Jan 11, 2017 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 11th January, 2017

IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 11th January 2017 Archives INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS TOPIC: General Studies 2 Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India's interests, Indian diaspora. Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India's interests India Africa Relationship – Kenya Focus Introduction India has worked hard on maintaining a cordial relationship with Africa and its nations. Both the previous and the present government have done sufficiently well in this regard. The present government boasts of holding the India-Africa Forum Summit in 2015 and political outreach to Africa through visits by the President, Vice-President and Prime Minister to numerous countries in 2016. Kenya is one of India’s most important African partners and is currently a participant at the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit. The leader of Kenya reciprocating a visit by the Indian counterparts sends out positive signals and creates a lot of hope as well. India and the East Africa The East African Community (EAC) comprises of Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and South Sudan. It has emerged as a very efficient Regional Economic Community with China as the major source of investment. It is now building a single market and wants to set up a monetary union. Indian government and corporates need a well drafted trade and industrial cooperation strategy to upgrade existing links with the EAC. India has to balance its relationship with nations such as Tanzania and Kenya who are traditional rivals. Kenya has now established closer ties with Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi as “the coalition of the willing”. India enjoys friendly and cooperative relations with all EAC members. It should make the best of this cordial relationship and ensure it can get maximum benefits from this opportunity. Potential of India Kenya Partnership India and Kenya may give a push to deepening bilateral ties with focus on strengthening economic cooperation and bilateral trade. Indian companies should try to be active in this competitive market. Kenya has been an important destination for Indian investments. More viable sectors such as energy, pharmaceuticals, textiles, agriculture and financial services provide a higher potential. Major Indian corporates such as Tatas, Reliance, Essar, Kirloskars and Dr. Reddy’s, are already flourishing in Kenya. Indian government must approve additional Line of Credit in strategic areas such as education and health to secure mutual interests. India’s Future Policy India and African nations such as Kenya have a common agenda of counterterrorism and peace in the respective backyards. With a lot of mutual admiration to guide the relationship India should consider incorporating the following in its policy towards African nations: With a lot uncertainty regarding the policy of USA, India should ensure that it gives adequate attention towards this region and play the role of a world leader. India needs to adopt a patient approach because issues such as UN reform, counterterrorism, climate change and international solar alliance will take long to show results. India must concentrate on actions that strengthen its economic cooperation with select African countries. India has to tackle competition among Asian nations for getting close to Kenya. Kenya has developed close relations with China under its Look East Policy. Japan and India could partner in key infrastructure development projects in Kenya and the surrounding regions with innovative models. The next summit with Africa has been scheduled to 2020 instead of 2018. This could hamper the progress of this relationship. Hence, India should consider ministerial review meetings in 2018 and build upon this relationship. Nairobi, with its excellent location and conference facilities, could be an ideal choice and Mr. Kenyatta a willing partner. Connecting the dots India and African nations have a history of cordial relations. Discuss the potential of partnership between India and various African countries. Also throw light on the challenges that India could face in strengthening this partnership. Related article: Africa, a land of opportunity The Big Picture – India-Africa Ties: Where are they Heading?   HEALTH TOPIC: General Studies 2 Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources. Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. Child nutrition- making India healthy There is a public health crisis looming in India in form of widespread maternal and child undernutrition. One-third of Indian women (of reproductive age) are undernourished. Around 60 million children (under five years of age) are either stunted (low height-for-age) or wasted (low weight-for-height). Women and adolescent girls face the added burden of societal discrimination which is manifested through unequal access to food, healthcare and resources. As a result, about 42% of Indian women are underweight when they begin pregnancy—compared to about 15% in African countries. What does it convey? With such poor ground level realities, it shows that India has been unable to address its long-pending issue of malnutrition and giving priority to early life-cycle investments. Despite knowing the universal fact that healthy child develops from a healthy womb, 50% of growth failure in first two years of child begins from the womb due to poor maternal nutrition. India needs a targeted intervention policy of the first 1,000 days of a child’s life (from conception to the two-year post-natal period) where the child and mother are given all the necessary nutrients in adequate amount. Understanding undernutrition Undernutrition occurs when the body doesn't get enough nutrients which can cause physical or mental disability. Lack of nutrition is not only a health risk but also and economic risk. Undernutrition is one of the leading causes of child mortality. Close to 70% of children between the age of six months and five years in India suffer from anaemia, which, if left untreated, increases susceptibility to illness, raising morbidity. Undernutrition also has adverse, irreversible consequences for a child’s cognitive and physical development. Adding to the challenges, there is wide spread disparities between states in mother and child’s nutritional status. Stunting under age 5: Uttar Pradesh has 50% whereas Kerala has 19% These disparities have been aggravated further with the budgetary realignments after the 14th Finance Commission. It has been observed that Central allocations to the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) declined almost 10%, from Rs. 15,502 crore in 2015-16 to Rs. 14,000 crore in 2016-17. Solution to this Policy makers can work upon few areas which can eliminate the existence of undernutrition in India: Early life intervention The child’s development begins from mother’s womb. The government should rigorously carry out the regular pre-natal check up drive through ASHA or ANMs to ensure that they have balanced diet as well as go for institutional delivery. Post-natal care should be monitored where the first 1,000 days of a child’s life are crucial for reducing a child’s susceptibility to infections, and breaking the link between undernutrition, disease and mortality, should be targeted. Direct and indirect interventions If there is direct nutrition intervention by government, the stunting can be reduced by 20%. Direct Nutrition Interventions are the set of proven nutrition specific interventions that have immediate and direct impact on nutrition status. It also targets the immediate causes of malnutrition. Here, nutrition interventions may include vitamin A and zinc supplementation, deworming for children, iron folic acid supplements for pregnant women etc. Indirect interventions such as access to water, sanitation and hygiene will attempt to tackle to remaining 80%. Schemes such as Swachh Bharat Abhiyan should be used to leverage policy complementarities with household sanitation and encourage behavioural change through social messaging and hold information-education-communication activities for pregnant and lactating mothers. Right to nutrition There is a need for universal, rights-based nutrition services delivery which shall overcome disparities across gender, communities and geographical regions. For example, ICDS supplementary nutrition programme: Food reaches barely 20% of children in Uttar Pradesh, but over 90% of children in Odisha. This proves that policy is fine, the implementation inefficiency leads to lack of outreach. Restructuring ICDS ICDS is a welfare programme which provides food, preschool education, and primary healthcare to children under 6 years of age and their mothers. These services are provided from Anganwadi centres established mainly in rural areas and staffed with frontline workers. However, the results have not matched expectations. Restructuring should be done to target and strengthen last-mile delivery. The reforms should include standardizing the nutritional component of supplementary food, prioritizing educational outreach, and investing in anganwadi centres and workers. Field studies have established links between provision of school meals and improved learning outcomes for children. Additionally, food fortification of staples (including wheat, flour, rice and edible oils) represents a cost-effective and scalable solution to enhance nutrient intake. Standards for food fortification should be established and guidelines changed to promote the use of fortified inputs in ICDS-provided hot cooked meals. PPP method can be used to leverage technological solutions for scaling up food fortification initiatives, and complement the government’s outreach efforts through mass awareness and education campaigns in communities. Nodal body The government efforts and interventions should be carried out through a nodal government body which will have responsibility for meeting time-bound nutrition targets, and coordinating multi-sectoral programmes, including the ICDS, the National Rural Health Mission, the midday meal scheme, and the public distribution system. Conclusion It has to be realised that economic growth is not the panacea for all public health problems. The ambitious economic figures are weighing down the need of prioritising nutrition of the citizens, especially the current and forthcoming generations. Hence, For India to harness its long-term demographic dividends, it has to proactively involve itself in primary health care institution where it prioritises nutrition in its health agenda and reforms the institutional framework through which interventions are delivered. Connecting the dots: What is undernutrition? How is the economy affected by it? Discuss possible solutions to tackle the menace of undernutrition. Related Articles: India needs a nutrition mission Dramatic drop in number of Underfed children: UNICEF MUST READ Taking ‘Cold Start’ out of the freezer? Hindu   Stemming the moral rot within Hindu Stuck between 4 and 3 Indian Express   Central To The Market Indian Express   Celebrating a fertilizer success story Livemint   The rise of oil palm and silent forests Livemint   What the GDP numbers do not say Business Line MINDMAPS Rural Social Assistance Programme

Jan 11, 2017 Daily Prelims CA Quiz

IASbaba Daily Current Affairs Quiz [Day 96]

IASbaba Daily Current Affairs Quiz [Day 96] Click here to get all the Tests– Archives Q.1) Consider the following statements about Debts Recovery Tribunals and Appellate Tribunals. It provides expeditious adjudication and recovery of debts due to Banks and Financial Institution The Debts Recovery Tribunals (DRTs) and Debts Recovery Appellate Tribunal (DRATs) were established under the Recovery of Debts Due to Banks and Financial Institutions Act (RDDBFI Act), 1993. Presently 34 DRT’s and 5 DRAT’s are functional Which of the following statements is/are correct? 1 and 2 2 and 3 1 and 3 All of the above Q.2) The Teesta River and Farkka Barrage issue is concerned with which of the following countries? Pakistan Bangladesh Nepal China Q.3) Which of the following is/are correctly matched? Banasura laughingthrush : Wayanand Travancore laughingthrush : Thiruvananthapuram Nilgiri laughingthrush : Silent Valley National Park Palani laughingthrush : Munnar hills Select the correct code: 1, 2 and 3 2, 3 and 4 1, 2, 3 and 4 1 and 4 Q.4) Recently scientists of the Botanical Survey of India (BSI) have found a new species of Zingiber (commonly referred as Ginger) from Andaman and Nicobar Islands Lakshadweep Islands Faroe Islands None of the above Q.5) Consider the following statements about Street Lighting National Programme (SLNP) It is being implemented by Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) It is currently running in the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) area with special focus on the installation of LED light in parks, dark spots and high mast lights 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 All the best IASbaba

Jan 11, 2017 RSTV Video

The Big Picture - Judiciary 2016

Judiciary 2016 Archives TOPIC: General Studies Appointment to various Constitutional posts, powers, functions and responsibilities of various Constitutional Bodies. Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. It was CJI’s outburst that in 2016 about the “burden” being placed on the judiciary that firmly brought the spotlight back on to the issue of judicial delays and backlogs in India. The term ‘legal reforms’ have caught the imagination of policy makers, judiciary and general public, taking everyone by storm. Suddenly, everyone is clamouring to usher in new laws and weed out redundant ones. The government and law commission have also jumped onto the band wagon by implementing a slew of new measures to reform laws. Amidst all the ‘idealistic talks’, crucial aspect of entire process remains ignored- the quality of Indian law making and law amending which functions as the fulcrum of the any kind of legal reform. Thus, here is a flashback on judicial reforms that have taken place in last one year, problems faced and way forward. Challenges before judiciary The high number of pending cases itself highlight the need of judicial reforms. There are around 3 crore cases pending in lower court, several lakhs in high courts and thousands in Supreme Court highlighting the need for judicial reforms. Such arrears see their origin in lack of adequate judges to attend to the burgeoning incidences of cases filed in courts. 60% of court cases are related to criminal nature. However, it is not supported by scientific investigation and proper police action resulting in cases getting delayed over a long period of time. The courts are crowded, over worked and ultimately one gets dates and not outcomes. Technology and human interaction not compatible leading to wastage of new established infrastructure as well as lack of skills in manpower. Way forward Increased number of judges and improving legal infrastructure There is extreme shortage of judges from lowest courts to Supreme Court. When there are no judges, it is difficult to dispose of cases. Currently, there are 170 posts of HC judges vacant. This is the primary reason of creation of huge backlog of cases as well as time taken in delivering judgments. Judiciary is the place where date of retirement is known and thus vacancies should be filled beforehand. There is a report which says that in next three decades, the number of pendency cases is to increase many fold requiring 75000 judges as against current sanctioned strength of 20000. The number of cases per day is huge and it is not humanly possible for judges to tackle those number of cases on daily basis. At the end of end, most of the times, particularly in trial court, the judges don’t know what they have dictated. They are in no position to read the orders and just append their signatures without reading it. Hence, many times mistakes go uncorrected. Thus, unless things are put down in writing, focused in writing and the judge is given certain workload per day- say 10 cases- but they have to be tried to be fully solved and not delay it unnecessarily, the pendency will continue to increase. This will help the judges to look into important matters which demand more attention as well as time and leave cases of lesser importance to be heard during particular days in the week. However, the question is not always about judicial manpower. There is lack of support staff, lack of infrastructure, use of technology and also some management skills which have to be speedily put into system. The judges they themselves manage the entire affairs of the courtroom. This is not proving to be sufficient and takes up lot of time. The CJIs have talked about taking help of trained management people, but it has not happened. Police reforms Some radical reforms are required to modernise the criminal justice. For this, there is need for police reforms, which includes modernisation of police stations, technology used to record statements, video record statement of witnesses in CCTV presence or on smartphones Measurements, microscopy, photos, invisible rays, chromatography, electrodialysis, spectrography, laser techniques, X ray etc. should be the new tools and techniques to be used during investigation of crime scene so that they are fully equipped and be able to place the chargesheet in just 24-48 hours instead of 90 days given today. With technology, the results can be given much faster and not refer to central laboratories which are so overloaded. Most importantly, the police force comprises in majority by matriculates which leads to lack of initial understanding of procedural requirement at the crime scene. Here is a need to have people with scientific background for investigation which can possibly provide with speedy outcomes. There is need of paradigm shift in criminal court and police stations. Optimum utilisation Everything needs reforms once it starts stagnating. In case of judiciary, the vital question is if the existing system has been used effectively enough. Because if there is lack of use of existing system, there cannot be reform without using the system to its maximum. e-court system is being implemented on trial basis. Some HCs were completely supposed to be e-courts where there are e-files. But here also, primarily manpower is required to deal with such cases. Even e-court would need a judge to handle cases. In such a case, old judges can be called back to relieve some ‘burden’. Though they may have lost their speed but they have the capacity to render their work and the new judges can learn from the old ones. Government-Judiciary constructive relation Judiciary and executive are constantly involved in altercation with each other but the problem is not the fight. They are not fighting over who should be appointed as judges but on who should be appointing judges. The power to appoint judges has been made more important than parameter and procedure to appoint the judges. In last one year, the judiciary and executive have not been able to sort their arguments over MOP for appointing HC and SC judges. That is the reason why 45% of posts in various HCs are lying vacant. Adequate government participation is needed in ensuring urgently needed judicial reforms. It is legitimate to have intellectual confrontation as it helps in evolving a more matured decision. However, a fight over who is superior to whom defeats the purpose of the key democratic institutions. But, government is not always at fault in making delays in appointing judges. In trial courts, there are 5000 pendencies as HCs have not appointed the required personnel at lower courts. It is for the HCs to initiate the appointments procedure at lower courts. These are more serious cases because these are the courts a common man goes. If they are not handled properly, the bulk of the cases remain pending and keep on increasing. On this matter, the policymaker, the government, the judiciary have to sit together and take note of it rather than blaming each other. Evolvement in society There is a need for societal and cultural change of obeying and respecting the law and working according to law. It is known that any case to resolve in courts takes years to get solved. Thus, naturally the people have the tendency to say that they will see what court says and the matter gets delayed for a long period of time. But, if people start to obey law, honour the contracts and then may go to court when necessary. Also, if one finally goes to court and loses, he should be made to pay the entire cost of other man’s litigation. This will prevent false cases to refrain from blocking justice as well as save court’s time. Appellate   The appellate processes go on and on because there is a tendency of appellate courts to interfere. The HC looks into what district court does, SC looks into what HC does. This sets the bar rather low for an appeal to be considered. There has to be a system of justice where at first instance, people get it right. And appeals to the appellate court should be largely confined to questions of law. For this, the time in court should be rationed extremely. Legal service exam should be brought in The recruitment even in subordinate courts should be through All India Judicial Service exam. The judges of HC which take into account the job of assessing the relative merit of people to be appointed, is not seriously flawed. But it takes so much time that it makes huge amount of vacancies for which only HCs are then to be blamed. Hence, legal service exam should be there so that there is adequate pool of judiciary incumbents. Brining changes The specialised courts are also under tremendous pressure to deal with cases as they are piling up on daily basis. It is a court with notification of being ‘special.’ Nothing changes from within as it has the same procedure. If it is a dowry court, the court listens to dowry matters. But even then, the cases are also pending. Ultimately, speedy outcomes are what is needed from the court. There is no stake in speedy outcomes on the part of bar and also on bench as they go out on how many units of work based on numerical are calculated. What is needed is to clear out old mess as much as it can be. In many of the arrears, many of the parties are dead, people have served out their sentences. Thus, there is a need to checkout those papers and see if lawyers are interested. There should be a system where lawyers on both sides must say that the matter is alive and the people have stake in it. Then they can concentrate on matters which require urgent attention.  In cases where there are 100 cases up for the day out of which 90 are adjourned, it means that 200 lawyers are waiting for it and wasting their time. Thus, an algorithm sort of should be prepared where in the cases to be taken up are known and the lawyers can do other work those who don’t have to visit the court. Hence, as mentioned before, need of court administrators is immense. Also, SC is trying the idea if there could be court of appeal between HC and SC. This system is in Canada and South Africa where normal cases will end in court of appeal. There can be four regional benches of such courts. Then the only constitutional matters will go to SC. There have been lot of matters referred to constitution bench but they have not been formed. It has to be understood that if one constitutional matter is taken and if a constitutional issue is decided it can lead to many cases disposed of in one go but that is not happening as there are not too many judges in SC to take up those cases. As a result, important matters are taking a backseat. The government has opposed this idea initially but it is still in stage of discussion. The law commission has also recommended it. However, there is a concern that it would add one more layer to the existing system. Quality of law making Quality of debates have deteriorated over the years and law makers are interested in disrupting the house rather than actually formulating an appropriate law in parliament. The new laws created should not result in new litigation. Law makers are in a hurry to pass laws without auditing as to ensure how much litigation will ensue out of it. One amendment like cheque bouncing matter have added hugely to court burden. Thus there is a need to act fast. Connecting the dots: If the judiciary is strong, the constitutional values of India can be successfully upheld. Critically examine.  

Jan 10, 2017 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 10th January, 2017

IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 10th January 2017 Archives NATIONAL TOPIC: General Studies 1 Social empowerment 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 Women Safety- Making Cities Safe In news: the New Year eve ‘mass molestation’ incident in Bengaluru has brought back the focus once again on women’s safety as well as public consciousness. Though no complaint had been filed initially, the police have taken up investigation based on the reports of women being assaulted physically. Following the horrific incident, when a state minister blames such an incident on ‘western culture’, it is unfortunate how state and society failed to ensure the safety of women. The rhetoric follows Attitude of state and society towards such incidents has made the women reluctant to register offences as if she does so, she will invite an accusatory glare of ‘wearing particular kind of clothes’, ‘late night outings’, ‘being with boys’ and ‘why alone in a lonely street’. Post such incidences, the rhetoric of blame-the-victim and deny-it-happened continues for a while. Along with it, there announcements of buying new CCTVs and other quick fixes. Hence, it has been now observed that the notion of safety comes across as that one of security and protection and not of right! Role of stakeholders Political will is extremely important to bring about long-term and systemic change that addresses the actual causes of the problem as there is no easy and rapid solution towards the road of gender equality. The rights of women against any kind of violence, whether in public or private sector, require participation from its stakeholders with a multi-pronged strategy. Whether it is police or law enforcement agencies who have to look after their outdoor safety as a whole or it is urban and transport planners who have to engage with women on equal footing so as to know their problems while travelling or education systems and the media, the participation of all is needed to foster an ethos of equality and to challenge patriarchal and anti-women ideologies. Police It is one of the critical stakeholders in building more robust policing and legal systems for women’s safety. From the moment an incident of violence takes place, there should be quick, efficient and non-judgemental responses. Non-required questions, especially personal questions like what she was wearing should not be included. The case should be dealt swiftly and effectively by the legal system so that perpetrators of violence fear the repercussions of their actions. If need be, the police However, the facts present an adverse case. The cases of violence against women, especially sexual harassment in public spaces, has gone up but the convictions are still abysmally low. Only one of 100 cases registered under Section 354 led to convictions in 2015. The Centre has a Nirbhaya project, the recommendations of Justice Usha Mehra Commission and states like Kerala had a similar policy much before the Delhi incident. But they have been just on paper. Had they been properly implemented, many of the offences against women would not have happened. Urban planners There is a need of gender-sensitive urban planning, service delivery and governance as setting up police and legal system is not enough. Such kind of urban planning will ensure that our cities and towns promote accessibility, safety and inclusion. It is unfortunate that today more cities are losing public spaces. Safety audits done across cities have revealed that better lighting and CCTVs all across the cities can make the space safer. Many cities around the world have been making changes to make cities more inclusive. For example, In Seoul, public spaces have been revitalized by making them pedestrian areas with shops and establishments that make the street-front active. In Rosario, Argentina, wall art has been used to engage young men in making public spaces more usable In Papua New Guinea, women have used safety audits to make markets more women-friendly. Thus, the cities have to be planned in such a way that streets are active, lively and usable by a wide variety of people, including women, children and the disabled. Public Transport Good and safe public transport is central to women’s right to mobility. Studies from across Indian cities have shown that women have reported facing a great deal of sexual harassment while using and waiting for public transport. Women only railway coaches or buses may be a partial solution but all forms of public transport must provide for instant redress and support through helplines and other measures for women and girls to use at any time of the day (or night). Women have as much right to the city as anyone else. They have the right to access public spaces at any time and it is the duty of the state to ensure they are not violated. The society’s culture Irrespective of whatever state or city women live in, lack of respect for them is ingrained in its culture. More than a law and order issues, it is a mindset problem. A majority of Indian men grow up in an environment where domestic violence and gender discrimination is a common factor and where women are treated as second-class citizens. Men are brought up to believe that they are the most important entity at home and that the women “belong” to them so they can have their way around them irrespective of the consequences. Today, parents want their girls to be safe rather than defiant poster girls for gender parity. It reflects the ground reality that parents are wary of danger lurking around whenever their girl child is out. And feminists cannot blame them for protecting the child instead of taking a baton of ‘changing the society.’ Mindset has to be changed from the core. Sexism should be removed from textbooks, building public opinion against movies portraying stalking of women as sureshot way to get her, marathons and events highlighting women’s rights to access and dignity, ‘no means no’ or a simple exercise of women meetings in parks/restaurants/ roads/public spaces. IASbaba’s views The state as well as society — are reactionary in nature. But that doesn’t help as the damage done to a women’s integrity can never be restored by its laws and justice. The request of I&B ministry to all private FM radio firms to broadcast jingles that promote positive portrayal of women show the lack of long term strategy with the government. Though it is a step in positive direction, such kind of quick fixes are not sustainable. Consultations with stakeholders and seeing through the implementation is effective way of expected change. Denying women safe and equal access to public spaces violates her most basic constitutional rights of equality and dignity. This denial also has social and economic implications where the women prefer to stay indoors, negatively effecting the female labour force participation. Thus, the society and the State need to change its attitude and be more respectful towards women who drive their economy and the society forward- literally. Connecting the dots: What are the challenges faced by women in society with respect to their right to freedom and right to access. Examine. More than the state, the attitude of the society needs to change to look at women in more respectful way. Do you agree? Support your answer with examples. MUST READ The world at a crossroads Hindu   A rights bill gone wrong Hindu   In the interests of fairness Indian Express   Small farmers most prone to suicide, show government data Indian Express   The myth of a political bond Indian Express   Acknowledging the new face of urban India Livemint   When judges put nationalism over democracy Livemint   Donald Trump’s team and its India policy Livemint   A different paradigm for CSR Business Line   MINDMAPS Inter State Water Disputes - Way Ahead (II)  

Jan 10, 2017 IASbaba's Monthly Current Affairs Magazine

IASbaba Current Affairs Monthly Magazine- DECEMBER 2016

DOWNLOAD ALL THE MAGAZINES- CLICK HERE   Hello Friends                                                                                                             This is the 19th edition of IASbaba’s Current Affairs Monthly Magazine for UPSC Civil Services Examination. This edition covers all important issues that were in news in the month of DECEMBER 2016 To Download the Magazine ->  Click Here

Jan 10, 2017 Daily Prelims CA Quiz

IASbaba Daily Current Affairs Quiz [Day 95]

IASbaba Daily Current Affairs Quiz [Day 95] Click here to get all the Tests– Archives Q.1) Consider the following statements about Banks Board Bureau (BBB) It decides on management and board-level appointments in public sector banks It was originally proposed by the PJ Nayak Committee It is based in Mumbai Which of the following statements is/are correct? 1 and 2 2 and 3 1 and 3 All of the above  Q.2) Consider the following statements about Presumptive Taxation Scheme (PTS) Under PTS, eligible professionals and businesses can compute income on an estimated basis under section 44ADA and 44AD of the Income Tax Act, 1961, respectively, at a minimum prescribed rate The threshold under PTS for eligible businesses is Rs.1 crore Limited liability partnership (LLP) firms are not allowed to adopt this scheme Which of the following statements is/are correct? 1 and 2 1 and 3 2 and 3 All of the above Q.3) Recently, Supreme Court has reiterated the necessity to implement the Vote Verifier Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) in electronic voting machines (EVMs). Consider the following statements about Vote Verifier Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) In the VVPAT system, when a voter presses the button for a candidate of his choice in the EVM, a paper ballot containing the serial number, name of the candidate and poll symbol would be printed for the voter Supreme Court had directed the Election Commission to introduce the paper trail in EVMs in a phased manner for the general elections in 2014 Which of the following statements is/are correct? Only 1 Only 2 Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.4) Which of the following statements about RE based Micro and Mini Grids is/are correct? A ‘Mini Grid’ is defined as a system having a RE based electricity generator with capacity of 10KW and above A ‘Micro Grid’ system is similar to a mini grid but having a RE based generation capacity of below 10KW The Public Distribution Network of a mini grid can be designed to carry either Alternating Current or Direct Current (AC or DC) All of the above  Q.5) ICT Development Index (IDI) is released by International Telecommunications Unit (ITU) Amazon Web Services Global Alliance for ICT and Development International Institute for Communication and Development (IICD) Download the Solution- Click here All the best IASbaba

Jan 9, 2017 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 9th January, 2017

IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 9th January 2017 Archives ECONOMY TOPIC: General Studies 3 Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment. Government Budgeting. General Studies 2 Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. The Slowing Economy No doubt, India’s growth momentum has slowed down as advanced GDP estimates and gross value added (GVA) for the current fiscal year from the Central Statistics Office clearly revealed the extent of the slowdown. Statistical data The GDP growth is now pegged at 7.1%, as compared to 7.6% in 2015-16. The GVA is forecasted to expand at 7.2% in 2016-17 as compared to 7.2% last year. From the key areas of economy: Mining and quarrying is estimated to shrink 1.8% in 2016-17 after expanding 7.4% last year. Utility services like electricity, gas, water supply and others — collectively an indicator of broader economic activity — is slowing to 6.5% from 6.6%. Manufacturing and services, the two key engines of economy, are losing momentum, faster than anticipated. The growth projections for services such as financial, insurance and real estate is at 9% compared to last year’s 10.3%. Other services such as trade and telecommunication will grow 6% as against 9% last year. Manufacturing will grow 7.4% versus 9.3% previous fiscal. Construction - the biggest creator of jobs – will grow at 2.9% against 3.9% last year. It is the lowest growth forecast in three years. However, there is some hope as the data predicts that ‘normal monsoon’ shall expand ‘agriculture, forestry and fishing’ sector at 4.1% this fiscal compared with the previous period’s 1.2%. FM had projected in April that growth could accelerate this year to 8-8.5% subject to normal monsoon. It stemmed from the reversal in downturn trend wherein Excise duties jumped 46% as against the target of 12% Corporation tax was up by 21% as against budgeted 9%. Service tax was high by 27% against the conservative target of 10%. The projections have been made based on data from April to October only and don’t take into account the post-demonetisation impact. Why only till October? The policy of demonetisation brought lot of volatility in the figures in that time period, especially in sectors of financial, insurance, real estate and professional services. Hence, it was better to not factor in the post demonetisation growth period which saw mostly predictions and not actual ground level data. For example, there has been growth in VAT collections in November 2016 in many states. Counting in on such extreme data may not provide a true picture. Also, the budget is going to be presented earlier, hence, there was a need to bring in early the GDP growth data forecast. Reasons for slowdown The slump is mainly due to slowdown in manufacturing, mining and construction sectors where the manufacturing sector has been under-performing for nearly two years now. There has been sluggish environment of investments, especially private investments. Shortfall in revenue from disinvestments as only Rs. 23,529 crore were raised against expectation of Rs. 56500 crore. The farm output was low due to past two drought years. Higher subsidy expenditure on food, petroleum and fertiliser, right from the beginning of fiscal year. Additionally, the global economy is also facing a slowdown and India is not insulated from its effects. Forecast spectrum Preliminary rabi data show that the total area sown under the rabi crop as on January 6 stood at 602.75 lakh ha, up 6.5% from last year. If farmers can pass over the acute cash shortage and ensure that the sowing translates to strong growth in output, the increase in rural consumption can provide some moderation from the slowdown. Also, the rise in indirect taxes might provide cushioning effect to absorb the shock to the economy due the disruption caused by demonetisation. The overall growth rate of over 7% is predicated on enhanced public expenditure (12.8%, against 6.6% in 2015-16), manifested in pay panel payouts. However, most private economists have pared India's growth forecast to 6.3-6.4% for the 2016-17 fiscal year, citing the impact of the government's demonetisation move, which they reckon would linger for one more year. As a worst-case scenario, India could be back to the 6% growth levels of 2014-15 this fiscal, with the effects of the downturn dragging into 2017-18. This could happen in the event of weak consumer and investor sentiment dragging each other down with the consumer holding on to cash (precautionary demand for money). Therefore, the economy may not bounce back to normal even after bank has sufficient currency and the RBI lowers the repo rate. Instead, the banks should finally be willing to lend rather than park funds in G-Secs. On the demand side, job uncertainties could dampen demand for credit even if rates fall. The Centre must prepare for a spending push in the Budget, both in physical and social infrastructure, to redress the demand compression. What Next? The GDP estimate is a vital input for finance minister’s budget on February 1. Until last year, the government’s statisticians would wait for GDP data for the quarter through December before putting out full-year estimates. But the announcement of the GDP estimates had to be made early keeping in mind the advanced budget in 2017. The CSO will revise numbers when the second estimate is released in end February. However, momentum is expected to stabilize into FY17-18 to 7.6%, on easing cash shortage, lower borrowing costs, constrained demand and higher public capex spending. The government is expecting a revival in consumption demand in the last three months of the year once there’s more cash available with households, and also on the manufacturing sector regaining some of the lost momentum. Connecting the dots: Evaluate the first CSO data released on growth forecast of Indian economy.   ECONOMY / ENVIRONMENT TOPIC: General Studies 3 Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment. Investment models Environment Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment. Green Bonds – Emergence and Significance What are Green Bonds? A bond is a debt instrument with which an entity raises money from investors. As a result of the transaction, the bond issuer gets capital while the investors receive fixed income in the form of interest and once the bond matures, the money is repaid. Green bonds are issued by multilateral agencies such as the World Bank, corporations, government agencies and municipalities. In case of a green bond, the issuer publicly states that capital is being raised to fund ‘green projects’, which typically include those relating to renewable energy, emission reductions and so on. The main aim is to finance environmentally friendly businesses and assets. Lately green bonds have emerged as one of the key financing mechanisms for the global economy’s to move towards a greener and sustainable future. Emergence and Growth of Green Bonds The first green bonds were issued in 2007 by World Bank and European Investment Bank. Ever since the first issue the green bond market has grown exponentially and is currently pegged at over $180 billion. This mode of raising funds has seen extensive participation from corporates and financial institutions, including sovereign and municipal bodies across the world in both developed and developing economies. 2015 was a big year for green bonds as world markets witnessed currency green bonds, innovative structuring and also various nations coming up with their with first green bond issue. Asia has emerged as a top destination for green bonds because of market-driven state policies and rapid growth of green bonds in India and China. India and Green Bonds The Exim Bank of India issued a five-year $500 million green bond, which was India’s first dollar-denominated green bond. Yes Bank also raised Rs 1,000 crore via green bond issue. A growing number of corporates and financial institutions have resorted to this innovative mechanism to raise capital and even for attracting foreign investments. India also received investment through its first Green Masala Bond (rupee-denominated bond), with the International Financial Corporation raising an off-shore rupee bond on London Stock Exchange for investing in Yes Bank’s green bond. This was a fine example of how innovations in emerging markets can capture global attention. Green bond issuance in the country has witnessed a manifold increase and India is now the seventh largest green bond market globally. These bonds have been crucial for raising capital for sunrise sectors like renewable energy. It has assisted India in sustainable growth. Various sectors which have received investment through the green bonds are the low carbon transport sector and low carbon buildings. However, sectors such as water management and waste management have not been successful enough to raise money through green bonds due to sector-specific issues and also because the projects are smaller in size and geographically dispersed. Regulatory Performance Indian regulators have shown exemplary foresight in recognising green bonds as a key tool towards financing the nation’s climate change targets and in guiding the development of the green bond market through necessary policies and reforms. In January 2016, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) published its official green bond guidelines and requirements for Indian issuers. The Reserve Bank of India also passed regulatory reforms for strengthening and expanding India’s corporate bond market. Conclusion – Tapping the Real Potential India’s green bond market has not been tapped completely. It has a limited number of issuers so far. However, because of increasing interest from the government and market regulators, 2017 can expect a further growth in raising capital through the green bonds and also more policy and regulations for the green bond market. For greater success, one very important step that needs to be taken is the clear classification of and a formal definition of green projects or green bonds to ensure understanding across sectors. India, in the next few years, is also set to introduce the Blue Bond issuance. Blue bonds are those bonds which are specifically used to finance water infrastructure. Globally, the blue bond issue has crossed $10 billion. It is imperative for India to utilise such innovative mechanisms for water infrastructure augmentation as well. Other innovative mechanisms such as securitisation can also be promoted. Many standalone green projects such as roof top solar, energy efficiency and rural water supply still remain unattractive to institutional investors owing to the smaller scale and vast geographical spread. Aggregation and securitisation of such projects will give them the much needed push. With the focus of urbanisation and infrastructure development in India growing consistently in the policy sphere, the green bonds are expected to witness a huge growth for financing water supply projects in cities such as Pune and Hyderabad and even development of smart cities. Collective participation of regulators, policymakers, corporate and financial institutions is also important to utilise the green bonds in addressing climate change. Connecting the dots What are green bonds? How can these bonds be instrumental in giving a push to infrastructural development while giving due regards to sustainable growth and the challenges of climate change? Related article: Green Bonds can give a fillip to India’s renewable energy goals MUST READ Unclogging the cities Hindu   Revisiting a passage from India Hindu   Next Door Nepal: Being with the force Indian Express   How the times are changing Indian Express   Out of my mind: SC order incomprehensible Indian Express   The tech giants’ race to a trillion dollars Livemint   A generational change in Indian politics Livemint   The RBI’s bounty and its independence Livemint   Will Aadhaar help the poor become cashless? Livemint   Competition law and innovation Livemint   Make e-payments a habit Business Line MINDMAPS  

Jan 9, 2017 Daily Prelims CA Quiz

IASbaba Daily Current Affairs Quiz [Day 94]

IASbaba Daily Current Affairs Quiz [Day 94] Click here to get all the Tests– Archives Q.1) Mission Lucy and Mission Psyche is concerned with Asteroids Mars Moon None of the above Q.2) Consider the following statements about Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) It has been set up under Section 14 of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India Act, 1997 by TRAI (Amendment) Act, 2000 It was established to adjudicate disputes and dispose of appeals with a view to protect the interests of service providers and consumers of the telecom sector and  to promote and ensure orderly growth of the telecom sector. Which of the following statements is/are correct? Only 1 Only 2 Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2  Q.3) Consider the following statements about ‘Larsen Ice Shelf’ It is a series of three shelves It is a long, fringing ice shelf in the Arctic Ocean Larsen A is the largest which is poised to break off Which of the following statements is/are correct? 1 and 2 Only 1 1 and 3 2 and 3  Q.4) Which of the following committee has been constituted to draft National Sports Development Code Vijay Kelkar Committee Shanta Kumar Committee Nanavati Commission Injeti Srinivas Committee Q.5) Consider the following statements about Central Statistics Office (CSO) The National Accounts Division (NAD) of CSO is responsible for the preparation of national accounts, which includes Gross Domestic Product, Government and Private Final Consumption Expenditure, Fixed Capital Formation and other macro-economic aggregates. The Economic Statistics Division (ESD) of CSO conducts Economic Censuses and Annual Surveys of Industries (ASI), compiles All India Index of Industrial Production(IIP), Energy Statistics and Infrastructure Statistics, and develops classifications like, National Industrial Classification (NIC) and National Product Classification (NPC) Coordination and Publications Division (CAP) of CSO is a nodal Division for administering the Collection of Statistics Act, 2008 and coordination of follow-up on the implementation of recommendations of NSC recommendations 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 All the best IASbaba

Jan 9, 2017 AIR

All India Radio - Formation of States and their Achievements

Formation of States and their Achievements ARCHIVES Search 1st November 2016 here http://www.newsonair.com/Main_Audio_Bulletins_Search.aspx TOPIC: General Studies 2 Functions and responsibilities of the Union and the States, issues and challenges pertaining to the federal structure, devolution of powers and finances up to local levels and challenges therein. PM inaugurated 16th foundation day celebrations of Chhattisgarh on 1st November 2016 where he launched several schemes for the benefit of farmers. Hence, this can be taken as an occasion to remember the bifurcation of states and the rationale thereof. Rationales on which bifurcation of states happened The new states have not been necessarily created for administrative purpose. There have been reasons for demand and creation of new states, particularly smaller states, for varied reasons. Language In 1953, the first state of Andhra Pradesh was created on basis of language. Hence, it was a demand for a linguistic state. Thereafter, from 1953 to 1966 (Following Andhra Pradesh was bifurcation of Maharashtra and Gujarat in 1960 and Punjab and Haryana in 1966), the process of creation of states was primarily language basis to give linguistic groups a satisfaction that they have their own territory. Such a demand for state bifurcation was there even before independence, but at the time of framing of constitution, Dhar commission and others did not favour linguistic states. Hence, sometimes it seems as if some fissiparous tendency grows and makes this kind of demands to detriment of unified India and so there is a demand for this kind of fissiparous demands to be suppressed that are based on language and ethnic considerations. However, such are not entirely fissiparous demands. The experience has showed that because of enormous diversity of India, there exists regional disparities within diversities. A particular cultural group living in a wider state does feel a sense of alienation when that group feels that they are not getting development because they are in minority status. Therefore creation of states on linguistics basis have shown that it increases level of satisfaction amongst people and more belonging to India when they get a separate state of their own. Development There have been and still exist regional disparities within states, for example, Chhattisgarh, Uttaranchal, Jharkhand and Telangana. They were primarily areas within larger states where they were feeling some sort of cultural affinity but at the same time, economically deprived. However, Chhattisgarh has developed a lot after being separated from Madhya Pradesh. There is no denying the fact that development has taken a very important role in building of Chhattisgarh society. Naxalism is decreasing, development is paramount and gap between rich and poor is narrowing down gradually. Haryana when it was part of Punjab, it remained underdeveloped and neglected but from 1966 onwards, there has been development visible due to its size, nearness to delhi and role of leadership and sense of competition. Thus, there are some states where division of states have really fortified into purpose for which it was intended. Upholding ethnicity North eastern states came into being to protect their ethnic diversity and cultural identity. Also, they were given autonomy to meet their political aspirations and have economic development in area. This has made peace and ceasefire deals with many of the insurgent groups possible despite having some trouble. Regional diversity in India Issue of regional disparity in India is enormous. These regional disparities are at two levels Intra state Madhya Pradesh was not a very developed states. But Chhattisgarh region was more underdeveloped. As a result, it always felt disconnected with the government schemes and plans. Inter state The per capita income difference between Bihar and Chhattisgarh is 1:5. Thus, there is a lot of disparity vis a vis states. This explains the reason why there is a massive exodus from poverty stricken state to prosperity nurtured states. Therefore the question of regional policy in India has been lacking right from the beginning. It was only in one or two Five Year Plans when the question of regional disparities was addressed. But it was not addressed as it should have been. As a result, development was more in developed states and less in underdeveloped states. Leadership qualities Now the question is, when the state gets bifurcated or new state comes into existence particularly in name of agreement, how far can a state go to become a sustainable developed entity. Here arises a question of leadership. If a division is simply for sake of power, the state is likely to lose its vision for growth path in few years. But if it is about development as the sole reason, then the small states and particularly when there is a cultural homogeneity, they give an enormous chance of development. For example, Jharkhand. Inspite of reservoir of large number of resources and having a separate entity to administer it as per the need of the people, they remain underdeveloped. It is because they had no development trajectory. So that being the situation, it is the leadership that matters in these situations. Even the central government cannot be wholly blamed in such situations. The central government launches welfare projects but they are not implemented by state government just because majority times the hidden reason is that it has a government formed by different political party. For example, Fasal Bima Yojana has been launched by central government and is considered to be extremely beneficial to the farmers. But, there are some states which are going to be reluctant in implementing the scheme. They are not understanding that it is going to change a lot for formers. Thus, if division is on rational grounds and if it is under regime of very effective leadership, it works. Chhattisgarh can be an icon for rest of the states where development has taken place post bifurcation. For example, Chhattisgarh government, with help of central government, is giving solar power driven pumps at highly subsidized rates for irrigation purpose under ‘Saur Sujala Scheme’. The cost of solar pump is 4-5 lakhs but given at Rs. 10000-20000 only. With this kind of development trajectory, if the leadership at state level is very effective, things will change a lot as seen in Chhattisgarh. Costs involved There is high cost involved as new states have to establish their own administrative structure whereas the original state has to provide certain financial help to let the new state sustain for a while. But, setting aside the cost factor, the new states give new opportunities to develop new urban areas, provide lots of jobs to younger people, make an opportunity to de-congest certain areas and indulge into different types of urbanisation and planning. So cost is not the only factor which needs to be considered for any developmental purpose. Conclusion- Good governance is the answer The question is about good governance and good governance does not depend on the size of the state. Telangana and AP are engaged in competition to prove one is better than another. That is why they continuously try to perform better and bring out novel governance ideas for better state administration. There was no competitiveness between Bihar and Jharkhand as seen as in MP and Chhattisgarh as there was political instability even post bifurcation in Jharkhand that had docked the entire Jharkhand development. If there is a very efficient leader, with full sense of authority, even then he/she cannot do much in Uttar Pradesh given its size. Thus, not a single factor is panacea for having a good administrative culture in the state. Hence, size, leadership, geographical location, resources, relationship with centre- all these factors matter during bifurcation of states and their achievements post it. The question will be how good governance or those leadership can make a balance of all these factors and do well with a sense of integrity within themselves. Connecting the dots: What has been the history of bifurcation of states in India? Examine the factors involved while creation of new states. Related article Telangana- Small administrative units for better administration?

Jan 8, 2017 Motivational Articles

Creative Guidance – Mind & Psychology – Inspirational & Educative Articles

Mind & Psychology: Continuing our understanding of the mind from the previous article, let us understand the root of fear, anger, worry, frustration and other psychological issues related to the mind. All of us can agree on the universality of the psychological issues associated with the challenges of daily living. The mind can get easily agitated and disturbed. The result of which is a confused and frustrated state of living. The root of all psychological problems related with the mind is due to the lack of clear understanding of the inner functioning of the mind. Since time immemorial we have been trying to understanding the nature of the human mind and how it functions. More importantly, we are all interested in knowing how to control the mind. We want to know how to channelize the energies of the mind so that it can accomplish a given task. Lack of focus is the reason why actions fail to produce results. The mind gives up too easily. It is way too easily distracted. Famous hypnotherapists like Virginia Satire and Milton Erickson were able to solve a wide range of psychological problems. Their methods can give an insight into how we can understand the intricate functioning of our mind. They had a marvellously simple approach of identifying and solving problems. Firstly, they focused on the language people use to communicate with themselves. They believed that how we talk to ourselves determines our thoughts and eventually our actions. This is a great revelation considering how many of us talk to ourselves using negative, de-motivating, depressing language. We constantly complain about our situation and expect it to change. The simple and wonderful truth about the human mind is that it is a one hundred percent suggestion responsive system. The constant suggestions we give to our mind using the tool of language eventually become actionable thoughts. They discovered that in order to change our lives, we need to change the way we talk to ourselves. Through their study, they discovered that most people simply did not want to see solutions for their problems. People were so pre occupied with their problems that they simply refused to believe that there is a solution to every problem, including theirs. The simple and most effective way of understanding the mind is by watching how we communicate with it. The more you are able to watch your language (Literally!) the more you will be able to understand how you are indirectly shaping your situations. And once you are able to see the problem clearly, finding a solution is not that difficult. “The articles are a copyright of The Ahamo Movement and IASBABA.” Read more such articles– Click Here