UPSC Quiz - 2020: IAS Daily Current Affairs Quiz Day 99 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
Nobel 2019 Winners for Chemistry, Physics & Physiology or Medicine Archives TOPIC: General Studies 3 New development in Science & Technology The 2019 Nobel Prize In Chemistry has been awarded to John B. Goodenough, M. Stanley Whittingham and Akira Yoshino for the development of lithium-ion batteries Lithium-ion batteries have revolutionised the world of technology. The batteries power everyday products such as smartphones, laptops and even electric vehicles. Through their work, this year's Chemistry Laureates have laid the foundation of a wireless, fossil fuel-free society The work of this year's Chemistry Nobel laureates led to the development of "a lightweight, hardwearing battery that could be charged hundreds of times before its performance deteriorated." The advantage of lithium-ion batteries is that they are not based upon chemical reactions that break down the electrodes, but upon lithium ions flowing back and forth between the anode and cathode In Physiology or Medicine has been awarded to William G. Kaelin Jr, Sir Peter J. Ratcliffe and Gregg L. Semenza “for their discoveries of how cells sense and adapt to oxygen availability” The discoveries made by the three men "have fundamental importance for physiology and have paved the way for promising new strategies to fight anemia, cancer and many other diseases." Their research established the basis for the understanding of how oxygen levels affect cellular metabolism and physiological functions Oxygen sensing is central to a large number of diseases, it said. Intense ongoing efforts in academic laboratories and pharmaceutical companies are now focused on developing drugs that can interfere with different disease states by either activating, or blocking, the oxygen-sensing machinery. In Physics has been awarded to Canadian-American cosmologist James Peebles and Swiss scientists Michel Mayor and Didier Queloz for revealing the wonder of the evolution of the universe and discovering planets orbiting distant suns. Using theoretical tools and calculations, Peebles was able to interpret trace radiation from the infancy of the universe and so discover new physical processes Mayor and Queloz announced the first discovery of a planet outside our own solar system, a so-called "exoplanet", starting a revolution in astronomy. Over 4,000 exoplanets have since been found in the Milky Way. With numerous projects planned to start searching for exoplanets, we may eventually find an answer to the eternal question of whether other life is out there [caption id="attachment_51671" align="aligncenter" width="300"] RSTV IAS UPSC – Nobel 2019 Winners for Chemistry, Physics & Physiology or Medicine[/caption] For Peace has been awarded to Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali for his efforts to achieve peace and international cooperation, and in particular for his decisive initiative to resolve the border conflict with neighbouring Eritrea. The prize is also meant to recognise all the stakeholders working for peace and reconciliation in Ethiopia and in the East and Northeast African regions. Ethiopia is Africa’s second most populous country and has East Africa’s largest economy. A peaceful, stable and successful Ethiopia will have many positive side-effects, and will help to strengthen fraternity among nations and peoples in the region. In Ethiopia, even if much work remains, Abiy Ahmed has initiated important reforms that give many citizens hope for a better life and a brighter future. He spent his first 100 days as Prime Minister lifting the country’s state of emergency, granting amnesty to thousands of political prisoners, discontinuing media censorship, legalising outlawed opposition groups, dismissing military and civilian leaders who were suspected of corruption, and significantly increasing the influence of women in Ethiopian political and community life. He has also pledged to strengthen democracy by holding free and fair elections. In Literature, has been awarded to Peter Handke "for an influential work that with linguistic ingenuity has explored the periphery and the specificity of human experience." NOBEL PRIZE The Nobel Prize in Chemistry is awarded by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences and is one of the five Nobel Prizes that were established by the will of Alfred Nobel, a businessman, chemist, engineer, inventor, and philanthropist.
IAS UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 23rd October 2019 Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) 2019 ozone hole is the smallest on record Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains III–Environment In News The ozone hole over Antarctica is the smallest observed since 1982, due to abnormally warm temperatures in the upper atmosphere that dramatically limited ozone depletion in September and October this year, according to NASA Ozone is a molecule that is composed of three oxygen atoms. It is responsible for filtering out harmful ultraviolet radiation from the Sun. The gas is constantly being made and destroyed in the stratosphere, about 20-30km above the Earth. In an unpolluted atmosphere, this cycle of production and decomposition is in equilibrium. But chlorine and bromine-containing chemicals released by human activity have unbalanced the process, resulting in a loss of ozone that is at its greatest in the Antarctic spring in September/October. Nearly 200 countries agreed to ban the chemicals most damaging to the ozone under the Montreal Protocol of 1987. Ramgarh dam Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains III –Environment Conservation In News An agitation for protection of catchment area of the historic Ramgarh dam , once considered the lifeline of Jaipur, has revived with the villagers and farmers of the region staging a sit-in near the dam demanding immediate removal of encroachments. Its construction was completed in 1904 during the reign of erstwhile Jaipur ruler Sawai Madho Singh II. The dam, which earlier supplied drinking water to the city, has dried completely in the last decade There is a suggestion that the Chambal river water be supplied to the dam through the proposed Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project so as to revive the dam Rise in stubble burning cases in Punjab Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains III – Environment Conservation In News Over 3,300 cases reported till October 21 as against 2,564 incidents in corresponding period last year Stubble burning, close to the autumn season every year, has been a key contributing factor of pollution in the air and breathing problems among people across the northern region, including New Delhi The reason behind the higher number of fire cases has been the decision to advance the date of paddy sowing this season, a week earlier than the scheduled date of June 20 due to early arrival of monsoon this year. Consequently, harvesting of the crop has also started early this time. And because of this, the number of farm fires this year, as against the corresponding period last year, is higher. For management of paddy straw without burning, the Centre and the State government are providing subsidised agro-machines and equipment to farmers and cooperative societies. Yet farmers continue to burn crop residue claiming lack of alternatives. The ban and action against people burning crop residue is regulated under the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981. In 2016, Punjab witnessed 84,000 incidents of stubble fire while in 2017, a dip was seen with the number of cases at 46,000. In 2018, the fire incidents were close to 50,000, according to the government data. Hover-taxis Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains III - Infrastructure In News German firm Volocopter tests its battery-operated, two-seater heli-taxi vehicle in Singapore The 18 propeller vehicle— resembling small helicopters but powered by drone-like technology — can fly autonomously but there was a pilot aboard during the test for safety reasons. Earlier in October 2019, Volocopter unveiled the “VoloPort”, a flying taxi port at the Singapore’s Marina Bay with a landing and takeoff pad as well as a passenger terminal. Many Asian mega-cities are notorious for monster traffic jams, which leave millions of commuters facing long journeys, and can delay executives trying to dash to airports or reach important meetings on time. Volocopter says that such innovation in air transport is going to reduce traffic congestion and revolutionize urban mobility Freedom of Press Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains II –Polity In News On 21st Oct 2019, Australian newspaper readers had an unexpected experience — no matter which paper they picked up, the front page carried text that was blacked out — as if it had been redacted by the government. The decision to ‘censor’ the front page was carried out by a media coalition across print, TV, radio and online portals, called the “Right to Know” Australia’s Right to Know coalition includes Nine, News Corp, the ABC, SBS, The Guardian, and journalists’ union the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance. The move was in response to the progressive hardening of national security laws over the past two decades by successive governments that have not only undermined investigative journalism but also criminalised it A central demand of the Right to Know coalition is that the government exempts journalists and whistleblowers from a counter-espionage law that was introduced last year Van Allen Probes mission Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains III –Science & Technology In News NASA recently decommissioned its 7-year-old Van Allen Probes mission. It comprised of two satellites that were placed in Van Allen belts which studied how these radiation rings acquire and lose electromagnetic particles Understanding space weather is important as it interferes with our on-ground power grids, navigation communications satellites in orbit and health of astronauts Both the satellites will exist in the orbit for approximately 15 years during which they are going to slowly come towards the atmosphere and get destroyed in the orbit. Van Allen radiation belts are giant swaths of magnetically trapped, highly energetic charged particles that surround earth. James Van Allen, a physicist at the University of Iowa, discovered these radiation belts in 1958. [caption id="attachment_51656" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Daily Current Affairs IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 23rd October 2019[/caption] https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/styles/full_width_feature/public/images/730056main_20130228-radiationbelts-orig_full.jpg (MAINS FOCUS) CRIME TOPIC: General Studies 3: Challenges to internal security through communication networks, role of media and social networking sites in internal security challenges, basics of cyber security; money-laundering and its prevention Security challenges and their management in border areas; linkages of organized crime with terrorism Various Security forces and agencies and their mandate Crime in India report Context The 2017 Crime in India report, released by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), 30% jump in cases recorded as “offences against the State For the first time, the NCRB has introduced categories of cyber crimes against women and children. The NCRB has also recorded cases of disproportionate assets against public servants besides introducing new crime heads such as abetment, criminal intimidation, simple hurt, credit/debit card and online frauds, Internet crimes through online gaming and kidnapping for begging among others. [caption id="attachment_51657" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Daily Current Affairs IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 23rd October 2019[/caption] Img:https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/qkx7fd/article29771115.ece/ALTERNATES/FREE_960/TH23NCRB-datacol Facts: Crime against SC /ST More than half of all offences registered under The Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act where victims were Dalits, were related to insult and humiliation heaped on them.(Karnataka, UP and Bihar) The highest rates of crimes against Dalits (number of incidents per 1,00,000 population) were in Madhya Pradesh (52), Bihar (41), and Rajasthan (35). Corruption: A new trend in cases of corruption: “traps” involving lower-level government officials are increasing at the cost of criminal misconduct involving senior officials. (This could mean either reduced corruption at higher levels, or increased enthusiasm among law enforcement to go after small offenders) Registration of corruption cases has fallen by over 20% since 2015. “Trap” cases have spiked. “Trap” cases, in which bribery is caught red-handed, generally involve lower-level officials who accept gratification in cash. Criminal misconduct cases generally involve higher officials; pecuniary gains in these case are rarely made in cash. Cyber crime: The number of cyber crimes increased dramatically in 2017 as compared to 2016, Nearly every fifth cyber crime in 2017 was committed against a woman. More than half the incidents of cyber crime in 2017 were motivated by fraud The number of cyber crimes committed per 1,00,000 population — in 2017 was 1.7, the report shows. The most cyber crimes per 1,00,000 population were committed in Karnataka 5% in 2017; Telangana was next, with a rate of 3.3%, followed by Maharashtra (3) and Uttar Pradesh (2.2%) UP, the most populous state, registered the largest number of cyber crimes The cyber crimes against women were related to cyber blackmail or threats, cyber pornography or hosting or publishing obscene sexual materials, cyber stalking or cyber bullying of women, defamation, or morphing and indecent representation of women, etc Crime against women and children: In the case of women and children, the NCRB has this time recorded data for “murder with rape”. In 2017, as many as 33,885 women were reported to have been raped across the country. Of these, 227 were murdered after the rape. As many as 28,152 children were raped with cases registered under IPC and the POCSO Act. Of these, 151 were killed after being raped. Majority of juveniles in conflict with law apprehended under IPC and SLL crimes were in the age group of 16 years to 18 years. [caption id="attachment_51658" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Daily Current Affairs IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 23rd October 2019[/caption] Img: https://indiatribune.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Crime.jpg Justice: Police delayed charge sheets in 40% of cases. In certain cases such as rioting, which includes communal riots, police delayed filing of chargesheets in 60% of the cases(90 days as per law). There are more than 3 lakh cases pending investigations for more than one year. 40% of cases in fast-track courts have taken more than three years to finish the trial 3,384 cases committed to fast-track courts, the trial was finished in more than 10 years. 2,71,779 cases were pending trial at the end of 2017.(In total) Criticism: The report omits data on mob lynchings, khap killings, murder by influential people and killings for religious reasons. Data on farmer suicides after 2015 not published. Do you know? The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), is an Indian government agency responsible for collecting and analysing crime data as defined by the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Special and Local Laws (SLL). Part of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Government of India. It was set up based on the recommendation of the Task force,1985 and National Police Commission,1977 by merging the Directorate of Coordination and Police Computer (DCPC), Inter State Criminals Data Branch of CBI and Central Finger Print Bureau of CBI Conclusion: The NCRB data on crime hide significant variances in case registration of serious crimes such as rapes and violence against women across States, which make it difficult to draw State-wise comparisons. Connecting the dots: The 2017 report shows that the States in the northeast and others in the rest of the country with a significant tribal population (Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Odisha) have relatively higher murder rates and this is a cause of worry. Analyse TRADE TOPIC: General Studies 2: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests, Indian Diaspora. Eighth Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) ministerial meeting Context: Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal is in Bangkok for the eighth Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) ministerial meeting. The meeting, which is likely to be the last one at this level, is expected to work out the unresolved issues in the negotiations on the mega trade deal that is to be concluded later this year. RCEP: The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) is a trade deal that is currently under negotiation among 16 countries — the 10 member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and the six countries with which the ASEAN bloc has free trade agreements (FTA). The ASEAN, which includes Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam, has FTAs with India, Australia, China, South Korea, Japan and New Zealand. Img: https://images.indianexpress.com/2019/10/rcep.jpg?w=759&h=413&imflag=true Purpose: The purpose of RCEP is to create an “integrated market” spanning all 16 countries, making it easier for products and services of each of these countries to be available across this region. ASEAN says the deal will provide “a framework aimed at lowering trade barriers and securing improved market access for goods and services for businesses in the region”. The negotiations are focussed on areas like trade in goods and services, investment, economic and technical cooperation, intellectual property, competition, dispute settlement, e-commerce, and small and medium enterprises. Milk issue of India: Milk is the India’s largest “crop”. In 2018-19, the estimated production of milk, at 187.75 million tonnes (mt). The value of milk output (Rs 5,63,250 crore at an average farm-gate rate of Rs 30/kg) Milk is a source of liquidity for farmers, as it is sold daily and generates cash to take care of routine household expenses, unlike other crops that are marketed only once or twice a year. Concern: Milk matters equally to consumers in India, because it meets the animal protein/fat requirements of a significant portion of the population that is vegetarian. As incomes rise, the demand for milk goes up even more. If dairy products are covered under an RCEP deal, India may have to allow members of the bloc greater access to its market, whether through phased duty reductions or more liberal tariff rate quotas (TRQs). There is an already existing TRQ for milk powder, which enables import of up to 10,000 tonnes per year at 15% customs duty, and quantities beyond that at the regular rate of 60%. The Indian dairy industry is resisting any enhanced TRQs or other import concessions, even if extended only to RCEP countries, as opposed to the US or European Union. Other Issues: India’s trade deficits with nations have always widened after signing free-trade-agreements (FTAs) with them, citing the cases with ASEAN, Japan, Korea, and Singapore, most of which are RCEP nations. It has also been pointed out that India’s vulnerable agriculture and dairy sectors, which are not in positions to compete with Australia and New Zealand, will be exposed to vagaries of global trade. Indian manufacturing is not competitive enough to face the vagaries of a free trade regime. Even after 27 years of liberalisation, inefficiency prevails due to a host of unimplemented reforms in the product and the factor markets. On the factor side, labour market reforms are incomplete. Labour productivity in manufacturing is still one of the lowest in the world with spatially fragmented labour laws are escalating the costs of doing business. Given this, Indian industry is hardly in a position to compete in the level-playing ground in a free-trade region. Way forward Despite all the concerns, the government must take into account that either slowing down India’s RCEP engagement or walking out of the talks at this stage would cut India out of the rules-making process for the RCEP and give China further space in the regional trade and security architecture. At a time when the U.S. has broken from the global consensus on multilateral trade agreements, an Indian walkout would endanger the united message that RCEP countries, which represent 40% of the global GDP, would wish to send out. It would also be a sharp departure from India’s “Act East” slogan and its extended outreach to ASEAN. Conclusion: RCEP could perhaps end up doing to dairy what the free trade agreement with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) did in palm oil, fear many in the industry in India. At a time of global uncertainties and challenges to multilateralism and the international economic order, a negative message on RCEP would undermine India’s plans for economic growth. Connecting the dots: India cannot afford to fall out of the free trade agreement negotiations. 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)Van Allen beltsometimes seen in the news is related to which of the following? Belt of volcanoes surrounding Pacific Ocean Belt of asteroids between Mars and Jupiter Magnetic belt surrounding Earth None of the above Q.2)Ramgarh Damsometimes seen in news is located in which state ? Uttar Pradesh Uttarakhand Rajasthan Gujarat Q.3)Consider the following statements Ozone is a molecule that is composed of three oxygen atoms. It is responsible for filtering out harmful ultraviolet radiation from the Sun. The gas is constantly being made and destroyed in the stratosphere, about 20-30km above the Earth. Nearly 200 countries agreed to ban the chemicals most damaging to the ozone under the Paris Protocol of 2015. Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct? 1 and 2 only 2 and 3 only 1 and 3 only 1,2 and 3 MUST READ Can China break shackles of its old economic systems, scale greater heights? IE Should Indian Railways move towards a market-oriented allocation of train paths? IE Leaving the door open to a border settlement The Hindu Asia’s remarkable economic transformation The Hindu Firm steps to ease the fiscal federalism tension The Hindu
TOPPER’S STRATEGY [VIDEO]: Rahul Sharanappa Sankanur, Rank 17 IAS UPSC CSE 2018 shares his Prelims, Mains, Interview Preparation Strategy in an Interaction Session with IASbaba students Hi, Haling from Hubli town in Karnataka, Rahul Sharanappa Sankanur secured Rank 17 in his 4th attempt (he had been to Interview twice, before clearing the exam). His Optional was Anthropology. It’s been an inspirational journey with many up’s and down’s throughout his upsc preparation. In this Interaction Session with IASbaba student's, Rahul has shared his complete Preparation Strategy (Prelims, Mains, Interview) - on making Notes for Current Affairs, What to Read and What not to Read, Strategy for each GS Papers, Special Emphasis on Ethics and Essay and Strategy for Anthropology Optional. It’s very rare to see an aspirant performing equally well in all the 3 phases of UPSC Preparation. Watch the video and make the best use of his experience, guidance and do’s and dont’s in this unpredictable journey called Upsc. UPSC Prelims 2018 was considered to be one of the toughest, but he was way ahead of the cut off scoring 133.34 in GS and 148.33 in CSAT. In Mains, he was one of the top scorer in Essay(137 Marks), Ethics (119 Marks) and in Interview (193 Marks). MARKSHEET - MAINS MARKSHEET - PRELIMS Thank You IASbaba
UPSC Quiz - 2020: IAS Daily Current Affairs Quiz Day 98 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
Alzheimer Archives September: World Alzheimer’s Month September 21: World Alzheimer’s Day What is this disease all about? Alzheimer's disease is a progressive disease that destroys memory and other important mental functions. It's the most common cause of dementia — a group of brain disorders that results in the loss of intellectual and social skills. These changes are severe enough to interfere with day-to-day life. In Alzheimer's disease, the brain cells themselves degenerate and die, causing a steady decline in memory and mental function. Current Alzheimer's disease medications and management strategies may temporarily improve symptoms. This can sometimes help people with Alzheimer's disease maximize function and maintain independence. But because there's no cure for Alzheimer's disease, it's important to seek supportive services and tap into your support network as early as possible. According to the US-based Alzheimer’s Association, there are over 4 million people in India who suffer from some form of dementia. Alzheimer’s disease vs dementia Dementia is a syndrome and not a disease, which Alzheimer’s is. The two are, however, closely related. Dementia’s various symptoms include loss of memory, thinking skills, problems with language, changes in the mood, deterioration in behaviour and an individual’s ability to perform everyday activities. It is most commonly caused by Alzheimer’s disease, which accounts for dementia in over 50-75% of the cases. Dementia can be caused by other diseases such as Parkinson’s and Huntington’s disease as well. It also has types, such as Lewy body and vascular dementia. What are the causes? Scientists believe that for most people, Alzheimer's disease results from a combination of genetic, lifestyle and environmental factors that affect the brain over time. Less than 5 percent of the time, Alzheimer's is caused by specific genetic changes that virtually guarantee a person will develop the disease. Although the causes of Alzheimer's are not yet fully understood, its effect on the brain is clear. Alzheimer's disease damages and kills brain cells. A brain affected by Alzheimer's disease has many fewer cells and many fewer connections among surviving cells than does a healthy brain. As more and more brain cells die, Alzheimer's leads to significant brain shrinkage. When doctors examine Alzheimer's brain tissue under the microscope, they see two types of abnormalities that are considered hallmarks of the disease: Plaques: These clumps of a protein called beta-amyloid may damage and destroy brain cells in several ways, including interfering with cell-to-cell communication. Although the ultimate cause of brain-cell death in Alzheimer's isn't known, the collection of beta-amyloid on the outside of brain cells is a prime suspect. Tangles: Brain cells depend on an internal support and transport system to carry nutrients and other essential materials throughout their long extensions. This system requires the normal structure and functioning of a protein called tau. In Alzheimer's, threads of tau protein twist into abnormal tangles inside brain cells, leading to failure of the transport system. This failure is also strongly implicated in the decline and death of brain cells. Symptoms At first, increasing forgetfulness or mild confusion may be the only symptoms of Alzheimer's disease that you notice. But over time, the disease robs you of more of your memory, especially recent memories. The rate at which symptoms worsen varies from person to person. Memory Everyone has occasional memory lapses. It's normal to lose track of where you put your keys or forget the name of an acquaintance. But the memory loss associated with Alzheimer's disease persists and worsens, affecting your ability to function at work and at home. Disorientation and misinterpreting spatial relationships: People with Alzheimer's disease may lose their sense of what day it is, the season, where they are or even their current life circumstances. Alzheimer's may also disrupt your brain's ability to interpret what you see, making it difficult to understand your surroundings. Changes in personality and behaviour: Brain changes that occur in Alzheimer's disease can affect the way you act and how you feel. People with Alzheimer's may experience Depression, Anxiety, Social withdrawal, Mood swings, Distrust in others, Irritability and aggressiveness, Changes in sleeping habits, Wandering, Loss of inhibitions, Delusions, such as believing something has been stolen. Many important skills are not lost until very late in the disease. This is because information, skills and habits learned early in life are among the last abilities to be lost as the disease progresses. Capitalizing on these abilities can allow you to continue to have successes and maintain a high quality of life even when you are into the moderate phase of the disease. Risk Factors Increasing age is the greatest known risk factor for Alzheimer's. Alzheimer's is not a part of normal aging, but your risk increases greatly after you reach age 65. Nearly half of those older than age 85 have Alzheimer's. People with rare genetic changes that virtually guarantee they'll develop Alzheimer's begin experiencing symptoms as early as their 30s. Family history and genetics: Your risk of developing Alzheimer's appears to be somewhat higher if a first-degree relative — your parent or sibling — has the disease. Sex: Women may be more likely than are men to develop Alzheimer's disease, in part because they live longer. Lifestyle and heart health: Some evidence suggests that the same factors that put you at risk of heart disease also may increase the chance that you'll develop Alzheimer's. Examples include: Lack of exercise Smoking High blood pressure High blood cholesterol Elevated homocysteine levels Poorly controlled diabetes A diet lacking in fruits and vegetables These risk factors are also linked to vascular dementia, a type of dementia caused by damaged blood vessels in the brain. Lifelong learning and social engagement: Studies have found an association between lifelong involvement in mentally and socially stimulating activities and reduced risk of Alzheimer's disease.
IAS UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 22nd October 2019 Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) Annual Crime in India Report 2017 Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains III–Security In News After a delay of two years the annual Crime in India Report 2017 was published by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) Some of the findings of the report are: Delhi had the highest crime rate in the country with 1050 crimes committed per one lakh of the population as listed under the Indian Penal Code Crime against women: 3,59,849 cases of crime against women were reported in the country in 2017an increaseof 6% with respect to 2016 figures Uttar Pradesh topped the list with 56,011 cases followed by Maharashtra with 31,979 cases and West Bengal 30,002 Majority of cases under crimes against women were registered under ‘Cruelty by Husband or his Relatives’ (27.9%) followed by ‘Assault on Women with Intent to Outrage her Modesty’ (21.7%), ‘Kidnapping & Abduction of Women’ (20.5%) and ‘Rape’ (7.0%) Rioting: 58,880 incidents of rioting were reported, of which the maximum incidents were reported from Bihar - 11,698, followed by Uttar Pradesh - 8,990 and Maharashtra - 7,743 Of the total riots reported, communal and sectarian riots accounted for 723 and 183 incidents respectively. There were 805 riots due to caste conflict and 1909 riots occurred due to political reasons, SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act: The incidents registered under this act saw an increase from 5,082 in 2016 to 5,775 in 2017. Incidents of crime related to Scheduled Tribes dipped from 844 in 2016 to 720 in 2017 Kidnapping/Abduction:A total of 95,893 cases of kidnapping and abduction were registered during 2017, showing an increase of 9.0% over 2016 (88,008 cases). The NCRB for the first time collected data on circulationof “false/fake news and rumours.”Under the category, maximum incidents were reported from Madhya Pradesh (138), Uttar Pradesh (32) and Kerala (18). About NCRB NCRB was set-up in 1986 to function as a repository of information on crime and criminals so as to assist the investigators in linking crime to the perpetrators, based on the recommendations of the National Police Commission (1977-1981) It was set up by merging the Directorate of Coordination and Police Computer (DCPC), Inter State Criminals Data Branch of CBI, Central Finger Print Bureau of CBI, and Statistical Branch of BPR&D. NCRB was entrusted with the responsibility for monitoring, coordinating and implementing the Crime and Criminal Tracking Network & Systems (CCTNS) project in the year 2009. The project connects 15000+ police stations and 6000 higher offices of police in the country. In 2017, NCRB launched National Digital Police Portal- It allows search for a criminal / suspect on the CCTNS database apart from providing various services to citizens like filing of complaints online and seeking antecedent verification of tenants, domestic helps, drivers Many hydropower projects could face closure Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains III - Economy In News India’s hydropower projects that do not comply with the Centre’s ecological flow notification, which mandates that project developers ensure a minimum supply of water all through the year, could face closure. Power producers generally hoard water to create reserves to increase power production. Central Water Commission (CWC) has been tasked to ascertain actual flows and the amount of water present in the rivers The e-flow notification specifies that the upper stretches of the Ganga — from its origins in the glaciers and until Haridwar — would have to maintain: 20% of the monthly average flow of the preceding 10-days between November and March, which is the dry season 25% of the average during the ‘lean season’ of October, April and May; and 30% of monthly average during the monsoon months of June-September. Col. Chewang Rinchen Setu Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains I - Geography In News The Siachen glacier is “now open” for tourists and tourism, after government inaugurated a strategically important bridge on theShyok river in Eastern Ladakh. The ‘Col. Chewang Rinchen Setu’ was constructed by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) at an altitude of 14,650 feet in the forward area of Ladakh region This bridge has been completed in record time. It will not only provide all-weather connectivity in the region but also be a strategic asset in the border areas, From Siachen Base Camp to Kumar Post, the entire area has been opened for tourism purposes There is already an army-facilitated civilian trek from the Siachen Base Camp to the Kumar post located at about 15,500 feet. While it was supposed to be annual, it was cancelled on several occasions due to weather and border tensions. Do You Know? Colonel Chewang Rinchen (1931 – 1997) was a highly decorated officer in the Indian Army from the Ladakh region. He was one of only six Indian service personnel to have twice won the Maha Vir Chakra (MVC), the second highest Indian gallantry decoration. Functioning under the control of the Ministry of Defence since 2015, the BRO is engaged in road construction to provide connectivity to difficult and inaccessible regions in the border areas of the country. The highly-skilled BRO personnel undertook and successfully completed construction of the Delaram-Zaranj Highway in Afghanistan in 2008. Regulation of Social Media Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains II - Governance In News The Government has stated that Information Technology Intermediaries Guidelines (Amendment) Rules would be notified by January 15, 2020.These would be the new guidelines to regulate social media. This is in the light of ever-growing threats to individual rights and the nation’s integrity, sovereignty, and security. If on the one hand technology has led to economic growth and societal development, on the other hand there has been an exponential rise in hate speech, fake news, public order, anti-national activities, defamatory postings, and other unlawful activities using Internet/social media platforms. Social media intermediaries like Facebook and WhatsApp have argued that this would lead to loss of individual privacy. (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. Economists Abhijit Banerjee and Esther Duflo, who, along with Michael Kremer, won the 2019 Nobel Prize for Economics for their “experimental approach to alleviating global poverty”, The three adopted an evidence-based approach to apply theory to real-life situations using randomised trials and assessing the outcomes. The effort was to understand the impact of interventions to achieve desirable outcomes. The approach is derived from the concept of clinical trials in the pharmaceuticals industry. They have published a new book, Good Economics for Hard Times. The book explains where the economy has failed, where ideology has blinded us, and where and why good economics is useful, especially in today’s world “new experiment-based” approach: The “new, powerful tool” employed by the Laureates is the use of Randomised Control Trials (or RCTs). So if one wanted to understand whether providing a mobile vaccination van and/or a sack of grains would incentivise villagers to vaccinate their kids, then under an RCT, village households would be divided into four groups. Group A would be provided with a mobile vaccination van facility, Group B would be given a sack of foodgrains, Group C would get both, and Group D would get neither. Households would be chosen at random to ensure there was no bias, and that any difference in vaccination levels was essentially because of the “intervention”. Group D is called the “control” group while others are called “treatment” groups. Such an experiment would not only show whether a policy initiative works, but would also provide a measure of the difference it brings about. It would also show what happens when more than one initiatives are combined. This would help policymakers to have the evidence before they choose a policy. Also Read Link 1 : https://iasbaba.com/2019/10/daily-current-affairs-ias-upsc-prelims-and-mains-exam-15th-october-2019/ Excerpts: Growth in India, like that in China, will slow. And there is no guarantee it will slow when India has reached the same level of per capita income as China. Many economists worry that there may be such a thing as the middle income trap, an intermediate-level GDP where countries get stuck or nearly stuck. According to the World Bank, of 101 middle-income economies in 1960, only 13 had become high income by 2008. Malaysia, Thailand, Egypt, Mexico and Peru all seem to have trouble moving up. We know very little about why some countries get stuck but others don’t.(Ex: south korea grew but others dint) Recent “business friendly” nature to preserve growth may be interpreted, as it was in the U.S. and U.K. in the Reagan-Thatcher era, enrich the top earners at the cost of everyone else, and do nothing for growth.( IMF also criticises this) In this situation the political backlash leads to the election of populist leaders touting miracle solutions that rarely work and often lead to Venezuela-style disasters. Ultimate goal remains one of raising the quality of life of the average person and especially the worst-off person. A higher GDP may be one way in which this can be given to the poor, but it is only one of the ways. Way forward: Get rid of the most egregious sources of waste in their economy Improve the welfare of their citizens Improve health and education Conclusion: A clear focus on the well-being of the poorest offers the possibility of transforming millions of lives much more profoundly than we could by finding the recipe to increase growth from 2% to 2.3% in the rich countries. Connecting the dots: Despite the best efforts of generations of economists, the deep mechanisms of persistent economic growth remain elusive. Examine 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. Asia’s remarkable Economic Transformation Asian economy in 19th Century: Asia accounted for two-thirds of the world’s population and more than a half of world income. Asia contributed more than a half of manufacturing production in the world economy. Decline of Asia in 20th Century: Colonialism and imperialism. Asia’s share in world income had plummeted to 15%, Asia’s Share in world manufacturing had dropped to 6%. End of 20th Century, Asia became the poorest continent. Its demographic and social indicators of development, among the worst anywhere, epitomised its underdevelopment. Rise of Asia in 21st Century: Asia has witnessed a profound transformation in terms of economic progress of nations and living conditions of people. Now it accounted for 30% of world income, 40% of world manufacturing, and over a third of world trade. This transformation was unequal across countries and between people. Why unequal? Diversity of Asia.(geographical size, embedded histories, colonial legacies, nationalist movements, initial conditions, natural resource endowments, population size, income levels and political systems) The reliance on markets and degree of openness in economies varied greatly. Diversity in politics (authoritarian regimes or oligarchies to political democracies) Diversity in ideologies (communism to state capitalism and capitalism) Economic Development: Growth was driven by rapid industrialisation Rapid investment growth coincided in time with rapid export growth, leading to rapid GDP growth. This was associated with structural changes in the composition of output and employment. The process was also supported by a coordination of economic policies across sectors and over time. Literacy rates and life expectancy rose everywhere. Massive reduction in absolute poverty. Unequal outcomes: East Asia was the leader and South Asia was the laggard, with Southeast Asia in the middle, while progress in West Asia did not match its high-income levels. South Korea, Taiwan and Singapore joined the league of industrialised nations. China developed impressively after 1990. The economic dynamism of Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand waned after the Asian financial crisis. The growth performance of India, Bangladesh and Vietnam was most impressive during the past quarter century (but less social progress). In comparison, the performance of Sri Lanka was respectable, while that of Turkey was average; but that of Pakistan and the Philippines was relatively poor. Negatives: Inequality between people within countries rose almost everywhere, while the gap between the richest and poorest countries in Asia remains awesome. Way forward: The future will be shaped partly by how Asia exploits the opportunities and meets the challenges and partly by how the present difficult economic and political conjuncture in the world unfolds. By 2030, per capita income in Asia, relative to the world, will return to its level in 1820. Conclusion: It is plausible to suggest that in circa 2050, a century after the end of colonial rule, Asia will account for more than a half of world income and will be home to more than half the people on earth. Connecting the dots: The rise of Asia represents the beginnings of a shift in the balance of economic power in the world and some erosion in the political hegemony of the West. 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)Delaram-Zaranj Highway sometimes seen in the news is located in which country? Myanmar Afghanistan Iran None of the above Q.2)Border Road Organisation works under the overall guidance of which Union Ministry? Ministry of Home Affairs Ministry of Road Transport and Highways Ministry of Defence None of the above Q.3)Consider the following statements National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB) is a statutory body established under Delhi Special Police Establishment Act, 1946 NCRB data of 2017 shows that crime against women has declined in comparison to 2016 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 Union government’s ecological flow regulation mandates that hydropower project developers should ensure a minimum supply of water all through the year NITI Aayog has been tasked to ascertain actual flows and the amount of water present in the rivers Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 MUST READ Safe, but not entirely: On milk safety survey The Hindu A road map for criminal justice reforms The Hindu Climate change and nuclear conflict between India, Pakistan are real dangers. They need to be addressed IE China’s dramatic rise in the 21st century makes Beijing a far more compelling partner for Kathmandu IE
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Press Information Bureau (PIB) IAS UPSC – 14th to 22nd October, 2019 ARCHIVES GS-2 Release of two diagnostic kits developed under ‘Make in India’ initiative by Indian Council of Agricultural Research - Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar (Topic: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation) 1. Bluetongue sandwich ELISA (sELISA) for detection of Antigen Bluetongue (BT) virus is an insect-transmitted viral disease of domestic and wild ruminants that includes the camelid species. The disease is widespread among the sheep, goats, cattle, buffaloes and camels in the country. With the help of the Kit, the Bluetongue Virus can be controlled with the vaccination of susceptible animals, vector control and quarantine of infected animals with the good management practices. Apart from the vaccination, the early diagnosis and isolation of the infected animals are one of the commonly suggested preventive methods for controlling the spreading of the disease. 2. Japanese Encephalitis lgM ELISA kit for for the control of Swine JE is a re-emerging viral zoonotic disease leading to death of children every year in the country Helpful for assessing the active infection of JE virus in the swine population which predicts the outbreak of JE in the humans. As compared to the commercial kit available in the market at a price of Rs. 52,000; the ICAR-IVRI developed is available for the farmers at a minimal price of Rs. 5,000 only. This indigenous technology will not just help save foreign exchange as the newly developed kits cost ten times lesser than the imported ones but also has the potential to earn foreign exchange. India Innovation Index 2019 (Topic: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation) NITI Aayog with Institute for Competitiveness as the knowledge partner released the India Innovation Index (III) 2019. The aim is to create a holistic tool which can be used by policymakers across the country to identify the challenges to be addressed and strengths to build on when designing the economic growth policies for their regions. The states have been bifurcated into three categories: major states, north-east, and hill states, and union territories/city states/small states. The index attempts to create an extensive framework for the continual evaluation of the innovation environment of 29 states and seven union territories in India and intends to perform the following three functions- 1) Ranking of states and UTs based on their index scores, 2) Recognizing opportunities and challenges, and 3) Assisting in tailoring governmental policies to foster innovation. The India Innovation Index 2019 is calculated as the average of the scores of its two dimensions - Enablers and Performance. The Enablers are the factors that underpin innovative capacities, grouped in five pillars: (1) Human Capital, (2) Investment, (3) Knowledge Workers, (4) Business Environment, and (5) Safety and Legal Environment. The Performance dimension captures benefits that a nation derives from the inputs, divided in two pillars: (6) Knowledge Output and (7) Knowledge Diffusion Key Results: Karnataka is the most innovative major state in India. Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Telangana, Haryana, Kerala, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Gujarat, and Andhra Pradesh form the remaining top ten major states respectively. The top ten major states are majorly concentrated in southern and western India. Sikkim and Delhi take the top spots among the north- eastern & hill states, and union territories/city states/small states respectively. Delhi, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, and Uttar Pradesh are the most efficient states in translating inputs into output. India has a unique opportunity among its myriad challenges to become the innovation leader in the world. Cluster-based innovation should be leveraged upon as the focal point of competitiveness. The index is a great beginning to improve the environment of innovation in the country as it focuses on both the input and output components of the idea. India-Netherlands Bilateral Ties (Topic: India and other countries) Economic partnership is a key pillar of India-Netherlands bilateral ties. The Netherlands is India’s 4th largest trading partner in the European Union. Netherlands is also among the leading investors in India. Indian companies have made significant investment in Netherlands as well. Dutch companies have a global name in the fields of agriculture, water management, port development, waste management and urban planning. On the strong foundation of our historic ties, we have created a partnership driven by innovation, investment and technology. Smart Solutions, Smart Cities, green energy, start-ups and new-age products are bringing us together. India is excited to share and learn from Netherlands on river rejuvenation. The Netherlands today is home to the largest Indian community on mainland Europe. The growing Indian student and professional community in Netherlands is making our cultural knot stronger and our technology partnership deeper. Launched the second phase of the LOTUS-HR (Local Treatment of Urban Sewage streams for Healthy Reuseplant) The project was initiated in July 2017 and aims to demonstrate a novel holistic (waste) water management approach that will produce clean water which can be reused for various purposes. The innovative pilot scale modular plant upon commissioning will treat 10,000 L sewage water per day and will showcase a self-sustaining model for the end user. This pilot scale facility will employ multiple technologies so that the data generated at the pilot scale becomes a tool-box of treatment technologies for replication at other sites in Delhi as well as other parts of India where similar drains exist. The rationale is that the mixing and matching of technologies from this tool-box will depend on the quantity (flow rate) and quality (pollutant load) of drain water, land availability, site accessibility as well as topography. The Indo-Dutch collaboration aims to pave new ways to create techno entrepreneurship and encourage a sustainable business model to convert sewage water into clean water for healthy re-use. GS-3 Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying releases 20th Livestock Census Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying has released the 20th Livestock Census report today.The Census will prove beneficial not just for policy makers but also for agriculturists, traders, entrepreneurs, dairying industry and masses in general. This release provides some key results reflecting the aggregate counts of various species as well as its comparison with previous census. Total Livestock population increases 4.6% over Census-2012, Increases to 535.78 million [caption id="attachment_51561" align="aligncenter" width="549"] Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying releases 20th Livestock Census[/caption] Key results of the 20th Livestock Census: The total Livestock population is 535.78 million in the country showing an increase of 4.6% over Livestock Census-2012 Total Bovine population (Cattle, Buffalo, Mithun and Yak) is 302.79 Million in 2019 which shows an increase of about 1% over the previous census. The total number of cattle in the country in 2019 is 192.49 million showing an increase of 0.8 % over previous Census. The Female Cattle (Cows population) is 145.12 million, increased by 18.0% over the previous census (2012). The Exotic/Crossbred and Indigenous/Non-descript Cattle population in the country is 50.42 million and 142.11 million respectively. The Indigenous/Non-descript female cattle population has increased by 10% in 2019 as compared to previous census. The population of the total Exotic/Crossbred Cattle has increased by 26.9 % in 2019 as compared to previous census. There is a decline of 6 % in the total Indigenous/ Non-descript cattle population over the previous census. However, the pace of decline of Indigenous/ Non-descript cattle population during 2012-2019 is much lesser than as compared to the 2007-12 which was about 9% The total buffaloes in the country is 109.85 million showing an increase of about 1.0% over previous Census The total milch animals (in-milk and dry) in cows and buffaloes is 125.34 million, an increase of 6.0 % over the previous census The total sheep in the country is 74.26 million in 2019, increased by 14.1% over previous Census. The Goat population in the country in 2019 is 148.88 million showing an increase of 10.1% over the previous census. The total Pigs in the country is 9.06 Million in the current Census, declined by 12.03% over the previous Census. The other livestock including mithun, yak, horses, ponies, mule, donkeys, camel together contribute around 0.23% of the total livestock and their total count is 1.24 million. The total poultry in the country is 851.81 million in 2019, registered an increase of 16.8% in the total poultry. The total birds in the backyard poultry in the country is 317.07 million. The backyard poultry has increased by around 46% as compared to previous Census. The total Commercial Poultry in the country is 534.74 million in 2019, increased by 4.5% over previous Census. The major thrust given to 20th Livestock Census is the collection of data through tablets computers. The 20th livestock census is indeed a unique attempt as for the first time such a major initiative has been take to digitise household level data through online transmission from the field. National Informatics Centre (NIC) has developed a mobile Application software and was used for data collection as well as online transmission of data from the field to the NIC server. Prelims Oriented News: 2019 Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel: Abhijit Banerjee He has made notable contributions in the field of poverty alleviation. Other winners: Esther Duflo and Michael Kremer Most Eminent Senior Citizen Award: To legal luminary, scholar and former Attorney General, Shri K. Parasaran Terms the Award as a fitting recognition to the ‘Pitamaha’ of the Indian Bar’; who has tried to blend both “dharma” and “nyaya” and embodies the ideal expressed by poet Kalidasa who had said, in the epic poem, Raghuvamsham, “ vruddhatvam jarasaa vinaa” or the ability to constantly grow in stature without growing old. Shri Parasaran was honored with the Award on the occasion of the Elder’s Day celebration of Age Care India, an organization working for the welfare of the elderly. Indian Railways launches 09 ‘Sewa Service’ Trains: These Sewa trains will provide connectivity to the far-flung areas where stoppages of premiere trains were not possible Sewa Service’ trains have been planned with spare rakes as a part of ‘sweating of assets’ initiative by the Indian Railways to have better utilization of the rolling stock Bridgital Nation: Written by Shri N Chandrasekaran and Ms. Roopa Purushottam The book presents a powerful vision of the future where technology and human beings co-exist in a mutually beneficial ecosystem. It argues that instead of accepting technology as replacement of human labour, India can use it as an aid to generate more jobs. The cutting edge digital tools can act as a bridge between aspirations and achievements - hence the term ‘bridgital’. Essay Topic: Technology is a bridge, not a divider Quick Points: Technology has been a key component of government schemes in order to reform, transform and perform Use of data intelligence, digital mapping and real time monitoring in Ujjwala Yojana which has transformed the lives of millions of women How technology has helped in empowering people through schemes like Jan Dhan Yojana and Ayushman Bharat Government has used technology to remove silos amongst government departments and build a bridge between supply systems and demand, through innovative ideas like Government e-market Place (GeM) How technology was used to create a robust Start-Up system in the country, especially in tier-2 and tier 3 cities - which has helped in the development of an entirely new ecosystem of startups Creation of India Post Payment Bank: the need to convert challenges posed by technology into opportunities – The disruption caused by technology to the entire postal organization was converted into a technology intensive banking system, benefitting millions through postal bank which transformed ‘dakiya into a Bank Babu’. Food Safety Mitra (FSM) scheme: For strengthening and scaling up ‘Eat Right India’ movement Will support small and medium scale food businesses to comply with the food safety laws and facilitate licensing and registration, hygiene ratings and training. Apart from strengthening food safety, this scheme would also create new employment opportunities for youth, particularly with food and nutrition background. The FSMs would undergo training and certification by FSSAI to do their work and get paid by food businesses for their services. Also launched ‘Eat Right Jacket’ and ‘Eat Right Jhola’ on World Food Day 2019: Will be used by the field staff. This jacket has a smart design to hold tech devices like tablets/smart phone, a QR code and RFID tag for identification and tracking. Apart from providing safety to field staff on duty, this would bring in efficiency, professionalism and transparency in food safety administration and bring in a sense of ownership & visibility of FSOs. The ‘Eat Right Jhola’, a reusable cloth bag shall replace plastic bags for grocery shopping in various retail chains. Since on repeated use, bags are often contaminated with microorganisms and bacteria, proper and regular washing of cloth bags is essential to ensure safety and hygiene. These cloth bags are being provided on rental basis through a private textile rental service company. The theme for this day was ‘Healthy Diets for a Zero Hunger World’. One Nation One Tag – FASTag: Process for having a unified electronic system across the country Under the National Electronic Toll Collection programme of the Ministry, toll collection at national highways toll plazas is done through RFID based FASTags. However, collection at state highways toll plazas is done either manually or through other tags. This leads to inconvenience for the road users. The Ministry is therefore encouraging states to come onboard FASTag, so that seamless movement of transport can be assured across the nation. For this, Scheme Guidelines for Inclusion of Sate/ City Toll Plaza under NETC programme (FASTag) was circulated to all states by Indian Highways Management Corp Ltd (IHMCL). The Scheme offers participating state authorities/agencies shorter turnaround time by allowing them to be a part of the robust FASTag solution architecture which already supports approx. 6 million tags with approximately daily 10 lakh transactions. FASTag is being positioned as the ‘Aadhaar’ for a vehicle. Department of Posts should strive for 25 crore postal savings accounts from the current 17 crore in coming years Should make efforts to link the same with the accounts of India Post Payments Bank for achieving the goal of financial inclusion Should come forward to forge partnership with global companies and the administrative issues, if any, would be resolved amicably. To work on a set of special stamps on Mahabalipuram (Mamallapuram) in the wake of successful informal summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping due to its historic significance Over the years India Post has been providing services through its network of 1,55,000 post offices. As a part of its savings bank schemes, the department has opened 1.47 lakh Sukanya Samridhi Yojna accounts for benefitting the girl child. With the setting up of 13,352 Aadhaar centres, 420 Post Office Passport Seva Kendras and a robust digital platform through its Digital Advancement of Rural Post Offices (DARPAN) for A New India , the Department of Posts is trying to provide quality citizen centric services to the customers. National Postal Week: 9th to 15th October World Post Day: 9th October; This year, this day was celebrated as 50th World Post Day by UPU (Universal of Postal Union).
IAS UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 21st October 2019 Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) Anthrax Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains II - Health In News Veterinarians have confirmed anthrax as the cause of death of two Asiatic water buffaloes in central Assam’s Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary. Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary has the highest concentration of one-horned rhinos in the world. About Anthrax Anthrax is a serious infectious disease caused by gram-positive, rod-shaped bacteria known as Bacillus anthracis which can be found naturally in soil. It is characterised by blisters around swellings on the skin, chest pain, vomiting, diarrhoea and fever. However, Anthrax is not contagious. It commonly affects domestic and wild animals around the world. Cattle, sheep, goats, antelope, and deer can become infected when they breathe in or ingest spores in contaminated soil, plants, or water. People can get sick with anthrax if they come in contact with infected animals or contaminated animal products. Contact with anthrax can cause severe illness in both humans and animals. National Tiger Conservation Authority(NTCA) Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains III–Environment Conservation In News NTCA has red-flagged the Madhya Pradesh government’s move to increase tourism activities inside the State’s tiger reserves in violation of the existing guidelines According to a latest report by the Environment Ministry, India has 2,967 tigers, with 526 of them in Madhya Pradesh alone — the highest in the country. There are six tiger reserves in Madhya Pradesh — Kanha, Bandhavgarh, Panna, Satpura, Sanjay-Dubri and Pench. About NTCA It is a statutory body under the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change constituted under enabling provisions of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, as amended in 2006, for strengthening tiger conservation, as per powers and functions assigned to it under the said Act. The National Tiger Conservation Authority is set up under the Chairmanship of the Minister for Environment and Forests. Project Tiger aims to aid and facilitate the breeding of tigers within a safe environment and transport the tigers to other parks to increase the tiger population across its habitats. In addition, Project Tiger also takes up initiatives to improve the vegetation in the park, to facilitate the availability of prey for the tigers. NTCA used an app/system called MSTrlPES, to monitor and record the tiger population to release the census in 2019. LIVER TRANSPLANT REGISTRY Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains II - Health In News India’s first voluntary liver transplant registry that started on August 15 has picked up pace. Initiated by the Liver Transplantation Society of India, the registry aims to collate national data of the procedures and their outcomes. In a span of a little over two months, it has received data of 74 transplants carried out by 11 hospitals across six States. Nearly 2,000 liver transplants are carried out in the country annually, highest in the world, yet there is no India-specific data. This leaves doctors to take help from the evolved U.S. and the U.K. registries. Hospitals from Delhi NCR, Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu have voluntarily reported their transplants to the registry. More hospitals are in various stages of signing up and by December. INDIAN PENAL CODE (IPC) Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains II – Indian Polity In News The Home Ministry has constituted two committees comprising legal luminaries to overhaul the IPC introduced by the British in 1860. After it was framed, the IPC has never been amended in totality. Some additions and deletions have been made. Rebooting the code introduced by the British in 1860 was considered as necessary as it is primarily based on the spirit of “master and servant” Do You Know? The Indian Penal Code (IPC) is the official criminal code of India. It is a comprehensive code intended to cover all substantive aspects of criminal law. The code was drafted in 1860 on the recommendations of first law commission of India (Chairmanship of Lord Macaulay) established in 1834 under the Charter Act of 1833. The code came into operation from 1862. The Malimath Committee of 2003 is related to the issue of reforms in the IPC. India - Maldives Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains II – International Relations In News India and the Maldives will take forward several pending measures to promote defence cooperation in the next few months, these include The agreement for lease of a Dornier aircraft for maritime surveillance Bringing the Maldives under India’s coastal radar chain network and A broad-based humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) exercise. India had gifted the Maldives two Advanced Light Helicopters (ALH) in 2013 and each was operated by the Indian Coast Guard and the Indian Navy. These were of great service to Maldives as it was used extensively for medical evacuation and search and rescue operations. In the aftermath of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, India began setting up the coastal radar chain network to monitor the movement of traffic on the high seas. Mauritius, the Seychelles and Sri Lanka have already been part of the network About DORNIER The Dornier Do-228 was designed and developed by Dornier GmbH (Germany-France) in the late 1970s Hindustan Aeronautics Limited holds the license to locally produce the Do-228 aircraft. Since 1983, HAL has produced more than 125 Do-228 aircraft. The 19 seater HAL - DO - 228 aircraft is a highly versatile multi-purpose light transport aircraft. It has been developed specifically to meet the manifold requirements of utility and commuter transport, third level services and air-taxi operations, coast guard duties and maritime surveillance. Bhashan Char island Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains II – International Relations In News Thousands of Rohingya living in Bangladesh refugee camps have agreed to move to a Bhashan Char island located in the Bay of Bengal Rights groups have warned the island, which emerged from the sea only about two decades ago, might not be able to withstand violent storms during the annual monsoon season. In the past half a century, powerful cyclones have killed hundreds of thousands of people in the Meghna river estuary where the island is located. Dhaka has long wanted to move 1,00,000 refugees to the muddy silt islet, saying it would take pressure off the overcrowded border camps where almost a million Rohingya live. Some 7,40,000 Rohingya fled Myanmar in August 2017 in the face of a military crackdown, joining 2,00,000 refugees already in makeshift tent settlements at Bangladesh’s Cox’s Bazar. PettaThullal Part of: GS Prelims and Mains GS-I - Culture In News PettaThullal, the ritualistic sacred dance to celebrate the victory of good over evil in the legend of Lord Ayyappa who killed the demon princess Mahishi, which denotes the beginning of the last leg of the annual Sabarimala pilgrimage season. Blanket ban has been mooted on chemical powder, the bespattering of which constitutes an indispensable part of the PettaThullal ritual. A study by the Kerala State Pollution Control Board (PCB) has pointed to the presence of hazardous metals, including lead, arsenic, and cadmium, in this powder. Besides causing skin troubles, it pollutes the soil and often gets washed into the waterbodies where the chances of these potent chemicals entering the human body are very high Plans are afoot to promote organic varieties of the brightly coloured powder as an alternative to chemical powder. (MAINS FOCUS) BREXIT TOPIC: General Studies 2: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests, Indian Diaspora. New Brexit deal Context: Despite the euphoric reception to the fresh terms of Britain’s withdrawal from the EU agreed on Thursday, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was forced to seek an extension to the October 31 exit deadline. The House of Commons voted for an amendment making approval for the text conditional on Parliament passing legislation to ratify the treaty before Britain leaves the EU. The failure to clearly back the deal triggered a law forcing Mr. Johnson to ask EU leaders to delay Brexit for a third time Why? Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), has opposed agreement — that it would undermine the constitutional integrity of the U.K. It is however true that the new deal would avoid a hard border in the Irish Sea, one that would have separated the north and south of the island of Ireland, thus endangering the 1998 Good Friday agreement. [caption id="attachment_51555" align="aligncenter" width="477"] Daily Current Affairs IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 21st October 2019[/caption] Img :https://media.businessinsider.com/images/59326a474cb1e4221247dc8f-640-418.jpg Brexit: Brexit - British exit - refers to the UK leaving the EU. Brexit is the scheduled withdrawal of the United Kingdom (UK) from the European Union (EU). Following a June 2016 referendum, in which 51.9% of participating voters voted to leave, the UK government formally announced the country's withdrawal in March 2017, starting a two-year process that was due to conclude with the UK withdrawing on 29 March 2019. As the UK parliament thrice voted against the negotiated withdrawal agreement, that deadline has been extended twice, and is currently 31 October 2019. The 'Benn Act' that passed in Parliament requires the government to seek a third extension if no agreement is reached before 19 October. What is the European Union? The EU is an economic and political union involving 28 European countries. It allows free trade and free movement of people to live and work in whichever country they choose. The UK joined in 1973 (when it was known as the European Economic Community). If the UK leaves, it would be the first member state to withdraw from the EU. Why hasn’t UK left? Brexit was originally due to happen on 29 March 2019. That was two years after then Prime Minister Theresa May triggered Article 50 - the formal process to leave - and kicked off negotiations. But the Brexit date has been delayed twice. A deal was agreed in November 2018, but MPs rejected it three times. What is the new Brexit deal? The new deal replaces the backstop with new customs arrangements. Under the plan, the whole of the UK would leave the customs union. At this point, the UK would be free to sign and implement its own trade agreements with countries around the world. But Northern Ireland would also remain an entry point into the EU's customs zone. The UK would not apply tariffs to products entering Northern Ireland, as long as they were not destined to be sent across the border into the Republic of Ireland. Northern Ireland would continue to follow EU regulations for agrifood and industrial goods. After four years, the Northern Ireland Assembly would have the opportunity to vote on whether Northern Ireland should continue the arrangement. What after Brexit? EU will start carrying out checks on British goods. This could lead to delays at ports, such as Dover. Some fear that this could lead to traffic bottlenecks, disrupting supply routes and damaging the economy. If the pound falls sharply in response to no deal and there are significant delays at ports, like Dover, it could affect the price and availability of some foods. There are also concerns over potential shortages of medicines. Positive effects of Brexit in India: To reset legal terms: Brexit is an opportunity for India to reset the legal terms of its trade with the UK and EU, at the multilateral level, and through free trade agreements. Students friendly: Before Brexit, British universities were forced to offer scholarships and subsidies to the citizens of the UK and EU. Brexit frees up funds for the other students and more Indian students might be able to get scholarships. Increases tourism: Reduction in pound value will reduce travelling cost to the UK and will make it a good travel destination. Huge investment: Brexit will help strengthen our ties with Britain because India’s focus on innovation and entrepreneurship still makes it an attractive destination for outsourcing and investment. Goods and services: According to the UK’s Department for International Trade (DIT) figures, total trade in goods and services between the UK and India was 18 billion pounds in 2017, a 15 per cent increase from 2016. Current account deficit: Lower commodity prices, crude oil prices may help narrowing current account deficit (CAD) Trading partners: The UK and the EU are losing trading partners in the process. So they will both be looking for replacements. Here, India can play a crucial role. We may see enhanced cooperation in segments like technology, cyber security, defence production and finance. Negative effects of Brexit in India: Short term effects: Automobile, Pharmacy and IT might be the most affected. NASSCOM has predicted that the effect of Brexit will be felt on the $108 Billion Indian IT sector in the short term. Automobile industry: In the automobile industry, Brexit may lead to reduction in sales and companies that derive good revenues of profits from Britain could get hurt majorly. Disruptions: Indian companies would need to recalibrate European operations, like setting up an additional operating company within European Union. This means short term disruptions will have a financial impact, as also take up management time. Immigration: Because of the large number of immigrants from EU, UK has restricted immigrants from other parts of the world, which had an impact on Indians. Restrictions: Post Brexit, immigration into UK of Indians may not become easier as the UK wants to place quantitative restrictions on total number of immigrants, and only a few Indians with special skills may find it easier to work in the UK. Conclusion India should re-negotiate with the UK and EU the World Trade Organization Schedules of Concessions, for both goods and services, should resume its FTA discussions with the EU, and should prepare to launch FTA talks with the UK. Connecting the dots: Britain might avoid a no-deal exit, but it will have to grapple with the costs of leaving the EU. Analyse MONEY LAUNDERING TOPIC: General Studies 3: Challenges to internal security through communication networks, role of media and social networking sites in internal security challenges, basics of cyber security; money-laundering and its prevention Custodial interrogation & INX media case Context: In P. Chidambaram v. Directorate of Enforcement (2019), the Supreme Court explained that “grant of anticipatory bail at the stage of investigation may frustrate the investigating agency in interrogating the accused and in collecting the useful information and also the materials which might have been concealed.. If our liberty is to be protected, we the people must raise once again a formidable “flash flood of demands” against custodial interrogation (i.e., in the context of this discussion, arrest solely for the purposes of interrogation) — not only in courts, but also in public discourse — because custodial interrogation inherently, invariably and unavoidably violates our fundamental right against self-incrimination and our right to silence [caption id="attachment_51556" align="aligncenter" width="354"] Daily Current Affairs IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 21st October 2019[/caption] Img:https://smedia2.intoday.in/btmt/images/stories/p_chidambaran_karti_660_082119103859.jpg Background: The INX Media case refers to an ongoing high-profile money laundering investigation in India. It involves allegation of irregularities in foreign exchange clearances given to INX Media group for receiving overseas investment in 2007. P. Chidambaram was union finance minister at the time. His son Karti Chidambaram has been implicated by the investigating agencies. The case dates back to 2007 when INX Media applied for clearance with the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) on March 15 that year. INX Media had sought this approval in order to operate and broadcast a bouquet of channels including Hindi entertainment channel, and multiple vernacular entertainment channels. According to the CBI, the Board in its meeting on 18 March, 2007 approved an FDI inflow of Rs 4.62 crore against INX Media. It did not, however, approve the downstream investment by INX Media in INX News. CBI report: INX Media deliberately and in violation of the conditions of the approval (i) made a downstream investment to the extent of 26% in the capital of INX News Limited without the specific approval of FIPB which included indirect foreign investment by the same foreign investors generated more than Rs 305 crores Foreign Direct Investment in INX Media (P) Limited against the approved foreign inflow of Rs 4.62 crores Constitutionality: Article 20(3) of the Constitution says, , “No person accused of any offence shall be compelled to be a witness against himself”. Section 161(2) of the Criminal Procedure Code implements the constitutional right against self-incrimination: “[Every person who the police is authorised to examine orally] is bound to answer truly all questions relating to such case put to him by [the police officer legally authorised to examine him], other than questions the answers to which would have a tendency to expose him to a criminal charge or to a penalty or forfeiture” Such a person has the right to remain silent to avoid incriminating himself. Our right to silence thus flows from the right against self-incrimination. Why right against self-incrimination? In Selvi v. Karnataka (2010), then Chief Justice of India K.G. Balakrishnan explained that “the underlying rationale [of the right against self-incrimination] broadly corresponds with two objectives — firstly, that of ensuring reliability of the statements made by an accused, and secondly, ensuring that such statements are made voluntarily. The premise is that involuntary statements are more likely to mislead the judge and the prosecutor, thereby resulting in a miscarriage of justice. In Nandini Satpathy vs. P.L. Dani, “Article 20(3) is a human article, a guarantee of dignity and integrity and of inviolability of the person and refusal to convert an adversary system into an inquisitorial scheme in the antagonistic ante-chamber of a police station. 1966 U.S. Supreme Court judgment in Miranda v. Arizona “The privilege against self-incrimination, which has had a long and expansive historical development, is the essential mainstay of our adversary system, and guarantees to the individual the ‘right to remain silent unless he chooses to speak in the unfettered exercise of his own will,’ Conclusion: Convictions of innocent people based on unreliable evidence obtained through coercive custody would have little impact on improving public safety, as the actual wrongdoers would likely still be on the loose. It will encourage the police to reject self-incrimination as a tool of investigation and improve their ability to find evidence through modern, scientific and humane means. It will reduce the scope for arbitrary power and strengthen liberty. Connecting the dots: Very important persons of yesterday caught in the criminal investigation coils of today. Critically Analyse Abjuring custodial interrogation will improve public safety. 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)The term M-STRIPES’ is sometimes seen in the news in the context of Captive breeding of Wild Fauna Maintenance of Tiger Reserves Indigenous Satellite Navigation System Security of National Highways Q.2)Consider the following statements about National Tiger Conservation Act It is a statutory body constituted under the provisions of Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 It is set up under the Chairmanship of the Prime Minister of India 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 Indian Penal Code (IPC) The code was drafted on the recommendations of first law commission of India under the Chairmanship of Lord Macaulay The Malimath Committee of 2003 is related to the issue of reforms in the IPC. 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 India liver transplant registry It is initiated by NITI Aayog The registry aims to collate national data of the liver transplant procedures and their outcomes. Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 MUST READ It’s a deal: On Brexit The Hindu After Mamallapuram, the reality of asymmetry The Hindu A time-tested way to trade away conflict The Hindu The victory of pluralism The Hindu
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