Feb 26, 2016 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 26th February, 2016

ArchivesIASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 26th February, 2016 ECONOMICSTOPIC: General Studies 3: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment. Government Budgeting Infrastructure: Railways NOTE: This article is compilation of information from 5 different National Newspapers’Rail Budget 2016: A balance between growth, operation efficiencyThe Railway Budget 2016 focuses on commissioning the unfinished/existing projects rather than new trains. Efforts to reorganise restructure and rejuvenate railways is the main highlight of this year’s railway budget.The key themes of the Budget were in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's initiatives - Swachch Bharat Mission, Make in India and Digital India. The most-expected part about this year's Railway Budget - there is no increase in passenger rail fares. Subdued passenger traffic and restricted growth in freight (due to increasing competition from road transport on lower fuel prices) have curbed the ability to implement a fare hike. 8.5 lakh crore will be invested in Railways in next 5 years. 'Operation 5 mins', wherein passengers travelling unreserved can purchase a ticket in 5 minutes. Bio toilets and airplane-type vacuum toilets in trains. Surveillance cameras in select coaches and ladies compartments for women's safety without compromising on privacy. Rail tickets can now be booked 120 days in advance. Budget projected a 10.1 per cent rise in the Railways' gross traffic receipts to Rs 184,819 crore in 2016 Speed on nine railway corridors to go up to 200 km per hour. Wi-Fi in more stations, mobile phone charging facilities in all train compartments. Facility of online booking of wheelchair for senior citizens. Satellite railway terminals in major cities. Centrally managed Rail Display Network is expected to be introduced in over 2K stations over the next 2 years. All India 24/7 helpline - 138 from March 2015 ; Toll free No.182 for security. 917 road under-bridges and over-bridges to be constructed to replace 3,438 railway crossings; at a cost of Rs. 6,581 crore. Four Railway Research Centers to start in four universities. While provision of baby foods and hot milk on stations and conversion of station walls into murals are indeed progressive steps ‘Clean my coach’ service through SMS Rail mitra sewa and Divyang to help old and disabled passengers Porters to be called SAHAYAKS, not coolies anymore. Sahayaks will be provided with uniforms and trained in soft skills Ticketing: Automated ticket vending machines; mobike apps; GOINDIA SMART CARD for cashless ticket purchase; Bar coded tickets etcRecent initiatives: These initiatives include expanding into newer commodity categories (10 commodities account for 88 per cent of the Railways' freight at the moment), rationalization of the tariff structure, construction of terminal capacity and "nurturing customers" which will involve appointing relationship managers for key stakeholders. Reorganizing the all-powerful Railway Board along business lines and suitably empowering its chairman. There is aproposal to set up a Railway Planning & Investment Corporation to draft medium- (five years) and long-term (10 years) corporate plans. Steps to enhance consumer experience which included more options for un-reserved travel, ticketing machines and FM radio on train. Further, the operating ratio (expenses as a percentage of revenue) pegged at 90 per cent in FY16 is an improvement over FY15's ratio, but is still short of the target of 88.5 per cent. Hence, doubts linger on whether the target of 92 per cent (including seventh central pay commission impact) for FY17 will be achieved without a fare hike. Superfast trains: will showcase the future of train travel in India Humsafar: will be fully air-conditioned third AC service with an optional service for meals Tejas and Uday are superfast trains meant to topple the Rajdhanis and the Shatabdis in being the best value proposition on Indian Railways. They will run at speeds of 130 kmph and above with onboard services such as entertainment, local cuisine, WiFi through one service provider for ensuring accountability and improved customer satisfaction. UDAY, short for Utkrisht Double-Decker Air-conditioned Yatri Express — will be double decker overnighters on the busiest routes, which run with 40 per cent more carrying capacity than conventional trains. Focus areas: Gross traffic receipts fell by 8.6% from the budgeted estimates. Freight earnings—the breadwinner of Indian Railways—declined by almost 8% “on account of low demand from the core sector”. The budgeted estimates for the next year bank on “a healthier growth in the core sector of economy” and hence can be equally charged with over-optimism. The reason was simple: an under-utilization of16,000 crore. As a result, the budgetary support this year has been slashed toRs.34,220 crore fromRs.40,000 crore last year. The deficit in expenditure in this instance was compensated by increased investments through partnerships. Passenger earnings growth pegged at 12.4%; earnings target at ~51,012 cr. Additional berths, women- & children-friendly coaches, bio-toilets, long-route trains for unreserved passengers; elevated sub-urban corridors and new freight corridors. Institutional funding, PPPs, freight revenue to push investment, make the Railways self-sustainable The operating ratio target of 88.5% set last year remains unachieved; the revised estimates come to a figure of around 90%. The lower the operating ratio—the ratio of working expenses to gross earnings—the better it is as it leaves more resources for capital expenditure. With the implementation of the 7th Pay Commission recommendations, the revenue expenditure will shoot up considerably and Budget has been realistic in keeping the operating ratio target at a higher level of 92% for the next fiscal. What is the strategy outlined transforming Indian Railways into a first-rate service provider? Objective of transforming Indian Railways into a first-rate service provider while growing into a customer-friendly organization is done with the help of three pillars of strategy: New revenues (monetizing all possible sources of revenue); New norms (incorporating best international practices including, most importantly, a zero-based budgeting approach); and New structures (revisiting all process and organizational structures). Providing optional insurance to passengers: That it will be a much-need security for rail passengers. Insurers expect the premium, for both accident and loss of baggage, to be fixed at a nominal price. The most important aspect is how these insurance policies will be made available to people as there are two places from where travellers buy insurance i.e. online or at the window This will be a personal accident (PA) cover for death and disability. And we expect the pricing to be along the lines of the Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana — a PA policy — that Indians can purchase for a premium as low as Rs 12. It could of course be much lower given that the Pradhan Mantri's scheme gives coverage for a year and the current travel insurance plan proposed by the rail ministry would be only for the duration of travel What are the differences between 2015 and 2016 budgets? The thrust of the 2015 railway budget was to make the Indian Railways (IR) a prime mover of the economy. The emphasis was on removing operational bottlenecks and consolidating infrastructure development to decongest saturated routes and, thus, reduce the logistics component of product costs, which, in India, are among the highest in the world. This year’s budget was full of generalizations and nothing specific was spelled out in this thrust area The Operating Ratio has increased from 88.5 per cent last year to 92 per cent in this year’s budget which is a sign of fiscal mismanagement. Capital expenditure has been increased to 1.21 lakh crore this year which would be a further strain on the finances of the railways Last year’s performance has been much below the anticipated earnings by the railways. Both freight and passenger earnings have significantly dropped and the gap between the budgetary estimates and the revised estimates of railway revenue is around a massive Rs 17,000 crore… Further, the Railways require around Rs. 32,000 crore to fulfil the obligations and recommendations of the 7th Pay Commission. This means that the Railways are starting the financial year with a shortfall of nearly Rs 50,000 crore. If the 2015 budget was the apogee of farsightedness, 2016 is an apology for having developed cataract Addressing thrust areas: Need of the hour Our freight rates, among the highest in the world, make our products uncompetitive. Over the years, these high freight rates have diverted railway traffic to roads. There is need to address the worrying decline in modal share of freight traffic by expanding the freight basket, rationalizing the tariff structure and building terminal capacity. The Railways has been losing market share to road haulage due to ever increasing freight rates as well as infrastructure bottlenecks that have reduced average freight train speeds to around 25 kmph, one of the slowest in the world. The creation of dedicated freight corridors and the increased focus on containerization will help the Railways move away from overdependence on low yield bulk cargo (currently, just 10 commodities account for 80 per cent of the freight hauled by the Railways) and speed up transit times, enabling it to compete better with road transport In fact, discounting for the fuel component in freight charges, the rates should have been reduced this year. Passenger fares do not add much to the revenue but keeping them stagnant is also not good in the long run. A marginal increase was, perhaps, called for. Finances can be improved only by increasing the volume of traffic and tilting the scales in the IR’s favor. There is a need to improve average speeds of trains. Most tracks and rolling stock are already fit for speeds above 100 kmph for passenger services and above 75 kmph for goods services. However, average speeds of passenger services are around 40-50 kmph and those of freight 20-25 kmph. This is because we don’t have the capacity to run them at optimum speed. Increasing capacity by doubling/ quadrupling lines would in itself improve speeds. This has to be the thrust area. But do we need all this right now? When the Indian Railway’s is bankrupt? The issue is not technology. It is priority and timing. Technology for technology’s sake is not what an organization dealing with logistics should opt for. Where will we run coaches at 200 kmph when even the existing sectional speed is not being achieved? Till we don’t have the capacity to run, buying such technology is like buying a Ferrari for Chandni Chowk. Way aheadWith the Railways worried about a continuous decline in its freight traffic, four measures have been announced. Expanding the basket of items carried, Rationalizing of rates, Signing of long-term contracts and Building terminal capacity. Railway Budget was customer-centric, both for passengers and industry. It is seeking to enhance the competitiveness of the railways for goods traffic through announcements of review of the freight tariff structure and direct long-term freight negotiations with key partners. It is a win-win for industry and the railways The huge investments in technology and railway infrastructure are moves with positive intent, despite the disappointing overall revenue growth. However, the real test would be the implementation strategy and the commercial framework for executing the announced plan After all, it’s competition and accountability—and not some band-aid applied by the government of the day—that will ease financial distress at Indian Railways. A competitive tariff structure for freight trains is urgently required to arrest the slide of traffic to roads. This should go hand in hand with the steady elimination of cross-subsidy from freight to passenger segment of the business. An appropriate road map to achieve this could have been laid out. That would have made a perfect rail budget statement for 2016-17Connecting the dots: If the 2015 budget was the apogee of farsightedness, 2016 is an apology for having developed cataract. CommentNATIONALTOPIC: General Studies 2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation Issues relating to the development and management of Social sector/services relating to Health, Education and Human Resources Drug Pricing: Critical Illness—A Gold mineIndia’s Drug Pricing Regime Drugs Order (Display of Prices) 1962 froze medicine pricing Hathi Committee Report (1975) led to the Drug Policy (1978) which: Set up a National Drug Authority Selective price control on medicines The Drug Price Control Order (DPCO), 2013: Brought 348 drugs into India’s National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM) 2011, with significant exclusions made for formulation and presentation Pills becoming ‘too expensive to swallow’— Daraprim, a drug used to treat HIV patients—Price was raised from $20 to $750 Glenmark—Abirapro (250mg; 120 tablet pack is Rs.39,990) and Evermil (10 mg; 10 tablet pack is Rs.29,965) Glivec (anti-cancer drug) — base price rose from Rs.8, 500 to over Rs.1 lakh per month Sovaldi (hepatitis C drug)—$1,000 per pill Cortisporin (ear infections)— Price rose from $10 to $195Heavily skewed against the poor— Out-of-pocket expenses can comprise up to 80 per cent of all health financing, with 70 per cent of health spending on outpatient treatment devoted primarily to purchasing medicines Access to affordable medicines remains a significant concern; Delhi, at best, offers just 48.8 per cent availability This spiralling cost of basic medical drugs has left little for daily life. For instance, unskilled workers need to work an hour in India (it’s 10 minutes in the United Kingdom) to afford basic paracetamolExisting loopholes—While 358 formulations of paracetamol are under price control, over 2,714 combinations (80 per cent of market share) are notDespite price controls, the Drug (Prices Control) Order, 2013 covers only 18 per cent of the domestic market (55 per cent is excluded combinations of NLEM drugs), with little impact India’s current drug pricing policies have tended to fix the maximum price of a medicine above the retail price of the market volume leader (Marked by the SC) While the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority struck down its notification on ceiling prices for 50 non-scheduled medicines in 108 formulation/dosages, the public interest in ensuring affordable access remains Lack of competition and significant information asymmetry: Leading customers to buy the priciest product to alleviate an immediate need Arrangements drawing concern— Voluntary Licence agreements—signed between Gilead Science and 11 Indian generic drug makers, and this has pushed pricing concerns about critical drugs to rise Removal of customs duty exemption on the imports of ~70 drugs Custom Duty of 35% on 15 life-saving drugs Why: Indian companies are producing them already as generic medicines and almost half of them already fall under Government’s price control order Need: Strengthen the taxation structure and boost domestic competition (to increase domestic production-providing relief from the blow being faced due to Chinese imports) Impact: To be borne by the patients of ‘Haemophilia’ (totally dependent upon a medicine produced by an American pharmaceutical company (Find out about ‘Haemophilia)Ensuring Affordability-Quality-AccessPrice Controls— the government needs to utilise price, volume and cost-effective controls to mitigate health-care inflation Canada: Patented Medicine Prices Review Board Egypt: Has brought all medicines under price control Lebanon: Has utilised regressive margin pricing and improved transparency by publishing patient prices on its online Lebanon National Drug IndexCentralised Procurement System—effectively utilised by Tamil Nadufor purchasing drugs The government tenders for the antiparasitic Albendazole (400 mg) tablets has attracted prices of 35 paisa per tablet; retail prices are quoted at Rs.12Stop unethical and unfair drug selling practices—that is used to influence doctors and key bureaucratsNeed to revise the NLEM every 2-3 years: Price regulation should be necessarily based on the therapy considered, instead of a focus on formulationNeed to re-consider the VAT abolishment on essential medicines Creation of an accessible and affordable health-care system: Offering scale, multi-generational permanence (multi-generational) Supported by sustainable financing mechanisms to ensure affordability Inclusion of debt financing with appropriate policy interventions like cheaper loans and tax breaks on interest payments (to generate fund flow) Easing the Reserve Bank of India’s rules on external commercial borrowings by health-care projects: Will help access cheaper funds from a larger credit source; 20 per cent of private equity funds are expected to be invested in health care Web of Health Insurance: The government’s push for low cost “in-patient” insurance, while encouraging, should also incorporate out-patient expenses Continue work on: Low-cost diagnostic capabilities, generic drug stores (Rajasthan’s “Life Line” drug stores) and low-frills hospitals that provide affordable care (Vaatsalya)IASbaba’s Views: With India becoming a superpower in the field of generic drugs, a well-formulated policy (bulk drug) is the need of the hour to create an enabling environment for the pharma companies to build an ecosystem enabling them to go up the value chain while maintaining the ‘public health’ to be their top-most priority. The ‘Pharmacy to the World’ also is striving for immediate needs such as access to capital, quality infrastructure, huge investment, efficient growth and qualified manpower which can cut-across its element of having remained overpriced and unaffordable largely. This sunshine industry requires innovative policymaking initiatives, to trace its high potential for growth and remove the constraint of ‘medical debt’ from the back of many.Connecting the Dots Critically examine the need for setting up a separate ministry for pharma sector in India Discuss the recommendations given by the V. M. Katoch Committee.MUST READQuantifying the caste quotasHinduFor detailed analysis on ‘Reservation’, refer the below linkReservation: Why Jats want a quota?Reservation : boon or bane?Marshalling resources to stay on trackHinduA prudent decision: Patents on Computer Programs - NOHinduRelated Articles:Legally Knotted ‘Innovations’Ask for results- Centre should redirect its energies towards defining and measuring outcomes, and linking them to funds for statesIndian ExpressIs power fencing helping Kaziranga’s wild animals?- The move has been welcomed by local people, will it necessarily help conservation?Live MintProject Shield to protect news sites from attacks: Google- The web has become a critical tool for news organisations to communicate faster, research and disseminate their work to a global audience, especially in cases of investigative workBusiness Standard

Feb 25, 2016 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 25th February, 2016

Archives   IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 25th February, 2016   NATIONAL   TOPIC: General Studies 1: Salient features of Indian Society, Diversity of India. Social empowerment, communalism, regionalism & secularism. General Studies 2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. Development processes and the development industry- the role of NGOs, SHGs, various groups and associations, donors, charities, institutional and other stakeholders.   Patriotism without nationalism The recent events in New Delhi’s Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and Patiala House courts have deepened the state of tension, suspicion and discord that has afflicted the country over the past several years. The questions which arise? At one level, the events bring to sharp focus the mindset of the present government, the partisanship of university and law enforcement authorities, the shock from lawbreakers, the nature of student politics, and the inflammatory role of some television channels. At another level, the events call upon us as citizens to reflect on our relationship with the entity that we call India; to reflect on the nature of the feeling we have for India, and indeed, what is the “India” that we have feelings for. Every one of the above aspects demands serious debate, review and a new broad consensus if we are to retain our hard-won and hard-preserved freedoms.   What does the JNU incident denote? Anti-India slogans at JNU is a symptom of lack of a clear personal understanding of our own feelings of love, patriotism, nationalism, civic responsibility and devotion. Having not reflected on this, we fall for the seductive tunes of entrepreneurs of emotion, who often use our feelings to promote their own political ambition. The nature of democratic politics for ambitious politicians: The nature of democratic politics for ambitious politicians is to use emotions to climb up the ladder of power. The problem is not manipulativeness or political ambition, it is the willingness with which otherwise sensible citizens allow themselves to follow the Piper. These are times when outrage broadcasts from television studios merge with the echo chambers of social media and break into violence on our streets.   The question of Liberalism vs. Nationalism: If we go by much of the public debate playing out in the media, we are asked to choose between liberalism and nationalism. If we support the right of the JNU students to shout anti-India slogans, as long as there is no violence, we are automatically seen as supporting their slogans and stand for liberalism. Similarly, if we support the Indian nation state, we are perforce deemed a right-wing nationalist. Further, ideologues will tell you that nationalists cannot be liberal, and liberals cannot be nationalist. We have to choose one side.   The nature of Indian nationalism: From its earliest origins, Indian nationalism has been liberal in nature. The signature of the freedom movement was to expel the British, without hatred. The setting up of a secular state with a liberal constitution, in the face of a violent demand for and reaction to the creation of a Muslim Pakistan, is a remarkable monument to that national sentiment. This is consistent with India’s civilizational ethos and daily practice as well. We are liberal to varying degrees. We are nationalistic and patriotic to varying degrees. Some may be more liberal, others might be more nationalistic, but most of us are both.   Way ahead: The way to manage these tensions is not to give up one for the other, as the left and the right wing demand of us, but to insist on both. Individual liberty is mere theory unless the state protects it and makes it real. We have to understand that Nationalism without liberalism is a monster. Connecting the dots: What do you understand by the terms liberalism and nationalism in Indian civilization? “Nationalism without liberalism is a monster”, critically examine the above statement wrt recent JNU protests.   ECONOMICS   TOPIC: General Studies 3: Inclusive growth and issues arising from it; Banking; Taxation General Studies 2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation; Governance   Transforming India into a cashless economy Government has been contemplating on having RBI on board with its idea of going cashless by enabling more free ATM transactions. When we view the argument with a balanced outlook; at one hand we do see that this move will definitely cost bank less than encashment at the bank branch but at the same time, it does reduce the cash flow in the economy. Also, while India is still clueless about the ‘black’ intention of some of her fellow countrymen and their ‘black money’ stashed at an unknown place (or rather known)—this cashless transaction can go a long way in making the very same people accountable for their spending’s as well as savings (additional sales tax, service tax and other forms of tax collections)   Incentivising Cashless Transactions Seller of goods—You got a lot to lose? Now, if the seller of goods accepts a debit card— He will have to Pay a merchant discount rate (varying from 0.75 per cent to 1 per cent)- eating up his margin comfortably Since each transaction would be accounted for- he is liable to be taxed For example, if a sales tax concession is offered for such point-of-sale payments to go electronic, then the shopkeeper would not be motivated — he’d much rather save the entire tax than claim a small indirect tax rebate for supporting the cashless drive Is there any solution to buffer the loss? ‘Providing a small incentive to the taxpayer to use his card or his mobile’ For example, the government could grant a 5 per cent income tax rebate for taxpayers who make more than 85 per cent of their payments in cashless mode What happens next—The required percentage of cashless transactions for rebate eligibility could be even higher for very high income groups To claim the rebate—A routine bank statement/certificate stating percentage of cash debits separately while personal banking statements usually show interest income accrued and tax payable/deducted (no extra burden) Loss to the exchequer? Department of Revenue’s website: 1.71 lakh crore was collected as personal income tax in 2011-12, registering an average compound annual growth rate of 14.81 per cent for the period between 2006-07 and 2011-12. Estimated collection in 2015-16: 2.96 lakh crore (Same growth rate applied) If Government chooses to pay 5 per cent rebate and 25 per cent of taxpayers qualify—Payout is still only Rs. 3,700 crore   Total cost for ATM operations— Roughly around Rs. 18,000 crore Shift to cashless transactions: Reduction of ATM transactions byjust 25 per cent— Savings of the banking sector would be around Rs. 4,500 crore in ATM costs Plus 1 per cent resultant increase in sales tax/value-added tax revenues across States: Rs. 4,400-plus crore   IASbaba’s Views: Incentivising electronic transactions with income tax rebates instead of sales tax rebates will push India more towards a cashless economy and hopefully, the savings of the affluent would get effectively channelized for establishing an operating infrastructure in rural areas- for accepting electronic payments and providing cash-out facilities There does exist a need for a real comparison of debit card usage at ATMs and in electronic transactions and direct policy moves to be made out suitably- to transform the economy into a web of effective infrastructure for direct benefit transfers and financial inclusion. With a series of well-coordinated policy changes to suit the new ‘air’, the revenue and productivity of the economy might get a positive boost-up.   Connecting the Dots: Is a cashless economy directly related to a developed economy? Critically examine.   MUST READ   Restoring goodwill with Kathmandu Hindu   India- US: A partnership to Mars and beyond Hindu   A deep malaise-Pampore shows why India needs counter-terrorism institutions, not more martyrs Indian Express   Section 124A should stay- It would be perilous to abolish it without analysing the empirical evidence on its implementation. Indian Express   Disagree, Don’t Label- It is not anti-national to denounce a court judgment or ask for azaadi for Kashmir Indian Express   WTO rules against India in solar power dispute- Supports US in saying power purchase agreements signed by govt 'inconsistent' with international norms Business Standard   Focus on reviving agriculture needed- The crash in global commodity prices and deficit rainfall for two years in a row have affected farmers’ incomes Live Mint   MIND MAPS   1. Exposing Youth to National Security  

Feb 24, 2016 AIR

All India Radio - Launch of Shyama Prasad Mukherji Rurban Mission

ARCHIVES   LAUNCH OF SHYAMA PRASAD MUKHERJI RURBAN MISSION Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched National Rurban Mission in Chattisgarh.  It is an ambitious programme of central government which bid to transform rural areas to economically, socially and physically sustainable spaces. The programme aims to bring basic infrastructure facilities in these areas and various other basic amenities that are found in urban areas. The programme assumes significance given the rate of migration from rural to urban area, which invariably creates a number of problems like lack of sanitation, infrastructure, education, health etc. It is also important to understand that no nation can become developed by a meagre population living in urban areas. Under the programme 300 rural urban clusters catering to at least 4 adjoining villages will be developed with modern amenities by 2019. It is to be noted that Rurban Mission is in line with Mahatma Gandhi’s dream of Gram swaraj or self sufficient economic villages. Skill development, Agro Processing/Agri Services/Storage and 12 other components has been the focus of Prime minister’s speech during the launch of the programme. It is necessary to analyse the potential of skill development in rural areas given the profile of demographic dividend and declining returns in agriculture. Imparting training and skill to the people in rural areas will have positive returns in curbing migration to urban areas and it will help to create self sustaining clusters of development in areas far away from urban centres. Similar schemes have been implemented before, for example PURA by previous government. PURA which was completely at the hands of private sector has failed to take off completely due to lack investments and also improper implementation of the programme. However the present scheme is no different than PURA except the onus of implementation lies exclusive with the government and the scheme has earmarked funds to the tune of 5000 crores through convergence of various other similar programmes making it well funded. The pace of change and better grassroots planning makes the programme effective than the earlier PURA scheme. The programme which aims to create smart villages runs in tandem with smart city project. The programme is considered to be the new engine of growth as it helps to exploit areas that are either untapped or unknown through creating sustainable rural infrastructure. Sectors like tourism, medical treatment etc will gain prominence once the scheme is implemented. The scheme basically emphasises on self reliance. It will include best of practises suited for that particular area than having a one size fits for all approach. Consent of all stakeholders will be taken before implanting any provision in each cluster. The scheme through development of rural clusters aims at catalyzing overall regional growth; it will thus simultaneously benefit the urban areas of the country as well, by achieving twin objectives of strengthening rural areas and de burdening the urban areas hence leading to a balanced regional development and growth of the country. Click here for Spotlight/New Analysis dated 21st Feb

Feb 24, 2016 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 24th February, 2016

Archives   IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 24th February, 2016   INTERNATIONAL   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. Important International institutions, agencies and fora- their structure, mandate.   Bringing India's growth online On February 29, observers around the world will be watching as India's government presents its 2016-2017 Budget. They will be looking for signs that India, today the world's fastest expanding major economy, will continue to grow at pace, and help shore up a slowing global economy. But until India is more integrated with the global economy, its potential to push up domestic as well as global growth will remain limited.   The case of APEC: The first and necessary step toward greater Indian participation in Asian and global trade and investment flows is membership in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, a step whose time has come, for India, for APEC, and for the international economy. Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) is a forum for 21 Pacific Rim member economies that promotes free trade throughout the Asia-Pacific region. It was established in 1989 in response to the growing interdependence of Asia-Pacific economies and the advent of regional trade blocs in other parts of the world   Courtesy (image)- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asia-Pacific_Economic_Cooperation#/media/File:APEC_memberstates(Pacific).svg Why APEC matters? For 26 years, the APEC has served as the key driver of Asian regional economic integration by developing habits of economic dialogue and cooperation and facilitating market opening and trade expansion. Today the 21 APEC member economies account for approximately 60 per cent of global GDP and 40 per cent of global trade. APEC membership is also a facilitating condition for Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) membership. What TPP can do? With the advent of the TPP, the great unfinished task of Asian economic integration is India's closer involvement. The potential gain for the regional and global economies is significant. As growth in China and the rest of Asia slows, the Asian region and Western economies are in search of new markets for trade and investment, access to new consumers and workers, and new sources of innovation.   Why the world economy needs India? India, today Asia's third largest economy, is projected by the US Department of Agriculture to be the world's third largest by 2030. Its burgeoning middle class, expected to number 450 million by 2030, will be a major contributor to global demand if it is better connected to other markets. India's rapidly increasing workforce could help offset aging populations and labour shortages in other Asian and developed economies. India's huge infrastructure needs could offer favourable opportunities for international investment if India's markets are better aligned with global standards.   India gains from APEC: India has even more to gain from the APEC, which would help India boost its long-term growth. The APEC's institutional processes of trade facilitation, consultation on standards, and sharing of best practices will help India improve its regulatory regime and business environment. This, in turn, helps make India more attractive to investors and more competitive in international markets. The APEC would help India access the transnational supply chains that increasingly dominate the global economy, an objective critical for the present Prime Minister’s plan to create 100 million manufacturing jobs by 2022. Way ahead: Throughout its history, the APEC has included economies that have varied widely in their size, stage of development, and trade policy orientation. China was an APEC member for 10 years before making the reform commitments that brought it into the WTO. When Vietnam joined, its economy and policies were very different from those of most APEC members. Now, it is a TPP member. One of APEC's most important contributions has been to assist the gradual opening of emerging economies. The time to bring India into APEC is now - 2016. For the first time in 20 years, India is actively seeking to join. The APEC's major economies - the US, China, Japan and Russia - have all recently welcomed India's interest in joining APEC. US President has developed a close relationship with the present Prime Minister, and has the opportunity in his final year in office to help deliver APEC membership for India. Connecting the dots: Critically examine the importance of regional trade blocs in promoting global economic growth with special reference to APEC.   ECONOMICS TOPIC:  General studies 3 Agriculture & related issues- Major crops cropping patterns in various parts of the country, different types of irrigation and irrigation systems storage, transport and marketing of agricultural produce and issues and related constraints; e-technology in the aid of farmers Inclusive growth and issues arising from it.  Government Budgeting.    Let us talk about taxing agricultural income at minimal rates The burgeoning farmer distress, despite the various measures and initiatives being taken and those already taken, still paints a dismal picture of India’s success in this field. Finance—The lending to the underserved by the banks (priority sector lending programme for more than three decades), has also not reaped much benefits and the JAM-Trinity still remains largely on a test-based platform. The fact that access to formal finance remains a challenge even after decades of implementation of such policies demonstrates that such coercive policies have borne little fruit Education— A large portion of Indian farmers are illiterate or semi-literate and no maintenance of systematic books of accounts regarding their: production and income, assessing their true income Income-earning potential, takes place This in turn leads to issues for the bank loan officers as most of them rely on informal networks created by social affiliations to gain information about the borrowers. Thus, only those borrowers who are “connected” to the loan officers obtain optimal credit. The rotation of loan officers every three years ends in making matters worse from a borrower’s point of view as— A new loan officer would then again take time to get accustomed to the people and the ground-reality of the particular place A research has also shown that a new loan officer entering a branch after job rotation restricts credit to borrowers who borrowed from the previous loan officer   Taxing Agricultural Income: Has the potential to improve access to finance to a large section of farmers because verified income tax returns can provide a credible signal of the earnings potential of a farmer Verifiable information- Helps separate conscientious and productive farmers from the unscrupulous or unproductive farmers, which in turn, will be very useful in enabling access to finance as well as enter the cost of credit borne by farmers For example (LiveMint): Suppose a loan officer has Rs.100 to lend. Suppose there is a good farmer whose expected revenue for a Rs.100 investment is Rs.125. Also consider that in the same village, there is a bad farmer whose expected revenue for the same investment is Rs.75. Clearly, the bad farmer is better off doing something else other than farming, such as working as a security guard or a factory worker. Factors owing to the differences in farmer productivity—Differences in talent, motivation, quality of land, cultivation methods used, training received, etc. The bad farmer could also be a strategic defaulter intending to exploit the lax enforcement standards prevalent in the country. In an ideal world, the loan officer would possess the ability to distinguish the good farmer from the bad one. In this ideal scenario, the loan officer can lend Rs.100 to the good farmer and none to the bad farmer. The case— Higher productivity of the farmer +well-directed agricultural loans à Enhancement of agricultural productivity + Hastening of the movement of unproductive agricultural workers to the manufacturing sector Indian agriculture—Becomes difficult for the loan officers to differentiate between the good and the bad farmers where a genuine farmer may be starved off the funds and the defaulter farmer easily obtains credit Consequences— Low agricultural productivity, High default rates on agricultural loans leading to farmer distress Lack of mobility from agriculture to other sectors   Here comes the Income Tax Returns— Let both the farmers (Genuine + Defaulter) file income tax returns every year GF: Presents his income tax return to the loan officer in order to demonstrate his earning potential Case of small farmers (G)- Income tax returns can provide a reasonably credible measure of earnings potential because they would neither have the high income nor the incentives to hide such high levels of income Signal of earnings potential- Credible because declaring higher income results in payment of higher taxes and hence is costly to the farmer Loan officer-Uses the credible basis to distinguish between the borrowers Borrower (G)— They can easily move from bank to bank and need not depend upon a particular loan officer as well Improves the bargaining power of the borrowers by enabling them to tap multiple sources for financing IASbaba’s Views: The concern regarding the range of benefits to the bigger and the smaller farmers can be put to rest with the argument that big farmers are less likely to be credit-restrained but for the small farmers it becomes imperative to be distinguished and be recognised as a genuine farmer for the credit to flow. Economically, it might not create much of a difference but in the longer run it does carry the promise of bringing in more substantial returns for the small farmers. (‘Jaanhai to jahaanhai’ funda) Taxing them at minimal rate of about 5% can be the way ahead. Connecting the Dots: PMJDY has been touted as one of the torchbearers in curbing the gap that the present-day government seeks to fill. What are the challenges that a scheme like this encounter in an economy likes India? Even when the farm sector remains a major employer of the country’s total workforce, all efforts from the governments end to tackle the current slide have failed. Critically examine the causes and suggest a road ahead for the same.   MUST READ Clean air agenda for the cities Hindu   We need a liberal arts revolution Hindu   What Apple versus FBI means for India Hindu   No option but to engage - Having committed to attending the SAARC summit in Islamabad which is only months away, the Prime Minister must know that talks with Pakistan will have to resume well before that Hindu   Demarcating a safe threshold- Rules on suspension of internet would allay concerns on individual rights. Indian Express   Flying against logic- The government should scrap the anti-competitive 5/20 rule in the aviation sector that hurts consumer interests. Indian Express   It's time for smart villages-To allow our cities to thrive, we must look after our villages Business Standard   In the interests of public order- Systemic flaws enable political parties to selectively enforce fundamental rights to further their own interests Live Mint MIND MAPS   1. UK-EU Deal (Brexit)

Feb 24, 2016 AIR

All India Radio - Nepal Prime Minister Visit to India

ARCHIVESNEPAL PRIME MINISTER VISIT TO INDIAThe visit of Nepalese prime Minister is the major thawing event that happened recently between India and Nepal. Prime Minister Oli is making this visit first time after Nepal adopted constitution last year. There have been certain elements that created friction between two countries after the adoption of constitution in recent times. However with this visit both the parties are hoping for a consensus and forge a new relationship so as to be beneficial for people of both the countries.One of the major issue that was pressing between India and Nepal was addressing the concerns of Indian origin Madehsi people. The newly elected government has taken considerable steps in this regard by promugulation of two amendments in December and also by setting up a committee that will look in to the issue of division of provinces newly which is aimed at addressing the concerns of Madhesi people. India is of the view that it should hold discussion among the aggravated communities so that their voices are accommodated and thus create peace and tranquillity in the border without any law and order problems which affects daily life of the people leaving in the Tarai region (Madhesi).India has promised to extend its monetary support in terms of grants and soft loans to the tune of 2 billion dollars to Nepal, recognising the untapped potential and infrastructure loopholes especially after the earth quake. India has also been advocating for boosting hydroelectricity production in Nepal which is under performing. Nepal is generating only 800 MW of hydro electricity against its potential of 43000MW. With so much gap in Nepal’s hydroelectricity sector India sees this as huge investment opportunities for Indian companies. 2 Indian companies have already signed agreements for hydroelectricity power generation and focus now shifts on early implementation of these projects.India will also have discussions with Nepal having close connections with China, as China has constructed roads and railways right from Chinese side of Tibet to Nepal and also planning for other infrastructures projects. However India does not have any issues with Nepal’s proximity to china as far its security interests intact in her borders.Click here and search for Spotlight/New Analysis dated 20th Feb 2016.

Feb 23, 2016 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 23rd February, 2016

Archives   IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 23rd February, 2016   NATIONAL   TOPIC: General studies 2 Indian Constitution- historical underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments, significant provisions and basic structure.  Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.    Reservation: Why Jats want a quota? The Jats’ demonstrations for their inclusion on the list of the OBC castes in Haryana are echoing others including the Patels’ agitation, which resulted in reportedly 10 deaths in August last year, a toll similar to the present one in Haryana where 16 people have died so far. The Gujjars in Rajasthan, the Kapus in Andhra Pradesh as well as the Marathas in Maharashtra are similarly mobilised. Dominant castes demand backward tag: One common thing among the above stated castes is that they all demand their caste inclusion under the list of backward castes. The above castes, contrary to their demand, represent some of the dominant castes present in India. N. Srinivas, the pioneer of Indian anthropology in the 1950s, defined the dominant castes as those that are demographically important and own a lot of land. The Jats, Marathas and Patels are certainly dominant, but their mobilisation tells us something about structural problems in the Indian economy.   Unfavourable agricultural conditions: The above mentioned dominant castes do not see their future in agriculture because of the attraction exerted by the city and because of the crisis in village India. The 2014-15 Economic Survey showed that the wages of rural India were increasing at 3.6 per cent only (when the inflation rate was above 5 per cent), against 20 per cent in 2011. Those who had land next to big cities could sell it to developers and even became rentiers sometimes. But most of the migrants who left their village to try their luck in the city are disappointed by the job market. In contrast to the middle class inhabiting urban centres for generations, they have not received the kind of English-medium education that gives access to the services, the sector (especially in IT) offering opportunities. While they have sometimes run heavy debts to get some private, not-so-good education, they have to fall back on unskilled jobs. Private jobs earn less: Private jobs are uncertain and badly paid. In the private sector, the average daily earnings of the workers was Rs 249 in 2011-12, according to the Labour Bureau, and those of the employees at large, Rs 388. By contrast, in the public sector, the figures were respectively almost three times more at Rs 679 and Rs 945. Recently, the Seventh Pay Commission recommended an increase of the minimum monthly salary from Rs 7,000 to Rs 18,000.   Need for a government job: Understandably, the young Jats, Patels, Kapus and Marathas who do not find good jobs in the private sector fall back on the government. The search for government jobs among these castes is also influenced by their particularly skewed sex ratio. Parents of girls prefer grooms with stable income those with government jobs are often their preferred choice. With fewer girls compared to boys in these castes, there is competition in the marriage market.   Era of fewer government jobs: There are fewer government jobs these days. There were 19.5 million jobs in the public sector in 1992-93 when India’s population was 839 million. While there are 1.2 billion Indians now, the number of jobs in the public sector has shrunk to 17.6 million. In states that have aggressively implemented the liberalisation policy, government jobs have almost disappeared. For instance, the government’s share in employment in Gujarat is only 1.18 per cent whereas it is 16 per cent in Kerala. Why governments are opposing reservation to such dominant castes? The dominant castes want to be counted as Other Backward Classes (OBC) to benefit from job reservation. But governments are wary to accept to the demand since the decision may alienate those already in the OBC list. The existing OBC castes, no less politically influential, fear that the dominant castes may corner the quotas if included in the list since the latter are richer and better educated. Moreover, the judiciary will probably not allow quotas to exceed the 49 per cent limit imposed by the Supreme Court on reservation. Way ahead: Reservations are a way to positively discriminate different sections of the society to ensure their development. However this discrimination should not be solely on the basis of caste, as this might affect the unity and integrity of the country which the constituent assembly dreamt of. Connecting the dots: Critically examine the reservation policy of India with special reference to the apex court judgements. Should caste based reservations be allowed in India? If no, what can be other indicators for providing reservations in India. Substantiate.   Related Articles on Reservation: http://iasbaba.com/2015/09/iasbabas-daily-current-affairs-3rd-september-2015/ http://iasbaba.com/2016/02/india-radio-agitation-jat-community/   ENVIRONMENT TOPIC:  General Studies 3 Biodiversity, Environment and Disaster Management   A tale of Kudremukh – Western Ghats Kudremukh— A mountain range and name of a peak located in Chikkamagaluru district, in Karnataka, India Also the name of a small hill station cum mining town situated near the mountain, about 48 kilometres from Karkala and around 20 kilometres from Kalasa The name literally means 'horse-face' (in the Kannada language) and refers to a particular picturesque view of a side of the mountain that resembles a horse's face   Karnataka's 3rd highest peak after Mullayangiri and Baba Budangiri The Kudremukh National Park in the Western Ghats— A part of the world’s 38 ‘hottest hotspots’ of biological diversity, a UNESCO world heritage site; notified as a National Park in 1987 More than 630 sq km area of montane grasslands and tropical rainforests— forms the largest protected block within the Western Ghats Home to unique, threatened and endangered biodiversity including lion-tailed macaques, tigers, Malabar civets and great pied hornbills Origin of the rivers Tunga, Bhadra and Netravati, from the heart of the park, sustaining millions of rural people in south India Provision of invaluable ecosystem services- Water Security, Nutrient Recycling, Climate Regulation and Carbon Sequestration Destruction by Mining 1969—48 sq km of pristine forests right in the middle of Kudremukh was leased to a gigantic strip mining operation called the Kudremukh Iron Ore Company Limited (KIOCL) KIOCL used to send iron ore through pipes running through districts of Udupi and Dakshina Kannada and converted to pellets at their plant in Panambur These pellets were exported to countries like China, Iran, Japan, etc. by ships   Consequences: Destruction of Kudremukh’s natural resources— To provide access for giant earth moving machines Blasting was taken up in earnest to loosen the soil To get the iron ore to the pellet plant in the port city of Mangalore, a 67 km pipeline was laid through the forest, with a road created to service it. Everyday iron ore, in the form of slurry, was pumped downhill to the pellet plant.  The slurry pipe is prone to breakage, and in the year 2000 alone, it broke four times, spilling an estimated 4000 tonnes of concentrated iron ore into crystal clear rainforest streams Massive habitat fragmentation— Habitat fragmentation: The single largest threat to biodiversity and biological integrity With Kudremukh and its surrounding forests comprise one of the largest blocks of tropical rainforests in the Western Ghats and harbour many rare and endemic species including the lion tailed macaque and great pied hornbill.   Heavy Sedimentation-Siltation— Massive siltation of the rivers and reservoirs (hill slopes are steep) High Sediment Discharge- The topographic and rainfall characteristics in combination with the open cast mining of low grade iron ore and other land-surface disturbances (one of the highest for any open cast mining operation in the world; reduced the water holding capacity of the Bhadra Reservoir, which was designed to have a lifespan of 180 years) Every monsoon, over 100,000 tonnes of loose soil are washed down from the slopes and into the river, depositing iron ore laden silt on the fields of farmers cultivating downstream, and finally emptying into the Bhadra Reservoir.   Low-grade iron ore— Generates a vast amount of waste, known as tailings Kudremukh & tailings dams breaching: Iron ore content is just 30%, the remaining 70% of waste mud had to be dumped somewhere-which happened to be the forested Lakya Valley, across which a tailings dam was constructed, which now contains over 150 million tonnes of iron ore tailings and is a disaster waiting to happen. In 1994 it developed a serious crack thereby, leading to evacuations as far away as 45 km downstream, and emergency repairs that were carried out. Mask of being a ‘green’ company— KIOCL went on a massive tree-planting spree, planting some 8 million saplings of exotics like Eucalyptus and Acacia on 2000 acres of natural grasslands, in the name of ‘compensatory afforestation’ (What do you mean by this-Put your grey cells to work!) These invasive alien species thus start spreading and gradually starts replacing the native plants (here: the native species in the shola forests) Post the end of the lease in 1999— Company continued operations under temporary permits, using legal subterfuges Supreme Court’s landmark Judgment— Recognised that this opencast strip mining operation in the middle of the mountainous nature reserve was an environmental abomination Report of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the State Legislature- In their report tabled in the Legislative Assembly in July 2009, it has recommended disciplinary action against senior officials for their failure to recover the fine of Rs. 139 crores imposed on KIOCL for destroying forests. Ordered the closure of the mine by December 2005, stating: “By destroying nature, environment, man is committing matricide, having in a way killed Mother Earth. Technological excellence, growth of industries, economical gains has led to depletion of natural resources irreversibly. Indifference to the grave consequences, lack of concern and foresight has contributed in large measures to the alarming position. In the case at hand, the alleged victim is the flora and fauna in and around Kudremukh National Park, a part of the Western Ghats”. Remarkable— As what was closed down was no two-bit operation but a massive, government-owned, export-oriented, profit making mining operation of the Kudremukh Iron Ore Mining Company Limited (KIOCL), one of the (so called) ‘Mini Ratna PSUs’. Upheld the recommendations of its own central empowered committee-Ordered the State and Central governments to Complete the termination of mining operations by the end of 2005; Implement an eco-restoration plan for the mine-damaged area at cost to KIOCL; Completely evict all KIOCL equipment, building and machinery from government forest and revenue land; Transfer all the lease area and standing infrastructure to the State government. Post-Assessment (Order of Mining to be ceased)— Documented significant improvements in water quality Reduction in silt load levels in the Bhadra river   A mere wishing star— Violation of the Law Disregarding the Supreme Court judgment, KIOCL (with support from local politicians and officials) has continued to encroach on large areas that now belong to the government Noticed— The company was fined Rs. 130 crore for its violations of forest laws by the Comptroller and Auditor General; penalty endorsed by the State Public Accounts Committee What happened— Fine hasn’t been collected and no eviction has been done yet  In the meanwhile, KIOCL has leased its buildings to a private luxury resort called Alva’s Kudremukh Nisargadhama Illegality of the matter—Leasing out something that is not your own- KIOCL does not own the land it has leased to the resort Contempt of Court—The apex court(December 2006 judgment), had rejected KIOCL’s plea to use its existing infrastructure for promoting eco-tourism; the ‘leasing’ of property to Alva’s luxury resort thus amounts to blatant contempt of the court’s orders Against Rules— Mandatory environmental and forest clearances have not even been obtained for its establishment; transgressed several conservation laws All tourism infrastructure be moved out of national parks and sanctuaries—WHY? Establishment of such resorts and townships within the heart of the park will entail Development of infrastructure such as approach roads, electrical lines, water and sewage lines, buildings, and swimming pools and the like Will result in resource consumption, waste generation, vehicular traffic, pollution and other disturbances — all of which pose a chronic threat to the ecological integrity of the park Therefore, the court in its interim orders in Ajay Dubey v. National Tiger Conservation Authority insisted that all tourism infrastructures be moved out of national parks and sanctuaries that constitute tiger reserves within the next five years Preserving the ecological marvel— There is a need to protect the entire 281-acre enclave owned by KIOCL-must be acquired by the forest department and merged into the surrounding Kudremukh National Park. Before the planting or healing of the wounds of the forest begin, the mined slopes will have to be carefully studied and, in some cases, may have to be stabilized to prevent landslips-Can be achieved through standard geo-technical practices such as soil nailing and geo-meshing, which do not require the moving of large amounts of earth   MUST READ Patriotism without nationalism Hindu   Referendum gamble for Britain Hindu Live Mint   Stark reminder in Jammu & Kashmir Hindu   A fine balance on the Budget Hindu   Raja-Mandala: Retrieving the momentum- The euphoria, however, did not take long to fade as the complex regional dynamics provided a reality check to Modi’s diplomacy. Indian Express   Tax agri income for the benefit of small farmers- However, taxing agricultural income at minimal rates of about 5% can help rather than hurt our poor farmers Live Mint   India is an outlier in its tax policy-As India broke from its clichéd Hindu rate of growth post 1991, its tax-to-GDP ratio stayed constant, belying those who predicted a spike Live Mint MIND MAPS   1. India & Central Asian Republics  

Feb 22, 2016 AIR

All India Radio - Agitation of Jat Community

ARCHIVES   AGITATION OF JAT COMMUNITY   Recently Jat community in Haryana are agitating for reservation in central government Jobs and universities. The agitation is not new to the government as incidents like this has happened before. However this time the community has become more violent blocking transport and vandalising public property causing huge loss to the exchequer and disrupting public’s day to day lives. 4 people have lost their life so far in this agitation. Jats constitute roughly 30 percent of the population in Haryana, making them the most politically influential community. The community is involved in agriculture since ages and now wants to move out to non agricultural sectors given the facts of declining returns in agriculture and many other socio cultural and economic factors. Even though Jats are given quota in state government, the crux of the agitation is about getting quota in central government domain which is hardly under state government, who otherwise can recommend central government for inclusion of jats in central OBC list. Various census made by state government to determine the status of Jats has shown that Jats are indeed socially and educationally backward section in Haryana. This has made the agitation to reach new heights in recent times. Firstly Intellectuals are of the view that, post sachhar evaluation committee suggested to have a sub quota under OBC (Maha Backward class) to include Jats and various other backward communities under central OBC quota. Secondly it is the duty of the government to convince the masses that the reservation is not the only way for upliftment of the backward communities. Given the advent of private sector in education, manufacturing, it is necessary to highlight that after globalisation the role of state in social upliftment has drastically reduced leaving wide range of opportunities in private sector. Thirdly it is also necessary for political establishments to analyse the issue of historical deprivation of various communities sensibly within the framework of constitution having robust information base, so that nobody is left behind in development story. Click here and search for spotlight/new Analysis.

Feb 22, 2016 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 22th February, 2016

Archives   IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 22th February, 2016   ECONOMICS   TOPIC: General studies 2: Separation of powers between various organs dispute redressal mechanisms and institutions Statutory, Regulatory and various quasi-judicial bodies Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.   For a Robust Competition Law- Competition Commission of India (CCI) Let us talk about insights on measures to make the competition law more effective— Upgrading of the institutional capacity- The foremost challenge for the fair-trade regulator is the upgradation of its institutional capacity, as it takes five to six years for the regulator to mature Since 2009, the commission has handled 688 anti-trust cases, and around 370 combination matters; while cracking down on cases of cartelisation (in the case of cement and airlines companies) as well as abuse of market power (those involving NSE, DLF, Coal India)—the commission has imposed fines worth around of Rs 14,000 crore over the past seven years, the actual recovery has barely been around one per cent Manpower Crunch: In 2014, according to the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, the nodal ministry for CCI, the regulator and Director General (DG)'s office had the strength of 84 and 19, as against the sanctioned posts of 156 and 41, respectively This shortage is more acutely felt at DG's office - the investigating arm of the commission, with each officer handling 10-15 cases encompassing different sectors, all at once. As a result, there is a huge backlog of cases with it. Absence of institutional memory: Few permanent staff with most officers investigating a case being on deputation for three years Need for the Ministry to comprehensively review the recruitment rules— Recruit or engage domain experts/professionals on a contractual basis with a view to professionalising the working of the commission and its offices Employ stricter screening process 2. Need for a strong, effective leniency programme Cartels are most damaging to consumers and poor evidence collected leads to poor enforcement of directives most of the time. Therefore, in order to ensure an effective anti-cartel regime, it is essential to have a strong and robust leniency programme. There is a case of not only unpredictability and non-incentivisation of the whistle-blowers but also the identity of the whistle-blower not being kept protected. EU- All cartel decisions have emanated from leniency applications; its advantage being provision of accurate evidence and ensuring a finding of breach. Therefore the CCI must revisit its leniency programme and follow international best practices. Huge number of cases has been set aside by the Competition Appellate Tribunal (COMPAT) for a failure by the CCI to adhere to basic natural justice norms and therefore, the CCI must not resort to short cuts disregarding the rights of the defence and should exercise their rights lawfully. Need to— The CCI must entertain only those cases where there is a clear competition law violation Introduction of additional exemption to help weed out harmless transactions 3. Strike a balance between regulator and judicial forum Set up in 2003, the commission could not commence enforcement till several years later due to a combination of— Constitutional challenges in the higher courts, Prolonged process of amendments to the Competition Act, and Delay in the notification of its powers by the government The commission too has to step back and review its journey— Some slippages: Not following the correct procedure for cross-examination, Not giving proper opportunity to a guilty party to defend and Lapses in the hearing of arguments A two-way path that needs to be addressed— Commission- Introspect on remedial measures it needs in its procedures Judiciary- Reflect on whether all the minute processes and rules of evidence that apply to courts must equally apply to the commission, which is a regulator, and not a judicial forum A balance needs to be struck between the interests of the parties, and the broader interests of India's markets and consumers 4. Eliminate ad hoc ways and consistently issue well-reasoned orders It is time for the CCI to focus more critically on its procedures and rights of the defence to lay the foundation of a strong and robust competition law regime; failure to do so will result in Significant decisions being reversed Hurting the international reputation of the CCI as a fair and just regulator Giving rise to a waste of valuable resources and time To achieve greater efficiency in the Director General's (DG) Office, the CCI should adopt a two-fold approach – Enhance the capacities of the staff members by imparting adequate training, inter alia, relating to the rules of cross-examination Lay down well-defined rules and parameters for conducting 'dawn raids' (unannounced or surprise raids) Plus— Improve their evaluation of circumstantial evidence Improve their assessment of the conduct of alleged violators Improvement in analysis of practices and framework under operation CCI must reject complaints that are in fact consumer matters and breach of contract issues, but are introduced to the CCI under the garb of competition infringement simply to get around the protracted nature of civil litigation (Real Estate Sector) Re-think the role of the competition laws in the overlap between IP laws and competition laws Connecting the Dots: For achieving the desired objectives, it is necessary to ensure that the regulatory institutions remain independent and autonomous. Discuss in the light of experiences in recent past (specifically w.r.t. the CCI-India). (Mains,2015)   SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY TOPIC: General studies 3: Science and Technology - developments and their applications and effects in everyday life Achievements of Indians in science & technology; indigenization of technology and developing new technology.  Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, robotics, nano-technology, bio-technology and issues relating to intellectual property rights.    Public Good named Life science Advances in scientific research, particularly in the fields of medicine and pharmaceuticals, have the power to transform our life into a ‘quality’ life and helps address some of the emerging health challenges in the changing global scenario. The present life sciences sector is working on building upon its understanding of the disease at the cellular and genetic level to usher in new and differentiated therapies into the market. Therefore, investing in science and innovation becomes directly proportional to a stronger and fairer economic future and hence, biomedical advances are likely to transform global health with early diagnosis and therapeutic intervention for chronic and killer diseases (autoimmune diseases and cancer) Scientific developments to look out for— Immuno-Oncology (I-O):  “Immuno” refers to our immune system and (I-O) uses drugs known as immune-therapies that target your body’s immune system to help fight cancer. In simple terms, it uses the body’s immune system to help fight cancer While ‘chemotherapy’ and ‘Radiation therapy’ exits and is widely the most used method, it might as well harm some good tissues/cells in the process. With (I-O) the immune system is enriched in a way that it can itself weed out the malignant tissue—by identifying and selectively attacking the cancer cells and thus, providing a long lasting memory to the immune system PD-1 (programmed death-1) and PDL-1 (programmed death ligand-1) targeting antibodies and Chimeric antigen receptor T-cells (CART), have demonstrated how technology can be leveraged for developing path-breaking therapies in immuno-oncology Recently, the US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) approved a drug that relies on a genetically-engineered version of the herpes virus to kill cancer cells and stimulate immune response against malignant tumours in skin cancer patients. Several other immune-stimulating viral therapies are also being evaluated Eg: A genetically-modified polio virus to fight brain cancer and a re-engineered common cold virus for treating a form of bladder cancer   3D Bioprinting & Stem Cell Therapy:  Additive manufacturing i.e., three-dimensional (3D) printing has been driving major innovations in and Stem cell therapy is providing new hope in not only curing a number of debilitating diseases but also building organs under laboratory conditions for patients. Thus, these therapies are redefining treatments (potential to save lives) by being applied to regenerative medicine to address the need for tissues and organs suitable for transplantation According to a recent report, “Applications of 3D Printing 2014-2024: Forecasts, Markets, Players,” “The global 3D printing market will reach at least $7 billion by 2025, which includes a conservative estimate of $3 billion for bioprinting.” Some of its usages- generation and transplantation of several tissues, including multi-layered skin, bone, vascular grafts, tracheal splints, heart tissue and cartilaginous structures as well as in applications including the development of high-throughput 3D-bioprinted tissue models for research, drug discovery and toxicology Progress: Therapeutic Goods Administration, Australia gave its first go-ahead to human studies for a revolutionary stem cell therapy aimed at halting/reversing the progression of Parkinson's disease, which affects up to 10 million people worldwide. Scientists in Australia have also achieved a medical breakthrough of getting stem cells to form different cell types found in the kidney. In Bengaluru- a tissue engineering start-up has made India's first artificial human liver tissue with the help of 3D printing technology, using 10 million liver cells.   Biomarkers & companion diagnostics:  Biomarkers are useful in providing biological data which in turn helps predicting drug failures before expensive clinical trials. Also, allows scientists to identify patient pools that would respond favourably to a particular drug Led to the emergence of companion diagnostics, which screen patients for biomarkers that gauge the safety and efficacy of a particular treatment USFDA—Approved The first companion diagnostic to detect a protein associated with non-small cell lung cancer Merck's Keytruda drug for the disease Companion diagnostic: Enables doctors to determine whether patients have high enough levels of the PD-L1 biomarker for Keytruda to be effective Today- More sophisticated companion diagnostics are being developed to assess a patient for multiple biomarkers related to multiple drugs.   Genomic Sequencing:  Sequencing a person’s genome: Doctors need to collect less than a teaspoon of blood or saliva Chemicals are then used on this sample to break open the cell membranes and gather the DNA that had been housed inside them Enzymes strip away surrounding proteins to isolate a clump of tiny, whitish strands of DNA and that genetic material is placed in sophisticated machines that “read” each of the 3 billion base pairs that make up a person’s genetic code. Initiatives- US-based medical geneticist Robert Green's MedSeq project, are looking at ways in which the profusion of genomics data and other clinical information can be integrated with day-to-day medical practice in order to assist the medical fraternity in determining a specific line of treatment for their patients It is being combined with molecular diagnostics, imaging and data analytics to decipher the cellular structure of malignant tumours and tailoring treatment regimen   Biosimilars:  Help in the provisioning of affordable access to complex biologics in the coming year— Less costly imitations of drugs known as biologics, which are used to treat a range of diseases including cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, and anemia (not exact copies) 1st USFDA approval for a biosimilar- Granted to Filgrastim in 2015 A highly regulated market exists for the entry of biosimilars and encouraging developments will allow speedier entry of biosimilars With $48 billion worth of patents, slated to expire soon, the global biosimilars market can very well be prepared for massive development India— Ready to play a significant role in the biosimilars area where companies like Biocon, Dr Reddy's, Intas, ZydusCadila and others are engaged in developing high quality biosimilars to provide affordable access to these complex biologics Indian access to biosimilars- Insulins, Analogs, Filgrastim etc. since early 2000s and more recently complex antibodies like Trastuzumab, Rituximab, Adalimumab etc. Will help augment the capitalisation of Indian players on this unfolding global opportunity IASbaba’s Views: The extraordinary times require revolutionizing technology to pave way for better access to the progress made and made possible to/by life sciences. These innovative therapies that are acting like a boon to address the unmet patient needs to be worked upon more and research and development in this field be stepped up for the future of mankind. MUST READ To grow or not to grow Hindu   Gandhi and Ambedkar, a false debate Hindu   Unreasonable demands Hindu   Unemployment down in urban centres, but persists in rural areas, says survey Hindu   Give Soldiers Their Due- The armed forces should have a separate pay commission. Indian Express   Apple-FBI stand-off: It's privacy vs security Business Standard   Ficci calls for reforms through executive action-The proposed reforms are spread across exports, taxation, and crucial sectors Business Standard   Modi identifies 2nd village to develop; colleagues far behind-Under the Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana, each MP has to develop one model village in their constituency by 2016 and two more by 2019 Business Standard   PM Modi launches Rurban Mission from Chhattisgarh- Expects to attract Rs 5,000-cr investment in next three years to give villages an urban look Business Standard   India ranks 54th in internal policy support to global innovation-The report found a strong correlation between countries' contributions to global innovation and their levels of domestic innovation success Business Standard MIND MAPS   1. Jat Reservation

Feb 22, 2016 PIB

IASbaba Press Information Bureau (PIB)- 15th Feb to 21st Feb, 2016

ARCHIVES   GS-2 Signing of BRICS MoU on cooperation in the fields of Science, Technology and Innovation  (Topic: Bilateral, regional and grouping and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interest) About- Signing of BRICS Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation in the fields of Science, Technology and innovation. Objectives – To establish a strategic framework of cooperation in STI to address the common global, and regional socio-economic challenges utilizing shared experiences and complementarities in STI among the BRICS countries To co-generate new knowledge and innovative products, services and processes etc. Other- India signed BRICS MoU on cooperation in the fields of Science, Technology and Innovation (STl) in March 2015 at Brasilia, Brazil on the sidelines of 3rd BRICS STI Ministerial meeting.   MoU signed between India and Sweden on Technical Cooperation in Rail Sector  (Topic: Bilateral, regional and grouping and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interest) About- MoU signed between Ministry of Railways and the Ministry of Enterprise and Innovation of the Kingdom of Sweden on Technical Cooperation in Rail Sector  Areas of Cooperation- Benchmark Railways policy- Development + Regulations + Organization + Specific characteristics for each country Exchange of knowledge - Technical expertise + Innovation + Technology + Sustainable solutions and Research Other cooperation projects- Tilting coaches/trains + Capacity Allocation (time tabling) + Optimisation of maintenance + Improved freight/combination traffic Training and continuing education program- In reliability and maintenance of Rail transport system for Railway engineers and managers   Aim- To develop cooperation activities in the Railway area to promote- Efficiency and sustainability Achieve concrete results with regard to— Bilateral trade + Investment + Research + Technology Transfer MoU- Remain in force for 5 years from the date of signing Can be extended for a further period of 5 years with the written consent of both sides   MoU signed with various countries for cooperation in the field of Agriculture & Allied sectors  (Topic: Bilateral, regional and grouping and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interest) MoU signed between: India and various countries for cooperation in the field of agriculture and allied sectors Objective- Help in the nature of capacity building Knowledge exchange through visits of scientists and technicians, Exchange of genetic resources aiding development of appropriate technologies and farm practices for enhancing agriculture productivity at farmers' field Expertise and technology so developed is applied all over the country as per felt needs. Expenditure - Incurred on implementation of such MoU is managed within the "financial allocation made for the Department Background-                     Under Transaction of Business Rules (1961)- Cases involving negotiations with foreign countries on treaties, agreements and other important matters need to be brought before the Cabinet for approval. Earlier, prior approval under Rule 12 of the above rules was obtained in certain cases and subsequent Cabinet approval could not be obtained. Therefore, ex-post-facto approval in respect of MoUs signed with 13 countries namely, Netherlands, Nepal, Cyprus, Israel, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Tanzania, Surinam, Zambia, Syria, Bhutan, Chile and Mauritius is being obtained.   Cabinet approves Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA)  (Topic: Bilateral, regional and grouping and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interest) About- Union approved the Proposal for Notification of Commitments under the Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) of World Trade Organization (WTO) It is for- Ratification and acceptance of the Instrument of Acceptance of Protocol of TFA to the WTO Secretariat and constitution of the National Committee on Trade Facilitation (NCTF) TFA- Contains provisions for expediting the: Movement + Release + Clearance of goods including goods in transit. Sets out measures for: Effective cooperation between customs and other appropriate authorities on trade facilitation and customs compliance issues Precondition: TFA shall enter into force for the notified members upon acceptance by two-third WTO Members Objective- In consonance with India’s “Ease of Doing Business” initiative   Facilitates- Both domestic coordination and implementation of the provisions of the Agreement, a National Committee on Trade Facilitation would be set up under the Joint Chair of Secretary, Department of Revenue and Secretary, Department of Commerce.   India and Armenia Sign MoU on Agriculture Cooperation  (Topic: Bilateral, regional and grouping and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interest) About- Meeting was held between Union Agriculture Minister and Armenian Agriculture Minister in New Delhi. Areas of interest for cooperation emphasized on- Catalyzing trade and investment prospects and also sharing the knowledge that the two countries have accumulated over the years. MoU envisaged- Priority sectors such as- Plant-breeding- including agricultural crop seed-breeding and plant protection Buffalo-breeding and poultry- including pedigree Exchange of experience on agricultural organization in dry lands Milk production and processing Development of new forms of farming in agro-food complex Agrarian education, training for agricultural specialists Exchange of experience in irrigation and water management (rain water) progressive technology systems exchange of fruit-trees, germplasm (apricot, grapes, apples, pears etc.) Exchange of technical expertise and research in fruit-tree disease management Exchange of information on technologies in mechanization of agricultural farming Hi-tech horticulture including irrigation and water management technology Exchange of information on technologies in processing sector; Phytosanitary measures during export and import of plant and plant materials; Animal husbandry including cattle identification Cooperation in the field of Agricultural Census.   MoU provides- Establishment of Joint Working Group and preparation of Work Plans Further identified sectors such as cattle identification, cooperatives, agriculture machinery, plant breeding and exchange of agro-scientist and students, as the priority areas and resolved to constitute the JWG at the earliest to move the agreement   India-UK explore pact on information exchange on criminals (Topic- Bilateral, regional and grouping and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interest) About- India will explore the possibility of signing an agreement with the United Kingdom on exchanging information about criminals Background- The issue was raised because as many as 131 pending requests from New Delhi on extradition of wanted persons under the Extradition Treaty. UK Minister clarified these matters were for the British courts to decide. Obstruction- Provision of death penalty in India and the European Commission’s provisions on Human Rights proved to be hurdles in acceding to the requests Assurance- Cooperation was assured and a team of experts may examine the pending issues on case-to-case basis. India’s Concern- India will cooperate but needs to verify the Indian citizens amongst such illegal immigrants Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) set up by the UK that might impede those Indians travelling to the UK for travel and work British Government- Not reached a conclusion yet on its recommendations and said the UK in fact encourages Indian students to visit Britain for higher education. Also, 20,000 jobs are being offered to students and this will largely benefit the Indian students. British delegation pointed out limitations on making payment for online e-Tourist Visa to visit India. India assured that the payment gateway is being upgraded to facilitate the same.   Swachh Survekshan -2016 (Topic: Government policies and interventions for developments in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation) About- Under ‘Swachh Survekshan-2016’, 73 cities surveyed for cleanliness have been categorized based on the marks scored by each of them. Survey- Conducted for total marks of 2000 and on the basis of percentage of marks obtained cities are categorized as- Leaders- 15 cities, scores in the range of more than 70% Aspiring Leaders- 20 cities, scores in the range of 60%-70% Acceleration required- 18 cities, scores in the range of 50%-60% (need to accelerate efforts) Slow Movers -20 cities, scores in ranges of less than 50% (need to work harder to improve sanitation) Leaders: Top Rank City- Mysuru Chadigarh Tiruchirapalli New Delhi Municipal council Mysuru declared cleanest city in India   Finance Minister Shri Arun Jaitley inaugurates the Non-Tax Receipt Portal (NTRP) (Topic: Government policies and interventions for developments in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation) About- Union Finance Minister inaugurated the Non-Tax Receipt Portal (NTRP) Developed by- Office of Controller General of Accounts (CGA) Initiative taken by- Controller General of Accounts + Department of Expenditure + Ministry of Finance under the Digital India campaign NTRP- Provides a one-stop platform to citizens /corporates/other users for making online payment of Non-Tax Receipts to Government of India Annual collection of Non Tax Receipts is over Rs. 2 lakh crores. Biggest share flows from Dividends paid by PSUs, RBI etc. Other major items of Non Tax Receipts are- Interest receipts, Spectrum charges, Royalty, License fee, Sale of forms, RTI application fee etc. Facilitates- Provides an end to end solution for complete value chain of non-tax receipts, including- Online user interface, Payment at the Payment Gateway Aggregator and reconciliation and accounting of receipts by Government Departments/Ministries. Common users/citizens from the hassle of visiting bank premises for issue of drafts, and later to Government offices to deposit the instrument for availing services. Avoidable delays and remittance of these instruments into Government account as well as eliminate undesirable practices in the delayed deposit of these instruments into bank accounts. Online payment to the Government using either a Credit Card, a Debit Card or through Net Banking with the Payment Gateway Aggregator (PGA)   Cabinet approves Agreement for collaborative activities in the area of Traditional Medicine between Ministry of AYUSH and the World Health Organization (Topic: Issues related to development and management of social sectors/ services relating to Health, Education, and Human Resources)   About- Union Cabinet has given its approval to the Agreement for collaborative activities in the area of Traditional Medicine. Agreement signed between- Ministry of AYUSH, Government of India and the World Health Organization, Geneva. Collaboration Features- Long-term collaboration with WHO would help in- Improving International acceptability and branding of Ayush systems, Facilitate awareness generation regarding AYUSH systems of Medicine by means of education + Skill development + Workshops + Publications Exchange programs between AYUSH and WHO for capacity building- Facilitate advocacy and dissemination of information on AYUSH systems amongst the Member States Collaboration with third Parties for creating synergies in implementation of WHO Traditional Medicine Strategy 2014-2023 particularly in the context of AYUSH systems Expenditure for carrying out collaborative activities will be met from the allocated budget under the existing plan schemes of Ministry of AYUSH. Benefit- Agreement between WHO and AYUSH is expected to benefit the practitioners of AYUSH systems. AYUSH- Mandate to promote, propagate and globalize the recognized Traditional and Complementary Systems of Medicine (T&CM) including Ayurveda, Yoga, Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, Sowa Rigpa and Homeopathy, proposes to collaborate and cooperate with the World Health Organization Within the United Nations framework, World Health Organization is the directing and coordinating authority for health Provides leadership on global health matters, shaping the health research agenda, setting norms and standards, articulating evidence-based policy options, providing technical support to countries and monitoring and assessing health trends.    Aim- Ministry needs to seize the opportunities for taking a lead in the world at a time when holistic health care has gained currency India should strive to compete with China, when it comes to export of herbal medicine. Emphasized that roadmap be prepared to establish India’s credentials in holistic health-care, including preparation of authoritative and credible literature.     Agreement for Commercialisation of an Ayurvedic Formulation for Treatment of Malaria and an Ayurvedic Formulation for Treatment of Diabetes (Topic: Government policies and interventions for developments in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation)                   About- Agreements for commercialization of Ayush-64 (an Ayurvedic formulation for treatment of Malaria) and Ayush-82(an Ayurvedic Formulation for management of  Diabetes) Developed by- Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS), New Delhi, an Autonomous body of the Ministry of AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga and naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy) Ayurvedic Drug-   Ayush-64- Effective for the treatment of Malaria which is one of the most prevalent; destructive widely spread disease, well known to Ayurvedic Physicians as Visama Jvara from ancient times A poly-herbal non-toxic developed by- CCRAS after carrying out extensive pharmacological, toxicological and Clinical studies Ayush-82 An anti diabetic drug also developed by CCRAS is a combination of known and tested hypoglycemic drugs         Help- Use of these two drugs would help millions of people suffering from Malaria and Diabetes.   Amendment to the Delimitation Act, 2002 and the Representation of the People Act, 1950 regarding delimitation of constituencies in West Bengal consequent upon exchange of the territories between India and Bangladesh  (Topic: Indian Constitution- historical underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments, significant provisions and basic structure) About- Union Cabinet has given its approval to amend Section 11 of the Delimitation Act, 2002 and Section 9 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950. Enable- Election Commission to carry out limited delimitation of Assembly and Parliamentary Constituency (ies) in the Cooch Behar District of West Bengal consequently, upon the exchange of 51 Bangladeshi enclaves and 111 Indian enclaves respectively between India and Bangladesh, with effect from 31st July, 2015. In Pursuance of- Constitution (One Hundredth Amendment) Act, 2015 and also allows for introduction of a Bill, namely, the Election Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2016 in Parliament. Background- In a historic pact between India and Bangladesh, 51 Bangladeshi enclaves (Chhitmahals) in Indian Territory and 111 Indian enclaves in Bangladesh territory were exchanged with effect from 31st July, 2015. Move altered the geography and demography of the district of Cooch Behar in West Bengal. With a view to carry out consequential geographic and demographic alterations vis-à-vis the electoral mosaic of the affected areas, the Election Commission requested to amend section 11 of the Delimitation Act, 2002 and Section 9 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950 to enable it to carry out limited delimitation of constituencies in the affected areas. Since the newly acquired area consequent upon the exchange of territory between India and Bangladesh has become the part of the Indian Territory, it is required to make delimitation exercise within the limited constituency area before the ensuing State Assembly elections in West Bengal. Accordingly, the Election Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2016 has been proposed for enactment.     All 360 toll plazas in India to have e-tolling system by April  (Topic: Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability-governance- applications, models, successes, limitations, and potential; citizens charters, transparency and accountability and institutional and other measures) About- Union Minister for Shipping announced e-Tolling system on all the 360 toll plazas in the country will be operational by April this year Aim- Reduce waiting time at toll plazas and save cost and fuel Steps taken- Ministry focusing on Hybrid Annuity and Engineering, Procurement, Construction (EPC) models for development of road projects Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) formed to implement this project   GS-3   Tremendous Potential in NE States for Development of the Horticulture Sector (Topic: Food processing and related industries in India- scope and significance, location, upstream and downstream requirements, supply chain management) About- There exists tremendous potential in NE states for development of the horticulture sector and need to ensure focused attention for harnessing available potential through scaling up ongoing interventions under various schemes. Challenge – To complement the sector with- Food processing, Agro logistics, Agri-business, Input related services and Agricultural lending Although have achieved a substantial breakthrough in production, the challenge lies in converting this into gains for farmer. Suggestions- Grower associations and farmer producer organisations should also be taken on board, from planting material to post harvest management and issues of logistics and price discovery. Setting up of market infrastructure to link with reforms in APMC act for permitting direct marketing of horticulture produce. Steps Taken- Creation of infrastructure for post harvest management and value addition are high priority area with focus on creating cold chain networks. Horticulture mechanization is being promoted to bring in efficiency in horticulture production and harvesting operations.   Jharkhand gets its First Mega Food Park  (Topic: Food processing and related industries in India- scope and significance, location, upstream and downstream requirements, supply chain management) About- First Mega Food Park in the State promoted by M/s. Jharkhand Mega Food Park Pvt. Ltd. Aim- To give an impetus to the growth of the Food Processing Sector in Jharkhand Creating a modern infrastructure Encouraging private investment for arresting post-harvest losses of horticultural and non-horticultural produce Provide impetus to the growth of food processing sector in Jharkhand. Features of Food Park- Park has facilities of- Multi Chamber Cold Storage, Dry Warehouse, Vegetable Dehydration Line, Modern Quality Control & Testing Laboratory and other processing facilities for fruits & vegetables Mega Food Park has a Central Processing Centre (CPC) at Ranchi and six Primary Processing Centres (PPCs) are being set up to provide strong backward linkages.   Benefits- Help in providing better prices to farmers Reduce wastage of perishables Add value to agricultural produce Create huge opportunities for entrepreneurship and employment for the youth of the State Expected to provide direct and indirect employment to about 6000 people and benefit about 25,000-30,000 farmers in its catchment area Mega Food Park Scheme-  Implemented by Ministry of Food Processing Industries in the country to give a major boost to the Food Processing Sector along the value chain from the farm to the market with strong forward and backward linkages through a cluster based approach. Focusing on boosting the Food Processing Industry so that agriculture sector grows exponentially and becomes the engine of growth to drive the “Make in India” initiative.   NRDC inks MoA with Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science (IACS), Kolkatta on Technology Transfer (Topic: Science and Technology- developments and their applications and effects in everyday life) About- National Research Development Corporation, an Enterprise of Department of Scientific & Industrial Research, Ministry of Science & Technology, Govt. of India, New Delhi (NRDC) has entered into Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) with Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science (IACS), Kolkatta. Aim- For commercialization of technologies/ intellectual properties developed at IACS NRDC- Provide its services in IP Evaluation/Valuation in terms of their commercial potential. Working for more than six decades in- Development Promotion and commercialization of technologies emanating from R&D organization and academia IACS- An autonomous and oldest research institute in India. Devoted to the pursuit of fundamental research in the frontier areas of Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Energy, Polymer and Materials. Partnership between IACS and NRDC would lead to successful commercialization of Technologies developed at IACS.     Union Minister of Steel & Mines Launches ‘Operation Khanij Khoj’ of GSI Targeting Deep Seated and Concealed Mineral Deposits  (Topic: Government policies and mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment) About- Union Minister of Steel & Mines Shri Narendra Singh Tomar launched ‘Operation Khanij Khoj’ of Geological Survey of India (GSI). GSI- Exploration of minerals and mining is crucial for the development of the country for increase in the GDP growth and employment generation GSI has initially identified 100 blocks for reconnoitory survey Once the NMEP is approved, these blocks will be put on e-auction for undertaking regional exploration by private companies GSI has planned two projects in – Northern parts of Arravalies and Bundelkhand craton Western and Eastern Dharwad cratons. Coordinated efforts of GSI, MECL and state governments were emphasized for accelerating the exploration activities in the country. Operation Khanij Khoj- State-of-the-art project of GSI launched today in the 55th meeting of CGBP Targeting concealed and deep seated mineral deposits To be implemented in two selected areas in the country  Focused on- Probing for deep seated/concealed mineral deposits Characterizing India’s geological cover, investigating- Lithospheric architecture, Resolving 4D geodynamic and metallogenic evolution, Detecting and characterizing the distal footprints of ore deposits   Cabinet grants ‘in-principle’ approval to the LIGO-India mega science proposal  (Topic: Achievements in science and technology, indigenization of technology and developing new technology) About- Union Cabinet has given its ‘in principle’ approval to the LIGO-India (Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory in India) mega science proposal for research on gravitational waves. Piloted by- Department of Atomic Energy and Department of Science and Technology (DST) Approval- Coincides with the historic detection of gravitational waves that opened up of a new window on the universe to unravel some of its greatest mysteries LIGO-India project- Establish a state-of-the-art gravitational wave observatory in India in collaboration with the LIGO Laboratory in the U.S. run by Caltech and MIT Project will bring unprecedented opportunities for scientists and engineers to dig deeper into the realm of gravitational wave and take global leadership in this new astronomical frontier 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. Motivate Indian students and young scientists to explore newer frontiers of knowledge, and will add further impetus to scientific research in the country   Environment Minister launches ENVIS portal  (Topic: Conservation, environment pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment) Launch of- Environment Information System (ENVIS) portal Aim- To reach out to the people on environmental issues and creating more awareness among them ENVIS Portal- New initiative,runs parallel with the Digital India objective Works on improving the digital literacy in the environment sector and deliver services digitally all over the country Digitization of valuable data covering the broad spectrum of subjects on environment will serve as an asset in generating feature rich repository of information. Bringing all ENVIS Centres under one roof will also facilitate convergence in data dissemination.   ENVIS- Central Sector Scheme of the Ministry has been implemented since 1982 Purpose of the scheme is to- Integrate country-wide efforts in environmental information collection + collation+ storage + retrieval + dissemination through ENVIS websites, which are dedicated to different interesting themes Major users of ENVIS include- Central and State Governments, Institutes and individual scientists, researchers, students and agencies carrying out environmental impact assessment of projects, as well as public   National Capital goods policy 2016 unveiled (Topic: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and employments)   About- Government has unveiled the National Capital Goods Policy Objective- Increasing production of capital goods from ~Rs. 230,000 Cr in 2014-15 to Rs. 750,000 Cr in 2025 and raising direct and indirect employment from the current 8.4 million to ~30 million Increasing exports from the current 27% to 40% of production Increasing share of domestic production in India's demand from 60% to 80%, thus making India a net exporter of capital goods To create game changing strategies for the capital goods sector To facilitate improvement in technology depth across sub-sectors, increase skill availability, ensure mandatory standards and promote growth and capacity building of MSMEs. Some of the key issues addressed include- Availability of Finance, Raw Material, Innovation and Technology, Productivity, Quality and Environment Friendly Manufacturing Practices, Promoting Exports and Creating Domestic Demand Key policy recommendations- To enhance the export of Indian made capital goods through  a 'Heavy Industry Export & Market Development Assistance Scheme (HIEMDA)' Launching a Technology Development Fund , upgrading the existing and setting up new testing & certification facilities, making standards mandatory in order to reduce sub-standard machine imports are other measures envisaged To provide opportunity to local manufacturing units by utilising their installed capacity and launching scheme of skill development for CG sector.   National Capital Goods Policy- It is a unique Government led- industry driven manoeuvrefor scripting a new growth narrative in the history of industrial development. Department of Heavy Industry had set up a Joint Taskforce with Confederation of Indian industry (CII) as an attempt to ensure that the formulation of the Capital Goods Policy is done in the most democratic manner. Recommendations carve out a roadmap for Capital Goods sector to become a part of global value chains apart from mere supply chains. Policy has been framed after extensive stakeholders’ consultations with industry, academia, different ministries etc.   Department of Biotechnology Takes Steps to Strengthen International Linkages for Research on Infectious Diseases and Vaccine Development  (Topic: Awareness in the field of IT, Space, Computers, robotics, nano-technology, bio-technology) About- Future strategy for Indo – US Vaccine Action Programme (VAP) discussed at a Joint Working Group held recently in New Delhi. Highlights- Discussions on progress of various initiatives being implemented under VAP To add new Vaccine Development Programmes, including for development of affordable vaccines for dengue, respiratory syncytial virus, malaria etc. Department of the Biotechnology of the Ministry of Science & Technology also initiated the partnership proposal for research on human infectious diseases with an international body called Infect-ERA NET Body comprises research organizations from Europe and one from Israel. Infect-ERA NET aims to- Fund joint transnational and translational research by bringing together basic and technology driven applied research approaches for addressing human infections.  

Feb 21, 2016 Motivational Articles

Creative Guidance – The Tradition of Discipline – Inspirational & Educative Articles

The Tradition of Discipline The perfecting of the individual mechanism is the oldest of all traditions. It all began with the question – Who Am I? For as long as there have been people, there has been the tradition of knowing, understanding and exploring oneself. Everything mankind has ever achieved has been done in the quest to understand the individual phenomenon. Martial Arts, dance, music, sports, literature, religion and other innumerable human accomplishments have been a result of taming the wild force of individuality through the tradition of discipline. Man by himself is simply a raw force of nature. He is more like pure gold; magnificent and of very little use in his natural form. But when mixed with the copper of discipline, he can mold himself into almost anything. With this understanding began the long and painful tradition of disciplining the human spirit. The whole tradition of schooling has been about lending the necessary strength and direction for the ever changing human desires. It is unfortunate that our modern schools have just become places where one goes for accumulating information; while the actual purpose of education is to identify the uniqueness of an individual and lend him the necessary strength to perfect his inner mechanism. Fortunately, this tradition is still alive in the schools of ancient wisdom like meditation and yoga. The whole purpose of yoga is to unify your mind, body and spirit so that you can choose your path with clarity and walk it with certainty. There is no success without discipline, and there is no discipline without regular practice. The practice of discipline that has been passed down through traditional systems of yoga, meditation, martial arts, sports, music, dance etc. are the greatest contribution of humanity to the individual spirit. The most important feature of all these various disciplines is of course discipline itself. They are all meant to strengthen your inner spirit and lend the necessary balance for your long journey of life. There is no success for the one who has not gone through the tradition of discipline. Also, what can be more joyful and exciting than pushing the boundaries of your individual limitations? The practice of discipline gives you a joyful path to transcend yourself. Happiness is of course, leaving behind the weaker you. The tradition of discipline helps you to conquer yourself and there is no happiness greater than this. “The articles are a copyright of The Ahamo Movement and IASBABA.” Read more such articles– Click Here