Apr 17, 2021 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 17th April 2021

Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) Eight-member National Task Force constituted by NGT Part of: GS Prelims and GS – III – Climate change  In news The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has constituted an eight-member National Task Force (NTF) to combat air pollution and monitor remedial steps to improve air quality. Key takeaways  Composition: Senior officials from the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, Ministries of Housing and Urban Affairs, Petroleum, Transport, Power, Agriculture, Health and the Central Pollution Control Board. The NTF may also monitor enforcement of laid down air aquality standards beyond non-attainment cities in other identified air polluted areas where air quality is poor and above.  The Chief Secretaries of all States and Union Territories may continue to monitor progress in execution of action plans at the State-level with the assistance of monitoring cells in their offices and the Air Quality Monitoring Committee.  Important value additions  The National Green Tribunal (NGT) It is a specialized body.  It was formed under the NGT Act, 2010.  Objective: (1) Effective and expeditious disposal of cases related to the protection and conservation of the environment; (2) To give relief and compensations for any damages caused; (3) To handle various environmental disputes that involve multi-disciplinary issues. India is the third country in the world after Australia and New Zealand, for setting up a specialized environmental Tribunal.  Places of sittings: Bhopal, Pune, New Delhi (Principal place), Kolkata, and Chennai. Composition: Chairperson, Judicial Member and Expert Members. There should be a minimum of 10 and a maximum of 20 fulltime Judicial as well as Expert members in the NGT. Term: 5 years and are not eligible for reappointment. The Chairperson is appointed by the Central Government in accordance with the Chief Justice of India. A Selection Committee is formed by the central government of India for the appointment of Judicial Members and Expert Members. Civil cases are handled under the following seven laws: Water Act (Prevention and Control of Pollution), 1974 Water Cess Act (Prevention and Control of Pollution), 1977 Forest Act (Conservation), 1980 Air Act (Prevention and Control of Polluti on), 1981 Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 Public Liability Insurance Act, 1991 Biological Diversity Act, 2002 1st meeting of National Startup Advisory Council (NSAC) Part of: GS Prelims and GS-III - Economy; Start up In news Minister of Commerce & Industry chaired the first meeting of National Startup Advisory Council (NSAC). Important value additions  National Startup Advisory Council Constituted by: Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT)  Objective: To advise the Government on measures needed to build a strong ecosystem for nurturing innovation and startups in the country to drive sustainable economic growth and generate large scale employment opportunities. The council has representations from various stakeholders such as founders of successful startups, veterans who have grown and scaled companies in India, persons capable of representing interest of investors into startups, and representatives from industry associations. ROPAX Jetty Project, Odisha  Part of: GS Prelims and GS – III - Infrastructure  In news Rs. 110 crore ROPAX Jetty Project shall be constructed on river Dhamra in Odisha. Key takeaways  Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways (MoPSW) has accorded administrative approval for developing all-weather ROPAX (Roll-on/Roll-off Passenger) Jetty and allied Infrastructure.  It shall connect Kaninali in Bhadrak district & Talachua in Kendrapara district, Odisha under the Sagarmala initiative. This project will reduce travel time for passengers from 6 hours by road to 1 hour by waterway. Kaninali in Bhadrak district and Talachua in Kendrapada district, are located on the northern and southern banks of River Dhamra respectively. E-visa facility for foreigners from 156 countries Part of: GS Prelims and GS – II – International Relations  In news The Union Home Ministry has restored the electronic visa (e-visa) facility for foreigners from 156 countries who intend to visit India for business, conferences and medical reasons, including for medical attendants. E-visa for tourists is yet to be restored Important value additions  An e-visa is provided in five categories — tourist, business, conference, medical, and medical attendant.  Under the arrangement, a foreigner can apply online four days prior to travel. After the details are verified, an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) is generated, which has to be presented at the immigration checkpost on arrival Entry through e-visas is allowed only at 28 designated international airports and five major seaports in India. Though available to people of 171 countries before restrictions were announced in 2020, the facility has been restored only for 156.  China, the U.K., Canada, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia and Saudi Arabia are notable exclusions.  The relaxation comes in the wake of a deadly second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Miscellaneous Diatom test  Diatoms are photosynthesizing algae which are found in almost every aquatic environment including fresh and marine waters, soils, in fact, almost anywhere moist. Diagnosis of death by drowning is deemed as a difficult task in forensic pathology. The test entails findings if there are diatoms in the body being tested. A body recovered from a water body does not necessarily imply that the death was due to drowning. If the person is alive when he enters the water, the diatoms will enter the lungs when the person inhales water while drowning.  These diatoms then get carried to various parts of the body, including the brain, kidneys, lungs and bone marrow by blood circulation. If a person is dead when he is thrown in the water, then there is no circulation and there is no transport of diatom cells to various organs. (Mains Focus) INTERNATIONAL/ SECURITY Topic: GS-2: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests. Middle Powers and Multipolarity New Cold War US vs China: U.S. continues to view China as its principal adversary on the world stage and that it will use the Quad to challenge China in the Indo-Pacific, possibly as part of a “new Cold War”. Realignment of geopolitical theatre: The new Cold War is now being reflected in a new geopolitical binary — the Indo-Pacific versus Eurasia. Growing Russia-China Axis: U.S. animosity has encouraged China and Russia to solidify their relations. Besides significantly expanding their bilateral ties, the two countries have agreed to harmonise their visions under the Eurasian Economic Union sponsored by Russia and China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).  Challenge to QUAD: Russia-China axis has now been subsumed under the ‘Greater Eurasian Partnership’ to which both are committed. Both have condemned the Quad for “undermining global strategic stability”. Middle Powers The final shape of this divide will be determined by four nations, namely Japan, Iran, Turkey and India, which, as “middle powers”, have the capacity to project power regionally, build alliances, and support (or disrupt) the strategies of international powers pursuing their interests in the region. Japan and India are deeply entrenched in the Quad and have substantial security ties with the U.S. Iran has for long been an outcaste in western eyes and has found strategic comfort with the Sino-Russian alliance. Turkey, a NATO member, has found its interests better-served by Russia and China rather than the U.S. and its European allies. The four middle powers, whose choice of alignment will impart a political and military binary to world order, are reluctant to make this a reality. These nations could find salvation in “strategic autonomy” — defined by flexible partnerships, with freedom to shape alliances to suit specific interests at different times. These four middle powers will thus make multipolarity, rather than a new Cold War, the defining characteristic of the emerging global order. Connecting the dots: Russia-India-China China-Russia ties GOVERNANCE/ SECURITY Topic: GS-3: Public Distribution System- objectives, functioning, limitations. GS-2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation Aadhar related problems Context: The Supreme Court recently asked the Centre to respond to allegations made in a PIL by a Dalit woman from Jharkhand that 3 crore ration cards have been cancelled in the country because of the insistence on Aadhaar linkage and biometric authentication. Ever since Aadhaar-based biometric authentication was introduced in PDS, there have been numerous reports about  People’s fingerprints not getting confirmed by the e-PoS device at the ration shop,  Iris scanners not being there as backup Poor Internet connection forcing people to spend on another trip to the shop leading to loss of one day’s earnings What has been the implication of such racancellation? Beneficiaries are denied foodgrains due to non-possession/production of an Aadhaar ID or because their Aadhaar biometric details didn’t match or on account of technical or server issues. As a result, the inaccessibility to food has caused starvation deaths These administrative weaknesses has affected the food & nutritional security of our nation Survey findings 28% of those from ration-card-holding households, or over one in four households had indeed experienced a situation where they were denied foodgrains due to non-possession/production of Aadhar While in percentage terms this may not seem all that high a figure to some, in absolute terms (extrapolating to the general household population) it would be huge. Rural & Urban: Contrary to the notion that seeding and authentication problems are occurring mostly in remote areas, our data indicates that they are nearly of the same magnitude in villages and towns/cities Disproportionate impact on poor: In both rural and urban areas, the poorest were worst affected – 39% of households with a monthly income below Rs 2,000 said they were at some point denied PDS ration due to Aadhaar problems. Hindi States most impacted: In the Hindi belt — Bihar, Jharkhand, MP, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, UP and Uttarakhand -40% of RC-holding households reported a denial of ration due to Aadhaar issues compared to 20% households in the rest of the countr Data also suggests that the problem may be less due to non-possession of Aadhaar and more due to biometric authentication and server issues, as respondents from 95% of RC-holding households in the ‘Hindi’ belt did report having Aadhaar. (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 In which of the following categories is e visa provided?  Tourist  Business  Conference  Select the correct code:  1 and 2 only  2 and 3 only  1 2 and 3  1 only Q.2 Consider the following statements regarding National Startup Advisory Council:  The chairman of the Council is a joint secretary, Department for Promotion of industry and Internal Trade. The term of the non official members is for a period of 2 years  Which of the above is/are correct?  1 only  2 only  Both 1 and 2  Neither 1 nor 2  Q.3 Consider the following statements regarding National Green tribunal: It is an autonomous body. It comprises of chairperson, Judicial Member and Expert Members Which of the above is/are correct? 1 only  2 only  Both 1 and 2  Neither 1 nor 2  ANSWERS FOR 16th April 2021 TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE (TYK) 1 C 2 C 3 C Must Read On oxygen crisis in India: Indian Express On US troop pull-out from Afghanistan: The Hindu On Vaccine Diplomacy: Indian Express

Apr 17, 2021 TLP Mains Answer Writing

IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 1 – ENGLISH & हिंदी): UPSC Mains Answer Writing – ESSAY [17th APRIL,2021] – Day 84

For Previous TLP (ARCHIVES) - CLICK HERE Hello Friends, Welcome to IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 1 – ENGLISH & हिंदी): UPSC Mains Answer Writing – ESSAY [17th  APRIL,2021] – Day 84 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. 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 1. The Indian way of life provides the vision of the natural, real way of life. जीवन का भारतीय तरीका जीवन के प्राकृतिक, वास्तविक तरीके की दृष्टि प्रदान करता है। 2. Neither the life of an individual nor the history of a society can be understood without understanding both. दोनों को समझे बिना न तो किसी व्यक्ति का जीवन और न ही किसी समाज का इतिहास समझा जा सकता है। 3. The most dangerous creation of any society is the man who has nothing to lose. किसी भी समाज की सबसे खतरनाक रचना वह आदमी है जिसके पास खोने के लिए कुछ नहीं है। 4. The most violent element in society is ignorance. समाज में सबसे हिंसक तत्व अज्ञानता है।

Apr 17, 2021 IASbaba Prelims 60 Day Plan

IASbaba’s 60 Day Plan - IAS Prelims Test Series 2021 - ENVIRONMENT, CURRENT AFFAIRS & CSAT [Day 24]

For Previous (ARCHIVES) - CLICK HERE Hello Friends,    [embed]https://https://www.youtube.com/embed/x5ldu2jV8N0[/embed] ARCHIVES OF 60 DAYS NOTE: IASbaba's 60 DAY questions will be posted around 10 AM. The solution will be released around 6 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 6 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 24] - 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    

Apr 16, 2021 TLP Mains Answer Writing

SYNOPSIS [12th April,2021] Day 79: IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 1): UPSC Mains Answer Writing (General Studies)

For Previous TLP (ARCHIVES) - CLICK HERE   SYNOPSIS [12th April,2021] Day 79: IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 1): UPSC Mains Answer Writing (General Studies)   1. Discuss the natural resource endowment of Russia. How does it shape Russia’s worldview? Examine. Approach: Question is asking you to discuss, it requires you to write a debate where one has to use your skill at reasoning, backed up by deliberately selected evidence to make a case for and against an argument. Also, you have to examine (dig deep) how natural resource endowment of Russia shape Russia’s worldview. Introduction: Russia is the largest country in the world; it covers a vast amount of topographically varied territory, including much that is inaccessible by conventional modes of transportation. Natural resources remain a crucial part of Russia’s economy and play a role in its projection of power abroad and account 10.7% of India’s GDP. Body: THE NATURAL RESOURCE ENDOWMENT OF RUSSIA Russia is probably richer in natural resources than any other country in the world. It has abundant supplies of oil, natural gas, timber and valuable minerals, such as copper, diamonds, lead, zinc, bauxite, nickel, tin, mercury, gold and silver— most of which are located in Siberia and the Far East. The value of Russia's resources is huge. Russia’s resources are not just oil and gas. Russia also has major deposits of metals and minerals, timber supplies, and vast amounts of land.Many of Russia’s natural resources are located far from industrial processing centers.  The fuel resources that supported development of industrial centres in European Russia have been depleted, necessitating reliance on coal, natural gas, and petroleum from Siberian deposits. However, Russia still has an estimated 6 percent of the world’s oil deposits and one-third of the world’s natural gas deposits, making it a major exporter of both commodities. Russia possesses rich reserves of iron ore, manganese, chromium, nickel, platinum, titanium, copper, tin, lead, tungsten, diamonds, phosphates and gold. Its diverse mineral resources have given many of its products a strong position in world markets.  There is a large uranium mine near Krasnokamensk, in the Altai region about 25 miles from where the Russian, Mongolian and Chinese borders all come together. It is a gigantic hole, nearly mile long, three quarters of a mile wide and 330 yards deep. are-earth producing countries include Russia, Malaysia, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan. As of the mid 2000s, ninety-five percent of the world’s rare earths came from China. HOW DOES IT SHAPE RUSSIA’S WORLDVIEW? Russia’s raw materials provide significant inputs for an industrial economy. The abundance of oil and natural gas has made Russia virtually self-sufficient in energy and a large-scale exporter of fuels. Oil and gas were primary hard-currency earners for the Soviet Union, and they remain so for the Russian Federation.  Russia also is self-sufficient in nearly all major industrial raw materials and has at least some reserves of every industrially valuable nonfuel mineral--even after the productive mines of Ukraine, Kazakstan, and Uzbekistan no longer were directly accessible.  Tin, tungsten, bauxite, and mercury were among the few natural materials imported in the Soviet period. The forests of Siberia contain an estimated one-fifth of the world's timber, mainly conifers. Russia’s reliance on its resources have made them an obvious target for US sanctions. New deposits have indeed been slow to develop within Russia and sanctions have been cited as a possible cause. Conclusion: Russia’s role in the global economic system today, and the Soviet Union’s in the past, is dominated by the export of natural resources, particularly oil and gas. The rents earned from these exports are both a source of strength and weakness, as they link the fortunes of Russia’s domestic economy to the volatility of global resource markets. 2. What are the emerging frontiers in the field of conventional energy resources? Discuss the key issues surrounding those. Approach: The question has two parts students are expected to address each part equally, also it is important to understand the demand of the question in each part and write answer accordingly. Introduction: Conventional sources of energy are the natural energy resources which are present in a limited quantity and are being used for a long time. They are called non-renewable sources as once they are depleted; they cannot be generated at the speed which can sustain its consumption rate. They are formed from decaying matter over hundreds of millions of years. These resources have been depleted to a great extent due to their continuous exploitation. It is believed that the deposits of petroleum in our country will be exhausted within few decades and the coal reserves can last for a hundred more years. Some common examples of conventional sources of energy include coal, petroleum, natural gas and electricity. Body: Emerging frontiers in the field of conventional energy resource- The hydrogen industry and the energy industry brushed shoulders at multiple points throughout their history. The first demonstrations of water electrolysis to produce carbon-free hydrogen fuel and fuel cells to convert hydrogen to electricity were engineered in the 1800s. Hydrogen was used to fuel the first internal combustion engines. Green Hydrogen is currently enjoying unprecedented political and corporate interest, at least 24 countries have now drafted policies or are setting up strategies for the hydrogen economy. Hydrogen is versatile. Hydrogen can be used as a chemical feedstock, fuel, or energy carrier and storage, and has many possible applications across industries, heavy-duty transport, power, and buildings sectors. Multi-sectoral applications provide a conducive environment towards an exponential rise in demand and subsequent benefits of scale. Hydrogen is uniquely clean. The USP of hydrogen is that it can help to decarbonise industrial processes and economic sectors, where reducing carbon emissions is both urgent and hard to achieve. Fertilisers, oil-refining, heavy industry like steel and heavy-duty transport are some examples of hard sectors that likely will need hydrogen to decarbonise. Biofuel is the other frontier in the field of conventional energy resource which has been extensively researched over a period of time Biofuels in India are of strategic importance as it augers well with the ongoing initiatives of the Government such as Make in India, Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, Skill Development and offers great opportunity to integrate with the ambitious targets of doubling of Farmers Income, Import Reduction, Employment Generation, Waste to Wealth Creation. The Government approved the National Policy on Biofuels-2018 in June 2018. The policy has the objective of reaching 20% ethanol-blending and 5% biodiesel-blending by the year 2030. Among other things, the policy expands the scope of feedstock for ethanol production and has provided for incentives for production of advanced biofuels. Molten salt reactors are the new phenomena in the field of nuclear energy. Nevertheless, advocates say one emerging technology, the molten salt reactor, could provide carbon-free electricity with fewer radiation risks than traditional nuclear. Issues surrounding these new frontiers- Research in these technologies is still in initial phase barring biofuels it is going to take a long time to get these technologies to show their impact at global level. making ethanol from grains is the worst possible solution, not only because of its impact on food production, but mostly because of its poor energy yield. In fact, between fertilizers, seeds, harvesting, transportation, and treatment, the amount of energy contained in a litter of ethanol is barely more than that required to obtain it from cereals. Therefore, from an energy standpoint, it is unreasonable to use this type of raw material. Also, the cost of energy through these new systems is quite high which makes these technologies ineffective in the long run. Environmental concerns are the other issues that need to be looked into, transition into renewable sources of energy has been in focus from quite a long time now there has been a significant shift from non-renewable to renewable sources of energy throughout the globe. Conclusion: Coal will continue to be an abundant, though potentially highly contaminating source, and it is necessary to make advances in its use with the capture and storage of CO2 but at this time, the most important challenge may well be to encourage renewable energies in order to make them a significant percentage of the total supply. Solar energy is more abundant, but has the problem of dispersion. At some point in the near future, it will have to become the dominant and truly massive, sustainable and unlimited renewable energy source. That will call for the solution of technological problems that limit its spread and affect its current high price, and will require decisive public support. 3. What are the key issues related to the extraction and processing of rare earth elements? Discuss. Approach The candidate needs to discuss what rare earth elements are, in the initial part and then elaborate upon the key issues related to the extraction and processing of rare earth elements. Introduction Rare earth elements are obtained from a group of 15 elements referred to as the lanthanide series in the periodic table of elements. Scandium and yttrium, while not true rare earth elements, are also included. REEs are key components in many electronic devices that we use in our daily lives, as well as in a variety of industrial application. Body Rare earth metals comprise seventeen chemical elements — anthanum, cerium, praseodymium, neodymium, promethium, etc. Despite their classification, most of these elements are not really “rare”. One of the Rare Earths, promethium, is radioactive. As essential and functional materials, rare earth elements have been named "The Vitamins of Modern Industry". According to the Rare Earth Technology Alliance (RETA), the estimated size of the Rare Earth sector is between $10 billion and $15 billion. But at the same time, there are some issues with regards to their extraction and processing, some of which can be seen from the following points – Low Concentration: Global rare-earth reserves are at more than 130 million metric tons. However, most of those reserves either are too low in concentration to be extracted economically, or they are not readily accessible, such as metals locked away in deep-sea manganese-based nodules or hydrothermal deposits. Extraction Costs: REMs are found in a variety of minerals, but not all are equally suitable for economic development. REMs are generally found in concentrations below what is economically viable for extraction at current prices using available technology. Environmental factors: Extraction and mining of rare earth metals involves similar land-use exploitation, environmental damage and ecological burden as any other mining operation. They are mined using extremely energy-intensive processes, spewing carbon emissions into the atmosphere and toxins into the ground. Recycling: Less than 1% of rare earth elements are currently recycled given the difficulty of separating these elements from existing alloys. This should be seen in the context of skyrocketing demand, which will limit the ability of recycled rare earths to meet the expected short and medium-term needs. Geopolitical Issues: China is the world’s largest producer of REEs, accounting for over 60% of global annual production, estimated at 132,000 tonnes for 2019. It withheld the supply of Rare Earths to Japan after their dispute over Senakaku Islands, which alerted the world to use of rare earths for geopolitical purposes. Supply Monopoly: China remains virtually the only producer of the valued heavy REMs. China imposed export restrictions on REE between 2010 and 2014, resulting in dramatic increases in REE prices during those years. This leads to uneconomical trends in other countries for rare earth extraction. China Factor: China’s intents of hegemony, non-solidarity with other nations does not augur well for the environment in general, as well as for geo-politics and global renewable energy usage and scenarios. Its intents on doing the same with its vast rare earth reserves will be detrimental. The high vulnerability of the EV industry could raise doubts over the feasibility of decarbonisation efforts given the envisaged role of electric vehicles in carbon reduction. Beyond EVs and wind turbines, these metals are used in strategic sectors such as defence (drones for instance) and digital technologies. The omnipresence of digital technologies could make the world economy even more dependent on these critical metals. Addressing this is a challenge as big as sourcing sustainable energy for the transition to net zero. Way Forward – Replacing, reducing or recycling rare earth metals can lower the impact of using these elements. E.g. - Alternatives exist in the wind industry.  Diversifying the supply chain of Rare Earth Metals around the world, especially focusing on the same in India. Recycling of these rare earth metals for continuous usage for various technologies is a good option that can be considered. Conclusion Rare earths have become indispensable and, in many cases, irreplaceable components of materials that are essential in modern life. Thus the usage of these metals, which form a critical part of the renewable energy revolution should be handled with careful, sincere and cleaner measures if the way forward has to be greener and environment-friendly. 4. What are the major areas of dispute related to water resources between India and its neighbours? Analyse.   Approach Candidates are expected to first to write about disputes of India over water resources with neighbouring countries. And try to analyse on major areas of disputes related to it. Introduction Water dispute is a term describing a conflict between countries, states, or groups over the rights to access water resources. The United Nations recognises that water disputes result from opposing interests of water users, public or private.  A wide range of water conflicts appear throughout history, though rarely are traditional wars waged over water alone. Body Water dispute in South Asia: Water remains a politically contested issue in much of South Asia. The region is facing water shortage it will continue to face increasing demands on energy and water with rapid industrialisation. UN reports that by 2030, water demand in India will grow to almost 1.5 trillion cubic situation is further aggravated by the India’s water disputes with its neighbours and inter-state river water disputes in India.  Combine these factors with the impact of climate change that’s reducing the amount of water in the Brahmaputra and many other basin also changing the patterns of water flow. Water resources disputes between India and its neighbour: India-China Water Dispute: As an upstream riparian region, China maintains an advantageous position and can build infrastructure to intentionally prevent water from flowing downstream. China’s dam-building and water division plans along the Brahmaputra (called Yarlung Zangbo in China) is a source of tension between the two neighbours, despite the two having signed several MoUs on strengthening communication and strategic trust. India–Bangladesh water issue: Sharing the waters of the Teesta river, which originates in the Himalayas and flows through Sikkim and West Bengal to merge with the Brahmaputra in Assam and (Jamuna in Bangladesh), is perhaps the most contentious issue between two friendly neighbours, India and Bangladesh. India–Nepal water issues: Since 1954, when the Kosi Agreement was signed between India and Nepal, talks between the two governments have stalled and water rights issues have not been addressed. The dispute between India and Nepal might seem minor but it gains strategic importance, because the disputed area lies near the Sino‐Indian border. Also delimitation of the boundary along the Maha Kali River is matter of dispute. India–Pakistan Water Dispute: Accord called the Indus Waters Treaty in 1960 was carried forward. The Indian Government has more than 40 projects that are either already completed or in the proposal stage on the western rivers. The carrying of such activities within the western rivers has irked Pakistan. The latest dispute is over hydroelectric projects that India is building along the Chenab River. India–Bhutan water dispute: Initially, the cooperation was based on the development of small-scale hydro projects such as Tala, Chukha and Kurichu. On the other hand, the people of Bhutan raised objections to such projects on their long run effects in the country. For instance, if Bhutan ever decides to construct storage projects, issues will get intense and more problematic when it comes to dealing with India. Conclusion Freshwater is a precious commodity and a strategic asset whose importance in geopolitics cannot be underestimated. Under such circumstances, the increasing need for power and stable water levels could prompt reconsideration in bilateral water-sharing treaties in future. 5. The South China Sea conflict is essentially a manifestation of energy skirmishes. Comment. Approach- Candidate can explain the geography of the South china sea. With the help of some data and analysis importance of the region for the energy security of the south east Asia can be shown while drawing attention to insecurities of China. Introduction South China Sea is an arm of western Pacific Ocean in Southeast Asia. It is south of China, east & south of Vietnam, west of the Philippines and north of the island of Borneo. It is connected by Taiwan Strait with the East China Sea and by Luzon Strait with the Philippine Sea. It contains numerous shoals, reefs, atolls and islands. The Paracel Islands, the Spratly Islands and the Scarborough Shoal are the most important. Body South china sea and energy security The dispute over the South China Sea is a reflection of increased nationalist sentiment throughout the region, but by virtue of the resources in the disputed area, it also has an important role to play with regards to regional energy security. The U.S. Energy Information Administration estimates that there are “11 billion barrels (bbl) of oil reserves and 190 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) of natural gas reserves in the South China Sea. On top of these known and accessible deposits, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) estimates that there may be between “5 and 22 billion barrels and between 70 and 290 trillion cubic feet of gas in as-yet undiscovered resources. These hydrocarbon reserves are not distributed equally across the South China Sea, and there is some uncertainty about how they are distributed. Paracel island territory does not have significant discovered conventional oil and gas fields and thus has no proved or probable reserves. Spratly islandmay contain significant deposits of undiscovered hydrocarbons…anywhere between 0.8 and 5.4 (mean 2.5) billion barrels of oil and between 7.6 and 55.1 (mean 25.5) Tcf of natural gas in undiscovered resources.” The second way in which the South China Sea is important to regional energy security is as a point of transit. In 2013, China and Japan imported 4.5 and 3.2 million barrels of crude oil per day (MMbbl/d); more than half of the roughly 14 million barrels of crude oil from the Middle East that passed through the South China Sea daily, with much of the remainder going to South Korea. Of the 6 trillion cubic feet of liquefied natural gas (LNG) that passed through the South China Sea in 2011, roughly 56% went to Japan, 24% went to South Korea, and 19% went to China. Speaking more generally, roughly 33% of the world’s seaborne oil travels through the Strait of Malacca, making it a chokepoint for energy imports, trade, and other shipping headed towards East Asia. The Asia-Pacific region between 2005 and 2030, energy demand is expected to grow at a rate of 2.4% (as compared to a world average of 1.5%), net imports of fossil fuels are expected to double, and “the region’s oil dependency will increase from 57.5% to 66.4%.” This means that countries in East/Southeast Asia will only become more dependent on the sea lines of communication (SLOC) that are responsible for bringing in their energy imports. Japan, for example, already buys “nearly 90% of its oil from the Middle East, making it vulnerable to disruptions of even a few days in the Strait of Hormuz. Massive energy consumption has allowed for China’s sustained economic growth, which in turn has ensured some measure of social stability. Although the Chinese economy has in many ways liberalized, energy is still very much controlled by the central government. The true importance of the South China Sea with regards to China’s energy security comes down to its role as a sea line of communication. China is disproportionately dependent on the South China Sea; it is “the only major power with a vital strategic interest in Freedom of Navigation in the South China Sea.” Energy skirmishes China’s local rivals are undertaking major military modernization projects, they too could potentially pose a threat to China’s sea lines of communication. The Spratlys and Paracels sit astride the most direct route between the Strait of Malacca and the port cities on China’s eastern coast. If the Philippines, Vietnam, or the United States were to take commanding positions atop this sea line, it would be a Sword of Damocles hanging over China’s maritime trade routes. China has sought to reduce its dependency on sea-borne imports via pipeline projects across Eurasia as part of its “One Belt, One Road” initiative, but these projects have met with significant delays. This is not to say that any of these countries has an interest in doing so, but from the perspective of Chinese strategic planners, the potential risks are very high. Hence the control of south china sea. Conclusion South china sea plays major role in ensuring steady flow of oil to the region. Overdependence on the sea routes is causing insecurity dilemma in the minds of strategic thinkers of China. The rise of china has not been peaceful, and the posturing in the SCS is the result of the same and is arising nothing out of but the energy insecurity. TLP HOT Synopsis Day 79 PDF

Apr 16, 2021 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 16th April 2021

Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) Electronic nose to detect hydrogen sulphide developed Part of: GS Prelims and GS – III – Sci & tech  In news An electronic nose with biodegradable polymer and monomer that can detect hydrogen sulphide (H2S) has been developed.  Developed by : Scientists from the Centre for Nano and Soft Matter Sciences (CeNS), Bangalore, an autonomous institute of the DST Key takeaways  They have developed an exceptionally sensitive and selective H2S Gas sensor developed by impersonating the neuron responsible for identification of airborne molecules or olfactory receptor neuron (ORN). The fabricated sensor consists of a heterostructure consisting of two layers – the top layer a monomer and is realized with a novel chemical tris (keto-hydrazone), which is both porous and contains H2S specific functional groups, and The bottom layer is the active channel layer which plays a key role in altering the current and mobility of charge carriers. Do you know?  Hydrogen sulphide is a poisonous, corrosive, and flammable gas produced from swamps and sewers. H2S is the primary gas produced from the microbial breakdown of organic matter in the absence of oxygen.  This necessitates easy detection of its emission from sewers and swamps PLI Scheme for Promotion Of Domestic Manufacturing of Critical KSMS/Drug Intermediates and APIs Part of: GS Prelims and GS-III - Economy  In news Approvals have been accorded to 16 applicants under Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for Promotion of Domestic Manufacturing of critical Key Starting Materials (KSMs)/ Drug Intermediates and Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) in the country. Key takeaways  The setting up of these 16 plants will lead to investment of Rs.348.70 crore and employment generation of about 3,042 by the companies. The commercial production shall commence from 1st April, 2023 onward. The scheme has been launched by the Department of Pharmaceuticals for promotion of domestic manufacturing of KSMs/APIs. This will be achieved by setting up greenfield plants with minimum domestic value addition  Do you know?  The Indian pharmaceutical industry is the 3rd largest in the world by volume. However, India is significantly dependent on the import of basic raw materials, viz., Bulk Drugs that are used to produce medicines.  In some specific bulk drugs, the import dependence is 80 to 100%. Three initiatives inaugurated under National Internet Exchange of India (NIXI) Part of: GS Prelims and GS – III - Information technology In news Three initiatives for National Internet Exchange of India (NIXI) were recently inaugurated.  Inaugurated by: Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY) Key takeaways  IPv6 Expert Panel (IP Guru):  IP Guru is a group to extend support to all the Indian entities who are finding it technically challenging to migrate and adopt IPv6.  It’s a joint effort of DOT, MeitY & community to promote IPv6.  The expert panel group comprises members from government and private organizations. NIXI Academy: NIXI Academy is created to educate technical/non-technical people in India to learn and relearn technologies like IPv6 which are normally not taught in Educational Institutes. NIXI-IP-INDEX: NIXI has developed an IPv6 index portal for the Internet community. NIXI-IP-INDEX portal will showcase the IPv6 adoption rate in India and across the world. Important value additions  National Internet Exchange of India (NIXI)  It is a not-for-profit organization (section 8 of the Companies Act 2013) working since 2003 for spreading the internet infrastructure to the citizens of India through the following activities: Internet Exchanges through which the internet data is exchanged amongst ISP’s, Data Centers and CDNs. .IN Registry, managing and operation of .IN country code domain and .भारत IDN domain for India. IRINN, managing and operating Internet protocol (IPv4/IPv6). Do you know?  Internet Protocol version 6 is the most recent version of the Internet Protocol, the communications protocol that provides an identification and location system for computers on networks and routes traffic across the Internet State of World Population report 2021 Part of: GS Prelims and GS – I – Society; GS-II - International Relations  In news The United Nations Population Fund’s (UNFPA) flagship ‘State of World Population Report 2021’ titled ‘My Body is My Own’ was launched. Key takeaways  This is the first time a United Nations report has focused on bodily autonomy.  Bodily autonomy is defined as the power and agency to make choices about your body without the fear of violence or having someone else decide for you. Nearly half the women from 57 developing countries do not have the right to make decisions regarding their bodies, including using contraception, seeking healthcare or even on their sexuality. In countries where data is available, only 55% of women are fully empowered to make choices over healthcare, contraception and the ability to say yes or no to sex.  Only 75% of countries legally ensure full and equal access to contraception. Some examples of violation of bodily autonomy include, child marriage, female genital mutilation, a lack of contraceptive choices leading to unplanned pregnancy, unwanted sex exchanged for a home and food Under its ambit also fall people with disabilities stripped of their rights to self-determination, to be free from violence and to enjoy a safe and satisfying sexual life. Women around the world are denied the fundamental right of bodily autonomy with the COVID-19 pandemic further exacerbating this situation. Launch of Online Grievance Management Portal of NCSC Part of: GS Prelims and GS –II  – Policies and interventions  In news Government of India launched the “Online Grievance Management Portal of National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC)”. Key takeaways  This NCSC Grievance Management portal would make it easier for Scheduled Castes population to register their complaint from any part of the country. The portal is designed in collaboration with the Bhaskaracharya Institute for Space Applications and Geoinformatics (BISAG-N), a Centre of Excellence under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. Do you know?  NCSC was set up under Article 338 of the Constitution of India Objective: To investigate and monitor all issues pertaining to the safeguards provided for the Scheduled Castes under any law for the time being in force or under any order of the Government of India. Miscellaneous Tanzania Tanzania is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region. It borders Uganda to the north; Kenya to the northeast; Comoro Islands and the Indian Ocean to the east; Mozambique and Malawi to the south; Zambia to the southwest; and Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west. Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa's highest mountain, is located in Tanzania. Dodoma is the capital of the country. Its President John Magufuli had passed away in March who was  an authoritarian leader and COVID-19 sceptic. (Mains Focus) ENVIRONMENT/ GOVERNANCE/ INTERNATIONAL Topic: GS-3: Environmental Conservation  GS-2: Governance and Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests As a tri-polar nation, India has a critical role in the Arctic India’s Arctic attention has a brief-but-significant timeline 2007: Started with expeditions to the Arctic Ocean 2008: Opening of a research station, Himadri, at the international research base at Ny-Alesund in Svalbard, the northernmost island in the world belonging to Norway;  2013: India was granted Observer Status to the Arctic Council in 2013 along with other Asian countries such as China, Japan, Singapore and South Korea. Significance of Three Poles The Hindu-Kush Himalaya mountains, referred to as the Third Pole, with maximum snow and ice accumulation outside the two polar regions, is a critical water store for socio-economic development in India and its neighbourhood. The three poles — the Arctic, Antarctic and the Himalayas — with their breathtaking landscape and permafrost ecosystem are connected through risks and vulnerabilities of changing climate systems  All three are an intricate part of the global commons. The physical changes in the Arctic are highly likely to impact the Indian monsoon or “tele-connection” as it is described.  Likewise, the emissions from the Gangetic plains partly explain the black carbon events witnessed recently in the Arctic. Rising importance of Arctic region Unlike the Antarctic, where the legacy of peace and science prevails, the Arctic has politico-strategic challenges and competitive economic and commercial interests. Rich Resource: Arctic region contains 13% of the world’s undiscovered oil resources and 30% of undiscovered natural gas resources. Vast deposits of strategic metals have also been discovered. Potential to alter global trade routes: As the ice extent declines due to global warming, navigation in the Arctic Ocean will become significantly wider with the potential to become the world’s largest logistics intersections. Way Ahead for India Integrate Science & Diplomacy: India would do well to leverage the tri-polar geographical expression and its scientific engagement (with the Antarctic Treaty System and the Arctic Council) into its diplomacy. This is necessary given India’s own climate vulnerability and its efforts to foster climate-resilient economic development. Careful engagement w.r.t resource rush in Arctic: The opening up of the Arctic in terms of economic opportunity is in India’s interest, but has to be carefully weighed. Rather than engaging in a resource rush, it would be better to draw home new investments in clean energy from the Arctic states.  Prioritise Science over Resource: The Arctic emphasis, thus, should continue to be one of scientific enterprise with efforts to build India’s knowledge profile. Expanding its scientific footprint will require a state-of-the-art polar research vessel and Indian government should work in this direction. Bilateral Polar Science Cooperation:  Joint projects on polar research should become part of the bilateral arrangement with the Arctic states such as Russia and Canada. There is already abiding polar science cooperation with the Norwegian Polar Institute. Conclusion For India, the Arctic has a deep civilisational connect. It enshrines a consciousness of human social evolution as a response to the physical environment as Bal Gangadhar Tilak expressed in his work, The Arctic Home in the Vedas (1903). Connecting the dots: Arctic Council and its importance in managing Arctic  National Action Plan on Climate change  INTERNATIONAL/ SECURITY Topic: GS-2: India and its neighborhood- relations.  GS-2: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests US exit from Afghanistan Context: The announcement by President Joe Biden that the US will withdraw all its troops from Afghanistan by September 11, 2021, the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, has sent tremors through the region’s fault-lines. What is the striking feature of Joe Biden’s withdrawal plan? The Trump Administration made its troop withdrawal by May 1, 2021 conditional  On Taliban taking steps to prevent al-Qaeda or any other group from sheltering in Afghanistan, and  Taliban agreeing to a dialogue on power sharing with the Afghan government  The Biden plan has no strings attached i.e. no conditions like above There are about 2,500-3,500 US troops in Afghanistan at present, plus a NATO force of under 8,000. A co-ordinated withdrawal is expected to begin soon. What will be the impact of this decision on various stakeholders? Afghanistan: Advantage Taliban & Instability Biden’s announcement has removed all incentives for the Taliban to agree for a dialogue with the Afghan government Blinken Proposal dead: The proposal by US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken in March 2021 is now almost certainly dead in the water. It included  A 90-day ceasefire Talks under the auspices of the UN for a consensus plan for Afghanistan among the US, Russia, China, Pakistan, Iran and India A meeting in Turkey between the Taliban and Afghan government towards an “inclusive” interim government An agreement on the foundational principles of the future political order and for a permanent ceasefire. The possibility of the Taliban being able to strike a peace deal with the Afghan government is low, as the Taliban believe that they can triumph militarily. IS and other terrorist groups have gained a foothold in Afghanistan. Therefore, the consequences of a hasty and irresponsible withdrawal from Afghanistan could be dangerous not only for Afghanistan but also for the region and the world There is deep apprehension of a return to the 1990s, although there is also a view that the Taliban too have changed over 25 years, and would not want to alienate the international community as they did when they ruled Afghanistan during 1996-01. By announcing an unconditional pullout, the US has accepted Taliban’s main demand. Now the international community expects the Taliban to join the political process. There is no excuse to continue the war Pakistan: Friendly Power & Burden of Chaos The Taliban are a creation of the Pakistani security establishment. After the US invasion of Afghanistan, they removed themselves to safe havens in Pakistan territory, and the Taliban High Council operated from Quetta in Balochistan.  For Pakistan, the Taliban capture of Afghanistan would finally bring a friendly force in power in Kabul after 20 years and India (which had friendly relations with Afghani govt.) would be cut to size. But a US withdrawal also means Pakistan will need to shoulder the entire burden of the chaos that experts predict.  Civil war is not ruled out and with it, the flow of refugees into Pakistan once again, even as the country struggles with refugees from the first Afghan war. The Taliban are not a monolith, and have recently shown streaks of independence from Pakistan. It has to guard against instability in Afghanistan from spilling over the border India: Time to be Wary India was on the outer edges of the Trump drive to exit Afghanistan that culminated in the Doha Accord, and was a reluctant supporter of the “intra-Afghan talks” between the Taliban and Afghan government.  When the Biden Administration came in, India was hopeful of a US reset. The Blinken proposal gave India a role, by recognising it as a regional stakeholder, but this proposal seems to have no future. Another concern would be India-focused militants such as Laskhar- e-Toiba and Jaish-e-Mohamed, which the Indian security establishment already believes to have relocated in large numbers to Afghanistan China: Uighurs and an ally in Pakistan China would have much to lose from instability in Afghanistan as this could have an impact on the China Pakistan Economic Corridor.  A Taliban regime in Afghanistan might end up stirring unrest in the Xinjiang Autonomous region, home to the Uighur minority.  Conversely, as an ally of Pakistan, it could see a bigger role for itself in Afghanistan. Russia: Full circle The US exit is for Russia a full circle after its own defeat at the hands of US-backed Mujahideen and exit from Afghanistan three decades ago.  In recent years, Russia has taken on the role of peacemaker in Afghanistan.  Russia’s growing links with Pakistan could translate into a post-US role for Moscow in Afghanistan. Iran: Threat, Theological divide & Pragmatism As a country that shares borders with Pakistan and Afghanistan, Iran perceives active security threats from both. And a Taliban regime in Kabul would only increase this threat perception.  But Iran, with links to the Hazaras in Afghanistan, has of late played all sides.  Despite the mutual hostility and the theological divide between the two, Iran opened channels to the Taliban a few years ago, and recently, even hosted a Taliban delegation at Tehran. Connecting the dots: China’s Belt & Road Initiative P5+1 deal with Iran (TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE) Model questions: (You can now post your answers in comment section) Note: Correct answers of today’s questions will be provided in next day’s DNA section. Kindly refer to it and update your answers. Comments Up-voted by IASbaba are also the “correct answers”. Q.1 Consider the following statements regarding hydrogen sulphide: It is a flammable gas.  It is produced from swamps and sewers Which of the above is or are correct?  1 only  2 only  Both 1 and 2  Neither 1 nor 2  Q.2 Consider the following statements regarding National Internet Exchange of India (NIXI): It is a not-for-profit organization.  It works for spreading the internet infrastructure to the citizens of India.  Which of the above is or are correct?  1 only  2 only  Both 1 and 2  Neither 1 nor 2  Q.3 State of World Population report 2021 was launched by which of the following? World Bank World Economic Forum United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) ASEAN ANSWERS FOR 15th April 2021 TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE (TYK) 1 B 2 B Must Read On ISRO Spy Case: The Hindu On multipolarity, scripted by the middle powers: The Hindu On Transitioning from coal: Indian Express

Apr 16, 2021 AIR

SAKSHAM: Awareness for Green and Clean Energy - All India Radio (AIR) IAS UPSC

ARCHIVES Search 19th January, 2021 Spotlight News Analysis here: http://www.newsonair.com/Main_Audio_Bulletins_Search.aspx TOPIC: General Studies 3 Energy In News: The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has launched a month-long fuel conservation campaign of the Petroleum Conservation Research Association (PCRA) named SAKSHAM 2021.  The campaign aims at highlighting the adverse health and environmental impacts of increasing carbon footprints, and to convince consumers to switch to cleaner fuels. As a part of the campaign, various activities such as cyclothon, farmer workshops, seminars, painting competitions, CNG vehicle driving contests, etc are held across India to spread awareness among the masses about the advantages of using clean fuels. 7 key drivers that will collectively help the country in moving towards cleaner energy Leading towards a gas-based economy,  Cleaner use of fossil fuels,  Greater reliance on domestic sources,  Achieving renewable targets within the set deadlines, Increased use of electric vehicles to decarbonize mobility,  Increased use of cleaner fuels like Hydrogen Digital innovation across all energy systems. Importance of SAKSHAM Will help in reducing fuel consumption and adoption of energy efficiency measures, thus leading to better lives, a healthy environment, sustainability, and development of the country. All the energy companies are now part of the transition to fuels that are clean and leave very less carbon footprint. There is a need for energy conservation as India’s energy demand grows and for leveraging technologies and digital innovation to achieve the twin goals of energy efficiency and sustainability as we move forward. Connecting the Dots: Sustainable technology is a newly emerging field in the world economy. Discuss India’s position with respect to this. How are sustainable technologies shaping the economies of different countries? Discuss

Apr 16, 2021 Motivational Articles

[MI-STORIES]MOTIVATIONAL AND INSPIRATIONAL STORIES - Seeking Happiness

For Previous Story -> CLICK HERE Inspirational Stories: Here is the story for this week from the new series of Inspirational and Motivational stories. One of the oldest known forms of communication is story telling. There is something primordial within us that loves stories and their tremendous impact. In this series, we aim to bring you the best of real-life stories that can inspire and motivate you. Stories always try to teach us something useful. It is one of the best ways of learning from other's mistakes and avoiding our own. Although each story has its own moral, in the comments section you can share your opinion on the moral of the story. If you are able to see something that others might have missed, you can share it for the benefit of all. Apart from just reading these awesome stories, you can also share some of the stories that have inspired you. If we find the story appropriate and useful, we will share it with all. More importantly, read these stories every week without a miss, and stay inspired.   So Here is the story for this week - Seeking Happiness ! There were 200 people attending a seminar on mental and physical health. At one point, the speaker told the group they were going to do an activity. He gave each attendee one balloon and told them to write their name on it. Then, the balloons were collected and moved into a very small room. The participants were then asked to go into the other room and were given 2 minutes to find their balloon. It was chaos. People were searching frantically for their balloon, pushing each other and running into one another while they grabbed a balloon, looked at it, and inevitably tossed it to the side. At the end of the 2 minutes, no one had found the balloon that had their name on it. Then, the speaker asked the participants to go back in the room and pick up one balloon at random, look at the name, and return it to its owner. Within minutes, everyone had been reunited with their original balloon. The speaker then told the group, “This is what it’s like when people are frantically searching for their own happiness in life. People push others aside to get the things that they want that they believe will bring them happiness. However, our happiness actually lies in helping other people and working together as a community.” What do you think is the moral of this story?

Apr 16, 2021 TLP Mains Answer Writing

IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 1 – ENGLISH & हिंदी): UPSC Mains Answer Writing – General Studies Paper 2 Questions [16th April,2021] – Day 83

For Previous TLP (ARCHIVES) - CLICK HERE Hello Friends, Welcome to IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 1- ENGLISH & हिंदी): UPSC Mains Answer Writing – General Studies 2 Questions [16th April 2020] – Day 83 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. How does probity lead to good governance? Illustrate. प्रोबिटी से सुशासन कैसे सुनिश्चित होता है? चित्रण करें। 2. What are the foundational principles of an efficient and ethical public service? Explain with the help of suitable examples. एक कुशल और नैतिक सार्वजनिक सेवा के मूलभूत सिद्धांत क्या हैं? उपयुक्त उदाहरणों की सहायता से समझाएँ। 3. Should a public servant follow the philosophy of utilitarianism? Critically comment. क्या एक लोक सेवक को उपयोगितावाद के दर्शन का पालन करना चाहिए? समालोचनात्मक टिप्पणी करें। 4. What can be the consequence of lack of probity in institutions of governance? Analyse. शासन के संस्थानों में प्रोबिटी की कमी का क्या परिणाम हो सकता है? विश्लेषण करें। 5. Explain the correlation between good governance and dedication to public service. सुशासन और सार्वजनिक सेवा के प्रति समर्पण के बीच संबंध को स्पष्ट 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 :)

Apr 16, 2021 IASbaba Prelims 60 Day Plan

IASbaba’s 60 Day Plan - IAS Prelims Test Series 2021 - SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY, CURRENT AFFAIRS & CSAT [Day 23]

For Previous (ARCHIVES) - CLICK HERE Hello Friends,  [embed]https:// [/embed] ARCHIVES OF 60 DAYS NOTE: IASbaba's 60 DAY questions will be posted around 10 AM. The solution will be released around 6 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 6 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 23] - 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

Apr 15, 2021 TLP Mains Answer Writing

SYNOPSIS [9th April,2021] Day 77: IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 1): UPSC Mains Answer Writing (General Studies)

For Previous TLP (ARCHIVES) - CLICK HERE   SYNOPSIS [9th April,2021] Day 77: IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 1): UPSC Mains Answer Writing (General Studies)   1. Do you think accountability leads to ethical governance? Critically comment. Approach: The directive in this question is critically comment, students are expected to express their views about how accouontability leads to ethical governance also it is important to substantiate points with appropriate examples. Introduction: Ethics is grounded in the notion of responsibility and accountability. In democracy, every holder of public office is accountable ultimately to the people. Ethics provides the basis for the creation of such laws and rules. Our legal system emanates from a shared vision of what is good and just which forms the basis of ethical governance in India. Ethical governance denotes administrative measures, procedures and policies that fulfill criteria required for the ethically good or acceptable handling of public affairs, such as in public administration, public health care, education, and social security. Body: Answerability is elucidated as the obligation of the government, its agencies and public officials to provide information about their decisions and actions and to justify them to the public and those institutions of accountability tasked with providing oversight. It can be contended that accountability is the fundamental requirement for preventing the abuse of power and for ensuring that power is directed towards the achievement of efficiency, effectiveness, responsiveness and transparency. Open, transparent and accountable government is an imperative prerequisite for community-oriented public service delivery because without it covert unethical behaviour will result. In theoretical studies, it has been represented that accountability is the process whereby public sector organisations, and the individuals within them, are responsible for their decisions and actions and submit themselves to appropriate external scrutiny. The accountability to the citizens is a fundamental principle of democratic governance. It is not limited to accountability to seniors in hierarchy only as part of chain of command but also the stakeholders including citizens and civil society. Accountability as an answerability component to justify the action and an enforcement component that is to take action in cases where an act of omission or commission is established. The Right to Information Act, 2005 has introduced a huge element of transparency in the decision-making in the government as well as access to information thus introducing ethics in the governance process as well.  Various measures to ensure accountability bring in ethical governance with display of values like Equality, Dignity, Honesty, Fairness and Compassion.   Mechanisms like social audit in MGNREGA, Gram sabha involve people in decision making process. This ensures accountability as well as equality principle as decision making is not left in the hands of few people. DPSP’s are fundamental in the governance of the country. They ensure vulnerable and marginalized are not left out. Law makers with responsibility to ensure socio-economic democracy come out with legislations and affirmative action leading to inclusive society.    Ex: Rights of persons with disability Act 2016, Maternity Benefit Act, NSAP. Legislative means like RTI, PCA make administrative system transparent and minimize corruption in the system. System of checks and balance makes sure there is no concentration of power and each organ accountable for their actions. Thus, governance is carried in the interests of people. Ex: Judiciary through Review power(A-32) strikes down laws which are inconsistent with constitutional values However accountability does not always lead to Ethical governance in case of demonetization it tried to ensure accountability in terms of making unaccounted money useless and helping India to become cashless economy but the process was questionable in terms of its ethicality because of the problems people faced all over the country. Also it is important to mention that accountability is only an aspect of the overall governance mechanism recently enacted citizenship amendment act has tried to brought in accountability in terms of granting citizenship to the persecuted minorities of the neighbouring countries barring few this act is seen as unethical in terms of its discriminating nature against certain religious groups.  Conclusion: No doubt, measures to ensure accountability would bring in ethical governance. However, ethical governance remains a utopian idea due to frailty human nature, Also ethics are often highly personal. Nor can Ethical Management be instilled in an organization or corporation overnight. Ethical Governance requires habit, and it requires proper regulations. Education and communication must be further enhanced, Ethical issues must find and gain support in the work place and also in the society, and finally there must be proper motivation and recognitions given for those wishing to follow Morals. 2. Is it possible to inculcate values in public servants through training? Discuss. Approach The candidate needs to elaborate upon values required for public servants initially and then discuss whether these values can be inculcated in public servants through training. Introduction Values, be it ethical or moral, form the core of the governance and without them or with even one of them being compromised, the very essence of the public service fails and what prevails is the corruption, anarchy and discretion, which is not acceptable and not good for the democratic society. Body Values necessary for public servants can be seen from the points below – Integrity: The quality of being honest and having strong moral principles. A person of integrity shows steadfast adherence to a strict moral or ethical code. Perseverance: Perseverance corresponds to persistence in doing something despite difficulty or delay in achieving success.  Commitment: The state or quality of being dedicated to a cause, activity, etc. Courage of conviction: The state or quality of mind or spirit that enables one to face danger or fear with self-possession, confidence and resolution.  Here, we can observe that some values in public servants can be inculcated through training, while some are innate to a person. However, we can’t deny the role played by the specialised training to develop these values – Ethics training is a useful tool for strengthening ethics and preventing corruption in public administration if applied together with other tools as part of a comprehensive anti-corruption and pro-integrity policy. For instance, as we know about The Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration, which is a research and training institute on public policy and public administration in India has a specialised training curriculum which strives to train the all India service officers. Values of public services such as helping the marginalised and vulnerable section of people while abiding to the law is one such example. Further, values training alone cannot produce sustainable results, especially in countries with high levels of corruption. Ethics training produces observable results only in the long-term. For example, Political support and "leadership from above", Political support for ethics training should be demonstrated not only through declarations but also through the practical actions of the leadership. Ways to inculcate values in public servants: The Second Administrative reforms commission has suggested the following methods – Values such as selflessness, honesty, integrity and objectivity if inculcated at early age through education will lead to Ethical leadership in the future. Codification of ethics will ensure the minimum standards that public servants must follow. Strong vigilance systems to ensure that corruption is eliminated at the root like whistle blowers act etc. Digitization and e-governance is the way forward to ensure citizen centric governance. Delegation of work and responsibility in every organisation should be ensured similarly the standard protocols must be codified vide citizen charters. Conclusion Public servants need to be fair and impartial where strengthening moral and ethical values in governance is essential to achieve such high moral conduct by public servants, which becomes essential to tackle this unprecedented situation created by COVID-19.  3. Should global powers intervene into the internal matters of countries on humanitarian grounds? Substantiate your views. Approach Candidates are expected to first to write about humanitarian intervention. Then try to explain with viewpoint towards situations where global powers intervene into internal matters of any countries on humanitarian grounds.  Introduction Humanitarian intervention has been defined as a state's use of military and non-military intervention such as humanitarian aid and sanctions against another state, with publicly stating its goal is to end human rights violations in that state. But unfortunately in most of the cases there is some hidden motive rather than securing human right violations. Body Global powers Intervention on humanitarian grounds: The justification for humanitarian intervention by big powers rests first and foremost with the argument that there is a moral duty to protect civilians from human rights abuses. That moral duty is derived from natural law, be it determined through religion or political philosophy to attract votes. The right to life is an important concept of natural law, and it provides the foundation of the justification for humanitarian intervention, because the right to life is a universally accepted norm.   There is an obligation to intervene when the abuses of human rights by a state or sub-state actor become genocidal in nature because mass murder is an unconscionable violation of one of human civilization’s oldest and most deeply held norms, the sanctity of life.   The international community thus has an obligation and a right to intervene in the event of genocide and other type of violence, because the large-scale extermination of life offends universally accepted rights. Humanitarian intervention using armed force, in some cases, may be the only way to prevent mass killing, and it can have a positive outcome. The intervention has played a decisive role in fostering a more robust international system, with its multiple deployments helping to redefine ideals of universal rights and duties. The success of an intervention should primarily be determined by whether it has saved lives; however, this cannot be separated from whether it enables long term stability to prevent future conflict and loss of life.  Unfortunately many time it has negative impact: The use of armed force to protect human rights, however, carries with it the risks of civilian and military casualties and exacerbating the violence, and it rarely provides a long-term solution to causes of conflict. Also it marginalise the notion of sovereignty. The freedom of states to independently shape their internal order and external relations. Sovereignty, which is both historically and currently at the heart of the international legal order and functions as the source for both the ban on the use of force and the prohibition of intervention.  For example Australia led force in East Timor and India led force in the Sri Lanka both have different result. NATO’s intervention in Kosovo in 1999 exemplifies many of disadvantages including the risks of causing civilian casualties, exacerbating ethnic tensions and increasing violence. Humanitarian intervention can also have the disadvantage of hindering the efforts of humanitarian aid workers and NGOs. For example in Yemen food crisis. Humanitarian intervention by global powers further politicises their work in the eyes of local people by associating it with foreign troops, and NGOs can become targets, which endangers their lives.  Often interveners are too focused on securing a short-term end to the conflict rather than providing long-term reconstruction to prevent future violence. When nations send their military forces into other nations' territory, it is rarely if ever for "humanitarian" purposes. They are typically pursuing their narrow national interest grabbing territory, gaining geo-strategic advantage, or seizing control of precious natural resources.  Leaders hope to win public support by describing such actions in terms of high moral purposes bringing peace, justice, democracy and civilization to the affected area. In the era of colonialism, European governments all cynically insisted that they acted to promote such higher commitments the "white man's burden," "la mission civilisatrice," and so on and so forth. Conclusion Be it solidarity and geostrategy, humanism and realpolitik, humanitarian intervention always involves two sides of the same coin that can either lead to salvation or abuse also often both. However, the international community should be working towards the establishment of a standing UN army for the purpose of humanitarian intervention to enforce the international law. 4. Religious conversions through charity is highly unethical. Do you agree? Substantiate your views. Approach- Candidate is expected to define conversion and with the help of some examples answer can be approached. Way forward can be given by stating constitutional morality to guide our actions. Introduction Conversion has always been a topic that arouses, if not inflames our human emotions. After all, the missionary is trying to persuade a person to change his religious belief which concerns the ultimate issues of life and death, the very meaning of our existence. Body Ethics of religious conversions What is conversion in this context?- we have to discriminate between conversion or change of beliefs that happens in free human interchange in open discussion as opposed to organized conversion efforts that employ financial, media or even armed persuasion. What conversion through charity implies?- the missionary is usually denigrating the person's current belief, which may represent a strong personal commitment or a long family or cultural tradition, calling it inferior, wrong, sinful or even perverse. Such statements are hardly polite or courteous and are often insulting and derogatory. The missionary with charity in hand is not coming with an open mind for sincere discussion and give and take dialogue, but already has mind made up and is seeking to impose opinion on others, often even before he knows what they actually believe or do. There should be open and friendly discussion and debate about religion just as there is about science. But when one religion creates an agenda of conversion and mobilizes massive resources to that end, targeting unsuspecting, poor or disorganized groups, it is no longer a free discussion. If conversion is happening with the lure of charity it is a kind of ideological assault. Organized conversion efforts are quite another matter than the common dialogue and interchange between members of different religious communities in daily life, or even than organized discussions in forums or academic settings. Organized conversion activity is like a trained army of ideological warriors. This missionary army often goes into communities where there is little organized resistance to it, or which may not even be aware of its power or its motives. The missionary business remains one of the largest in the world and has enormous funding on many levels. It is like several multinational corporations with the different groups involved. There are full-time staffs and organizations allocating money, creating media hype, plotting strategies and seeking new ways to promote conversion. Constitution of India under article 25 gives fundamental right to freely profess, practise and propagate religion, subject to public order, morality and health. Religious faith is part of the fundamental right to privacy and supreme court has upheld the inviolability of the right to privacy equating it with right to life of dignity and liberty. As said in constitution right to propagate religion is subject to morality and public order. Conversions through charity takes advantage of communities which are underprivileged and marginalised. Taking advantage of their ignorance and ignoring their traditional practices they are compelled to accept the imposed ideas. Forcing someone to change the way of living and thinking by taking advantage of their economic vulnerabilities is unethical. without Ideological deliberations it is not morally correct. Dr Ambedkar converted to Buddhism on mass scale, without any charity. The decision was based solely on ideological, intellectual debates with various religious leaders and hence with him all of Dalits also converted. Conclusion In the modern age of 21st century where we talk of building scientific temper, we have to look at conversions through charity from broader lens. The ethical part of these conversions is necessary to take into consideration. Showing some temptations and compelling already vulnerable to convert cannot be the way forward in a country where constitutional morality is the guiding principle. 5. What are the emerging issues in corporate governance during the COVID-19 pandemic? Discuss. Approach: Discuss 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. So discuss emerging issues in corporate governance during the COVID-19 pandemic. Introduction: Since the onset of Covid-19, corporate boards have faced a string of difficult decisions. Take as an example the question of dividend payments: Ordinarily, the decision would be a relatively straightforward matter of applying a stated dividend policy, following past practice, or choosing an amount based on shareholder expectations and the company’s earnings for the period. But this year, with Covid-19 decimating the economy and looming uncertainty about the depth and duration of the crisis, the decision became a complex matter of weighing and balancing multiple factors — at least for companies flush enough to consider it at all. Body: The emerging issues in corporate governance during the COVID-19 pandemic: The new environment is characterized by an increasingly complex set of pressures and demands from various stakeholder groups, heightened These factors are complicating board decision-making and challenging the shareholder-centric model of governance that has guided boards and business leaders for the past several decades. The pandemic has brought home the tight connection between business and society, and underscored the threat posed by risks stemming from large-scale societal problems that proponents of the shareholder model have traditionally regarded as outside the purview of business.  The pandemic has shown that, theory aside, companies cannot so easily disconnect themselves from society-at-large. In the face of Covid-19, some companies struggled because their customers disappeared. Others saw their workforce reduced to a skeleton crew of essential employees. Still others grappled with supply chain disruptions, unsustainable debt, or insufficient capital to fund their operations.  In the wake of Covid-19, boards will likely face increased pressure to incorporate stakeholder perspectives and voices, especially those of employees, into their oversight and decision processes. They will also be challenged to show that the company is performing well for all its stakeholders. External pressure aside, boards that have learned from Covid-19 will want to do this for their own purposes. The pandemic has laid bare glaring disparities in pay across society and within companies.  It also has brought to the surface several problems with the shareholder model’s traditional pay-for-performance paradigm, most notably its indifference to issues of equity (in the sense of fairness, including across gender and race) and to externalities such as impacts on third parties and the environment.  Conclusion Whether Covid-19 is truly an inflection point for corporate governance is yet to be seen, but there is no doubt that the pandemic has challenged core premises of the agency-based model of governance in ways that have important implications for boards. In the flurry of Covid-inspired activity, it is important that boards not lose sight of their central functions as governing bodies of the companies they serve.   TLP HOT Synopsis Day 77 PDF