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Daily Current Affairs IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 29th November 2019

IAS UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 29th November 2019 Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) Ministry forms expert committee to review Sports Code Part of: GS Prelims and GS-II - Governance In News Olympic bronze-medallist shooter Gagan Narang, former football captain Bhaichung Bhutia and national badminton coach P. Gopi Chand have been named in a 13-member expert committee formed by the Sports Ministry to review the Draft National Sports Code 2017. The expert committee will be headed by Supreme Court judge Justice (Retd.) Mukundakam Sharma as its chairman. The draft code proposes drastic changes in the 2011 Code, including barring of ministers, members of Parliament and Legislative Assemblies and government servants from holding office in the IOA and NSFs, tenure restrictions and age cap of 70 years. The panel will also feature a representative from the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), which has rejected the code in current form as it seeks to put an age and tenure cap on sports administrators The committee will try to strike a balance between autonomy of National Sports Federations vis-a-vis need for transparency and autonomy Daman and Diu and Dadra and Nagar Haveli Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains II – Indian Polity In News Lok Sabha passed the Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu (Merger of Union Territories) Bill, 2019. Dadra and Nagar Haveli has just one district while Daman and Diu has two. The combined population of the two UTs is 5 lakh 80 thousand. Having two separate constitutional and administrative entities in both the Union Territories leads to a lot of duplicacy, inefficiency and wasteful expenditure and causes an unnecessary financial burden on the government.  In view of the policy of the government to have 'Minimum Government, Maximum Governance', considering small population and limited geographical area of both the Union Territories and to use the services of officers efficiently, government has decided to merge the Union Territories of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu into a single union territory, The Bill amends the First Schedule to merge the territories of the two UTs: (a) Dadra and Nagar Haveli, and (b) Daman and Diu. At present each UT has one seat in Lok Sabha and the Bill provides for the allocation of two Lok Sabha seats to the merged UT. The Bill provides that the jurisdiction of the High Court of Bombay will continue to extend to the merged UT. U.S. to cut spending on NATO budget Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains II – International Affairs In News The U.S. is to cut its contribution to NATO’s operating budget with Germany increasing payments. Mr. Trump has repeatedly criticised European members for freeloading on the U.S., singling out Germany for lagging behind on an alliance commitment to spend at least 2% of GDP on defence. Washington currently pays 22.1% of the NATO budget — which totalled $2.5 billion in 2019 — and Germany 14.8%, under a formula based on each country’s gross national income. Under the new agreement, the U.S. will cut its contribution to 16.35% of the total, Germany’s will rise to the same level and other allies will pay more. About NATO NATO also called the North Atlantic Alliance isbased on the North Atlantic Treaty that was signed in 1949.  It is an intergovernmental military alliance between North American and European countries.  It constitutes a system of collective defence whereby its independent member states agree to mutual defence in response to an attack by any external party.  The National Defense Authorisation Act (NDAA) for the fiscal year 2020 was passed by the United States Senate recently. This legislative provision gives India NATO ally-like status; it brings India at par with America's NATO allies and countries like Israel and South Korea for increasing defence cooperation.  National Institute of Design (Amendment) Bill Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains II – Education In News The Parliament has passed the National Institute of Design (Amendment) Bill, 2019. It declares the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad as an institution of national importance. It also seeks to declare 4 National Institutes of Designas institutions of national importance. They are located at Amaravati in Andhra Pradesh, Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh, Jorhat in Assam and Kurukshetra in Haryana. Currently, these institutes are registered as Societies under the Societies Registration Act, 1860 and do not have the power to grant degrees or diplomas. On being declared institutions of national importance, the four institutes will be granted the power to grant degrees and diplomas. Significance of National Importance Tag It will help to produce highly skilled manpower in design sector which in turn, will create job opportunities, both direct and indirect.  It will also provide sustainable design interventions for handloom, crafts, rural technology, small, medium (SMEs) and large scale enterprises (LSEs); and outreach programmes for capacity, capability and institution building. NuGen Mobility Summit-2019 Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains III - Infrastructure In News Union Minister of Road Transport & Highways and Shipping, NuGen Mobility Summit-2019 (to be held from 27 to 29 November 2019) at International Center of Automotive Technology (ICAT) in Manesar, Haryana.  It is the largest automotive technology event covering relevant topics of alternate fuel systems and E-Mobility Theme of event is setup around new generation topics like: e-mobility, Hydrogen Mobility, Connected Vehicles and Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS).  It focuses on developing new technological solutions according to global requirements. Automotive technology experts from 15 countries including India will be presenting more than 120 technical research papers. Over 200 companies producing vehicles and components will display their products. Significance: The benefits of event will be found in finding suitable alternative to internal combustion engine (ICE) running for about 125 years in country and world as well as emphasizing on New Generation Mobility which shall be Green, safe and affordable ICAT, Manesar is a division of NATRIP (National Automotive Testing and R&D Infrastructure Project) Implementation Society (NATIS) under the Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises. India-Chile double taxation avoidance treaty Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains III - Economy In News The Union Cabinet has approved the Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA) between India and Chile.  The tax agreement helps tax-payers in these countries avoid being taxed twice for the same income.  This will help in elimination of double taxation as well as prevention of fiscal evasion and avoidance with respect to taxes on income. A DTAA applies in cases where a tax-payer resides in one country and earns income in another. Clear allocation of taxing rights between contracting states through these type of agreement will provide tax certainty to investors and businesses of both countries, thus attracting foreign investment.  The agreement will implement minimum standards and other recommendations of G-20/OECD Base Erosion Profit Shifting (BEPS) Project About BEPS Base erosion and profit shifting (BEPS) refers to tax planning strategies used by multinational enterprises that exploit gaps and mismatches in tax rules to avoid paying tax.  Developing countries’ higher reliance on corporate income tax means they suffer from BEPS disproportionately. BEPS practices cost countries USD 100-240 billion in lost revenue annually.  Working together within OECD/G20 Inclusive Framework on BEPS, over 130 countries and jurisdictions are collaborating on the implementation of 15 measures to tackle tax avoidance, improve the coherence of international tax rules and ensure a more transparent tax environment. FASTags Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains III – Economy/Science & Technology In News From December 1, lanes on national highway toll plazas across India will accept toll only through FASTag.The objective is to remove bottlenecks and capture all toll electronically. FASTag is a radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology sticker that can be installed on the windshield of any vehicle. By this, toll payments can be made directly from the pre-paid account linked to it, thus avoiding the need of vehicles to stop at toll plazas for payment of fees. RFID technology is similar to that used in transport access-control systems, like Metro smart card. Under a new “One Nation One FASTag” scheme, the NHAI is trying to get states on board so that one tag can be used seamlessly across highways, irrespective of whether it is the state or the Centre that owns/manages it (MAINS FOCUS) POLITY TOPIC: General Studies 2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. Locals First Policy Context: The Maharashtra government, has promised to enact a law to reserve 80 per cent of jobs in the private sector for “local/domicile” youths. Jagan Mohan Reddy government in Andhra Pradesh also reserved 75 per cent jobs factories for Andhra Pradesh youths, making it the first state in the country to introduce such a provision in the private sector.  Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Nathalso  announced that his government was considering a quota for locals in private sector jobs in the state.  The Assam government had made similar attempts for reservation in state government jobs, legislative assembly and local bodies for indigenous Assamese people The Locals First Policy Why? With the growth in industries, the demand for land for industrial use has been increasing. Since most of the requirement is met by acquiring private agricultural lands, the owners are being displaced and deprived of their livelihood. Therefore, there is a demand from land losers, apart from the local population, to provide employment. Though there were promises by the industrial managements to meet these demands at the initial phases of setting up of their industries, more often than not, the objectives are not met. In some instances, even though the local people are employed as per the initial commitments, they are generally employed as gardeners, house-keeping personnel and other low income jobs. This is causing dissatisfaction in the local community and leading to industrial unrest Define ‘local’ If the company doesn’t find suitable persons in the immediate vicinity, they need to try to look for candidates in the neighbouring villages. The scope will then expand to the district and finally to the entire state, where they will be able to find a suitable candidate for any job profile. There is therefore a need to collaborate on training the locals with skills required for the jobs they provide. Criticisms While the legislation only generally talked about 75 per cent jobs to be filled by locals and makes no mention about the cadres within these jobs in a factory, it has, however, left the issue open for a future debate by pointing out that only low-paying jobs were being given to locals in certain instances. Under the law, if skilled personnel are not available for the jobs at hand, these industrial units cannot ‘import’ labourers from elsewhere; the burden of imparting the requisite skills to, and of employing, locals will fall on the units. It will almost certainly push up the cost of doing business in such geographical entities that embrace this policy, and make a mockery of the concept of the ‘Indian Common Market’, which rests on the foundational premise of unfettered labour mobility. Significantly, a reservation for local populations is also a violation of the constitutionally guaranteed right of every citizen to work, live and move freely within the country. Interstate Movements: The Constitution of India guarantees freedom of movement and consequently employment within India through several provisions. Article 19 ensures that citizens can “move freely throughout the territory of India". Article 16 guarantees no birthplace-based discrimination in public employment.  Article 15 guards against discrimination based on place of birth and  Article 14 provides for equality before law irrespective of place of birth.  Some of these Articles were invoked in a landmark 2014 case—CharuKhurana vs. Union of India—when a trade union had declined membership to a make-up artist because she had not lived in Maharashtra for at least five years, as per the union’s rules. The trade union lost the case. [caption id="attachment_53692" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Daily Current Affairs IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 29th November 2019[/caption] SRC: Live Mint Conclusion Providing vocational training and education — responsibilities of the State — could have been a long-term solution. But with the mandatory reservation of 75 per cent of all jobs for local people, the state government has shifted this responsibility onto the industrial sector. Further, mobility of labour is necessary to give industries the opportunity to select the best talent and remain competitive. A reservation such as the one in Andhra Pradesh will thus hamper the ease of doing business, discouraging industrial investment in the state and causing unemployment to shoot up further. Affirmative action was once a tool to bring the most economically and educationally backward sections on a par with the rest of the population. At the hands of populist governments, it has been turned into an assurance — albeit a false one — of a shortcut to success. The reservation for Marathas — an economically and socially dominant segment — in Maharashtra is a case in point. The underlying causes for demands for reservation are, among other factors, agricultural and economic crisis, the lack of social security nets, unemployment and iniquitous access to education. Connecting the Dots: Will jobs-for-locals quota set off a wave of parochial politics? Discuss. ENVIRONMENT TOPIC: General Studies 3: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment 2019 United Nations Climate Change Conference Context: The 2019 United Nations Climate Change Conference, also known as COP25, is to be is planned to be held in Madrid, Spain, from 2 to 13 December 2019 The conference will incorporate the 25th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the 15th meeting of the parties for the Kyoto Protocol (CMP15), and the second meeting of the parties for the Paris Agreement (CMA2). will be the role of market-based mechanisms for reducing emissions of greenhouse gases, such as carbon offsets Negotiators in Madrid are set to discuss what kind of offsets, if any, should be used to meet the targets set out in the 2015 Paris agreement and how they should be monitored, following some cases where emissions cuts did not materialise. Significance: Carbon offsetting allows a country to help reach its own emissions reduction targets by funding emission reductions in another country.  Companies are also increasingly using carbon credits to offset their emissions. The first major offsetting scheme, the U.N.s clean development mechanism (CDM), was set up under the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, in which 190 countries agreed country-by-country emission reduction targets. Underlines India’s leadership in the comity of nations committed to global cause of environmental protection and climate justice. Implementation of Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) projects under commitment period in accordance with Sustainable Development priorities will attract some investments in India as well. Clean Development Mechanism (CDM): The Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), defined in Article 12 of the Protocol, allows a country with an emission-reduction or emission-limitation commitment under the Kyoto Protocol to implement an emission-reduction project in developing countries.  Such projects can earn saleable certified emission reduction (CER) credits, each equivalent to one tonne of CO2, which can be counted towards meeting Kyoto targets. The mechanism is seen by many as a trailblazer. It is the first global, environmental investment and credit scheme of its kind, providing a standardized emissions offset instrument, CERs. A CDM project activity might involve, for example, a rural electrification project using solar panels or the installation of more energy-efficient boilers. The mechanism stimulates sustainable development and emission reductions, while giving industrialized countries some flexibility in how they meet their emission reduction or limitation targets. Background The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC) seeks to stabilise Green House Gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would minimize interference with the climate system. Recognizing that developed countries are principally responsible for the current high levels of Greenhouse Gas (GHGs) in the atmosphere, the Kyoto Protocol places commitments on developed nations to undertake mitigation targets and to provide financial resources and transfer of technology to the developing nations. Developing countries like India have no mandatory mitigation obligations or targets under the Kyoto Protocol. The Kyoto Protocol was adopted in 1997 First commitment period was from 2008-2012. At Doha in 2012, the amendments to Kyoto Protocol for the 2nd commitment period (the Doha Amendment) were successfully adopted for the period 2013- 2020. Developed countries have already started implementing their commitments under the ‘opt-in’ provisions of the Doha Amendment. India has always emphasized the importance of climate actions by developed country Parties in the pre-2020 period. Besides, it has advocated climate actions based on the principles and provisions of the Convention, such as the principle of Equity and Common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities (CBDR & RC) Connecting the dots: Critics say offsetting emissions reduces incentives for the drastic emissions cuts needed to slow global warming and does not always bring the intended benefits. Analyze (TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE) Model questions: (You can now post your answers in comment section) Note:  Correct answers of today’s questions will be provided in next day’s DNA section. Kindly refer to it and update your answers.  Comments Up-voted by IASbaba are also the “correct answers”. Q.1) Consider the following statements about NuGen mobility Summit 2019 It is held in Pune which is the largest automotive technology event in country so far. Automotive technology experts only from SAARC countries except Pakistan are participating in this summit. Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.2) Consider the following statements about Double Taxation Avoidance agreement (DTAA) A DTAA applies in cases where a tax-payer resides in one country and earns income in another. It will help in elimination of double taxation as well as prevention of fiscal evasion and avoidance with respect to taxes on income. Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.3) Consider the following statements about Fastags It employs Radio Frequency Identification technology which is similar to that used in transport access-control systems, like Metro smart card It will help to remove bottlenecks at tolls and capture all toll payments electronically. Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.4) Consider the following Statements about North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) It constitutes a system of collective defence whereby its independent member states agree to mutual defence in response to an attack by any external party.  Its headquarters is in Brussels, Belgium India which was earlier not a part of NATO has now become a member of NATO after signing foundational agreements like COMCASA, LEMOA and BECA with USA Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct? 1 and 2 only 2 and 3 only 1 and 3 only 1,2 and 3 Q.5) Consider the following statements about The Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu (merger of union territories) bill, 2019 The two Union Territories are being merged for better administration and to prevent duplication of work in line with government’s policy of Minimum Government, Maximum Governance The Bill provides that the jurisdiction of the High Court of Delhi will continue to extend to the merged UT. Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 ANSWERS FOR 28 Nov 2019 TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE (TYK) 1 C 2 D 3 C 4 A 5 B MUST READ Widening gap:  On UN’s Emissions Gap Report The Hindu Not as you say, but as you do The Hindu India’s food basket must be enlarged The Hindu Should life convicts be denied remission? The Hindu With Sri Lanka, Delhi must be seen as a friend of all communities IE Three years on, Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code is learning from outcomes, growing stronger IE

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

Daily Current Affairs IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 28th November 2019

IAS UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 28th November 2019 Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) SPECIAL PROTECTION GROUP (AMENDMENT) BILL, 2019 Part of: GS Prelims and GS-III - Security. In News Based on the recommendations of the BirbalNath committee report, SPG came into existence in 1985.  From 1985 to 1988, SPG was governed by an Executive Order and only in 1988 the SPG Act came into existence to provide security to the Prime Minister and his/her family. Under the Act, the Special Protection Group (SPG) provides security to the Prime Minister and his immediate family members. SPG doesn't only provide physical security, but it takes care about protection of Prime Minister’s office, his/her communication systems, foreign tours and issues pertaining to his/her health and well being. It also provides security to former Prime Ministers and their immediate family members for a period of one year from the date on which they cease to hold the office. Beyond this period, the SPG security is provided based on the level of threat as decided by the central government.  The threat must: (i) emanate from a military or terrorist organisation, and (ii) be of a grave and continuing nature. Provisions of new bill SPG will now protect only the Prime Minister and members of his immediate family residing with him at his official residence. It will also provide security to former Prime Ministers and their immediate family members staying with them at the residence allotted for a period of five years from the date on which they cease to hold office. If the SPG security is withdrawn from a former Prime Minister, it will also be withdrawn from his immediate family members EXERCISE MITRA SHAKTI-VII: 2019 Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains II – International relations In News The seventh edition of India-Sri Lanka joint training exercise, Exercise MITRA SHAKTI– 2019 is scheduled to be conducted at Foreign Training Node (FTN), Pune from 01 - 14 December 2019. Exercise MITRA SHAKTI is conducted annually as part of military diplomacy and interaction between armies of India & Sri Lanka. The aim of this joint training exercise is to build close relations between armies of India and Sri Lanka with focus on sub unit level training for counter insurgency & counter terrorism operations.  India a major gold smuggling hub Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains III – Economy & Security In News International non-government organisation IMPACT, in its latest report, has said that India has become one of the largest gold smuggling hubs in the world with One-third of the world’s gold passing through India Gold, possibly tied to conflict, human rights abuses and corruption in Africa and South America, is entering legal international markets through India The NGO said it had uncovered how the country imported about 1,000 tonnes of gold per year — a quarter more than the official figures indicated Actors across India’s gold industry are failing to do proper checks on where gold comes from to ensure it’s not financing conflict and human rights violations Three primary factors for smuggling are: tax breaks, falsified origin documents and complicit allies Refined gold was being smuggled into India primarily from the United Arab Emirates, while key traders and refiners in Africa’s Great Lakes region, with links to India, were identified as being part of the illicit gold trade Govt. extends 15th finance panel term Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains II – Indian Polity In News The Union Cabinet approved the extension of the term of the 15th Finance Commission, which will now submit two reports. The term had been extended till October 30. The first report, for financial year 2020-21, will be submitted in the coming months before the Union Budget, and the second report for the period 2021-26 will be presented by October 30, 2020. This will effectively mean the 15th Finance Commission’s recommendations will be applicable for six years and not the conventional five-year period. 15th Finance Commission has seen its terms of reference expanded and the reorganisation of J&K;, and so, an extension of the term. The 9th Finance Commission under the chairmanship of N.K.P. Salve also saw its recommendation period extended to six years from the conventional five. It has happened before in the 14th Finance Commission when Andhra Pradesh and Telangana were split Madden–Julian Oscillation (MJO) Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains I - Geography In News According to study, Global warming has altered a key weather system and that may be whetting cyclones in the Bay of Bengal, decreasing winter rain in north India and altering global rainfall patterns The Madden–Julian Oscillation (MJO) can be defined as an eastward moving 'pulse' of clouds, rainfall, winds and pressure near the equator that typically recurs every 30 to 60 days. MJO is a moving band of rain clouds that travels around the globe spanning 12,000–20,000 km across the tropical oceans.  In its journey, it interacts with surface waters of the Indo-Pacific Ocean, the largest pool of warm water in the globe, and due to this the lifecycle of the MJO gets affected. The MJO clouds on average are spending only 15 days, instead of 19, over the Indian Ocean. This is affecting the global climate and thus rainfall over India. Phases of Madden-Julian Oscillation The MJO consists of two parts or phases.  Enhanced rainfall (or convective) phase: winds at the surface converge, and the air is pushed up throughout the atmosphere. At the top of the atmosphere, the winds reverse (i.e., diverge). Such rising air motion in the atmosphere tends to increase condensation and rainfall. Suppressed rainfall phase: winds converge at the top of the atmosphere, forcing air to sink and, later, to diverge at the surface. As air sinks from high altitudes, it warms and dries, which suppresses rainfall. It is this entire dipole structure, that moves west to east with time in the Tropics, causing more cloudiness, rainfall, and even storminess in the enhanced convective phase, and more sunshine and dryness in the suppressed convective phase Impact on Indian Monsoons he Indian subcontinent. On the other hand, when it witnesses a longer cycle and stays over the Pacific Ocean, MJO brings bad news for the Indian Monsoon. Src: Click here QS Rankings: 8 India universities in Asia top 100 Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains II - Education In News In the latest QS World University Rankings for Asia, 96 Indian institutions rank among 550 for the continent, out of which 20 are brand-new entries. While Mainland China has four in the top 10 this year, India does not yet have a university among the top 30.  The best performing institution from India is IIT Bombay, which drops one place to 34th position. It is followed by IIT Delhi at 43rd place and IIT Madras at 50th. The QS Rankings use a methodology based on 11 metrics: Academic reputation (30%); Employer reputation (20%); Faculty/student ratio (10%); International research network (10%); Citations per paper (10%) and papers per faculty (5%); Staff with a PhD (5%); Proportion of international faculty (2.5%) and proportion of international students (2.5%); Proportion of inbound exchange students (2.5%) and proportion of outbound exchange students (2.5%) India dominates the ‘Staff with PhD’ indicator with seven institutions achieving the perfect 100.00 score and raking No. 1 tied in this metric. IIT Bombay is the best Indian university in the ‘Academic Reputation’ indicator. Do You Know? The Indian higher education system has grown exponentially over the past decade. The number of universities has nearly doubled, and the number of colleges has grown by 50 per cent.  Nevertheless, the domestic demand for tertiary education of its young population — which is estimated to become the world’s largest by 2030 — is growing more rapidly than the expanded provision Miscellaneous Mannequins with cameras to scan Bengaluru traffic In News Bengaluru Traffic Police department has installed as many as 200 life-size mannequins at trouble-prone junctions in Bengaluru. The mannequins have been outfitted with standard police uniforms, reflector jackets, hats, boots, masks and even sunglasses, in an attempt to trick motorists into believing that it is a real cop. Nudge theory:Studies show that there are fewer violations at manned junctions compared to unmanned ones. The behaviour of motorists changes automatically when they see a traffic policeman. The mannequins, dressed as traffic police, will thus deter repeat offenders. The idea is apparently inspired by farmers using scarecrows. (MAINS FOCUS) POLITY TOPIC: General Studies 2: Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States and the performance of these schemes; mechanisms, laws, institutions and Bodies constituted for the protection and betterment of these vulnerable sections. Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill, 2019 Context: The Rajya Sabha passed the Transgender Persons’ (Protection of Rights) Bill, 2019, even though several opposition members urged the house to send the bill to a committee for further scrutiny.  Since its introduction in 2016, the legislation has come under heavy criticism from transgender rights activists. Objective : To provide for protection of rights of transgender persons, their welfare, and other related matters. Definition of a transgender person:  Transgender person as one whose gender does not match the gender assigned at birth.   It includes trans-men and trans-women, persons with intersex variations, gender-queers, and persons with socio-cultural identities, such as kinnar and hijra.   Intersex variations is defined to mean a person who at birth shows variation in his or her primary sexual characteristics, external genitalia, chromosomes, or hormones from the normative standard of male or female body. Highlights: Prohibits the discrimination against a transgender person, including denial of service or unfair treatment  Every transgender person shall have a right to reside and be included in his household.   If the immediate family is unable to care for the transgender person, the person may be placed in a rehabilitation centre, on the orders of a competent court. Educational institutions funded or recognised by the relevant government shall provide inclusive education, sports and recreational facilities for transgender persons, without discrimination. The government must take steps to provide health facilities to transgender persons including separate HIV surveillance centres, and sex reassignment surgeries.      A revised certificate may be obtained only if the individual undergoes surgery to change their gender either as a male or a female.  It must also take steps for their rescue and rehabilitation, vocational training and self-employment, create schemes that are transgender sensitive, and promote their participation in cultural activities. Recognizes the following offences against transgender persons: (i) forced or bonded labour (excluding compulsory government service for public purposes), (ii) denial of use of public places, (iii) removal from household, and village, (iv) physical, sexual, verbal, emotional or economic abuse.   National Council for Transgender persons (NCT):  The NCT will consist of:  (i) Union Minister for Social Justice (Chairperson);  (ii) Minister of State for Social Justice (Vice- Chairperson);  (iii) Secretary of the Ministry of Social Justice;  (iv) One representative from ministries including Health, Home Affairs, and Human Resources Development. Other members include representatives of the NITI Aayog, and the National Human Rights Commission.   State governments will also be represented.  The Council will also consist of five members from the transgender community and five experts from non-governmental organisations.  The Council will advise the central government as well as monitor the impact of policies, legislation and projects with respect to transgender persons. It will also redress the grievances of transgender persons.  Controversies:  Following protests by the queer community against the 2016 and 2018 bills, the bill tabled in 2019 did away with few of the severely criticised provisions of the 2018 bill, such as criminalisation of begging and the establishment of a District Screening Committee to process applications for issuance of transgender person certificates. It failed to incorporate yet other principles in line with the Supreme Court judgment in National Legal Services Authority v. Union of India (NALSA v. UOI) in 2014, such as the right of transgender persons to self-perceived gender identity without undergoing sex reassignment surgery, and mandatory reservations in jobs and educational institutions. Criticism was also made of the lesser punishment for crimes against transgender persons compared with punishment for crimes against cisgender persons. No government or private entity can discriminate against a transgender person in employment matters, including recruitment, and promotion.  SC  Judgements: In 2014, the Supreme Court of India delivered its judgment in National Legal Services Authority v. Union of India (also known as, NALSA v. UOI), in which it recognised the rights of the transgender persons in India and laid down a series of measures for securing transgender persons' rights by mandating prohibition of discrimination, recommending the creation of welfare policies and reservations for transgender persons in educational institutions and jobs. The judgment upheld the right of a transgender person to self-perceived gender identity, guaranteed by the Constitution of India, in the absence of sex reassignment surgery. Conclusion: With the Bill becoming law, unaltered in any significant form, in the face of such strident opposition, the community is seething at being ignored.  Its only hope is that the National Council for Transgender Persons, which is supposed to provide the institutional framework for implementing the Act, might allow more latitude for incorporating genuine demands. Otherwise, this Act might well be a glove that ill fits the hand it was tailored for. Connecting the dots: The Transgender Persons Act should have factored in suggestions from the community. Critically analyse SCI & TECH TOPIC: General Studies 3: Achievements of Indians in science & technology; indigenization of technology and developing new technology. Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, robotics, nano-technology, bio-technology and issues relating to intellectual property rights. Cartosat-3 Context: The Indian Space Research Organisation’s successful launch of Cartosat-3, along with 13 other small U.S. satellites, marks a major technological milestone for India. An advanced Indian Earth Observation satellite built and developed by ISRO, which will replace the IRS series. It has a panchromatic resolution of 0.25 metres making it the imaging satellite with highest resolution and Mx of 1 metre with a high quality resolution which is a major improvement from the previous payloads in the Cartosat series. [caption id="attachment_53673" align="aligncenter" width="194"] Daily Current Affairs IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 28th November 2019[/caption] Src: TOI Cartosat, then and now Cartosat-3 has been developed as an improvement over the Cartosat-1 and Cartosat-2 series satellites, though ISRO has not yet revealed the full specifications of this satellite. Cartosat-1, launched in May 2005, was the first Indian remote sensing satellite capable of taking three-dimensional images.  With a resolution of 2.5 metres, which meant it could identify a car on the ground from space, Cartosat-1 helped in creating new digital maps of over 150 towns and cities in the country at a scale of 1:10,000. Earlier maps were of a scale of 1:50,000 or even lower.  Data from this satellite were also used to a do an inundation vulnerability assessment of the Indian coastline in the event of a tsunami or a major cyclone, and even for estimating the status of irrigation potential created by the large number of projects under the Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme. Cartosat-3 Cartosat-3 is capable of unprecedented image resolution of nearly 25 cm on the ground as against the best global military-grade satellites that can provide a 10 cm resolution.  The best satellite images commercially available are between 25-30 cm. Applications Data from most of the Cartosat satellites are exclusively used by the armed forces. However, an existing policy allows only government and government authorised agencies to access ISRO's high-resolution imageries below a resolution of 1 metre.  Cartosat-3’s optical imaging will also help to detect precise cartographic or mapping activities. The imageries are also used for urban and rural infrastructure planning, coastal land use and regulation, utility management such as monitoring road networks, water grids or distribution, creation of land use maps, disaster management, etc. Connecting the dots: ISRO’s credentials as a poster child for India’s technological abilities have been fortified, it still has a long way to go in terms of its reputation as an enabler of local business. Analyse (TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE) Model questions: (You can now post your answers in comment section) Note:  Correct answers of today’s questions will be provided in next day’s DNA section. Kindly refer to it and update your answers.  Comments Up-voted by IASbaba are also the “correct answers”. Q.1) Consider the following statements about Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO) Indian Ocean Dipole and El-Nino remain over their respective positions, while MJO is a traversing phenomenon When MJO is over the Indian Ocean during the Monsoon season, it brings good rainfall over the Indian subcontinent. Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.2) Consider the following statements about Finance Commission It isa statutory body established under Finance Commission Act, 1951. The term of 15th Finance Commission has been extended whose recommendations will be now applicable for six years, which has happened for first time in India’s history. Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.3) Mitra Shakti is a military exercise conducted between India and which other country/countries? USA, Japan and Australia Nepal Sri Lanka None of the above Q.4) Consider the following Statements about Special Protection Group (SPG) SPG came into existence in 1985 based on the recommendations of BirbalNath committee report From 1985 to 1988, SPG was governed by an Executive Order and only in 1988 the SPG Act came into existence to provide security to the Prime Minister and his/her family. SPG provides only physical security to Prime Minister but protection of Prime Minister’s office, his/her communication systems, foreign tours and issues pertaining to his/her health and well being are taken care by Indian Army Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct? 1 and 2 only 2 and 3 only 1 and 3 only 1,2 and 3 Q.5) Consider the following statements UNESCO, in its latest report, has said that India has become one of the largest gold smuggling hubs in the world with one-third of the world’s gold passing through India Three primary factors for smuggling gold through India are: tax breaks, falsified origin documents and complicit allies Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 ANSWERS FOR 27 Nov 2019 TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE (TYK) 1 C 2 A 3 D 4 D 5 A MUST READ Gubernatorial restructuring The Hindu Stubble burning is not the only culprit The Hindu A blow to disclosure norms The Hindu A revival of battles already fought and lost The Hindu In Gotabaya’s Lanka: Many fear the rise of majoritarian sentiment in Sri Lanka IE Viable solutions to PDS portability are being ignored in the push for Aadhaar IE

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All India Radio (AIR) IAS UPSC - Significance of BS VI vehicles for cleaner air

Significance of BS VI vehicles for cleaner air ARCHIVES Search 29th Oct, 2019 Public Speak here: http://www.newsonair.com/Main_Audio_Bulletins_Search.aspx TOPIC: General studies 3 Pollution and related technological policies and development  What are Bharat Stage norms? The ‘BS’ in BS VI stands for ‘Bharat Stage’ which signifies the emission regulation standards set by Indian regulatory bodies. The ‘VI’ is a roman numeric representation for six (6). The higher the number gets, the stricter the Bharat Stage emission norms get which eventually means it becomes trickier (and costlier) for automakers to meet them. The Bharat Stage are standards instituted by the government to regulate emission of air pollutants from motor vehicles.  The norms were introduced in 2000.  With appropriate fuel and technology, they limit the release of air pollutants such as nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, particulate matter (PM) and sulphur oxides from vehicles using internal combustion engines.  As the stage goes up, the control on emissions become stricter. Thus Bharat Stage VI norms are two stages ahead of the present Bharat Stage IV norms in regulating emissions. These norms are based on similar norms in Europe called Euro 4 and Euro 6. Differences between two stages The extent of sulphur is the major difference between Bharat Stage IV and Bharat Stage VI norms.  BS-IV fuels contain 50 parts per million (ppm) sulphur, the BS-VI grade fuel only has 10 ppm sulphur.  BS VI can bring PM in diesel cars down by 80 per cent and nitrogen oxides from diesel cars by 70 per cent and in petrol cars by 25 per cent.  BS VI also make on-board diagnostics (OBD) mandatory for all vehicles. OBD device informs the vehicle owner or the repair technician how efficient the systems in the vehicle are. However, when we talk air pollution, particulate matter like PM 2.5 and PM 10 are the most harmful components and the BS VI will bring the cancer causing particulate matter in diesel cars by a phenomenal 80%. Impact on automakers Compliance with BS-VI norms will require higher investment in technology to upgrade vehicles in stock and making new vehicles. Takes years for automakers to develop a new kind of an engine or to tweak around with the current ones used in their vehicles - Once the research and development is over, the task of setting up full scale production comes up. All of this comes at a cost which eventually makes the vehicle more expensive for the end customer of the product and that can be a cause of concern for automakers given how price sensitive the Indian market is. This will also mean fewer launches till the deadline. This will require a huge amount of investments to make the oil refineries capable of producing a better quality of fuel and also investments in the infrastructure to make that fuel available across the country. Then, the automakers will have to make investments on their end too in order to speed up the research and development process and improve their own infrastructure – like the manufacturing plants – to make their offering BS VI compliant. This, eventually, will make owning an internal combustion engine powered car more expensive to own, and maintain. Conclusion: The need of the hour is to control the pollution levels by all means possible and since globally, countries are implying Euro 6 levels of emission regulations, India needs to step up its game and hence the BS IV to BS VI emission norm implication. Connecting the Dots: What is BS VI and how does it differ from the earlier emission norm? Discuss.

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Daily Current Affairs IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 27th November 2019

IAS UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 27th November 2019 Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) Golden Rice Part of: GS Prelims and GS-III- Science & Technology In News In the late 1990s, German scientists developed a genetically modified variety of rice called Golden Rice.  It was claimed to be able to fight Vitamin A deficiency, which is the leading cause of blindness among children and can also lead to death due to infectious diseases such as measles. Rice is naturally low in the pigment beta-carotene, which the body uses to make Vitamin A.Golden rice contains this, which is the reason for its golden colour. The claim has sometimes been contested over the years, with studies showing that the variety may fall short of what it is supposed to achieve. Now, Bangladesh could be on the verge of becoming the first country to approve plantation of this variety. In Bangladesh, over 21 per cent of the children have vitamin A deficiency. The Golden Rice that is being reviewed in Bangladesh is developed by the Philippines-based International Rice Research Institute. Saakshar Bharat Mission (SBM) Part of: GS Prelims and GS-II - Education. In News In Telangana, 41,000 women learn the Telugu alphabet from their own children and clear exam The Saakshar Bharat Mission (SBM) imparts functional literacy and numeracy, but faced a shortage of coordinators in Telangana’s Sangareddy district. In order to overcome this obstacle, the district administration in 2017 developed ‘AmmakuAkshara Mala’ (alphabet garland for mother) and roped in students in Classes VII to X. They were asked to teach their mothers to read and write the Telugu alphabet at home Of 48,000 women who took the exam in March 2018, 41,000 passed in writing, reading and numerical skills About SBM This programme was formulated by Ministry of Human Resource Developmentin 2009 with the objective of achieving 80% literacy level at national level, by focusing on adult women literacy seeking – to reduce the gap between male and female literacy to not more than 10 percentage points . It has four broader objectives, namely  imparting functional literacy and numeracy to non-literates;  acquiring equivalency to formal educational system;  imparting relevant skill development programme; and  promote a leaning society by providing opportunities for continuing education.  The principal target of the programme is to impart functional literacy to 70 million non-literate adults in the age group of 15 years and beyond. The Programme goes beyond ‘3’ R’s (i.e. Reading, Writing & Arithmetic) ; for it also seeks to create awareness of social disparities and a person’s deprivation on the means for its amelioration and general well being 2018 Romania referendum on Marriages Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains I - Culture In News The two-day referendum held on October 2018, which cost $40 million, aimed to change the constitution to define marriage as strictly between a man and a woman from the present gender-neutral “spouses.” Civil society group Coalition for the Family had secured 3 million signatures to trigger the vote aimed at preventing gay couples winning the right to marry in the future. Religiously conservative Romania, which decriminalized homosexuality in 2001 decades after neighbouring countries, bars marriage and civil partnerships for same sex couples. But just 20.4% of eligible voters cast ballots - short of the 30% needed, despite a push from the Orthodox Church. The constitution thus retained its neutral wording - that a family "is founded on the freely consented marriage of the spouses". Had the measure been passed, it would have made same-sex marriage unconstitutional in the country. Kolleru lake Part of: GS Prelims and GS-I - Geography In News Not less than 6,000 grey pelicans and nearly 1,200 painted storks have made the Atapaka sanctuary their winter home for breeding.  Atapaka Bird Sanctuary, located in Kolleru Lake on the borders of Krishna and West Godavari districts of Andhra Pradesh has been identified as the largest spot-billed pelican home in the world. The sanctuary, surrounded by an artificial pond, has a good vegetation cover supporting nests for the avian guests. Kolleru lake is located between Krishna and Godavari deltas.It spans into two districts of Andhra Pradesh- Krishna and West Godavari. Kolleru lake was declared as wildlife sanctuary in November 1999 under Wildlife Protection Act of 1972, and designated wetland of international importance in November 2002 under Ramsar Convention. Action to combat global warming inadequate: UNEP Part of: GS Prelims and Mains GS-III- Environment Conservation In News Ahead of the 25th edition of the Conference of Parties (COP) in Madrid in December, the UNEP has warned that countries’ action to combat global warming is inadequate. Unless global greenhouse gas emissions fall by 7.6% each year between 2020 and 2030, the world will miss the opportunity to get on track towards the 1.5°C temperature goal of the Paris Agreement The report finds that greenhouse gas emissions had risen 1.5% per year over the last decade and emissions in 2018, including from land-use changes such as deforestation, hit a new high of 55.3 gigatonnes of CO2 equivalent.  On the whole, countries must cut greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions at least three-fold to have a fighting chance at containing the severest effects of global warming. India is the third-largest emitter behind the United States and China respectively. India’s per capita emissions, however, are significantly below the United States, China and many others. Do You Know?  The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the leading global environmental authority that sets the global environmental agenda, promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the United Nations system, and serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment. Global Environment Outlook (GEO) is released by UN Environment Programme (UNEP) Logo, motto introduced for Lokpal Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains II – Governance In News Lokpal Chairman Justice (retired) Pinaki Chandra Ghose launched the new logo for the apex anti-corruption ombudsman.  A new motto, ‘Ma GridhahKasyasvidhanam (Do not be greedy for anyone’s wealth)’, was also adopted. An open competition was conducted, inviting entries for the logo and the motto. A total of 2,236 entries for the logo and 4,705 entries for the motto were received. The logo symbolises how Lokpal protects and cares for the people of India by establishing justice as per law The logo figuratively symbolises the essence of Lokpal, with the inclusion of shapes such as the ombudsman [Judges’ Bench], the people [three human figures], vigilance [an Ashoka Chakra forming an eye], the law [a shape of a book] and the judiciary [two tri-color hands placed below, forming a unique balance] The Lokpal has decided its motto/slogan based on their own inputs and discussions [caption id="attachment_53602" align="aligncenter" width="331"] Daily Current Affairs IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 27th November 2019[/caption] Src: Click here Cartosat-3 Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains III – Space Science & Technology In News The PSLV-C47 will launch Cartosat-3 and 13 commercial nanosatellites into Sun Synchronous orbit from Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC), Sriharikota. CARTOSAT-3 is a third generation agile advanced satellite having high resolution imaging capability. CARTOSAT-3 would address the increased user's demands for the large scale urban planning, rural resource and infrastructure development, coastal land use and land cover.  At 1,625 kg, Cartosat-3 is unusually heavy and more than double the mass of the previous eight in its class The mission life of CARTOSAT-3 would be for five years One of Cartosat-3’s cameras offers a ground resolution of 25 cm — this means it can pick up an object of a minimum of that size from a height of around 500 km. An existing policy allows only government and government authorised agencies to access ISRO's high-resolution imageries below a resolution of 1 m Currently, WorldView-3, a satellite owned by U.S. company Maxar, has the best ground resolution of 31 cm. (MAINS FOCUS) ECONOMY TOPIC: General Studies 3: Investment models. Government Budgeting. Disinvestment in India Context: The government announced that it would sell stakes in several public sector undertakings (PSUs) and even give up management control in some.  Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd. (BPCL), Shipping Corporation of India (SCI) and Container Corporation of India Ltd (CONCOR). The government will transfer its 74.2% stake in THDC India Limited (formerly Tehri Hydro Development Corporation of India). Its 100% stake in North Eastern Electric Power Corporation Limited (NEEPCO) to another public sector unit and power distribution major, NTPC Ltd. Disinvestment: Disinvestment is the action of an organization or government selling or liquidating an asset or subsidiary. Also refers to capital expenditure reductions, which can facilitate the re-allocation of resources to more productive areas within an organization or government-funded project. Objective of Disinvestment: To maximize the return on investment (ROI) on expenditures related to capital goods, labor and infrastructure. Disinvestment is carried out for a variety of reasons, from strategic to political and environmental. For example, several institutional investors have begun divesting their holdings in fossil fuels under pressure from customers and non-profit organizations. Why do governments disinvest? Some believe that “the government has no business being in business”.  Government’s role is to facilitate a healthy business environment but the core competence of a government does not lie in selling fuel or steel at a profit With governments always having to spend more than they earn through taxes and other means, additional income from the proceeds of a stake sale is always welcome.  In the case of India now, it has fallen to the government to spend higher amounts on infrastructure to boost economic growth, along with its commitments on health and education. Disinvestment in India: Under then Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao, the country saw a steady flow of disinvestment decisions.  Privatisation, where buyers took over management control, began later under the National Democratic Alliance governments.  Arun Shourie, the country’s first Disinvestment Minister, gave an impetus to the exercise.  He is credited with the privatisation of Maruti, Bharat Aluminium Company Ltd., Videsh Sanchar Nigam Limited and Hindustan Zinc through the strategic sale process. Major divestment steps were taken in past by BJP-led NDA government (1999-2004), made four strategic disinvestment's - in Bharat Aluminium Company (BALCO) and Hindustan Zinc (both to Sterlite Industries), Indian Petrochemicals Corporation Limited (to Reliance Industries) and VSNL(to the Tata group), While track record and future of these companies were good. BJP led NDA Government (1999-2004) has also been criticized for divestment of IPCL, in which Reliance industries bid very high as compared to other competitors. Again in starting from 2014 to 2018 BJP led NDA government divested total Rs 1,94,646 crore , which also includes minority and majority stake sale of most profitable Public sector undertaking companies, like ONGC-HPCL deal worth Rs 36,915 crore.  In budgetary announcement of financial year 2017-18 The Finance Minister noted that the government initiated strategic disinvestment in 24 PSUs, including Air India, this fiscal.  Current situation: India is currently facing an economic slowdown in which indirect tax collections are below par.  The government has cut corporate tax rates hoping that companies will use these savings for price cuts or dividend payouts, or for investments that create jobs.  As consumption is highly muted, the Central government may look to place more disposable cash in the hands of the taxpayer through lowering personal income tax rates.  As a result of cut and to-be-cut tax rates, the government would have less and less cash for its own expenditure in infrastructure and the social sector. If the fiscal deficit goes out of hand, lowering the country’s investment grade — could fall on India’s neck.  This would make any future foreign currency loans costlier, both for the country and for large Indian conglomerates whose fortunes rise and fall with the local economy. Conclusion: Meeting the year’s disinvestment target, if not exceeding it, would give the government some respite from the string of bad fiscal news that has been flowing its way. Connecting the dots: Why do governments divest stake in public sector undertakings? Examine POLITY TOPIC: General Studies 2: Indian Constitution- historical underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments, significant provisions and basic structure. Functions and responsibilities of the Union and the States, issues and challenges pertaining to the federal structure, devolution of powers and finances up to local levels and challenges therein. Floor test in Maharashtra Context: The Supreme Court had ordered the floor test in Maharashtra on Monday.  In its order, it referred to cases in the past where it had directed the holding of a floor test to establish whether the political party/alliance that staked a claim for government formation had the requisite majority. Here is a recap of these cases from various states and the circumstances that led to the Supreme Court court’s intervention. Floor test: A floor test can be explained as a motion initiated by the government in position seeking to know if it enjoys the confidence of the legislature.  As part of this procedure, the chief minister appointed by the governor will be asked to prove majority on the Legislative Assembly’s floor. How is a floor test conducted? When a floor test is called for in the assembly of a state, the chief minister will move a vote of confidence and prove that he has the majority support. If the floor test fails, the chief minister will have to resign.  The whole idea of a floor test is incorporated in the constitution of India to ensure transparency in the constitutional process. How is the voting done? These are the modes by which voting can be conducted: Voice vote: In a voice vote, the legislators respond orally. Division vote: In case of a division vote, voting is done using electronic gadgets, slips or in a ballot box. Ballot vote: Ballot box is usually a secret vote - just like how people vote during state or parliamentary elections.  If there is a tie: Following the vote, the person who has the majority will be allowed to form the government. In case there is a tie, the speaker can cast his vote Pro-tem speaker : The pro-tem speaker's role is crucial in conducting a floor test. Conventionally, the longest serving House member is nominated as pro tem speaker, whose role is limited to administering oath to new MLAs and conducting the election of the full-time speaker. S R Bommai v Union of India (1994) The concept of floor test was first established by the Supreme Court in 1994 in the landmark case of S R Bommai.  In this case, it was alleged that the Janata Party government led by Bommai did not enjoy a majority in the Karnataka legislature.  The court held that, wherever a doubt arises whether the Council of Ministers has lost the confidence of the House, the only way of testing it is on the floor of the House. Jagdambika Pal v Union of India (1999) The events that led to this case coming before the Supreme Court were less than pleasant. In 1996, the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections resulted in none of the contesting parties winning a clear majority.  The Supreme Court then ordered a composite floor test to determine who enjoyed a majority in the UP Assembly. The court also gave specific instructions about how the test should be conducted. Union of India v Harish Chandra Singh Rawat (2016) The case in Uttarakhand was a little different. Here the controversy regarding a majority did not occur after the elections to the state legislature. The Congress government led by Harish Rawat had been in power since 2012.  It was towards the end of its tenure in 2016, that controversy erupted on the floor of the House. A few rebel MLAs from the Congress party alleged that an appropriation Bill was passed without the government enjoying a majority in the legislature. Thereafter, President’s Rule was imposed in the State.  In response, Rawat approached the Supreme Court, which ordered an immediate floor test, after suspending President’s Rule for two hours. A gain the Supreme Court ordered video recordings of the floor test proceedings and also asked that the result of the floor test be brought before it. Chandrakant Kavlekar v Union of India (2017) This case from Goa was a result of the Governor inviting Manohar Parrikar of the BJP to form the government in the State.  The BJP had won 13 of the 40 seats in the Goa legislature and had claimed the support of smaller parties for forming the government.  The Supreme Court, while ordering a floor test in this case, held, “The holding of the floor test would remove all possible ambiguities, and would result in giving the democratic process the required credibility.” Connecting the dots: The vacuum is unhealthy for democracy as it inevitably leads to horse trading. The only way to end the imbroglio is to hold a floor test. Examine (TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE) Model questions: (You can now post your answers in comment section) Note:  Correct answers of today’s questions will be provided in next day’s DNA section. Kindly refer to it and update your answers.  Comments Up-voted by IASbaba are also the “correct answers”. Q.1) Consider the following statements about Saakshar Bharat Programme The principal target of the programme is to impart functional literacy to 70 million non-literate adults in the age group of 45 years and beyond. It is being implemented by Ministry of Human Resource Development Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.2) Consider the following statements about Golden Rice It is claimed to be able to fight Vitamin A deficiency, which is the leading cause of blindness among children Indiais on the verge of becoming the first country to approve plantation of this variety. Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.3) Atapaka Bird Sanctuary is located in which State of India? Tamil Nadu Karnataka Odisha Andhra Pradesh Q.4) Global Environmental outlook is released by which Organisation/body? UNESCO World Economic Forum Greenpeace International (NGO) United Nations Environment Programme Q.5) Consider the following statements about Cartosat-3 It is a third generation agile advanced satellite having high resolution imaging capability. It will be launched by GSLV MK-III from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 ANSWERS FOR 26 Nov 2019 TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE (TYK) 1 B 2 C 3 A 4 A 5 A MUST READ Not so swachh: On sanitation goals The Hindu The misadventure of a new citizenship regime The Hindu Buoyant Market, Sullen Economy ET The results of the NSO survey 2017-18 are truly bizarre IE

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All India Radio (AIR) IAS UPSC - 14th East Asia and Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Summit

14th East Asia and Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) summit ARCHIVES Search 4th November, 2019 Spotlight here: http://www.newsonair.com/Main_Audio_Bulletins_Search.aspx TOPIC: General Studies 2: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests  The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) is a proposed free trade agreement (FTA) between the ten member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam) and its six FTA partners (China, Japan, India, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand). These 16 countries account for over a third of world GDP and trade, and are collectively growing at a rate that is double the rest of the world. The Indian economy is large, but the rest of the RCEP is eight times its size. It is by far the most attractive market in the world today, and will be for the next 20 years.  The RCEP is ambitious in both scale (the 16 countries combined make up an economic area exceeding the European Union) and scope (going well beyond trade in goods). But, after protracted negotiations that began in 2012, India announced last week that it is not pursuing membership in the RCEP. The 15 remaining RCEP members are going ahead and have committed to signing an agreement early next year. India & RCEP in 2019 Seven years after India joined negotiations for the 16-nation ASEAN (Association for South East Asian Nations)-led RCEP India dropped out of the agreement, citing its negative effects on “farmers, MSMEs and the dairy sector”. “When I measure the RCEP Agreement with respect to the interests of all Indians, I do not get a positive answer. Therefore, neither the Talisman of Gandhiji nor my own conscience permit me to join RCEP.” – Prime Minister Narendra Modi Why did India opt out? The deal requires the gradual elimination of tariffs which may flood Indian markets with Chinese goods and agricultural produce from oceania, harming local producers Lack of access to Indian services- allowing Indian labour mobility to other countries for services – in the RCEP countries (Services is India’s strong area and has huge potential to tap into RCEP market) Another area of hard bargaining for India is our unfulfilled want for exemptions from the Ratchet obligations. As per the Ratchet mechanism, if a country signs a trade agreement with another country where it relaxes tariffs and quotas on merchandise exports and imports, it cannot go back on them and bring in measures that are more restrictive. India wants a clear exemption from the Ratchet obligations, so that in the future, to protect the interests of exporters and importers, it can bring restrictive measures, if required. Why is the Industry apprehensive? India has been the leading producer and consumer of dairy products with a sustained growth over the years. Estimated production of milk in 2018-19 was 187 million tonnes. Milk is equally important to both farmers and consumers.  Cheaper dairy products from New Zealand would  Worsen the trade deficit Dent the domestic industry – If India signs the RCEP, without exemptions for dairy and its products, it would allow the dairy industry of Australia and New Zealand to unfairly target its huge market. Indian products would start facing stiff competition from Australian and New Zealand products  Will lead to unemployment and worse living conditions – There are 70 million households dependent on dairy in India, the corresponding number is just 10,000 in New Zealand and 6,300 in Australia. The unit cost of milk production is relatively low in countries like New Zealand because of extensive grazing lands (which reduce feed costs), mechanised operations and the advantages of economies of large-scale production, and the high productivity of milch animals According to estimations made by Amul, if free imports of skimmed milk powder from New Zealand are permitted, the average price for milk received by an Indian dairy farmer would fall to ₹19/l (presently it is ₹30/l). In turn, that will lead to decline in the cattle rearing and proper care for them which will lead in the decline of population. India will cease to become self-sufficient – India’s dairy sector provides livelihood to about 70 million households. A key feature of India’s dairy sector is the predominance of small producers. In 2017, if the average herd size in a dairy farm was 191 in the U.S., 355 in Oceania, 148 in the U.K. and 160 in Denmark, it was just 2 in India Yet, due to Operation Flood after the 1960s, India’s contribution to world milk production rose from 5% in 1970 to 20% in 2018. As a result, India does not import or export milk in any significant quantity. In 2033, India’s milk production would rise to 330 MMT while its milk demand would be 292 MMT. Thus, India is likely to be a milk-surplus country by 2033 India’s average bound tariff for dairy products is about 63.8% while its average applied tariff is 34.8%. Joining RCEP would have bound India to reduce that level to zero within the next 15 years. RCEP could perhaps end up doing to dairy what the free trade agreement with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) did in palm oil, fear many in the industry in India. Way forward India commands around 1.7 per cent share of the world’s total goods exports ranking 20th as per the WTO 2018 data. For achieving a 5 per cent share in world exports (the government targets $1 trillion exports out of total global exports of $20 trillion), India must build its manufacturing capabilities, and the recent steps by the government are in that direction. How India manoeuvres the geo-political space will determine how successful it is in becoming an export behemoth (in its quest towards a $5 trillion economy).  Connecting the Dots What is the RCEP trade pact? How does it affect India’s interests? Comment. Joining RCEP would have had high socio-economic costs on Indian dairy farmers. Elaborate. Economic isolation is not an option for India and It must move towards bilateral trade pacts. Analyse. A trade agreement like RCEP is both an opportunity and a threat. It all depends on what one makes of them. Discuss.

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

Daily Current Affairs IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 26th November 2019

IAS UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 26th November 2019 Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) Gamosa Part of: GS Prelims and GS-I- Culture In News It is rectangular cloth, typically of red and white, used in a variety of ritual actions in Assamese culture.  It is valued as a gift for visitors, used as a scarf, anti-dust mask, wrapped around the head as a turban. Conservationists are now banking on this cultural icon to carry forward the message of turtle conservation, with gamosas woven with turtle images. This has been done under a project initiated by the Wildlife Conservation Society/Turtle Survival Alliance and funded by the Disney Wildlife Conservation Fund. A part of the money from this gamosa would go to conservation of rare turtles such as the Assam Roofed Turtle (Panghshurasylhetensis). Do You Know? Assam’s ‘Gamosa’ and a semi-glutinous winter rice variety Chokuwa have earned the coveted geographical indications (GI) recognition in 2019 as proof of their unique geographical origins, thereby getting legal protection to prevent their unauthorized use.  The Muga silk was the state’s first product to get the tag in 2007. In 2015, the pungent KarbiAnglong ginger and the juicy Tezpur litchi got the recognition. Etalin Hydroelectric Project Part of: GS Prelims and GS-II - Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. In News The Centre has recommended a biodiversity study of the proposed 3,097 MW Etalin Hydroelectric Project in Arunachal Pradesh by a credible international institute since the current environmental impact assessment was found to be “completely inadequate”. It involves diversion of 1,165.66 hectares of forest land for the construction of the mega project in the State’s Dibang Valley district  The project, estimated to cost ₹25,296.95 crore, is proposed to be completed in seven years but would entail felling 2,80,677 trees The project threatens the existence of six globally-endangered mammal species. The area also has 680 species of birds, which is about 56% of the total avian species found in India. The project area falls under the “richest bio-geographical province of the Himalayan zone” and would be located at the junction of the Palaearctic, Indo-Chinese and Indo-Malayan bio-geographic regions. Food Standards & Safety Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains II – Health In News TheData released by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) on enforcement of norms has noted that 3.7% of the samples collected and analysed were found unsafe, 15.8% sub-standard and 9% samples had labelling defects. 1,06,459 samples were analysed (7% increase compared to previous year), whereby for the first time the data had been compiled for unsafe, substandard and labelling defects separately There has been a 36% increase in civil cases launched and a 67% increase in the number of cases where penalties were imposed Ten States/UTs that have performed well include Uttarakhand, Goa, Bihar, Sikkim, Gujarat and Telangana. Ten States that have performed poorly include Nagaland, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Jharkhand, Jammu & Kashmir, Rajasthan and Punjab. Many of the poorly performing States have not been able to put in place full-time officers and do not have proper testing laboratories The data released would help authorities take precise corrective and preventive action. About FSSAI It is an autonomous statutory body established under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India is the administrative Ministry of FSSAI. It lays down science based standards for articles of food and regulating manufacturing, processing, distribution, sale and import of food so as to ensure safe and wholesome food for human consumption. Coal bed Methane Part of: GS Prelims and GS-III - Energy In News Union Ministry of Coal has asked the state-run coal miner Coal India Limited (CIL) to produce 2 MMSCB (million metric standard cubic metres) per day of coalbed methane (CBM) gas in the next 2 to 3 years India has the fifth-largest coal reserves in the world, and CBM has been looked at as a clean alternative fuel. Coal Bed Methane (CBM) is an unconventional form of natural gas found in coal deposits or coal seams. CMB is formed during the process of coalification, the transformation of plant material into coal. The methane is usually held in place by water pressure. The methane is held underground within the coal and is extracted by drilling into the coal seam and removing the groundwater. The resulting drop in pressure causes the methane to be released from the coal. India’s CBM resources are estimated at around 92 trillion cubic feet (TCF), or 2,600 billion cubic metres (BCM) The country’s coal and CBM reserves are found in 12 states of India, with the Gondwana sediments of eastern India holding the bulk. CBM can be used for power generation, as compressed natural gas (CNG) auto fuel, as feedstock for fertilisers, industrial uses such as in cement production, rolling mills, steel plants, and for methanol production. Constitution Day Part of: GS Prelims and Mains GS-II- Polity In News The yearlong nationwide activities on Constitution Day are being launched to mark the 70th anniversary of the adoption of the Indian Constitution by the Constituent Assembly, beginning November 26, 2019. On 26 November 1949, the Constituent Assembly of India adopted the Constitution of India, and it came into effect on 26 January 1950. While Constitution Day is not a public holiday, various departments of the Government of India celebrate the day. Earlier, the day was commemorated as National Law Day. This was after a resolution was passed by the Supreme Court Bar Association, a lawyers’ body, in 1979 The day was announced as the Constitution Day on November 19, 2015 by the Government of India. The announcement came while laying the foundation stone of the B. R. Ambedkar’s Statue of Equality memorial in Mumbai. It is aimed at reiterating and reorienting the citizens towards the values and principles expressed in the Constitution and to create awareness of Fundamental Duties as enshrined in the Constitution.  The year 2015 also celebrated the 125th birth anniversary of Ambedkar. According to the government notification, Constitution Day was also a tribute to Ambedkar. Bodoland Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains III – Internal Security In News The central government extended the ban on the Assam-based insurgent group National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 by five more years for its involvement in violent activities and for joining hands with anti-India forces. Bodos are the single largest tribal community in Assam, making up over 5-6 per cent of the state’s population. They have controlled large parts of Assam in the past. The Bodos have had a long history of separatist demands, marked by armed struggle In 1987, the All Bodo Students Union (ABSU) renewed the demand. “Divide Assam fifty-fifty”, was a call given by the ABSU The unrest was a fallout of the Assam Movement (1979-85), whose culmination — the Assam Accord — addressed the demands of protection and safeguards for the “Assamese people”, leading the Bodos to launch a movement to protect their own identity The Bodo Accord was signed in 2003 which resulted in the establishment of a Bodoland Territorial Council under Sixth Schedule of the Constitution of India. Miscellaneous Rohtang Tunnel The Rohtang Tunnel, when complete (by sep 2020), will cut through the mighty PirPanjal range and become the world’s longest highway tunnel above 10,000 feet It would have been completed at least four years earlier, but for a massive torrent of water encountered inside the tunnel. For now, the tunnel provides a temporary winter link to the outside world not only to residents of Lahaul and Spiti but also to those living in Zanskar Valley of Ladakh. The project also has significant strategic implications for the military as it will allow access beyond Rohtang Pass even in peak winters.  All-winter connectivity to Ladakh, however, is still some time away as more tunnels will have to be built to tackle the high passes which fall beyond Rohtang. (MAINS FOCUS) ECONOMY TOPIC:  General Studies 3: Transport and marketing of agricultural produce and issues and related constraints; e-technology in the aid of farmers Issues related to direct and indirect farm subsidies and minimum support prices; Public Distribution System- objectives, functioning, limitations, revamping; Consumer Expenditure Survey The government announced that in view of “data quality issues” the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation had decided not to release the results of the all-India Household Consumer Expenditure Survey conducted by the National Statistical Office (NSO) during 2017-2018. Consumer Expenditure Survey CES is traditionally a quinquennial (recurring every five years) survey conducted by the government’s National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) that is designed to collect information on the consumption spending patterns of households across the country, both urban and rural.  How does it helps? The data gathered in this exercise reveals the average expenditure on goods (food and non-food) and services and helps generate estimates of household Monthly Per Capita Consumer Expenditure (MPCE) as well as the distribution of households and persons over the MPCE classes. Why controversy? The data revealed a decline in the MPCE, making it the first such drop since 1972-73. In real terms (adjusted for inflation) the MPCE slid by 3.7% from Rs 1,501 in 2011-2012 to Rs 1,446 in 2017-2018. While the inflation-adjusted consumption expenditure in rural areas declined by 8.8% over the six-year period, urban households reported a marginal 2% increase Uses of CES: Vital in gauging the demand dynamics of the economy as well  For understanding the shifting priorities in terms of baskets of goods and services In assessing living standards and growth trends across multiple strata.  Helping policymakers spot and address possible structural anomalies that may cause demand to shift in a particular manner in a specific socio-economic or regional cohort of the population,   Providing pointers to producers of goods and providers of services,  Used by the government in rebasing the GDP and other macro-economic indicators. 2011 Survey: The survey showed that average urban MPCE (at Rs 2,630) was about 84% higher than average rural MPCE (Rs 1,430) for the country as a whole.  Food accounted for about 53% of the value of the average rural Indian household’s consumption during 2011-12, in the case of urban households it accounted for only 42.6% of the average consumption budget.  Average protein intake per capita per day was seen to rise steadily with MPCE levels in rural India from 43 g for the bottom 5% of population ranked by MPCE to 91 g for the top 5%, and in urban India from 44 g for the bottom 5% to about 87 g for the top 5%. Education accounted for 3.5% of the rural household’s average spending, an urban household spent almost 7% of its monthly consumption budget on it. [caption id="attachment_53552" align="aligncenter" width="366"] Daily Current Affairs IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 26th November 2019[/caption] Src: The Hindu Way forward: The Central government decided to junk the survey findings.  Govt also decided to separately examining the feasibility of conducting the next Consumer Expenditure Survey (CES) in 2020-2021 and 2021-22 after incorporating all data quality refinements in the survey process. Conclusion: With the Advisory Committee on National Accounts Statistics also having separately recommended that 2017-18 would not be used as an appropriate year for rebasing of the GDP series, the very credibility of GDP data going forward could come under greater scrutiny. Connecting the dots: How do consumer spending surveys help gauge demand and growth trends?Analyse INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS TOPIC: General Studies 2: India and its neighbourhood- relations. Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests, Indian Diaspora. Hong Kong protests Context: The Hong Kong administration led by Carrie Lam suffered a stinging setback on Sunday when voters rejected outright establishment candidates in elections to the city’s 18 district councils.  Ms. Lam herself had indicated that the vote would be a proxy referendum on the way she handled months-long street protests, saying that a silent majority backed her administration.  The protesters asked voters to express their support for the agitation through the vote to the district councils, the only authority in the city being selected by full universal suffrage. Protests: The 2019 Hong Kong protests, also known as the Anti-Extradition Law Amendment Bill (Anti-ELAB) movement, are an ongoing series of demonstrations in Hong Kong triggered by the introduction of the Fugitive Offenders amendment bill by the Hong Kong government Critics feared this could undermine judicial independence and endanger dissidents. Background: The law would have allowed for criminal suspects to be extradited to mainland China under certain circumstances. Opponents said this risked exposing Hong Kongers to unfair trials and violent treatment.  They also argued the bill would give China greater influence over Hong Kong and could be used to target activists and journalists. Until 1997, Hong Kong was ruled by Britain as a colony but then returned to China. Under the "one country, two systems" arrangement, it has more autonomy than the mainland, and its people more rights. The bill was withdrawn in September but demonstrations continue and now demand full democracy and an inquiry into police actions. What protesters want? Amnesty for arrested protesters An independent inquiry into alleged police brutality Implementation of complete universal suffrage Hong Kong's status: It was a British colony for more than 150 years - part of it, Hong Kong island, was ceded to the UK after a war in 1842. Later, China also leased the rest of Hong Kong - the New Territories - to the British for 99 years. It became a busy trading port, and its economy took off in the 1950s as it became a manufacturing hub.  The territory was also popular with migrants and dissidents fleeing instability, poverty or persecution in mainland China. In the early 1980s, as the deadline for the 99-year-lease approached, Britain and China began talks on the future of Hong Kong - with the communist government in China arguing that all of Hong Kong should be returned to Chinese rule. The two sides reached a deal in 1984 that would see Hong Kong return to China in 1997, under the principle of "one country, two systems".  This meant that while becoming part of one country with China, Hong Kong would enjoy "a high degree of autonomy, except in foreign and defence affairs" for 50 years. As a result, Hong Kong has its own legal system and borders, and rights including freedom of assembly and free speech are protected. For example, it is one of the few places in Chinese territory where people can commemorate the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown, where the military opened fire on unarmed protesters in Beijing.  Changing trend: Hong Kong still enjoys freedoms not seen on mainland China - but critics say they are on the decline. Rights groups have accused China of meddling in Hong Kong, citing examples such as legal rulings that have disqualified pro-democracy legislators.  They've also been concerned by the disappearance of five Hong Kong booksellers, and a tycoon - all eventually re-emerged in custody in China.  Hong Kong's leader, the chief executive, is currently elected by a 1,200-member election committee - a mostly pro-Beijing body chosen by just 6% of eligible voters. Not all the 70 members of the territory's lawmaking body, the Legislative Council, are directly chosen by Hong Kong's voters. Most seats not directly elected are occupied by pro-Beijing lawmakers.  Hong Kong's mini-constitution, the Basic Law, says that ultimately both the leader, and the Legislative Council, should be elected in a more democratic way - but there's been disagreement over what this should look like. The Chinese government said in 2014 it would allow voters to choose their leaders from a list approved by a pro-Beijing committee, but critics called this a "sham democracy" and it was voted down in Hong Kong's legislature. Conclusion: In 28 years' time in 2047, the Basic Law expires - and what happens to Hong Kong's autonomy after that is unclear. Connecting the dots: Demonstrators are angry at what they see as Chinese meddling in the freedoms promised to the former British colony when it returned to Chinese rule in 1997. Analyse (TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE) Model questions: (You can now post your answers in comment section) Note:  Correct answers of today’s questions will be provided in next day’s DNA section. Kindly refer to it and update your answers.  Comments Up-voted by IASbaba are also the “correct answers”. Q.1) Consider the following statements about Etalin Hydroelectric Project It is being planned in State of Mizoram The project area falls under the richest bio-geographical province of the Himalayan zone and would be located at the junction of the Palaearctic, Indo-Chinese and Indo-Malayan bio-geographic regions Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.2) Gamosa is predominantly the cultural item of which State in India? Rajasthan Karnataka Assam Himachal Pradesh Q.3) Consider the following statements about Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) It is a statutory body established under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. Ministry of Food processing is the administrative Ministry of FSSAI. Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.4) Consider the following statements about Coal Bed Methane (CBM) It is an unconventional form of natural gas found in coal deposits or coal seams CBM can be used for only power generation but not as compressed natural gas (CNG) auto fuel. Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.5) Consider the following statements about Constitution Day It is celebrated on 26th November as it was on this day in 1949 the Constituent Assembly adopted the Constitution Earlier 26th November was celebrated as National Law Day, but it was declared as Constitution day through government notification in 1999 to mark the 50th anniversary of adoption of Constitution. Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 ANSWERS FOR 25 Nov 2019 TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE (TYK) 1 B 2 A 3 A 4 A 5 C MUST READ India’s enduring document of governance The Hindu Helping 10-year-olds to read by 2030 The Hindu What’s wrong with deep humiliation The Hindu Preventing political coalitions of convenience The Hindu Need to remember our fundamental duties as we remember our fundamental rights  IE We owe it to freedom movement to protect ideals of democracy, secularism IE

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RSTV IAS UPSC – Strengthening Parliamentary Institutions

Strengthening Parliamentary Institutions Archives TOPIC: General Studies 2 Parliament and State Legislatures – structure, functioning, conduct of business, powers & privileges and issues arising out of these. Separation of powers between various organs dispute redressal mechanisms and institutions. Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. In News: Vice President Venkaiah Naidu pushed for the Women’s Reservation Bill and reforms in the way Parliament works including a code of conduct for lawmakers and greater powers to the presiding officer to deal with disruptive legislators. The Vice President also suggested a list of broad framework of reforms for parliamentary institutions to “enhance the trust of the people in them. He unveiled a reform charter as the basis for a new political normal to enable effective functioning of the Parliament and State Legislatures. He dwelt at length on the present pitfalls of parliamentary democracy in the country while delivering the first ‘Arun Jaitely Memorial Lecture on Strengthening of Parliamentary Institutions in the Country’ at Delhi University. Called for a new political consciousness urging all the stakeholders to review their mind-set with regard to their roles and responsibilities – A. Over poor attendance in the legislatures and the quality of debates: Urged the political parties to ensure attendance of at least 50% of their legislators all through the proceedings of the Houses by adopting a roster system.  This suggestion came in the context of Parliament being forced to be adjourned due to lack of quorum of the required presence of 10% of the strength of the Houses.   Responding to the concerns over stifling of the freedom of expression of the legislators due to issuance of ‘Whip’, Shri Naidu called for a review of the same so as to enable reasonable degree of dissent without impacting the stability of the government.  The Vice President also advocated a thorough review of the Anti-Defection Law to rectify the grey areas like incentivising legislators to resort to actions inviting expulsion from the party besides providing for time bound disposal of defection cases by the Presiding Officer. B. Functioning of the Department Related Standing Committees: Surfacing of issues like – Declining attendance Lack of specialisation Limited tenure of one year Frequent hopping of Committees Shri Naidu said that measures are needed for effective functioning of these committees with longer tenure instead of the present one year, promoting specialisation by nominating the Members for a longer period etc. C. Need for well-thought out and focused legislation with the participation of stakeholders:  Proposed a detailed framework based pre and post Legislative Impact Assessment He stressed that every legislative proposal shall incorporate a detailed account of social, economic, environmental and administrative impact for wider awareness and subsequent assessment of the effect of legislation on ground. D. ‘First Pass The Post (FPTP)’ system of electing people’s representatives is faulty to the extent that MPs and MLAs are being elected with substantially less than 50% of voter support: The proportional representation being advocated in some quarters would lead to promotion of further social and political cleavages besides being not practical due to implementation issues.  In the recent elections to the 17th Lok Sabha, a large number of Members were elected with more than 50% voter support which would further increase with the changing preference of voters based on developmental concerns. E. ‘Parliamentary form of Government’ is one of the features of the ‘Basic structure of the Constitution’ and is accordingly beyond the power of Parliament to be amended as per the settled position in the matter. He said that the alternative of ‘Presidential form of Government’ for India is no option by virtue of the same. F. On role of caste, community, region and religion in influencing the voting preferences in the country: There is growing evidence to suggest the decline of such identity based voting but it needs to be completely stamped out. While the Indian public has been steadfast in patronising democracy since the first General Elections in 1952 with ever rising turnout, there is a need for new consciousness in the form of moving away from the remnants of identity based voting to that of development oriented exercise of voting preferences. G. Government & Opposition:  There is a need for the governments to be responsive to the concerns of the Opposition and the Opposition to be responsible and constructive during the debates and while criticising the government and opposing legislation.  Frequent disruptions, Points of Order without a point, Adjournment Motions and interruptions betray political immaturity, exhibitionism, excessive fondness for the limelight and inadequate appreciation of the need to utilise the opportunity of serving the public interest.  H. Building consensus on simultaneous polls to let unfettered governance I. Enacting for reservation of women in legislatures:  At present, women’s representation in Parliament is 13% only. Lok Sabha did not pass the Geeta Mukherjee Committee’s report which was presented in 1996 talked about it. In 2010, the Bill was passed in the Rajya Sabha. J. Making rules that automatically take effect against erring members in case of interruptions and disruptions K. Regular publication of reports by the Secretariats of Legislatures on the attendance of Members and their participation in debates L. Doing away with the winnability as the sole criterion for selecting contestants by the parties to address the concern of rising number of legislators with criminal record Must Read: Strengthening departmentally related standing committees (DRSCs) Connecting the Dots: Do you think India’s democratic institutions got further strengthened post emergency? Analyse.     Legislature reforms will trigger executive and judiciary discipline. Critically analyse. The departmentally related standing committees are rightly called as “mini-parliaments”. Strengthening their working will improve Parliament’s overall effectiveness. Analyze. Also discuss ways to strengthen these committees. Explain the concept of ‘doctrine of separation of powers’. Also examine its significance in a parliamentary democracy.

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