UPSC Quiz - 2020: IAS Daily Current Affairs Quiz Day 105 Archives Important Note Don't forget to post your marks in the comment section. Also, let us know if you enjoyed today's test :) To take the Test - Click Here
Jerusalem: James Carroll Perhaps, there is no other place in history that is as steeped in religious, political and historical significance as Jerusalem. Considered as the birth place of three of the world’s largest Abrahamic religions, Judaism, Islam and Christianity, Jerusalem and its history, in some ways, is the history of the world’s greatest religions. James Carroll illuminates the complex past of Jerusalem as a city, spiritual and religious destination, and a political conflict zone for generations. This book is thorough and filled with immaculate details about some of the most important events in world history. The core conflict between the three monotheistic religions, Judaism, Islam and Christianity has its common roots in the history of Jerusalem. This book helps one to understand the primary reason for conflict, the splitting up of the religions and the spiritual and political motivations behind them. Jerusalem is steeped in mystery and shrouded in conflicting stories and ideologies. James Carroll does a stupendous job of unraveling the mystery of this place layer by layer. If one is interested in knowing more about the origin of conflict in religions, situations and circumstances responsible for the conflict, one has to read Jerusalem.
Incentives to Boost Export ARCHIVES Search 15th September 2019 Spotlight here: http://www.newsonair.com/Main_Audio_Bulletins_Search.aspx TOPIC: General Studies 3 Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment General Studies 2 Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. In News: Incentives announced by the government will help in boosting the country's exports at a time when there are signs of worsening global economic conditions and it will help in boosting outbound shipments, according to exporters. The new measures announced for the sector in form of incentives and refund of taxes will not only go a long way in enhancing the growth prospects in the short-term but will also give it a much needed boost in the medium-term and long-term. There are two big roadblocks to expansion of global trade today – Lack of easy availability of working capital Inefficiencies and delay The government is focusing to provide solution for both these issues. The usage of technology to reduce the time to export and make export more seamless is a good initiative that would help make our exports more competitive What has been introduced? Giving three months lead time till 31st December to the existing incentive scheme MEIS (Exports from India Scheme) will remove the uncertainty creeping in the minds of the exporters and will greatly help to finalise their export orders Extending the scheme of reimbursement of taxes and duties for export promotion Fully automated electronic refund for Input Tax Credits (ITC) in GST; aimed at quick and automated refunds of ITC. Revised priority sector lending norms for exports Export Credit Guarantee Corporation (ECGC) will expand the scope of export credit insurance service (ECIS) to offer higher insurance cover to banks lending working capital for exports, is a step that should help MSMEs facing liquidity issues for exports. India to host Dubai-like shopping fest to boost exports: A Dubai-like mega shopping festival will facilitate exchange between global producers and consumers Scheme for Remission of Duties or Taxes on Export Product (RoDTEP) An inter-ministerial working group has also been formed to monitor export finance. The announcement comes in the backdrop of India's merchandise exports declining by 6.05 per cent to USD 26.13 billion in August compared to the year-ago month. Accordingly, the scheme for Remission of Duties or Taxes on Export Product (RoDTEP) was announced which will replace Merchandise Exports from India Scheme (MEIS) for textiles. In effect, RoDTEP will more than adequately incentivise exporters than existing schemes put together. The new scheme of Remission of Duties or Taxes on Export Products (RoDTEP) with revenue burden of up to Rs 50,000 crore for the government, looks attractive as it will neutralise all duties and levies suffered by the export products. The new scheme will benefit the exporters, especially MSME exporters as well as encourage first time exporters to explore global opportunities Conclusion: The government must draw on its political capital to push through contentious reforms that address the deeper structural issues plaguing the economy. Even in the midst of a slowdown in global trade, India, which accounts for around 2 per cent of global trade, should look aggressively to expand its share. After all, in the current economic environment of subdued domestic demand and investment, exports could provide the much needed boost to growth. Connecting the Dots: Examine the impediments that have constrained the growth of exports in India. Suggest policy measures to address the same. .
IAS UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 1st November 2019 Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) PEGASUS Part of: GS Prelims and GS-III- Cyber Security In News It has been reported that the popular messaging platform WhatsApp was used to spy on journalists and human rights activists in India earlier this year. The surveillance was carried out using an Israeli spyware tool called Pegasus. Most of those targeted in India were journalists, Dalit and human rights activists and lawyers. It has been developed by the Israeli cyberarms firm, NSO Group. The NSO Group is a Tel Aviv-based cyber-security company that specialises in “surveillance technology” and claims to help governments and law enforcement agencies across the world fight crime and terrorism. How does Pegasus come to your phone? The code is transmitted via WhatsApp call. The code enters the phone even if the call is not answered. What does it do? It sends the targets contacts, calls and messages to its controller. It can also turn the phone into a spy device by switching on the camera or microphone. BAMBOO TECHNOLOGY PARKS Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains I - Geography In News Union Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) announced that Bamboo Technology Parks would be set up in the two new Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh. The Cane and Bamboo Technology Centre (CBTC) under North Eastern Council (NEC) will implement the project. the model for bamboo cultivation, harvesting and utilisation currently existing in the North Eastern Region shall be replicated in the two new Union Territories to give a fillip to the sector. The project for setting up three new Bamboo Technology Parks in Jammu, Srinagar and Leh would be in consonance with the National Bamboo Mission (NBM). A Bamboo Industrial Park has already been approved to be set up in the Dima Hasao district of Assam. Cyclone Maha Part of: GS Prelims and Mains GS-I - Geography In News The Lakshadweep Islands and, to a relatively lesser extent, the coastal districts of Kerala bore the brunt of Cyclone Maha, which continues to cut a furious swathe across the Arabian Sea. The depression that had developed in the Comorin Sea intensified into a cyclonic storm and will move along India's western coast without making landfall. IMD has advised fishermen not to venture out to the southeast and the east-central Arabian Sea during the period This is one of the rare occasions when there were two back-to-back cyclones in the Arabian Sea. Kyarr which was the strongest cyclone in the Arabian Sea in 12 years weakened into a ''severe cyclonic storm'' as it continues its movement towards the Oman coast. Do you Know? Kanyakumari was called Cape Comorin during British rule in India. Comorin is a ‘rocky mainland‘ on the Indian Ocean in the State of Tamil Nadu and located at the Southern Most tip of the Indian Subcontinent. Many call it KOODAL meaning it is situated at the Confluence of three oceans Bay of Bengal, Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean. UNESCO Creative City Part of: GS Prelims and Mains GS-II – International Affairs In News Two Indian cities has now been officially designated as a Unesco Creative City– Hyderabad in Gastronomy category, Mumbai in Film category. It is among the 66 new cities named by the Unesco in the list of new Creative Cities, which aims at pushing the Sustainable Development Goals through innovative thinking and action. The designation of Hyderabad in the creative cities’ list would bring new opportunities and turn the focus on the city’s rich culinary heritage and tradition. The industry employs 12% of the Hyderabad city’s population either directly or indirectly. UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) UCCN was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development. The 180 cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective: placing creativity and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and cooperating actively at the international level. National Health Profile (NHP) 2019 Part of: GS Prelims and Mains GS-II – Health In News NHP is an annual publication of the Central Bureau of Health Intelligence (CBHI) The NHP covers demographic, socio-economic, health status and health finance indicators, human resources in the health sector and health infrastructure. It is also an important source of information on various communicable and non-communicable diseases that are not covered under any other major programmes. Some of the key findings of the report are: Sex ratio (number of females per 1,000 males) in the country has improved from 933 in 2001 to 943 in 2011. In rural areas the sex ratio has increased from 946 to 949. The corresponding increase in urban areas has been of 29 points from 900 to 929. Kerala has recorded the highest sex ratio in respect of total population (1,084), rural population (1,078) and urban (1,091). The lowest sex ratio in rural areas has been recorded in Chandigarh (690) The estimated birth rate reduced from 25.8 in 2000 to 20.4 in 2016 while the death rate declined from 8.5 to 6.4 per 1,000 populations over the same period. The total fertility rate (average number of children that will be born to a woman during her lifetime) in 12 States has fallen below two children per woman and nine States have reached replacement levels of 2.1 and above. The total number of registered allopathic doctors (up to 2018) is 11,54,686. Number of dental surgeons registered with Central/State Dental Councils of India was 2,54,283. About Central Bureau of Health Intelligence (CBHI) CBHI is the National Nodal agency for Health Intelligence in the Directorate General of Health Services (Dte.GHS), Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, and Government of India. CBHI is committed to build an integrated health informatics platform which can provide reliable, accurate, and relevant national health information and enable evidence based policy formulation and decision making. Dharma Guardian-2019 Part of: GS Prelims and Mains GS-III – Security In News The second edition of the bilateral annual military exercise 'Dharma Guardian-2019' between Indian and Japanese Army culminated on October 31 at the Counter Insurgency and Jungle Warfare School (CIJWS) at Vairengte in Mizoram. The primary focus of the exercise was to train and equip the contingents in counter-insurgency and counter- terrorism operations in mountainous terrain As part of the exercise, lectures, demonstrations and drills related to counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism operations were conducted Besides fostering mutual understanding and trust, the joint exercise marks reaffirmation of India and Japan to further bolster bilateral security and defence cooperation MPs grill officials on DNA Bill Part of: GS Prelims and Mains GS-II – Health In News A parliamentary panel headed by MP Jairam Ramesh began hearing the contentious DNA Technology (Use and Application) Regulation Bill, 2019 with members grilling officials from the Department of Biotechnology on scope for violations of privacy in the proposed DNA data bank. The Bill seeks to create a national data bank, and regional data banks which will have DNA samples of undertrials, suspects, missing persons and unknown deceased persons. It has proposed DNA sampling and profiling of citizens accused of crime or reported missing, and storing their unique genetic information for administrative purposes. For more details on the bill, refer: https://iasbaba.com/2019/07/rstv-ias-upsc-dna-technology-bill/ (MAINS FOCUS) POLITY TOPIC: General Studies 2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation Merger of BSNL and MTNL Context: The government decided to merge BSNL and MTNL In order to revive loss-making telecom PSUs BSNL and MTNL Revival package includes raising sovereign bonds, monetising assets and voluntary retirement scheme (VRS) for employees, MTNL will be merged with BSNL. Government wants to make the two state-owned telecom companies more competitive by putting in Rs 29,937 crore. Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL): State-owned telecommunications company headquartered in New Delhi. Incorporated on 1 October 2000 BSNL is the fourth largest mobile telephony provider in India BSNL is India's oldest communication service provider and its history can be traced back to the British era. After the bifurcation of post and Telegraph department in 1980s, the creation of Department of Telecom by 1990s eventually led to the emergence of the State owned telegraph and telephone company BSNL. BSNL shut down telegraph services on 15 July 2013. Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL): MTNL is a state-owned telecommunications service provider in the metro cities of Mumbai and New Delhi in India and in Mauritius in Africa. The company had a monopoly in Mumbai and New Delhi until 1992 "Transparency makes us different" is the motto of the company The Government of India currently holds 57% stock in the company The company's shares are listed on Bombay Stock Exchange, London Stock Exchange and New York Stock Exchange. As of January 2019, it has 6.71 million subscribers Revival reasons: Telecom sector is facing financial stress due to stiff competition and reduction in tariffs. The competition in the mobile segment, high employee costs and absence of 4G services in the data-centric telecom market has eroded the competitive strength of BSNL and MTNL. Financial position of BSNL & MTNL: Losses continuously since 2009-10. BSNL has 1.65 lakh employees across India, and MTNL has 22,000. BSNL’s provisional loss was Rs 4,859 crore in 2015-16, Rs 4,793 crore in 2016-17, Rs 7,993 crore in 2017-18. The loss is estimated to grow to Rs 14,202 crore in 2018-19. Way forward: The Cabinet proposal clears the way for the administrative allotment of spectrum for 4G services to BSNL and MTNL, to enable them to provide broadband and other data services. The telecom companies will be able to deliver 4G services and compete in the market. Connecting the dots: Will merging BSNL and MTNL pull the two companies out of their problems? Analyse. POLITY TOPIC: General Studies 1: The Freedom Struggle – its various stages and important contributors /contributions from different parts of the country. Post-independence consolidation and reorganization within the country. Rashtriya Ekta Diwas Context: To mark the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, National Unity Day will be celebrated on 31st October The official statement for Rashtriya Ekta Diwas by the Home Ministry cites "will provide an opportunity to re-affirm the inherent strength and resilience of our nation to withstand the actual and potential threats to the unity, integrity and security of our country” Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel: Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel born on 31 October 1875 Served as the first Deputy Prime Minister of India. Senior leader of the Indian National Congress Organised peasants from Kheda, Borsad, and Bardoli in Gujarat in non-violent civil disobedience Founding father of the Republic of India Played a leading role in the country's struggle for independence He was appointed as the 49th President of Indian National Congress, Promoted the Quit India Movement. He acted as Home Minister during the political integration of India and the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947 As the first Home Minister and Deputy Prime Minister of India, Patel organised relief efforts for refugees fleeing to Punjab and Delhi from Pakistan and worked to restore peace. Patel persuaded almost every princely state to accede to India. His commitment to national integration in the newly independent country was total and uncompromising, earning him the sobriquet "Iron Man of India". He is also remembered as the "patron saint of India's civil servants" for having established the modern all-India services system. He is also called the "Unifier of India". The Statue of Unity, the world's tallest statue, was dedicated to him on 31 October 2018 which is approximately 182 metres (597 ft) in height in Gujarat India without sardar: Subcontinent would be divided into two regions, one part a democratic India surrounded by the other part—close to 560 smaller states ruled by kings and their descendants. Half of the Indians would be living under a democratic set-up with freedoms and the rest living under some monarchy. The principle of Unity, Liberty, Equality enshrined in the Constitution would exist in one part and not in the other. There would be restrictions on travelling and transporting goods from one part to another. one part of India would be governed by the ideas of Justice and Liberty, whereas the other would have survived devoid of these ideas. Chaos and anarchy would have followed, and the idea of India would have failed at the very start of its journey. More about Sardar: He was completely vested in the idea of India, and all his efforts were initially focused on the attainment of its independence. Once that had been achieved, he relentlessly followed the idea of uniting and integrating the nation at a time when it was suffering from partition, communalisation and the refugee crisis. He was determined to commit himself towards building one India by uniting 562 princely states (constituting 48% of area). Criticisms: Patel’s idea of unity was incomplete. He may have created a united India, but this India remains full of contradictions and inequalities, both social and economic. Politically, we may be equal and united, but socially and economically we are not. Connecting the dots: The strong man of India who made Idea of India possible was Sardar Patel—‘the Bismarck and architect of modern India’. Substantiate (TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE) Model questions: (You can now post your answers in comment section) Note: Featured Comments and comments Up-voted by IASbaba are the “correct answers”. IASbaba App users – Team IASbaba will provide correct answers in comment section. Kindly refer to it and update your answers. Q.1) Dharma Guardian is military exercise conducted between India and which other country? USA Srilanka Japan None of the above Q.2) National Health Profile is released which body/organisation? NITI Aayog WHO in collaboration with Ministry of Statistics & Programme implementation Central Bureau of Health Intelligence None of the above Q.3) Consider the following statementsabout the proposed DNA Technology The Bill seeks to create a national data bank, and regional data banks which will have DNA samples of undertrials, suspects, missing persons and unknown deceased persons. It has proposed DNA sampling and profiling of citizens accused of crime or reported missing, and storing their unique genetic information for administrative purposes 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 UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) UCCN was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development Hyderabad and Bengaluru has now been officially designated as a UNESCO Creative City 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 Kanyakumari It was called Cape Comorin during British rule in India. Many also call it as Koodal as it is situated at the confluence of three oceans Bay of Bengal, Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean. Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 MUST READ Substance across the Arabian Sea The Hindu Deciphering Greta’s climate message The Hindu Cleaning up the Kashmir mess The Hindu Warning in the Valley IE Nagas may not gain from I-M’s push for own constitution Live Mint
UPSC Quiz - 2020: IAS Daily Current Affairs Quiz Day 104 Archives Important Note Don't forget to post your marks in the comment section. Also, let us know if you enjoyed today's test :) To take the Test - Click Here
IAS UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 31st October 2019 Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) Chhath puja Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains I - Culture In News 400 junior policemen in Bihar’s Samastipur district, a pledge of honesty is part of the application form for leave to perform Chhath puja. Chhath is a Hindu festival dedicated to the Sun god and his wife Usha in order to thank them for bestowing the bounties of life on earth. The word chhath means sixth and the festival is celebrated on the sixth day of the month Kartika of the Hindu lunar Bikram Sambat calendar. They rituals include holy bathing, fasting, standing in water for long periods of time, and offering prayers and food to the setting and rising sun. The festival is observed most elaborately in Mithila Province of Nepal, Terai-Madhesh region of Nepal, Indian states of Bihar, Jharkhand and UP. Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains III –Environment In News With air quality in Delhi nose diving to ‘severe’ levels, the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) Task Force extended the ban on construction and industrial activities dependent on coal till November 2. Apart from Diwali crackers and sluggish wind, the key culprit for dip in air quality in Delhi was stubble burning in Punjab and Haryana, The plan was prepared by the Supreme Court-mandated Environment Pollution Control Authority (EPCA), which held meetings with stakeholders from all states over several months. A graded response lays down stratified actions that are required to be taken as and when the concentration of pollutants reaches a certain level. This plan will be putting into action a number of anti-pollution measures and there will be specific actions for each category — moderate to poor, very poor, severe and emergency. Severe+ or Emergency (PM 2.5 over 300 µg/cubic metre or PM10 over 500 µg/cu. m. for 48+ hours) Stop entry of trucks into Delhi (except essential commodities) Stop construction work Introduce odd/even scheme for private vehicles and minimise exemptions Task Force to decide any additional steps including shutting of schools Severe (PM 2.5 over 250 µg/cu. m. or PM10 over 430 µg/cu. m.) Close brick kilns, hot mix plants, stone crushers Maximise power generation from natural gas to reduce generation from coal Encourage public transport, with differential rates More frequent mechanised cleaning of road and sprinkling of water Very Poor (PM2.5 121-250 µg/cu. m. or PM10 351-430 µg/cu. m.) Stop use of diesel generator sets Enhance parking fee by 3-4 times Increase bus and Metro services Apartment owners to discourage burning fires in winter by providing electric heaters during winter Advisories to people with respiratory and cardiac conditions to restrict outdoor movement Moderate to poor (PM2.5 61-120 µg/cu. m. or PM10 101-350 µg/cu. m.) Heavy fines for garbage burning Close/enforce pollution control regulations in brick kilns and industries Mechanised sweeping on roads with heavy traffic and water sprinkling Strictly enforce ban on firecrackers [caption id="attachment_52038" align="aligncenter" width="488"] Daily Current Affairs IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 31st October 2019[/caption] https://static.toiimg.com/photo/imgsize-113487,msid-71589359/71589359.jpg Unnat Bharat Abhiyan Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains III –Inclusive Development In News President during his convocation address in Jamia millia University emphasised need to connect all sections of society with development and appreciated the University for adopting five villages under Unnat Bharat Abhiyan Unnat Bharat Abhiyan was launched by the Union Ministry of Human Resource Development (HRD) in April 2018. Under this each selected institute would adopt a cluster of villages/panchayats. Institutes will then carry out studies to assess the local problems and then use technology to improve the implementation of various government schemes. The Objective is to use the knowledge base of the Premier Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) of the country to ensure rural development. It is expected to be a two-way learning process, where institutions share their knowledge with villages and also learn from the wisdom and commonsense of rural folk. The key points include helping villages achieve 100% school results, creating 25 jobs each in four sectors in each village where work would take place, increasing rural incomes, providing drinking water and sanitation to villages, disposing village garbage, among other things. Under Unnat Bharat Abhiyan 2.0, both technical and non-technical institutions have been invited to build systems in villages as per their strengths. Amaravati start-up area pact cancelled Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains I–Urban development In News A.P government’s agreement with Singapore consortium for the development of Amaravati start-up area has been cancelled with mutual consent The reason given by government is that the Singapore consortium was unable to give a satisfactory explanation to doubts on the financial sustainability of the project when it was asked to reveal its exact plans. A.P. government had formed Amaravati Development Partners with the Singapore consortium for the development of a start-up area of nearly 1,692 acres over a period of 20 years. The bidding was conducted in the Swiss Challenge method in accordance with A.P. Infrastructure Development Enabling Act, 2001. About Swiss Challenge It is a method of bidding, often used in public projects, in which an interested party initiates a proposal for a contract or the bid for a project. The government then puts the details of the project out in the public and invites proposals from others interested in executing it. On the receipt of these bids, the original contractor gets an opportunity to match the best bid. The Swiss Challenge allows a seller to mix-and-match the features of both an open auction and a closed tender to discover the best price for an asset. The method also has other uses. In its original form, a Swiss Challenge allows an infrastructure developer to come up with a suo motu proposal for a new project without waiting for the government to call for bids. This can foster innovation, as contractors or developers may initiate projects that the powers-that-be didn’t even think of. For more viewpoints on Swiss model refer: https://iasbaba.com/2016/03/3-understand-swiss-model-public-private-partnership-discuss-features-potential-india/ Kudankulam plant&‘dtrack’ malware Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains III - Energy In News The Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd. (NPCIL) on Wednesday confirmed that a malware had indeed infected its system at the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KKNPP), a day after KKNPP officials had categorically asserted that the systems at the plant could not be accessed by anyone outside the network as they were all isolated. The matter was conveyed by CERT-In [Indian Computer Emergency Response Team] when it was noticed by them on September 4, 2019. The investigation had revealed that the infected computer belonged to a user who was connected “in the Internet connected network used for administrative purposes, However, the authorities stated that system was isolated from the critical internal network and that the networks were being “continuously monitored”. The cyberintrusion came to light on 28th October after the website VirusTotal uploaded a data dump that seemed to point to a data breach in the KKNPP system. The dump pointed to a ‘dtrack’ malware, which can be used as a remote administrator tool, having infected systems at the KKNPP. About CERT-IN CERT-In is an acronym for ‘Indian Computer Emergency Response Team’. As per Information Technology Amendment Act 2008, CERT-In is the National Incident Response Centre for major computer security incidents in its constituency i.e. Indian cyber community. CERT-IN is operational since 2004 CERT-In’s primary role is to raise security awareness among Indian cyber community and to provide technical assistance and advise them to help them recover from computer security incidents. It functions under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. Objectives of CERT-In Preventing cyber-attacks against the country’s cyber space. Responding to cyber-attacks and minimizing damage and recovery time. Reducing ‘national vulnerability to cyber-attacks. Enhancing security awareness among common citizens. Submarine propulsion system test a success Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains III- Science & Technology In News The indigenous Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) system to enhance the endurance of conventional submarines being developed by DRDO reached a milestone with the successful operation of a land-based prototype. An AIP module enables conventional submarines to remain submerged for longer duration.Fuel cell-based AIP has merits in performance compared to other technologies All Scorpene submarines of the Navy are planned to be equipped with an AIP module in due course Scorpene-class submarines These are a class of diesel-electric attack submarines jointly developed by the French Direction des Constructions Navales (DCN) and the Spanish company Navantia, and now by Naval Group. It features diesel propulsion and an additional air-independent propulsion (AIP). Chile pulls out from hosting climate and trade summits Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains II – International affairs In News Chile’s President announced that his country, which has been rocked by a wave of recent protests, was not in a position to host a key UN climate change meeting and major Asia-Pacific trade summit later this year. The priority of Chilean government was to focus first and foremost on fully restoring public order and social peace, Cancelling the climate meeting, which had been scheduled for December, leaves organisers with a very tight window to find a new venue. Chile stepped up to host the Climate Change Conference after the initial host, Brazil, pulled out last year.Brazil’s decision came soon after the election of President Jair Bolsonaro (MAINS FOCUS) POLITY TOPIC: General Studies 2 India and its neighbourhood- relations. Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests INDIA - SAUDI ARABIA RELATIONS Context: Prime Minister Narendra Modi held extensive talks with the Saudi Arabia's top leadership Strategic Partnership Council was established to coordinate on important issues. The council will be headed by Modi and the crown prince and it will meet at an interval of two years. India and Saudi Arabia inked dozen of agreements in several key sectors, including oil and gas, defence and civil aviation Saudi Arabia, known to be a key ally of Pakistan, has been siding with India in its campaign to rid the region of terrorism and pledged to extend all cooperation to effectively deal with the challenge The first naval exercise between the two nations will take place by end of this year or early next year. India- Saudi relations: India–Saudi Arabia relations are generally strong and close, especially in commercial interests. Indo-Saudi bilateral trade reached US$27.48 billion in the financial year 2017–18 Saudi Arabia's exports to India stood at US$22.06 billion whereas India's exports were US$5.41 billion the trade relations between southern India and Arabia flourished and became the backbone of the Arabian economy 1000 AD Arab traders held a monopoly over the spice trade between India and Europe until the rise of European imperialist empires Saudi Arabia is one of the largest suppliers of oil to India, who is one of the top seven trading partners and the fifth biggest investor in Saudi Arabia. Conflicts: Saudi’s relations with Pakistan affected India's strategic relations with Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia supported Pakistan's Kashmir stance During the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, Saudi supported Pakistan at the expense of its relations with India. The Russia’s close relations with India also negatively affected Indo-Saudi relations. During the Persian Gulf War (1990–91), India officially maintained neutrality. Relationship since 1990s: Saudi Arabia has supported granting observer status to India in the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Saudi has expanded its collaboration with India to fight Islamic terrorism in the Middle East The Saudi king and the Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh signed an agreement forging a strategic energy partnership that was termed the "Delhi Declaration." The pact provides for a "reliable, stable and increased volume of crude oil supplies to India through long-term contracts. Both nations also agreed on joint ventures and the development of oil and natural gas in public and private sectors In 2019, Saudi Arabia increased the Hajj quota of India Relations in 2019: The Saudi Crown Prince, Muhammad bin Salman, made a visit to India in February, 2019. The number of Indian pilgrims performing Hajj in Saudi Arabia has been increased to 200,000 every year. India, the world's third-largest oil consumer, imports 83 per cent of its oil needs. Saudi Arabia is its second-biggest supplier after Iraq. It sold 40.33 million tonnes of crude oil to India in 2018-19 fiscal, when the country had imported 207.3 million tonnes of oil. India buys some 200,000 tonnes of LPG every month from Saudi Arabia. Connecting the dots: India's relations with Saudi Arabia have been on an upswing over the last few years based on burgeoning energy ties. Justify ECONOMY TOPIC: General Studies 3: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment. Employment in India (Part 2) Context: Since the results of the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) 2017-18 became public — they showed that unemployment in India was at a 45-year high — there has been vigorous public debate about the true state of unemployment in the country. What fuelled debate? Long delays in the availability of past employment data, even though PLFS tracks employment annually. Also read : Part 1 : https://iasbaba.com/2019/10/daily-current-affairs-ias-upsc-prelims-and-mains-exam-30th-october-2019/ Main findings: Total employment in the country grew by 4.5 crore in the 13 years between EUS 2004-05 and PLFS 2017-18. This represents a growth of just 0.8 per cent — less than half the rate at which the overall population grew, which was 1.7 per cent. Urban and Rural: 4.5 crore increase in employment, 4.2 crore happened in the urban areas while rural employment either contracted (by 0.01 per cent between 2004 and 2011) or was stagnant (grew by 0.18 per cent between 2011 and 2017). Male and female: Male employment grew by 6 crore but female employment fell by 1.5 crore. Women’s share in employment has fallen from an already low level of 27.08% in 2004 to 21.17 per cent in 2017. Youth employment (those between the ages of 15 and 24) has fallen from 8.14 crore in 2004 to 5.34 crore in 2017. Organised and Unorganised sector: The rate of employment growth in the organised sector has been the fastest, and its share in the total employment has risen from 8.9 per cent in 2004 to 14 per cent in 2017. The pace of growth of the unorganised sector has moderated since 2011, its overall share in the economy has gone up from 37.1 per cent in 2004 to 47.7 per cent in 2017. The agri-cropping sector, employment has fallen from 21.9 per cent in 2004 to 17.4 per cent in 2017. Contractual employment: The organised sector in India preferring to employ workers without a contract. Indeed, between 2011 and 2017, this resulted in the organised sector coming to employ more people without a contract. The presence of a contract makes all the difference when it comes to job security, minimum wages, equal pay for equal work, safe working conditions, etc. Without a contract, even a worker employed in the organised sector would not have any means of seeking recourse for any injustice. Conclusion: Firms (organised or unorganised) preferring non-contractual employment is bad news for India’s bid to make the economy more formal. Firms are doing so to cut the extra costs that come with complying with inflexible and stringent labour laws. Connecting the dots: Those who are poor, illiterate, and unskilled are increasingly losing out on jobs. Substantiate (TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE) Model questions: (You can now post your answers in comment section) Note: Featured Comments and comments Up-voted by IASbaba are the “correct answers”. IASbaba App users – Team IASbaba will provide correct answers in comment section. Kindly refer to it and update your answers. Q.1) Swiss Challenge often seen in news is related to which of the following areas? Inculcating Innovation spirit among Universities Improvements in Urban development Public-Partnership Model None of the above Q.2) Consider the following statements about CERT-IN It is the National Incident Response Centre for major computer security incidents in Indian cyber community. It functions under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. Which of the statements given above are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.3)Consider the following statements about Unnat Bharat Abhiyan It was launched by the Ministry of Skill development The Objective is to use the knowledge base of the Premier Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) of the country to ensure rural development Which of the statements given above are correct? 1 and 2 1 and 3 2 and 3 1, 2 and 3 Q.4)Consider the following statements about Chhath puja Chhath is a Hindu festival dedicated to the Sun god and his wife Usha in order to thank them for bestowing the bounties of life on earth The festival is observed most elaborately in Mithila Province of Nepal, Terai-Madhesh region of Nepal, Indian states of Bihar, Jharkhand and UP Which of the statements given above are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 MUST READ Visiting Kashmir: On MEP team visit The Hindu Free trade over fair trade The Hindu Upholding the ideals of fairness and rectitude The Hindu A New Kind Of Government IE On the Indian economy, no one knows what to believe. This makes the uncertainty of our moment more endemic IE
Apache Helicopters and Strengthening of Indian Air Force ARCHIVES Search 4th September 2019: http://www.newsonair.com/Main_Audio_Bulletins_Search.aspx TOPIC: General Studies 3 Defence Inclusive Growth In News: The battle-proven Apache attack helicopter was inducted into the Indian Air Force, boosting its capabilities for conducting cross-border hits on terrorist launch pads and improving its strike packages with fighter jets. By 2020, the IAF will operate a fleet of 22 Apaches. Eight Apache AH-64E (I) helicopters were inducted into the IAF at the Pathankot front line air base which is located near the India-Pakistan border. This new 125 Squadron is called the ‘Gladiators’. IAF had signed a contract with US Government and M/s Boeing Ltd in Sep 2015 for 22 Apache helicopters. Selected aircrew and ground crew have undergone training at the training facilities at US Army base Fort Rucker, Alabama. These personnel will lead the operationalisation of the Apache fleet in the IAF. Next Step The Apaches will be used in war games and real time exercises in the next six to eight months. Officials explained that while the Apache’s pilots and crew, who have been trained in the US, understand the basics of the helicopter, including operating it, an exercise will give a greater insight into how it can be used tactically and in different missions. It will be also seen how well the Apaches operate in high-altitude areas, especially valleys, given that it has better maneuverability and is lighter than the Mi-35 attack helicopter it is replacing. What does this mean for India? The Apache is seen as the first attack helicopter in India’s defence arsenal. India has been operating the Russian origin Mi 35 for years and the Apaches are set to replace the Russian-made choppers that are now on the verge of being taken out of service. The Mi-35 was seen as an assault chopper designed to carry troops into heavily defended territories. The two pilot Apache on the other hand is seen as a dedicated attack chopper, which according to defence analysts, will be a “game changer" in the tactical battle scenario. The addition of AH-64 E (I) helicopter is a significant step towards modernisation of Indian Air Force’s helicopter fleet. This procurement will enhance the capability of IAF in providing integrated combat aviation cover to the army strike corps. The helicopter has been customized to suit IAF’s future requirements and would have significant capability in mountainous terrain. The helicopter has the capability to carry out precision attacks at standoff ranges and operate in hostile airspace with threats from ground. The ability of these helicopters, to transmit and receive the battlefield picture, to and from the weapon systems through data networking makes it a lethal acquisition. These attack helicopters will provide significant edge in any future joint operations in support of land forces. The Apaches can be used in different missions- escorting troops and supplies, anti-armour, suppressing enemy air defence and play a battlefield role. With the capability to shoot fire and forget anti-tank guided missiles, air to air missiles, rockets and other ammunitions, the Apache also has modern electronic warfare capabilities to provide versatility to itself in a network centric aerial warfare. The Apache has a variety of weapons, including air to ground Hellfire missiles, 70 mm Hydra rockets and air to air Stinger missiles. This is the first time that the IAF has a helicopter in its inventory which can fire air to air missiles. The Apache also carries a 30 mm chain gun with 1200 rounds, has a nose mounted sensor suite for target acquisition and night vision systems. Its cockpit is bulletproof, making it ideal for use against tanks and armoured vehicles. The helicopter’s front mounted guns can be used to attack terrorist hideouts in difficult mountain terrain. It’s “fire-and-forget" Hellfire missiles can destroy armoured carriers and tanks among enemy ranks and provides crucial protection for moving ground forces and tanks in the battle field. The Apache’s rotor mounted radar can transmit battlefield pictures to Airborne Warning and Controls Systems (Awacs) mounted on other aircraft. The Apache’s forward looking infra-red radar can locate targets through dense foliage thanks to its heat-seeking capabilities that then provides pilots with pictures of the target. The helicopter is capable of flying “further, lower and faster" than other similar machines. Lower means that it cannot be picked up by radar, while literally skimming the earth. The Way Forward There is a need for integrating the multi-role combat choppers with ground forces for better operational capabilities, logistics and training. Any equipment is better held with one particular service for better operations, logistics and maintenance. With two different services, there will be bureaucratic hassles even for training purposes.
Surging Global Oil Prices ARCHIVES Search 17th September 2019 Spotlight here: http://www.newsonair.com/Main_Audio_Bulletins_Search.aspx TOPIC: General Studies 3: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment In news: Global oil prices surged the most on record after a strike on a Saudi Arabian oil facility removed about 5% of global supplies, an attack the US has blamed on Iran. What happened? State energy producer Saudi Aramco lost about 5.7 million barrels per day of output after 10 unmanned aerial vehicles struck the world’s biggest crude-processing facility in Abqaiq and the kingdom’s second-biggest oil field in Khurais. For oil markets, it’s the single worst sudden disruption ever, surpassing the loss of Kuwaiti and Iraqi petroleum supply in August 1990, when Saddam Hussein invaded his neighbor. It also exceeds the loss of Iranian oil output in 1979 during the Islamic Revolution, according to the International Energy Agency. Impact Brent jumped more than 19% on ICE Futures Europe to $71.95 a barrel, its biggest gain in percentage terms since 1991 Gold, the yen and Treasuries also surged on concern over the geopolitical fallout from the attacks The vulnerability of Saudi infrastructure to attacks, historically seen as a stable source of crude to the market, is a new paradigm the market will need to deal with. Saudi Arabia is the world’s biggest oil exporter and, with its comparatively large spare capacity, has been the supplier of last resort for decades. Saudi Arabia can restart a significant volume of the halted oil production within days, but needs weeks to restore full output capacity. The kingdom -- or its customers -- may use stockpiles to keep oil supplies flowing in the short term. “No matter whether it takes Saudi Arabia five days or a lot longer to get oil back into production, there is but one rational takeaway from this weekend’s drone attacks on the Kingdom’s infrastructure -- that infrastructure is highly vulnerable to attack, and the market has been persistently mis-pricing oil," Citigroup Inc.’s Ed Morse wrote in a research note. Concern for India The surge in oil prices comes at a time when the Narendra Modi government is trying to boost the economy after GDP growth slumped to the slowest in more than six years. An increase in inflation stoked by higher fuel prices will also leave less space for RBI to cut interest rates to combat the slowdown. [caption id="attachment_51987" align="aligncenter" width="406"] All India Radio (AIR) IAS UPSC - Surging Global Oil Prices[/caption] a. Since India imports a large quantity of oil from Saudi Arabia, a spike in the rates could derail India's path to economic recovery amid growth slowdown. India imports almost 80 per cent of its oil requirements. Saudi Arabia is India's second-largest oil supplier of crude and cooking gas. Data from the oil ministry's Petroleum Planning and Analysis (PPAC) shows that India's dependence on oil has increased gradually since 2017. In 2018-19, India's oil consumption increased to 211.6 million tonnes. A 10 per cent rise in global crude prices will widen India's current account deficit by 0.4-0.5 per cent of the GDP. Every dollar move in the Brent Crude prices adds around $2 billion to India's oil import bill. In case of an extended disruption, the two comparable events are the Iranian Revolution of 1979 and Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait in 1990. India suffered in both cases. In the case of the Gulf War, there was added impact of Indian workers returning home, worsening India’s balance of payments b. Volatility in global crude oil prices during a period of weak demand could further weaken investor sentiments. c. An inflated import bill could further widen the current account deficit, which has widened to $57.2 billion, or 2.1% of GDP, in 2018-19 from 1.8% a year ago. d. A spike in crude oil price could also make chemicals used in production of plastics, tyres, paints and a host of other items costlier. Considering petrochemicals have wide applications, this could accelerate inflation. Higher fuel prices could affect energy-intensive manufacturing industries. A spike in jet fuel could put pressure on the margins of airlines, which have recently gained from a surge in airfares after bankrupt Jet Airways (India) Ltd suspended operations in April. e. While refiners are expected to benefit from inventory gains in the short term due to higher crude prices, a sustained rise would lead to an increase in the working capital borrowings and interest expense of refining firms. Besides, the gain in crude prices would lead to an increase in under-recoveries on cooking gas and kerosene, delays in the reimbursement of which by the government, as had happened in FY19, will also lead to higher working capital borrowings. Note: World’s most important oil choke point: The Strait of Hormuz A strait between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman A third of the world’s liquefied natural gas and almost 25% of total global oil consumption passes through the strait, making it a highly important strategic location for international trade. The oil producing countries around the Gulf, including Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Iran, are crucial for supplying the world oil market. Most of their exports, about 18 million barrels a day or about 20% of world demand, travelS through the Strait of Hormuz. [caption id="attachment_51986" align="aligncenter" width="380"] All India Radio (AIR) IAS UPSC - Surging Global Oil Prices[/caption] Connecting the Dots: What are the factors influencing the pricing of oil? Discuss.
Press Information Bureau (PIB) IAS UPSC – 23rd to 27th October, 2019 ARCHIVES GS-2 Cabinet approves Proposed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and St. Vincent & the Grenadines on cooperation in the field of Traditional Systems of Medicine It will lead to promotion and propagation of Traditional Systems of Medicine in St. Vincent & the Grenadines. Activities mentioned in the MoU will boost the importance of AYUSH Systems of Medicine in St. Vincent & the Grenadines. As a consequence of the MoU, exchange of experts for training of the practitioners and Scientists undertaking collaborative research in Traditional Systems of Medicine are expected to lead to new innovations in drug development and practice of Traditional Medicine. Proposal for Agreement on Science and Technology Cooperation between India and the United States of America Agreement will open a new chapter in bilateral relations as both sides will leverage complementary strengths spurred by a significant convergence of mutual interests in science and technology. The Agreement would provide an opportunity to promote ‘high quality’ and ‘high impact’ research and innovation partnerships as well as broadening and expanding relationships between the extensive scientific and technological communities. MoU between India and Kuwait in the field of accounting, finance and audit knowledge base ICAI has a strong membership base of over 6000 members in the Middle East region and the contemplated MoU for providing assistance to KAAA, Kuwait shall benefit the ICAI members in the region and would provide an additional impetus to the prospects of the ICAI Members. The aim of the MoU is to work together to develop a mutually beneficial relationship for the best interest of ICAI members, students and their organizations. New World Bank Project to Support Climate Resilient Agriculture for 125,000 Small holder Farmers in Odisha (Topic: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests) The Government of India, Government of Odisha and the World Bank signed a US$165 million loan agreement to support smallholder farmers strengthen the resilience of their production systems as well as diversify and improve the marketing of their produce, for increased income. The Odisha Integrated Irrigation Project for Climate Resilient Agriculture Will be implemented in rural areas vulnerable to droughts and largely dependent on rain-fed agriculture It will benefit about 125,000 smallholder farmer households from 15 districts of Odisha managing 128,000 ha of agricultural land. The project will strengthen the resilience of smallholder farmers against adverse climate by improving access to resilient seed varieties and production technologies, diversifying towards more climate-resilient crops, and improving access to better water management and irrigation services. The project will Support the rehabilitation of 532 water tanks - expected to irrigate 91,435 ha Promote productivity improvements at the farm level Support farmers to reduce the current emphasis on food grains (especially paddy and wheat) Increase the share of high-value and more nutritious products like fruits and vegetables Provide marketing support to farmers who are able to generate a marketable surplus The project will also support aquaculture in rehabilitated tanks, help farmers access affordable and quality fingerlings, and disseminate improved aquaculture practices and post-harvest management. Why? In recent years, climate variability has seriously affected agriculture in Odisha, where farming is largely dominated by farmers with landholdings of less than two hectares. More and more agricultural areas are coming under the ambit of extreme weather events. Since 2009, the frequency of droughts in the state has increased from 1 in 5 years to 1 in 2 years. Today, about 70 percent of total cultivated area is prone to droughts compared to 40 percent in the 1970s. In fact, since 2013, floods are now devastating areas beyond the traditional flood zone. Drier areas are projected to become drier, while wetter areas will become wetter. Agriculture is also a major source of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions in Odisha, responsible for about 25 percent of the GHG emissions in the state. Kais Saied sworn-in as President of Tunisia (Topic: India and its neighbourhood) Kais Saied has been sworn in as Tunisia's new president. The 61-year-old law professor has no prior political experience, never held office and barely ran a campaign. Saied sealed a resounding victory in a runoff election on October 13, largely buoyed by a groundswell of support from young voters. Expectations Must strengthen the protection of human rights in the country Urgently put an end to abuses in the name of security, including the abusive use of emergency measures – Since November 2015, Tunisia’s authorities have used a 1978 presidential decree to impose a continuous state of emergency. The decree, which grants the executive branch sweeping powers to suspend the right to freedom of expression, assembly, association and movement has been repeatedly used to impose emergency measures in an often arbitrary, discriminatory and disproportionate manner, leading to a range of human rights violations. This decree has also been criticized for being overly vague, as it lacks judicial and constitutional oversight, and for the fact it can be renewed indefinitely. Commit to implementation of the recommendations of the transitional justice commission, elect the remaining members of the constitutional court and maintain the moratorium on the death penalty – Although no executions have been carried out in Tunisia since 1991, courts continue to hand out death sentences, particularly in counter-terrorism cases. Tunisia: Key Details A country in the Maghreb region of North Africa Tunisia's name is derived from its capital city, Tunis, which is located on its northeast coast. Its northernmost point, Cape Angela, is the northernmost point on the African continent. Geographically, Tunisia contains the eastern end of the Atlas Mountains, and the northern reaches of the Sahara desert. It is bordered by Algeria to the west and southwest Libya to the southeast The Mediterranean Sea to the north and east GS-3 First National Protocol to Enumerate Snow Leopard Population in India Launched (Topic: Conservation) Snow Leopard enumeration of the Nation, which is the first of its kind, has been developed by scientific experts in association with the Snow Leopard States/UTs namely, Ladakh, Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim and Arunanchal Pradesh Will contribute to global ‘Population Assessment of the World’s Snow Leopard’s (PAWS) initiative Snow Leopard is found in 12 countries: India, Nepal, Bhutan, China, Mongolia, Russia, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. 23rd October: International Snow Leopard Day Project Snow Leopard is an initiative which aims to safeguard and conserve India’s unique natural heritage of high altitude wildlife populations and their habitats by promoting conservation via participatory policies and actions. Why: Threatened by poaching for their fur - body parts used for traditional Chinese medicine Habitat destruction by infrastructure developments and climate change Hostility from communities because of its attacks on livestock No clear knowledge about its population health, in remote habitat in the alpine zones of the Himalayas and trans-Himalayas. Status: Listed in Schedule I under Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972 Appendix I of Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species (CITES) Appendix I Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) In September 2017, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) had downgraded conservation status of snow leopard to “vulnerable” from “endangered”. National Heritage Animal of Pakistan and Afghanistan State animal of Himachal Pradesh Inhabits alpine and subalpine zones at elevations from 3,000 to 4,500 m (9,800 to 14,800 ft) It is vital that the momentum of conservation should not be lost merely on account of the technicality. The existing conservation must be strengthened by enlarging protected areas in all the range countries. Studies on the leopard’s vulnerability have to be intensified. The task of monitoring its entire habitat of high mountains must speeded up. The reasons for hunting livestock must be dound out to insulate the owners from losses. They should be encouraged to move away from traditional pastoral grazing. Incompatible activities such as mining and human interference in their habitats should be kept out. Note: India’s success in tiger population - with 2967 tigers i.e. 77 per cent of world’s tiger population residing in the country, wherein 26000 cameras were used to enumerate the near exact number. India is also home to 500 plus lions, 30000 plus elephants, 2500 plus single-horned rhinos. SECURE Himalaya: Global Environment Facility (GEF)-United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) funded the project on conservation of high altitude biodiversity and reducing the dependency of local communities on the natural ecosystem. This project is now operational in four snow leopard range states, namely, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Sikkim. Prelims Oriented News 25th October: Ayurveda day India ranks 63rd in World Bank’s Doing Business Report India improves rank by 14 positions; India has improved its rank in 7 out of 10 indicators and has moved closer to international best practices (Distance to Frontier score).Significant improvements have been registered in ‘Resolving Insolvency’, 'Dealing with Construction Permits', ‘Registering Property’, ‘Trading across Boards’ and ‘Paying Taxes’ indicators. India's leap of14 ranks in the Ease of Doing Business ranking is significant considering that there has been continuous improvement since 2015 and for the third consecutive year India is amongst the top 10 improvers. As a result of continued efforts by the Government, India has improved its rank by 79positions in last five years [2014-19]. The Doing Business assessment provides objective measures of business regulations and their enforcement across 190 economies on ten parameters affecting a business through its life cycle. The DBR ranks countries on the basis of Distance to Frontier (DTF), a score that shows the gap of an economy to the global best practice. This year, India’s DTF score improved to 71.0 from 67.23 in the previous year. DHRUV, Pradhan Mantri Innovative Learning Programme: Seeks to enrich skills and knowledge of talented children Under the DHRUV programme, talented students from science and performing arts from schools across India are brought together and mentored by experts to enhance their knowledge and skills. IIT Delhi in association with Atal Innovation Mission, NITI Aayog, NCERT, Sangeet Natak Academy, SPIC-MACAY and Center for Cultural Resources and Training, Delhi are involved in honing the innovative and creative skills of the students. Launch of Spatial Planning Application ‘Gram Manchitra’: A Geo Spatial based decision support system for the panchayats. The panchayats can utilize this App to plan, develop and monitor developmental activities on real time basis. India signs the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor Agreement with Pakistan: The Agreement is intended to facilitate pilgrims to visit Gurudwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur through Kartarpur Sahib Corridor The main issue that has been a point of discussion is the insistence of Pakistan to levy US Dollars 20 as service charge per pilgrim per visit. India has consistently urged Pakistan to not levy any fee on the pilgrims. However, in the interest of the pilgrims and timely operationalization of the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor before the 550th Prakash Purb, India has agreed to sign the Agreement today. While the Agreement has been signed, Government of India continues to urge this issue with the Government of Pakistan to reconsider its insistence on levying the fee. India remains ready to amend the Agreement accordingly. India continues to pursue the issue of all-weather connectivity through the corridor. In this context, Government of India has built the bridge on Indian side and a temporary service road as an interim arrangement. It is expected that Pakistan will fulfil the assurance that it would build the bridge on their side at the earliest. National Corporate Social Responsibility Awards (NCSRA): The Awards have been instituted in 2017 subsequent to the recommendations of the High Level Committee on CSR. Objectives: a) Increase competition in various categories of companies to infuse excellence in their CSR activities b) Encourage companies to spend the entire amount i.e. eligible CSR spend c) Recognise the impact, innovation, usage of technology, gender and environment issues, sustainability, scalability and replicability of CSR activities. d) Channelize CSR activities of corporate so that the benefits of their activities reach the marginalised sections of society and in remote areas of the country Quotes The Vice President Shri M Venkaiah Naidu India needs a scientific renaissance and cultural revitalization as both science and culture were essential for any civilization to flourish. Theatre and art should be part of our school curriculum. Stressing the need to create the right conditions in schools, colleges and Universities for the spirit of excellence and innovation to thrive, Shri Naidu said that greater emphasis should be laid on quality education. Observing that education should be holistic and propel children to move from narrow confines of competition to the limitless world of collaboration, he pointed out that the world we live in today is facing challenges from poverty to climate change. Collective synergy and creative energy of our youngsters are needed to overcome these formidable obstacles. Indian diaspora plays a crucial part in India’s aspiration to be an inclusive, equitable and prosperous nation Indian ‘Diaspora’ forms the 4th ‘D’ in the quartet of ‘D’s that was propelling India forward, the first three being Democracy, Demand and Demographic Dividend.
IAS UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 30th October 2019 Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) Kudankulam Power Plant Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains III - Energy In News Hours after a cybersecurity expert claimed on Twitter that the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant’s (KKNPP) domain controller-level access could have been compromised, government has categorically denied it Cyberattack on the unit was not possible as its systems were all standalone and forms an isolated network. Kudankulam and other Indian nuclear power plants, control systems were not connected to an outside cyber network and Internet Government revealed that a cybersecurity audit was conducted recently after a futile attempt to hack the NPCIL’s isolated network was made. When an Iranian nuclear power plant came under suspected cyberattack in 2012 (Stuxnet virus), Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd. (NPCIL) took all precautionary measures though it had already put in place an isolated network Anti-Trust Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains III - Economy In News The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has ordered a detailed investigation into online travel booking companies Make My Trip and Goibibo and hospitality provider OYO This order is based on complaints by members of the Federation of Hotel and Restaurant Associations of India (FHRAI) alleging deep-discounting, payment issues and cheating by these firms. CCI said there was a prima-facie case to investigate MMT-Go and OYO for alleged violation of the provisions of Section 3(4) of the Competition Act — pertaining to anti-competitive pacts and Section 4 of the Act (relating to abuse of dominant position). Competition commission of India (CCI) A statutory body established under the provisions of The Competition Act, 2002. It consists of a Chairperson and 6 Members appointed by the Central Government. Its mandate is implement provisions of The Competition Act, 2002 which – prohibits anti-competitive agreements and abuse of dominant position by enterprises regulates mergers and acquisition (M&A) which can have an adverse effect on competition within India. Flood risk Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains III –Disaster Management In News New study has shown that in India, 36 million people would face annual flooding by 2050 and 44 million by 2100 if emissions continue to rise unabated. Nearly 21 million are expected to be living below the High Tide Line, the boundary that marks the farthest to which the sea reaches into the land at high tide. Globally nearly 110 million people live on land below the current high tide lines and 250 million on land below annual flood levels Current climate studies say that climate change has caused global mean sea level to rise by 11-16 cm in the 20th century and is expected to by as much as 2 m by the end of this century. As the tideline rises higher than the ground people call home, nations will increasingly confront questions about whether, how much, and how long coastal defences can protect them [caption id="attachment_51973" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Daily Current Affairs IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 30th October 2019[/caption] https://d39gegkjaqduz9.cloudfront.net/TH/2019/10/30/CNI/Chennai/TH/5_07/ffdce3b2_3288051_101_mr.jpg Government to work on relief package for Telecom sector Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains III - Economy In News The government has constituted a Committee of Secretaries (CoS), headed by Cabinet Secretary to work out a relief package for the telecom sector. This may help mitigate the impact of the more than ₹1.4 lakh crore that the telcos may need to pay the exchequer following a recent Supreme Court order. The Supreme Court upheld the government’s position on including revenue from non-telecommunication businesses in calculating the annual adjusted gross revenue (AGR) of telecom companies, a share of which is paid as licence and spectrum fee to the exchequer. Following the order, the telcos may have to pay the government ₹1.42 lakh crore within three months. CoS will review various demands made by the industry, including deferment of spectrum auction payment due for the next two years, reduction in spectrum usage charges and the Universal Service Obligation Fund levy. Stress in Telecom Sector The industry’s debt currently stands at about ₹4 lakh crore The gross revenue of the industry had fallen between 2017-18 and 2018-19, the source said the price of data for the customer at an average of ₹8 per GB is perhaps the lowest in the world. The average revenue per user per month has declined from ₹174 in 2014-15 to ₹113 in 2018-19. Bharti Airtel’s liability stands at about ₹42,000 crore while Vodafone Idea may have to shell out about ₹40,000 crore Modern Humans came from Botswana Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains I - History In News Modern humans emerged 2,00,000 years ago in a region of northern Botswana, scientists have found. While it has long been known that modern humans — Homo sapiens — originated in Africa, scientists have until now been unable to pinpoint the precise location of our species’ birthplace. A team analysed DNA samples from 200 Khoesan people to arrive at the conclusion. [caption id="attachment_51972" align="aligncenter" width="446"] Daily Current Affairs IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 30th October 2019[/caption] https://www.sciencemag.org/sites/default/files/styles/inline__699w__no_aspect/public/homeland-map_1280p.jpg?itok=pOgvW40e Bhaona Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains I- Culture In News Assamese Bhaona to make an English debut in Abu Dhabi Bhaona — a mythology-based theatrical performance - a 500-year old traditional Assamese art form propagated by Vaishnavite saint and reformer Sankardeva. It is for the first time that Bhaona would be presented in English for an international audienceto popularise the Vaishnava theatrical performance for global art connoisseurs, and familiarise them with Assamese culture and traditions Sankardeva needed to connect with his Assamese masses, who did not expect the divine characters of his plays to speak in the common man’s language. So he created the Brajavali, a literary language limited to theatrical usage Do You Know? Sattriya is one of the eight Indian Classical dance traditions. The dance was introduced in 15th Century by a great Vaishnava Saint MahapurushShankardev in Assam. It was primarily a monastery dance and later on evolved as a distinctive dance form and spread across Assam. It has been for centuries, nurtured and preserved with great commitment by the Sattras i.e. Vaishnava maths or monasteries. Because of its religious character and association with the Sattras, this dance style has been aptly named Sattriya. Mountain gorillas Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains II - Conservation In News Rainforest protection and dedicated veterinarians have helped the mountain gorilla population bounce back in Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda Alarmed by rising rates of poaching and deforestation in central Africa, experts predicted the species could go extinct by 2000. Instead, a concerted and sustained conservation campaign has averted the worst and the number of mountain gorillas – a subspecies of eastern gorillas – has risen from 680 a decade ago to just over 1,000 today Switzerland-based International Union for Conservation of Nature changed the status of mountain gorillas from "critically endangered" to "endangered," an improved if still-fragile designation. It involved “extreme conservation," which has entailed monitoring every single gorilla in the rainforest, periodically giving them veterinary care and funding forest protection by sending money into communities that might otherwise resent not being able to convert the woods into cropland. Do You Know? Gorillas share about 98% of human DNA Gorillas are actually languid primates that eat only plants and insects, and live in fairly stable, extended family groups. Their strength and chest-thumping displays are generally reserved for contests between male rivals. (MAINS FOCUS) ECONOMY TOPIC: General Studies 3: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment. Inclusive growth and issues arising from it. Randomised control trials (RCT) (Part 2) Context: Three randomistas, Abhijit Banerjee, Esther Duflo and Michael Kremer, were awarded the 2019 Nobel prize in Economics for their ‘randomised control trials’ (RCT)-based studies on poverty worldwide. Development economics has drastically changed during the last two decades , due to the extensive use of ‘randomised control trials’ (RCT). [caption id="attachment_51974" align="aligncenter" width="453"] Daily Current Affairs IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 30th October 2019[/caption] Img :https://www.ebmconsult.com/content/images/Stats/Randomized%20Control%20Trial%20Deisgn.png RCTs Evolution: RCTs can be traced back in the 16th century. The statistical foundation of RCT was developed by British statistician Sir Ronald Fisher, about 100 years ago In 1995, statisticians Marvin Zelen and Lee-Jen Wei illustrated a clinical trial to evaluate the hypothesis that the antiretroviral therapy AZT reduces the risk of maternal-to-infant HIV transmission. Drawing an inference, despite heterogeneity among the patients, was possible due to randomisation. RCT got its importance in clinical trials since the 1960s, currently any clinical trials without RCT were being considered almost useless. RCT was not applied to social sciences then . RCTs in Social sciences: RCTs in Social scientists is interesting, doable, and effective. Nature of social science slowly converted from ‘non-experimental’ to ‘experimental’. Many applications of RCTs took place in social policy-making during the 1960-90s, The ‘randomistas’ took control of development economics since the mid-1990s. Nearly 1,000 RCTs were conducted by Noble laureates 2019 and their colleagues in 83 countries such as India, Kenya and Indonesia. Case study: Finland’s Basic Income experiment Finland’s Basic Income experiment (2017-18), where 2,000 unemployed Finns between ages 25-58 were randomly selected across the country, and were paid €560 a month instead of basic unemployment benefits. Results from the first year data didn’t have any significant effect on the subjects’ employment, in comparison with the control group comprising individuals who were not selected for the experimental group Significance: Randomisation makes different treatment groups comparable and also helps to estimate the error associated in the inference. Unless randomisation is done, most of the standard statistical analyses and inference procedures become meaningless. Earlier social experiments lacked randomisation and that might be one reason that statisticians such as Sir Ronald Fisher were unwilling to employ statistics in social experiments. Criticisms: In order to conduct RCTs, the broader problem is being sliced into smaller ones, and any dilution of the scientific method leaves the conclusions questionable. Connecting the dots: “RCT or no RCT” may not be just a policy decision to economics; it is the question of shifting the paradigm. justify Also read: Part 1 : https://iasbaba.com/2019/10/daily-current-affairs-ias-upsc-prelims-and-mains-exam-18th-october-2019/#Randomized_controlled_trial ECONOMY TOPIC: General Studies 3: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment. Employment in India Context: Since the results of the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) 2017-18 became public — they showed that unemployment in India was at a 45-year high — there has been vigorous public debate about the true state of unemployment in the country. What fuelled debate? Long delays in the availability of past employment data, even though PLFS tracks employment annually. Highlights of survey: 6.1% of India’s labour force, and 17.8% of young people (15-29 years) in the labour force are unemployed. proportion of the workforce engaged in regular wage/salaried jobs increased by 5 percentage points between 2011-12 (when the last NSSO employment unemployment survey was conducted) and 2017-18. The overall workforce declined by 4 percentage points between 2011-12 and 2017-18). Regular workers increased only by one percentage point to 8% over the same period. India still lags far behind developing economies such as China (53.1%), Brazil (67.7%) and South Africa (84.8%) in the share of salaried or regular jobs. [caption id="attachment_51975" align="aligncenter" width="365"] Daily Current Affairs IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 30th October 2019[/caption] Img :https://images.indianexpress.com/2019/10/jobs1.jpg?w=481&h=497&imflag=true Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM)suggested : Instead of focusing on unemployment, it focuses only on the “employment” data. It does so by looking at three comparable surveys conducted by the National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO) — the Employment-Unemployment Surveys (EUS) of 2004-05 and 2011-12, and the PLFS of 2017-18. Mapping of Unemployment: The NSSO surveys divide the entire population into three categories. Category 1 consists of people who were involved in economic activity (or work) during the reference period of the survey. These individuals are labelled as “Employed” — and Category 1 can be subdivided into categories such as self-employed, salaried employees, and casual labourers. Category 2 consists of people who were not engaged in any economic activity during the reference period of the survey, but were looking for work if work was available. These individuals are labelled as “Unemployed”. Category 3 constitutes people who are neither engaged in work nor available for it. This category — labelled as “Not in the labour force” — would have a large number of people, including those who have retired, those studying, those unable to work due to disability, and those attending “only” to domestic duties. Img: https://images.indianexpress.com/2019/10/jobs-2.jpg?w=546&h=572&imflag=true Connecting the dots: Has the rise of the organised sector led to an increase in contractual employment? Analyse (TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE) Model questions: (You can now post your answers in comment section) Note: Featured Comments and comments Up-voted by IASbaba are the “correct answers”. IASbaba App users – Team IASbaba will provide correct answers in comment section. Kindly refer to it and update your answers. Q.1)Bhaona, an India performing artis predominant in which region/state of India? Gujarat Ladakh Assam None of the above Q.2)Consider the following statements Gorillas share about 98% of human DNA Gorillas are actually languid primates that eat only plants and insects, and live in fairly stable, extended family groups. Which of the statements given above are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.3)Consider the following statements about Competition Commission of India (CCI) It is a quasi-judicial body. It is responsible for enforcing Competition Act, 2002 throughout India. It works to protect the interests of consumers. Which of the statements given above are correct? 1 and 2 1 and 3 2 and 3 1, 2 and 3 Q.4)Consider the following statements about Sattriya Sattriya is one of the eight Indian Classical dance traditions. The dance was introduced in 15th Century by a great Vaishnava Saint MahapurushShankardev in Ladakh. Which of the statements given above are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.5)Consider the following statements Current climate studies say that climate change has caused global mean sea level to rise by 11-16 cm in the 20th century and is expected to by as much as 2 m by the end of this century. In India, 36 million people would face annual flooding by 2050 and 44 million by 2100 if emissions continue to rise unabated. Which of the statements given above are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 MUST READ Legal pluralism in personal law The Hindu Opening of Kartarpur corridor will show us it is possible to leave behind the past, walk to the future IE We need a timebound mechanism to transition to a clearer land titling system IE Bulk purchase of drugs, not price control ET Raise the limit for deposit insurance ET
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