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

IASbaba's Daily Prelims Quiz : Day 16

  Click here to get all the Quiz @ one place ->    ARCHIVES   Q.1) Recently Himalayan university helped scientists develop blight-resistant pomegranate. Consider the following statements with respect to Pomegranate. Pomegranate got originated in modern day Iran. Pomegranate is a Gymnosperm. Pomegranate grows well under semi-arid conditions and can be grown up to an altitude of 500 m. Select the incorrect statement a) 2 and 3 only b) 3 only c) 2 only d) 1 and 3 only Q.2) Buddha Pornima is round the corner. Consider the following statements Gauthama Buddha was born in Kundagram near Vaishali He was born to Siddartha and Trishala in 6th century BC Banyan tree in the life of Buddha refers to Nirvana Select the correct option from the codes given below: a) 1 and 2 only b) 3 only c) 1 and 3 only d) 1, 2, and 3  Q.3) The conservation of river Yamuna was in news. Consider the following statements with respect to River Yamuna. Yamuna also known as Jamuna is the longest tributary of river Ganga. Mathura, Agra, Allahabad, Patna are some of the cities present on the bank of river Yamuna. It rises from Yamunotri Glacier in Himachal Pradesh. Select the incorrect one a) 1 and 2 only b) 2 and 3 only c) 2 only d) 1, 2 and 3 Q.4) Consider the following statements with respect to SAIEVAC. The full form of SAIEVAC is “South Asia Initiative to End Violence Against Children” SAIEVAC is an intergovernmental regional body comprising of 8 SAARC countries plus Myanmar. SAIEVAC is one of the apex bodies of UNICEF in South Asia. Select the correct one a) 1 only b) 1 and 2 only c) 2 and 3 only d) 1 and 3 only Q.5) The 2016 edition of RIMPAC is on the cards next month. Consider the following statements with respect to RIMPAC RIMPAC is the world's largest international maritime warfare exercise jointly hosted by USA and China. It is held once in two years. India is a member of RIMPAC Select the correct one a) 1 and 2 only b) 3 only c) 2 and 3 only d) 1, 2, and 3 Download the Solution- Click here

May 8, 2016 AIR

All India Radio - Heart of Asia Conference 2016

ARCHIVES AIR Debate - Heart of Asia Conference 2016   The Heart of Asia (HoA) conference was held in New Delhi on 26th of April 2016 with the objective of bringing peace and stability to Afghanistan and speeding up its reconstruction with a focus on enhancing investment and connectivity to the country. The key elements of HoA process have been to devise a sustained, incremental approach to implementation of the confidence building measures (CBM) in Afghanistan, Energy, infrastructure and investment deals to shore up economic growth of Afghanistan may figure in the talks. Security in Afghanistan is the critical component of the HoA conference. With American troops with drawl from Afghanistan the Taliban is reorienting itself to jump back to normalcy and create tensions in the region. Pak need to realise that its support to terrorists in Afghanistan is counterproductive and the world community needs to put pressure on Pak to ensure fair play in the reconstruction process. Connectivity in the region has been the centrepiece of all the efforts to enhance trade, commerce and investment among regional countries. It will serve to tap Afghanistan’s vast natural and human resources. Afghanistan can emerge as a hub of regional trade and energy arteries. The Chabahar port in Iran is poised to open new gateways for trade between two countries and reduce the dependency of Afghanistan on Karachi port for its trade and commerce. India is also willing to avail of other regional and trans-regional connectivity initiatives such as the North – South Transport Corridor and the Ashgabat Agreement. Afghanistan is embroiled in its own issues since many decades. Now that its hard fight against the Taliban is coming to an end it should not rest or be complacent about its security. Regional powers have the role and responsibility to resolve issues so that it paves way for unleashing the larger untapped potential of Afghans. At the same time responsible powers like US, China, India and Russia should ensure the fair play in the reconstruction and in creating larger avenues for development for the people of Afghanistan. Click here and search for Spotlight / News Analysis dated 26th April 2016

May 7, 2016 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 7th May, 2016

ArchivesIASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 7th May, 2016 Note:   Since there were not many important articles today. We have tried our best to cover ‘Rural Banking’ comprehensively. The issue is covered from various National & State Journals to give you a 360 degree view of Rural Banking. ECONOMICS TOPIC:  General studies 3 Banking & related Issues; Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment. Inclusive growth and issues arising from it.Rural Banking in IndiaRural development occupies a significant place in the overall economic development of the country and Darling’s statement (1925) that “the Indian peasant is born in debt, lives in debt and dies in debt,” still remains true for the great majority of working households(55-60 per cent of India’s population) in the countryside.Three phases of rural banking policy since 19691st phase following the nationalization of India’s 14 major commercial banks in1969—The declared objectives of the new policy, known as “social and development banking”, were the following: To provide banking services in previously unbanked or under-banked rural areas; To provide substantial credit to specific activities including agriculture and cottage industries; and To provide credit to certain disadvantaged groups such as, for example, Dalit households. 2nd phase began in the late 1970s and early 1980s: Two major instruments of official anti-poverty policy were developed: loans-cum-subsidy schemes targeted at the rural poor and state-sponsored rural employment schemes (Integrated Rural Development Programme (IRDP)) An expansion and consolidation of the institutional infrastructure for rural banking 3rd phase—Post Liberalization: Redistributive objectives “should use the instrumentality of the fiscal rather than the credit system” Directed credit programmes should be phased out Interest rates be deregulated Capital adequacy norms are changed (to “compete with banks globally”) Branch licensing policy be revoked A new institutional structure that is “market driven and based on profitability” be created, Part played by Private Indian and foreign banks be enlarged Challenges facing Indian Rural Banking—Priority Sector Lending: Priority sectors are broadly taken as those sectors of the economy which in the absence of inclusion in the priority sector categories would not get timely and adequate finance. Typically, these are small loans to small and marginal farmers for agriculture and allied activities, loans to Micro and Small Enterprises, loans for small housing projects, education loans and other small loans to people with low income levels The major challenge is to bring all farmers into the institutional credit framework—Need to make priority sector lending competitive and commercially viable By reorienting the approach of banks to look at priority sector areas as the challenges in priority sector can be overcome only if banks consider priority sector lending as part of normal business operations of the banks and not as an obligation. Rural untapped market offers a big business opportunity to the banks and banks need to innovate new products which cater to the needs of farmers, weaker sections and other vulnerable sections of the society, develop new delivery channels and embrace technological developments which will reduce the delivery costs— a viable business proposition Need to lay emphasis on direct delivery of credit to the poor beneficiaries i.e. without the involvement of intermediaries, which will ensure better management of risks and also reduction in transaction, delivery and administrative costs for these loans, which being essentially small ticket, low value high volume loans, do generate profits translating to a stable low cost deposit stream for banks and to the fortune at the bottom of the pyramid.Regional Rural Banks:Regional Rural Banks (RRBs) were established in the year 1976 as a low cost financial intermediation structure in the rural areas to ensure sufficient flow of institutional credit for agriculture and other rural sectors— Narasimham committee RRBs were expected to have the local feel and familiarity of the cooperative banks with the managerial expertise of the commercial banks. RRBs are jointly owned by GoI, the concerned State Government and Sponsor Banks, the issued capital of a RRB is shared by the owners in the proportion of 50 percent, 15 percent and 35 percent respectively RRBs operate under the control of two institutions, the National Agricultural Bank and Rural Development (NABARD) and Reserve Bank of India (RBI)Financial Inclusion:Financial Inclusion (FI) is the process of ensuring access to appropriate financial products and services needed by all sections of the society in general and vulnerable groups such as weaker sections and low income groups in particular at an affordable cost in a fair and transparent manner by mainstream institutional players.2006: Reserve Bank permitted banks to utilise the services of non-governmental organizations (NGOs), micro-finance institutions (other than Non-Banking Financial Companies) and other civil society organisations as intermediaries in providing financial and banking services through the use of business facilitator and business correspondent (BC) models. The BC model allows banks to do “cash in-cash out” transactions at a location much closer to the rural population, thus addressing the last mile problem.Combination of strategies— ranging from relaxation of regulatory guidelines, provision of new products and other supportive measures to achieve sustainable and scalable Financial Inclusion; as well as close monitoringIssues being faced—Not treated as an Efficient Business Model: Banks are pursuing FI as a regulatory requirement rather than treating it as a business model. Banks have to realize that the bankability of the poor holds a major opportunity for the banking sector in developing a stable retail deposit base and in curbing volatility in earnings with the help of a diversified asset portfolio and therefore, Financial Inclusion programmes should be implemented on commercial lines as a sustainable and viable business model Ensure that poor people who deserve credit are provided access to timely and adequate credit in a non-exploitative manner Reasons— Higher non-performing loans in rural areas because rural households have irregular income and expenditure patterns—compounded by the dependence of the rural economy on monsoons, and loan waivers driven by political agendas Low Ticket Size: The average ticket size of both a deposit transaction and a credit transaction in rural areas is small. This means that banks need more customers per branch or channel to break even. Considering the small catchments area of a branch in rural areas, generating a customer base with critical mass is challenging. High Transaction Cost: due to small loan sizes, the high frequency of transactions, the large geographical spread, the heterogeneity of borrowers, and widespread illiteracy Higher risk of credit: Rural households may have highly irregular and volatile income streams. Irregular wage labour and the sale of agricultural products are the two main sources of income for rural households. Information Asymmetry: Since many rural people do not have bank accounts, there is a lack of information on customer behaviour in rural IndiaGovernment’s policies: High fiscal deficits and statutory pre-emptions imposed on banks Persisting interest rate restrictions—“floors” on short-term deposit rates and lending rates, “caps” on small loans Government’s domination of and interference in rural banks, particularly RRBs and cooperative banks, further distort bankers’ incentives; Inefficiencies arising from weak governance & poor management, Weak regulatory standards & Lack of supervisionBC Model – Viability issues: Scarcity of staff Inadequate commissions Accounts opened have remained non-operationalInfrastructure: Technology issues: Non-availability of physical and digital connectivity as well as low rural television-density Lack of Bank branches—Limited delivery capability as ATM penetration is low and other channels such as Phone and Internet Banking are non-existent Poor physical and social infrastructure—unpaved roads and limited access to modern transportationPMJDY: http://iasbaba.com/2016/02/iasbabas-daily-current-affairs-1st-february-2016/http://iasbaba.com/2016/05/iasbabas-daily-current-affairs-5th-may-2016/http://iasbaba.com/2015/10/iasbabas-daily-current-affairs-29th-october-2015/JAM: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B12w56GDVUrSX1Z5UU82aVpqZGs/viewPunjab: http://wonderpillars.info/ias/2015/10/iasbabas-daily-current-affairs-28th-october-2015/ Small Rural Borrowers Find Rural Banks Unattractive: Rural banks do not provide flexible products and services to meet the income and expenditure patterns of small rural borrowers The transaction costs of dealing with formal banks are high—Procedures for opening an account or seeking a loan are cumbersome and costly (with high rejection rates), and, clients often have to pay hefty bribes (ranging from 10 to 20 percent of the loan amount) to access loans. This makes the ultimate cost to borrowers very high (despite interest “caps”). Banks demand collateral, which poor rural borrowers lack — Land, remains the predominant form of collateral. But, poor households very often do not have clear titles to their land, and in any case, this collateral is seldom executed, so it is just another cost with little benefit in practiceFinancial Literacy:Financial Inclusion and Financial Literacy are two sides of the equation. Financial Inclusion acts from supply side by providing financial market/services that people demand whereas Financial Literacy stimulates the demand side by making people aware of what they can demand. Therefore, access to financial services and Financial Education must happen simultaneously and must be a continuous, an ongoing process and must target all sections of the population.Importance: the low levels of literacy and the large section of the population still out of the formal financial systemNeed to- Evolve an appropriate Business Model & an Efficient Delivery Mechanism Create awareness of basic financial products through dissemination of simple messages of financial prudence in vernacular language—activities included publication of comic books on banking and RBI; games on Financial Education; arranging school/college visits for creating financial awareness; participation in exhibitions/fairs/melas at the State & District levels; conducting essay competitions and quizzes in schools to create awareness about banking and RBI; outreach programmes undertaken by theTop Management and Regional Offices; RBI’s Young Scholars Scheme, etc.Education:Why—For economic development and raising overall living standards Facilitate economically weaker sections of the society to avail educational loans from scheduled banks with modified easier norms Loans for education should be seen as an investment for economic development and prosperity, since knowledge and information would be the principal driving force for economic growth in the coming yearsNew Approaches and Products to Improve Rural Access to Finance in India:SHG-Bank Linkage Program—championed by the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD).Have targeted poorer segments of the rural population in an effective manner, reducing the vulnerability of clients. But outreach, volume of lending, and average loan size remain limited.Key challenges facing the initiative are: (a) Inadequate attention to group quality could jeopardize longer-term credibility and sustainability.(b) Capacity constraints and the cost of group formation(c) State-owned banks have been lending to SHGs at higher interest ratesMicrofinance Institutions— Like SIDBI Limited outreach and scale of Indian MFIs reflects the absence of an enabling policy alongside a legal and regulatory framework, hindering the ability of MFIs to mobilize member deposits, equity, and raise debt from external sources. MFIs are also constrained by the lack of adequate capacity and skills in financial control and management, management information systems (MIS), new product design, etc.Partnerships between Private Banks, Micro-financiers, and Service Providers— Pursuing innovative approaches to microfinance—as a potential business and not merely as a social or priority sector lending obligation. Key innovations include a pilot scheme by ICICI Bank that uses NGOs or MFIs, traders, or local brokers (who are close to the farmer by the nature of their business) as intermediaries/“service providers” for originating, managing, and collecting loans to groups of small and marginal farmers. Banks are also experimenting with an approach now termed the “Integrated Agricultural Service Provider” (IASP) approach, whereby the bank identifiesan IASP—one that has a good relationship with farmers and which provides genuine and timely information through extension services— and enters into a tripartite agreement with the IASP and the output buyer. This reduces transaction costs and the risk exposure of all parties, and, therefore, presents a potentially low-cost way of serving the rural poor engaged in marginal or small farming.The Kissan Credit Card—Reducing both borrowers’ transaction costs as well as delays in accessing and renewing crop loans; but the success of the KCC scheme has been unevenKey to success Develop appropriate products for this segment of customers—Appropriate products and fair lending rates would automatically eliminate the moneylender Shortening of turn-around time—Interventions in some sectors: Wheat— Issuance of a smart card to procurement agents Installation of an electronic data machine (EDM) at the mandi backed by the e-payment system RuPay Quick generation of MIS and reports E-approvals by the procurement agencyMilk—Leveraging the technology of Point of Sale (PoS) terminals for small operations and full-scale ATMs for larger dairy societies— the process enables the instantaneous capture of milk quantity and quality data, converting them into an accounting entry that credits the farmer’s account, and a micro-ATM or cash dispenser is made available for farmers to draw money from Digitisation of banking: will help access a wider range of customers in rural India-Digital applications (wallets, mobile-to-mobile payments) are adding to transaction traffic Inculcate saving & banking habit: Critical to conduct financial literacy and credit counselling programmes, offer skills training to enhance income generation, form self-help groups and fund these groups for income-generating activities thereby enabling the delivery of viable credit to the rural poor in a sustainable mannerConnecting the Dots: The future of India is dependent upon the triad of financial inclusion, financial literacy and financial stability. Discuss.Related Coverage:http://iasbaba.com/2015/09/babas-monthly-yojana-gist-august-2015/http://iasbaba.com/2015/07/iasbabas-daily-current-affairs-16th-july-2015/http://iasbaba.com/2015/08/iasbabas-daily-current-affairs-21st-22nd-august-2015/

May 6, 2016 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 6th May, 2016

Archives   IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 6th May, 2016   NATIONAL   TOPIC:  General studies 2 Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability Separation of powers between various organs dispute redressal mechanisms and institutions   How not to fight corruption? The Prevention of Corruption Act (PCA): It is the key legislation which defines what constitutes corruption and prescribes penalties for corruption-related offences It is presently set to be amended by Parliament and the proposed Bill, now before a select committee of the Rajya Sabha, includes several contentious amendments that are likely to have far-reaching ramifications Much-needed deliberations— Criminalising Bribers- The proposed amendments make all actual and potential bribe-givers offenders under the PCA In India, it is a reality that people are forced to pay bribes even to get their basic entitlements like rations, pensions, education and health facilities— leading to being ‘doubly wronged’ Dis-incentivising Reporting- In situations where the matter will be of life and death, a bribe might sound illegal but for the treatment or justice, this risk will be definite. Forcing people into this dilemma would only further the culture of impunity by dis-incentivising reporting of corruption by bribe-givers. Proposed amendments to the PCA— A retrograde step: Case of Immunity The government needs to reconsider the above-mentioned points and offer immunity to at least three types of bribe-givers— Those who are coerced to pay a bribe to obtain their legal entitlements Those who voluntarily come forward to complain and bear witness against corrupt public officials Those who are willing to turn approvers For the second and third categories: Immunity should be provided only from criminal liability — bribe-givers must be made to return any benefit they secured as a result of the bribe. Providing immunity to these categories of bribe-givers would encourage them to complain about corruption and ensure that corruption is not a low-risk, high-return activity.   Need to put in place a comprehensive grievance redress mechanism— The objective of combating coercive corruption would be more effectively achieved (can be remedied by the enactment of the grievance redress bill, which was introduced in the Parliament in 2011 and had support across party lines, but unfortunately lapsed with the dissolution of the last Lok Sabha) Approval for investigation The amendments state that complaints regarding corruption that relate to decisions taken or recommendations made by public servants in the discharge of their official duty, shall not be investigated without the prior approval of the Lokpal or Lokayuktas, as the case maybe. Such complaints shall be forwarded to, and deemed to be complaints made to the Lokpal or Lokayuktas. Objective: To safeguard public servants who are in decision-making positions, so that they may take decisions without fear of harassment Amendment to replace Section 6A of the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act (was struck down by the Supreme Court) Section 6A mandated prior sanctions for investigation for officials of the rank of joint secretary and above A confusing element— leading to unending litigation with respect to investigations pertaining to determining if a decision taken or recommendation made by a public servant has played a bigger role or not Solution: The proposed amendments must either be dropped or The complaints about all offences under the PCA shall be dealt with by the Lokpal at the Central level and Lokayuktas at the State level, for all categories of public servants covered in the respective laws. Insulation of prosecuting agencies from government influence— The amendments seek to increase the cover to even retired public officials Requirement for seeking prior sanction from the government for prosecution— is a critical bottleneck and results not only in huge delays but also in the accused often never being prosecuted The PCA must insulate prosecuting agencies from government influence Way Ahead— The Lokpal law has vested the power of granting sanction for prosecution in the Lokpal—wherever the procedure for granting prosecution is defined in the Lokpal or Lokayukta laws, it should be applicable Cases wih no Lokpal or Lokayukta— an independent committee should be tasked with the responsibility of giving prior approval for prosecution Need to operationalise the Lokpal Act and the Whistle Blowers Protection Act which were passed by Parliament more than two years ago (along with the PCA, form the necessary anti-corruption statutory framework) Connecting the Dots: Increasing the probability of detecting and punishing corrupt offenders by enforcing the anti-corruption laws impartially and reducing the delay in prosecuting offenders must be the topmost priority for the anti-corruption strategy of India. Discuss Read: http://iasbaba.com/2015/08/iasbabas-daily-current-affairs-15th-17th-august-2015/ INTERNATIONAL   TOPIC:  General studies 2 Important International institutions, agencies and fora- their structure, mandate. Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests   Italian Marines back home to Italy Background: The United Nations arbitration tribunal’s decision on the Italian marine’s case, announced on May 3, seeks to placate both India and Italy over a tragic incident that led to the death of two Indian fishermen off Kochi in February 2012. The two Italian marines accused of shooting the fishermen have been suspended in a legal twilight zone, given the many complexities that envelop the incident, thereby resulting in a long festering bilateral dispute that has soured relations between New Delhi and Rome ever since. What was the issue all about? Two Italian marines positioned on board a merchant tanker, Enrica Lexie , had opened fire to thwart what they perceived as a pirate attack 20.5 nautical miles off Kochi. It is further argued that the death of the two Indian fishermen occurred in the course of the discharge of their operational duties, and hence functional immunity could be invoked as related to the military personnel of any nation. Even if charges of death by accident were to be prosecuted against the marines, this would have to be done within the ambit of Italian law and jurisdiction as harmonized with the UN Law of the Sea [UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)]. India has steadfastly rejected this formulation and has invoked its sovereign right to prosecute the accused under the provisions of Indian law, thereby resulting in an impasse. Divergence over jurisdiction: India’s Point of View: Within India, the case moved from the Kerala High Court to the Supreme Court with differing views among experts about the overlap between domestic law, the interpretation of sovereignty in territorial waters and contiguous zones as derived from the UNCLOS and how Centre-State jurisdiction was to be determined, given the distinctive nature of the entire incident which had a bearing on the prevailing global anti-piracy effort. The National Investigation Agency took over the probe, but its insistence on invoking an anti-piracy law — the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against the Safety of Maritime Navigation and Fixed Platforms on Continental Shelf Act, 2002 — led to further delay, as Italy objected to the implication that its marines were ‘pirates’, as well as to the death penalty that the Act attracted. India asserted its sovereignty and sought to claim its sole jurisdiction in prosecuting the marines in a special court, but considerable time had elapsed and by December 2014, the case acquired an EU context.   Italy’s approach: In June 2015 Italy approached the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) in Hamburg ITLOS rejected the Italian request that India return the marines provisionally – though one of them is currently in Italy on medical grounds, a temporary measure granted by the Indian Supreme Court. Subsequent to the ITLOS ruling, both parties agreed that the dispute would be resolved under the UNCLOS tribunal, while the ground situation was that while one marine was in Italy (on medical grounds), the other (Salvatore Girone) was in India in the local Italian Embassy.   What happened when Italy once again aproached ad-hoc tribunal? The tribunal order (May 3) has accepted the Italian plea and allowed the marine in India to return, but the wording is significant. Order also advocated that Italy and India shall cooperate, including in proceedings before the Supreme Court of India, to achieve a relaxation of the bail conditions of Sergeant Girone so as to give effect to the concept of considerations of humanity, so that Sergeant Girone, while remaining under the authority of the Supreme Court of India, may return to Italy during the present Annex VII arbitration. Outcome of such tribunal order: This provisional order only addresses what has been termed by Rome as the “humanitarian” dimension of an intractable bilateral dispute between the two countries – and in many ways the bitterly contested legal haul has just begun. The order allowing Sergeant Girone to return may seem like a legal setback to India’s attempts to bring the two marines to justice. However, the order of the Arbitral Tribunal in the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague has enough safeguards to ensure that Sergeant Girone will return to face trial in India in the event that it decides India has the jurisdiction to try him. Italy has given a solemn assurance to this effect.    Way ahead: The Judicial process should have been sustainable and credible from the beginning, instead of being marked by doubt and uncertainty. India and Italy should cooperate, without further delay or diplomatic wrangling, in the interests of justice. The case must be settled on purely legal grounds, and without the kind of political one-upmanship that has contributed to the delay over the past four years. Connecting the dots: The recent order allowing Italian marines to return may seem like a legal setback to India’s attempts to bring the two marines to justice. Is it the case which falls under ‘Justice delayed is justice denied’ notion of Indian Judiciary? Analyze.   MUST READ Perverse consumer protection Hindu   Just prescription- Apex court does well to set the government a deadline to cure the MCI of its several ills. Indian Express Related Articles: Getting Medical Education on track   Flying against the wind- Capping short-haul air fares is retrograde Business Standard   Wind energy picks up steam- Sector adds record 3,472 Mw installation in FY16; 4,500 Mw set to be added in FY17 Business Standard Related Articles: Putting wind into renewable sails Shifting India to Clean Energy   Indian pharmaceutical sector, which makes the finest medicine in the world, sells sub-standard stuff to Indians Business Standard Related Articles: India’s Drug Control—Approvals & DPCO India’s Drug Industry Pharmaceutical Sector: India’s Drug Policy   How efficient is Indian education?-There is a need for measuring the ability of educational systems across states to convert inputs to outputs Live Mint Related Articles: http://iasbaba.com/2015/08/iasbabas-daily-current-affairs-13th-august-2015/ http://iasbaba.com/2015/09/iasbabas-daily-current-affairs-12th-september-2015/ http://iasbaba.com/2015/08/iasbabas-daily-current-affairs-4th-august-2015/ http://iasbaba.com/2015/10/iasbabas-daily-current-affairs-16th-october-2015/

May 6, 2016 AIR

All India Radio - Gram Uday Se Bharat Uday

ARCHIVES AIR Debate - Gram Uday Se Bharat Uday   PM Modi on 125th birth anniversary launched ‘Gram Uday Se Bharat Uday Abhiyan’ (Village Self Governance Campaign). The campaign aims to generate nation-wide efforts to increase social harmony across villages, strengthen Panchayati Raj, promote rural development, and foster farmers’ progress. The campaign will continue go on for 10 days and on 24th April 2016 i.e. National Panchayati Raj Day, Hon’ble Prime Minister will address all the Gram Sabhas of the country from Jamshedpur, which will be beamed to all the villages in the country, where villagers will gather together to listen to the Prime Minister’s address. In these ten days various programmes like Social harmony programme, Village farmer assemblies, and Gram sabha meetings will be held to foster Information regarding the various schemes of the government, measures to promote agriculture etc will be held. It is a campaign by the honourable prime minister to shift the focus of governance from top down to bottom up. Campaigns like social harmony are an innovative step in this regard where even today the social harmony in villages is sometimes a misnomer. In this regard the campaign aims to resolve to strengthen social harmony. On the front of organising village farmer assemblies it is a paradox that most of the recently launched schemes are unknown to farmers. It is necessary to adopt measures so as to create awareness among them and help them to reap the benefits. On organising village assemblies during the campaign the central topic would be to again create awareness and address all the outstanding issues associated in the village. The news schemes like Skill India, Stand Up India, MUDRA Yojana, MANAS, Nai Manzil etc are some of the newly launched schemes that require awareness. This campaign helps to do the same. India is a land of villages. It is true that unless villages develop the real progress of the country is farce. The major chunk of the youth which lies in villages need proper guidance to climb up the socio economic ladders. With numerous schemes at the disposal of the people it is high time that people of India use them in a righteous manner and government should leave no stone unturned until the poorest of the poor person in the village gets empowered.

May 6, 2016 60 Days Plan 2019 - Daily Prelims Test

IASbaba's Daily Prelims Quiz : Day 15

  Click here to get all the Quiz @ one place ->    ARCHIVES     Q.1) Recently the efficacy regarding use of Homeopathy was in News. Consider the following statements with respect to AYUSH or Naturally available medicines. Unani was introduced to India by Greeks. Homeopathy is not of Indian Origin "Sowa-Rigpa" commonly known as Amchi system of medicine is one of the oldest, Living and well documented medical tradition of the world Select the correct answer a) 1 and 2 only b) 2 and 3 only c) 3 only d) 1 and 3 only   Q.2) Exercise MALABAR is a joint military exercise between which of the following given countries. India, USA, and Indonesia India, Japan and USA Japan, India, and Sri Lanka India, USA and France   Q.3) Consider the following statements Assam Rifles is the infantry regiment of Indian army. Assam Rifles is led by Indian Army officers who reports to Ministry of Home Affairs. Select the correct option a) 1 only b) 2 only c) Both d) None   Q.4) The largest insect ever known to man was discovered recently in south china. Consider the following statements with respect to Insects. Insects belong to the phylum Arthropods. Arthropods are characterized by their jointed limbs and cuticle made of chitin. Arthropods do not have bilateral symmetry. Select the correct answer a) 1 and 2 only b) 2 and 3 only c) 1 and 3 only d) 1, 2 and 3   Q.5) Consider the following statements and point out which of our daily practices is/are not sustainable Use of organic fertilizers. More reliance on conventional energy. Use of public transport than using private vehicles. Increasing carbon cover by planting trees. Select the correct answer using the codes given below a) 1 and 2 only b) 2 only c) 2 and 3 only d) All the above Download the Solution- Click here

May 5, 2016 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 5th May, 2016

Archives   IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 5th May, 2016   ECONOMICS   TOPIC:  General studies 2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States and the performance of these schemes General studies 3: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment. Inclusive growth and issues arising from it.   Jan Dhan Yojana—The misses and the catches Financial inclusion is an important policy pillar of the present government to ensure inclusive development (sabka saath, sabka vikas). What it means, in brief, is to mainstream financial services for the masses, especially credit at affordable costs from institutional sources.   Means or Ends—Changed Objectives The financial inclusion objective has moved beyond the provision of simple no-frills accounts to— Meeting overall financial needs of the poor Linking government benefits, overdraft facility and insurance and pension to these savings accounts Surge in awareness— customers pushing the Bank officials to open accounts   Availability of Data: Progress in inclusion has been measured by the number of no-frills or basic savings bank accounts and the number of branchless outlets in villages The paucity of data had thus, made it difficult for researchers in tracking the progress of financial inclusion in India. Example: Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Annual Report, 2014-15, stated that there are 504,142 branchless banking outlets in villages, with no granular information regarding location details, activity levels, etc. CGAP's "National Survey of Banking Agents, 2013" and "The Curious Case of Missing Agents in Rural India", MicroSave, January 2014— showed that data on agents, as reported by SLBCs, often did not match data from on the ground Solution: Need for the Department of Financial Services (DFS) and the RBI to coordinate towards a harmonised and current database of all BC agents in the country that will provide a clear and full picture of the actual financial inclusion footprint in the country—set out the task of a tracking system for BCs: an online registry of all BCs - both existing and new - that will capture basic details, including location of fixed-point BCs, nature of operations, etc, updated on a quarterly basis Progress Made by PMJDY— Increased Transparency PMJDY Mission Directorate has progressed from monitoring only the number of accounts to tracking a number of indicators such as Aadhaar seeding, provision of RuPay cards, usage of overdraft facility, payment of Bank Mitra remuneration, etc, and transaction readiness of Bank Mitras Cross-verification of the basic existence of a BC agent—State- and district-level data available on the PMJDY website and with a geographic information system (GIS) locator available online for banking services Availability of agents at their locations has been high and increased from 89 per cent (December, 2014) to 97per cent in December, 2015 Transaction readiness of agents has increased from 48 per cent (December, 2014) to 79 per cent in December 2015— which means their ability to service customer needs has increased substantially Miles to go— Need to Monitor: The number of transactions at the agent and account level Connectivity issues at the BC outlet Customer care and grievance redressal Behavioural Changes Income earned by agents and banks has improved—initially, a large share of income came from commissions on new accounts; now transaction numbers and volumes are driving earnings Witnessed a perceptible shift in the savings behaviour, with the share of those not saving at all falling from 12 per cent to eight per cent High female participation: For every three PMJDY customers who opened a bank account for the first time, one was a female customer Sol: Marketing communication- to make the change in behaviour Rise in the level of dormancy of agents— Agent dormancy among interviewed BMs increased from 8.4 per cent in (Dec,2014) to 11 per cent in (Dec,2015) High interstate disparities (Uttar Pradesh and Bihar) Why— Inadequate commissions Sol: Increase salary Increase commission Increase in the frequency of transfers   Operational Difficulties Reduction in the number of first-time accounts Rising number of multiple accounts Incomplete account opening form Rejection of documents by bank branches Challenges with delivery and activation of RuPay cards Problems of connectivity for making transactions Low awareness regarding insurance and pension schemes Lack of clarity on overdraft eligibility Commissions on government benefits are not sufficient and often not paid regularly Connecting the Dots: Critically analyse the success of PMJDY in promoting financial inclusion within the country   NATIONAL/DEFENCE   TOPIC:  General studies 2 Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.   AgustaWestland Scam- Arms and the middleman Background: Decision making in India as regards military equipment acquisitions has always been opaque, murky and somewhat enigmatic. In an effort to make the process more transparent and hopefully less open to doubts about corruption, a Defence Procurement Policy with set procedures has been in place now for several years, having gone through multiple revisions supposedly to improve the policy framework and keep pace with changing technological and arms trade scenarios in India and around the world. The bribery scandal involving the AgustaWestland helicopter deal may have provided the ruling regime with a handy tool to skewer the Congress party but the upheavals in Parliament pointlessly distract from a curious problem that afflicts probes into questionable defence deals; the singular inability of the government's chief investigation agency, the Central Bureau of Investigation, to secure a conviction. India keeps learning the wrong lessons from defence scams. It must first stop being the world’s largest importer of arms and take a strategic turn towards indigenous procurement   Bofors scandal: The Bofors scandal was a major political scandal that occurred between Sweden and India during the 1980s and 1990s, initiated by Congress politicians and implicating the Indian prime minister, Rajiv Gandhi and several other members of the Swedish and Indian governments who were accused of receiving kickbacks from Bofors AB for winning a bid to supply India's 155 mm field howitzer. The scandal relates to illegal kickbacks paid in a US$1.4 billion deal between the Swedish arms manufacturer Bofors with the government of India for the sale of 410 field howitzer guns, and a supply contract almost twice that amount. It was the biggest arms deal ever in Sweden, and money marked for development projects was diverted to secure this contract at any cost. The investigations revealed flouting of rules and bypassing of institutions. AgustaWestland scandal: In early 2013, an Indian national parliamentary investigation began into allegations of bribery and corruption involving several senior officials and helicopter manufacturer AgustaWestland surrounding the purchase of a new fleet of helicopters. The scandal has been referred to as the Chopper scam, or Choppergate. Contract was to purchase 12 AW101 (AW stands for Augusta Westland) choppers – a 4000 crore helicopter deal – which is considered to be a medium lift helicopter used both in military (defence) and civil operations. Several Indian politicians and military officials have been accused of accepting bribes from Agusta Westland in order to win the ₹36 billion(US$530 million) Indian contract for the supply of 12 Agusta Westland AW101  helicopters; these helicopters are intended to perform VVIP duties for the President of India and other important state officials Punishing no one There is one unifying theme behind the seven decades of defence scandals in India: that we have drawn all the wrong conclusions from them. Thanks to this, India continues to perpetuate the very same scams on the military and honest taxpayer. It is a naïve merry-go-round. Nobody gets punished, or so it seems. That was the case in the jeep scandal, and that was the case in Bofors, HDW scandals and after the Tehelka exposé. Just four years after the Bofors deal came the scandal over the purchase of submarines by the Indian Navy from the German firm HDW. Though the German government admitted to paying commission to agents, the CBI was unable to establish any links. Another signature scandal involved the purchase of Barak missile systems from Israel in 2000, in which names of then defence minister George Fernandes and former Navy chief Sushil Kumar figured among others. After more than seven years of investigation this case, too, was closed for lack of evidence. The AgustaWestland scandal broke in 2013 and the former Air Force Chief S P Tyagi and his cousins were accused of having received bribes by Finmeccanica, AgustaWestland's Italian parent. But despite being named by the Italian investigations then, no case was registered against Mr Tyagi or family members concerned initially; the CBI's explanation was that the defence ministry had not named any Indian in its complaint.   Lack of skills in tracking global financial transactions All defence scandals have an international dimension to them. Though the money paid originates from the government exchequer, it is paid abroad, and commissions are distributed across secretive tax havens. Despite the complexity of the cases, none of our investigation agencies have cared to develop any significant skills in tracking global financial transactions, especially where it involves tax havens, shell companies and proxy directors. Way ahead: For India to come out of this cycle of scams, of which Choppergate is only the latest, some important aspects need to be addressed. It must stop being the world’s largest importer of arms and take a strategic turn towards indigenous procurement. To create a robust military-industrial complex in India, a restructuring of its engineering curriculum, its procurement procedures, military research systems, etc. are required. ‘Make in India’ is a good first step, but for now it is a mere slogan. Painful decisions, including abandoning some ongoing expensive procurements from abroad, are important to help push Indian private sector into the procurement cycle. India will end up spending at least Rs.5,00,000 crore in the international arms bazaar in a decade, which means that at least Rs.50,000 crore, by bazaar estimates, could be the commission available to middlemen to grease palms. There is no willpower visible as yet to dramatically reverse India’s appetite for foreign acquisitions, only the promise that this absurd theatre will return in the not-too-distant future. Connecting the dots: Can Make in India and robust military-industrial complex put an end to defence scams by encouraging more of Indigenous production? Comment.   MUST READ Bitter medicine for the Centre Hindu   Do not ignore the Taliban Hindu Related Articles: India’s challenge in Afghanistan   NOTA on my ballot Hindu   The season of scorching ironies - On April 26, the Supreme Court concluded its hearing on a historic case.  Hindu   Unseeing the drought-The suffering of millions does not create public outrage, much less government accountability. Indian Express Related Articles: Permanently fighting drought in India   The pulse of India’s agrarian economy- Pulses use less water per unit crop and also address hidden hunger Live Mint   Whistleblowers world over are making a difference- Whistleblowers should be offered monetary incentives as they tend to become unemployable in the aftermath of a whistleblowing incident, says Martin Woods Live Mint   Needless pressure to change copyright laws - RCEP’s position should be resisted. India must take a tough stand on digital rights else internet users will find the going rough Business Line

May 5, 2016 60 Days Plan 2019 - Daily Prelims Test

IASbaba's Daily Prelims Quiz : Day 14

  Click here to get all the Quiz @ one place ->    ARCHIVES     Q.1) Amur Falcons were recently spotted in Pench Tiger Reserve. Consider the following with respect to Amur Falcons Amur Falcons are native species of Siberia and North-eastern China. Indian state of Nagaland is the breeding ground of Amur falcons. The conservation status of Amur Falcons as per IUCN is “Least Concerned” Select the correct option a) 1 and 2 only b) 2 only c) 2 and 3 only d) 1, 2 and 3 Q.2) The phenomena of Animal Sacrifices have continued to haul even today. Consider the following statements with respect to Later Vedic Religion?  Absence of sacrifices. The concept of karma emerged Rise of Upanishad thought Emergence of new gods like Vishnu, Rudra, Prajapathi. Select the correct answer using the codes given below a) All of the above b) 3 and 4 only c) 1 and 3 only d) 2,3 and 4 only Q.3) Consider the following statement with respect to Solar Wind.  Solar wind is the energised plasma that spews from the Sun into the solar system at a supersonic speed of 160 million km per hour. The solar wind plasma is mostly made up electrons, protons and Neutrons. The beautiful phenomena of Aurora are caused by the interaction of the solar wind with the Earth’s magnetosphere. Select the incorrect option a) 1 and 2 only b) 2 only c) 2 and 3 only d) None of the above Q.4) Consider the following statements with respect to Radiation Sterilisation Radiation Sterilisation is a cold process that uses gamma radiation for sterilisation of Healthcare Products. Radioisotopes such as Cobalt-60 are commonly used for radiation sterilisation. Select the correct statement a) 1 only b) 2 only c) Both d) None Q.5) Consider the following causes of the failure of revolt, 1857. The eastern, southern and western parts of India remained more or less unaffected. Modern educated Indians viewed this revolt as forward looking and disagreed that British would usher an era of modernization. The rebels represented diverse elements with common grievances and concepts of current polities. The lack of unity among Indians was unavoidable at this stage of Indian history. Which of the above statements are correct? a) Only 1 & 2 b) Only 2 & 3 c) Only 1 & 4 d) All of the above Download the Solution- Click here

May 5, 2016 RSTV Video

The Big Picture - India-Pak Ties: Has The Dialogue Resumed?

Archives     The Big Picture - India-Pak Ties: Has the Dialogue Resumed? Recently Secretary level talks took place in New Delhi on the sidelines of Heart of Asia summit. The secretary level talk which was scheduled before the Pathankot attack has taken place now after much deliberations between the official channels of both the countries. The article deals with issues pertaining to the dialogue process and way forward. First the talks have taken place despite the Pak army General’s statement that the present dialogue has nothing to do in addressing the outstanding issues that matter. Nevertheless the foreign secretary discussed issues that will further strengthen the upcoming dialogues it is a sad truth that Pak is using fake agents in the name of Spy and making serious allegations against Indian security establishments. Second, the SAARC summit is poised to be held in the latter half of 2016. Political analysts are of the view that ongoing dialogue process is a ground work for thawing the tensions that is prevailing with respect to the retired naval officer who is a spy according to Pak army, and Pathankot attacks. Third, the civilian government seems to be more inclined towards bringing the perpetuators of Pathankot and addressing the other issues of concern. But the recent revelations of top political bosses including Nawaz Sharif in the Panama paper leak is only shifting the ground in favour of Pak military who is not concerned with dealing the issues between two countries with same vigour as civilian government. Fourth Pak army through the retired naval officer accused of spy is trying to claim the moral equivalency with India saying that India is also involved in sponsoring state actors against Pak to derail the talks or create tensions. However allegation that Pak is making has already irked the international community’s that Pak should be stop making baseless allegations and take the dialogue forward in more diplomatic way. Finally India being the regional power and a responsible nuclear state should engage Pak through dialogues and engagements until all the outstanding issues are addressed. In this dialogue process even though the returns are not guaranteed India should be persistent and be hopeful of solving the issues peacefully. The Pakistan government should work towards keeping the military at bay when it comes dealing serious issue like terrorism. Both the sides need to be proactive and Pragmatic so as to find a quick solution and ensure peace there after.

May 4, 2016 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 4th May, 2016

Archives   IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 4th May, 2016   NATIONAL   TOPIC:  General studies 1: Indian culture & Heritage – the salient aspects of Art Forms, Literature and Architecture from ancient to modern times. General studies 2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.   Fire at the National Museum of Natural History Established in 1972, the National Museum of Natural History in New Delhi is one of two museums focusing on nature in India Functions under the Ministry of Environment and Forests The Fire— The fire that broke out in the early hours of April 26, spread to five of the six floors that the museum occupies, and large parts of its collections were destroyed Took three and a half hours to bring the fire under control and another three hours of cooling down operations— used 6 cars with hydraulic platforms to douse the fire in the top floors and 200 fire fighters were rushed in from different parts of the capital Rapid Spread of Fire: The wooden partitions to separate different wings of the museum on each of the four floors as well as the specimens, the stuffed animals and the chemicals that were all highly combustible Fire safety measures— Present but ineffective and not functional in the FICCI building The building did not have a fire clearance certificate NOC (no objection certificate) from the fire department was approved only for the auditorium The pumps were not working when the fire personnel needed water   Museums in India: Aesthetics first, disaster management last Most of the museums in the country have been designed with aesthetics uppermost on the minds of their architects and without any disaster risk management plan Issues— Fire safety and disaster management plans are drafted in retrospect, after museums or public spaces have already been designed and constructed – they are not factored in at the design stage thereby making the implementation difficult Circulation, ventilation, light and safety are the usual casualties, as planned features — exit points, staircases, landings, windows, open-to-sky areas — are encroached upon or closed off for space, sometimes “security”, reasons “Temporary” construction— often with cheap and harmful materials like asbestos, adding further to the risk Maintenance is never adequate and regular fire and safety drills are rare Sanitation facilities—Toilets are filthy, galleries damp and dusty Therefore, need for the Government to give more weightage to careful planning and ensure the durability of display cases in the event of a blast or fire Reorientation of the evacuation routes for a safer and timely evacuation (The museum was believed to be more makeshift in nature with poor visitor facilitation plan for movement from one gallery to another) There should be different fire-fighting systems in different galleries because the libraries and the exhibits can be destroyed as much by water as by fire Other disasters— Fire, water leakages and flooding that can wreak enormous and immediate damage, to museum collections and the public. Inappropriate sewage and drainage systems, unhygienic and offensive garbage disposal arrangements, including heaps of junk and malba (left to lie around for months and years), mosquito-infested environments—pose health and safety hazards in government museums. Wrong storage, handling and display, the dust, the humidity, the insects, the incomplete accessioning of invaluable objects, theft—plague our public museums and that slowly, often not so slowly, destroy the treasures held in the collections Architecture of the Museum to be blamed— Was housed in a building not designed for it with various additions and changes made over time in completely arbitrary ways—without any reference to original design and function More makeshift in nature with poor visitor facilitation plan for movement from one gallery to another   Way Ahead— Fire safety audit need to be made compulsory for all the museums or for that matter all the important public buildings Rule bending—a serious offence: The National Building Code, prepared under the guidance of the Bureau of Indian Standards and updated periodically, which lays down the ground rules for correct building practice and maintenance, including detailed guidelines for fire safety needs to be seriously followed and mandatorily implemented. Competence of Ministry— Bringing all museums under one ministry would be of help only when: Ministry develops a certain amount of competence in the areas where new development is required and is happening Rules and practices related to domain expertise and scope to standardise and streamline rules and procedures, including safety protocols are well-formulated taking on board all the stakeholders involved The concerned ministry could then become an advisory and watchdog body for the adoption and upgrade of museum best practice across all public museums Implementation of best practice— Requires a thorough overhaul of the fundamental structure of the public museum With autonomy being the key, the museum has to be run with a vision, a long-term plan, and the freedom to hire the best professionals Audit and accountability are critical, alongside a work ethic that valorises output and makes inaction culpable Should be government-funded but not government-administered, and must have a very carefully designed constitution that allows the selection of appropriate trustees and their independence Initiate an enabling environment for both national and international talent to flourish Need to explore public-private partnerships: To raise the quality of output, transparency and accountability Contribute significantly to the income that a museum is able to generate on its own  Connecting the Dots: Keeping in mind the recent fire at the National Museum of Natural History, do you think that our public museums have the potential to become sites of interesting, enriching, pleasurable, clean and safe experience? Critically examine.   Related Articles: State of Museums IASbaba Mindmap on the above link: http://iasbaba.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/State-of-Indias-museum-JPEG.jpg ECONOMICS TOPIC:  General studies 3 Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways, etc.   Facilitating trade in Indian ports Why in news? Recently the Bureau of Research on Industry and Economic Fundamentals (BRIEF) conducted a study titled ‘Bridging Infrastructural Deficits at Select Trade Ports in India’. The study observed that seaports displayed specific patterns of issues based on differences in geography, infrastructural capacity, operational aspects, contractual arrangements, and so on. What does the study say wrt each port in India? Refer:  the case studies part of http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-opinion/facilitating-trade-in-indian-ports/article8553021.ece   How important is port sector to India? The Indian port sector plays a vital role in sustaining growth in the country’s trade and commerce. According to the Ministry of Shipping, around 95 per cent of India's trading by volume and 70 per cent by value is done through maritime transport. It also has an important role in fulfilling India’s dream of achieving greater global engagement and integration with its trading partners. Much of India’s port-led development initiative is expected to revolve around growth in maritime trade, given its share in terms of both volume and value in the country’s overall trade statistics.   Sagarmala project: The prime objective of the Sagarmala project is to promote port-led direct and indirect development and to provide infrastructure to transport goods to and from ports quickly, efficiently and cost-effectively. Therefore, aim to develop access to new development regions with intermodal solutions and promotion of the optimum modal split, enhanced connectivity with main economic centres and beyond through expansion of rail, inland water, coastal and road services. For more information with respect to the concept and implementation: refer http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=117691  Way ahead: As India tries to grow big in port-led activities in the country, there is a need for the Central government to undertake measures to facilitate trade through Indian ports, either in terms of building and maintaining infrastructure for handling desired capacities or undertaking relevant policy and regulatory reforms. For more information on port sector: refer http://www.ibef.org/industry/ports-india-shipping.aspx Connecting the dots: To what extent do you think sagarmala project is essential to realise the objectives of blue revolution in India. Critically examine the importance of port sector in realising make in India project.   Related Articles: Maritime India Summit 2016: Taking initiatives to push maritime trade   MUST READ A job for every Indian Hindu Related Articles: Labour in the 21st century All India Radio- LABOUR LAWS AND TRADE UNIONS   Growing back our broadleaf forests - Forest fires highlight a larger cycle of threats in the western Himalaya. Increasing the area under broadleaf forests throughout is the only way forward Hindu Related Articles: Uttarakhand forest fires   The indirect benefits transfer Hindu Related Articles: The curious case of the missing Indian taxpayers   Beijing’s terror conundrum- China’s counter-terror relationship with Pakistan will continue to test China-India relations. Indian Express   Don't undermine the strides made by Jan-Dhan- Paucity of information regarding the progress of financial inclusion in India has been a major challenge. The situation is now changing, with data being made available online Business Standard   The falling buoyancy in state tax collections- Just like for the Centre, a shortfall in tax collections can lead to higher fiscal deficit for states as well Live Mint   India’s problem with the girl child- Anandiben Patel has set the wrong example for approaching the issue Live Mint   Wrong recipe - The Food Security Act has further messed upour public distribution system Business Line MIND MAPS   1. Act East Policy