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Daily Current Affairs IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 11th February 2020

IAS UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 11th February 2020 Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) SuperCam In news: NASA is sending a new laser-toting robot as one of seven instruments aboard the Mars 2020 rover Called SuperCam It fires lasers to study rocks, and will look for signs of past life on Red Planet.  The robot is used for studying mineralogy and chemistry, It might help scientists find signs of fossilised microbial life on Mars. SuperCam includes a microphone so scientists can listen each time the laser hits a target. Supreme Court upholds changes to SC/ST atrocities law In news: Supreme Court upheld a 2018 amendment which barred persons accused of committing atrocities against those belonging to the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes from getting anticipatory bail. Daily Current Affairs IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 11th February 2020 From Prelims point of view: Various forms of atrocities against SC/ST Caste clashes: Tensions caused between upper castes and Dalits due to the perceived upward mobility of Dalits. Cow Vigilantism: Dalits and Muslims are at the receiving end of this vigilantism. Honour Killing: extreme form of Moral Policing. (Fear of losing the caste status which brings them several benefits, people often commit this heinous crime when their son or daughter marry someone from outside their caste) Social boycott: Khap panchayat/caste panchayat ostracizing Dalits them from society.(Law Commission drafted the Prohibition of Unlawful Assembly (Interference with the Freedom of Matrimonial Alliances) Bill, 2011 that sought to declare khap panchayats unlawful). Manual scavenging: Manual scavenging is linked to a caste system where the so-called low castes were expected to perform this job. Constitutional provisions against SC/ST atrocities: Article 17 of the constitution prohibits the practice of untouchability. Article 46 promotes the educational and economic interests of SCs, STs, and other weaker sections of the society and protects them from social injustice and exploitation. Article 338 – National Commission for Scheduled Castes Investigate and monitor all matters relating to the constitutional and other legal safeguards for the SCs and to evaluate their working.  Inquire into specific complaints with respect to the deprivation of rights and safeguards of the SCs. 338-A – National Commission for Scheduled Tribes *Mains perspective will be covered in Mains section Review court can refer questions to larger Bench In news: A nine-judge Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court upheld the decision of the five-judge Sabarimala Review Bench  To refer to a larger Bench questions on the ambit and scope of religious freedom practised by multiple faiths across the country. Bench  framed seven questions of law which it would decide now. From prelims point of view: Daily Current Affairs IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 11th February 2020 Article 25 : The Article 25 states that every individual is “equally entitled to freedom of conscience” and has the right “to profess, practice and propagate religion” of one’s choice.  Practicing religion or the act of propagating it should not, however, affect the “public order, morality and health.”  The Article doesn’t put any restriction on the government when it comes to making any law to regulate “economic, financial, political or other secular” activities, which may be associated with religious practice. According to Article 25, the gates of Hindu religious institutions should be opened to every section of Hindus.  Here the term ‘Hindus’ also includes individuals who profess Sikh, Jain or Buddhist religion. The same holds true for the term ‘Hindu religious institutions. U.S. nod for air defence system sale to India In news: U.S. Department of State has approved the potential sale of a $1.867 billion Integrated Air Defence Weapon System (IADWS) to India. The Integrated Air Defence Weapon System, also known as the National Advanced Surface to Air Missile System (NASAMS), provides integrated air missile defence The IADWS system includes radar, launchers, targeting, and guidance systems, advanced medium-range air-to-air missile (AMRAAM) and Stinger missiles, and related equipment and support AMRAAM The AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM) It is an American beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile (BVRAAM) capable of all-weather day-and-night operations fire-and-forget weapon AMRAAM is the world's most popular beyond-visual-range missile Daily Current Affairs IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 11th February 2020 SRC: Click here National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System was developed by USA in partnership with Norway. NASAMS-II is an upgraded version of NASAMS of Norway called Norwegian Advanced Surface to Air Missile System. (MAINS FOCUS) Indian Polity & Governance Topic: General Studies 2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. 
 Reservations in Promotions A two judge Supreme Court judgment stated that  Individuals do not have fundamental right to claim reservation in promotions.  States are not legally bound to provide reservations in promotions. If it intends to do so then it has to justify it through quantifiable data about the inadequacy of their representation in public services. Courts could not issue a mandamus directing the States to provide reservation in promotion. It shows that affirmative action programmes allowed in the Constitution flow from “enabling provisions” and are not rights as such. What was the background of the judgement? Uttarakhand High court order directing data collection on the adequacy or inadequacy of representation of SC/ST candidates in the State’s services.  However, Supreme Court struck the order on the grounds that once there is decision not to extend reservation in promotion, then question of such data is not relevant Constitutional Provisions with regard to reservations Article 16(4) - Empowers State to provide reservation for any backward classes of citizens Article 16(4a) – introduced in 1995 by 77th Constitutional Amendment Act - Empowers State to provide reservation in promotion in favour of SC and ST. Both the above provisions empower the State from making reservations if, “in the opinion of the State”, these groups are “not adequately represented” Previous Judgements on this matter In its landmark 1992 decision in Indra Sawhney vs Union of India, the Supreme Court had held that reservations under Article 16(4) could only be provided at the time of entry into government service but not in matters of promotion. On June 17, 1995, Parliament, acting in its constituent capacity, adopted the 77th Constitutional amendment by which clause (4A) was inserted into Article 16 to enable reservation to be made in promotion for SCs and STs. The Supreme Court in M. Nagaraj v. Union Of India 2006 case while upholding the constitutional validity of Art 16(4A) held that it is an enabling provision i.e. State is not bound to make such reservations in promotions. However, if it seeks to do so then it must collect quantifiable data on three parameters —  The backwardness of the class The inadequacy of the representation of that class in public employment;  The general efficiency of service would not be affected In Jarnail Singh vs Lachhmi Narain Gupta case of 2018, the Supreme Court held that reservation in promotions does not require the state to collect quantifiable data on the backwardness of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes.  The court upheld the argument that once various caste groups were listed as SC/ST, this automatically implied they were backward. Issues with the present judgement Not in the spirit of affirmative action: The government does not have to show any kind of justification in deciding not to implement reservation in promotion. This is an opaque form of functioning and appears to be going by the letter of the law, not its spirit of providing affirmative action. Also, since a 5-judge bench of the Supreme Court has already upheld reservation in promotions, it is not clear whether a two-judge bench can make an interpretation that is in variance with this It means that government is not obligated to come with affirmative action (in promotions) if the social situation that keeps some sections backward persists Conclusion  Reservation is no more seen by the Supreme Court as an exception to the equality rule; rather, it is a facet of equality. However, earlier judgments gave an impression that reservations were an entitlement for weaker sections of society but that it should be viewed only as an enabling provision. States should come up quantifiable data to monitor if reservation policies is indeed benefitting the discriminated section of society and if not then make necessary policies. Connecting the dots! Creamy layer in SC/ST  Reservation for localities- legislation brought by AP, Maharashtra Science & Tech Topic: General Studies 3: Science and Technology- developments and their applications and effects in everyday life. Genome India Project The Genome India Project, is a collaboration of 20 institutions including the Indian Institute of Science and some IITs, whereby in the first phase the genomic data of 10,000 Indians will be catalogued By sequencing the genome, researchers can discover the functions of genes and identify which of them are critical for life. What is Genome? Every organism’s genetic code is contained in its Deoxyribose Nucleic Acid (DNA), the building blocks of life.  A genome is defined as an organism’s complete set of DNA, including all of its genes. It contains all of the information needed to build and maintain that organism. In humans, a copy of the entire genome — more than 3 billion DNA base pairs — is contained in all cells that have a nucleus. The Human Genome Project (HGP) – from 1990 to 2003 - was an international programme that led to the decoding of the entire human genome. India was also a collaborator for this programme What is need for Genome India project if HGP has mapped human genome? 95% of the genome samples available use the white, Caucasian genome as the base. Most genomes have been sourced from urban middle-class persons and are not really seen as representative and useful for India specific needs. India’s project aim is to ultimately build a grid of the Indian reference genome, to understand fully the type and nature of diseases and traits that comprise the diverse Indian population For example, if the Northeast sees a tendency towards a specific disease, interventions can be made in the region, assisting public health, which make it easier to battle the illness. Benefits/Significance of Indian Project Personalised Medicine: Propensities to disease can be mapped to variations across genomes and as a result public health interventions can be targeted better, and diseases anticipated before they develop Deeper Understanding of Ecology: Traversing from the world’s tallest mountain range to warm seas through multiple bio-zones, this project could provide much information on the interplay of species and genetic groups within them International Cooperation: The Indian project will aim to vastly add to the available information on the human species and advance the cause, both because of the scale of the Indian population and the diversity here. Challenges to the Genome India Project Medical Ethics: The project aims only to create a database of genetic information and gene modification is not a stated objective. However, the presence of such wide knowledge enhances the risk of doctors privately performing gene modification. Data & Storage: After collection of the sample, the anonymity of the data and questions of its possible use and misuse needs to be addressed especially since India has not passed the data privacy bill Fear of Scientific Racism: scientific studies of genes and classifying them could reinforce racial/caste stereotypes and allow for politics and history to acquire a racial twist. Political Misuse: In India a lot of politics is now on the lines of who are “indigenous” people and who are not. A Genome India Project could add a genetic dimension to the cauldron. Way Ahead Genome India Project provides an opportunity for India to make progress in the fields of biotechnology and healthcare. Thus, it needs to be carried with necessary safeguards about data & ethical issues. Did you know? Shenzen-based scientist helped create the world’s first gene-edited babies. He Jiankui stunned the world when he announced in 2018 that twin girls had been born with modified DNA to make them HIV-resistant Connecting the dots! Agriculture and Genetic engineering Biotechnology and issue of equity. (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) what is ‘SuperCam’, recently in the news?  Electric plane tested by NASA new laser-toting robot the Mars 2020 rover by NASA Space observatory launched by China Reusable rocket designed by ISRO Q.2  NASA’s Deep Impact space mission was employed to take detailed pictures of which comet nucleus?  Halley’s Comet  Hale-Bopp Hyakutake  Tempel 1 Q.3. Right to Privacy is protected as an intrinsic part of Right to Life and Personal Liberty. Which of the following in the Constitution of India correctly and appropriately imply the above statement? Article 14 and the provisions under the 42nd Amendment to the Constitution Article 17 and the Directive Principles of State Policy in Part IV Article 21 and the freedoms guaranteed in Part III Article 24 and the provisions under the 44th Amendment to the Constitution ANSWERS FOR 10 FEB 2020 TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE (TYK) 1 C 2 B 3 A Must Read About Preventive detention: The Hindu About Coronavirus : The Hindu About agriculture vs Industry: The Hindu

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Union Budget 2020–21 – The Big Picture – RSTV IAS UPSC

Union Budget 2020–21 Archives TOPIC: General Studies 2 Indian 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.

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

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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.”