Mar 17, 2016 RSTV Video

The Big Picture - Vijay Mallya Affair: Where Does The Larger Malaise Lie?

ArchivesThe Big Picture - Vijay Mallya Affair: Where Does The Larger Malaise Lie?The saga of Vijay Malya goes on, the person who on record has defaulted nearly 9000 crores of public money has left to London. Mean while a consortium of banks led by SBI is now trying for his comeback and face law. While the problems of NPA over years have grown exponentially the question of how to recover them or just write those off has become a matter of debate. The issue of corporate debate restructuring, Criteria for lending, who’s responsible when things like this happen, are some of the other issues in this debate.How all outstanding issues can be addressed?First, Banks should stop issuing loans before they do due diligence of all the collaterals involved. Because in recent times banks have started issuing loans without due diligence of the collaterals which in later date puts the banks at risk. This should stop!Secondly, the issue of corporate governance should be addressed properly. Bank management needs to be trained sensibly for issues relating to lending such huge amount of money. An effective bank management committee should be set up to determine the feasibility of lending such loans. And should be held liable if they function inefficiently.Thirdly the issue of corporate debt restructuring. Banks need to be engaged with firms after giving loans and guide them during tough times like these. Also Speedy judicial resolution of cases involving large-ticket bad loans is critical for banks to recover their dues. Many a times, after long years of litigation, the sharp erosion in the value of underlying asset leaves nothing much for the lender to recover.Fourth, Measures such as bankruptcy law and strict action on wilful defaulters may aid in lowering NPAs. But, despite the promise of doing necessary steps in power and other stressed sectors, nothing has happened in the one and a half yearsFifth reduce the political clout while making banking decisions. This is one the serious problem that needs to be addressed out rightly. Banks should be left to function professionally without due interference while discharging their duties.Sixth, banks should learn from private sector experiences in dealing such cases. It is also crucial for the government to give a serious thought to privatisation of government banks. So far, this government has shown an aversion to the privatisation of banks. It should learn from the experience of the private sector banks and show the guts to moot radical reforms in the banking sector by privatising state-run banks.

Mar 16, 2016 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 16th March, 2016

ArchivesIASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 16th March, 2016INTERNATIONAL TOPIC:  General studies 2: India and its neighborhood- relations.  Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests.  Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests, Indian diaspora.India’s biggest security headache—Sir Creek stand-off’sWhat’s in the name: Got its name from the British representative who negotiated the original dispute over firewood between the local rulersCountries: India & PakistanLocation: 96-km estuary- between India and Pakistan, cutting through where Gujarat State and Sindh province meetClassic example of cartographic dilemmaInability of both the countries to agree on a definite border (fear of losing out on a vast amount of Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) rich with gas and mineral deposits, and subsequent breakthroughs)Pakistan- claims the entire Sir Creek based on a 1914 agreement signed between the government of Sindh and rulers of KutchIndia- claims that the boundary lies mid-channel, as was depicted in a map in 1925 and implemented with pillars placed to mark the boundary Sir Creek issue is defying solution because of the deep rooted syndrome of lack of trust in Pakistan. Unless the element of trust is restored through Pakistani actions, attitudes and utterances, any real and meaningful progress on this, as well as other issues like Siachen, looks somewhat remote. The Indo-Pakistan international border starts from the point where coming from the Arabian Sea Sir Creek joins the land mass This area had not been demarcated as it had not been properly surveyed due to its being somewhat desolate and inhospitable Taking advantage of a 1914 Bombay Government Resolution that sought to demarcate Sir Creek between Sindh and Kutch divisions of the Bombay state as an internal administrative measure, Pakistan began to lay claim over the entire Creek; ignoring that both Sindh and Kutch have become parts of two sovereign states, India and Pakistan, and thus their maritime boundary now needed to be settled as per international norms, mainly the Thalweg Doctrine, which follows the meridian principle. In fact, another resolution of the erstwhile Bombay Government adopted in 1925 did install mid-channel pillars in Sir Creek. Here, Pakistan does not agree with India since an acceptance of these provisions would lead to redrawing of the maritime boundary in the area, re-delineation of the Exclusive Economic Zone and other fishing areas in the Arabian SeaResult: Convergence of the disputed water with fishermen’s misery + terrorist designs + global drug Absence of clear fishing laws Fishermen cross boundaries in hope of a great catch; getting caught themselves (boats and material confiscated under the premise of illegal intrusionthough there is no cognisable territorial and maritime boundary delimitation in the area) Deprived of their fundamental human rights + denied consular assistance; many are allegedly tortured and languish in jails while being subjected to horrible living conditions and without any meaningful access to judicial process. Some prisoners go missing and may even be presumed victims of custodial killings 1,530 Indian fishermen have been released in the past five years, while India has freed 380 Pakistanis Also, fall prey to terrorist designs- When 10 terrorists from the Lashkar-e-Taiba left in a Pakistani boat for Mumbai; they captured an Indian fishing vessel, Kuber, off Sir Creek, and used it to attack MumbaiTransaction business by the cartels in the disputed waterThey are beyond the reach of both Indian and Pakistani agencies and thus, it becomes easier for them to trade drugs their way (in terms of quantity and frequency)Diplomatic Hurdles: Terrorists sneaking across through the Sir Creek area Shooting down of the other nation’s aircraft like what happened one month post the Kargil War- an Indian fighter plane shot down a surveillance aircraft of the Pakistan Navy, killing all its 16 occupants. India said the Pakistani aircraft was deep inside its boundary; Pakistan disputed the claim as it was flying over Sir Creek.Way Ahead: Political considerations rather than legal issues are preventing its resolution which has the potential to have resonances in larger economic and strategic matters between the countries. Steps to resolve the dispute in the interests of greater stability in the region include: Allocation Delimitation Demarcation AdministrationConnecting the Dots: Is solving the dispute over ‘Sir Creek’ a “doable” act? Can it prove to be a stepping stone towards the resolutions of graver border conflicts between India and Pakistan?ECONOMICSTOPIC:  General studies 3 Inclusive growth and issues arising from it.  Agriculture & related issues, Major crops cropping patterns, Irrigation Land reforms in India. Effects of liberalization on the economy, changes in industrial policy and their effects on industrial growth. Farmer needs a new deal Agrarian distress emerged as the most disturbing problem during the 1990s. Its severity and spread witnessed a sharp increase in the post-WTO period till 2004-05 and it is back again which can be witnessed in the last two years.Measure of agrarian distress: Two common indicators used to show the severity of agrarian distress are indebtedness of farm households and the number of farmers’ suicides. Some people also cite the decline in the number of cultivators in the country as a consequence of agrarian distress, which may be partly true, particularly in the disadvantaged agricultural regions.Causes for increased farmer suicides:Evidence shows that the incidence of farmer suicides in India involves multiple causes Falling farm income is first among them. When the farmer’s income is chronically lower than his family expenditure, he borrows money from some source to meet the gap. Expenditure on social ceremonies and health expenses, which are not part of regular household expenditure, also force the farmer to borrow, particularly from non-institutional sources. The accumulated debt becomes so large that it becomes impossible to repay it from the household income. Some farmers are forced to sell a part or whole of farm land and other family assets to repay loans and to meet social expenditure. Some others undergo humiliation as loan defaulters. The loss of honour pushes many to take the extreme step of ending their life.  A second cause of crisis results from a sudden income loss due to crop failure or price crash. In the absence of crop insurance or adequate relief, crop failure can have a devastating effect on farm income. Further, there is no mechanism to escape the effect of a price crash. Any loss of income of a severe nature on account of crop failure or market failure becomes a source of distress and frustration. This is more pertinent in the case of high value commercial crops. A year or two of high prices influences many farmers to direct excessive resources towards risky commercial crops. The sudden increase in supply is often met with a violent price crash. Without risk coverage, price volatility can have a killing effect on farm income. What can be done to remove agrarian distress?The common answer is to raise farm incomes.This can be done in three ways: Enable farmers to get better prices for their produce and encourage crop diversification. One acre of land under high value crops can generate more income than five acres under cereals. However, better price realisation and the success of diversification critically depend on a healthy and competitive market. Agricultural markets in India have not moved towards competition and efficiency after the 1970s. Prices of farm commodities often fall in the harvest season and skyrocket in the lean season. Unless state governments initiate market reforms and take agriculture marketing to the next stage, farmers will continue to suffer from excessive intermediaries, low scale and segmentation.Agrarian distress can be mitigated to a large extent by an efficient and competitive agriculture market. Mechanisms like the “deficiency price payment” and price insurance for different sets of crops can protect farmers from market and price risk.Government has come up with Pradhan MantriFasalBhimaYojana in this regard. The second option for augmenting farmers’ income is to scale-up the farms. Average farm-size in India is very small and shrinking.The latest available data from the agriculture census for 2010-11 shows that 47 per cent farm households operate on plots less than an acre, with an average of 2,200 sq metres of agricultural land. Further, this small piece of land is fragmented and about half of it has no access to irrigation. Obviously, many such farmers would like to shift to non-agricultural activities and many would like to increase their farm-size by leasing land from other farmers. However, present land lease laws discourage formal and transparent land lease arrangements. The landowner fears any formal lease contract will make it difficult to get the land back from the lessee while the tenant is unable to access credit and avail other benefits available to a landowner.The liberalisation of the existing land lease laws will help both marginal and sub-marginal farmers. Those who leave farming can have secured ownership and earn rent and those who stay in farming can increase the size of operational holdings and have better access to credit and other facilities. The third option is to provide alternative sources of livelihood to needy farm households. The estimates of farm income show that income from agriculture alone is not enough to keep more than 50 per cent of farm households out of poverty. Any supply shock or price shock pushes such households deeper into poverty and the many marginally-above-poverty families into the poverty trap. However, many such farmers who earn an income from non-farm sources are able to escape poverty. The landholdings of a majority of our farmers are so small that these cannot generate income for decent living.Therefore, they need to be provided alternative sources of employment and income.Way ahead: The most common cause for crop failure is water stress. Irrigation is the best insurance against crop failure. The area under public sources of irrigation has not expanded to reflect the huge investment in irrigation made after the Tenth Plan. The thrust on irrigation envisioned under the various components of the recently launched Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana offers hope as well as the scope for reducing water stress in agriculture.Connecting the dots Critically examine various factors which determine agricultural productivity in India with special emphasis on irrigation. Critically examine the reasons for farmer distress in India along with measures taken by the government to overcome the same. MUST READOur national security mismanagementHinduA new beginning in MyanmarHinduRelated Articles:Victor’s challenge- MyanmarIndia Myanmar Relations: An analysisAn opportunity for peace in SyriaHinduRelated Articles:A country in free fall: SyriaTurkey’s war on the KurdsRaja-Mandala: Realism and the Obama Doctrine- The US president sees the world as a messy place not always amenable to the use of American force.Indian ExpressLive Mint The new energy policy makes essential changes-It could signal market-oriented reforms that have been long overdueLive MintRelated Articles:New regime in oil and gas explorationCorrecting the road-rail skew- We must make a national goal of reversing the road-to-rail ratio to at least 50:50, if not 30:70, in the next 10 yearsLive MintThe budget and higher education- Increase in enrolment calls for improvement of the quality of education, which is in a dismal stateLive MintMIND MAPS1. Marital Rape

Mar 16, 2016 AIR

All India Radio - Economic Policy Challenges in Asia

ARCHIVES ECONOMIC POLICY CHALLENGES IN ASIA   Recently a three day conference jointly organised by Ministry of Finance and IMF regarding Advancing Asia: Investing for the Future was held in New Delhi. It was attended by finance ministers and representatives of 30 countries of Asia and the Pacific region. Various issues of contemporary relevance was discussed in the conference like taking stock of Asia’s strong economic performance, its increased resilience to shocks, and the region’s ongoing economic policy challenges. Following are some of the issues discussed: Quota issue:  The present IMF quotas do not reflect the global economic realities. Given the dynamic change that has happened in the world during last two decades it is necessary for IMF to do quota changes according to changing times to ensure fairness and legitimacy of poor and developing countries. In this context the new quota revision is slated is to happen before Dec 2017. On issues related to inclusion of Rupee in to SDR basket and voting rights in IMF. India is pushing for major reforms in IMF. It is also to be noted that with the emergence of new multilateral financial institutions like China led AIIB (Asian investment infrastructure bank), BRICS led NDB (National development bank) and vibrant stock markets the role of IMF is diminishing in the contemporary context. It is in this light that reforms in IMF are not just the need of the hour but also protecting the relevance of IMF in global economy. The conference also held discussions about how India can play a major role in transforming Asia given its convergence wide range of aspects and how it can help in marching a step towards “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” – the world is one family- refers to this sense of the oneness of all identities. India is considered as a leader of south Asia in terms of its size of economy and for various other socio cultural factors. With all the persuasion done by India to initiate reforms. It is a stepping stone for India for a larger engagement on multilateral institutions and it is also poised to play a positive role in international institutions for voicing concerns related to South Asia. Click here and Search Spotlight/ News Analysis dated March 11th

Mar 16, 2016 Motivational Articles

Creative Guidance: Book Review – Curious Lives – Richard Bach

Curious Lives - Richard BachRichard Bach has a knack of storytelling that is not only compelling and insightful but also extraordinarily entertaining. He weaves the tapestry of truth using the silken threads of life and adventure. His books are a delight for an adventurous soul.Here again in ‘Curious Lives’ he takes us on a journey into the world of magical realities, if only we have the vision to see things with the clarity and simplicity he hopes to ignite within us.His understanding of the human predicament is so chillingly real, that it compels us to take notice of this child like story, with the seriousness and sincerity of a problem solver.Using an allegorical story of ferrets, he convinces us how easily our world could have been different if only we could have cultivated the qualities of love, friendship and trust.Curious lives takes you on an adventure, where you become a child again, revisiting the lost wonders of simplicity, friendship and values of human life.Be prepared to spend the next few months in reflection of the lives of these lovely ferrets, which will not only influence you but also alter your process of thinking and living.After Jonathan Livingston Seagull, Richard Bach’s ‘Curious Lives’ is his next in the line of adventure tales to touch you, transform you and rekindle your spirit. Read this book at a snail’s pace to ensure that you don’t miss what he wants you to see.There is so much to admire in this book, you might have to read it a couple of times to get the real intended story out of it. You can just read it as a children’s book, an allegorical story, a book about human values and spirit, about the failure of the human system and so much more. How ever you read it, you will not skip to love it.“This Book Review is a copyright of The Ahamo Movement and IASBABA.”

Mar 15, 2016 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 15th March, 2016

Archives   IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 15th March, 2016   ECONOMICS   TOPIC:  General studies 2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.  General studies 3: Effects of liberalization on the economy, changes in industrial policy and their effects on industrial growth.    How reforms killed Indian manufacturing? This year marks 25 years since the so-called “economic reforms” were launched in July 1991. By now, broad contours of the policies and practices that characterized such reforms are well known, viz. radical deregulation, marketization and privatization of the industrial, technological and financial sectors, and an across-the-board induction of foreign direct investment and foreign institutional investment, and so on. Promotion of India’s IT software and service sector: Based on the “advice” of Western governments, large foreign companies and the trinity of the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and the World Trade Organisation, the then Finance Minister, concluded around mid-1992 that we could be globally competitive only in IT software and services and not in hardware. Thus he reduced import duties on all IT hardware purportedly to “facilitate” software promotion and growth on a globally competitive basis using imported hardware. Result: by 1994 our fledgling civilian IT hardware industry folded up. No one seems to have told the then Finance Minister that IT hardware far more technologically sophisticated than the commercial hardware being imported by our software companies was being manufactured by Indian defence, atomic energy and space agencies and even exported to other developing countries such as Brazil, Malaysia, and Indonesia. Death by policy: A case study of Optel: The “reforms” also gave a body blow to the indigenous optic fibre telecommunication systems industry, a project begun by the Department of Electronics (DoE) in 1986 with the setting up of the public sector utility, Optel. Based on a global tender, technology-transfer agreements were concluded with two companies, Fujitsu and Furukawa, in 1987 and a blueprint for the Optel plant prepared. It indicated a project cost of Rs.45 crore and a construction period of 30 months; when completed, the actual numbers were Rs.46 crore and 32 months. Performance of Optel: In its very first year (1989) of commercial operations Optel’s turnover was Rs.64 crore with a profit of Rs.11 crore. In 1990-91 the turnover zoomed to Rs.298 crore with Rs.35 crore profit. What happened next? Around this time, Sterlite, a metallurgical company, and Finolex, a packaging material producer, entered the field. They would import fibres and merely sheath them into cables. Even the sheathing material was imported, the cables had merely 10-15 per cent domestic content. This, however, ran into a roadblock in the form of the graduated customs duties then applicable, which promoted local production. They started lobbying with the government to reduce the import duty on fibre, a manufactured component, from 40 per cent to 10 per cent, which was the duty on raw materials. The end of Optel: Within six months, large quantities of optic fibre began to be imported. Optel had to close down its optic fibre plant and import low-grade fibre from China to be able to compete in our own market with the likes of Sterlite and Finolex!   De industrialization: High tech radio equipment: In 1990-91, there were at least a dozen electronics corporations producing a range of high-tech radio communication equipment, industrial electronics and control and instrumentation equipment worth annually around Rs.6,000 crore. However, the reduction in customs duties from 60 per cent to 30 per cent overall, which led to a glut of imports, forced many of these corporations to halt production and become import agents. Cell phone handsets: “Reforms” also led to large-scale import of cell-phone handsets that could have been easily produced here had a policy of phased manufacture been adopted. Result? The entire market for such handsets was met by unnecessary imports from Day One in 2005-06. In 2013-14 cell-phone imports totalled Rs.35,000 crore. Case of BHEL: Up until 1998-1999, our heavy electrical equipment industry led by Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) was doing very well. However from the next year onwards, four Chinese power plant equipment manufacturers began to seriously erode BHEL’s market. This erosion was despite the quality and technical reliability of the Chinese equipment being considerably inferior to BHEL’s products. The United States, home to General Electric and Westinghouse, imposed penal anti-dumping duties on Chinese power plant equipment. Yet, the Indian government merely watched as BHEL lost 30 per cent market share by 2014.   Way ahead: The above examples indicate that in sector after sector, the “reforms” have led to de industrialization. Products that we were manufacturing in the 1990s are being imported now. The negative impact this de industrialization has had on employment and on our economy is gigantic. The government must act immediately to halt the destruction of domestic industry on such a massive. One such act by the government to promote domestic manufacturing industry is the “Make in India” policy. Connecting the dots: Critically examine the importance of Make in India policy in reviving the domestic manufacturing sector of India. Economic reforms of 1991 was both a boon and bane. Critically evaluate the statement at the backdrop of low domestic manufacturing base in India.   ECONOMICS   TOPIC:  General studies 3 Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways etc.   Need of the hour: Energy security, not energy independence Background: In the next one and a half decade (i.e., by 2030), India's energy demand will grow faster than that of any other country in the G-20. India's share in the daily oil trade then is expected to be 12.5 per cent, up from 7.4 per cent in 2014. India will not be the biggest energy consumer; nor will it remain at the margins. Indeed, it will be a swing voter in global energy markets with strong national interest in well-functioning markets. What does Energy security mean? Energy security would mean the availability of adequate quantities of critical resources, at prices that are affordable and predictable, with minimum risk of supply disruptions, to ensure sustainability for the environment and future generations. Energy security will require meeting four imperatives: assured supply, safe passage, secure storage, and a seat at one or more international forums involved in international energy trade and governance. Energy security is the association between national security and the availability of natural resources for energy consumption. It isthe continuity of energy supplies relative to demand. What are the challenges to be tackled to address India’s energy security? Like China, India is a growing giant facing the critical challenge of meeting a rapidly increasing demand for energy. With over a billion people, a fifth of the world population, India ranks sixth in the world in terms of energy demand. India’s economy is projected to grow 7%-8% over the next two decades, and in its wake will be a substantial increase in demand for oil to fuel land, sea, and air transportation.  While India has significant reserves of coal, it is relatively poor in oil and gas resources. Its oil reserves amount to 5.9 billion barrels, (0.5% of global reserves) with total proven, probable, and possible reserves of close to 11 billion barrels. The majority of India's oil reserves are located in field’s offshore Bombay and onshore in Assam. Due to stagnating domestic crude production, India imports approximately 70% of its oil, much of it from the Middle East. Its dependence is growing rapidly. Ownership of assets might have a limited role in times of crisis: it has mostly been an ineffective strategy because of low shares of overseas production (below four per cent of total oil and gas demand in 2014-15), a lack of financial resources to compete with other countries, the risks of operating in politically fragile areas, and the opportunity cost of not selling energy produced in global markets. The World Energy Outlook, published by the International Energy Agency (IEA), projects that India's dependence on oil imports will grow to 91.6% by the year 2020. The Indian government is deeply concerned about the rising share of crude oil imports, from 65 per cent of oil demand in 2000, to 83 per cent in 2013-14 and to 90 per cent in 2030. Coal imports have been rising year on year, reaching over 20 per cent of demand. By 2030, imports of natural gas are likely to rise to five times the level in 2013-14.   What are the threats to energy security? Political instability of several energy producing countries Manipulation of energy supplies Competition over energy sources Attacks on supply infrastructure as well as accidents Natural disasters Terrorism and reliance on foreign countries for oil.   What are the strategies employed to secure energy security? The first is to aspire to energy independence. This does not imply zero imports but aims to reduce rather than increase the share of imported oil, gas and coal. For instance, the government wants oil imports to fall to 67 per cent of demand by 2022 and to 50 per cent by 2030. The second strategy has been to buy acreages in oil and gas fields and in coalmines beyond India's shores. The assumption is that such overseas assets will deliver energy resources to India's shores in times of crisis.   Way ahead: India's diplomatic capacity has to align with its commercial interests, while the economy shifts from long-term contracts to relying on diverse sources, taking advantage of lower spot market prices and hedging via forward contracts. India will need to ensure safe passage of overseas energy supplies: This will be, partly, a function of India's ownership of - or access to - a shipping fleet. Compared to other major energy consumers, India's share of oil and gas tankers is low. Safe passage will also require naval capabilities for India to become a net security provider in the Indian Ocean. India has been pursuing regional as well as bilateral cooperation on maritime security in the Indian Ocean, engagements that now need greater intensity. It will also need naval assets that can work with other navies in protecting energy supply routes beyond the Indian Ocean, particularly in the South China Sea, from which new supplies of energy might flow in future. Need of global energy regime: India will have to identify the key functions that a regional or plurilateral energy institutions could perform, which would otherwise be hard to do unilaterally.  Functions: Assuring transparency in energy markets Cooperatively managing strategic reserves Jointly patrolling energy supply routes Arbitrating disputes, and pooling resources to lower insurance premiums on transporting resources. There will be tough choices but either way India's integration into global energy markets will be one of the key shifts in the global economy. Connecting the dots: What does energy security mean? What are the threats and challenges faced by India’s energy security? Throw light on how to eliminate insecurity in India’s energy security?   MUST READ The Aadhaar coup Hindu Related Articles: The Aadhaar Revolution The Big Picture – Legislative Backing for Aadhaar: How will it help?   Getting smart with public transport Hindu Related Articles: India’s draft road transport and safety bill Public transport: Overwhelming Needs but Limited Resources   A silent horticulture 'revolution'- Technology-led gains in the productivity of horticultural crops have allowed farmers to diversify Business Standard   Is the rupee close to its Goldilocks rate? Yes, suggests Raghuram Rajan- Is the Indian rupee overvalued? Or is it undervalued? RBI governor Raghuram Rajan’s recent remarks suggest that it may be neither Live Mint MIND MAPS   1. Money Bills

Mar 14, 2016 RSTV Video

The Big Picture - World Culture Festival: NGT Order, Defiance, Outcome

Archives     The Big Picture - World Culture Festival: NGT order, defiance, outcome   Recently the world cultural festival was held on the banks of river Yamuna. The event had triggered a controversy due to the location of the event and its harmful effect to ecologically fragile Yamuna flood plains. However after lots of dramatic turnarounds National Green Tribunal (NGT) allowed the event to take place with the fine of Rs 5 crores and said that all government authorities have failed to fulfil their duties. Issues involved and way forward: The green signal by NGT after imposing a fine may set a dangerous precedent in future. A proper environment impacts needs to be made way before the event is sanctioned than rushing at the last hour. To avoid such future incidents environment ministry should come up with strict guide lines for holding such mega events. The use of army for a private event also has been criticised. However army intellectuals are of the view that Jawans will get hands on training for constructing pontoon bridges which they anyway going to build in the academy for training purposes. Given the enormity of the World cultural festival the cancellation of the event was not on cards for NGT. However it has ordered for quick measures needed to be taken up for restoration of sensitive flood plains soon after the event.

Mar 14, 2016 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 14th March, 2016

Archives   IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 14th March, 2016   ECONOMICS   TOPIC:   General studies 2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources General studies 3: Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, Robotics, Nano-Technology, Bio-technology and issues relating to Intellectual Property Rights   Patents over Patients Issue: US industry groups recently claimed the Indian government offered them a “private” assurance that compulsory licences will not be issued, save in emergencies and for non-commercial purposes Govt.: Yet to issue any sort of public declaration/clarification   Compulsory Licences— Section 84- A legal entitlement; Mandates that a compulsory licence be granted in favour of third parties, if the patented invention (such as a drug) is excessively priced or not available sufficiently NatcoVs. Bayer Eg: Natco (Indian generic manufacturer) had applied for India’s first compulsory licence by convncing the patent office that Bayer’s patented drug for kidney cancer, SorafenibTosylate, was excessively priced and available to hardly 2 per cent of patients Natco offered to sell its version of the drug at Rs 8,800 per month against Bayer’s Rs 2.8 lakh per month Natco was thus, granted licence upon the payment of a 6 per cent royalty rate to Bayer, ensuring this was not a zero-sum game but one that could potentially benefit the patent owner as well Appeal by Bayer- Validation of the patent office decision and minor modifications in royalty rates were done Section 92- A provision enabling the government to notify compulsory licences (of its own accord) on grounds of national emergency, extreme urgency or public non-commercial use Distinct from Section 84- Vests the government with more discretion Yet to issue any notification under Section 92 Obligation of the State: The ‘big’ data related to health needs to be removed from the shades of the influence of private parties (hospitals, pharmacies and drug companies) and be placed in the public forum (curing data deficiency) for further evaluation, monitoring the progress of the ongoing initiatives and for further research w.r.t. the public-policy dimension. If it’s Cancer: Need of a Central law mandating disclosure of data on patients, treatment methods, drug pricing, etc. Lack of Data- Government ended up denying the most recent compulsory licensing application under Section 84 to Lee Pharma, which bid for a licence against AstraZeneca’s Saxagliptin, a patented anti-diabetic drug Government needs to wed its seriousness with that of its own commitment to good health— must take steps to compel private parties to disclose drug and disease data must ensure quasi-judicial authorities (the patent office) remain relatively independent Adjudicate each application on merit and enact its role as a quasi-judicial authority Attract youth as experienced personnel vested with a fair degree of adjudicatory competence and independence and infused with sufficient training to ensure a fair, impartial and competent dispensation of justice Need to create market incentives for innovation, guaranteeing a return on sales for drugs Providing a safety cushion to the generic medicine producers from bearing the assaulting brunt of the multinational drug formulating companies (reduced prices and improved access for the majority of population) Connecting the Dots: Are lives being viewed more as business opportunities? Present both sides of the argument with a proper conclusion.   NATIONAL TOPIC:   General studies 2 Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.  Indian Constitution- historical underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments, significant provisions and basic structure.    Freedom from a Colonial rule book Sections 377 and 124A of the Indian Penal Code highlight how the British left their stamp upon India’s criminal law in a manner entirely inconsistent with a democratic, constitutional republic. A relic of our colonial past: Most major Indian laws are legacies of the British, the results of a great codification movement that failed to make much headway in the colonial metropolis, and therefore chose India as its laboratory. Apart from the Indian Penal Code or IPC (1860), there is the Indian Evidence Act (1872), the Indian Contract Act (1872), the Transfer of Property Act (1882), the General Clauses Act (1897), the Code of Civil Procedure (1908), the Code of Criminal Procedure (1898). Crime, contract, property, and legal procedure, the bastions of any legal system have come down to us, in 2016, largely preserved since the time of their inception. Contemporary issue: In recent times, two provisions of the IPC have been in the news. Section 377 was back in the headlines after two years, when the Supreme Court agreed to refer the curative petition against its earlier decision upholding its constitutional validity to a bench of five judges. Section 377, which imposed the completely alien term “carnal intercourse against the order of nature” upon the Indian public, is one of the clearest examples of the Victorian morality that pervades the IPC. The other provision is Section 124A, the offence of sedition. Created to deal with the rising Wahhabi movement in the 1870s, used against Gandhi, Tilak, Besant and many other stalwarts of the freedom movement, and in its latest avatar, invoked against sloganeering university students, the law of sedition is perhaps amongst the most recognisable and notorious provisions of the IPC. Victorian morality, imperial logic: Section 377 embodies a form of colonial morality, drawn from Victorian England, famously repressed and repressive when it came to sex. Other sections of IPC which are repressive when it comes to sex: It is the above colonial morality that is also the basis of Section 497 of the IPC, for instance, which punishes a man for adultery, but exempts the woman (who can be punished only as an “abettor”, and not as the primary offender). Section 498, which punishes “enticing” a married woman. It is a morality that views women as the passive partners in a sexual relationship, led astray by unscrupulous men, and unable to take responsibility for their own actions. Section 375, which places forced sexual intercourse between a husband and a wife outside the definition of “rape”, is based upon a belief that marriage entails a one-time, permanent and irrevocable consent to sex.   Section 124A, on the other hand, reflects a colonial logic, predicated upon a subject-ruler relationship between the Indians and the British. Its prohibition upon spreading “disaffection” against the government, and the manner of its use, makes it clear that it was enacted to preserve the reputation of the colonial government in the eyes of its subjects. Two other speech-based offences follow a similar logic. Section 295A, which was enacted in the aftermath of religious riots across north India in the 1920s, criminalises insulting the religious beliefs of any “class” of citizens. Section 153A criminalises promoting “enmity” between different groups. These provisions reflect the British strategy of dividing the subcontinent into clearly identifiable “groups”, and managing the relationships between them. Comprehensive relook needed: The problems with the IPC cannot be solved in a piecemeal manner by taking isolated sections of the code and attempting to modernise them (as the Verma Committee tried to do with the laws of sexual assault, in the aftermath of the Nirbhaya case). This is not a task that the judiciary can accomplish, with all the will in the world and with the best of intentions. It is for the legislature to take a comprehensive relook at the IPC for the first time in its 156-year history and introduce reforms that do not merely tinker at the edges but transform the very philosophy of the penal law in a manner that is consistent with our constitutional principles. Adherence to constitution: Any reform w.r.t the colonial laws have to be carried out in conformity with the basic principles of the Constitution. Three of those principles are individual autonomy, the freedom of speech and conscience, and equality. In light of these principles, laws that claim to protect individuals from moral degradation and corruption (the package of obscenity laws) and that are based upon stereotypical assumptions about men and women, must be reviewed and modernised in a manner that is consistent with the Constitution. Connecting the dots: Is colonial mentality hindering India’s development? Critically examine the statement wrt various colonial laws that have come under scrutiny in the recent past.   MUST READ This Budget is not business as usual Hindu Related Articles: All you need to know about – ‘Budget 2016-2017’   Protecting the homebuyer Hindu Related Articles: The Real Estate Bill   Criminalise marital rape: UNDP chief Hindu   Transparency at any cost- Kakrapar Atomic Power Station Hindu   Swipe right for free trade- India must not sign up for TPP or, indeed, for RCEP, if it turns out to be stacked in favour of China as TPP is for the US Live Mint Related Articles: The new Great Game in Asia Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) & India   India’s prospects with Myanmar- India needs a stable neighbour on the east to control, consolidate and cater better to the north-eastern region Live Mint Related Articles: Victor’s challenge- Myanmar India Myanmar Relations: An analysis   Heading backwards- The cotton revolution is in danger of being reversed by government control over GM seed pricing Indian Express   US sharpening its cyber-warfare tools - The control of cyberspace is likely to assume a new aspect, with the CEO of Google heading the US Defense Innovation Fund Business Line MIND MAPS   1. Urban Flooding

Mar 14, 2016 PIB

IASbaba Press Information Bureau (PIB)- 7th March to 13th March, 2016

ARCHIVESGS-1 Project ‘Mausam’ of M/O Culture aims to explore Multi-Faceted Indian Ocean ‘World’ (Topic- Indian Heritage and Culture) Project ‘Mausam’ is the initiative of Ministry of Culture which is to be implemented by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) as the nodal agency with research support of the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) and National Museum as associate bodies. Project aims to explore the multi-faceted Indian Ocean ‘world’ – collating archaeological and historical research in order to document the diversity of cultural, commercial and religious interactions in the Indian Ocean – extending from East Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, the Indian Subcontinent and Sri Lanka to the Southeast Asian archipelago. It also aims to promote research on themes related to the study of Maritime Routes through international scientific seminars Project ‘Mausam’ is not aimed to counter China’s Silk Route strategy. Instead it focuses on monsoon patterns, cultural context, maritime trade routes and coastal landscapes and examines key processes and phenomena that link different countries along the Indian Ocean littoral as well as those that connect the coastal centers to their hinterlands. Project ‘Mausam’ was launched in the 38th Session of World Heritage Committee meeting which was held at Doha, Qatar in June, 2014.Bank Loan to Women (Topic- Women issues-Role of women and women's organization, population and associated issues) Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has issued Guidelines on Fair Practices Code for Lenders which inter-alia provide that lender must not discriminate on grounds of sex, caste and religion in the matter of lending Public and private sector banks cannot deny a single woman/unmarried female home loan products, insisting that single women applicants to bring along a co-applicant. Bhartiya Mahila Bank offers single woman home loan products without co-applicant/guarantor, depending on the viability of the proposal.Increasing trend in reporting of crimes by women victims (Topic- Women issues-Role of women and women's organization, population and associated issues) The Ministry of Women and Child Development has recently made some schematic interventions to address the issue of violence against women such as One Stop Centre(OSC) The scheme of One Stop Centre is being implemented from 1st April 2015 in State/UTs with the objective of providing medical aid, police assistance, legal aid, psycho-social counselling etc. to the women affected by violence. The scheme for Universalisation of Women Helpline is being implemented through States/UTs from 1st April 2015 providing immediate and emergency relief to women in distress. Beti Bachao Beti Badhao scheme launched on 22nd January, 2015 aims at addressing the issue of declining Child Sex Ratio and empowerment of women on a life cycle continuum.GS-2Deen Dayal Upadhyay Shramev Jayate Karyakram (Topic-Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector or Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.)  The scheme is sphear headed by Ministry of Skill Development and EntrepreneurshipThe initiatives under the scheme include: Dedication of “Shram Suvidha” Portal and Labour Inspection Scheme through the Shram Suvidha PortalMain features of this Portal include: Unique Labour Identification Number (LIN) is allotted to Units to facilitate online registration Filing of self-certified and simplified Single Online Common Annual Return by the establishments. Units will only file a single consolidated Return online instead of filing separate Returns. Transparent Labour Inspection Scheme through computerized system based on risk based criteria and uploading the inspection reports within 72 hours by the Labour inspectors. Portability of Provident Fund accounts through Universal Account Number (UAN) : Universal Account Number (UAN) for Employees Provident Fund (EPF) members, facilitating complete portability of Provident fund accounts on change of employment Launch of Apprentices Protsahan Yojana: Scheme covers all categories of apprentices except the Graduate, Technician and Technician (Vocational) apprentices which are covered by the Scheme administered by Ministry of HRD.Steps Taken to Improve Standard of Primary and Secondary Schools(Topic-Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector or Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.)Steps to improve primary education Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) to assist States in universalization of elementary education Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) for universal access to secondary education. The Central Government through SSA, supports States/UTs on early grade reading, writing & comprehension, and early Mathematics programmes through a sub-programme namely ‘Padhe Bharat Badhe Bharat’ (PBBB) in classes I and II. Rashtriya Aavishkar Abhiyan (RAA) programme as a sub-component of SSA and RMSA, to motivate and engage children of the age group from 6-18 years in Science, Mathematics and Technology Interventions to improve teaching standards, including regular in-service teachers’ training programmes, to improve teacher pupil ratio. Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya National Mission on Teachers and to comprehensively address all issues related to teachers. Performance Indicators for Elementary Education (PINDICS) to track teacher performance and attendance in Government schools Shaala Siddhi’ has been developed by National University of Educational Planning and Administration (NUEPA), to enable schools to evaluate their performance in a more focused and strategic manner and to facilitate them to make professional judgments for improvement.To improve quality education to students at the secondary level, various interventions are funded under the RMSA.  Additional teachers to improve Pupil Teacher Ratio Induction and in-service training for Principals, Teachers, Master Trainers and Key Resource Persons Maths and Science kits Lab equipments Special teaching for learning enhancement ICT facilities in school Introduction of vocational education component at the secondary level. Restructuring of Curriculum in Higher Education (Topic-Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector or Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.) During the 12th Plan  period, though the thrust is on consolidation of higher education, several new Central Universities, Indian Institutes of Management, Indian Institutes of Technology, National Institutes of Technology, Polytechnics and other Institutions of Higher learning have been established A new scheme ‘Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA)’ has been launched which aims to assist States to open new institutions, consolidate old ones and take appropriate steps to achieve the aims of equity, access and excellence. The University Grants Commission (UGC) is providing General Development Assistance (GDA) to Universities and Colleges declared fit to receive grants under section 12B of the UGC Act, 1956. Since ‘Education’ is a Concurrent subject, State Governments are also taking various initiatives to increase access to higher education in the States. Besides, Private Universities/Institutions are also catering to the educational aspirations of the youth. Several steps to include innovation and improvement in course- curricula, introduction of paradigm shift in learning and teaching pedagogy, examination and education system. The University Grants Commission (UGC) has initiated several steps to include innovation and improvement in course- curricula, introduction of paradigm shift in learning and teaching pedagogy, examination and education system. choice based credit system (CBCS), is adopted to allow the flexibility in education system, so that students depending upon their interests and aims can choose interdisciplinary, intra-disciplinary and skill-based courses All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has constituted various Academic Boards for Engineering/ Management/ Pharmacy/ Architecture programmes consisting of eminent educationists for restructuring the curriculum for all AICTE approved institutions, as per the need of industry/academia The Government is in the process of framing a New Education Policy (NEP) for meeting  the  changing  dynamics  of  the  population’s  requirement  with  regard  to  quality education, innovation and researchThree themes under Higher Education are relevant to policy initiative “Integrating skill development in higher education” on integrating skills within the higher education “Linking higher education to society” regarding re-establishing and strengthening of higher education’s close linkages with the society “New Knowledge” relating to higher education institutions identifying the new domains of knowledge in the global scenario.NITI Aayog launches ‘Women Transforming India’ campaign, in partnership with the UN in India and MyGov - #WomenTransform (Topic-Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors) ‘Women Transforming India’ is, an effort at putting our ear to the ground to gather successful stories of change heralded by women at the grassroots level, within communities. ‘Women Transforming India’ is consistent with the government’s renewed commitment to advancing gender equality. The many interventions including Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, Sukanya Samridhi Yojana, Janani Suraksha Yojana are testimony to its resolve to empower and educate of girls, and to tackle discrimination against girls and women. This initiative is also a step forward in furthering the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which have Gender as a stand-alone goal. NITI Aayog has been entrusted with the responsibility to plan, monitor and coordinate SDG efforts across Central Ministries and State governments.Merger of Ministries (Topic- Structure, organization and functioning of the Executive) The Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs (MOIA) has been merged with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). Administrative arrangements of the merger are currently underway. A decision was taken to merge the two Ministries to bring better synergy for realising the objectives of bringing Indian Diaspora closer to India. Most policies, programmes, schemes and initiatives of MOIA were being implemented through MEA and Indian Missions/Consulates abroad. Matters pertaining to Indian nationals abroad, their welfare and protection are also taken up by MEA and the Indian Missions abroad. MEA handling the Overseas Indian Affairs would bring in more efficiency in handling matters related to Indian Diaspora. The merger is also in accordance with the Government’s objective of maximum governance with minimum government. The Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs was entrusted all matters relating to overseas Indians, comprising Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs) and Non-Resident Indians (NRIs), excluding matters specifically allotted to other Departments.Sankalp project (Important aspects of governance, Inclusive growth) The Department of Pension & Pensioners’ Welfare has initiated scheme in January 2014, “Sankalp” which aims at channelizing skill, experience and time available with retired government servants into meaningful, voluntary contribution to society. This would add to the social capital of the country and at the same time restore dignity and purpose to life post-retirement. So far, around 1,600 Pensioners and 19 Pensioners’ Associations have successfully registered under Sankalp. To create awareness amongst retiring employees about this project, the Department has been conducting Pre-Retirement Counseling workshops regularly. So far 28 such workshops for retiring Government employees of various Ministries/Departments in New Delhi and for Central Armed Police Forces at different locations in the country have been conducted.Special preparedness for Rio Olympics (Topic-Important International institutions) Preparations for improving the performance of sportspersons and teams of the country in international sports events are an ongoing exercise. However, preparations for the forthcoming Olympic Games, which are scheduled to be held from 5-21 August 2016 at Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), are going on in right earnest. He said, Identified medal prospects are being provided financial assistance for their customized training at Institutes having world class facilities and other necessary support under Target Olympic Podium (TOP) Scheme, which the Government specifically formulated and launched in 2014 under National Sports Development Fund with the objective of identifying and supporting potential medal prospects for Rio Olympics 2016 and Olympic Games 2020.Nehru Yuva Kendras (Topic- Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector or Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.) Nehru Yuva Kendras undertake multifarious activities through a large network of Youth Clubs/ Mahila Mandals and Volunteers who work at the grassroots level. The programmes undertaken by these Yuva Kendras are for youth club development, awareness and education, capacity enhancement, promotion of spirit of sportsmanship, promoting folk art and culture, skill up-gradation and programmes for promotion of national unity. An evaluation study of Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS) was entrusted to an independent evaluation agency which has recently submitted its report. The deficiencies identified and recommendations given by the agency are summarized as under: Lack of manpower. Lack of funds to implement the programme in effective manner. Delay in disbursement of fund at district level. Lack of inter – ministerial, center to state and district coordination. Need for improvement in record management. Committees formed at different levels to be active and informed. Monitoring of programme through external agencies and separate fund for monitoring should be earmarked.The recommendations as per the study have been accepted and are being implemented in a phased manner for the betterment of Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS).Good Governance (Topic- Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability) A one day National Meet on “Promoting Space Technology based tools and Applications in Governance & Development” was organized Various action plans jointly prepared with Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to enhance functional effectiveness, facilitate planning and decision making. While addressing during the special session, the Prime Minister emphasized on the need for new initiatives for governance and development, using space technology applications,Space technology is being used by various Ministries/Departments in planning, monitoring and evaluation of developmental activities in various sectors.All Hospitals should provide free medical treatment to Acid attack/Rape victims under the Criminal Law Amendment Act, 2013 (Topic -Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States) Government of India has set up a dedicated fund called Nirbhaya Fund for implementation of initiatives aimed at enhancing the safety and security for women in the country. The corpus transferred to the Public Account for the Nirbhaya fund till 2014-15 is Rs. 2000 crore. Further, the Criminal Law Amendment Act, 2013, has been enacted which broadened the definition of rape to include non-penetrative sex and made the criminal provisions relating to rape and sexual violence more stringent. New offences such as acid attack, stalking, sexual harassment, voyeurism and disrobing have also been included. The amendment also mandated all the hospitals, public or private to provide free medical treatment to all victims of acid attack and rape. The scheme of One Stop Centre for Women affected by violence has been approved with a project cost of Rs. 18.58 crore to be funded under Nirbhaya Fund. Under the scheme, it has been envisaged to establish 1 One Stop Centre in each State/UT in the first phase.IT Enabled real time monitoring of ICDS to be one of key components of ISSNIP (Topic - Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability, e-governance- applications,)  Information and Communication Technology enabled Real Time Monitoring (ICT-RTM) of ICDS has been included as one of the key activities for implementation in restructured ICDS Systems Strengthening and Nutrition Improvement Project (ISSNIP) in 162 high malnutrition burden districts of 8 States ICT enabled Real Time Monitoring would provide real time information on service delivery at Anganwadi Centres (AWCs) including growth and nutrition status of children. ICT-RTM would be driven by a Common Application Software (CAS), an Android based solution having six tiered Dash Board with AWC as the basic information generation node.Appointing quality lawyers under Legal Aid Scheme (Topic- Dispute redressal mechanisms and institutions.) All persons in custody are eligible for free legal services including filing of bail petitions provided they are covered under Section 12 of the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987. Legal services are provided not only to the Under Trial Prisoners but also to the victims, if he/she is covered under the Act. National Legal Services Authority has framed the National Legal Services Authority (Free and Competent Legal Services) Regulation, 2010 under which it has been provided that no legal practitioner having less than three years’ experience at the Bar shall ordinarily be empanelled and the competence, integrity, suitability and experience of such lawyers shall be taken into account.Restructuring of ISSNIP  ICDS Systems Strengthening and Nutrition Improvement Project (ISSNIP) is World Bank's International Development Association (IDA) assisted project, Implemented by Ministry of Women Child Development in 162 high malnutrition burden districts in 8 StatesSteps Being Taken for Combatting Infant Mortality (Topic- Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector or Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.)The steps being taken by the government to combat infant mortality and increase vaccine coverage under the national Health mission are as under: Promotion of Institutional deliveries through cash incentive under JananiSurakshaYojana (JSY) and JananiShishuSurakshaKaryakaram (JSSK) which entitles all pregnant women delivering in public health institutions to absolutely free and no expense ante-natal check-ups, delivery including Caesarean section, post-natal care and treatment of sick infants till one year of age. Strengthening of delivery points for providing comprehensive and quality Reproductive, maternal, newborn, Child and Adolescent Health (RMNCH+A) Services.  ensuring essential newborn care at all delivery points, establishment of Special Newborn Care Units (SNCU), Newborn Stabilization Units (NBSU) and Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) units for care of sick and small babies. Early initiation and exclusive breastfeeding for first six months and appropriate Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) practices are promoted in convergence with Ministry of Women and Child Development. Universal Immunization Programme (UIP) is being supported to provide vaccination to children against many life threatening diseases such as Tuberculosis, Diphtheria, Pertussis, Polio, Tetanus, Hepatitis B and Measles. Pentavalent vaccine and “Mission Indradhanush” has been launched to fully immunize more than 89 lakh children who are either unvaccinated or partially vaccinated Name based tracking of mothers and children till two years of age (Mother and Child Tracking System) is done to ensure complete antenatal, intranatal, postnatal care and complete immunization as per schedule. RashtriyaBalSwasthyaKaryakram (RBSK) for health screening, early detection of birth defects, diseases, deficiencies, development delays including disability and early intervention services has been operationalized to provide comprehensive care to all the children in the age group of 0-18 years in the community. Some other important interventions are Iron and folic acid (IFA) supplementation for the prevention of anaemia among the vulnerable age groups, annual deworming on National Deworming Day (NDD), home visitation by ASHAs to promote exclusive breast feeding and early detection and referral of sick newborns and promote use of ORS and Zinc for management of diarrhoea in children. To sharpen the focus on the low performing districts, 184 High Priority Districts (HPDs) have been prioritized for Reproductive Maternal Newborn Child Health+ Adolescent (RMNCH+A) interventions for achieving improved maternal and child health outcomes.GS-3 ISRO Developing Station in Vietnam(Topic- Science and Technology - developments and Achievements of Indians in science & technology;) As part of Space Cooperation between India and Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), at the behest of Government of India, is working towards the establishment of a Satellite Tracking & Data Reception Station and Data Processing Facility in Vietnam for ASEAN Member countries. Under this initiative, all ASEAN member countries will be allowed to access processed remote sensing data pertaining to their country. Ground facility is designed in such a way that it will not allow Indian data to be accessed and processed by the system.Improving National Space Programme In 2016, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) plans to realise The constellation of Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System, two earth observation satellites with improved capabilities viz. Cartosat-2C & Resourcesat-2A, An advanced communication satellite GSAT-18, Two weather satellites namely INSAT-3DR for meteorological observations and SCATSAT-1 for wind vector measurements Development of heavy lift launcher GSLV Mk III to build indigenous capability in launching 4-tonne class satellites.Impact of Dams Constructed by China (Topic-Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment, Disaster and disaster management.) India has urged China to ensure that the interests of downstream States are not harmed by any activities in upstream areas. Government carefully monitors all developments on the Brahmaputra River. According to reports, Zangmu hydroelectric project has been fully operationalized in October, 2015. The ‘Outline of the 12th Five Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development of the People’s Republic of China’ indicates that three more hydropower projects on the main stem of the Brahmaputra River in Tibet Autonomous Region have been approved for implementation by the Chinese Authorities. These four projects are considered to be run of the River (RoR) hydro-electric projects. In 2006, the two sides established an India-China Expert Level Mechanism (ELM) on Trans-border Rivers. In October, 2013, the two Governments signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Strengthening Cooperation on Trans-border Rivers. Subsequently, the Joint Statement issued during the visit of Prime Minister of India to China in May, 2015 states “The two sides will further strengthen cooperation through the Expert-Level Mechanisms, on the provision of flood season hydrological data and emergency management, and exchange views on other issues of mutual interest.Reforms in Shipping Sector (Topic-Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways, etc) In order to make the Indian shipping industry attractive and more competitive, the Government has exempted Customs and Excise Duty leviable on bunker fuels used in Indian flag vessels for transportation of mix of EXIM, domestic and empty containers between two or more ports in India. Government has brought in a uniform abatement of service tax for transportation of goods by rail, road and sea vessels. Indian shipping industry has been provided cargo support through Right of First Refusal (RoFR). Besides this, Government has taken a policy decision to allow shipping enterprises based in India to acquire ships abroad and also flag them in the country of their convenience. As a step towards promoting “Ease of Doing Business” methodology for computation of period of stay of seafarers in India has been redefined. Major ports are regularly enhancing their capacity by means of mechanisation, capital dredging, rail-road connectivity and capacity augmentation projects both through PPP mode and internal resources.Raising of resources to Fund Nuclear Insurance Pool (Topic- Science and Technology, mobilization of resources) M/s General Insurance Corporation of India (GIC-Re), along with several other Indian Insurance Companies, have launched the India Nuclear Insurance Pool (INIP) with a capacity of ₹1500 crore on 12th June, 2015, to provide insurance to cover the liability as prescribed under Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage (CLND) Act 2010. The extent of suppliers’ liability is as stipulated in Sec.17 of CLND Act, 2010 and explained in Rule 24 of the CLND Rules, 2011. As per Section 6(2) of the CLND Act 2010, the liability of NPCIL, as the operator, for a nuclear incident will be Rs. 1500 crore.Steps to Increase Freight Activities (Topic-Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways, etc.) In the year 2014-15, the Indian ports handled 172.67 million tonnes coastal cargo while overseas cargo handled was 879.56 million tonesMinistry of Shipping has taken following steps to increase freight activities in domestic shipping in the country. Support to Major/Non-Major ports/State Government for creation of infrastructure for movement of coastal cargo. Relaxation of technical and operational requirement for ships operating in Indian coast. All major ports have been advised to introduce Green Channel for coastal cargo, priority berthing for coastal vessels and construction of exclusive coastal berths. Removal of customs and central excise duty on bunker fuel used for transportation of mix of EXIM, empty and domestic containers. Reduction of service tax incidence on coastal shipping. Cabotage relaxation for specialized vessels such as Ro-Ro, Hybrid Ro-Ro, Ro-Pax, Pure Car Carriers, Pure Car and Truck Carriers, LNG vessels and Over Dimensional Cargo or Project Cargo Carriers which are in short supply in India.Ganga Gram Yojana (Topic- Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation) Under the “Namami Gange” Programme, the government plans to develop the villages located along the main stem of river Ganga which have historic, cultural, and religious and/or tourist importance. Works related to Ganga Grams will encompass comprehensive rural sanitation, development of water bodies and river ghats, construction/ modernization of crematoria etc. The main objectives of developing Ganga Gram (Model Village) is:-Make the village open defecation free• Abate direct discharge of untreated liquid wastewater from such villages into river Ganga• Facilitate adequate infrastructure for crematoria• Develop proper solid waste disposal facilities in order to avoid any pollution to river Ganga• Promote better sanitation practices in the villages through IEC activities. Based on the recommendations of the concerned local authorities, 206 villages having historic, cultural, tourist and/or religious importance have been selected in the first phase. Government of Jharkhand, in association with UNDP, has prepared a comprehensive plan for 78 villages in Sahebganj district, which is under active consideration of NMCG. As per the approved cabinet note of Namami Gange, a provision of Rs.1750 Crores has been kept for rural sanitation scheme contemplated for improving sanitation and civic amenities in identified villages on the banks of River Ganga and to develop them as ‘Ganga Grams”.Clean Ganga Fund (Topic- Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation) As part of Namami Gange programme, Government of India has set up “Clean Ganga Fund” for encouraging contributions from Resident Indians, Non-Resident Indians, Persons of Indian Origin, Institutions, and Corporates towards Ganga Rejuvenation. The total contribution received as on 4th March 2016 in Clean Ganga Fund is Rs. 87.69 Crores. The funds will be utilized for undertaking various activities under Namami Gange programme under the new initiatives including hybrid Annuity based Public Private Partnership (PPP) projects. World Bank AID for Cleaning of Ganga River (Topic- Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation) The World Bank has provided financial assistance/loan for $ 1 Billion for abatement of pollution of river Ganga against the National Ganga River Basin (NGRB) project approved by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) at an estimated cost of Rs. 7000 crores under the National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA) for implementation in the States viz., Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal. The principal objective of the project is to fund creation of pollution abatement infrastructure for conservation and restoration of water quality of the river, institutional development component for setting dedicated implementation entities at Centre and States, setting up a Ganga Knowledge Centre, comprehensive water quality monitoring system and capacity building of Central Pollution Control Board, State Pollution Control Boards and Urban Local Bodies.Collaboration for Mars exploration (Topic- Science and Technology - developments and Achievements of Indians in science & technology;) ISRO-NASA Mars Working Group (INMWG) has been formed to have discussions on the possibility of co-operations in Mars Science and exploration. The Charter for the ISRO-NASA Mars Working Group was signed during September 2014. This group will seek to identify, define and implement those scientific, programmatic, and technological goals that ISRO and NASA have in common in regard to the exploration of Mars.Approving of LIGO-India (Topic- Science and Technology - developments and Achievements of Indians in science & technology;) The Government has given in-principle approval for setting up Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory (LIGO) in India. The LIGO-India project will establish a state-of-the-art gravitational wave observatory on the Indian soil in collaboration with the LIGO Laboratory in the U.S. run by Caltech and Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The project will bring unprecedented opportunities for our scientists and engineers to dig deeper into the realm of gravitational wave and take global leadership in this new astronomical frontier. LIGO-India will also bring considerable opportunities in cutting edge technology for the Indian industry which will be engaged in the construction of eight kilometre long beam tube at ultra-high vacuum on a levelled terrain. The LIGO-India project will be jointly co-ordinated and executed by three premier Indian lead institutions viz., the Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA), Pune, the Institute for Plasma Research (IPR), Gandhinagar and the Raja Ramanna Centre for Advanced Technology (RRCAT), Indore. Some of the Universities in the Country will also participate in the project.Rajya Sabha clears Real Estate Bill seeking to make consumer the king (Topic-Effects of liberalization on the economy, changes in industrial policy and their effects on industrial growth.) The bill seeks to protect the interests of the large number of aspiring house buyers while at the same time enhancing the credibility of construction industry by promoting transparency, accountability and efficiency in execution of projects. The Bill seeks to put in place an effective regulatory mechanism for orderly growth of the sector which is the second largest employer after agriculture. Several rounds of consultations were held with consumer and developer bodies, state governments and other stakeholders  before and after introduction of the Bill in Rajya Sabha in 2013 and  as a result, the Bill has undergone substantial changes benefitting the sector as a whole. Shri Naidu outlined the improvements made in the Bill of 2016 as follows: Developers are required to deposit 70% of the collections form buyers in a separate accounts towards the cost of construction including that of land as against a minimum of 50% suggested by the Select Committee; Norms for registration of projects has been brought down to plot area of 500 sq.mts or 8 apartments as against 4,000 sq.mt proposed in the draft Bill in 2013 and 1,000 sq.mts or 12 apartments suggested by the Standing Committee; Commercial real estate also brought under the ambit of the Bill and projects under construction are also required to be registered with the Regulatory Authority. About 17,000 projects are reported to be at various stages of development; Capret area has been clearly defined which forms the basis for purchase of houses, eliminating any scope for any malpractices in transactions Ending the earlier asymmetry which was in favour of developers, both consumers and developers will now have to pay same interest rate for any delays on their part; Liability of developers for structural defects have been increased from 2 to 5 years and they can’t change plans without the consent of two thirds of allottees; The Bill provides for arranging Insurance of Land title, currently not available in the market which benefits both the consumers and developers if land titles are later found to be defective; Specific and reduced time frames have been prescribed for disposal of complaints by the Appellate Tribunals and Regulatory Authorities; and A provision is now made for imprisonment of up to 3 years for developers and up to one year in case of real estate agents and consumers for any violation of Tribunals and Regulatory Authorities. The Bill requires project promoters to register their projects with the Regulatory Authorities disclosing project information including details of promoter, project including schedule of implementation, lay out plan, land status, status of approvals, agreements along with details of real estate agents, contractors, architects, structural engineers etc. Shri Naidu said that this enables transparent, accountable and timely execution of projects.Going Slow on Future Liberalisation Commitments under WTO (Topic- Effects of liberalization on the economy, Important International institutions, agencies and fora- their structure, mandate.) The outcomes in the area of agriculture in the Nairobi Ministerial Conference are results of the demands of developing countries including India. Among these, the Decision on Public Stockholding for Food Security Purposes and a Special Safeguard Mechanism for the developing countries acknowledge the special requirements of the developing countries to protect the livelihood and food security of their farmers. The mandate of the Doha round of trade negotiations in the WTO envisaged the reductions of, with a view to phasing out, all forms of export subsidies. The Uruguay Round WTO Agreement on Agriculture (AOA) permits use of export subsidies to the Members that used them during the base year 1986-88. As per the Ministerial Decision adopted in Nairobi, developed countries will immediately remove export subsidies, except for a few agriculture products, and developing countries will do so by 2018, with a longer time-frame in some limited cases. Developing countries will retain the flexibility of covering marketing and transport costs for agriculture exports until the end of 2023, while the poorest and food-importing developing countries will enjoy additional time to cut export subsidies. This Decision ensures that countries will not resort to trade-distorting export subsidies. India remains committed to the Doha Development Agenda, which has development at its core. If it is concluded as per its mandate, it will result in better integration of developing countries in the global trading system.Private Participation In Infrastructure Sector of Railways (Topic-Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways, etc.)A Participative Policy for rail connectivity and capacity augmentation was issued in December, 2012 which provides the following five models for building rail connectivity’s : -(i) Non- Government Railway (NGR) model(ii) Joint Venture (JV) model(iii) Build Operate and Transfer (BOT) model(iv) Capacity augmentation with funding provided by customers model(v) Capacity augmentation through annuity modelGovernment in August, 2014 had permitted 100% Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in construction, operation and maintenance of: (i) Suburban corridors through Public Private Partnership (PPP)(ii) High speed train projects(iii) Dedicated freight lines(iv) Rolling stock including trains sets and locomotive/coaches manufacturing and maintenance facilities(v) Railway electrification(vi) Signaling system(vii) Freight terminal(viii) Passenger terminal(ix) Infrastructure in industrial park pertaining to railway line/siding(x) Mass Rapid Transport System.Government signs MoU on conservation of birds of prey (Topic- Conservation) Raptor MoU’ - a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on conservation of birds of prey in Africa and Eurasia. The ‘Raptor MoU’ extends its coverage to 76 species of birds of prey, out of which 46 species, including vultures, falcons, eagles, owls, hawks, kites, harriers, etc. also occur in India The ‘Raptor MoU’ extends its coverage to 76 species of birds of prey, out of which 46 species, including vultures, falcons, eagles, owls, hawks, kites, harriers, etc. also occur in India India has become the 56th signatory State to sign the ‘Raptor MoU’ and The ‘Raptor MoU’ is an agreement under Article IV paragraph 4 of the CMS and is not legally binding. Raptor MOU is a Conservation of Migratory Species (CMS), or Bonn Convention, under the auspices of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).Cyber Gram and Hamari Dharohar (Topic-Inclusive growth, e-governance- applications, models,) Cyber Gram’ has been launched as an initiative under Multi-sectoral Development Programme(MsDP) to provide hands on training in computers to the students of minority communities and enable them to acquire basic Information and Communication Technology (ICT) skills; become digitally literate; actively participate in knowledge based activities; access financial, social and government services and use internet for communications. The initiative covers students of Class VI to Class X belonging to notified minority communities residing in minority concentration areas. The Scheme Hamari Dharohar was launched during the year 2014-15. The scheme aims to preserve rich culture and heritage of minorities through selective intervention under the overall concept of Indian culture.Fix a Uniform Price of Bt Cotton Seed Across the Country for the Benefit of Farmers-Radha Mohan Singh(Topic-Issues related to direct and indirect farm subsidies and minimum support prices;)  Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Shri Radha Mohan Singh today said that “As there was no uniformity in pricing of Bt cotton seeds across the country, the central government has recently intervened and issued a Cotton Seed Price (Control) Order, 2015, to fix a uniform price of Bt cotton seed across the states in the country for the benefit of farmers," The Agriculture & Farmers Welfare Minister said that both the public and private sectors have a role in the supply of quality seeds, including Bt cotton, to farmers. The licensing of Bt cotton seeds by Mahyco Monsanto to 50 companies is an example of the private sector's role in the production and supply of such seeds In order to safeguard the interests of the farming community, this department issued the Cotton Seed Price (Control) Order, 2015, under section 3 of the Essential Commodities Act, 1955, to regulate Bt cotton seed prices. "Some state governments had also passed legislations to ensure supply of Bt cotton seeds to farmers,Growth Rate (Topic- Economic growth) The growth rate of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) at constant (2011-12) market prices is 7.2% in 2014-15 The emerging economies have witnessed a consistently declining trend in growth rate since 2010. It is against this background that the recent Indian growth story appears particularly bright”.The Government of India has taken various steps to boost the growth of the economy which, inter-alia, include Administrative and regulatory measures to accelerate growth in manufacturing sector, initiatives for industrial corridor development. Measures to debottleneck the supply of key raw materials. Make in India initiative along with the attendant facilitatory measures intended to create a more conducive environment for investment. Skill India initiative. Start-up India initiative has been launched to boost entrepreneurship and creation of jobs, Pradhan mantra Jan Dhan Yojana aim at financial inclusion and boost to household financial savings. Micro Units Development and Refinance Agency Ltd. “Stand Up India” schemes have also been launched to promote entrepreneurship, the later focusing on SC/ST and women entrepreneurs. Measures to improve agricultural growth and infrastructure, particularly rural infrastructure; and, time-bound plans for rural electrification and connectivity.Recovery of Loans  The Government does not have any proposal to form National Asset Reconstruction Company (NARC) for bad loans of stressed banks. However, Debt Recovery Tribunals (DRTs) have been set up by the Government for facilitating recovery of Banks/Financial Institutions’ dues under Recovery of Debts due to Banks and Financial Institutions Act (RDDBFI), 1993. Under Section 19 (24) of the Act, DRTs have been mandated to dispose of the applications filed by Banks/FIs within a period of 180 days from the date of receipt of application.The reasons for increase in NPAs include slowdown in recovery in global economy and continuing uncertainty in the global markets The Government has taken specific measures to address issues in sectors such as infrastructure (power, roads etc.), steel and textiles, where incidence of NPAs is high. The Government has also approved establishment of six new DRTs to speed up the recovery of bad loans of the banking sector, in addition to existing 33. Reserve Bank of India has also undertaken steps which include. Formation of Joint Lenders’ Forum (JLF) for revitalizing stressed assets in the system. flexible structuring for long term project loans to Infrastructure and Core industries. Strategic Debt Restructuring (SDR) Scheme.Promotion of Micro Irrigation The National Mission on Micro Irrigation programme in the country was subsumed under National Mission on Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA) and implemented as “On farm Water Management” (OFWM) during 2014-15. The same is now being implemented as “Per Drop More Crop” component under Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchyee Yojana (PMKSY) from 2015-16 onwards.Various steps taken by Government for promotion of micro irrigation include Training and awareness programmes. Awareness through print media and radio & TV talks Organization of workshops, seminars and interactive meetings Publicity creation through Exhibitions, Fairs and Kisan Melas. Publication of literature and Short duration films.Launching of National Agriculture E-Market (Topic- Marketing of agricultural produce and issues and related constraints; e-technology in the aid of farmers.) Government has approved a scheme for setting up of National Agriculture Market (NAM) on 01.07.2015 with a budget of Rs.200 crore, which is to be implemented during 2015-16 to 2017-18. The scheme envisages implementation of the National Agriculture Market (NAM) by setting up of an appropriate common e-market platform that would be deployed in 585 regulated wholesale markets in States/Union Territories (UTs) desirous of joining the e-platform. Small Farmers Agribusiness Consortium (SFAC) has been selected as the lead agency to implement the national e-platform. Department of Agriculture, Cooperation & Farmers Welfare (DAC&FW) will meet the cost on software and its customization for the States. State Governments will propose the regulated markets which are to be integrated with NAM.Norms for Startup MSMEs Relaxed What is the relaxed norm- If the MSMEs can deliver the goods and services as per prescribed technical & quality specifications, the norms on prior experience and prior turnover will be relaxed for them. This will help the Startup MSMEs to take part in the mandatory 20% public procurement from MSMEs. The relaxation has been made to create a conducive environment for the startups in India, which is high on the agenda of the Government. Other than this awareness campaign, workshops, collaboration with industries will be organised to promote start up MSME.Steps to control the prices of essential food items (Topic- Issues relating to Agriculture) The Government has taken a number of steps to control the prices of essential food items. These includes:- Regular review meetings on prices and availability trends are being held at the highest level. Higher MSP is announcing like cereals, pulses and oilseeds to incentivize production A Plan Scheme titled Price Stabilization Fund (PSF) is being implemented to regulate price volatility of agricultural commodities. Advisory are issued to State Governments to take strict action against hoarding & black marketing and effectively enforce the Essential Commodities Act, 1955 & the Prevention of Black-marketing and Maintenance of Supplies of Essential Commodities Act, 1980. Export of onion is being regulated through effective imposition of Minimum Export Price from time to time depending upon exigencies. The stock limits in respect of onion have been extended by up to 2nd July, 2016 and that of pulses up to 30.9.2016. Procurement of 15000 MT of onion by SFAC and NAFED for market intervention during lean period has been approved. Export of all pulses is banned except kabuli channa and up to 10,000 MTs in organic pulses and lentils. Import of onion and pulses are allowed at zero import duty. Government has approved creation of buffer stock of 1.5 lakh MT of pulses for effective market intervention in future.Manufacturing of Defence Equipment Various policy initiatives to promote defense manufacturing in India is Preference to ‘Buy (Indian)’, ‘Buy and Make (Indian)’ & ‘Make’    categories of capital acquisition over ‘Buy & Make (Global)’ or ‘Buy (Global)’ categories in Defence Procurement Procedure. Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) Policy under which  Foreign Investment up to 49% is allowed through automatic route and above 49% under Government route on case-to-case basis, The foreign investment in defence sector is further subject to industrial license under the Industries (Development & Regulation) Act, 1951. Industrial licensing regime for Indian manufacturers has been liberalised and most of the components/ parts/ sub-systems have been taken out from the list of defence products requiring Industrial Licence.  This has reduced entry barriers for new entrants in this sector, particularly small and medium enterprises. The initial validity of Industrial Licence has been increased from    3 years to 15 years with a provision to further extend it by 3 years on a case to case basis. Issues related to level-playing field between Indian vs. foreign manufacturers and public sector vs. private sector has also been addressed.  These include Exchange Rate Variation (ERV) protection for Indian vendors, offset obligations in ‘Buy (Global)’ cases, Excise/ Custom duties on defence equipment, etc. Offset implementation process has been made flexible by allowing change of Indian Offset Partners (IOPs) and offset components, even in signed contracts.  Foreign Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) are now not required to indicate the details of IOPs and products at the time of signing of contracts.  Services as an avenue for discharge of offsets, have been re-instated.Promoting Bio-Fertilizers(Topic- Issues relating to Agriculture)Government is promoting bio-fertilizers through various schemes of National Mission of Sustainable Development (NMSA)/Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana, Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) National Mission on Oilseeds and Oil Palm (NMOOP) Indian Council of Agricultural Sciences (ICAR). Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana- (PKVY) one of the sub scheme of NMSA- Adoption of organic farming through cluster approach under Participatory Guarantee system (PGS) certification. Under PKVY scheme- Fifty or more farmers will form a cluster and their 50 acres of land will be brought under Organic Farming.Steps Taken to Increase the Production of Pulses and Oilseeds Intervention Made in Drought Affected Areas  (Topic- Issues relating to Agriculture) National Food Security Mission (NFSM) is under implementation for enhancing total food grain production including pulses.  The pulse component has been extended to 622 districts of 27 states including North-Eastern States and 50% of total NFSM allocation is made for pulses. National Mission on Oilseeds and Oil Palm (NMOOP) is under implementation since 2014-15 in 27 states including North-Eastern States for increasing production and productivity of oilseeds including area expansion of oil palm. Under both NFSM-pulses and NMOOP financial assistance is available for Organizing cluster demonstration and Front Line Demonstration (FLD) of improved technologies. Supply of quality seeds including seeds minikits of new varieties. Production inputs like soil ameliorants, micro nutrients, bio-fertilizers, plant protection chemicals including bio-agents, farm machineries, water saving devices and capacity building of farmers/extension workers to increase the production and productivity of the pulses and oilseeds. 

Mar 13, 2016 Motivational Articles

Creative Guidance – It is an Adventure – Inspirational & Educative Articles

It is an Adventure Almost everybody who has ever lived has tried to understand life and put it into one category or another. The greatest mystery of life is that it can fit into almost any category and at the same time remain beyond all definitions. Love, service, contribution, success, fame, experience, memory, learning, journey and so many other human expressions have tried to define life. But the one definition that stands above all, the one that lends life its true meaning and purpose is adventure. Adventure is risking the certainty to walk an unknown path for the sheer joy of experience. Life is the grandest of adventures for everything here is imagined; the path, the journey, the traveller and the destination. Nothing here is fixed and certain whatsoever. That’s what makes it an adventure. As Einstein ones said, ‘The greatest gift of mankind is not knowledge but imagination’. Pure imagination driven by the desire to conquer the unknown makes every moment of life an incredible adventure. The moment we accept the fact that life is simply an adventure, it lifts the whole burden of struggling for perfection. How much of your time and energy is wasted in trying to live a perfect life. A perfect life is almost certainly a perfect myth. Here is a beautiful passage from the book ‘The Master of Jinn’ for those who are still wallowing in the hardships of life and wondering why is life so unfair. ‘At the first light of dawn over the middle desert, the black scarab beetles come out of the sand and scurry up the face of the dunes to pray. Standing in line after endless line along ridge and crest, they face the rising sun and bow, as if in the prostration of obeisance, lifting their hindquarters to the warmth, gathering the morning dew of the cool desert night into droplets of water that role down the hard shell into the waiting mouth. I wept at the sight of them. They were my last tears.’ Everything is welcome on the path of adventure; fear, failure, disappointment, even pain and suffering. There are no positives and negatives in this grand adventure of life, everything happens to make the journey a little more exciting. “The articles are a copyright of The Ahamo Movement and IASBABA.” Read more such articles– Click Here

Mar 12, 2016 AIR

All India Radio - Issues Relating to Real Estate Sector

ARCHIVESISSUES RELATING TO REAL ESTATE SECTORRecently Real Estate (Regulation &Development) Bill, 2016 was passed near unanimously by the Rajya Sabha with almost all the parties welcoming the Government’s decision requiring developers to deposit 70% of the collections from the buyers in a separate account to meet construction costs including that of land. The bill has come at a right time and it will be a much desired catalyst for the real estate sector benefitting both the consumers and project developers.Brief Highlights of the Bill It seeks to establish Real Estate Regulatory Authorities (RERAs) in every state within one year of the Act coming into force. Functions of a RERA include: Ensuring that residential projects are registered, and their details uploaded on the RERA website. Ensuring that buyers, sellers, and agents comply with obligations under the Act. Advising the government on matters related to the development of real estate. It proposes to establish a escrow account in which 70% of the amount collected from buyers for a project must be maintained in a separately in a bank and must only be used for construction of that project If the promoter fails to register the property with RERA, he may be penalised up to 10% of the estimated cost of the project. Failure to register despite orders issued by the RERA will lead to imprisonment for up to three years, and/or an additional fine of 10% of the estimated cost of the project. Dispute resolution mechanism is one of the best parts in the bill. It seeks to establish Real Estate Appellate Tribunals, in states and union territories to hear appeals against decisions of RERAs. With the establishment of tribunal speedy disposal of justice can be ensured.However there are some concerns: Some states have already enacted laws to regulate real estate projects.  The Bill differs from these state laws on several grounds.  However the override the provisions of these state laws in case of any inconsistencies. The Bill mandates that 70% of the amount collected from buyers of a project be used only for construction of that project.  In certain cases, the cost of construction could be less than 70% and the cost of land more than 30% of the total amount collected.  This implies that part of the funds collected could remain unutilized, necessitating some financing from other sources.  This could raise the project costs. The real estate sector has some other issues such as a lengthy process for project approvals, lack of clear land titles, and prevalence of black money.  Some of these fall under the State List.The Real estate bill is poised to be a game changer in the sector promoting transparency and accountability for consumers. With new bill in place government’s idea to get all the stake holders on board is completed. With effective PPP model in place Government can make use of this bill for schemes like Housing for all by 2022 etc, with clear road map for foreign investors the bill is also expected to boost FDI investments in the sector which has huge potential for growth.Click here and search for March 10th Spotlight/News Analysis