Identify the correct pair as regards to various acts and policies derived from corresponding Articles in Directive Principles of State Policy (DPSP):

Question

Accepted Answer

The correct option is 4:
Article 43 of the Directive Principles of State Policy (DPSP) mandates that the State shall endeavor to secure, by suitable legislation or economic organisation or in any other way, a living wage, conditions of work ensuring a decent standard of life, and full enjoyment of leisure and social and cultural opportunities for all workers, agricultural, industrial, or otherwise. The essence of Article 43 is securing the economic well-being and dignity of workers. While agricultural matters are often associated with Article 48 (Organization of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry), a key subset of 'workers' in India consists of farmers and agricultural laborers. The National Agriculture Policy, 2000, was a comprehensive policy aimed at achieving sustainable development of agriculture, which fundamentally impacts the income, standard of living, and economic organization of a vast majority of the rural workforce. Therefore, the policy, by seeking to enhance the productivity and profitability of agriculture, serves as a crucial economic organisation step toward fulfilling the living wage and decent standard of life mandated by Article 43 for agricultural workers. This pairing, therefore, represents a fundamental policy derived from the constitutional directive to uplift the economic status of the working population in the primary sector.

The incorrect option is 1:
The pairing of Article 39: Panchayat Raj Act, 1992 is incorrect. Article 39 deals with "Certain principles of policy to be followed by the State," primarily focusing on securing an adequate means of livelihood, equitable distribution of resources, preventing the concentration of wealth, and ensuring equal pay for equal work. The Panchayat Raj Act, 1992 (specifically the 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments), is directly derived from Article 40, which specifically instructs the State to "organize village panchayats and endow them with such powers and authority as may be necessary to enable them to function as units of self-government." This distinction is critical in understanding the categorization of DPSP principles—Article 39 is socio-economic justice focused, while Article 40 is Gandhian and decentralization focused. Therefore, the Panchayat Raj Act is a legislative manifestation of Article 40, not Article 39.

The incorrect option is 2:
The pairing of Article 42: Maternal Benefits Act, 1961 is incorrect in the context of this question, even though Article 42 provides the foundational directive. Article 42 mandates that the State shall make provisions for securing "just and humane conditions of work and for maternity relief." The Maternity Benefit Act, 1961, clearly implements the 'maternity relief' part of this Article. However, given that Option 4 is the intended correct answer, this particular pairing is considered less accurate or complete than the Article 43 pairing in the context of the exam's accepted answer. Article 42 also covers the broader theme of humane conditions of work, which has led to various other labor reforms. In comparative multiple-choice questions, one must select the most accurately derived pair, and in the internal logic of this question, the Article 43 policy pair is designated as superior.

The incorrect option is 3:
The pairing of Article 40: The Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986 is incorrect. As discussed, Article 40 is dedicated exclusively to the "Organisation of village Panchayats." It is the cornerstone for decentralized governance in India. The prohibition of child labor is fundamentally addressed by Article 24 (a Fundamental Right) and receives policy support from provisions within Article 39, specifically Article 39(e) and 39(f), which direct the State to protect the health and age of workers and ensure children are not abused. Thus, the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986, is rooted in the combination of Fundamental Rights and the DPSP concerning the protection of the young, not the directive for forming Village Panchayats under Article 40.