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PIB

PRESS INFORMATION BUREAU (PIB) IAS UPSC – 18th April to 25th April – 2021

ARCHIVES GS-1 Khajuraho – Temples of Architectural Splendour (Topic: Ancient History) Made in the tenth century; UNESCO World Heritage Site Temples are famous for their nagara-style architectural symbolism and their erotic sculptures The erotic expression is given equal importance in human experience as spiritual pursuit, and it is seen as part of a larger cosmic whole. Many Hindu temples therefore feature mithun (embracing couple) sculptures, considered auspicious. Usually, they are placed at the entrance of the temple or on an exterior wall or they may also be placed on the walls between the mandapa and the main shrine. Socio-economic status of women: Khajuraho complex of temples is yet another excellent example of sculptures representing women in different roles. For example on Kandariya laxmana temple we can see a women with a purse in hand purchasing stuff from market showcases economic independence and her ability to make choice. We can also see women are supremely confident when it comes to exploring their sexuality. Practice of polyandry is evident on temple walls The other notable example at Khajuraho is Kandariya Mahadeo temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. There are many temples at Khajuraho, most of them devoted to Hindu gods. There are some Jain temples as well as a Chausanth Yogini temple, which is of interest. Predating the tenth century, this is a temple of small, square shrines of roughly-hewn granite blocks, each dedicated to esoteric devis or goddesses associated with the rise of Tantric worship after the seventh century.Several such temples were dedicated to the cult of the yoginis across Madhya Pradesh, Odisha and Tamil Nadu. Hindu Temples: Kandariya Temple, Mahadev Temple, Devi Jagadamba Temple, Chitragupta Temple, Vishwanatha Temple, Parvati Temple Lakshmana or Chaturbhuja Temple, Varaha Temple, Chaunsat Yogini Temple Jain Temples - Parshvanatha and Ghantai temple The Lakshmana temple  Dedicated to Vishnu is the grandest temple of Khajuraho, built in 954 by the Chandela king, Dhanga. Its construction was completed by 954, the year as per the inscription found at the base of the temple, by Yashovarman, the seventh ruler of the Chandella dynasty. The temples at Khajuraho are all made of sandstone. They were patronized by the Chandella dynasty. The temple plan is of a panchayana type. The temple is constructed on a heavy plinth. It consists of an ardhamandapa (porch), mandapa (porch), the maha mandapa (greater hall) and the garbhagriha with vimana. Many erotic sculptures are carved on the plinth wall. Some erotic sculptures are carved on the actual wall of the temple. An image of Chaturmukha Vishnu is in the garbhagriha. There are images of Vishnu in three shrines and Surya in one, which can be identified by the central image on the lintel of the shrine-doors. A nagara temple, it is placed on a high platform accessed by stairs. There are four smaller temples in the corners, and all the towers or shikharas rise high, upward in a curved pyramidal fashion, emphasising the temple’s vertical thrust ending in a horizontal fluted disc called an amalak topped with a kalash or vase.The crowning elements: amalak and kalash, are to be found on all nagara temples of this period. The temple also has projecting balconies and verandahs GS-2 Cabinet approves  A. Amendments to the Finance Bill, 2021 The Government amendments to the Finance Bill, 2021 shall provide equity and inclusiveness to all the taxpayers by addressing stakeholders concerns arising out of amendments proposed in the Bill. The Government amendments to the Finance Bill, 2021 are tax proposals which shall generate timely revenue for the Government and streamline existing provisions by addressing grievances of the taxpayers. B. Memorandum of Understanding between the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India and Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand The MRA intends to develop mutually beneficial relationship in the best interest of members, students and their organizations and is expected to provide an opportunity to the ICAI members to expand their professional horizons and to foster working relations between the two accounting institutes. The two accountancy institutes will have an opportunity to play the leadership role in addressing new challenges facing the profession in a globalized environment. Benefits: The engagement between the two Institutes is expected to result in greater employment opportunities for Indian Chartered Accountants and also greater remittances back to India. C. MoU between Competition Commission of India (CCI) and Administrative Council for Economic Defense of Brazil (CADE): Section 18 of the Competition Act, 2002 permits CCI to enter into any Memorandum or arrangement with any agency of any foreign country for the purpose of discharging its duties or performing its functions under the Act. Accordingly, CCI has entered into the following six MoUs: Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and Department of Justice (DOJ), USA Director General Competition, European Union Federal Antimonopoly Service, Russia Australian Competition and Consumer Commission and Competition Bureau, Canada and BRICS Competition Authorities. MoU between the India and Bangladesh on the establishment of a framework of cooperation in the area of trade remedial measures The primary objective of the MOU is to promote cooperation between the two countries in the area of Trade Remedies, covering the broad activities related to exchange of information, undertaking capacity building activities and activities in accordance with various provisions of World Trade Organization in the area of anti-dumping, countervailing and safeguard measures in bilateral trade between India and Bangladesh. The MOU seeks to foster better cooperation between the relevant authorities of both the countries so as to discourage unfair trade practices and promote rule based bilateral trading between the two countries. India and Germany sign agreement on ‘Cities combating plastic entering the marine environment’ (Topic: India and its relations with Germany) The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), Government of India and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH India on behalf of the German Federal Ministry of Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety signed an agreement on Technical Cooperation titled ‘Cities Combating Plastic Entering the Marine Environment’. This project is envisaged under the contours of the Joint Declaration of Intent regarding cooperation in the field of ‘Prevention of Marine Litter’ signed between Republic of India and Federal Republic of Germany in 2019. The project, aimed at enhancing practices to prevent plastic entering the marine environment, will be undertaken at the national level (at MoHUA), select states (Uttar Pradesh, Kerala and Andaman & Nicobar Islands) and in the cities of Kanpur, Kochi and Port Blair for a period of three and a half years. The importance Marine litter threatens ecosystems and adversely affects fishery and tourism industries around the globe. In addition to negative economic impact, it affects public health with increased concerns about micro-plastic and risk of particles entering the food chain. In recent times, the level of plastic waste that has accumulated in our oceans and marine ecosystems through the increasing production and use of durable synthetic materials has alarmed the public and policy makers alike. It is estimated that 15-20% of all plastics are entering oceans via riverine ecosystems of which 90% are contributed by 10 of the world’s most polluting rivers. Two of these river systems are located in India, namely Ganga and Brahmaputra. Whilst accurate data on plastic waste and marine litter in particular is largely unavailable for most parts of the country, this project will support the Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban’s implementation with special focus on preventing plastic litter entering the rivers and water bodies at source. To this end, cities will be enabled to improve collection, segregation and marketing of plastic waste, to prevent plastic disposal to water bodies, and to improve handling of port and marine waste. This will be combined with data management and reporting systems, civil society involvement and increased cooperation with recyclers and the recycling industry through a digital platform. This is expected to foster improvements in segregation, collection, transportation, treatment and disposal of waste in municipalities, thereby establishing an efficient system, which ensures no waste finds its way into rivers or oceans. GS-3 Leaders’ Summit on Climate  (Topic: Climate change) The Summit is a part of a series of global meetings focusing on climate issues, being held in the run up to COP26 in November 2021. Launch of the India-US Clean Energy Agenda 2030 Partnership - The Partnership will proceed along two main tracks: the Strategic Clean Energy Partnership and the Climate Action and Finance Mobilization Dialogue, which will build on and subsume a range of existing processes. Through this collaboration, India and the United States aim to demonstrate how the world can align swift climate action with inclusive and resilient economic development, taking into account national circumstances and sustainable development priorities. The US Pledged to cut emissions by 50 to 52 per cent of its 2005 levels by 2030. This is double the 2015 goal set by former President Barack Obama. The US rejoined the Paris Agreement three months ago, after former President Donald Trump’s decision to leave the multilateral forum made it the only country in the world to do so. Biden’s announcements re-assert the US’s commitment in the run-up to the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in November in Glasgow. US will double its public climate financing development to developing countries and triple public financing for climate application in developing countries by 2024. China We must be committed to the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities… Developing countries now face multiple challenges to combat Covit-19, grow the economy, and address climate change. We need to give full recognition to developing countries’ contribution to climate action and accommodate their particular difficulties and concerns. Developed countries need to increase climate ambition and action. At the same time, they need to make concrete efforts to help developing countries strengthen the capacity and resilience against climate change, support them in financing, technology, and capacity building, and refrain from creating green trade barriers, so as to help developing countries accelerate the transition to green and low-carbon development. Promoted China’s “green Belt and Road Initiative” and announced efforts to “strictly control coal-fired power generation projects” and phase down coal consumption.  China, the world’s largest emitter of greenhouse gases, has pledged that its emissions will peak by around 2030. From that point, the country will then aim to get down to net zero emissions by 2060. China has also laid out some concrete targets, such as getting one-quarter of its electricity from low-carbon sources like wind, solar or nuclear power; planting vast new forests; and curbing the use of hydro-fluorocarbons, a powerful greenhouse gas used as a refrigerant. Britain Britain was first country to pass legislation for net zero, have the biggest offshore wind capacity of any country in the world. The country is halfway to net zero. The UK had announced a target of 78 per cent emission reductions by 2035 (compared to 1990 levels). Germany The country wants to reduce emissions by 55 per cent by 2030 as compared to 1990 levels. PM Modi – “Together we will help mobilise investments, demonstrate clean technologies, and enable green collaborations… India’s per capita carbon footprint is 60 per cent lower than the global average. It is because our lifestyle is still rooted in sustainable traditional practices. Today, I want to emphasize the importance of lifestyle change in climate action. Sustainable lifestyles and guiding philosophies and back to basics must be an important feature of our economy in the post-Covid era,” Modi said. “We in India are doing our part. Our ambitious renewable energy target of 450 gigahertz by 2030 shows our commitment. Despite our development challenges, we have taken many bold steps on clean energy, energy efficiency, deforestation, and biodiversity. That is why we are among the few countries whose NDCs are 2 degrees Celsius compatible.” Emphasized India’s encouragement of global initiatives such as the International Solar Alliance and the Coalition for Disaster Resilience Infrastructure. Note:  Nationally Defined Contributions (NDCs) are each country’s goals towards achieving the Paris Agreement target of limiting rising temperatures to less than 2 degrees Celsius. Currently, the United States uses far more fossil fuels per person than almost any other country in the world, although China is quickly narrowing the gap. Promotion of Hydrogen based technologies (Topic: Climate change; New technology) Eminent Experts, Scientists, and Technocrats from India and Japan discussed the most recent innovations, trends, concerns, and solutions adopted in the field of decarbonisation and promotion of Hydrogen based technologies at the India-Japan Webinar on De-carbonisation: Exploring the Hydrogen Prospects and Innovative Technologies. Why with Japan: Japan is the first country to formulate a basic hydrogen strategy. Hydrogen is included in the fifth Energy plan of Japan. The country thus has a good ecosystem for R&D and commercialization, which could be used by the Scientific and Commercial Communities of the two countries. India and Japan have strategic relationships, and this has to be elevated to a strategic partnership enabling sharing of knowledge without any inhibition on Hydrogen and utilization of H2 in future What has happened so far in India - DST, GoI has initiated several programmes to develop technologies to reduce the cost of hydrogen production, distribution, storage, diversify the feedstock available for hydrogen production, for example, biomass, agricultural waste and so on. DST has supported about 30 projects in last few years related to Hydrogen production, distribution, and storage at a cost of 5 Million US$, looking into new catalysts like producing hydrogen from water splitting. Hydrogen has a potential role to play in major sectors in India. Given the scale of future demand, India should be proactive in manufacturing electrolysers to produce green hydrogen. A greater cross-sectoral coordination between the governments can help realize the economy benefits of hydrogen fuel. The key industries need to come together to catalyse decarbonisation allowing risk-sharing and minimizing the burden at the individual company level Hydrogen Energy Mission (Hydrogen Economy) To be launched in 2021-22 for generating hydrogen from green power sources The demand: Demand for hydrogen is at around 6 metric tonne (MT) per annum, mainly from industry sectors, such as fertilizers and refineries. This can increase to around 28 MT by 2050 mainly due to cost reductions in key technologies and a push to reduce carbon footprint. Demand will mainly grow in steel and road transport, shipping and aviation sectors. The report also projected that India would require 40 MT of green hydrogen to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2060. Production: Typically, hydrogen can be produced in one of three ways, i.e., from fossil fuels (grey hydrogen), through carbon capture utilisation & storage (CCUS) application and fossil fuels (blue hydrogen), or by using renewable energy (green hydrogen). In the case of green hydrogen, electricity generated from renewable energy is used to split water into hydrogen and oxygen in an electrolyser. This is by far the cleanest and perhaps the most expensive method of producing hydrogen at the moment. Majority of the hydrogen production in India takes place via fossil fuels and is used primarily in the chemical and petrochemical sectors. Focussing on the production of green hydrogen in India would mean significantly ramping up the current renewable energy infrastructure across the country. Hydrogen Fuel Hydrogen does not occur freely in nature in useful quantities. It can be made from natural gas or it can be made by passing electric current through water. When hydrogen is burned, it only emits water vapour and carbon dioxide (CO2) is not produced.  It is more efficient than internal combustion engine.  Although hydrogen is a clean molecule, the process of extracting it is energy-intensive. Also, manufacturing hydrogen fuel based vehicle is expensive. The sources and processes by which hydrogen is derived, are categorised by colour tabs.  Hydrogen produced from fossil fuels is called grey hydrogen; this constitutes the bulk of the hydrogen produced today.  Hydrogen generated from fossil fuels with carbon capture and storage options is called blue hydrogen;  Hydrogen generated entirely from renewable power sources is called green hydrogen. In the last process, electricity generated from renewable energy is used to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. The case for green hydrogen Green hydrogen has specific advantages.  Environment Friendly: Green Hydrogen as energy source is seen as the next big thing as its usage would lead to zero emissions Potential to Decarbonise various sectors: It is a clean burning molecule, which can decarbonise a range of sectors including iron and steel, chemicals, and transportation.  Efficient utilization of Renewable Energy: Renewable energy that cannot be stored or used by the grid can be channelled to produce hydrogen. Reduced Dependence on Rare Minerals: Green Hydrogen also holds the key to clean electric mobility that doesn’t depend on rare minerals. Green Hydrogen helps achieve long-term vision of reduced dependency on minerals and rare-earth element-based battery as energy storage. Helps Achieve Paris Goal: Green hydrogen energy is vital for India to meet its Nationally Determined Contributions and ensure regional and national energy security, access and availability Energy Security: Green energy helps reduce import dependency on fossil fuels Prelims-oriented News EXERCISE VARUNA – 2021: Indian and French Navy bilateral exercise World Liver Day: 19th April; According to the Health Ministry, India has become the first country in the world to identify the need for action for Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease. Operational guidelines have been launched for the integration of NAFLD with the National Programme for Prevention & Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases, and Stroke. NAFLD is an umbrella term for a range of liver conditions affecting people who drink little to no alcohol.  Main characteristic of NAFLD is too much fat stored in liver cells. It is becoming increasingly common around the world, especially in Western nations. Some individuals with NAFLD can develop non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).  NASH is an aggressive form of fatty liver disease, marked by liver inflammation which may progress to advanced scarring (cirrhosis) and liver failure. India’s Agriculture trade grows during 2020-21 Despite the pandemic export of Agri and allied commodities during Apr, 2020 - Feb, 2021 shows an increase of 18.49% India has witnessed tremendous growth of 727% for Wheat export and 132% for (Non-Basmati) Rice export during 2020-21 Launch of e-property cards under SWAMITVA scheme 4.09 lakh property owners were given their e-property cards on this occasion, which also marked the rolling out of the SVAMITVA scheme for implementation across the country. SVAMITVA, a Central Sector Scheme of Ministry of Panchayati Raj was launched by the Prime Minister on National Panchayati Raj Day, 24th April 2020.  The scheme aims to provide the ‘record of rights’ to village household owners in rural abadi areas and issuance of Property cards. Startup India Seed Fund Scheme The Fund aims to provide financial assistance to startups for proof of concept, prototype development, product trials, market entry, and commercialization. Rs. 945 Crore corpus will be divided over the next 4 years for providing seed funding to eligible startups through eligible incubators across India. The scheme is expected to support an estimated 3,600 startups through 300 incubators. SISFS will Secure seed funding, Inspire innovation, Support transformative ideas, Facilitate implementation, and Start startup revolution. Will create a robust startup ecosystem, particularly in Tier 2 and Tier 3 towns of India, which are often deprived of adequate funding. 12th National Panchayati Raj Day 24th April, 1993 marks a defining moment in the history of decentralization of power to the grassroots, with the institutionalization of Panchayati Raj, through the Constitution (73rd Amendment) Act, 1992 which came into force with effect from that day.  Ministry of Panchayati Raj commemorates 24th April of every year as the National Panchayati Raj Day (राष्ट्रीय पंचायती राज दिवस) (NPRD), as the 73rd Constitutional Amendment came into force on this date. This occasion provides an opportunity for direct dialogue with Panchayat representatives from all over the country as well as recognizing their achievements to empower and motivate them further. Every year, on this occasion, Ministry of Panchayati Raj has been awarding the best performing Panchayats/States/UTs across the country under the Incentivization of Panchayats in recognition of their good work for improving delivery of services and public goods. Awards are given under various categories namely, Deen Dayal Upadhyay Panchayat Sashaktikaran Puraskar (DDUPSP), Nanaji Deshmukh Rashtriya Gaurav Gram Sabha Puraskar (NDRGGSP), Child-friendly Gram Panchayat Award (CFGPA), Gram Panchayat Development Plan (GPDP) Award and e-Panchayat Puraskar (given to States/UTs only). Mahavir Jayanti The festival is considered to be the most important one for Jains and marks the birth anniversary of Lord Mahavir. Lord Mahavir was one of the most charismatic and influential spiritual leaders to have walked the earth. His messages of nonviolence, truth, honesty, selflessness and sacrifice are timeless and full of universal compassion. He preached the gospel of universal love and emphasized that all living beings, including plants and animals, are equal and deserved to be treated with love and respect. We must draw inspiration from Lord Mahavir’s life, his practice of austerity, his stress on the need to adopt a positive attitude towards life and his messages of love, tolerance and peace, especially now, when humanity is facing a formidable health crisis of the spread of COVID-19. Lord Mahavira was born at Kundagrama, Vaishali in present day Bihar. Siddartha and Trishala are parents of Mahavira Mahavira was associated with Makari Gosala Putta for 6 years, but later departed due to serious philosophical differences.  Then Mahavira joined Nigrantha sect, while Makari Gosala Putta started Ajivika religion. After Mahavira, Jainism came under the control of 11 disciples of Mahavira, namely Ganadharas Associated symbol: Lion The three principles of Jainism, also known as Triratnas (threegems), are: Right faith Right knowledge Right conduct Note: Jainism predates Buddhism, while Buddha was older than Mahavira. According to Mahavira, a person is born in a high or in a lower varna in consequence of the sins or the virtues acquired by him in the previous birth. The Hathigumpha Inscription proves that Jainism entered Orissa and probably became the state religion within 100 years of death of Mahavira. The teachings of the Parshvanatha are collectively known as Chaturyama. It is the the “four-fold teaching” of the Parshvanath. The Mahamastakabhisheka, refers to the abhiṣheka of the Jain images when held on a large scale. The most famous of such consecrations is the anointment of the Bahubali Gommateshwara Statue located at Shravanabelagola in Karnataka, India. It is an important Jain festival held once in every 12 years. Spread of Jainism Through Sangha, Mahavira spread his teaching that consists of women & Men in the organized sangha.  Under the patronage of Chandragupta Maurya, Kharaveli of Kalinga and the royal dynasties of south India such as the Gangas, the Kadambas, the Chalukyas and the Rashtrkutas. There are two sect of Jainism- Svetambar (White Clad) and Digambar (Sky clad or Naked). First Jain Council was convened at Patliputra presided by Sthaulabhadra who was the leader of Shwetambar during 3rd century BC. It resulted in the compilation of 12 Angas replacing the lost 14 Purvas. Second Council – Second Jain Council was held at Vallabhi under the chairmainship of Devardhi in 521 A.D. Additionally –  What is Tirtha? A Tirtha is a religious pilgrim place.  Most tirths in India of any religion are based upon the banks of Rivers. The idea of a Tirtha is to cross the river of human miseries. A Tirthankara is a founder of a Tirtha. He achieves the enlightenment and then shows the path to others.  A Tirthankara achieves Moksha or liberation at the end of his human life.

IASbaba Prelims 60 Day Plan

IASbaba’s 60 Day Plan - IAS Prelims Test Series 2021 - ENVIRONMENT, CURRENT AFFAIRS & CSAT [Day 36]

For Previous (ARCHIVES) - CLICK HERE Hello Friends,  ARCHIVES OF 60 DAYS NOTE: IASbaba's 60 DAY questions will be posted around 10 AM. The solution will be released around 5 PM Daily.  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.   ENVIRONMENT [DAY 36] - 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   All the Best! IASbaba    

TLP Mains Answer Writing

SYNOPSIS [26th April,2021] Day 91: IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 1): UPSC Mains Answer Writing (General Studies)

For Previous TLP (ARCHIVES) - CLICK HERE SYNOPSIS [26th April,2021] Day 91: IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 1): UPSC Mains Answer Writing (General Studies) 1. Comment upon the philosophical basis and objectives of left wing extremism? Approach Candidates are expected to write about Left wing extremism and comment on their objectives and philosophical basis. Introduction In the review meeting on LWE, the Union Home Minister has termed Left-Wing Extremism (LWE) as one of the major internal security threats faced by the nation. However, events of Left Wing Extremism (LWE) violence came down from 2258 in 2009 to 833 in 2018.  Body LWE Origins – Tebhaga movement it was the first communist movement which started in West Bengal in 1946. Telangana movement which was led by the people of Telangana in the period of 1946-51 against the atrocities of the Nizam rule also acquired radical dimensions as it progressed. The origins of the LWE can be traced back to 1967 in the three areas of Naxalbari (from which the term Naxal originates), Phansidewa and Khoribari in West Bengal’s Darjeeling District.  The initial uprising was led by Charu Majumdar, Kanu Sanyal and Jangal Santhal, who were members of the Communist Party of India (Marxist). The initial uprising was in the form of a peasant revolt. Two years later in 1969, the Communist Party of India (Marxist–Leninist) was formed. Although originated in West Bengal, the movement spread to the less-developed rural regions of southern and eastern India, in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Chhattisgarh.  The Maoist Communist Centre (MCC) was formed in 1975. This group merged with the People’s War Group in 2004, to form the CPI (Maoist).  Philosophical basis of Left wing extremism – Naxalism in India, like any other leftist movement around the globe draws its ideological basis from the Russian revolution wherein Lenin successfully fought against the Czar through a combination of peasant movement and an armed struggle. The prime intent was to bestow power in the hands of the exploited and marginalized and enforce societal control over governance and nation building. After the success of the Lenin-led revolution in Russia, the intellectual class in many countries started thinking of ushering in a change in their respective nations. Prominent amongst them were Fidel Castro and Mao Zedong. In China, Mao Zedong used this philosophy successfully which led to the origin of ‘Maoism’. Maoism is a doctrine that teaches to capture State power through a combination of armed insurgency, mass mobilisation and strategic alliances. Mao called this process, the ‘Protracted People’s War’. ‘Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun’ is the key slogan of the Maoists. Naxalites are far-left radical communists who derive their political ideology from the teachings of Mao Zedong. Objectives of the LWE – The objective of the Naxalites is to wage an armed revolution, modeled on the lines of the Chinese Revolution, which they call New Democratic Revolution (NDR), and usher in their own form of government. The Naxalites state their main political purpose as establishing an alternative state structure in India by creating a “red corridor” in Naxalite-affected states, stretching from the border of Nepal to central India to Karnataka in the south through violent struggle.  The LWE organisations, in pursuit of their stated goal of overthrowing the government, resort to armed violence against anyone they perceive to be their enemy, and this includes innocent civilians also. In many instances, they carry out high-profile murders and kidnappings to instil fear in their opponents and civilians. In many cases, they get the support of the tribal population in an area since they are seen as deliverers, in a situation where the authorities have failed to provide the basic amenities. Way forward – The D Bandopadhyay Committee (2006) highlighted the lack of governance, economic, socio-political and cultural discrimination against the tribals as the chief reason for the spread of Naxalism. The Committee recommended tribal-friendly land acquisition and rehabilitation as a means to counter this issue. Operation SAMADHAN The policy was initiated in 2015 as a multidimensional approach to tackle LWE.  States also need to adopt a focused time-bound approach to completely eliminate LWE groups and ensure all-round development of the affected regions. Conclusion Naxalism is an internal security matter and is not just a law and order problem also – it has grown into a big headache for both people and government. But its roots lie in deep discontent that apathy of government bred towards poor tribes of these regions. Only through addressing those problems it is possible to stop the further spread of left wing extremism. Whenever naxals indulge in violence, and obstruct development works being implemented, government must deal with sternly but as home ministry warned officials, without violating standard operation methods. 2. What are the key challenges faced by the government in tackling left wing extremism? Analyse. Approach  Question straight forward. Candidate can outline the challenges faced by government in tackling the left wing extremism and then in the second half way forward can be given. Introduction Left Wing Extremism or Naxal Movement has been the source of extreme violence in some parts of the country. These extremists are internally waging wars against the state. It is considered to be the most important security concern. These extremist movements have disconnected several tribal villages from the national main stream. They want abolition of state to establish the rule of people. Body LWE has its genesis in poor governance, lack of development in the tribal belt, and an oppressive/exploitative hierarchy of the state and society that has pushed the tribal population, the landless, to the margins of survival. Challenges faced by government in tackling LWE – Leadership Issue: In the current scenario, barring a few exceptions, many of the senior police officers (IPS cadre) who are parachuted into the central police forces at senior ranks have little or no platoon/battalion experience. By training, the police officer is expected to be a competent Superintendent and to maintain law and order. This is not the skill-set that is relevant when an officer has to “command” and lead his men into insurgency operations. This led to armed personnel casualties. In the last three decades, around 15000 people have lost their lives owing to LWE. Recruiting Tribal Youths: It is not ideology and revolutionary zeal that is driving people who are engaged in LWE. Their main activity is extortion. For many, joining these groups is the only way to survive. Further, these organizations hire vulnerable people who have low literacy levels, unemployed or low income, particularly the tribals, building up their cadre. This creates a positive feedback loop of recruitment of youth into LWE. Threatening Democracy: They resort to violence through their guerrilla tactics and attempt to set up their own government in the local villages. They threaten the locals before the conduct of elections and prevent them from voting. This violates the principle of participative democracy. Earlier operations such as Salwa Judum have benefitted Naxalites as the violence intensified and the advantage was taken by Maoists to build positive image against the state led violence. Para-Military Reforms: The Kargil Review Committee (KRC) report noted that in wake of Internal security challenges that the country faces, the role and the tasks of the paramilitary forces have to be restructured particularly with reference to command and control and leadership functions. This recommendation has not been implemented. Modernizing Police: States play a vital role in maintaining law and order. So, emphasis should be laid on the capacity-building and modernization of the local police forces. Local forces can efficiently and effectively neutralize the LWE organizations. Due to lack of reforms, we witness low morale of forces on ground. What can be done? The Government of India in 2017 announced a new doctrine, SAMADHAN. The doctrine was announced during the Review Meeting of Left Wing Extremism affected States. S- Smart Leadership, A- Aggressive Strategy, M- Motivation and Training, A- Actionable Intelligence, D- Dashboard Based KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) and KRAs (Key Result Areas), H- Harnessing Technology, A- Action plan for each Theatre, and N- No access to Financing. Marginalization of LWE Groups: States also need to adopt a focused time-bound approach to completely eliminate LWE groups and ensure all-around development of the affected regions. States should rationalize their surrender policy in order to bring innocent individuals caught in the trap of LWE into the mainstream. Given the complexities involved in India’s national-security architecture, it is crucial to improve coordination between various federal and state security agencies. It is clear that the Maoists do not want development to take place, which is clear by their targeting schools and communication channels. Whatever their goals, they are now armed insurgency groups intended only to capture power to serve their own interests. Along with these, sufficient and speedy development should be brought about in the worst-affected areas as only this will render the Maoists insignificant. As long as there is disillusionment with the authorities, such elements will always find sympathizers among sections of the people. Conclusion States play a vital role in maintaining law and order. So, emphasis should be laid on the capacity-building and modernization of the local police forces. Local forces can efficiently and effectively neutralize the LWE organizations. For the holistic last-mile development of “New India”, it is necessary to get rid of the menace of such radicalized groups, & the synergized efforts of the Centre and the States are crucial in achieving the same. 3. Discuss the strategy adopted by the government to address the security threats emanating from external state and non-state actors. Approach Since the question is asking you to discuss hence it necessitates a debate where reasoning is backed up with evidence to make a case for and against an argument and finally arriving at a conclusion. Introduction  External vulnerabilities that pose challenges to India’s national security can be by either by state or non-state actors. ‘State actor’ is used in the context where one government supports an actor in the performance of an act or acts of terrorism against the other often deemed as a state sponsor. Organizations and individuals not connected with, directed by, or funded through the government are non-state actors. Body  THE STRATEGY ADOPTED BY THE GOVERNMENT TO ADDRESS THE SECURITY THREATS EMANATING FROM EXTERNAL STATE AND NON-STATE ACTORS – A lesson from our ancient history, oft-forgotten, is the imperative of internal unity in the country. The government believe that external challenges can be handled adequately when the nation retains internal cohesiveness and that remain the part of strategy. That most of India’s internal security challenges have an external dimension to it is well known, government is trying to factor in the linkages between the two to shape our response.  In dealing with the situation in J&K;, in Naxalism affected areas and the Northeast, the government is using the correct amalgam between sound security measures and exhibiting compassion cum sensitivity to the local populace.  In a democracy, legitimate protests are normal and thus governments at the Centre and states are trying not to get unduly perturbed over these and deal with dissent sympathetically and not treat those who differ from the establishment’s views as anti-nationals. The government is trying to make the DRDO and the many ordnance factories it has under its ambit far more accountable and effective.  India has a vibrant private sector too with some having a reasonably good record in defence production. The government is giving the private sector a level playing field and an assurance of purchasing their output to give a fillip to indigenous defence production.  In addition, the government is trying to ensure that as it pays huge amounts to foreign military entrepreneurs while importing state-of-the art equipment, it insist upon transfer of critical technologies, and ultimately production of the same platforms, weapons, ammunition, spares etc., within the country. With many security challenges confronting the nation, there is no alternative to indigenous defence production. Apart from the strategy, India must also carry out an institutional, periodic holistic review of the many security organisations and structures it has to ensure their greater effectiveness. The Chief of Defence Staff appointment, now a year old since its inception, must prevail upon the government to issue a comprehensive National Strategic Security Document which lays down a roadmap prioritization of India’s short, medium and long-term perspective plans. Conclusion As India rises to confront all challenges to its well-being and security in 2021, the need of the hour is restoring India’s economic health, ensuring unfailing internal cohesion, fidelity to the Constitution and overall security preparedness with greater vigor and planning. 4. Can lack of development be attributed as the most significant contributor towards the spread of left wing extremism in India? Critically comment. Approach As the directive is critically comment students are expected to write both the aspects of the lack of development as the significant factor towards the spread of left wing extremism in India. Introduction Left-wing extremism, also known by various other names such as Naxalism and Maoism, is a form of armed insurgency against the State motivated by leftist ideologies. Left-wing extremists are also known as Maoists globally and as Naxalites in India. There are several left-wing extremist organizations in the country operating in many areas. They reject parliamentary democracy and are aiming at waging an armed revolution against the government. They follow extreme violence and also harm innocent civilians in many cases. Some groups also engage in parliamentary politics while at the same time, maintain underground cadres. Examples of such groups: Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation and the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Janashakti. Body Lack of development and spread of left wing extremism in India – Naxalbari, a village near Siliguri North West Bengal, became infamous in 1967 as it revived left wing extremism in India. Charu Mazumdar was active leader of the area and was mobilizing peasants against state for an armed conflict. On the other hand there were repetitive incidences of Class conflicts between peasants and zamindars. One such conflict escalated and zamindar was expelled from his land. After this police came to his rescue and was surrounded by about thousand peasants armed with bows, arrows, lathis etc. this became the tipping point for the rise of naxalite movement in India. Heavy state response kept violent incidents under control in 1970’s but it got push in 1980’s. This time it was from Andhra Pradesh. Actually, in 1967 itself movement also started in Srikakulam, Andhra Pradesh. Here revolutionaries tried to mobilize tribals into armed militias called ‘dalams’, by inciting them against landlords, money lenders and government.  They resorted to ‘annihilation of class enemy’ under which people those represented state i.e. government servants, Forest officials and other oppressive characters such as money lenders and landlords, were to be identified and killed. Heavy state response kept violent incidents under control in 1970’s but it got push in 1980’s. This time it was from Andhra Pradesh. Actually, in 1967 itself movement also started in Srikakulam, Andhra Pradesh. Here revolutionaries tried to mobilize tribals into armed militias called ‘dalams’, by inciting them against landlords, money lenders and government. They resorted to ‘annihilation of class enemy’ under which people those represented state i.e. government servants, Forest officials and other oppressive characters such as money lenders and landlords, were to be identified and killed. Naxalism is spread in the most backward areas of the country this backwardness becomes breeding ground to motivate and recruit the people into their own folds exploitation by money lenders and faulty land reforms amplified the backwardness and hence became the significant reasons for the spread of naxalism in India. However lack of development is not the only reason for the spread of Naxalism in India, there are other reasons which lead to the spread which are as follows – Forest mismanagement was one of the main causes of the spread of Naxalism. It originated during the time of British administration when new laws were passed to ensure the monopolization of the forest resources. Following the globalization in the 1990s, the situation worsened when the government increased the exploitation of the forest resources. This led the traditional forest dwellers to fight for their aspirations against the government through violence. Haphazard tribal policy implementation, marginalization, and displacement of the tribal communities worsened the situation of Naxalism. The increase in the interregional and intraregional differences and inequalities led to people choosing Naxalism. Naxal-groups mostly consist of the poor and the deprived like the anglers, small farmers, daily labourers, etc. The government policies have failed to address this issue. The poor implementation of the land reforms has not yielded the necessary results. India’s agrarian set up is characterised by the absence of proper surveys and other details. Due to this reason, it has greatly damaged the rural economy and anti-government sentiments were high among those who were deprived and exploited by the local landowners. Forest cover in India is the main area of operation for these groups. The government is facing difficulties while dealing with the insurgents due to the lack of accessibility to these areas. The unemployed youth in India is one of the major supporters of the Naxalism movement. This group mostly consists of medical and engineering graduates. The universities have become one of the major breeding grounds for radical ideology. Conclusion The concerted effort from both the Centre and Naxal-affected states is a rare example of cooperative federalism. Comprehensive COIN strategy, encompassing both the population-centric and enemy-centric approaches has significantly reduced the Naxal footprint in many of the militant groups in the region. Yet, the Naxalites still remain a formidable force that can nevertheless be considered a threat to India’s national security. However, unlike in the 2000s, the Indian government is well prepared in addressing this issue through a comprehensive strategy that is already in place 5. Discuss the recent strategies adopted by the government to address the challenge of naxalism. Approach A simple and straightforward question where in the candidate needs to discuss the recent strategies adopted by the government to address the challenge of naxalism. Introduction Naxalism can be traced backed to its origin in Naxalbari village of West Bengal state. It started as a movement to voice its concerns by landless labourers and tribals and gradually has become an internal security threat to the country. Also, Left Wing Extremism or Naxal Movement has become a source of extreme violence in many parts of the country. Body LWE/Naxalism is considered to be the most important internal security concern. These extremists attack the symbols of the country’s power such as the police, schools and other government institutions. In this regard, strategies to deal with Naxalism, including the recent one’s are – Left Wing Extremism (LWE) Division: It was created in the Home Ministry to effectively address the Left Wing Extremist insurgency in a holistic manner. It implements security related schemes aimed at capacity building in the LWE affected States.  SAMADHAN strategy of government to frame short term and long term policies to tackle LWE. The acronym SAMADHAN stands for Smart leadership, Aggressive strategy, Motivation and training, Actionable intelligence, Dashboard Based KPIs (key performance indicators) and KRAs (key result areas), Harnessing technology, Action plan for each theatre, and No access to financing.   Government has formulated National Policy and Action Plan adopting multipronged strategy in the areas of security, development, ensuring rights & entitlement of local communities etc. This has several sub-schemes like Security related expenditure scheme(2017-20), Special Central Assistance scheme which involves modernisation of police force, Civic action program which aims at bridging the gap between Police and locals through personal interaction.  Media Plan: The Maoists have been misguiding and luring the innocent tribals/ local population in LWE affected areas. To deal with their false propaganda, activities like Tribal Youth Exchange programmes organised by NYKS, radio jingles, documentaries, pamphlets etc. are being conducted. Aspirational District: The Ministry of Home Affairs has been monitoring Aspirational districts programme in 35 LWE affected districts. Modernisation and upgradation of the State Police and their Intelligence apparatus and fortification of Police stations. Further, Improvement in governance and public perception management, Better equipment of CRPF, Setting up of Counter Insurgency and Anti-Terrorism (CIAT) schools, Facilitating inter-State coordination and Assistance in community policing and civic action programmes can help. Institutional measures like Blank Panther Combat Force (in line with the Greyhounds of Andhra and Telangana region), Bastariya battalion (locals joining as police, who are well informed of the terrain), multidisciplinary groups under MHA to check funding to the Naxalites.  Government is aiming for capacity building and skill development of the locals, schemes like ROSHNI that aims at providing jobs to the locals, the Ekalavya model residency schools for better educational facility to tribal children.  Government is also working on Economic Inclusion, like providing support prices for Minor forest produce (MFP), establishing Van Dhan Kendras to aid tribal income. The Surrender and Rehabilitation policy too, has seen success to some extent 2nd ARC recommendations to overcome red corridor challenges – For effective implementation of the Scheduled Tribes and other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Rights) Act, 2006, multidisciplinary Oversight Committees may be constituted to ensure that the implementation does not adversely affect the local ecosystems. Special efforts are needed to monitor the implementation of constitutional and statutory safeguards, development schemes and land reforms initiatives for containing discontent among sections vulnerable to violent left extremism. Performance of the States in amending their Panchayati Raj Acts (PESA) and implementing these provisions may be monitored and incentivised by the Union Ministry of Panchayati Raj. Special anti-extortion and anti-money laundering cell should be established by the State police/State Government. To break the nexus between illegal mining/forest contractors and transporters and extremists which provides the financial support for the extremist movement. Conclusion For the holistic last-mile development of “New India”, it is necessary to get rid of the menace of such radicalized groups & the synergized efforts of the Centre and the States are crucial in achieving the same where both should continue to follow the two pronged strategy i.e. ensuring safety of the people in the naxal-affected regions as well as taking initiatives for the development of such regions.   TLP HOT Synopsis Day 91 PDF

IASbaba Prelims 60 Day Plan

[COMPILATION] IASbaba’s 60 Day Plan - IAS Prelims Test Series 2021 - Day (1-30) Subject Wise Compilation!

For Previous (ARCHIVES) - CLICK HERE Hello Friends,  ARCHIVES OF 60 DAYS The Pandemic is having a disastrous effect on us. Every second family seems affected, there are cries of help everywhere. Students have become volunteers and are doing their best. The least we can do is stay home. In these testing times, many of the Aspirants have shown grit and perseverance towards their goal & following the schedule of 60 Day Plan religiously. We appreciate your commitment. Others, who couldn't follow the schedule - Follow it from today. It's never too late! To assist all of you in Revision, we are providing you with the Compilation of the first 30 days of the 60 Day Plan. Make the best use of them. All the best! TO DOWNLOAD COMPILATION - CLICK HERE DOWNLOAD THE 60 DAYS PLAN 2021 Thank You IASbaba

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 30th April 2021

Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) Net Zero Producers Forum Part of: GS Prelims and GS – II - International Relations  In news Saudi Arabia will join the United States, Canada, Norway, and Qatar in forming ‘Net Zero Producers Forum’ for oil and gas producers to discuss how they can support the implementation of the Paris Agreement on climate change. Key takeaways  Saudi Arabia is the world's biggest crude exporter.  The Forum will discuss ways to achieve net zero carbon emission targets to limit global warming. Saudi Arabia had also said that it aimed to reduce its carbon emissions by generating 50% of the country's energy from renewables by 2030. US President unveiled plans to cut emissions by 50%-52% from 2005 levels recently.  High-yielding and pest-resistant variety of soybean developed  Part of: GS Prelims and GS-III - Economy  In news Indian Scientists have developed a high-yielding and pest-resistant variety of soybean. Scientists from MACS- Agharkar Research Institute (ARI), Pune, an autonomous institute of the Department of Science & Technology, in collaboration with Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) have developed this variety. Key takeaways  This newly developed variety is called MACS 1407.  It is suitable for cultivation in Assam, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and North-Eastern states.  Its seeds will be made available to farmers for sowing during the 2022 Kharif season. In 2019, India produced around 90 million tons of soybean.  Soybean is widely cultivated as oil seeds and a cheap source of protein for animal feed and many packaged meals.  India is striving to be among the world’s major producers of soybean. High-yielding, disease resistant varieties of the legume can help achieve this target. Global Immunization Strategy by WHO Part of: GS Prelims and GS-II - Health; International Relations  In news WHO unveiled a global immunization strategy to save 50 million lives by 2030. Key takeaways  Objective: To reach more than 50 million children who have missed lifesaving jabs against measles and other diseases because of COVID-19 disruption. Initiative by: WHO, UNICEF and the vaccine alliance Gavi To avoid multiple outbreaks of life-threatening diseases like measles, yellow fever and diphtheria, it must be ensured that routine vaccination services are protected in every country in the world. A WHO survey showed more than one third of countries were still seeing disruptions to their routine immunisation services. Around 60 mass vaccination campaigns were currently postponed in 50 countries, putting 228 million people, mostly children, at risk of diseases such as measles and polio. China launches the core module of its space station Part of: GS Prelims and GS – II - International Relations & GS-III - Sci & tech  In news China launched the core module of its space station, starting a series of key launch missions that aim to complete the construction of the station by the end of next year Key takeaways  The Long March-5B Y2 rocket, carrying the Tianhe module, blasted off from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site on the coast of the southern island province of Hainan. The Tianhe module will act as the management and control hub of the space station Tiangong, (meaning Heavenly Palace), with a node that could dock with up to three spacecraft at a time for short stays, or two for long Tianhe is the largest spacecraft developed by China. The space station will be a T shape with the core module at the centre and a lab capsule on each side. The station will operate in the low-Earth orbit at an altitude from 340 km to 450 km.  It has a designed lifespan of 10 years, but experts believe it could last more than 15 years with appropriate maintenance and repairs. Do you know?  The Chinese space station is expected to be a competitor to the aging International Space Station (ISS) which is a modular space station in low Earth orbit. ISS is a multinational collaborative project involving five participating space agencies which included NASA, (US), Roscomos (Russia), JAXA (Japan), ESA (Europe), and CSA (Canada). First-ever Electric Tractor Part of: GS Prelims and GS – III - Economy; Agriculture  In news Central Farm Machinery Training & Testing Institute, Budni (Madhya Pradesh) has tested the first-ever electric Tractor in the Institute. Key takeaways  The institute received the application for an electric tractor under Confidential Test initially. Accordingly, the institute has tested the tractor & released the Draft Test Report in February, 2021. Electric tractor will be more environment friendly than other types of tractors. (Mains Focus) WOMEN/ GOVERNANCE Topic: GS-1: Women Issues GS-2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. Women Issues Context: India is amongst the most unequal countries in the world to be a woman according to the latest annual Global Gender Gap Index released by the World Economic Forum places India 17th from the bottom. Issues Missing Females: In India discrimination starts in the embryo with the misuse of ultrasound technology for sex-selective abortion. Inadequate Political Representation: The share of women ministers has declined sharply from 23 to 9 per cent. Poor Labour Participation: Indian women’s labour force participation has plummeted in the last decade to a mere 21 per cent. Sexual Harassment at Workplaces: Before the pandemic, Indian boardrooms had only 15 per cent of women, even as the #MeToo movement exposed the iceberg of sexual harassment in the workplace. Poor implementation of Policies: Workplace crèches, though legally mandatory in all offices with more than 50 employees and MNREGA worksites, are rare. Anganwadis, too, have yet to be expanded into crèches. Child Marriages: Patriarchy is largely instilled at home. Preliminary population weighted averages from 17 states reveals that even before the pandemic, child marriages have marginally increased since the previous survey in 2015-16. Higher Education: While education is now more inclusive, with three-fourths of women literate, only 37 per cent complete Class 10. Financial Dependence: Less than a third of Indian women earn an income. Domestic Violence: Compounded with the lack of economic independence, more than a quarter of married women also report spousal violence. Rape: The National Crime Records Bureau enumerated nearly 88 rapes daily in 2019, with Dalit women in Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh the most vulnerable. Green Shoots Financial Inclusion: Four out of every five women now operate their own bank accounts,  Awareness about personal hygiene: More than two-thirds of young women use menstrual hygiene products,  Reproductive Rights: More than half of married women use modern contraceptives that has helped women assert their reproductive rights Access to Communication: almost half have a mobile phone, though less than a third have ever been on the internet. POLITY/ GOVERNANCE Topic: GS-2: Devolution of powers and finances up to local levels and challenges therein.  Strengthen Panchayati raj Local Bodies - Importance Historical Roots: The Cholas were the pioneers in the formation of local bodies as part of a well-organised hierarchy to oversee the implementation of progressive plans. Voices of People heard: Panchayati raj ensures that the voices of the people are heard loud and clear. “The voice of the people is the voice of god; The voice of the Panchayat is the voice of the people,” is the quote attributed to Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. Good Governance: Seamless administration is impossible without power sharing. Inclusive Governance: To ensure that even the last man sitting in a remote corner of the last row should have access to benefits. Participative Governance: Every grama sabha meeting ensures the equal right to highlight the issues that disrupt life. Active participation of the people in governance. Transparency & Accountability: Elected members of the Panchayat are obliged to read out the financial statements and balance sheet to ensure transparency. Issues Inadequate deliberations: Gram Sabhas Functioning like auction houses – Example Nadu government did not seek opinions and consensus of people on significant issues like the eight-lane highway project and hydrocarbon project. Poor Participation: Meetings marked by poor attendance and poor representation from the people. Corporate Interests Dominates: Several projects are being implemented for the benefit of private and corporate entities. Role of Women: Women do not find themselves in major administrative roles in the local bodies, though, on paper, women are shown to be a considerable force. Eg. Sarpanch Pati. Way Ahead Ensuring the proper use of allotted funds. Ensuring the efficiency of administration and eligible member appointments. Need to strengthen our grama sabhas, hold area sabhas in cities, form ward committees, hold online Panchayat meetings Ensure decent remuneration to Panchayat chiefs and councillors. Bestow the grama sabha with the power to revoke appointed members and representatives. Conclusion The demand for federal rule in the Centre and autonomous rule in the States should resonate along with the need to have autonomous local bodies too.  Collectively ensure that Panchayati raj should be strengthened. This should be the outcome of a peoples’ movement. Connecting the dots: 73rd & 74th Constitutional Amendment Acts (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 Which of the following Organisation has launched global immunization strategy to save 50 million lives by 2030?  WHO UNICEF Gavi All of the above  Q.2 Consider the following statements regarding newly developed high-yielding and pest-resistant variety of soybean: It is suitable for cultivation in Assam, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and North-Eastern states.  Its seeds will be made available to farmers for sowing during the 2022 Kharif season. Which of the above is/are correct?  1 only  2 only  Both 1 and 2  Neither 1 nor 2  Q.3 Which of the following countries are part of ‘Net Zero Producers Forum’? United States Canada Norway Qatar  China Select the correct code: 1, 2 and 3 only 2, 4 and 5 only 1, 2, 3 and 4 only 4 and 5 only ANSWERS FOR 30th April 2021 TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE (TYK) 1 D 2 B Must Read On how to stop third wave: The Hindu On fiscal management in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic: Indian Express On SC role in Vaccination: Indian Express

TLP Mains Answer Writing

IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 1 – ENGLISH & हिंदी): UPSC Mains Answer Writing – General Studies Paper 4 Questions [30th April,2021] – Day 95

For Previous TLP (ARCHIVES) - CLICK HERE Hello Friends, Welcome to IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 1- ENGLISH & हिंदी): UPSC Mains Answer Writing – General Studies 4 Questions [30th April 2020] – Day 95 We will make sure, in the next 100 days not a single day is wasted and your mains preparation is solidified. All your energies are channelized in the right direction. Trust us! This will make a huge difference in your results this time, provided that you follow this plan sincerely every day without fail. Gear up and Make the Best Use of this initiative. We are giving 5 Mains Questions on a daily basis so that every student can actively participate and keep your preparation focused. Do remember that, “the difference between Ordinary and EXTRA-Ordinary is PRACTICE!!” To Know More about the Initiative -> CLICK HERE SCHEDULE/DETAILED PLAN – > CLICK HERE Note: Click on Each Question (Link), it will open in a new tab and then Answer respective questions! 1. Is it the duty of the state to provide free vaccination to the population? Comment in the light of the ongoing debate over COVID vaccines. क्या राज्य का यह कर्तव्य है कि वह आबादी को मुफ्त टीकाकरण प्रदान करे? COVID टीकों पर चल रही बहस के आलोक में टिप्पणी करें। 2. Why do state led services falter in quality and efficiency? Critically analyse. राज्य के नेतृत्व वाली सेवाएं गुणवत्ता और दक्षता में क्यों लड़खड़ाती हैं? समालोचनात्मक विश्लेषण करें। 3. Transparency is the key to restore people’s faith in the appropriate utilization of public funds. Substantiate. सार्वजनिक धन के उपयुक्त उपयोग में लोगों के विश्वास को बहाल करने के लिए पारदर्शिता महत्वपूर्ण है। पुष्टि करें। 4. How does corruption aggravate the challenge of poverty. Illustrate. भ्रष्टाचार गरीबी की चुनौती को कैसे बढ़ाता है। चित्रण करें। 5. How does participation of the private sector lead to better outcomes in public projects? Discuss. निजी क्षेत्र की भागीदारी से सार्वजनिक परियोजनाओं में बेहतर परिणाम कैसे प्राप्त होते हैं? चर्चा करें। P.S: The review from IASbaba will happen from the time the question is posted till 10 pm everyday. We would also encourage peer reviews. So friends get actively involved and start reviewing each others answers. This will keep the entire community motivated. All the Best :)

IASbaba Prelims 60 Day Plan

IASbaba’s 60 Day Plan - IAS Prelims Test Series 2021 - SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY, CURRENT AFFAIRS & CSAT [Day 35]

For Previous (ARCHIVES) - CLICK HERE Hello Friends,  ARCHIVES OF 60 DAYS NOTE: IASbaba's 60 DAY questions will be posted around 10 AM. The solution will be released around 5 PM Daily.  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 35] - 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 All the Best! IASbaba    

TLP Mains Answer Writing

SYNOPSIS [23rd April,2021] Day 89: IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 1): UPSC Mains Answer Writing (General Studies)

For Previous TLP (ARCHIVES) - CLICK HERE   SYNOPSIS [23rd April,2021] Day 89: IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 1): UPSC Mains Answer Writing (General Studies)   1. How does information sharing lead to better outcomes? Illustrate. Approach- Candidate is expected to discuss how information sharing can lead to better outcomes. Suggestions can be given to improve the information sharing mechanism in the second half. Introduction Information is fundamental need of humans to perform various tasks. It has been found that the ability to seek, receive and circulate information is crucial to secure human rights. An information-driven society leads to transparency and accountability. Transparency upholds accountability and delivers information for peoples about the activities of Government. Body Role of information sharing  Fighting corruption: By reducing the secrecy in which decisions are taken and disclosure of the information and thereby transparency increases. This helps in fighting corruption and its various evil faces. Reduce Information Asymmetry: To ensure that every citizen is able to access the credible and right information which helps in his overall development. Making governments more efficient: The responsibility of the governments increases as they have to be accountable to people about their decisions. This brings in the true essence of democracy which enables citizens to more fully participate in public life. The public trust and the credibility of the government will increase. Empowerment of citizens: Helps persons exercise their fundamental human rights and fight in case it is impinged. Strengthening operations: To strengthen institutions, modernize the public administration and address civil unrest. The words of Sir Francis Bacon — “Knowledge is power” — aptly bring out the essence of the importance of Information. Information sharing is the key to the Government’s goal of delivering better, more efficient public services that are coordinated around the needs of the individual. What can be done to increase role of information sharing Effective use of Media – print, electronic to reduce the information asymmetry. Increasing the data protection standards to safeguard the privacy of individuals. The role of the Centre/State Government is to facilitate the Public Authorities in the implementation of the Act. This can happen through providing support to Public Authorities for training, development of software applications, e-Training modules, generating awareness amongst citizens etc. Social Audit as a tool for information sharing and transparency in rural employment programmes should be promoted. E-Governance as a tool at all levels of governance should be adopted to curb corruption, increase transparency and accountability. The benefits of setting up regional offices far outweigh the initial capital costs involved in setting them up. So there is a need to set up regional offices to reduce the geographical reach issues. Repealing of the Official Secret Act as iterated by 2nd ARC. Introducing an oath of transparency for bureaucrats and politicians. Formation of a strong civil society – better informed society leads to civil society which keeps checks on arbitrary power of govt. Conclusion Information sharing starts a two way dialogue process where government and civil society participates for better outcomes. Information dissemination improves transparency and accountability empowering marginal beneficiaries and improving quality of services. 2. Discuss the ways in which adherence to codes of ethics lead to positive behavioural changes. Approach Since the question is asking you to discuss hence it necessitates a debate where reasoning is backed up with evidence to make a case for and against an argument and finally arriving at a conclusion. Introduction  A code of ethics and professional conduct outlines the ethical principles that govern decisions and behaviour at a company or organization. They give general outlines of how employees should behave, as well as specific guidance for handling issues like harassment, safety, and conflicts of interest. Body  THE WAYS IN WHICH ADHERENCE TO CODES OF ETHICS LEAD TO POSITIVE BEHAVIOURAL CHANGES A code of ethics sets out an organization's ethical guidelines and best practices to follow for honesty, integrity, and professionalism. Overall, evidence on the impact of codes of ethics on behaviour from a rapid review was found to be consistent and broadly positive. Laboratory and field experiments reviewed showed codes can encourage people to behave with integrity. People who are ethical are trustworthy, have respect for others and take responsibility for their actions or their inaction. They are fair, and they care about others and the outcome for the business. Ethical people do the right thing, even when it isn't convenient. Making a mistake at work can cost a person a job, so it's natural for people to try to avoid responsibility when they make a work mistake. Ethical employees understand the importance of solving problems, and although it might not be easy to own up to a mistake, an ethical employee realizes that owning up to a mistake is the fastest way to resolve a situation, and to learn better skills. This becomes a trait that employers seek. A code of ethics is broad, giving person a general idea of what types of behaviour and decisions are acceptable and encouraged at a business or organization. A code of conduct is more focused. It defines how a person should act in specific situations. Code of ethics teaches a person to be respectful, considerate, inclusive, etc thus bringing positive change in his behaviour. Conclusion Having a code of ethics holds a different level of importance for people, but there are clear advantages to creating a personal code of ethics. Since personal beliefs are usually the foundation for an individual’s code of ethics, they may refer to it when they are morally unsure about a situation. Their code of ethics can guide to steer them toward an action or opinion that aligns with what they believe on a fundamental level. A code of ethics reinforces individual values and can provide clarity and strength to follow the path they believe is best. 3. What are the challenges in enforcing model code of conduct during elections? Discuss. Approach: The student is expected to define MCC shortly and then write down the challenges in enforcing the model code of conduct. He should briefly conclude with a way forward.  Introduction: The Model Code of Conduct (MCC) is a document from the Election Commission of India that lays down the minimum standards of behaviour for political parties and their candidates contesting elections, by defining their dos and don’ts in the electoral battle. It ensures that the party in power doesn’t gain an unfair advantage and free and fair elections can be conducted. However, the emergence of social media and other online platforms has posed challenges for the effective implementation of the Model Code of Conduct. Body: The MCC is not enforceable by law.  However, certain provisions of the MCC may be enforced through invoking corresponding provisions in other statutes such as the Indian Penal Code, 1860, Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, and Representation of the People Act, 1951. The Election Commission has argued against making the MCC legally binding; stating that elections must be completed within a relatively short time (close to 45 days), and judicial proceedings typically take longer, therefore it is not feasible to make it enforceable by law.  On the other hand, in 2013, the Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice, recommended making the MCC legally binding.  In a report on electoral reforms, the Standing Committee observed that most provisions of the MCC are already enforceable through corresponding provisions in other statutes, mentioned above.  It recommended that the MCC be made a part of the Representation of the People Act, 1951. According to the EC, the code states that the party in power — whether at the Centre or in the States — should ensure that it does not use its official position for campaigning. Ministers and other government authorities cannot announce financial grants in any form. No project or scheme which may have the effect of influencing the voter in favour of the party in power can be announced, and Ministers cannot use official machinery for campaign purposes.  Jurisdiction issues: Digital companies like Facebook are run by companies located overseas. Holding them accountable has been difficult for Indian agencies. EC will face a similar challenge in preventing MCC violations. Fake News: Digital media is a potent source of unverified and deliberate fake news. EC lacks resources as well as surveillance capacity to implement and punish the violation of MCC. Difficult to Identify Perpetrator: Most of the information during elections is targeted through the algorithm of [online] platforms to push in much more subtle marketing messaging blended with political canvassing, Unregulated Nature of Digital Media: All the current measures in place to regulate elections online are being implemented based on voluntary commitments made by online platforms. So, there are no legally binding obligations on, for instance, Facebook or Twitter to take certain actions and there are no penalties prescribed for failing to do so. Conclusion: In 2015, the Law Commission in its report on Electoral Reforms, noted that the MCC prohibits the issue of advertisement at the cost of public exchequer in newspapers/media during the election period.  However, it observed that since the MCC comes into operation only from the date on which the Commission announces elections, the government can release advertisements prior to the announcement of elections.  It noted that this gives an advantage to the ruling party to issue government sponsored advertisements that highlights its achievements, which gives it an undue advantage over other parties and candidates.  Therefore, the Commission recommended that a restriction should be imposed on government-sponsored advertisements for up to six months prior to the date of expiry of the House/Assembly.  However, it stated that an exception may be carved out for advertisements highlighting the government's poverty alleviation programmes or any health related schemes.  4. What are the key elements of a good work culture? Why is it important? Analyse. Approach The candidate needs to elaborate upon the key elements of a good work culture in the first part of the answer while in the second part, analysing the importance of good work culture is the demand. Introduction Work culture consists of the values, norms, and behaviour of the people working within an organization and the meaning they attach to their actions and beliefs. Desirable work culture includes shared institutional values, priorities, rewards and other practices fostering inclusion. Body An organization is said to have a strong work culture when the employees follow the organization’s rules and regulations and adhere to the existing guidelines. Work culture plays an important role in extracting the best out of employees and making them stick to the organization for a longer duration. In this regard, the key elements of a good work culture include – Organizational Clarity: The degree to which the goals and plans of the organization are clearly perceived by its members rises in proportion to the employees” feelings of involvement in the goal-setting and planning procedures.  Strong Team Spirit: As social beings, we naturally seek support from our peers and seek to belong to a group. Come tough times, the team should come together to deal with whatever problems are out there. This is where a sense of unity is evoked in the team.  Human Resource Development: Provide opportunities within the organization for people to develop to their full potential. How honourably the company acts in tough situations will do much to determine whether or not it has a culture of success. Decision-Making Structure: The main purpose of structure is to facilitate decision making, not to develop new organizational charts and lines of authority. A free flow of information for decision making throughout the organization allows positive outcomes. Transparency is essential at all levels for better relationships among employees and a healthy work culture. Manipulating information and data tampering must be a strict no at the workplace. Organization must have employee friendly policies and practical guidelines. Employees must be cordial with each other. Backbiting is considered strictly unprofessional and must be avoided for a healthy work culture. One gains nothing out of conflicts and nasty politics at work. Each employee should be treated as one. Partiality leads to demotivated employees and eventually an unhealthy work culture. Employees should be judged only by their work and nothing else. Consequently, the importance of a good work culture can be seen from the following points – Increases Productivity and Quality: Transparency, responsibility, unbiased are underpinnings of good work culture. These will enable individuals and teams to become self-organized which in turn improves quality and productivity. Transparency, innovation and discipline: Healthy work culture promotes transparency, innovation and discipline in an organisation. Reduced Conflicts: Good work culture promotes effective communication and helps in reducing conflicts among individuals/team during work. Sustainable Work: Good work culture includes peer respect, recognition of hard work, and freedom to bring new ideas (innovation). These will help in long term prospects of the organization. Effective Communication: Healthy work culture provides a platform for effective communication among the verticals and horizontals of the organisation which helps in getting work done effectively. Fixed norms bring a uniformity in the working style of people and it is explicitly clear what an organization expects from its workers. It gives a sense of belonging to the workers and they don’t take work as a burden. Conclusion A happy worker is a vital asset to an organization. He/she not only works efficiently he/she also motivates and therefore get the best of his/her colleagues. This leads to overall positive results for the organisation as well as the individuals involved. 5. How will you design the citizen charter of a space organisation?   Approach: Candidates are expected to write about citizen charter and also write about how they will design a citizen charter of space organisation. Introduction It has been recognised world over that good governance is essential for sustainable development, both economic and social. The three essential aspects emphasised in good governance are transparency, accountability and responsiveness of the administration. Citizens' Charters initiative is a response to the quest for solving the problems which a citizen encounters, day in and day out, while dealing with the organisations providing public services. Body Citizen charter in India: The Right of Citizens for Time Bound Delivery of Goods and Services and Redressal of their Grievances Bill, 2011 (Citizens Charter) seeks to create a mechanism to ensure timely delivery of goods and services to citizens. It requires every public authority to publish a CC within six months of the commencement of the Act and levies a penalty of up to Rs 50,000 for failure to render services. Basically a set of commitments made by an organization regarding the standards of service which it delivers. It comprises of the Vision and Mission Statement of the organization, stating the outcomes desired and the broad strategy to achieve these goals and outcomes. Clearly states what subjects it deals with and the service areas it broadly covers. The basic objective of the Citizens Charter is to empower the citizen in relation to public service delivery. Citizen charter for space organisation can be designed by keep in mind Six principles of the Citizens Charter movement as originally framed, were:  Quality: Improving the quality of services. Choice : Wherever possible. Standards :Specify what to expect and how to act if standards are not met.  Value: For the taxpayers money. Accountability : Individuals and Organisations. Transparency : Rules/ Procedures/ Schemes/Grievances. Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances in Government of India (DARPG) initiated the task of coordinating, formulating and operationalising Citizens' Charters. With keeping in mind the guideline of DARPG we can formulate charter for space organisation such as: Vision and Mission Statement of the space institute. For example Harness space technology for national development, while pursuing space science research and planetary exploration. Details of business transacted by the organisation. Details of client with whom organisation engage. Like User Ministries/Departments of the Central Government viz., Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Department of Telecommunications, India Meteorological Department. Remote Sensing Agencies in State Governments and Union Territories. Quasi Government Organisations, NGOs and the Private Sector for developmental purposes through satellite imaging. Educational institutions in promotion of research and development in space science and technology. Activities of organisation for example Remote Sensing Programme for application of satellite imagery for various developmental purposes. Research and Development in Space Sciences and Technology for serving the end of applying them for national development. How tender in the space organisation is allowed what all specific requirements will there to fulfil tender criteria. Details of services provided to each client group. Details of grievance redress mechanism and how to access it by any individual or any organisation.  Public grievances portal can be developed. Whom to contact for example Joint Secretary, Public Grievances Officer & Chief Vigilance Officer. Expectations from the clients to whom space institute is providing service. Conclusion However, it is observed that framing of effective charters is also an arduous task as it should be prepared in stages and such stages shall take into account all the important heads as mentioned above, so that it acts as an effective medium of information dissemination and receiving from it’s service consumers.At the same time, citizens are required to participate by filing feedback or grievance redressal forms for better administration. TLP HOT Synopsis Day 89 PDF

IASbaba's Courses

[ORIENTATION] – Baba’s FOUNDATION COURSE 2022 (FC 2022) on 2nd May at 10:30 AM

Dear Students Baba’s Foundation Course (Baba’s FC) is a Comprehensive Classroom and Mentorship-Based programme designed to meet all your preparation needs starting from prelims, through mains till interview in an integrated manner! The Orientation Session for Baba’s Foundation Course 2022 (FC 2022) - Online will be held on 2nd May 2021 at 10:30 AM. The Session will be taken by Ms. Neha Jain, IAS (Rank 14, CSE 2017), and Mr. Akash S, IAS (Rank 78, CSE 2018). All the enrolled students will be notified via e-mail and calls. To Know More about Baba's Foundation Course (Baba's FC)  - CLICK HERE For any queries/doubts, you can contact us at Email ID: offline@iasbaba.com / support@iasbaba.com Mobile No: 84296 8885 / 91691 91888 (Please call between 10 am – 6 pm ONLY) You can also call on the Hotline to speak with the Core Team Members - 8882913399

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 29th April 2021

Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Act, 2021 Part of: GS Prelims and GS – II - Polity; Centre-State Relations  In news The Ministry of Home Affairs issued a gazette notification stating that the provisions of the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Act, 2021, would be deemed to have come into effect from April 27. Key takeaways  The Bill amends the Government of National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi Act, 1991. It provides a framework for the functioning of the Legislative Assembly (LA) and the government of the NCT of Delhi. It amends certain powers and responsibilities of the LA and the Lieutenant Governor (LG). It provides that the term “government” referred to in any law made by the LA will imply LG. It allows the Legislative Assembly to make Rules to regulate the procedure and conduct of business in the Assembly.  It provides that such Rules must be consistent with the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Lok Sabha. Do you know?  It prohibits the LA from making any rule to enable itself or its Committees to: consider the matters of day-to-day administration of the NCT of Delhi and conduct any inquiry in relation to administrative decisions. Assent to Bills: The Act requires the LG to reserve certain Bills passed by the LA for the consideration of the President. It requires the LG to also reserve those Bills for the President which incidentally cover any of the matters outside the purview of the powers of the Legislative Assembly. LG’s opinion for executive actions: The Act specifies that all executive action by the government, whether taken on the advice of the Ministers or otherwise, must be taken in the name of the LG. The Bill adds that on certain matters, as specified by the LG, his opinion must be obtained before taking any executive action on the decisions of the Minister/ Council of Ministers. Supply Chain Resilience Initiative (SCRI) Part of: GS Prelims and GS – II - International Relations  In news India, Japan and Australia formally launched the Supply Chain Resilience Initiative (SCRI) to build resilient supply chains in the Indo-Pacific region as they seek to reduce dependence on China. Key takeaways  Aim: To create a virtuous cycle of enhancing supply chain resilience with a view to eventually attaining strong, sustainable, balanced and inclusive growth in the region. Some of the joint measures shall include: (1) Supporting the enhanced utilisation of digital technology; (2) Trade and investment diversification It will also focus on sharing best practices on supply chain resilience, holding investment promotion events, buyer-seller matching events to provide opportunities for stakeholders to explore the possibility of diversification of their supply chains. Expansion of the SCRI may be considered based on consensus, if needed, in due course. Maiden trial of Python-5 conducted Part of: GS Prelims and GS – III - Defence and security  In news DRDO conducts maiden trial of Python-5 Air to Air Missile. Key takeaways  Tejas, India's indigenous Light Combat Aircraft, added the 5th generation Python-5 Air-to-Air Missile (AAM) in its air-to-air weapons capability Trials were also aimed to validate enhanced capability of Derby Beyond Visual Range (BVR) AAM on Tejas.  The trials also validated its performance under extremely challenging scenarios.  The trials met all their planned objectives. Human Rights Watch (HRW) Part of: GS Prelims and GS-II - International Relations  In news Human Rights Watch said that Israel is committing the crime of “apartheid” by seeking to maintain Jewish “domination” over Palestinians and its own Arab population. Important value additions  Human Rights Watch (HRW)  It is an international NGO, Headquarters: New York City.  It conducts research and advocacy on human rights.  The group pressures governments, policy makers, companies, and individual human rights abusers to denounce abuse and respect human rights  It often works on behalf of refugees, children, migrants, and political prisoners. Do you know?  Human Rights Watch in 1997 shared in the Nobel Peace Prize as a founding member of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines and it played a leading role in the 2008 treaty banning cluster munitions. It was co-founded by Robert L. Bernstein and Aryeh Neier as a private American NGO in 1978, under the name Helsinki Watch, to monitor the then-Soviet Union's compliance with the Helsinki Accords. Foundation stone of the Integrated Solar Dryer and Pyrolysis pilot laid down Part of: GS Prelims and GS-III - Sci & tech; Waste management  In news The foundation stone of the Integrated Solar Dryer and Pyrolysis pilot was laid by the Director, CSIR- Central Leather Research Institute (CLRI), Chennai. Key takeaways  The pilot is part of the Indo-German project ‘Pyrasol’ launched to transform urban organic waste into biochar and energy in smart cities. It was awarded to CSIR-CLRI by the Indo-German Science & Technology Centre. It will ultimately lead to technology development for the joint processing of Fibrous Organic Waste (FOW) and Sewage Sludge (SS) of Indian smart cities into hygienic and highly valuable biochar associated with energy recovery, carbon sequestration and environmental improvement. Do you know?  Indo-German Science & Technology Centre (IGSTC) was established by India and Germany to facilitate Indo-German R&D networking with emphasis on industry participation, applied research and technology development. IGSTC through its flagship program ‘2+2 Projects’, catalyses innovation centric R&D projects by synergising the strength of research and academic institutions and public/private industries from India and Germany. Miscellaneous My Octopus Teacher The 85-minute documentary feature, My Octopus Teacher, won the best documentary award at the recent Academy Awards.  It is about the relationship that developed between a human being and a wild octopus. It is a 2020 Netflix Original documentary film directed by Pippa Ehrlich and James Reed It documents a year spent by filmmaker Craig Foster forging a relationship with a wild common octopus in a South African kelp forest. Kelp forests Kelp forests are under water areas with a high density of kelp, which covers a large part of the world's coastlines.  They are recognized as one of the most productive and dynamic ecosystems on Earth. Smaller areas of anchored kelp are called kelp beds.  Kelp forests occur worldwide throughout temperate and polar coastal oceans. Kelps are large brown algae seaweeds that make up the order Laminariales. (Mains Focus) GOVERNANCE/ HEALTH Topic: GS-2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. Legislation & Covid-19 vaccine pricing Context: During the hearing on issues related to the pandemic, the Supreme Court flagged differential pricing for vaccines, and directed the central government to clarify in its affidavit the basis and rationale for pricing. How does the government regulate the pricing of drugs? To ensure accessibility, the pricing of essential drugs is regulated centrally through The Essential Commodities Act, 1955. Under Section 3 of the Act, the government has enacted the Drugs Prices Control Order (DPCO) The DPCO lists over 800 drugs as “essential” in its schedule, and has capped their prices. The capping of prices is done based on a formula that is worked out in each case by the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA), which was set up in 1997. Can the government regulate the price of Covid-19 vaccines through DPCO? Regulation through DPCO is not applicable for patented drugs or fixed-dose combination (FDC) drugs. This is why the price of the antiviral drug remdesivir, which is currently in great demand for the treatment of serious cases of Covid-19, is not regulated by the government. Recently, a government said that upon its request major manufacturers/marketers of the remdesivir injection had reported voluntary reduction in the Maximum Retail Price (MRP). Globally, the American biotechnology firm Gilead Sciences owns the patent for the drug. Several pharma companies have obtained a licence from Gilead to manufacture remdesivir. To bring vaccines or drugs used in the treatment of Covid-19 such as remdesivir under the DPCO policy, an amendment can be brought. What legal avenues are available for the government to address differential pricing for vaccines? THE PATENTS ACT, 1970  The law has two key provisions that could be potentially invoked to regulate the pricing of the vaccine. Section 100 of the Patents Act gives the central government the power to authorise anyone (a pharma company) to use the invention for the “purposes of the government”. This provision enables the government to license the patents of the vaccine to specific companies to speed up manufacturing and ensure equitable pricing. Under Section 92 of the Act, which deals with compulsory licensing, the government can, without the permission of the patent holder, license the patent under specific circumstances prescribed in the Act (national emergency or in circumstances of extreme urgency or in case of public non-commercial use) After the government issues a notification under Section 92, pharma companies can approach the government for a licence to start manufacturing by reverse engineering the product. Challenges w.r.t COVID-19 Vaccines: However, in the case of biological vaccines like Covid-19, even though ingredients and processes are well known, it is difficult to duplicate the process from scratch. The process will also entail new clinical trials to establish safety and efficacy, which makes compulsory licensing less attractive. THE EPIDEMIC DISEASES ACT, 1897: Another legal route suggested by experts to regulate the pricing of vaccines is the Epidemic Diseases Act. This has been the main legal weapon for the government in dealing with the pandemic. Section 2 of this law gives the government “power to take special measures and prescribe regulations for the better prevention of the spread of dangerous epidemic disease”. This broad power can be used to take measures to regulate pricing. However, the law lacks the teeth to implement such an important policy framework. Way Ahead Apart from these legislative options, experts suggest that the central government procuring directly from the manufacturers could be the most beneficial route to ensure equitable pricing. As the sole purchaser, it will have greater bargaining power. Connecting the dots: Epidemic Diseases Act (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 Which of the following country is not a part of Supply Chain Resilience Initiative (SCRI)? India  Japan  Australia South Africa Q.2 Consider the following statements regarding Kelp forests: They occur worldwide throughout Tropical coastal oceans.  They are recognized as one of the most productive and dynamic ecosystems on Earth. Which of the above is/are correct?  1 only  2 only  Both 1 and 2  Neither 1 nor 2  ANSWERS FOR 28th April 2021 TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE (TYK) 1 D 2 C 3 A 4 C Must Read On making Social Welfare Universal: The Hindu On cutting vaccine wastage: The Hindu On India-US relationship: Indian Express

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