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Oct 31, 2020 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 31st October 2020

Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) PLACID Trials: convalescent plasma therapy shows no positive effects Part of: GS Prelims and GS-III – Science and Technology In news Recently, the PLACID Trial, a multicentre randomized controlled trial (RCT), has shown that convalescent plasma (CP) therapy for Covid-19 patients gave no positive effects and did not improve the outcome of the patients. Key takeaways of the trial The trial results indicate that there was no difference in the 28-day mortality. Progression of Covid-19 from moderate to severe in patients treated with CP along with basic standard care had no difference when compared to basic standard care alone. The use of CP seemed to improve the resolution of shortness of breath and fatigue in patients with moderate Covid-19. However, this did not translate into a reduction in 28-day mortality or progression to severe disease. The ICMR is now considering removing the option of CPT from the national guidelines. Important value additions Convalescent Plasma Therapy Convalescent Plasma, extracted from the blood of patients recovering from an infection, is a source of antibodies against the infection. The therapy uses blood from people who have recovered from an illness to help others recover. Blood donated by people who have recovered from Covid-19 has antibodies to the virus that causes it. The donated blood is processed to remove blood cells, leaving behind liquid (plasma) and antibodies. These can be given to people with Covid-19 to boost their ability to fight the virus. The plasma donor would have to be a documented case of Covid-19 and healthy for 28 days since the last symptoms. PLACID Trial It was conducted by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). Aim: To investigate CPT’s effectiveness for the treatment of Covid-19. It is the first and largest randomised control trial to be completed in the world. Do you know? RCT is a trial in which subjects are randomly assigned to one of two groups. One (the experimental group) receiving the intervention that is being tested, and the other (the comparison group or control) receiving an alternative (conventional) treatment. Kochi-Muziris Biennale: Art exhibition and festival Part of: GS Prelims and GS-I – Art & Culture In news Kochi-Muziris Biennale was in the news recently. Its 5th edition has been postponed to 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Important value additions The Kochi-Muziris Biennale It is an art exhibition and festival. It is the largest of its kind in South Asia. Organised by: Kochi Biennale Foundation at Kochi, Kerala. The Foundation is a non-profit charitable trust engaged in promoting art and culture and educational activities in India. It works throughout the year to strengthen contemporary art infrastructure and to broaden public access to art across India through a diverse range of programmes. Do you know? In mythology, Muziris was a port city, among the earliest of its kind in the world. When Kerala established itself as a major center for spice, the ancient port of Muziris emerged as its hub. Currently, the Muziris Heritage Project is one of the biggest conservation projects in India, where the state and the central governments have come together to conserve a rich culture that is as old as 3000 years or more. The biennale exhibits artworks across a variety of mediums including film, installation, painting, sculpture, etc. Computation Analysis of Indian Genes published Part of: GS Prelims and GS-III – Science and Technology In news Recently, the results from the computation analysis of the 1029 sequenced genomes from India were published in the scientific journal, Nucleic Acid Research. The analysis was carried out by CSIR constituent labs, Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (IGIB), Delhi and Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), Hyderabad. The analysis has found that out of approximately 55.8 million single nucleotide variants in India, around 18.01 million (32.23%) variants are unique and found only in the samples sequenced from India. Thus, India-centric population genomic initiative becomes important. Important value additions Genome A genome is all the genetic matter in an organism. It is defined as an organism’s complete set of DNA including all of its genes. Every organism’s genetic code is contained in its DNA, the building blocks of life. Each genome contains all of the information needed to build and maintain that organism. In humans, a copy of the entire genome contains more than 3 billion DNA base pairs. Genome sequencing It means figuring out the order of Adenine, Cytosine, Guanines, and Thymine (DNA nucleotides) in a genome Application: (1) Crucial role for new advancements in medical science; (2) In disease management; (3) Researchers and clinicians can easily detect the disease related to genetic disorder. The study of entire genome sequences will help understand how genes work together to direct the growth, development and maintenance of an entire organism. The genes account for less than 25% of the DNA in the Genome. Thus, knowing the entire genome sequence will help scientists study the parts of the genome outside the genes. Superconductivity achieved at Room Temperature Part of: GS Prelims and GS-III – Science and Technology In news Recently, researchers have created a material that is superconducting at room temperature. It only works at a pressure of 267 Gigapascals (GPa). Key takeaways A mixture of carbon, hydrogen and sulfur was put in a microscopic niche carved between the tips of two diamonds (diamond anvil) and laser light was used on them to trigger chemical reactions. To verify that this phase was indeed a superconductor, the group ascertained that the magnetic susceptibility of the superconductor was that of a diamagnet. A superconducting material kept in a magnetic field expels the magnetic flux out its body when cooled below the critical temperature and exhibits perfect diamagnetism. It is also called the Meissner effect which simply means that magnetic lines do not pass through superconductors in a magnetic field. If researchers can stabilise the material at ambient pressure, applications of superconductivity at room temperatures could be achieved and will be within reach. Superconductors that work at room temperature could have a big technological impact, for example in electronics that run faster without overheating. Important value additions Superconductors A superconductor is a material that can conduct electricity or transport electrons from one atom to another with no resistance. No heat, sound or any other form of energy would be released from the material when it has reached critical temperature (Tc). The critical temperature for superconductors is the temperature at which the electrical resistivity of metal drops to zero. Examples: aluminium, niobium, magnesium diboride, etc. Applications: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machines, low-loss power lines, ultra powerful superconducting magnets, mobile-phone towers. Limitations: They need bulky cryogenics as the common superconductors work at atmospheric pressures, but only if they are kept very cold. Do you know? Meissner Effect: When a material makes the transition from the normal to the superconducting state, it actively excludes magnetic fields from its interior. Direct Port Entry (DPE) facility of V O Chidambaranar Port Trust inaugurated in line with Maritime Vision 2030 Part of: GS Prelims and GS-III – Infrastructure In news Recently, the Union Minister of State for Shipping has inaugurated the Direct Port Entry (DPE) facility of V O Chidambaranar Port Trust (VOCPT). Key takeaways The state-of-the-art DPE facility is created inside the Truck Parking Terminal which was developed under the ‘Sagarmala’ for issuing customs clearance of export cargo. The facility aligns with the ‘Maritime Vision 2030’ of the Ministry of Shipping. Significance: (1) Reduce logistics cost and increase the velocity of the cargo; (2) Enable direct movement of containers from factories; (3) Help in increasing Ease of Doing Business for the exporters. Important value additions Maritime India Vision 2030 It is a ten-year blueprint for the maritime sector which will be released by the Indian Prime Minister at the Maritime India Summit in November 2020. It will supersede the Sagarmala initiative. It aims to boost waterways, the shipbuilding industry and encourage cruise tourism in India. Maritime Development Fund: It is a Rs. 25,000-crore fund, which will provide low cost, long-tenure financing to the sector with the Centre contributing Rs. 2,500 crore over seven years. Port Regulatory Authority: A pan-India port authority will be set up under the new Indian Ports Act for enabling oversight across major and non-major ports. Eastern Waterways Connectivity Transport Grid project: It will aim to develop regional connectivity with Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and Myanmar. Riverine Development Fund: It will extend low cost, long-term financing for inland vessels with the support of a Riverine Development Fund (RDF) Rationalisation of Port Charges: It will make them more competitive. All hidden charges will be done away with. Promotion of Water Transport (MAINS FOCUS) URBANISATION/ GOVERNANCE Topic: General Studies 2,3: Urbanization, their problems and their remedies Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation Urban Floods: Time for a ‘sponge cities’ mission in India Context: Torrential rains in the third week of October in Hyderabad during which over 50 people died and hundreds of riverbed hutments were flushed away. The scale of destruction has been unprecedented. This experience is not unique to the city of Hyderabad but something that cities across India have been experiencing in recent years. What are the possible reasons for Urban Floods experienced in Hyderabad? Unprecedented rainfall: The rainfall received in 2020 has been the highest for the month of October in a century. Inability to manage the city’s drainage systems: The floods of October 2020 occurred because discharge of water did not take place on time. And when water was discharged it was in a sudden, uncontrolled manner. To put it bluntly, first sluices did not open and then bunds breached. Antiquated drainage infrastructure: Hyderabad’s century-old drainage system (developed in the 1920s) covered only a small part of the core city. In the last 20 years, the city has grown at least four times its original built-up area and not much was done to address the absence of adequate drainage systems. Neglecting issues of incremental land use change, particularly of those commons which provide us with necessary ecological support — wetlands. This has led to creation of urban terrain which is incapable of absorbing, holding and discharging water. One of the promising ideas to deal with Urban Floods is Sponge Cities The idea of a sponge city is to make cities more permeable so as to hold and use the water which falls upon it. Sponge cities absorb the rain water, which is then naturally filtered by the soil and allowed to reach urban aquifers. This allows for the extraction of water from the ground through urban or peri-urban wells. In built form, this implies contiguous open green spaces, interconnected waterways, and channels and ponds across neighbourhoods that can naturally detain and filter water These can all be delivered effectively through an urban mission along the lines of the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT), National Heritage City Development and Augmentation Yojana (HRIDAY) and Smart Cities Mission What steps need to be taken to take forward the idea of Sponge Cities Mission? Wetland policy: In most of our lakes, the shallow ends, which often lie beyond the full tank level, have disappeared. These shallow ends are best characterised as wetlands; sometimes owned by private individuals, other times existing as ecological commons. Regardless of ownership, land use on even this small scale needs to be regulated by development control. Watershed management and emergency drainage plan This should be clearly enunciated in policy and law. Urban watersheds are micro ecological drainage systems, shaped by contours of terrain. Detailed documentation of these Urban watersheds must be held by agencies where natural boundaries instead of governance boundaries (like wards) are used to come up with drainage plan. The Metropolitan Development Authorities, National Disaster Management Authority, State revenue and irrigation departments along with municipal corporations should be involved in such work together. Ban against terrain alteration Lasting irreversible damage has been done to the city by builders, property owners, and public agencies by flattening terrain and altering drainage routes. Terrain alteration needs to be strictly regulated and a ban on any further alteration of terrain needs to be introduced. Change in material usage Our cities are becoming increasingly impervious to water, not just because of increasing built up but also because of the nature of materials used (hard, non-porous construction material that makes the soil impervious). To improve the city’s capacity to absorb water, new porous materials and technologies must be encouraged or mandated across scales. Examples of these technologies are bioswales and retention systems, permeable material for roads and pavement, drainage systems which allow storm water to trickle into the ground, green roofs and harvesting systems in buildings. These not only reduce run-off and the load on infrastructure, but also help keep water in the city for later use. Involvement of other stakeholders Urban floods of this scale cannot be contained by the municipal authorities alone. Nor can they be dealt with by the State government. It can be managed with concerted and focused investments of energy and resources. Such investments can only be done in a mission mode organisation with active participation of civil society organisations at the metropolitan scale. Conclusion We need to urgently rebuild our cities such that they have the sponginess to absorb and release water without causing so much misery and so much damage to the most vulnerable of our citizens Connecting the dots: Urban Infrastructure projects AMRUT yojana The smart cities project is faced with multiple challenges and ambiguities in terms of its financial model, governance and scale. Critically examine. GOVERNANCE/ SCIENCE & TECH Topic: General Studies 2, 3: Science and Technology- developments and their applications and effects in everyday life Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation On digital governance, don’t repeat mistakes Context: There have now been two versions of the Personal Data Protection Bill, a report on non-personal data, and a variety of other proposals to regulate the digital economy from telemedicine to e-commerce to drones. At a macro-level though, two key problems may emerge related to digital governance State overreach State is entrenching itself excessively in the process of regulating the data economy Compulsory Data Sharing: Both the Personal Data Protection Bill as well as the non-personal Data report contains various clauses and suggestions that mandate compulsory data-sharing with the government. Lessons not learnt: The Industries (Development and Regulation) Act of 1951, gave the State a number of similar regulatory powers to dictate the output and prices of industries. This led to suppressing growth and innovation for decades. Lack of Clarity on Pricing: Almost 70 years later, the data regime is suggesting mandatory sharing of data for businesses on a fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory (FRAND)-based remuneration. It is not clear on how the State will decide on this remuneration. Price Controls: The 4 Vs of data — velocity, volume, veracity and variety — will amplify the problems in setting a price for the data economy. Price controls on data also reduce the incentives for companies willing to invest in the creation of databases — leading to economic and geo-political advantages for other countries India’s past experience tells us that State-led pricing will be anything but FRAND-friendly, and, therefore, the State must step away rather than jump in. Multiple Regulators There is a proposed regulator for non-personal data as well as for e-commerce, in addition to the Data Protection Authority (DPA) to be set up. These regulators may be aimed at different aspects of the data economy, yet the significant overlaps among them can’t be ignored. Consider an instance where non-personal data linked to an individual’s IP address, which is easily re-identifiable, could be used for targeted advertising for an e-commerce platform. This could lead to similar battles between regulators as seen in the SEBI and IRDAI on regulating Unit-Linked Investment Plans (ULIPs). IRDAI had to step in because ULIPs were provided by insurance companies and SEBI had to do so because these consisted of money invested in the market generating returns Multiple regulators also lead to the possibility of a lack of oversight, given that each authority presumes another regulator is responsible for regulating that issue. The Personal Data Protection Bill earmarks mergers and acquisitions as one area where data can be processed without user-consent — but this could have adverse competition and privacy concerns and can largely become an area overlooked by both the Competition Commission of India (CCI) and DPA. Conclusion While keeping the complexities of data in mind, India should not forget the complexities of regulation learnt from its own experience across sectors. Connecting the dots: Non-Personal Data Regulation- Part I and Part II K.S. Puttaswamy Case & Right to Privacy (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: Convalescent plasma is extracted from the blood of healthy person and transferred to the patient suffering from covid-19. The recently conducted Placid trial has shown positive results regarding convalescent plasma therapy. Which of the above is/are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.2 Consider the following statements: Muziris emerged as Goa’s hub when it established itself as a major Centre for Spice. Muziris Heritage project is one of the biggest conservation projects in the world. Which of the above is/are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 ANSWERS FOR 30th October 2020 TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE (TYK) 1 D 2 A Must Read About US exiting Afghanistan: The Indian Express About need for better forecast: The Hindu About French Terror Attacks: The Hindu

Oct 31, 2020 Daily Prelims CA Quiz

UPSC Quiz - 2020 : IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs Quiz 31st Oct 2020

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. This is a part of our recently launched, NEW INITIATIVE IASbaba’s INTEGRATED REVISION PLAN (IRP) 2020 – Road Map for the next 100 Days! FREE 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 the Initiative -> CLICK HERE SCHEDULE/DETAILED PLAN – > 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

Oct 31, 2020 TLP Mains 2020

IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 2): UPSC Mains Answer Writing - ESSAY [31st OCTOBER,2020] – Day 18

For Previous TLP (ARCHIVES) - CLICK HERE Hello Friends, Welcome to IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 2): UPSC Mains Answer Writing - ESSAY [31st OCTOBER,2020] – Day 18 We will make sure, in the next 3 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. We are giving 5 Mains Questions on 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 1. Success is not final; failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts. सफलता अंतिम नहीं है; विफलता घातक नहीं है: यह जारी रखने की हिम्मत है जो मायने रखता है। 2. Freedom cannot be bestowed — it must be achieved. स्वतंत्रता प्रदान नहीं की जाती - इसे प्राप्त करना होता है। 3. Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them, humanity cannot survive. प्रेम और करुणा आवश्यकताएं हैं, विलासिता नहीं। उनके बिना, मानवता जीवित नहीं रह सकती। 4. Real patriotism is a willingness to challenge the government when it's wrong. असली देशभक्ति वही है जो सरकार को तब चुनौती दे जब वह गलत हो। 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 :)

Oct 30, 2020 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 30th October 2020

Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) Major Global energy companies ask Indian Government to bring natural gas under the GST regime Part of: GS Prelims and GS-III – Energy; GST; Taxation In news Major Global energy companies have called on the Government of India to bring natural gas under the GST regime at the India energy Forum held recently. Currently petrol, diesel, aviation turbine fuel, natural gas and crude oil fall outside India’s GST regime. Government officials have also indicated that the government is considering bringing natural gas under the ambit of the GST regime. Benefits of bringing Natural gas under GST regime It would lead to a reduction in the cascading impact of taxes on industries such as power and steel, which use natural gas as an input. It would do away with the central excise duty and different value added taxes imposed by states. This would lead to an increase in the adoption of natural gas which would be in line with the government’s goal to increase the share of natural gas in the country’s energy basket from 6.3% to 15%. Guidelines unveiled for Awarding Bodies and Assessment Agencies under Skill India Mission Part of: GS Prelims and GS-II – Policies and interventions In news Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE) in collaboration with their unified regulator— National Council for Vocational Education and Training (NCVET) unveiled guidelines for the Awarding Bodies (AB) and Assessment Agencies (AA) over a digital conference. The guidelines aim at establishing quality, improved outcomes and standardizing the processes under Skill India Mission. Important value additions Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) was formed on November 9, 2014 by the Government of India to focus on enhancing employability of skills. Under its flagship programme, Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) 2016-2020, the Ministry has trained more than 92 lakh candidates so far. The National Council for Vocational Education and Training (NCVET) was notified by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) on 5th December 2018. The NCVET acts as an overarching skills regulator which regulates the functioning of entities engaged in vocational education and training. CCEA approves Mandatory Packaging In Jute Materials Part of: GS Prelims and GS-III – Economy In news The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved that 100% of the food-grains and 20% of the sugar shall be mandatorily packed in diversified jute bags. Key takeaways The decision also mandates that initially 10% of jute bags for packing food grains would be placed through reverse auction on the Gem portal. The Government has expanded the scope of mandatory packaging norms under the Jute Packaging Material (JPM) Act, 1987. The approval will benefit farmers and workers located in the Eastern and North Eastern regions of the country particularly in West Bengal, Bihar, Odisha, Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Meghalaya and Tripura. Important value additions Other Support provided to the Jute Sector The National Jute Board has collaborated with National Institute of Design and a Jute Design Cell has been opened at Gandhinagar. In order to boost demand in the jute sector, Government of India has imposed Definitive Anti-Dumping Duty on import of jute goods from Bangladesh and Nepal with effect from 5th January, 2017. In order to promote transparency in jute sector, Jute SMART, an e-govt initiative was launched in December, 2016 which provides an integrated platform for procurement of Jute sacking by Government agencies. Jute Jute is a rainy season crop. Jute requires a warm and humid climate with temperature between 24° C to 37° C. Constant rain or water-logging is harmful. The new gray alluvial soil of good depth, receiving salt from annual floods, is best for jute. Jute is harvested any time between 120 days to 150 days when the flowers have been shed, early harvesting gives good healthy fibers. The jute plant's fibres lie beneath the bark and surrounded the woody central part of the stem. To extract the fibres from the stem, the process is carried out in the following stages : Dam Rehabilitation And Improvement Project (DRIP) approved Part of: GS Prelims and GS-III – Infrastructure In news The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved the Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Project (DRIP) Phase II & Phase III with the financial assistance of the World Bank (WB) and Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB). Key takeaways Objective: To improve the safety and operational performance of selected dams across the whole country, along with institutional strengthening. The Scheme envisions comprehensive rehabilitation of 736 existing dams located across India. The Project will be implemented over a period of 10 years duration in two Phases. DRIP Phase II & Phase III has following components: (1) Rehabilitation and improvement of dams and associated appurtenances; (2) Dam safety institutional strengthening in participating States and Central agencies; (3) Exploration of alternative incidental means to generate the incidental revenue for sustainable operation and maintenance of dams; (4) Project management. Meri Saheli launched Part of: GS Prelims and GS-I – Social issues In news Indian Railways has launched “Meri Saheli” initiative for focused action on security of women across all zones. Objective: To provide safety and security to lady passengers travelling by trains for their entire journey from starting station to destination station. Key takeaways It is an initiative of Railway Protection Force (RPF). It entails interaction with lady passengers especially those travelling alone by a team of young lady RPF personnel at the originating station. These lady passengers are briefed about all precautions to be taken during the journey and told to dial 182 in case they face or see any problem in the coach. The platform duty RPF personnel at the stopping stations en-route keep unobtrusive watch over the concerned coaches and berths and if need arises, interact with the lady passengers. Do you know? The “Meri Saheli” initiative was started as a pilot project in South Eastern Railway in September 2020 and after getting encouraging response from lady passengers, it was extended to all zones SERB – Power scheme for women scientists Part of: GS Prelims and GS-III – Science and Technology In news A Scheme titled “SERB-POWER (Promoting Opportunities for Women in Exploratory Research)” was recently launched exclusively for women scientists. Ministry: Ministry of Science & Technology Launched by: The Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB), a Statutory body of the Department of Science and Technology (DST) Key takeaways Objective: To mitigate gender disparity in science and engineering research in various S&T programs. It will have two components namely: (1) SERB-POWER Fellowship; (2) SERB- POWER Research Grants. Features of the SERB-POWER Fellowship Target: Women researchers in 35-55 years of age. Up-to 25 Fellowships per year and not more than 75 at any point in time. Components of support: Fellowship of Rs. 15,000/- per month in addition to regular income; Research grant of Rs. 10 lakh per annum; and Overhead of Rs. 90,000/- per annum. Duration: Three years, without the possibility of extension. Once in a career. Features of the SERB – POWER Research Grants POWER Grants will empower women researchers by funding them under following two categories: (1) Level I (Applicants from IITs, IISERs, IISc, NITs, Central Universities, and National Labs of Central Government Institutions): The scale of funding is up to 60 lakhs for three years; (2) Level II (Applicants from State Universities / Colleges and Private Academic Institutions): The scale of funding is up to 30 lakhs for three years. POWER Grant will be regulated through terms of reference conforming to SERB-CRG (Science and Engineering Research Board-Core Research Grant) guidelines. PLI Schemes For Promoting Domestic Manufacturing Of Bulk Drugs & Medical Devices revised Part of: GS Prelims and GS-III – Science and Technology In news Chemicals and Fertilizers Ministry has revised the Production Linked Incentive Schemes for promoting domestic manufacturing of bulk drugs and medical devices. Key takeaways In the revised guidelines, the ‘Minimum Threshold’ investment requirement has been replaced by ‘committed investment’ taking into account availability of technology choices which varies from product to product. The change has been made to encourage efficient use of productive capital. The Department of Pharmaceuticals earlier come out with the two Production Linked Incentive Schemes: (1) Production Linked Incentive scheme for promotion of domestic manufacturing of critical Key Starting Materials, Drug Intermediates and Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients in India; (2) Production Linked Incentive Scheme for Promoting Domestic Manufacturing of Medical Devices. Do you know? Globally, the Indian pharmaceutical industry is the third largest in terms of volume. (MAINS FOCUS) EDUCATION/ GOVERNANCE/ SCIENCE & TECH Topic: General Studies 2, 3: Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Education, Human Resources Science and Technology- developments and their applications and effects in everyday life ASER Survey: COVID-19 impact and Gaps in Learning Context: Although the Centre has now permitted States to start reopening schools if they can follow COVID-19 safety protocols, the vast majority of the country’s 25 crore students are still at home after seven straight months. What is Annual Status of Education Report? It is the largest citizen-led survey in India facilitated by Pratham NGO. It is also the only annual source of information on children’s learning outcomes available in India today ASER is a household-based rather than school-based survey. This design enables all children to be included – those who have never been to school or have dropped out, as well as those who are in government schools, private schools, religious schools or anywhere else. ASER 2020 was conducted in 26 states and four Union Territories. The phone-based survey was done in September 2020, the sixth month of national school closures. A total of 52,227 rural households and 59,251 children in the 5-16 age group were surveyed. ASER 2020 explored whether this unprecedented situation has caused shifts in children’s enrollment patterns in rural India Key Finding of 2020 report (rural) are: Shift in enrolments from private schools to government institutions: 69.55 per cent children in the 6-14 age group are enrolled in government schools, up from 66.42 per cent in 2018. Decrease in Enrolment: ASER 2020 shows that 5.5 per cent children are not currently enrolled for the 2020-21 school year, up from 4 per cent in 2018. This difference is the sharpest among the youngest children (ages 6 to 10), possibly because they have not yet secured admission to school. While 1.8 per cent children in this age group were not enrolled in 2018, that has spiked to 5.3 per cent. Digital Divide: The survey found 43.6% of students in government schools without access to a smartphone, while 67.3% of those who received learning materials in these institutions got them over WhatsApp, underscoring the role played by gadgets and connectivity Increased Smartphone penetration not translated into access to Education: The levels of smartphone ownership have almost doubled – from 36.5% in 2018 to 61.8% in 2020, but a third of children with smartphone access still did not receive any learning materials. Parental/community involvement: Almost 75 per cent of children said they received some form of learning support from family members, with older siblings playing a key role. Government worked to respond to crisis: More than 80 per cent children said they had textbooks for their current grade, this proportion was higher among students enrolled in government schools (84.1 per cent) than in private ones (72.2 per cent). Parental levels of education and resources played a key role in whether children studied at home: About 20% of children whose parents had less than five years of education got learning materials, compared to 46% among parents who had studied beyond Class IX themselves Regional imbalance: In Bihar, less than 8% got such materials from their schools, along with 20% in West Bengal, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. On the other hand, more than 80% of rural children in Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Kerala and Gujarat received such input. Important Takeaways from the report Evidence based policy making: The data collected could facilitate intervention by the education system in some respects, even if, going forward, schools opt for a hybrid solution of partial reopening and online learning. Expanding availability of textbooks to all, including those who dropped out or are waiting to be formally admitted, will help parents and siblings aid learning. Bridging the divide on educational aids, now including smartphones, will enable transmission of learning materials, and personal tutorial sessions. Opportunity for Observational Learning: The education system could creatively use opportunities during the current year to broaden learning. Students could use the safety of the open countryside to learn, under guidance from teachers, a host of topics by doing things themselves which helps create strong foundations. Need for Monitoring: When schools re-open, it will be important to continue to monitor who goes back to school, and very importantly to understand whether there is learning loss as compared to previous years, Leveraging Home Support to improve learning: Schools should find ways to build on the home support going forward, given that families provided learning support to children during pandemic, either from parents or elder siblings. Connecting the dots: ASER 2019 report: Fix early learning in government schools AGRICULTURE/ SCIENCE & TECH Topic: General Studies 2,3: Different types of irrigation and irrigation systems Science and Technology- developments and their applications and effects in everyday life Precision Agriculture About It is an approach to farm management that uses information technology (IT) to ensure that the crops and soil receive exactly what they need for optimum health and productivity. It is an approach where inputs are utilised in precise amounts to get increased average yields, compared to traditional cultivation techniques. The goal of PA is to ensure profitability, sustainability and protection of the environment. PA is also known as satellite agriculture, as-needed farming and site-specific crop management (SSCM). Precision agriculture relies upon specialized equipment, software and IT services. The approach includes accessing real-time data about the conditions of the crops, soil and ambient air, along with other relevant information such as hyper-local weather predictions, labor costs and equipment availability. Advantages precision farming Helps increase agriculture productivity in sustainable manner Prevents soil degradation Reduction of chemical application in crop production Efficient use of water resources Dissemination of modern farm practices to improve quality, quantity and reduced cost of production Developing favourable attitudes Precision farming changing the socio-economic status of farmers Precision farming in India Some of the schemes like PMKSY’s (Per Drop More Crop) involve Precision Agriculture practices. The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) has formulated a project entitled “SENSAGRI: SENsor based Smart AGRIculture”. The major objective is to develop indigenous prototype for drone based crop and soil health monitoring system using hyperspectral remote sensing (HRS) sensors. Drone technology is also being used. It has ability for smooth scouting over farm fields, gathering precise information and transmitting the data on real time basis. Mobile apps are being used to provide farmers with weather information and provide early warning. Drawbacks of precision farming High cost Lack of technical expertise knowledge and technology Not applicable or difficult/costly for small land holdings Heterogeneity of cropping systems and market imperfections Conclusion The need of the hour is to adopt state of the art technology to make agriculture sustainable and profitable. Agricultural renaissance can take shape on a strong digital foundation. Adoption of technology will help in sustaining food security and enhanced livelihood opportunities. In addition, the farming community needs to diversify and take up allied activities like fisheries, dairy and poultry as well to double the on-farm incomes. Connecting the dots: New Farm Bills and Opposition to it (TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE) Model questions: (You can now post your answers in comment section) Note: Correct answers of today’s questions will be provided in next day’s DNA section. Kindly refer to it and update your answers. Comments Up-voted by IASbaba are also the “correct answers”. Q.1 Which of the following is/are outside India’s GST regime? Petrol Diesel Aviation turbine fuel Natural gas Select the correct code: 1 and 4 only 2, 3 and 4 only 2 and 4 only 1, 2, 3 and 4 Q.2 Consider the following statements regarding Jute cultivation: Jute requires a warm and humid climate with temperature between 24° C to 37° C. Constant rain or water-logging is helpful for its growth. Which of the above is/are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 ANSWERS FOR 29th October 2020 TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE (TYK) 1 C 2 A 3 D Must Read About Farm bills and critical analysis: The Indian Express About deepening of Indo-US defence partnership: The Hindu About declining US power: The Hindu

Oct 30, 2020 TLP Mains 2020

SYNOPSIS [29th OCTOBER,2020] Day 16: IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 2): UPSC Mains Answer Writing (General Studies)

For Previous TLP (ARCHIVES) - CLICK HERE SYNOPSIS [29th OCTOBER,2020] Day 16: IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 2): UPSC Mains Answer Writing (General Studies) 1. How are beneficiaries identified for different schemes in India? What are the merits and limitations of the processes adopted for such identifications? Examine. Approach: It is straightforward question; it expects student to write about - in first part write method for identification of beneficiaries for different scheme - in second part write merits - in third part write limitation of these processes Introduction: Government Schemes in India are launched by the government to address the social and economic welfare of the citizens of this nation. These schemes play a crucial role in solving many socio-economic problems that beset Indian society, and thus their awareness is a must for any concerned citizen. Body: For identification of beneficiaries for different scheme of different ministries wide range of sources used as follows: Dated database based on 2011 numbers: The Socio-Economic Caste Census (SECC). he SECC is being used in central schemes such as the Ayushman Bharat and Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana to identify beneficiaries. A district-wise comparison with data from the last census conducted in 2011 National Family Health Survey (NFHS 2015-16) SECC, in principle, remains a targeted approach for welfare delivery mechanism Poverty level under different government data Most of the government initiatives depend on either land records. Merits of current beneficiary identification method are: It promotes equity and reduce favouritism. It brings transparency in identification method. It increases penetration of scheme or benefits to needy people. It helps in identifying sections of people which needs upliftment. However, Limitations of current identification method: Targeted programs create tensions between those who are excluded—some of whom may be among the poor but “missed” by targeting schemes—and the beneficiaries. Many scholars have pointed out the tendency of politicians to abuse targeted programs by converting them into instruments of patronage. Additionally, most of the benefits meant for end-up being elite captured. As, Amartya Sen points out,” benefits that go only to the poor often end up being poor benefits.” SECC database is that it is already eight years old in an economy which is transforming fast, and where some people have climbed up the income ladder while others have fallen down. This means that a SECC-type exercise needs to be repeated at frequent intervals to ensure that it matches current reality. But the more the database is mined for such use, the greater the chances of reporting biases creeping in, as people learn how to game the database to remain within the ‘right’ cut-off limits. Migration– As the schemes are implemented at state level, migration of poor denies them benefits of scheme in another state. Exclusion error– Eligible beneficiaries are excluded from benefits due to infrastructural issues, lack of awareness on part of people, lack of verifiable documents etc. Conclusion: The inherent challenges in any targeting exercise suggests that quasi-universal schemes with simple exclusion criteria based on regular and professionally conducted censuses may be a better bet for a country such as ours. 2. Despite having reasonable success on the food security front, India has fared poorly on the barometer of nutritional security. Why? Analyse. What measures would you suggest to address this anomaly? Approach: When a candidate is asked to Analyse, he/she is expected to break an issue into constituent parts and explain how these relate to one another and present as one summary. The general perception about food security is that it will ensure nutritional security. However, this is not the case on ground level. Hence, here it is expected to show the reasons why India fared poorly on nutritional security. For the intro part, one can start with any report related to food security or nutritional security or one can also start by simply defining what is food security and nutritional security and what are its prospective outcomes. In the main body part it is expected to argue the reasons due to which India fared poorly on nutritional security. To address the problems associated with nutritional security, one needs to give relative measures to ensure nutritional security with it. To fetch more marks, diagrams, tables, graph, any report finding, success stories or best practises can be cited. Introduction: As per the report 'National Food and Nutrition Security Analysis' of World Food Programme (WFP) and the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, malnutrition amongst children in India is projected to remain high, despite all the progress made in food security. Which indicates India has fared poorly on nutritional security. Body: Food security is defined as the availability and the access of food to all people; whereas nutrition security demands the intake of a wide range of foods which provides the essential needed nutrients. As per 'National Food and Nutrition Security Analysis' , Access to nutritious food has not increased due to following reasons. Food grain yields have risen 33% over the last two decades, but are still only half of 2030 target yields. The consumer’s access to rice, wheat and other cereals has not increased at the same rate, due to population growth, inequality, food wastage and losses, and exports. As a result, the average per capita consumption of energy among the poorest 30% of the population is 1811 kilocalories, much lower than the norm of 2155 kilocalories per day. Hence, it is evident that though India has fared well on food security front, it fared poorly on nutritional security front. Reasons for poor performance on Nutritional security front: Too much emphasis on Under nutrition: For several decades India was dealing with only one form of malnutrition- under nutrition. However, in the last decade, the double burden which includes both over- and under nutrition, is becoming more prominent and poses a new challenge for India. Micronutrient deficiency: Despite positive trends and patterns in improving food security, the prevalence of malnutrition in India remains high, with many people, especially women and children, suffering from micronutrient deficiency. Performance of States: In Bihar and Uttar Pradesh the stunting rate is around 48% and 46% respectively. It shows that in these states almost every 2nd child is stunted. Whereas in Kerala and Goa, it is only one in five children. Vulnerable and Marginalised sections: There are high rates of stunting among children in the poorest wealth quintile is (51.4%), Scheduled Tribes (43.6%) and Scheduled Castes (42.5%), and children born to mothers with no education (51%). Slow decline of child stunting: Over the last decade, child stunting has reduced at a rate of about 1% per year, the slowest decline among emerging economies. At this rate, 31.4% of children will still be stunted by the 2022 deadline. Almost one in three Indian children under five years will still be stunted by 2022 going by current trends. As per comprehensive 'National Nutrition Survey' conducted by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) to measure malnutrition hard evidence of the coexistence of obesity and undernutrition, among school-going children has been recorded in India. According to UNICEF, 38% of children younger than five years of age in India are stunted, a manifestation of chronic undernutrition. Stunting and other forms of under-nutrition are thought to be responsible for nearly half of all child deaths globally. Also as per, The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2020, Hundreds of millions of people in India cannot afford a healthy or nutritious diet. Which shows that there is access to food. However, there is less or no access to nutritious food. This analysis confirms the fact that the problem of poor nutrition in India is largely on account of the unaffordability of good diets, and not on account of lack of information on nutrition or tastes or cultural preferences. The reasons for non affordability are different such as more number of people in a household, less per capita income, etc. Those we officially count as poor in India – with a cut-off that is lower than the international norm of $1.9 a day – cannot afford a nutrient-adequate diet let alone a healthy diet. Also the Covid-19 pandemic has aggravated this situation as the number of people who cannot afford a healthy diet have risen in the last three months, as employment and incomes collapsed for the majority of workers in the informal sector. India, currently has the largest number of undernourished people in the world i.e. around 195 million. Nearly 47 million or 4 out of 10 children in India do not meet their full human potential because of chronic undernutrition or stunting. Also As per the Global Hunger Index, 2020, India was ranked 94th out of 107 qualifying countries. The situation is grim and the country is battling widespread hunger and thereby aggravating the problem of nutritional security. Measures to address the anomaly of nutritional security vs. food security: Sustainability of nutritious food productivity: Innovative and low-cost farming technologies, increase in the irrigation coverage and enhancing knowledge of farmers in areas such as appropriate use of land and water should be encouraged to improve the sustainability of food productivity. Redefine poverty line: The Indian poverty line of 2011-12, as defined by the Tendulkar Committee, amounted to ₹33 per day in urban areas and ₹27 per day in rural areas, and corresponded roughly to $1 a day at international PPP prices. It needs to be redefined as per Indian needs. Agricultural Diversification: Farmers should be encouraged and incentivised for agricultural diversification. For this the government could improve policy support for improving agricultural produce of traditional crops in the country. For instance, Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana initiated with objective of making farming a remunerative economic activity through strengthening the farmer’s effort, risk mitigation and promoting agri-business entrepreneurship. Major focus is on pre & post-harvest infrastructure, besides promoting agri-entrepreneurship and innovations. It is important to pay attention to the life cycle approach advocated in the National Food Security Act, 2013, particularly the first thousand days in a child’s life when the cognitive abilities of the child are shaped. Otherwise, there may be negative effects on nutritional security in the medium to longer term. The life cycle approach of NFSA is as mentioned below in Figure 1. Figure 1:Life cycle approach of NFSA Improving forward and backward linkages in agriculture: Storage capacity should be improved to prevent post-harvest losses. Fortification of Food: The targeting efficiency of all food safety nets should be improved, especially that of the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS), to ensure that the poorest are included. It should be complimented by fortified food. For instance, Golden rice variety. Child feeding practices should be improved in the country, especially at the critical ages when solid foods are introduced to the diet. For instance, Under the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY), Rs.6,000 is transferred directly to the bank accounts of pregnant women for availing better facilities for their delivery. Fortification, diversification and supplementation may be used as simultaneous strategies to address micro and macronutrient deficiencies. For instance, POSHAN Abhiyaan, launched in 2017-18, aims to reduce stunting, under-nutrition, anaemia and low birth weight babies through synergy and convergence among different programmes, better monitoring and improved community mobilisation. Mid-day Meal (MDM) scheme aims to improve nutritional levels among school children which also has a direct and positive impact on enrolment, retention and attendance in schools. However, lacunas in its implementation are observed which needs to checked. For instance, incidences of mixing large quantity of water with 1 packet of milk powder, Also in one of the schools in Uttar Pradesh Salt was provided as a substitute for sabji with Roti. The Goal 2 of the 2030 Sustainable Development agenda seeks to end hunger and all forms of malnutrition and double agricultural productivity in the next 15 years. Conclusion: The National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013, aims to ensure food and nutrition security for the most vulnerable through its associated schemes and programmes, making access to food a legal right. Though its performance on the front of Food security fared good, its effort to address nutritional security is lacking. Hence, arise the need to implement the NFSA,2013 in its letter and spirit with above mentioned measures to ensure 'Nutrition for all with Food for all'. 3. Without a much deeper technology assimilation, India’s farm sector can’t compete in the global markets. Do you agree? Identify the areas that require such technology assimilation to improve the overall performance of the farm sector. Approach: In the first part, you need to give your views regarding deeper technology assimilation in India’s farm sector for competing in the global markets. Further in the second part, you need to identify the areas that require such technological assimilation to improve overall performance of the sector. Introduction Technology has always played a crucial role in every industry in our country. The farm sector is no exception to this. This industry is gaining tremendous benefits from several modern technologies that are arising which is helping it improve its competitiveness in the global markets where multiple interventions have led to improved overall performance of the farm sector. Body Consequently, it becomes inevitable that without a much deeper technology assimilation, India’s farm sector can’t compete in the global markets due to the following factors: Technology assimilation leads to more precise targeting of pests and diseases - Technological advances in the science of pest control are expected to continue to produce chemical control agents that over time are at least as effective in controlling pests as the ones they replace, but which are also less toxic, less persistent and less mobile through the soil. Technology assimilation leads to more efficient administering of nutrients - Inorganic fertilisers allowed the separation of crop production from animal husbandry, restored fertility to depleted soils, and contributed to the development of livestock production based on grain and other feed ingredients. Technology assimilation lead to more efficiency – For example, Drones eliminate wastage of time by quickening activities. Agricultural drones are very much useful for farmers in monitoring crop growth and allows to take necessary steps for increasing the production. Farm Mechanisation - India’s massive agricultural potential can be best utilised by increasing productivity through timely and cost-effective field work. To make this possible, agricultural mechanisation plays a principal role. AI and related technology - With the help of AI and IT, this sector is now advancing rapidly in spaces like satellite monitoring, data analytics and weather simulations. One such major area that has been impacted by both these technologies is ‘precision agriculture’. This area involves collecting and analysing data at the individual plant level. But at the same time, it is important to consider that competitiveness in global markets is not only a function of technology assimilation but other factors too, like – Developed countries are providing huge subsidies to agriculture sector and thereby, create distortions in the international market. The lack of know-how about foreign markets and consumers, coupled with stringent quantitative and qualitative restrictions, make access to international markets difficult. There is definitely a need to look into the food consumption patterns of target markets vis-a-vis Indian produce. Following can be considered with regards to technology assimilation to improve the overall performance of the farm sector in India: Training in good agricultural practices, climate-smart agriculture, agri-input usage, modern packaging facilities, pre-harvest and post-harvest management practices in line with importing country requirements are important. A national contaminant and residue monitoring programme is also proposed to boost spice exports. Investments through public-private partnerships could prove beneficial in this regard. In 2015, the EU rejected Indian grape consignments due to the use of a banned chemical, as a result of which scientists at the National Research Centre for Grapes trained farmers in the appropriate use of pesticides through a software called Grapenet. Such intervention are a need of the hour. On the operational front, future actions must include strengthening export infrastructure: investment in cold chains, logistics, etc. The development of integrated food processing facilities might help in pushing processed food, which occupies minimal share in India’s exports. Further, synchronisation of Indian production regimes with target markets in terms of counter-seasonality, quality, consumer behaviour and technical barriers to trade can help attain our targets of enhancing exports and doubling farmers’ incomes. In order to overcome quality hurdles, advanced specialised capacity building programmes for farmers might help. Specialised training programmes refer to those targeted at specific commodities and specific markets. Conclusion: The new Indian agricultural export policy aims to double agricultural exports from the present $30 billion to $60 billion by 2022 and attain a market size of $100 billion in the next few years which requires bridging the gap between farmers and markets through world-class knowledge and technologies—AI, GIS, remote sensing—backed by appropriate policy measures. 4. Critically evaluate the performance of direct benefit transfers in addressing food security challenges. Approach: It expects students to write about the challenges of food security, and role of DBT in addressing those challenges. It also expects students to write issues in DBT to ensure food security. Introduction: Food security, as defined by the United Nations’ Committee on World Food Security, means that all people, at all times, have physical, social, and economic access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food that meets their food preferences and dietary needs for an active and healthy life. Estimates show that while 27.8% of India’s population suffered from moderate or severe food insecurity in 2014-16, the proportion rose to 31.6% in 2017-19. National Food Security Act (2013) provides for reforms in the TPDS including schemes such as Cash transfers for provisioning of food entitlements. Body: Food security challenges in India: Corruption: Diverting the grains to open market to get better margin, selling poor quality grains at ration shops, irregular opening of the shops adds to the issue of food insecurity. Increase in rural-to-urban migration: Nation-wide lockdown in March 2020, migrant workers, among the country's poorest citizens, had a particularly difficult time adhering to lockdown measures faced food insecurity. Large proportion of informal workforce resulting in unplanned growth of slums which lack in the basic health and hygiene facilities, insufficient housing and increased food insecurity. Inadequate distribution of food through public distribution mechanisms (PDS i.e. Public Distribution System): Deserving beneficiaries of the subsidy are excluded on the basis of non-ownership of below poverty line (BPL) status, as the criterion for identifying a household as BPL is arbitrary and varies from state to state. Lack of access to remote areas: For the tribal communities, trans migratory communities, habitation in remote difficult terrains and practice of subsistence farming has led to significant economic backwardness and intensity of food insecurity goes on increasing with extreme climate. Climate Change: Higher temperatures and unreliable rainfall makes farming difficult. Climate change not only impacts crop but also livestock, forestry, fisheries and aquaculture, and can cause grave social and economic consequences in the form of reduced incomes, eroded livelihoods, trade disruption and adverse health impacts. Gender inequality: Women are vulnerable on all dimensions of food security: availability, access, utilization and stability. Due to patriarchal pattern in food consumption many times women and girls in household goes through deficiency in food and nutritional level and faces malnutrition condition due to food insecurity. Direct benefit transfer ensures food security: To reduce the need for huge physical movement of food grains: it reduces the stress on different mode of transport and warehousing challenge from wastage of food grains and spoilage. To provide greater autonomy to beneficiaries to choose their consumption basket in specified area and Identified areas for example tribal community’s different requirement based on their local conditions. To enhance dietary diversity: with money in bank account or cash a household has option to consume different high nutritional food. To reduce leakages: Direct transfer to bank account ensures no intermediary in between therefore fall in leakages. To facilitate better targeting: Benefit is provided directly to needy and vulnerable people with increasing their purchasing power. Eligible households to enable them to purchase food grains from open market. Direct benefit transfer policy can cover the entire country. If implemented effectively, this policy may yield positive outcomes for migrants who were facing food shortage and food insecurity during lockdown phase. Issues in Direct benefit transfer for food security: Diversion of benefit: Direct cash may not be used for intended purpose and can be used in unhealthy ways. For example, the cash instead of food subsidy may be spent on drinking and smoking as most of beneficiary family heads are men. Social exclusion: Still there are many homeless family in urban-rural & tribal areas, which don’t have banking facility and road connectivity. Many daily wages workers involved in manual labor face identification problem due to finger prints during authentication. Lack of adequate documents also leads to exclusion of many poor from banking sector. Difficulty in identifying beneficiary: As of now, only 3% Indians pay income tax. So, determining the income of the rest of the citizens is still a challenge hence making it difficult to identify the deserving beneficiaries. Infrastructure deficiency: Micro ATMs, which were set up to deliver cash benefits at door step are not present in many areas hence many beneficiaries have to travel long to withdraw money. Illiterate vulnerable community: Most of the banks appoints Business Correspondents to enroll beneficiaries in rural areas. They may open more than one account for each beneficiary for incentive. And there are many complaints that they are not giving passbooks to the beneficiaries making them unaware of the scheme. Illiterate beneficiaries are more vulnerable in this case. Zero balance accounts: Bank staff are reluctant to cooperate in opening accounts, especially unprofitable ‘zero balance’ accounts, they are quite unfamiliar with opening and operating bank accounts and they are often seen as supplicants rather than clients. Various socio-cultural factors: Food based discrimination to women and children in different households and varied socioeconomic conditions cannot be fulfilled by Direct benefit transfer. Way forward: Through Conditional Cash Transfer in identified and specified area. Coupon/token system. 'Bolsia Familia' style of giving benefit preferentially to a female head of household. Conclusion: DBT has helped the government plug subsidy leakages by eliminating intermediaries and middlemen, which in turn resulted in a savings of about billions for government. Though there are some loopholes involved in Direct Benefit Transfer scheme, this program is an excellent way to ensure that every paisa reach the deserving beneficiaries, if carefully implemented and with appropriate reforms. Aggressive awareness campaign of DBT for food security will help India fight under nutrition and malnutrition and achieve 2nd goal of SDG for zero hunger and build inclusive growth for India. 5. Developing entrepreneurship in the field of livestock and fisheries can be a game changer for the rural economy. Elucidate. Approach: It expects students to write about - in first part write about livestock and fisheries sector - in second part write about how developing entrepreneurship in the field of livestock and fisheries can be a game changer for the rural economy - in third part write way forward. Introduction: Livestock rearing, Dairying, Fisheries activities, along with agriculture, are an integral part of human life since the start of civilization. These activities have helped to improve the food basket and to gain draught animal power. As a result of conducive climate and topography, Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries Sectors have played a prominent socio-economic role in India. Body: Livestock and fisheries sector of India: Livestock, fishing and aquaculture account for nearly 32% of the overall agricultural GDP and 5% of national GDP. Livestock and fish products together contribute over Rs 7 lakh crore to total value of the agricultural output. The average annual growth rate of Livestock and fisheries sector together is 6 times more than that in the crop sector between 2012-13 and 2016-17. The share of crops in the value of agricultural output has been declining, but that of livestock and fish products is on a steadily upward trend. Developing entrepreneurship in the field of livestock and fisheries can be a game changer for the rural economy because: Livestock contributed 16% to the income of small farm households as against an average of 14% for all rural households. Livestock provides a livelihood to two-third of the rural community. It also provides employment to about 8.8 % of the population in India. It will provide self-employment to millions of people especially rural households. It will have contributed significantly to the empowerment of women and has increased their income and role in society. It can be a major risk mitigation approach for small and marginal farmers, particularly across the rain-fed regions of India. It will be at the centre of poverty alleviation programs from equity and livelihood standpoints. A Food and Agriculture Organisation study has shown that one rupee of investment in the livestock sector can generate a return of four rupees. It will be faster than many other sectors of agriculture and continuing this trend will contribute as main sector for development of Indian economy. Livestock productivity has been identified as one of the seven sources of income growth by the Inter-Ministerial Committee under the government’s target of doubling of farmers’ income by the year 2022. Important Initiatives by the Government: Animal Husbandry Startup Grand Challenge To appreciate innovations coming from the villages to expand the dairy sector in India. National Livestock Mission To ensure quantitative and qualitative improvement in livestock production systems and capacity building of all stakeholders. Central Sector Scheme on Blue Revolution: Integrated Development and Management of Fisheries (CSS) Way forward: Schemes of integrated approach for enhancing inland fish production and productivity with forward and backward linkages. Large scale adoption of culture-based capture fisheries and cage culture in reservoirs and larger water bodies are to be taken up. Sustainable exploitation of marine fishery resources especially deep sea resources and enhancement of marine fish production through sea farming, mariculture. Encouraging Public-Private Partnership for sustainable livestock rearing. Increasing commercialization of livestock products by improving technologies, increasing market connectivity, processing and storage centre, training etc. By setting up a consortium with National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) and National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) to fund the dairy cooperatives. Conclusion: Livestock and fisheries sector shouldn’t be just a vehicle for poverty alleviation or securing livelihoods. Rather, it must emerge as a platform for creating an army of rural entrepreneurs. Tending to cattle, pigs or poultry may not be seen as glamorous, but earning good money is certainly an attractive proposition. The sector should be pitched as such — livestock for prosperity. TLP HOT Synopsis Day 16 PDF

Oct 30, 2020 Daily Prelims CA Quiz

UPSC Quiz - 2020 : IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs Quiz 30th Oct 2020

Oct 30, 2020 TLP Mains 2020

IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 2 - ENGLISH & हिंदी): UPSC Mains Answer Writing - General Studies Paper 4 Questions[30th OCTOBER,2020] - Day 17

For Previous TLP (ARCHIVES) - CLICK HERE Hello Friends, Welcome to IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 2 - ENGLISH & हिंदी): UPSC Mains Answer Writing - General Studies Paper 4 Questions[30th OCTOBER,2020] - Day 17 We will make sure, in the next 3 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. We are giving 5 Mains Questions on 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 do you understand by the affective and cognitive components of attitude? Explain with the help of suitable examples. आप अभिवृत्ति के भावात्मक और संज्ञानात्मक घटकों द्वारा क्या समझते हैं? उपयुक्त उदाहरणों की सहायता से समझाएँ। 2. What functions does attitude play in a person’s personal and professional lives? Discuss. किसी व्यक्ति के व्यक्तिगत और व्यावसायिक जीवन में अभिवृत्ति की क्या भूमिका होती है? चर्चा करें। 3. What sort of political attitude should a civil servant possess? Substantiate your views. एक सिविल सेवक के पास किस तरह का राजनीतिक रवैया होना चाहिए? अपने विचारों की पुष्टि करें। 4. It is our attitude at the beginning of a difficult task which, more than anything else, will affect its successful outcome. कठिन कार्य की शुरुआत में हमारा दृष्टिकोण ही सफल परिणाम को प्रभावित करता है। 5. People may hear your words, but they feel your attitude. Comment. लोग आपके शब्दों को सुन सकते हैं, लेकिन वे आपके अभिवृत्ति को महसूस करते हैं। टिप्पणी 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 :)

Oct 29, 2020 Important Articles

HISTORY OPTIONAL CLASSES by M. Tarique sir (The Best History Faculty in India)- IASbaba's e – Classroom Program (e-CLP) 2021

Hello Everyone, We are happy to announce that this year we will be starting e – Classroom Program for HISTORY OPTIONAL. We are fortunate that India’s best history faculty for Civil Services, M. Tarique sir will be taking up History Optional Classes at IASbaba. He has experience of more than 26 years in Teaching and Research and has been teaching in many reputed coaching institutes of Delhi and have been associated with multiple Central Universities. And now finally, he has decided to be a part of IASbaba. Sir has also authored many best sellers like - Modern Indian History, New Delhi: Tata McGraw Hill, 2007; Adhunik Bharat Ka Itihaas, New Delhi: Tata McGraw Hill, 2009 and ‘IAS Planner 2016’, A Guide for civil services aspirants. Many of Sir’s students have qualified with flying colours like Faiz AQ (Rank 17) , Inabat Khaliq (Rank 378) and many more. Features of the Program – Quality Lectures on all topics of the syllabus. Mentorship Quality Value Add notes on specific topics. Test series with Evaluation and Synopsis. Discussion of topic-wise Previous year questions. For all those who are still thinking about taking History Optional, we would like to tell you some of the pros of taking History. GS 1 has a large portion of History so people with history optional are definitely having an advantage in scoring well in GS 1. History is a very interesting subject and helps in the better understanding of Indian society and politico – economic situation. History can be read and remembered as a story. There are no mathematical formulae and complicated theories. The subject is largely static. So once completed you don’t have to update your notes again and again. Since it is an old subject and has been a part of UPSC syllabus there is good and sufficient material available for it. It definitely helps in writing a very good essay with a historical perspective. History as a subject is definitely lengthy, but if you can write well and if you have interest in reading, it can fetch you very good marks. FEES DETAILS: History e-Classroom Learning Program (e-CLP 2021) : 27,000 + 18% GST = Rs. 31,860 PAYMENT LINK -> CLICK HERE FOR ANY QUERIES (Related to History Optional e-CLP 2021 ) You can reach us on Email id: support@iasbaba.com Contact: 9591106864/ 99861 93413 (Please call between 10 am – 5.30 pm ONLY) Office Address: BANGALORE CENTRE: IASbaba’s TLP Centre 2– No. 1443/1444, 2nd Floor, Above Carzspa, Ganapati Circle, Chandra Layout, Vijaynagar, Bangalore 560040. DELHI CENTRE: IASBABA, 5B, Pusa Road, Karol Bagh, New Delhi – 110005. Landmark: Just 50m from Karol Bagh Metro Station, GATE No. 8 (Next to Croma Store) Thank You IASbaba

Oct 29, 2020 TLP Mains 2020

SYNOPSIS [28th OCTOBER,2020] Day 15: IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 2): UPSC Mains Answer Writing (General Studies)

For Previous TLP (ARCHIVES) - CLICK HERE SYNOPSIS [28th OCTOBER,2020] Day 15: IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 2): UPSC Mains Answer Writing (General Studies) 1. While economic liberalisation has done well to untie the manufacturing and service sectors, the agricultural sector hasn’t yet been liberalised in the true sense. Do you agree? Critically examine. Approach: It expects student to write about - in first part write impact of economic liberalisation on manufacturing and service sectors - in second part its impact on agriculture sector (both positive and negative) - in third part write way forward Introduction: In the recent past, India has seen a rapid transformation in her economy yielding a different perspective altogether for the country from rest of the world. The economic reforms of 1991 (liberalization, privatization and globalization) not only affected our economy but also affected the way we live dramatically. Body: Impact of economic liberalisation on manufacturing and service sectors: Positive impact: The industrial sector of India was passing through a period of recession prior to the policy of liberalisation. The foreign and private investment has checked the recession trend. This happened because of the massive investment in modernisation, expansion, and setting up of many new projects. Industries like automobiles, auto-components, coal-mining, consumer electronics, chemicals, food-processing, metal, petrochemicals, software, sport-goods, and textiles have undergone a growth rate of about 25 per cent. In addition to these, other industries, like crude-oil, construction, fertilisers, and power generation have shown an increase of about 15 per cent. The heavy investments in industries and infrastructure by the Indian and foreign investors have generated great employment opportunities for the professionals, and skilled and unskilled workers. There is a phenomenal increase in export after liberalisation. Simultaneously India is importing raw materials, machinery, and finished products. Despite heavy imports, there has been a tangible improvement in the balance of payment. In this case globalization has been boon for developing countries and bane for developed ones. Due to historic economic disparity between two groups, human resources have been much cheaper in developing economies. This was further facilitated by IT revolution and this all culminated in exodus of numerous jobs from developed countries to developing countries. Software, BPO, KPO, LPO industry boom in India has helped India to absorb a big chunk of demographic dividend, which otherwise could have wasted. Best part is that export of services result in export of high value. There is almost no material exported which consume some natural resource. Only thing exported is labour of Professionals, which doesn’t deplete, instead grows with time. Now India is better placed to become a truly Knowledge Economy. Exports of these services constitute big part of India’s foreign Exchange earnings. In fact, the only three years India had Current Account surplus, I.e. 2000-2002, was on back of this export only. Further, in banking too India has been a gainer. Since reforms, there have been three rounds of License Grants for private banks. Private Banks such as ICICI, HDFC, Yes Bank and also foreign banks, raised standards of Indian Banking Industry. Now there is cut through competition in the banking industry, and public sector banks are more responsive to customers. Negative impact: Liberalisation in a country like India has adversely affected the traditional cottage and small scale industries which are unable to compete with the large-scale industries established by the multinationals. The cottage and small scale industries need protection in the form of subsidies, technology, technical access, funds, and network to export their products, Indian traditional workers such as silk workers of Bihar are threatened by the imported synthetic silk. The latest technology, being sophisticated, replaces labour and thus results in unemployment. This may be counterproductive and detrimental to our industrial structure. Impact of economic liberalisation on agricultural sectors: Positive impact: Raising the Production of Food grains: Total production of food grains has increased from 176.4 million tonnes in 1990-91 to 211.9 million tonnes in 2001-02. It is felt that if the country maintains 4 per cent growth rate in agricultural production, then after meeting its domestic demand, the country can export the surplus amount of food grains to the foreign countries. Increasing Trend in Horticultural Output: With the increase in the production of fruits, vegetables and other horticultural products, the value of exports of these products has continuously been increasing. Total value of exports of fruits, vegetables and pulses was recorded to be Rs. 1,029 crores in 1998-99 against Rs. 216 crores in 1990-91. The value of exports of fruits and vegetables alone stand at 414 crores in 1997-98. Thus horticultural exports of the country contribute nearly 25 per cent of the total agricultural exports. Diversification of Agriculture: Agriculture is not only meeting the demand for food-grains but also other needs of development. In recent years, agricultural sector has been diversified to produce commercial crops and horticultural crops viz., fruits, vegetables, spices, cashew, arecanut, coconut and floricultural products like flowers, orchards etc. dairy and other animal husbandry products. The demand for these products has been increasing considerably. Thus, there is an ample scope for the development of agricultural sector both in terms of increased production and trade. Agricultural Exports: Another important emerging trend of agriculture is the increasing volume of agricultural exports. Agricultural exports are playing an important role in expanding economic activities along with generating employment opportunities. Accordingly, the total value of agricultural and allied exports of India has increased from Rs. 6295.2 crore in 1991-92 to Rs. 23,691 crores in 1999-2000 i.e. 18.8 per cent of country’s total exports as compared to that of only 10.59 per cent in 1992-93. Rising Productivity of Agricultural Resources: Another impact of liberalisation has been felt that it boosted the productivity of agricultural resources. Improvement in the productivity of resources is being done through better allocation of resources and latest technology between different areas under present circumstances. Stress is laid on export oriented policies, applying new improved technologies in food processing and marketing and giving stress on planting crops as per geographical suitability. Negative impact: Competition from global brands due to opening of sector Forum like WTO pressurizing to tone down security net for agriculture sector Input cost for agriculture is also effected by global events. Tension in Eurasian region can cause fluctuation in price of P fertilizers. Prices in global markets able to impact local prices e.g.- sugar industry Patenting of local products by multinational brands e.g.- Jamun, Neem, Turmeric Cash crop demand increase farmer focus on these crops. But demand and price of these crops may fluctuate. This has major implication when farmer deviate from food crops. This have issues for countries food security. More importantly, economic liberalisation has shifted the public discourse from agriculture to industry. Globalisation has indirectly led to industrial growth. This needs land and resultantly increase in displacement of farmers. Conclusion: The 1991 reforms focused too much on market and hence balance needs to be restored by the state intervention. There has to be a holistic change. Individual and unconnected changes in agriculture will not help as the resources are limited. And hence, the resources have to be allocated in such a way that all the sectors have something to gain. More emphasis on agriculture and employment generation through investment pattern and choice of technology pattern changes. Thus, the future course of action should be focused on greater concern for agriculture and an Industrial policy. 2. What measures would you suggest to address the regional imbalance with respect to land under irrigation? What role can technology play in this regard? Explain. Approach: The question expects that the candidate needs to provide the solution regarding regional imbalance of land under irrigation. For introduction, one can mention a report or facts regarding regional imbalance wrt land under irrigation or one can explain land irrigation and then mention need of balanced regional development of land under irrigation. In the first half of answer, one can show how there is a regional imbalance, for value addition add a map and tag the regions. Then in the next half suggest the measure. Also emphasise more on how technology will play role in this regard. Giving success stories across the world to yield more marks. Introduction: Out of about 141 m.Ha of net area sown in the country, about 65 million hectare (or 45%) is presently covered under irrigation. Substantial dependency on rainfall makes cultivation in un-irrigated areas a high risk, less productive profession. Empirical evidences suggest that assured or protective irrigation encourages farmers to invest more in farming technology and inputs leading to productivity enhancement and increased farm income. Hence, it becomes of critical importance to balance the regional irrigation development. Body: The key challenge facing the irrigation sector in India is the growing gap between Irrigation Potential Created (IPC) and Irrigation Potential Utilised (IPU), and uneven distribution of water over the length of the canal system. Following are the reasons for the regional imbalance of land under irrigation. Less accessibility of irrigation facilities and less expansion of cultivable range under guaranteed irrigation areas. For instance, in the hilly regions of North east despite the region comes under the high rainfall region, regional imbalance of land under irrigation is stark visible. Energy crisis due to power outages and unscheduled interruptions across rural and urban India is one of the main factors behind less expansion of irrigation in different regions. With an increased variability of monsoons and rapidly depleting groundwater tables, large parts of India are reeling under water stress. Hence, the traditional methods of irrigation are also facing problem. Which leads to regional imbalance despite it is possible to irrigate the land. For instance, A number of peninsular regions like Bundelkhand, Vidarbha and Marathwada have been facing recurring drought-like situations. Only 18% of Maharashtra’s complete cultivable land is irrigated whereas the national average is over 35%. The regional imbalance regarding land under irrigation can be clearly observed in following Map 1: Irrigation and regional disparities in across India. Map 1: Irrigation and regional disparities in across India. Hence, it is observed that land under irrigation is mostly concentrated in Central and western part of India. Whereas the north east and hilly regions are almost devoid of land under irrigation. It is also to be noted that Well irrigation and Tank irrigation are the prominent irrigation facilities used by farmers in western and central part of India . However, other irrigation facilities are scarcely distributed across India. Hence, regional imbalance in terms of use of different irrigation facilities is also observed. Measures to address regional imbalance with respect to land under irrigation: Awareness generation with respect to different irrigation facilities is necessary. For instance, farmers in central and western part of India tend to focus more on wells and tank irrigation. However, if they come to know about use, efficiency and advantages of other irrigation types then it will be easy to penetrate more irrigation across different regions. Access to credit is one of the biggest hurdle which needs to be addressed. For instance, small holder farmers in India are nearly 78%. As this much population holds very less land, consequently their income sources are minimal. It leads to less availability of Capital to invest for improvement in agriculture. Hence, provision of access to affordable credit to farmers needs to be done to ensure wide regional spread of irrigation. For instance, The Micro irrigation fund has been set up under NABARD, which will provide this amount to states on concessional rate of interest to promote micro-irrigation. Customization of methods of irrigation is necessary. For instance, drip irrigation practise is generally practised in the plain regions, however, it becomes less or of no use when it needs to implemented in regions like North-east which are topographically different than other regions. Integration of traditional irrigation practises with that of current one needs to be done to ensure conservation of traditional practises and increasing their efficiency. For instance, The International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage (ICID) has accepted Telangana’s nomination of Sadarmatt anicut across river Godavari in Nirmal district and Pedda Cheruvu in Kamareddy district in the ICID Register of Heritage Irrigation Structures (HIS). This will not only to conserve the heritage, but it will increase its reach across the region. Integration and adoption of emerging technologies with that of other technologies is also the need to the hour. As the emerging technologies address the disadvantages of earlier irrigation technologies. For instance, Maharashtra govt. launched Atal Solar Krishi Pump scheme for farmers to provide subsidy of upto 95% on solar agriculture pumpsets. Which will complement traditional well irrigation techniques with that of renewable energy. Integration of state specific agricultural policies with respect to irrigation in to one national level policy will help to address the problem of resource utilization. For instance, in 2015 Pradhamantri Krishi Sichai Yojana is launched by GoI with one of its objectives being Integration of water source, distribution and its efficient use, to make best use of water through appropriate technologies and practices. Use of technology to address the regional imbalance with respect to land under irrigation: Water Measurement: In irrigation systems, water used to irrigate land is carried under pressure to its destination via pipes. However, excessive water use, overexploitation makes the water scarcity and regional imbalance problem more worse. Hence, water measuring through water metering technology becomes of critical importance. For instance, Most flow measurement devices measure flow, or discharge, indirectly. These devices are commonly classified into 2 types – those that measure velocity and those that measure pressure. Use of these devices will help to have judicious use of water for irrigation thereby ensuring sustainable use of water resources across the region. There by addressing the problem of regional imbalance of irrigation. Flood irrigation practise must be replaced with precise application systems like drip and hose reel for 50-70 per cent water-saving. It ensures judicious use of water. Use of data analytics: Using predictive analytics through satellites be developed which gives the farmers guidelines regarding which technological tool can be used to irrigate their land neatly. Seamless Communication: The Government could create a unified, reliable data base of farmers with complete details of every cultivatable area. Which will help the farmer to make informed choices regarding which irrigation technique to be use. For instance, implementing a scheme like Soil health card scheme, which will ensure dissemination of data to farmers for apt use of irrigation techniques. Use of more advanced and powerful version of technology in irrigation will be of utmost importance. For instance, The Kaleshwaram project is an off-shoot of the original Pranahitha-Chevella Lift Irrigation Scheme taken up by the government in 2007 when Andhra Pradesh was not divided. It is aimed to make Telangana drought proof by harnessing the flood waters of the Godavari. It is claimed as the world’s largest multi-stage and multi-purpose lift irrigation scheme. These kind of comprehensive schemes will ensure more utilization of state machinery with that of concerted efforts in ensuring improvement of one technology. Irrigation methods like canal, tube well, drip irrigation etc. needs to be complemented/integrated with other emerging technologies. For Instance, Maharashtra governments scheme of Solar pumps. Use of emerging technologies like Artificial intelligence or Internet of things will ensure widespread use of irrigation techniques. For instance, a person can start the motor from long distance using IoT technology. Which in turn is useful for people who are living at distant places from their farms and fail to do farming due to distance. It will ensure that the farmer can have more than one source of income too. For instance, a person residing in city can use this technology, thereby increasing her income and subsequently ensuring spread of irrigation in the distant and hilly areas like North East. One of the success stories of use of technology to improve irrigation is observed in Maharashtra: "Phule Irrigation Scheduler" mobile and web based applications estimate the reference evapotranspiration (ETr) by the different standardized methods for the specific form by fetching the required input weather data (maximum temperature, minimum temperature, maximum relative humidity, minimum relative humidity, wind speed, sunshine hours, etc. In these mobile and web based applications, farmer initially need to register the farm by providing information on location of farm, crop, soil and irrigation system that he/she easily has. Then farmer has to access the mobile application/web based application at least once in 3-4 days so that the current weather information is registered in the farm. By entering the previous date of irrigation and the desired date of irrigation, farmer can know the irrigation requirement and time of application immediately and accordingly can operate the irrigation system to provide irrigation water precisely to the farms. It thereby ensured wide reaching spread of Irrigation techniques across water deficient regions of Maharashtra. Also, SOLAR POWERED COMMUNITY LIFT-MICRO IRRIGATION PROJECT of Punjab benefitted nearly 8500 beneficiaries. Conclusion: India is experiencing a very significant water challenge, due to changing climate. When it comes to agriculture the problem is more worse as water demand of agriculture is more. Hence, it becomes of crucial importance to ensure 'HAR KHET KO PANI', wide scale penetration of irrigation practise is done. Also to ensure 'per drop more crop', integration of technology in to irrigation methods is done. This cumulatively will help to tackle the problem of regional imbalance of land under irrigation in turn assuring 'Samrudh Kisan, Samrudh Bharat'. 3. In India, organic farming has got huge export potential. Do you agree? Comment. In this regard, examine the challenges that need to be overcome. Approach – A straightforward question where in the first part you need mention your views regarding export potential of organic farming from India and then in the second part, you need to examine the challenges to be overcome towards realising this export potential. Introduction India is a country that is bestowed with indigenous skills and potentiality for growth in organic agriculture where presently it has achieved rapid growth in organic agriculture and now is home to 30 per cent of the total organic producers in the world (according to the World of Organic Agriculture 2018 report). Body Organic products are grown under a system of agriculture without the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides with an environmentally and socially responsible approach. The Agricultural & Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), an autonomous organisation under the administrative control of Department of Commerce, has been mandated with the export promotion of organic products. APEDA provides assistance to the exporters of organic products under various components of its export promotion scheme. Consequently, Organic farming can be seen to have a huge export potential in India, which can be seen from the following points: India is bestowed with lot of potential to produce all varieties of organic products due to its various agro climatic conditions. As per the available statistics, India's rank 8th in terms of World's Organic Agricultural land and 1st in terms of total number of producers as per 2020 data. In several parts of the country, the inherited tradition of organic farming is an added advantage. In 2015, the export and domestic market of the Indian organic industry grew by 30% and 40% respectively. Organic farming has seen a drastic overall development in almost every crop type due to increase in awareness in food security and environmental safety. Due to climate changes, organic farming has made an important place around the globe. The Government is promoting organic farming through various schemes under National Mission Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA). The Government has introduced Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojna (PKVY) scheme under the NMSA to promote organic farming in the country which will help the overall export potential of the sector. India has good potential for the export of organic fruits and vegetables, as three major importing markets are the U.S., EU, and Japan which are high income countries with higher demand. For example, India can target EU, especially the UK and the Netherlands for export of grapes as there is a current consumption trend increasingly favouring organic wine. At the same time, most organic farmers are struggling due to poor policy measures, rising input costs and limited market, says a study by ASSOCHAM. Consequently, the challenges towards realising the export potential of organic farming can be seen from below: Recent study found that the phasing out of chemicals in Sikkim was not complemented by a simultaneous increase in availability of and access to organic manure. According to the ICAR, productivity on an average dips by 6.7 per cent in the first year, and the government needs to have a plan in place to support farmers during the transition. The report on Doubling of Farmers’ Income by Ashok Dalwai committee, too, echoes the concern of the farmers who claim up to 30 per cent drop in yields when embracing organic. It takes about a decade to attain pre-conversion yield levels, according to the committee report. As organic farming prohibits synthetic pesticides, the vulnerable farmer is at the mercy of severe attacks from mutant pests. Thus highlighting an acute shortage of effective and viable methods of organic pest control. Recent study also found that the supply chain for organic farming to be underdeveloped. As a result, the small and mid-sized farmers located in hilly regions and tribal belts find it extremely difficult to access the export market. The existing certification systems for organic food are not only cumbersome and time-consuming, but also expensive. It is important to eliminate confusion over multiple certification systems and multiple ministries regulating organic production and sales. Way forward – Government should devise a mechanism to cover losses to farmers due to reduced yields by combination of lower input costs and favourable price premium for the produce. Setting Central Organic Farming Research Institute as well as research stations and model organic farms across states. Tax waivers for organic input production units. Dedicated Organic market yards and marketing outlets. Conclusion The promotion of exports of organic products is a continuous process. The newly introduced Agriculture Export Policy provides an assurance that no restrictions will be placed on export of organic products which is evident from the recent growth of organic products exports by 50% and thus contributing towards the target of doubling farmer’s income by 2022. 4. Discuss the recent measures taken to upgrade the storage and transportation infrastructure for agricultural produce. Also, comment on its backward and forward linkage potential. Approach: It expects students to write about the storage and transportation infrastructure development measures taken by government recently in first part, and comment about its forward and backward linkage potential in second part. Introduction Agriculture is the primary source of livelihood for about 58% of India’s population. India is a surplus producer in several agri commodities. However, the country’s farmers do not get remunerative prices because of a lack of investment storage and transportation infrastructure. For a country where a large part of the population is dependent on agriculture for livelihood, it is essential to invest heavily in storage and warehouse facilities. Body Recently through various schemes and stimulus fund government have focused on agri infrastructure development. Recent measures taken to upgrade the storage and transportation infrastructure: Transport and Marketing Assistance (TMA): The Government of India came out with Transport and Marketing Assistance (TMA) scheme to provide financial assistance for transport and marketing of agriculture products in order to boost agriculture exports. More warehouses will be developed: Under Union Budget 2020-21, the Ministry of Finance announced that more warehouses that comply with the requirements of the Warehousing Development and Regulation Authority (WDRA) will be developed on a public-private partnership (PPP) basis at the block/ taluka level. Mapping of Cold storage facility: National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) will be undertaking the exercise of geotagging all cold storage facilities, which will help NABARD direct resources so as to expand capacities where there is a need. Direct Procurement from Farmer: As part of stimulus package, the government has announced a Rs 1 trillion fund for entrepreneurs to set up facilities to procure, store and market agricultural produce. Aggregators, cooperative societies and farm entrepreneurs for strengthening farm gate infrastructure and establishing post-harvest management infrastructure will use this proposed fund. Operation Greens: The government has announced that Operation Greens, a price fixation scheme that aims to ensure that farmers are given the right price for their produce, will be extended from tomatoes, onions and potatoes(TOP) to all fruits and vegetables. The scheme will include a 50 per cent subsidy on transportation from surplus to deficit markets. It will also include a 50 per cent subsidy on storage, including cold storage. The project will be implemented on a pilot basis for six months and will later be extended further. SAMPADA Scheme: Government plans to triple the capacity of food processing sector in India from the current 10% of agriculture produce and has also committed Rs 6,000 crore (US$ 936.38 billion) as investments for mega food parks in the country, as a part of the Scheme for Agro-Marine Processing and Development of Agro-Processing Clusters (SAMPADA). Dairy Processing & Infrastructure Development Fund: The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved a “Dairy Processing & Infrastructure Development Fund” (DIDF) with an outlay of Rs 11,184 crore during the period from 2018-19 to 2030-31 through which 95 Lakh milk producers will be benefited by covering 50,000 villages. Animal husbandry infrastructure development: Government announced the launch of animal husbandry infrastructure development fund of Rs 15,000 crore with an interest subsidy scheme to promote investment by private players and MSMEs in dairy, meat processing and animal feed plants. Venture Capital fund By NABARD: In May 2019, NABARD announced an investment of Rs 700 crore venture capital fund for equity investment in agriculture and rural-focused start-ups. Digitalisation in Agriculture: The Government of India is going to provide Rs 2,000 crore for computerization of Primary Agricultural Credit Society (PACS) to ensure cooperatives are benefitted through digital technology. Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana (PMKSY): The Government of India launched the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana (PMKSY) with an investment of Rs 50,000 crore aimed at development of irrigation sources for providing a permanent solution from drought. Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY): In 2019–20, Rs 202.5 crore was allocated to the Rainfed Area Development, a sub-scheme under Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY). Backward and forward production linkages always requires modern agriculture production and distribution system. Forward linkage potential: Supermarkets can replace intermediaries: Provision of quality chilling infrastructure can attract the supermarkets to procure form farmers directly, which will result in Reduction of intermediaries. Adequate knowledge of Market through Digitalisation: Lack of adequate operational knowledge of smartphones resulted in loss for regular updates on fair prices of crops (MSP), future crops and weather updates etc. Digitalisation in this sector bridging this gap. Vital Role of Cold storage facility: The demand for frozen goods is increasing by the day, leading to an expansion of the cold storage market. The cold storage sector in agriculture is opening various business opportunities. Fully integrated cold chain will include, both forward and backward linkage such as Pre-cooling, packaging, small cold storage facilities and in forward linkage, Reefer vehicles, large cold-storage facilities, ripening chambers, waxing, and packaging from cold storage to consumer. Backward linkage potential: Scientific approach farm processes: It has been reported that postharvest losses can be substantial, resulting in annual economic losses of at least Rs 1,00,000 crore. Investments in research labs for scientific gradation and quality assessment. Training centres for farmers to provide knowledge transfer on quality management, seed selection, crop forecasting etc. will avoid this loss. Development of infrastructure like road and transport: Good quality roads for farm produce to processing centres reduces time as well as preserve the quality of the product. Credit facility necessary for expansion: Easily available credit facility increases expansion ability of the farmers. Credit facilities also develop the farmers to enter into the farm allied businesses. Going forward, the adoption of food safety and quality assurance mechanisms such as Total Quality Management (TQM), Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and Good Hygienic Practices (GHP) by the food processing industry will offer several benefits. Conclusion: India is expected to achieve the ambitious goal of doubling farm income by 2022. The agriculture sector in India is expected to generate better momentum in the next few years due to increased investment in agricultural infrastructure. Furthermore, the growing use of genetically modified crops will likely improve the yield for Indian farmers. 5. Critically evaluate the performance of support instruments like subsidies and MSP for the farm sector. What have been the negative fallouts of these instruments. Approach: It expects students to write about- in first part about positive impacts of instruments like subsidies and MSP - in second part write about negative fallout of these instruments - in third part write way forward Introduction: Farm subsidies refer to the governmental financial support paid to the farmers and agribusinesses to reduce their input expenditures and supplement their income. Farm subsidies are worldwide phenomenon and India is of no exception. Body: Policy Instruments of Farm Subsidy There are five main policy instruments of delivering direct and indirect farm subsidies as follows: Price and Income Support Policy R&D support Input subsidies Import measures Export measures Price and Income Support Policy Government of India has several instruments to safeguard the interest of farmers under its price and income support policy. The main price and income support instruments are Minimum Support Price (MSP) Minimum Export Price (MEP) Market Intervention Price (MIP) Buffer Stocks Operations Public Distribution System Issues with agricultural subsidies: Heavy Fiscal Burden: The total outgo on fertilizer subsidy alone in 2017-18 was Rs. 70,000 crores. Excessive use of Ground water: The power subsidy has led to overuse of ground water which has further resulted into dramatic fall in ground water levels. In several villages, wells have gone dry. Water extracted from deep inside earth has shown contamination of Arsenic and other heavy metals. Environmental Effects and decline in Soil Fertility: Indiscriminate use of fertilizers (recommended ratio of NPK fertilizer is 4:2:1 while actual usage is 8:3:1. Similarly, urea consumption has increased to 60% in 2017 from 55% in 2010-11) harm the soil fertility, biodiversity, and also leads to eutrophication (increased nutrients in water bodies, eventually leading to decreased oxygen concentration in them) and bio accumulation/bio magnification (increasing concentration of toxic material in tissues of living organisms at successively higher levels in a food chain). No benefits to the targeted groups: Fertilizer subsidies are generally cornered by the manufacturers and the rich farmers of Punjab, Haryana and Western UP. Cereal Centric, Regionally Biased, and Input Intensive: Price subsidies has affected Indian agriculture negatively. This has made Indian agriculture cereal centric, and neglectful towards pulses, oil seeds and coarse cereals. This has led to import of these crops and food insecurity in lower strata which depend upon coarse cereals. Also, most of the subsidies go to the rich farmers, and the rich states which are able to grow marketable surplus and have well developed infrastructure. Issues of Minimum Support Price Injects an element of certainty and confidence: The advance announcement of MSP and procurement prices by CACP (Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices) provides an assurance to the farmers and they can confidently invest in the crops. Contributes to inflationary trend: There has been continuous hike in MSP and Procurement prices due to the rich farmers’ lobby and it has pushed up the carrying cost of buffer stocks of FCI considerably. This has pushed up the food subsidy bill to a very high level. Bias in favour of surplus states: Almost all states produce wheat, but 95% procurement is from Punjab, Haryana and Western UP. Similarly, around 20 states produce rice, while 90% is procured from Punjab, Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, UP and Tamil Nadu. Other states do not get much benefit from it. Adverse impact on investment: Due to extra expenditure in food procurement, the other sectors looses out on new investments. It has been observed that a 10% increase in MSP of wheat and rice leads to a decline in investment by 1.9% and in overall GDP by 0.33%. Distortion in cropping pattern: MSP of wheat and rice has generally been higher than the cost of production and that of cereals and pulses has been less than the cost of production. So farmers get incentivised for growing profitable crops and hence cropping pattern gets distorted. Way forward: A better targeting of subsidies with the usage of JAM (JanDhan – AADHAAR- Mobile Number) trinity can reduce the fiscal burden. Separate agriculture feeder network (under Deen Dayal Upadhayay Gram Jyoti Yojna). This separate agriculture feeder will supply electricity only for a few hours a day. The process has shown positive results in arresting decline of ground water levels in Gujarat. Creating awareness among farmers, increasing penetration of soil health card scheme, promoting organic farming and innovative products like neemcoated urea will go a long way to check the issue. Nutrient based subsidy and Neem-Coated Urea has been introduced by Government. There should be Direct Benefit Transfer of fertiliser subsidy through Aadhaar authentication, organic farming should be encouraged and there should be phased increase in the price of urea. Crop diversification by including more crops under MSP, Mission on Integrated Development of Horticulture, Organic and Cooperative farming, food processing, mixed farming, Direct Benefit Transfer. Conclusion: Procurement policy of the government needs reforms that are easier to implement. Efforts must be made to balance market price and farmer’s support. Cash transfer gives better choices to farmers than imposing subsidies. TLP HOT Synopsis Day 15 PDF

Oct 29, 2020 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 29th October 2020

Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) Basic Exchange And Cooperation Agreement (BECA) signed between India and USA Part of: GS Prelims and GS-II – International Relations In news India and the United States signed the Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement (BECA) recently. Key takeaways BECA, the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) and the Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement (COMCASA) which were signed earlier form foundational pacts for deep military cooperation between the two countries. BECA will help India get real-time access to American geospatial intelligence. The access will enhance the accuracy of automated systems and weapons like missiles and armed drones. The sharing of information on maps and satellite images will help India access topographical and aeronautical data, and advanced products that will aid in navigation and targeting. This could also be key to Air Force-to-Air Force cooperation between India and the US. Electricity Access In India And Benchmarking Distribution Utilities Report launched Part of: GS Prelims and GS-III – Infrastructure In news NITI Aayog, Ministry of Power, Rockefeller Foundation, and Smart Power India launched the ‘Electricity Access in India and Benchmarking Distribution Utilities’ report. Key findings of the report Around 92% of customers reported the overall availability of electricity infrastructure within 50 metres of their premises. However, not all have connections. The primary reason being the distance of households from the nearest pole. Overall, 87% of the surveyed customers have access to grid-based electricity. The remaining 13% either use non-grid sources or don’t use any electricity at all. The hours of supply have improved significantly across the customer categories to nearly 17 hours per day. Nearly 85% of customers reported to have a metered electricity connection. Access to electricity is observed in 83% of household customers. The study suggested that a total of 66% of those surveyed were satisfied––74% of customers in urban areas and 60% in rural areas. NTPC Ltd enters into loan agreement under JBIC's GREEN Initiative Part of: GS Prelims and GS-III – Environment In news NTPC Ltd entered into a loan agreement with Japanese Government for JPY 50 billion (approx. USD 482 million) under Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC)’s GREEN initiative. GREEN initiative stands for Global Action for Reconciling Economic growth and Environment preservation initiative. Key takeaways The facility is extended under JBIC’s outreach for projects, which ensure conservation of the global environment. JBIC will provide 60% of the facility amount and the balance will be given by Japanese commercial banks under JBIC guarantee. The loan proceeds will be utilized by NTPC Ltd for funding its capex for Flue Gas Desulphurization (FGD) & Renewable Energy projects. FGD, substantially reduces the SOx emission in the flue gases of thermal power plants and is a critical step towards environmental sustainability. India-Central Asia Dialogue held Part of: GS Prelims and GS-II – International Relations In news The second meeting of the India-Central Asia Dialogue was held under the chairmanship of the External Affairs Minister. Key takeaways Foreign Ministers of Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan and First Deputy Foreign Minister of the Kyrgyz Republic participated in the meeting. The Foreign Ministers of Central Asian Countries welcomed the provision by India of one billion US dollar Line of Credit for priority developmental projects in fields such as energy, IT, healthcare, education and agriculture in the region. The Ministers emphasized the need to continue close cooperation between the Sanitary and Epidemiological Services of India and the Central Asian countries in the fight against COVID-19 pandemic. The Ministers appreciated India’s efforts to modernize the infrastructure of the Chabahar port in Iran, which could become an important link in trade and transport communications between the markets of Central and South Asia. Ordinance for Commission For Air Quality Management In National Capital Region promulgated Part of: GS Prelims and GS-II - Policies and interventions & GS-III – Pollution In news Indian President has promulgated an ordinance to constitute a Commission for Air Quality Management in the National Capital Region (NCR) and adjoining areas. Key takeaways The Commission will have at least three sub-committees including on Monitoring and identification, Safeguarding and Enforcement and Research and Development to suggest measures to curb air pollution in the region. Composition: A Chairperson, a representative from the Ministry of Environment, members from the state of Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, technical experts from Central Pollution Control Board and Indian Space Research Organization among others. Role: The commission will work towards better coordination, research, identification and resolution of problems surrounding the Air Quality Index in the NCR and adjoining areas. Powers: It can take all such measures, issue directions and entertain complaints in order to protect and improve the quality of air in the NCR and adjoining areas. It will also lay down the parameters for emission or discharge of environmental pollutants from various sources. Place in news: Feni Bridge Part of: GS Prelims and GS-I - Geography & GS-II – International Relations In news Feni bridge was in the news recently. The 1.8 km long bridge shall connect Sabrum in India with Ramgarh in Bangladesh and will be completed by December 2020. Key takeaways Constructed by: National Highways Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd of Ministry of Road and Transport highways, Government of India. It is being developed as a corridor for trade and commerce between India's North-East and Bangladesh. It will also promote tourism and people-to-people ties. It will provide direct road connectivity between South Tripura and Chittagong allowing India to use Chittagong as a port of call. The bridge will facilitate carrying heavy machines and goods to and from the north-eastern states and the rest of India via Bangladesh through Chattogram. Do you know? Feni Bridge is also known as Maitree Setu in Chattogram. It is being built over the Feni River and will connect Tripura with Chittagong port of Bangladesh. India-Us 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue held Part of: GS Prelims and GS-II – International Relations In news 2+2 talks were recently held between India and the USA. Documents announced during the 3rd India-US 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement between the Ministry of Defence, Government of India and the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA), Department of Defence of United States of America. MoU for Technical Cooperation in Earth Observations and Earth Sciences. Agreement for the Electronic Exchange of Customs Data between the Postal Operators. Arrangement extending the duration of the Memorandum of Understanding between India and the USA. Letter of Intent between the Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences, New Delhi and the Office of Cancer Complementary and Alternative Medicine, National Cancer Institute, Government of the USA for cooperation in the field of Ayurveda and Cancer Research. India–Australia Circular Economy Hackathon (I-ACE) to be held Part of: GS Prelims and GS-II - International Relations & GS-III – Economy In news AIM (Atal Innovation Mission), in association with CSIRO, is organizing a two-day hackathon on circular economy, ‘India–Australia Circular Economy Hackathon (I-ACE)’, on 7 and 8 December. Key takeaways The idea of I-ACE was conceived during a virtual summit in June, between the Indian and Australian prime ministers, exploring innovative ways to boost the circular economy in India and Australia. The four key themes for the hackathon are as follows: Innovation in packaging reducing packaging waste Innovation in food supply chains avoiding waste Creating opportunities for plastic waste reduction Recycling critical energy metals and e-waste A circular economy is an economic system aimed at eliminating waste and the continual use of resources. Place in news: Bundi Part of: GS Prelims and GS-I - Architecture In news The Ministry of Tourism’s Dekho Apna Desh Webinar series titled “Bundi: Architectural Heritage of a Forgotten Rajput Capital” focused on Bundi, Rajasthan recently. Key takeaways Bundi is a district in the Hadoti region of Rajasthan. It was the erstwhile capital of Hada Rajput province It is also known as City of stepwalls, blue city. It was also known as Chotti Kashi owing to presence of over hundred temples within and around the hada capital. Temples constructed in early phase of Bundi’s growth were in classical Nagara style. In later phases new temple typologies emerged from amalgamation of architectural form of traditional haveli with the classical Nagara style. Jain temples formed third type of temple type constructed A fourth temple type emerged in the form of a raised or elevated temple. Absence of monumentality in their scale is a distinctive feature of temples in Bundi. (MAINS FOCUS) SCIENCE & TECH/ GOVERNANCE/ SECURITY Topic: General Studies 2,3: Science and Technology- developments and their applications and effects in everyday life Role of media and social networking sites in internal security challenges Countering deepfakes, the most serious AI threat Context: Deepfakes have emerged as a new tool to spread computational propaganda and disinformation at scale and with speed. What is Deepfake? Deepfakes are the digital media (video, audio, and images) manipulated using Artificial Intelligence. This synthetic media content is referred to as deepfakes. Positive Use Cases of Deepfake Accessibility AI-Generated Synthetic media can help make the accessibility tools smarter, affordable and personalizable, which can help people augment their agency and gain independence. Microsoft’s Seeing.ai and Google’s Lookout leverage AI for recognition and synthetic voice to narrate objects, people, and the world. AI-Generated synthetic media can power personalized assistive navigation apps for pedestrian travel. Technology companies are working to enable and develop AI-Generated synthetic media scenarios for people living with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease). Synthetic voice is also essential to enable such patients to be independent. Deepfake voice can also help with speech impediments since birth. Education AI-Generated synthetic media can bring historical figures back to life for a more engaging and interactive classroom. This will have more impact, engagement, and will be a better learning tool. For example, JFK’s resolution to end the cold was speech, which was never delivered, was recreated using synthetic voice with his voice and speaking style will clearly get students to learn about the issue in a creative way. Synthetic human anatomy, sophisticated industrial machinery, and complex industrial projects can be modeled and simulated in a mixed reality world to teach students. Arts AI-Generated synthetic media can bring unprecedented opportunities in the entertainment business that currently use high-end CGI, VFX, and SFX technologies to create artificial but believable worlds for compelling storytelling. Samsung’s AI lab in Moscow brought Mona Lisa to life by using Deepfake technology. In the video gaming industry, AI-generated graphics and imagery can accelerate the speed of game creation. Nvidia demoed a hybrid gaming environment created by deepfakes and is working on bringing it to market soon. Autonomy & Expression Synthetic media can help human rights activists and journalists to remain anonymous in dictatorial and oppressive regimes. Deepfake can be used to anonymize voice and faces to protect their privacy. Deep Empathy, a UNICEF and MIT project, utilizes deep learning to learn the characteristics of Syrian neighborhoods affected by conflict. It then simulates how cities around the world would look amid a similar conflict. Deep Empathy project created synthetic war-torn images of Boston, London and other key cities around the world to help increase empathy for victims of a disaster region The other side of Deepfake Such technologies can give people a voice, purpose, and ability to make an impact at scale and with speed. But as with any new innovative technology, it can be weaponised to inflict harm. Overriding Consent: Deepfake technologies make it possible to fabricate media — swap faces, lip-syncing, and puppeteer — mostly without consent and bring threat to psychology, security, political stability, and business disruption Damage reputations: Deepfakes can depict a person indulging in antisocial behaviours and saying vile things. These can have severe implications on their reputation, sabotaging their professional and personal life. Even if the victim could debunk the fake via an alibi or otherwise, it may come too late to remedy the initial harm. Targeting Women: The very first use case of malicious use of a deepfake was seen in pornography, inflicting emotional, reputational, and in some cases, violence towards the individual. Exploitation: Malicious actors can take advantage of unwitting individuals to defraud them for financial gains using audio and video deepfakes. Deepfakes can be deployed to extract money, confidential information, or exact favours from individuals. Social Harm: Deepfakes can cause short- and long-term social harm and accelerate the already declining trust in news media. Such an erosion can contribute to a culture of factual relativism Creation of Echo Chambers in Social Media: Falsity is profitable, and goes viral more than the truth on social platforms. Combined with distrust, the existing biases and political disagreement can help create echo chambers and filter bubbles, creating discord in society. Undermining Democracy: False information about institutions, public policy, and politicians powered by a deepfake can be exploited to spin the story and manipulate belief. This can aid in altering the democratic discourse and undermine trust in institutions. Misused as tool of authoritarianism: Deepfakes can become a very effective tool to sow the seeds of polarisation, amplifying division in society, and suppressing dissent. Liar’s dividend - an undesirable truth is dismissed as deepfake or fake news. It can also help public figures hide their immoral acts in the veil of deepfakes and fake news, calling their actual harmful actions false. What should be the solution for dealing with Deepfakes? To defend the truth and secure freedom of expression, we need a multi-stakeholder and multi-modal approach. Regulation & Collaboration with Civil Society: Meaningful regulations with a collaborative discussion with the technology industry, civil society, and policymakers can facilitate disincentivising the creation and distribution of malicious deepfakes. New Technologies: There is also need easy-to-use and accessible technology solutions to detect deepfakes, authenticate media, and amplify authoritative sources. Media literacy for consumers and journalists is the most effective tool to combat disinformation and deepfakes. As consumers of media, we must have the ability to decipher, understand, translate, and use the information we encounter Even a short intervention with media understanding, learning the motivations and context, can lessen the damage. Improving media literacy is a precursor to addressing the challenges presented by deepfakes. Conclusion Collaborative actions and collective techniques across legislative regulations, platform policies, technology intervention, and media literacy can provide effective and ethical countermeasures to mitigate the threat of malicious deepfakes To counter the menace of deepfakes, we all must take the responsibility to be a critical consumer of media on the Internet, think and pause before we share on social media, and be part of the solution to this infodemic Connecting the dots: Justice B.N. Srikrishna Committee recommendation on data protection framework in India Infodemic in the wake of COVID-19 (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 Basic exchange and cooperation agreement was recently signed between which of the following countries? India and Japan USA and Japan India and USA USA and Russia Q.2 Feni Bridge which was in news recently is a bridge being constructed between which of the following? Tripura and Chittagong Assam and Tripura Manipur and Dhaka Mizoram and Manipur Q.3 Which style of architecture is found in the temples constructed in Bundi Rajasthan? Nagara style Traditional Haveli along with classical Nagara Jain type of architecture Elevated Temple styles Select the correct code: 1 and 2 only 2 and 3 only 1 and 4 only 1, 2, 3 and 4 ANSWERS FOR 28th October 2020 TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE (TYK) 1 D 2 A 3 A 4 A Must Read About need for India to proceed with caution with US: The Indian Express About mistakes to be avoided in Digital Governance: Hindustan Times About changes in land laws in UT of Jammu & Kashmir: The Hindu

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