May 7, 2017 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs 6th May, 2017

IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 6th May 2017 Archives INTERNATIONAL TOPIC: General Studies 2 India and its neighbourhood- relations. Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests India’s dominance in Indian Ocean is intact Introduction: Previously, we had covered an article dealing with China’s increasing naval expansion and influence in the Indian Ocean. The author had highlighted about China launching its first indigenous aircraft carrier, Type 001A carrier which may be named Shandong, and about China getting an edge for the first time in the carrier race with its Asian rival, a literal two-to-one advantage. Link: http://iasbaba.com/2017/04/iasbabas-daily-current-affairs-25th-april-2017/ A senior Chinese official was quoted as saying: “China needs two carrier strike groups in the Western Pacific and two in the Indian Ocean. So we need at least five to six aircraft carriers.” The article had also warned about India’s present naval capabilities, failure of carrier-first strategy and India getting encircled by a growing ring of Chinese power and influence. However, today’s article discusses about the intactness of India’s dominance in Indian Ocean - reply from the editor of Defence Forum India and a commentator on defence and strategic affairs. India does not have to match China in the number game Type 001A carrier or Shandong is likely to be commissioned in 2020. It will be China’s second carrier after it commissioned a modified Ukrainian Kuznetsov class aircraft cruiser Varyag into its navy as Liaoning in 2012. Many Indian commentators have written about the implication of China acquiring its second aircraft carrier on India’s security and China getting an edge for the first time in the carrier race with its Asian rival. However, the premise is wrong on various counts. Reasons: First, China’s existing carrier, the Liaoning, is being used to train the crew to operate aircraft carriers and is not on operational deployment yet. Compare this with India’s aircraft carrier: The INS Vikramaditya is fully operational. And India also has decades of experience in operating aircraft carriers, it has used them in warfare. Second, the Shandong has only been launched, it doesn’t mean it’s ready for operational deployment. It will undergo outfitting with various systems and then undergo sea trials before being commissioned around 2020. India launched its first indigenous carrier, Vikrant, in 2013 and it is likely to be commissioned in the early 2020s after delays for various reasons. Imagery expert Colonel Vinayak Bhat, who analysed the pictures of the Shandong, said that the engines of the carrier have not yet been started and no radar or weapons installed.  It also does not have the arrestor cables and work in lot of areas are yet to be completed ( such as the ammunition elevator and jet blast deflectors). Moreover, they don’t have enough J-15 fighter jets for the carrier. Third, even after China commissions the Shandong, it will not send both its carriers on permanent deployment in the Indian Ocean. China’s primary areas of interest are the hotly contested waters and islands of the East and South China Sea. The US maintains a potent naval presence in the area. China will maintain both its carriers there although it will make symbolic port visits in the Indian Ocean region especially to Gwadar in Pakistan. China plans a four- to six-carrier navy which will give it the capability to permanently deploy in the Indian Ocean. But that will take a couple of decades at best and depends on the trajectory of the Chinese economy, which is slowing down. By that time, India will have three aircraft carriers in service. Fourth, the two Chinese carriers are conventionally powered, not nuclear, which means they cannot be put on extended deployment. They lack the logistics capability to operate far away from Chinese shores. Fifth, China has to contend with India’s two unsinkable aircraft carriers: the Andaman and Nicobar Islands located close to the choke point of Malacca Strait and the Indian mainland itself which juts into the Indian Ocean. The Andamans has India’s only tri-services command and there are plans to beef up military presence there. India will be able to target PLAN (People’s Liberation Army Navy) warships and interdict supplies using land-based assets like aircraft and missiles. India has deployed its premier fighter aircraft, the Su-30MKI, in the Andamans and also in southern India. To break India’s dominance in the Indian Ocean, China has invested in a number of port projects in India’s neighbourhood, referred to as string of pearls. All of them, including China’s expected naval base in Gwadar in Pakistan, are within range of India’s land-based fighters and missiles. Finally, India does not have to match China in the numbers game. The former has the geographical advantage. With over 40 warships under construction, it will have nearly 200 warships by 2025. China has to contend with multiple naval powers in its core areas of interest. The US navy looms large. Japan has a powerful navy with advanced warships and submarines. It recently commissioned its second helicopter carrier, which could carry the F-35B stealth fighter. South Korea has a potent navy and Vietnam has acquired Russian Kilo-class submarines to counter the mightier Chinese navy. India has multinational cooperation in the maritime domain primarily with the US and Japan. India and the US share information on China’s maritime movements and train extensively during Exercise Malabar. India’s chief of naval staff has said that India has plans in place for China’s naval presence in Gwadar. India should beef up its air defence and land-based anti-ship missiles India has to prepare for any Chinese threat. It should beef up its air defence and land-based anti-ship missiles in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands as well as peninsular India. Stationing the S-400 surface-to-air missile system that India plans to acquire in the Andamans will cover 500,000 sq. km of airspace over the Bay of Bengal. All major Indian warships are being equipped with Barak 8 long-range surface-to-air missiles along with the supersonic Brahmos anti-ship cruise missiles. India is going to acquire nuclear and diesel-electric attack submarines. While there are delays in the acquisition process, there is no need to panic as the Chinese dragon will not be in a position to breathe fire on India in the Indian Ocean anytime soon. Connecting the dots: Many Indian commentators have written about the implication of China acquiring its second aircraft carrier on India’s security and China getting an edge for the first time in the carrier race with its Asian rival. Do you agree? MUST READ India launches satellite to help South Asian nations Hindu   Why immunise? Hindu   Curious case of dip, rise in Indian seas Hindu   A Maruti For Rail Indian Express   Supreme Test   Indian Express   How to make India tax compliant Business Line   A new economics for better world Business Line   Smarter development Business Line  

May 6, 2017

IASbaba's 60 Day Plan- Prelims Test 2017 Environment and Current Affairs [Day 36]

Hello Friends So, here we are with the 36th Day of 60 Days Plan. It is the third edition of 60 Days program but seems like the first one because of the excitement involved everywhere, including us :) We are equally excited and pumped. Our Team is working hard to make you realize your dream. Do not take it insincerely and let us down. Your faith and participation has to be in sync with the amount of hard work and effort we do. Let us pledge to make it a big game changer (better than last year) in the next 60 days! Importance of Self - Tracking: Learning from Last Year Last year, aspirants used to comment their answers in the comment box on daily basis. There were huge participation in discussion. Putting answers in comment box has been very effective to self track yourself after updating the score. In the end you can cross check your performance through disqus profile. It was highly effective in the last edition of 60 Days that propelled aspirants to monitor their performance and learn through discussion. Let you solve these questions with full honesty and write your result in the comment box. Interact with peers to know your mistakes. The importance of this initiative stands time bound and aggressive reverse engineering to learn the concepts. Many of you must be busy with your own strategy but let us tell you honestly that in the last two months, it is very important to revise and consolidate your learning. Just reading won’t suffice. So, take out few hours from your schedule and make it a revision exercise. How you can make the best use of it? Be honest to your effort and do not start competing with XYZ aspirants here just for the sake of marks. It is more important for you to introspect and check your learning than focusing on others. Try to answer the questions in 20 minutes only.  Do not get into negative feeling that I don’t have enough knowledge to answer these questions. Feel like you are taking the real exam. What would be your response then? The same will be replicated in UPSC exam. Here, you get marks only and nothing else matters. So make effort to know the answers of all questions. Do not cheat :P Baba's Gyan for REVISION Many of you, almost all, asks about effective revision strategy! Can there be any? Let us tell you something Baba does :D  You guys study a lot and there is no issue with the hard work that has been put in. But when it comes to input-output comparison, your performance is questionable. What to do? Just do this for a Week: Go to bed before stipulated time of your sleep, at least 1 hour before. Close your eyes and try to relax your mind. You should attain full comfort and calmness. Do this on the First Day: Imagine the full story of a recent movie that you have watched. Try to recollect from starting to end. See, whether you are able to depict the clear picture or not! Now, do the same for everything you learnt from morning specially the ones you struggled with. Since it is fresh, most of the things should flow into your mind smoothly. Check what is your recollecting capacity. For example, if you prepared Polity Day 2: Topics- Try to collect all important concepts and learning of the day. Trust us, this exercise if done with sincerity will give you immense confidence as well as boost your performance. There is no ideal time for revision and there cannot be any specific date put for it, as commonly done. This will always expose your weaknesses the very same day and if you tend to forget something, can always get back to consolidate and cement it. REPEAT IT FOR A WEEK & SEE THE MAGIC :D  Must to Do: Read the detailed article regarding Micro Analysis Matrix and follow the guidelines- Click Here Try to hold your nerves and learn to control the temptation. This is very important art to learn and implement! Are you ready? Let's start [Day 36]: ENVIRONMENT & CURRENT AFFAIRS  ARCHIVES Q.1) Which of the following processes contributes maximum to the power generation in India? Hydel power Thermal power Nuclear power Solar and wind power Q.2) The government of India had launched a very ambitious initiative of Ultra Mega Power Projects. Which of the following statements are correct about UMPPs? They are large hydel power projects to tap the full potential of unused streams. Each UMPP will have the capacity of generating 10,000 MW of power. Till now 10 UMPPs have already been sanctioned by the Government of India. Select the code from below: 1 and 2 2 and 3 1 and 3 None of the above Q.3) Which of the following statements are correct about National Domestic Efficient Lighting Program? It urged people to use CFLs in place of tube lights and filament bulbs. It urged people to use only 5 star efficiency rating appliances. It promoted rural electrification. None of the above Q.4) The rate of biomass production in an ecosystem is called productivity. Which of the following statements are correct about it? Net primary productivity (NPP) is less than Gross primary productivity (GPP). Net Primary Productivity (NPP) is the available biomass for the consumption of heterotrophs. Select the code from following: 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.5) Which of the following statements correctly explains the process of catabolism? Seeping of water soluble organic material into lower soil horizons. Breaking up for detritus material into smaller fragments. Breaking up of larger organic molecules into smaller inorganic molecules. Use of inorganic molecules by plants to form larger organic molecules. Q.6) Which of the following factors play an important role in determining the rate of decomposition of detritus material? Chemical composition of Detritus Temperature Soil moisture Select the code from below: 1 only 2 and 3 1 and 2 All of the above Q.7) Deep sea – Hydrothermal vents were recently discovered by the scientist. Which of the following statements are correct about Hydrothermal ecosystems? The organisms are not dependent on sunlight for food production. Bacteria create energy using hydrogen sulphide through the process of chemosynthesis. Only micro organisms can survive in this environment. Select the code from below: 1 and 2 2 and 3 1 and 3 All of the above Q.8) Based on the source of their food, organisms occupy a special place in the food chain. This position is called: Niche Trophic level Horizon Food web Q.9) Consider the following statements: Pyramid of number is always upright because the number of primary producers is always larger than the number of organisms dependent upon them. Pyramid of energy is always upright because at each tropic level some of the energy is lost as heat. Which of the above statements are incorrect? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.10) Which of the following statements are correct about the process of secondary succession? Secondary succession is much slower than the primary succession. Secondary succession begins in areas where natural vegetation has been destroyed. Select the code from below: 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.11) Phosphorus is an important element used in metabolism and as a building up material in organisms. Which of the statements are correct for phosphorus cycle? Rocks are the major reservoir of phosphorus which contains phosphorus in the form of phosphates. Animals obtain phosphorus indirectly through plants. There is no respiratory release of phosphorus in atmosphere. Select the code from following: 1 and 2 2 and 3 1 and 3 All of the above Q.12) The benefits that people obtain from ecosystems are termed as ecosystem services. Which of the following are the types of Ecosystem services? Provisioning services Regulating services Habitat services Cultural services Select the code from below: 1,2 and 3 2,3 and 4 1 and 2 All of the above Q.13) Lichens are one of the most important pioneer species. Which of the following statements are correct about Lichens? Lichens are not single organisms, but they are formed by symbiotic relationship between algae and Fungi. Lichens are found only in high alpine areas where moisture is scarce. Select the code from following: 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.14) Bhopal gas tragedy has been one of the most deadliest industrial hazards in the history of India. Which of the following gas was released causing the disaster? Potassium cyanide Potassium isocyanate Methyl isocyanate Phosgene Q.15) If a large amount of organic waste is dumped in a lake, it BOD will Decrease Increase Remains unchanged Can increase or decrease Q.16) India’s strategic crude oil storages are locate at which of the following Visakhapatnam Mangalore Padur Select the correct code: 1 and 2 2 and 3 1 and 3 All of the above Q.17) Consider the following statements about ‘Bunkar Mitra’ It is under the Ministry of Skill Development It is a skill training programme for weavers Select the correct code: Only 1 Only 2 Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.18) National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) is chaired by Minister of Home Affairs Prime Minister of India A secretary level IAS Officer appointed by the PMO None of the above Q.19) Other than Venezuela, which one among the following from South America is a member of OPEC? Argentina Brazil Ecuador Bolivia Q.20) Mahamastakabhisheka, a great religious event, is associated with and done for whom of the following? Bahubali Buddha Mahavir Nataraja Q.21) WIMAX is related to which one of the following? Biotechnology Space technology Missile technology Communication technology Q.22) World Employment and Social Outlook report is released by World Bank International Labour Organisation World Economic Forum United Nations Development Programme Q.23) Which of the following statements is/are correct? Alpha Centauri is the closest star system to the Solar System It consists of three stars: the pair Alpha Centauri A and Alpha Centauri B together with a small and faint red dwarf named Proxima Centauri Select the correct code Only 1 Only 2 Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.24)  Consider the following statements about Hybrid Cloud It is a cloud computing environment which uses a mix of on-premises, private cloud and third-party, public cloud services with orchestration between the two platforms. It gives businesses greater flexibility and more data deployment options. It can be used for big data processing Which of the following statements is/are correct? 1 and 2 2 and 3 1 and 3 All of the above Q.25) The 713th death anniversary of Sufi saint Nizamuddin Auliya was recently observed by reciting qawwals in the Nizamuddin dargah. Consider the following statements Nizamuddin Auliya is a sufi saint belonging to the Qadiriyya order His notable disciple was Amir Khusrow Which of the following statements is/are correct? Only 1 Only 2 Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Download The Solution - Click here

May 5, 2017 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs 5th May, 2017

IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 5th May 2017 Archives NATIONAL/SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY TOPIC: General Studies 2 Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests. India and its neighborhood‐ relations. General Studies 3 Science and Technology‐ developments and their applications and effects in everyday life Awareness in the fields of IT, Space SAARC Satellite Introduction Diplomacy has crossed traditional barriers and methods today. SAARC satellite is step in the right direction to engage meaningfully with the neighbourhood sharing expertise India has in Space science and technology. Apart from all scientific benefits this will go a long way in delivering the much needed boost to ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy. SAARC Satellite: The “South Asia satellite” being built by India for use by countries of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) region will be launched on May 5. Natural resources mapping, tele-medicine, the field of education, deeper IT connectivity or fostering people to people contact — this satellite will prove to be a boon in the progress of the entire region. It is an important step by India to enhance co-operation with the entire South Asia and is an appropriate example of our commitment towards South Asia The satellite called GSAT-09 enables full range of applications and services in the areas of telecommunication and broadcasting applications viz. Television, Direct-to-Home (DTH), Very Small Aperture Terminals (VSATs), Tele-education, Telemedicine and Disaster Management Support. The 2,230 kg satellite was built by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and has 12 Ku-band transponders. It is cuboid in shape and built around a central cylinder has a mission life of over 12 years. It will be launched from Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota using a Geostationary Launch Vehicle (GSLV) Mk-II launch vehicle. Issue: As technological capabilities and innovation-led growth become important facets of economic and military power, countries have started integrating techno-diplomacy as a major piece in their broader international diplomacy edifice. Technological capabilities can serve both hard power (in military and economic terms), and soft power. While this is not an entirely new phenomenon, and has been used especially with nuclear technologies and military hardware and weapon systems, the role of civilian technology solutions in diplomacy has taken on a sense of urgency in the last decade or so. Due to technological and diplomatic constraints, India has generally been unable to wield its technology as an effective tool of diplomacy. This is set to change with the launch of the South Asia satellite by ISRO. Diplomatic Significance: The satellite is similar to previous communication satellites designed and launched by ISRO, and technologically does not constitute a major breakthrough. However, diplomatically, the South Asia satellite is significant for three reasons. First, it showcases India’s growing technological prowess. Along with previous missions such as Chandrayaan and the Mars Orbiter Mission, the South Asia satellite underscores the strength of Indian indigenous technological development. Second, that the satellite has been launched without any specific quid pro quo shows that India is willing to use its technological capabilities as a tool of diplomacy. India has begun realising that domestic technologies have now reached a level of maturity that allows India to confidently brandish its capabilities to other countries. It also serves as a marketing tool for future launches at a time when ISRO is building a strong niche for itself in the international satellite launch market. Third, it reveals both India’s ambition and capability to create what can be termed “technological commons”. By “gifting” this satellite to its neighbours, India has created an open access resource that can be leveraged by the latter to address some of their critical domestic concerns. Building such commons is essential not only to address immediate problems but also spur research, innovation and economic growth in the region. Conclusion: India must make a concerted effort to expand the range of technologies it can use as part of its diplomatic outreach. India could also look at including biotechnology and green energy. Unfortunately, there has been a critical lag in the evolution of robust scientific and research institutions in these areas, particularly from a funding standpoint. The South Asia satellite is emblematic of a more confident and assertive India, but it is necessary to ensure that such actions are not one-off. Connecting the dots: Analyse the regional and diplomatic significance of an initiative like SAARC satellite. Elaborate on the features of the satellite.   NATIONAL/ECONOMY TOPIC: General Studies 2 Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. General Studies 3 Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment. Inclusive growth and issues arising from it. Can India emerge as a global leader in an uncertain global environment? Introduction The last year has seen consolidation of several trends that have impacted the economic and business environment for India. Political backlash against globalization and policy of protectionism in advanced countries - presents a unique challenge to development. Technology advancements - can disrupt conventional modes of production and consumption. Demographic changes with a growing workforce in some economies and contractions in others. Rise of new consumers and shifting supply chains. Above are some of the systemic trends that India has to deal with. Assessment: Is India well-positioned to capture a leadership position in an uncertain world? Advantage India India’s inherent advantages include its – expanding workforce and consumer markets, rapid urbanisation, growing education and skill capabilities, stronger technology adaptation, and potential for driving exports as a growth driver. India, the third largest economy in purchasing power parity and the fastest growing large economy of the world, it is home to some of the most thriving markets, from automobiles and aviation to mobile connectivity and renewable energy. It is also the third largest base of startups in the technology sector. Its vibrant entrepreneurial class is exploring avenues in new technologies and across the world. India is already a leader in several areas. Challenges: The country faces numerous challenges that need to be resolved through holistic strategies that incorporate cross-sectoral issues. In the immediate term, revival of consumer demand is a challenge despite MGNREGA, the 7th Pay Commission and agricultural growth. Global demand too remains subdued. The spike in NPAs of banks at over 11 per cent is hindering new investments. The administrative processes for a facilitative business climate continue to be lengthy and complex. Recent Government policies and measures in this regard: The Government’s policies and measures are helping to a significant extent. Progress on GST, reduction in corporate income taxes for smaller companies, mission mode work on ease of doing business and many sectoral actions together set a sound platform for leadership. Infrastructure programmes such as Sagarmala for port-led development, railway modernisation and upgradation, and new roads and highways are driving new connectivities across the country. Urban development and power sector too have received attention. Looking ahead The critical challenge is technology advance which is ushering in a new economy. The fourth industrial revolution of technologies such as 3D printing, automation, robotics, big data, and so on will create new manufacturing processes. Increasing convergence of manufacturing, services and technology results in new products and new markets for a rising ‘shared economy’. (Is India ready for this challenge?) There is a huge consensus that India can lead and can rapidly emerge as a global leader. India’s strengths — a large domestic market, a rich reservoir of human capital, steadfast commitment to reforms — should help the country emerge as an attractive business destination. While the country’s capability to deliver on services to the world is without question, this should be extended to improve our manufacturing capabilities as well. Manufacturing, renewable energy, electric mobility, railways and aviation present substantial opportunities for global leadership. The States should play a growing role in India’s development in the spirit of cooperative and competitive federalism. Strategic policies can change agricultural and industrial climate of a state. Protectionism is not new and India should be able to build its global presence through exports. India must internalise high standards and encourage digitisation and innovation. Industry too must step up its R&D engagement. Currently, Indian companies spend just 0.3 per cent of GDP on R&D compared to the global average of 1.5 per cent. This needs to be scaled up five times. India’s rise in an uncertain world will be the next big development. Identifying India as one of the 'few bright spots' in an otherwise gloomier global economy, IMF has also projected that Indian economic growth is set to be higher than China's. To realise its growth potential, India needs to expand its industrial base, diversify its energy mix, and upgrade its electricity and urban infrastructure. Unlocking India’s potential The 'Unlocking India's potential' report, commissioned by ABB India, said that the government wants to increase the manufacturing output to 25 per cent of GDP by 2022, with the creation of 100 million jobs. To expand its industrial base, India will need to accelerate and implement reforms to improve conditions for business and attract investment. At the same time, companies will need to engage actively with trends such as high-quality manufacturing, smart manufacturing practices, automation and the Internet of Things (IoT). With industrialisation, India will need to accelerate the expansion and upgrading of its energy sector. The country already imports 75 per cent of its oil and faces persistent shortfalls in power supply and the challenges will become even greater given that manufacturing is much more energy intensive than the services sector, the report added. At a time of protectionist trends in the developed world, India can become the leading proponent of globalisation only if the country improves on its manufacturing. Connecting the dots: Is India well-positioned to capture a leadership position in an uncertain world? Critically analyze. Can India move away from being a low-cost innovator at the bottom of the pyramid, and instead begin to be known for big-bang, disruptive innovations for the world? Technology advancements - such as 3D printing, automation, robotics, big data - can disrupt conventional modes of production and consumption. Is India ready for this challenge? Examine. Can India emerge as a global leader in an uncertain global environment? Critically examine. MUST READ Different clocks: Changes in financial year need Centre-States coordination Hindu   The long arc to Ankara Hindu   The scale of progress, so far Hindu   Road to bankability  Indian Express   Marx for the future Indian Express   Blunting the force Indian Express   Time to stop letting Pakistan call the shots Livemint   China is repeating the West’s mistakes in Pakistan Livemint   Challenges South Asian women face on economic empowerment Livemint   GST and the balloon effect Business Line   A new economics for a better world Business Line  

May 5, 2017 AIR

All India Radio - Reforms and Funding to Political Parties

Reforms and Funding to Political Parties ARCHIVES Search 2nd February 2017 http://www.newsonair.com/Main_Audio_Bulletins_Search.aspx TOPIC: General Studies 2 Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. Structure, organization and functioning of the Executive and the Judiciary Ministries and Departments of the Government; pressure groups and formal/informal associations and their role in the Polity. Government has embarked on new exercise to purge the corruption which is the vein of electoral system, i.e. political funding. Nearly 70-80% of the funds given to political parties are never reported. The premise of it is that it is collected from unknown sources which means that nobody can question where it has come from. In a first, the government has brought down the limit of receiving donation to political in cash to Rs. 2000 from Rs. 20000 earlier. Union FM had said that transparent method of funding political party is vital to the system of free and fair election and after 70 years of independence, this has to be atleast now done. This is the most significant statement which acknowledges the need for political reforms as there is non-transparency in political funding. This demand was made by Election Commission which has been paid heed by the government. However, the reduction of amount of cash donation is a step in right direction but it will solve the problem partially. Earlier, for above Rs. 20000 donation, a cheque was to be paid. So political parties were taking lots of crores and converting them into smaller amounts so that they don’t have to be accountable for it. In a year, approx. 75-80% money collected which runs in thousand crores in absolute numbers, was from unknown sources. With bringing down the cash limit, there are full possibilities that the donations will be further converted into smaller amounts. So, this step doesn’t solve the problem entirely. For this, digital payment can be made one of the option to make donations. Digital payment initiative is not only for the middle and the poor class people but also for the political people who are the leaders and should show the way. SC’s role Even after 70 years of independence, when no government had embarked on the exercise because they were averse to any electoral reforms particularly the political funding, SC directed the ECI to take action for it. However, no political partied were ready for such reforms. Though, the SC direction was in a different matter which is as below: It was about irresponsible promises in the manifesto. SC observed that the parties make big promises and upon winning, they don’t fulfil it and don’t tell how they intend to meet the promises. So, SC directed the ECI to call the political parties and discuss a way out. The political parties opposed any regulation. They said that election manifesto is a valid, legitimate, political document. They have to tell the voters what they stand for and their promises. Thus there cannot be any restriction about the same. So, it was not directly related to political reforms but an attempt towards it. However, as a result of it, SC said in 2002 that every candidate that files nomination paper has to give an affidavit which gives details of his/her total financial status and also criminal cases pending against him/her. Through this it came to know how people who had nothing initially were crorepatis after 5 years of one term of MLA and MP. Need of reforms and SC intervention Most of the electoral reforms have come from SC which shows that political parties have failed to rise to the occasion. Somebody has to take the initiative to make the democracy more powerful and when SC takes initiatives, it is said that judicial activism is not fair. The guidelines of the SC that manifestoes should be responsible has now become a part of Model code of conduct during elections. This shows how the political reforms are slowly being spearheaded by all three pillars of democracy. Two political partied were questioned by ECI and were censured on how they were going to raise their political resources and why they made the irresponsible statements. So now it shows that political parties will think twice before making irresponsible statements through manifestoes. Other steps for reforms State funding of election Most talked about is Indrajeet Gupta committee of 1999 when they discussed problem of state funding of elections and not political parties. It said that legally it will be tenable and most of the funding should be in kind provided there is internal democracy of every party. But as no party succeeded to have internal democracy and transparency, the reform could not take place. State funding of election is difficult to monitor. As it is for vidhasabha election, the limit is 28 lakh. But it is known that the election funding happens in crores of rupees. So the meagre amount given by state will not solve any purpose. Thus, there should be funding of political party and not election and on basis of their performance. For every vote, if Rs. 100 is given. Then if there are 53 crore votes to the political parties, they will have that much money which is more than what they raise illegally. Electoral fund A rationale electoral fund should be created where the donors who want to maintain anonymity, can donate money here. From this fund, the political parties can be funded based on their performance in the elections. Electoral bond Government is planning to bring out a scheme of electoral bonds where individuals as well as corporate houses can purchase bonds and give it to parties of their choice. Though details are not known, there can arise the problem of secrecy. It can be counterproductive as right now all funding is secret from everybody. With the electoral bonds, it will not be a secret from government. This violates the right of those who wish to give anonymous donation. Thus, the idea of electoral bonds need to be explored more. Tax benefits If the donation is given to electoral fund, then tax benefits should be given. 100% tax exemption to donation to political parties can be floated with more transparency mechanisms. Connecting the dots: What are various electoral and political funding reforms which need to be undertaken to bring in transparency and accountability in the Indian political environment. Describe.

May 5, 2017 MindMaps

IASbaba’s MINDMAP : Issue - Jan- Dec Fiscal Year

IASbaba’s MINDMAP : Issue - Jan- Dec Fiscal Year Archives P.S- Right Click on the image and open it in new tab. From there you can save it in your system.   Reference - Link 1 Link 2

May 5, 2017 RSTV Video

The Big Picture - Farm Loan Waivers

Farm Loan Waivers Archives TOPIC: General Studies 3 Issues related to direct and indirect farm subsidies and minimum support prices Inclusive growth and issues arising from it. General Studies 2 Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States and the performance of these schemes; mechanisms, laws, institutions and bodies constituted for the protection and betterment of these vulnerable sections In news: UP CM recently announced rs. 36000 crore farm loan waiver which could trigger similar decisions by other states such as Punjab and Maharashtra governments. RBI governor sounded the alarm on state governments waiving farm loans and called for consensus to do away with them to avoid damaging the national balance sheet. Similar concerns were shown by SBI Chairman. This generates curiosity in person whether loan waivers are good or bad. Let us have a look. Waivers- good or bad? It is a combination of bad politics and bad economics. Bad politics because it essentially may win some votes but is not sustainable. Political parties need to have better development mandate to fight in elections and mere financial incentives won’t be necessary in future to win votes. Clearly there is no credit in economics. Loan waiving is an action where credit climate is vitiated. Any decision of that nature will have consequences on states fiscal and also entire credit market. But it is not absolutely true all the time as it is a contextual matter- how the farmers have come into this situation, what will help them now to come out of it, if loan waiver is a feasible option and if yes, where the loans have to be waived. It can be a sub optimal policy which can be termed as good policy for short term measure. However, to have long term measures for a good policy, the Swaminathan Report should be implemented. Some recommendations are: Major causes of the agrarian crisis are: unfinished agenda in land reform, quantity and quality of water, technology fatigue, access, adequacy and timeliness of institutional credit etc. Land reforms: to distribute ceiling-surplus and waste lands; prevent diversion of agricultural land & forest to corporate sector for non-agricultural purposes; ensure grazing rights & seasonal access to forests to tribals and pastoralist etc. Credit supply- expand the outreach of Credit facilities System; issue Kisan Credit Cards to women farmers; establish an Agriculture Risk Fund to provide relief to farmers in the aftermath of successive natural calamities, etc. Improving competitiveness of small farmers improvement in implementation of Minimum Support Price (MSP); MSP should be at least 50% more than the weighted average cost of production etc. Development of measures to reserve traditional rights of access to biodiversity and conservation, enhancement and improvement of crops, farm animals & fish stocks through breeding, etc. Create employment: relatively more labour intensive sectors and inducing a faster growth of these sectors and ensuring that the net take home income of farmers should be comparable to those of civil servants. Supporting the farm loan waivers If the farming is not supported in the way it should be, a situation comes that on an average the income of farmers is so low that their daily survival becomes a problem. Instead of solving the problems by reaching out to the rootcause, knee jerk reactions are given for it which last temporarily. Not the only obligatory- The farmers feel if the industrialists don’t have any obligation towards them if the farmers have the obligation to produce food grains. The farmers are out of tax structure as they are contributing the essential food grains. But it is not entirely true. The farmers equally contribute to tax revenues by means of indirect taxes. Class biasness- Though it is widely publicised but the technicalities is not seen that in UP, there are 2.15 crore farmers but the loan waiver is only for 80 lakh farmers. The industrialists and corporates are given exemptions of around Rs. 1.40 lakh crores and incentives worth Rs. 8 lakh crores. So sophisticated words like incentives for industrialists and demeaning words like ‘loan waivers’ for farmers are used to address them. Stopping suicides-In previous government, there were average 48 suicides in 24 hours which has increased today to 52. Increasing purchasing power- More than 60% of Indian population depends on agriculture and if their purchasing power goes down, the economy or industrial cannot be revived. It is often marked that growth in rural economy is reflected in overall economic growth more prominently. Thus, government has to take note that industry is run by people who have purchasing power and not machines. Against the farm loan waivers The state has responsibility towards its subjects, farmers particularly. But that responsibility has to be borne not by a corporate banking system’s money but by state exchequer. What is happening is that loan of government responsibility is transferred to corporate banking system and thereby vitiating the credit climate system. In UP, the state departments are asked to float bonds and those will be introduced in the market. UP already has Rs. 70000 crore bonds in the market whereas its state deficit is 60000 crore. Hence these are unsustainable economic situations which require proper research, planning and execution. There are tax exemptions for industries and big corporates but not loan waivers. The tax payers’ money are for public welfare which should primarily go to infrastructure building, education, health etc. as they have long term impacts on the society. With the farm loan waivers, lot of money goes into unproductive means. This causes moral hazards for economics and pressure on everyone. The three main banks to suffer are SBI, PNB and Allahabad Bank along with 11 other banks which are largest credit provider in crop loans in UP. When loan waiver happens, banks become more reluctant in providing farm loans in future. Then the farmers goes to moneylenders and get harassed by it for long term. It is agreed that farmers are very important in the economy. But so are MSMEs, services sector, large industries etc which impact the economy. So all are equal stakeholders in gaining development benefits. It would have been better if there were subsidised loan than loan waivers. Conclusion There is a need to address the rootcause of the problem. Farm loan waivers are sub-optimal and short term solution as some of the symptoms of the crisis are addressed and not the origin. But in medium and long term, the recommendations of Swaminathan committee needs to be looked again and implemented. Government is taking many steps such as: Strengthening SARFAESI Act Resolving NPAs Putting Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code 2016 in place. Much of the agricultural subsidies that go to agriculture sector is not going to farmers and going to companies. Nobody in financial sector has ever recommended a waiver in corporate sector. What is widely recommended and endorsed is that a fair cut has to be ensured for the promoters. If the promoters want to get out of bad loan situation, they must take cut so that stressed asset is resolved in a manner that those who has destroyed the asset is not going scotfree. There is a need for sustainable and durable strategy for recovery in farming but not by loan waivers. The real issue is how to take away the surplus workers in farming sector to more productive sectors in economy. This will happen through education and skilling. In last three years, 3.5 lakh farmers have committed suicide and daily the numbers are increasing. The Swaminathan committee report has to be implemented. Farmers need the price they had been promised, give them agricultural subsidies for seeds, fertilisers, diesel and water etc. with right market, then there will be stop on farm suicides too and no more loan waivers will be required. Connecting the dots: Are farm loan waivers justifiable for betterment of farmers? Analyse  

May 5, 2017 MindMaps

IASbaba’s MINDMAP : Issue - Making Local Governments Accountable

IASbaba’s MINDMAP : Issue - Making Local Governments Accountable Archives P.S- Right Click on the image and open it in new tab. From there you can save it in your system.   Reference - Link

May 5, 2017

IASbaba's 60 Day Plan- Prelims Test 2017 Science & Technology and Current Affairs [Day 35]

Hello Friends So, here we are with the 35th Day of 60 Days Plan. It is the third edition of 60 Days program but seems like the first one because of the excitement involved everywhere, including us :) We are equally excited and pumped. Our Team is working hard to make you realize your dream. Do not take it insincerely and let us down. Your faith and participation has to be in sync with the amount of hard work and effort we do. Let us pledge to make it a big game changer (better than last year) in the next 60 days! Importance of Self - Tracking: Learning from Last Year Last year, aspirants used to comment their answers in the comment box on daily basis. There were huge participation in discussion. Putting answers in comment box has been very effective to self track yourself after updating the score. In the end you can cross check your performance through disqus profile. It was highly effective in the last edition of 60 Days that propelled aspirants to monitor their performance and learn through discussion. Let you solve these questions with full honesty and write your result in the comment box. Interact with peers to know your mistakes. The importance of this initiative stands time bound and aggressive reverse engineering to learn the concepts. Many of you must be busy with your own strategy but let us tell you honestly that in the last two months, it is very important to revise and consolidate your learning. Just reading won’t suffice. So, take out few hours from your schedule and make it a revision exercise. How you can make the best use of it? Be honest to your effort and do not start competing with XYZ aspirants here just for the sake of marks. It is more important for you to introspect and check your learning than focusing on others. Try to answer the questions in 20 minutes only.  Do not get into negative feeling that I don’t have enough knowledge to answer these questions. Feel like you are taking the real exam. What would be your response then? The same will be replicated in UPSC exam. Here, you get marks only and nothing else matters. So make effort to know the answers of all questions. Do not cheat :P Baba's Gyan for REVISION Many of you, almost all, asks about effective revision strategy! Can there be any? Let us tell you something Baba does :D  You guys study a lot and there is no issue with the hard work that has been put in. But when it comes to input-output comparison, your performance is questionable. What to do? Just do this for a Week: Go to bed before stipulated time of your sleep, at least 1 hour before. Close your eyes and try to relax your mind. You should attain full comfort and calmness. Do this on the First Day: Imagine the full story of a recent movie that you have watched. Try to recollect from starting to end. See, whether you are able to depict the clear picture or not! Now, do the same for everything you learnt from morning specially the ones you struggled with. Since it is fresh, most of the things should flow into your mind smoothly. Check what is your recollecting capacity. For example, if you prepared Polity Day 2: Topics- Try to collect all important concepts and learning of the day. Trust us, this exercise if done with sincerity will give you immense confidence as well as boost your performance. There is no ideal time for revision and there cannot be any specific date put for it, as commonly done. This will always expose your weaknesses the very same day and if you tend to forget something, can always get back to consolidate and cement it. REPEAT IT FOR A WEEK & SEE THE MAGIC :D  Must to Do: Read the detailed article regarding Micro Analysis Matrix and follow the guidelines- Click Here Try to hold your nerves and learn to control the temptation. This is very important art to learn and implement! Are you ready? Let's start [Day 35]: SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY & CURRENT AFFAIRS  ARCHIVES Q.1) BRABO recently in news is India’s first industrial robot India’s first nanotechnology based computer India’s first solar technology park India’s first operating system Q.2) Consider the following statements regarding 3-D Printing It is also called Additive Reality (AR) 3-D printing is done through photo-polymerisation Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) and Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) are the common technologies used for 3D printing Which of the given statement/s is/are incorrect? Only 1 1 and 2 Only 2 Only 3 Q.3) Select the incorrect statement The light from the Sun travels through Earth’s atmosphere and undergoes scattering after it reaches the earth’s surface Light of shorter wavelengths, such as violet, blue, green and yellow undergoes greater scattering than those of longer wavelengths, such as orange and red. The scattering is related to the size and quantity of the scattering particles. The scattering is more in evening than morning Q.4) Consider the following statements The 2015 Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded for the design and synthesis of molecular machines The most complex molecular machines are proteins found within cells The 2016 Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded to Jean-Pierre Sauvage, Sir J. Fraser Stoddart and Bernard L. Feringa Select the correct statement/s 1 and 3 2 and 3 1 and 2 1, 2 and 3 Q.5) Consider the following statements Pulsars are types of neutron stars Magnetars have a greater magnetic field than neutron star The mass of the Sun is greater than any neutron star Which of the given statement/s is/are correct? 1 and 2 1 and 3 2 and 3 1, 2 and 3 Q.6) The most common chemicals used for cloud seeding include Dry Ice Silver Iodide Liquid Propane Select the correct answer using the codes Only 2 1 and 2 2 and 3 1, 2 and 3 Q.7) Chlorophyll is vital for photosynthesis, which allows plants to absorb energy from light. It contains Nitrogen Carbon Potassium Magnesium Chlorine Oxygen Select the correct code 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6 1, 2, 4 and 6 2, 3, 4, and 6 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 Q.8) Recently scientists have successfully tweaked the process of photosynthesis to make it more efficient and increase plant productivity by raising the level of three proteins involved in the process. The tested plant was a Tea plant Coffee plant Tobacco plant Cotton plant Q.9) Newton Fund Research Programme worth up to USD 80 million was recently announced to jointly address global societal challenges. It is a joint initiative of India and USA USA and UK India and UK UN and EU Q.10) Lithium-ion batteries are popular because they have a number of important advantages over competing technologies. Consider the statements regarding Li-ion batteries They are extremely sensitive to high temperatures They have no memory effect, which means that you do not have to completely discharge them before recharging Lithium is negatively charged ion Which of the given statement/s is/are correct? 1 and 2 2 and 3 1 and 3 1, 2 and 3 Q.11) Consider the following statements regarding Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Energy density of LNG is lower than CNG The predominant constituent of LNG is ethane with some percentage of methane, propane and butane It is odorless, colorless, toxic and non-corrosive Which of the given statement/s is/are incorrect? 1 and 2 Only 2 1 and 3 1, 2 and 3 Q.12) Match the following List I- Disease                            List II- Affected Part Hepatitis                                               Blood Alzheimer's                                           Liver Cystic Fibrosis                                      Lung Ischema                                                 Brain Select the correct code 1-B, 2-D,3-C, 4-A 1-C, 2-B, 3-D, 4-A 1-B, 2-A, 3-D, 4-C 1-A, 2-B, 3-C, 4-D Q.13) Japanese Encephalitis is a notifiable disease in India. Which of the following statements are correct about JE? Japanese Encephalitis is a caused by flavivirus transmitted through infected Culex mosquitoes. Pigs and Wild Birds are the reservoirs of the virus JE virus affects central nervous system. Which of the above statements are correct? 1 and 2 1,2 and 3 2 and 3 All of the above Q.14) Consider the following statements with respect to Dispersion of light The sequence VIBGYOR is in the order of increasing frequency. The red light used in the traffic light is visible even in dense fog, because it has lowest frequency in the VIBGYOR colour spectrum. Select the correct option from code given below 1 only 2 only Both None Q.15) Consider the following diseases Diphtheria Tuberculosis Measles Which of the given diseases is/are airborne? 1 and 3 1 and 2 2 and 3 1, 2 and 3 Q.16) Consider the following statements Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) is implementing the National Manufacturing Competitiveness Programme (NMCP) Lean Manufacturing Competitiveness Scheme (LMCS) is a part of National Manufacturing Competitiveness Programme (NMCP) Select the correct statements Only 1 Only 2 Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.17) Consider the following statements Investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) is a system through which individual companies can sue countries for alleged discriminatory practices India is a signatory to the Convention on the Settlement of Investment Disputes between States and Nationals of Other States (“ICSID Convention”) Select the correct statements Only 1 Only 2 Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.18) Consider the following statements about Payment Banks They can issue debit cards and credit cards They cannot give loans They don’t have to maintain Cash Reserve Ratio Select the correct statements 1 and 2 Only 2 1 and 3 2 and 3 Q.19) Consider the following statements about Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Project (DRIP) The Implementation Agencies for DRIP are Water Resources Departments and State Electricity Boards in the participating States and Central Water Commission at Central Level DRIP is assisted by the World Bank Select the correct statements Only 1 Only 2 Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.20) Which of the following is/are correctly matched? Kambala – Andhra Pradesh Jalikattu – Tamil Nadu Aanaval Pidi – Kerala Select the correct code: 1 and 2 2 and 3 1 and 3 All of the above Q.21) Thor Experiment is concerned with Investigating electrical activity from thunderstorms Test of strength between Thor (A character from Norse mytholog and ‘The Hulk’ Earth Trojan Asteroids None of the above Q.22) Which of the following is/are correctly matched?         Geographical Indication (GI tag)                      State Kullu Shawl                                                      Uttarakhand Muga Silk                                                          Tamil Nadu Nilambur Teak                                                 Kerala Select the correct code: Only 3 1 and 2 2 and 3 1 and 3 Q.23) Which of the following statements about ‘vote-on-account (VOA)’ is/are correct? A VOA in the strict sense deals only with the expenditure side of the government's budget, whereas an interim budget has to include both expenditure and receipts A VOA cannot be for a period longer than six No changes are made to tax and duty structures and no new schemes are announced in vote-on-account All of the above Q.24) Consider the following statements about Varishtha Pension Bima Yojana 2017 The scheme is meant to provide an assured pension based on a guaranteed rate of return of 10.25% per annum for ten years, with an option to opt for pension on a monthly/quarterly/half-yearly or annual basis It will be implemented by Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) Which of the following statements is/are correct? Only 1 Only 2 Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.25) Consider the following statements about Rubber Soil Information System (RubSIS) It is an online system for recommending application of appropriate mix of fertilizers to the specific plantations of rubber growers depending upon their soil nature It was launched by Ministry of Commerce and Industry It was developed Rubber Research Institute of India (RRII) under the Rubber Board in collaboration with few agencies Which of the following statements is/are correct? 1 and 2 2 and 3 1 and 3 All of the above Download The Solution - Click here 

May 4, 2017 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs 4th May, 2017

IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 4th May 2017 Archives NATIONAL/ECONOMY TOPIC: General Studies 2 Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. General Studies 3 Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment. Inclusive growth and issues arising from it. Taxing Agricultural Income Introduction India’s tax base is disappointing. For a large country with large immense priorities India needs to initiate measure to encourage people to pay taxes and widen tax base. Taxing agricultural income is a recent debate that needs wider debate. Issue: Bibek Debroy, a member of the government think tank NITI Aayog, recently voice a proposal to tax agricultural income above a particular threshold which has led to a public exchange of views. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley quickly dismissed any plans to tax farm income, but more policymakers have voiced opinions. Chief Economic Adviser Arvind Subramanian who made it clear that taxing farm income is a State subject. Taxing Agricultural Income – Possibilities: The public image of farming being a poor man’s venture and the sizeable vote share that farmers enjoy have made the idea of farm taxes a political taboo. The frequent distress faced by poor or marginal farmers, which could be attributed to structural issues other than taxation, hasn’t helped matters either. But India has a presence of rich farmers as well and there exists as a strong justification for taxing them in order to widen the country’s embarrassingly narrow tax base. Debroy suggested that an appropriate tax policy should draw a distinction between rich and poor farmers, thereby addressing the widespread political apprehension of bringing agriculture under the tax net. India’s narrow tax base: India’s Economic Survey over the years has continuously highlighted the plight of a low tax base and the need to improve it. India’s tax base, standing at a diminutive 5.9% of the working population, is already among the lowest in the world. This unnecessarily burdens the more formal sectors of the economy that are already overtaxed; at the same time, it handicaps government spending on the social sector. Concerns: Policymakers must also show equal care and urgency in addressing the structural issues facing the sector. This includes, among many, reforms to the broken agricultural supply chain that still leaves farmers at the mercy of middlemen cartels. Such reforms are crucial if farming is to become a sustainable enterprise in the long run. Else, a tax on high-income farmers will result only in driving resources away from agriculture into other sectors. It would make no difference to poorer farmers stuck in agriculture, merely because of the lack of opportunities. In this context, the historical transition of labour and other resources from agriculture into other sectors is particularly useful to keep in mind. The said transition has been very slow in India; in fact, according to Census figures, the size of the farm workforce increased by 28.9 million between 2001 and 2011. This is due to a combination of factors, but one in particular is worth noting: the difficulty agricultural workers face in finding jobs in other more advanced sectors. A tax on lucrative high value farm ventures, which affects their ability to absorb labourers from low-value farming, could make life more difficult for farmers unable to make the cut in industry or services. Policymakers need to move carefully as they go ahead on a long overdue fiscal reform. Conclusion: India’s tax base is disturbingly small and this hurts resource mobilization and use. It is important we take all necessary measures to widen the same. Agriculture especially rich farmers should be progressively brought under the tax net for a vibrant economy and will help further spread of resources. However the [policy should be well planned. Connecting the dots: Analyse the need to tax agricultural income of rich farmers. Elaborate on the issues concerning narrow tax base of the country.   INTERNATIONAL TOPIC: General studies 2: India and its neighborhood- relations. Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests. Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests, Indian diaspora. Important International institutions, agencies and fora- their structure, mandate. China to host a Belt and Road forum for international cooperation Introduction: Recent UN support for China project passing through PoK puts India’s claim in jeopardy. In March 2017, a UNSC resolution was called on Afghanistan to tackle the “threats” posed by the Taliban, al-Qaeda, ISIS affiliates and other terrorist groups which threaten the security and stability of the war-torn country. The resolution adopted unanimously by the UN Security Council  extended the mandate of UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan until March 17, 2018, and expressed serious concern at the presence and potential growth of ISIS affiliates in the country. UNSC resolution welcomed current efforts to strengthen regional connectivity and economic cooperation between Afghanistan and its neighbours, citing the example of the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline project and the Chabahar port project between Afghanistan, India and Iran. However, the UNSC resolution had for the first time incorporated China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), a multi-billion inter-continental connectivity mission that has a flagship project passing through Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK). It also said international efforts should be strengthened to implement the BRI. The UN endorsing the BRI could complicate the situation as far as India’s claims are concerned. India has a “sovereignty” issue with the BRI because its flagship project, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), passes through PoK and according to diplomats, India endorsing the BRI would mean giving up its claims on PoK. Also included in the newly adopted council resolution was China’s Belt and Road Initiative, which aims to build a trade and infrastructure network connecting Asia with Europe and Africa along the ancient trade routes. After this, China promptly announced that this reference of Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in UNSC resolution reflected a global consensus on the BRI. The Chinese envoy said that latest council move is conducive to creating a favourable atmosphere for China to host a Belt and Road forum for international cooperation in Beijing this May in order to brainstorm on interconnected development. BRI: the grand design The BRI originated in 2013 when China’s President Xi Jinping in his speech outlined plans for China’s global outreach through connectivity and infrastructure development. The Silk Road Economic Belt includes land corridors from China through Central Asia and Russia to Europe with spurs to West Asia and to Pakistan — the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). The 21st century Maritime Silk Road links China’s east coast through major sea lanes to Europe in the west and the Pacific in the east. Together, they constitute the BRI (originally “One Belt One Road”, until the Chinese recently changed the name). The concept was subsequently fleshed out with multiple justifications and project ideas, finally giving it wings as the grand strategic vision of President Xi. Objectives of BRI Among Chinese objectives of the BRI are - finding outlets for excess capacity of its manufacturing and construction industries; increasing economic activity in its relatively underdeveloped western region; and creating alternative energy supply routes to the choke points of the Straits of Hormuz and Malacca, through which almost all of China’s maritime oil imports pass Through BRI, China can strengthen its influence over swathes of Asia and Africa, buttressing its ambitions to be a maritime power, and developing financing structures parallel to (and eventually competing with) the Bretton Woods system. It is a rich mix of economic, developmental, strategic and geopolitical motives. It is also the most ambitious global infrastructure project ever envisaged by one country. Concerns: Connectivity and infrastructure development are unexceptionable objectives. Much of Asia lacks them and the finances required to develop them. However, analysts have highlighted a number of potential issues: Chinese overcapacity may override host countries’ development priorities in project selection; political tensions between countries may prevail over considerations of economic benefit; local elites may corner the “spoils” from new projects, thereby exacerbating social tensions; and financing strategies may result in countries sleepwalking into a debt trap (the Hambantota development projects in Sri Lanka provide a telling example). Much will depend on how sensitive China is to international and local concerns on these counts. However, even if only a part of the grand BRI design is eventually implemented, it could have a major political and economic impact. India’s stand on BRI and mid-May summit: Officially, India says it cannot endorse the BRI in its present form and has a “sovereignty” issue, since BRI includes the CPEC, which runs through Indian territory under illegal Pakistani occupation (Gilgit-Baltistan). Some analysts have argued for the more “pragmatic” approach of a partial endorsement: as the initiative rolls out in various countries, India can engage with them (and with China) to promote projects that would be of benefit. The mid-May (BRF) summit is said to include leaders of Russia, Turkey, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Indonesia. The US, Germany, France and the U.K. will not be represented at the top level (because of their leaders’ domestic preoccupations). There are only two each from South Asia, Central Asia and Africa and none from West Asia. India has apparently not yet conveyed the level of its attendance. China has argued that India would be “isolating” itself by staying out and argues that connectivity provided by the BRI would enhance economic cooperation and promote peace. This corridor would intersect the CPEC and may therefore open new routes for Chinese goods to both India and Afghanistan, besides promoting India, Pakistan and Afghanistan trade. With its investment in the CPEC now estimated at over $60 billion, its increasing bilateral assistance to Pakistan and its growing military presence in that country, China is in a strong position to persuade Pakistan to recognise that this is in its best economic interest: it may even transform the CPEC into a commercially viable project. What awaits next? Will India participate in the BRF summit? Will India ask China whether it is willing to address its concerns in such a way as to enable high-level Indian participation? Would China be willing to declare that the CPEC is not a component of the BRI but a separate bilateral China-Pakistan project? Will BRF provide New Delhi the opportunity to extract something of commensurate value in return? Connecting the dots: What is China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)? Should India worry about it? Analyze. Explain the concept of one belt one road initiative of china and its impact on the growth and security of South Asian continent. India today seems to be sceptical about one belt one road (OBOR) initiative of china. Explain the reasons for the same and what should be the future course of action by India towards OBOR initiative. MUST READ Guarding the gatekeepers Hindu   Sorry, we owe you no apology Hindu   Space Games Indian Express   Why Muslims must give BJP a fair chance Indian Express   For India’s liberals, party is over Indian Express   Understanding NITI Aayog’s action agenda Livemint   India’s dominance in Indian Ocean is intact Livemint   Why India should tax agricultural income Livemint   Downside of federalism Business Line   Rivalries sharpening in Afghanistan Business Line   Who’ll audit GSTN? Business Line  

May 4, 2017 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs 3rd May, 2017

IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 3rd May 2017 Archives NATIONAL TOPIC: General Studies 2 Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. General Studies 1 Food processing and related industries in India‐ scope and significance. Public Distribution System - objectives, functioning, limitations, revamping. Food Fortification Introduction India is facing cute problem of malnutrition. Lack of adequate supply of food in adequate amounts and quality is one concern. But lack of required nutrients is a bigger concern. Food fortification done in a scientific manner and on common foods will benefit a large population. Malnutrition: Malnutrition isn’t just about acute starvation. It is true that healthy-looking people are malnourished too, because their diet does not include the right micronutrients. For instance, iron deficiency leads to critical problems during pregnancy, and not enough Vitamin A can lead to poor vision, infections, and skin problems. What is food fortification? Fortification is adding vitamins and minerals to foods to prevent nutritional deficiencies. The nutrients regularly used in grain fortification prevent diseases, strengthen immune systems, and improve productivity and cognitive development. Wheat flour, maize flour, and rice are primarily fortified to: Prevent nutritional anemia Prevent neural tube birth defects Increased productivity Improve economic progress Fortification is successful because it makes frequently eaten foods more nutritious without relying on consumers to change their habits. Vitamins and minerals often used in flour and rice fortification and their role in health include: Iron, riboflavin, folic acid, zinc, and vitamin B12 help prevent nutritional anemia which improves productivity, maternal health, and cognitive development. Folic acid (vitamin B9) reduces the risk of neural tube birth defects Zinc helps children develop, strengthens immune systems, and lessens complications from diarrhea. Niacin (vitamin B3) prevents the skin disease known as pellagra. Riboflavin (vitamin B2) helps with metabolism of fats, carbohydrates, and proteins. Thiamin (vitamin B1) prevents the nervous system disease called beriberi. Vitamin B12 maintains functions of the brain and nervous system. Vitamin D helps bodies absorb calcium which improves bone health. Vitamin A deficiency is the leading cause of childhood blindness. It also diminishes an individual’s ability to fight infections. Vitamin A can be added to wheat or maize flour, but it is often added to rice, cooking oils, margarine, or sugar instead. Issue: To tackle the issue of malnutrition, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) released a set of standards and a logo last year. The focus has been on awareness- and consensus-building. Now, a number of enterprises will begin adding premixes of micronutrients to launch fortified foods. Milk cooperatives in Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, Assam and Maharashtra will fortify their products too. Targeting children, the Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh governments have begun using fortified oil for their mid-day meal schemes. West Bengal and Andaman and Nicobar Islands are now distributing fortified wheat flour through the public distribution system, and the Maharashtra government has started a pilot project. The FSSAI is also working with small local suppliers, for instance local flour grinding mills, to get them to add premixed micronutrients. The FSSAI has decided not to interfere in pricing. Private Sector Participation: Large private players are expected to join the league like – General Mills India, ITC, Hindustan Unilever and Patanjali will launch wheat flour, Adani Wilmar, Marico, Borges India, and Kaleesuwari Refineries are working on oil, LT Foods, DCP Food, and KKR Food are launching rices, and in salt, other brands will join Tata, which already has a double fortified brand in the market. Conclusion: Innovative measures like food fortification can be a real boon to the problem of malnutrition in India. Government has to establish a framework w.r.t. the same and work on the guidelines for large scale and hassle free implementation. Connecting the dots: Critically analyse the role of food fortification in tackling the problem of malnutrition in India.   HEALTH/NATIONAL TOPIC: General Studies 2 Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health Important International institutions, agencies and fora- their structure, mandate. India’s Increased Policy Commitment towards HIV/AIDS World Health Organisation (WHO) gave 2 key recommendations in its 2015 guidelines for treating and preventing HIV infection: First, antiretroviral therapy (ART) should be initiated in everyone living with HIV at any CD4 (a type of white-blood cell) cell count. Second, the use of daily oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is recommended as a prevention choice for people at substantial risk of HIV infection as part of combination prevention approaches. The first of these recommendations is based on evidence from clinical trials and observational studies released since 2013 showing that - ‘earlier use of ART results in better clinical outcomes for people living with HIV compared with delayed treatment’. The second recommendation is based on clinical trial results confirming the ‘efficacy of the ARV drug tenofovir for use as PrEP’ to prevent people from acquiring HIV in a wide variety of settings and populations. Background: It was in 2002 that the WHO first issued its ART guidelines. In the absence of AIDS-defining illnesses, the WHO set CD4 count less than 200 cells per cubic millimetre as the threshold to begin ART treatment. Over time, it changed its guidelines and, in 2013, increased the threshold to CD4 count less than 500 cells per cu. Mm. However in 2015, the WHO once again changed its guidelines. Based on evidence from clinical trials and observational studies since 2013, it became clear that an earlier use of ART, irrespective of the CD4 count, results in better clinical outcomes. Accordingly, it recommended that ART be initiated in HIV-positive people at any CD4 cell count. India follows WHO’s recommendations Two years after the WHO recommendations, India has aligned its policy with the above guideline. As per 2015 estimates, India has 2.1 million HIV-positive people, of which only 1.6 million have been diagnosed and about a million are on treatment. But over half a million people are not even aware of their HIV status. Health Ministry recently announced that any person who tests positive for HIV will be provided ART “as soon as possible and irrespective of the CD count or clinical stage”. With the government changing its treatment guidelines, the 0.6 million who have been diagnosed but not been on treatment are now eligible for treatment. The above move is considered to be a welcome move as nearly 4.5 lakh deaths can be averted. Earlier initiation of ART will help people with HIV live longer, remain healthier and “substantially reduce” the risk of them transmitting the virus to others. But the biggest challenge will be to identify the 0.35 million who have been diagnosed but not on treatment and the 0.5 million who have been infected but have not been diagnosed. Also, nearly 80,000 people get infected each year. There should be greater focus now on identifying people with HIV and expanding treatment delivery sites. The government should start community-based testing to bring it closer to those in need, and target special groups that are more vulnerable to infection such as partners of people who are HIV-positive. HIV/AIDS:  first disease to be the subject of a UNSC resolution In July 2000, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) adopted Resolution 1308, calling for “urgent and exceptional actions” to mitigate the threats posed by HIV/AIDS. These exceptional actions referred to the need to provide exclusive responses and resources to mitigate the threat posed by HIV/AIDS. As the first disease to be the subject of a UNSC resolution, the exceptional status of HIV/AIDS had brought about unprecedented levels of international funding allocated primarily in developing countries where responses to the disease have historically been scarce or non-existent. With financial assistance from international institutions and bilateral governments, HIV/AIDS responses intensified in many developing countries. Declining trend of HIV/AIDS international financial assistance However, there has been a stagnating and even declining trend of HIV/AIDS international financial assistance in recent years. Data show that most European donor governments have reduced their HIV/AIDS financial commitments since 2012. Moreover, in light of the continuous economic boom in countries such as India and China, international funding agencies now argue that these countries should be donors instead of recipients of international HIV/AIDS-specific grants and loans. Without renewed and increased commitment from international donors and recipient governments, the sustainability of future national HIV/AIDS programmes is in doubt. In response to the changing global health agenda, most of the countries are prioritising the integration of HIV/AIDS programmes into existing health-related systems. Integration into health systems An integration of HIV/AIDS interventions and primary health-care systems has taken place in India from 2010 onwards. For instance, six components of the National AIDS Control Programme (NACP)-III merged with the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) in 2010. These included - Integrated Counselling and Testing Centresers (ICTC); prevention of parent-to-child transmission (PPTCT); blood safety; sexually transmitted infections (STI) services; condom programming along with ; together with antiretroviral treatment (ART) National AIDS Control Programme (NACP)-IV The continued integration of HIV/AIDS responses under the umbrella health system is ongoing in the NACP-IV; where all the service delivery units except the targeted interventions (TIs) have been set up within the health-care system. AIDS-free by 2030, India included At the 2016 high-level meeting at the UN General Assembly, India pledged to follow targets to fast track the pace of progress towards ending HIV/AIDS as a public health threat in the next five years, and ending the epidemic by 2030. To fulfil the commitment, the Government of India is now playing a larger role in funding its HIV/AIDS programmes — this is evident from the fact that two-thirds of the budget for the NACP-IV is provided by the Government of India and comes from the domestic budget. Indian HIV/AIDS programmes have progressively become less dependent on foreign assistance considering that over 85% of the budgets in the first and second phases of the NACPs and 75% in the third phase were supported by international and bilateral funding mechanisms. Ongoing improvement in the funding levels shows an increased policy commitment and fiscal capacity to address HIV/AIDS locally. But in order to ensure the sustainability of the HIV/AIDS interventions, continuous integration of HIV/AIDS programmes into a larger health system is required. However, health care has never been a priority in India per se. Despite rapid economic development over the past two decades, public expenditure on health care in India as a proportion of GDP is among the world’s lowest. Health expenditure in India was merely 1.3% in 2015-16, while countries such as Norway, Canada, and Japan allocated over 9% of GDP to health. India’s health-care expenditure is also comparatively less than other BRICS countries. The highest expenditure is by Brazil composing of 4.7% of its GDP. India’s overall health budget has declined by 13%, i.e. from Rs.35,780 crore in 2014-15 to Rs.31,501 crore in 2015-16. Connecting the dots: Elaborate on the Policy actions initiated by the government w.r.t. HIV AIDS and the necessary concerns associated. Highlight the provisions of the recent legislation. What is HIV and how is it a life threatening disease? How has India battled against HIV? Critically examine. 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