Jul 12, 2022 IASbaba's Courses

[BATCH 2 and 3] Baba’s GURUKUL FOUNDATION for Freshers’– UPSC/IAS 2023 – Above & Beyond Regular Coaching! – New Batch Starts 4th August!

From the ancient times we have had the tradition of imparting knowledge directly from a Guru to Shishya. The process of this direct dissipation of information from the source not only built knowledge base but also helped in building a strong character’ in the students. THE MECHANISM WAS CALLED ‘GURUKUL’ Where students were like the family of a Guru.  But with the present education system, students have become more distant from the teachers. There is a strong dis-connect! This lack of connection between the teachers and the students and fear of asking questions has not helped much in the process of learning as it should have actually happened. Considering the impact and efficiency of the age-old practice, we decided to revive the good old structure of Gurukul with modern changes to continue the Guru – Shishya Parampara. So, what made this Gurukul unique? It was the special bond that the Guru and Shishya used to share with each other. The affection of the Guru for his pupil and the respect of the Shishya for his teacher made learning a pure and immersive process. The stories of teachers like Vishvamitra, Sandinapani and Drona and the anecdotes about the brilliance of students like Ram, Krishna and Arjun are an integral part of our life journey. Isn’t it? We wondered if the parampara could be revived! Yes, it could! With this intent we started the Gurukul program two years back at IASbaba. When we started this initiative, we were very sure that the process will be liked by the students and most importantly it will become the most result-oriented program in the history of UPSC/IAS coaching. The result of the first batch exceeded our own expectations! 3 Ranks out of 50 Students, 40% Success rate in Prelims, 33% Success rate in Mains. Yes! We are in the process of making your UPSC journey a more intimate one. We are going to redefine the relationship between the teacher and the students to ensure that the UPSC aspirants get an opportunity to prepare in a highly focussed environment, under the close guidance of a Guru. Although it would be unfair to expect the same level of dedication and discipline in today’s modern times, in terms of its overall essence and objectives, we can always make an honest attempt to create a milieu where the benefits of Guru-Shishya parampara can be reaped in a modern avatar.Click Here to Read Complete Details

Jul 12, 2022 Baba’s Explainer

Baba's Explainer - Aarey Controversy

ARCHIVES Syllabus GS-2: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment. GS-3: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. Context: The Aarey Milk Colony is back in the spotlight, as the fight to preserve this green space in the heart of Mumbai continues Following the recent political upheaval in the State, the Aarey issue has resurfaced and so have the protests. Recently, activists and political parties like the Shiv Sena and the AAP staged a protest at the Aarey Colony to oppose the Government’s decision to shift back the metro car project from Kanjurmarg to Aarey. What is the brief background of Aarey Colony? Mumbai’s need for easily accessible agri-produce: As India gained Independence and Mumbai was emerging as a dream destination for business and for building a life, there was a need for easily accessible agricultural produce. It was this requirement that gave birth to the Aarey Milk Colony. Streamlining Mumbai’s Dairy Sector: In 1949, around 1,300 acres were allotted to the Maharashtra State Department of Dairy Development. The vision was to develop a separate area to streamline Mumbai’s unhygienic and unorganised cattle sheds and give impetus to the production and supply of dairy products. The man behind this idea was the then Bombay milk commissioner Dara N Khurody. He won the Ramon Magsaysay Award along with Verghese Kurien in 1963. Emerged as biodiverse rich area: In 1951, Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru formally inaugurated the milk colony by planting a sapling. Over the years, the jungle of concrete around the woody area exploded, with Aarey emerging as a haven for biodiversity, a home for the Adivasis inhabiting its villages and the ‘last green lungs’ of Mumbai — one of the most polluted cities of the world. What is the Metro project planned at Aarey Milk Colony? The ongoing controversy has its origins in 2014. The then chief minister proposed a plan to build a facility for washing and maintaining Metro coaches at Aarey Milk Colony. A patch of 30 hectares — the land use of which was later changed to ‘development zone’ — was handed over for the Mumbai Metro Line-3 project. The project is being executed by the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Limited (MMRCL) — a joint venture of the Government of India and the Maharashtra government. Later that year, the new government that came in also proceeded with its predecessor’s plan. The proposed car depot will have an administrative building, operation control, inspection and maintenance workshops and stabling lines for parking of trains, according to the MMRCL. What is the controversy regarding Metro project at Aarey? Since the project involved felling of trees for car shed construction, the State Government’s proposal got a massive push back from environmentalists and citizens, intensifying the ‘Save Aarey’ movement. Local NGO ‘Vanashakti’ approached the High Court with a plea to prevent the felling of trees in Aarey. In response to protests, the State Government constituted a technical committee in 2015 to look into the environmental impact of the proposed project. The committee recommended relocating the car depot project to Kanjurmarg in Mumbai, with a small stabilising unit at Aarey. A few months later, NGO Vanashakti filed a petition with the National Green Tribunal (NGT),claiming that the Mumbai Metro Raily Corporation was engaged in illegal construction in Aarey. Meanwhile, residents of the Aarey Milk Colony also moved the Bombay High Court, alleging that their land had been illegally acquired for the car shed. In August 2019, Mumbai civic body’s Tree Authority (TA) approved a proposal to cut 2,185 trees from Aarey for the construction of the car shed. The proposal included transplanting 461 trees. This led to widespread protests. Soon, a series of pleas were filed before the Bombay HC to challenge the decision of the Tree Authority, but all were dismissed. NGO Vanashakti again approached the HC to declare Aarey Colony a forest, but this plea was also dismissed. Meanwhile, despite protests, the MMRCL began cutting down trees in Aarey on October 4, 2019. The Bombay HC was approached the following day, but the court refused to issue a stay. Overnight felling of trees and no respite from the judiciary triggered anger and dismay among Aarey residents, activists and other protesters. Hundreds of policemen were deployed and Section 144 was invoked. A clash between protesters and police followed. Around 30 people were arrested for “obstructing and assaulting” police personnel during the felling of trees, leading to an uproar. It was a letter from a law student to the then Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi that was instrumental in stopping the felling of trees. On October 7, the SC took cognizance of the letter and ordered the Maharashtra Government not to cut any more trees in Aarey. The State Government agreed to comply and told the court that whatever was required for the Metro car shed had been cut—in a statement, the MMRC stated that 2,141 trees had been cut. With this the project was halted. Around a month later, the Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress coalition came to power. In his first decision, the Chief Minister announced the scrapping of the construction of the Metro car shed at Aarey. The government announced tha the car shed project would be moved to the 102-acre Kanjurmarg plot. In 2020, the CM declared 800 acres of Aarey Colony as reserved forest. What is the present status of the car shed project? Metro Project dependent on Aarey: The Colaba-Bandra-SEEPZ corridor, with 27 underground stations, will be Mumbai’s first underground Metro once ready. Work on all stations is underway, except Aarey. Work on the Metro-3 car shed, meanwhile, remains embroiled in a legal battle. Dispute over alternate site: The proposed car shed site in Kanjurmarg (new site that is alternative to Aarey) was part of the land, the ownership of which has been claimed by the Maharashtra government, the Centre, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and other government and private entities. Reversal of decision: The situation, however, changed with the change in government recently. The new government in its first Cabinet meeting on July 1, directed the Advocate General of Maharashtra to submit an application before the Bombay HC, stating that the Metro car shed will be moved back to Aarey from Kanjurmarg. What are the contesting claims on Aarey? Saving Aarey – Environmental Conservation Over the years, Aarey Milk Colony has become a crucial part of the Mumbai ecosystem. There are about 4.5 lakh trees in Aarey, according to the BMC. The area is known to have 86 butterfly species, 90 spider species, 46 reptile species, 126 bird species and more than 400 different types of plants. The forest is also home to a small population of leopards. The colony hosts over 10,000 people in 27 tribal villages, also called padas. It is also highlighted how the “veritable green lung” acts as a buffer for the Sanjay Gandhi National park, and forms a catchment for the Vihar lake which is a source of drinking water and offers flood and pollution control. But now, the 3,000 acres of forest have been whittled down to 1,300 acres. Projects such as the Film City and the Byculla zoo have cut into Aarey forest and impacted its inhabitants. Environmental activists say Aarey is crucial for Mumbai’s future. They argue that the forest not only provides fresh air to the people of the city at a time when pollution levels are dangerous, but its ecosystem protects the diverse habitat which harbours some endemic species. Also, there is an increasing threat of man-animal conflict if the Aarey cover is reduced. Activists have been calling for peaceful protests, saying that development and urbanisation can’t be at the cost of the environment Former CM Uddhav Thackeray (who made a decision to shift project from Aarey to Kanjurmarg), a professional wildlife photographer, has made a fervent appeal to the successive Government not to build the car shed in the Aarey Milk Colony. “If you are angry with me, then vent out your anger, but don’t stab Mumbai in the heart,” he said. His son and former Maharashtra environment minister Aaditya Thackeray shared similar sentiments on Twitter. The development pitch The car shed is proposed to be set up on 33 hectares — 2 per cent of the 1,278 hectares of Aarey land. The MMRCL (Mumbai metro rail corporation limited) has said that beyond this 33-hectare plot, no other part of Aarey will be disturbed, as the site is accessible by road from three sides. The MMRCL lists the benefits: The metro corridor will connect important residential, business, educational, health and recreational centres along with major transport hubs including domestic and international airports. The metro corridor will ultimately cater to 17 lakh commuters daily, once fully commissioned. The corridor will not only reduce CO2 emission to the tune of 10,000 metric tonne per year but will also help Mumbaikars cope with the deteriorating travel conditions on public transport and traffic congestion on roads. The MMRCL further says that the car depot is “mandatory and essential.” A car depot serves Metro trains akin to a “home” for any human being,” it notes. The new State Government also maintains that the project is important for Mumbai’s development. “Metro service is the right of a Mumbai citizen,” Maharashtra Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis said and added that 25 per cent of the work on the Metro-3 car shed project is already completed. The government has also assured that no more trees will be cut for the project while saying that environmentalists have the right to express their opinion, but they should not ignore the facts. Mains Practice Question – As forest areas are being diverted for developmental projects, distress caused in environment is unknown. Analyse the statement in the context of recent controversy over Aarey forests in Mumbai. Note: Write answers to this question in the comment section.  

Jul 12, 2022 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 12th July 2022

Archives (PRELIMS & MAINS Focus) National Emblem Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – Current Affairs In News: PM unveils National Emblem cast on the roof of the new Parliament Building. The National Emblem is made of bronze with a total weight of 9500 Kg and is 6.5 m in height. State Emblem The State Emblem of India is the national emblem of the Republic of India and is used by the union government, state governments, and other government agencies. The State Emblem is an adaptation of the Lion Capital of Asoka at Sarnath. In the original, there are four lions, mounted back to back, on a circular abacus, which itself rests on a bell-shaped lotus. The frieze of the abacus has sculptures in high relief of an elephant, a galloping horse, a bull and a lion separated by intervening Dharma Chakras. The profile of the Lion Capital showing three lions mounted on the abacus with a Dharma Chakra in the centre, a bull on the right and a galloping horse on the left, and outlines of Dharma Chakras on the extreme right and left was adopted as the State Emblem of India on January 26, 1950. The bell-shaped lotus was omitted. The motto Satyameva Jayate, which means ‘Truth Alone Triumphs’, written in Devanagari script below the profile of the Lion Capital is part of the State Emblem of India. Source: Pib.Gov Indian Express Article 72 Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – Polity In News: The Supreme Court held that Centre was bound to advise the President of India for the exercise of his powers under Article 72 of the Constitution and to release the appellant (Abu Salem). Background The then Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister L. K. Advani had given a ‘solemn sovereign assurance’ to a Portugal court that Abu Salem would neither be sentenced to death nor serve more than 25 years in prison. The case had triggered concern in the Supreme Court about the “international ramifications” India may face if seen to take back on solemn promises made to foreign powers and their courts while securing an extradition. However, the Central Bureau of Investigation, in a recent affidavit, had maintained that Mr. Advani’s assurance was no guarantee. Article 72 Pardoning Power of the President in India: Under Article 72 of the Constitution, the President shall have the power to grant pardons, reprieves, respites or remissions of punishment or to suspend, remit or commute the sentence Although the President is bound by the Cabinet’s advice, Article74 (1) empowers him to return it for reconsideration once. If the Council of Ministers decides against any change, the President has no option but to accept it. President to grant pardons to persons who have been tried and convicted of any offence in all cases where the: Punishment or sentence is for an offence against a Union Law; Punishment or sentence is by a court martial (military court); and Sentence is a sentence of death. The pardoning power of the President is independent of the Judiciary; it is an executive power. But, the President while exercising this power, does not sit as a court of appeal. The object of conferring this power on the President is two-fold: (a) to keep the door open for correcting any judicial errors in the operation of law; and, (b) to afford relief from a sentence, which the President regards as unduly harsh. Under Article 161, the Governor in India too has pardoning powers. Difference Between Pardoning Powers of President and Governor: The scope of the pardoning power of the President under Article 72 is wider than the pardoning power of the Governor under Article 161 which differs in the following two ways: Court Martial: The power of the President to grant pardon extends in cases where the punishment or sentence is by a Court Martial but Article 161 does not provide any such power to the Governor. Death sentence: The President can grant pardon in all cases where the sentence given is the sentence of death but the pardoning power of the Governor does not extend to death sentence cases. The pardoning power of the President includes the following: Pardon: It removes both the sentence and the conviction and completely absolves the convict from all sentences, punishments and disqualifications. Commutation: It denotes the substitution of one form of punishment for a lighter form. Remission: It implies reducing the period of sentence without changing its character.. Respite: It denotes awarding a lesser sentence in place of one originally awarded due to some special fact, such as the physical disability of a convict or the pregnancy of a woman offender. Reprieve: It implies a stay of the execution of a sentence for a temporary period. Its purpose is to enable the convict to have time to seek pardon or commutation from the President. Source: The Hindu Previous Year Question Q.1) If the President of India exercises his power as provided under Article 356 of the Constitution in respect of a particular State, then (2018) the Assembly of the State is automatically dissolved. the powers of the Legislature of that State shall be exercisable by or under the authority of the Parliament. Article 19 is suspended in that State. the President can make laws relating to that State. AI-based Mandarin translation devices for Army Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – Current Affairs In News: Union Defence Minister unveils 75 AI-based products and technologies at defence symposium. Indian soldiers patrolling on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) will soon be able to understand Mandarin and reply back instantly It is a 600gm Artificial Intelligence-based device developed by an Indian start-up, Cogknit. It was one of the 75 AI-enabled products and applications unveiled by Defence Minister at the ‘AI in Defence’ symposium. It is an offline handheld language translation system which works based on AI. It is bidirectional with a range of 5-10 feet and converts Mandarin to English. Troops of India and China come face to face on various occasions during patrols and local commanders too interact at various levels as part of efforts to maintain peace on the ground. Language is a major hindrance and interpreters need to be present during occasions like flag meetings. The exhibition also had several other AI-enabled products like robotic mine detector, intrusion detection system and integrated command fusion, remote weapon station, rail mounted robo, sensors for underwater domain awareness, and swarm drones, among others. Source: The Hindu Previous Year Question Q.1) With reference to “Blockchain Technology”, consider the following statements: (2020) It is a public ledger that everyone can inspect, but which no single user controls. The structure and design of blockchain is such that all the data in it are about cryptocurrency only. Applications that depend on basic features of blockchain can be developed without anybody’s permission. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? 1 only 1 and 2 only 2 only 1 and 3 only World Population Prospects Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – Current Affairs Mains – GS 3 (Economy) In News: World Population Prospects 2022 was released UN Dept of Economic & Social Affairs World Population Prospects The Population Division of the UN has been publishing the WPP in a biennial cycle since 1951. Each revision of the WPP provides a historical time series of population indicators starting in 1950. It does so by taking into account newly released national data to revise estimates of past trends in fertility, mortality or international migration. Takeaways for the global population Currently, with 7 billion Asia is the most populous continent and has 61 per cent of the global population, 17 per cent reside in Africa (1.3 billion), 10 per cent in Europe (750 million), 8 per cent in Latin America and the Caribbean (650 million), and the remaining 5 per cent in Northern America (370 million) and Oceania (43 million). The world’s population continues to grow, but the pace of growth is slowing down: The global population is expected to grow to around 8.5 billion in 2030, 7 billion in 2050 and 10.4 billion in 2100. In 2020, the global growth rate fell under 1% per year for the first time since 1950. Rates of population growth vary significantly across countries and regions: More than half of the projected increase in global population up to 2050 will be concentrated in just eight countries: the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines and the United Republic of Tanzania. The 46 least developed countries (LDCs) are among the world’s fastest-growing. Many are projected to double in population between 2022 and 2050, putting additional pressure on resources and posing challenges to the achievement of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). A sustained drop in fertility has led to an increased concentration of the population at working ages (between 25 and 64 years), creating an opportunity for accelerated economic growth per capita. International migration is having important impacts on population trends for some countries: For high-income countries between 2000 and 2020, the contribution of international migration to population growth (net inflow of 80.5 million) exceeded the balance of births over deaths (66.2 million). Over the next few decades, migration will be the sole driver of population growth in high-income country India specific findings India is expected to surpass China as the world’s most populous country in 2023. Presently 417 billion, India’s population is expected to rise to 1.429 billion to surpass China. The concern now is not about the absolute numbers — India’s population is already 1.4 billion and may go up to 1.6 billion before declining — but the quality of life for the people alive. The focus now has shifted to whether we can reduce poverty, provide healthcare facilities, education From data it is clear that cohorts of 0-14 years and 15-24 years will continue to decline while those of 25-64 and 65+ will continue to rise for the coming decades. Policy implications arising out of these two trends For those already in the 25-64 age bracket Skilling is the only way to ensure they are more productive and have better incomes. The 65+ category Provisioning of social security is obviously a big challenge. This will stretch the resources of the future governments. In this context, aged stay within the family set-up, reduces the burden on the government. Source: Indian Express Previous Year Question Q.1) The Global Competitiveness Report is published by the (2019) International Monetary Fund United Nations Conference on Trade and Development World Economic Forum World Bank Dark Matter Open in new  window Syllabus Prelims – Science and Technology In News: Dark matter detector experiment named LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ) in South Dakota in the U.S. was recently in news As of today, this is the most sensitive dark matter detector in the world. What is dark matter and why is it so elusive? All interactions in the universe are a result of four fundamental forces acting on particles — strong nuclear force, weak nuclear force, electromagnetic force and gravitation. Dark matter is made up of particles that do not have a charge — which means they do not interact through electromagnetic interactions. So, these are particles that are “dark”, namely because they do not emit light, which is an electromagnetic phenomenon, and “matter” because they possess mass like normal matter and hence interact through gravity. Gravitational force, besides not being fully integrated and understood by particle physicists, is extremely weak. For one thing, a particle that interacts so weakly becomes rather elusive to detect. This is because interactions from other known particles could drown out signals of dark matter particles. Why do physicists believe strongly that dark matter exists? There is strong indirect evidence for dark matter, and this evidence is reflected at various levels (or distance scales). The discrepancy between the calculated and observed value of velocities in rotating galaxies proves that there is a certain fraction of matter which exerts a gravitational pull on the rest of the stars in the galaxy. This means that there is a definite amount of dark matter in the galaxy. What are the evidences from other distance scales? The second evidence came from observations of the so-called Bullet cluster of galaxies. The Bullet cluster is formed through the merging of two galaxy clusters. Physicists found from their calculations that the way these mergers took place could not be fully explained if we believed that the visible universe were all that existed. Therefore, there should be something like dark matter as well as an estimate of how much dark matter there should be in the universe. What are the candidates for dark matter particles? Postulated entities include the supersymmetric partner of the Z boson, a particle that mediates the electro-weak interaction. Yet other explanations talk about “hidden sector particles” and Axions, a boson and a condensate of dark matter. There are many other theories. The search is on to find one of these candidates, for the story is one that spins together gravity. Source: The Hindu NITI Aayog Open in new  window Syllabus Mains – GS 2 (Polity & Governance) Context: A suitable intermediary Role Since its inception in 2015, NITI Aayog has been instrumental in promoting competitive and cooperative federalism. NITI Aayog organises the annual meeting of the Governing Council (GC) under the leadership of the PM, which brings together chief ministers/Lieutenant-governors of the states/UTs to discuss inter-sectoral, inter-departmental and federal issues to accelerate the implementation of the National Development Agenda. What needs to be done? Importance of States As custodians of regional policy and prime executors of development programmes, states are the Indian economy’s growth drivers. NITI Aayog must ensure productive engagement and dialogue with the states to develop a growth roadmap. Socio-economic cohesion within the country To achieve greater socio-economic cohesion within the country, achieving income convergence across states must be a policy priority. Over the last two decades, half of India’s GDP has been contributed by just a handful of states. NITI Aayog needs to engender discourse to address this crucial issue through improved governance structures, adequate financial development and infrastructure. Monitoring Social indicators NITI Aayog has developed several social sector indices and dashboards for effectively tracking and monitoring outcomes. Regular monitoring and performance evaluation will incentivise states to achieve better social outcomes. Addressing inter-state and inter-district variations The Prime Minister launched the Aspirational Districts Programme (ADP) to address these challenges through data-driven, outcome-based governance. NITI Aayog must focus on guiding state governments in replicating the ADP template at the block level and for districts not categorised as aspirational. Urbanization There is a need to tap into resources other than government budgets, such as monetising land assets and engaging private capital in service delivery. Efforts to empower and make large urban local bodies atmanirbhar are the needs of the hour. Challenge of climate change India aspires to grow fast but is now subject to a carbon constraint. At the state level, it is crucial to frame the decarbonisation challenge in the context of the states’ urgent need to create millions of new jobs, increase incomes and improve public health. NITI Aayog is well-positioned to generate such a conversation and guide states to catalyse climate action. Act as an intermediary NITI Aayog must act as an intermediary between the Centre and states to ensure cross-sharing of these best practices, insights and perspectives. Thus establishing open borders within the country for an open labour market; facilitating effective implementation of national programmes that promote job creation, improve the quality of the labour force and enhance ease of doing business; ensuring high-quality public expenditure, particularly capital expenditure; and ensuring policy predictability at the state level, NITI Aayog along with boosting cooperative federalism can contribute enormously to India’s growth and development. Source: Indian Express Baba’s Explainer –  Aarey Controversy Aarey Controversy Syllabus GS-2: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment. GS-3: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. Context: The Aarey Milk Colony is back in the spotlight, as the fight to preserve this green space in the heart of Mumbai continues Following the recent political upheaval in the State, the Aarey issue has resurfaced and so have the protests. Recently, activists and political parties like the Shiv Sena and the AAP staged a protest at the Aarey Colony to oppose the Government’s decision to shift back the metro car project from Kanjurmarg to Aarey. Read Complete Details on Aarey Controversy Daily Practice MCQs Daily Practice MCQs Q.1) Article 72 of the Indian Constitution recently seen in news is related to? It provides for a Council of Ministers which shall aid the President in the exercise of the President’s functions. Ordinance making power of the President of India Procedure related to election of President of India Pardoning power of President of India Q.2) Consider the following statements All interactions in the universe are a result of four fundamental forces acting on particles. Dark matter is made up of particles that do not have a charge Dark matter possess mass like normal matter Choose the correct statements 1 and 2 2 and 3 1, 2 and 3 1 and 3 Q.3) Which of the following bodies are constitutional bodies? NITI Aayog National Commission for Women Zonal Council Choose the correct code: 1 only 1 and 3 1, 2 and 3 None Comment the answers to the above questions in the comment section below!! ANSWERS FOR ’12th JULY 2022 – Daily Practice MCQs’ will be updated along with tomorrow’s Daily Current Affairs. ANSWERS FOR 11th JULY 2022 – Daily Practice MCQs Answers- Daily Practice MCQs Q.1) – b Q.2) – c Q.3) – a

Jul 12, 2022 Daily Prelims CA Quiz

UPSC Quiz – 2022 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz 12th July 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

Jul 12, 2022 TLP Mains Answer Writing

IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 2): UPSC Mains Answer Writing – General Studies 2 Questions [12th July, 2022] – Day 20

Hello Students  TLP has been an integral ingredient of success for many toppers and is no secret. In the ‘must do’ list for the civil services exam, TLP is by far the most popular initiative. The popularity stems from the unparalleled quality of questions and synopsis posted in TLP. We strive hard to ensure that you get the real feel of UPSC standards before you write the Mains. You already know the features of TLP. Just to reiterate briefly, in the TLP initiative, we post 5 questions daily for a certain number of weeks (11 for this one). We follow a micro plan that is designed to give you daily targets. The questions are from the day’s syllabus and also from current affairs and you are expected to write the answers and post them on the portal. This year onwards TLP will have a Dedicated Portal for Focused Preparation (tlpmains.iasbaba.com). There will be a separate dedicated portal similar to (The RaRe Series) which students loved and appreciated. The Portal will help you stay focused and keep your preparation streamlined. The Registration link for the dedicated portal is given at the end of the post. We are charging a token amount of 10/- for registration to the dedicated portal. We are doing it because we want to create a community of sincere aspirants who are focused and motivated till the Mains Examination. Please don’t take it otherwise. It is our honest effort to give you the best and at the same time expect students to come with the same energy and dedication to the dedicated platform specially designed for YOU! Join our bandwagon, you won’t regret it. UPSC 2023 Aspirants are encouraged to participate as well. Register Here - CLICK HERE  To Know More About TLP 2022 (Phase 2) - CLICK HERE To Access Day 20 Questions - CLICK HERE  P.S: The review from IASbaba will happen from the time the question is posted till 10 pm every day. We would also encourage peer reviews. So friends get actively involved and start reviewing each other’s answers. This will keep the entire community motivated. All the Best 

Jul 11, 2022 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 11th July 2022

Archives (PRELIMS & MAINS Focus) Zonal Council Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – Polity Mains – GS 2 (Polity – Co-operative Federalism) In News: Northern Zonal Council was held recently. Three states and as many Union Territories discussed issues of river water sharing, safety of women, setting up fast-track courts, cyber security and the issue of strengthening rural banking with union Home Minister during a meeting of the Northern Zonal Council in Jaipur. Issues discussed Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) asked the states to resolve the issues amicably and through discussion. Ministry stressed to take a cordial approach to the issue and find a time-bound solution. Discussion stressed that all stakeholders should come together to establish a strong cooperative mechanism for development, for which purpose the regional councils were created Meeting also stressed upon the States and Union Territories to conduct awareness campaigns on cyber-vigilance through various mediums It was also decided in the meeting that a committee chaired by the Union Home Secretary, along with all departments concerned and state governments, will prepare a strategy to deal with growing menace of cybercrime. Zonal Council Zonal Councils are the statutory bodies. They are established by an Act of the Parliament – States Reorganisation Act of 1956. The act divided the country into five zones– Northern, Central, Eastern, Western and Southern and provided a zonal council for each zone. While forming these zones, several factors have been taken into account which includes: The natural divisions of the country The river systems and means of communication The cultural and linguistic affinity The requirements of economic development, security and law and order In addition to the above mentioned Zonal Councils, a North-Eastern Council was created by a separate Act of Parliament, the North-Eastern Council Act of 1971. Its members include Assam, Manipur, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Meghalaya, Tripura and Sikkim. These are advisory bodies that make recommendations with regard to any matter of common interest in the field of economic and social planning between the Centre and States border disputes, linguistic minorities, inter-State transport or matters connected with the reorganisation of States. Organizational Structure: Chairman: The Union Home Minister is the Chairman of each of these Councils. Vice Chairman: The Chief Ministers of the States included in each zone act as Vice-Chairman of the Zonal Council for that zone by rotation, each holding office for a period of one year at a time. Members: Chief Minister and two other Ministers as nominated by the Governor from each of the States and two members from Union Territories included in the zone. Advisers: One person nominated by the NITI Aayog for each of the Zonal Councils, Chief Secretaries and another officer/Development Commissioner nominated by each of the States included in the Zone. Functions of the Councils: Any matter of common interest in the field of economic and social planning, Any matter concerning border disputes, linguistic minorities or inter-State transport, Any matter connected with or arising out of, the reorganization of the States under the States Reorganisation Act. Source: Indian Express Previous Year Question Q.1) Which of the following bodies does not/do not find mention in the Constitution? (2013) National Development Council Planning Commission Zonal Councils Select the correct answer using the codes given below: 1 and 2 only 2 only 1 and 3 only 1, 2 and 3 Re-wilding programme of red pandas Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – Environment In New: Singalila National Park launches programme that aims to release about 20 red pandas in a period of five years The number of red pandas has been declining in the wild, even in the Singalila and Neora Valley National Parks, the two protected areas where the endangered mammal is found in the wild in West Bengal. Recent studies estimate that there are 38 of them in Singalila and 32 in Neora. Red Panda Scientific Name: Ailurus fulgens Geographic habitat: Sikkim, West Bengal, Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh IUCN Status: Endangered The red panda is a small arboreal mammal found in the forests of India, Nepal, Bhutan and the northern mountains of Myanmar and southern China. It is a state animal of Sikkim. Red pandas are shy and solitary and considered an indicator species for ecological change. It thrives best at 2,200-4,800m, in mixed deciduous and conifer forests with dense under stories of bamboo. The recent studies have concluded that India is home to both the (sub) species — Himalayan red panda (Ailurus fulgens) and the Chinese red panda (Ailurus styani) and the Siang river in Arunachal Pradesh splits the two phylogenetic species. Singalila National Park Singalila National Park is a National park of India located on the Singalila Ridge at an altitude of more than 7000 feet above sea level, in the Darjeeling district of West Bengal. The park was declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1986, and was made an Indian national park in 1992. The park is part of the Eastern Himalayas. The Singalila Ridge, which runs roughly North to South and separates Himalayan West Bengal from the other Eastern Himalayan ranges to the west of it. The two highest peaks of West Bengal, Sandakphu (3630 m) and Phalut (3600 m), are located on the ridge and inside the park. Rammam river and Srikhola River flow through the park. Source: The Hindu Previous Year Question Q.1) With reference to Indian elephants, consider the following statements: (2020) The leader of an elephant group is a female. The maximum gestation period can be 22 months. An elephant can normally go on calving till the age of 40 years only. Among the States in India, the highest elephant population is in Kerala. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? 1 and 2 only 2 and 4 only 3 only 1, 3 and 4 only Artificial diet and feeding device for mosquitoes Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – Science and Technology In News: The ICMR-Vector Control Research Centre (VCRC), Puducherry, has filed patent applications for two of its unique products — an artificial diet and feeding device for mosquitoes reared in laboratory — with the Indian Patent Office recently. The team has also planned to approach to patent it at global level. The two products allow efficient and cost-effective mass-rearing of mosquitoes in laboratory as it is important to keep these mosquitoes healthy to investigate basic facets of their biology and to study vector-borne disease and measures to control it. It is quite challenging to keep regular supply of blood from blood banks and to obtain animal ethical clearance to ensure regular supply of blood for rearing mosquitoes for research purposes Hence the Institute have zeroed in on four artificial diets for feeding. These four diets prepared for female mosquitoes are like a baby formula food and has all the essential nutrients, which are present in the blood. These diets would attract hungry female mosquitoes to accept the meal, taste it like blood, produce healthy and viable eggs which should hatch like normal eggs, form healthy useful for laboratory research and mass production whenever necessary. It was very difficult to maintain the feed temperature to the optimum level of 37 C, which is human body temperature, by usual water circulation or by using the melted wax. Hence a device with controlled temperature was invented, a prototype made and also evaluated for mosquito feeding capability. This could easily replace the conventional hot water circulator-based feeding device Significance These products are commercially viable and technically sound and has great potential in rearing mosquitoes for research purposes and also for the mass production of mosquitoes for their control based on sterile insect technology, population replacement, or population reduction study and Wolbachia endosymbiont bacteria-based control operations. Source: The Hindu Previous Year Question Q.1) Bollgard I and Bollgard II technologies are mentioned in the context of (2021) clonal propagation of crop plants. developing genetically modified crop plants. production of plant growth substances. production of biofertilizers. New species of Miliusa – Miliusa Agasthyamala Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – Geography In News: New species of Miliusa spotted in Agasthyamala Researchers have identified a new species of evergreen tree belonging to the genus Miliusa from the Agasthyamala biosphere reserve in the southern arm of the Western Ghats in the Thiruvananthapuram district. What makes the discovery special is that only two mature trees have been spotted so far in its natural habitat The tree, which grows to a height of about six to nine metres with drooping branches, has been named Miliusa agasthyamalana after the location where it was found. The identification of the new species has also taken the total number of species of Miliusa found in India to 25. Spotted during a floristic survey in the Athirumala range of the Agasthyamala biosphere, the new species is morphologically similar to Miliusa paithalmalayana and Miliusa wightiana. The researchers came across the new Miliusa species at elevations ranging between 1000-1250 metres. Miliusa agasthyamalana has brown bark, and solitary flowers which are yellowish-pink in colour. Flowering and fruiting occur during April-July. Given the small number of mature individuals that have been found, researchers have recommended that the species be categorised as critically endangered (CR). Agasthyamala Biosphere Reserve (ABR) ABR in situated at the southern-most end of the Western Ghats and spread over two southern states Kerala and Tamil Nadu. It was established in 2001. It is named after Agastya Mala peak that rises up to almost 1868 metres above sea level, in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. In March 2016, it was included in the World Network of Biosphere Reserves of UNESCO. ABR covers an area of 3,500 sq km at an altitude ranging from 100 metres to 1,868 metres above the Mean Sea Level. It covers Peppara and Shendurney wildlife sanctuaries and parts of the Neyyar sanctuary in Kerala and the Kalakad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve of Tamil Nadu. Its flora mostly consists of tropical forests and is home to 2,254 species of higher plants including about 400 that are endemic. About 400 Red Listed Plants, 125 species of orchids and rare, endemic and threatened plants have been recorded from the reserve. A number of tribal settlements comprising a total population of 3,000 inhabit the biosphere reserve. They rely largely on biological resources for their sustenance, although recent projects have been set up to reduce their dependence on the forests. Source: The Hindu Previous Year Question Q.1) Which one of the following are Agasthyamala biosphere reserve? (2019) Neyyar, peppara and shendurney wildlife sanctuaries and kalakad mundanthurai tiger reserve Mudumalai sathayamangalam and Wayanad wildlife sanctuaries and silent valley national park Kaundinya gundla bhrameshwaram and papikonda wildlife sanctuaries and mukurthi national park Kawal and Shree Venkateshwara wildlife sanctuaries; and Nagarjunasagar-srisailam tiger. Ancient jawbone dug up in Spain’s Burgos city Open in new  window Syllabus Prelims – Current Affairs In News: Atapuerca Foundation in Spain dug up an ancient jawbone that could help understand Europe’s earliest human civilisation The surprise find, which could be about 1.4 million years old, could also give vital clues to the evolution of the human face over the millennia The fossilised fragment of an upper jaw and cheekbone was found near caves in the Atapuerca Mountains in northern Spain’s Burgos province, the site of other ancient remains.   Source: The Hindu Previous Year Question Q.1) The word ‘Denisovan’ is sometimes mentioned in media in reference to (2019) fossils of a kind of dinosaurs an early human species a cave system found in North-East India a geological period in the history of Indian subcontinent Forest (Conservation) Rules, 2022 Open in new  window Syllabus Prelims – Environment In News: New forest rules dilute tribal rights. Recently, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has issued the Forest (Conservation) Rules, 2022. Key Provisions Formation of Committees: It constituted an Advisory Committee, a regional empowered committee at each of the integrated regional offices and a screening committee at State/Union Territory (UT) government-level. Advisory Committee: The role of the Advisory Committee is restricted to advise or recommend with regards to grant of approval under relevant sections in respect of proposals referred to it and any matter connected with the conservation of forests referred to it by the Central government. Project Screening Committee: The MoEFCC has directed the constitution of a project screening committee in each state/UT for an initial review of proposals involving diversion of forest land. The five-member committee will meet at least twice every month and will advise the state governments on projects in a time bound manner. Regional Empowered Committees: All linear projects (roads, highways, etc), projects involving forest land up to 40 hectares and those that have projected a use of forest land having a canopy density up to 0.7 — irrespective of their extent for the purpose of survey — shall be examined in the Integrated Regional Office. Responsibility to states: States are given the responsibility of settling forest rights of forest dwellers (Forest Rights Act, 2006) and allowing diversion of forest land. Allows compensatory afforestation (CA) in other states: If the state already has over two-thirds area under green cover or over one-third area under forest cover, then CA could be taken in other states/UTs where the cover is less than 20% Concerns The new Forest Conservation Rules do not mention the earlier requirement of attaining a gram sabha NOC before diverting forest land for a project. They also allow forest rights to be settled after the final approval for forest clearances has been granted by the Centre Since forest rights now needs to be carried out by the state government, state governments will be under even greater pressure from the Centre to accelerate the process of diversion of forest land Source: Indian Express Previous Year Question Q.1) Consider the following statements: (2019) As per recent amendment to the Indian Forest Act, 1927, forest dwellers have the right to fell the bamboos grown on forest areas. As per the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006, bamboo is a minor forest produce. The Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 allows ownership of minor forest produce to forest dwellers. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? 1 and 2 only 2 and 3 only 3 only 1, 2 and 3 Cloudbursts Open in new  window Syllabus: Prelims – Geography Mains – GS 1 (Geography); GS 3 (Disaster Management) In News: Highly-localised rains in Amarnath, J&K, caused flooding and loss of lives. What is a cloudburst? A cloudburst refers to an extreme amount of rain that happens in a short period, sometimes accompanied by hail and thunder. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) defines it as unexpected precipitation exceeding 100mm (or 10 cm) per hour over a geographical region of approximately 20 to 30 square km. Basically, all instances of cloudbursts involve heavy rain in a short period, but all instances of heavy rain in a short period are not cloudbursts if they do not fit this criterion. Why do cloudbursts occur in hilly areas? Due to their definition dealing with a very small area, it is difficult to accurately predict and identify cloudbursts immediately. However, they are more likely to occur in mountainous zones mainly because of terrain and elevation. This is because, in hilly areas, sometimes saturated clouds ready to condense into rain cannot produce rain, due to the upward movement of the very warm current of air. Instead of falling downwards, raindrops are carried upwards by the air current. New drops are formed and existing raindrops increase in size. After a point, the raindrops become too heavy for the cloud to hold on to, and they drop down together in a quick flash. Source: Indian Express Previous Year Question Q.1) Consider the following statements: (2020) Jet streams occur in the Northern Hemisphere only. Only some cyclones develop an eye. The temperature inside the eye of a cyclone is nearly 10°C lesser than that of the surroundings. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? 1 only 2 and 3 only 2 only 1 and 3 only Transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy Open in new  window Syllabus: Prelims – Current Affairs Mains – GS 3 (Economy) In News: The global transition away from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources could trigger financial challenges for India and major developing countries because of their high dependence on revenues from fossil fuel, according to a study by the International Institute of Sustainable Development (IISD) Though India is a net importer of petroleum products, it earns substantial revenues — via cesses and taxes — from the consumption of petrol, diesel and oil. The study finds that by 2050, overall fossil fuel revenues in Brazil, Russia, Indonesia, India and China could be as much as $570 billion lower than a business-as-usual scenario where governments fail to phase down fossil fuels enough to avoid the worst climate impacts. The widest gaps are expected to occur in India ($178 billion), China ($140 billion), and Russia ($134 billion). Public revenues from fossil fuel production and consumption currently account for 34% of general government revenue in Russia, 18% in India, and 16% in Indonesia. This includes only direct, first-order, government financial revenues — fossil fuel dependence would be much larger if private incomes and flow-on effects in these economies were added. Fossil fuel revenue streams, were unreliable and erratic and undermined by the negative economic impacts of fossil fuel use such as health costs due to air pollution and damage from climate change. Emerging economies have an enormous opportunity to build more resilient and economically sustainable energy systems as they decarbonise — but they must plan ahead to avoid shortfalls in public revenues that could reverse progress on poverty eradication and economic development International Institute of Sustainable Development (IISD) The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) is an independent think tank working to fulfill a bold commitment: to create a world where people and the planet thrive. Source: The Hindu Sannati Prelims – History In News: Hardly paid attention to for two decades, Archaeological Survey of India has now taken up conservation work at this important Buddhist site near Kalaburagi. The ancient Buddhist site on the bank of Bhima river near Kanaganahalli (forming part of Sannati site) in Kalaburagi district, has finally got some attention. The conservation project taken up now envisages the resetting of the remains of Maha Stupa retrieved in the excavation The stupa was built with locally available limestone. About the place Sannati and Kanaganahalli were small and ordinary villages on the bank of Bhima till 1986 when the Kali temple at the Chandralamba temple complex in Sannati collapsed. In the process of clearing the debris, they discovered an Ashokan edict which put the villages on the world map and opened new avenues of historical research on Mauryan Emperor Ashoka and Buddhism in its early years. It prompted the ASI excavations at Sannati and nearby Kanaganahalli and attracted historians across India and beyond. Kanaganahalli excavation An ‘abandoned well’ in the eyes of local villagers turned out to be the magnificent Maha Stupa, which was referred to as Adholoka Maha Chaitya in the inscriptions. More significantly, the stone-portrait of Emperor Ashoka, surrounded by his queens and female attendants was also found While the Stupa is believed to be one of the largest of its time, the stone-portrait is considered to be the only surviving image of the Mauryan Emperor which had the inscription ‘Raya Asoko’ in Brahmi on it. The Maha Stupa is believed to have been developed in three constructional phases – Maurya, Early Satavahana and Later Satavahana periods stretching from 3rd Century B.C. to 3rd Century A.D. The Stupa is believed to have been destroyed in an earthquake. The recoveries included around 60 dome slabs with the sculptural rendering of Jataka stories, Portrait of Ashoka, Shatavahana monarchs and certain unique depictions of Buddhist missionaries sent by Ashoka to different parts; 72 drum-slabs decorated with a variety of Dharma-Chakras, Stupas, the first sermon, Bodhi-tree, Naga Muchulinda, Viihara complexes; Over 10 inscribed sculptures of the Buddha, over a dozen Buddha-Padas; Fragments of Ayaka pillars, umbrella stones and shafts, parts of sculptures of Yakshas and lion and 250 Brahmi inscriptions with varied paleographical features. Source: The Hindu Previous Year Question Q.1) Site of Ashoka’s major rock edicts                     Location in the State of (2022) Dhauli —                                                                      Odisha Erragudi —                                                         Andhra Pradesh Jaugada —                                                            Madhya Pradesh Kalsi             —                                                          Karnataka How many pairs given above are correctly matched? Only one pair Only two pairs Only three pairs All four pairs Start Up Mains – GS 3 (Economy) In News: With funding starting to dry up, the startup ecosystem in India is bracing itself for a “long and bitter winter”. Potential mass lay-offs in the next 12-18 months, particularly in sectors such as ed-tech and gaming that got a significant push during the pandemic Industry estimates peg the cumulative job losses in startups at over 10,000 so far this year A slew of factors have led start ups here, including the Russia-Ukraine conflict, supply chain disruptions, consequent inflationary pressures, and rising cost of capital, amongst others. Central Banks around the globe are raising interest rates curbing excessive liquidity in the economy, which is squeezing out funds for the start-ups. Challenges in fund-raising The global slowdown and tightening monetary conditions will likely add to investors’ uncertainty and situation may not improve till the US economy revives. However, India-focused start-ups may have a better value and revival will be higher in the days to come as India is expected to bounce back shortly. All these challenges may succumb to a sharp correction in valuations, forced mergers and acquisitions, and a decrease in venture capitalist funding. However, this may also help stronger companies and genuine start-ups with a better product to emerge from the crisis. Source: The Hindu Daily Practice MCQs Daily Practice MCQs Q.1) Consider the following statements about Zonal Council Zonal Councils are the statutory bodies established under States Reorganisation Act of 1956 The Union Home Minister is the Chairman of the council It’s recommendations are binding on the Centre and State Government Choose the correct statements: 1 only 1 and 2 2 only 1, 2 and 3 Q.2) Consider the following statements India is home to both the Himalayan red panda and the Chinese red panda In India red panda is found only in the states of Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh It is listed as critically endangered species under IUCN Red list Choose the incorrect statements: 1 and 2 1, 2 and 3 2 and 3 3 only Q.3) Sannati and Kanaganahalli, region recently in news is related to? Ancient Buddhist sites Lithium reserves of India Places of western India mentioned in Sangam literature World’s largest floating solar power plant Comment the answers to the above questions in the comment section below!! ANSWERS FOR ’11th JULY 2022 – Daily Practice MCQs’ will be updated along with tomorrow’s Daily Current Affairs. ANSWERS FOR 9th JULY 2022 – Daily Practice MCQs Answers- Daily Practice MCQs Q.1) – b Q.2) – d Q.3) – c

Jul 11, 2022 Daily Prelims CA Quiz

UPSC Quiz – 2022 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz 11th July 2022

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

Jul 11, 2022 TLP Mains Answer Writing

IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 2): UPSC Mains Answer Writing – General Studies 1 Questions [11th July, 2022] – Day 19

Hello Students  TLP has been an integral ingredient of success for many toppers and is no secret. In the ‘must do’ list for the civil services exam, TLP is by far the most popular initiative. The popularity stems from the unparalleled quality of questions and synopsis posted in TLP. We strive hard to ensure that you get the real feel of UPSC standards before you write the Mains. You already know the features of TLP. Just to reiterate briefly, in the TLP initiative, we post 5 questions daily for a certain number of weeks (11 for this one). We follow a micro plan that is designed to give you daily targets. The questions are from the day’s syllabus and also from current affairs and you are expected to write the answers and post them on the portal. This year onwards TLP will have a Dedicated Portal for Focused Preparation (tlpmains.iasbaba.com). There will be a separate dedicated portal similar to (The RaRe Series) which students loved and appreciated. The Portal will help you stay focused and keep your preparation streamlined. The Registration link for the dedicated portal is given at the end of the post. We are charging a token amount of 10/- for registration to the dedicated portal. We are doing it because we want to create a community of sincere aspirants who are focused and motivated till the Mains Examination. Please don’t take it otherwise. It is our honest effort to give you the best and at the same time expect students to come with the same energy and dedication to the dedicated platform specially designed for YOU! Join our bandwagon, you won’t regret it. UPSC 2023 Aspirants are encouraged to participate as well. Register Here - CLICK HERE  To Know More About TLP 2022 (Phase 2) - CLICK HERE To Access Day 19 Questions - CLICK HERE  P.S: The review from IASbaba will happen from the time the question is posted till 10 pm every day. We would also encourage peer reviews. So friends get actively involved and start reviewing each other’s answers. This will keep the entire community motivated. All the Best 

Jul 9, 2022 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

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

Archives (PRELIMS & MAINS Focus) Defence exports Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – Current Affairs Mains – GS 3 (Science & Technology; Economy – Development) In News: India’s defence exports for 2021-22 were estimated at ₹13,000 crore, the highest ever. The S. was a major buyer, as also nations in Southeast Asia, West Asia and Africa. The private sector accounted for 70% of the exports, while public sector firms accounted for the rest. Earlier, the private sector used to account for 90% but now the share of defence public sector units had gone up. While India’s defence imports from the U.S. have gone up significantly in recent years, Indian companies have been increasingly becoming part of the supply chains of U.S. defence companies. In January, India signed a $374.96-million deal with the Philippines, its single biggest defence export order, for the supply of three batteries of shore-based anti-ship variant of the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile. Issues retarding defence exports Excess reliance on Public Sector: India has four companies (Indian ordnance factories, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) and Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL)) among the top 100 biggest arms producers of the world. Policy delays: In the past few years, the government has approved over 200 defence acquisition worth Rs 4 trillion, but most are still in relatively early stages of processing. Lack of Critical Technologies: Poor design capability in critical technologies, inadequate investment in R&D and the inability to manufacture major subsystems and components hamper the indigenous manufacturing. Long gestation: The creation of a manufacturing base is capital and technology-intensive and has a long gestation period. By that time newer technologies make products outdated. Unease in doing business: An issue related to stringent labour laws, compliance burden and lack of skills, affects the development of indigenous manufacturing in defence. Multiple jurisdictions: Overlapping jurisdiction of the Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Industrial Promotion impair India’s capability of defence manufacturing. Lack of quality: The higher indigenization in few cases is largely attributed to the low-end technology. Lack of R&D: A lip service to technology funding by making token allocations is an adequate commentary on our lack of seriousness in the area of Research and Development. Lack of skills: There is a lack of engineering and research capability in our institutions. Steps taken by the Centre to boost defence production Licensing relaxation: Measures announced to boost exports since 2014 include simplified defence industrial licensing, relaxation of export controls and grant of no-objection certificates. Lines of Credit: Specific incentives introduced under the foreign trade policy has facilitated Lines of Credit for countries to import defence product. Indigenization lists: On the domestic front, to boost indigenous manufacturing, the Government had issued two positive indigenization lists consisting of 209 items that cannot be imported. Budgetary allocation: In addition, a percentage of the capital outlay of the defence budget has been reserved for procurement from domestic industry. There is a need to create an environment for greater participation of private industry, a stable macro-economic and political environment, and a transparent business environment which encourages fair competition. Source: The Hindu Previous Year Question Q.1) With reference to the international trade of India at present, which of the following statements is/are correct? (2020) India’s merchandise exports are less than its merchandise imports. India’s imports of iron and steel, chemicals, fertilisers and machinery have decreased in recent years. India’s exports of services are more than its imports of services. India suffers from an overall trade/current account deficit. Select the correct answer using the code given below: 1 and 2 only 2 and 4 only 3 only 1, 3 and 4 only IPBES Assessment Report on the Sustainable Use of Wild Species Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – Current Affairs -Environment Mains – GS 3 (Environment) In News: A report by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) was released. The IPBES Assessment Report on the Sustainable Use of Wild Species has been carried out over four years. Key findings A report has found that with the accelerating global biodiversity crisis, a million species of plants and animals are facing extinction. Humans depend on 50,000 wild species for various things, including food, energy, medicine, material and other purposes, directly depend on 10,000 species for food and that over-exploitation is one of the main reasons for biodiversity degradation. People all over the world directly use about 7,500 species of wild fish and aquatic invertebrates, 31,100 wild plants, of which 7,400 species are trees, 1,500 species of fungi, 1,700 species of wild terrestrial invertebrates and 7,500 species of wild amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals. Wild plants, algae and fungi provide food, nutritional diversity and income for an estimated one in five people around the world, in particular women, children, landless farmers and others in vulnerable situations. Approximately 4 billion people, or one-third of the global population, rely on fuel wood for cooking and an estimated 880 million people globally log firewood or produce charcoal, particularly in developing countries. Globally, wild tree species provide two thirds of industrial roundwood and half of all wood consumed for energy. Small-scale fisheries support over 90% of the 120 million people and about half of the people involved in small-scale fisheries are women. The report finds that 34% of marine wildlife is overfished. Over-exploitation has been identified as the main threat to wild species in marine ecosystems and the second greatest threat to those in terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems. Unsustainable fishing is the main cause for the increased extinction risk of sharks and rays over the past half century. Unsustainable hunting has been identified as a threat for 1,341 wild mammal species, including 669 species that were assessed as threatened. An estimated 12% of wild tree species are threatened by unsustainable logging and unsustainable gathering is one of the main threats for several plant groups, notably cacti, cycads, and orchids as well as other plants and fungi harvested for medicinal purposes. Unsustainable harvest contributes towards elevated extinction risk for 28-29% of near-threatened and threatened species from 10 taxonomic groups assessed on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Source: Indian Express Leadership development programme Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – Economy – Current Affairs In News: The FSIB has asked the Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) to appoint an institution or firm to design and deliver a leadership development programme for PSU banks (PSBs). Recently, Financial Services Institutions Bureau (FSIB) stated it will select top officials of banks via a grooming process under a leadership development programme. The programme aims to groom business leaders of the PSBs who should be ready to assume top management and board level positions in PSBs and to drive long-term sustainable business in a competitive market place The firm which will design and execute the programme will be selected by the IBA through a bidding process. The objective is to develop future generation of leaders who are digitally savvy, strategic thinkers with capability to build highly collaborative teams and create a customer centric organisation that thrives in a very dynamic competitive environment. The programme will up-skill around 75 participants in the senior management. The proposed firm should have capability to design and deliver a training programme for senior officers of PSU banks that can be delivered through three modes — online as e-learning modules, online through live webinars, meetings and through in-person mode. Financial Services Institutions Bureau Recently, Cabinet Appointments Committee (ACC) has passed a government resolution to establish the Financial Services Institutions Bureau (FSIB) in place of the Banks Board Bureau (BBB). The Financial Services Institutions Bureau will select the chiefs of public sector banks and insurance companies. The FSIB will have the clear mandate to issue guidelines and select general managers and directors of state-run non-life insurers, general insurers and Financial Institutions. FSIB will be the single entity for making recommendations for appointments of WTD (Whole-time Director) and NEC (Non-executive Chairman) in Public Sector Banks, India Private Limited company and Financial Institutions. The ACC has approved the appointment of Bhanu Pratap Sharma as Initial chairperson of FSIB for two years. He was the former Chairman of BBB. Banks Board Bureau (BBB) The government, in 2016, approved the constitution of the BBB to make recommendations for appointment of whole-time directors as well as non-executive chairpersons of Public Sector Banks (PSBs) and state-owned financial institutions. It was an autonomous recommendation body. Issues Delhi High Court had struck down the BBB’s power to select directors of Public Sector Undertaking, general insurance companies Delhi High Court in 2020 ruled that the BBB couldn’t select the general managers and directors of state-run general insurers, as it was not a competent body. Source: Indian Express Previous Year Question Q.1) The Chairmen of public sector banks are selected by the (2019) Banks Board Bureau Reserve Bank of India Union Ministry of Finance Management of concerned bank Q.2) With reference of the ‘Banks Board Bureau (BBB)’, which of the following statements are correct? (2022) The Governor of RBI is the Chairman of BBB. BBB recommends for the selection of heads for Public Sector Banks. BBB helps the Public Sector Banks in Developing strategies and capital raising plans. Select the correct answer using the code given below: 1 and 2 only 2 and 3 only 1 and 3 only 1, 2 and 2 PM Gati Shakti scheme Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – Current Affairs – Infrastructure Mains – GS 3 (Infrastructure) In News: The states are being onboarded for real-time project coordination and collective decision-making in Pm Gati Shakti scheme. With the states being onboarded aim is to reduce the time taken to plan and award a project by at least a third. Recently, at the meeting chaired by Prime Minister and state chief secretaries, all state governments are learnt to have agreed to support the project. The focus is on reducing the time taken to award a project — starting from preparation of a detailed project report (DPR) till the project is assigned. While the process usually takes about 16-18 months, it is estimated that it could take just five-six months under the Gati Shakti scheme if a coordinated, real-time approach is implemented. PM Gati Shakti PM Gati Shakti plan envisages a centralised portal to unite the infrastructural initiatives planned and initiated by as many as 16 central ministries and departments. GatiShakti targets to cut logistic costs, increase cargo handling capacity and reduce the turnaround time. It is a campaign to lend more speed (Gati) and power (Shakti) to projects by connecting all concerned departments on one platform. This way, the infrastructure schemes of various ministries and state governments will be designed and executed with a common vision. Pillars of Gati Shakti: Comprehensiveness: It will include all the existing and planned initiatives of various Ministries and Departments with one centralized portal. Each and every Department will now have visibility of each other’s activities providing critical data while planning & execution of projects in a comprehensive manner. Prioritization: Through this, different Departments will be able to prioritize their projects through cross-—sectoral interactions. Optimization: The National Master Plan will assist different ministries in planning for projects after identification of critical gaps. For the transportation of the goods from one place to another, the plan will help in selecting the most optimum route in terms of time and cost. Synchronization: PM GatiShakti will help in synchronizing the activities of each department, as well as of different layers of governance, in a holistic manner by ensuring coordination of work between them. Analytical: The plan will provide the entire data at one place with GIS based spatial planning and analytical tools having 200+ layers, enabling better visibility to the executing agency. Dynamic: All Ministries and Departments will now be able to visualize, review and monitor the progress of cross-sectoral projects, through the GIS platform, as the satellite imagery will give on-ground progress periodically and progress of the projects will be updated on a regular basis on the portal. It will help in identifying the vital interventions for enhancing and updating the master plan. Source: Indian Express Previous Year Question Q.1) Which of the following is/are the aim/aims of “Digital India” Plan of the Government of India? (2018) Formation of India’s own Internet companies like China did. Establish a policy framework to encourage overseas multinational corporations that collect Big Data to build their large data centres within our national geographical boundaries. Connect many of our villages to the Internet and bring Wi-Fi to many of our schools, public places and major tourist centres. Select the correct answer using the code given below: 1 and 2 only 3 only 2 and 3 only 1, 2 and 3 Forest landscape restoration Open in new  window Syllabus Mains – GS 3 (Environment) Context:  In fight against climate change and its impact, Forest landscape restoration has gained focus. According to the IUCN, deforestation and forest degradation contribute around 12% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Typically, governments have relied on afforestation and reforestation as a means of establishing trees on non-treed land. These strategies have now evolved. The focus is now on forest landscape restoration — the process of regaining ecological functionality and improving human welfare across deforested or degraded forest landscapes. Forest landscape restoration Forest landscape restoration seeks to involve communities in the process of designing and executing mutually advantageous interventions for the upgradation of landscapes. Nearly two billion hectares of degraded land in the world (and 140 million hectares in India) have scope for potential restoration as forest land. Crucial Aspect A crucial aspect of this process is to ensure the diversity of the species while planting trees. Natural forests with diverse native tree species are more efficient in sequestering carbon than monoculture tree plantations. Planting diverse species is also healthier for local communities and their livelihoods Importance of forest Forests are integral in regulating ecosystems, influencing the carbon cycle and mitigating the effects of climate change. Annually, forests absorb roughly 2.6 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide. This absorption includes nearly 33% of the carbon dioxide released from burning fossil fuels. Millions of lives and livelihoods are intertwined with our forests. Forests are a boon for local communities and their livelihoods by functioning as a resource base for goods and services. Forest ecosystems enrich soil fertility and water availability, enhancing agricultural productivity, and in turn the rural economy. Tree planting prevents erosion and stems flooding. Sustainable forest crops reduce food insecurity and empower women, allowing them to gain access to more nutritional diets and new income streams. Agroforestry lessens rural-to-urban migration and contributes to an increase in resources and household income. India and programmes India joined the Bonn Challenge in 2015, pledging to restore 26 million hectares of degraded and deforested land by 2030. An additional carbon sink of 5 billion-3 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent through forest and tree cover is to be created by 2030 as announced recently. Government programmes includes Compensatory Afforestation, the National Afforestation Programme, the National Mission for a Green India (Green India Mission), the Nagar Van scheme and the Forest Fire Prevention and Management Scheme to name a few. There is a spotlight on youth via the Green Skill Development Programme for youth who aspire to attain employment in the environment and forest sectors. However, forest restoration in India faces hurdles in terms of the identification of areas for restoration, a lack of importance accorded to research and scientific strategies in tree planting, stakeholders’ conflicts of interest, and financing. What is the right way to undertake tree plantation drives? Forest landscape restoration must be implemented proactively, bolstering landscapes and forest ecosystems to be durable and adjustable in the face of future challenges and societal needs. It also needs the involvement and the alignment of a host of stakeholders including the community, champions, government and landowners. Vulnerable forest-dependent communities should be factored in, and any effort should be tailored to the local socio-economic context and landscape history of a region. Source: The Hindu Gender Equality Open in new  window Syllabus Mains – GS 1 (Social Issues) Context: New Zealand Cricket striking a deal to remunerate its women cricketers the same as their male counterparts is a major landmark in the fight to close the gender pay gap in sports. From August, New Zealand’s men and women players will be entitled to the same match fees, both at the international and domestic levels. This comes four months after the United States’ women’s national footballers won the six-year-long battle with their federation to secure equal compensation. The agreements are expected to be game changers, encouraging more girls to take up the sports. Barriers Historically, men taking to sport and following sport have been organic exercises, largely because of social conditioning. Women, on the other hand, have been forced to internalise that sporting participation and fandom are not for them. Unequal opportunities, curtailed playing time and lack of investment are the factors that are holding women back. In cricket, any move to narrow the monetary gap between men and women, especially in India, is silenced by citing lower market ratings for the ladies’ game. The need of the hour is to eliminate such barriers and improve access. Reducing the pay gap is a step in right direction.  It is time the vicious cycle of fewer women accessing sports, fewer women becoming professionals and hence fewer women having commercial opportunities is broken and the glacial pace of the journey towards pay parity hastened. Source: The Hindu Beating the heat Open in new  window Syllabus: Mains – GS 3 (Environment) Context: India must include financial incentives for adoption of effective cooling plans. India has been registering instances of anomalous weather with alarming frequency with an erratic monsoon, landslides, coastal erosion etc. Rising temperature An analysis of public weather data over the last half a century by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), suggests that the all-India average temperature during the monsoon months (June-September) is higher than the summer months (March-May). Monsoon temperatures are 0.4°C higher than average summer temperatures in 2012-2021. From 2015-2020, 2,137 people had reportedly died due to heat stroke in northwest India and southern India had reported 2,444 deaths due to excess environmental heat, with Andhra Pradesh accounting for over half the reported casualties. The urban heat island effect — whereby cities because of concrete surfaces and dense populations tend to on average be hotter than rural habitations — also contributed to heat stress. Steps taken Indian authorities are cognisant of these trends with some States, led by Gujarat, having Heat Action Plans (HAP). The National Disaster Management Authority is working with 23 out of 28 heat-prone States to develop HAPs that stress changes in the built environment using material that keeps the indoors cooler, having an early warning system about heatwaves and improving health infrastructure to treat heat stroke patients. Way Ahead It is time that India includes financial incentives, preferably via Budget outlays, for effective cooling plans. Adapting to and mitigating this most visceral challenge is the need of the hour. Source: The Hindu MSMEs Open in new  window Syllabus: Mains – GS 3 (Economy) Context: Delayed payments for small firms stifle economic growth Delayed Payments Delayed payments to suppliers who are often MSMEs is a norm set by buyers who are often big companies and public sector units. One estimates suggest that payments worth Rs 6.3-10.7 lakh crore were delayed to MSMEs during 2020-21 with the average days for the delays for micro, small and medium enterprises estimated to be 194, 68 and 46 days respectively. Foregoing business opportunities due to lack of liquidity For every day that a payment is delayed, there is an erosion of value. It locks in capital that could have been deployed gainfully. The fact that this is a problem largely faced by cash-strapped and credit-starved MSMEs, makes the erosion of value even more acute. Micro and small enterprises borrow at comparatively higher costs and often operate in very competitive environments, surviving on razor-thin margins. Foregoing business opportunities due to lack of liquidity is not just detrimental to the specific firm or enterprise but is a deterrent to the overall growth of MSMEs. Other types of costs incurred The other types of costs incurred by such supplier firms include the time spent and the personnel costs employed to recover payments as well as the business forgone due to disrupted cash flows. The issue needs to be addressed at multiple levels. Intervention from the government This kind of intervention should aim at changing the business culture and thereby strengthening all enterprises across the supply chain. On this front, the MSME 2006 Act and the SAMADHAN platform are both steps in the right direction, but there are gaps. There are close to one lakh complaints at present on the portal, amounting to Rs 25,000 crore. But the disposal rate is low, suggesting that the mechanism is not backed by the necessary wherewithal to address the issues. Also regulatory interventions are needed to shift the onus of timely payments onto the buyer firms. On the supply chain financing and in-time credit – Market-based solutions lead to efficiency gains and maintain amicable supplier-buyer relations while easing cash flows for MSMEs. Strengthening associations and credit practices of MSMEs – entrepreneurs learn to develop a unique value proposition for their services over time, to quicken this, MSMEs need to coalesce and work towards gaining sustainable credit terms. The problem of delayed payments is a systematic one. It gives buyers an advantage that the economy cannot afford. On the other hand, small businesses and supplier firms have to work with a rising cost of capital due to delays and uncertainty in terms of planning business cycles. If this issue is not addressed now, it will only add to the burden on the MSMEs, working against the smaller supplier firms and crippling economic activity for the vast majority of entrepreneurs in the country. Source: Indian Express Daily Practice MCQs Daily Practice MCQs Q.1) Consider the following statements Financial Services Institutions Bureau (FSIB) replaced the Banks Board Bureau (BBB). Financial Services Institutions Bureau is headed by the Governor of RIB. FSIB will select the chiefs of public sector banks and insurance companies. Choose the correct statements: 1 only 1 and 3 3 only 1, 2 and 3 Q.2) Consider the following statements about PM Gati Shakti Scheme It is a multi-modal connectivity plan, with the aim of coordinated planning and execution of infrastructure projects to bring down logistics costs. The scheme subsumed the Rs 110 lakh crore National Infrastructure Pipeline scheme Choose the incorrect statements: 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.3) Consider the following statements about Dragon fruit The dragon fruit is indigenous to the China It is hardy and grows in diverse climatic conditions with varied soils Presently Mizoram tops among the States that cultivate this fruit in India Choose the correct statements: 1, 2 and 3 1 and 2 2 and 3 1 and 3 Comment the answers to the above questions in the comment section below!! ANSWERS FOR ’9th JULY 2022 – Daily Practice MCQs’ will be updated along with tomorrow’s Daily Current Affairs. ANSWERS FOR 8th JULY 2022 – Daily Practice MCQs Answers- Daily Practice MCQs Q.1) – a Q.2) – c Q.3) – d

Jul 9, 2022 TLP Mains Answer Writing

IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 2): UPSC Mains Answer Writing – General Studies 4 Questions [8th July, 2022] – Day 17

Hello Students  TLP has been an integral ingredient of success for many toppers and is no secret. In the ‘must do’ list for the civil services exam, TLP is by far the most popular initiative. The popularity stems from the unparalleled quality of questions and synopsis posted in TLP. We strive hard to ensure that you get the real feel of UPSC standards before you write the Mains. You already know the features of TLP. Just to reiterate briefly, in the TLP initiative, we post 5 questions daily for a certain number of weeks (11 for this one). We follow a micro plan that is designed to give you daily targets. The questions are from the day’s syllabus and also from current affairs and you are expected to write the answers and post them on the portal. This year onwards TLP will have a Dedicated Portal for Focused Preparation (tlpmains.iasbaba.com). There will be a separate dedicated portal similar to (The RaRe Series) which students loved and appreciated. The Portal will help you stay focused and keep your preparation streamlined. The Registration link for the dedicated portal is given at the end of the post. We are charging a token amount of 10/- for registration to the dedicated portal. We are doing it because we want to create a community of sincere aspirants who are focused and motivated till the Mains Examination. Please don’t take it otherwise. It is our honest effort to give you the best and at the same time expect students to come with the same energy and dedication to the dedicated platform specially designed for YOU! Join our bandwagon, you won’t regret it. UPSC 2023 Aspirants are encouraged to participate as well. Register Here - CLICK HERE  To Know More About TLP 2022 (Phase 2) - CLICK HERE To Access Day 17 Questions - CLICK HERE  P.S: The review from IASbaba will happen from the time the question is posted till 10 pm every day. We would also encourage peer reviews. So friends get actively involved and start reviewing each other’s answers. This will keep the entire community motivated. All the Best