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Daily Current Affairs IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 3rd January 2020

IAS UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 3rd January 2020 Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) Mobile Aided Note Identifier (MANI) Part of: GS Prelims and GS-III- Science & Technology In News RBI has launched a mobile app, Mobile Aided Note Identifier (MANI) to help visually challenged people to identify denomination of currency notes. Through the downloaded app, users can scan the notes using the camera. The audio output will give the result in Hindi and English. The app can also work offline once it is installed. Aadhaar: Must for Welfare Pension in Odisha Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains II- Governance  In News The Odisha government has announced that only beneficiaries with Aadhaar card will be given pension under the National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) and the Madhubabu Pension Yojana (MBPY). NSAP is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme of the Government of India that provides financial assistance to the elderly, widows and persons with disabilities in the form of social pensions.  NSAP at present, comprises of Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme (IGNOAPS), Indira Gandhi National Widow Pension Scheme (IGNWPS), Indira Gandhi National Disability Pension Scheme (IGNDPS), National Family Benefit Scheme (NFBS) and Annapurna. NSAP represents a significant step towards the fulfillment of the Directive Principles in Article 41 of the Constitution The MBPY beneficiaries, who include elderly, widows, persons with disabilities and HIV/AIDS-affected patients, get ₹500 to ₹700 per month. But they must not be part of any Central schemes DRDO Young Scientists Laboratories (DYSL) Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains -III- Security In News Five defence laboratories led by under-35 directors and young military scientists were formally launched by Government Objective: To drive the country’s war technologies of the future under the Defence Research & Development Organisation. The labs operating in Bengaluru, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata and Hyderabad will each pursue a key technology necessary for developing the nation’s next generation of defence systems. There would be no fund constraints for the new labs and the new leaders enjoy the same administrative and financial powers as the directors of existing defence labs Indian Science Congress: 107th Edition to begin in Bengaluru Part of: GS Prelims and GS II- Education In News 107th Indian Science Congress, will be held from January 3 to 7, 2020 at University of Agricultural Sciences, Bengaluru The main focus of this year’s congress will be on Rural Development through Science and Technology Farmers Congress: for the first time in the history of ISC, a Farmers Science Congress is being held. It will cover themes ranging from farmers innovation on integrated agriculture and entrepreneurship for doubling farmers income, climate change, bio-diversity, conservation, agrarian distress etc. Children’s Science Congress: The aim is to provide a unique opportunity for children to view selected projects and listen, interact with eminent scientists and Nobel Laureates. Organisers have also taken “special care” to ensure that ‘pseudo-scientific’ articles or talks did not creep in during this Congress. Indian Science Congress Association is a premier scientific organisation of India with headquarters at Kolkata, West Bengal. The association started in the year 1914 in Kolkata and it meets annually in the first week of January Sugar production fallen Part of: GS Prelims and GS III- Economy In News The country’s sugar production has fallen sharply by 30.22% to 7.79 million tonne (MT) in the first three months of current marketing year ending September Sugar production has been pegged lower at 26 MT this year from 33.16 MT in 2018-19. The average sugar recovery in Maharashtra has declined to 10% from 10.5% achieved in the year-ago period due to loss of sucrose content in the flood-affected sugarcane crop Value Addition for Prelims Price of sugarcane is fixed by the centre/State, while the price of sugar is market determined Fair and remunerative price (FRP) is the minimum price at which rate sugarcane is to be purchased by sugar mills from farmers The FRP is fixed by Union government on the basis of recommendations of Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP).  FRP assures margins to farmers, irrespective of whether sugar mills generate a profit or not.  This will be uniformly applicable all over the country. Besides FRP, some states such as Punjab, Haryana, Uttarakhand, UP and TN announce a State Advised Price, which is generally higher than the FRP.  (MAINS FOCUS) POLITY TOPIC: General Studies 2: Role of civil services in a democracy Indian Railway Management Service (IRMS): Trimming of the Railway Board, the powerful body that governs the Indian Railways Daily Current Affairs IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 3rd January 2020 SRC: Twitter Context: The Cabinet recently approved trimming of the Railway Board, the powerful body that governs the Indian Railways. From nine, the Board will now have only five Members. The Cabinet also decided to merge all central service cadres of Railways officers into a single Indian Railways Management Service (IRMS).  What does it mean? Any eligible officer could occupy any post, including Board Member posts, irrespective of training and specialisation, since they will all belong to IRMS. The five members of the Board, other than a Chairman-cum-CEO, will now be the Members Infrastructure, Finance, Rolling Stock, Track, and Operations and Business Development. Present system: The Indian Railways is governed by a pool of officers, among whom engineers are recruited after the Indian Engineering Service Examination, and civil servants through the Civil Services Examination.  The civil servants are in the Indian Railway Traffic Service (IRTS), Indian Railway Accounts Service (IRAS) and Indian Railway Personnel Service (IRPS). The engineers are in five technical service cadres — Indian Railway Service of Engineers (IRSE), Indian Railway Service of Mechanical Engineers (IRSME), Indian Railway Service of Electrical Engineers (IRSEE), Indian Railway Service of Signal Engineers (IRSSE) and the Indian Railway Stores Service (IRSS). Until the 1950s, the Railways system was run by officers from just three main streams: Traffic, Civil Engineering, and Mechanical. The other streams emerged as separate services over time. Why reforms? End inter-departmental rivalries, which it says have been hindering growth for decades  Bibek Debroy committee in 2015 have noted that “departmentalism” is a major problem in the system and recommended merging of railways A separate exam under the Union Public Service Commission is proposed to be instituted in 2021 to induct IRMS officers. Why opposition? The merger is unscientific and against established norms, because it proposes to merge two fundamentally dissimilar entities, with multiple disparities. Various studies have noted that engineers join the Railways around the age of 22-23, while the civil servants join when they are around 26, barring exceptions. The age difference starts to pinch at the later stages of their careers, when higher-grade posts are fewer. There are more engineers than civil servants. Protesters are also saying that the merger is against the service conditions which civil servants sign up for while choosing an alternative if they cannot make it to IAS. Conclusion: This methodology involves interpolation of officers of various services in a combined list, arranged in proportion to total strength of each service. The service with the largest number of officers will form the base. At the top of the combined list, toppers of all services will be placed in order of their date of birth—those born earlier being assigned higher seniority. Thereafter, officers of various services will be interpolated in between the officers of the base service in the ratio of the number of officers in that service vis-à-vis the number of officers in the base service Connecting the dots: Do you think restructuring of Indian railways impact Indian civil services? How do you think it impacts Employment? POLITY TOPIC:General Studies 2: Structure, organization and functioning of the Executive and the Judiciary -Ministries and Departments of the Government Chief of Defence Staff (CDS): The dual-hatted role Context: General Bipin Rawat taking over as the first Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) on New Year’s Day, a new structure is being created in the Defence Ministry.  The dual-hatted role: The dual-hatted role refers to the two hats the CDS wears: one of the permanent Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee which has the three service chiefs as members, and the other of the head of the newly created Department of Military Affairs (DMA) in the ministry.  The former is a military role while the latter is a role in the government. Daily Current Affairs IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 3rd January 2020 SRC: IE The Army, the Navy and the Air Force — not departments of the ministry: The Army, the Navy and the Air Force used to come under the Department of Defence so far, but will now fall under the ambit of DMA, and will have an appropriate mix of civilian and military officers at every level. Attached offices are generally responsible for providing executive direction required in implementation of policies laid down by the department to which they are attached, in this case now the DMA. Working: CDS acts the Principal Military Adviser to the Defence Minister only on tri-services matters. In fact, the three service chiefs will continue to advise the Defence Minister, as done so far, on matters exclusively concerning their respective services.  CDS will not exercise any military command, including over the three service chiefs. The service chiefs will be members of the Chiefs of Staff Committee, which will be headed by the CDS. Conclusion: The Department of Defence — headed by the Defence Secretary — will be responsible for the “defence of India and every part thereof, including defence policy and preparation for defence and all such acts as may be conducive in times of war to its prosecution and after its termination to effective demobilisation”. Connecting the dots: Do you think CDS brings structural changes in army? What is the   relationship between the new four-star general and the ministry? (TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE) Model questions: (You can now post your answers in comment section) Note:  Correct answers of today’s questions will be provided in next day’s DNA section. Kindly refer to it and update your answers.  Comments Up-voted by IASbaba are also the “correct answers”. Q.1) Consider the following statements about DRDO Young Defence Laboratories These are led by under-35 directors and young military scientists The aim is to drive the country’s war technologies of the future under the Defence Research & Development Organisation. Which of the above statement(s) given above is/are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.2) Consider the following statements about Fair and remunerative price (FRP) FRP is fixed by Union government on the basis of recommendations of Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices. This will be uniformly applicable only in the sugar producing states which are Punjab, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu . Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.3) Consider the following statements about National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) NSAP is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme of the Government of India that provides financial assistance to the elderly, widows and persons with disabilities in the form of social pensions It represents a significant step towards the fulfillment of the Directive Principles in Article 41 of the Constitution Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 ANSWERS FOR 02 JAN 2020 TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE (TYK) 1 B 2 C 3 D 4 C MUST READ A weak test: On Swachh ranking of cities The Hindu In the ruins of unilateralism The Hindu When defection is a mere detour for an MLA The Hindu Should the FM tweak direct taxes to spur the economy? The Hindu For a debt market to fund infrastructure ET With sluggish tax collection, little disinvestment, government is unlikely to meet targets. Budget must present true picture IE The financial system remains choked IE

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

Daily Current Affairs IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 2nd January 2020

IAS UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 2nd January 2020 Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) Satcom technology: Rajasthan to utilize it in big way Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains II- Governance  In News Rajasthan Government has started using satellite communication technology to enhance the learning outcome in educational institutions - for getting the services of subject experts in the government schools and colleges  The institutions with the shortage of teachers will especially benefit from the geostationary satellite uplinking facilities. Government is also using the technology to generate awareness about social welfare schemes, while giving priority to the five aspirational districts selected by NITI Aayog in the State. About Aspirational Districts. The Aspirational District Programme was launched by the Prime Minister on January 5, 2018. It aims to quickly and effectively transform some of India's most underdeveloped districts. It will identify areas of immediate improvement, measure progress, and rank districts (done by NITI Aayog) The broad ideas of the programme include - convergence of central and state schemes collaboration of central, state level ‘Prabhari’ (in-charge) officers and district collectors competition among districts Pharma City in Telangana Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains II- Competitive Federalism; GS-III- Economy In News Pharma City project planned by Telangana Government as world’s biggest pharma cluster near Hyderabad has obtained the National Investment and Manufacturing Zone (NIMZ) approval and the environmental clearance for it from the Centre Basic infrastructure at the Pharma City like setting up sub-stations and laying roads has already commenced. The government would have to work on establishing an effluent treatment plant to make it a pollution-free project. About NIMZ NIMZs are one of the important instruments of National Manufacturing Policy, 2011. Objective: To increase the share of manufacturing to 25 percent of the country’s GDP while also creating 100 million jobs over the next decade NIMZs have been conceived as large integrated industrial townships with state of-the-art infrastructure; land use on the basis of zoning; clean and energy efficient technology; necessary social infrastructure; skill development facilities, etc.  To enable the NIMZ to function as a self-government and autonomous body, it will be declared by the State Government as a Industrial Township under Article 243 Q (I) (c) of the Constitution These NIMZs would be managed by a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) which would ensure master planning of the zone; pre-clearances for setting up the industrial units to be located within the zone and undertake such other functions  Invasive alien plants in Nilgiri Biosphere Region Part of: GS Prelims and GS III- Environment In News Invasive alien species are plants, animals, pathogens and other organisms that are non-native to an ecosystem, and which may cause economic or environmental harm or adversely affect human health The spread of invasive plants, especially Senna Spectabilis, is posing a major threat to the Nilgiri forest region, owing to its quick growth and coppicing character The thick foliage arrests the growth of other indigenous species of trees and grass, and causes food shortage for the wildlife population, especially herbivores, during summer.  Moreover, wildlife would not feed on the leaves of the tree as it was not palatable for them The plant started to invade in adjacent tiger reserves, including Bandipur and Nagarhole in Karnataka and the Mudumalai tiger reserve in Tamil Nadu Import duty on crude, refined palm oils Cut Part of: GS Prelims and GS II- International Affairs In News Acting on the ASEAN and the India-Malaysia Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreements, the Centre slashed import duty on refined palmolein from 50% to 45%, while that on crude palm oil (CPO) from 40% to 37.5% The action is said to have a serious impact on the domestic palm oil refining industry and oilseeds farmers Value Addition for Prelims ASEAN stands for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. It was formed in 1967, by Thailand, Singapore, Philippines, Malaysia, and Indonesia. Membership has been extended to include Vietnam, Burma, Laos, Cambodia, and Brunei. Apart from economic and political growth it also focuses on social progress, social-cultural evolution among member countries, and provision of mechanisms and strategies to resolve differences peacefully. (MAINS FOCUS) GOVERNANCE  TOPIC: General Studies 2: Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability, e governance- applications, models, successes, limitations, and potential; citizens charters, transparency & accountability and institutional and other measures Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) India :  NITI Aayog recently released the Baseline Report of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) India Index Context: The NITI Aayog recently released the Baseline Report of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) India Index, which comprehensively documents the progress made by India’s States and Union Territories towards implementing the 2030 SDG targets. The SDG India Index was developed in collaboration with the Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation (MoSPI), Global Green Growth Institute and United Nations in India. Background: The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were adopted in September 2015 as a part of the resolution, ‘Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development’. India is committed to achieve the 17 SDGs and the 169 associated targets, which comprehensively cover social, economic and environmental dimensions of development and focus on ending poverty in all its forms and dimensions.  At the Central Government level, NITI Aayog has been assigned the role of overseeing the implementation of SDGs in the country. Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas NITI Aayog has the twin mandate to oversee the implementation of SDGs in the country, and also promote Competitive and Cooperative Federalism among States and UTs.  The SDG India Index acts as a bridge between these mandates, aligning the SDGs with the Prime Minister’s clarion call of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, which embodies the five Ps of the global SDG movement – people, planet, prosperity, partnership and peace.  [caption id="attachment_55624" align="aligncenter" width="505"] Daily Current Affairs IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 2nd January 2020[/caption] Src: Quora SDG: The SDGs are ambitious global development goals that address key aspects of universal wellbeing across different socio-economic, cultural, geographical divisions and integrate the economic, social and environmental dimensions of development. SDG & India: India’s National Development Agenda is mirrored in the SDGs.  India’s progress in SDGs is crucial for the world as the country is home to about 17% of the world population. The SDG India Index tracks progress of all States and UTs on 62 Priority Indicators selected by NITI Aayog, which in turn is guided by MoSPI’s National Indicator Framework comprising 306 indicators and based on multiple-round consultations with Union Ministries/Departments and States/UTs. Working: A composite score was computed between the range of 0-100 for each State and UT based on their aggregate performance across 13 SDGs, which indicates average performance of State/UT towards achieving 13 SDGs & their respective targets. If a State/UT achieves a score of 100, it signifies that it has achieved the 2030 national targets. The higher the score of a State/UT, the greater the distance to target achieved. Classification Criteria based on SDG India Index Score is as follows: Aspirant: 0-49 Performer: 50-64 Front Runner: 65-99 Achiever: 100           OVERALL Aspirant Assam, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh Performer Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Jammu & Kashmir, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Odisha, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Telangana, Tripura, Uttarakhand, West Bengal, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Dadra & Nagar Haveli, Daman & Diu, Delhi and Lakshadweep Front Runner Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Chandigarh and Puducherry Achiever NA   Significance: The SDG India Index will also help highlight crucial gaps related to tracking SDGs and the need for India to develop its statistical systems at National & State/UT levels. This shall lead to the index evolving and becoming more comprehensive over the coming years.  The indicators shall be further refined and additional indicators will be added with improvement in data collection, reporting processes & methodology.  NITI Aayog is also exploring potential for disaggregating data and developing capacity for real time monitoring and measuring incremental progress. Overall Findings: Particular State UT SDG India Index Score Range 42-69 57-68 Top Performer/s Himachal Pradesh & Kerala Chandigarh Aspirant Uttar Pradesh Dadra & Nagar Haveli Himachal Pradesh ranks high on providing clean water & sanitation, in reducing inequalities & preserving mountain ecosystem Kerala’s top rank is attributed to its superior performance in providing good health, reducing hunger, achieving gender equality & providing quality education Chandigarh leads because of its exemplary performance in providing clean water & sanitation, affordable & clean energy, generating decent work & economic growth, & providing quality education Connecting the dots: Do you think SDG brings governance change in India? How do you think it Impacts Indian Economy? SPACE TOPIC: General Studies 3: Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, robotics, nano-technology, bio-technology and issues relating to intellectual property rights. Gaganyaan : In mission mode, says ISRO In news: Four pilots from the Indian Air Force (IAF) will leave for Russia this month to receive training as astronauts of Gaganyaan, the first Indian crewed flight to space. It is a ₹10,000-crore Indian human space flight scheduled for 2022.  The chosen astronauts will be sent to space on-board Gaganyaan, a crew capsule, to be launched with the help of Geo-Synchronous Launch Vehicle (GSLV) If Gaganyaan is successful, India would become the fourth nation to achieve the feat India has signed agreements with Russia and France for cooperation on the Gaganyaan mission. DRDO signed MoUs with ISRO to offer technologies for the mission, including space food, survival kits for crew, radiation protection equipment and parachutes. India's first man in space Rakesh Sharma, who flew aboard the Soyuz T-11, launched on 2 April 1984, was an Indian Air Force pilot. [caption id="attachment_55623" align="aligncenter" width="551"] Daily Current Affairs IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 2nd January 2020[/caption] SRC: The Hindu Background and Timeline: From an idea to a plan Preparations have been going on since 2004, when the manned space mission was first endorsed by the ISRO Policy Planning Committee; there was lack of clarity on when exactly the mission would be launched, the target initially in was 2015. 2004: ISRO Policy Planning Committee recommends manned space mission 2006: National committee comprising 80 scientists and technocrats endorses proposal 2007: First public announcement of the human space programme 2009: Another experts’ committee, discusses the desirability and feasibility of the programme and expresses support 2010: Failure of GSLV-D3 and Failure of GSLV-F06 2014: Successful testing of experimental flight of GSLV Mk-III; this also successfully tests an experimental crew module, demonstrating re-entry capability June 2017: First ‘developmental’ flight of GSLV Mk-III July 2018: First successful flight of the crew escape system or “pad abort” test. August 15, 2018: Prime Minister announces manned mission to take place before 2022 Challenges: A manned space mission is very different from all other missions that ISRO has so far completed. In terms of complexity and ambition, even the missions to the Moon (Chandrayaan) and Mars (Mangalyaan) are nowhere in comparison. For a manned mission, the key distinguishing capabilities that ISRO has had to develop the ability to bring the spacecraft back to Earth after flight, and to build a spacecraft in which astronauts can live in Earth-like conditions in space. Over the years, ISRO has successfully tested many of the technologies that are required, but many others are still to be developed and tested. The rocket: GSLV Mk-III The spacecraft carrying human beings, called crew module, is likely to weigh in excess of 5 to 6 tonnes. ISRO’s main launch vehicle, the PSLV (Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle), which carried the Chandrayaan and Mangalyaan missions too, can carry payloads that are barely up to 2 tonnes, and that too only to orbits at about 600 km altitude from the Earth’s surface. That is why the development of GSLV Mk-III, a launch vehicle with capabilities to deliver much heavier payloads much deeper into space, was necessary. After three decades of efforts, mainly concentrated at developing an indigenous cryogenic engine to power the rocket, ISRO successfully tested GSLV Mk-III, now called LVM-3 (Launch Vehicle Mark-3), in an experimental flight in December 2014. June 2017, ISRO successfully launched the first “developmental” flight of LVM-3, which carried the GSAT-19 satellite into space. The LVM-3 is the declared launch vehicle for taking the manned crew module into space. Over the next few years, many more flights of GSLV are scheduled. Re-entry & recovery tech The satellites launched by ISRO including Chandrayaan and Mangalyaan, normally meant to remain in space, even when their life is over. Any manned spacecraft, however, needs to come back. This involves mastering of the highly complicated and dangerous re-entry and recovery ability. While re-entering Earth’s atmosphere, the spacecraft needs to withstand very high temperatures, which is created due to friction. Also, the spacecraft needs to renter the atmosphere at a very precise speed and angle, and even the slightest deviation could end in disaster. The first successful experimental flight of GSLV Mk-III on December 18, 2014, also involved the successful testing of an experimental crew module that came back to Earth after being taken to an altitude of 126 km into space. The Crew module Atmospheric Re-entry Experiment (CARE) spacecraft re-entered the atmosphere at about 80 km altitude and landed in the sea near the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Crew Escape System This is a crucial safety technology, involving an emergency escape mechanism for the astronauts in case of a faulty launch. The mechanism ensures the crew module gets an advance warning of anything going wrong with the rocket, and pulls it away to a safe distance, after which it can be landed either on sea or on land with the help of attached parachutes. Recently, ISRO completed the first successful flight of the crew escape system. A simulated crew module weighing about 3.5 tonnes was launched from Sriharikota. Life support The Environmental Control & Life Support System (ECLSS) is meant to ensure that conditions inside the crew module are suitable for humans to live comfortably. The inside of the crew module is a twin-walled sealed structure that will recreate Earth-like conditions for the astronauts. The ECLSS maintains a steady cabin pressure and air composition, removes carbon dioxide and other harmful gases, controls temperature and humidity, and manages parameters like fire detection and suppression, food and water management, and emergency support. While the design and configuration of the ECLSS and the inside of the crew module has been finalised, other components and systems are in the process of being tested. Ground testing will have to be followed by tests in the space orbit while simulating zero gravity and deep vacuum. Astronaut training In the early part of the planning, a proposal for setting up an astronaut training centre in Bangalore was floated. Initially targeted by 2012, it is yet to take off. While ISRO still plans to set up a permanent facility, the selected candidates for the first manned mission will most likely train at a foreign facility. Candidates will need to train for at least two years in living in zero gravity and dealing with a variety of unexpected experiences of living in space. Some training would also be imparted at the Institute of Aerospace Medicine of the Indian Air Force at Bengaluru. Budget During the early years of planning, the cost of India’s first manned space mission was estimated at about Rs 12,400 crore. But that was for a mission to be launched in 2015. The mission would now be completed for less than Rs 10,000 crore. Recently, the government approved the funding for the next 10 flights of GSLV Mk-III at an estimated cost of Rs 4,338.2 crore. This was supposed to take care of GSLV Mk-III missions till 2024. Conclusion: If India does launch the Gaganyaan mission, it will be the fourth nation to do so after the United States, Russia and China. These developments will help ISRO in perfecting the cryogenic technology for sending up heavier and heavier payloads and will reduce India’s dependency on other countries to launch heavier satellites. Connecting the dots: What advantages would India’s proposed manned mission to space bring to the society? Do you think this mission makes India the world leader in space mission? (TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE) Model questions: (You can now post your answers in comment section) Note:  Correct answers of today’s questions will be provided in next day’s DNA section. Kindly refer to it and update your answers.  Comments Up-voted by IASbaba are also the “correct answers”. Q.1) Consider the following statements about Gaganyaan Mission Astronauts will be sent to space onboard Gaganyaan, a crew capsule, to be launched with the help of Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) India is cooperating with Russia and France for a successful Gaganyaan mission. Which of the above statement(s) given above is/are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.2) Consider the following statements about National Investment Manufacturing Zones The aim to increase the share of manufacturing to 25 percent of the country’s GDP while also creating 100 million jobs over the next decade It will be declared by the State Government as a Industrial Township under Article 243 Q (I) (c) of the Constitution Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.3) Mudumalai tiger reserve is located in which State of India? Karnataka Kerala Andhra Pradesh Tamil Nadu Q.4) Consider the following statements about ASEAN The 10-member South East Asian grouping not only has objective on improving economic cooperation and growth but on social progress, social-cultural evolution among member countries India has a Free Trade Agreement with ASEAN Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 ANSWERS FOR 01 JAN 2020 TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE (TYK) 1 C 2 B 3 A 4 C MUST READ  Infrastructure push: On Centre’s ₹102-lakh-crore plan The Hindu The new worry of depleting diplomatic capital The Hindu The need for a single energy ministry The Hindu No country for procedural justice The Hindu Tax certainty matters, not just tax rates ET Welcome decision on inclusive 5G trials ET

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

Daily Current Affairs IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 1st January 2020

IAS UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 1st January 2020 Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) Swachh Sarvekshan League 2020: National Cleanliness RankingsPart of: GS Prelims and GS-II- Health and Sanitation In News Jamshedpur and Indore have emerged as the cleanest cities with a population upto 10 lakh and upto 20 lakh respectively in India. Swachh Survekshan League 2020 (SS League 2020) was introduced with the objective of sustaining the onground performance of cities along with continuous monitoring of service level performance when it comes to cleanliness SS League 2020 is being conducted by Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs in three quarters (April-June, July-September and October-December)  Sustainability of the sanitation chain has been focused in SS League 2020 whereby parameters such as wastewater treatment and reuse, and faecal sludge management have been given special attention. SS League will be integrated with Swachh Survekshan 2020, the 5th edition of the annual cleanliness survey of urban India. The performance of cities in SS League 2020 is crucial to their ranking in Swachh Survekshan 2020 due to the 25% weightage of the quarterly assessments to be included in the annual survey scheduled to commence from 4 January till 31 January 2020. Bhima-Koregaon battle of 1818: 202nd Anniversary Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains I- Modern History In News The battle was fought on 1 January 1818 between the British East India Company and the Peshwa faction of the Maratha Confederacy, at Koregaon Bhima,  a small village in Pune district of Maharashtra, A few hundred Mahar soldiers of the East India Company, led by the British, defeated the massive Peshwa army, led by Peshwa Bajirao II The Vijay Sthamb (victory pillar) was erected by the East India Company in memory of those who fought the battle. The names of the Mahar soldiers who unknowingly brought an end to the Peshwa rule in 1818 are inscribed on the pillar. The Dalits who follow BR Ambedkar view this battle as a victory of Mahars over the injustice and torture meted out to them by the Brahminical Peshwas. Chandrayaan-3: Launch this year Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains III- Space Science & technology In News India will launch Chandrayaan-3 in 2020, government stated, asserting that the mission cost will be less than Chandrayaan-2. The experience gathered from Chandrayaan-2 and available infrastructure would bring down the cost of Chandrayaan-3 Value Addition for Prelims Chandrayaan-2 mission was India's first attempt to land on lunar surface. The ISRO had planned the landing on the South Pole of the lunar surface. However, the lander Vikram hard-landed. Nevertheless, the Chandrayaan 2 orbiter remains in good health ISRO’s new commercial arm New Space India Ltd. (NSIL) will oversee the technology transfer to the private sector and manufacturing of space components by the industry. Department of Military Affairs (DMA): Created in the Defence Ministry, Part of: GS Prelims and GS III- Security In News The Department of Military Affairs (DMA) has been created in the Defence Ministry, and General Bipin Rawat who is the new Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS) will head it. The DMA will be the fifth department in the Ministry after the Department of Defence, the Department of Defence Production, the Department of Defence Research and Development and the Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare. The DMA’s mandate includes promoting jointness in procurement, training and staffing for the Services; facilitating restructuring of the military commands for optimal utilisation of resources by bringing about a jointness in operations, including through the establishment of joint/theatre commands and promoting use of indigenous equipment  The DMA would deal with The armed forces;  The integrated headquarters of the Ministry, comprising the Army, Naval and Air and defence staff headquarters;  The Territorial Army; and  Works relating to the three services and procurement exclusive to them, except capital acquisitions. National Population Register(NPR): Trial form gets governments approval Part of: GS Prelims and GS II- Governance In News NPR form used at the trial stage in September 2019 is likely to be finalised as the authorities did not receive any adverse feedback from a sample set of respondents. Around 30 lakh people responded to the “pretest” form that was used to collect data in 74 districts. It sought details on 21 parameters, especially the “place of birth of father and mother, the last place of residence”, along with Aadhaar (optional), voter ID card, mobile phone and driving licence numbers. Value Addition for Prelims NPR is a register of usual residents of the country. It includes both Indian citizens as well as a foreign citizen. According to the Citizenship Rules, 2003, a usual resident is a person who has resided in a local area for the past 6 months or more or a person who intends to reside in that area for the next 6 months or more. The entire NPR exercise will be conducted by the Office of the Registrar General of India (RGI) under the Union Home Ministry. The first NPR was prepared in 2010 and updation of this data was done during 2015 by conducting door to door survey. In the last NPR done in 2010, the data was collected on the 15 points and it did not include ‘date and place of birth of parents’ and last place of residence. The present NPR has a database of 119 crore residents. 5G: India decides to include Chinese telecom major Huawei in the 5G trial Part of: GS Prelims and GS III- Science & Technology In News 5G is the 5th generation mobile network which will take much larger role than previous mobile network generations  1G delivered analog voice. 2G introduced digital voice (e.g., CDMA). 3G brought mobile data (e.g., CDMA2000). 4G LTE ushered in the era of mobile Internet. 5G supports new services (like IoT), uses spectrum better than 4G, faster than 4G(up to 20 Gigabits-per-second) and has more capacity than 4G (it will support a 100x increase in traffic capacity and network efficiency) Inclusion of the tech giant in the Indian scene had become a diplomatic issue with opposition from the U.S. and Japan.  The Chinese major was banned by the U.S. in May 2019 on issues of security & privacy which led to an international campaign to stop other countries from including it in 5G projects MAINS FOCUS POLITY TOPIC: General Studies 2: Various Security forces and agencies and their mandate Chief of Defence Staff (CDS): Gen. Bipin Rawat Appointed as first CDS Context: General Bipin Rawat (December 30) appointed the first Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), a newly created post meant to enhance the quality of military advice to the political leadership through integration of service inputs. The CDS is a high military office that will oversee and coordinate the working of the three Services, and offer seamless tri-service views and single-point advice to the Executive (in India’s case, to the Prime Minister) on long-term defence planning and management, including manpower, equipment and strategy, and above all, “jointsmanship” in operations. Need for Chief of Defence Staff In general, the policy formulation is done by Defense Secretary, who is a bureaucrat, while its execution rests with Chiefs of armed forces. This makes defence policy incoherent. The emergence of modern warfare domains like Space, Cyber etc, requires a more integrated approach to defense strategy. A group of ministers that was formed in 2001 to explore necessary reforms required to improve India's national security had also favoured creating the post of Chief of Defence Staff. In 2012 Naresh Chandra task force recommended the appointment of a permanent chairman of chiefs of staff committee. The permanent chairman of chiefs of staff committee is the senior most of the three Chiefs. The CDS is also one of the 99 recommendations made by the Lt. General D.B. Shekatkar (retd.) committee (2016). Significance The creation of the CDS will eventually lead to the formation of tri-service theatre commands intended to create vertical integration of the three forces. This is expected to save money by avoiding duplication between the Services, at a time of shrinking capital expenditure within the defence budget. It will help India in Defense diplomacy. United States: Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff According to the US Department of Defence website, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS) is the nation’s highest-ranking military officer and the principal military adviser to the President, the Secretary of Defence (equivalent to Minister for Defence in India) and the National Security Council. United Kingdom: Chief of the Defence Staff The Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS) is the professional head of the Armed Forces and principal military adviser to the Secretary of State for Defence (equivalent to Minister for Defence in India) and the government. The UK CDS reports to the Defence Secretary and the Prime Minister. Australia: Chief of the Defence Force Australia has a diarchy system, under which the Chief of the Defence Force (CDF) and the Secretary for the Department of Defence (a senior civilian public servant in the Ministry) jointly manage the Defence organisation, per the Department of Defence website. Challenges: The KRC Report pointed out that India is the only major democracy where the Armed Forces Headquarters is outside the apex governmental structure. It observed that Service Chiefs devote most of their time to their operational roles, “often resulting in negative results”. Long-term defence planning suffers as day-to-day priorities dominate. Also, the Prime Minister and Defence Minister do not have the benefit of the views and expertise of military commanders, in order to ensure that higher level defence management decisions are more consensual and broadbased. The CDS is also seen as being vital to the creation of “theatre commands”, integrating tri-service assets and personnel like in the US military. Connecting the dots: Do you think CDS is required for India? Do you think CDS will create co-ordination between all the three wings of the defence? INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS TOPIC: General Studies 2: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests, Indian Diaspora. US-China:  ‘phase one’ trade deal to be signed January 15 Context: United States and China recently   announced a “Phase One” agreement  With this US will reduce some tariffs in exchange for increased Chinese purchases of American farm and energy goods. Background: Donald Trump in 2018 began setting tariffs and other trade barriers on China with the goal of forcing it to make changes to what the U.S. says are “unfair trade practices” of China Among those trade practices and their effects are the growing trade deficit, the theft of intellectual property, and the forced transfer of American technology to China The trade war has brought struggles for farmers and manufacturers and higher prices for consumers.  It has also caused economic damage In some countries, some countries have benefited from increased manufacturing to fill the gaps. It has also led to stock market instability. Impact of trade war on India : The US manufacturers are setting up their bases in India. For India, this will be beneficial as it would create more jobs for us. There is a possibility that China could soon start flooding excess steel and aluminium into India’s market after this raised tariffs on Chinese products by US. Mobile phones, refrigerators, washing machines, ACs, water purifiers, and possibly electric vehicles will now see increased investment flow directed towards India. The Indian consumers will get the products at a cheaper rate but the domestic producers of India will have to compete with the Chinese imports or else face loss. Indian producers will get an opportunity to fill this generated gap and penetrate in the US market. This will increase their trade and profit. There will be a short-term impact on the stock markets.  Features: The US will halve its 15 per cent tariff on about $120 billion in Chinese goods China has agreed to increase its total purchases of US goods and services by at least $200 billion over the next two years. Also included is a commitment by China to increase its buying of US agricultural products Addresses unfair currency practices by committing to refrain from competitive devaluations and exchange rate targeting. “This approach will help reinforce macroeconomic and exchange rate stability and help ensure that China cannot use currency practices to unfairly compete against U.S. exporters” China have agreed not to pressure foreign companies to transfer their technology to Chinese companies. The agreement also  include a dispute-resolution mechanism that will serve as the enforcement arm. Critics: It would bring only temporary relief in the over 18-month-old trade war between the US and China. Does little to resolve the United States’ biggest concerns about China’s trade practices, including its use of industrial subsidies and state-owned enterprises to dominate global industries like steel and solar panels. The deal would increase Chinese purchases of American agricultural and energy products,  It limits on China’s  ability to weaken its currency and provide greater protection to US companies that are operating in China. Way forward: China and the United States, the world’s two largest economies, must deal with bilateral economic and trade relations with the big picture in mind.  Reaching the agreement will serve the fundamental interests of the people of the two countries and the world,  It is expected to bring positive influences on areas including economy, trade, investment and the financial market Conclusion: The economic and political benefits of de-escalation in the trade war have become readily apparent.  A rollback of tariffs and cancellation of new levies, makes sense for the US economy and for the World economy.  Connecting the dots: Do you think Phase One” agreement make a positive impact on Indian economy? How does this impact India- US relations? (TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE) Model questions: (You can now post your answers in comment section) Note:  Correct answers of today’s questions will be provided in next day’s DNA section. Kindly refer to it and update your answers.  Comments Up-voted by IASbaba are also the “correct answers”. Q.1) Consider the following statements about Chandrayaan-2 Mission Chandrayaan-2 mission was India's first attempt to land on lunar surface.  The ISRO had planned the landing on the South Pole of the lunar surface Which of the above statement(s) given above is/are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.2) Consider the following statements about Military Affairs Department The department will be headed by Defence Secretary It will facilitate restructuring of the military commands for optimal utilisation of resources by bringing about a jointness in operations, including through the establishment of joint/theatre commands Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.3) The National Population Register exercise will be carried out by which body/Ministry? Office of the Registrar General of India, Union Home Ministry National Sample Survey Office Prime Minister’s Office None of the above Q.4) Consider the following statements about 5G While 4G LTE focused on delivering the data much faster, 5G will also support new services such as mission-critical communications and Internet of Things (IoT). 5G has lower latency than 4G i.e. it has the potential to deliver more instantaneous, real-time access: a 10x decrease in end-to-end latency down to 1ms. Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 ANSWERS FOR 31 DEC 2019 TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE (TYK) 1 A 2 B 3 B 4 B MUST READ A group of theocracies: On why India should rebuff OIC on Kashmir The Hindu It is everybody’s Constitution The Hindu Weighing in on the public sector privatisation debate The Hindu An anatomy of anti-CAA protests The Hindu Groundwater gets the priority it’s due ET NITI Aayog’s SDG report sheds light on uneven progress in states, suggests roadmap for intervention. IE

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All India Radio (AIR) IAS UPSC - National Population Register

National Population Register ARCHIVES Search 28th Dec, 2019 Spotlight here: http://www.newsonair.com/Main_Audio_Bulletins_Search.aspx TOPIC: General Studies 2 Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability, e governance- applications, models, successes, limitations, and potential; citizens charters, transparency & accountability and institutional and other measures. In News: The Union Cabinet recently approved a proposal to conduct Census 2021 and update the National Population Register (NPR) in all the States/UTs except Assam. The Government will spend Rs 8,754 crore for the Census 2021 and Rs 3,941 crore for updating the NPR. National Population Register (NPR): The NPR is a register of usual residents of the country. It is mandatory for every usual resident of India to register in the NPR. It includes both Indian citizens as well as a foreign citizen.  The objective of the NPR: To create a comprehensive identity database of every usual resident in the country.  The first National Population Register was prepared in 2010 and updating this data was done during 2015 by conducting door to door survey. Also essential for providing good governance Citizenship Act: It is being prepared at the local (Village/sub-Town), sub-District, District, State and National level under provisions of the Citizenship Act 1955 and the Citizenship (Registration of Citizens and issue of National Identity Cards) Rules, 2003. The announcement on the NPR came amid continuing protests against the recent Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), 2019, in many parts of the country NPR connected to NRC? The Citizenship Act empowers the government to compulsorily register every citizen and maintain a National Register of Indian Citizens.  A nationwide NRC — if undertaken — would flow out of NPR.  This does not necessarily mean that an NRC must follow NPR — no such register was compiled after the previous NPR in 2010.  After a list of residents is created, a nationwide NRC — if it happens — could go about verifying the citizens from that list. Concerns: NRC or NPR exercise, in combination with the recently enacted Citizenship (Amendment) Act, or CAA, could lead to disenfranchisement and harassment of the poor and undocumented segments of the population was not born out of anyone’s imagination Where does Aadhaar fit in? There is a little back story about NPR and Aadhaar. The two were considered rival projects under the UPA government of Manmohan Singh. When NPR process began in the government, P Chidambaram was the Union home minister, who pushed the population register project aggressively. Aadhaar was taking shape with equally aggressive push from then Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee (who later became the President of India -- a development that saw Chidamabaram moving to the finance ministry and also an end to NPR-Aadhaar rivalry). Both the NPR and Aadhaar projects were concurrently underway collecting demographic and biometric data. Initially, both had better and targeted delivery of benefits and services to people as their objectives. The works of the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) and the home ministry were viewed as duplication and wastage of resources. The conflict, however, ended in a compromise between the home ministry and the UIDAI where it was decided that NPR and Aadhaar databases will be used for different purposes. Aadhaar will deliver welfare services and NPR will be used for other purposes of governance. It was also decided that those already enrolled for Aadhaar need not give their biometric details during NPR exercise. The NPR data were to be matched with Aadhaar data for de-duplication. But the final formula gave NPR an upper hand. It was agreed that in case of discrepancy between Aadhaar and NPR data, NPR would prevail. Simply put, NPR conducted in accordance with the Citizenship Amendment Act 2003 will form the key data set for both Aadhaar and NRIC. Criticisms The NRC, as it was rolled out in Assam, puts the burden of proof on citizens to establish that they are indeed citizens. The undocumented and the poor will bear the brunt of this approach.  The proposed format for enumerating the NPR only exacerbates this concern and adds a third axis to the ongoing confusion and turmoil. With the passage of the CAA, and the announcement of the NRIC, there is enough factual basis for doubting the government’s claim that the NPR has nothing to do with the NRIC. Advantages  Identify own citizens: Provide a comprehensive identity database with relevant demographic details leading to better formulation of policies as well as aid national security Streamline data: Will ease the life as targeted population for government help will be better served and paperwork and red tape will be cut down on Eliminate duplication: Would also eliminate duplication in voter lists Way forward: If the government has a rethink on its strident position on the NRC, it must say so upfront, and at any rate desist from denigrating critics. Conclusion: The NPR is not about citizenship but only about residency. However, when additional questions such as “place of birth of father and mother”, etc are being proposed for the forthcoming exercise, the concern that this may be a prelude to the NRIC is logical. Connecting the dots: Do you think NPR creates confusion among people? Explain Are NPR NRC and CAA are interrelated? Examine.

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Daily Current Affairs IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 31st December 2019

IAS UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 31st December 2019 Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): Kerala is in the top slot Part of: GS Prelims and GS-II- Federalism; GS-III- Sustainable Development In News NITI Aayog has released its latest SDG India Index 2019, which assesses each state and Union Territory’s achievement on 16 sustainable development goals (SDG).  A score of 100 implies that the state/ UT has achieved targets set for 2030 Kerala is in the top slot with a score of 70, while Bihar is at the bottom with 50. Himachal Pradesh and Sikkim have joined the four southern States among the front-runners, which scored over 65 points out of a possible 100 Ending hunger and achieving gender equality are the areas where most States fall far short, with the all-India scores at a dismal 35 and 42 points respectively.  Value Addition for Prelims The SDGs are a set of 17 broad-based global goals adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 2015, and intended to be achieved by 2030 The UN has developed 232 indicators to measure compliance by member nations. The NITI Aayog has adapted the monitoring approach to the Indian context, with 100 indicators of its own for the Index. Daily Current Affairs IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 31st December 2019 Src: click here Chief of Defence Staff: Gen. Rawat Appointed as first CDS Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains III- Security In News The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) is a high military office that oversees and coordinates the working of the three Services He offers seamless tri-service views and single-point advice to the Executive ( Prime Minister) on long-term defence planning and management, including manpower, equipment and strategy, and above all, “jointsmanship” in operations.  The upper age limit for the CDS has been fixed at 65 years. Service chiefs have a tenure of three years or 62 years, whichever is earlier. However, the tenure of CDS has not been fixed Read more here: https://iasbaba.com/2019/12/chief-of-defence-staff-cds-union-cabinet-gives-approval/ Regional Reservations: Karnataka Students in National Law School Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains II- Federalism, Development In News In order to provide reservation to those students who have studied in Karnataka for at least 10 years, Karnataka government is mulling passing a bill that provide 25% reservation to such students in National Law School of India University (NLSIU) A similar Bill, proposing 50% reservation to Kannadigas, was passed in 2017. However, the Governor sent it back, saying that such a regional reservation could not be accepted. NLSIU at Bangalore was established was established by a statute passed by the Legislative Assembly of the State of Karnataka (NLSIU Karnataka Act 22 of 1986). The statute states that Chief Justice of India serves as the school's chancellor. Electro-kinetic streaming: To produce energy from flowing or stagnant water Part of: GS Prelims and GS III- Science & Technology In News Researchers at the IIT-Guwahati (IIT-G) has developed materials that can produce energy from flowing or stagnant water in households. Electro-kinetic streaming potential: When fluids stream through tiny channels(made up of special semiconducting material) that are charged, they can generate an electrical voltage, which may be harnessed through miniaturised generators. Devices with doped graphene flakes was also fabricated for generating power by dipping it in a bucket of water or any stagnant water source to “complementary charge transfer activities” Graphene is the sheet produced by oxidation followed by reduction of natural graphite flakes. Value Addition for Prelims - Graphene: Graphene is a form of carbon and a super-strong, ultra-light material discovered in 2004 Graphene consists of a single layer of carbon atoms arranged in a hexagonal lattice, each atom bound to its neighbours by chemical bonds.  It enables flexible electronic components, enhances solar cell capacity, and promises to revolutionise batteries. Indian State of Forest Report 2019 (ISFR) Part of: GS Prelims and GS II- Governance; GS-III- Environment In News The ISFR is a biennial publication of Forest Survey of India (FSI) an organization under the Ministry of Environment Forest & Climate Change Government of India The report assesses the forest and tree cover, bamboo resources, carbon stock and forest fires.  At 7,12,249 sqkm, the forest cover constituted 21.67% of the nation’s geographical area or 0.12% more than last year. The forest cover in the country increased by 3,976 square kilometres (sqkm) but with the sharpest declines in the northeastern States of Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur and Mizoram. However, these states have higher proportion of forest than most States — Mizoram (85.4%), Arunachal Pradesh (79.63%) and Nagaland (75% The top three States showing an increase in forest cover are Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala. Tree cover, defined as patches of trees less than 1 hectare and occurring outside the recorded forest area, grew by 1,212 sqkm Tree and forest cover together made up 25.56% of India’s area. In the last assessment it was 24.39%. Quality of forest — in terms of the canopy density of the trees comprising forest patches — is wavering. National Forest Policy, 1988 had envisaged 33% of total area to be under tree and forest cover. Ujjwala scheme, which provides free cooking gas to extremely poor families, has had a positive impact on reducing the demand for fuelwood. (MAINS FOCUS) HISTORY TOPIC: General Studies 1: Post-independence consolidation and reorganization within the country Inter- state border dispute : Maharashtra-Karnataka Belgaum tension (Part-1) In news: Recently Bus services between Kolhapur and Belgaum were suspended after the decades-old border dispute between Maharashtra and Karnataka flared up again. Various Kannada organisations had staged a protest in Belgaum and burnt the effigy of Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. Do you know? The dispute between Maharashtra and Karnataka over Belgaum and other border areas is a longstanding issue between the two states, and has been pending before the Supreme Court for many years. Daily Current Affairs IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 31st December 2019 Src: Frontline   History: In 1947, the Belgaum district  became a part of the Bombay State.  In 1948, the Belgaum Municipality that was dominated by Marathi speaking politicians requested Indian Constituent Assembly and the Boundary Commission to include the Belgaum in the proposed Maharashtra state for the Marathi speakers. In accordance to the established policy of bifurcation on linguistic majority basis, in 1956, the Belgaum district was incorporated into the newly formed Mysore state (now Karnataka) with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act(The Act, reorganised India's states along linguistic and administrative lines) Adjoining areas which had majority of Marathi speaking citizens were included in the newly formed Maharashtra state. included Belgaum in the Kannada-majority Karnataka, the district had most of the Marathi-speaking population hence the ‘dispute’ arised. Data: In the 1881 census, Belgaum had 864,014 people of which 556,397 were Kannada-speaking (64.39%), while 225,008 were Marathi-speaking (26.04%) Mahajan committee: The Government of India constituted Mahajan Committee in 1960 to look into the case,But it failed to reach an agreement Summary  of the Mahajan committee report: Belgaum to continue in Karnataka Around 247 villages/places including Jatta, Akkalakote, Sholapur to be part of Karnataka Around 264 villages/places including Nandagad, Nippani Khanapur to be part of Maharashtra Kasaragod (of Kerala) to be part of Karnataka Response to the report: The Maharashtra and Kerala government refuted the recommendations of the report and demanded another review of the issue.  Maharashtra government termed the findings of the reports as biased and self-contradictory because the "formula" applied for Kasaragod was not applied for Belgaum.  Maharashtra Government insisted that the report is against the "wish of people" of Belgaum.  Kerala, on the other hand, refused to hand over Kasaragod to Karnataka. The Karnataka government, continued to press for the implementation of the report or maintaining status quo. What Maharashtra wanted? Maharashtra wanted to apply following points and agreed to hand over Kannada majority villages to Karnataka: Villages as a unit Geographical proximity/integrity Marathi or Kannada speakers "relative majority"; in case of villages with no population, it should be merged with that state where the owners of that land reside People's wish Karnataka Government, wanted status quo to be maintained. Connecting the dots: Do you think this dispute is detrimental for the integrity of the country? How do you think the dispute can be resolved? TECHNOLOGY TOPIC: General Studies 3: Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, robotics, nano-technology, bio-technology and issues relating to intellectual property rights. Internet rights: Internet shutdown in India In news: In Kashmir, the government imposed a complete. The enactment of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act led to protests all over the country and State governments responded by suspending the Internet.  The Software Freedom Law Centre data says there have been more than a 100 Internet shutdowns in different parts of India in 2019 alone. Universal Declaration of Human Rights Internationally, the right to access to the Internet can be rooted in Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which states that “everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.” Human Rights Council The Human Rights Council of the United Nations Resolution dated 2018, noted with concern the various forms of undue restriction on freedom of opinion and expression online, including where countries have manipulated or suppressed online expression in violation of international law. Recommendation by: Justice BN Srikrishna Committee The appropriateness of a right to be forgotten in specific circumstances would require that the right to privacy be balanced with the freedom of speech It called right to confirmation, access and correction to be included in the data protection law. Kerala High Court: 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 Observations by the Court The Court observed that the internet acts as a learning tool and nobody can impose restrictions on it, citing discipline. The petitioner argued that the restriction on the use of internet amounted to a violation of the fundamental right to freedom of speech and expression under Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution. The Kerala HC in response cited the Supreme Court judgment in the S. Rengarajan and others v/s P. Jagjivan Ram case (1989) that the fundamental freedom under Article 19(1)(a) can be reasonably restricted only for the purposes mentioned in the Article 19(2). Conclusion: Internet broadband and mobile Internet services are a lifeline to people in India from all walks of life. While the Internet is certainly a main source of information and communication and access to social media, it is so much more than that. Hence it is high time to recognise the right to Internet access as a fundamental right. Connecting the dots: Do you think Internet access should be a basic human right? What do you think about Kerala high court decision? (TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE) Model questions: (You can now post your answers in comment section) Note:  Correct answers of today’s questions will be provided in next day’s DNA section. Kindly refer to it and update your answers.  Comments Up-voted by IASbaba are also the “correct answers”. Q.1) Consider the following statements about Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) The upper age limit for the CDS has been fixed at 65 years. Similar to Service Chiefs, the tenure of CDS has been fixed at three years. Which of the above statement(s) given above is/are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.2) Consider the following statements about Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) The SDGs are a set of 17 broad-based global goals adopted at Rio+2- conference in 2012, and intended to be achieved by 2030 Kerala tops the States in progress towards the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), while Bihar is at the bottom of the NITI Aayog’s SDG Index. Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.3) Consider the following statements The Indian State of Forest Report is a biennial publication of NITI Aayog which assesses the forest and tree cover, bamboo resources, carbon stock and forest fires National Forest Policy, 1988 has envisaged 33% of India’s total geographical area to be under tree and forest cover. Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.4) Consider the following statements about Graphene Graphene is a form of silicon and a super-strong, ultra-light material discovered in 2004 It enables flexible electronic components, enhances solar cell capacity, and promises to revolutionise batteries. Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 ANSWERS FOR 30 DEC 2019 TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE (TYK) 1 B 2 A 3 B 4 D MUST READ Daring to recast a vision set in stone The Hindu Uncovering the CAA’s larger stratagem The Hindu For a personal healing touch The Hindu Freedom from 3Cs IE Vengeful state IE

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All India Radio (AIR) IAS UPSC - Indo-Sweden Bilateral Relations

Indo-Sweden Bilateral Relations ARCHIVES Search 2nd Dec, 2019 Spotlight here: http://www.newsonair.com/Main_Audio_Bulletins_Search.aspx TOPIC: General Studies 2 Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests India and Sweden have had a bilateral trade turnover of USD 3.37 billion in 2018 and cumulative investments of about USD 2.5 billion since 2000. Bilateral relations between India and Sweden are friendly and based on principles of democracy and transparency, right to freedom, and rule of law. Regular interactions in political, business, scientific and academic spheres have provided dynamism to the bilateral ties of the two countries. Historically, India and Sweden have always had an atypical diplomatic relationship even though both sides have established sound business and investment ties that go back to the early 1920s. Market: India has always been a market of immense opportunities for Sweden, with Stockholm selling everything from table mats to warplanes here. At a time when Indian consumers were beginning to learn the concepts of single-brand and multi-brand retail, and that too affordable at that, it was Sweden that entered the country with Ikea and H&M.; Ikea had first announced its plans to foray into India in 2008 but opened its first store, after a decade-long wait, at Hyderabad in 2018. H&M; entered the country in 2015. Defence ties between India and Sweden also go back several years. The turning point, however, was in 1986 when India, then under former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, signed an agreement with Swedish defence major Bofors to procure 155-mm Howitzer field guns. This eventually turned into a huge political controversy post which defence cooperation between India and Sweden took a backseat for a long time. In 2016, when the Modi government conducted the much-talked-about ‘surgical strikes’ on Pakistan, Indian para commandos were believed to have used the Carl Gustav-84 mm rocket launchers, made by the Swedish weapons firm Saab, to hit the terror launchpads. Present… The two sides inked three pacts providing for cooperation in polar science, innovation and research and in maritime spheres – a) India-Sweden High-Level Dialogue on innovation policy: Focus on areas such as digital health, artificial intelligence (AI), future mobility and circular economy. 'Digital health': The programme aims to provide scalable and implementable innovative, sustainable and flexible health solutions in both countries, using artificial intelligence-based technologies as a tool. 'Smart grids': The Swedish Energy Agency has allocated 25 million SEK over the next four years for this industry-led call. b) Launched the Agri-Waste to High Energy Biocoal pilot project: Has been established under the Prime Minister's Science, Technology and Innovation Advisory Council (PM-STIAC) Waste to Wealth Mission A torrefaction pilot plant for the conversion of agri-waste into biocoal at the National Agri-Food Biotechnology Institute (NABI) in Mohali, Punjab. The biocoal made from unutilised crop waste produces 20 times lower emissions than conventional coal. The expected outcomes of this pilot study are: Improved air quality with reduction of crop burning; reduced emissions from use of biocoal as a clean energy source; livelihood generation opportunities for farmers as biocoal production creates new market linkages for agri-waste; soil quality improvement in fields from avoided crop burning, according to a statement. c) 'Smart cities and clean technologies' and 'Digitisation and Internet of Things' The project aims to develop technologies that can be commercialised after two years through joint cooperation between India and Sweden.  Vinnova will provide funding to Swedish side participants up to 2,500,000 SEK as grant. On the Indian side, conditional grant of up to 50 per cent with a limit of Rs 1.5 crore per project to Indian project partners will be provided. The Department of Science & Technology, India, and the Swedish Research Council will fund 20 bilateral projects in the area of computer science and material science under the Indo-Swedish Joint Network Grant Awards. The Swedish Research Council will fund 14 million SEK for 2 years for this programme. The Department of Science and Technology will provide activity matching funding to the Indian counterparts. Sweden’s Expectations: The Gripen deal: Sweden is now keenly looking at selling its Gripen warplanes to India under the Modi government’s $12 billion fighter jet deal. Saab, the maker of Gripen, was ready with a plan to build the fighters in the country under the ‘Make in India’ programme in 2016. It had even announced its collaboration with Adani for the project in 2017. 5G network across: Swedish Ericsson is one of the contenders in the 5G race. Note: A. Modi had visited Sweden in April 2018 to take part in the first-ever India-Nordic Summit;  he was the first Indian PM to do so in 30 years. The last PM to visit the country was Rajiv Gandhi in 1988. Swedish Monarchy: A monarchy is a form of government in which total sovereignty is invested in one person, a head of state called a monarch who holds the position until death or abdication.  The Swedish monarchy is one of the oldest in the world. According to the website of the Swedish Royal Court, the country has had a monarch for more than 1,000 years. Connecting the Dots: Compare and contrast the history of socialism in Sweden with that of Venezuela.

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Daily Current Affairs IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 30th December 2019

IAS UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 30th December 2019 Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) SnowEx: To assess how much water does snow contain Part of: GS Prelims and GS-III- Science & Technology In News In order to better understand how water is contained in each winter’s snowfall and how much will be available when it melts in the spring, NASA has launched a seasonal campaign called SnowEx.  The goal is to address the most important gaps in our snow remote sensing knowledge, and thus lay the groundwork for a future snow satellite mission. SnowEx assesses where snow has fallen, how much there is and how its characteristics change as it melts. It uses airborne measurements, ground measurements and computer modelling The geographical focus of SnowEx is proposed as North America which contains the six broad snow climate categories identified in the literature: tundra (alpine or Arctic), taiga (Boreal forest), warm (temperate) forest, maritime, prairie, and ephemeral. Dadasaheb Phalke Award Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains I- Culture In News The country’s highest film honour, the DadasahebPhalke award, was 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.” The award is 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.”  Bandhavgarh Forest: Gets its first Elephant Colony Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains III- Environment Conservation In News Bandhavgarh National Park is spread at vindhya hills in Madhya Pradesh. It is known for the Royal Bengal Tigers. The density of the Tiger population at Bandhavgarh is the highest known in India. Bandhavgarh National Park consists of mixed vegetation ranging from tall grasslands to thick Sal forest and so is the perfect habitat of variety of animals and birds. Bandhavgarh was declared a national park in 1968 and then became Tiger Reserve in 1993. The word Bandhavgarh is a combination of two words: Bandhav+ Garh where Bandhav means brother and Garh means Fort.  The name Bandhavgarh given to the reserve is due to the presence of an ancient fort in the hillock of the Vindhya ranges of Umaria. It has been believed that Lord Rama gifted this amazing fort to his younger brother Lakshmana.  In the 2019 census Madhya Pradesh state recorded the most number of estimated tigers at 526, thus earning the title “Tiger State” Red sand boa snake: Rare Snake rescued in Madhya Pradesh Part of: GS Prelims and GS III- Environment In News Red Sand Boa Snake which worth around ₹1.25 crore, was rescued from five persons, who were trying to sell it in Madhya Pradesh  The rare non-poisonous snakes are used for making certain medicines, cosmetics and in black magic, and are in huge demand in the international market They are also believed to bring good luck and wealth. Persons were charged under the Wildlife (Protection) Act. Value addition for Prelims The Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 is an Act of the Parliament of India enacted for protection of plants and animal species. Article 48-A of the Constitution says that the State shall endeavour to protect and improve the environment and to safeguard the forest and wildlife of the country.  Article 51A (g) imposes a fundamental duty on every citizen of India to protect and improve the environment and have compassion for living creatures. Poshan Abhiyaan: Merely 30% of the funds used after 3 years Part of: GS Prelims and GS III- Governance & Health In News Barring Mizoram, Lakshadweep, Himachal Pradesh and Bihar, none of the state governments used even half of the sum granted in the past three years, according to an analysis of the data shared in Parliament. Average utilization of the funds allotted under the scheme, in the country is 29.97% Value addition for Prelims The Poshan Abhiyaan, the Centrally sponsored scheme, is aimed at improving nutritional outcomes among pregnant women, lactating mothers and children  50% of the funding comes through budgetary support while remaining 50% is from the World Bank or other multilateral development banks.  POSHAN Abhiyaan is a multi-ministerial convergence mission with the vision to ensure attainment of malnutrition free India by 2022. Target:Reducing stunting, under-nutrition, anaemia (among young children, women and adolescent girls) and low birth weight by 2%, 2%, 3% and 2% per annum respectively. US astronaut Christina Koch Part of: GS Prelims and GS III- Science & Technology In News US astronaut Christina Koch set the record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman when she reached, and crossed, 289 days in her current mission at the International Space Station (ISS). Having reached the ISS in March this year, she is expected to spend a total of 328 days on board before returning to Earth in February 2020.  In October 2019, she was part of the first all-female spacewalk, together with Jessica Meir Did you Know? Gennady Padalka of Russia holds the record longest cumulative time spent in space by any astronaut, male or female, accumulating the 878 days (about 2½ years) across five spaceflights between 1998 and 2015. The International Space Station (ISS) is a space station (habitable artificial satellite) in low Earth orbit.  The ISS programme is a joint project between five participating space agencies: NASA (United States), Roscosmos (Russia), JAXA (Japan), ESA (Europe), and CSA (Canada). The ownership and use of the space station is established by intergovernmental treaties and agreements (MAINS FOCUS) ECONOMY TOPIC: General Studies 3: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment Economic crisis: economy in bad shape Context: Growth in the quarter from July to September had slipped to 4.5%.(lowest level recorded in six years)  6.1% nominal GDP growth (real growth plus inflation) the slowest in a decade.  Fixed investment slumped to 1%, private consumption growth halved year on year, and manufacturing activity contracted by 1%. Evidences for Slowdown: The 12.2% decline in electricity generation( it is a good barometer of demand generated by all economic activity, not just industrial production.)  Metrics one would usually look at to assess economic activity and consumption such as Imports, merchandise exports, automobile sales, bank credit…, are indicating warning Bank credit growth is expected to hit a 58-year low in 2019-2020. Stagflation: With retail inflation hitting a 40-month high of 5.54% in November and Food inflation hit 10%, vegetables (onions) and pulses.  This has led to worries about India entering a phase of stagflation, (persistent high inflation combined with high unemployment and stagnant demand in a country's economy) Daily Current Affairs IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 30th December 2019 SRC: Wall street Concerns: The current slowdown is closer in nature to what was faced as far back as 1991 — the year India liberalised. India’s current crisis is driven by both cyclical and structural factors Problems in finance have exacerbated the slowdown. The World Bank has said this cyclical slowdown is severe.  Demand collapsing due to reasons ranging from poor rural income growth,  The ghosts of demonetisation and a hastily implemented Goods and Services Tax (GST). Point to be noted: India’s growth recovered after global financial crisis 2008 without fixing the problems  Series of fortuitous developments such as lower oil prices and a boom in credit from non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) which may be partly driven by demonetisation sending more cash into the formal financial system. With the collapse of IL&FS in late 2018,this support also ended .  Now the twin balance sheet crisis (of stressed banks and corporates with infrastructure bets) raised Way forward: Reserve Bank of India must cut interest rates for spurring growth out of the equation. Increase public expenditure by investing in agriculture raise funds for the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act Investment in  Skill , Education and Health Conclusion: This is a cyclical phenomenon and will pass like the circle of life… what goes up, must come down, but govt must also address the concerns of economy Connecting the dots: Do you think economy seems headed for the intensive care unit? Do you think Demonetisation is responsible for the current slowdown? INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS TOPIC: General Studies 2: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests, Indian Diaspora. Important International institutions, agencies and fora- their structure, mandate. Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC): Pakistan to host OIC meet on Kashmir, CAA Context: Pakistan will hold a ministerial meeting with Organisation for Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on Jammu and Kashmir in April 2020,  The development is linked to a broader Saudi-Pakistan deal. Focus on the “human rights situation in occupied Jammu and Kashmir and enactment of an CAA in India” Recent developments: The announcement came days after recently-appointed Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud visited Islamabad and met with the Pakistani leadership, including Prime Minister Imran Khan and Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi  Malaysian PM Mahathir Mohammad had convened the “Kuala Lumpur” summit, with the leaders of Turkey, Iran and Qatar, calling for reforms in the Muslim world. About OIC: Daily Current Affairs IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 30th December 2019 Src: MOW The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) is the second largest inter-governmental organization after the United Nations It has membership of 57 states spread over four continents. It is an organisation of the collective voice of the Muslim world. Objectives: The main motive of the organisation is to the safeguard and protect the interests of the Muslim world in the spirit of promoting international peace and harmony among various people of the world. The Organization was established upon a decision of the historical summit which took place in Rabat, Kingdom of Morocco 25 September 1969 as a result of criminal arson of Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied Jerusalem. India and Islamic World In the last few years, India has improved ties with the Islamic world from Saudi Arabia to Indonesia, while building on good relations with countries like Qatar and Oman. While it was Bangladesh that floated the idea of India becoming an observer at the OIC in 2018, the UAE invite offered India an opportunity to address the forum. The Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (MBZ), was a very special Chief Guest at the 68th Republic Day celebrations in 2017, the first time that India laid out the Republic Day red carpet for a leader who was neither a Head of State nor Head of Government. The Crown Prince MBZ had earlier visited India in February 2016, following a visit by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the UAE in August 2015. Recently, Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman visited India. India – OIC Relation: India’s relationship with Pakistan has always been tense and has a direct impact on India-OIC relations, with Pakistan being a founding member of the OIC. India has pushed for the OIC to accept India as a member, Pakistan opposes India’s entry into the OIC For the first time in five decades, the United Arab Emirates invited foreign minister of India Sushma Swaraj to attend the inaugural plenary 46th meeting of OIC foreign ministers. (Pakistan boycotted the meet) From the mid-1990s, when this Contact Group was formed, it has issued several statements on behalf of Pakistan (on Kashmir issue) The United Arab Emirates, for instance, conferred the Order of “Zayed”, its highest civilian award on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, more than a week after New Delhi’s moves on Article 370, and declared that Kashmir was India’s internal matter. Conclusion: Saudi Arabia leads OIC nations to showcase its control of the Islamic world, while allowing its members to use the forum to attack their own rivals, While OIC resolutions mean very little in real terms, Pakistan wants to use the forum against India Connecting the dots: Do you think CAA impacts India- Saudi relations? Do you think Pakistan will get any support from OIC on Kashmir issue? (TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE) Model questions: (You can now post your answers in comment section) Note:  Correct answers of today’s questions will be provided in next day’s DNA section. Kindly refer to it and update your answers.  Comments Up-voted by IASbaba are also the “correct answers”. Q.1) Consider the following statements The Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 is an Act of the Parliament of India enacted for protection of only animal species Article 51A (g) imposes a fundamental duty on every citizen of India to protect and improve the environment and have compassion for living creatures. Which of the above statement(s) given above is/are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.2) Consider the following statements 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) Which of the following are the participating space agencies of International Space Station ISRO(India) NASA (USA) Roscosmos (Russia) JAXA (Japan) Canadian Space Agency Select the correct answer from the codes given below 1,2,3 and 4 only 2,3,4 and 5 only 2,3 and 4 only 1,2,3,4 and 5 Q.4) Consider the following statements about Poshan Abhiyan It is a Central sector scheme aimed at improving nutritional outcomes among pregnant women, lactating mothers and children  Average utilization of the funds allotted under the scheme has been high at 89.97%, indicating success of the abhiyan. Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 ANSWERS FOR 28 DEC 2019 TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE (TYK) 1 A 2 C 3 A MUST READ Arms and the man: On Gen Rawat's comments The Hindu Governance Index: On study of States on governance The Hindu India needs a bottom-up growth model The Hindu A dangerous new low in state-sponsored hate The Hindu Government does well to constitute panel on economic statistics, and even better to include critics on it IE Atal Bhujal Yojana is a first step towards recharging groundwater. There is a need to move to more long-term solutions IE Cadre merger at the Railways welcome ET

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