Jul 13, 2016 RSTV Video

The Big Picture - India-Africa Ties: Where are they Heading?

Archives     India-Africa Ties: Where are they Heading?   India’s relation with Africa has been a historical one. In recent years, these ties have been sought to be imposed with deeper economic and strategic relationship. The India-Africa summit which began in 2008 has seen three summits, last one being held in October 2015. PM is now on the first visit to the four countries of the continent viz. Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania and Kenya. These visits are looked at keenly as India hopes to deepen its ties and play a major role in the continent. Meanwhile, these visits have also acquired importance following the recent strain in the relation with some of the African countries following the attacks on Africans in India. Vision of India for Africa The vision is now becoming clearer. The vision is of consolidation and expansion of close political relationship between India and Africa. Intensifying the economic relationship in a manner that it becomes mutually beneficial. Intensification of development partnership Focus on Indian Ocean related issues, security and development. People-to-people relationship and cultural cooperation between India and African continent. The foundation of ties has not taken a definite shape for years which it should have because of its historical and cultural linkages. In last few years, the focus has been back again on increasing India-Africa ties. However, the refocus is related to economic growth. Positioning this relationship in a 21st century framework, while recalling the historical sacrifices of freedom, it’s important that new basis are formed on which the relationship can flourish. India-Africa camaraderie To some extent, most of Africa is semi-industrialised and so is India, and now both are on path to industrialisation, hence, there is a greater complementarity that is emerging. So India’s need for African resources is going to grow. Simultaneously the African bloc is huge in UN and India needs their votes. On top of it, there is a sense that India is rising and it needs to have an influence in Africa and have a backing for if India has to establish as a leading power. For all these reasons, India is making effort and it is being accelerating in last few years. There was a time when hardly any Indian leader was visiting Africa and thus, it is a time to make up for deficit and showing that south-south cooperation is not only about technical nitty-gritty. It is about rising together. India and China in Africa: Worth the comparison? India has been said to be little laggard in the way it has dealt with Africa. China is way ahead making inroads into the continent. However, it is a wrong way to look at India’s relation with Africa. India shouldn’t be looking through the prism of China which is galloping in Africa. India has a very old relationship with Africa. There is trade taking place, Gujarati traders have known to be coming and settling down in east Africa. When it comes to African National Congress, India was deeply embedded in African struggle, INC led by J.N. Nehru had an African policy. So, Africa has been very important. Thus, it is not a recent thing. South Africa and India are working and dealing with each other since 1994. But in terms of larger economic engagement, it has risen primarily because India had money to invest post liberalisation and when India began to look better 2006 onwards. The credit limits given to African nations has increased with time. Thus, its gradual process of building up ties with African nations. Not to look at India-Africa ties through prism of China because, ultimately, India’s relationship will run independently of China. Some of the countries like Sudan gave India share in oil field which was controlled largely by China because they didn’t want China to have 100% share in oil field. Nigeria also did the same which wanted that all of their resources should not be controlled by one country. President of Zambia ran on a wildly anti-china platform with increased Chinese investment and labourers, giving no jobs to locals. The beneficiary is Vedanta which was allowed to take copper industry to the point that Vedanta is slated to be 26% of Zambia’s entire GDP. Therefore, it does help us that there is the China issue. Role of private sector on rise: India has benefited and the bulk of work done in Africa is running on its own scheme. At the core of this is the rise of Indian private sector investment along with large number of state owned enterprises, PSUs investing, especially in oil and gas industry. The private sector is visible in African nations like South Sudan with presence of companies like Airtel, Mahindra, Tata, Apollo hospitals, Maratha infantry soldiers maintaining law and order in Juba. Thus, Indian elements were seen on whole host of fronts. It is no longer just about the government of India or PSUs. That relationship is expanding across the lot of areas and that is not driven by China but it is Indian commercial interests and there is a convergence between our interests and Africa. This is big difference between India and China. Just not resources: India is not sorely resource driven in African engagement. A lot of Indian investments growing into Africa is not only about resources any more. It is about financial services, telecom, hospitals and education. The 50% of all global FDI in Africa is into services and not resources any more. This is a big misnomer about what modern Africa is about. Resources is big. But it is now a major service economy and that is what India is competing in as India is service driven economy. The President and Vice-President have already been to Africa and now PM visiting shows the focus to get more influence, to get more support for UN reforms, for cooperation in nuclear Suppliers’ Group support and deeper ties. A different engagement by India India is of course interested in African resources. There is no reason why India should not be as it is the strength of Africa. The essential approach of India is that it is not purely or nakedly extractive. Idea is that India will help Africa to mine its resources, do the value addition, create employment and then Africa will help by sharing whatever they can share with India. This is a very enlightened approach. However, western or some other countries and experts believe that some kind of neo-colonialism is happening in Africa. But, India should not highlight such criticism as Africans do not feel that way. Africa is not going to make a choice. It is going to need all its major partners. Major partners from Asia include India and China. It also needs, USA, EU, Japan, Turkey, Russia etc. Thus, they don’t have to make a choice. In this matrix of the partners, India has very obvious attraction and strengths. Now, with the continuation of India-Africa policy, India is addressing the major deficit in political visibility in Africa which was missing earlier. Also, India is willing to share much more of its financial resources and human development resources than it was willing to do in past. Importance of South Africa South Africa has overtaken or overshadowed other countries as far as the India looks at Africa and it also has a strategic location in Indian Ocean. It certainly has attracted bulk of India’s investment and is largest trading partner in Africa. It is also a major economy after Nigeria. Presence of Gandhiji, Mandela and all those connections loom large on India-South Africa relation. But, India has diversified over time. India is buying oil from other countries. Of course, mineral oils is more in South Africa along with Angola, Congo, Tanzania and Mozambique. Over time, other African economies will start galloping and even West Africa, away from Indian shores towards Atlantic, is being tapped by India in a big way. So, it is not over dependence on South Africa anymore. South Africa is looked upon due to BRICS, IBSA, it being vocal about changing global order, making world multi-polar with which India shares its views. The PM also mentioned the possibility of South Africa and India partnership in coproduction in defence. This will be first time that India will be working with SA in building peace keeping capacities of African governments across the region. South Africa has a convening power. In Pretoria, civil servants, military, bureaucrats across the continents are coming for training. Through South Africa, India can make a gateway to build its capacities, agenda in whole of Africa. Racial attacks Africa is described as one entity. It is not made granular or separated. When an incident takes place against one African, the message goes that entire Africa is brutalised in a way. Thus, during interactions with different governments, the Government of India is cognisant of the fact that any kind of violence on African nationals in India, there is a counter violence that takes place in the respective countries, just as it happened this time when the Congolese was hit. If India wants close relation, it has to be assured that no such outward incidents happen which can strain the ties. Whether or not South African or other countries raise this pressure from the media of the continent, it is incumbent on India to do the correct thing and it is hoped that whatever has been promised will be carried forward. African expectations from India African nations expect India to show its faith in ‘Atithi devo bhava’. That it believes in Vasudhev kutumbakam. When an African student, businessman, diplomat or visitor comes to India, he has to be given safe, respectful and friendly environment. Indian authorities are versed with it. But now is the need to change the mind of the countrymen. However, the government denying Indians as being racist is not correct. Indians have racist tendency and it is widely evident. So, government has to come out of denial mode and accept the racial attacks and try to solve the issue. When Indians are attacked in Australia, there is a wide outcry of Indians being racially abused. At government to government level, negative stuff is not raised. But, government has to accept it. After the end of non-alignment phase, the current generation has disconnected and now they indulge in racist bias. They don’t know how Indians benefit from Africa. Hopefully, the PM’s travel and all emphasis on Africa and building cooperation and the publicity that comes along with it will educate the public. What is lacking is the level of education at the school curricula, in the minds of young Indians. Average Indians don’t know how attractive Africa is and how it belies the western stereotypes of being destabilised and a war prone continent. There are many parts of Africa that are charging forward. The demographic dividend is growing. Thus, India needs to put up a positive image of Africa. The meeting of ambassadors of Africa was recently organised wherein one of the things they demanded from Government of India is to raise awareness about Africa, to fight the stereotype that drive these people to violence. This is where the challenge lies and also to stop being in denial. Indian investments in Africa The extent to which Indians are going there for contract farming, buying land, is a new trend now. There is a growing awareness that land is very sensitive issue. If one goes into Africa and buys or leases land, it has its very serious implications. The new model in Mozambique is introduced where India will extend financial and technological help to Mozambique people to do the commercial farming and this is backed by buy-back production of pulses. This seems to be positive and balanced approach which can be replicated elsewhere because Africa has land, water and fertile environment that is needed by India. India has similar thing in Myanmar, which is another major source exporter of dal. India doesn’t buy from Indian farmers but Myanmar farmers. It’s a win-win situation for African farmer who gets a guaranteed market for his product and in return India gets steady supply of dal which has become a major inflation problem in India. It is a primary source of protein for vegetarian and poor people but it has become a luxury product which has to be imported from Australia, Canada, America, Myanmar and India is desperate because the rising demand is not matched. Strategic maritime issues The strategic importance of Indian Ocean is now being acknowledged. Last year’s India-Africa summit had the introduction of large security element to Indian Ocean. India has become more active in helping African countries fighting boko haram, al Qaeda, Islamic markhaz which are big terrorist organisations functioning in Africa. India has signed dozen security and military agreements in last summit. In Mozambique, Indians are training navy, military service of Mozambique. PM has chosen specific Indian Ocean littoral states and India is now developing a larger Indian Ocean strategy in which linkages are being built up which go beyond just the historical and cultural relations. India is moving into economics and security of Indian Ocean learning from South China sea issue. China suddenly declares that an international water body is theirs. And South East Asia is unable to resist Chinese pressure. So, India needs to build up a network of influence in Indian Ocean. It will not stop China from coming in but India has to show that Indian Ocean is still India’s ocean which Chinese has publically said that it will never be India’s. This has been existing for a long time and has now got a sharper focus. There is a geo-political factor which needs to be caught up by India. But, in immediate future, power balance will not change suddenly. What is changing is that, in past India used to have just one or two gateways in Africa: Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa. Now, thanks to active, constructive and creative diplomacy, India has acquired several gateways to Africa. Morocco offered to be one. Ghana also offered when President went. Mozambique is another one. So, India is developing elbow room for itself on the holistic way and thus it is a positive way. Way forward: India yet cannot give lot of economic support. Focus is on support for NSG, on UN Security Council reform issue as it shares same problems of non-representation. So these issues will be talked about. India is touching life of ordinary Africans building their livelihoods, capacities. Thus India stands out in its approach. Lot of African countries are democratising, which is why India is special. India is most successful case amongst established democracies. So electoral assistance, constitutionalism, federalism, drafting of rights and charters are important areas where Africa and India can strengthen its political ties. Thus, India can be a role model for changing countries. Key words: South-South cooperation: a broad framework for collaboration among countries of the South in the political, economic, social, cultural, environmental and technical domains. Involving two or more developing countries, it can take place on a bilateral, regional, subregional or interregional basis. Developing countries share knowledge, skills, expertise and resources to meet their development goals through concerted efforts. Recent developments in South-South cooperation have taken the form of increased volume of South-South trade, South-South flows of foreign direct investment, movements towards regional integration, technology transfers, sharing of solutions and experts, and other forms of exchanges. Connecting the dots: Transformation from historical linkages to economic cooperation defines India-Africa relations. Analyse Refer: India-Africa Cooperation on Global Issues Strengthening Ties with Africa India’s Entry into NSG: Why is South Africa holding out?

Jul 12, 2016 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 12th July, 2016

Archives   IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 12th July, 2016   INTERNATIONAL   TOPIC: General Studies 2 Important Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests. Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests, Indian diaspora.   The RCEP Effect on India Why in news? The Regional Comprehensive Economic Policy negotiations enter the fourth year in 2016 and the 13th round of RCEP negotiations took place in Auckland on 12-18th June 2016. RCEP— Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) is an ASEAN-centred proposal for a regional free trade area. Between: 10 ASEAN states: (Brunei, Burma (Myanmar), Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam) CLIMBB-PSTV + Six states with which ASEAN has existing FTAs (Australia, China, India, Japan, South Korea and New Zealand) JACSIN Launched in: November 2012 at the ASEAN Summit in Cambodia Viewed as: Alternative to the Trans-Pacific Partnership Trade Agreement Stats: The 16 RCEP participating countries account for almost half of the world’s population, almost 30 per cent of global GDP and over a quarter of world exports. Why RCEP? Purpose: ASEAN+6 RECP—aimed at transforming the region by higher economic growth through more cross-border trade and investment. Objective:  To achieve a modern, comprehensive, high-quality and mutually beneficial economic partnership agreement that will cover trade in goods, trade in services, investment, economic and technical co-operation, intellectual property, competition, dispute settlement and other issues. Dynamics of RCEP It will not create a large integrated market For an integrated market, RCEP must agree to a zero tariff area among members. However, this was never on agenda. Best possible solution was RCEP countries agreeing to a single tariff concession list providing uniform tariffs for products across member-countries. The ‘noodle-bowl’ of numerous competing FTAs will continue and RCEP will be an add-on to the list. Challenge: The zero-tariff was not agreeable to all countries. No substantial tariff concessions in most cases Large-scale slashing is theoretically not possible among the countries already connected through FTAs. For example, ASEAN countries and their FTA partners have already opened over 80 per cent trade through existing FTAs. They can, at best, make small incremental offers to each other, under RCEP. Country groups such as India-China, India-Australia and New Zealand or China-Japan do not have any existing FTA relationship with each other and hence there’s scope for exchanging deeper tariff slashing. Challenge: Many countries in the group are not enthusiastic about this, probably due to a tough economic climate. The level of tariff slashing that these countries will finally agree upon is yet to be established. ROO criteria Consensus on adopting common Rules of Origins (ROO) will make movement of goods easier, predictable across the member-countries. However, this is just a framework and product level details for almost 5,200 product sub-headings are yet to be negotiated. A ROO criterion determines nationality of goods. For instance, if squash is made in India from Nagpur oranges, the squash obviously originates in India. But what if the squash is made in India from oranges grown in the US? Which is the country of origin for squash here: India or the US? There is no standard answer. Two broad interests group in RCEP Export- driven trading economy: Many ASEAN countries argue that even minor processing should qualify a product for FTA benefits Manufacturing economy: China or India argues that processing should be substantial else non-FTA country products will enter the domestic market. Challenge: RCEP will have a tough time balancing the conflicting needs of the stakeholders, comprising a mix of manufacturing and trading economies. While a few countries are pushing for large MNC-centric rules, RCEP being home to over 100 million SMEs may struggle to find a balance. Pending indecisive areas: Contours of the final outcome are yet to emerge in the area of IPR, services and investments. RCEP will have to reconcile the interests of many conflicting interest groups to ensure that IPR provisions do not compromise on public health issues as it contains 45 per cent of the world population, of which the majority is poor. Another contentious issue before it is ‘investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS)’ that seeks to enable an investor to sue a foreign government. Predicted industry trends due to RCEP negotiations Influence new investment decisions: in textiles, leather, processed food, machinery and electronic component sectors. Sectors such as agriculture, automotive products, steel may not see fresh tariff concessions and face restrictive ROOs Less intra-ASEAN trade: Trade for immediate products such as integrated circuits accounts for over 60 per cent of ASEAN import of these. Much of this trade may relocate to one or two ASEAN countries or even to China on account of the common ROO framework and to achieve economies of scale. Increased Chinese exports to India: Today, China exports to India at full duty as it does not have an FTA with India. But for products where duty differential matters, it needs to set up joint ventures in Thailand or Malaysia from where products can be exported to India at zero duty under the ASEAN-India FTA. With RCEP, many such facilities will not be required as China will export directly to India. While China’s exports to India may increase, most of these will be at the expense of ASEAN’s exports to India. However, China and ASEAN’s combined exports to India may not see much change. What future RCEP holds for India? Boost to India-ASEAN relation: Help in furthering the aims and objectives of India’s own Act-East Policy. In real practice, RCEP once formalized, is supposed to emerge as the most effective and largest free-trade bloc in the world with combined geo-political resources. This is particularly important because India is not a party to two important regional economic blocs: the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation and the Trans-Pacific Partnership. The RCEP would enable India to strengthen its trade ties with Australia, China, Japan and South Korea, and should reduce the potential negative impacts of TPP and TTIP on the Indian economy. Increased Chinese investments in India: To offset the increasing labour costs, Chinese firms have been relocating labour-intensive manufacturing to Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand and Indonesia. By setting up manufacturing joint ventures in India, China can effectively reach India’s domestic market and also a large European market once India signs an FTA with the European Union. If this frames true, India’s trade deficit with China will come down as well. Revenue loss for India: An internal commerce ministry estimate that signing the RCEP trade agreement will result in a revenue loss of as much as 1.6% of gross domestic product. This is expected to make India more aggressive in the upcoming negotiations, seeking greater market access in services to be able to justify the closing of the deal at home, where an apprehensive local industry views it as equivalent to signing a free trade agreement with China. More access to service market needed: India, due to its higher tariff wall, ends up cutting its tariffs more significantly in such bilateral or plurilateral trade negotiations, while other countries, due to their already low tariff lines, need only to reduce them marginally. If balance cannot be achieved in goods, other countries need to give greater market access to services from India. India thinks its best bet is in services export, through which it can supply its burgeoning skilled professionals to other countries, thus partially meeting the demand for jobs from a million people joining the labour market every month. In conclusion, RCEP may still take over a year to conclude. This intervening period can be used to tie up loose ends. The Cabinet’s decision in June on introducing labour reforms for the textiles and apparel sector may prove to be a welcome grand step in this direction. Connecting the dots: ‘RCEP holds a gateway to a regional trading bloc for India but, India has to cautiously pave its way’. Critically analyse.   Refer: The new Great Game in Asia Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) & India HOT question- March 2016 INDIA-ASEAN TRADE TIES Needless pressure to change copyright laws RCEP negotiations: India likely to take a more aggressive stand   MUST READ India’s changed faster since 1991 Hindu Related Articles: Seven failures of economic liberalization   Consider it seriously Hindu Related Articles: Uniform civil code: One nation, one law Uniform civil code : Need of the hour   Go back to the drawing board Hindu   Supreme Court has shone much-needed light on the dark underbelly of the operation of AFSPA Indian Express Related Articles: Calling to account Ending impunity under AFSPA   Reforms for rule-based governance Livemint   Another attempt to rejuvenate Ganga Livemint Related Articles: TLP - 2016   Organizing for urban governance Livemint   Sidestepping Punjab’s farm debt crisis Business Line   All you wanted to know about... Business Line   Collateral damage Business Line

Jul 12, 2016 60 Days Plan 2019 - Daily Prelims Test

IASbaba ’60 Day Plan- Prelims Test 2016 Polity & CURRENT AFFAIRS [DAY 50]

Click here to get all the Tests– Archives Hello Friends Hope you are enjoying Daily questions. The link for Day 49 solution is active now.  Why we asked you to comment? Now go back to check your answers that you posted with honest effort. Edit your answers with marks. Everyday like this you can self monitor your progress for all 60 days. Accountability to self is the only way for success IASbaba '60 Day Plan' - Prelims Test 2016 [Day 50] Q.1) Consider the following in regard to the powers and actions taken by the National Human Rights Commission: NHRC has wide-ranging powers to investigate, recommend prosecutions, and award compensations for human rights violations. NHRC can take any coercive measuresand take action against persons or authorities who do not follow the guidelines laid down by it. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? a) 1 only b) 2 only c) Both 1 and 2 d) Neither 1 nor 2 Q.2) Which among the following statement(s) is/are correct about Cabinet Secretariat? The Cabinet Secretariat functions directly under the Prime Minister. The administrative head of the Secretariat is the Cabinet Secretary who is also the ex-officio Chairman of the Civil Services Board. The business allotted to Cabinet Secretariat is Secretarial assistance to Cabinet and Cabinet Committees; and Rules of Business. Choose the correct answer from the codes given below: a) 1 only b) 1 and 2 only c) 1 and 3 only d) All of the above Q.3) Consider the following statements about National Investigation Agency: The NIA was created by an Act of the Parliament following Mumbai Terror Attack of November 2008 The NIA deals with offences under only eight laws, which also includes among them the Atomic Energy Act, 1962 Which of the statements given above is/are correct? a) 1 only b) 2 only c) Both 1 and 2 d) Neither 1 nor 2 Q.4) Which among the following is true regarding the composition of NHRC? The NHRC, set up under the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993, consists of nine members. Four are ex-office appointments — serving Chairpersons of the National Commissions for Minorities, Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Women. Two are persons who have done work in the area of human rights. Three are from the judiciary: a sitting or retired judge of the Supreme Court; a Chief Justice of a High Court; and, the most important of all, a former Chief Justice of India (CJI) who heads the Commission. Choose the appropriate code: a) 1 only b) 1, 2 and 3 only c) 1, 2 and 4 only d) All of the above Q.5) The National Human Rights Commission’s public face and guiding force is the Chairperson. Consider the following statements in regard to Chairperson: The Chairperson is appointed by the president on the recommendations of a six-member committee. Only a former CJI or a puisne judge of the Supreme Court are considered for the post. The chairman hold office for a term of five years or until they attain the age of 70 years. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? a) All of the above b) 1 and 3 only c) 1 and 2 only d) 3 only Q.6) Consider the following in regard to the Chief Information Commissioner and Information Commissioner: The Chief Information Commissioner and an Information Commissioner hold office for a term of 5 years or until they attain the age of 70 years, whichever is earlier. They are not eligible for reappointment. The Commission can order inquiry into any matter if there are reasonable grounds (suo-moto power). The Commission is empowered to utilise the services of any officer or investigation agency of the Central government or any state government for the purpose. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? a) All of the above b) 2 and 3 only c) 1 and 2 only d) 2, 3 and 4 only Q.7) Which among the following statement is/are true about Higher Education in India? Education falls under the Concurrent List of the Constitution The mandate of determining standards of higher education and research lies with the centre, as this falls under the Union List States have powers to incorporate, regulate and wind up universities as a subject under the State List Select the appropriate option: a) All the above b) 1 and 2 only c) 1 and 3 only d) 1 only Q.8) Consider the statements related to Fast Track Courts (FTCs): FTCs were to be established by the state governments in consultation with the Supreme Court The judges for these FTCs were appointed by promoting members from amongst the eligible judicial officers on ad-hoc basis only. Under the scheme average of five FTCs were to be established in each district of the country. Choose the correct codes a) 1 and 2 b) 2 only c) 3 only d) All of the above Q.9) Which among the following is/are not true about Zonal Councils? The Zonal Councils are neither statutory nor constitutional bodies. There are 5 zonal councils (Northern, Central, Eastern, Western and Southern) The Prime Minister is the common chairman of the five zonal councils. Each chief minister acts as a vice-chairman of the council by rotation, holding office for a period of one year at a time. Choose the appropriate codes from below options a) 1 only b) 1 and 3 c) 1 and 4 d) 3 and 4 Q.10) Which of the following bodies does not/do not find mention in the Constitution?  National Development Council Planning Commission Zonal Councils Select the correct answer using the codes given below. a) 1 and 2 only b) 2 only c) 1 and 3 only d) 1, 2 and 3 Q.11) Who of the following are part of NITI Aayog but were not a part of Planning Commission? Prime Minister Chief Ministers of All states Lieutenant Governors of Union Territories Chief Secretaries of All States Select the code from below: a) 1 and 2 b) 2 and 3 c) 2,3 and 4 d) All of the above Q.12) Which of the following actions can be taken by National Human Rights Commission(NHRC) with respect to alleged inhuman conditions of relief camps for riots victims in a state in India: Taking suo motu cognizance, NHRC may order independent probe to inquire into violation of human rights but only within one year of the incident. NHRC may order the state government to make payment of compensation or damages to the victims. Which of the above statements are correct? a) 1 only b) 2 only c) Both 1 and 2 d) Neither 1 nor 2 Q.13) Consider the following statements regarding Central Information Commission(CIC): It was constituted through an Official Gazette Notification under the provisions of the Right to Information Act (2005). It entertains complaints and appeals pertaining to offices, financial institutions, public sector undertakings, etc., under the Central Government, State Government and the Union Territories. Which of the above statements are incorrect? a) 1 only b) 2 only c) Both 1 and 2 d) Neither 1 nor 2 Q.14) Consider the following:  Central Body/Commission                                              Ministry a) UPSC                                                                      Ministry of Personnel b) Central Vigilance Commission                         Ministry of Personnel c) Central Information Commission                    Ministry of Personnel d) Staff Selection Commission                              Ministry of Personnel Which of the above are correctly matched? a) 1 and 4 b) 2 and 3 c) 1,2 and 4 d) All of the above Q.15) Consider the following statements regarding Central Vigilance Commission: The Central Vigilance Commissioner and vigilance commissioners are appointed by the president by warrant under his hand and seal. They hold office for a term of six years or until they attain the age of sixty five years, whichever is earlier. They are not eligible for further employment under the Central or a state government. Which of the above statements are correct? a) 1 and 2 b) 2 and 3 c) 1 and 3 d) 3 only Q.16) Consider the following statements: After Ice Age, Mars pole has become warmer than lower latitudes. After Ice Age, the polar region and high latitudes had become cooler than average on Earth Select the incorrect option/s from the following: a) Only 1 b) Only 2 c) Both 1 and 2 d) None of the above Q.17) Identify the committee set up to simplify tax administration? a) Urjit Patel Committee b) V.Easwar Committee c) Parthasarthi Shome Committee d) Mohanty Committee Q.18) Which port became the first in the country to implement logistics data tagging of containers? a) Jawaharlal Nehru Port b) Enayam Port c) Port of Kolkata d) Haldia Port Q.19) What do you mean by ‘Fly-by-night Money’? a) Investment in technology b) Investment in stock markets in order to make capital gains c) Investment in technology and the production process d) Investment in provision of services Q.20) The World Investment Report, 2016 has been released by the— a) World Bank b) International Monetary Fund c) AIIB d) UNCTAD Download the Solution- Click here P.S- Attempt these questions within 20 minutes with full honesty and write your results in the comment box. Next day, come back and check your result. You can also discuss the important concepts and issues, in case of doubts (among peers) All the best IASbaba

Jul 12, 2016 PIB

IASbaba Press Information Bureau (PIB)- 4th July to 10th July, 2016

ARCHIVES GS-2 “National Mineral Exploration Policy” (Topic: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation) About- It is a consensus amongst geoscientists that India is endowed with large mineral resource and has geological environment for many others on account of similarity of geological set up with Australia, South Africa, South America etc. Issue- Survey and exploration have been broadly concentrated on surficial and shallow mineral deposits. Exploration for deep and concealed deposits is a cost-intensive and high-risk enterprise which requires state-of-the-art technology and expertise. To overcome this- Efforts have been made by the government agencies to be extensively supplemented with the expertise and technological innovations available worldwide with the private sector. MMDR Amendment Act, 2015- It has brought in transparency in allocation of mineral concessions in terms of Prospecting License and Mining Lease. Present regime of grant of mineral concessions provides for Non Exclusive Reconnaissance Permit (NERP) which does not allow seamless transitions to prospecting and mining licences. Importance of NMEP Under NMEP, private agencies would be engaged to carry out exploration with the right to a certain share in the revenue (by way of royalty/premium to be accruing to the state government) from the successful bidder of mineral block after e-auction, which will be discovered by that private explorer. Revenue sharing could be either in the form of a lump sum or an annuity, to be paid throughout the period of mining lease, with transferable rights. The private sectors do not seem to be enthused to take up high risk of exploration. Keeping this in view, National Mineral Exploration Policy (NMEP) prescribes for incentivising the participation of private companies in exploration. Acquisition, processing and interpretation of pre-competitive baseline geoscience data play a pivotal role in successful exploration process. In this regard, the NMEP proposes the following: Pre-competitive baseline geoscientific data will be created as a public good and will be fully available for open dissemination free of charge. A National Aero-geophysical Mapping program will be launched to map the entire country. It will help to delineate the deep-seated and concealed mineral deposits. Overcoming of risk factor involved- Government will also work out normative cost of exploration works for different kinds of minerals so that the exploration agencies could be compensated, in case they could not discover any mineable reserves in their respective areas. This will be an added incentive for exploration agencies to mitigate their risk of exploration.   Selection of private explorer is proposed to be done following a transparent process of competitive bidding- National Geoscience Data Repository (NGDR) will be set up GSI will collate all baseline and mineral exploration information generated by various central and state government agencies and also mineral concession holders and maintain these on a geospatial database. Government will coordinate and collaborate with scientific and research bodies, universities and industry for the scientific and technological research Aim- To address the mineral exploration challenges in the country. For this, the Government proposes to establish a not-for-profit autonomous body/ company that will be known as the National Centre for Mineral Targeting (NCMT). State Governments have a key role Help in building up a steady stream of auctionable prospects. They will have to take up mineral exploration States need to build up the exploration capabilities, technical expertise and infrastructure facility. Central Government will provide support to States for capacity building from National Mineral Exploration Trust (NMET). NMEP proposes to launch a special initiative - Aim- To probe deep-seated/concealed mineral deposits in the country on the lines of UNCOVER project of Australia. Pilot project in collaboration with National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI) and the proposed National Centre for Mineral Targeting (NCMT)) and Geoscience Australia.  SBI Capital Markets Ltd (SBICAP) It has been selected consultant by the Ministry of Mines for development of detailed modalities of contractual framework for mineral exploration. Ministry will provide handholding support to the State Governments in this process of engaging the private agencies.   National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (Topic: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation) About-Union Cabinet chaired by the PM has approved a National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme. Funding- The Scheme has an outlay of Rs. 10,000 crore with a target of 50 lakh apprentices to be trained by 2019-20. Implemented by- Director General of Training (DGT) under Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) NAPS-                 It provides for incentivizing employers to engage apprentices. 25% of the total stipend payable to an apprentice would be shared with employers directly by Government of India. It is for the first time a scheme has been designed to offer financial incentives to employers to engage apprentices. In addition, it also supports basic training, which is an essential component of apprenticeship training. 50% of the total expenditure incurred on providing basic training would be supported by Government of India. Scheme will catalyze the entire apprenticeship ecosystem in the country and it will offer a win-win situation for all stakeholders. It is expected to become one of the most powerful skill-delivery vehicles in the country. Background- Apprenticeship Training is considered to be one of the most efficient ways to develop skilled manpower for the country. It provides for an industry led, practice oriented, effective and efficient mode of formal training. National Policy of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, 2015 launched by the Prime Minister focuses on apprenticeship as one of the key components for creating skilled manpower in India. Present scheme also aims to achieve the objective as stated in the National Policy, 2015. Policy proposes to work pro-actively with the industry including MSME to facilitate tenfold increase opportunities in the country by 2020-20.   First edition of “India Skills -2016” (Topic: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation)  About- President will inaugurate the first edition of “India Skills Competition” on the occasion of World Youth Skills Day on 15th July, 2016. Skill India will be celebrating its first anniversary on the occasion. Objective- To bring recognition and respect to country’s vibrant youth and make them more employable as per industry standards, thereby transforming the skills, labour and employment landscape of India. India Skills -2016 India Skills is a national competition steered by Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE) and National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) to select the best talent who will lead India’s participation at the biennial World Skills International Competition scheduled at Abu Dhabi in 2017 The year has been remarkable with more than 1.04 crore youth trained under various initiative of Skill India in 2015-16, marking 36.8% growth compared to the year before. India Skills is a big opportunity for the youth of our nation to showcase their skill sets on a global platform like World Skills International Competition, which is globally recognized as Olympics for Skills and is also recognised by UN, where candidates from more than 75 member countries participate Sector Skill Councils are ensuring standards aligned to National Skill Qualification Framework are being followed in the competition to monitor the quality and standards of the competition which will be important to follow to compete at a world scale. Shortlisted candidates from these events will qualify for the final selection for World Skills International Competition at Abu Dhabi, 2017.   MoU: India and Mauritius (Topic: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and or/or affecting India’s interests) About- In field of Rural Development and Poverty Alleviation; To establish a framework for cooperation between the National Development Unit, Prime Minister's Office of the Republic of Mauritius and the Ministry of Rural Development of the Republic of India in the sphere of rural development. MoU foregrounds- To coordinate and facilitate appropriate technical cooperation, including the access to Indian expertise institutions that can assist in fulfilling the objectives of this MoU Exchange of relevant information and documents in the sphere of rural development, including scientific and technical information together with policies and support measures adopted to foster rural development Cooperation by exchanging relevant information on issues of mutual interest, undertaking exchange visits on programmes to foster sharing of experience Collaboration to strengthen their human resource capacity through sector-specific in-country training in Mauritius and training at reputed institutions in India through customized schemes and facilitating the transfer of latest technology, state of the art equipment and materials, and share best practices.   MoU: India and Mozambique (Topic: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and or/or affecting India’s interests) About- Drug demand reduction and prevention of illicit trafficking in narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and precursor chemicals and related matters. Aim- To enhance mutual cooperation between the two countries in combating illicit trafficking in Narcotic drugs, Psychotropic substances and their precursors through exchange of information, expertise and capacity building.   MoU: India and Tanzania (Topic: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and or/or affecting India’s interests) About- Field of Traditional Systems of Medicine and Homeopathy Aim- Provide structured frame work for the cooperation between the two countries for the promotion and propagation of Indian Traditional Systems of Medicine & Homeopathy in Tanzania. Background- India is blessed with well-developed systems of traditional medicine including medicinal plants, which hold tremendous potential in the global health scenario. Traditional Medicine is an important element of life of Tanzanian people and Traditional medicines are used as first aid or stop-gap measure before the patient is referred to modern health facilities. Tanzania is an important East African country with historical ties with India and with substantial population of around 70 thousand Indian diaspora. Tanzania and India have traditionally enjoyed close, friendly and co-operative relations. In recent years, the relationship of the two countries has been marked by close contacts at the highest political level including cooperation in the field of Health and medicine. The Ministry of AYUSH as a part of its mandate to propagate Indian systems of Medicine globally had signed MoUs with several other countries which include China, Malaysia, Hungary, Bangladesh, Nepal, etc.   2nd Anti-Drug Working Group meeting of Heads of Drug Control Agencies of BRICS countries concludes (Topic: Important International institutions, agencies and further structure, mandate) About- Narcotics Control Bureau, Ministry of Home Affairs organized the 2nd anti-drug Working Group meeting of Heads of Drug Control Agencies of BRICS countries Delegates from- Five BRICS countries, viz Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa participated in the discussions which followed the inaugural session Significance as- India shall be hosting the eighth BRICS summit in October, 2016 in Goa Anti-Drug Working Group Meeting- In keeping with the spirit of the eThekwani Declaration, the first anti-drug working group meeting of Heads of Drug Control Agencies of BRICS countries was organized at Moscow, Russia in November, 2015. Meeting organized by the Narcotics Control Bureau, India was the second such meeting of the Heads of Drug Control Agencies It was the need of the hour that BRICS expanded its mandate to cover and discuss issues relating to trafficking of narcotics and the looming menace of narco-terrorism. Highlights-  Resolved to develop and enhance cooperation and collaboration among the Member States to monitor current trends and drug trafficking routes Exchange of information among the drug law enforcement agencies, share and exchange experiences, and best practices and enhance capacity building in order to prevent and counter illicit drug trafficking and related crimes. During the meeting, the participants discussed the drug trafficking situation including the- Illicit cultivation and production of Opium and Heroin in South West Asia and South East Asia and illicit cultivation  of Coca bush in South America, Illicit cultivation of Cannabis plant used for production of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Diversion and trafficking of precursor chemicals, illicit financial flows from drug proceeds, financing of terrorism in certain cases, maritime drug trafficking and challenges and emergence of new psycho-active substances that have posed serious threat to health, safety and well being of society across globe, especially of the youth and also undermines the economic, social and political stability and development of BRICS member states. GS-3 Interest Subvention Scheme (Topic: Issues related to direct and indirect farm subsidies and minimum support prices) About- Interest Subvention Scheme approved for farmers for the year 2016-17. Help- It will help farmers getting short term crop loan payable within one year up to Rs. 3 lakhs at only 4% per annum. Features of the scheme are as follows- Central Government will provide interest subvention of 5 per cent per annum to all farmers for short term crop loan upto one year for loan upto Rs. 3 lakhs borrowed by them during the year 2016-17. Farmers will thus have to effectively pay only 4% as interest. In case farmers do not repay the short term crop loan in time they would be eligible for interest subvention of 2% as against 5% available above. Central Government will give approximately Rs 18,276 crores as interest subvention for 2016-17. In order to give relief to small and marginal farmers who would have to borrow at 9% for the post harvest storage of their produce, the Central Government has approved an interest subvention of 2% i.e an effective interest rate of 7% for loans upto 6 months To provide relief to the farmers affected by Natural Calamities, the interest subvention of 2% will be provided to Banks for the first year on the restructured amount. In case farmers do not repay the short term crop loan in time they would be eligible for interest subvention of 2% as against 5% available above.   Launch of Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) Portal (Topic: E-technology in aid of farmers) Features: Provisions for online monitoring of KVKs which will include reporting of major events on regular basis and submission of monthly reports online. Provide information on different services being provided by different KVKs. Weather and Market related information can also be accessed by the farmers and others. Forthcoming programmes will also be available on the website which will benefit farmers and youth in joining different training programmes being organized by KVKs. Question and answer facility will also be available for the farmers. Agriculture related information of the districts will also be available on the portal. Farmers and the Agricultural Officers may register themselves and seek different information related to KVKs. Need of Portal- There are 645 Krishi Vigyan Kendra’s (KVKs) in the country. These centres are established in the Rural Districts of the country. Each KVK has direct interface with at least 1000 farmers. As the information related to KVK was not available at one place at the National Level, the farmers and other stakeholders had difficulty in accessing the information and also there was no online monitoring system at the National level to review and monitor the functioning of KVKs against the mandates and objectives. Portal will provide a platform to provide the information and advisory to the farmers and facilitate online monitoring of the KVK activities. To implement the mandate effectively, the following activities are envisaged for each KVK- On-farm testing to assess the location specificity of agricultural technologies under various farming systems Frontline demonstrations to establish production potential of technologies on the farmers’ fields. Capacity development of farmers and extension personnel to update their knowledge and skills on modern agricultural technologies. To work as Knowledge and Resource Centre of agricultural technologies for supporting initiatives of public, private and voluntary sector in improving the agricultural economy of the district. Provide farm advisories using ICT and other media means on varied subjects of interest to farmers In addition, KVK  produce quality technological products (seed, planting material, bio-agents, livestock) and make it available to farmers, organize frontline extension activities, identify and document selected farm innovations and converge with ongoing schemes and programmes within the mandate of KVK.   Development of Multi–Modal Logistic Parks under Sagarmala Programme (Topic: Infrastructure- Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways) About- As part of the National Perspective Plan, prepared under the Sagarmala Programme of the Ministry of Shipping, 7 Multi-Modal Logistic Parks (MMLPs) were proposed in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Odisha, Telangana, Uttarakhand and West Bengal. Potential sites identified based on- Comprehensive study of the container cargo movement across the country and are located in the proximity of important industrial clusters. Beneficial for- Transportation of containerized cargo   Jawaharlal Nehru Port: First Port in Country to Implement Logistics Data Tagging of Containers (Topic: Infrastructure- Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways) About- Jawaharlal Nehru Port becomes the first port in the country to implement logistics data tagging of containers (‘Ease of Doing Business’ initiatives implemented) Focused towards- Document, time and cost reduction for the benefit of trade. Jawaharlal Nehru Port- Will help importers/exporters track their goods in transit through logistics data bank service. An RFID (Radio Frequency Identification Tag) tag would be attached to each container which would be tracked through RIFD readers installed at different locations. Benefit- It would provide the ‘Visibility’ and ‘Transparency’ of the EXIM Container Movement by covering the entire movement through rail or road till the ICDs (Inland Container Depot) and CFSs (Container Freight Station). Service will integrate the information available with various agencies across the supply chain to provide detailed real time information within a single window Help in reducing the overall lead time of the container movement across the western corridor and lower the transaction costs incurred by shippers and consignees.   Setting up of a Major port at Enayam near Colachel in Tamil Nadu (Topic: Infrastructure- Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways) SPV- A Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) will be formed for development of this Port with initial equity investment from the three Major Ports in Tamil Nadu i.e. V.O.Chidambaranar Port Trust, Chennai Port Trust, and Kamarajar Port Limited. SPV will develop the port infrastructure including dredging and reclamation, construction of breakwater, ensuring connectivity links etc. Present scenario of ports in India- There are only a few ports in India that have sufficient draft and can match global cargo handling efficiencies. Currently, all of India's trans-shipment traffic gets handled in Colombo, Singapore and other international ports. Indian port industry loses out upto Rs 1,500 Crores of revenues each year. Benefit- Establishing this Major port at Enayam will not only act as a major gateway container port for Indian cargo that is presently trans-shipped outside the country, but also become a trans¬shipment hub for the global East-West trade route. Enayam will also reduce the logistics cost for exporters and importers in South India who currently depend on trans-shipment in Colombo or other ports thus incurring additional port handling charges.   231 Projects under Namami Gange launched all over the Country  (Topic: Water conservation and steps to control the pollution) About- To give a major boost to Namami Gange Programme, 231 projects will be inaugurated at various locations in Uttarakhand, UP, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Haryana and Delhi. Projects involve- Modernization and redevelopment of Ghats and crematoriums, development of sewage infrastructure and treatment, afforestation, tree plantation (medicinal plants), pilot drain project, interceptor drain project, trash skimmers and conservation of biodiversity. Ganga Gram Yojana- 400 villages along the river Ganga will be developed as Ganga Gram in phase-I. 13 IITs have adopted five villages each for development as Ganga Grams. Training for 328 sarpanchs was completed at Sichawal in Punjab. Eight biodiversity centers will be developed along Ganga for restoration of identified priority species.  

Jul 11, 2016 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 11th July, 2016

Archives   IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 11th July, 2016   INTERNATIONAL   TOPIC: General Studies 2 India and its neighborhood and International – relations. Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests, Indian diaspora.   India and Maldives Relations A friend in need: Maldives is a strategically important Indian Ocean archipelago Indian Army's 'Operation Cactus' foiled a coup in Maldives that was attempted by a pro-Eelam group in 1988. India maintains a naval presence in Maldives, at the request of the Maldives, since 2009 . President Yameen, in an interview had said, "If they [Indian Army] had not come to our rescue, we would have lost independence during the past 50 years." Indian Coast Guard's Dornier was the first to land at the Ibrahim Nasir Airport with relief and supplies after the tsunami of December 26, 2004. Maldives has pledged its support to India as a permanent member of an expanded UN Security Council. In 2014, India dispatched “water aid” to the Maldivian capital of Male, after a fire destroyed the generator of its biggest water treatment plant.   Concerns: Turbulent Maldivian politics: Maldives continues its descent into political anarchy with democratic institutions facing an unabated onslaught under the authoritarian regime of President Abdulla Yameen The Yameen government stands accused of stifling democracy, riding roughshod over the country’s 2008 constitution, reducing its majlis (parliament) where his party has a majority to a mere rubber stamp, and weakening the judiciary. Unfair persecution and imprisonment of political rivals, rampant corruption and severe curbs on press freedom are other charges. Maldives growing "closeness" with China: Both China and Pakistan stepping up their strategic inroads into the Maldives Religious radicalization: The island-nation (Maldives) is being radicalized by the Saudi funds and influence The continuing money flow from Saudi Arabia for the construction of mosques and madarsas which now dot the archipelago is also worrying as they emerge as hubs for religious radicalisation and indoctrination. The Saudis along with Pakistan and Egypt are seen as fuelling extremist religious views through the scholarships they are offering to Maldivian youth who are returning radicalised after having travelled to these countries. ISIS threat: Growing Islamic radicalisation in the tiny island-nation of about four lakh people once known for its tolerant practices has many foreign governments, including India, deeply concerned. While the Maldivian government says only 49 of its citizens have joined ISIS, unofficial figures pitch the number at about 250-300. GMR issue: Relations between India and Maldives came under a strain after Male had terminated the agreement it entered into with GMR in 2010 for the modernisation of the Ibrahim Nasir International Airport. The airport was taken over by the Maldives Airports Company Limited after a high-voltage legal tussle in which GMR. The quantum of damages to be paid by the Maldives is yet to announced by the arbitration tribunal in Singapore. India has, for some time, chosen to maintain a studied silence on what’s happening in this troubled tourists’ paradise. India can no longer afford to be a mere spectator. India seems to be fast ceding its traditional space for effective diplomatic influence in the archipelago. Proceed with caution India’s cautious dealings with the Yameen regime followed a period of strained bilateral ties after Mohamed Nasheed — he was the first democratically elected president of the archipelago in 2008 — was ousted in 2012. Unwilling to be seen as aligning with any political faction, India has engaged in outreach to the entire political spectrum in the archipelago. New Delhi is also unlikely to accede to the request of the Maldives United Opposition (MUO) — a broad coalition of political parties seeking restoration of democracy — to directly intervene or impose sanctions to arm-twist the Yameen regime. The MUO that has Nasheed as an advisor, was launched in early-June at London with a 25-member shadow cabinet. Some of its members were in New Delhi recently to seek India’s support to “bring back democracy to the Maldives” and ensure the elections which are still two years away are “free and fair” by having a “transitional arrangement” in place after Yameen’s removal. However, as India walks the middle path, what remains worrying is the Yameen’s regime’s “deep involvement” with China. The contract for the $500-million Male international airport modernisation project bagged by GMR was unilaterally terminated once Nasheed was ousted. India’s loss was China’s gain with the latter bagging the contract for the airport and the China-Maldives Friendship Bridge project that will link Male to the airport.   Conclusion: Amid all these concerns, the window for Indian diplomatic intervention seems to be closing. In seeking to balance its geo-strategic interests along with the need to remain engaged with the Yameen government, India cannot afford to trust Yameen’s enunciation of an ‘India First’ approach. Especially when at stake is India’s influence in the Indian Ocean region. New Delhi will need to step up pressure on the government in Male if it is to safeguard its own strategic and security interests in the archipelago that straddles important sea lanes in the Indian Ocean Region. Quiet persuasion is what India has been engaging in so far, but it may need to rally international opinion against the repressive regime, possibly through the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG). Connecting the dots: Critically analyze the relations and growing concerns between India and Maldives. Also discuss the importance of this island-nation for India with regard to strategic and security perspective.   ECONOMICS   TOPIC: General Studies 3 Indian economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment   India needs a robust corporate bond market Background: The financial condition of Indian banks has deteriorated in tandem with the economic cycle since 2013. A 2013 report by India Ratings and Research, an arm of Fitch Ratings, predicted further deterioration—Rs.1.26 trillion of bank loans may potentially be in distress over the next 12 to 24 months. What is bond market? Corporates, governments and individuals rely on various sources of funding to meet their capital requirements. Specifically, corporates use either internal accruals or external sources of capital to finance their business. The capital raised by companies through debt instruments is broadly referred to as corporate debt. Corporate debt consists of broadly two types – Bank borrowings: consist of project loans, syndicated loans, working capital, trade finance, etc. for various business purposes and for varying durations through non-standardized and negotiated bank loans. Bond: Corporate bonds are transferable debt instruments issued by a company to a broad base of Investors. Corporate bonds are issued to the public (similar to equity instruments) Listed on stock exchanges and traded in secondary markets Are transferable Possess a broad base of issuers (ranging from small companies to conglomerates and multinationals) and investors (including retail participants) Are under the additional purview of the regulators of the securities market other than the central bank. There are three main pillars that make up the corporate bond market ecosystem: Institutions: securities market regulator, the banking regulator, the credit rating agencies, clearing houses, stock exchanges and the regulations and governance norms prescribed by these institutions Participants: The market players- investors on the demand side and issuers on the supply side. Instruments: indicate the form and features of securities issued in the corporate bond market. Interest rate and currency derivatives and government securities Vibrant, deep and robust corporate bond markets are essential to enhance stability of financial system of a country, mitigate financial crises and support the credit needs of corporate sector, which is vital for the growth of an economy. However, a sudden expansion of corporate bond markets without the necessary support structures is unsustainable and can cause strain on the financial system if the prevailing credit quality of corporate bonds is compromised or companies overleverage their balance sheets. Why bonds over banks? Non-performing loans have been climbing and the problem of restructured assets has also been increasing over recent quarters. Such restructured loans as well as the usual bad loans now weigh down bank balance sheets. The deterioration in the asset quality of banks is an important challenge for the Indian economy when India continues to have a financial system that is dominated by banks. Reasons for opting a bond market includes: Indian banks are currently in no position to rapidly expand their lending portfolios till they sort out the existing bad loans problem. The heavy demands on bank funds by large companies in effect crowd out small enterprises from funding. Thus, India needs to eventually move to a financial system where large companies get most of their funds from the bond markets while banks focus on smaller enterprises. India and bond market Luengnaruemitchai and Ong (2005) opine that crowding out by government bonds is one of the potential obstacles to healthy corporate bond markets. A high level of public debt crowds out corporate borrowing by reducing the appetite of financial institutions. This increases the cost of borrowing for corporates making bond markets an unviable source of funding (Ağca and Celasun, 2009). On the contrary, Raghavan and Sarwano (2012) conclude that in case of India, unlike economies like Korea, the development of the government bond market has in fact had a positive effect on the corporate bond market. In the Indian context, Mitra (2009) focuses on the supply side issues hampering the development of corporate debt markets in India and lists the lack of diversity in instruments as a major factor. Indian bond market Primarily dominated by fixed rate coupon bonds The average age of the bonds issued by Indian corporations is only 5 to 7 years Role of RBI: RBI has added an important new element to this debate in its new Financial Stability Report, which has a section on the optimal configuration of a financial system, or how much of funding is through banks and how much through the bond market. According to the central bank, “with banks undertaking the much needed balance sheet repairs and a section of the corporate sector coming to terms with deleveraging, the onus of providing credit falls on the other actors”. Under pressure from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), public sector banks have begun to admit the extent of their bad loan problem. Over the past year, the Reserve Bank of India has stepped up pressure on big corporate debtors to pay up, despite the absence of an effective national bankruptcy law. Stressed assets accounted for an estimated 14 per cent of India’s total banking system as of September, according to the RBI. A government source said that in the past, promoters [controlling shareholders] had a tremendous amount of leverage in the system who were able to get fresh loans as well as ‘evergreen’ [extend] existing loans. And hence, the bankruptcy code will be a game-changer, strengthening the hand of creditors. World Bank says— From the perspective of a developing economy, the World Bank (2000) observes that “the corporate bond market in a country can substitute part of the bank loan market, and is potentially able to relieve the stressed banking system in a developing country of unbearable burden.” Development of corporate debt markets needs strong institutional and regulatory support. The World Bank (2000) specifically identifies seven necessary developmental components for the effective functioning of vibrant bond markets. Any “absence, deficiency or inefficiency” of any of these components can potentially stall the development process. These components are: Disclosure and information system Credit rating system Effective bankruptcy laws Market intermediaries Institutional investors Trading system and clearing platform Depository system Way Ahead India’s corporate bond market needs liquidity, transparency, safe and sound market infrastructure, appropriate institutional structure, etc. Regulatory efforts are on to enable wider participation in the market and create scope for market making. This would facilitate the growth of the corporate bond market, which would directly cater to the needs of the real economy and the financial sector. Corporate bond market is still shallow in India, issuance concentrated in few highly rated firms. Securitisation is at its minimal level. Hence diversification and awareness among the investors can increase the investor base in this market. Therefore, a collaborative effort of all stake holders including RBI, SEBI, Finance Ministry and co-operation of market participants can develop Indian debt market. Connecting the dots: How can the bankruptcy code boost the corporate bond market? Discuss the limitations, if any. Refer: Non-performing assets and recent steps to clean them up The problem of debt concentration Fashioning a Banking Turn- Public Sector Banks Indradhanush Plan for Public Sector Banks (PSBs)   MUST READ It’s time for an urban upgrade Hindu   Storm in the South China Sea Hindu Related Articles: Storm on the South China Sea China factor in India Maldives relation: an analysis   Ending impunity under AFSPA Hindu   Police, power, patriarchy Indian Express   A battle for supremacy Indian Express   Being unneighbourly Indian Express   Booms and busts in oil prices Livemint   Green cards for tech graduates? Yes, but take care Livemint   Uniform civil code: One nation, one law Livemint Related Articles: Uniform civil code : Need of the hour   Seven failures of economic liberalization Livemint   Banks are stressed: What do we do? Livemint   Formalizing India’s informal economy Livemint   Food for Thought Livemint   Genesis of NPAs Business Line

Jul 11, 2016 60 Days Plan 2019 - Daily Prelims Test

IASbaba ’60 Day Plan- Prelims Test 2016 Polity & CURRENT AFFAIRS [DAY 49]

Click here to get all the Tests– Archives Hello Friends Hope you are enjoying Daily questions. The link for Day 48 solution is active now.  Why we asked you to comment? Now go back to check your answers that you posted with honest effort. Edit your answers with marks. Everyday like this you can self monitor your progress for all 60 days. Accountability to self is the only way for success IASbaba '60 Day Plan' - Prelims Test 2016 [Day 49] Q.1) Consider the following statements about the appointment of CVC: He is appointed by the President The recommendation of the nominee of the post comes from the Council of Ministers Appointment of CVC cannot be challenged in court Choose the correct answer using the codes below a) 1 and 2 only b) 2 and 3 only c) 1 and 3 only d) 1 only Q.2) Consider the following statements regarding ‘Special Officer for Linguistic Minorities’: The Original Constitution did not have any provision for Special Officer for Linguistic Minorities. The commissioner for Linguistic Minorities has his head office at Allahabad. Which of the above statements are correct? a) 1 only b) 2 only c) Both 1 and 2 d) Neither 1 nor 2 Q.3) Consider the following statements related to organisation of Panchayats A Gram Sabha consists of all the adults i.e. voters living in the area of a Gram Panchayat. Gram Sabha is an executive committee but not a legal body. Gram Panchayat is the village assembly of Gram Sabha. Choose the correct codes a) 1 only b) 2 only c) 3 only d) None of the above Q.4) Consider the following statements: Collective responsibility is the bedrock principle of parliamentary government The ministers are collectively responsible to the Parliament The principle of collective responsibility implies that the Parliament can remove the ministry from office by passing a vote of no confidence. Choose the correct codes a) 1 and 2 b) 2 and 3 c) 2 only d) All of the above Q.5) With regard to Finance Commission, consider the following statements It is a quasi-judicial body. It is constituted by the President every fifth year or even earlier. It is required to make recommendations to the Parliament on the distribution of the net proceeds of taxes to be shared between the Centre and the states, and the allocation between the states, the respective shares of such proceeds. The Constitution envisages the Finance Commission as the balancing wheel of fiscal federalism in India. Choose the correct codes from below options: a) 1, 2 and 3 b) 1, 2 and 4 c) 2, 3 and 4 d) 1 and 4 Q.6) Panchayats receive funds from which of the following resources? Funds released by State Governments on recommendations of Central Finance Commission Funds for implementation of centrally sponsored schemes Local body grants as recommended by Central Finance Commission Select the correct answer using the codes given below: a) 1 only b) 2 and 3 only c) 3 only d) 1, 2 and 3 Q.7) Sources of Income of Gram Panchayats are: taxes on property, land, goods and cattle grants-in- aid from the State government only land revenue collected by the Panchayats tax on extraction of minerals Choose the correct codes from below options: a) 1 only b) 1, 2 and 3 c) 2 only d) All of the above Q.8) Right to Livelihood as part of the Right to Life was established in a) D.M. Jabalpur Vs S. Shukla 1976 b) Maneka Gandhi versus Union of India 1978 c) Olga Tellis vs Bombay Municipal Corporation 1985 d) Indira Sawhney Vs Union of India 1992 Q.9) Which among the following is/are the powers and responsibilities that are delegated to panchayats at the appropriate level? Preparation of the economic development plan and social justice plan. Implementation of schemes for economic development and social justice in relation to 29 subjects given in the Eleventh Schedule of the Constitution. To levy and collect appropriate taxes, duties, tolls and fees. Choose the appropriate answer: a) 1 only b) 2 only c) 1 and 2 only d) All of the above Q.10) Consider the following statements: The state governments are under the constitutional obligation to adopt the new Panchayati Raj system. The compulsory provisions of the act have to be included in the state laws creating the new Panchayati Raj system. The voluntary provisions may be included at the discretion of the states. Which of the above given statement(s) is/are incorrect in regard to Panchayati Raj System of India? a) 3 only b) 1 and 2 only c) 1 only d) None Q.11) The Constitution (Seventy-Third Amendment) Act. 1992, which aims at promoting the Panchayati Raj Institutions in the country, provides for which of the following? Constitution of District Planning Committees. State Election Commissions to conduct all panchayat elections. Establishment of state Finance Commissions. Select the correct answer using the codes given below: a) 1 only b) 1 and 2 only c) 2 and 3 only d) 1, 2 and 3  Q.12) Which of the following committees were appointed by the government specifically for Panchayti Raj? Balwantrai Mehta Committee Ashok Mehta Committee G V K Rao Committee L M Singhvi Committee Select the code from below: a) All of the above b) 1 and 2 c) 2 and 4 d) 3 and 4 Q.13) Which of the following statements are correct recommendations of the Ashok Mehta Committee? The three-tier system of panchayati raj should be replaced by the two-tier system. The panchayati raj institutions should have compulsory powers of taxation to mobilise their own financial resourses. Political parties should not participate in panchayati elections. Select the code from the following: a) 1 and 2 b) 2 and 3 c) 1 and 3 d) All of the above Q.14) Who of the following personalities came up with the concept of ‘Gram Swaraj’? a) Madan Mohan Malviya b) J P Narayan c) Vallab bhai Patel d) Mahatma Gandi Q.15) Consider the following statements regarding State Finance Commission: It is appointed by the State Government in every five years. It determines development requirement for the State Government for formulating State Five Year plan. It determines the budgetary requirements of different departments of state. It determines pattern of distribution of state’s tax revenue between the state government and local bodies (both rural and urban) and the pattern of grant-in-aid to local bodies. Which of the above statements are correct? a) 1,2 and 3 b) 4 only c) 1 and 4 d) All of the above Q.16) According to 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act, the minimum age for contesting elections to the Panchayati Raj Institutions should be— a) 18 years b) 30 years c) 21 years d) 25 years Q.17) Consider the following statements regarding the Civil Society Organisations: They are sovereign bodies. They are voluntary, non-profit making bodies. They work in close proximity with people. They create awareness; educate and sensitise people on common issues and act as catalysts of social change. Which of the above statements are correct? a) All of the above b) 1,2 and 3 c) 1,3 and 4 d) 2,3 and 4 Q.18) Consider the following statements: A cantonment board is established for municipal administration for civilian population in the cantonment area. A cantonment board is created as well as administered by the Central government. It works under the administrative control of the defence ministry of the Central government. Which of the above statements are correct? a) 1 and 3 b) 1 and 2 c) 2 and 3 d) All of the above Q.19) Under which of the following circumstances can President remove the Chairman or any other member of UPSC? If he is adjudged an insolvent (that is, has gone bankrupt). If he engages, during his term of office, in any paid employment outside the duties of his Office. If he is, in the opinion of the Supreme Court, unfit to continue in office by reason of infirmity of mind or body. Select the code from following: a) 1 and 2 b) 2 and 3 c) 1 and 3 d) All of the above Q.20) Which of the following statements correctly defines the term ‘Gerrymandering’? a) Manipulate the boundaries of (an electoral constituency) so as to favour one party or class. b) Ballot capturing or illegal voting. c) Stopping a certain category of people from voting so that one specific party can be benefitted. d) None of the above Q.21) The elements of one of the following faith dominate Sittannavasal painting—identify the dominating faith from the options given below: a) Brahanical b) Jainism c) Buddhism d) Tantric Cult Q.22) Identify this Solar System object/body that are composed mainly of frozen volatiles such as methane, ammonia and water— a) Asteroid b) Meteors c) Kuiper Belt Object d) Satellites of Pluto Q.23) Identify the committee set up to simplify the provisions of the Income Tax Act, 1961— a) Abhijit Sen Committee b) Justice R.V.Easwar Committee c) Ashok Mehta Committee d) Naresh Chandra Committee Q.24) The Archaeological Survey of India was established by a) Sir William Jones b) Lord Cornwallis c) James Princep d) Alexander Cunningham Q.25) Identify the tool that allows developing countries to raise tariffs temporarily to deal with import surges or price falls— a) Special Drawing Rights b) Special Safeguard mechanism c) GATT d) National Treatment Obligation Download the Solution- Click here P.S- Attempt these questions within 20 minutes with full honesty and write your results in the comment box. Next day, come back and check your result. You can also discuss the important concepts and issues, in case of doubts (among peers) All the best IASbaba

Jul 11, 2016 RSTV Video

The Big Picture - Naga Leader Isak Chisi Swu Dead: State of Peace Accord?

Archives     Naga Leader Isak Chisi Swu Dead: State of Peace accord?   Naga leader Isak Chisi Swu passed away recently after a prolonged illness. The leader along with Muivah led the Nationalist Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN-IM) for last 3 decades. Swu along with Muivah led one of the most dangerous insurgencies in the north east before they decided to come to the table for peace talks, in the mid-90s. After years of talks over several rounds held both in India and abroad by different governments at center, last year (August 2015) Naga Peace Accord was signed. This accord which is now described as a framework agreement is yet to be made public. His death has brought the focus back on the status of the Naga peace accord negotiations since the signing of a ‘framework agreement’ between the Centre and the NSCN-IM in August last year. Background The roots of the insurgency are deep. In 1946, the Naga National Council urged the British not to hand their territory over to India. Since then, it has been a long and bloody resistance to break free from India. However, the Naga movement has suffered from splits and corruption over a long period of time. Who was Isak Swu? In the 1950s, Isak Chisi Swu joined the Naga National Council (NNC) and served in various capacities in the organization. Opposed to the Shillong Accord signed by the then NNC with the Centre, he formed the NSCN-IM in 1980 along with its General Secretary Thuingaleng Muivah, leading the insurgency in the Northeast for several years. Actual command lay solely with Muivah and he was the face of the deadly group involved in insurgencies, literally waging a war against the Indian state, intimidating civilians, imposing taxes, smuggling narcotics and arms and setting up smaller armed groups across the region. Swu was the NSCN-IM Chairman who was a silent partner that provided the group legitimacy of claiming to be Naga outfit. Swu was always a shadow and not exactly a leader from whom the Nagas would expect anything. But he was still considered a Naga part unlike Muivah. Role of Swu in Nagaland Swu was important for the branding of NSCN- IM. I in NSCN-IM stands for Isak. It was an organization where the rank and file was Tangkhul tribe. Most of the leadership of NSCN-IM was Tangkhul which geographically and historically falls within Manipur. Hence, the Thangkuls are called “kaccha Nagas” and the major tribes do not see them as true representative of the Nagas of Nagaland. However, NSCN gained legitimacy within state of Nagaland where Muivah always wanted Swu next to him, who came from Sema Naga tribe. Swu was the one who used to be peaceful during the meetings and though it has been not known how important his leadership was. Swu has said to be spent most of his life in his Bible studies, leaving Muivah to call the shots. He was a temperate influence on the movement. They both steered the movement asking for full independence, to greater autonomy to now working within the realms of the constitution itself. There may be slow down process in short term. The demise of Swu is big blow to the peace process and there can be a setback for party. The next process is to find a replacement to his leadership in Nagaland. Challenging past With great difficulty and enormous foresightedness India reorganized the north eastern states in 1971-1972. The first PM, as reported, had worked very hard in the region, for the region. The conflict between the forces of democracy and insurgency had been in operation after 1974 accord. Immediately thereafter, a group known as UDF with leader Vizol Angami who had contacts, with underground was allowed to form the government. Earlier group led by important leader of Nagaland Nationalist Council, was defeated. Thus, it is possible of the changeover. The government is not talking to NSCN-IM. But because NSCN-IM is the biggest group, they are representatives of other groups whoever came on to board. So, they are representing the civil society. But, there are other civil society groups in Nagaland which opine that government is only meeting people who are from NSCN-IM or groups which are sympathetic to NSCN-IM which means they are talking to NSCN-IM and not to the Naga groups. Thus, it is a serious problem that only NSCN is considered and other groups are not taken into confidence. The demand for integration of the Naga inhabited areas or Nagalim is a Muivah demand. Nagas of Nagaland do not want it. Current status The government has pushed ahead a lot in development works in the north east. Not only communication but also, air fields etc. for their shipment of easy movement of goods and cargo, also an integration of people with rest of country, particularly in public service, service sector jobs where many are working. Thus, a mainstreaming of north east or being to bring youngsters into the fold which will another factor in moving peace process forward. It is 10 months since the framework agreement is signed. Though it has yet not been finalized and the details are not made public, the negotiation will move forward as the Naga people want that. It is a settlement to find a peaceful solution which is solution to Naga people. The Nagaland Peoples Party acted as a negotiator and facilitator because they are all Nagas and there is a need to come close to understand one another. However, there is no question of territorial integrity as the Government of India in the negotiations is telling that in all the agreements, negotiations and talks, even in Shillong Accord, the word ‘territorial’ is not there. Thus, a clarity on the agreement in needed. The Government of India has recognized the issue as political issue and ‘uniqueness of Naga history and culture’ in the agreement. Basing on it, the negotiation is going on. It is not only Naga problem, but a national issue. There are ways and means to offer Naga a fair deal that is honorable and acceptable. Even in 1964 agreement, the Greater Nagalim state was demanded. In the 16 point agreement, it was explicitly mentioned that the desire for integration of Naga area. So, that point is still pondering. It is the emotional integration, culturally and socially and promotion of Naga tradition. There is also a serious discussion on Naga flag and constitution. What next? The Khaplang challenge: In 1997, the peace agreement was signed. There was a genuine desire among people for a peace accord. Swu represented the force that wanted peace. However, his death may embolden the other group- the Khaplang group. In a way, it may weaken the IM group. The NSCN(K) broke away from talks with the government last year and has been since striking hard at Indian security forces. It is now likely to try to swiftly move in and gain ground in the bitter turf war. Khaplang is a Hemi Naga from Myanamar and a contested claimant to the Naga war of resistance. Cultural and Economic integration: There are certain things which some changes in constitution can provide for like grant of mineral rights which are wasted in center today, the cultural unity which may sound vague at the moment, but there are ways to consolidate the way we have created institutions and cultures. Again, certain ornamental kind of things like being transparent that the Government of India and people of India in the ideals of peace and democracy, want this to happen. There could be something to give which could be more ceremonial and ornamental with combination of substantive. The cultural affinity can be developed by the government. It can be seen as that kind of a cultural linkages or institutions which move towards and being backed by financial assistance over which the Nagas themselves have autonomous control. As soon as news of Swu’s death was known, the government if India must have got in touch with Muivah and try and explore the way forward and about the next contact now to what the parameters would be. They are not going to lack behind. There will be a pause till things settle down and then it will move forward. It is requires patience to deal with an area like this which has undergone enormous transformation. 70 years ago there was no Naga. It is today that there is distinct Naga personality having enormous economic transformation. Education is up- 80% Nagas are educated, Tangkhul of Manipur; Sema, Lotha of Nagaland are not only Nagaland but they are at Bengaluru and other part of country. So, a personality is coming up which forces the society, the insurgents for harmony and therefore we must not do something in negotiation which will harm that harmony. These are issues to be handled with care and not pace. Key words Shillong Accord: Under which, a section of NNC and NFG agreed to give up arms. NSCN: A group of about 140 members led by Thuingaleng Muivah, who were at that time in China, refused to accept the Shillong Accord, and formed the National Socialist Council of Nagaland in 1980. Muivah also had Isak Chisi Swu and S S Khaplang with him. In 1988, the NSCN split into NSCN (IM) and NSCN (K) after a violent clash. The NSCN (IM) came to be seen as the “mother of all insurgencies” in the region. Refer: Peace accord signed between Centre and Naga insurgent outfit NAGALAND ISSUE: FULL STORY

Jul 10, 2016 Motivational Articles

Creative Guidance – Handling Emotions – Inspirational & Educative Articles

Handling Emotions Human beings are not rational beings who can express emotions; we are emotional beings who can act rational. Emotion is what drives our day to day living. Almost all of our actions are emotionally driven and later rationally understood; very rarely does it happen the other way around. Let’s take an example. How did you choose your friends, your career, your passion and way of life? Did you create a five year plan for each of these or where they all emotional decisions taken in the moment and later justified through understanding and logic. It is said that the first response to anything is emotional, and it is true. Applying thought and logic takes time, emotion is immediate and hence almost always the first response. Now, why is it important to know this? It is important because most of you believe that you are living your life logically and you expect life to respond according to your logic, while all the time you are simply emotional. It is important to know the difference between applying your logic and your emotions because both are used in different scenarios of life. More often than not we are logically present and emotionally absent to people around us. This creates a lot of friction and disturbance in our relationships. While you seem to be perfectly right in saying what you have said and doing what you have done logically, emotionally you might have not connected with people. It just doesn’t matter how logical you are if you cannot understand and respond to people’s emotions. So how can you know when to be logical and when to be emotional? It’s actually pretty simple; if your logical approach is getting you an emotional reply, then there is something wrong in the conversation. For example if you tell your girlfriend that logically she is ugly and you receive an emotional reply (you can be sure of this!), then you know you are in the wrong place. Knowing when to be logical and when to be emotional is crucial in managing any relationship. Compared to emotions, logic is fairly simple, hence we tend to use it too often and end up in trouble. If logic says two plus two is four, then it will remain that way always. But in emotions, depending on the situation, two plus two can be four, five or even zero! Only experience will teach you how to handle emotions. Ignoring your emotional needs and desires in pursuit of a logical, systematic and totally understandable way of life is probably the single most important reason why so many of you are unhappy. Life simply isn’t logical, only man is. A tree doesn’t grow logically, a flower doesn’t bloom logically, it doesn’t rain logically. Happiness, sadness, anger, fear know nothing about logic. Emotion is the driving force of life. If you know how to handle emotions, you can handle pretty much everything, logically speaking! “The articles are a copyright of The Ahamo Movement and IASBABA.” Read more such articles– Click Here

Jul 9, 2016 60 Days Plan 2019 - Daily Prelims Test

IASbaba ’60 Day Plan- Prelims Test 2016 ENVIRONMENT & CURRENT AFFAIRS [DAY 48]

Click here to get all the Tests– Archives Hello Friends Hope you are enjoying Daily questions. The link for Day 47 solution is active now.  Why we asked you to comment? Now go back to check your answers that you posted with honest effort. Edit your answers with marks. Everyday like this you can self monitor your progress for all 60 days. Accountability to self is the only way for success IASbaba '60 Day Plan' - Prelims Test 2016 [Day 48] Q.1) Which of the following two criteria have to be met in order to qualify as a ‘biodiversity hotspot’ on the world hotspots map? The region must contain at least 0.5 percent or 1500 species of vascular plants as endemic species. The region has to have lost at least 70 percent of its primary vegetation. The region must not have lost any of its primary predators. Choose the correct option: a) 1 and 2 b) 2 and 3 c) 1 and 3 d) All of the above Q.2) Which of the following are included in the ‘Red Data’ book of rare and endangered species? Plants Animals Fungi Select the code from the following: a) 1 and 2 only b) 2 only c) 1 and 3 d) All of the above Q.3) Consider the following statements regarding ‘Kyoto Protocol’: It is binding for Annex I countries. The targets initially applied for six Green house Gases which were translated into CO2 equivalents in determining reductions in emissions. The signatories have to reduce their individual Green House Gas emissions by 5.2% from 1990 level. Which of the above statements are correct? a) 1 and 2 b) 2 and 3 c) 1 and 3 d) All of the above Q.4) Consider the following statements: Ozone is generally formed in upper stratosphere and sinks to lower stratosphere. Ozone is measured in Dobson Unit in stratosphere. Which of the above statements are correct? a) 1 only b) 2 only c) Both 1 and 2 d) Neither 1 nor 2 Q.5) Which among the following awards has been institued by the Government of India for individuals or communities from rural areas that have shown extraordinary courage and dedication in protecting Wildlife? a) Indira Gandhi Paryavaran Puraskar b) Medini Puruskar Yojana c) Amrita Devi Bishnoi Award d) Pitambar Pant National Award Q.6) Consider the following statements regarding ‘Dark Fermentation’: It is a method to produce Methane from solid Organic waste. Dark fermentation differs from photofermentation in that it proceeds without the presence of light. Which of the above statements are correct? a) 1 only b) 2 only c) Both 1 and 2 d) Neither 1 nor 2 Q.7) Consider the following statements regarding Carbon Monoxide: CO is naturally formed in human body. CO is a normal neurotransmitter. Too much of Carbon monoxide is poisonous for humans. Which of the above statements are incorrect? a) 1 and 2 b) 2 and 3 c) 2 only d) None of the above Q.8) ‘Emu’ farms are being promoted in India. Which of the following statements are correct about ‘Emu’? It is one of the heaviest flying birds with Australian origin. Emu meat has much lower fat compared to chicken, mutton, pork or turkey, & low in cholesterol, hence good for heart patients. Emu egg is a great nutritional supplement as one egg can feed an entire family. Select the code from following: a) 1 only b) 2 and 3 c) 1 and 2 d) All of the above Q.9) To increase yield, the cows are injected with Oxytocin, a hormone banned in India under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act and section 12 of Food and Drug Adulteration Prevention Act, 1960. Why is this hormone banned? Milk produced from such cows is unfit/harmful for human consumption. Cows injected with Oxytocin have a greater incidence of abortions, mastitis and lower conception rates. Calves born to Oxytocin injected cows suffer higher than normal infant mortality and delayed puberty. Select the code from below: a) 1 only. b) 1 & 2 only. c) 2 & 3 only. d) 1, 2 & 3. Q.10) Rabies has caused a menace in India and it has been made a priority disease for control under 12th 5 year plan. The bite of which of the following species causes rabies? Dogs Monkeys Bats Select the code from below: a) 1 only b) 1 and 3 c) 1 and 2 d) All of the above Q.11) Consider the following statements in regard to Aquatic Ecosystem: Neustons are unattached organisms which live at the air-water interface Nektons are organisms which remain attached to stems and leaves of rooted plants and substances emerging above the bottom mud Planktons includes both microscopic plants like algae and animals like crustaceans and protozoans Benthos or benthic organisms are those found living in the bottom of the water mass Which of the above given statement(s) is/are correct? a) 3 and 4 only b) 1, 2 and 4 only c) 1, 3 and 4 only d) All of the above Q.12) Consider the following two statements: The Centre can declare any animal 'vermin', under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, following requests from the respective States. ‘Vermin’ provision can be utilized within specified territories of the States, and outside forests and protected areas. Which of the above given statement(s) is/are correct? a) 1 only b) 2 only c) Both d) None Q.13) Which among the following ecological terms is/are not true? An Ecad is a population of individuals, which are genetically different. The place where an organism lives, eats and reproduces is known as its Niche. Select the appropriate code: a) 1 only b) 2 only c) Both d) None Q.14) Which of the following are the physical processes responsible for the formation of Estuaries? Rising sea level Movement of sand and sandbars Glacial processes Tectonic processes Select the appropriate code: a) All of the above b) 1 and 4 only c) 1, 3 and 4 only d) 1, 2 and 4 only Q.15) Consider the following differences between Turtle and Tortoise: Tortoises are land dwelling animals, while turtles are water-dwelling animals Tortoises are found mostly in Asia and Africa, and some species in South America’s Galápagos Islands, while turtles are mainly found in Africa and America Tortoises are mainly herbivorous, carnivorous or omnivorous i.e. mostly are carnivorous or omnivorous. Turtles are primarily herbivorous animals and few are omnivorous. Turtles feet are short and sturdy with bent legs Which of the above given difference(s) is/are not correct? a) All of the above b) 1 and 3 only c) 3 and 4 only d) 2 and 4 only Q.16) River Mandakini is a tributary of a) Ganga b) Chandra c) Bhagirathi d) Alaknanda Q.17) Which of the following hills host the Lomash Rishi cave, Sudama cave and Karan Chaupar caves? a) Amarkantak b) Barabar c) Nagarjuni d) Pir Panjal Q.18) This particular mineral has been discovered by the Curiosity rover on Mars suggesting the fact that Mars has hosted explosive volcanoes in the past— a) Coal b) Methane c) Tridymite d) Sphalerite Q.19) Consider the following statements: One of only five elemental metals that is liquid at or near room temperature. It is a hazardous material as a metal and its radioisotopes present a high health risk if released into the environment. It is a by-product of nuclear power and is highly soluble in water, making it ideal for measuring the release of radioactive material into the ocean Identify the element: a) Caesium b) Uranium c) Lead d) Arsenic Q.20) This project will allow the government to track the account details and identify the tax evaders— a) Pariksha b) Insight c) E-sahyog d) Suvidha Q.21) SAMOA Pathway is concerned with which of the following? a) Promotion of development of environmental friendly sports facilities b) Convention on Biological Diversity c) Small Island Developing States d) Sustainable Pastoralism Q.22) Which of the following crops are affected by the ‘early blight’ disease? Tomato Potato Rice Coconut Select the correct code a) 1 and 2 b) Only 2 c) 3 and 4 d) None of the above Q.23) Some hand pumps are being painted red in rural areas. What is the reason behind doing this? a) It indicates arsenic contamination in the aquifer b) To protect the hand pump from rusting and corrosion c) It indicates that the hand pumps is funded under NRDWP d) To distinguish between hand pumps set up under Accelerated Rural Water Supply Programme (ARWSP) Q.24) Consider the following Tiger Reserves and States Pakke :: Arunachal Pradesh Anamalai :: Kerala Periyar :: Tamil Nadu Tadoba :: Maharashtra Which of the following is incorrectly matched? a) 1 and 2 b) 2 and 3 c) 1,2 and 4 d) None of the above Q.25) According to Economic Survey 15-16, India is the biggest exporter of water. How is this export being done? Water is being exported from the Himalayas Exports of crops that have high amount of water embedded in them Breweries are taking up all the ground water and exporting it throughout the world None of the above Download the Solution- Click here P.S- Attempt these questions within 20 minutes with full honesty and write your results in the comment box. Next day, come back and check your result. You can also discuss the important concepts and issues, in case of doubts (among peers) All the best IASbaba

Jul 9, 2016 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 9th July, 2016

Archives   IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 9th July, 2016   NATIONAL   TOPIC: General studies 2: Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States and the performance of these schemes; mechanisms, laws, institutions and Bodies constituted for the protection and betterment of these vulnerable sections. Human Rights Issue – LGBT community issue Government policies and interventions in regard to the above issue.   LGBT Issue: To be equal before the law In News: On June 30 (in Geneva), following a seminal vote, the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) passed a resolution to create a post of an independent expert on sexual orientation and gender identity. (Remember it as SOGI expert) This SOGI expert, once officially appointed, will assess, study and report annually on the nature, the cause, and the extent of discrimination faced by lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) persons around the world. However, India chose to abstain from voting altogether to appoint this SOGI expert and offered no official reasons for its abstention. We also know that, the issue of LGBT rights in India is a matter being considered by the Supreme Court under a batch of curative petitions filed by various institutions and organisations and the apex court is yet to pronounce on this issue. Analysis: It should be viewed here that whether India’s recent decision to abstain from voting would in any way affect the upcoming Supreme Court’s judgment, which the apex court is right now considering the curative petitions filed by various institutions and organisations. What critics argue about India’s present status on LGBT? Proponents of LGBT rights have argued that India’s decision to abstain was a matter of grave shame and as an act utterly unbecoming of a modern progressive state. In India the transgender persons are deprived of the fundamental rights available to the other two sexes, i.e. male and female. We also know that, the issue of LGBT rights in India is a matter being considered by the Supreme Court under a batch of curative petitions filed by various institutions and organisations… And the Apex Court is yet to pronounce on this issue. Critics argue that the Supreme Court’s judgment - upholding Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, according to which homosexuality or unnatural sex between two consenting adults is illegal and an offence – violates Fundamental Rights under Articles 14, 15 and 21 of the Constitution. “A majority of the countries have legalised homosexuality. Even in India, Section 377 IPC was introduced not as a reflection of existing Indian values and traditions, but rather, it was imposed upon Indian society due to the moral values of the colonisers. Indian society prior to enactment of the IPC had a much greater tolerance of homosexuality.” The apex court has failed to consider the dynamic nature of law, particularly with respect to homosexuality. India also favoured rigid amendments India also voted in favour of amendments that were introduced by Pakistan which explicitly states that the SOGI expert’s mission would ensure, at all costs, respect for the sovereign right of every country to implement its own national laws. e. in India’s case, this is a direct reference to Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, which makes even consensual homosexual activity a crime. Therefore, any report of the newly appointed expert would have to give sufficient weight to the fact that India’s laws proscribe, and even criminalise, homosexuality. Conclusion: When viewed in this light, it’s clear that India’s above acts and laws directly or indirectly denies to several persons their basic human dignity, and that impinges on the rights of a sizeable slice of the populace from participating fully in the make-up of our country’s moral bedrock. Now, with the curative petitions still left undecided, India’s decision to abstain from voting sharpens the focus on the Supreme Court’s next steps on Section 377. It is imperative that a Bench of five judges or more is constituted as expeditiously as possible to rehear the challenge to Section 377, made by the clutch of petitioners both old and new. For, a failure to annul the Supreme Court’s verdict in Koushal would only perpetuate what is really a gross miscarriage of justice. Ultimately, the court’s legitimacy as a vital pillar of our democracy depends on its ability to nullify popular will when the decisions of the majority transgress the Constitution’s guarantees. By reversing Koushal, the court can help usher India into a more equal future, where the tyrannical belief of some does not deny to any person the right to be treated as an equal member of society, and the right to enjoy the Constitution’s foundational liberties. Connecting the dots: Recent Supreme Court’s Judgement recognizing transgenders as third gender puts them in a strange paradox situation – On the one hand, they are now legally recognised and protected under the Constitution, but on the other hand they may be breaking the law if they have consensual gay sex. Critically analyze. Is India’s recent position on issues related to LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) rights both at International and National level, progressive? Critically analyze.   Economy/Science and Technology TOPIC: General studies 3: Science and Technology- Developments and their applications and effects in everyday life   India’s Software-as-a-Service market Software-as-a-Service—What is it? A software distribution model in which a third-party provider hosts applications and makes them available to customers over the Internet Demand Drivers: Businesses looking to focus more on their core operations The rapid growth of data Increased focus on content solution being deployed over mobile devices Movement of customers to a cloud-first mentality Benefits of Saas: Removes the need for organizations to install and run applications on their own computers or in their own data centres, eliminating the expense of hardware acquisition, provisioning and maintenance, as well as software licensing, installation and support. They pay for this service on a monthly basis using a pay-as-you-go model allowing businesses to exercise better and more predictable budgeting with the flexibility to terminate SaaS offerings at any time to stop those recurring costs. Offer high scalability, which gives customers the option to access more, or fewer, services or features on-demand Automatically perform updates and patch management   Statistics: NASSCOM Report: The Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) market in India is expected to triple to about $1 billion by 2020 2014-15: Market pegged at $300 million 2015-16: Expected to be worth $407 million The U.S. and Europe account for more than 80 per cent of the demand for Indian SaaS solutions India SaaS based products have received close to $450 million in the first two quarters of 2015   MUST READ The fallacies of the faithful Hindu   The writer’s second life Indian Express Related Articles: Who decides the fault in our speech?   Why this fuss about NSG membership? Business Line Related Articles: NSG, without song and dance Quest for another Holy Grail – Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) Nuclear Suppliers Group – Mind Map