Sep 9, 2022 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 9th September 2022

Archives (PRELIMS & MAINS Focus) Women in Engineering, Science, and Technology (WEST) Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – Government Schemes & Policies In News: WEST, a new I-STEM (Indian Science Technology and Engineering facilities Map) initiative called “Women in Engineering, Science, and Technology (WEST)” was launched by the GoI. What is WEST initiative? The WEST programme will cater to women with a STEM background and empower them to contribute to the science, technology, and innovation ecosystem. Through the WEST initiative, I-STEM shall provide a separate platform to scientifically inclined women researchers, scientists, and technologists. Women may join the WEST program and explore opportunities to become stakeholders in various domains and pursue careers in R&D at various levels: technicians, technologists, scientists, and entrepreneurs. The Skill Development programmes under the WEST initiative will provide training for women with S&T backgrounds to brush up on their abilities and become engaged “in the field” as lab technicians and maintenance engineers, filling crucial gaps in the R&D infrastructure of the country. This initiative will also help bring women back into S&T domains after a career break. Under the WEST initiative, the current support being provided to S&T startups by women entrepreneurs by I-STEM will be enhanced. A dedicated team of women will ensure the successful implementation of the WEST initiative. Indian Science, Technology and Engineering facilities Map (I-STEM) I-STEM is a National Web portal for sharing R&D (Research and Development) facilities. The portal facilitates researchers to access slots for the use of equipment, as well as to share the details of the outcomes, such as patents, publications and technologies. Launch: Launched in January 2020. It is an initiative of the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India under the aegis of Prime Minister Science, Technology and Innovation Advisory Council (PM-STIAC) mission. PM-STIAC: It is an overarching Council that facilitates the Principal Scientific Adviser’s Office to assess the status in specific science and technology domains, comprehend challenges in hand, formulate specific interventions, develop a futuristic roadmap and advise the Prime Minister accordingly. Must Read: Number of women scientists goes up + Women in Science Source: Pib.gov Previous Year Question Q.1) With reference to ‘Stand Up India Scheme’, which of the following statements is/are correct? (2016) Its purpose is to promote entrepreneurship among SC/ST and women entrepreneurs. It provides for refinance through SIDBI, Select the correct answer using the code given below. 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Places in News Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – Geography (Map) Gogra-Hotsprings area In News: India and China announced that their Armies have begun to disengage from Patrolling Point-15 in the Gogra-Hotsprings area of eastern Ladakh, marking a step forward towards ending the stand-off ongoing since May 2020. Patrolling Point 15 and 17A: Along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) between India and China, Indian Army has been given certain locations that its troops have access to patrol the area under its control. These points are known as patrolling points, or PPs. Barring certain areas, like Depsang Plains, these patrolling points are on the LAC, and troops access these points to assert their control over the territory. It is an important exercise since the boundary between India and China is not yet officially demarcated. PP15 and PP17A are two of the 65 patrolling points in Ladakh along the LAC. Both these points are in an area where India and China largely agree on the alignment of the LAC. PP15 is located in an area known as the Hot Springs, while PP17A is near an area called the Gogra post. Location of Hot Springs and Gogra Post: Hot Springs is just north of the Chang Chenmo river and Gogra Post is east of the point where the river takes a hairpin bend coming southeast from Galwan Valley and turning southwest. The area is north of the Karakoram Range of mountains, which lies north of the Pangong Tso lake, and south east of Galwan Valley. Importance The area lies close to Kongka Pass, one of the main passes, which, according to China marks the boundary between India and China. India’s claim of the international boundary lies significantly east, as it includes the entire Aksai Chin area as well. Hot Springs and Gogra Post are close to the boundary between two of the most historically disturbed provinces (Xinjiang and Tibet) of China. Pangong Tso lake Galwan Valley The valley refers to the land that sits between steep mountains that buffet the Galwan River. The river has its source in Aksai Chin, on China’s side of the LAC, and it flows from the east to Ladakh, where it meets the Shyok river on India’s side of the LAC. The valley is strategically located between Ladakh in the west and Aksai Chin in the east, which is currently controlled by China as part of its Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. Chang Chenmo River Chang Chenmo River or Changchenmo River is a tributary of the Shyok River, part of the Indus River system. It is at the southern edge of the disputed Aksai Chin region and north of the Pangong Lake basin. The source of Chang Chenmo is near the Lanak Pass. Kongka Pass The Kongka Pass or Kongka La is a low mountain pass over a hill that intrudes into the Chang Chenmo Valley. It is in the disputed India-China border area in Ladakh. Karakoram Range A mountain range in Kashmir spanning the borders of Pakistan, China, and India, with the northwest extremity of the range extending to Afghanistan and Tajikistan. Most of the Karakoram mountain range falls under the jurisdiction of Gilgit-Baltistan which is controlled by Pakistan. Highest peak (and world’s second highest), K2, is located in Gilgit-Baltistan. Begins in the Wakhan Corridor (Afghanistan) in the west, encompasses the majority of Gilgit-Baltistan, and extends into Ladakh (controlled by India) and Aksai Chin (controlled by China). One of the world’s most geologically active areas, at the plate boundary between the Indo-Australian plate and the Eurasian plate. Maximum development of glaciers occurs in the Karakoram range. This range accounts for about 16,000 sq km or about half of the snow bound area of the Himalayan region. Location: Bounded on the east by the Aksai Chin plateau On the northeast by the edge of the Tibetan Plateau On the north by the river valleys of the Yarkand and Karakash rivers beyond which lie the Kunlun Mountains. At the northwest corner are the Pamir Mountains. The southern boundary of the Karakoram is formed, west to east, by the Gilgit, Indus and Shyok rivers, which separate the range from the northwestern end of the Himalaya range proper. Source: The Hindu Previous Year Questions Q.1) Siachen Glacier is situated to the (2020) East of Aksai Chin East of Leh North of Gilgit North of Nubra Valley Quick Reaction Surface to Air Missile system Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – Science & Technology In News: Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Indian Army have successfully completed six flight-tests of Quick Reaction Surface to Air Missile (QRSAM) system. All the mission objectives were met establishing pin-point accuracy of the weapon system with state-of-the-art guidance and control algorithms including warhead chain. Quick Reaction Surface to Air Missile (QRSAM) system It is a short-range surface-to-air missile (SAM) system. Designed and developed by DRDO to provide a protective shield to moving armoured columns of the Army from enemy aerial attacks. QRSAM is a canister-based system – stored and operated from specially designed compartments. The system is capable of detecting and tracking targets on the move and engaging targets with short halts. Can operate on the move with search and track capability & fire on short halt The entire weapon system has been configured on mobile and is capable of providing air defence on the move. It has a range of 25 to 30 km. It also consists of two radars – Active Array Battery Surveillance Radar and Active Array Battery Multifunction Radar – with one launcher. Both radars have 360-degree coverage with “search on move” and “track on move” capabilities. The system uses a single-stage solid propelled missile and has a mid-course inertial navigation system with two-way data link and terminal active seeker developed indigenously by DRDO. Source: PIB Previous Year Questions Q.1) With reference to the Agni-IV Missile, which of the following statement(s) is/are correct? (2014) It is a surface-to-surface missile. It is fuelled by liquid propellant only. It can deliver a one-tonne nuclear warhead about 7500 km away. Select the correct answer using the codes given below. 1 only 2 and 3 only 1 and 3 only 1, 2 and 3 Human Development Index Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – Economy – Current Affairs In news: India’s rank on the Human Development Index has slipped from 130 in 2020 to 132 in 2021, in line with a global fall in HDI scores in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, shows the Human Development Report 2021-22. A report on the 2021 Human Development Index (HDI) is part of the Human Development Report 2021-2022 released by the United Nations Development Programme. The HDI measures the average achievement of a country in three basic dimensions of human development — a long and healthy life, education, and a decent standard of living. It is calculated using four indicators — life expectancy at birth, mean years of schooling, expected years of schooling, and the Gross National Income (GNI) per capita. Indian Scenario: India ranked 132nd among 191 countries and territories on the 2021 Human Development Index (HDI). The decline in the country’s performance from its previous level was on account of a fall in life expectancy. Key points: India’s latest HDI value of 0.633 places the country in the medium human development category, lower than its value of 0.645 in the 2020 report. The report attributes the drop in HDI from 0.645 in 2019 to 0.633 in 2021 to India’s falling life expectancy — from 69.7 years to 67.2 years during the survey period. India’s expected years of schooling stand at 9 years, down from 12.2 years in the 2020 report, although the mean years of schooling is up at 6.7 years from 6.5 years in the 2020 report. Although India retained its 132nd position in the Gender Development Index, the female life expectancy dropped from 71 years in the 2020 report to 68.8 years in the 2021 report. The mean years of schooling for females declined from 12.6 to 11.9 years in the corresponding period. India scored 0.123 in the Multi-Dimensional Poverty Index (MPI) with a headcount ratio of 27.9 per cent, with 8.8 per cent population reeling under severe multidimensional poverty. Over the last decade, India has lifted a staggering 271 million out of multidimensional poverty, the report noted. Asian Countries: Among India’s neighbours, Sri Lanka (73rd), China (79th), Bangladesh (129th), and Bhutan (127th) are ranked above India, while Pakistan (161st ), Nepal (143rd ), and Myanmar (149th) are worse off. The report said around 90 per cent of countries registered a decline in their HDI value in 2020 or in 2021. Source: The Hindu Previous Year Question Q.1) Which of the following gives the ‘Global Gender Gap Index’ ranking to the countries of the world? (2022) World Economic Forum UN Human Rights Council UN Women World Health Organization Norms eased for use of Railway land for cargo, schools & hospitals Open in new  window Syllabus Prelims – Current Affairs Mains – GS 2 (Government Policies & Interventions) Context: The Central government has made it simpler and cheaper for various entities to set up a range of infrastructure on Railway land on long-term lease. These including cargo-related enterprises, public utilities, renewable energy projects and even schools. What Policy changes have been introduced? Under the new land policy, setting up of cargo terminals and cargo-related activities on Railway land will attract a rate of 1.5 per cent of current market value of land per annum with a 6 per cent annual increment accounting for inflation, for up to 35 years. Through the new land policy, the Central government envisages cargo-related activities to be taken up by any player, be it PSU, Railways, private players, existing and future players. Renewable energy plants, water recycling and treatment plants are to be for exclusive use of Railways while social infrastructure like schools and hospitals may be for Railway beneficiaries and the public at large. The changes introduced are in line with the one of the key concepts of the PM Gati Shakti programme which is to bring all infrastructure and utility projects in sync with each other. Must Read: PM Gati Shakti Source: The Hindu Legal metrology (packaged commodities) rules amendment 2022 Open in new  window Syllabus Prelims – Current Affairs Mains – GS 2 (Government Policies & Interventions) Context: The Department of Consumer Affairs, Legal Metrology Division has notified a draft amendment to the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules 2011. Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011 It is mandatory under the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011 to ensure a number of declarations, such as: the name and address of the manufacturer/packer/importer, the country of origin, the common or generic name of the commodity, the net quantity, the month and year of manufacture, the Maximum Retail Price (MRP) Consumer care information. All pre-packaged commodities should also be inspected. The rules says that the principal display panel means the total surface area of a package containing the information required in accordance with these rules the pre-printed information could be grouped together and given in one place and the online information in another place. The rules provide that the declaration on the package must be legible and prominent. The consumers’ ‘right to be informed’ is violated when important declarations are not prominently displayed on the package. If there is more than one major product the rules states that the name or number of each product shall be mentioned on the package. This sub-rule is not applicable to mechanical or electrical commodities. The proposed amendments The proposed amendments suggest that at least two prime components should be declared on the package’s front side along with the brand name. Currently, manufacturers list the ingredients and nutritional information only on the back of the packaging. This declaration must also include the percentage/quantity of the USPs of the product in the same font size as the declaration of the USPs. Mechanical or electrical commodities are excluded from this. When this new provision is added, consumers will not be misled by the fake claims of manufacturers relating to the content in blended foods and cosmetics. Earlier amendment: In July 2022, the Department of Consumer Affairs had notified the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities), (Second Amendment) Rules 2022. It allowed the electronic products to declare certain mandatory declarations through the QR Code for a period of one year, if not declared in the package itself. This amendment allows the industry to declare the elaborated information in the digital form through the QR Code. Need for the amendments: It is common for consumers to assume that brands’ claims are accurate, but such claims are usually misleading. The front side of the package must contain the percentage of the composition of the unique selling proposition (USP). A USP also known as a unique selling point, is a marketing strategy designed to inform customers about the superiority of one’s own brand or product. Listing the USP of a product on the front of the package without disclosing its composition percentage violates consumer rights. Also, packages displaying key constituents must display a percentage of the content used to make the product. For example, if a brand sells aloe vera moisturiser or almond milk/biscuits, then the maximum percentage of the product should be aloe vera and almond, otherwise, the product name is misleading. Source: The Hindu Digital Lending Open in new  window Syllabus Mains – GS 3 (Economy) Context: Several Indians have ended their lives owing to harassment by recovery agents of unregulated digital lending apps mostly linked to entities based in China. The apps offering quick loans without much documentation or collateral to unsuspecting borrowers mushroomed in the country during the COVID-19 pandemic. It became a popular option for borrowing money, especially for cash-strapped families and people facing joblessness. However, their high interest rates, short repayment windows, coercive recovery methods and misuse of personal information have prompted the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and Central probe agencies to crack down on the entities that run these loan apps and the payment gateways and crypto exchanges used by them to transfer overseas the money extracted from borrowers. How it works The apps offer loans, ranging from ₹2,000 to ₹20,000, to thousands of customers with minimum KYC requirements and based only on online verification. According to the police, to provide a loan, the apps ask customers to upload their Aadhaar card, PAN card and a live photograph. Customers are also asked to share a One Time Password (OTP) that is generated. The borrowers give various permissions while activating the app, giving it complete access to their contact list, location, chats, photo gallery and camera. This information is then uploaded to servers hosted in China and other parts of the world. And the loan recovery agents operate from call centres situated in different parts of the country that have access to the data stored in these servers. The catch is that at the time of sanctioning the loan, 15%-25% of the amount is deducted as processing fee and the remaining sum carries an interest rate ranging from 182% to 365% per annum. A steep rate of penalty is added to the total repayable amount in case of default. The rate of recovery of loans is as high as 90%. The net profit is 25% or more. Measures taken On August 10, the RBI issued its first set of guidelines to crack down on illegal activities in the digital lending industry. As per the new norms, all loan disbursals and repayments will be required to be executed only between the bank accounts of the borrower and the regulated entities — such as a bank or an NBFC — without any pass-through or pool account of the lending service providers or any third party. The norms are designed to end regulatory arbitrage and protect customers, and puts the onus on the regulated entities on behalf of whom the apps do the lending. Going forward the passage of a law banning lending by unauthorised entities and the creation of a self-regulatory organisation for digital lenders will bring transparency to the industry. Must Read: Digital lending – Comprehensively covered Source: The Hindu MY VILLAGE, MY FOREST under MIYAWAKI METHOD Open in new  window Syllabus Prelims: Current Affairs Mains: GS 1 (Society – Urbanization – case study); GS 3 (Environment – case study) Context: Kuharianwali, a village in the Fazilka district of Punjab, has become a trendsetter in expanding forest cover. As of 2021, according to data from the Forest Research Institute, the district had just 1.34 per cent forest cover, one of the lowest in the state. The district administration knew it had to do something to drastically change the picture. So, they launched a pilot project called “ MY VILLAGE, MY FOREST’ by applying ‘MIYAWAKI METHOD’ as a result the forest is now self-sustainable as plants have gained enough strength. What is this Miyawaki method is all about? Miyawaki is a technique pioneered by Japanese botanist Akira Miyawaki, that helps build dense, native forests in a short time. It has revolutionised the concept of urban afforestation by turning backyards into mini-forests. This method includes planting trees (only native species) as close as possible in the same area which not only saves space, but the planted saplings also support each other in growth and block sunlight reaching the ground, thereby preventing the growth of weed. The saplings become maintenance-free (self-sustainable) after the first three years. Miyawaki Process: The native trees of the region are identified and divided into four layers — shrub, sub-tree, tree, and canopy. The quality of soil is analysed and biomass which would help enhance the perforation capacity, water retention capacity, and nutrients in it, is mixed with it. A mound is built with the soil and the seeds are planted at a very high density — three to five sapling per square meter. The ground is covered with a thick layer of mulch. Benefits of Miyawaki Method: Faster Process and Dense Forest: This method creates mini forests. They grow 10 times faster and become 30 times denser and 100 times more biodiverse than those planted through conventional methods. Faster Regeneration of Land: Miyawaki forests are designed to regenerate land in far less time. It takes over 70 years for a forest to recover on its own. Self-Sustainable: The saplings become self-sustainable after the first three years. Environmental Benefits: These mini forests help lower temperatures in concrete heat islands, reduce air and noise pollution, attract local birds and insects, and create carbon sinks. Miyawaki method helps to create a forest in just 20 to 30 years, while through conventional methods it takes anywhere between 200 to 300 years. Source: Indian Express Previous Year Question Q.1) The “Miyawaki method” is well known for the: Promotion of commercial farming in arid and semi-arid areas Harvesting wind energy on coastal areas and on sea surfaces Development of gardens genetically modified flora using Creation of mini forests in urban areas Daily Practice MCQs Daily Practice MCQs Q.1) Consider the following statements WEST programme is an initiative of I-STEM that provides a separate platform to women researcher and scientists. I-STEM, national web portal for sharing Research and Development facilities is an initiative of Department of Science and Technology. Choose the correct statements: 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.2) Consider the following statements Hot Springs is east of the Chang Chenmo river. Chang Chenmo River is a tributary of the Shyok River. Kongka Pass is a low mountain pass over a hill in Arunachal Pradesh – Myanmar boundary. Choose the incorrect statements: 1, 2 and 3 2 and 3 1 and 3 1 and 2 Q.3) Which of the following gives the ‘Human Development Index’ ranking to the countries of the world? World Economic Forum United Nations Environmental Programme United Nations Development Programme World Bank Comment the answers to the above questions in the comment section below!! ANSWERS FOR ’9th September 2022 – Daily Practice MCQs’ will be updated along with tomorrow’s Daily Current Affairs. ANSWERS FOR 8th September – Daily Practice MCQs Answers- Daily Practice MCQs Q.1) – d Q.2) – d  Q.3) – d table, td, th { border: 1px solid;} table {width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; }

Sep 9, 2022 Daily Prelims CA Quiz

UPSC Quiz – 2022 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz 9th September 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 solutions.To take the Test Click Here

Sep 8, 2022 Baba’s Explainer

Baba's Explainer - A Brief History of LGBT Rights and Laws in India

ARCHIVES Syllabus GS-1: Effects of globalization on Indian society;  Social empowerment  GS-2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.  Context: People of a different sexual orientation or gender identity often narrate harrowing tales of bullying, discrimination, stigma and ostracisation. In this context, the recent directive by National Medical Commission (NMC) to all State Medical Councils, banning conversion therapy and calling it a “professional misconduct” is a welcome step. NMC also empowered the State bodies to take disciplinary action against medical professionals who breach the guideline. What is conversion therapy? Also known as reparative therapy, it is an intervention aimed at changing the sexual orientation or gender identity of an individual. Members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual or of any other orientation are often subjected to conversion or ‘reparative’ therapy, particularly when they are young, to change their sexual orientation or gender identity by force. The therapy can mean anything from psychiatric treatment, use of psychosomatic drugs, electroshock therapy, exorcism and violence. The interventions under conversion therapy are provided under the false premise that homosexuality and diverse gender identities are pathological (disease). Conversion therapy poses the risk of causing or exacerbating mental health conditions, like anxiety, stress and drug use which sometimes even lead to suicide. Often, the therapy is offered by quacks with little expertise in dealing with the issue. NMC was following a Madras High Court directive to issue an official notification listing conversion therapy as a wrong, under the Indian Medical Council (Professional Conduct, Etiquettes and Ethics) Regulations, 2002. What are the Key Highlights of Madras High Court Verdict that lead to the ban? On June 7, 2021, Justice N. Anand Venkatesh of the Madras High Court gave a landmark ruling on a case he was hearing about the ordeal of a same-sex couple who sought police protection from their parents. Ban Order: The ruling prohibited any attempt to medically “cure” or change the sexual orientation of LGBTQIA+ people. It urged the authorities to take action against “professionals involving themselves in any form or method of conversion therapy,” which could include the withdrawal of licence to practice medicine. Right to Life: Justice Venkatesh issued a slew of interim guidelines for the police, activists, Union and State Social Welfare Ministries, and the National Medical Commission to “ensure their safety and security to lead a life chosen by them.” Close Pending Cases: The Madras High Court directed the police, for example, to close complaints of missing persons’ cases, “without subjecting them to harassment”, if it found on investigation that the parties were consenting adults belonging to the LGBTQIA+ community. List of NGOs: The court asked the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment to draw up a list of NGOs and other groups which could handle the issues faced by the community, Legal Assistance: The court said the community should be provided with legal assistance by the District Legal Services Authority in coordination with law enforcement agencies. Sensitization: Asking agencies to follow the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019, in letter and spirit, the court said it was imperative to hold sensitisation programmes for an all-out effort to understand the community and its needs. If the Supreme Court’s decriminalising of homosexuality in 2018 by striking down Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code was a first step, the NMC’s notice is also a small move towards inclusivity. in Navtej Singh Johar vs Union of India case of 2018, five-judge bench read down parts of Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and allowed LGBT individuals to engage in consensual intercourse without fear of imprisonment. But this wasn’t always the case. Just 30 years before this, the same India that now allows people to take lovers of the same sex, was an India that persecuted openly gay people. So, how did the country make this transition? What changed from 1861 to 2018? What was the situation in Ancient & Medieval India vis-à-vis homosexuality? Before the imposition of colonial-era laws under British rule, India had its own texts, which detailed the practice of homosexuality and same-sex intercourse. As far back as 400 BC, the Kama Sutra, said to be written by Indian philosopher Vatsyayana, describes homosexual acts in detail, including explicit instructions on how to perform such acts. It describes men who have sex with men, women who have sex with women, as well as bisexuals, transgender persons, and intersex persons. Meanwhile, in South India, the oldest of Tamil texts, Tamil Sangam literature from 3 BC to 4 AD, included descriptions of man-on-man relationships and relationships between transgender people. Other ancient texts like the Arthashastra, Nardasmriti, and Sushruta Samhita also mention different types of same-sex relationships. But as much as some myths and ancient texts detailed, and even instructed, on LGBT relationships, other texts like the Manusmriti derided the same. The Manusmriti, for example, detailed punishments like shaving the head of a woman or cutting off her fingers, as punishment for engaging in lesbian intercourse. Apart from the texts, the walls of ancient architecture are the second source of information about ancient India’s thoughts on sexuality. For example, the temples of Khajuraho, depict same-sex relationships and bisexual relationships, as well as other acts of what was till a while ago termed “unnatural intercourse.” However, in India during Mughal rule, “unnatural intercourse” was prohibited under the Fatawa’ Alamgiri, a unified code of guidance based on Sharia law. It included punishments such as lashings for engaging in homosexual intercourse. How was homosexuality and LGBT rights dealt in pre-Independence era? The first codified legislation on homosexuality in India was Section 377 of the IPC. The section that dealt with Unnatural offences stated that Whoever voluntarily has carnal inter­course against the order of nature with any man, woman or animal, shall be punished up to ten years, and shall also be liable to fine. The text of Section 377 of the IPC remained deliberately vague to be applied on a case-by-case basis to any “carnal relationships against the natural order”. This extends to gay, lesbian, bisexual, and trans relationships, as well as acts like bestiality and sodomy. Section 377 and other homosexuality laws in India were “products of minds that were deeply influenced by the ‘sex is sin’ stance of the Christian Bible.” Even in the years just prior to Independence in 1947, being outspoken about “unnatural sexuality” was often met with harsh consequences under the law. What was the situation post-Independence? After Independence and Partition, both India and Pakistan adopted their respective versions of the original IPC as the Indian Penal Code and the Pakistan Penal Code. Section 377 continued to stay in effect and members of the LGBT community faced persecution and ostracism in many forms. For example, in 1987, police officers Leela and Urmila from Madhya Pradesh’s Bhopal were sacked as law enforcement authorities after getting “married” and coming out as a lesbian couple. In 1990-91, the decline of India’s economy and mounting debt led to liberalisation and globalisation. This ushered in many Western influences, including the presence of western NGOs, many which sought equal rights for LGBT individuals. Simultaneously, the rise of HIV AIDS, largely in the gay community, demanded a better outreach programme to limit the spread of the disease. It was in 2001 that the Naz Foundation, an NGO that works with HIV+ patients and sexual health, filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) challenging the clause as violative of the fundamental right against discrimination enshrined in the Constitution of India. In 2009, the Delhi High Court, in Naz Foundation vs NCT of Delhi, ruled that Section 377 was unconstitutional, and struck the law down. The judgement thus decriminalised homosexuality in India for the first time. The HC held that penalising such actions violated the right to privacy and personal liberty under Article 21 of the Constitution. Doing so was also found to fall foul of the right to equal treatment (Article 14) and the prohibition of discrimination (Article 15). The verdict, which was hailed as a victory for LGBT rights, was challenged by several anti-gay rights groups on religious, political, and social grounds who claimed that decriminalising homosexuality would affect the institution of marriage. In 2013, in Suresh Koushal and Anr vs Naz Foundation and Others, the SC reversed the Delhi HC’s decision stating that “it was up to the Centre to legislate on the issue.” Thus, section 377 was back in statute books that criminalised homosexuality. This decision would lead to protests across the country, with the Aam Aadmi Party, the Indian National Congress, and the Communist Party of India (Marxist), making the decriminalisation of homosexuality a part of their election manifesto in the 2014 general Assembly elections. In 2018, a five-judge SC bench passed a historic order. The verdict came in a petition by Indian choreographer Navtej Singh Johar and 11 others challenging the constitutional validity of Section 377. The SC read down the provisions of the clause inasmuch as they pertain to consensual same-sex relationships. The change in law was welcomed by the LGBT community, and hailed as a victory for LGBT and human rights. However, while the scrapping of the archaic law has been welcomed by the LGBT community, activists say that more needs to still be done to actively support the LGBT community. This includes better protections for transgender persons, and civil union or marriage rights for same-sex couples. Given the recent NMC ban on conversion therapy, what more needs to be done? Penal Provisions: Taking cue from countries such as Canada, which has banned conversion therapy, there should be clarity on what action will be taken against quacks, psychiatrists and doctors accused of offering reparative treatment and the punishment they will face. Changes in curricula: Medical textbooks prescribed in 2018 still consider lesbianism a “perversion”, an act of “mental degenerates”.  Thus, change needs to start in educational institutions. Gender-neutral Infrastructure: Gender-neutral restrooms should be compulsory in educational institutes and other places. Sensitisation of Parents: The first point of misunderstanding and abuse often begins at home, with teenagers being forced to opt for “conversion” therapies, thus necessitating sensitisation of Parents. Societal Changes:  Indian institutions and society will have to acknowledge the “variability of human beings” and accord equal respect to every one, whatever the sexual orientation or gender identity. Legal Modifications: The changes in societal level has to be complemented by laws better tuned to the needs of a diverse community than the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019, has sought to do. Mains Practice Question – Examine the LGBT movement in developed societies and how it is affecting the political participation in developing societies. Note: Write answers to this question in the comment section. table{ border: 1px solid; } table tr, table td{ border: 1px solid; }

Sep 8, 2022 Daily Prelims CA Quiz

UPSC Quiz – 2022 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz 8th September 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 solutions.To take the Test Click Here

Sep 8, 2022 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 8th September 2022

Archives (PRELIMS & MAINS Focus) China’s fully solar-powered, semi-satellite drone Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – Science & Technology In News: China’s first fully solar-powered unmanned aerial vehicle, Qimingxing-50, or Morning Star-50, has successfully completed its maiden test flight with all onboard systems functioning optimally. The Mechanics With a wingspan of 164-ft, the drone is a large machine powered entirely by solar panels. The high-altitude, long-endurance (HALE) UAV can stay airborne for long durations. Flies above 20-km altitude where there is stable airflow with no clouds. Helps these drones to make the maximum use of solar equipment to stay functional for extended durations. In fact, the drone can operate without a break for months, even years. Cross between drone and satellite The fact that the drone can operate in near-space – 20 km to 100 km above the Earth’s surface – makes it capable of carrying out satellite-like functions. These drones are also referred to as ‘High Altitude Platform Stations’ or pseudo-satellites. China already has this capacity, but the Qimingxing-50’s long-endurance provides an added advantage to make this capability available over a longer period. Significance Cost-effective to build Easy to launch and operate Being entirely powered by clean energy from the Sun, it can help boost China’s capabilities to operate in near-space and over the ocean. If satellite services are not available for, say, time-sensitive operations or in case of wartime disruption, then near-space UAVs can step in to fill the operational gap. This HALE UAV is capable of conducting high-altitude reconnaissance, apart from monitoring forest fires, providing communication and environment relay. Has any other country achieved this? In July this year, the US Army helped test a solar-powered, near-space Airbus Zephyr S drone that set a new record by being airborne for 42 days. Note: India’s PLI Scheme for Drone Industry Will incentivize emergence of Advanced Automotive Technologies global supply chain in India Help create additional employment of over 7.6 lakh people Incentives worth ₹ 26,058 crore will be provided to industry over five years It will bring fresh investments of over₹5,000 crore in three years and incremental production of over ₹ 1,500 crore Source: The Indian Express Previous Year Question Q.1) Which one of the following statements best reflects the idea behind the “Fractional Orbital Bombardment System” often talked about in media? (2022) A hypersonic missile is launched into space to counter the asteroid approaching the Earth and explode it in space. A spacecraft lands on another planet, after making several orbital motions. A missile is put into a stable orbit around the Earth and deorbits over a target on the Earth. A spacecraft moves along a comet with the same speed and places a probe on its surface. Government’s Push to Promote International Trade in Rupee Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – Indian Economy In News: In July, the RBI issued a circular saying it had decided to put in place an additional arrangement for invoicing, payment, and settlement of exports/ imports in INR. Purpose To promote the growth of global trade with emphasis on exports from India. To support the increasing interest of the global trading community in INR. Observation: While the move to allow trade settlements between India and other countries in rupees was seen to primarily benefit trading with Russia, it was also expected to help check dollar outflow and slow the depreciation of the rupee to a “very limited extent”. What is the Current System? Currently, exports or imports by a company are always in a foreign currency, with exceptions such as Nepal and Bhutan. How can we make it work? To settle trade transactions with any country, banks in India would open Vostro accounts of correspondent bank/s of the partner country for trading. Indian importers can pay for their imports in INR into these accounts. These earnings from imports can then be used to pay Indian exporters in INR. A Vostro account is an account that a correspondent bank holds on behalf of another bank — for example, HSBC Vostro account is held by SBI in India. What is the Expected use? With Russia: There are sanctions on Russia post the Ukraine war and the country is off the SWIFT system (system used by banks for payments in foreign currency). This means payments do not have to be made in foreign currency and this arrangement would help both Russia and India. With other countries: The chances are slim as others may not accept it as they may need foreign currency to pay for their own imports. In fact, Sri Lanka may also want us to pay in dollars or any other foreign currency. To arrest the fall of the rupee: The arrangement was not expected to help arrest the fall of the rupee to any significant extent. Why is the Rupee falling? Demand and supply: If a country imports more than it exports, then the demand for the dollar will be higher than the supply and due to this, domestic currency will depreciate against the dollar. Russia-Ukraine war: Global disruptions caused by the Russia-Ukraine war is making our imports costly, thus widening the current account deficit. Rising inflation: Rising inflation depreciates domestic currency since inflation can be equated with a decrease in money’s buying power. As a result, countries experiencing high inflation tend to also see their currencies weaken relative to other currencies. High crude oil prices: Increasing crude oil prices are further widening our trade deficit thus leading to decrease in the value of rupee. Capital outflows from India: The US Federal Reserve recently increased the interest rates, and the return on dollar assets increased compared with those of emerging markets such as India. It has led to outflow of dollars from India to the US. Impact of the Fall of the Rupee Increases cost of raw materials and imports Since, India imports many raw materials, the price of finished goods could go up thus impacting the consumers. India’s high import dependence for fuel means oil price trajectories affect most macro parameters, including inflation, growth, current account balances, fiscal management and the rupee. This leads to widening of the current account deficit (CAD). Boosts exports: In an ideal scenario, devalued rupee could have led to increase in exports. However, in the current scenario of weak global demand and persistent volatility, exporters are not supportive of the currency fall. Inflation: The falling rupee’s biggest impact is on inflation, given India imports over 80 per cent of its crude oil, which is the country’s biggest import. Travellers and students studying abroad will have to shell out more rupees to buy dollars from banks. Stock market: Rupee depreciation may see foreign investors pulling out of Indian markets, resulting in a decline in stocks and equity mutual fund investments. Source: The Indian Express Previous Year Question Q.1) With reference to the Indian economy, consider the following statements: (2022) If the inflation is too high, Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is likely to buy government securities. If the rupee is rapidly depreciating, RBI is likely to sell dollars in the market. If interest rates in the USA or European Union were to fall, that is likely to induce RBI to buy dollars. Which of the statements given below is/are correct? 1 and 2 only 2 and 3 only 1 and 3 only 1, 2 and 3 Kushiyara River Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – Geography Mains – GS 2 (International Relations) In News: India and Bangladesh signed an interim water sharing agreement for the Kushiyara river, the first such pact between them in over 25 years. The two sides also decided to start negotiations on a comprehensive trade pact and strengthen cooperation against terrorism and radicalism. Besides the agreement on the Kushiyara water-sharing, the two sides signed pacts on railways, space, IT and media. What is the interim agreement on Kushiyara water sharing? There were 54 rivers that pass through the Indo-Bangladesh border India and Bangladesh had signed the Ganga water treaty in 1996 for sharing waters of Ganga for a period of 30 years. Bangladesh has sought the early conclusion of the Teesta water sharing agreement, which has been hanging since 2011 due to opposition from West Bengal. The current agreement will benefit southern parts of Assam state in India and the Sylhet region in Bangladesh. Kushiyara river Kushiyara River is a distributary river in Bangladesh and Assam. It forms on the India-Bangladesh border as a branch of the Barak River when the Barak separates into the Kushiyara and Surma. The waters of the Kushiyara originate in the state of Nagaland and pick up tributaries from Manipur, Mizoram and Assam. Must Read: India-Bangaldesh Realtionship Source: Indian Express Previous Year Question Q.1) Gandikota canyon of South India was created by which one of the following rivers? (2022) Cauvery Manjira Pennar Tungabhadra Q.2) Consider the following pairs: (2022) Reservoirs States Ghataprabha — Telangana Gandhi Sagar — Madhya Pradesh Indira Sagar — Andhra Pradesh Maithon — Chhattisgarh How many pairs given above are not correctly matched? Only one pair Only two pairs Only three pairs All four pairs PM SHRI Schools (PM ScHools for Rising India) Open in new window Syllabus Prelims: Current Affairs Mains: GS 2 (Governance) Context: On the occasion of Teacher’s Day on 5th September, Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister approved a new centrally sponsored scheme – PM SHRI Schools (PM ScHools for Rising India). It aims to develop more than 14500 schools across the country as PM SHRI Schools will showcase all components of the National Education Policy 2020. Hence, they are expected to create a set of schools that would be able to act as “NEP labs”. Key features of PM SHRI scheme: It aims to provide high-quality education in an equitable, inclusive, and joyful school environment that takes care of the diverse background, multilingual needs, and different academic abilities of children and makes them active participants in their own learning process as per the vision of NEP 2020. These Schools will be developed as green schools, incorporating environment friendly aspects like solar panels and LED lights, nutrition gardens with natural farming, waste management, plastic free, water conservation and harvesting, study of traditions/practices related to protection of environment, climate change related hackathon and awareness generation to adopt sustainable lifestyle. Focus will be on learning outcomes of every child in every grade and assessment at all levels will be based on conceptual understanding Linkage with Sector Skill Councils and local industry for enhancing employability and providing better employment opportunities will be explored. A School Quality Assessment Framework (SQAF) is being developed, specifying the key performance indicators to measure outcomes. Quality evaluation of these schools at regular interval will be undertaken to ensure the desired standards. How it is implementing? PM SHRI Schools would be implemented through the existing administrative structure available for Samagra Shiksha, Kendriya Vidyalayas (KVs) and Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas (JNVs). These schools shall be monitored vigorously to assess progress and understand the challenges faced in implementation of National Education Policy 2020. How PM SHRI schools will be different from existing government-run schools: As per the plan, the upgraded schools are expected to be superior in terms of infrastructure. They will be equipped with labs, smart classrooms, libraries, sports equipment, art room,, and shall also be developed as green schools with water conservation, waste recycling, energy-efficient infrastructure, and integration of organic lifestyle in curriculum. These schools will also “offer mentorship” to other schools in their vicinity. In terms of the quality of education, there will be special modules on improving foundational literacy and numeracy. Each school will be linked/ connected to higher education institutions for mentoring, and there will be provisions for internships with local artisans. Identification of PM shri school under the scheme: The PM SHRI scheme will be application-based, which means states will have to identify schools for upgradation under the scheme. Subsequently, schools will be required to self-apply online. The portal will be opened four times a year, once every quarter. According to the selection methodology decided by the central government, states and UTs interested in getting included under the scheme will have to first agree to implement the NEP in its entirety. Only those schools that meet a certain benchmark will qualify — the qualification criteria will include around 60 parameters from the availability of electricity to toilets. Teams of state government officials, KVs, and JNVs will verify the claims made by the applicant school through a physical inspection. “Maximum two schools (one Elementary & one Secondary/ Senior Secondary) would be selected per block/ ULB…” (urban local body) as per the plan. The final call will be taken by an expert committee. As per the union government Pedagogy adopted in PM shri schools will be more experiential, holistic, integrated, play/ toy-based (particularly, in the foundational years) inquiry-driven, discovery-oriented, learner-centred, discussion-based, flexible, and enjoyable. Source:  Indian Express Previous Year Question Q.1) What is the purpose of ‘Vidyanjali Yojana’? (2017) To enable the famous foreign educational institutions to open their campuses in India. To increase the quality of education provided in government schools by taking help from the private sector and the community. To encourage voluntary monetary contributions from private individuals and organizations so as to improve the infrastructure facilities for primary and secondary schools. Select the correct answer using the code given below: 2 only 3 only 1 and 2 only 2 and 3 only Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme Open in new  window Syllabus Prelims – Current Affairs Mains – GS 3 (Economy) Context: The scheme was launched as a part of the Atma Nirbhar Bharat package for the Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME) borrowers to mitigate the distress caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The scheme was initially announced in May 2020 and then over a period of time, the Finance Ministry has expanded the scope of the ECLGS. Recently (May 2021), ECLGS 4.0 has been introduced which provides 100 percent guarantee cover to loans up to Rs.2 crore to hospitals/nursing homes/clinics/medical colleges for setting up on-site oxygen generation plants, interest rate capped at 7.5%. Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme – Key Points The Scheme allowed additional funding of up to Rs.3 lakh crores to different sectors, especially Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME) and MUDRA borrowers. Under the ECLGS, all loans sanctioned under the Guaranteed Emergency Credit Line (GECL) facility will be provided with additional credit. However, there are two specifications: The scheme would be applicable for loans sanctioned from the date of announcement of the scheme to October 31, 2020, [Now September 3, 2021] OR Guarantees for an amount of Rs.3 lakh crore are issued (whichever happens first) Disbursement is permitted up to December 31, 2021. Major objectives of ECLGS: As per this scheme, 100% guarantee coverage is to be provided by National Credit Guarantee Trustee Company Limited (NCGTC) to the Member Lending Institutions (MLI), Banks, Financial Institutions, and Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFC) The Scheme aims at mitigating the economic distress faced by MSMEs by providing them additional funding in the form of a fully guaranteed emergency credit line. It shall also provide credit to the sector at a low cost, thereby enabling the small sector businesses to meet their operational liabilities and restart their manufacturing and work Who is eligible under the ECLG Scheme? As per the latest eligibility criteria with the launch of the expanded Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme, the following criteria had to be met to be applicable for a loan under the scheme: Enterprises with a turnover of up to Rs. 250 crores (FY 2019-20) with outstanding loans up to Rs. 50 crores, as of February 29, 2020 GECL credit provided will be up to 20% of the borrower’s total outstanding credit as of February 29, 2020. The maximum amount of loan that can be availed under the scheme is Rs. 5 crores. Tenure & Interest Rates under ECLGS The loan tenure is for 4 years and the moratorium period of 1 year on the principal amount is also applicable [Now the loan tenure is 5 years] Interest rates under ECLGS have also been capped: 25% for Banks and Financial Institutions 14% for Non-Banking Financial Companies The National Credit Guarantee Trustee Company Ltd (NCGTC) is not allowed to charge any Guarantee Fee from the Member Lending Institutions that are included under this scheme. ECLGS 4.0 – Expansion of the Scheme On 31st May 2021, the Indian government notified the expansion of the ECLGS. Under the version of ECLGS 4.0: 100 percent guarantee cover is being provided to hospitals/nursing homes/clinics/medical colleges for loans of up to Rs 2 crores at an interest rate of 7.5 percent. It is given for setting up on-site oxygen generation plants. The eligible borrowers who earlier had a loan tenure of four years can now avail of a loan tenure of five years. Additional ECLGS assistance of up to 10% of the outstanding as of February 29, 2020, to borrowers covered under ECLGS 1. The 500 crore loan ceiling under ECLGS 3.0 is being discontinued. The maximum additional ECLGS assistance to each borrower is being limited to 40% or Rs.200 crore, whichever is lower. Civil aviation sector is an eligible borrower under ECLGS 3.0. About ECLGS 2.0 The scheme was announced in November 2020 as a part of the Atma Nirbhar Bharat 3.0 package. The Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme has been expanded to 27 new sectors, including the health sector. These 27 sectors have been identified by the Kamath Committee for one time debt restructuring. Power, construction, textiles, real estate, tourism are few among the many sectors identified. Individual beneficiaries for both, professional and self-employed people have also been included in the scheme The tenor has been upgraded to 5 years with a 1-year moratorium on repayment of principal. About National Credit Guarantee Trustee Company Limited NCGTC or the National Credit Guarantee Trustee Company Limited was registered under the Companies Act, 1956 in 2014. It is a wholly-owned company of the Government of India. It was established by the Department of Financial Services, Ministry of Finance. The main role of the Organisation is to design credit guarantee programs, to share the risk of lending among the lenders, and facilitate financial access to a prospective borrower Conclusively, to revise the economy of the country which faced major disturbances due to the COVID lockdown, the Government of India decided to take charge of making the country self-dependent. And, the Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme is one of those initiatives. Source: Indian Express Previous Year Questions Q.1) Which among the following steps is most likely to be taken at the time of an economic recession? (2021) Cut in tax rates accompanied by increase in interest rate Increase in expenditure on public projects Increase in tax rates accompanied by reduction of interest rate Reduction of expenditure on public projects The evolving role of CSR in funding NGOs Open in new  window Syllabus Mains – GS 2 (Governance) Context: When COVID-19 spurred a nationwide lockdown in India in 2020, a grave need for localised social support emerged. Giving, both private and public, flowed to NGOs working towards combating pandemic-induced challenges such as loss of livelihood for vulnerable communities, food banks, and health and medical support. In any such social effort, programme expenses attract the big cheques — especially when they come from corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives in India. But NGOs have other expenses too. In order to achieve long-term and sustained impact, they need to pay for administrative and support expenses not specifically tied to programmes— for instance, rent, electricity, technology and human resource costs. These organisational development and indirect costs, combined with programme expenses, make up an NGOs’ true costs. And underfunding an NGO’s true costs reduces the efficacy and impact of the very programmes that funders support. The funder archetypes Based on a recent survey of nearly 80 diverse social sector funders, there are three distinct funder archetypes — programme proponents, adaptive funders, and organisation builders. The three archetypes represent different beliefs in terms of how philanthropy becomes impact. Programme proponents value programme outcomes above all. Adaptive funders are not rigid and support indirect costs and organisational development, if the NGO makes a case. Organisation builders see value in investing in stronger organisations in addition to programmes. CSR funders, who now represent a fifth of all private giving in India, principally fall under programme proponents. They mostly contribute little or no money to organisational development and limit what they pay for indirect costs to a fixed rate often below 5%. Why? These practices are partly a consequence of CSR funders’ focus on regulatory compliance — amendments to the CSR law in 2021 include substantial financial penalties for non-compliance. Roughly 90% of the CSR funders are relatively small, unlisted companies — and companies that spend less than ₹50 lakh annually on CSR are not required by law to have a CSR committee. They generally leave decision-making and action plans to company boards, who may have little to no experience working with NGOs or on social impact. Hence, their priorities tend to sway towards risk avoidance, compliance, and cost minimisation. Many CSRs make errors on safety with the unintended consequence of leaving an NGO with unpaid bills or worse still, drawing on its scarce core funding from other donors to pay for these essential costs. How might this change? Collaboration For one thing, companies can pool their resources with other mission-aligned CSR or social sector stakeholders, increasing their collective impact potential, and also hire or tap into professionals with experience working with NGOs. Learn from peer organisations In addition, CSR funders would learn from peers who view organisational development and indirect costs differently. Cover indirect costs and organizational development The pandemic also exposed how vulnerable NGOs are to financial stress. A research revealed that 54% of NGOs had less than three months in reserve funds in September 2020. The CSR programmes cannot currently contribute to NGO reserves/corpus by law. However, by covering indirect costs and organisational development, they still help to relieve financial pressure and make organisations more resilient. Assistance Corporates have considerable accounting and finance capabilities that they can offer to NGOs, in addition to their funding. A corporate could offer volunteer financial analysis services to help the NGO calculate true costs and communicate with other funders, and build financial resilience. CSR practices are maturing. More CSR decision-makers are shifting their focus from compliance with CSR laws to the social impact they are making. CSR funders are following several themes to make this transition, such as hiring professionals, coming together in collaborative, and defining and publishing their impact metrics to hold themselves accountable. The idea is to move beyond signing cheques to recognising that, ultimately, what’s good for Indian society is also good for business. Must Read: NGOs and their right to foreign funds Source: The Hindu Daily Practice MCQs Daily Practice MCQs Q.1) With reference to ‘Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme’ which of the following statements is/ are correct? It aims to facilitate collateral-free loans to different economic sectors for which 100% guarantee coverage is provided to Member Lending Institutions (MLIS) by government. All Schedules commercial banks are recognised as MLI to disperse the loans. It provides the pre-approved loan for which an ‘opt-out’ option will be provided to eligible borrowers under the Scheme. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? 1 only 1 and 3 only 2 and 3 only 1, 2 and 3 Q.2) Consider the following activities: Spraying pesticides in a crop field Inspecting the craters of active volcanoes Collecting breath samples from spouting whales for DNA analysis At the present level of technology, which of the above activities can be successfully carried out by using drones? 1 and 2 2 and 3 1 and 3 1, 2 and 3 Q.3) Kushiyara River, recently in news is a distributary of which of the following river? Ganga Teesta Brahmaputra Barak Comment the answers to the above questions in the comment section below!! ANSWERS FOR ’8th September 2022 – Daily Practice MCQs’ will be updated along with tomorrow’s Daily Current Affairs. ANSWERS FOR 7th September – Daily Practice MCQs Answers- Daily Practice MCQs Q.1) – c Q.2) – d Q.3) – a table, td, th { border: 1px solid;} table {width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; }

Sep 7, 2022 TLP Mains Answer Writing

[COMPILATION] IASbaba’s TLP 2022 (Phase 2): UPSC Mains 2022 Answer Writing!

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Sep 7, 2022 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 7th September 2022

Archives (PRELIMS & MAINS Focus) Ramon Magsaysay Award Open in new window Syllabus  Prelims – Current Affairs In News The Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation had picked former Kerala health minister K K Shailaja for the 64th Magsaysay award. However, the ex-minister has turned down the award on following ground: Ramon Magsaysay was a known oppressor of Communists; and The fight against Covid in Kerala was collective. The fight against Covid-19 was not the achievement of any single person. Generally, political leaders are not considered for the Magsaysay award. Ramon Magsaysay Award Launched in 1958, the Ramon Magsaysay Award is widely considered to be Asia’s equivalent to the Nobel Prize. The award is given to individuals and organisations in Asia for selfless service to society in various fields. The award was set up by trustees of the Rockefeller Brothers Fund and the Philippine government to carry forward Magsaysay’s legacy of service to the people, good governance, and pragmatic idealism. The award is given out every year on August 31, on Magsaysay’s birth anniversary. The awardees are presented with a certificate and a medal with an image of Ramon Magsaysay. Who was Ramon Magsaysay? Ramon del Fierro Magsaysay Senior was the seventh president of the Philippines, from 1953 until his death in an air crash in 1957. He came to prominence during the 2nd world war when Japanese forces occupied the Philippines — then a colony of the US — for nearly four years. In December, 1953, he was elected president from the Nationalist Party, the oldest political party in the Philippines. What is the link between Communism and Magsaysay Philippines plunged into post-war chaos after 1946. Also, during this period, with the expansion of capitalism, the gap between the rich and poor widened and the farmers continued to languish. As the country was a close ally of USA, many leaders were viewed with suspicion over their declaration of commitment to communism and the demand for peasant rights. The then government of Philippines started severe crackdown on these leaders. It was under the administrative and military policies of Magsaysay that the threat from communism was considered to be neutralised. Indian winners on the list Prominent Indians who have won the award include Vinoba Bhave in 1958, Mother Teresa in 1962, Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay in 1966, Satyajit Ray in 1967, Mahasweta Devi in 1997. In recent years, Arvind Kejriwal (2006), Anshu Gupta of Goonj (2015), human rights activist Bezwada Wilson (2016), and journalist Ravish Kumar (2019) have won the award. Source: The Hindu Previous Year Question Q.1) Consider the following statements in respect of Bharat Ratna and Padma Awards: Bharat Ratna and Padma awards are titles under the Article 18 (1) of the Constitution of India. Padma Awards, which were instituted in the year 1954, were suspended only once. The number of Bharat Ratna Awards is restricted to a maximum of five in a particular year. Which of the above statements are not correct? 1 and 2 only 2 and 3 only 1 and 3 only 1, 2 and 3 Foundational Learning Study (FLS) Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – Current Affairs In News: A nationwide study has been carried out jointly by the Union Ministry of Education and the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT). With a sample size of 86,000 students in 10,000 schools, the study — the largest ever in terms of scale at the foundational level Assessment done: Literacy skills of students in 20 languages including English. Methodology: Unlike the National Achievement Survey (NAS), which evaluates learning outcomes of students in Classes III, V, VIII and X through a test based on multiple choice questions (MCQs) every three years, the findings of the were based on one-to-one interviews with each participant. Interactions of the students with the field investigators were standardised to remove discrepancy. Depending on their performance, the students were categorised into four groups: Those who lacked the most basic knowledge and skills Those who had limited knowledge and skills Those who had developed sufficient knowledge and skills Those who had developed superior knowledge and skills. Key Findings: 37 per cent of students enrolled in Class III have “limited” foundational numeracy skills, such as identifying numbers, while 11 per cent “lack the most basic knowledge and skills”. While 15 per cent lacked “basic skills” in English, 30 per cent were found to have “limited skills”, 21 per cent had sufficient skills, while 34 per cent had fairly superior skills. At the national level, 11 per cent did not have the basic grade-level skills; 37 per cent had limited skills; 42 per cent had sufficient skills; and 10 per cent had superior skills. In numeracy, Tamil Nadu, at 29 per cent, had the maximum number of students who could not complete the most basic grade-level tasks, followed by Jammu and Kashmir (28 per cent), Assam, Chhattisgarh and Gujarat (18 per cent). Among other Indian languages, the proportion of students who lacked basic skills was: 17 per cent in Marathi, 20 per cent in Bengali, 17 per cent in Gujarati, 17 per cent in Malayalam, 42 per cent in Tamil, and 25 per cent in Urdu. Utility of the Findings: The findings will set the baseline for NIPUN Bharat (National Initiative for Proficiency in Reading with Understanding and Numeracy), the Centre’s scheme to improve foundational learning. National Initiative for Proficiency in Reading with Understanding and Numeracy (NIPUN Bharat) Aims to achieve universal foundational literacy and numeracy in primary classes and to ensure that all children attain grade-level competencies in reading, writing and numeracy. Lays down priorities and actionable agendas for States/UTs to achieve the goal of proficiency in foundational literacy and numeracy for every child by grade 3. Detailed guidelines have been developed for implementation of the NIPUN Bharat Mission which includes the Lakshya or Targets for Foundational Literacy and Numeracy starting from the Balvatika upto age group 9. Source: The Indian Express Previous Year Question Q.1) ‘SWAYAM’, an initiative of the Government of India, aims at (2016) promoting the Self Help Groups in rural areas providing financial and technical assistance to young start-up entrepreneurs promoting the education and health of adolescent girls providing affordable and quality education to the citizens for free iNCOVACC Gets DCGI Nod for Restricted Emergency Use Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – Science & Technology In News: The national drug regulator, DGCI, has given the green signal to the country’s first intra-nasal Covid vaccine for emergency use in adults – iNCOVACC. Manufactured by Bharat Biotech, the company behind Covaxin, in partnership with Washington University-St Louis, and partly funded by the Department of Biotechnology’s Covid Suraksha programme The new vaccine has been approved for primary immunisation — it can be administered only to the unimmunised. Those who have already received the first and second doses of other vaccines will not be eligible to get iNCOVACC as the “precaution” third dose. Source: Bharat Biotech The Administration Will be delivered through the nasal route. This would potentially trigger an immune response in the mucosal membrane. It has been designed to not only protect against infection but also reduce transmission of the virus. May produce local antibodies in the upper respiratory tract, which may provide the potential to reduce infection and transmission. The vaccine uses a modified chimpanzee adenovirus, which cannot replicate in the body, to carry the Covid spike protein to induce immunity. Benefits of intranasal vaccine Promises to be more effective, since it is expected to generate immune responses at the site of infection (respiratory mucosa) Non-invasive, Needle-free. Ease of administration – does not require trained health care workers. Elimination of needle-associated risks (injuries and infections). High compliance (Ideally suits for children’s and adults). Scalable manufacturing – able to meet global demand. It can produce 100 million doses a month. India’s Progress Card India has, so far, administered a total of 213 crore vaccine doses, of which 102 crore are first doses Nearly 98 per cent of adults in India had received at least one dose by the third week of July Currently, Covishield, Covaxin and Corbevax are part of the Government’s Covid immunisation drive while vaccines like Covovax and Sputnik are available at private centres. About Drugs Controller General of India Drugs Controller General of India is the head of department of the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization of the Government of India. Responsible for approval of licences of specified categories of drugs such as blood and blood products, IV fluids, vaccines, and sera in India DCGI also sets standards for manufacturing, sales, import, and distribution of drugs in India. Comes under the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare. DCGI lays down the standard and quality of manufacturing, selling, import and distribution of drugs in India. Acting as appellate authority in case of any dispute regarding the quality of drugs Preparation and maintenance of national reference standard To bring about the uniformity in the enforcement of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act. DCGI also act as Central Licensing Authority (CLA) for the medical devices which fall under the purview of Medical Device Rules 2017 Source: The Indian Express Previous Year Question Q.1) In the context of vaccines manufactured to prevent COVID-19 pandemic, consider the following statements: (2022) The Serum Institute of India produced COVID-19 vaccine named Covishield using mRNA platform. Sputnik V vaccine is manufactured using vector based platform. COVAXIN is an inactivated pathogen based vaccine. Which of the statements given above are correct? 1 and 2 only 2 and 3 only 1 and 3 only 1, 2 and 3 National Clean Air Programme Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – Current Affairs Mains – GS 3 (Environment) In News: An analysis by the environmental think tank, Centre for Science and Environment, reported “barely any difference” in trends in particulate matter pollution (PM2.5) between the group of cities under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) and those outside its ambit. It covers 132 of India’s most polluted or so-called non-attainment cities. This is defined as a city whose air quality did not meet the national ambient air quality standards of 2011 to 2015. The NCAP launched in 2019 aims to bring a 20%-30% reduction in pollution levels from PM2.5 and PM10 particles by 2024, using 2017 pollution levels as a base. The CSE in its national analysis of PM2.5 levels in cities for which data is available found that between 2019 and 2021, only 14 of 43 (NCAP) cities registered a 10% or more reduction in their PM2.5 level between 2019 and 2021. On the other hand, out of 46 non-NCAP cities, 21 recorded significant improvement in their annual PM2.5 value with 5% or more decline between 2019 and 2021. There is hardly any difference between the performance of NCAP and non-NCAP cities between 2019 and 2021. Cities in Punjab, Rajasthan and Maharashtra dominated the list of cities which registered a significant increase in PM2.5 levels between 2019 and 2021. The cities of Haryana, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat dominate the list of non-NCAP cities that have registered significant increase in air pollution levels. National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) It was launched by the MoEFCC in January 2019 as a long-term, time-bound, national level strategy that features: Making determined efforts to deal with the air pollution problem across the country in a comprehensive manner. Achieving 20% to 30% reduction target in Particulate Matter concentrations by 2024 where 2017 is kept as the base year for the comparison of concentration. Identification of 122 non-attainment cities across the country based on the 2014-2018 Air Quality data. Non- Attainment Cities are the cities which do not meet the National Ambient Air Quality Standards. Preparation of the city specific action plans including measures to strengthen the monitoring network, reduce vehicular/industrial emissions, increase public awareness Implementation of the city specific action plans to be regularly monitored by Committees at Central and State level namely Steering Committee, Monitoring Committee and Implementation Committee. Facilitating collaborative, multi-scale and cross-sectoral coordination between the relevant central ministries, state governments and local bodies. Establishing a right mix with the existing policies and programmes. Increasing number of monitoring stations in the country including rural monitoring stations, technology support. Emphasis on awareness and capacity building initiatives. Setting up of certification agencies for monitoring equipment, source apportionment studies, emphasis on enforcement, specific sectoral interventions etc. National Ambient Air Quality Standards National Ambient Air Quality Standards are the standards for ambient air quality set by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) The CPCB has been conferred this power by the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981. Ambient Air Quality Standards contains 12 pollutants. The pollutants that are covered under the National Ambient Air Quality Standards include: Sulphur dioxide (SO2), Nitrogen dioxide (NO2), The particulate matter having a size less than 10 microns (PM10), The particulate matter having a size less than 2.5 microns (PM2.5), Ozone Lead Carbon monoxide (CO) Arsenic Nickel Benzene Ammonia, and Benzopyrene Source: The Hindu Previous Year Question Q.1) In the context of WHO Air Quality Guidelines, consider the following statements: (2022) The 24-hour mean of PM2.5 should not exceed 15 ug/m3 and annual mean of PM2.5 should not exceed 5 ug/m3. In a year, the highest levels of ozone pollution occur during the periods of inclement weather. PM10 can penetrate the lung barrier and enter the bloodstream. Excessive ozone in the air can trigger asthma. Which of the statements given above are correct? 1, 3 and 4 1 and 4 only 2, 3 and 4 1 and 2 only Climate Reparation Open in new  window Syllabus Prelims – Environment Mains – GS 3 (Environment) Context: Facing the worst flooding disaster in its history, Pakistan has begun demanding reparations, or compensation, from the rich countries that are mainly responsible for causing climate change. What are climate reparations? Climate reparations refer to a call for money to be paid by the Global North to the Global South as a means of addressing the historical contributions that the Global North has made (and continues to make) toward climate change. Countries in the Global North are responsible for 92% of excess global carbon emissions. Despite this, countless studies have shown that countries across the Global South are facing the sharpest end of the consequences when it comes to climate change—from severe heat waves in India to flooding in Kenya and hurricanes in Nicaragua. In repeated public statements, Pakistan’s Minister for Climate Change has been saying that while her country makes negligible contribution to global warming, it has been among the most vulnerable to climate change. The current floods have already claimed over 1,300 lives, and caused economic damage worth billions of dollars. Pakistan’s demand for reparations appears to be a long shot, but the principles being invoked are fairly well-established in environmental jurisprudence. Almost the entire developing world, particularly the small island states, has for years been insisting on setting up an international mechanism for financial compensation for loss and damage caused by climate disasters. Historical emissions argument The demand for compensation for loss and damage from climate disasters is an extension of the universally acknowledged “Polluter Pays” principle. In the climate change framework, the burden of responsibility falls on those rich countries that have contributed most of the greenhouse gas emissions since 1850, generally considered to be the beginning of the industrial age. The United States and the European Union, including the UK, account for over 50% of all emissions during this time. If Russia, Canada, Japan, and Australia too are included, the combined contribution goes past 65%, or almost two-thirds of all emissions. Significance of Historical responsibility: Carbon dioxide remains in the atmosphere for hundreds of years, and it is the cumulative accumulation of this carbon dioxide that causes global warming. A country like India, currently the third largest emitter, accounts for only 3% of historical emissions. China, which is the world’s biggest emitter for over 15 years now, has contributed about 11% to total emissions since 1850. Implications: While the impact of climate change is global, it is much more severe on the poorer nations because of their geographical locations and weaker capacity to cope. This is what is giving rise to demands for loss and damage compensation. Countries that have had negligible contributions to historical emissions and have severe limitations of resources are the ones that face the most devastating impacts of climate change. Admission of Responsibility The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the 1994 international agreement that lays down the broad principles of the global effort to fight climate change, explicitly acknowledges this differentiated responsibility of nations. It is this mandate that later evolved into the $100 billion amount that the rich countries agreed to provide every year to the developing world. The Warsaw International Mechanism (WIM) for Loss and Damages, set up in 2013, was the first formal acknowledgment of the need to compensate developing countries struck by climate disasters. It so far has focused mainly on enhancing knowledge and strengthening dialogue. At the recent climate conference in Glasgow, a three-year task force was set up to discuss a funding arrangement. According to a recent report by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Efforts (UNOCHA), prepared for the UN General Assembly, annual funding requests related to climate-linked disasters averaged $15.5 billion in the three-year period between 2019 and 2021. The economic loss from cyclone Amphan in India and Bangladesh in 2020 has been assessed at $15 billion. The report said that the United States alone is estimated to have inflicted more than $1.9 trillion in damages to other countries due to its emissions. Then there are non-economic losses as well, including loss of lives, displacement migration, health impacts, damage to cultural heritage. The report also said that the unavoidable annual economic losses from climate change were projected to reach somewhere between $290 billion to $580 billion by the year 2030. Source: Indian Express Previous Year Question Q.1) “Climate Action Tracker” which monitors the emission reduction pledges of different countries is a: (2022) Database created by coalition of research organisations Wing of “International Panel of Climate Change” Committee under “United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change” Agency promoted and financed by United Nations Environment Programme and World Bank Economically Weaker Section Quota Open in new  window Syllabus Mains – GS 2 (Governance) In News: A Constitution Bench asked the Centre, States and petitioners to firm up a slew of concerns raised in the Supreme Court about granting reservation on a purely economic basis, one of them being whether it is a violation of the very basic structure of the Constitution to exclude Scheduled Castes, Tribes and some of the most impoverished, socially and educationally backward classes in the country from the scope of the quota. The five-judge Bench of the Supreme Court is considering the validity of the 103rd Constitutional Amendment, which provides a 10% quota to economically weaker sections (EWS) of the society in government jobs and educational institutions. Issues in the case These include whether the 103rd Amendment violated the Indira Sawhney judgment of 1992 which had prohibited reservation on the basis of a “purely” economic criterion. Whether the amendment “breached the Basic Structure of the Constitution in excluding the SEBCs/OBc/SCs/STs from the scope of EWS reservation” If the 10% EWS quota infringed the 50% ceiling limit for reservation. If the EWS quota should be imposed in private unaided institutions Whether the 103rd CAA breaches the equality code and the Constitutional scheme by giving sanctity to the ‘existing reservation’ which are only created temporarily by enabling provisions”. Economic reservation was introduced in the Constitution by amending Articles 15 and 16 and adding clauses empowering the State governments to provide reservation on the basis of economic backwardness. Significance of EWS Quota Addresses Inequality: The 10% quota is progressive and could address the issues of educational and income inequality in India since the economically weaker sections of citizens have remained excluded from attending higher educational institutions and public employment due to their financial incapacity. Recognition of the Economic Backwards: There are many people or classes other than backward classes who are living under hunger and poverty-stricken conditions. The reservation through a constitutional amendment would give constitutional recognition to the poor from the upper castes. Reduction of Caste Based Discrimination: Moreover, it will gradually remove the stigma associated with reservation because reservation has historically been related with caste and most often the upper caste look down upon those who come through the reservation. Concerns: Unavailability of Data: The Statement of Object and Reason in the EWS bill clearly mentioned that the economically weaker sections of citizens have largely remained excluded from attending the higher educational institutions and public employment on account of their financial incapacity to compete with the persons who are economically more privileged. The government has not produced any data to back this point. Breaches Reservation Cap: In the Indira Sawhney case 1992, the nine-judge Constitution bench put a cap of 50%. The EWS quota breaches this limit, without even putting this issue into consideration. Arbitrary Criteria: The criteria used by the government to decide the eligibility for this reservation is vague and is not based on any data or study. Even the SC questioned the government whether they have checked the GDP per capita for every State while deciding the monetary limit for giving the EWS reservation. Way forward It is high time now that the Indian political class overcame its tendency of continually expanding the scope of reservation in pursuit of electoral gains, and realised that it is not the panacea for problems. Instead of giving reservation based on different criterias government should focus on quality of education and other effective social upliftment measures. Source: The Hindu India-Bangladesh Relations Open in new  window Syllabus Prelims – Current Affairs Mains – GS 2 (International Relations) Context: Following a meeting with the visiting Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina, Prime Minister of India said India and Bangladesh will resolve all issues and problems on shared consensus. India-Bangladesh relations in depth: Historic relations: India was the chief architect of Bangladeshi independence from the oppressive political rule of (west) Pakistan in 1971. In December 1971, the chief of the Pakistani forces had surrendered unconditionally to the allied forces consisting of Indian Army and Mukti Bahini in Dhaka. It was a guerrilla resistance movement. India was one of the first countries to recognize Bangladesh and establish diplomatic relations immediately after its independence in December 1971. Economic Relations: In 2021-22, Bangladesh has emerged as the largest trade partner for India in South Asia and the fourth largest destination for Indian exports India’s main exports to Bangladesh are raw cotton, non-retail pure cotton yarn, and electricity and main imports includes pure vegetable oils, non-knit men’s suits, and textile scraps. Both countries may sign a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) during the visit. It covers negotiation on the trade in services and investment, and other areas of economic partnership. Defence Cooperation: Border Management: India and Bangladesh share longest land boundary that India shares with any of its neighbours. In 2015, India and Bangladesh resolved the decades-long border dispute through the Land Swap Agreement (exchange of enclaves). (100th CAA, 2015) Various Joint exercises of Army (Exercise Sampriti) and Navy (Exercise Milan) take place between the two countries. Current Institutional Frameworks: Under the provisions of the South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA), Bangladesh extends preferential tariffs to Indian exports of products outside the ‘sensitive list’ of 993 items. The MoU on Border Haats on the India-Bangladesh border was renewed in April 2017. Currently, four Border Haats — two each in Meghalaya (Kalaichar and Balat) and Tripura (Srinagar and Kamalasagar) — are functional. Members of major regional organisations like South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) and the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) Medical tourism: Bangladesh accounts for more than 35% of India’s international medical patients. Bangladesh alone contributes to more than 50% of India’s revenue from medical tourism Connectivity: Both countries jointly inaugurated the newly restored railway link between Haldibari (India) and Chilahati (Bangladesh). Agreed to an early operationalization of the Bangladesh-Bhutan-India-Nepal (BBIN) initiative Motor Vehicles Agreement through the expeditious signing of the Enabling MoU. The Protocol on Inland Waterways Trade and Transit (PIWTT) allows the movement of goods by barges/ vessels on eight routes between points in India and Bangladesh. Challenges In 2019, India enacted the National Register of Citizens and the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA, 2019), which created an uproar within and beyond the borders. Ms. Hasina termed the move as “unnecessary”. It had ripple effects for Bangladesh. The Teesta River water dispute: The sharing of the waters of the Teesta has remained a thorny issue since 1947 although a bilateral Joint Rivers Commission (JRC) has been working since June 1972. The 2011 interim deal aims to share the Teesta River water between India and Bangladesh about 42.5 per cent and 37.5 per cent respectively. But, the state of West Bengal object to this demand and never signed the deal, and strain in this issue goes on. Rohingya issue: Bangladesh also requires China’s support in resolving the Rohingya refugee crisis. India has refused providing asylum to Rohingyas but is helping Bangladesh settle them in its char islands. Regional geopolitics: China has been actively pursuing bilateral ties with Bangladesh. Bangladesh had successfully approached China for a mega project to enhance Teesta River water flow. Bangladesh is the second biggest arms market for China after Pakistan. Bangladesh is an active partner of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) that India has not signed up to. Way forward: The early resolution of river water disputes like Teesta is the better way to boost India-Bangladesh relations. Involvement of joint forces to reduce border issues such as illegal trading, trafficking, cattle smuggling, etc Strengthening of regional groups like SAARC, BIMSTEC etc and focusing on Neighbourhood First policy. Just as Bangladeshis remain grateful to India for the generous support extended by India during the Liberation War of 1971, they are equally sensitive to being treated with respect and fairness, no matter who rules their country. Source: The Hindu Economic reforms beyond liberalisation Open in new  window Syllabus Mains – GS 3 (Economy) Context: The Indian economy recovery has been better than that of most countries. In the recent past growth suffered because of an excessive focus on structural reforms while neglecting the smoothening of shocks. Current policy has responded to the latter. Given this ups and downs, the talk of the necessity of reforms is again in the air. So what reforms are required? The IMF-WB holy trinity of structural land, labour and other market-opening reforms harms many domestic citizens and, beyond a point, runs into severe resistance that imposes large political costs. Liberalisation has reached a point of diminishing returns. Organic reform will take place as states compete. Improving the supply-side has many other aspects. In choosing from the reform menu, the Centre must be guided by feasibility and pragmatism and ensure that benefits accrue to a majority. What should be done? The focus should be on leveraging the special circumstances that currently favour India. These include the impetus Covid-19 has given to digital aspects, where India has a comparative advantage, the possibility of supply chain diversification away from China, moving to a net zero economy and harnessing green initiatives as a source of investment and innovation. Attention should be given to developing skills and capabilities, improving employability, augmenting infrastructure, reducing logistics and other business costs through better Centre-state coordination, and enhancing the quality of governance and counter-cyclical regulation with good incentives. Much can be done to improve data use and privacy, functioning of courts and police. Instead of wasting political capital on reforms that encounter large resistance and shock the system, reforms should enhance favourable trends.       Role of Public Sector Banks Improvements in PSB governance and risk-based lending profiles have resulted in falling NPA ratios and strong capital adequacy even under the pandemic shocks. Diversity in institutions and approaches makes for a more stable financial sector. PSBs have garnered Rs 1.7 trillion in their Jan Dhan accounts, while private banks have hardly any. PSBs can leverage their advantages in low-cost deposits through many co-lending opportunities and partnerships. This is not the time to disrupt the recovery in credit growth by Privatizing PSBs. PSBs should be allowed to compete and raise resources on their own. Only those who cannot do so, or have other serious weaknesses, should be allowed to exit through the privatisation or merger route.      Exchange rate: There are recommendations that the rupee should be completely market-determined since this would benefit exporters. But pass-through of exchange rate depreciation is much faster in Indian imports, which are dominated by dollar-denominated commodities such as crude oil. Indian exporters largely have little market power and are forced to share the benefits of depreciation. Many studies show they do not gain from volatility. As imported inflation rises, monetary tightening follows and hurts the real sector. Any gain to exporters from overshooting is temporary. Market panics and large deviations from competitive real exchange rates hurt the economy and most participants. Lower volatility in the real exchange rate helps both gainers and losers when there are changes in the rupee value. Thus the intervention by the central bank that prevents overshooting has facilitated the working of markets and their discovery of equilibrium values. Thus moving beyond liberalisation, focus must be on leveraging India’s special circumstances and areas where India has a comparative advantage. Source: Indian Express  Baba’s Explainer –Wetland Conservation Wetland Conservation Syllabus GS-3: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation GS-2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.  Context: Everyone is careful about consuming clean and pure water to protect their kidneys from malfunctioning. But what about the earth’s kidneys, the wetlands? Natural wetlands have often been referred to as “earth’s kidneys” because of their high and long-term capacity to filter pollutants from the water that flows through them. As India celebrates an increase in its total number of Ramsar sites to 75, this brings into sharp relief the deteriorating state of natural wetlands across the country, especially in urban areas. Read Complete Details on Wetland Conservation Daily Practice MCQs Daily Practice MCQs Q.1) The Ramon Magsaysay Award is named after the former President of which country? Malaysia Thailand Philippines Taiwan Q.2) Consider the following statements about the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO): It is under the department of Health Research of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare It derives its power from the Drugs and Cosmetics Act. It is responsible for approval of licenses of vaccine and its emergency use. 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 Q.3) With reference to the Agreement at the UNFCCC Meeting in Paris in 2015, which of the following statements is/are correct? The Agreement aims to limit the greenhouse gas emissions so that the rise in average global temperature by the end of this century does not exceed 2°C. Developed countries acknowledged their historical responsibility in global warming and committed to donate $ 1000 billion a year from 2020 to help developing countries to cope with climate change. Select the correct answer using the code given below: 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Comment the answers to the above questions in the comment section below!! ANSWERS FOR ’7th September 2022 – Daily Practice MCQs’ will be updated along with tomorrow’s Daily Current Affairs. ANSWERS FOR 6th September – Daily Practice MCQs Answers- Daily Practice MCQs Q.1) – d Q.2) – b Q.3) – c table, td, th { border: 1px solid;} table {width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; }

Sep 7, 2022 Baba’s Explainer

Baba's Explainer - Wetland Conservation

ARCHIVES Syllabus GS-3: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation GS-2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.  Context: Everyone is careful about consuming clean and pure water to protect their kidneys from malfunctioning. But what about the earth’s kidneys, the wetlands? Natural wetlands have often been referred to as “earth’s kidneys” because of their high and long-term capacity to filter pollutants from the water that flows through them. As India celebrates an increase in its total number of Ramsar sites to 75, this brings into sharp relief the deteriorating state of natural wetlands across the country, especially in urban areas. Why were wetlands in the news recently? According to the Press Information Bureau, on August 13, India added eleven new wetlands to its Ramsar sites, bringing the total number of Ramsar sites to 75, spanning an area of 12,26,677 acres. Among the eleven new locations are four in Tamil Nadu, three in Odisha, two in Jammu and Kashmir, and one each in Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. The designation of these locations as Ramsar sites will aid in the protection, management, and smart use of wetland resources. What are wetlands and what is its importance? A wetland is a distinct ecosystem that is flooded by water, either permanently or seasonally. In other words, Wetlands are areas where water covers the soil, or is present either at or near the surface of the soil all year or for varying periods of time during the year. Water saturation (hydrology) largely determines how the soil develops and the types of plant and animal communities living in and on the soil. Wetlands may support both aquatic and terrestrial species. The prolonged presence of water creates conditions that favor the growth of specially adapted plants (hydrophytes) and promote the development of characteristic wetland (hydric) soils. Wetlands are indispensable for the countless benefits or “ecosystem services” that they provide humanity. . They provide multiple services like water storage, groundwater recharge, carbon sequestration, coastal stability, soil erosion control, and multiple organic and inorganic nutrients. Thus, their benefits ranges from freshwater supply, food and building materials, and biodiversity, to flood control, groundwater recharge, and climate change mitigation Wetlands are vital for human survival. They are among the world’s most productive environments; cradles of biological diversity that provide the water and productivity upon which countless species of plants and animals depend for survival. What are Ramsar Sites? Wetlands are among the most diverse and productive ecosystems. They provide essential services and supply all our fresh water. However they continue to be degraded and converted to other uses. The Convention on Wetlands is the intergovernmental treaty that provides the framework for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources. The Convention was adopted in the Iranian city of Ramsar in 1971 and came into force in 1975. Since then, almost 90% of UN member states, from all the world’s geographic regions, have acceded to become “Contracting Parties”. The Convention’s mission is “the conservation and wise use of all wetlands through local and national actions and international cooperation, as a contribution towards achieving sustainable development throughout the world”. The Convention uses a broad definition of wetlands. It includes all lakes and rivers, underground aquifers, swamps and marshes, wet grasslands, peatlands, oases, estuaries, deltas and tidal flats, mangroves and other coastal areas, coral reefs, and all human-made sites such as fish ponds, rice paddies, reservoirs and salt pans. Under the “three pillars” of the Convention, the Contracting Parties commit to: work towards the wise use of all their wetlands; designate suitable wetlands for the list of Wetlands of International Importance (the “Ramsar List”) and ensure their effective management; cooperate internationally on transboundary wetlands, shared wetland systems and shared species. A Ramsar site is a wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention. Criteria: One of the nine criteria must be fulfilled to be the Ramsar Site. Criterion 1: If it contains a representative, rare, or unique example of a natural or near-natural wetland type found within the appropriate biogeographic region. Criterion 2: If it supports vulnerable, endangered, or critically endangered species or threatened ecological communities. Criterion 3: If it supports populations of plant and/or animal species important for maintaining the biological diversity of a particular biogeographic region. Criterion 4: If it supports plant and/or animal species at a critical stage in their life cycles, or provides refuge during adverse conditions. Criterion 5: If it regularly supports 20,000 or more waterbirds. Criterion 6: If it regularly supports 1% of the individuals in a population of one species or subspecies of waterbird. Criterion 7: If it supports a significant proportion of indigenous fish subspecies, species or families, life-history stages, species interactions and/or populations that are representative of wetland benefits and/or values and thereby contributes to global biological diversity. Criterion 8: If it is an important source of food for fishes, spawning ground, nursery and/or migration path on which fish stocks, either within the wetland or elsewhere, depend. Criterion 9: If it regularly supports 1% of the individuals in a population of one species or subspecies of wetland-dependent non avian animal species. Why India should be concerned? Almost one decade after Ramsar convention, India registered the Chilika Lake in Odisha and the Keoladeo National Park in Rajasthan as Ramsar sites in 1981. Out of 75 Ramsar sites in India, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh have the maximum designated sites of 14 and 10 respectively. Among the State parties, according to the Ramsar list, the United Kingdom has the maximum number of sites (175), Mexico has 142, and Bolivia has the maximum area of designated sites of almost 148,000 sq km. However, India is also at the forefront of wetland conservation efforts; nearly 10 per cent of the country’s total wetland area has now been designated as Ramsar sites. This puts India at the top of the South Asian countries. According to an estimate by the non-governmental organisation Wetlands International South Asia (‘WISA’), India has lost almost 30 per cent of its natural wetlands over three decades, mainly because of unsustainable urbanization, agricultural expansion, illegal construction and pollution. Union Environment Ministry has also acknowledged that over 100 wetlands around the nation are under pollution stress and tourism pressure. Furthermore, WISA data shows a more alarming situation for our urban ecosystem. Almost 90 per cent of Chennai’s wetlands are lost, mostly because of unplanned urbanization. Due to inadequate waste management, growing pollution, and unregulated urban growth, Hyderabad lost 55 per cent of its wetlands. Even megacities like Mumbai have lost 71 per cent of their wetlands, while Ahmedabad has lost 57 per cent, Bengaluru 56 per cent, Pune 37 per cent. Declining wetlands leaves the cities with the challenge of dealing with water security and environmental deterioration. While we celebrate the doubling of our Ramsar sites since 2010, it must not be forgotten that the situation is getting worse as far as wetland conservation is concerned as a whole; this is the right time to wake up and conserve our wetlands. What policy measures can be followed to better conserve wetlands? The states have made little effort to identify wetlands. As per The Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017, all states must establish a wetlands authority comprised of ministers, officials, and specialists. The authority would develop a list of activities that would be permitted, controlled, or forbidden inside wetlands and their zones of impact, and specify conservation methods and sensible wetlands usage. Furthermore, experts in wetland ecology, hydrology, fisheries, landscape planning, and socioeconomics were expected to be appointed by these authorities. Although all states and union territories have indeed set up wetlands authorities, information about their recent efforts in wetland conservation is not available in the public domain. Therefore, it is time to show strong cooperative federalism to make the Union Government’s plan on wetlands a reality. Here, we can follow the American system of wetland management. In the U.S., they adhere to the no-net-loss policy. No-net-loss policy means that no wetland, no matter how small, should be lost: it must be compensated for elsewhere. Every plant associated with America’s wetlands is listed, and the boundaries of wetlands are determined based on this. The lists are easily accessible, and include a legal definition of wetlands. As a result, the wetlands have been listed, identified, and protected. Mains Practice Question – What are the challenges faced by India in its conservation of Wetlands? Note: Write answers to this question in the comment section. table{ border: 1px solid; } table tr, table td{ border: 1px solid; }

Sep 7, 2022 Daily Prelims CA Quiz

UPSC Quiz – 2022 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz 7th September 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 solutions.To take the Test Click Here

Sep 6, 2022 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 6th September 2022

Archives (PRELIMS & MAINS Focus) O. Chidambaram Pillai Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – History In News: The Prime Minister, paid tributes to freedom fighter V. O. Chidambaram Pillai on his birth Anniversary. About V. O. Chidambaram Pillai Vallinayagam Olaganathan Chidambaram Pillai (VOC) was born 5th September 1872 to an eminent lawyer Olaganathan Pillai and Paramyee Ammai in Ottapidaram, Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu. VOC graduated from Caldwell College, Tuticorin. Before beginning his law studies, he worked for a brief period as the taluk office clerk. His tussle with the judge forced him to seek fresh pastures at Tuticorin in 1900. Entry in Politics: VOC entered politics in 1905 following the partition of Bengal. Towards the end of 1905, VOC visited Madras and was drawn closer to the Swadeshi Movement. VOC was drawn towards Ramakrishna Mission and came into contact with Subramania Bharati and the Mandayam family. It was not until the arrival of VOC at Tuticorin that the Swadeshi movement in Tirunelveli district began to gather force and momentum. Role Played in Freedom Movement: By 1906, VOC won the support of merchants and industrialists in Tuticorin and Tirunelveli for the idea of establishing a Swadeshi merchant shipping outfit by the name of the Swadeshi Steam Navigation Company (SSNCo). He established many institutions like Swadeshi Prachar Sabha, Dharmasanga Nesavu Salai, National Godown, Madras Agro-Industrial Society Ltd and Desabimana Sangam. VOC was aided in his efforts by a number of Tirunelveli-based lawyers, who formed an organisation called the Swadeshi Sangam, or ‘National Volunteers’. The nationalist movement acquired a secondary character with the beginning of the Tuticorin Coral Mills strike (1908). Even prior to Gandhiji’s Champaran Satyagraha (1917), VOC took up the cause of the working class in Tamil Nadu, and thus he is a forerunner to Gandhiji in this respect. VOC, along with other leaders, resolved to take out a mammoth procession on the morning of 9th March 1908 to celebrate the release of Bipin Chandra Pal from jail and to hoist the flag of Swaraj. Writings: Meyyaram (1914), Meyyarivu (1915), Anthology (1915), Thirukural with literary notes of Manakudavar (1917), Tholkappiam with literary notes of Ilampooranar (1928), Autobiography (1946). Death: V.O.C died on 18th November 1936 in the Indian National Congress Office at Tuticorin as was his last wish. Source: Pib.Gov Previous Year Question Q.1) Consider the following pairs: (2017) Radhakanta Deb — First President of the British Indian Association Gazulu Lakshmi Narasu Chetty — Founder of the Madras Mahajana Sabha Surendranath Banerjee — Founder of the Indian Association Which of the above pairs is/are correctly matched? 1 only 1 and 3 only 2 and 3 only 1, 2 and 3 Mohenjo-daro Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – History In News: The recent spell of heavy rains and floods that ravaged large parts of Pakistan’s Sindh province has also taken a heavy toll on the archaeological site of Mohenjo-daro. The calamity has pushed the archeological site – situated on the bank of the Indus river – to the “brink of extinction”. Pakistan’s Department of Archaeology has said that Mohenjo-daro might be removed from the world heritage list, if urgent attention towards its conservation and restoration is not given. The administration has banned the entry of tourists to the place. Many streets and sewerage drains of the historical ruins have been badly damaged due to the floods. However, the work of removing the sediments deposited due the flooding is still underway. Mohenjo-daro A 5000-year-old archaeological site located about 80-km off the city of Sukkur. It comprises the remnants of the ancient Indus Valley Civilisation. Mohenjo-daro, which means ‘mound of the dead’, was one of the oldest cities of the world. The ruins of the city remained undocumented for around 3,700 years, until 1920, when archaeologist RD Banerji visited the site. It is on the right bank of the Indus River. Buildings The Great Bath is the most well-known structure of Mohenjo-Daro. It is a 612 metre long brickwork masterpiece. The greatest construction of the Mohenjodaro period has been discovered: a granary. This granary consists of 27 chambers of various sizes and shapes. Another important structure at Mohenjodaro is the Assembly Hall, which is a square pillared hall measuring 90X90 feet. Scholars agree that this pillared hall served as a social meeting place. Notable artefacts Artefacts like ivory, lapis, carnelian, and gold beads, as well as the baked-brick city buildings, demonstrate the city’s richness and prominence. One of the most fascinating figures from the IVC is the sculpture titled ‘Mother Goddess’. The Priest-King is a steatite sculpture of a tiny man figure discovered at Mohenjo-daro, a destroyed Bronze Age city. Dancing Girl is a prehistoric bronze sculpture created in lost-wax casting around 2300–1750 BC at Mohenjo-daro. The Pashupati Seal, for which the term “so-called” is often used, is a steatite seal. The depiction of a sitting, cross-legged, presumably ithyphallic person surrounded by animals was discovered on a seal found at the site. Some academics see the image as a yogi, while others see it as a three-headed “proto-Shiva” who rules over the animals. Decline of Mohenjodaro The evidence implies that Mohenjo-daro saw many severe floods of unusual depth and duration, owing not only to the approaching Indus. But also to structural uplifts between Mohenjo-daro and the sea, which caused the Indus drainage to pond back. Can the sites be removed from the World Heritage List? Yes, sites can be removed from the List. Arabian Oryx Sanctuary in Oman: Removed in 2007, after concerns over poaching and habitat degradation Liverpool – Maritime Mercantile City’ (UK) – One of the world’s major trading centres in the 18th and 19th centuries – famous for its pioneering dock technology, transport systems and port management. Elbe Valley in Dresden, Germany: After the construction of the Waldschloesschen road bridge across the Elbe river. Source: Indian Express Previous Year Question Q.1) Which one of the following ancient towns is well-known for its elaborate system of water harvesting and management by building a series of dams and channelizing water into connected reservoirs?(2021) Dholavira Kalibangan Rakhigarhi Ropar Status Report on India’s External Debt 2021-22 Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – Current Affairs In News: The External Debt Management Unit (EDMU) in the Department of economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance, has released 28th edition of the Status Report on India’s External Debt 2021-22. Findings India’s external debt, at US$ 620.7 billion as at end-March 2022, grew by 2% over US$ 573.7 billon as at end-March 2021. While 2% of it was denominated in US dollar, Indian rupee denominated debt, estimated at 31.2%, was the second largest. External debt as a ratio to GDP fell marginally to 19.9 per cent as at end-March 2022 from 21.2 per cent a year ago. Foreign currency reserves as a ratio to external debt stood slightly lower at 97.8% as at end-March 2022 than 100.6 per cent a year ago. The long-term debt estimated at US$ 499.1 billion, constituted the largest chunk of 80.4 per cent, while the short-term debt, at US$ 121.7 billion, accounted for 19.6 per cent of the total. Commercial borrowings (CBs), NRIs deposits, short-term trade credit and multilateral loans together accounted for 90% of the total external debt. As at end-March 2022, sovereign external debt (SED) amounted to US$ 130.7 billion, increasing by 17.1 per cent over the level a year ago, reflecting the additional allocation of SDRs by the IMF during 2021-22. SDRs rose to US$ 22.9 billion from US$ 5.5 billion as at end-March 2021. FPI holding of G-Sec, on the other hand, slid to US$ 19.5 billion from US$ 20.4 billion a year ago. Non-sovereign external debt, estimated at US$ 490.0 billion as at end-March 2022, posted a growth of 6.1 per cent over the level a year ago. CBs, NRI deposits, and short-term trade credit accounted for about 95 per cent of non-sovereign debt. In a cross-country perspective, India’s external debt is modest, occupying 23rd position globally. In terms of various debt vulnerability indicators, India’s sustainability was better than the Low-and-Middle Income Countries (LMICs) as a group and vis-à-vis many of them individually. Source: Pib.Gov Previous Year Question Q.1) Consider the following statements: (2019) Most of India’s external debt is owed by governmental entities. All of India’s external debt is denominated in US dollars. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 PM SHRI Yojana Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – Current Affairs In News: On the occasion of National Teachers’ Day, the Prime Minister announced a new initiative – PM SHRI Schools (PM ScHools for Rising India). About PM SHRI This is a new centrally sponsored scheme for upgradation and development of more than 14500 Schools across the country by strengthening the selected existing schools from amongst schools managed by Central Government/ State/ UT Government/ local bodies. PM SHRI Schools will showcase all components of the National Education Policy 2020 and act as exemplar schools and also offer mentorship to other schools in their vicinity. Along with qualitative teaching, learning and cognitive development, it also aims to create holistic and well-rounded individuals equipped with key 21st century skills. Pedagogy adopted in these schools will be more experiential, holistic, integrated, play/toy-based, inquiry-driven, discovery-oriented, learner-centred, discussion-based, flexible and enjoyable. Focus will be on achieving proficiency in learning outcomes of every child in every grade. Assessment at all levels will be based on conceptual understanding and application of knowledge to real life situations and will be competency-based. These schools will be equipped with modern infrastructure including labs, smart classrooms, libraries, sports equipment, art room which is inclusive and accessible. These schools shall also be developed as green schools with water conservation, waste recycling, energy-efficient infrastructure and integration of organic lifestyle in curriculum. They will provide leadership in their respective regions in providing high-quality education in an equitable, inclusive and joyful school environment that takes care of the diverse background, multilingual needs, and different academic abilities of children and makes them active participants in their own learning process as per the vision of NEP 2020. Source: Pib.Gov Previous Year Question Q.1) What is the purpose of ‘Vidyanjali Yojana’? (2017) To enable the famous foreign educational institutions to open their campuses in India. To increase the quality of education provided in government schools by taking help from the private sector and the community. To encourage voluntary monetary contributions from private individuals and organizations so as to improve the infrastructure facilities for primary and secondary schools. Select the correct answer using the code given below: 2 only 3 only 1 and 2 only 2 and 3 only Wikipedia and Editing Rights Open in new  window Syllabus Prelims – Science & Technology In News: Cricketer Arshdeep Singh’s Wikipedia page was distorted following India’s loss to Pakistan in the Asia Cup match. He had dropped Asif Ali’s catch in the 18th over of the match, leading to internet trolls calling him a “Khalistani”. His Wikipedia page too was edited to reflect the same. Who can edit Wikipedia pages? There is an ‘edit’ button on Wikipedia articles next to subheads, and anyone can click on it to reach a version of the page where they can make changes. While it is not necessary to have a Wikipedia account to make changes, those with registered accounts get some benefits. What happens once you have made a change? Whatever changes you make will be immediately visible to everyone. However, there are certain safeguards. Wikipedia has page histories, so along with the latest version, the previous version will exist too, available to both readers and editors. Wikipedia editors monitor what is happening across the site on a page that lists all the most recent changes, and they will revert to the older version if the latest change is erroneous or malicious. The website also uses bots to weed out wrong or misleading information. Can Wikipedia trace anonymous users? If you are making changes anonymously, your IP address will tell Wikipedia who you are. If you change your IP address and come back, the kind of articles you choose, patterns of editing, etc. will still lead Wikipedia editors to you. What happens to those who add misinformation/troll? Wikipedia will undo your changes, and in some cases, block you from editing. For this, there is a warning process of up to five stages. One or more of these stages can be skipped if the user is understood to be “acting in bad faith.” A semi-protected or fully protected page can be edited only by accounts that meet certain account age and activity thresholds or administrators respectively. Source: The Indian Express Preventive Detentions Open in new  window Syllabus Prelims – Polity In News: Preventive detentions in 2021 saw a rise of over 23.7% compared to the year before. Over 1.1 lakh people were placed under preventive detention, according to the latest crime statistics released by the National Crime Records Bureau. Of these, 483 were detentions under the National Security Act, of which almost half (241) were either in custody or still detained as of the end of 2021. A total of over 24,500 people placed under preventive detention were either in custody or still detained as of the end of last year — the highest since 2017 when the NCRB started recording this data. What constitutes Preventive Detention? It is the imprisonment of a person with the aim of preventing him from committing further offences or of maintaining public order. Preventive detention can however be made only on four grounds – Security of state Maintenance of public order Maintenance of supplies and essential services and defence Foreign affairs or security of India Constitutional Provisions Article 22 (3)– If a person is arrested or detained under preventive detention, then the protection against arrest and detention under Article 22 (1) and 22(2) shall not be available. A detainee under preventive detention can have no right of personal liberty guaranteed by Article 19 or Article 21. To prevent reckless use of Preventive Detention, certain safeguards are provided in the constitution: A person may be taken to preventive custody only for 3 months at the first instance. The detainee is entitled to know the grounds of his detention. The detaining authorities must give the detainee the earliest opportunities for making a representation against the detention. Extensive use of provision Among other laws under which the NCRB has recorded data on preventive detentions are the Goonda Act (State and Central) (29,306), Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1988 (1,331), and a category classified as “Other Detention Acts”, under which most of the detentions were registered (79,514). Several laws like the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act is also used for making preventive detentions. District magistrates and the police also often make preventive detentions to control law and order in emerging communal clashes or clashes between any two communities — even when it might not always lead to public disorder. According to Section 151 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, the police are empowered to make preventive arrests if they believe they must do so to prevent the commission of “any cognisable offence”. This detention can be extended beyond 24 hours if required “under any other provisions of this Code or of any other law”. Recently the Supreme Court, while setting aside the preventive detention order issued, had observed that These powers accorded to the State were “exceptional” and that since they affect the liberty of an individual, they should be used sparingly. The court had also noted that these powers should not be used to control ordinary law and order problems. Goondas’ Act and concerns: The Goondas Act is meant to be invoked against habitual offenders, but in practice it is often used for a host of extraneous reasons. The police tend to use it to buy themselves more time to investigate offences and file a charge sheet. At times, it is used merely to send out a “tough message”. Source: The Hindu The ban on conversion therapy for the LGBTQIA Open in new  window Syllabus Prelims – Current Affairs Mains – GS 1 (Society); GS 2 (Governance) Context: The National Medical Commission (NMC), the apex regulatory body of medical professionals in India, has written to all State Medical Councils, banning conversion therapy, and calling it a “professional misconduct based recent order of the Madras high court. Background: The Madras High Court called for a ban on the conversion therapy of the LGBTQIA+ community in its recent S Sushma V. Commissioner of Police case. It also demanded legal action against those who practise it. Conversion therapy is the pseudoscientific practise of trying to change an individual’s sexual orientation. In this therapy, psychological, physical, or spiritual interventions will be carried out for the members of the LGBTQIA+ community to change them heterosexual. LGBTQIA+ refers to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, asexual. The order coincided with the celebration of pride month in June. Since 1969, pride month is celebrated across the globe to recognise the significance of the LGBTQIA+ community. What is conversion therapy? What are the risks? Conversion or reparative therapy is an intervention aimed at changing the sexual orientation or gender identity of an individual with the use of either psychiatric treatment, drugs, exorcism and even violence, with the aim being to make the individual a heterosexual. According to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP), the interventions under conversion therapy are provided under the false premise that homosexuality and diverse gender identities are pathological. Why Conversion therapy of the LGBTQIA+ should be banned? First, it would be a significant step in the fight against homophobia. The continued persistence of the therapy entrenches the false belief that non-heterosexual orientations are somehow unnatural or immoral. Second, the move will erode the misguided and unscientific notion that sexuality can be altered through external intervention. The ban will concretise the notion that homosexuality is not a mental illness. Third, the practice is already banned in many liberal countries while many more are about to ban it. For instance, the UK took a pledge to outlaw conversion therapy in May 2021. Further, the practice is already banned in Germany, Canada, Malta, Australia, and the United States. According to AACAP and other health experts, conversion therapy poses the risk of causing or exacerbating mental health conditions, like anxiety, stress and drug use which sometimes even lead to suicide. Fourth, the patients are also subjected to various forms of physical and emotional abuse in the therapy. This includes physical abuse, food deprivation, and homophobic insults. A study by UN’s independent expert on gender violence and discrimination found that 98% of people undergoing conversion therapy experience lasting damage. This includes depression, anxiety, permanent physical harm, and loss of faith. In extreme situations, patients are unable to handle the stress and anguish which eventually induces them to end their lives. In May 2020, a 21-year queer (Anjana Harish) committed suicide in Goa post-conversion therapy. Way Forward: The government must undertake the following steps to protect the LGBTQIA+ community: Ban conversion therapy of the LGBTQIA+ involving minors as they cannot consent to any such procedure. Ban advertising conversion therapy in order to reduce its prevalence and decreasing its social acceptability. Impose professional sanctions against medical practitioners who engage in conversion therapy of the LGBTQIA+ community. The Indian Government has taken some positive steps like decriminalising consensual homosexual sex under Sec-377 of the Indian Penal Code. However, there is no explicit law banning conversion therapy in India. The latest Mental Healthcare Act also implicitly allows the therapy with the patient’s consent. Must Read: Challenges Faced by LGBTIQ+ Community Source: The Hindu India – Pakistan Relations Open in new  window Syllabus Prelims: Current Affairs Mains: GS 2 (International Relations) Context: With Shehbaz Sharif as new Prime Minister of Pakistan, there have been signs of a thaw in India-Pakistan relations. Current poor economic conditions characterised by high inflation, sliding (Pakistani) rupee, dwindling foreign exchange reserves and a mounting debt burden and failed attempt to stem extremism and terrorism has ruined the condition further. In this scenario let us understand the complex bilateral ties between India and Pakistan. Historical background: Indo-Pak relations have been defined by the violent partition of British India in 1947, the Jammu & Kashmir conflict and the numerous military conflicts fought between the two nations. Since their independence, the two countries have fought three major wars, as well as one undeclared war, and have been involved in numerous armed skirmishes and military standoffs. The Kashmir conflict is the main centre-point of all of these conflicts with the exception of the Indo-Pakistan War of 1971 and the Bangladesh Liberation War, which resulted in the secession of East Pakistan (now Bangladesh). Since the early 1980s, relations between the two nations have grown increasingly sour, particularly after the Siachen conflict, intensification of the Kashmir insurgency in 1989, Indian and Pakistani nuclear tests in 1998, 1999 Kargil War, 2001 Indian Parliament attack, 2007 Samjhauta Express bombings, the 2008 Mumbai attacks, the 2016 Pathankot attack and the 2019 Pulwama attack resulted in a severe blow to the ongoing India–Pakistan peace talks. Security issues: Cross-border Terrorism:                              Terrorism emanating from territories under Pakistan’s control remains a core concern in bilateral relations. Pakistan has yet not brought the perpetrators of the Mumbai terror attacks 2008 to justice in the ongoing trials, even after all the evidence have been provided to them. Based on attacks in India and involvement of the neighbouring country, the Indian Army had conducted surgical strike at various terrorist launch pads across the Line of Control, as an answer to the attack at the army camp in Uri, Jammu and Kashmir. India had again hit back over the cross-border terror attack on the convey of Indian security forces in Pulwama by carrying out a successful airstrike at a training camp of JeM in Balakot, Pakistan. Kashmir Issue: Due to political differences between the two countries, the territorial claim of Kashmir has been the subject of wars in 1947, 1965 and a limited conflict in 1999 and frequent ceasefire violations and promotion of rebellion within the Indian side of Jammu and Kashmir.                    The then princely state remains an area of contention and is divided between the two countries by the Line of Control (LoC), which demarcates the ceasefire line agreed post-1947 conflict. Siachen Glacier: Most of the Siachen Glacier is disputed between India and Pakistan. Under the Shimla Agreement of 1972, the Siachen was called barren and useless. This Agreement also did not specify the boundary between India and Pakistan. Following the success of Operation Meghdoot, the Indian Army obtained the area at a higher altitude and Pakistan army getting a much lower altitude. Thus, India has a strategic advantage in this region. Following the 2003 armistice treaty between the two countries, firing and bombardment have ceased in this area, though both the sides have stationed their armies in the region. Trade and Commerce: India had accorded Most Favoured Nation status to Pakistan in 1996. Pakistan cabinet decision to reciprocate remains unimplemented. In August 2012, India announced reduction of 30% in its SAFTA Sensitive List for non-Least Developed Countries of SAFTA [including Pakistan], bringing down tariff on 264 items to 5% within a period of three years. In the aftermath of cross border terror attack in Pulwama, India withdrew Most Favoured Nation Status to Pakistan. India also hiked customs duty on exports from Pakistan to 200% on 16 February 2019. Subsequently, as part of its unilateral measures, Pakistan suspended bilateral trade with India on 7 August 2019. Indus Waters Treaty The Indus Waters Treaty governs the rivers that flow from India into Pakistan. Water is cited as one possible cause for a conflict between the two nations, but to date issues such as the Nimoo Bazgo Project have been resolved through diplomacy. People to People Relations: Fishermen and other civil prisoners who are believed to be Indian nationals were in the custody of Pakistani authorities. India suggested to Pakistan to revive the mechanism of the Joint Judicial Committee which looks into humanitarian issues of fishermen and prisoners in each other’s custody. The visit to religious shrines between India and Pakistan is governed by the Bilateral Protocol on Visits to Religious Shrines signed between India and Pakistan in 1974. The protocol provides for three Hindu pilgrimage and four Sikh pilgrimage every year to visit 15 shrines in Pakistan while five Pakistan pilgrimage visit 7 shrines in India. The case of Kulbushan Jadhav, a retired Naval officer arrested nears the Iran-Pakistan border in Baluchistan region by the Pakistani establishment. As there were repeated denials of the Consular Access, India approached the International Court of Justice (ICJ) at Hague where it put forward the argument that Vienna Convention was being violated as the Consular Access was denied. The ICJ has asked Pakistan to stay the execution of Jadhav and the matter is sub judice. Cultural links: India and Pakistan, particularly Northern India and Eastern Pakistan, to some degree have similar cultures, cuisines, and languages due to common Indo-Aryan heritage which span through the two countries and throughout much of the northern subcontinent which also underpin the historical ties between the two. The Government of India in 2018 formally conveyed to the Government of Pakistan that it would initiate the Kartarpur Corridor on the Indian side and urged Pakistan to build a corridor with suitable facilities in its territory. Cricket and hockey match between the two have often been political in nature. In tennis, Rohan Bopanna of India and Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi of Pakistan have formed a successful duo and have been dubbed as the “Indo-Pak Express”. China as anchor: Stoutly refusing to open up trade with India, Pakistan has looked to other economic and commercial partners among whom China is by far the most important. The security relationship was the anchor of the China-Pakistan ties. Now, Pakistan hopes that China will offer its assistance to transform its economy. It looks to the mechanisms under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) to play a crucial role through connectivity, port development, power production and other investments. Attempts for engagement: India has followed a consistent and principled policy towards Pakistani.: in keeping with its “Neighbourhood First Policy”, India seeks normal neighbourly relations with Pakistan. South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) and the initiatives taken by the association will start to hold more relevance as the same has not lived up to its expected potential as the elephant in the room during any summit is sour in the India-Pakistan relationship. Composite Dialogue Framework, which was started from 2004 onwards, excluded, some of the contentious issues between the two sides had resulted in good progress on a number of issues. Delhi-Lahore Bus service was successful in de-escalating tensions for some time. On 7 August 2019 Pakistan took unilateral actions to downgrade diplomatic relations with India in an attempt to present an alarming picture of bilateral ties to the world. Recently, the ‘Ufa ‘Agreement’ was made during the meeting of the National Security Advisors of both nations at Ufa, Russia. However, despite all the initiatives, there is always a breakdown in talks. Thus, more needs to be done for developing peaceful relations. With India and Pakistan both being two Nuclear States, any conflict can lead to a question mark on the existence of the subcontinent as well as the entire planet, especially with the border being ‘live’ almost all the time. Source: The Hindu  Baba’s Explainer -IMF’s staff-level agreement with Sri Lanka IMF’s staff-level agreement with Sri Lanka Syllabus GS-2: India and its neighbourhood GS-2: Important International institutions, agencies and fora- their structure, mandate. GS-3: Economic challenges Context: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) on September 1 announced a staff-level agreement with Sri Lanka, months after the island nation’s economic crisis intensified this year, following a serious Balance of Payments problem. Read Complete Details on IMF’s staff-level agreement with Sri Lanka Daily Practice MCQs Daily Practice MCQs Q.1) Consider the following literary works: Tholkappiam Meyyaram Meyyarivu The above mentioned are related to which of the following freedom fighter? Gazulu Lakshmi Narasu Chetty Tiruppur Kumaran Dheeran Chinnamalai O. Chidambaram Pillai Q.2) What is the purpose of ‘’PM ScHools for Rising India (PM SHRI) ? It is a centrally sector scheme. PM SHRI Schools will showcase all components of the National Education Policy 2020. Select the correct answer using the code given below: 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.3) Which Article of the Constitution of India protects people who have been arrested or detained? Article 21 Article 16 Article 22 Article 24 Comment the answers to the above questions in the comment section below!! ANSWERS FOR ’6th September 2022 – Daily Practice MCQs’ will be updated along with tomorrow’s Daily Current Affairs. ANSWERS FOR 5th September – Daily Practice MCQs Answers- Daily Practice MCQs Q.1) – c Q.2) – d Q.3) – c table, td, th { border: 1px solid;} table {width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; }