various S & T stakeholders” option4=”augmenting quality manpower in niche areas of research” correct=”option1″]

The correct answer is A) attraction of talent for science and research.

The INSPIRE (Innovation in Science Pursuit for Inspired Research) program is a flagship initiative of the Department of Science & Technology (DST), Government of India. Its core objective is to attract bright young students to study science and pursue research careers. The program includes components like scholarships, fellowships, and research grants aimed at different age groups, from school children to researchers.

INSPIRE has various components like INSPIRE Award-MANAK (Million Minds Augmenting National Aspirations and Knowledge) for school students, SHE (Scholarship for Higher Education) for undergraduates, AORC (Assured Opportunity for Research Careers) which includes INSPIRE Fellowship and INSPIRE Faculty Scheme for post-graduate and post-doctoral researchers respectively.

Which one of the following is the correct arrangement of the countries in descending order according to Human Development Index (HDI) value ?

[amp_mcq option1=”Ireland, Norway, Australia, Switzerland” option2=”Norway, Switzerland, Australia, Ireland” option3=”Norway, Australia, Ireland, Switzerland” option4=”Switzerland, Ireland, Norway, Australia” correct=”option4″]

The correct answer is D) Switzerland, Ireland, Norway, Australia. Based on the Human Development Index (HDI) 2023/2024 report (which uses 2022 data), Switzerland ranks 1st, Ireland 4th, Norway 5th, and Australia 10th among the given options. Arranging them in descending order of HDI value gives Switzerland > Ireland > Norway > Australia.

– The Human Development Index (HDI) is a composite statistic of life expectancy, education, and per capita income indicators, used to rank countries into four tiers of human development.
– HDI values are published annually by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
– The relative rankings of countries can change slightly from year to year based on updated data. To answer this question accurately, one needs to refer to a recent HDI report.

The HDI is a standard means of measuring well-being. While the top countries often remain high, their exact ranking can fluctuate. As of the 2023/2024 report, European countries like Switzerland, Norway, and Ireland consistently rank among the very high human development group, along with Australia.