Aug 10, 2015 PIB

IASbaba Press Information Bureau (PIB) - June-2015

Press Information Bureau-June 2015ArchivesNote- You might have missed other important articles on IASbaba. We request to subscribe immediately so as to not miss out anyone of them :) Enter your email at the right hand side, below 'Subscribe' button. General Studies-IInland Waterways Economically Most Viable Sector Inland Waterways is economically most viable sector and, as such, it should be an integral part of infrastructure development in the country. Development of inland waterways would lower the logistics cost of production and, in turn, make the prices of the products more competitive in the global market. Moreover, this sector has a huge potential for generating employment for the youth. The feasibility of joint ventures are also being explored as Centre and State Governments have to work together to bring this sector in the forefront of infrastructure development. Government plans to establish facilities for ship-building and ship-repairing at Guwahati, Kandla and Andaman & Nicobar in near future.Bansagar Crisis Resolved with Intervention of Sushri Uma Bharti On the request of Union Minister of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation, Madhya Pradesh has ordered release of water from Bansagar Dam in Madhya Pradesh to Uttar Pradesh. This has resolved the water supply crisis which had arisen due to earlier refusal of Madhya Pradesh to release water to Uttar Pradesh from Bansagar dam on the grounds of non-release of share of O&M funds by Uttar Pradesh to Madhya Pradesh. Bansagar Project has been constructed as per the agreement reached between the Governments of Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar on the September 16, 1973 for sharing the waters of River Sone and the cost of the Bansagar which became operational in 2005.Media campaign to promote Nabakalebar as an international festival Nabakalebar, the periodical renewal of the wooden images of Lord, Jagannath, Balabhadra, Subhadra and Sudarshan. After the year 1996, next Nabakalebar festival is going to happen in 2015. The PuriRathYatra will be named as Nabakalebar RathYatra in 18th July 2015 is going to be special for everyone throughout the world.General Studies-II1000 more stores to be opened under ‘Jan Aushadhi Scheme”  The Government proposes to soon open 1000 more stores under the ‘Jan Aushadhi Scheme’ to make available quality generic medicines at affordable prices through these special outlets. These stores will be opened for the underprivileged that would be provided medicines at a price of 60-70% less than the market price. The stores will be renamed, rebranded and will increasingly involve B. Pharma and M. Pharma qualified unemployed populace.First-ever Post-Graduate course on Northeast to be introduced from next year As yet another new initiative to bring mainstream India closer to the North-East Region (NER), the first ever Post-Graduate Course in Northeastern Studies will be introduced from next year. starting from the forthcoming semester beginning August 2015, Jamia Millia Islamia University, New Delhi will start an “Option Paper” in Northeastern Studies for students undertaking exam for Masters Degree in the University. An institutionalized study and research on Northeast India will provide inputs for professionals and policy makers on key issues relating to the region and thus help create a bridge between the policy making desk and the realities on the ground.IAP Health Phone programme  The IAP HealthPhone programme is the world’s largest digital mass education programme for addressing the malnutrition in women and children. This programme is launched by the Indian Academy of Pediatrics (IAP) in partnership with the Ministry of Women and Child Development, UNICEF and supported by Vodafone India. This programme aims to tackle the challenge of malnutrition in mothers and children across India.Indian Naval Ships Enter Freemantle (Perth), Australia  In consonance with India’s ‘Look East’ and ‘Act East’ policy, two ships of the Indian Navy’s Eastern Fleet (INS Satpura and INS Kamorta), Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Fleet (FOCEF) called on the port of Freemantle, Perth, Australia. It may be recalled that four ships of the Eastern Fleet are on an operational deployment to South Indian Ocean and South China Sea since mid-May 2015. As a part of the deployment, INS Satpura, the indigenously built guided missile stealth frigate, INS Kamorta, the latest indigenous Anti Submarine Warfare corvette had participated in IMDEX 15 and SIMBEX at Singapore.BBIN Motor Vehicle Agreement The Cabinet has approved signing of the Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal (BBIN) Motor Vehicle Agreement for the Regulation of Passenger, Personal and Cargo Vehicular Traffic amongst BBIN. The agreement will be signed on 15th June at the BBIN Transport Minister’s meeting in Thimpu, Bhutan. Signing of the BBIN agreement will promote safe, economical efficient and environmentally sound road transport in the sub-region and will further help each country in creating an institutional mechanism for regional integration. BBIN countries will be benefited by mutual cross border movement of passenger and goods for overall economic development of the region. The people of the four countries will benefit through seamless movement of goods and passenger across borders.General Studies-IIIInflation Falls, GDP Surges: Economy Looks up After a Three-Year Gap Firstly, India’s poor economic growth and high domestic inflation between April 2011 and May 2014 had visibly shrunk opportunities in the world’s second most populous nation. Secondly, increased domestic consumption and high GDP growth in India could change the economic outlook of both the country and the world. India’s economic stability and growth means a lot to the world, especially after China’s economy showing signs of stress and slow-down. India’s economic weightage is now the highest ever assigned to any emerging market. International rating agencies have predicted that India would surpass China’s economic growth rate at the end of 2015-16. Of the total Indian assets under management by foreign portfolio investors, half the amount is under the custody of Global Funds, Asia Pacific and EM funds. "In the long-term, foreign funds' weightage to India will gradually rise. While the government is building a national consensus to amend the Constitution to implement the Goods and Services Tax (GST), it will put in place a state-of-the-art indirect tax system by April, 2016. The achievements and programmes are certainly raising the quality of life of Indians and have long-term positive impact on economy. India is back on high growth path. International agencies are betting big on India.NamamiGange: River Polluters Can't Go Scot Free; ISRO Powered App on Cards  In a determined bid to combat pollution in the river Ganga, a highly sophisticated digital system will be launched shortly to pin down habitual polluters by involving people in river front cities. Highly placed sources told UNI that an app, using state-of-the-art technology, has been developed with the help of ISRO (Indian Space Research Organization) to involve people who can now click pictures of polluters-mainly industry, habitual offenders and other source of pollution by their mobiles and upload same on the new app for action. The ambitious Namami Gange project officials will soon initiate action on the visual which through the satellite system is set to pin the location for swift and suitable action. Once the picture of polluted stretch is uploaded, officials said, it could not be erased and would have comprehensive details like location, date and time. Several crore rupees were spent earlier on the Ganga action plan (GAP) over decades but the river remained polluted. ''Namami Gange'' is an integrated Ganga conservation mission under National Ganga River basin authority of the Ministry of Water Resources and River development. It is to invoke nature conservation for improved livelihood with a boost to job & irrigation. The Ganga, which is ironically also the world’s fifth most polluted river, now floats hopes of regaining its grandeur and sanctity by year 2020. “Taking a leaf from the unsatisfactory results of the earlier Ganga Action Plans, the Centre also plans to provide for operation and maintenance of the assets for a minimum 10-year period, and adopt a PPP/SPV approach for pollution hotspots.”Consume with Care: The man who plants a tree is one who is giving a lasting gift to humanity, says the Rig Veda. The Father of our Nation Mahatma Gandhi says ““Earth provides enough to satisfy every man's needs, but not every man's greed.” Again, as an African proverb reminds us “We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children. World Environment Day (WED) is primarily an initiative of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). The day is being celebrated all over the world and it has enjoyed relative success in achieving carbon neutrality, focusing on the forest management, reducing greenhouse effects, promoting bio-fuels production by planting on degraded lands, use of hydro-power to enhance electricity production, encourage common public to use solar water heaters, energy production through solar sources, developing new drainage systems, promoting coral reefs and mangroves restoration in order to get prevented from flooding and erosion including other ways of environmental preservation. The WED theme for this year is "Seven Billion Dreams. One Planet. Consume with Care." U N Secretary General Mr Ban Ki Moon exhorted, "Although individual decisions may seem small in the face of global threats and trends, when billions of people join forces in common purpose, we can make a tremendous difference."Protection of Environment for Sustainable Development  The protection of environment is needed for sustainable development. The Industrial pollution, degradation of forests, depletion of ozone layer, the greenhouse gases results in global warming and climate which will have an adverse impact on environment and human health. There are several provisions provided in Indian Constitution for Protection of environment. There are certain legislations enacted viz. Environment Protection Act, Wildlife Preservation Act, Biodiversity Conservation Act, water and Air pollution prevention Acts etc The Judiciary playing a vital role in protection of Environment. The United Nation Organization passed several UN conventions like Ramsar Convention on protection of wetlands, and UN convention on Biodiversity etc. Global warming is the term used to describe a gradual increase in the average temperature of the Earth’s atmosphere and its oceans, a change that is believed to be permanently changing the Earth’s climate. The changing climate patterns, and especially increased frequency and severity of extreme events, will increase vulnerability to the natural disasters, both slower on set ones such as drought and rapid onset disaster such as flood and cyclones. The role of forests in the national economy and in ecology was emphasized in the 1988 National Forest Policy, which focused on ensuring environmental stability, restoring the ecological balance, and preserving the remaining forests. The 2009 Indian national forest policy document emphasizes the need to combine India's effort at forest conservation with sustainable forest management. Conservation of Biodiversity is the need of the hour. The Biological Diversity Act, 2002 is a federal legislation enacted by the Parliament of India for preservation of biological diversity in India, and provides mechanism for equitable sharing of benefits arising out of use of traditional biological resources and knowledge. A lot of Acts like Biodiversity Conservation Act, environment Protection Act, Wildlife Preservation Act, Water Pollution Prevention Act, Air Pollution Prevention Act etc. are enacted from time to time for environment preservation.Green Energy has got a Boost The solar energy which accounted for mere one per cent of nearly two lakh mw of power generated in the country, is being pursued with renewed vigour. The target of 20,000 Mw of solar power proposed to be installed in the country has been reset by the NDA government to achieve five time more at one lakh mw of solar power by 2022. The overall renewable energy share at the moment is around 6 per cent. Thermal power dominated, accounting for nearly 60 per cent of power generation. Wind power, which has already caught on in some parts of the country particularly in the coastal region is proposed to be stepped up to 60,000 mw of power generation by 2022. China, which had huge capacity for manufacture of solar photovoltaic cells, has stepped up skill development and has created enough manpower to install up to 20,000 mw of solar power annually. India at the moment lacked requisite manpower to scale up solar power generation. The existing trained manpower in the country can at best install up to 2000 mw of solar power annually. So government will have to make concerted effort on this front as massive huge scaling up is required on skill development to achieve one lakh mw of solar power generation by 2022. India is also working on building a consortium of 50 countries with abundant solar radiation, to pool research and technological advancements to improve its accessibility to the poor and in the remote areas. The cost of electricity from solar photo-voltaic cells is coming down drastically. With solar power costs coming down, there is a possibility solar power generation would become very attractive without subsidy in not too distant future. India receives solar energy equivalent to about 500 trillion kWh per annum, more than enough to provide for the entire country’s needs. India produces around two lakh MW of power and one fourth of Rajasthan Thar desert is enough generate much of solar power. Gujarat tops the list of solar power generation with over 600 mw followed by Rajasthan with over 500 mw. Madhya Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh are too catching up now with huge solar power plant of 1000 Mw coming up just as in Rajasthan. India joins the Multilateral Competent Authority Agreement (MCAA) on Automatic Exchange of Information (AEOI)  India joined the Multilateral Competent Authority Agreement on Automatic Exchange of Financial Account Information on in Paris, France, along with Australia, Canada, Costa Rica, Indonesia and New Zealand. Ninety-four countries have committed to exchange information on an automatic basis from 2017 onwards as per the new global standards on automatic exchange of information, known as Common Reporting Standards (CRS) on Automatic Exchange of Information (AEOI). For implementation of these standards in India and with a view to provide information to other countries, necessary legislative changes have been made through Finance (No. 2) Act, 2014, by amending section 285BA of the Income-tax Act, 1961. Necessary rules and guidelines are being formulated in consultation with financial institutions.IAF Concludes Operations in Earthquake Hit Nepal  A mammoth Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) task was carried out by the IAF from 25 Apr 15 to 04 Jun 15. Within four hours of the earthquake that struck Nepal, IAF swung into action and routed one C-130J aircraft, two C-17, one IL-76, airlifting 295 NDRF personnel, 46.5 tonnes of load and five sniffer dogs. Lots of relief material for over a month were airlifted like water, field hospitals, blankets, tents, Paramedics, stretchers, medicines, prepared food, milk, utensils, vegetables, Meals Ready to Eat (MRE), RO Plants, Oxygen Regenerators, Air Force Communication Centre Vehicles, Rapid Action Medical Team (RAMT) with its transportable Operation Theatre, X-ray, Laboratory & patient beds etc.Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) grow by 9.2% FEEs from Tourism ( in US$ terms) register a growth of 15% in May 2015 over May 2014 as compared to 0.2% in May 2014 over May 2013 . The Ministry of Tourism compiles monthly estimates of Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) on the basis of Nationality-wise, Port-wise data received from Bureau of Immigration (BOI) and Foreign Exchange Earnings (FEEs) from tourism on the basis of data available from Reserve Bank of India. The following are the important highlights regarding FTAs and FEEs from tourism during the month of May 2015.Online Collection of Light Dues “It’s one step forward towards realizing Prime Minister’s vision of Digital India”, Till now, the mode of Light dues payment was only by way of physical payment. With a view to promote ease of business, a number of e-governance initiatives have been taken up by the Ministry of Shipping. As a part of the ongoing efforts, Directorate General of Lighthouses and Lightships (DGLL) has now facilitated the payment of Light dues through online mode.Clarification Issued in the Matter of Service Tax; Only Air-Conditioned or Air-Heated Restaurants to Pay Service Tax; Restaurants, Eating-Joints or Messes Which Do Not Have the Facility of Air-Conditioning Or Central Air-Heating in Any Part of the Establishment are Exempt from Service Tax. At present, Service Tax is chargeable on services provided by restaurants, eating-joints or messes which have the facility of air-conditioning or central air-heating in any part of the establishment at any time during the year in relation to serving of food or beverages. Restaurants, eating-joints or messes which do not have the facility of air-conditioning or central air-heating in any part of the establishment are exempt from service tax. In other words, only air-conditioned or air-heated restaurants are required to pay Service Tax.Proposal to promulgate the Negotiable Instruments (Amendment) Ordinance, 2015 The proposed amendments to the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881 (“The NI Act”) are focused on clarifying the jurisdiction related issues for filing cases for offence committed under section 138 of the NI Act. The clarification of jurisdictional issues may be desirable from the equity point of view as this would be in the interests of the complainant and would also ensure a fair trial. The clarity on jurisdictional issue for trying the cases of cheque bouncing would increase the credibility of the cheque as a financial instrument. This would help the trade and commerce in general and allow the lending institution, including banks, to continue to extend financing to the economy, without the apprehension of the loan default on account of bouncing of a cheque.Designing in India, by India for the world Think of design, and kaleidoscopic images of aesthetically designed articles will float before your eyes. Any idea who might be behind this myriad array? More often than not, it would be an alumnus from the National Institute of Design (NID), Ahmedabad. One of the top design schools across the globe, NID has always evoked respect and awe not only for the Institute per se, but also for the amazing designs, a product of the fertile minds honed in the hallowed portals of NID, dotting the entire world. And yet, despite having traversed a long way ever since its inception in 1961, there was a twinge of something amiss. Students flocked to NID, but emerged with only a Diploma. Then came the historical moment in 2014, when the NID was declared as an “Institute of National Importance”, a first for any design school. In fact, the very first Bill that this Government introduced in the Parliament was the NID Act, 2014. This reflects the commitment of the present Government in taking forward 'design' as a tool for improving the quality of products and services of Indian industry. It’s a tribute to the faculty and students of NID that the Bill was passed unanimously by both the Houses of Parliament in record time. The Rajya Sabha passed the Bill on 7th July 2014 and Lok Sabha the very next day. The Bill got the Presidential assent on 17th July, 2014. Design will also act as a catalyst in “Make in India” initiative by benefitting micro, small, cottage and medium industry clusters across the country by design intervention strategies through the Design Clinic Scheme. Over the next 10 years, this Centre is expected to bring in revolutionary changes in passenger and freight transport facilities through sustained design research and development exclusively dedicated to the Indian Railways. From Earth to Space, the list is endless; NID also has a tie-up with Space Application Centre. Design is all set to get a fillip in India.Thank you and All the BestIASbaba

Aug 9, 2015 Motivational Articles

Creative Guidance - Perspective! - Inspirational & Educational Articles

    Perspective It is said that the total weight of ants on our planet is more than the combined weight of all the human beings put together. We are pretty sure that a lot of ants disagree to the so called accepted fact that we human beings are the most dominant species on earth! Sometimes it helps to put things in perspective. Let us take an example from Malcolm Gladwell’s book BLINK to understand the importance and the impact of perspective. If you take a sheet of paper and fold it 50 times, how high do you think the stack of folded paper will be?  Your best guess can be the size of a matchbox, the size of a refrigerator, or if you stretch your imagination a little more, may be the size of a building. But in reality, the height of the folded paper will approximate the distance between the earth and the sun. You fold it one more time and the distance will be doubled. We have a difficulty understanding geometric progression. We think and structure our world around us arithmetically; hence anything that does not follow the rule of slow gradual change, skips our consciousness and robs us of our sense of perspective. This is tremendously important for individuals who are applying their thought process to accomplish something. It is impossible to think linearly. Each and every thought of ours is connected to a million others and one single thought has the potential to change our entire lives. We can intellectually organize our life linearly in terms of days, weeks and months but living it is a dynamic, exponential process. Just think about it, what all can you do with a single glass of water. Spend some time thinking about it, you will be amazed with the answers you can come up with. The object of writing this article is to bring home the point that each and every activity that is happening around you and within you has far reaching consequences, far more than you can ever imagine. Everything around you is growing, evolving and changing exponentially. Your environment, population, governments, laws, customs, habits and lifestyles are all changing multi dimensionally. The best way to understand what is happening around you is by becoming a part of this dynamic process. You cannot grow if you remain linear and independent of the dynamic system that is around you. Just imagine if a plant says - First I will grow tall, later I will grow my roots and leaves, and then I will handle photosynthesis which seems to be a complicated process! Your process of living is no different from the process of growing. Each and every moment you are living, learning, growing, changing and evolving. If you can align yourself to this vibrant complex process and accept that everything has to happen simultaneously, you will be free. And this is where perspective becomes tremendously important. The system around you is so complex and so dynamic that unless you learn to put things in perspective, you will end up looking like an extinct dinosaur fossil; always serious and out of place. Sway in the wind, shudder in the rain, glow in the sun and grow under it. Learn to accept things with ease and humility. You are nothing more than a simple, tiny, conscious, evolving earthling. Even your greatest of problem is pale when you put it in perspective with some of the things happening around you. By the way, ants still outweigh us!   Copyright Disclaimer "No part of the articles in this section, in part or in full shall be reproduced without the written consent of the author. The articles are a copyright of The Ahamo Movement and IASBABA."  

Aug 8, 2015 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs - 8th August, 2015

Archives IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs- 8th August, 2015   NATIONAL   India’s Inverted Abortion Politics Abortion has been legal in India since 1971, when the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act (MPT) allowed termination of pregnancy until only 20 weeks' gestation. Except for when a woman's life is at immediate risk, the act restricts the termination of pregnancy after 20 weeks' gestation, without explanation for this arbitrary cut-off. Though many sees the law as quite liberal, as it aims to reduce illegal abortion, questions being raised about women's health. What is Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act (MPT)? In India, Shantilal Shah Committee (1964) recommended liberalization of abortion law in 1966 to reduce maternal morbidity and mortality associated with illegal abortion. Medical Termination Of Pregnancy Act, 1971 (MTP Act) was implemented from Apr.1972. Pregnancies not exceeding 12 weeks may be terminated based on a single opinion formed in good faith. In case of pregnancies exceeding 12 weeks but less than 20 weeks, termination needs opinion of two doctors. The Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act of India clearly states the conditions under which a pregnancy can be ended or aborted, the persons who are qualified to conduct the abortion and the place of implementation   If the pregnant women finds it necessary to terminate her pregnancy, does she have the right and upto what moment and on what conditions? Since such termination raises a conflict between the rights of the child and the mother (the child's right to survival and the mother's right to terminate the pregnancy), who is competent to adjudicate the claim? As a basic premise law states, that killing a foetus is not permissible. If then qualifies, this opposition by specifying a series of exceptions. These exceptions purpose to be based on some specific consideration. One such consideration is concerned with the conflict between the rights of the mother and the rights of the child. The mothers right is allowed to prevail, in some situations. The women's supposed superiority in his matter is jurisprudentially explained in terms of the "necessity" of the situation coupled with her right to self-defence. To save the life or the health of the women, on a balance of probabilities, the lesser evil is looked upon as the limitation of the foetus to that of the mother. What is The Indian Law on Abortion says? Section 312 of the Indian Penal Code, defines the offence of 'causing miscarriage' as follows "whoever voluntarily causes a woman with child to miscarry shall, if such miscarriage be not caused in good faith for the purpose of saving the life of the woman, be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to 3 years, or with fine, or with both; and, if the woman be quick with child, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to 7 years, and shall also be liable to fine. Is India’s abortion law putting women at risk? India’s abortion law are “contradictory” and need “urgent redrafting” to prevent women from making ill informed decisions and risking their lives with illegal terminations. If a serious fetal abnormality is detected after 20 weeks, the woman has no choice but to continue the pregnancy, even if she does not wish to. This arbitrary 20 week cut-off compels women to make ill informed decisions. If ultrasound testing, typically at about 18 weeks’ gestation in India, indicates a suspicious variation in fetal anatomy, the physician needs to ascertain the degree of seriousness with additional prenatal diagnostic tests. By the time a definitive diagnosis can be made, and the woman understands the prognosis, the pregnancy might well have advanced beyond 20 weeks. What are the proposed amendments to solve this problem? Is abortion justifiable in cases of rape? It is argued that in these tragic cases the great value of the mental health of a woman who becomes pregnant as a result of rape or incest can best be safe-guarded by abortion. It is also said that a pregnancy caused by rape or incest is the result of a grave injustice and that the victim should not be obliged to carry the fetus to viability. This would keep reminding her for nine months of the violence committed against her and would just increase her mental anguish. It is reasoned that the value of the woman's mental health is greater than the value of the fetus. What are the concerns over the sex selective abortions? The concerns over sex selective abortions are valid, hence the inclusion of the 20 week clause, it should be noted that taking away the right of the individual for abortion is unethical, for it deprives the woman of control over her own body. The right to life in Article 21 of the Indian Constitution is considered paramount and it includes the individual’s right to live a life of dignity. One could focus on more stringent laws regarding use of medical technology for sex-selection, and the enforcement of such laws rather than denying access to abortion. Important CASE STUDY It was in 2008, when the infamous case of Mumbai couple Niketa and Harsh Mehta, stirred a nationwide clamour for changes in India’s 44 year old Abortion Law. The Bombay High Court had refused permission to abort a 26-week foetus with a serious heart defect after rejecting Niketa's plea to terminate the pregnancy in a case torn between trauma and ethical issues. Mehtas sought an amendment to the MTP Act so that pregnancy can be terminated even after 20 weeks if doctors believe that the child, if born, will have serious abnormalities, so as to render it handicapped. But a division bench of Justice R M S Khandeparkar and Amjad Sayed observed that they could not alter the provision. The law may have thought differently, but gynaecologists across the country supported the couple. 'It is high time we all questioned the laws that go against human welfare at large,' GeetaChaddha, a senior consultant at Apollo Hospital had said. Niketa had a miscarriage on 27th week of her pregnancy. Connecting the Dots: How India’s Abortion Laws Actively Take Away Individual Choice from Rape Survivors? Why India’s abortion law needs an urgent update? What issues that are not addressed in the draft Medical Termination of Pregnancy (Amendment) Bill, 2014?     INTERNATIONAL   Asian geopolitics New configurations in Asian geopolitics are emerging thick and fast. June, 2015 saw a new trilateral involving India, Japan and Australia. Japan will also be a part of bilateral India-US annual naval exercises, the Malabar slated to be held over the next few months.     Why is the term INDO-PACIFIC gaining traction now? It is clear that the present NDA government wants to revamp the Indian economy by attracting more foreign investments. Since the majority of its trade relations are through the sea, resolving the present and future maritime threats by giving more attention to the Indo-Pacific construct is of prime importance. India has declined China’s offer to join the latter’s Road and Belt project, as there are fears that it might be a means to contain India. Modi’s visit to India’s neighbouring Indo-Pacific regional nations, prior to his visit to China, implies not only the strategic importance of the region for India, but also shows how India wants to counter possible Chinese threats China in the Indian Ocean Region What roles are envisaged for India and China in Indo-Pacific Region? The Indo-Pacific has many critical sea lanes of communication (SLOC) that are crucial for China’s energy transportation. China has long been using its strategies to reach out and find a permanent position in the Indian Ocean Region because the area is viable for long-term infrastructure development to reduce transport dependency through the Straits of Malacca. The similarities between India and China are not only in their size and population but also in their national interests. Both of them have a large economic drive: China to maintain its global position and India to increase its import surplus. Maritime security is also an essential to both. These reasons have led to both the countries investing time, energy and capital in the Indo-Pacific region.   Are the Asia’s ODD-MAN (Australia& Japan) in? Australia and Japan have been anxious to become part of the action and capitalize on the Asian Century opportunity, and to that end it needs to cast off its odd-man-out status in Asian regionalism. While the Asia-Pacific Community never got off the ground, the continuedrise of China (and India) created the ever aching longing for US reassurance adesire that has now been encapsulated in the Indo-Pacific idea. Among otherthings, this regional design seems able to address Australia’s dual anxiety of being both an odd man out and an odd man in for it at once places Australia at the centre of the action and allows the addition of twopowerful democratic friends (the USA and India) to its hedging strategy onChina. Is the Nexus among the countries in the Indo-pacific Region Healthy? India and Japan have an institutionalized trilateral strategic dialogue partnership with the US. Initiated in 2011, maintaining a balance of power in the Asian-Pacific as well as maritime security in the Indo-Pacific waters has become an important element of this dialogue. A similar dialogue exists between the US, Japan and Australia. And now a new trilateral involving India, Japan and Australia have joined these initiatives, which can potentially transform into a “quad” of democracies in the Indo-Pacific region. The roots of this potential partnership were laid in late 2004 when navies from the US, India, Japan and Australia collaborated in tsunami relief operations all across the Indian Ocean. Connecting the Dots: Critically analyze the undergoing transformation in the Asia’s geopolitical space. Are rapidly evolving regional geopolitics is forcing Asia’s middle powers (India, Japan and Australia) to devise alternative strategies for balancing China?  

Aug 8, 2015 IASbaba's Monthly Current Affairs Magazine

IASbaba Monthly Magazine-June/July 2015

Hello All                                                                                                                    ARCHIVES   With the overwhelming response and support we have received, it has become an irresistible force for our Team to work tirelessly. And hence, we are glad to present our second edition of Magazine-June/July 2015 before you :) This magazine consist of issues not news of previous months and some of last year as well. Our main focus in future magazines will be Mains related issues only, where we will be covering present and past issues of importance. We regret for a bit delay but assure you to give quality without any compromise. Once prelims is over, we will be free to work on Mains perspective and shall try our best to make every positive contribution on time. We apologize for some hiccups here and there. Kindly support and share your feedback so that IASbaba Team will be at the apex of energy level to work even better and produce better quality than what we have produced till now. Thank You :) Click on the image to download

Aug 7, 2015 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs - 7th August, 2015

Archives IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs- 7th August, 2015   NATIONAL   Banning Internet Pornography :Is a right violated?? Following Department of Telecommunication(DoT) order, Internet Service Provider’s(ISP’s) blocked 857 porn sites in India. The DoT order said that content hosted on porn sites relate to morality and decency and is, therefore, subject to “reasonable restrictions” on the Fundamental Right to freedom of speech and expression. In order to block the sites, the DoT relied on Section 79(3)(b) of the IT Act. Section 79 lays down conditions under which ISPs or intermediaries are exempt from culpability for offensive content uploaded by a third party. It obligates the intermediaries to exercise “due diligence”, and to act on the orders of the court or the government and its agencies to qualify for immunity. Section 79(3)(b) states that intermediaries would not be entitled to exemption from liability if they failed to “expeditiously” remove or disable access to objectionable material “upon receiving actual knowledge, or on being notified by the government or its agency that any information… residing in or connected to a computer resource controlled by the intermediary” was being used to commit unlawful acts. Also DoT used section 292 of the Indian Penal Code which relates to “morality and decency” to issue an order, as pornography would be an act of obscenity. Background : In 2013, an Indore lawyer filed a PIL in supreme court demanding for an action plan and an exclusive law to contain the proliferation of pornographic sites on the Internet, especially in view of their adverse impact on children. In April 2013, the Supreme Court issued notices to the Ministries of Information Technology, Information and Broadcasting, and Home Affairs regarding the above issue. In August 2014, the government expressed difficulty in blocking porn sites, saying many of these servers were located outside India. The government also told the court that a Cyber Regulation Advisory Committee had been constituted under the IT Act, and the availability of porn on the Internet would be deliberated upon. On 31stjuly2015 , DoT issued orders to ISP’s asking for the block of pornographic sites. The DoT order said that content hosted on porn sites relate to morality and decency and is, therefore, subject to “reasonable restrictions” on the Fundamental Right to freedom of speech and expression. Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitutiongurantees individual freedom,Article 19(2) allows the state to impose “reasonable restrictions” on its exercise “in the interests of the sovereignty and integrity of India, the security of the State, friendly relations with foreign States, public order, decency or morality or in relation to contempt of court, defamation or incitement to an offence”.  Is a right violated?? A bench led by Chief Justice H L Dattu said: “Let us keep in mind the possible contention of a person who could ask what crime have I committed by browsing adult web sites in private within the four walls of my house. Could he not argue about his right to freedom to do something within the four walls of his house without violating any law”. Section 292 of the IPC which codifies the offence of obscenity has been outdated and failed to amend itself with the modern community standards. Now it is left to the apex court to the decide on whether the right to access to pornographic content is a fundamental right? Iasbaba’s views: Just mere blocking of some pornographic websites, do not stop the sexual violence activities that’s taking place against women and children. Rather adopting a curative approach ,government may try adopting preventive approaches like making background check compulsory when hiring employees in education and other private organisations, sensitising employees towards feelings of women , imparting sex education to children in schools etc. Connecting the dots: Is Individual freedom guaranteed under article 19 of the constitution absolute? Comment. Laws in India have failed to amend themselves in changing societal conditions. Critically analyse.   Centrally sponsored schemes (CSS) :Slimming Down A NitiAayog taskforce chaired by Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister has apparently recommended that 25 per cent of the funds under Centrally sponsored schemes (CSS) be made available to states as untied monies. This recommendation should be viewed in the context of the fairly substantial changes proposed to the CSS policy framework, as well as the 14th Finance Commission (FFC) recommendations on devolution of tax revenues.   What are Centrally Sponsored Schemes? Centrally Sponsored Schemes arespecial purpose grants extended by the Central Government to States to encourage and motivate State governments to plan and implement programmes that help attain national goals and objectives. There were other types of Central Assistance before 2015-16, but almost all of them are discontinued as states got higher revenue after the 14th Finance Commission recommendations. These are extended by the Union Government to States under Article 282 of the Constitution. What is the Importance of Article 282? The article 282 of the Constitution is an insightful saving provision. Its purpose is to enable the governments to meet unexpected public purpose contingencies. The Union or a State may make any grants for any public purpose, notwithstanding that the purpose is not one with respect to which Parliament or the Legislature of the State, as the case may be, may make laws. What is the current status of centrally sponsored schemes? At present, there are 72 CSS, including six new schemes introduced by the NDA government. During the UPA regime, the number of CSS was reduced from 147 to 66. Rationalization of CSS is important as Centre has decided to raise state's share in taxes to 42 per cent from 32 per cent. In line with the recommendations of the 14th Finance Commission ,Modi government decided to discontinue support to eight centrally-sponsored schemes, bringing their number down to 58, as it gears up for greater devolution of central funds to the states, in line with its vision of cooperative federalism. What is a Finance Commission? It is a body set up under Article 280 of the Constitution. Its primary job is to recommend measures and methods on how revenues need to be distributed between the Centre and states. Besides suggesting the mechanism to share tax revenues, the Commission also lays down the principles for giving out grant-in-aid to states and other local bodies. In the case of 14th Commission, these principles will apply for a five-year period beginning April 1, 2015. What kind of work a Finance Commission has to do? The commission has to take on itself the job of addressing the imbalances that often arise between the taxation powers and expenditure responsibilities of the centre and the states, respectively. Primarily, it has to ensure a sense of equality in public services across the states. The head of the latest i.e. 14th Finance Commission is Former Governor of the Reserve Bank of India, Mr. Y.V. Reddy, is the Chairman. Are the recommendations of the 14th Finance Commission unanimous? It appears there is a dissent. The report is believed to contain a dissent note from Planning Commission member Abhijit Sen. It has recommended an increase in the share of states in the centre's tax revenue from the current 32 per cent to 42 per cent. This is indeed the single largest increase ever recommended by a Finance Commission. What does it means to States? As against a total devolution of Rs. 3.48 lakh crore approximately in 2014-15, the total devolution to the States in 2015-16 will be Rs. 5.26 lakh crore approximately, a year-on-year increase of Rs. 1.78 lakh crore approximately. "The higher tax devolution will allow States greater autonomy in financing and designing schemes as per their needs and requirements," says the report. Practically, it will give more power to states in determining how they spend this money. Connecting the Dots: What is the difference between centrally sponsored scheme and Central Sector Scheme? What are the recommendations of the Chaturvedi committee with regard to CSS? What are the issues concerning CSS? And how is it affecting the Centre-State relationship?   ECONOMICS   Generic drugs ban prompts India to freeze EU trade talks A firm India put off its negotiations for a free trade agreement (FTA) with the European Union (EU), scheduled for this month (August), following an import ban imposed by the latter on 700 drugs tested by Hyderabad-based GVK Biosciences. The GOI also said that it has been trying to pursue the matter across various regulatory bodies in the European Union (EU), and added the pharmaceutical industry was one of the country’s flagship sectors with a commendable reputation for sound research and safety protocols over the years. However, EU has stressed that the ban on 700 generic drugs was based on scientific and not trade considerations. The India-EU trade talks, formally known as the Broad- based Trade and Investment Agreement (BTIA), remain stuck as both sides are not satisfied with each other's offers. Background: India and EU have been negotiating for the proposed free-trade agreements since 2007. The talks have seen set backs due to differences regarding lack of access for Indians to EU’s labour market and high taxes imposed on liquor and car imports from Europe. The latest development comes as yet another setback for the talks to progress further. What is free trade agreement? The EU and India are committed to further increase their trade flows in goods and services as well as bilateral investment and access to public procurement through the Free Trade Agreement negotiations that were launched in 2007. Substantial progress has been made so far, and key areas that need to be further discussed include improved market access for some goods and services, government procurement and geographical indications, and sustainable development. What is Broad- based Trade and Investment Agreement (BTIA)? India and the European Commission (with a negotiating mandate from the European Council) initiated negotiations on a Broad-based Trade and Investment Agreement (BTIA) in 2007. As of March 2015, negotiations remained deadlocked after failing to resolve differences related to matters such as the levels of permissible FDI, market access, domestic-sourcing obligations in multi-brand retail, manufacture of generic medicines, anti-dumping safeguards, greenhouse gas emissions, civil nuclear energy generation legislation, farming subsidies, replacement of traditional cash-crops with sterile genetically-engineered and patented variants, regulation & safeguards for the financial and insurance sectors, cooperation on tax evasion & money laundering, overseas financing and monitoring of NGOs in India, work visa restrictions, technology transfer restrictions, cooperation on embargoes (Russia[40] & Iran), etc.   How will this Ban affect Indian Economy? The ban will affect India’s annual exports of $15 billion. According to Pharmaceuticals Export Promotion Council (Pharmexcil), India could lose about $1-1.2 billion worth of drug exports because of the decision taken by the European Commission to ban the drugs. In 2014-15, out of the total exports of pharmaceutical products, Europe accounted for 20%. The ban is to come into effect from August 21 and will apply in all the 28 member-nations. There was also temporary ban, proposed by the European Commission, includes mangoes, eggplant, the taro plant, bitter gourd and snake gourd in the past. The two-way commerce between the two sides stood at about $99 billion in 2014-15. Connecting the Dots: Though India and EU have been negotiating for the proposed free-trade agreements since 2007, they are often met with setbacks. What were/are these setbacks till date? What measures have been taken by both the governments in this regard? How important is the pharmaceutical industry to India’s economy? Write a note on India-EU-28 cooperation.  

Aug 6, 2015 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs - 6th August, 2015

Archives IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs- 6th August, 2015   NATIONAL   Peace accord signed between Centre and Naga insurgent outfit. The government has signed a peace accord with the Nationalist Socialist Council of Nagaland Isak-Muivah(NSCN-IM), one of the largest insurgent outfits, which had been demanding a unified Naga identity in the form of ‘Greater Nagalim’ State for over six decades. The move is expected to bring peace to the region driven by long time insurgencies and at the centre of Prime Minister NarendraModi’s plans for sub-regional cooperation with Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal on the one hand and connecting northeast India with the key economies of Southeast Asia on the other. It is a major development. One does not know the details of the agreement .The pact will allow the principal Naga rebel group to come into the political mainstream.   A struggle for identity by the Nagas: Timeline 1826: Annexation of Assam by British. 1881: Naga hill too became a part ofBritish India. 1918:Naga club was formedto resist the annexation and even told Simon commission in 1929 “to leave us alone to determine for ourselves as in ancient times”. 1946: Formation of Naga Nationalist Council (NNC) which resolved to establish a “sovereign Naga state” and conducted a “referendum” in 1951, in which “99 per cent” supported an “independent” Nagaland . 1952: Formation of Naga Federal Government and Naga Federal Army which involved in violent clashes. 1958: Enactment of Armed Forces(special powers) Act by the centre to counter insurgency. 1975: Shilling accord between centre and NNC to give up armed conflict by nagas. 1980: ThuingalengMuivah rejected the accord and formed Nationalist Social Council of Nagaland (NSCN). 1988: Split in NSCN into NSCN(IM) and NSCN-K. 1990s: NSCN(IM) becomes the largest insurgent outfit in Nagaland demanding Greater Nagalim. Background: Nagas: The Naga peopleare a conglomeration of several tribes inhabiting the North Eastern part of India and north-western Burma. As of 2012, the state of Nagaland state officially recognises 17 Naga tribes. Prominent Naga tribes Poumai, Sumi, Angami, Ao, Chakhesang, Chang, Khiamniungan, Konyak, Liangmai, Lotha, Pochury, Rongmei,Zeme, Mao. Greater Nagalim: A region carved out by integrating all Naga-inhabited contiguous areas under one administrative umbrella .It includes several districts of Assam, Arunachal and Manipur, as also a large tract of Myanmar. The map of “Greater Nagalim” has about 1,20,000sq km, while the state of Nagaland consists of 16,527 sq km . Armed Forces(Special powers) Act:An act of the Parliament of India that grants special powers to the Indian Armed Forces in what the act terms "disturbed areas". About NCSN-Khaplang (NSCN-K) : The NSCN-Khaplang, or NSCN-K, another faction which had born out of a split of the NSCN in 1988. The Khaplang faction had entered into a separate ceasefire with the Indian government in 1998 that it had called off in 2012. Khaplang faction triggered when it got to know the fact that the NSCN-IM was close to clinching a pact with New Delhi. NSCN-K was responsible for the ambush in Manipur in June, 2015 that killed 18 Indian soldiers and is not yet brought to the negotiating table. The group is based in Myanmar. The Shillong Accord (Meghalaya) was the basis on which the NSCN was formed by Isak Chishi Swu, Th. Muivah and S.S. Khaplang, among others. What was the premise of Shillong Accord? The Shillong Accord of 1975 was an agreement signed between the Government of and Nagaland's underground government (or Naga Federal government), to accept- supremacy of Constitution of India without condition surrender their arms and renounce their demand for the secession of Nagaland from India representatives of the underground organisations should have reasonable time to formulate other issues for discussion for final settlement.   Criticism of the Shillong Accord: Clause 3 that stated "reasonable time for the underground representatives to formulate other issues for discussion for the final settlement," still remained unimplemented - as most of the Naga people and the Naga National Council(NNC) leaders abroad didn't agree to endorse the agreement. They even criticized saying that the agreement was signed by ‘representatives of the Naga underground,’ rather than the organizations like NNC or the Federal Government of Nagaland(FGN). Many Nagas, who were not reconciled being part of Indian union of states, condemned the agreement that ultimately created factionalism among the rebels. Way forward: In the short run, we could see an upscaling of the violence with the NSCN-K taking the space vacated by the IsakMuivah(IM) group. It would have been better if both were brought to the negotiating table together. To end Peace in the region is vital for many key projects that PM has in mind like the Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal and India road connectivity project as well as one that will link India to Southeast Asia through Myanmar. Without peace in this region, these would just be a pipe dream. Connecting the dots: Historic Naga peace accord 2015 is like new wine in old bottle. Comment Countering insurgency problems in Nagaland is only half done with the inking of peace accord with NSCN(IM).Critically analyse Naxalism is the biggest treat to internal security of India. At this backdrop how naxalism is similar to/different from insurgency? Suggest measures taken by Government of India to tackle the problems of insurgency in North East.   Refugees as citizens None can object to the Union government’s move to grant citizenship to undocumented migrants who have come to India fleeing religious persecution in Pakistan and Bangladesh. Not just Hindus but also Buddhists, Christians, Zoroastrians, Sikhs and Jains are eligible for citizenship under the proposed amendment to the Citizenship Act. The government is planning to amend the Citizenship Act, 1955 to grant citizenship to Hindus from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh seeking asylum in India. What is the Citizenship Act, 1955? The conferment of a person, as a citizen of India, is governed by Articles 5 to 11 (Part II) of Indian Constitution. The legislation related to this matter is the Citizenship Act 1955, which has been amended by the Citizenship (Amendment) Act 1986, the Citizenship (Amendment) Act 1992, the Citizenship (Amendment) Act 2003, and the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2005. Article 9 of Indian Constitution says that a person who voluntarily acquires citizenship of any other country is no longer an Indian citizen. Also, according to The Passports Act, a person has to surrender his Indian passport; it is a punishable offense under the act if he fails to surrender the passport. What are the proposed Plans under Citizenship Act? India plans to amend the Citizenship Act, 1955, to grant citizenship to undocumented migrants who fled religious persecution in Pakistan and Bangladesh. It said the migrants include not just Hindus but also Buddhists, Christians, Zoroastrians, Sikhs and Jains. There was no mention of Ahmedis in the published list or of Muslim sects facing the wrath of religious bigotry in the concerned countries. The cut-off date proposed for victims of religious persecution from Pakistan and Bangladesh who can apply for citizenship is December 31, 2014. Citizenship by registration (a minimum stay of seven years) and naturalisation (a minimum of 12 years) will be the two routes. Is the idea of Infiltration of illegal immigrants legitimate? Estimates vary, but they all put the numbers of these infiltrators above two crore (20 million). Assam and West Bengal bear the major brunt of these infiltrators. They affect the economy of these states and also the livelihood of the ordinary and poor people, thus causing major resentment and leading to severe unrest, of the kind being witnessed in the Bodo areas of Assam of late. However, there is a small section of these migrants who cross over into India not for any economic reasons but due to extreme religious persecution in Bangladesh. Globally, a distinction is made between the economic infiltrators, namely those who sneak into another country for economic reasons like jobs, livelihood etc without proper documents, and those who come seeking asylum. In the light of this global scenario on infiltrations for economic gain what our present Government said in Assam and West Bengal recently was perfectly legitimate. How does UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) view the situation of refugees, asylum-seekers, stateless persons and the displaced in India? India with its history, culture, traditions, is today an example of generosity in the way it has opened its borders to all people who have come looking for safety and sanctuary. There are Tibetans, Afghans, Myanmarese in India and it has maintained an open door policy for all. India has a generous approach in relationship to all people and a proof of that is the granting of long term visas and work permits to refugees. UNHCR consider India a more reliable partner in the world to guarantee that people who need help will find a place. And more importantly at a time when there are so many closed borders in the world, and many people have been refused protection, India has been generous.   What is the Refugee Scene in India? The most significant thing which deserves to be taken note of is that, there has not been a single occasion of any refugee originating from the Indian soil except the transboundary movement of the people during the partition of the country in 1947. On the other hand, it has invariably been a receiving country and in the process, enlarging its multi-cultural and multi-ethnic fabric. In keeping with its secular policies, India has been the home to refugees belonging to all religions and sects. It is relevant to point out that since its independence India has received refugees not only from some of its neighbouring countries but distant countries like Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Somalia, Sudan and Uganda. What are India’s International Commitments w.r.t REFUGEES? India does not have on its statute book a specific and separate law to govern refugees. In the absence of such a specific law, all existing Indian laws like The Criminal Procedure Code, The Indian Penal Code, The Evidence Act etc. apply to the refugees as well. In order to get a clear understanding of the rights which devolve on the refugees on account of India’s international commitments mentioned above and their relevance to law enforcement, it is pertinent to enumerate some of the more important rights accruing to refugees under the above mentioned Conventions. Article 13 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights guarantees ‘Right to Freedom of Movement’, Article 14 ‘Right to Seek and Enjoy Asylum’ and Article 15 the ‘Right to Nationality.’ Article 12 of the ICCPR deals with ‘Freedom to leave any country including the person’s own’ and Article 13 ‘Prohibition of expulsion of aliens except by due process of law’. Connecting the Dots: Is India’s refugee policy is an example for the rest of the world to follow? Should India rethink on the religious identity basis of the migrants for deciding their eligibility for citizenship?

Aug 5, 2015 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs - 5th August, 2015

Archives IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs- 5th August, 2015   NATIONAL   Smart City: Smart Living, People, Mobility Economy, Environment Smart Cities are inevitable in the same way that Smart Grids are inevitable. But we need something new, something better, and something that works. Private participation can ease the government’s burden, particularly in the case of small-scale infrastructure projects. Small-scale infrastructure projects developed on public-private partnership (PPP) can expedite development of smart cities.   What is a SMART City? A city equipped with basic infrastructure to give a decent quality of life, a clean and sustainable environment through application of some smart solutions. Assured water and electricity supply, sanitation and solid waste management, efficient urban mobility and public transport, robust IT connectivity, e-governance and citizen participation, safety and security of citizens. Public information, grievance redressal, electronic service delivery, citizens’ engagement, waste to energy & fuel, waste to compost, 100% treatment of waste water, smart meters & management, monitoring water quality, renewable source of energy, efficient energy and green building, smart parking, intelligent traffic management system. What is the framework of System of SMART cities in India? First step is identification of the 100 cities and for this a city challenge competition to be conducted by Bloomberg Philanthropies is envisaged. The current plan looks to select 20 cities this year followed by 40 each in the next two years. Smart Cities Council India has been formed which is part of the US-based Smart Cities Council, which is a consortium of smart city practitioners and experts, with a 100-plus member and advisor organizations operating in over 140 countries. A Special Purpose Vehicle will be created for each city to implement Smart City action plan. The SPV will be signed with the urban local body, state government and the Centre for implementation of the project. How will this work? After government announces the guidelines, states will be asked to nominate names of cities for a ‘City Challenge Competition’ and the chosen ones will get Central fund of Rs 100 crore each year for 5 years. What are the Considerations to build a SMART city? Some of the considerations for building a smart city are: Timely and strategic infrastructure upgrades Connectivity evolution Market challenges Optimising Smart City Communications Impact of Open Data, Big Data Robust and Scalable Architecture What is the Core Idea behind the SMART system? The main aim of the government through the Smart Cities Mission is to improve the quality of life of citizens. This implies providing better employment and investment opportunities and making the city more competitive by addressing the core issue of infrastructure gaps. Smaller infrastructure projects can be developed with negligible public investment through PPP with quick turnaround time, going a long way in making cities better and safer. How PPP is important in building SMART India? We cannot build world-class cities with public funds alone. PPPs facilitate economic growth on a scale and timeline that would be impossible without private capital. It is not always necessary to develop big-ticket urban infrastructure projects that make smart cities. There are several small-scale urban infrastructure projects that can innovatively be implemented through PPP. They are economically viable and do not require any public investment. They do not have direct revenue streams but generate funds through improving efficiency and savings from system improvements. IAS BABA’s View Ultimately, for a layperson, ‘smart’ is just the means through which he can get a ‘good’ city, one that is clean, safe, and offers opportunities. By these measures, the West can boast of few cities that can already be called ‘smart’ for instance, where public transport is not just ubiquitous but your smartphone can even track the buses. But Smart Cities must be more than this. They must offer transformation like the Internet, leading to empowerment. Connecting the Dots: If the benefits of a ‘smart’ system are apparent why don’t we have more such systems? Explain the limitations of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) in smart cities keeping rural India in mind. Write a note on AMRUT Pradhan MantriAwasYojana   Indigenous medicine :  Natural way to Holistic Health In the recent past, we have also seen a resurgence of interest in other forms of Indian system of medicine — ayurveda, yoga and naturopathy, unani, siddha and homoeopathy (AYUSH) — due to their immense utility in tackling lifestyle disorders, not only in India but all across the globe. Although India has made significant progress in the last six decades in providing healthcare, we are witnessing a significant change in the disease pattern in the country, with an increasing number of people suffering from communicable and non-communicable diseases. What is India’s Rank in the world health Aspects? India ranks somewhere at the bottom of 193 countries on various critical health parameters such as number of doctors, nurses, and beds. We need to double the number of our doctors, from 0.7 to 1.5 million, for which we need at least 600 new medical colleges. We also need to triple our nurses count and quadruple the number of paramedics. This will entail considerable investment of our scarce financial resources. Further, this demands increased focus on preventive and promotive care. How has the Mission AYUSH Evolved? The Department of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy, abbreviated as AYUSH, is a governmental body in India purposed with developing education and research in ayurveda (Indian traditional medicine), yoga, naturopathy, unani, siddha, and homoeopathy, and other alternative medicine systems. Created in March 1995 as the Department of Indian Systems of Medicine and Homoeopathy (ISM&H), AYUSH received its current name in March 2003. It operates under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. GOI is promoting AYUSH and starting integrated courses for Indian system of medicines and modern science.The Department has been elevated to an independent Ministry w.e.f. 09.11.2014   What are the worrying questions that are swirling around the alternative schools of medicine? NOT ALL’S well on the AYUSH front. Despite the government’s push to popularise AYUSH was made a full-fledged ministry in November last year, people’s perceptions about the traditional forms of medicine are not that favourable, a trend underlined by the latest National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) data. There is no credible evidence yet of the effectiveness of either homeopathic or Ayurvedic medicines and treatments. How can AYUSH be mainstreamed into Traditional Health Practices? With a new health policy on the anvil, we have an opportunity to mainstream the Indian system of medicine and integrate the available AYUSH infrastructure into the healthcare system. The AYUSH sector has an estimated annual turnover of around Rs. 120 billion and more than 8,000 licensed manufacturing units involved in the country. India, with a wealth of 6,600 medicinal plants, is the second largest exporter of AYUSH and herbal products in the world, estimated at Rs. 22.7 billion in 2013-14. And yet, according to the recent NSSO survey, 90 per cent of the population, both rural and urban, prefers allopathy over AYUSH. Is India one of the top destinations for alternative treatment? According to the FICCI-KPMG report, the inflow of medical tourists into India is likely to cross 3.2 million soon, generating a market that may cross $4 billion in 2015. Medical tourism in India started with AYUSH. People from all across the world come to India for health-restorative cum alternative treatments through a combination of ayurveda, yoga, acupuncture, herbal massages, nature therapies, and some ancient Indian healthcare methods. The time has come when all the stakeholders need to pool in their resources and move towards harnessing the vast potential of AYUSH. The AYUSH industry looks forward to a regulatory regime with better clarity and a greater push from the government. Connecting the Dots: Why has India never conducted any systematic review of any of the systems of medicine under AYUSH? Write a note on India’s pluralistic health system. Write a note on National Health Policy 2015   Government finally paves way for Land Acquisition Bill Finally, the Government has agreed to drop key amendments, including those doing away with the so-called consent clause and social impact assessment in the controversial 2015 land acquisition bill, designed to address impediments to expanding manufacturing capacity in the country. This had disrupted most of the budget session of Parliament and eventually forced the government to refer the bill to a parliamentary committee. The joint committee of Parliament set up to study the controversial bill, moved a resolution to withdraw six controversial amendments that had been opposed vehemently by a united opposition led by the Congress. The Land acquisition Act passed by Parliament in 2013, had ‘replaced’ an 1894 land acquisition act that was seen as anti- farmer and anti-industry at the same time. Controversial amendments restored: The consent clause in the 2013 law mandated that those acquiring land get the assent of 70% farmers for public-private partnerships (PPP) and 80% for private projects. This was removed by the NDA government to accommodate concerns of industry that the process of acquisition would be drawn out. It will now be reinstated. Another key clause that has been reinstated is on social impact assessment. The industry lobby had argued that this would delay the process of acquisition. Another amendment that sought to dilute stringent provisions that sought to punish officials for any malpractices during acquisition of land.     SIX AMENDMENTS RESTORED   1.      Consent Clause 2.      Social Impact Assessment 3.      The term “private company” used in the 2013 law 4.      Any malpractice related to acquisition attributed to officials to be punishable under the Criminal Procedure Code   REMOVED 5.      Land acquisition on either side of industrial corridors 6.      New categories named in the 2015 Bill: ·         Projects vital to national security or defence ·         Rural infrastructure, including electrification ·         Affordable housing and housing for the poor ·         Industrial corridors ·         Infrastructure projects, including projects under PPP  

Aug 4, 2015 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs - 4th August, 2015

Archives IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs- 4th August, 2015   INTERNATIONAL   Constitutional Crisis: As Nepal fumbles with identity issues, an open threat of separatism raises new concerns. Present Scenario: The continuing chaos and uncertainty, following the political failure to deliver the constitution and the resultant loss of credibility and authority of the state, have encouraged both separatist and anarchic tendencies. Amresh Kumar Singh, a CA member from the ruling Nepali Congress, has openly advocated for a separate country if they did not get the province they were demanding. Even the army has shown its displeasure, since the current draft of the constitution undermines its role and position in national security. Also other major institutions like the Supreme Court, election commission, the police have their reservations about the draft. While three of the four major parties, with the exception of the Maoists, have agreed to replace ‘secularism’ with ‘religious freedom’, they are divided over the suitability of a directly elected executive head. It’s now upto the constituent assembly to accept all these grievances within the two-week deadline that has been set for delivering the constitution. Background: The preliminary draft copy of the new constitution of Nepal was tabled on July 2, 2015 in the Constituent Assembly (CA) as an outcome of the 16 point agreement among the four major political parties (Nepali congress, CPN-UML, UPCM(moist) and the Madeshi party )of Nepal .This had led to lot of political statements and public unrest regarding the makeup of Nepal constitution. The draft was tabled defying a court order and amid opposition from fringe parties, failure to reflect the interests of marginalized groups, including women, Madhesis, indigenous peoples, Dalits and religious minorities. The Supreme Court had stayed the implementation of it, citing that  the 16 point agreement infringes on provisions of the interim constitution that require the CA itself to delineate and name the provinces in the future federal structure of Nepal. Reasons for the Constitutional Logjam ? Division of Nepal - according to draft report Nepal will be divides into 8 states based on ethnic/communal, linguistic, cultural geographical/continuity of regional identity and continuity of historical identity and economic inter-relationship and capability, infrastructure development and potential, availability of natural means and resources and administrative accessibility. A committee would be set up to demarcate the country based on above lines. However political parties like Moists and Madeshi want the state to be divided strictly on ethnic lines to maintain homogeneity in population. Presidential form of government or Parliamentary form - draft report talks about parliamentary form of government, even the ruling Nepali congress supports it. However the moist party headed by Prachanda backs Presidential form of government. Whether Nepal should be Hindu republic or remain secular - majority of population in Nepal are Hindus and are demanding for a Hindu state. Whether Nepal remains as Hindu republic or only republic, religious freedom for people is very important and should be the need of the hour. Issues with respect to judiciary- Presence of judicial council to appoint judges of Supreme Court. Supreme Court to submit annual report to President, which will be tabled in parliament. Presence of federal judicial service commission to look into matters of promotion and transfers of judges is another cause of concern. Issues related to third tier or local governments with governing from village councils and presence of judicial committee to supervise the same. Presence of Constitutional council to appoint heads and chairman of various democratic institutions like election commission, federal public service commission, auditor general etc. Constitutional council consists of prime minister, speaker of lower house, leader of opposition in lower house, chief justice and one women member among council of ministers. Connecting the Dots: Amidst the current ongoing crisis, can monarchy be the solution to restore the balance between tradition and modernization in Nepal? What role can India play here? Does Nepal still treat India as its big brother? What are the current measures taken by India to build better relationship with Nepal? Are the measures on the right track?   NATIONAL   Swaraj in Academy: Is loss of Autonomy trapping Higher education?   Nearly a decade ago, in 2006, the newly constituted National Knowledge Commission (NKC) had drawn attention to a “quiet crisis” in higher education. That was an understatement. The nation’s higher education sector was already broken by a long period of sustained and extreme political interference by state and national governments. It is not an exaggeration to use the word “broken” to describe the state of higher education. Worse still, with the exception of a handful of institutions (a few Central universities, the IITs, IIMs and a small number of other institutions), most colleges and universities are mediocre. Is the damage of Higher education beyond repair? Since the National Knowledge Commission (NKC) called attention to a “quiet crisis” nearly a decade ago, we have seen a mix of feeble, unplanned and uncoordinated, incoherent, harmful, and occasionally even well-intentioned policies being considered and/ or implemented all evidently designed to improve higher education. Other than improvements in access to education, progress on other fronts, notably the quality of education, has been negligible. The government must step aside and not bully academic institutions into submission. Otherwise, all that it will achieve is further crushing our already broken higher education sector. What are the Reasons for the current state of Higher Education? The reasons for this broken state are widely known. All through the 1980s and the 1990s, which merit being labelled as the “lost decades” for higher education, successive state and national governments completely marginalised the sector. Low spending combined with extreme forms of politicisation, widespread nepotism and corruption as well as the downgrading of the academic profession destroyed the sector. Since 2006, some things have changed for the better but the damage inflicted during the lost decades seems beyond repair. What is Hindering the growth of Indian Universities? Consider the following irony. GIAN has been set up for our academics and students to “learn” best practices from US-based faculty. However, our government officials have as much to learn, from the Americans as well as from others, about how to run public universities. In the US, as in most countries around the world that have robust higher education sectors, public institutions are not government “controlled”. Ministers do not have the power to approve or reject the appointments of vice chancellors and directors. Our universities will not realize their full potential unless the government stops meddling in matters it has no business messing with. IAS BABA’s View Our higher education community has generally failed to govern itself credibly vis-à-vis the production of knowledge. The bottom line is “Swaraj by all means, but it is what do you do with that that counts”. However, so much of our national resources are being poured into this segment, when it has valuable alternative uses, that we would be naive to ignore the outcome. Connecting the Dots: How committed are the teachers in the mushrooming public universities to equipping our youth with the best in the world, a task involving high investment of time and effort? Do our Think Tanks aspire to build liberal and democratic spaces committed to producing innovative ideas for India?   ECONOMICS   CSR: Corporates Should Reach out The new Companies Act has made CSR a financial obligation, but it is still a secondary priority. Corporates have scrambled to meet their corporate social responsibility (CSR) obligations under the new Companies Act, 2013. This is not a surprise, as most companies have not regarded CSR as a business priority. The positive outcome is that the act has compelled introspection. What is the new Companies Act, 2013? Companies Act, 2013 is an Act of the Parliament of India which regulates incorporation of a company, responsibilities of a company, directors, and dissolution of a company. The 2013 Act has introduced several new concepts and has also tried to streamline many of therequirements by introducing new definitions. The 2013 Act makes an effort to introduce the culture of corporate social responsibility (CSR) in Indian corporates by requiring companies to formulate a corporate social responsibility policy and at least incur a given minimum expenditure on social activities. How CSR can contribute to profit, people and planet? As detailed in the Act, a company covered by the Act is required to establish a CSR committee, set CSR objectives, monitor CSR activities and report the same in their annual financial statements. If the company wishes, the activities can be performed through a foundation formed by the company specifically for this purpose. The Act specifies quite a few types of CSR activities, including those that encompass training, education, health, sanitation and environmental sustainability. Quite a few of them already spend more than the mandatory 2% of their net PBT on such activities. What keeps companies from doing good? While reporting of the CSR spending in annual reports is mandatory and there are no specific penalties for not spending, the Act has certain general penalty provisions which the government could potentially invoke. Though the mandatory CSR norms may seem coercive in nature, the intention is to institutionalize philanthropy and bring in accountability. Gearing up for CSR spending would involve engaging with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that undertake social, developmental and educational activities and/or form specialized foundations to do such tasks. What are the Implementation Issues in CSR? Today, companies are not engaged with the beneficiary community. They provide money to build toilets, but they leave unaddressed the problem of locating the septic tank. They construct schools, but do little about enhancing the quality of education. They give money, but they have no understanding of the subculture of poverty. The result is that their contribution has had a limited impact. How can companies overcome these issues? What they should do is take a holistic approach. They need to acknowledge that there is no silver bullet solution to the problems of poverty and that, while they have expertise, it is not of a breadth that can deliver end-to-end responses to these problems. What can make a difference are partnerships wherein the sum of the parts is greater than the whole. Take, for instance, a social enterprise between Wipro, NIIT, Larsen and Toubro (L&T) and Unilever. Each has specific domain knowledge, such as Wipro in technology, NIIT in education, L&T in engineering and project management; and Hindustan Unilever in marketing and distribution. Singly, these companies can make a meaningful and sustainable impact in their area of expertise alone. But together, given the complementarity of their assets, they can shift the needle systemically. Connecting the Dots: Why there is considerable confusion on what qualifies as CSR-spend and what does not? Write a note on Section 8 company Do you think that CSR spending is unlikely to be adopted by companies in letter or in spirit?

Aug 3, 2015 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs - 3rd August, 2015

Archives IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs- 3rd August, 2015   NATIONAL   A basic right is in danger: A dangerous convergence of DNA- profiling and Aadhaar India’s rush in creating a DNA-profiling system and the reach of Aadhaar pose a danger to individual privacy. Two distinct processes based on questionable premises and exaggerated benefits are converging, threatening individual liberties in India. This convergence can undermine existing constitutional interpretation of the right to privacy. UID project (Aadhaar): The UID project (Aadhaar), is a simple way to authenticate an individual’s identity and prevent fraud so that benefits reach the right person. For the poor, who lack other forms of identification, the system is meant to eliminate hurdles and reduce the likelihood of corruption. DNA-profiling project: The DNA project can have positive outcomes, such as identifying missing persons or victims of disasters. DNA-based evidence can also establish the innocence of a defendant in a criminal case aims to assist in solving crimes, identify victims after a natural disaster, and trace missing persons, but the database will include ‘volunteers’ and any other index that regulators wish to add. Proper identification can protect the poor from getting cheated; intermediaries will find it harder to inflate the number of beneficiaries and pocket the difference. However, both the projects have limited scrutiny of their impact on individual privacy.   Issues: A nationwide database that links individuals with their DNA, connecting personal data with biometric information, gives enormous powers to the state, and there are few credible safeguards. Democratic countries with superior technologies and well-established search-and-seizure authority have set rigorous standards to protect individual privacy. Their bureaucracies have learned the hard way that over-reliance on data can be counterproductive, and there have been repeated failures of protecting data. Also, Edward Snowden’s revelations about the U.S. show, even governments that have strong laws respecting individual rights ignore restraints on their powers. Nobody likes being accused of being soft on terrorism, particularly in times of strife. The government may argue that, project Aadhaar is used only to assign random numbers to individuals. But once that database is accessible to other agencies government and private, they can link or match the data with other databases and get a precise profile of individuals beyond what is strictly necessary e., what are their preferences and tastes; to which communities they belong; and with whom they interact. A rogue government can also impose mass surveillance on a scale unimagined, enabling the state to track any individual. Databases can be linked easily and there are no safeguards to prevent misuse. Public and private agencies have demanded Aadhaar numbers from Indians performing routine transactions or seeking access to government services, without explaining why the numbers are needed. The DNA-mapping project also categorizes people by caste. What purpose does that serve? When such data is overlaid with data from Aadhaar, which has people’s addresses, it makes the job of identifying specific groups simpler. Given India’s record of communal violence, it is not far-fetched to think that anthropologists, demographers or market researchers are not the only ones who would want access to such data.   Constitutional Status: In a Supreme Court case where petitioners had challenged the Aadhaar card being made compulsory, attorney general Mukul Rohatgi has argued that privacy is not a fundamental right in India. This has brought to the fore the constitutional status of Right to Privacy. Regarding this issue, the Supreme Court of India, in its previous cases (P. Sharma case and Kharak Singhcase) had made references to the American Fourth Amendment. The American Fourth Amendment pertains to the “right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures”. It is concerned only with one aspect of right to privacy and not to privacy as a whole. Though right of privacy is not a guaranteed right under our Constitution, the two cases do not rule out a broad constitutional right to privacy. It is almost impossible to consider the right to privacy in its entirety in a single case since it is a bundle of rights including everything from safeguards against unauthorised collection of personal data to restrictions on intrusion into private spaces. The cases that have emerged from the Supreme Court over the years make this apparent. Different elements of privacy rights have been read into our right to life (Article 21) and our right to free expression (Article 19). We have a right against untrammelled interception of our communication, and against doctors divulging personal medical information. Long before the Constitution or the Constituent Assembly came into being, the right to privacy of women in purdah was acknowledged by common law. Ignoring the right to privacy will not only affect India’s ‘global image’ it will also complicate international commercial relations. Who would send their information or employees to a country that disregards its residents’ right to privacy? Connecting the dots: Does the DNA and UID project strengthen the State and intrude the privacy of an individual? Give your arguments. Is right to privacy a Fundamental Right? Will this impact the cultural norms of our country? Is there any safeguard mechanism available to protect the right to privacy? How can the data collected be prevented from misuse? NOTE: For more information on DNA profiling Bill and UID (Aadhaar) – refer IASbaba’s previous news analysis/current affairs.   Is there an Elitist bias in Public Policy making ? Recall Lal Bahadur Shastri’s famous slogan, “Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan”, which was later extended to include “Jai Vigyan” by Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Prime Minister Narendra Modi may put his own stamp with another twist, but the message is not going to change too much. The real question is: If we are really thankful to them, how far have we made our jawans and kisans really happy for the job they have accomplished? What is the status of our Kisans? Today, India’s granaries are overflowing. Wheat and rice stocks with the government in June were at 60 million metric tonnes (mmt) — about 50 per cent higher than even the augmented buffer stock norms. Poor storage conditions lead to rapid deterioration in quality. The sugar industry, and therefore sugarcane farmers, is in deep crisis. Cotton, corn, soya and so on — you name a commodity and you find a glut, with profit margins deeply squeezed. Is this how we salute our farmers for giving food security to the country? What is the root of the problem? It is in the mindset. Elitist biases in public policy mean booming stock markets, a dazzling manufacturing sector, rapid strides in Urbanisation, with world-class infrastructure of bullet trains and the like, are prioritized. But the reality is that the masses in rural areas are finding it hard to make basic ends meet. What is the future of the Indian economy? The future of the Indian economy lies in greater industrialisation, urbanisation, service industry growth, etc, provided these emerging sectors are globally competitive and able to absorb an increasing share of the labour force. But currently, almost half the workforce is engaged in agriculture, and unless it is schooled and skilled, it cannot move to high productivity jobs in urban areas. And this process is going to take at least 15-20 years, or even longer, when the proportion of the workforce engaged in agriculture will come down to, say, less than 25 per cent of overall labour. IAS BABA’s View It is not too late to learn. It needs to focus on irrigation and water management, agri-insurance, national agri-markets, and rural infrastructure of roads and power supplies. This is a huge agenda for the next five years or so, before it can start to sustain itself. Till then, one has to remain focused and persevere. Agriculture needs a strong champion in the government to keep it at the centre of public policy, lest the elitist biases hijack public policy for the already well-to-do sections of society. Connecting the Dots: Why they should focus on agriculture when its contribution to GDP has decreased to less than 15 per cent (at factor cost)? Why are crop insurance premiums so high in India?   INTERNATIONAL   A tale of two nuclear deals The finalization of the P-5+1-Iran nuclear deal coincided with the tenth anniversary of the India-U.S. nuclear deal by sheer chance. But the two deals, which came ten years apart, reveal American strategy to deal with nuclear proliferation in two distinct situations and two different times. What is P-5+1 Iran Nuclear Deal? The P5+1 is a group of six world powers which, in 2006, joined together in diplomatic efforts with Iran with regard to its nuclear program. The term refers to the UN Security Council's five permanent members (the P5) namely China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States; plus Germany. The P5+1 are often referred to as the E3+3 by European countries. What is India-U.S Nuclear Deal? The 123 Agreement signed between the United States of America and the Republic of India is known as the U.S.–India Civil Nuclear Agreement or Indo-US nuclear deal. India agreed to separate its civil and military nuclear facilities and to place all its civil nuclear facilities under International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards and, in exchange, the United States agreed to work toward full civil nuclear cooperation with India. Do these Deals Serve strategic interests of U.S? The objective was to put the nuclear genie back in the bottle in both cases, though it looked positive in the case of India and negative in the case of Iran. The U.S. was alarmed by the weapon tests of India in 1998 even more than the revelation in 2002 of Iran’s nuclear activities. Imposition of sanctions against India and Iran were swift and severe, once it became clear that India would not sign the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) and Iran would not abandon enrichment. Are these two deals out of fear from UNCLE SAM? The position of strength the U.S. had in both cases derived from the crippling sanctions that India and Iran feared, though in the case of India, the sanctions had disappeared for extraneous reasons even before the negotiations on the deal began. Iran was aware that the major difference between the two countries was that India was not a signatory to the NPT, but expected that it could make up for it by hide-and- seek. Iran expressed readiness to allow inspection of their facilities, but each time the inspectors came back with more questions than answers. How did these deals improve the relations of the countries? In a sense, the deal has liberated Iran from the threats of war and crippling sanctions, without having to abandon its nuclear programme altogether. It is more transformational to the region and the world than the India deal. Iran’s new economic freedom and consequential prosperity will propel it to the forefront of the region, posing a challenge to Saudi Arabia and others. It may even become a partner of the United States and others in their battle against the Islamic State. The Iran deal marked a new beginning in Iran-U.S. relations, while the India deal was a culmination of a process of rapproachment. Connecting the Dots: Write a note on Trust deficiency between INDIA-IRAN and United States w.r.t Nuclear deals. What is Hyde Act? Write a note on Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) and NPT.

Aug 2, 2015 Motivational Articles

Creative Guidance – 'You Are The Vision' – Inspirational & Educative Articles

    You Are The Vision Pause for a moment, take a deep breath, and allow these all important questions to resonate inside you.  Who am I? What is my true purpose and vision? What am I doing to attain that vision? Success in any Endeavour is about having a crystal clear understanding of your grand vision for life and working towards attaining it by constantly weeding out unwanted distractions. What drives you is what defines you. In the ocean of humanity, the only differentiating factor that sets you apart is your vision for life. The grandness of your vision, the strength of your vision and your personal commitment to attaining that vision is all that matters.  You will of course fail many times. You will fail again and again. Failure is not just a part of life, it is the very process of life; you cannot succeed without failing enough. But what will keep you going amidst of all the failures of life is that single all important vision of yours.   Vision statements are not those moral codes you hang on the wall and forget. Your vision has to be nurtured and taken care if it has to grow and expand. You have to continuously feed it with your ideas, dreams, skills and perseverance. You have to create and preserve the environment that is necessary for your vision to succeed. You have to choose to be around people who can support your dream, and learn to avoid those who simply want to use you like a fevistick to glue their shattered dreams. It does not matter how intelligent and smart you are, if you cannot wake up every morning and remind yourself about your vision and purpose for life, you will not be able to make it a reality. Anyways, you don’t have to be a Superman or a Spiderman to attain your vision. You only need to be a man; a simple, learning, evolving, purposeful man. By the way all this applies to a woman as well :) Come on my friend, dream big. Let people laugh at your dreams. Let them play it safe. Let them hide themselves in their closets made of fear. Let them outcast you for being yourself. You just keep on moving ahead like a horse with blinkers; focusing only on what is ahead. Anyways, it is far better for you to be a dream generating machine, than to be a tiny cog in the wheel of somebody else’s dream. Find your purpose, your vision and your fascination for life. The world is just a vast, dark, empty expanse of space waiting to be filled with the colors of your vision. Pick up your paint brush of imagination and get going.   Copyright Disclaimer “No part of the articles in this section, in part or in full shall be reproduced without the written consent of the author. The articles are a copyright of The Ahamo Movement and IASBABA.”