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WEEKEND WITH BABA – Third Live Session on 22nd May for UPSC 2022 Aspirants

Dear Students Thank you for an overwhelming response to the first two sessions of the 'WEEKEND WITH BABA'. We hope that the initiative is helping you all. You can watch the first two sessions here - SESSION 1 - CLICK HERE SESSION 2 - CLICK HERE The Third Session will be on 'Ethics and Essay' and will be taken by Sunil Sir (Retd. IAS). DATE and TIME - 22nd May (6 PM onwards) Note - The Youtube Link for the Third Session will be updated on Saturday. How to make the best use of this LIVE Session? Post your queries with the #ASKBABA. In the first 20 minutes, the common questions which are shared on Disqus comment, Telegram, and email will be picked up and answered. Post that 10 minutes, Live questions posted on the YouTube chat will be answered. The time duration of this session can get extended based on the questions posted/asked. You can start sharing your questions/queries/doubts with #ASKBABA (related to UPSC 2022 Preparation) in disqus comment box below and Upvoting can follow. Remember maximum upvotes will be given priority. Feel free to share your queries because many of the questions that you are having, will be the same as other candidates. Your questions might help others in clarifying their doubts. Waiting to talk to you soon! P.S: 'CONNECT WITH BABA' consists of the following - Hotline, #AskBaba, Phone-a-Friend, (Monday - Friday between 10 AM to 6 PM), and 'Weekend with Baba' (Every Saturday on YouTube from 6 PM - 7 PM). To get Regular Updates from IASbaba, follow- TELEGRAM Channel – CLICK HERE YOUTUBE  –  CLICK HERE FACEBOOK  – CLICK HERE

AIR

Budget and Emphasis on Health Sector - All India Radio (AIR) IAS UPSC

ARCHIVES Search 23rd February, 2021 Spotlight News Analysis here: http://www.newsonair.com/Main_Audio_Bulletins_Search.aspx TOPIC: General Studies 2 Budget 2021 Issues relating to development and management of health In News: With COVID infections crossing the 1-crore mark, and claiming nearly 1.54 lakh lives, the Government has allocated Rs 64,180 crore in the Union Budget to upgrade public health care infrastructure under a new flagship PM AtmaNirbhar Swasth Bharat initiative over six years — and unveiled a new expenditure head called “health and well-being”. Spelling out medium and long term expenditure for the public health care system, which came under severe stress during the initial stages of the pandemic, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman pegged the total expenditure for “health and well-being” at Rs 2,23,846 crore — an increase of 137 per cent — including Rs 35,000 crore for immunisation with Covid vaccines. The Finance Minister underlined that the Government will take a “holistic approach” this time by strengthening three critical areas: “Preventive health, curative health and well-being.” This will be of immense help to the country at this critical juncture. The allocation shows that drinking water and sanitation has received the biggest boost of 179 per cent, with funds for health and family welfare increasing by 9.62 percent while nutrition witnessed a drop of 27 per cent.  The Rs 2.23 lakh crore will include expenditure on six components in varying proportions: Department of Health & Family Welfare (31.83 per cent) with finance commission grant (5.89 per cent) Department of Drinking Water & Sanitation (26.81 per cent) with finance commission grant (16.09 per cent) Vaccination (15.63 per cent) Health research (1.89 per cent) Ministry of AYUSH (1.32 per cent) Nutrition (1.20 per cent) PM AtmaNirbhar Swasth Bharat  It will be implemented in addition to the National Health Mission — and provide support for 17,788 rural and 11,024 urban health and wellness centres.  This will develop capacities of primary, secondary, and tertiary care health systems, strengthen existing national institutions, and create new institutions to cater to detection and cure of new and emerging diseases Under the new scheme, five key interventions will be implemented, specifically catering to new and emerging diseases:  Integrated public health labs in all districts and 3,382 block units in 11 states Critical care hospital blocks in 602 districts and 12 central institutions A strengthened National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and its five regional branches and 20 metro health surveillance units A national institution for One Health, a regional research platform for WHO (South East Asia), nine Bio-Safety Level III laboratories and four regional national institutes for virology. The scheme will also provide funds to set up 15 emergency operation centres and two mobile hospitals, operationalise 17 new public health units and strengthen existing units at the 32 airports, 11 seaports and seven land crossings. Jal Jeevan Mission (Urban): It aims at universal water supply in all 4,378 urban local bodies with 2.86 crore household tap connections, as well as liquid waste management in 500 AMRUT cities. It will be implemented over five years, with an outlay of Rs 2,87,000 crore. Criticism: A Finance Commission grant of Rs 13,000-crore and Rs 35,000-crore for COVID-19 vaccination are one-time allocations and, therefore, do not strengthen the overall system.  The figures in the budget documents reveal a different story. They show an absolute increase of 9.6 per cent in allocations for the Department of Health and Family Welfare (that includes NHM and Ayushman Bharat).  A 26.8 per cent increase for the Department of Health Research and 40 per cent increase for the AYUSH Ministry do not add up to much since each of them are only 3-4 per cent of the total health budget.  A Finance Commission grant of Rs 13,000-crore and Rs 35,000-crore for COVID-19 vaccination are one-time allocations and, therefore, do not strengthen the overall system.  The core health service and research ministries (H&FW and AYUSH) have together received only an 11 per cent increase. Even in COVID times, the health services get only 2.21 per cent of the total central budget — down from 2.27 per cent in the 2020-21 budget. Computing for inflation, the increase in allocation for health services alone disappears and actually becomes negative. Water and sanitation received a 179 per cent increase over the previous year’s allocation (from Rs 21,518 crore to Rs 60,030 crore) already earmarked for the flagship schemes, Swachh Bharat and Jal Jeevan Mission. But allocation for nutrition decreased by 27 per cent, with the “new” Poshan 2.0 merely combining the poorly performing Supplementary Nutrition Programme and Poshan project.  Added together, health, water and sanitation and nutrition make up the claimed 137 per cent increase in allocation to “health” services — with a real decline in healthcare and nutrition. The Way Forward For such public provisioning for universal health coverage, effective low-cost rationalised service system options have to be designed. Insurance schemes only create the mirage of affordability of health services while adding to peoples’ expenses. Community and public services are indisputably the most cost-effective for any society. Water and sanitation are meaningful for health, but not if it only inflates the allocation to “Health and Wellbeing” to create an illusion of responding to health imperatives. In that case, it is only diverting attention from the urgent task of designing an effective universal health care system. If we are to achieve the recommendation by the World Bank and the World Health Organisation that programmes of universal health coverage should aim to reduce out-of-pocket expenditure to 15-20 per cent, we need to do much better in terms of public financing of health. Our out-of-pocket expenditure on health is still around 58 per cent. Ideally, total health expenditure should rise but with public financing contributing the largest share. Health research must be funded more, especially in the area of implementation research to ensure that more money for health translates to more health for the money.  Health technologies need to be incentivised to enhance the effectiveness and equity of health services, through appropriate and affordable innovations.  “Make in India” must support domestic pharmaceutical, vaccine and medical equipment makers for stepping up quantity and quality. Connecting the Dots: India’s economy rides on health of its people. Do you agree? Discuss.

DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 20th May 2021

Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) New sites added to India’s tentative list of UNESCO world heritage sites Part of: GS Prelims and GS-I - Culture  In news Six sites have been added to India’s tentative list of UNESCO world heritage sites. Key takeaways  Sites were submitted by the Archaeological Survey of India.  Six of the nine sites have been accepted by UNESCO for its tentative list.  Being added to the tentative list is a requirement before the final nomination of any site. The sites are Maratha military architecture, Maharashtra Hire Bengal megalithic site, Karnataka Bhedaghat-Lametaghat of Narmada Valley, Madhya Pradesh. Ganga ghats, Varanasi Temples of Kancheepuram Satpura Tiger Reserve, Madhya Pradesh. These proposals will remain in tentative list for a year after which the government will decide which one of them to push for in their final dossier to UNESCO. Related articles: Hampi World Heritage site Rakhigarhi Customs (Import of Goods at Concessional Rate of Duty) Amendment Rules , 2021 Part of: GS Prelims and GS-III - Economy In news The Government has brought changes in the existing Customs (Import of Goods at Concessional Rate of Duty) Rules, IGCR 2017 to boost trade facilitation. The IGCR, 2017 lay down the procedures and manner in which an importer can avail the benefit of a concessional Customs duty on import of goods required for domestic production of goods or providing services. Key takeaways Changes have been introduced by the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs. One major change is that the imported goods have been permitted to be sent out for job work. Importers can now get the final goods manufactured entirely on job work basis.  The absence of this facility had earlier constrained the industry, especially the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises sector, which did not have the complete manufacturing capability in-house. However, some sectors such as gold, jewellery, precious stones and metals have been excluded. Another major change is to allow those who import capital goods at a concessional Customs duty to clear/re-sell them in the domestic market on payment of duty and interest, at a depreciated value.  This was not allowed earlier and manufacturers were stuck with the imported capital goods after having used them as they could not be easily re-exported. MoU signed for Digital Transformation of Tribal Schools Part of: GS Prelims and GS - II - Education  In news Ministry of Tribal Affairs and Microsoft have signed MoU on Joint initiative for Digital Transformation of Tribal Schools Key takeaways  Aim: To skill educators and students in next-generation digital technologies including Artificial Intelligence.  Vision: To build an inclusive, skills-based economy,  The MoU shall support digital transformation of schools such as Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) and Ashram Schools, which fall under the Ministry.  Microsoft will make AI curriculum available to tribal students in both English and Hindi at all EMRS schools under the Ministry.  This program will benefit students in terms of readiness, preparedness at various international forums.  In the first phase, 250 EMRS schools have been adopted by Microsoft out of which 50 EMRS schools will be given intensive training and 500 master trainers would be trained.  Teachers across states in India will be trained in a phased manner.  'Infrastructure' Status for exhibition and convention centres Part of: GS Prelims and GS - III - Economy; Infrastrcuture  In news  The Finance Ministry has granted ‘Infrastructure’ status for exhibition and convention centres.  The move is expected to ease bank financing for such projects. Key takeaways  ‘Exhibition-cum-Convention Centre is included in the Harmonised Master List of Infrastructure sub-sectors.  For this, new item is inserted in the category of Social and Commercial Infrastructure.  These benefits would only be available for projects with a minimum built-up floor area of 1,00,000 sq. m. of exclusive exhibition space or convention space or both combined. As of now, the major projects under way in the sector are: the International Exhibition-cum-Convention Centres at Dwarka and Pragati Maidan, New Delhi  The infrastructure tag does not involve significant tax breaks.  The tag would help such projects get easier financing from banks.  Do you know?  Becoming a MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions) destination can generate significant revenue with several global firms active in India but it will take time to become a preferred destination. Last August, the government had granted infrastructure status to affordable rental housing projects. (Mains Focus) GOVERNANCE/ECONOMY Topic: GS-2: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests. India, Israel and Palestine Context: Recently, India’s permanent representative to UN made a carefully crafted statement at the UN Security Council “open debate” on the escalating Israel-Palestine violence, striving to maintain balance between India’s historic ties with Palestine and its blossoming relations with Israel. Evolution of India’s relationship with Israel & Palestine Nehru and Indira Gandhi era – Idealism & unequivocally pro-Palestine  India stopped at recognising Israel India’s recognised Israel in 1950. PM Nehru’s reasoning was that was that it was “an established fact”, and that not doing so would create rancour between two UN members. However, India did not have full diplomatic ties with Israel. All there was to show for the bilateral relationship was a consulate in Mumbai, established in 1953, mainly for issuing visas to the Indian Jewish community, and to Christian pilgrims. This too was shut down in 1982 for six years when Consul General criticised India in a newspaper interview There was no Indian embassy in Israel till 1992. In 1948, India was the only non-Arab-state among 13 countries that voted against the UN partition plan of Palestine in the General Assembly that led to the creation of Israel. Reasons for India siding with Palestine (and a cold shoulder for Israel) was India’s own Partition along religious lines (Historical basis) Solidarity with the Palestinian people who would be dispossessed (HR Perspective) To ward off Pakistan’s plan to isolate India over Kashmir (Geopolitical reason)  Later, India’s energy dependence on the Arab countries also became a factor (Economic & Pragmatism) To appeal to the sentiments of India’s own Muslim citizens (Domestic Politics) India and Palestine The relationship with Palestine was almost an article of faith in Indian foreign policy for over four decades.  At the 53rd UN session, India co-sponsored the draft resolution on the right of the Palestinians to self-determination.  In the 1967 and 1973 wars, India lashed out at Israel as the aggressor.  In the 1970s, India rallied behind the PLO (Palestine Liberation Organisation) and its leader Yasser Arafat (received as Head of State) as the sole and legitimate representative of the Palestinian people. In 1988, when the PLO declared an independent state of Palestine with its capital in East Jerusalem, India granted recognition immediately.  Changes after 1991- Pragmatism The opening of an Indian embassy in Tel Aviv in January 1992 marked an end to four decades of giving Israel the cold shoulder. India’s decision to normalise ties with Israel in 1992 came against the backdrop of the break-up of the Soviet Union, need for economic pragmatism (i.e. access to Israeli technology), common threats of terrorism and massive shifts in the geopolitics of West Asia on account of the first Gulf War in 1990.  The India-Israel relationship continued to grow, mostly through defence deals, and in sectors such as science and technology and agriculture. There were few high-profile visits, and they all took place when the BJP-led NDA-1 under Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee was in office. India’s balancing act with Palestine Despite growing Indo-Israel ties, New Delhi remained firmly on the side of the PLO, which was seen as ready for a political solution, and had accepted the two-state solution. In 1996 India opened a Representative Office in Gaza, which later moved to Ramallah. During the UPA’s 10 years in office, the balancing act intensified, and Mahmoud Abbas, head of the Palestinian Authority that administers the West Bank, visited in 2005, 2008, 2010 and 2012. India voted for Palestine to become a full member of UNESCO in 2011 In 20212, India co-sponsored the UN General Assembly resolution that enabled Palestine to become a “non-member” observer state at the UN without voting rights.  India also supported the installation of the Palestinian flag on the UN premises in September 2015. Changes after 2014 – Secret affair came out of Closet – whispers of Pro-Israel India never openly acknowledged the relationship with Israel fully, since it opened its diplomatic office in 1992. It was during NDA-2 that the government under PM Modi decided to take full ownership of the relationship with Israel. In 2016, India abstained again at on a UNHRC resolution against Israel.  Until 2017, in various statements, with its expression of support for a two-state solution, India had always included a line in support of East Jerusalem as the capital of a Palestinian state. The reference to East Jerusalem went missing – considered as substantial shift of India’s policy- in PM Modi’s statement during PLO chief Mahmoud Abbas visit to India in 2017 In February 2018, Modi became the first Indian Prime Minister to visit Israel. His itinerary did not include Ramallah (Palestine). The signal was that India had “de-hyphenated” the Israel-Palestine relationship, and would deal with each separately.  Balancing act with Palestine India voted in favour of a resolution in the General Assembly opposing the Trump administration’s recognition of Jerusalem as the Israeli capital. At the UNHRC’s 46th session in Geneva earlier this year, India voted against Israel in three resolutions –  one on the right of self-determination of the Palestinian people  A second on Israeli settlement policy, and A third on the human rights situation in the Golan Heights. In the current context of violence, India in its official statement appears to implicitly hold Israel responsible for triggering the current cycle of violence by locating its beginnings in East Jerusalem rather than from Gaza.  The statement was also emphatic that “the historic status quo at the holy places of Jerusalem including the Haraml al Sharif/Temple Mount must be respected. (The site, administered by Jordan, is revered in both Islam and Judaism. Jewish worshippers are not allowed inside, but have often tried to enter forcibly) Connecting the dots: Abraham Accords Israel-Palestine Conflict USA’s West Asia Peace plan HEALTH/ GOVERNANCE Topic: GS-2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. GS-3: Security & related issues. Politicisation of Providing Security Cover Context: The recent order by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) for providing security cover to 77 MLAs of BJP who were elected earlier this month after the West Bengal Assembly poll is not only unprecedented but appears politically motivated. Overstepping the norm In practice, decisions to provide security to persons under threat is taken by a committee in the MHA, which comprises officials from the Ministry, the Intelligence Bureau (IB), Delhi Police and senior officials of the Central Armed Police Force. While the IB prepares the list of persons under threat and the degree of threat, the committee decides on the force to be deployed depending upon the place where the person is located.  In these meetings, the threat perception of each of the person to be secured is discussed one by one and not collectively for any group as such. The threat perception for each of the persons (77 BJP MLAs) was not discussed thus giving rise to suspicions of political motivations. Was such kind of blanket protection not provided before? In the past, such deployment of central forces for the protection of individuals was done in Punjab and in Jammu and Kashmir, when these regions were rocked by unrest & militancy. Since militants tried to sabotage the process of elections, poll candidates were generally targeted.  The Central government, therefore, took blanket decisions to provide security to every candidate till the elections got over. Implication of the present move Unhealthy sign for Centre-State relations: Law & order and protection to citizens including MLAs is the responsibility of State Police. But by deploying central forces, the Centre has sent a clear signal that it does not rely upon the State government to provide fool-proof security to the BJP MLAs.  Wrong signal to other police forces: The Central government’s distrust of officers who are considered close to a State’s ruling dispensation does not bode well for police officers across the country. Increased number of protected persons: In 2019, as many as 66,043 police and CAPF personnel were deployed to protect 19,467 Ministers, Members of Parliament, judges and bureaucrats, against the sanctioned strength of 43,556 personnel Impacts Training schedule: Constant deployment of CAPF personnel on protection duties impacts their training schedule. After the initial eight-week training for VIP protection, the personnel have to undergo a two-week refresher training periodically to hone their skills. Status Symbol: Having security cover has now become a status symbol which doesn’t bode well with democratic culture of society, where everyone is equal. Way Ahead To curb the tendency of demanding security personnel around themselves, leaders and prominent persons should be asked to bear the expenditure,  Members of Parliament and leaders with criminal records should be charged a fee for the security personnel deployed to protect them. (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. Comments Up-voted by IASbaba are also the “correct answers”. Q.1 Recently, the Government has brought changes in the existing Customs (Import of Goods at Concessional Rate of Duty) Rules, IGCR 2017 to boost trade facilitation through which importers can now get the final goods manufactured entirely on job work basis. Which of the following sectors are excluded from this change? Gold Jewellery  Precious stones  Metals  Select the correct code: 1, 2 and 3 only  2, 3 and 4 only  1 and 4 only 1, 2, 3 and 4  Q.2 Which of the following Ministry has signed MoU with Microsoft on Joint initiative for Digital Transformation of Tribal Schools?  Ministry of Tribal Affairs Ministry of Education  Ministry of Information technology  Ministry of External affairs  Q.3 Where is Satpura Tiger Reserve located? Maharashtra Gujarat  Madhya pradesh  Uttar Pradesh  ANSWERS FOR 19th May 2021 TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE (TYK) 1 D 2 C Must Read On normalising India-Pakistan Trade relations: The Hindu On Social Security: The Hindu About reservations: The Hindu

RSTV Video

Rules For Social Media – The Big Picture – RSTV IAS UPSC

Archives TOPIC: GS-2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. GS-3: Challenges to internal security through communication networks, role of media and social networking sites in internal security challenges In News: Amid the ongoing row with Twitter over the delay in the suspension of several accounts, the Union government informed Parliament that it is in the process of amending rules pertaining to the Information and Technology sector so that social media platforms could be made more responsive and accountable to Indian laws. The government stated that the new rules will also ensure digital media platforms adhere to the Code of Ethics.  The announcement came shortly after Union Law and IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad told the Rajya Sabha that the government will not shy away from acting against social media platforms if they are misused to spread fake news and incite violence.  A spat has been going on between Twitter and the Indian government over a suspension list, which contains mention of over 1000 accounts that need to be suspended or at least blocked in India for spreading fake news and hatred on ongoing farmers’ protest in the country. The social media firm has refused to act against all the accounts mentioned in the list, stating that it will not suspend accounts that belong to the media, journalists and activists to uphold freedom of speech and expression. Legitimate Voices: Twitter has said that the government’s blocking list had accounts of journalists, activists, and politicians whose accounts appear to be bonafide; that their posts are legitimate expression Disproportionate Order: Twitter has said that it reasonably believes that keeping them blocked would be a disproportionate act contrary to both Indian law and the platform’s charter objectives. Centre’s Notice to Twitter Background of the Notice issued Farmer protest & Social Media Campaign: The issue pertains to tweets put out by some handles on the ongoing farmer protests as also a hashtag that suggested that a farmer genocide was being planned.  Reaction by Ministry: The Ministry of Electronics and IT ordered these handles (257 URLs and one hashtag) to be blocked on the grounds that they were spreading dangerous misinformation about the protests.  Twitter’s Response: Twitter initially complied with the order but then restored these tweets and handles, which included those of media houses.  Basis of Government’s Order: The Government’s initial order was issued under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000. What is Section 69A of IT Act, 2000? It empowers the government to direct an intermediary to block any information for public access in the interest of  sovereignty and integrity of India defence of India security of the State Friendly relations with foreign States  Public order or  Preventing incitement to the commission of any cognizable offence relating to above This is the same Section under which hundreds of Chinese apps have been banned in recent months. Are platforms required to comply with government requests? Cooperation between technology services companies and law enforcement agencies is now deemed a vital part of fighting cybercrime, and various other crimes that are committed using computer resources.  These cover hacking, digital impersonation and theft of data.  The potential of the Internet and its offshoots such as mail and messaging services and social media networks to disseminate potentially harmful content such as hate speech, rumours, inflammatory and provocative messages and child pornography, has led to law enforcement officials constantly seeking to curb the ill-effects of using the medium.  Therefore, most nations have framed laws mandating cooperation by Internet service providers or web hosting service providers and other intermediaries to cooperate with law and order authorities in certain circumstances. What does the law in India cover? In India, the Information Technology Act, 2000, as amended from time to time, governs all activities related to the use of computer resources.  It covers all ‘intermediaries’ who play a role in the use of computer resources and electronic records.  The term ‘intermediaries’ includes providers of telecom service, network service, Internet service and web hosting, besides search engines, online payment and auction sites, online marketplaces and cyber cafes.  It includes any person who, on behalf of another, “receives, stores or transmits” any electronic record. Social media platforms would fall under this definition. Section 69 of the Act confers on the Central and State governments the power to issue directions “to intercept, monitor or decrypt…any information generated, transmitted, received or stored in any computer resource”.  How does the government block websites and networks? Section 69A, for similar reasons and grounds on which it can intercept or monitor information, enables the Centre to ask any agency of the government, or any intermediary, to block access to the public of any information generated, transmitted, received or stored or hosted on any computer resource.  Any such request for blocking access must be based on reasons given in writing. Procedures and safeguards have been incorporated in the rules framed for the purpose. What are the obligations of intermediaries under Indian law? Intermediaries are required to preserve and retain specified information in a manner and format prescribed by the Centre for a specified duration. Contravention of this provision may attract a prison term that may go up to three years, besides a fine. When a direction is given for monitoring, interception or decryption, the intermediary, and any person in charge of a computer resource, should extend technical assistance in the form of giving access or securing access to the resource involved, and must comply with the request to intercept or monitor or decrypt the information concerned.  Failure to extend such assistance may entail a prison term of up to seven years, besides a fine.  Failure to comply with a direction to block access to the public on a government’s written request also attracts a prison term of up to seven years, besides a fine. The Act also empowers the government to collect and monitor data on traffic. When an authorised agency asks for technical assistance in this regard, the intermediary must comply with the request. Non-compliance may lead to a prison term of up to three years, besides a fine. Is the liability of the intermediary absolute? No, Section 79 of the Act makes it clear that “an intermediary shall not be liable for any third-party information, data, or communication link made available or hosted by him”.  This section protects intermediaries such as Internet and data service providers and those hosting websites from being made liable for content that users may post or generate. However, the exemption from liability does not apply if there is evidence that the intermediary abetted or induced the commission of the unlawful act involved.  Also, the provision casts a responsibility on intermediaries to remove the offensive content or block access to it upon getting “actual knowledge” of an unlawful act being committed using their resources, or as soon as it is brought to their notice. In Shreya Singhal vs U.O.I (2015), the Supreme Court read down the provision to mean that the intermediaries ought to act only “upon receiving actual knowledge that a court order has been passed, asking [them] to expeditiously remove or disable access to certain material”.  This was because the court felt that intermediaries such as Google or Facebook may receive millions of requests, and it may not be possible for them to judge which of these were legitimate. What has been the government’s actions post Shreya Singhal Case? The role of the intermediaries was spelt out in separate rules framed for the purpose in 2011. In 2018, the Centre favoured coming up with fresh updates to the existing rules on intermediaries’ responsibilities, but the draft courted controversy.  This was because one of the proposed changes was that intermediaries should help identify originators of offensive content.  This led to misgivings that this could aid privacy violations and online surveillance.  Also, tech companies that use end-to-end encryption argued that they could not open a backdoor for identifying originators, as it would be a breach of promise to their subscribers. Other proposed changes, which have not been acted upon, include rules that intermediaries should deploy automated tools for proactively removing or disabling public access to unlawful information, and to have a 24×7 mechanism to deal with requisitions of law enforcement. Critical Analysis of the issue Provocation over Social media can lead to violence: In a very sensitive setting, one that at least at one point was simmering with the potential for large-scale violence, provocation of any kind using social media platforms is unacceptable. Hence, regulation of internet intermediaries by government for the maintenance of Public Order & Peace is essential. Twitter’s action is slippery slope: The world over, technology platforms have enough safeguards to act as intermediaries without being liable for the content that is published. But Twitter’s act of defying the orders as per the law means it is on slippery territory.  Section 69 Upheld by SC: Though the use of Section 69A has been often criticised for the secrecy surrounding the process, it was upheld by the Supreme Court in the landmark Shreya Singhal vs Union of India (2015). Hashtag cannot be defended on grounds of Article 19(1)(a): While there are many grounds on which this Government’s handling of the farm protests can be criticised, it can be said that the hashtag that it wanted blocked was not merely distasteful but seriously problematic, and indefensible on the grounds of freedom of speech.  Global Issues and the Way Forward No one country or corporation in the free world can credibly preach to others on the right path to digital salvation. Democratic forces need to consult each other and collaborate in developing new norms for managing the digital world. In the US, both the left and right are demanding that digital behemoths like Amazon, Google, Facebook and Twitter are brought under greater control if not broken up. In December, the US government filed a lawsuit against Facebook for anti-competitive practices in more than 40 states. Google and Amazon are also under legal scrutiny. Last December, the European Commission proposed new rules to promote competition and fairness in digital markets. The EU is likely to approve a Digital Markets Act next year. For more than two decades, governments across the world were happy to buy into the claim that the tech companies will lead us to a world of innovation and plenty. Legal and financial concessions from governments at various levels allowed tech companies to rapidly gain ground and commercial muscle and dominate people’s lives. But governments are now questioning the sharp business practices of the tech giants. Labour Rights: While the tech giants have created a lot of new wealth, some of them have sharply squeezed the labour. Amazon is the most notorious. There are new efforts to unionise Amazon employees, but the company has been good at crushing these challenges in the past. In California, trade unions are battling against the success of Uber and Lyft to turn employees into “contract workers” to deny them multiple benefits. Taxes: Digital giants have been aggressive tax evaders. But Caesar is demanding his due now. Joe Biden, who has outlined a progressive platform, has promised to get big tech to pay their share of taxes in the US. His Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen is under pressure from America’s G-7 partners to work out the rules for taxes on US digital giants operating in other geographies. Politics: On the political front, when Twitter and Facebook shut down President Donald Trump’s accounts, there was celebration among liberals. But social media companies are unlikely to always find themselves on the winning side in other democracies. The context and issues are inevitably different and applying the same tactics against political targets will backfire, as Twitter discovered in Delhi. If India raised Twitter’s differential treatment of the riots in Washington and Delhi, European leaders raised important questions about social media’s actions against Trump. German Chancellor Angela Merkel spoke for many Europeans when she called it “problematic”. The answer lies in: democracies modernising their laws to protect freedoms in the era of technological transformation.

IASbaba’s 60 Day Plan - IAS Prelims Test Series 2021 - HISTORY, CURRENT AFFAIRS & CSAT [Day 51]

For Previous (ARCHIVES) - CLICK HERE Hello Friends,  ARCHIVES OF 60 DAYS NOTE:  Let us pledge to make it a big game-changer (better than last year) in the next 60 days!  Note- Download the OMR Sheet and attempt the questions exactly like UPSC Prelims. After you are done, please post your OMR in the comment section. Once the solution key is released (around 5 PM), cross-check the answers and, comment the marks (you scored) in the same comment thread. This will keep you accountable, responsible and sincere in days to come.  You can also take part in the discussion with peers.   HISTORY [DAY 51] - Click Here NOTE- Follow this for Comments Mention- Time Taken after solving the Test After the release of Solution, Edit your Comment to Mention-  Correct/Incorrect and Score 2 Marks for Correct/0.66 minus for Incorrect. What IMPACT can the ‘60 Day’ have on the final results? We will explain by taking a small example. Imagine you are sitting in the examination hall, appearing in Prelims Paper I. You have attempted 70 questions already but still unsure about a few. Then you stumble upon a question that was asked in 60 Day (and believe us, it has happened to hundreds of students countless times). You choose the right answer and submit your paper hoping for the best! Eventually, you go on to clear Mains as well as Personality Test and secure a good rank as well. When the cut off gets announced by UPSC, you realize that you have scored just one mark more than the cut off! Yes, that one mark can change your life (and it has done so to many of our students in the past). Now, imagine the kind of impact 60 to 80 marks can have! Isn’t that so fascinating to imagine?   One’s level of preparedness is always different for different subjects. Even within a subject, one’s comfort level may vary with topics. For example, one might be more comfortable in solving questions of Polity than Economics and within Polity also, one might be at ease with questions on fundamental rights than Parliament. The level of comfort and ease that one has with a subject/ topic gets manifested in the examination. However, there is no conscious effort by aspirants to micro analyze these aspects. Now, coming to the second aspect i.e. the mistakes that one commits in answering MCQs, it can be said that there are mainly four reasons behind incorrect responses in the OMR sheet. They are: Lack of information Lack of analytical ability Silly mistakes Excessive risk-taking Let’s analyze them one by one: Lack of information: You simply don’t know the information. You are clueless and that’s why you don’t attempt the question. For example, you may have never come across a regime called the ‘Wassenaar Agreement’ during your preparation and you can’t do much about it. The lack of information is pardonable and rectifiable. You can read more and gather more information. That is within your reach. Lack of analytical ability: You know the concept but the question is a twisted one and you are not able to apply the concept. For example, in a question asking you to identify the climate type of a region based on certain given parameters like precipitation, temperature, and air density, you might find it difficult to mark the correct option even if you are aware of all the options given in the question! That is clearly a lack of application and you can overcome it by developing a habit of framing questions in your mind while you study any topic. Silly mistakes: This habit is unpardonable. You know the concept, you become happy, you misread the question, you mark the incorrect answer and you are out of the race! Such mistakes reveal your hurriedness while answering the question. A simple mistake of reading ‘chose the incorrect option’ as ‘chose the correct option’ can destroy your chances. It means that you need to have patience and focus while attempting the paper. Excessive risk-taking: You are confused between the options and just in order to increase your attempts, you make wild guesses and try your luck only to repent eventually. Risk-taking is an art and one must be very careful while doing the guesswork in confusing questions. If you are not lucky enough, it can spoil your chances. You will realize that these problems will have different meanings for different people. For example, one might find a lack of information as the main culprit in answering wrong the questions on Culture while in Polity, lack of analytical ability is usually the culprit. The point here is that you must analyse your preparation on these yardsticks by applying them on different subjects/ topics. If one is having a headache, he/ she can’t have the same medicine for fever. Isn’t it. This is where our revamped '60 Day’ comes into the picture. It will give you an opportunity to micro analyze your preparation and perform better in the examination. Finally, it is up to you to take advantage of this framework. We are sure of only one thing- if you follow this program, assess yourself on the basis of the given framework and keep improving your weaker areas, success will be yours. We are providing you with the right platform, the right guidance, and the right competition. Do you have the right motivation to make full use of this initiative? We think you have. Come, be a part of this initiative and take the first step towards SUCCESS! Importance of self - tracking: We could have provided all of you with login id and passwords to monitor your daily performance in the 60-day program. Instead, a simple and most beautiful way which Disqus provides is profile based commenting! Yes, we have seen the most successful candidates who have taken the maximum benefit from this program monitoring themselves by commenting on their answers in the box given (Disqus comment). And reviewing their performance themselves once in 10 days on the progress meter.  DOWNLOAD THE 60 DAYS PLAN 2021   All the Best!  IASbaba  

Daily Prelims CA Quiz

UPSC Quiz – 2021 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz 20th May 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 Courses

[UPSC 2021 Postponed] TLP+ Mains 2021 Test Series with Mentorship - New Batch starting from 24th May!

Dear Students, The current pandemic has exacerbated the predicament of UPSC aspirants with dates getting extended and uncertainty looming over the examination cycle. While we understand that coping with uncertainty is difficult, we also believe in seeking opportunities thrown in the form of challenges. Whereas circumstances are dire, no one can stop you from taking a firm step towards success. You need to continuously evolve and adapt during these difficult times. Keeping this in mind, we are happy to announce the next installment of our flagship Mains answer writing initiative- Think, Learn and Perform (TLP) Plus. With the date of the Preliminary examination extended, there can be no better time than now to upgrade your answer writing skills. Moreover, there is a high probability that the gap between Prelims and Mains would be too little this time, leaving little room for preparation after Prelims. Therefore, it is high time that you master answer writing in the next couple of months. TLP Plus is going to help you with this.     During the next 2-3 months, you will write two sectional tests and one full-length test for each GS paper including Essay, making it a total of 15 tests. You will have the flexibility to write the tests as per your convenience till September. However, we recommend that you complete the tests in a timely manner so that you get adequate time to revise your Prelims syllabus. With TLP Plus, you will have the flexibility to pace your preparation as per your plan. We will provide evaluation, feedback, detailed synopsis, and mentorship when you complete and submit the individual tests. All 15 Tests will be evaluated. Evaluation will be done within 5 days from the date of uploading your answer copies on the portal provided for TLP and mentorship will be provided after every test. We are sure that this initiative will give a sense of direction and purpose to your preparation during these testing times and you will be occupied in doing something highly productive and result-oriented. Please make full use of this initiative and enhance your skills. When things return to normal, these days of struggle and your continued endeavor to better yourself will be the key to your success. COURSE PLAN/ SCHEDULE - DOWNLOAD SAMPLE DOCUMENTS TLP - Synopsis TLP - Synopsis TLP - Evaluated Copy TLP - Evaluated Copy TOPPERS EVALUATED COPIES Evaluated Copy of Saranya Ramachandran AIR 36 - UPSC 2019 Evaluated Copy of Saranya Ramachandran AIR 36 - UPSC 2019 FEEDBACK BY PREVIOUS STUDENTS TLP - Feedback 1 TLP - Feedback 2 TLP - Feedback 3 TLP - Feedback 4   PAYMENT DETAILS: Considering the present pandemic we have priced the program at a nominal rate. FEES - 9,999 + Tax To make the Payment - CLICK HERE   FOR ANY QUERIES: Email ID: tlp@iasbaba.com Contact No.: 9169191888 (10 AM – 6 PM) Please do not make calls before or after the given timing. Stay safe, stay healthy! IASbaba Team

RSTV Video

One District One Product Scheme – Policy Watch – RSTV IAS UPSC

Archives TOPIC: General Studies 3 Indian Economy One District One Product Scheme is an initiative that is seen as a transformational step forward towards realizing the true potential of a district, fuel economic growth, and generate employment and rural entrepreneurship, taking us to the goal of AtmaNirbhar Bharat.  This scheme is basically a Japanese business development concept, which gained prominence in 1979. It is aimed at promoting a competitive and staple product from a specific area to push sales and improve the standard of living of the local population. Over time, it has been replicated in other Asian countries as well. In India, Uttar Pradesh government was the first state of India to launch the concept of One District One Product in 2018. Components of the Scheme:  Identify one product per district based on the potential and strength of a district and national priorities Develop a cluster for that product in the district which is capable of producing a world-class product with quality, scalability, and a brand Provide market linkages Address bottlenecks for exporting these products Support local exporters/manufacturers to scale up manufacturing Find potential buyers outside India with the aim of promoting exports Promoting manufacturing & services industry in the District Generate employment in the District  Steps taken in India One District One Product (ODOP) initiative is operationally merged with ‘Districts as Export Hub’ initiative being implemented by DGFT, Department of Commerce, with Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) as a major stakeholder.     Financial Assistance under the ODOP Programme  Common Facility Centre (CFC) Scheme: This scheme would provide financial assistance of up to 90 per cent of the project cost. It is provided by the state government. Marketing Development Assistance Scheme: The financial assistance would be provided to all participants of national and international exhibitions and fairs. They can use it for displaying and selling their products selected under ODOP programme. Finance Assistance Scheme (Margin Money Scheme): This scheme benefits with not whole but a margin of the project cost. The applicants receive it in the form of subsidy to set up the project. Skill Development Scheme: In this, all skilled artisans would be trained through RPL (Recognition of Prior Learning). They would be certified through various Sector Skill Councils, SSCs, whereas the unskilled artisans would be trained for 10 days and provided with an advanced toolkit which will be free of cost  GIS One District One Product (ODOP) Digital Map of India:  By The Ministry of Food Processing  The digital ODOP map provides detailed information about ODOP products to all states and facilitates the stakeholders. The digital map also has indicators for tribal, SC, ST, and aspirational districts. It will enable stakeholders to make concerted efforts for its value chain development. Under the initial phase of the ODOP programme, 106 Products have been identified from 103 districts across 27 States. A. Uttar Pradesh The ancient and nutritious 'Kala namak' rice of Siddharthanagar The rare technique of wheat-stalk craft, handicraft in Bahraich The famous chikankari and zari-zardozi work garments Banana fibre of Kushinagar,  Banana of Kaushambi,  Jaggery of Ayodhya,  Aamla of Pratapgarh,  Pulses of Balrampur and Gonda,  Desi ghee of Auraiya,  Wooden toys of Chitrakoot Wooden artifacts of Saharanpur, Basti, Bijnor, Rae Bareli The horn and bone work that uses the remains of dead animals rather than living ones, making it a nature-friendly replacement for ivory. Sunahri Kand: To support the production of horticultural items under the “One District One Product (ODOP)” scheme and provide better nutrition to school children B. Rajasthan: Blue Pottery (Jaipur) and MarkhanaMarbels (Nagaur) C. Maharashtra: Wine from the Nashik valley D. Karnataka:  The hilly district in Malnad region of Karnataka is known for its coffee production and accounts for 30-40% of the total coffee production in India. It is also nicknamed the ‘coffee cup’ of India. In Chikkamagaluru, spices were earmarked, while pineapples were chosen in Shivamogga district. Other products included are Kalaburagi (red gram), Mandya (jaggery), Vijayapura (lemon), Haveri (mango), Gadag (Byadagi chillies), Bidar (ginger), Ballari (fig), Mysuru (bananas), and Koppal (guava). E. Northeast Region: To boost the economy of the region district by district through encouraging indigenous and specialised products of each district. The exceptional carpet making industry, bamboo wood vessels, cane-craft, jewellery or the handloom industry which produces some of the best silk products in the country or the agricultural products that range from the world’s best turmeric to one of the hottest chilies in the world, the possibilities are immense for the ODOP initiative to bridge the gap between the Northeast and the rest of the country while also pushing through a sustainable development model in the region. Connecting the Dots: One District One Product Scheme could pave the way for a new dawn for Northeast India and its people. Discuss.

DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 19th May 2021

Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) Weathering of oldest rock paintings due to climate change Part of: GS Prelims and GS-III – Environment; Climate change In news Scientists have warned that environmental degradation is killing one of the oldest and most precious pieces of the world’s human heritage. Key takeaways Pleistocene-era rock paintings dating back to 45,000-20,000 years ago are weathering at an alarming rate. Location: Cave sites in Maros-Pangkep region, Southern Sulawesi, Indonesia The artwork includes what is believed to be the world’s oldest hand stencil created by pressing the hand on a cave wall, and spraying wet red-mulberry pigments over it. A nearby cave features the world’s oldest depiction of an animal, a warty pig painted on the wall 45,500 years ago. The cave art of Sulawesi is much older than the prehistoric cave art of Europe. U.P. Sunni Waqf Board Part of: GS Prelims and GS - II – Acts and Policies In news  The Uttar Pradesh (UP) Sunni Central Waqf Board recently condemned the demolition of a mosque in Barabanki, UP and demanded its restoration. Key takeaways The UP Sunni Central Waqf Board is a body constituted under The Wakf Act, 1954. It manages the affairs of Sunni Muslim waqf (charity) properties, waqf institutions and the marriage records of the Sunni Muslim community of UP. It has been the main Muslim litigant in the Babri Masjid–Ram Janmabhoomi title dispute. Important value additions A waqf (also known as wakf or hubous) is an inalienable charitable endowment under Islamic law.  It typically involves donating a building, plot of land or other assets for Muslim religious or charitable purposes with no intention of reclaiming the assets. The state waqf boards were established by the state governments in view of the provisions of Section 9(1) of the Wakf Act, 1954. India also has a Central Waqf Council to advise the government "on matters concerning the working of boards and the due administration of waqfs." Colombo Port City Part of: GS Prelims and GS - II - International relations In news A Chinese-funded tax-free enclave in Sri Lanka recently cleared the final legal hurdle as its Supreme Court gave it a go ahead. Key takeaways It is named the “Colombo Port City”. It is the largest single foreign investment by China in Sri Lanka among the other massive infrastructure projects. The Port City will attract billions of dollars for trade, banking and offshore services similar to what is available in Dubai and Singapore. The Port City will be administered by a commission with various powers to fast track investment approvals.  All transactions within the Port City will be denominated in foreign currency and all salaries earned by any worker will be tax-exempt. New Storage Conditions For Pfizer-BioNTech Vaccine Part of: GS Prelims and GS - III - Biotechnology In news  The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has recommended a change to the approved storage conditions of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine  Key takeaways With the new recommendations, an unopened thawed vial of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine can be stored between 2-8 degrees Celsius for up to a month, which means that it can be stored in a regular refrigerator once it has been taken out of the deep freeze. Before this, an unopened thawed vaccine vial could be kept in a regular refrigerator for a period of only up to five days. Important value additions mRNA vaccines need to be stored at much lower temperatures than some other kind of COVID-19 vaccines because RNA is much less stable than DNA RNA is less stable due to: (1) The sugars that their molecules are made up of are different. In DNA, it is deoxyribose and in RNA it is ribose; (2) It has single strand, while DNA is expressed as a double-stranded helix. Related articles Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use New Naming System For Virus Variants Part of: GS Prelims and GS-II - Health In news The World Health Organization (WHO) would unveil a system of naming of coronavirus variants similar to the way hurricanes are named Key takeaways The initiative seeks to remove stigma that gets attached to the country it was discovered in.  It will also be easier for the public to remember rather than their lineage numbers Scientists refer to viruses and their variants by formal lineage names, which are a combination of letters and names that point to the relationships between different variants. Variants such as B.1.1.7 and B.1.617 suggest that they have certain mutations in common and provide clues to their evolutionary history. However, 1.1.7 started to be known as the ‘U.K. variant’ and B.1.351 as the ‘South African’ variant. Related articles South African Covid Variant Double Mutant Coronavirus Variant in India (Mains Focus) GOVERNANCE/ECONOMY Topic: GS-2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. GS-3: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization, of resources India’s health worker brain drain Context: The surge in COVID cases across the country could lead to overburdening health workers and eventually causing shortage of them. Besides treating Covid patients, they will also have to administer vaccines, now available to the country’s entire adult population. Do You Know? As per government reports, India has 1.7 nurses per 1,000 population and a doctor to patient ratio of 1:1,404 — this is well below the WHO norm of three nurses per 1,000 population and a doctor to patient ratio of 1:1,100.  The 2020 Human Development Report shows that India has five hospital beds per 10,000 people — one of the lowest in the world According to Dr Devi Shetty, India will need an extra five lakh ICU beds, two lakh nurses and 1.5 lakh doctors in the next few weeks. Issue of health Workers Brain Drain Migration of Health Workers lead to shortage: For several decades, India has been a major exporter of healthcare workers to developed nations particularly to the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, Europe and other English-speaking countries. And this is part of the reason for the shortage in nurses and doctors. As per OECD data, around 69,000 Indian trained doctors worked in the UK, US, Canada and Australia in 2017. In these four countries, 56,000 Indian-trained nurses were working in the same year Factors of Migration: Pull factors include higher pay and better opportunities in the destination countries while push factors include low wages in India’s private sector, lack of govt investment, delayed appointment and reduced opportunities in public sector. Countries tweaking policies to attract & retain health workers: At the beginning of the pandemic, OECD countries exempted health professionals with a job offer from the travel bans.  The UK has granted free one-year visa extensions to eligible overseas healthcare workers and their dependents. Similarly, France has offered citizenship to frontline immigrant healthcare workers during the pandemic. Has government taken measures to check brain drain of health workers? In 2014, government stopped issuing No Objection to Return to India (NORI) certificates to doctors migrating to the US. The non-issuance of the NORI would ensure that the doctors will have to return to India at the end of the three-year period. The government has included nurses in the Emigration Check Required (ECR) category. This move was taken to bring about transparency in nursing recruitment and reduce exploitation of nurses in the destination countries.  The government’s policies to check brain drain are restrictive in nature and do not give us a real long-term solution to the problem Way Ahead We require systematic changes that could range from  Increased investment in health infrastructure,  Ensuring decent pay to workers  Building an overall environment that could prove to be beneficial for them and motivate them to stay in the country. The government should focus on framing policies that promote circular migration and return migration — policies that incentivise healthcare workers to return home after the completion of their training or studies It could also work towards framing bilateral agreements that could help shape a policy of “brain-share” between the sending and receiving countries — the destination countries of the migrants would be obliged to supply healthcare workers to their country of origin in times of need,  Connecting the dots: Medical Oxygen Crisis in India HEALTH/ GOVERNANCE Topic: GS-2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. GS-3: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization, of resources, growth, development and employment. Rethinking PSE Policy Context: Recently, the government said that it will be using three public sector enterprises (PSE) for manufacturing Covaxin to augment the manufacturing capacity under Mission COVID Suraksha. These were  Haffkine Biopharmaceutical Corporation Ltd, a State PSE under the Maharashtra government;  Indian Immunologicals Ltd (IIL), Hyderabad — a facility under National Dairy Development Board;  Bharat Immunologicals and Biologicals Corporation Ltd (BIBCOL), Bulandshahr, a CPSE under the Department of Biotechnology. This has revived the debate on the relevance of PSEs Cannot entirely do away with PSEs: Since Independence, PSEs have played a pivotal role in realising the objective of achieving higher growth and equitable socio-economic development of the country. So to say the government has no business to be in doing business perhaps needs to be revisited Crucial Role in testing times: PSEs in the steel, petroleum and natural gas sectors have supplemented the efforts of the government in making available liquid medical oxygen as well as transportation of it. Contribution of PSE Employees: PSEs by their inherent work culture spend a lot of time and resources in manpower training and developing expertise. Former public sector employees, after retirement or having quit jobs and then joined private sector, have given the right kind of impetus to the industry, particularly the core sector of the economy.  Importance of Pharma PSE Self-reliance: The public sector drug companies were established with a vision to make the country self-reliant in producing medicines needed for the people of the country  Free & Fair Market: Strong presence of Pharma PSEs helps save an industry like the drug industry from the clutches of MNCs and the private corporate sector. Ensures affordability during crisis times: Pandemic has resulted in loss of imports from China. This directly resulted in escalation of prices of everyday medicines like paracetamol in the Indian market. Expansion of Pharma PSE units at these times will make medicines affordable. Way Ahead There is a need to revisit the PSE policy, but more in terms of their functioning — by empowering the boards of these entities, making them more autonomous.  These companies should be run by a professional board without government interference. These PSEs could be run under the PPP model or as JVs too.  Board members should be highly respected, knowledgeable, and from industry, management, finance and research fields. Connecting the dots: Privatization: Merits & Critical Analysis Privatization of Banks (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. Comments Up-voted by IASbaba are also the “correct answers”. Q.1 Maros-Pangkep region, Southern Sulawesi, Indonesia, was recently in news for which of the following? Surge in Covid-19 cases despite vaccination Forest fires Volcanic eruption Environmental degradation of oldest rock paintings  Q.2 RNA is less stable than DNA due to which of the following? The molecules are made up of sugars different from DNA.  RNA has Single strand instead of double strand. Select the correct the code: 1 only  2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 ANSWERS FOR 18th May 2021 TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE (TYK) 1 C 2 A 3 C Must Read On ICMR's dropping of plasma therapy: The Hindu Tracking the pandemic’s rural march: The Hindu About Delhi Oxygen Crisis: Indian Express

IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 1 – ENGLISH & हिंदी): UPSC Mains Answer Writing – HOT Questions [19th May,2021] – Day 6

For Previous TLP (ARCHIVES) - CLICK HERE Hello Friends, Welcome to IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 1 – ENGLISH & हिंदी): UPSC Mains Answer Writing – HOT Questions [19th May,2021] – Day 6 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 for a month - HOT (High Order Thinking) Questions! With the HOT initiative, 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. What is plasma therapy? How does it work? Explain. प्लाज्मा थेरेपी क्या है? यह कैसे काम करता है? समझाएँ। 2. Discuss the factors that determine the price of fuel oils. Examine the recent price trends in global oil market. ईंधन तेलों की कीमत निर्धारित करने वाले कारकों की चर्चा कीजिए। वैश्विक तेल बाजार में हाल के मूल्य रुझानों की जांच करें। 3. Discuss the factors leading to the increasing significance of lithium. लिथियम के बढ़ते महत्व के लिए उत्तरदायी कारकों की चर्चा कीजिए। 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 :)