UPSC Quiz - 2020: IAS Daily Current Affairs Quiz Day 121 Archives Important Note Don't forget to post your marks in the comment section. Also, let us know if you enjoyed today's test :) To take the Test - Click Here
State of Mind: At any given point in time you are either in a positive or a negative state of mind. When you observe this, you will realize that you are off balance throughout the day, because you can’t remain in one stable emotional state. Sometimes you’re happy, sometimes you’re sad, and sometimes you are frustrated or disappointed. Emotional swings are simply the products of your circumstances, your expectations, and your reactions to them. You can’t be in control of your emotions all the time; trying to control an emotion is like trying to stop a boulder that is rolling downhill. Before you make any decision, it’s important to recognize the state of mind you are in. A decision made from a negative state of mind could be a decision that you will eventually regret. You can build something for years while in a positive state of mind and in a single moment of frustration you can throw it all away. The problem is not the constant swinging between positive and negative states; the real problem lies in not knowing how to recognize and control these swings. This is where silence comes in. Silence doesn’t care about your emotional swings. It is an empty space where you don’t need to be happy or sad, excited or depressed – in silence, you can simply be. When you enter that empty space and experience its serenity and calmness, you will know that silence is the most beautiful thing that could have happened to you. Mindfulness is another very important practice that needs to be developed. Being mindful of every action throughout the day totally transforms your day. You can start with something simple, like taking a walk. When walking, instead of drifting in thoughts, calmly watch your steps. Letting the mind drift allows fears, worries, and frustrations to enter. Being mindful of the present moment allows you to relax and not be bothered with too many thoughts. “This article is a part of the creative endeavor of Meditation Farm and IASBABA.”
IAS UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 23rd November 2019 Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) GDP slump will hit $5 tn target, warns NITI Aayog Part of: GS Prelims and GS-III- Economy In news: The road to a $5 trillion economy by 2025 is beset with many speed breakers A measure of growth without accounting for inflation — has to be at least 12.4% on an average if that target has to be reached. Domestic investment and consumption are the only dependable drivers for sustainable re-acceleration of the economy. According to data he provided, gross fixed capital formation in the sub-sector of ‘dwellings, other buildings and structures’ fell from 12.8% of GDP in 2011-12 to 6.9% in 2017-18 The slowdown in the domestic market is also because of limited availability of capital with the banks which are tied down due to high non-performing assets in heavy industry and infrastructure. In the power sector, there is a high cross-subsidisation in favour of residential tariff leading to very high industrial tariffs The electric power transmission and distribution (T&D) losses in India stand at 19%, higher than that of Bangladesh and Vietnam. Urgent need to focus on export of high-value technology and manufacturing goods instead of primary goods currently exporter 98% of phones exported by India are in the low-value category, to the Middle East and Africa. Image source: The Hindu Amaravati finally finds a place in political map of India Part of: GS Prelims and GS-II- Polity In news: The Survey of India released a new political map of India with Amaravati as the capital of Andhra Pradesh, which became the residuary State after bifurcation of combined Andhra Pradesh in 2014. Amaravati was missing from the new map, which was released by the Survey of India It kicked off a political storm with the Opposition TDP and the ruling YSR Congress Party blaming each other for the Centre refusing to recognise Amaravati as the capital of the State. Amaravathi is a town located on the banks of Krishna River, in Guntur district of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is the headquarters of Amaravathi mandal, and forms part of the Andhra Pradesh Capital Region with its headquarters at new Amaravati 35 km (22 mi) east, whose name is also borrowed from the name of Amaravathi. Image: Telangana_Andhra Centre, Punjab at odds over stubble burning Part of: GS Prelims and GS-III- Environment With paddy harvesting at its fag end in the key grain producing State of Punjab, both the Central and State governments released data on stubble burning. Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar told the Rajya Sabha that the events had declined 19% this year, including a 16.8% reduction in Punjab. Punjab’s Pollution Control Board (PCB) data show an increase of 2.3% in the number of incidents. The Centre’s data come from the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), monitors stubble burning in Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh using satellite data. PCB routinely counts stubble burning incidents from September 24, given that paddy harvesting begins in early to mid-September. The burnt area figure, which is compiled at the end of the season, gives the actual ground reality about farm fires. Last year, the burnt area had decreased by 9.95% in comparison with 2017. The burning of crop residue is regulated under the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981. Bengaluru is India’s top-ranked city in new global inclusive prosperity index Part of: GS Prelims and GS-II- Report Bangalore emerged as India’s highest ranked city at No. 83 in a new index of the world’s 113 cities in terms of economic and social inclusivity, topped by Zurich in Switzerland. The first-ever Prosperity & Inclusion City Seal and Awards (PICSA) Index, released in the Basque Country capital of Bilbao in northern Spain Delhi at 101 and Mumbai at 107 are the other Indian cities in the index, with the top 20 awarded a PICSA Seal as the world’s highest-ranked cities building inclusive prosperity. PICSA provides a new measure of economic productivity that goes beyond GDP to provide a holistic account of how well people are doing in the economy and which have the populations that are most empowered to contribute to its economy and share in its benefits, explained Asier Alea Castanos, Director of Strategic Programmes at the Regional Council of Biscay, in reference to the index launch Zurich, number one, scores strongly across all measures, particularly on quality of life, work, housing, leisure, safety, and education — with the Swiss higher education system attaining an especially high score. (MAINS FOCUS) POLITY/ECONOMY 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. General Studies 3: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment. Inclusive growth and issues arising from it. Labour Code Bill Context: The Union Cabinet approved The Industrial Relations Code Bill, 2019 recently It proposes to amalgamate The Trade Unions Act, 1926, The Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Act, 1946, and The Industrial Disputes Act, 1947. It is the third code under labour reforms. There will be total four broad labour codes . Code on Wages has already been approved. Code on Occupational Safety, Healthy and Working Conditions Bill was introduced in the Budget session this year. Code on Social Security is in the pre-legislative stage. Trade Unions Act, 1926 The Act provides for the registration of the trade unions with the 'Registrars of Trade Unions' set up in different States. The Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 The objective of the Industrial Disputes Act is to secure industrial peace and harmony It provides mechanism and procedure for the investigation and settlement of industrial disputes by Conciliation, arbitration and adjudication are way which is provided under the statute. The main and ultimate objective of this act is “Maintenance of Peaceful work culture in the Industry in India”. The Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Act, 1946 The Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Act 1946 requires that employers have terms including working hours, leave, productivity goals, dismissal procedures or worker classifications, approved by a government body. Features of the The Industrial Relations Code Bill, 2019 It offers some degree of flexibility on government permissions for retrenchment, The most important aspect of the Bill is that it presents the legal framework for ushering in the concept of ‘fixed-term employment’ through contract workers on a pan-India basis. With the introduction of fixed-term employment, they will be able to hire workers directly under a fixed-term contract. Under fixed-term employment system, companies can hire contract workers directly instead of hiring through contractors. There will be flexibility to tweak the length of the contract based on the seasonality of industry. These workers will be treated on a par with regular workers during the tenure of the contract. The bill provides setting up of a two-member tribunal which will lead to speedier disposal of cases. The threshold required for government permission for retrenchment has been kept unchanged at 100 employees. There is flexibility for changing the threshold which can be done through notification. At present, any company having 100 workers or more has to seek government approval for retrenchment. The fixed-term employment will also help in the flow of social security benefits to all workers along with making it easier for companies to hire and fire. Disadvantages/apprehensions regarding the Bill: Unclear provision regarding retrenchment would lead to uncertainty, and Discretionary behaviour during implementation by the central or state government may not be in favour of workers. Any discretion in law leads to uncertainty, lack of clarity, discriminatory implementation, and provides scope for unnecessary usage. The government should be clear whether to increase the threshold or retain the threshold and face the consequences. This is a kind of appeasement to both sides, which will not actually provide relief to either of them. Fixed-term employment needs to be introduced with adequate safeguards, otherwise it runs the risk of encouraging conversion of permanent employment into fixed-term employment. Connecting the dots: The Code on Industrial Relations (IR) Bill, 2019 is considered to be the most contentious labour law amendments. Analyse. POLITY TOPIC: General Studies 2: Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability, e governance- applications, models, successes, limitations, and potential; citizens charters, transparency & accountability and institutional and other measures The Supreme Court has refused to stay the usage of Electoral bonds Context: The Supreme Court has refused to stay the usage of electoral bonds for political donation It said that all parties must reveal the details to the Election Commission in a sealed cover by May 30, 2020. The electoral bonds scheme that was introduced by the BJP has several loopholes and The scheme was objected to by several political parties and also the RBI and the Election Commission. The ruling BJP introduced the electoral bonds scheme nearly three years ago, ostensibly to rid the system of black money. However, electoral bonds scheme has been turned out to be even more opaque, questionable and illegally utilised than the model that preceded it. What are electoral bonds? Electoral bonds function like gift vouchers. Anyone can buy them from the State Bank of India and hand them over to a political party of their choice, One doesn’t have to attach a name to them. The parties can then encash those for money. As per government scheme, The bonds are only supposed to be available in four 10-day windows through the year They can only be bought with cheque or digital transfer. The government also removed the requirement that only profitable companies can donate money to political parties making it easier for foreign firms to donate as well. Who can receive electoral bonds? Issued in multiple values of Rs 1,000, Rs 10,000, Rs 1 lakh, Rs 10 lakh and Rs 1 crore, these bonds can only be encashed by political parties, which had The parties are needed to secure at least 1 per cent of the votes polled in the most recent LokSabha or state election. Monies received from electoral bonds will be deposited in a bank account verified by the Election Commission. All the transactions for electoral bonds can be done only through that account. Controversy behind electoral bonds: Experts point out that electoral bonds are most likely the first-of-its-kind instrument in the world used for funding political parties. While the United States has Political Action Committees which receive money from individual and corporate donors and manage them, they do not have any scheme that allows the citizen to directly purchase a bond and donate the same to a political party. Opponents to the scheme allege that since the identity of the donor of electoral bonds has been kept anonymous, it could lead to an influx of black money. Others allege that the scheme was designed to help big corporate houses donate money without their identity being revealed. Some experts, however, differ and say the idea of electoral bonds was never to entice big corporate houses into making political donations without being identified. Something that was meant to bring transparency to the system, electoral bonds actually make political funding more opaque – but only for the public. Companies don’t have to say who they are donating money to and parties don’t need to say from whom they’re getting the cash. Moreover, the other changes regarding foreign firms and profitable companies means that electoral bonds could easily be used by shell firms that have no actual business or profit as a way of channeling money into politics. This is the critique that came from the Election Commission of India, which told the SupremeCourt that it will have a “serious impact” on transparency in political funding and could allow for “unchecked foreign funding” of Indian political parties. The Reserve Bank of India, when asked for its opinion, had said the bonds would set a “bad precedent” since it would allow for money laundering and undermine trust in banknotes. Despite this criticism, the Finance Ministry said that the RBI has “not understood” the mechanism of electoral bonds and that it was going forward with them regardless. The Reserve Bank wanted to be the organisation issuing the bonds. It also wanted the bonds to be digital rather than physical. This was overruled by the Finance Ministry, which wanted the bonds to remain anonymous. Electoral bonds are anonymous as far as the public is concerned, the government can easily discover who is buying and donating them – giving the party in charge a huge advantage in information, and potentially deterring any individuals or companies from donating any bonds to the Opposition. According to the recent report, in the first sale of electoral bonds, 95% went to the BJP. What did the Supreme Court say? In its order, the Supreme Court said that while it wanted to hear the matter at length at a later stage, for the interim it wanted a situation where the balance was not tilted in anyone's favour. It has asked political parties to reveal details of the donations they received through electoral bonds to the Election Commission. The poll panel, on the other hand, has been asked to keep all the details in a sealed cover until further orders of the top court. Way forward: Various commissions, including the Election Commission, have given detailed recommendations on suitable remedies. Complete transparency in all funding. Political parties need to be under the Right to Information Act. The Central Information Commission ruled that they were, but the parties refuse to follow its directions. There must be spending limits as well as donation limits, especially in a highly unequal society like ours, and strict penalties for flouting rules and the law. Public funding needs to be examined and introduced with proper checks and balances. Voters need to demand changes and we need voter awareness campaigns. The simple message from voters to political parties could be “we like you, not yyour big money. If you want, we will all pitch in and give small individual donations.” If voters reject candidates and parties that overspend or bribe them, we would have moved democracy one level higher. Most important, the electoral bonds scheme needs to be scrapped. The Supreme Court is hearing a petition on this issue. Let us hope Indian democracy survives without going through another crisis. Connecting the dots: Election Commission of India told the Supreme Court that electoral bonds will have a “serious impact” on transparency in political funding and could allow for “unchecked foreign funding” of Indian political parties. Comment. (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) Dharma Guardian is military exercise conducted between India and which other country? USA Srilanka Japan None of the above Q.2) Consider the following statements about NaVIC It is India’s own Regional Navigation Satellite System It is designed to provide accurate position information service to users in India as well as the region extending up to 1500 km from its boundary Select the correct statements Only 1 Only 2 Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.3) Consider the following statements about Cartosat-3 Cartosat-3, with an ISRO-best resolution of 25 cm, will be the first of a series of high resolution, third generation satellites planned for observing the Earth It will be launched by GSLV MK-III Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 ANSWERS FOR 22 Nov 2019 TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE (TYK) 1 C 2 B 3 B MUST READ Occupation rewards: On U.S. support to Israeli occupation The Hindu The opacity around electoral bonds The Hindu No light at the end of the Brexit deadlock The Hindu A blow against punitive constitutionalism The Hindu Supreme Court’s Ayodhya verdict has not upheld the law, nor delivered justice IE In Kashmir, people’s fears about loss of identity must be addressed IE
IAS UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 22nd November 2019 Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) ‘TIGER TRIUMPH’ Part of: GS Prelims and GS-II- India’s foreign relations The first-ever India and U.S. armed forces tri-services exercise ‘Tiger Triumph’ concluded off the Kakinada coast, East Godavari district This was the first tri-services exercise by both countries on humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) Apart from Indian Navy ship INS Jalashwa and U.S. Navy ship USS Germantown, over 500 US Marines and sailors and 1,200 Indian soldiers and officers participated in the exercise. Exercise Tiger Triumph enhanced U.S.-India military-to-military relations and honed individual and small-unit skills in the context of a HADR scenario. It exposed Indian and U.S. forces to different training environments, weaponry and tactics. Through training side-by-side and sharing best practices, both Indian and U.S. troops not only learned from one another but also established personal and professional relationships. India's role as a stabilizing power in the region is critical for trade and transit between the Indian and Pacific Oceans. India and the United States have a shared vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific region that provides prosperity and security for all UGC-AICTE merger Part of: GS Prelims and GS-II- Education The Centre has not taken any final decision on the merger of the University Grants Commission (UGC) and the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) to create a single regulator for higher education. A June 2018 version of the draft HECI Bill had faced objections from States worried they would lose autonomy under the new regime as well as concerns that grant disbursal powers were being moved from autonomous bodies to the direct control of the HRD Minister. Higher Education Commission of India (HECI) The Centre has decided to establish a Higher Education Commission of India (HECI) in the place of the University Grants Commission (UGC). The Bill repeals the University Grants Commission Act, 1956 and establishes the Higher Education Commission of India (HECI). The HECI will maintain academic standards in higher education by specifying learning outcomes for courses, specifying eligibility criteria for Vice Chancellors, and ordering closure of higher educational institutions which fail to adhere to minimum standards. Every higher educational institution empowered to award degrees or diplomas will have to apply to the HECI to commence its first academic operations. The HECI also has the power to revoke permission on specified grounds. The Bill sets up an Advisory Council chaired by the Union Minister of Human Resource Development. The Council will advise on coordination and determination of standards in higher education between the centre and states. Surrogacy Bill Part of: GS Prelims and GS-II- Health The Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill, 2019, was referred to a select committee of the Upper House , after several MPs raised concerns over several provisions of the legislation, including making it mandatory for a surrogate to be a close relative. Background: It provides for constitution of surrogacy boards at the national as well as state levels to ensure effective regulation. It seeks to allow ethical altruistic surrogacy to the intending infertile Indian married couple between the age of 23-50 years for female and 26-55 years for male. Only Indian couples who have been legally married for at least 5 years would be allowed to opt for surrogacy. It makes it mandatory for the couple to obtain a certificate of essentiality and also a certificate of eligibility before going ahead with surrogacy. It also provides that intending couples should not abandon the child born out of surrogacy under any condition. It also stipulates a separate eligibility criterion for the surrogate mother. The surrogate must be a close relative of the intending couple and be a married woman having a child of her own. She should between the age of 25-35 years, not have been surrogate earlier and must be certifiably mentally and physically fit. On the legal status of a surrogate child, the Bill states that any child born out of a surrogacy procedure shall be the biological child of the intending couple. The new born child shall be entitled to all rights and privileges that are available to a natural child. The Bill also seeks to regulate functioning of surrogacy clinics. All surrogacy clinics in the country need to be registered by the appropriate authority in order to undertake surrogacy or its related procedures. The Bill provides for various safeguards for surrogate mothers. One of them is insurance coverage for sometime to cover not only the period of pregnancy but after that also. It also specifies that no sex selection can be done when it comes to surrogacy. FREE FASTAGS Part of: GS Prelims and GS-III- Technology FASTags, or reloadable tags for payment at toll booths, will be available for free until November 30, Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari. The announcement comes a week before FASTags become mandatory at all the booths on national highways from December 1. FASTags: FASTag is an electronic toll collection system in India, operated by the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI). It employs Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology for making toll payments directly from the prepaid or savings account linked to it or directly toll owner. It is affixed on the windscreen of the vehicle and enables to drive through toll plazas without stopping for transactions. The tag can be purchased from official Tag issuers or participating Banks and if it is linked to a prepaid account, then recharging or top-up can be as per requirement. As per NHAI, FASTag has unlimited validity. 7.5% cashback offers were also provided to promote the use of FASTag. Dedicated Lanes at some Toll plazas have been built for FASTag. In January 2019, state-run oil marketing companies IOC, BPCL and HPCL have signed MoUs enabling the use of FASTag to make purchases at petrol pumps. As of September 2019, FASTag lanes are available on over 500 national and state highways and over 54.6 lakh (5.46 million) cars are enabled with FASTag. AVIAN BOTULISM Part of: GS Prelims and GS-III- Environment The Indian Veterinary Research Institute confirmed that avian botulism — a neuro-muscular illness caused by a toxin that is produced by a bacterial strain — was the cause of the recent mass mortality of birds, at Sambhar Salt Lake in Rajasthan. More than 18,000 carcasses of birds have been removed from the lake and its catchment area so far, raising concern among environmentalists. Avian Botulism Avian Botulism is a strain of botulism that affects wild and captive bird populations, most notably waterfowl. This is a paralytic disease brought on by the Botulinum neurotoxin (BoNt) of the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. C. botulinum can fall into one of 7 different types which are strains A through G. Type C BoNt is most frequently associated with waterfowl mortality. The Type E strain is also commonly associated with avian outbreaks and is frequently found in fish species which is why most outbreaks occur in piscivorous birds. Miscellaneous The land allocated to the LuLu Group in Visakhapatnam had cancelled due to a dispute it was involved in and environmental norms. The project was cancelled for two reasons. One, there was a dispute on the land and, second, it was against environmental norms. Moreover, standing guidelines are that a single bid should not be accepted (MAINS FOCUS) IR TOPIC: General Studies 2: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests US to sell $1 billion worth defence equipment to India Context: The US State Department has approved the sale of naval guns and other equipment worth $1 billion to India for use against warships, anti-aircraft and shore bombardment. Details: The Indian government has requested to buy up to 13 MK 45 5 inch/62 caliber (MOD 4) naval guns and 3,500 D349 Projectile 5 inch/54 calibre (MOD 1) ammunition. Other equipment included ammunition, spare parts, personnel and equipment training, publications and technical data, transportation and US government and contractor technical assistance and other related logistics support. The total estimated cost of all of this equipment is over $1 billion. What is the MK 45 gun system? The MK 45 is a fully automatic naval gun system that is installed on ships and provides a Naval Surface Fire Support (NSFS) range of more than 20 nautical miles (36 km) along with improved propelling charge. This system of guns is currently in use by the US Navy. The MOD 4 configuration gun mount is believed to boost the firing range by over 50 per cent, increasing the speed and range of munitions. Other countries that have been sold the MOD 4 naval guns are Japan, Australia and South Korea. The US may also sell these guns to other allies including Britain and Canada. The MK 45 Gun System will provide the capability to conduct anti¬-surface warfare and anti-air defence missions. It will enhance interoperability with US and other allied forces. India will use the enhanced capability as a deterrent to regional threats and to strengthen its homeland defence. India-US Relations Since the 1990s, Indian foreign policy adapted to the unipolar world and developed closer ties with the United States. Indian foreign policy has sought to leverage India's strategic autonomy in order to safeguard sovereign rights and promote national interests within a multi-polar world. Under the administrations of Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama, the United States has demonstrated accommodation to India's core national interests and acknowledged outstanding concerns. In 2016, India and United States signed the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement and India was declared a Major Defense Partner of the United States The U.S. has four "foundational" agreements that it signs with its defence partners. In recent years, India has conducted large joint military exercises with the US in the Indian Ocean. USA as part of its foreign policy to counter China wants to make India as one of the major defence partners for which it is in talks with Indian representatives to sell highly technologically advanced predator drones US policy had been opposed to nuclear cooperation with India in prior years because India had developed nuclear weapons against international conventions, and had never signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NNPT). The legislation Henry J. Hyde US–India Peaceful Atomic Cooperation Act clears the way for India to buy US nuclear reactors and fuel for civilian use. The India–United States Civil Nuclear Agreement also referred to as the "123 Agreement" is a bilateral agreement for peaceful nuclear cooperation which governs civil nuclear trade between American and Indian firms to participate in each other's civil nuclear energy sector. For the agreement to be operational, nuclear vendors and operators must comply with India's 2010 Nuclear Liability Act which stipulates that nuclear suppliers, contractors and operators must bear financial responsibility in case of an accident. Prominent industrial accidents (1984 Bhopal chemical-gas disaster and the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster) has led to greater scrutiny by civil society into corporate responsibility and financial liability obligations of vendors and operators of critical infrastructure. In 2010, the Indian Parliament voted the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act to address concerns and provide civil liability for nuclear damage and prompt compensation to the victims of a nuclear incident. On 27 March 2019, India and the US signed an agreement to "strengthen bilateral security and civil nuclear cooperation" including the construction of six American nuclear reactors in India Key milestones in India – US relations Increase in bilateral trade & investment, Co-operation on global security matters, Inclusion of India in decision-making on matters of global governance (United Nations Security Council), Upgraded representation in trade & investment forums (World Bank, IMF, APEC) Admission into multilateral export control regimes (MTCR, Wassenaar Arrangement, Australia Group). Support for admission in the Nuclear Suppliers Group and joint-manufacturing through technology sharing arrangements have become key milestones and a measure of speed and advancement on the path to closer US–India relations. Connecting the dots: U.S.-India Defense Ties Grow Closer as Shared Concerns in Asia Loom . Analyse IR TOPIC: General Studies 2: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests, Indian Diaspora. Tunisian rap song that triggered Arab Spring has suddenly become relevant again Context: A week after the death of Tunisia’s first democratically elected president, , the only stable democracy post the Arab Springs across the region of North Africa and the Middle East is set to face challenges to its hard-won democracy. Background of the Arab Spring: In January 2011, after a month of protests against an oppressive and corrupt autocratic regime, President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali was overthrown and eventually replaced by a developing democracy. Tunisians had been protesting high unemployment, corruption, lack of freedom of speech, food inflation, poor living conditions and injustice. The country had been witnessing widespread dissatisfaction and anger by ordinary citizens. The death of fruit vendor Tarek el-Tayeb Mohamed Bouazizi who self-immolated to protest harassment exacerbated the tense socio-political situation in Tunisia. Political observers believe Bouazizi’s death acted as a trigger for the start of the Tunisian Revolution of 2011. The Arab Springs that spread across North Africa and the Middle East. A month before the Tunisian Revolution began, Tunisian rapper Hamada Ben Amor, who performs under the name of El Général, released a political rap song called ‘RaisLebled’ in December 2010. The approximately four-minute song was a powerful protest against the corruption of former autocrat Ben Ali and resonated particularly with Tunisia’s youth, making it the anthem of the Tunisian Revolution. In the weeks that followed, Tunisia successfully managed to overthrow Ben Ali and his government. BéjiCaïdEssebsi was made interim Prime Minister, a post that he held for the remainder of 2011. He resigned in December of the same year. After math: In December 2014, Essebsi won parliamentary elections, Tunisia’s first free presidential elections and became President of the country. Tunisia, with it’s free elections, secularism and democratically elected head of state, was the only success of the Arab Springs, with Libya, Yemen & Syria having fallen into civil war and uprisings crushed in nations like Bahrain and political instability elsewhere in the region. Issues of unemployment still did not get resolved. There was prevalent criticisms that he was trying to consolidate power in the country. A lack of authority following Essebsi’s death are some of the problems challenging Tunisia’s hard-won democratic freedoms. In 2019, eight years after the Tunisian Revolution, El Général’s raps from ‘RaisLebled’ are particularly relevant. Effects: The effects of the Tunisian Revolution spread strongly to five other countries: Libya, Egypt, Yemen, Syria and Bahrain, where either the regime was toppled or major uprisings and social violence occurred, including riots, civil wars or insurgencies. Sustained street demonstrations took place in Morocco, Iraq, Algeria, Iranian Khuzestan, Lebanon, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman and Sudan At present: As of May 2018, only the uprising in Tunisia has resulted in a transition to constitutional democratic governance. Recent uprisings in Sudan and Algeria show that the conditions that started the Arab Spring are not going away and political movements against authoritarianism and exploitation are still occurring Connecting the dots: The Arab world is home to 5% of the global population, but accounts for half of all terrorist attacks. Critically 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”. Q1) Consider the following statements about FASTags : FASTagis an electronic toll collection system in India, It isoperated by the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI). Which of the above statements are correct: Only 1 Only 2 Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q2) Consider the following statements about Tiger tiriumph: The exercise represents the growing strategic partnership between Japan and India. It was the first ever Tri-Services. Which of the above statements are correct: Only 1 Only 2 Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q3). Consider the following statements about Surrogacy bill : The surrogacy bill proposes a complete ban on commercial surrogacy Altruistic surrogacy involves no monetary compensation to the surrogate mother other than medical expenses and insurance coverage during the pregnancy. Which of the above statements are not correct: Only 1 Only 2 Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 MUST READ Should we do away with subsidies for higher education? The Hindu Expedient exit: On PSU disinvestment The Hindu To the power of two: On the Rajapaksas The Hindu A blow against punitive constitutionalism The Hindu The whiff of a new Arab Spring in West Asia? The Hindu India-Sri Lanka ties are too strong to be unsettled by Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s election IE Mother tongue must be the medium of instruction to preserve India’s cultural diversity, heritage IE
Video 2: Art of Answer Writing, Decoding the Syllabus & Live Demo of Answer Writing TAKEAWAYS of the Session: In this video, Mohan Sir (Founder IASbaba) brings the different aspects of answer writing and discusses them in detail. Organisation of thoughts, How to Interlink between GS1, GS2, GS3, GS4 Connecting Static with Dynamic part of the Syllabus 1st Principle of Answer Writing Structure of an Answer Presentation Keywords at the end of the question Different Strategies for different subjects [embed]https:// https://www.youtube.com/embed/-es2cfD15Fk[/embed] Thank You IASbaba
Awareness towards vital Health issues: Osteoporosis ARCHIVES Search 22nd Oct, 2019 Public Speak here: http://www.newsonair.com/Main_Audio_Bulletins_Search.aspx TOPIC: General studies 2 Health What is Osteoporosis? Osteoporosis, which literally means porous bone, is a disease in which the density and quality of bone are reduced. As bones become more porous and fragile, the risk of fracture is greatly increased. The loss of bone occurs silently and progressively. Often there are no symptoms until the first fracture occurs. Viewed under a microscope, healthy bone looks like a honeycomb. When osteoporosis occurs, the holes and spaces in the honeycomb are much larger than in healthy bone. Osteoporotic bones have lost density or mass and contain abnormal tissue structure. As we age some of our bone cells begin to dissolve bone matrix (resorption), while new bone cells deposit osteoid (formation). This process is known as remodeling. For people with osteoporosis, bone loss outpaces the growth of new bone. Bones become porous, brittle and prone to fracture. Issues When osteoporosis affects vertebrae, or the bones of the spine, it often leads to a stooped or hunched posture. Osteoporosis may limit mobility, which often leads to feelings of isolation or depression. Additionally, twenty percent of seniors who break a hip die within one year from either complications related to the broken bone itself or the surgery to repair it. Many patients require long-term nursing home care. The Way Forward The bone is a dynamic living structure that gets formed and absorbed in the blood every day. The calcium level that needs to be maintained in the bloodstream is drawn from either the food we eat or our bones. When the hormonal protection wears off, bone loss speeds up and the imbalance created between bone creation and its usage weakens the bone density. This clinical condition is osteoporosis, which can be reversed with a proper diet and regular exercise. But when neglected, it progresses silently, hampering daily movement, and putting you at risk of fractures. There is a need for a greater awareness of the disease. Right from childhood, we must ensure a nutritious diet apart from an active lifestyle. Children should be allowed to play out under the sun so that Vitamin D is absorbed by the body. Only some form of exercise will make the bones strong. A person builds bone mass till 35 years after which bone loss begins. Note: October 20 is celebrated as World Osteoporosis Day.
UPSC Quiz - 2020: IAS Daily Current Affairs Quiz Day 120 Archives Important Note Don't forget to post your marks in the comment section. Also, let us know if you enjoyed today's test :) To take the Test - Click Here
IAS UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 21st November 2019 Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) International Financial Services Centres Authority Bill Part of: GS Prelims and GS-III - Economy In News The bill provides for unified authority for regulating all financial services in international financial services centres (IFSCs) in the country. IFSC is a jurisdiction that provides financial services to resident and non-resident Indians in foreign currencies. Currently, the banking, capital markets and insurance sectors in IFSC are regulated by multiple regulators, i.e. RBI, SEBI and IRDAI. The dynamic nature of business in the IFSCs necessitates a high degree of inter-regulatory coordination. It also requires clarifications and frequent amendments in the existing regulations governing financial activities in IFSCs. The development of financial services and products in IFSCs would require focussed and dedicated regulatory interventions. Hence, a need for a unified financial regulator for IFSCs in India to provide world class regulatory environment to financial market participants. Further, this would also be essential from an ease of doing business perspective. The unified authority would also provide the much needed impetus to further development of IFSC in India in-sync with the global best practices. The Lok Sabha Secretariat has conveyed that this is a Finance Bill under Article 117(1) of the Constitution and that it should be introduced in Lok Sabha accordingly with the recommendation of the President under Article 117(1) and 274(1) of the Constitution Do You Know? London, New York and Singapore can be counted as global financial centres. Many emerging IFSCs around the world, such as Shanghai and Dubai, are aspiring to play a global role in the years to come An expert panel headed by former World Bank economist Percy Mistry submitted a report on making Mumbai an international financial centre in 2007. However, the global financial crisis that unfolded in 2008 made countries including India cautious about rapidly opening up their financial sectors. GIFT (Gujarat International Finance Tech-City), located in Gandhinagar is India’s first International Financial Services Centre. Govt. to sell off its stake in BPCL, 4 others PSUs Part of: GS Prelims and GS-III - Economy In News The cabinet committee on economic affairs (CCEA) has cleared one of the government’s largest asset-sale exercises involving five companies. Government will sell its entire 53.29% stake in BPCLto a strategic buyer, ceding management control.A strategic investor will get access to BPCL’s refining capacity of 37 million tonnes per annum and around 15,000 retail outlets in the world’s third largest oil consuming nation The proposed sale will, however, exclude the strategic Numaligarh Refinery Ltd (NRL) in Assam, which will be later sold to another state-run firm, given India’s need to secure fuel supplies for security forces in the north-east. The government will also sell its entire 63.75% stake in the Shipping Corporation of India (SCI) and will cede management control. Similarly, it will sell its 30.8% stake in the Container Corporation of India (CONCOR) and hand over management control. The government will sell its entire 74.23% stake in THDCIL and its 100% stake in the North Eastern Electric Power Corporation(Neepco) to NTPC Ltd. and also cede control. The resources unlocked by the strategic disinvestment of these CPSEs would be used to finance the social sector/developmental programmes of the Government benefiting the public. The government has set a disinvestment target of ₹1.05 lakh crore for FY-2019-20. However, it has managed to collect only ₹17,364.26 crore until November 18, 2019. U.S. Senate passes Hong Kong rights Bill Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains II – International Relations In News The U.S. Senate unanimously adopted legislation supporting “human rights and democracy” in Hong Kong and threatening to revoke its special economic status. The Senate’s Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act would require the U.S. President to annually review the favourable trade status that Washington grants to Hong Kong. It also mandates sanctions against Hong Kong and Chinese officials who commit human rights abuses including “extra-judicial rendition”. The lawmakers also approved a measure that would ban the sale of tear gas, rubber bullets and other equipment that have been used by security forces to suppress protests for nearly six months. China lodged a “strong protest” and demand that the U.S. prevent the Bill from becoming law. The pro-democracy movement was ignited in June when millions took to streets in opposition to a now-abandoned attempt to allow extraditions from Hong Kong to the mainland. The protests and resulting crackdowns have turned parts of Hong Kong into violent battlegrounds for weeks. ICJ Part of: GS Prelims and Mains GS-III- International Affairs In News Myanmar’s civilian leader and Nobel peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi will head up a delegation to the UN’s top court to defend a case accusing the mainly Buddhist country – Myanmar- of genocide against Rohingya Muslims West African nation Gambia is due to open its case before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in December,2019 on behalf of the 57 member states of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation. The complaint accuses Myanmar of breaching the 1948 UN Genocide Convention through its brutal military campaign in 2017, which targeted the Rohingya in Rakhine state. About ICJ The International Court of Justice (ICJ) is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations (UN). Origin: It was established in June 1945 by the Charter of the United Nations and began work in April 1946. HQ: The seat of the Court is at the Peace Palace in The Hague (Netherlands). Of the six principal organs of the United Nations, it is the only one not located in New York (United States of America). Reserve Bank supersedes DHFL board Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains III – Economy In News RBI has decided to supersede the board of troubled mortgage financier Dewan Housing Finance Corporation Ltd. (DHFL) and said bankruptcy proceedings would be initiated against the company. RBI said the action was taken due to governance concerns and default by the entity in meeting payment obligations. This is the first instance of RBI superseding the board of a non-banking financial company. DHFL could be the first financial services company to face insolvency proceedings at the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) after the government issued a notification specifying the categories of financial service providers that can be taken up for resolution under the generic framework of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code. Till now, financial services firms were kept out of bankruptcy proceedings. DHFL, facing a cash crunch since last year after banks choked lending, has overall debt of ₹80,000 crore. Banks have exposure of ₹40,000 crore to the company. While efforts were made by banks for resolution, the process hit a roadblock as markets regulator SEBI did not allow mutual funds having exposure to DHFL to be a part of the resolution plan ISRO uses satellite data to gauge N. Korea’s 2017 nuclear test impact Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains III – Economy In News Scientists at ISRO have used a novel mathematical technique and analysed satellite images to estimate the strength of North Korea’s underground nuclear test of September 2017 In the normal course, the detection and estimation of nuclear device explosions is based on the reading of earthquake monitoring sensors. However, North Korea’s relative isolation has meant that there were no accessible seismic stations near the test site at Mount Mantap, to accurately gauge the intensity of the explosion Those tests are considered the most powerful thermonuclear devices to have been exploded by the country. The explosive yield estimated (245-271 kt) is about 17 times that of the Hiroshima explosion according to ISRO analysis. Such information is also important for determining the type of bomb, and consequently, the degree of know-how the detonating country possesses. For the analysis, researchers used images of the location after the explosion, sourced from the ALOS-2, a Japanese satellite, and Sentinel 1B, a European radar imaging satellite These estimates, of a yield of 250 kiloton, are in line with an assessment on June, 2019 by U.S. scientists.Their approach, however, relied on studying the signature of sound waves from an explosion when it travels through rock at the test site, and how it affected sensors around the world. (MAINS FOCUS) SECURITY TOPIC: General Studies 3: Security challenges and their management in border areas; linkages of organized crime with terrorism Various Security forces and agencies and their mandate Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Context: Consequent to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement from the Red Fort, the proposed structure for the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) has been deliberated upon. We should soon be seeing the first CDS take charge. The proposed charter of the CDS, his powers and status, etc, has been debated intensely. Background: Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS) is a proposed position for the combined chief of the Indian Army, Air Force and Navy. The idea of creation of such a post goes back to as early Lord Mountbatten. General K. V. Krishna Rao advanced creation of the post of Chief of Defence Staff in June 1982 Suggested in 1999 following the Kargil War through from Kargil Review Committee. The official call was made public by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his Independence Day speech on 15 August 2019 at Red Fort, New Delhi. Need for CDS: It is necessary to have a professional body of the highest standing to facilitate 'jointmanship' and render single-point military advice to the government on matters of national security Importance: Chief of Defence Staff is a critical position in today's era of hybrid warfare, and will help increase jointmanship, tri-service effectiveness and overall combat capabilities of India. It is speculated that whereas the Defense Secretary will be the main "defence" advisor, the CDS will assume the role of being the main "military" advisory, acting as the single-point military adviser to the government and Prime Minister. Reconcile possible differences in service-specific opinions to enable the government to arrive at considered military decisions. India is the only large democracy which does not have a single point military advisor (all P5 countries having one) Fostering inter-services jointness in terms of budgeting, equipment purchases, training, joint doctrines and planning of military operations-an imperative of modern warfare Concerns: The Chief of Defence Staff should not become another interposed level between the Raksha Mantri and the service chiefs, whose access to the minister should remain as prevalent. There were also fears that such a post would be too powerful. Conclusion: The CDS cannot be a panacea for all problems faced by the defence establishment. However, an effective implementation of the blueprint of the plan by the panel will help Indian defence system to undergo much needed and long-waited reform. Connecting the dots: The recent decision to appoint a Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) satisfies a long-standing demand of the strategic community in India. Critically analyze. CITIZENSHIP TOPIC: General Studies 2: Indian Constitution- historical underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments, significant provisions and basic structure. National Register of Citizens Context: The process to make a National Register of Citizens (NRC) will be carried out across India, as announced by the Home Minister, Mr.Amit Shah. Whenever it is done, the exercise will be repeated in Assam as well. All Indian citizens will be included irrespective of their religion.” Home Minister also said that NRC and Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB)is different from NRC. National Register of Citizens It is the register containing names of Indian Citizens. It was prepared first in 1951 after the conduct of the Census of 1951. It is used to identify who is a bona fide Indian citizen and those who fail to enlist in the register will be deemed illegal migrants. Benefits of NRC: Detection of illegal immigrants, inclusion will be a shield against harassment and a ticket to enjoying all the constitutional rights and safeguards and the benefits of government schemes. To safeguard the indigenous population and civilization. Illegal activities like terrorism, human trafficking, drug trafficking can be checked. To safeguard Voting rights and properties such as land and house. Controversies related to the National Register of Citizens (NRC): Laborious process: Adding a person to NRC is complex procedure because of presenting many documents and layers of verification. Document verification: “Family tree verification” has become difficult process for left out children. Rejection of certificate: More than 40 lakh people are rejected for panchayat residency certificates. Citizenship related: Failed to ensure legal clarity over the manner in which the claims of citizenship could be decided. Role of Supreme Court: lack of monitoring process, inability to comprehend political and policy actions in case of loss of citizenship. Huge population: Given the size of India’s population, implementation of the NRC will be a mammoth task and demands a detailed analysis. Citizen Amendment Bill (CAB): It envisages the grant of Indian citizenship to all refugees from minority communities in Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan. The CAB allegedly discriminates against Muslims, and is loaded against the right to equality and equal protection before the law as enshrined in Article 14 of the Constitution The CAB proposes to differentiate among immigrants on the basis of religion. It proposes to amend the Citizenship Act, 1955 by relaxing the eligibility rules for immigrants belonging to six minority (non-Muslim) religions, Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians, from Afghanistan, Bangladesh or Pakistan, in getting Indian citizenship. NRC in Assam again: Along with the promised combination of the NRC and CAB, the Home Minister announced that the NRC process would “naturally” be conducted in Assam again with the rest of the country. However, the Assam proposal will be in defiance of the Supreme Court, which directed the entire NRC registration specific to Assam. There is still no clarity on what the end results mean for the 19 lakh plus people who find themselves outside the NRC, stateless and at risk of “deportation” to Bangladesh, which refuses to acknowledge and accept them. The recent NRC exercise, overseen by the Supreme Court, involved the active participation of the Central and State governments. For the government to repeat the exercise merely because the numbers thrown up are politically inconvenient for the central government makes no sense at all. CAB controversy in Northeast: Influential socio-political groups and several political parties in the Northeast are against the CAB and are holding continuous protest demonstrations against it. Their argument is that CAB runs contrary to the NRC. In Assam, if the NRC Bill is passed, the immediate implication will be that the Hindus excluded from the NRC would be eligible for citizenship via certain criteria,The Muslims would be treated as foreigners. Such a situation would render the current NRC meaningless. Why is central government unhappy with the current NRC in Assam? According to the central government, the current NRC could not be accepted by the state government because it has included people who should not have been included. On the contrary excluded ‘genuine’ Indian citizens. Connecting the dots: A nationwide extension of NRC is bizarre, and a repeat of it in Assam illogical. 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 International Court of Justice (ICJ) It was established in June 1945 by the Charter of the United Nations and began work in April 1946. The seat of the Court is at the Peace Palace in The Hague (Netherlands) 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 statementsabout National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) It is a statutory body established under section 408 of the Companies Act, 2013. The NCLT shall have powers and jurisdiction of the Board for Industrial and Financial Reconstruction (BIFR), the Appellate Authority for Industrial and Financial Reconstruction (AAIFR), Company Law Board, High Courts relating to compromises, arrangements, mergers, amalgamations and reconstruction of companies etc. 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 The U.S. Senate unanimously adopted legislation supporting “human rights and democracy” in Hong Kong and threatening to revoke its special economic status The pro-democracy movement was ignited in June 2019 when millions took to streets in opposition to a now-abandoned attempt to pass a law which criminalises dissent media opinions against Chinese Communist Party. 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 International Financial Services Centre (IFSC) IFSC is a jurisdiction that provides financial services to only resident Indians in foreign currencies. GIFT (Gujarat International Finance Tech-City), located in Gandhinagar is India’s first International Financial Services Centre. 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 Recently, Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has cleared one of the government’s largest asset-sale exercises involving five Public Sector Enterprises. The resources unlocked by the strategic disinvestment of these CPSEs would be used to exclusively to fund ISRO’s Human Flight Programme. Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 ANSWERS FOR 20 Nov 2019 TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE (TYK) 1 A 2 B 3 A 4 A MUST READ An opening: On Telangana transport workers strike The Hindu The myths around free trade agreements The Hindu In variance with the official growth story The Hindu Manufactured hate should not sway Hindu worldview post the Ayodhya verdict IE
UPSC Quiz - 2020: IAS Daily Current Affairs Quiz Day 119 Archives Important Note Don't forget to post your marks in the comment section. Also, let us know if you enjoyed today's test :) To take the Test - Click Here
Significance and Historical Respective of Kartarpur Corridor ARCHIVES Search 08 Nov, 2019 Current Affairs here: http://www.newsonair.com/Main_Audio_Bulletins_Search.aspx For millions of Sikhs worldwide, the inauguration of the Kartarpur corridor was a dream seven decades in the making. Ever since India and Pakistan were partitioned with an arbitrary line drawn through Punjab, the placement of Kartarpur, where Guru Nanak spent his last years, meant that while a majority of his devotees were left on one side of the border, his last resting place was left just four kilometres on the other side. Unlike the other major Sikh shrine at Guru Nanak’s birthplace Nankana Sahib, Kartarpur Sahib was off Pakistan’s highways and therefore fell into disuse. Those keen to see it were restricted to peering through binoculars at a border checkpost. The inauguration of the renovated shrine in Kartarpur by Prime Minister Imran Khan, and the access to the corridor from Sultanpur Lodhi on the Indian side by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saw the fervent hopes of all those people being granted, timed with the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak. The Shrine – Gurdwara in Kartarpur The gurdwara in Kartarpur is located on the bank of river Ravi in Pakistan. It is about four km from the Dera Baba Nanak shrine, and about 120 km northeast of Lahore. It was here that Guru Nanak assembled a Sikh community and lived for 18 years until his death in 1539 The shrine is visible from the Indian side, as Pakistani authorities generally trim the elephant grass that would otherwise obstruct the view. Indian Sikhs would gather in large numbers for darshan from the Indian side, and binoculars were installed at Gurdwara Dera Baba Nanak. The gurdwara was opened to pilgrims after repairs and restoration in 1999, and Sikh jathas have been visiting the shrine regularly ever since. Sikh jathas from India travel to Pakistan on four occasions every year- for Baishakhi, the martyrdom day of Guru Arjan Dev, the death anniversary of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, and the birthday of Guru Nanak Dev. It is hoped that the corridor would pave the way for peace and greater progress of all people. The corridor will drastically cut down the journey pilgrims have to make from more than 200 km to just 6 km. [caption id="attachment_53169" align="aligncenter" width="402"] All India Radio (AIR) IAS UPSC - Significance and Historical Respective of Kartarpur Corridor[/caption] Src-Click here The Way Ahead It has, in a very limited way, formally resumed people-to-people contact between the two countries. This is incredible because both countries were till recently on the brink of a full-fledged war; tensions continue to be high. As a result, cross-border contacts between both sides have been abandoned; in fact, India’s ambassador to Pakistan was asked to leave by the host country when tensions had peaked. However, neither side has been able to build on the goodwill for the project in both countries to create an atmosphere for talks on other issues. This failure was most evident when both Mr. Modi and Mr. Khan carried out separate inauguration ceremonies, but failed to come together at the border for the launch of the project, though both leaders likened it to the “coming down of the Berlin wall”. Delhi should recognise that the footprint of Punjab and its people goes beyond India and Pakistan — it has significant influence in many parts of the world. Prime Minister Narendra Modi could add a new layer to his diaspora diplomacy if he promotes the celebration of ‘Punjabiyat’. That might help transcend the Kartarpur exception, facilitate the long-overdue collective reflection on what binds us together in the Subcontinent and how we might overcome our current divisions. For that promise to be realised, leaders will need to walk the extra mile, both literally and figuratively. Note: Indian pilgrims of all faiths and persons of Indian origin can use the corridor. The travel will be Visa Free; Pilgrims need to carry only a valid passport The Pakistan side has assured India to make sufficient provision for ‘Langar’ and distribution of ‘Prasad’. However, there has been no progress on resolving the disagreement over a $20 fee that Pakistan intends to levy on each traveller. Pilgrims would be allowed to carry kirpans (dagger), one of the five articles of faith worn by Sikhs. Connecting the Dots: The Kartarpur Corridor has the potential to help India and Pakistan transition from enemy to frenemy. Comment.
