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Daily Current Affairs IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 10th February 2020

IAS UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 10th February 2020 Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) Supreme court on reservations in Job Part of: GS Prelims –Polity and GS-II- Judiciary In news: The Supreme Court has ruled that reservation in the matter of promotions in public posts is not a fundamental right  A state cannot be compelled to offer the quota if it chooses not to. No mandamus can be issued by the court directing state governments to provide reservations From Prelims Point of View : Prerogative writs:  “prerogative writs” meaning the extraordinary writs or orders granted by the Sovereign when ordinary legal remedies are inadequate  prerogative writs  are habeas corpus, mandamus, prohibition, certiorari, and quo warranto. In India, the Supreme Court can issue prerogative writs under Article 32 of the Constitution, and the High Courts under Article 226. The writ can also be issued against inferior courts or other judicial bodies when they have refused to exercise their jurisdiction and perform their duty. Mandamus : Mandamus literally means ‘we command’. When issued to a person or body, the writ of mandamus demands some activity on their part  It orders the person or body to perform a public or quasi-public duty, which they have refused to perform, and where no other adequate legal remedy exists to enforce the performance of that duty.  The writ cannot be issued unless the legal duty is of public nature, and to whose performance the applicant of the writ has a legal right. Under Article 361, mandamus cannot be granted against the President or Governor of a State, Four-fold jump in Li-ion battery imports since 2016 Part of: GS Prelims –Science & Tech  and GS-III- Technology In news: India has quadrupled its imports of lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries lithium-ion  are vital for powering a range of devices from cellphones to electric vehicles India lacks manufacturing capacity; India  is world’s largest importer Imports from China, Japan and South Korea To promote indigenous development of such batteries, the Union Cabinet in 2019 approved a programme, called a National Mission on Transformative Mobility and Battery  Electric vehicles are expected to account for a significant share in the growth of the Li-ion battery demand in India The government has announced investments worth $1.4 billion to make India one of the largest manufacturing hubs for electric vehicles by 2040. From Prelims point of view : lithium-ion   Rechargeable battery. Used for portable electronics and electric vehicles  Developed by John Goodenough, Stanley Whittingham, Rachid Yazami and Akira Yoshino  Lithium ions move from the negative electrode through an electrolyte to the positive electrode during discharge, and back when charging.  Li-ion batteries use an intercalated lithium compound as the material at the positive electrode and typically graphite at the negative electrode.  There is a safety hazard since they contain a flammable electrolyte, and if damaged or incorrectly charged can lead to explosions and fires.  Samsung were forced to recall Galaxy Note 7 handsets following lithium-ion fire Daily Current Affairs IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 10th February 2020 SRC: Basix National Mission on Transformative Mobility and Battery: Recommend and drive the strategies for transformative mobility and Phased Manufacturing Programmes for EVs, EV Components and Batteries.  A Phased Manufacturing Program (PMP) will be launched to localize production across the entire EV value chain.  Determine the contours of PMP, and will finalise the details of such a program.  The details of the value addition that can be achieved with each phase of localisation will be finalised by the Mission with a clear Make in India strategy for the electric vehicle components as well as battery. The Mission will coordinate with key stakeholders in Ministries/ Departments and the states to integrate various initiatives to transform mobility in India. Electric vehicles: An electric vehicle, uses one or more electric motors or traction motors for propulsion. An electric vehicle may be powered through self-contained battery, solar panels or an electric generator to convert fuel to electricity. *** E vehicles and policy related to it will be soon dealt in the mains section Pangolins be the source of novel coronavirus Part of: GS Prelims –Environment  and GS-III- Conservation In news: Pangolins could be responsible for the spread of the virus to humans in China. The genome sequence of the coronavirus isolated from pangolins was 99 per cent identical with that separated from infected humans. From Prelims Point of view: Daily Current Affairs IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 10th February 2020 SRC: Click here Pangolins: Pangolins are considered to be one of the most trafficked animals in the world and are classified as a critically endangered species People who sell pangolins can be imprisoned for a period of 10 years or morepoached every year due to their “medicinal value” and the consumption of their meat in countries such as China and Vietnam. It is believed that the novel coronavirus spread from the seafood market in Wuhan, where live animals are sold The SARS coronavirus, which was identified in 2003, is believed to have spread from bats to civet cats to human beings. Storm, named ‘Ciara’  Part of: GS Prelims –Polity and GS-II- Constitution In news: The storm, named ‘Ciara’ ,referred to as ‘Sabine’ Hit in UK, Ireland, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and Germany. The storm has two names because there isn’t yet a pan-European system in place for labelling weather systems. From Prelims Point of view: How cyclones are named? The tradition started with hurricanes in the Atlantic Ocean, where tropical storms that reach sustained wind speeds of 39 miles per hour were given names.  (Incidentally, hurricanes, typhoons, cyclones are all the same, just different names for tropical storms in different parts of the world;  Hurricane in the Atlantic, Typhoon in the Pacific and Cyclone in the Indian Ocean). If the storm's wind speed reaches or crosses 74 mph, it is then classified into a hurricane/cyclone/typhoon.  Tropical storms are given names and they retain the name if they develop into a cyclone/hurricane/typhoon. (MAINS FOCUS) Science & Technology Topic: General Studies 2 & 3: Science and Technology- developments and their applications and effects in everyday life. 
 Reverse Osmosis (RO) Purifiers – Draft notification by Government About Reverse Osmosis Reverse Osmosis is a technology that is used to remove a large majority of contaminants from water by pushing the water under pressure through a semi-permeable membrane. Daily Current Affairs IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 10th February 2020 It works by using a high-pressure pump to increase the pressure on the salt side of the RO and force the water across the semi-permeable RO membrane, leaving around 95% to 99% of dissolved salts behind in the reject stream. The amount of pressure required depends on the salt concentration of the feed water. Higher the concentration of salt, higher is the pressure required. An RO membrane rejects contaminants based on their size and charge Reverse Osmosis is also used to produce water that is suitable for many industrial applications that require demineralized or deionized water Issues with RO System Wastage: RO systems now recover only 20 per cent of water while 80 per cent go waste Can remove beneficial mineral: The process can cut the levels of calcium and magnesium, which are vital nutrients. Membranes get clogged easily which happens when materials build up on the membrane and slow down the flow of water. Thus it requires constant replacement which increases operational costs Not 100% purification capability: BIS standards clearly state that RO system is not recommended for treatment of raw water having Arsenic level above 0.1 mg/l and Fluoride level above 8.0 mg/l. May 2019 NGT order had stated that  RO Purifiers should be prohibited where TDS (total dissolved solids) - which covers trace chemicals, certain viruses, bacteria and salts - in water was less than 500 miligram per litre (mg/l) It had asked the government to redesign the RO system in a way that treated water would have a minimum 150 mg/l TDS concentration.  It also stressed on remineralisation to compensate for loss of minerals during RO treatment It asked RO manufacturers to increase efficiency of systems to recover 60% of water inputs Draft notification by the Union Environment Ministry (MoEFCC) The notification issued on February 3, 2020 mentions that use of membrane-based water purification system (MWPS), mainly RO purifiers, shall be prohibited where drinking water complies with the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). Enforcement will largely be the responsibility of CPCB and State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs), taking water supply agencies on board to certify whether they provide potable drinking water in a particular area as per the prescribed BIS standard. Concerns with the notification The notification does not mention any limits prescribed in NGT order The notification implies, these filters are only prohibited if the home gets water supply that conforms to BIS standards for Drinking Water. Although several State and city water boards claim BIS standards, the water at homes falls short of the test parameters The resort to prohibition (to restrict home filters) may cause consumer apprehension  Conclusion The case for restricting people’s choices on the means they employ to ensure potable water is thus weak in view of above concern Government’s primary aim should be to persuade authorities to upgrade and supply BIS-standard water at the consumer’s end and it should be done without additional costs. Do You Know? The BIS norms are voluntary for public agencies which supply piped water but are mandatory for bottled water producers.  The Composite Water Management Index (CWMI) of NITI Aayog says that 70% of water supply is contaminated.  India is ranked 120th among 122 countries in an NGO, WaterAid’s quality index.  Connecting the dots! Nal Se Jal: Government’s mission to ensure piped drinking water to every rural Households by 2024 (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. The power of the Supreme Court of India to decide disputes between the Centre and the States falls under its  advisory jurisdiction appellate jurisdiction original jurisdiction writ jurisdiction Q 2. Which one of the following pairs of metals constitutes the lightest metal and the heaviest metal, respectively? Lithium and mercury Lithium and osmium Aluminium and osmium Aluminium and mercury Q 3. Consider the following statements:  Toothless mammals such as Pangolins are not found in India. Gibbon is the only ape found in India. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? 1 only  2 only Both 1 and 2  Neither 1 nor 2 ANSWERS FOR 08 FEB 2020 TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE (TYK) 1 D 2 A 3 C MUST READ About India’s refugee treatment: The Hindu About abortion law: The Hindu About Victim Justice: The Hindu

AIR

Sadak Suraksha - Jivan Raksha - All India Radio (AIR) IAS UPSC

Sadak Suraksha - Jivan Raksha ARCHIVES Search 14th Jan, 2020 Spotlight here: http://www.newsonair.com/Main_Audio_Bulletins_Search.aspx  TOPIC: General Studies 2 Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. General Studies 3 Infrastructure: Roads In news: 11th to 17th January is celebrated as the road safety week.  Celebrating the road safety campaign was initiated by the ISS India HSE (Health Safety and Environment) in order to make people aware about the national road safety in the Indian subcontinent.  ISS India had declared to celebrate the Road Safety Week all through the country in the first week of the month of January.  The aim of this campaign was to emphasize and accentuate people about the need of safe roads travel by applying just simple rules. Why? India remains one of the top accident-prone nations in the world.  Road traffic deaths have reached alarming levels across the world, with 1.35 million people dying in traffic accidents every year, but India’s road safety is the worst on record. Around 149,000 people lost their lives on Indian roads in 2018 alone. India accounts for about 2% of motor vehicles globally, yet it’s responsible for more than 11% of road traffic deaths. To add some context, this figure is 37.54 per cent more than the total number of people killed in floods and heavy rains in the last 65 years in India. More fatal than war in Afghanistan that started after the 9/11 terror attacks. More casualties than Vietnam War, more than twice the estimated casualties of South Vietnamese soldiers (2.5 lakh) in the Vietnam War that spanned 20 years between 1955 and 1975 Deadlier than HIV/AIDS A mass murderer: On the global scale, the World Health Organisation estimates that 58,00,000 people die every year due some form of injury. Of these, only 3 per cent are related to war and conflict, while 21 per cent are related to road accidents. Yet, road accidents and road safety receive a fraction of the attention that is devoted to war and conflict. Vastly debilitating: Of every 100 road accidents in India, 32 are the ones in which at least one person is killed and 26 are the ones in which victims suffer grievous injuries that require hospitalisation. How to make roads safer not just for ourselves but for everyone around us – Sweden implemented a Vision Zero initiative in the 90s that helped reduce fatalities dramatically over the years. The approach that they took was not to treat the people as the problem, but the way the system has been engineered.  Safety comes first– human life and health above all other transportation challenges Account for the human error– transportation systems, including roads and vehicles, need to be designed taking into account that people might make mistakes, so that when crashes occur owing to human error, it does not result in fatalities or serious injuries. We’re in it together– there is a joint responsibility for safety between the road user and road authorities. Conventional thinking is to attribute the cause of most road accidents to a single factor, and more often than not, to driver or pedestrian behaviour. Coordinated strategy– comprehensive and consolidated strategy to road safety that involves all authorities and agencies responsible for road transport systems. Thus, departments working in silos will have limited impact, as road safety is a multi-disciplinary problem. It requires unified strategic vision to be set that lays out the mechanisms for coordination between all stakeholders. In one of the interviews, a Swedish traffic safety strategist outlines perfectly solutions they implemented to change the system and local culture so that the system was safe for people to be in. They include: Reducing fatalities by reducing the speed limits. Also, installing speed bumps. Installing bike lanes with barriers to protect cyclists Installing roundabouts at intersections to force cars to slow down Changing traffic lights so cars aren’t prompted with a caution light when pedestrians are crossing. If pedestrians are crossing, all cars must wait. Installing cameras to discourage bad behavior, with signage leading up to pedestrian areas that there are cameras ahead. Preventing jaywalking, especially in unlit areas, by putting up barriers in medians, thus forcing pedestrians to use the crosswalks.  Technology at our Aid India needs to adopt Integrated Traffic Management Systems (ITMSs) or adopt initiatives like computerised testing and remote supervision of driving tests. While fully automated systems will possibly be brought to execution across all the states over the next few years, other high-tech devices like body-worn cameras, LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) guns, alco-meters (breath analysers) can keep contributing towards effective and ethical enforcement. Several modern-day equipments are getting institutionalised between the central and state administrations, many emerging mechanisms will soon see the light of the day. Technology holds the key to finding solutions that are actionable, measurable, scalable and reliable, translating into better, faster and more productive enforcement. Amidst increasing motorisation, tech-oriented policies and solutions will expand the capabilities of enforcement, bringing a positive change in the national road safety status and strengthening India’s agenda of reducing crash deaths by half, quicker than human effort alone ever will. Will this cost money? Sure, but if it saves even one life these changes are more than necessary. These are long-term solutions that we need to be talking about now. We as a community must be proactive to prevent future fatalities and accidents. Note: A. Odisha : ‘Road Safety’ To Be Included In School Syllabus - It has been decided that a chapter on road safety will be included in Class X syllabus from the next academic session. The School and Mass Education department will take a call on the outline of the syllabus. B. India has signed the Brasilia declaration to reduce road traffic deaths 50% by 2020 C. Rs 14,000-crore state support plan to strengthen road safety The transport ministry has firmed up a Rs 14,000 crore state support programme for strengthening road safety in India, which will be funded by the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank (ADB). The programme will be driven by a strict incentive-based structure for states delivering on road safety aspects, including reduction in fatalities.  To incentivise states, a delivery matrix will be developed that will comprise mandatory as well as optional performance parameters. States' performance will be assessed and the grant amount will be disbursed accordingly. Indicators will be focused around safe road infrastructure, safe vehicle standards, driver behaviour, road safety advocacy and enforcement of relevant laws.  An apex monitoring body chaired by roads secretary will be constituted, with representatives from the ministries of home, health and family welfare, housing and urban affairs, heavy industries, and human resource development. Must Read: Towards an efficient transport infrastructure Connecting the Dots: Is the government playing a ‘Its “my” way versus “your” way’ game with the public? Discuss. The government, through the Motor Vehicle Amendment Act, has substantially increased the penalty for traffic rule violations.What is your opinion of this step? We lack basic facilities including good roads and related services. Is it not unethical on part of the government to have done this? Comment. In spite of the ambitious provisions in the amended Motor Vehicles law, safe road behaviour is still miles away. Do you agree? Discuss. Write a note on National urban transport policy. Examine the importance of better roads in promoting economic development and inclusive growth within the country.

PIB

Press Information Bureau (PIB) IAS UPSC – 1st February to 7th February – 2020

Press Information Bureau (PIB) IAS UPSC – 1st to 7th February, 2020 ARCHIVES GS-2 Bodo Agreement to usher in a new dawn for Assam (Topic: Government policies and interventions; Development in North-East) What is the Bodo issue? Bodos are the single largest community among the notified Scheduled Tribes in Assam. Part of the larger umbrella of Bodo-Kachari, the Bodos constitute about 5-6% of Assam’s population. The first organised demand for a Bodo state came in 1967-68 under the banner of the political party Plains Tribals Council of Assam. In 1985, when the Assam Movement culminated in the Assam Accord, many Bodos saw it as essentially focusing on the interests of the Assamese-speaking community. In 1987, the All Bodo Students Union (ABSU) led by Upendra Nath Brahma revived the Bodo statehood demand. The armed group Bodo Security Force arose, under the leadership of Ranjan Daimary, in October 1986. It subsequently renamed itself NDFB, and later split into factions. Bodoland Territorial Council It is an autonomous body under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution. There have been two Bodo Accords earlier, and the second one led to the formation of BTC. The ABSU-led movement from 1987 culminated in a 1993 Bodo Accord, which paved the way for a Bodoland Autonomous Council (BAC), but ABSU withdrew its agreement and renewed its demand for a separate state. In 2003, the second Bodo Accord was signed by the extremist group Bodo Liberation Tiger Force (BLTF), the Centre and the state. This led to the BTC. What has been settled now? Agreement signed between Ministry of Home Affairs, Bodo Groups and Assam government which has following provisions: Renaming: From BTAD to Bodoland Territorial Region. Redrawing Boundaries: Villages dominated by Bodos that were presently outside the BTAD would be included and those with non-Bodo population would be excluded *Bodos living in the hills would be granted Scheduled Hill Tribe status. Bodo language with Devnagri script will become associate official language for entire of Assam and a separate directorate for Bodo medium schools will be set up. Development Package of ₹1500 crore by the Centre for the development of Bodo areas The agreement also involved rehabilitation of members of National Democratic Front of Boroland (NDFB) factions- over 1500 armed cadres will abjure violence and join the mainstream Global Gender Gap Index (Topic: International Publications) Published by: World Economic Forum India’s ranking: 112th; India’s score has moved from 0.665 in 2018 to 0.668 in 2020. Government of India has given utmost priority to end the gender based inequities, reducing disparity between men and women, improving socio-economic status of women and increasing their participation in various fields.  Some of the major initiatives taken by Government of India to ensure that women gain equal rights, opportunities and access to resources are: Constitutional Provisions – Articles such as Article 14, Article 15 (3), Article 39A, and Article 42 make special provisions for rights of women to ensure gender equality. Legislative Provisions – Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961; Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostics Act (PCPNDT), 1994; Sexual Harassment of Women and Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013; Equal Remuneration Act, 1976; Minimum Wages Act, 1948 and Maternity Benefit Act, 1961 (Amended in 2017) aimed at mandating women’s rights. Schemes/Programmes – Economic Participation & Opportunity: Various programmes/Schemes that are intended towards women development and empowerment are: Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) ensures the protection, survival and education of the girl child. Mahila Shakti Kendra (MSK) aims to empower rural women with opportunities for skill development and employment. Working Women Hostel (WWH) ensures the safety and security for working women. Mahila Police Volunteers (MPV)envisages engagement of Mahila Police Volunteers in States/UTs who act as a link between police and community and facilitates women in distress. Rashtriya Mahila Kosh (RMK) is an apex micro-finance organization that provides micro-credit at concessional terms to poor women for various livelihood and income generating activities. The National Crèche Scheme ensures that women take up gainful employment through providing a safe, secure and stimulating environment to the children. Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandna Yojna aims  to provide maternity benefit  to  pregnant and lactating mothers. Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana aims to provide housing under the name of the woman also. Deen Dayal Upadhyay National Urban Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NULM) focuses on creating opportunities for women in skill development, leading to market based employment. Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana empowers women and protects their health by providing LPG cylinder free of cost. Pradhan Mantri Sukanya Samriddhi Yojna- Under this scheme girls have been economically empowered by opening their bank accounts. Female Entrepreneurship: To promote female entrepreneurship, the Government has initiated schemes like Stand Up India and Mahila e-Haat (online marketing platform to support women entrepreneurs/ SHGs/NGOs). Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY) provides access to institutional finance to micro/small business. Educational Attainment: Several steps and initiatives have also been taken up in school education system such as National Curriculum Framework (NCF) 2005 and flagship programme like Samagra Shiksha and the subsequent Right to Education Act (RTE). Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas (KGBVs) have been opened in Educationally Backward Blocks (EBBs). Gender sensitisation is also done which includes gender sensitization module- part of in-service training, construction of toilets for girls, construction of residential quarters for female teachers and curriculum reforms. Political Participation: Also, to bring women in the mainstream of political leadership at the grass root level, government has reserved 33% of the seats in Panchayati Raj Institutions for women.Capacity Building of Elected Women Representatives (EWRs) programme by Ministry of Women and Child is conducted with a view to empower women to participate effectively in the governance processes. Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative Report (Topic: International Publications) In India, there were 271 million fewer people in poverty in 2016 than in 2006, which shows improvement in status.  10 selected countries for which changes over time were analysed, India and Cambodia reduced their Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) values the fastest—and they did not leave the poorest groups behind. The Government of India accords high priority to the issue of poverty alleviation in India. Ministry of Women and Child Development has accorded high priority to the issue of malnutrition and is making serious efforts to eradicate malnutrition.  Several schemes with direct as well as indirect interventions to address the problem of malnutrition among women and children are being implemented as direct targeted interventions across the country like Anganwadi Services, Scheme for Adolescent Girls (SAG) and PradhanMantriMatruVandanaYojna (PMMVY) under the Umbrella Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Scheme. These schemes are universal and open to all the eligible beneficiaries.  Further, Government has set up POSHAN Abhiyaan on 18.12.2017 commencing from 2017-18. The goals of POSHAN Abhiyaan are to achieve improvement in nutritional status of children from 0-6 years, adolescent girls, pregnant women and lactating mothers in a time bound manner with fixed targets. Ease of Living Index and Municipal Performance Index 2019 Launched (Topic: development issues) Aim: To help assess the progress made in cities through various initiatives and empower them to use evidence to plan, implement & monitor their performance, two Assessment Frameworks, viz. Ease of Living Index (EoLI) and Municipal Performance Index (MPI) 2019 have been launched  By: The Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs Both these indices are designed to assess quality of life of citizens in 100 Smart Cities and 14 other Million Plus Cities.   Municipal Performance Index 2019: To assess the performance of municipalities based on five enablers namely Service, Finance, Planning, Technology and Governance which have been further divided into 20 sectors which will be evaluated across 100 indicators. This will help Municipalities in better planning and management, filling the gaps in city administration, and improving the liveability of cities for its citizens. Ease of Living Index is aimed at providing a holistic view of Indian cities - beginning from the services provided by local bodies, the effectiveness of the administration, the outcomes generated through these services in terms of the liveability within cities and, finally, the citizen perception of these outcomes. The key objectives of the Ease of Living Index are four-folds, viz.  a) Generate information to guide evidence-based policy making;  b) Catalyse action to achieve broader developmental outcomes including the SDG;  c) Assess and compare the outcomes achieved from various urban policies and schemes; and d) Obtain the perception of citizens about their view of the services provided by the city administration.  EoLI 2019 will facilitate the assessment of ease of living of citizens across three pillars: Quality of Life, Economic Ability and Sustainability which are further divided into 14 categories across 50 indicators. For the first time, as part of the Ease of Living Index Assessment, a Citizen Perception Survey is being conducted on behalf of the Ministry (which carries 30% of the marks of the Ease of Living Index). This is a very important component of the assessment exercise as it will help in directly capturing perception of citizens with respect to quality of life in their cities. Prelims oriented News: India’s ranking in the Global Hunger Index (GHI) 2019 brought out by Concern World Wide is: 102 Lucknow Declaration: Adopted at the 1st India-Africa Defence Ministers Conclave, 2020 Decline in Tea Production in Southern States: Un-even distribution of rain and localized pest infestation Fall in Production of Sugar: Due to fall in the production of sugarcane mainly in the major sugar producing states of Maharashtra and Karnataka, due to drought in some parts and heavy rains and floods in some other parts of these states. Mission Indradhanush (IMI) 2.0: To reach out to partially vaccinated and unvaccinated children with all the available vaccines under Universal Immunization Program (UIP) across 381 districts in 29 States/UTs. Mahila Shakti Kendra (MSK) Scheme: To empower rural women through community participation. The scheme aims to facilitate inter-sectoral convergence of schemes and programs meant for women both at the Central and State/UT level. Cyber Crimes Sections 66E, 67, 67A specifically deal with cybercrime related to pornography. Section 67B provides punishment for publishing or transmitting of material depicting children in sexually explicit actin electronic form. Sections 13 to Section 15 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act also provide for stringent punishment provisions against child pornography. Atal Bhujal Yojana (Atal Jal), a Rs.6000 Crore Central Sector Scheme For sustainable management of ground water resources with community participation in water stressed blocks of Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.  The scheme is being implemented during 2020-21 to 2024-25 with the financial assistance of World Bank with a sharing pattern of 50:50 between Government of India and World Bank. The Scheme has two components viz. Institutional Strengthening & Capacity Building component and Incentive component with outlays of Rs.1400 crore of Rs.4600 crore respectively. Low Immunisation Coverage The immunization coverage in the country is at 92.2% (as per HMIS for April 2019 to Dec 2019). However there are still pockets of low coverage – Lack of awareness of benefit of Immunization Apprehensions of Adverse Effect Following Immunization (AEFI) Travelling of children Refusal for vaccination Operational gaps To mitigate the identified reasons of low immunization coverage, strategic interventions like advocacy, social mobilization, community engagement, inter personal communication at family level and media engagement are undertaken. The Pradhan Mantri Swasthya  Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY) aims at correcting the imbalances in the availability of affordable healthcare facilities in different parts of the country in general, and augmenting facilities for quality medical education in the under-served States in particular. Launch of Sophisticated Analytical & Technical Help Institutes (SATHI) To address the need for building shared, professionally managed and strong Science and Technology infrastructure in the country which is readily accessible to academia, start-ups, manufacturing, industry and R&D labs These Centres are expected to house major analytical instruments to provide common services of high-end analytical testing, thus avoiding duplication and reduced dependency on foreign sources. These would be operated with a transparent, open access policy. Launch of Portal Santusht: ‘Santusht’ - Implementation Monitoring Cell (IMC) has been constituted in the Office of Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Labour and Employment in January 2020. The objective of ‘Santusht’ is to promote transparency, accountability, effective delivery of public services and implementation of policies, schemes of Ministry of Labour and Employment at grassroot level through constant monitoring. Tracking of Missing Children The TrackChild Portal is implemented in association with various stakeholders including Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Ministry of Railways, State Governments/UT Administrations, Child Welfare Committees, Juvenile Justice Boards and National Legal Services Authority. The “Khoya-Paya” another citizen centric portal has also been launched in 2015.  The Ministry of WCD supports 24x7 outreach helpline service for children in distress. This service is available through a dedicated toll free number, 1098, which can be accessed by children in crisis or by adults on their behalf from any place in the geographical location of India. Common methods of treatment and disposal of bio-medical waste  Incineration/plasma pyrolysis/deep-burial for Yellow Category waste; Autoclaving/microwaving/chemical disinfection for Red Category waste Sterilization and shredding, disinfection followed by burial in concrete pit/recycling through foundry/encapsulation for White Category sharps waste Washing, disinfection followed by recycling for Blue Category glass waste Services of Doctors and Lawyers under Consumer Protection Act: As per the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, “service” means service of any description which is made available to potential users and includes, but not limited to, the provision of facilities in connection with banking, financing, insurance, transport, processing, supply of electrical or other energy, telecom, boarding or lodging or both, housing construction, entertainment, amusement or the purveying of news or other information, but does not include the rendering of any service free of charge or under a contract of personal service. Anti-Dumping Duty: Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR) conducts anti-dumping investigations, under the Customs Tariff Act, 1975 and the rules made thereunder, on the basis of a duly substantiated application filed by the domestic industry alleging dumping of goods into the country causing injury to the domestic industry. The basic intent of anti-dumping measures is to eliminate injury caused to the domestic industry by the unfair trade practice of dumping and to create a level playing field for the domestic industry. India-China Trade Deficit:  As per the data provided by DGCIS, India’s trade with China decreased from USD 89.71 billion in 2017-18 to USD 87.07 billion in 2018-19.  During this period, India’s imports from China declined from USD 76.38 billion in 2017-18 to USD 70.32 billion in 2018-19, and our exports grew from USD 13.33 billion in 2017-18 to USD 16.75 billion in 2018-19.   As a result, India’s trade deficit with China reduced from USD 63.05 billion to USD 53.57 billion in the said period. The Government of India has been consistently making efforts for achieving a more balanced trade with China in all our official engagements with the Chinese Government, requesting them to lower trade barriers for Indian exports to China. DRDO Signs Technology Development Contract with Rosoboronexport Russia High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL) is the DRDO laboratory working in the development of spectrum of high energy materials required for missiles, rockets and guns. This will enable advancement in the field of energetic materials and pyrotechnic technology leading to the development of advanced ignition systems. This will meet futuristic requirements of high-performance propulsion systems.  The propulsion systems are the power behind the rockets and missiles. This technology development will facilitate design and development of state of art solid rocket motors for upcoming products. These products will be based on compact and energy efficient propulsion systems. One Stop Centre(OSC) scheme, popularly known as Sakhi Centres: OSCs are required to facilitate women affected by violence with a range of integrated services under one roof including police facilitation, medical aid, legal aid and legal counselling, psycho-social counseling and temporary shelter, and are to be located within 2 kms radius of the hospitals or medical facilities. National Population Policy National Population Policy formulated in the year 2000, reaffirms the Government’s commitment towards voluntary and informed choice, target free approach and achievement of replacement level of fertility by simultaneously addressing the issues of contraception, maternal health and child survival. The National Family Planning Programme of the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare is guided by the tenets of the National Population Policy 2000 and oversees its implementation. Under this program the service delivery data is triangulated and further the program is regularly reviewed through annual review meetings, supportive supervision visits, common review missions etc. As a result of the Government’s efforts, the successes achieved are enumerated below: The Total Fertility Rate (TFR) has declined from 2.9 in 2005 to 2.2 in 2017 (SRS). 25 out of 37 States/UTs have already achieved replacement level fertility of 2.1 or less. The Decadal growth rate has declined from 21.54% in 1999-2000 to 17.64 % during  2001-11. The Crude Birth Rate (CBR) has declined from 23.8 to 20.2 from 2005 to 2017 (SRS). The Teenage birth rate has halved from 16 % (NFHS III) to 8 % (NFHS IV). Mental Healthcare through Government Schemes As per the National Mental Health Survey, 2016, the prevalence of mental disorders in adults over the age of 18 years is about 10.6%. Mental disorders are known to be caused by a complex interaction of biological, social, environmental, cultural and economic factors. To address the challenge of mental illnesses, the Government is implementing National Mental Health Programme (NMHP): Implementation of the District Mental Health Programme (DMHP) has been approved for 655 districts of the country for early detection, management and treatment of mental disorders/illnesses.  With the objective to address the shortage of qualified mental health professionals in the country, the Government is implementing Manpower Development Schemes for establishment of Centres of Excellence and strengthening/ establishment of Post Graduate (PG) Departments in mental health specialties.  Till date, support has been provided for establishment of 25 Centres of Excellence and strengthening/establishment of 47 Post Graduate (PG) Departments in mental health specialties in the country. During 2018-19, the expenditure on mental healthcare by the three Central Mental Health Institutions and under NMHP was Rs. 545.65 crores. National Strategic Plan (2017-2025) for TB Elimination The government is committed to achieving the targets of National Strategic Plan (2017-2025). Incidence has decreased from 217 per lakh in 2015 to 199 per lakh in 2018 and the total TB Notification has increased from 16.2 lakhs in 2015 to 23.7 lakhs in 2019. “TB Harega, Desh Jeetega” campaign was launched recently as an Accelerator to National Strategic Plan with the objectives of:    -Promoting health seeking behavior in the community for early case detection    - Preventing emergence of new cases of TB It includes following key components under “TB Harega, Desh Jeetega” campaign: Community Engagement Advocacy and Communication Health & Wellness centres and TB Inter-Ministerial collaboration Private health sector engagement Corporate sector engagement Latent TB Infection Management Steps being taken by the Government to boost investment in RE sector Permitting Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) up to 100 percent under the automatic route Strengthening of Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) Mandating requirement of Letter of Credit (LC) as payment security mechanism by distribution licensees for ensuring timely payments to RE generators Setting up of Ultra Mega Renewable Energy Parks(UMREPs) to provide land and transmission on plug and play basis to investors Waiver of Inter State Transmission System (ISTS) charges and losses for inter-state sale of solar and wind power for projects to be commissioned by 31st December, 2022 Notification of standard bidding guidelines to enable distribution licensee to procure solar and wind power at competitive rates in cost effective manner Declaration of trajectory for Renewable Purchase Obligation (RPO) up to the year 2022 Laying of transmission lines under Green Energy Corridor Scheme for evacuation of Power in Renewable rich states Finalization of manufacturing linked tender for setting up domestic manufacturing capacity Launching of new schemes, such as, Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha Evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (PM-KUSUM), Solar Rooftop Phase II, 12000 MW CPSU Scheme Phase II, etc. Central Uniform Policy for Organ Donation The Transplantation of Human Organs Act, 1994 provides for regulation of removal, storage and transplantation of human organs for therapeutic purposes. The Act is applicable in all States/ Union Territories except Andhra Pradesh and Telangana which have their own Act for the same purposes. Further, the Government of India has enacted the Transplantation of Human Organs (Amendment) Act, 2011 and notified Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Rules, 2014. The aforesaid Acts and Rules provide for a uniform policy for organ donation in the country.  Rehabilitation Centres for Children The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 (JJ Act) is the primary law for children in country. The Act provides a security net of service delivery structures including measures for institutional and non-institutional care to ensure comprehensive wellbeing of children in distress situations. As per the JJ Act, destitute children are considered as “Children in need of care and protection (CNCP). The primary responsibility of execution of the Act lies with the States/UTs. The Government of India has implemented the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012 which is a comprehensive law that provides protection to children from the offences of sexual assault, sexual harassment and pornography. The Act provides mandatory reporting, child friendly provisions of recording of statement and evidence and speedy trial of the cases. Recently, the POCSO Act has been amended in order to make it more effective in dealing with cases of child sex abuse in the country. It addresses the need for stringent measures to deter the rising trend of child sex abuse in the country on one hand and the menace of relatively new kind of crimes on the other hand. The Ministry of Women and Child Development is implementing a centrally sponsored Child Protection Services (CPS) Scheme (erstwhile Integrated Child Protection Scheme) for supporting the children in difficult circumstances. The primary responsibility of implementation of the scheme lies with the State Governments/UT Administrations.  Under the scheme institutional care is provided through Child Care Institutes (CCIs), as a rehabilitative measure.  The programmes and activities in Homes inter-alia include age-appropriate education, access to vocational training, recreation, health care, counselling etc.  Under the non-institutional care component, support is extended for adoption, foster care and sponsorship.  Further CPS also provides for “After care” services after the age of 18 years to help sustain them during the transition from institutional to independent life. Agriculture Formula for fixing MSP for Paddy and Wheat Government fixes minimum support prices (MSPs) of 22 mandated crops including paddy, wheat, for every agricultural year and fair & remunerative price (FRP) for sugarcane on the basis of recommendations of Commission for Agricultural Costs & Prices (CACP), after considering the views of State Governments and Central Ministries/Departments concerned & other relevant factors. While recommending MSPs, CACP considers important factors like  Cost of production Overall demand-supply conditions Domestic and international prices Inter-crop price parity Terms of trade between agricultural and non-agricultural sectors The likely effect on the rest of the economy, besides ensuring rational utilization of  land, water and other production resources A minimum of 50 percent as the margin over cost of production in case of MSPs and reasonable margins over cost of production in case of FRP Steps to improve post-harvest infrastructure in various States of the country Under Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) assistance is provided for development of post harvest management and marketing infrastructure such as cold storages, ripening chamber, pack houses, reefer vehicles to farmers to improve marketability of their produce. National Horticulture Board: Implementing scheme for Development of Commercial Horticulture for Production and Post-Harvest Management of Horticulture Crops. Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana-Remunerative Approaches for Agriculture and Allied Sector Rejuvenation (RKVY-RAFTAAR) Scheme with major focus for development of pre & post-harvest infrastructure, besides promoting agri-entrepreneurship and innovations. The Government is promoting scientific storage facilities for the farmers in the country in rural areas through the scheme of “Agricultural Marketing Infrastructure (AMI)”, which is a sub-scheme of Integrated Scheme for Agricultural Marketing (ISAM). Assistance under the AMI Scheme is available to Individual farmers, Group of farmers/growers, registered Farmer Produce Organizations (FPOs) etc. Government is implementing Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojna (PMKSY) scheme with the objective of creation of modern infrastructure along with efficient supply chain management for the entire processing value chain. Steps to reduce Dependency on Monsoon The Water Resources Projects are planned, funded, executed and maintained by the State Governments themselves, as per their own resources and priority.  In order to supplement their efforts, Government of India provides technical and financial assistance to State Governments to encourage sustainable development and efficient management of water resources through various schemes and programmes. State Governments are advised to initiate advance remedial action e.g. constructing water harvesting structures under MGNREGA and other such schemes, promoting agronomic practices for moisture conservation, promoting cultivation of less water consuming crops and restoring irrigation infrastructure by desilting canals, energizing tube-wells and replacing/repairing faulty pumps. Further, the States are also advised to carry out periodic assessment of preparation for kharif crops, particularly contingency crops. States have been advised to keep aside about 5 to 10% of fund allocated under Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) for undertaking appropriate interventions, if the situation so warrants, to minimize the adverse impact of an aberrant monsoon on the agriculture sector. The Central Government implements Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS) / Central Sector (CS) Schemes such as Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana (PMKSY), the Rainfed Area Development Programme (RADP), National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP), etc. which contribute towards drought proofing. Kisan Portal subsumes all mobile based initiatives in the field of agriculture and allied sector. Officers, Scientists and Experts from all organizations and Department of the Government of India and State Governments {including State Agricultural Universities (SAUs), Krishi Vigyan Kendras(KVKs) and Agro- Meteorological Field Units (AMFUs)} are using this Portal for disseminating information (giving topical & seasonal advisories and providing services through SMSs to farmers in their local languages) on various agricultural activities to registered farmers. Under the Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP), the activities being undertaken inter alia include ridge area treatment, drainage line treatment, soil and moisture conservation, rain water harvesting, nursery raising, afforestation, horticulture, pasture development, livelihoods for asset less persons etc. Financial assistance is provided to the farmers in the form of input subsidy, where crop loss is 33% and above, in the event of notified natural calamities. Improving Soil Productivity and Fertility: Soil Health Card provides information to farmers on nutrient status of their soil along with recommendations on appropriate dosage of nutrients to be applied for improving soil health and its fertility. Government is recommending soil test based balanced and integrated nutrient management through conjunctive use of inorganic and organic sources of plant nutrient   to sustain good soil health. In this regard advisories are issued to farmers from time to time. Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay Sanrakshan Abhiyan (PM-AASHA) to ensure Minimum Support Price (MSP) to farmers of notified oilseeds and pulses qualifying Fair Average Quality (FAQ) norms. PM-AASHA is an umbrella scheme comprising of Price Support Scheme (PSS), Price Deficiency Payment Scheme (PDPS) and Private Procurement & Stockist Scheme (PPSS). Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) provides for use of technology for better implementation of the scheme. Accordingly, National Crop Insurance Portal (NCIP) has been developed for ensuring better administration, co-ordination, transparency, dissemination of information and delivery of services including uploading/obtaining details of individual insured farmers for better monitoring and to ensure transfer of claim amount electronically to the individual farmer’s Bank Account.  To ensure timely payment of claims, scheme envisages mandatory use of smartphone/CCE-Agri App for real time transfer of data on national crop insurance portal.     Farmers’ app has also been launched, on which farmers can track their crop insurance application and get all information about it. Mind-map: Doubling farmer’s Income Union Budget The Budget focused on raising the purchasing power by cutting income tax rates and boosting rural income. The Statistics Between 2006-2016, 271 million are out of poverty and we should be proud of it Country has moved on from over 4 per cent growth in 1950s to 7.4 per cent to 2014-19 period Total of 60 lakh new taxpayers and 105 crore e-way bills generated under GST. Average household now saves 4 percent of monthly spend due to reduced GST rates Central government debt reduced to 48.7 per cent of GDP in 2019 from 52.2 per cent. Over 6 crore farmers under Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojna have been insured. Key Announcements: India is now 5th largest economy in world – put out a 16-point guide to make India an aspirational economy Government to incentivise farmers to go solar. Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha and Utthan Mahabhiyan (PM KUSUM) to be expanded, providing 20 lakh farmers in setting up standalone solar pumps. Railways will set up Kisan Rail through PPP model so that perishable goods can be transported quickly. Krishi Udaan scheme to transport agri products to national as well international destinations to be launched. Agri-credit target for the year 2020-21 has been set at Rs 15 lakh crore. Rs 69,000 crores for allocated for the healthcare sector Education and training: Rs 99,300 crore allocated for education in FY21. Govt will start start Ind-Sat Exam to promote study in India and a degree-level online education programme for the deprived. A total of Rs 3,000 crore will be given for skill development. Allocation for Swachh Bharat Mission for 2020-21 stands at Rs 12,300 crore. In further push to PM Modi’s ‘Nal se jaal’ scheme, govt proposes Rs 3.6 lakh crore towards piped water supply to households. National Textile Mission to be launched with a proposed Rs 1,480 crore allocation To boost infrastructure, 9,000 km of economic corridor will be set up. Chennai-Bengaluru expressway will also be started. Delhi-Mumbai expressway to be completed by 2023 550 WiFi facilities have been commissioned at railway stations. 1 lakh gram panchayats to get optical fibre link. An allocation of Rs 6,000 crore will be provided for BharatNet scheme. Allocation of Rs 27,300 crore for development of industry and commerce. Rs 20,000 crore announced for renewable energy sector in a bid to tackle pollution and climate change. A new scheme of smart meters will be launched. 100 more airports to be developed by 2025. 1,150 trains will run under the public private partnership (PPP) mode, also four stations will be redeveloped with the help of the private sector. Besides, the Tejas type trains to connect tourist destinations. An allocation of Rs 8,000 crore will be made for National Mission on Quantum Computing and Technology. Rs 35,600 crore allocated for nutritional related programme in FY21 while Rs 85,000 crore has been budgeted for the welfare of Scheduled Castes and other backward classes. Tourism promotion gets Rs 2500 crore. Women schemes, senior citizens in Budget: Enrolment ration for girls under ‘Beti Bachao Beti Padhao‘ is higher than boys. Gross enrollment of girls is 94.32 per cent in elementary levels, 81.32 per cent in secondary level and 59.7 per cent in higher secondary level. Further, Rs 28,600 crore will be allocated in FY21 for women-linked programmes. Allocation for senior citizens and ‘Divyang’ enhanced to Rs 9500 crore. Proposed 4,400 crore to tackle Delhi’s air pollution problem. Last year, the Supreme Court had termed the situation as “worse than Emergency” as air quality dipped to hazardous levels. Insurance cover for bank depositors raised from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 5 lakh. Currently, in the (unlikely) event of a bank going bust in India, a depositor has claim to a maximum of Rs 1 lakh per account as insurance cover — even if the deposit in their account far exceeds Rs 1 lakh. Depositors holding more than Rs 1 lakh in their account have no legal remedy in case of the collapse of the bank. Foreign direct investment (FDI) into the country has increased to $284 billion during 2014-19 from $190 billion in previous five years. Nirvik (Niryat Rin Vikas Yojana) scheme to provide enhanced insurance cover and reduce premium for small exporters. Focus on MSMEs: More than 5 lakh MSMEs benefited from RBI’s restructuring of loans. Government has asked RBI to consider extending window of debt structuring by one year to March 2021 for this purpose Fiscal deficit target pegged at 3.8% of GDP for FY 2019-20.  FY21 fiscal deficit target pegged at 3.5% of GDP. Fiscal deficit is considered the most important marker of a government’s financial health.  Government to sell part holding in LIC. Besides, govt to also sell stake in IDBI Bank to private investors. The government’s move is a part of efforts to push through an aggressive disinvestment and asset monetisation programme. Nominal growth of GDP for 2020-21 has been estimated at 10 per cent Proposed a new simplified tax regime soon 10% tax for income between 5 lakh-7.5 lakh 15% tax for income between 7.5 lakh to 10 lakh 20% tax for income between 10 lakh to 12.5 lakh 25% tax for income between 12.5 lakh to 15 lakh 30% tax for income above 15 lakh No income tax for those with taxable income below Rs 5 lakh Dividend Distribution Tax to be removed. Dividend shall be taxed at the hands of the recipients To boost investments and shore up the lagging economy, corporate tax for existing companies slashed to 22 per cent. Govt proposes 100 per cent tax concession to sovereign wealth funds on investment in infra projects. Moreover, concessional tax rate of 15 per cent extended to power generation companies. Extends additional Rs 1.5 lakh tax benefit on interest paid on affordable housing loans to March 2021. In another boost, a proposed tax holiday to affordable housing developers. ‘Vivad se Vishwas’ scheme announced by Sitharaman for direct tax payers whose appeals are pending at various forum. 4.83 lakh direct cases pending in various appellate forums. Under the scheme, taxpayer to pay only amount of disputed tax. They will get complete waiver on interest and penalty if scheme is availed by March 31, 2020. 15th Finance Commission has cut state share of central taxes by one percentage point to 41 per cent.

Motivational Articles

Creative Guidance – What is the Mind? – Inspirational Educative Articles

What is the mind? The Sanskrit word “man" pronounced “mun”, means “mind”. This is the root word from which the English words “man” and “woman” are derived. The ancient Hindus believed that mind is a vast, limitless and transcendental phenomenon. Unlike the modern understanding which says that mind is generated in the brain, they believed that the body itself is a manifestation of the mind. In reality, mind is not a product of the body, rather the body itself is a product of the mind. Ancient civilizations believed in the fact that there is some higher creative force that is governing the human mind. Hindus called both existence and Creator as “Brahman” or “The Vast Mind”. The Hindus are not saying that the Creator is a person sitting in heaven, designing everything like an engineer. What they are saying is that your mind itself is the Creator. In one way, they are saying that you are the Creator because you possess the mind. Through your process of perceiving, learning, and watching, you are manifesting and creating. Everything is your mind. Every sound, every color, every texture, and every desire is your mind. The mind is not a component of the physical reality; rather, the physical reality is a component of the mind. There’s a rainbow, and you look at the colors. Can you see the colors of the rainbow without your mind? You look at the trees. Can you see the green of the trees without your mind? You have a body, you have thoughts, and desires. Can any of these happen without the mind? Without the mind, there is no perception, no experience, and no human journey - there is nothing. Without the mind, nothing will make any sense. If you take the mind out of the equation, then what is the purpose of existence? It all seems meaningless. So ask this question: “What is not the mind?” You’ll be surprised. “This article is a part of the creative endeavor of Meditation Farm and IASBABA.”

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

Daily Current Affairs IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 8th February 2020

IAS UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 8th February 2020 Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) Pro-militant tweets cited in PSA(Public Safety Act ) file Part of: GS Prelims –Polity and GS-II- Constitution In news: Former Chief Minister and PDP president Mehbooba Mufti has been booked under  Public Safety Act (PSA) From Prelims Point of View: The Public Safety Act (PSA) of Jammu & Kashmir is an administrative detention law   Act extends to the whole of Jammu & Kashmir. Allows detention of any individual for up to two years without a trial or charge.  Without a warrant, specific charges, and often for an unspecified period of time. The detaining authority is not required to reveal any facts “which it considers being against the public interest to disclose”.  Detention order under the PSA is issued either by the Divisional Commissioner or District Magistrate.  “in the case of a person acting in any manner prejudicial to the security of the state”,  “any person is acting in any manner prejudicial to the maintenance of public order”.  (2012 Amendment ) the detention of a person below the age of 18 was strictly prohibited under this Act.  Produced before the magistrate within 24 hours. The Advisory Board is a non-judicial body established to review detention orders and determine whether there is sufficient cause for detention. Bodoland Territorial Area District (BTAD) Part of: GS Prelims –Polity and GS-II- Federalism In news: Prime Minister Narendra Modi  advised the youth in central India’s Maoist belt and in Jammu and Kashmir to emulate the Bodos and shun the path of violence. IASBaba’s Value Additions: Recently, the central government, the Assam government and the Bodo groups, signed an agreement to redraw and rename the Bodoland Territorial Area District (BTAD) as the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR), in Assam. From Prelims Point of View: Bodoland Territorial Area District : BTAD is spread over four districts of Kokrajhar, Chirang, Baksa and Udalguri. The BTAD and other areas mentioned under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution have been exempted from the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), 2019. Bodo: The Bodo  are a Tibeto-Burmese-speaking ethnic group in Assam.  Politically active and dominant in the Kokrajhar, Baksa, Udalguri and Chirang districts of the Bodoland autonomous region in the state of Assam. The Bodo people speak the Bodo language, a Tibeto-Burman language recognized as one of twenty-two scheduled languages in the Indian Constitution. The Bodo people are recognized as a plains tribe in the Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution.  The Bodo people are concentrated within the Assamese districts of Udalguri, Chirang, Baksa, Bajali, Sonitpur, Goalpara, Dhemaji, Lakhimpur, and Kokrajhar. Daily Current Affairs IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 8thth February 2020 Src: The Hindu Habitat loss felled leopards Part of: GS Prelims –Environment  and GS-III- Conservation In news: India’s leopard population is only a tenth of what it was  over a century ago Due to human pressures, conflicts with humans, poaching, habitat loss and availability of prey  Scientists say that an initiative similar to ‘Project Tiger’ is required  Decline of 75% to 90% between 120 and 200 years ago,  Centre for Wildlife Studies & Wildlife Institute of India Reports From Prelims Point of View: Project Tiger: Project Tiger was launched in Jim Corbett National Park of Uttarakhand in 1973. Tiger reserves are governed by the Project Tiger (1973). Centrally Sponsored Scheme of the Ministry of Environment and Forests. Administered by the National Tiger Conservation Authority. Aim: Protect tigers from extinction by ensuring a viable population in their natural habitats. Government has set up a Tiger Protection Force under PT to combat poachers. PT funds relocation of villagers to minimize human-tiger conflicts. Bank of India, State Bank cut interest rates: Part of: GS Prelims –Economy and GS-III- Banking In news: Recently, The State Bank of India (SBI) and the Bank of India (BoI) have reduced their lending rates by cutting the marginal cost of fund-based lending rate (MCLR) The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) announced measures to ease interest rates From Prelims Point of View: Marginal cost of fund-based lending rate: The minimum interest rate that a bank can lend at.  MCLR is a tenor-linked internal benchmark, which means the rate is determined internally by the bank depending on the period left for the repayment of a loan. It is closely linked to the actual deposit rates and is calculated based on four components: the marginal cost of funds, negative carry on account of cash reserve ratio, operating costs and tenor premium. Reserve Bank of India introduced the MCLR methodology for fixing interest rates from 1 April 2016.  It replaced the base rate structure, which had been in place since July 2010.banks are free to offer all categories of loans on fixed or floating interest rates. The actual lending rates for loans of different categories and tenors are determined by adding the components of spread to MCLR. Therefore, the bank cannot lend at a rate lower than MCLR of a particular maturity, for all loans linked to that benchmark. (MAINS FOCUS) Indian Foreign (Trade) Policy Topic: General Studies 2: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests. 
 Topic: General Studies 3 Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization, of resources, growth, development and employment. 
 Protectionism: In an economically interconnected and technologically inseparable world Context  India’s international trade posture has appeared to turn protectionist with recent actions by the Indian government What events has led to the perception for rising Protectionism in India? During the presentation of Union Budget 2020-21, Finance Minister made several references to the problems with free trade and preferential trade agreements (FTAs and PTAs) that pose undue risk to domestic industry Government raised tariffs on the import of more than 50 items. Changes in Customs Act provisions to penalise imports suspected to originate from third countries, which try to misuse FTA & PTAs India declined to attend a meeting of trade negotiators in Bali (February 3-4) that was discussing the next step in the ASEAN led RCEP trade agreement. Government’s decision to scrap all bilateral investment treaties with 57 countries and bringing in a new Bilateral Investment treaty (BIT) model in 2015. Reasons given by India for taking above measures: Rise in trade deficits with FTA partner thus the need to revisit the treaties The primary motive of rising trade barriers is to protect Indian markets from dumping — primarily by Chinese goods Countries (EX: RCEP) unwilling to consider the agreement in Services, that involves migration of professionals, which is India’s strong area India’s unfinished agenda with regard to Trade treaties Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) being negotiated with Australia since 2011. However, talks hit a dead end in September 2015. With Australia’s focus on RCEP, no progress has been made since then. India-UK trade agreement will not able to see the light of the day until UK finalises its Brexit deal with EU India- EU Bilateral Trade and Investment Agreement (BTIA) has not made any progress since 2013. India coming up with new BIT model in 2015 by scrapping earlier BITS had made the negotiations harder than before thus delaying the inking of agreement India-US FTA- At present there have only been some “non-paper” talks on the issue, and possible take years to fructify given the rising protectionism in US and India alike Bilateral trade agreements – India wished to renegotiate its FTA with ASEAN, South Korea and Japan given that these agreements have increased India’s trade deficit with these countries. However, all these Nations will be ready to negotiate only after finalising their RCEP deal which would take couple of years more. India moving in a direction opposite to that of world India is currently focusing on inking bilateral trade agreements rather than go for multi-lateral trade treaties (not signing RCEP). However, world is now divided into multilateral regional FTAs which include: North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) for North America,  Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR for its Spanish initials) for South America The European Union Eurasian Economic Union (Russia and neighbours) African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) FTA RCEP India is not a member of any of these regional trade agreements. India has also virtually abandoned SAARC. Additionally, world does not favour trade in services the way it does in goods, as most countries have turned migration-averse. Conclusion India’s cannot rise in Asia without closer trade links with the East or the backing of South Asia. Historically, the decline of colonial powers and more ancient empires can be traced to times when they turned inward and disengaged from foreign trade India thus needs to adopt a more open approach towards global trade. Did you know? Only three countries: Kyrgyzstan, Belarus and most recently Brazil have agreed to sign a new investment treaty based on that model. India has trade surpluses with smaller economies, particularly in the neighbourhood, where Indian exports form more than 80% of total trade with Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Sri Lanka, respectively. Connecting the dots! WTO settlement body decline – India’s avenue to resolve any bilateral disputes reduces Impact on rupee value and investment flow due to protectionist measures (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 provisions of the Constitution of India have a bearing on Education?  Directive Principles of State Policy Rural and Urban Local Bodies Fifth Schedule Sixth Schedule Seventh Schedule Select the correct answer using the codes given below : 1 and 2 only  3, 4 and 5 only 1, 2 and 5 only 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 Q 2. The provisions in Fifth Schedule and Sixth Schedule in the Constitution of India are made in order to protect the interests of Scheduled Tribes determine the boundaries between States determine the powers, authority and responsibilities of Panchayats protect the interests of all the border States Q3. What is/are the purpose/purposes of the ‘Marginal Cost of Funds based Lending Rate (MCLR)’ ?  These guidelines help improve the transparency in the methodology followed by banks for determining the interest rates on advances. These guidelines help ensure availability of bank credit at interest rates which are fair to the borrowers as well as the banks Select the correct answer using the code given below. 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2  Neither 1 nor 2 ANSWERS FOR 07 FEB 2020 TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE (TYK) 1 C 2 D 3 D Must Read About maternity benefits: The Hindu About sentencing process: The Hindu About Trump’s impeachment victory: The Hindu

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

Daily Current Affairs IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 6th February 2020

IAS UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 6th February 2020 Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) Trust formed Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains II - Polity In news: Cabinet had approved construction of a grand Ram temple in Ayodhya  Setting up an autonomous trust, the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra,  There would be 15 trustees, out of which one would always be from the Dalit society. [caption id="attachment_56878" align="aligncenter" width="551"] Daily Current Affairs IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 6th February 2020[/caption] CPCB pulls up 14 coal plants Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains II - Polity In news: Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has pulled up 14 thermal power plants for not complying with a December 31, 2019 deadline to limit sulphur dioxide emissions. From Prelims Point of view : CPCB : CPCB has the power to impose steep fines or shut a unit under the provisions of the Environment Protection Act. Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) of India is a statutory organisation under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC). Established in 1974 under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974. CPCB is also entrusted with the powers and functions under the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 PM pitches for boost to defence exports Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains II - Polity In news: India became the world’s largest arms importer as it did not utilise its capacities to full potential after Independence. India was looking to achieve defence exports worth ₹35,000 crore in the next five years. From Prelims Point of vew: DefExpo The DefExpo is biennial event organized by Ministry of Defence. The 11th edition of the event promises to bring in new technological solutions.  Defence Ministers from 40 countries are attending the event. Navy will have its third Scorpene sub this year Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains II - Polity In news: The third Scorpene submarine, Karanj, will be delivered to the Indian Navy by December and all six submarine deliveries would be completed by 2022 The first Scorpene, Kulvari, was commissioned in 2018.  The second Scorpene Khanderi was inducted in September last year. From Prelims Point of vew: Scorpene-class submarines: These are a class of diesel-electric attack submarines jointly developed by the French Direction des Constructions Navales (DCN) and the Spanish company Navantia, and now by Naval Group. It features diesel propulsion and an additional air-independent propulsion (AIP) ‘LIC IPO will certainly happen next year’ Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains II - Polity In news: The Centre has indicated that it may need to push through an amendment in the LIC Act, 1956 before the stake sale.  Currently, the government owns 100% of LIC, the country’s largest insurer.  Opposition parties have objected to the divestment plan, while LIC’s employee unions have claimed that it would be “against national interest.” Life Insurance Corporation: Life Insurance Corporation of India (abbreviated as LIC) is an Indian state-owned insurance group and investment corporation owned by the Government of India. The Life Insurance Corporation of India was founded in 1956 when the Parliament of India passed the Life Insurance of India Act that nationalised the insurance industry in India.  Over 245 insurance companies and provident societies were merged to create the state-owned Life Insurance Corporation of India. As of 2019, Life Insurance Corporation of India had total life fund of ₹28.3 trillion. The total value of sold policies in the year 2018-19 is ₹21.4 million.  Life Insurance Corporation of India settled 26 million claims in 2018-19. It has 290 million policy holders. (MAINS FOCUS) Indian Polity & Federalism Topic: General Studies 2: Constitutional bodies and their responsibilities Topic: General Studies 3 Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization, of resources, growth, development and employment. 
 Government Budgeting 

 Fifteenth Finance Commission (15th FC) Context  15th FC (Chair N.K.Singh) constituted by the President of India under Article 280 of the Constitution on November 27, 2017 was given an extension and recently submitted its first report The commission was required to submit two reports, one for 2020-21 and the second covering the period of five years from 2021-22 to 2025-26 Basis for extension First, the abolition of Statehood to Jammu and Kashmir required the Commission to make an estimation excluding the Union Territory.  Second, the deceleration in growth and low inflation has substantially slowed down the nominal GDP growth making projections for medium term risky.  Finally, poor revenue performance of tax collection and more particularly Goods and Services Tax combined with the fact that the compensation agreement to the loss of revenue to the States was effective only two years of the period of 15FC posed uncertainities If not for extension, making medium-term projections in the current scenario would have entailed serious risks.  Key Recommendations include: Devolution of taxes to states: The share of states in the centre’s taxes is recommended to be decreased from 42% during the 2015-20 period to 41% for 2020-21.  The 1% decrease is to provide for the newly formed union territories of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh from the resources of the central government. Criteria for Devolution   Criteria 14th FC 2015-20 15th FC 2020-21 Income Distance 50.0 45.0 Population (1971) 17.5 - Population (2011) 10.0 15.0 Area 15.0 15.0 Forest Cover 7.5 - Forest and Ecology (share of dense forest of each state in the aggregate dense forest of all the states) - 10.0 Demographic Performance (based on Total Fertility rate) - 12.5 Tax Effort - 2.5 Total 100 100 Grants-in-aid In 2020-21, the following grants will be provided to states: Revenue deficit grants: In 2020-21, 14 states are estimated to have an aggregate revenue deficit of Rs 74,340 crore post-devolution.  The Commission recommended revenue deficit grants for these states (see Table 4 in the annexure). Special grants: In case of three states, the sum of devolution and revenue deficit grants is estimated to decline in 2020-21 as compared to 2019-20.  These states are Karnataka, Mizoram, and Telangana.  The Commission has recommended special grants to these states aggregating to Rs 6,764 crore. Sector-specific grants: The Commission has recommended a grant of Rs 7,375 crore for nutrition in 2020-21. Performance-based grants: Guidelines for performance-based grants include: (i) implementation of agricultural reforms, (ii) development of aspirational districts and blocks, (iii) power sector reforms, (iv) enhancing trade including exports, (v) incentives for education, and (vi) promotion of domestic and international tourism.  The grant amount will be provided in the final report. Grants to local bodies: The total grants to local bodies for 2020-21 has been fixed at Rs 90,000 crore (4.31% of divisible pool), of which Rs 60,750 crore is recommended for rural local bodies (67.5%) and Rs 29,250 crore for urban local bodies (32.5%). The grants will be divided between states based on population and area in the ratio 90:10. The grants will be made available to all three tiers of Panchayat- village, block, and district.  Disaster Risk Management: For 2020-21, State Disaster Risk Management Funds have been allocated Rs 28,983 crore, out of which the share of the union is Rs 22,184 crore.  The National Disaster Risk Management Funds has been allocated Rs 12,390 crore. Recommendations on fiscal roadmap Centre should, in the coming year, rationalise centrally sponsored schemes  Centre and states should fully reveal the extent of their off-budget borrowings, leading to accumulation of extra-budgetary liabilities Statutory framework for public financial management: The Commission recommended forming an expert group to draft legislation to provide for a statutory framework for sound public financial management system. Tax capacity: In 2018-19, the tax revenue of state governments and central government together stood at around 17.5% of GDP. India’s tax capacity largely remained unchanged since 1990s. The Commission recommended: (i) broadening the tax base, (ii) streamlining tax rates, (iii) and increasing capacity and expertise of tax administration in all tiers of the government. GST implementation: The Commission observed that the continuing dependence of states on compensation from the central government (21 states out of 29 states in 2018-19) for making up for the shortfall in revenue is a concern.  Hence needed to have relook into the structure of GST. Separate defence and national security fund:It was mentioned in the terms of reference. However, 15 FC intends to constitute an expert committee to study such a proposal and will come out with its suggestions in second report. Connecting the dots Concerns raised by Southern States with regard to considering 2011 population numbers, has it been addressed? FRBM changes recommended by N.K.Singh Committee. (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 one of the following was probed by the Liberhan Commission?  Test Cricket Match Fixing Best Bakery Case Tehelka Tapes Case Demolition of the disputed structure at Ayodhya Q 2. How is the National Green Tribunal (NGT) different from the Central Pollution Control Board The NGT has been established by an Act whereas the CPCB has been created by an executive order of the Government. The NGT provides environmental justice and helps reduce the burden of litigation in the higher courts whereas the CPCB promotes cleanliness of streams and wells, and aims to improve the quality of air in the country. Which of the statements given above is/are correct: 1 only  2 only Both 1 and 2  Neither 1 nor 2 ANSWERS FOR 05 FEB 2020 TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE (TYK) 1 D 2 B MUST READ About Speaker’s Office: The Hindu About Solution to Economic Crisis: The Hindu About Corona Virus: The Hindu

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

Daily Current Affairs IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 5th February 2020

IAS UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 5th February 2020 Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) T.N. MLAs’ disqualification Part of: GS Prelims –Polity and GS-II- Constitution In news: The Supreme Court gave Tamil Nadu Speaker a week’s time to inform when he will take cognisance of the disqualification petitions filed under the Tenth Schedule (anti-defection law) for voting against the confidence motion moved by Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami in February 2017. From Prelims  Point of view: Tenth Schedule (anti-defection law) The law is necessary because when a voter decides to cast his/her vote for a candidate, he/she is considers not only the candidate but also the party that the candidate stands for and the manifesto the party presented. Hence, when the defection takes place, it's the electorate that is let down, making a mockery of democracy. That is why in the year 1985, amendment to the constitution was effected and Xth schedule was introduced.  The amendment and the schedule are connected to Article 102 and Article 191 of the Constitution. Both the articles pertain to disqualification for membership. The purpose of this mini-legislation within the constitution is to create a deterrent for any kind of defections and it prescribes disqualification for doing so. ‘Healing Christ’ statue enters URF book of world records Part of: GS Prelims –Art & Culture  and GS-I- Art & Culture In news: Healing Christ, in Thiruvalla Kerala has entered the Universal Records Forum’s (URF) book of world records. From Prelims  Point of view: Healing Christ: The statue was sculpted with an alloy of zinc, copper, and velutheeyam  Velutheeyam is an alloy of tin and aluminium Universal Records Forum Universal Records Forum encourage every record holder and give them the deserved platform to showcase their talent, stamina, endurance and achievement in front of the world. NGT cancels eco-clearance to high-rise near Kaikondrahalli lake Part of: GS Prelims –Environment and GS-III Conservation In news: Eco Clearance was a ‘breach of environment norms, violation of municipal laws and buffer zone regulations’.  The EC was granted in January 2018 by the Karnataka State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA). From Prelims  Point of view: Kaikondrahalli Lake, a small urban lake in Bengaluru National Green Tribunal : Set up under the National Green Tribunal Act (2010)  Effective and expeditious disposal of cases relating to environmental protection and conservation of forests and other natural resources. India became the third country in the world to set up a specialised environmental tribunal, (Australia and New Zealand)  Disposal of applications or appeals finally within 6 months of filing of the same. 7 in 100 Anganwadi beneficiaries in cities In news: For every 100 anganwadi beneficiaries in the country, only seven are in urban areas. Impact: because of a severe lack of anganwadis in cities, leading to poor coverage of the government’s flagship programme in early childhood development. From Prelims  Point of view: Anganwadi Anganwadis or day-care centres are set up under the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) by the Women and Child Development Ministry to provide a package of six services.  The services include supplementary nutrition; pre-school non-formal education; immunisation, nutrition and health education; as well as referral services. The aim of the scheme is to reduce infant mortality and child malnutrition.  Beneficiaries include children in the age group of six months to six years, and pregnant women and lactating mothers. Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS): Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) is an Indian government welfare programme which provides food, preschool education, and primary healthcare to children under 6 years of age and their mothers. These services are provided from Anganwadi centres established mainly in rural areas and staffed with frontline workers. (MAINS FOCUS) Indian Polity & Federalism Topic: General Studies 2: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests 

 International Maritime Organization (IMO) & India Context  IMO mandates that merchant ships should not burn fuel with Sulphur content more than 0.5% beginning January 1, 2020. India’s negligible presence and interventions in IMO have been affecting its interests. About International Maritime Organization It was established by UN convention in Geneva on 17 March 1948 and met for the first time in January 1959. IMO is responsible for measures to improve the safety and security of international shipping and to prevent pollution from ships. It is also involved in legal matters, including liability and compensation issues and the facilitation of international maritime traffic It currently has 174 Member States. India joined in 1959. Role of IMO The IMO is not responsible for enforcing its policies. There is no enforcement mechanism to implement the policies of the IMO. The IMO, like any other UN agency, is primarily a secretariat, which facilitates decision-making processes on all maritime matters through meetings of member states. The binding instruments are brought in through the conventions — to which member states sign on to for compliance  The Third IMO GHG Study 2014 estimated that international shipping emitted 796 million tonnes of CO2 in 2012, accounting for about 2.2% of the total global anthropogenic CO2 emissions for that year,  Also, IMO states that emissions from international shipping could grow between 50% and 250% by 2050 mainly due to the growth of the world maritime trade. IMO regulations to reduce sulphur oxides (SOx) emissions from ships first came into force in 2005, under the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL Convention). Since then, the limits on sulphur oxides have been progressively tightened. Significance of latest decision by IMO Previous Sulphur Limit was 3.5%, which was applicable to most parts of the world. If global shipping were a country, it would be the sixth largest producer of greenhouse gas emissions, therefore cleaner fuel will help reduce SOx emissions which reduces pollution. The new regulations will have major health and environmental benefits for the world, particularly for populations living close to ports and coasts. Impact of new rules by IMO limiting Sulphur content Redesigning refineries including those in India so as to produce cleaner fuel- this entails capital investment and thus increased cost of fuel Increased freight costs due to increased cost of fuel which will have a cascading effect on retail prices of goods. Structural changes to Ships: Very-low-sulphur fuel would be incompatible with the engines and other vessel equipment. There have been instances of ships having been stranded after fine particles separated out from the fuel, damaging equipment and clogging up devices.  Dominance of Developed Countries in IMO To ensure that their maritime interests are protected, the European countries move their proposals in unison and voting or support are given en bloc. The European Union has a documented procedure on how to influence the IMO Prominent maritime nations have their permanent representatives at London (HQ) and are supported by a large contingent of domain experts from their maritime administration, seafarers and industry associations during the meeting These countries ensure that they have representation in every sub-committee, working group and even correspondence groups so that they are aware of the developments. Inadequate Participation by India in IMO India's permanent representative post in the IMO has remained vacant for the last 25 years. Representation at meetings is often through a skeletal delegation. The number of submissions made by India in the recent past has been few and not in proportion to India’s stakes in global shipping. There have also been obstacles in pushing issues which are of importance to India. A classic case was the promulgation of “High Risk Areas” by IMO in Arabian sea which led to increased insurance costs for shipping industry There was also great difficulty in introducing the indigenously designed NavIC in the worldwide maritime navigation system. The agenda and interventions pushed by the developed countries are not entirely pragmatic from the point of view of India’s interests with efforts to push products & companies based in West Issue of High Risk Area IMO demarcated ‘High-Risk Areas’ when piracy was at its peak particularly by Somalian pirates. The IMO’s demarcation resulted in half the Arabian Sea and virtually the entire south-west coast of India being seen as piracy-infested, despite the presence of the Indian Navy and Coast Guard. The “Enrica Lexie” shooting incident of 2012, off the coast of Kerala, was a direct fallout of the demarcation. It took great efforts by India to revoke the promulgation. Way forward IMO also needs to reduce nitrogen oxides (NOx) and ozone-depleting gases. At the earliest, India should fill the vacant post of the permanent representative at the IMO. India should have well-laid-out procedure and agenda to deal with procedures of IMO to further its interests. Promulgate new policies which makes the shipping industry in India adopt greener technologies Connecting the dots Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships a.k.a Hong Kong Convention Montreal Protocol (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 one of the following schedules of the Constitution of India contains provisions regarding anti-defection Act?  Second Schedule  Fifth Schedule Eighth Schedule  Tenth Schedule Q 2.  Velutheeyam is  a new species of snake found recently  an alloy of tin and aluminium Classical dance of Kerala None of these  ANSWERS FOR 04 FEB 2020 TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE (TYK) 1 A 2 D 3 C MUST READ About Navy: The Hindu About NRC’s Administrative burden: The Hindu About West Asia Political developments: Indian Express

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

Daily Current Affairs IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 7th February 2020

IAS UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 7th February 2020 Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) Repo rate kept unchanged Part of: GS Prelims and GS-III- Economy In news: The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) decided to keep the interest rates unchanged in the wake of a rise in inflation. Daily Current Affairs IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 7th February 2020 SRC: Hindu From Prelims Point of view: Monetary Policy Committee (MPC): MPC is a six-member committee constituted by the Central Government  Section 45ZB of the amended RBI Act, 1934 Once in every six months, the Reserve Bank is required to publish a document called the Monetary Policy Report to explain: (1) the sources of inflation and(2) the forecast of inflation for 6-18 months ahead. The committee comprises six members - three officials of the Reserve Bank of India and three external members nominated by the Government of India. The Governor of Reserve Bank of India is the chairperson ex officio of the committee. REPO Rate: REPO denotes Re Purchase Option – the rate by which RBI gives loans to other banks. In other words, it is the rate at which banks buy back the securities they keep with the RBI at a later period. Lucknow Declaration Adopted at the 1st India-Africa Defence Ministers Conclave, 2020 Part of: GS Prelims and GS-II- Defence  In news: The first India-Africa Defence Ministers’ Conclave held in Lucknow adopted the Lucknow Declaration Highlights : To deepen cooperation to combat the growing threat of terrorism  Preserve maritime security by sharing information, intelligence and surveillance From Prelims Point of view: DEFEXPO The DefExpo is biennial event organized by Ministry of Defence. The 11th edition of the event promises to bring in new technological solutions.  Defence Exhibition Organisation is an autonomous organisation of the Indian Government established in 1981. The organisation was established to promote export potential of the Indian defence industry.  The agency is responsible for organising international exhibitions such as DEFEXPO and Indian participation at overseas exhibitions. India to work with Russia on copters Part of: GS Prelims and GS-II- Defense , India’s Foreign relations In news: Production Localisation of Ka-226T light utility helicopters (Defexpo 2020) Russian Helicopters (RH) signed a road map with IRHL for localisation of Ka-226T helicopter production in India. IRHL is a joint venture between Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and Russian Helicopters (RH), which will assemble the Ka-226T helicopters in India. From Prelims Point of view: Ka-226T: The Ka-226T is a design of Russia's famed Kamov design bureau. It is a light helicopter, with a maximum take-off weight of over 3.5 tonnes and can carry a payload of up to 1 ton. Defence Acquisition Council (DAC):  highest decision-making body in the Defence Ministry for deciding on new policies and capital acquisitions for the three services (Army, Navy and Air Force) and the Indian Coast Guard. The Minister of Defence is the Chairman of the Council. It was formed, after the Group of Ministers recommendations on 'Reforming the National Security System', in 2001, post Kargil War (1999) Uniform Code of Pharmaceutical Marketing Practices Part of: GS Prelims and GS-II- Health sector In news: Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP), which comes under the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers, has yet again “requested companies to abide by UCPMP” Uniform Code of Pharmaceutical Marketing Practices From Prelims Point of view: Uniform Code of Pharmaceuticals Marketing Practices, ("UCPMP Code")  voluntary code issued by the Department Of Pharmaceuticals relating to marketing practices for Indian Pharmaceutical Companies and as well medical devices industry. (MAINS FOCUS) Indian Economy Topic: General Studies 3 Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization, of resources, growth, development and employment. 
 Science & Technology UPI- India’s Digital Payment Revolution Context  Google writing a letter to the US Federal Reserve two months ago asking them to learn from Indian digital payments Also, digital payment transactions on the Universal Payment Interface (UPI) platform rose from 0.1 million in October 2016 to 1.3 billion in January 2020  Daily Current Affairs IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 7th February 2020 India’s payment revolution comes from  A clear vision - shifting the system from low volume, high value, and high cost to high volume, low value, low cost A clear strategy -regulated and unregulated private players innovating on top of public infrastructure (UPI)  Trade-offs balanced by design -regulation vs innovation, privacy vs personalisation, and ease-of-use vs fraud prevention About UPI It is a common platform through which a person can transfer money from his bank account to any other bank account in the country instantly using nothing but his/her UPI ID. Launched in 2016 as Mobile First digital payments platform Immediate money transfer through mobile device round the clock 24*7 and 365 days based on the Immediate Payment Service (IMPS) platform. UPI is completely interoperable and as such, it is unique in the world, where you have an interoperable system on the ‘send’ and ‘receive’ side Developed by: National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) under the guidance from RBI Significance of UPI It created interoperability between all sources and recipients of funds (consumers, businesses, fintechs, wallets, 140 member banks),  Settled instantly inside the central bank in fiat money – Convenience to consumers and merchants and  Blunted data monopolies -big tech firms have strong autonomy but weak fiduciary responsibilities over customer data). UPI offers the following policy lessons.  First, the India stack — interconnected yet independent platforms or open APIs — are a public good that lowers costs, spurs innovation, and blunts the natural digital winner-takes-all..  Second, collaboration can create ecosystems that overcome existing obstacles— the execution deficit of government, the trust deficit of private companies, and the scale deficit of nonprofits.  Third, complementary policy interventions are important. Demonetisation and GST acted as a catalyst for the transition to digital payments .  Fourth, human capital and diversity matter. This revolution needed career bureaucrats to partner with academics, tech entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, global giants and private firms.  However, more needs to be done The central government must deadline digitising all its payments.  The RBI must implement the 100-plus action items (outlines in RBI’s Vision 2021 document) and the recommendations of Nandan Nilekani Committee for Deepening Digital Payments.  RBI should make use of RuPay and UPI to tap the remittances market – which presently stands at 70billion USD and is largely in informal domain RBI must replicate the core design of UPI — fierce but sustainable private and public competition — in bank credit to increase our present 50% Credit-to -GDP ratio to atleast 100%(OECD level) Conclusion This experience shows that India doesn’t need to be Western or Chinese to be modern. If our policymakers had copied Alipay or US banks, we wouldn’t have witnessed this digital payments revolution Replicating similar model in education, healthcare, and government services will help in achieving the socio-economic goals outlined in our Constitution Connecting the Dots UPI 2.0 launched on August 2018 Nandan Nilekani Committee for Deepening Digital Payments. More about NPCI Governance Topic: General Studies 2 - Mechanisms, laws, institutions and Bodies constituted for the protection and betterment of these vulnerable sections(women) Abortion – Amendments to Medical Termination of Pregnancy(MTP) Act -Mixed bag Context  Union Cabinet’s approval of the amended MTP Bill 2020 which included changes demanded by women’s groups and courts, including the Supreme Court.  Background Under the 1971 MTP Act, a pregnancy can be terminated until 20 weeks after conception if it will harm the mother, if the pregnancy was the result of rape, if the child will be born with serious physical or mental defects, or in case of contraceptive failure.  If the pregnancy has gone over 20 weeks, then women has to seek legal course to terminate the pregnancy. The slow judicial process is thus pushing her to depend on illegal service providers for termination of unwanted pregnancies According to the ministry of health and family welfare, abortion deaths constitute 8% of all maternal deaths per year in India The Bill seeks to extend the termination of pregnancy period from 20 months to 24 months, making it easier for women to safely and legally terminate an unwanted pregnancy. The proposed amendments will definitely reduce the burden on the judiciary. The Court cases are broadly of two types. Let us critically analyse both these types Type 1 -Pregnancies that extend beyond 20 weeks of gestation as a result of rape, incest or of minor women. The new Act rightly addresses these by extending prescribed period abortion to 24 weeks.  However, such cases form a minuscule proportion of the total number.  For such cases, even the 24-week cap can be done away with, provided the abortions can be safely done. Type 2- Pregnancies that become unwanted after congenital foetal anomalies are found upon testing With advancement in prenatal foetal screening/diagnostic technologies –like Ultrasonography-  more such cases are being filed in courts The extension to 24 weeks seems to give cover to these cases for abortion services, thus opening up the possibility for any congenital anomaly to be used as grounds for abortion. These foetal anomalies would involve some which are compatible with life and some which are incompatible with life. What constitutes an anomaly and whether it is life compatible or not depending on medical advancement and what is considered as socially desirable This raises concerns that raising children with disability can become “socially undesirable” Conclusion With congenital anomalies as a ground for abortion, the eugenic mindset of having socially desirable children could push more women into risky late abortions.  The approach of medical boards advising courts in cases of late abortions under this Act will be critical to balancing women’s right to choose with risk to the woman and the motives for abortion. Other Salient feature of the bill are: Requirement of opinion of one registered medical practitioner (RMP) for termination of pregnancy up to 20 weeks of gestation – Earlier two RMP Requirement of opinion of two RMPs for termination of pregnancy of 20 to 24 week Raising the upper gestation limit from 20 to 24 weeks for special categories of women, including include rape survivors, victims of incest, differently-abled women and minors Name and other particulars of a woman whose pregnancy has been terminated shall not be revealed, except to a person authorised in any law Extend the contraceptive-failure clause for termination to include “any woman or her partner” from the present provision for “only married woman or her husband”. Connecting the dots! Reproductive rights of a women vs Rights (if any) of an unborn child (TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE) Model questions: (You can now post your answers in comment section) Note:  Featured Comments and comments Up-voted by IASbaba are the “correct answers”. IASbaba App users – Team IASbaba will provide correct answers in comment section. Kindly refer to it and update your answers. Q 1. From which one of the following did India buy the Ka 226 T light helicopter?  Israel France Russia  USA Q 2. What is "Luknow declaration ", sometimes seen in the news? An Israeli radar system collaboration with India   India's indigenous anti-missile Programme An American anti missile system A defence collaboration between India  and Africa Q 3. Which one of the following can be the most likely reason for the Central Bank for such an action? Daily Current Affairs IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 7th February 2020 Encouraging foreign investment Increasing the liquidity Encouraging both public and private savings Anti-inflationary stance Must Read About India-Srilanka ties: Indian Express About Bodoland issue: Indian Express Analysis of Taxation reform mooted in Union Budget 2021-22: The Hindu About India’s electric Vehicle system: Livemint

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MUST FOR PRELIMS: SAMPLE NOTES, TESTS, FEEDBACK - IASbaba’s PRELIMS EXCLUSIVE PROGRAM (PEP), Mentorship Based – UPSC PRELIMS 2020!

MUST FOR PRELIMS: SAMPLE NOTES, TESTS, FEEDBACK - IASbaba’s PRELIMS EXCLUSIVE PROGRAM (PEP), Mentorship Based – UPSC PRELIMS 2020!   Dear Students, It’s been a month since we launched our PRELIMS EXCLUSIVE PROGRAM (PEP) 2020. And it has been a huge success!! We have been receiving great feedback/suggestions from our students. Thank you for the positive and encouraging feedback. Below, you can find Sample Current Affairs, Geography, Economics Test, Hand-outs, Feedback of PEP Classes.   PEP - PRELIMS TEST, HAND-OUTS CURRENT AFFAIRS HANDOUTS- DOWNLOAD  CURRENT AFFAIRS PRELIMS TEST- DOWNLOAD  CURRENT AFFAIRS PRELIMS SOLUTION- DOWNLOAD  CURRENT AFFAIRS PRELIMS PPT- DOWNLOAD  GEOGRAPHY HANDOUTS- DOWNLOAD  GEOGRAPHY PRELIMS TEST- DOWNLOAD  GEOGRAPHY PRELIMS SOLUTION- DOWNLOAD  ECONOMICS HANDOUTS- DOWNLOAD  ECONOMICS PRELIMS TEST- DOWNLOAD  ECONOMICS PRELIMS SOLUTION- DOWNLOAD  FEEDBACK on PEP from the Students!!     [VIDEO]FEEDBACK:IASbaba's GEOGRAPHY & ECONOMICS CLASS, Prelims Exclusive Program (PEP) for UPSC Prelims 2020 [embed]https://www.youtube.com/embed/6nHxDAoBUDo[/embed]   [VIDEO]FEEDBACK: IASbaba's PRELIMS STRATEGY CLASS,part of Prelims Exclusive Program (PEP)-UPSC Prelims 2020 [embed]https://www.youtube.com/embed/YULyqLoEsPM[/embed]   [VIDEO - CLASSES] PRELIMS STRATEGY CLASS and CURRENT AFFAIRS BACKGROUND CLASS -> CLICK HERE [VIDEO - CLASSES] PEP GEOGRAPHY CLASS -> CLICK HERE   If you fear Prelims, feel directionless or wish to crack Prelims in this attempt, then PEP is the program for you! You can join the programme even now, you will be able to access the previous classes and attend the remaining classes OFFLINE or take the entire program ONLINE. Please call the below number or visit the respective centres (given @ the end of the post) and get enrolled.   To KNOW MORE/ ENROLL For PRELIMS EXCLUSIVE PROGRAM (PEP) -> CLICK HERE NOTE: TLP PLUS MAINS (MENTORSHIP-BASED Answer Writing Program from June 2020 to September 2020 will be FREE) 2020 will be FREE for all students joining the ENTIRE PEP-2020 program (not for students joining PEP-subject wise or on À la carte basis)   For any Queries : Mail us on pep@iasbaba.com BENGALURU CENTRE: Chandra Layout Centre: No. 1443/1444, Above Carzspa, 80 Ft. Main Road, Ganapathi Circle, Chandra Layout, Bengaluru- 560040 Vijayanagar Centre: 1737/ 37, MRCR Layout, Vijayanagar Service Road, Vijayanagar, Bengaluru-5660040. Landmark: Behind Vijayanagar Metro, above Aptronix. Contact No.: 9035077800/7353177800    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). Contact No.: +91 11-41678500/+91 11-41672600    If you don’t want to miss out on Important Updates @ IASbaba, Follow us on- TELEGRAM Channel – https://t.me/IASbabaOfficialAccount YOUTUBE  –  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChvbVdio9Wgj7Z3nQz1Q0ZQ FACEBOOK  – https://www.facebook.com/iasbaba/   Thank You IASbaba    

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