Jan 29, 2021 TLP Mains Answer Writing

SYNOPSIS [28th JANUARY,2021] Day 16: IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 1): UPSC Mains Answer Writing (General Studies)

For Previous TLP (ARCHIVES) - CLICK HERE   SYNOPSIS [28th JANUARY,2021] Day 16: IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 1): UPSC Mains Answer Writing (General Studies)   1. What role do States play in extending the welfare measures of the Union to the intended population? Explain. What are the current challenges on this front? Discuss. Approach: In the first part of the question, the answer should mention about the role of states in implementing and helping the centre for the welfare of the people. It entails, the effectivity of State Governments in the implementation of Centrally Sponsored Schemes and Central Sector Schemes. In the second part, the challenges with respect to these welfare measures need to be mentioned. Finally, the conclusion should hinge upon improving the Centre-State relations to effectively extend the welfare measures of the Union.  Introduction: The Indian Constitution provides a strict demarcation between the legislative competences of the Union and the States. Yet, the Union, which also has far greater control over the nation’s finances than the States, plays a leading role in determining welfare priorities for the nation through schemes and budgetary allocations (Article 246). In order to provide a uniform framework for the holistic development of the country as a whole, the Union Government does provide budgetary allocations and schemes. These schemes- Central Sector Schemes, Centrally Sponsored Schemes aim at the social and economic welfare of the Indian republic, but need effective coordination of the Indian states being a part of the quasi-federal set-up. Body: For the first fifty years of the Indian republic, social and economic welfare was primarily administered through ad hoc measures known as schemes. In the early 2000s, there was a shift to “rights-based welfare.” The Government of India codified several important aspects of social welfare into statutes. These included Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005 (MGNREGA), the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 (RTEA) and the National Food Security Act, 2013 (NFSA). This was welcomed by the academic community, who described it as a “new social contract” between Indians and the State. Role of States: In the present federal set-up of India, the seventh schedule of the Constitution provides a tight-model of distinction of powers between Centre and States. However, ultimately it is the states which work at the grassroot level for the development of their respective states. The fourteenth Finance Commission substantially enhanced the share of the States in the Central divisible pool from 32% to 42%. which was untied and can be spent by the States as desired. However, doing so it delinked many schemes which were previously centrally funded, thus sharing the burden of the welfare between Centre and States.  In case of Centre Sector Schemes like Bharatnet, PMSAMPADA even though the Central government is primarily responsible for funding and implementation. The collaboration and concurrence of the state governments is equally needed for the effective implementation. As such, states like Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh are way ahead in providing internet facilities in the rural areas as compared to Bihar, Jharkhand and Odisha.  In the Centrally Sponsored Schemes, states have even a greater role to play to ensure that the particular scheme is effective in carrying out its desired objectives. For instance, case of MGNREGA where the devolution is 60:40 between Centre and States, the role of state governments is paramount for the effectivity of the scheme. States like Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Kerala have had nearly 90% efficiency when it comes to enhance the output, while Jharkhand, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh have just been 60% effective.  Schemes like Public Distribution System, Mid-Day Meal Scheme have directly been under the State Government Implementation and therefore the comparative performance of the states, depend on the manpower, effective funding and the resources the state government attempt to spend on these schemes.  National Health Rural Mission under NHM provides for development of the quality health-care at the primary health-centers in villages which is directly overseen by the State Governments. Therefore, State Governments are critically important in ensuring that there is effective disposal of the Centrally mandated welfare for the intended population.  Challenges at the Front: The Union Government plays a prominent role in determining State level development priorities through CSS. These are grants made by the Union for a specific purpose, i.e., the scheme guidelines, to be implemented by the States. However, there are certain challenges: Article 282 of the Constitution confines the Union’s power to making grants on the state subject, implying that the implementation should be left entirely to the states. However, with Centrally Sponsored Schemes, the states are left with little discretion with respect to how these are to be implemented.  With the central schemes on the anvil, the state governments actually depend on the Central Government funds. Recently, the delaying of the funds in schemes like MGNREGA, PDS have witnessed the tussle between Centre-State relations.  Parliament has limited powers and wide discretion under Article 282, meaning that it is not bound to make consistent, predictable grants to States year after year. That is problematic with states being highly dependent on the Centre for these welfare schemes.  Even at the Third-Tier government, the Centre Government has again at the loggerheads when it comes to Finance Devolution and implementation. Even these grassroot level governments are indirectly dependent on the Central Government which again creates problems for the effective implementation.  The scope of economic and social rights in India is properly within the domain of the legislature, and the States ought to play a pivotal role on matters within their competence. By making Union grants variable and highly discretionary, States are unable to plan for consistent and predictable welfare measures — such as those provided by statute — year after year. Conclusion There is no doubt that the Union should still play an important role in determining national priorities for development. One way to do so is to encourage the creation of clear entitlements through statute wherever possible, as in the case of MGNREGA and NFSA. Another possibility is to provide a greater share of Union assistance through block grants and to allow States a greater role in designing welfare measures implemented at the State. In any event, there is an urgent need for greater cooperation between the Union and the States of India to create a strong, rights-based welfare system for its citizens. 2. What is the Interstate Council? What are its mission objectives? Discuss. What potential does it hold to transform the dynamics of centre-state and interstate cooperation? Examine.  Approach Address the question is few parts where the first part should address what is the Interstate Council and the next part should discuss its mission objectives. The next part of the answer, you need to examine the potential inter-state council holds to transform the dynamics of centre-state and interstate cooperation. Introduction Inter-State Council (ISC) is a constitutional body as provided by Article 263 of the Constitution of India which is mandated to investigate and advise on disputes between states, has been recently reconstituted with Prime Minister as its chairman and six Union ministers and all chief ministers as members. Body The Inter-State Council’s mandate is to inquire and advise on interstate disputes and to provide recommendations for better policy coordination. However, it is a recommendatory body to investigate and also discuss subjects, in which some or all of the states or the Central government have a common interest. In fact, it is set up on the basis of provisions in Article 263 of the Constitution of India by the Presidential Order, 1990 based on the recommendation of Sarkaria Commissions. The Inter-state council is not a permanent constitutional body for coordination between the states and Central government. Rather, President can establish it at any time if it appears to him that the public interests would be served by the establishment of such a council. Article 263 provides explicit provisions with respect to an inter-State Council i.e. If at any time it appears to the President that the public interests would be served by the establishment of a Council charged with the duty of –   Inquiring into and advising upon disputes which may have arisen between States; Investigating and discussing subjects in which some or all of the States, or the Union and one or more of the States, have a common interest; or Making recommendations upon any such subject and, in particular, recommendations for the better co-ordination of policy and action with respect to that subject. Article 263 further states that it shall be lawful for the President by order to establish such a Council, and to define the nature of the duties to be performed by it and its organization and procedure. In terms of potential to transform the dynamics of centre-state and interstate cooperation, the Interstate Council can be considered as a proven concept, evident from the following points –  Based on the Sarkaria Commission’s recommendations, it was constituted under Article 263 of the Constitution in 1990. It proved to be crucial in the implementation of many of the commission’s recommendations, such as altering the states’ share of central taxes. This clearly shows its future potential to transform federal relations. Further, the council helped bridge the trust deficit between the centre and the states. If not always a problem solver, it at least acted as a safety valve. As opposed to NITI Aayog, the ISC is more political in nature with constituent members being Chief Ministers of states and Chief Ministers/Administrators of Union Territories with the Prime Minister as the Chairman.  Functionally, it was visualised as having functions separate from a National Development Council which would deal with matters of socio-economic planning. The ISC was structured in a manner that eschewed voting by majority and instead focused on arriving at a consensus “in a spirit of mutual accommodation, comity and compromise”. Punchhi Commission (2007) stated, “Federalism is a living faith to manage diversities and it needs to be supported by institutional mechanisms to facilitate cooperation and coordination among the Units and between the Units and the Union. Cooperative federalism is easily endorsed but difficult to practise without adequate means of consultation at all levels of government.” This is adequately provided by the ISC, which enhances its role. The body was handmade for use in situations such as the COVID wherein an issue of national importance was at play and inter-governmental relations were at stake. The role of the Centre as a facilitator in  Ensuring that the best practices being followed in states such as Kerala are implemented across other states;  The issues such as transportation of migrant labours are dealt with expediently using coordinated planning and opening up of borders in parts to ensure that safety norms were followed, was sorely missed. Even with respect to inter-state travel, accusations kept flaring about restrictions regarding entry at the border. For example, in May, the Uttar Pradesh Government stopped buses from Rajasthan and Haryana from entering its borders, Karnataka restricted entry of people from Gujarat, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu. The Inter-State Council is seen as an extremely useful mechanism for consensus building and voluntary settlement of disputes, in case, given the autonomy required for functioning as a Constitutional body, independent of the Union and the States.  The very rationale of having a constitutional body like the Inter-State Council is to have an extremely wide perspective which would be all encompassing, besides having an integrated approach towards building a consensus on policies of national importance. In the present context, we may have lost an opportunity but it may still not be too late. Conclusion The challenges of maintaining a federation are many, but the solution is healthy debate and discussion. In past decades, the centralized nature of the Indian economy—even after liberalization—made papering over the cracks possible. But present federalist vision is different, one with an emphasis on decentralizing decision making and encouraging state competition. If that vision is to succeed, the ISC must be a core component of the new cooperative federalism. 4. Examine the challenges of fiscal federalism in India. Approach Students are expected to write about the fiscal federalism and examine the challenges of the fiscal federalism.  Introduction The Government of India Act 1919 and 1935 formalised the tenets of fiscal federalism and revenue sharing between the Centre and the states. Fiscal federalism refers to the financial relations between the country’s federal government system and other units of government. It is the study of how expenditure and revenue are allocated across different vertical layers of the government administration. Body In recent years, fiscal relations between the union and state governments have undergone significant changes.  The abolition of the Planning Commission in January 2015 and the subsequent creation of the NITI Aayog; Fundamental changes in the system of revenue transfers from the centre to the states through the provision of higher tax devolution to the states based on the recommendations of the Fourteenth Finance Commission (henceforth, “14th FC”); and The Constitutional amendment to introduce the Goods and Services Tax (henceforth, GST) and the establishment of the GST Council for the central and state governments to deliberate and jointly take decisions. Challenges of fiscal federalism in India: State’s dwindling resources: The findings suggest that recent changes in India’s fiscal architecture, including the Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime, and increase in state shares for the Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSSs) had placed Shortfall in devolution: Adding to state woes is the significant divergence in past periods between the amount of GST compensation owed and the actual payments made, including for states such as Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand that need greater fiscal support. Even before Covid-19 hit, 11 states estimated a revenue growth rate below the estimated 14% level, implying higher amounts will be owed as GST compensation. Fiscal woes: The economic slowdown prior to the Covid-19 outbreak resulted in lower revenues for both the Union and state governments, as evident from their budgets.  The Union government’s revised estimates of tax collections (net of devolution to states) for 2019-’20 were about 8.8% lower than its 2019-’20 budget estimates. The Case of Horizontal Imbalances: The horizontal imbalances arise because of differing levels of attainment by the states due to differential growth rates and their developmental status in terms of the state of social or infrastructure capital. Traditionally, Finance Commissions have dealt with these imbalances in a stellar manner, and they should continue to be the first pillar of the new fiscal federal structure of India. Vertical Imbalances: The creation of vertical imbalances is a result of the fiscal asymmetry in powers of taxation vested with the different levels of government in relation to their expenditure responsibilities prescribed by the Indian Constitution. The central government is given a much greater domain of taxation, with a collection of 60% of the total taxes, despite their expenditure responsibility only amounting to 40% of the total public expenditure.  Such vertical imbalances are even sharper in the case of the third tier consisting of elected local bodies and panchayats. Vertical imbalances can adversely affect India’s urbanization, the quality of local public goods and thus further aggravating the negative externalities for the environment and climate change. In this regard multiple criteria steps will be helpful in promoting fiscal federalism in the following manner: Efforts made by the States in expansion and deepening of tax net under GST will help in realisation of a competitive tax environment where fiscal position of states will improve in turn improving the fiscal federalism. ‘Progress made in increasing capital expenditure, eliminating losses of power sector, and improving the quality of such expenditure in generating future income streams’ criteria can help tackle the stress of NPAs in power sector and improve the fiscal situation of states. State Finance Commissions should be accorded the same status as the Union Finance Commission and the 3Fs of democratic decentralisation (funds, functions, and functionaries) should be implemented properly. Single Rate GST with suitable surcharges on “sin goods,” (goods that are harmful to society and individuals, for example, alcohol and tobacco, drugs, etc), zero ratings of exports and reforming the Integrated Goods and Services Tax (IGST) and the e-way bill. This ‘one-size fits all’ approach to fiscal consolidation has constrained fiscally strong States to raise more resources. Therefore, State-specific targets of fiscal deficit in the FRBM legislation of States. The fiscal correction path may factor in the variations in the initial fiscal situation across States and be made State-specific. Conclusion Redefining the fiscal architecture of India can strengthen the fiscal federalism. Independent Finance commission, effective NITI Aayog, creating the new fiscal federal architecture based on the effective decentralisation and transparent GST regime can strengthen India’s unique cooperative federalism. 5. What is economic nationalism? Is it beneficial for a country? Critically examine. Approach  Since question is asking you to Critically examine so it asks you to throws light on the negatives and positives where one needs to examine both sides of an issue and come to a balanced conclusion. Introduction  Economic nationalism should be understood as a set of practices to create, bolster and protect national economies in the context of world markets. In other words, economic nationalism prioritises national interest above private property and profit motives. It can be described as economic nationalism as its central idea is that its economic activities are and should be subordinated to the goal of state building and the interest of the state. Analytical core of economic nationalism is same as that of ‘state centric nationalism’.  Body IS ECONOMIC NATIONALISM BENEFICIAL FOR A COUNTRY Three major trading blocs – China, the European Union and the United States – have reacted with protectionist measures to the economic challenges caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. Industrial policy has become the preferred tool for safeguarding systemically important industries against foreign take-over, reinforcing a trend toward protectionism that was already visible before the crisis.  NEGATIVE OF ECONOMIC NATIONALISM The new wave of economic nationalism could weaken the fragile world trade order even further.  the view that economic nationalism and reshoring of manufacturing is a fail-safe path to security and prosperity is wrong.  For one, it skirts the responsibility of governments to properly stockpile essential medical supplies.  Furthermore, the export curbs will be counterproductive, eliminating incentives for producers to expand capacity and increasing the cost of much needed medicines and medical devices.  If the recent lockdowns have taught us anything, it is that exclusive reliance on the domestic market is too risky.  Diversification of supply, redundancies in the manufacturing chain, and stockpiling programs are better alternatives.  In this endeavour, global supply chains are part of the solution, not the problem. As a staunch supporter of rules-based trade and with its decision to forego export protectionism in the current crisis, Japan has much to contribute to these efforts. The requiem for globalization has been sung many times. Announcements of its demise in the COVID-19 era are likely to prove premature. But it will be a harder-edged globalization forged by the crucible of geopolitical risk and pandemic disruption. POSITIVES OF ECONOMIC NATIONALISM Although protectionism was a characteristic of industrial policy before the Covid-19 crisis, and economic nationalism is a long-term trend caused by trade and tech wars between China, the United States and Europe, the virus has re-enforced this behaviour among the major trading powers.  European governments don’t mention suspected predators by name, but their protective measures are clearly directed at Chinese investors.  Chinese firms have been on a buying spree in Europe for the past few years. The lack of transparency in their financing has aroused the suspicion that they get more than a little help from their friends in the Chinese government. Yet when foreign companies want to invest in China, they still face many restrictions. This absence of reciprocity, along with the suspicion that Chinese investors get their orders from Beijing to target companies from systemically important industries abroad, has caused a backlash in Europe and the United States.  It can be seen that in particular, state-owned enterprises from China are looking for a bargain in Europe. This shows us the other side of the coin: industrial policy isn’t only a defensive measure to protect your golden eggs at home. It can also be an offensive attack to strengthen your domestic industries through merger and acquisitions abroad. Conclusion When international companies map out their business strategies, they must factor in heightened risks – protectionism, national security controls, and economic lockdowns. Hence, efforts by middle powers to offer an interim arbitration mechanism at the WTO to handle trade disputes and to commit to maintaining open supply chains in essential medical goods are the right antidote to rising economic nationalism.  TLP HOT Synopsis Day 16 PDF

Jan 29, 2021 Ace The Prelims (ATP)

Ace The Prelims (ATP) – 2021– PRELIMS – [29th Jan, 2021] – Day 23

ARCHIVES Hello Friends, Welcome to IASbaba’s Ace The Prelims (ATP) – 2021 – PRELIMS & MAINS – [29th Jan, 2021] – Day 23   UPSC Quiz - 2021 : IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs Quiz 29th January 2021 UPSC CSAT Quiz – 2021: IASbaba’s Daily CSAT Practice Test – 29th January 2021 UPSC Static Quiz – 2021: IASbaba’s Daily Static Quiz (PYQs) – GEOGRAPHY [Day 23]   The way ATP molecules provide energy to every single cell of our body and help us in achieving our day to day tasks, similarly, the ‘Ace the Prelims (ATP) 2021’ Programme will help in providing energy and direction to your prelims preparation and push you beyond the cutoff of Prelims 2021. Ace the Prelims (ATP) – 2021 will include Daily Static Quiz (PYQs) Daily CSAT Practice Test Daily Current Affair Quiz 60 Days Plan (starts from 2nd week of March) To Know More about Ace the Prelims (ATP) 2021 - CLICK HERE   Thank You IASbaba

Jan 29, 2021 Daily Static Quiz

UPSC Static Quiz – 2021: IASbaba’s Daily Static Quiz (PYQs) – GEOGRAPHY [Day 23]

ARCHIVES DAILY STATIC QUIZ (PYQs) It will cover PYQs all the topics of static subjects – Polity, History, Geography, Economics, Environment and Science and technology. Daily 5 questions (Monday to Saturday) will be posted from static topics (PYQs) The questions will be in the quiz format so you will be able to answer them directly on the portal. Schedule Week 1 – Polity Week 2 – Economics Week 3 – History and Art & Culture Week 4 – Geography Week 5 – Environment and Science & Technology Same cycle will be repeated from Week 6. Make the best use of the initiative. All the best! To Know More about Ace the Prelims (ATP) 2021 - CLICK HERE Important Note: Don't forget to post your marks in the comment section. Also, let us know if you enjoyed today's test :) After completing the 5 questions, click on 'View Questions' to check your score, time taken and solutions. To take the Test - Click Here

Jan 29, 2021 IASbaba’s Daily CSAT Quiz

UPSC CSAT Quiz – 2021: IASbaba’s Daily CSAT Practice Test – 29th January 2021

ARCHIVES Daily CSAT Practice Test Everyday 5 Questions from Aptitude, Logical Reasoning, and Reading Comprehension will be covered from Monday to Saturday. Make the best use of the initiative. All the best! To Know More about Ace the Prelims (ATP) 2021 - CLICK HERE Important Note: Don't forget to post your marks in the comment section. Also, let us know if you enjoyed today's test :) After completing the 5 questions, click on 'View Questions' to check your score, time taken and solutions. To take the Test - Click Here

Jan 29, 2021 Daily Prelims CA Quiz

UPSC Quiz - 2021 : IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs Quiz 29th January 2021

For Previous Daily Quiz (ARCHIVES) - CLICK HERE The Current Affairs questions are based on sources like ‘The Hindu’, ‘Indian Express’ and ‘PIB’, which are very important sources for UPSC Prelims Exam. The questions are focused on both the concepts and facts. The topics covered here are generally different from what is being covered under ‘Daily Current Affairs/Daily News Analysis (DNA) and Daily Static Quiz’ to avoid duplication. The questions would be published from Monday to Saturday before 2 PM. One should not spend more than 10 minutes on this initiative. We will make sure, in the next 4 months not a single day is wasted. 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 Ace the Prelims (ATP) 2021 - CLICK HERE Important Note: Don't forget to post your marks in the comment section. Also, let us know if you enjoyed today's test :) After completing the 5 questions, click on 'View Questions' to check your score, time taken and solutions. To take the Test - Click Here

Jan 29, 2021 TLP Mains Answer Writing

IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 1 – ENGLISH & हिंदी): UPSC Mains Answer Writing – General Studies Paper 4 Questions [29th JANUARY,2021] – Day 17

For Previous TLP (ARCHIVES) - CLICK HERE Hello Friends, Welcome to IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 1- ENGLISH & हिंदी): UPSC Mains Answer Writing – General Studies 4 Questions [29th January 2020] – Day 17 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. What are the qualities of a good leader? Discuss. Who is your favourite leader and why? Substantiate. एक अच्छे नेता के गुण क्या हैं? चर्चा करें। आपका पसंदीदा नेता कौन है और क्यों? पुष्टि करें। 2. What lessons can be learnt from the lives of sporting legends? Illustrate with the help of suitable examples.  खेल के दिग्गजों के जीवन से क्या सबक सीखा जा सकता है? उपयुक्त उदाहरणों की सहायता से चित्रण करें।  3. Which socio-religious reformer from the 19th century has inspired you the most? Discuss. 19 वीं सदी के किस सामाजिक-धार्मिक सुधारक ने आपको सबसे अधिक प्रेरित किया है? चर्चा करें। 4. China’s duality of cooperation and competition is a tough diplomatic challenge for India. Do you agree? Share your views. चीन का सहयोग और प्रतिस्पर्धा का द्वंद्व भारत के लिए एक कठिन कूटनीतिक चुनौती है। क्या आप सहमत हैं? अपने विचार साझा करें  5. What are the most typical challenges of urban governance in Indian cities? Discuss. What measures have been taken to address those? भारतीय शहरों में शासन की सबसे विशिष्ट चुनौतियाँ क्या हैं? चर्चा करें। उनको हल करने के लिए क्या उपाय किए गए हैं?  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 :)

Jan 28, 2021 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 28th January 2021

Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) Dhannipur Mosque project launched  Part of: GS Prelims and GS-I – Culture  In news The Dhannipur mosque project was formally launched on Republic Day at the five-acre plot in Dhannipur village of Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh. Key takeaways  The plot was allotted by the Uttar Pradesh government on the directions of the Supreme Court in the Babri Masjid Ram Janmabhoomi title suit. The Indo-Islamic Cultural Foundation (IICF) is overseeing the construction of the mosque. The project would take around 30 months to be completed. The project comprises three parts: a mosque based on a modern design; a multi-speciality 200-bed hospital and community kitchen; and an Indo-Islamic Cultural Research Centre. Related articles: Ram Temple History & Significance: Click here  Image source : Click here  Data Privacy can take the form of non-price competition: CCI Part of: GS Prelims and GS-III – Cyber Security  In news A study by the Competition Commission of India (CCI) has said that the Data privacy can take the form of non-price competition and abuse of dominance can lower privacy protection,  Key takeaways  CCI noted that an aspect of data in the context of competition in digital communications market is the conflict between allowing access and protecting consumer privacy. Abuse of dominance can take the form of lowering the privacy protection and therefore fall within the ambit of antitrust as low privacy standard implies lack of consumer welfare. The study also made observations about other non-price factors such as quality of service (QoS), data speeds and bundled offerings, which are likely to be the new drivers of competitive rivalry between service providers in telecom sector in addition to just price. Important value additions  Competition Commission of India (CCI)  It is a statutory body of the Government of India.  It is responsible for enforcing The Competition Act, 2002 throughout India. It prevents activities that have an appreciable adverse effect on competition in India.  It was established on 14 October 2003 and became fully functional in May 2009.  CCI consists of a Chairperson and 6 Members appointed by the Central Government.  It is the duty of the Commission to: eliminate practices having adverse effect on competition,  promote and sustain competition, protect the interests of consumers,  ensure freedom of trade in the markets of India.  Manjamma Jogati : Padma Shri awardee who popularised rural folk arts  Part of: GS Prelims and GS-I – Culture  In news Manjamma Jogati is a Padma Shri awardee who is a transgender from Karnataka.  She has over the past many decades practised and single-handedly popularised rural folk arts. Key takeaways  Overcoming personal odds, Manjamma Jogati popularised these art forms, especially the Jogati Nritya and Janapada songs, practiced in rural Karnataka, Maharashtra, and parts of Andhra Pradesh. She began to identify as a woman in her teens. She was made a part of a transgender community in rural Deccan that reveres the fiery Goddess Renuka Yellamma. Members of this community are considered married to the goddess. The community's lifestyle and the plight of its members were highlighted in the national award-winning 2009 Marathi movie Jogwa. Image source: Click here  World Economic Forum's Davos Dialogue  Part of: GS Prelims and GS-II – International Relations; GS-III - Economy  In news Indian Prime Minister will address the World Economic Forum’s Davos Dialogue on 28th January, 2021 via video conferencing. Important value additions  The Davos Dialogues agenda marks the launch of the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Great Reset Initiative in the post COVID world. WEF is based in Cologny-Geneva, Switzerland.  It is an NGO, founded in 1971.  The WEF hosts an annual meeting at the end of January in Davos, a mountain resort in Graubünden, in the eastern Alps region of Switzerland. Image source: Click here  CCEA gives its approval for MSP of copra for year 2021 Part of: GS Prelims and GS-III – Agriculture  In news The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has given its approval for the Minimum Support Price (MSP) of copra for 2021. Key takeaways  Copra is the dried meat or kernel of the coconut, which is the fruit of the coconut palm (Cocos nucifera). Coconut oil is extracted from copra, making it an important agricultural commodity for many coconut-producing countries. The MSP for Fair Average Quality (FAQ) of milling copra has been increased, by Rs.375/-, to Rs. 10335/- per quintal for 2021 season from Rs. 9960/- per quintal in 2020. The approval is based on recommendations of the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP). The increase in MSP for copra for 2021 season is in line with the principle of fixing the MSP at a level of at least 1.5 times the all India weighted average cost of production which was announced by the Government in the Budget 2018-19. Do you know?  The National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Limited (NAFED) and National Cooperative Consumer Federation of India Limited (NCCF) will continue to act as Central Nodal Agencies to undertake price support operations at the MSP in the coconut growing States. Important value addition National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd (NAFED) It is an apex organization of marketing cooperatives for agricultural produce in India. It was founded on 2nd October 1958. It is registered under the Multi-State Co-operative Societies Act, 2002. NAFED is now one of the largest procurement as well as marketing agencies for agricultural products in India. Objectives: (1) To organize, promote and develop marketing, processing and storage of agricultural, horticultural and forest produce; (2) To distribute agricultural machinery, implements and other inputs; (3) To act and assist for technical advice in agricultural production Future Investment Initiative Forum  Part of: GS Prelims and GS-II – International Relations; GS-III - Economy  In news Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare addressed the 4th edition of the Future Investment Initiative Forum.  Important value additions  The Future Investment Initiative (FII) is an annual investment forum held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to discuss trends in the world economy and investment environment. It is hosted by the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia (PIF). The first event was in October 2017. The purpose of this year’s forum was to find solutions on how business and government can expand access to healthcare, train healthcare workers, remove regulatory barriers and encourage investment in advanced health technologies Image source: Click here  Place in news: Sigur Plateau Part of: GS Prelims and GS-III - Environment  In News  The Supreme Court appointed conservationist Nandita Hazarika as Member of a Technical Committee constituted by it on October 14, 2020 to hear complaints by land owners against the action taken by the Nilgris Collector, which included “arbitrary variance in acreage of the elephant corridor.” Key takeaways  On October 14, SC upheld the Tamil Nadu government’s authority to notify an ‘elephant corridor’ and protect the migratory path of the animals through the Nilgiri biosphere Reserve.  The corridor is situated in the ecologically fragile Sigur plateau. Do you know?  Sigur Plateau is a plateau in the north and east of Nilgiri District in the Nilgiri Hills of Tamil Nadu. It connects the Western and the Eastern Ghats and sustains elephant populations and their genetic diversity. It has the Nilgiri Hills on its southwestern side and the Moyar River Valley on its north-eastern side.  The elephants cross the plateau in search of food and water. Image source: Click here  (Mains Focus) GOVERNANCE/ SOCIETY Topic: GS-2: Development processes and the development industry —the role of NGOs, SHGs, various groups and associations  GS-2:  Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. Republic Day Violence Context: The Delhi Police has detained 200 people in connection with the violence during the Republic Day tractor rally. More than 300 policemen were injured in the violence which took place mostly in and around Red Fort. What exactly happened? Background of incident:  For nearly two month farmers primarily from Punjab had been camping on the outskirts of New Delhi protesting against the new farm laws. Multiple rounds of negotiations between the government and the farmers’ unions have failed. Tractor Rally Planned: Protesting farmers had planned for tractor rally towards New Delhi on Republic day so as to express their demands and make their voices heard. It was a historic parade by lakhs of farmers and tractors. Rally Took Violent Turn: While the tractor rally initially began peacefully, a section of protesters broke through police barricades and entered parts of the national capital not permitted for their protest. Clashes between the police and protesters took place at various places that left nearly 400 police personnel injured.  Deviation from agreed path & time: The path taken by unruly section reportedly deviated from the route that farmers' unions had agreed upon in their talks with the Delhi Police. Also, farmers decided to enter the capital ahead of the permitted time, resulting in police launching tear gas and baton attacks on them. Religious Flag at Red Fort: Defying elaborate security arrangements in place for the Republic Day military parade, the protesters entered the Red Fort, where the predominantly Sikh farmers also installed a religious flag. Law and Order Control measures: The massive protests forced the shutting down of several metro stations, while internet services were suspended in many areas of the capital and its adjoining areas. Police lathicharged and used tear gas to control the situation by night. Cases registered: The police have filed FIRs naming a number of senior farm leaders who had held talks with the government and who signed an undertaking promising to follow the conditions set for the parades. Critical Analysis of the incident Fatigued Agitators: The chances of fatigued agitators breaking loose were high as were the possibilities of vested interests triggering violence. Therefore, the leaders of protests should have been more conscious about this. Massive Protest badly coordinated by farm leadership: The leadership, itself an association of disparate individuals and organisations, should have been more realistic about its capacity to manage such a gathering.  Violent deviation by a handful: The chaos and mindless violence unleashed on the national capital by a section of protesting farmers on Republic Day were abhorrent. It is plausible that agents provocateurs infiltrated the farmers’ march and derailed the entire plan leading to violence. Restraint by Police: In the end, unruly elements took over the streets of Delhi. They broke barricades, thrashed, and tried to mow down police personnel. The police resorted to lathi charge and used tear gas, but, given the circumstances, showed restraint by not going for firing & other harsh measures. Change in plans for protesting farmers: Two farmer unions withdraw from agitation against farm laws over R-Day violence. The unions have cancelled their plans to march to Parliament on February 1, when the Union Budget will be presented, but have vowed to continue their agitation in a peaceful manner. Can alter negotiations with government: The violence that was unleashed during tractor rally has brought disrepute to the agitating farmers and there are efforts made to discredit their movement & demands. In due course of time, it can alter the way government engages with protesting farmers for negotiation. Way Ahead  Proper Investigation: The Delhi police must investigate and hold to account individuals and groups responsible for the violence. Farmer leaders have the unenviable task of cooperating with the police in the investigation. Preventing Communal Overtones: False friends and real enemies of the agitators have painted them with a communal brush (hoisting of religious flag). Bringing the culprits to book is essential not only to salvage the reputation of an agitation that had remained largely peaceful for nearly two months but also to nip in the bud a dangerous communal slant before it slips out of control. Maximalist position of protestors needs change: The agitators want the laws to go lock, stock, and barrel but their maximalist approach is unhelpful. They must discontinue the protest for now and disperse, while reserving the option of restarting it later. They should consider options short of a complete repeal of the laws. Centre must continue with negotiations: The Centre must consider more concessions, including the suspension of the laws until a broader agreement can be arrived at. It must make more efforts to allay the fears of those most affected by these reforms. Conclusion The Centre has said it would continue to engage the protesters in negotiations. The offer of the government to keep in abeyance for up to 18 months the three controversial farm laws that are at the heart of the current face-off remains an opportunity for the leaders to seek a negotiated settlement Connecting the dots: Why farmers are protesting against farm laws: Click here and here Why earlier government negotiations have failed: Click here What is the long term solution advocated by experts: Click here ECONOMY/ GOVERNANCE Topic: GS-3: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization, of resources, growth, development and employment.  GS-3:  Inclusive growth and issues arising from it. Troubling trends: On widening inequality Context: The world economy is slowly recovering from the devastation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, but that is only partial solace. Issues: Uneven Recovery: The recovery is uneven among countries, and within countries. For example: The U.S. and China are expected to grow by 5% and almost 11%, respectively but Turkey's economy is projected to grow by 0.4%. Rising Inequality: In spite of differential economic recovery across the world, the emerging universal truth is that economic inequality is rising sharply in all countries. Rich have been able to recover faster: A new report by Oxfam has revealed that the 1,000 richest people worldwide recovered their losses from the pandemic within nine months as opposed to the world’s poorest who might take a decade to limp back to their pre-pandemic standing. Inequality in India: Inequality in India has risen to levels last seen when it was colonised. The additional wealth acquired by India’s 100 billionaires since March when the lockdown was imposed is enough to give every one of the 138 million poorest ₹94,045, according to the report. Impact on Unskilled worker:  An unskilled worker in India would take three years to earn what the country’s richest person earned in one second last year, the report calculates.  Disproportionate impact: The worsening inequality in income and opportunities impacts some sections disproportionately due to discrimination based on gender, caste and other factors. The poorer people were worst affected by the disease itself. Normalisation of Inequality: The focus on growth had led politicians and policy makers to accept rising inequality as inevitable for decades. Inequality came to be seen as a benign outcome of economic growth that led to reduction of absolute poverty.  Ideological issue with inequality: Concerns about inequality could also be easily dismissed as being informed by socialism. There is an increasing push towards adoption of liberalism & capitalism across the world. Any opposition to it was viewed with scepticism in the mainstream of development debates Labour-Capital relation widening inequality: There is now universal agreement among economists that the distribution of new wealth between capital and labour has become so one-sided that workers are constantly being pushed to penury while the rich are getting richer.  Environmental Impact: The environmental costs of a development model that hinges on higher and higher growth are also obvious. The burden of degradation of environment is felt the most the poorer sections of society. Conclusion: The theme of the World Economic Forum at Davos this week is ‘the Great Reset’ which it says is a “commitment to jointly and urgently build the foundations of our economic and social system for a more fair, sustainable and resilient future. Lip service is not enough to tackle inequality; one has to take concrete measures to stem the growing inequality in society. (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 Dhannipur Mosque was in news recently. Where is it going to be constructed?  Uttar Pradesh  Assam Delhi Nagpur Q.2 Consider the following statements regarding Competition Commission of India (CCI): It is a statutory body of the Government of India.  Members are appointed by the Chief Justice of India.  Which of the above is or are correct?  1 only  2 only  Both 1 and 2  Neither 1 nor 2 Q.3 World Economic Forum is based in?  Switzerland  France Netherlands  Austria Q.4 Future Investment Initiative Forum is hosted by which of the following country?  Israel USA  Russia Saudi Arabia  ANSWERS FOR 20th January 2021 TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE (TYK) 1 B 2 B 3 B Must Read On more vaccines than takers: The Hindu On self-reliance in science: The Hindu About people’s reluctance to get vaccines: The Indian Express

Jan 28, 2021 AIR

Jal Jeevan Mission: Access to piped water to every household - All India Radio (AIR) IAS UPSC

ARCHIVES Jal Jeevan Mission: Access to piped water to every household Search 23rd November, 2020 Spotlight News Analysis here: http://www.newsonair.com/Main_Audio_Bulletins_Search.aspx   General Studies 2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. Government of India has restructured and subsumed the ongoing National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP) into Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) to provide Functional Household Tap Connection (FHTC) to every rural household i.e., Har Ghar Nal Se Jal (HGNSJ) by 2024. Proposed Jal Jeevan Mission will be a decentralised, community-managed and sustainable water management scheme – Out of 17.87 crore rural households in the country about 14.6 crore which accounts for 81.67 percent are yet to have household tap connections for water.  JJM envisages a structural change in the provision of drinking water supply services. The service provision should change to ‘utility based approach’ centered on ‘service delivery’ The government had also integrated different ministries and departments dealing with water into one ministry — the Ministry of Jal Shakti. JJM aims at providing potable water at service level of 55 litre per capita per day (lpcd) to every rural household through Functional Household Tap Connection (FHTC) by 2024. The fund sharing pattern between the Centre and states is 90:10 for Himalayan and North-Eastern States, 50:50 for other states, and 100% for Union Territories. Jal Jeevan Mission adopts a bottom to top approach, where the users and Paani Samitis (Water Committees) in the villages envision the whole project from its implementation to maintenance and operation. The mission has also ensured that at least 50% of the members of the water committee would be women. Work to be taken up under JJM:  In-village water supply (PWS) infrastructure for tap water connection to every household Reliable drinking water source development/ augmentation of existing sources Transfer of water (multi-village scheme; where quantity & quality issues are there in the local water sources) Technological intervention for treatment to make water potable (where water quality is an issue, but quantity is sufficient) Retrofitting of completed and ongoing piped water supply schemes to provide FHTC and raise the service level Grey water management Capacity building of various stakeholders and support activities to facilitate the implementation 73rd Amendment of Constitution of India Gram Panchayats or its sub-committees will play a crucial role in planning, designing, execution, operations and maintenance of the in-village infrastructure under the Jal Jeevan Mission – Every village is to prepare a village action plan (VAP) which will be essentially having three components namely;  Water source & its maintenance Water supply and  Grey water management. Every village will prepare a Village Action Plan (VAP) which will have three components: Water source and its maintenance Water supply and Grey-water (domestic wastewater) management. ‘Margadarshika for Gram Panchayats and Paani Samitis under Jal Jeevan Mission’ (Guidelines for the Village Panchayats and Water Committees) The Mardarshika Guidelines will guide the members of the Water Committee and Gram Panchayats in taking the right decisions. A special 100-day campaign is being launched on 2nd Oct this year under Jal Jeevan Mission to ensure drinking water connection to every school and Anganwadi in the country. Unburdening lives of women For a country with 16 per cent of the world’s population, and only 4 per cent of the world’s freshwater resources, with the changing weather patterns and frequent droughts, over 250 of the 700 districts of India’s districts are now water stressed. Two hundred and fifty six of our approximately 700 districts have groundwater levels which are “critical” or “over-exploited” as per the latest data from the Central Ground Water Board (2017). To put it simply, this means that fetching water in these districts is now that much harder, as the water table has fallen that much deeper. According to a report by the National Commission for Women, on an average, a rural woman in Rajasthan walks over 2.5 km to reach a water source. This is probably an underestimate, but the bottomline is that our women and girls spend a significant proportion of their time on fetching water. With women playing a leadership role in managing their community’s water resources, minus the drudgery of walking for miles to fetch water for their families, the Jal Jeevan Mission will provide a massive fillip to the ease of living for women, and they will no longer be beasts of burden. The Way Forward Need to relook at water-guzzling sugarcane —with a value chain that sucks is terrible in terms of subsidies at various stages  Need to reimagine the public health engineering department (PHED) as not just a technical body but also as a public utility that oversees water entitlements as well as pricing of such entitlements is a goal. Digital sensors could facilitate remote monitoring of household water supply and quality, and eliminate tedious meter readings. This devolution can be incentivised by GoI, linked to milestones state governments and gram panchayats must reach, and hand-held by NGOs. For instance, JJM could tie up with the skill development ministry to train village women to measure turbidity and quality. On the lines of the Swachh Bharat Mission, extensive information, education and communication will be needed to create a jan andolan for water management. The ongoing Jal Shakti Abhiyan will help in creating awareness about the importance of integrating source sustainability and water reuse with the provision of household water supply.  Note: Jal Shakti Ministry The new ministry has been formed by merging the Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation and Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation. All water related works will be merged under one ministry. The new ministry will encompass issues ranging from providing clean drinking water, international and inter-states water disputes, to the Namami Gange project aimed at cleaning Gang and its tributaries, and sub tributaries. Connecting the Dots: Enlightened water policy needs infrastructure. But more than that, it requires institutions with local and village ownership. Analyse. Will the backlog and bad history of old Ministries let the new Ministry perform any better? Critically examine.

Jan 28, 2021 TLP Mains Answer Writing

SYNOPSIS [27th JANUARY,2021] Day 15: IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 1): UPSC Mains Answer Writing (General Studies)

For Previous TLP (ARCHIVES) - CLICK HERE   SYNOPSIS [27th JANUARY,2021] Day 15: IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 1): UPSC Mains Answer Writing (General Studies)   1. What are the most pressing challenges of governance arising due to India’s federal polity? Examine. Approach: As the directive in the question is ‘examine’ it is important to mention challenges in a detailed manner with clear logical exposition, use of proper and appropriate examples is a must, moreover explanation of the state of India’s federal system is also important. Introduction: Federalism in its literal sense is a system of government in which power is divided between a central authority and constituent political units. India’s federal structure is very peculiar in nature, it encompasses all those features which suit India’s polity according to its own needs and thus has helped India to grow as the largest functional democracy of the world. According to K.C. Wheare the Indian Constitution, can be described as “a system of government which is Quasi Federal a unitary state with subsidiary federal state with subsidiary unitary features.” Prof. Wheare observes that “the federal principles is the method of dividing powers so that the general and regional government are each within a sphere are co-ordinate and independent. Both the federal and the regional governments are co-ordinating and independent in their spheres and not subordinate to one another.” Body: Structure of India’s federal polity- Article 1 of the Constitution of India states that ‘India that is Bharat shall be a union of states. Indian federation was not a product of coming together of states to form the federal union of India. It was rather a conversion of a unitary system into a federal system. It is a compromise between two conflicting considerations such as autonomy enjoyed by states within the constitutionally prescribed limit (State List) and the need for a strong centre in view of the unity and integrity of the country (Union List). India’s federalism is asymmetric in nature the main forms of administrative units in India are the Centre and the States. But there are other forms, too, all set up to address specific local, historical and geographical contexts. Besides the Centre and the States, the country has Union Territories with a legislature, and Union Territories without a legislature. Just as the Centre and the States do not have matching powers in all matters, there are some differences in the way some States and other constituent units of the Indian Union relate to the Centre. This creates a notable asymmetry in the way Indian federalism works. Examples are Article 371, The Sixth Schedule to the Constitution contains provisions for the administration of tribal areas in Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram. These create autonomous districts and autonomous regions. Challenges of governance due to federal polity- India has 25 major river basins with most rivers flowing across states, with rivers being shared between states. Adequate involvement of centre is necessary for preservation and equitable distribution of river water. However inter-state rivers have become sites of contestation between states because of the conflictual federalism dispute resolution has become a long and tiresome process which creates problems of water availability, for agriculture and drinking purpose. Centres role only comes in dispute resolution in spite of legal framework in the form of Inter State River Water Disputes Act 1956 and River Boards Act 1956. Even as Indian Federalism has a tendency towards centralised form, states have sought to assert their interests and influence over the years. This led to imbalance and inconsistency in central governments approach towards the issues which effect country in general such as Tamil issue in Srilanka, river water dispute with Bangladesh etc. Increased regional demands such as creation of new states developmental issues ad excess to the resources has led to the conflicts taking India’s internal security a hostage. One of the most pressing needs of India after its independence was the distribution of land to the landless who have suffered at the hands of colonial powers, but because of the nature of federal polity with distribution of subjects and agriculture and land distribution coming under the purview of states idea of land reforms could not be materialised as envisaged. Uneven development is one of the important issues arising out of the existing federal structure in India many of the states inspite of being resource rich could not prosper because policy paralysis and politics based on emotions of caste, and communalism thus development took a back seat.   Lax attitude of states in implementing centrally sponsored schemes has led to an imbalance in critical social sectors like health and education among the states. An important scheme in the heath sector like Jan Arogya has not been implemented in states like West Bengal, Maharashtra etc. In India it is too hard and difficult to bring in comprehensive socio economic and political reforms because of the nature of federal polity. Recent initiatives like GST which revolutionised indirect tax structure in India took around 15 years of deliberations and discussions between states and centre. New challenges like environmental issues are impossible to implement unless states play an important role to the commitments in implementing the decisions taken at central level and the commitments India have made at the Paris Conference on Climate Change. With the advancement of technology like Industrial Revolution 4.0 and internet of things machine learning, role of states is important in bringing out reforms like ease of doing business, skill development, infrastructural development so that India does not lag behind and could reap the benefits of demographic dividend. Conclusion: A diverse country like India needs a proper Balance towards maintaining the needs of the states where they can frame and implement laws and policies according to their needs. The GST reform tells us that consensus building is not a one-time exercise. Sustained dialogue and deliberation are important to allow a maximum convergence of interests between centre and states in dealing with the issues created out of the existing federal structure. Centralisation is not a panacea for all the ills rather harmonious relationship cooperation and collaboration is important to strengthen cooperative federalism 2. While briefly explaining the concepts, illustrate the benefits of cooperative and competitive federalism? Approach A straightforward question where in you need to explain the concepts of cooperative and competitive federalism in brief in the first part of the answer while also illustrating the benefits of both competitive and cooperative federalism in the second part of the answer. Introduction The quasi-federal structure of the Indian nation was settled in after the country became free of colonialism and gained independence from the British. This style of federalism is responsible for the introduction of its cooperative as well as competitive variants in the country. Body The Constitution of India has created a strong Central government, but at the same time, it has not made the state governments weak and has not reduced them to the level of administrative agencies for the execution of policies of the Central government. Rather, the states have an independent constitutional existence.  The concept of cooperative federalism professes a horizontal relationship between the Central as well as the State governments. This essentially means that the legislature at the Union as well as the State levels cooperate to serve the larger public interest. Such an arrangement, if executed successfully, would be a significant leap in enabling the participation of States in determining national policies. Usually cooperative federalism is seen in socialist economies where most of the resources are controlled by the government. It is being promoted in India through steps like the formation of NITI aayog, passing of GST etc. On the other hand, competitive federalism, the States share a vertical relationship with the Central government while competing amongst themselves. Essentially, States individually work towards attracting funds and investment to aid their developmental activities. This leads to the formation of a free market scenario amongst the States wherein they play the role of the sellers and the investors become the buyers. A type of Competitive federalism is seen in India where states want more funds and perks from the state government for growth. Also states can be involved in International treaties and business deals. They are also trying to woo MNCs to get more FDI.  The benefits of co-operative federalism can be seen from the points given below – The essence of co-operative federalism is that the Centre and the State Governments should be guided by the broader national concerns of using the available resources for the benefit of the people.  Co-operative federalism encourages the Government at different levels to take advantage of a large national market, diverse and rich natural resources and the potential of human capabilities in all parts of the country and from all sections of the society for building a prosperous nation.  Co-operative federalism makes it possible to raise all the available resources by the Government at different levels in a co-ordinated way and channel them for use for the common good of the people. This requires a harmonious relationship and co-operative spirit between the Centre and the States and among the States themselves.  Co-operative federalism is intended to ensure a minimum bundle of basic services and a nationally acceptable level of living for all the people of the country. Similarly, the benefits of competitive federalism are listed in the points below –  Competitive federalism follows the concept bottom-up approach as it will bring the change from the states. It ensures inclusive development in the country. It instil a spirit of positive competition and help utilisation of successful models of development across many states. Thus, it helps in reducing inter-states and intra-states inequalities through development. It ensure that every limb of the whole country is developing. E.g. there are many disparities between various cities in terms of development, competitive sub-federalism reduce such disparities. It help in instilling sense of responsibility in city administrations, ensuring no one have been left out. The policy of one-size-fit-all is replaced with different policies of various states based on the own priorities with in the state. Each state will design their own policies for development of the cities with self-fund. The concept also promotes discipline among the states. Cooperation as well as Competition on a national level is not a small feat to achieve and thus it requires a mutual understanding between the Central and State governments. While prosperous States may be able to execute both policies effectively but economically backward States would require the Centre’s support to achieve their goals. Conclusion Instituting a system of cooperative and competitive federalism has been a hallmark of India’s policy-making in the past five years and has achieved considerable results. Cooperative and competitive federalism are complementary ideas that will drive India’s growth story in the coming decades 3. Critically evaluate the efficacy of the manner in which powers are distributed between the Union and the States. Approach Students are expected to write about the distribution of power between union and states. And then critically evaluate the efficacy of the manner in which powers are distributed. Introduction  According to Dicey, power distribution is an essential feature of a federation. The object behind the formation of a federal State involves an authoritative division between the National Government and the Government of the separate States. The federal tendency is restricting every side of the Governmental action, and separation of the strength of the State among parallel and independent authorities is particularly noticeable as it forms a significant distinction between a federal system and unitary system of Government. Body The Constitution of India provides a dual polity with a clear division of powers between the Union and the States, each being supreme within the sphere allotted to it. Efficient Manner in which powers are distributed between the union and states: Demarcation: The 7th schedule of the Indian Constitution having 3 lists is formulated to ensure the federal character of Indian polity. The division has been helpful in demarcation of subjects and fixing responsibility for lapses in administration. International relations and communications: UNO, foreign affairs etc., are subjects in Centre list and hence decisions are taken with uniformity and certainty. E.g. Ex-UN secretary Kofi annan noted Indian foreign policy as stable and credible. Holding Accountability: The lists have demarcated the functions and thus help in holding the state/Centre government answerable. E.g. imposition of president rule in UP after Babri masjid incident. Uniformity in Administration: subjects like trade and commerce, Banking, regulation of mines, labor etc., ensure uniformity. E.g. uniform interest rate in banks, labour costs etc., ensure that every state is competent in the sphere of economic attraction. External security: central government being responsible has been fairly successful in taking timely decisions with necessary force whenever required. E.g. any delays during war time causes set back. Quick decision taken during Kargil was possible only because the defence was entirely with the Centre. Time and again centre-state relations come under scanner due to increasing centralization of power such as: Asymmetric distribution: States complain that Centre has more and important subjects and there is asymmetry in division. Thus, it results in unitary bias. E.g. Raising loans from international market, Banking regulations etc. Balance between flexibility and uniformity: Some laws leave little flexibility for states to sync the laws according to their needs for achieving uniformity. A higher degree of detail in law ensures uniformity across the country and provides the same level of protection and rights, however, it reduces the flexibility for states to tailor the law for their different local conditions. If a Proclamation of Emergency is in operation: During the operation of the Proclamation of Emergency, the Parliament shall be empowered to legislate for the entire Indian territory or any of its parts with respect to all the matters enumerated in the State List. Limited capacity of states: Some laws enacted by Parliament in the concurrent list might require state governments to allocate funds for their implementation. But due to federal supremacy while the states are mandated to comply with these laws they might not have enough financial resources to do so. Constitutional practice indicates that use of residuary powers has been at the cost of provincial autonomy, even though the principle of continuing exhaustiveness remains key to the structure of the Seventh Schedule. Composition variation: States allege that the union and concurrent list has grown over the years at the cost of state list. A majority government at the Centre helps in this. E.g. 42nd constitutional amendment transferring 5 subjects from state to concurrent list. Infringement in the domain of states: Some Bills may directly infringe upon the rights of states i.e. relates to central laws on subjects that are in the domain of state legislatures. E.g. anti-terrorist laws, Lokpal bill, issues with GST and Aadhar etc. where states’ power are taken away in a cloaked manner. Colorable legislation: The allegations on Centre to encroach upon the state jurisdiction finding the loopholes. E.g. the recent Jammu Kashmir reorganization bill was passed under president rule. The President gave assent to the controversial farm Bills passed by Parliament. Wayforward: Strengthening of Inter-State Council: Over the year committees starting from Rajamannar, Sarkaria and Punchi have recommended strengthening of Interstate Council where the concurrent list subjects can be debated and discussed, balancing Centre-State powers. Autonomy to states: Centre should form model laws with enough space for states to maneuver. Centre should give enough budgetary support to states so as to avoid budgetary burden. There should be least interference in the state subjects. Conclusion The Indian constitution aim at reconciling the national unity while giving the power to maintain state to the State governments. It is true that the union has been assigned larger powers than the state governments, but this is a question of degree and not quality, since all the essential features of a federation are present in the Indian constitution. It is often defined to be quasi-federal in nature. Thus, it can be safely said that Indian Constitution is primarily federal in nature even though it has unique features that enable it to assume unitary features upon the time of need. Federal but its spirit is unitary. 4. What is National Infrastructure Investment Fund (NIIF)? What are its objectives and need? Explain. Approach- Question is straight forward. Candidate is required to give details of what is NIIF, what are its objectives and its functioning. Critically analysing the need of such funds, more analysis can be given with respect to bad loans and asset restructuring. Introduction NIIF, (National Investment and Infrastructure Fund), is an Indian-government backed entity established to provide long-term capital to the country’s infrastructure sector. It was founded to provide investment for maximizing the economic impact of the commercially available projects (Greenfield Projects and Brownfield Projects).  Body National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF) was set up as a sovereign wealth fund and is registered with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) under SEBI Regulations, 2012 as a Category II Alternate Investment Fund (AIF) with a planned corpus of ₹40,000 crore. It provides long-term capital for infra-related projects. The Indian government has 49 per cent stake in NIIF with the rest held by marquee foreign and domestic investors such as Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, Temasek and HDFC Group. What are the objectives of the NIIF? To raise funds through suitable instruments which also included the off-shore credit enhanced bonds. To attract the anchor investors for their participation as partners in NIIF. Servicing of the investors of the fund. To consider and approve the candidate companies, institutions, and projects for investments. To invest in the corpus created by the Asset Management Companies (AMCs) to invest in private equity. To provide advisory service and prepare a shelf of infrastructure projects. NIIF currently manages three funds each with its distinctive mandate. The three funds are: Master Fund: Is an infrastructure fund with the objective of primarily investing in operating assets in the core infrastructure sectors such as roads, ports, airports, power etc. Fund of Funds: Managed by fund managers who have good track records in infrastructure and associated sectors in India. Some of the sectors of focus include Green Infrastructure, Mid-Income & Affordable Housing, Infrastructure services and allied sectors. Strategic Investment Fund: Is registered as an Alternative Investment Fund II under SEBI in India. The objective is to invest largely in equity and equity-linked instruments. It will focus on green field and brown field investments in the core infrastructure sectors. What is the need of NIIF and why it is important? There is a clear need for big money to finance the burgeoning infrastructure sector in the country. Large and continuous capital infusions are needed across both old and new infrastructure projects and across the spectrum, in roads, railways, ports, airports and energy. Given the sector’s long-gestation periods, these projects need long-term patient money. NIIF can play a key role in this. Especially so in the current challenging circumstances when the bad loan problem at many banks. Rapid infrastructure development can give a major boost to the country’s economic prospects and employment generation. NIIF as a potential major financier can be a game changer. What is the note of cation? NIIF needs to make its investing decisions on an arm’s length basis, without pressures from its major backer, the government. Investment decisions has to be based solely on commercial objectives in order to deliver sustained long-term financial returns. But the NIIF cannot be forced to become a bail-out vehicle, similar to LIC and SBI. Investing in high-potential airports is one thing but putting money in troubled companies is another. NIIF might loose its credibility if it becomes a bailout arm of government. Conclusion India with a fast growing demand is in need of infrastructure projects implemented at lightning speed. If demand is not met with supply, we might miss the bus and loose an opportunity. NIIF is right mechanism to fund large projects, with the failure of IL&FS it is now important to use NIIF with pure economic sense. 5. Should corporate houses be allowed to own banks? Share and substantiate your views. Approach  Since question is asking you to substantiate so it requires you to substantiate already proven point and not debating between the various points.  Introduction  Before we go into discussions about the specific proposal of corporate houses owning banks, it is important to understand that the need is motivated by the desire to have greater competition by allowing for more banks. To put things in perspective, nationalization of banks was done to support India’s growth objectives by facilitating credit to priority sectors.  Body SHOULD CORPORATE HOUSES BE ALLOWED TO OWN BANKS Consider this, the single largest shareholder in these public sector banks was not geared towards the objective of making profits. Thus, we ended up with a banking structure where the major banks were willing to lose money and the single largest shareholder was willing to recapitalize the bank. The model led to a situation where political agents started to influence the lending decisions of banks, creating a toxic cocktail of crony-capitalism assisted by the state through its ownership of the banking system. Thus, what we need to recognize here is that indeed, there is a need for having greater players in the banking sector to ensure adequate savings can be mobilized to finance investments which are needed to create non-farm job opportunities. Therefore, the next logical question is what the ownership structure of the new entrants in India’s banking space should be: SHOULD WE ALLOW MORE FOREIGN BANKS OR MORE PRIVATE BANKS OWNED BY DOMESTIC ENTITIES OR PERHAPS, MORE GOVERNMENT OWNED BANKS? What we do know is that we do not need more government owned banks; if anything, we need less of them going forward, and the government should consider gradually reducing its ownership in a bulk of the existing public sector banks. So, the choice is between foreign banks and a greater number of private banks — and perhaps, both are equally important to develop our financial system. The proposal of allowing private corporate houses to set up banks has perhaps been done with the precise intention of allowing for greater space for private ownership of these banks. Indeed, many of the existing PSBs will also be privatized at some point and therefore, that is the overall direction of our public policy. The issue here pertains to allowing existing businesses houses to set up their banks, as many believe the model is ‘risky’ and would lead to greater concentration of economic power. Moreover, it has been argued that a bank cannot make good loans when it is owned by the borrower. It has, thus, been argued that a bank owned by the borrower may undertake poor lending decisions and information on loan performance will not be timely or accurate. The fundamental problems associated with lending decisions are the problems of adverse selection and moral hazard. Typically, if we have the borrower as the owner of the bank, there will be greater access to information which should make it better equipped to evaluate the proposal in the first place. Moreover, the assumption that a bank will be willing to lend to an unviable project using depositor’s money ignores the effect of such decisions on the viability of the bank itself. A business group — if it owns a bank — will be geared towards ensuring that the company is viable, and maximizes shareholder wealth by generating a healthy steam of profits. While there are concerns of banks funding other entities owned by business-houses, including evergreening of loans — a practice which was mastered by India’s public sector undertakings — however, we must realize regulations and mandatory disclosures can mitigate a major part of the risk associated with the same. Given that the fundamental challenge in the financial world is of information asymmetry, having private corporate ownership can significantly reduce the problem, paving way for an efficient banking system. The added advantage of the motivation for maximizing shareholder wealth and inherent incentive structures within such an ownership framework could also help in achieving several efficiently run banks. At the same time, we must recognize the risks associated with such a move and perhaps look at ways to minimize if not mitigate these risks through our regulatory frameworks rather than dismissing the idea altogether at such a premature stage. Conclusion On the issue of frauds, more so in the financial system, we must recognise that while building roads may lead to accidents, we do not stop building them as a policy tool to prevent accidents. Similarly, we cannot let our policies be guided by the fears of them being misused by economic agents — they must be guided by what works best for India’s development objectives and for every policy that is misused, we must proactively put in an adequate regulatory regime to prevent such instances from occurring in future. Thus, let us not jump the gun and form too strong opinions about an idea that is still at a premature stage — it presents a solution to a challenge faced by the country even as it comes with risks. The debate and our focus should now be on finding ways that would minimise risks rather than trying to utilise our energies solely on junking the idea. TLP HOT Synopsis Day 15 PDF

Jan 28, 2021 Prelims Exclusive Programme

[VIDEO] IASbaba's Prelims Exclusive Program (PEP) 2021 | CLIMATOLOGY - GEOGRAPHY for UPSC Civil Services | By Atyab Ali Sir

Dear Students, Thank you for the overwhelming response for the Prelims Exclusive Program (PEP) - 2021. Many students have been messaging and mailing regarding some demo classes of the Program. Even though we have posted some videos of last year's PEP on YouTube, in order to maintain the goodwill, we are posting few sessions of PEP - 2021 on YouTube which is 'OPEN FOR ALL' !! This video session is taken by Atyab Sir and is a part of IASbaba's Prelims Exclusive Program (PEP) 2021, One-Stop Destination for Prelims Preparation. The video deals with Climatology, important topic for Geography Prelims. PEP Features in a nut-shell: 1. Mentorship 2. Topper’s Enrichment Sessions- About their Prelims Strategy & Experience 3. Prelims Strategy Classes (1-Week Program) on how to Prepare, How to apply Tricks/Techniques- Live (from well researched set of questions), How to read specific content (Economic Survey, Budget, Atlas (Maps), Current affairs, Government Schemes/Policies), How to Solve a Test, Time management – 6 Classes 4. Subject-wise (Polity, Geography, Economics, History, Art & Culture, Science & Tech and Environment) Daily Class – 70 Classes and subject wise Exclusive tests for specific Prelims topics for every subject for quick revision 6. Subject wise current affairs will be taken by subject teachers. 7. Prelims oriented Current Affairs Tests & Handouts– 17 Tests 8. 3 Exclusive Tests on Map-based, Government Schemes/Policies, Economic Survey, Budget. 9. 6 Revision Tests – Polity, Geography, Economics, History, Art & Culture, Science & Tech and Environment. 10. 5 Mock Tests 11. 10 CSAT Tests + 12 Discussion Classes on strategies and short-cuts 90 Classes and more than 100 tests are included in the program. Please Note that: PEP will start on 25th January 2021. The program will be available BOTH OFFLINE (in DELHI, BANGALORE) depending on Government guidelines) and ONLINE Also, you can avail the Programme on À la carte basis – ONLY – Prelims Strategy Classes (or) Subject-wise Daily Class and Tests (or) Tests (Current Affairs, Exclusive, Revision, Full Mocks). À la carte basis is available only in Online mode SPECIAL DISCOUNTS will be offered to our ILP and TLP Students (present and previous batches). Kindly look below the Payment Section for more Details about the pricing of the Programme. To Know More about PEP 2021 Programs, Features, Other FAQ's -> CLICK HERE To download the Revised PEP Schedule -> CLICK HERE FOR ANY QUERIES: BENGALURU CENTRE: IASbaba Admission Centre: No.38, 3rd Cross, 1st Phase, 2nd Stage, 60 Feet Mains Road, Chandralayout, Bengaluru-560040. (Landmark: Opposite to BBMP Office/ CULT Fitness) DELHI CENTRE: IASbaba, 5B, PUSA Road, Opposite to Metro Pillar 110, Karol Bagh, New Delhi -110005 (Landmark: CROMA Store) LUCKNOW CENTRE: IASbaba, B-1/66, Sector J, Sector-A, Sector L, Aliganj, Lucknow, – 226024 (Landmark: Near Mr Brown / Opp to Sahu Studio) You can also reach us on- Email id: pep@iasbaba.com Contact No.: 8429688885/ 9169191888 (10 Am – 6 Pm) Please do not make calls before or after the given timing. PRELIMS EXCLUSIVE PROGRAMME (PEP) 2021 STARTED FROM 25th JANUARY 2021 - CLICK HERE  TO JOIN NOW !! Thank You IASbaba