Census 2027: The pressures of counting India

Statement 1 is incorrect. The India Sanitation Coalition was launched on June 25, 2015, at FICCI, New Delhi. ISC is a multi-stakeholder platform that brings together the private sector, government, financial institutions, civil society groups, media, donors/bilateral/multilateral, experts, etc., to work in the sanitation space to drive sustainable sanitation through a partnership model. It is not funded by WHO. Statement 2 is incorrect. The National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) is India’s premier urban think tank, shaping the urban narrative since its establishment in 1976, it not an apex body. It is an autonomous body under the Societies Registration Act.

The question relates to the correct mapping of key investigative and analytical bodies under the Government of India and their parent ministries or departments. ❌ Row I: Incorrect The Directorate of Enforcement does implement the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act, 2018, but it functions under the Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance, not the Ministry of Home Affairs. ✅ Row II: Correct The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) enforces the Customs Act, 1962 and works under the Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance. ✅ Row III: Correct The Directorate General of Systems and Data Management aids in big data analytics for tax enforcement and operates under the Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance.

* Delimitation commissions have been set up four times in the past — 1953, 1962, 1972 and 2002 — under Delimitation Commission Acts of 1952, 1962, 1972 and 2002.   * The Delimitation Commission is appointed by the President of India and works in collaboration with the Election Commission of India. The Delimitation Commission in India is a high-power body whose orders have the force of law and cannot be called into question before any court.  * The Commission’s orders are laid before the Lok Sabha and the legislative assemblies concerned, but they cannot effect any modifications in the orders. * Composition: Retired Supreme Court Judge, Chief Election Commissioner and respective state election commissioners.

The Coal Controller's Organisation (CCO) is a subordinate office of the Ministry of Coal, having its headquarters at Kolkata and field offices at Dhanbad, Ranchi, Bilaspur, Nagpur, Sambalpur, Kothagudem and Asansol. It collects and maintains coal production data of all private and public sector coal mines in the country. The information is collected every month. Statement 1 is correct. Under the Collection of Statistics Act, 2008 Coal Controller has been made the statistical authority concerning coal and lignite statistics. Entrusted with the responsibility of carrying out the Annual Coal & Lignite survey and publishing of Provisional Coal Statistics and Coal Directory of India. Statement 2 is correct. It is entrusted with the task of monitoring captive mines. Work such as permission for the opening and reopening of coal mines has been entrusted to the CCO. Statement 3 is correct. Under the Coal Bearing Area (Acquisition and Development) Act, 1957- the Coal Controller is the competent authority under this act to hear any objection to the Central Government's Notification relating to the acquisition of coal-bearing land and to furnish his reports to the Central Govt. Statement 4 is incorrect. Ensuring that coal mining companies deliver the coal to end users in the prescribed time is not the function of the Coal Controller's Organization (CCO).

Statement 1 is correct. National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA) is the financing, planning, implementing, monitoring, and coordinating authority for the Ganges River, functioning under the Jal Shakti Ministry. Statement 2 is correct. The mission of the organisation is to safeguard the drainage basin which feeds water into the Ganges by protecting it from pollution or overuse. In July 2014, the NGRBA has been transferred from the Ministry of Environment and Forests to the Ministry of Jal Shakti. Statement 3 is incorrect. The Prime Minister is the chair of the Authority.
Other members include the cabinet ministers of ministries that include the Ganges among their direct concerns and the chief ministers of states through which the Ganges River flows.

Statement 1 is correct. The Governor of RBI is appointed by the Central Government under the RBI Act, 1934. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC), led by the Prime Minister, finalizes the selection. The tenure is typically four years, but the government has the authority to extend or terminate the term. Statement 2 is incorrect. The Constitution of India does not have any direct provision allowing the Central Government to issue directions to the RBI. However, Section 7 of the RBI Act, 1934, gives the Central Government the power to issue directions to the RBI in the public interest, but this is a statutory provision, not a constitutional one. Statement 3 is correct. The powers, functions, and responsibilities of the RBI Governor come from the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934. The Act defines the Governor's role, monetary policy responsibilities, and overall authority over banking regulations.

Statement 1 is Incorrect: The Revamped Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA) was approved by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs for implementation from 1st April 2022 to 31st March 2026 (co-terminus with the 15th Finance Commission period), not from 1st April 2021. Statement 2 is Correct: The primary objective of the revamped scheme is to develop and enhance the governance capabilities of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) so they can effectively deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It focuses on the localization of SDGs at the grassroots level through inclusive local governance. Statement 3 is Incorrect: The Revamped RGSA is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme, meaning the funding is shared between the Centre and the States. It is not 100% centrally funded for all States and UTs. The sharing pattern is 60:40 (Centre:State) for general category States, and 90:10 for North-Eastern States, Hilly States, and the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir. 100% Central funding applies only to other Union Territories and specific Central components of the scheme. Therefore, option B is the correct answer.

Among the listed bodies, only the Inter-State Council is established by the Constitution of India. The others are based on statutory or executive provisions. ✅ I. Inter-State Council – Correct
* Established under Article 263 of the Constitution to facilitate Centre-State coordination. ❌ II. National Security Council – Incorrect
* Formed in 1998 by an executive order, not mentioned in the Constitution. ❌ III. Zonal Councils – Incorrect
* Established under the States Reorganisation Act, 1956, a statutory but non-constitutional body.

1. Finance Commission: Deals with the distribution of tax revenue between the central government and states, not overall national planning. 2. National Development Council (NDC): This was the apex body for planning at the national level. It is used to formulate and review India's five-year plans. 3. Union Ministry of Rural Development: Implements specific development schemes related to rural areas, not national-level planning. 4. Union Ministry of Urban Development: Implements specific development schemes related to urban areas, not national-level planning. 5. Parliament: While not directly involved in day-to-day planning, the Parliament is used to approve the five-year plans formulated by the NDC. Additionally, Members of Parliament (MPs) can utilize funds allocated for their constituencies through MPLADS (Member of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme), which contributes to local-level planning.

Dr. Sachchidananda Sinha was elected as the Provisional President of the Constituent Assembly on December 9, 1946. This was a temporary position. He served as the Chairman for two days, after which Dr. Rajendra Prasad was elected as the President of the Constituent Assembly on December 11, 1946. Here's why the other options are incorrect: * C. Rajagopalachari: He was the last Governor-General of India and played a significant role in the Indian independence movement. * Dr. B.R. Ambedkar: He was the Chairman of the Drafting Committee of the Constitution. *  T.T. Krishnamachari: He was a prominent member of the Constituent Assembly and later served as the Finance Minister of India.

The article explicitly states that the 2027 Census marks several firsts: it is India’s first fully digital Census, the first to collect caste data, and the first to allow residents to self-enumerate. Therefore, all three statements are correct.

The article states that the HLO phase involves the collection of data on housing conditions, household composition, basic amenities (like access to water, sanitation, and energy), and ownership of consumer goods. It also mentions that the second phase, Population Enumeration, will enumerate caste and collect other detailed individual-level data, including religion. Thus, statement 3 is incorrect for the HLO phase.

Statement 1 is correct: The article mentions the exercise was originally scheduled for 2021 but was postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in a six-year delay. Statement 2 is correct: The article states the exercise relies on about 33 lakh government teachers and other enumerators, and each enumerator gets an honorarium of ₹25,000. Statement 3 is incorrect: The article clearly states that enumerators report facing several challenges in the field, including heat, connectivity issues, and safety concerns, despite the exercise being conducted through a digital system.