UPSC Essentials : Daily subject-wise quiz | Polity and Governance MCQs on Protected Area Regime, PMLA and more (Week 94)

1. It aims to provide a ‘record of rights’ to those having houses in villages and issue them a property card.

2. The plan is to survey all rural and urban properties using drones and prepare GIS-based maps.

3. The scheme was launched on National Panchayati Raj Day, on April 24, 2022.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

Explanation

— The Prime Minister was speaking at a video conferencing event to distribute over 65 lakh property cards to property owners in more than 50,000 communities. He stated that 2.25 crore individuals in villages have already received legal documentation for their homes under the plan.

— The abbreviation SVAMITVA stands for Survey of Villages and Mapping with Improvised Technology in Village Areas. It intends to provide a ‘record of rights’ to persons who own houses in villages, as well as a property card. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— The objective is to survey all rural properties with drones and create GIS-based maps for each village. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.

— PM Modi inaugurated the project on National Panchayati Raj Day, April 24, 2020. Hence, statement 3 is not correct.

— According to the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, the plan helps rural populations in a variety of ways. First, it allows rural households to use their property as a financial asset to obtain loans and other benefits.

— Second, it aids in the determination of property tax, which goes straight to Gramme Panchayats in states where they are authorised to collect such taxes. The cards serve to boost the market liquidity of land parcels as well as the village’s access to financial financing.

— The system also enables the production of precise land records for rural planning. All property records and maps are available at the Gramme Panchayat level, which aids in village taxation, development permits, encroachment removal, and other activities.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 2

With reference to the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA), consider the following statements:

1. It provides for bail on money laundering charges.

2. A person, who is under the age of sixteen years or is a woman or is sick or infirm, may be released on bail, if the Special Court so directs.

3. A person accused of an offence under this Act shall be released on bail even if the public prosecutor has not been allowed to oppose the application for such release.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

(a) 1 and 3 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 1 and 2 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

Explanation

— The Supreme Court criticised the Enforcement Directorate for claiming that the stringent bail requirements in money laundering cases will apply to women even though the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA) makes an exception to this bail standard.

— Section 45 of the PMLA allows for bail on money laundering offences. This provision in the legislation, like the severe bail standard in the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act of 1967 (UAPA), requires the accused to prove that there is no prima facie case against them while seeking bail. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— Section 45(1) reads as follows: “No person accused of an offence under this Act shall be released on bail or on his own bond unless (i) the Public Prosecutor has been given an opportunity to oppose the application for such release; and (ii) where the Public Prosecutor opposes the application, the Court is satisfied that there are reasonable grounds for believing that he is not guilty of such offence and that he is not likely to commit any offence while on bail.” Hence, statement 3 is not correct.

— However, there is a crucial exception to the bail standard. “Provided that a person, who is under the age of sixteen years or is a woman or is sick or infirm, may be released on bail, if the Special Court so directs,” the law says. This exception is similar to exemptions under the Indian Penal Code for women and minors. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 3

With reference to the abetment of suicide, consider the following statements:

1. The term “abetment” is not defined in the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (BNS).

2. The punishment for abetment of suicide can be up to 10 years imprisonment along with a fine.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Explanation

— The Supreme Court highlighted the need to sensitise investigation agencies and courts in abetment of suicide cases under Section 306 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 (IPC).

— The term “abetment” is defined under Section 107 of the IPC, which is the same as Section 45 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (BNS). Hence, statement 1 is not correct.

— A person abets the doing of a thing, if she (i) instigates any person to do that thing, or (ii) engages with one or more others in a conspiracy for the doing of that thing, or (iii) intentionally aids, by any act or illegal omission, the doing of that thing.

— To prove abetment of suicide, one has to effectively show that the accused directly instigated or aided the deceased to die by suicide. The punishment for abetment of suicide provided under Section 306 IPC (Section 108 BNS) can be up to 10 years imprisonment along with a fine. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

— To prove abetment of suicide, one must show that the accused directly inspired or aided the deceased’s death. Section 306 IPC (Section 108 BNS) punishes abetment of suicide with up to ten years in prison and a fine.

— According to the National Crime Records Bureau’s annual Crime in India report, the conviction rate in abetment of suicide (Section 306 IPC) cases was 17.5% in 2022, the most recent statistics available. In comparison, the overall conviction rate under the IPC was 69.8%. It was 54.2% for cognisable offences, which include abetment to suicide and can be arrested without a warrant.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 4

With reference to the Protected Area Regime (PAR), consider the following statements:

1. Citizens of Afghanistan, China and Pakistan and foreign nationals having their origin in these countries would continue to require prior approval of the Ministry of Home Affairs before their visit to the States of Manipur, Mizoram and Nagaland.

2. Myanmar nationals are not required to register themselves with the Foreigners Registration Officer (FRO) when they visit.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Explanation

— Last month, the Centre reinstated the Protected Area Regime (PAR) in Manipur, Mizoram, and Nagaland, thirteen years after it was removed from these Indo-Myanmar border states in an effort to encourage tourism.

— According to the PAR, a foreign national is not permitted to visit these areas unless “it is established to the satisfaction of the Government that there are extraordinary reasons to justify such a visit,” which is subject to a permit issued by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).

— Citizens of Afghanistan, China, and Pakistan, as well as foreign nationals born in these countries, would continue to require prior consent from the Ministry of Home Affairs before visiting Manipur, Mizoram, and Nagaland states. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— All foreign visitors to these states must register with the Foreigners Registration Officer (FRO) of the state/district they visit within 24 hours of arrival.

— All such Myanmar people must seek a visa from Indian Missions/Posts abroad or using the e-Tourist Visa facility, which is available to Myanmar nationals under the current protocol.

— All such Myanmar nationals shall have to compulsorily register themselves with the Foreigners Registration Officer (FRO) of the State/ District they visit within 24 hours of their arrival. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

(Other Source: http://www.mha.gov.in)

QUESTION 5

Which of the following state governments is working to bring a 1978 Act against “forceful” conversion by framing rules for its implementation, 46 years after it was enacted?

(a) Sikkim

(b) Gujarat

(c) Assam

(d) Arunachal Pradesh

Explanation

— The Arunachal Pradesh government is working to bring a 1978 Act against “forceful” conversion out of cold storage by framing rules for its implementation, 46 years after it was enacted.

— The Act was passed by the first Legislative Assembly of the then-Union Territory of Arunachal Pradesh during a period of rapid transition in the state.

— It prohibits religious conversion “by use of force or inducement or by fraudulent means” and imposes a two-year prison sentence and a fine of up to Rs. 10,000 for “converting or attempting to convert” forcefully “from one religious faith to another faith.” The Act also mandates that any act of conversion be reported to the Deputy Commissioner of the relevant district. Failure to report this results in a penalty for the person conducting the conversion as well.

— The Act defines “religious faiths” as “indigenous” faiths, which include religions, beliefs, observances, and customs that have been sanctioned by indigenous communities in Arunachal Pradesh since their existence. This description includes Buddhism as practised by the Monpas, Membas, Sherdukpens, Khambas, Khamptis, and Singphos; nature worship, including the worship of Donyi-Polo among the state’s communities; and Vaishnavism as practised by the Noctes and Akas.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

Previous Daily Subject-Wise-Quiz

Daily subject-wise quiz — Polity and Governance (Week 93)

Daily subject-wise quiz —  Science and Technology (Week 93)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Environment and Geography (Week 93)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Economy (Week 93)

Daily subject-wise quiz – International Relations (Week 93)

Daily Subject-wise quiz — History, Culture, and Social Issues (Week 93)

Subscribe to our UPSC newsletter and stay updated with the news cues from the past week.

Stay updated with the latest UPSC articles by joining our Telegram channel – IndianExpress UPSC Hub, and follow us on Instagram and X.