Oct 22, 2019 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

Daily Current Affairs IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 22nd October 2019

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

Oct 22, 2019 Daily Prelims CA Quiz

UPSC Quiz - 2020 : IAS Daily Current Affairs Quiz Day 97

UPSC Quiz - 2020: IAS Daily Current Affairs Quiz Day 97 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

Oct 21, 2019 PIB

Press Information Bureau (PIB) IAS UPSC – 14th October to 22nd October – 2019

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).

Oct 21, 2019 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

Daily Current Affairs IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 21st October 2019

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

Oct 21, 2019 Daily Prelims CA Quiz

UPSC Quiz - 2020 : IAS Daily Current Affairs Quiz Day 96

UPSC Quiz - 2020: IAS Daily Current Affairs Quiz Day 96 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

Oct 20, 2019 Motivational Articles

Creative Guidance – Difference between knowledge and information – Inspirational Educative Articles

Difference between knowledge and information: Your knowledge is never a burden. It is your ignorance that is a burden. Any time you feel that your knowledge is becoming a burden, know that this burden is not the result of your knowledge, but because your ignorance has disguised itself as knowledge. True knowledge never becomes a burden; it never pulls you down. It always keeps you light and ensures that you’re enjoying the process of life. So, what is this true knowledge? Since we’ve been using the word “knowledge” loosely throughout human history, the word has become so common we have forgotten its true meaning. As the word itself suggests, knowledge comes from knowing which comes from the Greek root word gnosis which comes from the Sanskrit root word jnana. Jnana means pure awareness. This pure awareness, this ability to perceive things just as they are, is true knowledge. We need to understand the difference in knowledge and information. Your burden arises because now, instead of seeking knowledge, you are seeking information. In today’s language, when we are referring to knowledge, we are talking about information. You are thinking, “How much knowledge should I gain? How cautiously should I approach this? Will too much knowledge stop me from experiencing life in its purity?” You have substituted the word knowledge with information, and information is something that you should never gather; it should never become a part of you. Information should be used only when the situation requires it, so you shouldn’t be attached to that information. If you hold on to the idea that you need to acquire more information, you will become more isolated from life. Right from your childhood, you have been gaining knowledge and information. So, let’s better understand the difference between these two. If I were to ask you about the details of your life— “Where were you born? Who are your parents? What are your friends’ names? What did you learn in your science class?”—You would answer with information. You would tell me names, places, and dates. Much of this information remains as a memory. Knowledge is a consolidation of your entire life experience. Whether you can recollect it is not important. Since your knowledge blends into you, you can react appropriately to different situations. You cannot go back to how you were when you were five years old and respond to life in that way. Through growing up, your knowledge has become a part of you. This knowledge, however, can never block you from experiencing life in its purity. “This article is a part of the creative endeavor of Meditation Farm and IASBABA.”

Oct 19, 2019 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

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

IAS UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 19th October 2019 Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) NATIONAL MILK SAMPLE SAFETY QUALITY SURVEY Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains II - Health In News The Food Safety and Standard Authority of India (FSSAI) released the National Milk Sample Safety Quality Survey. Milk samples from Telangana, followed by Madhya Pradesh and Kerala, showed the highest number of cases of adulteration.  In terms of safety parameters, 10.4% of the total processed milk samples (nearly 2,600) failed to comply with the FSSAI norm as contaminants like aflatoxin-M1 were found.In case of raw milk, non-compliance was at an even higher rate of 47% of the total samples of 3,825.  In terms of quality, 7% of the total sample of processed milk did not comply with quality parameters because the presence of contaminants such as fats, Maltodextrin and sugar were above permissible limits.  Problem of Aflatoxin-M1 is more dominant in processed milk than raw milk.  Aflatoxin M1 is a chemical compound which contaminate plant and plant products. IT comes in the milk through feed and fodder that are currently not regulated in the country.  In large doses, aflatoxins can be life threatening, usually through damage to liver. Do You Know? India is the world’s largest producer of milk.  The total estimated milk production in the country was 176.35 million tonnes during 2017-18. Venezuela wins seat on UN Rights Council Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains II–International Affairs In News Venezuela won a contested election for a seat on the UN Human Rights Council despite a campaign by over 50 organisations and many countries opposed to Nicolas Maduro’s government and its rights record. For the two Latin American seats - Brazil topped the ballot with 153 votes, followed by Venezuela with 105 votes About UNHRC It was founded in 2006. It replaced the former United Nations Commission on Human Rights (UNCHR) that had been strongly criticised for allowing countries with poor human rights records to be members. The Council is made of 47 Member States, which are elected by the UN General Assembly. The Council's Membership is based on equitable geographical distribution. Members of the Council serve for a period of three years and are not eligible for immediate re-election after serving two consecutive terms. In June 2018, the United States announced its withdrawal from the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) terming it “hypocritical and self-serving.” India had previously been elected to the UNHRC for the 2011-2014 and 2014-2017 terms. Vehicle registrations fell 12.9% in September Part of: GS Prelims and Mains GS-III - Economy In News Reflecting continued weakness in consumer sentiment, overall vehicle registrations in September 2019 fell 12.9% compared to the same period last year This is as per data obtained from the Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations of India (FADA) with the help ofVahan About VAHAN It is a digital national vehicle registry portal  Vahan intends to collate all the information available with road transport authorities for easy access by both citizens and regulators. Vahan allows access to all details related to vehicles such as registration number, chassis/engine number, body/fuel type, colour, manufacturer and model and provides various online services to citizens. Driving Licence and related data are automated through a separate application called ‘Sarathi’. Significance of VAHAN Vahan has been designed to capture all the information mandated by the Central Motor Vehicle Act 1988 as well as State Motor Vehicle Rules. Banks, which may have given out loans for vehicle purchases, will also have access to the National/State Registry to track the status of vehicles under lien. Merchant discount rate (MDR) Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains III - Economy In News The Union government said banks or system providers will not impose charges or merchant discount rate (MDR) on customers as well as merchants on digital payments made to establishments having turnover in excess of ₹50 crore from November 1. MDR is a fee charged from a merchant by a bank for accepting payments from customers through credit and debit cards in their establishments Amendments to this effect have been made in the Income Tax Act as well as in the Payment and Settlement Systems Act 2007. Waste to Wealth: Cooking oil-to-biodiesel Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains III –Environment Conservation In News Zomato and biodiesel manufacturer BioD Energy have inked a partnership to collect used cooking oil from restaurants around the country so that it could be converted into biodiesel, which would then be sold to oil marketing companies to be blended with regular diesel According to FSSAI regulations, the maximum permissible limits for Total Polar Compounds (TPC) have been set at 25%, beyond which the cooking oil is unsafe for consumption. Reducing the re-use of cooking oil in the food industry will have positive public health outcomes and also reduces import demand of crude oil  The deal assumes significance in the light of government’s Repurpose Cooking Oil (RUCO) initiative About RUCO It was launched by The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) in Feb 2019 to collect and convert used cooking oil into bio-fuel. As many as 64 companies in 101 locations across the country have been identified for the purpose by FSSAI. By 2020, it should be possible to recover about 220 crore litres of used cooking oil for conversion into bio-fuel.   (MAINS FOCUS) FOREIGN POLICY TOPIC: General Studies 2: India and its neighbourhood- relations. 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. Pakistan continues to be on the Grey List of FATF Context: Pakistan continues to be on the Grey List of the international terror financing watchdog Financial Action Task Force. The decision of FATF was taken after the completion of its five-day plenary session in Paris.  Pakistan has been warned of action for its failure to combat money laundering and terror financing. If Pakistan continues with the 'Grey List' or is put in the 'Dark Grey' list, it would be very difficult for the country to get financial aid from the IMF, the World Bank and the European Union This will benefit India in many ways, such as: Pakistan will be put under closer scrutiny immediately to curb terror financing.  Reduced Pakistan funded terrorist attacks and infiltrations such as Pulwama and Mumbai attacks. Economic benefits to India as FATF has increased the cost of doing business with Pakistan which will attract less FDI now. Enhanced image of India in international forums as Pakistan will face an international boycott. Pakistan’s already fragile economy will have a powerful blow which will be in India’s favour in international trade. What next? In an assessment Pakistan has failed to meet 22 of the 27 targets set by it.  If it does not comply with the FATF’s demands fully by February 2020, however, it risks ending up in the company of Iran and North Korea on its black list, which could result in its financial isolation. The Financial Action Task Force : FATF stands for The Financial Action Task Force. It was established in July 1989 by a Group of Seven (G-7) Summit in Paris, initially to examine and develop measures to combat money laundering.  The FATF Secretariat is housed at the OECD headquarters in Paris. India and the Financial Action Task Force (FATF):  India became a member of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) in 2010.  It will help India to build the capacity to fight terrorism and trace terrorist money and help to successfully investigate and prosecute money laundering and terrorist financing offences.  India will benefit from securing a more transparent and stable financial system by ensuring that financial institutions are not vulnerable to infiltration or abuse by organized crime groups. In recent past, Pakistan had asked for India’s removal from the group, citing bias and motivated action, but that demand was rejected.  China and other allies: It is no coincidence that Pakistan’s all-weather ally China is the current chair of the FATF. While support from Turkey and Malaysia helped block the move — the charter states that three votes are mandatory for a country to avoid being blacklisted— it was not enough to avoid a stern warning. Conclusion: There is greater awareness now of how Pakistan has diverted aid for the war on terror towards funding terror.  Pakistan must abandon terror as an instrument of State policy.  Connecting the dots: There is greater awareness now of how Pakistan has diverted aid for the war on terror towards funding terror. Analyse ECONOMY TOPIC:General Studies 3: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment. Non-Performing Asset Context: The financial stability report released by the Reserve Bank of India has warned that the gross non-performing assets (GNPAs) of scheduled commercial banks in the country could rise from 11.6% in March 2018 to 12.2% in March 2019, which would be the highest level of bad debt in almost two decades. What is NPA? NPA in terms of RBI regulations result out of non-payment of interest for a period of 90 days or non-payment of principle amount for 90 days or more. So beyond that point, it is called Non-Performing Asset.  The loan is taken by the company on its assets from the bank. When the asset is not performing because they become doubtful and NPAs from doubtful become bad loans. Background: The problem name NPA is not of recent origin. Few years back, India suffered from a huge infrastructure gap and the banking sector was encouraged to get themselves into a lending spree for companies willing to undertake various projects.  Public Sector Banks were actually pushed to provide loans for projects that were floated largely by the private sector. The following have caused distress in the banks’ assets and have played part in the mounting NPAs – Prolonged downturn in the world economy, Falling commodity prices, Lack of due diligence and adherence to rules  Complex workings of the bureaucracy, Typical bureaucratic red tape, Long delays and gestation periods of several infrastructure projects, Delays in land acquisition and Politically inspired agitations Can’t collateral be used to write off loans? When the banks give loans, they take something from the entity taking it as collateral for that loan. Lot of people give collaterals but in case of large projects, it is not possible to give collaterals. In such cases, the land purchase, the building purchase, the plant machines, the debtors and inventory are mortgaged to the bank. These assets are available but if they are able to produce enough to really repay to the bank remains doubtful. How NPAs arose? After 2008, there was international financial crisis. The prices have fallen significantly in the international market. In last two years the commodity market is very bad for example, the Sugar industry and steel industry. Power sector was not operating properly. Halfway through the plants being operational, the banks stopped giving them money due to policy paralysis. People had extended their business beyond their means and higher interest was creating more problems Had the financial planning and financial management not compromised while giving the loans, the issue wouldn’t have been this grave. In certain cases, the money has been diverted by entrepreneurs, they did not bring in promoters, did over invoicing of expenditure and took out money from that. So all kinds of speculations are there which led to increase in NPAs. Five-pronged plan of the Sunil Mehta-panel: Project Sashakt An independent asset management company (AMC) and alternative investment fund-led resolution approach to deal with NPA cases of more than Rs 500 crore An asset trading platform for both performing and non-performing assets A plan for also dealing with bad loans up to Rs 50 crore – for very small loans, banks will set up verticals and departments to deal specifically on a template basis like the deadlines, the timeframe for it to be resolved in 60 days, and the resolution will be carried out on a basis which will be defined. Banks will have to follow a predefined manner of putting forth resolution plans and work with people with specialisations to deal with it. For loans between rs 50 crore and rs 500 crore, the committee called for a bank-led resolution approach, with the resolution being achieved in 180 days. The resolution plan has to be approved by lenders holding at least 66 per cent of the debt For the resolution of SMEs, the committee suggested the setting up of a steering committee by banks for formulating and validating the schemes, with a provision for additional funds. Stating that the resolution should be complete within 90 days, the committee suggested that the resolution of these assets be under a single bank’s control, with the bank having the liberty to customise it. Criticisms of Project sashakth: Disfavours the idea of setting up a “bad bank” The resolution route is also applicable to larger assets already before the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) and any other asset whose resolution is still pending. Way forward: Government will have to do mix and match of various things. No single solution for all the problems. The solution has to be derived on case to case basis. The government is thinking of setting up committees for this purpose. There can be learned people appointed in each and every case who know their industry very well. Whether government should run the business is also a big issue. It makes sense for the government to convert part of the loan into equity and take majority ownership possible. The banks will be able to take over the management and revive the company. It is important to do the financial restructuring. There are many who get repeated in the defaulters list. So some long term solution is required. They can’t be allowed to benefit on their own fault. There should be certain benchmark on the performance. If they are not able to perform, then entire debt can be converted into equity or part of the debt can be waived and bring in other promoters. Connecting the dots: Serious corporate governance issues faced by public sector banks, which to a large extent also contributed to the lax lending practices that are at the core of the NPA crisis. Examine. (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)Consider the following statements about UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) It was established in 2006 whose members are elected by the UN General Assembly for a three-year period United States of America withdrew its membership from the organisation in 2018 and Iceland was elected to replace the vacancy left by the United States  India is currently serving as the chair of the Council Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct? 1 and 2 only 2 only 2 and 3 only 1,2 and 3 Q.2)Consider the following statements  NITI Aayog releases the National Milk Sample Safety Quality Survey. Milk samples from Telangana, followed by Madhya Pradesh and Kerala, showed the highest number of cases of adulteration.  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 VAHAN portal Vahan intends to collate all the information available with road transport authorities for easy access by both citizens and regulators. Banks, which may have given out loans for vehicle purchases, will also have access to the National/State Registry to track the status of vehicles under lien. Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.4)Repurpose Cooking Oil (RUCO) initiativeis being implemented by which body /ministry? Ministry of Oil & Petroleum NITI Aayog Food Safety and Standards Authority of India None of the above Q.5) Which one of the following best describes the term “Merchant Discount Rate” sometimes seen in news? The incentive given by a bank to a merchant for accepting payments through debit cards pertaining to that bank. The amount paid back by banks to their customers when they use debit cards for financial transactions for purchasing goods or services. The charge to a merchant by a bank for accepting payments from his customers through the bank’s debit cards. The incentive given by the Government to merchants for promoting digital payments by their customers through Point of Sale (PoS) machines and debit cards. MUST READ Vital additions to empirical research The Hindu Unresolved questions in a sordid episode The Hindu In pursuit of complete dominance The Hindu Boris Johnson’s Brexit troubles are not over IE Afghanistan polls, held without a ceasefire, do not portend political stability IE

Oct 19, 2019 Motivational Articles

Creative Guidance: Book Review – The beginning and the end – Nicolas Berdyaev

The beginning and the end: Nicolas Berdyaev A life not based on philosophy is just a random set of activities with no deeper meaning and purpose. Philosophy lends meaning and purpose to life and more importantly it helps one to make sense of the complex nature of human life. Nicolas Berdyaev in this book explores some of the most important questions of life – the nature of reality, mind, thoughts, different schools of thought etc. This book is a fascinating and informative read to understand complex problems of life. The beginning and the end explores thoughts and ideas of various great philosophers. Nicholas uses his impeccable logical and reasoning skills to dissect different philosophical thoughts to reveal insights that are both practical and real. Although slightly circulative and a little difficult to read, the book for sure answers some important questions. His philosophical understanding is deep rooted in spirituality and the inner nature of man which makes it all the more practical and useful.

Oct 18, 2019 AIR

All India Radio (AIR) IAS UPSC - Launch of Innovative Learning Program DHRUV

Launch of Innovative Learning Program DHRUV ARCHIVES Search 10th October 2019 here http://www.newsonair.com/Main_Audio_Bulletins_Search.aspx TOPIC: General Studies 2 Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Education In News: Pradhan Mantri Innovative Learning Programme- 'DHRUV', a 14 day learning programme, has been launched from Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Headquarters at Bengaluru. 60 students, 30 each from Science and Performing Arts discipline, have been selected for this ambitious programme in the first batch.  The students will be from class 9 to 12 coming from private and public schools The first batch of this innovative scheme will consist of students who are talented in areas from singing and dancing to mathematics and physics. The students are being selected on the bases of their performance in the National Talent Search Examinations, competitions etc and once these students are selected the ministry will conduct sessions to get these children mentored in their chosen fields. The programme begins with a tour at ISRO followed by a stay in Delhi, where the selected students will be mentored by renowned experts.  The programme will conclude on October 23. Philosophy: The programme is called DHRUV (after the Pole Star) and every student to be called 'DHRUV TARA'. The students will thus both shine through their achievements and light a path for others to follow. Objective: To identify and encourage talented children to enrich their skills and knowledge – In centres of excellence across the country, gifted children will be mentored and nurtured by renowned experts in different areas, so that they can reach their full potential. It is expected that many of the students selected will reach the highest levels in their chosen fields and bring laurels to their community, State and Nation. The scheme is set to be extended to other fields including creative writing as well. The scheme will help in sharpening the innovative imagination skills of the students along with their knowledge.  The scheme will help the students to contribute to bringing in solutions to the socio-economic, environmental and political issued currently faced by the country. The programme will discuss global community challenges such as agricultural problems, glacial meltdown and water conservation. After receiving the training these students will be capable to contribute and provide solutions to climate change.

Oct 18, 2019 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

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

IAS UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 18th October 2019 Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) INDIA INNOVATION INDEX 2019 Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains III - Economy In News 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 Index 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. There seems to be a west-south and north-east divide across the country. The top ten major states are majorly concentrated in southern and western India. Karnataka is the most innovative major state in India. Karnataka’s number one position in the overall ranking is partly attributed to its top rank in the Performance dimension. Sikkim and Delhi take the top spots among the north- eastern & hill states, and union territories/city states/small states respectively. TB cases see decrease in India Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains II - Health In News The tuberculosis incidence rate in India has decreased by almost 50,000 patients over the past one year, according to the WHO -2019 edition of the Global Tuberculosis (TB) report The report notes that in 2017, India had 27.4 lakh TB patients which came down to 26.9 lakh in 2018.  TB Incidence in India per 1,00,000 population has decreased from 204 in 2017 to 199 in 2018. The number of patients being tested for rifampicin resistance has increased from 32% in 2017 to 46% in 2018.  However, the treatment success rate has increased to 81% for new and relapse cases (drug sensitive) in 2017, which was 69% in 2016. Do you know? TB remains the top infectious killer in the world claiming over 4,000 lives a day Nikshay Aushadi Portal is a web-based application for the management of Anti-Tuberculosis (TB) Drugs and other commodities under Revised National Tuberculosis Control Program (RNTCP).It is implemented by Union Ministry of Health & Family welfare FATF may keep Pakistan on grey list Part of: GS Prelims and Mains GS-III - Economy In News Pakistan could escape being blacklisted by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) but the country is likely to be issued strong warnings and put under pressure Blacklisting unlikely given support of China and Malaysia If not downgraded, Pakistan is expected to be kept under ‘significant and sustained’ pressure to deliver on the action plan by February 2020 Asia-Pacific group assigned a National risk rating of “medium” to the country on counter-terror financing and anti-money laundering The report by Asia-Pacific group says that Pakistan had taken positive actions against these organisations “but UNSCR 1267 is not being fully implemented” The Grey listing means downgrading of the country by multilateral lenders like IMF, World Bank, ADB, EU and also a reduction in risk rating by Moody’s, S&P and Fitch.  About FATF It was established in 1989 to set standards and promote effective implementation of legal, regulatory and operational measures for combating money laundering, terrorist financing and other related threats to the integrity of the international financial system. The FATF currently comprises 37-member jurisdictions and 2 regional organisations (the Gulf Cooperation Council or GCC, and the European Commission) TULAGI ISLAND Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains I – Geography In News A Chinese company has signed an agreement to lease an entire island in the Solomon Islands. Tulagi, an island about two square kilometres with a population of 1,200, is the site of a former Japanese naval base and was the scene of fierce fighting in World War II. The island of Tulagi served as a South Pacific headquarters for Britain and then Japan. During Second World War, its natural deepwater harbour across from Guadalcanal was coveted by the military.  The agreement with state-owned China Sam Enterprise Group mentions developing special economic zone and a refinery on the island But the island’s port and its potential for dual use as a Chinese military base is certain to raise concerns with the United States and Australia. Recently, China and the Solomons officially established diplomatic relations after China persuaded the impoverished Pacific nation to sever ties with Taiwan and become its ally. (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. Randomized controlled trial  Context: The 2019 Sveriges  Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel has been awarded jointly to Abhijit Banerjee, Esther Duflo and Michael Kremer “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. Randomized controlled trial A randomized controlled trial is a type of scientific (often medical) experiment that aims to reduce certain sources of bias when testing the effectiveness of new treatments;  This is accomplished by randomly allocating subjects to two or more groups, treating them differently, and then comparing them with respect to a measured response.  One group—the experimental group—has the intervention being assessed, while the other—usually called the control group—has an alternative condition, such as a placebo or no intervention.  The groups are followed under conditions of the trial design to see how effective the experimental intervention was. Treatment efficacy is assessed in comparison to the control. There may be more than one treatment group or more than one control group. Back in the late 1990s, this was not a well-known concept, let alone a widely practised research method. Moreover, research in economics was still largely theoretical although the shift in a more empirical direction had already started. [caption id="attachment_51469" align="aligncenter" width="602"] IAS UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 18th October 2019[/caption] RCTs use the following insight:  You select two groups that are similar and then randomly select one to receive the treatment (a drug, or a policy) being tested and then compare the outcome of this group (called the treatment group) with that of the other group (called the control group).  If the difference is statistically significant, then that is attributed to the treatment. Using this method in economics has altered our views about what policies work and what do not. Application: From testing drugs to placing government programmes as well as those carried out by NGOs on a randomised basis across villages, households, and organisations, takes quite a leap of imagination.  The reason it caught on in academic research in economics is because with greater computing power and large data-sets that were available, empirical work was in ascendance and yet, given the nature of data that is collected in usual surveys, it is hard to establish the effect of any programme on any outcome in a rigorous way. Applied to study problems at the micro-level where the implementation of an individual programme can be done in a randomised way that allows for a statistically satisfactory evaluation of the programme’s impact. Criticism: RCTs are not feasible, which is often the case with more large-scale macro-level questions, one has to rely on other, more roundabout methods to overcome the problem of causal inference. Broad macro-level issues or the more long-run aspects of development and institutional change, they are not feasible Contemporary  RCTs : A new generation of RCTs are going beyond programme evaluation and asking how individuals react to change in prices, contracts, and new information in the context of specific markets such as land or credit.  For example, a recent RCT offered different terms of sharecropping contracts in a randomised way to find out the effect of higher crop-shares on agricultural productivity in the context of tenancy. The evidence suggested significant productivity gains, confirming the importance of incentives. Case study: ‘Operation Barga’, the tenancy reform programme carried out in West Bengal by the Left Front government in the late 1970s and early 1980s, which shifted crop-share up. In that study, there was no way of fully controlling for all other factors that had changed contemporaneously, such as empowering panchayats.  This is an example of how RCTs can be potentially applied to a broader set of issues going beyond programme evaluation. Limitations: They can establish what works, but cannot say much about what could have worked better or whether it could work in a very different environment. Solution: see how they can be combined with theoretical models to simulate the effect of alternative policies or what could happen in a very different environment. Conclusion: This method now has become one of the main tools used in empirical work in development economics and in related fields. It has also led to a paradigm shift in development policy evaluation — the World Bank, and many governments and large NGOs now insist on randomised control methods wherever feasible. Connecting the dots: Despite limitations, the use of randomised control trials has led to a paradigm shift in development policy evaluation. Justify 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. The economic slowdown in the country Data: Private consumption has contracted and is at an 18-quarter low of 3.1% Rural consumption is in a deep southward dive and is double the rate of the urban slowdown Credit off-take by micro and small industries remains stagnant;  Net exports have shown little or no growth;  GDP growth is at a six-year low with the first quarter of FY20 registering just 5%;  Unemployment is at a 45-year-high. The IMF expects global economic growth to be just 3% this year, the lowest since the 2008 global financial crisis Causes: The trigger was probably the trade slowdown. Recently, the WTO also indicated that world trade growth would be 1.2% , down from 3%. So, a very anaemic or even a flat growth rate in trade is pulling down the economy.   Because this is the age of global integration, all economies get affected.  The trigger also lies in the protectionist tendencies of world economies and the U.S.-China trade war.  India is also affected by this and other domestic issues. Emerging market economies started showing some weaknesses. Brazil and South Africa have already got into the recessionary stage.  China started slowing down although there are many who say it is deliberate to reduce the overheating the economy was facing. India’s case: India is that compared to 2008, we are not immune to global slowdown. In fact, in 2008 we were growing faster. That is the main worry for us. As the Indian economy has gradually opened up since 1991, the global economic situation has had spillovers in India.  Between 2003 and 2008, the Indian economy was averaging between 8% and 9% growth. After the collapse of Lehman Brothers, it came down to 6.2%, but we were very solid. Non-Banking Financial Companies [NBFC] crisis has affected the flow of credit to capital goods. The demand for capital goods is down, as is car sales. Real estate is in trouble. This has resulted in a spillover in the rest of the economy. There is a slump in demand.  Public investment is very critical.  Criticisms: India’s exports have not been able to keep pace with expectations, especially in labour-intensive sectors like textiles, where Vietnam and Bangladesh have surged ahead. Way forward: We have to worry about fiscal stimulus, not fiscal consolidation.  Then there should be some kind of social spending which affects people in need with a high propensity to consume.  Any cash reaching the poor will find its way into the market quickly. Address the inequalities in recent times. Indian industry has grown with the comfort of having a large domestic market.  We need to nudge industry to look at global and regional markets, especially for labour-intensive goods. We need to avoid the appreciation of the rupee if we are to strengthen the domestic manufacturing industry.  Any appreciation of the rupee facilitates more imports and less exports, adversely affecting domestic production. Eastern  trade: The dynamism in world trade is in the Eastern side. The Western markets are really flat. There is also a rise in protectionism.  In such a situation, we need to tap the Asian markets. In that context, RCEP [Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership] is an important initiative.  It gives us a possibility to integrate the Indian economy and production with the value chains in east-Asian countries. Connecting the dots: What can India do to overcome the global slowdown? Examine. (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)Nikshay Aushadi Portal often seen in news is predominantly associated with which of the following area? Provision of cheap Generic drugs Revised National Tuberculosis Control Program Tracking of imports of Active Pharmaceutical ingredients None of the above Q.2)Consider the following statements about the Wold Health Organisation -2019 edition of the Global Tuberculosis (TB) report TB remains the top infectious killer in the world claiming over 4,000 lives a day TB Incidence in India per 1,00,000 population has decreased from 204 in 2017 to 199 in 2018. Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.3)India Innovation Index is released by which ministry/body?  Niti Aayog Ministry of Commerce World Economic Forum None of the above Q.4)Tulagi islands often seen in news is located in which region? Mediterranean Sea Indian Ocean Pacific Ocean South China Sea  MUST READ Awaiting the verdict: On Ayodhya dispute The Hindu The secondary monsoon: On rainfall behaviour The Hindu The dominant caste dilemma The Hindu A law alone will not serve as a panacea against torture by police in India IE Why China’s growth has slowed to a record low? IE