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[WEEK 12] ETHICS THEORY & CASE STUDIES | BRAINSTORMING ON ETHICS & ESSAY (BEE) by Sunil Oberoi Sir

Dear Students, As part of our new initiative, BRAINSTORMING ON ETHICS & ESSAY (BEE), here we have come up with the Twelfth session. BEE is a FREE ONLINE (YOUTUBE) initiative, exclusively for Essay and Ethics curated by IASbaba’s renowned faculty member, Shri Sunil Oberoi Sir (former IAS Officer). The Twelfth session focuses on the theme, 'ETHICS THEORY & CASE STUDIES'. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UxHGwkkzXD0 Sunil Oberoi Sir has worked on Civil Services Reforms in India with UNDP and DoPT. He was a government nominee in interview boards and Examiner in various govt. exams. He was also associated with induction training of new entrants of Civil Services and In-Service training of Senior Civil Servants. To Know More about BEE Initiative -> CLICK HERE Download the schedule: Click Here For Any Queries: Email id: offline@iasbaba.com / support@iasbaba.com Mobile No: 91691 91888 (Please call between 10 am – 6 pm ONLY) Thank You IASbaba 

Motivational Articles

Creative Guidance – Art of Being – Inspirational Educative Articles

Art of Being: If, for whatever reason, you decide that I’m going to stop desiring for a few minutes – just remember that it’s only temporary, and you can always go back to your desires. You’re not going to lose them; they’re always floating around. Make a conscious decision and say, “For the next ten minutes I’m not going to desire anything.” If you’re able to stay in that zone of no desire, you will hear your existential desires loud and clear: The desire to be, not to become. The desire to experience and not just entertain - the desire to feel life pulsing through you and not just contemplate on it. The desire to accept yourself without any judgments, because all judgments come from the mind – comes from the thought process. That’s when you realize there is something beautiful happening right here. I can recognize it as life, as aliveness, as consciousness, as my being. Maybe that is the solution to all my problems. Maybe my fundamental desire is simply to be. What else can be the objective of life? If being is not the objective of life, then why are you perceiving yourself as a being? Why do we call ourselves human beings, and why do we call existence exist-ence? The whole purpose the game of life is about being and to move in that dimension, experiencing a few other things. But the fundamental purpose is to be. You can be an artist, you can be a dancer, you can be a cook, you can be a mom, you can be a friend. Being is the most important thing. “This article is a part of the creative endeavor of Nirvana Foundation and IASBABA.”

DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 7th August 2021

Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) The Central Universities (Amendment) Bill, 2021 Part of: GS Prelims and GS- II - Education In news Recently, the Lok Sabha has passed the Central Universities (Amendment) Bill, 2021 without any discussion. About the Central Universities (Amendment) Bill, 2021 The Bill intends to establish a new Central University in Ladakh to ensure an increase in accessibility and quality of higher education and research for the people of Ladakh. At present, there is no Central University in Ladakh  The new University will be named as Sindhu Central University. The government has allocated 750 crore rupees for the development of this University in which 2500 students will be benefited. News Source: TH India, Sri Lanka and Maldives to collaborate on security Part of: GS Prelims and GS - II - International relations In news The first Deputy National Security Adviser (DNSA) level Meeting of the Colombo Security Conclave was hosted virtually by Sri Lanka. Its Secretariat is located in Colombo. Their meeting marked the revival of NSA-level trilateral talks on maritime security in the Indian Ocean Region after a gap of six years.  What is Colombo Security Conclave? The decision to establish Colombo Security Conclave was taken in November 2020 at the NSA-level meeting of India, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives to forge closer cooperation on maritime and security matters among the three Indian Ocean countries. The Deputy NSA level meeting was a follow-up to the decisions taken at the NSA level meeting. The idea of ‘Colombo Security Conclave’ was initiated by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa in 2011.  Key address points from the meeting The DNSA level meeting identified four pillars of cooperation under the Colombo Security Conclave - Marine Safety and Security, Terrorism and Radicalization, Trafficking and Organised Crime and Cybersecurity. It discussed specific proposals for each of these pillars including holding regular interaction, joint exercises, capacity building and training activities. All members expressed keen desire to cooperate in the areas of maritime safety and security through joint exercises of navies and Coast Guards. They held focussed discussion on combating marine pollution. The three Observer states - Bangladesh, Mauritius and Seychelles - have been invited to join the conclave as full members at the next NSA level meeting which is expected to be organized later this year in Maldives.  Significance: The coming together of the 6 Indian Ocean region countries in India’s immediate neighbourhood on a common maritime and security platform is significant in wider global context as well. The initiative, grounded in military and security collaboration, assumes significance in the region, due to the geostrategic relationship that India shares with Sri Lanka and the Maldives. Earlier this year, India aired security concerns over China being awarded development projects in an island off Sri Lanka’s northern province, close to India’s southern border. News Source: TH Bailey Trail & Gorichen Trek: Arunachal Pradesh Part of: Prelims and GS -I- Geography, Culture In news Ministry of Tourism organises webinar on “Bailey Trail & Gorichen Trek in Arunachal Pradesh” under Dekho Apna Desh series. Dekho Apna Desh Webinar Series is an effort to showcase India’s rich diversity under Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat  What were important places discussed in the webinar? The Bailey Trail in the Himalayan State of Arunachal Pradesh traces the historic route taken by Lt. Col. F.M. Bailey, British Political officer who explored this area while trekking from Tawang to Bomdila. The Bailey Trail covers a wide variety of terrain, from lowland pastures and serene villages to powerful glaciers and stunning mountain views. Along the way, one will come across hot water spring at Mago, thundering waterfalls at Jang and cross icy rivers and high mountain passes. Another beautiful trek is Seven Lakes Trek of Anini, Dibang Valley. Dibang Valley is the largest district of Arunachal Pradesh with the lowest density of population in India. One can experience lush-green mountains, heavy rainfall, rivers, sparkling waterfalls etc. Seven Lakes Trek is one of Arunachal Pradesh’s best kept secrets. The Gorichen massif comprises five peaks with Gorichen Main also known as the ‘White Giant’ at 21,410 feet above sea level. In local language the peak is known as ‘Sa-Nga-Phu’ which means Ábode of the Guardian Deity’. News Source: PIB PM-DAKSH’ Portal and ‘PM-DAKSH’ Mobile App Part of: GS Prelims and GS - II - Policies and interventions In news Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment will launch ‘PM-DAKSH’ Portal and ‘PM-DAKSH’ Mobile App on 7th August, 2021.  About the Portal and App Developed by: Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, in collaboration with NeGD (National E-Governance Division),  Objective: To make the skill development schemes accessible to the target groups of Backward Classes, Scheduled Castes and Safai Karamcharis. The youth of the target groups will now be able to avail the benefits of skill development training programmes more easily.  What is PM-DAKSH Yojana? The Pradhan Mantri Dakshta Aur Kushalta Sampann Hitgrahi (PM-DAKSH) Yojana is being implemented by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment from the year 2020-21. Under this Yojana, eligible target groups are being provided skill development training programmes on Up-skilling/Reskilling Short Term Training Programme Long Term Training Programme Entrepreneurship Development Program (EDP). News Source: PIB Retreat of Glaciers in Zanskar Valley Part of: GS Prelims and GS-III -  Environment In news According to a recent study, the Pensilungpa Glacier (PG), in Zanskar, Ladakh, is retreating. The study was being carried out by the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology (WIHG), Dehradun, an autonomous institute under the Department of Science & Technology, GoI, since 2015.  Key findings of the study The study has attributed the retreat to an increase in the temperature and decrease in precipitation during winters. The study also points at the significant influence of debris cover on the mass balance and retreat of the glacier's endpoint, especially in summer. Furthermore, the mass balance data for the last 3 years (2016–2019) showed a negative trend. The study also suggests that due to continuous rise in the air temperature in line with the global trend, the melting would increase, and it is possible that the precipitation of summer periods at higher altitudes will change from snow to rain, and that may influence the summer and winter pattern. News Source: PIB India’s First Bio-Bank for Heart Failure Research  Part of: GS Prelims and GS-II -  Health In news The first National Heart Failure Biobank (NHFB) in the country was inaugurated at the Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST), Kerala.  About the Bio-bank Biobanks are important resources containing collections of high-quality biological samples of human body parts that can be used to understand molecular pathways and to improve the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of heart failure. The biosamples include the blood, serum, tissue samples obtained during open-heart surgery and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and genomic DNA collected from heart failure patients. The biobank activity is supervised by a Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) with a member from ICMR. With heart failure emerging as a major health problem in India, ICMR had initiated the National Centre for Advanced Research and Excellence in Heart Failure (CARE-HF) at SCTIMST for scaling up research in the field. The Heart Failure Biobank is one of the major components of the project, with a fund allocation of 85 Lakhs for developing state-of-the-art storage facilities.  Benefits This would greatly help in guiding future therapies and technologies and would benefit the heart failure patients significantly, The biobank will provide insights into heart diseases and heart failure among Indian children and adults, which are very different from that seen in the West. The facility will be useful for the research and treatment of post-covid heart failure. Through the NHFB, researchers can get access to well-annotated biological specimens linked to clinical data while maintaining appropriate standards of quality and security. NHFB will facilitate research both in India and abroad, helping clinicians and scientists to work together to understand and find solutions to heart failure-related morbidity and mortality. News Source: PIB Miscellaneous Khel Ratna named after Dhyan Chand The Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna has been renamed as the “Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna”. Who was Major Dhyan Chand? Major Dhyan Chand (29 August 1905 – 3 December 1979) was an Indian field hockey player widely regarded as one of the greatest in the history of the sport. He was known for his extraordinary goal-scoring feats, in addition to earning three Olympic gold medals, in 1928, 1932 and 1936, during an era where India dominated field hockey. His influence extended beyond these victories, as India won the field hockey event in seven out of eight Olympics from 1928 to 1964. He was popularly known as The Wizard or The Magician of hockey for his superb ball control. The Government of India awarded Chand India's third highest civilian honour of Padma Bhushan in 1956. His birthday, 29 August, is celebrated as National Sports Day in India every year. News Source: TH (Mains Focus) EDUCATION/GOVERNANCE GS-2: Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Education, Human Resources  GS-2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. India’s schoolchildren need their childhood back Context: Indian schools have been closed for 16 months and counting apart from sporadically opening for the higher-grade students. Impact of School Closures. In-person school education teaches children to share, wait for their turn, negotiate, and compromise; by depriving them of social contact, children are deprived of essential learning and development. For children from economically weak backgrounds, schools are a key source of nutrition (mid-day meals scheme). Closure of schools means adverse impact on the access to nutrition. For some, schools serve as safe spaces from the chaos of their homes. Without schools they are more vulnerable to abuse from others & getting trapped into anti-social activities For many children, particularly those who do not have educated parents or cannot afford home tutors, the denial of education results in learning losses and, ultimately, denial of a chance to earn a livelihood. Continuation of school closure is not required because Sero surveillance among children (<18 years) shows that more than 50% of children from both urban and rural areas had antibodies. This means they were already infected and developed antibodies.  It is possible to think about starting schools in areas where the community level of infection is low. A one-size-fits-all approach across India will not work. As immediate measures, governments should: Vaccinate: Call for lists of school staff and procure full vaccination for them. Reduce vaccine gap: Scientists should confirm if the gap between doses can be made shorter to school staff akin to health-care workers Awareness Campaign: Engage relevant experts to undertake public campaigns to make school staff and parents aware of the low risk of transmission in schools and low severity in children Issue guidance for staggered re-opening of primary schools — e.g., 50% attendance or smaller groups of students on alternate days or weeks; Hybrid System: Upgrade school infrastructure to facilitate a hybrid system of learning where parents who do not wish to send their children to school have the choice to continue with online learning. Formulate and issue guidance on COVID-19 protocols to be adopted by schools — distancing to the extent possible, outdoor classes weather-permitting, masking, hand hygiene, and proper ventilation Greater investment in paediatric facilities, and implementation of systems to track local level of infections Conclusion Director of Education for UNICEF, said, “There are many countries in which parents can go out and have a nice steak dinner, but their seven-year-old is not going to school. “We need to come together to fix that problem and give our young children their childhood back. Connecting the dots New National Education Policy 2020 Criticism of Board Exams Formative Assessment Language ladder in Education INTERNATIONAL/ SECURITY GS-2: India and its neighborhood- relations.  GS-2: Security challenges and their management in border areas  India-Nepal Flood Management Context: Chronic flooding in north Bihar (the Mithilanchal region) and Tarai region in Nepal  Geological Reasons for Floods A large part of north Bihar, adjoining Nepal, is drained by a number of rivers that have their catchments in the steep and geologically nascent Himalayas. Originating in Nepal, the high discharge and sediment load in the Kosi, Gandak, Burhi Gandak, Bagmati, Kamla Balan, Mahananda and Adhwara Group wreak havoc in the plains of Nepal’s Tarai and Bihar. The deposition of stones, sand, silt and sediment has led to river beds rising, changing course and causing unimaginable losses. Between the mid-18th and mid-20th centuries, the Kosi is said to have shifted over 100 kilometres westward, resulting in large-scale human displacements.  Political Reasons The Kosi Treaty of 1954, under which the embankments in Nepal were established and maintained, was not futuristic and did not make enough provisions for the maintenance of embankments and the rivers changing their course. Also, the indifference shown by Nepal on matters of floods and water management in recent years has further complicated the situation. Consequently, not much has happened barring the use of water resources for hydroelectric generation.  Way Ahead Bilateral Agreement: A dedicated intergovernmental panel needs to be formed through a bilateral mechanism between India and Nepal, that in turn can study, assess and offer solutions to this shared crisis. Climate Conscious Development: There is a need for greater sensitization on climatic imbalances and sustainable development. Ironically, the same flood-affected regions also face the issue of drought and a sinking water table. Connecting the dots: Political Crisis in Nepal India-Nepal Border dispute (AIR – SPOTLIGHT) Spotlight 24 (July): AIR NEWS EXCLUSIVE- Interview with Union Steel Minister RCP Singh https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6OUn0WkXbg ECONOMY/ GOVERNANCE GS-2: India Economy & Neighbourhood GS-2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. Production Linked Incentives for Speciality Steel Sector and benefits Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, approved the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for specialty steel. The duration of the scheme will be five years, from 2023-24 to 2027-28. The Production-linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for Specialty Steel will prove to be a game-changer for the steel sector in the country and will make India Aatmanirbhar in producing specialty steel. Benefits of the scheme: With a budgetary outlay of ₹6322 crores, the scheme is expected to bring in investment of approximately ₹40,000 crores and capacity addition of 25 MT for speciality steel. The scheme will give employment to about 5,25,000 people of which 68,000 will be direct employment. It is expected that the speciality steel production will become 42 million tonnes by the end of 2026-27. With this scheme, India’s export of specialty steel will become around 5.5 million tonnes as against the current 1.7 million tonnes of specialty steel getting FOREX of Rs 33,000 crore and production will touch 42 million tonnes by the end of 2026-27. What is specialty steel? Specialty steels are composed of the additional alloyed materials that results into special properties of the final product hence they are also are called as alloy steels. The steels are engineered wherein normal finished steel is worked upon by way of coating, plating, heat treatment, etc. to convert it into high-value-added steel to provide a superior performance under specific conditions. The resultant high value-added steel which can be used in various strategic applications like Defense, Space, Power, apart from automobile sector, specialized capital goods etc. Significance of the choosing the specialty steel Speciality steel has been chosen as the target segment because out of the production of 102 million tonnes steel in India in 2020-21, only 18 million tonnes value added steel/speciality steel was produced in the country. Apart from this out of 6.7 million tonnes of imports in the same year, approx. 4 million tonnes import was of specialty steel alone resulting in FOREX outgo of Approx. Rs. 30,000 crores. By becoming Aatmanirbhar in producing speciality steel, India will move up the steel value chain and come at par with advanced steel making countries like Korea and Japan. This will ensure that approximately 2.5 lakh crores worth of speciality steel will be produced and consumed in the country which would otherwise have been imported. Can you attempt this question now? “Production Linked Incentives Scheme for Specialty Steel will prove to be a game-changer for steel sector”. Discuss.  (TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE) Model questions: (You can now post your answers in the comment section) Note: Correct answers of today’s questions will be provided in next day’s DNA section. Kindly refer to it and update your answers. Q.1 The Central Universities (Amendment) Bill, 2021 aims to establish the First Central University in which of the following Union Territory? a) Dadra and Nagar Haveli b) Daman and Diu c) Jammu and kashmir d) Ladakh Q.2 Colombo Security Conclave is a maritime and security cooperation between which of the following countries? a) India, Sri Lanka and Myanmar b) Sri Lanka, China and Indonesia c) Sri Lanka, India and Maldives d) Sri Lanka, Mauritius and Seychelles Q.3  Pradhan Mantri Dakshta Aur Kushalta Sampann Hitgrahi (PM-DAKSH) Yojana comes under which of the following Ministry? a) Ministry of Power b) Ministry of Finance c) Ministry of Rural Development d) Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment ANSWERS FOR 6th August 2021 TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE (TYK) 1 C 2 C 3 D  Must Read On South Asia’s emerging digital transformation: The Hindu On Maritime Security: Indian Express On Criticism of Parliament: Indian Express

Daily Prelims CA Quiz

UPSC Quiz – 2021 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz 7th August 2021

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

[Day 68]: UPSC PRELIMS 2021- Rapid Revision (RaRe) Series

Highlights/Features of Rapid Revision (RaRe) Series:  It is a FREE initiative! Program Duration - 120 Days (31st May, 2021 to 27th September, 2021). 1. Dedicated Portal for Focused Preparation There will be a separate dedicated portal to help you stay focused and keep your preparation streamlined for the next 120 Days. The Registration link for the dedicated portal is given at the end of the post. 2. 120 Days Integrated (Prelims + Mains) Time Table This year’s RaRe Series will include Integrated Revision Plan (IRP) where we will be syncing your mains and prelims syllabus together over next 120 Days. The Revision Plan is designed by integrating IASbaba's famous flagship initiatives - 60 Day Plan and TLP Mains Answer Writing. 3. Daily RaRe Series (RRS) Videos on High Probable Topics (Monday - Friday) In video discussions, special focus is given to topics which have high probability to appear in UPSC Prelims Question Paper. Each session will be of 20 mins to 30 mins, which would cover rapid revision of 10 high probable topics (both static and current affairs) important for Prelims Exam this year according to the schedule. 4. Daily Prelims MCQs from Static (Monday - Friday) Daily Static Quiz will cover all the topics of static subjects – Polity, History, Geography, Economics, Environment and Science and technology. 10 questions will be posted daily and these questions are framed from the topics mentioned in the schedule and in the RaRe videos. It will ensure timely and streamlined revision of your static subjects. Note: Should be integrated with the 60 Days Plan 2021. This will expose you to diverse questions from the same topics. 5. Daily Current Affairs MCQs (Monday - Saturday) Daily 5 Current Affairs questions, based on sources like ‘The Hindu’, ‘Indian Express’ and ‘PIB’, would be published from Monday to Saturday. Note: Current Affairs questions covered in the 60 Days Plan and Daily Quiz Monthly Compilations should be covered retrospectively. 6. Daily CSAT Quiz (Monday - Friday) CSAT has been an achilles heel for many aspirants. Daily 5 CSAT Questions will be published. 7. Daily Mains Answer Writing (Monday - Friday) GS Mains will be covered along with Prelims in an integrated manner. Daily three Mains questions will be covered syllabus-wise according to the topics mentioned in the schedule. In total, it covers 250+ Mains Questions along with synopsis. 8. Brainstorming on Ethics & Essay (BEE) (Saturday & Sunday) Each week, Sunil Oberoi Sir (Retd. IAS) will take 3 sessions, two for Essay and one for Ethics. The two sessions earmarked for Essay will have a topic-based discussion where he will discuss the approach to write issue-based and philosophical essays. The topics will be picked from previous year question papers of UPSC and TLP initiative of IASbaba. 9. Full Mocks 3 GS Paper 1 Full Mocks will be provided along the lines of UPSC Prelims. 3 CSAT Paper 2 Full Mocks will be provided so that you are not overwhelmed during the D-Day. 10. Rapid Revision (RaRe) Notes Right material plays important role in clearing the exam and Rapid Revision (RaRe) Notes will have Prelims specific subject-wise refined notes. The main objective is to help students revise most important topics and that too within a very short limited time frame. Day-68of RaRe Series - Click here To Register - Click here For complete details of the RaRe Series -  Click here

DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 6th August 2021

Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) Constitutional (127th) Amendment Bill, 2021 Part of: GS Prelims and GS- II- Polity In news: Union Government is planning to bring a Bill to Parliament to clarify some provisions in the 102nd Constitutional amendment Act (CAA) to restore the power of the states to identify backward classes. In India, separate OBC lists are drawn up by the Centre and each state concerned. Articles 15(4), 15(5) and 16(4) expressly conferred power on a state to identify and declare the list of socially and educationally backward classes. The amendment was necessitated after the SC in its Maratha reservation ruling upheld the 102nd CAA but said the President, based on the recommendations of the National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC), would determine which communities would be included on the state OBC list. What is the 102nd Constitution Amendment Act of 2018? It inserted Articles 338B and Article 342A (with two clauses) after Article 342. Articles 338B deals with the structure, duties and powers of the National Commission for Backward Classes. Article 342A says that the President, in consultation with the governor, would specify the socially and educationally backward classes. About the Constitutional (127th) Amendment Bill, 2021: It will amend clauses 1 and 2 of Article 342A and also introduce a new clause 3. The bill will also amend Articles 366 (26c) and 338B (9). It is designed to clarify that the states can maintain the "state list" of OBCs as was the system before the Supreme Court judgment. Articles 366 (26c) defines socially and educationally backward classes. The "state list" will be completely taken out of the ambit of the President and will be notified by the state assembly. What is the procedure for passing Constitutional Amendment Bills? As per the procedure laid down in the Constitution, Constitution Amendment Bills can be of three types viz. requiring a simple majority for their passage in each House. requiring a special majority for their passage in each House i.e., a majority of the total membership of a House and by a majority of not less than two-thirds of the members of that House present and voting (article 368). requiring special majority for their passage and ratification by Legislatures of not less than one-half of the States by resolutions to that effect passed by those Legislatures (clause (2) of article 368).  A Constitution Amendment Bill under article 368 can be introduced in either House of Parliament and has to be passed by each House by special majority. There is no provision of joint sittings on a Money Bill or a Constitution Amending Bill. Centre seeks to redact retrospective tax law Part of: GS Prelims and GS- III - Economy In news Union Finance and Corporate Affairs Minister recently introduced the Taxation Laws (Amendment) Bill in the Lok Sabha The bill aims to nullify the relevant retrospective tax clauses that were introduced in 2012 to bring past indirect transfer of Indian assets under the ambit of taxation. The retrospective tax law of 2012 was used to raise large tax demands on foreign investors such as Vodafone and Cairn Energy, It was also blamed for impairing India’s investment climate. What are the major features of the bill? As per the proposed changes, any tax demand made on transactions that took place before May 2012 shall be dropped. Any taxes already collected shall be repaid. To be eligible, the concerned taxpayers would have to drop all pending cases against the government and promise not to make any demands for damages or costs. What is retrospective taxation? As the name suggests, retrospective taxation allows a country to pass a rule on taxing certain products, items or services and deals and charge companies from a time behind the date on which the law is passed Countries use this route to correct any anomalies in their taxation policies that have, in the past, allowed companies to take advantage of such loopholes. Global Norm: Apart from India, many countries including the US, the UK, the Netherlands, Canada, Belgium, Australia and Italy have retrospectively taxed companies, which had taken the benefit of loopholes in the previous law. Consequence of Retrospective Taxation on Market  Hurts Companies: While governments often use a retrospective amendment to taxation laws to “clarify” existing laws, it ends up hurting companies that had knowingly or unknowingly interpreted the tax rules differently. Hurts Investor Confidence: The amendment was criticised by investors globally, who said the change in law was “perverse” in nature. This impacted the market sentiment and the flow of foreign funds to India. News Source: TH 22 Assam rhinos killed in 5 years Part of: Prelims and GS -III- Conservation In news Poachers have killed 22 one-horned rhinos in Assam since 2017, The government had set up 10 fast-track sessions courts over the years for speedy trials of wildlife- related crimes. About Rhino There are three species of rhino in Asia — Greater one-horned, Javan and Sumatran. India is home to the largest number of Greater One-Horned Rhinoceros in the world Two greatest threats: Poaching for the horns and habitat loss The five rhino range nations: India, Bhutan, Nepal, Indonesia and Malaysia. These Nations have signed a declaration ‘The New Delhi Declaration on Asian Rhinos 2019’ for the conservation and protection of the species. Protection Status IUCN Red List Javan and Sumatran Rhino: Critically endangered Greater one-horned rhino:  vulnerable All three are listed under Appendix I (CITES). Greater one-horned rhino: Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. In India, rhinos are mainly found in: Assam: Kaziranga National Park (NP), Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary (WLS), Orang NP and Manas NP, West Bengal: Jaldapara NP and Gorumara NP Uttar Pradesh: Dudhwa Tiger Reserve. Conservation Efforts by India Recently, the Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has begun a project to create DNA profiles of all rhinos in the country. National Rhino Conservation Strategy: It was launched in 2019 to conserve the greater one-horned rhinoceros. Indian Rhino Vision 2020: It was launched in 2005. Aim: To attain a wild population of at least 3,000 greater one-horned rhinos spread over seven protected areas in the Indian state of Assam by the year 2020. Other Protected Areas in Assam: Dibru-Saikhowa National Park Manas National Park Nameri National Park Rajiv Gandhi Orang National Park Kaziranga National Park. News Source: TH Continuation of Scheme for Fast Track Courts Part of: GS Prelims and GS - II - Policies and interventions In news Recently, the Union Government approved the continuation of more than 1000 Fast Track Special Court (FTSCs) as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) for two years (April 2021-March 2023). It includes 389 exclusive POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) Courts. The Central share will be provided from the Nirbhaya Fund. What is the Background of Fast Track Courts? Fast track courts (FTCs) were first recommended by the Eleventh Finance Commission in 2000 to substantially bring down pendency in the district and subordinate courts over the next five years. In 2011, the central government stopped funding fast-track courts. The decision was challenged in the Supreme Court (SC) in 2012, but the apex court said it was up to the states to continue or shut down these courts depending on their financial situation. Three states--Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Kerala--continued running these courts while Delhi, West Bengal, Himachal Pradesh and Karnataka had said they would continue till 2013. Following the December 2012 Gangrape and murder, the Union Government set up a 'Nirbhaya Fund', amended the Juvenile Justice Act and set up fast-track Mahila Courts.  What is the Scheme for Fast Track Special Courts? In 2019, the government approved a scheme for setting up 1,023 fast-track special courts (FTSCs) across the country for expeditious disposal of pending rape cases under the Indian penal Code (IPC) and crimes under the POCSO Act. FTSCs are dedicated courts expected to ensure swift dispensation of justice. They have a better clearance rate as compared to the regular courts and hold speedy trials. It also strengthens the deterrence framework for sexual offenders.  How has the Performance been for Fast Track Courts?  The Performance has been below par. According to NCRB (National Crime Records Bureau), at the end of 2019, rape cases had a pendency rate of 89.5% and the conviction rate of 27.8%. For POCSO cases, 88.8% cases were pending at the end of the year, and of those disposed of, 34.9% ended in a conviction.  What are the Issues with FTCs? Lack of Infrastructure No clear Mandate: There are no clear mandates on what kind of cases fast-track courts are supposed to hear. Delay in Judgement Overburdened Judges News Source: IE Importance of vaccine for pregnant women  Part of: GS Prelims and GS - II - Health In news  Recently a senior member of the National COVID-19 Task Force has thrown light over the importance of Covid-19 vaccine for pregnant women. Why is COVID-19 vaccine important for pregnant women? Though pregnancy and childbirth do not increase the risk of acquiring SARS-CoV-2 infection, they worsen the clinical course of COVID-19 compared with other women in the same age group. During the second wave, It was found that 22% of pregnant women who tested positive for COVID-19 had premature deliveries, and 48% had to undergo a caesarean delivery. The rate of admission to the ICU among pregnant women with COVID-19 was also higher than those of non-pregnant women. COVID-19 during pregnancy can lead to pre-eclampsia or eclampsia, which is an increase in the blood pressure of mother, and the risk of cardiopulmonary arrest increases, especially if the infection occurs during the third trimester. Since the vaccine significantly reduces the severity and mortality due to COVID-19, the government took the decision to provide vaccination to pregnant women. News Source: TH  (Mains Focus) ENVIRONMENT GS-3: Environmental Conservation Red tide in Florida Context: Gulf of Florida witnessed the bloom of a red tide organism, Karenia brevis recently.  About the recent bloom It is pointed out that the algal bloom aggravated Florida’s Gulf of Mexico coast  due to the release of 215 million gallons of contaminated water into Tampa Bay earlier this year. The water was released from a defunct phosphate wastewater plant near the city of St Petersburg in March and April 2021, to prevent its collapse. Karenia brevis, a type of algae commonly known as ‘Red Tide’, has swept Florida’s Gulf of Mexico Coast, killing 1,400 tonnes of fish in and around Tampa alone. Besides fish, the algal bloom has also killed turtles, manatees and dolphins on the coastline. The bloom might have used nutrients from the contaminated water to grow and release toxins, killing marine life in the area. Its origins have been traced back to another red tide in December last year.  About florida’s red tide It is one of the best known Harmful algal blooms, or HABs, in the nation that occurs nearly every summer along Florida’s Gulf Coast. This bloom, like many HABs, is caused by microscopic algae that produce toxins that kill fish and make shellfish dangerous to eat. The toxins may also make the surrounding air difficult to breathe.  What is red tide? Red tides are a phenomenon of discoloration of the sea surface. The ride tide is created by the phytoplankton Karenia brevis, a species that releases a neurotoxin called brevetoxin that can disrupt the firing of nerve cells. It is a common name for harmful algal blooms occurring along coastal regions, which are resulted from large concentrations of aquatic microorganisms, such as protozoans and unicellular algae (e.g. dinoflagellates and diatoms). Harmful algal blooms, or HABs, occur when colonies of algae simple plants that live in the sea and freshwater grow out of control while producing toxic or harmful effects on people, fish, shellfish, marine mammals, and birds. But not all algal blooms are harmful. Most blooms, in fact, are beneficial because the tiny plants are food for animals in the ocean. In fact, they are the major source of energy that fuels the ocean food web. Certain species of phytoplankton and dinoflagellates like Gonyaulax found in red tides contain photosynthetic pigments that vary in color from brown to red. These organisms undergo such rapid multiplication that they make the sea appear red.  What stimulates HABs? Terrestrial runoff containing fertilizer, sewage and livestock wastes transport abundant nutrients to the seawater and stimulate bloom events. Natural causes, such as river floods or upwelling of nutrients from the sea floor, often following massive storms, provide nutrients and trigger bloom events as well. Increasing coastal developments and aquaculture also contribute to the occurrence of red tides. The growth and persistence of an algal bloom depends on wind direction and strength, temperature, nutrients, and salinity.  Impact of red tide/HABs The production of natural toxins such as brevetoxins and ichthyo toxins are harmful to marine life. A small percentage of algae, however, produce powerful toxins that can kill fish, shellfish, mammals, and birds, and may directly or indirectly cause illness in people. HABs also include blooms of non-toxic species that have harmful effects on marine ecosystems. For example, when masses of algae die and decompose, the decaying process can deplete oxygen in the water, causing the water to become so low in oxygen that animals either leave the area or die. Connecting the dots: Eutrophication Marine Pollution Sea Snot outbreak in Turkey EDUCATION/GOVERNANCE Topic: GS-2: Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Education, Human Resources  GS-3: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. Progress on Indo-US nuclear deal Context: The progress of greenfield projects since the Indo-US nuclear deal has been tardy. What is India- US Nuclear deal? The U.S.–India Civil Nuclear Agreement or Indo-US nuclear deal or the 123 Agreement was signed between US and India in 2005. Under the agreement, India agreed to separate its civilian and military nuclear activities. It also agreed to open up the civilian part to inspection by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The safeguard is aimed at ensuring that the nuclear material or technology brought in for civilian purposes is not diverted for military use. Out of its 22 operating/under construction nuclear facilities, India will place 14 under IAEA safeguard. The accord took three years to be finalized, during which it went through a series of complex stages that included Amendment of U.S. domestic law Formulation of a civil-military nuclear separation plan in India An India-IAEA safeguards (inspections) agreement. Grant of an exemption for India by the Nuclear Suppliers' Group (NSG). In return, the US offered to resume full nuclear trade i.e selling of reactors, Transfer of Technology, Uranium sale with India. Further, the agreement also lays down the clause of "non-interference" in India's strategic program. Thus, the Indian nuclear power program stands to get a much needed push without any threat to its strategic program. Why the Indo-US Nuclear deal holds significant importance to India? Fissile material: Better access and aid in development of a strategic reserve of nuclear fuel Energy security for India Access to better technologies from US and developed world Recognizes India as a de-facto nuclear power De-hyphenation of relations: In refusing to extend the civil nuclear initiative to Islamabad, Washington removed the hyphen in its relations with Delhi and Islamabad. Since 2005, America has also discarded the idea of mediating between India and Pakistan, especially on the Kashmir question  Deal was used as Launchpad for Indo-US bilateral relationship The US has become one of India’s major suppliers of arms. Cooperation on counter-terrorism and intelligence-sharing have expanded rapidly over the last decade The US has become India’s largest trading partner in goods and services, and the two sides have set an ambitious goal of half a trillion dollars for future trade. The growing commercial engagement has been reinforced by an intensification of people-to-people contact and the presence of the 3 million strong Indian diasporas in America. While the US has been discussing the sale of nuclear reactors to India since the 2008 pact, two subsequent agreements were signed only in 2016 and 2019 Nuclear Power Project in Kovvada in coastal Andhra Pradesh A “project proposal” is to set up six reactors in collaboration with Westinghouse Electric Company (WEC) but work is yet to begin. The will comprise six reactor units of 1208 MWe (mega watt electric) capacity each. These are Light Water Reactors where water is used both as coolant and moderator. (Similar technology in Tamil Nadu’s Kudankulam plant built in collaboration with Russia) The project, however, came under a cloud after WEC filed for bankruptcy in mid-2017 following cost overruns on reactors coming up in the US. As a result, the Kovavada project has made barely any progress.  Nuclear Power Project Jaitapur, Maharashtra. It consists of six EPR (European Pressurised Water Reactors) reactors by French state-owned operator Areva which was subsequently taken over by the French electricity utility EDF, also controlled by the state. EDF is learnt to have submitted to NPCIL techno-commercial offer that will effectively enable discussions aimed at a binding framework agreement in the coming months. Do You Know? India has also signed Inter Governmental Agreements for co-operation in peaceful use of nuclear energy with 14 other countries: Argentina, Australia, Bangladesh, Canada, Czech Republic, European Union, Japan, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Namibia, Republic of Korea, Sri Lanka, UK and Vietnam. Connecting the dots: QUAD Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Reviving SAARC to deal with China ECONOMY/ GOVERNANCE GS-3: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization, of resources, growth, development and employment. GS-2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation Despite a normal monsoon so far, sowing worries persist Context: Two out of the four months (June-September) of India’s official monsoon season are now over. However, progress of sowing for India’s winter crop or Kharif season is still short of normal sown area at this point of time. Some of the issues which determines the agricultural season of this year are: A revival in July rainfall after June’s dry patch  The first 62 days of this year’s monsoon season can be divided into three phases — a bumper rainfall in the first 20 days, a dry patch between June 21 to July 11 a recovery in the period thereafter. Monsoon performance is measured by comparing current period’s rainfall with what is called the Long Period Average (LPA). The current LPA mark is the average rainfall between 1961 and 2010 July revival has brought cumulative rainfall above LPA Excess rain in peninsula, normal/deficient rain elsewhere All regions in the country have not had adequate rains this year. A state-wise analysis of the rainfall data shows that cumulative rainfall in 14 states and union territories is lower than the LPA figure so far. Among the major states, Gujarat, Kerala and Assam feature on this list. Seven states have had excess rainfall (20% above the LPA figure) so far. This list includes Maharashtra, Haryana, Delhi, Telangana, and Tamil Nadu Also, there are significant differences in rainfall even within states. Of the 614 districts, the number of districts with excess rainfall has increased from 162 on July 15 to 205 on August 1, while those with normal rainfall has increased from 229 to 269. The number of districts with deficient rainfall has decreased from 223 to 140. Storage of Water in reservoirs The live storage status of 130 main reservoirs in the country is monitored by the Central Water Commission. These reservoirs had 85.36 billion cubic metres (BCM) of water available as on July 29, higher than both the 70.77 BCM available at this time last year. This is a testimony to the revival in monsoon. However, the storage in several Northeastern, northern, eastern, and central states is less than the average of the last 10 years. It is in the southern, states, which have received abundant rainfall, where current storage is exceeding the historical average significantly. Despite monsoon revival, kharif sowing continues to lag  As of July 30, 79.04% of the area normally sown during the kharif season was covered (less than the 83.45% area covered by this time last year) Progress of sowing is slower than last year for all major crops except sugarcane and arhar. Analysis: How does Sowing impact the economy? Crucial three weeks: The Kharif sowing should get completed by mid-August, so the rainfall in the first half of August becomes crucial, which determines the agricultural output of the season. Economic Revival dependent on agriculture: Sowing numbers are important because India is banking a lot on Kharif crop to provide support to GDP. It was the rural sector which was the saviour in the aftermath of first wave of COVID-19 Pandemic. Whether it will play the same role this year depends on rainfall & sowing. Aggregate Demand: Sowing also determined the rural income that will be available for spending during the festival season as part of the rural demand. Regional Inequality: Presence of adequate quantity of waters in reservoirs of South would mean less disruption to the agricultural activities in Southern region. This may lead to region differentiation of farm incomes between North & South thus perpetuating the existing regional divide. Connecting the dots: Employment & Recovery of Indian Economy Recession in India Current Challenges of Indian Economy  (RSTV - DEBATE) The Big Picture - Carbon Border Tax: Why is India opposing it - Rajya Sabha TV (rstv.nic.in) https://rstv.nic.in/big-picture-carbon-border-tax-india-opposing.html TOPIC: General Studies 3 Defence Carbon Border Tax and India’s opposition At the two-day G-20 ministerial meeting on environment and climate change in Italy, developing countries, including India, are expected to raise their concerns over the European Union’s recent proposal on the first of its kind carbon border tax. Under this proposal, the 27 EU nations will impose border tax on imports of carbon-intensive goods. The tax plan, yet to be legally formalized, will come into force from 2026. On similar lines, Democratic lawmakers in USA, earlier this week, introduced a legislation establishing a carbon tariff on certain imports like steel as a means to fight climate change.  What exactly is a carbon border tax? Carbon border tax is the European Union’s sweeping new plan to tackle climate change and if adopted would be the first of its kind. It is a carbon tariff on imports from countries that aren’t taking similarly aggressive steps to slash their own planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions. What is the need for Carbon border tax? Suppose a country tries to impose policies, like Carbon tax, to cut emissions domestically. This will increase the cost of its goods (for ex: steel and cement factories) that will now be at a disadvantage to foreign competitors that are based out in nations having looser environmental rules. In such situation steel and cement production shifts overseas to that country where the environmental conditions are liberal, which will enable them to cut costs & increase profits. Such an event would undercut the climate policy, since those foreign factories would be emitting just as much or more carbon dioxide elsewhere. In theory, a carbon border tax could help prevent that undercutting. If factories all over the world that wanted to sell steel, cement, aluminum or fertilizer to the EU had to pay a surcharge for the pollution they emit, they would have incentive to clean up their act too. Companies within Europe would have less incentive to shift operations overseas. And, if other countries adopted similar rules, that could put pressure on nations that are reluctant to curb their use of fossil fuels. Under the EU’s proposal, importers of carbon-intensive products such as steel, cement, fertilizers and aluminum will have to pay the carbon border tax. It will soon be legally adopted by 27 nations as part of the EU’s programme to meet its new climate target of cutting greenhouse gas emission by 55% by 2030 from 1990 levels. Why do developed countries want to impose such a tariff? For two reasons: its environmental goals and its industries' global competitiveness. Recently, the EU declared it would cut its carbon emissions by at least 55% by 2030 compared to 1990 levels. EU's greenhouse gas emissions have fallen by 24% compared to 1990 levels. But imports from emissions which contribute 20% of the EU's carbon dioxide emissions are increasing. Such a carbon tax would incentivize other countries to reduce GHG emissions and further shrink the EU's carbon footprint. Secondly the 27 EU member states have much stricter laws to control GHG emissions. It has an 'Emissions Trading System' that caps how much GHG individual industrial units can emit; those that fail to cap their emissions can buy 'allowances' from those who have made deeper cuts. This makes operating within the EU expensive for certain businesses, which, the EU authorities fear, might prefer to relocate to countries that have more relaxed or no emission limits. This is known as 'carbon leakage' and it increases the total emissions in the world. Why are developing nations opposed to the idea? India has always held a view that any such unilateral carbon border adjustment will be discriminatory and against the principles of equity and CBDR-RC (common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities). How does this impact India? As India's third-largest trading partner, the EU accounted for €62.8 billion ($74.5 billion) worth of trade in goods in 2020, or 11.1% of India's total global trade. India's exports to the EU were worth $41.36 billion in 2020-21, as per data from the commerce ministry. The EU's March resolution stated that to begin with, by 2023, the CBAM would cover energy-intensive sectors such as cement, steel, aluminum, oil refinery, paper, glass, chemicals as well as the power sector. By increasing the prices of Indian-made goods in the EU, this tax would make Indian goods less attractive for buyers and could shrink demand. The tax would create serious near-term challenges for companies with a large greenhouse gas footprint--and a new source of disruption to a global trading system already roiled by tariff wars, renegotiated treaties, and rising protectionism. It is estimated that a levy of $30 per metric ton of CO2 emissions could reduce the profit pool for foreign producers by about 20% if the price for crude oil remained at $30-40 per barrel. Way forward: Such a mechanism to charge imported goods at borders may spur adoption of cleaner technologies. But if it happens without adequate assistance for newer technologies and finance, it would amount to levying taxes on developing countries. Richer countries must make good on their promises of technological and financial assistance to enable developing countries to make the transition to low-carbon pathways for growth. There is disagreement on whether developed countries have kept their climate finance commitments with conflicting claims from countries, according to this 2021 editorial published in the journal Nature. Can you attempt these questions now? “Unilateral carbon border adjustment will be discriminatory and against the principles of equity and CBDR-RC (common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities)”. Discuss. What is a carbon border tax? Also mention the reason behind India’s opposition to carbon tax. (TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE) Model questions: (You can now post your answers in comment section) Note: Correct answers of today’s questions will be provided in next day’s DNA section. Kindly refer to it and update your answers. Q.1 Consider the following statements regarding red tide? 1. Red tides are a phenomenon of discoloration of the sea surface. 2. The ride tide is created by the phytoplankton Karenia brevis, a species that releases a neurotoxin called brevetoxin that can disrupt the firing of nerve cells. Select the correct statements: a) 1 only b) 2 only c) Both 1 and 2 d) Neither 1 nor 2 Q.2 Consider the following statements regarding Retrospective Taxation: 1. Allows a country to pass a rule of taxation from a time behind the date on which the law is passed 2. India is the only country to have retrospective taxation 3. It increases foreign investors' confidence in investing in a country. Which of the above statements are Incorrect? a) 1 and 2 only b) 2 only c) 2 and 3 only d) 1, 2 and 3 Q.3  Which of the following are the rhino range Nations 1. India 2. Bhutan 3. Nepal 4. Indonesia 5. Malaysia Select the correct statements a) 1, 2 and 3 only b) 2 and 4 only c) 1, 2 and 5 only d) 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 ANSWERS FOR 5th August 2021 TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE (TYK) 1 A 2 D 3 A  Must Read On Madras High Court Judgement on Online Gambling: The Hindu On India-Nepal Flood Management: The Hindu On 1991 Economic reforms: Indian Express  

Daily Prelims CA Quiz

UPSC Quiz – 2021 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz 6th August 2021

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

IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 1): UPSC Mains Answer Writing – General Studies Paper 3 Questions [6th August,2021] – Day 150

For Previous TLP (ARCHIVES) - CLICK HERE Hello Friends, Welcome to IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 1): UPSC Mains Answer Writing – General Studies Paper 3 Questions [6th August,2021] – Day 150 TLP (Phase 1) just got over on 8th May (Saturday) and we are extremely thankful for your active participation to make this program a success. Well, though TLP (Phase 1) got over, ‘Picture abhi baaqi hai mere dost’. There is a surprise for you. Since prelims is bound to get delayed once again this year, its not wise to leave the writing practice just now. Hence, we are extending the TLP program  We will be posting 3 questions per day (Monday to Friday). The questions will be based on Current Affairs, so that you don’t have to invest your time separately on exclusively mains oriented topics. So, keep practicing and keep improving. To Know More about TLP  -> CLICK HERE For Previous TLP (ARCHIVES) - CLICK HERE Note: Click on Each Question (Link), it will open in a new tab and then Answer respective questions! 1. Discuss the attributes of India’s nuclear doctrine. Do you think India’s nuclear doctrine. (10 Marks) भारत के परमाणु सिद्धांत की विशेषताओं की चर्चा कीजिए। क्या आपको लगता है कि भारत का परमाणु सिद्धांत परमाणु हथियार मुक्त विश्व की आकांक्षा का प्रतिनिधित्व करता है? जांच करें। 2. What’s a proxy war? Has it affected India? Examine. (10 Marks) छद्म युद्ध क्या है? क्या इसने भारत को प्रभावित किया है? जांच करें। 3. The National Education Policy completed one year recently. What is your assessment of the new policy? Critically comment. (15 Marks) राष्ट्रीय शिक्षा नीति ने हाल ही में एक वर्ष पूरा किया है। नई नीति के बारे में आपका क्या आकलन है? समालोचनात्मक टिप्पणी करें। AWARE ( Answer Writing REdefined) Series - 7 Steps to Master Answer Writing Skills by Mohan Sir - 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 :)

SYNOPSIS [4th August,2021] Day 148: IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 1): UPSC Mains Answer Writing (General Studies)

For Previous TLP (ARCHIVES) - CLICK HERE SYNOPSIS [4th August,2021] Day 148: IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 1): UPSC Mains Answer Writing (General Studies)   1. From economic and strategic point of view, port development is a vital component of India’s infrastructure priorities. Elucidate.  Approach  Introduce with statistics on importance of ports in Indian scenario.In next part focus on elucidating with help of different points on importance of ports from strategic and economic perspective as part of Infrastructure.While doing this you need to make use of examples to make it more specific.In conclusion you can write a future direction needed in ports development. Introduction According to the Ministry of Shipping, around 95 per cent of India's trading by volume and 70 per cent by value is done through maritime transport. India is the sixteenth largest maritime country in the world, with a coastline of about 7,517 km. The Indian ports and shipping industry plays a vital role in sustaining growth in the country’s trade and commerce.Thus ports development have both strategic and economic implications for India. Body India has 12 Major Ports, administered by the Central Government, and around 200 notified Non-Major Ports, administered by the State Governments. In 2014-15, out of the 200 Non-Major Ports, 69 ports were reported to have handled cargo traffic. The infrastructure sector, particularly the Maritime Sector, is expected to grow significantly with the increase in international and domestic trade volumes. Considering the objective on US $5 trillion economy, ports have an instrumental role to play. They constitute both strategic as well as economic significance. Economic Significance Port development and modernization: New port infrastructure like better handling capacity, modernization etc will help improve the turnaround time of ships (From 2015-16 to 2017-18, it got reduced by 25%). Infrastructure : Development new infrastructure like new ports, road connectivity to ports, coastal economic zones (CEZs), multi-modal logistics parks etc will provide new infrastructure to handle more cargo which will be needed in future. Reduced logistics cost- At present, logistics cost in the country is in the range of 14-16 per cent against 8-10 per cent in other countries. Ex: The project Sagarmala can help reduce these costs.This will help in improving exports and increasing the speed of trade. Inter-connectivity: It leads to inter-connection between roadways, railways, water ways and airways, thus reducing the overall cost of transportation as well as improving connectivity. Employment: Provides employment opportunity to coastal area people and increase their standard of living. It is estimated to create an estimated 10 million new jobs (four million in direct employment). Development: Will help in development of regions around ports by increase in investment, new sectors presence like manufacturing, services etc.The cities like Kolkata, Chennai, Mumbai owe a great deal to the presence of large ports.Similarly new ports can lead to new cities being developed. Efficiency: Will reduce the cost of transportation and make India a new transit hub. Developing rivers as inland waterways can also help save domestic logistics costs too.India is investing in inland transportation over the last 7 years.This will help in reducing load on railways and increase profits as it’s a cheaper mode of transportation.Project Unnanti is focused on increasing the efficacy of existing ports. Export competitiveness- Ports could help the country and industries to gain competitive advantage compared to its neighbours. It is expected to boost India’s merchandise exports to $110 billion by 2025  Power sector- The project aims to shift the movement of coal to the coastal route, which would cut down electricity costs by up to 35 percent, especially for coastal power plants in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, which receive coal by rail networks. Blue economy: Developed coastal infrastructure, livelihood development of coastal communities, exploitation of ocean resources will help improve India’s Blue economy. FDI: It will also help in attracting foreign container companies to set up their facilities. Strategic Significance Strong port infrastructure is necessary for securing India’s strategic policy objective of Security and Growth for All in the Region(SAGAR).India recently provided Covid relief materials to the Seychelles, Comoros, Maldives and Madagascar under mission Sagar trough INS Kesari. Role on securing objective of Net Security Provider for Indo-Pacific region.India have provided security to countries in Indian ocean in past.The operation Cactus which thwarted the efforts of rebels to capture Maldives in 1990s was one such mission. Ensuring influencing naval presence to enable free sea lines of communication(SLoC).The growing dominance of China in Indian ocean needs to be countered trough strong infrastructure in the region.Development of strategic command centre at Andaman and Nicobar is part of the initiative. Vital role in safeguarding maritime border.India has played an important role in curbing the piracy in West Indian ocean.Also the attack in 2008 was from sea front therefore better investment in security is needed. Coastal security: It also enhances coastal security along with economic development. Check Chinese intrusion- The project is an effective way to counter China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in the Indian Ocean region (IOR).India has tied with Singapore, UAE and Maldives for better monitoring of Chinese activities. ASEAN- With increasing ties with ASEAN countries, the importance of ports and port infrastructure further increases and Sagarmala can help address it. Relief measures : Ports can also use these capabilities to support emergency relief activities. Conclusion As per the studies conducted under the Sagarmala Programme, it is expected that by 2025, cargo traffic at Indian ports will be approximately 2500 MMTPA while the current cargo handling capacity of Indian ports is only 1500 MMTPA. A roadmap has been prepared for increasing the Indian port capacity to 3300+ MMTPA by 2025 to cater to the growing traffic. This includes port operational efficiency improvement, capacity expansion of existing ports and new port development.This will help in achieving both the economic and strategic goals for India. 2. How does highway development lead to positive spillover effects? Is it happening in India also? Critically analyse.  Approach  Introduce with importance of Highways in an economy.In next part write what are the positive spillovers of Highways with giving different dimensions.In next part write specific positive effects with respect to India.In next part write some drawbacks of highways development with examples.In conclusion balance both the positive effects and limitations discussed in body part. Introduction Highways are the arteries through which the economy pulses. By linking producers to markets, workers to jobs, students to school, and the sick to hospitals, roads are vital to any development agenda.Across the world, highways are seen as drivers of economic growth. They connect cities, transport goods and help bring people together.The roads such as national expressway, golden quadrilateral in India have had enormous positive spillover effect on the regional and national development. Body A highway is the main public road that connects different cities, towns and at times, villages etc. together. It is a major and significant public road that is able and fit to carry fairly heavy traffic. Substantial investments on road infrastructure developments by government at the different levels e.g. federal, state and local government are also frantic efforts to attracting investors that will promote the economy. Positive effects of highways: Reduced costs- Highway network enhances transport system that reduces transportation costs and this, in turn, reduces the production costs while it increases productivity and profitability of organisations. Promote industrialisation- Industries and highways often exist in pair. Industries can avail better logistic facilities through good highway network. Connectivity- Network of highways interlinked with state and district roads connect the distant and remote locations with each other. Enhance trade- Highways can relatively reduce travel time to villages, cities and towns thereby encourage people to travel for business and trade. Reliability- Highways make transportation schedules and deliveries more reliable and timely. Increase exports- Better connectivity to ports through highways increases economic activity and exports of a country. Employment generation- Highway constriction and associated ancillary industries create employment opportunities in the area. Regional growth- It has been observed that a greater economic activity is found near highways and thus results in the growth of the respective region. Social capital- Highways also contribute immensely to social growth, relatives are able to visit their loved ones more often and it enhances good relationship between family and friends. India has implemented two major schemes to improve highways, they are Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana and Golden Quadrilateral. India also witnessed the above mention positive spillover impacts like: Small and large towns have crop up on the major routes, not just along the national highway but also along other major roads i.e. State highways and rural roads. Rise of cities such as Ankleshwar , Pali, Khopoli is mainly due to national highways. The  1% increase in density in a region close to the highway road, and also leads to about a 0.8% increase in its neighbouring region’s density.For example the creation of Mumbai- Pune expressway led to development of satellite towns such as Pimpri Chinchwad, Aundh etc. There are spillovers in activity from one region to its neighbour.The development in commercial hubs such as Pune, Bangalore gives rise to MSME industries in neighbouring areas. In the two decades, since the early 1990s, regions along the transit networks are the first to develop, after which activity spreads to their neighbours, and then their neighbours’ neighbours. Thus, the path taken by the road determines the geographic spread of economic activity across the country. As early as 1992, one can see areas along the national highway seem to be more developed than those further away. This is especially true for regions closer to Mumbai, and then the portion between Bangalore and Chennai. By 1997, the region on the road between Mumbai and Bangalore develops, and activity spreads to regions adjacent to the places that were rich in 1992, highlighting the pattern of spillovers. Access to better infrastructure, therefore, can have significantly large impacts on the overall development of the region.It improves health care, education, migration and cultural exchanges as well. However, there are various negative consequences of highway development too: Destruction of habitats this has been seen in highways being carved out of mountains in tunnel forms.It makes the terrain fragile especially in landslide prone regions of Western ghats and Himalayas  Loss of Natural Resources due to road development. Loss of Access to Common Property.Many farmers lose some of he most productive lands to highways development.This affects their livelihood.Also many landless labourers who were dependent upon the agriculture gets uprooted. Displacement: Tribal displacements due to highways and Dams has been a consanguinity theme in Indian development history.For example:Bhil tribe was displaced due to Jaipur Ajmer highway. Conclusion Development of Highways brings multiple socio-economic benefits to the urban and  rural areas which form a strong base of the National economy and it is a powerful instrument for the socio-economic transformation of the cities and villages.Further to avoid negative externalities such as displacement and loss of productive land there is need for better Impact assessment studies. 3. What in your opinion are the key priorities for India’s power sector? Discuss.  Approach  Introduce with giving brief points on Indian power sector.In next part focus on what are the issues plaguing Indian power sector.In complementary to the issues write what are key priorities for Indian power sector.In conclusion summarise India’s progress and future targets. Introduction Power is one of the most critical components of infrastructure crucial for the economic growth and welfare of nations. India’s power sector is one of the most diversified in the world. Sources of power generation range from conventional sources such as coal, lignite, natural gas, oil, hydro and nuclear power to viable non-conventional sources such as wind, solar, and agricultural and domestic waste Body Problems in Indian Energy sector Dependence of fossil fuel: Around 60 per cent of the generated power comes from thermal power plants. Despite the fact that India has the third largest coal reserves in the world, most of the domestic requirements are met through imports due to poor quality of coal, which is of low Gross Calorific Value, inefficient mining processing, environment problems in creating new mines.  Transmission and distribution problems: Around 25 per cent of the generated power is lost in transmission in India. This is very high when compared to a maximum of 5 % to other Asian giants like China and South Korea. The primary reason behind this is mainly due to lack of proper infrastructure.  Free electricity to farmer and political giveaways: Apart from the power theft, other biggest problem in India’s power sector is giveaways. In several states, it is considered impossible to charge farmers for power consumption. Investment scenario in power sector: Though Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), is around USD 12.97 billion (between April 2000 and December 2017), investment is very low when compared to other sectors India’s Next Generation Priorities in Power Sector : Take advantage of falling prices for renewable energy: As prices rapidly drop, RE will increasingly provide an alternative source of clean and low-cost electricity. India can meet a large part of its future electricity demand at competitive costs while limiting further environmental damage Assertive planning for the energy transition by promoting markets: Coal currently provides significant base load power supply. Replacing this with intermittent wind and solar will require a more flexible electricity system that can buy and sell power on a far greater scale. An immediate priority is the promotion of a national scale electricity market, establishing linkage between wholesale and retail levels, and fostering flexibility to address future uncertainties. Fixing the financing mechanisms to attract private investment: Meeting the projected future demand will require addition of massive electricity infrastructure for generation, transmission and distribution, which is beyond the limits of public funding. An active role for the federal and state governments The central government and each state will need to ensure appropriate regulations and market incentives are in place, while coordinating across a complex web of state-specific political-economy The government will need to develop mechanisms to unwind the lock-ins, absorb transaction costs, and mitigate the costs to and resistance of market losers. Given continued need for state-subsidized electricity to low-income households and distressed farmers, the government will necessarily play an active role even in a market-centric electricity system. Enhancing diplomacy: With India dependent on other countries for its oil needs, it becomes pertinent for the government to foster international diplomatic relations. For one, the government must look to recruit cadre with relevant domain and international expertise. Also, the government must establish strong personal relations with the leaders of oil exporting states. Handing major oil, gas fields to international players: Mumbai High and other major oil and gas fields should be given to international players who have better oil recovery strategy than the Indian players. Clubbing Energy and Environment ministries: Currently, energy and environment are two different ministries and the merger of the same will perforate the siloed approach to energy policy and enable the new government to view the sector through an integrated and holistic lens. The government can also look to pass the “Energy and Environment Security Act” which will bring these sectors to the national narrative. This will also lead to mitigation of citizens in adopt ing a non-fossil fuel based energy system, he added. Decarbonisation, renewable energy sources: Harnessing solar and wind power to generate electricity, incentivising the usage of electric vehicles, and restructuring factories and buildings to make them carbon neutral should be on the agenda of the government. Tapping the potential of natural gas: Reforms in Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL) can further the need to exploit the potential posed by natural gas. First, GAIL should unbundle into a monopoly gas pipeline company. Moreover, every player, despite public or private, must have fair access to gas pipelines. Also, the prices of gas should be grounded in market and competitive principles. Green Hydrogen and Biofuel policy: Future technologies such as green hydrogen should be emphasised for better head start on electric vehicle infrastructure.Biofuel policy which was recently formulated will help in prioritising a sustainable economy. Nuclear neglect: Nuclear energy has been long been neglected.This needs to be focused to diversify from coal and not been too dependent on solar and wind which have limitations of continued supply. Conclusion India has come a long way from power deficit country to power surplus nation.From here the target for Indian power sector should be to increase the load of green energy in the energy mixture for sustainable development.Further there needs to be focus on increasing the efficacy and efficiency of per unit of production with help of technology such as smart meter, smart grids and better monitoring of transmission lines to avoid theft. TLP Synopsis Day 148 PDF