Grow For The Poor-Editorial-Opinion-The Times of India

Grow For The Poor-Editorial-Opinion-The Times of India

It is substantiating editorial to the report of World Bank reproduced on this blog here.

One-third of world's poor in India: Survey-India-The Times of India

One-third of world's poor in India: Survey-India-The Times of India

The report contains the World Bank's latest estimates on global poverty.

Coming Back and Ending a Hiatus

Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination, 2008 held on 18/05/2008 is out.
Some of my students are going to take the examination in October and another set is going to take the next year Preliminary. I am now going to share their notes here.
I take this occassion to thanks all those who had been visiting this site during this period.
The Union Public Service Commission have a Facilitation Centre near Examination Hall Building in its Campus. Candidates may obtain any information /clarification regarding their examination on working days between 10.00 AM to 5.00 PM, in person or on Tel.No. 011-2338 5271, 011-23098543 or 011-23381125 from this Facilitation Centre.

One can check the whole list at UPSC Site.

Page five: General Studies Preliminary Paper 2006

As on page 10 series B
General Studies Preliminary Paper May 14, 2006
Time Allowed: Two Hours
MM: 150
Total Questions: 150

30.

Each of 8 identical balls is to be placed in the squares shown in the figure given above in a horizontal direction such that one horizontal row contains 6 balls and the other horizontal row contains 2 balls. In how many maximum different ways can this be done.
a. 38
b. 28
c. 16
d. 14

Ans: d. 14
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Pending

Category: Mathematics

31. Which one of the following pairs is not correctly matched?
a. Slovenia : Bratislava
b. Seychelles : Victoria
c. Sierra Leone : Freetown
d. Uzbekistan : Tashkent

Ans: a. Slovenia : Bratislava

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Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia. Slovakia is a landlocked country between Austria, Czech Republic, Poland and Ukraine. Source: Wikipedia
The Capital of Slovenia is Ljubljana. Slovenia got its independence in 1991. It is on the boarder of Italy and makes west coasts of Adriatic Sea. Source: Wikipeida
Victoria is the capital of Seychelles. It is an African country consisting of 115 islands. The nearest country is Madagascar. The island country is in Indian Ocean. Source: CIA Fact Book. Wikipedia.
Freetown is the capital of Sierra Leone. Sierra Leone is an African country on its west side towards Atlantic Ocean. The nearest countries are Guinea and Liberia. Source: Wikipedia. CIA Fact Book.
Tashkent is the capital of Uzbekistan. It is one of the countries formed out of Soviet Union. It has borders with Afghanistan. Source: CIA Fact Book. Wikipedia.

Category: World Geography. Political.

32. Who is Wole Soyinka?

a. A well-known economist
b. A well-known football player
c. a well-known industrialist owning steel plants in many parts of the world.
d. Nobel Prize winner for literature.

Ans: d. Nobel Prize winner for literature.

Authentication Verification Validation Elaboration
Wole Soyinka won Nobel Prize for literature in 1986. He is the first person of African descent to receive Nobel Prize. Source: Biography. Nobel Press Release.
The first Nobel prize in literature was given in 1901 to the poet and philosopher Sully Prudhomme, author of Stances et Poèmes (1865). Source: Literature Nobel Prizes.
Further, Rabindranath Tagore got Nobel Prize in 1913. It was the thirteenth Nobel prize starting from year 1901. No prize for literature was given for the years 1914, 1918, 1935, 1940, 1941, 1942, and 1943.
The Nobel prize for literature is given for poetry, novels, short stories, plays, essays and speeches. Source: Nobel Prize Literature Site.

Note: For future General Studies Papers, Preliminary, kindly also check Nobel Prize Winner Facts. To this day, there 776 Nobel prize winners. Out of them, 758 are individuals and 19 organizations. Out of 758 individuals, there are 33 women and 725 men. The maximum number of Nobel Prizes had been won by an organization. The organization, which has won maximum number of three prizes, is International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC). Source: Nobel Prize Winner Facts:


Category: General Knowledge Literature.

33. Consider the following statements:
1. Length of a terrestrial mile is lesser than that of a nautical mile.
2. Harmattan is a dusty land-wind of the East African Coast.
3. Greece and Albania form a part of the Iberian Peninsula.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
a. 1, 2 and 3
b. 2 and 3, only
c. 3 only
d. 1 only

Ans: d. 1 only

Authentication Verification Validation Elaboration
A nautical mile is equal to 1852 meters (about 6076 feet). Source: Answers.com
One mile is equal to 1609.344 m. Source: Answers.com

Iberian Peninsula is on the west-south of Europe. It consists two main countries viz; Spain, Andorra and Portugal. Similarly Scandinavia consists of Sweden, Norway, Finland and Denmark. The Netherlands consist of Holland (Netherlands), Belgium, Luxembourg as per Medieval History of Europe. Now Netherlands is a country which has popular province of Holland, the name by which this country is mostly popular.

Greece, Albania, Bulgaria, etc fall in the region of Balkans of Europe. Balkans Peninsula is also called the cockpit of Europe.
Harmattan is a dry and dusty easterly wind blowing south-west and west off the Sahara into the Gulf of Guinea (North Coast of Africa). It is a Natural Hazard. It is also sometimes called Doctor because it is believed to have healthful properties. It moves towards Atlantic Coast which is on the west. Hence it is not East African coast phenomena. Source: NASA

Category: World Geography: Physical.

Page Four: General Studies Preliminary Paper 2006

As on page 8 series B
General Studies Preliminary Paper May 14, 2006
Time Allowed: Two Hours
MM: 150
Total Questions: 150

23. Which of the following pairs is/are correctly matched?

	Inventor	:	Invention
1.	Christopher Cockerell	:	Hovercraft
2.	David Bushnell	:	Sumbarine
3.	J.C. Perrier	:	Steamship

Select the correct answer by using the code given below:
a. 1, 2 and 3
b. 1 and 2, only
c. 2 and 3, only
d. 1 and 3, only


Ans. a. 1, 2 and 3

Authentication Verification Validation Elaboration
Christopher Cockerell was a British Engineer. He invented Hoovercraft. He was born on June 1, 1910 and died on June 1, 1999.

David Bushnell was an American inventor who invented the first submarine which was known as turtle.

J.C. Perrier: In 1775, the French man J. C. Perrier made a steamboat. However, the further development on steamship was hindered in France due to the French Revolution. J. C. Perrier was associated with the inventions and development of Steamship in France.

Reference: http://www.shipsonstamps.org/Topics/html/rad.htm, Steamboat in Wikipedia.

Category: Mechanical Engineering, Physics, History of Technology, Transportation.

Note: In this question, the question is about those people who were associated with the improvements and further developments of the devices. They were not the first inventors.

24. Which one among the following Commissions was set up in pursuance of a definite provision under an Article of the Constitution of India?
(a) University Grants Commission
(b) National Human Rights Commission
(c) Election Commission
(d) Central Vigilance Commission


Ans. c. Election Commission.

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Pending

Category: Political Science, Indian Constitution


25. Which among the following wrote “The Communist Manifesto” along with Karl Marx?
(a) Emile Durkheim
(b) Friedrich Engels
(c) Robert Brown
(d) Max Weber


Ans. b Friedrich Engels.

Authentication Verification Validation Elaboration
Elaboration pending

Category: Western Thinkers, World History


26. Which portfolio was held by Dr. Rajendra Prasad in the Interim Government formed in the year 1946?

(a) Defence
(b) External Affairs and Commonwealth Relations
(c) Food and Agriculture
(d) None


Ans. c. Food and Agriculture

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Dr. Rajendra Prasad Life History as First President of India on Presidents of India site.

Category: Political Science, Indian Political History.



27. Who among the following was a presented with Sangeet Natak Akademi Ratna Award, 2005 for her lifetime achievement in dance?
(a) Chandralekha
(b) Tanjavur Balasaraswati
(c) Uma Sharma
(d) Yamini Krishnamurthy

Ans. a. Chandralekha


Authentication Verification Validation Elaboration
For a News report on the above award which also shows the photograph of Chandralekha visit HERE. Chandralekha started her career as dancer of Bharatnatyam. She is now popular as choreographer. Along with her, five more people had received the Award (Fellowship). They were Smt. Zora Sehgal, Sh. Kalamandalam Ramankutty Nair, Smt. Annapurna Devi, Sh. Tapas Sen and Smt. Bidhyabasini Devi. The Akademi Fellowship (Akademi Ratna) is restricted to 30 living persons at any given point of time for their excellence in the field of performing arts. For Detail visit Press Information Bureau site.


Tanjavur Balasaraswati: She was also renowned Bharatnatiyam dancer. She died in 1984.


Uma Sharma: She is a Kathak Dancer. She received Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for Kathak in 1987.


Yamini Krishnamurthi: She is also a renowned Bharatnatiyam and Kuchipudi dancer. She received Sangeet Natak Akademy Award in 1977. She received Padam Shri in 1968 and Padam Bhushan in 2001.

(Guess Work): For a detailed note on the Music personalities of India visit HERE. The site can be useful as it can be used for making notes for General Studies Mains Paper II, on Indian personalities.

Category: India Heritage and Culture.

28. Which one of the following countries is the first country in the world to propose a carbon tax for its people to address global warming?
(a) Australia
(b) Germany
(c) Japan
(d) New Zealand

Ans. d. New Zealand


Authentication Verification Validation Elaboration
Guardian News: According to May 5, 2005 report, New Zealand had proposed to introduce the tax by 2007.
The Age: According December 30, 2005 report of the Australian Newspaper, New Zealand had abandoned the plan to introduce the tax.
The Carbon Tax is being talked about for fulfilling the commitments of the signatory countries to Kyoto Protocol February 16, 2005.

Category: World Geography, Environment Pollution.




29. Consider the following statements:

1. A person who has held office as a permanent Judge of a High Court cannot plead or act in any court or before any authority in India except the Supreme Court.

2. A person is not qualified for appointment as a Judge of a High Court in India unless he has for at least five years held a judicial office in the territory of India.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither I nor 2


Ans. a. 1 only

Authentication Verification Validation Elaboration
The Article 217 of the Indian Constitution relates to the appointments and conditions of the office of Judge. The second statement is not true. The duration of judicial office should be ten years. In case of first statement, such a person who was judge of High Court can plead in other High Court and he can plead and act before Supreme Court. It is statement as written in the Indian Constitution as Article no 220 which is reproduced below.

It is given in Chapter V of the Indian Constitution.
The article is reproduced below for the statement 2: 217. Appointment and conditions of the office of a Judge of a High Court.—(1) Every Judge of a High Court shall be appointed by the President by warrant under his hand and seal after consultation with the Chief Justice of India, the Governor of the State, and, in the case of appointment of a Judge other than the Chief Justice, the Chief Justice of the High Court, and shall hold office, in the case of an additional or acting Judge, as provided in article 224, and in any other case, until he attains the age of sixty-two years:
Provided that—
(a) a Judge may, by writing under his hand addressed to the President, resign his
office;
(b) a Judge may be removed from his office by the President in the manner provided
in clause (4) of article 124 for the removal of a Judge of the Supreme Court;
(c) the office of a Judge shall be vacated by his being appointed by the President to
be a Judge of the Supreme Court or by his being transferred by the President to any other
High Court within the territory of India.
(2) A person shall not be qualified for appointment as a Judge of a High Court unless he is
a citizen of India and—
(a) has for at least ten years held a judicial office in the territory of India; or
(b) has for at least ten years been an advocate of a High Court or of two or more such
Courts in succession.

The related article Art.220 reproduced below for statement 1:
220. Restriction on practice after being a permanent Judge.—No person who, after the commencement of this Constitution, has held office as a permanent Judge of a High Court shall plead or act in any court or before any authority in India except the Supreme Court and the other High Courts.
Explanation.—In this article, the expression “High Court” does not include a High Court
for a State specified in Part B of the First Schedule as it existed before the commencement of
the Constitution (Seventh Amendment) Act, 1956.

Source: Constitution on the National Portal of India.

Note: It is not relevant here, but, this blogger has been discussing about sources online in India. In case of government of India sites, one always finds difficulty in accessing public information because they are usually given in PDF files. They are not made available in HTML. It is a feature which could be well criticised in work of Raman Kaul, also a blogger and owner of a site, who had transformed short stories of Munshi Premchand in HTML after taking it from C-DAC Noida site. In case of Western Countries, all such information is readily available on net in form of HTML which make it easy to collect it. In case of Our Documents as discussed at sumir-history.blogspot.com, another site of this blogger, this can be well verified and evaluated. There is so much talk of e-governance, Right to Information etc but the users requirementand usibility are not looked into. It is so official even in case of cyber world.

Acknowledgement: Prof. Dr. Sunil Khosla, Department of Post Graduate Studies in Political Science, Arya College, Ludhiana, Punjab, India, also a research scholar of UGC funded research on Human Rights in India for elaboration and clarifications.

Category: Political Science. Constitution of India.

Page Three: General Studies Preliminary Paper 2006

As on page 6 series B
General Studies Preliminary Paper May 14, 2006
Time Allowed: Two Hours
MM: 150
Total Questions: 150

17. Which one of the following pairs is not correctly matched?

(a)	States Reorganization Act	:	Andhara Pardesh
(b)	Treaty of Yandabdu	:	Assam
(c)	State of Bilaspur	:	Himanchal Pardesh
(d)	Year 1966	:	Gujarat becomes a State

Ans. d.Year 1966 : Gujarat becomes a State.

Authentication Verification Validation Elaboration
Andhara Pardesh: “On the 1st of October, 1953, Andhra State came into existence. It consisted of the districts of Srikakulam, Visakhapatnam, East Godavari, West Godavari, Krishna, Guntur, Nellore, Chittoor, Cuddapah, Anantapur and Kurnool, and the taluks of Rayadurg, Adoni and Alur of the Bellary district. On the question of Bellary taluk, it was included in the Mysore State on the recommendation of L.S.Mishra Commission. Kurnool became the capital of the new State, under the terms of the Sri Bagh Pact of 1937 between the leaders of the Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema. T.Prakasam became the first Chief Minister of the Andhra State and C.M.Trivedi was appointed Governor of this new State. The creation of Andhra State in October, 1953 strengthened the general demand for linguistic States. Andhras had also long cherished demand for the formation of Visalandhra, since the people of Hyderabad State were unanimous in their demand for the trifurcation of their State. Andhras hoped that the outlying Telugu areas in Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, Mysore and Madras be incorporated in the greater Andhra.


The States Reorganisation Commission, with Syed Fazl Ali as the Chairman, set up by the Government of India in December 1953, who heard the views of different organisations and individuals, was though convinced of the advantages of Visalandhra, however, favoured the formation of separate State for Telangana. This report of the S.R.C. led to an intensive lobbying both by the advocates of Telangana and Visalandhra. The Communists reacted sharply and announced that they would resign their seats in the Hyderabad Legislative Assembly and contest elections on the issue. In the Hyderabad Legislative Assembly, a majority of the Legislators supported Visalandhra.


The Congress High Command favoured Visalandhra and prevailed upon the leaders of the Andhra State and Telangana to sort out their differences, who, thereupon, entered into a `Gentlemen's Agreement'. One of the main provisions of the Agreement was the creation of a `Regional Council' for Telangana for its all round development. The enlarged State by merging nine Telugu speaking districts of Adilabad, Nizamabad, Medak, Karimnagar, Warangal, Khammam, Nalgonda, MahabubNagar and Hyderabad, into Andhra State with its eleven districts of Srikakulam, Visakhapatnam, East Godavari, West Godavari, Krishna, Guntur, Nellore, Chittoor, Cuddapah, Anantapur and Kurnool, totalling 20 districts* was named `Andhra Pradesh' with its capital at Hyderabad. It was inaugurated on the 1st of November, 1956 by Jawaharlal Nehru. Neelam Sanjiva Reddy became the first Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh. ” Quoted from Post Independence History of Andhara Pardesh. Thus the Andhara Pardesh came into existance as a result of the States Reorganization Commission.


Quoted from Post Independence History of Andhara Pardesh. Thus the Andhara Pardesh came into existance as a result of the States Reorganization Commission.


State of Bilaspur was made a district of Himanchal Pardesh July 1, 1954. Earlier, it was under a Chief Commissioner as the 31st State of India. Read the history of State of Bilaspur on the Himanchal Pardesh Official Website.


Treaty of Yandabdu was signed by victorious British forces with the vanquished Burmese forces in 1826. Under this treaty, the Assam was seceded to British Indian Empire. The Burmese had earlier invaded the Assam around 1780 and brought it under there control. After the Treaty of Yandabdu, it returned back to India. For official version of history of Assam, check HERE.


Gujarat: Gujarat became a state on May 1, 1960. It is surprising that the official web site of Gujarat do not have any thing to say on the history of Gujarat. However, a write is available at Wikipedia on Gujarat. However, the Wikipedia article is bit biased. One check Gujarat history on the National Portal of India.

Category: History post Independence


18. Consider the following statements with reference to human body:

1. The common bile duct releases its contents into stomach.
2. The pancreatic duct releases its contents into duodenum.

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


Ans. d. Neither 1 nor 2.

Authentication Verification Validation Elaboration
The Bile Duct and pancreatic duct join together before entering the duodenum. The new duct is called hepatopancreatic duct and it releases the juices into the duodenum.

Category: Human Anatomy, (Biology), Human Nutrition.


19. A watch showed a time of fourteen minutes past nine (9 hrs and 14 minutes). The positions of the hour-hand and the minute-hand of the watch are exactly interchanged. The new time shown by the watch is closest to which of the following?
(a) Twelve minutes to three
(b) Thirteen minutes to three
(c) Fourteen minutes to three
(d) Fifteen minutes to three


Ans. c. Fourteen minutes to three.

Authentication Verification Validation Elaboration
None. The blogger will be obliged if someone provide some scientific explanation.

Category: General Mental Ability

20. Consider the following statements:
1. The agreement on South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA) came into effect from 1st December 2005.
2. As per SAFTA agreement terms, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka have to decrease their custom duties to the level of 0 to 5 percent by the year 2013.

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


Ans. b, 2 only.

Authentication Verification Validation Elaboration

SAFTA Stands for South Asian Free Trade Area.

As per the report of PTI Dated December 31, 2005, India, Pakistan and Srilanka will bring their customs duties 0-5 percent by 2013. The least developed members (As specified in the SAFTA agreement signed on January 6, 2004) Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and Maldives. It will be fully operational by 2016 and in case of LDCs by 2018.

For Web site of SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation under which SAPTA (South Asian Preferential Trade Agreement) then SAFTA was signed), click here.

The Agreement comes into effect on January 1, 2006. For the Cabinet Decision news given by PIB Check HERE. For more information from the PIB (Press Information Bureau) on Ministry of Commerce and Industry click HERE.
For Reference Check this report HERE.

Category: Political Science: International Relations.

21. Which one of the following pairs is not correctly matched?

	Recent Scientific Achivements		Country
(a)	Creating the world’s first mouse with a full human chromosome	:	United Kingdom
(b)	Cloning a human embryo for the first time	:	Germany
(c)	Guiding a spacecraft for collision with a comet	:	United States of America
(d)	Landing a spacecraft on an asteroid	:	Japan

Ans. b. Cloning a human embryo for the first time: Germany

Authentication Verification Validation Elaboration
Pending

Category: Science; General Knowledge.

21. Which one among the following is not a good source of nutritional calcium?
(a) Rice
(b) Ragi
(c) Skimmed milk
(d) Egg

Ans. a. Rice

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Pending

Category: Human Nutrition. (Biology)

Page Two: General Studies Preliminary Paper 2006

Page Two: General Studies Preliminary Paper 2006
As on page 4 series B
General Studies Preliminary Paper May 14, 2006
Time Allowed: Two Hours
MM: 150
Total Questions: 150


8. The Allahabad Pillar inscription is associated with which of the following?
(a) Mahapadma Nanda
(b) Chandragupta Maurya
(c) Ashoka
(d) Samudragupta


Ans. d. Samudragupta


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The inscription was written by Harishena, a poet and minister of Samudragupta holding the post of SandhiVighrahik. The pillar was erected in Kausambi now called Allahabad and the pillar is now situated in fort of Allahabad. It consists of 43 lines. The inscription tells about the military exploits of Samudragupta. The inscription was engraved on an Ashokan Pillar. The inscription is a major historic source apart from the Puranic sources. The other sources on the period of Samudragupta are the coins issued by the Guptan rulers.

Online Source: Samudragupta on Wikipedia with reference to R. K. Mookerji and R. C. Majumdar.
"Ancient Indian History and Civilization by S N Sen (I strongly recommend this book for preparation for Ancient History Section of Preliminary as well as Mains. A Cultural History of History and this book are strong enough to provide good notes on some of the popular topics which have been asked in the papers.)

Category: Indian History Ancient


9 What is Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF)?
(a) An agency formed by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to check misuse of drugs by sportspersons
(b) A non-governmental organization which specializes in international humanitarian aid and emergency medical assistance
(c) An organization to develop application of nanotechnology in medicine
(d) An organization of medical practitioners funded by the European Union which carries out research against spread of AIDS

Ans. b A non-governmental organization which specializes in international humanitarian aid and emergency medical assistance

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Médecins Sans Frontières is a French world. The English translation is Doctors Without Frontiers which is another name by which this organization is also known. It was started in 1971 by a group of French Doctors. The headquarter of this organization is in Geneva Switzerland. Presently this organization is working in nearly 70 countries. They work in war torn areas.

Sources: For a brief History Wikipedia. Home Page of US MSF.

Category: International Organization NGO Health Services, General Knowledge: World Current Affairs and General Knowledge.

10. Bermuda triangle extends up to which of the following places?
1. Southern Florida
2. Puerto Rico
3. Hawaii islands
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
(a) 1, 2 and 3
(b) 1 and 2, only
(c) 2 and 3, only
(d) 1 and 3, only

Ans. b 1 and 2, only

Authentication Verification Validation Elaboration
Bermuda Triangle is also known as Devil’s Triangle. It refers to a place in Puerto Rico. It is an area of an ocean extending from Bermuda in Puerto Rico to Southern Florida in the Atlantic Ocean or to be more specific in Caribbean Ocean. Hawaii Islands are in Pacific Ocean.

This region was made popular as a mysterious region by Charles Berlitz Book, "The Bermuda Triangle" published in 1974.This region has become popular because it is believed that the identified region defies the laws of physics. Many ships and airplanes have been reported missing in this region under mysterious circumstances. However, there are counter views substantiated by statistical proves.

Source: Detailed article on Wikipedia. An article on National Geographic News.

Category: World Geography

11. Consider the following statements:
1. ELISA test is employed as the first and most basic test for an individual to detect cancer.
2. Almost 50% of human beings have Rh+ blood while the remaining have Rh- blood.
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

Ans. d, Neither 1 nor 2

Authentication Verification Validation Elaboration
For Cancer, the basic test is FNAC i.e. Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology. Otherwise, the preferred test is Basic Biopsy.

ELISA is the basic test for detecting HIV infected patient or AIDS. ELISA stands for Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay.

Rh factor or Rhesus Factor refers to presence of proteinaceous erthrocyte antigen. It is found in Rhesus money. From there, the name Rhesus Factor or Rh Factor comes. It was discovered by Lansteiner and Wiener in 1940. They found that this antigen or protein is found among human beings also. Nearly 85% of human beings (in Indian nearly 93 %) have this antigen and they are having Rh+ factor. Those who lacks this factor are called Rh-.

The Rh factor is crucial for blood transfusion as Rh- produce anti-Rh antibodies when receive Rh+ blood. This factor becomes during pregnancy.

Source: Dinesh A to Z in Biology by K Bhatti 2007 Edition.

Online Source: University of Arizona for Rh Factor, For Detailed Version : Dr. Dennis O’Neil Palmor College California

ELISA on Wikipedia (Not Complete Article), University of Arizona-Quite Brief


Category: Biology, Human Health, diseases, cures and tests.

12. Which one of the following is printed on a commonly used fluorescent tubelight?
(a) 220 K
(b) 273 K
(c) 6500 K
(d) 9000 K

Ans. c 6500 K

Authentication Verification Validation Elaboration
K refers to Colour temperature. Kelvin (K) is standard unit colour temperature.

Source: Colour Temperature from Cyber College.
Colour Temperature Unit by Georg Mischler. Similar article on Michael W. Davidson and National High Magnetic Field Laboratory.
Wikipeida Article on Colour Temperature.


Category: Physics. Light (Photometry)

Comment: Generally it is not found written on the covering of the "Tubelights" but printed on the surface of the glass of the tube near to the cathodes bearing ISI mark.

13. In which one of the following films did the Nobel Laureate Pearl S. Buck collaborate?
(a) Shatranj Ke Khilari
(b) Guide
(c) Lawrence of Arabia
(d) Titanic

Ans. b. Guide

Authentication Verification Validation Elaboration
Pearl S. Buck and Guide
"Recipient of the Nobel Prize for literature (the first American woman to have been so honored) as well as the Pulitzer Prize; inductee into the National Women's Hall of Fame; author of more than 70 books; recognized as the most-widely translated writer today (in more than 60 languages); humanitarian; visionary; and realizer of possibilities and promises for a peaceful future—this was Pearl Buck. Quoted from Randolph-Macon Woman’s College Web Sit.

The movie (Guide) was made in two versions - an English version in collaboration with Pearl S. Buck and directed by Ted Danielewski to introduce Dev Anand to western audiences and of course the Hindi version directed by Dev Anand's younger brother Vijay Anand. The film is based on the book "The Guide" by R. K. Narayan, India's best known author in the English language. It was released in 1965. Quoted from "The Internet Movie Database" IMBD and Pearl S Buck Filmograpy on IMBD

Shatranj Ke Khilari: Shatranj Ke Khilari is based on a short story by Dhanpat Rai Shrivastva popularly known as Nawab Sahib and Munshi Premchand or Premchand only. The screen play, direction and dialogue writing along with Javed Siddiqui and Shama Zaidi, by Satyajit Rai. Produced by Suresh Jindal. Reference: Shatranj Ke Khiladi 1977.

For Reference also check Munshi Premchand Stories online.
For Life Story: Munshi Premchand of Jeevan Prichaya by M. Rehman prepared for Indra Gandhi Rashtriya Kala Kendra

Lawrence of Arabia: Lawrence of Arbia is mainly known for T. E. Lawrence who was famous for fighting for the cause of Arabs. The movie was made in UK and released in 1962. It was directed by David Lean and produced by Sam Spiegal. The latest movie of Lean and Spiegal is "The Bridge on the River Kwai". The movie is based on the writings of T. E. Lawrence who was later called T. E. Shaw. He was a British liaison officer during the Arab revolt of 1916 to 1918 against the Ottoman Empire. His achievements were made famous by the reporting of an U. S. reporter Lowell Thomas.
There was another movie made in Canada in 1935.
For Reference: Lawrence of Arabia 1962 on Internet Movie Data Base and Wikipedia.

Titanic: The popular title of Titanic was released in 1997. It was directed by James Cameron (This question has appeared in previous General Studies paper). However, there are number of movies by the same title produced in different countries at different time. However, one which was directed by James Cameron and released in 1997, won 11 Oscars. It was released by Century Fox and Paramount Pictures.
Reference:For the complete list of other Titanic movies refer to Internet Movie Data Base. For a story outline check Wikipedia.

Category: Filmography, Culture and Literature

14. Which one of the following countries is not a member of Nordic Council?
(a) Norway
(d) Denmark
(c) Iceland
(d) United Kingdom

Ans. c. United Kingdom

Authentication Verification Validation Elaboration
The members of the Nordic Council are five countries and three autonomous regions. It is mainly the result of the history of this region. The five members countries are Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. The three autonomous regions are Faroe Island(Denmark), Greenland (Denmark) and Aland (Finland). Nordic Council along with Nordic Council of Ministers is mainly a cooperation forum of Parliaments and governments of Nordic Countries. The head office is in Copenhagen. The existence of this cooperation has great significance for European Economic Community. For detailed reference visit the official site of the community. Visit Wikipedia Article here. The community has been around the history Sweden and Norway.
United Kingdom or Great Britain had adopted the policy of seclusion from the politics of Europe since the days of Glorious Revolution.

Category: Political Science: International Relations; European History.

15. Which one among the following was the first to legalize euthanasia?
(a) Austria
(b) Switzerland
(c) Netherlands
(d) Canada


Ans. c. Netherlands

Authentication Verification Validation Elaboration

Netherlands or as popularly known as Holland, has made changes to the penal code of the country in 2002.
Category:

16. Consider the following statements:
1. Assam shares a border with Bhutan and Bangladesh.
2. West Bengal shares a border with Bhutan and Nepal.
3. Mizoram shares a border with Bangladesh and Myanmar.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
(a) 1, 2 and 3
(b) 1 and 2, only
(c) 2 and 3, only
(d) 1 and 3, only


Ans. b. 1 and 2

Authentication Verification Validation Elaboration

Category: Geography: India: Political

GS Prelims 2006 Solutions Answers Keys

The keys and answers to the questions of G. S. Prelims of Civil Services held on May 14, 2006 are given on the site at http://www.prabhaiasips.com/gskc.html. The series of questions are of Booklet C.

I have started posting the answers to Booklet B question series on this blog from Page One posting as per the model (Which I have also adopted for all my postings in case of my other blogs) adopted by me for the last year paper. Last year, I have completed the posting of whole paper in 12 days. I may take that much time again.

Thanks.

Page One: General Studies Preliminary Paper 2006

As on page 2 series B
General Studies Preliminary Paper May 14, 2006
Time Allowed: Two Hours
MM: 150
Total Questions: 150

1. Which one of the following countries is not a member of ASEAN?
a. Vietnam
b. Brunei Darussalam
c. Bangladesh
d. Myanmar

Ans. c. Bangladesh

Authentication Verification Validation Elaboration

The full form of ASEAN is Association of South East Asian Nations. It has presently 10 members viz. Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. It is a political, economic and cultural organization of Southeast Asia. The Association was formed on August 8, 1967 by four countries namely Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore and Philippines. It was an act of solidarity against the communist expansion in Vietnam. However, latter Vietnam (mainland) was included as a member of association.

The seat of the Association is Jakarta (Indonesia).

For further details refer to
ASEAN on Wikipedia

ASEAN Home Page


Category: International Relations: Political Science

2. Consider the following statements in respect of India’s advanced satellite INSAT – 4A:
1. INSAT – 4A was launched in December 2005 from New Mexico.
2. The European commercial launch service provider Arianespace was associated with the launch of INSAT – 4A.
3. Tata-Sky a digital cable service provider is associated with DTH television broadcasting services from INSAT-4A.

Which of the statements given above are correct?
a. 1, 2 and 3
b. 1 and 2 only
c. 2 and 3 only
d. 1 and 3 only

Ans. C. 2 and 3, only.

Authentication Verification Validation Elaboration
Well it is true that INSAT-4A was launched on December 22, 2005 but not from New Mexico. It was launched from Kourou, French Guiana as per the press release of ISRO. Kourou (Territory of France-Europe) is on the North coast of South America and an Atlantic coast.

TATA-Sky (Earlier Space TV and now a joint venture of TATA and STAR group) has leased 12 KU Band of INSAT 4A before it launch for beaming 1500 channels through DTH (Direct to Home). The agreement was signed in November 2005 before the launch.


For further Reference:
Kourou and French Guiana on Wikipedia
ISRO Home page and Wikipedia
Press Release of ISRO
INSAT 4A by ISRO


Category: Science and Technology: Physics

3. Match List I (Person with List II (Organization/Area of World) and select the correct answer using the code given below the lists:

	List I (Person)		List II (Organization/ Area of Work)
A.	Chanda Kochhar	1	Advertising
B.	Amrita Patel	2.	Banking
C.	Indra Nooyi	3.	Diary Development
D.	Piyush Pandey	4.	Pepsi Co

Code:

	A	B	C	D
(a)	2	1	4	3
(b)	4	3	2	1
(c)	2	3	4	1
(d)	4	1	2	3

Ans. C. A2 B3 C4 D1

Authentication Verification Validation Elaboration
Chanda Kochhar is Executive Director, Retail Banking of ICICI Bank Ltd. She belongs to those elite women executives (Kalpana Morparia, DMD, Madhabbi Puri-Buch Senior GM, Shikha Sharma CEO ICICI Prudential, Lalita D Gupte JMD, Renuka Ramnath, CEO, ICICI Venture) who dominates ICICI Bank and its subsidiaries. It is a gossip that Chanda Kochhar may succeed K. V. Kamath as CEO. Remember Parikh of HDFC Bank for your GS Paper B. (source: Business Today Special Issue, March 12, 2006 and ICICI Bank website. Photo)
Amrita Patel, the daughter of former Finance Minister H. Y. Patel, succeeded the illustrious Dr. V. Kurien (The Amul Man) as a Chairperson of National Diary Development Board. (Source: Business Today, Photo, Short Biography )
Indra Nooyi, the most illustrious among the four mentioned in this question is presently senior vice president and Chief Financial Officer of Pepsico. (Source: Business Today, IIM Calcutta, Yale School of Management, )
Piyush Pandey is the Group President of Ogilvy and Mather Advertising Agency (High Rating) and National Creative Director. (Source: Business Today. Photo and detail. For his award winning creations works

Special Note: Remember these ladies: Indra Nooyi, Chanda Kochhar, Kaplana Morparia, Madhabbi Puri-Buch, Shikha Sharma, Lalita Gupte, Renuka Ramnath, Zia Moody (Last year GS 2005) Renu Karnad ED, HDFC, Vinita Bali of Britannia Industries, Kiran Majumdar of Biocon (last year GS) Neelam Dhawan MD, Microsoft India, Swati Piramal of Nicholas Piramal and Preetha Reddy of Apollo Hospitals Group especially for their Health Tourism initiatives and Health services outsourcing. These persons may be there in G. S. Paper B.


Category: Business and Economy: Indian Business Personalities

4. To which one of the following processes is the term CMYK related?
(a) Railway signalling
(b) Navigation
(c) Offset printing
(d) Electronic voting machine

Ans. C. Offset Printing

Authentication Verification Validation Elaboration

CMYK is a subtractive colour model used in colour printing. CMYK stands for four colours. C is Cyan. M is for Magenta. Y is for Yellow. K stand for Key which is for black. It is also written as YMCK or CYM.

Further Reference:
A good article is at Wikipedia.
Another good article is at Webopedia.
Another reference is at Answer.com with additional references from the books.
Next impressive article is at IT encyclopedia.

Category: Science: Physics

5. Consider the following statements:
1. Kofi Annan-the UN Secretary General is from Nigeria.
2. Kofi Annan is the first UN Secretary General to be appointed from the ranks of the United Nations staff.
3. Kofi Annan was appointed for a second term to the office of the UN Secretary General.

Which of the following statements given above are correct?
(a) 1, 2 and 3
(b) 1 and 2 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) 1 and 3 only

Ans. C. 2 and 3, only

Authentication Verification Validation Elaboration
Kofi Annan is from Ghana. He is the seventeenth General Secretary of the United Nations. His second term will end on December 21, 2006.

Source: Biography United Nations

Fascinating Observation: The order of the assertions on Kofi Annan is in the same order as it is given in the biography mentioned in the source. Similar thing has been observed in case of Q7. Both the questions are in nature of a history of an institution or a person.

Category: International Personality: Political Science.

6. Which one of the following countries is not a participating team in the Football World Cup-2006 to be held in Germany in July 2006?
(a) Russia
(b) Togo
(c) Ivory Coast
(d) Switzerland

Ans. a. Russia

Authentication Verification Validation Elaboration
Russia was eliminated by Portugal in qualification round. There are 32 teams in 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany or simply Football World Cup 2006. It will be played between June 9 to July 9 2006.

The next 2010 FIFA Football World Cup will be played in South Africa. However, South Africa team was eliminated during qualifying rounds and is not playing this cup.

Source: There are large number of sources. However, the good ones are those which are hosted by established TV channels or Newspapers. The above information is gathered from Wikipedia. Other Source BBC.

An Observation:
Football World Cup will remain important even for General Studies Mains. Any Comment.

Category: Sports: Events: Game: World Tournaments

7. Consider the following statements:
1. The Nobel Prize Awarding Ceremony takes place on December 10 of every year.
2. The Nobel Prize for Literature was added later on to the other five areas – Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, Peace and Economics.
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

Ans. a. 1 only

Authentication Verification Validation Elaboration
It was Prize in economic science which was later constituted in 1968 and given in 1969 onwards. It was established when Bank of Sweden made a large donation to the Nobel foundation. It was decided later, that no new prize will be constituted.

The date December 10 is date of death of Alfred Nobel who had died in 1896. However, the Nobel Foundation and the prizes were constituted in 1900. The Nobel Foundation was constituted on June 29, 1900.

Source: Nobel Prize Org History.

An Observation: There is always a question on Nobel Prize or related to prizes equivalent to Nobel Prize like Japan Prize, Koyoto Prize, Booker Prize etc. This time, it a question on Nobel Prize History. Such questions had appeared earlier also.

Category: General Knowledge: World Cultural Affairs Prizes and Awards.

General Studies May 14, 2006, Answers, Keys and Solutions

The answers, keys, solutions to the General Studies Paper, held on May 14, 2006, will start appearing on this blog with in next 24 hours.

The question series will be of Booklet B

The patter of answer will be similar to the previous years pattern adopted by this blogger. For reference kindly check http://generalstudiesupsc.blogspot.com/2005/05/solutions-and-keys-to-general-studies.html and also http://generalstudiesupsc.blogspot.com/2005/05/general-studies-preliminary-paper-2005.html.

Each question will have its due Authentication, Validation, Verification and Argument which was adopted last year as per the model developed this blogger for all his blogs.

Er. Tripathi is requested to check the mathematics/probability answers for their correctness as this blogger is not all that good in mathematics. However, I assure that this time I have roped in established mathematicians who will soon provide me the answers as desired by me.


Kindly keep watching Civilservices Prelims blog as some more useful information and data will be posted which may be useful for those sitting for mains 2006 or gearing up to take Prelims 2007.

Comments are solicited as it increase your enthusiasm

Tehri Dam

The site of the Tehri Dam was chosen in 1961. It was an urban center on the banks of the river Bhaghirthi, one of the three rivers which join at Deoprayaga to form Ganga. The plan also envisages another dam named Koteshwari Dam. The project is being looked after by Tehri Hydro Development Corporation. The Government of India and Government of Uttranchal are the joint partners of this corporation. The Planning Commission had sanctioned the Tehri Dam in 1972. The work on the dam started in 1978. The land was acquired in 1976. The Koteshwari Dam will be started only when Tehri Dam will be completed. Hence, there will be two reservoirs on Bhagirithi River before it joins Alaknanda River at Deoprayaga.

In 1980, the then prime minister of India, Indra Gandhi, again got it reviewed. At that time, the committee under Dr. S. K. Roy strongly ruled against the project and the project was abandoned. It is on record that there is a comment by Prime Minister Indra Gandhi on the file that the project would benefit only the contractors.

In 1987-88, this project was reviewed by the government of the time. At that time, the Soviet Union showed interest in it. The standing committee of Ministry of Environment and Forest of Government of India again ruled against it. However, the Government of India overruled the recommendation of the ministry and sanctioned the project.

Even before that, this site was chosen for making a dam by the British Indian Government. However, due to strong opposition by the people and under the leadership of Madan Mohan Malvia, it was abandoned.

The site stands on seismic activity which when come into play may create a earthquake of the magnitude of 8 to 9 on the Richter scale of 12.


The dam will impound 700 billions gallon of water. The height of the dam will be 260.5 m. The dam will produce nearly 2400 MW of power. It will also facilitate irrigation of nearly 2.6 lakh hectares of agricultural land. It will provide the 270 million gallons of drinking water to Uttranchal, Uttar Pardesh and Delhi. The life span of dam is estimated at 30 years from 2015 onwards. After that, it has to be abandoned due to siltation.

The electricity generation machinery is being provided by Voith Siemens. The construction work is being carried out by JP Industries.

On December 5, 2001, the impounding of the water has started.


The Controversies and Issues:
Since the day of inception of this plan the project has been embroiled in controversies.

The first issue came in form of concern for the environment and preservation of flora and fauna. There was strong demand for environment studies that should be carried out and also need for the clearance from the environment ministry. However, the clearance of environment ministry came in 1990.

The second major issue was the location of the project and the design of the dam. It is still strongly contended that the dam stands in a seismic sensitive area and will cause great damage in case of earthquake. Related to this issue is the design of the dam which is made to withstand Peak Ground Acceleration of 0.25 g. It is argued at in case of a earthquake of the magnitude of 8, the PGC will be 1.0 g. In addition to that, there are regular landslides which will be cause of increased siltation reducing the total life span of the dam before the estimated age of the dam. Further, the cost of generation of electricity will be more than what is being generated from other hydroelectric units. It is argued on the basis that the cost of raising the dam has already increased to a level that it will be not profitable at all for the Uttranchal government. It is further argued that beneficiary states in case of irrigation and electricity will only be Uttar Pardesh and Delhi.

The third issue is the rehabilitation of the displaced people. It is strongly protested in the press media that the government is not keeping its promise in rehabilitating nearly one lakh people displaced in and around Tihari. However, the rebahilitation is being carried out as per the recommendation of Hanumantha Rao Committee. Hanumantha Rao Committee was established in 1996 after environmentalist Shri Sundar Lal Bahuguna went on hunger strike. The recommendations of Hanumantha Rao Committee was accepted in 1997. However, the dam has displaced a large number of people and created a major social problem for the area which requires compensation more than what the committee has recommended. The Janmanch has given an extensive report on the Resettlement and Rehabilitation.

The fourth issue is the emotional and religious issue which comes again and again in form of headlines. It is belief of Hindus that the three streams which join to form Ganga are vital for the present characteristics of the water of Ganga. When the dams will be raised on Bhagirithi and Alaknanda (Which is the second project after Tehri), the water will be entrapped for a longer period. That will destroy the original purity of the water of Ganga. They argue that only the flowing water will ensure the purity of the water of Ganga. The second issue is that Bhagirith had brought down the river Ganga for the salvation of his ancestors. It is a matter of belief that the same credit is gained by all the followers of Vedic religion (Hindu Religion). As per mythology, any obstruction or stopping of Ganga at any stage will bring catastrophe for the region. There are some stories in Puranic literature which tells that in case Ganga disappears, it brings great hardship for the people of the region.

The fifth controversy is that there is a section of experts who say that there is not need of raising huge dams. They claim that it is there expeerience that such huge dams are not profitable in long run as they cause more environmental harm. Ramaswamy Iyer of the Center for Policy Research in New Delhi is strongly against such big dams. He believes that water harvesting is the better answer. (Quoted from a report of Don Oko given on the website of www.grist.org).

The sixth controversy is the corruption and embezzlement while undertaking the rehabilitation and resettlement.


_______
Sources:

Sanctuary Asia

Rehabilitation of the uprooted people from Tehri Dam area (PUCL Bulletin). It contains statistical data on rehabilitation.

A Dam Shame

A Saffron Twist by T. K. Rajalakshmi, Frontline, Volume 18, April 14-17, 2001. Discusses the Religious Issue and the role of VHP.

Janmanch A people’s Forum. Detailed report on Rehabilitation and Resettlement.

What is VAT? (Value Added Tax)

VAT is a system of collection of sales tax under which tax is charged at each stage of sale on the value added to the goods. In practice, the dealer selling the goods collects tax on the full price at which he sells the goods whether to a consumer or to a dealer. At the end of a tax period, usually a month, he reduces from the tax so collected by him, the tax which has been charged to him by the dealers from whom he purchased goods during the tax period and deposits the balance to the Government treasury.

___
Source: http://www.pextax.com

Comprehensive Study of India – Federal Research Division of U.S.

One should visit the following link.
http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/intoc.html


It is online documents of the Library of Congress of United States of America. In the header of the site, it is written thus, " Customized Research and Analytical services serving the U. S. government since 1948" (Starting of Cold War period)(Italized comment by the blogger himself).


There are ten chapters which cover the details about India from the earliest time to the present day. In the earlier chapter, the history of India is discussed in its outline. The elucidation is quite comprehensive. A person who wants a bird eye view of the whole history of India from the earliest time to the present, may find satisfied with the contents of the history portion.


For the General Studies, the candidate, who does not have history as his option, can study from here and make a good essay which may help in many possible questions in General Studies Prelims. The history is discussed in Chapter number one but covers all the main milestones (Chapter of Indian History) in history of India.


Chapter 2 is on the geography of India.


Chapter 4 is on languages, ethnicity and regionalism. The contents give the basic structure on which the personal notes can be further developed.


Chapter 5 discusses the sociological framework of the country.


Chapter 6 is on character and structure of Economy.


Chapter 8 is on Government and politics


Chapter 9 is on foreign policy of India.


One of the most fascinating section is Bibliography. The students who are preparing from civil services may find this section very useful. The students who are interested in overall study may also find the bibliography quite interesting and useful. One can just judge the approach of getting the information about a country by another foreign country when one finds that the titles of class tenth and twelfth published by NCERT are included in the list.


The bibliography is very comprehensive and corresponding to the chapterization which has been done while giving the details of various aspects of the country. But on the whole, it turns up as one single place to decide which books can be picked to study various aspects of the country. When one consider the gernalized outline of the syllabus of General study, the given chapterization and sub headings and then books on them can give a well defined idea and plan to a candidate to how to organise one’s study for the examination.


The students of political science and journalism subject must read the history of the division on the home page of the site.

The Spring of Dionysos: The long list of Nobel Peace Prize winners

At the post on the link http://springofdionysos.blogspot.com/2005/10/long-list-of-nobel-peace-prize-winners.html you may find a list of Nobel prize winners for peace.

Today that is October 9, 2005, the reports have appeared in different newspapers, in which, it is reported that Norwegian committee of Nobel prize for peace have reported on their site that why Gandhi was not given Nobel Prize for peace.

The issue had already been highlighted on the blogs who had read it earlier than the news paper. It was actually reported by IANS news agency. Another blogger, who had already located the report and then placed his views on his blog at Nobel Cause on October 8, 2005 itself. It contains the whole report which also appears in Times of India and Hindustan times.

I have also placed my remarks at "Why was Gandhi not Given Nobel Prize?"

Foreign Direct Investment (FDI): Definition and Comment

Definitions of FDI are contained in the Balance of Payments Manual: Fifth Edition (BPM5) (Washington, D.C., International Monetary Fund, 1993) and the Detailed Benchmark Definition of Foreign Direct Investment: Third Edition (BD3) (Paris, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, 1996).

According to the BPM5(IMF-USA), FDI refers to an investment made to acquire lasting interest in enterprises operating outside of the economy of the investor. Further, in cases of FDI, the investor´s purpose is to gain an effective voice in the management of the enterprise. The foreign entity or group of associated entities that makes the investment is termed the "direct investor". The unincorporated or incorporated enterprise-a branch or subsidiary, respectively, in which direct investment is made-is referred to as a "direct investment enterprise". Some degree of equity ownership is almost always considered to be associated with an effective voice in the management of an enterprise; the BPM5 suggests a threshold of 10 per cent of equity ownership to qualify an investor as a foreign direct investor.

Once a direct investment enterprise has been identified, it is necessary to define which capital flows between the enterprise and entities in other economies should be classified as FDI. Since the main feature of FDI is taken to be the lasting interest of a direct investor in an enterprise, only capital that is provided by the direct investor either directly or through other enterprises related to the investor should be classified as FDI. The forms of investment by the direct investor which are classified as FDI are equity capital, the reinvestment of earnings and the provision of long-term and short-term intra-company loans (between parent and affiliate enterprises).

According to the BD3 of the OECD(Paris), a direct investment enterprise is an incorporated or unincorporated enterprise in which a single foreign investor either owns 10 per cent or more of the ordinary shares or voting power of an enterprise (unless it can be proven that the 10 per cent ownership does not allow the investor an effective voice in the management) or owns less than 10 per cent of the ordinary shares or voting power of an enterprise, yet still maintains an effective voice in management. An effective voice in management only implies that direct investors are able to influence the management of an enterprise and does not imply that they have absolute control. The most important characteristic of FDI, which distinguishes it from foreign portfolio investment, is that it is undertaken with the intention of exercising control over an enterprise.

The above definition is contained on United Nation Conference of Trade and Development (UNCTD).

Elaborating further on the above mentioned link, the following details have given.

Components of FDI

The components of FDI are equity capital, reinvested earnings and other capital (mainly intra-company loans). As countries do not always collect data for each of those components, reported data on FDI are not fully comparable across countries. In particular, data on reinvested earnings, the collection of which depends on company surveys, are often unreported by many countries.

The threshold equity ownership

Countries differ in the threshold value for foreign equity ownership which they take as evidence of a direct investment relationship. This is the level of participation at or above which the direct investor is normally regarded as having an effective say in the management of the enterprise involved. The threshold value usually applied for FDI is 10 per cent, for data on the operations of TNCs, it involves chosen ranges of between 10 and 50 per cent. Some countries do not specify a threshold point, but rely entirely on other evidence, including companies´ own assessments as to whether the investing company has an effective voice in the foreign firm in which it has an equity stake. The quantitative impact of differences in the threshold value used is relatively small, owing to the large proportion of FDI which is directed to majority-owned foreign affiliates.

Defining a controlling interest and treatment of non-equity forms of investment

Other than having an equity stake in an enterprise, there are many other ways in which foreign investors may acquire an effective voice. Those include subcontracting, management contracts, turnkey arrangements, franchising, leasing, licensing and production-sharing. A franchise (a firm to which business is subcontracted) or a company which sells most of its production to a foreign firm through means other than an equity stake are not usually collected, some countries have begun to contemplate doing so. For example, the OECD treats financial leases between direct investors and their branches, subsidiaries or associates as if they were conventional loans; such relationships will therefore be included in its revised definition of FDI.

The above mentioned detail of FDI is given on UNCTD.

Comment
In the above mentioned definition, one can derive following conclusions.

1. 
   The foreign entity may or may not have direct investment.
2. 
   The foreign entity acquires effective control over the business enterprises.
3. 
   The control of foreign entity is not only confined to making equity investment only. It may force the Business enterprise to buy the production of the foreign entity. It may also ask the Business enterprise of the other country to join in lease of producing or consuming its production. The control can acquired through, "subcontracting, management contracts, turnkey arrangements, franchising, leasing, licensing and production-sharing."
4. 
   The direct investment is based on the assessment of a company on its own. It is up to the management of the company to declare that it has a foreign control or not. A company may have a link with a foreign company. Its management decisions may be influenced by its dealing with the foreign company. However, it will come under the purview of the laws of the land for being termed as the associate of a foreign company only and when the management make it public that such an influence is there.

Definition: Transnational Corporation-Multinational Corporation

Transnational corporations (TNCs) are incorporated or unincorporated enterprises comprising parent enterprises and their foreign affiliates. A parent enterprise is defined as an enterprise that controls assets of other entities in countries other than its home country, usually by owning a certain equity capital stake.

An equity capital stake of 10 per cent or more of the ordinary shares or voting power for an incorporated enterprise, or its equivalent for an unincorporated enterprise, is normally considered as a threshold for the control of assets (in some countries, an equity stake other than that of 10 per cent is still used. In the United Kingdom, for example, a stake of 20 per cent or more was a threshold until 1997.).

A foreign affiliate is an incorporated or unincorporated enterprise in which an investor, who is resident in another economy, owns a stake that permits a lasting interest in the management of that enterprise (an equity stake of 10 per cent for an incorporated enterprise or its equivalent for an unincorporated enterprise).

The above definition is given on the site of United Nation Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).

In India, the more popular word is Multinational Corporations.

In one of the other report of UNCTAD, it was mentioned that there were 72 TNCs identified by UN.

Eurasia

Eurasia
Here is an article on Plate Tectonics. It may be of interest for the aspirants.

The Right to Information ACT

The Right to Information Act is available at the following LINK.

The Whole Act is reproduced here also. Kindly note, there is no copyright restriction on Government of India notification. It could be reproduced by anyone in any form.


THE RIGHT TO INFORMATION ACT, 2005
No. 22 of 2005
[15th June, 2005]
An Act to provide for setting out the practical regime of right to information for citizens to secure access to information under the control of public authorities, in order to promote transparency and accountability in the working of every public authority, the constitution of a Central Information Commission and State Information Commissions and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.
Whereas the Constitution of India has established democratic Republic;
And whereas democracy requires an informed citizenry and transparency of information which are vital to its functioning and also to contain corruption and to hold Governments and their instrumentalities accountable to the governed;
And whereas revelation of information in actual practice is likely to conflict with other public interests including efficient operations of the Governments, optimum use of limited fiscal resources and the preservation of confidentiality of sensitive information;
And whereas it is necessary to harmonise these conflicting interests while preserving the paramountcy of the democratic ideal;
Now, therefore, it is expedient to provide for furnishing certain information to citizens who desire to have it.
Be it enacted by Parliament in the Fifty-sixth Year of the Republic of India as follows:—
CHAPTER I
Preliminary
1 (1) This Act may be called the Right to Information Act, 2005. (2) It extends to the whole of India except the State of Jammu and Kashmir. (3) The provisions of sub-section (1) of section 4, sub-sections (1) and (2) of section 5, sections 12, 13, 15,16, 24 , 27 and 28 shall come into force at once, and the remaining provisions of this Act shall come into force on the one hundred and twentieth day of its enactment. 2 In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,— (a) "appropriate Government" means in relation to a public authority which is established, constituted, owned, controlled or substantially financed by funds provided directly or indirectly— (i) by the Central Government or the Union territory administration, the Central Government; (ii) by the State Government, the State Government; (b) "Central Information Commission" means the Central Information Commission constituted under sub-section (1) of section 12; (c) "Central Public Information Officer" means the Central Public Information Officer designated under sub-section (1) and includes a Central Assistant Public Information Officer designated as such under sub-section (2) of section 5; (d) "Chief Information Commissioner" and "Information Commissioner" mean the Chief Information Commissioner and Information Commissioner appointed under sub-section (3) of section 12; (e) "competent authority" means— (i) the Speaker in the case of the House of the People or the Legislative Assembly of a State or a Union territory having such Assembly and the Chairman in the case of the Council of States or Legislative Council of a State; (ii) the Chief Justice of India in the case of the Supreme Court; (iii) the Chief Justice of the High Court in the case of a High Court; (iv) the President or the Governor, as the case may be, in the case of other authorities established or constituted by or under the Constitution; (v) the administrator appointed under article 239 of the Constitution; (f) "information" means any material in any form, including records, documents, memos, e-mails, opinions, advices, press releases, circulars, orders, logbooks, contracts, reports, papers, samples, models, data material held in any electronic form and information relating to any private body which can be accessed by a public authority under any other law for the time being in force; (g) "prescribed" means prescribed by rules made under this Act by the appropriate Government or the competent authority, as the case may be; (h) "public authority" means any authority or body or institution of self- government established or constituted— (a)
by or under the Constitution;
(b) by any other law made by Parliament; (c) by any other law made by State Legislature; (d)
by notification issued or order made by the appropriate Government, and includes any—
(i) body owned, controlled or substantially financed; (ii)
non-Government organization substantially financed, directly or indirectly by funds provided by the appropriate Government;
(i)
"record" includes—
(a) any document, manuscript and file; (b) any microfilm, microfiche and facsimile copy of a document; (c) any reproduction of image or images embodied in such microfilm (whether enlarged or not); and (d) any other material produced by a computer or any other device; (j) "right to information" means the right to information accessible under this Act which is held by or under the control of any public authority and includes the right to— (i) inspection of work, documents, records; (ii) taking notes, extracts or certified copies of documents or records; (iii) taking certified samples of material; (iv) obtaining information in the form of diskettes, floppies, tapes, video cassettes or in any other electronic mode or through printouts where such information is stored in a computer or in any other device; (k) "State Information Commission" means the State Information Commission constituted under sub-section (1) of section 15; (l) "State Chief Information Commissioner" and "State Information Commissioner" mean the State Chief Information Commissioner and the State Information Commissioner appointed under sub-section (3) of section 15; (m) "State Public Information Officer" means the State Public Information Officer designated under sub-section (1) and includes a State Assistant Public Information Officer designated as such under sub-section (2) of section 5; (n) "third party" means a person other than the citizen making a request for information and includes a public authority.
CHAPTER II
Right to information and obligations of public authorities
3 Subject to the provisions of this Act, all citizens shall have the right to information. 4 (1) Every public authority shall— (a) maintain all its records duly catalogued and indexed in a manner and the form which facilitates the right to information under this Act and ensure that all records that are appropriate to be computerised are, within a reasonable time and subject to availability of resources, computerised and connected through a network all over the country on different systems so that access to such records is facilitated; (b) publish within one hundred and twenty days from the enactment of this Act,—
(i)
the particulars of its organisation, functions and duties; (ii)
the powers and duties of its officers and employees;
(iii) the procedure followed in the decision making process, including channels of supervision and accountability; (iv) the norms set by it for the discharge of its functions; (v) the rules, regulations, instructions, manuals and records, held by it or under its control or used by its employees for discharging its functions; (vi)
a statement of the categories of documents that are held by it or under its control;
(vii) the particulars of any arrangement that exists for consultation with, or representation by, the members of the public in relation to the formulation of its policy or implementation thereof; (viii) a statement of the boards, councils, committees and other bodies consisting of two or more persons constituted as its part or for the purpose of its advice, and as to whether meetings of those boards, councils, committees and other bodies are open to the public, or the minutes of such meetings are accessible for public; (ix) a directory of its officers and employees; (x) the monthly remuneration received by each of its officers and employees, including the system of compensation as provided in its regulations; (xi)
the budget allocated to each of its agency, indicating the particulars of all plans, proposed expenditures and reports on disbursements made;
(xii) the manner of execution of subsidy programmes, including the amounts allocated and the details of beneficiaries of such programmes; (xiii) particulars of recipients of concessions, permits or authorisations granted by it; (xiv) details in respect of the information, available to or held by it, reduced in an electronic form; (xv) the particulars of facilities available to citizens for obtaining information, including the working hours of a library or reading room, if maintained for public use; (xvi) the names, designations and other particulars of the Public Information Officers; (xvii) such other information as may be prescribed and thereafter update these publications every year; (c)
publish all relevant facts while formulating important policies or announcing the decisions which affect public;
(d) provide reasons for its administrative or quasi-judicial decisions to affected persons. (2) It shall be a constant endeavour of every public authority to take steps in accordance with the requirements of clause (b) of sub-section (1) to provide as much information suo motu to the public at regular intervals through various means of communications, including internet, so that the public have minimum resort to the use of this Act to obtain information. (3) For the purposes of sub-section (1), every information shall be disseminated widely and in such form and manner which is easily accessible to the public. (4) All materials shall be disseminated taking into consideration the cost effectiveness, local language and the most effective method of communication in that local area and the information should be easily accessible, to the extent possible in electronic format with the Central Public Information Officer or State Public Information Officer, as the case may be, available free or at such cost of the medium or the print cost price as may be prescribed. Explanation.—For the purposes of sub-sections (3) and (4), "disseminated" means making known or communicated the information to the public through notice boards, newspapers, public announcements, media broadcasts, the internet or any other means, including inspection of offices of any public authority. 5 (1) Every public authority shall, within one hundred days of the enactment of this Act, designate as many officers as the Central Public Information Officers or State Public Information Officers, as the case may be, in all administrative units or offices under it as may be necessary to provide information to persons requesting for the information under this Act. (2) Without prejudice to the provisions of sub-section (1), every public authority shall designate an officer, within one hundred days of the enactment of this Act, at each sub-divisional level or other sub-district level as a Central Assistant Public Information Officer or a State Assistant Public Information Officer, as the case may be, to receive the applications for information or appeals under this Act for forwarding the same forthwith to the Central Public Information Officer or the State Public Information Officer or senior officer specified under sub-section (1) of section 19 or the Central Information Commission or the State Information Commission, as the case may be:
Provided that where an application for information or appeal is given to a Central Assistant Public Information Officer or a State Assistant Public Information Officer, as the case may be, a period of five days shall be added in computing the period for response specified under sub-section (1) of section 7.
(3)
Every Central Public Information Officer or State Public Information Officer, as the case may be, shall deal with requests from persons seeking information and render reasonable assistance to the persons seeking such information.
(4)
The Central Public Information Officer or State Public Information Officer, as the case may be, may seek the assistance of any other officer as he or she considers it necessary for the proper discharge of his or her duties.
(5) Any officer, whose assistance has been sought under sub-section (4), shall render all assistance to the Central Public Information Officer or State Public Information Officer, as the case may be, seeking his or her assistance and for the purposes of any contravention of the provisions of this Act, such other officer shall be treated as a Central Public Information Officer or State Public Information Officer, as the case may be. 6 (1)
A person, who desires to obtain any information under this Act, shall make a request in writing or through electronic means in English or Hindi or in the official language of the area in which the application is being made, accompanying such fee as may be prescribed, to—
(a) the Central Public Information Officer or State Public Information Officer, as the case may be, of the concerned public authority; (b) the Central Assistant Public Information Officer or State Assistant Public Information Officer, as the case may be,specifying the particulars of the information sought by him or her:Provided that where such request cannot be made in writing, the Central Public Information Officer or State Public Information Officer, as the case may be, shall render all reasonable assistance to the person making the request orally to reduce the same in writing. (2)
An applicant making request for information shall not be required to give any reason for requesting the information or any other personal details except those that may be necessary for contacting him.
(3) Where an application is made to a public authority requesting for an information,— (i) which is held by another public authority; or (ii) the subject matter of which is more closely connected with the functions of another public authority,the public authority, to which such application is made, shall transfer the application or such part of it as may be appropriate to that other public authority and inform the applicant immediately about such transfer:Provided that the transfer of an application pursuant to this sub-section shall be made as soon as practicable but in no case later than five days from the date of receipt of the application. 7 (1)
Subject to the proviso to sub-section (2) of section 5 or the proviso to sub-section (3) of section 6, the Central Public Information Officer or State Public Information Officer, as the case may be, on receipt of a request under section 6 shall, as expeditiously as possible, and in any case within thirty days of the receipt of the request, either provide the information on payment of such fee as may be prescribed or reject the request for any of the reasons specified in sections 8 and 9:
Provided that where the information sought for concerns the life or liberty of a person, the same shall be provided within forty-eight hours of the receipt of the request.
(2)
If the Central Public Information Officer or State Public Information Officer, as the case may be, fails to give decision on the request for information within the period specified under sub-section (1), the Central Public Information Officer or State Public Information Officer, as the case may be, shall be deemed to have refused the request.
(3) Where a decision is taken to provide the information on payment of any further fee representing the cost of providing the information, the Central Public Information Officer or State Public Information Officer, as the case may be, shall send an intimation to the person making the request, giving— (a)
the details of further fees representing the cost of providing the information as determined by him, together with the calculations made to arrive at the amount in accordance with fee prescribed under sub-section (1), requesting him to deposit that fees, and the period intervening between the despatch of the said intimation and payment of fees shall be excluded for the purpose of calculating the period of thirty days referred to in that sub-section;
(b) information concerning his or her right with respect to review the decision as to the amount of fees charged or the form of access provided, including the particulars of the appellate authority, time limit, process and any other forms. (4)
Where access to the record or a part thereof is required to be provided under this Act and the person to whom access is to be provided is sensorily disabled, the Central Public Information Officer or State Public Information Officer, as the case may be, shall provide assistance to enable access to the information, including providing such assistance as may be appropriate for the inspection.
(5)
Where access to information is to be provided in the printed or in any electronic format, the applicant shall, subject to the provisions of sub-section (6), pay such fee as may be prescribed:
Provided that the fee prescribed under sub-section (1) of section 6 and sub-sections (1) and (5) of section 7 shall be reasonable and no such fee shall be charged from the persons who are of below poverty line as may be determined by the appropriate Government.
(6) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (5), the person making request for the information shall be provided the information free of charge where a public authority fails to comply with the time limits specified in sub-section (1). (7) Before taking any decision under sub-section (1), the Central Public Information Officer or State Public Information Officer, as the case may be, shall take into consideration the representation made by a third party under section 11. (8) Where a request has been rejected under sub-section (1), the Central Public Information Officer or State Public Information Officer, as the case may be, shall communicate to the person making the request,— (i)
the reasons for such rejection;
(ii) the period within which an appeal against such rejection may be preferred; and (iii) the particulars of the appellate authority. (9) An information shall ordinarily be provided in the form in which it is sought unless it would disproportionately divert the resources of the public authority or would be detrimental to the safety or preservation of the record in question. 8 (1)
Notwithstanding anything contained in this Act, there shall be no obligation to give any citizen,—
(a) information, disclosure of which would prejudicially affect the sovereignty and integrity of India, the security, strategic, scientific or economic interests of the State, relation with foreign State or lead to incitement of an offence; (b)
information which has been expressly forbidden to be published by any court of law or tribunal or the disclosure of which may constitute contempt of court;
(c) information, the disclosure of which would cause a breach of privilege of Parliament or the State Legislature; (d) information including commercial confidence, trade secrets or intellectual property, the disclosure of which would harm the competitive position of a third party, unless the competent authority is satisfied that larger public interest warrants the disclosure of such information;
(e) information available to a person in his fiduciary relationship, unless the competent authority is satisfied that the larger public interest warrants the disclosure of such information;
(f) information received in confidence from foreign Government; (g) information, the disclosure of which would endanger the life or physical safety of any person or identify the source of information or assistance given in confidence for law enforcement or security purposes; (h) information which would impede the process of investigation or apprehension or prosecution of offenders; (i) cabinet papers including records of deliberations of the Council of Ministers, Secretaries and other officers:
Provided that the decisions of Council of Ministers, the reasons thereof, and the material on the basis of which the decisions were taken shall be made public after the decision has been taken, and the matter is complete, or over:
Provided further that those matters which come under the exemptions specified in this section shall not be disclosed;
(j) information which relates to personal information the disclosure of which has no relationship to any public activity or interest, or which would cause unwarranted invasion of the privacy of the individual unless the Central Public Information Officer or the State Public Information Officer or the appellate authority, as the case may be, is satisfied that the larger public interest justifies the disclosure of such information: Provided that the information which cannot be denied to the Parliament or a State Legislature shall not be denied to any person. (2)
Notwithstanding anything in the Official Secrets Act, 1923 nor any of the exemptions permissible in accordance with sub-section (1), a public authority may allow access to information, if public interest in disclosure outweighs the harm to the protected interests.
(3) Subject to the provisions of clauses (a), (c) and (i) of sub-section (1), any information relating to any occurrence, event or matter which has taken place, occurred or happened twenty years before the date on which any request is made under secton 6 shall be provided to any person making a request under that section:
Provided that where any question arises as to the date from which the said period of twenty years has to be computed, the decision of the Central Government shall be final, subject to the usual appeals provided for in this Act.
9 Without prejudice to the provisions of section 8, a Central Public Information Officer or a State Public Information Officer, as the case may be, may reject a request for information where such a request for providing access would involve an infringement of copyright subsisting in a person other than the State. 10 (1)
Where a request for access to information is rejected on the ground that it is in relation to information which is exempt from disclosure, then, notwithstanding anything contained in this Act, access may be provided to that part of the record which does not contain any information which is exempt from disclosure under this Act and which can reasonably be severed from any part that contains exempt information.
(2)
Where access is granted to a part of the record under sub-section (1), the Central Public Information Officer or State Public Information Officer, as the case may be, shall give a notice to the applicant, informing—
(a) that only part of the record requested, after severance of the record containing information which is exempt from disclosure, is being provided; (b) the reasons for the decision, including any findings on any material question of fact, referring to the material on which those findings were based; (c) the name and designation of the person giving the decision; (d)
the details of the fees calculated by him or her and the amount of fee which the applicant is required to deposit; and
(e) his or her rights with respect to review of the decision regarding non-disclosure of part of the information, the amount of fee charged or the form of access provided, including the particulars of the senior officer specified under sub-section (1) of section 19 or the Central Information Commission or the State Information Commission, as the case may be, time limit, process and any other form of access. 11 (1)
Where a Central Public Information Officer or a State Public Information Officer, as the case may be, intends to disclose any information or record, or part thereof on a request made under this Act, which relates to or has been supplied by a third party and has been treated as confidential by that third party, the Central Public Information Officer or State Public Information Officer, as the case may be, shall, within five days from the receipt of the request, give a written notice to such third party of the request and of the fact that the Central Public Information Officer or State Public Information Officer, as the case may be, intends to disclose the information or record, or part thereof, and invite the third party to make a submission in writing or orally, regarding whether the information should be disclosed, and such submission of the third party shall be kept in view while taking a decision about disclosure of information:
Provided that except in the case of trade or commercial secrets protected by law, disclosure may be allowed if the public interest in disclosure outweighs in importance any possible harm or injury to the interests of such third party.
(2) Where a notice is served by the Central Public Information Officer or State Public Information Officer, as the case may be, under sub-section (1) to a third party in respect of any information or record or part thereof, the third party shall, within ten days from the date of receipt of such notice, be given the opportunity to make representation against the proposed disclosure. (3) Notwithstanding anything contained in section 7, the Central Public Information Officer or State Public Information Officer, as the case may be, shall, within forty days after receipt of the request under section 6, if the third party has been given an opportunity to make representation under sub-section (2), make a decision as to whether or not to disclose the information or record or part thereof and give in writing the notice of his decision to the third party. (4) A notice given under sub-section (3) shall include a statement that the third party to whom the notice is given is entitled to prefer an appeal under section 19 against the decision.
CHAPTER III
The Central Information Commission
12 (1) The Central Government shall, by notification in the Official Gazette, constitute a body to be known as the Central Information Commission to exercise the powers conferred on, and to perform the functions assigned to, it under this Act. (2) The Central Information Commission shall consist of— (a)
the Chief Information Commissioner; and
(b) such number of Central Information Commissioners, not exceeding ten, as may be deemed necessary. (3)
The Chief Information Commissioner and Information Commissioners shall be appointed by the President on the recommendation of a committee consisting of—
(i) the Prime Minister, who shall be the Chairperson of the committee; (ii) the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha; and (iii) a Union Cabinet Minister to be nominated by the Prime Minister. Explanation.—For the purposes of removal of doubts, it is hereby declared that where the Leader of Opposition in the House of the People has not been recognised as such, the Leader of the single largest group in opposition of the Government in the House of the People shall be deemed to be the Leader of Opposition. (4)
The general superintendence, direction and management of the affairs of the Central Information Commission shall vest in the Chief Information Commissioner who shall be assisted by the Information Commissioners and may exercise all such powers and do all such acts and things which may be exercised or done by the Central Information Commission autonomously without being subjected to directions by any other authority under this Act.
(5) The Chief Information Commissioner and Information Commissioners shall be persons of eminence in public life with wide knowledge and experience in law, science and technology, social service, management, journalism, mass media or administration and governance. (6)
The Chief Information Commissioner or an Information Commissioner shall not be a Member of Parliament or Member of the Legislature of any State or Union territory, as the case may be, or hold any other office of profit or connected with any political party or carrying on any business or pursuing any profession.
(7) The headquarters of the Central Information Commission shall be at Delhi and the Central Information Commission may, with the previous approval of the Central Government, establish offices at other places in India. 13 (1)
The Chief Information Commissioner shall hold office for a term of five years from the date on which he enters upon his office and shall not be eligible for reappointment:
Provided that no Chief Information Commissioner shall hold office as such after he has attained the age of sixty-five years.
(2)
Every Information Commissioner shall hold office for a term of five years from the date on which he enters upon his office or till he attains the age of sixty-five years, whichever is earlier, and shall not be eligible for reappointment as such Information Commissioner:
Provided that every Information Commissioner shall, on vacating his office under this sub-section be eligible for appointment as the Chief Information Commissioner in the manner specified in sub-section (3) of section 12:
Provided further that where the Information Commissioner is appointed as the Chief Information Commissioner, his term of office shall not be more than five years in aggregate as the Information Commissioner and the Chief Information Commissioner.
(3)
The Chief Information Commissioner or an Information Commissioner shall before he enters upon his office make and subscribe before the President or some other person appointed by him in that behalf, an oath or affirmation according to the form set out for the purpose in the First Schedule.
(4) The Chief Information Commissioner or an Information Commissioner may, at any time, by writing under his hand addressed to the President, resign from his office:
Provided that the Chief Information Commissioner or an Information Commissioner may be removed in the manner specified under section 14.
(5) The salaries and allowances payable to and other terms and conditions of service of — (a)
the Chief Information Commissioner shall be the same as that of the Chief Election Commissioner;
(b) an Information Commissioner shall be the same as that of an Election Commissioner: Provided that if the Chief Information Commissioner or an Information Commissioner, at the time of his appointment is, in receipt of a pension, other than a disability or wound pension, in respect of any previous service under the Government of India or under the Government of a State, his salary in respect of the service as the Chief Information Commissioner or an Information Commissioner shall be reduced by the amount of that pension including any portion of pension which was commuted and pension equivalent of other forms of retirement benefits excluding pension equivalent of retirement gratuity: Provided further that if the Chief Information Commissioner or an Information Commissioner if, at the time of his appointment is, in receipt of retirement benefits in respect of any previous service rendered in a Corporation established by or under any Central Act or State Act or a Government company owned or controlled by the Central Government or the State Government, his salary in respect of the service as the Chief Information Commissioner or an Information Commissioner shall be reduced by the amount of pension equivalent to the retirement benefits: Provided also that the salaries, allowances and other conditions of service of the Chief Information Commissioner and the Information Commissioners shall not be varied to their disadvantage after their appointment. (6) The Central Government shall provide the Chief Information Commissioner and the Information Commissioners with such officers and employees as may be necessary for the efficient performance of their functions under this Act, and the salaries and allowances payable to and the terms and conditions of service of the officers and other employees appointed for the purpose of this Act shall be such as may be prescribed. 14 (1) Subject to the provisions of sub-section (3), the Chief Information Commissioner or any Information Commissioner shall be removed from his office only by order of the President on the ground of proved misbehaviour or incapacity after the Supreme Court, on a reference made to it by the President, has, on inquiry, reported that the Chief Information Commissioner or any Information Commissioner, as the case may be, ought on such ground be removed. (2) The President may suspend from office, and if deem necessary prohibit also from attending the office during inquiry, the Chief Information Commissioner or Information Commissioner in respect of whom a reference has been made to the Supreme Court under sub-section (1) until the President has passed orders on receipt of the report of the Supreme Court on such reference. (3) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (1), the President may by order remove from office the Chief Information Commissioner or any Information Commissioner if the Chief Information Commissioner or a Information Commissioner, as the case may be,— (a)
is adjudged an insolvent; or
(b) has been convicted of an offence which, in the opinion of the President, involves moral turpitude; or (c) engages during his term of office in any paid employment outside the duties of his office; or (d) is, in the opinion of the President, unfit to continue in office by reason of infirmity of mind or body; or (e) has acquired such financial or other interest as is likely to affect prejudicially his functions as the Chief Information Commissioner or a Information Commissioner. (4) If the Chief Information Commissioner or a Information Commissioner in any way, concerned or interested in any contract or agreement made by or on behalf of the Government of India or participates in any way in the profit thereof or in any benefit or emolument arising there from otherwise than as a member and in common with the other members of an incorporated company, he shall, for the purposes of sub-section (1), be deemed to be guilty of misbehavior.
CHAPTER IV
The State Information Commission
15 (1) Every State Government shall, by notification in the Official Gazette, constitute a body to be known as the ......... (name of the State) Information Commission to exercise the powers conferred on, and to perform the functions assigned to, it under this Act. (2)
The State Information Commission shall consist of—
(a) the State Chief Information Commissioner, and (b) such number of State Information Commissioners, not exceeding ten, as may be deemed necessary. (3) The State Chief Information Commissioner and the State Information Commissioners shall be appointed by the Governor on the recommendation of a committee consisting of— (i)
the Chief Minister, who shall be the Chairperson of the committee;
(ii) the Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly; and (iii) a Cabinet Ministrer to be nominated by the Chief Minister. Explanation.—For the purposes of removal of doubts, it is hereby declared that where the Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly has not been recognised as such, the Leader of the single largest group in opposition of the Government in the Legislative Assembly shall be deemed to be the Leader of Opposition. (4) The general superintendence, direction and management of the affairs of the State Information Commission shall vest in the State Chief Information Commissioner who shall be assisted by the State Information Commissioners and may exercise all such powers and do all such acts and things which may be exercised or done by the State Information Commission autonomously without being subjected to directions by any other authority under this Act. (5) The State Chief Information Commissioner and the State Information Commissioners shall be persons of eminence in public life with wide knowledge and experience in law, science and technology, social service, management, journalism, mass media or administration and governance. (6) The State Chief Information Commissioner or a State Information Commissioner shall not be a Member of Parliament or Member of the Legislature of any State or Union territory, as the case may be, or hold any other office of profit or connected with any political party or carrying on any business or pursuing any profession. (7) The headquarters of the State Information Commission shall be at such place in the State as the State Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, specify and the State Information Commission may, with the previous approval of the State Government, establish offices at other places in the State. 16 (1)
The State Chief Information Commissioner shall hold office for a term of five years from the date on which he enters upon his office and shall not be eligible for reappointment:
Provided that no State Chief Information Commissioner shall hold office as such after he has attained the age of sixty-five years. (2)
Every State Information Commissioner shall hold office for a term of five years from the date on which he enters upon his office or till he attains the age of sixty-five years, whichever is earlier, and shall not be eligible for reappointment as such State Information Commissioner:
Provided that every State Information Commissioner shall, on vacating his office under this sub-section, be eligible for appointment as the State Chief Information Commissioner in the manner specified in sub-section (3) of section 15: Provided further that where the State Information Commissioner is appointed as the State Chief Information Commissioner, his term of office shall not be more than five years in aggregate as the State Information Commissioner and the State Chief Information Commissioner. (3) The State Chief Information Commissioner or a State Information Commissioner, shall before he enters upon his office make and subscribe before the Governor or some other person appointed by him in that behalf, an oath or affirmation according to the form set out for the purpose in the First Schedule. (4)
The State Chief Information Commissioner or a State Information Commissioner may, at any time, by writing under his hand addressed to the Governor, resign from his office:
Provided that the State Chief Information Commissioner or a State Information Commissioner may be removed in the manner specified under section 17. (5)
The salaries and allowances payable to and other terms and conditions of service of—
(a) the State Chief Information Commissioner shall be the same as that of an Election Commissioner; (b)
the State Information Commissioner shall be the same as that of the Chief Secretary to the State Government:
Provided that if the State Chief Information Commissioner or a State Information Commissioner, at the time of his appointment is, in receipt of a pension, other than a disability or wound pension, in respect of any previous service under the Government of India or under the Government of a State, his salary in respect of the service as the State Chief Information Commissioner or a State Information Commissioner shall be reduced by the amount of that pension including any portion of pension which was commuted and pension equivalent of other forms of retirement benefits excluding pension equivalent of retirement gratuity: Provided further that where the State Chief Information Commissioner or a State Information Commissioner if, at the time of his appointment is, in receipt of retirement benefits in respect of any previous service rendered in a Corporation established by or under any Central Act or State Act or a Government company owned or controlled by the Central Government or the State Government, his salary in respect of the service as the State Chief Information Commissioner or the State Information Commissioner shall be reduced by the amount of pension equivalent to the retirement benefits: Provided also that the salaries, allowances and other conditions of service of the State Chief Information Commissioner and the State Information Commissioners shall not be varied to their disadvantage after their appointment. (6) The State Government shall provide the State Chief Information Commissioner and the State Information Commissioners with such officers and employees as may be necessary for the efficient performance of their functions under this Act, and the salaries and allowances payable to and the terms and conditions of service of the officers and other employees appointed for the purpose of this Act shall be such as may be prescribed. 17 (1) Subject to the provisions of sub-section (3), the State Chief Information Commissioner or a State Information Commissioner shall be removed from his office only by order of the Governor on the ground of proved misbehaviour or incapacity after the Supreme Court, on a reference made to it by the Governor, has on inquiry, reported that the State Chief Information Commissioner or a State Information Commissioner, as the case may be, ought on such ground be removed. (2) The Governor may suspend from office, and if deem necessary prohibit also from attending the office during inquiry, the State Chief Information Commissioner or a State Information Commissioner in respect of whom a reference has been made to the Supreme Court under sub-section (1) until the Governor has passed orders on receipt of the report of the Supreme Court on such reference. (3) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (1), the Governor may by order remove from office the State Chief Information Commissioner or a State Information Commissioner if a State Chief Information Commissioner or a State Information Commissioner, as the case may be,—
(a) is adjudged an insolvent; or
(b) has been convicted of an offence which, in the opinion of the Governor, involves moral turpitude; or (c) engages during his term of office in any paid employment outside the duties of his office; or (d) is, in the opinion of the Governor, unfit to continue in office by reason of infirmity of mind or body; or (e) has acquired such financial or other interest as is likely to affect prejudicially his functions as the State Chief Information Commissioner or a State Information Commissioner. (4) If the State Chief Information Commissioner or a State Information Commissioner in any way, concerned or interested in any contract or agreement made by or on behalf of the Government of the State or participates in any way in the profit thereof or in any benefit or emoluments arising therefrom otherwise than as a member and in common with the other members of an incorporated company, he shall, for the purposes of sub-section (1), be deemed to be guilty of misbehaviour.
CHAPTER V
Powers and functions of the Information Commissions, appeal and penalties
18 (1) Subject to the provisions of this Act, it shall be the duty of the Central Information Commission or State Information Commission, as the case may be, to receive and inquire into a complaint from any person,— (a) who has been unable to submit a request to a Central Public Information Officer or State Public Information Officer, as the case may be, either by reason that no such officer has been appointed under this Act, or because the Central Assistant Public Information Officer or State Assistant Public Information Officer, as the case may be, has refused to accept his or her application for information or appeal under this Act for forwarding the same to the Central Public Information Officer or State Public Information Officer or senior officer specified in sub-section (1) of section 19 or the Central Information Commission or the State Information Commission, as the case may be; (b) who has been refused access to any information requested under this Act; (c) who has not been given a response to a request for information or access to information within the time limit specified under this Act; (d) who has been required to pay an amount of fee which he or she considers unreasonable; (e)
who believes that he or she has been given incomplete, misleading or false information under this Act; and
(f) in respect of any other matter relating to requesting or obtaining access to records under this Act. (2)
Where the Central Information Commission or State Information Commission, as the case may be, is satisfied that there are reasonable grounds to inquire into the matter, it may initiate an inquiry in respect thereof.
(3) The Central Information Commission or State Information Commission, as the case may be, shall, while inquiring into any matter under this section, have the same powers as are vested in a civil court while trying a suit under the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908, in respect of the following matters, namely:— (a)
summoning and enforcing the attendance of persons and compel them to give oral or written evidence on oath and to produce the documents or things;
(b) requiring the discovery and inspection of documents; (c) receiving evidence on affidavit; (d) requisitioning any public record or copies thereof from any court or office; (e)
issuing summons for examination of witnesses or documents; and
(f) any other matter which may be prescribed. (4) Notwithstanding anything inconsistent contained in any other Act of Parliament or State Legislature, as the case may be, the Central Information Commission or the State Information Commission, as the case may be, may, during the inquiry of any complaint under this Act, examine any record to which this Act applies which is under the control of the public authority, and no such record may be withheld from it on any grounds. 19 (1) Any person who, does not receive a decision within the time specified in sub-section (1) or clause (a) of sub-section (3) of section 7, or is aggrieved by a decision of the Central Public Information Officer or State Public Information Officer, as the case may be, may within thirty days from the expiry of such period or from the receipt of such a decision prefer an appeal to such officer who is senior in rank to the Central Public Information Officer or State Public Information Officer as the case may be, in each public authority: Provided that such officer may admit the appeal after the expiry of the period of thirty days if he or she is satisfied that the appellant was prevented by sufficient cause from filing the appeal in time. (2) Where an appeal is preferred against an order made by a Central Public Information Officer or a State Public Information Officer, as the case may be, under section 11 to disclose third party information, the appeal by the concerned third party shall be made within thirty days from the date of the order. (3)
A second appeal against the decision under sub-section (1) shall lie within ninety days from the date on which the decision should have been made or was actually received, with the Central Information Commission or the State Information Commission:
Provided that the Central Information Commission or the State Information Commission, as the case may be, may admit the appeal after the expiry of the period of ninety days if it is satisfied that the appellant was prevented by sufficient cause from filing the appeal in time. (4)
If the decision of the Central Public Information Officer or State Public Information Officer, as the case may be, against which an appeal is preferred relates to information of a third party, the Central Information Commission or State Information Commission, as the case may be, shall give a reasonable opportunity of being heard to that third party.
(5) In any appeal proceedings, the onus to prove that a denial of a request was justified shall be on the Central Public Information Officer or State Public Information Officer, as the case may be, who denied the request. (6) An appeal under sub-section (1) or sub-section (2) shall be disposed of within thirty days of the receipt of the appeal or within such extended period not exceeding a total of forty-five days from the date of filing thereof, as the case may be, for reasons to be recorded in writing. (7)
The decision of the Central Information Commission or State Information Commission, as the case may be, shall be binding.
(8) In its decision, the Central Information Commission or State Information Commission, as the case may be, has the power to— (a) require the public authority to take any such steps as may be necessary to secure compliance with the provisions of this Act, including— (i)
by providing access to information, if so requested, in a particular form;
(ii) by appointing a Central Public Information Officer or State Public Information Officer, as the case may be; (iii) by publishing certain information or categories of information; (iv) by making necessary changes to its practices in relation to the maintenance, management and destruction of records; (v) by enhancing the provision of training on the right to information for its officials; (vi) by providing it with an annual report in compliance with clause (b) of sub-section (1) of section 4; (b)
require the public authority to compensate the complainant for any loss or other detriment suffered;
(c) impose any of the penalties provided under this Act; (d) reject the application. (9) The Central Information Commission or State Information Commission, as the case may be, shall give notice of its decision, including any right of appeal, to the complainant and the public authority. (10) The Central Information Commission or State Information Commission, as the case may be, shall decide the appeal in accordance with such procedure as may be prescribed. 20 (1) Where the Central Information Commission or the State Information Commission, as the case may be, at the time of deciding any complaint or appeal is of the opinion that the Central Public Information Officer or the State Public Information Officer, as the case may be, has, without any reasonable cause, refused to receive an application for information or has not furnished information within the time specified under sub-section (1) of section 7 or malafidely denied the request for information or knowingly given incorrect, incomplete or misleading information or destroyed information which was the subject of the request or obstructed in any manner in furnishing the information, it shall impose a penalty of two hundred and fifty rupees each day till application is received or information is furnished, so however, the total amount of such penalty shall not exceed twenty-five thousand rupees:
Provided that the Central Public Information Officer or the State Public Information Officer, as the case may be, shall be given a reasonable opportunity of being heard before any penalty is imposed on him:
Provided further that the burden of proving that he acted reasonably and diligently shall be on the Central Public Information Officer or the State Public Information Officer, as the case may be. (2) Where the Central Information Commission or the State Information Commission, as the case may be, at the time of deciding any complaint or appeal is of the opinion that the Central Public Information Officer or the State Public Information Officer, as the case may be, has, without any reasonable cause and persistently, failed to receive an application for information or has not furnished information within the time specified under sub-section (1) of section 7 or malafidely denied the request for information or knowingly given incorrect, incomplete or misleading information or destroyed information which was the subject of the request or obstructed in any manner in furnishing the information, it shall recommend for disciplinary action against the Central Public Information Officer or the State Public Information Officer, as the case may be, under the service rules applicable to him.
CHAPTER VI
Miscellaneous
21 No suit, prosecution or other legal proceeding shall lie against any person for anything which is in good faith done or intended to be done under this Act or any rule made thereunder. 22
The provisions of this Act shall have effect notwithstanding anything inconsistent therewith contained in the Official Secrets Act, 1923, and any other law for the time being in force or in any instrument having effect by virtue of any law other than this Act.
23 No court shall entertain any suit, application or other proceeding in respect of any order made under this Act and no such order shall be called in question otherwise than by way of an appeal under this Act. 24 (1) Nothing contained in this Act shall apply to the intelligence and security organisations specified in the Second Schedule, being organisations established by the Central Government or any information furnished by such organisations to that Government:
Provided that the information pertaining to the allegations of corruption and human rights violations shall not be excluded under this sub-section:
Provided further that in the case of information sought for is in respect of allegations of violation of human rights, the information shall only be provided after the approval of the Central Information Commission, and notwithstanding anything contained in section 7, such information shall be provided within forty-five days from the date of the receipt of request. (2) The Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, amend the Schedule by including therein any other intelligence or security organisation established by that Government or omitting therefrom any organisation already specified therein and on the publication of such notification, such organisation shall be deemed to be included in or, as the case may be, omitted from the Schedule. (3) Every notification issued under sub-section (2) shall be laid before each House of Parliament. (4) Nothing contained in this Act shall apply to such intelligence and security organisation being organisations established by the State Government, as that Government may, from time to time, by notification in the Official Gazette, specify: Provided that the information pertaining to the allegations of corruption and human rights violations shall not be excluded under this sub-section: Provided further that in the case of information sought for is in respect of allegations of violation of human rights, the information shall only be provided after the approval of the State Information Commission and, notwithstanding anything contained in section 7, such information shall be provided within forty-five days from the date of the receipt of request. (5) Every notification issued under sub-section (4) shall be laid before the State Legislature. 25 (1)
The Central Information Commission or State Information Commission, as the case may be, shall, as soon as practicable after the end of each year, prepare a report on the implementation of the provisions of this Act during that year and forward a copy thereof to the appropriate Government.
(2) Each Ministry or Department shall, in relation to the public authorities within their jurisdiction, collect and provide such information to the Central Information Commission or State Information Commission, as the case may be, as is required to prepare the report under this section and comply with the requirements concerning the furnishing of that information and keeping of records for the purposes of this section. (3)
Each report shall state in respect of the year to which the report relates,—
(a) the number of requests made to each public authority; (b) the number of decisions where applicants were not entitled to access to the documents pursuant to the requests, the provisions of this Act under which these decisions were made and the number of times such provisions were invoked; (c)
the number of appeals referred to the Central Information Commission or State Information Commission, as the case may be, for review, the nature of the appeals and the outcome of the appeals;
(d) particulars of any disciplinary action taken against any officer in respect of the administration of this Act; (e) the amount of charges collected by each public authority under this Act; (f) any facts which indicate an effort by the public authorities to administer and implement the spirit and intention of this Act; (g)
recommendations for reform, including recommendations in respect of the particular public authorities, for the development, improvement, modernisation, reform or amendment to this Act or other legislation or common law or any other matter relevant for operationalising the right to access information.
(4) The Central Government or the State Government, as the case may be, may, as soon as practicable after the end of each year, cause a copy of the report of the Central Information Commission or the State Information Commission, as the case may be, referred to in sub-section (1) to be laid before each House of Parliament or, as the case may be, before each House of the State Legislature, where there are two Houses, and where there is one House of the State Legislature before that House. (5) If it appears to the Central Information Commission or State Information Commission, as the case may be, that the practice of a public authority in relation to the exercise of its functions under this Act does not conform with the provisions or spirit of this Act, it may give to the authority a recommendation specifying the steps which ought in its opinion to be taken for promoting such conformity. 26 (1)
The appropriate Government may, to the extent of availability of financial and other resources,—
(a) develop and organise educational programmes to advance the understanding of the public, in particular of disadvantaged communities as to how to exercise the rights contemplated under this Act; (b) encourage public authorities to participate in the development and organisation of programmes referred to in clause (a) and to undertake such programmes themselves; (c) promote timely and effective dissemination of accurate information by public authorities about their activities; and (d)
train Central Public Information Officers or State Public Information Officers, as the case may be, of public authorities and produce relevant training materials for use by the public authorities themselves.
(2) The appropriate Government shall, within eighteen months from the commencement of this Act, compile in its official language a guide containing such information, in an easily comprehensible form and manner, as may reasonably be required by a person who wishes to exercise any right specified in this Act. (3) The appropriate Government shall, if necessary, update and publish the guidelines referred to in sub-section (2) at regular intervals which shall, in particular and without prejudice to the generality of sub-section (2), include— (a)
the objects of this Act;
(b) the postal and street address, the phone and fax number and, if available, electronic mail address of the Central Public Information Officer or State Public Information Officer, as the case may be, of every public authority appointed under sub-section (1) of section 5; (c) the manner and the form in which request for access to an information shall be made to a Central Public Information Officer or State Public Information Officer, as the case may be; (d) the assistance available from and the duties of the Central Public Information Officer or State Public Information Officer, as the case may be, of a public authority under this Act; (e)
the assistance available from the Central Information Commission or State Information Commission, as the case may be;
(f) all remedies in law available regarding an act or failure to act in respect of a right or duty conferred or imposed by this Act including the manner of filing an appeal to the Commission; (g) the provisions providing for the voluntary disclosure of categories of records in accordance with section 4; (h) the notices regarding fees to be paid in relation to requests for access to an information; and (i)
any additional regulations or circulars made or issued in relation to obtaining access to an information in accordance with this Act.
(4) The appropriate Government must, if necessary, update and publish the guidelines at regular intervals. 27 (1) The appropriate Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, make rules to carry out the provisions of this Act. (2)
In particular, and without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing power, such rules may provide for all or any of the following matters, namely:—
(a) the cost of the medium or print cost price of the materials to be disseminated under sub-section (4) of section 4; (b) the fee payable under sub-section (1) of section 6; (c) the fee payable under sub-sections (1) and (5) of section 7; (d)
the salaries and allowances payable to and the terms and conditions of service of the officers and other employees under sub-section (6) of section 13 and sub-section (6) of section 16;
(e) the procedure to be adopted by the Central Information Commission or State Information Commission, as the case may be, in deciding the appeals under sub-section (10) of section 19; and (f) any other matter which is required to be, or may be, prescribed. 28 (1)
The competent authority may, by notification in the Official Gazette, make rules to carry out the provisions of this Act.
(2) In particular, and without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing power, such rules may provide for all or any of the following matters, namely:— (i) the cost of the medium or print cost price of the materials to be disseminated under sub-section (4) of section 4; (ii) the fee payable under sub-section (1) of section 6; (iii) the fee payable under sub-section (1) of section 7; and (iv) any other matter which is required to be, or may be, prescribed. 29 (1)
Every rule made by the Central Government under this Act shall be laid, as soon as may be after it is made, before each House of Parliament, while it is in session, for a total period of thirty days which may be comprised in one session or in two or more successive sessions, and if, before the expiry of the session immediately following the session or the successive sessions aforesaid, both Houses agree in making any modification in the rule or both Houses agree that the rule should not be made, the rule shall thereafter have effect only in such modified form or be of no effect, as the case may be; so, however, that any such modification or annulment shall be without prejudice to the validity of anything previously done under that rule.
(2) Every rule made under this Act by a State Government shall be laid, as soon as may be after it is notified, before the State Legislature. 30 (1)
If any difficulty arises in giving effect to the provisions of this Act, the Central Government may, by order published in the Official Gazette, make such provisions not inconsistent with the provisions of this Act as appear to it to be necessary or expedient for removal of the difficulty:
Provided that no such order shall be made after the expiry of a period of two years from the date of the commencement of this Act. (2) Every order made under this section shall, as soon as may be after it is made, be laid before each House of Parliament. 31 The Freedom of Information Act, 2002 is hereby repealed. THE FIRST SCHEDULE
[See sections 13(3) and 16(3)]
Form of oath or affirmation to be made by the Chief Information Commissioner/the Information Commissioner/the State Chief Information Commissioner/the State Information Commissioner
"I, ....................., having been appointed Chief Information Commissioner/Information Commissioner/State Chief Information Commissioner/State Information Commissioner swear in the name of Godsolemnly affirm that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the Constitution of India as by law established, that I will uphold the sovereignty and integrity of India, that I will duly and faithfully and to the best of my ability, knowledge and judgment perform the duties of my office without fear or favour, affection or ill-will and that I will uphold the Constitution and the laws.".
THE SECOND SCHEDULE
(See section 24)
Intelligence and security organisation established by the Central Government
1. Intelligence Bureau. 2. Research and Analysis Wing of the Cabinet Secretariat. 3. Directorate of Revenue Intelligence. 4. Central Economic Intelligence Bureau. 5. Directorate of Enforcement. 6. Narcotics Control Bureau. 7.
Aviation Research Centre.
8. Special Frontier Force. 9. Border Security Force. 10. Central Reserve Police Force. 11. Indo-Tibetan Border Police. 12. Central Industrial Security Force. 13. National Security Guards. 14. Assam Rifles. 15. Special Service Bureau. 16.
Special Branch (CID), Andaman and Nicobar.
17. The Crime Branch-C.I.D.- CB, Dadra and Nagar Haveli. 18. Special Branch, Lakshadweep Police.