IAS Baba

Jun 25, 2021 TLP Mains Answer Writing

SYNOPSIS [25th JUNE,2021] Day 120: IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 1): UPSC Mains Answer Writing (General Studies)

For Previous TLP (ARCHIVES) - CLICK HERE SYNOPSIS [25th JUNE,2021] Day 120: IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 1): UPSC Mains Answer Writing (General Studies) 1. What is black rice? What are its benefits? Why was it in news recently? Approach Simply start with writing about the black rice. And highlight its different health benefits. In later part highlight the reason why black rice was in news then write about benefits to farmers and market situation before a conclusion. Introduction Black rice is a range of rice types of the species Oryza sativa, some of which are glutinous rice. Black rice has a deep black colour and usually turns deep purple when cooked. Its dark purple colour is primarily due to its anthocyanin content, which is higher by weight than that of other coloured grains. Body Health benefits of black rice: Multiple properties: Black rice reportedly contains a compound called ‘anthocyanins’, responsible for its black colour and grants its powerful anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-cancer properties. As natural detoxifier: Moreover, it is also naturally gluten-free and rich in protein, iron, vitamin E, calcium, magnesium, natural fibre, hence promoting weight loss. It is known to be a natural detoxifier and its consumption helps in prevention of ailments such as atherosclerosis, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, hypertension, among others. Improved eye health: Along with protective anthocyanins, black rice contains high amounts of lutein and zeaxanthin, two carotenoids known for their role in supporting eye health. These antioxidants help to protect the cells in your eyes and to reduce the effects of ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Diabetes Management: Flavonoids like anthocyanins also influence blood sugar levels and diabetes management. Phytochemicals have a positive influence on your body, improving insulin sensitivity so you can better use glucose. They also help by reducing sugar digestion in your small intestine, which lowers sugar levels in your blood. Nutrition value and boost energy: Black rice is rich in amino acids, fatty acids, antioxidants, flavonoids, anthocyanins, and other phenolic compounds. There are 18 amino acids in black rice, with a mix of essential and non-essential types. Amino acids are crucial to many of your body's functions, from helping repair skin and tissues to improving your energy levels and digestion. Preventing Risk of Obesity: For people battling obesity, black rice is the best variant of rice to consume. Full of fibre, black rice not only gives you the feeling of being full, thus preventing overeating; studies show that the rice variant can also help prevent insulin resistance, which is often linked to the risk of developing diabetes and obesity. Recently in news due to: Chandauli in UP is one of India’s four most progressed districts since the beginning of Aspirational Districts Programme, according to the UNDP latest appraisal report. Among the best practices that pushed Chandauli’s progress was the black rice experiment in the district. Chanduali started producing the ‘healthier’ black rice since 2018. This commodity is now being exported to Australia and New Zealand, with options of other countries also being explored. The project is being seen as a huge success due to high demand and good profit margin on black rice in global markets. Moreover, its cultivation has been promoted under various schemes of the UP government, such as ‘One District-One Product’ and ‘Export Policy 2020-25’. These schemes aim at doubling farmers’ income and increasing exports from various sectors including agriculture. With superfood tag and numerous health benefits, black rice has replaced the demand for white and even brown rice among health-conscious customers across the globe, especially in countries like the US, New Zealand, Australia, and the UK. However, despite high returns, farmers in Chandauli are facing the problem of marketing black rice due to non-availability of its GI (geographical indication) tag to the region. Manipur was awarded the GI tag for black rice last year. A increase in returns to farmers against conventional rice cultivation: The price of black rice paddy is around Rs 80-85/kg, which is over four times the Grade A paddy MSP of Rs 19.6/kg. Moreover, the price of processed black rice is at Rs 160, which is further sold for around Rs 200-500/kg. This makes black rice cultivation a lucrative proposition despite complications like being completely organic and labour-intensive. Conclusion Rice is the most important food crop of the developing world and the staple food of more than half of the world's population. The more diverse rice we add in our food choices, the better it is for the farmers, our health and the environment. It is our social responsibility to eat right, eat seasonal and eat what is locally available. 2. What are the essential components of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)? What are the existing guidelines regarding EIA in India? Don’t you think the protestors against ongoing developmental projects need to be sensitised regarding EIA reports? Comment. Approach Start with definition of the EIA, candidate can also start with the evolution of EIA in India. Then highlight the essential components on which assessment is build. Try to write existing guidelines and then address the issue of awareness of protesters in balanced approach. Introduction UNEP defines Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) as a tool used to identify the environmental, social and economic impacts of a project prior to decision-making. It aims to predict environmental impacts at an early stage in project planning and design, find ways and means to reduce adverse impacts, shape projects to suit the local environment and present the predictions and options to decision-makers. Body EIA report contains following components: 1) Environmental Baseline Study – Survey of flora and fauna clearly delineating season and duration. It looks into the following components of the environment: Air environment, Noise, Water, Biological, Land. Study of existing ground and surface water resources. Determination of impact zone. 2) Environmental Assessment – Assessment of potential damage to terrestrial and aquatic flora and fauna due to discharge of effluents and gaseous emissions from the project. Estimation of impacts of project on land use, landscape, topography, drainage and hydrology. Assessment of impact on significant historical, cultural and archaeological sites/places in the area. Delineation of mitigation measures to prevent and / or reduce the damage. 3) Environmental Impact Statement – It is the summery of findings of the above two components and includes Environmental Management Plan. Delineation of mitigation measures including prevention and control for each environmental component and rehabilitation and resettlement plan. Delineation of monitoring scheme for compliance of conditions. Existing guidelines regarding process of EIA: Screening: The project plan is screened for scale of investment, location and type of development and if the project needs statutory clearance. Scoping: The project’s potential impacts, zone of impacts, mitigation possibilities and need for monitoring. Collection of baseline data: Baseline data is the environmental status of study area. Impact prediction: Positive and negative, reversible and irreversible and temporary and permanent impacts need to be predicted which presupposes a good understanding of the project by the assessment agency. Mitigation measures and EIA report: The EIA report should include the actions and steps for preventing, minimizing or by passing the impacts or else the level of compensation for probable environmental damage or loss. Public hearing: On completion of the EIA report, public and environmental groups living close to project site may be informed and consulted. Decision making: Impact Assessment Authority along with the experts consult the project-in-charge along with consultant to take the final decision, keeping in mind EIA and EMP (Environment Management Plan). Monitoring and implementation of environmental management plan: The various phases of implementation of the project are monitored. Assessment of Alternatives, Delineation of Mitigation Measures and Environmental Impact Assessment Report: For every project, possible alternatives should be identified, and environmental attributes compared. Alternatives should cover both project location and process technologies. Once alternatives have been reviewed, a mitigation plan should be drawn up for the selected option and is supplemented with an Environmental Management Plan (EMP) to guide the proponent towards environmental improvements. Risk assessment: Inventory analysis and hazard probability and index also form part of EIA procedures. Protesters along with government needs to be sensitised: For example the "Save Mollem" campaign says infrastructure projects are threatening an ecologically rich national park in India's western state of Goa. NGOs, civil society groups and local communities need to build their capacities to use the EIA notification towards better decision making on projects. It has been found that the team formed for conducting EIA studies is lacking expertise in various fields such as environmentalists, wildlife experts, Anthropologists and Social Scientists therefore its two way process to enhance capabilities. Citizen should be able to access the authority for redressal of all violation of the EIA notification as well as issues relating to non-compliance. The reduced notice period for public hearing from 30 days to 20 days will only make it difficult to study the draft EIA report, more so when it is not widely available or provided in the regional language. Moreover, the reduction of time would particularly pose a problem in those areas where information is not easily accessible or areas in which people are not that well aware of the process itself. The ministry, instead of reducing the time for public consultation, should focus on ensuring access to information as well as awareness about the public hearing and its impact upon the whole EIA process. Conclusion There is a need to strengthen the implementation of EIA, Independent EIA Authority is required for fair and objective decisions. EIA should formulate a transparent, decentralised and efficient regulatory mechanism to integrate environmental concerns into developmental process with a view to facilitating sustainable development. 3. What are white foods? What are the health concerns related to white foods? Discuss. Approach Start with basic background and explain the growth of white foods, then properly define white foods. Highlight the health issues around the white food products and also give alternative view on white food before a conclusion. Introduction White foods essentially, "bad carbs" like sugar and baked goods made with white flour have been fingered as a culprit in India’s obesity epidemic. The consumption of white foods has increased manifold among Indians in recent times. India's bakery market is expected to grow 8.5% to reach more than $12 billion by 2026. But evidence is also building up against refined foods as producing more harm than good. Body White foods: White foods are those that are processed and refined, like refined wheat flour, white rice, white bread, white pasta, and simple sugars like white refined sugar, honey, and high fructose corn syrup. Bakery and condiment industries, which use refined wheat flour and white sugar as main ingredients, have grown exponentially. It has several health impacts: Refined bread flour is obtained by processing whole grain removing fibre dense bran and germ of the grain. These parts contain most of the vitamins and minerals too. The resultant product lacks nutritional value and is associated with weight gain, glucose intolerance, and heart diseases, many research studies have shown. Refined sugar provides ‘empty calorie’ in the form of simple glucose and no other nutrients. Simple glucose gets absorbed in the bloodstream very quickly and raises blood sugar that leads to glucose intolerance, obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart diseases, some forms of cancer, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, depression, and dementia among others. A 2015 cohort study involving around 2,600 participants observed that regular sugar-sweetened beverage consumption was associated with higher risk of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, particularly in overweight and obese individuals. A large study involving around 4,35,000 participants showed that sugars were directly associated with greater risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma, small intestine cancer and pleural cancer. Known as ‘White poison’, white flour is becoming necessity for all of us but it impacts our health drastically. Use of Maida & its products usage is increasing rapidly in our day-to-day life. Sometimes, we are consuming it in form of bread at our home and sometimes, in the market/food joints in form of fast foods. As all necessary nutrients are lost during processing of Maida, foods made from it utilize nutrients from the body for absorption. As a result, our body gets depleted of vitamins and minerals. Everybody's favourite sabzi has an evil side, which has bigger health implications that just weight gain. White potatoes are starchy and are on the carb-heavy side. Problem is that potatoes are enjoyed either deep fried or mashed with butter and cream, both of which can cause health hazards. Deep fried potatoes have been linked to cancers and increased risk of type 2 diabetes. Along with pink, blue, and black salts, white table salt is essential to health. But it produces negative health outcomes such as high blood pressure, chronic kidney disease, and osteoporosis when consumed in excess. Almost all processed and packaged food products like chips, crackers, and wafers use salt as a preservative. White rice is the polished and refined form of whole grain – lacks fiber, protein, vitamins, and minerals. White rice is not a bad food unless consumed in large quantities. However, it doesn’t provide any vital nutrients except simple glucose. White rice produces the same health outcome as refined wheat flour. Not all white foods are bad Some white foods are beneficial for overall health: The only white foods we should avoid are processed, refined ones. Few examples include cauliflower, onion, garlic, radish, mushroom, cashews, sesame seeds, white beans, white fish, lean chicken, low fat milk, unsweetened yogurt, white eggs, and coconut meat are good for helath. The standard guideline while making food choices for a healthier lifestyle shouldn’t be dependent solely on colour because nutrition value is independent of colour. Promoting super foods for improving nutritional value: Millets, the tiny grains that once adorned Indian kitchens disappeared somewhere in the 80s. Millets are often referred to as Superfood and its production can be seen as an approach for sustainable agriculture and a healthy world. Multidimensional benefits associated with millets can address the issues related to nutrition security, food systems security, and farmers’ welfare. They are not only important for the healthy growth and development of children but have also been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease and diabetes in adults. The Ministry of Women and Child Development has been working at the intersection of agriculture and nutrition by setting up nutri-gardens, promoting research on the interlinkages between crop diversity and dietary diversity and running a behaviour change campaign to generate consumer demand for nutri-cereals. Conclusion There is a need to change the general perception around consumption and trade point of view associated with low cost nutritional foods and to re-brand coarse cereals/millets as nutri-cereals. Further, civil society can begin the jan andolan by taking small steps towards choosing healthier foods, which are good for the environment and bring economic prosperity to our farmers. TLP Synopsis Day 120 PDF

Jun 25, 2021 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

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

Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) E-launch of NAFED Fortified Rice Bran Oil Part of: GS Prelims and GS -III - Economy; Agriculture In news Department of Food and Public Distribution recently E-launched “NAFED Fortified Rice Bran Oil”. About Rice bran oil Rice bran oil is the oil extracted from the hard outer brown layer of rice called chaff (rice husk). It is known for its high smoke point of 232 °C (450 °F) making it suitable for high-temperature cooking methods such as stir frying and deep frying. Rice bran oil has a composition similar to that of peanut oil. Health benefits Lowering cholesterol level due to its low trans-fat content and high monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat contents. It also acts as a booster and reduces the risk of cancer due to the high amount of Vitamin E it contains. It is recommended by the WHO as one of the best substitutes for other edible oils. About NAFED National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd (NAFED) is an apex organization of marketing cooperatives for agricultural produce in India. It was founded on 2 October 1958. It is registered under Multi State Co-operative Societies Act. Headquarters: New Delhi. Ministry: Ministry of Agriculture Consultative Document on Regulation of Microfinance by RBI Part of: GS Prelims and GS -III - Economy In news RBI has released a Consultative Document on Regulation of Microfinance. It is released for harmonising the regulatory frameworks for various regulated lenders in the microfinance space. It also said that all micro loans should be regulated by a common set of guidelines irrespective of who gives them. The key proposals of the Consultative Document are A common definition of microfinance loans for all regulated entities. RBI has mooted capping the payment of interest and repayment of principal for all outstanding loan obligations of the household as a percentage of the household income, subject to a limit of maximum 50%. A Board approved policy for household income assessment. There would be no ceiling prescribed for the interest rate. There would be no collateral allowed for micro loans. There can be no prepayment penalty, while all entities have to permit the borrowers to repay weekly, fortnightly or monthly instalments as per their choice. Alignment of pricing guidelines for NBFC-MFIs with guidelines for NBFCs. Introduction of a standard simplified fact sheet on pricing of microfinance loans for better transparency. Display of minimum, maximum and average interest rates charged on microfinance loans on the websites of regulated entities. About MicroFinance Institution (MFI) Microfinance is a form of financial service which provides small loans and other financial services to poor and low-income households. MFIs are financial companies that provide small loans to people who do not have any access to banking facilities. In India, all loans that are below Rs. 1 lakh can be considered as microloans. The difference between an NBFC-MFI and other NBFC is that while other NBFCs can operate at a very high level, MFIs cater to only the smaller level of social strata, with need of smaller amounts as loans. Pic courtesy: Business Standard Army issues tender for 1,750 Futuristic Infantry Combat Vehicles Part of: GS Prelims and GS-III - Defence and Security In news The Indian Army has issued a Request For Information (RFI), for the procurement of 1,750 Futuristic Infantry Combat Vehicles (FICVs) to replace the Russian-origin infantry vehicles in service. This is the Army’s third attempt for the procurement of a new infantry vehicle. Early this month, an RFI was also issued for the procurement of 1770 Future Ready Combat Vehicles (FRCV) for the procurement of the next generation Main Battle Tank with planned induction from 2030. About the RFI A three-stage induction model has been proposed by the Army and Indian vendors can collaborate with Foreign Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) to supply FICVs within two years of the contract at the rate of 75-100 vehicles per year, According to the RFI, the FICVs would be employed for: cross-country operations in: Plain and desert terrain along the Western borders and high altitudes, up to 5,000 m Mountain terrain along the northern borders in eastern Ladakh, Central India North Sikkim. They would replace the 1980s vintage Russian-origin BMP-2. The main operational tasks that would be performed by the FICV include destroying: enemy tanks armoured personnel carriers combat vehicles low-flying helicopters other ground-based weapon platforms and positions. The FRCV platform is planned to be procured under the ‘Strategic Partnership’ route of the Defence Acquisition Procedure 2020. The FRCV is envisaged as a medium weight tank and will remain in service for the next 40-50 years as the MBT of the Army. 60th anniversary of Antarctic Treaty Part of: GS Prelims and GS -II - International relations In news Recently, the 60th anniversary of the Antarctic Treaty was celebrated. The Antarctic treaty remains the only example of a single treaty that governs a whole continent. It is also the foundation of a rules-based international order for a continent without a permanent population. Antarctica is defined as all of the land and ice shelves south of 60°S latitude. About the Antarctic Treaty The Antarctic Treaty was signed between 12 countries in Washington on 1st December 1959 for making the Antarctic Continent a demilitarized zone to be preserved for scientific research only. The twelve original signatories: Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Chile, France, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, South Africa, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, the UK and the US. India became a member of this treaty in 1983. Headquarters: Buenos Aires, Argentina. Major Provisions: Promoting the freedom of scientific research. Countries can use the continent only for peaceful purposes. Prohibition of military activities, nuclear tests and the disposal of radioactive waste. Neutralising territorial sovereignty, this means a limit was placed on making any new claim or enlargement of an existing claim. It put a freeze on any disputes between claimants over their territories on the continent. About Indian Antarctic Programme It is a scientific research and exploration program under the National Centre for Antarctic and Ocean Research (NCPOR). It started in 1981 when the first Indian expedition to Antarctica was made. Dakshin Gangotri: First Indian scientific research base station established in Antarctica Maitri: India’s second permanent research station in Antarctica. It is situated on the rocky mountainous region called Schirmacher Oasis. India also built a freshwater lake around Maitri known as Lake Priyadarshini. Bharti: India’s latest research station operation since 2012. It is India’s first committed research facility. Sagar Nidhi: In 2008, India commissioned the Sagar Nidhi, for research. An ice-class vessel, it can cut through the thin ice of 40 cm depth and is the first Indian vessel to navigate Antarctic waters. G20 Labour and Employment Ministers’ Meeting Part of: GS Prelims and GS III - International Relations In news Recently, the Union Minister for Labour and Employment has said that India is making collective efforts to reduce gender gaps in labour force participation. He was delivering the Ministerial Address on Declaration and Employment Working Group Priorities at G20 Labour and Employment Ministers’ Meeting. The Employment Working Group deliberated upon key issues, including women employment, social security and remote working. Initiatives Highlighted by India Educational and Skilling Efforts: India is strengthening its educational and skilling efforts to ensure quality education from preschool to senior secondary stage through national Educational Policy, 2020. National Skill Development Mission: Aims to create convergence across sectors and States in terms of skill training activities. Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana: Enables the youth to take up industry related skill training to assist them in securing better opportunities. Digital educational content has been made available on various e-learning platforms like DIKSHA, SWAYAM. Aatmanirbhar Bharat Rozgar Yojana: The government is paying up to 24% of wages towards EPF contributions for new employees as well as those who lost their jobs in the pandemic and are being re-employed. New Code on Wages, 2019: India will reduce gender-based discrimination in wages, recruitment and conditions of employment. Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana: It provides financial support to women entrepreneurs to start small enterprises. There are around 70% of women in this scheme. The G20 Roadmap Towards and Beyond the Brisbane Target has been set as Increasing the quantity and quality of women’s employment. Ensuring equal opportunities and achieving better outcomes in the labour market. Promoting a more even distribution of women and men across sectors and occupations. Tackling the gender pay gap. Promoting a more balanced distribution of paid and unpaid work between women and men. Addressing discrimination and gender stereotypes in the labour market. About G20 It is an informal group of 19 countries and the European Union, with representatives of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. Members: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States, and the European Union. Miscellaneous Delta plus variant Union Health ministry has categorised the Delta plus variant (B.1.617.2.1) as a variant of concern. Like Delta it has mutation in the spike protein region of the RNA virus making it more Transmissible. WHO classifies a variant as one of concern when it is associated with: an increase in transmissibility increase in virulence or change in clinical disease presentation decrease in the effectiveness of Public Health and social measures or there is decrease in availability of Diagnostics, vaccines and therapeutics. (Mains Focus) POLITY Topic: GS-2: Elections GS-2: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests. Ranked Choice Voting Context: Ranked choice voting made its debut in New York City’s mayoral polls. What is Ranked Choice Voting? The system is based on a simple premise: Democracy works better if people aren’t forced to make an all-or-nothing choice with their vote. Rather than pick just one candidate, voters in this system get to rank several in order of preference. Popular overseas: It has also been used by Australia, Ireland and Malta since the early 20th century. Northern Ireland, New Zealand and Scotland have all adopted it as well. The Oscars have also been using it since 2009 for its Best Picture category How does ranked choice voting work? In New York City’s version, voters get to rank up to five candidates, from first to last, on their ballot. If someone gets 50% plus one after all the first-choice votes are counted, then the election is over and that candidate wins. But if no one gets 50% plus one, it's on to Round 2. The person with the lowest number of first-place votes is eliminated, and that candidate's voters' second choices get redistributed as votes for other candidates. This reallocation of votes goes on until someone reaches 50% plus one. Merits of this system People’s Voice Counted: Even if a voter’s top choice doesn’t have enough support to win, their rankings of other candidates still play a role in determining the victor. More moderate candidates: It’s tough for someone to get elected through this system without broad support. In a traditional election, it’s possible for someone with fringe political views to win even if they are deeply disliked by a majority of voters. Less negative campaigning. The argument goes that candidates need a majority of voters to like them (at least more than the next person) and to cater to wider group, candidates mellow down their polarising nature of campaigning. Possibility of increased voter turnout: People can feel good about casting their vote. Instead of holding their nose for that one choice they get, voters can express at least a first choice for the person they really like. Demerits of ranked-choice voting: It is Complicated: It requires voters to do a lot more research. It also makes races less predictable. Some argue it's less democratic because it goes against the idea of one person, one vote. Transparency and trust are also potential problems. Under the modern ranked choice system, the process of redistributing votes is done by computer. Outside groups will have a harder time evaluating whether the software sorted the ranked votes accurately. Lots of people don't fill out all the choices: It is difficult to know the true will of a majority of the people if everyone isn't filling out all the choices It could encourage horse-trading. Ranked-choice voting could open the door for candidates to make deals with one another about who their voters should go for as a second choice. It might not necessarily reduce negative campaigning: Much of the negative campaigning is done by outside groups, and nothing in ranked-choice voting stops those entities from continuing to do so. Connecting the dots: Proportional Representation System in Rajya Sabha elections Remote Voting Facility NRI Voting POLITY/ GOVERNANCE/ SECURITY Topic: GS-2: Structure, organization and functioning of the Executive GS-3: Security challenges and their management in border areas Integrated Theatre Commands Context: Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat held a meeting with the Vice Chiefs of the armed forces and government representatives from multiple ministries and proposed the model of the integrated theatre commands — both within the Services and outside, as it involves paramilitary forces as well. Present Structure of our armed forces As of now, the three forces have 17 commands between Army, Navy & Airforce Even if these commands operate in the same region, they are not co-located, and their areas of operational responsibility are not necessarily the same. Army Seven commands Northern, Eastern, Southern, Western, Central, Southwestern and Army Training Command (ARTRAC). Navy Seven commands Western, Eastern, Southern, Southwestern, Central, Training, and Maintenance commands. Air Force Three commands Western, Eastern and Southern, of which Southern is largely about training. Andaman and Nicobar Command It is tri-Service command It is headed by rotation by officers from the three Services Strategic Force Command, It is tri-Service command It is responsible for India’s nuclear assets. What are integrated theatre commands? In the simplest words, it is a unified command under which all the resources of the Army, the Navy and the Air Force are pooled, depending on the threat perception. The commands could be geographical — like looking at a border with a particular country — or thematic, like a command for all maritime threats. Theatre commands enhances jointness among the forces, and also reduces duplication of resources. Several nations in the world have theatre commands, including the United States and China. The Andaman & Nicobar Command in India is an example of theatre command. Is theatre commands a new idea? The idea of creating an integrated tri-Services command in India is not new — it had been recommended at various levels after the Kargil conflict. After Gen Rawat was appointed Chief of Defence Staff in January 2020, he held discussions with Vice Chiefs of the forces to come up with ideas of what these commands could look like. In early 2020, Gen Rawat had suggested that the first of these commands, the Air Defence Command, could come up by the end of 2020. However, the process has been delayed due to multiple factors, including the Covid-19 pandemic. What is the proposal under discussion? A model with four to five integrated tri-Services theatre commands is under discussion, with each command headed by a three-star officer. This officer, the theatre commander, will report to the Chiefs of Staff Committee (COSC), which, includes the three Service chiefs, and is headed by the CDS as its permanent chairman. This brings in a major change — the Service chiefs currently have all the operational control over their forces; operational powers will now move to the COSC. Each of these commands will have the needed assets from all the three forces. Operational control over all of those assets, regardless of the force, will lie with the commander of that theatre. The proposed commands are: Maritime Theatre Command, which will take care of all the maritime security needs of the country on both the eastern and the western seaboards, and will include air strike assets and amphibian forces of the Army. Air Defence Command, which will be mandated with air defence across the country and beyond. The fighter jets will have reconnaissance and surveillance assets as well. Two or three land-based commands are proposed. If there are two commands, there will be one each for India’s borders with China and Pakistan. There is also a proposal to have another command looking at India’s borders with Pakistan and China in Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh, given the unique territory and security needs of the country in that region. Functional tri-Services commands: Apart from these theatre commands, the following functional commands are also mooted Logistics Command, which will have the logistics of all the Services under one person. Training and Doctrine Command, so that all Services work under a common doctrine and have some basic common training. What will be the role of the Services, if not operational? As of now, the Services have to speak to each other in times of need and urgency to request their assets to conduct a particular operation. The presence of Theatre commander would leave the Service chiefs with no direct control over their assets operationally. This does not mean the roles of Chiefs will be made redundant. Now they will have the core tasks to Raise, Train and Sustain their respective forces. Also, as each chief will be a member of the COSC, and an expert of his/her domain, his or her inputs will be necessary for all operational decisions. Is everybody happy with the proposed idea? While the Army and the Navy are on board with the proposal, the Air Force has certain reservations. One, the Air Force does not want the Air Force chief to lose operational control of Air assets. Two, the Air Force is concerned that all of its assets might be divided within these integrated theatres. All such concerns need to be addressed before such a significant transformation of the defence set-up takes place. Connecting the dots: Chief of Defence Staff Defence Self-reliance Challenges in India’s defence trade Rethinking Defence doctrine Recent reforms in Defence Sector (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 WHO classifies a variant as one of concern when it is associated with: An increase in transmissibility Increase in virulence or change in clinical disease presentation Decrease in the effectiveness of Public Health and social measures Which of the above is/are correct? 1 and 2 only 2 and 3 only 1, 2 and 3 only 3 only Q.2 Which of the following is not a part of Indian Antarctic Programme? Dakshin Gnagotri Himadri Maitri Bharti ANSWERS FOR 24th June 2021 TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE (TYK) 1 D 2 D Must Read On India-Africa relationship: The Hindu On rural economic revival: The Hindu On right to be forgotten: Hindustan Times

Jun 25, 2021 Rapid Revision (RaRe) Series for UPSC

[Day 26]: 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-26 of RaRe Series - Click here To Register - Click here For complete details of the RaRe Series - Click here

Jun 25, 2021 IASbaba's Courses

[ADMISSIONS OPEN] GEOGRAPHY OPTIONAL: FOUNDATION COURSE FOR UPSC 2022 and MAINS TEST SERIES for UPSC 2021

Dear Students Coming directly to the point, let us enumerate the merits of Geography as an optional to help you decide whether it’s the subject for you: Geography is scoring: If you maintain the essence of Geography in your answers, it will definitely fetch you good marks in Mains. Geography is interesting: You will have a fun ride with geography as most of the concepts relate to the physical and social environment of which you are an integral part. Geography has the maximum overlap with the GS syllabus: If you prepare Geography optional, more than 30-40% of your GS syllabus is automatically prepared. Moreover, you develop better perspectives for the Essay paper and interviews as well. This year in GS paper 1, 110 marks were asked from geography. Also, International Relation, Disaster Management, Agriculture, exports, resources, etc. are part of geography which helps in scoring well in GS 2 and GS 3. Geography is logic-driven and scientific: Unlike some other humanities subjects, the study of Geography entails logic, scientific theories and empirical evidence. This makes Geography easy to understand and apply. Geography has an abundance of sources to refer to: There is no dearth of quality materials and good books in Geography. You don’t have to dig too much into bookstores to find good books on Geography. Faculty Profile The Faculty needs no introduction due to his immense popularity with UPSC aspirants for geography. The Programme will be conducted by Atyab Ali Zaidi sir. He is an alumnus of NIT Allahabad, Chemical Engineering and is one of the Core members of the IASbaba team. He has been mentoring UPSC aspirants for the past 5 years and many of his students have qualified for this prestigious exam with flying colours. We at IASbaba provide guidance for Geography Optional Subject through two Courses - 1) Geography Optional Foundation Course for UPSC CSE 2022 2) Geography Optional Mains Test Series for UPSC CSE 2021 Geography Optional Foundation Course for UPSC CSE 2022 Features of the Program: The aim of the program is to groom the students with geography optional to approach the subject properly. All the topics in the syllabus will be covered in detail keeping the new trend of UPSC in mind. Small topic-wise lectures will be provided so that students can clearly understand what portion of the syllabus has been covered. Also, it will help in revision. The syllabus will be covered within 5 months. So that enough time is left for prelims preparation. Access to the program will be open till the mains 2022. So even if some students are not able to cover some topics now, they will be able to watch the lectures later. Live discussion sessions will be taken to clarify your queries. Students will be made to learn how to write a proper geographical answer to provide enough practice to the students so that they can feel comfortable with slightly twisted questions also. For More Details and Enrollment - CLICK HERE Geography Optional Mains Test Series for UPSC CSE 2021 Features of the Programme A total of 8 Tests with 4 Sectional Tests and 4 Full-length Test. (Only online) All the students will get personal mentorship. Mentor will point out the individual mistakes and help in overall guidance. Quality Evaluation of the Answer Sheets and detailed feedback. Value Add notes for some specific topics will be provided. For More Details and Enrollment - CLICK HERE How to score 300+ in Geography Optional?? For any queries, you can reach us at atyab@iasbaba.com or can directly call us on 95911 06864 Thank You! IASbaba

Jun 25, 2021 Daily Prelims CA Quiz

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

Jun 25, 2021 Rapid Revision (RaRe) Series for UPSC

[Day 25]: 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-25 of RaRe Series - Click here To Register - Click here For complete details of the RaRe Series - Click here

Jun 25, 2021 TLP Mains Answer Writing

IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 1): UPSC Mains Answer Writing – General Studies Paper 3 Questions [25th JUNE,2021] – Day 120

For Previous TLP (ARCHIVES) - CLICK HERE Hello Friends, Welcome to IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 1): UPSC Mains Answer Writing – General Studies Paper 3 Questions [25th JUNE,2021] – Day 120 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. What is black rice? What are its benefits? Why was it in news recently? (10 Marks) काला चावल क्या है? इसके क्या फायदे हैं? हाल ही में यह खबरों में क्यों था? 2. What are the essential components of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)? What are the existing guidelines regarding EIA in India? Don’t you think the protestors against ongoing developmental projects need to be sensitised regarding EIA reports? Comment. (10 Marks) पर्यावरणीय प्रभाव आकलन (ईआईए) के आवश्यक घटक क्या हैं? भारत में ईआईए के संबंध में मौजूदा दिशानिर्देश क्या हैं? क्या आपको नहीं लगता कि चल रही विकास परियोजनाओं के विरोध में प्रदर्शन करने वालों को ईआईए रिपोर्ट के बारे में जागरूक करने की आवश्यकता है? टिप्पणी करें 3. What are white foods? What are the health concerns related to white foods? Discuss. (15 Marks) सफेद खाद्य पदार्थ क्या हैं? सफेद खाद्य पदार्थों से संबंधित स्वास्थ्य संबंधी चिंताएं क्या हैं? चर्चा करें। AWARE ( Answer Writing REdefined) Series - 7 Steps to Master Answer Writing Skills by Mohan Sir - CLICK HERE P.S: The review from IASbaba will happen from the time the question is posted till 10 pm every day. We would also encourage peer reviews. So friends get actively involved and start reviewing each other's answers. This will keep the entire community motivated. All the Best :)

Jun 24, 2021 TLP Mains Answer Writing

SYNOPSIS [24th JUNE,2021] Day 119: IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 1): UPSC Mains Answer Writing (General Studies)

For Previous TLP (ARCHIVES) - CLICK HERE SYNOPSIS [24th JUNE,2021] Day 119: IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 1): UPSC Mains Answer Writing (General Studies) 1. ‘Ease of doing business is a critical factor for industrial growth’. In this light, critically assess the performance of the measures taken by the government to improve the ease of doing business in India. Approach Start with basic definition and explanation of EODB with Indian ranking and how it works. Then highlight the measures taken to improve the ranking with its critical assessment and limitations. Introduction Ease of doing business is an index published by the World Bank. It is an aggregate figure that includes different parameters which define the ease of doing business in a country. It is computed by aggregating the distance to frontier scores of different economies. The distance to frontier score uses the ‘regulatory best practices’ for doing business as the parameter and benchmark economies according to that parameter. Body India has jumped to rank 63 in the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business 2020 report. High rank in the index signals to world about the attractiveness of the economy and aids in the growth of investments and industrial growth. For each of the indicators that form a part of the statistic ‘Ease of doing business,’ a distance to frontier score is computed and all the scores are aggregated. The aggregated score becomes the Ease of doing business index. Indicators for which distance to frontier is computed include construction permits, registration, getting credit, tax payment mechanism etc. Countries are ranked as per the index. Measures taken by government to improve ease of doing business are: Goods and Services Tax: 17 indirect Central and State taxes have been replaced with a single indirect tax, Goods and Service Tax (GST), for the entire country. Unification of these taxes will reduce the cascading effect of taxes and make taxes paid on inputs creditable to a higher percentage. Corporate income tax has been reduced from 30% to 25% for companies with a turnover up to INR 250 crore. The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code has introduced a reorganization procedure for corporate debtors and facilitated continuation of the debtors’ business during insolvency proceedings. Time-bound resolution process is done under the IBC and liquidation is the last resort. Ease of trading across borders: e-Sanchit, an online application system, under the Single Window Interface for Trade (SWIFT) has been implemented. It allows traders to submit all supporting documents electronically with digital signatures. Enforcing Contracts: National Judicial Data Grid has been introduced which makes it possible to generate case measurement report on local courts. National Investment and Infrastructure Fund: The government has set up NIIF with the aim to attract investments from both domestic and international sources for infrastructure development in commercially viable projects. The corpus of the NIIF is proposed to be Rs 40,000 crore ($6 billion) wherein the government will invest 49%. Foreign Investment Promotion Board: In a bid to reduce red-tapism, the government abolished the FIPB which used to scrutinise foreign investment proposals. The proposals are now cleared by departments concerned. ShramSuvidha: The government launched online portal for firms to file a common return on its portal to comply with as many as eight labour laws at one go. Relaxation in FDI norms – For example: The Insurance Law Amendment Act of 2015 -which allows more Foreign Direct Investment in the sector upto 49% Single window clearance system: State governments have streamlined procedures and made it easier to obtain construction permits by allowing the submission of labour inspector commencement and completion notifications through a single-window clearance system. MUDRA loans in 59 minutes to enhance getting credit for business: The initiative aims at automation and digitization of various processes of Business Loan (Term Loan and Working Capital Loan) and Retail Loans (Personal Loan and Home Loan) in such a way that a borrower gets an In-principle approval letter in less than 59 minutes. The growth in industries has been averaging around 7% in the 90s and increased to 7.4% in the last decade. At the end of it the manufacturing, export sectors came under pressure because of the global financial crisis. The government through better regulatory environment aims to attract domestic and foreign investments into the manufacturing sector. Criticisms and limitations of government measures/ Areas that need attention: The jump in overall ranking was driven primarily by improvements in issuing construction permits (from 181 to 52) and trading across borders (from 146 to 80). In spite of enacting GST that has led to creation of single market for goods & services, teething problems with respect to filing returns and delay in getting refunds has impacted the ease of doing business. India’s position has thus worsened a bit in the latest ranking on ‘paying taxes’. India’s score remains dismal on registering property, where it ranks 166. While it takes 69 days to register a piece of property in India, in New Zealand this can be done in a single day. As the index is calculated by measuring parameters in only Mumbai and Delhi, the government has focused on improving ease of doing business in these cities often neglecting the red-tapism experienced by the business firms located in tier 2 or tier 3 towns. Judicial delay in enforcing of Contract: High pendency of cases (nearly 50000 in Supreme Court alone) and high Judicial vacancy (nearly 40% in High Courts) has led to delay in resolution of disputes. Persisting NPA problem has impacted credit growth rate: non-food credit disbursements grew at 12.3 per cent in FY19 (up from 8,4 per cent in FY18), while food credit continued to witness a de-growth at 0.9 per cent. NBFC liquidity crisis – IL&FS and PMC crisis – has predominantly impacted the working capital of MSMEs. IBC no doubt a very needed reform but it is still in the process of evolving. As of now, it has faced certain issues with its efficiency. The time period taken for the resolution process has been more than what has been allowed under the code. The dissenting financial and operational creditors have been approaching NCLT/NCLAT which has become a hurdle. The judiciary has been involved in interpreting many of the provisions of the law. Recovery of the debt still is on the lower side Conclusion Measures to reduce logistics costs and to improve infrastructure, reducing the cost of land, power, and capital can significantly ease the burden for businesses. Faster implementation of these initiatives will help India consolidate its location-product matrix and realise its potential in high value-add segment. Coupled with steadfast focus on execution and institutional reforms, the EoDB programme should catapult India into the league of nations with a robust business ecosystem that attracts and fosters most innovative enterprises from across the world. 2. Share your views on the idea of privatisation of train and rail route operations. Will it not take away the status of public good from railways? Substantiate your views. Approach Start with the recent privatisation announcement and then define and explain the public goods with its characteristics linked to Railways services, substantiate the views on need of privatisation and impact on image of public good. Introduction Indian railway is the third largest in the world carrying 23 million passengers daily, employing 1.3 million people but is operating at an operating ratio of nearly 98%. Running of Tejas express between Delhi and Lucknow marks the beginning of privatisation of Indian railways. Body What Is a Public Good? In economics, a public good refers to a commodity or service that is made available to all members of a society. Typically, these services are administered by governments and paid for collectively through taxation. Public goods are commodities or services that benefit all members of society, and which are often provided for free through public taxation. Public goods also refer to more basic goods, such as access to railways, public park, clean air and drinking water. Public goods are the opposite of private goods, which are inherently scarce and are paid for separately by individuals. Societies will disagree about which goods should be considered public goods; these differences are often reflected in nations’ government spending priorities. Indian railways as public good: The main criteria that distinguish a public good are that it will be non-rivalrous and non-excludable. Non-rivalrous means that the goods do not dwindle in supply as more people consume them; non-excludability means that the good is available to all citizens. But Indian railway doesn’t offer services totally free and tickets are based on paid first cum first basis with excludability element, thus nature of Indian railways is not wholly public good. Indian railways should carry forward with judicious and reasonable privatisation in very much tailored approach with focus on limited routes. Indian railways in need of privatisation: Infrastructure - Cost of holistic development of metro cities railways alone is estimated at 10000 cr. Privatisation will bring investment which will help in infrastructure development. Efficiency - Privatisation is generally associated with high efficiency as seen in the case of privatisation of airports in India. Services - People will get better services for the amount they are paying. Cross subsidisation - This will reduce load on freight as currently passengers fares are subsidised by freight fares. Share of freights got reduced from 89%in 1950 to 31% now. Politics - Railways are the lifeline of our country and politicisation happens during election which hampers pricing of tickets. Lesser accidents - As per national crimes record bureau 2700 Indians died in 2014 railway accidents. Better maintenance - It would make sense for the IR to get private players instead of going ahead with its plan to replace 43,000 outdated ICF coaches with Linke Hofmann Busch (LHB) ones. Better quality of service due to enhanced competition. Public services- British experience suggests that this leads to high satisfaction in public Other businesses- Japan’s corporatisation of railways led to development of real estate and associated business around it. The land with railways can thus be used effectively. Conclusion As the Indian Railways plays a vital role in transportation of goods in the country, it provides a low cost of transportation of many final and intermediate goods. Thus, the privatization of the system motivated by profit making, should not have inflationary effect and thereby affect the common people. There should be balanced solution that would incorporate the pros of both private and government enterprises and enhance the image of Indian Railways as it continues to serve the world’s largest democracy. 3.How can a credit incentive scheme boost health infrastructure? Elucidate. Approach The question is based on the current credit incentive scheme introduced by the government India and RBI which can be a good introduction to start.In next part mention some brief features of these incentives and in last elucidate how this will augment various components of the health infrastructure. Introduction An explosive outbreak of the corona virus pandemic in India in recent months overwhelmed the nation’s deficient health care infrastructure, leading to a shortage of everything from hospital beds to oxygen supplies.Therefore India is considering offering as much as $ 6.8 billion (Rs 50,000)of credit incentives to boost health care infrastructure to make health infrastructure ready for any future waves and improve overall quality of health sector to deal with such crises. Body Issues plaguing Indian Health sector : India’s general government expenditure on healthcare as a percent of GDP was just 1.0% in 2017, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO) data, placing it at number 165 out of 186 countries in terms of government expenditure on healthcare. Skewed availability of healthcare across India as poorer States have the worst facilities.In terms of access and quality of health services, India was ranked 145 out of 195 countries in a Lancet study published in 2018, below countries like China (48), Sri Lanka (71) Bhutan (134) and Bangladesh (132). Availability of trained epidemiologists is an issue due to low salary and job insecurity in the health system.There should be one epidemiologist per 0.2 million population. An epidemiologist is a technical person to guide and monitor the process of contact-tracing, marking containment zones and isolating suspected cases. India’s expenditure on R&D as a percent of GDP has continued to remain stagnant at 0.7% of GDP for three decades, with the public sector accounting for 51.8% of national R&D expenditure. This compares to around 2.8% of GDP for the USA, 2.1% of GDP for China, 4.4% of GDP for Korea and around 3% for Germany where the dominant sector by spending on R&D is the private sector. The India health infrastructure was already not adequate for normal times but the pandemic has raised reports on longstanding problem of healthcare workers protesting the shortage of equipment such as ventilators, oxygen cylinders, ICU beds, etc .This has led to government bringing the credit incentive scheme to build quality infrastructure and remove rural urban disparities. Features of the credit incentive scheme of RBI and Government of India. This move is aimed at easing access to emergency healthcare services. To boost the provision of immediate liquidity for ramping up immediate covid-related infrastructure and services in the country. Under this scheme, banks can provide fresh lending support to a wide-ranging of entities including vaccine manufacturers, importers and suppliers of vaccines and priority medical devices, hospitals and dispensaries, pathology labs, manufacturers and suppliers of oxygen and ventilators, and also patients for treatment. These loans will continue to be classified under the 'priority sector' till repayment or maturity, whichever is earlier. Banks may deliver these loans to borrowers directly or through intermediaries. Banks are expected to create a Covid loan book under this scheme. Such banks will be eligible to park their surplus liquidity up to the size of the Covid loan book under the reverse repo window at a rate 25 basis points lower than the repo rate. Indian government will act as guarantor in such loans to make the process more faster. Impact of incentives on the Health infrastructure in future: Vaccine manufacturers : The manufacturers of current vaccine such as Serum institute of India and Bharat Biotech as well as vaccines which are in pipeline for final trials such as Zydus cadila will be able to tap to this liquidity facility and ramp up production of vaccines and build up sufficient inventories to not only vaccinate whole of India by December 2021 which is the target set by the government but to also provide vaccines to rest of the world especially the low income countries who do not have much resources. Importers and suppliers of vaccines : The logistics of vaccine supply will also need to be ramped up for catering to high daily vaccination and therefore the cold storage chains will benefit from this credit incentive keeping in mind that in future mRNA vaccines which require low temperatures can also be in the covid vaccination policy. Medical devices: The critical component such as oxygen concentrators, ventilators, oxygen plants, pulse oximeters which were in deficit and will be needed in any future upsurge will get a boost from the credit incentive scheme. Hospital infrastructure : Many hospitals especially in rural areas were lacking ICU facilities and trained doctors .This credit facilities can help them to invest both in physical and human capital infrastructure to handle not only future covid but. Non covid related cases. Pathology labs : Diagnostics which include blood reports, antigen test, RTPCR have become essential tools to implement the strategy of Test, trace and treat.India initially had only one facility to test samples of covid which has expanded to more than 1000 today.This credit incentive scheme will further augment the diagnostic for better surveillance of the virus and to nip in the bus any future outbreaks.This will also be essential to avoid low testing phenomena seen in rural areas in 1st and 2nd wave of the pandemic. Research institutes: Research institutes can tap the credit facility to invest in clinical trials to evaluate new drugs, offer courses to train health staff to handle the pandemic and other diseases in better way.Further the evolving situation with new variants demand new research in diagnostic, treatment and vaccination. Digital thrust : The digital records for better surveillance and treatment protocols is necessary.Thus the new investment in digitisation of hospitals and rural care centres is necessary which can be made trough this credit facility.This will also lead to better health insurance coverage which is very low in India. Conclusion Therefore the credit incentive facility is welcome in the current situation of pandemic.But to keep the health infrastructure in better shape and avoid inconvenience to citizens in future it is necessary to increase the annual spending on health sector to 2.5 percent of the GDP as envisaged in National health policy, 2017 which will provide better regular funding rather than ad hoc credit incentive schemes. TLP Synopsis Day 119 PDF

Jun 24, 2021 TLP Mains Answer Writing

[STEP 5] AWARE (Answer Writing REdefined)- Value Additions & Unique Answer Writing Strategy for Each Paper GS1, GS2, GS3, GS4 - UPSC Mains - Master the Art by Mohan Sir!

Dear Students, AWARE (Answer Writing Redefined) is a new initiative on how to Master the Art of Answer Writing for UPSC MAINS. In this Series, Mohan Sir (Founder, IASbaba) discusses about the 7 Steps to Master the Art of Answer Writing. Now that the foundation to Answer Writing is laid down - 10 Myths about Answer Writing, How to Start Answer Writing? & the 1st Principle of Answer Writing, How to Structure an Answer - 5 Unique Ways of Writing INTRODUCTION & CONCLUSION How to Structure an Answer -Understanding Directives/Keywords in UPSC Mains Answer Writing| Examine,Analyse, Comment Difference between Good, Average and Bad Presentation, How & Where to use Tree Diagram/Flowchart; Hub & Scope Model; Venn Diagram; Geometric Shapes; Cyclic; Timelines; Graphs & tables; Maps & Diagrams! The next step (5th STEP) is to understand - [VIDEO] Watch, STEP 5 - Value Additions & Answer Writing Strategy for Each Paper GS1, GS2, GS3, GS4 (UPSC Mains) .embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; } .pf-content{width:98%;} TIMELINES: KEYWORDS/DIRECTIVES Explained with Examples! 01:28 - 1.) Value Addition GS1-History 09:08 - Value Addition GS1- Geography 10:12 - Value Addition GS1- Society 12:06 - Value Addition GS2- Polity/Governance 14:13 - Value Addition GS2- International Relations 18:03 - Value Addition GS3- Economics/Agriculture/Industries 19:37 - Value Addition GS4- Ethics 22:16 - Different Strategy for Different Paper Ex: Smart Cities in GS 1 27:47 - Different Strategy for Different Paper Ex: Smart Cities in GS 3 For, TLP+ Mains 2021 Test Series with Mentorship – New Batch starting from 24th May! -> CLICK HERE For, TLP CONNECT 2021 (Prelims + Mains+ Interview) INTEGRATED Mentorship Based Programme -> CLICK HERE To get Regular Updates from IASbaba, follow- TELEGRAM Channel – CLICK HERE YOUTUBE – CLICK HERE FACEBOOK – CLICK HERE INSTAGRAM – CLICK HERE Also, SUBSCRIBE to the WEBSITE (on the right-hand side), so that you don’t miss out on important posts! Thank You IASbaba

Jun 24, 2021 WEEKEND WITH BABA

[WEEKEND WITH BABA] Sixth Live Session – Integrated Learning Program (ILP) - 2022 by Atyab Ali Zaidi Sir on 26th June

Dear Students Thank you for a great response to the 'Weekend With Baba' Sessions in the past few weeks and we hope that you are benefitting from it. For this week we are conducting a Live Zoom Session on Details regarding the Integrated Learning Program (ILP) - 2022. Details Regarding the Sixth Live Session The session on Integrated Learning Program (ILP) - 2022 will be taken by Atyab Ali Zaidi sir on 26th June (Saturday) from 5 PM - 6 PM. Zoom Session Details Topic: Weekend with Baba - Ask Anything - Integrated Learning Program (ILP) - 2022 with Atyab Sir Time: Jun 26, 2021 05:00 PM Join Zoom Meeting - https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84519647338?pwd=R3N2cWY4aFlhOWJIeXBpYUR0SUM2UT09 Meeting ID: 845 1964 7338 Passcode: 680023 Note The Zoom link will be active only on the scheduled time and date. Students will be allowed to participate in the session on a 'first come first serve' basis. To Watch Previous 'Weekend With Baba' Sessions - CLICK HERE INTEGRATED LEARNING PROGRAM (ILP) 2022 - CLICK HERE You can start sharing your questions/queries/doubts with #ASKBABA (related to Integrated Learning Program (ILP) - 2022) in disqus comment box below and Upvoting can follow. Remember maximum upvotes will be given priority. Feel free to share your queries because many of the questions that you are having, will be the same as other candidates. Your questions might help others in clarifying their doubts. Waiting to talk to you soon! P.S: 'CONNECT WITH BABA' consists of the following - Hotline, #AskBaba, Phone-a-Friend, (Monday - Friday between 10 AM to 6 PM), and 'Weekend with Baba' (Every Saturday from 5 PM - 6 PM). To get Regular Updates from IASbaba, follow- TELEGRAM Channel – CLICK HERE YOUTUBE – CLICK HERE FACEBOOK – CLICK HERE

Posts