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Press Information Bureau (PIB) IAS UPSC – 13th January to 19th January – 2020

Press Information Bureau (PIB) IAS UPSC – 13th to 19th January, 2020 ARCHIVES GS-2 Signing of Historic Agreement to end the Bru-Reang Refugee Crisis (Topic: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation) Signing of an agreement between: Government of India, Governments of Tripura and Mizoram and Bru-Reang representatives Under the new agreement Around 34,000 Bru refugees will be settled in Tripura and would be given aid from the Centre to help with their rehabilitation and all round development, through a package of around Rs 600 crores.  These people would get all the rights that normal residents of the States get and they would now be able to enjoy the benefits of social welfare schemes of Centre and State governments. Each of the displaced families would be given 40x30 sq.ft. residential plots, in addition to the aid under earlier agreement of a fixed deposit of Rs. 4 lakhs, Rs. 5,000 cash aid per month for 2 years, free ration for 2 years and Rs. 1.5 lakhs aid to build their house. The government of Tripura would provide the land under this agreement. What is Bru-Reang refugee crisis? In 1997, following ethnic tension, around 5,000 families comprising around 30,000 Bru-Reang tribals were forced to flee Mizoram and seek shelter in Tripura. These people were housed in temporary camps at Kanchanpur, in North Tripura. Since 2010, Government of India has been making sustained efforts to permanently rehabilitate these refugees. The Union government has been assisting the two State governments for taking the care of the refugees. Till 2014, 1622 Bru-Reang families returned to Mizoram in different batches.  On 3rd July, 2018, an agreement was signed between the Union government, the two State governments and representatives of Bru-Reang refugees, as a result of which the aid given to these families was increased substantially. Subsequently, 328 families comprising of 1369 individuals returned to Mizoram under the agreement. There had been a sustained demand of most Bru-Reang families that they may be allowed to settle down in Tripura, considering their apprehensions about their security. IBBI amends the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (Voluntary Liquidation Process) Regulations, 2017 (Topic: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation) The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) has notified the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (Voluntary Liquidation Process) (Amendment) Regulations, 2020 on 15th January. 2020. The aforesaid amendment provides that a Liquidator shall deposit the amount of unclaimed dividends, if any, and undistributed proceeds, if any, in a liquidation process along with any income earned thereon into the Corporate Voluntary Liquidation Account before submission of an application for dissolution of the corporate person. It also provides a process for a stakeholder to seek withdrawal from the Corporate Voluntary Liquidation Account. MoU between NITI Aayog and Union Territory of Ladakh for Development of Infrastructure Projects (Topic: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation) Under this MoU, NITI Aayog will be supporting the UT’s administration through its key initiative ‘Development Support Services to States for Infrastructure Projects (D3S-i)’. The partnership lays thrust on the identification of high-impact priority projects, expedited project implementation, addressing structural-level issues and creating unique models of development for the Union Territory of Ladakh.  NITI Aayog has committed to assist the UT’s administration in creating a strategic plan for identifying prioritized infrastructure projects and by providing end-to-end transaction-management support for the identified projects.  A dedicated team of professionals is expected to be stationed at Ladakh for identification and development of projects in the UT, especially in tourism, solar energy and basic infrastructure. India and Bangladesh ink key agreements in Information & Broadcasting sector (Topic: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation with neighbouring countries) A formal co-production agreement was signed on the biopic of “BangaBandhu”, Sheikh Mujibur Rehman, which will be released during the birth centenary year of Bangabandhu. Bangladesh has decided to celebrate the ‘Mujib Year’ from March 17, 2020 to March 17, 2021 to mark the centenary year of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the first President of Bangladesh. Deepening India’s engagement with Bangladesh, an airtime exchange programme between Prasar Bharati and Bangladesh Radio Betar was also launched. With today’s launch content from Maitree service has started airing in Dhaka and reciprocally content from Bangladesh Radio Betar has started airing on All India Radio in Kolkata. India and Finland ink MoU to enhance bilateral defence cooperation (Topic: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation with other countries) The MoU on co-operation in the field of Production, Procurement, Research and Development of Defence related Equipment and Industrial cooperation has been inked on the sidelines of Raisina Dialogue 2020.  Under the broad ambit of the MoU, cooperation between Finnish companies and Indian Defence Public Sector Undertakings could be explored. Timelines: A draft MoU between the two countries in the field of defence cooperation amongst others was under discussion since the DefExpo 2018 and has now been formalised in the run up to DefExpo 2020, to be held in Uttar Pradesh capital Lucknow between February 5-9, 2020. In 2019, Mr Juusti had led a delegation to Aero India in Bengaluru and post his visit, the Permanent Secretary had evinced their interest to participate in the ‘Make in India’ vision and formalise an arrangement for Defence Industrial cooperation through an MoU.  On February 13, 2016, Prime Minister of Finland Mr Juha Sipila had bilateral discussions with Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi during his visit to India for the inauguration of the ‘Make in India’ week.  In April 17, 2018, Prime Minister Modi held a bilateral meeting with Mr Sipila during the first India-Nordic Summit in Stockholm, Sweden. Also, a delegation from Finland had visited India between November 29 – December 02, 2018 to explore new business opportunities for Finnish companies. World Bank and Government of India Sign $88 million loan agreement for the implementation of Assam Inland Water Transport Project (Topic: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation with international organisations) The Government of India, the Government of Assam and the World Bank signed a loan agreement of $88 million to help modernize Assam’s passenger ferry sector that runs on its rivers including the mighty Brahmaputra. A majority of Assam’s more than 361 ferry routes cross the Brahmaputra or serve its islands, providing a crucial means of transport to thousands of commuters in both the urban and rural areas of the Brahmaputra Valley. The Assam Inland Water Transport Project (AIWTP) will  Help Assam improve the passenger ferry infrastructure and its services Strengthen the capacity of the institutions running the inland water transport Technically better designed terminals and energy-efficient vessels (both new and retrofitted) will make the ferry services more sustainable with least disruption to nature. The Assam Inland Water Transport Project will help develop a modern, efficient and safe river transport system for the large volume of passengers and cargo carried by the vessels. Inland Water Transport is also a more sustainable mode of transport. It provides low-carbon and low-cost options when compared to the cost of constructing and maintaining flood-resilient roads and bridges across the long stretches of the Brahmaputra river. The project will also help build modern ferry terminals. In doing so, the project will draw guidance from ‘working with nature’ principles that aim to design new infrastructure or rehabilitate existing infrastructure in a way that works with natural river processes. The terminals will have better access, lighting and signages while the new vessels will allow for individual seats, and separate toilets. Moreover, a strengthened regulatory regime will ensure reduction in overloading, adherence to time schedule and better crew standards. Assam has the largest network of navigable waterways in India. The Government of Assam has taken on the challenge of modernizing the ferries sector which, though vital to the state, remains largely informal. With World Bank support, the government is creating an institutional framework that will mainstream Inland Waterways as a mode of transport that is both attractive and well-suited to a wide cross-section of people living in the Brahmaputra Valley of Assam. GS-3 India’s communication satellite GSAT-30 launched successfully (Topic: Space Technology) GSAT-30  has a unique  configuration of  providing flexible  frequency segments and  flexible coverage.     The  satellite  will provide  communication services  to Indian mainland and islands  through Ku-band and wide coverage  covering Gulf countries, a large number  of Asian countries and Australia through  C-band. GSAT-30  will provide  DTH Television  Services, connectivity  to VSATs for ATM, Stock-exchange,  Television uplinking and Teleport Services,  Digital Satellite News Gathering (DSNG) and  e-governance applications. The satellite will also  be used for bulk data transfer for a host of emerging  telecommunication applications. In  the days  ahead, orbit-raising  manoeuvres will be performed  to place the satellite in Geostationary  Orbit (36,000 km above the equator) by using  its onboard propulsion system. During the final  stages of its orbit raising operations, the two solar  arrays and the antenna reflectors of GSAT-30 will be deployed.    Following this, the satellite will be put in its final orbital configuration.    The satellite will be operational after the successful completion of all in-orbit  tests. Meeting of the Island Development Agency focusing on ‘Green Development in the Islands to reach a new Height' (Topic: Tourism; Environment) The Island Development Agency reviewed the progress made towards the programme “Holistic development of islands”. For the first time in the country, under the guidance of IDA, an initiative of sustainable development in the identified Islands within scientifically-assessed carrying capacity has been taken-up.  Development Plans with focus on creation of jobs for the islanders through tourism promotion as well as export of seafood and coconut-based products made in the Islands have been prepared and are being implemented in four islands of Andaman & Nicobar and five islands of Lakshadweep. In the second phase, suitable sites in 12 more islands of Andaman & Nicobar Islands and 5 islands in Lakshadweep have been covered. Model tourism projects Both Land-based and Water Villas were planned and bids have been invited for private sector participation.  As a unique initiative, to spur investment, it was decided to obtain clearances for implementation of the planned projects up-front.  All necessary clearances would be in place before bids finalization.  Environment and Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) clearances have already been obtained for four exemplary tourism projects of Andaman & Nicobar Islands. Strengthening infrastructure support Projects for improving air, sea and digital connectivity are being implemented.  Port Blair and another 7 islands in Andaman & Nicobar would get digitally connected through submarine optical fibre cable by June, 2020.  Better communication services would facilitate setting up of Information Technology based and other Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the islands with incentives through Lakshadweep and Andaman & Nicobar Islands Industrial Development Scheme (LANIDS), 2018 notified on 1st January, 2019.  The proposed airports in Great Nicobar Island of Andaman & Nicobar and Minicoy Island of Lakshadweep would catalyze the development process in the region. Way Forward Formulate separate policy for maintaining a clean, green and healthy environment in the islands.  Implement suitable strategies for sustainable utilization of fisheries resources available in Exclusive Economic Zone around the islands.  Adequate technology-based facilities need to be provided to enhance fish collection, storage, processing and export of value-added products which would provide more jobs and generate additional income for the islands. Year End Review 2019 – Ministry of Power Availability of reliable and affordable energy is key for development of any country.  Electrification of approximately 2.6 Crores households achieved Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana (SAUBHAGYA): Launched in Sept., 2017 with the objective to achieve universal household electrification by providing last mile connectivity and electricity connections to all remaining un-electrified households in rural and urban areas by 31st March, 2019 Deendayal Upadhyaya Gram JyotiYojana (DDUGJY): 100% villages across the country stands electrified as on 28thApril, 2018 Integrated Power Development Scheme (IPDS) was launched in the year 2014 for improving and augmenting the distribution and sub-transmission systems in Urban areas with a view to improve reliability. Under the scheme, till today, system strengthening of sub-transmission and distribution network has been in 371 circles. 560 additional urban Towns have been IT-enabled, and about 30,000 kms of HT/LT lines have been installed across 546 circles in the country. 820 new substations have been constructed, while more than 50,000 Distribution transformers have been installed. For better work flow management in the Utilities, IPDS has also funded Enterprise resource planning (ERP) across several Utilities, out of which implementation has been completed in 6 Utilities. Smart Metering: In the current financial year, Ministry of Power has issued guidelines to all States to convert all existing consumer meters into Smart meters in prepaid mode. Operation of Smart meters in prepaid mode would allow consumers to pay as per their own financial convenience and electricity consumption requirements. Ujwal DISCOM Assurance Yojana (UDAY): A scheme for financial and operation turnaround of Power Distribution Companies (DISCOMs) was launched by the Government for State owned Distribution Utilities at a time when the outstanding debts and losses of the Distribution utilities had increased to levels that were adversely affecting the viability of the Power and Banking Sectors. The purpose of UDAY was to usher reforms across the Power and coal Sectors through competitive and cooperative federalism to pave the way for 24X7 affordable and reliable Power for all. UDAY incorporated a slew of measures, including financial re-engineering measures, as well as operational improvement measures. Atal JyotiYojana (AJAY) and Solar Study Lamp scheme: Over 1.48 lakh Solar LED Street Lights commissioned in rural areas under AJAY and over 59.18 lakh Solar Study Lamps distributed to school going students under Solar Study Lamp scheme. North Eastern states: Over 1 crore LED bulbs, 93,900 LED tube lights and 3.65 lakh energy efficient fans distributed under UJALA scheme. Over 1 lakh LED street lights installed under SLNP. Unnat Jyoti by Affordable LEDs for All (UJALA): Over 36.10 crore LED bulbs, 71.61 lakh LED tube lights and 23.10 lakh energy efficient fans distributed across the country. This has resulted in estimated energy savings of 47 billion kWh per year with avoided peak demand of 9,590 MW, estimated GHG emission reduction of 38 million CO2 per year and estimated cost saving of INR 18,935 crore per year in electricity bills of consumers. Street Lighting National Programme (SLNP): Over 1 crore energy efficient LED streetlights have been installed across the country. This has resulted in estimated energy savings of 6.9 billion kWh per year with avoided peak demand of 1,152 MW, estimated GHG emission reduction of 4.76 million t CO2per year and estimated annual cost saving of INR 2,686 crore in electricity bills of Municipalities. National E-Mobility Programme: Procurement process of 10,000 e-cars concluded. The price discovered for e-cars is 25 % less than similar cars in market. Till date, 1510 e-cars deployed/under deployment for Government offices and 470 Captive Chargers (300 AC & 170 DC) commissioned in these offices. Electric Vehicles Charging Infrastructure: EESL is also installing Public Charging Stations to promote Electric vehicles. Till date, 65 nos. of Public Charging Stations (PCS) have been commissioned in New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) area. MoUs signed with multiple stakeholders across the country. Building Energy Efficiency Programme (BEEP): Building energy efficiency project has been completed in 10,310 buildings including Railway stations and Airports. Agricultural Demand Side Management (AgDSM): Over73,600 energy efficient pumps have been installed in Andhra Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. Decentralized solar power plants: Decentralized solar power plant of60 MW cumulative capacity commissioned in the state of Maharashtra.   Prelims oriented News National Youth Day: 13th Jan Thuglak, a Tamil magazine: Founded by the late Cho Ramaswamy November 26, 2019: 70th anniversary of the adoption of the Indian Constitution by the Constituent Assembly Muppavarapu Venkaiah Naidu National Award: Prof. M S Swaminathan - Doyen of Agricultural Science National Disaster Response Force (NDRF): The largest singular & specialized disaster response force in the world IRAD project: Will enhance the analytical capabilities based on international best practice, and will also help to perform analysis based on collected data for further improvement/corrective measures to be taken at accident spot/accident prone areas by the concerned Road Authority. There are two main agricultural seasons in India –  ‘Kharif’ from 1st April to 30th September ‘Rabi’ from 1st October to 31st March. FASTag Rules relaxed for 65 NHAI toll plazas having High Cash Transactions The concerned fee plazas have been allowed to convert up to 25 per cent of all fee lanes to hybrid (cash plus FASTag) lanes during this time. The move comes in the wake of NHAI raising concerns regarding high cash transactions on its 65 identified fee plazas. NHAI has pointed out that most of the fee plazas are functioning with one hybrid lane on each side and while efforts are being made to bring more fee plazas within the ambit, the said identified fee plazas were facing heavy traffic rush on the hybrid lanes. With a view to save the citizens from inconvenience, the Ministry has decided that depending on the traffic pile up at these 65 fee plazas, not more than 25 percent FASTag lane of Fee Plaza may be temporarily converted to hybrid lanes. At least 75% lanes of these 65 fee plaza remain declared and operational as ‘FASTag lane of Fee Plaza’ in order to incentivize the vehicles carrying FASTag. Novel coronavirus outbreak in China Coronaviruses are large family of viruses, which cause illnesses to people and also circulate in animals including camels, cats and bats. Rarely, animal coronaviruses can also evolve and infect people. Also known as Wuhan coronavirus, Wuhan seafood market pneumonia virus and Wuhan pneumonia, is a positive-sense, single-stranded RNA coronavirus first reported in 2019 The clinical signs and symptoms are mainly fever with a few patients having difficulty in breathing. The mode of transmission is unclear as of now.  2019-nCoV can transmit between humans (it was earlier believed to transmit only from animals to humans). This is a worrying development because it means the viral infection may spread further and much more rapidly, especially in the backdrop of the ongoing yearly migration in China on account of the Chinese New Year festivities when millions of people travel across China. Although as per World Health Organization’s risk assessment the risk for global spread has been stated as low.

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QUICK UPDATE: DAF Session @ DELHI (as part of IMP Program) by Serving IRS Officer on 23rd January, 6 PM (Thursday)

QUICK UPDATE: DAF Session @ DELHI (as part of IMP Program) by Serving IRS Officer on 23rd January, 6 PM (Thursday)   Dear Students, Based on many Requests in Delhi, we are conducting a DAF session on 23rd January 2020 (Thursday) at 6 PM to guide you on filling the DAF. The session shall be conducted by serving IRS Officer, on pro-bono basis. The most important step right now is filling up your Detailed Application Form(DAF). Your DAF introduces you to the board before you get to introduce yourself. And utmost care is needed to ensure that you do not make blunders in filling it up. The session is FREE and OPEN TO ALL !!  About DAF Session @ Bengaluru -> CLICK HERE P.S. : Get a print out of your DAF (mandatory). IMP Workshop will be held on 1st February in Bengaluru and 2nd February in Delhi. Details will be announced soon. VENUE: IASBABA, 5B, PUSA road, Karol Bagh, New Delhi -110005 (Landmark: Just 50m from Karol Bagh Metro Station, GATE No.8 (Next to CROMA Store). DATE & TIMINGS: 23rd January (Thursday) at 6 PM Email id: support@iasbaba.com Contact No.: DELHI: +91 11-41678500/+91 11-41672600 ( Office Timings: 10 am – 6 pm) Going forward we will be conducting Workshop for Interview as part of Interview Mentorship Program (IMP).  HIGHLIGHTS of INTERVIEW MENTORSHIP PROGRAMME (IMP): Workshop – 3 hour session to set the mood for Interview preparation. Open Mocks – a Unique Approach Pioneered by IASbaba!! Mock Interviews – Conducted by the board of five Eminent resource persons chosen to exactly replicate the UPSC Interview board. This session shall be recorded and the video will be provided to the candidate. One-to-one discussion – to analyse the candidate’s performance in the mock interview. DAF discussion Current Affairs Sessions To REGISTER and to Know more about IMP Program -> CLICK HERE Thank You IASbaba

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ASER - Annual Status of Education Report 2019 – Vishesh - RSTV IAS UPSC

ASER - Annual Status of Education Report 2019 Archives TOPIC: General Studies 2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Education In News: The recently released ASER 2019 report by NGO Pratham is completely focussed on exploring more deeply where young children are and what they can do. It directs attention to children between four and eight years of age, and suggests that India’s learning crisis could be linked to the weakness of the country’s pre-primary system. The report is based on a survey conducted in 26 districts across 24 states in India, covering over 36,000 children in the age group of 4-8 years. More than 20 per cent of students in Standard I are less than six 36 per cent students in Standard 1 are older than the RTE-mandated age of six - close to five crore children currently in elementary school do not have foundational literacy and numeracy skills Gender gap in schooling: Parents choose government schools for girl students in the age group of 4 to 8 years while for boys, they prefer private schools - among 4-5-year-old children, 56.8 per cent girls and 50.4 per cent boys are enrolled in government schools or pre-schools, while 43.2 per cent girls and 49.6 per cent boys are enrolled in private pre-schools or schools Across all age groups enrolled in standard I, girls in private schools are performing better than their male counterparts The emphasis, as ASER 2019 emphasises, should be on “developing problem-solving faculties and building memory of children, and not content knowledge”. ASER - Annual Status of Education Report 2019 – Vishesh - RSTV IAS UPSC Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/aser-flags-poor-learning-outcomes-in-schools/article30569671.ece  The mother’s education often determines the kind of pre-schooling or schooling that the child gets. How? The report says that among children in the early years (ages 0-8), those with mothers who had completed eight or fewer years of schooling are more likely to be attending anganwadis or government pre-primary classes, whereas their peers whose mothers had studied beyond the elementary stage are more likely to be enrolled in private LKG/UKG classes. ASER 2019 also shows how, among 4- and 5-year-olds who were administered a four-piece puzzle and 6- to 8-year-olds who were asked to solve a 6-piece puzzle, those whose mothers had completed Class 11 or more had a higher chance of solving these cognitive tasks. Between 2011 and 2012, researchers at MIT’s Poverty Action Lab worked with Pratham to study whether literacy classes and other interventions for mothers could improve children’s learning outcomes. They found that their interventions have “had small positive impacts on mothers’ math and literacy skills, the home learning environment, some forms of school attendance, and ultimately children’s learning levels”. But then why are children entering school before age six? This is partly due to the lack of affordable and accessible options for pre-schooling. Therefore, too many children go to Std I with limited exposure to early childhood education.  Children from poor families have a double disadvantage — lack of healthcare and nutrition on one side and the absence of a supportive learning environment on the other.  Although the anganwadi network across India is huge, by and large, school readiness or early childhood development and education activities have not had high priority in the ICDS system. Private preschools that are mushrooming in urban and rural communities have increased access to preschool but are often designed to be a downward extension of schooling. Thus, they bring in school-like features into the pre-school classroom, rather than developmentally appropriate activities by age and phase. Trends that have emerged First, there is considerable scope for expanding anganwadi outreach for three and four-year-old children. All-India data from 2018 shows that slightly less than 30 per cent children at age three and 15.6 per cent of children at age four are not enrolled anywhere. But these figures are much higher in states like Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. Expanding access to anganwadis is an important incremental step. Strengthening the early childhood components in the ICDS system would help greatly in raising school readiness among young children. Second, it is commonly assumed that children enter Standard I at age six and that they proceed year by year from Std I to Std VIII, reaching the end of elementary school by age 14. The Right to Education Act also refers to free and compulsory education for the age group six to 14. However, the practice on the ground is quite different. ASER 2018 data show that 27.6 per cent of all children in Std I are under age six. Third, there are important age implications for children’s learning. Data from ASER 2019 (26 rural districts) indicate that in Std I, the ability to do cognitive activities among seven-eight-year olds can be 20 percentage points higher than their friends who are five years old but in the same class. In terms of reading levels in Std I, 37.1 per cent children who are under six can recognise letters whereas 76 per cent of those who are seven or eight can do the same. Interestingly, age distribution in Std I varies considerably between government and private schools, with private schools in many states having a relatively older age distribution. A big part of the differences in learning levels between government and private school children may be due to these differences in age composition right from the beginning of formal schooling. The Way Forward Understanding challenges that children face when they are young is critical if we want to solve these problems early in children’s lives rather than waiting till much later to attempt the much harder to do remedial action. On the pedagogy side, a reworking of curriculum and activities is urgently needed for the entire age band from four to eight, cutting across all types of preschools and early grades regardless of whether the provision is by government institutions or by private agencies. A case can also be made for streamlining the curriculum at the pre-school stage so that all pre-schools focus on activities that build cognitive and early literacy and numeracy skills. These will aid further learning. There is a need to leverage the existing network of anganwadi centres to implement school readiness – The core structure of the anganwadis was developed more than 40 years ago as part of the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS). Pre-school education is part of their mandate. But at the best of times, these centres do no more than implement the government’s child nutrition schemes.  A number of health crises — including last year’s AES outbreak in Bihar — have bared the inadequacies of the system. A growing body of scholarly work has also shown that the anganwadi worker is poorly-paid, demoralised and lacks the autonomy to be an effective nurturer.  There is a need to expand and upgrade anganwadis to ensure that children get adequate and correct educational inputs of the kind that are not modeled after the formal school. Most of the young mothers in the next decade will not be very young as median age of marriage has increased from 18.2 years in 2001 to 19.2 in 2011 to nearly 21.7 in rural India and 23.4 in urban India by 2016. Further, most of these young mothers will have had at least five years of schooling. These changes in the young Indian mother’s profile need to be taken into account when thinking of the education inputs to be designed for the Indian child of the next decade. “The idea behind early childhood education is not more institutionalisation in the form of private pre-schools or play schools but to involve children through cognitive tasks that mainly involve play.” Connecting the Dots: Early childhood education has the potential to be the “greatest and most powerful equaliser”. Discuss.

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Daily Current Affairs IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 21st January 2020

IAS UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 21st January 2020 Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) SC : Welfare schemes for religious minorities Part of: GS Prelims –Polity and GS-II- Vulnerable section In news: The Supreme Court asked the UP government to respond to a petition alleging that the government is discriminating against Hindus by providing religious minorities with welfare schemes worth thousands of crores. From Prelims point of view: National Commission for Minorities Statutory body set up under the National Commission for Minorities Act, 1992. Unlike other bodies like NCSC and NCST, NCM has no constitutional backing or status. Works under the Ministry of Minority Affairs. It looks into complaints from members of five religious communities notified as a minority community in 2014.( Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists and Zoroastrians (Parsis) Jain community) Who are minorities? Constitution  speaks of minorities ‘based on religion or language’ and rights of minorities have been spelt out in Constitution in detail. Six religious communities, viz. Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, Zoroastrians (Parsis) and Jains have been notified in Gazette of India as minority communities by Union Government all over India. Electoral bonds scheme not to be stalled Part of: GS Prelims –Polity and GS-II- Election commission  In news: Chief Justice of India (CJI) said that  the Supreme Court had found it unnecessary to stay the electoral bonds scheme (EBS) Supreme Court recently passed an interim order directing political parties to provide complete information to the ECI in sealed covers on every single donor and contribution received by them till date through electoral bonds From Prelims point of view: Electoral bonds The Electoral bonds are instruments/securities used to donate funds to the political parties.  These bonds will be on the lines of bearer bonds or promissory notes wherein the issuer (bank) will be the custodian and will pay the one who holds the bonds (political party Features: The donor may approach these banks and purchase the bonds. The donor shall be permitted to buy the bonds through cheque/digital payment. Hence the identity of the donors will be protected (if the donors are identified, they may get caught up in political rivalry-especially if the donor is a businessman). The donor will donate these bonds to the political party. The political party has to encash it into the account which is registered with the Election Commission of India. This is also important for Mains examination we will soon take this issue in Mains Focus section Stay tuned!! Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) Non-partisan, non-governmental organization which works in the area of electoral and political reforms. ADR aims at bringing transparency and accountability in Indian politics and reducing the influence of money and muscle power in elections. National Election Watch (NEW) is a conglomeration of over 1200 organizations across the country. ADR has become the single data point for information/analysis of Indian politics Tigersharks : India is placing Sukhoi jets in South India Part of: GS Prelims –Polity and GS-II- Internal Security In news: Air force commissioned the 222 squadron, also known as 'Tigersharks', for their Thanjavur base Tamil Nadu  It will play a key role in keeping China's growing clout in the Indian Ocean region  The squadron has Sukhoi-30 carrying the BrahMos cruise missile. From Prelims point of view: Sukhoi Su-30MKI A twinjet multirole air superiority fighter developed by Russia Integrates Indian systems and avionics as well as French and Israeli sub-systems. BRAHMOS Joint venture between India & Russia. Brahmos is named on the rivers Brahmaputra and Moskva. air to surface missile with a flight range of around 300 km. India's entry into the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) has extended the range of the BRAHMOS missile to reach 450 km-600km, a shade above its current MTCR capped range of 300 km. Brahmos is the heaviest weapon to be deployed on Su-30 MKI fighter aircraft, with a weight of 2.5 tonnes. Brahmos is a multiplatform i.e it can be launched from land, air, and sea. It operates on the "Fire and Forgets" principle i.e it does not require further guidance after launch. Government  to seek green clearance for water aerodromes Part of: GS Prelims –Polity and GS-II- Vulnerable section In news: The Union Civil Aviation Ministry has given in-principle clearance to set up aerial airports (AIRDROME) in the country.  Five states - Odisha, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, and Assam - have been identified for its launch.  In the first phase of the project, Chilka Lake (Odisha), Sabarmati River Front and Sardar Sarovar dam (Gujarat) have been marked for the development of such facilities. From Prelims point of view: UDAN : ‘Ude Desh ka Aam Nagarik’ scheme is a part of the National Civil Aviation Policy (NCAP) UDAN is a regional connectivity scheme spearheaded by the Government of India (GoI).  Aims to develop smaller regional airports to allow common citizens easier access to aviation services. Objectives : Operationalization and development of 425 underserved or unserved airports in the country Boost inclusive economic development by providing faster connectivity Development of air transport infrastructure in remote areas aiding job growth Kerala's move to challenge CAA  Part of: GS Prelims –Polity and GS-II- Governor  In news: Recent controversy concerning the Kerala government’s move to challenge the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 Kerala Govt chose to sue the Centre in the Supreme Court under Article 131 without first informing Governor From Prelims point of view: Article 131 Article 131 : Original and exclusive jurisdiction of the Supreme Court.  Here, 'Original' and 'Exclusive' means that Court has the power and authority to address, hear and rule a decision in the initial instance.  The exclusivity factor of the jurisdiction provides an exceptional and particular power to the Court to hear and decide the matter than any other Courts Article 167 : It is the Chief Minister’s duty to communicate to the Governor all decisions of the Council of Ministers relating to the administration and proposals for legislation. It enjoins the Chief Minister to furnish such information relating to the administration as the Governor may call for. There may be occasions when the Governor may need to ask a top bureaucrat or the head of the police force for a report on a major incident or development, but even that should be for the limited purpose of getting an accurate picture before sending a report to the Centre Sarkaria commission: In June 1983 the Union Government appointed a commission under the chairmanship of Justice R.S. Sarkaria to review the question of centre state relationship Iran to quit NPT (Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons) Part of: GS Prelims –IR and GS-II- International Organization In news: Iran threatened to withdraw from the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) if European countries bring alleged violations of the historic nuclear deal with world powers to the United Nations Security Council From Prelims point of view: Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons The NPT is a landmark international treaty whose objective is to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons and weapons technology, to promote cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy and to further the goal of achieving nuclear disarmament and general and complete disarmament. The Treaty represents the only binding commitment in a multilateral treaty to the goal of disarmament by the nuclear-weapon States. Treaty establishes a safeguards system under the responsibility of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Iran Nuclear deal Iran agreed to rein in its nuclear programme in a 2015 deal struck with the US, UK, Russia, China, France and Germany. Under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA) Tehran agreed to significantly cut its stores of centrifuges, enriched uranium and heavy-water, all key components for nuclear weapons. The JCPOA established the Joint Commission, with the negotiating parties all represented, to monitor implementation of the agreement. (MAINS FOCUS) Governance Topic: General Studies 2: Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health  Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interest 
 Healthcare: The Brazilian Way Daily Current Affairs IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 21st January 2020 Source of Pic: The Hindu Context: The Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro visits to New Delhi this Republic Day and one interesting field of cooperation to explore in the strategic partnership is healthcare. Brazil, the only country where more than 100 million inhabitants have a universal health system- Unified Health System (Sistema Único de Saúde - SUS). Studying the system will have important lessons for Ayushman Bharat Scheme  About Brazils SUS SUS, underpinned by the principles of equity, solidary and social participation, aimed to develop a universal, comprehensive and decentralised health system, free of charge at the point of service provision The Unified Health System (SUS), which guaranteed free health coverage that included pharmaceutical services, was written into the new Constitution in 1988. It defined health as a Universal right and a State responsibility The SUS triggered a fundamental restructuring of how the health system is governed which included A process of decentralization and new arrangements for sharing of responsibilities across federal, state and municipal levels. A gradual increase of public spending on health National Health Identification Card: allows a patient's health record to be accessed via a central database from any public or private hospital within the Unified Health System network. Family Health Programme: Community-based healthcare network who perform monthly visits to every family enrolled in the programme.  They conduct health promotion and prevention activities and effectively manage the relationship between citizens and the healthcare system Achievements of SUS Every year, the SUS covers more than two million births, 10 million hospital admissions, and nearly one billion ambulatory procedures. Life expectancy has increased from 64 years to almost 76 years.  Infant Mortality Rate has declined from 53 to 14 per 1,000 live births. 95% of those that seek care in the SUS are able to receive treatment Fiscally Prudent achieved by better regulatory system. The cost of the universal health system in Brazil averages around $600 per person, while in the U.K., this number reaches $3.428. Brazil spends 3.8% of GDP on SUS, whereas UK which runs a similar program called NHS spends 7.9% of its GDP The Family Health Programme: Expanded from 4% of coverage in 2000 to up to 64% of the overall population in 2015 which has reduced IMR and increased adult labour supply Challenges for SUS Economic and political crises, combined with austerity policies, pose a major risk to UHC. Thus the system has to remain resilient to such external shocks Internal shocks such rapid ageing leading to rise in disease burden. Public health spending in Brazil will thus need to increase by nearly 1.6 percentage points of the GDP by 2060 in order to cover the healthcare needs of a fast-ageing society. Lesson for India from Healthcare system in Brazil Increase in Public health funding -Public health expenditure is still very low in India, at around 1.3% of GDP  Family Health programme which involved regular visit to families ensures regular monitoring of health needs of people and thus strengthens the primary health care system Need for decentralization of the health care responsibilities by empowering municipalities with funds and powers National Health Identification Card scheme can be integrated by making use of Aadhar ecosystem so as to create a better system of coordination between public and private sector healthcare institutions regulated by the Health Agency  Way Ahead In a heterogeneous society like India where there is regional disparities, one-size-fits-all approach is not advisable Tamil Nadu, Sikkim, and Bihar differ in so many ways and this diversity must be met by an intricate combination of standardised programmes and autonomy to adopt policies according to their characteristics. Connecting the dots Ayushman Bharat’s 1.5 Lakh wellness centres and Brazils Family Health Programme UK’s National Health Service Private Health care provision through Insurance Model Vs Public Health Service delivery through government hospitals Economy: Education Topic: General Studies 3: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization, of resources, growth, development and employment. 
 Government Budgeting GST- Critical analysis of its working Context:  Goods and services tax (GST) that was introduced in India in July 2017 has been widely criticized as having failed to deliver the benefits that were expected of it especially in the backdrop of low GDP growth rate. What were the basic expectations (benefits) from GST regime? Integration of the Indian marketplace Creation of scale efficiencies and  Enhanced gross domestic product (GDP) growth  There is no systematic study yet of the first two, while GDP growth has slowed in the past few years. It is wrong to blame GST regime alone for the present state of economy as multiple players are responsible for the state of affairs. Some of the other factors are: Technology was the biggest let-down during the rollout and this was handled by a private-sector entity. Blaming the government for technological issues is uncalled for. Revenues of local bodies going down after GST introduction was blamed on GST regime as some of the local taxes were subsumed under GST Counter Argument: State Governments have been reluctant to devolve funds to local bodies. They have been quite delinquent in constituting finance commissions and thus formulating rules for the devolution of financial revenues to local bodies Shortfall (relative to expectations) in GST collections is now being blamed, in part, on lax supervision and oversight. Counter Argument: The decision to rely on self-declarations and filings, rather than on oversight and supervision, was deliberate. It was meant to provide time for businesses to adapt to the new regime. Tax rates are high with multiple slabs: The Arvind Subramanian committee pegged the revenue-neutral GST rate at 15% Counter Arguments: When the new tax was launched in July 2017, the rate was 14.4%, and over the next two years, it had come down to around 11.6%. The number of items taxed at the highest GST slab rate of 28% had come down from 226 in July 2017 to a mere 28 Further, several key categories of goods remain outside the GST’s purview.  Thus, far from being a deterrent to economic activity, the GST had acted as a countercyclical fiscal policy too What then is the reason for slowdown? Exemptions granted to various businesses from having to pay the tax, the composition schemes made available to small businesses and weaker economic activity have contributed to slower growth in GST revenues. Rural Sector Slowdown due to bad monsoons in consequent years Banking Sector Crisis So is GST all fine and has it not added to economic difficulties? GST still has certain issues and where GST might have contributed to the country’s overall economic difficulties is in the services sector. The number of forms that service producers have to file has increased considerably. In part, this is because of the separate registrations needed in each state, as opposed to the single registration pre-GST With the services sector being the Indian economy’s biggest, the increased complexity and difficulties faced by service providers might have overshadowed the efficiency gains that accrued to goods and logistics providers Way Forward Rates would be adjusted only once in a year, which is agreed to by GST Council. This ensure tax predictability thus enhancing ease of doing business. Forms and returns needs to be simplified. Exemption limits for the filing of GST could be raised further without any impact on revenue Connecting the Dots Direct tax code GST regime and its impact on Federal fiscal structure (TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE) Model questions: (You can now post your answers in comment section) Note:  Correct answers of today’s questions will be provided in next day’s DNA section. Kindly refer to it and update your answers.  Comments Up-voted by IASbaba are also the “correct answers”. Q.1) The Dinesh Goswami Committee was concerned with: de-nationalisation of banks electoral reforms steps to put down insurgency in the north-east the problem of the Chakmas Q.2) Given below are two statements, one labelled as Assertion (A) and the other labelled as Reason (R) : Assertion (A) : The word minority is not defined in the Constitution of India. Reason (R) : The Minorities Commission is not a constitutional body. In the context of the above two statements, which one of the following is correct?  Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A Both A and R are true but R is not a correct explanation A is true but R is false A is false but R is true Q.3) Consider the following statements about the minorities India:  The Government of India has notified five communities, namely, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Buddhists and Zoroastrians as Minorities The National Commission for Minorities was given statutory status in 1993 The smallest religious minority in India are the Zoroastrians The Constitution of India recognizes and protects religious and linguistic minorities Which of these statements are correct? 2 and 3  1 and 4 2, 3 and 4  1, 2 and 4 Q.4) The power of the Supreme Court of India to decide disputes between the Centre and the State falls under its:  advisory jurisdiction appellate jurisdiction original jurisdiction constitutional jurisdiction MUST READ About India’s data system The Hindu About Citizenship Act The Hindu About Russia’s internal Political changes The Hindu About Adivasi Communities importance IE

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Daily Current Affairs IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 20th January 2020

IAS UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 20th January 2020 Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) Nearly extinct northern white rhino Part of: GS Prelims –Environment and GS-III- Conservation In news : Researchers had created the third embryo the nearly extinct northern white rhino, a remarkable success in an ongoing global mission to keep the species from going extinct. From Prelims Point of view The northern white rhinoceros The northern white rhinoceros, is one of two subspecies of the white rhinoceros (the other being the southern white rhinoceros).  Found in several countries in East and Central Africa south of the Sahara,  It is a grazer in grasslands and savanna woodlands. According to the latest International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) assessment from 2011, the subspecies is considered "Critically Endangered (Possibly Extinct in the Wild). The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) IUCN is a membership union uniquely composed of both government and civil society organisations. Created in 1948, it is the global authority on the status of the natural world and the measures needed to safeguard it. It is headquartered in Switzerland. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, is the world’s most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of plant and animal species. It uses a set of quantitative criteria to evaluate the extinction risk of species. These criteria are relevant to most species and all regions of the world. The IUCN Red List Categories define the extinction risk of species assessed. Nine categories extend from NE (Not Evaluated) to EX (Extinct). Critically Endangered (CR), Endangered (EN) and Vulnerable (VU) species are considered to be threatened with extinction. It is recognized as the most authoritative guide to the status of biological diversity. It is also a key indicator for the SDGs and Aichi Targets. China coronavirus: Number of cases jumps Part of: GS Prelims –Sci & Tech and GS-III- Health From Prelims Point of view Coronavirus: Coronaviruses (CoV) are a large family of viruses that cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV). Coronaviruses are zoonotic, meaning they are transmitted between animals and people. Model (Agricultural) Land Leasing Act Part of: GS Prelims –Polity and GS-II  Acts In news: Karnataka government’s move to amend The Karnataka Land Reforms Act, 1961 is based on the Model (Agricultural) Land Leasing Act, 2016  Model (Agricultural) Land Leasing Act, 2016 is proposed by the Centre’s think tank NITI Aayog to increase investments in agriculture and productivity. From Prelims Point of view Model (Agricultural) Land Leasing Act, 2016: Legalise land leasing to promote agricultural efficiency, equity and power reduction. This will also help in much needed productivity improvement in agriculture as well as occupational mobility of the people and rapid rural change. This is very important step for land reforms through which needs of landlord as well as lease holder have been taken care. Through this act, the landlord can legally lease the land with mutual consent for agriculture and allied activities. In this act, it has been taken care that in any circumstances the leased holders' claim on land will not be valid. Lease holder may receive institutional loan, insurance and disaster relief so that he may invest more and more in agriculture. Allow automatic resumption of land after the agreed lease period without requiring any minimum area of land to be left with the tenant even after termination of tenancy, as laws of some states require. Incentivise tenants to make investment in land improvement and also entitle them to get back the unused value of investment at the time of termination of tenancy. In order to resolve the dispute between the landlord and lease holder, the provision of “Special Land Tribunal” has been made in the Civil Court. Rare migratory eagle  Part of: GS Prelims –Environment and GS-III Conservation In news : A lone endangered steppe eagle (Aquila nipalensis) has been sighted by a group of birdwatchers From Prelims Point of view Steppe eagle Romania east through the south Russian and Central Asian steppes to Mongolia. The European and Central Asian birds winter in Africa, and the eastern birds in India IUCN Endangered  It is also the National bird (animal) of Egypt Irrawaddy dolphins  Part of: GS Prelims –Environment and GS-III Conservation In news : Irrawaddy dolphins sighted in Odisha's Chilika lake India’s largest brackish water lake(Chilika) is home to their highest single lagoon population From Prelims Point of view Irrawaddy dolphins: Endangered  — IUCN Living in brackish water near coasts, river mouths and in estuaries in South and Southeast Asia Found in – Ganges, Mekong and Irrawaddy river system Chilika Lake: Chilika Lake It is largest coastal lagoon or brackish water lake in India and Asia and second largest lagoon in the world  Budget 2020: ''#ArthShastri'' campaign Part of: GS Prelims –Economy and GS-III Buget In news : From Prelims Point of view Finance Ministry to explain economic terms through #ArthShastri social media campaign  Through the ''#ArthShastri'' campaign, the ministry would explain several economic terms through interesting animated videos to help common man and students understand budget exercise in a simple way NBFCs to get  more lending room Part of: GS Prelims –Economy and GS-III Banking sector In news: The government is debating a mechanism to get credit flowing by providing support to non-banking finance companies (NBFCs) amid a growing realisation that financial sector stress has impacted demand and stalled economic recovery. The options that have been deliberated ahead of the February 1 budget include a plan akin to the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) that the US put in place after the subprime mortgage crisis that sparked the financial crisis of 2007-08. From Prelims Point of view NBFC : Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC) refers to a financial institution. NBFC is a type of company engaged in the business of receiving loans and advances, acquisition of stocks or shares, leasing, hire-purchase, insurance business, chit business under Companies Act 2013. The main business activity of the NBFCs is to raise capital funds from public depositors and investors and then lend to borrowers as per the rules and regulations prescribed by the Reserve Bank of India. NBFCs are becoming alternative to the banking and financial sector. In NBFC there is a requirement of minimum net owned fund of Rs. 2 Crore. Read more about NBFC here :  https://iasbaba.com/2019/02/daily-current-affairs-ias-upsc-prelims-and-mains-exam-04th-february-2019/#NBFCs_and_its_significance Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) : TARP, expanded as the Troubled Asset Relief Program was an innovative measure launched by the U.S. Treasury in order to stabilize the financial system of the country, restore the growth of economy and prevent foreclosures during the wake of the financial crisis that struck the US in 2008. The Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) is a program of the United States government to purchase toxic assets and equity from financial institutions to strengthen its financial sector Miscellaneous Topics For Prelims Stagflation : Stagflation is an economic scenario where an economy faces both high inflation and low growth (and high unemployment) at the same time. (Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had warned about the imminent risk of stagflation facing the economy) Hong Kong Crisis : Daily Current Affairs IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 20th January 2020 https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn%3AANd9GcTFXA61d2zSmurCH3nH2WYdKwQGQkQSVEsu4B06GI4DPvED0mRN Niranjan Bhat committee:  The Supreme Court has, forms committee to draft mediation law The panel, to be headed by mediator Niranjan Bhat, will recommend a code of conduct for mediators Gig economy A labour market characterized by the prevalence of short-term contracts or freelance work as opposed to permanent jobs. (MAINS FOCUS) Indian Federalism Topic: General Studies 2: Functions and responsibilities of the Union and the States, issues and challenges pertaining to the federal structure Bru Refugees Daily Current Affairs IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 20th January 2020 Source of Pic Context: The quadripartite agreement signed between Centre, State government of Tripura & Mizoram and representatives of Brus Organisation to settle Brus refugees in Tripura. Who are Brus? The Brus, also referred to as the Reangs, are spread across the north-eastern states of Tripura, Assam, Manipur, and Mizoram. Reangs or Brus are the second largest ethnic group in Mizoram. They are ethnically different from the Mizos, with their own distinct language and dialect  In Tripura, they are recognised as a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG). Conflict in Mizoram: In 1995, Mizos, the majority tribe of the state of Mizoram, demanded that Brus be left out of the state’s electoral rolls as they contended that they are not indigenous to Mizoram. In 1997, ethnic violence forced roughly half the Bru population to flee the state in large numbers to neighbouring Tripura.  Their exodus in 1997 was spurred by violent clashes in Mamith subdivision, a Reang-dominated area, when they demanded creation of an Autonomous District Council (ADC), under the 6th Schedule of the Constitution, in western Mizoram that was vehemently opposed by Mizo groups. Currently, around 35,000 (more than 5,000 families) Bru refugees living in Tripura camps. Progress over past two decades The Centre and the two State governments involved made nine attempts to resettle the Brus in Mizoram. The first was in November 2010 when 1,622 Bru families with 8,573 members went back. Protests by Mizos stalled the process in subsequent years. In June 2018, Bru leaders (Mizoram Bru Displaced People’s Forum- MBDPF) signed an agreement in Delhi with the Centre and the two state governments, providing for repatriation to Mizoram (deadline to move back to Mizoram was set as Sep  2020) along with rehabilitation package (free ration, housing assistance, education) However, the camp residents said the package did not guarantee their safety in Mizoram, and were not happy with the deadline (to repatriate to Mizoram) provided by the government. Thus fear of repeat of the violence lead to the failure of agreement. How is this agreement different from the earlier initiatives taken for the Bru? Allows Bru refugees to permanently settle in Tripura if they want to stay on. They will be provided voting rights in Tripura. The Bru who returned to Mizoram in the eight phases of repatriation since 2009, cannot, however, come back to Tripura. Fresh Survey: To ascertain the number of those settled in relief camps  Special developmental package in addition to the Rs 600 crore fund announced for the process, including benefits for the migrants. Rehabilitation Package: Each family will get 0.03 acre (1.5 ganda) of land for building a home, Rs 1.5 lakh as housing assistance, and Rs 4 lakh as a one-time cash benefit for sustenance They will also receive a monthly allowance of Rs 5,000,(through Aadhar enabled Direct Benefit Transfer)  and free rations for two years from the date of resettlement. Timeline provided: All Bru refugees will be moved to resettlement locations in four clusters, paving the way for the closure of the temporary camps within 180 days of the signing of the agreement and housing & payments completed with 270 days. Role of Tripura’s erstwhile royal family Pradyot Kishore Debbarma, scion of Tripura’s erstwhile royal family, claimes that the Bru were originally from Tripura, and had migrated to Mizoram after their homes were flooded due to the commissioning of the Dumboor hydroelectric power project in South Tripura in 1976 This effort by a socially respected person led to easy acceptance of Brus by Mizoram political system. Pradyot Deb Barman, who is also one of the signatories, committed to donate 35 acres of land for the purpos, thus easing the pressure on government in their search for land. Concerns/Challenges: It could set a bad precedent and “legitimise” the ejection of minority communities by ethnocentric states. The displaced Brus who returned to Mizoram have already begun demanding a package equivalent to the one those who stayed behind in the Tripura relief camps  It could fuel conflict with the locals of Tripura (between Brus and Bengali non-tribal people) Forests would be razed down so as to provide the land needed for settling Brus. Nearly 162 acres will be needed for the process and since Tripura is a small state, the government would look to diversion of forest land for human settlement purpose. Connecting the dots Naga issues and its linkage with states of Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh Cooperative Federalism Other internal refugees in India – Kashmiri Pandits Economy and Governance General Studies 2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. 
 General Studies 3: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization, of resources, growth, development and employment. 
 Effects of liberalization on the economy, changes in industrial policy and their effects on industrial growth. Make In India: Is it a failure? Context:  Impending Union Budget for FY 2020-21 in the background of fears of stagflation in economy and completion of five years of Make in India Scheme What is Make in India Scheme? The Make in India initiative was launched by Government in September 2014 to transform India into a global design and manufacturing hub.  It was launched in the backdrop of India’s growth rate falling and rising youth population who were looking for jobs (which can be absorbed in large numbers by manufacturing sector) It is designed to facilitate investment, foster innovation, enhance skill development, protect intellectual property and build best in class manufacturing infrastructure in the country. The initiative is based on four pillars: New Processes: Ease of doing Business is identified as important factor for promoting investment & entrepreneurship New Infrastructure: To develop industrial corridors and smart cities to provide infrastructure based on state-of-the-art technology with modern high-speed communication and integrated logistic arrangements New Sectors: Make in India’ has identified 25 sectors in manufacturing, infrastructure and service activities. These include: automobiles, aviation, chemicals, IT & BPM, pharmaceuticals, construction, defence manufacturing, electrical machinery, food processing etc. New Mindset: Government will act as facilitator of economic growth (partnering with private sector) and not as regulator. The targets of the Scheme To increase the manufacturing sector’s growth rate to 12-14% per annum To increase the contribution of the manufacturing sector to 25% of the GDP by 2020  from the current 16% Creation of 100 million additional manufacturing jobs in the economy by 2022 Has the above targets been achieved? Growth of investment in the economy: Gross fixed capital formation of the private sector, a measure of aggregate investment, declined to 28.6% of GDP in 2017-18 from 31.3% in 2013-14 (Economic Survey 2018-19). This indicates weak investment by private sector in spite of flexible policies from this scheme Output growth: Monthly IIP pertaining to manufacturing has registered double-digit growth rates only on two occasions during the period April 2012 to November 2019.  Employment: Unemployment leapt to a four-decade high of 6.1 per cent according to the National Sample Survey Office’s study for 2017-18 that was released in May 2019. Way forward Such type of mega projects which have long gestation periods and lag effects the assessments of scheme can be premature. Resolving Banking Sector Crisis: Twin balance sheet problem and NBFC crisis needs to tackled aggressively so as to boost the credit outtake growth rate. Boosting Consumer demand: Weak monsoons along with disruption caused by demonetization & hasty implementation of GST lead to falling incomes which impacted the consumer demand. This kick-starts the investment cycle and thus manufacturing growth Skilling of people: It will ensure that people are equipped with necessary skills and thus reducing the training costs for firms. Connecting the Dots New manufacturing Policy Impact on US-China trade war on Make In India Scheme (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 statements is/are correct? Viruses lack enzymes necessary for the generation of energy. Viruses can be cultured in any synthetic medium. Viruses are transmitted from one organism to another by biological vectors only Select the correct answer using the codes given below. 1 only  2 and 3 only 1 and 3 only 1, 2 and 3 Q.2) Which of the following statements is/are correct? Viruses can infect  bacteria fungi plants Select the correct answer using the code given below. 1 and 2 only  3 only 1 and 3 only  1, 2 and 3 Q3. Consider the following statements:  In tropical regions, Corona virus disease is transmitted by the same mosquito that transmits dengue. Sexual transmission of Corona virus disease is possible. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? 1 only  2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q4. The “Red Data Books’’ published by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural resources (IUCN) contain lists of ?  Endemic plant and animal species present in the biodiversity hotspots. Threatened plant and animal species. Protected sites for conservation of nature and natural resources in various countries. Select the correct answer using the codes given below: 1 and 3  2 only 2 and 3  3 only Q5. With reference to the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES),which of the following statements is/are correct? IUCN is an organ of the United Nations and CITES is an international agreement between governments. IUCN runs thousands of field projects around the world to better manage natural environments. CITES is legally binding on the States that have joined it, but this Convention does not take the place of national laws. Select the correct answer using the code given below. 1 only  2 and 3 only 1 and 3 only  1, 2 and 3 ANSWERS FOR 18 JAN 2020 TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE (TYK) 1 C 2 D 3 B 4 B MUST READ About Bharatnet Project IE About Agri food policies IE About CAA and issues with Federalism IE

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

Daily Current Affairs IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 18th January 2020

IAS UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 18th January 2020 Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) Yada Yada alphavirus In news: Scientists named a novel virus after Seinfeld catchphrase "yada yada," because it isn’t that big a deal as far as humans are concerned. From Prelims Point of View: Yada Yada is an alphavirus, a group of viruses that the researchers described as “small, single-stranded positive-sense RNA viruses (that) include species important to human and animal health, such as Chikungunya virus and Eastern equine encephalitis virus Alphavirus are transmitted primarily by mosquitoes and (are) pathogenic in their vertebrate hosts”.  Yada Yada does not pose a threat to human beings. Green clearance for onshore and offshore oil and gas exploration In news: The Environment Ministry has exempted oil and gas firms, looking to conduct exploratory drilling, from seeking an environmental clearance (both on-shore and offshore drilling explorations) From Prelims Point of View: Environment impact assessment (EIA): Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is a process of evaluating the likely environmental impacts of a proposed project or development, taking into account inter-related socio-economic, cultural and human-health impacts, both beneficial and adverse. Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC): Indian Multinational Crude Oil and Gas Corporation It is the largest oil and gas exploration and production company in the country.  It produces around 70% of India's crude oil (equivalent to around 57% of the country's total demand) and around 84% of its natural gas Maharatna status A new Centre of Excellence (CoE) for Blockchain Technology in Bangalore  In news: A new Centre of Excellence (CoE) for Blockchain Technology, which will strive to adapt emerging technology to create e-governance solutions is established in Bangalore  The CoE by National Informatics Centre (NIC) is the third such centre, following CoE for Data Analytics and Artificial Intelligence. From Prelims Point of View: Blockchain Technology: Blockchains are a new data structure that is secure, cryptography-based, and distributed across a network. The technology supports cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, and the transfer of any data or digital asset. Spearheaded by Bitcoin, blockchains achieve consensus among distributed nodes, allowing the transfer of digital goods without the need for centralized authorisation of transactions. National Informatics Centre (NIC): National Informatics Centre (NIC under Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Government of India.  NIC provides infrastructure to help support delivery of Government IT services and delivery of some of the initiatives of Digital India. China's coronavirus  In news: A new virus has been identified by Chinese researchers which is responsible for a new pneumonia-like illness. From Prelims Point of View: Coronavirus Coronaviruses are a specific family of viruses, with some of them causing less-severe damage, such as the common cold, and others causing respiratory and intestinal diseases. A coronavirus has many “regularly arranged” protrusions on its surface, because of which the entire virus particle looks like an emperor’s crown, hence the name “coronavirus”. Apart from human beings, coronaviruses can affect mammals including pigs, cattle, cats, dogs, martens, camels, hedgehogs and some birds. So far, there are four known disease-causing coronaviruses, among which the best known are the SARS coronavirus and the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) coronavirus, both of which can cause severe respiratory diseases. (MAINS FOCUS) International Affairs General Studies 2: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interest 
 Taiwan, Hongkong and China Daily Current Affairs IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 18th January 2020 Source of Pic Context: The landslide re-election victory for the Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) Tsai Ing-wen in Taiwan has presented Beijing with a second pressing challenge in its backyard (along with ongoing protests in Hongkong) Also, pro-democratic political parties swept the local district council elections in Hong Kong, which were widely seen as a referendum on the protests happening in Hongkong pressing for wider Democratic reforms Brief Background of Taiwan China’s nationalist government, which was defeated in a civil war by the communists in 1949, had been exiled to Taiwan. Taiwan has been entirely self-ruled since then, however, China claims the island as a part of its territory Taiwan has a thriving democracy and has held direct elections to choose its leaders since 1996. China is Taiwan’s largest trade partner. China’s One Country- Two system model This policy was originally proposed by Deng Xiaoping shortly after he took the reins of the country in the late 1970s. Deng’s plan was to unify China and Taiwan under the One Country Two Systems policy which provided autonomy to Taiwan Under this system, Taiwan could follow its capitalist economic system, run a separate administration and keep its own army but under Chinese sovereignty. Taiwan, however, rejected the Communist Party’s offer. The idea of two systems in one country is replicated again in Hong Kong and Macau when Britain and Portugal, who were running these territories under lease (since colonial times) returned it to China in 1997 & 1999 respectively. These territories was also given autonomy in its functioning in return for recognition of China’s Sovereignty over these areas. Election results in Taiwan a referendum on China If the local elections in Hong Kong were a referendum on the protests, the elections in Taiwan ended up becoming a referendum on China — and specifically, on the “one country, two systems”  The events in Hongkong whereby Chinese authorities were criticized for their handling of protestors (not calling for peace talks) revitalized the anti-China campaign in Taiwan (Independence from China) The opposition KMT (pro-China) – in power from 2008-16- had chosen to build economic and political bridges with China. The KMT’s stance was based on need to boost Taiwan’s economic opportunities. Polls conducted in Taiwan by the National Chengchi University in June 2019 showed that 56.9% identify as being only ‘Taiwanese’, up from 54.5% a year earlier On the choice between independence and reunification, 86.1% favoured maintaining the status quo (Not accede to China’s model) Consequences for Taiwan With Ms. Tsai who is at the helm of Taiwan since 2016 and her stated anti-China views, Beijing has pushed with vigour an international strategy aimed at isolating Taiwan. By the end of 2019, Taiwan was left with only 14 UN member states that maintain diplomatic relations, after losing the Solomon Islands and Kiribati which both shifted to recognising Beijing.  China believe that the country’s “great rejuvenation”, which President Mr. Xi has declared as the “China dream”, will not be complete without Taiwan’s return Consequences for China China believe the tide of history is on their side (with economic & military might), and that the island (Taiwan) of 23 million people (roughly the population of Beijing) will inevitably return to the fold. However, China needs to offer more than the stability, security, and economic growth that its model promises, when issues of identity, suffrage and values are involved With China aggressively pushing its mega infrastructure project Belt & Road initiative and aiming at superpower status, it has to show to the world that it is able to solve its own internal problems in a peaceful manner before embarking on taking up Global leader status. Lessons for India India also follows asymmetric Federalism where by many states enjoy greater autonomy in their functioning as compared to other states (Article 371, Schedule V & VI).  These special provision are also intended to deal with issues to identity & culture. India thus needs to handle these in a democratic manner so as to not see Taiwan/Hongkong type of protests happening in India In International Politics: India can always use the leverage of Taiwan and Hongkong whenever China meddles in India’s own internal issues like Kashmir/ Naga unrest. Connecting the dots China’s other internal issues – Tibet and Xinjiang province Why there are no protests in Macau which also enjoys special powers under the One Country-Two system mode How US is trying to exploit this situation? Resolution/laws passed by US legislature aimed at Hongkong/Xinjiang. Governance: Education General Studies 2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. 
 Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources. 
 Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States and the performance of these schemes; 
 ASER lessons: Fix early learning in govt schools Context:  ASER 2019 shows how poor the quality of education in government schools is even at the foundational levels. About Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) This is an annual survey (since 2005) that aims to provide reliable estimates of children’s enrolment and basic learning levels across rural India ( Statewise and district wise) ASER is a household-based rather than school-based survey. This design enables all children to be included – those who have never been to school or have dropped out, as well as those who are in government schools, private schools, religious schools or anywhere else. Children in the age group 3 to 16 are surveyed to find out their enrollment status in school or pre-school. Children in the age group 5 to 16 are assessed one-on-one to understand their basic reading and arithmetic abilities. It is the largest citizen-led survey in India facilitated by Pratham NGO. It is also the only annual source of information on children’s learning outcomes available in India today About 2019 report The 2019 report focuses on ‘Early Years’ (ages 4-8) since these are critical to later-stage learning Overall. More than 90% of young children in the age group of 4-8 year enrolled in some type of educational institution (91.3% at 4 years to 99.5 at 8 years) Gender gaps are visible even among these young children with more girls than boys enrolled in government institutions and more boys than girls enrolled in private institutions Disparity between Government & Private schools: Only 6.7% of government school students in Std I who were aged 4-5 could correctly do early language tasks, this figure was 24.1% for private schools  Similarly, only 16.5% of 4&5-year-olds in Std I in government schools could demonstrate early numeracy competency, compared with 35.3% in private schools.  In cognitive skills, too, government institutions lagged their private peers by six to 18 percentage points when performance of 5-year-olds was compared Implication The Right to Education law and the new National Education Policy both set 6 years as the age when a child should enter formal schooling (Standard I) Cognitive development in the pre-school years is key to learning outcomes in school. Disparity in learning levels: A higher population of 4&5-year-olds study in standard I in government schools (26.1%) compared with private schools (15.7%)—largely because of the lack of affordable and accessible pre-primary institutions—it can be argued, the feedstock in government schools sets them up for the disparity in learning levels. High dropout rates at higher level:  With the poor learning levels at the primary level (combined with no detention till class 8) many students simply may not be able to cope with the curriculum at the secondary and senior secondary levels thus leading to high dropout rate Reasons for poor early learning outcomes is primarily two-fold India’s Anganwadi scheme: India has one of the largest pre-school care programmes in the world—the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), but it remains primarily focussed on nutrition/healthcare/immunisation, with early learning often neglected at the anganwadis. Distorted Pedagogy: Content knowledge and instruction us the preferred method when research shows that play-based activities geared towards building memory, reasoning, and problem-solving abilities have a much larger impact on building the foundation for later learning. Way Ahead: Funding: India needs to aggressively bolster its early education programme—in FY20, the Centre budgeted $3.9 billion for the umbrella ICDS programme while in 2017, China was spending nearly $19 billion on just early childhood education Reorient Anganwadi centres as not just centres for nutrition but also centres for early learning Teaching Pedagogy should be relied more upn play based learning rather than instructional methodology Revisit State and National norms for age entry to school: Performance on congnitive, early language, early numeracy,  and social & emotional learning tasks is closely related to children’s age, with older children doing better than younger ones. Permitting underage children into primary grades puts them at learning disadvantage which is difficult to overcome Connecting the Dots New Educational Policy Operation Digital Board (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 diseases can be transmitted from one person to another through tattooing? Chikungunya                 Hepatitis B HIV-AIDS Select the correct answer using the codes given below. 1 only  2 and 3 only 1 and 3 only  1, 2 and 3 Q 2. Consider the following statements: NTPC is the largest power utility in India ONGC accounts for half of the LPG production of India Indian Oil Corporation operates all the refineries in India The Indian Ordinance Factory is the largest departmentally run industrial undertakings in the country Which of these statements is/are correct? 1 only  2 and 3 2, 3 and 4 1 and 4 Q 3. Consider the following pairs of Terms sometimes seen in news vs Context /Topic: Belle II experiment: Artificial Intelligence Blockchain technology: Digital/ Cryptocurrency CRISPR - Cas9: Particle Physics Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched ? 1 and 3 only  2 only 2 and 3 only  1, 2 and 3 Q 4. With reference to ‘Bitcoins’, sometimes seen in the news, which of the following statements is/are correct?  Bitcoins are tracked by the Central Banks of the countries. Anyone with a Bitcoin address can send and receive Bitcoins from anyone else with a Bitcoin address. Online payments can be sent without either side knowing the identity of the other. Select the correct answer using the code given below. 1 and 2 only 2 and 3 only 3 only 1, 2 and 3 ANSWERS FOR 17 JAN 2020 TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE (TYK) 1 C 2 D 3 C 4 D MUST READ About Child deaths in Rajasthan The Hindu About need for continuity of governmental policies The Hindu About fighting radicalization The Hindu

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IMPORTANT UPDATE: DAF Session (as part of IMP Program) by Yeshwanth Gurukar, IAS, Karnataka on 23rd January (Thursday), 2020

IMPORTANT UPDATE: DAF Session (as part of IMP Program) by Yeshwanth Gurukar, IAS, Karnataka on 23rd January (Thursday), 2020   Dear Students, Congratulations to all those who cleared mains. Your hardwork has borne fruits. It’s now time to nurture the fruit until it is ripe.  It gives us immense pleasure to say, 142 IASbaba’s  ILP/TLP Connect Students have cleared UPSC Mains Exam 2019 :) Highest pass rate we have achieved till date from ILP and TLP Connect only ! We expect 2 in Top 10 (Hopefully). Now, it adds to our responsibility to handhold you to ensure that you cross the final hurdle successfully. The most important step right now is filling up your Detailed Application Form(DAF). Your DAF introduces you to the board before you get to introduce yourself. And utmost care is needed to ensure that you do not make blunders in filling it up. IASbaba is here to help you in this process. We are conducting a session on Thursday, 23rd January 2020 at 6:30 p.m. to guide you on filling the DAF. The session shall be conducted by Mr. Yeshwanth Gurukar, IAS, Karnataka cadre, 2010 batch on pro-bono basis. Yeshwanth Gurukar has done his MBA from IIMB and was one of the top scorers in UPSC interview. He has helped several aspirants to realise their dream of getting a high score in interview The session is FREE and OPEN TO ALL !!  Registration link for DAF Session @ Bengaluru -> CLICK HERE P.S. : Get a print out of your DAF (mandatory). IMP Workshop will be held on 1st February in Bengaluru and 2nd February in Delhi. Details will be announced soon. VENUE: Chandra Layout Centre (TLP Centre): No. 1443/1444, Above Carzspa, 80 Ft. Main Road, Ganapathi Circle, Chandra Layout, Bengaluru- 560040 Email id: support@iasbaba.com Contact No.: Bengaluru: 9035077800/7353177800 ( Office Timings: 10 am – 5.30 pm) Going forward we will be conducting Workshop for Interview as part of Interview Mentorship Program (IMP).  HIGHLIGHTS of INTERVIEW MENTORSHIP PROGRAMME (IMP): Workshop – 3 hour session to set the mood for Interview preparation. Open Mocks – a Unique Approach Pioneered by IASbaba!! Mock Interviews – Conducted by the board of five Eminent resource persons chosen to exactly replicate the UPSC Interview board. This session shall be recorded and the video will be provided to the candidate. One-to-one discussion – to analyse the candidate’s performance in the mock interview. DAF discussion Current Affairs Sessions To REGISTER and to Know more about IMP Program -> CLICK HERE Thank You IASbaba

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