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Daily Current Affairs IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 25th September 2019

IAS UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 25th September 2019 Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) Dadasaheb Phalke  Award Part of: GS Prelims In News The country’s highest film honour, the DadasahebPhalke award, will be presented this year to Amitabh Bachchan The award comes in the year that marks Mr. Bachchan’s golden jubilee in cinema, who made his debut in 1969 DadasahebPhalke (1870–1944), was an Indian film-maker who directed India's first full-length feature film, Raja Harishchandra (1913). He is regarded as "the father of Indian cinema." Dadasaheb Phalke awardis given to people for their "outstanding contribution to the growth and development of Indian cinema". It is presented annually at the National Film Awards ceremony by the Directorate of Film Festivals (an organisation set up by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting). The award prize consists of a golden lotus, a cash prize of ₹10 lakh and a shawl. The award was first presented in 1969. The first recipient of the award was actress Devika Rani, “the first lady of Indian cinema.”  SASTRA Ramanujan prize  Part of: GS Prelims In News The SASTRA Ramanujan prize for 2019 will be awarded to mathematician Adam Harper, Assistant Professor with the University of Warwick, England. The prize was instituted in 2005 and is conferred annually on mathematicians from across the world who are less than 32 years of age, working in an area influenced by the genius Srinivasa Ramanujan. This prize is awarded by SASTRA University on its campus near Kumbakonam in Tamil Nadu, on Ramanujan’s birth anniversary, December 22. The prize carries a citation and an award of $10,000  Previous winners of Ramanuja award, including Manjul Bhargava and AkshayVenkatesh, went on to win the Fields Medal (considered as mathematician's Nobel Prize) The Fields Medal is a prize awarded to 2-4 mathematicians under 40 years of age at the International Congress of the International Mathematical Union (IMU), a meeting that takes place every four years. Gandhi Solar Park Part of: GS Prelims and Mains GS-II –International affairs In News PMModi along with others world leaders inaugurated the Gandhi Solar Park at the UN headquarters on the occasion of Gandhi's 150th birth anniversary. The 50 kWh roof-top solar park having 195 solar panels—each representing a member of the multilateral body – was built by India at a cost of US $1 million The leaders also launched a UN postage stamp of Mahatma Gandhi, at the programme 'Relevance of Mahatma Gandhi in the Contemporary World' at the UN headquarters.  Do you know? India is the third largest emitter of greenhouse gases, after China and the US.  Coal power, cattle and paddy are major sources of emission, though per capita emissions (1.8 tonnes of CO2) are roughly a seventh of the US and less than half the world average (4.2 tonnes of CO2) India has pledged for a 33-35% reduction in emission intensity (emissions associated with each unit of economic output) by 2030, compared to 2005 levels. India has set the target of installing 175 GW of renewable energy by the year 2022, which includes 100 GW from solar, 60 from wind and the rest from small hydro, etc. UMMID Part of: GS Prelims and Mains GS-II - Health In News In India’s urban areas, congenital malformations and genetic disorders are the third most common cause of mortality in newborns. Union government has launched UMMID (Unique Methods of Management and treatment of Inherited Disorders) initiative to tackle inherited genetic diseases of newborn babies.  The initiative aims at creating awareness about genetic disorders amongst clinicians and establish molecular diagnostics in hospitals so that the benefits of developments in medical genetics could reach patients UMMID initiative involves  to establish NIDAN((National Inherited Diseases Administration) Kendras to provide counselling, prenatal testing and diagnosis, management, and multidisciplinary care in Government Hospitals  to produce skilled clinicians in Human Genetics, and  to undertake screening of pregnant women and new born babies for inherited genetic diseases in hospitals at aspirational districts. The program implemented (by Department of Biotechnology) at government hospitals will benefit people who cannot afford expensive care for genetic disorders  (MAINS FOCUS) INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS TOPIC: General Studies 2: India and its neighbourhood- relations. Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests US- TALIBAN PEACE TALKS Image :https://geopoliticalfutures.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/WG_Afghanistan-talks-2019.jpg Context: US President Donald Trump recently said that the talks with the Taliban aimed at ending the 18-year war in Afghanistan are "dead". Background: The Taliban refer to themselves as the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA), are a Sunni Islamic fundamentalist political movement and military organization in Afghanistan currently waging war (an insurgency, or jihad) within that country. From 1996 to 2001, the Taliban held power over roughly three quarters of Afghanistan, and enforced there a strict interpretation of Sharia, or Islamic law. It held control of most of the country until being overthrown after the American-led invasion of Afghanistan in December 2001 following the September 11 attacks. The Taliban have been condemned internationally for the harsh enforcement of their interpretation of Islamic Sharia law, which has resulted in the brutal treatment of many Afghans, especially women. According to the United Nations, the Taliban and their allies were responsible for 76% of Afghan civilian casualties The Pakistani Inter-Services Intelligence and military are widely alleged by the international community and the Afghan government to have provided support to the Taliban Implications after the talk ended: The Taliban has started carrying out major attacks with the American troops fighting back. Mr. Ghani has a chance to continue as President without having to share power with the Taliban(Which would have happened if the deal were successful ) The Ghani government will  be pleased with the fact that U.S. troops are likely to continue in the country, for if left alone the government will not survive long. Even with a properly negotiated deal, the ascent of the Taliban in Afghanistan would have meant a certain amount of regional uncertainty and geopolitical recalibration. Now that there is no deal between the Taliban and the U.S., there is likely to be more violence internally within Afghanistan while the external implications would be more or less contained. What it meant for India: Pakistan, has been counting on the return of the Taliban in Afghanistan which it deeply believes gives it strategic depth vis-à-vis India. A non-negotiated withdrawal of U.S. forces would be the worst-case scenario for India .It will enhance Pakistan’s ability to control elements of the Taliban for tactical or strategic anti-Indian uses. Once the Taliban returns to power in Afghanistan, on its own or as part of a power-sharing arrangement, Indian civilian assets and interests in Afghanistan could come under increased pressure. Kashmir in many ways will continue to be at the centre of how the emerging geopolitical situation in Afghanistan will impact India.(1980s unemployed Afghan fighters turned up in Kashmir at the behest of the Pakistani agencies) The breakdown of the Trump-Taliban talks is advantage India since the negotiation would have led to negative consequences for India. Did you know: “If a superpower like the U.S. can be pushed out of Afghanistan by the Taliban with help from Pakistan, would it be too difficult to beat India?” is the argument doing the rounds among sections of aggrieved Kashmiri youth. Way forward: The U.S. and the international community, while picking up the threads of negotiations in the days ahead, will need to ensure that there are enough guarantees built into a deal to disincentivise undesirable external behaviour by the Taliban. India, on its part, needs to reach out to the Taliban, not to recognise it but to engage with it, in its own national interest. such an outreach will need to be carefully calibrated and discreetly executed without making the incumbent govt unhappy.  Conclusion: It is perhaps for the best that the U.S.-Taliban talks were called off . It  would have led to a slew of significant geopolitical changes with implications for the region and beyond. Connecting the dots: What implications does the cancellation of U.S.-Afghan talks have for the volatile South Asian region in general and for India in particular? AGRICULTURE TOPIC:General Studies 3: Major crops cropping patterns in various parts of the country, different types of irrigation and irrigation systems storage, transport and marketing of agricultural produce and issues and related constraints Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF) Context: National Academy of Agricultural Sciences, based on a brainstorming session that included industry representatives, sent a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi opposing Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF). (one of the Agroecosystem) Agroecology: Agroecology is the study of ecological processes applied to agricultural production systems. Agroecologists study a variety of agroecosystems recognised worldwide. The field of agroecology is not associated with any one particular method of farming. However, it has much more in common with organic and integrated farming Agroecology impacts: enhances fertile landscapes,  increases yields,  restores soil health and biodiversity,  promotes climate resilience and  Improves farmers’ well-being.  Its practices are supported by many agricultural scientists, the Food and Agriculture Organization, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), farmers’ groups and several NGOs Img : https://croplife.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/CropLife-PSP-Infographic_1_v2.png Did you know: ZBNF, developed and publicised by agro-scientist Subhash Palekar, has been adopted by Andhra Pradesh. Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF) is a set of farming methods, and also a grassroots peasant movement, which has spread to various states in India. It has attained wide success in southern India. Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF) is a farming practice that believes in natural growth of crops without adding any fertilizers and pesticides or any other foriegn elements.  The word Zero Budget refers to the zero net cost of production of all crops (inter crops, border crops, multi crops).  The inputs used for seed treatments and other inocluations are locally available in the form of cowdung and cow urine. A ZBNF practicisng farmer has lower cost of inputs and thus has better capacity to increase the incomes. At the same time, ZBNF crops helps in retaining soil fertiliting and is climate change resilient. Image : https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/img/70463084/Master.jpg Agroecology as a substantial threat to the Powerful lobbies’ influence on farming systems . Why? Farming in India and across the world is largely under the control of powerful lobbies with vested interests and connections to deep pockets. These include fossil fuel, fertilizer and seed companies as well as scientists with funding connections to agribusiness We in India  presently have a subsidy-based agricultural system where farm inputs are firmly in the hands of corporations and their elite networks. large-scale transitions to agroecology will be  a substantial threat to their influence on farming system For instance:   In Britain, when public hearings were held in the early 2000s to discuss genetically modified (GM) crops, corporations threatened to pull grants from scientists on the committees if they voted against GM When individual scientists in Europe and the University of California published articles describing how GM foods and crops affected the health of human beings and insects adversely, they were personally attacked and vilified The current battle on ZBNF is between those powerfully entrenched and new voices of state and civil society. Did you know: As a result of industrial farming, friendly insects are no longer part of the agricultural landscape, water pollution is rampant, depleted soils are commonplace and plunging groundwater tables have become the norm. Conclusion: Agroecology-based farming is not regressive, but rather a technology of the future with a traditional idiom. If policymakers ignore the posturing and stay focussed on improving soil health and quality of life for farmers, while observing and supporting successes, farmers may even double their incomes and India’s food security could sow new beginnings. (TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE) Model questions: (You can now post your answers in comment section) Note:  Featured Comments and comments Up-voted by IASbaba are the “correct answers”. IASbaba App users – Team IASbaba will provide correct answers in comment section. Kindly refer to it and update your answers. Q.1)UMMID initiative is being implemented by which Union Ministry? Ministry of Health & Family Welfare Ministry of Minority affairs Ministry of Science & Technology None of the above Q.2)Consider the following statements Dadasaheb Phalke award is given to people for their outstanding contribution to the growth and development of Indian cinema. The award first presented in 1951 is presented annually at the National Film Awards ceremony by the Directorate of Film Festivals  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 India is the third largest emitter of greenhouse gases, after China and the US.  India’s per capita emission is double that of World’s average India has pledged for a 33-35% reduction in emission intensity by 2030, compared to 2005 levels 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.4)Consider the following statements about Shastra Ramanuja Prize The prize was instituted in 2005 and is conferred annually on mathematicians from across the world who are less than 32 years of age,working in an area influenced by the genius Srinivasa Ramanujan. This prize is awarded by Indian Statistical Institute on Ramanujan’s birth anniversary, December 22. Previous winners of Ramanuja award, including Manjul Bhargava and AkshayVenkatesh, went on to win the Fields Medal Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct? 1 and 2 only 2and 3 only 1 and 3 only 1,2 and 3 MUST READ Balakot Redux: On Bipin Rawat's revelation of terrorist camp  The Hindu Making the grand Indian PSB mergers work The Hindu Bank mergers don’t address crux of crisis Indian Express Market participation via innovative product pricing is needed Live Mint Oneness fixation: The idea of an all-encompassing smart card is outdated and unworkable TOI

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

Daily Current Affairs IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 24th September 2019

IAS UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 24th September 2019 Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) CENSUS 2021 Part of: GS Prelims and GS-II - Society In News The decennial census exercise will be undertaken in 2021 and, for the first time, move from paper to digital format. The 2011 Census pegged India’s population at 1.21 billion—a 17.6% rise from that of 2001. Union Home Minister suggested (no formal proposal) one card for all utilities in future where by Aadhaar, passport, bank account, and driving licence are brought under one platform. ₹12,000 crore would be spent on census and preparation of the National Population Register (NPR). The NPR exercise is different from the census and is not linked to the National Register of Citizens (NRC).  For the purpose of the NPR, an ordinary resident is defined as a person who has resided in a local area for the past six months or more or a person who intends to reside in that area for the next six months or more. The NPR links biometric and demographic details of any ordinary resident, thus making it a comprehensive database of residents. A Census helps us plan our social welfare and entitlement schemes better", through NPR India would have a “multipurpose identity document that will have all details like Aadhaar and PAN card". PM-JAY  Part of: GS Prelims and Mains GS-II - Health In News Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan ArogyaYojana (PM-JAY) has completed one year and has recorded 46.4 lakh hospital treatments worth ₹7,500 crore  60% of the amountunder the scheme is being spent on tertiary care. PM-JAY is the flagship scheme of the government with an aim to bring quality healthcare to around 50 crore poor and vulnerable Indians.  The scheme gives annual healthcare benefits of up to ₹5 lakh for every entitled family. The scheme has resulted in saving of over ₹12,000 crore to the beneficiary families.  Currently, 32 States and Union Territories are implementing the scheme and more than 10 crore beneficiary cards have been issued. PM-JAY aims to ensure improved healthcare delivery, through a combination of government hospitals and strategic purchasing of services from private hospitals, in health care deficit areas Social stock exchanges Part of: GS Prelims and Mains GS-II- Economy In News SEBI has constituted a working group on Social Stock Exchanges (SSE) under the chairmanship of Ishaat Hussain. The working group shall examine and make recommendations with respect to possible structures and mechanisms, within the securities market domain, to facilitate the raising of funds by social enterprises and voluntary organizations In 2019-20 Union Budget, Finance Minister had proposed a social stock exchangewithin the ambit of SEBI, for social enterprises and voluntary organisations working for social welfare to help them raise capital through debt, equity and mutual fund. A social stock exchange, broadly, is understood as a platform that allows investors to buy shares in a social enterprise that has been vetted by the exchange.  In London, similar type of platform acts more as a directory connecting social enterprises with potential investors. While in Canada the SVX is an online platform where even retail investors can invest in funds or companies with social impact. ISAPTI IRADA Part of: GS Prelims and Mains GS-II - Economy In News ChintanShivirwas organized by Ministry of Steel on the theme -Towards a Vibrant, Efficient and Globally Competitive Indian Steel sector. The purpose of the event was to bring all stakeholders together to deliberate on a roadmap for making Indian Steel Sector more vibrant, efficient and globally competitive. The Ministry urged industry to work towards zero exports of natural resources and  focus on value addition. During the event, new logo of Steel Ministry “ISPATI IRADA” was launched The “ISAPTI IRADA” campaign aims to increase appropriate usage of steel in the country and bring more strength to society. Participatory Guarantee Scheme (PGS)  Part of: GS Prelims and Main GS-III – Food processing In News PGS is a process of certifying organic products, which ensures that their production takes place in accordance with laid-down quality standards. The certification is in the form of a documented logo or a voluntary statement. PGS is a “quality assurance initiative that is locally relevant, emphasize the participation of stakeholders, including producers and consumers, and (which) operateoutside the framework of third-party certification”. Four pillars of PGS :The government’s 2015 PGS manual underlines that the system in India is based on “participatory approach, a shared vision, transparency and trust”. The advantages of PGS over third-party certification Procedures are simple, documents are basic, and farmers understand the local language used. Because peer appraisers live in the same village, they have better access to surveillance; peer appraisal instead of third-party inspections also reduces costs Mutual recognition and support between regional PGS groups ensures better networking for processing and marketing. Unlike the grower group certification system, PGS offers every farmer individual certificates, and the farmer is free to market his own produce independent of the group. The limitations of PGS are: Individual farmers or group of farmers smaller than five members are not covered under PGS. They either have to opt for third party certification or join the existing PGS local group. PGS ensures traceability until the product is in the custody of the PGS group, which makes PGS ideal for local direct sales and direct trade between producers and consumers. (MAINS FOCUS) ECONOMY TOPIC: General Studies 3: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment. Inclusive growth and issues arising from it. 10 public sector banks to be merged into four Context Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman  announced consolidation of public sector banks: 10 public sector banks to be merged into four.  Under the scheme of amalgamation, Indian Bank will be merged with Allahabad Bank (anchor bank - Indian Bank); PNB, OBC and United Bank to be merged (PNB will be the anchor bank); Union Bank of India, Andhra Bank and Corporation Bank to be merged (anchor bank - Union Bank of India); and Canara Bank and Syndicate Bank to be merged (anchor bank - Canara Bank).  In place of 27 public sector banks in 2017, now there will be 12 public sector banks after the latest round of consolidation of PSU banks. Benefits of Merger The consolidation of PSBs helps in strengthening its presence globally, nationally and regionally. Gives capital but also give good governance. It has the potential to reduce operational costs due to the presence of shared overlapping networks. And this enhanced operational efficiency will reduce the lending costs of the banks. All merged banks in a particular bucket share common Core Banking Solutions (CBS) platform synergizing them technologically. Core Banking Solutions (CBS) can be defined as a solution that enables banks to offer a multitude of customer-centric services on a 24x7 basis from a single location, supporting retail as well as corporate banking activities.(UPSC prelims ) Larger banks have a better ability to raise resources from the market rather than relying on State exchequer. The loan tracking mechanism in PSU banks is being improved for the benefit of customers. Monitoring would become easier for the government. The burden on the central government to recapitalize the public sector banks again and again will come down substantially. Criticism: The potential benefits would take several years to show up and, meanwhile, the turbulence in the banks could take a toll on the real economy. The merger move demonstrates once again the lackadaisical approach of policy planners in implementing sensible banking reforms in Public Sector Banks (PSBs), first mooted by the Narasimham Committee Narasimham committee had cautioned against merging weak banks, the government has ended doing precisely that. The consolidation should have been a gradual and calibrated exercise resulting in a smaller number of well-capitalised and professionally managed PSBs with a sound governance structure.. Ex: SBI had managed the ABs over the years with its own senior team, and all associates had already been functioning on common technology platform A key concern about merging the ten PSBs into four in one stroke is a lack of clear articulation of the rationale behind bringing disparate and weak banks together, some of whom were still under the Reserve Bank of India’s Prompt Corrective Action (PCA). Merger announcements generally trigger confusion, anxiety and insecurity in staff, leading to a slowdown in business. The post-merger scale economies that large international banks seek to achieve with ruthless measures are not feasible in India. Did you know: Prompt Corrective Action or PCA is a framework under which banks with weak financial metrics are put under watch by the RBI. The PCA framework deems banks as risky if they slip below certain norms on three parameters — capital ratios, asset quality and profitability. What should have been done? reverse the decline in the PSBs’ Return on Equity (RoE) after investing considerable sums in bringing them on a common technology platform introducing better risk management measures.  The merged entities should become agile and capable of meeting the challenges in retail and mass market segments from private players and open banking sources. Measures to smoothen the mergers:  it needs to be ensured that there is no leadership vacuum in the anchor banks. The technical skills needed for integration planning, transforming business support functions and value build-up have to be cultivated. culturally integrate the expanded workforce through sustained training initiatives. The practice over the years of shuffling senior executives from one PSB to another has done more harm than good.(which must be stopped) Recruit professionals from the market in key areas of technology, HR and risk management, in all of which PSBs are grossly under-equipped. A buoyant exercise of recruitment and training is vital. the government should actively plan steps to offset a possible slow expansion in bank credit in the near term. Non-Banking Financial Institutions (NBFCs), which have a better understanding of the market needs, need to be tapped to ensure better credit flow the government should resolve the tangles in the ownership of the merging PSBs in insurance, asset management and other ventures. the government should consider converting a few ‘weak’ PSBs outside the merger into regional banks.(one of the recommendation of narasimham committee) Committees: Narasimham committee (1991 and 1998) suggested merger of strong banks both in public sector and even with the developmental financial institutions and NBFCs.  Khan committee in 1997 stressed the need for harmonization of roles of commercial banks and the financial institutions. Conclusion:. While such consolidation can result in handsome productivity gains, what matters is the quality of execution by a stable and committed leadership, aided by a shrewd and benign ownership. Mergers should be carried out with right banks for the right reasons since the bad loan problem has plunged many public sector banks in an unprecedented crisis. Connecting the dots: Along with merger the focus should be on adequate reforms in governance and management of these banks. TECHNOLOGY TOPIC: General Studies 3: Awareness in the fields of IT Right to Internet access as a fundamental right Context: In Faheema Shirin v. State of Kerala, the Kerala High Court declared the right to Internet access as a fundamental right forming a part of the right to privacy and the right to education under Article 21 of the Constitution This  judgment acknowledges the role of the right to access Internet in accessing other fundamental rights Digital literacy: Digital literacy refers to the wide range of skills, which are necessary to emerge successful and adapt to the digital world.  skill set which is essential for access and gaining information. Factors leading to digital inequality: In recent times, several government and private sector services have become digital. Some of them are only available online social and economic backwardness is exacerbated due to information poverty, lack of infrastructure, and lack of digital literacy in mid-2016, digital literacy in India was less than 10% in the absence of Internet access and digital literacy enabling that access, there will be further exclusion of large parts of the population Importance  of digital literacy: We are moving to a global economy where knowledge of digital processes will transform the way in which people work, collaborate, consume information, and entertain themselves. Offering services online has cost and efficiency benefits for the government and also allows citizens to bypass lower-level government bureaucracy. Digital literacy allows people to access information and services, collaborate, and navigate socio-cultural networks. Recognising the right to internet access and digital literacy will also make it easier to demand accountability from the state, as well as encourage the legislature and the executive to take a more proactive role in furthering this right. Measures taken by govt: The Bharat Net programme, aiming to have an optical fibre network in all gram panchayats, is to act as the infrastructural backbone for having Internet access all across the country. The Digital Saksharta Abhiyan (DISHA) or National Digital Literacy Mission (NDLM) Scheme has been formulated to impart IT training . Criticism: Moving governance and service delivery online without the requisite progress in Internet access and digital literacy also does not make economic sense Ex: Common Service Centres, which operate in rural and remote locations, are physical facilities which help in delivering digital government services and informing communities about government initiatives. a large chunk of citizens cannot access these services since lack of resources. The Bharat Net project has consistently missed all its deadlines while the costs involved have doubled. the National Digital Literacy Mission has barely touched 1.67% of the population and has been struggling for funds. Conclusion: Internet access and digital literacy are dependent on each other, and creation of digital infrastructure must go hand in hand with the creation of digital skills. It is important to recognise the right to Internet access and digital literacy to alleviate this situation, and allow citizens increased access to information, services, and the creation of better livelihood opportunities. Connecting the dots: We are living in an ‘information society’. Unequal access to the Internet creates and reproduces socio-economic exclusions. Justify (TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE) Model questions: (You can now post your answers in comment section) Note:  Featured Comments and comments Up-voted by IASbaba are the “correct answers”. IASbaba App users – Team IASbaba will provide correct answers in comment section. Kindly refer to it and update your answers. Q.1) The decennial census exercise will be carried out by which body/Ministry? Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, Union Home Ministry National Sample Survey Office Prime Minister’s Office None of the above Q.2)Participatory Guarantee Scheme often seen in news is related to which of the following?  Credit guarantee given by Confederation of Indian Industries(CII) for exports/imports Self Help Groups and their access to loans by Commercial banks Certification of organic products without involving third-party None of the above Q.3)“ISAPTI IRADA” campaign is being implemented by which Union Minstry? Ministry of Labour Ministry of Steel Ministry of Skill development and Entrepreneurship None of the above Q.4)Consider the following statements about Pradhan Mantri Jan AarogyaYojana  (PM-JAY) PM-JAY is the world’s largest government funded healthcare program,with an aim to bring quality healthcare to around 50 crore poor and vulnerable Indians.  The scheme gives annual healthcare benefits of up to ₹5lakh for every entitled family per year, for secondary and tertiary care hospitalization. PMJAY will provide cashless and paperless access to services for the beneficiary at the point of service. Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct? 1 and 2 only 2and 3 only 1 and 3 only 1,2 and 3 MUST READ Texan outreach: On 'Howdy Modi' event in Houston The Hindu Credibility deficit: On Collegium's recommendation on Justice Kureshi The Hindu Climate justice through judicial diktat The Hindu Modi govt sends up the monetary helicopters Live Mint

Daily Prelims CA Quiz

UPSC Quiz - 2020 : IAS Daily Current Affairs Quiz Day 77

UPSC Quiz - 2020 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz Day 77 Archives Q.1) The recently announced 'Tiger Triumph', tri-service military exercise will be held between India and  USA France Japan Israel Q.2) ‘Shondol dance’ was in news recently. It is associated  Rayalaseema Marathwada Ladakh Saurashtra Q.3) Consider the following statements with respect to ‘Naropa Festival’ It takes places every 12 years. It celebrates the life of Jain philosopher and scholar Naropa. Select the correct statements 1 Only 2 Only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.4) Which of the following statements is/are correct? Drukpa is a branch of the Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism. Hemis Monastery is a Himalayan Buddhist monastery of the Drukpa Lineage. Select the correct statements 1 Only 2 Only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.5) The Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) is constituted under the< Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999 Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 To Download the Solution - Click here All the Best  IASbaba

AIR

All India Radio (AIR) IAS UPSC - National Register of Citizens

National register of Citizens ARCHIVES Search 31st August, 2019 Spotlight News Analysis here: http://www.newsonair.com/Main_Audio_Bulletins_Search.aspx  TOPIC: General Studies 2: 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 Separation of powers between various organs dispute redressal mechanisms and institutions Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation In news: In the run-up to the publication of the final National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Assam, citizenship has become the most talked about topic in the country. The Assam government has been taking various steps in relation to those who will be left out of the NRC, while the Supreme Court last week rejected a plea to include those born in India between after March 24, 1971 and before July 1, 1987 unless they had ancestral links to India. In any other Indian state, they would have been citizens by birth, but the law is different for Assam. The final list of Assam’s National Register of Citizens (NRC) excluded names of over 19 lakh applicants. A total of 3.30 crore applicants had applied to be included in the NRC. How does one prove citizenship? In Assam, one of the basic criteria was that the names of applicant's family members should either be in the first NRC prepared in 1951 or in the electoral rolls up to March 24, 1971.  Other than that, applicants also had the option to present documents such as refugee registration certificate, birth certificate, LIC policy, land and tenancy records, citizenship certificate, passport, government issued licence or certificate, bank/post office accounts, permanent residential certificate, government employment certificate, educational certificate and court records. Why is it called an “updated” NRC? Witness to decades of migration from Bangladesh — formerly East Bengal and then East Pakistan — Assam already has an NRC, which was published in 1951 on the basis of that year’s Census. The only state with such a document, Assam is currently updating it to identify its citizens. The update, mandated and monitored by the Supreme Court, is a fallout of the Assam Accord of 1985, which sets March 24, 1971 as the cutoff date for citizenship. Those who entered Assam before that date are recognised as citizens. But was there not an updated NRC last year itself? That was a draft, published in July 2018. In that list, 2.89 crore residents were included as Indian citizens, while 40 lakh were left out. After that, those who were left out were allowed to file claims for inclusion. Meanwhile, citizens had the option of filing objections against anyone who they felt was wrongly included. Earlier this year, NRC authorities put out an additional exclusion list, with 1 lakh individuals, who had originally been included in the NRC draft but were later found eligible. Saturday’s NRC is the result of all those included an excluded. Does this mean that the 19 lakh are illegal migrants? Not necessarily. They still have the option of appealing. They can approach, within a deadline, a Foreigners Tribunal with a certified copy of the rejection order from the NRC, along with the grounds for appeal. In addition to the 100 existing Foreigners Tribunals, 200 more will be functional soon, state government officials said. If the applicant loses their case before such a Tribunal, he or she can appeal in the High Court, and then the Supreme Court if necessary. Someone who is not only excluded from the final NRC but also loses his or her case in a Foreigners Tribunal, however, faces possible arrest, and the prospect of being sent to a detention centre. How do those excluded back up their claims for inclusion? They will need to prove that they or their ancestors were citizens on or before March 24, 1971. This is the cutoff date in the Assam Accord of 1985, agreed upon by the Centre, the state and the All Assam Students’ Union, at the end of a six-year movement against migration from Bangladesh. Surviving citizens from the 1951 NRC are automatically eligible for inclusion in the updated version. So are descendants of the survivors and of the deceased — provided that they can prove their lineage. Linkage to the 1951 NRC is, however, not compulsory. Going by the cutoff under the Assam Accord, anyone who figured in electoral rolls up to March 24, 1971, or who are descendants of such citizens, are eligible for inclusion in the updated NRC. Various other documents are admissible — such as birth certificates and land records — as long as these were issued before the cut-off date. Wouldn’t those rejected have already submitted such papers? Since the NRC includes only those who could establish their linkage to March 24, 1971 or earlier, it would suggest that the excluded 19 lakh submitted papers that were not enough to establish this linkage. Those who were rejected on the basis of submitted papers will face an additional concern, for they could face rejection again if they submit the same papers a second time. They face the task of finding documents other than those that were rejected. If even legal recourse fails for those excluded, will they be deported? Although the Assam movement was for deportation, Bangladesh has never officially acknowledged that any of its citizens migrated illegally to Assam. The state also has six detention camps (with plants to build more) for illegal migrants within existing jails, and proposes to build a seventh with a capacity for 3,000. These cannot, however, be expected to accommodate all the exclusions, which could finally run into lakhs. If not deported or detained in a camp, how would life change for the finally excluded individuals? They would officially be non-citizens, but what happens to them remains a grey area. India has no fixed policy for “stateless” persons, Home Ministry sources said. The only aspect that is more or less clear is that a “stateless” person will not have voting rights. As of now, nothing is clear about their rights to work, housing and government healthcare and education. There have been suggestions in Assam that they be given work permits — Home Ministry sources said that this may come under consideration — but certain sections have been opposing this idea, too. But aren’t there policies for refugees? Being “stateless” is not the same as being a refugee. India has refugees from Tibet, Sri Lanka (Tamils) and West Pakistan. Among them, only the last group has the right to vote — in Lok Sabha elections but not in Assembly polls. For Tibetans, the government allows Indian citizenship with a rider that they move out of Tibetan settlements and forgo refugee benefits. Under the Tibetan Rehabilitation Policy, 2014, adopted in part by a few states, refugees are eligible for certain benefits under government schemes for labour, rations, housing and loans. What are detention centres? These are for persons declared “illegal foreigners”. As of now, there are six detention camps in Assam, housed in existing jails. State government officials said there are plans to build 10 more detention centres and a detailed project report is being sent to the Centre. The six existing centres together hold around 1,000 persons. Declared “illegal foreigners” by the Foreigners Tribunals, many of them claim to be Indians. India has no treaty with Bangladesh that would have facilitated their deportation. Since 2013, Assam has deported 166 persons (162 “convicted” and four “declared”) including 147 to Bangladesh, according to government data until February 2019. In case of those declared foreigners in Assam, the question widely being asked is whether deportation can be possible unless Bangladesh accepts them as migrants from there. About NRC: It is the register containing names of Indian Citizens. It was prepared first in 1951 after the conduct of the Census of 1951. It is used to identify who is a bona fide Indian citizen and those who fail to enlist in the register will be deemed illegal migrants. Background Pre-independence: Assam’s demographic changes date back to the introduction of the plantation economy by the colonial state in the 19th century. The colonial state brought in tribal labourers from Chota Nagpur and Bihar to work the plantations and encouraged the migration of Muslim farmers from Bengal. Post-independence: Migrations continued after Independence even as Partition solidified national identities. The ethnic, cultural and religious dimensions of the situation demanded sensitive and imaginative solutions from the political class. In 1970s, All Assam Students’ Union spearheaded a massive drive, popularly known as the Assam Agitation calling for the detection, deletion and deportation of illegal Bangladeshi migrants. In 2013, the Supreme Court finally ordered to complete the exercise by December 31, 2017, leading to the present updating of NRC in Assam. Benefits of NRC: Detection of illegal immigrants, inclusion will be a shield against harassment and a ticket to enjoying all the constitutional rights and safeguards and the benefits of government schemes. To safeguard the indigenous population and civilization. Illegal activities like terrorism, human trafficking, drug trafficking can be checked. To safeguard Voting rights and properties such as land and house. Controversies related to the National Register of Citizens (NRC): Laborious process: Adding a person to NRC is complex procedure because of presenting many documents and layers of verification. Document verification: “Family tree verification” has become difficult process for left out children. Rejection of certificate: More than 40 lakh people are rejected for panchayath residency certificates. Citizenship related: Failed to ensure legal clarity over the manner in which the claims of citizenship could be decided. Role of Supreme Court: lack of monitoring process, inability to comprehend political and policy actions in case of loss of citizenship. Huge population: Given the size of India’s population, implementation of the NRC will be a mammoth task and demands a detailed analysis. Connecting the dots: Assam has excluded four million people from its National Register of Citizens (NRC). Now, it doesn’t know what to do with them. Comment. Modern nations are products of migrations and cultural diffusion and all the richer for it. NRC process doesn’t seem alive to this reality. Discuss. Political parties must stop feasting on the complexities of Assam’s demography. Examine.

RSTV Video

RSTV IAS UPSC – India-ASEAN FTA

India-ASEAN FTA Archives TOPIC: General Studies 2 Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests In News: India and the 10-member ASEAN have agreed to initiate a review of the bilateral free trade agreement (FTA) in goods to make it “more user-friendly, simple and trade facilitative”. India is not happy about the fact that its trade deficit with ASEAN has widened significantly since the pact was implemented in January 2010.  The Situation Link: https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/economy/foreign-trade/india-asean-agree-to-review-decade-old-free-trade-pact/articleshow/71067042.cms  A NITI Aayog study reveals that India’s trade deficit with ASEAN doubled to $10 billion in 2017 from $5 billion in 2011.  A review of the India-ASEAN FTA could help improve utilisation in India by making the pact simpler and more user-friendly.  Policymakers hold the view that FTAs have adversely impacted India’s manufacturing, which the government is trying to boost through its Make in India initiative in order to generate jobs. Liberalisation under the India-Asean FTA covers 75% of the two-way trade. India kept around 10% of tariff lines in exclusion. These included motor vehicles, textiles, petroleum products, sugar, wheat, vegetable oil dairy products and other food products. However, Thailand, Philippines, Myanmar, Brunei and Vietnam kept a higher number of tariff lines under exclusion. Moreover, the surge in goods imports into India is accentuated by instances of non-adherence to origin norms and lack of full cooperation in investigating and addressing such breaches. In contrast, the utilisation of preferential tariffs by India under the India-Asean FTA is below 30% because of standards, regulatory measures and other non-tariff barriers in the region. Ships, boats, floating structures, mineral fuels, mineral oils and meat are India’s largest exports to the grouping while telecom equipment, electrical machinery, mineral fuels, mineral oils and animal or vegetable fats and oils are the biggest imports. The challenge is not merely tariff barriers, but also non-tariff barriers applied by most member countries including China. Market access has become more challenging than tariffs itself, even among member countries. India has the lowest non-tariff barriers in the region and China the highest. RCEP comprises a quarter of global gross domestic product, 30% of global trade, 26% of foreign direct investment flows, and 45% of the world's population. The Decision In the joint statement, the Ministers welcomed the recommendations of the ASEAN-India Business Council to further promote the potential of bilateral trade through the utilisation of the ASEAN-India FTA as well as cooperation in some areas of mutual interest, such as financial technology, connectivity, start-ups and innovation, empowerment of youth, and women and MSME development. India has also pushed to include the Automatic Trigger Safeguard Mechanism or ATSM. This will automatically increase levies once imports cross a given threshold. This is in addition to reviewing the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with ASEAN and other members. The review will help bring back manufacturing and it will also go a long way towards Make in India, helping our agriculture and bring more manufacturing and jobs to India The review would definitely help in creating a more equitable trade agreement that would help in the revival of these sectors Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP)  It is a proposed free trade agreement (FTA) between ASEAN and its six FTA partners – China, Japan, India, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. RCEP negotiation was formally launched in 2012, whose member states together account for 3.4 billion people and approximately 40% of world’s GDP. Members of Indian Industry are resisting RCEP due to following concerns: Flooding of the market with Chinese goods impacting domestic manufacturers Lack of access to Indian services in the RCEP countries (Services is India’s strong area and has huge potential to tap into RCEP market) Ten member states of ASEAN are Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam Must Read: Link 1  Connecting the Dots: What are India’s interests in the ASEAN? Examine the measures taken by the government to strengthen Indo-ASEAN cooperation.  

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Feedback and Video: Delhi’s Workshop – TLP Connect/Plus Mentorship Programme 2020 and Art of Answer Writing!

Feedback and Video: Delhi’s Workshop TLP Connect/Plus Mentorship Programme 2020 and Art of Answer Writing! [embed]https://www.youtube.com/embed/57pdBuBEwCw[/embed] Important timelines in the Video: Initial 10 mins - about IASbaba and Team 13 minutes onwards - Philosophy behind TLP and Details about TLP Connect Mentorship programme 35mins, 30 Sec onwards - Art of Answer Writing 1:14:25 (hr:min:sec) onwards - Live Demo of Answer Writing 1:37:30 onwards - Ethics Strategy 2:19:45 onwards - Right Attitude for UPSC Preparation Dear Friends, Though we have held many workshops since we started off in 2015, this workshop (@ Delhi) is one of the most memorable one for us.  It was the first workshop held in Delhi since the brick and motor footprints of IASbaba was made in the lanes of Old Rajendra Nagar on 15th June, 2019. The Workshop was held last weekend, Sunday (15th September, 2019). The theme of the workshop was about TLP Connect/Plus programme - Mentorship Programme of IASbaba, Art of Answer Writing, Ethics Strategy and Right Attitude for UPSC preparation. Your support really made our visit a special one. We are out of words and had never imagined such an outstanding support. We extend our heartiest thanks to everyone who came against all odds especially people from outside Delhi. Since it was a 3 hour workshop, we couldn’t deliver many stuffs due to time constraint. We made sure that, we stayed back till 8 pm and tried to interact with most of you personally. We apologize in any case we were not able to give you enough time. Your patience, attentiveness and interest deserves an applause. We promise you that there is a lot in store for you with the upcoming TLP Connect/Plus programme 2020, a Integrated (Prelims + Mains) Mentorship Programme of IASbaba that will kick start from 12th October, 2019 We @ Iasbaba will always make sure that we come up with initiatives to guide you better and play some positive role in your success. Again thank you all for making our Delhi workshop a huge success. P.S: Your feedback and encouragement is the real value add for us. Kindly share your views, learning and experiences from the Workshop, so that others can have a glimpse of it. For Complete Details of TLP Connect/Plus (Mentorship) programme 2020 -> CLICK HERE Thank You IASbaba

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

Daily Current Affairs IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 23rd September 2019

IAS UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 23rd September 2019 Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) Mochi Swabhimaan Initiative Part of: GS Prelims and GS-II - Society In News Mochi Swabhimaan Initiative is a nationwide effort in which Leather Sector Skill Council (LSSC) will support the cobbler community who provide leather-based services, with CSR funds. This will ensure that they work in a dignified manner by bringing respect to their skills by giving them better working environment in the form of kiosks/umbrellas.  Union Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship has launched this initiative. LSSC is an NSDC approved non-profit organization set up in 2012 dedicated to meet the demand for skilled workforce in the leather industry. Shondol Part of: GS Prelims In News Shondol is famous dance, which used to be performed by artists for King of Ladakh on special occasions. Shondol dancehas created history by entering into the Guinness Book of World Records as the largest Ladakhi dance, which involved 408 women It was held on the concluding day of the ongoing Buddhist carnival Naropa festival near the 11th-century world-famousHemis Monastery.  The monastery is close to the Hemis National Park, an area that is home to the endangered snow leopard. During the festival, it was not only focused on Zero usage of Plastic but also sensitise the religious and community leaders on plastic waste management and recycling. Atlantic Meridional Overturning Current (AMOC) Part of: GS Prelims and Mains GS-I- Geography In News AMOC is a large system of ocean currents operating in the Atlantic, which circulates the waters between the north and the south. How it operates? As warm water flows northwards in the Atlantic, it cools, while evaporation increases its salt content. Low temperature and a high salt content raise the density of the water, causing it to sink deep into the ocean. The cold, dense water deep below slowly spreads southward. Eventually, it gets pulled back to the surface and warms again, and the circulation is complete. AMOC ensures the oceans are continually mixed, and heat and energy are distributed around Earth. Scientists have been worried by signs that AMOC may be slowing, which could have drastic consequences on global climate. However,a new study now suggests that AMOC is getting help from the Indian Ocean As a result of climate change, the Indian Ocean warms faster and faster, generating additional precipitation. This draws more air from other parts of the world to the Indian Ocean, including the Atlantic, causing a series of cascading effects that is providing AMOC a “jump start”  ALL INDIA SURVEY ON HIGHER EDUCATION (AISHE) 2018-19 Part of: GS Prelims and Mains GS-II - Education In News Union Minister for HRD released the All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) 2018-19. The survey has listed a total of 993 universities as operational HEI’s in India. A total of 39,931 colleges and 10,725 standalone institutions are dedicated to higher education in the country The Gross Enrolment Ratioincreased from 25.8% in 2017-18 to 26.3% in 2018-19.The total enrolment in higher education has been estimated to be 3.74 crore, as opposed to 3.66 crore the year before. The report also found that GER among male population is 26.3% and for females, it is 26.4%. GER for Reserved Categories i.e. SC and ST categories stands below the national average at 23% and 17.2% respectively. The Gender Parity Index (GPI) has shown consistent growth over the period of last five years from 0.5 in 2014-15 to 1 in 2018-19. The Gender Parity Index suggests that of the total 3.74 crore students, 1.92 crore are men, and 1.82 crore are women. Only 2.5% colleges offer PhD or doctoral programmes to the students The total number of students enrolled for the Doctoral Programme stands at 1,69,170, which is below 0.5% of the total number of students enrolled for higher education.  As per report, the number of students enrolled in the B.Tech and M.Tech programme has fallen by nearly 50% in last five years. On the other hand professional programmes like MBA, B.Ed and LLB have registered significant jump in the students’ enrolment. For instance, MBA enrolment rose from 4,09,432 in 2014-15 to 4,62,853 in 2018-19.  India-Mongolia Part of: GS Prelims and Main GS-II- International Relations In News PM Modi and President of Mongolia H.E. Mr Khaltmaagiin Battulga, jointly unveiled a statue of Lord Buddha and his two disciples, installed at historic Gandan Tegchenling Monastery in Ulaanbaatar (Mongolia’s Capital) via videoconferencing from Delhi. The Statue symbolizes the shared respect of our two countries for universal message of Lord Buddha.  Statue depicts Lord Buddha in a sitting posture along with his two disciples conveying the message of compassion as well as peace and co-existence Gandan Tegchenling Monastery -prominent centre of Mongolian Buddhists - hosted 11th General Assembly of Asian Buddhist Conference for Peace (from 21-23 June 2019) (MAINS FOCUS) CLIMATE CHANGE TOPIC: General Studies 3: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment Climate change action an hour of need Context: Millions of people demonstrated across the world(185 countries)  demanding urgent action to tackle global heating, as they united across timezones and cultures to take part in the biggest climate protest in history. The demonstrations took place on the eve of a UN climate summit, called by the secretary general, António Guterres, to inject urgency into government action to restrict the rise in global temperatures to 1.5C, as agreed under the 2015 Paris agreement. Why? The growing evidence of climate change — scientific and experiential — has spurred an upwelling of social action, notably among the youth. Carbon emissions climbed to a record high last year, despite a warning from the UN-backed Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change that there is little more than a decade left to act to slash emissions and stabilise the climate. Evidences of  climate change: Sea level rise is accelerating, and oceans have become 26% more acidic since the dawn of the Industrial era. This summer saw Delhi-like temperatures across southern Europe;  Hurricane Dorian rendered large parts of the Bahamas unliveable;  simultaneous raging fires in the Amazon, central Africa and even Siberia. heat wave in France and Germany Yet, concentrations of carbon dioxide continue to rise, and current country pledges would not stem this increase even by 2030. Crux: A turn toward nationalism in multiple countries has created a short-term, look-out-for-our-own mentality that is inimical to the global collective action needed to address climate change. Example: In United States, President Donald Trump not only refuses to enhance actions, he has actively rolled back measures in the electricity sector and actions to limit methane emissions in the name of competitiveness In Brazil, President Jair Bolsonaro has made it clear he sees environmental protections as limiting Brazilian business. What is done so far? Diplomatically: countries have been urged to enhance their pledges for action made as part of the Paris Agreement, committing to lower future emissions. the response is underwhelming. A number of small and mid-sized countries, have already committed to achieving the objective of making their economies net carbon neutral by 2050 By contrast, several large countries, notably the United States, Brazil, Australia, Canada, Japan and Mexico are reportedly not even going to participate in the event at a high level China and India have issued statements hinting that they are doing quite enough Trough action port folio: furthering and accelerating an energy transition toward low-carbon energy,  making cities more climate friendly and more resilient to climate disruption,  starting the process of turning energy intensive sectors such as steel and cement more carbon friendly. promoting solar energy for energy security reasons;  making cities more liveable;  making industries more efficient and therefore competitive Impact on India: We are a deeply vulnerable country to climate impacts. It would behove India not to be a status quo player in this context, but to argue for enhanced global collective action. India has the potential to show the pathway to accelerating action on climate change even while pursuing its development interests. India is justifiably recognised for promoting renewable energy, yet also muddies the waters by sending mixed signals on future coal use. Conclusion: India needs domestic energy policies that are more clearly and coherently tuned to a future low carbon world. India and China, jointly must  help ensure that Africa’s development is powered by renewable energy rather than fossil fuels the aim should be to make accelerated climate action congruent with an enlightened notion of national interest by focusing on key actions in rapidly changing areas such as energy and urbanisation. India Must  build a diplomatic approach on a firm domestic foundation that takes seriously climate change as a factor in its future development pathway. 2015 Paris agreement: Paris Agreement is an international agreement to combat climate change. Paris Agreement comes under the broad umbrella of United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). UNFCCC is a convention held in 1992 to combat climate change. Aim: Keep the global temperature rise this century well below 2 degrees Celsius above the pre-industrial level. Pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase even further to 1.5 degrees Celsius. Strengthen the ability of countries to deal with the impacts of climate change. Connecting the dots: Backed by popular mobilisation and scientific evidence, can the UN swing the tide toward enhanced action? What does this canvas of global climate politics mean for India? Could an India, firmly committed to a low-carbon future that brings development benefits, strike common cause with other powers? HEALTH TOPIC:General Studies 2 Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States and the performance of these schemes Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources. One year of Ayushman Bharat — the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) Context: Ayushman Bharat - Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme having central sector component under Ayushman Bharat Mission anchored in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW).  It is an umbrella of two major health initiatives, namely Health and wellness Centres and National  Health Protection Scheme. The journey of Ayushman Bharat started in Jangla in Chhattisgarh. Health and Wellness Centres Under this 1.5 lakh existing sub centres will bring health care system closer to the homes of people in the form of Health and wellness centres.  These centres will provide comprehensive health care, including for non-communicable diseases and maternal and child health services. National Health Protection Mission (AB-PMJAY) AB-PMJAY provides a defined benefit cover of Rs. 5 lakh per family per year. This cover will take care of almost all secondary care and most of tertiary care procedures. The benefit cover will also include pre and post-hospitalisation expenses. PM-JAY has sought to cover a population larger than that of Canada, United States and Mexico put together. Implementation  At the national level to manage, a National Health Agency has been set up. States/ UTs are advised to implement the scheme by a dedicated entity called State Health Agency (SHA). Several states have merged their many ongoing schemes with PMJAY to make implementation simpler for both beneficiaries and participating hospitals.  Ex: Karnataka has merged seven different existing schemes into one, while Kerala has merged three different schemes. Impacts: Ayushman Bharat has been designed on the fundamental precepts that prevention is better than cure, and that no one should fall into poverty because of expenditure on healthcare, or die, because they cannot afford treatment. In-patient hospitalization expenditure in India has increased nearly 300% during last ten year.  More than 80% of the expenditure are met by out of pocket (OOP). Nearly 6 million families getting into poverty due to catastrophic health expenditures AB-PMJAY will have major impact on reduction of Out Of Pocket (OOP) This will lead to increased access to quality health and medication.  timely treatments, improvements in health outcomes, patient satisfaction, improvement in productivity and efficiency, job creation thus leading to improvement in quality of life. Present scenario: More than 20,000 HWCs have been made operational.  More than five crore people have been screened for a whole range of common non-communicable diseases.  more than 45 lakh hospital admissions have taken place for cashless treatment in more than 18,000 empaneled hospitals across the country, resulting in savings of more than Rs 13,000 crore for the beneficiary families.  Every three seconds, a beneficiary is being treated, and the numbers continue to rise. Role of private sector: More than half of the empaneled hospitals are private.  Over 62 per cent of the treatments have been done by private hospitals.  PM-JAY has created a massive demand for private (and public) sector services by making hospital facilities accessible to 55 crore people.  In tier II and tier III cities, private sector hospitals are already witnessing an almost 20 per cent increase in footfall. Public sector facilities have streamlined their processes so as to improve service quality and amenities with funds from PMJAY. Employment generation: Ayushman Bharat is set to become one of the largest drivers of jobs in the country.  With the setting up of 1.5 lakh HWCs by 2022, an expected 1.5 lakh jobs will be created for community health officers, including 50,000 multi-purpose health workers.  It has generated an estimated 50,000-60,000 jobs in the first year itself and is expected to add over 12.5 lakh jobs in both public and private sectors over the next three to five years. as more people seek in-patient care, 1.5 lakh beds will be added in existing and new hospitals. This, in turn, will lead to the creation of around 7.5 lakh new opportunities for doctors, nurses, technicians, pharmacists and frontline healthcare workers such as Pradhan Mantri Arogya Mitras (functionaries who are the key interface between beneficiaries and the scheme) Use of technology: A live dashboard helps in monitoring and improving performance, based on real-time data and regular analysis.  This platform also helps states to compare their performance.  A strong and sophisticated fraud prevention, detection and control system at the national and state level has proved to be critical for PM-JAY to ensure that frauds are largely prevented. Conclusion: Ayushman Bharat has provided a platform and framework for the country to accelerate its progress towards comprehensive universal healthcare. “Green field” states with no past experience of implementing healthcare schemes have to work harder to scale up their progress. All states will need to make sincere efforts towards providing seamless health services to the last mile. As the Ayushman Bharat revolution unfolds, we are optimistic that India will make sure healthcare is no longer a privilege and is available to every Indian. Connecting the dots: Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) is the most ambitious health sector scheme since Independence. Analyze (TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE) Model questions: (You can now post your answers in comment section) Note:  Featured Comments and comments Up-voted by IASbaba are the “correct answers”. IASbaba App users – Team IASbaba will provide correct answers in comment section. Kindly refer to it and update your answers. Q.1)Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) which is the source of information on children’s learning outcomes is releasedby which body/Ministry? Ministry of Human resource development Ministry of Finance NGO- Pratham None of the above Q.2)Shondol is a cultural dance of which region of India? Kerala Manipur Ladakh Rajasthan Q.3)Mochi Swabhimaan Initiative is being implemented by which Union Minstry? Ministry of Labour Ministry of Human resource development Ministry of Skill development and Entrepreneurship None of the above Q.4)Consider the following statements about Atlantic Meridional Overturning Current (AMOC) It is a large system of ocean currents operating in the Atlantic, which circulates the waters between the north and the south. It ensures that heat and energy are distributed around Earth. Recent report show AMOC may be speeding, which could have drastic consequences on global climate. Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct? 1 and 2 only 2and 3 only 1 and 3 only 1,2 and 3 MUST READ India’s opportunity at the UN The Hindu Seeking to secure: on linking Aadhaar-GST registration The Hindu Politics after NRC threatens to change old framework of Assamese nationalism Indian Express The Texas event is timely, gives a big push to trade  Live Mint Tackling India’s auto slowdown: It will hurt the economy and jobs seriously if corrective steps are not taken TOI

Daily Prelims CA Quiz

UPSC Quiz - 2020 : IAS Daily Current Affairs Quiz Day 76

UPSC Quiz - 2020 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz Day 76 Archives Q.1) Consider the following statements with respect to ‘Cyberdome Project’ It makes a collective coordination among the Government departments and agencies, academia, research groups, non-profitable organizations, individual experts from the community, ethical hackers, private organizations, and other law enforcement agencies in the country with an aim of providing a safe and secure cyber world for each and every citizen in the state. It is jointly launched by Ministry of Home affair and NITI Aayog to replace the CCTNS and NATGRID. Select the correct statements 1 Only 2 Only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.2) Consider the following statements with respect to ‘CARICOM’ It is an organisation of Caribbean nations and dependencies having primary objectives to promote economic integration and cooperation among its members. All of the associate members of CARICOM are British overseas territories. Select the correct statements 1 Only 2 Only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.3) ‘Cox's Bazar’ is located in Myanmar Thailand Bangladesh Sri Lanka Q.4) ‘Abqaiq’ was in news recently. Where is it located? Saudi Arabia Iran Syria Lebanon Q.5) ‘1.5-Degree Report (SR 1.5)’ is published by  The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change The UNEP Secretariat The UNFCCC Secretariat The World Meteorological Organization To Download the Solution - Click here All the Best  IASbaba

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Creative Guidance – Meditation, Success & Teacher – Inspirational Educative Articles

Meditation, Success & Teacher: Daily practice of meditation can tremedously improve your chances of succeeding in life. The main reason for this being the self-introspective way of learning meditation offers. Meditation is a scientific way of exploring your life to know your strengths and weaknesses fully and use it to your advantage. One of the trickiest aspects of learning meditation is finding a right teacher. Whether it is finding a techer online or in person, there are few things to consider before choosing a teacher. Let us explore this further. As far as getting the basic guidance of meditation is concerned, you could get that from a lot of people. All you have to make sure is that the person you are learning from has spent more time in meditation than you–plain and simple. At the basic level, that is all that you should be looking for.                                             The reputation of a meditation teacher does not come from numbers; it comes from the guidance. You’ve got to take a chance with a teacher; you have to approach, you have to start learning, and within a matter of a few days you will know if you’re headed in the right direction. If you are with a teacher who’s really willing to guide you, it is not that difficult to see, “Okay, the wisdom that he or she is sharing is really helping.” Another big pitfall in trying to find a teacher is trying to find too perfect a teacher. You know, trying to find a teacher who, according to you, is perfect. If you go on searching for the perfect teacher, it is a futile search, because there are no perfect teachers. The difficulty in judging people, in judging teachers, or in finding the right thing in life, is really not about choosing the right and the wrong. The difficulty is choosing between the wrong and the more wrong, because everyone is flawed. Everything is flawed. Teaching is a mechanism of transferring knowledge through the symbolism of language. Language is a symbol; it’s not an absolute truth. When you’re trying to teach using symbols, you can never be perfect. It’s like when I say, “Awakening is like swimming in the open ocean for the first time.” It is nothing like it; it’s an absolute lie! But, that is my way of saying it. When I say, “Meditation is difficult, meditation is painful, meditation is a torturous process initially,” that is just my way of saying it because it was like that for me, because of the way I approached it. It might be easy for you. A teacher can, at the most, express what he has experienced, using the language of the world, using the expressions of life. There is no perfection in this process. Again, how are you measuring the perfection of a teacher if you’re not comparing him with another teacher? If you’re looking for the perfect teacher, then you have an idea of perfection in your mind, which has to come from some other teacher. That is where the problem is. When you try to compare one teacher with another, you will obviously make a mistake. It doesn’t matter if your comparison is very critical or very analytical; it just doesn’t matter, because two teachers are completely different. That is why meditation is such a tricky affair; you have to judge based on your intuition, based on your comfort level with the teacher, based on certain inner signs, which are not readily accessible. You “just know” this is the right teacher. You “just know” that you want to learn from this person. Sometimes, you just want to play it safe; you just want to make sure that there are a lot of students around this teacher. You think if so many people are being misled then it’s perfectly fine; “I’m going to be one of them.” Sometimes it’s just safety; you think if a teacher has a lot of students, he has to be good. In meditation, it doesn’t work that way. A teacher who has a lot of students could be a good marketer–or he has a group of students who market for him. It doesn’t mean that he’s not a good teacher, so there’s really no way to judge the teacher based on external qualities that we normally measure success by—The number of people, amount of money they’ve made, or the number of years they’ve lived, their experience. He could be a young man, or he could be fifty he could be sixty, and you could be forty or fifty—age doesn’t matter. When you meet such a person, if he has spent time in meditation, you will know—this is something different. Irrespective of the external flaws, there is some wisdom that I want to have, wisdom that I don’t possess. That is all that you should be looking for in a meditation teacher. You don’t have to complicate things, and you should also understand that a teacher is human. “This article is a part of the creative endeavor of Meditation Farm and IASBABA.”

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Daily Current Affairs IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 21st September 2019

IAS UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 21st September 2019 Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) Climate movements Part of: GS Prelims and GS-III – Environment Conservation In News Students in more than 2,000 cities across the world are holding demonstrations under the #FridaysforFuture movement, protesting inaction towards climate change. Also known as the Youth Strike for Climate Movement, it started in August 2018 after Greta Thunberg (16-year-old student) sat outside the Swedish parliament for three weeks to protest against inaction towards climate change and called for concrete government action. Then in September 2018, Thunberg called for a strike every Friday until the Swedish parliament revised its policies towards climate change. The movement soon spread to other countries which turned into a global movement supported by Civil Society activists and Scientists. Students are protesting because they are the ones who are going to be bearing the brunt of Climate change in the coming decades and the governments continue to rely on fossil fuels. In the present phase of the strikes, students are demanding “urgent” and “decisive” action in order to keep global average temperatures from rising above 1.5 degree Celsius. Also, millions of adults will be joining them in the Global #ClimateStrike movement, which will commence just as the UN Climate Action Summit 2019 is set to take place in New York on September 23. Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY) Part of: GS Prelims and Mains GS-I - Women In News PMMVY has achieved a significant milestone by crossing one crore beneficiaries. The total amount disbursed to the beneficiaries under the scheme has crossed Rs. 4,000 crores. It is a direct benefit transfer (DBT) schemeunder which cash benefits are provided to pregnant women in their bank account directly to meet enhanced nutritional needs and partially compensate for wage loss Under the ‘Scheme’, Pregnant Women and Lactating Mothers (PW&LM;) receive a cash benefit of Rs. 5,000 in three instalments on fulfilling the respective conditionality, viz. early registration of pregnancy, ante-natal check-up and registration of the birth of the child and completion of first cycle of vaccination for the first living child of the family. The scheme was launched in 2017 as Centrally SponsoredScheme and implemented by Ministry of Women and Child Development Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Rajasthan are the top five States & UT in the country in implementation of the scheme. Odisha and Telangana are yet to start implementation of the scheme. National Recruitment Agency  Part of: GS Prelims and Mains GS-II -Governance In News Finance Ministry has approved the proposal for creation of a NRA to streamline recruitment process of Group-B (non-gazetted), Group-C (non-technical) and clerical posts in the government along with various equivalent recruitment in PSB. It will be set up to conduct the Common Eligibility Test (CET) for all these competitive examinations, in which an estimated 2.5 crore candidates appear annually. NRA will conduct preliminary examinations for all these recruitment, which are at present conducted by the Staff Selection Commission (SSC) and the Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) The SSC and IBPS will not be disbanded for now and will conduct the mains examinations as usual. NRA is thus expected to reduce the burden on SSC & IBPS whereby NRA will work as a preliminary single-window agency to shortlist qualifying candidates Lotus Tower Part of: GS Prelims In News Sri Lanka unveils South Asia’s tallest tower (called Lotus Tower) in Colombo It is 350-metre-tall and in the shape of Lotus It comprises a hotel, a TV tower, restaurants, a mall, a telecommunications museum, and auditorium. The tower, which is expected to function as Sri Lanka’s ‘digital TV tower’, is built with fibre optic cables and is fully equipped with necessary telecommunication equipment. The tower costs more than $100 million. The 80% of costs incurred has been funded by China under the controversial Belt and Road Initiative(BRI). Wawe Summit 2019 Part of: GS Prelims In News Union Human Resource Development Minister has launched the Waste Management Accelerator for Aspiring Women Entrepreneurs (WAWE Summit 2019). The summit will be the largest gathering of young women students who will promote entrepreneurship in waste management and provide alternatives to single-use plastic carry bags It is organized by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) and Institute of Waste Management(IIWM) at Jaipur. Theme of summit: “Make your own bag – empowering women to take up income generation activity and entrepreneurship in waste management, through making a business out of this record-creating concept.” AICTE is the statutory body responsible for proper planning and coordinated development of the technical education and management education system in India. AICTE works under Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Human Resource Development. (MAINS FOCUS) ECONOMY TOPIC: General Studies 3: Government Budgeting Parliamentary Budget Office a need for an hour Parliamentary Budget Office: A PBO is an independent and impartial body linked directly to Parliament. It provides technical and objective analysis of Budgets and public finance to the House and its committees. It can generate quality public debate on Budget policy and public finance, enabling parliamentarians to engage meaningfully in the Budget process. Traditionally, independent budgetary units are more common in developed countries. Need for PBO: Executive-led budgetary governance has not been successful in India. To carry out the functions effectively, Parliament requires institutional, analytical and technical competence. There is a growing trend among legislatures, particularly within the OECD countries to establish specialised Budget research units. Function of PBOs across the world: Independent and objective economic forecast. Baseline estimate survey. Analysing the executive’s Budget proposal. Providing medium- to long-term analysis What is to be done? The body needs to be appointed not based on political allegiance or expediency, but on its expertise in budgetary, fiscal and economic matters. This body must serve parliamentarians equally and without prejudice. These bodies must help shape the debate and discourse around the state of the nation’s finances and the fiscal implications of significant proposals. Crux: What is gravely in danger is evidence-based discussion around important policies that affect the trajectory of our Republic, discussions which can quickly blur the line between fact and fiction. Example:  The Rafale deal with Dassault Aviation. Part of the controversy resulted from uncertainty regarding the true lifecycle costs of the aircraft bought. In 2011, the Canadian PBO released a cost estimate for Canada’s purchase of F-35 jets. This estimate far exceeded the one presented by the Department of National Defence. Working of PBOs: It is often the case that economic and fiscal projections of a PBO and the Ministry of Finance are similar. This is unsurprising as data sources and economic methodologies for such projections are well established and uniform. without the existence of another data point l generated by an independent, non-partisan office, (PBO)it is difficult for parliamentarians to ensure that these projections and estimates continue to be reliable enough for them to make decisions on. When these projections come into question, the Cabinet can tap the civil service for further research and analysis. Most parliamentarians do not have this luxury and may have to rely on poor quality third-party data and analysis, done without relevant expertise. This is a situation that must be avoided AG vs PBO : Auditor general performs, which is to provide retrospective audits and analysis of the financial accounts and performance of government operations. A PBO provides prospective, forward-looking economic and fiscal projections, as well as policy costings. International examples: Congressional Budget Office in the United States ,Offices in the Netherlands, Korea, Australia and the United Kingdom. In some of these countries PBOs provide independent cost estimates of electoral platform measures to political parties. Conclusions: The amount of information parliamentarians need to scrutinise in Budget documents has exponentially increased and a PBO would assist parliamentarians in this process of scrutiny. India’s Parliament and government need to work quickly and energetically to establish such an office; it is in everyone’s interests to do so. As the process toward the Union Budget 2020 has already kicked off, it would be prudent for parliamentarians to examine the case for a PBO more deeply. Connecting the dots: Legislatures across the world have witnessed an increasingly stronger executive try to wrest away its rightful power of the purse. A PBO would help resuscitate these powers that have fallen into disuse. ECONOMY TOPIC: General Studies 3: Effects of liberalization on the economy, changes in industrial policy and their effects on industrial growth. Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways etc. Investment models. Finance Minister cuts corporate taxes Context: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman cuts corporate taxes for domestic, new manufacturing companies How much? Corporate tax rate has been cut to 22% from 30% for companies that do not avail exemptions — this means that the effective tax rate for such companies will fall from 34.94% presently to 25.17% companies opting for 22 per cent income tax slab would not have to pay minimum alternative tax (MAT). The government has also decided to not levy enhanced surcharge introduced in Budget on capital gain arising from the sale of equity shares in a company liable for securities transaction tax (STT). Auto firms looking to make in India will have to pay an even lower tax rate of 15%, provided they start by 31 March 2023 Why? The idea behind this move is obviously to generate private investment which is now at a low ebb, and also be to attract foreign investors looking for alternative sites for their global value chains disrupted now by the tariff war between China and the U.S. With these cuts, the government has delivered on a long-standing demand of Corporate India. Positive impacts: Tax concessions will bring investments in Make in India, boost employment and economic activity, leading to more revenue The new corporate tax cuts are expected to boost economic growth, which slipped to a six-year low of 5% in the April-June quarter. Vehicle prices may come down significantly following cut in corporate tax Negative impacts: Revenue foregone on reduction in corporate tax and other relief measures will be Rs 1.45 lakh crore annually. This is very significant, especially in the context of the over-estimation of revenues in the Budget and the under-performance in terms of tax collections so far this year The deficit target of 3.3% for this fiscal is unattainable, as things stand Minimum alternative tax (MAT): Companies try to minimise giving taxes by taking advantage of depreciation, deductions, exemptions, etc from the government. So the government imposes a Minimum Alternate Tax or MAT as an advance tax on these companies. This makes the companies give at least a minimum amount of tax. In India MAT is levied under Section 115JB of the Income Tax Act, 1961 Conclusion: The onus is now in passing on the benefit of lower taxes down the chain to consumers and investors. The one route open to the government is to go big on disinvestment where it has already budgeted Rs 1,05,000 crore for this year The corporate tax cuts are certainly good for the economy in the medium term but in the short term, until revenues bounce back, the government has a fiscal problem on its hands. Connecting the dots: Tax cuts have enthused Corporate India, but there is the fiscal problem to deal with. Elucidate. (TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE) Model questions: (You can now post your answers in comment section) Note:  Featured Comments and comments Up-voted by IASbaba are the “correct answers”. IASbaba App users – Team IASbaba will provide correct answers in comment section. Kindly refer to it and update your answers. Q.1) Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana is being implemented by which Ministry? Ministry of Health Ministry of Finance Ministry of Women and Child Development None of the above Q.2) “Fridays for Future” movement often seen in news is related to which of the following areas? Awareness about ill-effects of alcoholism Wage parity between men and women employees Students protesting for action by government towards Climate change None of the above Q.3) Which of the following are the objectives of setting National Recruitment Agency To streamline recruitment process on subordinate-rank posts in the government. To reduce the burden of SSC and the IBPS, among others, from holding preliminary recruitment exams, which is an extensive exercise. Select the correct answer from the codes given below. 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.4) Consider the following statements about Lotus Tower It is South Asia’s tallest tower located in Thailand It has been funded by China under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 MUST READ One people, many countries The Hindu  A rural stimulus The Hindu Fix the fundamentals first Indian Express Modi government ought to recognise that diaspora diplomacy is double-edged Indian Express    

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