Jul 22, 2022 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

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

Archives (PRELIMS & MAINS Focus) Retirement age of Judges of Higher Judiciary Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – Polity Mains – GS 2 (Polity – Judiciary) In News: Union Minister for Law and Justice told the Parliament that there is no proposal to increase the retirement age of Supreme Court and High Court judges. The Constitution (114th Amendment) Bill was introduced in 2010 to increase the retirement age of high court judges to 65. However, it was not taken up for consideration in Parliament and lapsed with the dissolution of the 15 Lok Sabha According to Article 124(2) of the Constitution, the age of retirement for Supreme Court judges is 65. As per Article 217(1) of the Constitution, High Court judges retire at 62. Why should it be increased? Pendency of cases As of September 15, 2021, over 5 crore cases were pending across all courts in India. Of these, 87.6% cases were pending in subordinate courts and 12.3% in High Courts. The Supreme Court’s statistics show that 70,362 cases are pending with it as of April 1, 2022. Judge-population ratio The judge-population ratio in India is among the lowest with 21.03 as on December 31 2021, while In 2016, the K. had 51 judges per million people, the U.S. had 107, Australia had 41, and Canada had 75. Other appointments Moreover, legislations provide for retired High Court and Supreme Court judges to man tribunals till the age of 70 as chairman and 65 as members. There is no reason why these judges should be retired so early. Recommendations In 1974, the 58th report of the Law Commission recommended bringing parity between age of retirement of judges of High Court and Supreme Court. In 2002, Justice Venkatachaliah Report – the report of National Commission to review the working of the Constitution – also recommended that the age of retirement should be increased for judges of High Courts and Supreme Court to 65 and 68, respectively. Other countries A retirement age of around 70 for judges is commonplace in most Western liberal democracies. Some of them even opt for tenures for life. In the Supreme Court of the United States, and in constitutional courts in Austria and Greece, judges are appointed for life. In Belgium, Denmark, Ireland and Australia, the retirement age for judges is 70 years. Impacts It will address the problem of mounting arrears. It will ensure the continued presence of a strong talent pool of experienced judges. Faster delivery of justice It will render post-retirement assignments unattractive and, as a consequence, strengthen the rule of law and the independence of the judiciary. Increasing the age of Judges will certainly help in addressing many issues. The retirement age of judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts could be increased, but with the option of quitting before reaching the age of superannuation – a practice prevailing in Zimbabwe, where a top court judge is appointed to retire at 65 years but can opt to continue till 70. Source: Indian Express Previous Year Question Q.1) Consider the following statements: (2019) The motion to impeach a Judge of the Supreme Court of India cannot be rejected by the Speaker of the Lok Sabha as per the Judges (Inquiry) Act 1968. The Constitution of India defines and gives details or what constitutes ‘incapacity and proved misbehaviour’ of the Judges of the Supreme Court of India. The details of the process of impeachment of the Judges of the Supreme Court of India are given in 4 the Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968. If the motion for the impeachment of a Judge is taken up for voting, the law requires the motion to be backed by each House of the Parliament and supported by a majority of total membership of that House and by not less than two-thirds of total members of that House present and voting. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? 1 and 2 3 only 3 and 4 only 1, 3 and 4 NITI Aayog’s India Innovation Index 2021 Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – Current Affairs Mains – GS 3 (Economy – Growth & Development) In News: The third edition of the India Innovation Index 2021 was released by NITI Aayog. India Innovation Index Prepared by NITI Aayog and the Institute for Competitiveness, the India Innovation Index is a comprehensive tool for the evaluation and development of the country’s innovation ecosystem. It seeks to rank the states and union territories based on their relative performance of supporting innovation, and to empower them to improve their innovation polices by highlighting their strengths and weaknesses. The third edition highlights the scope of innovation analysis in the country by drawing on the framework of the Global Innovation Index. The number of indicators has increased from 36 in 2020 to 66 2021. The indicators are now distributed across 16 sub-pillars, which, in turn, form seven key pillars. Enablers Human Capital Investment Knowledge Workers Business Environment Safety and Legal Environment Performance Knowledge Output Knowledge Diffusion Rankings Karnataka (Major States), Manipur (North East and Hill States) and Chandigarh (Union Territories and City States) have topped in their respective categories in the third edition of NITI Aayog’s India Innovation Index. Source: PIB Previous Year Question Q.1) “Rule of Law Index” is released by which of the following? (2018) Amnesty International International Court of Justice The Office Of UN Commissioner for Human Rights World Justice Project River Kali Bein Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – Geography Mains – GS 3 (Environment) About River Kali Bein Origin The 165-km rivulet starts from Hoshiarpur, runs across four districts and meets the confluence of the rivers Beas and Sutlej in Kapurthala. Features Odhra rivulet, and Mukerian Hydel Channel are the main source of water for Kali Bein. The ChhotiBein is a tributary of the Kali Bein. The Kanjli Wetland, a Ramsar site (a wetland site designated of international importance under the Ramsar Convention), is supported by the Kali Bein. Pollution Wastewater from cities and towns as well as industrial waste used to flow into the rivulet via a drain, turning its waters black, hence the name Kali Bein (black rivulet). In the wake of the Green Revolution, the Kali Bein became progressively polluted until it was cleaned and rejuvenated in a mass action led by Sant Balbir Singh Seechewal in the 2000s. The ‘Kali Bein Model’ was cited as the blueprint for the National Mission for Clean Ganga. Significance for Sikhs The first Guru, Nanak Dev, is said to have got enlightenment When Guru Nanak Dev was staying at Sultanpur Lodhi with his sister BebeNanki, he would bathe in the Kali Bein. He is said to have disappeared into the waters one day, before emerging on the third day. This marks the beginnings of Sikhism and the start of Nanak’s teachings. The first thing he recited was the “Mool Mantra” of the Sikh religion (Ik Onkar). Gurudwara Ber Sahib, the principal shrine at Sultanpur, is situated on the bank of the rivulet Kali Bein. It is built by the side of an old ber tree which is believed to be the one under which Guru Nanak would sit in meditation. Source: The Indian Express Previous Year Question Q.1) Consider the following rivers: (2021) Brahamani Nagalwali Subarnarekha Vamsadhara Which of the above rise from the Eastern Ghats? 1 and 2 2 and 4 3 and 4 1 and 3 World Press Freedom Index Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – Current Affairs Mains – GS 2 (Polity & Governance) Context: India is ranked at 150 among 180 nations in the World Press Freedom Index 2022 report. The 20th World Press Freedom Index was published by Reporters Without Borders (RSF). Norway (1st) Denmark (2nd), Sweden (3rd) Estonia (4th) and Finland (5th) grabbed the top positions, while North Korea remained at the bottom of the list of the 180 countries and territories ranked by the Reporters Without Borders Scoring Criteria: The Index’s rankings are based on a score ranging from 0 to 100 that is assigned to each country or territory, with 100 being the best possible score (the highest possible level of press freedom) and 0 the worst. Evaluation Criteria: RSF developed a new methodology to compile the 20th World Press Freedom Index. The new methodology defines press freedom as “the effective possibility for journalists, as individuals and as groups, to select, produce and disseminate news and information in the public interest, independently from political, economic, legal and social interference, and without threats to their physical and mental safety.” In order to reflect press freedom’s complexity, five new indicators are now used to compile the Index: the political context, legal framework, economic context, sociocultural context, and security. The Indian Government’s Response The report described India as “one of the world’s most dangerous countries for the media” and noted that “journalists are exposed to all kinds of physical violence, including police violence, ambushes by political activists and deadly reprisals by criminal groups or corrupt local officials.” Indian government does not agree with the conclusions drawn by the organisation for various reasons, including “very low sample size, little or no weightage to fundamentals of democracy, adoption of a methodology which is questionable and non-transparent”. Government is committed to ensure the right to freedom of speech and expression enshrined under Article 19 of the Constitution. The Press Council of India (PCI) has been set up under the Press Council Act, 1978 mainly to preserve the freedom of the press and improve the standards of newspapers and news agencies in the country PCI looks into the complaints filed ‘by the Press’ regarding curtailment of press freedom. Index Monitoring Cell (IMC) Set up by: Information and Broadcasting Ministry Objective: To improve India’s ranking in the World Press Freedom Index and to evolve an objective yardstick to gauge media freedom. It is a 15-member committee. It has four journalists and government functionaries. Chaired by: Kuldeep Singh Dhatwalia, Principal Director General of the Press Information Bureau Must Read: On regulation of Digital media + Section 66A Source: The Indian Express Hate Speech Open in new  window Syllabus Mains – GS 1 (Social Issues) In News: The Supreme Court the Union Home Ministry to file a report within three weeks on whether states have complied with the court’s earlier verdicts on curbing hate speech. The court was referring to earlier rulings in which, it said, it had passed “preventive, corrective and remedial” measures to deal with such situations. In a 2018 ruling, Tehseen Poonawala v Union of India, the Supreme Court had condemned the “sweeping phenomenon” of lynching and mob violence in the country. In Shakti Vahini v Union of India verdict in 2018, in which petitioners sought the court’s intervention in curbing honour killing, the top court ruled that any attempt by khap panchayats, or any other assembly, to scuttle or prevent two consenting adults from marrying is absolutely ‘illegal’. Tehseen S. Poonawalla case In July 2018 judgment in the Tehseen S. Poonawalla case, the SC gave the government full freedom to stop/curb dissemination of “irresponsible and explosive messages on various social media platforms, which have a tendency to incite mob violence and lynching of any kind.” Shakti Vahini v Union of India verdict in 2018 The judgment came on a petition filed by NGO Shakti Vahini to curb honour crimes. The court held that the consent of the family, community or clan is not necessary for marriage. This is to safeguard young couples under threat for marrying outside their caste or religion. The Court also issued a set of guidelines for the authorities, to stop interference by khap panchayats. Hate Speech (Reasons, legal provisions and way forward) Source: Indian Express In Pegasus battle, the fight for surveillance reform Open in new  window Syllabus Mains – GS 2 (Polity – Privacy); GS 3 (Cybersecurity) Context: A year has passed since the disclosures about the Pegasus Project revealed the threat to India’s democracy. A study reported that the cellphones of at least 300 Indians had been hacked with Pegasus, the spyware from the Israel-based NSO Group. The court constituted a committee, overseen by former Supreme Court judge Justice R.V Raveendran, to look into the charges and accordingly submit a report. What were the objectives of the committee? The committee was mandated to inquire, investigate and determine, among other things, if Pegasus was used to eavesdrop on phones and other devices of Indian citizens. Details were sought on whether the government had taken any action after reports emerged in 2019 about WhatsApp accounts being hacked by the same spyware and if the government had indeed acquired such a suite. What is Pegasus?  How was it used in India? At least 40 journalists, Cabinet Ministers, and holders of constitutional positions were possibly subjected to surveillance using Pegasus. Since Pegasus is graded as a cyberweapon and can only be sold to authorised government entities as per Israeli law, most reports have suggested that the governments in these countries are the clients. Surveillance Laws in India Communication surveillance in India takes place primarily under two laws Telegraph Act deals with interception of calls IT Act was enacted to deal with surveillance of all electronic communication Telegraph Act Section 5(2) of The Indian Telegraph Act, 1885, states that the government can intercept a “message or class of messages” on certain situations. Certain situations — the interests of the sovereignty and integrity of India, the security of the state, friendly relations with foreign states or public order, or for preventing incitement to the commission of an offence These are the same restrictions imposed on free speech under Article 19(2) of the Constitution. These restrictions can be imposed only when there is a condition precedent — the occurrence of any public emergency, or in the interest of public safety. The operational process and procedures for Interception Under Rule 419A, surveillance needs the sanction of the Home Secretary at the Central or State level, but in “unavoidable circumstance” can be cleared by a Joint Secretary or officers above, if they have the Home Secretary’s authorisation. In the K.S. Puttaswamy vs Union of India verdict of 2017, the Supreme Court further reiterated the need for oversight of surveillance, stating that it should be legally valid and serve a legitimate aim of the government.  The court also said the means adopted should be proportional to the need for surveillance, and there should be procedures to check any abuse of surveillance. Information Technology Act, 2000 Section 69 of the IT Act, 2000 deals with electronic surveillance. It facilitates government “interception or monitoring or decryption of any information through any computer resource” if it is in the interest of the “sovereignty or integrity of India, defence of India, security of the State, friendly relations with foreign States or public order” or for preventing or investigating any cognizable offence. Challenges to overcome An overhaul of surveillance laws is necessary to prevent the indiscriminate monitoring of people and entities by the state and private actors. The Information Technology Act, 2000 and the Indian Telegraph Act 1885 which empower the Government to surveil, concentrate surveillance powers in the hands of the executive, and do not contain any independent oversight provisions, judicial or parliamentary. These legislations are from an era before spyware such as Pegasus were developed, and, thus, do not respond to the modern-day surveillance industry. Lack of legislative proposals by the Union Government for surveillance reform: The proposed data protection law does not address these concerns Instead, the proposed law provides wide exemptions to the Government relating to select agencies from the application of the law; one which might be used to exempt intelligence and other law enforcement agencies. This gap in the surveillance framework has led to severe harm being caused to India’s democratic ideals. Conclusion From targeting activists and journalists for civil and political purposes, to the targeting of litigants for commercial benefits, the surveillance industry is becoming increasingly accessible, and the nature of surveillance, exponentially intrusive. In the absence of immediate and far-reaching surveillance reform, and urgent redress to those who approach authorities against unlawful surveillance, the right to privacy may soon become obsolete. Note: What is a zero-click attack? Source: The Hindu The Hindu Fake News Open in new  window Syllabus Prelims – Current Affairs Mains – GS (Polity & Governance) In News: Government stated that in 2021-22, the Government blocked 94 YouTube channels, 19 social media accounts and 747 uniform resource locators (URLs) engaged in anti-India activities. These actions have been taken under the Section 69A Information Technology Act 2000. Statutory and institutional mechanisms to fight fake news The Government has the statutory and institutional mechanisms in place to combat fake news. For print media, Press Council of India (PCI), a statutory autonomous body set up under the Press Council Act, 1978. PCI has framed “Norms of Journalistic Conduct” for adherence by the media, which includes specific norms to refrain print media from publication/ dissemination of fake/false news. For electronic media (television), all TV channels are required to adhere to the programme code under the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995. For digital news, the government has notified the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 under the Information Technology Act, 2000. Information Technology Act, 2000 The Information Technology (IT) Act, 2000, governs all activities related to the use of computer resources. It covers all ‘intermediaries’ who play a role in the use of computer resources and electronic records. Section 69A of the IT Act: It confers on the Central and State governments the power to issue directions to intercept, monitor or decrypt any information generated, transmitted, received or stored in any computer resource. The grounds on which these powers may be exercised are: In the interest of the sovereignty or integrity of India, defence of India, the security of the state. Friendly relations with foreign states. Public order, or for preventing incitement to the commission of any cognizable offence relating to these. For investigating any offence. Process of Blocking Internet Websites: Section 69A, for similar reasons and grounds (as stated above), enables the Centre to ask any agency of the government, or any intermediary, to block access to the public of any information generated, transmitted, received or stored or hosted on any computer resource. Any such request for blocking access must be based on reasons given in writing. Fake News Fake news is news, stories or hoaxes created to deliberately misinform or deceive readers. Usually, these stories are created to influence people’s views, push a political agenda or cause confusion and can often be a profitable business for online publishers. Causes of Spread of Fake News Erosion of Media Ethics: News media is no longer seen as an arbitrator of the ‘real news’. Media is alleged to be echo-chamber of the dominant political class. Thus News Media have lost credibility due to motivated reporting, which has become a source of fake news. Social Media: The advent of social media has decentralized the creation and propagation of fake news. The vastness of the internet and social media users makes tracing the origin of fake news almost impossible. Polarization of society: Increasing divide in the society on ideological lines has made the job of spreading fake news easier. Lack of legislation: There is no specific law to deal with fake news in India. Difficult to achieve balance: The efforts to control fake news should not threaten to cramp legitimate investigative and source-based journalism or freedom of expression as guaranteed in Article 19 of the Constitution. Remedies available to tackle this menace The Press Council of India: It is created by an Act of Parliament, is a statutory body and keeps vigil on fake news. It can warn, admonish or censure the newspaper, the news agency. IPC Sections 153A and 295: Under this action can be initiated against someone creating or spreading fake news if it can be termed as hate speech. Indian Broadcast Foundation (IBF): This body was created in 1999 to look into the complaints against content aired by 24×7 channels. The Information Technology (IT) Act – Section 69A – It imposes an obligation on intermediaries such as search engine giant to remove any objectionable content pursuant to takedown notices by law enforcement agencies. Way Forward Bring out policy – The government should bring out a policy with the inputs from various stakeholders of controlling fake news. Regulatory mechanism – The PCI needs to be reformed and empowered in a way so as to enable it to strike a balance between the freedom of media and speech on the one hand, and the right to know on the other. Educating the end-users to be more discerning consumers of news by informing them of verification tools so that they can ascertain the accuracy of a news item before sharing it. De-anonymizing all social media accounts for tracking the ‘source’ of fake news. Source: Financial Express Crimes against Vulnerable sections Open in new  window Syllabus Mains – GS 2 (Governance) In News: Cases of crime against Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes have risen progressively in the years between 2018 and 2020, according to figures tabled by the Ministry of Home Affairs in Lok Sabha The figures were sourced from the National Crime Records Bureau. Cases registered for crime against SCs rose from 42,793 in 2018 to over 50,000 in 2020, and of crime against STs from 6,528 to 8,272 in the same period. Source: Indian Express Daily Practice MCQs Daily Practice MCQs Q.1) India Innovation Index is published by? Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology Ministry of Corporate Affairs NITI Aayog Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Q.2) Consider the following statements about River Kali Bein It is a rivulet that starts from Hoshiarpur, Punjab and meets the confluence of the rivers Beas and Sutlej in Kapurthala. The Kanjli Wetland, a Ramsar site is supported by the Kali Bein. The first Guru, Nanak Dev, is said to have got enlightenment here. Choose the incorrect statements: 2 only 2 and 3 None 3 only Q.3) Kaliningrad region, recently in news belongs to which of the following country? Poland Lithuania Russia Ukraine Comment the answers to the above questions in the comment section below!! ANSWERS FOR ’22nd JULY 2022 – Daily Practice MCQs’ will be updated along with tomorrow’s Daily Current Affairs. ANSWERS FOR 21st JULY 2022 – Daily Practice MCQs Answers- Daily Practice MCQs Q.1) – b Q.2) – b Q.3) – d

Jul 22, 2022 Daily Prelims CA Quiz

UPSC Quiz – 2022 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz 22nd 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 22, 2022 TLP Mains Answer Writing

IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 2): UPSC Mains Answer Writing – General Studies 4 Questions [22nd July, 2022] – Day 29

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 29 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 21, 2022 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

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

Archives (PRELIMS & MAINS Focus) Cheetah Reintroduction Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – Geography & Environment In News: Cheetahs likely to arrive in Madhya Pradesh’s Kuno National Park before August 15. India is one step closer to bringing back the world’s fastest animal, which has been extinct in the country since 1952, with an agreement that was signed between the government and the visiting Namibian Deputy Prime Minister. The agreement, which has been negotiated for some years, will prepare the ground for the relocation of the first batch of cheetahs from southern Africa to Madhya Pradesh’s Kuno National Park, with officials trying to complete the first transfer before August 15. The MoU focused on biodiversity conservation, and the sharing of expertise between the two countries, technological applications, collaborations on climate change, pollution and waste management, and the exchange of personnel for training and education in wildlife management. While the current carrying capacity for the Kuno National Park is a maximum of 21 cheetahs, once restored the larger landscape can hold about 36 cheetahs. Kuno National Park Kuno National Park is a national park in Madhya Pradesh, India, established in 1981 as a wildlife sanctuary. State government changed the status of the wildlife sanctuary to Kuno National Park in 2018 It is part of the Khathiar-Gir dry deciduous forests ecoregion. Flora The vegetation of the protected area includes dry savanna forest and grassland and tropical riverine forest. Fauna The main predators occurring in the protected area are Indian leopard, jungle cat, sloth bear, dhole, Indian wolf, golden jackal, striped hyena and Bengal fox. Cheetah The cheetah is one of the oldest of the big cat species, with ancestors that can be traced back more than five million years to the Miocene era. The cheetah is also the world’s fastest land mammal that lives in Africa and Asia Features Asiatic Cheetah African Cheetah Physical Characteristics Smaller and paler than the African cheetah. Has smaller head and a longer neck. Usually have red eyes and they have a more cat-like appearance. Bigger in size as compared to Asiatic Cheetah.   Image Distribution Around 40-50 found only in Iran. Around 6,500-7,000 African cheetahs present in the wild. Status IUCN: Critically Endangered CITES: Appendix-I of the List IUCN: Vulnerable CITES: Appendix-I of the List Source: The Hindu Previous Year Question Q.1) Which one of the following protected areas is well-known for the conservation of a sub-species of the Indian swamp deer (Barasingha) that thrives well on hard ground and is exclusively graminivorous? (2020) Kanha National Park Manas National Park Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary Tal Chhaper Wildlife Sanctuary Law on abortion Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – Current Affairs Mains – GS 1 (Society); GS 2 (Governance) In News: A 25-year-old pregnant woman moved the Supreme Court seeking an abortion after the Delhi High Court declined her plea. The woman has also challenged Rule 3B of the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Rules, 2003, which allows only some categories of women to seek termination of pregnancy between 20 and 24 weeks. The case has raised very important questions about the framework of reproductive rights, and recognising female autonomy and agency in India. What is India’s law on abortion? In 1971, The Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act (MTP Act) was introduced to “liberalise” access to abortion. The MTP Act allowed termination of pregnancy by a medical practitioner in two stages. For termination of pregnancy up to 12 weeks from conception, the opinion of one doctor was required. For pregnancies between 12 and 20 weeks old, the opinion of two doctors was required. In 2021, Parliament amended the law and allowed for a termination under the opinion of one doctor for pregnancies up to 20 weeks. For pregnancies between 20 and 24 weeks, the amended law requires the opinion of two doctors. For the second category, the Rules specified seven categories of women who would be eligible for seeking termination. Section 3B of Rules prescribed under the MTP Act reads: “The following categories of women shall be considered eligible for termination of pregnancy under clause (b) of subsection (2) Section 3 of the Act, for a period of up to twenty-four weeks, namely: survivors of sexual assault or rape or incest; minors; change of marital status during the ongoing pregnancy (widowhood and divorce); women with physical disabilities [major disability as per criteria laid down under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 mentally ill women including mental retardation; the foetal malformation that has substantial risk of being incompatible with life or if the child is born it may suffer from such physical or mental abnormalities to be seriously handicapped; and women with pregnancy in humanitarian settings or disaster or emergency situations as may be declared by the Government.” While the law recognises change in circumstances of the relationship status between a pregnant woman and her spouse — in the case of divorce and widowhood — it does not envisage the situation for unmarried women. This is the gap in the law that the petitioner before the Supreme Court falls in. The MTP Act is a provider protection law, that seeks to shield the Registered Medical Practitioner (RMP) from criminal liability, and as such it does not centre the pregnant woman’s needs and reproductive autonomy Access to abortion is not at the will of the pregnant woman. It is a highly regulated procedure whereby the law transfers the decision-making power from the pregnant woman to the RMP and provides great discretion to the RMP to determine whether abortion should be provided or not. It is time that the legislature identifies this loophole in the present law and take the appropriate steps to uphold the reproductive rights of the women. Source: Indian Express Previous Year Question Q.1) With reference to the ‘Prohibition of Benami Property Transactions Act, 1988 (PBPT Act), consider the following statements: (2017) A property transaction is not treated as a benami transaction if the owner of the property is not aware of the transaction. Properties held benami are liable for confiscation by the Government. The Act provides for three authorities for investigations but does not provide for any appellate mechanism. Which of the statements .given above is/are correct? 1only 2 only 1 and 3 only 2 and 3 only Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – Economy Mains – GS 3 (Growth & Development) In News: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is in the process of implementing the Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) in a phased manner for wholesale and retail segments The introduction of CBDC was announced in the Union Budget 2022-23, by Finance Minister and necessary amendments to the relevant section of the RBI Act, 1934 have been made with the passage of the Finance Bill 2022 India’s official digital currency is likely to debut by early 2023, which will mirror any of the currently available private company-operated electronic wallets. The CBDC will be a sovereign-backed digital currency. Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) CBDCs are a digital form of a paper currency and unlike cryptocurrencies that operate in a regulatory vacuum, these are legal tender issued and backed by a central bank. Budget 2022-23, the Government of India announced that its central bank will issue a digital currency as early as 2022-23. The main objective is to mitigate the risks and trim costs in handling physical currency, costs of phasing out soiled notes, transportation, insurance and logistics. It will also wean people away from cryptocurrencies as a means for money transfer. Merits A Combination of Traditional and Innovative: CBDC can gradually bring a cultural shift towards virtual currency by reducing currency handling costs. Easier Cross-Border Payments: CBDC can provide an easy means to speed up a reliable sovereign backed domestic payment and settlement system partly replacing paper currency. It could also be used for cross-border payments; it could eliminate the need for an expensive network of correspondent banks to settle cross-border payments. Financial Inclusion: The increased use of CBDC could be explored for many other financial activities to push the informal economy into the formal zone to ensure better tax and regulatory compliance. It can also pave the way for furthering financial inclusion. Risks Privacy Concerns: The first issue to tackle is the heightened risk to the privacy of users—given that the central bank could potentially end up handling an enormous amount of data regarding user transactions. This has serious implications given that digital currencies will not offer users the level of privacy and anonymity offered by transacting in cash. Disintermediation of Banks: The shift to CBDC can impinge upon the bank’s ability to plough back funds into credit intermediation. Other risks are: Faster obsolescence of technology could pose a threat to the CBDC ecosystem calling for higher costs of upgradation. Operational risks of intermediaries as the staff will have to be retrained and groomed to work in the CBDC environment. Elevated cyber security risks, vulnerability testing and costs of protecting the firewalls Operational burden and costs for the central bank in managing CBDC. Way forward Robust data security systems will have to be set up to prevent data breaches. Thus, it is important to employ the right technology that will back the issue of CBDCs. The financial data collected on digital currency transactions will be sensitive in nature, and the government will have to carefully think through the regulatory design. This would require close interaction between the banking and data protection regulators. Also, the institutional mechanisms would need to ensure that there is no overlap between different regulators and chart out a clear course of action in case there is a data breach of digital currencies. Source: The Hindu Previous Year Question Q.1) With reference to ‘Bitcoins’, sometimes seen in the news which of the following statements is/are correct (2016) Bitcoins are tracked by the Central Banks of the countries. Anyone with a Bitcoin address can send and receive Bitcoins from anyone else with a Bitcoin address. Online payments can be sent without either side knowing the identity of the other. Select the correct answer using the code given below: 1 and 2 only 2 and 3 only 3 only 1, 2 and 3 Digital Banks Open in ew window Syllabus Prelims – Economy Mains – GS 3 (Economy) In News: Recently, NITI Aayog has released a Report titled- ‘Digital Banks: A Proposal for Licensing & Regulatory Regime for India’. It suggested setting up Digital Banks and a licensing and regulatory framework for such Banks. Digital Bank: It will be defined in the Banking Regulation Act, 1949, and shall have its own balance sheet and legal existence. It will be different from the 75 Digital Banking Units (DBUs) — announced by Finance Minister in Union Budget 2022-23 – which are being set up to push digital payments, banking and fintech innovations in underserved areas Digital banks will be subject to prudential and liquidity norms on a par with existing commercial banks. Findings In recent years, India has made rapid strides in furthering Financial Inclusion (FI), catalysed by the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) and India Stack. The FI has been furthered by the Unified Payments Interface (UPI), which has witnessed extraordinary adoption. The FI also resulted in Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) through apps such as PM-KISAN and extending microcredit facilities to street vendors through PM-SVANIDHI. India is at the cusp of operationalizing its own open banking framework. Creating a blueprint for digital banking regulatory framework and policy offers India the opportunity to cement her position as the global leader in Fintech at the same time as solving the several public policy challenges she faces. Recommendations Issue of a restricted digital bank licence, the license would be restricted in terms of volume/value of customers serviced and the like. Enlistment of the licensee in a regulatory sandbox framework enacted by the Reserve Bank of India Source: Pib.Gov GOAL 2.0 Open in nw  window Syllabus Prelims – Current Affairs Mains – GS 2 (Governance) In News: Recently, Ministry of Tribal Affairs and Meta have launched the second phase of the GOAL Programme (GOAL 2.0). GOAL Programme GOAL (Going Online as Leaders) was launched as a pilot project in May 2020 and it was completed by December 2021. It aimed at digital empowerment of tribal youth and women through the concept of mentor and mentee. The programme is fully funded by Meta. Trainings were provided for three pillars: Communication & Life Skills Enabling Digital Presence Leadership & Entrepreneurship GOAL 2.0 Goal 2 program will be open to all people from tribal communities. In Phase-I, the digital mentorship was provided online by attaching one mentor to 2 mentees. Objective: The program aims to upskill and digitally enable tribal youth via Facebook live sessions and Meta Business Coach, a digital learning tool. There will be special focus on more than 10 lakh members of 50000 Vandhan Self Help Groups. They will be digitally trained with regard to market demand, packaging, branding and marketing of their products. The GOAL 2 will enable maximum participation and percolation of benefits of the training within the tribal youth with provision of Chatbot, need based on line sessions from Industry experts in different fields as per requirements from the mentees. Agencies Involved: The Ministry of Tribal Affairs in coordination with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, will be providing 6 digital classes in each of the 175 Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) selected under the program. The project is being implemented by The Education and Research Network, which is an autonomous organization under the MeITY. Source: Pib.Gov Previous Year Question Q.1) What is the aim of the programme ‘Unnat Bharat Abhiyan’? (2017) Achieving 100% literacy by promoting collaboration between voluntary organizations and government’s education system and local communities. Connecting institutions of higher education with local communities to address development challenges through appropriate technologies. Strengthening India’s scientific research institutions in order to make India a scientific and technological power. Developing human capital by allocating special funds for health care and education of rural and urban poor, and organizing skill development programmes and vocational training for them. Tetrapods Open in new  window Syllabus Prelims – Geography In News: Residents of two buildings on Marine Drive, the iconic 3-km promenade in south Mumbai, complained of “unusual vibrations” during high tide over the past weekend. They wrote to say that the unusual vibrations, coinciding with high-tide times, were the result of the relocation of tetrapods as part of the ongoing Coastal Road Project (MCRP). What are tetrapods? Tetra pod in Greek means four-legged. These are four-legged concrete structures that are placed along coastlines to prevent erosion and water damage. Tetrapods were first used in France in the late 1940s to protect the shore from the sea. They are typically placed together to form an interlocking but porous barrier that dissipates the power of waves and currents. These are large structures, sometimes weighing up to 10 tonnes, and interlocked tetra pods act as a barrier that remains stable against the rocks when buffeted by waves. Tetrapods, each weighing about 2 tonnes, were placed along Marine Drive in the late 1990s to break and dissipate waves and maintain the reclaimed shoreline in South Mumbai. Why were the tetrapods removed from the Marine Drive area? They were temporarily removed to help carry out reclamation for the ongoing Coastal Road Project. The corporation as agreed to re-install the structures. Source: Indian Express Hatti community Open in new  window Syllabus Prelims – Geography In News: The Centre is reported to be considering granting “tribal” status to the Trans-Giri region of Himachal Pradesh’s Sirmaur district. The demand to declare Trans-Giri a tribal area is old — and is tied up with the demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status for the Hatti community which lives in the area. The community and the land The Hattis are a close-knit community who take their name from their traditional occupation of selling home-grown crops, vegetables, meat, and wool at small-town markets known as ‘haats’. Hatti men traditionally don a distinctive white headgear on ceremonial occasions. The present population of the Hattis is estimated at around 3 lakh. The Hatti homeland straddles the Himachal-Uttarakhand border in the basin of the Giri and Tons rivers, both tributaries of the Yamuna. The Tons marks the border between the two states. The Hattis are governed by a traditional council called ‘khumbli’ which, like the ‘khaps’ of Haryana, decide community matters. Requirement of ‘tribal’ area In its reply in Parliament, the government laid down the requirements for such designation, and the reason why Himachal Pradesh’s claim could not be considered It said that the Constitution provides for two types of areas: “Scheduled Areas” in terms of the Fifth Schedule of the Constitution, and “Tribal Areas” in terms of Sixth Schedule. Himachal Pradesh submitted a proposal for notifying entire Trans-Giri area of Sirmour district, Dodra Kwar Sub-Division of Shimla district, 15/20 areas of Shimla and Kullu districts as Scheduled Areas in Himachal Pradesh. The government said, for declaration of Scheduled Areas the criteria followed are: preponderance of tribal population, compactness and reasonable size of the area, a viable administrative entity such as a district, block or taluk, and economic backwardness of the area as compared to neighbouring areas. The proposal was examined in the Ministry and could not be considered due to want of requisite criteria, as mentioned above. Source: Indian Express Baba’s Explainer – Financial Services Institutions Bureau (FSIB) Financial Services Institutions Bureau (FSIB) Syllabus GS-2: Statutory, regulatory and various quasi-judicial bodies. GS-3: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization, of resources, growth, development Context: The government has transformed Banks Board Bureau (BBB), the headhunter for directors of state-owned banks and financial institutions, into Financial Services Institutions Bureau (FSIB) by making some amendments. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has asked the Department of Financial Services to carry out necessary modifications in the Nationalized Banks (Management and Miscellaneous Provisions) Scheme of 1970/1980 with the approval of Finance Minister, and then notify the government resolution for establishing FSIB. Read Complete Details on Financial Services Institutions Bureau (FSIB) Daily Practice MCQs Daily Practice MCQs Q.1) Hatti Community recently in news is residents of? Mizoram Himachal Pradesh Karnataka Manipur Q.2) Consider the following statements about GOAL program It is an initiative of NITI Aayog and Ministry of electronics and Information Technology It aims at digital empowerment of tribal youth and women through the concept of mentor and mentee Choose the correct statements: 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.3) Which among the following National Park is chosen by the GoI for Cheetah reintroduction? Anshi National Park Campbell Bay National Park Clouded Leopard National Park Kuno National Park Comment the answers to the above questions in the comment section below!! ANSWERS FOR ’21st JULY 2022 – Daily Practice MCQs’ will be updated along with tomorrow’s Daily Current Affairs. ANSWERS FOR 20th JULY 2022 – Daily Practice MCQs Answers- Daily Practice MCQs Q.1) – c Q.2) – d Q.3) – c

Jul 21, 2022 Baba’s Explainer

Baba's Explainer - Financial Services Institutions Bureau (FSIB)

ARCHIVES Syllabus GS-2: Statutory, regulatory and various quasi-judicial bodies. GS-3: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization, of resources, growth, development Context: The government has transformed Banks Board Bureau (BBB), the headhunter for directors of state-owned banks and financial institutions, into Financial Services Institutions Bureau (FSIB) by making some amendments. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has asked the Department of Financial Services to carry out necessary modifications in the Nationalized Banks (Management and Miscellaneous Provisions) Scheme of 1970/1980 with the approval of Finance Minister, and then notify the government resolution for establishing FSIB. What is the importance of Public Sector Banks (PSBs)? Backbone of Indian financial architecture: Since nationalization of State Bank of India in 1955, followed by more banks in 1969 and 1980. Public Sector Banks (PSBs) are considered lifeline of Indian economy. If their health is not good, then economy at large will also suffer. The key objective of social control (PSBs) is to achieve the widest spread of banking credit, prevent misuse of banking assets, and direct larger volume of credit to priority sector to achieve economic development. Financial Inclusion: Since the 1970s, public sector banks (PSBs) have been in the forefront of mobilizing resources from far flung rural areas as well as extending banking services in the remotest parts of the country. Revenue to Government: PSBs have been paying a steady stream of dividends year on year. The government being the largest shareholder in PSBs, is the biggest beneficiary of these dividends. This is over and above the corporate taxes and other taxes that all corporate entities including PSBs have to pay. Shoulder the responsibility of Riskier lending: The general refrain of PSBs is that they operate under constraints, are not on equal footing with private financial institutions and have to lend to certain risky segments of the economy as part of priority sector lending, as well as directed lending, sometimes under political compulsions. The public and social responsibility is much higher for PSBs than what the private sector competitors have with them. The burden of social agenda has largely been shouldered by PSBs. Liquidity in market: The growth of our economy depends on PSBs ability to flow credit to the market and maintain sufficient liquidity. If that doesn’t happen, the economy as a whole will shrink. To keep economy in good health, PSBs are simply necessary. What has been the issues with Public Sector Banks? PSBs have acted as shock-absorbers for the economy, by taking over failed private banks after every major scam; PSBs have been exploited by every government for its political agenda, while never putting in place proper human resource policies and investing in training and skill development; Every crisis led to the formation of a committee which painstakingly identified issues and offered solutions which were ignored (of special significance is the report of the independent commission headed by SP Shukla and backed by bank unions); Failure of supervision by RBI was responsible for most of the scams as well as protecting large defaulters by refusing to name and shame them almost until the bankruptcy proceedings began. The problem of the government as the owner of PSBs on five fronts—appointment of top executives, the appointment of directors to their boards, the working of the board, the internal working of the banks and failure to fix accountability. Therefore, in the interest of maintaining credibility of PSBs which account for nearly 70% of banking activity in the country, there is a need to ensure professionalism, efficiency, and autonomy in its functioning (undue political interference minimized) What is Bank Boards Bureau (BBB)? The Banks Board Bureau (BBB) has its genesis in the recommendations of J. Nayak Committee to Review Governance of Boards of Banks in India, May 2014. With a view to improve the Governance of Public Sector Banks (PSBs), the Government had decided to set up an autonomous Banks Board Bureau. BBB was mandated to make recommendations for appointment of whole-time directors as well as non-executive chairpersons of PSBs and state-owned financial institutions. The Ministry of Finance has the final decision-making authority on the appointments in consultation with the Prime Minister’s Office. In 2020-21, the BBB recommended a total of 38 candidates for state-run banks, insurers and other financial institutions. The government had accepted all the recommendations. Earlier, promotions and recruitments happened at the will and mercy of the government. The BBB aimed to prevent such red-tape and promote people based on merit. BBB would also help PSBs in developing strategies and capital raising plans. Banks Board Bureau is a self-governing autonomous body of the Central Government. It is an advisory authority comprising eminent professionals and officials to improve the management of Public sector bank. It was a public authority as defined in the Right to Information Act, 2005. Banks Board Bureau comprises the Chairman, three ex-officio members i.e Secretary, Department of Public Enterprises, Secretary of the Department of Financial Services and Deputy Governor of the Reserve Bank of India, and five expert members, two of which are from the private sector. What were the issues with BBB? There were issues regarding the greater organic linkage and dialogue with the finance ministry. It was alleged that on certain crucial postings, the ministry had not taken BBB into confidence while making appointments. The average time for making the recommendations was 72 days. This weighted average time taken for recommending the positions in PSBs was 76 days, in insurers (36 days) and in FIs (189 days). Ideally, the new body should try to crunch the timelines for the appointments process, so that there is no gap in banking governance. However, the BBB’s biggest challenge was the legal hurdles over its power and jurisdiction. The Delhi High Court in 2021 ruled that the BBB couldn’t select the general managers and directors of state-run general insurers, as it was not a competent body. Subsequently, at least half a dozen newly-appointed directors of non-life insurers had to vacate their positions. More importantly, it led to uncertainties over the filing up of top posts at state-run insurers, with several appointments getting stuck in this process. This High Court’s ruling on the BBB’s jurisdiction came on a case filed by National Insurance Company general manager Ravi, who had complained that people junior to him were selected by the BBB for the position of directors in public-sector general insurers twice. Nevertheless, the Board has brought in a considerable degree of transparency and predictability to the selection process. Earlier, nobody really knew how the selection process went through; now we have a formal process of calling people, fixing eligibility, interviewing them and publishing it. To that end, the BBB has served its purpose. Many people acknowledge the role that BBB played as a centralised body carrying out analytics on senior-level HR and upgrading board-level governance. What is the Financial Services Institutions Bureau (FSIB) that is replacing BBB? It’s a government body set up under the Department of Financial Services. The board will be entrusted with making recommendations for the appointment of full-time directors and non-executive chairman of state-run financial services institutions. It would also issue guidelines for selecting general managers and directors of public sector general insurance companies. While its main task is to play the role of head-hunter for the state-owned financial services entities, the board will also be involved in formulating and developing business strategies for state-run banks and help them in their fund-raising plans. What is the composition of FSIB? FSIB would be headed by a chairman, a central government nominee. The board would comprise the Secretaries of the DFS, the chairman of IRDAI, and a deputy governor of the RBI. Additionally, it will have three part-time members who are experts in banking and three more from the insurance sector. What is the mandate of FSIB? BBB was envisaged as a body that would efficiently corporatise and make government entities function like private players, but it didn’t make much headway on that front. With FSIB, the intent is to go beyond the man-manager role and assist the government in formulating a code of conduct and ethics for whole-time directors in these entities. It would also monitor and assess the performance of public sector banks, government-owned financial institutions and insurance companies. Mains Practice Question – In the context of the Delhi High Court order on the powers of Banks Board Bureau (BBB), government has established Financial Services Institutions Bureau (FSIB) to replace BBB. Elaborate. Note: Write answers to this question in the comment section.  

Jul 21, 2022 TLP Mains Answer Writing

IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 2): UPSC Mains Answer Writing – General Studies 1 Questions [21st July, 2022] – Day 28

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 28 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 21, 2022 Daily Prelims CA Quiz

UPSC Quiz – 2022 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz 21st 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 20, 2022 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 20th July 2022

Archives (PRELIMS & MAINS Focus) Citizenship Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – Polity In News: In 2021, over 1.6 lakh Indians renounced citizenship Over 1.6 lakh Indians renounced their citizenship in 2021, highest in the past five years, according to information provided by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in the Lok Sabha. Over 78,000 Indians acquired U.S. citizenship, the highest among all other countries, by giving up Indian citizenship. India does not allow dual citizenship. As many as 362 Indians living in China also acquired Chinese citizenship. Citizenship Citizenship signifies the relationship between individual and state. Like any other modern state, India has two kinds of people—citizens and aliens. Citizens are full members of the Indian State and owe allegiance to it. They enjoy all civil and political rights. Constitutional Provisions Citizenship is listed in the Union List under the Constitution and thus is under the exclusive jurisdiction of Parliament. The Constitution does not define the term ‘citizen’ but details of various categories of persons who are entitled to citizenship are given in Part 2 (Articles 5 to 11). Unlike other provisions of the Constitution, which came into being on January 26, 1950, these articles were enforced on November 26, 1949 itself, when the Constitution was adopted. Article 5: It provided for citizenship on commencement of the Constitution. All those domiciled and born in India were given citizenship. Even those who were domiciled but not born in India, but either of whose parents was born in India, were considered citizens. Anyone who had been an ordinary resident for more than five years, too, was entitled to apply for citizenship. Article 6: It provided rights of citizenship of certain persons who have migrated to India from Pakistan. Article 6 laid down that anyone who migrated to India before July 19, 1949, would automatically become an Indian citizen if either of his parents or grandparents was born in India. But those who entered India after this date needed to register themselves. Article 7: Provided Rights of citizenship of certain migrants to Pakistan. Those who had migrated to Pakistan after March 1, 1947 but subsequently returned on resettlement permits were included within the citizenship net. Article 8: Provided Rights of citizenship of certain persons of Indian origin residing outside India. Article 9: Provided that if any person voluntarily acquired the citizenship of a foreign State will no longer be a citizen of India. Article10: It says that every person who is or is deemed to be a citizen of India under any of the foregoing provisions of this Part shall, subject to the provisions of any law that may be made by Parliament, continue to be such citizen. Article 11: It empowers Parliament to make any provision with respect to the acquisition and termination of citizenship and all matters relating to it. Citizenship Act and Amendments The Citizenship Act, 1955 provides for the acquisition and termination of Indian citizenship. Acquisition and Determination of Indian Citizenship There are four ways in which Indian citizenship can be acquired: birth, descent, registration and naturalisation. The provisions are listed under the Citizenship Act, 1955. Termination According to the Act, citizenship can be revoked in three ways: Renunciation: Any Indian citizen who is also a national of another country who renounces his Indian citizenship in the prescribed manner through a declaration ceases to be an Indian citizen. When a male person loses his Indian citizenship, all of his minor children lose their Indian citizenship as well. However, such a child may become an Indian citizen within one year of reaching full age by making a declaration of his intention to reclaim Indian citizenship. Termination: An Indian citizen’s citizenship can be revoked if he or she knowingly or voluntarily adopts the citizenship of another country. Deprivation: In some cases, the Indian government may deprive a person of his citizenship. However, this does not apply to all citizens. The act has been amended four times — in 1986, 2003, 2005, and 2015. Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 The CAA was passed by Parliament on December 11, 2019 and the Act was notified on December 12. In January 2020, the Ministry notified that the Act will come into force from January 10, 2020. It amended the Citizenship Act, 1955 by providing a pathway to Indian citizenship for persecuted religious minorities from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan who are Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis or Christians, and arrived in India before the end of December 2014. The law does not grant such eligibility to Muslims from these Muslim-majority countries. The act was the first time that religion had been overtly used as a criterion for citizenship under Indian law and attracted global criticism It exempts the members of the six communities from any criminal case under the Foreigners Act, 1946 and the Passport Act, 1920. The two Acts specify punishment for entering the country illegally and staying here on expired visas and permits. Must Read: National Register of Citizens (NRC) Source: The Hindu Previous Year Question Q.1) Consider the following statements The Parliament (Prevention of Disqualification) Act, 1959 exempts several posts from disqualification on the grounds of ‘Office of Profit’. (2019) The above-mentioned Act was amended five times. The term ‘Office of Profit’ is well-defined in the Constitution of India. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? 1 and 2 only 3 only 2 and 3 only 1, 2 and 3 Wormhole Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – Science and Technology Context: The wormhole theory postulates that a theoretical passage through space-time could create shortcuts for long journeys across the universe. Wormholes were first theorized in 1916. Just like black holes were predicted by Einstein’s theory of gravity long before they were experimentally observed, the existence of wormholes, too, has been predicted. Ludwig Flamm, in 1916, first discovered that they could exist. He described a “white hole,” a theoretical time reversal of a black hole. Entrances to both black and white holes could be connected by a space-time conduit. In 1935, Einstein and physicist Nathan Rosen used the theory of general relativity to elaborate on the idea, proposing the existence of “bridges” through space-time. These bridges connect two different points in space-time, theoretically creating a shortcut that could reduce travel time and distance. The shortcuts came to be called Einstein-Rosen bridges, or wormholes. However, the presence of wormholes has not yet been established through observation or inference by astronomers. Source: The Hindu Previous Year Question Q.1) Recently, scientists observed the merger of giant ‘blackholes’ billions of light-years away from the earth. What is the significance of this observation? (2019) ‘Higgs boson particles’ were detected. ‘Gravitational waves’ were detected. Possibility of inter-galactic space travel through ‘wormhole’ was confirmed. It enabled the scientists to understand to ‘singularity’. Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – Current Affairs In News: the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (Amendment) Bill, 2022 has been listed by the government for introduction and passing in the monsoon session. The planned revision to Section 20 of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act is Proposed provisions In a current law, Section 20 of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (AMASR) Act of 1958, last amended in 2010, prohibits construction within a 100 metre radius of all Archaeological Survey of India (ASI)-protected monuments and regulates activities within another 300 metre radius. The new Bill proposes to revise this section. Henceforth, expert committees will decide on the extent of the prohibited and regulated areas around each monument and activities permitted herein. The ASI would be given enforcement powers such as in the Forest Act which would empower it to act against those encroaching at protested sites. Concerns Archaeological Sites across India have become commons for human and animal communities. Altering land around ASI-protected monuments into industrial, commercial, or even residential plots will thus deprive human and animal communities of much-needed commons. Permitting construction work risks weakening the foundations of centuries-old edifices. Also construction machines may disturb the art facets near the site, thus making the task of undertaking new research more difficult Domestic waste and greywater regularly seep into ancient sites any changes in protection status now will aggravate this problems. In recent years, the Government has built new highways, metro-rail systems, and industrial parks without methodical archaeological impact assessments. These projects have led to the shattering of an untold number of historical artefacts and the casual collection of many others. We cannot afford to lose more of our tangible heritage. Now is the time to learn from painstaking efforts to preserve our composite tangible heritage and the ecosystems that they are in. Any modification to the present act requires proper examination with the involvement of various stakeholder and proper analysis of its consequences. Source: The Hindu Baudhayana Sulbasutra Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – History In News: The position paper, part of Karnataka’s submissions to the NCERT for a National Curriculum Framework, has revived discussion on what we call the Pythagoras theorem was already known to Indians from the Vedic times. Dispute The Pythagoras theorem is disputed in many international forums. Not the content, but Pythagoras claiming it as his own. Madan Gopal, a retired IAS officer who heads Karnataka’s NEP task force, has referred to a text called the Baudhayana Sulbasutra, in which a specific shloka refers to the theorem. How do we know that Indian mathematicians from the Vedic period knew this? There are references in the sulbasutras, which are texts pertaining to fire rituals (yajanas) performed by Vedic Indians. The oldest of these is the Baudhayana Sulbasutra. The period of Baudhayana Sulbasutra is uncertain, there being no direct internal evidence useful in this respect. I t is estimated based on linguistic and other secondary historical considerations and have varied substantially depending on the author. By and large, in recent literature, Baudhayana Sulbasutra is taken to be from around 800 BCE. In what context is this equation discussed in the sulbasutras? The yajna rituals involved construction of altars (vedi) and fireplaces (agni) in a variety of shapes such as isosceles triangles, symmetric trapezia, and rectangles. The sulbasutras describe steps towards construction of these figures with prescribed sizes. The Pythagorean equation comes into play in these procedures, which involve drawing perpendiculars. But because there is no evidence that the Indians had a proof, its origin is still hotly debated topic. Source: Indian Express Previous Year Question Q.1) With reference to the history of ancient India, Bhavabhuti, Hastimalla and Kshemeshvara were famous (2021) Jain monks playwrights temple architects Philosophers Inner-party democracy Open in new  window Syllabus Mains – GS 2 (Polity) Context: Unlike their counterparts in the U.K., MPs in India have no autonomy to question and challenge their party leadership The ousting of Boris Johnson as leader of the British Conservative Party is the latest in a series of coups periodically mounted by the party’s MPs to get rid of a leader who has become an electoral or political liability. If there is a sense that the leader is no longer acceptable to the country, then a well-oiled machine springs into action to protect the party’s electoral gains by providing fresh leadership. In India In India, where the PM exercises absolute authority over party MPs, whose ability to even diverge slightly from the official government line on routine policy matters is almost non-existent. The PM’s power is strengthened by India’s unique anti-defection set-up, where uncooperative MPs who do not manage to carry two-thirds of their colleagues with them can always be disqualified. Also that PM or CM at the State level are chosen by legislators — the choice is invariably made by a party high command, and then submitted to MPs/MLAs to be rubber stamped. Our system allows voters to be heard once every five years. The underlying assumption is that, in the interim, their voice is articulated through their representatives. It is time for India to seriously consider empowering its elected representatives, to ensure accountability for party leadership. MPs in the U.K. are able to act boldly because they do not owe their nomination to the party leader, but are selected by the local constituency party. In India, however, it is the party leadership that decides candidates, with an informal consultation with the local party. Neither do MPs in the U.K. stand a risk of disqualification if they speak out against the leader, a threat perpetuated in India through the anti-defection law. These factors are the biggest stumbling blocks towards ensuring inner-party democracy in India. Way Forward Short Term Adopt Best Practice A workable model can be borrowed from the U.K. where individual Conservative MPs write to the committee expressing that they have “no confidence” in their leader. If a numerical or percentage threshold is breached, an automatic leadership vote is triggered, with the party leader forced to seek a fresh mandate from the parliamentary party. The only way such a model would work is if an exception is made to the anti-defection law, which is at present misused by party leaders hoping to cling on to power. Long Term The control over candidates must shift from central party leaders to local party members. Source: The Hindu Inclusive Constitution Open in new  window Syllabus Mains – GS 2 (Polity) Context: Chile’s draft Constitution is an example of a framework for an enduring and egalitarian democracy. Background In 2019, a wave of protests engulfed the country of Chile. These protests were triggered by familiar themes: social inequality, the cost of living, and probity in governance. But at the heart of the protests was also the fact that Chile’s Constitution was no longer fit for purpose. Drafted in 1980 previous constitution led to Chile becoming one of the most unequal countries in the world. Consequently, one of the demands of the Chilean protesters was to replace Pinochet’s Constitution with a democratic Constitution, written by the People of Chile, for themselves. Inclusive constitution The Chilean government eventually conceded to this demand. This led to the formation of a directly-elected Constituent Assembly, which was strikingly representative: 51% of the Constituent Assembly members were women, and there were 17 reserved seats for indigenous peoples. Constituent Assembly members also included people from across the socio-economic and geographical spectrum of Chile, sexual minorities too. This intensely representative and participatory process has led to the drafting of a Constitution that is both inclusive and visionary. Constitutionalism – evolution In the early to mid-20th century, constitutional drafting around the world often followed the United States model. It was believed that the purpose of a Constitution was to constrain state power. To this end, Constitutions set out enforceable bills of rights, and divided power between the three wings of State — the legislature, the executive, and the judiciary. In the latter half of the 20th century, it came to be understood that this vision of constitutionalism was necessary, but inadequate, to address the many problems faced by countries across the world. In response, starting in the 1980s, Constitutions began to include “socio-economic rights” — such as the rights to housing, to education, and to health, among others — within their bills of rights. Second, it was recognised that the complexities of governance require a set of institutions that are independent of the State and can hold them to account. Some familiar examples include information commissions, human rights commissions, and electoral commissions. These are sometimes referred to as “integrity institutions”, as their task is to ensure integrity in the functioning of state agencies Third, it was recognised that mere periodic elections constitute only a thin and attenuated version of democracy. This has come to be known as the requirement of “public participation It’s a document of vision However, what is even more striking is that the Chilean draft Constitution not only draws upon past wisdom; it is a future-facing document as well The Constitution grapples with the pervasive role of technology in lives by stipulating the existence of a National Data Protection Authority, as well as guaranteeing a right to digital connectivity. The draft Constitution’s move to enshrine within it – the need for an independent data protection body. Similarly, the draft Constitution acknowledges the gravity of the climate crisis, and constitutionalises important principles of international environmental law, such as inter-generational equity. It also guarantees a right to nature, which is something that courts in different countries, from India to New Zealand, have recently explored. Thus, when we consider the draft Chilean Constitution in its historical and present context, a remarkable picture emerges: this is a document, drafted through an intensely inclusive, participatory, and egalitarian process, and which — in its substantive content — both draws upon the wisdom of the past, and looks to the future. It is, in many ways, a model for how Constitutions in the modern world ought to be drafted, and a lesson to the rest of the world. Must Read: Link 1 + Link 2 Source: The Hindu Baba’s Explainer – Sri Lanka’s organic farming disaster Sri Lanka’s organic farming disaster Syllabus GS-2: India and its neighbourhood GS-2: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests Context: Sri Lanka’s economy is in free fall. Runaway inflation reached 54.6 percent and country is now headed toward bankruptcy. Nine in 10 Sri Lankan families are skipping meals, and many are standing in line for days in the hope of acquiring fuel. In an uprising nearly 300,000 protesters took over President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s home and offices and set fire to Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe’s home. Rajapaksa resigned after fleeing the country, leaving Wickremesinghe as interim president. Read Complete Details on Sri Lanka’s organic farming disaster Daily Practice MCQs Daily Practice MCQs Q.1) Consider the following statements The Citizenship Act, 1955 provides for the acquisition and termination of Indian citizenship Under renunciation when a male person loses his Indian citizenship, all of his minor children lose their Indian citizenship as well. Choose the correct statements: 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.2) Consider the following statements The GoI constituted a committee headed by Sanjay Agrawal committee to look into the issues of minimum support price (MSP) The Commission for Agricultural Costs & Prices (CACP) recommends MSPs for mandated crops Choose the incorrect statements: 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.3) Consider the following statements An inverted yield curve occurs when short-term debt instruments carry higher yields than long-term instruments of the same credit risk profile When the actions of the central bank bring about a recession, it is called a hard-landing. Choose the correct statements: 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 ’20th JULY 2022 – Daily Practice MCQs’ will be updated along with tomorrow’s Daily Current Affairs. ANSWERS FOR 19th JULY 2022 – Daily Practice MCQs Answers- Daily Practice MCQs Q.1) – d Q.2) – d Q.3) – b

Jul 20, 2022 Baba’s Explainer

Baba's Explainer - Sri Lanka’s organic farming disaster

ARCHIVES Syllabus GS-2: India and its neighbourhood GS-2: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests Context: Sri Lanka’s economy is in free fall. Runaway inflation reached 54.6 percent and country is now headed toward bankruptcy. Nine in 10 Sri Lankan families are skipping meals, and many are standing in line for days in the hope of acquiring fuel. In an uprising nearly 300,000 protesters took over President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s home and offices and set fire to Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe’s home. Rajapaksa resigned after fleeing the country, leaving Wickremesinghe as interim president. What has been the reason for Sri Lanka Economic Crisis? There’s no singular cause for the crisis, which had been building for years due to multiple factors Historical imbalances in the economic structure Even in the 21st century, Sri Lanka’s economic fortunes continued to be tied to the export of primary commodities such as tea and rubber, and garments. It mobilised foreign exchange reserves through primary commodity exports, tourism and remittances, and used it to import essential consumption items including food. Slowdown much before the Pandemic Possibly because of pent-up demand, Sri Lanka’s post-war GDP growth was reasonably high at 8-9% per annum between 2009 and 2012. However, the economy was on a downward spiral after 2013 as global commodity prices fell, exports slowed down and imports rose. The average GDP growth rate almost halved after 2013. Continuing drain of foreign exchange reserves During the period of the war, budget deficits were high. The 2008 global financial crisis of 2008 had led to flight of capital further draining Sri Lanka’s foreign exchange reserves. It was in this context that the government obtained $2.6 billion loan from IMF loan in 2009 with the conditionality that budget deficits would be reduced to 5% of the GDP by 2011. This commitment tied the hands of the government to go for counter-cyclical fiscal policy when economy slowed down after 2013. Terrorist Attacks In April 2019, the crisis accelerated after suicide bombings at churches hurt the island nation’s critical tourism industry. Consequently, the number of tourists fell sharply leading to a decline in foreign exchange reserves. This weakened its currency and made it more difficult for the government to import essential goods. Pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 made the bad situation worse. Exports of tea, rubber, spices and garments suffered. Tourism arrivals and revenues fell further. The pandemic also necessitated a rise in government expenditures: the fiscal deficit exceeded 10% in 2020 and 2021, and the ratio of public debt to GDP rose from 94% in 2019 to 119% in 2021. This hurt at the basic macro-economic fundamentals of the economy. Mis-guided Policies The new government which came to power in Nov 2019 went for lower taxes as was promised in their election campaign. VAT rates were reduced from 15% to 8%. The nation building tax, certain other taxes and the economic service charges were abolished. At the end of 2019, tax cuts slashed government revenue which further impaired government abilities to fulfil its basic welfare responsibilities. But in the spring of 2021, President Rajapaksa made an unusual decision: He banned synthetic fertilizer and pesticide imports practically overnight, forcing Sri Lanka’s millions of farmers to go organic. It proved disastrous, as a group of Sri Lankan scientists and agriculture experts had warned. Why did Sri Lanka go for banning of chemical fertilizers? Sri Lanka annually spent about $260 million (or about 0.3% of its GDP) on fertiliser subsidies. Most of the fertilisers are imported. To prevent the drain of foreign exchange reserves, the government came up with a bizarre solution in 2021 to ban all fertiliser imports from May 2021, and declared that Sri Lanka would overnight become a 100% organic farming According to one estimate, the president’s agrochemical ban was poised to save Sri Lanka the $400 million it was spending yearly on synthetic fertilizer, money it could use toward increasing imports of other goods. The government also argued that chemical fertilizers and pesticides were leading to “adverse health and environmental impacts” and that such industrial farming methods went against the country’s heritage of “sustainable food systems.” Instead of fixing the crisis, however, the move of organic farming only worsened it. What are the merits of organic farming? Environment-friendly: The farming of organic products is free of chemicals and fertilisers, so it does not harm the environment. This can drive a transformation towards sustainable agriculture in future where climate change threatens food security. Nutritional: As compared to chemical and fertiliser-utilised products which have high pesticide residue and are harmful, organic products are more nutritional, tasty, and good for health. Economical: In organic farming, no expensive fertilisers, pesticides, or HYV seeds are required for the plantation of crops. Therefore, in a country like India where more than 86% of farmers have less than 1 hectare of land, organic farming can be economically sustainable. Reduces dependence on government measures: With the usage of cheaper and local inputs, a farmer can make a good return on investment. This will reduce the dependency of farmers on minimum support prices and other subsidies. High demand: There is a huge demand for organic products due to their popularity and health benefits in India and across the globe, which generates more income through export. It will help farmers to achieve higher remuneration for their inputs. Water Conservation: Organic farming improves soil health and fertility. It requires careful use of water resources hence leading to conservation of water. This is necessary for India where according to a report by NITI aayog 75 Indian cities are threatened with extreme water scarcity. What are the challenges/concerns with Organic farming? The emerging threats such as climate change induced global warming; flooding, relative market demand etc. pose a serious challenge for the growth & viability of the organic food sector to transform in economies of scale due to following reasons: Less production: The products obtained through organic farming are less in the initial years as compared to that in chemical products. So, farmers find it difficult to produce on a large scale which limits their earnings as well as market linkages. Shorter shelf life: Organic products have more flaws and a shorter shelf life than that of chemical products. This leads to high storage and transportation cost. In India, there is inequity in cold storage availability between states thus shorter shelf life limits uptake from more farmers. Cost of Production: The cost of cultivation increases as it takes more time and energy to produce than its synthetic input-intensive counterpart. In India where the majority of farmers live on subsistence, organic farming is not viable for them. Lack of Skills: Specialised farmer training costs, higher processing and inventory holding costs, and increased packaging, logistics and distribution costs add to the price of end products. Low awareness: There is low awareness at the producer level on the difference between conventional farming and organic farming, while on the consumer side there is confusion between natural and organic products. High Prices: Growing demand and low supply have further created an inflationary pressure on organic food products; it leads to customers opting for non-organic cheap products. Thus it creates a negative view that organic food is only for the wealthy and restricts widespread consumption. Certification Constraints: Much of the potential is constrained due to factors like non-recognition of self-certification by APEDA, which insists on third-party certification for exports while the agriculture ministry grants subsidies to PGS-certified products. How did chemical fertilizer ban impact Sri Lankan Agriculture? The organic policy was implemented to sort of ameliorate an ongoing crisis, ironically, what it did was that it ended up exacerbating the crisis. The agrochemical ban caused rice production to drop 20 percent in the six months after it was implemented. This caused a country that had been self-sufficient in rice production to spend $450 million on rice imports — much more than the $400 million that would’ve been saved by banning fertilizer imports. The production of tea, Sri Lanka’s literal cash crop — it’s the country’s biggest export — fell by 18 percent. The government has had to spend hundreds of millions on subsidies and compensation to farmers in an effort to make up for the loss of productivity. While agrochemicals cause a host of environmental and public health problems, which in part inspired the ban, they also help farmers grow more food on less land, which is critical for small, developing countries like Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka as a country rely on agriculture for both sustenance and export income. Around five months into the ban, farmers were allowed to begin using synthetic fertilizers on tea and a few other crops while keeping the ban in place for others, but by that point, much of the damage was done. What is the dilemma or trade-offs involved in present day agriculture? Sri Lanka started subsidizing fertilizers in the 1960s and we saw that rice yields tripled and it became self-sufficient. That resulted in much of the labor force moving out of agriculture and into higher-paying jobs, a story that played out across the globe over the past 60 years. Synthetic fertilizer makes crops grow faster and bigger than organic fertilizer, such as animal manure, and pesticides control insect infestations and diseases that can destroy crops. The widespread adoption of the two agricultural inputs since the mid-20th century, known as the Green Revolution, helped lift countries like Sri Lanka out of grinding poverty. But the expansion of conventional agriculture hasn’t been without steep costs; agrochemical use is also rife with serious environmental and public health problems. Pesticide exposure is linked to a range of health issues, including respiratory and central nervous system symptoms. Also, around 1 in every 8 suicides worldwide is done by ingesting pesticides, with especially high rates in South Asia. When synthetic fertilizer and pesticides leach into waterways, they can kill off wildlife and poison drinking water sources, and their production and application emit high amounts of greenhouse gases and degrade soil. It is also argued that low-income countries’ reliance on imported chemicals from high-income countries strips them of their own food security and makes them vulnerable to the kind of agrochemical price hikes that Sri Lanka experienced. A majority of Sri Lankan farmers supported an organic transition, but wanted more than one year to do so — and they needed more support than they were given to switch to organic. As horrible as the effects of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides are, they have to be weighed against the consequences brought by banning it. But there are ways to minimize the effects of agrochemicals without abandoning them altogether. What are the ways of minimizing the harms of industrial agriculture? Governments around the world need to increase yields per acre to feed 10 billion people by 2050, lest farmers be forced to clear more and more land to make up for lower yields, with massive environmental effects. Meeting that inevitable demand — while also minimizing the environmental and public health issues brought about by agrochemicals while continuing to increase crop yields — is tricky but possible. A more sustainable approach requires making crops higher-yield through breeding, making nitrogen fertilizers more efficient, instituting “precision farming” technologies, like drones and sensors, to more accurately analyze where fertilizer is being over- or under-applied. Practices popular among organic agriculture proponents would also help, like employing cover cropping, double cropping, adding organic fertilizer along with chemical fertilizer on fields, and planting trees and shrubs on farms, known as agroforestry. Also, According to the economic theory of the Environmental Kuznets Curve, once countries reach a certain level of per capita income, economic growth and environmental pollution can decouple as the country can afford to implement stronger environmental regulations and practices without sacrificing economic growth, like crop yields. What are the key lessons from Sri Lankan crisis? In 2000, 17 percent of Sri Lankans were undernourished and by 2019, that figure fell dramatically to 7 percent, lifting around 2 million people out of hunger. The economic crisis that has now reached a boiling point, caused in part by the organic farming disaster, will horrifically, and ironically, undo some of that progress. Moving away from an agrochemical-heavy food system makes sense in a lot of ways, but the Sri Lanka example underscores the importance of being mindful of the economic, political, and social context of any reform. As Sri Lanka gets richer, it’ll be more able to prioritize the environment and public health without millions going hungry, but the current crisis — made worse by the sudden, hastily executed organic transition — has made that day farther away Mains Practice Question –In the context of Sri Lanka Crisis, what are the trade-offs involved in present day agricultural policy? Note: Write answers to this question in the comment section.  

Jul 20, 2022 Daily Prelims CA Quiz

UPSC Quiz – 2022 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz 20th 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