IASbaba's Flagship Course: Integrated Learning Programme (ILP) - 2024  Read Details

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UPSC CSAT Quiz – 2021: IASbaba’s Daily CSAT Practice Test – 12th March 2021

ARCHIVES Daily CSAT Practice Test Everyday 5 Questions from Aptitude, Logical Reasoning, and Reading Comprehension will be covered from Monday to Saturday. Make the best use of the initiative. All the best! To Know More about Ace the Prelims (ATP) 2021 - CLICK HERE 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 Prelims CA Quiz

UPSC Quiz - 2021 : IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs Quiz 12th March 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. We will make sure, in the next 4 months not a single day is wasted. All your energies are channelized in the right direction. Trust us! This will make a huge difference in your results this time, provided that you follow this plan sincerely every day without fail. Gear up and Make the Best Use of this initiative. Do remember that, “the difference between Ordinary and EXTRA-Ordinary is PRACTICE!!” To Know More about Ace the Prelims (ATP) 2021 - CLICK HERE 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

SYNOPSIS [9th March,2021] Day 50: IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 1): UPSC Mains Answer Writing (General Studies)

For Previous TLP (ARCHIVES) - CLICK HERE   SYNOPSIS [9th March,2021] Day 50: IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 1): UPSC Mains Answer Writing (General Studies)   1. What do you understand by the terms ‘forward’ and ‘backward’ integration in food processing industries? Illustrate with the help of suitable examples. Approach: Question is asking you to illustrate such an answer will generally involve the use of many examples, such as tables, figures, graphs, or concrete research statistics and evidence. Introduction: Food processing is the transformation of raw ingredients into food, or of food into other forms (i.e. food processing may denote direct manufacturing of food or value addition on existing food). Food processing typically takes harvested crops or butchered animal products and uses these to produce long shelf-life food products. It also includes the process of value addition to produce products through methods such as preservation, addition of food additives, drying etc. with a view to preserve food substances in an effective manner, enhance their shelf life and quality. Body: Forward Linkage: Forward linkage integration refers to consolidating the chain from processing industries to market. It is when, the establishment of a processing industry can lead to the development and establishment of the number of advanced stage industries.  There are many examples such as: In context with Food Processing Industry, a Food Processing Unit needs to have strong backward linkages with the farmers, farmer producer organizations, self-help groups, farmer’s groups etc.  Further, to be able to sell its processed food, it needs to develop strong forward linkages with wholesalers, retailers, exporters etc.  Forward Integration refers to that integration where Company expands its activities to downstream areas. Company aims to get more control over sales, consumer-contact and eliminate any middlemen, wholesaler, retailer. e.g. Amul has its own pizza outlets and ice cream parlours. products such as vegetable oils and rubber are used in a wide variety of manufacturing industries; based on the preparation of hides and skins, tanning operations can be started, as can the manufacture of footwear and other leather goods. Backward Linkage: backward market integration refers to consolidating chains from farm to processing centres and to integration with ancillary industries. The feedback effects generated by a base industry on the development of the base sector is called backward linkage. The development of the food processing industry has many feedback effects on the agriculture sector itself. There are many examples such as: Once a food processing industry is established, it results in increasing the demand of raw materials provided by the agriculture sector.  The establishment of processing facilities is itself an essential first step towards stimulating both consumer demand for the processed product and an adequate supply of the raw material. Backward integration refers to that integration where company expands its activities to upstream areas. Company aims to get raw material at cheap rates, uniform quality, steady supply and eliminate any middlemen. E.g., Starbucks (chain of coffee bars) buys coffee plantations in central America. The provision of transport, power and other infra-structural facilities required for agro-industries also benefits agricultural production.  The development of these and other industries provides a more favourable atmosphere for technical progress and the acceptance of new ideas in farming itself. Conclusion: For an industry, backward linkages are directed towards suppliers; while the forward linkages are directed towards consumers. Rising per-capita income, changing life style and food habits provide significant opportunities for the growth of Food processing industry. ordinances and the schemes like SAMPADA, etc. are likely to strengthen backward and forward linkages in turn help the Food processing industries to grow from present 2% of GDP to optimise high output of farming sector. 2. Do an evaluation of the potential of food processing industries in the economically underdeveloped regions of the country. Approach: Question is straight forward in its approach, students need to evaluate the potential of food processing industries in the economically underdeveloped regions of the country, also they are expected to mention the issues the industry is facing in such areas of the country and how those issues can be addressed. Introduction: India Food Processing Industry is estimated at $135 billion industry which is growing at about 8% annually. This growth rate is significantly more than agricultural growth rate which remains around 4%. These signals indicate toward phenomenal shift toward food processing from traditional ways. GDP by processing constitute about 10% that of agriculture. But given potential of India, this is an underachievement. With India moving from a position of scarcity to surplus in terms of food production, the opportunities for increasing food processing levels are innumerable. India’s food processing sector, in recent years, has been known for its high-growth and high-profits, thus, increasing its contribution to the world food trade every year. Body: Currently, Indias food processing industries are localized  mostly in urban areas most of the processing takes place in limited crops only, the reasons for the same are as follows- Lack of efficient supply chain infrastructure and inadequate expansion of processing and storage capacity commensurate with agriculture production have been identified as the main reasons for higher wastages, higher cost of production, lower value addition in food processing sector. Processors face difficulty in availing benefits under schemes being implemented by different agencies of central and state governments in the absence of exclusive supportive forum at the state level. Lack of awareness and absence of appropriate knowledge sharing & guidance forum adds to their problem. Multiple clearances are required for setting up of food processing units. The small processors are also required to go through the same processes as is applicable to larger units. Availing permission for Change in Land Use (CLU), environmental clearance, water and power connections are not only time consuming but also costly. Food processing units are required to comply with labour laws in relation to lay-off, retrenchment and closure even though these units run seasonally. Further, payment of minimum charges for electricity even though units run for few months in a year, adversely affects the commercial viability of the processing units. India is processing less than 10% of its agricultural output, thus, presenting immense opportunities for increasing these processing levels and leading to investments in this sector. With agriculture and its allied sectors being the largest source of livelihoods in India, 70% of its rural households still depend primarily on agriculture for their livelihood. Thus, this sector provides a huge employment generation potential as well. The food processing sector has been acknowledged as a high priority industry by the government of India and is currently being promoted with various fiscal reliefs and incentives. Potential of food processing in economically underdeveloped regions of the country- Agriculture and allied sectors and rural India have enormous employment opportunities and affect the country most, so the government reinforced stress on the supply chain and agriculture and rural sectors and related industry, including domestic trade and export, food processing, fisheries, animal husbandry, cold storage, etc. With an increase in urban working culture and fast-paced lifestyles, there is limited time available for cooking and meal preparation. Thus, processed foods such as ready-to-eat products and snacks have become quite popular, particularly in urban areas. By 2030, Indian annual household consumption is set to treble, making India an opportune market for consumption of processed foods. India boasts of the world’s largest population of livestock and is currently the third largest egg producer in the world, as per FAO (Food and Agriculture Organisation) in 2016. Additionally, India is also the fifth largest producer in broiler production. However, India currently processes only 6 % of poultry and 21 % of meat. India has a rich and diverse fisheries resources such as deep seas, lakes, ponds and rivers. They account for more than 10 % of the global biodiversity in terms of fish and shellfish species. India’s vast potential in the sector can be seen in its long coastline spanning 8,118 kilometers apart from the inland waterways. Within India, Uttar Pradesh is the largest dairy and milk-producing state because it is home to the highest buffalo population and the second-highest cattle population in the country. Most of the rural population in this state is engaged in livestock rearing and dairying. Gujarat has numerous cooperative dairy milk unions, private dairy plants, and primary milk cooperative societies, which play crucial roles in the production of milk in the state. Being one of the primary dairy consumables, the increase in demand for milk in the country can be linked to an increasing population. Investment in the infrastructure required to change this ecosystem to an organized and hygienic one would be tapping into unrealised potential for supply and distribution logistics as well as a huge customer base. Malnutrition and dietary risks associated with diseases remain prevalent globally, including in India. In addition to this, rapid urbanization, changing lifestyles and lack of awareness with respect to the required nutrition intake have led to a greater need for health supplements and nutraceuticals in the Indian market. Ensuring safe and nutritious food for over 1.3 Bn Indian citizens on pan-India basis calls for massive outreach efforts. India represents a vast market for nutraceuticals as almost every segment has a need for some form of nutraceuticals. Government initiatives in this direction- PRADHAN MANTRI KISAN SAMPADA YOJNA (PMKSY)- Mega Food Parks are based on ‘cluster’ approach and focus on creation of state-of-the-art support infrastructure in a well-defined agri/horticultural zone for setting up of modern food processing units in the industrial plots provided in the park with well-established supply chain. Scheme for Cold Chain and Value Addition Infrastructure-It covers creation of infrastructure facilities along the entire supply chain viz. pre-cooling, weighing, sorting, grading, waxing facilities at farm level, multi product/ multi temperature cold storage, CA storage, packing facility, IQF, blast freezing in the distribution hub and reefer vans, mobile cooling units for facilitating distribution of horticulture, organic produce, marine, dairy, meat and poultry. Scheme for creation of backward and forward linkages-Provide effective and seamless backward and forward integration for processed food industry by plugging the gaps in supply chain in terms of availability of raw material and linkages with the market, financial assistance provided for setting up of primary processing centers/ collection centers at farm gate and modern retail outlets at the front end along with connectivity through insulated/ refrigerated transport. PM Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises’ (PM FME)- The Scheme adopts One District One Product (ODOP) approach to reap benefit of scale in terms of procurement of inputs, availing common services and marketing of products. The states would identify food product for a district keeping in view the existing clusters and availability of raw material. The ODOP product could be a perishable produce based product or cereal based products or a food product widely produced in a district and their allied sectors. Conclusion: Food processing seems to have promising future, provided adequate government support is there. Food is the biggest expense for an urban Indian household. About 38 % of the total consumption expenditure of households is generally spent on food. This share is declining consistently. As mentioned, food processing has numerous advantages which are specific to Indian context. It has capacity to lift millions out of undernutrition. Government has challenge to develop industry in a way which takes care of small scale industry along with attracting big ticket domestic and foreign investments. 3. What are the main constraints in the management of supply chain of food and agri products in India? What reforms would you suggest to address these challenges? Approach A straightforward question where in the candidate needs to address the question in two parts, with the first part addressing the main constraints in the management of supply chain of food and agri products in India while in the second part, the candidate needs to suggest some reforms that would address the challenges mentioned above. Introduction Food supply chain management refers to the process whereby the movement of agro based product(s) from the initial supplier to the ultimate user occurs with all non-value adding expenses. In this regard, the Indian agriculture supply chain is far more complex and difficult to manage, as compared to developed countries because of its unorganized nature and a large number of intermediaries. Body Agriculture is inherently a fragmented and unorganized sector involving a diverse range of distinct stakeholders such as inputs supplier, farmers, traders, commission agents, processors and distributors. Here, the main constraints in the management of supply chain of food and agri products in India include – Fragmented supply chain: The long and fragmented supply chain results in the wastages and price escalations due to the large share of unorganised players in the supply chain and operating commercial viability challenges. Inadequate cold storage and warehousing facilities: Warehousing is a key requirement in the overall supply chain it is mostly dominated by unorganized players. 20% of warehousing is organized currently with 70% of the organized market controlled by the Government. Logistical challenges related to quality and connectivity: Indian national highways account for only 2% of the total road network but carry 40% of all cargo. Port capacity may be increasing but lack of connectivity to these ports leads to cost escalations and delays in the goods transferred. Lack of demand estimation: Demand forecasting is totally absent and the farmers try to push whatever they produce into the market. Lack of system integration: The supply chain needs to be designed and built as a whole in an integrated manner. The process of new product development, procurement and order to delivery processes should be well designed and well supported with the help of IT tools and software. Lack of technology applications: Cold chain logistic supply chains should take advantage of technology improvements in data capture and processing, product tracking and tracing, synchronized freight transport transmit times for time compression along the supply chain and supply-demand matching. Presence of large number of unorganized retailers: At present the unorganized retailers are linked with farmers through wholesalers or commission agents. The commission agent’s and wholesaler’s redundant supply chain practices make unorganized further inefficient. Lack of proper Sorting and grading technology: Farmers lack the knowledge about the process as the entire ecosystem with regards to quality control is missing on a wider scale in India. In order to shore up the emergence of professionally managed agri-supply management of different agricultural produce, the Government should play its facilitating role to its hilt while also considering the following reforms to address multiple challenges involved – Focus should be laid on free play of demand and supply forces in the market. This has to be enabled by removing different entry barriers, having a proper market information system, promoting grading and standardization, taking care of quality and safety issues, etc. Vertical coordination of farmers through cooperatives, contract farming and retail chains would facilitate better delivery of output, reduce market risks, provide better infrastructure and create awareness regarding the prevailing and new technologies. More focus on Mega food parks – where Mega Food Park consists of supply chain infrastructure including collection centres, primary processing centres, central processing centres, and food processing units. Customized logistics is another important immediate requirement to make logistic effective. This reduces the cost, facilitates the maintenance of quality of the produce and fulfils the requirements of targeted customers. Public private partnership is another strategic solution. Supply chain like washing, waxing, grading, sorting, packing, pre-cooling, handling facilities, insurance, finance, transport and processing facilities would add value to supply chain functioning. It is time a proper marketing system is in place for disseminating information on what to produce, when to sale and where to sell etc. and on packaging, transportation, grading, and standardization.  Different legal restrictions inhibiting growth of competitive environment should be dismantled and replaced by a facilitating legal environment. Conclusion The supply chain management has to be improved in all the stages of the supply by adopting global best practices in storage, packaging, handling, transportation, value added service etc. And also by disintermediation and participation of organized players i.e., modern supply chain with a view to benefit both farmers as well as ultimate consumers. 4. How can digital technology help in undertaking second-generation land reforms? Discuss.   Approach Candidates are expected first to write about second generation land reform and then address the main demand of question how use of digital technology will help in undertaking second generation land reforms. Introduction Second generation land reforms are aimed at reorganising state and collective farms into family-size units and introducing market-oriented land systems. It is broadly about leaving resource allocation and production decisions to market forces rather than to the government institutions. Body Issues in undertaking land reforms for economic development: Benami Transfers: Excess lands were transferred to ghost beneficiaries. Unproductive lands: The excess lands transferred were fallow or infertile lands which was of less use for cultivators. Fragmentation: It led to fragmentation of land holdings, there by increasing small and marginal farmers. Mechanization: With small and marginal land holdings, investment on machine and return on their investment was poor. Digital technology a useful tool in undertaking second generation land reforms: For a majority of Indian households’ wealth invested in real estate, accessing land records and other details of encumbrances including mortgage, liability or claim against a property, is often difficult. Investors too face the drudgery of visiting public land record departments and Registrar’s office to verify land records and register land agreements. A centralized land records system and reforms in land laws are thus the need of the hour to ward off internal constraints, local agitations, and speculative increase in land prices. The GIS land bank system launched by the government recently is a potent step towards actualizing this clamour for change by addressing issues like transparency and credibility directly. The GIS land bank system will serve as an information window for investors providing access to an array of details on various industrial belts, eliminating the need to visit various offices and platforms for land information and obtain clearances. The land bank system will also push the approach of “One District One Product”, in line with the AtmaNirbhar Bharat vision, boost employment opportunities and attract investments from abroad by showcasing the improving ease-of-doing-business. With the arrival of GIS-enabled one-stop digital land bank platform, land records would be just a click away and can be accessed from anywhere around the world, enabling seamless and credible property registrations online, doing away with the need of any authorised intermediary. The Blockchain in the land registry is used for secure transfer of land property. The transparent nature of Blockchain enables to track the changes made in land documents. Advent of Blockchain technology in the land registry is playing a very beneficial role in this developing era. It is helping in uplifting the poor, and marginalized section of the society in fighting illegal authorization of land. The digitization of land records will mark an epoch in the history of real estate and amplify the potential of the country’s real estate. The property sector which had for long been plagued by land issues that snowballed into complex litigations and disputes, will breathe a sigh of relief at this renaissance.  With 24/7 availability of data online, it will become easily for buyers and sellers to scrutinize property data online and check the authenticity of a land or property.  Digital enabled land records system, a full spectrum rollout in the near future will help organizations and decision makers to gain a deeper understanding of property economics, make faster decisions and take advantages of property developments in future essentially, what we often call a ‘game changer’. Conclusion With the digitization of land records, a clear picture of land data, starting from the first owner of the land to its present status, including image of property and landowner will be available. This will eradicate confusion between government land and private land, usher transparency, and speed up land acquisition; the use of reliable digital land records will add considerable impetus for India’s rapid economic growth through better functioning of land markets and boost investment too. 5.How do fragmented and small land holdings affect agricultural productivity? How severe is this problem in India. Discuss. Approach- Candidate can outline the problems faced by agriculture sector because of the small land holdings. With the help of some data and facts, can suggest a way forward in the conclusion.  Introduction  From farm subsidies to farm loan waivers, the Indian government spends crores on farmer welfare, but these efforts will be inadequate unless they can tackle an increasingly daunting barrier: lack of land. The provisional figures from the latest agriculture census reveals how land—the most critical input for agriculture is getting more fragmented. Body How serious is the problem? Since the first agriculture census over 45 years ago, the number of farms in India has more than doubled from 71 million in 1970-71 to 145 million in 2015-16, while the average farm size more than halved from 2.28 hectares (ha) to 1.08ha The more numerous farms have been driven by rural population growth. Between 1970-71 and 2010-11, the number of farms increased by 194%, almost exactly in line with rural population, which increased by 189%. As Ramesh Chand and others pointed out in a 2011 Economic and Political Weekly research paper, this relationship is a reflection of India’s inheritance pattern, which leads to farms divided between multiple heirs. The majority of India’s farms (86%) are less than 2ha. The bulk of which are located in the poorer states such as Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. The Indian experience shows that small farmers are more productive than large farmers. Ramesh Chand and others show that small farmers use more inputs (such as fertilizers), use their land more intensely (planting more crops) and adopt more technology. Yet, despite this efficiency, farm incomes remain poor. It is the poor returns to farming—despite intensive efforts put in by farmers—that lie at the root of India’s farm crisis, and the recent farm angst. Given household sizes in rural India, small farms struggle to generate enough income for everyone in a household and often lack alternative sources of income. National Sample Survey Office’s (NSSO) 2003 and 2013 surveys of farmers to show how farm size is an important determinant of income and, consequently, income inequality. They find that in 2013, for marginal farmers(less than a hectare of land), household consumption exceeded net monthly income of less than ₹ 5,500 from both farming and non-farming activities. Way ahead One obvious solution to small farm sizes will be consolidating land into larger farms by enabling land leasing. However, this can be a complex and costly process, made more difficult by the lack of accurate land records. PRS survey pointed out that, despite most states computerizing and digitizing land records, as of 2017, spatial data had only been verified in 39% of villages. This is particularly problematic for small farmers who, without accurate land records, cannot access credit or secure insurance. India’s farmers are not alone in these struggles. A 2016 study estimated that around 84% of the world’s farms are less than 2ha. While many of these small farms face the same challenges, some small farmers, such as those in China, have been more successful in securing sustainable livelihoods. Economists agree that improving land records, investing in research and development, providing local rural non-farm employment opportunities and building better rural infrastructure are policies that can help small farmers. Conclusion More resources should be allocated to agriculture to increase irrigated area, improve soil health, promote agri -processing, and cover production risk, among many others. Despite various schemes already existing in the agriculture sector, it continues to remain a laggard, in order to ensure flourishing and vibrant agriculture improvement of land record and experiment of land consolidation on the basis of China’s experience can be become effective alternative. TLP HOT Synopsis Day 50 PDF

DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 11th March 2021

Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) Schemes of WCD Ministry under 3 umbrella schemes  Part of: GS Prelims and GS – II – Policies and interventions; Welfare schemes In news All major schemes of the Ministry of Women and Child Development have been classified under 3 umbrella schemes.  These are Mission Poshan 2.0, Mission Vatsalya and Mission Shakti. Key takeaways  Saksham Anganwadi and POSHAN 2.0 shall include Umbrella ICDS - Anganwadi Services, Poshan Abhiyan, Scheme for Adolescent Girls, National Creche Scheme. Mission VATSALYA shall include Child Protection Services and Child Welfare Services. Mission Shakti (Mission for Protection and Empowerment for Women) shall include the following: SAMBAL (One Stop Centre, Mahila Police Volunteer, Women's Helpline/Swadhar/Ujjawala/Widow Homes etc.) SAMARTHYA (Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, Creche, Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana, Gender Budgeting/Research) Information on tap water supply to government schools Part of: GS Prelims and GS – II – Education; health; Welfare schemes & GS- III - Infrastructure In news Recently, information on tap water supply was provided to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Water Resources.  Key takeaways  Only half of government schools and anganwadis have tap water supply.  Less than 8% of schools in Uttar Pradesh and 11% in West Bengal have it.   A campaign related to tap water supply was launched by the Ministry of Jal Shakti in October 2020.  Objective: To provide potable piped water supply for drinking and cooking purposes and tap water for washing hands and in toilets in every school, anganwadi and ashramshala or residential tribal school  Duration: 100-day period (till January 10, 2021)  However, as of February 15, only 48.5% of anganwadis and 53.3% of schools had tap water supply, Seven States that achieved 100% coverage: Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Telangana and Punjab. Devara Kaadu of Coorg Part of: GS Prelims and GS – I – Culture In news Sacred grove or devara kaadu of Coorg, Karnataka, was in news recently.  Important value additions  Devara Kaadu (Sacred Forest) is a small forest like grove marked as the adobe of the local deities. Coorg has many hundred such sacred groves scattered all over the region. Some of them are sprawling mini forests, while the rest are of smaller scales.  The groves are left untouched due to their scared nature.  Inside the Devara Kaadu there are shrines dedicated to various deities. 100 MW floating solar power plant at Ramagundam Part of: GS Prelims and GS – III – Infrastructure; Environment and Renewable Energy In news NTPC is developing country’s biggest floating solar power plant (by generation capacity) in the reservoir of its thermal plant at Ramagundam (in Telangana) Do you know? India is already on track to reach its goal of 175 GW of installed renewable capacity by 2022. India has also targeted 450 GW by 2030.  Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Nidhi (PMSSN) Part of: GS Prelims and GS – II – Govt schemes and initiatives; Health and Social Security In news Union Cabinet recently approved the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Nidhi (PMSSN), a single non-lapsable reserve fund for health from the proceeds of Health and Education Cess levied under Section 136-b of Finance Act, 2007. In the 2018 Budget, the Central government while announcing Ayushman Bharat Scheme, also announced replacement of existing 3% Education Cess by 4% Health and Education Cess. Major benefits of PMSSN 🡪 It will enhance access to universal and affordable health care Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Nidhi scheme features  A non-lapsable reserve fund for Health in the Public Account. Proceeds of share of health in the Health and Education Cess will be credited into PMSSN. Accruals into the PMSSN will be utilized for the flagship schemes of the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare namely, Ayushman Bharat - Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY), Ayushman Bharat - Health and Wellness Centres (AB-HWCs), National Health Mission, Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY) Emergency & disaster preparedness and responses during health emergencies Any future programme/scheme that targets to achieve progress towards SDGs and the targets set out in the National Health Policy (NHP) 2017. Administration and maintenance of the PMSSN is entrusted to Ministry of Health & Family Welfare. In any financial year, the expenditure on such schemes of the MoHFW would be initially incurred from the PMSSN and thereafter, from Gross Budgetary Support (GBS). (Mains Focus) GOVERNANCE/ POLITY Topic: GS-2: Issues and challenges pertaining to the federal structure  GS-2: Parliament and State legislatures—structure, functioning, conduct of business, powers & privileges and issues arising out of these Reviewing Reservation Context: Supreme Court asked states whether they were in favour of extending caste-based reservation beyond the 50 per cent ceiling set by it in Indra Sawhney case (nine-judge bench) of 1992. Background of the issue The apex court framed this as one among the several questions to be decided while considering the constitutional validity of a 2018 Maharashtra law  2018 Maharashtra law gave 16% reservation to the Maratha community in jobs and admissions by terming them socially and educationally backward class in the state.  This law got past the scrutiny of the Bombay High Court in June 2019 but the quantum of reservation stood reduced to 12 per cent in admissions and 13 per cent in jobs. With the introduction of this Act, the reservation benefits in the state exceeded 50 per cent. In addition to Maharashtra, there are three other states – Tamil Nadu, Haryana and Chhattisgarh - which have passed similar laws exceeding the 50 per cent reservation mark and are under challenge in the Supreme Court.  Presently, Constitution Bench will decide on the following broad issues Relook into Reservation limits: Whether the Indira Sawhney case judgement of 1992 requires a relook by larger bench in the light of subsequent Constitutional amendments, judgements and changed social dynamics of the society. Marata Quota Law: The SC will have to decide whether the Marata Quota law is covered by the exemption of “exceptional circumstances” by which reservations can cross the 50% mark Federalism and Power of States: The SC will have to also examine whether 102nd Constitutional Amendment Act deprives a state legislature of its power to enact a legislation to identify socially and economically backward classes within the state to confer quota benefits to them. Article 342A: The article 342A (power of the President to notify a particular caste as Socially and Educationally Backward Class (SEBC). The SC will look into whether the Article 342A abrogates a State’s power to legislate for or classify “any backward classes of citizens” and thereby, affects the federal policy/structure. Background for Indra Sawhney Case Mandal Commission: The Second Backward Classes Commission, famously known as the Mandal Commission, was set up in 1979 to determine the criteria for defining socially and educationally backward classes.  OBC Reservation: The Mandal report identified 52 percent of the population at that time as ‘Socially and Economically Backward Classes’ (SEBCs) and recommended 27 per cent reservation for SEBCs in addition to the previously existing 22.5 per cent reservation for SC/STs. Challenged in Court: The then V P Singh led-Central government wanted to implement the Mandal Commission report in 1990, but it was challenged in the Supreme Court. The verdict in the Indira Sawhney case, which came up before a nine-judge bench, was delivered in 1992.  Celling on Reservation with exceptions: The pronouncement in the Indra Sawhney v Union of India fixed a cap of 50 percent reservation. The Court had, however, said that the cap can be breached under exceptional circumstances. IR Coelho Case: In this case, SC delivered a unanimous verdict upholding the authority of the judiciary to review any law, which destroy or damage the basic structure as indicated in fundamental rights, even if they have been put in 9th schedule. 102nd Constitution Amendment Act 102nd Constitution Amendment Act, 2018 provides constitutional status to the National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) (earlier it was statutory body) 102nd Constitution Amendment Act inserted new Articles 338 B and 342 A. Article 338B provides authority to NCBC to examine complaints and welfare measures regarding socially and educationally backward classes. Article 342 A empowers President to specify socially and educationally backward classes in various states and union territories. He can do this in consultation with Governor of concerned State. However, law enacted by Parliament will be required if list of backward classes is to be amended. Read Related Articles Andhra Pradesh Locals First Policy Madhya Pradesh domicile based quota Reservation is not a fundamental right GOVERNANCE/ ELECTIONS Topic: GS-2: Parliament and State legislatures—structure, functioning, conduct of business, powers & privileges and issues arising out of these.  Electoral Financing Context: The political system in India has traditionally been hostile to the idea of transparency in electoral financing. What is Electoral Bond Scheme? An electoral bond is like a promissory note that can be bought by any Indian citizen or company incorporated in India from select branches of State Bank of India.  An individual or party will be allowed to purchase these bonds digitally or through cheque after disclosing their identity through know your customer (KYC) norms The citizen or corporate can then donate the same to any eligible political party of his/her choice.  The bonds are similar to bank notes that are payable to the bearer on demand and are free of interest. It has to be redeemed by Political parties within 15 days only in their specified account. The electoral bonds were introduced with the Finance Bill (2017). On January 29, 2018 the NDA government notified the Electoral Bond Scheme 2018. Issues with Electoral Bonds Electoral bonds allows donors to anonymously donate unlimited amounts of funds to political parties. The scheme allows parties to receive these bonds without the public, the Election Commission or even the Income Tax Department knowing the identity of the donors. It has legitimised opacity and opened the floodgates for anonymous donations to parties, dealing a severe blow to voters’ right to know.  People’s ability to track donations by big businesses and expose quid pro quo has been undermined.  They will have an adverse impact on transparency in political party financing and would make it impossible for the ECI to ascertain whether donations received were in compliance with the statutory framework governing political parties. Electoral bonds allow anonymous financing by foreign entities opening Indian elections to the influence of foreign interests. Electoral bonds are likely to abet money laundering since the amendments to the Companies Act in 2017 removed the cap of 7.5% on political contributions by a company as a percentage of its average net profits of the preceding three years.  This allows for black money to be easily routed through shell companies to purchase electoral bonds, which was flagged by both ECI and RBI. As bonds are issued only through the State Bank of India, it would not be difficult for the party in power to access information about the identity of purchasers and details of bonds sold to them, and match those to deposits in political party accounts. Way Ahead To ensure public trust in the electoral process, it is critical that the Supreme Court immediately adjudicates on the matter.  If bonds are to be retained as an instrument for contributing to political parties, donations must be made transparent and parties should be obligated to file reports with the Election Commission and other oversight bodies disclosing the names of donors and amounts received.  This information must also be placed in the public domain.  These steps are necessary to safeguard democracy and ensure that elections do not become a mere formality. Connecting the dots: Cash donations to Political Parties also capped at Rs 2000 through Finance Act of 2017. Why cash donations are still allowed? Do Political Parties come under the ambit of RTI? (TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE) Model questions: (You can now post your answers in comment section) Note:  Correct answers of today’s questions will be provided in next day’s DNA section. Kindly refer to it and update your answers.  Comments Up-voted by IASbaba are also the “correct answers”. Q.1 Devara Kaadu, recently in news, is associated with which of the following? Sacred groves Sacred river Sacred tribe Sacred marriage Q.2 Indira Sawhney verdict is associated with which of the following? Fundamental rights Basic structure of the Constitution Emergency provisions 50% reservation in jobs and education ANSWERS FOR 10th March 2021 TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE (TYK) 1 C 2 C 3 B Must Read On Supreme Court Query on Environment Watchdog: The Hindu On political troubles in Nepal: The Hindu On the effect of new IT rules: Indian Express

RSTV Video

Dealing with Single Use Plastic – The Big Picture – RSTV IAS UPSC

Archives TOPIC: General Studies 3 Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment In News: Single use plastic is a major cause of concern for the world today. India has taken several initiatives to tackle the problem caused by single use plastic and management of plastic waste.  As per IUCN report, over 300 million metric tons of plastic are produced every year of which around 13 million metric tons of plastic ends in marine ecosystem. If not recycled, plastic can take a thousand years to decompose, according to UN Environment, the United Nations Environment Programme. At landfills, it disintegrates into small fragments and leaches carcinogenic metals into groundwater. Plastic is highly inflammable — a reason why landfills are frequently ablaze, releasing toxic gases into the environment. It floats on the sea surface and ends up clogging airways of marine animals. India lacks an organised system for management of plastic waste, leading to widespread littering across its towns and cities. Use & Reuse A key step in that direction was Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) under the Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016. As part of EPR, producers, importers and brand owners — like fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) and pharma companies — are supposed to take back the plastic waste generated by their products, with the help of waste-management companies Companies are trying to shift to single-polymer packaging, which would make it recyclable. The Challenge: While India is one of 63 countries with EPR, its guidelines for the same continue to be vague. There isn’t much clarity on how much of single-use plastic a company puts out needs to be taken back by it. There is no mechanism to implement EPR. Even if the government chooses to ban certain plastics, there is a big question mark on how effective it will be. Plastic is cheap and convenient, and as long as there is demand for it, people are going to manufacture it. Unlike urban local bodies, gram panchayats may not have the resources to do routine checks on plastic use. Maharashtra is among the 23 states that have fully or partially banned plastic bags, but that has not stopped people from using them. The cigarette butt is the most commonly found litter on beaches and in rivers and lakes. A global coastal clean-up drive in 2018 found 5.7 million of them. Plastic waste management The Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016 notified by the Centre called for a ban on “non-recyclable and multi-layered” packaging by March 2018, and a ban on carry bags of thickness less than 50 microns (which is about the thickness of a strand of human hair). The Rules were amended in 2018, with changes that activists say favoured the plastic industry and allowed manufacturers an escape route. The 2016 Rules did not mention SUPs. Single-use plastic alternatives There is no viable alternative as of now for single-use plastic items.  The alternative to single-use plastic items, especially single-use plastic bottles, which are used to sell packaged drinking water, needs to be affordable for the consumers. A drinking water bottle, which costs Rs 20 currently, cannot be priced higher than that. Further, customers have shown confidence in the sealed water bottles over the years and hence, the alternative should also be up to the mark.  Since recycling of plastic is not a permanent solution, manufacturers of single-use plastic have been asked to look for other alternatives that are biodegradable. Railway ministry, which manufactures and sells packaged drinking water ‘Rail Neer’ is also looking for alternatives including polymers to make their packaging biodegradable.   Are alternatives such as compostable or biodegradable plastics viable? Although compostable, biodegradable or even edible plastics made from various materials such as bagasse (the residue after extracting juice from sugarcane), corn starch, and grain flour are promoted as alternatives, these currently have limitations of scale and cost. Some biodegradable packaging materials require specific microorganisms to be broken down, while compostable cups and plates made of polylactic acid, a popular resource derived from biomass such as corn starch, require industrial composters. On the other hand, articles made through a different process involving potato and corn starch have done better in normal conditions, going by the experience in Britain. Seaweed is also emerging as a choice to make edible containers. In India, though, in the absence of robust testing and certification to verify claims made by producers, spurious biodegradable and compostable plastics are entering the marketplace. In January this year, the CPCB said that 12 companies were marketing carry bags and products marked ‘compostable’ without any certification, and asked the respective State Pollution Control Boards to take action on these units. A ban on single-use plastic items would have to therefore lay down a comprehensive mechanism to certify the materials marketed as alternatives, and the specific process required to biodegrade or compost them. A movement against plastic waste would have to prioritise the reduction of single-use plastic such as multi-layer packaging, bread bags, food wrap, and protective packaging. Consumers often have no choice in the matter. Other parts of the campaign must focus on tested biodegradable and compostable alternatives for plates, cutlery and cups, rigorous segregation of waste and scaled up recycling. City municipal authorities play a key role here. The Way Ahead – How to get rid of the plastic menace? Leading a grassroots movement to support the adoption of a global framework to regulate plastic pollution. The only way to keep plastic out of the air, water, and soil is to radically rethink its design, uses, sale, and disposal Educating, mobilising and activating citizens across the globe to demand that governments and corporations control and clean up plastic pollution. Educating people worldwide to take personal responsibility for plastic pollution by choosing to reject, reduce, reuse and recycle plastics. Promoting local government regulatory and other efforts to tackle plastic pollution. Education and responsibility are only one side of the coin, however; the other side is infrastructure. The technology to create a circular economy by means of recycling does in fact exist, but the infrastructure needed to fully implement it is seriously lacking. Of all the plastic waste produced in the world, less than 10% is recovered due in large part to the lack of infrastructure both at home and abroad. “Since the problem of plastic was created exclusively by human beings through our indifference, it can be solved by human beings by paying attention to it. Now what we need is a determination to get it done — before it gets us.” – Muhammad Yunus, the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize laureate. Must Read: Dangers of Plastic + Are We Drinking Plastic? Connecting the Dots: What are the sustainable strategies to address the problem of plastic including e-waste? Discuss. What are the sustainable strategies to address the problem of plastic including e-waste? Discuss.

IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 1 – ENGLISH & हिंदी): UPSC Mains Answer Writing – General Studies Paper 1 Questions [11th March,2021] – Day 52

For Previous TLP (ARCHIVES) - CLICK HERE Hello Friends, Welcome to IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 1- ENGLISH & हिंदी): UPSC Mains Answer Writing – General Studies 1 Questions [11th March 2020] – Day 52 We will make sure, in the next 100 days not a single day is wasted and your mains preparation is solidified. All your energies are channelized in the right direction. Trust us! This will make a huge difference in your results this time, provided that you follow this plan sincerely every day without fail. Gear up and Make the Best Use of this initiative. We are giving 5 Mains Questions on a daily basis so that every student can actively participate and keep your preparation focused. Do remember that, “the difference between Ordinary and EXTRA-Ordinary is PRACTICE!!” To Know More about the Initiative -> CLICK HERE SCHEDULE/DETAILED PLAN – > CLICK HERE Note: Click on Each Question (Link), it will open in a new tab and then Answer respective questions! 1. What are  the key challenges faced by women in workspace? Discuss. What measures should be taken to make workspace more equitable and safer for women? कार्यक्षेत्र में महिलाओं को किन प्रमुख चुनौतियों का सामना करना पड़ता है? चर्चा करें। कार्यक्षेत्रों को महिलाओं के लिए अधिक न्यायसंगत और सुरक्षित बनाने के लिए क्या उपाय किए जाने चाहिए? 2. Certain political parties have floated the idea of giving remuneration to women homemakers. What are your views on this? Discuss. कुछ राजनीतिक दलों ने महिला गृहणियों को पारिश्रमिक देने का विचार बनाया है। इस पर आपके क्या विचार हैं? चर्चा करें। 3. Why is it important to have more women in politics? What will be achieved by greater participation of women in matters of politics and governance? Put forward your views with the help of suitable arguments. राजनीति में ज्यादा महिलाओं का होना क्यों जरूरी है? राजनीति और शासन के मामलों में महिलाओं की अधिक भागीदारी से क्या हासिल होगा? उपयुक्त तर्कों की मदद से अपने विचारों को सामने रखें। 4. Discuss the role of women self help groups in uplifting the rural economy. ग्रामीण अर्थव्यवस्था के उत्थान में महिला स्वयं सहायता समूहों की भूमिका पर चर्चा करें। 5. What is your notion of true women empowerment? Explain with the help of suitable examples. सच्ची महिला सशक्तीकरण के बारे में आपकी क्या धारणा है? उपयुक्त उदाहरणों की सहायता से समझाएँ। P.S: The review from IASbaba will happen from the time the question is posted till 10 pm everyday. We would also encourage peer reviews. So friends get actively involved and start reviewing each others answers. This will keep the entire community motivated. All the Best :)

Ace The Prelims (ATP)

Ace The Prelims (ATP) – 2021– PRELIMS – [11th March, 2021] – Day 58

ARCHIVES Hello Friends, Welcome to IASbaba’s Ace The Prelims (ATP) – 2021 – PRELIMS & MAINS – [11th March, 2021] – Day 58   UPSC Quiz - 2021 : IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs Quiz 11th March 2021 UPSC CSAT Quiz – 2021: IASbaba’s Daily CSAT Practice Test – 11th March 2021 UPSC Static Quiz – 2021: IASbaba’s Daily Static Quiz (PYQs) – Environment and Sci & Tech [Day 58]   The way ATP molecules provide energy to every single cell of our body and help us in achieving our day to day tasks, similarly, the ‘Ace the Prelims (ATP) 2021’ Programme will help in providing energy and direction to your prelims preparation and push you beyond the cutoff of Prelims 2021. Ace the Prelims (ATP) – 2021 will include Daily Static Quiz (PYQs) Daily CSAT Practice Test Daily Current Affair Quiz 60 Days Plan (starts from 2nd week of March) To Know More about Ace the Prelims (ATP) 2021 - CLICK HERE   Thank You IASbaba

Daily Static Quiz

UPSC Static Quiz – 2021: IASbaba’s Daily Static Quiz (PYQs) – Environment and Sci & Tech [Day 58]

ARCHIVES DAILY STATIC QUIZ (PYQs) It will cover PYQs all the topics of static subjects – Polity, History, Geography, Economics, Environment and Science and technology. Daily 5 questions (Monday to Saturday) will be posted from static topics (PYQs) The questions will be in the quiz format so you will be able to answer them directly on the portal. Schedule Week 1 – Polity Week 2 – Economics Week 3 – History and Art & Culture Week 4 – Geography Week 5 – Environment and Science & Technology Same cycle will be repeated from Week 6. Make the best use of the initiative. All the best! To Know More about Ace the Prelims (ATP) 2021 - CLICK HERE 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

UPSC CSAT Quiz – 2021: IASbaba’s Daily CSAT Practice Test – 11th March 2021

ARCHIVES Daily CSAT Practice Test Everyday 5 Questions from Aptitude, Logical Reasoning, and Reading Comprehension will be covered from Monday to Saturday. Make the best use of the initiative. All the best! To Know More about Ace the Prelims (ATP) 2021 - CLICK HERE 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 Prelims CA Quiz

UPSC Quiz - 2021 : IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs Quiz 11th March 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. We will make sure, in the next 4 months not a single day is wasted. All your energies are channelized in the right direction. Trust us! This will make a huge difference in your results this time, provided that you follow this plan sincerely every day without fail. Gear up and Make the Best Use of this initiative. Do remember that, “the difference between Ordinary and EXTRA-Ordinary is PRACTICE!!” To Know More about Ace the Prelims (ATP) 2021 - CLICK HERE 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