Jan 27, 2016 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 27th January, 2016

Archives   IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 27th January, 2016   NATIONAL   TOPIC:   General studies 2 Indian Constitution, significant provisions and basic structure.  Separation of powers between various organs dispute redressal mechanisms and institutions. Structure, organization and functioning of the Judiciary   Article 356—Arunachal Pradesh: Is President’s rule being misused? Article in part XVIII (Articles 352-360); among the Emergency provisions of the Indian Constitution Sections 93 of the Government of India Act, 1935: Provided that if a Governor of a province was satisfied that a situation had arisen in which the government of the province cannot be carried on in accordance with the provisions of the said Act, he could assume to himself all or any of the powers of the government and discharge those functions in his discretion. The Governor, however, could not encroach upon the powers of the high court. British dominated viewpoint is thus, prevalent here and it is this element that has led the authorities to question its suitability to the Indian climate of ‘cooperative federalism’   Sarkaria Commission Report (1988): While in the first few years after the Constitution, it was invoked only thrice; between 1975 and ‘79, it was invoked 21 times; and between 1980 and ‘87, 18 times. SR Bommai Govt dismissal: In 1989, SC had upheld the validity of a proclamation for President’s rule can be subjected to judicial review Stories of dismissal of State Government— By Jawaharlal Nehru-EMS Namboodiripad government in Kerala in 1959 By Indira Gandhi- imposition of President’s Rule in Punjab; Punjab Chief Minister Darbara Singh was battling militancy in 1983 Delhi, 2014-15: President’s Rule was in force in Delhi with the Assembly in suspended animation from February 14, 2014, to February 11, 2015 Maharashtra: Imposed from September 28, 2014, to October 31, 2014, after Prithviraj Chavan resigned following the break-up of the 15-year-old Congress-NCP alliance in the state. Andhra Pradesh: From February 28, 2014, to June 8, 2014, due to a political crisis caused by the resignation of CM N Kiran Kumar Reddy and other Congress legislators on February 19, protesting against the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Bill that bifurcated the state and created a separate state of Telangana Jharkhand: From January 18, 2013, to July 12, 2013, as the Arjun Munda-led BJP government was reduced to a minority after the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha withdrew support (Munda resigned and sought dissolution of the state Assembly)   Arunachal Pradesh: Rebellion spinning out of control What happened— December 9: A group of rebel Congress MLAs approached Governor J P Rajkhowa, seeking to impeach Assembly Speaker NabamRebia So, the Assembly is not is session (slated to convene on January 14) but Governor Rajkhowa agreed it was an urgent matter and called for an emergency session of the Assembly on December 16, 2015, to take up the impeachment motion. As the Congress approached the High Court and later the Constitution bench of the Supreme Court against the Governor’s convening of the special session, the Centre called for President’s rule in the state under Article 356 of the Constitution. The foul cry- First instance of Article 356 being imposed while the case was being heard in court During the special Assembly session— Special session also moved a no-confidence motion against CM Tuki and at the end of the session;Tuki was ‘defeated’ in a floor test and the ‘House’ ‘elected’ KalikhoPul as the new Leader of the House Also, Speaker issued an order disqualifying 14 rebel Congress MLAs Speaker Rebia moved the High Court Justice B K Sarma of the Gauhati High Court stayed the disqualification of the 14 Congress MLAs The Speaker’s plea for his case to be heard in another court was turned down, prompting him to approach the Supreme Court. The discretionary power of the Governor was being examined when the Centre moving to impose Article 356   Approval of the imposition of Central rule The proclamation will have to be approved by both Houses of Parliament Plus, the validity of President’s Rule may be considered by the Supreme Court   An established pattern: A political pattern behind the crisis that led to the current situation The pattern involves dissidence within the ruling party, the opposition joining hands with the rebels, confusion over the likelihood of a floor test, and the Governor intervening in a partisan manner Supreme Court declared in 1994, that the only place for determining whether a Chief Minister has lost or retained majority is the floor of the House Sad spectacle of partisan politics overshadowing constitutional propriety— BJP: Instead of finding ways to facilitate a floor test it has imposed President’s Rule in the midst of an ongoing hearing before a five-member Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court Congress in the State Failed to address the dissidence in its camp against Chief Minister NabamTuki and now, avoiding a floor test as it has not sought interim orders to that effect from the court. BUT- Six months have elapsed since the last time the Arunachal Pradesh Assembly met and this itself is a valid ground for Central rule Also, the past crisis has led us to seek a constitutional question of whether the Governor can summon the legislature on his own and whether he can send a message to the Assembly on what motion it should take up is now before the Supreme Court. Facts- President’s Rule President administers the state through the governor and the Parliament makes laws for the state Maximum period: Three years 44th Amendment Act, 1978: Beyond one year, the President’s rule can be extended by six months at a time only when- A proclamation of National Emergency should be in operation in the whole of India, or in the whole or any part of the State Election Commission must certify that the general elections to the legislative assembly of the State cannot be held on account of some difficulties Resolution: Should be passed by simple majority IASbaba’s Views: The centre’s move is a hasty one when a Constitution bench of the SC is set to hear a petition related to the political crisis in the state and thus look like a throwback to the ‘Indira-Gandhian’ era. Arunachal Pradesh has a history of politicians switching sides or splitting parties for office and this lack of political fidelity among legislators can undermine the democratic practice in the state and lead to a crisis of faith among the electorate. Here, we witness the focus upon short-term gains dictating priorities when the procedures are clearly laid out for settling disputes over House Majority. Therefore, this growing instability and intolerance should be acknowledged and worked upon to uphold constitutional morality and democratic traditions. Connecting the Dots: Has the ‘dead-letter’ become a ‘deadly-weapon’? Critically examine Explain the valid situations under which President’s Rule in a state would be proper    ECONOMICS TOPIC: General studies 3: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development ; Banking & related issues General studies 2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.   ‘A solution, with its own problems’- Strategic Debt Restructuring Scheme (The ‘opinion’ is lucid and in a narrative style- Covered under proper headlines) Strategic Debt Restructuring (SDR) Scheme- Enables a consortium of lenders to convert a part of their loan in an ailing company into equity, with the consortium owning at least 51 per cent stake Provides banks significant relaxation from the RBI rules for 18 months Loans restructured under the scheme are not treated as non-performing assets (NPAs) and banks have to make low provisions of 5 per cent in most cases Allows banks to recognise interest accrued, but not due/paid as income enabling banks to report lower NPAs and higher profits for 18 months   For Lenders— Power to turnaround the ailing company, make it financially viable and recover their dues by selling the firm to a new promoter If banks are unable to sell to a new promoter within 18 months, then all regulatory relaxations cease to exist and lenders have to treat these assets as NPAs and make 100 per cent provisioning for these assets in majority of the cases Effectiveness of the Scheme— Case of postponing banks’ NPAs to later years: Increased risks, therefore! As the lenders may find it tough, in most cases, to sell their stake in these companies, or be able to sell at steep losses within the 18-month window Marks more deterioration for Indian banks’ deteriorating asset health, exacerbating the risk by deferring an estimated (Rs 1.5 lakh crore) of NPA formation from (2015-16/2016-17) to later years(Religare Analysis) No clarity on the seriousness of the buyers and the valuation that they seek as attempts to restructure the SDR cases under the Corporate Debt Restructuring (CDR) mechanism, from the past two years, have been unable to yield positive results. Gammon India, Mumbai based infrastructure company: March, 2013: Approached CDR Cell as the company was stressed due to rising costs and mounting debt June, 2013: Its debt restructuring package was approved, which provided a 10-year repayment plan and lowering of interest rate by 1 per cent for 15 months. Unable to revive the company via a CDR package, the lenders’ consortium evoked SDR in November 2015. IVRCL, a Hyderabad-based infrastructure company: January,2014: Approached the CDR Cell as there were losses emerging from debt-funded expansion projects June, 2014: The package was approved, comprising of restructuring of term loans, working capital loans and fresh financial assistance by the banks. Failing to revive IVRCL through CDR, the banks invoked SDR in November 2015 with lenders owning 78 per cent equity in the company. Increasing Failure Rate— Of CDR restructured cases has increased to 36 per cent in September 2015 from 24 per cent in September 2013 (Religare) CDR Cell data: Received 530 cases till March 2015 from banks seeking to restructure debt totalling Rs 4.03 lakh crore without classifying these accounts as NPAs Debt burden of these companies have been mounting since 2013 when they went for restructuring to the CDR Cell Upon conclusion of the SDR, debt level of these companies are expected to rise by 70 per cent since the date of first restructuring   Need to solve the debt issue- To encourage banks to look for good enterprise value for these assets Slowdown in the economy coupled with the crash in commodity prices and weak private investment paves way for rocky path in selling their SDR stakes If we have a look at the sectors, ‘metals’ is the most difficult to find buyers and ‘power’ poses questions of viability Key issues with the SDR mechanism: Lenders’ Consortium- Having to find a new promoter within 18 months of having acquired the company and in these 18 months, banks have to wrap up the entire process of initiating the SDR process, running the business and finding a new buyer. Formulating a plan right from invoking the SDR, valuing the company to the conversion of debt to equity, etc., as well as taking approval by all members of the lenders’ consortium is not an easy task to be performed within the given stipulated time Plus working on identifying a new promoter, who has to complete his due diligence, valuation and acquisition documentation of the company would be a very tiring never-ending circle A toll on Bank’s profitability can occur if, at the end of 18 months, banks are not able to find a new buyer- Will have to provide for the loan outstanding from the date of the first restructuring (over the past 3-4 years in one quarter) SDR rules do not explicitly provide for a partial stake sale and banks have to sell their entire stake in the company to the new buyer   RBI- Banks’ stressed advances ratio increased to 11.3 per cent in September 2015 from 11.1 per cent in March 2015 Management post becoming majority owners- Banks are currently using the existing managements to run the company, but with greater external monitoring and oversight thereby, over-stretching their own limitations. The new promoter may have to delist the company upon acquiring 51 per cent shares from the banks; SDR rules: Upon finding a new promoter, lenders must exit the firm The new buyer will take a 51 per cent stake and, in line with the Securities and Exchange Board of India rules, make an open offer for a further 25 per cent stake If the open offer is fully subscribed, the buyer will own 76 per cent. Sebi rules mandate that any holding above 75 per cent must trigger a delisting. Not a long-term solution for resolving asset quality issues: Norms addresses only a small section of the borrowers as well as many of the borrowers are genuine, and have not been able to service their debt obligations for external reasons. Many of them are willing to cooperate with banks to change the management but have been unable to find suitable buyers/investors (as mentioned above) Implementation issues as most of the existing debt may not be sustainable, that is, not serviceable over the long run even if the economy revives. (Sector like metal) IASbaba’s Views: It is not advisable for banks to go for the SDR route unless they are certain of a sale as well as RBI should bring about a concept of sustainable debt. Quick decision-making within defined time-lines will be central to the effectiveness of such a framework. Under the SDR scheme, banks are exempted from making an open offer while acquiring majority stake in a stressed company. But such exemption is not available to the new promoter, who may have to delist the company. To make the SDR mechanism successful, banks should discuss this with SEBI and seek an exemption from open offer for the new promoter   MUST READ Sril Lanka : ‘Need safeguards against majoritarianism’ Hindu   A ringside view of the proposed GST Hindu Related Articles: http://iasbaba.com/2015/11/iasbabas-daily-current-affairs-12th-november-2015/ http://iasbaba.com/2015/09/q-9-how-is-gst-different-from-vat-what-is-the-grand-bargain-suggested-by-the-13th-finance-commission-for-the-implementation-of-gst/ http://iasbaba.com/2015/07/iasbabas-daily-current-affairs-18th-july-2015/   Consolidating ties with France Hindu Related Articles: Fulfilling the potential of India-France ties   Minority status?- If we accept the reasoning of the apex court in the AMU case, it means that a religious minority is debarred from establishing a university inasmuch as a university can only be established by a legislature Indian Express   View From The Right: Red terror Indian Express   Hidden hunger and the Indian health story-India needs to find better value for money in the health sector Live Mint For Detailed Analysis ‘Healthcare issues & challenges’ refer the below links- http://iasbaba.com/2015/08/iasbabas-daily-current-affairs-25th-august-2015/ http://iasbaba.com/2015/10/iasbabas-daily-current-affairs-5th-6th-october-2015/ http://iasbaba.com/2015/10/iasbabas-daily-current-affairs-11th-12th-october-2015/ http://iasbaba.com/2015/10/iasbabas-daily-current-affairs-22nd-october-2015/   MIND MAPS   1. India's Health System Livemint   2. India - France Indian Express

Jan 26, 2016 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

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

Archives   IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 26th January, 2016   INTERNATIONAL   TOPIC: General studies 2: 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.   Fulfilling the potential of India-France ties Relations between India and France are multi-faceted, close and special. In 1998, a ‘Strategic Partnership’ was announced and since then, relations have developed in a manner fully justifying the term ‘Strategic Partnership’. The relationship is based on shared values and real convergence on a whole range of regional and global issues. France : A natural ally of India France was the first country with which India entered into an agreement on Civil Nuclear Cooperation. France has been a steadfast proponent and supporter of India’s candidature for permanent membership of a reformed UN Security Council. Why is France important to India? France is important to India for three important reasons India’s relations with America, Britain and China will always retain different degrees of difficulty given their dalliance with the Pakistan army. Russia, which unambiguously backed India against China and Pakistan in the Cold War, has drawn closer to the former and is wooing the latter. France, in contrast, has made a clear choice in favour of India. As China rises, Russia asserts, Britain retrenches, Europe dithers, and America is torn by self-doubt, France becomes critical for India in promoting a measure of balance on the Eurasian landmass. As the only credible military power with undiminished political will and a historic presence in the Indo-Pacific, France can be a privileged partner for India in strengthening peace and security in the maritime domain. While India’s quest for multi-polarity has often drawn it closer to China and Russia, Delhi is painfully aware of the dangers of jumping from the frying pan into the fire. Exchanging American global primacy for Chinese domination makes little sense for Delhi. As a leading Western power with shared political values, France is a more credible partner for India in constructing a more equitable world order through a new concert of major powers. Bilateral Trade & Investment cooperation Trade: In 2014, the total trade in goods between France and India was € 7.87 billion, registering an increase of 11.16% from 2013. India’s exports to France were valued € 5.18 billion whereas French exports to India totalled € 2.69 billion. Investments: France has emerged as a major source of FDI for India with about 750 big French companies already present in India. France is the 9th largest foreign investor in India with a cumulative investment of USD 4.65 billion from April 2000 to June 2015 which represent 1.80% of the total FDI inflows into India for the period. French companies continue to look at India as an attractive investment destination in order to expand their profits and diversify risks. Indian companies have also invested in France. Civil Nuclear Energy Cooperation: A landmark Agreement on Civil Nuclear Cooperation was signed between India and France on 30 September, 2008 during the visit of the then Prime Minister to France. Space Cooperation: France and India view each other as important partners in space technology and applications. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and its French counterpart, the Centre National de Etudes Spatiales (CNES) have a rich history of cooperation and collaboration spanning five decades. Defence Cooperation: The defence relations between the two countries are strong and have been growing within the framework of structured talks under the Indo-French Defence Cooperation Agreement. The government recently signed Rafeal deal to purchase around 36 aircrafts from France. Cultural Cooperation: Indian culture enjoys a wide and discerning audience among the French population, as is evident in the numerous and frequent cultural events organized all over France, spanning the entire spectrum of Indian art, music, dance, cinema and literature. The Cultural Exchange Programme (CEP) for 2013-15 was signed during the visit of President Hollande to India on 14 February 2013. The Indian Council of Cultural Relations (ICCR) regularly sponsors visits of Indian artists to France and also assists in exchange of students in the field of culture and arts. Cooperation in the field of sports: In the field of sports, the Indian and French cooperation is enhanced by various initiatives developing the ties of friendship and solidarity between both nations. Educational and Technical Cooperation: The bilateral educational and S&T cooperation between India and France has grown over the last few years. During the present Prime Minister’s visit to France in April 2015, School of Planning and Architecture, Delhi and National Architecture Institute in Paris signed a MoU and Ministry of AYUSH, Government of India and University of Strasbourg signed a Letter of Intent on Ayurveda. Cooperation in the field of Railways: There has been longstanding cooperation in the field of railway between India and France. During the visit of President Hollande to India in February, 2013, a joint statement to strengthen the cooperation in the Railways sector between the two countries, and a Memorandum of Understanding for Technical Cooperation in the field of Railways between Indian Railways and Société Nationale des Chemins de Fer Français (SNCF), the French National Railways were signed. Connecting the dots: Critically examine Indo France relationship since Indian independence. Critically analyse the role of France in promoting nuclear energy in India.   NATIONAL   TOPIC:   General Studies 2: Separation of powers between various organs , dispute redressal mechanisms and institution Structure, organization and functioning of Executive and Judiciary.   Anarchy through kritarchy: Judicial Activism or Judicial Adventurism? Background: Arundhati Roy had got contempt notice from Bombay High Court for her views on arrest of Delhi University professor Saibaba. Bombay High Court had cancelled the bail of GN Saibaba, the former Delhi University professor accused of having links with the banned CPI (Maoist) outfit. He had been arrested in May 2014 under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. The court also charged author Arundhati Roy for criminal contempt for writing about Saibaba's imprisonment and the court's denial of bail. Court's Point of view: The court said Roy appeared to believe that she was “above the law”. Prima facie with a mala fide motive to interfere in the administration of justice Instead of challenging the order, Roy chose to bash the Centre, the state government, the police machinery and the judiciary Is such criminal contempt proceedings against activist(s) due to occasional criticism on judicial orders justified? In times when both mainstream and social media are full of observers, critics, commentators and detractors, courts ought not to be unduly sensitive to outspoken critics, Constructive criticism is fair and must not affect judicial functioning. Earlier too Supreme Court had sentenced Arundhati Roy to one day in prison for criminal contempt for ‘scandalising the judiciary’ through some remarks in 2002. Judicial review v/s Judicial Overreach: Judicial review: Judicial review is the doctrine under which legislative and executive actions are subject to review by the judiciary. A court with judicial review power may invalidate laws and decisions that are incompatible with a higher authority, such as the terms of a written constitution. For instance, Golaknath case(1967) - There was a conflict between article 368 and article 13(2) of the constitution which said that the parliament can amend any law( even the fundamental laws) but Supreme court made it clear that fundamental laws cannot be changed . Although they can be curtailed during emergencies. Minerva Mills case(1980) - which ruled out that parliament had unlimited power to amend the constitution. Few of the other famous cases are Kesavanandha Bharthi case, The Privy Purses Abolition Case. Judicial Overreach: Courts have been exceeding their authority in interpreting the law, and they have become an extra constitutional lawmaking body. This has been called Judicial Overreach. Examples: Ruling of Supreme Court over cancellation of 2G licences; Banning of Iron ore mining in Karnataka and Goa. Does too much judicial activism and overreach amount to Kritarchy?   What does Kritarchy mean? Kritarchy refers to rule of the state by judges.  Recent Instances showing currents of Kritarchy by Courts : Judges have doubled the tax on diesel vehicles entering Delhi Banned the traditional bullfight in Tamil Nadu Struck down an amendment (NJAC) that would change the way judges were appointed to the courts. Supreme Court has admitted a petition that would decide on whether menstruating women should be allowed to enter the Sabarimala Ayyappa shrine The highest court of the land had also advised the Delhi Metro to reserve premium seats at five times the normal price for car users who would be affected by the odd-even plans of the Delhi government for road users. Way ahead :- Special Leave Petition(SLP) Article 136 of the Constitution empowers the Supreme Court to “grant special leave to appeal from any judgment, decree, determination, sentence or order in any cause or matter passed or made by any court or tribunal in the territory of India”. Special Leave Petition (SLP) meant it had to be exercised in cases involving a substantial question of law or a gross miscarriage of justice. As per recent data this extraordinary jurisdiction appeared to have been reduced to a regular appellate one. As many as 34,500 SLPs were filed in 2014, of which 43% were admitted, in a Supreme Court with a case load of more than 60,000. The Supreme Court has refused to issue norms and guidelines for the acceptance of SLP, leaving the system vulnerable to arbitrary decisions on the admission and rejection of SLP. The people of India and their representatives should explore ways of addressing judicial hyper-activism in the country. Otherwise, kritarchy will over time pave the way for anarchy Court’s dignity is better served if the judiciary takes routine criticism in its stride and moves only against vicious and tendentious remarks or actions that bring the judiciary into disrepute or ridicule. The power of contempt should be used sparingly and that too, only against those wilfully subverting justice, and not against critics of the state. Connecting the dots: Does judicial overreach like issuing criminal contempt against activist(s) suppress Freedom of speech and expression? Comment. Differentiate between Judicial review and judicial overreach? Are judicial overreach and Judicial overreaction acting in accordance to make judiciary an extra constitutional lawmaking body? Comment. Too much of judicial activism amounts to Kritarchy? Comment. Substantiate your stand with recent examples.   MUST READ   After the Delhi experiment Hindu   RBI Governor steps up to the challenge Hindu   Operation begins to curb money laundering, terror funding Hindu   A debate beyond ‘clicktivism’ Hindu   Play it Again- With the launch of Raagam, a first of its kind digital classical music channel by Prasar Bharati, All India Radio is set to open its treasure trove of archival recordings Indian Express   Act Near-East- Realising the economic potential of the eastern region is key to solving India’s poverty problem Indian Express   Sell to spend- Asset sales are the way for government to protect credibility while avoiding procyclical fiscal stance Indian Express   MIND MAPS   1. China & Global Economy The Hindu   2. National Problems - Local Solution Indian Express

Jan 25, 2016 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

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

Archives   IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 25th January, 2016   ECONOMICS TOPIC: General studies 2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. General studies 3: Effects of liberalization on the economy, changes in industrial policy and their effects on industrial growth. 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.   Navigating the fourth industrial revolution The big buzz at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos this year is about the ‘Fourth Industrial Revolution’, described by the founder and executive chairman of WEF, Klaus Schwab, as a “technological revolution that will fundamentally alter the way we live, work and relate to one another”. The Industrial Revolutions: The first Industrial Revolution began in Britain in the last quarter of the 18th century with the mechanisation of the textile industry, harnessing of steam power, and birth of the modern factory. The second revolution began roughly a century after the first and peaked at the beginning of the 20th century, embodied in Henry Ford’s creation of the moving assembly line that ushered in mass production. Factories could produce countless numbers of identical products quickly and cheaply — Ford’s famous line was about being able to sell customers cars of any colour they liked, so long as it was black. The third industrial revolution, beginning c. 1970, was digital and applied electronics and information technology to processes of production. Mass customisation and additive manufacturing the so-called ‘3D printing’ are its key concepts, and its applications, yet to be imagined fully, are quite mind-boggling. The fourth industrial revolution is conceptualised as an upgrade on the third revolution and is marked by a fusion of technologies straddling the physical, digital and biological worlds. How effective and efficient can fourth industrial revolution be? A case study: The crane used for loading ships can be fitted with sensors that measure the weight of the containers and plug it into a software model. Using the design of the ship, the software sends instructions on where exactly to place the container in order to optimize the weight-balance of the ship. This process can enhance the fuel efficiency of the ship by 5-8%, according to Markus Lorenz of the Boston Consulting Group.   A key note on fourth industrial revolution: The fourth industrial revolution combines digital and physical systems to completely transform the interaction between humans and machines. The tools that it has at its disposal include big data, robotics, augmented reality and the Internet of Things. The fourth industrial revolution builds upon the first three industrial revolutions (steam power and mechanical production; assembly lines and electrification; and electronics and computing) and the rapid pace of technological progress since then to achieve almost surreal results by fusing the boundaries between all of them.   How important is the fourth industrial revolution for India?  Extremely important In 1600, India contributed more than 22% of the world’s gross domestic product, which reduced to about 4% in 1990 before economic reforms revved it up to 6.8%. This was a major reason for India failing to climb the bandwagon of the first industrial revolution. India remained behind the curve on the next two as well. If India fails to reap the benefits of the fourth, it will not have imperial Britain to blame this time.   Challenges India may face in reaping benefits: India’s path is strewn with challenges. Its comparative advantage of cheap labour, most of which is very poorly skilled, will be blunted by the fourth industrial revolution. While India needs to invest heavily in up skilling initiatives, the probability of some dislocations cannot be discounted. This will require it to make provisions for elaborate safety nets without letting it degenerate into an entitlement culture. Building the right institutions of governance, particularly regulatory institutions, is another challenge. Regulators have to do a lot better for India to realize the fourth industrial revolution’s benefits. Connecting the dots: Explain the concept of fourth industrial revolution and its importance to Indian economy and people.   ECONOMICS TOPIC: General studies 2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation; Governance issues General studies 3: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment.  Effects of liberalization on the economy Infrastructure; Investment models.    Public investment: for a new normal The Indian economy is today the world’s fastest-growing large economy but here the twist occurs—India also has a far lower per capita income compared to other countries in the Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa (BRICS) grouping. When we talk about the growth rate that has been projected by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) being 3.1 per cent, we understand that the end of 2015 has not only ended at an all-time-low but has also exhibited the crying need to be corrected as early as possible. What does the figure say— Advanced economies are growing at around 2 per cent Developing economies are growing at 4 per cent Stumbling Blocks— Economic crisis of Greece (Europe) Sharp decline in oil prices (Oil-exporting countries) Countries which had gained as a consequence of a fall in crude oil prices have not been able to exhibit faster growth as well Concerns regarding China and Yuan Devaluation (Competitive Devaluation)   Internal factors— Poor agricultural performance since the boom of the 2003-08 Slowed pace of infrastructure growth driven by public investment eclipsing the private investment in infrastructure (due to over-leveraged balance sheets and excess capacities that will take time to get absorbed) Groaning banking System- Under the collective weight of the overdue of private borrowers Slowdown in demand and Income dependant private consumption Stagnated exports Public Investment matters—Publicly-created infrastructure needs to be a component of any high-growth plan not only as a source of aggregate demand but also as catalyst As Adeus ex machina when the private investor is skittish on spending and thus public investment serves to accumulate assets and strengthens the government’s balance sheet Need to rely on our own resources and create an effective demand cycle for indigenous products— Offers a higher rate of return (Make in India- Start-up’s) Where private investment is based on expectations of profit, called the ‘internal rate of return’ for a project, there exists a lot of subjectivity attached with the anticipation of the future state of the economy. Public Investment can thus; anchor profit expectations in the atmosphere of chasing contagious pessimism of the private investors by letting ‘State Government’ play the role of private investors and providing guidance to the economy Fall in the crude prices and the upcoming spectrum can provide impetus to the expansion programs planned by the government Has the potential to boost jobs in the short run and pay enormous dividends (welfare approach-enhancing the economy’s productivity)   Walk the tight rope—Need to have a flexible fiscal consolidation in place Fiscal Deficit: Need not expand substantially to enable a programme of increased public spending on infrastructure but the reluctance to raise public revenues need to be dealt with Funds-If public bodies are starved of funds, they cannot expand and this acts as an in-built depressor. It is possible that some of the subsidies need to be deleted they constrain expanding public investment. Subsidy Regime: The reluctance to review the subsidy regime and divest must be shown the door and a measured approach towards rationalisation of subsides as well as sale of public assets should be considered as only then would they be able to acquire others. It can be beneficial for growth and employment, and therefore for welfare- (Maintenance of Fiscal Health) Pension and insurance funds should be used increasingly for financing projects Ineffective policy interventions, tax risks, regulatory risks and judicial risks- make it difficult for local enterprises to grow and must be simplified as early as possible Success Story— Ethiopia in Africa-its economy is growing at an average annual rate exceeding 10% since 2004 due to a massive increase in public investment, translating into: Poverty reduction Improved health outcomes Bolivia, Latin America- One of the rare mineral exporters with annual GDP growth to remain above 4% has employed public investment as their engine of growth Connecting the Dots: Critically examine the much-emphasized role of public investment in India’s economy   MUST READ NIA: Alert, fair, transparent Hindu   Global Slowdown: Sobering reflection from Davos Hindu   India, Arab League vow to check terror, funding sources Hindu   The big military challenge- PM has a bold vision for defence reform. Can his defence minister deliver? Indian Express                  National problems, local solutions- Countering rising pollution, endemic across the country, is best done via solutions ground-up Indian Express                  How India should respond to the China slump- China's slump will hopefully reduce the Indian fascination for the Chinese model of controlled economy Business Standard   Great fall of India’s exports Live Mint   MIND MAPS 1. Fourth Industrial Revolution Indian Express Live Mint PS - The two editorial/links are clubbed into one mind map.

Jan 25, 2016 PIB

IASbaba Press Information Bureau (PIB)-18th Jan to 24th Jan, 2016

ARCHIVES   GS-2 Memorandum of Understanding between Department of Space / Indian Space Research Organization and Kuwait Institute of Scientific Research on cooperation in the area of outer space  (Topic: Bilateral, Regional and Global Groupings and Agreements Involving India and/or affecting India’s Interests)   MoU between: Department of Space / Indian Space Research Organization (DOS/ISRO) and Kuwait Institute of Scientific Research (KISR) Cooperation in: Exploration and use of outer space for peaceful purposes MoU Enable: Pursuing potential interest areas (in both cooperative + commercial mode), namely- Use of data from Indian Remote Sensing (IRS) satellites by KISR for initiating a few research and application projects, Training, Building and Launching of remote sensing and communication satellites on commercial terms Help in- Setting up of a Joint Working Group- Members from ISRO and KISR Use- It will further work out the plan of action including the time-frame and the means of implementing this MoU Cooperation with KISR through this MoU will lead to developing a joint activity in the field of application of space technology for the benefit of humanity All sections and regions of the country will get benefited through this MoU It provides impetus to explore newer research activities and application possibilities in the field of- Remote sensing of the earth Satellite communication Satellite navigation Space science and exploration of outer space   Memorandum of Understanding between India and United Kingdom in the field of Public Administration and Governance Reforms (Topic: Bilateral, Regional and Global Groupings and Agreements Involving India and/or affecting India’s Interests)   Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between: India and United Kingdom Cooperation in: Public Administration and Governance Reforms Covers Area of- Sharing good governance practices in public administration, User led service design, Reducing bureaucracy in service delivery, Government Process Re-engineering, Building and developing staff capability, Public Grievance Redress Mechanism, Local Government Reforms, Reforms towards strengthening of social security, Collaboration in strategies for promotion of ethics in Government, Collaboration between Government and Industry on staff management, Mechanisms for public engagement, Crisis and Disaster Management and Digital transformation of Government First Joint Working Group (JWG) meeting under MoU is scheduled to be held later this month in London Help in- Understanding the system of customer oriented public service delivery in UK with reference to rapidly changing environments in the area of public service management Enable in replicating, adapting and innovating some of the best practices and processes in the Indian Public Service Delivery System, leading to improved public service delivery in India Importance- It aims to further Government's efforts at- Revamping of Public Administration system, Public Grievance Redress Mechanism, Ushering in e-Governance, Digital India, etc., Support the goal of 'Minimum Government with Maximum Governance' through e-Governance based Citizen Centric End-to-End On-line Services Provision of Citizen-Centric Online Services is the foundation of an efficient public administration system and leads to transparency and accountability in the governance and fosters equitable growth As part of Government’s efforts in seeking International collaboration for initiatives in Good Governance and Administrative reforms, DARPG has so far entered into bilateral MoU with China, Malaysia, Singapore and with Brazil and South Africa (trilateral) Recent MoU with United Kingdom is a step in that direction(as UK also ranks high in the UN E-Government Survey )   Cabinet approves policy on Promotion of City Compost (Topic: Government Policies and Interventions for Development in various sectors and issues arising out of their Design and Implementation) Aim- To promote the use of city compost by bringing better coordination among various government department and agencies About Policy-        Provision made for Market development assistance of Rs. 1500 per tonne of city compost for scaling up production and consumption of the product Eco-Mark standard will be specified for City Compost would ensure that environment friendly quality product reaches the farmers Fertilizer companies and marketing entities will also co-market City Compost with chemical fertilizers through their dealers' network Companies will also adopt villages for promoting the use of compost Government Departments and Public Sector undertakings will also use City Compost for their horticulture and related uses Marketing and promotion of city compost is proposed to be done through the existing fertilizer companies In due course, compost manufacturers and other marketing entities recognized by the concerned State Government may also be included for the purpose with the approval of Department of Fertilisers Market development assistance shall be routed through the entity which is marketing it   Benefits- Market development assistance would lower MRP of city compost for farmers Compost from city garbage would not only provide carbon and primary/secondary nutrients to soil but also help in keeping the city clean Composting can reduce the volume of waste to landfill/dumpsite by converting the waste into useful by-products Prevents production of harmful greenhouse gases (especially methane) and toxic material that pollutes groundwater apart from polluting the environment City Waste composting would also generate employment in urban areas Government Efforts- IEC campaigns by- Concerned Ministry/Department Campaigns done for -To educate farmers on the benefits of city compost and will take steps to increase setting up of compost plants across all States Agricultural Extension Machineries including KVKs of ICAR will also make special efforts in this regard D/o Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers Welfare will assign targets to- Agriculture Universities and KVKs (as it will take up field demonstration activities using City compost) Joint mechanism set up by- Department of Fertilizers+ Ministry of Urban Development +Department of Agriculture Joint Mechanism set up for- To monitor + facilitate availability of adequate quantity of City Compost at terms mutually agreeable between compost manufacturers and Fertilizer Marketing companies and will also be authorised to resolve any co-ordination related issue that may arise   Election Commission of India Celebrating 6th  National Voters’ Day (Topic: Election Commission, its awareness programme and other initiatives)   Occasion- Celebrating 6th National Voters’ Day (NVD) across the country (25th January) Theme-‘Inclusive and Qualitative Participation’ Highlights of NVD- Chief Election Commissioner Dr. Nasim Zaidi released the book titled- ‘Belief in the Ballot’ Chief Guest will give away Awards for Best Electoral Practices to- Chief Electoral Officers, District Electoral Officers, Officers involved in election management SPs Awards also given to- Media Houses and Civil Society Organisations for best campaign in Voters’ Education and Awareness Awards introduced to- Recognise the contribution of Government department/ Agencies to the efforts of ECI for enhancing electoral participation Six newly eligible electors would be given their EPICs by President of India National Voters’ Day celebrations organised in- All polling station locations across the country and State level function organised by the Chief Electoral Officers of the State concerned After the completion of the NVD National function, the Commission will inaugurate the construction of India International Institute of Democracy and Election Management (IIIDEM),Delhi   Election Commission of India will be presenting a Tableau with the theme ‘Inclusive and Qualitative Participation’ at the Republic Day parade on 26th January at Rajpath, New Delhi Objective- National Voters’ Day is to spread awareness among voters regarding effective participation in the electoral process To increase enrolment of voters, especially of the newly eligible ones Commemorate 25thJanuary, the foundation day of the Commission, which came into being on this day in 1950   ‘SEEMA DARSHAN’ – An initiative by the Ministry of Human Resource Development (Topic: Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/ Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources)  Initiative by- Ministry of Human Resource Development, in collaboration with the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Home affairs Highlights- School children to visit the border areas of our country and present before our soldiers and troops an array of performances showcasing the tradition and culture of our country through traditional songs and dances Child artists would demonstrate to the jawans how they are preserving and taking forward the cultural legacy of that country for which the armed forces are constantly on the vigil and also protecting and guarding its borders As part of this initiative, students of Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan and Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti will be participating in a programme, in which 30 students each would be visiting Akhnoor and Attari Borders Aim-                           To provide the students with a first-hand experience of the prevailing security environment in the border areas Programme will not only inspire children but also boost the morale of our soldiers on this Republic Day To foster patriotism and nationalism among the students and to provide an opportunity for the children to experience the border environment   Modifications in the Gold Monetisation Scheme (Topic: Government Policies and schemes) Changes made in the scheme- Premature redemption under- Medium Term Deposit- Allowed to be withdrawn after 3 years after 5 years Long Term Deposits- Allowed to be withdrawn after 5 years              Help - Subject to a reduction in the interest payable Fees to be paid to Banks for their services like- Gold purity testing charges, Refining, Storage and transportation charges etc. on Medium and Long Term Gold Deposits Help- Banks would be getting a 2.5 % commission for the scheme which will include the charges payable to the Collection and Purity Testing Centres/Refiners Gold depositors- Can give their gold directly to the refiner rather than only through the Collection and Purity Testing Centres (CPTCs) Help-Encourage the bulk depositors including Institutions to participate in the scheme Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS)- Modified the licensing condition for refiners already having National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) accreditation from the existing three years refining experience to one year refining experience Help- Likely to increase the number of licensed refiners BIS has published an Expression of Interest (EOI) on its website inviting applications from the more than 13,000 licensed jewellers to act as a CPTC in the scheme, provided they have tie up with BIS’s licensed refiners Help- Increase more licensed jewellers with website The quantity of gold collected under the scheme will be expressed up to three decimals of a gram Help- Give the consumer better value for the gold deposited Gold to be deposited with the CPTCs/Refineries can be of any purity. The CPTC/Refiner will test the gold and determine its purity which will be basis on which the deposit certificate will be issued Banks are free to hedge their positions in the case of short-term deposits Issues like the method of interest calculation and mechanism for taking loans against GMS deposits have also been clarified Awareness Steps- To increase awareness among depositors, Government had continued the Media campaign in AIR and FM radio Print media and Mobile SMS campaign is also being undertaken. Government lso launched the dedicated website www.finmin.nic.in/swarnabharat and toll free number 18001800000, which provide all the information of the schemes   Ministry of Human Resource Development to Launch Books for Children under Veergatha Series (Topic: Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/ Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources)      Aim- To introduce the great acts of bravery of the Param Veer Chakra awardees to instil a sense of inspiration and patriotism in children at an early age (Param Veer Chakra (PVC) is the highest gallantry award) Union Minister of Defence (Shri Manohar Parrikar) will release a set of first five illustrated books for children, under Veergatha Series in English and Hindi New series of illustrated books for children, under Veergatha Series is being launched by the National Book Trust, India, (an apex body of the Ministry of Human Resource Development), as part of the Republic Day celebrations Five books being released on the occasion illustrate the saga of bravery of Param Veer Chakra awardees including- Major Somnath Sharma (1947 war), Major Shaitan Singh (1962 war), CQMH Abdul Hamid (1965 war), Second Lieutenant Arun Khetarpal (1971 war) Captain Manoj Kumar Pandey (1999 Kargil war). Books have been developed with the support of the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Human Resource Development   ‘Nai Manzil’ Scheme Launched in Jammu and Kashmir (Topic: Government Policies and Schemes and its Implementation)   ‘Nai Manzil’ scheme launched for the first time in Jammu and Kashmir Scheme Implementation- Scheme was launched for girls in Srinagar in three institutions Institutions are Skill Development Centre- University of Kashmir and Two Madarsas (Madarsa Shahi-i-Hamdan in Pampore and Madarsa Imam Sadique in Shadi pur ,Bandipora. Under the scheme girls from minority communities will be imparted three month skill development training in seven identified sectors relevant to the region Include training in- Saffron processing, Food processing, Embroidery, Computers IT (both software and hardware), Tourism/hospitality, Electronics and plumbing Scheme has already been introduced at Patna and Motihari in Bihar and Bhandup in Mumbai and will be introduced in other Madarsas too in phased manner About Nai Manzil Scheme- It is an integrated Education and Livelihood Initiative for the Minority Communities It aims to benefit the minority youths who are school-dropouts or educated in the community education institutions like Madrasas, by providing them an integral input of formal education (up till Class VIII or X) and skill training along with certification Enable them to seek better employment in the organised sector and equipping them with better lives Scheme covers the entire country   India Signs Financing Agreement with World Bank for US$ 250 Million for Jhelum and Tawi Flood Recovery Project (Topic: Bilateral, Regional and Global Groupings and Agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s Interest) Agreement Signed between- Government of India and the World Bank Financing Agreement with World Bank (IDA) for assistance of US$ 250 million for Jhelum and Tawi Flood Recovery Project Aim- To support the recovery and increase disaster resilience in Project Areas Increase the capacity of the Project Implementing Entity to respond promptly and effectively to an eligible crisis or emergency. It focus on restoring critical infrastructure using international best practice on resilient infrastructure Primary beneficiaries would be the communities in the districts of Jammu & Kashmir that were affected by loss of public service infrastructure that will be restored and improved under the project By strengthening disaster risk management systems and institutions, the project will benefit the entire affected region Important Components of Project- Reconstruction and strengthening of critical infrastructure Reconstruction of roads and bridges Restoration of urban flood management infrastructure Restoration and strengthening of livelihoods Strengthening disaster risk management capacity Contingency Emergency Response Implementation Support. It is a loan for an implementation period of 5 years. Government of Jammu & Kashmir is the implementing agency   Mauritius to exclusively offer Biofarming Technology to India  (Topic: Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises) First Joint Committee Meeting between India and Mauritius for the cooperation in MSME sector was held successfully on 21stJanuary 2016 Areas of cooperation were identified are inline with the MoU signed between the two countries on 13thDecember 2015 Areas of cooperation – Capacity building through training of trainers, Surveys on potential areas, Managerial and technical skills, Marketing, Exhibitions & trade fairs exchange of business missions, Setting up of business incubators, Easy access to finance, Clusters initiative, etc. Agreed to formulate an action plan in the area of coir, khadi and handicraft sectors in addition to the above areas Government of Mauritius has exclusively offered to India for transfer of biofarming technology and also exchange of cooperation in the health sector   GS-3   PSLV-C31 Successfully Launches India's Fifth Navigation Satellite IRNSS-1E  (Topic: Science and Technology- Developments and their application and effects in everyday life)   Launched By- ISRO's Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, PSLV-C31 Launched From- Satish Dhawan Space Centre SHAR, Sriharikota(January 20, 2016) IRNSS-1E- It is 5th satellite in the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) and is the 32nd consecutively successful mission of PSLV and the eleventh in its 'XL' configuration IRNSS-1E is the 5th of the 7 satellites constituting the space segment of the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System First four satellites of the constellation, successfully launched by PSLV were IRNSS-1A, 1B, 1C and ID IRNSS-1E Satellite was injected to an elliptical orbit of 282.4 km X 20,655.3 km inclined at an angle of 19.21 degree to the equator (very close to the intended orbit) ISRO's Master Control Facility (at Hassan, Karnataka) took over the control of the satellite IRNSS-1E carries two types of payloads-       Navigation Payloads: Transmit navigation service signals to the users Operates in L5- band and S-band Highly accurate Rubidium atomic clock is part of the navigation payload of the satellite                    Ranging Payloads: It consists of C-band transponder which facilitates accurate determination of the range of the satellite Carries Corner Cube Retro Reflectors for laser ranging IRNSS- An independent regional navigation satellite system designed to provide position information in the Indian region and 1500 km around the Indian mainland Provide two types of services- Standard Positioning Services (SPS) - provided to all users Restricted Services (RS), provided to authorised users A number of ground stations (established in 18 locations across the country)responsible for- Generation and transmission of navigation parameters Satellite ranging and monitoring, etc Upcoming Launches- Two satellites of this constellation, namely, IRNSS-1F and IG, are scheduled to be launched by PSLV, thereby completing the entire IRNSS constellation   Minister for Railways Inaugurated India’s first High Speed Public Wi - Fi Service at Mumbai Central station  (Topic: Infrastructure- Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways) Inaugurated by- Shri Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu, Minister of Railways, Govt of India Initiative by- Indian Railways with the help of RailTel Corporation in collaboration with Google Wi - Fi service Inaugurated at- In a function of Mumbai Central Railway station (on Friday, 22nd January, 2016) Step taken towards- Ambitious project of Digital India Mumbai Central station has gained the distinguished status of being the first ever station in India to have high – speed internet facility for its thousands of passengers who travel everyday by trains Aim- To offer users the best Internet experience, Railwire Wi - Fi will be available to any user who has a working mobile connection on a Smartphone This is all a part of Western Railways continuing endeavours to provide more and better comforts to its esteemed passengers   Cabinet approves setting up of over 5,000 MW of Grid-connected Solar PV Power Projects  (Topic: Infrastructure- Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways etc)   Approved By- Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs Aim- Setting up over 5,000 MW of Grid-Connected Solar PV Power Projects on build, own and operate basis Work to be implemented by- Solar Power Developers (SPDs) with Viability Gap Funding (VGF) under Batch-lV of Phase-ll of the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM) Help in- Creating additional 5000 MW capacity of Grid-connected solar PV power generation projects in four trenches of each 1,250 MW capacity during four financial years (2015-16, 2016-17, 2017-18 and 2018-19) Creating employment generation of about 30,000 people in rural and urban areas Reduction of about 8.525 Million T of CO2emissions into environment every year Grid-Connected Solar PV Power Projects-  Viability Gap Funding (VGF) scheme implemented for- Setting up over 5000 MW capacity of grid connected solar power projects by solar power developers on build, own and operate basis through open and transparent competitive bidding to provide solar power Overall effort is to continuously reduce- Government financial support for grid connected solar power as the prices of solar power comes down Scheme implemented by- SECI as per MNRE Guidelines SECI shall prepare necessary bidding documents for inviting the proposals for setting up of projects on a competitive bidding through e-bidding SECI will enter into Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with the selected developers and the Power Sale Agreement (PSA) with the buying entities Requisite funds for provision of the VGF support will be made available to MNRE from the National Clean Energy Fund (NCEF), operated by Ministry of Finance Out of 5,000 MW, some capacity in each tranche, will be developed with mandatory condition of solar PV cells and Modules made in India. This will be called the Domestic Content Requirement (DCR) category and remaining will be in open category SECI will purchase the power from the selected Solar PV plants at the pre-determined tariff and sell the power to willing State Utilities/ Discoms under 25 years Power Sale Agreements (PSAs), at the applicable tariff The State Governments shall appoint a State Level Agencyfor providing necessary support to facilitate the required approvals and sanctions in a time bound manner to achieve commissioning of the projects within thescheduled timeline   Important features- Project Locations: Setting up Solar Parks being developed under a separate MNRE Scheme and also at other locations(which could be selected by the bidders on their own) Commissioning Period: 13 months from the date of signing of PPAs MNRE Provide: 100% VGF to SECI to  disburse  to Solar Power Developers (SPDs) immediately after commissioning, subject to availability of funds Competitive bidding: To bring savings in the VGF amount of Rs.5,050 crore (total capacity will be increased from 5,000 MW) Bidders free to avail: Fiscal incentives like – Accelerated Depreciation (AD) Concessional customs and Excise duties Tax holidays, etc. available for such projects               However, no bidders will be allowed to claim both AD and VGF   ‘Bharat parv’ being organized at Red fort, Delhi from 26th to 29th january 2016 (Topic: Tourism, Awareness Programme and other Government Initiatives)   Organized by- Government of India at the Red Fort, Delhi from 26th to 29th January 2016, as part of the Republic Day Celebrations Aim- To generate a patriotic mood, Promote the rich cultural diversity of the country To ensure wider participation of the general public Highlights of Events- Ministry of Tourism designated as the Nodal Ministry for the event Display of Republic Day Parade tableaux Performances by the Armed Forces Bands (static and moving), Food Festival, Crafts Mela and Cultural Performances from different regions of the country Event to the public and entry is free. However, identity proof is to be carried   4th India-Africa Hydrocarbons Conference ends; paves the way for strengthening India Africa relations  (Topic: Petroleum and Natural Gas)  Highlights of Conference- The 4th India -Africa Hydrocarbons Conference was organized in New Delhi on January 21-22, 2016 21 African countries participated in the event Delegates of 9 African countries- Mauritius, Morocco, Algeria, Sudan, South Sudan, Tunisia, Senegal, Equatorial Guinea and Liberia were headed by the respective Ministers. Senior officials led the delegations from Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa, Egypt, Tanzania, Kenya, Mozambique, Uganda, Libya, Cote d’Ivory, Gabon & Sierra Leone India’s engagement with African countries in the petroleum sector has been on an upswing in the past few years India imports crude oil nearly 16% from Africa now, with the majority coming from Nigeria and Angola Besides, Indian public and private sector companies have interests in oil and gas fields across Africa, including Sudan, South Sudan, Mozambique, Gabon and other countries Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, held bilateral meetings with their counterparts from nine African countries as well as with the delegations from the other visiting countries Outcome of bilateral meetings, agreed to provide- facilitating framework, wherever required, for public and private sector companies of India and the African countries to undertake oil and gas projects ONGC Videsh Limited signed an MoU with Equatorial Guinea for co¬operation in pursuing E&P activities   Aim- To give a renewed thrust to India’s engagement with African nations in the hydrocarbon space, and carried forward the vision of a multidimensional, comprehensive India-Africa partnership The two day conference also afforded an opportunity for India to showcase its accomplishments and techno-commercial capabilities spanning across upstream, midstream and downstream sectors as also India’s unique value proposition for the rapid development of the African hydrocarbon industry   India Submits First Biennial Update Report to UNFCCC  (Topic: Environment and Forest, Conservation, Environment Pollution and Degradation, Environmental Impact Assessment)   India submitted its first Biennial Update Report (BUR) to UNFCCC, towards- Fulfilment of the reporting obligation under the Convention As per the provisions of the Convention- Countries need to periodically provide information in the form of their National Communication   Biennial Update Report (BUR)- BUR is to provide an update to the latest National Communication submitted by the country to the UNFCCC BURs are subjected to an international process known as International Consultation and Analysis (ICA) It is a process that includes international scrutiny of BUR in a manner that is - non-intrusive + non-punitive +respectful of national sovereignty All BURs are subjected to ICA process India had submitted its first national communication in 2004 and second national communication in 2012 The UNFCCC in its sixteenth session of conference of Parties (COP) had decided that the developing countries will submit updates to their national communication on biennial basis in the form of ‘Biennial Update Report’ BUR contains national GHG inventory of India for the year 2010, prepared in accordance with the guidelines of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Inventory covers six greenhouse gases- Carbon dioxide (CO2), Methane (CH4), Nitrous Oxide (N2O), Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), Perfluorocarbons (PFCs) and Sulfur Hexafluoride (SF6) Inventory covers 5 categories – Energy, Industrial processes and product use (IPPU), Agriculture, waste and Land-use, Land-use, Change and Forestry (LULUCF) According to BUR, India emitted 2,136.84 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent greenhouse gases in 2010 and Energy sector was the prime contributor to emissions with 71% of total emissions in 2010 Energy sector includes – Electricity production, Fuel combustion in industries, Transport and fugitive emissions Other emitters includes- Industrial processes and product use contributed- 8% of emission Agriculture and waste sectors contributed-18% and 3% of emission respectively to the national GHG inventory Carbon sink action of forests and croplands contributed-12% of emissions    India and World Scenario- India’s per capita GHG emission in 2010 was 1.56 tCO2 equivalent, which is less than 1/3rd of the world’s per capita emissions and far below than many developed and developing countries China, world’s largest emitter of greenhouse gases is yet to submit its BUR Brazil has submitted its BUR, but has given only provisional inventory Developed countries are required to submit a report known as the Biennial Report (BR), which is to be submitted every alternate year and is subjected to International Analysis and Review (IAR) Paris Agreement calls for developing country Parties to submit their first biennial update reports as soon as possible and India has submitted its first BUR A reduction of emission intensity of GDP by about 12% between 2005 and 2010 has been achieved against our voluntary pledge to reduce the emission intensity of its GDP by 20–25 per cent by 2020, compared with the 2005 level   Climate-friendly measures initiated through eight National Missions under National Action Plan on Climate Change such as- Integrated Power Development Scheme, Renewable Purchase Obligations, Enhancement of cess on coal, Perform Achieve Trade Scheme National Program for LED based lighting Process Functioning- BUR has different sections elaborating various aspects on climate change in the country, such as- Institutional arrangements to implement the reporting process, National circumstances in which country is responding to climate change, National greenhouse gas inventory for 2010; Initiatives of the government to tackle the problem of climate change along with domestic arrangements to measure, report and verify these programs Section on finance, technology and capacity-building needs and support received has also been provided BUR has been prepared by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change under its NATCOM project funded by Global Environment Facility (GEF) through UNDP Several studies were carried out by 17 national-level institutions, including- CSIR laboratories (CIMFR, CRRI, IIP, NEERI and NPL), ICAR institutes (CRIDA, IARI, NDRI), Organizations of the MoEFCC (FSI and ICFRE), Premier educational institutions (IIM Ahmedabad and IISc), Non-governmental research organizations (TERI and IRADe) and other institutions (CII, EESL and NRSC) BUR has also undergone multitier review process and has been approved by the Union Cabinet.   MSDE and DoT sign an MoU to develop and implement National Action Plan for Skill Development in Telecom Sector  MoU Signed between- Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) with Department of Telecommunication (DoT) in line with Prime Minister’s vision to make India the skill capital of the world Aim- To develop and implement National Action Plan for Skill Development in Telecom Sector, utilizing PSUs under DOT with a common objective of fulfilling skilled manpower requirement of the telecom sector and at the same time providing quality opportunities for employment / entrepreneurship To make concerted joint efforts towards skill development by facilitating mobilization of financial support for various activities under the National Ecosystem for Development of Telecom Skills by suggesting PSUs under DOT to utilize at least 20 percent of their CSR funds for skilling purposes To make coordinated efforts to utilize old telephone exchanges which are no longer in use or exchanges which have ceased to occupy major space in telecom sector,   for skill development initiatives and upgrade the same on need basis Develop ‘National Institute for Policy Research Innovation and Training (NTIPRT)’ for training and skill up gradation in Telecom Sector by leveraging the infrastructure and facilities and upgrade the same on need basis.  This will primarily be used to train the trainers and assessors   Ministers launched- Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojna (PMKVY) Rupay ATM Cum Debit card from Bank of India which would be issued to the students with 1 Lac Rupee PA Insurance Cover BOI has its own “Online Portal” for opening the accounts of students in PMKVY Scheme. The Training partners are required to get themselves registered for this process with the bank. Flagged of the Skill Vans. Use- Skill vans would travel to different parts of the country and provide skill development trainings to the youth. These vans would be equipped with facilities to provide skill development on the spot   Shri Narendra Modi Flags Off Mahamana Express Through Remote Control from Varanasi Cantt. to New Delhi with Model Rake  (Topic: Infrastructure- Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways etc)   Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi, flagged off- Mahamana Express( Varanasi-New Delhi Superfast Special Train) with Model Rake through remote control (22.01.2016) at a ceremony held at Diesel Locomotive Works, Varanasi Objective-  To bring about enhanced comfort to all classes of coaches, both air-conditioned as well as non-air-conditioned coaches,progressively, the Indian Railways had planned for a Model Rake Project Model Rake- It is a developed refurbished and re-adapted version of seven types of coaches which have been servicing for the past 10-12 years on Indian Railways In the design and development of this Model Rake, the Indian Railways had factored in the varied needs of each category of coach to bring in suitable interiors Features of the Model Rake include: Modular Panels without visible screws and minimum maintenance hatches  inside passenger area for better safety and aesthetics Use of superior material for panels in terms of toxicity index and fire retardation Ergonomically designed Ladders for climbing up to upper berths provided in all sleeper coaches Aesthetically appealing toilet modules provided with enhanced passenger amenities - big mirror, platform washbasin, controlled discharged water tap, odour control system, exhaust fan, LED lights, dustbin inside the toilet to name a few Shifting of electrical junction points from passenger area to non-passenger area in a centralized distribution board for enhanced safety Use of e-beam cables and polyamide conduits for enhanced electrical and fire safety Use of LED Lighting to enhance illumination & service durability while minimizing power consumption Enhanced scale of light fittings including berth reading lights in GSCN(Sleeper) Coaches and embarking light in all classes of coaches The scale of mobile/ laptop charging points have been increased in all classes of coaches LED based berth indicators cum night light for reserved coaches provided to assist passengers boarding train in night Provision of fire extinguisher in all coaches Provision of electrically operated chimney in Pantry Car Stainless steel panelling in Luggage Compartment Basic fare of Varanasi-New Delhi Mahamana Express (Tri-weekly) shall be 15% higher than the normal Mail/Express basic fares except fares for second class (unreserved) which will only be superfast Mail/Express fare of regular train services instead of 15% higher than normal Mail/Express basic fares       

Jan 25, 2016 AIR

All India Radio- UNCTAD REPORT ON FDI FLOWS

ARCHIVES UNCTAD REPORT ON FDI FLOWS Click here and search for 21st January, 2016, Spotlight/News analysis UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) has released annual report on FDI flows globally. The report states that in 2015 FDI flows into India nearly doubled reaching $59 billion. In 2014 alone, it was estimated that $35 billion worth FDI were made in India. This shows that govt is creating a positive confidence in the international market to come and invest in India. India seems to be playing bullish in terms of customer/investor confidence, especially given the fact that there is a slowing trend in China. Even the IMF report also projects the growth rate of India at 7.4% and 7.6% in the present and next fiscal respectively, while at the same time China’s growth rate was projected to be lower at around 6.9%. The global growth rate has also come down from 3.6% to 3.3%. According to the report global FDI flows have increased by 36% this year compared to last year. Among all the FDIs into India, major chunk is going towards green field investments. The returns or realisation of benefits from these green filed projects takes time, at least 2-3 years. However, one benefit which has directly come is the control of inflation (how?). RBI is aiming to contain inflation at around 5% by the end of this financial year in March. In the past two years around $2 billion came in the form of private equity. Unlike the World Bank or other large investors, the private equity investors would not wait for long term returns. They put the projects on ground quickly and generate profits and employment very quickly. The infrastructure sector, which includes roads, railways, power etc, is attracting huge FDI. These are the areas which are directly linked to the real economy and the poorest man is going to benefit directly from them. Compared to 2014, the developing economies as a whole witnessed 5 percent increase in FDI flows. Accounting for about 1/3rd of global FDI flows, Asia is the largest recipient of FDI in the world. The top 10 FDI host economies in the world are: USA, Hong Kong, China, Netherlands, UK, Singapore, India, Brazil, Canada, and France. The report also states that in 2016 FDI flows are expected to decline.

Jan 25, 2016 RSTV Video

The Big Picture - Rupee weakens, stock markets crash: Crisis or an opportunity?

Archives     The Big Picture - Rupee weakens, stock markets crash: Crisis or an opportunity? This week stock markets were in tumble, sensex below 24000 points-lowest ever since May 2014 since the new government took over. Rupee crashed to 68 per dollar, and exports have declined. Let’s look at some of the issues associated with recent trends in the stock market and analyse whether it is an opportunity or crisis? How it happened? On an international front this is clearly an impact of Chinese devaluation on global markets. Although the timing and extent of devaluation is quite unexpected, considering the impact it made to other emerging economies, its effect on India is well inside the permissible limit. Added to this, tightening of American monetary policy is also one of the important reasons for market to behave irrationally since last week. On domestic front slowing down of the reform process, Exports taking hit, low industrial growth, decreased rural wages are some of the important reasons for slowing down of markets. Is it an opportunity? Or something to worry? Many scholars say it’s an opportunity! They believe it’s a god given opportunity to invest in sectors which government has failed to invest it in before like education, health, social sectors, infrastructure and Railways. The investment to GDP ratio is falling dramatically from 2009 (38 %) to 2015(20 %).Effective investments that will yield results by the way of roads, irrigation, village infrastructure should be created. It is an opportunity to clean up PSU banks whose performance has been dismal in stock markets. It is a high time to clean up energy markets by reducing the subsidies,rationalising excise duties, cess etc. To create effective demand ,Issues related to percolation of MGNREGA funds to rural areas needs to be addressed. On industry side government needs to push sectors like shipping, roadways, infrastructure in order to make use of the current situation to turn India in to a strong manufacturing hub.

Jan 25, 2016 Yojana

Monthly Yojana Gist- Q&A Format

(click below to download)2016 7. July 6. June 5. May  4. April 3. March 2. February 1. January  2015 1. April- Manufacturing 2. May- Tourism  3. June- Alternative Health 4. July- International Relations 5. August- Inclusive Growth 6. September- Smart City 7. October- Skill Development 8. November- Transport 9. December- Climate ChangeAbout the Initiative Yojana magazine (released by Ministry of I&B) is increasingly finding a place in the questions of both UPSC Prelims and Mains. Every Issue of Yojana deals with a single topic comprehensively sharing views from a wide spectrum ranging from academicians to policy makers to scholars. The magazine is essential to build an in-depth understanding of various socio-economic issues. From the exam point of view, however, not all articles are important. Some go into scholarly depths and others discuss agendas that are not relevant for your preparation. Added to this is the difficulty of going through a large volume of information, facts and analysis to finally extract their essence that may be useful for the exam. We are not discouraging from reading the magazine itself. So, do not take this as a document which you take read, remember and reproduce in the examination. Its only purpose is to equip you with the right understanding. But, if you do not have enough time to go through each and every Yojana magazine, you can rely on the content provided here for it sums up the most essential points from all the articles in Yojana. You need not put hours and hours in reading Yojana and making its notes in pages. We believe a smart study, rather than hard study, of Yojana can improve your preparation levels. Hence, along with a gist of articles, we will provide a Q&A format from both Prelims and Mains, wherever required that may make you understand – “How to read Yojana?” Think, learn, practice and keep improving! That is the key to success.

Jan 25, 2016 IASbaba's Monthly Current Affairs Magazine

Baba's Monthly Magazine

This Page is dedicated to Current Affairs Monthly Magazine for Civil Services (UPSC) Examination.  With the way people generally study current affairs, a lot of them would find the above a tough nut to crack. The reason is that people focus on 'news' not 'issues'.  But, as per the latest trend of Mains examination, UPSC focuses on 'issues', and not just 'news'. With the present, 1st edition, we try to make you understand - "How to cover issues?". The magazine contains very relevant questions from recent issues which is followed by a comprehensive analysis of  the latest major issues. Since this is only a promotional magazine, we have not covered each and every issues. But from the next edition, we will be covering all the issues, major or minor, as well as news items from sources like The Hindu, Business Standard, Livemint, Indian Express etc. The magazine will be available bimonthly. Let us know how did you find the magazine. With your feedback, criticisms, appreciation and suggestions, we will be able to give you increasingly better content. For, we believe there is no end to perfection. :-) We wish you benefit the most from our endeavour. Archives - 2015 (Click below to download) 2016JanuaryFebruary 2015 December November October September June/July August April

Jan 23, 2016 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

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

Archives   IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 23rd January, 2016   NATIONAL TOPIC: General studies 2: Indian Constitution- significant provisions (FR’s, DPSP) Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States and the performance of these schemes; mechanisms, laws, institutions and Bodies constituted for the protection and betterment of these vulnerable sections.   From Child Slavery to Freedom (At a glance format…)   We work from seven in the morning until 10 at night. I sleep on that mat over there. I miss my family. I want to go home but the owner will not let us leave. — MALE CARPET WEAVER, AGE 14, BIHAR Walk Free Foundation’s 2014 Global Slavery Index: Defines modern slavery as any practice that traps people in modern servitude, including human trafficking and forced labour India’s total of 14.3 million modern slaves is nearly— Five times larger than China’s (3.2 million) (second-largest number) Seven times larger than Pakistan’s (2.1 million) 2001 National Census- More than 12 million children in the age group 5-14 are engaged in exploitative occupations that are detrimental to their rights and to the full development of their potentials 168 million child labourers, 59 million out-of-school children and 15 million girls under 15 are forced to marry every year Shows very little progress with evidence of the gravity thus, portraying the endemic nature of the problem in the   What has happened— The Constitution of India Through various articles enshrined in the Fundamental Rights and the Directive Principles of State Policy, lays down that: No child below the age of 14 years shall be employed to work in any factory or mine or engaged in any other hazardous employment (Article 24); The State shall provide free and compulsory education to all children of the age six to 14 years. (Article 21 (A)); The State shall direct its policy towards securing that the health and strength of workers, men and women and the tender age of children are not abused and that they are not forced by economic necessity to enter vocations unsuited to their age and strength (Article 39-e); Children shall be given opportunities and facilities to develop in a healthy manner and in conditions of freedom and dignity and that childhood and youth shall be protected against moral and material abandonment (Article 39-f); The State shall endeavour to provide within a period of 10 years from the commencement of the Constitution for free and compulsory education for all children until they complete the age of 14 years (Article 45).   Government child labour policy is “suitably rehabilitating the children withdrawn from employment thereby, reducing the incidence of child labour in areas of known concentration” India is a signatory to the: ILO Forced Labour Convention (No. 29) ILO Abolition of Forced Labour Convention (No. 105) UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) Global March against Child Labour: Spearheaded a global movement to bring child labour and child slavery to the attention of global leaders leading to the adoption of the International Labour Organization’s Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention SDG targets: Aims to “eradicate forced labour, end modern slavery and human trafficking, and secure the prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of child labour”. Children’s ‘right to be heard’ Validated by the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child (India has ratified) Bhima Sangha, a union of, by and for working children was formed to draw attention to working children’s concerns; strongly upheld that no policy or decision regarding children’s present or future should be taken without their consent 1996:Bhima Sangha, with the support of the International Working Group on Child Labour (of which The Concerned for Working Children was a member), held the first International Meeting of Working Children in Kundapura, Karnataka. “Do they want to eradicate us like pests using pesticide? Are we not human beings with rights that deserve respect?” Gurupadswamy Committee: In 1979; this committee was formed to study the issue of child labour and recommend measures to tackle the same Pointed out that poverty remains the core issue behind the issue Need to ban children from working in hazardous areas and a regulation needs to be well placed for the working conditions   Actions undertaken:  1986- Enactment of Child Labour (Prohibition & Regulation) Act (prohibits employment of children in certain specified hazardous occupations and processes and regulates the working conditions in others) 1987: Formulation of National Policy on Child Labour 1988:Launch of National Child Labour Project (NCLP) Scheme (districts of high child labour existence) To tackle the problem of child labour in India— Ministry of Labour and Employment took a three prong approach Set up a legal framework for prohibition and regulation of child labour Use various development programmes to address the needs of working children Set up the National Child Labour Project (NCLP) Under the aegis of the 10th plan the following activities were taken up under the purview of NCLP: Ensuring enforcement of child labour laws Child labour withdrawn from work and sent to special schools run by NGOs Provision of: Formal/non-formal education Vocational training Stipend of Rs.100 per month Supplementary nutrition Regular health check ups Creating awareness of the harmful effects of child labour on the development of a child Income and employment generation activities for families Direct rehabilitation of child labour Raising of public awareness Survey and evaluation UNICEF is supporting the Central Ministry of Labour and Employment, Government of India, in the development of a child tracking system to monitor the progress of children involved in the National Child Labour Projects— Objectives Provide regular information on the enrolment and retention in schools of released children Verify the impact of the Government’s child labour interventions throughout the country by measuring the sustainability and quality of impacts Monitor child labour trends through the identification of variables and parameters affecting child vulnerability to economic exploitation and Strengthen the link between child labour prevention and education strategies   Time to back that promise— Recent proposed amendments to the Child Labour Act of 1986: Offers least resistance and relaxed the ban on children working in family-owned occupations (informal sector and very difficult to monitor) Will encourage caste-based occupations; use ‘families’ for production Relaxing the ban in the entertainment industry (one among the most exploitative industries) appears like a concession to the advertising sector, which is using children as a selling gimmick for all kinds of product Extends criminalisation- Extend the ban from children below 14 years to include children below 18 Impending revisions—the National Education Policy and the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act On the one hand, a new education policy has the potential to address child labour as a barrier to education and, more broadly, to improve the life prospects of millions of marginalized and deprived children and on the other hand, the proposed amendments to the Child Labour Act would erect new barriers to further progress on education. Analysis of Bachpan Bachao Andolan One-fifth of the children under 14 rescued were working in family enterprises More than 40% of the rescued children were performing hazardous jobs—for example, working in roadside restaurants (dhabas) or manufacturing garments, leather goods, cosmetics or electronics—that would be allowed under the amended Act   IASbaba’s Views: Safe and strongly protected occupations in the formal sector, which are part-time and can be easily monitored should be exempted and relaxed as well as much exploration needs to be done with respect to the Apprenticeship Act as provision of ‘earn as you learn’ avenues for children in this age group can be made an exception There needs to be a worldwide movement for the protection of the fundamental human rights of every person, especially the most vulnerable and that is why governments must deepen their commitment to pursuing child-friendly policies and investing in the protection and education of their young people.   NATIONAL   TOPIC: General studies 2: Indian Constitution- significant provisions (FR’s, DPSP) Issues and challenges pertaining to Local Government Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation; Governance Issues   Is Road to Election-‘Literacy’? Candidates keen on contesting the forthcoming Gram Panchayat, Panchayat Samiti and Zila Parishad elections in Haryana will now have to produce their Class X certificate while women and SCs will need a Class VIII certificate to be eligible to contest Popular viewpoint behind the decision exists the same— to “improve quality of leadership and governance” at the grassroots level, and “this amendment would make elected representatives of Panchayat Raj Institutions more accountable”   Rajbala vs. State of Haryana case (2015)  Supreme Court upheld the validity of the Haryana Panchayati Raj (Amendment) Act,requiring that a matriculate alone can hold the post of Panchayat president or ward member Section 175 of the Act: Disqualifications from contesting a Panchayat election— Faces a criminal case for which 10-year imprisonment is prescribed and a charge has been framed Has to pay arrears to a co-operative society or has not cleared electricity bills Does not have a functional toilet Supreme Court:A proclaimed object of such classification is to ensure that those who seek election to panchayats have some basic education which enables them to more effectively discharge various duties which befall the elected representatives of the panchayats. The object sought to be achieved cannot be said to be irrational or illegal or unconnected with the scheme and purpose of the Act or provisions of Part IX of the Constitution Revised Statistics therefore: Out of 96 lakh eligible voters, 42 lakh will be disqualified from contesting the elections Scheduled Castes: 68 per cent women and 41 per cent men will be disqualified from contesting   Logic deemed misaligned Education: It is only recently that the 2002 constitutional amendment made imparting education compulsory for all children up to the age of 14 years. Many people who are eligible to be elected never were benefitted with such a provision Arrears to electricity boards and cooperative societies: Non-payment of electricity charges normally should result in disconnection of supply or an issue regarding disputes over service deficiency but this particular issue becoming a reason to be disqualified has defied the logic of many Case of refusing to factor in rural indebtedness properly as the main argument indicates the leaning towards the notion that all elections are expensive affairs and therefore, it is a sound presumption that one who is contesting for office should pay back her loans first or should not even think of public office Functional Toilet: There are many people who do not have their own shelter, town or village alike and thus, insisting upon a functional toilet is a clear case of excluding the poor from the management of Panchayats Fundamental flaw: Courts holding the right to get elected as a statutory right and not a constitutional empowerment exhibits a derailment- after having established electoral rights as constitutional rights and then treating them as statutory rights without giving weight to their constitutional status Historical & Constitutional Perspective: First President of India, Dr. Rajendra Prasad, was strongly in favour of providing some minimum qualification for legislators Prime Minister Nehru, had described the move as totally undemocratic Thus, the framers of the Constitution did not think it fit to include educational qualification as a basic requirement for the Members of Legislative Assemblies and Parliament, and in the light of this argument the recent Act is being considered as anti-poor, anti-Dalit and pro-rich. Article 171: Provides for the composition of Legislative Councils in a State Makes separate constituencies of graduates to elect members to the Legislative Council making it obligatory to be a graduate to elect a certain proportion of members of the Legislative Council, but it is immaterial if the person elected is a graduate.        Examples of Qualifications prescribed in the Constitution: Governor: Person must have completed 35 years of age Added disqualification for the post of the President of India: He/She should not be of unsound mind and an insolvent All constitutional posts except those pertaining to the higher judiciary do not have any educational qualification to hold the post   Supreme Court’s Wisdom(Quoted)— Narayanaswami vs. G. Panneerselvamcase in 1972: The concept of such representation does not carry with it, as a necessary consequence, the further notion that the representative must also possess the very qualifications of those he represents… it would be for the members of such a constituency themselves to decide whether a person who stands for election from their constituency possesses the right type of knowledge, experience, and wisdom which satisfy certain standards  2002:True democracy cannot exist unless all citizens have a right to participate in the affairs of the polity of the country 2003:To think of illiterate candidates is based on a factually incorrect assumption. To say that well-educated persons such as those having graduated and postgraduate qualifications will be able to serve the people better and conduct themselves in a better way inside and outside the House is nothing but overlooking the stark realities. The experience and events in public life and the legislatures have demonstrated that the dividing line between the well-educated and less educated from the point of view of his/her calibre and culture is rather thin. Much depends on the character of the individual, the sense of devotion to duty and the sense of concern for the welfare of the people. These characteristics are not the monopoly of well-educated persons IASbaba’s Views: To have the best educated represent us is maybe the most ideal thought but at the same time, we should contemplate also upon the very nature of democracy and of it not being a pre-defined state of perfection but an endless fight for it Governance cannot and should not be in the hands of elitist castes, rather it should be with the masses, the real masters in a democracy. There is thus a heightened need to achieve social justice as well as ensuring effective implementation of welfare schemes and interventions by the government (PURA + SSA + MDS + RTE) Connecting the Dots: Does the recent move by the Haryana government keeps with itself the power to change the landscape of the functioning of the Panchayati Raj institution in the country? Discuss Is informal socialization more important than formal education? Critically comment   MIND MAPS   1. Diplomacy - Success & Failures Indian Express   2. Agriculture Research Livemint

Jan 23, 2016 AIR

All India Radio- LAUNCH OF IRNSS-1E

ARCHIVES LAUNCH OF IRNSS-1E Click here and search for 20th January, 2016 Spotlight/News analysis for audio ISRO’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle-C31 has successfully launched the fifth navigation satellite Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System-1E (total 7 IRNSS navigation satellites will be launched) into geosynchronous orbit. The other four that were already launched are: IRNSS-1A, 1B, 1C, and 1D. Till now, with the existing navigation satellites we are getting signals for 18 hrs a day. With the launch of 5th satellite, we would get navigation signals 24 hrs a day. This is also the 32nd consecutive successful launch of PSLV, which is India’s smaller rocket. In the world, only USA, Russia and China have an operational navigation satellite system. Now, India joins this big league. USA-GPS GLONASS – Russia Beidou – China (regional navigation system) COMPASS – China (global navigation system to be operational by 2020) Galileo – European Union (to be operational by 2016 and fully deployed by 2020) QZSS – Japan’s regional system (not yet functional) The navigation satellite gives physical position of an object on the earth – its coordinates, latitude, longitude and other related information. India’s IRNSS would provide an accuracy of less than 20m. The IRNSS would give signals in two frequency bands and provides two services: Standard Positioning Services (SPS), for general user which is an un-encrypted signal. This is can be used by normal people on their devices. Restricted Services (RS), for authorised users. This is mainly for armed forces which is an encrypted signal, restricted and used for strategic purposes. The accuracy of Restricted Service signal is much higher than SPS signal. Why IRNSS and why can’t we use USA’s GPS or other countries’ systems? GPS has inbuilt error in it. It cannot be used for launching/firing missiles. Legally forbidden for use during times of war. The IRNSS gives India the capability of having 24x7 reliable navigation signals, even up to 1500 KM outside India’s borders. This will help our armed forces to target missiles accurately. It will also help in “network-centric war”. The IRNSS is completely under the control of India. Towards the end of this year, ISRO is planning to launch the SAARC satellite. This is a communication satellite, which is a gift from India for all the South Asian nations. This will be helpful in communications during disasters; it will keep the Ministry of External Affairs and Foreign Affairs of the SAARC countries together; and it will also help in general communication, television broadcasting in all the SAARC countries. Last year ISRO launched ASTRO Sat, which is India’s first live astronomical laboratory-in-orbit (a telescope in space). It is fully functional now. In 2015, India also launched GSAT-6, which is a multimedia communication satellite with un-furl able antenna. This is used for two way communication of streaming data and video. In 2017, ISRO is planning to revisit the Moon by its Chandrayaan-II. Chandrayaan-I was an orbiting satellite which was launched in 2008. Chandrayaan-II will have an orbiter, a lander and a rover. The lander will land on the Moon and Indian flag will be placed on the Moon. The rover is like a small car which runs around the Moon’s surface and collect data. The Chandrayaan-II is going to be launched by GSLV which is under final stages of construction and testing. ISRO could name the satellites after living/most recent scientists, like USA, who contributed extremely well to the space research, so that there would be inspiration to young minds and awareness to common people. Till now, we have only two satellites named after famous personalities – KALPANA (named after Kalpana Chawla) and Aryabhatta.