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Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY)

By
Syskool
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2
Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana

PMGSY- an Introduction

The Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana was launched on 25 December, 2000 by the then NDA Government led by the Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The programme was introduced with an aim to cater all-weather road connectivity to every rural abode with a mimimum population of 500 in the plains and 250-plus in hill states, tribal districs and desert areas. PMGSY, a fully centrally sponsered schemem, covered a total of 1,78,184 abodes.

The road built under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana are required to fulfil the technical specification and geometric design standards in the rural Road Manuals, specially brought out by the Indian Road Congress in 2002. all roads, falling under PMGSY, are protected by a five year maintainance contract. According to a standard Bidding Document this maintenance contract, that is in addition to the construction contract, has to be entered with the same contractor.

Must Read: Pradhan Mantri MUDRA Yojna (PMMY)

Acheivements of Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana

The fact that a total of 1,14,540 (64 per cent) out of targeted 1,78,184 abodes actually have roads today can be considered a reasonable acheivement. It is imperative here to mention that projects are being cleared for another 30,501.

Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana , since its commencement, has catered connectivity of over 4,66,044 km, that includes upgradation of 1,67,977 km of existing roads, at an aggregate cost of Rs 1,41,822 crore as on January 2016. The most important thing to note, in order to highlight the acheivement of Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana in real terms, is to know not how much but where these roads have been built.

Under this scheme, the States that have recorded the highest road construction are the ones that were the least connected at the beginning of this century. The construction of Roads in terms of km in these States is proof in itself: Madhya Pradesh (63,548 km), Rajasthan (35,510 km),and Orissa (35,019 km). Bihar alone had 34,637 abodes, originally eligible under PMGSY, out of which 15,048 now have road connectivity with work on another 12,136 abodes getting clearances. In this context even more impressive is the connectivity for MP – 14,085 out of 18,404; Rajasthan – 13,587 out of 16,694; UP – 11,228 out of 13,984; Chhattisgarh – 8,592 out of 10,191; and West Bengal – 12,141 out of 18,641.

Also Read: Smart Cities Mission and its Objectives

Impact of Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana

It has been rightly assesed that Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana , a rare public programme, qualifies as a success in terms of accomplishing both equity and efficiency objectives.

The biggest impact has been on productivity. It is only due to Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana that producers of perishable produce such as vegetables, milk and fish have become able to sell these to a wider base of consumers. This wider base of consumers has been created by the enhanced connectivity between the villages. It has also empowered companies to distribute their products through rural retail stores.

The most important factors behind the success of PMGSY is that it did not have to undergo lack of funding for most of the time. In the beginning it was financed extensively through a 50-paise-per-litre cess on diesely, that was increased to 75 paise in the 2003-04 Budget. It is important here to mention that the UPA which formed the Governmen a year later, did not undemine Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana . On the contrary, it enhanced the allocation that eventually made the programme a real success. Expenditures and road construction reached a peak in 2009-10 that witnessed 60,117 km of rural road construction.

It was only from 2011-12, the programme suffered drawbacks in terms of allocation of funds. The current NDA Governmen, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has allocated Rs. 19,000 crore under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana to put it back on the rails. The Government has also announced that it will connect remaining 65, eligible abodes by 2019.

Read Also: Poverty Alleviation Programs in India

Public Accounts Committee (PAC)

By
Syskool
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4

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) is a committee of selected members of Parliament, constituted by the Parliament of India, for the auditing of the expenditure of the Government of India.

The Public Accounts Committee is formed every year with a strength of not more than 22 members of which 15 are from Lok Sabha, the lower house of the Parliament, and 7 from Rajya Sabha, the upper house of the Parliament. The Chairman of Public Accounts Committee is appointed by the Speaker of Lok Sabha. The chief function of Public Accounts Committee is to examine the audit report of Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) after it is laid in the Parliament. CAG assists the committee during the course of investigation.

Must Read: Bankruptcy Bill Cleared by Joint Parliament Standing Committee

A member of the Public Accounts Committee belonging to the main opposition party/group in the House is appointed as the Chairman of the Committee. The present Public Accounts Committee is headed by Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi of the Bharatiya Janata Party. The term of office of members of the Committee does not exceed one year at a time.

A Minister is not eligible to be elected as a member of the Committee and if a member, after his election to the Public Accounts Committee, is appointed as a Minister, he ceases to be a member of the Committee from the date of such appointment.

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) signifies one of the essential constituents of Parliamentary Dominion which is the culpability of Public money. The committee may examine the expenditures, administration, delegated legislation, public petitions and policies of the Ministry concerned and its associated public bodies and may forward its report of findings and recommendations to the Ministry and the Ministry shall submits its reply to the Committee.

Also Read: Indian Audits & Accounts Service (IAAS)

An important function of the Committee is to ascertain that money granted by Parliament has been spent by Government “within the scope of the demand”. The functions of the Committee extend “beyond the formality of expenditure to its wisdom, faithfulness and economy”. The Committee thus examines cases involving losses, nugatory expenditure and financial irregularities.

The Public Accounts Committee is assisted by the Comptroller and Auditor General in the examination of Accounts and Audit Reports.

The Reports of Comptroller and Auditor General on Revenue Receipts, the Public Accounts Committee examines various aspects of Government’s tax administration. The Public Accounts Committee, thus, examine cases involving under-assessments, tax-evasion, non-levy of duties, mis-classifications etc., identifies loopholes in the taxation laws and procedures and make recommendations in order to check leakage of revenue.

Also Read: The Goods and Services Tax (GST)

A designated body that seeks to be authorized to license and govern the activities of its members as public accountants must meet certain minimum standards relating to its:

  • Education, examination and practical experience requirements
  • Rules of professional conduct, mandatory practice inspections of public accountants, the use of generally accepted accounting principles
  • Governance standards respecting the licensing and governing the activities of its members as public accountants

Don’t Miss: Indian Revenue Service (IRS) – Income Tax, Customs & Central Excise

Prime Ministers of India – On a Timeline

By
Syskool
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9
prime ministers of india

India, the world’s largest democracy, holds a general election in April and May. Here is a timeline of key dates in Prime Ministers of India’s election history:

Time period and List of Prime Ministers of India

1947 – 1952

  • Shri Jawaharlal Nehru, one of the founding fathers of independent India, becomes the country’s first prime minister. His appointment starts a long period of political dominance of the Congress party and the country’s most powerful dynasty, the Gandhi-Nehru family.

Read Also: Swearing-in-Ceremony of the Prime Minister of India PART 2

1952- 1957                                     

  • India held its first national elections under the Constitution in 1952, where a turnout of over 60% was recorded.
  • Shri Jawaharlal Nehru leads Congress to a clear victory in the country’s first ever general election and began a second term as Prime Minister.

1957–1966

  • Prime Minister Nehru led the Congress to major election victories in 1957 and 1962
  • Nehru leads Congress and retains the prime ministership, which he held until his death in 1964.
  • From May 27, 1964 – January 24, 1966, Shri Gulzari Lal Nanda and Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri held the post of prime ministership for small periods. Lal Bahadur Shastri is known as one of the most humble Prime Ministers of India.

1966-1977

  • Nehru’s daughter Mrs. Indira Gandhi leads Congress to another victory and becomes the country’s only female prime minister.
  • She wins another election victory in 1971 — the year India trounced Pakistan in the third war between the two countries since 1947.

1975-1979

  • Mrs. Indira Gandhi imposes a State of Emergency, which critics says gave her near dictatorial powers.
  • Indira called for elections in 1977, only to suffer a humiliating electoral defeat at the hands of the Janata Party.
  • Shri Morarji Desai, an ageing supporter of Mahatma Gandhi’s philosophies, became the first non-Congress Prime Minister.
  • 28 July 1979 Morarji Desai  Dismissed by President following a no-confidence motion.
  • 28 July 1979, Shri Charan Singh formed an interim government. The Janata party had become intensely unpopular due to its internecine warfare, and the fact that it offered no leadership on solving India’s serious economic and social problems.

Must Read: Well Known Prime Ministers of India

1980-1984

  • Mrs. Indira Gandhi re-elected again but is assassinated four years later by her Sikh bodyguards after a suppression of Sikh separatism that culminated in the storming of the Golden Temple.

1984-1989

  • Shri Rajiv Gandhi, Indira’s son and a former commercial pilot, becomes India’s youngest prime minister and leads Congress to victory.
  • Gandhi is voted out five years later after becoming embroiled in the Bofors scandal, a defence deal, of which he was posthumously cleared in 2004.

1989-1991                     

  • Power came to Rajiv Gandhi former finance and defence minister, Shri Vishwanath Pratap Singh. Singh led the Janata Dal coalition to a majority.
  • V.P. Singh resigned on 10 November 1990 because he started to implement the controversial Mandal commission report, to increase the quota in reservation for low caste Hindus and BJP protested these implementations, and took its support back.
  • Shri Chandra Shekhar  split to form the Janata Dal (Socialist) and came in power, supported by Rajiv’s Congress. This new government also collapsed in a matter of months, when congress withdrew its support.

1991-1996

  • In the 1991 elections, Congress (I) won 244 parliamentary seats and put together a coalition, returning to power under the leadership of Shri P. V. Narasimha Rao. This Congress-led government, served a full 5-year term.

1996-2004

  • The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) emerged from the May 1996 national elections as the single-largest party in the Lok Sabha but without enough strength to prove a majority on the floor of that Parliament.
  • Under Prime Minister Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the BJP coalition lasted in power 13 days.
  • With all political parties wishing to avoid another round of elections, a 14-party coalition led by the Janata Dal emerged to form a government known as the United Front. A United Front government under Shri H. D. Deve Gowda lasted less than a year.
  • On April 21, 1997, Shri Inder Kumar Gujral replaced Deve Gowda as the consensus choice for Prime Minister of a 16-party United Front coalition.
  • In November 1997, the Congress Party again withdrew support for the United Front. New elections in February 1998 brought the BJP the largest number of seats in Parliament (182).
  • On March 20, 1998, the President inaugurated a BJP-led coalition government with Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee again serving as Prime Minister.

Don’t Miss: Speech by the President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee

2004 – 2014

  • The BJP loses to Congress despite presiding over healthy economic growth. Its “India Shining” campaign fails to resonate with voters.
  • Sonia Gandhi, the Italian-born widow of Rajiv Gandhi, leads a Congress victory, but because of controversies, Dr Manmohan Singh became prime minister, ending sniping about her nationality.

2014 – Present

  • BJP, under the leadership of Sh. Narendra Modi gained an absolute majority in 2014 elections and formed the government.
  • 16th Lok Sabha doesn’t have even a leader of the opposition as no political party was able to secure the minimum 10 percent seats required to become eligible to appoint the leader of the opposition.
  • So far the government has been free from any established or investigated corruption charges by any judicial, or administrative authorities. However, the joint opposition has politically accused the government every now and then, but they could not prove anything in any court so far.
  • GST and Demonetisation are two bold yet controversial decisions of this government. Many structural reforms are also underway through various schemes.

Above list mentions important tenures of Prime Ministers of India

Also, Read:

Renewable Energy (RE): Promoting ‘Make in India’

Central Vigilance Commission (CVC)

Election Commission of India (ECI)

Bangladesh: Background

By
Syskool
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0
The People’s Republic of Bangladesh, with an area of 147570 sq. km. and a population of 16.2 crores (2009) is encircled from three sides (north, west, and east) by India. The common border between India and Bangladesh is 4000 km out of which wire fencing has been undertaken in 3300 km long boundary line. In its south border lies the Bay of Bengal and it shares the south-east boundary with Myanmar.
Bangladesh, earlier called East Pakistan, was separated from Pakistan and became independent in 1971 after 9 months long liberation war in which India played a major part. In 1972 its founder leader Mujib-ur-Rehman signed The treaty of friendship and peace with India which was assumed to be the corner-stone of Indo-Bangladesh relations.
Mujib-ur-Rehman is called the father of Bangladesh. He was killed in a military coup in 1975 and was succeeded by Military Ruler Zia-ur-Rehman, who was also killed in 1981 and H.M. Ershad became the President of Bangladesh. Democracy was restored in Bangladesh in 1991. Thus from 1975 to 1991, Bangladesh was under military rule.
At present, there are three national parties in Bangladesh. First Awami League led by Sheikh Hasina Wajed, the daughter of Mujib-ur-Rehman. Second Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) led by Khaleda Zia, the widow of Zia-ur-Rehman, who was killed in 1981. The third party of the smaller following is Jatiya Party led by H.M. Ershad, who presently supports the Awami League Government in Bangladesh.
After the restoration of multiparty democracy and adoption of the parliamentary form of government in 1991, Bangladesh Nationalist Party gained power in 1991 election. However, Awami League came to power in 1996 election. In the parliamentary election of 2001, BNP again wrested political power from Awami League. The next election was scheduled in Jan-2007, was postponed indefinitely following the widespread protest and a caretaker government was appointed to administer the new general election. During this period, the country suffered from extensive corruption, disorder and political violence. The emergency was declared in Jan-2007 and the army-backed caretaker government of Fakruddin Ahmed aimed to prepare new voter list and the crackdown on corruption. The next election was held in Dec 2008, and Awami League secured 2/3 majority as it won 230 seats out of total 300 seats in parliament.
Both Indo-Bangladesh relation and foreign policy of Bangladesh in general, are deeply influenced by the domestic politics of that country. The Awami League Party is known for its democratic and secular credential and follows a policy of friendly relations with India. Whereas BNP dominated by fundamentalist and conservative element, is known for its anti-India stance. It accuses India of following hegemonistic policy with small neighbours.
The BNP government has been instrumental in developing warm ties with China, particularly in the last decade. Between 2006 and 07, trade between China and Bangladesh rose by 28.5% and there have been agreements between the two countries to grant various Bangladesh commodities tariff-free access to Chinese market. Cooperation the military of Bangladesh and Chinese army is also increasing with joint military agreements signed between the two countries. China’s growing influence on Bangladesh is the cause of worry for India.
The most contentious between India and Bangladesh have been the sharing of Ganga water, repatriation of Chakma refugees, transfer of Teen Bigha corridor to Bangladesh , safe sanctuaries in Bangladesh for insurgent groups of Assam-other north-eastern Indian state, transit facility to India through Bangladesh to ensure supply to north-eastern parts of India and more recently activities of Bangladesh-based terrorist groups particularly Harkat-ul-Jihadal-Islam (HUJI).
The problem of Ganga water sharing arose in 1975 when India constructed Farakka Dam on the Ganga River to increase the supply of water for maintaining navigability of Hoogly river. With many ups and downs, the two countries signed Ganga Water Sharing Agreement in 1996, which would guide the water sharing between the two countries for next 30 years. However, the sharing of water of other tributaries of Ganga between the two countries still remains.
The Teen Bigha corridor is the  small of Indian Territory which joins Bangladeshi enclave of Dahagram and Angorpota. Agreements for the use of this corridor by Bangladesh were signed in 1972 and 1982. Following the Indian Supreme Court judgment, the Teen Bigha corridor was given to Bangladesh on perpetual lease, without any rent in 1992. However, this perpetual lease provided for the retention of Indian sovereignty over Teen Bigha with free movement of Indian Citizens living one either side of the corridor.
Both countries signed Chakma Hill track agreement in 1997 which pave the way for the repatriation of more than 15,000 Chakma refugees living in Tripura. The repatriation of these refugees is almost complete. To check the further infiltration of Bangladeshi refugees, the government of India has decided to put barbed wire fencing along the 3300 km border between the two countries. Bangladesh resents the fencing of the border. As a goodwill gesture, Kolkata-Dhaka bus service was also initiated in 1999. More recently Bangladesh has handed over some India insurgent leaders, notably Arbind Raj Khova, the chief of ULFA to India in Dec 2009. It should be noted that insurgent groups find safe heaven in Bangladesh and carry out their anti-India activities from Bangladesh territory.
Bangladesh is a member of Commonwealth of Nation, SAARC, BIMSTEC, and the D-8 Group of countries. As per the World Bank Report of 2005 Bangladesh has made significant progress in human development, illiteracy, gender parity etc.
Must Read:

Registrar of Newspaper for India (RNI)

By
Syskool
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2
Registrar of Newspapers for India

The office of the Registrar of Newspapers for India (RNI) came into being on 1 July 1956, on the recommendation of first Press Commission in 1953 and by amending the Press and Registration of Books Act, 1867. The Registrar of Newspapers for India, commonly known as Press Registrar, was required, inter alia to submit an Annual report to the Government by 31 December every year on the status of newspapers. The period for which an annual report was to be submitted, was changed from calendar year to financial year in 2002. As on 31 March 2009, the total number of registered newspaper/periodical was 73,146. These were 8,475 dailies, 383 bi/tri-weeklies, 9,458 fortnightlies, 22,124 monthlies, 4,864 quarterlies, 653 annuals, and 2,645 of other periodicity. These figures were for the year 2008-09.

Read Also: Founder of Newspaper and Journals in India

Newspaper periodicals were published in English and 21 main languages listed in Eighth Schedule of the Constitution of India. Newspapers/periodicals were also published in 127 other languages including dialects and few foreign languages. Odisha has the distinction of publishing newspapers/periodicals in 21 major languages. Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra came next with 14, 13 and 11 major languages.
Out of the 73,146 newspapers/periodicals registered as on 31 March 2009, only 11,752 submitted their Annual Statements during 2008-09. The total circulation of these 11,752 newspapers/periodicals were 25,79,53,373 copies per publishing day. The largest numbers of newspapers/periodicals registered in any Indian language is in Hindi (29,094). The second largest number of Newspapers/periodicals registered in any language is in English (10,530). The state with the largest number of newspapers/periodicals is Uttar Pradesh with 11,543. The state with the second largest number of newspapers/periodicals is Delhi with 9,961.
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