Daily Current Affairs (MCQ's) | 06-09-2022

Q1. The Harappan civilization site of Mohenjo-Daro is situated on the banks of river.

1. Ravi
2. Indus
3. Neelam
4. Sarawati

Answer (b)

Explanation:

How Pakistan floods have imperilled Mohenjo-daro’s world heritage tag

• Pakistan's Department of Archaeology has said that Mohenjo-daro might be removed from the world heritage list, if urgent attention towards its conservation and restoration is not given.
• The recent spell of heavy rains and floods that ravaged large parts of Pakistan’s Sindh province has also taken a heavy toll on the archaeological site of Mohenjo-daro.
• In fact, the calamity has pushed the archeological site – situated on the bank of the Indus river – to the “brink of extinction”.

Mohenjo-daro:

• Mohenjo-daro, a group of mounds and ruins, is a 5000-year-old archaeological site located about 80-km off the city of Sukkur. It comprises the remnants of one of two main centres of the ancient Indus Valley Civilisation, the other one being Harappa, located 640 km to the northwest, in Punjab Mohenjo-daro, which means ‘mound of the dead’, was one of the oldest cities of the world.
• Known to be a model planned city of the ancient civilisation, the houses here had bathrooms, toilets and drainage system. The sheer size of the city, and its provision of public buildings and facilities, suggests a high level of social organisation. Though in ruins, the walls and brick pavements in the streets are still in a preserved condition.
• A verticals of the city remained undocumented for around 3,700 years, until 1920, when archaeologist RD Banerji visited the Its excavation started in 1921 and continued in phases till 1964-65. The site went to Pakistan during Partition.

Q2. Rajpath in Delhi will be re-named as

1. Kartavya Path
2. Kingsway
3. Lokpath
4. Janpath

Answer (a)

Explanation:

Rajpath to be renamed Kartavya Path

• Rajpath is likely to be renamed Kartavya Path ahead of its opening after 20 months of redevelopment.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to inaugurate the redeveloped Central Vista Avenue soon.
• According to sources, the two-km stretch that was known as Kingsway before Independence would be renamed by the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) as Kartavya (duty) Path.

Q3. Which of the following committees is related to Panchayati Raj?

1. Ashok Mehta Committee
2. G V K Rao Committee
3. LM Singhvi committee

Select the answer from codes given below

1. 1 and 2 only
2. 2 and 3 only
3. 1 and 3 only
4. 1, 2 and 3

Answer (d)

Explanation:

• The formal organisation and structure of Panchayati Raj were firstly recommended by Balwant Rai committee,1957 (Committee to examine the Community Development Programme,1952).
• The Committee, in its report in November 1957, recommended the establishment of the scheme of ‘democratic decentralisation’, which ultimately came to be known as Panchayati Raj. It recommended a three-tier system at village, block and district level and it also recommended the direct election of the village-level panchayat. Rajasthan was the first state to establish Panchayati Raj as it started from Nagaur district on October 2, 1959.

• After this, Ashok Mehta Committee on Panchayati Raj was appointed in December 1977 and in August 1978 submitted its report with various recommendations to revive and strengthen the declining Panchayati Raj system in the country.
• Its major recommendation were a two-tier system of the panchayat, regular social audit, representation of political parties at all level of panchayat elections, provisions for a regular election, reservation to SCs/STs in panchayats and a minister for Panchayati Raj in the state council of ministers.
• Further, G V K Rao Committee appointed in 1985 again recommended some measures to strengthen Panchayati Raj institutions.
• LM Singhvi Committee appointed in 1986 first recommended for the constitutional status of Panchayati Raj institutions and it also suggested constitutional provisions to ensure regular, free and fair elections to the Panchayati Raj Bodies.
• In response to the recommendations of LM Singhvi committee, a bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha by Rajiv Gandhi’s government in July 1989 to constitutionalize Panchayati Raj Institutions, but the bill was not passed in Rajya Sabha.
• The V P Singh government also brought a bill, but the fall of the government resulted in a lapse of the bill. After this PV Narashima Rao’s government introduced a bill for this purpose in Lok Sabha in September 1991 and the bill finally emerged as the 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992 and came into force on 24th April 1993.

Q4. Consider the following statements

1. Promotion of international peace and security
2. To defend the country and join armed forces when called upon to do so
3. To safeguard public property and to abjure violence
4. To uphold and protect the sovereignty, unity and integrity of India

Which of the following is/are fundamental duties mentioned in the Indian constitution?

1. 1 and 2 only
2. 3 and 4 only
3. 1, 3 and 4 only
4. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Answer (b)

Explanation:

PART IVA FUNDAMENTAL DUTIES

51A. Fundamental duties. —It shall be the duty of every citizen of India—

• to abide by the Constitution and respect its ideals and institutions, the National Flag and the National Anthem;
• to cherish and follow the noble ideals which inspired our national struggle for freedom;
• to uphold and protect the sovereignty, unity and integrity of India;
• to defend the country and render national service when called upon to do so; (It says to render national service not to join armed forces)
• to promote harmony and the spirit of common brotherhood amongst all the people of India transcending religious, linguistic and regional or sectional diversities; to renounce practices derogatory to the dignity of women;
• to value and preserve the rich heritage of our composite culture;
• to protect and improve the natural environment including forests, lakes, rivers and wildlife, and to have compassion for living creatures;
• to develop the scientific temper, humanism and the spirit of inquiry and reform;
• to safeguard public property and to abjure violence;
• to strive towards excellence in all spheres of individual and collective activity so that the nation constantly rises to higher levels of endeavor and achievement;
• Duty of parent or guardian to provide opportunities for education to his child or, as the case may be, between the age of six and fourteen years.

Promotion of international peace and security is a DPSP

Article 51. Promotion of international peace and security The State shall endeavour to

1. promote international peace and security;
2. maintain just and honourable relations between nations;
3. foster respect for international law and treaty obligations in the dealings of organised peoples with one another; and encourage settlement of international disputes by arbitration

Q5. Consider the following statements

1. The Constitution prohibits a state from having a separate state flag
2. Under the Constitution, a flag is enumerated in the union list of the Seventh Schedule

Which of the above is/are correct?

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2

Answer (d)

Explanation:

The Constitution does not prohibit a state from having a separate state flag. In S.R.

In the Bommai v/s Union of India case, the Supreme Court declared that there is no prohibition in the Constitution for the state to have its own flag. However, the manner in which the state flag is hoisted should not dishonour the national flag. It has to be always below the national flag.

Under the Constitution, a flag is not enumerated in the Seventh Schedule. However, Article 51A ordains that every citizen shall abide by the Constitution andrespect its ideals and institutions, the national flag, and the national anthem. There is no other provision regulating hoisting of flags, either by the States or by the public. It is clear that there is no prohibition under the Constitution to hoist any flag other than the national flag.

Q6. Consider the following statements about the None Of The Above (Nota)

1. NOTA was   introduced    in India    following   the   Supreme Court directive
2. NOTA option is applicable for both direct elections and indirect elections such as the Rajya Sabha polls

Which of the above is/are correct?

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2

Answer (a)

Explanation

• NOTA was introduced in India following the 2013 Supreme Court It is an option on the voting machine, designed to allow voters to disapprove all the candidates while delivering their vote. Its symbol was introduced in 2015.
• However, NOTA in India does not provide for a ‘right to reject’. The candidate with the maximum votes wins the election irrespective of the number of NOTA votes polled.
• The Election Commission currently has no plenary power to call a fresh election even if NOTA secures the highest votes.
• SC has ruled that NOTA option is applicable only for direct elections and not indirect elections such as the Rajya Sabha polls.
• To give greater sanctity to NOTA and even order a fresh election, Rule 64 of Conduct of Election Rules will have to be amended and can be done by the law It will not require Parliament sanction.