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(VIDEO) Growth story on track - Lok Sabha TV Insight Discussion

Topic of Discussion: Growth story on track - Lok Sabha TV Insight Discussion

Expert Panel Name : Natasha Jha Bhaskar (Studio,Anchor)

The silent LPG revolution - Ujjwala Yojana : Important Topics for UPSC Exams

Why in News?

• The LPG Panchayat was organised by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas as an awareness drive with an aim to provide a platform for LPG consumers to interact with each other, promote mutual learning and share experiences and the Ministry intends to conduct 1 lakh such Panchayats across India before March 31, 2019; each LPG Panchayat will have around 100 members. 

• On February 7, 2018 the Centre has decided to ramp up the target of 5 crore to eight crore and allocated an additional ₹4,800 crore to this end after setting aside ₹8,000 crore during the inception of the scheme.

Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Scheme (PMUY)

• Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Scheme (PMUY) – the scheme for providing LPG connections to the women of Below Poverty Line (BPL) households.

• Scheme was launched in May 2016.

Importance of Ujjwala Scheme & LPG

• Ujjawala Yojana is strengthening women’s empowerment and also enabling rural women to escape the drudgery and negative health effects of using firewood and PMUY is rightly seen as one that lifts the health and quality of life of rural women.

• The Economic Survey mentions that on an average, women spend around 374 hours every year for collection of firewood, thus LPG saves cooking time and this extra time can be utilised in some income generating activity.

• Factors such as the difference in the taste of food when prepared on chulhas (wood-fired stoves) and the ease of using cook-stoves, were key in determining the popularity of cook-stoves over traditional methods.

• LPG as cooking fuel has its advantages, those who have access to alternative cooking fuels – wood, cowdung cakes – continue to use it as well

How Ujjawala Scheme works

• The customer, however, has to pay for the LPG stove and first refill charges. She can make an upfront payment or get into an EMI with the oil marketing company to pay for the LPG stove, or the first refill.

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Election funding : Important Topics for UPSC Exams

In his 2017 Budget speech, while emphasising the absence of transparency in funding, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley noted that even 70 years after Independence we don’t have a transparent method of funding political parties which is important to ensure free and fair elections. According to a report by Association for Democratic Reforms nearly 70% of political funding came from unknown sources during 11 years of study.

How Election funding is done in India?

Corporate donations are the main source of election funding in India which are flooded with black money.

Public Disclosure Mechanism in India

• It is very limited in India.

• In 2008, under Right to Information (RTI) Act, the Central Information Commission (CIC) allowed disclosure of income tax returns of political parties. Although it is well known that actual expenditure is much higher than what is disclosed.

Transparency in Electoral Funding Vs Electoral Bonds

• Anybody can buy the Electoral Bond and can donate it anonymously, and party will have to encash it within 14 days.

• All donations to the party will be accounted in balance sheets but the donor name won’t be exposed. This is to ensure that donor could face serious consequences from the political opponents. But through this move Voter, Election Commission of India, Income Tax department would remain in dark.

• Electoral Bonds will allow corporate houses to make anonymous donations via banking channels. And thus, Electoral Bond has not addressed the issue of corporate funding of election. Anonymous donations by corporate houses would further limit the oversight and accountability.

Other steps which may affect Transparency in the system

1. Maximum limit of 7.5% of the profits a company can donate to a political party has been removed, this may lead to funding of Political Parties by the shell Companies.

2. Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) was amended. This may lead to outwash of Foreign money to the funding of Political parties.

3. Political Parties are not covered under RTI. This hides their source of funding.

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(VIDEO) Mainstreaming Afghan Taliban -

Rajya Sabha TV Big Picture Debate

Topic of Discussion: Mainstreaming Afghan Taliban - Rajya Sabha TV Big Picture Debate
Expert Panel Name : Prof. A.K. Pasha, Centre for West Asian Studies, JNU ; Vivek Katju, Former Ambassador ; Alok Bansal, Director, India Foundation ; Prof. Harsh V Pant, Head, Strategic Studies, ORF; Frank Rausan Pereira (Anchor)

(VIDEO) Fight Against Corruption - Rajya Sabha TV Big Picture Debate

Topic of Discussion: Fight Against Corruption - Rajya Sabha TV Big Picture Debate
Expert Panel Name : A.K. Bhattacharya, Editorial Director, Business Standard ; Arun Kumar, Economist & Retd. Professor, JNU ; Vipul Mudgal, Director, Common Cause ; Justice B.A. Khan, Former Chief Justice, J&K High Court; Frank Rausan Pereira (Anchor)

India and WTO : Important Topics for UPSC Exams

Mandate of WTO:

WTO came into existence after the conclusion of the Uruguay round in 1995 replacing the post WWII General Agreement on trade and tariff (GATT). It was an improvement over GATT in the following ways:

• Providing an institutional backbone to GATT

• Provision of a dispute settlement body

• Representation to the developing nations in its formation and negotiations

• Covering other trade related aspects such as services, IPR, investments etc.

• It included safeguards against non-tariff barriers as well

The objective of WTO is to establish a rule based global trade regime providing equitable opportunity to every nation for reaping the benefits of globalization. WTO works on the following principles:

• Non Discrimination

  • Most Favored Nation: No special favors can be granted to any trading partner

  • National Treatment : No discrimination between the imported and domestic products once they enter the market (which allows imposition of custom duty)

• Freer Trade: removal of the tariff and non-tariff barriers gradually through negotiations

• Predictability: providing predictability in the trade policy through binding rules and transparency

• Promoting fair competition: providing a system of rules dedicated to open, fair and undistorted competition such as allowing for imposition of anti-dumping duty

• Encouraging Development and Economic Reforms: nudging the countries towards an open market and allow for special assistance and trade concessions for developing countries

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(VIDEO) Education Reforms - Rajya Sabha TV Big Picture Debate

Topic of Discussion: Education Reforms - Rajya Sabha TV Big Picture Debate
Expert Panel Name : Jyoti Gupta, Principal, DPS Ghaziabad ; Prof. Manisha Priyam, Academic ; Anita Rampal, Professor, Department of Education, Delhi University; Frank Rausan Pereira (Anchor)

(VIDEO) Milan Navy Exercise - Lok Sabha TV Insight Discussion

Topic of Discussion: Milan Navy Exercise - Lok Sabha TV Insight Discussion

Expert Panel Name : Natasha Jha Bhaskar (Studio,Anchor)

Air pollution crisis in India : Important Topics for UPSC Exams

With every winter comes the news of elevated pollution levels in the national capital. The problem of pollution disrupts not only the NCR area but many other prominent urbane areas like Allahabad and Ludhiana which figure above Delhi in the pollution ranking across the world. This articles deals with the various aspects of the problem and propose solutions for it resolution.

Reasons of air pollution in India:

• High dependence on coal for power: share of coal in power generation in India continue to be around 80%. Power plants with poor technology and efficiency continue to be the major source of pollutants like CO and oxides of nitrogen and sulfur

• High levels of poverty

  • Dependence on fuelwood and  kerosene for the purpose of lighting and cooking leads to high level of pollutants being released in rural and urban periphery

  • Over exploitation of commons like forests, grazing lands and mindless deforestation reduces the natural capacity to absorb pollutants

• Poor governance: the issue of environment and pollution is still to get the policy priority it deserves. While agencies liked CPCB and SPCBs continue to be under-resourced and under-staffed, multiplicity of the state authorities at the ground level leads to poor coordination, lax enforcement of rules and lack of accountability as seen in Delhi. Absence of environmental governance continues to be a major challenge

• Access to technology: India's industrial landscape continues to be dominated by MSMEs which lack access to cleaner technologies. Agricultural waste burning is also the result of poor access to farm technologies

• Unplanned urbanization: haphazard growth of urban areas has led to proliferation of slums and poor public transport has increased the burden of personal vehicles on the road. Landfills used for waste management also releases pollutants in the air. The rapid urbanization of the recent years if left unmanaged will further exacerbate the problem

• Continentality: problem of pollution in the landlocked northern states gets exacerbated due to unfavorable winds and phenomenon of temperature inversion during winters

Impacts of air pollution:

• Health: increased burden of non-communicable diseases such as cancer, cardiac diseases, COPD etc. is the direct consequence of rise in air pollution. According to Lancet estimates on 2015 there were 2.51 million pollution related deaths in India. It reduces the overall productivity of nation and increases the healthcare burden especially on the poor

Image Source: The Hindu

• Environment: pollution affects not only health of humans but of environment too. Birds and plants are affected by air pollution and phenomenon like urban heat island resulting from it

• Economy: increased healthcare costs, reduced productivity, diversion of resources towards responding to air pollution are some of the economic costs. According to WB estimate, air pollution might have cost India 8.5% of GDP

• Politics: air pollution has caused major political conflict in last few years, most prominent of which is the recurring conflict among Punjab, Haryana and Delhi

Sources of air pollution:

Initiatives by governments to curb pollution

• Early implementation of BS-VI norm in 2020 to reduce emission from vehicles (as much as 75pc in case of NOx in diesel engine)

• Green India mission: part of NAPCC it aims at protecting, restoring and enhancing India’s diminishing forest cover which is crucial to reduce pollution

• Electric vehicle: the govt is pushing for EVs as a cleaner alternative to vehicles run on fossil fuels with schemes like FAME to incentivizing purchase of EVs

• GRAP Delhi: Graded response action plan as mandated by SC for Delhi NCR to combat pollution aims to institutionalize coordination among all the concerned authorities to respond according to the severity of pollution

• Ban on Diesel vehicle and crackers: Courts in the recent time have cracked down upon Diesel vehicles and crackers to reduce pollutant emissions

• UJJWALA Yojana: the scheme providing subsidized LPG connections to BPL families will curb emissions from fuelwood used for cooking

• Odd even policy: the initiative by reducing the load of personal vehicle on road has helped in slight reduction in PM levels in Delhi

• Renewable energy plans: the aim of government to increase RE capacity by 175GW by 2022 and share of RE in total power generation to 40% by 2030 will be crucial in reducing pollution from power generation

• Smart city, AMRUT: the urban development scheme which seek to ensure planned urban growth including public transport and waste management will address emission from urban areas

• National Air Quality index that measures and monitors the levels of eight pollutants (PM10, PM2.5, NO2, SO2, CO, O3, NH3, and Pb)

Solution for the problem of pollution:

• Green cover: increasing green cover especially in the urban areas must be an indispensable part of urban planning. Other initiatives such as afforestation, greening of highways etc. must also pick up

• Push to renewables: addressing the problem of intermittence by adopting smart grid technology, incentives for decentralised power production via biogas, rooftop solar and push to EVs  as has been done in Norway (exemptions on tax, toll, parking fee, environment tax on other vehicles, charging stations powered by renewable)

• Urban governance: better urban planning based on models like transit oriented development (TOD), integrated and accountable transport authority, empowered local bodies, scientific waste management etc. can help bring down pollution footprints of urban areas

• Market for agricultural waste: the problem of crop burning can be resolved only through financial and technological support and incentives for farmers. Access to technologies like super seeder machines and development of market for crop stubble will push farmers to a cleaner method of waste disposal

• Better planning and coordination: a single body on the lines of EPCA as mandated by SC with clear targets and accountability mechanisms is necessary for effective environmental governance

• Forecasting systems for better response: China has shown the way in controlling the pollution by an effective pollution forecasting (2-3 days in advance) and monitoring systems. Its permanent odd-even policy during severe pollution levels, early warning systems, strict enforcement of GRAP like action plan has significantly brought down the pollution levels in Beijing

• Healthcare for pollution related diseases: pollution and its health burden are inevitable in the near future. Therefore it is necessary to equip public healthcare systems with adequate resources for facing this emerging challenge and shield poor from catastrophic healthcare expenditures

• Coherent environmental policies: since air pollution knows no boundaries, states and center have to harmonize their strategy to deal with it. Platforms like inter-state council apart from serving this objective can also help resolve pollution related disputes among states

Previous year mains questions:

• Mumbai, Delhi and Kolkata are the three mega cities of the country but the air pollution is much more serious problem in Delhi as compared to the other two. Why is this so? (2015)

MCQ

In the cities of our country, which among the following atmospheric gases are normally considered in calculating the value of Air Quality Index?

1.  Carbon dioxide

2.  Carbon monoxide

3.  Nitrogen dioxide

4.  Sulfur dioxide

5.  Methane

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

(a) 1, 2 and 3 only

(b) 2, 3 and 4 only

(c) 1, 4 and 5 only

(d) 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5

In the context of solving pollution problems, what is/are the advantage/advantages of bioremediation technique?

1.  It is a technique for cleaning up pollution by enhancing the same biodegradation process that occurs in nature.

2.  Any contaminant with heavy metals such as cadmium and lead can be readily and completely treated by bioremediation using microorganisms.

3.  Genetic engineering can be used to create microorganisms specifically designed for bioremediation.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 1 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

Which of the following best describes/ describe the aim of ‘Green India Mission’ of the Government of India?

1.  Incorporating environmental benefits and costs into the Union and State Budgets thereby implementing the `green accounting’

2.  Launching the second green revolution to enhance agricultural output so as to ensure food security to one and all in the future

3.  Restoring and enhancing forest cover and responding to climate change by a combination of adaptation and mitigation measures

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

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Parker: Solar probe by NASA : Important Topics for UPSC Exams

Nasa is set to announce its ambitious plans to launch a probe mission directly into the atmosphere of the sun in a world first. Parker Solar Probe will plunge through the Sun’s atmosphere, closer to the surface than any spacecraft before it, facing brutal heat and radiation conditions; and ultimately providing humanity with the first-ever close-up view of a star. The mission will launch a spacecraft from Earth in the summer of 2018. It will reach an orbit within four million miles (6.5 million km) of the sun and will measure activity at its outer surface, known as the 'corona'. It is named after Professor Eugene Parker, who first discovered solar winds 60 years ago.

Objectives/Benefits:

Travelling at speeds of up to 430,000mph (692,000kmh),

• The sun is the only star we can study up close. By studying this star we live with, we learn more about stars throughout the universe.

• The craft will collect vital information about the life of stars and their weather events, and will help scientists improve how we predict dangerous solar flares..

• Scientists also hope to unlock the mysteries of the sun’s corona, an aura of plasma around the star.

• To protect a society that is increasingly dependent on technology from the threats of space weather.

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(VIDEO) Xi Jinping: President for Life - Rajya Sabha TV Big Picture Debate

Topic of Discussion: Xi Jinping: President for Life - Rajya Sabha TV Big Picture Debate
Expert Panel Name : Prof. B.R. Deepak, Centre for Chinese Studies, JNU ; Prof. M.D. Nalapat, Editorial Director, ITV MEDIA ; Suresh K Goel, Former Ambassador ; Jabin Jacob, Senoir Researcher, Institute of Chinese Studies; Frank Rausan Pereira (Anchor)

(VIDEO) indefinite Xi Jinping Rule - Lok Sabha TV Insight Discussion

Topic of Discussion: indefinite Xi Jinping Rule - Lok Sabha TV Insight Discussion

Expert Panel Name : Natasha Jha Bhaskar (Studio,Anchor)

Companies Amendment Bill - In Light of Ease of Doing Business : Important Topics for UPSC Exams

In the Indian case, a large body of research clearly shows that productivity growth, the ultimate driver of economic growth, has been held back by burdensome regulation, which has choked off the growth of firms in India.This calls for a sustained effort in order to realise the aim of making India a manufacturing hub. India has taken a number of reforms in the recent past like GST, IBC, single window clearance, Shram Suvidha Portal etc. Recent amendment to Companies act is also a significant step in further easing the doing of business in India.

EASE OF DOING BUSINESS INDEX:

World bank has placed India at 100 out of 190 countries.

• India fared well in following categories :

1.Paying taxes

2.Resolving insolvency

3.Protecting minority investors

4.Access to credit

• India could not improve its ranking because of following areas

1. Starting a business

2. Trading across border

3. Dealing with construction permits

4. Getting electricity connection

Factors for improvement in the ranking :

1. Paying taxes

2. Dealing with construction permits

3. Getting credit (Ex: IBC )

4. Trading across border

5. Starting a business

The Companies (Amendments) Act 2017, which became law after the approval of the Rajya Sabha during Parliament's winter session in December, aims to strengthen corporate governance standards, improve ease of doing business in the country and puts restrictions on the managerial remuneration of defaulting companies. It also has provisions for initiating strict action against defaulting companies

Major Highlights:

1. Harmonisation with SEBI and RBI : Perhaps for the first time, several provisions have been amended to align the Act with various rules and regulations of the SEBI and the RBI. Sections 194 and 195 of the Act, which dealt with insider trading and forward dealing, have now been omitted since the SEBI regulations are wide enough to cover all instances of such frauds. Further disclosures to be made in the prospectus have also been aligned with the SEBI’s power to regulate IPOs.

2. Rationalisation of penalties: One of the most applauded amendments made in the Amendment Act – the quantum of penalty will now be levied taking into consideration the size of company, nature of business, injury to public interest, nature and gravity of default, repetition of default, etc. Penal provisions for small companies and one person companies are reduced.

3. Private placement process made easier: Private placement process made easier: The private placement process is simplified by doing away with separate offer letter details to be kept by company and reducing number of filings to Registrar.

In order to ensure that investor gets adequate information about the company, the disclosures are made under Explanatory Statement referred to in Rule 13(2)(d) of Companies Change in definition of private placement is proposed to cover all securities offer and invitations other than rights. The Companies would be allowed to make offer of multiple security instruments simultaneously.

      4.Loans to directors:  This was done to address the difficulties being faced in genuine transactions due to the complete embargo on providing loans to subsidiaries with common director.

Now the companies are permitted to give loans to entities in which directors are interested after passing special resolution and adhering to disclosure requirements. This would give big relief to the companies.

5. Disqualification for Independent Director further clarified: Section 149 of the Act deals with the qualifications and disqualifications of independent directors. Sub section (6) provides for various disqualifications for becoming an independent director , one of which is having a pecuniary relationship with the company , its holding , subsidiary or related party

The amendment clarifies that this pecuniary relationship excludes the remuneration to such director or having transaction not exceeding 10% of his total income or such amount as may be prescribed.

6. Company Annual Return: All companies are required to file an annual return with the Ministry of Corporate Affairs each year. The Companies Amendment Act, 2017 has proposed to provide an abridged form of annual return for One Person Company and small company. The abridged form of annual return will make annual compliance for a company simpler for small businesses.

7. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR):  The amendment has liberalized the CSR regime.

Safeguards :

• As per an amendment, companies, which have defaulted on their dues to banks and financial institutions, will now require the prior approval of these creditors, besides approval in a general meeting in case the payment of managerial remuneration exceeds 11 per cent of the net profits, as was anyway required by the original Act.

• Auditors Report: It mandates requirement that Statutory Auditor of company to report in its Auditors Report on compliance of provisions of managerial

• Besides, "the Amendment Act now allows companies to issue shares at a discount to its creditors when its debt is converted into shares in pursuance of any statutory resolution plan such as resolution plan under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code or debt restructuring scheme,

• The changes to the Act also prohibit a registered valuer from undertaking valuation of any asset in which he has direct or indirect interest for a period of three years before or after his appointment, the statement added.

Way Forward

India needs to further work on reducing the bureaucratic hassles to change India’s perception as having Red tape to India as having a red carpet for investors

1. Market Reforms : Availability of lands and labour reforms need to be worked at .

2. Need of proper trade policy for enhancement of business opportunities.

3. The banks are stressed and the corporate sector is overleveraged. Though the bank recapitalization was first good step, it has to be followed up with changes in how banks do their businesses.

4. The issues with the index itself needs to be looked at the level of world bank.

MCQ’s

1. Which of the following organization releases Ease of doing index ?

1. World bank

2. IMF

3. WEF

4. None of the above

Correct Answer: (a)

2. Which of the following statements regarding Ease of doing business index is correct?

1. The index takes into account the progress of all the states in India.

2. The index takes into account only the legal statues and not its actual implementation on ground.

Choose the correct answers

1. 1 only

2. 2 only

3. Both 1 and 2

4. None of the above

Correct Answer: b (2 only)

Explanation: The EOD index takes into account the progress in only 2 cities in india and not the entire india.

It also sees only de jure progress that is changes in the legal statutes and not the actual situation on ground.

Mains Questions

1. India has recently leapfrogged in the ranking of Ease of doing business index. What are the issues to be addressed in order to fulfill the government’s target of taking India’s ranking to top 50. Discuss enumerating the recent reforms in this regard 

2. Corporate governance has been in news for quite some time. What do you understand by it. What are the legal structures in place for enforcement of corporate governance

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OFFICE OF PROFIT : Important Topics for UPSC Exams

News : The Election Commission has recommended that 20 MLAs of the Aam Aadmi Party in Delhi be disqualified as they held offices of profit .

What is an ‘office of profit’?

• The expression "office of profit" has not been defined in the Constitution or in the Representation of the People Act, 1951, It loosely relates to MLA or an MP holding  government office and receiving benefits from it.

• A person will be disqualified if he holds an office of profit under the central or state government, other than an office declared not to disqualify its holder by a law passed by Parliament or state legislature.

Provisions for disqualifications?

Article 102(a) and Article 191(1)(a) of constitution for MP/MLA :They can be disqualified for:

a. Holding an office of profit under government of India or state government

b. Being of unsound mind

c. Being an un-discharged insolvent

d. Not being an Indian citizen or for acquiring citizenship of another country.

What is the object of these provisions?

1. To secure independence of the MPs and to ensure that Parliament/Legislature does not contain persons who have received favours or benefits from the executive and who consequently might be amenable to its influence.

2. This is therefore to eliminate or reduce the risk of conflict between duty and self-interest among MPs.

3. Designed to protect the democratic fabric of the country from being corrupted by executive patronage.

Is ECI’s stand justifiable in this case?

1. As per 91st constitutional amendment of 2003 (Article 164 (1A) ), any state or central govt can not appoint minister more than 15% of the strength of house.(for UT like Delhi and puducherry this limit is 10%) . So to curb this limit and for political reasons these appointments are made Ex: Parliamentary secretaries.

2. PILs filed in various High Courts on the matter have argued that the appointment of Parliament Secretaries is ultra vires the 91st Amendment of the Indian Constitution. EX : In 2005, in Citizen Rights Protection Forum vs Union of India and Others, Himachal Pradesh High Court quashed the appointment of Chief Parliamentary Secretaries and Parliament Secretaries.

3. DELHI MLA (REMOVAL OF DISQUALIFICATION) ACT 1997 does not mention parliamentary secretary in the list.

How to determine if an office falls under office of profit ambit?

1. Guru Gobind Basu vs Sankari Prasad Ghosal & others (AIR 1964 SC 254): Supreme Court ruled that decisive test for determining whether a person holds any office of profit under the Government is the test of appointment.

2. Jaya bachhan vs union of india – what is material is not whether the person actually received any remuneration or pecuniary gains, but whether the office he or she holds is itself of profit.

Mechanism for determination of Office of Profit at Parliamentary level:

1. Joint Committee on office of profit has been constituted consisting of 10 members from the Lok Sabha and five members from the Rajya Sabha. The function of the Committee, inter alia, is to undertake a continuous scrutiny of the composition and character of various government appointed bodies and report to both houses as to the membership of which of these ought to disqualify a person for membership of Parliament.

Way Forward :

1. Unlike in India, in England whenever a new office is created, the law also lays down whether it would be an office of profit or not, A similar procedure can be followed in India as well.

2. State legislatures and Parliament must respect the constitutional restrictions and must not uncheck the checks and balances which are enjoined by the constitution for effective functioning of the Indian polity

MCQ’s

1. On which of the following grounds can a member of parliament be disqualified or removed from the office as per constitution?

1. If he is of unsound mind

2. If he is un-discharged insolvent

3. If he is convicted of a bribery case

4. For occupying office of profit

Which of the above are correct?

1. A and B only

2. A,B,C only

3. A,B,D only

4. All of the above

Correct Answer : C

2. Which of the following statements regarding 91st constitutional amendment is/are correct?

1. It restricted the number of ministers to parliament and all state legislatures to 15% of strength of house.

2. It strengthened the anti defection law by changing the criteria for qualification as defection.

Which of the statement(s) are correct?

1. 1 only

2. 2 only

3. 1 and 2 both

4. None of the above

Correct Answer : b (2 only )

To strengthen the Anti-defection law, Limit was increased from 1/3 to 2/3 members of the party in the 91st Amendment, thus making it more difficult for individuals and factions within the party to defect.

3. Consider the following statements regarding office of profit

1. Parliament can enact a law stating which office does not qualify as office of profit as per constitution.

2. Committee on office of profit is a joint committee of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha

Which of the above statement(s) is/are correct?

1. 1 only

2. 2 only

3. 1 and 2

4. None of the above

Correct Answer : C

MAINS Questions :

1. What do you understand by office of profit. What is the objective of keeping office of profit as a criteria for disqualification of MP/MLA’s. Is it fulfilled in the current political context? Examine. (15)

2. The vagueness of the term office of profit has been a bone of contention to many states/UT’s in the recent times. Is there any objective criteria in place to determine office of profit?. Delineate the way out keeping in  mind the principle underlying this provision

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(VIDEO) India-Canada Ties - Rajya Sabha TV Big Picture Debate

Topic of Discussion: India-Canada Ties - Rajya Sabha TV Big Picture Debate
Expert Panel Name : Mohan Guruswamy, Senior Economist; Niraj Srivastava, Former Ambassador; Professor Harsh V Pant, Head, Strategic Studies, ORF; K.V. Prasad, Associate Editor, The Tribune; Frank Rausan Pereira (Anchor)

(VIDEO) Infrastructure for National Health Protection Scheme

- Lok Sabha TV Insight Discussion

Topic of Discussion: Infrastructure for National Health Protection Scheme - Lok Sabha TV Insight Discussion

Expert Panel Name : Natasha Jha Bhaskar (Studio,Anchor)