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Insights Daily Current Events, 04 April 2015

By INSIGHTS

Insights Daily Current Events, 04 April 2015

Rain-hit areas to get NREGS boost
The Union government is planning to increase the number of work days under the Mahatma Gandhi National
Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme from 100 to 150 in places where the recent unseasonal rain and
hailstorms have affected crops. The relief package will include cash compensation.
The Finance Ministry and the Agriculture Ministry are readying a relief package that will include cash
compensation for damaged crops to farmers hit by the unseasonal rain and hailstorms.
MGNREGA:
The National Rural Employment Guarantee Act 2005, also known as the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural
Employment Guarantee Act is an Indian labour law and social security measure.
Aims:
To guarantee the right to work and ensure livelihood security in rural areas.
To create durable assets that would augment the basic resources available to the poor.
To follow the Directive Principles of State Policy enunciated in Part IV of the Constitution of India and
conforms to the Article 23 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights that defines the right to work as a
basic human right.
How? By providing at least 100 days of guaranteed wage employment in a financial year to every household
whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work.
More Details:
The provisions of the law also adhere to the principles enunciated in the Constitution of India under Article
21 of the Constitution of India that guarantees the right to life with dignity to every citizen of India.
This law guarantees the right to work to the people of India and hence is termed as a Peoples Act.
It is believed that targeting poverty through employment generation is the effective way to alleviate
poverty.
Employment under Mahatma Gandhi NREGA is a guaranteed legal right.
The major responsibility of the implementation rests with Panchayati Raj institutions.

Previous employment guarantee schemes (EGS) like Sampoorna Grameen Rozgar Yojana (SGRY)
Programme and National Food For Work Programme (NFFWP) were merged with MGNREGA to make it
more effective.
The Act sets a minimum limit to the wages, to be paid with gender equality. The states are required to
evolve a set of norms for the measurement of works and schedule of rates. The unemployment allowance
must be paid if the work is not provided within the statutory limit of 15 days.
Criticism:
Activists say that the outlay for the scheme has remained nearly constant for the past three years, which,
adjusting for inflation, amounts to a decrease.
The release of funds to the States is being delayed and the amounts have been capped. As a result, there
has been a 16 per cent decline in employment from the 2013-14 figure.
Compared with 147 lakh person days generated in December 2013, only 123 lakh person days were
generated in December 2014, with the decline sharper in poor States such as Bihar and Chhattisgarh.
Till December 2014 in the financial year 2014-15, 72 per cent of the total wages disbursed were delayed.
And delays in wage payments have actually increased over time.
However, Evidence from independent research studies have shown that the MGNREGA has successfully curbed
distress migration, had large effects on consumption and poverty of Dalit and Adivasi households, increased
nutritional standards of households, provided risk resilience to small and marginal farmers and vastly expanded
the financial inclusion net in the country.
Sources: The Hindu, NREGA, Wiki.

Centre extends food law deadline again by 6 months

The Centre has given another six months to the States for rolling out the National Food Security Act (NFSA). The
deadline has already been extended twice.
Only 11 States and Union Territories have so far implemented the Act which was passed by Parliament in
September 2013.
Despite the extension of the deadline twice, only Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya
Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Delhi and Chandigarh have so far implemented the
Act, some fully and others partially.
About National Food Security Act, 2013:
Also called as the Right to Food act, this act aims to provide subsidized food grains to approximately two thirds of
Indias 1.2 billion people.
It extends to the whole of India.
Under the provisions of this act, beneficiaries are able to purchase 5 kilograms per eligible person per month of
cereals at the following prices:
Rice at 3 Rupees per kg
Wheat at 2 Rupees per kg
Coarse grains (millet) at 1 rupee per kg.
Salient features:

75% rural and 50% of the urban population are entitled for three years from enactment to five kg food
grains per month at 3 Rupees , 2 Rupees, 1 Rupee per kg for rice, wheat and coarse grains (millet),
respectively.
The states are responsible for determining eligibility.
Pregnant women and lactating mothers are entitled to a nutritious take home ration of 600 Calories and a
maternity benefit of at least Rs 6,000 for six months.
Children 6 to 14 years of age are to receive free hot meals or take home rations.
The central government will provide funds to states in case of short supplies of food grains.
The state government will provide a food security allowance to the beneficiaries in case of non-supply of
food grains.
The Public Distribution System is to be reformed.
The eldest woman in the household, 18 years or above, is the head of the household for the issuance of
the ration card.
There will be state- and district-level redress mechanisms and State Food Commissions will be formed for
implementation and monitoring of the provisions of the Act.
The poorest who are covered under the Antodaya yojana will remain entitled to the 35 kg of grains allotted
to them under the mentioned scheme.
The cost of the implementation is estimated to be $22 billion(1.25 lac crore), approximately 1.5% of GDP.
Sources: The Hindu, Wiki, NFSA, PIB.

Meet revisits judicial values, to review selection process

A conference of chief justices of all the high courts has begun. It will discuss ways and means to speedily dispose
of cases involving crimes against women and marginalised sections of society. Further the higher judiciary wants
to devise a mechanism to fast-track corruption cases.
The conference will be led by the Chief Justice of India (CJI) and two senior-most judges of the Supreme
Court.
Details:
The judges will lay special emphasis on fast-tracking cases of crime against women, children, senior
citizens, differently abled and all the marginalised sections of the society.
The Chief Justices will discuss how to cut down delay caused in cases involving juveniles. A mechanism to
ensure expeditious disposal of cases registered under the Prevention of Corruption Act is also on the
conference agenda.
Another significant issue which will be discussed is that of e-Courts. The e-Courts project was
conceptualised on the basis of the National Policy and Action Plan for Implementation of information and
communication technology (ICT) in the Indian Judiciary 2005 submitted by e-Committee (Supreme
Court of India). Essentially e-Court involves widespread use of video-conference, including recording of
evidence and pronouncing judgements.
Apart from these, chief justices will present papers on financial autonomy for high courts, computerisation
of courts and post-retiral benefits for judges. A national vision and mission for the next year will also be
finalised.
On the problem of case backlog, the Chief Justices would consider the establishment of an arrears
committee at the High Court level and create uniformity in giving the pendency figures. There are 2.64
crore undecided cases in the subordinate courts and 42 lakh pending in the High Courts.

The conclave is proposing to make the High Courts financially independent and further increase the
salaries, emoluments and post-retirement benefits for High Court Chief Justices and judges.
The judiciarys code of conduct:
The judiciarys code of conduct was adopted 18 years ago, in May 1997 in a Full Court Meeting of the
Supreme Court. This document, the Restatement of Values of Judicial Life, serves as a guide to be
observed by judges in the impartial administration of justice.
This code was the outcome of a resolution passed in Chief Justices Conference held in September 1992.
The cardinal rule of the 1997 document is that justice must not merely be done but it must also be seen as
done. Its first tenet being that the behaviour and conduct of members of the higher judiciary must reaffirm
the peoples faith in the impartiality of the judiciary.
Sources: The Hindu, ET.

Iran nuclear deal

Iran and six world powers reached a preliminary nuclear agreement recently outlining commitments by both sides
as they work for a comprehensive deal aiming at curbing nuclear activities Tehran could use to make weapons
and providing sanctions relief for Iran. The six world powers are U.S., U.K., France, Russia, China and
Germany.
According to the New Agreement:
All the excess stockpile and nuclear parts will be kept at an IAEA-monitored location, while the U.N., the
U.S. and the EU will withdraw all sanctions that have crippled the Iranian economy for years.
Iran has committed to enriching uranium substantially below weapons-grade and to reduce its enriched
uranium stockpile from about five tons to 300 kilograms (less than 700 pounds) for 15 years.
Iran will reduce the number of installed centrifuges by two-thirds and turn its nuclear facility in Fordow into
an R&D facility.
Sources: The Hindu, Wiki.

Insights Secure Prelims 2015

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Welcome to Insights Secure Prelims 2015 initiative. The following questions are based on current events that
appear in PIB (Public Information Bureau) and from some important newspapers. For more challenging question

papers (Full Length), please join our Preliminary Exam 2015 Test Series (Please Click Here for Reviews)
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Nityanand Jha

2015/04/05 11:35 PM

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priya

2015/04/07 10:40 AM

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ash

2015/04/05 11:42 PM

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Tats

2015/04/06 12:23 AM

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Madhu Mangal

2015/04/06 12:26 AM

100 %

kookytachy

2015/04/08 11:57 AM

100 %

raman

2015/04/06 7:58 AM

100 %

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sandeep ahlawat

2015/04/06 8:04 AM

100 %

daisy

2015/04/06 8:34 AM

100 %

10

shivpreet

2015/04/06 9:22 AM

100 %

11

Chirag

2015/04/06 11:49 AM

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AA

2015/04/06 11:55 AM

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13

rock

2015/04/06 1:16 PM

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14

brij

2015/04/06 1:46 PM

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15

udaykumar

2015/04/06 2:33 PM

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16

Rupa

2015/04/06 3:07 PM

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17

Jay patel

2015/04/06 3:27 PM

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zakir

2015/04/07 4:15 PM

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Mayank kumar

2015/04/04 8:04 PM

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krishana

2015/04/04 8:10 PM

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21

uddipak

2015/04/04 8:15 PM

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Mahendra

2015/04/06 4:32 PM

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Foxcatcher

2015/04/04 8:35 PM

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tejharman

2015/04/04 8:39 PM

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zuali sailo

2015/04/04 8:43 PM

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dilip kumar

2015/04/04 8:45 PM

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Bashir

2015/04/04 8:53 PM

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Radhe Shyam

2015/04/06 5:08 PM

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29

2015/04/04 9:03 PM

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30

Mayuresh

2015/04/04 9:09 PM

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NISHANT KUMAR

2015/04/04 9:10 PM

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32

Lalateindu

2015/04/04 9:14 PM

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Moni

2015/04/04 9:14 PM

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vamsi

2015/04/04 9:16 PM

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P Gauri

2015/04/04 9:17 PM

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Ajinkya

2015/04/04 9:24 PM

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sonam

2015/04/04 9:39 PM

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At

2015/04/04 9:47 PM

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soniya

2015/04/04 9:50 PM

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40

zaid

2015/04/04 9:51 PM

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Sharman

2015/04/07 7:30 PM

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42

Suneetha

2015/04/04 9:52 PM

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prit

2015/04/04 9:53 PM

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Sid

2015/04/04 10:07 PM

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45

Azhar Shaikh

2015/04/06 6:45 PM

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Vibhav

2015/04/04 10:14 PM

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leo

2015/04/04 10:44 PM

100 %

48

yogitha

2015/04/04 10:54 PM

100 %

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Mik

2015/04/04 10:55 PM

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50

adv shweta

2015/04/06 7:23 PM

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51

Amrith

2015/04/04 11:13 PM

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shiv sundar

2015/04/04 11:17 PM

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53

sumbul rizvi

2015/04/04 11:38 PM

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mahi

2015/04/04 11:39 PM

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55

DHARMADIP

2015/04/04 11:49 PM

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Sunny

2015/04/04 11:54 PM

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vinothini

2015/04/06 7:52 PM

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58

Yogi

2015/04/05 12:07 AM

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59

shilpa

2015/04/05 12:32 AM

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60

abhi

2015/04/05 1:17 AM

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61

albus

2015/04/05 3:00 AM

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ARJUN V KARTHA

2015/04/05 4:42 AM

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murari

2015/04/05 7:19 AM

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64

niharika

2015/04/05 7:31 AM

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Ravi

2015/04/05 7:38 AM

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66

sheesh ram

2015/04/05 9:06 AM

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Haneef

2015/04/05 9:07 AM

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68

jky

2015/04/05 9:12 AM

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69

ROHIT KOUNDINYA

2015/04/05 9:47 AM

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70

neena

2015/04/05 9:52 AM

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71

G Shankar

2015/04/05 10:00 AM

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72

vibhu

2015/04/05 10:21 AM

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73

JAGTAR SINGH

2015/04/05 10:42 AM

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geogi george

2015/04/06 10:45 PM

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R V Shiva

2015/04/05 11:08 AM

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malikhan singh

2015/04/05 11:19 AM

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77

ANWAR

2015/04/05 11:23 AM

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Anshika

2015/04/05 11:23 AM

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p.mehra

2015/04/05 12:02 PM

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80

Lisa Ann

2015/04/05 12:28 PM

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utkarsh

2015/04/05 12:29 PM

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Raju Gogula

2015/04/05 12:48 PM

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rakesh patro

2015/04/05 1:08 PM

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IAS

2015/04/06 11:39 PM

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naveen

2015/04/05 1:24 PM

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monika patidar

2015/04/05 3:37 PM

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Syam Mohan

2015/04/05 3:58 PM

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soham

2015/04/05 4:21 PM

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Yash Agrawal

2015/04/05 5:01 PM

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imran ahmed

2015/04/05 7:06 PM

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91

2015/04/05 7:15 PM

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92

IM

2015/04/05 8:32 PM

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93

behis

2015/04/05 9:07 PM

100 %

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devika

2015/04/05 9:07 PM

100 %

95

pranjay

2015/04/05 9:18 PM

100 %

96

Ashutos

2015/04/05 10:21 PM

100 %

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RaviM

2015/04/05 10:34 PM

100 %

98

shivam

2015/04/05 11:26 PM

75 %

99

lakshmi

2015/04/06 12:41 AM

75 %

100

BHARTI RAJ

2015/04/06 12:44 AM

75 %

1. 1
2. 2
3. 3
4. 4
1. Answered
2. Review
1. Question 1 of 4

1. Question
Consider the following statements with reference to the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment
Guarantee Act:
1. The Act provides at least 100 days of guaranteed wage employment in a financial year to every
household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work.
2. Employment under Mahatma Gandhi NREGA is a guaranteed legal right.
3. Under the Act, BPL card holders can avail interest free loans up to 4 lakhs/ annum from scheduled
commercial banks.
Which of the above statements is/are true?
Correct
Answer: c
Incorrect
Answer: c

2. Question 2 of 4

2. Question
Consider the following statements with reference to the National Food Security Act:
1. Under the Act, Children between 6 to 14 years of age will receive free hot meals or take home
rations.
2. Under the Act, the central government will provide funds to states in case of short supplies of food
grains.
3. Under the Act, the state government will provide a food security allowance to the beneficiaries in
case of non-supply of food grains.
4. According to this Act, the poorest who are covered under the Antodaya yojana will remain entitled to
the 35 kg of grains allotted to them under the Antodya yojana.
Which of the above statements is/are true?
Correct
Answer: d
Incorrect
Answer: d
3. Question 3 of 4

3. Question
Which of the following are correctly matched?
1. Jammu and Kashmir: Dal Lake
2. Kerala: Ashtamudi Lake
3. Manipur: Loktak Lake
4. Odisha: Chilka Lake
Choose the correct answer using the codes below:
Correct
Answer: d
Incorrect
Answer: d

4. Question 4 of 4

4. Question
Consider the following statements:
1. There is no specific provision in the constitution for appointing the Chief Justice of India.
2. Article 124(4) of Constitution of India lays down the procedure for removal of a Judge of Supreme
Court which is applicable to Chief Justice as well.
3. Once appointed, the Chief Justice remains in office for a period of 5 years or until the age of 65
years whichever is earlier.
Which of the above statements is/are true?
Correct
Answer: d
Incorrect
Answer: d

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