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May 22, 2021 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

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

Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) Personal Guarantors Liable for Corporate Debt : SC Part of: GS Prelims and GS - III - Economy In news The Supreme Court upheld a government move to allow lenders to initiate insolvency proceedings against personal guarantors, along with the stressed corporate entities for whom they gave guarantee. These personal guarantors are usually the promoters of big business houses. Key takeaways It held that the November 15, 2019, government notification which allowed creditors (usually financial institutions and banks), to move against personal guarantors under the Indian Bankruptcy and Insolvency Code (IBC) was “legal and valid”. The government had also decided that corporate debtors and their personal guarantors should be dealt with by a common forum — National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) — through the same adjudicatory process. Besides, Section 60(2) of the IBC had required the bankruptcy proceedings of corporate debtors and their personal guarantors to be held before the NCLT. New rules notified under the Insurance Act Part of: GS Prelims and GS-III - Economy In news As per the new rules notified under the Insurance Act, Indian promoters of insurance joint ventures with foreign partners will no longer be able to nominate a majority of the board members. Key takeaways This follows the recent amendments to enhance the foreign direct investment (FDI) limit in the insurance sector from 49% to 74% However, a majority of board members, key management persons (KMP) need to be resident Indian citizens. Also, at least one of the three top positions — the chairperson of the board, the MD and CEO - need to be resident Indian citizens. This new norm will apply to all insurers, irrespective of the stake held by the foreign partner. Further conditions have also been specified on the composition of the board for firms where foreign investors’ stake exceeds 49%. GST on Imported Oxygen Concentrator unconstitutional: Delhi HC Part of: GS Prelims and GS - II - Health; Judiciary In news The Delhi High Court held the government’s imposition of GST on oxygen concentrators imported for personal use as “unconstitutional”. Key takeaways It said that oxygen concentrators constitute a life-saving device during the COVID-19 pandemic and during a pandemic a different approach needs to be adopted. Government's May 1 notification levied 12% GST on such imports from 28% earlier. The court had asked the government to consider temporarily dropping the 12% GST levied on such imports altogether, citing the shortage of oxygen in the second wave of the pandemic. Do you know? Article 21 of the Constitution enshrines the fundamental right to life. An oxygen concentrator is a device that concentrates the oxygen from a gas supply (typically ambient air) by selectively removing nitrogen to supply an oxygen-enriched product gas stream. World Bee Day Part of: GS Prelims and GS -III - Technology; Animal rearing In news May 20 is observed as World Bee Day annually. 2021 theme: “Bee Engaged – Build Back Better for Bees”. Key takeaways Efforts by the Indian government Government is promoting Beekeeping as part of its aim to double farmers’ income. The Government has allocated 500 crores towards Beekeeping under the Atma Nirbhar Abhiyan. The National Bee Board has created four modules to impart training as part of the National Beekeeping and Honey Mission (NBHM) 30 lakh farmers have been trained in beekeeping. They are also being financially supported by the Government. The Government has launched ‘Honey Mission’ as part of ‘Sweet Revolution’. Do you know? India is among the world’s top five honey producers. Compared to 2005-06 honey production has risen by 242% and exports have increased by 265%. As per Food and Agricultural Organization database, in 2017-18, India ranked 8th in the world in terms of honey production (64.9 thousand tonnes) while China stood first (551 thousand tonnes). Related articles Guidelines to Support Artisans in Beekeeping & Pottery Activities released White fungus Part of: GS Prelims and GS -II - Health; Sci & Tech In news Rising cases of ‘white fungus’ or ‘candidiasis’ have been detected recently in India. Important value additions This infection can be caused due to low immunity or if people come in contact with things that contain these moulds like water, etc. Patients of white fungus show Covid-like symptoms but test negative. The infection can be diagnosed through CT-Scan or X-ray. It is a fungal infection caused by a type of fungus called Candida. White fungus can affect not just the lungs but also other parts of the body including nails, skin, stomach, kidney, brain, private parts and mouth. However, it is regarded as just a normal fungal infection. Related articles Mucormycosis Miscellaneous Sunderlal Bahuguna Well-known environmentalist and Gandhian Sunderlal Bahuguna passed away at the age of 94 due to COVID-related complications. Sunderlal Bahuguna (1927 – 2021) was an Indian noted Garhwali environmentalist. He was one of the founders of the Chipko movement, in the 1970s to save Himalayan forests from cutting down by forest contractors. He later spearheaded the Anti-Tehri Dam movement (1980s to early 2004). He also fought against untouchability and later started organising hill women in his anti-liquor drive from 1965 to 1970. In 2009, he was awarded Padma Vibhushan Award for environment conservation. (Mains Focus) GOVERNANCE Topic: GS-2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. Weberian Bureaucracy and its challenges Context: Despite its efforts, bureaucracy has emerged as a major concern for the ineffective response to the COVID-19 crisis. Present Model Weberian bureaucracy prefers a generalist over a specialist. Specialists in every government department have to remain subordinate to the generalist officers The justification is that the generalist provides a broader perspective compared to the specialist. A generalist officer (IAS and State civil service officials) is deemed an expert and as a result, superior, even if the officer works in one department or ministry today and in another tomorrow. Pandemic Situation: Healthcare professionals who are specialists have been made to work under generalist officers and the policy options have been left to the generalists when they should be in the hands of the specialists. Issues Weberian bureaucracy prefers leadership based on position. Traditional bureaucracy is still stuck with the leadership of position over leadership of function Bureaucracy has become an end in itself rather than a means to an end. The rigid adherence to rules has resulted in the rejection of innovation Administrative reform movement promotes privatisation and managerial techniques of the private sector as an effective tool to seek improvements in public service delivery and governance. But this isn’t a viable solution, not the least in India where there is social inequality and regional variations in development. Way Forward – Collaborative Governance Collaborative governance is a model in which the public sector, private players and civil society, especially NGOs, work together for effective public service delivery. There is no domination of public bureaucracy as the sole agency in policy formulation and implementation. As part of new public governance, a network of social actors and private players would take responsibility in various aspects of governance with public bureaucracy steering the ship rather than rowing it. During the pandemic, we see civil society playing a major role in saving lives. As part of new public governance, this role has to be institutionalised. Connecting the dots: Minimum Government, Maximum Governance ECONOMY/ GOVERNANCE Topic: GS-3: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization, of resources, growth, development and employment. Inflation, Unemployment and Inequality Issues The labour force participation rate in India has fallen for three consecutive months, and was barely 40% in April. the unemployment rate has gone up to 8% as per CMIE Poverty ratio went up by 15% in rural areas and 20% in urban areas during March to October 2020 as per survey conducted by Azim Premji University. On the other hand, the stock market is bestowing increasing wealth and capital gains on rich thus increasing inequality. Wholesale price index (WPI)-based inflation for April is now above 10%. Of this, the fuel sub-component was at 20%. The informal sector, consisting of small and medium enterprises, is still struggling. Solution The best way to tackle this double challenge of inflation and loss of incomes is through direct fiscal support to hard-hit households. Cash injections of ₹5,000 per month to all those covered by the public distribution system (PDS) would be advisable for at least three months. An extension of higher grain provisions for food security, as carried out last year, is also necessary. The immediate priority is to attend to our health crisis, for which we need universal and free vaccination as quickly as possible. Connecting the dots: Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana (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 Consider the following statements: India is among the world’s top five honey producers. Compared to 2005-06 honey production and exports have decreased drastically. Which of the above is or are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.2 Consider the following statements regarding White fungus and Black fungus: Both are fatal diseases White fungus is caused by candida while causative agent of black fungus is unknown. Which of the above is or are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.3 which of the following article deals with the fundamental right to life? Article 19 Article 22 Article 21 Article 24 ANSWERS FOR 21st May 2021 TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE (TYK) 1 C 2 C Must Read On deferring second dose of COVID-19 vaccine: The Hindu On AIDs experience on patent for COVID vaccines: The Hindu About Live-in relationships: Indian Express

May 22, 2021 AIR

Jan Aushadhi Yojana - Making cost effective medicines available for the citizens - All India Radio (AIR) IAS UPSC

ARCHIVES Search 7th March, 2021 Spotlight here: http://www.newsonair.com/Main_Audio_Bulletins_Search.aspx TOPIC: General Studies 2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health In News: On the culmination of the seven-day Janaushadhi Divas 2021 celebrations, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated India’s 7,500th Janaushadhi Kendra. The centre is located at the North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (NEIGRIHMS) in Sikkim. During the inauguration, the prime minister said that the PM Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojna (PM-BJP) has been helpful for people with limited means, adding that otherwise, for these groups of people, medicines are expensive. About Jan Aushadhi Yojana Rationale: It is a well-known fact that branded medicines are sold at significantly higher prices in India. Given the widespread poverty across the country, making available reasonably priced quality medicines in the market would benefit everyone, especially the poor and the disadvantaged. Under the: Department of Pharmaceutical’s Bureau of Pharma PSUs of India (BPPI), under the Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers. Vision: To bring down the healthcare budget of every citizen of India through providing “Quality generic Medicines at Affordable Prices”. Mission Create awareness among the public regarding generic medicines. Create demand for generic medicines through medical practitioners Create awareness through education and awareness program that high price need not be synonymous with high quality Provide all the commonly used generic medicines covering all the therapeutic groups Provide all the related health care products too under the scheme Aim: To widely provide generic medicines to people across the country to make healthcare more affordable. Pradhan Mantri Janaushadhi Kendra is a medical outlet opened under the scheme which makes quality medicines available at affordable prices for all. “Jan Aushadhi Sugam” mobile app helps in locating nearest Janaushadhi Kendra and availability of medicines with its price. These centres across the country would also provide 75 Ayush medicines Jan Aushadhi Suvidha Sanitary Napkin The launch of “Jan Aushadhi Suvidha Oxo-Biodegradable Sanitary Napkin” for women of India was announced on the eve of World Environment Day in 2018. It is biodegradable. This means that upon discarding, it is totally biodegradable once it comes in contact with oxygen indicating that they are environmental friendly. What exactly is the difference between a generic drug and brand- name drug? When a company develops a new drug — often after years of research — it applies for a patent, which prohibits anyone else from making the drug for a fixed period. To recover the cost of research and development, companies usually price their brand- name drugs on the higher side. Once the patent expires, other manufacturers duplicate and market their own versions of the drug. Since the manufacture of these generic drugs do not involve a repeat of the extensive clinical trials to prove their safety and efficacy, it costs less to develop them. Generic drugs are, therefore, cheaper. However, because the compounds in the generic versions have the same molecular structure as the brand-name version, their quality is essentially the same. The generic drug has the same “active ingredient” as the brand-name drug. This ingredient is the one that cures the patient; and other, “inert ingredients”, which give the drug its colour, shape or taste, vary from the brand-name drug to the generics. The prices of generic medicines are much cheaper than their branded equivalent. The generic drug does not have to undergo a complete clinical trial to be proved equivalent, the bioequivalence test is much cheaper than clinical trials making generic drugs cheaper. The government’s move assumes significance as medicines account for 70-75% of a household’s out of pocket expenditure on health The move will result into affordable access to quality medicines which is a part of free universal access to healthcare services. India being a world leader in generics, the dependency on imports of patent drugs will reduce improving our trade of balance. The Way Forward: Support of the State Government: The scheme is riding on the co-operation of the state governments. The central government is responsible for the supply of quality medicines, while the state governments or government-appointed NGOs were to run the shops on a not-for-profit basis. Strong Regulation: A strong regulatory structure should be put in place to both certify and monitor drug testing and enforce the compliance with GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice). There is also a need to bring a legal framework to ensure “quality” in generic drug testing. Proper Legal Mechanism: If the government wants to make the prescription of generics compulsory, it needs to put in place a legal mechanism to guarantee that all generics are bioequivalent to the innovator product by making bioequivalence testing compulsory (Bioequivalent generic drugs are therapeutically equal to the innovator drug. Once bioequivalence is established, a generic drug is legally certified to be of the same quality to replace the innovator product and can therefore be interchanged for the innovator product). Responsibility is also on the Pharmacist: A patient with a prescription detailing the composition of the medicine could still be dependent on a pharmacist to make the most suitable drug choice. As generic medicines have low margins they are unlikely to be stocked by the retail pharmacist. Therefore the pharmacists should also be brought under its ambit. Database of drug Relators: Need to use IT tools to network all 36 drug regulators into one integrated national database which can then be accessed by every citizen over a smartphone. Proper Tagging: All products should be tagged with a unique RFID, barcode or such similar identification to ensure traceability from manufacture to consumption. Generics should be labelled and sold as such in order to prevent a brand to brand substitution rather than a brand to generic substitution at the retail level. Cap the Price: Capping the maximum sale price of the generic taking into account the cost of making the drug and distribution and retail margins as branded generics can be as costly as patent drugs.

May 22, 2021 Daily Prelims CA Quiz

UPSC Quiz – 2021 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz 22nd May 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

May 22, 2021 Motivational Articles

[MI-STORIES]MOTIVATIONAL AND INSPIRATIONAL STORIES - Don’t Hold Back !

For Previous Story -> CLICK HERE Inspirational Stories: Here is the story for this week from the new series of Inspirational and Motivational stories. One of the oldest known forms of communication is story telling. There is something primordial within us that loves stories and their tremendous impact. In this series, we aim to bring you the best of real-life stories that can inspire and motivate you. Stories always try to teach us something useful. It is one of the best ways of learning from other's mistakes and avoiding our own. Although each story has its own moral, in the comments section you can share your opinion on the moral of the story. If you are able to see something that others might have missed, you can share it for the benefit of all. Apart from just reading these awesome stories, you can also share some of the stories that have inspired you. If we find the story appropriate and useful, we will share it with all. More importantly, read these stories every week without a miss, and stay inspired. So Here is the story for this week - Don’t Hold Back ! There was once a company whose CEO was very strict and often disciplined the workers for their mistakes or perceived lack of progress. One day, as the employees came into work, they saw a sign on the door that read, “Yesterday, the person who has been holding you back from succeeding in this company passed away. Please gather for a funeral service in the assembly room.” While the employees were saddened for the family of their CEO, they were also intrigued at the prospect of being able to now move up within the company and become more successful.” Upon entering the assembly room, many employees were surprised to see the CEO was, in fact, present. They wondered among themselves, “If it wasn’t him who was holding us back from being successful, who was it? Who has died?” One by one, the employees approached the coffin, and upon looking inside, each was quite surprised. They didn’t understand what they saw. In the coffin, there was simply a mirror. So when each employee looked in to find out who had been “holding them back from being successful” everyone saw themselves. Next to the mirror, there was a sign that read: The only person who is able to limit your growth is you. You are the only person who can influence your success. Your life changes when you break through your limiting beliefs and realize that you’re in control of your life. The most influential relationship you can have is the relationship you have with yourself. Now you know who has been holding you back from living up to your true potential. Are you going to keep allowing that person to hold you back? What do you think is the moral of the story?

May 22, 2021 IASbaba Prelims 60 Day Plan

IASbaba’s 60 Day Plan - IAS Prelims Test Series 2021 - SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, CURRENT AFFAIRS & CSAT [Day 53]

For Previous (ARCHIVES) - CLICK HERE Hello Friends, ARCHIVES OF 60 DAYS NOTE: Let us pledge to make it a big game-changer (better than last year) in the next 60 days! Note- Download the OMR Sheet and attempt the questions exactly like UPSC Prelims. After you are done, please post your OMR in the comment section. Once the solution key is released (around 5 PM), cross-check the answers and, comment the marks (you scored) in the same comment thread. This will keep you accountable, responsible and sincere in days to come. You can also take part in the discussion with peers. S&T [DAY 53] - Click Here NOTE- Follow this for Comments Mention- Time Taken after solving the Test After the release of Solution, Edit your Comment to Mention- Correct/Incorrect and Score 2 Marks for Correct/0.66 minus for Incorrect. What IMPACT can the ‘60 Day’ have on the final results? We will explain by taking a small example. Imagine you are sitting in the examination hall, appearing in Prelims Paper I. You have attempted 70 questions already but still unsure about a few. Then you stumble upon a question that was asked in 60 Day (and believe us, it has happened to hundreds of students countless times). You choose the right answer and submit your paper hoping for the best! Eventually, you go on to clear Mains as well as Personality Test and secure a good rank as well. When the cut off gets announced by UPSC, you realize that you have scored just one mark more than the cut off! Yes, that one mark can change your life (and it has done so to many of our students in the past). Now, imagine the kind of impact 60 to 80 marks can have! Isn’t that so fascinating to imagine? One’s level of preparedness is always different for different subjects. Even within a subject, one’s comfort level may vary with topics. For example, one might be more comfortable in solving questions of Polity than Economics and within Polity also, one might be at ease with questions on fundamental rights than Parliament. The level of comfort and ease that one has with a subject/ topic gets manifested in the examination. However, there is no conscious effort by aspirants to micro analyze these aspects. Now, coming to the second aspect i.e. the mistakes that one commits in answering MCQs, it can be said that there are mainly four reasons behind incorrect responses in the OMR sheet. They are: Lack of information Lack of analytical ability Silly mistakes Excessive risk-taking Let’s analyze them one by one: Lack of information: You simply don’t know the information. You are clueless and that’s why you don’t attempt the question. For example, you may have never come across a regime called the ‘Wassenaar Agreement’ during your preparation and you can’t do much about it. The lack of information is pardonable and rectifiable. You can read more and gather more information. That is within your reach. Lack of analytical ability: You know the concept but the question is a twisted one and you are not able to apply the concept. For example, in a question asking you to identify the climate type of a region based on certain given parameters like precipitation, temperature, and air density, you might find it difficult to mark the correct option even if you are aware of all the options given in the question! That is clearly a lack of application and you can overcome it by developing a habit of framing questions in your mind while you study any topic. Silly mistakes: This habit is unpardonable. You know the concept, you become happy, you misread the question, you mark the incorrect answer and you are out of the race! Such mistakes reveal your hurriedness while answering the question. A simple mistake of reading ‘chose the incorrect option’ as ‘chose the correct option’ can destroy your chances. It means that you need to have patience and focus while attempting the paper. Excessive risk-taking: You are confused between the options and just in order to increase your attempts, you make wild guesses and try your luck only to repent eventually. Risk-taking is an art and one must be very careful while doing the guesswork in confusing questions. If you are not lucky enough, it can spoil your chances. You will realize that these problems will have different meanings for different people. For example, one might find a lack of information as the main culprit in answering wrong the questions on Culture while in Polity, lack of analytical ability is usually the culprit. The point here is that you must analyse your preparation on these yardsticks by applying them on different subjects/ topics. If one is having a headache, he/ she can’t have the same medicine for fever. Isn’t it. This is where our revamped '60 Day’ comes into the picture. It will give you an opportunity to micro analyze your preparation and perform better in the examination. Finally, it is up to you to take advantage of this framework. We are sure of only one thing- if you follow this program, assess yourself on the basis of the given framework and keep improving your weaker areas, success will be yours. We are providing you with the right platform, the right guidance, and the right competition. Do you have the right motivation to make full use of this initiative? We think you have. Come, be a part of this initiative and take the first step towards SUCCESS! Importance of self - tracking: We could have provided all of you with login id and passwords to monitor your daily performance in the 60-day program. Instead, a simple and most beautiful way which Disqus provides is profile based commenting! Yes, we have seen the most successful candidates who have taken the maximum benefit from this program monitoring themselves by commenting on their answers in the box given (Disqus comment). And reviewing their performance themselves once in 10 days on the progress meter. DOWNLOAD THE 60 DAYS PLAN 2021 SOLUTION- Download Here ENTER YOUR PERFORMANCE AND GET YOUR RANK- Click Here Important: Ranks and Cut off will be calculated for the entries in the given form only. Cut Off will be released around 10PM and Rank List will be announced soon. Top 10 performers will be selected by finding the average ranks of entire 60 Days Programme and they would get FREE GUIDANCE and MENTORSHIP from IASbaba's Core Team. All the Best! IASbaba

May 21, 2021 Important Articles

[WEEK 1] ESSAY 2: Theme - Philosophy | BRAINSTORMING ON ETHICS & ESSAY (BEE) by Sunil Oberoi Sir

Dear Students, As part of our new initiative, BRAINSTORMING ON ETHICS & ESSAY (BEE), here we have come up with the second session. BBE is a FREE ONLINE (YOUTUBE) initiative, exclusively for Essay and Ethics curated by IASbaba’s renowned faculty member, Shri Sunil Oberoi Sir (former IAS Officer). The second essay focuses on the theme, 'PHILOSOPHY'. Sunil Oberoi Sir has worked on Civil Services Reforms in India with UNDP and DoPT. He was a government nominee in interview boards and Examiner in various govt. exams. He was also associated with induction training of new entrants of Civil Services and In-Service training of Senior Civil Servants. To Know More about BEE Initiative -> CLICK HERE Download the schedule: Click Here For Any Queries: Email id: offline@iasbaba.com / support@iasbaba.com Mobile No: 91691 91888 (Please call between 10 am – 6 pm ONLY) Thank You IASbaba

May 21, 2021 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

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

Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) States asked to declare Mucormycosis an epidemic Part of: GS Prelims and GS -II - Health; Policies and interventions In news The Union government has asked the States to declare mucormycosis,, an epidemic under Epidemic Diseases Act 1897. Mucormycosis is the black fungal infection being reported in COVID-19 patients. Key takeaways Declaring it an epidemic would lead to health facilities screening for it and reporting all such cases to the government. Rajasthan, Telangana and Tamil Nadu have already declared it an epidemic. Important value additions Mucormycosis or black fungus is a complication caused by fungal infection. People catch mucormycosis by coming in contact with the fungal spores in the environment. The disease is being detected among patients who are recovering or have recovered from Covid-19. Related articles Shortage of anti-fungal injection, Amphotericin B Money Withdrawal from online wallets through ATM permitted Part of: GS Prelims and GS -III - Economy In news Now Money kept in various online wallets like Amazon pay, Ola money, Mobikwik, Phone pe, Delhi Metro Card etc. can be withdrawn using an ATM or Point of Sale Terminal. Key takeaways RBI has permitted cash withdrawal of Rs. 2,000 per transaction with maximum limit of Rs. 10,000 per month. All non-bank Payment prepaid instruments can provide this service. Till date, RBI has permitted 37 Prepaid Payment Instruments (PPIs) in country. Maximum two lakh rupees can be kept in various wallets after completion of full KYC. All PPIs have to ensure interoperability by 31st March 2022 Important value additions PPIs help facilitate the purchase of goods and services, including financial services, remittances and fund transfers against the value stored on such instruments. These instruments are generally pre-loaded cards. Examples: Paytm and GPay (semi-closed system PPIs), gift cards (closed system PPIs) and debit or credit cards (open system PPIs). Dahanu Gholvad Sapota Part of: GS Prelims and GS - I - Geography In news Dahanu Gholvad Sapota (Chikoo) was in news recently. A consignment from Palghar district of Maharashtra was shipped to the United Kingdom, giving major boost to exports of GI certified products. Key takeaways GI certification of Ghovad Sapota is held by Maharashtra Rajya Chikoo Utpadak Sangh. The fruit is known for its sweet and unique taste. It is believed that the unique taste is derived from calcium rich soil of Gholvad village. Do you know? Sapota-growing states- Karnataka, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh. Highest growers: Karnataka, Maharashtra. A-76 becomes World's Largest Iceberg currently afloat in the world Part of: GS Prelims and GS-III - Environment In news A giant slab of ice bigger than the Spanish island of Majorca has sheared off from the frozen edge of Antarctica into the Weddell Sea. It has now become the largest iceberg currently afloat in the world. Key takeaways The iceberg is designated A-76 by scientists. A-76 broke away from Antarctica's Ronne Ice Shelf. It was spotted in recent satellite images captured by the Copernicus Sentinel-1 mission. Do you know? It surpassed the now second-place A-23A iceberg which is also floating in the Weddell Sea. Spain's popular tourist island of Majorca lies in the Mediterranean. The Weddell Sea is part of the Southern Ocean and contains the Weddell Gyre. Its land boundaries are defined by the bay formed from the coasts of Coats Land and the Antarctic Peninsula Airborne Transmission of SARS-COV-2 Virus Part of: GS Prelims and GS - II - Health In news In a new advisory, the government has warned that the SARS-CoV-2 virus can be transported through air as well in the form of aerosols, and infect people up to 10 metres away. The general advisory on Covid-19 was issued by the office of the Principal Scientific Advisor. Key takeaways The warning is in line with the latest evidence that suggests that airborne transmission of the virus, especially in enclosed spaces, cannot be ruled out. It was initially suggested that the virus spreads predominantly through large droplets that come out when a person is talking, sneezing or coughing. These droplets, because of their large size, were supposed to travel only short distances before falling on the ground. A person 6 feet (2 metres) away was considered safe from infection. However, over the months, scientists have been finding increasing evidence of the virus travelling through aerosols as well. Do you know? Aerosols are small solid particles suspended in the air. Relatively light, aerosols can carry the virus to much larger distances. Also, they can remain suspended in the air for several minutes, or even hours, thereby greatly increasing the chance of the infecting a nearby person. Related articles Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomic Consortia (INSACOG) launched Virus Mutation: New SARS-CoV-2 strain B.1.1.7 Lineage: New variant of SARS-CoV-2 Miscellaneous FakeBuster Researchers at the IIT, Ropar in Punjab and Monash University, Australia have developed a unique detector named ‘FakeBuster’. Significance: To identify imposters attending a virtual conference without anybody’s knowledge. FakeBuster is a DeepFakes Detection Tool for Video Conferencing Scenarios. The technique will find out if some imposter is attending a Webinar or virtual meeting on behalf of one of your colleagues by morphing his image with his own. It can also find out faces manipulated on social media to defame or make a joke of someone. (Mains Focus) GOVERNANCE/ECONOMY Topic: GS-2: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests. India-Africa Relationship Historical Background During early 1920s both regions fight against colonial rule and oppression. After India gained independence, it became a leading voice in support of African decolonisation at UN Independent India, though extremely poor after two centuries of colonial exploitation, strived to share its limited resources with African countries under the banner of South-South cooperation In 1964, India launched the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) programme to provide technical assistance through human resource development to other developing countries – Africa was biggest beneficiary India’s economic engagement with Africa, on the other hand, only began intensifying in the early 2000s. India’s total trade with Africa grew from US$ 6.8 billion in 2003 to US$ 76.9 billion in 2018, and India is now Africa’s third-largest trade partner Challenges Government aimed to export 10 million vaccine doses to the African continent. However, due to second wave and increasing domestic demand, export prospects may be hampered. Indian Line of Credits(LoCs) have not been designed to achieve a larger development goal such as food security, health security, clean energy or education for all. LoCs are typically used by recipient countries to fund small development projects such as roads, bridges, railway lines. There is no synchronisation between different development instruments of India. Moreover, implementation has been a key constraint for Indian LoCs, with poor disbursal rates and project completion record. There has instances of violence against African students is common in India that has created unease in India-Africa relationship Although India has immense social capital among African nations, it has not matched this in material ties, and China’s economic and investment presence in Africa has been outstripping India’s for many years China is essentially trying to offer an alternative authoritarian model of development to African countries. Its message is that no longer is the liberal international path the only road for African countries to take and prosper. With its limited resources, India can try to make its development cooperation with Africa more impactful in the following ways: Clear strategy for African development Continue the current focus on capacity building Harness Indian civil society organisations, NGOs, and Indian diaspora: Promote development-friendly private investments: Timely completion of projects Improve the experiences of Africans in India A thought-fully planned vaccine strategy that balances interest of India and that of Africa Connecting the dots: Pandemic in Africa and opportunity for India Asia-Africa growth Corridor ECONOMY/ GOVERNANCE Topic: GS-2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. GS-3: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization, of resources, growth, development and employment. Business Localisation Context: As global businesses look to diversify their supply chains, the spotlight is back on the government's 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' (Self-Reliant India) campaign. Benefits for Localisation Benefits for Customers: Locally produced goods are aptly suited for their home markets as they are developed and tested in local conditions Due to local manufacturing, customers (intermediary or end use) can expect faster deliveries. Local product tend be cheaper than imported goods due to differential rates of taxation Benefits to Companies Local manufacturing enables a great deal of flexibility which allows cost efficiencies, control over quality, faster turn-around times in terms of production, transportation, deliveries, etc. Manufacturing locally helps India's industries grow and its talent pool to develop specialised skill sets. Localisation can be the gateway to further opportunities such as export growth, import substitution, and contract manufacturing. Benefits to Country India has the world's largest population of youth at an employable age. Local manufacturing makes for a great opportunity for the country to supply a workforce to its industries. Localisation assists in raising the standards of the lives in the area. Localisation enables knowledge sharing and tech transfer with other countries, lending the home country access to the latest global technologies too Allows country to position itself as a manufacturing hub for other countries. Conclusion With greater government support and industries' combined efforts, India will surely reap the numerous benefits of localisation in years to come Connecting the dots: Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan Do you think the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat would be a game changer for the domestic industries? Substantiate your views. (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 Weddell Sea is a part of which of the following Ocean? Indian Ocean Pacific Ocean Southern Ocean Arctic Ocean Q.2 Consider the following statements regarding Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897: This law enables states to ban public gatherings, ask schools and large institutions to stop functioning, and issue advisories to companies to explore work-from-home models. It also gives the state a right to penalise media organisations spreading misinformation. Which of the above is or are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 ANSWERS FOR 20th May 2021 TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE (TYK) 1 D 2 A 3 C Must Read On cyber attacks: Hindustan Times On Bureaucracy: The Hindu About health infrastructure: The Hindu

May 21, 2021 TLP Mains Answer Writing

IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 1 – ENGLISH & हिंदी): UPSC Mains Answer Writing – HOT Questions [21st May,2021] – Day 7

For Previous TLP (ARCHIVES) - CLICK HERE Hello Friends, Welcome to IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 1 – ENGLISH & हिंदी): UPSC Mains Answer Writing – HOT Questions [21st May,2021] – Day 7 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 for a month - HOT (High Order Thinking) Questions! With the HOT initiative, 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. COVID management has demonstrated the significance of digital capabilities for governance. Elucidate. COVID प्रबंधन ने शासन के लिए डिजिटल क्षमताओं के महत्व को प्रदर्शित किया है। स्पष्ट करें। 2. Discuss the key features of the PM-KISAN scheme. What are its intended benefits for the farmers? Explain. पीएम-किसान योजना की प्रमुख विशेषताओं पर चर्चा करें। किसानों के लिए इसके इच्छित लाभ क्या हैं? समझाएं। 3. What policy measures would you recommend to increase the adoption of electric vehicles in India? भारत में इलेक्ट्रिक वाहनों को अपनाने को बढ़ाने के लिए आप किन नीतिगत उपायों की सिफारिश करेंगे? 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 :)

May 21, 2021 Daily Prelims CA Quiz

UPSC Quiz – 2021 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz 21st May 2021

May 21, 2021 IASbaba Prelims 60 Day Plan

IASbaba’s 60 Day Plan - IAS Prelims Test Series 2021 - HISTORY, CURRENT AFFAIRS & CSAT [Day 52]

For Previous (ARCHIVES) - CLICK HERE Hello Friends, ARCHIVES OF 60 DAYS NOTE: Let us pledge to make it a big game-changer (better than last year) in the next 60 days! Note- Download the OMR Sheet and attempt the questions exactly like UPSC Prelims. After you are done, please post your OMR in the comment section. Once the solution key is released (around 5 PM), cross-check the answers and, comment the marks (you scored) in the same comment thread. This will keep you accountable, responsible and sincere in days to come. You can also take part in the discussion with peers. HISTORY [DAY 52] - Click Here NOTE- Follow this for Comments Mention- Time Taken after solving the Test After the release of Solution, Edit your Comment to Mention- Correct/Incorrect and Score 2 Marks for Correct/0.66 minus for Incorrect. What IMPACT can the ‘60 Day’ have on the final results? We will explain by taking a small example. Imagine you are sitting in the examination hall, appearing in Prelims Paper I. You have attempted 70 questions already but still unsure about a few. Then you stumble upon a question that was asked in 60 Day (and believe us, it has happened to hundreds of students countless times). You choose the right answer and submit your paper hoping for the best! Eventually, you go on to clear Mains as well as Personality Test and secure a good rank as well. When the cut off gets announced by UPSC, you realize that you have scored just one mark more than the cut off! Yes, that one mark can change your life (and it has done so to many of our students in the past). Now, imagine the kind of impact 60 to 80 marks can have! Isn’t that so fascinating to imagine? One’s level of preparedness is always different for different subjects. Even within a subject, one’s comfort level may vary with topics. For example, one might be more comfortable in solving questions of Polity than Economics and within Polity also, one might be at ease with questions on fundamental rights than Parliament. The level of comfort and ease that one has with a subject/ topic gets manifested in the examination. However, there is no conscious effort by aspirants to micro analyze these aspects. Now, coming to the second aspect i.e. the mistakes that one commits in answering MCQs, it can be said that there are mainly four reasons behind incorrect responses in the OMR sheet. They are: Lack of information Lack of analytical ability Silly mistakes Excessive risk-taking Let’s analyze them one by one: Lack of information: You simply don’t know the information. You are clueless and that’s why you don’t attempt the question. For example, you may have never come across a regime called the ‘Wassenaar Agreement’ during your preparation and you can’t do much about it. The lack of information is pardonable and rectifiable. You can read more and gather more information. That is within your reach. Lack of analytical ability: You know the concept but the question is a twisted one and you are not able to apply the concept. For example, in a question asking you to identify the climate type of a region based on certain given parameters like precipitation, temperature, and air density, you might find it difficult to mark the correct option even if you are aware of all the options given in the question! That is clearly a lack of application and you can overcome it by developing a habit of framing questions in your mind while you study any topic. Silly mistakes: This habit is unpardonable. You know the concept, you become happy, you misread the question, you mark the incorrect answer and you are out of the race! Such mistakes reveal your hurriedness while answering the question. A simple mistake of reading ‘chose the incorrect option’ as ‘chose the correct option’ can destroy your chances. It means that you need to have patience and focus while attempting the paper. Excessive risk-taking: You are confused between the options and just in order to increase your attempts, you make wild guesses and try your luck only to repent eventually. Risk-taking is an art and one must be very careful while doing the guesswork in confusing questions. If you are not lucky enough, it can spoil your chances. You will realize that these problems will have different meanings for different people. For example, one might find a lack of information as the main culprit in answering wrong the questions on Culture while in Polity, lack of analytical ability is usually the culprit. The point here is that you must analyse your preparation on these yardsticks by applying them on different subjects/ topics. If one is having a headache, he/ she can’t have the same medicine for fever. Isn’t it. This is where our revamped '60 Day’ comes into the picture. It will give you an opportunity to micro analyze your preparation and perform better in the examination. Finally, it is up to you to take advantage of this framework. We are sure of only one thing- if you follow this program, assess yourself on the basis of the given framework and keep improving your weaker areas, success will be yours. We are providing you with the right platform, the right guidance, and the right competition. Do you have the right motivation to make full use of this initiative? We think you have. Come, be a part of this initiative and take the first step towards SUCCESS! Importance of self - tracking: We could have provided all of you with login id and passwords to monitor your daily performance in the 60-day program. Instead, a simple and most beautiful way which Disqus provides is profile based commenting! Yes, we have seen the most successful candidates who have taken the maximum benefit from this program monitoring themselves by commenting on their answers in the box given (Disqus comment). And reviewing their performance themselves once in 10 days on the progress meter. DOWNLOAD THE 60 DAYS PLAN 2021 SOLUTION- Download Here ENTER YOUR PERFORMANCE AND GET YOUR RANK- Click Here Important: Ranks and Cut off will be calculated for the entries in the given form only. Cut Off will be released around 10PM and Rank List will be announced soon. Top 10 performers will be selected by finding the average ranks of entire 60 Days Programme and they would get FREE GUIDANCE and MENTORSHIP from IASbaba's Core Team. All the Best! IASbaba

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