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Jul 31, 2021 Important Articles

[WEEK 11] ESSAY 21: Farming has lost ability to be a source of subsistence for majority of farmers | 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 Twenty-first 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 Twenty-first essay focuses on the theme, ''. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4MsBBE0yD4 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: support@iasbaba.com Mobile No: 91691 91888 (Please call between 10 AM – 6 PM ONLY) Thank You IASbaba

Jul 31, 2021 Daily Prelims CA Quiz

UPSC Quiz – 2021 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz 31st JULY 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

Jul 30, 2021 TLP Mains Answer Writing

SYNOPSIS [29th JULY,2021] Day 144: IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 1): UPSC Mains Answer Writing (General Studies)

For Previous TLP (ARCHIVES) - CLICK HERE SYNOPSIS [29th JULY,2021] Day 144: IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 1): UPSC Mains Answer Writing (General Studies) 1. India has the disadvantage of being situated in close proximity to what is being described as the epicentre of global terrorism. In the light of this statement, examine the challenges to India’s internal security. Approach Introduce with what is global epic centre of terrorism and contextualise.In next part write what are the challenges arising out of being close to terror hub and complement them with writing what recent measures have India taken to tackle terrorism.Conclusion can be summary based and reform oriented. Introduction India shares its border with Pakistan ,which is known as global epicentre of terror with Taliban on its side.Further Pakistan is a traditional adversary to India and India have been at receiving end of various intrigues to harm India and its internal security over the years.Therefore building up deterrence against terrorism becomes an imperative for India. Body Challenges to our internal security: Terrorism: Terrorist attacks on important centres like Delhi, Mumbai, Coimbatore, Bangalore etc.This destabilises the society, induces fear and affects growth of nation. Radicalisation: Spreading doctored news and videos to radicalise youth minds.With the increase in social media and internet connectivity it has be become easy to circulate videos which spread hatred in society.Indian society which is multicultural and diverse and have historical fault lines becomes an easy targets of the terrorist organisations for recruitment and radicalisation.For example: The circulation of fake videos at time of Muzzafarpur riots and Videos to celebrate sacrifices of terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir Extortion: Terrorism and organised crimes work in a nexus.Thus the mafias and drug peddlers are working in Sync with terrorist organisations like Lashkar e Taiba and Indian Mujahideen to collect funds to support terrorism. Organised crime: Human trafficking, Smuggling, illegal migration are used by terrorist organisations.This leads to loss of tax to Indian economy, right to life of citizens is also hampered. Kashmir Unrest: India’s integrity and sovereignty is constantly being attacked by the terrorists forces.This have been seen in Jammu and Kashmir region where there have been constant terrorist attacks, radicalisation, and insurgency which is supported by both state and non-state actors. Fake Indian Currency: Fake Indian currency corrodes the economic system of the country.It leads to medium to fund terror attacks and also hurts common man as they loose their hard earned money. Communal riots: Communal riots are used by terrorist organisations forbtwo purposes first to hurt the integration of the nation and further to radicalise the youth.The riots then lead to animosity between citizen’s and longterm impact of social psyche of the whole nation.For example : Riots in Godhra in 2002, riots in Bengaluru due to violence in Assam. Drugs Smuggling: Drug smuggling in India is carried mainly trough borders of Pakistan and Myanmar.The terrorist forces uses this channel to affect the demographic dividend of a nation and further to corrupt the governance system of a country. Local militancy: Creating local militant organisation like SIMI, IM and supporting naxalism leads to disruption of peaceful environment.Further it hurts development and diverts necessary resources in security of the nation. Refugees: Inflow of refugees leads to conflict with localities and start of violence. Measures taken by India in counterterrorism Comprehensive Integrated Border Management System: It vastly improves the capability of Border Security Force (BSF) in detecting and controlling the cross border crimes like illegal infiltration, smuggling of contraband goods, human trafficking and cross border terrorism, etc. Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967: It enables more effective prevention of certain unlawful activities of individuals and associations and for dealing with terrorist activities, and other related matters. National Investigation Agency: It is India's counter-terrorist task force and is empowered to deal with terror related crimes across states without special permission from the states. Policy of Zero-Tolerance Against Terrorism: India calls for zero-tolerance against terrorism and focuses on developing a common strategy to curb it. Various Counter-Terrorism Operations Operation Rakshak: Counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism operation in Jammu and Kashmir in 1990. Operation Sarp Vinash: Undertaken by Indian army to flush out terrorists in the areas of the Pir Panjal range in Jammu and Kashmir in 2003. Operation All Out: Joint offensive launched by Indian security forces to flush out militants and terrorists in Kashmir in 2017. India have done surgical strikes to destroy the terrorism apparatus in both Myanmar and Pakistan in recent years. India have raised the issues of terrorism at United nation and SCO to firce Pakistan to bring a policy change in its approach on terrorism. Conclusion India lives in a neighbourhood which have the infamous recognition of being hub of terrorism.Further the growing stature of Taliban in the region is not good for India’s internal and external security.Therefore India needs to invest more efforts in countering online hate, professionalise police force, diplomatic discussions and persuasions at global and regional level to force Pakistan to give way for peace and prosperity in the region. 2. India, due to its geographical location, faces a multitude of maritime threats and challenges. Elucidate Approach Introduce with India’s strategic position in the maritime domain.In next part address the challenges which it faces with the help of examples and conclude with what future strategy and current measures is India adopting to address these concerns. Introduction India’s vital geo-strategic location in the Indian Ocean has helped for its growth as an emerging economy.Her prominent peninsular orientation and flanking island chains overlook strategic sea lanes in the Indian Ocean, linking her security and prosperity inextricably to the seas.But due to its strategic position it is facing many threats. Body Maritime security challenges COVID-19 has highlighted the fragility of the global logistic supply chain, and India too has been affected. India’s exports have been hit by the pandemic-induced scarcity of shipping containers, so much so that the country has now decided to make its own containers. Control of Choke Points : Access to the Indian Ocean is geographically controlled by a number of choke points leading to and from the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal, and from the Southern Indian Ocean, which are critical for safeguarding the Indian maritime interests.Examples: Straits of Hormuz, Straits of Bab-el-Mandeb, Gulf of Aden, Malacca Strait. Regional Instability : The Indian Ocean littoral has been witness to large areas of political instability in the recent past. Examples: Yemen, Indonesia, Somalia, Iran-Iraq, Sri Lanka and Myanmar Indian maritime security forces then had to conduct dedicated operations to combat this menace, like the Indian intervention in the Maldives in 1988 to foil a coup d’état. Piracy : India has not only escorted numerous merchant ships of all countries but concerted efforts of its maritime security forces has ensured that this piracy has been controlled. Statistics have shown an increase in piracy, off the coast of Bangladesh, Malaysia, and Indonesia. Trafficking : The Indian Ocean Region is regrettably home to the world’s most notorious areas of drug production, the Golden Crescent and the Golden Triangle.The trans-national networks established by the drug smugglers also serve as conduits for other destabilising activities like gunrunning and human trafficking. Maritime Terrorism :India’s huge coastline, a thriving maritime commercial community along its coast with nearly 200,000 fishing boats and a fishermen population of 4 million make the job of monitoring maritime activity an unenviable task. The ability of adversarial interests to exploit this vast maritime activity for launching attacks on land is therefore quite high, as was witnessed in the 26/11 terrorist acts. Extra Regional Military Presence : It is intended to further strategic interests of various nations.China’s presence in India’s backyard is a constant concern for India. Illegal Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing : A World Wildlife Fund report on illegal fishing has found that 87 percent of the fish stocks surveyed in the Western and Eastern Indian Ocean were experiencing high levels of IUU fishing. Geopolitical shifts: These geopolitical shifts have led to great power contestation at sea, generating various maritime flashpoints in different waters, naval rivalries and build-up and more aggressive naval war fighting doctrines. There are rising tensions between China and Japan, China and US, China and ASEAN in South China Sea, tensions in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea and the northern Atlantic. Infiltration, Illegal Migration and the Refugee Influx: India's land boundaries have always been porous to infiltration by terrorists/militants and large scale illegal migration. Example: creek areas of Gujarat have been highly vulnerable. Conclusion The simultaneous rise of India and China is an important paradigm shift in the international system. This new paradigm shift will require India to focus on not only land boundaries but also maritime security.India has taken efforts to upgrade its navy by inducting new aircraft carriers, building integrated command centre and inducting new submarines. Further the recent efforts of India of its Naval diplomacy with the Indian Ocean Rim countries and outer world powers & modernising its naval fleet would provide a peaceful solution to the ambitions of India in the Indian Ocean. 3. What is Digital Jihad? Examine its threat perception in India Approach Define what is digital jihad and add an example to substantiate for introduction.In next part address the different challenges which arise for India due to cyber terrorism.Write a way forward or reform based conclusion at the end. Introduction Digital Jihad refers to struggle or fight against enemy state or actors through digital form like attacking Cyber systems, digital installations, Information and communication technology apparatus from far off location using Cyber space.This has been on rise with the increased penetration of social media and internet.For example:There were recent cyber attacks by Pakistan based terrorist organisations in India. Body Threat Perception in India due to cyber terrorism: Propagation: Young minds are radicalised, recruited and brainwashed to join Militant organization like ISIS.For example: More than 37 persons from Kerala were recruited by ISIS in its prime days. Power grid: Attack on power grid will collapse the energy system of country.The critical infrastructure which includes power has come under attacks over the years. Nuclear installations: Controls are mostly computer operated. Attacking them will trigger malfunctioning and explosion.It is a major security threat which every nuclear power nation faces.India has total 23 nuclear power plants and therefore its security becomes critical. Defense: Missiles, launchers etc. can be destroyed with malware attacks.Further there have been honey trapping and radicalisation on internet which have caused defections in Indian security apparatus. Information technology: ICT are crucial for security agencies attack on them will black out the connection.The Distributed Denial of Services (DDOS) can make various services inaccessible.Further there can be piracy of patents as seen recently in attacks on American vaccine making companies. Training: Training in bomb making, attacks preparation can be done in cyber space.This has been seen over Telegram groups in the Easter day attack in Sri Lanka.Therefore there is need of strict monitoring of the online mediums. Financial system: Destroying banking and stock market servers to cripple the financial system.Further after 2016 Indian economy has become rapidly digitised and therefore the attack on financial system can cripple the whole economy in short time Air traffic-controls: Crippling traffic controllers will lead to catastrophe. This can lead to collusion of aeroplanes. Government websites: Spamming government websites, crashing the server.This can lead to misinformation in public about government measures and services at disposal. Thus all these types of digital acts of terrorism can harm the social, political and economic life of a country and therefore it becomes important to invest in cyber security measures. Way Forward India is the second-fastest digital adapter among 17 of the most-digital economies globally, and rapid digitisation does require forward-looking measures to boost cybersecurity. It is important for the corporates or the respective government departments to find the gaps in their organisations and address those gaps and create a layered security system, wherein security threat intelligence sharing is happening between different layers. There is a need for an apex body to ensure operational coordination amongst various agencies and ministries. Cyber deterrence can be envisaged on the lines of strategic deterrence to dissuade cyberattackers. We need to acquire offensive capabilities for effective deterrence in cyberspace. TLP Synopsis Day 144 PDF

Jul 30, 2021 RSTV Video

Why Taxes (GST) on Vaccines necessary in citizens' interest – The Big Picture – RSTV IAS UPSC

Archives TOPIC: General Studies 2 Health General Studies 3 Indian Economy In News: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has said that the goods and services tax (GST) on coronavirus-related drugs and vaccines is necessary so that manufacturers offset their input taxes and keep the prices low. She said if full exemption from GST is given, vaccine manufacturers would not be able to offset their input taxes and would pass them on to the end consumer/citizen by increasing the price. The Finance Minister was responding to a letter by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking GST exemption on various coronavirus-related drugs. Why Sitharaman said GST exemptions will make Covid supplies costlier? Taxes levied currently on these items: At present, 5 per cent GST is levied on domestic supplies and commercial imports of vaccines, while Covid drugs and oxygen concentrators attract 12 per cent GST. FM’s argument against granting an exemption: The FM has argued that If GST exemption is granted for domestic supplies and commercial imports of Covid-related drugs, vaccines and oxygen concentrators, manufacturers would not be able to offset the taxes paid on inputs and pass it on to consumers in terms of higher prices. If full exemption from GST is given, vaccine manufacturers would not be able to offset their input taxes and would pass them on to the end consumer/citizen by increasing the price. A 5% GST rate ensures that the manufacturer is able to utilise ITC (input tax credit) and in case of overflow of ITC, claim refund. Hence exemption to vaccine from GST would be counterproductive without benefiting the consumer. In fact, a nominal 5 per cent GST is in the interest of the domestic manufacturer of vaccine and in the interest of the citizens. The tax share accruing to the state’s from the GST levied on these items: If IGST of Rs 100 is collected on an item, states and Centre get Rs 50 each as SGST and CGST, respectively. In addition, 41 per cent of the CGST revenue is transferred to states as devolution. So out of a collection of Rs 100, as much as Rs 70.50 is the share of the states. GST revenues collected from sale of vaccines: Half the amount is earned by the Centre and the other half by the states. Along with this, 41 per cent of Centre’s collections also get devolved to the states, resulting in almost 70 per cent of the total revenue collected from vaccines being given to states. Sitharaman said these items are already exempted from customs duty and health cess. Also, IGST exemption is provided for all Covid relief material imported by the Indian Red Cross for free distribution in the country along with goods which are imported free of cost for free distribution in the country by any entity, state government, relief agency or autonomous body on the basis of a certificate issued by a state government. The government has also provided full exemption from basic customs duty and health cess to their commercial imports. Analysis: Can the Centre cut GST rates on COVID-19 vaccines, critical supplies? An array of measures including reduction in GST rates, zero GST rate on critical raw materials, permitting GST-free imports as well as direct cash incentives to producers, can be used by the Centre to make COVID-19 vaccines and other critical supplies cheaper, tax experts have suggested. At present, Goods and Services Tax is levied at the rate of 5% on vaccines and 12% on COVID-19 drugs and oxygen concentrators for domestic supplies and commercial imports. For oxygen concentrators imported for personal use, the government has reduced GST rate from 28% to 12% and waived customs duties. Some solutions that can be explored include – Reducing the GST on final products as well as raw materials, or zero-rating supplies, would be a better option than an outright GST exemption. Reducing GST rates of raw materials could minimise the input tax credit issues and other options could also be considered to cut prices of COVID-19 supplies. The government can direct cash subsidies or incentives to pharma and COVID equipment suppliers. The government could take measures to slash costs, including a possible special incentive scheme to refund taxes, outside the ambit of the GST law. A concessional GST rate of 1% can be levied for COVID-19 vaccines. Suppliers would be allowed GST credit benefit, which could be claimed as refund under an ‘inverted duty structure refund’, typically claimed by pharmaceutical companies. Given the need for importing various COVID-related material for treatment and cure of patients, to augment current availability and to help people tide over the current shortage, a complete exemption to such material from the Integrated GST and other procedural requirements will help facilitate the import and clearance of such material. Earlier in May, the government had allowed duty-free and GST-free imports of COVID-19 relief material, provided they are sent as free donations to State-government approved entities who will distribute the material on the ground for free. But imports of similar supplies purchased by Indian corporates or charities for free distribution in the country, still attract 12% Integrated GST, impacting the efficient use of scarce resources, an industry leader said. Moreover, accessing donated foreign aid may be difficult even for State-approved entities in the absence of an explicit exemption from the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act, which requires any entity getting foreign aid to get a Home Ministry approval. Connecting the Dots: The taxation structure on Covid drugs and other essential medical equipment In the light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the preparedness to deal with the upsurge in cases, what lessons can be learnt by India’s healthcare sector? Discuss.

Jul 30, 2021 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 30th July 2021

Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) Airports Economic Regulatory Authority of India (AERA) Amendment Bill Part of: GS Prelims and GS-II - Policies and interventions and GS-III - Infrastructure In news: AERA Amendment Bill, 2021, was recently passed in Lok Sabha. About the Bill It seeks to amend the Airports Economic Regulatory Authority of India Act, 2008. The 2008 Act established the Airport Economic Regulatory Authority (AERA). AERA regulates tariffs and other charges (such as airport development fees) for aeronautical services rendered at major airports in India. The 2008 Act designates an airport as a major airport if it has an annual passenger traffic of at least 35 lakh. The central government may also designate any airport as a major airport by a notification. The amendment Bill adds that the central government may group airports and notify the group as a major airport. News Source: TH Intranasal Vaccine Part of: GS Prelims and GS - II - Health In news: In another two to two-and-a-half months, Bharat Biotech is going to have significant data on its intranasal COVID-19 vaccine whose clinical trials are under way. New vaccine being developed by Hyderabad based Bharat Biotech is BBV154 - A novel adenovirus vectored, intranasal vaccine for COVID-19 Intranasal vaccine is a vaccine administered to a person via the nose and does not require a needle. Source: Bharat Biotech What are the benefits of intranasal vaccine? It promises to be more effective, since it is expected to generate immune responses at the site of infection (respiratory mucosa) Non-invasive, Needle-free. Ease of administration – does not require trained health care workers. Elimination of needle-associated risks (injuries and infections). High compliance (Ideally suits for children’s and adults). Scalable manufacturing – able to meet global demand. It can produce 100 million doses a month. Also Read: Approaches to vaccine making News Source: TH Reservation in Medical Seats Part of: Prelims and GS -II - Education In news The Union Health Ministry has announced 27% reservation for the OBCs (Other Backward Classes) and 10% quota for the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) in the all-India quota (AIQ) scheme for undergraduate and postgraduate medical and dental courses from 2021-22. This decision would benefit every year nearly 1,500 OBC students at the undergraduate level (MBBS) and 2,500 such students at the postgraduate level Background: The AIQ was introduced in 1986 under the directions of the Supreme Court to provide for domicile-free merit-based opportunities to students from any State aspiring to study in a medical college located in another State. AIQ comprises 15% of the UG seats and 50% of the PG seats in government medical colleges. Initially, there was no reservation in the AIQ. In 2007, the SC introduced reservation of 15% for SCs and 7.5% for STs in the scheme. When the Central Educational Institutions (Reservation in Admission) Act became effective that year, providing for uniform 27% reservation to the OBCs, the same was implemented in all the Central educational institutions. News Source: TH Global Conservation Assured|Tiger Standards (CA|TS) Part of: GS Prelims and GS - III - Environment; Biodiversity; Ecosystem In news: In a recently held event, the 14 Tiger Reserves in India received the accreditation of the Global Conservation Assured|Tiger Standards (CA|TS). The 14 accredited tiger reserves are: Assan: Manas, Kaziranga and Orang Madhya Pradesh: Satpura, Kanha and Panna Maharashtra: Pench Bihar: Valmiki Tiger Reserve Uttar Pradesh: Dudhwa, West Bengal: Sunderbans Kerala: Parambikulam Karnataka: Bandipur Tiger Reserve Tamil Nadu: Mudumalai and Anamalai Tiger Reserve. About Conservation Assured | Tiger Standards (CA|TS) Officially launched in 2013, it sets minimum standards for effective management of target species and encourages assessment of these standards in relevant conservation areas. CA|TS is a set of criteria which allows tiger sites to check if their management will lead to successful tiger conservation. CA|TS has been agreed upon as accreditation tool by the global coalition of Tiger Range Countries (TRCs) and has been developed by tiger and protected area experts. Additional Info The Environment Minister also released the report ‘Status of Leopards, Co-predators and Megaherbivores-2018’ which showed that conservation of tigers leads to the conservation of entire ecosystem. The overall leopard population in tiger range landscape of India in 2018 was estimated at 12,852. This is a significant increase from the 2014, figure that was 7,910 in forested habitats of 18 tiger bearing states of the country. National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) felicitated some of the forest frontline workers as ‘BaghRakshaks’, to recognize their outstanding contribution towards the protection of tigers and forests during the pandemic. The event also saw the release of a special edition of National Tiger Conservation Authority’s (NTCA) quarterly newsletter ‘STRIPES’, commemorating Global Tiger Day (29th July) News Source: PIB Geo-imaging satellite “EOS-03” Part of: GS Prelims and GS-III - Space In news: Geo-imaging satellite“EOS-03”is scheduled for launch in the third quarter of 2021 by ISRO. About EOS-3 Satellite EOS-03 is Earth Observation Satellite that would enable near-real time monitoring of natural disasters like floods & cyclones. Earth observation is the gathering of information about Earth's physical, chemical and biological systems. Other earth observation satellites launched by ISRO include RESOURCESAT- 2, 2A, CARTOSAT-1, 2, 2A, 2B, RISAT-1 and 2, OCEANSAT-2, Megha-Tropiques, SARAL and SCATSAT-1, INSAT-3DR, 3D, etc. EOS-03 is capable of imaging the whole country 4-5 times daily. In addition to natural disasters, EOS-03 would also enable monitoring of water bodies, crops, vegetation conditions, forest cover changes etc. Other development: SSLV The first developmental flight of the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle or SSLV is scheduled in the fourth quarter of 2021 from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota. SSLV is to be developed as a cost-effective, three stage, all-solid launch vehicle with a payload capability of 500 kg to 500 km planar orbit or 300 kg to Sun Synchronous Polar Orbit. SSLV is ideal for on-demand, quick turn-around launch of small satellites. News Source: PIB Non-Bank PSPs to Join Centralised Payment System Part of: GS Prelims and GS -III - Economy In news Recently, the RBI allowed non-bank Payment System Providers (PSPs) to participate in Centralised Payment Systems (CPS - RTGS and NEFT), as direct members. Presently, only banks and select non-banks such as NABARD and Exim Bank are allowed access to CPS – NEFT and RTGS. Key features Allowed in a Phased Manner: In the first phase, PSPs such as Prepaid Payment Instruments (PPIs), card networks and White Label ATM (WLA) operators will be allowed access. Separate IFSC to Non-Banks: It means allotment of a separate Indian Financial System Code (IFSC) to non-banks, opening a current account with the RBI in its core banking system (e-Kuber) and maintaining a settlement account with the RBI. What is the Significance? Direct access for non-banks to CPS lowers the overall risk in the payments ecosystem. Reduction in cost of payments Mitigating failure or delay in fund execution Increasing efficiency and better risk managemen News Source: IE Kanjeevaram Silk Sari: Tamil Nadu Part of: GS Prelims and GS III - Indian Art forms In news National award winning artisan weaver, B Krishnamoorthy, has created a repository with samples of all the designs, patterns and motifs traditional to Kanjeevaram silk sari weaving, preserving fine pieces for next generation. About Kanjeevaram Sarees: Traditionally, the Kanjeevaram is a sari that is usually handwoven in mulberry silk and has pure gold or silver zari that renders it a festive quality. Originating from the village ‘Kanchipuram’ in Tamil Nadu, Kanjeevaram is considered the queen of silk sarees. The temple architecture of south India and especially around Kanchipuram has historically served as a mood board for design inspiration for the traditional Kanjeevaram motifs. One can spot motifs such as the mythical creature called the Yali (an elephant-lion fusion), the Ganda Berunda (a two-headed majestic mythical bird) and the ubiquitous temple border called reku. It traces its long and rich history from the Chola Dynasty Kanchipuram silk has also received GI Tag in 2005-06. About Silk Production in India India is the second largest producer of silk in the world, producing around 18% of the world's total silk. There are five major types of silk of commercial importance, obtained from different species of silkworms. These are Mulberry, Oak Tasar & Tropical Tasar, Muga and Eri. Except mulberry, other non-mulberry varieties of silks are wild silks, known as vanya silks. India has the unique distinction of producing all these commercial varieties of silk. South India is the leading silk producing area of the country and is also known for its famous silk weaving enclaves like Mysore, Kancheepuram, Dharmavaram, Arni, etc. The Government of India in 2017 launched a scheme called “Silk Samagra” for the development of sericulture in the country. News Source: TH (Mains Focus) INTERNATIONAL/ EDUCATION Topic: GS-2: Education & Governance GS-2: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests. Shared values: On India and the U.S Context: Recent visit of U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken to Delhi. The visit was meant to prepare the way for more substantive meetings in Washington later this year, including US -India “2+2” of Foreign and Defence Ministers Quad (India, US, Australia, Japan) summit of its leaders Bilateral meeting between PM Modi and U.S. President Joseph Biden. Key Takeaways of the Blinken’s Visit Most of the conversations were focused on Quad cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, Afghanistan and on the state of democracy and rights. On Quad: US & India showed full convergence On Afghanistan: India said that there were “more convergences than divergences” on the common positions that there is no military solution to conflict, and that neither country would recognise a Taliban regime that takes Kabul by force. On Democratic freedom: Both sides maintained there were “shared values” but points of friction existed between two. What are the divergences between India & USA on Afghanistan? U.S. withdrawal will mean a less secure region that also impacts India’s security interests in the region. U.S. continues to engage the Taliban in talks for a power-sharing arrangement, despite the Taliban leadership’s refusal to enforce a ceasefire, and stop attacks against civilians in areas they take over. This embolden Taliban who has close ties with Pakistan (against India’s interests) Taliban is also trying to squeeze trade and financial supply chains to the Afghanistan government and US is not holding Taliban accountable for its actions. Perhaps the greatest worry for India is the U.S.’s refusal to hold Pakistan to account for having given shelter to the Taliban, as this will only embolden Islamabad if the Taliban advance in Afghanistan. Another cause of worry is the recent U.S.’s announcement of a new “Quad” with Uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan on connectivity. What were the points of friction on Democratic freedoms? Mr. Blinken met with a “civil society roundtable” wherein internal Indian issues such as minority rights, religious freedoms and curbs on the media and dissent were discussed. This was done in the wake of international criticism against Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019 & abrogation of Article 370. India’s Minister of External Affairs however countered the allegation of “backslide” in India’s democracy by reiterating that the same standards apply for the U.S. and India and actions by government like CAA & Article 370 was taken to “right historical wrongs” Conclusion Despite the attempt from both sides to paper over the cracks, Democratic freedoms is an issue that they will grapple with in the future even as they build upon the strong “Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership” that the world’s oldest and most populous democracies continue to share. Connecting the dots : India-USA Defence deals Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Reviving SAARC to deal with China HEALTH/ GOVERNANCE Topic: GS-2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. GS-2: Functions and responsibilities of the Union and the States In the interest of the public: Meghalaya HC order on Compulsory Vaccination Context: Recently, Meghalaya government had had ordered shopkeepers, local taxi drivers and others to get the COVID-19 vaccines before they resume economic activities in the wake of lock down relaxation post second wave. This was appealed in Meghalaya High Court In Registrar General vs. State of Meghalaya, the Meghalaya High Court ruled that the State government’s order is violative of the right to privacy, life, personal liberty, and livelihood. Significance of the case: It raises important questions of how the government can overcome widespread vaccine hesitancy and bring the pandemic to an end. What was the Court’s reasoning? The court reasoned that forcing people to vaccinate themselves vitiates the “very fundamental purpose of the welfare attached to it”. It ruled that the government’s order intrudes upon one’s right to privacy and personal liberty as it deprives the individual of their bodily autonomy and bodily integrity, even though the intrusion is of minority intensity. It ruled that the government’s order affects an individual’s right “significantly” more than affecting the general public. It found that the government’s order is not maintainable in law as there is no legal mandate for mandatory vaccination. It relied on the Central government’s frequently asked questions, which specify that COVID-19 vaccination is voluntary. The court felt that the consequences of non-compliance with the order (i.e., non-resumption of economic activities) was excessive. The court concluded that the State, rather than adopting coercive steps, must persuade the people to get themselves inoculated. Counter-arguments to Meghalaya High Court’s order Precedence Exists: Compulsory vaccination has often been deployed in India and abroad. The Vaccination Act, 1880, allowed the government to mandate smallpox vaccination among children in select areas. International Judicial Orders: Compulsory vaccination has passed the muster of judicial review in several national and international courts abroad. In a recent judgment in Vavřička and Others v. Czech Republic, the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) said that the compulsory COVID-19 vaccination scheme is consistent with the right to privacy and religion. No right is absolute: Right to Privacy is not absolute rather rights are subject to reasonable restrictions. Public health takes priority: Violations of rights from mandatory administration of a vaccine cannot be termed so grave so as to override the health rationale underlying the government’s order. Compulsory Vaccination can also pass the three-pronged test laid out in Justice Puttaswamy v. Union of India case, when any restriction is being imposed on rights First, the restriction must be provided in the law: State governments have the authority to mandate vaccines under the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897, which allows them to prescribe regulations to prevent the spread of an epidemic disease Second, the restriction must have a legitimate aim. Compulsory vaccination pursues the legitimate aim of protecting the public from COVID-19. Third, the restriction must be proportional to the object pursued. With more than four lakh reported deaths and a looming third wave, the current scenario counts as a pressing social need. Conclusion The Court could have ordered the government to replace the existing order with less stringent consequences, such as a moderate fine. Connecting the dots: Indemnity & Vaccine Pricing Vaccine Nationalism Vaccine Diplomacy TRIPS Waiver for Vaccines (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 What are the possible monitoring benefits of Geo imaging satellite EOS-03 which is scheduled for launch in the third quarter of 2021? Floods Cyclones Water bodies Crops Forest cover changes Select the correct statements 1, 2 and 3 Only 2 and 5 only 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 only 1 and 2 only Q.2 Consider the following statements regarding All-India quota (AIQ) scheme: The AIQ was introduced in 1986 under the directions of the Central government. It comprises 15% of the UG seats and 50% of the PG seats in government medical colleges. Select the correct statements 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.3. Kanjeevaram Sarees originated in which of the following state of India? Andhra Pradesh Karnataka Kerala Tamil Nadu ANSWERS FOR 29th July 2021 TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE (TYK) 1 C 2 B 3 A Must Read On Cyber Crimes: The Hindu On Police Reforms: Indian Express On Anti-trafficking: Financial Express

Jul 30, 2021 Rapid Revision (RaRe) Series for UPSC

[Day 61]: 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-61 of RaRe Series - Click here To Register - Click here For complete details of the RaRe Series - Click here

Jul 30, 2021 Daily Prelims CA Quiz

UPSC Quiz – 2021 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz 30th JULY 2021

Jul 30, 2021 TLP Mains Answer Writing

IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 1): UPSC Mains Answer Writing – General Studies Paper 3 Questions [30th JULY,2021] – Day 145

For Previous TLP (ARCHIVES) - CLICK HERE Hello Friends, Welcome to IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 1): UPSC Mains Answer Writing – General Studies Paper 3 Questions [30th JULY,2021] – Day 145 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. The sheer interconnectedness of the system gives rise to legitimate concerns regarding the nature and structure of the systems of response, particularly with regard to the purported fragmentation of India’s federal arrangements. Examine in light of India’s federal setup and its internal security preparedness. (10 Marks) प्रणाली की पूर्ण अंतर्संबद्धता प्रतिक्रिया प्रणाली की प्रकृति और संरचना के बारे में वैध चिंताओं को जन्म देती है, विशेष रूप से भारत की संघीय व्यवस्था के कथित विखंडन के संबंध में। भारत के संघीय ढांचे और इसकी आंतरिक सुरक्षा तैयारियों के आलोक में परीक्षण करें। 2. India’s space program needs a techno-military orientation. Do you agree? Critically examine. (10 Marks) भारत के अंतरिक्ष कार्यक्रम को एक तकनीकी-सैन्य अभिविन्यास की आवश्यकता है। क्या आप सहमत हैं? समालोचनात्मक जाँच करें। 3. Identify the types of linkages between terrorism and organised crime. Cite examples in the Indian context. Which factors have contributed to these linkages? Discuss. (15 Marks) आतंकवाद और संगठित अपराध के बीच संबंधों के प्रकारों की पहचान करें। भारतीय संदर्भ में उदाहरण दीजिए। इन संबंधों में किन कारकों ने योगदान दिया है? चर्चा 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 :)

Jul 29, 2021 TLP Mains Answer Writing

SYNOPSIS [28th JULY,2021] Day 143: IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 1): UPSC Mains Answer Writing (General Studies)

For Previous TLP (ARCHIVES) - CLICK HERE SYNOPSIS [28th JULY,2021] Day 143: IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 1): UPSC Mains Answer Writing (General Studies) 1. Examine the significance of border infrastructure for managing security challenges in the border regions. Approach Introduce with facts on the length of Indian border and India’s neighbourhood.In next part address the what is the significance of border infrastructure.Then go on to write in brief what are issues which is plaguing its development and some recent efforts taken by Indian government.Conclusion can be summary oriented which highlights need of better infrastructure at faster pace. Introduction: India’s land border covers around 15,106 km sharing boundaries with Pakistan, Afghanistan, China, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Myanmar. Varied terrains, climatic conditions and hostile neighbours make its borders complex and border management an important part of its security. Body Significance of border infrastructure for managing security challenges in the border regions It deals with major border security challenges – cross-border terrorism, infiltration and exfiltration of armed militants and insurgents, narcotics and arms smuggling; illegal migration; left-wing extremism and separatist movements aided by external powers. Proper border road infra will reduce trafficking and smuggling, which is currently a big cause concern for India and neighbouring countries. One of the most important advantages is development of legal and amicable trade relations with neighbouring countries. Examples of it are trade through Attari-Wagha border and Border Haats with Bangladesh and many more with Nepal, Bhutan, etc. Proper border road infra will reduce trafficking and smuggling, which is currently a big cause concern for India and neighbouring countries. Another major economic benefit is inclusive growth and development. Border road infrastructure, especially in harsh terrains such as northeast and Jammu & Kashmir provides avenue for self-employment and boost to traditional small scale Industries. Furthermore, tourism in Himalayas has not reached to its full potential due to improper road infrastructure. To tap full potential of natural tourism avenues we must further improve our border road infra. One of the major advantages is that through border road infra India will be successful in pushing for her ambitious neighbourhood first and act east policies. It will act as soft power in terms of creating people to people contacts. Best example of this is the most recent project of Kartarpur Corridor. Border road infra helps in maintaining peace and stability by controlling the security concerns related to inter-region and intra-region issues. The task of national integration which started with independence of India and still going on will be incomplete without border road infra. Connectivity and inclusivity are the important tools for national integration of far-flung areas such as Northeastern states and Ladakh, etc. Another important advantage of border roads is in proper and swift disaster management. Difficult and harsh terrains of Indian borders and relatively low development of bordering countries make it inevitable for India to prepared and self-sufficient to handle any kind of disasters. Challenges in Border infrastructure sector Even after about 10 years of implementation of BADP, the border blocks are yet to be opened up and are in utter backwardness due to their isolation and inaccessibility. The State Government, though handicapped by its limited resources, is committed to accelerate the pace of development and is trying its best for development of the border areas. Presently, 10% of BADP 6 fund allotted to the State Government is earmarked for security related schemes to be implemented by the state police and paramilitary forces and the balance 90% fund is equally distributed amongst the bordering blocks. National credit registry politics in Arunachal Pradesh, Sinhalese prosecution in Sri Lanka are some of the other domestic politics. Rough and difficult terrain, tough Weather and Climatic conditions, Seismically active areas in most of the border, Inadequate manpower, funds with Border Road organisation (BRO), Redtapism and bureaucratic delays in projects also act as hindrance. Recent steps taken for enhancing border management Creating infrastructure: India is also constructing some critical bridges to cut down time for troop movement such as Dhola – Sadiya bridge. India has joined hands with Japan to aggressively develop infrastructure projects in North east to contain China. Army infrastructure projects within 100 Km of LAC have been exempted from forest clearance. To expedite border road construction, Ministry of Defence has decided to delegate administrative and financial powers to the Border Roads Organisation (BRO). Creation of Chief of Defence staff (CDS). Conclusion India is having one of the longest border with different neighbours.Two of which are hostile and have had wars in past.This makes border infrastructure a critical aspect for the national security of India.In recent years especially the attack in Galwan by China have highlighted how India’s progress on border infrastructure have been helpful to thwart such attacks.Further there needs to be more rapid pace of development for better cordial relations with friendly neighbours and shielding India against the hostile neighbours. 2. Examine the the nexus between organised crime with terrorism and the security challenges arising out of it. Approach Define what what is organised crime and terrorism in introduction or you can start with a statistic on these issues contextualising in India.In next part write about what is this nexus between organised crime and what some issues challenges emanate out of it.Conclusion should be reforms oriented. Introduction: Organised crime is a category of transnational, national, or local groupings of highly centralised enterprises run by criminals who intend to engage in illegal activity, most commonly for money and profit.While terrorism is a Violent, criminal acts committed by individuals and/or groups who are inspired by, or associated with, designated foreign terrorist organisations or nations (state-sponsored). Body Nexus between organised crime and terrorism Terrorist groups need arms and money to fight against security forces. The organised criminals and terrorist groups become clients of each other. Organised criminals groups smuggle arms, drugs, cattle, humans to generate money for terrorist groups. Terrorist groups always try to destabilise the country and bring down the morale of security forces. When the terrorist groups are unable to confront the security forces directly, they turn towards organised criminals. Thus organised criminals indirectly help these terrorist groups. Organised criminal groups generally establish a strong communication network. These organised groups act as eyes and ears of the terrorist groups. Terrorist organisations in India, especially in the northeast, mobilise funds by becoming couriers of illegal drugs and arms and at times even human beings from one point to another within the country. Terrorists are always in need of money. As they fail to mobilise large amounts of money, they take the help of organised criminals to exchange counterfeit currency with arms. Penetration of Organised crime and its link with terrorism in different states of India. Challenges arising out pf relationship between organised crime and terrorism: Organised crime poses a serious problem for India, with well-established trade in drugs, weapons, and humans supported by the informal hawala money transfer network. Developing countries with weak rule of law can be particularly susceptible to Terrorism and Organised Crime (TOC)penetration. TOC penetration of states is deepening, leading to co-option in a few cases and further weakening of governance in many others. Threats to the Economy, Competitiveness, and Strategic Markets. TOC threatens economic interests and can cause significant damage to the world financial system through its subversion, exploitation, and distortion of legitimate markets and economic activity. Human smuggling is the facilitation, transportation, attempted transportation, or illegal entry of a person or persons across an international border, in violation of one or more countries’ laws, either clandestinely or through deception, whether with the use of fraudulent documents or through the evasion of legitimate border controls. Conclusion The evolving relationship between terrorism and crime poses significant challenges to the international community. There is a need to develop effective and tailor-made responses to the organised crime and terrorism, which address the underlying causes of the convergence at all levels, based on strong evidence, engagement with local actors, good governance, enhanced services delivery and capacity building and the incorporation of normative frameworks. 3. How is illegal movement of goods and people across the border a security threat? Illustrate with the help of suitable examples. Approach Introduce with the length of Indian border which makes it vulnerable for various security threat.In next part explain challenges with examples.In conclusion suggest some reforms for better management of borders. Introduction: India’s border with Bangladesh runs 4,096 km, 3,323 km with Pakistan, 1,751 km with Nepal and 1,643 km with Myanmar.Each of these borders are long , have difficult terrain and is porous in many sectors.This poses various security threats to India such as terrorism, drug trafficking, illegal migration, Human trafficking, arms trafficking etc. Body These have led to illegal movement of goods and people across the border, which has brought following threats – Drugs trade: Golden Crescent and Golden Triangle at western and eastern borders respectively bring the menace of narcotics in our society.This corrupts the youth of India and mares a healthy future for Indian society. Arms and ammunition: Military grade old weapons of Chinese army when reach to insurgent group, makes them heady and dangerous.This has been observed in naxal belts of India, terrorist in Kashmir get weapons from Pakistan.This leads to attacks on India which harms the peaceful atmosphere. Counterfeit currency: Fake Indian currency notes travelling through pours border raises economic threat.This leads to economic loss which further is used in supporting various crimes such as terrorism, human trafficking.Use od counterfeit currency is one of the prime source of terrorism funding. Organised crime: Human and organ trafficking at border is also a concern to security forces.The porous borders make this easier which harms many young children and girls especially. Anti-India organisation such as ULFA, NSCN etc can easily move out /in of country due to pours border .Hence their movement gets sustained. Radicalisation: Demography change and radicalisation through influx of refugee. This has been seen in Assam and the Northeastern states of India with the influx of Bangladeshi migrants which have caused violence in Bodoland area and Kokrajhar. Funding for Crimes: Rise in illegal money through smuggling of cattle, kerosene, and sugar etc provides fund for other crimes. Terrorism: In Mumbai attack of 2008, terrorist got easy entry through coastal border.There have been many cross border attacks such as Uri, Pathankot, and attack by NSCN in Nagaland.These attacks lead to loss of lives of soldiers and civilians. Problem of Fugitive: Criminal get easy refugee in these countries after committing crime inside India. Influx of refugee: infiltration of refugees such as in case of Rohingya’s. This has led to protest by citizens for refugees occupying land and taking the benefits of needy in India. Conclusion Porous borders have led to many socioeconomic and security issues in India. Therefore It is imperative to implement Comprehensive Integrated Border Management System (CIBMS) which will help to reduce the porosity with technology and better management.One could take lessons from Israel in this regard. Recommendation of Madukar Gupta committee to strengthen border protection and address vulnerabilities in fencing border would be helpful. TLP Synopsis Day 143 PDF

Jul 29, 2021 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 29th July 2021

Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) Parliamentary Privileges Part of: GS Prelims and GS-II - Parliamentary Privileges In news: The Supreme Court recently held that lawmakers cannot indulge in criminal acts on the Parliament or Assembly floors and then take cover behind the right to free speech. The court refused the Kerala government’s plea to withdraw prosecution of top Left Democratic Front (LDF) leaders accused of vandalism and wanton destruction of public property on the Assembly floor during a Budget speech in 2015. The SC observed that Parliamentary privileges and immunities are not “gateways” for legislators to claim exemption from the law of the land, especially criminal law. What is Parliamentary Privilege? Parliamentary privilege refers to rights, immunities and exemptions enjoyed by Parliament as an institution and MPs in their individual capacity, without which they cannot discharge their functions as entrusted upon them by the Constitution. When any of these rights and immunities are disregarded, the offence is called a breach of privilege and is punishable under law of Parliament. A notice is moved in the form of a motion by any member of either House against those being held guilty of breach of privilege What are the Rules Governing Privilege? Article 105 mentions two privileges - freedom of speech in Parliament and right of publication of its proceedings. Rule No 222 in Chapter 20 of the Lok Sabha Rule Book and Rule 187 in Chapter 16 of the Rajya Sabha rulebook governs privilege. A member may, with the consent of the Speaker or the Chairperson, raise a question involving a breach of privilege either of a member or of the House. The rules mandate that any notice should be relating to an incident of recent occurrence and should need the intervention of the House. News Source: TH Lithium Exploration Part of: GS Prelims and GS - III - Economy; Sci and tech In news: Geological Survey of India (GSI) has taken up 7 projects on lithium exploration in Arunachal Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Jammu & Kashmir and Rajasthan. However, resource of lithium has not yet been augmented by GSI. What is Lithium? Lithium (Li), chemical element of Group 1 (Ia) in the periodic table, the alkali metal group, lightest of the solid elements. The metal itself—which is soft, white, and lustrous—and several of its alloys and compounds are produced on an industrial scale. The most important use of lithium is in rechargeable batteries for mobile phones, laptops, digital cameras and electric vehicles. Lithium is also used in some non-rechargeable batteries for things like heart pacemakers, toys and clocks. What is Geological Survey of India? It was set up in 1851 primarily to find coal deposits for the Railways. Over the years, it has attained the status of a geo-scientific organisation of international repute. Main function: Creation and updation of national geo-scientific information and mineral resource assessment. Headquarter: Kolkata Six regional offices: Lucknow, Jaipur, Nagpur, Hyderabad, Shillong and Kolkata. Every state also has a state unit. Presently, GSI is an attached office to the Ministry of Mines. News Source: PIB King Chilli ‘Raja Mircha' Part of: Prelims and GS -III - Economy In news In a major boost to exports of Geographical Indications (GI) products from the north-eastern region, a consignment of ‘Raja Mircha’ also referred as king chilli from Nagaland was today exported to London via Guwahati under assistance from APEDA. The consignment was sourced from Tening, part of Peren district, Nagaland. Exporting fresh King Chilli posed a challenge earlier because of its highly perishable nature. About King Chilli King Chilli is considered as the world’s hottest based on the Scoville Heat Units (SHUs). is constantly on the top five in the list of the world's hottest chilies based on the SHUs. It is also referred to as Bhoot Jolokia and Ghost pepper. It got GI certification in 2008. It belongs to genus Capsicum of family Solanaceae. What is Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA)? It is an apex body under the Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry responsible for the export promotion of agricultural products. It was established under the APEDA Act of 1985. Functions Promotion of exports of agricultural and processed food products. Promotion of export oriented production and development of the Scheduled products. To make Improvement in areas such as packaging Setting standards and specifications for the scheduled products Financial assistance, reliefs and subsidies to the related industries. Provide training in the related areas Do you know? APEDA has facilitated exports of Jackfruits from Tripura to London and Germany, Assam Lemon to London, Red rice of Assam to the USA and Leteku ‘Burmese Grape’ to Dubai. News Source: PIB Academic Credit Bank Part of: GS Prelims and GS - III - Infrastructure In news On the first anniversary of the National Education Policy (NEP), the Central government shall officially roll out some initiatives promised in the policy, such as a credit transfer system that will allow multiple entry and exit options in higher education, as well as engineering programmes in regional languages. However, other promised reforms such as the Higher Education Commission of India (HECI), the four-year undergraduate degree, and the common university entrance test, have been delayed due to COVID-19 pandemic. What are the initiatives that will be rolled out? The Academic Bank of Credit will be rolled out for students in over 290 top institutions from the current academic year 2021-22 onwards. All institutions in the top 100 of the National Institutional Ranking Framework as well as those who have achieved an A grade under the NAAC will be allowed to participate in the credit transfer system, which will also allow multiple entry and exit options for students. Multidisciplinarity will be issued with guidelines to allow the merger of institutes to give students the choice of taking subjects such as social sciences, music and sports while pursuing engineering, or to get a minor degree in emerging areas while majoring in a different subject. Engineering degrees in regional languages in about 14 smaller institutions. Establishment of the National Digital Education Architecture and National Education Technology Forum. Vidya Pravesh, a three-month play-based school preparation module for Class 1 students which gains greater importance now since pre-schools, nurseries and anganwadis are closed due to COVID-19 pandemic. A competency-based assessment framework for Classes 3, 5 and 8 will also be announced for students of the CBSE. News Source: TH Tea Board Part of: GS Prelims and GS-III - Economy In news The United Planters’ Association of Southern India (UPASI) has termed as ‘retrograde’ the recent circular issued by Tea Board India. The Association said the mode of sale of tea should be left to the choice of the producers. About the circular The circular had directed manufacturers to comply with the order of mandatory sale of 50% of the total output through public auctions. In 2001, the government repealed the mandatory routing of tea through auctions in line with the policy of economic liberalisation and free trade. However, this was again amended in 2015. Tea producers have, during this period, developed a domestic market where they get better prices. According to the Tea Board, its order will make the auction system robust and bring stability to prices. But, tea auctions in India have a finite load- handling capacity. Also, there is no guarantee that the manufacturers will get fair prices to cover even the cost of production. Routing of teas through auction increases the transaction cost too. About Tea Board It is a statutory body under the Ministry of Commerce. The Board is constituted of 31 members (including Chairman) drawn from Members of Parliament, tea producers, tea traders, tea brokers, consumers, and representatives of Governments from the principal tea producing states, and trade unions. The Board is reconstituted every three years. Functions: Rendering financial and technical assistance for cultivation, manufacture and marketing of tea. Export promotion Research and Development activities Extend financial assistance in a limited way to the plantation workers and their wards through labour welfare schemes. Collection and maintenance of Statistical data and publication. News Source: TH Factoring Regulation (Amendment) Bill 2020 Part of: GS Prelims and GS -II - Policies and interventions In news The Bill was recently passed by the Lok Sabha. The Bill seeks to widen the scope of entities that can engage in factoring business. What is factoring? Factoring is a transaction where an entity (like MSMEs) ‘sells’ its receivables ( dues from a customer) to a third party ( a ‘factor’ like a bank or NBFC) for immediate funds (partial or full). Currently, seven non-bank finance companies called NBFC factors do the majority of the factoring through the principal business condition What are its Key Provisions? The Bill has done away with the threshold for NBFCs to get into the factoring business. It widens the scope of financiers and to permit other non-banking finance companies also to undertake factoring business and participate on the Trade Receivables Discounting System platform for discounting the invoices of micro, small and medium enterprises. It reduces the time period for registration of invoice and satisfaction of charge upon it, in order to avoid possibility of dual financing. It empowers the Reserve Bank of India to make regulations with respect to factoring business What is its Significance? Allowing non-NBFC factors and other entities to undertake factoring is expected to increase the supply of funds available to small businesses. This may result in bringing down the cost of funds and enable greater access to the credit-starved small businesses, ensuring timely payments against their receivables. Steps like integration with GSTN, mandatory listing of the government dues and direct filing of charges will improve the operational efficiency and acceptability of the platforms among the financiers. News Source: TH Exercise INDRA-21 Part of: GS Prelims and GS II - International relations In news The 12th Edition of Indo-Russia joint military Exercise INDRA will be held at Volgograd, Russia in August 2021. About Exercise INDRA The exercise will entail conduct of counter terror operations under the United Nations mandate by a joint force against international terror groups. The INDRA series of exercises began in 2003 and was conducted as a bilateral naval exercise alternately between the two countries. However, the first joint Tri-Services Exercise was conducted in 2017. The last joint, tri-services exercise between India and Russia was conducted in India in December 2019. It was held simultaneously at Babina (near Jhansi), Pune, and Goa. Major Indian Maritime Exercises Name of the Exercise Name of the Country SLINEX Sri Lanka Bongosagar and IN-BN CORPAT Bangladesh JIMEX Japan Naseem-Al-Bahr Oman Indra Russia Za’ir-Al-Bahr Qatar Samudra Shakti Indonesia Indo-Thai CORPAT Thailand IMCOR Malaysia SIMBEX Singapore AUSINDEX Australia Malabar Exercise Japan, and the USA News Source: PIB (Mains Focus) INTERNATIONAL/ EDUCATION Topic: GS-2: Education & Governance GS-2: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests. Japanese education spells holistic development Investment in education yields both private and social returns. Private returns, like wages, accrue to individuals. Social returns accrue to society: For when educated people follow rules such as queuing, using washrooms, washing hands, protecting public property, etc. the collective returns from such actions generate a huge social value such as cleaner, healthier and disciplined societies. The novel coronavirus pandemic has given us an opportunity to re-evaluate how our schools should expand our capabilities. While academic prowess in math, science and language is essential, moral & value education is missing in India’s education system Japanese Education system provides important lessons for India to make our Education system human-centric in nature. What is Japanese Model of Education? Japanese curriculum emphasis on both cognitive & non-cognitive elements. Moving Beyond Academic Prowess ‘Chi-Toku-Tai’ is the defining features of Japanese schooling. Chi, which translates to ‘know’ lay an emphasis on building strong academic abilities. Toku, translates to ‘virtue’ and refers to mindfulness, self-discipline, and cooperative abilities. Tai, translates to ‘body, and refers to physical and mental well-being. This philosophy focuses on holistic ability extending beyond academic prowess to include ‘kansei’ which roughly translates to ‘sensitivity’. This approach aims at developing a knowledgeable mind which can appreciate beauty and nature, hold a sense of justice, and respect life and labour. Shaping Social Behaviour The elementary school curriculum is supplemented with subjects, namely moral education, integrated studies and special activities. This plays a tremendous role in building courteous and mindful societies. Moral education includes norms that define socially responsible and considerate behaviour towards everyone including nature. Students as young as first graders take turns to clean their classrooms, washrooms, serve school lunches, and water the plants at school. Such a system reaps several benefits. As students do various chores, it builds respect for labour, humility at a young age and encourages responsible and mindful behaviour towards the community. Experiential learning Integrated studies encompass experiential learning and independent thinking where students identify problems in their local communities and think of solutions. For example, children may create a disaster preparedness map based on their own research. Activities such as these integrate schools with community. If we can train our children in identifying problems in their local communities such as health ailments, pollution, waste disposal, etc. and coach them in developing solution road maps, the gains to both sides can be immense. Any solution & analysis inculcates the practise of ‘kaizen’ — the Japanese philosophy of continuous improvement. Emphasis on Unity Another notable aspect that defines Japanese society and education system is ‘collectivism’. Unlike the West, Japan is a collectivist society. Working as a group and group harmony is fundamental to this society The belief that one wins only when the group wins, generates equitable and united societies. Education includes activities which promotes the idea of Unity & Collectivism. Conclusion The Japanese education philosophy transitioned from an extremely examination-focused, rote memorisation-based approach to the ‘Chi-Toku-Tai’ approach in the 1970s. The results are visible with high Civic Consciousness among Japanese as well as top rank in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). It is time India learn from this model. Connecting the dots: New Education Policy, 2020 School Education UDISE+ 2019-20 Report ECONOMY/ GOVERNANCE Topic: 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. Resolution ‘pre-packs’ for MSMEs Context: The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Amendment) Bill, 2021, passed by Lok Sabha on Wednesday has proposed ‘pre-packs’ as an insolvency resolution mechanism for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). What are ‘pre-packs’? A pre-pack envisages the resolution of the debt of a distressed company through a direct agreement between secured creditors and the existing owners or outside investors, instead of a public bidding process. Under the pre-pack system, financial creditors will agree to terms with the promoters or a potential investor, and seek approval of the resolution plan from the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT). The approval of at least 66% of financial creditors that are unrelated to the corporate debtor would be required before a resolution plan is submitted to the NCLT. The NCLTs will be required to either accept or reject an application for a pre-pack insolvency proceeding before considering a petition for a Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process (CIRP). This system of insolvency proceedings has become an increasingly popular mechanism for insolvency resolution in the UK and Europe over the past decade How are pre-packs better than CIRP? One of the key criticisms of the CIRP has been the time it takes for resolution. At the end of March 2021, 79% of the 1,723 ongoing insolvency resolution proceedings had crossed the 270-day threshold. A major reason for the delays is the prolonged litigation by erstwhile promoters and potential bidders. The pre-pack in contrast, is limited to a maximum of 120 days with only 90 days available to stakeholders to bring a resolution plan for approval before the NCLT. Another key difference between pre-packs and CIRP is that the existing management retains control in the case of pre-packs; in the case of CIRP, a resolution professional takes control of the debtor as a representative of financial creditors. This ensures minimal disruption of operations relative to a CIRP. Is that the reason why the pre-pack has been introduced? Pre-packs are largely aimed at providing MSMEs with an opportunity to restructure their liabilities and start with a clean slate while still providing adequate protections so that the system is not misused by firms to avoid making payments to creditors. Currently, only corporate debtors themselves are permitted to initiate a Pre-Insolvency Resource Package (PIRP) after obtaining the approval of 66% of their creditors. The pre-pack mechanism does however, allow for a ‘Swiss challenge’ to any resolution plan that provides less than full recovery of dues for operational creditors. Under the Swiss challenge mechanism, any third party would be permitted to submit a resolution plan for the distressed company, and the original applicant would have to either match the improved resolution plan or forego the investment. What challenges can pre-packs bring? The timeline for PIRP may be difficult to meet for lenders and distressed firms, Ordinarily where haircuts are involved, forensic/transaction audits become imperative, and a negative report may become a roadblock in resolution involving the same management. If a firm restructures its outstanding debt through a PIRP with the existing management retaining control, the NPA status of the company’s account with lenders may not be automatically upgraded under RBI guidelines. There is a need for the IBBI and RBI to find middle ground on these regulations to make the PIRP more attractive Also, debtor-in-possession model may militate against the Swiss challenge option, as the existing management may create hurdles for an outside investor seeking information to potentially invest in the company. Under CIRP, a resolution professional is in charge of running the company and providing information to potential investors. Conclusion Experts have noted that the pre-pack mechanism is effective in arriving at a quick resolution for distressed companies, and that the regime should be rolled out to all corporations over time as legal issues are settled through case law. Connecting the dots: Insolvency & bankruptcy Code Banking Health: NPAs and COVID-19 (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 about Tea Board It is a statutory body under the Ministry of Commerce. The Board is reconstituted every three years. Select the correct statements 1 Only 2 Only Both 1 and 2 only Neither 1 nor 2 Q.2 Naseem-Al-Bahr Military exercise is held between which of the following two countries? Qatar and Saudi Arabia India and Oman Pakistan and China China and Pakistan Q.3 World’s hottest Chilli based on the Scoville Heat Units (SHUs) is found in which of the following country? India Myanmar USA Malaysia ANSWERS FOR 28th July 2021 TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE (TYK) 1 A 2 C 3 A Must Read On post-pandemic economic strains: The Hindu On GST Compensation issue: The Hindu On Farm reforms: Indian Express

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