States and Union Territories

Statement 1 is correct. As per the special provisions for NCT of Delhi under article 239AA of the Constitution, there shall be a Council of Ministers consisting of not more than ten per cent. of the total number of members in the Legislative Assembly.
Statement 2 is correct. The Chief Minister of NCT of Delhi is appointed by the President and other Ministers are appointed by the President on the advice of the Chief Minister. The Ministers shall hold office during the pleasure of the President.
The Council of Ministers shall be collectively responsible to the Legislative Assembly

Statement 1 is incorrect. As per the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, there shall be a Council of Ministers consisting of not more than ten percent of the total number of members in the Legislative Assembly, with the Chief Minister at the head to aid and advise the Lieutenant Governor.
The Chief Minister shall be appointed by the Lieutenant Governor and the other Ministers shall be appointed by the Lieutenant Governor on the advice of the Chief Minister.
Statement 2 is correct. Lieutenant Governor of the successor Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir may nominate two members to the Legislative Assembly to give representation to women, if in his opinion, women are not adequately represented in the Legislative Assembly.
Statement 3 is correct. The Legislative Assembly may make laws for the whole or any part of the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir with respect to any of the matters enumerated in the State List except the subjects mentioned at entries 1 and 2, namely “Public Order” and “Police” respectively.

The Act provides for a Legislative Assembly for the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
Statement 1 is incorrect. The Legislative Assembly may make laws for any part of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir related to: (i) any matters specified in the State List of the Constitution, except “Police” and “Public Order”, and (ii) any matter in the Concurrent List applicable to Union Territories.
Further, Parliament will have the power to make laws in relation to any matter for the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. Statement 2 is correct.

Statement 1 is correct. Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019 reorganised the state of Jammu and Kashmir into: (i) the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir with a legislature, and (ii) the Union Territory of Ladakh without a legislature.
The Union Territory of Ladakh comprises Kargil and Leh districts, and the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir comprises the remaining territories of the existing state of Jammu and Kashmir.
The Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir is administered by the President, through an administrator appointed by him known as the Lieutenant Governor.
Statement 2 is incorrect. Both new UTs share their border with the state of Himachal Pradesh.

Statement 1 is incorrect. As per the reorganisation of the erstwhile Jammu & Kashmir state, the region of Gilgit-Baltistan now falls under UT of Ladakh.
Statement 2 is correct. The Legislative Assembly of UT of Jammu & Kashmir can make laws for any part of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir related to: (i) any matters specified in the State List of the Constitution, except “Police” and “Public Order”, and (ii) any matter in the Concurrent List applicable to Union Territories.
Parliament also has the power to make laws in relation to any matter for the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

Statement 1 is correct. Article 170(1) states that Legislative Assembly of
each State shall consist of not more than five hundred, and not less than sixty, members
chosen by direct election from territorial constituencies in the State.
Statement 2 is incorrect. Article 172(1) states that every Legislative Assembly of every
State, unless sooner dissolved, shall continue for five years from the date appointed for its first meeting and no longer and the expiration of the said period of five years shall operate as dissolution of the Assembly:
Provided that the said period may, while a Proclamation of Emergency is in operation, be extended by Parliament by law for a period not exceeding one year at a time and not
extending in any case beyond a period of six months after the Proclamation has ceased to operate.

The Government of India has identified four critical areas for reforms by the States:
–Implementation of One Nation One Ration Card System,
–Ease of doing business reform,
–Urban Local body/ utility reforms and
–Power Sector reforms.
States successfully completing the reforms are eligible to get two benefits. Such States get the facility of additional borrowing equivalent to 0.25 percent of their Gross States Domestic Product (GSDP) for completing each reform. Under this facility, additional borrowings of up to Rs.2.14 lakh crore is available to the States on completion of all the four reforms.
Further, States completing three out of the four reforms is additional funds assistance under the “Scheme for Financial Assistance to States for Capital Expenditure”. Under the scheme, an amount of Rs.2,000 crore is earmarked for the States that will complete at least three out of the four stipulated reforms.

Both statements are correct.
The “Scheme for Special Assistance to States for Capital Expenditure” is aimed at boosting capital expenditure by the State Governments who are facing difficult financial environment this year due to the shortfall in tax revenue arising from the COVID 19 pandemic.
Part-I of the Scheme covers the north-eastern region. Under this part, Rs.200 crores is allocated to 7 north-eastern States (Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura). In view of higher population and geographical area, Assam has been allocated Rs.450 crores under the scheme.
Part-II of the Scheme is, for all other States not included in Part-I. Rs.7,500 has been allocated amongst these States in proportion to their share of central tax as per the interim award of the 15th Finance Commission for the year 2020-21.
Part-III of the Scheme is aimed at pushing various citizen-centric reforms in the States. Under this Part, an amount of Rs.2000 crores is earmarked. This amount will be available only to those States who carry out at least 3 out of the 4 reforms specified by the Ministry of Finance in its letter dated 17th May, 2020 regarding reform linked additional borrowing permissions. The 4 reforms are – One Nation One Ration Card, Ease of doing Business Reform, Urban Local Body/ Utility Reform and Power Sector Reform.
# All the States except Tamil Nadu have availed benefits of the newly announced scheme for “Special Assistance to States for Capital Expenditure”.