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

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

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

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

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

[Day 87]: UPSC PRELIMS 2021- Rapid Revision (RaRe) Series

Highlights/Features of Rapid Revision (RaRe) Series:  It is a FREE initiative! Program Duration - 120 Days (31st May, 2021 to 27th September, 2021). 1. Dedicated Portal for Focused Preparation There will be a separate dedicated portal to help you stay focused and keep your preparation streamlined for the next 120 Days. The Registration link for the dedicated portal is given at the end of the post. 2. 120 Days Integrated (Prelims + Mains) Time Table This year’s RaRe Series will include Integrated Revision Plan (IRP) where we will be syncing your mains and prelims syllabus together over next 120 Days. The Revision Plan is designed by integrating IASbaba's famous flagship initiatives - 60 Day Plan and TLP Mains Answer Writing. 3. Daily RaRe Series (RRS) Videos on High Probable Topics (Monday - Friday) In video discussions, special focus is given to topics which have high probability to appear in UPSC Prelims Question Paper. Each session will be of 20 mins to 30 mins, which would cover rapid revision of 10 high probable topics (both static and current affairs) important for Prelims Exam this year according to the schedule. 4. Daily Prelims MCQs from Static (Monday - Friday) Daily Static Quiz will cover all the topics of static subjects – Polity, History, Geography, Economics, Environment and Science and technology. 10 questions will be posted daily and these questions are framed from the topics mentioned in the schedule and in the RaRe videos. It will ensure timely and streamlined revision of your static subjects. Note: Should be integrated with the 60 Days Plan 2021. This will expose you to diverse questions from the same topics. 5. Daily Current Affairs MCQs (Monday - Saturday) Daily 5 Current Affairs questions, based on sources like ‘The Hindu’, ‘Indian Express’ and ‘PIB’, would be published from Monday to Saturday. Note: Current Affairs questions covered in the 60 Days Plan and Daily Quiz Monthly Compilations should be covered retrospectively. 6. Daily CSAT Quiz (Monday - Friday) CSAT has been an achilles heel for many aspirants. Daily 5 CSAT Questions will be published. 7. Daily Mains Answer Writing (Monday - Friday) GS Mains will be covered along with Prelims in an integrated manner. Daily three Mains questions will be covered syllabus-wise according to the topics mentioned in the schedule. In total, it covers 250+ Mains Questions along with synopsis. 8. Brainstorming on Ethics & Essay (BEE) (Saturday & Sunday) Each week, Sunil Oberoi Sir (Retd. IAS) will take 3 sessions, two for Essay and one for Ethics. The two sessions earmarked for Essay will have a topic-based discussion where he will discuss the approach to write issue-based and philosophical essays. The topics will be picked from previous year question papers of UPSC and TLP initiative of IASbaba. 9. Full Mocks 3 GS Paper 1 Full Mocks will be provided along the lines of UPSC Prelims. 3 CSAT Paper 2 Full Mocks will be provided so that you are not overwhelmed during the D-Day. 10. Rapid Revision (RaRe) Notes Right material plays important role in clearing the exam and Rapid Revision (RaRe) Notes will have Prelims specific subject-wise refined notes. The main objective is to help students revise most important topics and that too within a very short limited time frame. Day-87 of RaRe Series - Click here To Register - Click here For complete details of the RaRe Series -  Click here

Daily Prelims CA Quiz

UPSC Quiz – 2021 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz 25th August 2021

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

IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 1): UPSC Mains Answer Writing – General Studies Paper 1 Questions [25th August,2021] – Day 163

For Previous TLP (ARCHIVES) - CLICK HERE Hello Friends, Welcome to IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 1): UPSC Mains Answer Writing – General Studies Paper 1 Questions [25th August,2021] – Day 163 TLP (Phase 1) just got over on 8th May (Saturday) and we are extremely thankful for your active participation to make this program a success. Well, though TLP (Phase 1) got over, ‘Picture abhi baaqi hai mere dost’. There is a surprise for you. Since prelims is bound to get delayed once again this year, its not wise to leave the writing practice just now. Hence, we are extending the TLP program  We will be posting 3 questions per day (Monday to Friday). The questions will be based on Current Affairs, so that you don’t have to invest your time separately on exclusively mains oriented topics. So, keep practicing and keep improving. To Know More about TLP  -> CLICK HERE For Previous TLP (ARCHIVES) - CLICK HERE Note: Click on Each Question (Link), it will open in a new tab and then Answer respective questions! 1. Do you think compulsory corporate social responsibility affects genuine  philanthropy and charity work? Comment. (10 Marks) क्या आपको लगता है कि अनिवार्य कॉर्पोरेट सामाजिक जिम्मेदारी वास्तविक परोपकार और दान कार्य को प्रभावित करती है? टिप्पणी करें। 2. Critically evaluate the existing legal jurisprudence related to rehabilitation of development affected population. What role do NGOs play in this area? Discuss. (10 Marks) विकास प्रभावित आबादी के पुनर्वास से संबंधित मौजूदा कानूनी न्यायशास्त्र का गंभीर मूल्यांकन करेंइस क्षेत्र में गैर सरकारी संगठन क्या भूमिका निभाते हैं? चर्चा करें। 3. What are the challenges with India’s fuel pricing policy? Examine. What alternatives would you suggest to remedy the problems? Discuss. (15 Marks) भारत की ईंधन मूल्य नीति के साथ क्या चुनौतियाँ हैं? जांच करें। समस्याओं के समाधान के लिए आप क्या विकल्प सुझाएंगे? चर्चा करें। AWARE ( Answer Writing REdefined) Series - 7 Steps to Master Answer Writing Skills by Mohan Sir - CLICK HERE P.S: The review from IASbaba will happen from the time the question is posted till 10 pm every day. We would also encourage peer reviews. So friends get actively involved and start reviewing each other's answers. This will keep the entire community motivated. All the Best :)

DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 24th August 2021

Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) Assam to destroy stored rhino horns Part of: Prelims and GS - III - Conservation In news Assam’s Environment and Forest Department has decided to destroy the rhinoceros horns, elephant tusks (ivory) and body parts of other protected animals stored in the district treasuries. About 5% of the specimens would be preserved for education, awareness and scientific purposes. The destruction of the horns and other animal articles would be in conformity with a relevant section of the Wildlife (Protection) Act of 1972. A State-level committee has been constituted for this purpose and a public hearing will be held soon. Background  The Assam government had in 2016 constituted the Rhino Horn Verification Committee to study the specimens kept in 12 treasuries.  The exercise was a bid to allay public apprehensions about tampering and allegations that officials were illegally trading the horns collected from dead rhinos or retrieved from poachers and smugglers. News source: TH  Russia to deliver new stealth frigate in 2023 Part of: GS Prelims and GS- II - International Relations; GS – III – Defence and security In news The first of two additional Krivak class stealth frigates being built by Russia is expected to be delivered to India in the middle of 2023 Frigate ships are kind of guard ships. In October 2016, India and Russia signed an Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) for four Krivak or Talwar class stealth frigates —  Two to be procured directly from Russia  Two to be built by Goa Shipyard Ltd. (GSL)  The frigates were being built to operate both Indian and Russian equipment. The Navy currently operates six Krivak class frigates weighing around 4,000 tonnes. Do you know? The Krivak class were a series of frigates and guard ships (patrol boats) built in the Soviet Union primarily for the Soviet Navy since 1970. They were designed as a successor to the Riga class. News source: TH  Ubharte Sitaare Alternative Investment Fund Part of: GS Prelims and GS- III - Mobilization of resources In news Recently, the Ministry of Finance has launched ‘Ubharte Sitaare’ Alternative Investment Fund to facilitate debt and equity funding to export-oriented MSMEs (Micro Small and medium Enterprises). About the scheme  Under the scheme, an identified company is supported even if it is currently underperforming or may be unable to tap its latent potential to grow. The scheme diagnoses such challenges and provides support through a mix of structured support covering equity, debt and technical assistance.  It will also have a Greenshoe Option of Rs 250 crore.  A greenshoe option is an over-allotment option, which is a term that is commonly used to describe a special arrangement in a share offering for example an IPO The fund has been set up jointly by Exim Bank and SIDBI (Small Industries Development Bank of India) which will invest in the fund by way of equity and equity-like products in export-oriented units, in both manufacturing and services sectors. What are the Criteria for Selecting Companies? Companies will be selected for support based on their unique value proposition in technology, products or processes that match global requirements. Fundamentally strong companies with acceptable financials with an annual turnover of up to approx. Rs 500 crore. Companies with a good business model, strong management capabilities, and focus on product quality. What are the Objectives? To enhance India’s competitiveness in select sectors through finance and extensive handholding support. Identify and nurture companies having differentiated technology, products or processes, and enhance their export business;  Assist units with export potential, which are unable to scale up their operations for want of finance. Identify and mitigate challenges faced by successful companies which hinder their exports. Assist existing exporters in widening their basket of products and target new markets through a strategic and structured export market development initiative. What is an Alternative Investment Fund? Anything alternative to traditional forms of investments gets categorized as alternative investments. In India, AIFs are defined under Securities and Exchange Board of India (Alternative Investment Funds) Regulations, 2012. It refers to any privately pooled investment fund, (whether from Indian or foreign sources) which are not presently covered by any governing fund management of SEBI nor coming under the direct regulation of any other sectoral regulators in India. It includes venture Capital Fund, hedge funds, private equity funds, commodity funds, infrastructure funds, etc. News source: TH  Language in Indus Valley Civilization Part of: GS Prelims and GS- I – Ancient history In news A new research paper has provided some new insight on the linguistic culture of the Indus Valley Civilization (IVC). Earlier, a study found that the diet of the people of IVC had a dominance of meat, including extensive eating of beef. In July 2021, UNESCO announced the Harappan city of Dholavira in Gujarat as India’s 40th world heritage site. Key findings IVCs have their language roots in Proto-Dravidian, which is the ancestral language of all the modern Dravidian languages. The speakers of ancestral Dravidian languages had a greater historic presence in northern India including the Indus Valley region from where they migrated. Proto-Dravidian was one among several languages being spoken in the Indus Valley region. The research claims that there were more than one or one group of languages spoken across the one-million square kilometre area of IVC. Since people of ancient Persia had functioned as intermediaries between Mesopotamia and IVC traders, while exporting IVC’s ivory, they had arguably spread the Indic words to Mesopotamia as well. What is Indus Valley civilization? It is the earliest known urban culture of the Indian subcontinent. It is also called Harappan Civilization after the first city to be excavated, Harappa (Punjab, Pakistan). It was established around 3300 BC. It flourished between 2600 BC and 1900 BC. It extended from Sutkagengor (in Balochistan) in the West to Alamgirpur (Western UP) in the East; and from Mandu (Jammu) in the North to Daimabad (Ahmednagar, Maharashtra) in the South. Some Indus Valley sites have also been found as far away as Afghanistan. Important sites: Kalibangan (Rajasthan), Lothal, Dholavira, Rangpur, Surkotda (Gujarat), Banawali (Haryana), Ropar (Punjab). In Pakistan: Harappa (on river Ravi), Mohenjodaro (on Indus River in Sindh), Chanhudaro (in Sindh). News source: IE (News from PIB) Yuktdhara Part of: GS Prelims and Mains GS-III- Governance In News:  New portal under Bhuvan “Yuktdhara” has been released that will facilitate planning of new MGNREGA assets using Remote Sensing and GIS based information.  About The “Yuktdhara” is a new Geospatial Planning Portal that will serve as a repository of assets (Geotags) created under various national rural development programmes, i.e., MGNREGA, Integrated Watershed Management Programme, Per Drop More Crop and Rastriya Krishi Vikas Yojana etc., along with field photographs using remote sensing and geographic information system-based data. The name given is very apt as word ‘Yukt’ is derived from Yojanam, the planning and ‘Dhara’ indicates the flow. It is a culmination of untiring joint efforts of ISRO and Ministry of Rural development made towards realizing a G2G service for rural planning in support of decentralized decision making. This portal integrates wide variety of thematic layers, multi-temporal high resolution earth observation data with analysis tools.  Planners will analyse previous assets under various schemes and facilitates identification of new works using online tools. Plans prepared will be evaluated by appropriate authorities under State Departments. Thus, Yuktdhara based plans will be prepared by grassroot functionary and verified by appropriate authorities for relevance and resource allocation.  This would ensure quality of plan and enable a long-term monitoring of the assets created over the years. News Source:PIB Sree Narayana Guru Part of: GS Prelims  In news: The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has paid tributes to Sree Narayana Guru on his Jayanti.  About Sree Narayana Guru Sree Narayana Guru was a catalyst and leader from Kerala who reformed the oppressive caste system that prevailed in society at the time whose philosophy always advocated social equality, education for all, and spiritual enlightenment.  Born in the Ezhava caste, Narayan Guru had experienced discrimination from the upper caste of society.  One of his famous sayings in Malayalam was ‘One caste, one religion, one god for all.’ Narayana Guru consecrated the first temple of Lord Shiva in 1888 where an idol was ordinated by a non-brahmin in Aruvippuram village of Kerala sparking off the anti-caste revolution against the upper-caste Brahmin communities. Later, in 1903, he established the Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana Yogam (SNDP) organization as the founder and president that continues to mark its strong presence to this day.  The famous ‘Vaikom Satyagraha’ protest movement against caste discrimination and untouchability abolished untouchability and inequality. Hence, this day is quite important in Kerala and is observed as a public holiday. The Sivagiri pilgrimage was established in 1924 to promote the virtues of cleanliness, education, devotion, agriculture, handicrafts, and trade.  His philosophy and teachings are a way of life for the people of Kerala.  He passed away on September 20, 1928. News Source: PIB CCI imposes Rs 200 crore penalty on Maruti Part of: GS Prelims and Mains GS-III- Economy In news: The Competition Commission of India (CCI) passed a final order against Maruti Suzuki India Limited (MSIL) for indulging in anti-competitive conduct by way of implementing Discount Control Policy vis-à-vis dealers. CCI has accordingly, imposed a penalty of ₹200 crore (Rupees Two Hundred Crore Only) upon MSIL, besides passing a cease-and-desist order. What did Maruti Suzuki do? MSIL had a ‘Discount Control Policy’ in place for its dealers whereby the dealers were discouraged from giving extra discounts freebies, etc. to the consumers beyond what were permitted by MSIL.  Any dealer found violating such Discount Control Policy was threatened with imposition of penalty, not only upon the dealership, but also upon its individual persons, including Direct Sales Executive, Regional Manager, Showroom Manager, Team Leader, etc. To enforce the Discount Control Policy, MSIL appointed Mystery Shopping Agencies (‘MSAs’) who used to pose as customers to MSIL dealerships to find out if any additional discounts were being offered to customers.  MSIL would even dictate to the dealership where the penalty had to be deposited and utilisation of the penalty amount was also done as per the diktats of MSIL. Such conduct of MSIL which resulted in appreciable adverse effect on competition within India, was found by CCI to be in contravention of the provisions of Section 3(4)(e) read with Section 3(1) of the Competition Act, 2002. Competition Commission of India (CCI)  It is a statutory body of the Government of India.  It is responsible for enforcing The Competition Act, 2002 throughout India. It prevents activities that have an appreciable adverse effect on competition in India.  It was established on 14 October 2003 and became fully functional in May 2009.  CCI consists of a Chairperson and 6 Members appointed by the Central Government.  It is the duty of the Commission to: eliminate practices having adverse effect on competition,  promote and sustain competition, protect the interests of consumers,  ensure freedom of trade in the markets of India.  News Source: PIB (Mains Focus) ECONOMY/ GOVERNANCE GS-3: Indian Economy; Infrastructure GS-2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation National Monetisation Pipeline (NMP) In news Union finance minister recently launched the National Monetisation Pipeline (NMP), through which the government aims to raise $81 billion by leasing out state-owned infrastructure assets over the next four years (from FY22 to FY25) What is asset monetisation? Asset Monetization involves the creation of new sources of revenue by unlocking of the value of existing unutilized or underutilized public assets. Many public sector assets are sub-optimally utilized and could be appropriately monetized by involving private sector (leasing or selling) to create better value from the assets. Key features of the National Monetisation Plan The NMP's roadmap has been formulated by NITI Aayog in consultation with infrastructure line ministries, under the ‘Asset Monetisation’ mandate of the Union Budget 2021-22. NITI Aayog has a Public Private Partnership Cell and has engaged transaction advisors to handhold any ministry for any support it needs in pursuing the monetisation roadmap. The sectors in which assets are being identified to monetise include roads, ports, airports, railways, power generation and transmission, telecom, warehousing, gas & product pipeline, mining, stadium, hospitality and housing. For now, the government has only included the assets of infrastructure line ministries and Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) working in the infrastructure sectors.  Monetisation through disinvestment and monetisation of non-core assets have not been included in the NMP. The framework for monetisation of core asset monetisation has three key imperatives:  Monetisation of rights not ownership which means the assets will have to be handed back at the end of transaction life. The overall transaction will be structured around revenue rights. Brownfield de-risked assets: There is no land here, this entire (NMP) is about brownfield projects where investments have already been made and there is a completed asset which is either languishing or it is not fully monetised or is under-utilised.  Structured partnerships under defined contractual frameworks & transparent competitive bidding, where Contractual partners will have to adhere to Key Performance Indicators and Performance Standards. The assets and transactions identified under the NMP are expected to be rolled out through a range of instruments.  These include direct contractual instruments such as public private partnership concessions and capital market instruments such as Infrastructure Investment Trusts (InvIT) among others.  For Ex: Under the plan, private firms can invest in projects for a fixed return using the InvIT route as well as operate and develop the assets for a certain period before transferring them back to the government agency. The choice of instrument will be determined by the sector, nature of asset, etc. NMP aims to provide a medium term roadmap of the programme for public asset owners; along with visibility on potential assets to the private sector. The NMP will run co-terminus with the National Infrastructure Pipeline of Rs 100 lakh crore announced in December 2019. An empowered committee has been constituted to implement and monitor the Asset Monetization programme. The Core Group of Secretaries on Asset Monetization (CGAM) will be headed by the Cabinet Secretary. Real time monitoring will be undertaken through the asset monetization dashboard. The government will closely monitor the NMP progress, with yearly targets and a monthly review by an empowered committee   The top 5 sectors (by estimated value) capture ~83% of the aggregate pipeline value. These include: Roads (27%) followed by Railways (25%), Power (15%), oil & gas pipelines (8%) and Telecom (6%) Merits of the NMP Resource Efficiency: It leads to optimum utilisation of government assets. Fiscal Prudence: The revenue accrued by leasing out these assets to private sector will help fund new capital expenditure without pressuring government finances. Streamlining the Process: Monetisation of assets is not new, but the government has finally organised it in baskets, set targets, identified impediments, and put in place a framework.  Mobilising Private Capital: Since the assets are de-risked as it is brownfield projects, it will help in mobilising private capital (both domestic & foreign). Global investors have revealed that they are keen to participate in projects to be monetised through a transparent/competitive bidding process. Less Resistance: The plan involves leasing to private sector without transferring ownership or resorting to fire sale of assets. Therefore, it is going to face less resistance from the opposition. Cooperative Federalism: To encourage states to pursue monetisation, the Central government has already set aside Rs 5,000 crore as incentive.  If a state government divests its stake in a PSU, the Centre will provide a 100 per cent matching value of the divestment to the state.  If a state lists a public sector undertaking in the stock markets, the Central government will give it 50 per cent of that amount raised through listing.  If a state monetises an asset, it will receive 33 of the amount raised from monetisation from the Centre. Promoting Public-Private Partnership: The end objective of NMP is to enable ‘Infrastructure Creation through Monetisation’ wherein the public and private sector collaborate, each excelling in their core areas of competence, so as to deliver socio-economic growth and quality of life to the country’s citizens. Potential Impediments to NMP Among the key challenges that may affect the NMP roadmap are  Lack of identifiable revenue streams in various assets. Inadequate level of capacity utilisation in gas and petroleum pipeline networks. Lack of dispute resolution mechanism. Regulated tariffs in power sector assets. Low interest among investors in national highways below four lanes. Lack of independent sectoral regulators. Conclusion In terms of annual phasing by value, 15 per cent of assets with an indicative value of Rs 88,000 crore are envisaged to be rolled out in the current financial year. While unlocking assets worth Rs 6 lakh crore is an ambitious plan, resolving the impediments is expected to bring investors. Connecting the dots: National Infrastructure Pipeline Hybrid Annuity Model Public-Private Partnership ENVIRONMENT/ DISASTER MANAGEMENT GS-3: Environment Conservation GS-2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. GS-3: Disaster Management Tauktae, Yaas and planning for the next Context: Severe cyclones, Tauktae (landfall in Gujarat) and Yaas (landfall in West Bengal) caused massive damage to infrastructure, the agricultural sector, and houses.  Scale of impact (as per govt. report) 199 people died, 37 million people were affected,  Economic losses stood at ₹320 billion (U.S.$4.3 billion) Crop area of 0.24 million hectares was affected, and around 0.45 million houses were damaged.  2.5 million people were evacuated to cyclone shelters and relief camps in these two States (Gujarat & West Bengal). During the COVID-19 pandemic, these cyclones caused additional financial responsibility for State governments Issues Increased Frequency: Increasing sea surface temperatures in the northern Indian Ocean have led to a rise in the frequency of devastating cyclones in the coastal States accounting for 7% of the global tropical cyclones.  Every year, around five to six tropical cyclones are formed in the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea; of these, two to three turn severe. High Economic Losses: Between 1999 and 2020, cyclones inflicted substantial damage to public and private properties, amounting to an increase in losses from $2,990 million to $14,920 million in the absence of long-term mitigation measures.  Hurts Growth & Development: The Asian Development Bank’s report in 2014 estimated that India would suffer a loss of around 1.8% of GDP annually by 2050 from climate-related events. Loss in govt. revenue: India lost around 2% of GDP and 15% of total revenue over 1999-2020. Cyclones has also increased the fiscal burden of governments through increased spending to implement effective cyclone preparation measures. Human Cost: Cyclones are the third most lethal disaster in India after earthquakes (42%) and floods (33%). However, fatalities due to cyclones declined from 10,378 in 1999 to 110 in 2020. Odisha Model of Cyclone Management In the aftermath of the 1999 super cyclone, the Government of Odisha took up various cyclone mitigation measures which included Installing a disaster warning system in the coastal districts, Construction of evacuation shelters in cyclone-prone districts.  Setting up of the Odisha State Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA) Conducting regular cabinet meetings for disaster preparedness Building the Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF). Odisha’s disaster management model, though good, is inadequate to minimise the economic losses that result from cyclones. Therefore, the Government of India should adopt a few measures to minimise disaster damage and fatalities. It is imperative to improve the cyclone warning system and revamp disaster preparedness measures.  Government must widen the cover under shelterbelt plantations and help regenerate mangroves in coastal regions to lessen the impact of cyclones. Building cyclone-resilient infrastructure such as constructing storm surge-resilient embankments, canals and improving river connectivity to prevent waterlogging in low-lying areas. Installing disaster-resilient power infrastructure in the coastal districts, providing concrete houses to poor and vulnerable households, and creating massive community awareness campaigns are essential.  Finally, healthy coordination between the Centre and the States concerned is essential to collectively design disaster mitigation measures. Connecting the dots: Climate Change and India in 2021 Paris Climate Deal Floods in Europe  Urban Floods: Time for a ‘sponge cities’ mission in India (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 National Monetisation Pipeline (NMP): It shall involve both brownfield as well as greenfield assets. Only roadways and waterways sectors will be monetised. Real time monitoring will be undertaken through the asset monetization dashboard. Which of the above is/are correct?  1 only 2 and 3 only  3 only 1 and 3 only Q.2 The Harappans did not know the use of which of the following?  Copper Gold Silver Iron Q.3 ‘Ubharte Sitaare’ Alternative Investment Fund is launched for which of the following sector?  Agriculture  Education  MSME Sportspersons ANSWERS FOR 23rd August 2021 TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE (TYK) 1 C 2 D 3 A Must Read On India & Afghanistan: The Hindu On Caste Census: Hindustan Times On Universal Basic Income: The Print

SYNOPSIS [19th August,2021] Day 159: IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 1): UPSC Mains Answer Writing (General Studies)

For Previous TLP (ARCHIVES) - CLICK HERE SYNOPSIS [19th August,2021] Day 159: IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 1): UPSC Mains Answer Writing (General Studies)   1. What is the Rohingya Muslims issue? How is it affecting India’s interests and relations with Myanmar? Examine.  Approach  Write a comprehensive introduction giving the background on who the Rohingya’s are and add statistics.In next part write Indian stand and reasons which were in view of India-Myanmar relations.Further in brief write what are Indian interests at stake.In conclusion write reasoning for such stand and a way forward. Introduction: The Rohingya refugee crisis refers to the mass migration of Rohingyas (Rohingya Muslim people) from Myanmar (Burma) to Bangladesh, Malaysia, Thailand,  Indonesia and India. Described by the UN as the world’s most persecuted people, 1.1 million Rohingya people live in Myanmar. They live predominantly in Rakhine state, where they have co-existed uneasily alongside Buddhists for decades. Body Few years ago, religious and ethnic tensions between the Rohingya Muslims and the Rakhine Buddhists (who make up the majority of the population in Myanmar) escalated into widespread, deadly rioting. Hundreds of thousands were forced to flee. Since then, ongoing violent attacks have forced even more people to leave their homes. They were not granted full citizenship by Myanmar. They were classified as “resident foreigners or associate citizens”. They speak a dialect of Bengali and not Burmese. The Rohingya population is denied citizenship under the 1982 Myanmar nationality law. Myanmar law does not recognize the ethnic minority as one of the eight national indigenous races.  Effects on India’s interests and relationships with Myanmar  India has been receiving Rohingya refugees and allowing them to settle in the different parts of the country over the years, especially after the communal violence in the state of Rakhine in 2012. According to the Ministry of Home Affairs, there are approximately 40,000 Rohingyas living in India. They have reportedly reached India from Bangladesh through the land route over the years. However, India considers the refugee crisis as an internal affair of Myanmar. India took the side of the Myanmar government because it was concerned that raising the issue publicly might push Myanmar towards China as it was building relations with the then newly formed quasi-democratic government.  India also has economic interests with its companies holding stakes in Shwe Gas field off the coast of Rakhine State. Along with energy interests and plans to build cross-border pipelines, India also has a connectivity interest to link its landlocked northeastern region with the Bay of Bengal through Rakhine State  These include a joint project with Myanmar that includes development of port at Sittwe, inland-waterway in the Kaladan River, and road construction to connect it with India’s Northeast. Instability in the Rakhine State could have adverse effects on these interests. The crisis has also acquired a security dimension with concerns being raised over the infiltration of Islamic extremism amongst the Rohingyas, who have grown increasingly desperate over their plight. The massive refugee outflow has created a serious humanitarian crisis that carries implications on regional stability and security. In 2017, India launched “Operation Insaniyat” to provide relief assistance for the refugee camps in Bangladesh. India’s decision to extend help fits into its desire to de-incentivise Rohingya refugees entering into India. Further,  India would maintain constructive engagement with both Myanmar and Bangladesh, and that the international community needs to handle the situation with restraint, keeping in mind the welfare of the population. In 2012 December, India’s external affairs Minister visited Rakhine and donated 1 million dollars for relief. India signed a development programme for Rakhine State in Myanmar late last year which was designed to assist the Myanmar government in Rakhine State to build housing infrastructure for displaced persons. Effects on India  Migration - In India, there are nearly 40,000 Rohingya refugees, with 16,500 registered with the office of the United Nations Human Rights Commissioner. Islamic extremism - Efforts of radical Islamists to influence some of the Rohingya youth, to capitalise on the situation and promote anti-India activities is possible Political tensions - They are spread over several cities and states Jammu, New Delhi, Jaipur and some places in Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and the north-east. There are a few places in the country where politically instigated attempts are being made to re-locate them. North-East security - India has a stake in the security conditions in upper western Myanmar adjoining the Naga self-administered zone where the Khaplang faction of the National Socialist Council of Nagalim operates. Conclusion The issue of Rohingya is a critical one in Indian neighbourhood.Historically India has been accommodating of the persecuted minorities from historical times to the modern era.But the stand taken by India on recent issue is purely based on the political reality of the Indo-Myanmar relationships and security concerns which India faces.Further it would be imperative that India plays a role in settling the issue with persuading ASEAN nations and leveraging its partnership with major powers.  2. Do you think the implementation of a nationwide National Register of Citizens in would actually strengthen India’s ties with the neighbours? Critically evaluate.  Approach  Introduce with why the given issues was in news.In next part write how the NRC will actually help in fostering better relations.Then counter the thesis with an anti-thesis on how the NRC process can also backfire in context of neighbourhood relations.In conclusion take a pragmatic stand and positive outlook on the NRC exercise . Introduction Recently, according to the ministry of external affairs, India has reached out to countries across the world, especially its neighbours, on the issues of the new citizenship law and the proposed National Register of Citizens to make sure that the relationship between India and its neighbours remains strong and without any misgivings. Body The National Register of Citizens (NRC) holds all the important information of the Indian citizens required for their identification which will be maintained by the Government of India. The legal framework for NRC is laid down in the Citizenship Act of 1955 as amended in 2004. The issue of illegal immigration is majorly between India and Bangladesh, due to historical factors, rather than any other nieghbour. NRC is an exercise to stem the tide and deal with the issue of illegal immigration. In this regard, the implementation of a nationwide NRC would help strengthen India’s relations with her neighbours in the following manner: NRC exercise would be completely an internal matter of India and as a sovereign nation which respects others sovereignty, India has every right to carry out actions internally, which it deems fit. Illegal immigration from Bangladesh, comprising both Hindus and Muslims, is an important issue from the national security perspective of India. A large number of Bangladeshi immigrants are illegally living in India. Bilateral dealings of such an important issue thus becomes important. The issue is further complicated as sometime back, the Rohingya refugees originally from Myanmar started infiltrating into India through Bangladesh. Association of some Rohingyas with terrorist organisations make it an internal security for India and needs to be dealt with concerned parties where relations will stabilise with resolution of the problem. Bangladesh has already documented its citizens and maintains a biometric record of them. The National Identity Registration Wing (NIDW) was created within the Bangladesh Election Commission for that purpose. India too is justified in undertaking a similar exercise. This will help India get a grip on the problem. Once the documentation of citizens is done in India, both sides can share their database. This will help manage the problem in a much more amicable manner. As the India-Bangladesh relationship is currently strong and trust levels on both sides are high, this is the right time to deal with the issue of illegal migration. As the NRC exercise would help in establishing a detailed database of citizens for India, it would help in dealing with illegal immigration and as the issue of illegal immigration is concerned mainly only with India-Bangladesh  relations, India’s relations with its other neighbours would largely be unaffected. At the same time, many have argued that NRC exercise would not strengthen India’s relations with its neighbours due to the following factors: The partition of India along religious lines had left India with extraordinary challenges about sustaining religious harmony at home and maintaining reasonable relations with Pakistan and Bangladesh. This Pandora’s box would open again affecting relations, especially with Bangladesh. India’s Neighbourhood first and Act East policy could be affected as a result of the NRC exercise and its outcomes where Bangladesh and Myanmar might face the inflow of disenfranchised people from India. Regional destabilization could create serious ramifications not just for South Asia, but the wider Indo-Pacific as well. Bangladesh is already struggling under the weight of the refugee crisis of the Rohingya fleeing violence in Myanmar — any added people movement would be beyond its capacity to facilitate and require a significant international response. The rhetoric of minority persecution in neighbouring countries embedded in CAA-NRC exercise would certainly affect India’s image and relations with concerned neighbours. This phenomenon is in line with the growing global trend where internal matters are affecting countries relations with others and in case of India, Bangladesh is clearly affected as India would handover illegal immigrants to it after the NRC exercise. China would certainly try to exploit the faultlines between India and its neighbours emerging out of the NRC exercise. This would help it in its string of pearls strategy against India in India’s neighbourhood. Conclusion The issue of illegal migration in the neighbourhood relationships cannot be swept under the carpet. It will continue to be a stumbling block in the sustenance of a stable relationship. It will be better if all sides look at the issue dispassionately especially when the trust levels are high and the NRC exercise may be a means towards sustainable neighbourhood relations. 3. Why is looking west is a geopolitical imperative for India? Critically examine. Approach  Introduce generally with what the term looking west refers to in context of India foreign policy.In next part mention the geopolitical imperative which India is trying to achieve with this policy and balance with the challenges which the policy might face given the volatile nature pf the region.In conclusion take a positive and balanced view of the policy  Introduction  The “Look West” policy assumed significance and focussed attention in India’s policy approach with Prime Minister Modi’s remarks at the ‘Make in India’ conference in New Delhi on 26th  September, 2014, when he said, “For a long time Look East policy is under discussion, I would like to talk about Link West”. Thenceforth, Indian policy and diplomatic outreach has put the region into a policy priority and the “Look West” policy became a bright spot on Indian policy pursuit and a multi-layered engagement began. Body  The strategic location of the Middle East and India’s multiple linkages from the past to the present make it immensely important for India’s pursuit of power. The previous  policies have been limited to energy security owing to intractable political fault lines and fractured socio-religious landscape in the region – like Arab-Israel contest and Iran-Saudi rivalry. Geopolitical imperatives of the ‘Look-West’ Policy A constructive and dauntless “look-west” policy from India would acknowledge the geopolitical significance of Pakistan. Rather than being an obstacle, Pakistan could become a link between the Indian subcontinent and the energy-rich region. Pakistan could also act as a transit route for the movement of people, goods and energy between India and the West Asian region. Pakistan has begun to move the self-perception of its location from geopolitics to geo-economics. More importantly, Pakistan’s ‘Look East’ Policy had developed considerably as evident from its admission into the security arm of the ASEAN. India will gain overland access to Iran, Afghanistan and Central Asia. Currently, India has to circumnavigate Pakistan and get access to Afghanistan through Iran. The essence of this policy was that an India-Pakistan reconciliation would be meaningful because it would increase the potential for regional economic integration in the subcontinent and also trans-regional cooperation between countries in Central Asia, South Asia and the Gulf. Resolving the Kashmir issue is vital for unleashing the geo-economic potential of the region. Pakistan itself has delinked its Kashmir issue with India and the construction of pipelines overland from Iran and Central Asia to India. The building of pipelines across Pakistan’s territory would also make it easy to construct highways linking India with Afghanistan and Iran. India could offer to negotiate trade and transit treaties involving all the 4 nations. India could also suggest cooperation with Pakistan in encouraging free trade between South Asia and the Gulf Cooperation Council. Any permanent resolution of the Kashmir issue would inevitably involve creative political cooperation across the divided state. It would also necessitate the complete normalization of Indo-Pak relations. Projects like interconnected electricity grids, natural gas pipelines, and transnational highway roads will realise the new strategic conception of Pakistan as India’s gateway to the West. India, in turn, will be Pakistan’s gateway to the East. Challenges in India’s look west policy  Despite India’s efforts to cultivate ties with the Arab Gulf, Israel and Iran, each presents potential challenges and risks. First, Israel’s improving status with the Arab world may not endure. Another intifada or revival of support for the Palestinians by the wider Arab public could put pressure on Gulf regimes to reverse their current rapprochement with Israel. If that should happen, India could find its position exposed as well, given its own growing closeness with Israel. Second, India’s engagement with Iran over Chabahar is unlikely to eliminate the Pakistan/China option.  One reason is the more modest scale of India’s efforts in Central Asia and the Middle East, especially when compared to China’s Belt and Road. Some current estimates suggest China has already spent about $68 billion on its China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) alone and approximately $200 billion on all other projects to date.  Another is that Indian ambitions may become redundant, especially if Iran and Pakistan are able to overcome differences between themselves to cooperate and link their ports as they have claimed. Finally, other powers, such as the United States, could derail Indian efforts. Indeed, the Indo-Iranian agreement over Chabahar has been repeatedly delayed, partly because of US sanctions against Iran.  The third challenge for India in the Middle East: the vulnerability of its citizens and economic interests. In recent months it has since deployed two warships and surveillance aircraft to the Gulf to protect its shipping there, while making it clear that it will not join the US-led coalition that is being formed there.The Indian decision may also reflect its own tensions with the US, most notably in the growing trade war between the two. Fourth, as the US-Iran dispute shows, India is susceptible to regional conflicts over which it has little control. Perhaps the most notable of these is the Saudi-Iranian rivalry and the boycott of Qatar by Saudi Arabia and the UAE. In both cases, the struggle for influence in the region are key; Saudi Arabia and the UAE also distrust Iran and Qatar for their support of Islamist groups. Similarly, Israel suspects Iran of sponsoring Hamas and Hezbollah against it. Conclusion The Middle East has become more multipolar, with power diffused among a variety of regional and extra-regional actors. Within this mix India has pursued an approach that balances against different parties and their rivalries.This policy has helped India to handle each country in a different way rather than aligning its interest with any single partner.This has been proved with increasing socioeconomic and cultural relations with the countries of West Asia especially with Saudi Arabia, Iran, UAE,Oman amid the crises which have intermittently affected these nations. TLP Synopsis Day 159 PDF