Committees and Recommendation MCQ Quiz - Objective Question with Answer for Committees and Recommendation - Download Free PDF

The correct answer is Dixit Commission.

Key Points

• The Dixit Commission was constituted to suggest a location for the permanent capital of Uttarakhand after the state was formed in 2000.
• The commission rejected Gairsain as the permanent capital due to logistical, infrastructural, and geographical challenges.
• It recommended Dehradun as the more suitable option for the permanent capital of Uttarakhand.
• Dehradun was favored due to its existing infrastructure, connectivity, and administrative facilities.
• The decision led to widespread debates, with many advocating for Gairsain citing its central location and symbolic importance for the hill state.

Additional Information

• Uttarakhand Formation: Uttarakhand was carved out of Uttar Pradesh on 9th November 2000 as the 27th state of India.
• Gairsain's Significance: Gairsain holds symbolic importance as it represents the aspirations of the hill communities who were central to the statehood movement.
• Current Status: While Dehradun serves as the winter capital, Gairsain has been declared the summer capital of Uttarakhand in June 2020.
• Geographical Challenges: Gairsain's location in the mountainous region poses infrastructural and accessibility issues, making it less feasible as a permanent capital.
• Capital Debates: The issue of the capital remains a point of contention in the state, reflecting the broader debate on development priorities between the plains and hill regions.

The correct answer is 25.7.%

Key Points

• The Tendulkar methodology is used to estimate the percentage of people living below the poverty line in India.
• According to this methodology, the percentage of people below the poverty line in rural areas in India was estimated to be 25.7% in the year 2011-12.
• This estimation is based on the monthly per capita consumption expenditure which takes into account the cost of food, education, and health.
• The methodology was named after Suresh Tendulkar, who was the chairman of the committee set up to review the poverty estimation in India.
• The Tendulkar methodology brought a significant change by shifting from the calorie intake-based poverty estimation to the consumption expenditure-based estimation.

 Additional Information

• Tendulkar Methodology
  • Suresh Tendulkar was an Indian economist who played a key role in poverty estimation.
  • The methodology accounts for non-food items like education and health in addition to food items.
  • It provides a more comprehensive understanding of poverty by considering living standards beyond mere calorie consumption.

Key Points

• The L. M. Singhvi Committee, constituted in 1986, recommended granting Constitutional status to the Panchayati Raj institutions.
• The committee recognized the need for strengthening grassroots democracy and emphasized the importance of decentralized governance through Panchayati Raj institutions.
• The recommendations of the committee laid the foundation for the 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act of 1992, which granted Constitutional status to Panchayats.
• This Amendment added Part IX to the Constitution, consisting of Articles 243 to 243O, and also introduced the Eleventh Schedule, which outlines the functional areas of Panchayats.

Additional Information

• Balwant Rai Mehta Committee:
  • Formed in 1957, this committee recommended the establishment of the Panchayati Raj system to promote democratic decentralization in India.
  • It suggested a three-tier structure of Panchayati Raj institutions: Gram Panchayat at the village level, Panchayat Samiti at the block level, and Zila Parishad at the district level.
  • This was a significant step in strengthening local governance, but it did not propose granting Constitutional status to Panchayats.
• Ashok Mehta Committee:
  • Set up in 1977, this committee recommended a two-tier Panchayati Raj structure: Zila Parishad (district level) and Mandal Panchayat (group of villages).
  • It emphasized greater devolution of powers to local bodies but did not propose Constitutional status for Panchayats.
• Thungan Committee:
  • In 1988, the Thungan Committee was tasked with suggesting measures to revitalize Panchayati Raj institutions.
  • While it recommended several reforms, it was the L. M. Singhvi Committee that directly proposed granting Constitutional status.

The correct answer is Dinesh Goswami Committee.

Key Points

• The Dinesh Goswami Committee was constituted in 1990 to recommend measures for electoral reforms in India.
• The committee focused on ensuring free and fair elections, addressing issues such as criminalization of politics, the role of money power, and misuse of official machinery during elections.
• It advocated for state funding of elections to curb excessive spending and suggested changes to the Representation of the People Act.
• The committee recommended depoliticization of constitutional appointments, such as those in the Election Commission, to ensure their independence.
• It also proposed reforms in the electoral process, including the introduction of electronic voting machines (EVMs) and stricter enforcement of election laws.

Additional Information

• Electoral Reforms in India:
  • Electoral reforms aim to strengthen the democratic process by addressing issues such as transparency, accountability, and inclusivity.
  • Key reforms include the introduction of Electoral Photo Identity Cards (EPIC), limiting election expenditure, and curbing criminalization in politics.
• Representation of the People Act:
  • This act governs the conduct of elections in India and lays down laws related to qualifications and disqualifications of candidates.
  • Amendments to this act have been made periodically to address emerging electoral challenges.
• Election Commission of India:
  • The Election Commission is a constitutional body responsible for administering elections to the Parliament, State Legislatures, and offices of the President and Vice President.
  • It plays a crucial role in ensuring free and fair elections through various mechanisms, including the Model Code of Conduct.
• Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs):
  • EVMs were introduced to make voting more efficient and reduce errors in the electoral process.
  • They ensure faster counting of votes and have been a significant step toward modernizing elections in India.

The correct answer is M.M. Punchhi.

Key Points

• The Second Commission on Centre-State Relations was set up by the Government of India in April 2007 to address evolving dynamics between the central and state governments.
• Justice M.M. Punchhi, a former Chief Justice of India, was appointed as the chairman of this commission.
• The commission was tasked with reviewing the existing arrangements and suggesting measures for efficient governance and cooperative federalism in India.
• The Justice M.M. Punchhi Commission submitted its final report to the government in March 2010.
• The recommendations of the commission covered critical areas such as national security, financial relations, and constitutional governance to strengthen federal principles.

Additional Information

• Centre-State Relations:
  • Centre-State relations in India are categorized into three areas: Legislative, Administrative, and Financial relations.
  • The aim is to ensure a balance of power and smooth functioning of governance in a federal setup.
  • Articles 245 to 263 of the Indian Constitution deal with legislative and administrative relations, while financial relations are covered under Articles 268 to 293.
• First Commission on Centre-State Relations:
  • Headed by Justice R.S. Sarkaria, the first commission was established in June 1983 and submitted its report in 1988.
  • It examined and recommended measures for restructuring centre-state relations to ensure smooth governance.
  • Key recommendations included the proper use of Article 356, strengthening the Inter-State Council, and revisiting the role of the Finance Commission.
• Key Recommendations of the Punchhi Commission:
  • Suggested clear guidelines for the imposition of President's Rule under Article 356 to prevent its misuse.
  • Recommended that national interest should guide the deployment of central forces in states.
  • Proposed reforms in the role and functioning of the Governor to maintain impartiality.
  • Called for a permanent Interstate Trade and Commerce Commission to resolve disputes between states.
• Cooperative Federalism:
  • Cooperative federalism emphasizes collaboration between the central and state governments for collective progress and development.
  • In India, mechanisms like the NITI Aayog, Inter-State Council, and GST Council promote cooperative federalism.

The correct answer is B. Sivaraman Committee.

Key Points

• NABARD (National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development)
• History​
  • The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) at the insistence of the Government of India, constituted a Committee to Review the Arrangements For Institutional Credit for Agriculture and Rural Development (CRAFICARD)
  • The Committee was formed on 30 March 1979, under the Chairmanship of Shri B. Sivaraman, a former member of Planning Commission, Government of India.
  • NABARD came into existence on 12 July 1982 by transferring the agricultural credit functions of RBI and refinance functions of the then Agricultural Refinance and Development Corporation (ARDC).
  • It was dedicated to the service of the nation by the late Prime Minister Smt. Indira Gandhi on 05 November 1982.

Additional Information

• NABARD
  • Establishment: Statutory body established in 1982 under National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development Act, 1981.
  • Headquarters: Mumbai, India
  • Chairman: Shaji K V

The correct answer is Srikrishna Committee.

Key Points

• Telangana, as a geographical and political entity, was born on June 2, 2014, as the 29th and the youngest state in the Union of India.
• The Committee headed by the former Chief Justice, B. N Srikrishna was formed to look into the proposed state of Telangana. It was known as the Srikrishna committee or the Committee for Consultations on the Situation in Andhra Pradesh (CCSAP).
• The committee was constituted by the Government of India on 3 February 2010 and submitted its report on 30 December 2010 to the Ministry of Home Affairs.
• Its main aim was to examine the situation in the State of Andhra Pradesh with reference to the demand for a separate State of Telangana as well as the demand for maintaining the present status of a united Andhra Pradesh.
• Some of the other members of the committee were Professor (Dr.) Ranbir Singh, Dr. Abusaleh Shariff, Ravinder Kaur|Dr. Vinod K Duggal, former Home Secretary, also functioned as its member-secretary.

The correct answer is Narsimha Committee.

Key Points

• The Regional Rural Banks were established on the recommendations of the Narsimha Committee Rural Credit.
• Regional Rural Bank:
  • Regional Rural Banks were established on the basis of the recommendations of the Narasimham Working Group (1975), and after the legislation of the Regional Rural Banks Act, 1976.
  • They are financial institutions that ensure adequate credit for agriculture and other rural sectors. 
  • They were set up on the recommendations of the Narasimham Working Group (1975).
  • RRBs were granted legal provisions under the Regional Rural Banks Act, 1976.
  • The first Regional Rural Bank "Prathama Grameen Bank" was set up on 2nd October 1975. 
  • The equity of a regional rural bank is held by the Central Government, the concerned State Government, and the Sponsor Bank in the proportion of 50:15:35.
  • The RRBs have combined characteristics of a cooperative and a commercial bank.
  • It operates within the local limits as notified by the Government.
  • The main objectives of RRBs are:
    • To provide credit and other facilities to the small and marginal farmers, agricultural labourers, artisans, and small entrepreneurs in rural areas.
    • To check the outflow of rural deposits to urban areas.
    • To reduce regional imbalances.
    • To increase rural employment generation.
    • They are required to provide 75% of their total credit as priority sector lending.

Additional Information

• Rekhi Committee on Indirect Tax Reform:-
  • The Rekhi Committee was constituted in 1992 under the chairmanship of K.L. Rekhi. The recommendations are a Tribunal should be set up to deal with problems between taxpayers and tax collectors.
  • A High-Level India classification committee with trade and industry representatives should be set up.
  • Important consignments should be cleared within 3 days.
  • The monopoly of one nominated bank in each state should be supplemented by another bank.
  • Coercive measures must not be used for recovery of disputed duty amount when the assessee files a stay application.
• Kelkar Committee Report on Tax Reforms:-
  • A task force on Direct and Indirect Taxes was constituted under the chairmanship of DR. Vijay Kelkar in 2002. The recommendation of the Vijay Kelkar committee are:
    • The income tax exemption limit must be increased to Rs. 1 Lakh from the present 50,000 tax exemption limit for senior citizens and widows should be Rs. 1.5 lakhs.
    • There should be a two-tier income tax structure with a 20% tax for earnings of Rs. 1 lakh to 4 lakh and 30% tax for over Rs. 4 lakhs. The standard deduction must be abolished but suggested an exemption for conveyance
      allowance.
    • There should be the abolition of long-term capital gains tax, dividend tax, and wealth tax. There should not be any surcharge on income tax.
    • There should be an interest subsidy of 2% for housing loans up to Rs. 5 lakh.
    • There must be a 30% corporate tax for domestic companies and 35% for foreign companies and there should be no Minimum Alternate Tax (MAT).
    • There Should be a 14% Central Value Added Tax (CENNAT) rate.
    • There should be nationwide VAT and Comprehensive Service Tax.
    • Exemptions for life-saving drugs, security items, and farm products.
    • Exemption of tax for small-scale units with a turnover up to Rs. 50 lakh.

Important Points

• For estimating Poverty Line in India, Lakdawala Committee, 1993 was an expert group chaired by D.T. Lakdawala, that set the poverty line such that anyone who was above it was able to afford 2100 and 2400 calories in the urban and rural areas respectively including shelter and clothing.
• According to them, the poor were not able to meet these average energy requirements.

Additional Information

The correct answer is the Suresh Tendulkar Committee.

Key Points:

• Suresh Tendulkar committee was constituted to review the concept of the Poverty Line in 2005.
  • The committee recommended, shifting away from the calories model.
• The Lakdawala committee was constituted to consider methodological and computational aspects of the estimation of the proportion and number of poor in India.
• Wanchoo committee was constituted to look into industrial development for the backward areas and to recommend fiscal and financial incentives for industries in these areas.
• Dutt committee was constituted to inquire into the working of the licensing system in India.

The correct answer is R S. Sarkaria. 

Key Points

The first three-member commission for determining the relationship between the Center and the State was presided over by RS Sarkaria.

• Sarkaria Commission was appointed by the government of India in 1983.
• The commission was appointed after the Anandpur Sahib resolution and West Bengal Memorandum seeking changes in centre-state relations.
• Ranjit Singh Sarkaria headed the commission while Shri B Sivaraman and Dr Sen were the other two members.
• It was set up to review and analyze the working mechanism between the states and the centre.
• The commission outrightly rejected the demand of turning India into a completely federal State but upheld the but at the same time criticized over-centralization.
• Following are some of the important recommendations of the Sarkaria Commission:
  • Constitution of a permanent interstate council under article 263.
  • Strengthening of All India Services.
  • The residuary powers (except that of taxation) should be moved to the concurrent list.
  • The centre should be able to deploy armed forces without the consent of the state government.
  • The governor should not have powers to remove the council of ministers.

The correct answer is Centre-State relations.

Key Points 

Sarkaria Commission:

• Ministry of Home Affairs on 9 June 1983, constituted a Commission named Sarkaria Commission, under the Chairmanship of Justice R.S. Sarkaria with Shri B. Sivaraman and Dr. S.R. Sen as its members.
• The Commission has examined and reviewed the working of the existing arrangements between the Union and States regarding powers, functions, and responsibilities in all spheres and recommends such changes or other measures as may be appropriate.
• The main recommendations of the Commission with regard to the Inter-State Council and its Secretariat are council should be charged with duties in broad terms embracing the entire gamut of clauses (b) and (c) of Article 263.
• The Council should not be vested with powers of inquiring into and advising upon disputes between the States.
• The Commission also recommended that without an independent permanent secretariat, the Council would not be able to establish its credibility.
• Considering the nature of meetings and the level of participants, the Council’s Secretariat should be suitably staffed and modelled on the Union Cabinet Secretariat.
• The Commission recommended that coordination of policies and implementation in a dual polity especially given large areas of common interest and shared action requires a sustained process of contact, consultation, and interaction, for which a proper forum is necessary.
• The Commission observed that the executive powers of the Union and States overlap in many areas and as such division of matters in the Union List and State List is not absolute. Several entries overlap.
• States are dependent on the Union for financial resources and in many administrative matters.
• The commission submitted its report to the then prime minister Rajiv Gandhi in 1988.

Key Points

• Tendulkar Committee was appointed by the Government of India to re-examine the methodology of estimating poverty and measurement of poverty line in India. 
• The committee was headed by Suresh Tendulkar, an economist and former chairman of the Prime Minister's Economic Advisory Council.
• The committee submitted its report in 2009, which led to a revision of the poverty line and an increase in the number of people considered poor in India.
• The poverty line was revised from Rs. 32 per day in rural areas and Rs. 47 per day in urban areas to Rs. 33 per day in rural areas and Rs. 47 per day in urban areas.
• The report also recommended a multidimensional approach to poverty measurement, which takes into account not only income but also access to basic amenities like education, healthcare, and sanitation.

 Additional Information

POVERTY MEASUREMENT IN INDIA:

• Poverty can be defined as a condition in which an individual or household lacks the financial resources to afford a basic minimum standard of living.
• India has a long history of studies on measurement of poverty. The erstwhile Planning Commission was the nodal agency in India for estimation of poverty.
• Various expert groups constituted by the Planning Commission have estimated the number of people living in poverty in India:
  • Working Group (1962).
  • Study by VM Dandekar and N Rath (1971).
  • Task Force on “Projections of Minimum Needs and Effective Consumption Demand” headed by Dr. Y. K. Alagh (1979).
  • Lakdawala Expert Group (1993): Headed by Professor D.T. Lakdawala.
  • Tendulkar Expert Group (2009): It was setup in 2005 and was headed by Suresh Tendulkar.
  • Rangrajan Committee (2014): It was set up in 2012 and was headed by Chakravarthi Rangarajan.

The correct answer is Santhanam Committee Report.

Key Points:

Central Vigilance Commission was established in 1964.

• It was set up on the recommendations of the Santhanam committee report.
  • Santhanam committee was appointed by Lal Bahadur Sastri In 1962.
  • Kasturiranga Santhanam was the chairman of the Santhanam Committee.
• Central vigilance commission conferred statutory status in 2003.
• The headquarters of the central vigilance commission is at Satarkata Bhavan in New Delhi.
• The central vigilance commission consists of a chairperson and not more than two members.
• Nittoor Srinivasa Rau was the first vigilance commissioner of India.
• Sh.  A.S. Rajeev is the current vigilance commissioner of India.
• Gorwala committee is a committee on public administration.
• The first administrative reforms commission was established on 5 January 1966 and it was chaired by Morarji Desai.

The correct answer is ​Shah Commission.

• The Emergency declared in 1975 (internal emergency) proved to be the most controversial.
• There was widespread criticism of the misuse of Emergency powers.
• In the elections held to the Lok Sabha in 1977 after the Emergency, the Congress Party led by Indira Gandhi lost and the Janta Party came to power.
• This government-appointed the Shah Commission to investigate the circumstances that warranted the declaration of an Emergency in 1975.
• The commission did not justify the declaration of the Emergency.
• Hence, the 44th Amendment Act was enacted in 1978 to introduce a number of safeguards against the misuse of Emergency provisions.