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Nov 16, 2019 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

Daily Current Affairs IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 16th November 2019

IAS UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 16th November 2019 Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) Consumer expenditure survey 2017-18 Part of: GS Prelims and GS-III - Economy In News The government has decided to scrap the National Statistical Office’s (NSO’s) consumer expenditure survey conducted in 2017-18 over “data quality” The ministry is separately examining the feasibility of conducting the next consumer expenditure survey in 2020-21 and 2021-22 after incorporating all data quality refinements in the survey process The findings of the report, published by few media, showed consumer spending falling for the first time in over four decades in 2017-18. The government has, however, termed it a “draft” report. About Consumer Expenditure Survey The Survey generates estimates household Monthly Per Capita Consumer Expenditure (MPCE) and the distribution of households and persons over the MPCE classes. It is designed to collect information regarding expenditure on consumption of goods and services (food and non-food) consumed by households The government uses this dataset to estimate poverty and inequality in the country, apart from using it for changing the base year for gross domestic product (GDP). The previous round of survey took place in 2011-12. Consumer expenditure surveys are normally conducted with a gap of five years. But in 2011-12, the survey was conducted after two years, as 2009-10, when the previous round of the survey took place, was a drought year Did You know? In early 2019, the government merged the Central Statistics Office (CSO) and the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) into National Statistical Office (NSO). It was done to streamline and strengthen the present nodal function of MOSPI with respect to Indian official statistics system and bring in more synergy by integrating its administrative functions within the ministry The CSO headed used to bring out macro-economic data like economic (GDP) growth data, industrial production and inflation. The NSSO conducted large-scale surveys and brings out reports on health, education, household expenditure and other social and economic indicators. 2022 Commonwealth Games Part of: GS Prelims In News The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) wants to skip the 2022 Commonwealth Games. The IOA’s unprecedented step came after the organisers of the 2022 CWG, which will be held in Birmingham, dropped shooting from the programme in June. Instead, they have included women’s cricket, para table tennis and beach volleyball. The decision to drop shooting was taken primarily because the organisers were keen to include those sports for which Birmingham and the wider West Midlands region had the facilities. Britain’s tough gun laws, which makes it very tough for athletes to enter the country with weapons, were a deterrent as well But India did not accept this logic. Shooting has been the source of one-fourth of India’s medals at the Commonwealth Games. It has been argued that removal of shooting will see a steep fall in India’s position on the overall medal’s tally. If India actually withdraws from the Games, athletes will be the ones most affected. Not only will they be robbed of competing in a major international event, they will miss out on other incentives as well Athletes winning medals at the CWG receive hefty prize money, with centre earmarking Rs 30 lakh for gold medallists, Rs 20 lakh for silver winners and Rs 10 lakh for bronze medallists Do You Know? It is a standard practice for the hosts to choose sports in which they are strong. For example, in 2010, India excluded basketball and triathlon from the programme and added tennis, archery and wrestling. Four years before that, Australia had dropped wrestling Wholesale and retail inflation Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains III - Economy In News Recent data shows that the two rates are diverging - The WPI inflation for October has touched a 40-month low (0.16%). But retail inflation(CPI) in the country for the same month has touched a 16-month high. This essentially means that while prices are falling or growing at a marginal rate at the wholesale level, the trend reverses at the retail consumer level, where prices are growing at a faster rate every successive month. This deceleration in wholesale prices has happened despite a significant jump in wholesale food prices.WPI food inflation rose to 7.6 per cent essentially led by surge in prices of vegetables and pulses But what continued to pull down overall wholesale inflation number was the continued “deflation” (that is, prices falling from one month to the next) in manufactured goods. Reasons for such divergence Some part of the difference between the wholesale and retail inflation trends is explained by the way these indices are made. For instance, food articles have a much higher weight — over 45 per cent — in CPI or retail inflation index. In WPI, their weight is less than 30 per cent. So even a similar spike in food prices will show up a much higher impact in the retail inflation index (CPI) than the wholesale inflation index. Then there are other items such as “services” which have a weight of about 30 per cent that can only be found in retail inflation. A spike in these prices obviously bumps up only the retail inflation while leaving the wholesale inflation unaffected Has this happened before? Between 2012 to 2015 there was a growing divergence between retail and wholesale inflation indices. By October 2015, wholesale inflation was negative — that is, actual prices were declining — while retail inflation was over 7 per cent. While raging food inflation was a contributor, the spike in services such as education and medical facilities was the biggest reason for this divergence in 2015. Impact on Policy making If the RBI looks at retail inflation, which is at 4.6 per cent and is expected to stay above the 4 per cent mark till March 2020, it would be expected to raise interest rates and bring down inflation. But if it were to look at WPI, the policy advice would be completely different. The RBI would then be expected to cut rates further CBI Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains III - Security In News The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has set up an Online Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation (OCSAE) Prevention/Investigation Unit. The unit, which will function under the agency's Special Crime Zone in Delhi, will collect and disseminate information on online child sexual abuse and exploitation. It will also probe such offences covered under the IPC, the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act and the Information Technology Act, apart from other relevant laws. About CBI It is the premier investigating agency of India. It investigates several economic crimes and special crimes. It operates under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions The CBI traces its origin to the Special Police Establishment (SPE) which was set up in 1941 by the Government of India. The Delhi Special Police Establishment Act, 1946 transferred the superintendence of the SPE to the Home Department and its functions were enlarged to cover all departments of the Govt. of India. The DSPE acquired its popular current name, Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), through a Home Ministry resolution dated 1.4.1963. Since 1987, there are two investigation divisions in the CBI, namely, Anti-Corruption Division and Special Crimes Division, the latter dealing with cases of conventional crime, besides economic offences. Forest Act of 1927 Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains II - Governance In News The Union Environment Ministry withdrew a draft amendment that proposed updates to the Indian Forest Act, 1927. Some of the contentious issues in the proposed amendments to the act are: Forest officers can issue search warrants, enter and investigate land within their jurisdiction Forest officers will get indemnity for using arms to prevent forest-related offences Forest officials will get powers to remove tribals from areas earmarked for conservation It will allow government to open any patch of forest it deems fit for commercial operations Imposition of forest development cess of up to 10% of the assessed value of mining products removed from forests, and water used for irrigation or in industries. This amount would be deposited in a special fund and used exclusively for reforestation and forest protection measures These proposed provision drew flak from activists, tribal welfare organisations as well as from State governments which led Central government to drop the proposal. Miscellaneous NDRF The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) will soon come up with a specialized unit in each battalion to help preserve monuments and other heritage structures battered by disasters This is apart from its basic responsibility of rescue and restoration. There will be a set of personnel in each battalion of NDRF who will get the basic training on preserving monuments. These personnel will have some sort of insights as to how to preserve heritage structures in the pre and post disaster scenario About NDRF It was formed in 2006 under the Disaster Management Act, 2005 It is a specialized force to tackle all types of disaster, including nuclear, biological and chemical disasters. It is involved in Search and rescue operations and Supplying of relief materials to the victims. (MAINS FOCUS) 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. Anti-defection law Context: Supreme Court upheld speaker's decision to disqualify 17 MLAs who defected from Congress, JDS The defection led to the fall of Congress-JDS coalition govt in Karnataka Congress called the BJP govt, which later came to power, an illegal govt The MLAs, however, can contest the upcoming bypolls. SC : Under Article 193 has been discussed, Not making nay observation regarding the merits of disqualification. As such, there is no doubt that disqualification relates to date when the act takes place. The speaker in the exercise of powers does not have the power to indicate the period for which a person is barred from contesting an election Background: Assembly elections in 2018 resulted with the BJP emerging as the single largest party with 104 seats. The INC and JD(S) formed a majority coalition government after the election, with a combined 120 of the 224 seats. Karnataka speaker had disqualified the 17 legislators of the ruling Congress-JD(S) coalition ahead of a trust vote in July. The then chief minister HD Kumaraswamy had resigned after losing the trust vote, which paved the way for the BJP-led government in the state under BS Yediyurappa. Bypolls to 15 out of these 17 assembly seats which fell vacant following the disqualification of MLAs are scheduled on December 5 and candidates are required to file their nomination papers between November 11 and November 18. These disqualified MLAs recently approached the apex court seeking a direction to the Election Commission to postpone the assembly bypolls for these 15 seats till the pronouncement of verdict in the matter. Some of these disqualified MLAs had argued in the apex court that they have an "indefeasible right" to resign as members of the assembly and the decision by the then Speaker to disqualify them smacks of "vengeance" and "mala fide". Anti defection law: If the member voluntarily gives up membership of the party on whose ticket s/he is elected. If the member votes or abstains from voting in the House contrary to any direction of his/her party. Disqualification may be avoided if the party leadership condones the vote or abstention within 15 days. After disqualification: If a member of the current House (15th legislative assembly) is disqualified, it means s/he cannot contest any election to the 15th House. However, s/he can contest the next assembly election (to the 16th House). Also, Article 164 (1B) of the Constitution states a member who has been disqualified cannot be made a minister till the expiry of his or her term, or till s/he is re-elected. If an MLA is disqualified on conviction for certain offences, he will be disqualified for a period of six years under Section 8 of the Representation of People’s (RP) Act. But Section 8 (4) of the RP Act gives protection to MPs and MLAs as they can continue in office even after conviction if an appeal is filed within three months. Time limit : The law does not specify a time-period for the presiding officer to decide on a disqualification plea. Resignation vs disqualification If an MLA is disqualified, then s/he cannot be a minister in the new dispensation without being re-elected If an MLA resigns s/he can be inducted as a minister and get elected to either House of the legislature within six months. Connecting the dots: In Karnataka’s recent defection case, the legislators have sent a sworn affidavit saying that they have resigned. Should this not bring the matter to rest? Analyse POLITY TOPIC: General Studies 2: Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources. National Education Policy 2019 (Part 1) Features: Four chapters focussing on school education; higher education; other key areas like adult education, technology and promotion of arts and culture; and a section on making it happen by establishing an apex body and the financial aspects to make quality education affordable for all. The commitment to double the government expenditure on education from about 10% to 20% over a 10-year period is still insufficient, given the enormity of the challenge, it is an unprecedented commitment to the sector. Dr. K. Kasturirangan committee: The Committee was constituted by the Ministry of Human Resource Development in June 2017. The report proposes an education policy, which seeks to address the challenges of: (i) access, (ii) equity, (iii) quality, (iv) affordability, and (v) accountability faced by the current education system. Draft Education policy: The draft Policy provides for reforms at all levels of education from school to higher education. It seeks to increase the focus on early childhood care, reform the current exam system, strengthen teacher training, and restructure the education regulatory framework. It also seeks to set up a National Education Commission, increase public investment in education, strengthen the use of technology and increase focus on vocational and adult education, among others. Key observations and recommendations School Education The Committee observed several quality related deficiencies in the existing early childhood learning programmes. These include: (i) curriculum that doesn’t meet the developmental needs of children, (ii) lack of qualified and trained teachers, and (iii) substandard pedagogy. This will consist of: (i) Guidelines for up to three-year-old children (for parents and teachers), and (ii) Educational framework for three to eight-year-old children. This would be implemented by improving and expanding the anganwadi system and co-locating anganwadis with primary schools The Right to Education Act, 2009 (RTE Act): Currently, the RTE Act provides for free and compulsory education to all children from the age of six to 14 years. The draft Policy recommends extending the ambit of the RTE Act to include early childhood education and secondary school education. This would extend the coverage of the Act to all children between the ages of three to 18 years. Continuous and comprehensive evaluation and the no detention policy must be reviewed. It states that there should be no detention of children till class eight. Instead, schools must ensure that children are achieving age-appropriate learning levels. Curriculum framework: The current structure of school education must be restructured on the basis of the development needs of students. (i) five years of foundational stage (three years of pre-primary school and classes one and two), (ii) three years of preparatory stage (classes three to five), (iii) three years of middle stage (classes six to eight), and (iv) four years of secondary stage (classes nine to 12). The Committee noted that the current education system solely focuses on rote learning of facts and procedures. Hence, it recommends that the curriculum load in each subject should be reduced to its essential core content. This would make space for holistic, discussion and analysis-based learning. School exam reforms: The Committee noted that the current board examinations (i) Force students to concentrate only on a few subjects, (ii) Do not test learning in a formative manner, and (iii) Cause stress among students. The draft Policy proposes State Census Examinations in classes three, five and eight. Further, it recommends restructuring the board examinations to test only core concepts, skills and higher order capacities. These board examinations will be on a range of subjects. The students can choose their subjects, and the semester when they want to take these board exams. The in-school final examinations may be replaced by these board examinations. School infrastructure: The Committee noted that establishing primary schools in every habitation across the country has helped increase access to education. However, it has led to the development of very small schools (having low number of students). This will ensure that resources such as infrastructure and trained teachers can be efficiently shared across a school complex. Teacher management: The Committee noted that there has been a steep rise in teacher shortage, lack of professionally qualified teachers, and deployment of teachers for non-educational purposes. Recommends that teachers should be deployed with a particular school complex for at least five to seven years. Further, teachers will not be allowed to participate in any non-teaching activities (such as cooking mid-day meals or participating in vaccination campaigns) during school hours that could affect their teaching capacities. Regulation of schools: The draft Policy recommends separating the regulation of schools from aspects such as policymaking, school operations, and academic development. It suggests creating an independent State School Regulatory Authority for each state that will prescribe basic uniform standards for public and private schools. The Department of Education of the State will formulate policy and conduct monitoring and supervision. Higher Education According to the All India Survey on Higher Education, the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in higher education in India has increased from 20.8% in 2011-12 to 25.8% in 2017-18. The Committee identified lack of access as a major reason behind low intake of higher education in the country. It aims to increase GER to 50% by 2035 from the current level of about 25.8%. Key recommendations in this regard include: The Committee proposes setting up the National Higher Education Regulatory Authority (NHERA). This independent authority would replace the existing individual regulators in higher education, including professional and vocational education. This implies that the role of all professional councils such as AICTE and the Bar Council of India would be limited to setting standards for professional practice. The role of the University Grants Commission (UGC) will be limited to providing grants to higher educational institutions. Currently, the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) is an accreditation body under the UGC. The draft Policy recommends separating NAAC from the UGC into an independent and autonomous body. In its new role, NAAC will function as the top level accreditor, and will issue licenses to different accreditation institutions, who will assess higher educational institutions once every five to seven years. All existing higher education institutions should be accredited by 2030. Establishment of new higher educational institutions: Currently, higher educational institutions can only be set up by Parliament or state legislatures. The draft Policy proposes that these institutions could be allowed to be set up through a Higher Education Institution Charter from NHERA. This Charter will be awarded on the basis of transparent assessment of certain specified criteria. All such newly constituted higher educational institutions must receive accreditation as mandated by NHERA within five years of being established. Restructuring of higher education institutions: (i) Research universities focusing equally on research and teaching; (ii) Teaching universities focusing primarily on teaching; and (iii) Colleges focusing only on teaching at undergraduate levels. All such institutions will gradually move towards full autonomy - academic, administrative, and financial. Establishing a National Research Foundation: The Committee observed that the total investment on research and innovation in India has declined from 0.84% of GDP in 2008 to 0.69% in 2014. India also lags behind many nations in number of researchers (per lakh population), patents and publications. Conclusion: Education, for most of us, is a necessary public good central to the task of nation building and, like fresh air, is necessary to make our communities come alive; it should not be driven solely by market demand for certain skills, or be distracted by the admittedly disruptive impact, for instance, of Artificial Intelligence. This form of education should be unshackled from the chains of deprivation, and “affordable” education, for instance in JNU, is vital to ensure access to even the most marginalised sections of our country. Education policy, in essence, must aim to produce sensitive, creative and upright citizens who are willing to take the less-travelled path and whose professional “skills” will endure revolutions in thinking and technology. Connecting the dots: New education policy misses a critical chance to address inequalities in system. 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) Household Consumer Expenditure Survey is brought out by which Organisation/Union Ministry? NITI Aayog Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation Reserve Bank of India Ministry of Labour Q.2) Consider the following statementsabout divergence between WPI and CPI India is witnessing for the first time the divergence in rates between WPI and CPI, where WPI inflation is at only 0.16% while retail inflation(CPI) is at 4.6% One of the reason for such divergence is price surge in services which have a weight of about 30 per cent that can only be found in retail inflation 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 Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) It operates under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions. Recently, it has set up an Online Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation (OCSAE) Prevention/Investigation Unit which will collect and disseminate information on online child sexual abuse and exploitation 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 National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) It was formed under the Disaster Management Act, 2005 It is trained to tackle all types of disasters except nuclear, biological and chemical disasters which is handled by National Security guards 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 Common Wealth Games (CWG) The 2022 CWG will be held in Melbourne, Australia India wants to skip the CWG-2022 because shooting has been removed from the games which has been the source of one-fourth of India’s medals at the Commonwealth Games Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 ANSWERS FOR 15 Nov 2019 TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE (TYK) 1 C 2 D 3 A 4 B MUST READ Five-in-one: On BRICS summit The Hindu Crossed wires: On telecom industry crisis The Hindu Groping in the dark on the economy The Hindu The revival plan for BSNL and MTNL does not inspire confidence IE Kartarpur presents an opportunity for normalisation of India-Pakistan ties IE

Nov 15, 2019 RSTV Video

RSTV IAS UPSC – National Water Policy

National Water Policy Archives TOPIC: General Studies 2 Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation General Studies 3: Conservation, Environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment Water Pollution, Wastewater management In News: The Centre plans to come out with an updated version of the National Water Policy with key changes in water governance structure and regulatory framework, besides setting up a National Bureau of Water Use Efficiency. There is a need to update the National Water Policy of 2012 in the light of new challenges, especially the adverse effects of climate change. Hydrological boundaries, rather than administrative or political boundaries, should be part of the water governance structure in the country, and the Centre is currently talking to the States to build a consensus Building consensus among the States within the Constitutional framework is a pre-condition for making the changes as water conservation, along with water harvesting and judicious and multiple use of water, are key to tackling the water challenges that India faces. Calling for the rejuvenation and revitalisation of traditional water bodies and resources through the age-old conservation methods. There is a need for disseminating modern water technologies in an extensive fashion. In terms of water trade, that water-surplus States such as Chhattisgarh can gain by sharing the resource with the deficient ones. There is a need for policy changes for giving incentive to crops using less water. Participatory groundwater management should be promoted in a big way to maintain quality and sustainability. Causes of Water Scarcity Overuse of Water: In developed countries per capita water consumption is far more than developing and poor countries. An average U.S. family wastes 13,000 gallons of water every year. Geographical distribution: Usage depends on availability of water; Canadian households use an average of 91 US gallons each day, while American households use just over 100 gallons. Contrast this to Israel, where water supplies are limited, which uses an average of only 36 gallons per household per day. Pollution of Water: 80 percent of wastewater from human activities is discharged into waterways without any pollution removal. Bangalore water crisis was due to pollution in city’s lakes and rapid urbanisation. Conflict: Water stress in Yemen, Syria, and Iraq are examples of water crisis due to conflicts. War disrupts the infrastructure as well as administration. Distance: Areas that are considered to be desert, or areas that are secluded deal with water scarcity because they just aren’t close to anywhere that has water. Women in sub-Saharan Africa collectively spend about 40 billion hours a year collecting water. This significantly impacts their employment opportunities. Drought: A drought is an area which is not getting enough rainfall to be able to sustain the life that is residing there. Some areas are in perpetual drought, whereas other areas may be dealing with a drought on occasion. Some examples of it are from India itself, Marathwada region in Maharashtra is usually under drought conditions throughout the year. Another classic example is the recent water crisis in Cape Town, South Africa, major reason here was drought. Climate Change: Due to climate change and rising temperature there is change in global weather pattern and monsoon. Leading to drying up of rivers and reservoirs. Floods too affect the usability of water. Current Development Ensuring India's water security and providing access to safe drinking water to all Indians is a priority. A major step in this direction has been the constitution of Jal Shakti Ministry. This new Ministry will look at the management of our water resources and water supply in an integrated and holistic manner and will work with states to ensure 'Har Ghar Jal', to all rural households by 2024 under 'Jal Jeevan Mission' The new ministry has been formed by merging the Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation and Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation. All water related works will be merged under one ministry. The new ministry will encompass issues ranging from providing clean drinking water, international and inter-states water disputes, to the Namami Gange project aimed at cleaning Gang and its tributaries, and sub tributaries. The Way Ahead Efficiency in Agriculture: The agricultural sector consumes over 85 per cent of the available water today in India, and there is enormous scope to save water here through improved efficiency. Shifting cropping pattern from water-intensive to less water consuming crops can save significant amount of water. Micro-irrigation method (drip and sprinkler) of rice cultivation promises to enhance water use efficiency with increased crop productivity. Rainwater harvesting is one of the cheapest and easiest ways of augmenting water stock. Investing and promoting water-recycling technologies and storm water capturing schemes should also be given utmost emphasis. The proposed water conservation fee on groundwater extraction is definitely a right step in the direction of regulating water use. Strict pollution control enforcement: User-centric approach to water management, especially in agriculture Decentralisation of irrigation commands, offering higher financial flows to well-performing States through a National Irrigation Management Fund Steady urbanisation calls for a new management paradigm – augmenting sources of clean drinking water supply and treatment technologies that will encourage reuse. Rethink water management Creative and imaginative governance in the form of building larger storage dams which can store excess water in lesser time is the need of the hour. People should be sensitised about the judicious use of water and educated about water-retention dams and other conventional structures such as eari, bawli, talab, anict, dam etc. to store water. The old practice of rainwater harvesting should also be popularised. Tamil Nadu has made mandatory installation of water harvesting structures in every house and this must be replicated in other States as well. Investing and promoting water-recycling, storm-water capturing technologies and micro-irrigation techniques in crop cultivation can also solve the problem of water scarcity. The cost effective method of reviving the traditional small water bodies under the age old practice of Kudimaramath should be given top priority. Note: First state to have water policy: Meghalaya; to address water issues, conservation, and protection of water sources in the state. Water is a State subject Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6) aims to ensure availability and sustainable management of water for all by 2030. By definition, this means leaving no one behind. ‘Composite Water Management Index’: This index is an attempt to budge States and UTs towards efficient and optimal utilization of water and recycling thereof with a sense of urgency.The Index and this associated report are expected to: Establish a clear baseline and benchmark for state-level performance on key water indicators Uncover and explain how states have progressed on water issues over time, including identifying high-performers and under-performers, thereby inculcating a culture of constructive competition among states Identify areas for deeper engagement and investment on the part of the states. The Composite Water Management Index (CWMI) is a major step towards creating a culture of databased decision-making for water in India, which can encourage ‘competitive and cooperative federalism’ in the country’s water governance and management. Must Read: A jan andolan for water Significance of Jal Shakti Abhiyan India’s Worst Water Crisis Urbanisation leading to Water Crisis Connecting the Dots: Integrated Water Management is a tool for poverty reduction & sustainable economic development. Discuss. Many parts of the country are facing severe water crisis and drought conditions. There are many traditional water harvesting and conservation practices in various parts of India which can be employed locally to fight the ongoing crisis. Can you identify few such practices? Also mention the states where they are more prevalent. Addressing the deepening drought, agrarian distress and water-management are critical not just for our governments to survive but for us to survive our governments. Comment.

Nov 15, 2019 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

Daily Current Affairs IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 15th November 2019

IAS UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 15th November 2019 Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) Doctrine of Essentiality Part of: GS Prelims and GS-II - Polity In News A five-judge Bench led by CJI Ranjan Gogoi decided to refer the Sabarimala review petitions to a larger Bench of seven judges. This decision reopens not only the debate on allowing women of menstruating age into the Sabarimala Ayyappa temple but also on the courts role in interfering in religious matters. The doctrine of "essentiality" was invented by a seven-judge Bench of the Supreme Court in the 'Shirur Mutt' case in 1954. The court held that the term "religion" will cover all rituals and practices "integral" to a religion, and took upon itself the responsibility of determining the essential and non-essential practices of a religion. The idea of providing constitutional protection only to those elements of religion which the court considers “essential” (as determined by Court) is problematic in so far as it assumes that one element or practice of religion is independent of other elements or practices. Scholars of constitutional law have also argued that the essentiality/integrality doctrine has tended to lead the court into an area that is beyond its competence, and given judges the power to decide purely religious questions. Some of the contentious questions/issues which a larger seven- judge bench now needs to answer are: Whether a court can probe if a practice is essential to a religion or should the question be left to the respective religious head; Should “essential religious practices” be afforded constitutional protection under Article 26 (freedom to manage religious affairs) To what extent court can recognize the PILs filed by people who do not belong to the religion of which practices are under the scanner. To examine the “interplay” between the rights to religion and equality India’s first Geochemical Baseline Atlas released in Hyderabad Part of: GS Prelims and GS-III –Environment In News In a first, CSIR- National Geophysical Research Institute, Hyderabad has brought out the ‘Geochemical Baseline Atlas’ of India for environment management purpose. The 44 maps of oxides and trace elements over the entire nation aim to document the concentration and distribution of the chemical elements in the soils of India. The map trace elements from top soil i.e. top 25 cm depth and bottom soil at 100 cm depth from the year 2006 to 2011. With human activities and natural processes continuously modifying the chemical composition of our surroundings, the maps will form the backbone for environment managementparticularly the land use policies by government. It will help in understanding how soil pollution is contributing to groundwater contamination. It will also help in finding out if the damages are caused by a particular industry in the region and thus helps government take appropriate action The baseline map of India will help to plan the land use in different parts of the country. For example, a toothpaste manufacturing industry, which use high concentration of Strontium, cannot be in a place where soil is already having high baseline concentration of Strontium This is the third map among the series of maps published by NDRI. Earlier, The Gravity map of India and Seismic map of India were released by the research institute. Stubble Burning Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains III - Environment In News The Punjab government has decided to pay ₹2,500 per acre as compensation to small and marginal farmers, who have not burnt paddy residue in the ongoing harvesting season Farmers’ unions and agriculture experts feel that the move may not fetch the desired results as the compensation is only to those who own land up to five acres The government data shows that between October 1 and November 13, as many as 48,689 cases of farm fires were reported in Punjab. Last year, during the same period there were 44,845 such incidents Stubble burning, close to the autumn season every year, has been a key contributing factor to air pollution across the northern region, including Delhi. For management of paddy straw, the Centre and the State government are providing subsidised agro-machines and equipment to farmers and cooperative societies to achieve zero burning, yet farmers continue to burn the crop residue claiming lack of alternatives. The long term solution lies in alternative uses of residue for which the State government needs to infuse investment so as utilize the stubble collected Ex: bioethanol production, fodder for animals,use for bedding material for animals, mushroom cultivation and so on. Diabetes Atlas Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains II –Health In News The ninth edition of the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) Diabetes Atlas was released on the occasion of International Diabetes Day (Nov 14th) The worldwide prevalence of diabetes was estimated at 463 million in the age group of 20-79 years, or in other words, one in 11 adults. 10% of global health expenditure is spent on diabetes (USD 760 billion) One in six people with diabetes in the world is from India India is at number two (&will continue till 2045) with an estimated 77 million diabetics, whereas China leads the list with over 116 million diabetics. The IDF has stressed the urgency to develop and implement multi-sectoral strategies to combat the growing epidemic with increased focus on prevention. In addition to people with diabetes, India also has a huge burden of pre-diabetics. If the authorities target them with information on the right lifestyle options to help keep blood sugar, lipids and blood pressure under control, India can prevent at least a third from developing diabetes. AboutInternational Diabetes Federation (IDF) It is an umbrella organization of over 240 national diabetes associations in 168 countries and territories The Federation’s activities aim to influence policy, increase public awareness and encourage health improvement, promote the exchange of high-quality information about diabetes, and provide education for people with diabetes and their healthcare providers. IDF is associated with the Department of Public Information of the United Nations and is in official relations with the World Health Organization (WHO). TOBACCO BOARD OF INDIA Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains II – Health In News Tobacco Board of India has been awarded the Golden Leaf Award in the Most Impressive Public Service Initiative category for the year 2019, for its efforts to initiate various sustainability (green) initiatives in Flue-Cured Virginia (FCV) tobacco cultivation in India The Golden Leaf Awards were created to recognize professional excellence and dedication in the tobacco industry by Tobacco Reporter, an international magazine in the year 2006. Awards are granted on an annual basis to companies that have achieved outstanding performance in five categories - most impressive public service initiative, most promising new product introduction, most exciting newcomer to the industry, most outstanding service to the industry and the BMJ most committed to quality award. About Tobacco Board of India Tobacco Board is a statutory body established underTobacco Board Act of 1975 and is headquartered in Guntur, Andhra Pradesh. The board functions under the overall guidance of Ministry of Commerce & Industry. The main functions of the Board include regulating the production and curing of Virginia tobacco in India, improving the yields and quality of tobacco, facilitating sale of tobacco through e-auctions, undertaking various grower welfare measures and export promotion of tobacco. India stands 3rd in production of tobacco and in exports. Brazil and USA are ahead of India. Tobacco and tobacco products earn approx Rs.20,000 Cr. to the national exchequer by way of excise duty, and approx.Rs.5000 Cr. by way of foreign exchange every year. Miscellaneous VASHISHTHA NARAYAN SINGH The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has condoled the passing away of renowned Mathematician Dr. Vashishtha Narayan Singh. Born in 1942, Vashishtha Narayan Singh had been suffering from schizophrenia for long time. In 1963, he completed his PhD on “on cycle vector space theory” from the University of California and worked at NASA. The 74-year-old is said to have challenged Einstein's theory of relativity. After returning to India he worked as an Associate Professor in IIT-Kanpur and Kharagpur and atIndian Statistical Institute, Kolkata About Schizophrenia Schizophrenia is a chronic and severe mental disorder that affects how a person thinks, feels, and behaves. People with schizophrenia may seem like they have lost touch with reality. Because the causes of schizophrenia are still unknown, treatments focus on eliminating the symptoms of the disease. (MAINS FOCUS) SOCIETY TOPIC: General Studies 1: Role of women and women’s organization, population and associated issues, poverty and developmental issues, urbanization, their problems and their remedies. Supreme Court’s Sabarimala verdict Context: A five-judge bench of the Supreme Court referred Kerala's Sabarimala temple case to a larger bench of seven judges, with a 3:2 majority. The bench did not stay the judgment passed on 28 September 2018 that had lifted the ban on entry of women between age 10 and 50 to the temple. Women can still visit the shrine until the larger bench decides on the matter. Issue: Sabarimala Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to deity Ayyappan S ituated at Sabarimala in Pathanamthitta District, Kerala, India. In the past, women devotees of menstruating age were not permitted to worship here, this ban being said to be out of respect to the celibate nature of the deity in this temple. A Kerala high-court judgement had legalized this interpretation, and forbade women from entering the temple since 1991. In September 2018, a judgement of the Supreme Court of India ruled that all pilgrims regardless of gender, including women in the menstruating age group, should be allowed entrance to Sabarimala. The Constitution bench of the Supreme Court held that any exception placed on women because of biological differences violates the Constitution - that the ban violates the right to equality under Article 14, and freedom of religion under Article 25. This verdict led to protests by people who oppose the verdict. Several women attempted to enter Sabarimala despite threats of physical assault against them but failed to reach the sanctum sanctorum. Two women belonging to the previously barred age group finally entered the temple defying protests on 2 January 2019 with the help of police through the back gate. Temple was closed for purification Article 25(2)(b) creates a further exception to the right. It accords to the state a power to make legislation, in the interests of social welfare and reform, throwing open Hindu religious institutions of public character to all classes and sections of Hindus. Article 26, on the other hand, which is also subject to limitations imposed on grounds of public order, morality, and health, accords to every religious denomination the right, among other things, to establish and maintain institutions for religious purposes and to manage their own affairs in matters of religion. Judgement: The debate about the constitutional validity of practices entailing into restriction of entry of women generally in the place of worship is not limited to this case, but also arises in respect of entry of Muslim women in a Durgah/Mosque In the 2018 Sabarimala verdict, the majority opinion authored by then CJI Dipak Misra defined ‘morality’ in Article 25 to mean constitutional morality. Article 25 reads, “Subject to public order, morality and health and to the other provisions of this Part, all persons are equally entitled to freedom of conscience and the right freely to profess, practise and propagate religion”. Referring to Article 25(1), the 2018 judgment said: “We must remember that when there is a violation of the fundamental rights, the term ‘morality’ naturally implies constitutional morality and any view that is ultimately taken by the Constitutional Courts must be in conformity with the principles and basic tenets of the concept of this constitutional morality…” According to the essential religious practices doctrine evolved by the court in the 1950s, practices and beliefs considered integral by a religious community are to be regarded as “essential”, and protected under Article 25. In the 2018 Sabarimala judgment, the majority opinion held that barring certain women from entering the temple owing to the celibate nature of Lord Ayyappa was not an essential religious practice. Justice R F Nariman, in his concurring opinion, had observed that when there is internal dissent on a practice, its essentiality to the religion becomes questionable. For example, to determine whether the Swami Narayan Satsangis could bar non-Satsangi Harijans from entering their temples, a civil court examined evidence whether the Satsang constituted a religious denomination. In Ismail Faruqui v Union of India (1994), the court determined that offering prayers in a mosque was not an essential religious practice of Islam and upheld the law under which the Centre acquired the disputed land in Ayodhya. Connecting the dots: The Supreme Court’s decision to refer the Sabarimala issue to a larger Bench underscores the need for a thorough review and wider consultation on the earlier verdict that allowed entry of women in the 10-50 age group into the hill shrine. Analayse POLITY TOPIC: General Studies 2: 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. Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Context: India decided to hold the signing off of Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) until “significant outstanding issues” were resolved, when all other 15 countries involved in the negotiations stated that they were ready to sign the mega trade deal in 2020. PM narendra modi’s statement: “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,” . Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP): [caption id="attachment_52365" align="aligncenter" width="358"] Daily Current Affairs IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 9th November 2019[/caption] Src: Wikimedia 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). RCEP negotiations started in November 2012 at the ASEAN Summit in Cambodia. RCEP member states accounted for a population of 3.5 billion people with a total (GDP) of $49.5 trillion, approximately 39 percent of the world's GDP RCEP will be the world's largest economic bloc. Purpose: The purpose of RCEP is to create an “integrated market” spanning all 16 countries, making it easier for products and services of each of these countries to be available across this region. ASEAN says the deal will provide “a framework aimed at lowering trade barriers and securing improved market access for goods and services for businesses in the region”. The negotiations are focussed on areas like trade in goods and services, investment, economic and technical cooperation, intellectual property, competition, dispute settlement, e-commerce, and small and medium enterprises. Trade deficits : [caption id="attachment_52366" align="aligncenter" width="451"] Daily Current Affairs IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 9th November 2019[/caption] Img : sent by mail India runs large trade deficits with at least 11 of the 15 RCEP members China accounts for $53 billion of India’s $105 billion trade deficit with these. Reasons for not joining: Unsatisfactory negotiations pertaining to India’s trade with China — India has an over $50 billion trade deficit “Inadequate” protection against surges in imports. Industry has voiced fears that cheaper products from China would “flood” the market. India has not received any assurances on its demand for more market access, India’s concerns over non-tariff barriers is not addressed A “possible circumvention” of rules of origin ,the criteria used to determine the national source of a product were not addressed which allow countries like China to pump in more products. India has pushed for other countries to allow greater movement of labour and services for a long , which is not addressed Concerns over unsustainable trade deficits is also not addressed. India already have , bilateral FTAs with most RCEP nations, but it has recorded trade deficits with these countries Domestic industries like dairy industry was expected to face stiff competition from Australia and New Zealand. Milk issue of India: Milk is the India’s largest “crop”. In 2018-19, the estimated production of milk, at 187.75 million tonnes (mt). The value of milk output (Rs 5,63,250 crore at an average farm-gate rate of Rs 30/kg) Milk is a source of liquidity for farmers, as it is sold daily and generates cash to take care of routine household expenses, unlike other crops that are marketed only once or twice a year. Concern: Milk matters equally to consumers in India, because it meets the animal protein/fat requirements of a significant portion of the population that is vegetarian. As incomes rise, the demand for milk goes up even more. If dairy products are covered under an RCEP deal, India may have to allow members of the bloc greater access to its market, whether through phased duty reductions or more liberal tariff rate quotas (TRQs). There is an already existing TRQ for milk powder, which enables import of up to 10,000 tonnes per year at 15% customs duty, and quantities beyond that at the regular rate of 60%. The Indian dairy industry is resisting any enhanced TRQs or other import concessions, even if extended only to RCEP countries, as opposed to the US or European Union. Way forward: An auto-trigger mechanism that would allow India to raise tariffs on products in instances where imports cross a certain threshold. Lowering and eliminating tariffs on several products from the India which It has expressed Opening the vast Indian market must be matched by openings in some areas where our businesses can also benefit India to safeguard the interests of its domestic industry suggested measures like seeking a 2014 base year for tariff reductions instead of 2013, Using a base year before 2014 would mean a drastic drop in the import duties on these products. This measure must be accepted by RCEP Conclusion: India needs a strategy that brings together the economic and political aspects of its strategic thinking at this time where global economy is in challenge 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. At a time of global uncertainties and challenges to multilateralism and the international economic order, a negative message on RCEP would undermine India’s plans for economic growth. Connecting the dots: Economic isolation is not an option for India and It must move towards bilateral trade pacts. Analyse. RCEP will be the world's largest economic bloc, covering nearly half of the global economy. Analyse India believes that the RCEP trade deal doesn't provide adequate protection against possible surges of imported goods. Justify (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 Doctrine of Essentiality It was invented by a seven-judge Bench of the Supreme Court in the 'Shirur Mutt' case in 1954. Under this doctrine, the Court took upon itself the responsibility of determining the essential & non-essential practices of a religion and offered Constitional protection to only those religious practices which was considered as essential to religion. 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 ninth edition of International Diabetic Federation’s Diabetes Atlas 10% of global health expenditure is spent on diabetes One in six people with diabetes in the world is from India The atlas offers projections that continue to put India at the second slot right up to 2045 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.3) Consider the following statements India stands third in the production of tobacco after Brazil and USA Tobacco Board is a statutory body which works under the overall guidance of Ministry of Agriculture and farmer’s welfare. 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 Geochemical Baseline Atlas It is released by NITI Aayog in collaboration with Ministry of Earth Sciences It will help in finding out future contaminations due to industries across the country, thereby enabling the Government and policymakers to leverage it in planning the land use. Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 ANSWERS FOR 14 Nov 2019 TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE (TYK) 1 D 2 B 3 A 4 C 5 A MUST READ Review and reference: On Sabarimala review pleas The Hindu Open, all the same: On CJI office and RTI Act The Hindu Peace bought by an unequal compromise The Hindu Grounding All Those Conspiracy Theorists ET Unaffordable Shortage Of Women Geeks ET It is unclear how Finance Commission can now make an award treating the UT of J&K as a state IE

Nov 15, 2019 Daily Prelims CA Quiz

UPSC Quiz - 2020: IAS Daily Current Affairs Quiz Day 115

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Nov 14, 2019 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

Daily Current Affairs IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 14th November 2019

IAS UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 14th November 2019 Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) RTI Act Part of: GS Prelims and GS-II - Governance In News A five-judge Constitution Bench led by CJI Ranjan Gogoi declared that the office of the Chief Justice of India (CJI) is a ‘public authority’ under the Right to Information (RTI) Act. In practical terms, this means that citizens can file RTI applications to the SC, and the CPIO (Chief Public Information Officer) of the court cannot deny information saying it is held by the CJI’s office and not the registry The bench held that Increased transparency under RTI was no threat to judicial independence The Bench, however, agreed, that the right to know under RTI was not absolute. The right to know of a citizen ought to be balanced with the right to privacy of individual judges Personal information of judges should only be divulged under RTI if such disclosure served the larger public interest. The Bench also upheld the Delhi High Court judgment of 2010 that the CJI does not hold information on the personal assets of fellow judges in a fiduciary capacity The judgment had far-reaching implications by setting an example for other bodies which resist transparency ex: Political Parties,a number of schools, trusts and public-private partnershipsincluding Delhi’s power distribution companies and dairy major Mother Dairy, SWACHH – NIRMAL TAT ABHIYAAN Part of: GS Prelims and GS-III –Environment In News The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC)is undertaking a mass cleanliness-cum-awareness drive in 50 identified beaches under the “Swachh – Nirmal Tat Abhiyaan”, from 11th -17thNovember, 2019. Objective is to make beaches clean and create awareness amongst about the importance of coastal ecosystems. Environment Education Division of the Ministry and Society of Integrated Coastal Management (SICOM) under the aegis of MoEF&CC will be responsible for the overall coordination for the drive in 50 beaches. The cleaning drives in all beaches are being undertaken, involving school/college students of Eco-clubs, district administration, institutions, volunteers, local communities and other stakeholders. Collected waste will be processed as per extant Waste Management Rules, 2016. The identified beaches are in 10 coastal States/Union Territories (UTs) namely Gujarat, Daman & Diu, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Andhra Pradesh, and Odisha. JAL JEEVAN MISSION (JJM) Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains II – Governance In News The Union Jal Shakti Minister speaking at the regional review of Jal Jeevan Mission in Southern States at Hyderabad,said that the Centre would give 50 per cent of funds for Jal Jeevan Mission and it would be implemented with community participation The Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) aims at providing Functional Household Tap Connections (FHTCs) in rural areas by 2024. 14.60 crores rural households of the country will be provided with FHTCs. The provisional cost estimate for this mission is Rs 3.60 lakh Crores. Department of Drinking Water & Sanitation is the implementing Department for the mission. This Mission will also focus on integrated demand and supply side management of water at the local level, including creation of local infrastructure for source sustainability like rainwater harvesting, groundwater recharge and management of household wastewater for reuse in agriculture. The Mission will converge with other Central and State Government Schemes to achieve its objectives of sustainable water supply management across the country. Besides using funds available under various Schemes, the Government will also explore possibility of using additional funds available under the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) for this purpose. BRICS meet Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains II –International groupings In News Prime Minister Narendra Modi is in Brazil for the 11th Brics Summit which has the theme 'Economic Growth for an Innovative Future'. This is PM Modi's second visit to Brazil and his first visit after the new administration led by the President Bolsonaro assumed office on January 1, 2019. Modi will hold talks with Bolsonaro on ways to deepen the India-Brazil strategic partnership Brazil may push India for opening its market for agricultural and meat products. Brazil’s decision to allow visa-free travel to Indian tourists and businesspersons may also figure prominently in the meeting at which Mr. Modi is expected to invite Mr. Bolsonaro as the chief guest at the Republic Day parade in January 2020 In this year’s summit, discussions will primarily revolve around “economic growth for an innovative future” and focus on “cooperation on digital economy” and “fight against transnational crime”. This year's summit is significant for India as the joint working group on counter-terrorism has decided to constitute five sub-working groups on counterterrorism in areas like terrorist financing, use of the internet for terrorist purposes, countering radicalisation, issue of foreign terrorist fighters and capacity-building. A Brics memorandum of understanding between trade and investment promotion agencies is expected to be signed Do You Know? Jim O'Neill, chairman of Goldman Sachs Asset Management, coined the Bric concept in 2001. South Africa was admitted by the other Bric leaders in December 2010, adding the "S" to the original grouping. BRICS brings together five major emerging economies comprising 42 per cent of the world's population, having 23 per cent of the global GDP, around 17 per cent of the share in world trade, 26.6% of the world land area and 13.24 per cent of World Bank voting power Diabetes Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains II – Health In News World Diabetes Day is the primary global awareness campaign focusing on diabetes mellitus and is held on 14 November each year There are currently more than 420 million diabetic adults in the world, up from 180 million in 1980, WHO statistics show. This number could swell to 629 million by 2045 Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death and a major cause of debilitating complications like heart attacks, stroke, kidney failure, blindness and lower limb amputations. The disease is divided into two types. There is no known way to prevent type one, which occurs when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin, the hormone that regulates blood sugar levels. Most people living with diabetes have type 2, which is associated with obesity and other lifestyle factors and emerges in adults and increasingly among children. About 65 million people with type 2 diabetes need insulin, but only half of them are able to access it, largely due to high prices. All people with type 1 diabetes need insulin to survive. WHOhas launched pre-qualification initiative for insulinthat would cut prices and dramatically increase insulin access for diabetics The initiative involves the evaluation of insulin developed by manufacturers to ensure their quality, safety, efficacy and affordability. Today, three companies control most of the global insulin market, and they have control over the price setting. Pre-qualifying products from additional companies will hopefully help to level the playing field and ensure a steadier supply of quality insulin in all countries Climate change is harming health of children Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains II – Health In News According to a major new report published in The Lancet, Climate change is already damaging the health of the world’s children and is set to endanger the well-being of an entire generation, unless the world meets the target to limit warming to well below 2°C The report notes that as temperatures rise, infants will bear the greatest burden of malnutrition and rising food prices. Average yield potential of maize and rice has declined almost 2% in India since the 1960s, with malnutrition already responsible for two-thirds of the deaths of children under five years. Also, children will suffer most from the rise in infectious diseases — with climatic suitability for the Vibrio bacteria that cause cholera rising 3% a year in India since the early 1980s, the study warns. Diarrhoeal infections, a major cause of child mortality, will spread into new areas, whilst deadly heat waves could soon become the norm The public health gains achieved over the past 50 years, through various government initiatives, could soon be reversed by the changing climate (MAINS FOCUS) POLITY TOPIC: General Studies 2: Structure, organization and functioning of the Executive and the Judiciary Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability, e governance- applications, models, successes, limitations, and potential; citizens charters, transparency & accountability and institutional and other measures Chief Justice of India’s office under RTI Context: The Supreme Court ruled that the office of the Chief Justice of India (CJI) is a public authority under the Right to Information (RTI) Act. A five-judge Constitution Bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi, upheld a Delhi High Court ruling of 2010, Dismissed three appeals filed by the Secretary General and the Central Public Information Officer (CPIO) of the Supreme Court. Origin of the case: RTI activist filed a PIL “Whether all Supreme Court judges had declared their assets and liabilities to the CJI following a resolution passed in 1997 CPIO of the Supreme Court said the office of the CJI was not a public authority under the RTI Act, The matter reached the Chief Information Commissioner (CIC), directed disclosure of information. The Supreme Court approached the Delhi High Court against the CIC order. Delhi High Court on 2009 Judgment “the office of the Chief Justice of India is a public authority under the RTI Act and is covered by its provisions”. The Supreme Court then approached a larger Bench comprising then Chief Justice of Delhi High Court 2010 held that the previous, judgment was “both proper and valid and needs no interference”. The Supreme Court in 2010 petitioned itself challenging the Delhi High Court order. SC judgement 2019: The outcome is that the office of the CJI will now entertain RTI applications. Under Section 2(f) of the RTI Act, information means “any material in any form, including records, documents, memos, e-mails, opinions, advices, press releases, circulars, orders, logbooks, contracts, reports, papers, samples, models, data material held in any electronic form and information relating to any private body which can be accessed by a public authority under any other law for the time being in force”. The Supreme Court held that RTI cannot be used as a tool of surveillance and that judicial independence has to be kept in mind while dealing with transparency. Right to Privacy is an important aspect and has to be balanced with transparency while deciding to give out information from the office of the Chief Justice of India. The judiciary cannot function in total insulation as judges enjoy a constitutional post and discharge public duty. Earlier judgements: Supreme Court itself in 2011: “Officials need to furnish only such information which already exists and is held by the public authority and not collate or create information”; and, “the nation does not want a scenario where 75% of the staff of public authorities spends 75% of their time in collecting and furnishing information to applicants instead of discharging their regular duties”. On December 16, 2015 (RBI versus Jayantilal N Mistry and Others), the Supreme Court noted: “It had long since come to our attention that the Public Information Officers under the guise of one of the exceptions given under Section 8 of RTI Act, have evaded the general public from getting their hands on the rightful information that they are entitled to.” CBI out of RTI CBI is exempt from RTI. In 2005, the CBI was under it. The agency later moved for exemption Administrative Reforms Commission chaired by Moily had earlier recommended exemption of the armed forces from the RTI Act, but had not made such a recommendation for the CBI. While the CBI demanded exemption only for units in intelligence gathering, exemption was granted in 2011 to the agency as a whole. Litigation challenging the decision to exempt the CBI is pending with the Supreme Court. Conclusion: The verdict underlines the balance Supreme Court needs between transparency and protecting its independence. The step is significant as it opens the doors to RTI requests that will test the frontiers of what has been a rather opaque system. 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. President’s Rule in Maharashtra Context: Owing to the inabilities of the political parties to form a government after the results of the Assembly election were declared on October 24, Article 356 has been invoked and the President’s Rule has been imposed in Maharashtra. This is the third time the state has come under the Central rule, since May 1, 1960 — the day when present-day Maharashtra came into existence. The first one was in February 1980 when the Indira Gandhi government dismissed the Progressive Democratic Front (PDF) government headed by Sharad Pawar the second imposition of President’s rule after 34 years in 2014 when Prithviraj Chavan resigned as Chief Minister following the withdrawal of support by ally NCP to the Congress-led government. President’s Rule: President’s Rule implies the suspension of a state government and the imposition of direct rule of the Centre. This is achieved through the invocation of Article 356 of the Constitution by the President on the advice of the Union Council of Ministers. Under Article 356, this move can be taken “(1) If the President, on receipt of the report from the Governor of the State or otherwise, is satisfied that a situation has arisen in which the government of the State cannot be carried on in accordance with the provisions of this Constitution…” 1994 Bommai case: Following its landmark judgment in the 1994 Bommai case, the Supreme Court of India has restricted arbitrary impositions of president's rule. S. R. Bommai v. Union of India 1994 was a landmark judgment of the Supreme Court of India, where the Court discussed at length provisions of Article 356 of the Constitution of India and related issues. This case had huge impact on Centre-State Relations. The judgement attempted to curb blatant misuse of Article 356 of the Constitution of India, which allowed President's rule to be imposed over state governments The dismissal was on grounds that the Bommai government had lost majority following large-scale defections engineered by several party leaders of the day. Then Governor P. Venkatasubbaiah refused to give Bommai an opportunity to test his majority in the Assembly despite the latter presenting him with a copy of the resolution passed by the Janata Dal Legislature Party. 1994 Bommai Judgment: The verdict concluded that the power of the President to dismiss a State government is not absolute. The verdict said the President should exercise the power only after his proclamation (imposing his/her rule) is approved by both Houses of Parliament. Till then, the Court said, the President can only suspend the Legislative Assembly by suspending the provisions of Constitution relating to the Legislative Assembly. "The dissolution of Legislative Assembly is not a matter of course. It should be resorted to only where it is found necessary for achieving the purposes of the Proclamation," the Court said. If Presidential proclamation is not approved by the Parliament: "In case both Houses of Parliament disapprove or do not approve the Proclamation, the Proclamation lapses at the end of the two-month period. In such a case, the government which was dismissed revives. Also the Court made it amply clear that a Presidential Proclamation under Article 356 is subject to judicial review. Proclamation A proclamation of President’s Rule can be revoked through a subsequent proclamation in case the leader of a party produces letters of support from a majority of members of the Assembly, and stakes his claim to form a government. The revocation does not need the approval of Parliament. So, this is not the end of the road for any formation in Maharashtra. In fact, all players now have time to work out their alliances and head to Raj Bhavan to stake their claim to form a government. Any proclamation under Article 356 —which stands for six months — has to be approved by both Houses in the Parliament session following it. This six-month time-frame can be extended in phases, up to three years. First Impact of judgment: The A.B. Vajpayee government in 1999 was forced reinstate a government it dismissed. The Rabri Devi government, which was sacked on February 12, 1999 was reinstated on March 8, 1999 when it became clear that the Central government would suffer a defeat in the Rajya Sabha over the issue. President’s rule since 2014: Jammu & Kashmir: The erstwhile state is the latest to have gone into President's Rule under BJP-ruled NDA. Not only in the run-up to the abrogation of Article 370 from the hill state, but the Central Rulewas also imposed in Jammu and Kashmir in June 2017. It was after the resignation of the then Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti when BJP withdrew support to the PDP-led government. Before that in 2015, after failure in government formation following a fractured verdict in Assembly elections, Central Rule was imposed. Arunachal Pradesh: The north-eastern state witnessed 26 days of President's Rule in 2016 after 21 Congress MLAs joined hands with 11 BJP and two Independent MLAs, reducing the government into a minority. However, the matter was challenged in the apex court and it, in aold move, reinstated the Congress government. Uttarakhand: The hill state saw President's Rule twice in 2016 -- for 25 days and 19 days separately. First, it happened after a split in the state Congress and then again in May that year. Connecting the dots: Article 356 gave wide powers to the central government to assert its authority over a state if civil unrest occurs, and the state government does not have the means to end it. Substantiate. (TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE) Model questions: (You can now post your answers in comment section) Note: Correct answers of today’s questions will be provided in next day’s DNA section. Kindly refer to it and update your answers. Comments Up-voted by IASbaba are also the “correct answers”. Q.1) Which of the following are the possible impacts of Climate Change? Decline in average yield potential of maize and rice Rise in infectious diseases High frequency of deadly heat waves Select the correct answer from the codes given below. 1 and 2 only 2 and 3 only 1 and 3 only 1,2 and 3 Q.2) Arrange the following international institutions/groupings in the chronological order of their founding year SAARC BRICS BIMSTEC ASEAN IBSA Select the correct answer from the codes given below 4-1-3-2-5 4-1-3-5-2 1-4-2-5-3 4-3-1-5-2 Q.3) Consider the following statementsabout Diabetes It is the seventh leading cause of death and a major cause of debilitating complications like heart attacks, stroke, kidney failure, blindness and lower limb amputations. Bill & Melinda Gates Foundationhas launched pre-qualification initiative for insulin that would cut prices and dramatically increase insulin access for diabetics 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 Jal Jeevan Mission Itaims at providing Functional Household Tap Connections in rural areas by 2024. It also includes creation of local infrastructure for source sustainability like rainwater harvesting, groundwater recharge and management of household wastewater for reuse in agriculture 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 Swachh – Nirmal Tat Abhiyaan Itsobjective is to make beaches clean and create awareness amongst about the importance of coastal ecosystems It is being implemented by NITI-Aayog in collaboration with Ministry of Jal Shakti Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 ANSWERS FOR 13 Nov 2019 TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE (TYK) 1 C 2 C 3 B 4 C MUST READ Gloom deepens: On shrinking industrial output The Hindu Narrowing options in Jammu and Kashmir The Hindu Disqualified, yet qualified: On Karnataka rebel MLAs The Hindu Dropping out of RCEP protects Indian industry in the short run. But it serves our long-term interests IE For Nehru, spirituality was rooted in Indian tradition and connected to ethics IE An air quality agenda we should implement quickly Live Mint Transparent win: SC’s decision to bring Chief Justice under the RTI Act is a morale booster for the beleaguered law TOI

Nov 14, 2019 Daily Prelims CA Quiz

UPSC Quiz - 2020: IAS Daily Current Affairs Quiz Day 114

UPSC Quiz - 2020: IAS Daily Current Affairs Quiz Day 114 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

Nov 14, 2019 Important Articles

UPSC IAS PRELIMS-2020: NEW BATCH STARTING 20 NOVEMBER-IASbaba ALL INDIA PRELIMS TEST SERIES (HINDI and ENGLISH) ENROLL NOW!

Dear Friends, The wait is finally over! The wait for the most reliable, effective and affordable program for UPSC Preparation – UPSC IAS PRELIMS-2020: NEW BATCH IASbaba ALL INDIA PRELIMS TEST SERIES Online (HINDI and ENGLISH). Based on numerous requests, we have come up with a new batch starting on 20th NOVEMBER. Kindly read the Testimonials of our Students and Toppers here- Click Here You can cross-check our Quality of Tests here- Click Here HINDI TEST SAMPLE-Click Here Hitting the bull’s eye year after year: In the last three years, ILP has been bang on target with a hit ratio of more than 65%, a figure remarkably high keeping in mind the unpredictable nature of UPSC. With a knack of getting it right ILP has become a reliable name: 2016 Prelims: 68+ questions 2017 Prelims: 70+ questions 2018 Prelims- 63+ questions 2019 Prelims- 70+ questions Our Hit Ratio in Mains and Prelims- 2017, which is close to 85 % and 70% respectively – How IASbaba was helpful in Mains 2017 and 68+ in UPSC Civil Services Prelims 2017-How IASbaba Helped One to Get MAINS Call! Our Hit Ratio in Mains and Prelims- 2018, How IASbaba was helpful in Mains 2018 and 60+ in UPSC Prelims 2018 Our Hit Ratio in Mains and Prelims- 2019, How IASbaba was helpful in Mains 2019 and 70+ in UPSC Prelims 2019 82+ UPSC CSE 2018 TOPPER’S from IASbaba BASIC FEATURES OF ILP PROGRAMME All India Prelims Test Series-2020 is available in ENGLISH and HINDI both. Total Number of Tests- 40 General Studies (Paper 1) + 10 CSAT (Paper 2) Tests = Total 50 There will be a detailed solution for each test. The solution document is made very exhaustive and revision friendly at the same time. PDFs of questions and solutions will be sent to registered email ID. It can also be downloaded after taking the tests online. ALL INDIA RANKING OF EACH TEST. For each test, there will be THREE attempts. Ranks will be calculated based on the very first attempt. There is no fixed time to take the test. It’s flexible. Tests will be uploaded on the respective dates as mentioned in the plan. The validity of the tests is from NOVEMBER 2019 to June 2020. You have to take tests/download PDFs between the given period only. In no case, there will be any assistance from our side after the expiry of the program. You can join the PRELIMS TEST SERIES- 2020 anytime. There is no deadline. ILP 2020 users need not join PRELIMS TEST SERIES-2020. IMPORTANT NOTE Test Platform will be activated 1 day before the first test. Activation of Test Platform- 19th November 2019 First Test Date- 20th November 2019 Go through the AIPTS 2020- Detailed Course Plan Document and Topic Listing for Prelims Document DOWNLOAD-NEW BATCH AIPTS-2020 COURSE PLAN DOWNLOAD-TOPIC LISTING FOR PRELIMS FEE DETAILS ALL INDIA PRELIMS TEST SERIES- 2020- 6000/-+ Tax PAYMENT LINK-> CLICK HERE After you make Online Payment through above Payment Link- An acknowledgment Receipt will be received by you with ID details. Kindly mail us if you do not receive it or have any issues after the successful payment (3-4 hours waiting time). For any query related to AIPTS- 2020 contact us at ilp@iasbaba.com Offline Payment Details: Please mail us the acknowledgment at ilp@iasbaba.com if making offline payment. Bank details BANK Name CANARA BANK BANK BRANCH BANGALORE KLE SOCIETY ACCOUNT NAME IASBABA ACCOUNT NUMBER 8418201003785 IFSC CODE CNRB0008418 ACCOUNT TYPE CURRENT ACCOUNT

Nov 14, 2019 Important Articles

UPSC PREPARATION- NEW BATCH: Integrated Learning Programme (ILP-2020) ENROLL NOW! (15% DISCOUNT IN ILP TO OLD USERS)

UPSC PREPARATION-Integrated Learning Programme (ILP-2020) Dear Friends, The wait is finally over! The wait for the most reliable, effective and affordable programme for UPSC Preparation – Integrated Learning Programme (ILP) 2020. Based on numerous requests, we have come up with a new batch starting on 20th NOVEMBER. Many of you had requested to join the programme at this point. You have sufficient time to cover-up the course syllabus and make your chance count for upcoming attempt. New Batch Students will have access to VAN and other contents in advance and can prepare according to their flexible time-table. You won't have to waste time in content creation and can focus exclusively on preparation. NOTE- OLD USERS OF ILP/AIPTS- 15% DISCOUNT FOR ILP 2020- Use Instamojo ID and Previous Registered Email while making Payment. Or email to ilp@iasbaba.com for assistance. Let us begin by thanking all of you who have made ILP a grand success beginning from the year 2016. The years 2018 and 2019 is a monument year for IASbaba for two reasons. READ THE TESTIMONIALS ABOUT THE PROGRAMME One, way back in 2015 we had said that ILP would stand out as the most comprehensive tool for UPSC preparation and yes now most of you would have realized the same in 2018. Two, when the storm brews and brews strong, its IASbaba who has been standing tall! 200+ selections in the span of just three years (2016, 2017, 2018) including Ranks 4, 5, 6 and 9 in TOP 10. 100+ selections in ILP alone. This year as well, we have many Ranks from ILP. You can check last year’s result here- Click Here Hundreds of time we have told students not to depend on mere last minute tools, some compilations or series (which UPSC tracks) and blindly trust them and finally end up in the ditch. Aspirants fail to realise that it is not the last minute miracle but consistent effort throughout the journey. It is the process that is important. It is the process that is sustainable. And yes ILP is that!! 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Our Hit Ratio in Mains and Prelims- 2018, How IASbaba was helpful in Mains 2018 and 60+ in UPSC Prelims 2018 Our Hit Ratio in Mains and Prelims- 2019, How IASbaba was helpful in Mains 2019 and 70+ in UPSC Prelims 2019 82+ UPSC CSE 2018 TOPPER’S from IASbaba CLICK TO SEE FULL FEATURES & SAMPLES HERE BASIC FEATURES OF ILP PROGRAMME Integration of Prelims, Mains and Interview Preparation: Smartness is to integrate your preparation in a common string of theme-based understanding of concepts. ILP has been designed minutely to meet this need. You will prepare for concepts in entirety keeping in mind the needs and orientation required for each stage of the examination. Detailed Study Plan: Those who fail to plan, plan to fail. ILP does the planning for you in the most systematic and logical way. The plans are made to keep you on track as well on your toes. In the plan, you will get pointwise coverage of the syllabus, sources to refer and focus areas. 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You can shift your attention away from the time-wasting online forums that take away the sheen from your preparation. Prelims Mock Tests with detailed Solutions: High-quality tests with detailed solutions will help you keep a track on your preparation. You will also get the chance to compete with thousands of sincere aspirants from the ILP community. Mains Mock Tests with detailed Synopsis: What makes ILP even more special is the integration of mains mocks. With the VAN and mains mocks with detailed synopsis, your mains preparation will always be on track. Note that Mains Answers won't be evaluated. Only Synopsis will be provided. Essay Guidance and many more: We always strive to deliver more than we promise. You will be getting many surprises during your engagement with ILP. DOWNLOAD- ILP 2020-NEW COURSE PLAN DOWNLOAD-MAINSPEDIA DOWNLOAD-TOPIC LISTING FOR PRELIMS NOTE- You can also follow Old Batch (Freshers or Veterans Plan) if wish to. The Old Batch Plan and content will be available on the ILP Platform. DETAILED STUDY PLAN OF SYLLABUS It is a detailed plan covering the Prelims & Mains Syllabus which will take care of your overall preparation in the form of planned targets, sources to refer and introspective tests. This is the heart and soul of ILP-2020 that needs to be followed with utmost sincerity. Sources- The sources to be referred have been kept to the minimum. It has been done to prevent a candidate from wasting their precious time in going through the repetitive and irrelevant sources available in the market. Revision- Due consideration has been given for Revision that will help to consolidate what you have learnt in a week’s time. Since the process is long and intensive, the lack of revision can be fatal. Therefore, we have given adequate room for revision and consolidation. 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ESSAY GUIDANCE- MODEL ESSAY & MAINSPEDIA CONTENT. NOTE- Post-Prelims Plan for Mains will be provided once UPSC finalize the Examinations Dates AFTER MAKING PAYMENT ONLINE It will take a few hours to login once you make an online payment. You will receive a Receipt/Mail with Login Details. Do not worry it may take 2-3 hours time since it is automated. You can always mail for any technical issue on given email ID (below) Login URL- ilp2020.iasbaba.com FEE DETAILS Like last year, we have not increased the FEE of ILP, not even the taxable amount. ILP 2020-NEW BACTH- 9999/-+Tax PAYMENT LINK-> CLICK HERE For any query related to ILP 2020 contact us at ilp@iasbaba.com Offline Payment Details: Please mail us the acknowledgement at ilp@iasbaba.com if making offline payment. Bank details BANK Name CANARA BANK BANK BRANCH BANGALORE KLE SOCIETY ACCOUNT NAME IASBABA ACCOUNT NUMBER 8418201003785 IFSC CODE CNRB0008418 ACCOUNT TYPE CURRENT ACCOUNT So what are you waiting for? 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Nov 13, 2019 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

Daily Current Affairs IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 13th November 2019

IAS UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 13th November 2019 Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) Cancer Care facilities Part of: GS Prelims and GS-II - Health In News India’s cancer care infrastructure is “highly inadequate” and forces a majority of patients to travel “thousands of kilometres” for treatment The “systematic failure” to address the needs of patients contributes to a 20% higher mortality among Indian cancer patients than in countries with a “high” Human Development Index, said a report by a Parliamentary Standing Committee on Science, Technology and Environment. Mortality to incidence ratio of 0.68 in India is higher than that in very high human development index (HDI) countries (0.38) and high HDI countries (0.57). The committee was constituted to examine an expanded role for the Department of Atomic Energy, through the Tata Memorial Centre (TMC), to address India’s rising cancer burden. The committee recommended t a ‘Hub and Spoke Model’(already in practice in Punjab) proposed by the TMC to better reach out to cancer patients nationally. Do You Know? The incidence, or the number of newly diagnosed cases of cancer annually, is about 16 lakh in India. The disease kills 8 lakh people annually in India. India’s cancer burden is expected to increase from an estimated 13 lakh cases in 2018 to about 17 lakh in 2035, and cancer deaths are expected to rise from 8.8 lakh in 2018 to 13 lakh in 2035. Two-thirds of India's cancer patients were treated in the private sector and this forced 6 crore Indians below the poverty line because of “catastrophic healthcare related expenditure on cancer”. e-NAM Part of: GS Prelims and GS-III –Economy In News States were being “cajoled to reject” the agricultural produce marketing committee (APMC) system in favour of E-NAM i.e. National Agriculture Market which is a pan-India electronic trading (e-trading) portal. It seeks to network the existing physical regulated wholesale market (known as APMC market) through a virtual platform to create a unified national market for agricultural commodities. Only 1.6 crore farmers have registered on the portal so far, from among the almost 12 crore cultivators in the country but only about half of those registered have benefited from the platform. Out of almost 2,500 APMCs, 585 in 18 States have been connected to the e-NAM portal so far. Interstate trade, which has the potential to give farmers wider market access and better prices, has 21 APMC mandi participants in 8 States so far. NABARD is now ready to operationalise a ₹2,000 crore agri-market infrastructure fund aimed at upgrading 585 APMCs and 10,000 gramin agricultural markets About APMC It is a statutory market committee constituted by a State Government in respect of trade in certain notified agricultural or horticultural or livestock products,under the APMC Act issued by that state government. The whole geographical area in the State is divided and each one is declared as a market area which is managed by the Market Committee (APMC) constituted by the State Government. Once a particular area is declared as a market area and falls under the jurisdiction of a Market Committee, no person or agency is allowed to freely carry on wholesale marketing activities. APMC Acts provide that first sale in the notified agricultural commodities produced in the region such as cereals, pulses, edible oilseed, fruits, vegetables etc., can be conducted only under the aegis of the APMC, through its licensed commission agents. The producers of agricultural products are thus forced to do their first sale in these markets which in reality works as cartel deny fair price discovery of agricultural produce. Tiger Triumph Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains II – International Relations In News Tiger Triumph is the maiden India- US joint Tri services Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) Exercise. The Exercise is aimed to developing interoperability for conducting HADR operations. Indian Naval ships Jalashwa, Airavat and Sandhayak, Indian Army troops from 19 Madras and 7 Guards, and Indian Air Force MI-17 helicopters and Rapid Action Medical Team (RAMT) would be participating in the exercise. The US would be represented by US Navy Ship Germantown with troops from US Third Marine Division. Pneumonia, diarrhoea still a big threat Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains II - Health In News The 10th Pneumonia and Diarrhoea Progress Report was released by the International Vaccine Access Center (IVAC) at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health This report analyses how effectively countries are delivering 10 key interventions, including breastfeeding, vaccination, access to care, use of antibiotics, ORS, and zinc supplementation. In India, Pneumonia killed more than 1.27 lakh children under five- accounting for 14% of child deaths. India’s has high breastfeeding rate, at 55%, however, the proportion of children receiving important treatments remains below targets. Half of the children with diarrhoea receive ORS (oral rehydration solution) and 20% receive zinc supplementation — to help protect against, prevent and treat pneumonia and diarrhoea Rollout of rotavirus vaccines, beginning in 2016, and the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine, beginning in 2017, helped India’s improve on these parameters. In 2017, the highest risk factors for child pneumonia death in India were: 53% caused by child wasting, 27% by outdoor air pollution, and 22% caused by indoor air pollution from solid fuels. Globally, pneumonia and diarrhoea led to nearly one of every four deaths in children under five years of age in 2017. Miscellaneous MaulanaAbulKalam Azad National Education Day was celebrated on November 11 to commemorate the Birth Anniversary of Maulana Abu lKalam Azad. He was the first Education Minister of independent India, who served from 15 August 1947 until 2 February 1958. Under his leadership, the Ministry of Education established the first Indian Institute of Technology in 1951 and the University Grants Commission in 1953. He also laid emphasis on the development of the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore and the Faculty of Technology of the Delhi University. As Chairman of the Central Advisory Board of Education, he gave thrust to adult literacy, universal primary education, free and compulsory for all children up to the age of 14, girls education, and diversification of secondary education and vocational training. (MAINS FOCUS) POLITY TOPIC: General Studies 2: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests   Bolivia Crisis Context: The President of Bolivia, Evo Morales, has resigned amid turmoil following his disputed re-election last month. He has been in power for nearly 14 years. He left the post after losing the support of the army and the police. Bolivia has been rattled by weeks of anti-government protests following the reports of election fraud [caption id="attachment_52513" align="aligncenter" width="402"] Daily Current Affairs IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 13th November 2019[/caption] Src: Click here The Bolivia is a landlocked country located in South America. It is bordered to the north and east by Brazil, to the southeast by Paraguay, to the south by Argentina, to the southwest by Chile, and to the northwest by Peru. Alongside Paraguay, it is one of the only two landlocked countries in the Americas Rise of Evo Morales – Socialist Leader who enjoyed support from within and beyond Bolivia He rose to prominence as a labour union leader among coca leaf growers, promoting the rights of Bolivia’s Indigenous majority. His passionate defence of the farmers and indigenous people led to clash with the country’s conservative and overwhelmingly white political elite. In 2006, he became Bolivia’s first Indigenous president since the country’s independence from Spain two centuries ago. He quickly moved to empower Indigenous people, redistribute the nation’s natural gas wealth and bring infrastructure to poor communities, measures that made him the most popular Bolivian politician in decades Unlike his high-spending left-wing allies in Venezuela and Argentina, however, Mr. Morales combined redistribution with maintaining a balanced budget and wooing international investors. Impact of his redistributive Policies Benefiting from the commodity boom in the 2000s, Mr. Morales transformed Bolivia, one of South America’s poorest nations, into one of its most dynamic economies, Under his fairly good track record, Bolivia has seen a drop in extreme poverty, from 33% of the population in 2006 to 15% last year. His government also stepped up public investments, opened more schools and health clinics. The economy has also seen a steady growth rate (+4%) He easily won two re-elections, bringing political order to Bolivia, which had suffered chronic instability for decades. Beginning of authoritarianism In 2016, his push to end presidential term limits through a referendum failed. He then said he accepted the verdict. But later, a constitutional court lifted the term limits, allowing the President to seek re-election Cracks began to appear in his Movement for Socialism party when he sought a fourth consecutive term earlier this year (2019), which was seen as Dictatorship by Morales Tensions first flared on the night of the presidential election after the results count was inexplicably stopped for 24 hours. The final result gave Mr Morales slightly more than the 10-percentage-point lead he needed to win outright in the first round of the race There were allegations of electoral fraud, which further weakened him and enraged people to protest against the government. Present Political Vacuum Presently, he is in asylum in Mexico and has vowed to fight the “coup”. According to the Bolivian Constitution, if the President steps down, the Vice-President should take over. The heads of the Senate and chamber of deputies are the other leaders in the hierarchy who could assume acting presidency. But in this case, all four officials, all Socialists, have resigned. And it has left a vacuum, which the military could exploit and further plunge the country into chaos. Way forward: Facing protests, Mr. Morales had offered another election. That should have been the way forward. A free and fair election being held under the supervision of international electoral monitors would have allowed the Bolivians to choose their legitimate leader Connecting the dots: 21st century Socialist revolution is proving to be a failure in the light of political crisis in Bolivia. Elaborate. POLITY TOPIC: General Studies 2: India and its neighbourhood- relations. Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests BRICS 2020 Context: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is in Brazil for the 11th BRICS Summit This year's summit is significant for India as the joint working group on counter-terrorism has decided to constitute five sub-working groups on counterterrorism in areas like terrorist financing, use of the internet for terrorist purposes, countering radicalisation, issue of foreign terrorist fighters and capacity-building. summit will revolve around “economic growth for an innovative future” and focus on “cooperation on digital economy” and “fight against transnational crime” BRICS Business Council will take place, and BRICS MoU among Trade and Investment Promotion agencies will be signed. BRICS: Acronym for an association of five major emerging national economies: Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. South Africa joined in 2010 All are members of G20 Represent over 3.1 billion people, 41% of the world population As of 2018 BRICS have US$40.55 trillion (32% of World's GDP PPP) Bilateral relations among BRICS nations will be conducted on the basis of non-interference, equality, and mutual benefit. [caption id="attachment_52512" align="aligncenter" width="409"] Daily Current Affairs IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 13th November 2019[/caption] Src: World economic forum https://assets.weforum.org/editor/f4GUAPOD1eRPpOBlZ9jJWDgNPpAaK1RTfp2L6s6tb1Y.jpg Origin: The term "BRIC" was coined in 2001 by then-chairman of Goldman Sachs Asset Management, Jim O'Neill, The BRIC grouping's first formal summit, also held in Yekaterinburg in 2009, with Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Dmitry Medvedev, Manmohan Singh, and Hu Jintao, the respective leaders of Brazil, Russia, India and China, all attending. The summit's focus was on means of improving the global economic situation and reforming financial institutions Financial system in BRICS: There are two components that make up the financial architecture of BRICS, namely, the New Development Bank (NDB) (BRICS Development Bank) and the Contingent Reserve Arrangement (CRA). The New Development Bank (NDB) and Contingent Reserve Arrangement (CRA) were signed into treaty at the 2014 BRICS summit in Brazil. Both of these components were signed into treaty in 2014 and became active in 2015. New Development Bank Based in Shanghai. Multilateral development bank operated by the BRICS states. The bank's primary focus of lending will be infrastructure projects with authorized lending of up to $34 billion annually. The bank will have starting capital of $50 billion, with capital increased to $100 billion over time. Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa will initially contribute $10 billion each to bring the total to $50 billion. BRICS CRA: BRICS Contingent Reserve Arrangement Framework for providing protection against global liquidity pressures. This includes currency issues where members' national currencies are being adversely affected by global financial pressures. The CRA is generally seen as a competitor to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and along with the New Development Bank is viewed as an example of increasing South-South cooperation. India & BRICS: India finds itself as one of the emerging economies in the grouping and beyond, especially G20. BRICS now brings together five economies accounting for 42% of the world’s population, 23% of the global GDP and an around 17% share of world trade. BRICS has emerged the voice of developing countries, or the global south. These countries face an aggressive club of developed countries, raising challenges on issues from WTO to climate change, India believes BRICS has to protect the rights of the developing countries. Way forward: India has to maintain the balancing act between Russia-China on the one side and the US on the other. India has had a growing role in global affairs in the last and is seen to be helping drive the global agenda. Conclusion: The Summit will be an opportunity for India to lay the groundwork for hosting the 2021 Summit scheduled in India. India will also be mindful of the fact that the G20 Summit to be hosted in India will take place in 2022, and this will be an opportunity to synergise the two agendas from New Delhi’s lens as well. Connecting the dots: India finds itself as one of the emerging economies in the BRICS grouping and beyond. Justify (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) National Education Day on November 11 is celebrated to commemorate the birth anniversary of which leader? SarvapalliRadhakrishna Jawaharlal Nehru MaulanaAbulKalam Azad M Visvesvaraya Q.2) Tiger Triumph often seen in news is related to which of the following? Government of India scheme to double Tiger population by 2024 Initiative by West Bengal government to improve relations with neighbouring Bhutan Indo-US joint Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief Exercise. None of the above Q.3) Consider the following statementsabout Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) It is a statutory market committee constituted by a Central Government in respect of trade in certain notified agricultural or horticultural or livestock products APMC Acts provide that first sale in the notified agricultural commodities produced in the region can be conducted only under the aegis of the APMC 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 E-NAM ispan-India electronic trading portal that creates a unified national market for agricultural commodities E-NAM reduces transaction costs and information asymmetry thus enhancing the income for farmers Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 ANSWERS FOR 12 Nov 2019 TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE (TYK) 1 C 2 D 3 A 4 B 5 C MUST READ Anarchy in Bolivia: On Evo Morales’ exit The Hindu The problem with re-basing GDP estimates The Hindu BRICS strategic partnership for global stability, shared security and innovative growth The Hindu An apostle of peace ET Swachh Bharat: Urban areas require a different approach to end open defecation IE SC’s offer of five-acre plot to compensate for Babri demolition is charity by privileged to the underprivileged IE

Nov 13, 2019 Daily Prelims CA Quiz

UPSC Quiz - 2020: IAS Daily Current Affairs Quiz Day 113

UPSC Quiz - 2020: IAS Daily Current Affairs Quiz Day 113 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

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