Jan 19, 2016 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 19th January, 2016

Archives   IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 19th 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.   India Iran relations: India-Iran relations span centuries marked by meaningful interactions. The two countries shared a border till 1947 and share several common features in their language, culture and traditions. Both South Asia and the Persian Gulf have strong commercial, energy, cultural and people-to-people link. Why in news now? The economic sanctions imposed by US,EU and the UN on Iran due to its nuclear programme against the international norms has been lifted now following an IAEA’s compliance report with the terms of last years historic nuclear deal. It will be more an extended tightrope walk for Iran: Iran’s long march forward now will be more an extended tightrope walk — proved by US imposition of fresh sanctions over Iran’s missile programme, pertaining to the test-fire of a precision-guided ballistic missile capable of delivering a nuclear warhead in October 2015. Moreover, the US has only suspended its nuclear-related sanctions; it hasn’t terminated them. Non-nuclear economic sanctions imposed by the US remain in place, forbidding American citizens and firms from trading with Iran. As a result, foreign companies may still not feel confident about dealing with Tehran. What Iran expects to be doing now? Despite so many qualifiers, Iran is now back in the global market, ready to raise its production and export of oil, gain access to capital and investment, and utilise its own $100 billion of assets that are being unlocked. India Iran relations: An outlook Economic: India-Iran enjoys economic and commercial ties covering many sectors. However, the trade relations have traditionally been buoyed by Indian import of Iranian crude oil resulting in overall trade balance in favour of Iran. The India-Iran bilateral trade during the fiscal 2012-13 was USD 14.95 billion. India imported US$ 11.6 billion worth of goods manly crude oil and exported commodities worth US$ 3.35 billion. India’s export to Iran during the period April November 2013 stood at USD 3.21 billion. The unilateral economic sanctions imposed on Iran have had an adverse effect on the bilateral trade as the international banking channels have gradually become non-existent. India’s exports to Iran include petroleum products, rice, machinery & instruments, manufactures of metals, primary and semi finished iron & steel, drugs/pharmaceuticals & fine chemicals, processed minerals, manmade yarn & fabrics, tea, organic/inorganic/agro chemicals, rubber manufactured products, etc. Other developmental initiatives: India and Iran are in discussions for the setting up of a number of projects such as the IPI (Iran Pakistan India) gas pipeline project, a long term annual supply of 5 million tons of LNG, development of the Farsi oil and gas blocks, South Pars gas field and LNG project, Chahbahar container terminal project and Chahbahar-Zaranj railway project, etc. Both countries have set up joint ventures such as the Madras Fertilizer Company and the Chennai Refinery. Indian companies such as ESSAR, OVL, etc have a presence in Iran. The State Bank of India (SBI) has a representative office in Tehran. India is also a member of the International North-South Corridor project. The two countries are in the process of finalizing a Bilateral Investment Promotion & Protection Agreement (BIPPA) and a Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA).    Sanctions free Iran: How will it help India? India will have easy access to Iran’s crude oil again. India, the world's fourth largest oil importer, can look forward to the prospect of cheaper crude oil with the world's fifth largest producer returning to the world market. A decline in crude oil price is positive for the current account deficit as India imports about 80 per cent of its crude oil requirement. According to rating agency ICRA, every one dollar decline in international crude oil price reduces the import bill by about Rs 6,500 crore and the gross under-recoveries by Rs 800-900 crore. There lie the prospects of an overseas market that could well help Indian businesses counter sluggish domestic demand - from auto-components, machine tools, fertilisers, pharmaceuticals and capital goods equipment to commodities such as rice and tea, for both of which India was once a monopoly supplier. Way ahead: India should take the signal from the lifting of sanctions. A peaceful, stable Iran is vital for its interests, particularly for energy security and connectivity. India should get Iran on board, again. Connecting the dots: Critically examine the importance of Iran in order to promote energy security in India. Critically evaluate the role played by Iran in the geo politics of Middle East.   INTERNATIONAL   TOPIC: General studies 2: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India's interests. General studies 2: 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. Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment.   Building the International Solar Alliance The International Solar Alliance (ISA) is an exciting initiative marked by India’s pro-activeness and forward-looking leadership on climate change; launched on the first day of the COP21 climate negotiations in Paris, jointly with France with its domestic principles serving as a strong foundation. India has been on the forefront of working for the development of sustainable solutions as well as understanding the need for transition to a less carbon-intensive growth trajectory. With the resolutions undertaken and a consistent leap towards mainstreaming the technology, India is slated to be one of the largest markets for developing and deploying solar energy, with its domestic policy (to build 100 gigawatts) sending out clear signals to developers and financiers   Big to Bigger— ISA—An inter-governmental institution Aims of ISA Reducing financial risk across a larger global market, Encouraging cooperation on technology, Building capacity, Increasing energy access Let’s chart a roadmap for ISA Selection of a Director General (DG) with a secretariat: A dynamic DG can Draw attention to the alliance Build relationships with member states and other international institutions Interact with the media regularly Develop a strategic plan to grasp the potential that ISA holds   Creation of a core ISA Coordination Group: A dedicated inter-ministerial group needs to be deployed to- Distribute the workload Allocate funds Maintain contact with member states Prepare related documents. Issuing a White Paper on ISA Governance: ISA is an inclusive multilateral institution and therefore, it demands clarity on— Governance structure Decision making ways Role of contributions in Voting Rights Outlining alternative governance models Advancements of the needs of advanced and emerging economies and those of smaller member states as well as ways to balance them out Launching an ISA website: The website should feature- The ISA declaration, List of members and observers, Minutes of meetings, Proposed activities, A meeting calendar, Governance structure, Details of the studies being undertaken Briefs and Reports of the studies being carried out Outcomes of ISA activities Issuing monthly ISA briefings: A regular open channel for press briefings and monthly updates to all ISA member countries would build support and invite genuine deliberations over important matters. The ‘social marketing’ to spread awareness needs to be undertaken periodically as the more ISA is in the news, the more its activities and potential will get attention. Assessing all proposals through a "value-add" lens: There will come forth a plethora of ideas, for example— On what other institutions (private, public and inter-governmental) could do to shape ISA's agenda, such as- mobilising investments deploying projects in member countries ISA thus, needs to adopt an approach that would not just leverage its position in the world but also save its own time by avoiding any overlaps of activities and thus, a measured approach needs to be undertaken with a "value-add" perspective Time is ripe to kick-start bold initiatives: ISA will do well to launch one or two bold initiatives capturing the imagination of ISA members and triggers interest in pitching high by the innovators, project developers, bankers and other investors "Energy Storage Prize"- To promote cross-country research and development collaborations "Solar Rooftop Financing Initiative"- A financing challenge common to many countries Establishing Formal links with Private Sector platforms: ISA can distinguish itself by establishing strong links with the private stakeholders— By giving private sector consortia observer or associate member status, Encouraging them to design and implement ISA programmes, Building long-term relationships for targeted investments Announcing an ISA Summit and Expo: An annual or biennial summit and expo would draw further interest; wherein it can serve as a connector of dots between all the stakeholders and countries leading the initiative   Building an ISA headquarters in New Delhi: For the need of a Recognisable location, Strong branding and True identity 25 January: Prime Minister Modi and President Hollande of France will jointly lay the foundation stone of the ISA building Headquarters' design should convey ISA’s— Vision, Open and inclusive governance, Emphasis on practical solutions and scale, and Purpose of delivering clean energy access to millions   MUST READ In god and guns they trust Hindu   Death of a Dalit scholar Hindu   A Road To Bastar- New mobile towers, better roads are making a difference in a troubled region. Indian Express   Essential start-up lessons- Risk taking, experimentation and teamwork must also infect government machinery Indian Express Business Standard Live Mint Related Articles: http://iasbaba.com/2016/01/iasbabas-daily-current-affairs-18th-january-2016/ http://iasbaba.com/2015/12/startup-india-standup-india/   Yes, Delhi, it worked- The odd-even pilot reduced hourly particulate air pollution concentrations by 10-13 per cent. But for the longer run, a congestion-pricing programme may be better Indian Express Related Articles: Delhi’s traffic experiment – Will this reduce the Emission Levels? Clearing the Air: An alarming rise in pollution levels   Right track- Connecting the northeastern capitals by rail will produce enormous dividends. Indian Express   Reduction in interest burden could possibly prevent more companies heading towards bankruptcy- The ‘tight fiscal, easy monetary’ policy mix can better address problems that plague private investment. Indian Express Related Articles: Dealing with Failure: Bankruptcy Code   Debt recovery tribunals: More pain than gains for banks- Experts suggest that the law should be strengthened to ensure mandatory time bound disposal of cases Business Standard MIND MAPS   1. Direct Democracy Livemint   2. Drawbacks of Judicial encroachment - Religious Matters The Hindu

Jan 18, 2016 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 18th January, 2016

ArchivesIASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 18th January, 2016 NATIONAL TOPIC:General studies 2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.  Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector or Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources. General studies 3: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment.  Inclusive growth and issues arising from it. Start Up India Stand Up India SchemeRecently the government came up with the much awaited ‘Start Up India, Stand Up India’ scheme to promote entrepreneurship and encourage start up’s among the Indian masses.Why need this scheme? The economy of any country depends on its countrymen. Larger the number of employed or working people, better be the economy. The Indian government realized that Indian people have the potential to work hardly, all they need is, a promising start up. Many people dream of starting up their own business, but due to financial or other similar issues are unable to do so. So, Indian government decided to offer a gift as a nation wise program“ Start Up India”.Start Up India Scheme – From Job Seekers to Job Creators: “Start Up India” is a revolutionary scheme that has been started to help the people who wish to start their own business. These people have ideas and capability, so the government will give them support to make sure they can implement their ideas and grow. Success of this scheme will eventually make India, a better economy and a strong nation.Start Up India Stand Up India Scheme – Action Plan in Detail E-registration will be done A self certification system will be launched A dedicated web portal and mobile app will be developed Arrangement of self certificate based complaints No inspection during the first 3 years 80 percent reduction in the application fee of start up patent Easy exit policy Inclusion of Credit Guarantee Fund Relaxation in Income Tax for first three year Special Arrangement for Female applicants Introduction of Atal Innovation Mission. Innovation courses will be started for the students.Criteria for start up’s to get government incentives under start up India action plan The firm incorporated should be less than five years old Annual Revenue of less than Rs 25 crore Needs to get approval from inter-ministerial board to be eligible for tax benefits Get recommendation from an Incubator recognised by government, domestic venture fund or have an Indian patentSome criticisms the scheme faces: Government's restrictive definition of a start-up - "driven by technology or intellectual property" Only those companies which satisfy the above definition will be termed as start up and access to enabling environment is made possible. In addition, to be eligible for schemes, start-ups will have to show that their innovation has "significantly improved" existing processes.Oddly, there is no self-certification as to whether the "improvement" is "significant" - allowing the bureaucrat to once again insert himself into the process.It is thus possible that discretion to a start-up ecosystem - may have been built into the scheme from the outset. It is unexplainable why benefits from any such scheme should not be extended to all start-ups depending on criteria that are transparently laid down and objective. The government cannot target or identify innovation; only the market can. The government should focus on creating conditions for innovation. Innovation and investments go hand in hand, but not enough was done by the government for the latter.However not much was done for the latter as there was no encouragement for investors. Some probing questions have also been asked about the use of tax incentives for start-ups. Exemption from income tax, of course, will only be available to those vetted by an inter-ministerial panel. This clause has been targeted by certain economists who argue that tax to GDP ratio will further reduce in India.Way ahead: Overall, while the intent is praiseworthy and there are many laudable ideas in the policy, much in the fine print needs attention if its goal is to be realised. Hopefully, the government will be quick in making any needed changes and in overseeing Start-up India's implementation.Connecting the dots: Critically examine the need for innovation in India along with the measures taken by government to promote innovation. Innovation and investments go hand in hand, but not enough has been done by the government for the latter.Critically examine the above statement wrt the recently launched start up India scheme.NATIONALTOPIC: General studies 2: Separation of powers between various organs dispute redressal mechanisms and institutions.  Statutory, regulatory and various quasi-judicial bodies. Discords emanating from the “Principles of Natural Justice”Between the Competition Commission of India (CCI) and the Competition Appellate Tribunal (Compat)—Background Story:CCI- Imposed an aggregate penalty of around Rs 6,300 crore on 11 cement companies for cartelisationCement companies- Challenged this decision before Compat Argued that their oral arguments haven’t been heard and is thus, wrong to sign the penalty order without hearing their side of the storyCompat- Post three years of deliberations and arguments has upheld the challenge on the ground of breach of "natural justice" and has thus, remanded the matter back to CCICCI- Needs to re-hear the cartelisation complaint (originally filed in 2011) Hints towards Compat’s wide interpretation of "natural justice" may not be under the prerogative of the regulator i.e., strict application of judicial rules to a regulatory setting may not always be suitableCompetition Act, 2002— Devises a scheme where the decision-makers of CCI, its "members" meet in "meetings" rather than in "benches" while exercising their quasi-judicial function of enforcing the Act. Section 22 of the Act: Provides that the business of CCI shall be conducted at "meetings", with a quorum of three members, where a decision shall be taken by a majority vote of the members present and voting When the chairperson is unable to attend such a meeting, the senior-most "member" shall preside over itConsensus Model of decision-making at work "technically" blessed by the Supreme Court of India when it declined a constitutional challenge to the Act in Brahm Dutt vs Union of India (2005)The absurdity of presumptions—Presumptions like that of common law concepts like "natural justice" being self-explanatory to bureaucratic enforcement agencies and regulators(Qn— Is bureaucracy master of the trade or any one subject per se?)Therefore, India's routinely ill-drafted regulatory statutes (under which the economic regulators function) are to be blamed and concerns raised by the ex-chairman should be taken as a call for a larger review of the Competition Act from a regulatory governance perspective. Why do we need better legislative drafting?Let us explain with the help of an example from the Competition Act Section 36(1) of the Act merely states— In the discharge of its functions, CCI shall be guided by the "principles of natural justice"Forgotten/Ignored defining the term "natural justice"- Left for the CCI to interpretSection 36(2)- Gives CCI powers of a civil court while trying a suit in matters like: Summoning and enforcing attendance of any person, Requiring discovery and production of documents, Receiving evidence on affidavit etc.However, no clear detailed procedure for imposition of penalty by CCI has been laid down in the Act or in its schedules.Let us draw a comparison with the UK laws—Section 112 of the UK Enterprise Act, 2002: Deals with the procedure to be followed by the UK's Competition and Market Authority (CMA) while imposing penaltiesZero-usage of vague phrases like "natural justice" and concentrates instead upon laying down the exact procedure of imposing penalties in plain EnglishFor example: CMA has to Give notice as soon as possible; (ASAP) The contents of the notice are clearly laid down in the legislation itself; The procedure of serving the notice is also stated Section 90 and Schedule 10 of the Enterprise Act provides the procedure for passing certain enforcement orders Paragraph 2 of Schedule 10 requires CMA to give notice to a person and hear his representations before a ruling is made (with content of the notice and the process for serving such notice- remember!)Take-away’s: UK legislative drafting style is primarily principles-based drafting with their statutes often requiring enforcement agencies to comply with detailed procedures rather than vague common law notions like "natural justice" The very concept of "natural justice" is hardwired into the procedures in the schedules with great clarity and simplicity implying that the bureaucratic agencies need to just follow the procedures and automatically adhere to the principles of natural justice, without having to know or interpret what "natural justice" may meanIASbaba’s Views India needs to adopt comprehensive content-oriented and properly drafted lists of laws and regulations containing within it the principles of “natural justice” as a foundation The need adopts an urgent intervention within a liberal market economy as economic laws are meant to and should facilitate smoother transactions without having to always resort to courts and judges Drafting Laws for the non-lawyers— Simplicity and clarity should be maintained while drafting laws for the non-lawyers (bureaucrats, regulators and entrepreneurs) Jargons; Latin maxims and legal phrases should be avoided completely Best practices need to be studied and carefully implemented in statutory drafting for all future laws Existing laws be reviewed to improve clarity to avoid unnecessary problems as the CCI-Compat discord has revealedSome advances made which should be followed henceforth— Indian Financial Code, 2015: Drafted by the Financial Sector Legislative Reforms Commission Insolvency and Bankruptcy Bill, 2015: Drafted by the Bankruptcy Law Reforms CommitteeMUST READMaking the brain transparent - Life Sciences Breakthrough Prize for 2016, Prof. Karl Deisseroth- optogeneticsHinduFreedoms only for the outragedHinduTurkey’s failed double gameHinduAfter playing odds and evens- The challenge is sustainable improvement, so that no special effort is needed in futureIndian ExpressWhat needs to be done to upgrade to BS-VI?A harvest-time gift- New crop insurance scheme is welcome. Its litmus test: Whether crop-damage assessment can be done within two weeks of the extreme weather event and compensation paid a week after thatIndian ExpressInsuring a risky venture called agricultureRedefining education- Make it creative, encourage risk-taking and expand the idea of successIndian ExpressReduction in interest burden could possibly prevent more companies heading towards bankruptcy- The ‘tight fiscal, easy monetary’ policy mix can better address problems that plague private investment.Indian ExpressDecoding emission norms- Oil marketing companies will have to spend Rs 28,000 crore to upgrade to meet BS-VI norms. Business Standard explains the refining process and what will changeBusiness StandardWhat needs to be done to upgrade to BS-VI?Testing direct democracy- The notion of direct democracy is being challenged—not in the name of liberalism, but of technocratic efficiencyLive Mint

Jan 18, 2016 PIB

IASbaba Press Information Bureau (PIB)- 11th Jan to 17th Jan 2016

ARCHIVES   GS-1  “Must-See Monuments and Archaeological Sites of India” (Topic: Indian Heritage and Culture) Portal Developed by- Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) for the “Must-see Monuments and Archaeological Sites of India” Aim: To highlight outstanding monuments and sites in India, comprising world heritage properties, sites under UNESCO’s Tentative List, ASI’s ticketed and other non-ticketed prominent monuments About the Portal- Hundred monuments have been identified for this purpose Sites selected on the basis of their- Exceptional art and architecture, Planning and design, Displaying exemplary engineering skills and being a unique testimony to the civilization in the past Portal carries brief history regarding each monument and information such as- Connectivity and access, Weather conditions, Timings of opening and closing, Facilitates 360 Degree/panoramic views (in collaboration with Google) and other Must-See monuments in the vicinity Information for the portal including photographs has been collected from various field offices Portal work is in progress and it is expected to launch it within a month   GS-2 E-enabled Track Management System (TMS) & its Mobile Application (Topic: Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability, e-governance-applications, models, successes, limitations, and potential; citizens, transparency and accountability and institutional and other measures) E-enablement of Track Management System (TMS) Important milestone in promoting e-working in civil engineering department of Indian Railways Various activities of Track Inspection, Monitoring and Maintenance have come on IT platform with its implementation System designed for decentralized data capturing, speedy information dissemination along with centralized data keeping and analysis Provides alerts in the form of SMS and E-mails to all concerned, right from Jr. Engineer in field up to the Railway Board TMS Mobile Application Helps to view certain important exception reports Useful for senior management and for officials on the move Track Store Inventory Management Application covers all the track inventory holding units in the country numbering more than three thousand Enable optimization & balancing of inventory and speedy disposal of scrap and thereby increasing earnings from this source Contribution- Improvement in system efficiency Intangible benefits to the humanity in the form of environment protection by reduction of carbon footprint which is a global cause of concern at present System is a great Digital India initiative of Indian Railways is an excellent example of e-governance System will contribute significantly to planet earth by removing more than 1.0 lakh registers related to track maintenance Result in saving of close to 500 trees a year   New Crop Insurance Scheme – Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (Topic: Government Schemes and Policies) Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved the ‘Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana’ - a path breaking scheme for farmers’ welfare Highlights of scheme- New Crop Insurance Scheme is in line with One Nation – One Scheme theme Uniform premium to be paid by farmers for- Kharif Crops- 2% Rabi Crops- 1.5% Annual commercial and horticultural crops- 5% Premium rates to be paid by farmers are very low and balance premium will be paid by the Government to provide full insured amount to the farmers against crop loss on account of natural calamities There is no upper limit on Government subsidy. Even if balance premium is 90%, it will be borne by the Government   Changes Made- Earlier, there was a provision of capping the premium rate which resulted in low claims being paid to farmers. Capping was done to limit Government out go on the premium subsidy Capping has now been removed and farmers will get claim against full sum insured without any reduction Use of Technology-  Use of technology encouraged to a great extent Smart phones used to capture and upload data of crop cutting to reduce the delays in claim payment to farmers Remote sensing will be used to reduce the number of crop cutting experiments   MoU between India and Maldives for Health  (Topic: India and its International Relations, Agreement etc) MoU’s covers the following areas of cooperation-  Exchange & training of medical doctors, officials, other health professionals and experts; Assistance in development of human resources and setting up of health care facilities; Medical and health research development; Management of healthcare sector and public health services; Procurement of generic and essential drugs and assistance in sourcing of drug supplies; Health promotion and disease prevention; Traditional and; complementary Medicine Telemedicine; and Any other area of cooperation as may be mutually decided upon Help- Facilitate greater cooperation between the two countries, especially for assisting Maldives for development of human resources and facilities for healthcare Enhanced cooperation in the field of health will foster great friendship and relations between the two countries   “Matdaata Mahotsav” (Topic: Election Commission) Organised by-Election Commission of India (ECI) from 14th to 17th of January, 2016 ahead of the 6th National Voters’ Day on the 25th of January, 2016 Aim- Involving voters and citizens from all walks of life specifically women, youth, defence personnel, non-resident Indians, persons with disabilities, and those from marginalised sections for enhanced sense of inclusion, greater awareness about the electoral process Strengthening SVEEP (Systematic Voters’ Education & Electoral Participation) programme Mahotsav would encourage ideas and suggestions for greater and qualitative participation in elections while graffiti, music, dance, theatre and poetry will provide a platform for expression and celebration Games and quizzes will give opportunities to one and all to engage in the frolic Some off-venue but simultaneous events especially on Army Day and Youth Day, themed on electoral participation, will help reach out to masses in greater and effective ways National exhibition- Displaying the good practices on various aspects of election management and also describe the process of elections through interactive models, presentations and exhibits from different parts of the country Information and facilitation centres, mock polling station and a range of interactive activities. Multitude of activities like debates and discussions, music and dance, street plays and games, quizzes and contests during the event aim to keep up the spirit of festivity Exhibitions would provide a glimpse into best practices in various dimensions of election management- electoral roll, IT and technology, security, mobilisation of personnel and resources, voters’ education, election material, expenditure monitoring and many more innovations by States/ UTs in India through interactive models, three dimensional structures, digital presentations, display of publications and election material, mock set-ups, activities and role-play, graphics and films The complete electoral process from registration to voting will help visitors to experience and understand their duty and right of adult franchise better Election Commission of India will felicitate the nominated State Icons who have made valuable contribution towards voter education and awareness   M/O Tourism launches new skill initiatives for youths on “National Youth Day” to mark Birth Anniversary of Swami Vivekanand  (Topic: Government Initiatives and Policies) Launched by- Ministry of Tourism Occasion of- “National Youth Day” to mark the Birth Anniversary of Swami Vivekanand Aim-To improve the sectoral service standards, which is one of the pre-requisites for attracting tourists in larger numbers A SENSITIZATION PROGRAMME FOR THE EXISTING SERVICE PROVIDERS AT VARANASI Target- Boatmen, Rickshaw pullers, Pandas, Porters, Shopkeepers & Street Vendors ( in and around Ghats and temples) About Programme- Course duration: 4 days The trainees will be compensated for the wage loss Programme implemented by: The Indian Institute of Tourism & Travel Management Objectives of the programme- To eventually achieve an improved tourist specific service ambience and to further the Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan A PROGRAMME TO GROOM YOUNG PERSONS INTERESTED IN HOME DELIVERY SERVICE AS AN OCCUPATION Target- Persons who are at least matriculates and in the age group of 18-28 years About the Programme- Course duration: 6 Days Programme Implemented by- The Indian Institute of Tourism & Travel Management, Institutes of Hotel Management & Food Craft Institutes Objective- Prepare the trainees to deliver food at home with skill, style and civility A PROGRAMME OF TRAINING TO BRING UP “PARYATAK MITRA” Target- College-going students including those enrolled with the NCC& NSS, in the age group of 18-28 years About Programme- Course duration- 10 Days Programme Implemented by: The Indian Institute of Tourism & Travel Management, first at destinations identified under the PRASAD scheme of the Ministry of Tourism Objective- Attempt to inculcate appropriate tourism traits and knowledge among the trainees to enable them to act / work as Tourist Facilitators (Paryatak Mitra) A TRAINING PROGRAMME TO BRING UP TOURIST FACILITATORS IN THE NORTH EAST Target-10+2 pass-outs in the age group of 18-28 years About Programme- Course Duration-30 Days Programme Implemented by: The Indian Institute of Tourism & Travel Management Objective- The programme limited to the North East, will be to achieve better tourist satisfaction in terms of availability of skilled tourist facilitators   GS-3   Road Safety Week (Topic: Infrastructure- Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways etc) Organised by- Ministry of Road Transport & Highways Road Safety Week Held From: 11th January 2016 throughout the country Participants- Various stakeholders+ Different departments of State Governments+ Traffic Police+ Vehicle manufacturers+ Transporters’ Association+ PSUs+ Corporate Aim- To create awareness among general public to improve the safety on road To give an opportunity to all stakeholders to contribute to the cause of road safety Awareness about various causes of road accidents and measures to prevent them Program Highlight- Organizing various activities with School, College students, drivers and all other road users Activities include display of banners, road signage and pamphlets related to road safety The Ministry has also organized a ‘Walkathon’ from India Gate on 11th January, 2016 in association with Delhi Police and Society for Indian Automobile Manufactures (SIAM) Government Steps– Implementation of National Road Safety Policy by improving Engineering of roads, Improving enforcement, Improving emergency care and taking up awareness campaigns for citizens   Indian Navy to present a guideline document on Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) during Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) in Bangladesh   (Topic:  Disaster and Security challenges and their management in border areas; linkages of organised crime with terrorism) Chief of the Naval Staff is on an official visit to Bangladesh from 10 to 14 Jan 16 to attend the 5th Edition of Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) Indian Navy presenting a guideline document on Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) Theme of the Seminar this year: ‘Fostering Partnership in IOR: Charting course for Maritime Cooperative Engagement’ Aim of Document - To provide guidelines for developing a speedy + responsive+ coordinated + effective HADR for IONS members whenever required CNS is calling on political + military counterparts from Bangladesh and IONS members/observers to further cement bilateral relations IONS-  Launched in Feb 08 to capitalise upon regional strengths of IOR littorals; is the 21st century‘s first significant International maritime-security initiative Members: 35 littoral states in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) grouped into four sub-regions (South Asian, West Asian, East African and South East Asian littorals including Australia) IONS Chairmanship is rotated sequentially through each of the four sub-regions (to ensure that challenges of each region receive due emphasis) Bangladesh Navy is conducting the IONS-2016 from 10-14 Jan 2016 at Dhaka and would be taking over the Chair of IONS from Australia for the term 2016 -2018 IONS Chair held by- India - 2008 to 2010 UAE - 2010 to 2012 South Africa- 2012 to 2014 Current Chair – Australia IONS Aim- To provide a regional forum through which the Chiefs-of-Navy (or equivalent maritime agency) of all the littoral states of the IOR periodically meet to constructively engage each other through- Creation and Promotion of regionally relevant mechanisms, events, and activities   National Industry Conclave on Skills (Topic: Effects of Liberalisation on the Economy, Changes in industrial policy and their effects on Industrial Growth)   Organised by- Union Government, held on the occasion of the 153rd Birth Anniversary of Swami Vivekananda Participants- Ministries and Corporate, Industry Leaders from Corporate like- Tata, TCS, Reliance Communication, etc. Aim- Ensuring that the industry joins the Skill India Mission in a big way Meeting of industry leaders who are the stakeholders in the skill ecosystem, to conceive and partner towards realising the vision of Skill India Conclave will bring together Industry captains and professionals from across Industries onto one platform to deliberate on important issues related to Skill Development in India Platform to bring about synergies and convergence across all and contribute collectively to the success of Skill India Topics discussed- Public Private Partnership in Skill Development, Skill imperative for industrial growth, Improving Livelihood of Rural India through Skill India  

Jan 18, 2016 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

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

P.S: Sorry the Current Affairs could not be published on Saturday 16th Jan, 2015 as we were busy with the Workshop. Thank you for your patience and support.ArchivesIASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 16th January, 2016  ECONOMICS   TOPIC: General studies 3: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment. Inclusive growth and issues arising from it. India’s investment anaemia 12th five year plan (2012-17) envisaged a target of around one trillion dollars to enable a growth rate of around 8%. The new government which was formed in 2014, focussed much more on investment led growth. Sadly, investment has not grown. More disturbing, several obstacles blocking the investment revival remain in place. Domestic resource mobilization: Private-sector fixed-capital investment, as a share of gross domestic product, peaked at 33.6% in 2011-12 and has since trended down to the current low of 28.7% in 2014-15. Performance at state level: The above weakness in capital formation is a nationwide phenomenon, with all major states registering a decline in ongoing projects over the period between 2011-12 to 2014-15. Maharashtra and Karnataka, for example, both experienced a cumulative decline of about 15% in projects; the declines in Gujarat and Tamil Nadu were sharper, at more than 20%. Underperformance of manufacturing sector: As for ‘Make in India’, the reality is that capacity creation in manufacturing has suffered a cumulative decline of 35% from its peak in 2011. The cumulative decline in services, at 13%, looks moderate in comparison. Factors that are holding back investments: Failure of major reforms like land acquisition etc: Given parliamentary gridlock, the prospect of pushing through tough reforms appears bleak. As a result, the central government has preferred simply to delegate some of the task to states. As a part of 14th finance commission recommendations, centre devolved around 42% of net tax proceeds to state governments. But while there are several benefits to be derived from strengthening India’s fiscal federalism, an important downside is that it signals a dilution of the central government’s ambition at the state level. Continuing financial problems of Indian banks and of many large corporations. Despite significant action by the present government—for example, in auctioning coal licences—corporations and banks exposed to the mining and infrastructure sectors still have stressed balance sheets. In fact, the problem is broader. According to a recent report by Credit Suisse, 17% of Indian bank loans are stressed, a significant share of which may not be repaid. Just as the process of land acquisition needs major reform, bankruptcy reform will be essential to place the corporate and financial sectors on a sound footing. Real cost of borrowing is high in India Despite the Reserve Bank of India (RBI)’s success in taming inflation—with help from falling commodity prices—nominal interest rates have not fallen in line. In terms of the Consumer Price Index (CPI), the real cost of borrowing (cash credit) from public sector banks rose from 0.75% in the first quarter of 2012 to 5.24% in the third quarter of 2015. This increase is larger when measured using wholesale manufacturing inflation. As a consequence of stressed balanced sheets, and anxious to rebuild their strength, banks are reluctant to pass through to their customers the RBI’s recent rate cuts. External factors External conditions will also hold down investment in 2016. The US economy has recovered, but the Chinese motor has slowed markedly, and growth in Japan and much of Europe remains sluggish. That inevitably means fewer incentives in India to invest in export-oriented sectors. Way ahead: However, whatever the state of the global economy, the bottom line is that India cannot attain its potential without a strong revival in investment. If the economy is to achieve the double-digit growth rates that China once boasted, India will need to build much more production capacity and infrastructure. Connecting the dots: Critically examine the various mechanisms available in India for domestic resource mobilization. Critically analyse the importance foreign investment in promoting GDP and economic growth in India.INTERNATIONAL TOPIC: General studies 2: India and its neighborhood- relations.  Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests.  Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests, Indian diaspora. Important International institutions, agencies and fora- their structure, mandate.   BRICS— Performance Report In 2003—Goldman Sachs Report: Forecasted that the four Brics economies; namely Brazil, Russia, India and China - would drive global growth for the next half century and that their combined GDP would exceed that of the G6 (the six largest economies of the time, led by the US) in less than 40 years Though these four BRICS economies were very different in key respects (like resource endowment and per capita income); all of them were relatively large (among top 12 in GDP) and populous (top nine) countries with large geographies (top seven) A key forecast had been that Brics taken together would equal half the GDP of the G6 by 2025 and it reached the desired number in double-quick time By 2014: The combined Brics GDP, at $16.6 trillion, was 49.1 per cent of the G6 total of $33.8 trillion— The comparison holding much importance as in 2003 the ratio had been just 15 per cent And India— Forecast: India’s GDP would become bigger than Italy’s (the smallest of the G6) in 2015 Reality: The International Monetary Fund's forecast for 2015 put India’s GDP at $2.18 trillion, ahead of Italy’s $1.82 trillion Let’s talk about China— Brics Report: Had forecasted that Chinese GDP would match that of the US by 2040, helped along by currency appreciation Yuan Devaluation: Economy is slowing down and there are serious structural issues confronting its economy To match up to USA—China needs to sustains 5 per cent annual growth sustainably Relative Performance— With China being strong—both Brazil and Russia who were, until now, ahead of India have seemed to lose a bit of ground with the commodity cycle swinging sharply down Russia’s GDP (according to IMF) will shrink to $1.24 trillion in 2015, down sharply from $2.08 trillion in 2013, while Brazil’s GDP will have shrunk to $1.8 trillion from $2.39 trillion in 2013 Currently, despite all the odds India is still walking on the GDP rope and is very much likely to do so in future if a robust economic roadmap be drawn and priorities in hindsight set right. With two of the four Brics members- not likely to be among the largest contributors to world growth in the foreseeable future, and with China and India being the largest and third largest contributors to global economic growth, there is a need to evaluate if both, India and China, can sail through the troubled BRICS-Water— with each other. Facts Headquarter: Shanghai, China Members: Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa Voting Power: Equal Voting Power Broad Purpose: To extend loans for infrastructure and sustainable development projects To help other countries during Balance of Payment (BoP) Crisis Keep ready “patient money” to BRICS nations (RaghuramRajan-RBI Governor) MUST READ   India- Israel: Driven by technology Indian Express 1 Indian Express 2 Religious quagmires- Can elements of a secular morality be enforced in ways that don’t reinforce a sense of state arbitrariness? Indian Express   For the farmer- The new crop insurance scheme may entail a cost that’s worth paying. Indian Express The irony in the start-up world- Global start-ups look at India, while Indian start-ups look outward Live Mint MIND MAPS  1. Maoist Insurgency The Hindu 2. S&T and Economy  Indian Express

Jan 15, 2016 RSTV Video

The Big Picture- Future of Indian Education

Archives    

Jan 15, 2016 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

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

ArchivesIASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 15th January, 2016 INTERNATIONALTOPIC: General studies 2: India and its neighborhood- relations. Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India's interests. Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India's interests, Indian diaspora. Important International institutions, agencies and fora- their structure, mandate.Storm on the South China SeaThe Asia-Pacific region witnessed intense diplomatic upheavals over the South China Sea issue last year and it continues this year as well.South China Sea Geography: Geographically, the South China Sea plays a significant role in the geopolitics of the Indo-Pacific. The South China Sea is bordered by China, Malaysia, Brunei, Singapore, Vietnam, the Philippines and Taiwan. Their significant economic growth over the last 20 years, as well as activity in other Asian economies including Japan and South Korea, has contributed to a large portion of the world’s commercial merchant shipping passing through these waters, from which it continues on through the Malacca, Sunda and Lombak Straits. The major island and reef formations in the South China Sea are the Spratly Islands, Paracel Islands, Pratas Islands, Natuna Islands and the Scarborough Reef.Territorial disputes: The defining characteristic of the South China Sea and a significant source of tensions in the region are the competing legal claims of territorial sovereignty over its islands. Legal and territorial disputes persist, primarily over the Spratly and Paracel Islands as well as the Scarborough Shoal. Spratlys, have been reportedly occupied by claimants, which consist of Taiwan, Vietnam, the Philippines, China and Malaysia. The Paracel Islands are the subject of overlapping claims from China, Vietnam and Taiwan. Another major dispute is over the Scarborough Shoal, which is claimed by China, the Philippines and Taiwan.China’s claim in the region: China makes the largest claim in the South China Sea, and bases it on the ‘nine-dash line’ map that was published by the Chinese Ministry of the Interior in 1947. The map served as the basis for the Declaration on China’s Territorial Sea, which was made by the Chinese Government in 1958 and laid territorial claim to a majority of the islands in the South China Sea. Additionally, in 2009 China submitted a diplomatic note to the United Nations Secretary-General, asserting its sovereignty over islands in the South China Sea which was presented with a map of the ‘nine-dash line’. The legality of the nine-dash line map, which China charges is based on historical evidence, is disputed by other South China Sea territorial claimants and under the UNCLOS Treaty.A case of UNCLOS treaty: The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), is an international agreement which defines the rights and responsibilities of nations with respect to their use of the world's oceans, establishing guidelines for businesses, the environment, and the management of marine natural resources.If china claims rights over islands in South China Sea based on historic reasons, other countries claim rights as per UNCLOS. The disputed islands fall in the exclusive economic zone of the claimants.Why does China want to control the South China Sea? Control of the South China Sea would allow China to dominate a major trade route through which most of its imported oil flows. It would also allow China to disrupt, or threaten to disrupt, trade shipments to all countries in East and Southeast Asia — as well as deny access to foreign military forces, particularly the United States. The floor of the South China Sea may contain massive oil and natural gas reserves. Sovereignty over the region could give China a level of energy security and independence far beyond what it currently possesses.What is the issue now? Island building in the South China Sea, and construction on existing islands, has been going on for decades, primarily by Vietnam and the Philippines, which have claimed 21 and eight islands, respectively. Vietnam, Taiwan and the Philippines have all stationed military forces on at least some of their islands, but Vietnam, in accordance with UNCLOS regulation, has not put troops on what it calls “floating islands” — those constructed on submerged sandbars, reefs and other land masses. China has reportedly constructed more new island surface than all other nations have constructed throughout history. It might use some of these artificial islands for military purposes by building airstrips and long-range radar systems.What is the U.S. response to the dispute? The United States had virtually no response to previous building by Southeast Asian countries in the South China Sea, but has vigorously opposed China’s efforts. The U.S. Navy has operated continuously in the region since World War Two. The United States has used its aircraft and naval vessels to assert freedom of navigation in the region. Beyond freedom of navigation missions, the United States is focused on strengthening regional allies. To do so, it has helped boost its allies’ intelligence gathering and surveillance capabilities, and provide them with updated military hardware to counter China’s technical advantages in both quantity and quality.  Japan, in close coordination with the United States, is to supply military hardware to the Philippines and Vietnam.Way ahead: Increasing presence of USA in South China Sea is escalating the dispute. International organisations should pressurise china for a dialogue on the issue and try to find peace in South China Sea.Connecting the dots: Critically examine the impact of South China Sea dispute on India’s aspirations of being a regional super power in South Asia. Explain the South China Sea dispute and its impact on maintaining world peace and order.NATIONALTOPIC: General studies 1: Role of women and women’s organization, women related issues, Social empowerment General studies 2: Mechanisms, laws, institutions and Bodies constituted for the protection and betterment of these vulnerable sections. Gender Justice in Religious institutions: Case against Customary Exclusion“Unless you [i.e. the governing board of the shrine] have a constitutional right to prohibit women entry, you cannot prevent them from worshipping at the shrine”Shrine: Sabarimala shrine in KeralaCase: Whether women can be barred entry to the Sabarimala shrine in KeralaIn Question: Relationship between freedom of religion, equality, individual rights, and the extent to which the court can interfere in the management of religious institutionsLet us examine them one by one:Religious freedom clauses: Articles 25 and 26 Article 25(1) guarantees to all persons the right to freely profess, practise, and propagate their religion Right to worship does not extend to worshipping in any and every place Access to places having a “particular significance for [a particular] religion” is constitutionally protected Enforceable against the state, and not against other individuals, or corporate bodies Article 26(b) grants to religious denominations the right to manage their own affairs in the matter of religion Entry of State: Article 25(2) allows state intervention in religious practice, if it is for the purpose of “social welfare or reform or the throwing open of Hindu religious institutions of a public character to all classes and sections of Hindus”A scene in the Constituent Assembly—B.R. Ambedkar- supported, among others, by Rajkumari Amrit Kaur: Expressed specific concerns about the plight of women under religious law— and endorsed giving wide, interventionist powers to the state on the ground of the deep and pervasive role that religion played in the lives of IndiansSupreme Court: Has attempted to restrict the scope of the religious protection clause to “essential practices of a religion” Holds the view that the state cannot use the reform clause to “reform a religion out of existence”, it has nonetheless held that aspects beyond essential practices have no protection from state interventionSabarimala governing board’s Argument—Prohibition of women is justified by “custom” and cites Kerala Hindu Places of Public Worship (Authorisation of Entry) Rules, 1965, which permit prohibiting women from accessing places of worship where “custom” or “usage” requires itAnd the Court replies—Burden upon the board will not merely be to establish the existence of a custom, but also that the custom is “essential” to the practice of the religionThe State and the Shrine Since the right to freedom of religion under Article 25(1) is enforceable against the state, and not against other individuals, or corporate bodies the question that the court must answer therefore is whether the Travancore Devaswom Board, which controls access to the shrine, can be equated to the “state” Earlier, the Kerala High Court already appears to have held that it can and previously, the Supreme Court has held that corporate bodies that are “functionally, financially and administratively” under the control of the state can be equated to the state for the purposes of fundamental rightsCase against Travancore Devaswom Board It is an autonomous body and while its members are appointed by the State legislature, it derives its main income from the administration of the temple Therefore, it might be difficult to argue that the board is functionally or financially under the control of the state And if the board cannot be equated with the state, then the constitutional right under Article 25(1) is not enforceable against itProbable ConsequencesFailure of the Board: If it cannot show that prohibiting women from entry is an essential religious practice, then it can no longer claim absolute immunity under Article 26(b)And if the Board wins: The women worshippers can argue that prohibiting them from access violates their constitutional right to freedom of religion and right to worship under Article 25(1) Can attempt to demonstrate that the Sabarimala shrine has special and unique religious significance and thus, their Article 25(1) right to worship would stand established Supreme Court: If one private party obstructs another private party from exercising her constitutional right, then it is the duty of the state to effectuate her right by restraining the former from continuing with its obstruction Therefore, the women worshippers may ask the court to direct the state to take all necessary steps to guarantee that they are allowed to access and worship at the Sabarimala shrine.Re-course by the SC— Kerala Hindu Places of Worship Rules speaks about “customs” and “usages” The Supreme Court has held that while personal law is exempt from the application of the Constitution, mere ‘custom’ is not It might therefore simply strike down the offending rule on the ground that it discriminates on grounds of gender, and therefore violates the ConstitutionThus, there is a need for the courts to craft a solution that advances the constitutional guarantee of equality, non-discrimination and freedom of religion, while remaining cognisant of the fact that the Constitution also guarantees the right of religious sects and denominations to self-governance.Connecting the Dots: Is there a need to limit the definition of religion? Substantiate your opinion Will the knock of gender justice on the doors of religious institutions and judicial landscape be heard and responded to? DiscussRelated Articles:THE POWER OF PARITY: ADVANCING WOMEN’S EQUALITY IN INDIAMUST READTech tonic for the heart of IndiaHinduStagflation risk aheadHindu Return of terror in IndonesiaHinduIndian engineers, scientists in U.S. nearing one millionHinduPakistan’s polio plan needs global supportHinduRelated Articles:Is India actually free of polio?Startup shakeup- None of the e-commerce startups in India has yet made money. And with no entry barriers, e-commerce has seen several stampedes.Business StandardBankruptcy law: key to tackling the burgeoning NPA issue- Reforms in bankruptcy laws can play a crucial role in economic growth and financial stabilityLive MintRelated Articles:Dealing with Failure: Bankruptcy Code Focus offline to make it big online: World Bank report- The takeaway from World Bank’s World Development Report is that there is no short cut for developing countries if they want to reap digital dividendsLive MintThe return of public investment- It’s time to reconsider economic wisdom that prioritizes private markets at the expense of the public sectorLive MintMIND MAPS1. Defence Procurement ProcedureThe Hindu2. Agriculture Sector Indian Express

Jan 14, 2016 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

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

ArchivesIASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 14th 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. 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.General studies 3: Major crops cropping patterns in various parts of the country, different types of irrigation and irrigation systems storage, transport and marketing of agricultural produce and issues and related constraints; e-technology in the aid of farmers.Insuring a risky venture called agriculture In a bid to provide a social security net to millions of farmers across the country, reeling under the impact of consecutive droughts, the Union Cabinet has approved a new crop insurance scheme called Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (Prime Minister’s Crop Insurance Scheme).What is the scheme all about? The scheme provides agricultural insurance for crops against crop loss and failure. It will charge a uniform premium of two per cent of the sum insured from farmers for all kharif crops and 1.5 per cent for rabi crops. For horticulture crops, the annual premium will be five per cent of the sum insured. The balance premium would be paid by the government to the insurance companies. This would be shared equally by the Centre and state governments.Comparing with earlier agriculture insurance schemes:Advantages of the new scheme: The scheme has the lowest premium, it entails easy usage of technology like mobile phone, quick assessment of damage and disbursement within a time-frame. For the Centre, there would be no upper limit on the subsidy and even if the balance premium is 90 per cent, it would provide for the same. This also means if a state government does not fulfil its commitment of 50 per cent subsidy sharing, the Centre would step in but not allow the scheme to fail. Low premium rates: uniqueness of the scheme Till now, the average premium for all food grain crops was as high as 15 per cent, while for horticulture crops, it was even higher. However the premium rates in the new scheme would as low as 2% for kharif crops, 1.5% for rabi crops and 5% for horticultural crops.Practical problem associated with earlier agriculture insurance schemes:There have been many crop insurance schemes in the past, but all of them have some problem or the other.Which is why the total crop insurance cover till now in agriculture is 23 per cent. Under the earlier schemes, according to rules, farmers’ insurance claims have to be settled within 45 days of the risk assessment. However, often, claims are not attended to even after six months, which is a major reason why farmers don’t for crop insurance. Fundamental problem of Indian agriculture: The fundamental problem with Indian agriculture is that farmers face yield risks as much as they face price risks. No other sector can claim this level of uncertainty at almost every level of operation— The risk of monsoon failure and infestations during crop growth, The risk of lower prices after harvest, Compromise in quantity and quality during storage and distribution etc.These risks assume higher proportions given productivity and technology lacunae and affects the economy as a whole through the agriculture sector’s extensive linkages.How much will the scheme cost the government? The new insurance scheme would cost the government Rs 8,800 crore over the next three years, assuming that 50 per cent of farmers are covered. At present, with 23 per cent insurance cover, the Centre spends Rs 3,100 crore a year on crop insurance. The insurance amount covered will also not be capped and so also the premium rates.Way ahead: The new crop insurance scheme is a well-timed policy. However attempts were made in the past to insure the Indian crop market, and almost all of them have failed. Critical implementation gaps that led to failure of previous schemes should be studied and reworked upon in order to make the new scheme successful.Connecting the dots: Critically examine the factors that impact agricultural productivity in India, explain with special reference to impact of agriculture insurance. Even though more than 60% of total arable area in India is dependent on monsoons for crop production, the agriculture crop insurance coverage is less than 25%. Explain the reasons for low crop insurance penetration among farming community in India along with measures taken by government to promote agricultural insurance.NATIONAL TOPIC: General studies 1: Role of women and women’s organization, Effects of globalization on Indian society, Social empowerment General studies 2: Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States and the performance of these schemes; mechanisms, laws, institutions and Bodies constituted for the protection and betterment of these vulnerable sections; Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector or Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources. Women at Work The Central government’s move to ensure adequate maternity protection has welcomed a happy response especially when India stands out in the world owing to its shocking low rates of recognised work participation (24%) that has gone on to only decline. This is not only a huge economic loss but is a sign of ‘low status’ being continuously accorded to women as well as the lack of agency to correct it in the countryObservations by MCKINSEY The world can add $12 trillion to GDP in 2025, doubling the contribution of women to global growth in business-as-usual scenario in the coming decade. India could boost its GDP by $0.7 trillion in 2025 or 16 percent of the business-as-usual level (largest relative boost). This translates into 4 percent per year of incremental GDP growth for India. Where gender parity is set at 1.00, India’s GPS is just 48, lower than warranted by its stage of economic development Unsung & Unrewarded: Most women in India are involved in unpaid work (home and communities) Official data has pointed out an increased movement of women from paid and recognised employment to doing unpaid work in their household Factors contributing to this tendency— Inadequacy of Job Creation Gender gaps in Education Combination of less skilled but physically arduous job-set with low payment Double burden of pain and unpaid work Difficulty in managing domestic responsibilities (unequal division of household work) Patriarchal attitude within family Social restriction on mobility Concerns regarding commuting time owing to the ever-increasing atmosphere of sexual violence and rapesRecognition & MeasuresIncrease in maternity Leave- From the current 12 weeks to 26 weeksEstablishments with 30 women workers or 50 total workers: Provide crèche facilities either in their premises or within half a kilometreBut there have been concerns regarding employers backing off from employing women and if they do, they would push women to adhere to informal contracts where their rights are not recognised IASbaba’s Views: There definitely is good news if Indian government is trying to understand and address the issues faced by women at large as well as increase the economic participation rate of women but much need to be ensured via timely implementation and constant enforcement. Public intervention can bring about a real difference and therefore, it has to be wider and much ambitious. India has to address the issue of unpaid work— Recognize it- Via systematic and regular time-use surveys that captures people’s activitiesReduce it- By providing more goods and services that will mitigate the need for such work Provisioning basic amenities- piped fuel and water Better quality and affordable healthcare Proper education- Reduce the number of female drop-outs Huge Gender Gap in wages& granting leadership positions Redistribute- Between households and society and within households across males and femalesNeed to be Gender-Responsive Substitute non-market work with market-base work (lead to increase in GDP- will provide value to market-based production) More equitable sharing of unpaid work among men and women Productivity-enhancing measures for unpaid work (greater financial independence for women, and intergenerational benefits)Connecting the Dots: Can these newly declared measures live up to its utility and not remain a mere tokenism of the issue? Critically examine ‘India’s position on gender equality is somewhat lower than its stage of economic development would warrant’. Do you agree? Substantiate ‘Gender equality in society with gender equality in work’— Is latter possible without the former? Discuss MUST READWhat Free Basics did not intend to doHinduFor Detailed Analysis on ‘Net Neutrality’ refer IASbaba’s Monthly Magazine (APRIL, 2015)http://iasbaba.com/babas-monthly-magazine/Related Articles:Nothing free or basic about ‘Free Basics’ (Facebook’s initiative)Defence Procurement: Incremental steps not enoughHinduFarm vision statement- We need a national framework to address agricultural problemsIndian ExpressBreaking The Terror Cycle- A full engagement with Pakistan cannot withstand major terror strikes.Indian ExpressRelated Articles:Save security from the establishment Why India looks set to finally come out of the closet on Israel- 2016 is expected to be the breakout year for India’s relationship with Israel, when it is likely to finally come out of the closetIndian ExpressRise and fall- Latest IIP and CPI data outlines the policy challenges that lie aheadIndian ExpressLive Mint Digital expansion helps rich more than poor: World Bank report- Says gains of higher growth, more jobs and better public services also short of expectation, recommends more focus on accessBusiness StandardMIND MAPS1.State of India's MuseumsIndian Express 2. National Food Security SchemesThe Hindu 

Jan 14, 2016 AIR

All India Radio - DEVALUATION OF CHINESE YUAN AND ITS IMPACT

ARCHIVESDEVALUATION OF CHINESE YUAN AND ITS IMPACTClick here and search for 9th January 2016, Spotlight/News analysis for audio.What has triggered a sell-off in the Chinese stock markets and why is there a loss of investor confidence there? There is a slowdown in the world demand. In the Chinese factories there is a lot of unsold inventory (surplus production). Also, the interest rates in the Chinese markets are lower compared to the international rates. That is why international investors are not finding Chinese markets attractive. As a result they are withdrawing their money from China – stock market crisis. This created a pressure on the Chinese currency (depreciation). Hence, China resorted to devaluation (officially decreasing the value of its currency). It has to sell its foreign exchange to maintain its exchange rate.It seems that China is caught up in the quagmire of “impossible trinity”. They are taking three things simultaneously: Opening of capital account Fixed exchange rate Independent sovereign monetary policyIt is not possible for any country to have all the above three at the same time.What is the impact of devaluation?By devaluating its currency, China will become competitive in the world market (surplus production can be sold cheap rates). It will dump its goods in the international market and outstrip other economies.China is the second largest economy in the world. If its currency becomes weak, then the US dollar will strengthen. If that happens, US economy will not be competitive. Its exports will be affected. If US economy is affected, the whole world will be affected in one way or the other. There will be increase in speculation on other currencies also, including Rupee, which in turn increases volatility.As far as India is concerned, imports will be badly hit. India is by and large a trade deficit country. If its currency is in volatility, then imports will become dearer. This will increase the CAD. Thus, the whole macro economic situation will be impacted. There might not be any big impact on Indian stock markets.What measures can India take?In this situation, devaluation of Rupee to increase India’s exports cannot be taken as a counter-measure. This is because; India is not a supply-surplus economy, unlike China. With respect to China, we import around $60 billion and export just around $12 billion.India can take measures to protect its domestic industries from the competitive Yuan by imposing duties on imports from China. There are labour intensive sectors like textiles, steel, gems and jewellery etc which are vulnerable to cheap imports. Hence, such measures have to be taken.India has to undertake reforms in its economy at this critical juncture in the world economy. To reduce the transaction cost of our manufacturing and increase competitiveness both domestically and internationally, GST should be implemented first. Secondly, changes should be made to Land Acquisition bill. Manufacturers are not able to deploy their capital in various plants because of lack of land. Thirdly, availability of capital to MSMEs is important. Our manufacturing is mainly driven by MSMEs. They are not getting enough finance easily from the banks. Fourth, labour reforms.

Jan 13, 2016 RSTV Video

The Big Picture - Challenges for 'Make in India'

ArchivesMake in India is an ambitious programme of India that aims at promoting India as best investment destination and establishes India as a hub of global manufacturingChallenges to Make in India Ease of doing business-Government has taken various measures like, a dedicated Shram Suvidha Portal, An all-new Random Inspection Scheme, Universal Account Number, Apprentice Protsahan Yojana, and Revamped Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana etc.The focus now should tilt towards proper implementation of these schemes to increase the competitiveness of ease of doing business. Increasing the investor confidence is one important area in which government of India should focus by bridging the gaps in infrastructure and their by making way for proper utilization of capital Adequate measures needed to address Red Tapism by complete overhauling of government management system ex-Ease of exiting from the business. The main goal of the Make in India program is to increase the share of manufacturing sector from present 16 to 25 percent by addressing issues associated with Investment, Innovation, Infrastructure, IPR, Skill labour. Without addressing these issues it is very difficult to achieve the goal of increasing the share of manufacturing to 25 percent by 2025 Investor confidence is directly proportional to presence of world class infrastructure. It is very difficult to gain business confidence unless there is enough gaps in infrastructure .According to IMF estimates with better management of public wealth globally it is possible to accrue enough funds to develop world class infrastructure globally. So it is essential that a proper mechanism is put in place for better management of public wealth in India. The biggest challenge for Make in India is to create better opportunity for the roughly 16 million masses that enter labour markets every year. Our investments in R and D needs to scale new level as we are spending only 0.8 percent of our GDP. With greater emphasis on research it is possible to scale up investments domestically and also from outside. High cost of financial transactions is another issue that is hugely reported so it is time to have better reforms in financial sector to make transactions more easy and simple It is also a high time to have a proper bankruptcy code in place by expediting the recommendations made by bankruptcy law reform committee in to a fully fledged law. Challenges for 'Make in India'  

Jan 13, 2016 Motivational Articles

Creative Guidance – Illusion of happiness – Inspirational & Educative Articles

The Illusion of HappinessIt seems like the most important search of man is to find happiness; happiness that he can experience again and again, as often as he wants and where ever he wants. The entire movement of man seems to be about finding his way to happiness.So what is this happiness? Is it possible to scientifically understand and measure it? Is it worthwhile to pursue it? Let us understand a little more about it.From our daily experiences we can clearly say that happiness is simply a state of our mind. Our mind has the ability to dream and desire for certain things, and when what is desired happens we experience elation from within, which we express in the form of happiness.So in essence, happiness is simply our minds way of approving itself. It has nothing to do with the external reality of the world. For example, let us say you are playing a game of throwing the darts. Every time you fail, there is a subtle feeling of sadness, and once in a while when you succeed, you feel a certain emotion that you call happiness.It is as if your failure and the resulting sadness is what is creating the necessary condition for your happiness. Just imagine how long you would be happy if you were able to hit the dart on target every time; you would of course soon lose interest in the game.Happiness may simply be the game we play. The more challenging the game and the more difficult it is to accomplish it, the happier we feel when we succeed.In fact, happiness and sadness are simply two extreme poles of a single emotion, and both feed off each other. It is our sadness that gives meaning to our happiness and it is our happiness that defines our sadness.So can we really choose just one part of the emotion that we like and leave the other? Unfortunately no. The hard fact about the nature of our mind and life is that the forces of happiness and sadness are always balanced.It just doesn’t matter who you are, where you are, how successful or unsuccessful you are, how rich or poor you are, your levels of happiness and sadness are always balanced. It is a mathematical fact that if you subtract all your happiness from your sadness the net result will be a zero.This is the greatest illusion of happiness. We keep moving ahead in life thinking that we are trying to become more happy; but end up only changing the game we play; the result of which we already know.There are poor people who are happy, and there are rich people who are sad. There are successful people who are unhappy, and failures who are happy. There are people with physical disabilities who are happy and there are athletes and models who are unhappy. It seems like happiness is completely independent of our lifestyles. There are no happy and unhappy people in the world, there are only people who are happy and unhappy.Somehow, happiness doesn’t seem like the right yardstick to measure our lives. There has to be something more to life than just being happy or unhappy.“The articles are a copyright of The Ahamo Movement and IASBABA.”Read more such articles– Click Here