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Creative Guidance – Finding the right teacher – Inspirational Educative Articles

Finding the right teacher: There is a lot of difference between finding a real teacher and finding any other teacher. It is a lot easier to identify a teacher just based on certain qualifications, but it is a lot more difficult to find a teacher who you can judge as competent. For all of the other teachers there is a qualification, there is a way to identify a teacher. If you want a math, physics, or a music teacher, there are very clear qualifications; there are degrees. There are documents that say that he or she is a teacher, so you can find teachers just based on credentials. Even if there aren’t any credentials, there is a way to identify the skill. You can look at the dancer and say, “I love the way he dances. I love the way she dances, and I want to learn from her. There's no way you’re going to learn music from a person who does not know how to play the musical instrument, right? When you interact with the teacher you would immediately get that sense, “Okay, this person knows music; he knows what he is talking about. None of this exists for the real teacher who can transform your life--absolutely none of this. Anyone can claim, anyone can say, “I know what I am talking about. I know my subject well. I know the method, I know how to teach it, and I'm willing to teach.” Especially in today's day and age, there are a lot more people willing to teach, than there are people willing to learn. With the available social media platforms--YouTube and Facebook, it's so easy to become a teacher. Just gather a group of students and start teaching. The problem with all this is, how do you know if you have found the right teacher? Or should you even be looking for the right teacher? Is there a right teacher? The answer is an obvious yes. There are teachers with whom you can have a personal connect and learn tremendously. Just because a lot of things have moved online, it doesn’t mean that you should settle for anything less than the best. Even in the online space, competence and personal connect is extremely important. The single biggest yardstick of judging a teacher should be competence and not qualification. Yes, qualification plays an important part. But there is an ocean of difference between possessing the qualification to teach and knowing how to teach. Teaching is an art which takes totally different skill sets. It is a lot easier to judge a teacher based on the qualification alone but the trick in finding the right teacher is to judge based on competence. The difference appears to be small, but this small difference can make all the difference in your life. “This article is a part of the creative endeavor of Meditation Farm and IASBABA.”

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RSTV IAS UPSC – Test Tube Babies

Test Tube Babies Archives TOPIC:General Studies 3 Science and Technology In news: On August 6th in 1986, India's second test-tube baby, Harsha Chawda, was born in Mumbai.  The first baby born through the IVF procedure in India was Kanupriya Agarwal. She was born on October 3, 1978, just weeks after the birth of the world's first IVF baby in England. It was on July 25th, 1978 that British gynaecologist Patrick Steptoe and Nobel Prize-winning physiologist Robert Edwards etched their names in medical history. It's been 41 years since IVF came into being. And since then, an estimated 8 million babies have been born worldwide as a result of this procedure. In-Vitro fertilisation procedure: It involves fertilizing an egg outside the body, in a laboratory dish, and then implanting it in a woman's uterus. Why is there a need? Infertility is known to affect one in eight couples worldwide. In India alone, infertility affects nearly 10 to 15 per cent of married couples. In the traditional natural way, the egg gets fertilised by sperms deposited in the vagina, with the most able sperm entering the egg after travelling through the woman’s uterus and fallopian tubes. The fertilised egg then divides and forms an embryo in the fallopian tube which then travels back to the uterus to get implanted. However, if natural or unassisted conception is not possible, fertility treatment is an option. In an IVF cycle, the sperms that are obtained either from the ejaculated semen sample or sperms that are directly removed from the testis, are either kept in the close vicinity of the egg in petri dishes or are directly injected inside the egg by the embryologist and grown in the lab for five days under the strict supervision of the embryologist (IVF baby’s “first babysitter”). The best looking embryo is selected and transferred by the IVF specialist doctor into the uterus for implantation. Steps involved for IVF  Suppressing the natural menstrual cycle: The woman receives a drug, usually in the form of a daily injection for about 2 weeks, to suppress their natural menstrual cycle. Super ovulation: Fertility drugs containing the fertility hormone follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) are given to the woman. FSH makes the ovaries produce more eggs than usual. Vaginal ultrasound scans can monitor the process in the ovaries. Retrieving the eggs: The eggs are collected through a minor surgical procedure known as "follicular aspiration." A very thin needle is inserted through the vagina and into an ovary. The needle is which is connected to a suction device. This sucks the eggs out. This process is repeated for each ovary.  In 2011, researchers suggested that collecting 15 eggs from the ovaries in one cycle gives the highest chance of a successful pregnancy. Frozen or donated eggs may also be used. Insemination and fertilization: The eggs that have been collected are placed together with male sperm and kept in an environmentally controlled chamber. After a few hours, the sperm should enter the egg. Sometimes the sperm is directly injected into the egg. This is known as an intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). Frozen sperm, retrieved through testicular biopsy, may be used. This is believed to be as effective as fresh sperm in achieving a successful pregnancy. The fertilized egg divides and becomes an embryo. One or two of the best embryos are selected for transfer. The woman is then given progesterone or human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) to help the lining of the womb receive the embryo. Embryo transfer: Sometimes, more than one embryo is placed in the womb, if no ideal embryos are available. The transfer of the embryo is done using a thin tube, or catheter. It enters the womb through the vagina. When the embryo sticks to the lining of the womb, healthy embryo growth can begin. The IVF pregnancy is always confirmed with BHCG levels in the blood. Miscarriages The incidence of miscarriages is slightly higher in women with IVF pregnancies despite being under strict supervision and receiving more medications than those with a natural pregnancy. The reasons for this are most likely attributed to the higher incidence of elderly women with some medical conditions like diabetes or hypertension, presence of fibroids and higher incidence of aneuploid embryos (embryos with abnormal number of chromosomes). In-Virto Fertilization (IVF) technique is gaining popularity. Consider the following steps in Women’s IVF process and arrange it in its correct order of occurrence Collecting the eggs Boosting the egg supply Embryo transfer Fertilizing the eggs Select the correct code 1-2- 3-4 2-1- 4-3 2-1- 3-4 1-2- 4-3 Solution (b) Steps in Women’s In-Virto Fertilization (IVF) technique process Suppressing your natural monthly hormone cycle Boosting the egg supply Checking on progress Collecting the eggs Fertilising the eggs Embryo transfer

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Daily Current Affairs IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 7th September 2019

IAS UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 7th September 2019 Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) SLINEX  Part of: GS Prelims In News Sri Lankan Navy is sending two ships to India to participate in the SLINEX 2019 SLINEX is a bi-lateral maritime fleet exercise between Navies of India and Sri Lanka Since 2005, six successful SLINEX series of maritime exercises have been conducted. 2019 edition is the seventh edition of SLINEX. The week-long SLINEX 2019 exercise will commence on September 7, 2019. The exercise features wide-ranging naval exercises including helicopter operations. This has helped the two Navies in understanding each other's procedures and contributes towards maritime security in the region. Indus Valley Civilizations Part of: GS Prelims and Mains GS-II – Ancient History In News Study of DNA from skeletal remains excavated from the Harappan cemetery at Rakhigarhi has provided new insights into Indian history The study shows that hunter-gatherers of South Asia (who later formed Harappa Civilization) have an independent origin and are not descendent of Eurasian farmers. The theory of the Harappans having ancient Iranian farmer ancestry thus stands refuted. The study done through DNA analysis of Rakhigarhi thus challenges Aryan Invasion theory Do You Know? In Europe, ancient-DNA studies have shown that agriculture tended to spread through an influx of people with ancestry in Anatolia, in modern day Turkey. In South Asia, however, the story appears quite different. The researchers found an absence of Anatolian-related ancestry. Rakhigarhi in Haryana State, situated 150 km to the northwest of Delhi, is the site of a pre-Indus Valley Civilisation settlement going back to about 6500 BCE In January 2014, the discovery of additional mounds at Rakhigarhi resulted in it becoming the largest Indus Valley Civilization site, overtaking Mohenjodaro (300 Hectares) by almost 50 hectares. MEASLES, RUBELLA Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains II – Issues relating to Health In News Member-countries of the World Health Organisation (WHO) South-East Asia Region have resolved to eliminate measles and rubella by 2023. Measles and rubella are contagious viral infections preventable by vaccine and best known by its distinctive red rash. Eliminating measles will prevent 500,000 deaths a year in the region, while eliminating rubella/ congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) would avert about 55,000 cases of rubella. Bhutan, North Korea, the Maldives, Sri Lanka and Timor-Leste have eliminated measles. Bangladesh, Bhutan, the Maldives, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Timor-Leste have controlled rubella. About Measles Measles is a deadly disease which can lead to –Pneumonia, Diarrhoea and other deadly threats The respiratory disease measles remains a leading cause of death among young children, despite the fact that a safe and effective vaccine has been available for 40 years. Measles is an acute illness caused by a virus of the paramyxovirus family. It is one of the most contagious diseases and many children who do not have sufficient immunity contract measles if exposed.  During the first few weeks after contracting measles, a child’s immune system becomes weakened, and a normal cold or diarrhoea can become a life-threatening illness. About Rubella Rubella infection during pregnancy can cause congenital deformities in newborn baby, such as Blindness, Deafness, Mental Retardation& Congenital heart disease Rubella is an acute, contagious viral infection. While rubella virus infection usually causes a mild fever and rash illness in children and adults, infection during pregnancy, especially during the first trimester, can result in miscarriage, fetal death, stillbirth, or infants with congenital malformations, known as congenital rubella syndrome (CRS). The rubella virus is transmitted by airborne droplets when infected people sneeze or a cough. Humans are the only known host. There is no specific treatment, but the disease can be prevented by vaccination. Global Liveability Index Part of: GS Prelims In News The Austrian capital Vienna has been ranked the ‘world's most liveable city’ for the second year in a row on the annual Global Liveability Index The annual Global Liveability Index of 140 cities around the world, is released by UK’s The Economist news magazine. The index considers more than 30 qualitative and quantitative factors spanning categories like stability, healthcare, culture and environment, education, and infrastructure.  For the first time, the index noted the effects of climate change on liveability.  New Delhi was ranked at 118th (a drop of six ranks) due to “poor air quality. Mumbai was ranked 119th The least liveable cities were Karachi, Tripoli, Dhaka, Lagos and, at the very bottom, Damascus (Syria). Western Europe and North America continue to be the most liveable regions in the world. (MAINS FOCUS) INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS TOPIC: General Studies 2 Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests India-Russia bilateral ties Context: Unveiling the Russian edition of India’s ‘Look East, Act East’ policy, Prime Minister Narendra Modi pledged on Thursday to extend a $1 billion Line of Credit to Russia’s Far East region (RFE) Finance Indian business projects in the region, will be the “take-off point for Act Far East”, and will further strengthen bilateral ties. What is the EEF? According to its website, the EEF was established by a decree of the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, in 2015, with the aim of supporting the economic development of Russia’s Far East, and to expand international cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region. The ongoing EEF Summit at the Far Eastern Federal University is the fifth in its history. Among the participants in the Summit are India, Malaysia, Japan, Australia, and South Korea. According to the EEF website, the 2018 Summit was attended by more than 6,000 participants from over 60 countries, and over 220 agreements worth over RUB 3.1 trillion were signed. (Each Russian ruble is almost exactly worth 1 Indian rupee.) The Summits have roundtable conferences, panel sessions, business breakfasts, besides business dialogues and bilateral talks and agreements. Mr. Modi’s visit saw several initiatives being launched towards increasing the value of economic ties between the two countries, which, at approximately $10 billion in terms of bilateral trade, lags far behind their strategic partnership and defence relationship India-Russia relations: Bilateral trades: India’s economic ties with Russia have been struggling with bilateral trade hovering around $10 billion mark. Energy is one area which has the potential to provide stimulus to their ties. On 20th India—Russia Annual Summit India, Russia agree to step up trade to $30 bn by 2025. They also agreed to speed up preparations for signing of the India-Russia Intergovernmental Agreement on Promotion and Mutual Protection of Investments. It was also agreed to intensify work for eliminating trade barriers. Which would be facilitated by the proposed Trading Agreement between the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and the Republic of India Defence: India has contracted defence deals worth about $14.5 billion from Russia. New Delhi’s decision to go ahead with the purchase of S-400 missile defence system, worth over $5 billion, despite the threat of US sanctions, underscores the importance India continues to attach to its defence engagement with Russia. Energy sector: Chief among the 50 agreements signed this week were those on energy exploration and procurement, including a specific MoU on cooperation on LNG supplies to India, and a maritime route from Vladivostok to Chennai which will be used for energy trade as well. The two sides also agreed on a five-year ‘roadmap’ for cooperation on prospecting for hydrocarbons and LNG in the Far East and the Arctic, building on a history of Indian investment in oilfields in the region. The emphasis on energy from this region is as much a bid to benefit from explorations and trade routes in the Arctic that are becoming accessible due to global warming, as it is reflective of India’s desire to diversify its energy sources away from an unstable West Asia The investment in the Far East, which is often neglected given that Russia is seen as a European power in the post-Soviet era, also underlines India’s desire to draw Russia into its strategic forays in the Indo-Pacific. Russia and India are also becoming more ambitious by pursuing projects in third countries such as the Rooppur nuclear power project of Bangladesh. The push to ‘Act Far East’ allows India to demonstrate its commitment to an area of concern for Moscow, thus reassuring its traditional partner that in an increasingly polarised world, India is confident of working with multiple alignments, even if they are at cross purposes with each other. Conclusion: The challenge in front of India and Russia is that they need to transform a 20th century partnership and make it fit for the 21st century. Global trends are evolving rapidly and major powers are re-defining their ties with each other to match their contemporary requirements. Connecting the dots: India and Russia have been strategic partners even before cold war era. Critically analyse the defence relation between two countries and what can be possible way forward. (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  Recent studies from Rakhigarhi remains have shown that hunter-gatherers of South Asia were descendent of Eurasian farmers strengthening Aryan Invasion theory. Rakhigarhi, the largest Indus Valley Civilization site is situated in Maharashtra. Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.2) Global Liveability Index is released by which body/organisation? World Economic Forum United Nations World Bank None of the above Q.3) Measles and Rubella diseases are caused due to Bacteria Virus Fungus Protozoan parasite Plasmodium. Must Read: The problem of skilling India Indian Express Empowering primary care practitioners  The Hindu Easing the pressure The Hindu India needs a globally competitive solar panel industry Financial express

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Daily Current Affairs IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 6th September 2019

IAS UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 6th September 2019 Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) Nuakhai Part of: GS Prelims In News Nuakhai is an important social festival of Western Odisha and adjoining areas of Simdega in Jharkhand It is observed on the fifth day of the lunar fortnight of the month of Bhadrapada (August–September), the day after the Ganesh Chaturthi festival. It is an agricultural festival which is observed to welcome the new rice of the season. The word nua means new and khai means food. During this festival people offer the newly harvested crop called Nabanha to their respective presiding deities and relish different types of delicacies prepared from the newly harvested crop. The Nuakhai Juhar is a major ritual of the festival. It is an exchange of greetings with friends, relatives and well-wishers. Women folk leave bed early to perform the Nukhai rituals with decorating the house with colourful rangoli. Eat Right India Movement Part of: GS Prelims and Mains GS-II – Issues relating to Health In News What is Eat Right India movement? It is a crucial preventive healthcare measure to trigger social and behavioural change  Approach:  Through judicious mix of regulatory measures, combined with soft interventions for ensuring awareness and capacity building of food businesses and citizens alike. Why it is needed? - Due to increasing burden of non-communicable diseases including diabetes, hypertension and heart diseases, widespread deficiencies of vitamins and minerals and rampant food-borne illnesses This movement is aligned with the government’s flagship public health programmes such as POSHAN Abhiyaan, Anemia Mukt Bharat, Ayushman Bharat Yojana and Swachh Bharat Mission. As part of campaign, the central food regulator - Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has trained over 1.7 lakh food safety supervisors who will spread awareness and sensitise people and food vendors on food safety FSSAI has also put in place robust regulatory measures under three major pillars: Eat Safe, Eat Health and Eat Sustainably for the programme. For example: FSSAI has prescribed a limit for Total Polar Compounds (TPC) at 25% in cooking oil to avoid the harmful effects of reused cooking oil. Do You Know? Under the Re-Purposed Used Cooking Oil (RUCO) initiative that FSSAI has undertaken with the ministry of petroleum and natural gas, used cooking oil is being converted to bio-diesel. India has set a target of 2022 to be free of industrial trans-fats, a year ahead of the global target set by the WHO POSHAN stands for Prime Minister’s Overreaching Scheme for Holistic Nourishment - is India’s flagship programme to improve nutritional outcomes for children, adolescents, pregnant women and lactating mothers by leveraging technology, a targeted approach and convergence. Union Government is celebrating the entire month of September as “Rashtriya Poshan Maah” (National Nutrition Month) to emphasise the need for healthy nutrition. The theme is Complementary feeding. Centralised Technology Vertical (CTV) Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains III- Cyber Security In News Government announced that new Centralised Technology Vertical (CTV) would be set up under the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) at a cost of ₹99 crore The announcement was made during 1st National Conference on cyber-crime investigation and forensics organised by the CBI Objective of CTV: To facilitate real-time information sharing with investigators across the country. It will become operational next year, which would strengthen the hands of authorities to tackle the growing menace of cybercrimes. Do You Know? Union Bank of India's SWIFT (a banking messaging service for international transactions) was targeted by hackers who siphoned off USD 171 million using it in 2016 – considered as India’s biggest international hack CBI who is presently investigating the case has noticed that the crime is spread over seven countries.  In terms of magnitude, the UBI cyber heist overtook the hacking of the Bangladesh Central Bank, in which USD 81 million were stolen by hackers Act Far East Part of: GS Prelims and Mains GS-II – International Affairs In News PM Modi unveiled the 'Act Far East' policy for Russia and announced that India will give a line of credit worth USD 1 billion for the resource-rich region of Russia’s far east. PM Modi is on a two-day visit to attended the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) at Vladivostok - the first by an Indian prime minister. Among the participants in the Summit are India, Malaysia, Japan, Australia, and South Korea. EEF was established by decree of the President Putin in 2015 to support the economic development of Russia’s Far East and to expand international cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region. Vladivostok is the largest port on Russia’s Pacific coast, and home to the Pacific Fleet of the Russian Navy. India is the first country that opened its consulate in Vladivostok MoU was signed between India and Russia to open a full-fledged maritime route between Russia’s eastern port city Vladivostok and Chennai which will help in the upscaling of trade relations between the two nations. Both sides signed various other agreements in the fields of military and technical cooperation, energy and science, LNG Business and LNG supplies, and natural gas https://eurogeologists.eu/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Arkhipova_Figure1-610x330.jpg (MAINS FOCUS) HEALTH  Topic: General studies 2 Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources. Issues relating to poverty and hunger Controlling the hepatitis B virus calls for universal vaccination of new borns Context: On September 3, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal and Thailand became the first four countries in the World Health Organization’s southeast Asia region to have successfully controlled hepatitis B. Concerns: Despite the introduction of hepatitis B vaccine in the Universal Immunisation Programme in 2002 and scaling-up nationwide in 2011, about one million people in India become chronically infected with the virus every year. According to the Health Ministry, as on February 2019, an estimated 40 million people in India were infected.  About hepatitis: Hepatitis is a medical condition in which there occurs inflammation of liver cells and its complications vary with type of infection. There are 5 types of hepatitis viz. A, B, C, D and E. Each type is caused by a different hepatitis virus. Hepatitis viruses is one of the common cause of liver damage. Hepatitis B and C are the most deadly. These two types are mostly responsible for liver damage. Hepatitis viruses B, C and D spread by contact with contaminated blood or body fluids. Hepatitis A and E spreads through unsafe food and drink.  Symptoms include yellowing of the skin and eyes, abdominal pain and swelling, yellow urine, pale or dark stools, chronic fatigue, nausea and loss of appetite.  WHO has appointed Amitabh Bachchan as its goodwill Ambassador for Hepatitis in South East Asia Region. Prevalence of the disease; Hepatitis B infection at a young age turns chronic, causing over 1,00,000 premature deaths annually from liver cirrhosis or liver cancer.  A study published in 2013 found lower coverage of hepatitis B vaccine in eight of the 10 districts surveyed. According to the WHO, the coverage of hepatitis B third dose had reached 86% in 2015.  However, despite the high vaccination coverage, disease prevalence in children aged less than five years has not dropped below 1%. Reasons for increasing numbers: One of the reasons for this is the sub-optimal coverage of birth dose in all infants within 24 hours of birth. The compulsion to increase birth dose to cut vertical transmission arises from two important reasons — about 70-90% newborns infected this way become chronic carriers of hepatitis B, and about 20-30% carriers in India are due to vertical transmission.  But even seven years after the Health Ministry approved the birth dose in 2008, its coverage remained low — 45% in 2015 and 60% in 2016  In the case of institutional delivery, the birth dose vaccine coverage is low — 76.36% in 2017. One of the reasons for the low coverage is the fear of wastage of vaccine when a 10-dose vial is used. Unfortunately, health-care workers are very often unaware of the WHO recommendation that allows hepatitis B open-vial policy.(  Opened vials of hepatitis B vaccine can be kept for a maximum duration of 28 days for use in other children if the vaccine meets certain conditions) National Viral Hepatitis Control Program The National Action Plan was developed by experts from across the country, in line with India’s commitment and keeping the global perspective in mind.  The Plan provides a strategic framework, based on which National Viral Hepatitis Control Program was framed and launched in July, 2018 under National Health Mission by Ministry of Health & Family Welfare.  This program is also in line with our global commitment towards achieving Sustainable development Goal (SDG) 3.3. India has affirmed this commitment at the 69th World Health Assembly. The aim of the program is to combat hepatitis and achieve countrywide elimination of Hepatitis C by 2030, achieve significant reduction in the infected population, morbidity and mortality associated with Hepatitis B and C viz. Cirrhosis and Hepato-cellular carcinoma (liver cancer) and Hepatitis A and E. A National Steering Committee was formed to formulate the National Action Plan for Viral Hepatitis in January 2017. Various working groups were formed which looked at various thematic areas. The Plan was formed in consultation with nearly 110 experts, program managers, state officials and community members. The Technical Guidelines is intended to serve as a reference document for practising physicians and provide standardized testing and treatment protocols to ensure consistency in diagnosing and treatment of the disease, in the scientifically most appropriate and cost-effective manner. This will be taken down to the lowest level of health care through the Ayushman Bharat programme The preventive, promotive and curative interventions need to come together, especially since symptoms for Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C often remain dormant for long. Vaccination against Hepatitis B to the health care workers and high-risk population will also be initiated under this program. No child should suffer from Hepatitis B. Use of social media and field outreach through mobile vans of the Ministry of I&B; to improve public awareness on the disease. Conclusion: India is one of the few countries in the world to roll out management of Hepatitis B and hepatitis C in a public health approach and offer free diagnostics and drugs lifelong to its beneficiaries. Integrating the interventions within the existing health systems framework under National Health Mission are further complementing the efforts of increasing access to testing and management of viral hepatitis. Coordination and collaboration with other national programs and schemes to provide a promotive, preventive and curative package of services will further augment the government of India’s determined efforts towards achieving the goal. Connecting the dots: “Only healthy people can build a strong and prosperous nation”. Comment. Can Ayushman Bharat prove to be a game changer? Discuss. SECURITY TOPIC:General studies 3: Various Security forces and agencies and their mandate. Role of external state and non-state actors (extremists) in creating challenges to internal security. Security challenges and their management in border areas Chief of Defence Staff: Going forward In news: The recent decision to appoint a Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), or Permanent Chief of the Chiefs of Staff Committee, satisfies a long-standing demand of the strategic community in India.  Post the announcement of the decision, a high-powered panel has been set up by the government under the National Security Advisor (NSA) to draw up the charter of duties of the CDS and to implement the decision. The blueprint for its operationalisation would require intensive deliberation to make sure that no aspect of its implementation is left unaddressed. Structure: The three service chiefs are expected to retain the operational role, but they would be answerable to the CDS, who is most likely to have direct control over the tri-services strategic, space, cyber and special forces commands. He is also expected to spearhead military diplomacy. In a nutshell, he would be responsible for overall defence preparedness and function as the single-point military advisor to the government. Way forward: For CDS to be able to discharge all, or even some of, these functions, several structural and functional changes will have to be made. To begin with, he will need an organisational set up. A lean and thin organisation, with officer-oriented work culture, is needed as it will be less prone to bureaucratic lethargy.  The functions to be carried out by the CDS will need to be specified unambiguously. It will be a challenge to strike the right balance between empowering the CDS sufficiently enough to discharge the functions assigned to him and overloading him with an unmanageable charter. Depending on what roles are finally assigned, a number of functions presently being performed by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) will have to be transferred to his jurisdiction. The modality of their transfer will need to be worked out to prevent disruption in work. The question whether the manpower handling such functions in the MoD should also be transferred will need careful consideration. It may not be desirable to transfer en masse the civilian staff and officers – some of them on deputation from various civil services – who for long have been accused of lack of professional knowledge, expertise and empathy required for carrying out the functions assigned to them. This is not going to change merely by bringing them under the administrative control of the CDS.  The CDS would require to interact not only with MoD  but also with several other ministries, including External Affairs and Finance, and also with functionaries like the Cabinet Secretary, Defence Secretary, and the National Security Advisor. It would be desirable to lay down protocols and standard operating procedures for such interactions to ensure smooth functioning of the new dispensation under a non-obtrusive system of checks and balances, and to pre-empt contretemps over status, authority and responsibility of various functionaries and organisations. Since one of the most important functions of the CDS would be to build up the capability of the armed forces, the existing capital procurement system will need to be re-engineered.  CDS would undoubtedly require financial powers for carrying out whatever other functions are assigned to him. The present system of stratified delegation of financial powers under the revenue segment to the armed forces down the line, while retaining some powers in the MoD, is flawed. Full financial powers must be delegated to the CDS and other functionaries in the armed forces.  The CDS is likely to face severe constraints in resource allocation as the need for funds projected by the armed forces has routinely been far higher than the budgetary allocations. The scheme for implementation must require the Ministry of Finance to indicate long-term availability of funds and the CDS to draw up defence plans within the indicated financial parameters. This could well be the biggest challenge for the CDS as he will have to withstand the pressure from the Service Chiefs, as operational commanders, for higher allocation to meet their service-specific requirement. Conclusion: The CDS cannot be a panacea for all problems faced by the defence establishment. However, an effective implementation of the blueprint of the plan by the panel will help Indian defence system to undergo much needed and long-waited reform. Connecting the dots: The recent decision to appoint a Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) satisfies a long-standing demand of the strategic community in India. Critically analyze. (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 Eastern Economic Forum EEF is an international forum established by Russia in 1991 to support the economic development of Russia’s Far East  The Russian Far East comprises the eastern Russian territory between Lake Baikal in eastern Siberia and the Pacific Ocean Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.2) Nuakhai festival is observed in which part of India? Western Odisha Nagaland Punjab None of the above Q.3) Consider the following statements  CBI derives power to investigate from the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act, 1946. Director of CBI has been provided security of two-year tenure in CBI by the CVC Act, 2003 The CVC Act also provides mechanism for selection of Director of CBI and other officers of the rank of SP and above in CBI. Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct? 1 and 2 only 2 and 3 only 1 and 3 only 1,2 and 3 Q.4) Consider the following statements The Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD) is implementing POSHAN Abhiyaan Union Government is celebrating the entire month of September as “Rashtriya Poshan Maah” to emphasise the need for healthy nutrition.  Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Must Read: Interesting, but risky The Hindu Restoring the bond  Indian Express Teaching in the time of consumerism  The Hindu Putting the pedal to the metal  The Hindu

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UPSC Quiz - 2020 : IAS Daily Current Affairs Quiz Day 65

UPSC Quiz - 2020 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz Day 65 Archives Q.1) Consider the following statements with respect to ‘Dadabhai Naoroji’ He was among the key proponents of the ‘Drain of Wealth Theory’. He was the Congress president three times. Select the correct statements 1 Only 2 Only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.2) ‘Enforcement Directorate is under the aegis of Ministry of Finance Ministry of Home Affairs Ministry of Corporate Affairs Ministry of Defence Q.3) Consider the following statements with respect to ‘Institute of Eminence’ They would be able to admit over 50 per cent of foreign students on merit and deciding the fee charged from foreign students will also be their prerogative They will have the flexibility of course structure in terms of number of credit hours and years to take a degree. Select the correct statements 1 Only 2 Only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.4) "Act Far East" policy is associated with Russia Australia ASEAN Taiwan and Hong Kong Q.5) Consider the following statements with respect to ‘'The Eat Right Movement’ It is launched by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) It was launched to combat negative nutritional trends to fight lifestyle diseases. Select the correct statements 1 Only 2 Only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 To Download the Solution - Click here All the Best  IASbaba

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Daily Current Affairs IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 5th September 2019

IAS UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 5th September 2019 Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) Part of: GS Prelims and GS-III – Security In News The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) declared four individuals - Masood Azhar, Hafiz Saeed, Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi and Dawood Ibrahim - as terrorists under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967. UAPA was first enacted in 1967 and amended in 2004,2008,2012 and 2019. Some of the key provisions of amended act are It empowers the government to designate individuals as terrorists. Previously, only an organisation could be designated as one. It empowers the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to seize properties, which previously required permission from the Director General of Police. It allows NIA officers, of the rank of Inspector or above, to investigate cases. Before only DySP or ACP or above could do so. Opposition parties have raised concern over the 2019 amendment act, saying it could also be misused against political opponents and civil society activists who spoke against the government may be branded as “terrorists.” Do You Know? NIA was created after the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks with the enactment of the National Investigation Agency Act 2008. NIA is the Central Counter Terrorism Law Enforcement Agency of India and it works under overall guidance of Ministry of Home Affairs. Jurisdiction of NIA: The agency is empowered to deal with terror related crimes across states without special permission from the states. A State Government may request the Central Government to hand over the investigation of a case to the NIA, provided the case has been registered for the offences as contained in the schedule to the NIA Act. NIA has registered and investigated 244 cases till date. After submission of charge sheets, 37 cases have been finally or partially decided in trial. Of these, 35 cases have ended in conviction giving NIA an enviable conviction percentage of 91.3%. Apache helicopters Part of: GS Prelims and Mains GS-III - Security In News The Indian Air Force (IAF) formally inducted 8 US-made Apache AH-64E helicopters at Pathankot Air Force station In September 2015, IAF had signed a multi-billion dollar contract with US government and Boeing Ltd for 22 Apache helicopters.  The first 8 helicopters have been delivered on schedule and last batch of helicopters is to be delivered by March 2020. Apache attack helicopters are being purchased to replace the Mi-35 fleet and will be deployed in the Western regions of India. Apache is one of world’s most advanced multi-role combat helicopters, some of its features include: Capability to shoot fire and forget anti-tank guided missiles, air to air missiles, rockets and other ammunitions. Capable of delivering variety of weapons such as: air to ground Hellfire missiles, 70 mm Hydra rockets and air to air Stinger missiles It has modern EW (Electronic Warfare) capabilities to provide versatility to helicopter in a network centric aerial warfare  These are day/night, all weather capable and have high agility and survivability against battle damage. ASEAN-US Maritime Exercise (AUMX) Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains II – International Affairs In News The first AUMX between the ASEAN regional bloc and U.S. kicked off at the Sattahip Naval Base in Thailand. It will see participation of navies of USA and all 10 members of ASEAN - Thailand, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore and Vietnam Navies of these countries will take part in the naval exercises which include boarding of target vessels to simulate search and seizure. The exercise will stretch into international waters in Southeast Asia, including Gulf of Thailand and South China Sea and conclude in Singapore. This mega maritime exercise comes at a time of stepped-up US engagement in region and tensions between China, US and Southeast Asian nations over South China Sea (SCS). Do You Know? China is claiming its sovereignty over much of SCS by invoking its so-called nine-dash line as supposed historical justification to the waters, which are key global shipping route.  Its claim is overlapping parts of SCS are claimed by Brunei, Malaysia, Vietnam and Philippines. https://en.reseauinternational.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/07/nine-dash-line-china.jpg Dadabhai Naoroji Part of: GS Prelims and Mains GS-I – Modern Indian History In News September 4, 2019 was the 194th birth anniversary of Dadabhai Naoroji, the “Grand Old Man of India” He was among the first leaders who stirred national consciousness in the country. Naoroji was a professor of Gujarati, mathematics, and natural philosophy, and also worked as a businessman. Naoroji began rousing public opinion in England on Indian issues in 1855, after he moved from India to Liverpool for business During this period, Naoroji worked closely with Irish leaders in England, who found common cause with the Indian nationalist movement. In 1865 and 1866, Naoroji helped found the London Indian Society and the East India Association respectively.  First Indian member of the British parliament : Naoroji first ran for the British Parliament in 1886, but did not get elected. His second bid in 1892 was successful, when he won the Central Finsbury seat on a Liberal Party ticket. In 1893, he helped form an Indian parliamentary committee to attend to Indian interests. The membership of the committee significantly grew in numbers in the coming years, becoming an important lobbying force. Dadabhai Naoroji was among the key proponents of the ‘Drain Theory’, disseminating it in his 1901 book ‘Poverty and Un-British Rule in India’ (MAINS FOCUS) HEALTH Topic: General studies 2 Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources. Issues relating to poverty and hunger. Screening for communicable diseases Context: In India, screening for disease is usually associated with non-communicable rather than communicable diseases. However, Since August 2019, India has embarked on a large-scale plan to screen all children for leprosy and tuberculosis.  Concerns: Both diseases are infectious and India has a substantial burden — its tuberculosis burden is the highest in the world.  Children tend to be more prone to catching infectious diseases from their peers because of long hours in confined spaces and more bodily contact than in adults.  Why screening of the two diseases is necessary? Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae. It usually affects the skin and peripheral nerves, but has a wide range of clinical manifestations. The disease is characterised by a long incubation period that is generally 5-7 years. It is a leading cause of permanent physical disability. Timely diagnosis and treatment of cases, before nerve damage has occurred, is the most effective way of preventing disability due to leprosy. Tuberculosis infection, caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, is one of the most common communicable diseases in India, its transmission fuelled by unhygienic, crowded living conditions. It is said that most Indians carry the bacterium and the infection flares up when their immunity levels are low, like when they are malnourished or suffering from conditions like AIDS in which the body’s immune system is compromised. Statistics in India: India eliminated leprosy in 2005 — WHO defines elimination as an incidence rate of less than one case per 10,000 population.  All states except Chhattisgarh and the Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli have eliminated leprosy. However, 1.15 lakh to 1.2 lakh new leprosy cases are still detected every year, Health Ministry officials said. TB kills an estimated 4,80,000 Indians every year — an average over 1,300 every day. Why the disease prevalence is more? India also has more than a million “missing” cases every year that are not notified. Most remain either undiagnosed or unaccountably and inadequately diagnosed and treated in the private sector. The problem in the latter case is that many of these patients do not complete the full course of the antibiotic, thus exposing the bacterium to the medicine without fully killing it.  This is trigger enough for the bacterium to evolve into a version of itself that is resistant to that particular drug. Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram Launched in 2013 under the National Health Mission (NHM), is focused on preventing disease and disability in children.  This initiative is aimed at screening children from 0 to 18 years for 4Ds - Defects at birth, Diseases, Deficiencies and Development Delays including Disabilities.  Children diagnosed with illnesses shall receive follow up including surgeries at tertiary level, free of cost under NHM.  Conclusion: Until now, neither leprosy nor TB were a part of the programme. In 2017, India had set a target of elimination of leprosy by 2018, going by the Budget speech that year. The deadline has passed but leprosy remains a challenge in a country that launched the National Leprosy Eradication Programme way back in 1955. For tuberculosis, the global Sustainable Development Goal target is to end the disease is 2030. However, there is a new urgency in India’s TB control efforts since last year, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi  suo motu advanced the deadline for India to end TB to 2025. Connecting the dots: Discuss the measures taken by Government of India to control communicable diseases? (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) He was a professor of Gujarati, mathematics, and natural philosophy. He moved from India to Liverpool for business and began rousing public opinion on Indian issues. He was the first Indian to get elected to British Parliament on Labour Party ticket. He helped form an Indian parliamentary committee which became an important lobbying force for Indian interest. He acted as a liaison between nationalist Indians and British parliamentarians. Identify the Indian National leader mentioned in the above write-up. Shapurji Dorabji Saklatvala Dadabhai Naoroji Sir Macherjee M. Bhownaggree None of the above Q.2) Nine-dash line often seen in news is related to which of the following? Border of North Korea & South Korea Israel-Palestine Conflict South China Sea None of the above Q.3) Consider the following statements  Only an organisation could be designated as terrorist under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. NIA is the Central Counter Terrorism Law Enforcement Agency of India and it works under overall guidance of Ministry of Defence Which of the statement(s) given above is/are incorrect? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Must Read: Tending to the heart  The Hindu Let it slide  Indian Express India’s climate score: high on vulnerability, low on resilience The Hindu Making India an arbitration hub Financial express

Daily Prelims CA Quiz

UPSC Quiz - 2020 : IAS Daily Current Affairs Quiz Day 64

UPSC Quiz - 2020 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz Day 64 Archives Q.1) ‘Team 9’ is associated with India and  West Arica ASEAN South America East Europe Q.2) ‘PAROS Treaty’ was in news recently. What is it associated with Deep Sea Mining Arctic Region Outer Space  High Seas Q.3) Consider the following statements with respect to ‘Conference on Disarmament (CD)’ It was formally inducted into the United Nations in 1998 India is a member country of the Conference. Select the correct statements 1 Only 2 Only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.4) ‘Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism’ was first proposed by India Russia United States of America France Q.5) ‘Bishkek Declaration’ is associated with ASEAN Shanghai Cooperation Organisation MERCOSUR BIMSTEC To Download the Solution - Click here All the Best  IASbaba

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RSTV IAS UPSC – Innovation Index 2019

Innovation Index 2019 Archives TOPIC: General Studies 3 Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization, of resources, growth, development In news: India improved its ranking in Global Innovation Index, 2019 by five notches to 52nd position in a survey of innovative capacity among 129 countries by the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO). India also outperformed on innovation relative to its GDP per capita for nine consecutive years, only matched by three other countries. (Vietnam, Republic of Moldova, and Kenya) While Switzerland continued to top the ranking, Israel (10) was the only new entrant in the top 10 ranking, China further improved its ranking to 17th position from 20th last year. India has improved its innovation ranking from 29 spots in last five years from 81th position in 2014 to 52th position in 2019. In comparison, India’s rank in World Bank’s Doing Business survey has improved 65 spots to 77th position in 2018. In Detail India improved its ranking in four out of seven pillars of GII, such as knowledge and technology outputs (up 11 spots to 32nd), market sophistication (up 3 spots to 33rd), human capital and research (up 3 spots to 53rd), institutions (up 3 spots to 77th). By contrast, in business sophistication (65th), infrastructure (79th), creative outputs (78th), it lost one, two and three spots respectively. The Jumps In the “knowledge and technology outputs" pillar, which saw the highest 11 spot jump, India’s ranking improved for IP-related variables, notably patents by origin (52nd) and PCT patents by origin under Patent Cooperation Treaty (51st), and IP receipts (50th). In this pillar, India maintained its top position in ICT (information and communications technology) services exports, where it ranks 1st in the world, and in labor productivity growth with 4th position. India ranks 2nd among the middle-income economies, with top positions in quality of universities and in quality of scientific publications. Indian Institute of Technology situated in Bombay, Bengaluru and Delhi occupied the 8th, 9th and 10th rank respectively among the top 10 universities in the middle income countries. In “Human capital and research" pillar, two important variables have improved for India: Gross expenditure on R&D; (50th) and expenditure by global R&D; companies (15th) which is a relative strength for the country. “India is consistently among the top in the world in innovation drivers such as ICT services exports, Graduates in science & engineering, the quality of universities, Gross capital formation—a measure of economy-wide investments—and Creative goods exports. India also stands out in the GII ranking of the world’s top science and technology clusters, with Bengaluru, Mumbai, and New Delhi featuring prominently among the global top 100 clusters. Given its size—and if progress is upheld—India will make a true impact on global innovation in the years to come," the report said. The lows Among the sub-pillars, where India lost relative strength to other countries, the largest drops are found in logistics performance (down 9 spots to 43rd), Females employed with advanced degrees (down 10 spots to 103rd) and Printing and other media (down 12 spots to 88th). “While India improved in the GII ranking, some relative weaknesses still persist. These include Environmental performance (125th), New businesses (100th), and Entertainment and media market 60th)," the report said. The Way Forward Improvement in innovation index is great, but India must do more. India needs to boost its innovation ecosystem by intertwining among various stakeholders like the government, industry, academia and society to transform India as an attractive innovation destination.  Although the STEM talent pool in India is large, a large section of this pool may not be of high-quality. Moreover, the GER at the tertiary education level in India is a low 26% meaning, a vast reserve of potential research talent is lost. Thus, while India is within touching distance of breaking into the top-50 innovator countries in the world, it is still quite far from a China, which filed, for instance, 53,345 patent applications with the WIPO in 2018 versus India’s 2,013. India is an odd juxtaposition of stellar successes like the Chandrayaan and digital payments and a large number of unemployable engineering graduates and institutes that have virtually no autonomy. Take lessons from Israel Israel has entered into the top 10 list — first by any country from the Northern Africa and West Asia region. It was not an easy journey for the ‘Startup Nation’ which has given the world innovations such as drip irrigation, USB drive, firewall (cyber security) and precision farming to name a few. Israel, which came into being around the same time as India in 1948, has a lot of lessons to offer for its ally — especially when it comes to converting challenges into a competitive advantage. With a population of just 8.5 million, it has a very small domestic market. Its policy-makers decided early to invest in human intellectual capital and create a knowledge-based economy. By doing so they hoped that Israel could become home to technology focussed industries that do not depend on natural resources that their country sorely lacks while, at the same time, offering products that could be easily exported (despite an unfriendly neighbourhood) to meet the demand anywhere in the world. They began by investing in a strong education system. Today, Israel spends 7 per cent of its GDP on education. Over 45 per cent of its adults complete tertiary education. Its investment in R&D; is the highest in the world (4.2 per cent of its GDP) with a third of that going into universities. Israel has the largest number of hi-tech startups per capita than any other country in the world. Tel Aviv houses the second largest startup eco-system after Silicon Valley. Not surprising that, hi-tech exports accounts for 45 per cent of its overall exports. To tackle the security issue that comes from being surrounded by enemies and constantly fighting terrorism, the country invested heavily in cutting-edge technologies. Today, the Israeli military is a national incubator and a significant catalyst for innovation. Faced with adversities, Israeli’s are never happy with status quo and constantly try to improve things. This has given birth to a trait they call ‘chutzpah’. Failure is accepted in the society and you are encouraged to try again. It helps that mentoring is a deeply entrenched habit. Like Israel, India needs to invest heavily in education and R&D.; Our investment in R&D; is a paltry 0.7 per cent of GDP. Very little of this goes to universities considering that a bulk of public R&D; goes into space, energy and defence sectors. China, another large economy, has managed to up its R&D; investment from 1.3 per cent in 2006 to 2.18 per cent in 2018. So size is not an issue here. It is just the intent. Many experts have faulted India’s innovation that focusses on getting products and services to people at an affordable cost, rather than aiming for global leadership. They are wrong. Solving India’s challenge will eventually open opportunities for Indian enterprises globally. That is exactly what Israel did. Note The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) has been orchestrating initiatives towards creating and fostering innovation among the Indian industry and encouraging entrepreneurial ventures. Global Innovation Index The GII has been jointly developed by the WIPO, Cornell University and Paris-based business school Insead and includes more than 80 indicators exploring a broad vision of innovation, including political environment, education, infrastructure and business sophistication. This year’s GII theme “Creating Healthy Lives: The Future of Medical Innovation” is important and relevant for India because we would need a strong focus on medical innovation towards the goal of bringing healthcare and its delivery to all Indians. This year, India is hosting the launch of the 2019 edition of the GII. India is also currently engaged in opening WIPO-supported Technology and Innovation Support Centers (TISCs) in the country, which will help local innovators and creators research and market their products. In 2016, India created a high-level Task Force on Innovation to improve its innovation system based on the GII metrics. In collaboration with WIPO, the first India Innovation Index — focusing on ranking Indian States — was released in 2018.

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Daily Current Affairs IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 4th September 2019

IAS UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 4th September 2019 Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) Mussels Part of: GS Prelims and GS-III – Environment Conservation In News Mussels are a small, edible sea animal that has a dark shell with two parts that close tightly together As they pump and filter the water through their gills in order to feed and breathe, mussels store almost everything else that passes through.  Mussels thus act as 'super-filters', taking in phytoplankton for nourishment along with microplastics, pesticides and other pollutants Scientists are deploying mussels across the oceans to absorb microplastics and other pollutants in the fight against water pollution. Mussels have long been used as "bio-indicators" of the health of the seas, lakes and rivers they inhabit. A recent report by WWF said that humans ingest an average of five grams of microplastics a week, about the weight of a credit card. Secondary market for corporate loans Part of GS Prelims and Mains GS-II - Economy In News A task force set up by RBI and headed by Canara Bank chairman T.N. Manoharan submitted its report on the development of a secondary market for corporate loans The committee noted that factors that impeded development of this market were absence of a systematic loan sales platform, lack of standardisation in documentation and legal factors and lack of active participants. Some of the suggestions made by task force are: Setting up of a self-regulatory body (SRB), which will oversee the proposed secondary market. SRB’s role will be to standardize loan documentation and covenants, standardization of practices, and promote growth, liquidity, efficiency and transparency of the proposed secondary market  The SRB may be set up as an association of market participants, and may be incorporated as a Section 8 company under the Companies Act, 2013. Setting up a central loan contract registry Setting up of an online loan sales platform to conduct auctions of secondary market loans.  Amendments in regulations issued by SEBI, IRDA and PFRDA to enable participation of non-banking entities such as mutual funds, insurance companies and pension fund. Do You Know? Section 8 Company is a company registered under the Companies Act, 2013 for charitable or not-for-profit purposes. In India, banks sell their stressed loans to the asset reconstruction companies, and has practically no other alternatives. However, globally, there is a healthy secondary market for corporate loans where banks can offload their loans to a willing investor at appropriate price. Ethanol Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains III - Economy In News The CCEA, chaired by PM, has given its approval for “fixing higher ethanol price derived from different raw materials" under the ethanol blended petrol (EBP) programme for the forthcoming sugar season 2019-20 The price of ethanol from C heavy molasses route be increased from Rs.43.46 per lit to Rs.43.75 per litre The price of ethanol from sugarcane juice/sugar/sugar syrup route be fixed at Rs.59.48 per litre, Remunerative price to ethanol suppliers will help in reduction of cane farmer’s arrears, in the process contributing to minimizing difficulty of sugarcane farmers. Increased ethanol blending in petrol has many benefits including reduction in import dependency, support to agricultural sector, more environmental friendly fuel, lesser pollution and additional income to farmers. Do You Know? Differential price of ethanol based on raw material (started in 2018) has significantly improved the supply of ethanol to Public Sector OMCs – from 38 crore litre in 2013-14 to over 200 crore litre in 2018-19. India, the world’s third-largest oil importer, witnessed a 25% year-on-year increase in its oil import bill in FY18 to $109 billion. In March 2015, India has set a target of lowering import dependence in oil by 10 percentage points to 67% by 2022. In July, the Union cabinet had approved the creation of a buffer stock of 4 million tonnes sugar at an estimated cost of ₹1,674 crore.  This was aimed at increasing the wholesale prices of sugar and improving cash flow to sugar mills, which in turn would help mill owners to clear the dues of farmers. REPLAN (Reducing plastic in Nature) Part of: GS Prelims and Mains GS-III – Environmental Conservation In News Khadi and Village Industries Commission’s (KVIC) REPLAN project has completed one year. REPLAN project aims to remove existing waste plastic material from nature. In this project, the waste plastic is collected, chopped, cleaned, beaten and treated for softness. After that, it is mixed with paper raw material i.e. cotton rags pulp in ratio of 80 % (pulp) and 20% (plastic waste) The project was launched in September 2018 as part of KVIC’s commitment to Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan and has so far sold over 6 lakh handmade plastic mixed carry bags KVIC manufactures plastic-mixed handmade paper at its Kumarappa National Handmade Paper Institute (KNHPI) in Jaipur, Rajasthan.  KVIC is statutory body established under the Khadi and Village Industries Commission Act of 1956.  KVIC works under Union Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MAINS FOCUS) INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS  TOPIC: General studies 2 Policies of developed and developing countries and their impact on India’s interests. Bilateral and multilateral agreements and their impact on India’s interests. Putting the skids under border trade Context: The India-Pakistan face-off is having more repercussions than intended, with border economies the worst hit Concerns: In February 2019, in the wake of the Pulwama attack, India decided to withdraw the Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status to Pakistan; subsequently, it imposed 200% customs duty on all Pakistani goods coming into India In April, India suspended trade across the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir citing misuse of the trade route by Pakistan-based elements More recently, post the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Bill, Pakistan cut off diplomatic and economic ties with India — expelling the Indian envoy, partially shutting airspace and suspending bilateral trade. The impact : In 2018-19, bilateral trade between India and Pakistan was valued at $2.5 billion — India’s exports to Pakistan accounted for $2.06 billion and India’s imports from Pakistan were at $495 million.  India’s decision vis-à-vis withdrawal of MFN status and imposition of 200% duty has hurt Pakistan’s exports to India, falling from an average of $45 million per month in 2018 to $2.5 million per month in the last four months. The quantum of loss that has been incurred by traders in both India and Pakistan has varied according to the nature of trade and the trade route Example: Amritsar is land-locked, is not a metropolis and traditionally has no significant industry. Hence, any decision on India-Pakistan trade has a direct impact on the local economy and the people of Amritsar. Since February, according to estimates on ground, 5,000 families have been directly affected in Amritsar because of breadwinner dependence on bilateral trade. Traders and their staff members, customs house agents (CHAs), freight forwarders, labour force, truck operators, dhaba owners, fuel stations, and other service providers are closing shop and going out of business. With Pakistan deciding to completely suspend bilateral trade, exports of cotton from India to Pakistan are expected to be affected the most, eventually hurting Pakistan’s textiles; The lawn industry which will now have to source pricier cotton from alternative markets in the United States, Australia, Egypt or Central Asia There is a high possibility that Indian cotton, along with other products, will be routed through third countries such as the United Arab Emirates and Singapore, thereby increasing the share of indirect trade which is estimated to be more than double the direct trade between India and Pakistan. Conclusion: While the overall economies of the two countries may very well manage to stay afloat despite the suspension of economic ties, it is the local economies that will suffer the most and are already perishing. In this connection, there has been a loss in business, rise in prices, lack of alternative sources of livelihood, as well as an expected increase in bank defaults.  In the spirit of nationalism, the trade fraternity on both sides, by and large, has stood by their respective governments. But locals in border economies on both sides have mouths to feed, which calls for a solution. Connecting the dots: Discuss the impact of recent bilateral suspension of trade ties between India and Pakistan? What is the ‘Most Favoured Nation’ status? Should India revoke the MFN status given to Pakistan? Critically 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) Who among the following headed the task force constituted by RBI for development of Secondary market for corporate loans? Subhash Chandra Garg Bimal Jalan T.N. Manoharan  None of the above Q.2) Consider the following statements Scientists are deploying mussels (sea animal that has a dark shell) across the oceans to absorb microplastics and other pollutants in the fight against water pollution. Mussels have been used as "bio-indicators" of the health of the seas, lakes and rivers they inhabit. 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  KVIC is statutory body established under the Khadi and Village Industries Commission Act of 1956. KVIC works under Union Ministry of textiles Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 MUST READ: India faces higher mortality from cardiovascular diseases The Hindu The world’s most happening place Indian express In ethanol, government’s sugar solution  Indian express In Japan, Rajnath discusses Indo-Pacific cooperation The Hindu

Daily Prelims CA Quiz

UPSC Quiz - 2020 : IAS Daily Current Affairs Quiz Day 63

UPSC Quiz - 2020 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz Day 63 Archives Q.1) ‘ANDREX Project’ was in news recently. What is it associated with? Cryptocurrency Antarctic Arctic Mining Andes Mountain Range Q.2) Consider the following statements with respect to ‘AIDA Mission’ It is a joint international collaboration of the European Space Agency (ESA) and Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) It aims to deflect the smaller part of a double asteroid dubbed Didymos. Select the correct statements 1 Only 2 Only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.3) ‘Khadi and Village Industries Commission’ is under the aegis of which of the following ministries? Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Ministry of Commerce and Industry Ministry of Jal Shakti Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment Q.4) Lake Urmia is located in Armenia Azerbaijan Iraq Iran Q.5) Which one of the following groups of items is included in India's Foreign Exchange Reserves? Foreign-currency assets, gold holdings of the RBI and Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) Foreign-currency assets, Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) and loans from foreign countries Foreign currency assets, loans from the World Bank and Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) Foreign currency assets, gold holdings of the RBI and loans from the World Bank To Download the Solution - Click here All the Best  IASbaba

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