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TLP Mains Answer Writing

SYNOPSIS [21st JULY,2021] Day 138: IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 1): UPSC Mains Answer Writing (General Studies)

For Previous TLP (ARCHIVES) - CLICK HERE   SYNOPSIS [21st JULY,2021] Day 138: IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 1): UPSC Mains Answer Writing (General Studies)   1. What are the upstream challenges faced by the cooperative model of food processing industries? Discuss. How can those be addressed? Suggest.  Approach  In introduction mention what is food processing sector and contextualise to cooperatives.In next part mention the need for cooperatives.Then address the main demand that is Upstream challenges and suggest measures to overcome these challenges.Write an optimistic conclusion. Introduction: Food Processing includes processes  under which any raw product of agriculture, dairy, animal husbandry, meat, poultry or fishing is transformed through a process in such a way that its original physical properties undergo a change and the transformed product has commercial value and is suitable for human and animal consumption.In India food processing is done trough private, cooperatives and public private partnerships. Body The food processing industry accounts for one third of the total food market in India. According to a report by Agricultural and Processed Food Products Exports Development Authority (APEDA) food processing industry accounts for 32% of India’s food market. Advantage offered by cooperatives sector in food processing  Food processing has numerous advantages which are specific to Indian context which include distribution of wealth and sharing prosperity between the producers and reducing the rile of middleman. It has capacity to lift millions out of poverty and malnutrition. Government should develop cooperative industry in a way keeping in mind the interests of small scale industry along with attracting big ticket domestic and foreign investments. The entire food value chain in India is controlled by multiple ministries, departments and laws. A comprehensive policy will ensure that various initiatives across the departments are aligned to the overall goal of ensuring availability, awareness, affordability, access, quality and safety of food.The new ministry of cooperation will be a good step in this direction for its focused attention. The target of ensuring food security for more than a billion people requires a concerted effort by all stakeholders including government and the food processing industry. In addition to private players and government, industry bodies and academia will also have a crucial role in the success of these initiatives. However, it does face certain hindrances to its growth. They are as follows: Low availability raw materials: Certain crops are seasonal, thus cause delay in the process. Certain crops like oilseeds are mainly grown by small and medium farmers. These farmers need to have capital for fertilisers, equipment etc, to increase the quality of their produce. However this is difficult as they can’t afford to do so. Certain crops are increasingly dependent on monsoons which are sometimes delayed resulting in poor or no yield. Lack of Storage Infrastructure: Many small scale food processing industries are suffering from shortage of food storage infrastructure that help in storage of raw materials. This results in increased food wastage and loss. The scarcity of space in these infrastructures account for large wastage of the agricultural produce Lack of adequate connectivity: Certain rural areas are not well connected. Thus the goods produced in these areas take a long time to reach the food processing units. Therefore increase in the connectivity by roads, railways, rivers, airways and shipping is of essence to increase the profit of the farmers and others who are involved in the process. The perishables must be sent to its destination in an efficient manner Old processes: The foods are usually inspected manually. This should cease in order to reduce human error and time wastage Technologies must be improved to stay in track with the increasing competition in the global market Ignorance and human error:  Many food items are wasted in daily basis due to carelessness of those who handle them while shifting, packaging, storing transporting etc. this needs to be reduced through efficient and stringent measures Covid 19 pandemic and its effects : The disruption caused in supply of raw materials and limited availability of labour in food process industry has been a cause of concern.The issues of following covid protocols in manufacturing, vaccination of staff, quarantine has led to increase in costs for the sector. Suggestions to further boost the sector: India cannot afford any wastage of food, according to FAO; every third malnourished child is an Indian. Several measures have been taken by the Indian government like National Food Security Act, 2013 and India Food Banking network. However, with the rapid increase in the population, it is of essence for the Indian government to improve the measures for preventing wastage of food.The cooperatives sector can help to decrease this wastage. There is a need for an integrated approach with a focus on forging backward and forward linkages, which are crucial for scaling up the economic viability of the sector. The regulatory framework for contract and corporate farming needs to be developed in this regard. Model land leasing law developed by NITI Aayog is a step in the right direction that needs to be implemented by states with suitable local adaptations and modifications. Promote the holistic development of the sector by increasing private sector participation with a well-developed framework for risk-sharing and fiscal incentives for creating infrastructure for logistics, storage, and processing. There is a need for modification in the Mega food park scheme for first-time entrepreneurs as the current cap of ten crores credit is not sufficient and has to be enhanced for the high-cost adoption of technology and enhancement of scale. The implementation architecture needs to be simplified for a complete overhaul of certifying and approval procedures. There is a crying need to get a single window scheme for the same. Ensure uniform implementation of the APMC act to increase private sector participation and also harmonisation of tax structure under GST to reduce vast fluctuations in price. There is also an urgent need to improve research and development (R&D) standards. This will meet stringent global standards and increase the scope for exports. The globalisation has increased trade across the borders and about 460 million tons of food valued at US$ 3 billion is traded annually. Hence, India has immense potential for global trade in agricultural and processed food products. The share of food processing exports in total exports was about 12% during the last few years. Between 2011 and 2015, India s exports of processed food products have been growing at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 23.3%. These figures reinforce the fact that India can capitalise on the export potential of the food processing sector in the forthcoming years. There is also a need to encourage academia and industry to commence courses in food packing, processing, biotechnology, information technology so that there would be a constant supply of skilled manpower and also help India achieve global excellence in the food processing sector. Conclusion India has a rich legacy of food cooperatives such as Amul, Nandini, Lijjat papad and Mother dairy.This history and learning needs to be applied to other sectors of food economy such as fisheries, Agroprocessing etc for a widespread development of these sectors on the economies of scale.The creation of new ministry of cooperation and incentives for FPOs and agricultural reforms will go a long way in revitalising this sector. 2. What is integrated farming system? Discuss its advantages in the context of India’s agro-ecological diversity and farmers’ economic profile.    Approach  Define what is Integrated farming system in introduction.In next part address the main part of question on what are the advantages of IFS in Indian conditions.In conclusion contextualise the system with plans and goals of Indian government. Introduction: Integrated Farming System (IFS) also defined as biologically integrated farming system which integrates natural resources and regulation mechanisms into farming activities to achieve maximum replacement of off-farm inputs, secures sustainable production of high quality food and other products through ecologically preferred technologies, sustain farm income, eliminates or reduces sources of present environment pollutions generated by agriculture and sustains the multiple function of agriculture. Body Integrated farming is an alternative farming practice which was originally devised in China and now is  being supported worldwide as an all-round development of agriculture along with animal husbandry and other such occupation which is related to core agricultural practices. Integrated farming has the capability to make the agriculture sector profitable which otherwise has been proved largely as a subsistence sector and a major reason behind leaving this age old occupation and migration to cities. Advantages of Integrated Farming system in the context of India’s agro-ecological diversity and farmers’ economic profile  Productivity : Integration of crop and allied enterprises helps to increase economic yield per unit area per unit time. Intensification of cropping and allied enterprises in space and time dimension found to increase the productivity. Profitability : Produce/waste material of new enterprise can be used for other enterprise at least for crop, thus reducing the cost of production and increasing profitability per rupee investment. Sustainability:- Huge quantity of inorganic fertilisers, pesticides, herbicides are required to meet the food requirement of increasing population @ 2.2 % every year. Abundant use of such material causes soil degradation and pollution. The productivity of soil gets drastically reduced in due course of time. IFS provides an opportunity to sustain production through organic supplementation and effective utilisation of byproduct of linked components. Balanced food : IFS link varied nature of enterprises to provide nutritious food viz., vitamins, proteins, carbohydrates, fat, minerals etc. from the same area. This solves the malnutrition problem of poor peoples. Environmental Safety : Abundant use of inorganic fertilisers, pesticides, herbicides make the soil, water and environment polluted. Similarly, residues of some crops, waste material also pollute the environment after decomposition. However in IFS waste material, byproducts of one composite are effectively recycled using for other component and by-product of that component as organic manure to enrich the soil. Use of bio agent or crop protection also minimises the pesticides. Recycling of waste : By-product of the crop husbandry can be effectively recycled for preparation of compost. Some of the by-product can be used as feed. This reduces the cost of production of one enterprise at the cost of other. Thus net income of farm is increased. Saving energy : Energy crises can be served to same extent by utilising organic waste to generate biogas which can be used for cooking, lighting etc. Adoption of new technology : Big farmers are fully aware with the new technologies because of using improved varieties, package of practices. But small and marginal farmers are not able to adopt for want of money. In IFS linking of cropping with dairy, mushroom, sericulture, floriculture there is a flow of money throughout the year. Money round the year:- In conventional farming income is expected once at the end of cropping season. However, IFS provides flow of money round the year by way of disposing eggs, milk, edible mushroom, honey, cocoons of silkworm etc. Availability of fodder, fuel and timber : IFS utilises every part of land. Growing of fodder trees on border will not only provide fodder but also enrich the soil by fixing atmospheric nitrogen. In multi-storeyed cropping includes of fodder component like cowpea as second or third tier also meet the fodder crises. The current production of fuel wood is about 20 million ton which needs to be increased to eighteen folds. Employment round the year : Crop-livestock integration increase labour requirement through the year, other activities like mushroom cultivation, sericulture, apiculture also needs labor. Hence IFS provides employment to family members as well as outside labour throughout the year. Agro-industries :Linking of various components in IFS, the production definitely increased to commercial level. Surplus production leads to development of agro based side industry. Increase input efficiency : IFS provides better scope to use available inputs more efficiently. This leads to increase benefit: cost ratio. Standard of living : IFS leads to produce milk, eggs, fruits, honey, edible mushroom and generate bioenergy for farmers family and commercial purpose. There is regular flow of money at frequent interval through out the year. Avoid degradation of forest : There is a vast gap between demand and production of fuel wood and timber. Users encroaches/destroy the forest area to bridge the gap. Forest lands get degraded and eroded due to denudation of forest. IFS linked with Afforestation and provide safety against degradation of lands, besides supplementation of fuel, timber and fodder. Integrated Farming Systems suitable particularly for hilly regions of the North Eastern Region can be adopted. Some are as – Integrated Fish cum Pig farming, Integrated Fish cum Duck Farming, Integrated Fish Farming-Chicken, Integrated Fish farming-cum-Cattle farming, Integrated Fish farming-cum-Rabbit farming, Integrated Fish farming-cum-Agriculture. Sikkim being an organic state is a good example. Example from Indian scene: An Indian example of Integrated farming can best be understood by the fact that once a degraded land in Jodhpur, Rajasthan having very less crop production (and income) with the use of integrated farming practices such as plantation of improved qualities of Ber along with intercropping, honeybee keeping and a goat unit turned into a major revenue generator along with improving the quality of soil and decreased expenditure on fertiliser and pesticides, produced good quality fruits using organic farming which has high demand overseas. Conclusion Integrated farming systems seem to be the possible solution to the continuous increase of demand for food and nutrition, income stability and livelihood upliftment particularly for small and marginal farmers with little resources. Therefore it supplements well the goals India needs to achieve on doubling of farming income, Climate change, nutritious food, and augmenting rural livelihood. 3. A community-centric approach to population control in need of the hour today. Do you agree? Substantiate your views.  Approach  The question demands an introduction based on basic definition of population control and contextualise to India.In next part write in brief the issue at hand.Then go on to discuss positive side of community centric approach and disadvantages of setting population targets.In conclusion mention how India’s population is already stabilising and need for a community based approach  Introduction  Human reproduction planning is the practice of intentionally controlling the rate of growth of a human population. It has traditionally been sometimes referred to as population control. Historically, human population planning has been implemented with the goal of increasing the rate of human population growth. However, in the period from the 1950s to the 1980s, concerns about looming human overpopulation and its effects on poverty, environmental degradation and political stability led to efforts to reduce human population growth rates.India was the first country in 1952 start family planning measures to have an optimum population. Body India’s history of population control  India’s population  has exploded after Independence.This has been a cause of concern from the initial years which led to family planning measures in 1952.This policy hardly had any effect and the population continued to grow exponentially.Then came the phase of national emergency which led to forceful implementation of family planning with mass sterilisation against individual will.This led to people becoming averse to idea of family planning and government measures. Then with the development it was seen world over that coercive family planning is less effective as compared to the community approach where the plans and measures are community driven and tailored to fit diverse population. This measures have been included in Indian National population policy 2000 and similarly states have adopted similar measures such as Maharashtra, Rajasthan etc. In current context there are debates on whether population control should be strictly implemented or community driven as some states such as Uttarpradesh and Assam are bringing reward and mechanisms in the population planning.While the evidence from one child policy of China suggests that setting targets against the natural course of development can be counter productive. Focus in Community centric approach Increasing the welfare and status of women and girls, spread of education, increasing awareness for the use of contraceptives and family planning methods, sex education, encouraging male sterilisation and spacing births, free distribution of contraceptives and condoms among the poor, encouraging female empowerment, more health care centres for the poor, to name a few, can play a major role in controlling population. India’s strengths in the global world in various fields cannot be ignored, whether in science & technology, medicine and health care, business and industry, military, communication, entertainment, literature and many more. Experts are hopeful that by increasing public awareness and enlisting strict population control norms by the Government will definitely lead the way for the country’s economic prosperity and control of population. Social Measure: Population outburst is considered to be a social problem and it is intensely rooted in the civilization. It is therefore necessary to make efforts to eliminate the social iniquities in the country. Minimum age of Marriage: As fertility depends on the age of marriage therefore the minimum age of marriage should be raised. In India minimum age for marriage is 21 years for men and 18 years for women fixed by law. This law should be strongly implemented and people should also be made aware of this through promotion. Raising the Status of Women: There are prevalent biases to women. They are restricted to house. They are still confined to rearing and bearing of children. So women should be given opportunities to develop socially and economically. Free education should be given to them. Spread education: The spread of education changes the views of people. The educated men take mature decisions and prefer to delay marriage and adopt small family custom. Educated women are health mindful and avoid frequent pregnancies and thus help in lowering birth rate. Adoption: is also effective way to curb population. Some parents do not have any child, despite expensive medical treatment. It is recommended that they should adopt orphan children. It will be helpful to orphan children and children to couples. Social Security: is necessary for people. It is responsibility of government to include more and more people under-social security schemes. So that they do not depend upon others in the event of old age, sickness, unemployment with these facilities they will have no desire for more children. Economic Measures: There has to be numerous economic measures taken as a preventive measure for population explosion. Government must devise policies for more employment opportunities. It is necessary is to raise the employment opportunities in rural as well as urban areas. Generally in rural areas there is disguised joblessness. Another economic measure for population control is the development of Agriculture and Industry. If agriculture and industry are correctly developed, huge number of people will get employment. When their income is increased they would enhance their standard of living and accept small family norms. Good standard of living is a deterrent to large family norm. In order to maintain their enhanced standard of living, people prefer to have a small family. Urbanisation: process can reduce population increase. It is reported that people in urban areas have low birth rate than those living in rural areas. Urbanisation should be encouraged. Disadvantages of forceful population control measures : A very high level of population growth can create imbalances, which make the job of the state more difficult, but the way the issue is being approached is problematic and will have unintended consequences. The approach is anti-poor, as they tend to have more children than middle-class people. Further, it is an anti-democratic practice that impairs a citizen’s right to choice and his/her sexual and reproductive rights. People have more children if there is a high prevalence of socio-economic issues such as infant and child mortality. For instance, the National Family Health Survey-4 (2015-16) reveals that women who have little access to health and education and those caught in a cycle of poverty, produce more and more children India’s TFR is about to reach the net replacement rate, or NRR, of about 2.1-2.2. So, India is not being threatened by a “population explosion”. The National Family Health Survey (NFHS) and Census data show that in most states, and many urban areas, the total fertility rate (TFR) has already reached replacement levels (2.1). Challenge with the two-child policy: If the first two children are girls, one of them faces a risk to life immediately after birth, as their parents have a preference for male offspring. This will increase even more female infanticide in India. According to the 2011 census, the UP had 908 females per 1,000 males, compared to the national average of 940 females per 1,000 males. The two-child policy is bound to increase this imbalance. Population control measures address yesterday’s problem: The population control measures might end up creating difficulties for tomorrow. Attempts to address the population issue through exclusionary policies will not improve the quality of life in states. So, this creates problems in the future. Against National Human Rights Commission order: The incentives/disincentives approach has been denounced in the past by the NHRC after such measures were introduced by several States in the 1990s and 2000s. i.e., Haryana, undivided Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, and Odisha. Global examples: The stricter population control policy from other countries are not effective in the long run and also tends to skew the sex ratio. China, for instance, resulted in a significant gender imbalance because of preference for a male child. Conclusion India’s TFRs have been reducing substantially across most States. To hasten the drop, States should tackle the socio-economic issues confronting India’s largely youthful demography rather than seeking neo-Malthusian approaches to population control.The focus should rather be on community driven approach of development and focusing on the human rights and fundamental rights provided in the constitution.   TLP Synopsis Day 138 PDF

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 22nd July 2021

Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) New generation of Akash surface-to-air missile Part of: GS Prelims and GS - III - Defence and Security In news A new generation of Akash surface-to-air missile was successfully flight-tested on by the DRDO from an integrated test range off the Odisha coast in a boost to air defence capabilities. The new variant of the Akash missile (Akash-NG) has a slightly better range compared to the original version that can strike targets at a distance of around 25 km. During the test, the missile demonstrated high manoeuvrability required for neutralising fast and agile aerial threats.  About Akash Missile System Akash is India’s first indigenously produced medium range Surface to Air missile that can engage multiple targets from multiple directions. Manufactured by: Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) The all-weather missile can engage targets at a speed 2.5 times more than the speed of sound and can detect and destroy targets flying at low, medium and high altitudes. The Akash missile system has been designed and developed as part of India’s 30-year-old Integrated guided-missile development programme (IGMDP) which also includes other missiles like Nag, Agni, Trishul and Prithvi. The nuclear-capable missile can fly at a speed of up to Mach 2.5 (nearly 860 m/s) at a maximum height of 18 km. It can strike enemy aerial targets from a distance of 30 km. Unique features of Akash: It can be launched from mobile platforms like battle tanks or wheeled trucks. It has nearly 90% kill probability. The missile is supported by the indigenously developed radar called 'Rajendra' that can handle highly-manoeuvring multiple targets from multiple directions in group or autonomous mode. The missile is reportedly cheaper and more accurate than USA’s Patriot missiles due to its solid-fuel technology and high-tech radars. News Source: PIB Draft National Strategy and Roadmap for Development of Rural Tourism in India Part of: GS Prelims and GS-III - Tourism In news Ministry of Tourism has invited feedback/ comments/ suggestions on the draft National Strategy and Roadmap for Development of Rural Tourism in India from all the State Governments/UT Administrations.  Rural Tourism is any form of tourism that showcases the rural life, art, culture and heritage at rural locations. It benefits the local community economically and socially as well as enabling interaction between the tourists and the locals for a more enriching tourism experience. Driven by the spirit of “Vocal for Local”, rural tourism can contribute significantly to the mission of Aatmanirbhar Bharat. The Ministry of Tourism has identified Rural Circuit as one of the thematic circuits under Swadesh Darshan Scheme  What is the focus of the strategy? It focuses on the key pillars like  Model policies and best practices for rural tourism Digital technologies and platforms for rural tourism Developing clusters for rural tourism Marketing support for rural tourism Capacity building of stakeholders Governance and Institutional Framework. What is the Potential/Significance of Rural Tourism in India? The concept of Rural Tourism is useful for India since almost 74% of the population resides in its 7 million villages. Numerous local traditions like plays, art forms, dances etc. enhance the cultural wealth of rural areas, making these attractive for the tourists. Lush green forests in south Indian villages, sacred groves etc. make them an ideal site to promote tourism.  It could provide jobs to many young men and women who otherwise are increasingly migrating to cities. Socially, it can open the rural mindset to new thoughts and ideas from the outside world. For the urban citizen, a few days spent amidst traditional rural lifestyle may prove to be a great stress reliever. News Source: PIB New Shephard rocket system Part of: GS Prelims and GS -III - Space In news Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos came back to earth after a 10-min flight to space on Blue Origin’s New Shepard spacecraft. What is the Significance of the mission? The astronauts experienced three to four minutes of zero-gravity and travelled above the Kármán Line, the internationally-recognised boundary of space. What is New Shephard, the rocket system? It is a rocket system meant to take tourists to space successfully. The system is built by Blue Origin, Private Space Company based out in USA. New Shephard has been named after astronaut Alan Shephard, the first American to go to space. It offers flights to space over 100 km above the Earth and accommodation for payloads. The system is a fully reusable, vertical takeoff and vertical landing space vehicle  Scientific objectives of the mission: It is a rocket system that has been designed to take astronauts and research payloads past the Karman line. The idea is to provide easier and more cost-effective access to space meant for purposes such as academic research, corporate technology development, entrepreneurial ventures and space tourism among others. News Source: TH SMILE Scheme Part of: GS Prelims and GS II - Policies and interventions In news Recently, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has formulated a scheme “SMILE - Support for Marginalized Individuals for Livelihood and Enterprise”. It includes a subscheme - ‘Central Sector Scheme for Comprehensive Rehabilitation of persons engaged in Begging’. About the Scheme: It is a new Scheme after the merger of existing Schemes for Beggars and Transgenders. Scheme provides for the use of the existing shelter homes available with the State/UT Governments and Urban local bodies for rehabilitation of the persons engaged in the act of Begging. In case of non-availability of existing shelter homes, new dedicated shelter homes are to be set up by the implementing agencies. It is estimated that an approximate 60,000 poorest persons would be benefited under this scheme for leading a life of dignity Focus: Rehabilitation, provision of medical facilities, counselling, education, skill development, economic linkages and so on. Implementation: It will be implemented with the support of State/UT Governments/Local Urban Bodies, Voluntary Organizations. What is the Status of Beggars In India? According to the Census 2011 , total number of beggars in India is 4,13,670 and the number has increased from the last census. Top States: West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar  Top UTs: New Delhi and Chandigarh. Recently, the Supreme Court has agreed to examine a plea for decriminalising begging which has been made an offence in various states under Prevention of Begging Act. News Source: PIB Roadmap for India’s Offshore Wind Energy Part of: GS Prelims and GS - III - Renewable Energy In news Recently, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has set a target of installing 5 GW of offshore wind energy capacity by 2022 and 30 GW by 2030. India can generate 127 GW of offshore wind energy with its 7,600 km of coastline. About Offshore Wind Energy: Wind energy today typically comes in two different “types”:  Onshore wind farms which are large installations of wind turbines located on land Offshore wind farms which are deployment of wind farms inside the water bodies. They utilise the sea winds to generate electricity.  Offshore wind farms either use fixed-foundation turbines or floating wind turbines. Offshore wind farms must be at least 200 nautical miles from the shore and 50 feet deep in the ocean. The produced electricity is returned to shore through cables buried in the ocean floor. What is the Status of Wind Energy in India? India’s electricity generation from wind reached 39.2 gigawatts (GW) a year in March 2021.  An addition of another 20 GW over the next five years is expected to happen soon. The compound annual growth rate for wind generation has been 11.39% between 2010 and 2020, and for installed capacity, it has been 8.78%. More than 95% of commercially exploitable resources are located in seven states: Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu. News Source: DTE Indigenously developed MPATGM for minimum range Part of: GS Prelims and GS - III - Defence and security In news In a major boost towards AatmaNirbhar Bharat and strengthening of Indian Army, DRDO successfully flight-tested indigenously developed low weight, fire and forget Man Portable Anti tank Guided Missile (MPATGM). The test has validated the minimum range successfully. The missile has already been successfully flight tested for the maximum range.  The missile is incorporated with state-of-the-art Miniaturized Infrared Imaging Seeker along with advanced avionics.  The test brings the development of indigenous third generation man portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile close to completion.  News Source: PIB (Mains Focus) INTERNATIONAL/ SECURITY Topic: GS-2: India and its neighborhood- relations.  GS-2: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests India must directly engage with Taliban 2.0 In News: With the withdrawal of the United States from Afghanistan in process, India’s Afghan policy is at a major crossroads; to safeguard its civilian assets there as well as to stay relevant in the unfolding ‘great game’ in and around Afghanistan, What has been the recent actions of India in Afghanistan? India has ‘temporarily’ closed its consulate in Kandahar and evacuated its diplomats and Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) personnel stationed there.  This follows the suspension of operations in the Indian consulates in Jalalabad and Herat. India has only its Embassy in Kabul and the consulate in Mazar-e-Sharif. In other words, New Delhi has decided to ramp down its civilian presence in the war-torn country, bracing for a full-blown civil war. What does India’s decision to partially “withdraw” from Afghanistan indicate? It shows that betting only on the government in Kabul was a big mistake. It also shows that India realises the threat Taliban poses to Indian assets and presence in Afghanistan.  Has India’s Policy towards Taliban changed in the recent past? India has been steadily abandoning its strict policy towards the Taliban over the past few years.  In 2018, India sent a ‘non-official delegation’ of two retired diplomats to Moscow for a conference that had Taliban & other regional countries In Sep 2020, India’s External Affairs Minister (EAM) joined the inaugural session of the intra-Afghan (Taliban & Afghan government) negotiations in Doha Latest reports indicated that India has started reaching out to the Taliban through back channel Diplomacy, which was indirectly confirmed by EAM Overall, we can say that India’s approach to Taliban has been half-hearted, half-embarrassed and ideologically-hesitant  What are the reasons that has kept India’s engagement with Taliban Slow & Half-hearted? Doesn’t want to upset Afghan Government:  If New Delhi chooses to engage the Taliban directly, it could make Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani, thus far India’s trusted partner, uneasy.  This could potentially nudge him to look towards China and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) for national security and personal political survival.  Dilemma of whom to Talk to in Taliban New Delhi faces difficulty as to whom to talk to within the Taliban given that it is hardly a monolith.  New Delhi may have little access to the fighters on the ground in Afghanistan. So, the only option might be the Doha-based Taliban negotiators. Moral Principles cautioning against the rush to engage Taliban faced global criticism, including from India, in its earlier avatar for its conservative & anti-Democratic Policies. Due to lack of evidence about whether Taliban is a changed outfit today, New Delhi might not want to court the Taliban so soon.  More so, there is little clarity about what the Taliban’s real intentions are going forward and what they would do after ascending to power in Kabul.  Pakistan Factor There is this possibility of Pakistan acting out more aggressively against India in Kashmir if India were to establish deeper links with the Taliban. Why India should engage with the Taliban more proactively and openly? Accepting the reality: Taliban, one way or another, is going to be part of the political power in Afghanistan, and most of the international community are going to recognise/negotiate/do business with the Taliban. Non-engagement with Taliban might lead to India being left out in the country. Pakistan Factor: So the less proactive the Indian engagement with the Taliban, the stronger Pakistan-Taliban relations would become, which is against India’s interest in the region. Political Need of Taliban: Taliban today is looking for regional and global partners for recognition and legitimacy especially in the neighbourhood. Also, to balance its neighbour Pakistan, Taliban might be looking for India as its strategic partner. To ensure security of India’s civilian assets: It makes neither strategic nor economic sense to withdraw from Afghanistan after spending over $3 billion by India in developmental aid. Therefore, India needs to engage with Taliban to ensure security of its civilian assets. To shape regional destiny: If India is not proactive in Afghanistan at least now, Russia, Iran, Pakistan and China will emerge as the shapers of Afghanistan’s political and geopolitical destiny, which for sure will be detrimental to Indian interests there. Opening up the congested north-western frontier: Backchannel talks and consequent ceasefire with Pakistan, political dialogue with the mainstream Kashmiri leadership, secret parleys with Taliban all indicate that New Delhi is opening up its congested north-western frontier. Proactive engagement of the Taliban will provide this effort with more strategic heft. Engagement is not endorsement: Open engagement of the Taliban is neither tolerating nor accepting the condemnable atrocities committed by the Taliban. Conclusion In the end, India’s engagement with the Taliban may or may not achieve much, but non-engagement will definitely hurt Indian interests So New Delhi must forget the demons of IC-814 (the December 1999 hijacking) from its collective memory and engage with the Taliban 2.0 — there is no need to be secretive or embarrassed about it.  Connecting the dots : March 2020: Donald Trump’s Doha Agreement  March 2021: Joe Biden’s initial Peace Plan April 2021: Final Biden’s Plan of US Exit from Afghanistan Rise of Taliban GOVERNANCE/ ECONOMY Topic: GS-2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. India Inequality Report 2021: Oxfam The report was released by Oxfam India  Who is Oxfam? Oxfam International is a group of independent NGOs formed in 1995. The name “Oxfam” comes from the Oxford Committee for Famine Relief, founded in Britain in 1942. The group campaigned for food supplies to starving women and children in enemy-occupied Greece during the Second World War. Oxfam aims to maximize efficiency and achieve greater impact to reduce global poverty and injustice. The Oxfam International Secretariat is based in Nairobi, Kenya. Key Findings of the 2021 report It provides a comprehensive analysis of the health outcomes across different socioeconomic groups to gauge the level of health inequality that persists in the country. The findings are primarily based on secondary analysis from rounds 3 and 4 of the National Family Health Survey and various rounds of the National Sample Survey. Female Literacy Literacy rate for women in the general category is 18.6 percent higher than SC women and 27.9 percent higher than ST women. Inequality is evident in the attainment of female literacy with a gap of 55.1% between the top and bottom 20 percent of population in 2015-16    Sanitation Two out of three households have access to improved, non-shared sanitation facilities in the general category. While SC households are 28.5 percent behind them, and ST are 39.8 percent behind them.  Only 30.2 % of Total Households have piped water into residence  Health Expenditure 81 percent of the total hospitalisation expenditure is covered through the savings of the household while one in every six rupees spent is through borrowing.  More than 50 percent of out of pocket expenditure is utilized in purchasing medicines and another 10 percent in medical and diagnostic labs.  Pregnancy The share of institutional deliveries in india has increased from 38.7 percent in 2005-06 to 78.9 percent in 2015-16, indicating a rise of 40.2 percent in a decade.  Institutional births in ST households was 15% below the general category in 2015- 16.  810 women lose their lives daily from preventable pregnancy and/or childbirth-related causes. Teenage childbearing has gone down significantly from 16 percent in 2005-06 to 8 percent in 2015-16: a 50 percent decline.  The percentage of mothers who have received full antenatal care has declined from 37 percent in 2005- 06 to 21 percent in 2015-16.  Full antenatal care for urban areas is close to two times that of rural areas.  Infant Mortality Rate IMR is the number of deaths per 1,000 live births of children under one year of age.  IMR has dropped to 32 in 2018, which is closer to the world average of 28.9.  SCs still have IMR 13.1 higher than the general category, while infant deaths in STs are 12.3 more.  Under-five mortality rate (U5MR) has dropped to 36 in 2018, close to the world average of 38.6.  Child Wasting Percentage of wasted children (deficient in weight- for-height) has increased from 19.8 to 21 percent between 2005-06 and 2015-16.  One in every two children are anaemic in India (50 percent), with three out of every five children anaemic in SC and ST households (60 percent)  Child Stunting The percentage of stunted children (deficient in height-for-age) has decreased from 48% to 38.4% between 2005-06 and 2015-16 in India.  The difference between stunted children in SC and ST households and those in households belonging to the general category is 12.6 and 13.6 percent, respectively.  Government Interventions The National Health Profile in 2017 recorded one government allopathic doctor for every 10,189 people and one state-run hospital for every 90,343 people. In the 2021-22 budget, the health ministry has been allocated a total of INR 76,901 crore, a decline of 9.8 percent from INR 85,250 crore from the revised estimates of 2020-21.  The public expenditure on health by the central government as a percentage of GDP was a mere 0.32 percent in 2019-20.  The combined expenditure by state and central government was about 1.16 percent of the GDP in 2019 rising marginally by 0.02 percent from 2018  1.58 lakh sub centres, 26 thousand PHCs and 5.6 thousand CHC. There is a shortfall of 43,736 sub-centres (23 percent), 8764 PHC (28 percent) and 2865 CHC (37 percent) across the country.  The private health sector accounts for 66% of hospitalization and non-hospitalization cases and 33% of institutional births. This growth has been boosted by government concessions  Only 14 percent of both SC and ST households are registered with the PM-JAY.  Recommendations  The right to health should be enacted as a fundamental right that makes it obligatory for the government to ensure equal access to timely, acceptable, and affordable healthcare of appropriate quality  Increase health spending to 2.5 percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to ensure a more equitable health system in the country;  Ensure that union budgetary allocation in health for SCs and STs is proportionate to their population;  Prioritize primary health by ensuring that two-thirds of the health budget is allocated for strengthening primary healthcare;  Centre should extend financial support to the states with low per capita health expenditure to reduce inter-state inequality in health  Widen the ambit of insurance schemes to include out-patient care  Institutionalize a centrally-sponsored scheme that earmarks funds for the provision of free essential drugs and diagnostics at all public health facilities.  Direct all states to notify the Patients’ Rights Charter forwarded to them by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, and set up operational mechanisms to make these rights functional and enforceable by law  Regulate the private health sector by ensuring that all state governments adopt and effectively implement Clinical Establishments Act or equivalent state legislation;  Extend the price capping policy introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic to include diagnostics and non-COVID treatment in order to prevent exorbitant charging by private hospitals and reduce catastrophic out-of-pocket health expenditure.  Augment and strengthen human resources and infrastructure in the healthcare system by regularising services of women frontline health workers especially ASHA Inter-sectoral coordination for public health should be boosted to address issues of water and sanitation, literacy, etc. that contribute to health conditions.  Connecting the dots: National Digital Health Mission Health Data Management Policy  (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 New Shephard, recently seen in news, is associated with which of the following?  A new Covid-19 variant A new hybrid of sheep A rocket system meant to take tourists to space successfully A new drought resistant wheat variety Q.2 Consider the following statements regarding Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) It is an autonomous organisation under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India.  It is one of the largest national agricultural systems in the world. Select the correct statements 1 Only 2 Only Both 1 and 2 only Neither 1 nor 2 Q.3 Consider the following statements regarding Akash Missile System: Akash is India’s first indigenously produced medium range Surface to Air missile. The Akash missile system has been designed and developed as part of India’s 30-year-old integrated guided-missile development programme (IGMDP). Select the correct statements 1 Only 2 Only Both 1 and 2 only Neither 1 nor 2 ANSWERS FOR 21st July 2021 TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE (TYK) 1 B 2 D 3 A Must Read On internet, wealth creation and happiness in life: The Hindu On Oil Politics: The Hindu On the problem of water: Indian Express 

RSTV Video

Need for Reforms in UN – The Big Picture – RSTV IAS UPSC

Archives TOPIC: General Studies 2 Important International institutions, agencies and fora- their structure, mandate In News: Addressing the UN Security Council open debate on ‘Enhancing cooperation between the United Nations and regional and sub-regional organisations in enhancing confidence-building and dialogue in conflict prevention and resolution’,  External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said that a rational evaluation of cooperation between the UN and the regional and sub-regional organisations during the last 75 years will provide a good basis for future engagements. Noting that the world order built following the Second World War is under serious stress, External Affairs Minister said the nature of threats faced by member states when the United Nations was founded 75 years ago has also changed.  "In today's globalised world, terrorism, radicalisation, drug trafficking and organised crime have a growing salience. The security implications of new technologies cannot be disregarded.” Criticism of UN in the wake of Pandemic The UN has been unable to respond effectively to the once-in-a-century global crisis triggered by the coronavirus. At the UN Security Council, China blocked a serious discussion on the origin and sources of the crisis. While the World Health Organisation did move a bit in that direction, the US was not satisfied with the outcome and walked out of the forum. How has International Politics affected UN functioning over the years? Realism at the core of UN System: UN, was meant, by design, to be a concert of great powers who had a permanent seat in the Security Council. Cooperation among the great powers was the precondition for its success in the security arena. During the Cold War, Washington and Moscow were at each other’s throats and the UNSC was deadlocked.  During the brief unipolar moment of the 1990s, post-Soviet Russia was willing to acquiesce to the sweeping US agenda for global security. China was feeling its way around multilateral institutions and avoided any challenge to the US and West. In 2000s, Russia and China began to offer resistance to US dominance.  Present Situation is that of Political Fragmentation: The conflict between the US on the one hand and China and Russia on the other has become full-blown. To make matters more complicated, the West itself is divided. Pending & Most-pressing Reforms  Structural reforms Expansion of UNSC: The composition no longer reflects global geopolitical realities. Indeed, the Western Europe and Other Group (WEOG) now accounts for three of the five permanent members (France, the United Kingdom, and the US). That leaves only one permanent position for the Eastern European Group (Russia), one for the Asia-Pacific Group (China), and none for Africa or Latin America. The rotating seats on the Security Council do not adequately restore regional balance. Even with two of the ten rotating Security Council seats, the AsiaPacific region is still massively under-represented. The Asia-Pacific region accounts for roughly 55% of the world’s population and 44% of its annual income but has just 20% (three out of 15) of the seats on the Security Council. Asia’s inadequate representation poses a serious threat to the UN’s legitimacy, which will only increase as the world’s most dynamic and populous region Do away with Veto power. UN Secretariat Transparency reform: Make the UN administration (usually called the UN Secretariat or "the bureaucracy") more transparent, more accountable, and more efficient, including direct election of the Secretary General by the people. Efficiency and transparency watchdog to remove corruption issues. – Funding should not be voluntary and must be based on CBDR principle. Functional reforms Decisions should be as far as possible based on consensus. Organizations like NATO should be avoided and be replaced by UNO forces in conflicts. UN secretary general should not be a rubber stamp and need more powers. Conclusion We need to undertake a new journey towards a reformed and reinvigorated multilateral system. Connecting the Dots: UNSC reforms are long called for. Many emerging economies including India are pressing for immediate reforms. Analyse. Comment upon the efforts of the United Nations (UN) in peace keeping post Word War II. 

Rapid Revision (RaRe) Series for UPSC

[Day 53]: 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-53 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 22nd JULY 2021

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

TLP Mains Answer Writing

IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 1): UPSC Mains Answer Writing – General Studies Paper 3 Questions [22nd JULY,2021] – Day 139

For Previous TLP (ARCHIVES) - CLICK HERE Hello Friends, Welcome to IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 1): UPSC Mains Answer Writing – General Studies Paper 3 Questions [22nd JULY,2021] – Day 139 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. Examine the key challenge that the horticulture sector faces in India. Also suggest measures to address those challenges. (10 Marks) भारत में बागवानी क्षेत्र के सामने आने वाली प्रमुख चुनौतियों का परीक्षण कीजिए। साथ ही उन चुनौतियों से निपटने के उपाय भी सुझाएं। 2. Examine the moral hazards of agricultural loan waiver. Also comment on the efficacy of loan waivers as a measure to address agrarian distress. (10 Marks) कृषि ऋण माफी के नैतिक खतरों का परीक्षण करें। कृषि संकट को दूर करने के उपाय के रूप में ऋण माफी की प्रभावकारिता पर भी टिप्पणी करें। 3. Agricultural insurance schemes have failed to achieve their objectives in India. Do you agree with this assessment? Comment. Also examine the factors associated with the dismal performance of this segment in India’s farm sector. Suggest measures to address the same. (15 Marks) कृषि बीमा योजनाएं भारत में अपने उद्देश्यों को प्राप्त करने में विफल रही हैं। क्या आप इस आकलन से सहमत हैं? टिप्पणी। भारत के कृषि क्षेत्र में इस खंड के निराशाजनक प्रदर्शन से जुड़े कारकों की भी जांच करें। इससे निपटने के उपाय सुझाएं। 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 :)

TLP Mains Answer Writing

SYNOPSIS [20th JULY,2021] Day 137: IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 1): UPSC Mains Answer Writing (General Studies)

For Previous TLP (ARCHIVES) - CLICK HERE   SYNOPSIS [20th JULY,2021] Day 137: IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 1): UPSC Mains Answer Writing (General Studies)   1. The general election of 1967 was a watershed in India’s political history? Do you agree? Substantiate. Approach  Give a brief introduction on what were the different events which were in flow at 1967 elections.In next part mention what were the changes brought by the elections with giving various examples.In conclusion summarise the events and contextualise with the present times. Introduction The Lok Sabha election of 1967 was a turning point in the Indian democracy for a plethora of reasons. India had already seen two wars with its neighbouring countries.The economy was in bad shape and India had lost two Prime ministers in quick succession.It was also time when the people were looking for different options in politics other than the Congress which had dominated until now. Body The election of 1967 was watershed in India’s Post Independence history due to the following factors Decline of Congress System After Congress being synonymous with India and India with Congress, the vote share of Congress came down drastically for the first time after Independence in the 1967 elections. Local Parties even formed government in six states including Tamilnadu and Westbengal which was seen for the first time. Rise of Coalition Politics Until now, the Congress was very hegemonic in its approach-gaining complete majority on most occasions. But, almost 20 years later after Independence- various coalition parties came up against the Congress For example : DMK, Communist parties supported congress at the centre while they were opposed to each other at the state levels. Rise of Middle Class Peasants Due to Green Revolution and importance given to agriculture after the initial years of Independence, the economic condition of peasants improved. This led to rise in politics around farmers where there were marches to Delhi for the demand of better quality seeds, subsidy on fertilisers and enlargement of green revolution territories  Split of Congress The Congress party split in a couple of years and Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s faction was reduced to a minority in the Lok Sabha in December 1969. This gave rise to many small parties over a period of time which led to creation of Janta party.Even today parties such as Trinamool Congress, Nationalist Congress party . Politics of defection Increase in horse trading, rise of lot of small parties.As the parties increased it led to inducements to legislators.The nationalism in the legislators which was present at the independence was waning  First Election after 1965 and 1967 war The spirit of nationalism and integration was reinstated due to the two wars.People were high on nationalism after the decisive war with Pakistan. The spirit of Nationalism was at its peak. Anti-Incumbency  The prolonged Congress rule and the Nehru Era, through had many positives put India into the mouth of two wars. People criticized Nehru for the same and started looking for alternatives.  The Congress party, even while retaining power at the Centre (with a reduced strength in the Lok Sabha) was voted out in nine states. Uttar Pradesh, where the Congress had managed a majority in the election also slipped out of its hold, within a month, when Charan Singh left the party with a chunk of MLAs to become Chief Minister of a non-Congress coalition. Creation of Multi-Party Democracy in India. Indian democracy was feared going the China way, but downfall of Congress and growing of Coalition politics came to India’s rescue  The Congress party split in a couple of years and Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s faction was reduced to a minority in the Lok Sabha in December 1969. Multiple viewpoints, multiple ideas started getting to be recognized. We started to become more tolerant to different world views. Religious fanaticism was on rise. The Hindu-Muslim divide kept on rising. Political instabilities added to Polarisation, leading to further fragmentation.  Conclusion The 1967 showed that  Indian nation had matured and taken the shape of concrete blocks and was being put to test by various political formations to build their own edifices. It showed that the young nation had stabilised after Independence and the single party rule was giving way to multiparty system. This was a period when the seeds of present political system were sowed and was a watershed moment in India political history. 2. What role have Cricket and Bollywood played in post independence consolidation? Illustrate.  Approach  Introduce Indian independence and then contextualise to the demand of the question.Then address the role played by cricket and Bollywood in consolidation of India after Independence.Substantiate with examples  Introduction: India was born out of a protracted struggle against the colonial rule.The freedom which came ,came with a prize of partition.The whole nation wanted to be part of nation building process which also included cricket and cinema.Cricket and Cinema have played a huge role in inculcating National feelings, Unity and Brotherhood among Indians. Their contribution in post independence consolidation of India as nation has been an important element. Body Role played by cricket in Post-Independence consolidation  The game of cricket was introduced by the colonisers but Indians even before independence were competing against the England.This imparted the spirit of nationalism in the cricket team over the years. Cricket was a low cost game which gave equality of opportunity based on merit.Thus it brought people across various caste and class to play under one team. From Maharajas to commoners.This lead to a national consciousness. It made people from various regions to come together, watch matches and cheer for players irrespective of their regional origins. Every victory such as the world cup win of 1983 and every struggle which Indians faced in England and Australia brought country together.The nation rejoiced and lamented collectively. It broke caste, creed, regional and Gender barriers and made people come together as part of one country. With movement of players from one state to another, representing states different from one’s origin, it has played a huge role in Cultural exchanges and bringing people together.This embedded pluralism in India which was part of unity in diversity which had been long held by Indians. From being a mere sport, it has got transformed into a status of Religion among country men. It gave Indians not only collective identity within the nation but the diaspora which have been indentured in past and migrated due to economic reasons rejoiced in Indian teams victories.This helped India establish a mature relationship with foreign countries . Role played by Cinema in National consolidation : Nationalism: Indian films such as Naya Daur(1957) and mother India (1957) both helped in invoking nationalism in Indians and this has continued in films such a Chak de India in 2007. Economic system: The movies have represented the economic system of it times such as 1950s had emphasis on socialism while the 2000s represented the liberal economy.This has guided the values of Indians. Culture: The influence of Bollywood all over the country in Initial years exposed the whole country to the diversity of Indian nation.It promoted multiculturalism and plural values. Religious Harmony: Many movies have portrayed how the evil elements of society create the social divide in different religions.It educated masses to guard themselves against these tendencies.Further message of communal harmony has been given from movies such as Garam Hawa, to recently released Commando. Political awareness and democratisation: Movies like Leader, Andha kanoon have made people question government,the corruption and democratised the society by invoking the value of voting. Conclusion The India as it exists today is due to many factors such as government, contexts, leadership, defence but also has contributions of Cinema and cricket.These both elements have infused nationalism, increased social interaction, created a collective identity and helped make government accountable.Thus both have played an important role in post independence consolidation and this role needs to be carried forward for a better and stronger nation. 3. Was underestimating and understating Chinese adventurism in the late 1950s a strategic miscalculation? Substantiate your viewpoint. Approach  Introduce with the initial trajectories of India and China as new nations.In next part substantiate the answer with how the initial policy before 1962 was more based on idealism which led to miscalculation which eventually culminated into a war.In conclusion contextualise to the present situation and how India is responding today. Introduction  The Republic of India and the People’s Republic of China both emerged as newly established nation-states at the end of the 1940s, putting behind them decades of prolonged strife and struggle. Endowed with huge, predominantly agrarian populations, burdened with widespread poverty, and possessing economies with underdeveloped and tiny industrial sectors, they faced daunting challenges to governance and development. Both countries were also multi-ethnic, multi-cultural societies that had inherited a variety of border problems and suffered some degree of territorial dismemberment. Body India’s miscalculations and understating towards Chinese adventurism in 1950’s: UNSC support: India extended its unequivocal support and was one of the first countries to recognize communist china. India also lobbied for the UN Security Council membership for communist china, which the western world has given to the nationalist china (Taiwan). The Tibet Question: Tibet, which was a British protectorate till 1950 and enjoyed de facto independence, was forcefully occupied by china in October 1950. India did not press upon its special rights over Tibet and accepted the Chinese position on Tibet, as the Tibet had been culturally a part of China, apart from the period when Tibet came under the influence of imperialism. In 1959, in the aftermath of a Tibetan uprising against Chinese high handedness, the 14th Dalai Lama fled to India. Since then India has granted asylum to the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan government in exile. India maintains that Dalai Lama is just an honoured guest and India unequivocally recognizes Tibet as the part of china. For china, the asylum to the Dalai Lama is an Indian tactic of keeping the issue of Tibetan sovereignty alive. Panchsheel agreement: In 1954 the famous panchsheel agreement (five principles of the peaceful coexistence) was signed between India and China, in which India officially recognized Chinese sovereignty over Tibet. McMahon line issue: In the east China rejected to accept the McMahon line, which was accepted as the boundary between the Tibet and India in the Shimla conference of 1914. China contends that in the conference the Chinese representative never signed the agreement and the Tibet being the part of China did not have any rights to sign treaties independently. In the eastern sector, China started claiming the whole of NEFA, on the pretext that it was the part of southern Tibet and Tawang town has cultural and Buddhist links with Tibet and china, & also the area became part of the British India only after the demarcation of the McMahon line. NAM: Nehru was on a mission of uniting the third world countries under the umbrella of the non-aligned movement. India’s increasing clout, as some strategic thinkers believe, was causing some heartburn to Chinese leaders. In 1961, china occupied some Indian administered areas in the eastern sector. In response India resorted to ‘forward policy’, which was interpreted by china as a manifestation of Indian expansionist intentions. Chinese army launched a simultaneous offensive in Ladakh and NEFA in October 1962. The advancing Chinese acquired several territories in Ladakh and the Tawang in the eastern sector. On November 20, 1962 china announced unilateral cease- fire and withdrew from all disputed territories. Conclusion The miscalculations made by India have led to learning and recalibration of Indian policy towards China.After the 1962 setback India has held its guard and build its defences against China.This can be seen by India’s recent responses to China at Doklam and Galwan.Further seeing the expansionist and belligerent policies of China India need to invest in its defences as-well as push at international forums to counter China.The Build Back Better Initiative by western power’s is a good start and India should take a lead in it. TLP Synopsis Day 137 PDF

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 21st July 2021

Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) Sero Survey Part of: GS Prelims and GS – III- Governance Key Findings of Fourth National Sero Survey  Two-thirds of India's population have antibodies against the coronavirus. 67.6% of adults were seropositive, while more than 62% of adults were unvaccinated.  About 400 million of India's 1.4 billion people did not have antibodies. What is Sero Survey? Sero studies popularly known as sero survey examines how many people in a population have been infected with COVID-19 Sero survey broadly indicates following things;  The percentage of the population exposed to the virus.  Which groups are more exposed or have had higher rates of infection How infection rates are progressing in a particular area. How far are we from herd immunity. How is Sero Survey Done? The blood serum (fluid part of plasma) of a group of individuals is examined for antibodies (not the virus itself) that are developed in response to virus exposure.  Seropositive=> Presence of antibodies => exposed to Coronavirus Everybody cannot be tested, only a few people chosen at random are tested. The results are an estimate of the proportion of people who have been infected in the past. E-Aasthi Part of: GS Prelims and GS – III- E-Governance In News: Bengaluru’s Municipal Corporation (BBMP) is set to extend the E-Aasthi project to all the wards in the three core zones – South, East and West. Key Takeaways E-Aasthi Project aims to digitise property documents. Presently it is being implemented in 100 wards of BBMP Limits. E-Aasthi software was initially developed by the National Informatics Centre (NIC) for all urban local bodies. It was later customised by Karnataka State government. NIC, established in 1976 under Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology provides network backbone and e-Governance support to Union/State/UT Governments. With the implementation of E-aasthi, updating different property transactions, such as sale, inheritance, partition, gift, will, land acquisition, khata amalgamation/ bifurcation can be done easily, without having to visit the BBMP offices.  Since it is an end-to-end app, the E-Aasthi system was linked to property tax records under GIS-enabled Property Tax Information System (GEPTIS). Significance of E-Aasthi:  Sanitises revenue records Bring in transparency and accountability in land transactions Stamps out illegal transactions and cutting out middlemen. Supreme Court quashes part of Cooperative Amendment  Part of: GS Prelims and GS – II- Polity In News: The Supreme Court on Tuesday struck down certain provisions of the Constitution (97th Amendment) Act, 2011 Gujarat High Court in 2013 had struck down certain provisions of the 97th CAA by reasoning that Parliament cannot enact laws with regard to cooperative societies as it is a State subject. This was appealed by Centre in Supreme Court.  The Constitution (97th Amendment) Act, 2011 made following changes New Part IXB regarding the cooperatives working in India added Part IXB dictated the terms for running co-operative societies like the number of directors a society should have or their length of tenure and even the necessary expertise required to become a member of the society. In Art. 19(1)(c) the word “cooperatives” was added after “unions and associations”.  This enables all the citizens to form cooperatives by giving it the status of fundamental right of citizens. A new Article 43B was added in the Directive Principles of State Policy (Part IV) regarding the “promotion of cooperative societies” Key Takeaways of SC Judgement Upheld the validity of the 97th constitutional amendment  However, dissenting judgement by Justice Nariman struck down the entire 97th CAA. Struck down part of Part IXB which dealt with cooperative societies confined to states. Court held that co-operative societies come under the “exclusive legislative power” of State legislatures and Centre can’t shrink State’s exclusive authority. However, Part IXB of the Constitution is operative only in so far as it concerns multi-State co-operative societies. This is because Multi-State Cooperatives comes under Union List. The court also took exception to the fact that the 97th Constitutional Amendment was passed without ratification from the States. What is the significance of the verdict? It allays States’ fears that new Union Ministry of Cooperation would have dis-empowered them.  Judgement reiterates State’s exclusive legislative power over cooperatives within their territories. NEA Scout: NASA’s New Spacecraft Part of: GS Prelims and GS – III- Science & Technology In News: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has announced that its new spacecraft, named Near-Earth Asteroid Scout or NEA Scout, has completed all required tests and has been safely tucked inside the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. About NEA Scout It is a miniaturized spacecraft, known as a CubeSat. Its main mission is to fly by and collect data from a near-Earth asteroid.  It will take about two years to cruise to the asteroid and will be about 93 million miles away from Earth during the asteroid encounter. It is one of several payloads that will hitch a ride on Artemis I, which is expected to be launched in November, 2021. Artemis I is the first in a series of increasingly complex missions that will enable human exploration to the Moon and Mars. NEA Scout launches to the Moon in 2021 with a fleet of other small satellites aboard Artemis 1. At the Moon, NEA Scout will deploy its 86-square-meter solar sail and slowly spiral out of lunar orbit. It will travel to a near-Earth asteroid and perform a slow fly-by, capturing up-close images of the surface. The images gathered by NEA Scout will provide critical information on the asteroid’s physical properties such as orbit, shape, volume, rotation, the dust and debris field surrounding it, plus its surface properties. What is unique about NEA Scout? It will also be America’s first interplanetary mission using a special solar sail propulsion. So far, spacecraft have been using solar energy to power them and execute critical functions. This will be the first time that a spacecraft uses solar energy as wind to generate thrust and move forward. The spacecraft will pave the way for the Solar Cruiser, which will use a sail 16 times larger when it flies in 2025. External Benchmarks Lending Rate Part of: GS Prelims and GS – III- Economy In News: In a recent RBI report on ‘Monetary transmission in India’, the share of outstanding loans linked to External Benchmarks Lending Rate (EBLR - like repo rate), increased from as low as 2.4% during September 2019 to 28.5% during March 2021. About Internal Benchmark Lending rate (IBLR) Lenders usually have an internal rate, which is the benchmark rate. Interest rates on all loans are linked to it. For example, a lender's benchmark rate is 6%. It would offer an auto loan 2% higher than the benchmark rate, which will be 8%.  Similarly, it may provide personal loans at 8% higher than the benchmark rate or at 14%. Initially, RBI focused on making the benchmark rate transparent. It introduced different ways to calculate the benchmark rates which are as follows Benchmark Prime Lending Rate (BPLR) It was used as a benchmark rate by banks for lending till June 2010. Under it, bank loans were priced on the actual cost of funds. Base Rate Loans taken between June 2010 and April 2016 from banks were on base rate. Base rate was the minimum interest rate at which commercial banks could lend to customers. Base rate is calculated on three parameters — the cost of funds, unallocated cost of resources and return on net worth. Hence, the rate depended on individual banks and they changed it whenever the parameters changed. Marginal Cost of Lending Rate (MCLR):  It came into effect in April 2016. It is a benchmark lending rate for floating-rate loans.  This is the minimum interest rate at which commercial banks can lend. This rate is based on four components—the marginal cost of funds, negative carry on account of cash reserve ratio, operating costs and tenor premium. MCLR is linked to the actual deposit rates. Hence, when deposit rates rise, MCLR  rises and lending rates increases. What were the issues related to Internal Benchmark Lending Rates? The problem with the IBLR regime was that when RBI cut the repo and reverse repo rates, banks did not pass the full benefits to borrowers. Repo rate is the rate at which the RBI lends money to the banks for a short term. Here, the central bank purchases security. In the IBLR Linked Loans, the interest rate has many internal variables of Bank which prevented the smooth transmission of RBI’s Monetary Policy changes. About External Benchmark Lending Rate (EBLR) RBI mandated the banks to adopt a uniform external benchmark within a loan category, effective 1st October, 2019.  4 external benchmarking mechanisms:  The RBI repo rate The 91-day T-bill yield The 182-day T-bill yield Anny other benchmark market interest rate as developed by the Financial Benchmarks India Pvt. Ltd. Banks are free to decide the spread over the external benchmark. However, the interest rate must be reset as per the external benchmark at least once every three months. Significance: Faster Monetary Transmission + Transparency in Interest rates + Standardisation of fixing interest rate. Concerns 28.5% of outstanding loans were linked to EBLR during March 2021. However, still 71.5% of outstanding loans are Internal Benchmark Lending Rate (IBLR- like base rate and MCLR) linked loans, which continues to impede the monetary policy transmission. Miscellaneous Places in News Karlapat Wildlife Sanctuary Located in Kalahandi district, Odisha. It lies within the Eastern Highlands moist deciduous forests ecoregion. Flora: Sal, Bija, Asan, Harida, Amala, Bahada and Bamboo and varieties of medicinal plants. Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary Located in the Rajsamand District of Rajasthan, the sanctuary extends across the Aravalli Range. It is part of the Khathiar-Gir dry deciduous forests ecoregion. It was considered for the reintroduction of the Asiatic lion. (Mains Focus) SCIENCE & TECH/HEALTH Topic: GS-3: General Science Approaches to Vaccine Making  In News: The Centre is funding the development of four vaccines, which are currently in various stages of human trials The four vaccines, being funded under Mission Covid Suraksha, were the  DNA-based vaccine candidate by Cadila Healthcare, Gujarat Protein sub-unit vaccine by Biological E Ltd, Hyderabad Adenovirus intra-nasal vaccine by Bharat Biotech Ltd, Hyderabad m-RNA vaccine by Gennova Biopharmaceuticals, Pune. There are three main approaches to making Vaccine The whole-microbe approach Inactivated vaccine: The first way to make a vaccine is to take the disease-carrying virus or bacterium, or one very similar to it, and inactivate or kill it using chemicals, heat or radiation Ex: Flu & polio vaccines. Also, Covaxin is an inactivated viral vaccine.  A live-attenuated vaccine uses a living but weakened version of the virus or one that’s very similar Ex: measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) and the chickenpox vaccine. Viral Vector Vaccine: This type of vaccine uses a safe virus (different from the one that caused disease) to deliver specific sub-parts – called proteins – of the germ of interest so that it can trigger an immune response without causing disease.  Ex: COVISHIELD: A chimpanzee adenovirus – ChAdOx1 – has been modified to enable it to carry the COVID-19 spike protein into the cells of humans The subunit approach A subunit vaccine is one that only uses the very specific parts (the subunits) of a virus or bacterium that the immune system needs to recognize. It doesn't contain the whole microbe or use a safe virus as a vector. The subunits may be proteins or sugars.  Ex: whooping cough, tetanus, diphtheria and meningococcal meningitis. The genetic approach (nucleic acid vaccine) A nucleic acid vaccine just uses a section of genetic material that provides the instructions for specific proteins, not the whole microbe.  DNA and RNA are the instructions our cells use to make proteins.  In our cells, DNA is first turned into mRNA (messenger RNA), which is then used as the blueprint to make specific proteins.  A nucleic acid vaccine delivers a specific set of instructions to our cells, either as DNA or mRNA, for them to make the specific protein that we want our immune system to recognize and respond to. This is a new way of developing vaccines.  Before the COVID-19 pandemic, none had yet been through the full approvals process for use in humans, though some DNA vaccines, including for particular cancers, were undergoing human trials. ENVIRONMENT/ GOVERNANCE Topic: GS-3: Environment Conservation GS-2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. Extreme weather events and Climate Change Context: This year, people around the world have been doubly hit by the pandemic and extreme weather events which experts say have been fuelled by climate change. Some of the extreme weather events across the world that were unusual:  Unprecedented heat wave in Canada and parts of the USA  It drove temperatures to a record high settling above 40°C for days and reaching 49.6°C — 4 degrees higher than the previous record, causing hundreds of deaths between June 25 to 30. Portland City in NW USA is known for its rainy weather and little sunshine, but the blistering heat caught many unawares this time and demand for air conditioners and fans soared Floods in Germany that killed over 180 people in the country Areas of Rhineland-Palatinate and North Rhine-Westphalia were hit by 148 liters of rain per square metre in just 48 hours in a part of Germany that usually sees about 80 liters in the entire month. Flooding at Köln-Stammheim station was the most striking as it broke more than a dozen records with 154mm of rain in over 24 hours, obliterating the city’s previous daily rainfall high of 95mm. Floods in New South Wales, Australia in March. The rainfall in March broke records, causing the worst flooding on the mid-north coast of Australia since 1929. Moreover, the floods came on the heels of other extreme weather events that happened in NSW over the recent years, including droughts, extreme heatwaves and the Black Summer bushfires. Likewise, Cyclones Tauktae and Yaas that hit India’s west and east coasts, respectively. Is climate change responsible for extreme weather? Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere averaged 419 parts per million in May this year, highest in 63 years. It is always difficult to determine forthwith the impact of climate change on extreme weather patterns, but scientific studies indicate that extreme weather events are likely to become more frequent or more intense with rising anthropogenic climate change. Climate scientists have also said that in general, the rising average global temperature is making heavy rainfall more likely. Warmer air carries more moisture, meaning that more water will be released eventually. Temperatures at the Earth’s poles are rising at two to three times the temperature at the equator This weakens the jet stream of the mid-latitudes, situated over Europe.  During summer and autumn, the weakening of the jet stream has a causal effect resulting in slower-moving storms.  This can result in more severe and longer-lasting storms with increased intensity. Indian Ocean is heating up at a faster pace in comparison to the Pacific or the Atlantic. And in fact, the western parts of the Indian Ocean are warming up even more. This is of particular concern as several studies have found that a rise in the temperature of the sea surface is related to the changes in the intensity and frequency of cyclones. Conclusion Increasing temperatures mean more melting ice, higher sea levels, more heatwaves and other extreme weather. Rising temperatures can have far-reaching consequences, including an impact on food security, health, the environment and sustainable development. Therefore, all stakeholders have to come together to address the issue of Climate Change. Connecting the dots : Climate Change and India in 2021 Climate Change and Natural Gas Sector Paris Climate Deal WATER/ FEDERALISM/ GOVERNANCE Topic: GS-2: Issues relating to development and management of Water GS-2: Issues and challenges pertaining to the federal structure  Sharing during scarcity Context: The Union Ministry of Jal Shakti’s gazette notification on the jurisdiction of the Krishna and Godavari River Management Boards over projects and assets in the fields of irrigation and hydropower. Key Takeaways The two river boards can now administer, regulate, operate and maintain 36 projects in the Krishna Basin and 71 in the Godavari to ensure judicious water use in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.  The arrangement is expected to leave the working of Water Resources or Irrigation Department in the States intact. Critical Analysis Welcome Development:  There was a seven-year delay to get the notification from Union government which reflects the tense equations between the two States over river water sharing.  A gazette notification is a step in long term solution to the problem Avoids Competitive Water Projects: The States have been locked in a battle of sorts over the utilisation of Krishna water, with AP proposing a few projects, including a lift irrigation scheme for Rayalaseema, and Telangana coming up with half-a-dozen projects of its own.  Empowering Krishna & Godavari River Board will ensure that such activities take place with approval of Board. Telangana’s Objection Addressed: Telangana had held the view that the notification should flow from finalisation by Krishna Water Dispute Tribunal (KWDT)-II through expanding the scope of reference.  Telangana had even moved the Supreme Court but the Centre said it would consider Telangana’s request only if it withdrew its petition which it did.  In the process, Telangana wanted its complaint to be referred to the current Tribunal to avoid duplication of inquiry. Way Ahead Fair Functioning of Boards: The Centre must now see to it that the empowered Boards function in a fair manner, as the Union government’s decision will be final with regard to matters concerning jurisdiction of the two bodies Water Conservation: At the same time, the two States should instead focus on water and energy conservation and improving the efficiency of irrigation schemes and hydel reservoirs.  River Basin Organisations: After studying the experiences of the revamped Boards, the Centre should look at turning the much talked-about concept of river basin organisations into a reality. Connecting the dots: Inter-State River Water Dispute Amendment Bill Inter-State Border disputes (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 Karlapat Wildlife Sanctuary is located in which state? Andhra Pradesh Odisha Maharashtra Tamil Nadu Q.2 External Benchmark Lending Rate can be based on which of the following RBI repo rate The 91-day T-bill yield The 182-day T-bill yield Select the correct statements 1 and 2 Only 2 and 3 Only 1 and 3 only 1, 2 and 3 Q.3 Cooperative comes under which of the following lists?  State List Union List Concurrent List Local Bodies List ANSWERS FOR 20th July 2021 TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE (TYK) 1 C 2 C 3 D Must Read On Centrally Sponsored Schemes: The Print On Pegasus issue: The Hindu On Agri-Infrastructure: Financial Express

AIR

India- France Ties Gaining Strength - All India Radio (AIR) IAS UPSC

ARCHIVES Search 13th April, 2021 Spotlight here: http://www.newsonair.com/Main_Audio_Bulletins_Search.aspx TOPIC: General Studies 2 India and its neighbourhood- relations. Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests In News: Jean-Yves Le Drian, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of France was on an official visit to India from April 13-15, 2021. During bilateral talks with India's External Affairs Minister, Dr. S. Jaishankar, hosted the visiting Foreign Minister for bilateral talks both Ministers recognised the immense opportunities for greater collaboration in diverse sectors such as trade and investments, defence and security, health, education, research and innovation, energy and climate change. Bilateral ties between New Delhi and Paris cover a gamut of issues including defense, maritime, space, security, and energy. The two nations have managed to carve out a forward-looking partnership that is aimed at strengthening bilateral cooperation on issues such as terrorism, climate change, sustainable growth and development, infrastructure, urbanization, and science and technology. During the meeting – India and France explored ways to strengthen cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, including under a trilateral mechanism with Australia to address emerging challenges in the maritime and space domains. The two foreign ministers held extensive talks covering all aspects of the bilateral strategic ties as well as regional and global challenges. A. France has decided to be part of India's Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI): They explored ways to strengthen cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, including the India-France-Australia trilateral mechanism, addressing emerging challenges in the maritime and space domains and working together in the area of climate action and biodiversity protection. India welcomes France's decision to take up the 'Maritime Resources' pillar of India's Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI). At the East Asia summit in Bangkok in 2019, Prime Minister Narendra Modi proposed setting up of the IPOI to conserve and sustainably use the maritime domain and to make meaningful efforts to create a safe and secure maritime domain. B. Reiterated their shared commitment to a multipolar world and faith in multilateralism C. Post-COVID Agenda: India and France will advance their shared post-COVID agenda through "close collaboration". Both Ministers recognised the immense opportunities for greater collaboration in diverse sectors such as trade and investments, defence and security, health, education, research and innovation, energy and climate change. D. Bilateral trade with France has witnessed a steady rise in the last decade reaching USD 10.75 billion in 2020. The two sides also recognised the importance of fast tracking the discussions on an India-EU trade and investment agreement. E. The defence and security ties between India and France are on an upswing in the last few years. India had signed an inter-governmental agreement with France in September 2016 for procurement of 36 Rafale fighter jets at a cost of around Rs 58,000 crore. Dassault Aviation, the manufacturer of Rafales, has delivered 14 jets to the Indian Air Force so far. F. Collaboration for Mission Gaganyaan: Space agencies of India and France inked an agreement for cooperation for the country’s first human space Mission Gaganyaan.  The agreement provides for CNES to support implementation of a scientific experiment plan on validation missions, exchange information on food packaging and the nutrition programme, and above all the use by Indian astronauts of French equipment, consumables and medical instruments. The first space agreement between France and India dates back to 1964. Existing partnerships between the two nations cover almost all areas of space activity.  ISRO will also be launching the joint Oceansat 3-Argos mission this year. With the new agreement, France will be taking part in the great technological and human challenge that is the Gaganyaan programme.  This cooperation could be extended in the future to parabolic flights operated by Novespace to test instruments and for astronaut training, as well as technical support for construction of an astronaut training centre in Bengaluru G. India and France had launched the Indo-French Year of the Environment in January 2021 to strengthen cooperation on these issues and ensure coordination ahead of these multilateral events. Objective: To strengthen Indo-French cooperation in sustainable development, increase the effectiveness of actions in favour of global environment protection and give them greater visibility. The Indo-French Year of the Environment over the period 2021-2022 would be based on five main themes: (1) Environmental protection; (2) Climate change; (3) Biodiversity conservation; (4) Sustainable urban development; (5) Development of renewable energies and energy efficiency. It is also a platform for engaging in discussions on critical areas of collaboration relating to the environment and allied areas. From the Indian side, it will be coordinated by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) along with the Ministry of External Affairs, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, and other concerned Ministries/Departments/Organisations. A joint screening committee will also be set up to finalize the calendar of the events for the Indo-French Year of the Environment. Note:  India-France alliance is the main pillar of the International Solar Alliance launched by India. The Gaganyaan orbital spacecraft project was kicked started in August 2018. It originally intended to send an astronaut from Indian soil to mark the 75th anniversary of the country’s independence in 2022. Test flights will carry an instrumented humanoid robot. The capsule will orbit at an altitude of 400 kilometres for seven days before splashing down in the Arabian Sea off the coast of Ahmedabad. Connecting the Dots: Discuss how India-France relationship has evolved over time. Outline major aspects. India stands to benefit by deepening ties with France- a partner that shares its ideals of multilateralism, pluralism and a non-military, deterrence-based policy. Elucidate.

Rapid Revision (RaRe) Series for UPSC

[Day 52]: 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-52 of RaRe Series - Click here To Register - Click here For complete details of the RaRe Series -  Click here

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