Posts

IAS UPSC Current Affairs Magazine JUNE 2021

ARCHIVES Hello Friends, This is the 73rd edition of IASbaba’s Current Affairs Monthly Magazine. Current Affairs for UPSC Civil Services Examination is an important factor in this preparation. An effort towards making your Current Affairs for IAS UPSC Preparation qualitative. We hope you make the best use of it! This edition covers all Important current affairs issues that were in news for the month of JUNE 2021. Kindly leave your feedback in the comment section below on the new design and presentation of the magazine. We would love to hear from you 🙂   DOWNLOAD THE MAGAZINE- CLICK HERE To get Regular Updates from IASbaba, follow- TELEGRAM Channel – https://t.me/IASbabaOfficialAccount YOUTUBE – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChvbVdio9Wgj7Z3nQz1Q0ZQ FACEBOOK – https://www.facebook.com/iasbaba/ Also, SUBSCRIBE to the WEBSITE Below, so that you don’t miss out on important posts! Thank You IASbaba  

Daily Prelims CA Quiz

UPSC Quiz – 2021 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz 15th 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

SYNOPSIS [14th JULY,2021] Day 133: IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 1): UPSC Mains Answer Writing (General Studies)

For Previous TLP (ARCHIVES) - CLICK HERE   SYNOPSIS [14th JULY,2021] Day 133: IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 1): UPSC Mains Answer Writing (General Studies)   1. What are grasslands? Discuss their global distribution. Also examine their ongoing desertification by taking the Sahel region as the case in point.  Approach  Define what are grasslands in introduction.In next explain their global distribution, a map can be used to substantiate your point.In next part mention the causes for desertification of Sahel region.End your answer with reform and future oriented conclusion. Introduction Grasslands are a type of biomes where the land is predominantly filled with tall and short grasses with very few scattered trees. They are found distributed across the world except on Antarctic. Grasslands occur in environments conducive to the growth of this plant cover but not to that of taller plants, particularly trees and shrubs. The factors preventing establishment of such taller, woody vegetation are varied. Grasslands account for between 20 and 40 percent of the world's land area. Body The most extensive natural grasslands can be thought of as intermediates in an environmental gradient, with forests at one end and deserts at the other. Forests occupy the most favourable environments, where moisture is adequate for growth and survival of a tall, dense vegetation dominated by trees. Deserts are found where moisture is so lacking that a continuous, permanent vegetation cover cannot be maintained. Grasslands lie between these two extremes. Global distribution of Grasslands: There are two main kinds of grasslands: tropical and temperate. Examples of temperate grasslands include Eurasian steppes, North American prairies, and Argentine pampas. Tropical grasslands include the hot savanna of sub-Saharan Africa and northern Australia. Tropical grasslands: Tropical grasslands generally lie between the belts of tropical forest and desert.  Tropical grasslands occur in the same regions as savannas, and the distinction between these two vegetation types is rather arbitrary, depending on whether there are few or many trees.  Tropical grasslands are found mainly in the Sahel south of the Sahara, in East Africa, and in Australia. Temperate grasslands principally occur in North America, Argentina, and across a broad band from Ukraine to China, but in most of these regions they have been substantially altered by agricultural activities. Temperate Grasslands: Temperate grasslands are characterised as having grasses as the dominant vegetation. Trees and large shrubs are absent. Temperatures vary more from summer to winter, and the amount of rainfall is less in temperate grasslands than in savannahs. The major manifestations are the veldts of South Africa, the puszta of Hungary, the pampas of Argentina and Uruguay, the steppes of the former Soviet Union, and the plains and prairies of central North America. Types of Grasslands in India About 24% of land in India is covered with grasslands. The grasslands in India are classified into the following main categories Sub-Himalayan Grasslands: This region extends from the foothills of the Himalayas from Jammu and Kashmir to Arunachal Pradesh.This belt of grasslands lies in the fertile Terai region and is marked by tall, dense grasses with a few trees.  Montane Grasslands: Montane grasslands mean mountainous grasslands. These are found in different mountainous areas of the country.The grassland ecosystem here is based on the altitude of mountains, soil and rock type, the slope of the mountain, etc. These can be further classified as Himalayan tropical and temperate grasslands, alpine meadows, Trans-Himalayan Steppes, which are found on mountain slopes of the Himalayas in Kashmir, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Sikkim respectively.  The Mark grasslands of Kashmir, Bugyal grasslands of Uttarakhand, Khajjar grasslands of Himachal Pradesh, Dzukou Valley of Uttarakhand, Ukhrul grasslands of Manipur, Saramati grasslands of Nagaland, etc. are some examples of montane grasslands in India.  Riverine Alluvial Grasslands :These grasslands are found on the fertile river plains of the Indo-Gangetic plain, Brahmaputra plain and rivers of central India like Narmada, Cauveri, Krishna, etc.  Coastal Grasslands: the coastal grasslands in India are spread over beach sand forming a thick mat-like cover. For example, the Banni and Vidi grassland of Rann of Kachch, Gujarat. Wet Grasslands: These grasslands are mainly found in the water-logged areas of northern plains. These are famously called as floating grasslands and are marked by dense, tall vegetation. Semi-aquatic species of grasses dominate these grasslands. For example, the Phumdi grassland of Manipur.  Desertification of Sahel region: Causes of desertification Desertification is the process of land turning into desert as the quality of the soil declines over time. Many countries around the world suffer from the problems caused by desertification but it is the Sahel region of Africa where the effects are greatest. The Sahel is a narrow belt of land which lies immediately to the south of the Sahara Desert and which extends across most of Africa. The main causes of desertification include: Population growth - the population in some desert areas is increasing. In places where there are developments in mining and tourism, people are attracted by jobs. An increased population is putting greater pressure on the environment for resources such as wood and water. Removal of wood - in developing countries, people use wood for cooking. As the population in desert areas increases, there is a greater need for fuel wood. When the land is cleared of trees, the roots of the trees no longer hold the soil together so it is more vulnerable to soil erosion. Overgrazing - an increasing population results in larger desert areas being farmed. Sheep, cattle and goats are overgrazing the vegetation. This leaves the soil exposed to erosion. Soil erosion - this is made worse by overgrazing and the removal of wood. Population growth is the primary cause for soil erosion. Climate change - the global climate is getting warmer. In desert regions conditions are not only getting warmer but drier too. On average there is less rain now in desert regions than there was 50 years ago. Conclusion Grasslands grasslands provide important services and roles including as water catchments, biodiversity reserves, for cultural and recreational needs, and potentially a carbon sink to alleviate greenhouse gas emissions. Therefore ending desertification of these biomes is the best chance the world has to stabilise the effects of climate change, save wildlife species and protect our well-being. Protecting the forest is our mutual responsibility, which should be carried out by people and governments worldwide. 2. Examine the prospects of blue economy in the Indian Ocean. Approach  Make a brief introduction on what is meant by blue economy and contextualise to Indian ocean region.In next part write the various prospectives of this blue economy for the Indian ocean region and India.In conclusion highlight how its important for a India to leverage the blue economy to attain a higher economic growth in future. Introduction Oceans cover 72 percent of the surface of our blue planet and provide a substantial portion of the global population with food and livelihood. Enhancing more than 80 percent of global trade, marine and coastal environments constitute a key resource for economic development. On the basis of the strategic location of the Indian Ocean region, India and other Indian ocean rim members can develop a Blue Economy in a sustainable, inclusive and people centred manner from resources available in Indian ocean. Body The objective of the Blue Economy is to promote smart, sustainable and inclusive growth and employment opportunities within the Indian Ocean region’s maritime economic activities. The Blue Economy is determined to initiate appropriate programs for: the sustainable harnessing of ocean resources; research and development; developing relevant sectors of oceanography; stock assessment of marine resources; introducing marine aquaculture, deep sea/long line fishing and biotechnology; and human resource development; among others. Prospects of blue economy in Indian Ocean waters: Fisheries & Aquaculture : Fisheries, which is a vital oceanic resource forms the core of the Blue Economy. It plays an important role in ensuring food security, poverty alleviation and also has a huge potential for business opportunities. Aquaculture, which offers huge potential for the provision of food and livelihoods, will under the Blue Economy incorporate the value of the natural capital in its development, respecting ecological parameters throughout the cycle of production, creating sustainable, decent employment and offer high value commodities for export.  Renewable Ocean Energy : The world population is expected to increase to an estimated 9 billion people in 2050, which is 1.5 times greater than the current population, resulting in an increase in countries' demands on fossil fuels.The time is therefore appropriate to explore the potential of renewable energy derived from the ocean. The ocean offers vast potential for renewable "blue energy" from wind, wave, tidal, thermal and biomass sources.    Seaports & Shipping : The seaport and maritime transport sector is one of the important priority sectors under the Blue Economy. In spite of the continuous rise of maritime transport and shipping transactions in the region, uneven distribution of trade exists among the rim countries, where only a handful are benefiting economically from maritime exchanges and transportation. In this regard, regional cooperation is important for unlocking the bottlenecks to ports development and maritime economy expansion in the Indian Ocean so as to enhance blue growth through economic cooperation and trade relations between Member States. Offshore Hydrocarbons & Seabed Minerals: With the decreasing inland mineral deposits and increasing industrial demands, much attention is being focused on mineral exploration and mining of the seabed. Seabed exploration in the Indian Ocean has already started, but the major constraints in the commercialization of these resources lie in the fact that Member States have limited data on the resources their exclusive economic zone (EEZ) possesses, lack capacity for exploration, mining and processing of these minerals. Therefore, improved information is needed to assess the potential across the region. Marine Biotechnology Research & Development : Marine biotechnology (or Blue Biotechnology) is considered an area of great interest and potential due to the contribution for the building of an eco-sustainable and highly efficient society. A fundamental aspect is related to aquaculture, whereby new methodologies will help in: selective breeding of species; increasing sustainability of production; and enhancing animal welfare, including adjustments in food supply, preventive therapeutic measures, and use of zero-waste recirculation systems.  Tourism : Marine tourism, with its related marine activities (including cruise tourism), is a growing industry that represent an important contributor to the economy of countries and for generating employment. Sustainable coastal tourism can assist with the preservation of artisanal fishing communities, allow for subsistence fishing, protect the environment, and make positive contributions to sustainable economic development. In addition to providing areas for recreation and enjoyment, marine parks support billions of dollars of vital ecosystem services worldwide. Sustainable Whale and Dolphin Watching Tourism : Whale and dolphin watching tourism is one of the fastest growing marine tourism sectors in the world and is on the rise in the IORA region. Whale and dolphin watching tourism can create economic, social, and environmental benefits such as inclusive economic growth and job creation for coastal communities, while also encouraging the protection of marine species and habitats. Climate mitigation : Blue carbon ecosystems have an immense capacity to sequester carbon, a feature which makes them a good candidate for efforts to mitigate climate change. Indeed, the name reflects the high amount of organic carbon they contain. In addition, they support livelihoods in a variety of ways including through fisheries, and can reduce the effects of storms. Conclusion: Recently, the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) has rolled out the draft Blue Economy policy, inviting suggestions and inputs from various stakeholders.It is in line with the Government of India’s Vision of New India by 2030.Development of Blue economy can serve as growth catalyst in achieving super power status and $10 Trillion economy. To tap this, government needs to introduce many schemes like Sagarmala, combat piracy and increase Naval strength to protect its open borders. 3. Section 66A of the IT Act was in news recently. Why? What are your views on this issue? Approach  In introduction mention why the section 66A was in news recently.In next part mention why it was scrapped in the first place and at last write what are the implications of its use by police and what measures needs to be taken to mitigate this phenomenon. Introduction  The Supreme Court has issued a notice to the Centre on the use of Section 66A of the IT Act that was scrapped several years ago and said that it is shocking that the judgment striking down the law has not been implemented even now. Even after 7 years of the law being struck down, as of March 2021, a total of 745 cases are still pending and active before the district courts in 11 states, wherein the accused persons are being prosecuted for offences under Section 66A of the IT Act. Body  Section 66A had been dubbed as “draconian” for it allowed the arrest of several innocent persons, igniting a public outcry for its scrapping. This had led to the Supreme Court striking it down as unconstitutional in March, 2015 in Shreya Singhal v. Union of India. Reasons why it was struck down : The SC had noted that Section 66A arbitrarily, excessively and disproportionately invades the right of free speech, under article 19(1) (a) of the Constitution, and upsets the balance between such right and the reasonable restrictions that may be imposed on such right and the definition of offences under the provision was open-ended and undefined. The court also said that the provision used expressions “completely open-ended and undefined” and every expression used was “nebulous” in meaning. What may be offensive to one may not be offensive to another. What may cause annoyance or inconvenience to one may not cause annoyance or inconvenience to another. Even the expression ‘persistently’ is completely imprecise. Issues arising out of it : The police have slapped Section 66A on citizens in several cases even after it was scrapped. This is open disobedience and an insult to the authority of the Supreme Court. As per Article 144, the government is duty-bound to implement the verdict of the Supreme Court as its ruling becomes the law of the land as per Article 141.  The government must bring the ruling of the Supreme Court to the knowledge of all law-enforcement agencies that deal with the IT Act so that the people don’t suffer unnecessarily. In India where cases are lagging for many years it becomes hard for most of the people with less resources to appeal in court’s regarding constitutional issues.This leads to many languishing in jail without any trail. The freedom of speech of citizens gets prohibited even though it is neither having constitutional backing and nor statutory.This becomes blatantly illegal and citizens have no recourse. Measures needed to be taken: The government needs to amend the bare act to delete the section 66A as after it being declared unconstitutional it is irrational to keep it in statue books.It will avoid any ambiguity and also stop harassment of citizens.  There is a need to circulate judgments of the Court to the police and other law-enforcement agencies and keep them updated about developments regarding penal provisions.  Police officers need periodic legal training by law universities and academies in this regard. It will help them update their legal knowledge because the police is expected to have a fair knowledge and understanding of laws and judgments of the Courts and be made sensitive about human rights and dignity.  In addition, all pending criminal proceedings under Section 66A should be quashed and some reasonable compensation given to the aggrieved persons. It’s the duty of Media and civi society to take this message in masses to raise the awareness in police and public at large. Conclusion  Freedom of expression is a essential fundamental right guaranteed by constitution of India.Further its limits have also been determined by the constitution and government from time to time.But when some statutory restriction has been held ultra vires by Supreme Court and still the police force and government uses this section 66A to muzzle the voice of citizens then it is illegal and undemocratic in nature.Therefore the government needs to take immediate measures to cure this anomaly and upheld the rule of law.   TLP Synopsis Day 133 PDF

IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 1): UPSC Mains Answer Writing – General Studies Paper 1 Questions [15th JULY,2021] – Day 134

For Previous TLP (ARCHIVES) - CLICK HERE Hello Friends, Welcome to IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 1): UPSC Mains Answer Writing – General Studies Paper 1 Questions [15th JULY,2021] – Day 134 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. In India’s growth story, there are reasons to focus attention on agriculture and allied sector, which will continue to play a significant role in providing employment and sustainable livelihoods for the growing population in India. Elucidate. (10 Marks) भारत की विकास गाथा में कृषि और संबद्ध क्षेत्र पर ध्यान केंद्रित करने के कारण हैं, जो भारत में बढ़ती आबादी के लिए रोजगार और स्थायी आजीविका प्रदान करने में महत्वपूर्ण भूमिका निभाते रहेंगे। स्पष्ट करें। 2. Micro irrigation scores over conventional irrigation techniques on several fronts and is a must for Indian agriculture keeping in mind the water stress scenario. Comment. (10 Marks) कई मोर्चों पर पारंपरिक सिंचाई तकनीकों पर सूक्ष्म सिंचाई स्कोर और भारतीय कृषि के लिए जल तनाव परिदृश्य को ध्यान में रखते हुए जरूरी है। टिप्पणी करें। 3. The Indian farmer should adopt a stable pattern of sowing to benefit in the long run. Why? Critically examine. (15 Marks) भारतीय किसान को लंबे समय में लाभ के लिए बुवाई का एक स्थिर पैटर्न अपनाना चाहिए। क्यों? समालोचनात्मक जाँच करें। AWARE ( Answer Writing REdefined) Series - 7 Steps to Master Answer Writing Skills by Mohan Sir - CLICK HERE P.S: The review from IASbaba will happen from the time the question is posted till 10 pm every day. We would also encourage peer reviews. So friends get actively involved and start reviewing each other's answers. This will keep the entire community motivated. All the Best :)

SYNOPSIS [13th JULY,2021] Day 132: IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 1): UPSC Mains Answer Writing (General Studies)

For Previous TLP (ARCHIVES) - CLICK HERE   SYNOPSIS [13th JULY,2021] Day 132: IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 1): UPSC Mains Answer Writing (General Studies)   1. Do you think the Representation of People’s Act (RPA) needs to be strengthened further? What suggestions would you give in this regard?  Approach  Make a general introduction on what is the objective of Representation of people’s act.In next part address the issue which it is facing and then suggest reforms in detail. Make sure that you provide some examples and statistics to prove your point. Introduction The Representation of People’s Act provides for the conduct of elections to both the  the Houses of the  Parliament and to the House/s of the Legislature of each State, the qualifications and disqualifications for membership of those Houses, the corrupt practices and other offences at or in connection with such elections and the decision of doubts and disputes arising out of or in connection with such elections. Body Reasons  for strengthening Representatives of people’s act : Criminalisation of Politics: Criminalisation of politics has always been a cause of concern for India for a long time and still remains. As many as 33% of MLAs and 25% of MPs today, have criminal charges pending against them as per the data of Association for Democratic reforms(ADR) Electoral funding: There is lack of transparency and accountability in electoral funding process. Involvement of Black money is rampant. According to the Association of Democratic Reforms, 69% of the income of political parties is from unknown sources. Lobbying and Crony Capitalism: The 255th Law Commission Report on Electoral Reforms observed that opacity in political funding results in “lobbying and capture” of the government by big donors. Grey money: No capping on party expenditure again lets huge money coming into the elections and this money may belong to some anti-social elements too. Limited power of Election commission: RPA law fails to offer significant powers to the Election Commission to reprimand those parties which are habitual offenders of spreading communalism or inciting hatred to win votes. Model code of Conduct: There is no legal backing given to model code of conduct, hence violators go scot free. Paid news: There has been acquisitions’ against certain media houses about indulgence in Paid news, which will affect the rights of citizens to be informed about candidates.  False Disclosures: Even after the provision of the declaration of assets and liabilities in the RPA act, candidates do not disclose all the assets and provide wrong and incomplete information regarding their assets, liabilities, and income and educational qualifications. The Bureaucratization of Politics: In spite of the inclusion of several provisions aimed at making the ECI as an independent body,it is still dependent on the Union for financial matters that paves the way for political parties to manage to get the officers in their favour through money and muscle power. Dual Responsibility of the ECI: The ECI does not have independent staff of its own so whenever elections take place, it has to depend upon staff of Central and State Governments hence the dual responsibility of the administrative staff, to the government for ordinary administration and to the ECI for electoral administration is not conducive to the impartial and efficient functioning of the Commission. Misuse of Government Machinery: The RPAs lack clear provisions and guidelines on the matters related to the misuse of official machinery that gives an unfair advantage to the ruling party at the time of elections and leads to the misuse of public funds for furthering the prospects of candidates of a particular party. Reforms needed to Representation of people’s act : Suggestions Restriction on Opinion Polls: By an amendment made to the RPA 1951, conducting and publishing results of exit polls have been prohibited. There should be a similar prohibition or restriction on opinion polls also as several manipulated opinion polls could impact the voting pattern. False Declaration as Offense: The RPA ,1951 should be amended to include all the items related to the election disclosure in the affidavit and making false declarations in connection with the election to be an offence. Independent ECI: In order to curb the practice of bureaucratization of politics and to secure complete independence of the Election Commission, its expenditure should be charged on the Consolidated Fund of India. De-listing of Valid Electorates: Parliament must pass a law dealing with the serious problem of delisting of valid electors from electoral rolls because illiterate electorate residing in far villages cannot watch over the publication of electorate lists. State Funding of Elections: To minimise the role of money in elections, provisions should be made for state funding of elections. A few government reports have highlighted the prospects of state funding of elections like Indrajit Gupta Committee on State Funding of Elections (1998), Law Commission Report on Reform of the Electoral Laws (1999), National Commission to Review the Working of the Constitution (2001), 2nd Administrative Reforms Commission (2008). The RPA must be amended to give powers to Election Commission to countermand the polls in case of use of black money and money power. Model Code of Conduct should be given legislative backing by the RPA to ensure its strict implementation. In order to check the growing menace of ‘paid news’, there is need to make paid news an electoral offence under the Representation of the People Act. Ensuring fast track clearance of cases involving people’s representatives. All political parties must be mandated by law to fall under the domain of the RTI so that funding becomes transparent and black money does not get into the system. There must be a certain cap on the party expenditure too and that must be strictly monitored. Conclusion The conduct of free and fair elections with accountability of people’s representatives and political parties is hallmark of democracy.The Representation of people’s act was enacted in early years of independence to uphold these tenets.But over the years this law have  proved less effective against the emerging issues such as paid news, social media campaigning and lack of internal democracy.Therefore to tackle these issues its high time to amend the RPA act. 2. The civil services in India function as an instrument of the welfare state. Illustrate. Approach  Define the concept of welfare state in simple form and then contextualise the demand of question that is civil services to the definition.In next part focuses majorly on how the civil services have been an instrument of welfare in India and complement it with some issues which it is currently facing.Further the conclusion should be reform oriented and what role the civil services can serve in future. Introduction  A welfare state is a concept of government where the state plays a key role in the protection and promotion of the economic and social well-being of its citizens. It is based on the principles of equality of opportunity, equitable distribution of wealth, and public responsibility for those unable to avail themselves of the minimal provisions for a good life. In India the civil services os the implementation arm of the government and thus acts an instrument of welfare sate as provided by constitution of India and it legal statues. Body Role of civil services: Policy Formulation: The civil service monitors ground realities and help in policy formulation to deal with the issues concerning the society.The recent evolving situation with the pandemics saw the role of civil services at forefront from imposing lockdown to formulating unlocking guidelines. Implementing Laws & Policies: The civil services are responsible for implementing laws and executing policies framed by the government, thus ensuring implementation of the laws for all.The implementation of Epidemic disease and disaster management act was one of the prime focus in the ongoing pandemic . Welfare Services: The services offer a variety of welfare schemes such as providing social security, welfare of weaker and vulnerable sections of society, old-age pensions, poverty alleviation, etc.The migrants were provided shelters to stay and food packets for long journeys, also the drafting Atmanirbhar package and its implementation was crucial to revive the economy . Service delivery: The task of actualising schemes and policies fall with the officers of the civil services. They ensure the success of policies by making the promised goods and services reach the intended beneficiaries. Instruments of Social Change: Civil servants bring out social changes through persuasion and strict policy implementation.This is seen trough persuasion for Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, eradicating caste discrimination and reducing vaccine hesitancy. Stabilising Force: Amidst political instability, the civil service offers stability and permanence. While governments and ministers can come and go, the civil services is a permanent fixture giving the administrative setup a sense of stability and continuity and ensuring continuity in service delivery.This can be seen in abrogation of special status of Jammu and Kashmir were the civil servants have ensured continuity. Developmental Functions: The services perform a variety of developmental functions like promoting modern techniques in agriculture, promoting industry, trade, banking functions, bridging the digital divide, etc. Administrative Adjudication: The civil services also perform quasi-judicial services by settling disputes between the State and the citizens, in the form of tribunals, etc. Maintenance of law and order: They protect the life and property of the people by maintaining law and order. The survival and progress of human beings depend on the proper enforcement of laws against lawbreakers.This role was highlighted in law and order handling of the violence on 26th January after farmers agitation and also handling of North east Delhi’s communal violence. Protection of environment: In recent times, protection of the environment is added to the protective functions of the government. Civil servants are making efforts at the enhancement of environmental quality.This can be seen in implementation of the Environment protection act 1986 and role in declaring ecosensitive zones. However, there have been some lacunae in the working of civil services in India: As per 2nd ARC report, the Civil Service in India is more concerned with the internal processes than with the results. It has been seen that even after bringing path breaking policies the issue of redtapism and implementation on the ground pf various policy have hardly changed. The systemic rigidities, needless complexities and over-centralisation in the policy and management structures within which the civil service functions are too complex and often too constraining.For example the flow of taxes from municipalities to centre and back to municipalities is irrational in nature. Lack of professionalism and poor capacity building.Many officers are not equipped to handle new age issues of cybercrime, fraud, and issues arising out of multi-jurisdictional crimes.This needs better capacity building. Ineffective incentive system that does not reward the meritorious and upright civil servants.The corrupt and inefficient officers are being promoted even with suspension and dismissal of upright officers.This hinders professionalism. Rigid and outmoded rules and procedures that do not allow civil servants to exercise individual judgement and perform efficiently.The narrow interpretation of laws by courts and political pressure has hindered individual initiatives and innovation in policy. Lack of accountability and transparency procedure, with no adequate protection for whistle-blowers. Political interference causing arbitrary transfers, and insecurity in tenures. Erosion in ethics and values, which has caused rampant corruption and nepotism. Conclusion The development and progress of India depends upon a professional, upright and efficient civil services.Therefore to achieve this its is necessary to implement reforms suggested by the Hota Committee , Supreme Court guidelines in Prakash Singh case and measures such as code of ethics and appraisal system as mentioned in 2nd ARC for so that the civil services remains the ‘Steel Frame’  as envisaged by Sardar Patel and will help in development and tackling the emerging issues of Climate change, global order reorganisation, enabling ease of doing business with the welfare of citizens. 3. Do you think the federal political structure in India creates roadblocks in the Central Government’s policies and interventions for development in various sectors? Critically examine. Approach  The answer should first explain the meaning of federalism. Candidates should critically examine and elaborate on how various Central government policies faces roadblocks due to federal structure and then how due to federalism there is development in various sector. Introduction  Federalism is a system of government in which the power is divided between a central authority and various constituent units of the country. Usually, a federation has two levels of government. One is the government for the entire country that is usually responsible for a few subjects of common national interest. The others are governments at the level of provinces or states that look after much of the day-to-day administering of their state. Both these levels of governments enjoy their power independent of the other. Body Federalism is a system of government where there is a division of power between a central authority and constituent political units (state). The respective authorities are considered supreme in their allotted spheres (Schedule VII). Trust deficit between Centre and States is widening. Most state governments believe the thrust on federalism is limited to lofty ideas and big talks. Many States have shown their displeasure with the way the Centre has been dealing with the States. However, such federal structure restricts the policies & implementation of Central government in various sectors like: Taxation GST Council: If the central government want to increase or decrease GST rates it has to get the support of states, which may restrict its taxation abilities. In GST Council Central government enjoys 33% vote while the states account for 66% and any major decision requires 75% support. Police reforms and Law & Order: Lack of uniformity in police procedures and lack of effective coordination amongst various State Police departments is hindering Central government’s capabilities to handle inter-state crimes which has impact on National Security. Ex Counter Terrorism Operations. Agricultural marketing Sector: Lack of unified agricultural market along with state’s reluctance to adopt Model APMC Act and their lack of enthusiasm to join e-NAM platform has restricted Centre’s capabilities to objective of doubling farmer’s income by 2022. Health Sector: Central government’s initiative of Ayushman Bharat to provide Universal health coverage is also hindered by some states refusing to join the centrally sponsored scheme New Education Policy: Central government wants Uniform standards of education across the country so as to ensure accessibility and equity in access to education across the country. However, Southern States are objecting on the issue of three-language policy mooted in NEP. Land and Labour Laws: In order to boost investment and attract FDI to increase the economic activity, Central government wants a more relaxed labour & land regulation. However, State governments frame their own laws to suit their needs & thus varies from one State to another, which negatively impacts the transaction & expansion costs of companies. Pandemic policy:  There has been accusations and counter accusations by states and Centre in the efficacy of national lockdown, who should be accountable for the second wave of covid, deficiencies I oxygen and hospital infrastructure.  Even as Indian federalism has a bias for the Union government, states have also sought to assert their interests and influence over the years, whether in times of one-party dominance or multi-party coalition politics it led to development in various sectors: The open market economy deregulated the economic interactions which were earlier strongly controlled by the Union government. Benefitted by the reforms, the state governments now got relative autonomy to initiate business endeavours and bring in foreign investments to their respective states.  This polity gave state chief ministers a political opportunity to project themselves as ‘drivers of growth and development’. The federalism phase also witnessed further decentralisation of Indian politics as the 73rd and 74th Amendments were passed in 1992 to strengthen the functioning of the third tier of Indian federalism in the Municipal and Panchayat level. This strengthened the ground for the empowerment the people at the grassroots. The most important moment for federalism in this phase is the revelation of the vital role of state governments on the ground in managing the COVID-19 crisis. After initial challenges, the Union government ceded adequate space and autonomy to the states for strengthening their healthcare facilities, managing the localised lockdowns, and implementing social security measures to mitigate the impact of the pandemic. The core objectives of Indian federalism are unity in diversity, devolution in authority, and decentralization in administration. Through federalism, the State pursues the goal of common welfare in the midst of wide diversity in socio-cultural, economic spheres. Conclusion India is federal state as the constituent assembly debates and various Supreme Court judgements have established.Therefore the requirement os to establish a cooperative federalism as the basis of governance in India.In Cooperative federalism the Centre and states share a horizontal relationship, where they “cooperate” in the larger public interest. It is an important tool to enable states’ participation in the formulation and implementation of national policies.The “true” cooperative federalism is the way forward, it underlines the need for the Centre to include states more aggressively in the decision-making process. TLP Synopsis Day 132 PDF

RSTV Video

Shifting gender dynamics in India – The Big Picture – RSTV IAS UPSC

Archives TOPIC: GS-1: Social empowerment – role of women GS-2: Mechanisms, laws, institutions and Bodies constituted for the protection and betterment of these vulnerable sections.  In News: The National Statistical Office operating under Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) has recently released the Women and Men in India report. The report consolidates the crucial socio-economic indicators that portray gender situation in the country. Gender equality has been increasingly recognized as being essential to the process of sustainable development and the formulation of effective national development policies and programmes. Gender statistics and indicators are important tools for promoting gender equality and implementing a gender mainstreaming approach throughout the entire policy cycle. The need of Gender equality also reverberates through the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, where gender issues are duly addressed in different Goals. Goal 5 of the SDGs is specifically dedicated for achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls. Gender statistics provide the required data for tracking the attainments. A. Population and Related Statistics India’s projected population in 2021 is 136.13 Crore with 48.65% female population.  The projected sex ratio is likely to increase from 943 in 2011 to 948 in 2021. At all India level, the sex ratio has increased from 933 in 2001 to 943 in 2011.  Notable increase in the sex ratio has been recorded in Delhi (5.7%), Chandigarh (5.3%) and Arunachal Pradesh (5.0%). Contrary to this, Daman &Diu has recorded decline of 13% in sex ratio.  In 2011, sex ratio for religious groups viz. Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists and Jains was 939, 951, 1023, 903, 965 and 954 respectively.  As per SRS, sex ratio at birth was 899 in 2016-18 against 896 in 2015-17. In rural areas, the ratio was 900 in 2016-18 as compared to 898 in 2015-17 and in urban areas it was 897 in 2016-18 as compared to 890 in 2015-17.  Women’s mean age at marriage at all India level in 2018 is 22.3 years which showed an increase of 0.2 years from 2017. In rural areas, women’s mean age at marriage at all India level has increased by 0.1 years in 2018 from 2017 whereas in urban areas, it has increased by 0.3 years in 2018 from 2017. B. Health Statistics In 2018, Age Specific Fertility Rate (ASFR) for the females belonging to the age group 25- 29 years was recorded highest at 146.4 while it was 122.9 for the females in the age group of 20- 24 years. Also, ASFR for the age-group 20-24 years decreased from 173.8 in 2015 to 122.9 in 2018 whereas it was increased for the age group 30-34 years from 77.6 to 94.7 during the same period. As per SRS 2018, the Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) has decreased from 39 in 2014 to 32 in 2018.  Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) declined from 212 in 2007-09 to 113 in 2016-18. Over a span 10 years, MMR in the states of Assam, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Bihar and Odisha. As per SRS 2018, Total Fertility Rate (TFR) for literate population of rural India was observed at 2.3 as compared to1.7 in urban areas. There has been a significant difference in the age specific fertility rate of the age group 20-24 years in rural (132.8) and in Urban (90.7).  As per SRS Report, Adolescent (15-19 years) Fertility rate at all India level has declined  The percentage of women who had at least four Ante- Natal Care (ANC) visits during their pregnancy is lowest in Nagaland (20.7%) and highest in Goa (93%) followed by Lakshadweep (88.3%), Andaman & Nicobar Islands (83.4%).  Nearly 100% Institutional delivery were observed in the States/UT of Kerala, Goa and Lakshadweep and lowest in Nagaland (45.7%). New HIV incidence per 1000 uninfected population significantly decreased from 0.07 in 2017 to 0.05 in 2019. C. Education At all India level, the literacy rate has increased from 73 in 2011 to 77.7 in 2017. It is observed that the female and male literacy rate in 2017 is at 70.3and 84.7 respectively. The literacy rate for persons of age 7 years and above is observed as 73.5 and 87.7 in rural and urban areas respectively. The gender gap in rural is 16.5 while this gender gap is 9.4 in urban areas. The Gender gap in the literacy rates was the highest for Rajasthan (23.2), followed by Bihar (19.2) and Uttar Pradesh (18.4). In urban areas, the highest gender gap was observed in Bihar (20.2) followed by Rajasthan (16.5). In rural areas, the highest gender gap was observed in Rajasthan (25.0) followed by Uttar Pradesh (20.1) and Bihar (19.9). Only 8.3% of the females of age 15 years & above had successfully completed graduation and above level of courses, while 12.8 % of males of age 15 years and above had successfully completed graduation and above level of courses. The Humanities was the most preferred course among females (53.9 %) and males (46.4 %) followed by Science and Commerce Only 3.1 % females and 4.5 % males were pursuing technical/professional courses. The Gender Parity Index (GPI) in higher education increased from 0.94 in 2016-17 to 0.97 in 2017-18. An increasing trend in GPI was also observed in SC & ST categories from 2016-17 to 2017-18. D. Participation in Economy In the rural sector, the Worker Population Ratio (WPR) was 19.0 for females and 52.1 for males. In Urban sector, the ratio is 14.5 for females and 52.7 for males. In both rural and urban areas, WPRs for females were considerably lower than WPRs for males. In the rural areas, both females and males, the maximum WPR for persons in the age group of 15 years and above has been obtained in Dadra & Nagar Haveli. In urban areas, maximum female WPR has been obtained in Sikkim and maximum male WPR in Daman & Diu. Majority of the females (59.6%) and males (57.4%) workers in usual status (ps+ss) were self-employed in rural area. In urban sector, 54.7% femalesand 47.2% males were regular wage/salaried employee. The share of workers in Agriculture Sector has shown declined trend since 43rd round of NSS to (1987-88) to PLFS (2018-19). In the Trade, Hotel & Restaurant sector, on the other hand, the share of workers has shown an increasing trend. At All India level, the average earning of casual worker, both female and male, shown an increasing trend over all the quarters. The earnings of female worker continued to lag behind that of male worker. Females spent in a day on an average 247 minutes on “Unpaid domestic services for household members” and 61 minutes on “Employment and related activities” whereas average time spent by males was 25 minutes per day and 263 minutes per day respectively on the same activities. E. Participation in Decision Making The representation of women in Central Council of Ministers has declined over the years. The proportion of women Ministers is 9.26% in 2020. There were 437.8 million women electors in Seventeenth Lok Sabha Election (2019) vis-à-vis 397.0 million in Sixteenth Lok Sabha Elections (2014). Also, the percentage of female electors participating in General Elections went up from 65.6%in Sixteenth to 67.2%in Seventeenth Lok Sabha Elections. A total of 78 women members, constituting 14% of the house of parliament (MPs) have been elected for Seventeenth Lok Sabha the highest since independence. The highest number (11) of women members of parliament in 17thLok Sabha is came from both Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. In judiciary, the highest number of women judges is 10 in Punjab & Haryana High Court followed by 9 in Madras High Court. There are no female judges in the High Courts of Patna, Manipur, Meghalaya, Tripura and Uttarakhand. The highest women participation in Panchayati Raj Institutions was observed in the States of Rajasthan (56.49%) followed by Uttarakhand (55.66%) and Chhattisgarh (54.78%). F. Impediments in Empowerment In 2019, three major crimes viz.Cruelty by Husband and Relatives (31%), Assault on women with intent to outrage her modesty (22%) and Kidnapping & Abduction (18%) constituted71% of the total crime committed against women Of the total cases of crime against women due for investigated in 2019, 66% were disposed off. Maximum disposed (71%) was in the category of “crime head of Assault on women with intent to outrage her modesty” followed by those in category “Attempt to commit rape (70%)” and “rape (67%)”. Among the States/UTs, the highest share of crime against women was in Uttar Pradesh(14.75% of all India crime). Karnataka reported highest percentage (44.4%) of the ever married women aged 15-44 years was experienced physical or sexual violence committed by their husbands as against 20.6% in 2015-16; followed by Manipur (39.6%) in 2019-20as against 53.2% in 2015-16. However, in Lakshadweep, only 1.3% of such women experienced such violence. Note: Global Gender Gap Report 2021 Released by: World Economic Forum India has fallen 28 places  It is now one of the worst performers in South Asia,  It is ranked below neighbouring countries – Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and Myanmar. India’s rank: 140 among 156 countries. South Asia incidentally is one of the worst performing regions, followed only by the Middle East and northern Africa. Overall, many countries have fared worse in this year’s rankings compared to last year’s, on account of economic performance. On its current trajectory, it will now take 135.6 years to close the gender gap worldwide. Women represent only 26.1% of some 35,500 parliament seats and just 22.6% of over 3,400 ministers worldwide In 81 countries, there has never been a woman head of state, as of January 15, 2021. Connecting the dots: Measures taken by government regarding women welfare Explain the concept of gender budgeting? Why is it significant? Explain with the help of suitable examples.

DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 14th July 2021

Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) India’s first Green Hydrogen Mobility Project Part of: GS Prelims and GS -III - Environment; Conservation; Infrastructure In news NTPC  recently signed a MoU with UT of Ladakh and Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) to set up India’s first Green Hydrogen Mobility project. Leh will be India's first city to implement a green hydrogen based mobility project with zero emission. NTPC has planned to ply 5 hydrogen buses in the beginning NTPC’s first solar installations in Leh in form of solar trees and a solar carport were also inaugurated What is Green Hydrogen? The sources and processes by which hydrogen is derived, are categorised by colour tabs.  Hydrogen produced from fossil fuels is called grey hydrogen; this constitutes the bulk of the hydrogen produced today.  Hydrogen generated from fossil fuels with carbon capture and storage options is called blue hydrogen;  Hydrogen generated entirely from renewable power sources is called green hydrogen. Electricity generated from renewable energy is used to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. Green hydrogen has specific advantages Environment Friendly Potential to Decarbonise various sectors such as iron and steel, chemicals, and transportation (advantage over battery based energy) Renewable energy that cannot be stored or used by the grid can be channelled to produce hydrogen. Unlike Batteries, there is no dependence on Rare Minerals as the source material for green hydrogen is easily available Green energy helps reduce import dependency on fossil fuels Green hydrogen energy is vital for India to meet its Nationally Determined Contributions and ensure regional and national energy security, access and availability. News Source: PIB Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC), Leh Part of: GS Prelims and GS –II- Polity In news NTPC  recently signed a MoU with UT of Ladakh and Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) to set up India’s first Green Hydrogen Mobility project. LAHDC, Leh is an autonomous district council that administers the Leh district of Ladakh.  The council was created under the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council Act of 1995.  LAHDC-Leh has a total of 30 seats and four councillors are nominated by the government.  The executive arm of the council consists of an executive committee composed of a Chief Executive Councillor and four other executive councillors. The autonomous hill council work with village panchayats to take decisions on economic development, healthcare, education, land use, taxation, and local governance which are further reviewed at the block headquarters in the presence of the chief executive councillor and executive councillors. The administration of Union Territory of Ladakh looks after law and order, communications and the higher education in the districts. Leh, which is a Buddhist-dominated district of Ladakh, has demanded the implementation of the sixth schedule for the Union territory to guard against demographic change and dilution of the unique cultural and tribal identity. The democratic constitution of the Council has heralded democratic decentralization of planning process with the involvement of people at the grass root level.  An Autonomous Hill Council has also been established in neighboring Kargil District. The Hill Council in Kargil came in to existence in July 2003. India’s single largest solar park Part of: GS Prelims and GS -III - Energy; Conservation In news  NTPC Renewable Energy Ltd has received the go-ahead from the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) to set up a 4750 MW renewable energy park at Rann of Kutch in Khavada, Gujarat.  NTPC REL, NTPC’s subsidiary was incorporated in October 2020 to accelerate the Renewable Energy business of NTPC. This will be India’s largest solar park to be built. NTPC REL has plans to generate green hydrogen on a commercial scale from this park. Other initiatives of NTPC It aims to build 60 GW Renewable Energy Capacity by 2032.  Currently, it has an installed capacity of 66 GW across 70 power projects with an additional 18 GW under construction. It has also commissioned India’s largest Floating Solar of 10 MW (ac) on the reservoir of Simhadri Thermal Power Plant, Andhra Pradesh.  100 MW Floating Solar Project on the reservoir of Ramagundam Thermal Power Plant, Telangana is in the advanced stage of implementation. Image Source: NTPC What are floating Solar Plants? It refers to the deployment of photovoltaic panels on the surface of water bodies. Advantages: Address Land Acquisition Issues: Floating solar plants balance high population density and competing uses for available land.  Cooling Effect: The bodies of water exert a cooling effect, which improves the performance of solar photovoltaic panels by 5-10%. Reduced grid interconnection costs, reduced water evaporation, improved water quality, and reduced algal blooming. Challenges: Expensive Degradation and Corrosion: The installation is at risk of degradation and corrosion due to moisture Developing floating solar projects requires a thorough understanding of water-bed topography and its suitability for setting up anchors for floats. News Source: PIB BHIM–UPI in Bhutan Part of: GS Prelims and GS-II -International Relations In news Union Minister of Finance & Corporate Affairs along with the Finance Minister of Bhutan jointly launched BHIM–UPI in Bhutan. India and Bhutan have already enabled interoperability in acceptance of Rupay cards in each other’s countries. Benefits  Smooth connectivity between two countries will benefit a large number of tourists and businessmen from India who travel to Bhutan each year.  This will enhance the ease of living and ease of travelling through cashless transactions. Do you know? Bhutan is the first country to adopt UPI standards for its QR deployment, and the first country in our immediate neighbourhood to accept mobile based payments through the BHIM App. What is Unified Payments Interface (UPI)? UPI is a payment system. launched in April 2016 by National Payments Corporation of India(NPCI), that allows money transfer between any two bank accounts by using a smartphone. UPI allows a customer to pay directly from a bank account to different merchants, both online and offline, without the hassle of typing credit card details, IFSC code, or net banking/wallet passwords. It also caters to the “Peer to Peer” collect request which can be scheduled and paid as per requirement and convenience. More than 100 million UPI QRs have been created in the last 5 years  BHIM UPI in 2020-21 has processed 22 billion transactions worth Rs 41 lakh crore. What is National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI)? It is an umbrella organisation for operating retail payments and settlement systems in India. It is an initiative of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) under the provisions of the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007. It has been incorporated as a “Not for Profit” Company under the provisions of Section 25 of Companies Act 1956 (now Section 8 of Companies Act 2013). In 2016 the shareholding was broad-based to 56 member banks to include more banks representing all sectors. Along with UPI, Other systems include National Automated Clearing House (NACH), Immediate Payment Service (IMPS), Aadhaar enabled Payment System (AePS), Bharat Bill Payment System (BBPS), RuPay, FASTag etc. News Source: PIB Sunderbans Part of: GS Prelims and GS -III - Biodiversity In news The devastation caused by cyclone Yaas in West Bengal led to the huge ingress (entry) of saline water which affected thousands of acres of agricultural land. The West Bengal government has been distributing relief and compensation and also salt tolerant varieties of paddy to farmers. What are the consequences of the ingress of saline water?  It kills standing crops and increases salinity of the soil  It makes the cultivation of regular high-yielding varieties almost impossible for the next few years which may result in food crisis in the region  About Sundarbans Sundarbans is a vast contiguous mangrove forest ecosystem in the coastal region of Bay of Bengal spread over India and Bangladesh on the delta (world’s largest) of the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna rivers. It contains the world’s largest mangrove forests.  It is the only mangrove forest in the world inhabited by tigers. Sundarbans Tiger Reserve was created in 1973. Sundarbans National Park, established in 1984, constitutes a core region within the tiger reserve. It was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1987. Sunderbans was designated as a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 2001. Sundarban Wetland, India was recognised as the ‘Wetland of International Importance’ under the Ramsar Convention in January 2019. News Source: TH SC Upheld Authority of Delhi’s Peace and Harmony Committee Part of: GS Prelims and GS -II - Judiciary In news Recently, the Supreme Court (SC) upheld the authority of Delhi Legislative Assembly’s Peace and Harmony Committee to summon Facebook India’s senior official in connection with the February 2020 communal violence. What is Central Government’s and Facebook's Claim? The formation of the Peace and Harmony committee was not within the authority of the Delhi Legislative Assembly as law and order and police of Delhi is a central subject. What was Delhi Government's Justification? The Delhi Assembly had relied on various entries in the state list and concurrent list, by which the Delhi Assembly derived its power to discuss and debate on the issue in question. It cited entry 1 in the state list dealing with public order, which is distinct from law and order and entry 1 in concurrent list which gives sweeping power to state assemblies to legislate on the subject ‘criminal law’. Entry 39 in the state list that gave assemblies power to enforce the attendance of witnesses for the purpose of recording statements was also relied upon. What is SC's recent Ruling? Rejected Facebook's abstention: Rejected the simplistic approach adopted by Facebook — that it is merely a platform posting third-party information and has no role in generating, controlling or modulating that information. Facebook cannot claim any “exceptional privilege” to abstain from appearing before the Peace Harmony Committee constituted by the Delhi Assembly. What are the Committee's Competence/Powers? An “informed deliberation” by the Assembly’s elected representatives on the best measures to combat online mass hate and violence in their geographical jurisdiction was very much within the Committee’s competence. However Facebook representatives appearing before the Committee need not answer any query from the Committee directly regarding law, order and the police, which are subjects on which the Delhi Assembly cannot legislate. News Source: TH India’s First Cryptogamic Garden Part of: GS Prelims and GS - III -Sci and Tech In news Recently, India’s first cryptogamic garden was inaugurated in the Chakrata town of Dehradun, Uttarakhand. The garden will be housing nearly 50 species of lichens, ferns and fungi (collectively known as Cryptogamae) What are Cryptogams? A cryptogam is a plant that reproduces with the help of spores. The word "Cryptogamae" implies ‘hidden reproduction', referring to the fact that they do not produce any reproductive structure, seed, or flower. Due to this, they are called "flowerless" or "seedless plants" or ‘lower plants'. They need a moist environment to survive. These are present in aquatic and terrestrial places. Algae, bryophytes, lichens, ferns and fungi are the best-known groups of cryptogams. What are the Factors Responsible for Location of this Garden? This garden is at Deoban in Chakrata at a height of 9,000 ft. This site is chosen because of its low pollution levels and moist conditions which are conducive for the growth of these species. Further, Deoban has pristine majestic forests of Deodar and Oak which create a natural habitat for cryptogamic species. Do you know? Plant kingdom can be divided into two sub-kingdoms viz. Cryptogams and phanerogams. Cryptogams consist of seedless plants and plant-like organisms whereas phanerogams consist of seed-bearing plants. Phanerogams are further divided into two classes i.e. gymnosperms and angiosperms. News Source: IE (Mains Focus) POLITY/ GOVERNANCE Topic: GS-2: Functions and responsibilities of the Union and the States, issues and challenges pertaining to the federal structure, devolution of powers and finances up to local levels and challenges therein The upcoming crisis in Indian federalism Context: Post 2026, when the freeze on delimitation of constituencies ends, there will be a seismic shift in national power towards India’s poorest and most populated States, which will create resentment amongst developed & small states. Since 1976, seats in the Lok Sabha have reflected the 1971 census and have not taken into account changes in population Contradiction between the Democratic & Federal principles, when federal units are unequal in size, population and economics In a democratic set up, all citizens are equal and are thus entitled to equal representation in governance.  This would imply that bigger States are likely to dominate the national conversation over smaller States (UP has 80 seats in LS where Goa has 2 seats) Small States fear that they would get a smaller share of the pie economically, a much reduced say in national issues, and be irrelevant in the political governance of the country (against spirit of Federalism) How did America, oldest Democracy, deal with such contradictions? Americans adopted their Constitution, where smaller States are protected in following ways:  First, national powers over the States were limited.  Second, each State regardless of size had two seats in the Senate, giving smaller States an outsized role in national governance.  Third, Presidents are elected by electoral votes, which means they must win States rather than the total national population.  However, America have been accused of essentially facilitating and entrenching minority rule through the Senate, which favours rural, sparsely populated States that are also predominantly white. What measures can India take to deal with such contradictions? Empowering States:  There is no reason to believe that empowering our States would cause national disintegration. Therefore, the powers of States vis-à-vis the Centre contained in the Lists has to be increased. Expansion of Council of States: The role and composition of the Rajya Sabha, must be expanded. This would allow smaller States a kind of brake over national majoritarian politics that adversely impact them. Constitutional Safeguards: If India is a joint venture between majority and minority shareholders, the minority must be protected by a comprehensive list of “consensus items” that require unanimity — or at least, a super-majority — and not simple majority. Reorganising States: Serious thought must be given to breaking up the biggest States into smaller units that will not by themselves dominate the national conversation. Conclusion National bonds of affection and patriotism will not be severed by devolution of powers though they will be at least severely strained when one part of the country is empowered over another. Thus, there is need to have a relook at Federalism Connecting the dots: Federalism and India’s Human Capital CAG Report on Cess Pool  Fresh Stirrings on Federalism as a New Politics ECONOMY/ GOVERNANCE Topic: GS-3: Economy & Agriculture GS-2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. Reforms in Sugar Industry Context: The Indian sugar industry has never stood on its feet.  Issues Governmental Control distorting free market: The government’s debilitating controls and populist policies, often devoid of economic sense, ensured that Sugar industry was in perpetual crisis requiring support. Extremes in Production Cycle: Mindless sugarcane pricing triggered the sugar cycle which ensured that the country oscillated between massive surplus and severe shortage. Growing Arrears: The government grappled with large cane arrears while the industry survived on periodic government funded bail-outs and subsidies All these may change soon if some of the recent measures announced by the government are any indication. Beginning of Decontrol in 2013  The decontrol focussed on the sugar side of the business. It allowed sugar mills to sell whatever quantity they wanted at a time and price of their choice.  Supply of levy sugar at discounted prices to the government for distribution through PDS was also ended. However, the controls on the sugarcane side remained and it continues even today with government fixing the price of sugarcane.  New variety of sugarcane (CO 238) in 2016-17 This was developed for use in Uttar Pradesh (UP) which delivered significantly higher yield (30 tonne per acre against 22 tonne from earlier varieties) and even higher recovery (sucrose content was 11.5 per cent as against earlier 9.5 per cent). C Considering that UP produces bulk of India’s sugarcane, its share in the country’s sugar output rose to 40 per cent from 25 per cent. This made India a consistently surplus sugar producer.  Surplus Management Today, production exceeds domestic consumption by 60 lakh tonne and the focus has shifted to managing the surplus. This necessitated government to re-introduce monthly sale quota and fixed minimum selling price for sugar to ensure the cash-strapped sugar mills do not flood the domestic market with sugar.  That kept the local prices stable.  To liquidate excess stock of sugar, it announced export subsidies.  Without subsidies Indian exports are unviable as cost of producing sugar (thanks to high cane price) is way above the international sugar price. This was promptly contested by other countries in the WTO. India has been allowed to continue with the subsidies till December 2023. The fear is what will happen post-2023. Boosting Ethanol Production & using it as tool to manage surplus India’s ethanol programme — blending ethanol with petrol for use as auto fuel, was first announced in 2003. If implemented properly, it offers multiple benefits —  Improve sugar mills’ cash flow Ensure better prices for farmers Enhance India’s energy security  Reduce pollution. It never took off for multiple reasons —  Poor pricing of ethanol supplied for blending  Periodic shortages of sugar  Competing demand from potable alcohol sector The Modi government revived the programme by fixing attractive prices for ethanol that oil marketing companies (OMCs) procured for blending. This motivated the sugar mills to produce ethanol. The government then allowed sugar mills to produce ethanol from earlier stages of sugar production (sugarcane juice & B-Molasses) rather than just C-Molasses. More importantly, it also offered higher prices for ethanol produced from cane juice and B-Molasses (to compensate mills for reduction in sugar output). These measures not only enhanced ethanol availability but also helped in tackling the sugar surplus.  In 2019-20 sugar season (October-September), 8 lakh tonnes of what would have been sugar output was converted into ethanol. The plan is to convert the entire sugar surplus of 60 lakh tonnes into ethanol in the next 2-3 years. In case the sugar production drops in a particular year, the government can reduce direct conversion of sugarcane juice to ethanol by lowering its procurement price. Ethanol, thus, is proving to be a good tool to manage the sugar surplus. To make the Indian sugar industry truly self-reliant, just one step remains — freeing up cane pricing.  Sugarcane price fixed by the government today has little correlation to the realisation from end products. This inflicts huge losses on the mills and causes cane arrears to build. A solution is available. The Rangarajan Committee has suggested a formula to fix cane price factoring in the price of sugar and other by-products In case the cane price, arrived by the formula, drops below what the government considers as a reasonable payment, it can bridge the gap from a dedicated fund created for the purpose and a cess can be levied to build up the fund. Conclusion If the government bites this final bullet, the sector will become globally competitive and financially independent. Cane arrears will be history. There will be no need for the government to subsidise the industry and offer large bail-outs. And Indian sugar industry will finally come of age. Connecting the dots: Why Sugar Industry needed export subsidy MSP in age of Surplus: Sugarcane Pricing and Milk Pricing (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 India’s single largest solar park will be established in which of the following state of India? Gujarat Kerala Karnataka Odisha  Q.2 Consider the following statements:  Hydrogen produced from fossil fuels is called grey hydrogen Hydrogen generated from fossil fuels with carbon capture and storage options is called blue hydrogen Select the correct statements 1 Only 2 Only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.3 India’s first Green Hydrogen Mobility Project will be established in which of the following state/UT? Telangana Delhi Leh Jammu & Kashmir ANSWERS FOR 13th July 2021 TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE (TYK) 1 C 2 C 3 B Must Read On economy & Income levels: The Hindu On misuse of UAPA: Indian Express On regulation of digital content: The Hindu

[Day 45]: 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-45 of RaRe Series - Click here To Register - Click here For complete details of the RaRe Series -  Click here

मासिक पत्रिका मई 2021- हिन्दी IASbaba सामयिकी

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

Daily Prelims CA Quiz

UPSC Quiz – 2021 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz 14th 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