Download Yojana Magazines 2016 and 2015– Click here Friends, Here we are with the MARCH 2017, edition of Yojana and Kurukshetra. Mind Maps- Right Click on the image and then Save As Click on the image to Download
At IASbaba we have a single guideline before starting any initiative “Can we at IASbaba do it the best in comparison to any existing system, Can we redefine the way things are delivered" If the answer to the above is yes , then only we go ahead with an initiative and not for mere sake of doing things A testimony to the above has been 60 Day Program (link), TLP program and ILP Program which have now become the biggest online environment for UPSC learning. As on today our App is downloaded by 2,50,000 plus aspirants with the highest rating of 4.6 (UPSC standalone). We started an offline course for a select group of 150 students and the response has been phenomenal. Where normal coaching centres would have a success ratio of 1-4%, IASbaba clearly wants to have a success ratio of 30% at each successive stage In sync with the above vision we proudly announce the commencement of Comprehensive Integrated Classroom Program (Prelims, Mains and Interview) for 2018. Selection in UPSC Civil Services Exam is like climbing a mountain. You not only need proper equipment and training but also a very strong resolve and mental make-up. Despite having everything you can’t do it without a proper guide who can help you out at every single step. This is where we come into the picture. IASBABA was started with an aim to provide one stop destination for all your preparation needs. All our programs are extremely outcome oriented in a time bound manner. You can read the reviews of Online programme here Link 1 and Link 2 With the Workshops we were able to help you prepare Essay in 30 minutes with a proven framework or make you understand IR and Ethics strategy in an hour. What to read? What not to read? How to Read? and nuances of UPSC preparation were cleared with Current Affairs, Mains Answer writing strategy. All our workshops received tremendous response. You can cross check it here- Link 1, Link 2 and Link 3 Coming to our OFFLINE Classroom program (2016 & 2017), the classes were designed to provide high output – input ratio. And the response was overwhelming and the feedback was even better. We wish you set higher standards in offline the similar way we have set in online. It is said that if you want to win a race your first step is very important. That is when you get into a proper rhythm and get to the finish line. We are here to give you that perfect start and keep you on the track. The details of the program are as follows: IASbaba’s OFFLINE Classes 2018 (Prelims-Mains-Interview) Last year when we announced about our for Offline classes, we received close to a couple of thousand requests for our classroom. In the end we prioritized 150 students (Which got dragged to 180). Our concern was that we raise above the quality which we have been offering online to make it the best in India. We have created 2 channels for admission to IASBaba : 1)This year as promised, for nearly 100 plus students there would be no fees! (FREE) In the above 100 there are few conditions set by the sponsoring institutes. For example : 20 seats might be reserved for aspirants from Minority and physically handicapped. IASbaba would not like to reveal the exact list of sponsorers. However it promises that quite a number of them will be for people with no social markers. There will be an entrance exam for the above and it will be held in 3rd week of June. 2) You can fill up the form (Registration Link is provided @ the end) Link will be sent for select candidates for admission. For the select list of candidates, it will be first cum first basis. You will have 10 days from the day you receive your invite to join the program. Or you can come over to the centre, meet either of the Co - founders and on their submission join the course.This would be the quickest way. You can join the program and go ahead and write the scholarship test. If you are eligible under the scholarship program you will get a refund of the fee paid. To remain inclusive IASbaba has decide to go ahead with no fee increase for the present year. Basic Information about IASbaba’s OFFLINE Classes in FAQ format: Why should I join IASbaba? Look at the video above; we don’t have to tell you that :) When will the classes start? July (MidWeek) 2017 – Tentative. Once Prelims Exam is over, we will come up with the exact date. When will the Entrance Test for the Offline Classes be held? June (3rd Week) 2017 – Tentative. Once Prelims Exams is over, we will come up with the exact date. Duration of the classes? 9- 10 Months (6-7 months of Classroom program followed by Tests) Is this Prelims-Mains-Interview Oriented Classes? Yes, it is an integrated program covering all the 3 Stages of UPSC Preparation. We don’t take classes exclusively for Prelims Only. Will Optional Classes be conducted? Optionals might be scrapped for 2018 or 2019. IASbaba does not want to work for short term goals. Weekday and Weekend Batch timings? Weekday : 7 am – 9 am (Monday – Friday) – Tentative Weekend : 2pm- 7pm (Saturday) & 9am- 5pm (Sunday) – Tentative If I am residing outside Bangalore or Karnataka, how do I contact you? You can contact us on – Mail : 2018batch@iasbaba.com Mobile No.: 9035077800/8602242429 (Please contact between 10 am - 5 pm) PG accommodation & Cost of Living: About Rajajinagar and Vijaynagar: Rajajinagar and Vijayangar form the old part of Bangalore .Both were started as middle class layouts in early 80’s . Accommodation and food is relatively cheaper compared to newer areas of Bangalore. Coupled with this one can find excellent transpiration facilities. Vijayanagar to Rajajinagar is to 10-15 minute drive and 20 minutes by bus. Vijaynagar is know to have at least 50 PGs and acts as a base to any UPSC aspirants. We are just 3.5 kms ( 15-20 min in bus ) from Vijaynagar. Cost of living: On sharing basis : 5-6 k (including food) On Single basis : 7-9k per month (including food) In these areas you can get a decent 2 bedroom house for 8-10k List of PG’s with phone number: We are sharing with you a list of Paying guests located within 2 kms of the centre- Click Here For Girls: There are 3 high quality PGs within a km of the institute. The following are the same: For Guys: We don’t find many PGs confirming to good standards. Also on https://www.nestaway.com you can find at least 200 vacancies in the surrounding areas of Vijaynagar , Rajajinagar and Malleshwaram. Venue: Classes would be conducted in KLE. There is a study centre at our office facility. There are 4 libraries located with 3.5 kms of the centre and UPSC friendly. FOR REGISTRATION - CLICK HERE For any Doubts & Queries – E-Mail : 2018batch@iasbaba.com Contact No.: 9035077800/8602242429 (Please contact between 10 am - 5 pm) Office Address: 220, First Floor, 28th Cross, 2nd Block, Rajaji Nagar, Karnataka 560010 (Land Mark- Near KLE College) Please note that, details about 2017 Mains OFFLINE Classes will be announced in the next post (in a few days) “Join us only if you think you have the fire and passion to crack this examination in the very first attempt with IASbaba”
IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 22nd April 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 3 Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation Privatisation and Commercialisation of Water in India Introduction The United Nations has recognized access to water as a basic human right, stating that water is a social and cultural good, not merely an economic commodity. Today, due to increasing consumption patterns, water is becoming scarce and this scarcity is an emerging threat to the global population. Global consumption of water is doubling every 20 years, more than twice the rate of human population growth. At present more than one billion people on earth already lack access to fresh drinking water. By the year 2025 the demand for freshwater is expected to rise to 56% above what currently available water can deliver, if current trends persist. To solve the growing water crisis, the solution that is proposed and pushed by world bodies such as WTO and IMF through international agreements such as GATS is privatization of water, which in effect leads to treatment of water as a commodity. The argument put forth for water privatization is that increased cost for water will promote conservation. This commodification of water has already happened in several developed countries and is being pushed in many developing countries through structural adjustment policies. During the past decade and half India has been witnessing measures to reform the water sector based on the financial sustainability model put forward by the international institutions based on principles like full cost recovery, rationalisation of water tariffs, privatisation and public private partnerships across urban, rural as well as agricultural sub-sectors. The move is towards privatisation, commercialisation and commodification of water sector. These efforts to privatise water services have been undertaken through various international institutions like World Bank, Asian Development Bank (ADB) and International Finance Corporation (IFC) funded projects, national programs like Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JnNURM), Urban Infrastructure Development Scheme in Small and Medium Towns (UIDSSMT) and now under the SMART city initiative and the AMRUT plan for urban development. Where private participation of urban services is envisaged and user costs will be required for covering the expenses of such services including domestic water supplies. Under these schemes several towns and cities across the country have witnessed privatisation measures being implemented despite people's opposition and negative opinion against these. Should India privatise its water? Water privatization involves transferring of water control and/or water management services to private companies. The water management service may include collection, purification, distribution of water, and waste water treatment in a community. Traditionally this service has been provided by the local governmental infrastructure such as the municipality or local city council. Arguments favouring privatisation of water: The pro privatization lobby including water corporations, world bank and IMF has aggressively campaigned for water privatization on the grounds that, while water subsidies promote wasteful practices, commodification of water should allow market forces (supply and demand) to set the water tariff, which in turn will reduce water consumption and promote water conservation. Furthermore, it is argued that opening this sector to private providers, will bring in badly needed capital for upgrading and development of infrastructur Since 1990, the government, through its reforms, has encouraged private sector projects in the water sector in the hope that transferring the responsibility of water to private companies will bring more transparency and accountability to the process. The drive to privatise the water sector in India accelerated after the year 2000 when the government of India adopted various reforms suggested by international financial institutions like the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank. In 2002, the government implemented National Water Policy. As per the policy, “Private sector participation should be encouraged in planning, development and management of water resources projects for diverse use, wherever feasible. Private sector participation may help in introducing innovative ideas, generating financial resources and introducing corporate management and improving service efficiency and accountability to users. Depending upon the specific situations, various combinations of private sector participation, in building, owning, operating, leasing and transferring of water resources facilities, may be considered.” The PPP model ensures that every bungalow, flat, and slum gets tapped water that is metered and for 24 hours. The largest beneficiaries are the people in the slums who no longer have to wait in queues for six to eight hours to collect their bucket of water. Arguments against privatisation of water: Critics argue that there are several lacunae in the urban water sector which are being used as a justification for pushing water privatisation. Lacunae include losses, inefficiency, unreliability, corruption, issues of quality, and mismanagement. All of these are symptoms; the root cause is lack of democratic governance. If we look at the experiences anywhere in the world with privatisation of water, nowhere has it sustained over a long period of time in a comprehensive manner, encompassing most of, or even large parts of, the urban water sector. Water is not merely a commodity, and the urban water sector is not just about supplying fresh potable water to people in urban dwellings. The urban water sector also involves multiple layers, including sourcing of water, deciding which is the best among available options, getting potable water through purification plants for equitable distribution through huge infrastructure, and managing the sewage generated through another set of huge infrastructure. It involves not only creating infrastructure at so many different levels and managing such created infrastructure along with natural sources, but also aims to achieve a sustainable and optimum system. Therefore, the need of the hour is “better governance” or “to improve public water governance” instead of pushing for privatisation of water. India needs a democratic, transparent, accountable and participatory governance in a bottom-up approach, on each aspect of the urban water sector where water privatisation is advocated. The private sector works on one bottom line: profit maximisation. But the management of water supply is an issue of rights and a basic need, as acknowledged by the judiciary. Moreover, water is embedded in the ecosystem. Any attempt to see water only as a commodity is bound to have multiple disruptive consequences. The saga of failure Within a decade the private sector participation projects in the water sector shot up to more than 300. Maharashtra has the maximum number (48 projects) of privatised water followed by Karnataka (26 projects), Tamil Nadu (25 projects), Delhi (20 projects), Rajasthan (17 projects) and Andhra Pradesh (15 projects). More than 70 percent of the projects are under various stages of implementation and still need to be evaluated. As per a study the global business opportunities related to the water sector are expected to reach one trillion US dollars by 2025. The unlimited access to water resources by the governments to the private companies has given rise to well developed water markets. Privatisation or private sector participation in the water sector involves hydropower, industrial and domestic water supply, and even irrigation. However, even after opening several fronts for the private companies, the companies have failed to improve water services. There are more than 20 private sector participation projects that are facing problems in implementation. For instance, privatisation of Shivnath river for water supply to Borai Industrial Area, Durg in Chhatissgarh; privatisation of domestic water supply in Khandwa and Shivpuri in Madhya Pradesh; Latur, Nagpur and Aurangabad in Maharashtra; Mysore, Hubli-Dharwad and Bangalore in Karnataka and privatisation in Delhi has seen serious social, economic, financial and environmental problems that these projects are facing. There are various other places where privatisation of water services/ resources is in "troubled waters". Several of the above mentioned cities have been witnessing people's campaigns against the privatisation projects. Local people in these towns and cities are severely impacted due to the conditionalities that the privatisation of water services brings along with it, especially the poor and the marginalised sections of the community. The conditionalities are being implemented as part of the larger reforms process in the water sector manifest as specific clauses under the concession contracts that range from risky to ridiculous like – control of private companies on domestic water supplies, mandatory household level metering, 24x7 water supply, increasing water tariffs, automatic revision of water tariffs every one to three years (10% hike), ignoring access and coverage of poor and marginalised sections, prohibiting use of local water resources and sharing domestic water within the community, neglecting local water resources, increasing dependence on distant water sources, among others. Interestingly, all the above projects focus on financial aspects like tariff increases, user charges, full cost recovery, but none of the above discusses in details about the services improvement aspects and better, quality, coverage and access to the local people especially poor and marginalised. There is no private sector regulation act and rules to regulate the functioning of the private sector. What’s wrong with water privatisation? It leads to increase in the water tariffs. Price hikes are unaffordable for the poor. It undermines water quality. Private companies are not accountable to consumers. It fosters corruption. Privatisation reduces local control and public rights. Private financing cost more than government funding. It leads to job losses. Privatisation is hard to reverse. The poor could be left with no access to clean water. Privatisation would open the door for bulk water exports. Creation of water monopolies. The way forward: Water is synonymous with life. Water corporations, through world bodies such as World Bank and IMF, are influencing national governments to push privatization and commodification of water as “the chosen” alternative to manage the growth in water consumption and the severe water scarcity. However, the growth in water consumption is highest in the agricultural and industrial areas, where the resources to buy water are readily available with rich farmers and industries. This increase in consumption will be satisfied through the market dynamics often at the cost of the poor who cannot afford the increased water tariffs. Furthermore, due to the nature of this sector, water privatization, instead of bringing in healthy competition, results in a monopoly sanctioned by the government agencies. Numerous case studies around the world highlight the other ills of water privatization such as poor quality of water, unsustainable water mining and lack of transparency and accountability. From the various studies it can be considered the proposed privatization of water as a violation of basic rights of citizens of India and oppose any means to privatize water in India. Better and socially responsible alternatives can be found by investing in community based participatory approaches to water management that ensures equitable and sustainable use of this precious natural resource. All over the world, alternate models such as rain water harvesting, check dam and bund building, holistic watershed management, integrated river basin management, and irrigation efficiency improvement have all been demonstrated as low cost successful alternatives to privatization. Responsible water usage can only be achieved by empowering local communities and creating local accountability. Hence, instead of pushing for privatization as suggested by the national water policy, all stakeholders should call upon the government to develop policies that protect water resources, promote sustainable watershed management and invest in technologies that will increase efficiency in irrigation, industrial usage and improve water harvesting techniques. Rather than have private management of this resource, better public oversight is needed. Institutional structures with representation from resident welfare associations and social activists can audit distribution network functioning. Transparency in water supply-related data such as pipelines laid, incremental households served, leakages, treated water, efficiency in water usage through pricing usage above a certain threshold, smart metering, rainwater harvesting and more budgetary support are some other measures to achieve this objective in urban areas. Connecting the dots National Water Policy (2012) had called for privatisation of water delivery services and suggested that water be priced to “fully recover” the costs of operation and administration of water-resources projects. Critically examine the need for privatisation of water in India. To solve the growing water crisis, the solution that is proposed and pushed by world bodies such as WTO and IMF through international agreements such as GATS is privatization of water. Do you think India should also privatise its water? Critically analyze. Discuss the implications of privatisation of water in India. Elucidate why privatising India’s water is a bad idea. SOCIAL ISSUE/HEALTH 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 Development processes and the development industry the role of NGOs, SHGs, various groups and associations, donors, charities, institutional and other stakeholders Tropical Disease Control Introduction India is tropical country and is largely affected by tropical diseases. The disease burden annually has a cost on the economy of the country also. Government has initiated a number of measures over the years that have contributed to decrease in the spread. WHO has praised India for tackling tropical diseases but concerns remain over rise in leprosy cases. London Declaration: The London Declaration on Neglected Tropical Diseases is a collaborative disease eradication programme launched on 30 January 2012 in London. It was inspired by the World Health Organization 2020 roadmap to eradicate or negate transmission for neglected tropical diseases. Officials from WHO, the World Bank, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the world's 13 leading pharmaceutical companies, and government representatives from US, UK, UAE, Bangladesh, Brazil, Mozambique and Tanzania participated in a joint meeting at the Royal College of Physicians to launch this project. The meeting was spearheaded by Margaret Chan, Director-General of WHO, and Bill Gates, Co-Chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. This declaration is the largest coordinated effort to date in health issues and it aims to eliminate or control 10 neglected diseases by 2020 by providing more than US$785 million to support research and development. These diseases are most rampant in the economically deprived regions of the world and affect 1.4 billion people, and are responsible for the persistent backwardness in human development. Issue: India earned an honourable mention in a new WHO report on neglected tropical diseases (NTD), it is also one of the handful of countries around the world that have shown an increase in leprosy cases. The number of leprosy cases in India went up from 1,25,785 to 1,27,326 between 2014 and 2015. The report, which was released on the occasion of the second WHO partners meeting on Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD), also talked about the fact that India was certified free of Yaws in 2015. Yaws is a debilitating childhood infection that affected 46,000 people from 8 countries in 2015. This is the fourth NTD report. Importance: According to WHO estimates, one in six people suffer from NTDs worldwide including more than half a billion children. Among the 18 NTDs the ones that are of concern to India apart from Yaws and leprosy are dengue, chikungunya and viral leishmaniasis. India’s efforts: India’s efforts to eradicate viral leishmaniasis, commonly known as kala azar, have also been commended in the new report — since 2008 VL cases in India, Bangladesh and Nepal have come down by 82%, the report notes, crediting “improvement in vector control, social mobilisation of village volunteers, collaboration with other NTD programmes and drug donations from industry partners.” In fact in January this year, a new Guinness world record was created for the highest number of drug doses donated in 24 hours. The WHO target for VL elimination is 2020 but India has set its sights on eliminating it by the end of this year, a roadmap laid down both in the budget speech and the recently unveiled National Health Policy. There was no ministerial participation from India at the partners meeting with officials of the Directorate General of Health Services representing the Indian health ministry. At the partners meet new resource commitments were made, with the United Kingdom announcing additional $205 million and Bill Gates announcing another $330 million. The Belgian government also pledged an additional $27 million. Conclusion: India should be more aggressive in its spending when it comes to health and thus eliminate vital diseases. This will have long term benefits to the nation. Especially w.r.t. tropical diseases we need to have a policy that is holistic and involve all stakeholders. Connecting the dots Elaborate on the efforts of India to counter neglected tropical diseases burden in India. MUST READ Waiting for the Lokpal Hindu On the digital front Indian Express Bury the row Indian Express Swachh Banks Mission 2.0 Business Line What’s wrong with electoral bonds Business Line
IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 21th April 2017 Archives NATIONAL TOPIC: General Studies 2 Structure, organization and functioning of the Executive and the Judiciary Ministries and Departments of the Government; Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. End to Red-light (Lal bhatti) Privilege Introduction Since independence government and bureaucracy has been symbolized by the traditional symbols of the red beacons on the vehicles. Red beacons are synonymous with the “Raj mentality” and are the “antithesis of the concept of a Republic”, the Supreme Court held in 2013.Government’s decision to do away with the same is a significant step. Issue: The Union Cabinet’s decision to curb the use of beacons is a decisive move to change the perception of the state and its functionaries from rulers to public servants who are to serve rather than govern. This was the vision of our founding fathers. Speaking before the Constituent Assembly on the right of all people to be treated equally, Jawaharlal Nehru said: “The word ‘people’ means all the people. I am myself a servant of the farmers. To work with them is my highest glory.” In a poignant note identifying the role of the government and its functionaries, Dr. Rajendra Prasad, on August 15, 1947, said, “those who have so far been playing the role of rulers and regulators of the lives of our men and women have to assume the role of servants”. However, in the Supreme Court, the second UPA government’s law officers had defended the use of red beacons for its officials and politicians. The government then argued in Abhay Singh v. Union of India that “certain dignitaries and category of officials constitute a class by themselves”. They denied any illegality in the use of red lights on vehicles carrying a “large number of public representatives and public servants”. They said red lights were “essential for effective discharge of their duties”. Supreme Court’s reaction: The court reacted by terming red beacons a “menace”. “Red lights symbolise power and a stark differentiation between those who are allowed to use it and those who are not. A large number of those using vehicles with red lights have no respect for the laws of the country and they treat the ordinary citizens with contempt. The use of red lights on the vehicles of public representatives and civil servants has no parallel in the world democracies,” the court observed. “Isn’t the state under an obligation to afford the same degree of protection to safety and security of person irrespective of office and status?” it asked. Recent measures: In recent cases post elections chief ministers of UP and Punjab had banned the use of read beacons for all ministers and government servants. The ne politics that was initiated in Delhi with a new party in power had realized its promise not to use red beacons at any cost. Conclusion: India is country of a billion plus people and representative government comes to represent them in parliament. Red beacons have more served as privilege than facilitating governance and reaching to people. Hence the step to do away is thinking in right direction. Connecting the dots Critically analyse the maxim of ‘Minimum government and maximum governance’ in light of the various measures initiated by the government. 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 3 Challenges to internal security through communication networks, role of media and social networking sites in internal security challenges, basics of cyber security. Digital Rights Introduction Information revolution and e-governance have set in almost all aspects of governance. Further with increased bilateral and multilateral trade arrangements in services and IT sector it important for India to raise its levels of governance. India must first secure its digital sovereignty before it can begin global trade talks. Issue: Global trade treaties have come to represent a whole new global legal system supplanting national policy space and sovereignty, in the interest of global big business. With the digital phenomenon restructuring most social sectors, it is little surprise that global trade negotiations are now eyeing the digital area. Growth of a Digital Society: To judge how the digital society is shaping, just extrapolate this situation to every sector; not only the regular commercial ones but also key social areas of education, health, agriculture, and, indeed, governance. Would the society or government then buy data and intelligence even for crucial public purposes from these digital companies, when the data actually come from our various social and personal interactions over digital platforms? Does the ownership of the platform give corporations economic ownership of all the data so produced? Is ownership of data of sensitive sectors to be treated differently? These are key political economy questions that must be sorted out first. Big data - ownership Big data is the key resource in the digital space. It is freely collected or mined from developing countries, and converted, or manufactured, into digital intelligence in developed countries, mostly the U.S. This digital intelligence forms a kind of “social brain” that begins to control different sectors and extract monopoly rents. Example: Uber’s chief asset, for instance, is not a network of cars and drivers. It is digital intelligence about commuting, public transport, roads, traffic, city events, personal behavioural characteristics of commuters and drivers, and so on. It is important to frame who owns data and digital intelligence, and how their value should be socially distributed. Most key data required for policymaking is increasingly with global data companies. Accessing the network Fronting for the global big business, developed countries make three key demands at digital trade talks The first is a free and unhindered access to the “network” running throughout our society to mine social and personal data from every nook and corner. Basically, India must give up its right to regulate digital technologies and networks within its territory. The second demand in trade discussions is of ensuring completely free flow of data across borders, with no requirement of local storing, even for sensitive sectors like governance, banking, health, etc. Free global flow of data is a significant expression of self-declared ownership by global digital corporations over the social and personal data that they collect from everywhere, including India. The third key demand is the exclusion from future regulation of all services other than those already committed to a negative list, which will of course include e-versions of every sector. Digital Rights – India: India has been resisting global digital trade negotiations. But attempts will be made to flatter its self-image of an IT or digital superpower to seek concessions. India’s global IT business relationships are largely B2B where the principal party is abroad, and owns the involved data. India has much native technical and entrepreneurial capabilities in the digital area, and to match them, a huge domestic market. Conditions are extremely good for developing strong domestic digital industry. Conclusion: India must resist any digital trade negotiations at this time. It has little to gain from them, and much to lose. It must first build its digital sovereignty — and digital rights — before it can begin negotiating a part of it in global trade talks. Connecting the dots Digital governance and digital rights have to go hand in hand. Critically analyse the global scenario and the measures initiated by the government. 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IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 20th April 2017 Archives ENVIRONMENT TOPIC: General Studies 1 Important Geophysical phenomena such as earthquakes, Tsunami, Volcanic activity, cyclone etc., geographical features and their location‐ changes in critical geographical features (including water‐bodies and ice‐caps) and in flora and fauna and the effects of such changes General Studies 3 Conservation, Environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment. Disaster and disaster management Melting of Arctic and Antarctic ice caps Introduction Arctic and Antarctic are important global regions critical for the existence of the humankind on earth. Antarctica as part of the global commons and Arctic with the rim countries have to protect and conserve the same to avoid large scale disasters the world can face. Issue: In recent months, unprecedented rates of glacier melts have been reported both in the Antarctic and the Arctic. “A massive crack in Antarctica’s fourth-biggest ice shelf has surged forward by at least 10 kilometres since early January,” said Nature magazine in a recent article. Glaciers cover the terrain in both these regions, which have the only permanent ice sheets that still exist on earth today. Earth till now: The earth has enjoyed a more or less stable temperature for the last 10,000 years. Prior to that there were several ice ages and periods of warmer temperature, also known as inter-glacials. The ice ages are believed to have been caused by small shifts in the earth’s orbit, but all the reasons for the temperature fluctuations observed are not yet entirely understood. What could happen in the current century, as a result of anthropogenic climatic change, remains a matter of great interest within the scientific and policymaking community. The melting Antarctic: The Antarctic ice sheet is 14 million sq km in area and holds a large amount of frozen fresh water. (In comparison, the area of India’s land mass is about 3.1 million sq km.) If all the ice over the Antarctic were to melt, sea levels would rise by about 60 metres. Parts of the ice sheet also flow into the ocean and do so through ice shelves that protrude into the water. Several media reports over the last few months have covered the expanding rift or crack along the Larsen C shelf in the Antarctic, which is expected to break off at any time. Larsen A and B collapsed in 1995 and 2002 respectively. Normally, ice shelves lose mass by the breaking off, or calving, of some of the portions and also by melting. Even though the Larsen C collapse by itself, since it is in the water, will not raise sea levels, it will hasten the melting of the glacier it is connected to. Rising sea levels In the Arctic, if all the ice in the Greenland ice sheet were to melt, it would raise global sea levels by about 7 metres (or 23 feet). Experts have known that there are feedback mechanisms that speed up glacier melt; exactly what these processes are and the rate by which they accelerate the melting remains an area of research. Soot and dust carried by air from various places, bacteria and algal pigments in the melt water, any other pigments in the glacier can all reduce the reflection of the sunlight, thus increasing the absorption of heat energy by the ice. This consequently increases ice melt, which then absorbs more solar radiation, thus accelerating a feedback process. The meltwater flows into deep shafts, or moulins, that then speed up the flow of the glacier. Global response needed: The global community is well aware that many large and densely populated cities are located along the coast and in low-lying deltas. Protecting the coast is an expensive undertaking and even then dikes, sea walls and similar structures provide only partial protection, based on studies undertaken by the Dutch Delta Committee and others. For India, the east coast, especially certain low-lying districts, are extremely vulnerable to intensive storms, which then lead to flooding, salt-water intrusion, and loss of land and livelihoods. On the west coast, while there are generally fewer storms, the concern is coastal erosion and flooding from sea level rise. The discussion regarding sea level rise and potential coastal impacts needs also to be understood not just as a coastal phenomenon, but also as an issue that ripples through the entire economy. Flooding in Chennai two years back did not affect just the land, but went through the economy as a whole and Swiss Re, the reinsurance company, has estimated losses to the economy due to the floods to be $2.2 billion. Remedial Actions needed: Thus, enforcing the coastal regulation zone, protecting vulnerable districts and the most vulnerable communities which rely on ecosystems and the sea for their livelihoods are areas that need strengthening. Regional agreements related to refugees from climate effects need to be initiated. As a country which has generally been open to refugees from Tibet, Nepal, Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, initiating and taking forward the conversation on regional planning for extreme events such as sea level rise would be important for India, the largest country in the region. Conclusion: India being a peninsular nation itself and any change in sea levels can affect livelihoods to a high extent. Further as a responsible nation in world comity India has to set the agenda for responsible action and timely remedial measures for the same. 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IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 19th April 2017 Archives 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 HIV AIDS legislation Introduction HIV AIDS is a serious concern in the health fabric of the country. The stigma associated makes it difficult for the affected to lead a normal life. The legislation is timely and necessary to enable the treatment necessities and fighting the associated concerns. Issue: In efforts to strengthen public health legislature for the HIV community, the Lok Sabha on Wednesday passed the Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (Prevention and Control) Bill, 2017. The bill is significant since India has the third largest HIV epidemic in the world. The Bill seeks to prevent the spread and control of HIV in the country. According to the UNAIDS Gap Report, there were close to 2.1 million people living with HIV in India till 2015. While there had been 68, 000 AIDS related deaths in 2015, 86,000 new people had acquired HIV infections. These statistics show how crucial the HIV Bill becomes for those who suffer from this disease and bear the social stigma attached to it. The Bill also seeks to criminalise discrimination against HIV community. Concerns about the legislation: The HIV-positive population of the country, estimated at over 21 lakh, is disappointed that the Centre’s commitment to take all measures necessary to prevent the spread of HIV or AIDS is not reflected in the Bill, in the form of the right to treatment. The law only enjoins the States to provide access “as far as possible”. Beyond this flaw, though, the legislation empowers those who have contracted the infection in a variety of ways: such as Protecting against discrimination in employment, education, health-care services, getting insurance and renting property. Commitment of the state: It is now for the States to show strong political commitment, and appoint one or more ombudsmen to go into complaints of violations and submit reports as mandated by the law. Here again, State rules should prescribe a reasonable time limit for inquiries intocomplaints, something highlighted by the Standing Committee on Health and Family Welfare that scrutinized the legislation. Access to insurance for persons with HIV is an important part of the Bill, and is best handled by the government. The numbers are not extraordinarily large and new cases are on the decline, according to the Health Ministry. Viewed against the national commitment to Goal 3 of the UN Sustainable Development Goals — to “end the epidemic of AIDS” (among others) by 2030 — a rapid scaling up of interventions to prevent new cases and to offer free universal treatment is critical. Publicly funded insurance can easily bring this subset of care-seekers into the overall risk pool. Such a measure is also necessary to make the forward-looking provisions in the new law meaningful, and to provide opportunities for education, skill-building and employment. As a public health concern, HIV/AIDS has a history of active community involvement in policymaking, and a highly visible leadership in the West. It would be appropriate for the Centre to initiate active public consultations to draw up the many guidelines to govern the operation of the law. Evidently, the requirement for the ombudsman to make public the periodic reports on compliance will exert pressure on States to meet their obligations. In an encouraging sign, the Supreme Court has ruled against patent extensions on frivolous grounds, putting the generic drugs industry, so crucial for HIV treatment, on a firm footing. Conclusion: HIV being a global concern but with high incidence in India we have to take timely actions to eliminate the same. India has to build on the success of NACO phased programme and adopt global best practices. The issue needs to be dealt with from all parameters including social, economical, psychological etc. 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. INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS 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 Bilateral and multilateral alignments - India Introduction The geo-political scene of the global map is ever changing. New alignments and axis develop for self and motivated interests. In such a scenario India has to actively engage with all powers on an equal footing with a reinvigorated NAM policy. Issue: The global scenario at present can be seen as such: China is steadily increasing its geostrategic presence in South, Central and West Asia; There is a China-Russia-Pakistan axis on the rise in Southern Asia; China and Russia are revelling in a new-found rapprochement and aim to fill the geopolitical vacuum bound to be created by the U.S. withdrawal from the region; A retired Pakistan army chief is all set to take over as the first Commander-in-Chief of the Saudi-backed Islamic Military Alliance (IMA). The valid question is: Which regional power has been missing from these significant developments on the regional geopolitical landscape? China-Russia-Pakistan axis Alliances are natural to international politics and friend-enemy binaries and historical hesitations are often cast aside when such alliances take shape. While China and Pakistan have been allies since the 1960s, China and the Soviet Union weren’t the best of friends during the Cold War, nor did they have a great relationship in the post-Soviet days. Pakistan and the Soviet Union were Cold War rivals, and Russia did not, until recently, share a close relationship with Pakistan. All that is changing now, with them grouping up to undo American dominance in the region, among other things. The Afghan reconciliation process is a major focus of this new partnership. The West Asian Theatre: Both China and Russia have been active in the West Asian theatre. Having vetoed U.S.-sponsored sanctions against Syria, they believe that it is necessary to nudge the warring Syrian factions to negotiate. Beijing has also been reaching out to and balancing the various adversaries in the region such as Israel, Saudi Arabia and even Iran, and increasingly talking the language of reconciliation. Changing South Asian parameters: Engaging South Asia is easier for China given that the smaller countries in the region see it as an infrastructure provider, with deep pockets and without the usual moral science lessons. Bangladesh, one of India’s close allies in the region, is likely to attend the OBOR summit in May and may even sign up for it. Chinese interest in Afghan reconciliation stems not only from a security/terrorism angle but also more significantly to ensure the sustainability of OBOR given its importance in providing access to Central Asia. Russian U-turns Russia is looking beyond a reluctant India in South Asia: President Vladimir Putin has no time for diplomatic subtleties and tales about the long history of Indo-Russian relations. Ignoring Indian sensitivities, Moscow has gone ahead with forging strategic ties with Islamabad: from lifting the arms embargo, selling weaponry, discussing the future of Afghanistan, to joint military exercises. When Russia formally joins OBOR, it will have indirectly taken a position on Kashmir which is not necessarily in keeping with the Indian stand on the issue. If the Russian envoy’s remarks at the Heart of Asia conference in December are anything to go by, Moscow is also taking a pragmatic stand on terrorism in South Asia. The Pakistan pivot Pakistan is today an inevitable lynchpin of Southern Asian geopolitics. Whether we like it or not, now that Pakistan’s generals have waited out the Americans and NATO from Afghanistan, the outcomes of the Afghan conflict will largely be determined by Rawalpindi. This fits well with the Chinese and Russian regional grand strategies. For sure, Pakistan has consistently used terrorism as a tool of statecraft, and yet there is recognition today that it is a pivotal state in addressing terror. Moreover, while the IMA is still in its infancy, we need to look closely at its potential. Will it emerge, even though it is at a moment an overwhelmingly Sunni sectarian force, as a potent regional military alliance in the years to come? What role would Pakistan play in this ‘Islamic NATO’? What implications would it have for India? Head-in-the-sand approach New Delhi has done precious little to counter them or to propose a collective regional future. The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), which should have been the central plank of India’s ‘neighbourhood first’ policy, is in doldrums today. Having jettisoned SAARC and unwilling to promote other regional initiatives, institutional or issue-based, India continues to prefer unilateralism towards neighbours. The shortcomings of bilateralism in a world hungry for institutions and structures should be evident to us. It’s time New Delhi focussed on the big picture and avoided puritanical positions while addressing the emerging fault lines on the global geopolitical landscape. Conclusion: Ina world of realpolitik and with new alignments in the changing world it is significant we are alive to the concerns of the world. Our foreign policy has to be relevant and current to the demand of the day. India has to shed its traditional vows and also engage meaningfully with all nations without any inhibitions. Connecting the dots International relations is a dynamic field with ever changing arrangements. In the current scenario critically discuss India’s foreign policy direction w.r.t. neighbours and global powers. MUST READ Redefining citizenship Hindu Right prescription Indian Express The Gilgit- Baltistan feint Indian Express No radical change in national health policy Livemint Time for the states to do their bit Livemint Saving Kulbhushan Jadhav Business Line
IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 18th April 2017 Archives 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 General Studies 4 Ethical concerns and dilemmas in government and private institutions; laws, rules, regulations and conscience as sources of ethical guidance; accountability and ethical governance; Strengthening of ethical and moral values in governance; ethical issues in international relations and funding; corporate governance. Probity in Governance: Concept of public service; Philosophical basis of governance and probity; Governance and Tobacco Introduction As part for the government policy we have a clear cut framework of discouraging use of tobacco. But investment of government companies and PSUs in large private tobacco holdings is a question worth a debate. Issue: A group of people including the managing trustee of the Tata Trust, have filed a PIL in the Bombay High Court seeking to push PSUs into offloading the equity stakes they hold in Indian tobacco Company (ITC). The PIL argues that the investments are in direct conflict with the Government’s tough stand against tobacco consumption and that they go against the constitutional mandate vested in the PSUs. The Government is the biggest shareholder in ITC with a 32 per cent stake held through five PSU insurance companies and SUUTI (Specified Undertaking of Unit Trust of India). The petitioners also want the court to direct the Centre and the insurance regulator to frame a law to restrain PSUs from investing in tobacco companies. It is baffling why the petitioners chose to go the PIL way when they could have directly approached the Centre and/or the insurance regulator. The court is usually the last resort when appeals to the executive fail. Relevance and Conflicting stands: The question that the petitioners have raised is relevant. Is the Centre doing the right thing by investing in a tobacco company that ruins the health of citizens in the process of making its profits? The Government is an all-pervasive entity. It is present and functions at different levels. So, it levies taxes, spends for the people, invests in infrastructure, enforces the law and also plays the role of guardian by shaping policies that keep citizens away from alcohol and tobacco. It has a direct interest in the well-being of its citizens because their bad health imposes economic, financial and social costs on the country. Thus, the Government imposes an exceptionally high tax on “sin goods” such as alcohol and cigarettes in order to make them unaffordable and put them beyond the reach of most. So, at a philosophical level can it be argued that the Government should not gain from taxing revenue from the sale of products that ruin the health of its citizens? Probably not because “sin tax” is not just an element of revenue but also a policy tool to guide citizen behaviour. Ethical investing: The concept of ethical investing is not new. The rules governing the $900-billion Norwegian sovereign wealth fund prevent it from investing in companies that pollute the environment or produce weapons, and in tobacco firms. Yet the irony is that the fund was built using the proceeds from selling North Sea crude oil. Extending similar standards to government would mean that it has to exit from coal, oil, power and many other industries that pollute the environment. Conclusion: In a country like India with diverse interests and competing value systems, mixing issues will not help. If the idea is to protect the people then eminent citizens like the petitioners should invest in awareness and de-addiction programmes. The concept of CSR can be used widely and more aggressively for all the mentioned concerns. Connecting the dots Government PSUs stake holdings in tobacco company has raised concerns. In this light critically discuss the ethical issues involved and how to counter the same. NATIONAL TOPIC:General Studies 2 Salient features of the Representation of People’s Act. 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. Electoral Reforms and Judiciary Any law or punishment should be reformative in nature and should create deterrence. However the Supreme Court has encouraged a PIL seeking life ban on convicted people from contesting in elections. The absence of a constitutional right to vote has consequences Issue: In March, the Supreme Court requested the government’s views on a PIL seeking to impose a lifetime ban on contesting elections for those sentenced to imprisonment for more than two years. Currently, the ban extends to six years after the completion of a sentence. The proposed change, which is supported by the Election Commission, would effectively end the electoral career of many prominent political leaders. This case could be the latest amongst a series of Supreme Court decisions modifying the electoral process in recent years: The court has held that Citizens are entitled to cast a ‘none of the above’ vote; Prisoners are disqualified from standing for election during periods of incarceration; The concealment of criminal antecedents constitutes a corrupt practice under the law; Electoral appeals to caste and religion are impermissible; Criminalisation of Politics: Around the turn of the century, the court increasingly began making decisions addressing the ‘criminalisation of politics’. Early decisions focussed on disclosure and transparent process — ensuring, for instance, that candidates declared assets and liabilities, educational qualifications, and criminal antecedents. It was left to the wisdom of the electorate to decide whom to vote for. Similarly, parties were tasked with determining whether it would be appropriate to field candidates with criminal antecedents. Recent developments More recently, however, the court has gone further; it has attempted to gradually reshape the ballot. At first glance, these come across as welcome developments — after all, who could fault the court for preventing prisoners or those with criminal records from contesting elections? Yet, they raise fundamental questions about the nature of our democracy, and are deeply disquieting for a number of reasons. First, the court has increasingly used the regrettable, caste-based taxonomy of ‘purity’ and ‘pollution’ in its decisions. For example, in 2013, it endorsed the decision of the Patna High Court observing that candidates with criminal records pollute the electoral process, affect the sanctity of elections and taint democracy. The court’s language is symptomatic of its conception of its own role — as a sentinel of democracy seeking to ‘disinfect’ the electoral process. The court has the power to frame debate and influence the language of argument in ways that perhaps no other institution does. Second, the court’s recent decisions have meant that whether the right to vote is a constitutional right or merely a statutory privilege is still a matter of contestation. Article 326 of the Constitution provides for universal adult suffrage, but does not specifically mention the right to vote. Rights that are not explicitly set out in the Constitution, such as the right to privacy, have routinely been impliedly read into the text. But the court has refused to categorically recognise the right to vote as an inalienable constitutional right, frequently holding that it is a privilege that can be taken away as easily as it is granted. Right of rights: Participation in the electoral process is often seen as a gateway right, or a ‘right of rights’. Our only response to citizens whose candidate of choice has not been elected is to point towards their right to exercise that choice in the first place. The absence of a constitutional right to vote has real consequences, for it makes it easier to impose wide restrictions on who can exercise that right, and the circumstances in which they may do so. Rights of Prisoners: The voting rights of prisoners are closely linked to the refusal of the recognition of right to vote as a constitutional right. Blanket prohibitions on voting are the surest way of excluding a political community. The embargo is particularly draconian, for all prisoners, regardless of the seriousness of their offences or the length of their sentences, are denied the vote. Moreover, prisoners awaiting trial are also denied this ‘privilege’. It is one thing for the court to introduce transparency-promoting measures with a view to allowing change to take place organically, but quite another to change the rules of the game to match its conception of the ideal electoral system. Conclusion: The right to vote and the right to contest elections are fundamental markers of citizenship in a constitutional democracy. Incrementally yet decisively, the court is changing what it means to be a citizen of this country. Fundamental principles of separation of powers have to be respected and judicial restraint has to be maintained. Connecting the dots Right to vote is not recognised as a constitutional right. Critically analyse political and legal implications w.r.t. prisoners’ rights and the recent PIL for a life ban on convicts right to contest. 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IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 17th April 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 3 Science and Technology‐ developments and their applications and effects in everyday life. Achievements of Indians in science & technology; indigenization of technology and developing new technology. Reform in Science setup Introduction Science and technology in India is a crucial aspect for development in any parameter. It is important for science and technology set up being updated and vibrant to promote research and stay ahead in global technology sector. Issue: Heads of India’s top scientific, administrative bodies have jointly conveyed to Prime Minister that science in India needs a major revamp. They have proposed an umbrella science and technology body that marries research and industry, and will report directly to the Prime Minister. The report had critical remarks – The stature of Indian science is a shadow of what it used to be … because of decades of misguided interventions. We have lost self-confidence and ambition and the ability to recognise excellence amongst our own. In a false sense of egalitarianism, we often chose the mediocre at every level, Need to Harness goodwill However scientists and science in India command global “goodwill” as well as those of fellow Indians. This was a “positive” and “a huge support system” that ought to be harnessed, the report added. Challenge: A major challenge in the funding of science by the government was that though scientific departments were headed by scientists, they were frequently not independent to take key decisions, such as filling vacancies and deciding how budgets to various projects within a Ministry ought to be allotted. Proposed new authority: To realise India’s scientific ambitions, the science-heads proposed a new authority reporting to the Prime Minister. SPARK (Sustainable Progress through Application of Research and Knowledge), as it is tentatively called, will be a “nimble, empowered board and a quality staff.” The proposal was part of the report jointly prepared by the heads of all of India’s scientific departments including Atomic Energy, Space, Earth Sciences, Science and Technology and Biotechnology. The report laid out a broad map on how India ought to prepare itself to be among the top three countries in science and technology by 2030 and ensure that 10% of the top 100 leaders in scientific fields are Indians. Conclusion: The need for a long term and viable action plan for scientific research is less emphasized. It has to be ensured that policy action takes holistic parameters and is inclusive in nature. Hence a new set up is timely and most necessarily called for. Connecting the dots Though science and technology has been in focus since first five year plan India has failed to gather momentum in the field of core research. Elaborate. NATIONAL TOPIC: General Studies 2 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. Appointment to various Constitutional posts, powers, functions and responsibilities of various Constitutional Bodies. Delay in justice delivery Introduction Justice delayed is justice denied is a known maxim. India has been plagued with delay in justice delivery and this has affected the system of judiciary badly. This has been called violation of human rights also with large number of undertrials, convicts languishing in jails much beyond their terms. This calls for urgent reforms. Issue: The Supreme Court has asked itself why numerous orders over the decades suggesting “action plans” to combat staggering backlog of cases in High Courts and trial courts have literally produced no answers and hardly any results. Justice Jasti Chelameswar pondered on how the “phenomenon of mounting pendency and discomfiting delay in disposal of cases” continue at the cost of gross human rights violations to undertrials, convicts — both who languish behind the walls of prisons, at times spend the entirety of their prison sentence behind bars while their appeals or bail applications stagnate for decades without a hearing — and victims of crime. Allahabad Case study: The Supreme Court’s third seniormost judge had found himself hearing a plea for bail by a convict in a murder case. The lawyer for the convict told the Supreme Court that, with the current backlog at the Allahabad HC, his client entertains no hope of a hearing of his appeal. Ordering the HC to complete the hearing of the appeal against conviction in four months, Justice Chelameswar, in a seven-page order, wondered about the “umpteen occasions” in which the Supreme Court has suggested proposals and framed guidelines to end pendency in courts. How the judiciary has been, in a sense, inadvertently responsible for violation of the fundamental right to speedy trial and disposal of criminal appeals under Article 21 of the Constitution. Novel moveSo, in a novel move, the Supreme Court decided to put the Allahabad HC under the microscope as a “pilot project” to investigate how High Courts deal with pendency. The SC said this was a “target-specific” exercise to study how criminal appeals face years of delay as appellants face “inhuman compulsions” inside jails. Justice Chelameswar called for real-time statistics from the Allahabad HC. He roped in senior advocates Shyam Divan and C.U. Singh to assist the Supreme Court. Data analysis “We are of the view that it is imperative for this court to initiate a target specific exercise, and for the purpose obtain and analyse the relevant data at the first instance with regard to the pendency of the criminal appeals before the Allahabad High Court,” Justice Chelameswar ordered. The Bench directed the HC Registrar to hand over particulars of the criminal appeals, category-wise and year-wise, for the study in four weeks. It sought the HC to produce details of the institution and disposal statistics of last 10 years, average disposal time of the appeals, identified causes for the delay, steps already taken and in contemplation for tackling and accelerating disposals, mechanism in place to oversee the process and progress recorded. Conclusion: The need for innovative measures to understand the root causes of some of the malaises plaguing the country is significant. It is important that we steps of this order in organs of government. Hence the Allahabad high court pilot project is a creative experiment to solve a crucial issue. Connecting the dots Critically analyse the reasons behind justice delivery being delayed in India and the associated effects on livelihood and polity. 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Hello Friends So, here we are with the 24th 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 24]: ENVIRONMENT & CURRENT AFFAIRS ARCHIVES Q.1) Consider the following statements regarding Living Planet Index Report It is published by IUCN annually. The report is compiled with data from the Zoological Society of India (ZSI) to measure the abundance of biodiversity. Which of the given statements is/are correct? 1 Only 2 Only Both None Q.2) Consider the following statements about Rio Declaration on Environment and Development The Rio Declaration proclaims 30 principles. It includes formulations of the precautionary principle and the polluter pays principle It also includes Environment Impact Assessment Select the correct answer using below code 1 and 2 2 and 3 1 and 3 1, 2 and 3 Q.3) Consider the following Marine Park National Park Coral reefs Mangroves Sand Dunes Among the following, entities that fall under Coastal Regulation Zone-I (CRZ) 1,2 and 4 2, 3 and 4 1, 3 and 5 1,2,3, 4 and 5 Q.4) India is party to the following international agreements which have bearing on biodiversity? FAO International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for food and agriculture World Heritage Convention World Trade Organization UN Convention to Combating Desertification UN Law of the Seas Select the correct code 2 and 4 1, 2 and 4 2, 3, 4 and 5 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 Q.5) Consider the following Food Processing Printing Press Pulp and Paper Sugar Healthcare Establishments Which of the given industries come under RED CATEGORY INDUSTRY? 1, 2 and 4 2, 3, 4 and 5 3, 4 and 5 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 Q.6) Green Digital Finance Alliance is a unique partnership between IUCN and Ant Financial Services Group World Bank and Ant Financial Services Group UNEP and Ant Financial Services Group UNDP and Ant Financial Services Group Q.7) Scientists have discovered two new species ‘Sholicola and Montecincla’ in the Western Ghats. They are- New species of Lizard New species of Song Bird New species of Frog New species of Bat Q.8) Which of the following protected areas are formed as per the guidelines of ‘The Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972’? National Park Biosphere Reserve Wildlife Sanctuary Conservation Reserves Community Reserves Select the correct code 1, 2, 3 and 4 1, 3, 4 and 5 1, 2, 3 and 5 All Q.9) Consider the following statements with respect to Green Bonds Green bond is a debt instrument issued by an entity for raising funds from investors The funds generated are used to fund both green and non-green projects A green bond is a tax-exempt bond issued by federally qualified organizations for the development of brownfield sites. Select the correct answer using the code given below 1 and 3 only 2 and 3 only All the above None of the above Q.10) Which of the following is/are the man-made Ramsar sites of India? Ropar wetland Harike reservoir Bhoj Wetland Ashtamudi Select the correct answer using the code given below. 2 only 2 and 3 1, 2 and 3 All of the above Q.11) Consider the statements about National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) The NBA is a Statutory and Autonomous Body It performs the function of regulatory as well as advisory body for GoI The National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) was established in 2010 to implement India’s Biological Diversity Act (2002). Which of the given statements is/are correct? 1 and 2 2 and 3 1 and 3 1, 2 and 3 Q.12) Consider the following Durban Declaration and Program of Action Cancum Agreement Copenhagen Accord Bali Action Plan Which of the above includes commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions? 1, 2 and 3 2, 3 and 4 2 and 3 All Q.13) According to “United Nations Convention on The Law of Seas (UNCLOS)” Territorial waters are up to 12 nautical miles. Contiguous Zone is up to 22 nautical miles from the shore. The coastal nation has sole exploitation rights over all natural resources in Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ). Which of the above statements are incorrect? None of the above Only 2 2 and 3 1 and 2 Q.14) TRAFFIC, The Wildlife Trade Monitoring Network is a joint conservation programme of WWF and UNEP WWF and UNDP WWF and UN WWF and IUCN Q.15) Consider the following regarding Joint Forest Management (JFM) The policies and objectives of Joint Forest Movement are detailed in the Indian Forest Act, 1927 At least 50% members of the JFM executive committee/management committee should be women. The presence of at least 50% women members should be a prerequisite for holding the general body meeting. Select the incorrect statement/s 1 and 2 Only 2 2 and 3 All of the above Q.16) Consider the following statements about White Shipping. It refers to exchange of relevant advance information on the identity and movement of military vessels India has signed white shipping agreements with several countries including United States and Singapore Select the correct statements Only 1 Only 2 Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.17) Consider the following statements about Market Stabilisation Scheme (MSS) It is a tool used by the Reserve Bank of India to suck out excess liquidity from the market through issue of securities These securities are not issued to meet government’s expenditure MSS bonds have a fixed tenure and earn returns Select the correct code: 1 and 2 2 and 3 1 and 3 All of the above Q.18) Consider the following statements about Antrix Corporation It is the commercial arm of Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) It is a MINIRATNA Select the correct statements Only 1 Only 2 Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.19) Consider the following statements about Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF) It was founded by the Maldives government Ethiopia is the current chair of the CVF Climate Vulnerability Monitor (CVM) is developed by CVF in association with UNEP Select the correct statements 1 and 2 2 and 3 1 and 3 All of the above Q.20) Climate Change Performance Index is released by Germanwatch and Climate Action Network Europe Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Centre for Climate Change Economics and Policy (CCCEP) Global Climate Network (GCN) Q.21) Which of the following is/are carriers of zika virus? Aedes aegypti Aedes albopictus Culex Select the correct code: Only 1 1 and 3 1 and 2 All of the above Q.22) Consider the following statements about ‘Mission Madhumeha” It promotes Ayurveda for Prevention and Control of Diabetes It is under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare Select the correct statements Only 1 Only 2 Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.23) The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-Making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters is also known as Marpol Convention Aarhus Convention London Convention OSPAR Convention Download the Solution- Click Here
IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 15th April 2017 Archives ECONOMY TOPIC: General Studies 3 Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment Inclusive growth and issues arising from it. Jobless Growth Introduction Growth in India and other developing countries is consolidating. But the most concerning aspect is the jobless nature of growth. For a country having second highest population with high dependency on agriculture jobless growth is road to disaster. Policy makers should address the same at the earliest. Bulging demography and changing realities: Over the next 10 years, some 130 million young people will join the labour force across India. There are two realities in this respect that cannot be ignored: the petering out of the IT story and the oil boom, both of which will add to the numbers of the unemployed. Disruptions caused by the 2008-09 global economic and financial crisis led to significant job losses in India. The Trump administration’s protectionist policy will have some ramifications for jobs in the years ahead. Increased automation in manufacturing too has hurt the employment scenario. To address concerns: The Government needs to redraw various labour and industrial laws, and build a consensus on what a comprehensive employment generation policy ought to be. Alternative employment avenues need to be created, requiring reallocation of labour and capital. While recognising that there are too many people dependent on agriculture, it is necessary to accept, in view of the recent history of jobless growth, that manufacturing cannot absorb this slack. It is important, therefore, to focus on agro-based industries in rural areas, besides employment-intensive, export-oriented sectors such as garments and leather. Rising employment in agro-industries, requiring relatively low levels of capital, can create demand for consumer goods. Hence, it would be a misnomer to isolate agriculture from the jobs story. Programmes such as Make in India and Skills India should develop a rural focus if entrepreneurs other than small retailers and restaurants are to emerge in the countryside. Meanwhile, organised retail has the potential to absorb thousands of people. As for the role of labour laws in holding up jobs in the organised sectors, provisions need to be in place to rehabilitate displaced workers. Small-scale industry needs to be encouraged by making ‘ease of business’ work for them. Role of Government: For the world’s second-most populous nation and the seventh-largest economy, India has no reliable data on jobs. The Annual Survey of Industries provides data for workers and employees in 2.3 lakh factories covered by it. The Labour Bureau has begun tracking employment positions on a quarterly basis in eight sectors — manufacturing, IT, construction, trade, hospitality, healthcare, transportation and education. The last report, released in March, states that just 32,000 additional jobs were created in July-October 2016 compared to the preceding quarter in these eight sectors. There is an urgent need to have a system in place to collect such data, to know how we’re faring. Conclusion: India always boasts of having the youngest and largest working age population in the world. An inability to create jobs for them will prevent the country from reaping the much-touted demographic dividend. Hence it is necessary to ensure growth is job oriented, holistic and inclusive to make sustainable. Connecting the dots Jobless growth is a curse to any economy. Critically analyse the same in light of increasing unemployment and growing service sector in India. NATIONAL TOPIC:General Studies 2 Development processes and the development industry the role of NGOs, SHGs, various groups and associations, donors, charities, institutional and other stakeholders. General Studies 3 Indian Economy and issue Inclusive growth and issues arising from it. Happiness Quotient and Growth correlation Introduction Development is a subjective aspect and is measured in multiple indicators across the world. GDP as a measure of development has long been discredited though it remains an important metric. The World Happiness Report and its revelations have important lessons for India. About the report: The first World Happiness Report was published in April, 2012, in support of the UN High Level Meeting on happiness and well-being. Since then the world has come a long way. Increasingly, happiness is considered to be the proper measure of social progress and the goal of public policy. In June 2016 the OECD committed itself “to redefine the growth narrative to put people’s well-being at the center of governments’ efforts”. In February 2017, the United Arab Emirates held a full-day World Happiness meeting, as part of the World Government Summit. Now on World Happiness Day, March 20th, the launch of World Happiness Report 2017, published by the Sustainable Development Solutions Network, and now supported by a generous three-year grant. The key determinants of happiness are economic variables (income and employment), social factors (education and family life), and health (mental and physical). The six indicators the report uses to validate what people feel are GDP per capita, healthy years of life expectancy, social support, trust, freedom to make life decisions, and generosity. These matter more than GDP and healthy life expectancy put together. Indian economy and status: The recently released World Happiness Report 2017 takes a look at where countries stand on the quality of people’s lives measured on a scale of 10 (best) to 0 (worst). It helps policymakers look beyond maximising national and per capita incomes, important as they are, and create a pathway to take happiness forward. India ranks an appalling 122 among 155 countries considered. This puts it behind not just China (79) but Pakistan (80), Bhutan (97), Nepal (99), Bangladesh (110) and Sri Lanka (120). India is truly the unhappiest country in the region. The US ranks 14, way behind the top ten happiest countries in the world. The top ten have remained fairly consistent over the years, comprising mostly the small or medium West European democracies (leaders are Norway, Denmark, Iceland, Switzerland, with Sweden at 10). All have very free markets, big government, high social spending and high tax rates. They also score well on governance (low perception of corruption). Other observations: While these rankings are based on universal factors, the report also studies variations across countries. In a study of the US, Australia, Britain and Indonesia, it was found that in western societies, mental illness is more important than income, employment and physical illness. In Indonesia, mental health is important but less than income. Having a partner is crucial in western countries. Education has a positive effect in all countries, except Australia. Relative income, rather than absolute income, matters more. A study of British data suggests that policies can be most effective by focusing on children. The emotional health and behaviour of a child anticipate his chances of well-being as an adult. The best predictor for the child is the mental health of the mother. Also critical is the social ambience of primary and secondary schooling. Work and happiness are interrelated. Throughout the world employed people evaluate the quality of their lives much higher than unemployed. Rising unemployment negatively affects everyone, including those who have jobs. Blue collar work is correlated with less happiness. Well-paying jobs are more conducive to happiness but other things also matter — work-life balance, autonomy, variety, job security, social capital, health and safety risks. High levels of worker well-being may lead to gains in productivity and firm performance. In sum, policies that focus on both quantity and quality of work support well-being. The report devotes a chapter to China which through the nineties and till the mid-2000s went down the happiness slope, and recovered only thereafter. But even so, at present it is probably less happy than a quarter century ago. Through this entire period, it took tremendous strides in per capita GDP growth. Conclusion: Increasingly, the happiness quotient and not economic factors is being seen as a true indicator of social progress. The pursuit of happiness is perhaps the most cherished goal of humankind. Traditionally considered subjective, therefore immeasurable, it is increasingly being considered the proper measure of social progress. Hence policies and development actions should be focused towards perceptible change. Connecting the dots Increasingly, the happiness quotient and not economic factors is being seen as a true indicator of social progress. Critically discuss how happiness quotient can be taken along with economic factors for true social progress. MUST READ Assembly by polls: Blunt pointers Hindu Cross signals across the Himalayas Hindu Doctors under siege Hindu Too Much On My Plate Indian Express
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