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

Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) Helina Missile Part of: Prelims and GS III - Defence and security  Context The helicopter-launched Nag Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM), Helina, being developed indigenously, has completed all trials.  About Helina Helina is a third-generation, Lock on Before Launch (LOBL) fire and forget class anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) system.  It has all- weather day and night operational capabilities.  It can defeat battle tanks with conventional and explosive reactive armour (ERA).  It can engage targets both in direct hit mode as well as top attack mode. About Nag Missile Nag is a third-generation, fire-and-forget, anti-tank guided missile developed by DRDO to support both mechanized infantry and airborne forces of the Indian Army. It is an all-weather condition with day and night capabilities and with a minimum range of 500m and a maximum range of 4 km. Nag can be launched from land and air-based platforms. The land version is currently available for integration on the Nag missile carrier (NAMICA). DRDO has developed nag Missiles under the Integrated Guided Missile Development Program. The five missiles (P-A-T-N-A) developed under this program are: Prithvi: Short-range surface to surface ballistic missile. Agni: Ballistic missiles with different ranges, i.e., Agni (I, II, III, IV, V). Trishul: Short-range low-level surface to air missile. Nag: 3rd generation anti-tank missile. Akash: Medium range surface to air missile. News Source: TH  Humboldt Penguin Part of: Prelims and GS III - Conservation  Context Two new Humboldt penguin chicks, join seven adult Humboldt penguins at Mumbai’s Byculla Zoo. About Humboldt penguins Humboldt penguin is named after the cold ocean current, known as Humboldt current. Humboldt Current, also called the Peru Current, is a cold, low-salinity ocean current that flows north along the western coast of South America. Habitat: Humboldt penguin is a South American penguin that breeds in coastal Chile and Peru. When not raising chicks, these penguins have been known to travel long distances at sea to find food. Humboldt penguins can breed at any time of year. IUCN status: Vulnerable  Energy-efficient Low-C bricks Part of: Prelims and GS-III- Sci and Tech Context Researchers have developed a technology to produce energy-efficient walling materials using construction and demolition waste and alkali-activated binders. Key takeaways The researchers developed low embodied carbon bricks from construction and demolition waste through an alkali activation process using fly ash and ground slag.  Called Low-C bricks, they do not require high-temperature firing and avoid the use of high-energy material such as Portland cement.  The technology will also solve the disposal problems associated with construction and demolition waste mitigation. What is fly ash? Fly ash is a fine powder that is a byproduct of burning pulverized coal in electric generation power plants. When mixed with lime and water, fly ash forms a compound similar to Portland cement. It is used in concrete and cement products, road base, metal recovery, and mineral filler among others. Fly ash particles are toxic air pollutants. They can trigger heart disease, cancer, respiratory diseases and stroke. Shankhalipi script Part of: Prelims and GS - I - History Context  Recently, Archeologists of Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) have found ‘Shankhalipi’ inscriptions on the stairs on an ancient temple dating back to the Gupta period in Uttar Pradesh’s Etah district. Bilsarh, in Etah-Uttar Pradesh, where the remains were found has been a protected site from the colonial times and is a known Gupta period settlement. Key findings The ‘shankhalipi’ inscriptions were deciphered by the archaeologists as saying, ‘Sri Mahendraditya’, the title of Kumaragupta I of the Gupta dynasty. The discovery becomes significant since only two other structural temples from the Gupta age have been found so far — Dashavatara Temple (Deogarh) and Bhitargaon Temple (Kanpur Dehat). About the Shankhalipi script This script is assumed to be Brahmi derivatives that look like conch shells or shankhas.  They are found in inscriptions across North-Central India and date to between the 4th and 8th centuries.  The inscriptions consist of a small number of characters, suggesting that the shell inscriptions are names or auspicious symbols or a combination of the two. The script was discovered in 1836 on a brass trident in Uttarakhand’s Barahat by English scholar James Prinsep. Prominent sites with shell inscriptions include the Mundeshwari Temple in Bihar, the Udayagiri Caves in Madhya Pradesh, Mansar in Maharashtra and some of the cave sites of Gujarat and Maharashtra.  The shell inscriptions are also reported in Indonesia’s Java and Borneo. Kumaragupta I of the Gupta dynasty The Guptas were the first to build structural temples, distinctly different from the ancient rock-cut temples. Kumaragupta I was the son of Chandragupta II and grandson of the Great Samudragupta of Gupta dynasty.  He built the world famous ancient Nalanda University. Among the Gupta kings, he issued the largest varieties of coins. World Bank Stops ‘Ease of Doing Business’ Report Part of: Prelims and GS II - International relations Context The World Bank would discontinue the practice of issuing ‘Doing Business report’ following an investigation reported “data irregularities” in its 2018 and 2020 editions (released in 2017 and 2019, respectively) and possible “ethical matters” involving bank staff. It will be working on a new approach to assessing the business and investment climate. About Ease of Doing Business Report The report was introduced in 2003 to provide an assessment of objective measures of business regulations and their enforcement across 190 economies on ten parameters affecting a business through its life cycle. Notably, in three reports, released in 2017, 2018 and 2019, India ranked among the top 10 economies showing “the most notable improvement”. About World Bank It was created in 1944, as the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) along with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).  The IBRD later became the World Bank. It works for sustainable solutions that reduce poverty and build shared prosperity in developing countries. Major reports: Ease of Doing Business. Human Capital Index. World Development Report. Its Five development institutions: International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD): provides loans, credits, and grants. International Development Association (IDA): provides low- or no-interest loans to low-income countries. International Finance Corporation (IFC): provides investment, advice, and asset management to companies and governments. Multilateral Guarantee Agency (MIGA): insures lenders and investors against political risk such as war. International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID): settles investment-disputes between investors and countries. New Study on Ninth Planet Part of: Prelims and GS III - Awareness in space  Context: In the continued search for the hypothetical ninth planet in our Solar System, Michael Brown, the astronomer who led the demotion of Pluto to a dwarf planet in 2006, has co-written a new study that claims to have narrowed the region the potential new planet could be located. Key takeaways The study proposes "Planet Nine" exists beyond Neptune and is six times the mass of Earth. The new study also includes a "treasure map" of the planet’s likely orbit that the scientists said lasts around 7,400 Earth years and is closer to the Sun than the 2016 study found. A closer orbit to the Sun would make the planet brighter and easier to see. Planet Nine would probably be a cold gas giant like Neptune, the farthest known planet in a Solar System from the Sun. Neptune has a nonsolid surface made up mostly of hydrogen, helium, and methane, according to NASA. (News from PIB) Meeting of G-20 Agriculture Ministers Part of: GS-Prelims  Context: Agriculture is contributing to the three biggest challenges of the 21st century – achieving food security, adapting to climate change and mitigating climate change. Important resources like water, energy and land are depleting rapidly. There is a need for sustainability in agriculture along with increasing production and income simultaneously, adapting to climate change by balancing crop, livestock, fisheries and agroforestry systems, increasing resource efficiency, protecting the environment and maintaining ecosystem services. Agricultural research  Has played an important role in tackling the problem of food security, improving the income of farmers and agriculturists and sustainable use of natural resources for the subsistence of the people.  Research contributes significantly to the three aspects of food security – availability, access and affordability. Integrated research efforts can develop a package of techniques and methodologies for improving soil productivity, water management for storage, expansion and efficiency.  Efforts by India United Nations has accepted the proposal of the Government of India and declared the year 2023 as the International Year of Millets Under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana, the government is providing income support of Rs.6,000 per year to small farmers. So far, Rs 1.58 lakh crore has been deposited in the bank accounts of more than 11.37 crore farmers under this scheme. The 'Per Drop- More Crop' scheme for irrigation and 'Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana' for organic farming is being successfully implemented. Implemented the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana to provide insurance cover for the farmers. Oilseeds Technology Mission doubled the production of oilseeds in 10 years.  India has made great progress in pulses production in recent times due to the introduction of new varieties in the seed system. Developed and released 17 varieties of different crops which are resistant to biotic and abiotic stresses.  Developing bio-fortified varieties to meet the nutritional requirement of the people. National Mission on Sustainable Agriculture has been launched which promotes integrated farming systems approach in agriculture. Presidency of G20: Italy News Source: PIB E-shram portal Part of: GS-Prelims  In News: Registration of Unorganized Workers has picked up pace across the country. More than 1 crore have been registered on e-shram portal. States of Bihar, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal at the fore front Common Service Centre’s playing crucial role in facilitating registrations, nearly 68 percent registration done via CSC’s First ever concentrate step towards generating a comprehensive database of the unorganized workers from different sectors like construction, apparel manufacturing, fishing, gig and platform work, street vending, domestic work, agriculture and allied, transport sector and so on As per Economic Survey 2019-20, there are an estimated 38 crore unorganised workers (UW) in the country, which would be targeted to register on this portal.  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. 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 (Mains Focus) AGRICULTURE/ GOVERNANCE/ ECONOMY GS-2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. GS-3: Issues related to direct and indirect farm subsidies and minimum support prics and food security Increase in MSP for oilseeds Context: Recently, Union government announced higher Minimum Support Price (MSP) for rabi crops to boost their production.  Notably, crops such as oilseeds and pulses have witnessed a higher percentage rise in their MSP when compared to major crops such as wheat. Is the move aimed at ending dependence on imports? The prices of edible oils such as palm oil, sunflower oil, mustard oil etc. have increased by well over 50% in the last one year.  This price rise has been attributed mainly to labour shortages and crop failures in major edible oil-producing nations such as Indonesia, Malaysia, Argentina, and Ukraine.  The government thus hopes to cut down India’s dependence on foreign oil imports by boosting domestic production. At the moment, over 60% of India’s edible oil needs are met through imports The government also aims to protect Indian consumers from price shocks due to global factors.  In order to boost domestic production, the MSP for rapeseed and mustard seed has been increased by as much as 8% in contrast to a mere 2% increase in the MSP for a major crop like wheat.  It is also worth noting that the Centre had last month announced the National Edible Oil mission worth ₹11,040 crore to encourage the domestic production of palm oil.  Will it offer immediate benefits? The greater percentage increase in the support prices for oil seeds when compared to that of other crops could increase the amount of land and other resources used to cultivate oil seeds.  But it is unlikely to offer immediate benefits in terms of higher domestic production of oil seeds and lower edible oil prices for consumers. Farmers say that it takes at least four years for certain freshly sown oil crops such as the palm oil crop to yield increased output.  However, if these measures can help improve oilseed supply in the long run, they can indeed benefit consumers.  There could also be other crucial factors that might play a role in the success of the Centre’s plan.  For one, the price that farmers get paid for their crops is often well below the MSP. So the actual implementation of the MSP programme will be the key.  Further, the cost of producing oil seeds may vary significantly from that of other crops, so production will depend not just on the MSP but on the expected returns from different crops. Is a higher MSP necessary to boost oil seed production? A higher support price for any crop can potentially increase its production as it offers farmers more financial incentive to cultivate it.  However, many believe that the price and supply of edible oils is adversely affected by factors beyond just the lack of sufficient domestic supply.  Import taxes are considered a major culprit behind the high edible oil prices. Oils such as soya bean oil and sunflower oil are taxed at around 30% today while their refined varieties are taxed at around 40% even after the Centre slashed import taxes last week.  So the increase in the support price for oil seeds and the National Edible Oil Mission are seen more as efforts to encourage domestic production under the Atma Nirbhar plan to attain self-sufficiency.  It should also be noted that there may be genuine economic reasons for edible oils to be produced predominantly in certain countries and not in others.  If so, the mere volatility in the price of imported edible oils may not be a good enough reason to subsidise domestic production. Connecting the dots: The basis of MSP Ashok Dalwai Committee on Doubling Farmer’s income New Agriculture Bills and opposition to it INTERNATIONAL/ SECURITY GS-2: India and its neighborhood- relations.  GS-2: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests How the 9/11 wars changed the world Context: After the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the U.S. went to Afghanistan to defeat al-Qaeda and topple the Taliban regime.  Critical Analysis of USA’s actions post 9/11 Unmet US Objectives: Twenty years later after 2001, when the U.S. exited Afghanistan, the Taliban, which never fully severed its ties with al-Qaeda, was back in power in Afghanistan. Diminished Presence in the region: US has not only lost its base in Afghanistan but its alliance with Pakistan, which goes back to the Cold War, is over.  Afghanistan’s neighbouring countries also refuse to host an American base. This diminished presence of US in the region will impact its intelligence operations. War on Terror weakened: US says that its war on terror will continue. Howeever, if U.S. wants to carry out a drone strike against terror groups in Afghanistan, it will have to fly the machines from the Gulf, which is not an effective counter-terrorism strategy. Misuse of Global Support for regime change: After the 9/11 attacks, with global support and sympathy, there was a legal and moral argument in favour of its military action against al-Qaeda. However, US launched regime change wars to remake the Muslim world.  Iraq war provided a new base for al-Qaeda: The invasion of Iraq, based on false intelligence that Iraq’s President Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction, diffused the U.S.’s focus in Afghanistan. This war in Iraq created condition for growth of Al-Qaeda’s branch in Iraq. US Clueless on Instability caused: In subsequent years, US brought down regimes in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya and Syria. However, it remained clueless about how to tackle the instability that followed. The chaos and lawlessness that followed these regime change created conditions for Jihadists to thrive. US actions indirectly spread terrorism: The repeated attacks on Muslim-majority countries by US and the deaths of hundreds of thousands of locals, mostly Muslims, in these wars helped strengthen the jihadist narrative that the ‘Christian West’ is launching ‘a crusade’ against Muslims. This helped in recruiting young Muslims into terror groups & spread of terrorism Divided World: On one hand, Anti-Americanism emerged as a dominant political theme across Muslim-majority countries. On the other hand, terror attacks in different parts of world led to the strengthening of Islamophobic politics in West. Humanitarian Crisis: The wars by US also triggered a massive outflow of refugees from the affected countries to neighbouring nations. Rise of China: The most unexpected setback that the U.S. suffered was in geopolitics. When the U.S. was busy in the Muslim world, China was steadily rising. America’s withdrawal and the perception of its weakness has also emboldened its rivals like Iran, Russia and China.  Conclusion This doesn’t mean that the global hegemony of the U.S. is over. The U.S. suffered setbacks in the past and bounced back.  The 1970s were particularly a bad decade for the U.S. during the Cold War – US withdrawal from Vietnam in 1975, Communists assumed control of Afghanistan in 1978 and US lost Iran in 1979.  Yet, by 1980 US was back in action, thanks to the USSR intervention in Afghanistan. Currently, the U.S. might wait for its rivals, especially China, to commit blunders — like the Soviets did in 1979 with Afghanistan — or it might grab other strategic opportunities. Connecting the dots: March 2021: Joe Biden’s initial Peace Plan  April 2021: Final Biden’s Plan of US Exit from Afghanistan  Rise of Taliban India must directly engage with Taliban 2.0 India and Taliban (AIR Spotlight) Spotlight Sep 16: Production Linked Incentives in Key Sectors: A Boost To Make In India - https://youtu.be/NzQ2DH_6vEU  ECONOMY GS-3: Indian Economy Production Linked Incentives in Key Sectors – Part 2 Context: Production linked incentive (PLI) scheme aims at boosting domestic manufacturing and exports, is expected to - Increase the country’s production by USD 520 billion in the next five years Make India self-reliant in manufacturing goods for local and export markets, positioning it as a global manufacturing hub Make domestic manufacturing competitive and efficient, build capacity, and benefit from economies of scale, enhance exports, attract investment and create jobs.  Click here for Part-1 F. For Specialty Steel: With a budgetary outlay of Rs 6,322 crore over a period of five years from 2023-24. It is value-added steel, which is made by processing normal finished steel. It is done by converting normal finished steel into high value-added steel by way of coating, plating and heat treatment. Apart from the automobile sector and specialised capital goods, they can be used in various strategic applications such as defence, space, power etc. SS are categorized in various types such as, coated/plated steel products, high strength/wear resistant steel, speciality rails, alloy steel products and steel wires, electrical steel etc. G. For India’s textile sector: To help India regain its historical dominant status in global textiles trade. The incentives shall encourage investment in new capacities in man-made fibre (MMF) apparel, MMF fabrics, and 10 segments or products of technical textiles.  The scheme shall help attract investment of more than Rs. 19,000 crore, creating an additional 7.5 lakh direct jobs. There will be two levels of investment with different sets of incentives.  In the first category, any person or firm can invest a minimum Rs. 300 crore in plant, machinery, and civil works to produce the identified products to ensure eligibility for the PLI. In the second category a minimum investment of Rs. 100 crore would make an individual or firm eligible to apply for the incentives. Priority would be given for investment in aspirational districts, tier-three, tier-four towns and rural areas.  The scheme is expected to benefit States such as Gujarat, U.P., Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Andhra, Telangana and Odisha. Applicants would have two years as investment period and 2024-2025 would be the ‘performance’ year. The incentive flow would start in 2025-2026 and extend for five years. H. For auto sector: Approved a Rs. 26,058 crore production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme to enhance manufacture of advanced technology and green vehicles, auto parts and drones. Benefits: It will attract Rs. 42,500 crore in fresh investment into the automobile and auto components industry over five years It will help create more than 7.5 lakh jobs. The scheme has been devised for both existing automotive firms and new investors. The ‘sales value linked’ scheme includes a ‘champion OEM’ incentive applicable on battery electric vehicles and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. A ‘component champion’ incentive is for advanced automotive technology components. I. For Drone Industry: Will incentivize emergence of Advanced Automotive Technologies global supply chain in India Help create additional employment of over 7.6 lakh people Incentives worth ₹ 26,058 crore will be provided to industry over five years It will bring fresh investments of over₹5,000 crore in three years and incremental production of over ₹ 1,500 crore J. For The Advanced Chemistry Cell (ACC) Battery Storage Aim: To achieve a manufacturing capacity of 50 GigaWatt Hour of ACC and five Giga Watt Hour of Niche ACC with an outlay of 18,100 crore. ACCs are the new generation of advanced storage technologies that can store electric energy either as electrochemical or as chemical energy and convert it back to electric energy as and when required.  It will also give a big push to electric mobility, benefiting three-wheelers, four-wheelers and heavy vehicles. India is currently importing Battery Storage Equipment  K. National Programme on High Efficiency Solar PV Modules: For achieving manufacturing capacity of Giga Watt (GW) scale in high efficiency solar PV modules with an outlay of Rs.4,500 crore. Solar PV manufacturers will be selected through a transparent competitive bidding process. PLI will be disbursed for 5 years after commissioning of solar PV manufacturing plants, on sales of high efficiency solar PV modules. The outcomes/ benefits expected from the scheme: Additional 10,000 MW capacity of integrated solar PV manufacturing plants Direct investment of around Rs.17,200 crore in solar PV manufacturing projects Demand of Rs.17,500 crore over 5 years for ‘Balance of Materials’ Direct employment of about 30,000 and Indirect employment of about 1,20,000 persons Import substitution of around Rs.17,500 crore every year Impetus to Research & Development to achieve higher efficiency in solar PV modules. L. For White Goods (Air Conditioners and LED Lights) - with a budgetary outlay of Rs. 6,238 crore. Shall extend an incentive of 4% to 6% on incremental sales of goods manufactured in India for a period of five years to companies engaged in manufacturing of Air Conditioners and LED Lights. An entity availing benefits under any other PLI Scheme of Govt. India will not be eligible under this scheme.  It will be implemented as a pan India scheme.  A number of global and domestic companies, including a number of MSMEs are likely to benefit from the Scheme. It is estimated that over the period of five years, the PLI Scheme will lead to incremental investment of Rs. 7,920 Crore, incremental Production worth Rs. 1,68,000 Crore, exports worth Rs 64,400 Crore, earn direct and indirect revenues of Rs 49,300 crore and create additional four lakh direct and indirect employment opportunities. (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 Which of the following are correctly matched? Prithvi: Short-range surface to surface ballistic missile. Agni: Ballistic missiles with different ranges  Trishul: Short-range low-level surface to air missile. Nag: 3rd generation anti-tank missile. Akash: Medium range surface to air missile. Select the correct answer from the quotes given below: 1 and 2 only 1, 2 and 5 only 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 2 and 4 only Q.2 Human capital index is published by Which of the following? World economic forum World Bank ASEAN International monetary fund Q.3 Where are Udayagiri caves located? Maharashtra  Uttar Pradesh Madhya Pradesh  Rajasthan ANSWERS FOR 18th Sept 2021 TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE (TYK) 1 A 2 D 3 B Must Read On Social and Educational Learning: The Hindu On Urbanisation: Indian Express On Urbanisation and Agriculture: Hindustan Times

[CURRENT AFFAIRS] IAS UPSC REVAMPED Current Affairs Magazine AUGUST 2021

ARCHIVES Hello Friends, This is August 2021 of IASbaba’s REVAMPED Current Affairs Monthly Magazine. Current Affairs for UPSC Civil Services Examination is an important factor in this preparation. An effort towards making your Current Affairs for IAS UPSC Preparation qualitative. We hope you make the best use of it! This edition covers all Important current affairs issues that were in news for the month of AUGUST 2021. Kindly leave your feedback in the comment section below on the new design and presentation of the magazine. We would love to hear from you 🙂   DOWNLOAD THE MAGAZINE- CLICK HERE To get Regular Updates from IASbaba, follow- TELEGRAM Channel – https://t.me/IASbabaOfficialAccount YOUTUBE – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChvbVdio9Wgj7Z3nQz1Q0ZQ FACEBOOK – https://www.facebook.com/iasbaba/ Also, SUBSCRIBE to the WEBSITE Below, so that you don’t miss out on important posts! Thank You IASbaba  

Motivational Articles

Creative Guidance – Just give it a try – Inspirational Educative Articles

Just Give it a Try: You can experience deeper states of bliss. Bliss cannot be explained. Bliss is not happiness. Bliss is a deep state of feeling connected with yourself, with life, and with existence. Only when you experience it will you know. Beyond that, there are a hundred more things that you can experience. They are all things that cannot be put in words. Somewhere, you’ve got to begin. So, instead of worrying too much about the benefits, just dive in. Believe in yourself that you can understand meditation, that you can figure it out. It might take some time, but don’t give up. If you succeed in meditation, you succeed in everything. If you fail in meditation, then life is an absolute uncertainty. It will always be uncertain. Meditation is the last struggle. The only struggle. If you are able to struggle and understand what meditation is, from different perspectives, from different angles, to use your mind, your creativity, and your wisdom; if you’re able to get the hang of it and you get one drop of the actual taste of meditation, you will know for sure that this is what you need. You need that one glimpse, that one absolute understanding, that, “Yes, meditation is relaxing me, it’s relaxing my mind.” You have to be very scientific in understanding it. You cannot be prejudiced. You cannot be partial. When you are very honest you can clearly see how it is benefiting you. Then, nobody has to tell you how to meditate or what are the benefits. You just keep on figuring out different ways of transforming every experience of life into meditation. What you are looking for is a moment of decision, a moment of commitment, a moment of courage, to say, “I want to give this a try.” “This article is a part of the creative endeavor of Nirvana Foundation and IASBABA.”

Motivational Articles

[MI-STORIES]MOTIVATIONAL AND INSPIRATIONAL STORIES - Take Time!

For Previous Story -> CLICK HERE Inspirational Stories: Here is the story for this week from the new series of Inspirational and Motivational stories. One of the oldest known forms of communication is story telling. There is something primordial within us that loves stories and their tremendous impact. In this series, we aim to bring you the best of real-life stories that can inspire and motivate you. Stories always try to teach us something useful. It is one of the best ways of learning from other's mistakes and avoiding our own. Although each story has its own moral, in the comments section you can share your opinion on the moral of the story. If you are able to see something that others might have missed, you can share it for the benefit of all. Apart from just reading these awesome stories, you can also share some of the stories that have inspired you. If we find the story appropriate and useful, we will share it with all. More importantly, read these stories every week without a miss, and stay inspired.   So Here is the story for this week - Take Time !   Once upon a time, a very strong woodcutter asked for a job as a timber merchant and he got it. The pay was really good and so was the work conditions. For those reasons, the woodcutter was determined to do his best. His boss gave him an axe and showed him the area where he was supposed to work. The first day, the woodcutter brought 18 trees. “Congratulations,” the boss said. “Go on that way!” Very motivated by the boss' words, the woodcutter tried harder the next day, but he could only bring 15 trees. The third day he tried even harder, but he could only bring 10 trees. Day after day he was bringing less and less trees. “I must be losing my strength”, the woodcutter thought. He went to the boss and apologized, saying that he could not understand what was going on. “When was the last time you sharpened your axe?” the boss asked. “Sharpen? I had no time to sharpen my axe. I have been very busy trying to cut trees…” Our lives are like that. We sometimes get so busy that we don’t take time to sharpen the “axe”. In today’s world, it seems that everyone is busier than ever, but less happy than ever. Why is that? Could it be that we have forgotten how to stay “sharp”? There’s nothing wrong with activity and hard work. But we should not get so busy that we neglect the truly important things in life, like our personal life, taking time to get close to our Creator, giving more time for our family, taking time to read etc. We all need time to relax, to think and meditate, to learn and grow. If we don’t take the time to sharpen the “axe”, we will become dull and lose our effectiveness. What do you think is the moral of the story?

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[FULL MOCKS] UPSC Prelims 2021 - IASbaba's OFFLINE FULL MOCKS at DELHI, BENGALURU & LUCKNOW Centre on 22nd & 26th September

Dear Students If you like wildlife, have you seen videos of apex predators hunting for their prey? What can you learn from them? If you observe carefully, a tiger waits for the right moment to attack. It waits and waits for its target to come closer. It has been preparing to be an expert hunter. It has an unwavering focus and it fixes its target. And when the right moment arrives, it puts all its energy to chase and hunt its prey. That one leap decides its success. If it puts its energy too soon, then it will get tired early and the prey will be gone, or if it is too late to attack, then also it will miss because the prey will get its position. Hence timing is everything. For you also, this is the right moment. This is the right moment to turn on all your engines and put all your energy in that final revision and practice. You need to gain so much of momentum that by the time you are in the examination hall, you are at peak of your performance. If you can achieve that, no one will be able to stop you from qualifying the exam. Go, and chase down your Target. Till now, most of you have been preparing at home due to the corona situation. We have been getting many emails of students showing their gratitude for the Rapid Revision Series. Your mails, messages, and comments are a source of motivation for us so keep sending your love. We are happy that we could help you with your revision. However, it is important that you get a feel of the examination hall and actual exam. Hence, as a part of Rapid Revision (RaRe) Series 2021, we will be conducting 2 Full Mock tests mimicking the UPSC pattern. Due to many requests from students, we have decided to conduct the tests offline as well to simulate the environment of the UPSC exam. Also, the exam will be conducted in English as well as in हिन्दी. So, you will be able to select your medium. We will be charging a nominal fee (100/- for 4 tests) for registration for the Offline Mock Tests so that the students take the tests seriously. Make the best use of this opportunity. Details Regarding Full Mocks  There will be 2 Full Mocks Tests (Paper 1 (GS) and Paper 2 (CSAT) on 22nd September and 26th September. The Tests can be taken in our DELHI, BENGALURU, or LUCKNOW Centres. FULL MOCK - 1 (22nd September - Wednesday) Paper 1 - 9:30 am to 11:30 am Paper 2 (CSAT) - 2:30 pm to 4:30 pm FULL MOCK - 2 (26th September - Sunday) Paper 1 - 9:30 am to 11:30 am Paper 2 (CSAT) - 2:30 pm to 4:30 pm REGISTER HERE - CLICK HERE Note -  Make Sure you correctly fill up the OFFLINE test center (DELHI-DEL, BENGALURU-BLR, LUCKNOW - LKO) Make Sure you select the preferred language of the test (ENGLISH-ENG, HINDI-HIN) For ANY QUERIES: Email ID: support@iasbaba.com Contact No. : 9169191888 (10 AM – 6 PM) Please do not make calls before or after the given timing. TEST CENTRES BENGALURU CENTRE: IASbaba TLP Centre: 2nd floor, 80ft Main Road, Ganapathi Circle, Vijayanagar, Chandralayout, Bengaluru-560040. DELHI CENTRE: 5B, PUSA Road, Opposite to Metro Pillar 110, Karol Bagh, New Delhi -110005 (Landmark: CROMA Store) LUCKNOW CENTRE:  IASbaba, B-1/66, Sector J, Aligunj, Lucknow – 226024. Landmark: Near Mr Brown / Opp to Sahu Studio All the best 🙂 IASbaba

DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 18th September 2021

Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) Restructuring of Railways Part of: Prelims and GS III - Infrastructure  Context The Indian Railways is heading for a major restructuring plan that could lead to the closure of key establishments, merger of organisations and private participation in running of its schools and hospitals. The recommendations were proposed by the Principal Economic Adviser Sanjeev Sanyal as part of the Rationalisation of Government Bodies and Proposal for the Ministry of Railways. The Indian Railways is the country’s largest employer and transporter. What were the Major recommendations? Winding up (closing) the Central Organisation for Railway Electrification (CORE), the Central Organisation for Modernisation Of Workshops (COFMOW), the Centre for Railway Information Systems (CRIS) and the Indian Railways Organisation for Alternative Fuel (IROAF) IROAF was recently closed. RailTel would be merged with the IRCTC. RailTel is one of the largest telecom infrastructure providers in the country that focuses on modernising operations and safety systems through optic fibre networks that exist along railway tracks. Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd. (RVNL) to be merged with the Indian Railway Construction Limited (IRCON), a specialised infrastructure construction organisation. RVNL implements projects relating to creation and augmentation of railway infrastructure. Merging of railway schools with Kendriya Vidyalayas or handing them over to the respective State governments Establish Central Public Sector Enterprises to bring eight production units under its fold. Merger of the Central Training Institutes with the National Rail and Transportation Institute after upgrading the latter into a Central University and an Institute of National Importance. Roping in private participation for investments to enhance healthcare facilities of railway hospitals and polyclinics News source: TH  45th GST Council Meeting Part of: Prelims and GS-III- Economy Context The 45th GST Council meeting was chaired by union finance minister in Lucknow recently Key decisions by the council Petroleum products will be out of the GST regime. Consumers will continue to pay the Compensation Cess along with GST levied on products like automobiles, tobacco products and aerated water till March 2026. Concessional tax rates on COVID-19 essential medicine like Tocilizumab, Amphotericin B and Remdesivir extended till December 31st.  Muscular atrophy drugs like a Zolgensma and Viltepso that cost around ₹16 crore are exempted from GST. Import of leased aircraft exempted from IGST. 5% GST to be levied on food delivery apps. Tax on fortified rice kernels for ICDS scheme reduced from 18% to 5%.  GST on cancer drugs like Keytruda was cut from 12% to 5%. GST on footwear costing less than Rs.1000 and ready-made garments and fabrics have increased to 12% from 5%. It will come in effect from January 1st Bricks would attract GST at the rate of 6% without input tax credits under the scheme, or 12% with input credits. Formation of two group of ministers The Council has decided to form two groups of ministers (GoMs) To shore up GST revenues. They have to recommend measures within two months.  The first one has been tasked with reviewing tax rate rationalisation issues to correct anomalies in the rate structure. The other will look to tap technology to improve compliance and monitoring. This will look at e-way bills, Fastags, compliance and composition schemes to plug loopholes. News source: TH Global Methane Pledge Part of: Prelims and GS - II - International relation  and GS -III - Climate change Context  U.S. President Joe Biden recently announced the Global Methane Pledge, a U.S.–EU led effort to cut methane emissions by a third by the end of this decade.  The announcement was made at the Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate (MEF), hosted virtually by the White House recently, in which leaders from several countries and the EU, as well as UN Secretary General António Guterres and (India’s) Environment Minister participated. Key takeaways The pledge will help in rapidly reducing the rate of global warming. It will also produce a very valuable side benefit, like improving public health and agricultural output. About Methane Methane is a greenhouse gas. It is 80 times more potent than carbon dioxide in terms of its global warming capacity.  Approximately 40% of methane emitted is from natural sources and about 60% comes from human-influenced sources, including livestock farming, rice agriculture, biomass burning and so forth. Do you know? 26th Conference of the Parties (COP26), the UN climate conference in Glasgow, Will be held in November 2021. The objective is to review progress since the Paris Agreement (2015) on climate, with some countries making commitments to achieve net zero emissions by 2050.  The Paris deal seeks to maintain temperature rises to under 2 degrees Celsius (and pursue the goal of limiting rises to below 1.5 degrees Celsius) above pre-industrial levels by getting countries to commit to emission cuts. News source: TH  WTO’s Agreement on Agriculture pact  Part of: Prelims and GS III - Economy Context G-33 Virtual Informal Ministerial Meeting was recently held.  In the meeting, the Indian commerce and industry ministry has recently pointed out that the agreement on Agriculture at the World trade organisation (WTO) is riddled with deep imbalances, which favour the developed countries and have tilted the rules against many developing countries. What is G-33? The G33 (or the Friends of Special Products in agriculture) is a coalition of developing countries. It was established prior to the 2003 Cancun ministerial conference. The group has coordinated during the Doha Round of WTO negotiations, specifically in regard to agriculture. Dominated by India, the group seeks to limit the degree of market opening required of developing countries, especially with regard to agriculture. There are currently 47 member nations. What is Agreement on Agriculture? The Agreement on Agriculture (AoA) is an international treaty of the World Trade Organization.  It was negotiated during the Uruguay Round of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, and entered into force with the establishment of the WTO on January 1, 1995. The Agreement has been criticised by civil society groups for reducing tariff protections for small farmers, a key source of income in developing countries, while simultaneously allowing rich countries to continue subsidizing agriculture at home. News source: TH  Mura-Drava-Danube: World’s First ‘Five-Country Biosphere Reserve’ Part of: Prelims and GS III - Conservation  Context Recently, Mura-Drava-Danube (MDD) was declared as the world’s first ‘five-country biosphere reserve’ by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). About MDD: The biosphere reserve covers 700 kilometres of the Mura, Drava and Danube rivers and stretches across Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, Hungary and Serbia. The total area of the reserve is a million hectares - in the so-called ‘Amazon of Europe’, which is now the largest riverine protected area in Europe. The biosphere “represented an important contribution to the European Green Deal (climate action plan) and contributed to the implementation of the EU Biodiversity Strategy in the Mura-Drava-Danube region.” The strategy’s aim is to revitalise 25,000 km of rivers and protect 30% of the European Union’s land area by 2030. Importance of the MDD: The area is one of the richest in Europe in terms of species diversity. It is home to floodplain forests, gravel and sand banks, river islands, oxbows and meadows. The area is home to the highest density in Europe of breeding pairs of white-tailed eagle and endangered species such as the little tern, black stork, otters, beavers and sturgeons. It is also an important stepping stone for more than 2,50,000 migratory waterfowls every year. (News from PIB) Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate (MEF) Part of: GS-Prelims and GS-III – Environment & Climate Change Context: Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate (MEF) aims at facilitating candid dialogue among major emitters countries, both developed and developing, to garner political leadership to advance climate action.  Also aims at enabling dialogue and discussion and building consensus before COP26, which will set a precedent for climate efforts in the years to come. India’s stand-  Combating climate change is a shared global challenge and our response must be based on the fundamental principles of equity and common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities. Though India’s share of world population is 17% but the country’s share in cumulative historical emissions is just 4% and even the current annual emissions are only 5.2% of the global emissions and the per capita emissions are about a third of the global average. India’s target is of 450 GW of Renewable Energy by 2030. India’s solar capacity, drawing on the collaborative spirit of member countries through the International Solar Alliance, has increased fifteen times in the last six years. News Source: PIB Conversion of high ash Indian coal to methanol Part of: GS-Prelims  In News: India has developed an indigenous technology to convert high ash Indian coal to methanol and established its first pilot plant in Hyderabad.  Will help the country move towards the adoption of clean technology  Will promote the use of methanol as a transportation fuel (blending with petrol), thus reducing crude oil imports. Process and Challenge:  The broad process of converting coal into methanol consists of conversion of coal to synthesis (syngas) gas, syngas cleaning and conditioning, syngas to methanol conversion, and methanol purification.  Coal to methanol plants in most countries are operated with low ash coals. Handling of high ash and heat required to melt this high amount of ash is a challenge in the case of Indian coal, which generally has high ask content. Currently, the pilot plant is producing methanol with purity of more than 99%. Scaling it up will help in optimum utilization of the country’s energy reserves and accelerate its journey towards self-reliance.  Methanol could be the most promising option for large-scale market penetration of a natural gas-based fuel for light-duty vehicles because of its low fuel cost and low additional cost relative to powering a vehicle with gasoline. Methanol will cut down India’s oil import bill by an estimated 20 per cent over the next few years. News Source: PIB (Mains Focus) GOVERNANCE/ ECONOMY 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. E-Shram Context: On August 26, 2021, the Ministry of Labour and Employment (MOLE) launched the E-Shram. It is the web portal for creating a National Database of Unorganized Workers (NDUW), which will be seeded with Aadhaar.  It seeks to register an estimated 398-400 million unorganised workers and to issue an E-Shram card containing a 12-digit unique number. Registered workers will be eligible for Rs 2 Lakh on death or permanent disability and Rs 1 lakh on partial disability. Issues Tedious Process: Given the gigantic nature of registering each worker, it will be a long-drawn process.  Data Security issues: Given the mega-size of the database, there is potential for its misuses especially in the absence of Data Protection legislation. The Union government would have to share data with State governments whose data security capacities vary.  Definitional issues: By excluding workers covered by EPF and ESI, lakhs of contract and fixed-term contract workers will be excluded from the universe of UW.  Ever-changing identities: Unorganised may have complex and ever-changing identities where they move between formal and informal sectors. Gig workers - Gig workers are included by the Labour ministry while they are excluded by the other three Labour Codes creating legal confusions over the classification of gig/platform workers. Federal Challenges: Union chalks out the plan but states have to implement it. Differences in state capacities can create hurdles in the implementation. Corruption – Middle service agencies such as Internet providers might charge exorbitant charges to register and print the E-Shram cards. Way Ahead Involvement of surveillance agencies is crucial to address the issues of corruption.  Government must publish statistics at the national and regional levels of the registrations to assess the registration system’s efficiency.  Triple linkage of One-Nation-One-Ration Card , E-Shram Card (especially bank account seeded) and the Election Commission Card can be done, for efficient and leakage-less delivery, Connecting the dots: One Nation One Ration Card  Cooperative Federalism and Competitive Federalism INTERNATIONAL/ SECURITY GS-2: Important International institutions, agencies and fora- their structure, mandate.  GS-2: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements. AUKUS Context: The U.S. has joined with the U.K. and Australia to announce a new trilateral security partnership, the AUKUS. Significance of AUKUS: AUKUS aims to ensure that there will be freedom and openness in the Indo-Pacific region, including the South China Sea. It complements several pre-existing similar arrangements for the region like Five Eyes intelligence cooperation initiative, ASEAN and the Quad It proposes to transfer technology to build a fleet of nuclear-powered submarines for Australia within 18 month. US has clarified that AUKUS was “not talking about nuclear-armed submarines. These are conventionally armed submarines that are powered by nuclear reactors.  Although no explicit mention was made of China in any of the AUKUS announcements, this group challenges the regional hegemonic ambitions of China. The operationalisation of this security partnership lead to closer coordination among the nations concerned in terms of joint military presence, war games and more in the region. Concerns Australia’s domestic challenges: As per Australia’s 1984 nuclear-free zone policy, nuclear-powered submarines would not be allowed into the former’s territorial waters. Hence, there is a political opposition to it. Upset France: Australia had struck a deal with France for $90 billion worth of conventional submarines, which stands cancelled now. This has upset political leadership in France Battleground: The Indo-Pacific region will emerge as the new geopolitical battle ground posing greater security risk to others. Connecting the dots: QUAD China’s Belt and Road Initiative (AIR Spotlight) Spotlight Sep 16: Production Linked Incentives in Key Sectors: A Boost To Make In India - https://youtu.be/NzQ2DH_6vEU  ECONOMY GS-3: Indian Economy Production Linked Incentives in Key Sectors – Part 1 Context: Production linked incentive (PLI) scheme aims at boosting domestic manufacturing and exports, is expected to - Increase the country’s production by USD 520 billion in the next five years Make India self-reliant in manufacturing goods for local and export markets, positioning it as a global manufacturing hub Make domestic manufacturing competitive and efficient, build capacity, and benefit from economies of scale, enhance exports, attract investment and create jobs.  Why is the production linked scheme needed? According to experts, the idea of PLI is important as the government cannot continue making investments in these capital intensive sectors as they need longer times for start giving the returns. Instead, what it can do is to invite global companies with adequate capital to set up capacities in India. The kind of ramping up of manufacturing that we need requires across the board initiatives, but the government can’t spread itself too thin. Electronics and pharmaceuticals themselves are large sectors, so, at this point, if the government can focus on labour intensive sectors like garments and leather, it would be really helpful. How will it incentivize manufacturing ops? The production-linked incentive scheme gives eligible manufacturing companies a 4-6% incentive on incremental sales over the base year of 2019-20 for a five-year period. The PLI scheme will incentivize large domestic and global players to boost production, build a competitive ecosystem and lead to more inclusive growth. A. For Pharmaceuticals: Part of the umbrella scheme for the Development of Pharmaceutical Industry, the objective is to enhance India’s manufacturing capabilities by increasing investment and production in the sector and contributing to product diversification to high value goods in the pharmaceutical sector. Benefit domestic manufacturers Is expected to contribute to the availability of wider range of affordable medicines for consumers Promote the production of high value products in the country and increase the value addition in exports.  Total incremental sales of Rs.2,94,000 crore and total incremental exports of Rs.1,96,000 crore are estimated during six years from 2022-23 to 2027-28. Generate employment for both skilled and un-skilled personnel, estimated at 20,000 direct and 80,000 indirect jobs as a result of growth in the sector. Promote innovation for development of complex and high-tech products including products of emerging therapies and in-vitro Diagnostic Devices as also self-reliance in important drugs.   Improve accessibility and affordability of medical products including orphan drugs to the Indian population.  The Scheme is also expected to bring in investment of Rs.15,000 crore in the pharmaceutical sector. B. For IT Hardware: The scheme proposes production linked incentive to boost domestic manufacturing and attract large investments in the value chain of IT Hardware.  The Scheme shall, extend an incentive of 4% to 2% / 1% on net incremental sales (over base year i.e. 2019-20) of goods manufactured in India and covered under the target segment, to eligible companies, for a period of four (4) years. Enhance the development of electronics ecosystem in the country. India will be well positioned as a global hub for Electronics System Design and Manufacturing (ESDM) on account of integration with global value chains, thereby becoming a destination for IT Hardware exports. Has an employment generation potential of over 1,80,000 (direct and indirect) over 4 years. Provide impetus to Domestic Value Addition for IT Hardware which is expected to rise to 20% – 25% by 2025 C. For Telecom Sector: To make India a global hub of manufacturing telecom equipment including core transmission equipment, 4G/5G Next Generation Radio Access Network and Wireless Equipment, Access & Customer Premises Equipment (CPE), Internet of Things (IoT) Access Devices, Other Wireless Equipment and Enterprise equipment like Switches, Routers etc. To offset the huge import of telecom equipment worth more than Rs. 50 thousand crores and reinforce it with “Made in India” products both for domestic markets and exports. Financial Year 2019-20 shall be treated as the Base Year for computation of cumulative incremental sales of manufactured goods net of taxes. Addresses local manufacturing in MSME category because Government desires MSMEs to play an important role in the telecom sector and come out as national champions.  Lead to incremental production of around ₹2.4 Lakh Crores with exports of around ₹2 Lakh Crores over 5 years. It is expected that scheme will bring investment of more than ₹3,000 crore and generate huge direct and indirect employment and taxes both. D. For Large Scale Electronics Manufacturing The scheme proposes a financial incentive to boost domestic manufacturing and attract large investments in the electronics value chain including electronic components and semiconductor packaging. Under the scheme, electronics manufacturing companies will get an incentive of 4 to 6% on incremental sales (over base year) of goods manufactured in India for a period of next 5 years. The scheme shall only be applicable for target segments – mobile phones and specified electronic components. With the help of the scheme, domestic value addition for mobile phones is expected to rise to 35-40% by 2025 from 20-25%.  Generate 8 lakh jobs more, both direct and indirect. E. For Food Processing Industry’(PLISFPI): For implementation during 2021-22 to 2026-27 with an outlay of Rs. 10,900 crore. Objective: To support creation of global food manufacturing champions commensurate with India’s natural resource endowment and support Indian brands of food products in the international markets. Ministry of Food Processing Industries is inviting applications for availing sales based incentives and grants for undertaking Branding & Marketing activities abroad under the scheme from three categories of Applicants: Category-I: Applicant under this category could undertake Branding & Marketing activities abroad also and apply for grant under the scheme with a common application. Category-II: SMEs Applicants manufacturing innovative/ organic products who apply for PLI Incentive based on Sales. Category-III: Applicants applying solely for grant for undertaking Branding & Marketing activities abroad Note: Part 2 of the article will cover PIL for Specialty Steel, Textile Sector, Auto Sector, Drone Sector, Battery Storage, Solar PV cells and White Goods. (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 Which of the following countries recently launched the Global Methane Pledge?  USA  China  Singapore  India Q.2 Which of the following taxes have been subsumed in GST? Central Sales Tax Central Excise Duty and Service Tax Value Added Tax All of Above Q.3 Which One of the Following Is Not a Greenhouse Gas? Methane Hydrogen Nitrous oxide Ozone ANSWERS FOR 17th Sept 2021 TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE (TYK) 1 C 2 C 3 C Must Read On Women in STEM: Indian Express On Domestic Tourism: Hindustan Times On Women & data: Hindustan Times

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[THANK YOU NOTE] IASbaba's Rapid Revision (RaRe) Series 2021

Hello Everyone, When the prelims were postponed this year, it felt like it will come after ages, but that passed in a blink of an eye. To help out the students, we started one of the most extensive revision programs for Civil Services- The Rapid Revision Series or ‘RaRe’ as it is popularly known. We are extremely glad to share that almost 50,000 students came on board and made this initiative a huge success. We are thankful to every single one of you. The aim of the program is to provide you with an arsenal of information so that you can enter the exam hall with confidence that you will be able to solve even the most difficult questions posed in front of you. We would like to thank all ‘BABAITES’ for their love and positive criticism which keeps us encouraged and pushes us to bring the top-notch content. From now, the last lap starts. This is the time when you should stop reading any new sources. Have faith in yourself and in your preparation. Keep revising your notes again and again and focus on those areas where you have committed mistakes during the test. This is also the time to fix your sleep cycle. It is seen that many students who study till late night are unable to focus during the test as it is in the morning. Try to sleep early and take the practice test during the actual exam timings. Eat healthily and drink a lot of water. It is very important right now that you don’t fall sick because every second is precious. Even if you will fall ill for 2 days, your momentum will break. So, take very good care of yourself. We hope that you will succeed. Note - We will come up with the Final Compilations of RaRe Notes, Current Affairs Quiz, and Static Quiz (English and हिन्दी) very soon. All the best IASBaba 

Daily Prelims CA Quiz

UPSC Quiz – 2021 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz 18th September 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

DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 17th September 2021

Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) The United in Science 2021 report Part of: Prelims and GS II - International Relations and GS-III- Climate Change Context The United in Science 2021 report is a multi-organization compilation of the latest climate science information and gives a unified assessment of the state of our Earth system. Key findings Context Organization  Key findings Greenhouse Gas Concentrations in the Atmosphere World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Concentrations of the major greenhouse gases – carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2 O) continued to increase in 2020 and the first half of 2021. Reducing atmospheric methane (CH4 ) in the short term could support the achievement of the Paris Agreement. Global greenhouse gas emissions and budgets  Global Carbon Project Recent emissions trends of N2O, the third most important greenhouse gas after CO2 and CH4 , exceed the most greenhouse gases  Emissions Gap  UN Environment Programme (UNEP) Five years after the adoption of the Paris Agreement, the emissions gap is as large as ever: global emissions need to be lower than current unconditional Nationally Determined Contributions.  Global Climate in 2017-2021 and 2021-2025 WMO Annual global mean near-surface temperature is likely to be at least 1 °C warmer than pre-industrial levels Highlights of the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report Human influence has warmed the atmosphere, ocean and land. Widespread and rapid changes in the atmosphere, ocean, cryosphere and biosphere have occurred. Sea- level Rise and Coastal Impacts World Climate Research Programme – WMO, IOC, ISC Even if emissions are reduced to limit warming to well below 2 °C, global mean sea level would likely rise by 0.3–0.6 m by 2100, and could rise 0.3–3.1 m by 2300. Suggestions For the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Glasgow, known as COP26, to be a turning point, all countries must commit to net zero emissions by 2050, backed up by concrete long-term strategies, and enhanced Nationally Determined Contributions which collectively cut global emissions by 45% by 2030, compared to 2010 levels. News source: TH  PEACEFUL mission, 2021 Part of: Prelims and GS -III - Defence and security  Context  Indian Military Contingent Participated in the Exercise SCO Peaceful Mission 2021 recently. About Peaceful mission Joint Counter Terrorism Exercise PEACEFUL MISSION  is a Multilateral Exercise, which is conducted biennially as part of military diplomacy between Shanghai Cooperation Organisation’s (SCO) member states. It is the 6th edition of Exercise PEACEFUL MISSION. Hosted by: Russia in the Orenburg Region of South West Russia  Aim of the exercise is to foster close relations between SCO member states and to enhance abilities of the military leaders to command multi-national military contingents. The Indian contingent was inducted to the exercise area by two IL-76 aircrafts.   The scope of the exercise includes professional interaction, mutual understanding of drills & procedures, establishment of joint command & control structures and elimination of terrorist threats. REX MKII Part of: Prelims and GS III - Security; Sci and tech Context Recently Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) has unveiled a remote-controlled armed robot REX MKII. About REX MKII The army robot is capable of patrolling battle zones, tracking infiltrators, and opening fire on enemy targets. It is operated by an electronic tablet and can be equipped with two machine guns, cameras and sensors. It shall provide logistical assistance to troops by carrying ammunition supplies, critical medical equipment, water, and food, as well as evacuating injured personnel on stretchers.  The system can also gather intelligence through a situation-awareness system  The unmanned vehicle is the latest addition to the world of drone technology, which is rapidly reshaping the modern battlefield. These semi-autonomous machines allow armies to protect their soldiers, while critics fear this marks another dangerous step toward robots making life-or-death decisions. Arsenic Contamination of Food Chain Part of: Prelims and GS- II - Health and GS III - Environmental pollution Context A recent study in Bihar has found Arsenic contamination not only in groundwater but in the food chain as well. The research study was a part of the Project Nature and Nurture in Arsenic Induced Toxicity of Bihar jointly funded by the British Council in the United Kingdom and Department of Science and Technology in India. Major Findings: Arsenic has found its way into the food chain - mainly rice, wheat and potato. Arsenic is present in the groundwater as it is used on a large scale for irrigation by farmers. That is how it finds its way into the food chain as well. The food had more arsenic content than drinking water, even when arsenic levels in drinking water was above the World Health Organization (WHO) provisional guide value of 10 micrograms per litre (μg/L). What is Arsenic? Arsenic is an odourless and tasteless metalloid widely distributed in the earth’s crust. It is naturally present at high levels in the earth crust and groundwater of a number of countries. It is highly toxic in its inorganic form. Arsenicosis is the medical word for arsenic poisoning, which occurs due to accumulation of large amounts of arsenic in the body. Long-term exposure to arsenic from drinking-water and food can cause cancer and skin lesions. It has also been associated with cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Cheraman Mosque Part of: Prelims and GS- I - History Context: The Cheraman Juma Masjid in Kerala, the oldest mosque in the Indian subcontinent that dates back to 629 AD, and the Holy Cross Church at Chendamangalam built by Jesuit priests in 1577 AD, were recently renovated under the Muziris Heritage Project. The Government of Kerala has initiated the Muziris Heritage Project to reinstate the historical and cultural significance of the legendary port of Muziris.  The Muziris Heritage Project is one of the biggest conservation projects in India, where the state and the central governments have come together to conserve a rich culture that is as old as 3000 years or more. The region is dotted with numerous monuments of a bygone era that conjure up a vast and vivid past.  The entire project is designed to involve and integrate the local community in all intended developmental initiatives. News source: TH  (News from PIB) India’s Energy Status Report at US India Strategic Partnership Forum Part of: Prelims and GS – II – International Relations  Vision: Energy independence by 2047 India has  Set an ambitious target of having 175 GW capacity of RE by 2022 and 450 GW RE capacity by 2030 Reached 100 GW in Installed Solar and Wind Capacity and after adding Hydro capacity also, the total installed renewable capacity is 146 MW 63 GW of renewable capacity is under construction which makes India one of the fastest growing economies in terms of renewable capacity addition. Would be conducting competitive bids for green hydrogen in next 3-4 months to pave the road for viable usage of hydrogen as a fuel. News Source: PIB India’s first-ever Euro Green Bond Part of: GS Prelims  In News: Power Finance Corporation Ltd (PFC), the leading NBFC in power sector has successfully issued its maiden Euro 300 million 7-year Euro Bond The pricing of 1.841% achieved is the lowest yield locked in by an Indian Issuer in the Euro markets.  First ever Euro denominated Green bond issuance from India First ever Euro issuance by an Indian NBFC and the first Euro bond issuance from India since 2017. News Source: PIB Solution for converting keratin waste Part of:  GS Prelims  In News: Indian scientists have developed a new sustainable and affordable solution for converting keratin waste (inexpensive sources of amino acids and protein) such as human hair, wool, and poultry feathers to fertilizers, pet, and animal feeds. Patented, easily scalable, environment-friendly, energy-efficient, and it will make amino acid-rich liquid fertilizers more economical as compared to currently marketed products. The key technology behind this involves pre-treatment followed by hydrolysis of keratin using a technique called Hydrodynamic Cavitation, which involves vaporization, bubble generation, and bubble implosion in a flowing liquid. News Source: PIB Development of Low carbon bricks  Part of: GS Prelims In News: Researchers have developed a technology to produce energy-efficient walling materials using construction and demolition (C&D) waste and alkali-activated binders.  Do not require high-temperature firing Avoid the use of high-energy materials such as Portland cement Solves the disposal problems associated with C&D waste mitigation News Source: PIB 27th Global Ozone Day Part of: GS-Prelims and GS-III – Environment & Climate Change World Ozone Day is celebrated on 16th September each year to commemorate the signing of the Montreal Protocol,  Montreal protocol is an international environmental treaty for phasing out of production and consumption of Ozone Depleting Substances, which came into force on this day in 1987. India’s achievements in implementation of Montreal Protocol (since June 1992) Met all the obligations of the Montreal Protocol  India has phased out Chlorofluorocarbons, Carbon tetrachloride, Halons, Methyl Bromide and Methyl Chloroform for controlled uses in line with the Montreal Protocol. Currently Hydrochlorofluorocarbons are being phased out as per the accelerated schedule of the Montreal Protocol. Hydrochlorofluorocarbons Phase out Management Plan (HPMP) Stage-II is currently under implementation from 2017 and will be completed by 2023. Preparation of Hydrochlorofluorocarbons Phase out Management Plan (HPMP) Stage-III will be commenced shortly, which shall address phase out of use of HCFC-22, a refrigerant used in Refrigeration and Air-conditioning manufacturing and the servicing sectors. The Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol, finalized by the Parties during 2016, shall gradually reduce the consumption and production of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) - adoption of low-global warming potential and energy-efficient technologies will achieve energy efficiency gains and carbon dioxide emissions reduction - a “climate co-benefit.” Synergizing the Refrigeration and Air-conditioning servicing sector training under the Hydrochlorofluorocarbons Phase out Management Plan (HPMP) with the Skill India Mission of the Government of India, to multiply the impact of skilling and training.  News Source: PIB (Mains Focus) ECONOMY/ GOVERNANCE 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. GS-3: Agriculture IDEA – ‘India Digital Ecosystem for Agriculture’. Context: Recently, Government has launched an initiative called  India Digital Ecosystem for Agriculture (IDEA) that would place the farmer in the centre of the agriculture ecosystem leveraging open digital technologies Key Features of IDEA It will incorporate a National Farmers Database, a sort of ‘super Aadhaar’ for farmers. The database will include farmers’ digitised land records, and cross-linked with the Aadhaar database so as to create a unique FID, or a farmers’ ID. More than 8.5 crore farmers’ data having been incorporated into the national database by Sep 2021. On top of that, it will pull information from running schemes like the PM Kisan, soil health cards, the national crop insurance scheme PM Fasal Bima Yojna, and so on.  The database is being built by Microsoft under the aegis of the Department of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare (DoAFW) This database will enable anyone with access to it to  uniquely identify a landholder know the extent of his holding  the state of the soil cropping patterns and average yields  and other such information at a granular level. What is the larger objective of IDEA? Agri-Stack: The creation of the FID is only one part of the grand IDEA. The plan is to create the agriculture equivalent of the ‘India Stack’ — a set of APIs (Application Programming Interface). These apps enables stakeholders to offer proactive and personalised services to farmers and improve the efficiency of the agriculture sector. Innovation through Collaborations: This Agricultural India Stack will allow governments, businesses, start-ups and developers to utilise an unique digital Infrastructure to solve India’s hard problems towards presence-less, paperless, and cashless service delivery. Governance Delivery: The FID — would enable ‘single sign-on’ for access to all government services offered to farmers. Evidence based policy making: Such database for the agriculture sector, enables authorities to deliver seamless credit and insurance services, information related to seeds, fertilisers, pesticides, market information and price forecasts etc, driven by big data and analytics and powered by information technology. The ‘agristack’, the government is hoping, will help eventually achieve the goal of doubling farmers’ income. Challenges India has more than 14 crore working farms making the digitisation process challenging. India’s land records in general and rural, agricultural land records in particular, are complex & not having common standards. Nearly about 12% of agricultural households operated on leased land — in other words, they are tenant farmers. However, there is no legal recognition of land tenancy agreements in India, with most such agreements tending to be informal and verbal in nature. In such case, FID will exclude these farmers from receiving benefits, as they won’t figure in database at all. Then there is problem of women farmers as vast majority of land titles continue to be held by men.  There is a concern that the agristack is the precursor to a complete privatisation of government services extended to agriculture.  There is also the big concern over data privacy. Giving away this kind of sensitive, financial and landholding information in the absence of a data privacy law raises multiple concerns over potential misuse.  Connecting the dots: New Farm Acts and opposition to it  How has agri-marketing policy changed over years ECONOMY/ GOVERNANCE GS-3: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization, of resources, growth, development and employment.  GS-2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. Bad Bank: NARCL-IDRCL Context: Following up the Union Budget announcement, government has incorporated “National Asset Reconstruction Company Limited” (NARCL) under the Companies Act.  It will acquire stressed assets worth about Rs 2 lakh crore from various commercial banks in different phases.  Another entity — India Debt Resolution Company Ltd (IDRCL), which has also been set up — will then try to sell the stressed assets in the market.  The NARCL-IDRCL structure is the new bad bank.  To make it work, the government has provided Rs 30,600 crore to be used as a guarantee. What is a bad bank?  In every country, commercial banks accept deposits and extend loans.  The deposits are a bank’s “liability” because that is the money it has taken from a common man, and it will have to return that money when the depositor asks for it. Moreover, in the interim, it has to pay the depositor an interest rate on those deposits. In contrast, the loans that banks give out are their “assets” because this is where the banks earn interest and this is money that the borrower has to return to the bank. The whole business model is premised on the idea that a bank will earn more money from extending loans to borrowers than what it would have to pay back to the depositors. A loan can turn bad when the borrower is unable to repay it back. In such case two things happen.  One, the concerned bank becomes less profitable because it has to use some of its profits from other loans to make up for the loss on the bad loans.  Two, it becomes more risk-averse. In other words, its officials hesitate from extending loans. If such “bad loans” in a bank rise alarmingly, the bank could close down. When several banks in an economy face high levels of bad loans and all at the same time, it will threaten the stability of the whole economy. From the taxpayer’s perspective, the most worrisome fact was that an overwhelming proportion of bad loans was with the public sector banks (PSB), which were owned by the government and hence by the Indian public.  To keep such PSBs in business, the government was forced to recapitalise them — that is, use taxpayers’ money to improve the financial health of PSBs so that they could carry on with the business of lending and funding economic activity. Despite recapitalisation, the problem of bad loans did not subside. Therefore, it was argued by many that the government needs to create a bad bank — that is, an entity where all the bad loans from all the banks can be parked Why was Bad Bank needed? Advantage of having bad bank was  Relieving the commercial banks of their “stressed assets” and allowing them to focus on resuming normal banking operations, especially lending. While commercial banks resume lending, the so-called bad bank, or a bank of bad loans, would try to sell these “assets” in the market. How will the NARCL-IDRCL work? The NARCL will first purchase bad loans from banks. It will pay 15% of the agreed price in cash and the remaining 85% will be in the form of “Security Receipts”.  When the assets are sold , with the help of IDRCL, the commercial banks will be paid back the rest. If the bad bank is unable to sell the bad loan, or has to sell it at a loss, then the government guarantee will be invoked and the difference between what the commercial bank was supposed to get and what the bad bank was able to raise will be paid from the Rs 30,600 crore that has been provided by the governmen Will a bad bank resolve matters? From the perspective of a commercial bank saddled with high bad loans, it will help. That’s because such a bank will get rid of all its toxic assets, which were eating up its profits, in one quick move.  When the recovery money is paid back, it will further improve the bank’s position. Meanwhile, it can start lending again. From the perspective of the government and the taxpayer, the situation is a little more complex. After all the money for security receipts is coming from the taxpayers’ pocket.  Lastly, the plan of bailing out commercial banks will collapse if the bad bank is unable to sell such impaired assets in the market. Conclusion While recapitalisation and such guarantees are often designated as “reforms”, they are band aids at best. The only sustainable solution is to improve the lending operation in PSBs. Connecting the dots: Banking Health: NPAs and COVID-19 Recapitalisation Bonds (TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE) Model questions: (You can now post your answers in comment section) Note: Correct answers of today’s questions will be provided in next day’s DNA section. Kindly refer to it and update your answers. Q.1 Consider the following statements regarding Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO): The organisation has two permanent bodies — the SCO Secretariat based in Beijing and the Executive Committee of the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) based in Tashkent. The venue of the SCO council meetings moves between the eight members Which of the above is or are correct?  1 only  2 only  Both 1 and 2  Neither 1 nor 2  Q.2 Consider the following statements : Bad bank refers to a financial institution that takes over bad assets of lenders and undertakes resolution. National Asset Reconstruction Company Ltd (NARCL)is a bad bank created by Government of India  Which of the above is or are correct?  1 only  2 only  Both 1 and 2  Neither 1 nor 2  Q.3 Which of the following can be found as pollutants in the drinking water in some parts of India? Arsenic Fluoride Formaldehyde Sorbitol Uranium Select the correct answer using the codes given below: 1 and 2 only 2, 4 and 5 only 1, 2 and 5 only 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 ANSWERS FOR 16th Sept 2021 TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE (TYK) 1 B   2 C 3 B Must Read On Telecom sector: The Hindu On e-shram portal: The Hindu On AUKUS: Firstpost

Daily Prelims CA Quiz

UPSC Quiz – 2021 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz 17th September 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