Jul 8, 2021 Rapid Revision (RaRe) Series for UPSC

[Day 39]: 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-39 of RaRe Series - Click here To Register - Click here For complete details of the RaRe Series -  Click here

Jul 8, 2021 AIR

Election Commission's role in ensuring Free and Fair polls - All India Radio (AIR) IAS UPSC

ARCHIVES Search 2nd April, 2021 Spotlight here: http://www.newsonair.com/Main_Audio_Bulletins_Search.aspx Topic: General Studies 2: Appointment to various Constitutional posts, powers, functions and responsibilities of various Constitutional Bodies  There are four bulwarks of Indian democracy; one of them is Election Commission. Election commission is a constitutional body empowered to conduct free and fair elections under Article 324 of the Indian constitution. Elections are fundamental to democracy. In the long journey of seven decades, Election Commission of India never failed to serve its purpose of facilitating the democracy in the best possible way. In first elections of independent India, Election Commission successfully handled the mostly illiterate but enthusiastic citizens of India. It also survived the free and fair elections immediately after the end of Emergency in 1970s. Challenges faced by the Election Commission Suspension of norms of civility – and responsibility owing to the anonymous nature of the engagement on internet and social media. Free and fair election is important not only for expression of the will of people but also to maintain social cohesion and democratic values of equality, fraternity etc. Enforcing Model Code of Conduct in such a scenario becomes extremely difficult.  Use of bots and unfair means to trend on social media – The immediacy of the engagement, with deep penetration through the device of posts going viral, sometimes, allegedly, owing to the deployment of bots, creates challenge in conducting free and fair election.  Phenomenon of fake news and misinformation – an important aspect of the role that social media are likely to play in the elections is the phenomenon of fake news and misinformation. The social rupture caused by such campaigns, including heightened insecurity for marginalised sections of society, is phenomenal. De-Institutionalization of the democratic structure – A relatively small financial cost lends the ability to a small number of users to bombard the electorate with party political messages with little political accountability or responsibility. The net impact is in geometric proportion to the number of such platforms deployed. The result is the de-institutionalization of the democratic structure and a strengthening of what Lloyd Rudolph and Susanne Rudolph call a command polity. Othering/marginalization of some sections – This is the space where othering takes place with impunity and with only a miniscule risk of social censure. Absolved of the responsibility to defend their views in an open arena of co-equal citizens, regressive actors are able to campaign for their political viewpoints from the safety of a smartphone. Dilution of public reasoning – the fulcrum of public reasoning is shifting to the construction of the other. It therefore becomes less important for political actors to propose their own programme of action and more important for them to contest characterizations by others. Allegations of hacking of EVMs – When it’s difficult to verify news and counter fake news, allegations like hacking of EVMs may gain traction. This will completely shake he credibility of EC and erode trust in the election process.    Efforts made by Election Commission Election Commission of India is empowered to cancel the elections or call for re-elections if any kind corruption or malpractices are found; this is the most powerful tool in the hands of election commission to make democracy possible in letter and spirit. To further improve the transparency in elections, Election Commission of India introduced Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) in 1999. In 2010, Election Commission of India accepted the recommendations of Indiresan committee to introduce Voter-verified paper audit trail (VVPAT) for further transparency. In the same line, the EC is currently considering the use of Totaliser Machines during elections to mask booth-wise voting patterns. Internet major Google and social media giants Twitter and Facebook have assured the Election Commission that they will not allow their platforms to be used for anything which affects the purity of polls during campaign period. It is another laudable effort of Election Commission of India to strengthen democracy. The last 48 hours before the elections come to a close is called ‘silence period’ so that voter can calmly decide on as to whom to vote. Google, Facebook, etc. also assured the EC that political advertisements will be flagged, including the amount spent, so that expenditure can also be accounted for during campaign period. Similarly, some other efforts taken by Election Commission of India to strengthen the democracy by elections in India are, Model Code of Conduct, awareness campaigns, National Voters Day (25th Jan), Electoral Bonds, etc. Some of the recent steps taken also include –  Banned prominent politician from campaigning for certain period in recent Lok sabha election.  Banned a biopic movie.  Banned election campaign in Kolkata due to eruption of violence.  SVEEP – Systematic voter’s education and electoral awareness program.  C-Vigil – to maintain the integrity of election process.  Setup Media Certification and Monitoring Committee ECI reform plan: For a level playing field ECI is considering tightening ways to cap the expenditure of political parties. But even this can be meaningful only if there is more transparency in campaign finance which suggests that the electoral bonds system, as it is in place now, is untenable. The ECI has suggested bringing social media and print media under the “silent period” ambit after campaigning ends. Regulating social media will be difficult and it remains to be seen how the ECI will implement this. The ECI also plans to introduce new “safe and secure” voting methods. The use now of the EVM as a standalone, one-time programmable chip-based system, along with administrative safeguards renders it a safe mechanism that is not vulnerable to hacking.  Any other “online” form of voting that is based on networked systems should be avoided Aadhaar-Voter ID linkage to weed out duplications and misrepresentations from the electoral rolls - The idea of an Aadhaar-linked remote voting system that is sought to be built as a prototype could be problematic considering how the unique identity card has excluded genuine beneficiaries when used in welfare schemes Amendments to Section 20(6) of the Representation of the People’s Act, 1951 to allow the husband of a female officer to be registered as a service voter where she holds office. Granting powers to ECI to deregister a party Greater autonomy to ECI Giving Constitutional protection to all members of ECI Charging budget of ECI to Consolidated Fund of India Setting up Independent Secretariat for ECI like those for Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha Do you know?  How can overseas voters currently vote in Indian elections? Prior to 2010, an Indian citizen who is an eligible voter and was residing abroad for more than six months owing to employment, education or otherwise, would not have been able to vote in elections. After the passing of the Representation of the People (Amendment) Act, 2010, eligible NRIs who had stayed abroad beyond six months have been enabled to vote, but only in person at the polling station where they have been enrolled as an overseas elector. Refer: Mindmap + Blockchain Technology and Voting Connecting the Dots: India’s Election Commission is an embodiment of institutional excellence and professionalism. Comment.    Liberhan Commission recommendations against parties which misuse religion.

Jul 8, 2021 RSTV Video

Tackling Naxal Threat – The Big Picture – RSTV IAS UPSC

Archives TOPIC: General Studies 3 Challenges to Internal Security Context: Twenty-three security personnel were killed and 33 injured on April 2nd in one of the deadliest Maoist ambushes ever in Bastar, Chattisgarh.  A CoBRA commando has been captured by Maoists and are demanding interlocutor for negotiating his release. In this ambush, Maoists triggered blasts and then rained bullets and shells on the troops from well-camouflaged positions, inflicting heavy causalities.  One of the survivors of the encounter said that they were attacked by over 400 Maoists from three sides. The ambush lines stretched over 2km. This is the second major attack since March 24 when Maoists blew up a bus carrying security personnel, killing five policemen and injuring 13 in neighbouring Narayanpur district. Issues Complacency by government: The downward trend of Maoist violence over the last few years has led the government and some security analysts to declare that the battle against Maoism (or Naxalism, as the terms are interchangeably used) is almost won. Still the biggest Internal Security threat: Despite data revealing an overall reduction in violence, the capacity of Left-wing extremists to retaliate with ferocity indicates that Maoism still remains the biggest threat to our internal security. The recent attack is yet another reminder of the capability of Maoist cadres to lie low for long periods, regroup and strike at intervals. Chhattisgarh struggles: Since a crackdown on Maoists starting 2005 in Left Wing Extremism (LWE) states, other states have largely tackled the problem. The number of districts declared Naxal-affected is now just 90, down from over 200 in the early 2000s. Yet Chhattisgarh struggles Mass support to Maoists: There is a complete administrative and security vacuum in such areas to counter. The erosion of State authority is also reflected in the fact that civilians often act as the eyes and ears of the Maoists in affected areas. Federal Challenge: One problem is the federal nature of India, and the resistance of state governments. It limits what the Central government can do to tackle the challenges comprehensively.  The overstretched policemen operating in these areas, without an adequate senior police leadership is at times making the operations against Maoists ineffective. The Way Ahead Learnings from AP: The Greyhounds of undivided Andhra Pradesh, a specialised force that achieved great success in weakening the Maoists, conducted their operations with small-sized teams, acting on pinpoint intelligence. Even their platoon strength team had a clear chain of command. Building Infrastructure: While extending roads and hoisting mobile towers have certainly helped, CRPF will have to set up its camps deeper in the jungles. The Rural Roads Programme (RRP) aimed at constructing 5,411 kms and connecting 44 Naxal-affected districts, must also be speeded up as most of these districts fall in Chhattisgarh. Leadership by State Police: Maoism has been defeated only in states where the state police have taken the lead. Central forces have the numbers and the training, but they have no local knowledge or intelligence. Only local police can drive out Maoists The obliteration of Maoist violence in Andhra Pradesh is largely attributed to the state’s Greyhounds.  In Maharashtra, where Maoists held sway over several districts, they have now been confined to border areas of Gadchiroli thanks to local police and the C60 force.  West Bengal achieved normalcy through an ingenious strategy adopted by the state police.  The Jharkhand Jaguars have gained an upper hand in the past few years, and Odisha has confined Maoist activity largely to Malkangiri thanks to broad administrative interventions in Koraput. Conclusion There is something fundamentally wrong with the approach of the government in handling this challenge to internal security. Our governments are routinely confused while dealing with internal security challenges. There are two ways to confront insurgencies. One is to manage it at a low-key level, like New Delhi has done for decades in the North-East. The other is to go hammer and tongs, as the Sri Lankan forces eventually did against the LTTE, to finish off any serious resistance by the Tamil militants. Connecting the Dots: Examine the changing characteristics and pattern of left wing extremism in India. What strategies do left wing extremists adopt to destabilise the democracy? What has been the government’s strategy to thwart such threats? Examine. The term ‘urban Naxal' has gained currency in the last few years. What is the meaning of this term? What are your views on the belief that the so-called urban Naxals are a security threat to India? Comment.

Jul 8, 2021 UPSC Interview Discussion-TRP

[INTERVIEW INITIATIVE] Think, Rethink and Perform (TRP) [DAY 22] 2020 for UPSC/IAS Personality Test!

ARCHIVES (of TRP) - > CLICK HERE Those who have appeared for UPSC Mains 2020, fill up the Google form given below. Students who fill the form will be added to a telegram group so that there can be healthy discussions with other students who will be appearing for the Interview/Personality Test. Also, Mohan sir, Bureaucrats and Ex-Bureaucrats will be interacting one on one with all the students who will be appearing for the same. REGISTER HERE – CLICK HERE   Interview Discussion: Think, Rethink and Perform; (TRP)- Day 22 Set 1: Ask these questions to yourself; contemplate and come out with a concrete answer (not to be discussed on this forum). Invest at least 30 minutes on this set of questions.  Given a chance to change one thing about your country, what will you change and why? Now imagine that you have to chalk out a plan to affect this change. How will you approach it?  How much do individual efforts matter in achieving greater things?  Set 2: Analyse the following issue:  The latest PEW survey on Indians and religion has revealed many interesting facts. What are your takeaways from this survey? Do you think issues like secularism and religiosity are often misunderstood and misinterpreted in India? If yes, why?  We expect you to discuss the above question (Set 2) in the comments below and come out with a balanced view of the issues. Thank You IASbaba

Jul 8, 2021 Daily Prelims CA Quiz

UPSC Quiz – 2021 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz 8th 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

Jul 8, 2021 TLP Mains Answer Writing

IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 1): UPSC Mains Answer Writing – General Studies Paper 3 Questions [8th JULY,2021] – Day 129

For Previous TLP (ARCHIVES) - CLICK HERE Hello Friends, Welcome to IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 1): UPSC Mains Answer Writing – General Studies Paper 3 Questions [8th JULY,2021] – Day 129 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 deficit financing? Is deficit financing always bad? Critically examine. (10 Marks) घाटे का वित्तपोषण क्या है? क्या घाटे का वित्तपोषण हमेशा खराब होता है? समालोचनात्मक जाँच करें। 2. In the present economic situation of the country, do you think it is feasible to adhere to the fiscal deficit target of 3%. Critically Examine. (10 Marks) देश की वर्तमान आर्थिक स्थिति में, क्या आपको लगता है कि 3% के राजकोषीय घाटे के लक्ष्य का पालन करना संभव है। समालोचनात्मक जाँच करें। 3. Engaging in talks with Pakistan and Taliban is a strategic imperative for India. Do you agree? Critically comment. (15 Marks) पाकिस्तान और तालिबान के साथ बातचीत में शामिल होना भारत के लिए एक रणनीतिक अनिवार्यता है। क्या आप सहमत हैं? समालोचनात्मक टिप्पणी 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 :)

Jul 8, 2021 TLP Mains Answer Writing

SYNOPSIS [7th JULY,2021] Day 128: IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 1): UPSC Mains Answer Writing (General Studies)

For Previous TLP (ARCHIVES) - CLICK HERE   SYNOPSIS [7th JULY,2021] Day 128: IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 1): UPSC Mains Answer Writing (General Studies)   1. What are land banks? What purpose do they serve? Examine their potential in India.  Approach  The candidate first needs to define what is land bank.In next part address what is the purpose of setting up of land banks and in last write what are its potential in India.Make use of recent initiatives by Indian government and states government to substantiate your arguments  Introduction Land banking is the practice of aggregating parcels or blocks of land at current market rates or lower, for future sale or development. Recently Indian authorities have identified land parcels across the country and are developing a land pool to woo companies moving out of China after the pandemic that originated in the country. The land parcels identified by the authorities are spread across the country in states such as Gujarat, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. Body Inordinate delay in land acquisition has been one of the biggest obstacles in India’s bid to emerge as a major industrial nation, with several foreign companies, including Posco and Saudi Aramco, facing the brunt of a myriad of rules and regulations. Land acquisition has also resulted in large-scale protests against an SEZ in Nandigram, a Tata Motors plant in Singur (both are in West Bengal) and Vedanta’s bauxite mining proposal in Odisha’s Niyamgiri.Therefore the government has recently launched GIS enabled land banking portal which has all the information on the parcel of land available to the logistics which the area will facilitate. Purpose of Land Banks: Building land banks allows government to offer land to private investors right away, rather than having to wait for the lengthy process of land acquisition each time an investor wants land. It helps to save critical time required for the start of the business and helps to improve ‘ease of doing businesses’.  It also saves cost of land acquisition as land rates get disproportionately raised after the announcement of project. Investors also like to know that the land is acquired and available, and that they won’t run into political problems down the road. Making land readily available for economic activities sounds like a rational move. Potential of Land Banks in India: Land use patterns and fragmentation of holdings is a key issue. The proportion of land that is available for industry (i.e. not suitable for cultivation) is around 23% in the country. Land Bank can provide required pieces of land to industries in homogeneous fashion. The problem of low availability of land suitable for industry is accentuated by the ever increasing pressure on land due to increase in population. It creates necessity of Land banks.  India’s urban areas have huge areas of unutilized land parcels which can be utilized for affordable housing projects. Land bank can generate source of revenue for government as many public sector entities has huge tracts of land lying idle. Eg. Railways.  Voluntary buying of land by government through online portal avoids forcible acquisition of land. Eg. Model followed by Haryana state government. Since land ownerships in vast swathes of India are fragmented and disorganised, direct acquisition remains a critical challenge, more so for private companies. The land bank becomes a key initiative of the government, as it intends to undertake structural reforms in factors of production to enable greater manufacturing and reverse a Covid-induced slide in growth. Issues with land bank: Land Bank is an easy option for creation of industrial enclaves but land acquisition in many states have been done without following due process requirements laid down in laws such as the Land Acquisition Act, 2013 (LARR) and the Forest Rights Act, 2006 (FRA). Eg. Return of acquired land from POSCO in Odisha was not transferred to earlier owners but put in state Land Bank.  Shift of cultivable lands into land bank for industrial purpose could create threat to food security of India. Common lands over which communities had traditional rights have been set aside as part of land banks and once that is done it becomes even more difficult for communities to claim rights over it under laws such as the Forest Rights Act (FRA). Supreme Court asked states why much of the land bought for special economic zones is lying idle this shows how creating land banks and not utilising them goes against the purpose and may harm interests of marginal workers who benefited from the land parcel. There is lack of computerised land data in each state which leads to discrepancies on paper and ground data on the land parcel which often leads to long legal battles . Conclusion India has historically been lagging in the level of industrialisation which a society needs.This has led to problems of disguised employment in agriculture, agrarian distress, lack of employment, poverty and overall socioeconomic backwardness.Therefore the pandemic is great opportunity to put a major thrust on reforms which will bring more investment and lead to new jobs and industries.Therefore the land banks scheme being brought by Union government with other reforms such as product linked incentive scheme and laboratories reforms will help India achieve its industrialisation targets. 2. Lands reforms were implemented to bring about a change in economic conditions of the poor and downtrodden in country, but did it serve the intended purpose? Examine  Approach  Define in brief what is meant by land reforms.In next part address what were their objectives with what were the successes of this process.In next part write failures of land reforms and give a balanced conclusion with reform based agenda. Introduction  In a narrow sense, land reform means the distribution of surplus land to small farmers and landless tillers, accrued as a result of the implementation of the ceiling on agricultural holdings. More broadly, it includes regulation of ownership, operation, leasing, sales, and inheritance of land. The Land Reforms of the independent India had four components: The Abolition of the Intermediaries, Tenancy Reforms, Fixing Ceilings on Landholdings ,Consolidation of Landholdings. Body Need for land reform in India  Several important issues confronted the government and stood as a challenge in front of independent India and land reforms was one at the centre stage with its potential to reduce poverty and grant livelihood to millions. Land was concentrated in the hands of a few and there was a proliferation of intermediaries who had no vested interest in self-cultivation. Leasing out land was a common practice. The tenancy contracts were expropriate in nature and tenant exploitation was almost everywhere. Land records were in extremely bad shape giving rise to a mass of litigation. One problem of agriculture was that the land was fragmented into very small parts which was inconvenient for commercial farming. It resulted in inefficient use of soil, capital, and labour in the form of boundary lands and boundary disputes.  Objectives of Land Reforms Restructuring of agrarian relations to achieve an egalitarian structure.As the land was concentrated in hands of few wealthy families and larger population was marginal farmer,it became imperative for equality to reduce this unequal land distribution. Elimination of exploitation in land relations.The relationship with tenants was such exploitative that tenants hardly survived after sharing the produce with land owner.It resulted into abject poverty and malnutrition of entire families.Also it incentivised bonded labour as there was no other source of income. Actualisation of the goal of “land to the tiller”.Land to tiller was a long held objective of the national movement and therefore it was natural that after independence this needed to be fulfilled  Improvement of socio-economic conditions of the rural poor by widening their land base.Land was the only source of livelihood as industrial development was not promoted by colonial government. Increasing agricultural production and productivity.Land to tiller would also bring new energy and purpose in agriculture which will increase production. Infusion of a great measure of equality in local institutions.Ownership of land served as structural inequality in rural society.Therefore the distribution of land was envisaged for democratisation of rural society and local institutions. Successes of land reforms  The National Commission of Agriculture remarked that “the essence of present situation is that Indian agriculture is in the stage of transition from predominantly semi-feudaI oriented agriculture characterised by large scale leading out of land and subsistence farming to a commercialized agriculture increasingly assuming the character of market oriented farming.” Concentration of Land with Big Landowners:The concentration of land in the hands of big landowners has not undergone any change during the last four decades. It means disparities have not been reduced in the distribution of land holdings but it has enhanced the disparities in property ownership at village level. End of Feudalism:According to report of National Commission, “as a result of land reform the feudal and semi- fedual classes have lost their domination over the agrarian Indian economy.” Moreover, the decline of semi-feudalistic relations had led to develop the agriculture on commercial lines. Growth of Agricultural Labour:Another striking feature of land reforms is that it has led to the rapid growth of landless agricultural labourers. This constitutes about 25 per cent of the agricultural population in the country. This class is still subject to various types of economic bondages and social oppressions. Emergence of Modern Entrepreneurs:Another important feature of the agrarian structure is the emergence of modern entrepreneurs during the last four decades. They are drawn largely from the ranks of ex-feudal landlords, proper strata of privileged tenants and bigger ryots and money lenders. Moreover, the growth of commercialisation has improved the technique of production. Leasing of Land owners:One of the important impact of land reforms is that it has paved the way to change the subsistence farming into commercial farming. Commercial and modern agriculture has led to leasing of land by big farmers from small cultivators. Failures of Land reforms in India  The land ceiling legislation has had a twin effect in destroying the agricultural landholdings in India. Firstly, the legislation has not been implemented well due to which the land given to poor farmers is so negligible that they cannot possibly sustain their families and their lives off of it.  Secondly, by taking away land from the bigger landlord, the agriculture has become fragmented and the efficiency that can be achieved on a bigger farm by employing modern machinery and technology has been seriously reduced. About 5 percent of farmers hold about 32 percent of farmland and a large farmer (owner of around 43 acres) owns 45 times the size of land that a marginal farmer (owner of around 0.96 acres) owns.This shows gross inequality and failure of land reforms. This overall failure of land reforms is a primary reason for low productivity, disguised labour, class divide and lack of democracy in villages, abject poverty of marginal and landless farmers, entrenchment of caste. Conclusion The pace of implementation of land reform measures has been slow. The objective of social justice has, however, been achieved to a considerable degree. Land reform has a great role in the rural agrarian economy that is dominated by land and agriculture. New and innovative land reform measures should be adopted with new vigour to eradicate rural poverty. Modern land reforms measures such as land record digitisation must be accomplished at the earliest. 3. What is a loan guarantee scheme? How does it operate? What are its pros and cons as an economic instrument? Discuss. Approach  In introduction the candidate needs to mention the basics of the loan guarantee scheme and contextualise to Indian scheme recently launched.In next part address the directives of question which are operation of scheme and positives and negatives of the scheme. Introduction  A credit guarantee scheme provides third-party credit risk mitigation to lenders through the absorption of a portion of the lender’s losses on the loans made to SMEs in case of default, typically in return for a fee. The Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS)  if Indian government has been formulated as a specific response to the unprecedented situation caused by COVID-19 and the consequent lockdown, which has severely impacted manufacturing and other activities in the MSME sector. Body  Credit markets for small and medium size enterprises (SMEs) are characterized by market failures and imperfections. Up to 68% of formal SMEs in emerging markets are either unserved or underserved by financial institutions, with a resulting credit gap estimated to be close to $1 trillion. Public credit guarantee schemes (CGSs) are a common form of government intervention to unlock finance for small and medium enterprises (SMEs). More than half of all countries in the world have a CGS for SMEs and the number is growing. Fig . Working of loan guarantee schemes  Working of public credit(Loan) guarantee scheme In a public credit guarantee scheme, a third party—a credit guarantee trust—plays the key role: it covers a certain percentage of risk coverage in case of default by the borrower, and in return, the credit guarantee trust charges the guarantee fee to the lender.  The partial or full default risk coverage of the loan reduces the lender’s exposure to credit loss– even when there is no change in the amount of default nor even a probability of default.  The credit loss risk coverage acts as default insurance for the lenders. The decrease in expected credit losses pushes the lenders to reduce the collateral loan requirements as the recoverability of the loan portfolio increases.  Moreover, the scheme encourages the lender to offer credit to corporations that would otherwise not get credit without the credit guarantee.  With a credit risk coverage, an MSME would get credit with preferred terms such as lower interest rate, long duration, and higher amount of loans. Benefits of Loan guarantee scheme The Scheme has been formulated as a specific response to the unprecedented situation caused by COVID-19 and the consequent lockdown, which has severely impacted manufacturing and other activities in the MSME sector.  In view of the critical role of the MSME sector in the economy and in providing employment, the proposed Scheme is expected to provide much needed relief to the sector by incentivizing MLIs to provide additional credit of up to Rs.3 lakh crore to the sector at low cost, thereby enabling MSMEs to meet their operational liabilities and restart their businesses.  By supporting MSMEs to continue functioning during the current unprecedented situation, the Scheme is also expected to have a positive impact on the economy and support its revival. It will help banks to revive the credit growth in the economy which will lead to better investment. Unemployment will be reduced as msme sectors who are largest employers will be back to production which will revive labour demand. Msme need not go to bankruptcy and can have easy loans with government guarantee. The credit worthiness of Msme and other essential sectors will not be affected. Drawbacks of loan guarantee scheme Inequitable distribution of funds – 80% of the total borrowers received only 30% of the total loan amount.This shows that the largeer players are cornering the benefits . lower than average utilisation rates for smaller borrowers this shows that either there is lack of information on the scheme or the scheme has failed to evoke a positive response in borrowers. Share of loans taken by manufacturing firms is the lowest, with less liquidity benefits. This shows that in face of less demand in the market the manufacturing firms are not keen to increase their leverage. Further the scheme addresses only short term credit requirements ,while the longterm issues which affects the msme remains entrenched. Another issue raised by MSMEs is that the Scheme is beneficial for existing customers and not the first-time borrowers.  Further, whilst the loans extended are collateral-free, the Scheme provides that the loans shall rank second charge with the existing credit facilities, which involve documentation, payment of registration fee and stamp duty charges.This shows duplication of the entire process  Conclusion The Scheme provides credit availability to MSMEs and small businesses to meet their operational liabilities and revive their businesses which got affected due to two months' countrywide lockdown. It will bring a positive impact on the economy and will mitigate the distress caused by the Corona pandemic.Further to make it more impactful the government and RBI should work together to address the issues highlighted by the msme sector for better uptake of the scheme across the sector.   TLP Synopsis Day 128 PDF

Jul 7, 2021 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 7th July 2021

Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) Matsya Setu Part of: GS Prelims and GS -II - Policies and interventions and GS-III - Fisheries sector In news: Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying recently launched the Online Course Mobile App “Matsya Setu” for Fish Farmers. About Matsya Setu App Developed by: ICAR-Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture (ICAR-CIFA), Bhubaneswar, with the funding support of the National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB), Hyderabad.  Aim: To disseminate the latest freshwater aquaculture technologies to the aqua farmers that will enhance their productivity and in turn, their incomes. Species-wise/ subject-wise self-learning online course modules will be provided through the app e-Certificate will be issues upon completion of the course  Do You Know?  India is the second-largest fish producer (7.7% of global fish production) and 4th largest exporter of fish in the world. (China is the largest producer) Fish constituted about 10% of total exports from India and almost 20% of agriculture exports in 2017-18. The fisheries and aquaculture production contribute around 1% to India’s GDP and over 5% to the agricultural GDP. Around 28 million people are employed in the fisheries sector in India. NFDB was established in 2006 as an autonomous organization under the administrative control of Union Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying to enhance fish production and productivity in the country and to coordinate fishery development in an integrated and holistic manner What are the other Steps taken to improve the fisheries sector? Constitution of the separate Ministry of Fisheries in February 2019. Blue Revolution: Integrated Development & Management of Fisheries: Focuses on creating an enabling environment for holistic development and management of fisheries  Fisheries & Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund (FIDF) was approved with a total fund size of Rs 7522.48 crore. Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY): It aims to achieve 22 million tonnes of fish production by 2024-25. It is also expected to create employment opportunities for 5.5 million people. Kisan credit cards for Fishermen Development of Inland Fisheries & Aquaculture Ministry of Cooperation Part of: GS Prelims and GS -II - Governance In news The Indian Central government has recently created a new Ministry of Cooperation for strengthening cooperative movement What are the features of the new Ministry? Ministry created to realise the vision of 'sahkar se samriddhi' (through cooperation to prosperity). It will provide a separate administrative, legal and policy framework for strengthening the cooperative movement in the country. It will work to streamline processes for 'ease of doing business' for cooperatives and enable development of multi-state cooperatives (MSCS), What is a cooperative? Cooperatives are people-centred enterprises owned, controlled and run by and for their members to realise their common economic, social, and cultural needs and aspirations. Provisions of Indian Constitution related to Cooperatives The Constitution (97th Amendment) Act, 2011 made following changes in Constitution New Part IXB regarding the cooperatives working in India added. (Part IXA deals with Municipals) In Art. 19(1)(c) the word “cooperatives” was added after “unions and associations”.  This enables all the citizens to form cooperatives by giving it the status of fundamental right of citizens. A new Article 43B was added in the Directive Principles of State Policy (Part IV) regarding the “promotion of cooperative societies” Source: TH Polavaram Dam Part of: GS Prelims and GS-I - Geography In news: Increased inflows and stagnated backwaters caused a breach in the Godavari bund located upstream of the Polavaram dam  in Andhra Pradesh. What is Polavaram Irrigation Project? It is a multi-purpose irrigation project  Location: Andhra Pradesh on the river Godavari, near Polavaram village. Once completed, it will provide Irrigation benefits and will generate Hydro Electric Power and supply drinking water. It will facilitate an inter-basin transfer to the Krishna river basin through its Right canal. Indirect benefits include development of Pisciculture (breeding and rearing of fish), tourism and urbanisation. The Project has been accorded national project status by the union government in 2014 (under Section-90 of Andhra Pradesh Reorganization Act, 2014). Where is Godavari River? Source: Godavari river rises from Trimbakeshwar near Nasik in Maharashtra and drains into the Bay of Bengal. Drainage Basin: Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Odisha and smaller parts in Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka and Puducherry. Tributaries: Pravara, Purna, Manjra, Penganga, Wardha, Wainganga, Pranhita, Indravati, Maner and the Sabri. Source: TH NIPUN Bharat Program Part of: GS Prelims and GS -II - Education In news: Recently National Initiative for Proficiency in Reading with Understanding and Numeracy program (NIPUN) was launched.  What are the features of the programme?  Mission has been launched under centrally sponsored scheme of Samagra Shiksha. Objective of NIPUN: To ensure Universal acquisition of foundational literacy and numeracy (FLN) so that by 2026-27 every child achieve the desired learning competencies in reading, writing and numeracy at the end of grade 3 and not later than grade 5.  Foundational language and literacy includes oral language, development, deciphering written words, reading fluency, reading comprehension and writing  Foundational numeracy means the ability to reason and apply simple numerical concept in daily life problem solving NIPUN lays down priorities and actionable agendas for States and UTs to achieve the goal of proficiency in foundational literacy and numeracy.  Learning outcomes have been divided into three developmental goals:  Goal I: Health and well-being  Goal II: Effective communicators  Goal III: Involved learners  Five tier-implementation mechanism will be set up at National-state-district-block- school level  Implementing agency at National level: Department of school education and literacy, Ministry of Education  Attaining FLN for all children has been focused in national education policy 2020. What will NIPUN focus on?  Providing access and retaining children in foundational years of schooling.  Teacher capacity building Development of high quality and diverse student and teacher resources.  Tracking the progress of each child in achieving learning outcomes.  Flex Fuel Vehicles Part of: GS Prelims and GS-II - Policies and interventions and GS III - Conservation In news: Government may issue guidelines for flex fuel vehicles by October.  What is Flex fuel vehicle? An FFV is a modified version of vehicles that could run both on gasoline and blended petrol with different levels of Ethanol blends.  These are currently being used successfully in Brazil giving people the option to switch fuel. Such flexible fuel vehicles provide opportunity for increased use of biofuels for running vehicles.  Earlier, Ministry of road transport and Highways had issued a Draft notification for mass emission standards for E 12 (Blend of 12% ethanol in gasoline) and E 15 fuels, thereby facilitating their use as Automotive fuels  What are the advantages of FFV?  Reduced dependence on petrol/diesel & thus reduced dependence on oil imports.  Environment friendly because of less pollution.  Aligned with Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan Help in addressing the problems of surplus food grains (can be used in making Ethanol) Provides employment opportunities for setting up bio-ethanol plants across India. Challenges  Require additional investment from auto companies in production lines and Technology transfers.  Ethanol can also cause corrosion and damage to the engine. Ethanol is also not as economical as gasoline as it does not provide the same level of fuel efficiency.  Diversion of food crops (like sugarcane) to ethanol production. Discrete Auroras of Mars Part of: GS Prelims and GS - I - Geographical phenomenon and GS III - Space; Sci and tech In news Recently, the UAE’s Hope spacecraft has captured images of glowing atmospheric lights in the Mars night sky, known as discrete auroras. The Hope Probe, the Arab world’s first mission to Mars, took off from Earth in July 2020, and has been orbiting the Red Planet (Mars) since February 2021. It is expected to create the first complete portrait of the planet’s atmosphere. What are Auroras? An Aurora is a display of light in the sky predominantly seen in the high latitude regions (Arctic and Antarctic). It is also known as a Polar light. They commonly occur at high northern and southern latitudes, less frequent at mid-latitudes, and seldom seen near the equator. While usually a milky greenish color, auroras can also show red, blue, violet, pink, and white. These colors appear in a variety of continuously changing shapes. Auroras are not just something that happens on Earth. If a planet has an atmosphere and magnetic field, they probably have auroras. What are Discrete Auroras of Mars? Unlike auroras on Earth, which are seen only near the north and south poles, Discrete Auroras (DA) on Mars are seen all around the planet at night time. These DAs are traced out where energetic particles excite the atmosphere after being funneled down by a patchy network of crustal magnetic fields (originating from minerals on the surface of Mars) Unlike Earth, which has a strong magnetic field, the Martian magnetic field has largely died out. This is because the molten iron at the interior of the planet - which produces magnetism - has cooled. However, the Martian crust, which hardened billions of years ago when the magnetic field still existed, retains some magnetism. What is its Significance? Studying Martian auroras is important for scientists, for it can offer clues as to why the Red Planet lost its magnetic field and thick atmosphere– among the essential requirements for sustaining life. With the information gathered during the UAE’s Mars mission, scientists will have a better understanding of the climate dynamics of different layers of Mars’ atmosphere. Other Mars Missions NASA's Mars 2020 Mission (Perseverance Rover): The mission is designed to better understand the geology of Mars and seek signs of ancient life. Tianwen-1: China's Mars Mission: It was launched in 2019 to conduct scientific investigations into the planet’s soil, geological structure, environment, atmosphere and water. India’s Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) or Mangalyaan: It was launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Andhra Pradesh by Indian Space Research Organisation in November 2013. Miscellaneous King Cobra In news: Recently, a king cobra (Ophiophagus hannah), was sighted in the recently declared conservation reserve, Tillari, in Maharashtra. About King Cobra They are one of the most venomous snakes on the planet and the longest of all venomous snakes. Their venom is not the most potent among venomous snakes, but the amount of neurotoxin they can deliver in a single bite—up to two-tenths of a fluid ounce—is enough to kill 20 people, or even an elephant. They are the only snakes in the world that build nests for their eggs, which they guard ferociously until the hatchlings emerge. They live mainly in the rain forests and plains of India, southern China, and Southeast Asia. They are comfortable in a variety of habitats, including forests, bamboo thickets, mangrove swamps, high-altitude grasslands, and in rivers. They face a variety of threats stemming from human activities such as: Deforestation. International pet trade. Persecution by humans. Used for skin, food, and medicinal purposes. Protection Status: IUCN Red List: Vulnerable. CITES: Appendix II. Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972: Schedule II. (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.  Fresh Stirrings on Federalism as a New Politics Context: Tamil Nadu State re-introducing the term Union into the public discourse and other States pushing back against increased fiscal centralisation. Issues with Indian Federalism Coalition Politics yielded little results for federalism: Fiscal and administrative centralisation persisted despite nearly two decades of coalition governments. Ex: Aadhar, NFSA, GST, MGNREGA. Electoral Pragmatism undermining Federalism: The contingencies of electoral politics have created significant impediments to creating a political consensus for genuine federalism. Ex: Toppling coalition government by misusing Governor & Central agencies Federalism diluted under garb of Nationalism: Union governments have diluted with federalism in the grammar of development and nationalism. Ex: One nation - one market, one ration card, one grid’. Misreading Federalism: In present context, federalism risks being equated with regionalism and a narrow parochialism that is anti-development and anti-national. Centralisation at State Level: Also, most regional parties have failed to uphold principles of decentralisation in their own backyard. This shows that States themselves are not following the spirit of Federalism. Silence of States on other State’s Federal issues: For ex: downgrading J&K status, NCT of Delhi (Amendment) Act, 2021 that undermined Federalism hardly witnessed protest by parties that were not directly affected by these.  Divergence among States: Growing divergence between richer (Southern & Western) and poorer States (Northern & Eastern), remains an important source of tension in inter-State relations that has become a real impediment to collective action amongst States. Dilution of Fiscal Federalism: The Union’s response, in the wake of fiscal crisis unleased by Pandemic, has been to squeeze revenue from States by increasing cesses (not shareable with States) that is against federal spirit. Conclusion Beyond principles, a renewed politics of federalism is an electoral necessity. No coalition has succeeded, in the long term, without a glue that binds it. Forging a political consensus on federalism can be that glue.  Connecting the dots: Federalism and India’s Human Capital CAG Report on Cess Pool   Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan Economic Stimulus Package under Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan 3.0 ECONOMY/ GOVERNANCE Topic: GS-3: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization, of resources, growth, development and employment.  GS-2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation RBI’s Financial Stability Report Context: Recently, RBI released its latest Financial Stability Report (or FSR).  Published twice each year, the FSR is one of the most crucial documents on the Indian economy as it presents an assessment of the health of the financial system. What is the utility of Financial Stability Report? The data in FSR helps assess the state of the domestic economy, especially in a fast-changing global economy. The FSR also allows the RBI to assess the macro-financial risks in the economy. Ripple Effect of Crisis: RBI tries to understand how a shock in one part of the financial system — say the banks — is affecting another part of the system — say the companies that finance housing loans. Health of Banking System: As part of the FSR, the RBI also conducts “stress tests” to figure out what might happen to the health of the banking system if the broader economy worsens.  External Risks: Similarly, it also tries to assess how factors outside India — say the crude oil prices or the interest rates prevailing in other countries — might affect the domestic economy. Key Concerns highlighted in the recently released FSR Report Non-Performing Assets (NPA) of Banks The actual level of bad loans as of March 2021 is just 7.5% but RBI had cautioned that GNPA ratio of Scheduled Commercial Banks may increase between 9.80% to 11.22% by March 2022  In other words, while relief provided by the RBI in the past year — cheap credit, moratoriums and facilities to restructure existing loans — has contained NPA problem and things could get worse once relief measures starts to be withdrawn. Credit Growth Rate Source: Indian Express At less than 6%, the overall rate of credit growth (blue line) is quite dismal. What is particularly worrisome is the negligible growth rate in wholesale credit (grey line). Wholesale credit refers to loans worth Rs 5 crore or more. Looking at the blue line, it is obvious how the sharp fall in credit growth happened much before the Covid pandemic hit India.  This points to a considerable weakness in demand even before the pandemic and, in turn, suggests that recovery in credit growth may take longer than usual. Sectors with the bleakest prospects in the first half of this year are given in the below table Conclusion Not everyone or every sector will recover at the same pace. most experts expect a K-shaped recovery from the second Covid wave. Connecting the dots: Financial Stability Report of Jan 2021 Employment & Recovery of Indian Economy (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 Polavaram irrigation Project is located in which of the following state of India? Andhra Pradesh Karnataka Telangana Kerala Q.2 Matsya Setu App was launched by which of the following Ministry? Ministry of Agriculture Ministry of Finance Ministry of Fisheries Ministry of Commerce Q.3 Tillari Conservation Reserve is located in which of the following state of India? Karnataka Andhra Pradesh Madhya Pradesh Maharashtra ANSWERS FOR 7th July 2021 TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE (TYK) 1 C 2 C 3 D Must Read On Mental Health Care: The Hindu On draft e-commerce rules: Indian Express On Indian Armed Services Reform: Hindustan Times

Jul 7, 2021 Rapid Revision (RaRe) Series for UPSC

[Day 38]: 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-38 of RaRe Series - Click here To Register - Click here For complete details of the RaRe Series -  Click here

Jul 7, 2021 AIR

India-Bangladesh Relations and the Road Ahead

ARCHIVES Search 3rd March, 2021 Spotlight here: http://www.newsonair.com/Main_Audio_Bulletins_Search.aspx TOPIC: General Studies 2 India and its neighbourhood India was the first country to recognize Bangladesh as a separate and independent state and established diplomatic relations with the country immediately after its independence in December 1971. The relationship between India and Bangladesh is anchored in history, culture, language and shared values of secularism, democracy, and countless other commonalities between the two countries. It is based on sovereignty, equality, trust, understanding and win-win partnership that goes far beyond a strategic partnership. In the last decade, India-Bangladesh relations have warmed up, entering a new era of cooperation, and moving beyond historical and cultural ties to become more assimilated in the areas of trade, connectivity, energy, and defence. Border Settlement Bangladesh and India have achieved the rare feat of solving their border issues peacefully by ratifying the historic Land Boundary Agreement in 2015, where enclaves were swapped allowing inhabitants to choose their country of residence and become citizens of either India or Bangladesh.  Security & Insurgency The Bangladesh government has uprooted anti-India insurgency elements from its borders, making the India-Bangladesh border one of the region’s most peaceful, and allowing India to make a massive redeployment of resources to its more contentious borders elsewhere. Economic & Trade relations Bangladesh today is India’s biggest trading partner in South Asia with exports to Bangladesh in FY 2018-19 at $9.21 billion and imports at $1.04 billion.  India has offered duty free access to multiple Bangladeshi products. India extended three lines of credit to Bangladesh in recent years amounting to $8 billion for the construction of roads, railways, bridges, and ports. Act East Policy Bangladesh allows the shipment of goods from its Mongla and Chattogram (Chittagong) seaports carried by road, rail, and water ways.  This allows landlocked Assam, Meghalaya and Tripura to access open water routes through the Chattogram and Mongla ports. Tourism Bangladeshis make up a large portion of tourists in India. Bangladesh accounts for more than 35% of India’s international medical patients and contributes more than 50% of India’s revenue from medical tourism. Concerns in India-Bangladesh relations Unresolved Teesta water sharing issue looms large.  Border killings are yet to stop. National Register of Citizens across the whole of India reflects poorly on India-Bangladesh relations. China, in lieu of its cheque-book diplomacy, is well-entrenched in South Asia, including Bangladesh, with which it enjoys significant economic and defence relations. Recent Meeting between India and Bangladesh India and Bangladesh recently signed 5 MoUs in the fields of Disaster Management, trade, NCC, ICT and setting up of sports facilities recently.  Key takeaways  Foundation stone was laid for infrastructure development for power evacuation facilities from the Rooppur Nuclear power plant. The Bangladesh leg of the Banagabandhu-Bapu Digital Exhibition was inaugurated by the two Prime Ministers.  It will be taken to other parts of the world including the UN. Both the leaders also unveiled the foundation stone for the construction of a memorial at Ashuganj honoring the martyrs of Indian armed forces in the 1971 Liberation War of Bangladesh. India gifted 109 life support ambulances to Bangladesh and also 1.2 million doses of the Covishield vaccine. Three border haats were also opened along the India-Bangladesh border. Other announcements made: A direct passenger train named ‘Mitali Express’ will run between Dhaka and New Jalpaiguri. Indian Prime Minister invited 50 young entrepreneurs from Bangladesh to connect with India’s start up ecosystem 1000 Subarno Jayanti Scholarships were announced for the Bangladeshi students to study in India at the Undergraduate and postgraduate levels. A Bangabandhu Chair will be established at Delhi University to facilitate Bangladesh studies. Both countries agreed to start a new area of cooperation in the Civil nuclear and space sectors. Following places were visited by Indian Prime Minister on his Bangladesh visit: Birthplace of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at Tungipara.  Jeshoreshwari temple in Satkhira.  Harimandir in Orakandi and addressed the representatives of the Matua community. Conclusion Both Bangladesh and India have great opportunities to resolve all the outstanding issues. India as a regional super power needs to take initiative and Bangladesh requires cooperating with India for fixing outstanding issues. Both the counties have to think for the economic ties instead of valuing the domestic politics. Central political objectives must supersede the regional or the state objectives for continuing and establishing the future relations. Connecting the dots: China twist in Teesta Challenge If Indo-Bangla relations are to move to “newer heights”, then unresolved issues have to be dealt with soon. Discuss.