Daily Current Affairs (MCQ) | Date 20.01.22

Q1. Consider the following statements

1. Nearly 45% of the population lives in urban centres
2. Nearly two-thirds of the country’s GDP stems from cities and almost 90% of government revenue flows from urban centres

Which of the above is/are correct?

a. 1 only
b. 2 only
c. Both 1 and 2
d. Neither 1 nor 2

Answer : c

Why is the Question ?

Democratize and empower city governments Context: There are nearly 5,000 statutory towns and an equal number of census towns in India. Nearly 35% of the population lives in urban centers. And, nearly two-thirds of the country’s GDP stems from cities and almost 90% of government revenue flows from urban centers. However, the general approach towards urban empowerment, including financial capabilities, has remained piecemeal in India.

Urban local bodies finance amid pandemic:
1. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in a report wrote: “With the third-tier governments in India playing a frontline role in combating the pandemic by implementing containment strategies, healthcare,... their finances have come under severe strain, forcing them to cut down expenditures and mobilize funding from various sources.”
2. The RBI further commented that the functional autonomy of civic bodies must increase and their governance structure strengthened. This could happen by ‘empowering them financially through higher resource availability.
3. It is interesting that the RBI did echo the recommendations of the 15th Finance Commission report on local bodies that emphasised city governance structures and financial empowerment.
4. However, there is only partial truth in the report. The emphasis is on resource availability, but how this will happen is not highlighted. At the most, it speaks only about generating more resources at the local level.

Q2. Consider the following statements

1. India has one of the lowest property tax collection rate in the world — i.e., a property tax to GDP ratio
2. During pandemic urban expenditure increased while revenue decreased a lot

Which of the above is/are correct?

a. 1 only

b. 2 only
c. Both 1 and 2
d. Neither 1 nor 2

Answer : c

Why is the Question ?

The essence: Need to own augment revenues for Urban bodies:
1. While correctly identifying the role of the city governments in meeting the challenges the pandemic has thrown up, the report also points to the draining of resources.
2. An RBI survey of 221 municipal corporations (2020-21) revealed that more than 70% saw a decline in revenues; in contrast, their expenditure rose by almost 71.2%.
3. The RBI report also highlights the limited coverage of property tax and its failure in shoring up municipal corporation revenues.
4. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) data show that India has the lowest property tax collection rate in the world — i.e., a property tax to GDP ratio. But this explains only one part of the story.
An old problem continues
1. During the pandemic, while leaders from the Prime Minister to Chief Ministers to District Magistrate were seen taking a call on disaster mitigation strategies, city mayors were found missing.

2. Because under the disaster management plan of action, cities are at the forefront to fight the pandemic; however, the elected leadership finds no place in them.
3. It is not just in disaster mitigation. The old approach of treating cities as adjuncts of State governments continues to dominate the policy paradigm.

Q3. 12th schedule of India Constitution is related to

a. Rural local bodies subjects
b. 22 official languages
c. Urban local body subjects
d. Distribution of Rajyasabha seats among states

Answer : c

Why is the Question ?

74th Amendment:
1. The general approach towards urban empowerment has remained piecemeal in India. Urban development is a state subject, which is more linked to political and democratic movements in States.
2. The important intervention started with the Constitution 73rd and 74th Amendments. The latter refers to urban reforms — empowering urban local bodies to perform 18 functions listed in the 12th Schedule.
3. But this was also the period of neoliberal reforms, so the generation of own resources and a slow withdrawal of the state could be witnessed.

4. Though the democratic transfer of 18 subjects was an important element, and necessary, there was, however, no mention of financial empowerment. It was linked more to the idea of “competitive cities” to attract investments in the urban centres by making their structures and land laws flexible.
5. We now know that not much investment has happened, and cities have not really been able to enhance their financial capabilities.

Q4. Consider the following statements

1. 5G signals may interfere with civil aviation safety
2. Both the 5G services and some flight equipment operate on the same C-band radio spectrum

Which of the above is/are correct?

a. 1 only
b. 2 only
c. Both 1 and 2
d. Neither 1 nor 2

Answer : c

Why is the Question ?

Technology tangle
The roll-out of 5G services near airports is posing a challenge to airlines

Highlights:
1. Almost 11 months after the United States’ leading telecommunications companies won bids for $81 billion worth of C-band radio spectrum to roll out 5G services, the much-awaited introduction hit a major snag this week after the country’s leading airlines warned of massive flight disruptions if the wireless technology was put into operation, especially around the nation’s airports.
2. In a compromise on the eve of the planned roll-out on January 19, AT&T and Verizon agreed to delay the introduction of the new wireless service near key airports.
3. The two major telcos’ commitments notwithstanding, several domestic and international airlines flying to the U.S. have announced major rescheduling as well as the possibility of cancellation of flights to several destinations citing warnings from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and aircraft makers that accurate functioning of radar altimeters in some aircraft may be affected by the 5G radio frequencies.
4. The altimeters provide information on an aircraft’s altitude and are a crucial part of flight operations for pilots, particularly while seeking to make low-visibility landings in inclement weather.

5. At the heart of the impasse lies the fact that both the 5G services and some flight equipment operate on the same Cband radio spectrum, with only the frequencies varying.
6. The FAA has said it is working with altimeter manufacturers to evaluate data from the wireless companies to determine how robust each model is, and, if required, have the devices retrofitted or replaced.

States weigh options on IAS cadre rule changes

1. The Union government is planning to acquire for itself overriding powers to transfer IAS and IPS officers through Central deputation, doing away with the requirement of taking the approval of the State governments.
2. The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) wrote to the States that the Union government proposes to amend Rule 6 (deputation of cadre officers) of the Indian Administrative Service (Cadre) Rules 1954.
3. The Centre’s move is set to put it in a collision course with the States, particularly those ruled by the Opposition. At least six State governments had written to the DoPT opposing the move, and they include the States governed by the BJP and its allies.
4. The letter comes in the wake of a shortage of All India Services (AIS) officers in Union Ministries. The DoPT said in its communication that the States “are not sponsoring an adequate number of officers for Central deputation”, and the number of officers is not sufficient to meet the requirement at the Centre.

Central deputation
1. In normal practice, the Centre asks every year for an “offer list” of officers of the All India Services (IAS, IPS and Indian Forest Service) willing to go on central deputation, after which it selects officers from that list.
2. Rule 6(1) of the IAS Cadre Rules says an officer may, “with the concurrence of the State Governments concerned and the Central Government, be deputed for service under the Central Government or another State Government…” It says “in case of any disagreement, the matter shall be decided by the Central Government and the State Government or State Governments concerned shall give effect to the decision of the Central Government.”
3. In a PIL in the Supreme Court petitioners pleaded that Rule 6(1) be struck down because of the Rule, states have to bear the brunt of arbitrary actions taken by the Centre, while the Rule makes it difficult for the Centre to enforce its will on a state that refuses to back down.