Question 13 from UPSC CSE 2017 - Current
Affairs

Question

With reference to 'Asia Pacific Ministerial Conference on Housing and Urban Development (APMCHUD)', consider the following statements:
1. The first APMCHUD was held in India in 2006 on the theme 'Emerging Urban Forms - Policy Responses and Governance Structure'.
2. India hosts all the Annual Ministerial Conferences in partnership with ADB, APEC, and ASEAN.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

IASCODEX · Accepted Answer

Correct Option: D. Neither 1 nor 2

Strategy: Begin by analyzing statement 1: the first APMCHUD was held in India in 2006, but the theme was 'A Vision for Sustainable Urbanization in the Asia-Pacific by 2020,' not the one mentioned. Next, analyze statement 2, which makes an extreme claim that India hosts all annual ministerial conferences with specific organizations. This is factually inaccurate, as the conference venue rotates and is not always in India, nor is it in partnership with ADB, APEC, and ASEAN. Both incorrect statements point to option D.

Key Info: The Asia Pacific Ministerial Conference on Housing and Urban Development (APMCHUD) is a biennial forum for Asia-Pacific countries, established in 2006, to discuss sustainable urban development and housing policies. The first conference was held in New Delhi, India, in December 2006 with the theme 'A Vision for Sustainable Urbanization in the Asia-Pacific by 2020.' APMCHUD is not limited to being hosted by India and does not conduct its conferences exclusively in partnership with the Asian Development Bank (ADB), Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), or Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Rather, the host country and theme change with each conference, following consensus among member nations. The conference serves as a platform for knowledge exchange and experience sharing on urbanization challenges, affordable housing, governance frameworks, and sustainable infrastructure in the Asia-Pacific region. Various international agencies, such as UN-Habitat, participate, but the event is not an annual affair nor tied exclusively to any single country's hosting or specific partnerships.

IASCODEX · Answer

Option A: 1 only

IASCODEX · Answer

Option B: 2 only

IASCODEX · Answer

Option C: Both 1 and 2