Dec 24, 2022 Baba’s Explainer

Baba's Explainer - Bangladesh’s Economic Distress and IMF

   ARCHIVES Syllabus GS-2: India and its neighbourhood GS-3: Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization, of resources, growth, development and employment. Context: Bangladesh reached out to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) seeking help. According to an IMF press release, Bangladesh will receive economic assistance worth $4.5 billion (around Rs 37,000 crore). This is a significant reversal for an economy that overtook India’s in terms of per capita income in 2020. What happened in 2020? In 2020, the per capita income of an average Bangladeshi citizen was more than the per capita income of an average Indian citizen. Typically, countries are compared on the basis of GDP growth rate, or on absolute GDP. India’s economy has mostly been over 10 times the size of Bangladesh, and grown faster every year, as can be seen in Charts 1 and 2 However, per capita income also involves another variable — the overall population — and is arrived at by dividing the total GDP by the total population. As a result, there are three reasons why India’s per capita income has fallen below Bangladesh this year. First, since 2017 onwards, as Chart 1 shows, India’s growth rate has decelerated sharply while Bangladesh’s has become even faster. Secondly, over the same 15-year period, India’s population grew faster (around 21%) than Bangladesh’s population (just under 18%). The combined effect of these two factors can be seen in how the per capita GDP gap had closed considerably even before Covid-19 hit (Chart 3). Bangladesh’s per capita GDP was merely half of India’s in 2007 — but this was just before the global financial crisis. It was roughly 70% of India’s in 2014 and this gap closed rapidly in the last few years. Lastly, the most immediate factor was the relative impact of Covid-19 on the two economies in 2020. While India’s GDP is set to reduce by 10%, Bangladesh’s is expected to grow by almost 4%.  In other words, while India is one of the worst affected economies, Bangladesh is one of the bright spots. Also, such situation had happened earlier also. In 1991, when India was undergoing a severe crisis and grew by just above 1%, Bangladesh’s per capita GDP surged ahead of India’s. Since then, India again took the lead.   How has Bangladesh managed to grow so fast and so robustly? In the initial years of its independence with Pakistan, Bangladesh struggled to grow fast. However, moving away from Pakistan also gave the country a chance to start afresh on its economic and political identity. As such, its labour laws were not as stringent and its economy increasingly involved women in its labour force. This can be seen in higher female participation in the labour force A key driver of growth was the garment industry where women workers gave Bangladesh the edge to corner the global export markets from which China retreated. It also helps that the structure of Bangladesh’s economy is such that its GDP is led by the industrial sector, followed by the services sector. Both these sectors create a lot of jobs and are more remunerative than agriculture. India, on the other hand, has struggled to boost its industrial sector and has far too many people still dependent on agriculture. Beyond the economics, a big reason for Bangladesh’s progressively faster growth rate is that, especially over the past two decades, it improved on several social and political metrics such as health, sanitation, financial inclusion, and women’s political representation. Besides the advances it has made, what challenges does Bangladesh face? \ Bangladesh’s level of poverty is still much higher than India’s and still trails India in basic education parameters and that is what explains its lower rank in the Human Development Index. The bigger threat to Bangladesh’s prospects emerges from its everyday politics. The leading political parties are routinely engaged in violent oppression of each other. In the 2019 edition of Transparency International’s rankings, Bangladesh ranks a low 146 out of 198 countries (India is at 80th rank; a lower rank is worse off). Add to this a massive surge of radical Islam, which has resulted in several bloggers being killed for speaking out unpopular views. These developments have the ability not just to arrest Bangladesh’s progressive social reforms that have empowered women but also to derail its economic miracle. What is Bangladesh’s current Economic Scenario? Unlike many countries including India that saw their GDP contract in 2020 following the Covid-19 pandemic, the economy of Bangladesh actually grew during this period. Its GDP grew by 3.4% in 2020, by 6.9% in 2021, and it is expected to grow by 7.2% in 2022. However, Bangladesh’s robust economic recovery from the pandemic has been interrupted by Russia’s war in Ukraine, leading to a sharp widening of the current account deficit, rapid decline of foreign exchange reserves, rising inflation and slowing growth. The inflation rate in November was 8.85% as against 5.98% in November 2021 primarily due to crude oil becoming costlier. Bangladesh has typically been hugely dependent on its export earnings, but as the western economies slow down and their consumers put off their demand for a later date, Bangladesh suffers. This has resulted in lower export earnings and widening of Current Account Deficit. The current account balance looks at the gap between the money coming into a country on account of earnings via the export of goods and services and the money going out of the country via the import of goods and services. Bangladesh’s currency, the Taka, weakened partly under the pressure of the increase in the US dollar and partly on account of the worsening current account deficit. In December 2021, it took 86 Taka to buy a US dollar. As of today, the exchange rate has worsened to 105 Taka A weaker Taka further aggravated the inflationary spiral because all imports become costlier still. The weakness in the external front also resulted in Bangladesh’s foreign exchange reserves getting depleted In December 2021, the forex reserves were valued at $46,154 million. As of now, they are just $33,790 million. How will IMF’s monetary assistance help? Bangladesh’s request is to cushion its economy from the economic disruptions caused by the ongoing war in Ukraine. Apart from tackling these immediate challenges, addressing long-standing structural issues remains critical, including threats to macroeconomic stability from climate change. IMF is of the opinion that in order to successfully graduate from Least Developed Country status and achieve middle-income status by 2031, it is important to build on past successes and address structural issues to accelerate growth, attract private investment, enhance productivity, and build climate resilience. Overall, what does IMF’s programme hopes to achieve? Creating additional fiscal space through higher revenue mobilisation and rationalisation of expenditures. This will allow the government to increase growth-enhancing spending as well as mitigate the impact of the current global instability. Containing inflation with increased exchange rate flexibility so that the country can buffer external shocks better. Strengthening the financial sector by enhancing governance and regulatory aspects. Boosting growth potential by creating a conducive environment to expand trade and foreign direct investment among other things. Strengthening institutions to create an enabling environment will help meet climate change objectives. Main Practice Question: Do you think that the current economic crisis in Bangladesh will have ripple effects on Indian Economy? What can India do it ensure that its neighbourhood is economically stable given that Sri Lanka is also facing similar issue? Note: Write answer his question in the comment section. table{ border: 1px solid; } table tr, table td{ border: 1px solid; }

Dec 24, 2022 Baba’s Explainer

Baba's Explainer - Minimum Tax on Big Businesses

  ARCHIVES Syllabus GS-2: International Institutions GS – 3: Economy, Globalisation and Challenges Context: Members of the European Union agreed in principle to implement a minimum tax of 15% on big businesses. Last year, 136 countries had agreed on a plan to redistribute tax rights across jurisdictions and enforce a minimum tax rate of 15% on large multinational corporations. What is Base erosion and profit shifting (BEPS)? BEPS refers to tax planning strategies used by multinational enterprises that exploit gaps and mismatches in tax rules to avoid paying tax. Although some of the schemes used are illegal, most are not BEPS practices cost countries USD 100-240 billion in lost revenue annually. Working together within OECD/G20 Inclusive Framework on BEPS, over 135 countries and jurisdictions are collaborating on The implementation of 15 measures to tackle tax avoidance, Improve the coherence of international tax rules Ensure a more transparent tax environment. What are the concerns with BEPS? Reduced Tax Revenue: Developing countries’ higher reliance on corporate income tax means they suffer from BEPS disproportionately. Disproportionately impacts domestic small firms: Such tax planning strategies undermines the fairness and integrity of tax systems because businesses that operate across borders can use BEPS to gain a competitive advantage over enterprises that operate at a domestic level. Sets wrong precedent: Moreover, when taxpayers see multinational corporations legally avoiding income tax, it undermines voluntary compliance by all taxpayers. What is OECD’s Global Tax Plan ? EU members have agreed to implement a minimum tax rate of 15% on big businesses in accordance with Pillar 2 of the global tax agreement framed by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) 2021. Under the OECD’s plan, governments will be equipped to impose additional taxes in case companies are found to be paying taxes that are considered too low. This is to ensure that big businesses with global operations do not benefit by domiciling themselves in tax havens in order to save on taxes. Pillar 1 of the OECD’s tax plan, on the other hand, tries to address the question of taxing rights. Large multinational companies have traditionally paid taxes in their home countries even though they did most of their business in foreign countries. The OECD plan tries to give more taxing rights to the governments of countries where large businesses conduct a substantial amount of their business. As a result, large U.S. tech companies may have to pay more taxes to governments of developing countries. It is estimated that the minimum tax rate would boost global tax revenues by $150 billion annually. Why is there a need for a global minimum tax? Corporate tax rates across the world have been dropping over the last few decades as a result of competition between governments to spur economic growth through greater private investments. Global corporate tax rates have fallen from over 40% in the 1980s to under 25% in 2020, thanks to global tax competition that was kick-started by former U.S. President Ronald Reagan and former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in the 1980s. The OECD’s tax plan tries to put an end to this “race to the bottom” which has made it harder for governments to collect revenues required to fund their rising spending budgets. The minimum tax proposal is particularly relevant at a time when the fiscal state of governments across the world has deteriorated as seen in the worsening of public debt metrics. What lies ahead? Some governments, particularly those of traditional tax havens, are likely to disagree and stall the implementation of the OECD’s tax plan. High tax jurisdictions like the EU are more likely to fully adopt the minimum tax plan as it saves them from having to compete against low tax jurisdictions. Low tax jurisdictions, on the other hand, are likely to resist the OECD’s plan unless they are compensated sufficiently in other ways. It should be noted that, even within the EU, countries such as Poland have already tried to stall the adoption of the global minimum tax proposal citing various non-economic reasons. Since the OECD’s plan essentially tries to form a global tax cartel, it will always face the risk of losing out to low-tax jurisdictions outside the cartel and cheating by members within the cartel. After all, countries both within and outside the cartel will have the incentive to boost investments and economic growth within their respective jurisdictions by offering lower tax rates to businesses. This is a structural problem that will persist as long as the global tax cartel continues to exist. What are the implications of OECD’s tax plan? Supporters of the OECD’s tax plan believe that it will end the global “race to the bottom” and help governments collect the revenues required for social spending. Many believe that the plan will also help counter rising global inequality by making it tougher for large businesses to pay low taxes by availing the services of tax havens. Critics of the OECD’s proposal, however, see the global minimum tax as a threat. They argue that without tax competition between governments, the world would be taxed a lot more than it is today, thus adversely affecting global economic growth In other words, these critics believe that it is the threat of tax competition that keeps a check on governments which would otherwise tax their citizens heavily . Main Practice Question: What do you think are the implications of OECD’s minimum tax initiative? Note: Write answer his question in the comment section. table{ border: 1px solid; } table tr, table td{ border: 1px solid; }

Dec 24, 2022 Daily Prelims CA Quiz

UPSC Quiz – 2022 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz 24th December 2022

For Previous Daily Quiz (ARCHIVES) - CLICK HERE The Current Affairs questions are based on sources like ‘The Hindu’, ‘Indian Express’ and ‘PIB’, which are very important sources for UPSC Prelims Exam. The questions are focused on both the concepts and facts. The topics covered here are generally different from what is being covered under ‘Daily Current Affairs/Daily News Analysis (DNA) and Daily Static Quiz’ to avoid duplication. The questions would be published from Monday to Saturday before 2 PM. One should not spend more than 10 minutes on this initiative. Gear up and Make the Best Use of this initiative. Do remember that, “the difference between Ordinary and EXTRA-Ordinary is PRACTICE!!” Important Note: Don't forget to post your marks in the comment section. Also, let us know if you enjoyed today's test :)After completing the 5 questions, click on 'View Questions' to check your score, time taken, and solutionsTo take the Test Click Here

Dec 23, 2022 UPSC Interview Discussion-TRP

[INTERVIEW INITIATIVE] Think, Rethink and Perform (TRP) [DAY 19] 2022 for UPSC/IAS Personality Test!

ARCHIVES (of TRP) - > CLICK HERE Those who have appeared for UPSC Mains 2022, fill up the Google form given below. Students who fill out the form will be added to a telegram group so that there can be healthy discussions with other students who will be appearing for the Interview/Personality Test. Also, Mohan sir, Bureaucrats and Ex-Bureaucrats will be interacting one-on-one with all the students who will be appearing for the same. REGISTER HERE – CLICK HERE Interview Discussion: Think, Rethink and Perform; (TRP) - Day 19 Set 1: Ask these questions to yourself; contemplate and come out with a concrete answer (not to be discussed on this forum). Invest at least 30 minutes in this set of questions. Who is your favourite sportsperson? What qualities of that sportsperson fascinate you? Ha you tried to inculcate those qualities within yourself? What would you gain out of it. Set 2: Analyse the following issue:  The month long Football World Cup tournament just ended with Argentina winning the coveted golden trophy. For you, what were the key learning moments from this tournament? What are some incidents that inspired you about leadership, integrity, and humility?  We expect you to discuss the above question (Set 2) in the comments below and come out with a balanced view of the issues. Thank You IASbaba

Dec 23, 2022 Daily Prelims CA Quiz

UPSC Quiz – 2022 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz 23rd December 2022

For Previous Daily Quiz (ARCHIVES) - CLICK HERE The Current Affairs questions are based on sources like ‘The Hindu’, ‘Indian Express’ and ‘PIB’, which are very important sources for UPSC Prelims Exam. The questions are focused on both the concepts and facts. The topics covered here are generally different from what is being covered under ‘Daily Current Affairs/Daily News Analysis (DNA) and Daily Static Quiz’ to avoid duplication. The questions would be published from Monday to Saturday before 2 PM. One should not spend more than 10 minutes on this initiative. Gear up and Make the Best Use of this initiative. Do remember that, “the difference between Ordinary and EXTRA-Ordinary is PRACTICE!!” Important Note: Don't forget to post your marks in the comment section. Also, let us know if you enjoyed today's test :)After completing the 5 questions, click on 'View Questions' to check your score, time taken, and solutionsTo take the Test Click Here

Dec 22, 2022 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 22nd December 2022

Archives (PRELIMS & MAINS Focus) Submarine Vagir Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – Science and Technology Context: Recently the fifth Scorpène-class conventional submarine, Vagir, was delivered to the Navy. About Submarine Vagir: INS Vagir (S25) is the fifth submarine of the first batch of six Kalvari-class submarines for the Indian Navy. It is a diesel-electric attack submarine based on the Scorpène class, designed by French naval defence and manufactured by Mazagon Dock Limited. The submarine inherits its name from INS Vagir (S41) which served in the Navy from 1973–2001, and was named after a species of sandfish. Kalvari class: The Kalvari class is a class of diesel-electric attack submarines based on the Scorpène-class submarine being built for the Indian Navy. The class and submarines take their names from the first submarines inducted in the Indian Navy. The Sixth and last of the Scorpène-class submarines, Vagsheer, was launched into water in 2022 and is expected to be delivered to the Navy by 2023-end. The first submarine, INS Kalvari, was commissioned in 2017, the second INS Khanderi in 2019, the third INS Karanj in 2021 and the fourth INS Vela in 2021. Source: Indian Express National Test House (NTH) Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – Economy Context: Recently National Test House (NTH) will set up testing facilities for EV batteries and charging systems at its Mumbai and Kolkata centres. About National Test House: It is also known as Government Test House. It was established in 1912 in Calcutta by the then Railway Board. To cater to the needs of the Indian Railways by import substitution It is headquartered at Kolkata. It provides link between industrial research and manufacture of finished products under rigid quality control. It has 6 regional offices at Kolkata, Mumbai, Chennai, Ghaziabad, Jaipur and Guwahati. Functions of NTH: Test and evaluation of materials, products, equipment’s, modules, system and sub-system in practically all branches except pharmaceutical and arms & ammunitions. Calibration in Electrical and non-electrical measurements. Test and Certification of Welders. Assist Bureau of Indian Standards in formulation of National Standards. Assist National Accreditation Board for Testing & Calibration Laboratories [NABL] in accreditation of Testing & Calibration Laboratories in the country. World class scientific laboratory system is being established by NTH for ease of users. It introduced fully digital Laboratory Management Information System (LIMS). Consumers can test their samples through courier from any part of country. Microbiology laboratory at Guwahati branch of NTH. It will test drinking water and spices. Tansformer testing facility” at Jaipur, Rajasthan Tto support Gati Shakti. Source: Indian Express Previous Year Questions Q.1) With reference to the ‘Banks Board Bureau (BBB)’, which of the following statements are correct? (2022) The Governor of RBI is the Chairman of BBB. BBB recommends for the selection of heads for Public Sector Banks. BBB helps the Public Sector Banks in developing strategies and capital raising plans. Select the correct answer using the code given below: 1 and 2 only 2 and 3 only 1 and 3 only 1, 2 and 3 Asian Giant Tortoises Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – Environment and Ecology Context: Recently 10 Giant Asian Tortoise were soft released into protected area of Intanki National Park in Nagaland for conservation. About Asian Giant Tortoises (Manouria emys): It comprised of two subspecies: Manouria emys phayrei and Manouria emys emys. They are the largest tortoises in mainland Asia. It is the only tortoise that lays its eggs above ground in a nest, which the female constructs of leaf litter. Habitat: Evergreen Forest, dry evergreen forest including bamboo forest. They are native to South Asia found in Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand and Singapore (Extinct). In India, the Nengpui Wildlife Sanctuary, North Cachar Hills and Nongkhyllem Wildlife Sanctuary have wild populations in less disturbed habitats. Conservation Status: IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered CITES: Appendix II. Wildlife (Protection) Act of 1972: Schedule IV Threats: Over exploitation and unsustainable use for consumption and trade of meat resulted into species on the verge of being extinct. Total 507 live specimens in seven shipments are seized from illegal trade during 2000-2015. It is threatened by shrinking habitat availability as lowland and mid-elevation evergreen forests are degraded. These are lost through logging, clearing for agriculture, forest fires, and hydroelectric dams and reservoirs and associated infrastructure. Organised large bamboo-cutting in forests impact the tortoises by removing a prime food resource. Ethnic violence is a regional issue, and resettlement sites tend to be located in forest areas. Conservation Efforts: Nagaland and non-profits Turtle Survival Alliance and Wildlife Conservation Society conducted soft release of the juvenile tortoises to rewild the species. Soft release: It is a process of gradually releasing captive-raised species into the wild. It helps the species to develop site fidelity among released individuals and eventually develop the habit to live in the vicinity of the release closure. The Joint Asian Giant Tortoise Recovery Project was started in 2017 with the Nagaland Zoological Park (NZP) and Turtle Survival Alliance (TSA). Nagaland zoological park has the highest number of Asian Giant Tortoise with 110 hatching from 13 adults. Long term programme includes creating awareness in local communities to make them participate in conservation. Source: DownToEarth Previous Year Questions Q.1) In which of the following regions of India are you most likely to come across the `Great Indian Hornbill’ in its natural habitat? (2016) Sand deserts of northwest India Higher Himalayas of Jammu and Kashmir Salt marshes of western Gujarat Western Ghats Centre of Excellence scheme of AYURSWASHTHYA Yojana Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – Governance AYURSWASTHYA Yojana: Under Ministry of Ayush Central Sector Scheme From the Financial Year 2021-22 Two components (i) AYUSH and Public Health (PHI) and (ii) Centre of Excellence (CoE) Started by merging two erstwhile schemes of this Ministry namely (i) Scheme of Grant-in-Aid for Promotion of AYUSH Intervention in Public Health Initiatives and (ii) Scheme for assistance to AYUSH organizations (Government / Non-Government Non-Profit) engaged in AYUSH Education/ Drug Development & Research / Clinical Research etc. for upgradation to Centre of Excellence (CoE). Objectives of CoE component: To support establishment of advanced/ specialized AYUSH medical health unit in reputed AYUSH and Allopathic institutions both in Government and Non-Government sector. To support creative and innovative proposals for establishment and upgradation of both functions and facilities of reputed institutions to strengthen competencies of AYUSH professionals in education technology, research & innovation and such other fields necessary for promotion of AYUSH at national as well as international level. To support creative and innovative proposals for prestigious organizations which have well-established buildings and infrastructure, and wish to work for AYUSH systems to the level of Centre of Excellence. Features of CoE: Financial assistance is provided to eligible individual organizations/institutes for establishing and upgrading their functions & facilities and/or for research & development activities in AYUSH. The maximum admissible financial assistance is Rs.10.00 crores for maximum period of three years. There is no provision for State/UT-wise sanction/allocation of funds Health care services i.e. preventive, promotive, curative and palliative health care services are provided by the grantee organizations/institutions all over the country as per the objectives of the projects including Economical Weaker Section of the society as per scheme guidelines. No organization/institute of Puducherry is supported under erstwhile Centre of Excellence scheme and Centre of Excellence component of AYURSWASTHYA Yojana. There is provision to support AYUSH institutions/organizations for their up-gradation to the level of Centre of Excellence. Source: PIB Maritime Anti-Piracy Bill 2022 Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – Economy In News: Parliament has passed the Maritime Anti-Piracy Bill 2022 with Rajya Sabha approving it. In 2014 to 2022, 19 incidents of piracy happened in which 155 Indian crew members were involved. More than 90 percent of trade taking place by sea routes Aim: Strengthen India’s credentials as a partner with other countries to make the world more piracy free. Provide an effective legal instrument to combat maritime piracy, not only in India’s territorial waters in the Exclusive Economic Zone but also on the high seas. Enhance India’s global credentials and strengthen maritime security. About the bill: The Bill defines piracy as any illegal act of violence, detention, or destruction against a ship, aircraft, person, for private purposes, by the crew or passengers of a private ship or aircraft. The Bill enables Indian authorities to act against piracy on the high seas. It applies to the sea beyond the Exclusive Economic Zone(EEZ) EEZ is beyond 200 nautical miles from India’s coastline. Source: NewsOnAir Arecanut Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – Agriculture In News: A Lok Sabha member from Shivamogga district in Karnataka, urged the Centre to levy a hefty import duty on arecanut to check falling prices in the domestic market. In September 2022, the central government allowed the import of 17,000 tonnes of green (fresh) arecanut from Bhutan without minimum import price (MIP). Crop loss – About 35-40 per cent of the crop has been affected in 2022 – highest crop loss since 2013 About Arecanut:                    The cultivation of arecanut is mostly confined to 28º north and south of the equator. It grows well within the temperature range of 14ºC and 36ºC and is adversely affected by temperatures below 10ºC and above 40ºC. Arecanut is capable of growing in a variety of soils June – December is found to be the optimum. Its production: Karnataka produces around 80 per cent of the country’s arecanut, Arecanut is considered a horticulture crop in Karnataka, a commercial crop at the national level and a dry fruit at an international level. Average yield of different varieties of arecanut vary between 10-20 quintals per acre (0.4 hectare). MIP on arecanut was first introduced in 2012 to restrict unabated import and prevent entry of inferior quality arecanut into the Indian market, thereby destabilising the domestic prices. In the last three years, import of arecanut has taken place mostly from Sri Lanka and Indonesia. However, this time 17,000 tonnes is being allowed to be imported from Bhutan alone. Threats: Large areas under the crop have been damaged by yellow leaf disease, blast disease and fruit rot disease, especially in Shivamogga, Dakshina Kannada and Chikkamagaluru districts. Minimum Import Price (MIP): MIP is the rate below which no imports are allowed. Imports without MIP or at low rates threaten the domestic prices and lead them to crash. Source: DTE Formation of Fog Open in new window Syllabus Mains – GS 1 (Geography) and GS 3 (Environment and Ecology) Context: Recently, dense fog has enveloped north-western India, including Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, parts of Uttar Pradesh, and parts of Rajasthan. About Formation of Fog: Formation: With the land surface cooling down at night, the air close to the surface also cools down. Since cooler air cannot hold as much moisture as warm air, the water vapour in the air condenses to form fog. Fog begins to form in the early hours of the morning, when the temperature is at its lowest. Favourable Conditions: The presence of moisture and a fall in the temperature are key factors for the formation of fog. Fog can have “high spatial variability”, and its intensity can depend on factors like humidity, wind, and temperature. Areas near water bodies, for instance, may see denser fog because of the higher humidity. The Indo Gangetic Plain is most vulnerable to fog occurrences, with major, weeks-long spells of dense fog in the months of December and January. Types of fog Advection fog is larger in scale for both area covered and duration. It forms when warm, moist air passes over a cool surface, causing water vapour to condense. It occurs where warm tropical air meets cool ocean water. If wind blows in right direction, sea fog is transported over coastal land areas. Valley fog is formed due to mountains preventing dense air from escaping. Fog gets trapped at bottom of valley which lasts for several days. Freezing fog is result of liquid droplets freezing on solid surfaces. It occurs at Cloud-covered mountaintops. They are not found in Indo Gangetic Plain. Conditions Favouring Fog over North-western India Decreasing Temperature: Temperatures have begun to dip over north-western India. Recently, Delhi recorded the lowest minimum temperature of the season so far — 6 degrees Celsius. Cold wave conditions, in which the minimum temperature is significantly lower than normal, have been recorded recently over Punjab, Haryana, and parts of Rajasthan. Dense Fog: The fall in temperature along with moisture and light winds over the Indo Gangetic Plain has resulted in dense fog over the region. Effect of Western disturbances: Western disturbances, which are storms that originate in the Mediterranean Sea, bring moisture-bearing winds to northwest India. This can result in increased moisture levels over the region. In the absence of western disturbances, local moisture sources like water vapor from rivers and soil moisture can also cause fog. Link between Pollution Levels and Fog More Fog at Polluted Places: According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Delhi being more polluted, records more fog days compared to others. Fog increases Pollution: As temperature declines, local wind speed also falls. The inversion layer comes down and vertical mixing reduces. This results in fog formation and particulate matter hangs on the boundary layer, increasing pollution levels. Recently, Delhi recorded a spike in pollution levels with AQI in the ‘severe’ category. Rapid Growth of Pollutants: Advection fog episodes last longer and secondary particulate formation then begins leading to rapid build-up of pollutants. Source: Indian Express Previous Year Questions Q.1) Consider the following statements: High clouds primarily reflect solar radiation and cool the surface of the Earth. Low clouds have a high absorption of infrared radiation emanating from the Earth’s surface and thus cause warming effect. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (2022) 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.2) Why are dewdrops not formed on a cloudy night? (2019) Clouds absorb the radiation released from the Earth’s surface. Clouds reflect back the Earth’s radiation. The Earth’s surface would have a low temperature on cloudy nights. Clouds deflect the blowing wind to ground level. Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) Open in new window Syllabus Mains – GS 1(Governance) and GS 3 (Environment and Ecology) Context: Recently, the Union government said that Funds from Project Tiger as well as the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) were used to finance the project to bring African cheetahs to India. About CAMPA Funds: Establishment in 2004, the Ministry of Environment and Forests constituted the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) to oversee and manage the Compensatory Afforestation Fund (CAF) as directed by the Supreme Court. CAMPA Act or Compensatory Afforestation Fund Act is an Indian legislation that seeks to provide an appropriate institutional mechanism, both at the Centre and in each State and Union Territory, to ensure expeditious utilisation in efficient and transparent manner of amounts released in lieu of forest land diverted for non-forest purpose which would mitigate impact of diversion of such forest land. Objectives of CAMPA: The Funds are meant to promote afforestation and regeneration activities as a way of compensating for forest land diverted to non-forest uses. National CAMPA Advisory Council has been established with the following mandate: Lay down broad guidelines for State CAMPA. Facilitate scientific, technological and other assistance that may be required by State CAMPA. Make recommendations to State CAMPA based on a review of their plans and programmes. Provide a mechanism to State CAMPA to resolve issues of an inter-state or Centre-State character. About Project Tiger: It is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme launched in 1973. It has the aim of ensuring that the population of Bengal tigers is well-maintained in their natural habitats, this project continues to do everything possible to protect and save the tiger. Tiger protecting force: The government has also set up a tiger protecting force that ensures there is no poaching of any kind or any human-tiger conflict. This invariably will help in preventing tigers from being extinct. Increasing the number of tigers: In 2006, surveys suggested that the number of tigers was just 1,411 which was a cause of concern worldwide. In over a decade, India has seen a consistent rise in the number of tigers. Tiger Reserves: There are 53 tiger reserves across 18 Tiger Range States in India. Objectives of Project Tiger: To ensure that any factor leading to the reduction of tiger habitats is limited. Any damages done to these habitats should be repaired so that the ecosystem is balanced Maintain a viable tiger population. Significance: Tiger is an umbrella species which ensures viable populations of other wild animals (co-predators, prey) and forest, thereby ensuring the ecological viability of the entire area and habitat, which also ensures the water and climate security of the region. India has 80 per cent of the world’s tiger population. A viable tiger population is one which has 80-100 tigers with a minimum of 20 breeding females, with a sex ratio skewed towards females. Notification of Tiger Reserves: Proposal is obtained from the State. In-principle approval is communicated from the National Tiger Conservation Authority, soliciting detailed proposals under section 38V of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. The National Tiger Conservation Authority recommends the proposal to the State after due diligence. The State Government notifies the area as a Tiger Reserve. About Conservation Assured | Tiger Standards: CA|TS is a tool or a comprehensive system that will provide a reference point to evaluate the existing management effectiveness of tiger conservation within integrated landscape planning, and ensure that benefits from these efforts are optimised. About Project Cheetah: The introduction of cheetahs in India is being done under Project Cheetah. It is the world’s first intercontinental large wild carnivore translocation project. Coexistence approach: India has opted for this approach. It is even more unique because this is the first-time cheetahs will be reintroduced in an unfenced protected area (PA). Significance of Coexistence approach: The Coexistence approach is considered more favourable by social scientists. Fencing has proven to be a valuable tool in eliminating cheetahs’ tendency to range over wide distances in South Africa and Malawi, thus allowing for population growth. The core conservation area of Kuno National Park is largely free of anthropogenic threats. Challenges associated with Coexistence approach: Kuno National Park will be more challenging, as it is not enclosed / fenced. There have been no successful cheetah reintroductions into unfenced systems. Anthropogenic threats to cheetah survival include snaring for bush meat and retaliatory killings due to livestock depredation. This would place them at the risk of human-related mortality including snaring and retaliatory killings by livestock farmers. Way Forward: CAMPA funds are meant for restoration of forests, particularly the ones that have been diverted for industrial purposes.  There have been demands that this money should be given to Gram Sabhas so that they can be financially empowered to restore forests. Indigenous and forest-dwelling communities’ country-wide are struggling for sustainable finance. Thus, these funds should be used to empower them. Source: DownToEarth DNA technology Regulation Bill Open in new window Syllabus Mains  – GS 3 Science and Technology Context: In April 2022, The Ministry of Science and Technology (MST) announced the draft DNA Technology (Use and Application) Regulation Bill. With the recent introduction of the new Digital Personal Data Privacy Bill removing differences between sensitive personal data and personal data and adding to it the nuance of only governing digital data, privacy has become a popular concern. While stakeholders have enquired about the expansion of DNA use across the justice system, the MST has yet to confirm such plans. DNA Technology Regulation Bill: The Bill creates an umbrella databank for multiple purposes It aims to set up DNA data banks across the country and DNA laboratories for testing and storing DNA profiles and use these for case resolution in crimes (primarily sexual assault). It includes training over 20,000 investigation officers, prosecution officers, and medical professionals to collect forensic evidence in cases of sexual assault using standardised sexual assault evidence collection kits. Preceding the draft, there was no specific legislation in India to outline the guidelines on DNA collection, storage and use in law enforcement. However, DNA evidence was covered under Section 45 of the Indian Evidence Act 1872 under ‘scientific evidence.’ The Bill has not introduced DNA evidence into the Indian legal system. However, DNA profiling is used in law enforcement have been seen in India since Kunhiraman vs Manoj, 1991, on proof of paternity. It aims to address the existing gap in regulating the use of biological sample evidence It also covers offences under special laws such as The Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956; The Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, 1971; The Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, amongst others. Challenges of the bill: Data bias: The Bill lists civil matters where lawful procedures can use DNA profiling. The application areas cover controversial disputes relating to pedigree, issues pertaining to reproductive technologies, immigration or emigration, and issues relating to establishing national identity. Enhancing discrimination against the groups it claims to protect. For example, The Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act discriminates against transsexual people who cannot access formal employment and are thus consigned to sex work and solicitation. Lack of privacy and dignity of individuals: The photographic forensic data is used in combination with other digitised data and lack of collection guidelines within this regulation is a concern. DNA can reveal sensitive information used to criminalise a community and disclose information on ancestry, feeding into social discrimination. Insecurity over DNA laboratories hosting data –  biases in artificial intelligence, algorithms it monitors, and the policies that use these, Data storage: It is unclear how the Bill intends to regulate data storage in such DNA laboratories. Lacunae in design: Incongruity in the Bill’s understanding of DNA evidence as biological samples to further include photographic forensic samples. The integration of photographic or video material in this legislation has created an unnecessary caveat in how this evidence can be collected, stored, and used, especially since such samples may go against privacy requirement. Biases in law enforcement: Much like automated policing, where crime is registered in higher numbers because of the increased surveillance and dispatch of police officers, the results of DNA database categorisation are often inaccurate due to unequal testing of certain disadvantaged communities over others. Facial Recognition Technology (FRT) used in law enforcement also displays these biases, aside from previously mentioned privacy concerns, churning up inaccurate outcomes (in one case, 138 out of 140 faces were misidentified by an FRT) Accuracy of DNA evidence – Lack of standardised analysis in hair, fibre and different crime scene samples can lead to wrongful convictions. For example, fingerprint analysts often alter their conclusions on prints and identification with additional and incremental information on prints. Issues of injustice: A single DNA profile might be mistakenly generated when samples from multiple people are combined or collected from a crime scene. Partial profiles can match many more people than complete profiles. Full profiles may also match a person other than the guilty individual. These outcomes are further complicated by different rates of DNA shedding, contamination issues, investigator biases etc., all of which still need to be fully addressed by the legislation in question. Others – DNA profiles will likely include virtually everyone since DNA is left at the crime scene before and after the crime by several persons who may not have been involved in the crime. Suggestions: Individual privacy – use of DNA Technology Bill should not depend on launching a personal data protection bill and, in its absence, should create further clarifications on privacy guidelines. Reliability – In addition, to make DNA profiling more reliable, the account must be enhanced with specific guidelines to address the use of DNA technology in combination with other tools used in the justice system to avoid a future miscarriage of justice. Role of stakeholders – The document needs to define how different stakeholders will apply the legislation in the aforementioned areas. Role of judiciary – The Bill highlights the need for court approval in civil matters, consent of individuals in criminal investigations, and identifying missing persons. Consent–  the Bill still needs to outline the necessary consent requirements for use in civil cases, taking agency away from those who may be involved in civil disputes. Accountability – With regard to video evidence, FRT, linkages of forensic data to surveillance systems need immediate oversight as lack of accountability can add to existing concerns on privacy. Holistic evidence – DNA evidence can place suspects at the location of the crime; this, in isolation, is not enough to mandate their conviction. Thus, other evidence, such as geotagged evidence, mobile records etc., will be needed to approach the case holistically. In addition, the combination of digital and biological data digitised and maintained on a database further induces privacy concerns. Way forward: Thus, if combined with existing data biases in law enforcement, the DNA profiling bill can contribute to data that can be misused for caste-based or community profiling in the country, especially in cases where minority groups are disproportionately criminalised. The eventual extension of DNA profiling in other cases beyond sexual assault can be included as part of changes. Source: ORF online Practice MCQs Daily Practice MCQs Q.1) Consider the following statements: Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) extends up to 200 nautical miles from the territorial waters. The Maritime Anti-Piracy Bill applies to the High Seas. Which of the statements given above are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.2) With respect to “Minimum Import Price (MIP)”, consider the following statements: Under WTO rules, MIP is regarded as non-tariff trade barriers. MIP is the rate below which no imports are allowed. Imports without MIP threaten the domestic prices and lead them to crash. Which of the statements given above are correct? 1 and 3 only 2 and 3 only 1 and 2 only 1, 2 and 3 Q.3) With reference to India’s biodiversity, consider the following statements: Asian Giant Tortoises (Manouria emys) are critically endangered as per IUCN red list. Project Tiger is a Centrally Sector Scheme launched in 1973. There are 55 tiger reserves across 18 Tiger Range States in India as of December 2022. India has 80 per cent of the world’s tiger population. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? 1 and 2 only 2 and 3 only 1 and 4 only 1 and 3 only Comment the answers to the above questions in the comment section below!! ANSWERS FOR ’ 22nd December 2022 – Daily Practice MCQs’ will be updated along with tomorrow’s Daily Current Affairs.st ANSWERS FOR 21st December – Daily Practice MCQs Answers- Daily Practice MCQs Q.1) – c Q.2) – b Q.3) – b table, td, th { border: 1px solid;} table {width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; }

Dec 22, 2022 Daily Prelims CA Quiz

UPSC Quiz – 2022 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz 22nd December 2022

For Previous Daily Quiz (ARCHIVES) - CLICK HERE The Current Affairs questions are based on sources like ‘The Hindu’, ‘Indian Express’ and ‘PIB’, which are very important sources for UPSC Prelims Exam. The questions are focused on both the concepts and facts. The topics covered here are generally different from what is being covered under ‘Daily Current Affairs/Daily News Analysis (DNA) and Daily Static Quiz’ to avoid duplication. The questions would be published from Monday to Saturday before 2 PM. One should not spend more than 10 minutes on this initiative. Gear up and Make the Best Use of this initiative. Do remember that, “the difference between Ordinary and EXTRA-Ordinary is PRACTICE!!” Important Note: Don't forget to post your marks in the comment section. Also, let us know if you enjoyed today's test :)After completing the 5 questions, click on 'View Questions' to check your score, time taken, and solutionsTo take the Test Click Here

Dec 21, 2022 Baba’s Explainer

Baba's Explainer - Quantum Computing

  ARCHIVES Syllabus GS-3: Science and Technology- developments and their applications and effects in everyday life. GS-3: Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, robotics Context: The allure of quantum computers (QC) is their ability to take advantage of quantum physics to solve problems too complex for computers that use classical physics. The 2022 Nobel Prize for physics was awarded for work that rigorously tested one such ‘experience’ and paved the way for its applications in computing – which speaks to the contemporary importance of QCs In 2021 alone, the Indian government launched a National Mission to study quantum technologies with an allocation of ₹8,000 crore; the army opened a quantum research facility in Madhya Pradesh; and the Department of Science and Technology co-launched another facility in Pune. Given the wide range of applications, understanding what QCs really is crucial to sidestep the misinformation surrounding it and develop expectations that are closer to reality. How does a computer use physics? A macroscopic object – like a ball, a chair or a person – can be at only one location at a time; this location can be predicted accurately; and the object’s effects on its surroundings can’t be transmitted faster than at the speed of light. This is the classical ‘experience’ of reality. For example, you can observe a ball flying through the air and plot its trajectory according to Newton’s laws. You can predict exactly where the ball will be at a given time. If the ball strikes the ground, you will see it doing so in the time it takes light to travel through the atmosphere to you. Quantum physics describes reality at the subatomic scale, where the objects are particles like electrons. In this realm, you can’t pinpoint the location of an electron. You can only know that it will be present in a given volume of space, with a probability attached to each point in the volume – like 10% at point A and 5% at point B. When you probe this volume in a stronger way, you might find the electron at point B. If you repeatedly probe this volume, you will find the electron at point B 5% of the time. There are many interpretations of the laws of quantum physics. One is the ‘Copenhagen interpretation’, which Erwin Schrödinger popularised using a thought-experiment he devised in 1935. There is a cat in a closed box with a bowl of poison. There is no way to know whether the cat is alive or dead without opening the box. In this time, the cat is said to exist in a superposition of two states: alive and dead. When you open the box, you force the superposition to collapse to a single state. The state to which it collapses depends on the probability of each state. Similarly, when you probe the volume, you force the superposition of the electrons’ states to collapse to one depending on the probability of each state. The other ‘experience’ relevant to quantum-computing is entanglement. When two particles are entangled and then separated by an arbitrary distance (even more than 1,000 km), making an observation on one particle, and thus causing its superposition to collapse, will instantaneously cause the superposition of the other particle to collapse as well. This phenomenon seems to violate the notion that the speed of light is the universe’s ultimate speed limit. That is, the second particle’s superposition will collapse to a single state in less than three hundredths of a second, which is the time light takes to travel 1,000 km. How would a computer use superposition? The bit is the fundamental unit of a classical computer. Its value is 1 if a corresponding transistor is on and 0 if the transistor is off. The transistor can be in one of two states at a time – on or off – so a bit can have one of two values at a time, 0 or 1. The qubit is the fundamental unit of a Quantum Computing. It’s typically a particle like an electron. Google and IBM have been known to use transmons, where pairs of bound electrons oscillate between two superconductors to designate the two states. Some information is directly encoded on the qubit: if the spin of an electron is pointing up, it means 1; when the spin is pointing down, it means 0. But instead of being either 1 or 0, the information is encoded in a superposition: say, 45% 0 plus 55% 1. This is entirely unlike the two separate states of 0 and 1 and is a third kind of state. The qubits are entangled to ensure they work together. If one qubit is probed to reveal its state, so will some of or all the other qubits, depending on the calculation being performed. The computer’s final output is the state to which all the qubits have collapsed. One qubit can encode two states. Five qubits can encode 32 states. A computer with N qubits can encode 2N states – whereas a computer with N transistors can only encode 2 × N states. So a qubit-based computer can access more states than a transistor-based computer, and thus access more computational pathways and solutions to more complex problems. How has Quantum Mechanics evolved over a period of time? It was developed in the early 20th century to describe nature in the small — at the scale of atoms and elementary particles. It helped in understanding of the physical world, including the interaction of light and matter and on subjects such as gravity and black holes. It led to ubiquitous inventions such as lasers and semiconductor transistors A second revolution is currently under way with the goal of controlling and harnessing the properties of quantum mechanics. Recent Developments: Google’s Sycamore demonstrated the quantum supremacy China demonstrated secure quantum communication links between terrestrial stations and satellites. How come we’re not using Quantum Computers? A practical QC needs at least 1,000 qubits. The current biggest quantum processor has 433 qubits. There are no theoretical limits on larger processors; the barrier is engineering-related. Technical Difficulties: The challenge lies in harnessing the properties of quantum superposition and entanglement in a highly controlled manner by building a system composed of carefully designed building blocks called quantum bits or qubits. Qubits exist in superposition in specific conditions, including very low temperature (~0.01 K), with radiation-shielding and protection against physical shock. Fragility of Qubits: The qubits tend to be very fragile and lose their “quantumness” if not controlled properly, and a careful choice of materials, design and engineering is required to get them to work. Tap your finger on the table and the states of the qubit sitting on it could collapse. Material or electromagnetic defects in the circuitry between qubits could also ‘corrupt’ their states and bias the eventual result. Researchers are yet to build QCs that completely eliminate these disturbances in systems with a few dozen qubits. Theoritical Challenges of creating the algorithms and applications for quantum computers Researchers are also yet to build QCs that don’t amplify errors when more qubits are added. This challenge is related to a fundamental problem: unless the rate of errors is kept under a certain threshold, more qubits will only increase the informational noise. Practical QCs will require at least lakhs of qubits, operating with superconducting circuits that we’re yet to build – apart from other components like the firmware, circuit optimisation, compilers and algorithms that make use of quantum-physics possibilities. Quantum supremacy itself – a QC doing something a classical computer can’t – is thus at least decades away. The billions being invested in this technology today are based on speculative profits, while companies that promise developers access to quantum circuits on the cloud often offer physical qubits with noticeable error rates. What is India’s National Mission on Quantum Technologies & Applications (NM-QTA)? The mission will oversee the development of quantum technologies for communications, computing, materials development and cryptography. The mission addresses the constraints (listed above) that led to slow progression of country in quantum field, through adoption of holistic approach. Announced in Budget 2020 Period: Five years (2020-25) Total Funds: Rs 8000 years Implementing Body: Department of Science & Technology (DST) Significance of the mission: The mission may eventually lead to the creation of a super-secure communication network  It will help prepare next generation skilled manpower, boost translational research and also encourage entrepreneurship and start-up ecosystem development. It will find utility in finding solution for complex problems in fields of computing, communications, sensing, chemistry, cryptography, imaging and mechanic The mission will enable India to emerge as Global leader in the field through increased investment & focus in Quantum Technologies Main Practice Question: What is Quantum Computing and why we are not yet having Quantum Computers at home replacing classical computers? Note: Write answer his question in the comment section. table{ border: 1px solid; } table tr, table td{ border: 1px solid; }

Dec 21, 2022 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 21st December 2022

Archives (PRELIMS & MAINS Focus) FIFA World Cup 2022 Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – Current Affairs Context: Recently, Argentina won the FIFA World Cup 2022 beating France in the final. About FIFA: Fédération Internationale de Football Association, meaning International Association Football Federation. It is the international governing body of association football, beach football and futsal. It was founded in 1904 to oversee international competition among the national associations of Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. Membership: Now comprises 211 national associations. These national associations must each also be members of one of the six regional confederations into which the world is divided: CAF (Africa), AFC (Asia and Australia), UEFA (Europe), CONCACAF (North & Central America and the Caribbean), OFC (Oceania) and CONMEBOL (South America). Headquartered in: Zürich, Switzerland About FIFA World Cup 2022: It was the 22nd edition of the FIFA World Cup. It was an international football tournament contested by the men’s national teams of FIFA’s member associations. Host Country: Qatar ( awarded in 2010) It was the first World Cup held in the Arab world and Muslim world. At an estimated cost of over $220 billion, it is the most expensive World Cup ever held to date. This tournament was the last with 32 participating teams, with the field set to increase to 48 teams for the 2026 edition. France were the defending champions, having defeated Croatia 4–2 in the 2018 final. Next World Cup 2026 will be held in Canada, Mexico and the United States. Awards at FIFA World Cup: Golden Boot: French player Kylian Mbappé won the Golden Boot as he scored the most goals (eight) during the tournament. Golden Ball: Argentine captain Lionel Messi was voted the tournament’s best player, winning the Golden Ball. Messi won his second Golden Ball award after 2014 as the best player of the tournament, becoming the first player to receive the award twice. Golden Glove: Emiliano Martínez from Argentina, won the Golden Glove, awarded to the tournament’s best goalkeeper. Source:  Indian Express Previous Year Question Q.1) Consider the following statements in respect of the Laureus World Sports Award which was instituted in the year 2000: American golfer Tiger Woods was the first winner of this award The award was received by Formula One players so far. Roger Federer received this award the maximum number of times compared to others. Which of the above statements is/are correct? (2021) 1 and 2 only 2 and 3 only 1 and 3 only 1, 2 and 3 Q.2) Consider the following statements in respect of the 32nd Summer Olympics: The official motto for this Olympics is ‘A New World’. Sport Climbing, Surfing, Skateboarding, Karate and Baseball are included in this Olympics. Which of the above statements is/are correct? (2021) 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 and 2 Q.3) Consider the following statements in respect of the ICC World Test Championship: The finalists were decided by the number of matches they won. New Zealand was ranked ahead of England because it won more matches than England. Which of the above statements is/are correct? (2021) 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 and 2 Sovereign Gold Bond Scheme 2022-23 Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – Economy Context: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has announced the Sovereign Gold Bond Scheme 2022-23 – Series III, which will be open for subscription during December 19-23, 2022. About Sovereign Gold Bond Scheme: The Government Sovereign Gold Bonds (SGB) Scheme was introduced in November 2015. SGBs are provided as a substitute for physical gold to investors. The main objective of the scheme is to reduce the demand for physical gold and shift a part of the gold imported every year for investment purposes, into financial savings through Gold Bonds. SGBs are issued by RBI on behalf of the Government of India on payment of the required amount in rupees and are denominated in grams of gold. The Bonds are restricted for sale to resident Indian entities including individuals, HUFs, trusts, Universities, charitable institutions. Minimum permissible investment is 2 grams of gold to be paid in rupees. The maximum amount subscribed by an entity will not be more than 500 grams per person per fiscal year (April-March). The bonds are available in both in Demat and paper form. The rate for the Bonds is fixed on the basis of simple average of closing price for gold of 999 purity of the previous week published by the India Bullion and Jewellers Association (IBJA). The tenor of the Bond is for a period of 8 years with exit option from 5th year onwards to be exercised on the interest payment dates. Exemption from capital gains tax is also available. Long term capital gains arising to any person on transfer of SGB is also eligible for indexation benefits. On maturity, the investor will get the equivalent rupee value of the quantum of gold invested at the then prevailing price of gold. Source: Indian Express Previous Year Questions Q.1) What is/are the purpose/purposes of the Government’s ‘Sovereign Gold Bond Scheme’ and ‘Gold Monetization Scheme’? (2016) To bring the idle gold lying with Indian households into the economy To promote FDI in the gold and jewellery sector To reduce India’s dependence on gold imports Select the correct answer using the code given below. 1 only 2 and 3 only 1 and 3 only 1, 2 and 3 Betta-Kuruba tribe Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – Governance Context: Recently the Lok Sabha passed the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Fourth Amendment) Bill, 2022 to include Betta-Kuruba on the Scheduled Tribes list of Karnataka as a synonym for the already categorised Kadu-Kuruba tribe in the State. About Betta kurubas: The Betta Kuruba (Betta meaing ‘Hill’, Kuruba meaning ‘shepherd’) tribe lives in the hilly regions of Karnataka, and is one of the few indigenous communities of the Nilgiris. Traditionally, the Kuruba people drew sustenance from hunting, gathering and collecting wild honey. Due to relocation, the Betta Kuruba people are being forced to give up their traditional livelihood, and work as agricultural labourers in coffee, spice (such as pepper, ginger, cardamom) and tea plantations. They speak Betta Kurumba language (Beṭṭa Kurumba) is a Dravidian language closely related to Tamil. They are generally believed to be the descendants of the Pallavas. Consanguineous marriages like cross-cousin marriages are preferred among the Kurumbas. Source: Indian Express ARNALA Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – Science and Technology In News: ‘Arnala’ for Indian Navy was launched at M/s L&T, Kattupalli, Chennai. About Arnala: It is the first of 08 x ASW SWC Project Arnala class of ships will replace the Abhay class ASW Ships of Indian Navy The ship has been named Arnala to signify the strategic maritime importance accorded to the island of Arnala (located about 13 Km north of Vasai, Maharashtra) by the great Maratha warrior, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata. They are designed to undertake anti-submarine operations in coastal waters and Low Intensity Maritime Operations (LIMO) including subsurface surveillance in littoral waters. The 77.6m ASW SWC ships have a displacement of 900 tons with a maximum speed of 25 knots and endurance of 1800 NM. The ASW SWC ships will have over 80% indigenous content, ensuring that large scale defence production is executed by Indian manufacturing units thereby generating employment and capability build up within the country. Source: PIB Previous Year Questions Q.1) Which one of the following is the best description of ‘INS Astradharini’, that was in the news recently? (2016) Amphibious warfare ship Nuclear-powered submarine Torpedo launch and recovery vessel Nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Consumer Price Index Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – Economy In News: The All-India Consumer Price Index Number for Agricultural Labourers and Rural Labourers for the month of November, 2022 increased by 8 points each to stand at 1167 (One thousand one hundred and sixty seven) and 1178 (One thousand one hundred and seventy eight) points respectively. Major rise came from food group due to increase in prices of rice, wheat-atta, jowar, bajra, pulses, meat goat, mustard-oil, milk, ghee, onion, mixed spices, tea, etc. Tamil Nadu topped whereas Himachal Pradesh stood at the bottom. Maximum increase – Bihar Maximum decrease – Assam Point to point rate of inflation based on the CPI-AL and CPI-RL stood at 6.87% & 6.99% in November, 2022 compared to 7.22% & 7.34% respectively in October ’22. About CPI: It is a comprehensive measure Consumer Price Index or CPI as it is commonly called is an index measuring retail inflation in the economy by collecting the change in prices of most common goods and services used by consumers. Called market basket, CPI is calculated for a fixed list of items including food, housing, apparel, transportation, electronics, medical care, education, etc. Remember, CPI is different from WPI, or Wholesale Price Index, which measures inflation at the wholesale level. In India, there are four CPI numbers: CPI for Industrial Workers (IW) CPI for Agricultural Labourers (AL) CPI for Rural Labourers (RL) and CPI for Urban Non-Manual Employees (UNME). While the Ministry of Statistics and Program Implementation collects CPI (UNME) data and compiles it, the remaining three are collected by the Labour Bureau in the Ministry of Labour. Uses: To calculate the inflation levels CPI’s annual percentage change is also used to assess inflation. To compute the cost of living the purchasing power of a country’s currency Understanding the real value of wages, salaries and pensions, Price regulation Provides insights to consumer spending capacity The calculation The CPI is calculated with reference to a base year, which is used as a benchmark. The price change pertains to that year. CPI = (Cost of basket divided by Cost of basket in the base year) multiplied by 100 Base years CPI(IW) = 1982 CPI(AL) = 1986-87 CPI(RL) = 1984-85 MUST READ Inflation Source: PIB Previous Year Questions Q1.) Which of the following brings out the ‘Consumer Price Index Number for Industrial Workers? The Reserve Bank of India The Department of Economic Affairs The Labour Bureau The Department of Personnel and Training Mission Amrit Sarovar Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – Governance In News: The Mission Amrit Sarovar had initially planned a target to construct or rejuvenate 50,000 Amrit Sarovar ponds across India till 15th August 2023. Now, additional 50,000 Amrit Sarovar ponds will be constructed by 15th August 2023. The State Governments have identified sites for construction. The number of States/ UTs covered including Jharkhand & Tamil Nadu are 34. About the mission: Mission Amrit Sarovar has been launched in 2022 with an objective to harvest and conserve water for future generation. Aim:  water conservation, people’s participation and proper utilization of soil excavated from the water bodies to boost infrastructural projects. The salient features: Based on “Whole of Government” approach with the participation from the Ministry of Rural Development, Ministry of Jal Shakti, Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Panchayati Raj, Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change and technical organizations. Under the Mission every district of the country will construct or rejuvenate at least 75 Amrit Sarovars. Every Amrit Sarovar will have a pondage area of at least 1 acre with a water holding capacity of about 10,000 cubic metre. Every Amrit Sarovar will be surrounded by trees like Neem, Peepal and Banyan etc. Every Amrit Sarovar will be a source of generation of livelihoods by using the water for different purposes like irrigation, fisheries, duckery, cultivation of water chestnut, water tourism and other activities. The Amrit Sarovar will also act as a social gathering point in that locality. Every Amrit Sarovar site is a place for flag hoisting on every Independence Day. There is no separate financial allocation for Mission Amrit Sarovar. The Mission Amrit Sarovar works through the States and Districts with convergence from various schemes such as Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (Mahatma Gandhi NREGS), 15th Finance Commission Grants, Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sichayi Yojna sub schemes such as Watershed Development Component, Har Khet ko Pani, besides States’ own scheme. Public contribution like crowd funding and Corporate Social Responsibility is also allowed for the work. Ministry of Railways, Ministry of Road Transport & Highways and other public agencies engaged for infrastructure project development are also engaged in the Mission for the purpose of use of soil/silt excavated out of the Amrit Sarovar. The details of the identified sites, works commenced and works completed may be seen through the following link: https://amritsarovar.gov.in/login. Source: PIB Digital India Awards Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – Current affairs In News: India’s Smart Cities Mission wins the Platinum Icon in Digital India Awards 2022 for their initiative “DataSmart Cities: Empowering Cities through Data” under the ‘Data Sharing and Use for Socio Economic Development’ category. The seventh edition of Digital India Awards (DIA) is being held in 2022. The Digital India Awards (DIA): It is a prestigious National competition that seeks to encourage and honour innovative digital solutions by government entities in realising the Digital India vision. Aim: to inspire and motivate not only government entities but also start-ups in fulfilling the Digital India vision. The category ‘Data Sharing and Use for Socio Economic Development’ emphasizes on sharing of Government Data by Ministries/Departments/Organizations, States, Cities and ULBs to create a vibrant data ecosystem in the country for analysis, decision-making, innovation, services, economic development and public good. Instituted in 2009. Conducted by = National Informatics Centre (NIC) under the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY). DIA presents an opportunity to bring to the fore digital initiatives being adopted to transform India into a digitally empowered society & knowledge economy. These awards are instituted under the aegis of National Portal of India to encourage and honour innovative digital solutions by government entities at all levels. About DataSmart Cities initiative: Under the Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs It is a key step in creating a robust data ecosystem that enables evidence-based decision-making in cities. AIM: to harnesses the power of data for better governance in India’s 100 Smart Cities. Based on a ‘People, Platform, Process’ strategy, this initiative is leading to convergence of Ministry’s efforts for performance management, empowerment of communities, and research, co-creation & open innovation. Importance of data for accelerating the power of city’s existing initiatives Various digital platforms such as Smart Cities Open Data Portal (SCODP), India Urban Observatory (IUO), India Urban Data Exchange (IUDX), Assessment & Monitoring Platform for Liveable, Inclusive & Future-ready urban India (AMPLIFI) and Geo-spatial Management Information System (GMIS) have been developed to enable cities better manage, share, and leverage available data. Objectives: Evidence-based planning, cross-city assessments, multi-disciplinary research and improving socio-economic outcomes. The program has institutionalised a Data Ecosystem in cities through 100 City Data Offices and more than 50 Data Policies. The Smart Cities Open Data Portal has transformed from zero to all 100 Smart Cities now publishing open datasets and contributing to data blogs and visualizations, leading to 1.2+ lakh downloads and ~6 lakh views. This initiative has led to generation of more than 180 innovative, scalable, and replicable use cases in collaboration with various stakeholders that are being utilized by cities for better functioning and citizen engagement vis. Vadodara Medical Green Corridor, Surat Real-time Bus Seat Occupancy, Agartala Smart Traffic Control, among others. The success of this initiative in 100 Smart Cities has a potential to create a virtuous cycle of improvement, with transformational impact of data on all cities in India. MUST READ smart-cities-mission Source: PIB Dr B R Ambedkar’s views on moral democracy Open in new window Syllabus Mains – GS 2 (Governance) and GS 4 (Ethics) Context: An article, ‘Situating Democracy in Ambedkar’s Moral Discourse’ looks at how Ambedkar situates morality in his discourse of democracy. It also explores the moral foundation that paved the way for Ambedkar’s discourse on democracy. There have been many studies on B.R. Ambedkar’s conceptualisation of democracy, predominantly explained through the lens of social, political and economic philosophies. Many authors have failed to explore the multitudes of Ambedkar’s idea of democracy, and through a one-dimensional study of his work, situated him within a dichotomous framework of social democracy versus liberal or political democracy. Types of Morality: Ambedkar divides morality into social morality and constitutional morality. Social Morality: He explains that social morality was built through interaction which was based on the mutual recognition of human beings. Yet, under the rigid systems of caste and religion, such interaction was not possible as one did not accept another person as a respectable human being due to their religion or caste background. Social morality was based on equality among human beings and a recognition of respect. Constitutional morality: Constitutional morality for Ambedkar was a prerequisite to maintaining a system of democracy in a country. He believed that only through a negation of hereditary rule, laws that represented all people, with people’s representatives and a State which has the confidence of the people, can democracy be maintained. One single person or political party could not represent the needs or will of all the people. The Buddha and His Dhamma: Ambedkar’s last work focuses on Democratic values Democracy as a way of life: It sheds light on how he understood democracy as a concept that affected every aspect of human life; it was essentially a way of life. Buddha, Kabir and Mahatma Phule’s philosophies played an important role in Ambedkar’s own engagement with democracy. Critical of Extreme Individualism: He was also critical of extreme individualism that was a possible outcome of Buddhism, as such characteristics failed to engage in activism that challenged social order. Thus, he believed that there needed to be a balance between individualism and fraternity for a harmonious society. Focus on Moral Aspect: While the pillars of democracy are equality, liberty and fraternity, it needs to be looked at through a moral lens as well. Ambedkar used the lens of morality in investigating the caste system, the Hindu social system, the nature of religion and Indian history. Importance to Practicality: Ambedkar gave utmost importance to practicality. For him, concepts and theories needed to be tested as they were supposed to be practised in society. He used rationality and critical reasoning to analyze any subject matter, because he believed that a subject must first pass the test of rationality, failing which it must be rejected, altered or modified. Moral Democracy beyond Caste System: Ambedkar realised that the caste system did not go hand in hand with such an understanding of moral democracy. This was because the traditional caste structure was of a hierarchical rule, with no mutual respect among individuals, and complete subjugation of one group by another. New Structure Using Principles of Buddhism: While it is well known that Ambedkar’s moral principles were rooted in Buddhist philosophies. It was difficult to place Ambedkar’s framework of democracy within these rigid religious structures and socio-political systems, especially since he brought the most marginalised communities into the fold of democracy. Thus, Ambedkar attempts to construct a new structure based on the principles of Buddhism. Role of Religion in Democracy: According to Ambedkar, the roots of democracy lie within the realm of religion, without which associated living was not possible. Thus, instead of removing aspects of religion completely, he attempts to reconstruct a new version of democracy that accepts the democratic aspects of religions like Buddhism. Ambedkar realized that in order to conceptualize democracy as a way of life, it was important to distinguish principles and rules in society. He explained that while religion must be restricted to principles, as intellectual methods of judging things; It was rules, or the habitual ways of doing things that must be subscribed to operationalise democracy. Ambedkar on Indian Society: Ambedkar’s concept of moral democracy must also be studied through the lenses of – Particularism – a political theory where one group promotes its own interests without regard to the interests of larger groups and Universality – a theory that some ideas have universal application or applicability. Negative Value of Caste System: His analysis of Indian society explains that the caste system is a negative particularistic value in the Hindu religion. The upper castes, according to Ambedkar, universalise the negative particularity (their dominance over the other groups) and particularise the negative universal morality (wherein the caste system and the subsequent alienation of certain groups is justified). This negative social relation is essentially ‘undemocratic’. Proponent of Democratic Processes of Buddhism: It is to fight such separation that Ambedkar attempted to bring the democratic processes of Buddhism into the discourse of modern democracy. According to him, Buddhist Sanghas were spaces where debates, discussions and dissent were encouraged. Moreover, the practice of ‘voting’, which they called ‘Salapatraka Grahakas’, began in Sanghas, laying down moral grounds or principles of social freedom and public reason. Way Forward: While Dalits have acquired a political identity through reservation and forming their own political parties, they lack behind in social dimensions (health and education) and economic dimension. There has been a rise of communal polarization and communalization of politics. It is necessary that Ambedkar’s vision of constitutional morality must supersede religious morality to avoid permanent damage to the Indian Constitution. According to historian R.C Guha, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar is a unique example of success even in most adverse situations. Today India is facing many socio-economic challenges such as casteism, communalism, separatism, gender inequality, etc. We need to find the Ambedkar’s spirit within us, so that we can pull ourselves from these challenges. Source: The Hindu Addition of Tribes in ST List Open in new window Syllabus Mains – GS 1(Society) and GS 2 (Governance) Context: Recently, government has approved the inclusion of certain communities in the lists of Scheduled Tribes in Chhattisgarh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Himachal Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, fulfilling long-pending demands from these states which led to debates in the Parliament. Some MPs sought clarity from the government about the list of communities that were recommended in 2014 for inclusion in the ST lists on a priority by a government appointed Panda Task Force. Of the Taskforce recommended communities, nine are in Odisha, 26 are part of the tea tribes in Assam, eight are in Chhattisgarh, and a few are in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. About newly added tribal groups: Narikoravan and Kurivikkaran (Tamil Nadu): Nomadic tribes like the Narikuravas and Kuruvikaras (jackal catchers and bird eaters) pride themselves on their traditional occupations of hunting and gathering. Gond Community (Uttar Pradesh): The Cabinet approved a proposal to bring the Gond community residing in 13 districts of Uttar Pradesh, under the ST list from the Scheduled Caste list. This includes the five subcategories of the Gond community (Dhuria, Nayak, Ojha, Pathari, and Rajgond). ‘Betta-Kuruba’ (Karnataka): The ST status granted to the Betta-Kuruba community as a synonym of Kadu Kuruba of Karnataka. Betta-Kuruba community has been demanding to include in the ST category for the last 30 years. Hatti Tribe (Himachal Pradesh): The Hattis are a close-knit community who got their name from their tradition of selling homegrown vegetables, crops, meat and wool etc. at small markets called ‘haat’ in towns. The community has been making the demand since 1967, when tribal status was accorded to people living in the Jaunsar Bawar area of Uttarakhand, which shares a border with Sirmaur district. Their demand for tribal status gained strength because of resolutions passed at various maha Khumblis over the years. Binjhia (Chhattisgarh): The Binjhia in Chhattisgarh were listed as ST in Jharkhand and Odisha but not in Chhattisgarh. The Binjhia are non-vegetarians and agriculture is the mainstay of their economy. They do not eat beef and pork but consume alcoholic drinks including the handia (rice beer). Process of inclusion in the ST list: The process to include tribes in the ST list begins with the recommendation from the respective State governments, which are then sent to the Tribal Affairs Ministry, which reviews and sends them to the Registrar General of India for approval. This is followed by the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes’ approval before the list is sent to the Cabinet for a final decision. Status of Scheduled Tribes in India As per 1931 Census, Schedule tribes are termed as “backward tribes” living in the “Excluded” and “Partially Excluded” areas. There is no defined criteria in the Constitution for recognition of Scheduled Tribes and hence the 1931 Census definition was used in the initial years after independence. Constitutional provisions: Article 366(25) of the Constitution provides a process to define Scheduled Tribes—“Scheduled Tribes means such tribes or tribal communities or parts of or groups within such tribes or tribal communities as are deemed under Article 342 to be Scheduled Tribes for the purposes of this Constitution.” Article 342(1) empowers the President of India (in consultation with Governor of the state) to notify tribes or tribal communities or part of or groups as a Scheduled Tribe in relation to that State or Union Territory. The Fifth Schedule of the Constitution lays out provision for Administration and Control of Scheduled Areas and Scheduled Tribes in states other than Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram. The Sixth Schedule deals with the administration of the tribal areas in Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram. Legal Provisions: Protection of Civil Rights Act, 1955 provides protection against preaching and practice of Untouchability in tribal groups. Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 counters the caste discrimination practices in tribal communities. Provisions of the Panchayats (Extension to the Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996 empowers the tribal communities through political autonomy at Gram Panchayat level. Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 recognizes rights of locals and tribal people on the minor forest produce. Recommendations by the Panda Task force: The Taskforce identified the specific communities based on many factors such as A few of them being subsets of communities already categorized as ST and few being phonetic variations of existing tribes. Some were left out when States were bifurcated and some were omitted inexplicably such as the Pulayan community of Tamilnadu and Konda Kumari community of Andhra Pradesh. A few more were lost out on categorisation because they were forcibly taken away from their homelands as indentured labour to other States or were displaced due to industrialisation. Kandha Kumbhar, Jodia, Chuktia Bhunjia, Saara, Mankidia, Porja, Banda Paraja, Durua, and Paharia communities are the ones in Odisha. Based on the principle that ‘indentured labourers’ are not the same as ‘voluntary migration’ and recommended 26 tea tribes of Assam who were forcibly taken as indentured labourers from states like Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha. These communities are Mal Paharia, Bedia, Saora, Shabar, Kharia, Gond, Munda, Bonda, Mahli, Paraja, Chik Baraik, Kol, Khond (Kandha), Chero, Koya, Birhor, Bhumji, Halba, Majwar, Dhanwar, Baiga, Lodha, Nagasia, Bhil, Oraon, and Santal. Similarly, it recommended for inclusion tribal communities of Maharashtra, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh that had been displaced on account of the Narmada Dam Project. Inclusion of various Devnagri versions of tribes in the ST list of Chhattisgarh, such as Bharia, Pando, Gadaba, Bhuihar, Nagasia, Dhangad and Kond. Major issues involved with the recognition new communities as STs: Cumbersome and time-consuming process of inclusion: The process of inclusion of communities into STs is cumbersome and time-consuming which delays it for years. Even the Panda task force flagged the current procedure and criteria for inclusion in ST lists and had recommended changes to both. Strict Criteria of identification: Currently, the criteria for defining communities as STs based on their characteristic traits which have been followed since the 1960s is quite strict and obsolete. Political reasons: Political reasons have always been a hurdle and defeated the Constitutional agenda for affirmative action and inclusion of communities. For example– The Union government has not notified communities into ST list even after the State government recommended to include as many as 160 communities in Odisha’s ST list since the 1970s. Way Forward: There is need to bring a comprehensive Bill to include all eligible communities into the ST list that had been left out of ST lists over the years. Need to Revisit the procedure and criteria of inclusion of the communities into the ST lists and make changes based on more rational methods and present circumstances. Source:  The Hindu Decriminalisation of GST laws Open in new window Syllabus Mains  – GS 3 Indian Economy Context: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman recommended to decriminalise certain offences under Section 132 of the Central Goods and Services Tax (CGST) Act, 2017. The GST Council in its 47th meeting had granted in-principle approval for allowing unregistered suppliers and composition taxpayers to make intra-state supply of goods through E-Commerce Operators (ECOs), subject to certain conditions. Since the implementation of GST, there has been a significant increase in tax evasion, with numerous cases of taxpayers using multiple strategies to avoid indirect tax coming to light.  Hence, need for pondering about decriminalisation. About the law: The GST law establishes stringent penalties and guidelines that taxpayers must abide by in order to ensure smooth intrastate or interstate trade of goods and to combat corruption and maintain an effective tax collection system. The GST Law provides for two different types of penalties –They may be both concurrent and simultaneous. The department authorities have the authority to impose monetary fines and the seizure of goods as penalties for violating statutory provisions. Criminal penalties include imprisonment and fines, which are also provided by GST Law but which can only be awarded in a criminal court following a prosecution. Many non-compliances fall under both categories of penalties, prosecution, and compounding. Under the CGST Act, if a group of two persons or more agree to commit an illegal act like tax evasion, fraud etc. they are held liable under the act of criminal conspiracy. Compounding of offences and arrest co-exist – Arrest is for the offence and compounding is when the prosecution is filed, which is the next stage. Important sections: Sections 122 to 131 of the CGST Act of 2017 contain provisions relating to penalties, while Sections 132 to 138 contains provisions relating to prosecution and compounding. The aforementioned section further divides offences into those that are cognisable and bailable and those that are not cognisable and bailable. While Section 120A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), defines criminal conspiracy, Section 120B deals with punishment for the same and Section 46 of the Code Of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) deals with how the arrest is made. Section 69 of the CGST Act provides the power to arrest a person by an order of a commissioner when he believes that a person has committed any offence under Section 132. Section 67 of CrPC states that if a summons is issued outside the local authority, a duplicate copy of that summons should be sent to the Magistrate of that outside authority to serve the summons. Section 165 of CrPC deals with the search by the police officer while Section 67 of the CGST Act defines that only an officer not below the rank of joint commissioner can authorise in writing an inspection or search. Method of decriminalisation in GST: Raising the minimum threshold of tax amount for launching prosecution under GST from one crore to two crore, except for the offence of issuance of invoices without supply of goods or services. Reducing the compounding amount from the present range of 50 to 150% of the tax amount to the range of 25 to 100%. Decriminalising certain offences specified under Section 132 of the CGST Act, 2017, such as obstructing or preventing any officer from doing his duties, deliberate tempering of material evidence and failure to supply information. Impact of decriminalisation: The GST is a novel taxation system that includes a number of globally unprecedented features. The law is still developing and is in its infancy which makes the same difficult and uncertain to enforce. There are instances of conflict between court decisions and rulings. The government is still working to streamline the laws. In comparison to the pre-GST era, the GST compliance process with granular reporting is noticeably more onerous. Therefore, it is important to recognise that imposing penal provisions in an ambiguous ecosystem significantly alters how businesses perceive risk and uncertainty, directly impacting their ability to conduct business. The law already contains sufficient penalties that serve as a deterrent against tax evasion. Investors may be discouraged by the fear of criminal sanctions in small, trivial, and petty matters, even before their engagement in any business activity or investment. Suggestions for future: Refunding unregistered persons and facilitating e-commerce for micro enterprises. There was no procedure for claim of refund of tax borne by unregistered buyers in cases where the contract/agreement for supply of services, like construction of flat/house and long-term insurance policy, is cancelled and the time period of issuance of credit note by the concerned supplier is over. The Council recommended amendment in CGST Rules, 2017, along with issuance of a circular, to prescribe the procedure for filing application of refund by the unregistered buyers in such cases. The GST Council in its 47th meeting had also granted in-principal approval for allowing unregistered suppliers and composition taxpayers to make intra-state supply of goods through E-Commerce Operators (ECOs), subject to certain conditions. The Council approved the amendments in the GST Act and GST Rules, along with issuance of relevant notifications, to enable the same. Further, considering the time required for development of the requisite functionality on the portal as well as for providing sufficient time for preparedness by the ECOs, the Council has recommended that the scheme may be implemented from October 2023. Way forward: If the above decriminalisation of GST offences are implemented with adequate checks, then prosecution, arrest and imprisonment in GST cases would only be in the rarest of rare cases of hard, habitual, deliberate defaulters and blatant specific fraudulent practices. Other resolution mechanisms such as Alternate Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanism, private ruling and mediation, faceless adjudication and appeals, etc. could be explored A GST Appellate Tribunal could help in improving GST governance Source: The Hindu Practice MCQs Daily Practice MCQs Q.1) ‘DataSmart’, an initiative of the Government of India, aims at promoting optical fibre development in rural areas providing financial and technical assistance to young start-up entrepreneurs harnessing power of data in India’s 100 Smart Cities Providing affordable and quality internet connection to the citizens for free Q.2) Recently seen in news, ‘Arnala’ refers to which of the following: A rocket made by ISRO A ship of Indian Navy An invasive species of plant A method of irrigation Q.3) Consider the following statements regarding Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) World Cup 2022: France won the FIFA World Cup 2022 beating Argentina in the final. French player Kylian Mbappé won the Golden Boot as he scored the most goals (eight) during the tournament. It was hosted by Saudi Arabia. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? 1 and 2 only 2 only 3 only 1 and 3 only Comment the answers to the above questions in the comment section below!! ANSWERS FOR ’ 21st December 2022 – Daily Practice MCQs’ will be updated along with tomorrow’s Daily Current Affairs.st ANSWERS FOR 20th December – Daily Practice MCQs Answers- Daily Practice MCQs Q.1) – b Q.2) – c Q.3) – b table, td, th { border: 1px solid;} table {width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; }

Dec 21, 2022 UPSC Interview Discussion-TRP

[INTERVIEW INITIATIVE] Think, Rethink and Perform (TRP) [DAY 18] 2022 for UPSC/IAS Personality Test!

ARCHIVES (of TRP) - > CLICK HERE Those who have appeared for UPSC Mains 2022, fill up the Google form given below. Students who fill out the form will be added to a telegram group so that there can be healthy discussions with other students who will be appearing for the Interview/Personality Test. Also, Mohan sir, Bureaucrats and Ex-Bureaucrats will be interacting one-on-one with all the students who will be appearing for the same. REGISTER HERE – CLICK HERE Interview Discussion: Think, Rethink and Perform; (TRP) - Day 18 Set 1: Ask these questions to yourself; contemplate and come out with a concrete answer (not to be discussed on this forum). Invest at least 30 minutes in this set of questions. Can a person afford to be honest in the present system? What according to you are the factors that force one to indulge in corrupt practices? Would you be able to practice integrity? How? Set 2: Analyse the following issue:  What are your views on the status of fixing accountability in India? For example, a tragic event happened in Morbi, Gujarat. More than 130 people died in a bridge collapse. In such accidents, how do you fix accountability and on whom? Who are to be blamed for this - politicians, engineers, bureaucrats or the public? You know for sure that the accident will get erased from public memory in a few weeks. What then? What about the family of the victims? Think of this question as an opportunity to suggest an accountability framework for such accidents in the future. We expect you to discuss the above question (Set 2) in the comments below and come out with a balanced view of the issues. Thank You IASbaba