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All India Radio (AIR) IAS UPSC - Overall Analysis of BRICS Summit

Overall Analysis of BRICS Summit ARCHIVES Search for 15 Nov 2019: http://www.newsonair.com/Main_Audio_Bulletins_Search.aspx TOPIC: General Studies 2 Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving Indiaand/or affecting India’s interests Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests, Indian diaspora. Origin The term “BRIC” was coined in 2001 by then-chairman of Goldman Sachs Asset Management, Jim O’Neill The summit’s focus: Means of improving the global economic situation and reforming financial institutions Acronym for an association of five major emerging national economies: Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa About BRICS All are members of G20; Represent over 3.1 billion people,  41% of the world population As of 2018, BRICS have US $40.55 trillion (32% of World’s GDP PPP)  Bilateral relations among BRICS nations are conducted on the basis of non-interference, equality, and mutual benefit. There are two components that make up the financial architecture of BRICS, namely, the New Development Bank (NDB) (BRICS Development Bank) and the Contingent Reserve Arrangement (CRA).  2019 Theme: Economic Growth for an Innovative Future India & BRICS India finds itself as one of the emerging economies in the grouping and beyond, especially G20. BRICS now brings together five economies accounting for 42% of the world’s population, 23% of the global GDP and an around 17% share of world trade. BRICS has emerged the voice of developing countries, or the global south. These countries face an aggressive club of developed countries, raising challenges on issues from WTO to climate change. India believes BRICS has to protect the rights of the developing countries. The fact that BRICS has put counter-terrorism on top of the agenda has been a success for India. That was evident in the BRICS Summit in Xiamen in September 2017, with China as the chair. The fact that it was achieved, despite the strained ties due to the standoff in Doklam, was a testimony to the value Beijing and New Delhi attach to the outcomes of the grouping. India will host a BRICS workshop on digital forensics Humanity has come away from threats like World War. But terrorism has emerged as the biggest threat to development and peace. In ten years, two and a half million lives were lost at the hands of terrorism and the society suffered deep damage. Also, according to various estimates, more than one trillion dollars was lost to the world's economy. And has reduced the economic growth of developing countries by 1.5 per cent.  Terrorism, terrorism financing, drug trafficking and organized crimes create deep indirect harm to business and business by creating an environment of scepticism. In this direction, India will organize a workshop on digital forensic analysis of terrorism. Build on the workshops hosted on traditional medicine and have a BRICS Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on traditional medicine, an initiative that was taken up under India's presidency of BRICS in 2016. Proposed the first meeting of BRICS Water Ministers in India in order to push for sustainable water management and clean sanitation India will host the BRICS Digital Health Summit on Innovative Solutions to Healthy Lifestyle. This will be in keeping with "Fit India Movement” launched. The Digital Health Summit will seek to integrate digital technology with healthcare informatics and diagnostics. Way forward: India has to maintain the balancing act between Russia-China on the one side and the US on the other.  India has had a growing role in global affairs in the last and is seen to be helping drive the global agenda. The BRICS mechanism and processes should be outcome-driven and efficient in order to address global economic challenges. Conclusion: The Summit is an opportunity for India to lay the groundwork for hosting the 2021 Summit scheduled in India. India also needs to be mindful of the fact that the G20 Summit to be hosted in India will take place in 2022, and this will be an opportunity to synergise the two agendas from New Delhi’s lens as well. Prelims-oriented News: Host of BRICS Digital Health Summit on innovative solutions to a healthy lifestyle that will seek to integrate digital technology with healthcare informatics and diagnostics: India New Development Bank Based in Shanghai Multilateral development bank operated by the BRICS states  The bank’s primary focus of lending will be infrastructure projects with authorized lending of up to $34 billion annually. The bank will have starting capital of $50 billion, with capital increased to $100 billion over time. Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa will initially contribute $10 billion each to bring the total to $50 billion. BRICS CRA: BRICS Contingent Reserve Arrangement Framework for providing protection against global liquidity pressures. This includes currency issues where members’ national currencies are being adversely affected by global financial pressures. The CRA is generally seen as a competitor to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and along with the New Development Bank is viewed as an example of increasing South-South cooperation. Connecting the Dots: India finds itself as one of the emerging economies in the BRICS grouping and beyond. Justify Do a comparative analysis of the genesis and objectives of BRICS, RIC and IBSA. BRICS represent the aspirations of developing countries. Comment.

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[Video] IASbaba’s MAINS Strategy/Discussion Classes: TLP Connect/Plus 2020- GS1, GS2, GS3, GS4 (ETHICS)

[Video] IASbaba’s MAINS Strategy/Discussion Classes: TLP Connect/Plus 2020- GS1, GS2, GS3, GS4 (ETHICS)   Hi, Here we bring you the MAINS Strategy/Discussion Classes of IASbaba’s TLP Connect/Plus Programme 2020. Get a glimpse of discussion classes at IASbaba, taken by the Founder and Core team member’s of IASbaba. The Discussion classes go on for 2.5-3 hours after each test. But here we have uploaded 30 minutes video, where you will be able to learn- How to Decode the syllabus How to read a topic from the syllabus What should be the Strategy for each General Studies (GS) Paper What should be the thought process when you read a topic How to link Current Affairs with Static part of the Syllabus Important Ingredients/Pointers for each GS Paper Discussion/Analysis of 3-4 questions of each Paper How to approach Ethics and Case Studies Important Note: Make sure you listen to the complete video to get the best inputs for each GS Paper.   For more Details about the TLP Connect/Plus Programme 2020 and Enrolment -> CLICK HERE   IASbaba’s TLP Connect/Plus 2020 Discussion Class - General Studies (GS) 1 by Atyab Sir (Core Team of IASbaba) [embed]https:// https://www.youtube.com/embed/l2WUYRmxkjo[/embed]   IASbaba’s TLP Connect/Plus 2020 Discussion Class - General Studies (GS) 2 by Mohan Sir (Founder of IASbaba) [embed]https:// [embed]https:// https://www.youtube.com/embed/gUWYmpusoew[/embed]   IASbaba’s TLP Connect/Plus 2020 Discussion Class - General Studies (GS) 3 by Mohan Sir (Founder of IASbaba) [embed]https:// https://www.youtube.com/embed/jf6HNRqS7VY[/embed]   IASbaba’s TLP Connect/Plus 2020 GS 4 -ETHICS Strategy by Vivek Sir [embed]https:// https://www.youtube.com/embed/e8zV5N8MjX0[/embed]   Thank You IASbaba

RSTV Video

RSTV IAS UPSC – Alopecia Areata

Alopecia Areata Archives What is Alopecia Areata? Alopecia areata is a disease that attacks your hair follicles (the part of your skin that makes hair). It is a common autoimmune skin disease, causing hair loss on the scalp, face and sometimes on other areas of the body. In most cases, hair falls out in small, round patches about the size of a quarter. What causes it? It is a polygenic disorder. This means that, unlike a single-gene disease, both parents must contribute a number of specific genes in order for a child to develop it. Because of this, most parents will not pass alopecia areata along to their children. With identical twins — who share all of the same genes — there’s only a 55% chance that if one has alopecia areata, the other will, too. This is why scientists believe that it takes more than just genetics to cause the disease and that other environmental factors also contribute to people developing alopecia areata. Alopecia areata is an autoimmune disease, which means your immune system mistakes the normal cells in your body as foreign invaders and attacks these cells. Scientists aren’t exactly sure what “triggers” the immune system to attack healthy hair follicles when people have alopecia areata, or even if these triggers first happen inside the body (from a virus or bacteria), outside the body (from something in your surroundings) or if it’s a combination of both. Studies have shown that environmental factors such as high stress levels, low amounts of zinc and iron in the body, trigger the condition in an individual who is already genetically susceptible. How is alopecia diagnosed? A pull test may be done. Your healthcare provider will tell you to not shower or wash your hair for 24 hours. He or she will gently tug on about 60 hairs. If more than 6 hairs come out, they may be sent for tests. A punch biopsy is done to look at your scalp. Your healthcare provider will get 2 samples of scalp tissue and send for tests. A trichogram measures hair loss. Your healthcare provider will look at hair under a microscope. He or she will measure the different stages of hair growth. Blood tests may be done to find the cause of your alopecia. How is alopecia treated? The treatment for hair loss depends on the cause of your condition. Sometimes your hair loss may get better on its own and no treatment is needed. If your hair loss is related to a medicine you are taking, talk to your healthcare providers. There may be other medicines you could take instead that will not cause hair loss. If your hair loss is severe, you may need one or more of the following treatments: Medicines: Hair growing agents help promote hair growth. The medicine must be used continuously until new hair grows on the affected area. Steroids help decrease inflammation and damage to the hair follicle. Corticosteroids may be used to treat alopecia areata. Estrogen is a female hormone that is used for women with hyperandrogenism (high levels of male hormones). Estrogen can reduce the effects of male hormones on hair growth. This treatment is used in women with female pattern baldness. Immunologic agents affect the immune system cells that may be attacking hair follicles. This treatment is used to treat alopecia areata. Antibiotics or antifungals may be needed if your alopecia is caused by an infection. Hair transplant surgery removes hair follicles from one part of your head and puts them into the bald area. This is usually done only if your condition is severe and medicines fail to improve your hair loss. Ask your healthcare provider for more information about hair transplant surgery.

Daily Current Affairs IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 19th November 2019

IAS UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 19th November 2019 Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) Bharatiya Poshan Krishi Kosh Part of: GS Prelims and GS-III - Agriculture In News Ministry of Women and Child Development has launched Bharatiya PoshanKrishiKosh It is a repository of diverse crops across 128 agro-climatic zones to help enable better nutritional outcomes It aims to promote and reinforce healthy dietary practices both at the individual and community level and tackle malnutrition in a sustainable manner. The kosh helps in reducing malnutrition through a multi-sectoral results-based framework, including agriculture, among women and children across the country.   Harvard Chan School of Public Health and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation will be a part of this initiative. They will document and evaluate promising regional dietary practices and the messaging around them and develop a food atlas on regional agro-food systems. Winter-grade diesel Part of: GS Prelims and GS-III- Energy, Security In News State-run Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOC) launched a special winter-grade diesel that remains unfrozen up to minus 33 degree Celsius. Motorists in high-altitude sectors like Ladakh, Kargil, Kaza and Keylong face the problem of freezing of diesel in their vehicles when winter temperatures drop to as low as -30o Celsius.  Regular diesel fuel contains paraffin wax which is added for improving viscosity and lubrication. At low temperatures, the paraffin wax thickens or “gels” and hinders the flow of the fuel in the car engine. Indian Oil has come up with an innovative solution to this problem by introducing a special winter-grade diesel with a low pour-point of -33o Celsius, which does not lose its fluidity function even in extreme winter conditions In general, it is achieved by treatment with additives that change the low temperature characteristics of the fuel. The fuel would help provide year-round access to snow-capped border regions, and is part of India’s efforts to speed up strategic road connectivity Starlink network Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains III – Science & Technology (Space) In News SpaceX, the world’s leading private company in space technology, fired a spray of 60 satellites into low earth orbit, the first operational batch of what is intended to eventually evolve into a constellation of nearly 12,000 satellites aimed at providing low-cost and reliable space-based Internet services to the world.  Internet has now become a part of humanity’s basic infrastructure and an important means of delivering a wide variety of public services to the world’s peoples  Currently, about 4 billion people, more than half the world’s population, do not have access to reliable Internet networks.  And that is because the traditional ways to deliver the Internet — fibre-optic cables or wireless networks — cannot take it everywhere on Earth.In many remote areas, or places with difficult terrain, it is not feasible or viable to set up cables or mobile towers. Signals from satellites in space can overcome this obstacle easily. In space-based networks, data requests travel from the user to the satellite, and are then directed to data centres on the ground Criticism to the project: Increased space debris  Increased risk of collisions and  The concern of astronomers that these constellations of space Internet satellites will make it difficult to observe other space objects, and to detect their signals. Do You Know? There are fewer than 2,000 operational satellites at present, and fewer than 9,000 satellites have been launched into space since the beginning of the Space Age in 1957. Most of the operational satellites are located in the lower orbits.  On September 2019, the European Space Agency (ESA) had to perform, for the first time ever, a “collision avoidance manoeuvre” to protect one of its live satellites from colliding with a “mega constellation” India-Bhutan Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains II –India and Neighbourhood In News Bhutan plans to levy charges on tourists from regional countries, including India, Bangladesh and the Maldives, who atpresent are exempted from any charges. The sharp increase in the number of tourists from the region was cited for the move to start imposing levy on tourists from India, Bangladesh & Maldives In contrast to other international tourists, who pay $250 (Approx. INR. 18,000) as a minimum charge per day per person, tourists from India, Bangladesh and the Maldives had so far paid no fees, and were able to cross over without visas. The objective of “tourism tax” is to combat over-tourism and get visitors to pay for the upkeep and maintenance of the public spaces they are visiting Tourist levy will put Bhutan out of the league of budget destination but the counter argument is that without such charges Bhutan would not be able to preserve its local heritage and culture. In 2018, of the 2,74,000 tourists visiting Bhutan, the council estimated that about 2,00,000 were from the region, of which about 1,80,000 were from India. Maternity scheme performance Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains II - Health In News Pradhan MantriMatruVandanaYojana (PMMVY)scheme benefitted just 31% eligible mothers, say researchers who extrapolated data obtained under RTI PMMVY is a vital programme to support lactating mothers and pregnant women by compensating them for loss of wages during their pregnancy. The PMMVY is targeted only at women delivering their first child. A cash amount of ₹6,000 is transferred to the bank account of the beneficiary in three instalments upon meeting certain conditions including early registration of pregnancy, having at least one ante-natal check-up and registration of child birth. Given the stipulated conditions, the scheme brings under its ambit 23% of all births and pays full benefits to a mere 14% of all births, which was at 270.5 lakh for 2017 Several factors impeded proper implementation of the programme that aims to fight malnutrition among children. These include an application form of about 23 pages, a slew of documents such as mother-child protection card, Aadhaar card, husband’s Aadhaar card and bank passbook aside from linking their bank accounts with Aadhaar. Gram Sabha to have power to ban liquor Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains II – Panchayat Raj Institutions In News The Haryana Cabinet took an in-principle decision to bring an amendment in Section 31 of the Haryana Panchayati Raj Act, 1994, allowing devolution of powers to the Gram Sabha to ban liquor within the local area of a Gram Panchayat The quorum of the Gram Sabha meeting for passing such a resolution shall be one-tenth of its members No liquor vends will be allowed in Haryana villages from the next financial year without its panchayat's approval. Article 47 state that "The State shall endeavour to bring about prohibition of the consumption except for medicinal purposes of intoxicating drinks and of drugs which are injurious to health". Cartosat-3 Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains III – Science & Technology (Space) In News ISRO is set for launch of Cartosat-3 Cartosat-3, an advanced earth imaging and mapping satellite, will be flown on the PSLV-C47 vehicle The 1,560 kg satellite will have 13 small U.S. customer satellites riding as secondary passengers. They will be placed in a polar orbit. Cartosat-3, with an ISRO-best resolution of 25 cm, will be the first of a series of high resolution, third generation satellites planned for observing the Earth. The satellite will be able to pick up objects of that size (25 cm) from its orbital perch about 509 km away. This will make Cartosat-3 among the few sharpest, if not the best, civil earth imagers worldwide. (MAINS FOCUS) ECONOMY TOPIC:General Studies 3: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment SC’s judgment in Essar Steel insolvency case Context: Essar Steel owes Rs 54,547 crore to its creditors — financial creditors and operational creditors combined.  The company had been put on the block under IBC to recover the unpaid dues. The Ahmedabad-bench of National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) had on March 8 okayed the bid submitted by ArcelorMittal, led by steel tycoon Lakshmi Mittal, for the takeover of Essar Steel. The operational creditors had opposed the bid on the basis that they were getting notional payment, while 92.5 per cent of the financial creditors' dues were being paid. This case being one of India's most high-profile insolvency cases, any order on Essar Steel is likely to have ramifications for similar resolution schemes. SC judgement: The committee of creditors (CoC) will have a final say in the resolution plans under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC).  The National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) and National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) cannot interfere with the commercial decisions taken by the CoC. “The law talks of “equitable” and not “equal” treatment of operational creditors. Fair and equitable dealing of operational creditors’ rights involves the resolution plan stating as to how it has dealt with the interests of operational creditors, which is not the same thing as saying that they must be paid the same amount of their debt proportionately” SC [caption id="attachment_52954" align="aligncenter" width="512"] Daily Current Affairs IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 19th November 2019[/caption] Src: ET Do you know? Financial creditors are those who provide long-term capital in the form of loans.  Operational creditors are usually the suppliers of raw materials, etc. NCLT order: The NCLAT, in its order, said financial creditors would get 60.7 per cent of their admitted claims of Rs 49,473 crore, about the same as operational creditors.  The operational creditors with admitted claim amount of less than Rs 1 crore would get 100 per cent, while above Rs 1 crore would get 60.26 per cent and workmen and employees would get 100 per cent.  The tribunal had said that the CoC will have no role in the distribution of Rs 42,000 crore and allowed claims of the operational creditors. Crux: A consortium of banks led by the SBI had moved the Supreme Court against a National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) order in the case.  The NCLAT had held that Essar Steel's operational creditors be treated on par with financial creditors when settling the claims. Essar Steel's Committee of Creditors (CoC) had sought the quashing of NCLAT's July 4 order that approved the Rs 42,000-crore bid for the debt-laden firm by ArcelorMittal.  This was to be divided between the financial creditors who are owed Rs 30,030 crore and the operational creditors who are owed Rs 11,969 crore. Advantages for Bank : Banks are expected to recover 90 per cent of their exposure to the Essar Steel account. Compares with only 60 per cent they would have recovered earlier as per the order of the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal Conclusion: The Court order and government move on financial service providers — bode well for the banks battling high NPAs.  While banks will recover money resolution process in large accounts, likely stress from NBFC and telecom accounts will remain a drag. Connecting the dots: The Supreme Court’s order is being seen as bringing the rigour and momentum back into the IBC as an effective tool to deal with stressed assets in the economy. Analyse ECONOMY TOPIC: General Studies 3: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment. Inclusive growth and issues arising from it. Wage Code Bill The government introduced the labour codes on wages and on occupational safety, health and working conditions in the Lok Sabha. The Code Of Wages, 2019 is applicable to employees in organised sector and unorganised sector, while the central government will continue to make wage related decisions for railways, mines, oil fields, and central public sector undertakings. It subsumes The Payment of Wages Act, 1936;The Minimum Wages Act, 1948;The Payment of Bonus Act, 1965; and The Equal Renumeration Act,1976. [caption id="attachment_52955" align="aligncenter" width="501"] Daily Current Affairs IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 19th November 2019[/caption] Src: ET Need for Wage code: 62% of the workforce is made up of casual workers who need the right to minimum wages Present minimum wages act is complicated  33% of the workers are  underpaid than the indicative minimum wages in 2009-10 Features: Consolidate India's 44 labour laws into four codes in order to rationalize labour laws and improve ease of doing business. Benefit two fifths of its population, or 50 crore workers End a complicated wage system and  bring down the number of wage rates from 2,000-plus to around 300 This will ensure that process of registration and filing of returns will get standardised and streamlined. With various labour related definitions getting standardised, it is expected that there shall be less dispute Now 60% of workers are not covered under the Minimum Wages Act. The new law will give the right to minimum wages to the entire 50 crore workforce Ensures timely payment of wages. The floor wage will be fixed by the Centre on the basis of recommendations of a central advisory board, which would be represented by members of trade unions, employers’ association, state government and independent experts This will lead to transparency, accountability, better enforcement of labour laws and better utilisation of available workforce Occupation identification: There are four skill levels — unskilled, semiskilled, skilled and highly skilled — while geography can be plains, hilly and undulated, coastal, urban and rural, among others.  The occupation category is done away with. The states have an ‘and/or’ option while considering skills and geography to decide on a minimum wage rate.  A state may well decide to have one wage rate if it goes for one geographical parameter Concerns: Applies only to people earning less than `24,000 a month in scheduled employments, leaving out a large number of workers There will still be no single national minimum wage rate. the floor wage might be worse than the market wage rate in which case the entire purpose of having minimum wages and improving standard of living collapses The Equal Remuneration Act, 1976, prohibits gende rbased discrimination in terms of wages, recruitment and conditions of service. The Code  has omitted this act It will be tough for the government now to ensure implementation and redress even if there is a 10% lapse in compliance - or 5 crore complaints - for the 50 crore workers the law aims to cover. The removal of essential powers of labour inspectors MNREGA  MNREGA  workers will not come under code wage bill MNREGA payout is not exactly a wage.  It is a scheme, which does not have a strict employer-employee relation.  Its wages will continue to be fixed by the Rural Development Ministry. Connecting the dots: A ‘national minimum wage’ is a good idea, but its computation is cause for concern. Analyse The proxy economic exercise on gauging the gap between actual average wage of casual workers and the national floor level minimum wages (NFLMW) hides more than it reveals. Comment (TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE) Model questions: (You can now post your answers in comment section) Note:  Correct answers of today’s questions will be provided in next day’s DNA section. Kindly refer to it and update your answers.  Comments Up-voted by IASbaba are also the “correct answers”. Q.1) Article 47 deals with which of the following provisions? Education for all children below 6 years Uniform Civil Code Duty of the State to raise the level of nutrition and the standard of living and to improve public health None of the above Q.2) Consider the following statements about Starlink network It is launched by Coalition of Space agencies and Private organisation led by NASA and International Telecommunication Union (ITU) It is aimed at providing low-cost and reliable space-based Internet services to the world. 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 Cartosat-3 Cartosat-3, with an ISRO-best resolution of 25 cm, will be the first of a series of high resolution, third generation satellites planned for observing the Earth It will be launched by GSLV MK-III  Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.4) Consider the following statements about Pradhan Mantri Matru VandanaYojana (PMMVY) The aim of the scheme is to support lactating mothers and pregnant women by compensating them for loss of wages during their pregnancy. The PMMVY is targeted only at women delivering their first child where a cash amount of ₹6,000 is transferred to the bank account of the beneficiary Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.5) Consider the following statements about Bharatiya Poshan Krishi Kosh It is a repository of diverse crops across 128 agro-climatic zones to help enable better nutritional outcomes United Nations Food & Agricultural organisation (FAO) will be a part of this initiative, who will document and evaluate promising regional dietary practices Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 ANSWERS FOR 18 Nov 2019 TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE (TYK) 1 A 2 B 3 C 4 A 5 A MUST READ When longevity is the biggest achievement: on Shinzo Abe The Hindu An elusive reconciliation in Sri Lanka The Hindu BRICS on the ball? The Hindu Rajapaksa challenge for Delhi in Lanka ET Government data always come with limitations, but now they have a political dimension IE SC has always upheld and strengthened secularism, but its Ayodhya ruling is problematic on that score IE

Daily Current Affairs IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 18th November 2019

IAS UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 18th November 2019 Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) AGRIDEX Part of: GS Prelims and GS-III - Economy In News National Commodity and Derivatives Exchange (NCDEX) has launched India’s first agri index — ‘NCDEX Agridex’, for easy reference to price variations in agricultural commodities. Launched with a composition of 10 leading liquid contracts on the NCDEX platform at present which will be tradable after being approved by SEBI Leading commodities such as guar seed, guar gum, soybean, chana, mustard seed, and jeera, etc, will be the index’s constituents.  For indices, the NCDEX has partnered with NSE Indices, a leading index service provider, as a third party, to maintain and disseminate real-time NCDEX Agridex values. Futures trading on Agridex will enhance overall liquidity on the exchange platform The NCDEX’s index launch is in continuance with Sebi’s plan to broaden its horizon in commodities trading through the introduction of a new set of players and products GERMANY’S CLIMATE PROTECTION ACT Part of: GS Prelims and GS-III- Environment In News The German parliament passed the Climate Protection Act in an attempt to reach its climate target by 2030 This will be Germany’s first climate action law. With this bill, a price on carbon emissions in the transport and heating sectors will be imposed along with some other measures to combat climate change. The bill consists of emissions targets for different sectors of the economy such as transport, energy and housing. Flying domestically and within Europe will be made more expensive, due to increase in aviation tax. From 2021, companies that market diesel and petrol, heating oil and natural gas in the country will need to obtain pollution rights for the amount of greenhouse gases they emit. This will be regulated through a national emissions trading mechanism Do You Know? Germany wants to save over 55 % of its greenhouse gas emissions compared to 1990. Recently, New Zealand passed the Zero-Carbon Law in a bid to comply with its Paris climate accord commitments and become a carbon-neutral nation by the year 2050. However, unlike New Zealand, where the bill was passed with near-unanimous support, the same was not the case with Germany, where the opposition voted against it For more details, refer: https://iasbaba.com/2019/11/daily-current-affairs-ias-upsc-prelims-and-mains-exam-11th-november-2019/ Seismometer Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains I - Geography In News The seismometer, which helps measure the magnitude of an earthquake, and several other key instruments installed at the Jayakwadi dam have stopped functioning properly. Jayakwadi dam is a multipurpose project located on Godavari river, where the water is mainly used to irrigate agricultural land in the drought-prone Marathwada Region of Maharashtra state. Also other instruments, like the piezometer (to measure liquid pressure), earth pressure cell (to monitor total pressure in earthfill dams) and slope meter, have been out order for the last two years The seismometer was installed at the Jayakwadi dam after the devastating earthquake in Killari in Latur district in 1993.  This instrument is powerful as it has a range of 10,000 km. In the past, it has recorded the epicentres of earthquakes in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Russia and Nepal. Voluntary model code of conduct Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains II - Polity In News Supreme Court is hearing case on whether Cabinet Ministers at both the Central and State levels should have a “voluntary model code of conduct” which addresses their private and public activities. The Court is examining if “greater restrictions” should be imposed on the right of free speech and expression of high public functionaries to protect the citizen’s fundamental right to lead a dignified life. The question was framed after family members of the Bulandshahr rape case victim complained about former Uttar Pradesh Minister Azam Khan’s public statements that the rape case was part of a political conspiracy against the then state government The lawyers arguing for petitioners asked the court to direct the government to frame the code of conduct for Cabinet Ministers, with the Cabinet head ensuring a collective responsibility for the activities of the individual Ministers. Union Ministry of Home Affairs already has a code of conduct for Ministers, which is essentially concerned with financial discipline, that is narrow and inadequate. It should be enlarged to include the private & public activities of the Ministers in general. Minimum operating price Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains III - Economy In News In an effort to create a level playing field for online and offline retailers, the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) has written to government seeking implementation of a “minimum operating price” (MOP) MOP is the price consisting of landing price, operational cost and reasonable profit margin and below the MOP no product should be sold in the market The traders' body alleged that e-commerce companies and brands in collusion with banks, by charging much lower price (through deep discounts) than the actual market value is depriving the government of GST and other revenue. Other measures recommended by CAIT are: Cash back on credit cards given by the banks should also be made applicable to offline trade. There should not be any kind of exclusivity either for online or offline trade.  Upgrade or buyback offer by brands should remain the same for both offline and online trade.  All schemes of the brands should be made available to online and offline trade in a transparent manner Government should constitute a Regulatory Authority to regulate and monitor all verticals of retail trade including small retail, big retail, e-commerce and direct selling besides MOP, and if anyone wants to offer any scheme, the same should be approved by the Regulatory Authority. Insurance companies to merge as planned Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains III - Economy In News Finance Minister reiterated that the government would move forward on the merger of the three state-run general insurance companies as announced in the previous Budget. In the February 2018 Budget, the government had announced a plan to merge three public sector general insurance firms—National Insurance, United India Insurance and Oriental Insurance. Subsequently, it planned to list the merged entity on the stock exchanges.  However, there has been little progress on the merger since, even as the financial health of the firms deteriorated in terms of losses, falling market share and poor solvency ratios. There is a need for immediate recapitalisation as per their current balance sheet position, according to which they are either on or below the minimum required insolvency ratio of 1.5 According to rough estimates, the need for immediate recapitalisation is at least Rs 2,000-3,000 crore in each of the companies, while the collective requirement is close to Rs 12,000-13,000 crore. The three sets of challenges identified are integration of work culture, rolling out common software, and rationalisation of branches. In total, the three insurers have close to 6,000 offices across the country.  Miscellaneous Rajya Sabha: The Journey since 1952 It is a publicationbrought out by the Rajya Sabha secretariat to mark the 250th session of the Upper House that begins from18th Nov 2019. Some of the interesting facts about the house are:  Rajya Sabha’s first sitting was on May 13, 1952. The longest debate on any given subject till date was on the government’s failure to provide adequate security to former PM Rajiv Gandhi in wake of his assassination at Sriperumbudur by LTTE cadres. The debate went on for 12 hours and four minutes on June 4, 1991. The Upper House which on March 9, 2010, cleared the Women’s Reservation Bill that proposes to reserve 33% of all seats in Lok Sabha for women, has a dismissal record itself in terms of women members. In 2014 it had the highest number of women members at 31 and in 1970 the lowest at 14. Under Congress governments from 1952-1969 and again between 1972-1977, there was no leader of opposition in Rajya Sabha since no opposition parties had enough members to stake claim to the position. In 67 years of it’s existence, the Upper House has expelled only three members Rajya Sabha has sat beyond midnight on nine occasions and so far its longest sitting was on December 17, 1981 when the House sat till 4.43 a.m. to debate and clear Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) to ensure that normal life of people is not obstructed by strikes and shutdowns. (MAINS FOCUS) SOCIETY TOPIC: General Studies 1: Role of women and women’s organization, population and associated issues, poverty and developmental issues, urbanization, their problems and their remedies. The  Sabarimala review Context: A five-judge bench of the Supreme Court   referred Kerala's Sabarimala temple case to a larger bench of seven judges, with a 3:2 majority. The bench did not stay the judgment passed on 28 September 2018 that had lifted the ban on entry of women between age 10 and 50 to the temple.  Women can still visit the shrine until the larger bench decides on the matter. Sabarimala case previous judgment: ”Right to pray” in the temple for women between 10 and 50 years of age won over the ‘right to wait’ campaign as the Supreme Court condemned the prohibition as “hegemonic patriarchy”. Patriarchy cannot trump freedom to practice religion Logic behind the ban:  The restriction imposed on entry of women in Sabarimala is because of the nature of the deity worshipped there as a ‘naishtika brahmachari’ (celibate). Some argue that it is not because of any discriminatory attitude towards women based on biological factors such as menstruation. But many are of the opinion that it is due to the age-old practice and belief that the presence of women deviated men from celibacy. This places the burden of a men’s celibacy on women thus, stigmatising women and stereotyping them. Individual dignity of women could not be at the mercy of a mob. Morality was not ephemeral. It transcended biological and physiological barriers. SC underlines the Constitution’s transformative power (Points can be used in mains answer and essay) The Constitution protects religious freedom in two ways – It protects an individual’s right to profess, practise and propagate a religion Assures similar protection to every religious denomination to manage its own affairs. Observations made by the Judges:  The argument that the practice is justified because women of menstruating age would not be able to observe the 41-day period of abstinence before making a pilgrimage failed to impress the judges. To Chief Justice Dipak Misra, any rule based on segregation of women pertaining to biological characteristics is indefensible and unconstitutional. Devotion cannot be subjected to the stereotypes of gender. Justice D.Y. Chandrachud said stigma built around traditional notions of impurity has no place in the constitutional order, and exclusion based on the notion of impurity is a form of untouchability. On freedom of religion  The Supreme Court dismissed the argument that the prohibition was an essential part of religion. The Chief Justice said the inclusion of women, rather than their exclusion, is the essential part of the Hindu religion. By allowing women to enter Sabarimala temple for offering prayers, the nature of Hindu religion would not be fundamentally altered or changed in any manner. The devotees of Lord Ayyappa are exclusively Hindus and do not constitute a separate religious denomination. This temple is a public religious endowment. The right to practise religion, as claimed by the thanthris and worshippers, must be balanced with and yield to the fundamental right of women. The prohibition violated Section 3 of the Kerala Hindu Places of Public Worship (Authorisation of Entry) Act, 1965, which stated that “places of public worship” like the Sabarimala temple should be open to “all sections and classes of Hindus.” The law recognises an idol or deity as a “juristic person which can own property and can sue and be sued in the court of law”. But it “does not mean the deity necessarily has constitutional rights”. Fundamental rights are meant for individuals, not deities or idols. Generally, the right to freedom of religion of both individuals and groups is recognised as an intrinsic facet of a liberal democracy. The Constitution memorialises these guarantees in Articles 25 and 26. The former recognises a right to freedom of conscience and a right to freely profess, practise, and propagate religion, subject to common community exceptions of public order, morality, and health, and also, crucially, to the guarantee of other fundamental rights. Article 25(2)(b) creates a further exception to the right. It accords to the state a power to make legislation, in the interests of social welfare and reform, throwing open Hindu religious institutions of public character to all classes and sections of Hindus.  Article 26, on the other hand, which is also subject to limitations imposed on grounds of public order, morality, and health, accords to every religious denomination the right, among other things, to establish and maintain institutions for religious purposes and to manage their own affairs in matters of religion. Dissenting opinion Justice Indu Malhotra, the lone woman judge on the Constitution Bench, dissented with the majority opinion. She held that the determination of what constituted an essential practice in a religion should not be based on the “personal views” of judges. She held that essentiality of a religious practice or custom had to be decided within the religion. It is a matter of personal faith. India is a land of diverse faiths. Constitutional morality in a pluralistic society gives freedom to practise even irrational or illogical customs and usages. Connecting the dots: It is not the courts but the people who must restore to Indian polity its reasoned, secular character. Analyse IR TOPIC: General Studies 2: Comparison of the Indian constitutional scheme with that of other countries Constitutional crisis in Srilanka [caption id="attachment_52829" align="aligncenter" width="321"] Daily Current Affairs IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 18th November 2019[/caption] Src: AFP A constitutional crisis began in Sri Lanka when President Maithripala Sirisena appointed former president and member of parliament Mahinda Rajapaksa as Prime Minister October 2018 before formally dismissing the incumbent Ranil Wickremesinghe, resulting in two concurrent Prime Ministers.  Wickremesinghe and the United National Party (UNP) viewed the appointment as illegal, and he refused to resign. Sirisena's sudden decision instigated "political turmoil in the country", and drew international criticism Wickremesinghe, the majority of the parliament, and opposition parties refused to acknowledge his removal and the appointment of Rajapaksa, stating that Sirisena's move was unconstitutional. Wickremesinghe claimed that he still commands a majority in parliament and requested that Speaker of the Parliament Karu Jayasuriya convene parliament immediately.  Sirisena ignored all calls and prorogued parliament, delaying its meeting till 16 November. After an attempt to form a new cabinet of ministers with Rajapaksa as Prime Minister failed, Sirisena attempted to dissolve parliament. The UNP declared the move unconstitutional and subsequently the Supreme Court stayed Sirisena's dissolution until December 2018, when it ruled that the move was unconstitutional and illegal.  Rajapaksa backed down from claiming the office and Wickremesinghe was once again reinstated, ending the crisis after 7 weeks of political and economic turmoil. Can we call it a Constitutional crisis? Sirisena’s decisions are unlikely to pass the test of the courts since the constitution explicitly bars early dissolution of the House unless two-thirds of its members vote for it. However, events are moving at a pace that may make it impossible to restore status quo even if the court overrules the president’s decisions. Whatever be the judicial outcome, the ongoing chaos threatens to push Sri Lanka back to a state of political uncertainty that it cannot afford. Though it has been a decade since the war in the north ended, there has been limited progress on the resolution of issues that nearly split the country on ethnic lines.  The sudden developments in Sri Lanka have thrown into uncertainty the few steps that the country finally took this year to address post-war issues of transitional justice and rehabilitation, which it had committed to at the UN Human Rights Council in 2015. As President, Rajapaksa had invited UN censure for not doing enough on this front. Instead, after winning the war against the LTTE in 2009, he unleashed a majoritarian triumphalism that dashed all hopes for reconciliation. Difference between the Constitution of India and Sri Lanka Sri Lanka, which had a Constitution like India’s, changed it to one more like the French Constitution, where the President chooses the Prime Minister who has to command confidence of Parliament. But there is no way to remove the President. The consequences of Sirisena’s decision go beyond a mere change of regime; it may lead to a reversal of the structural changes in the polity achieved since 2015. Conclusion South Asia has been the home of religions preaching nonviolence but its politics has been very violent. There have been regional disputes, competing nationhoods as well as communal conflicts. India has asked that democratic values and constitutional process be respected. This is due to the fact that further chaos could derail Colombo’s slow progress towards rebuilding its economy and healing the wounds of the civil war. Afterall, a peaceful neighbour is always beneficial for a country like India. Connecting the dots: Dissolution of Sri Lanka’s Parliament negates the letter and spirit of constitutional reforms. Comment (TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE) Model questions: (You can now post your answers in comment section) Note:  Correct answers of today’s questions will be provided in next day’s DNA section. Kindly refer to it and update your answers.  Comments Up-voted by IASbaba are also the “correct answers”. Q.1) What is Piezometer used for? To measure liquid pressure To measure magnitude of earthquake To measure atmospheric pressure None of the above Q.2) Consider the following statementsabout AGRIDEX It is released by NITI Aayog in collaboration with Bombay Stock Exchange It will help in easy referencing the price variations in agricultural commodities. 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 In the February 2018 Budget, the government had announced a plan to merge three public sector general insurance firms The challenges identified for the merger are integration of work culture, rolling out common software, and rationalisation of branches 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 Minimum Operating Price (MOP) Itis the price consisting of landing price, operational cost and reasonable profit margin and below which no product should be sold in the market MOP is currently being regulated by Competition Commission of India in collaboration with State governments Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.5) Consider the following statements The fourth schedule of the constitution deals with the allocation of seats in the Rajya Sabha to the states and Union territories. Under article 75(3) of the Constitution, the Council of Ministers is collectively responsible to both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 ANSWERS FOR 16 Nov 2019 TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE (TYK) 1 B 2 B 3 C 4 A 5 B MUST READ The return of the Rajapaksa regime The Hindu Secularism in the time of security The Hindu Quality on tap: On report of Ministry of Consumer Affairs The Hindu Back to the Rajapaksas: On Gotabaya Rajapaksa's victory The Hindu Poshan Abhiyaan promises to revive traditional food systems across the country while addressing malnutrition IE With the economic centre of gravity shifting to states, India’s growth hinges on cooperative federalism IE

PIB

Press Information Bureau (PIB) IAS UPSC – 11th November to 17th November – 2019

Press Information Bureau (PIB) IAS UPSC – 11th to 17th November, 2019 ARCHIVES GS-2 Golden Leaf Award in the Most Impressive Public Service Initiative category for the year 2019: Tobacco Board of India (Topic: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation) To Tobacco Board of India, for its efforts to initiate various sustainability (green) initiatives in Flue-Cured Virginia (FCV) tobacco cultivation in India The Golden Leaf Awards were created to recognize professional excellence and dedication in the tobacco industry by Tobacco Reporter, an international magazine in the year 2006. Tobacco Board got this award for its best outstanding public service in sustainability to the industry for its - Initiatives on natural farming in tobacco cultivation for production of organic tobaccos, Improving the soil health through green manuring,  Introduction of 365 days green cover in tobacco cultivation,  Promotion of advanced nursery technologies- Green Tech nurseries,  Elimination of Non-Tobacco Related Material (NTRM),  Elimination of pesticide residues in tobacco by encouraging residue free tobacco cultivation, energy conservation initiatives resulting in energy savings of 25%,  Development of greenery through mandatory planting of trees by tobacco farmers and tobacco trade and educating and guiding farmers on Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) Tobacco Board believes that these unique initiatives pioneered by Tobacco Board for the overall benefit of the farming community and sustenance of the tobacco industry as a whole are proving to be promising in achieving the ultimate goal of sustainability. India is the world's fourth largest producer of FCV tobacco. About 88,000 FCV tobacco farmers and their families in the states of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka are dependent on this crop for their livelihood. In order to address the negative effects of tobacco cultivation that extend beyond those on health to economic problems and environmental degradation and to ensure sustainability, Tobacco Board has taken various initiatives relating to extension activities – Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) Natural farming in tobacco cultivation for production of organic tobaccos(on the lines of ZBNF now being advocated by Government of India) 365 days green cover in tobacco cultivation Promotion of advanced nursery technologies Elimination of Non-Tobacco Related Material (NTRM) Elimination of pesticide residues Energy conservation initiatives Development of greenery with growers and trade and initiated a series of measures for achieving sustainability in the sector Tobacco Board is a statutory body established under Ministry of Commerce and Industry. The main functions of the Board include regulating the production and curing of Virginia tobacco in India, implementation of extension and developmental activities for improving the yields and quality of tobacco, facilitating sale of tobacco through e-auctions on the auction floors of the Board, undertaking various grower welfare measures and export promotion of tobacco and tobacco products. MELPL – Visionary Indo – French Collaboration (Largest FDI Project of Railways) (Topic: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation) Indian Railways has entered into Procurement cum Maintenance Agreement with Madhepura Electric Locomotive Pvt. Ltd. (MELPL), a joint venture of Indian Railways and M/s Alstom.  As part of largest Foreign Direct Investment project of Indian Railways, Ministry of Railways and Alstom came together in 2015 to transform the heavy freight transportation landscape of the country. A landmark agreement worth 3.5 billion Euro was signed to manufacture 800 electric locomotives for freight service and its associated maintenance. As part of the project, factory along with township has been set up in Madhepura, Bihar with capacity to manufacture 120 locomotives per year. The project will create more than 10,000 direct and indirect jobs in the country. More than Rs 2000 Crores invested in the project already by the company. Benefits of Project Indian Railways have taken decision to have 12000 horse power twin Bo-Bo design Locomotive with 22.5 T (Tonnes) axle load upgradable to 25 Tonnes with design speed of 120 kmph. This locomotive will be game changer for further movement of coal trains for Dedicated Freight Corridor.  With the success of this project it will boost the “Make in India” programme of the Government of India. This will further develop ancillary units for locomotive components. The project will allow faster and safer movement of heavier freight trains. It will haul 6000T trains at maximum speed of 100 kmph.  With 100% electrification, the new locomotive will not only bring down operational cost for Railways, the locomotive will also reduce the congestion faced by Indian Railways. This will be used to haul heavier trains such as coal and iron ore. Launch of UNESCO MGIEP Digital Learning draft Guidelines at the General Conference in Paris (Topic: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation) On the occasion of the 40th UNESCO General Conference, Shri Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’, Union Minister, Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India, launched the first of its kind ‘Industry Guidelines on Digital Learning (discussion draft)’ at the Ministerial Roundtable on ‘Media and Information Literacy and Games in the Digital World’. The Roundtable was jointly organized by the Government of Finland and the Government of India, in partnership with UNESCO Headquarters and UNESCO’s category 1 institute, Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Education for Peace and Sustainable Development (MGIEP). The Draft Guidelines were developed by UNESCO MGIEP, based in New Delhi, responding to the Vizag Declaration on Digital Learning adopted at TECH 2018, an international conference co-organized by UNESCO MGIEP and the State Government of Andhra Pradesh.  Building on the neurosciences of learning, which shows that parts of the brain can be ‘wired’ or ‘trained’ in intellectual as well as emotional intelligence, the Institute promotes the whole-brain approach to learning and harnesses the power of digital technologies to enable innovative pedagogies. Technology is increasingly permeating our everyday lives. Leveraging the power of technology is key to high quality, inclusive and equitable education. According to a KPMG and Google report, the EdTech market in India is set to grow to $1.96 billion with around 9.6 million users by 2021, from $247 million and 1.6 million users in2016.The massive influx of digital learning resources has made the task of selecting appropriate digital learning games, applications or tools difficult for teachers, parents and school leaders. These challenges highlight the importance of creating a set of guidelines for educational technology developers to integrate principles of good learning with digital pedagogies that are aligned with the values of peace, non-discrimination and sustainable development as enshrined in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Prelims oriented News TIGER TRIUMPH: India US joint Tri services Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) Exercise Exercise DUSTLIK-2019: Indo-Uzbekistan Joint Field Training Exercise (FTX)-2019 Analysis of the legislative work done by the Upper House since it came into being in 1952 A total of 3,818 Acts of Parliament have been made since the first general elections in 1952 First Bill passed : The Indian Tariff (Second Amendment) Bill, 1952 First Bill concerning social change: The Special Marriages Bill, 1952 First Constitution Amendment Bill passed by Rajya Sabha: The Constitution (Second Amendment) Bill, 1953 for readjustment of representation in Lok Sabha by increasing the size of population per constituency. Chairman Shri Venkaiah Naidu said; “Indeed, Rajya Sabha has all through been a lively and sagacious institution. It should continue to function with even greater vigor and zeal towards fulfilling the aspirations of the people, especially, the younger ones. Still, some missed opportunities may not be ruled out. We need to learn from the experience of the last 67 years and strive to make our Parliament even more effective towards building a New India which compares favorably with the better placed in the comity of the nations. Time is the essence in doing so and for making up for the missed opportunities.” Swachh – Nirmal Tat Abhiyaan To strive to make our beaches clean and create awareness amongst citizens about the importance of coastal ecosystems, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) are undertaking a mass cleanliness-cum-awareness drive in 50 identified beaches under the “Swachh – Nirmal Tat Abhiyaan”, from 11th -17th November, 2019.  The identified beaches are in 10 coastal States/Union Territories (UTs) namely Gujarat, Daman & Diu, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Andhra Pradesh, and Odisha. The beaches have been identified after the consultation with the States/UTs. Launch of winter-grade diesel suitable for extreme winters of up to -30O Celcius for Ladakh Region Motorists in high-altitude sectors like Ladakh, Kargil, Kaza and Keylong face the problem of freezing of diesel in their vehicles when winter temperatures drop to as low as -30o Celsius. Indian Oil has come up with an innovative solution to this problem by introducing a special winter-grade diesel with a low pour-point of -33o Celsius, which does not lose its fluidity function even in extreme winter conditions. The new status will accelerate the pace of holistic development of the region and bring prosperity to the people at par with the rest of India. Availability of winter-grade diesel will promote tourism and smooth transportation in Ladakh Region during extreme winters - big step towards promoting ease of living Launch of iDEX portal:  Would provide wider publicity and better visibility of iDEX activities and enable more efficient running of future challenges through better information management. The iDEX initiative of the Department of Defence Production was launched by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi in April 2018 with the objective to encourage and nurture innovations in the Indian Defence sector and create an ecosystem where Startups, MSMEs and individual innovators could interact easily with the Indian defence establishment and provide the latest technological innovations for specific challenges experienced in operational environments through co-development and co-production of innovative solutions. “The human mind is the most powerful and creative laboratory which tests millions of ideas on a daily basis. And when ideas are given the wings of freedom and the flight of imagination, new and innovative solutions are created” Governing Body of International Treaty of Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA): ITPGRFA also known as Seed Treaty, is a comprehensive international agreement for ensuring food security through the conservation, exchange and sustainable use of the world's plant genetic resources for food and agriculture (PGRFA), as well as the fair and equitable benefit sharing arising from its use. It also recognizes farmers' rights, subject to national laws. Personality in news T N Seshan Born in Thirunellai, Palakkad district of Kerala, he was awarded the Ramon Magsaysay Award in 1996. T N Seshan was credited for enforcing the model code of conduct to reign in muscle and money power during elections during his tenure as the 10th CEC. Seshan also waged war against the tendency of politicians to flout the model code of conduct, which they were supposed to abide by. Polling was suspended in a Madhya Pradesh constituency as a serving governor campaigned for his son, ultimately leading to his resignation. In Uttar Pradesh, a minister was forced to quit the dais at a rally as the campaign period had just ended. Vinayak Damodar Savarkar  Period: 28 May 1883 – 26 February 1966 Cause of Death: Fasting (Sallekhana Prayopavesa) He was commonly known as Veer Savarkar (“brave” in his native Marathi language) An Indian independence activist, politician, lawyer, writer, and the formulator of the Hindutva philosophy Championed atheism and rationality and also disapproved orthodox Hindu belief. In fact, he even dismissed cow worship as superstitious. Savarkar was a radical and his Hindutva too was a radical break in the Hindu thought: anti-caste, reformist, modernist and futuristic. It was a modern Hindu response to the modern world Organised a youth group named ‘Mitra Mela’ In London, Veer Savarkar inspired his fellow Indian students and formed an organisation ‘Free India Society’ to fight against Britishers for freedom. Was against foreign goods and propagated the idea of Swadeshi. In 1905, he burnt all the foreign goods in a bonfire on Dussehra. Provided legal defence to Madan Lal Dhingra, who was accused in a murder case of a British Indian army officer named Sir William Hutt Curzon Wyllie. Veer Savarkar also founded the two-nation theory in his book ‘Hindutva’ calling Hindus and Muslims two separate nations. In 1937, Hindu Mahasabha passed it as a resolution. In 1937, he also became the president of ‘Hindu Mahasabha’. A fierce critic of the Indian National Congress (INC) and Mahatma Gandhi; opposed the ‘Quit India Movement’ and later objected to INC’s acceptance of Indian partition. He proposed the co-existence of two nations in one country. Hindutva The main challenge thrown by the British rule and colonial modernity under the pale of capitalism was for Hindus to justify their existence as a society. Who were they? Could Hindus survive in a modern world dominated by the expansionist organised religions, nations and nation-state? Savarkar responded to these challenges. The coming together of various pagan traditions as Hinduism to meet the challenge of the Abrahamic monotheism is a centuries-old process. Savarkar consolidated it under a new ideological construct. He wielded it into a coherent political construct, Hindutva that aimed to answer the challenges of the modern world, especially the charge of the colonialists that India is not a nation and hence unworthy of self-rule. For India to be able to resist imperialism, a nation had to be born. For Savarkar, that nation was a Hindu Rashtra. Only a Hindu nation transcending caste, regional and linguistic barriers was capable of resisting imperialism. No longer would invading armies roam around the countryside; no longer would India be a playground for colonial powers; no longer would its people and cities be pulverised by warlords for they would have to face a powerful Indian state created on the foundation of a Hindu nation. And the foundation of this Hindu nation was Hindutva. Savarkar was a radical and his Hindutva, too, was a radical break in Hindu thought: anti-caste, reformist, modernist and futuristic. It was a modern Hindu response to the modern world. 50 years of imprisonment – Kaala Paani Savarkar wrote a book titled “The History of the War of Indian Independence”- wrote about the guerilla warfare tricks used in 1857 Sepoy Mutiny.  While the book was banned by Britishers, Madama Bhikaji Cama published the book in Netherlands, Germany and France, which eventually reached many Indian revolutionaries. Savarkar was arrested in 1909 on charges of plotting an armed revolt against the Morle-Minto reform. He also tried to escape by diving in the water but was arrested. He was sentenced to two life sentences i.e. 50 years in the cellular jail of Andamans, also known as Kala Pani, in 1911. Death – 1964: Savarkar declared his wish to attain Samadhi and started hunger-strike on February 1, 1966 and passed away on February 26, 1966. He believed that his purpose of life is solved as India has gained Independence. In 2002, Port Blair airport at Andaman and Nicobar’s Island was renamed after Veer Savarkar International Airport.   Quotes The Vice President, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu On inclusive development Labourers and farmers contribute to economy not only through their hard work, but they also create demand in the economy as consumers. Therefore, it is necessary to increase their purchasing power to give a further fillip to the inclusive development. Concentration of wealth in few hands leads to disbalance in economy and resentment in society Highlighting that both capital and labour are important for wealth creation, the Vice President called for cooperation and harmony between the two. Citing Mahatma Gandhi’s concept of Trusteeship, he said that wealth is not for individual luxury rather it is collectively owned by the community and should be used for the welfare of public. New legislative architecture is being created for a transparent, sustainable, efficient, high growth inclusive economy. Noting that India has the third largest pool of Start-ups, he said that new Start-up actors are emerging in our economy. Institutions like Bhartiya Mazdoor Sangh and Bhartiya Kisan Sangh should spread awareness about various Government programs and should train the workers and farmers in new technologies Lauding various organisations created by Shri Dattopanth Thengri such as – Akhil Bhartiya Grahak Panchayat, Bhartiya Adhivakta Sangh and Sanskar Bharti, the Vice President said that democracy should not merely remain limited to casting of votes, rather people should be actively involved in national affairs. Such organizations help in giving constructive voice to people’s aspirations. On Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam He called upon the students to rise above the divisions of caste, creed, religion etc. and imbibe the virtues of ‘Sharing and Caring’ in line with the Bharatiya Philosophy of ‘Vasudhaiva kutumbakam’. Shri Naidu opined that our education system must mould ideal and responsible citizens, who are socially conscientious with a national outlook. He told the children that they were the future of the nation and asked them to inculcate Indian values and understand and respect India’s great heritage, culture and traditions. Women’s education and empowerment was a pre-condition to the nation’s development. Describing women’s education as a priority mission, he said that no compromises can be made when it comes to providing the women of the country equal opportunities for growth. They should get an equal platform to contribute to the progress of the nation On Journalism Urged the media to not color news with views and stressed the need to maintain objectivity, fairness and accuracy. The neutrality and sanctity of newsrooms should be upheld at all times. The cardinal principle of journalism is to present fair, objective, accurate and balanced information to the reader and viewer without journalists assuming the role of the gatekeepers. Sensationalism, biased coverage and paid news have become the modern-day afflictions of the media, adding that under no circumstances can slanted and opinionated reporting be termed as ‘interpretative reporting’. Maintaining that freedom and responsibility cannot be considered as inseparable, he opined that media must not only act as the watchdog to protect democracy but must also act as the true champion of the underdog. It has to be in the vanguard of fighting the ills that are plaguing the society. Media landscape has transformed dramatically over the years and so have the values of journalism. In the past, journalism was treated as a mission for the nation’s service. In view of the critical role journalism plays in protecting democracy and in serving the larger good of the society, we should strengthen this important fourth pillar by ensuring that ‘truth’ is never compromised

RSTV Video

RSTV IAS UPSC – India & West Asia - New Frontiers

India & West Asia - New Frontiers Archives TOPIC: General Studies 2 Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests ;  India and the World ; India and its neighbourhood- relations. Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests In News: India and Saudi Arabia have inked over a dozen agreements in several key sectors including oil and gas, defence and civil aviation to bolster their ties as Prime Minister Narendra Modi held extensive talks with the Kingdom's top leadership during which a Strategic Partnership Council was established to coordinate on important issues.  Saudi Arabia has, for some time now, been looking for new friends in the East.  The disappointing response of the United States after half of the kingdom’s oil production was knocked out by drone attacks last month, or when the West cornered Riyadh on the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi last year, has only driven it to look east.  India is also achieving its strategic goals alongside trade with Saudi Arabia.  Meanwhile, the bilateral ties between India and the UAE too have reached new heights. Having prospered for several decades, it has more recently advanced into a sterling partnership spanning multiple dimensions, with both countries firmly committed to expanding collaboration in new sectors. Not just Saudi and the UAE, the whole of West Asia is looking to engage with India and explore new frontiers.  West Asia Geopolitically West Asia occupies an important position in international relations due to its geographical location and proximity to continents and countries – South Asia, China, Central Asia, Europe, and Africa. The region is strategically significant due to its enormous energy resources, trade route links to different parts of the world and the fact that it is a place of origin for the Abrahamic religions. It is the world largest oil-producing region accounting for 34% of world production, 45% of crude oil exports and 48% of oil proven reserves. All powers seek a stake in the affairs of the region due to the abundance of natural resources. It is also a region plagued with instability largely due to the involvement of external forces, and sometimes due to internal conflicts. West Asia & India India’s commercial and cultural relations with the region have ancient roots. People to people contacts were established between the two great civilizations in those early days when the merchants of the Kulli culture in Southern Baluchistan and the early Sumer dynasties were in existence. Later the period between the rise of Islam in the 7th century A.D. to about the 10th century A.D. may be termed as the golden age of trade relations between India and the Arab world.  An important factor influencing India’s foreign policy is her socio-cultural affinity of Indian Muslims owing to – Macca and Madina located in this region. Every year more than a lakh Indian Muslims go for Hajj, providing a binding force between two regions. For the past four decades trade, energy and human resource have been the principal drivers of India’s economic relations with the Gulf Cooperation Council (G.C.C.). India has been heavily dependent on energy supplies from the region, while Indian expatriates have constituted a substantial share of the regional labor market. Remittances from the region were last estimated to be fifty percent of the total of 80 million USD coming to India. The Islamic countries in our western neighbourhood are challenged by sectarian (Shia-Sunni), civilisational (Persian-Arab-Turkish) and religious (Jewish-Islamic), rivalries and tensions. India has skilfully conducted its diplomacy, avoiding taking sides in sectarian and civilisational differences, while advocating reconciliation between contesting states. There are two ways that India has been engaging with the region in terms of geopolitical strategy – It has been making allies and collaborating economically with countries to safeguard its energy security.  It has been engaging selectively in socio-political contacts. As one of the largest diaspora population in the region, it is one of the largest targets for India’s practice of soft-power diplomacy.  India’s soft power is clearly visible in terms of culture, language, skills, Bollywood, food, yoga, its democratic character, neutrality, and non-interference, international law and multilateral diplomacy to name a few. India’s rise in high-tech sectors is reflected in the senior positions Indian experts hold in the Gulf, where professionally and technically qualified Indians are significantly engaged in the knowledge-based economic projects, such as Dubai Internet City, Dubai Media City and the Jebel Ali Free Zone (JAFZ). The India-UAE bilateral relationship has evolved into a significant partnership in the economic and commercial spheres. India-UAE trade is around $52 billion, making India the largest trading partner of UAE, while UAE is India’s third largest trading partner, after China and the US. The UAE is significantly, the second largest export destination of India, with exports of over $30 billion. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was in Saudi Arabia last week for his second visit in three years. If during his first visit in 2016, King Salman conferred Saudi Arabia’s highest civilian award on him, his second visit saw him participate in the high-profile Future Investment Initiative Summit, dubbed ‘Davos in the Desert,’ an initiative of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.  The crown prince had also visited India earlier this year in February. The fact that this visit happened against the backdrop of India’s decision to abrogate Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir and Pakistan’s desperate attempt to internationalise the issue makes Modi’s visit to Riyadh even more significant. India’s trade ties with Saudi Arabia have been growing and the relationship is no longer merely a buyer-seller one, though energy remains the driver of the engagement with Saudi Arabia being India’s second-biggest supplier of oil after Iraq. Saudi Arabia is now India’s fourth-largest trading partner, with bilateral trade at $27.48 billion in 2017-18 and Saudi investment to the tune of around $100 billion is in the pipeline in areas ranging from energy, refining, petrochemicals and infrastructure to agriculture, minerals and mining. During Modi’s visit, two important pacts were signed:  While the first was a preliminary agreement between Indian Strategic Petroleum Reserves Ltd and Saudi Aramco that will result in a greater Saudi role in setting up a second fuel reserve facility in Karnataka,  The second was between the West Asia unit of India’s Indian Oil Corporation and Saudi Arabia’s Al Jeri company for downstream sector cooperation.  Modi also announced the formation of the India-Saudi Strategic Partnership Council that will be led by the leaderships of both countries to “help India address its expectations and aspirations.” Conclusion Both India and Saudi Arabia are re-defining their foreign policy priorities at a time of global and regional turmoil. For New Delhi, Saudi Arabia and the Arab Gulf states are becoming key interlocutors in the Middle East. Developing stronger ties with Saudi Arabia has been an important diplomatic achievement in Modi’s first term.  And for Riyadh, India is one of the eight major powers with which it wants to forge strategic partnerships as part of its Vision 2030.  The reform agenda of Prince Mohammed offers an opportunity for the PM to lend the relationship a durable strategic dimension. It is not surprising, therefore, that there is a new energy in India-Saudi bilateral partnership. Connecting the Dots What importance does the West Asian region hold for India’s economic and strategic interests? Discuss. Also elaborate upon the role of past economic and cultural ties in shaping India’s relations with West Asia today. The recent engagements of India and UAE embark India’s Look West Policy but it equally defines GCC’s Look East Policy for the greater Indian engagements with West Asia. Elaborate Analyse the geostrategic and economic significance of the region for India. What initiatives have been taken recently to impart momentum to India’s ties with West Asia? Rivalries and tensions in the Islamic world could throw some challenges to India’s dealings in West Asia. Analyse. How did newly found petroleum resources change the fate of Southwest Asian nations? Discuss.