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[OFFLINE CLASSES] Baba’s Foundation Course (FC) 2022- CLASSROOM PROGRAM for Fresher’s - New Batch starting from 6th September 2021

Hello Everyone, Finally, the veil of lockdown has been taken off and educational institutions have got the permission to resume the OFFLINE classes. UPSC Aspirants were waiting for this news for quite some time now. We are happy to inform you that the New OFFLINE Batch of Foundation Course – 2022 will start from 6th September 2021. Admissions are open and since we have to maintain social distancing, seats are limited. SO ENROL NOW!! To Know Complete Details about Baba's Foundation Course 2022 - CLICK HERE Also, students who have joined the online Foundation Course can also get it converted to offline classes. As of now, Classes will be held at Bangalore Centre only. To Know Complete Details about Baba's Foundation Course 2022 - CLICK HERE No Cost EMI Facility We are aware that, due to the pandemic a few of us are facing income losses and hardships. So, we have come up with 'No Cost EMI Facility' for Students enrolling in Baba's Foundation Course 2022. Please note that there will be no processing fee involved and no hidden costs when you avail the EMI facility. For More Details/Queries Email us at: support@iasbaba.com Mobile No: 91691 91888 (Please call between 10 am – 6 pm ONLY) Bangalore Centre: Vijaynagar - 1737/37, Service Rd, MRCR Layout, Stage 1, Vijayanagar, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560040   Thank You  IASbaba  

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 26th August 2021

Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) Cabinet clears Rs. 15,000 cr. NMP-linked FDI proposal Part of: GS Prelims and GS- III -  Infrastructure  In news The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) cleared a foreign direct investment (FDI) proposal entailing an investment of up to Rs. 15,000 crore in Anchorage Infrastructure Investment Holding (AIIH) Ltd. It is a company incorporated to invest in the infrastructure and construction development sectors. The government said the investment would prove to be a “significant boost to the recently announced National Monetisation Pipeline (NMP)” as AIIH had proposed downstream investments in some of the sectors covered under the NMP. What is National Monetisation Pipeline (NMP)? The government aims to raise $81 billion by leasing out state-owned infrastructure assets over the next four years (from FY22 to FY25) through National Monetisation Pipeline (NMP). Key features of the National Monetisation Plan: The NMP’s roadmap has been formulated by NITI Aayog in consultation with infrastructure line ministries, under the ‘Asset Monetisation’ mandate of the Union Budget 2021-22. NITI Aayog has a Public Private Partnership Cell and has engaged transaction advisors to handhold any ministry for any support it needs in pursuing the monetisation roadmap. The sectors in which assets are being identified to monetise include roads, ports, airports, railways, power generation and transmission, telecom, warehousing, gas & product pipeline, mining, stadium, hospitality and housing. For now, the government has only included the assets of infrastructure line ministries and Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) working in the infrastructure sectors.  Monetisation through disinvestment and monetisation of non-core assets have not been included in the NMP. News Source: TH 100 days ‘SUJALAM’ Campaign begins Part of: GS Prelims and GS -II- Policies and interventions  In news The Ministry of Jal Shakti began ‘SUJALAM’, a ‘100 days campaign’ as part of the ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ celebrations. About the initiative Objective: To create more and more ODF (Open Defecation Free) Plus villages by undertaking waste water management at village level particularly through creation of 1 million Soak-pits and also other Grey water management activities.  Waste water from baths, sinks, washing machines, and other kitchen appliances is known as grey water. The effort of the campaign would be directed towards achieving the ODF plus status for villages across the country in an accelerated manner in a short time. ODF: At any point of the day, not even a single person is found defecating in the open. ODF+: At any point of the day, not a single person is found defecating and/or urinating in the open, and all community and public toilets are functional and well maintained. ODF++: If the area is already ODF+ and the faecal sludge/septage and sewage are safely managed and treated The campaign will also aid in sustainable management of water bodies.  Significance and benefits: The disposal of waste water and clogging of waterbodies in the villages or on the outskirts of the villages remain one of the major problems.  The Campaign would help in management of the wastewater and in turn would help to revive the water bodies. Furthermore, the campaign would boost the momentum of SBMG (Swachh Bharat Mission - Gramin) phase II activities through community participation and it will increase awareness about ODF-plus activities. Hence ensuring long term maintenance and sustainability of built infrastructure. The key activities that will be organised in the villages under this campaign include: Organizing Community consultations, Khuli Baithaks and Gram Sabha meetings to analyze the current situation Pass resolution to maintain ODF sustainability and achieve needed number of soak pits to manage the grey water Develop a 100 days’ plan to undertake sustainability and soak pit construction related activities Construct requisite number of soak pits Retrofit toilets where needed through IEC and community mobilization and Ensure all newly emerging Households in the village have access to toilets. News Source: PIB (News from PIB) Indo-Kazakhstan joint training exercise to commence on 30 august 2021 Part of: GS Prelims  In News:   As part of military diplomacy and to strengthen the growing strategic relation with Kazakhstan, the 5th edition of Indo- Kazakhstan Joint Training Exercise, “KAZIND-21” will be conducted at Training Node, Aisha Bibi, Kazakhstan, from 30 August to 11 September 2021. The exercise is a joint training between both the Armies, which will boost the bilateral relations between India and Kazakhstan. About “KAZIND-21”  The KAZIND-21 exercise is a joint training between both the Armies, which will boost the bilateral relations between India and Kazakhstan. In this exercise, the Indian Army contingent is represented by a battalion of the Bihar Regiment (consisting of a total of 90 personnel) led by a Contingent Commander and the Kazakhstan Army will be represented by a company group. The Exercise will provide an opportunity to the Armed Forces of India & Kazakhstan to train for Counter Insurgency/ Counter-Terrorism operations in the mountainous, rural scenarios under UN mandate.  Its scope includes professional exchange, planning & execution of the operation in Counterterrorism environment at sub-unit level and sharing expertise on skills at arms, combat shooting, and experiences in Counter Insurgency/ Counter-Terrorism operations.  The exercise will culminate after a 48 hours long validation exercise which will involve a scenario of neutralization of terrorists in a semi-rural hideout. It will strengthen mutual confidence, interoperability and enable sharing of best practices between the Armed Forces of India and Kazakhstan. News Source: PIB AICTE and BPR&D to launch MANTHAN-2021 tomorrow Part of: GS Prelims  In news: Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D) and All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) will be launching MANTHAN 2021 on 26th August 2021 at National Media Centre. About MANTHAN 2021  Hackathon “MANTHAN 2021” is a unique national initiative (36-hour online hackathon with Prize money worth Rs. 40 Lakh and with two phases) to identify innovative concepts and technology solutions for addressing the security challenges of the 21st century faced by our intelligence agencies. During this hackathon, selected youths from education institutions across the country and registered start-ups will participate to offer strong, safe and effective technology solutions using their technical expertise and innovative skills.  Participants are expected to develop digital solutions under 6 themes for 20 different challenge statements released today using new technologies like Artificial Intelligence, Deep Learning, Augmented reality, Machine Learning, etc. for ever-changing security related challenges, which include photo/video analysis, Fake Content Identification along with the information of creator, predictive Cyber Crime data analytics, etc. News Source: PIB (Mains Focus) ECONOMY/ GOVERNANCE GS-3: Indian Economy & its development GS-2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation It’s time for Industry 4.0 In news: The term ‘Industry 4.0’ was coined by the German government in 2011. It integrates ‘data’ with manufacturing and Information Technology.  Additive manufacturing, Internet of Things, Cyber Physical Systems, Augmented Reality/Virtual Reality and data analytics are some of the technologies associated with Industry 4.0 Potential of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs)  MSMEs form more than 95% of the industries in India, produce more than 45% of the total manufacturing output and employ more than 40% of the workforce According to the Economic Survey 2020-21, over 6 crore MSMEs employ more than 11 crore people and contribute roughly 30% to the GDP and half of the country’s export. MSMEs are also ancillaries to larger enterprises, leading to a seamless supply chain integration. However, MSMEs face challenges when it comes to adopting new technologies such as Industry 4.0.  Reasons are:  They lack awareness regarding Industry 4.0 and its benefits.  They consider such technologies disruptive and having the potential to demolish their existing system.  MSMEs will need to make major financial investments to adopt Industry 4.0. Investing in the right set of technologies will need experts and consultants as well. Policy frameworks and steps that can assist MSMEs in adopting Industry 4.0 technologies have been missing. For any new technology to be adopted, positive organisational culture and the support of people is required, which is lacking in many MSMEs Conclusion Though adoption of Industry 4.0 technologies by MSMEs requires overcoming many obstacles (as listed above), it will make them more competitive as they will be able to offer world-class quality products to customers. Connecting the dots: Finance related problems of MSME MSME issues & concerns INTERNATIONAL/SECURITY GS-2: India and its neighborhood- relations.  GS-3: Security challenges and their management in border areas China’s Missile Silos Context: Satellite images have revealed that China is building at least three missile silo fields in Gansu province, in Xinjiang province, and at Hanggin Banner, Ordos City, in Inner Mongolia. Some of the silos have dome shelters Earlier this year, missile silos were detected in the People’s Liberation Army Rocket Force’s (PLARF) Jilantai training area, also in Inner Mongolia. These missile silos have been identified by US satellite images obtained by the Federation of American Scientists. For several decades before these discoveries in 2021, China operated only 20 missile silos for its DF-5 liquid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).  On completion of the ongoing work, China could have 250-270 new missile silos, more than 10 times the number it had maintained for several decades. Why is China building missile silos? There could be three explanations. FIRST, some believe this could be China’s attempt to move towards a launch-on-warning (LOW) nuclear posture.  LOW refers to a launch at an adversary on detection of an incoming missile before the adversary’s missile hits its target.  It is based on achieving deterrence through assured retaliation.  In order to move to the LOW posture, China would have to mate a few warheads with missiles, and keep them in alert status for a quick response. Currently, China stores its warheads and missiles in a de-alerted status separately under different commands. However, silos alone, at such an early stage of construction, are not conclusive evidence of China’s move to LOW. SECOND, it enables China to achieve its goal of increasing its nuclear warhead stockpile. China currently has around 350 nuclear warheads.  272 of these 350 warheads are assigned to operational forces; the remaining 78 have been produced for China’s new DF-41 solid-fuel road-mobile ICBM. China has around 150 land-based missiles that can deliver between 180-190 nuclear warheads to some parts of the United States.  If all the new silos are loaded with a single-warhead missile, the count would increase to 410-440. If the silos on completion are loaded with the DF-41s, which can carry up to two-three warheads per missile, this count would rise to 930-940 warheads. The THIRD guess is that China could use these silos as decoys. The recently discovered silos could be an initiative to enhance deterrence by keeping the adversary guessing.  This could be China’s shell game — where one, some, or all silos could have missiles, forcing the aggressor to target all of them during an escalation.  The aggressor would have to waste more warheads or precision-guided weapons to destroy only a few missiles, or perhaps target empty silos. This would be a cost-effective strategy for China, and could also bolster its image as serious nuclear power and an equal to the US. How has the US reacted to the discovery of the silos? US has noted that the PRC’s nuclear arsenal will grow more quickly, and to a higher level than perhaps previously anticipated. US noted that this buildup is concerning which raises questions about the PRC’s intent. China’s reaction to US Neither the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs nor the Ministry of National Defence has reacted.  Some Chinese media have said the silos are wind farms, and accused American academics and journalists of spreading a “China threat theory”. So should India be concerned? Seen in isolation, these silos appear to be built specifically to enhance deterrence against the US. But broadly, India should be watchful about China’s nuclear ambiguity and its latest DF-26 intermediate-range road-mobile dual-use missiles — of which 16 launchers were deployed in Korla, Xinjiang, during the ongoing standoff. India could be a potential target given the strike ranges of these missiles and the timing of deployment. Although both China and India have pledged nuclear ‘no first use’ doctrines, India’s modest ballistic missile defence capabilities and China’s nuclear ambiguity are matters of concern for India. What should the world do about these developments? There isn’t an obvious option for the US or world.  China has stated that it will not join the NEW START (Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty). China has said that the US and Russia have almost 20 times more nuclear warheads than China, and that “It is unrealistic to expect China to join the two countries in a negotiation aimed at nuclear arms reduction.” Several American arms control scholars have argued for a renewal of the US government-funded US-China track 1.5 nuclear dialogue that was suspended after 15 years in 2019 due to growing friction, “declining value”, and the failure to launch track 1 dialogue.  Others have said that the US’s newer missile defence capabilities disturb strategic stability and complicate arms control. Connecting the dots: India’s Nuclear Doctrine India-China: Lessons from Ladakh Stand-off Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (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 Public Sector Bank (PSB) Reforms Agenda ‘EASE 4.0 was unveiled by  which of the following Ministry? NITI Aayog  Ministry of Finance RBI All of the above Q.2 ‘SUJALAM’, a ‘100 days campaign’ as part of the ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ celebrations was launched by which of the following Ministry? Ministry of Agriculture  Ministry of education  Ministry of Jal Shakti Ministry of Rural Development  ANSWERS FOR 25th August 2021 TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE (TYK) 1 C 2 B 3 A Must Read On Global Climate Policy: The Hindu On Palm Oil Push: Indian Express On Taliban & India’s Security Challenge: Hindustan Times

TLP Mains Answer Writing

SYNOPSIS [24th August,2021] Day 162: IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 1): UPSC Mains Answer Writing (General Studies)

For Previous TLP (ARCHIVES) - CLICK HERE SYNOPSIS [24th August,2021] Day 162: IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 1): UPSC Mains Answer Writing (General Studies)   1. Why are graduates from Indian universities considered unemployable by most firms? Examine. Where does the problem lie? How can it be addressed? Suggest.  Approach  Define in basic way what does term unemployability means and add statistics to substantiate.In next part mention the reasons for such a state of affairs and then give solutions for the given problems.In conclusion focus on various recent initiatives taken by Central and State governments to achieve this objective. Introduction Unemployability means even if companies have job openings, they would not hire a candidate because they do not find him/her skilled enough of what is expected of a graduate. A recent report Says that,Less than half of the Indian graduates are employable, reveals the eighth edition of the India Skills Report (ISR) released today. In 2021, as many as 45.9 per cent of graduates are employable, a decline from 46.21 per cent in 2020 and 47.38 per cent in 2019, reveals the report.This is problematic given the phase of demographic dividend which the country is passing through and the mass poverty which needs to be overcomed. Body Reasons for unemployability:  Academic focus: undue emphasis on academic excellence and lack of practical industrial relevant knowledge development. For the same reasons, the companies have to train, retrain the freshly hired graduates which is an additional burden and hence prefer not to hire. Uncertainty among graduates: lack of focus and definite career path among graduates. As per a latest report, around 40% of the engineering graduates is preparing for various competitive exams in government sector which his not even relate to engineering. Curriculum: lack of industry-relevant curriculum.  the courses being taught are not in tune with the industry’s requirements and has not kept pace with the disruptive changes in the industry. Sanction of new institutes: the ease of securing approval from the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) to set up engineering colleges and other higher education regulators has led to the mushrooming of institutes. Most of the education institutions including the better-known ones are understaffed and lack in qualified, competent and suitable faculty members. E.g. the number of approved institutes in Maharashtra alone is around 650.  Skill set upgradation: The skills required changes very frequently and according change in curriculum updation is needed. E.g. When the IT/electronics field is moving towards Artificial Intelligence, Cloud computing and so on, the curriculum is centered around Microprocessor and microcontrollers. Teaching methods: Most of the institutions still follow traditional way of teaching without realizing that the information is available over the internet and the need of the hour is the application level teaching for practical purposes. Basic education: Problems of poor primary and secondary education which reflects in the learning outcome in higher education.  Recognising and accepting that there is a mismatch between education 4.0 and industry 4.0 will be the first step towards resolving the employability crisis in India. And the only way to facilitate employability is to change the entire ecosystem – perception, attitude, government policies, and the approach to education as well as employer’s investment in employees. Ways to address unemployability: Strengthen the primary and secondary education providing a strong base to improve the learning outcome which would reflect in the application level learnability in the higher education. Curriculum: has to be revised frequently as per the changing technology in the sector.New subjects such as Artificial intelligence, robotics, new themes in humanities have to be part of curriculum. The focus of higher education teaching has to shift from theoretical knowledge assimilation to practical application level knowledge and thus integrating industrial requirements with academic learnings. Regulation of institutes: the higher education regulating authorities has to exercise restraint awarding approvals to start institutions without proper infrastructure, faculty and required relevant facilities. Spending: the spending in education sector has to be increased to 6% of GDP as per recommendation of various committees including the latest Kasturirangan which would improve the infrastructure of institutes. New initiatives like Hackathon, curriculum reform, anytime anywhere learning through SWAYAM, teacher training improve quality of learning. These need to be effectively implemented. Establish world-class multidisciplinary research universities. Create a master plan for every state and union territory. Each state must establish an integrated higher education master plan to provide an excellent education for all its residents. Also, Attract the best and the brightest talent to be faculty members. Tie-ups with industries to employ industrial relevant skills during graduation. E.g. several colleges in Tamilnadu has sessions of training imparted by professionals during college periods. Conclusion Thus, a complete revamp is needed to meet the present demand and address the future challenge that Higher education is about to face. The various steps taken including schemes like RISE, forming HEFA, Institutes of eminence,,New National Education Policy,Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA), fellowship schemes, schemes to retain and attract talented faculties etc., are steps in the right direction.The employability will be an essential trait if India wants to progress from a developing to a developed nation and therefore it needs to be at centre of education discourse. 2. How do Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) address the social sector? Examine. What is the proposed roadmap to achieve the targets related to the social sector? Discuss.   Approach  Mention what are Sustainable development goals and contextualise to the pandemic.In next part write how they are focused on social sector.Atlast provide what is India’s road map and policies in the social sector.Complement itbwith some challenges which India is facing in attaining these targets.Write a positive conclusion with showing how India is critical in the goals of SDG. Introduction SDGs are 17 set of goals as a blueprint to achieve an inclusive sustainable development for all set up in 2015 as part of UN general assembly resolution 2030. These goals are targeted in systematic sustainable development for all with indicators including health, livelihood, women empowerment, poverty elimination, zero hunger etc. These indicators are one of the key indicators in the social sector development.These goals gains more importance in the light of crises caused by the COVID-19 pandemic on poor and marginalised, elderly, heath issues and overall socioeconomic sectors and indicators. Body Sustainable development gaols (SDGs)and focus on social sector  SDGs end poverty and hunger, in all their forms and dimensions, and to ensure that all human beings can fulfil their potential in dignity and equality and in a healthy environment. SDGs determined to protect the planet from degradation, including through sustainable consumption and production, sustainably managing its natural resources and taking urgent action on climate change, so that it can support the needs of the present and future generations. SDGs determined to ensure that all human beings can enjoy prosperous and fulfilling lives and that economic, social and technological progress occurs in harmony with nature. SDGs determined to foster peaceful, just and inclusive societies which are free from fear and violence. There can be no sustainable development without peace and no peace without sustainable development. SDGs determined to mobilize the means required to implement this Agenda through a revitalized Global Partnership for Sustainable Development, based on a spirit of strengthened global solidarity, focused in particular on the needs of the poorest and most vulnerable and with the participation of all countries, all stakeholders and all people. Proposed roadmap to achieve the targets related to the social sector 1)Poverty Several large-scale anti-poverty programmes have been implemented. The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, for instance which provides 100 days of assured non -skilled employment in rural areas. In order to achieve the goal of housing for all by 2022 under PM Awas Yojna, direct financial assistance is being extended to poor households. Additionally, initiatives have been launched for providing pension and insurance to workers in the unorganized sector, widows and the differently abled. Over 130 million people have accessed life and accident insurance under these programmes. With respect to clean sources of cooking fuel, over 22 million families have been provided with Liquefied Petroleum Gas connections under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana.This has been broadened in its scope in 2.0 with target on all vulnerable sections. In times of COVID-19 the PM Garib Kalyan Yojna, the Atmanirbhar Bharat package has helped people in sustaining in such adverse times. 2)Education  Stunting among children less than 5 years has declined from 48% to 38.4% between 2005-06 and 2015-16. During the same period, the percentage of underweight children has declined from 42.5% to 35.7%. More than 800 million people are covered in India by providing the food grains at affordable prices through the Public Distribution System. The Mid-Day-Meal Programme is providing nutritious cooked meals to 100 million children in primary schools. Additionally, food distribution governance is being strengthened through the digitization of ration cards and an online grievance redressal mechanism. Further, sustainable and climate-adaptive agriculture has been boosted by, inter alia, promoting organic farming and issuing of 62 million Soil Health Cards to farmers. A comprehensive plan is also being implemented for doubling farmers’ income by 2022. Health  The National Health Policy, 2017 has specified targets for universalizing primary health care, achieving further reductions in infant and under-5 mortality, preventing premature deaths due to non-communicable diseases as well as increasing government expenditure on health.  A composite index is being used to monitor and incentivise improvements in health services delivery across states in the country.  The government is aiming to immunize all unimmunized and partially immunized children against vaccine-preventable diseases by 2020.  Towards achieving universal health coverage, a health insurance cover of INR 100,000 is being extended to all poor families. 3)Gender equality While much more progress remains to be made, a number of indicators pertaining to the status of women in India have moved in the right direction over the years. For instance, 68.4% of women were literate in 2015-16, as compared to 55.1% in 2005-06. Additionally, 53% of women were independently using a bank or savings account in 2015-16, which is a significant improvement from 15.1% in 2005-06. Numerous measures have been put in place for promoting gender equality. For example, the Beti Bachao Beti Padao (Save the Girl Child, Educate the Girl Child) initiative focuses on a comprehensive package of interventions for the girl child including those pertaining to education and protection.  The Maternity Benefit Programme protects women from wage loss during the first six months after childbirth.  Further, several programmes are being implemented for enabling greater participation of women in the work force. 4)Resilient Infrastructure All forms of transportation – roads, railways, civil aviation and waterways are being rapidly expanded. Road connectivity and electricity are being brought to all villages.  The Bharat Broadband Network Ltd. initiative is aiming to provide high-speed broadband connectivity to all village councils in the country. Over the last five years, there has been a consistent growth in installed electricity generation capacity. The installed capacity in non-fossil-fuel sectors has grown by 51.3% and more than doubled in the renewable energy sector (solar, wind, bio- and small hydro power). India is making efforts to become an Information Technology and manufacturing hub through its ‘Make in India’ campaign. These efforts have greatly accelerated Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) inflows and helped the country sustain an average growth of 7.5% during the last three financial years (2014-15 to 2016-17).  Employment-intensive manufacturing segments are being boosted by providing easy credit to small-scale business entrepreneurs. Additionally, the ‘Start-up India’ programme promotes entrepreneurship and labour-intensive economic growth. 5)Monitoring and accountability  Further the NITI Aayog has been made the nodal agency to gear the plans related to SDG which has brought various indicators and SDG index to evaluate and make states accountable towards the achievement of these targets. Various states have setup their own bodies towards implementation. Challenges in achieving Sustainable development in India Financing Sustainable Development Goals: A new study estimates that implementing SDGs in India by 2030 will cost around US$14.4 billion. According to the available statistics, India has only 5% of the required funding to implement SDGs. Further, India’s budgetary spending is also less in essential sectors. India spends around 1.5% on health and around 4% on education. This is far below the required levels to see improvement High growth and redistribution of wealth alone is not enough to achieve SDG. For example, According to the United Nations MDG 2014 report, despite high economic growth, in 2010, one-third of the world’s 1.2 billion extreme poor lived in India alone. Resource consumption and behavioural change: Achieving SDGs also require behavioural change among individual. For example, using water effectively, reducing food wastage and sharing the remaining food with others, etc. Increasing population: The United Nations estimates that India’s population will reach 1.7 billion by 2050. In that case, the country is likely to face a widening ecological deficit even if its current per-capita levels of resource consumption remain the same. Pandemic induced impacts: Many research studies have pointed out that India’s progress in essential sectors was reduced during the pandemic. For example, Oxfam International released a report that highlighted increasing inequalities in India during the time of the Covid pandemic. Conclusion These goals reflect our evolving understanding of the social, economic and environmental linkages that define our lives.” India’s development mantra “Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas” (Collective Effort, Inclusive Development) and the associated national programs closely track the SDGs.The attainment of these goals by India will be critical for both India and the  world, for world as India being billion plus population will have greater impact on the success of SGDs if achieved and for India as their attainment will eradicate most social problems existing in India today. 3. India’s e-commerce ecosystem needs to be democratised to ensure the equitable distribution of the benefits of digital revolution. Comment. Approach Make a general introduction with what is the total size pf e-commerce business in India and contextualise to demand of the question.In next part write what are the issues associated with the big techs like Amazon and Flipkart.In next part write how the ONDC envisaged can be a game changer in this direction.In conclusion take a positive stand on recent policies for a better future  Introduction  India is vast market for e-commerce companies with over $800biliion potential in next few years.But there has been a concern in the minds of retailers, consumers and the government as well with the recent rise of 2-3 tech companies as intermediaries for the vast market of India.This could lead to tech monopolies in future.In macroeconomics monopolies they have proven to stall innovation and economic development. Economic development depends a lot in innovation. However monopolies block this type of innovation through blocking smaller competitors in illegal means.  Body According to Forrester Research, an American market research company, Flipkart had 31.9% market share, making it the largest online retailer in India. On the other hand, Amazon India isn’t far behind with a 31.2% market share. Issues with e -Commerce platforms : Predatory pricing: The continuously going on offers and sales on Amazon and flipakart with their ability to negotiate the bulk orders in cheap hurts the regular brick and mortar shops. Data mining : A large quantity of data which is being generated can be used by these companies to not only target a customer effectively but to also copy the same products and sell on its platform. Anti-Innovation: The data mining and effective predatory buying of the rising tech companies who can be a threat to these companies have ensured that no other innovations can rise. Search bias : The search bias in favour of its own brands and products or affiliated products is anti democratic and against the net neutrality concept. Copying new products and then selling on its own websites is against the proprietary of original inventor.This has been mastered by Amazon in USA. Benefits large business only : With 2-3 main retailers who constitute 60-70 percent of all the orders on Amazon and one being its group companies cloud tail can be harmful to other small businesses. Price control and low wages : once the market is dominated by these companies they use their clout to effectively control the prices and wages of its employees as there are no other companies who could either hire or sell the products. In view of all these concerns the government has envisaged an Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC)which will bring innovation in the sector and democratise the field. Processes in the ONDC Sellers will be onboarded through open networks. Other open-source processes will include those such as vendor and price discovery; and product cataloguing. The format will be similar to the one which is used in the Unified Payments Interface (UPI). Mega e-commerce companies have proprietary processes and technology for these operations. Marketplaces such as Amazon, Flipkart, Zomato, BigBasket and Grofers will need to register on the ONDC platform to be created by DPIIT and QCI. The task of implementing DPIIT’s ONDC project has been assigned to the Quality Council of India (QCI). These will be its benefits : Making a software or a process open-source means that the code or the steps of that process is made available freely for others to use, redistribute and modify.This will make platform technology available to all the retailers in India. If the ONDC gets implemented and mandated, it would mean that all e-commerce companies will have to operate using the same processes.This will mean that monopolistic practices can be curbed and further there can be an independent regulator of whole data created. This could give a huge booster shot to smaller online retailers and new entrants. This will spur innovation in the market as the new players with their niche products can enter a vast market where there will be no big tech giant who would copy its products and resell as its own. Further with the implementation of the proposed draft commerce rules India will be in the global camaraderie with US,UK who themselves are looking to curb the monopolies by the teach giants. Conclusion E-Commerce has immense potential in a country like India where still only less than 10 % people are shopping online.Therefore to avoid any monopolies by large tech giants which can curb innovation, competition, and harm the interest of small retailers the recent steps taken by India are in right direction.Further both ONDC and new draft e commerce rules will be harbinger of better consumer protection and corporate practices in future.   TLP Synopsis Day 162 PDF

Daily Prelims CA Quiz

UPSC Quiz – 2021 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz 26th August 2021

For Previous Daily Quiz (ARCHIVES) - CLICK HERE The Current Affairs questions are based on sources like ‘The Hindu’, ‘Indian Express’ and ‘PIB’, which are very important sources for UPSC Prelims Exam. The questions are focused on both the concepts and facts. The topics covered here are generally different from what is being covered under ‘Daily Current Affairs/Daily News Analysis (DNA) and Daily Static Quiz’ to avoid duplication. The questions would be published from Monday to Saturday before 2 PM. One should not spend more than 10 minutes on this initiative. Gear up and Make the Best Use of this initiative. Do remember that, “the difference between Ordinary and EXTRA-Ordinary is PRACTICE!!” Important Note: Don't forget to post your marks in the comment section. Also, let us know if you enjoyed today's test :) After completing the 5 questions, click on 'View Questions' to check your score, time taken, and solutions. To take the Test - Click Here

TLP Mains Answer Writing

IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 1): UPSC Mains Answer Writing – General Studies Paper 1 Questions [26th August,2021] – Day 164

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DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 25th August 2021

Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) Creamy Layer in OBC Reservation Part of: GS Prelims and GS - II - issues related to SCs and STs In news Holding that annual earning cannot be the sole criteria for identifying creamy layer between backward class to deny reservation, the Supreme Court held that it has to be done on the basis of social economic and other relevant factors and not only economic criteria.  SC quashed the 2016 notification issued by the Haryana government by which sections of backward classes earning above Rs.6,00,00 per annum were to be considered as a creamy layer, whereby the state wrongly sought to determine creamy layer solely on the basis of economic practice  The court said that the decision of the state government was in violation of the principles laid down by the apex court in Indra Sawhney case What was Indra Sawhney's verdict related to creamy layer?  In Indra Sawhney case the court had held that persons from backward classes who occupied posts in higher services like IAS, IPS and all India services had reached a higher level of social advancement and economic status and therefore were not entitled to be treated as backward. Such persons were to be treated as creamy layer without any further enquiry. Likewise people with sufficient income who are in a position to provide employment to others should also be taken to have reached a higher social status and therefore should be treated as outside the backward class. Similarly, persons from backward classes who had higher agricultural holdings or were receiving income from property beyond the prescribed limit do not deserve the benefit of reservation.  The above mentioned categories were necessary to be excluded from backward classes. News source: TH India-Russia Defence trade worth $15bn in 3 years’ Part of: GS Prelims and GS - II - International Relations  In news In the last three years, since 2018, the defence trade between India and Russia was $15 billion because of some major defence deals.  The S-400 air defence systems deal, for which deliveries are scheduled to begin by November 2021, was on schedule.  One team of Indian Air Force (IAF) officials has been trained in Russia to operate the system while another team is undergoing training.  What is S-400?  The S-400 is Russia’s most advanced long-range surface-to-air missile defence system. In 2018, India had signed a $5 billion deal with Russia to buy the S-400 air defence missile systems. The system is also known as the ‘Triumf’ interceptor-based missile system. It can simultaneously track numerous incoming objects — all kinds of aircraft, missiles and UAVs — in a radius of 400km and launch appropriate missiles to neutralise them. The U.S. imposed sanctions on Russia under its stringent Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) for manufacturing S-400. The law also provides for punitive action against countries purchasing defence hardware from Russia. News Source: TH  India's First smog Tower in Delhi Part of: GS Prelims and GS - III - Pollution  In news Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal inaugurated a ‘smog tower’ in Connaught Place and said similar towers would be built across the city, if results of the current pilot project are satisfactory. In Jan 2020, the Supreme Court had ordered the Delhi government to build a ‘smog tower’ at Connaught Place by April, 2020, to control air pollution. What is a Smog Tower? The smog tower is a 24 metre-high structure fitted with fans and air filters. This is to solve the problem of Air Pollution in Delhi. It will draw in polluted air from the top and release filtered air near the ground through fans fitted on the sides.  The tower has 40 big fans and 5,000 filters to clean the air. These are electrostatic air filters that can filter out microparticles, including those that constitute smoke, household dust and pollen, according to the project description.  A Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system has been installed in the tower to collect data and monitor its functioning. This tower has been established as a pilot project  The tower will take in air from a radius of 1 km. It has a capacity of cleaning 1,000 cubic metres of air per second. It is estimated that the area will see a rapid change in air quality due to this smog tower. Do you know?  There are different technologies used to clean the air. One uses HEPA filters, (used in indoor air purifiers), which filters PM 2.5 particles.  Another uses electrostatic precipitators that attract PM 2.5 particles and collect them at the base of the tower. Both would work in closed spaces, but are ineffective in open spaces.  News Source: TH  Immune Cells in Sea Corals Part of: GS Prelims and GS - II - issues related to SCs and STs In news A new study has identified for the first time that specialised immune cells (phagocytic cells) exist in certain varieties of sea corals and anemones. It will help in better understanding how reef-building corals and other reef animals protect themselves from foreign invaders like bacteria and viruses found in and around coral reefs. What is Phagocytosis?  It is the process by which certain living cells called phagocytes ingest or engulf other cells or particles. The phagocyte may be a free-living one-celled organism, such as an amoeba, or one of the body cells, such as a white blood cell. In some forms of animal life, such as amoebas and sponges, phagocytosis is a means of feeding.  What are Sea anemones?  They are sometimes called the 'flowers of the sea', sea anemones are actually beautiful animals, they are a close relative of coral and jellyfish, and are the marine, predatory animals of the order Actiniaria. They are found from the tidal zone of all oceans to depths of more than 10,000 metres. What is Coral?  Corals are made up of genetically identical organisms called polyps. These polyps have microscopic algae called zooxanthellae living within their tissues. The corals and algae have a mutualistic relationship. They are also called the “rainforests of the seas”. Major locations of corals in India Coral reefs are present in the areas of Gulf of Kutch, Gulf of Mannar, Andaman & Nicobar, Lakshadweep Islands and Malvan. News Source: DTE Miscellaneous Fatah-1 Pakistan successfully test launched a indigenously developed guided multi-launch rocket system, Fatah-1. The weapon system has the capability of precision target engagement.  The rocket was capable of delivering conventional warheads. This was the second flight of Fatah-1, after its first launch in January.  The system can hit targets up to a range of 140 km.  News Source: TH  (News from PIB) e-Shram portal – National Database on Unorganized Workers (NDUW) Part of: GS Prelims and Mains GS-II- Governance In News:  Logo for e-Shram portal unveiled by Minister for Labor and Employment. What is the e-Shram portal? e-Shram portal is a portal through which the government aims to register 38 crore unorganised workers, such as construction labourers, migrant workforce, street vendors and domestic workers, among others.  The workers will be issued an e-Shram card containing a 12-digit unique number, which, going ahead, will help in including them in social security schemes. Significance of e-Shram portal – National Database on Unorganized Workers (NDUW) Targeted identification of the unorganized workers was a much-needed step and the portal which will be the national database of our nation builders will help take welfare schemes to their doorstep, who are the builders of our Nation. Targeted delivery and last mile delivery, has been a major focus of the schemes of government of India and the National Database of Unorganised workers (E-Shram portal) is another key step towards that. News Source: PIB Nation’s first mRNA-based vaccine Part of: GS Prelims  In news: Nation’s first mRNA-based vaccine developed by Gennova company is found to be safe and the Drugs Controller General of India DCG(I) has approved for its Phase II/III trial.  About Gennova's mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccine development program Gennova's mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccine development program was partly funded by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Govt. of India under Ind CEPI, way back in Jun 2020.  Later on, the DBT further supported the program under the Mission COVID Suraksha- The Indian COVID-19 Vaccine Development Mission, implemented by BIRAC. About Mission COVID Suraksha  It is a mission to accelerate the development of approximately 5-6 vaccines for coronavirus.  However, a total of 10 vaccine candidates have been supported by DBT till now. Under the mission complete focus on the preclinical and clinical development of the vaccine is to be taken care of, for quick release and to restrict any further spread of the Novel coronavirus in the country. About DBT BIRAC Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) is a not-for-profit Section 8, Schedule B, Public Sector Enterprise, set up by Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Government of India as an Interface Agency to strengthen and empower the emerging Biotech enterprise to undertake strategic research and innovation, addressing nationally relevant product development needs. BIRAC is an industry-academia interface and implements its mandate through a wide range of impact initiatives, be it providing access to risk capital through targeted funding, technology transfer, IP management and handholding schemes that help bring innovation excellence to the biotech firms and make them globally competitive.  About CEPI (Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations) CEPI is an innovative global partnership between public, private, philanthropic, and civil society organizations that are working together to accelerate the development of vaccines against emerging infectious diseases and enable equitable access to these vaccines for people during outbreaks. It is an alliance to finance and coordinate the development of new vaccines to prevent and contain infectious disease epidemics with the mission to accelerate the development of vaccines against emerging infectious diseases and enable equitable access to these vaccines for people during outbreaks. News Source: PIB Mission Sagar Part of: GS Prelims  In news: Indian Navy’s Landing Ship Tank  INS Airavat arrived at Tanjung Priok Port in Jakarta, Indonesia on 24 August 2021 to deliver 10 Liquid Medical Oxygen (LMO) containers, based on the requirement projected by the Government of Indonesia in its fight against covid 19 On completion of disembarkation of the medical supplies and, as part of the ongoing Mission SAGAR, INS Airavat will continue onwards to deliver medical supplies to other friendly nations in the region hence strengthening the Act East Policy of India. About mission SAGAR: Mission Sagar was a COVID-19 relief mission launched by the government of India in May 2020 as a part of its efforts to provide essential aid to the Indian Ocean countries.  This was followed up by Mission Sagar II in November and Mission Sagar III in December 2020. MISSION SAGAR 1 India sent INS Kesari in May 2020 with food items, medicines and medical assistance teams that made its way to the Indian Ocean nations of Mauritius, Seychelles, Madagascar, Comoros and La Reunion. MISSION SAGAR 2 In November 2020, INS Airavat was delivering food to Sudan, South Sudan, Djibouti and Eritrea. MISSION SAGAR 3  In December 2020, INS Kiltan made its way towards Cambodia and Vietnam carrying 15 tons of Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) for disaster relief following catastrophic floods in Vietnam and Cambodia. MISSION SAGAR 4 In March 2021, INS Jalashwa reached Port Anjouan, Comoros to deliver 1000 metric tonnes of rice to the island nation. This is the second time an Indian naval ship is arriving at Comoros. News Source: PIB eSanjeevani initiative Part of: GS Prelims  In news: Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare’s National Telemedicine Service eSanjeevani has conducted more than 1 Crore (i.e. 10 million) tele-consultations across India. That eSanjeevani has been quickly adopted by patients, doctors and specialists across the country is evident from the fact that it has shown astounding growth of over 1000% in last 10 months.  eSanjeevani is serving around 75,000 patients every day. About eSanjeevani: Started in 2019, Sanjeevani is the first-ever online OPD (outpatient) consultation service offered by the government of India to citizens and is run by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. The scheme is also called the National Teleconsultation Service, it aims to provide healthcare services to patients in their homes.  The eSanjeevani OPD portal and system has been developed by the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) in Mohali and includes a structured and safe teleconsultation between a doctor and a patient through online mode (eSanjeevani OPD). News Source: PIB (Mains Focus) GOVERNANCE/ SECURITY GS-3: Science & Technology; Security GS-2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation The ugly face of a crime-fighting move: Facial Recognition In news Government has been exploring the potential of facial recognition technology. About NAFRS To empower the Indian police with information technology, India approved implementation of the National Automated Facial Recognition System (NAFRS) It will function as a national-level search platform that will use facial recognition technology: to facilitate investigation of crime or for identifying a person of interest (e.g., a criminal) regardless of face mask, makeup, plastic surgery, beard or hair extension. The system compares the faceprint generated with a large existing database of faceprints (typically available to law enforcement agencies) through a database on driver’s licence or police mugshots). Do You Know? FBI in US uses facial recognition technology for potential investigative leads; Police forces in England use facial recognition to tackle serious violence.  China use facial recognition for racial profiling and mass surveillance — to track Uighur Muslims. Criticism of NAFRS Violates Right to Privacy: As NAFRS will collect, process, and store sensitive private information: facial biometrics for long periods; if not permanently — it will impact the right to privacy. Not 100% accurate: Facial recognition does not return a definitive result — it ‘identifies’ or ‘verifies’ only in probabilities (e.g., a 70% likelihood. Though the accuracy of facial recognition has improved over the years due to modern machine-learning algorithms, the risk of error and bias still exists.  Bias & Prejudice: Research suggests facial recognition software is based on pre-trained models. Therefore, if certain types of faces (such as female, children, ethnic minorities) are under-represented in training datasets, then this bias will negatively impact its performance. Fear of Profiling: With the element of error and bias, facial recognition can result in profiling of some overrepresented groups (such as Dalits and minorities) in the criminal justice system. Constitutionality Concerns: It is alleged that NAFRS fails the three tests of Puttaswamy Judgement: legitimacy (backed by law), proportionate to its need and least restrictive. Lacks Statutory Clarity: There is potential for abuse and misuse of NAFRS especially when there is absence of clear guidelines for its deployment and lack of Comprehensive Data Protection Bill.  Chilling Effect on Civil Liberties: Unregulated use of facial recognition technology will dis-incentivise independent journalism or the right to assemble peaceably or any other form of civic society activism. Federal Challenges: Policing and law and order being State subjects, some Indian States have started the use of new technologies without fully appreciating the dangers involved. Conclusion Government must enact a strong and meaningful data protection law, in addition to statutory authorisation of NAFRS and guidelines for deployment to prevent its misuse and abuse.  Connecting the dots: Aadhar Public Data Ecosystem The Personal Data Protection Bill, 2019 GOVERNANCE/ SOCIETY GS-1: Indian Society & its challenges GS-2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. Caste Census Context: The caste system is India’s nemesis and has severely restricted the country’s ability to realise its immense potential. An Indian women’s hockey team player, who happened to be Dalit, had to face caste slurs, and her family had to confront upper-caste harassment after the team’s loss in the Tokyo Olympics.  Issues associated with Caste Regulates all aspects of Life: caste has been at the forefront of Indian’s social existence and regulates lives — from birth to death, customs, rituals, housing, professions, development planning, and even voting preferences Continues to influence Occupational Structure: Studies suggest that 90% of menial jobs are performed by the deprived castes, whereas this figure is reversed in white-collar jobs.  Inequity in Gold Collar Jobs: The abysmal lack of caste diversity, especially at the decision-making levels in various sectors — the media, the judiciary, higher education, bureaucracy or the corporate sector — weakens these institutions and their performance. Arguments for Caste Census A caste census, which will generate exhaustive data will allow policymakers to develop better policies, implementation strategies, and will also enable a more rational debate on sensitive issues. India needs to be bold and decisive in tackling caste questions through data and statistics in the way US does to tackle race issues, by collecting data around race, class, language, inter-race marriages, among other metrics. Our Constitution too favours conducting a caste census. Article 340 mandates the appointment of a commission to investigate the conditions of socially and educationally backward classes and make recommendations as to the steps that should be taken by governments. The Justice Rohini committee was appointed in 2017 to look into the sub-categorisation of the OBC communities; however, in the absence of data, there can be no data-bank or any proper sub-categorisation.  All commissions have had to rely on data from the last caste census (1931). There has been substantive demographic changes since then and therefore, the data has to be updated. While census data has been captured for SC, ST, religions and linguistic profiles, there has been no profiling of all castes in India since 1931 Conclusion If India has to emerge as a confident and strong nation, it must shed its hesitancy and ostrich-like escapism in conducting a caste-linked socio-economic census. This will kick-start a process that will eventually take the caste system away from an Indian. Connecting the dots: Census 2021 Delimitation Exercise (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 statement (s) related to the Coral Bleaching Bleaching causes corals to turn white or pale, because loss of pigment allows the limestone skeleton to become visible through transparent tissues. Zooxanthellae provide reef corals most of their carbon, limestone depositing ability, and colour. Select the correct code: Only 1 Only 2 Both 1 & 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.2 Fatah-1, recently seen in news, is associated with Which of the following?  Qatar's maiden space mission to moon Pakistan's indigenously developed guided multi-launch rocket system Taliban's successful Mission to capture Afghanistan  India's evacuation Mission of its citizens from Afghanistan  Q.3 India's First smog tower was recently inaugurated in which of the following state/UT?  Delhi Haryana  Punjab  Jammu and Kashmir  ANSWERS FOR 24th August 2021 TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE (TYK) 1  C 2  D 3 C Must Read On Climate Change & arctic: The Hindu On criticism of Asset Monetisation: The Wire On India-USA relations: ORF

TLP Mains Answer Writing

SYNOPSIS [23rd August,2021] Day 161: IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 1): UPSC Mains Answer Writing (General Studies)

For Previous TLP (ARCHIVES) - CLICK HERE SYNOPSIS [23rd August,2021] Day 161: IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 1): UPSC Mains Answer Writing (General Studies)   1. What are the functions of the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) in India? Has its role undergone a transformation in the recent years? Critically assess.  Approach  Make a general introduction about Prime Minister’s Office in introduction and contextualise to present times.In next part in brief mention functions of PMO with help of examples.Further mention the need of powerful PMO in the present times and the negative trends which has cropped up.In conclusion create a balance between need for powerful PMO but its limit should be within the democratic polity. Introduction: The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) consists of the immediate staff of the Prime Minister of India, as well as multiple levels of support staff reporting to the Prime Minister. The PMO is headed by the Principal Secretary, currently Pramod Kumar Misra. The PMO was originally called the Prime Minister's Secretariat until 1977, when it was renamed during the Morarji Desai ministry. Body Functions of Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) To provide secretarial assistance to PM and act as a think tank. It deals with all references which under the Rules of Business comes to PM. Helps the PM in discharge of his overall responsibilities as CEO and as head of NITI Aayog. PM’s relief fund and PM’s National Defence Fund are managed by PM, which are based on voluntary contribution. To deal with public relation side of PM, which is related to intellectual forums and Civil Societies. Acts as an office to get feedback of administration by considering public grievances against malfunctioning of administrative system. To provide Prime Ministerial assistance in examination of cases submitted to him for orders under described rules so it acts as settlement house to finalize decision concerning to administrative doubts. Specialists: Certain function needs specialists and also needs to be done away from public eyes for greater good. Ex: Pokhran-II, External intelligence etc. Transformation or Evolution of PMO The PMO came into existence in 1947 by replacing the Secretary to the Governor-General (Personal). Till June 1977, it was called as the Prime Minister’s Secretariat (PMS). The evolution of PMO has a distinct stamp of incumbent prime ministers: During Nehru’s period, secretariat was a low key affair manned by officer of the rank of joint secretary. Cabinet secretariat was the apex body in that era. Lal Bahadur shastri enlarged the role. And first time the body become to be known as prime ministers secretariat, manned by senior IAS officer of country. Still, the decision making power was comparatively lesser than cabinet secretariat The post of Principal Secretary to Prime Minister was created during the tenure of Indira Gandhi as Prime Minister. In 1977 Prime Minister Morarji Desai renamed the Prime Minister’s Secretariat as the Prime Minister’s Office. He also circumscribed its roles and functions significantly. In Rajiv Gandhi era it expanded qualitatively and quantitatively. It took keen interest in technology and in the field of science. Subsequently during the tenure of Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao between 1991 and 1996, the Prime Minister’s Office played a crucial role in reshaping economic policies in response to the balance of payments crisis of 1991. During the period of Vajpayee It was by any reckoning an active PMO in the triple area of economy, foreign policy and security framework. After a subdued tenure under last PM Manmohan Singh, it has again gained its vigour under the incumbent prime minister Narendra Modi. Now PMO has become a necessity in last two decades due to:- Governance has increased in its complexity and scope.The faster emerging trends such as the recent ongoing pandemic needs a faster and coordinated response from the top. The international situation is more complicated.The emerging trade wars and global turmoil such as financial crises, the rising terrorist activities, the frictions with China and recent rise of Taliban in such short span makes an advisory and policy directive body necessary. PMO is the nerve centre of power. This office is the mirror to the incumbent’s character, personality and style of functioning. Like in current government, PMO is more powerful due to influence of PM over political party internally, full majority in the lower house and dominating personality characteristics. Emerging Negative Trend in the Working of PMO It is being said that PMO has become an over-grown, over-arching, all-powerful organisation, which is a grave threat to the Parliamentary democracy and hence subverts the Constitution. These allegations have been because of the following factors: Most Prime Ministers have regarded the PMO as a parallel government. Whichever party in power and whosoever has filled the post of the Prime Minister, it has been observed that there has been a growing tendency towards centralisation in decision-making. Not only does a Prime Minister sometimes keep with himself an unduly large number of portfolios but also informally exerts his real influence beyond those formally held portfolios. Thus it intrudes into the domain of individual Ministries. If the Prime Minister is politically unchallenged in his party, his control over other Ministries and departments, through the mechanism of monitoring, becomes very high. Instead of remaining within its envisaged role of providing secretarial assistance to the Prime Minister in the discharge of his functions, the PMO is increasingly having to say in the policy formulation. The reshuffling of Cabinet has taken place many times based on the advice of the PMO. Conclusion A centralising and powerful PMO is a hindrance to collective responsibility, parliamentary ethos and democratic set-up of executive but a weak PMO might lead to anarchy, policy paralysis and inefficiency.Therefore there is a need to fine balance the setup of PMO with the emerging trends in politics, society and economy at large.But at the end it should nit hinder the role and functions of other ministries rather it should empower the whole cabinet in taking better decisions. 2. What are the various constitutional and statutory bodies constituted to address corruption in public life? How effective have these bodies been? Examine. Approach  Define corruption and link it to different dimensions in Introduction.In next part mention various constitutional and statutory bodies to deal with corruption.In next part mention its effectiveness and then at last add pointers on what measures can be taken to reduce the corruption in ideal sense and also substantiate with measures taken by government in that regard.Make a summary based and reform oriented conclusion for this answer. Introduction Corruption is a form of dishonest or unethical conduct by a person entrusted with a position of authority, often to acquire personal benefit. Corruption has its own effect on its societies which undermines democracy, Rule of law and violates human rights and allows organised crime, terrorism and threats to human security. Even national progress is seriously hampered due to corruption.  Body:  Various bodies constituted for fighting corruption: Statutory Bodies: Central Vigilance Commission: Apex vigilance institution, free of control from any executive authority, monitoring all vigilance activity under the Central Government and advising various authorities in Central Government organisations in planning, executing, reviewing and reforming their vigilance work. It is empowered to inquire into offences alleged to have been committed under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 by certain categories of public servants. Its annual report gives the details of the work done by the commission and points to systemic failures which lead to corruption in government departments.. Lokpal and Lokayukta: They perform the function of an “ombudsman” and inquire into allegations of corruption against certain public functionaries and for related matters. Lokpal has powers of confiscation of assets, proceeds, receipts and benefits arisen or procured by means of corruption in special circumstances and power to recommend transfer or suspension of public servant connected with allegation of corruption. Central Information Commission: It is plays important role in maintaining transparency in system of governance essential for healthy democracy. Such kind of transparency check aims to curb corruption, nepotism, oppression and misuse or abuse of the authority. Constitutional bodies: CAG: Comptroller and Auditor General is supreme constitutional audit authority of India. Comptroller and Auditor General is the ‘watchdog’ on each and every financial transaction of Central or State department such as railway, telecom, public sector, organisations etc. Election Commission: Supreme authority to conduct free and fair elections, prevent corrupt practices and infiltration of corruption into the representative foundation of India. Supreme Court: The Supreme Court of India is the highest judicial court and the final court of appeal under the Constitution of India, with the power of judicial review and ensure just law prevails. Effectiveness of the bodies in preventing corruption: Legal measures taken: Prevention of Corruption Act, the Comptroller and Auditor General, the Judges (Inquiry) Act, the Lok Pal and Lok Ayukta Act 2013, Whistle Blowers Protection Act 2011, Prevention of Money /Laundering Act, Benami Transactions (Prohibition) Act and most importantly the Right to Information Act. The Benami Transactions (Prohibition) Act, 1988 was amended to empower the Income Tax authorities to attach and confiscate Benami properties. Besides, if a person is found guilty of offence of Benami transaction by the competent court, he shall be punishable with rigorous imprisonment and shall also be liable to fine. Several Benami transactions have been identified since the coming into effect of the amended law. Election reforms: Cash donations-Recent amendments have reduced the limit on the cash donation to 2000 from the earlier 20000, thus restricting the inflow of anonymous black money into the funds of political parties. Disclosure norms-As earlier mandated by SC, politicians are required to make disclosure about their financial assets, education and criminal records thud helping the voters to make an informed choice and helping clean the politics of criminals The Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) saw a dramatic drop in the total number of complaints received by it in 2017, keeping in line with the drop in actions by various government departments in cracking down on corruption.  Many CAG reports were instrumental in unearthing major scams like 2G and coal mines. Various commissions such as Second Administrative Reforms Commission (SARC) and Santhanam committee have made important and feasible recommendation to strengthen anti-corruption establishment. Introduce state-funding as part of election reforms: The high cost of elections and candidates' dependence on money, often of questionable provenance, compromises them from the very outset. Once beholden to moneybags, they are under obligation to return the favour if they win.  A reasonable and transparent tax structure, backed by clean and clear enforcement: Our direct taxes (personal income and corporate) are no longer unreasonable, so there's little excuse for trying to evade them. But there is an unhealthy trend in piling on surcharges on various pretexts. Also, there are tons of other taxes that can add up to quite a bit. Finally, there's the larger question of how efficiently and honestly taxpayers' money is put to use — when you see the state of government hospitals and schools, and rotten roads, you wonder where the money you paid as tax has gone  Liberal and contemporary laws that citizens can understand and respect: People find it difficult to accept ridiculous, outdated and moralistic laws — worse, they may not even be aware of some of these laws till some law enforcer somewhere decides to use them to harass and to extract money. Therefore, to the extent possible, there's a need to cut back on the multiplicity of unnecessary and complex laws, and zero in on just the ones that are needed to ensure a fair, equitable and just system. These should then be administered without fear or favour.  Reduce the role of the state in people's lives to the absolutely essential: In some ways, this is related to our earlier point. The greater the scope for state interference — be it the police or the clerk in a government office or the customs inspector — the greater the scope for harassment and graft.  Genuine autonomy for the public/government sector: Big PSUs — think Air India, for instance — place huge contracts. Even a fraction of that is huge money in absolute terms. There is always a temptation for political bosses to exert their influence and swing the contract for chosen ones and receive handsome kickbacks. So get them out of the day-to-day functioning of these PSUs.  Minimise discretionary powers of ministers and bureaucrats: This would reduce scope for misuse of such powers to favour some --- especially in lucrative areas such as award of government land. Where discretionary powers are unavoidable, bring in checks and balance. After a deal is done, the relevant documents should be put up on the Net.  Pay government and PSU officers, judges and policemen market-indexed salaries commensurate with their responsibility: This would minimise the 'need' for bribes. Their salaries could be benchmarked against corporate sector salaries. But higher salaries should be combined with exemplary punishment, including dismissal from service and a police case if an employee is caught indulging in corrupt practices. Mere transfer or suspension won't do.  Introduce sweeping police reforms and stronger judicial accountability: This has been discussed for decades but there's been no action. The recommendations for reforms are already there. Set a time frame for implementation. This will make the police not just a professional force that's not at the beck and call of politicians, but also a trained one with in-built checks against developing vested interests.  Blacklist corrupt businessmen: Private businesses caught indulging in corrupt practices or bribing officials should be blacklisted for, say, 10 years and be barred from government projects. In the category of corrupt practices would fall use of shoddy material -- like road contractors who give one inch of tar when they are supposed to give four inches and the road crumbles after one monsoon. Bigger instances of private businesses cutting corners in public projects by colluding with corrupt officials should attract exemplary punishment. Transparency and stricter scrutiny of government tenders/orders, including auction/sale of public-owned assets: Hundreds of thousands of crores of orders are placed every year by government departments, PSUs, municipal corporations and the like Conclusion The causes of corruption in India include excessive regulations, complicated taxes and licensing systems, opaque bureaucracy and discretionary powers, monopoly by government controlled institutions on certain goods and services, delivery, and above all lack of transparency of laws and processes. Firm and strong steps are needed to curb the menace and impose regulations to take strong, deterrent, and timely legal action against the offenders, irrespective of their political influences or money power. 3. The events transpiring in Afghanistan will have far reaching implications for the Indian subcontinent. Elucidate. Approach  Make an introduction with the recent rise of Taliban and the past incidents of destabilisation in the Indian subcontinent.In next part mention what are various issues which might arise in the region.In last part mention in short what should be the strategy from here onward for subcontinent.In conclusion take a pragmatic stand and a future course of action. Introduction  Indian subcontinent has been relatively stable ever since the subsidence of Taliban in early 2000.There have been intermittent security threats and radicalisation but these were thwarted effectively as seen in Bangladesh, Srilanka, India and Myanmar.But the withdrawal of American forces and swift advances made by Taliban might prove to be detrimental for the subcontinent in long run given the nexus between Pakistan and Taliban and its past support for radicalisation and terrorism in India, Bangladesh, Maldives and Myanmar. Body Challenges For Indian Subcontinent  Issue of security : The restoration of Taliban rule in Afghanistan presents some very serious potential challenges for Indian security. The challenges range from securing its development infrastructures to safely evacuating Indians stranded in troubled Afghanistan. Further India didn’t have to worry about the threats from its eastern and southern neighbourhood for a longtime.This could change drastically given the past linkages between Taliban and radical groups of Maldives, Sri Lanka ,Bangladesh and Myanmar. Further this posses a security risk to even these democratic countries which have remained calm in past. Spread of International Terrorism: For Indian Subcontinent , a bigger challenge will be about the Taliban’s renewed support for international terrorism and Pakistan’s re-direction of jihadi groups that have allegedly fought with the Taliban towards India, Bangladesh, Maldives and Myanmar. The Bangladesh has been curbing islamic fundamentalism from  2010 with executions of Jamat e Islami leaders .This has created a opposition to Awami government.This atmosphere can be further destabilised by Taliban with active support and ammunition as done in the past.The organisations like Tawheed Khalifa, AQIS, Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami (HuJI-B), and Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) can be revived again. Srilanka after the war has seen various radicalised groups.The violence between the majority and Muslim has increased and that’s being made worse by the recent bombing at chruces and crackdown of government against the fundamentalist.This provides fertile ground for Taliban to export ideology and materials to the region. Myanmar may face the similar issues due to the past linkages of Taliban and the Rohingya organisations.Further the recent crackdown and mass exodus of Rohingyas may destabilise not only Myanmar but the whole subcontinent. Maldives has been a highest per capita contributor to the terrorist recruitment in past when ISIS was at its peak.This situation where the polity is already destabilised with fundamentalist opposing the government. Religious Fundamentalism: Like all radical groups, the Taliban will have trouble balancing its religious ideology with the imperatives of state interests.This posses threat to whole region as there are fertile grounds for radicalisation.With active support from Taliban as done in past the situation can worsen especially in India and Bangladesh. New Regional Geopolitical Developments: There can be new regional geopolitical alignments (such as China-Pakistan-Taliban) which may go against the interests of India and also nations which oppose the policies and actions of these two nations.For example: Pakistan and Bangladesh have a historical issues with the partition, The Present government of Maldives is opposed to China. No Contiguity With Taliban: Unlike Pakistan, China and Iran, India and other nations  have no contiguity with Afghanistan.This may hurt any future strategies if the subcontinent wants to guard it against the rise of Taliban. Organised crimes and Drugs : Afghanistan is the part of golden crescent which is the largest producer of opium.The control of opium trade and its nexus with organised crime can destabilise the sub continent.India and other nations who have been trying to control drug abuse might face various hindrances. Strategies which the Subcontinent could follow  Broader Diplomatic Engagement: India and other subcontinent nations should consider appointing a special envoy dedicated to Afghanistan. The envoy can ensure that Indian views are expressed at every meeting, and broaden engagement with the Taliban. Decoupling of Taliban-Pakistan: Although Pakistan’s leverage over the Taliban is real, it may not be absolute. The Taliban is bound to seek a measure of autonomy from Pakistan. India and other nations will have to wait a while before the current issues between India and the Taliban can be overcome. Balancing the Opportunities in Afghanistan: Structuring the internal balance of power within Afghanistan has always been hard. A deeper Sino-Pak partnership in Afghanistan will inevitably produce countervailing trends. However, for a patient, open-minded and active India, there will be no dearth of balancing opportunities in Afghanistan. Leverage Indian Infrastructural Developments: Indian USD 3 billion assistance to Afghanistan is in concrete projects that serve its population and have earned it their goodwill that will endure. The need today is to not stop the development work in Afghanistan and continue the good work. Global Cooperation: There is a lot less global acceptance of terrorism today than in it was in the 1990s. No Indian subcontinent power would like to see Afghanistan re-emerge as a global sanctuary of terror. The world has also imposed significant new constraints on Pakistan’s support for terror through mechanisms like the Financial Action Task Force. Conclusion  The situation in Afghanistan is tense and still evolving. Given the historical circumstances of the rise of Taliban and consequent ramifications pf terror and fundamentalism it would be prudent for the Indian subcontinent to invest more in intelligence , deradicalisation measures and international collaboration to stop terrorist funding.Further there is also a need for the whole block to come together on this issue and open negotiations with Taliban on these critical issues.This will be more pragmatic given the total control in Afghanistan which the Taliban might have in future. TLP Synopsis Day 161 PDF

Rapid Revision (RaRe) Series for UPSC

[Day 87]: 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-87 of RaRe Series - Click here To Register - Click here For complete details of the RaRe Series -  Click here

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