Jan 8, 2016 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 8th January, 2016

Archives   IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 8th January, 2016   NATIONAL   TOPC: 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; Functions and responsibilities of the Union and the States; Governance issues   Time for expansion of Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) India’s welfare state has always been on the side of committing significant resources to provide subsidies and services especially to certain identified segments of the population who could not afford the resources themselves. Over the years, as fiscal resources have grown rapidly the amount of money spent on welfare programs has also gone high but carrying with it the two major issues with subsidies in India: Targeting: Benefits higher income groups who do not deserve the subsidies and thus, increases the government’s expenditure Leakages: Subsidy does not reach the recipient due to corruption, pilferage or other causes Government’s DBT plan therefore, simply involves transferring the subsidy amount directly to the beneficiaries’ bank accounts instead of having to fiddle around with differential pricing for the underprivileged Linkage with Aadhaar Efficient targeting: Via Aadhaar-linked data ensures that: The intended beneficiary receives the money in his account Reduction in the government’s subsidy burden Effective solution to leakages and mis-targeting problems Eg: Case of MGNREGA wages Beginning: Reports across the country of MGNREGA wages, at the time given in cash being misappropriated by middlemen 2013: Government initiated the DBT scheme in MGNREGA –eliminated these middlemen to a large extent Current financial year: Under this scheme, Rs.20,500 crore has been credited to the accounts of almost 5 crore people Linking Postal Account with Aadhaar Post Banks should become a game-changer in Indian banking sector by becoming a local agency for the recently announced MUDRA Bank Also, the Post Bank accounts should be Aadhaar seeded so that various Government schemes for Direct Benefit Transfer could be rolled out through the Post Bank. Department should step up its efforts to ramp up its capabilities to book, process, transmit & deliver e-Commerce articles.   DBT-RuPay— Meaningful Financial Inclusion With the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) now accepting eKYC and making Aadhaar the centrepiece of strategy, an endemic issue of identity verification has been dealt with. As one of the biggest constraints to enhancing financial inclusion was addressed, it also lowered the costs of opening new bank accounts. The success would now depend upon employment of attention to detail, monitoring and mid-course correction to make inclusion more meaningful for beneficiaries, encouraging more transactions and ensuring that the DBT programme takes off. Tried & Tested— PAHAL (Pratyaksh Hanstantrit Labh) Launched in June 2013 for liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) subsidies To make consumers link their Aadhaar number to a bank account and receive the subsidy amount for 12 cylinders in a year If without an Aadhaar number- could furnish any other bank account to receive the subsidy Issue: A large proportion of the subsidies were going to people who could afford LPG cylinders at the un-subsidised rate Solution: People earning more than Rs.10 lakh a year would not be eligible for the LPG subsidy Success Story: Addressed the leakages issue Income cap addressed the mis-targeting problem   BUT DBT in the Kerosene Scheme States will be given a cash incentive of 75 per cent of subsidy savings during the first two years, 50 per cent in the third year and 25 per cent in the fourth year. Around half the kerosene sold in the country is being misused Not being used as lighting fuel, it is being used to adulterate diesel among other things Again: Subsidization going to unwanted beneficiaries, involved in illegal activities Corruption in the kerosene sector thus, deprives the needy families of a basic commodity while enriching corrupt kerosene dealers, fuel distributors and public officials Workings of the scheme: Consumer buys kerosene at full price and then receives the subsidy amount in his bank account if eligible Therefore, mis-targeting and leakages are addressed But this could lead to unintended outcomes unless the scheme is managed carefully What can happen: Overestimation of the actual household-level usage If the subsidy amount each household is due is calculated on the basis of the total amount of kerosene sold divided by the number of eligible households, then this will result in each household receiving about double the subsidy amount it should be getting because total usage also takes into account pilferage How: Taking of usage-by-theft into account IASbaba’s View DBT can help directly improve the efficiency of the delivery systems, as well as empower the beneficiaries to demand their rightful benefits under various schemes, and hold the managers accountable for the same but a thorough case needs to be built up to measure if benefits outweigh the costs or not (economic terms) There has to be a proper Centre-State coordination mechanism in place, efficient network of banking system as well as automation of schemes should be taken up immediately; backed up with careful consideration and coordination between policy and implementation. International obligations can also be cited to bring about an atmosphere of urgency, for quick mindful reforms to be executed. A strict monitoring system to identify the black market and a strict law against accumulation of black money should also be put in place to effectively curb the menace Connecting the Dots: Discuss the types of reforms under ‘Direct Benefit Transfer’. Explain the most suitable amongst them keeping in view the working mechanism of India The scrapping of the supply of subsidized kerosene via Public Distribution system is long overdue. Do you support the statement? Substantiate.   NATIONAL   TOPIC: General Studies 1 : 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.   Tribal Ministry relents over Forest Rights Act (FRA) Union tribal affairs ministry has revised its views to re-interpret the Forest Rights Act (FRA) and allow the Maharashtra forest department to get control back over forest management and a grip on the lucrative trade worth crores in Minor forest produce such as tendu leaves and bamboo. In contrast tribal ministry had previously concluded that only tribals and other forest dwellers had rights to manage their forests under FRA. Even in 2014 state government had passed regulations that ensured its forest department retained control over forest management, which includes the large-scale trade and sale of forest produce. The tribal affairs ministry found this in violation of FRA, which empowers tribals and other forest-dwellers to hold sole rights to manage the forests, including sale of forest produce in areas where they have traditional claims. What is Forest Rights Act (FRA) all about? The Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006, is a key piece of forest legislation passed in India on December 2006. The law concerns the rights of forest-dwelling communities to land and other resources, denied to them over decades as a result of the continuance of colonial forest laws in India. The Act basically does two things: Grants legal recognition to the rights of traditional forest dwelling communities, partially correcting the injustice caused by the forest laws. Makes a beginning towards giving communities and the public a voice in forest and wildlife conservation. Why is it required? India's forests are home to crores of people, including many Scheduled Tribes, who live in or near the forest areas of the country. Since times immemorial, the tribal communities of India have had an integral and close knit relationship with the forests and have been dependent on the forests for livelihoods and existence in the form of minor forest produce, water, grazing grounds and habitat for shifting cultivation. For the first time Forest Rights Act recognises and secures community Rights or rights over common property resources of the communities in addition to their individual rights. Supporters of the Act claim that it will redress the "historical injustice" committed against forest dwellers, while including provisions for making conservation more effective and more transparent. What are the rights granted under the Act? Title rights - i.e. ownership - to land that is being fared by tribals or forest dwellers as on 13 December 2005, subject to a maximum of 4 hectares; ownership is only for land that is actually being cultivated by the concerned family as on that date, meaning that no new lands are granted. Use rights - to minor forest produce (also including ownership), to grazing areas, to pastoralist routes. Relief and development rights - to rehabilitation in case of illegal eviction or forced displacement and to basic amenities, subject to restrictions for forest protection Forest management rights - to protect forests and wildlife Right to intellectual property and traditional knowledge related to biodiversity and cultural diversity Rights of displaced communities Rights over developmental activities What is Minor Forest Produce (MFP)? The forest products can be generally divided into two parts viz. Major Forest Produce and Minor Forest Products. The Major Forest Products comprise Pulpwood, Sandalwood, Social Forestry that includes Fuel and Timber. The Minor Forest Products include the items such as tamarind, curry leaf, Tendu Patta, gallnut, Cane, Soapnut, tree moss and now Bamboo also. MFP have significant social and economic value for tribal communities as they not only provide essential food, medicines and other consumption items but also cash income. Government of India has assigned the ownership of minor forest produce to the people living in and around forests for the purpose of collection, processing, trade and marketing through national level legislation named as the Scheduled tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest rights) Act, 2006. Minor Forest Produce and PESA: Panchayat (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act (PESA) authorizes the States give the Gram Sabah’s power to regulate and restrict sale/consumption of liquor ownership of minor forest produce power to prevent alienation of land and restore alienated land power to manage village markets, control money lending to STs power to manage village markets, control money lending to STs and Mandatory executive functions to approve plans of the Village Panchayats, identify beneficiaries for schemes, issue certificates of utilization of funds.   Bamboo as a Minor Forest Produce Bamboo was recognized as a Minor Forest Produce way back in 2006, now it’s selling rights have been given to villages Bamboo was given the status of a minor forest produce (MFP) in the Forest Rights Act, 2006. The Act, which seeks to redress a historical injustice to tribals, apart from entitling them to land ownership, also gives communities rights to collect, use and sell bamboo as an MFP. A.K.Sharma Committee on ‘Minor Forest Produce’: The committee was set up to look in to the issues related with the ownership of the Gram Sabha, fair prices, institutional mechanism, value addition, etc. and suggest remedial measures including Ownership, Price fixation, Value addition and Marketing of Minor Forest Produce (MFP) T Haque Committee: The Ministry of Panchayati Raj had constituted a Committee under the chairmanship of Dr. T. Haque to look into different aspects of Minor Forest Produce (MFP) management in fifth schedule areas which has recommended for fixation of Minimum Support Price (MSP) for 14 MFPs in its final report. These are Tamarind, Mahuwa flower, Mahuwa seed, Tendu leaf, Bamboo, Sal Seed, Myrobalan, Chironji, Lac, Gum karaya, Honey, Seeds of Karanja, Neem and Puwad. To operationalizing the MSP for selected MFPs, the earlier Planning Commission had suggested for Central Price Fixation Commission for MFP as an autonomous body under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs. All primary collectors including tribal and people living in and around the forests involved in the MFP collection will be benefitted. Minor Forest Produce Commission: MFP Commission will be an autonomous body under the MoTA. Experts have said MSP plan for Minor Forest Produce as next MGNREGA as it has the potential to transform the lives of 100 million forest dwellers, a majority of them are tribals and whose livelihoods depend on the collection and marketing of MFPs. The proposal comes after recommendations of two committees, one headed by agricultural economist T. Haque and another by Planning Commission member secretary Sudha Pillai. Implications: The T Haque committee estimated that the value of the 13 major MFPs at the first purchase point is worth about Rs. 3,600 crore annually, of which tendu and bamboo alone account for Rs. 2000 crore. The MFPs that will be covered by the scheme will be tendu, bamboo, mahua flower, mahua seeds, sal leaves, sal seeds, lac, chironji, wild honey, myrobalan, tamarind, gums and karanj. The scheme will help provide better prices to the MFP gatherers, who now receive a pittance, exploited as they are by local traders and other vested interests; it will also ensure sustainable harvesting of MFPs.   Way ahead: Recent move by Union tribal affairs ministry to re-interpret the Forest Rights Act (FRA) and allow the Maharashtra forest department to get control back over forest management and a grip on the lucrative trade worth crores in Minor forest produce such as tendu leaves and bamboo would affect the economy of the tribals and respective Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) Goal 1: Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger may not be achieved. Such a move should accompany alternate source of income to tribals to secure their livelihood and to head towards realisation of sustainable development. Connecting the dots: What are Minor Forest produce (MFP)? Who owns MFP? What are the committees set up to address the issues centring MFP? Can MFP secure livelihood of tribals and act as hand in the gloves to achieve Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) Goal 1: Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger. ? Recently Union tribal affairs ministry re-interpreted the Forest Rights Act (FRA) to allow Maharashtra forest department to get control back over forest management. How do tribals get affected by such move? Is it a move which is considered light at the end of the tunnel or is it just incoming train? ;-)   MUST READ   North Korea’s provocative move Hindu   State’s start-ups can make India stand up- To enable this, the state needs to support start-ups by providing the right policy environment. Take for instance industry-supported research at our universities — which is critical to success. Indian Express   Ties That Need Remaking- So what are the steps that India and Indonesia can take to improve their bilateral engagement? Indian Express   Across the Aisle: Price of procrastination- UPA couldn’t constitute the National Counter Terrorism Centre. NDA must lose no time in doing so. Indian Express   Why China slide is bad news for India Inc- Yuan depreciation will make imports in China more expensive, depressing demand, especially for commodities Business Standard   COP21, stranded carbon and India- India must burn whatever coal it can, while leapfrogging to a viable zero-carbon ecosystem Business Standard   The problem with smart cities- Urban administrations and the private sector must join hands for the Special Purpose Vehicle model to work Live Mint   MIND MAPS   1. Investing Right Infrastructure Live Mint   2. Disability Indian Express

Jan 8, 2016 AIR

All India Radio- North KOREA’S Nuclear Test

ARCHIVES NORTH KOREA’S NUCLEAR TEST Click here for audio and search 6th January 2016 Spotlight/News analysis for audio. Also learn about CTBT here http://iasbaba.com/2015/10/iasbabas-daily-current-affairs-2nd-3rd-october-2015/ North Korea has recently detonated its first hydrogen bomb. This is a serious issue and has security repercussions for the world and the region in general. North Korea argued that it was for its own security purpose. This has to be looked from a historical perspective. This is the fourth time that North Korea has conducted atomic explosion. First was in 2006, then in 2009, 2013 and now in January 2016. We also need to remember the fact that after the Korean War from 1950-53 there was only armistice and not peace agreement. North Korea and South Korea have no diplomatic relations and they are still in a state of virtual animosity. In the year 2002 US President George Bush called the three countries - North Korea, Iran and Iraq - as “Axis of Evil”. The regime in North Korea feels that it is surrounded on all sides by hostile forces, except China.  For example, Japan is trying to expand its military forces by reinterpreting its Pacifist Constitution. It has disputes with China over islands in South China Sea. China is aggressively expanding its military strength. The burgeoning relations of Japan with US and India can be seen in this context. It seems that North Korea is also threatened by the West and the way they destroyed Iraq, Libya and Syria. Hence, nuclear power with North Korea serves them as insurance. China is the only country, probably, that has relations with North Korea. 80% of NK’s foreign trade is with China. NK is dependent on China for refined petrol and kerosene. Even food exports take place from China to NK. So China has the capacity to pressurize North Korea to relax. But it seems that China is not doing enough to stop NK. It has only voted in the UNSC condemning the tests by the NK in 2013 and now gave official statements condemning the present test. The DPRK is trying to miniaturize the nuclear devices and also simultaneously developing ICBMs (Inter Continental Ballistic Missiles) capacity to hit the mainland of USA. The issue has the potential to destabilize peace in the region because it can create a race for acquiring nuclear weapon power capacity. Also, in the past there were some worrisome incidents like North Korea exchanging missile technology with Pakistan which in turn had exchanged uranium enrichment technology with North Korea. The UN/UNSC doesn’t seem to have the capacity to take effective measures to check DPRK. This is because the UNSC is losing relevance. It didn’t have as its member, important countries like India. It is the coalition led by West that is largely determining many issues like that of Iraq, Syria, and Libya. One important question is: what makes the small country which is economically not well to go for nuclear arsenal? The answer is, the whole country is based on the principle of army first; it is a very authoritarian regime; one family, which now runs into 3rd generation, is controlling the country. People are forced to follow the diktats of the regime and they do not have any freedom/human rights. In this situation, the only thing that the world can do is express its anger through UN resolution. If at all UN can do anything, it can do only with the intervention of China.

Jan 7, 2016 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

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

Archives   IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 7th 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.   West Asia: Saudi Arabia’s deadly gamble The execution of Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr, an influential Shia cleric, by Saudi Arabia has expectedly led to a flare-up of sectarian passions in West Asia. What is the issue? Saudi Arabia recently executed 47 people for terrorism offences in one day, including the prominent Shia cleric Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr. Sheikh Nimr was the most prominent religious leader of the Kingdom’s Shia minority, which has long been subjected to institutionalised segregation by the Sunni monarchy of the al-Saud family which is ruling Saudi Arabia. He was the driving force behind the 2011 protests in the country’s east, inspired by Arab Spring protests elsewhere. Moreover, Sheikh Nimr was a respected cleric among the Shia community in general. Iran had repeatedly asked Saudi Arabia to pardon him. A provocative move by Saudi Arabia: Saudi Arabia’s execution of Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr, perhaps the most influential leader among the Kingdom’s Shia minority, was clearly a provocative move. Riyadh knew that its action would deteriorate relations with Iran and inflame sectarian tensions in West Asia at a time when the Islamic State is systematically persecuting Shias and other minorities within Islam. Iran, a Shia-majority country and a regional rival of Saudi Arabia, had repeatedly requested the Sunni monarchy to pardon Nimr, who was the driving force behind the Arab Spring model protests in the kingdom’s east in 2011. By executing him, along with 46 others on Saturday, Riyadh has plunged the region, already reeling under terrorism, insurgency and sectarianism, into more chaos. Why did Suadi Arabia do this? Why did Riyadh do this if they knew the consequences would be deadly? A logical explanation is that it’s part of a well-thought-out strategy to whip up tensions so that the Al-Saud ruling family could tighten its grip on power at home and its position in the region by amassing the support of the Sunni regimes. Whether the royals agree or not, Saudi Arabia is facing a major crisis. Oil prices are decreasing and endangering the kingdom’s economy. In 2015, it ran a deficit of $97.9 billion, and has announced plans to shrink its budget for the current year by $86 billion. This is likely to impact the government’s public spending, and could trigger resentment. The entire kingdom relies heavily on the government’s welfare policies, besides its religious appeal, to drum up public support. The late King Abdullah’s response to Arab Spring protests is an example of this. When people elsewhere rose up against dictatorships, he announced a special economic package of $70 billion (much of this money was allocated to build 5,00,000 houses to address housing shortage) to check discontent at home. Additionally, the state injected $4 billion into healthcare. King Salman does not enjoy the luxury of using oil revenues to save his crown due to the economic crisis. Another option the royals have to buttress their position is to resort to extreme majoritarianism.   At least four, including Sheikh Nimr, among the 47 executed on January 2 were political prisoners. By putting them to death, the royal family has sent a clear message to political dissidents at home. This is a tactic dictators have often used in history. They go back to extremism or sectarianism to bolster their hard-line constituency to tide over the economic and social difficulties. The real aim of the monarchy is to close down every window of dissidence; if that can’t be done through economic development and welfarism, do it by other means. Courtesy (image)- http://www.payvand.com/news/14/feb/Saudi-Arabia-and-Pakistan-nuclear-link-HR.jpg Sectarian conflicts in West Asia: West Asia is already witnessing sectarian conflicts Iraq: Iraq, which is torn apart on sectarian lines, is taking baby steps under the new Prime Minister, Haider al-Abadi, to rebuild national unity. The country witnessed a bloody phase of sectarian strife in the aftermath of the U.S. invasion. Parts of the country, including the second largest city, Mosul, are still under the control of Islamic State, which is carrying out a systematic campaign against non-Sunni religious groups.    Yemen: In Yemen, the Shia Houthi rebels are fighting forces loyal to a Saudi-protected government led by Sunnis. Bahrain: In Bahrain, the wounds of a Shia rebellion which was crushed by a Sunni monarch with the help of the Saudis are still not healed.  By executing Sheikh Nimr, Riyadh has poured oil into this sectarian fire, for which the region will have to pay a huge price. Cold war between Saudi Arabia and Iran: For decades, one of the main sources of instability in West Asia has been the cold war between Saudi Arabia and Iran. Though the ultimate goal of both nations has been regional supremacy, they use sectarianism as a vehicle to maximise their interests. While Riyadh has the support of Sunni monarchs and dictators in the Arab world, Iran is aligned with Iraq and Syria, besides its proxies such as Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen. This sets the stage for a dangerous Shia-Sunni conflict across the region. Unless tensions are dialled down between these two heavyweights, there will not be peace in West Asia. Both the U.S. and Russia, allies of Saudi Arabia and Iran respectively, have called for calm but have failed to promote peace in the region.  Unchecked, the Saudi-Iran rivalry could plunge the region, already torn apart by invasions, civil wars and terrorism, into further chaos.   What next? One natural victim of these rising tensions will be the Syria peace plan. President Bashar al-Assad’s regime and a coalition of rebels are supposed to begin peace talks this month, according to a road map agreed in the UN Security Council a few weeks ago. Iranian and Saudi cooperation is a must for peace in Syria, where the ongoing civil war has killed more than 2,50,000 people. The Saudis back anti-regime rebels and extremists in Syria, while the Iranians support the Assad government. Worse, it’s not just Syria. Unless Saudi-Iran tensions are contained, there won’t be an effective strategy to fight the Islamic State, which is a Sunni-Wahhabi extremist group; the war in Yemen will go on, endangering many more lives; and Iraq’s efforts to stabilise itself could be challenged. The Saudis look determined to play a long-term game of sectarian geopolitics to maximise its interests. If the Iranians continue to respond in the same token, West Asia would remain turbulent for many more years. Connecting the dots: Explain the ongoing conflict between Saudi Arabia and Iran in West Asia. What will be the impact of this conflict on India? Substantiate A peaceful West Asia is a necessity for India to maintain its energy security. Critically examine the above statement wrt the ongoing conflicts in West Asia.   INTERNATIONAL TOPIC:  General studies 2 Statutory, regulatory and various quasi-judicial bodies; Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation; Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability   Censor and sensibility : Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) Let us understand the issue first- Revamping Censor Board (Information) Union Information and Broadcasting Ministry has constituted a committee To be headed by: Shyam Benegal Objective: Suggest measures to help Board members understand the nuances of film certification Recommend broad guidelines and procedures under the Cinematograph Act Look into the CBFCs Staffing pattern to recommend a framework for efficient, transparent and user-friendly services   Central Board of Film Certification Also known as Censor Board, it’s a statutory censorship and classification body under the I&B Ministry Functions: Regulates the public exhibition of films under the provisions of the Cinematograph Act, 1952 Assigns certifications to films, television shows, ads, publications for exhibition, sales, etc So— There has come up again, a need for the Information and Broadcasting Ministry (I&B) to set up a panel to examine the rules of certification— Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC); and the question thus remains- What can possibly be the reason behind setting up a committee under the chair of eminent filmmaker Shyam Benegal when the ground rules of certification can be better decided by the fraternity themselves Ministry Monopoly Certification or Censorship— The moral policing rests on the shoulders of every member of the examining committee, taking his or her job of protecting viewers from anything obscene, or anything likely to offend any community, very seriously and this drives the members to order cuts in films certified even for adult viewing Politics takes precedence: Most of them are political appointees (sitting on the positions as a favour) by political masters and thus, the room devoted for artistic expression stifles and dies in the chaos of a political set-up. Committees examining problems and issues confronting certification of films: 1969: The Khosla Committee report had written about the necessity of doing away with the hegemony of the Centre over the Censor Board Background Story— The Advisory Panel A film's first screening is seen by a group of six people out of a 250-member team called the Advisory Panel One of the officers of the CBFC—either the CEO or the regional officer—presides over the meeting Advisory Panel is comprised of 250 people from various professions — lawyers, teachers, doctors, among others — who watch the film and suggest changes and out of those 250, six people, selected in turns, decide the initial fate of the film 66% of the people from the Advisory Panel should be based on the recommendation of the CBFC's chairperson and board members; which is most of the time not followed considering the whims of the government If the filmmaker isn't satisfied with their decision he can apply to the Revising Committee, which comprises of nine members, eight from the Advisory Panel, and chaired by the CBFC board member Case Study- UGLY Anurag Kashyap's last film, Ugly, ran into trouble with the censor board when he refused to run an anti-smoking disclaimer But what about the following: Clearance- Cleared the film without asking for cuts but… But: They just wanted to put the anti-smoking disclaimer, which was not accepted by Kashyap as there was a very crucial scene in the film, where a character is not even smoking but is just holding a cigarette, killing the whole purpose of the film   Step taken by Kashyap: Filed a petition in the Bombay High Court, stating these objections violate his fundamental rights under: Article 19 (right to speech and expression) and Article 21 (right to life) Challenged the decision of the Advisory Committee and it went to the Revising Committee but dissatisfied by the Revision Committee's decision, Kashyap challenged it in High Court, but lost the case, which now lies before the Supreme Court Kashyap’s Take: “The Revising Committee is still reasonable; you can argue, discuss, present your point of view, and they will listen. But among the advisory committee, there's not a single person who's ready to take a stand. They are just so scared of losing their jobs. The purpose of the censor committee should be to stand up and say, 'This is fine, and people must watch this.' If by chance you get the most scared lot in the principal committee, who are only there so that they can get their money per screening, then you have had it. Because they just follow the book. They don't argue; they don't even understand. Their only argument is 'But this is what they say'," Creativity gets hampered- The significance of an artistic expression meeting a web of unsettling questions oscillates between rejection and acceptance, turning one’s voice mute; often affecting the psyche of the film-maker Courtesy: Case Study of Ugly (ww.sunday-guardian.com/artbeat/censor-a-sensibility) IASbaba’s Views: There is a need for a shared understanding between the government and the committee, paving way for the autonomous working of the CBFC so that they can take decisions on their own. The composition of the committee should comprise of people who understand the true power and implications of cinema and of those who do not have biases, prejudices or bring their own moralities. The triangular relationship between the audience, filmmaker, and the censor board needs to be nurtured and the CBFC should stand up and make itself heard or at least have a say in creating the Advisory Panel Connecting the Dots: Discuss the political dampening of the artistic democracy in India. Can it be curbed?   MUST READ   North Korea claims to have tested hydrogen bomb Hindu Business Standard   The way forward in Nepal Hindu Related Articles: http://iasbaba.com/2015/09/iasbabas-daily-current-affairs-28th-29th-september-2015/ http://iasbaba.com/2015/10/iasbabas-daily-current-affairs-11th-12th-october-2015/ http://iasbaba.com/2015/08/iasbabas-daily-current-affairs-4th-august-2015/ http://iasbaba.com/2015/09/iasbabas-daily-current-affairs-24th-september-2015/   Underestimating disability-To address it, we first need to measure it correctly Indian Express Related Articles: Disability Law & the Invisible People Mental health Policy’ in India   Join the dots Uttar Pradesh has seized a good idea. Pravasi Divas should be widely adopted by states. Indian Express   Setting the pitch right- The government needs to focus on some fundamental issues to develop the media and entertainment industry Business Standard   Internet not helping improve literacy: Amartya Sen Business Standard Related Articles: Internet-The Public Good Raising “HER” voice through internet connectivity   Light at the end of the tunnel- The Bankruptcy Code will consolidate all insolvency laws and will significantly shorten the timelines for resolution and recovery Business Standard Related Articles: Dealing with Failure: Bankruptcy Code   Extend farm benefits to plantations also: Planters' body to govt- South India constitutes nearly 60% of India's plantation sector Business Standard   The need for a more professional bureaucracy- Growing governance and development complexities require innovative ideas Live Mint For  Detailed Analysis on  ‘Bureaucracy/Civil Services’, refer the below link http://iasbaba.com/2015/09/iasbabas-daily-current-affairs-12th-september-2015/ http://iasbaba.com/2015/12/iasbabas-daily-current-affairs-1st-december-2015/   MIND MAPS   1. Net Ambiguity Indian Express   2. Dalit Capitalism Live Mint

Jan 7, 2016 IASbaba's Monthly Current Affairs Magazine

IASbaba Monthly Magazine- DECEMBER 2015

ARCHIVESHello FriendsThis is the Seventh edition of IASbaba’s Monthly Magazine for Civil Services Examination. This edition covers all important issues that were in news in the month of December 2015. 

Jan 7, 2016 AIR

All India Radio- Restructuring Of BCCI

ARCHIVES RESTRUCTURING OF BCCI RM Lodha committee, appointed by the Supreme Court, has given a report on the way the BCCI should be working. The SC said that the recommendations of the committee are binding on BCCI. Read the following Hindu article and IASbaba’s article for analysis of the report. http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/editorial-bridging-cricketscredibility-deficit/article8069406.ece http://iasbaba.com/2016/01/iasbabas-daily-current-affairs-5th-january-2016/ The key recommendations of the report are: BCCI should come under RTI Cricket betting should be legalised More than two consecutive terms for holding office positions should be barred Ministers or government servants should not hold office positions in BCCI There shall be only one post per one person No proxy voting of individuals Only the cricket bodies that represent states should have full membership and voting rights in BCCI Other members of the board like All India Universities, Railway Sports Promotion Board etc. should be only associate members without voting rights There should be separate governing bodies for IPL and BCCI The recommendations are fair and are aimed at bringing transparency in the administration of cricket body. The BCCI is planning to file an appeal in the SC against the report.

Jan 6, 2016 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

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

Archives   IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 6th January, 2016   NATIONAL TOPIC: General studies 1: The Freedom Struggle - its various stages and important contributors or contributions from different parts of the country. Salient features of Indian Society, Diversity of India. Social empowerment, communalism, regionalism & secularism. 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.   The promise of Dalit capitalism The present Prime Minister made two significant observations in the course of his speech to the new generation of Dalit entrepreneurs during the National Conference of Dalit Entrepreneurs held on 29th December, 2015. First, he cited B.R. Ambedkar to argue that a community that has little access to land should see rapid industrialization as its best bet for advancement. Second, he said it is more difficult to escape the shadow of social discrimination than it is to break the shackles of economic backwardness. Low Dalit entrepreneurship: Successive census reports on enterprises outside agriculture show that Dalits own far fewer businesses than we should expect from their share of the total Indian population. The case of Dalit capitalism: The concept can be traced back to a conference of Dalit intellectuals held in Bhopal in 2002, which argued that the retreat of the state in the era of globalization means that dependence on reservations will bring diminishing returns (the returns keep on decreasing with time). The representatives of Dalit capitalism want to correct this imbalance because they believe that capital is the best way to break caste in the modern economy.  Few existing Dalit entrepreneurs can be role models for upcoming ones. Hurdles in realising Dalit entrepreneurship: One of the main problems is the lack of access to existing business networks. India is one of the many countries where weak contract enforcement means that entrepreneurs depend on trust-based community networks to transact business. There is no shortage of examples of specific businesses being dominated by members of one community. It is very difficult for a Dalit entrepreneur to break into these networks, a challenge that is perhaps even more difficult than getting bank loans. Case study: In a 2011 paper on how caste matters in entrepreneurship, Lakshmi Iyer and Tarun Khanna argued that the growth of enterprises depends strongly on network effects to find the right workers as well as to forge links with suppliers and customers. And World Bank chief economist Kaushik Basu has tried to show in a new paper that discrimination exists because it acts as a coordination device.   How to break the existing business networks? One possibility is through voluntary action by large companies that have expansive supply chains. The Tata group has been at the forefront of such experiments. Large government departments have also tried to bring Dalit enterprises into their networks. How such initiatives can be expanded while maintaining commercial goals remains to be seen?   Way ahead: The past few decades have seen the political empowerment of Dalits. But all sorts of data show that the community has still not got its rightful place in the economic landscape. What a new generation of Dalits intellectuals has been arguing is that the market rather than the state is the best antidote to social inequality. Start up India, stand up India: The government has announced a new campaign "Start-up India, Stand up India" to promote bank financing for start-ups and offer incentives to boost entrepreneurship and job creation. Let us hope this initiative will provide adequate opportunities for the Dalit community to find their economic landscape in India. Connecting the dots: Critically examine the various measures taken by the government to promote economic empowerment of Dalit community in India. Analyse the contribution of Dalits to India’s freedom struggle. Critically analyse the role of start up stand up India, in promoting India as a manufacturing hub in future.   SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY TOPIC: General studies 3: General Studies 3: Science and Technology - developments and their applications and effects in everyday life Achievements of Indians in science & technology; indigenization of technology and developing new technology.  General Studies 2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. I; Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability, e-governance- applications, models, successes, limitations, and potential General Studies 1: The Effects of globalization on Indian society; Social empowerment   Internet-The Public Good If the growth of the Internet in the 1990s led to the fear of a new kind of social inequity in the form of the digital divide, the present potential of this same internet has brought in a majority of changes— right from the way it overcomes existing divides to its role in providing government support to capture the challenges of ICT (information and communications technology) in under-served areas Ability to Use The modern consumer today, understands the level of dependency and usage that internet has commanded and with this viewpoint, it thus, becomes important to also measure the relevance of it, in the context of, the need to balance the allocation of scarce public money among different urgent priorities Social Inclusion: European Union Universal Service Directive in 2002 had suggested that a necessary condition for a service to be included within the ambit of universal service is that of it being critical for social inclusion—that is, it is a consumption norm. Minimum number of users of a service that would need to be crossed before provision of subsidies for its universalization: In the context of India, number of internet users have multiplied multi-fold but these numbers are still low for it to be considered as a “consumption norm” that a government is obligated to provide Government & New Technologies: Since the 1980s, sophisticated statistical techniques have been used to establish cause-effect relationships between the adoptions of new technologies—the mobile phone, the Internet and broadband—and gross domestic product (GDP) growth. India- Studies show that a 10% increase in Internet penetration can increase the GDP by 1.6% in the presence of a minimum penetration level of 25% and this study has thus, made a case for the use of public money for Internet access and broadband expansion   Major Policy Concerns: Positive spillovers are not guaranteed by the studies conducted The cause-effect relationship also needs to be considered while identifying the various factors that are getting affected by the internet. Also, the level of penetration is visibly low considering the under-served areas that lie far below the threshold Secondly, will the investment reap- as much benefit as much as the investments that can be diverted towards providing basic facilities like health and education? Third, these econometric studies are carried out with either a country or a province within a country as the unit of analysis and given the immense size and heterogeneity of the unit; the claims do not automatically extend to the sub-unit level—for example, to rural areas within a province. Therefore, bias as well as inconsistency   Rural areas & Internet: The externalities may not accrue in many rural areas at their present level of development mainly because of the issue of it being relevant and the ‘theory of utmost needs’ playing foul here. Compared to the internet, the roads and education as well as proper provision of health would serve as a major and the utmost requirement faced by Indian villages which are still majorly under-developed and lacks access to even basic amenities of life. In fact, the ability and willingness of the villagers, if put to question regarding the usage of the new technology, would result in the proof of the access without a host of complementary inputs is unlikely to lead to positive spillovers Enabler of development: Ideally, one should view internet as an entity which has value not in and of itself but rather as a medium that gives access to other basic goods and services ICT for development projects cover many domains including healthcare, education, online government services and the provision of commodity price information to small producers and therefore, there exists two implications- Provision of the basic goods and services facilitated via ICT should adhere to some consumption norm which can simply be in the form of, as an example, aiming for a level that at the minimum achieves the targets of the Millennium Development Goals Complementary inputs need to be provided to utilize internet facility efficiently by making it largely a demand-based service as well as align itself with its complementary entities; for example- the ICT network should develop in rough alignment with the complementary institutions, processes and skills needed to provide remote medical services Complementary inputs and the development of ability to use (“build it and they will come”) can also be triggered with the penetration of internet but the experience of several government schemes in India shows that there are limits to this rationale for advance build-out of connectivity   Questions to be Answered by TRAI  (1) Who are the actors? (2) What factors influence each actor’s position? (3) What is in the best interest of the sector and for realizing the ambitions of Digital India? (4) If operator-service provider arrangements would limit competition and weaken innovation? IASbaba’s Views: Universal access to the Internet need not be interpreted as “uniform access” and the build-out of networks should be aligned to the absorptive capacity of a region by making it a demand-driven service Deliberations on the national optic fibre network (NOFN) and “free basics” should understand the various nuances, theories and explanations and design a plan accordingly. With Facebook nudging its 130 million Indian users to send emails to TRAI to lend their voice to differential pricing, and about 1.4 million obliging, TRAI should make sure that paid prioritisation, blocking and throttling of lawful content and services on the net be excluded (strictly, at that) Connecting the Dots: What do you mean by ‘Free Basics’? Do you agree with the stand taken up by Facebook in the course of spearheading the issue, in India?   MUST READ Green safeguards yield higher economic returns Hindu   Sectarian passions in West Asia: A dangerous escalation Hindu   Net Ambiguity- Delay in settling net neutrality issues helps big incumbents, entrenches bad norms. Indian Express For Detailed analysis on ‘Net neutrality’ refer ‘IASbaba’s Monthly Magazine (APRIL- 2015)’ http://iasbaba.com/babas-monthly-magazine/   Pathankot questions Hindu Indian Express   Of 5 UMPPs, only 3 likely to see bids this fiscal- According to government documents, bid process for Bedabahal UMPP and Cheyyur UMPP would be initiated after revision of Standard Bidding Documents, which is currently underway. Indian Express   Feeding a flawed and growing society- Ensuring sufficient food supplies for a surging human population, which is set to grow by 2.4 billion by mid-century, will require serious work Live Mint   Towards a better-connected India- The Department of Telecommunications must take up expansion of coverage in grossly under-served areas and revival of the telecom industry as national priorities Business Standard   MIND MAPS   1. WTO The Hindu   2. Li Fi Live Mint

Jan 5, 2016 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

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

Archives   IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 5th 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.   Lodha panel lays out a new pitch for BCCI The Supreme Court appointed Justice R M Lodha-led committee has suggested a paradigm shift in the functioning of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), with a slew of changes that would dismantle the existing ecosystem of the Indian cricket board. The proposals include separate governing bodies for the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the Indian Premier League (IPL), in a bid to partially segregate their functioning, limiting age and tenures for officials, legalising betting, uniformity in structure of state associations, and a one-state, one-member (vote) pattern for the BCCI governing body. Why was the committee appointed? The committee was appointed by Supreme court at the backdrop of IPL spot fixing issue in 2014 as a result of which few IPL players and two IPL teams have been debarred from contesting in this year’s IPL tournament. In order to restructure BCCI and to streamline it towards cleansing cricket atmosphere in India, the committee took its form. Key recommendations of the panel: Proposes a new governing structure for BCCI The panel suggested limiting the autonomy of IPL, adding that its governing council should be reduced to nine members with the secretary and the treasurer of BCCI as ex-officio members and two other members to be nominated or elected by the full members. Of the remaining five, two would be the nominees of franchises, one would be a representative of the players’ association (that is to be formed) and one would a nominee of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India. One Zone – One Member – One Vote: This will clean out the undemocratic irregularities that have been used to manipulate voting patterns and election process within the BCCI. As things stand today the BCCI has 30 full members, some of which don’t field teams, while others represent any territory. Only 20 states and one union territory, Delhi, are included and ten states and six union territories are excluded. However, Maharashtra and Gujarat have three full members, with voting rights. The committee has proposed that states will be restricted to just one member, though they can continue to field different teams as in the past. For example, BCCI can nominate one association from Maharashtra (Mumbai, Vidarbha and Maharashtra are its three different associations, currently) and Gujarat (Baroda, Gujarat and Saurashtra). The inclusive approach to spreading cricket across India Bihar, one of the most populous states, doesn’t have a Ranji team. To spread cricket to the far reaching corners of the country in a more inclusive and democratic manner, the committee has sought to re-address the constitution of the board. More states and union territories will get representation. For example, Bihar, which is not affiliated to the board, will be included and get a Ranji team, and the right to vote. Currently, only Delhi is a full member from the union territories (UT) but the committee has proposed that Puducherry, the only other UT with a chief minister, should be treated as Associate member and be allowed to field a domestic team.   No geographical base, No Votes Services, Railways and All India Universities — three national service groups – have been treated as Full Members with voting rights thus far. Apart from these, the National Cricket Club at Kolkata also enjoy full membership of the BCCI just like the Cricket Club of India at Mumbai. They have no geographical base for representation as they don’t represent any territories and their relatively small statures have allowed them to be used as pawns in the voting game. They have been the disembodied voices that have been easily bought. No more, though. The panel has recommended that Services, Railways can continue to field Ranji teams but cannot be deemed as Full Members and cannot have voting rights. Say no to Affiliates and Future Members The BCCI has four categories: Full Member, Associate Member, Affiliates, and Future Member. The titled Future Member consists of Uttarakhand, Mizoram, Telangana, Chandigarh, Puducherry and Andaman & Nicobar and have been given, to quote the report, “an illusion that it will be promoted at some vague point in the future”. The committee have been recommended that categories of Affiliates and Future Member be removed, and re-juggling of the Full Member and Associate Member lists be done.  And that only the Full Member will get a vote. Restrictions on the BCCI office-bearers They should not be aged more than 70, should not be ministers or government servants, and cannot hold office for more than three terms, with a “cooling-off” period between terms. Regardless of post — president, secretary, joint secretary, vice-president and treasurer — no official can hold on to any seat for more than nine years in all. Each term will be reduced to three years and every elected apex council member will have to undergo a cooling-off period of three years after each term. They also cannot be ministers or hold government positions, and will also have to divorce themselves from the state association that they represent. Legalising betting Lodha panel has recommended legislature for legalising betting and an “in-built mechanism” to ensure that players and administrators don’t bet on matches. According to experts, cricket satta (illegal betting) in India could be as much as Rs 3 lakh crore a year. On an average, daily turnover of Rs 100 crore is seen by cricket satta in Mumbai alone. Rest of the country sees average daily turnover of Rs 900 crore. Cricket matches are played for 300 days in a year across the world. “To ensure they don’t involve in betting, they have to disclose their assets to the BCCI. It can only be done through betting houses which will have to take licences. Any misconduct by them will result in cancellation of those licences,” says the report. If betting is legalised, Ladbrokes, a British company through which people across the world place bets on EPL matches, Ashes and Fifa World Cup, could enter India. What did BBCI say? The BCCI has said that these are just recommendations, and it would now form its own committee to look into the proposals before deciding on a future course of action. Former president N Srinivasan and some other senior administrators also questioned the feasibility of the proposals. Way ahead: The committee recommendations is a good move towards revamping the corruption struck cricket body in India. What next? Supreme Court should make the report binding on BCCI and try to implement it or BCCI should appoint an internal committee to look into the feasibility of implementing the recommendations of the committee. Connecting the dots: Off late commercialisation of sports is making news in India. Analyse the pros and cons of it. Clearly indicate your opinion wrt commercialisation of sports in India. Critically examine the recommendations of Lodha panel report on BCCI restructuring with special reference to legalising cricket betting in India.   INTERNATIONAL TOPIC:  General studies 2 Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests.   Turkey’s war on the Kurds There has been a spate of differences between the Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Selahattin Demirtas Kurds in Turkey Bonded by ethnicity, the Kurds are a sizeable minority within Turkey, as well as within the neighbouring states of Syria, Iraq and Iran (14.5 million Kurds in Turkey) Turkey accounts for 50 per cent of Kurds in the region, with Iran and Iraq accounting for six million each and Syria for two million Leader of the left-wing People’s Democratic Party (HDP) is Mr. Demirtas and leads a party that unites the Kurdish nationalist forces and Turkey’s left-wing groups Under his leadership more rights for the Kurdish population within Turkey has been achieved without any demand for the creation of a Kurdish state out of Turkey Istanbul has the largest concentration (one million Kurds). Also, the majority of the Kurdish population lives in the country’s south-east, which has been the epicentre of demands for self-determination     ‘Treason’— A resolution was passed by the Kurdish Democratic Society Congress (DTK), which reiterated an old demand for the creation of Kurdish “autonomous regions” and “self-governance bodies and thus, this action was termed as ‘treason’ by Mr.Erdogan Turkey is worried that an independent or autonomous Kurdistan in Syria will embolden the Kurds in Turkey and that eventually an autonomous or independent Kurdistan would be formed within its territory as well Violent War against Kurds Various instances of the region resembling a war zone or a fight against separatist terror organisations: Policies of military curfews and severe crackdowns on the Kurdish towns and cities of south-eastern Turkey Turkish tanks shelling Cizre, near the Syrian border; Hit PKK and YPG combatants inside Syria Military operations in Diyarbakir and Silopi escalate each day Tanks and heavy weaponry used in conventional warfare are being used by the Turkish armed forces where civilians live Assassinations and arrests of pro-HDP politicians and journalists Human rights attorney Tahir Elci was killed, and Mr. Demirtas said in a statement, “What killed Tahir was not the state, but statelessness.” This has led to loss of faith in Turkey’s commitment to its minority and to multi-party democracy leading people like Mr. Demirtas to reconsider autonomy and self-government of the Kurdish areas. Also, Turkey had been serving as a highway for foreign fighters eager to join the jihad in Syria as well as weapons and funds. Peace Talks— Imrali Process Since 2013, the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK; main military wing of the Kurdish resistance) has been in talks with the Turkish state for a full peace agreement and this dialogue between the state and the PKK was called the Imrali process Imrali: Name of the island where Mr. Ocalan’s prison is based Dolmabahce Agreement The negotiations are based on a 10-point Dolmabahce Agreement But Mr. Erdogan Rejected the terms as implausible negotiations between the PKK (terrorist organisation) and the government Tied the HDP to the PKK (an “inorganic tie”) wherein the HDP responded that it has no “organic” ties to the PKK; paving way for wars both against PKK and the HDP War on Mr. Erdogan’s mind— Political Frustration: HDP’s political successes have prevented his political ambitions Failure of the idea of shifting the Turkish political process from parliamentary to presidential rule Cited Hitler’s Germany as an example of a successful presidential system Victory of HDP in both the Parliamentary elections prevented his party to achieve an absolute majority to turn his idea into a reality PKK’s assistance to the Syrian Kurds had raised the spectre once more of Kurdish statehood or autonomy Creation of People’s Protection Units Turkey’s failed policy in Syria: Battle-hardened PKK fighters turned to help the Syrian Kurdish fighters in 2011, after the Syrian government of Bashar al-Assad withdrew from Syria’s Kurdish regions in the north and this led to the creation of the People’s Protection Units (YPG)   YPG and the PKK They have been fighters against the Islamic State (IS) since 2012 and the battlefield advances of the Syrian Kurds with the PKK have lifted their morale, gained them international attention, and won them adherents amongst Turkey’s non-Kurdish population. Their fighting and their progressive social policy that helped HDP win in the recent elections Declaration of Syrian Kurdish autonomy alongside Iraqi Kurdish autonomy (since 1991) put pressure on Turkey’s Kurds to follow suit and this was resented by Mr. Erdogan YPG has also taken the lead in the fight against IS in Syria; backed by US air strikes, the YPG defended the border town of Kobane against IS last year and has driven the militants from more Syrian border towns   Turkey’s leaning towards IS: The border with Syria is porous for entry of IS jihadisand for IS oil and Mr. Erdogan’s son Bilal (director in the BMZ group) has played a major role in the trans-shipment of IS oil to Malta and to Israel Turkey’s ambivalence towards IS also irks the U.S: S. uses the Turkish base at Incirlik to bomb IS, and watches Turkish craft attack the Kurdish forces who are the main ground troops against the IS Reluctance to take a leading role in the US-led campaign against IS However, Turkey has proposed an establishment of a ‘safe zone’ about 60 km long and 40 km wide in Syria near the border with Turkey where it could transfer the 1.7 million Syrian refugees in its territory to this zone. The bone of contention lies in the fact that this proposed zone is now controlled mainly by the IS and the YPG. Also, Turkey’s new policy will make it difficult for IS to get new recruits. US F-16 fighter jets have arrived at Turkey's southern Incirlik airbase to join the fight against IS and US drones have already launched raids on IS from there Future of YPG (Yekineyen Parastina Gel) If the buffer zone is created, the YPG may withdraw from some areas. YPG may be reassured by the "de facto US security guarantee" that it has enjoyed since the bombing of Kobane. Turkey may also try to drive a wedge between the YPG and PKK by adopting a softer approach to the Syrian Kurdish group IASbaba’s Views It is still unclear as to how IS or the Syrian government will respond to an uptick in US air strikes or if the rebel groups that are meant to stabilise the buffer zone will play to the rules of the game. A calculative step should be first considered. Currently, the Turkish and Kurdish forces are on one side fighting the IS and on the other hand they themselves are fighting with each other, opting for a very hard stance. Thus, there is a need to take care of domestic peace to avoid further complications. Turkey’s strategy needs to undergo a major change as these problems are short-sighted and can backfire anytime and therefore, the tactic of destroying the PKK should be kept at bay. Also, it needs to clear its stance towards or against the IS. Connecting the Dots: “We Will Degrade and Ultimately Destroy IS”— Do you think that there exists a stalemate in the war between US and IS? Discuss Can life-expectancy of the IS be calculated? What is the reason for Turkey’s change of policy towards the Islamic State (IS)? How important is it for the Kurds and the population of Turkey in the light of the recent policy shift of the Turkey towards the IS? Explain   MUST READ   WTO: The many must resist the some - As the developed countries chip away at the egalitarian moorings of the WTO, India must work with like-minded countries to translate its agenda into actual results Hindu For detailed analysis on ‘WTO, Nairobi meet’, refer the below links Post-Nairobi : WTO- Doha Development Agenda Message from Nairobi- WTO Negotiations WTO and its relevance   Dress code by judicial diktat - Judicial Activism ? Hindu   India-Pakistan: Time for a national security doctrine Hindu   Own your strategy India must talk to Pakistan — and ensure that cross-border terror is on top of the agenda. Indian Express Indian Express   Raja Mandala: Akhand Bharat and other stories- The idea of sub-continental unity has endured. Its definition continues to be problematic Indian Express   Nobel and Fields wisdom: For Make in India, first need Discover and Invent in India- Make in India programme, will not benefit the country in the long term unless backed by sustained investments in basic science and the fostering of the spirit of curiosity. Indian Express   India needs to catch up on R&D- China is ahead of us on several parameters like spending on R&D and patent applications filed Business Standard   The amazing maize- Hybrid varieties have spurred growth in the production and productivity of maize. Improvements in the economics of its cultivation bode well for India Business Standard MIND MAPS   1. End of Oil Age Indian Express   2. NATGRID The Hindu

Jan 5, 2016 AIR

All India Radio- Necessity To Improve Road Infrastructure In INDIA

ARCHIVES NECESSITY TO IMPROVE ROAD INFRASTRUCTURE IN INDIA Click here for and search 31st December Spotlight/News analysis for audio PM Modi has recently laid foundation stone for the construction of Delhi-Dasna-Meerut 14 lane expressway and up gradation of 22 KM long Dasna-Hapur section of NH-24, which is Rs. 7,566 crore. PM highlighted the importance of road connectivity in the economic development of the country. If a city is connected to another city within 100 Km of radius, it increases the chances of development by leaps and bounds. This recalls the Golden Quadrilateral project launched by the erstwhile Vajpayee govt in 2001. It is a highway network project connecting many industrial, agricultural and cultural centres of India. A quadrilateral is formed by connecting Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, and Kolkata. The present project is aimed at cutting down congestion in Delhi, which is more than Mumbai and Chennai put together, and reduce travel time between Delhi and Meerut to 30/40 minutes. Indian road sector is the second largest in the world. We are having around 47 lakh KM of road network in our country (only 54-55% of this is paved). 80% of passengers travel by road 65% of freight goods are transported by road All over the world it has been witnessed that wherever there are good roads, there has been a progress. For example, the Noida and Agra expressway has caused the kind of development that we see now around in Delhi. This project is set to spur construction activity, which is the second largest employment provider in the country after the agriculture sector. The total outlay for the infrastructure sector in the 12th FYP (2012-2017) was $1 trillion. Out of this, 20 per cent is to be spent for road development. However, in the last five years, there was not much activity in the road construction. By the time when the present govt took over reins in the last year, there were around 5 lakh crore worth infrastructure projects that were stalled for various reasons. Later, around 3 lakh crore worth projects have been cleared. The present govt is targeting to construct 30 KM a day by 2017. According to a Goldman Sachs estimate of 2009, India will need about 1.7 trillion USD by 2020 to give a boost to its economic development. Why the road sector was not doing well? Earlier, the emphasis was on PPP. The concessionaire who bid for a project could not get clearances for land/environment/others within a specific time. This caused escalation in the costs of the project. Hence many projects couldn’t see the light of the day. Poor enforcement of PPP contracts and lack of dispute resolution mechanisms are the major reasons for the failure of PPP projects. Now, the govt came up with hybrid PPP in which 40% of equity will be given by govt and the rest by the concessionaire (the private player who is constructing the road). Since this involves a financial stake of govt also, the govt is ready to clear the regulatory hurdles. Also, recently govt has launched National Investment and Infrastructure Fund which has 40,000 crore corpus. The NIIF is meant to fund development of infrastructure projects, including reviving the stalled ones. Govt will invest 20,000 crore and the rest comes from private investors. States have to actively participate in the road development project. Land is a state subject and states have to cooperate with centre on this aspect. If India were to achieve higher growth rates, then development of world class infrastructure is a must. There is a need for integration of water grids, transmission grids, and the green corridors along with the construction of roads. We also have to create integrated multi-modal transport systems, where there has to be a connectivity of inland waterways, ports, rails and roads. In the village roads sector, there has to be pucca roads connecting the last mile villages. The PM GSY is doing well in this area. You may also refer to these articles for further reference http://iasbaba.com/2016/01/iasbabas-daily-current-affairs-1st-january-2016/ http://iasbaba.com/2015/10/iasbabas-daily-current-affairs-8th-october-2015/ http://iasbaba.com/2015/10/iasbabas-daily-current-affairs-24th-october-2015/

Jan 4, 2016 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

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

Archives   IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 4th January, 2016   NATIONAL   TOPIC:  General Studies 1: Indian culture will cover the salient aspects of Art Forms, Literature and Architecture from ancient to modern times General studies 3: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment.   Taming bulls, wounding rights As the harvest festival of Pongal approaches in Tamil Nadu, the clamour for legitimising the brutal sport, jallikattu, has grown louder yet again. The pressure this time includes the added weight of the political context, with ‘Tamil tradition and culture’ being invoked to stir up a high fever ahead of the 2016 Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu. What is the issue? Supreme court in 2014 banned the sport jallikattu as it violates provisions of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act (PCA) and militates the constitutional duty of treating animals with compassion, Article 51A (g). It also reiterated the expansive reading it had given in the past, to Article 21 (Right to Life), which prohibits any disturbance to the environment, including animals, considered essential for human life. What is Jallikattu? Jallikattu is derived from the words ‘calli’ (coins) and ‘kattu’ (tie), which means a bundle of coins is tied to the bull’s horns. In older times, the tamer sought to remove this bundle from the animal’s head to win gold or silver. He would be called ‘brave’ and ‘valourous’ and would also sometimes be rewarded with a bride. The southern parts of Tamil Nadu witness bull-taming the most, with Alanganallur near Madurai hosting the largest and most famous of these events. A start of cruelty towards animals: But what started as a simple act of bravado has become an act of cruelty towards animals. The Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI)’s report submitted before the court in this case lists unimaginable forms of torture inflicted on the beast meant to help in farming — tails twisted and fractured, chemicals poured into the eyes, ears mutilated, sharp-edged weapons used to poke the animal, and intoxicants forced into its mouth. All these and more take place right under the watch of officials. The enclosures in the arena deny the bull food, water, or even space to stand. Wider interpretation by Supreme Court: Taking into consideration all these aspects, the Supreme Court ruled that not only did jallikattu inflict “unnecessary pain and suffering” on the animal and thereby violate the PCA Act, but the whole sport in the form in which it exists today has nothing to do with the traditional bull-taming of yore. The court exhaustively cites international rights jurisprudence to stress the need to correct anthropocentric views and the fact that animals too have the right to live dignified lives. The court then banned the use of bulls as performing animals, reiterating that any custom, even if in existence since the pre-constitutional days, should be in consonance with the values of the Constitution. International experience: The tradition of bullfighting in Spain is cited to legitimise the conduct of Jallikattu and present it as a viable tourist attraction. It is significant that the Spanish state of Catalonia banned the sport in 2012 after a prolonged ‘culture versus rights’ debate. In 2002, Germany took animal rights to a new level by giving animals constitutional protection. Way ahead: Those who want the sport to be legalised have called for an amendment to the PCA Act and measures to revoke the 2011 notification of the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) which barred the use of bulls as performing animals. Trying to allow an event that legitimises cruelty to animals would be a direct insult to the carefully reasoned writ of the Supreme Court, a complete negation of the PCA Act and its objectives, and would take the country back by a few steps in the crucial area of Right to Life. Connecting the dots: Critically analyse the extent to which environment legislations in India have been successful in safeguarding environment. Analyse the role played by culture in socio economic development of a region. The expression “life and personal liberty” under Article 21 of Indian constitution are of widest amplitude and cover infinite volume of rights. Elucidate   NATIONAL TOPIC: General Studies 2 Functions and responsibilities of the Union and the States; Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation; Governance Issues   Kerala’s Liquor Policy: All in the spirit of equality Supreme Court of India has recently, delivered its judgment on the validity of Kerala’s newest liquor policy, which seeks to prohibit the sale and service of alcohol in all public places, save bars and restaurants in five-star hotels. The verdict while employing a case of patent discrimination places the five-star hotels at stake and undermines the fundamental promise of equal concern and treatment under the Constitution. Thus, inThe Kerala Bar Hotels Association v. State of Kerala , the most basic doctrines of constitutionalism have been thrown open to the politics of hypocrisy. Excise Policy 2007: Kerala government has strived to tighten its excise policy to making liquor less freely available in the State (and more so in the interest of public health) 1st step—Amended the policy by permitting new bar licences to be granted only to those hotels which were accorded a rating of three stars or more by the Central government’s Ministry of Tourism 2011: Hotels having a rating below four stars were disentitled from having a licence issued to serve alcoholic beverages on their premises Amnesty provided- For hotels hotels with existing licences, to have their licences renewed even if they did not possess a four-star mark 2014 (March): SC held that the deletion of three-star hotels from the category of hotels eligible for a liquor licence as constitutionally valid Even hotels without a bar licence were entitled to three-star statuses under the Ministry of Tourism’s Rules and Regulations August 2014: Intensification of ‘Excise Policy’ by Government: Tried enforcing complete prohibition Hotels classed as five star and above, by the Union government’s Ministry of Tourism- Only one’s entitled to maintain a bar licence A pre-constitutional enactment was duly amended, and the State’s excise commissioners issued notices to all hotels of four stars and below, which served liquor, intimating them of the annulment of their respective bar licences New Policy Challenged: Grounds of challenge- Fundamental rights guaranteed under Part III of India’s Constitution Article 19(1)(g)— Right to practise any profession, or to carry on any occupation, trade or business Liberty to freely carry on any trade or business is subject to reasonable restrictions that may be imposed by the state in the interest of the general public Article 47 of the Constitution: Requires States to make an endeavour towards improving public health (including by bringing about prohibition of the consumption of liquor) These can lead to a proof behind the action to be termed as legitimate 1994: Khoday Distilleries Ltd. v. State of Karnataka The constitution bench of the Supreme Court had questioned the existence of any right to trade in alcoholic beverages Justice P.B. Sawant: The State can Prohibit completely the trade or business in potable liquor since liquor as beverage is res extra commercium Create a monopoly in itself for trade or business in such liquor Place restrictions and limitations on such trade or business which may be in nature different from those on trade or business in articles res commercium Reflection- In the Kerala Bar Hotels Associationcase, SC thus, held the Abkari (excise) policy of the Kerala government to being in conformity with the right under Article 19(1)(g) Article 14— Categorisation has led to an unnecessary classification by treating persons on an equal standing unequally Courts have time and again employed basic two-prong test to determine what constitutes such a classification: There must be— An intelligible differentia, which distinguishes persons or things that are grouped together from others left out of the group The differentia must have a rational relation to the object sought to be achieved by the law in question But, even the rationale being practiced in granting license as well as the purpose of a better human health seems to be disguised under truck-load of policies which does not seem in tandem with each other Courts Excuse: Price being a prohibitive factor: Five Star hotels can act as a deterrent to individuals going in for binge or even casual drinking and thus, an inadequate justification was forwarded with an economic way out Tourism as used by the State government IASbaba’s Views: If a commodity is res extra commercium— a thing outside commerce — this particular point does not give the state absolute power to make laws on the subject in violation of the guarantee of equal treatment. While a law might represent a valid constraint on the freedom to trade, it must confirm to other constitutional commands, including Article 14, which assures us that the state shall not deny to any person equality before the law or the equal protection of the laws within the territory of India. Employing paternalism and classism will only have a polarising effect on the policy issues of the country and thus, there is a need to revisit the policy to keep one’s faith in Art 14 intact. Connecting the Dots: Has the State of Kerala made a reasonable classification in consonance with Article 14 by permitting only five-star hotels and above to serve liquor? Critically examine Discuss how will the special treatment being granted to the five-star hotels possibly help the Kerala government in achieving the highlighted objectives   MUST READ Bangladesh’s Islamist challenge Hindu   India-Pakistan: Stay the course after Pathankot Hindu Indian Express   From plate to plough: A new budget in the new year- The farmers are under severe stress, with profitability in farming falling alarmingly. FY17 budget must boldly address the agriculture crisis. Indian Express   Out of my mind: A new Parliament for a new India- China's National Assembly has 2,987 members. As the largest democracy, India should expect no less Indian Express   Indian Science Congress: Scientists hail Indians’ role in particle physics Indian Express   Lodha Committee Report: Winds of change set to sweep BCCI- RM Lodha committee to propose measures to revamp functioning of Indian cricket board Indian Express   Battling pollution- Improved fuel norms should be a top priority Business Standard   Breaking down barriers- Important moves towards a single agricultural market Business Standard   Unfree speech- Laws of defamation and contempt must be seen as lingering anachronisms. Indian Express MIND MAPS   1. Jallikattu The Hindu   2. China's Slowdown Live Mint

Jan 4, 2016 PIB

IASbaba Press Information Bureau (PIB)- 28th to 3rd January 2016-Week 1

ARCHIVES   GS-2 Smt. Maneka Sanjay Gandhi launches e-Office in the Ministry of Women & Child Development  (Topic: Important Aspects of Governance, Transparency and accountability, e-governance- applications, models, success, limitations, and potential; citizens charters, transparency and accountability and accountability and institutional and other measures)   E-Office: Launched by Ministry of Women and Child Development Importance - Bring paperless functioning Brings transparency and accountability, which help to step up the delivery mechanisms The legacy data of all the files of the ministry has been digitized and the entire file movement is now taking place electronically Good system for processing of files and that DeitY is continuously striving to bring new areas within the ambit of digitization   Functioning- Under the e-office, every receipt of any paper is scanned and digitized and the new file is opened File is then processed electronically as per specified procedure and specified hierarchy Project was initiated in July, 2015 and over 12,000 files of the Ministry have been digitized Several modules of e-office – File Management System, Knowledge Management System, Leave Management System, Tour Management System, Benefits- Reduction of processing time A file takes only 4-5 days for processing as compared to 30-40 days earlier Possible to locate the point at which the file is held up and avoid delay by expediting the same Directly impacts the delivery mechanism of the ministry, both for the State Governments as well as related civil society organizations The e-office has also resulted in better accountability and transparency Results in higher manpower efficiency   Other Steps- To bring other organizations like National Commission for Women within the ambit of e-Office soon All the attached offices of the ministry are also going to come on the e-office platform shortly Personnel Information Management System (e-Service Book) is expected to start from the 1st of January, 2016     Union Health Minister reviews the preparedness on Seasonal Influenza (H1N1) (Topic: Issues relating to Health, Diseases and Medical Enhancement)   Union Health and Family Welfare Minister issued necessary directions related to- Procurement, Training, Issuing of advisories and Guidelines for the state governments to review the preparedness for tackling seasonal Influenza (H1N1)   Steps Taken - Monitoring the situation and adequate steps have been taken Strengthen nationwide awareness campaign on Seasonal Influenza (H1N1) Support to the state governments Issue necessary advisories to the state governments at regular intervals and review their strategy and plans The Ministry has also undertaken adequate steps to augment capacity of health facilities to manage cases of Influenza (H1N1) Strengthened testing facilities Availability of PPE Kits and N95 Masks for healthcare workers dealing with the cases Sufficient tablets of Oseltamivir for early treatment of Influenza (H1N1) cases Directed the Central government institutions to earmark sufficient number of beds for H1N1 patients with additional capacity which may be used quickly whenever required   Memorandum of Understanding between India and Jordan for promoting cooperation In the field of Information Technology and Electronics (Topic: Regional and Global Groupings and agreement involving India and affecting India’s Interest) MoU’s develop and strengthen- Industrial, Technological Commercial cooperation between the two countries in- Information Technology + Electronics (IT&E) sector Implement institutional + capacity building cooperation programme aimed at fostering partnerships between the two countries Areas of co-operation include- Identifying Capacity Building areas and specific needs of- Jordanian IT sector, Design, Plan , Implement IT Capacity Building Programmes for the benefit to Jordan Cooperation among : Private + Public entities of both countries in the areas of- Investment Business promotion Strengthening Collaboration in: IT&E sector in the areas of- E-education, E-Governance, M-Governance, E-health, Telemedicine etc.; Sharing of best practices in the areas of – Regulatory policy and Institutional framework with special emphasis on developing internationally competitive IT&E manufacturing and services industry Participation in : International events organized by each country Other areas as jointly decided by the Parties Areas of cooperation realized through: Establishing a Working Group on IT&E composed of representatives of the Parties   National School Games to be organised at Four to Five venues every year (Topic: Issues Relating to Health, Education, Human Resources, Sports and others)    Organised by: Union Government in a big way at four to five venues in the country every year Objective – To ensure proper promotion and development of various games at the school level Help early identification of talent and ensuring physical fitness of children It is expected that participation of large number of children in the proposed National School Games from various parts of the country will not only contribute to the objective of sports promotion but also national unity and harmony Purpose of efficient organisation made possible by: National School Games, the Department of Sports with the School Games Federation of India (SGFI) for conduct of the games and with the selected state governments for infrastructure   Health Ministry issues Draft Guidelines for Kidney Donors (Topic: Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources)   About- The National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO) under the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare issued Draft Guidelines Another major step towards easing rules and procedures to encourage organ donation among the masses The draft guidelines have been posted on the website of NOTTO-notto.nic.inand comments/suggestions/views have been invited to fine tune the guidelines. These may be sent to the Director, NOTTO at dir@notto.nic.in by 16th January 2016   Draft guidelines include: Recipient registration, listing and scoring system in the waiting list Scoring system for making priority Allocation principles Allocation algorithm, including  criteria for urgent listing, and Inter-state issues   Steps Taken- List of the government and non-government hospitals in Delhi Covers area: Neighboring area of the NCR (Gurgaon, Ghaziabad, Faridabad, Noida) listed in the draft guidelines Hospitals in the NCR cities will be included in the networking along with hospitals of Delhi for the purpose of organ sharing and allocation with the concurrence and MOU with the respective State Governments and institutions in due course of time    GS-3   Science & Technology for Indigenous Development in India (Topic: Science and Technology, Resources, Growth, Development and Employment)   Under Theme: Science & Technology for Indigenous Development in India (103rd edition of Indian Science Congress) Held from: January 3 to 7 January, 2016 Host: University of Mysore at its campus The Minister for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, Dr. Harsh Vardhan will unveil the Indian Science Congress Mega Expo “Pride of India-Frontier Science & Technologies” Pride of India Expo: Some major attractions like Hall of Pride, Vigyan Jyot and Genesis Hall of Pride (HoP)- Dedicated to the eminent personalities related to science and technology who have contributed immensely towards the progress and welfare of the nation Some of the personalities portrayed in the earlier editions of HoP are Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Dr. Vikram Sarabhai, Shri Dhirubhai Ambani, Shri G. D Birla, Prof. Satish Dhawan, Shri Acharaya Prafulla Chandra Ray, Sir Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya etc At the 103rdIndian Science Congress this prestigious hall will be dedicated to Hon’ble  APJ Abdul Kalam Genes- One day symposium which is organized concurrent to the ISC with complimenting theme to the main science congress The theme of XIV Genesis has been aptly chosen as “Realising the Make in India Mission through Indigenous Development – Role of MSME”keeping in view the focal theme of this year’s congress Objective to bring- Scientists, Industrialists, Academicians and Policy makers on a common platform to exchange ideas and explore collaborative opportunities Vijyan Jyot-the flame of knowledge – A novel initiative of MM Active which was initiated in the year 2010. The Aim To introduce pure science as a career choice amongst the youth and encourage them to opt for this career, thus preparing scientists and innovators for the future The Vigyan Jyot is inspired by the vision 2020 of our former President Dr. A.P.J  Kalam of making India a powerful and prosperous  nation by reaching the benefits of science and technology to every Indian and enriching the quality of life   Government constitutes Committee for Holistic interpretation of the provisions of the Cinematograph Act/ Rules (Topic: Science and Technology- Developments and their Application and effects in everyday life)  Issue – In most countries of the world there is a mechanism of certifying feature films and documentaries It has to be ensured that in doing so, artistic creativity and freedom do not get stifled/curtailed and the people tasked with the work of certification understand these nuances A whole lot of Indian films have enriched the cultural milieu of the country besides making astonishing advances in technical aspects of film making Steps Taken- A committee headed by Shri Shyam Benegal has been constituted to suggest the paradigm for ensuring such a milieu This in view and in sync with the vision of Hon’ble Prime Minister Recommendations of Committee - To provide a holistic framework Enable those tasked with the work of certification of films to discharge their responsibilities keeping in view this framework Committee would be expected to take note of the best practices in various parts of the world, especially where the film industry is given sufficient and adequate space for creative and aesthetic expression The Committee would recommend broad guidelines / procedures under the provisions of the Cinematograph Act / Rules for the benefit of the chairperson and other members of the Screening Committee The staffing pattern of CBFC would also be looked into in an effort to recommend a framework which would provide efficient / transparent user friendly services The Committee has been requested to submit their recommendations within two months   Committee set up to Review Wage Structure of Gramin Dak Sevaks (Topic: Communication and Information Technology)   Committee- One man Committee to examine- Wage structure, Service conditions, etc Gramin Dak Sevaks in the Department of Posts has been constituted by the Government of India Department of Post has 2.6 lakh Gramin Dak Sevaks All these GDSs will come under the purview of GDS Committee The Committee will go into the service conditions of Gramin Dak Sevaks and suggest changes as considered necessary   Terms of reference of the Committee will include the following:- To examine the system of Branch Post Offices, engagement conditions and the existing structure of wage and enrolments paid to the Gramin Dak Sevaks and recommend necessary changes To review the existing Services Discharge Benefits Scheme/other social security benefits for the Gramin Dak Sevaks and suggest necessary changes To review the existing facilities/welfare measures provided to the Gramin Dak Sevaks and suggest necessary changes To examine and suggest any changes in the method of – Engagement, Minimum qualification for engagement as Gramin Dak Sevaks and their conduct and disciplinary rules, Particularly keeping in view the proposed induction of technology in the Rural Post Offices     Environment Minister Holds Brainstorming Meetings to Formulate Action Plan for 2016  (Topic: Conservation, Environmental Pollution and Degradation, Environmental Impact Assessment)   Action plan for 2016 Increasing public participation, Bringing down delays and Aiming for zero delays   Steps Taken- Review the Comprehensive Environmental Pollution Index (CEPI) and install machines to gauge pollution levels in 66 cities with a population of more than one million. New Waste Management Rules will achieve the Clean India campaign envisioned by the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi Solid Waste Management Rules, Construction Waste Management Rules, Plastic Waste Management Rules, Bio-medical Waste Management Rules and Hazardous Waste Management Rules have been revamped and will be declared soon Directions will be issued soon to State governments under Section 5 of Environment Protection Act, 1986 on Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) that are not working It is the responsibility of State governments to ensure that the STPs become functional Meetings reviewed the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) policy   DAVA project wins 2015 eASIA Award  (Topic: Achievements, Indigenization of Technology and Developing New Technology)   Department of Commerce’s DAVA (Drug Authentication and Verification Application) project has won the 2015 eASIA Award under Trade Facilitation category as announced by Asia Pacific Council for Trade Facilitation and Electronic Business (AFACT) in Tehran, Iran Award administered by: AFACT About DAVA Project- A significant step in the direction of Pharmaceuticals Authentication and Verification Contribute considerably in enhancing the brand image of our pharmaceutical exporters It is in the pilot stage and will be subsequently made mandatory for all pharmaceutical exports from India Indian Pharmaceutical industry has approximately 250 large units and more than 8,000 small and medium scale units Application Launched has value-added features like – Availability of stocks for a drug in an area/wholesalers/retailers at a point of time; whenever required, Drugs can easily be identified and recalled due to traceability of stocks, Prevention of black marketing which especially arises during epidemics An initiative of: Government of India which aims to cover all the drugs manufactured in India DAVA project launched on: June 29, 2015 Help in: Creating an integrated platform for implementation of the Track and Trace system both for exports + domestic markets of Drugs and Pharmaceuticals Project provide simpler means to the consumer and regulatory agencies for establishing drug authentication Protect the India’s Brand image in international trade When fully implemented, the export of fake or spurious drug from the country, will not be possible and in case it happens it would be easily traceable