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Daily Prelims CA Quiz

UPSC Quiz - 2020 : IAS Daily Current Affairs Quiz Day 49

UPSC Quiz - 2020 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz Day 49 Archives Q.1) ‘Golden Butterfly’ which was in news recently is a variety of Tea Coffee Cotton Rice Q.2) Consider the following statements with respect to ‘AKRUTI’ It enables and empowers villages with eco-sustainable Science & Technology based work plan for Techno-economic growth. It is an initiative by the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) Select the correct code: 1 Only 2 Only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.3) Consider the following statements  Operation Thunderbird is code-name of INTERPOL’s multinational and multi-species enforcement operation for wildlife protection Operation Save Kurma is a specific operation on Mangroves Select the correct statement 1 Only 2 Only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.4) Sigur Plateau’ was recently in news. Where is it located? South Karnataka Southern Slope of Vindhyas Vidarbha region of Maharashtra Nilgiris Q.5) Consider the following statements with respect to ‘Raibenshe’  It is a genre of Indian folk martial dance performed by male only It is primarily performed in Arunachal Pradesh 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

Daily Current Affairs IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 14th August 2019

IAS UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 14th August 2019 Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) Perseids Meteor shower Part of: GS Prelims and Mains GS-I - Geography In News The Perseid meteors appears as streaks of light in the sky.  These start around every year around late July and will peak on August 12 night to August 13.  The meteor shower appears as the Earth passes through the cosmic dust left by the comet Swift-Tuttle. The Perseids are widely sought after by astronomers and stargazers because most years at its peak, one can see 60 to 100 meteors in an hour from a dark place.  They are visible in the Northern Hemisphere and can be viewed in skies all across.  As NASA explains, Meteor showers take their name from the location of the radiant. The Perseid radiant is in the constellation Perseus.  For example, the Geminid meteor shower, which is observed each December, is named for a radiant in the onstellation Gemini. Repo-linked deposit and lending rates Part of: GS Prelims and Mains GS II- Indian Economy In News Public sectors banks(PSB) SBI, Syndicate Bank, Bank of India, Union Bank and Allahabad Bank have announced to link their deposits and loans to the repo rate. The RBI has been looking at various ways in which banks can be made to transmit repo rate cuts to depositors and borrowers. Given that banks source only about 1 per cent of their funds from RBI’s repo window and the bulk of deposits from the public, PSBs used to complain that they cannot slash their lending rates unless their deposit rates also reduced. Curbing inflation or stimulating growth by raising or lowering the repo rate is the key objective of monetary policy. However, hikes or reductions in the repo rate by India’s Monetary Policy Committee have had only a marginal impact on the economy because of the partial transmission of these cuts by banks. This action of PSBs linking savings account interest rates to the repo rate partly solves this problem of transmission of rate cuts by RBI Using an external benchmark like the repo rate makes the process more transparent to retail borrowers and depositors. On the flip side, both savings bank account and loan rates will swing with the repo rate making it volatile. Concern: SBI, for instance, applies it only to depositors who have a balance of over Rs 1 lakh in their savings accounts. This make up less than 10% of its deposit base and is bound to lead to partial transmission. Do You know? Repo Rate is the rate at which the RBI lends money to commercial banks Decrease in deposit rate will discourage people to deposit their savings in bank deposits and instead adopt informal channels like gold.  Decrease in lending rate will boost credit uptake and increase the investment & production activity in an economy. Regulatory sandbox Part of: GS Prelims and Mains GS III- Economy In News The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) issued the final framework for regulatory sandbox A regulatory sandbox usually refers to live testing of new products or services in a controlled/test regulatory environment for which regulators may permit certain regulatory relaxations for the limited purpose of the testing. The objective of the sandbox was to foster responsible innovation in financial services, promote efficiency and bring benefit to consumers. RBI will launch the sandbox for entities that meet the criteria of minimum net worth of ₹25 lakh as per their latest audited balance sheet The entity should either be a company incorporated and registered in the country or banks licensed to operate in India. While money transfer services, digital know-your customer, financial inclusion and cybersecurity products are included, crypto currency, credit registry and credit information have been left out. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Part of: GS Prelims and Mains GS-III – Indian Economy In News Centre had recently amended the Company Law to make CSR spend mandatory for companies. It also stipulated that non-compliance could be treated as a criminal offence and attract penalties. A High-Level Committee CSR constituted in Sep 2018 under the chairmanship of Injeti Srinivas to review the existing framework on CSR has submitted its report Some of its recommendations include CSR spends should be eligible for tax deduction under the income tax law. Currently, income tax law does not allow CSR spends as tax deductible amount. Allowing the carry-forward of unspent balance for a period of 3-5 years Aligning Schedule 7 of the Companies Act (which outlines the kinds of activities that qualify as CSR) with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Companies having CSR-prescribed amount below ₹50 lakh may be exempted from constituting a CSR Committee Violation of CSR compliance may be made a civil offence and shifted to the penalty regime. Introducing impact assessment studies for CSR obligations of ₹5 crore Registration of implementation agencies on the Ministry of Corporate Affairs portal RENEWABLE ENERGY TOPIC: General Studies 3 Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation Infrastructure: Energy Indigenization of technology and developing new technology. Solar energy-KUSUM scheme Concern: The World Bank predicts that around 60% of the aquifers in India will be in a critical state by 2032 if we do not change the current practice of overexploitation of groundwater for irrigation. Large-scale deployment of solar pumps, without a comprehensive plan to monitor and control water usage, is likely to make this prediction a reality Renewable energy: The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) recently rolled out a massive solar-pump programme called the PM-KUSUM scheme. The scheme has a target to set up 25,750 megawatts (MW) solar capacity by 2022 to power irrigation pumps, with central financial support of Rs 34,422 crore. It includes installation of 1.75 million off-grid and 1 million on-grid solar pumps as well as 10,000 MW of solar capacity in rural areas through decentralised ground-mounted plants of 0.5 MW to 2 MW capacity. These plants will be used to solarise the rural grid. This rapid transition is possible because the scheme makes buying pumps extremely affordable for medium-sized and large farmers. With 30% subsidy from the central and state government each and provision to take bank loans for 30% of the cost, farmers have to sell out only 10% of the cost to buy solar pumps Positives of the scheme: It increases farmers’ income in the short term.  As solar power is cheaper than diesel, in states like Bihar, where farmers largely use diesel pumps, off-grid solar pumps will reduce the cost of irrigation significantly. This will allow farmers to grow more crops, even the water-intensive ones, at a lower cost of cultivation, thereby increasing income. In Punjab, where electric pumps dominate and the power subsidy to the agricultural sector is about `7000 crore annually, solarisation of agriculture feeders will reduce the subsidy burden significantly.  Farmers’ income will also be augmented by selling electricity from solar plants on to the discoms. The most important part of the solar pump is that the solar cycle matches the irrigation cycle. Farmers will get assured irrigation for at least six hours during day time, and they don’t have to remain awake at night to irrigate their farms (grid supply is more assured at night in most states). Negatives of the Scheme: Over exploitation of groundwater: a high possibility of overuse of these pumps, leading to groundwater depletion.  The KUSUM scheme fails to promote efficient irrigation and incorporate explicit and strict measures against groundwater exploitation.  The scheme only mentions exploring the possibility of its convergence with state-level schemes for promoting the micro-irrigation systems and energy-efficient pumps instead of mandating the same In the case of solarisation of agriculture feeders, the implications can be even more disastrous. Currently, states like Punjab and Haryana bear a huge burden of agriculture power subsidy.  With solar power predicted to be at least 30% cheaper, the subsidy burden is likely to reduce significantly. This means that the state governments have even less incentive to increase agriculture tariff to conserve water when the grid is solarised. Thus, the gross overexploitation of groundwater is likely to continue. Few points to consider improving the design of the scheme: One, the central government could push massive irrigation reforms in states through this scheme. For instance, KUSUM should only be extended to states willing to take strong measures to improve irrigation efficiency and control exploitation of groundwater. Two, it must mandate micro-irrigation for solar pump beneficiaries. Groundwater extraction must be closely monitored and strict mandates on pump size and bore-well depth must be set. Supporting low water-intensive crops in water-scare regions, too, is crucial. Three, deployment of off-grid solar pumps must be restricted to areas where the grid has not reached and groundwater is abundant. Even in groundwater-abundant areas, off-grid solar pumps must be used for rural electrification or developed into community-based water sale models to maximise utilisation and reduce water wastage. Four, solarisation of rural feeders should be the preferred solution, given that it is most economical and provides additional income to farmers. However, this should be accompanied by a gradual increase in electricity tariffs, which is crucial to control groundwater exploitation and reduce the burden of agricultural subsidy. Last, given the central role of discoms, electricity regulators need to ensure that solar pumps and decentralised plants are allowed to evacuate power to the grids easily and payments are made to the farmers regularly. Conclusion: Renewable energy is clean energy, but it doesn’t always lead to green solutions. For clean energy to become green, solutions must be comprehensively designed in an integrated manner. Connecting the dots: What is the essence of ‘energy conservation’ in today’s time period? Examine the role of energy in one’s life with respect to sustainability of that source Discuss the challenges in implementing KUSUM scheme and suggest the measures for the same. (TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE) ECONOMY TOPIC: General studies 3 Economy and development; Intellectual Property Rights Context: Geographical indication can boost agriculture exports Concern:  The key concern is the value of agri-imports has surged by four percentage points, touching an all-time high of $25 billion in FY18, which can possibly surpass the value of agri-exports, thus making India a net agri-importer.  Geographical indication: An initiative India should take is branding agri-products through steps such as geographical indication (GI), especially for organically-produced commodities that would realise higher returns in global markets.  Establishing effective agricultural brands can help farmers gain a competitive advantage in ‘buyer-driven’ global markets.  Some globally recognised brands (California almonds, Chilean wines, Swiss chocolates) enjoy a high stature in their respective product groups. Branded items usually fetch better price and can lead to brand loyalty, and are seen as a move towards a strong customer base. Branding adds value by differentiating the product and also because of the consumer perception that such products are of superior quality than unbranded ones What is Geographical Indication? Geographical Indication is a genre of Intellectual Property. GI tag is an insignia on products having a unique geographical origin and evolution over centuries with regards to its special quality or reputation attributes. The status to the products marks its authenticity and ensures that registered authorised users are allowed to use the popular product name. These could be naturally grown crops like Assam Chilies or manufactured products like Jaipur Pottery. GI tags are given on the basis of the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999. The registration of GI is valid for 10 years after which it needs to be renewed. Violation of GI tags is punishable offence under law.  What are the benefits of a GI Tag? Legal protection to the products Prevents unauthorised use of a GI tag products by others Helps consumers to get quality products of desired traits Promotes economic prosperity of producers of GI tag goods by enhancing their demand in national and international markets. The GI tag allows the producers of the objects to claim a premium for their products.Thus, it is financially beneficial to them. The GI tag can also pique interest of consumers and thus raise demand for a product again benefiting the producer.  What are the legalities related to GI Tag? It is covered as an element of intellectual property rights (IPRs) under the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property. At international level, GI is governed by World Trade Organisation’s (WTO’s) Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS). In India, GI registration is governed by the Geographical Indications of goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999. This Act is administered by Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks, who is also Registrar of Geographical Indications and is based in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. India and GI Tag: India has about 300 registered GIs, but few have been used for commercial value addition. Two of India’s well-known GIs are Darjeeling tea and Basmati rice, but both seem to be minuscule in terms of market impact when compared with, say, Chilean wine or Danish cheese.  While a programme to promote branding and commercialisation of GI products for exports has been initiated in the Directorate General of Foreign Trade policies during 2015-20, it is pertinent to take it to the next level. What lessons can also be learnt from other countries in promoting brands: Many countries have opted for clustering, which is at the root of branding agricultural commodities and adding value to products.  For example, France started this for wine, and soon after many other countries followed—Japan for Kobe beef, Colombia for Juan Valdez coffee and New Zealand for Manuka honey. A celebrated example is that of Malaysia for having implemented commodity branding programme called Malaysia’s Best. It is an umbrella brand for selected horticultural products that guarantee quality and safety in accordance with Malaysian standards and good agricultural practices. Aggressive branding of agri-products is that government support, if given, would be WTO-compliant as it is placed under the ‘green box’ instead of ‘amber box’.  Currently, India supports agri-exporters through duty drawback and under the Merchandise Export from India Scheme, which may carry the risk of being WTO non-compliant. It goes without saying that adequate budgetary allocations towards aggressive branding and packaging can encourage producers and exporters. Conclusion: An initiative India should take is branding agri-products through steps such as geographical indication. An increased thrust on agricultural exports is well documented in the Agriculture Export Policy 2018, and is also visible through alterations in the tariffs and non-tariffs measures. Connecting the dots: Discuss the benefits and problems of GI tag? How geographical indication can boost agriculture exports. Explain? (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 Perseids Meteor shower They occur every year during December  The meteor shower appears as the Earth passes through the cosmic dust left by the comet Swift-Tuttle. They are visible in the Northern Hemisphere and can be viewed in skies all across. Which of the statement(s) given above is / are correct? 1 and 2only 2 and 3 only 1 and 3 only 1,2 and 3 Q.2) Consider the following statements  Reverse repo Rate is the rate at which the RBI lends money to commercial banks Repo-linked deposit and lending rates will bring transparency in bank rates and leads to quick transmission of monetary policy rate cuts. Decrease in bank deposit rate will lead to increase in formalisation of economy Which of the statement(s) given above is / are incorrect? 1 and 2only 2 and 3 only 1 and 3 only 1,2 and 3 Q.3) Consider the following statements about Regulatory sandbox It refers to live testing of new products or services in a controlled/test regulatory environment for which regulators may permit certain regulatory relaxations for the limited purpose of the testing RBI will launch the sandbox for entities involved in money transfer services, digital know-your customer, crypto currency, credit registry and credit information. Which of the statement(s) given above is / are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.4) Injeti Srinivas Committee appointed by Union Government deals with which of the following issues? Recapitalization of Public Sector banks Economic Capital Framework for RBI Cryptocurrency Reviewing of Corporate Social Responsibility MUST READ: The contours of the Kashmir move The Hindu Biodiversity in the time of deluge The Hindu India must recycle or reuse water and adopt conservation methods now Financial Express National Education Policy needs more extensive reforms to succeed Financial Express

Daily Prelims CA Quiz

UPSC Quiz - 2020 : IAS Daily Current Affairs Quiz Day 48

UPSC Quiz - 2020 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz Day 48 Archives Q.1) Which of the following is/are correctly matched? Kobani – Syria Deir ez-Zor – Yemen Raqqa – Palestine Select the correct code: 1 Only 1 and 2 2 and 3 1, 2 and 3 Q.2) ‘Warsaw International Mechanism’ is associated with Climate Change Disaster Risk Reduction Proliferation of missile and unmanned aerial vehicle technology Chemical and biological weapons Q.3) Which of the following is/are correctly matched?          Water Bodies     Country Aral Sea – Turkey Lake Baikal – Hungary Markermeer Lake – Netherlands Select the correct code: 1 Only 2 Only 2 and 3  3 Only Q.4) Consider the following statements with respect to ‘Criminal Tribes Act’ The term, ‘De-notified and Nomadic Tribes’, can be traced to this Act It was repealed in 1952 and the Habitual Offenders Act was enacted in its place. Select the correct statements 1 Only 2 Only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.5) Mekedatu dam project’ which is often seen is news is being built across which of the following rivers? Cauvery Mandovi Krishna Godavari To Download the Solution - Click here All the Best  IASbaba

Daily Current Affairs IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 13th August 2019

IAS UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 13th August 2019 Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) Arctic wildfires Part of: Mains GS-II – Environmental Conservation In News Wildfires ravaging parts of the Arctic are threatening to accelerate the melting of ice and permafrost -- the permanently frozen ground layer -- releasing greenhouse gases stored for thousands of years. Although wildfires are frequent in the northern hemisphere between May and October, scientists estimate the magnitude of this season’s burn is higher than any other in the 16-year-record Fires are burning farther north, and scientists worry the forest fires are igniting peat fires.  Peat stores large amounts of carbon, which is burning and releasing record amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere. As the planet warms, more and more frozen peat and permafrost has thawed, releasing large amounts of carbon.  Permafrost: Frozen soil, rock and plant material remaining below 0oC for atleast two years. As permafrost thaws, microbes decompose organic material releasing Carbon dioxide and methane into atmosphere. https://www.graphicnews.com/en/pages/39404/DISASTERS-Arctic-wildfires_infographic Tardigrades Part of: GS Prelims and Mains GS III - Environment In News Tardigrades may have survived spacecraft crashing on moon The Israeli spacecraft called Beresheet was meant to be the first private lander to touch down on the moon.   However, mission controllers lost contact in April which led the spacecraft to crash onto moon. Now it's been revealed that the mission was carrying a cargo of dehydrated microscopic lifeforms known as tardigrades which may have survived the crash. Tardigrades are a phylum of water-dwelling eight-legged segmented micro-animals. They are colloquially known as water bears or moss piglets.  They are tiny animals that can withstand extreme temperatures, extreme dryness, and lack of food. They can withstand both the vacuum of space, and pressure as powerful as that at the deepest point in Earth’s ocean. They are also resistant to radiation Translocation of Buffaloes Part of: GS Prelims and Mains GS II – Environmental Conservation In News Five female wild buffaloes will travel more than 1,500 km crossing five States from Manas National Park in Assam to the Udanti Wildlife Sanctuary in Chhattisgarh This is being done to help revive the waning population of Chhattisgarh’s State animal and expand its territory across States. With just nine buffaloes, including three females, left in the Udanti Wildlife sanctuary, their revival across central India, a historical habitat, rests on hassle-free translocation, successful breeding and subsequent restocking of other habitats in the region The estimated population of the wild buffaloes (Bubalus arnee) in the Northeast is around 3,000-4,000, the largest in the country and accounting for 92% of the world population.  It is listed under Schedule 1 of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, and classified as endangered in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species,  PM-JAY Part of: GS Prelims and Mains GS-II - Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health  In News Cancer treatments will soon be covered under the Ayushman Bharat Yojana- Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) PM-JAY is the Central Government’s health insurance scheme that aims to give medical cover to over 10 crore poor and vulnerable families of approximately 50 crore beneficiaries. The scheme provides insurance coverage of up to ₹5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalisation.  So far, 16,000 hospitals have been empanelled, nearly 34 lakh beneficiaries have been admitted, and 9 crore e-cards have been issued. Government figures note that the estimated number of people living with cancer stands at around 2.25 million, with over 11 lakh new cancer patients registered each year. In India, the risk of developing cancer before the age of 75 years for males stands at 9.81% and females at 9.42%. Total deaths due to cancer in 2018 was 7,84,821 (Men: 4,13,519; Women: 3,71,302). Lung cancer is the most common type of cancer in India, followed by breast cancer and oral cancers. Government realised that cancer care costs were causing massive financial crisis among people and thus aims to bring cancer within the fold of PM-JAY (MAINS FOCUS) ETHICS Topic: general studies 4 Probity in Governance: Concept of public service; Philosophical basis of governance and probity; Information sharing and transparency in government, Right to Information, Codes of Ethics, Codes of Conduct, Citizen’s Charters, Work culture, Quality of service delivery, Utilization of public funds, challenges of corruption. Rooting AI in ethics Context: A technology should be evaluated both on the basis of its utility and the intention of its creator. We can intuitively recognise whether an action is ethical or not. Let us look at the theoretical basis of understanding ethics with an example. A cigarette company wants to decide on launching a new product, whose primary feature is reduced tar. It plans to tell customers that the lower tar content is a ‘healthier’ option. This is only half true. In reality, a smoker may have to inhale more frequently from a cigarette with lower tar to get the flavour of a regular cigarette. Let us analyse this from three dominant ethical perspectives: First, the egoistic perspective states that we take actions that result in the greatest good for oneself. The cigarette company is likely to sell more cigarettes, assuming that the new product wins over more new customers. From an egoistic perspective, hence, the company should launch the new cigarette. Second, the utilitarian perspective states that we take actions that result in the greatest good for all. Launching the new cigarette is good for the company. The new brand of cigarette also provides a ‘healthier’ choice for smokers. And more choice is good for customers. Hence, the company should launch the product. The egoistic and utilitarian perspectives together form the ‘teleological perspective’, where the focus is on the results that achieve the greatest good. Third, the ‘deontological perspective’, on the other hand, focuses more on the intention of the maker than the results. The company deceives the customer when it says that the new cigarette is ‘healthier’. Knowingly endangering the health of humans is not an ethical intention. So, the company should not launch this cigarette. The flawed facial recognition system: In the context of Artificial Intelligence (AI), most commercially available AI systems are optimised using the teleological perspectives and not the deontological perspective.  Let us analyse a facial recognition system, a showcase for AI’s success.  An AI system introduced in 2015 with much fanfare in the U.S. failed to recognise faces of African Americans with the same accuracy as those of Caucasian Americans.  Google, the creator of this AI system, quickly took remedial action. However, from a teleological perspective, this flawed AI system gets a go ahead.  According to the 2010 census, Caucasian Americans constitute 72.4% of the country’s population. So an AI system that identifies Caucasian American faces better is useful for a majority of Internet users in the U.S., and to Google. From a deontological perspective, the system should have been rejected as its intention probably was not to identify people from all races, which would have been the most ethical aim to have.  Social media is not the only context where AI facial recognition systems are used today. These systems are increasingly being used for law enforcement. Imagine the implications of being labelled a threat to public safety just because limited data based on one’s skin colour was used to train the AI system Ethical basis of AI The ethical basis of AI, for the most part, rests outside the algorithm The bias is in the data used to train the algorithm. It stems from our own flawed historical and cultural perspectives — sometimes unconscious — that contaminate the data.  It is also in the way we frame the social and economic problems that the AI algorithm tries to solve. An ethical basis resting on both teleological and deontological perspectives gives us more faith in a system. Sometimes, even an inclusive intention may need careful scrutiny.  For instance, Polaroid’s ID-2 camera, introduced in the 1960s, provided quality photographs of people with darker skin. However, later, reports emerged that the company developed this for use in dompas, an identification document black South Africans were forced to carry during apartheid. Conclusion: Understanding and discussing the ethical basis of AI is important for India. Reports suggest that the NITI Aayog is ready with a ₹7,500 crore plan to invest in building a national capability and infrastructure.  The transformative capability of AI in India is huge, and must be rooted in an egalitarian ethical basis.  Any institutional framework for AI should have a multidisciplinary and multi-stakeholder approach, and have an explicit focus on the ethical basis. Connecting the dots: With great power comes great responsibility. Technology is in itself just a tool; what matters is how we use it.” Discuss in the context of AI. Can Artificial Intelligence become a potential threat to economy? Examine. Disputes arising from Artificial Intelligence (AI) use are governed by archaic laws, which do not address issues like data privacy, consumer protection and labour liability. Comment. Means are as important as ends in ethics. Do you agree? Elucidate. ECONOMY/INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS TOPIC: General studies 2 & 3 Important International institutions, agencies and forums, their structure, mandate. Indian Growth & Economy Economic Developments. Global recession: Context: Researchers at Morgan Stanley have alerted that if US and China continue to heap increasing tariff and non-tariff barriers over the next four to six months, the world economy could enter a recession within the next three quarter. The last massive downward spiral in the global economy happened in the wake of the great financial crisis of 2008 and continued till 2010. What is a global recession? In an economy, a recession happens when output declines for two successive quarters (that is, six months). However, for a global recession, institutions such as the International Monetary Fund tend to look at more than just a weakness in the economic growth rate; instead, they look at a widespread impact in terms of the impact on employment or demand for oil etc.  The long-term global growth average is 3.5 per cent. The recession threshold is 2.5 per cent. What has triggered the alarm? On August 1, trade tensions between the two biggest economies of the world escalated further when the US announced that it would impose 10 per cent tariff on imports from China. These measures are to come in to effect on September 1. In retaliation, China threatened to take countermeasures. The US has also declared China a “currency manipulator”. In other words, the US accuses China of deliberately weakening the yuan to make Chinese exports to the US more attractive and undercut the effect of increased tariffs that the US is employing. The renewed trade tensions threaten to derail the already struggling global economy.  For instance, the global manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index and new orders sub-index have contracted for the second consecutive month in July; they are already at a seven-year low. Further, the global capital expenditure cycle has “ground to a halt”; since that start of 2018, there’s been a sharp fall-off in nominal capital goods imports growth. Central banks around the world are cutting interest rate in a bid to shore up global economic activity. To some extent, that cheap money policy is countering the adverse impacts of trade wars and all-round global uncertainty, thanks to Brexit and geopolitical tensions in West Asia, and between the US and North Korea. How do higher tariffs affect growth? According to Morgan Stanley, two-thirds of the goods being lined up for increased tariffs are consumer goods.  Higher tariffs are not only likely to douse demand but, most crucially, hit business confidence.  The apprehension is that the latest US tariffs and similar countermeasures by China could start a negative cycle wherein businesses do not feel confident to invest more, given the lower demand for consumer goods.  Reduced capital investment would reflect in fewer jobs, which, in turn, will show up in reduced wages and eventually lower aggregate demand in the world. Conclusion: What makes this scenario tricky is that fact that monetary policy is already loose. Ideally, the global economy should not risk reaching a recession at a time when the monetary levers may not have a lot to offer. In fact, at present, the trade tensions and uncertainty is negating the positives that a cheap money policy could provide to the world economy. Connecting the dots: Discuss the global recession and its impact on various sectors of Indian economy (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 Permafrost It is frozen soil, rock and plant material remaining below 0oC for at least two decades.  As permafrost thaws, microbes decompose organic material releasing Carbon dioxide and methane into atmosphere Which of the statement(s) given above is / are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.2) Consider the following statements about Tardigrades Tardigrades are a phylum of water-dwelling eight-legged segmented micro-animals commonly known as water bears or moss piglets They are rapidly disappearing from earth due to global warming as they are sensitive to temperature changes Which of the statement(s) given above is / are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.3) Udanti Wildlife Sanctuary is located in which State of India? Orissa Madhya Pradesh Jharkhand Chhattisgarh Q.4) Consider the following statements about Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana under Ayushman Bharat Yojana The scheme provides insurance coverage of up to ₹5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalisation It is a Central Sector Scheme with 100% contribution from Centre Which of the statement(s) given above is / are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 MUST READ A bitter harvest that we could still prevent Live mint Why lower fiscal deficit isn’t always good news  The Indian Express An abrogation of democratic principles  The Hindu There is a fundamental problem of demand today.  The Indian Express

Daily Prelims CA Quiz

UPSC Quiz - 2020 : IAS Daily Current Affairs Quiz Day 47

UPSC Quiz - 2020 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz Day 47 Archives Q.1) ‘Repurpose Used Cooking Oil (RUCO) initiative’ is launched by the  Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) NITI Aayog Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas  World Health Organisation Q.2) ‘Total Polar Compounds (TPC)’ is primarily associated with monitoring of the quality of Seafood Oil Water Air Q.3) Consider the following statements with respect to ‘Tardigrades’ They can survive extremes of temperature and pressure. It can survive the frigid vacuum of space. Select the correct statements 1 Only 2 Only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.4) Consider the following statements with respect to ‘National Commodity & Derivatives Exchange (NCDEX)’ It is regulated by Securities and Exchange Board of India. It is a public limited company incorporated in 2003 under the Companies Act, 1956. Select the correct statements 1 Only 2 Only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.5) Which of the following National Parks is unique in being a swamp with floating vegetation that supports a rich biodiversity? Bhitarkanika National Park Keibul Lamjao National Park Keoladeo Ghana National Park Sultanpur National Park To Download the Solution - Click here All the Best  IASbaba

Daily Prelims CA Quiz

UPSC Quiz - 2020 : IAS Daily Current Affairs Quiz Day 46

UPSC Quiz - 2020 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz Day 46 Archives Q.1) ‘Strangers to Justice' Report is published by International Court of Justice (ICJ) International Criminal Court (ICC) Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI) The Justice Project Q.2) Which of the following pairs is/are correctly matched?            Dams              State Idukki - Kerala K.R.Sagar – Tami Nadu Srisailam – Andhra Pradesh Select the correct code: 1 and 2 2 and 3 1 and 3 All of the above Q.3) Consider the following statements with respect to ‘Truthfully labelled seeds’ It refers to self-certified seeds by cultivators and private seed companies. It is banned in India under the Seed Act 1966 Select the correct statements 1 Only  2 Only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.4) Which of the following statements is/are correct? Aviation turbine fuel (ATF) under the ambit of the goods and services tax (GST) for big commercial jetliners is capped at 18%. GST for airlines that operate on routes chosen for the Udey Desh ka Aam Naagarik (UDAN) scheme is capped at 5%. Select the correct statements 1 Only 2 Only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.5) Consider the following statements with respect to ‘Holding together federalism’ A country decides to divide its power between the constituent States and the national government is known as holding together federalism. United States of America is an example of ‘Holding together federalism’. 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

Daily Current Affairs IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 12th August 2019

IAS UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 12th August 2019 Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) Uber for tractors Part of: Mains GS-III - e-technology in the aid of farmers. In News Government to launch app to aid farmers where expensive agricultural equipment can be hired through the mobile application. Successful demo runs has been conducted in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Punjab A laser-guided land leveller harnesses technology to accurately flatten a field in a fraction of the time used by a traditional oxen-powered scraper; Happy Seeder aims to prevent stubble burning that causes air pollution and Solar dryers can help farmers process and preserve their produce Farmers can save precious groundwater and increase productivity by 10 to 15% by using such farm equipment. The hurdle? Such hi-tech machines cost at least ₹3 lakh, way beyond the reach of the average small farmer. There are now more than 38,000 custom hiring centres (CHCs) across the country, which rent out 2.5 lakh pieces of farm equipment every year.  Ministry of Agriculture plans to launch a new mobile app to efficiently connect farmers with these CHCs, just like Uber connects you to cabs The Ministry’s app will also create an invaluable database for policy-makers, who can track the use and cost of equipment. Uranium mining Part of: GS Prelims and Mains GS I – Resource distribution In News Joint Forum for People’s Democratic Rights, a civil society group, is protesting against Uranium mining in Nallamala ranges in Andhra Pradesh. Protestors say Uranium mining in the forests would inevitably damage the delicate ecology of the region, and claimed that Chenchu tribes of the region would be immediately affected. The waste is generally buried inside the earth. However, protestors allege government is doing a sub-par job at management and the waste is exposed to human beings and ecology The rains in Nallamala will inevitably end up in Krishna River. If any of the waste washes down into the river, it will pollute the river to a large extent Do You Know? Jaduguda in Singhbhum Thrust Belt (in the state of Jharkhand) is the first uranium deposit to be discovered in India in 1951. Only 3% of power in the country is provided by uranium. Largest viable deposits are found in Australia, Kazakhstan, and Canada. The Chu-Sarysu basin in central Kazakhstan; Olympic Dam and the Ranger mine in Southern Australia are some of important mines in world. High-grade deposits are only found in the Athabasca Basin region of Canada. http://www.ucil.gov.in/pdf/myth/Emerging%20trend%20in%20U%20mining.pdf Reusable Launch System Part of: GS Prelims and Mains GS III- Science and technology In News Chinese start-up LinkSpace completed its third test of a reusable rocket RLV-T5 in five months, stepping up the pace in the race to develop a technology key to cheap space launches The reusable design of its next-generation rocket could lead to a predicted cost reduction of 70% (from $25 -30 million to $4.25 million) China envisions constellations of commercial satellites that can offer services ranging from high-speed Internet for aircraft and rural areas to tracking coal shipments and commuter traffic. LinkSpace’s test flight came on the heels of a historic delivery of a satellite into orbit last month by privately owned Chinese firm iSpace. SpaceX (US private firm) has already used recoverable rockets on a number of orbital missions since a historic launch early in 2017 Do you know? ISRO's Reusable Launch Vehicle - Technology Demonstration Program (RLV-TD) is a series of technology demonstration missions that have been considered as a first step towards realizing a Two Stage To Orbit (TSTO) fully re-usable vehicle. ISRO’s TSTO fully re-usable vehicle has different approach from SpaceX & Blue Origin. ISRO’s approach to a reusable launch vehicle is a winged body space plane. Whereas SpaceX and Blue Origin are recovering and reusing stages of their existing rockets, in order to reduce launch costs. Kajin Sara lake Part of: GS Prelims In News A newly-discovered lake in Nepal is likely to set a new record of being the world’s highest lake As per the measurement of the lake taken by the team, it is located at an altitude of 5,200 metres, which is yet to be officially verified. It is estimated to be 1,500-metre-long and 600-metre-wide.  Currently Tilicho Lake holds the title of the world’s highest lake. it is situated at an altitude of 4,919 metres in Nepal.  (MAINS FOCUS) ENVIRONMENT TOPIC: General Studies 3: Conservation, Environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment. Water Pollution, Wastewater management Water governance strategies Context: Individual States need to assume the responsibility for managing water resources in their territories Concerns: India’s cities are running out of water, coupled with Chennai’s drinking water woes, made the ‘crisis’ viral, raising questions about the quality of the discourse and choice of water governance strategies in India. Indian cities are running out of groundwater A delayed monsoon or a drought, combined with compelling images of parched lands and queues for water in urban areas raise an alarm in the minds of the public.  What does the statistics says? Niti Aayog report says that 21 major cities are expected to run out of groundwater as soon as 2020, affecting [nearly] 100 million people The report’s central goal was to propose a tool, an index, to monitor the States’ water resource management strategies and provide the necessary course-shift, beyond supply augmentation approaches. The report may have had a lofty goal of promoting ‘cooperative and competitive federalism’ but was, in reality, a desperate move to engage with the States, in the absence of any substantive leverage to influence their approaches to water resources management. For almost two decades, the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) has been reporting on the increasing number of over-exploited blocks across India, the ‘dark’ category blocks. The recent annual book of CGWB has reported 1,034 units, out of the 6,584 units it monitors, as over-exploited. Similarly, a recent report by the Central Water Commission, prepared in collaboration with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), asserted that India is not yet in “water scarcity condition”. But it is certainly in a “water-stressed condition”, with reducing per capita water availability. Certain steps need to be taken to ensure a more useful and productive discourse about water governance challenges India needs to reconsider the institutional processes for dissemination of knowledge about water resource management. There is a certain amount of danger inherent in the casual manner in which knowledge about water resources is legitimised and consumed, particularly in these days of ‘viral’ information We need to recognise the crisis is not as much of scarcity as of delivery. The challenge is to ensure an adequate access to quality water, more so in urban areas where inequities over space and time are acute.  We need to also realise that with the country’s rapid urbanisation, demand cannot be met by groundwater reserves alone.  The urban needs, which underpin much reporting on ‘water crises’, need to be met by robust long-term planning and preparation for droughts and other contingencies. Responsibility lies with States We need to reconsider our approaches to water governance.  We must recognise that the fulcrum of change and action is with the States. For long, water resource departments in States have continued to follow the conventional approaches of supply augmentation.  The challenge is that of reorienting themselves towards deploying strategies of demand management, conservation and regulation. The Centre has to work with States towards an institutional change for the necessary course-shift.  Key notes: ‘Composite Water Management Index’: This index is an attempt to budge States and UTs towards efficient and optimal utilization of water and recycling thereof with a sense of urgency. The Index and this associated report are expected to: Establish a clear baseline and benchmark for state-level performance on key water indicators Uncover and explain how states have progressed on water issues over time, including identifying high-performers and under-performers, thereby inculcating a culture of constructive competition among states Identify areas for deeper engagement and investment on the part of the states. Major Issue: Data and centre-state and inter-state cooperation are some of the key levers that can help address the crisis. Data systems related to water in the country are limited in their coverage, robustness, and efficiency. Limited coverage: Detailed data is not available for several critical sectors such as for domestic and industrial use, for which data is only available at the aggregate level and lacks the level of detail required to inform policies and allocations. Unreliable data: The data that is available can often be of inferior quality, inconsistent, and unreliable due to the use of outdated methodologies in data collection. For example, estimates on groundwater are mostly based on observation data from 55,000 wells, while there are 12 million wells in the country. Limited coordination and sharing: Data in the water sectors exists in silos, with very little inter-state or centre-state sharing, thereby reducing efficiencies. The Composite Water Management Index (CWMI) is a major step towards creating a culture of data based decision-making for water in India, which can encourage ‘competitive and cooperative federalism’ in the country’s water governance and management. Conclusion: The Finance Minister, in her budget, repeatedly stated that the government will work with States to address India’s national water security challenges. Let us hope that the government intends to strengthen federal governance of water resources towards long-term water security. Connecting the Dots: To solve the growing water crisis, the solution that is proposed and pushed by world bodies such as WTO and IMF through international agreements is privatisation of water. Do you think India should also privatise its water? Critically analyse. Many parts of the country are facing severe water crisis and drought conditions. There are many traditional water harvesting and conservation practices in various parts of India which can be employed locally to fight the ongoing crisis. Can you identify few such practices? Also mention the states where they are more prevalant. INTERNATIONAL/SECURITY: TOPIC: General studies 2 Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests India and the World Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests, Indian diaspora. General studies 3 Role of external state and non-state actors (extremists) in creating challenges to internal security. Security challenges and their management in border areas J&K and the world Context: India’s strategies for internal security, territorial defence and diplomacy will have to act in unison Concern As Pakistan mounts a political offensive against India’s decision to alter the status of Jammu and Kashmir, there will surely be international ripples. The Indian diplomatic objective is to get the rest of the world to live with the new reality in Kashmir, if not accept it. India’s diplomacy: This is not the first time that India has created new facts on the ground. India’s Pokhran tests of 1998 come readily to mind. It took about 10 years for the international system to move from a very harsh initial reaction to lifting by 2008 the four-decade-old nuclear blockade against India. India’s diplomatic response must be at multiple levels. One is the legal dimension. Realists might scoff at legal niceties. But legal arguments are important and Delhi must present a solid legal brief about its actions, since there is little international understanding of the complex historical evolution of Kashmir. Traditionally, Pakistan has been good at mobilising opinion in these quarters, especially in Britain and Europe. India has done quite well in the US over the years, where it has outsmarted separatist propaganda backed by Pakistan.  The question of “Internationalisation”: Pakistan loves the idea and India deeply resents it. Going to the UNSC has been the instinctive first reaction of Pakistan. But neither Pakistan’s faith in the UN nor India’s concerns stand up to close scrutiny. The UN’s ability to impose solutions on disputes between nations has rarely been impressive. But for India taking the Kashmir question to it, there was no way the UN would loom so large on Kashmir.  Pakistan’s proclaimed faith in mediation is touching because there is no evidence that third-party involvement in the Kashmir dispute has benefited Pakistan. Consider, for example, Islamabad’s efforts to mobilise the international community for mediation in the Kargil War two decades ago. It ended up in the US compelling Pakistan to accept the sanctity of the Line of Control. Bilateralism is the key to outcomes on the multilateral domain.  Consider the five permanent members of the UNSC. China is a party to the dispute on Kashmir twice over. The border between India and China in Ladakh is disputed; China also occupies a piece of Kashmir that Pakistan ceded to it in 1963. China is certainly part of India’s Kashmir problem. China, however, has problems of its own in Hong Kong and Xinjiang. Beijing surely knows that those living in glass houses should not be throwing stone Russia, once upon a time, was India’s go-to veto-wielder at the UN on Kashmir. Delhi too has stood by Moscow when it is in some difficulty. In recent times, Russia has drawn closer to China and is often tempted to take “even-handed” positions between India and Pakistan. But dispelling all doubts, Moscow has come out last week in support of India’s Kashmir move. Over the last two decades, France has emerged as a reliable strategic partner — a sort of “new Russia” for India. In recent years, it has played a key role in the FATF as well as the UNSC on terror-related issues. Delhi can certainly bank on political support from Paris at the current juncture. When it comes to Kashmir and Pakistan, Britain is always suspect in Delhi’s eyes. There is speculation that London played a key role in facilitating the current US reset on Pakistan. As Britain defines its post-Brexit global strategy, Delhi must encourage London to take into account its long-term interests in India and end its persistent ambiguity on Kashmir. In the end, though, it’s really the US that has the most important role in shaping the international reaction to the developments in Kashmir. For nearly two years, it’s been the relentless pressure from Washington that has forced Pakistan to count the costs of its support for terrorism. And it is the US decision to quit Afghanistan that seems to have emboldened Pakistan to ramp up pressures on Kashmir. Connecting the dots: Discuss the UNSC members stand on recent developments in Kashmir? Discuss India’s strategies for internal security, territorial defence and diplomacy? (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  Farm equipment like laser-guided land leveller, happy seeder and solar driers can save precious groundwater and increase productivity by 10 to 15% Ministry of Rural development plans to launch app to aid farmers where expensive agricultural equipment can be hired through the mobile application Which of the statement(s) given above is / are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.2) Uranium deposits are located at which among the following places in India Mahadek Basin in Meghalaya Singhbhum belt in Jharkhand Bhima basin in Karnataka Aravallis in Rajasthan Select the correct answer from the codes given below. 1,2 and 3 only 2,3 and 4 only 1,2 and 3 only 1,2,3 and 4 Q.3) Consider the following statements about Reusable Launch System The system could reduce the cost of launching satellites by nearly 70% ISRO has already used recoverable rockets on a number of orbital missions like Mangalyaan and Mission Shakti Which of the statement(s) given above is / are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.4) Kajin Sara lake is located in which country? India Nepal Bhutan Pakistan Must Read: The imprint of a state juggernaut The Hindu A point to ponder over in the POCSO Bill  The Hindu July 2019, hottest ever month on record: what now? Indian Express India’s economic mobility and its impact on inequality Live Mint

RSTV Video

RSTV IAS UPSC – Jobs: Locals First Policy

Jobs: Locals First Policy Archives TOPIC: General Studies 2 Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors In News: Fulfilling one of its biggest election promises, the Jagan Mohan Reddy government passed a bill in the Assembly which reserves 75 per cent jobs factories for Andhra Pradesh youths, making it the first state in the country to introduce such a provision in the private sector.  The Andhra Pradesh Employment of Local Candidates in Industries/Factories Act, 2019 was approved by the Assembly  The Bill states that if an industrial unit fails to find enough skilled local workers, then it will have to train them in association with the state government. The company is also required to act in accordance with the new law and submit a quarterly compliance report.  The government had announced 1.33 lakh village volunteer jobs for unemployed youth in the state and the chief minister had said he wanted to implement the quota over the next three years and was confident of convincing industries. Besides the industries/factories, the Act also makes the '75 per cent' provision mandatory for ' joint ventures and projects taken up under PPP mode', potentially covering construction and irrigation projects like Amaravati capital city and Polavaram irrigation project, where most of the contract workers deployed here were brought from Bihar and other places. Similar demands have come up in different states like Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Gujarat. The Congress party government led by Chief Minister Kamal Nath in Madhya Pradesh has vowed 70 percent reservation for native candidates.  The Locals First Policy The Why With the growth in industries, the demand for land for industrial use has been increasing. Since most of the requirement is met by acquiring private agricultural lands, the owners are being displaced and deprived of their livelihood. Therefore, there is a demand from land losers, apart from the local population, to provide employment. Though there were promises by the industrial managements to meet these demands at the initial phases of setting up of their industries, more often than not, the objectives are not met. In some instances, even though the local people are employed as per the initial commitments, they are generally employed as gardeners, house-keeping personnel and other low income jobs. This is causing dissatisfaction in the local community and leading to industrial unrest Define ‘local’ If the company doesn’t find suitable persons in the immediate vicinity, they need to try to look for candidates in the neighbouring villages. The scope will then expand to the district and finally to the entire state, where they will be able to find a suitable candidate for any job profile. There is therefore a need to collaborate on training the locals with skills required for the jobs they provide. Criticisms While the legislation only generally talked about 75 per cent jobs to be filled by locals and makes no mention about the cadres within these jobs in a factory, it has, however, left the issue open for a future debate by pointing out that only low-paying jobs were being given to locals in certain instances. Under the law, if skilled personnel are not available for the jobs at hand, these industrial units cannot ‘import’ labourers from elsewhere; the burden of imparting the requisite skills to, and of employing, locals will fall on the units. It will almost certainly push up the cost of doing business in such geographical entities that embrace this policy, and make a mockery of the concept of the ‘Indian Common Market’, which rests on the foundational premise of unfettered labour mobility. Significantly, a reservation for local populations is also a violation of the constitutionally guaranteed right of every citizen to work, live and move freely within the country. Conclusion Providing vocational training and education — responsibilities of the State — could have been a long-term solution. But with the mandatory reservation of 75 per cent of all jobs for local people, the state government has shifted this responsibility onto the industrial sector. Further, mobility of labour is necessary to give industries the opportunity to select the best talent and remain competitive. A reservation such as the one in Andhra Pradesh will thus hamper the ease of doing business, discouraging industrial investment in the state and causing unemployment to shoot up further. Affirmative action was once a tool to bring the most economically and educationally backward sections on a par with the rest of the population. At the hands of populist governments, it has been turned into an assurance — albeit a false one — of a shortcut to success. The reservation for Marathas — an economically and socially dominant segment — in Maharashtra is a case in point. The underlying causes for demands for reservation are, among other factors, agricultural and economic crisis, the lack of social security nets, unemployment and iniquitous access to education. Connecting the Dots: Will Andhra’s 75% jobs-for-locals quota set off a wave of parochial politics? Discuss. Essay topic: One India, please!

PIB

Press Information Bureau (PIB) IAS UPSC – 30th July to 3rd August – 2019

Press Information Bureau (PIB) IAS UPSC – 30th July to 3rd Aug – 2019 ARCHIVES GS-2 Passage of Triple Talaq Bill (Topic: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States and the performance of these schemes) The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2019, better known as the Triple Talaq Bill, was passed in the Rajya Sabha. ‘Triple Talaq’ or ‘Oral talaq’ is a procedure of divorce mentioned under the Sharia Law which is a body of the Islamic law. Under this, a husband can divorce his wife by pronouncing ‘Talaq’ thrice. What is instant triple talaq? In the practice of talaq-e-biddat, when a man pronounces talaq thrice in a sitting, or through phone, or writes in a talaq-nama or a text message, the divorce is considered immediate and irrevocable, even if the man later wishes to re-conciliate. However, Women cannot pronounce triple talaq and are required to move a court for getting the divorce under the Sharia Act, 1937. There are three forms of talaq (divorce) in Islam: Ahsan, Hasan, and Talaq-e-Biddat (triple or instant talaq). Ahsan and Hasan are revocable but talaq-e-Biddat is irrevocable. Thus, since Shariat Act had recognised triple talaq, it was no longer a personal law to remain free of the fetters of the fundamental rights rigour but a statutory law which comes under the ambit of Article 13(1) of the Constitution Background: In the Shah Bano case in 1985, the SC granted Shah Bano, a 62-year old woman the right to alimony from her husband. But in 1986, the government passed the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Divorce) Act which diluted the positive impact created by the Shah Bano case. In 2001, in the Danial Latifi & Anr versus Union of India case, the SC upheld the validity of the Shah Bano judgement. In August 2017, a five-judge bench of the SC declared the triple talaq as unconstitutional in a majority 3:2 judgement. This was the culmination of a petition filed by Shayara Bano, whose husband of 15 years had divorced her through a letter where he pronounced talaq three times, to declare the divorce as void. Triple Talaq bill During the proceedings of the case, the centre had told the bench that it will come out with a legislation to regulate the marriage and divorce among Muslims. As reported by various the newspapers, the centre is all set to table the bill in the Lok Sabha. The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill 2017 seeks to criminalise instant triple talaq. The bill will make instant triple talaq a cognizable and non-bailable offence The bill seeks to impose a prison term of up to three years and fine for any Muslim man who divorces his wife through instant triple talaq It also makes a provision for alimony i.e. subsistence allowance for the Muslim women and also grants her the custody of minor children The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2019  This was introduced in Lok Sabha by the Minister of Law and Justice, Mr. Ravi Shankar Prasad on June 21, 2019. It replaces an Ordinance promulgated on February 21, 2019. The Bill makes all declaration of talaq, including in written or electronic form, to be void (i.e. not enforceable in law) and illegal. Key Features The Bill makes declaration of talaq a cognizable offence, attracting up to three years’ imprisonment with a fine. (A cognizable offence is one for which a police officer may arrest an accused person without warrant.) The offence will be cognizable only if information relating to the offence is given by: the married woman (against whom talaq has been declared), or  any person related to her by blood or marriage. The Bill provides that the Magistrate may grant bail to the accused. The bail may be granted only after hearing the woman (against whom talaq has been pronounced), and if the Magistrate is satisfied that there are reasonable grounds for granting bail. The offence may be compounded by the Magistrate upon the request of the woman (against whom talaq has been declared). Compounding refers to the procedure where the two sides agree to stop legal proceedings, and settle the dispute. The terms and conditions of the compounding of the offence will be determined by the Magistrate. A Muslim woman against whom talaq has been declared is entitled to seek subsistence allowance from her husband for herself and for her dependent children. The amount of the allowance will be determined by the Magistrate. A Muslim woman against whom such talaq has been declared, is entitled to seek custody of her minor children. The manner of custody will be determined by the Magistrate. Connecting the Dots: In what ways did the Shah Bano case change the politics in India? Analyse. Triple talaq verdict has been hailed as a progressive judgement. Analyse your opinion regarding the same. Lok Sabha Passes the Code on Wages Bill, 2019  (Topic: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation) Aim: To transform the old and obsolete labour laws into more accountable and transparent ones which is need of the hour. As many as 17 present labour laws are more than 50 years old and some of them even belong to pre-independence era. Among the four Acts being subsumed in The Code on Wages Bill, The Payment of Wages Act, 1936 belongs to pre-independence era and The Minimum Wages Act 1948 is also 71 years old. The Payment of Bonus Act, 1965 and The Equal Remuneration Act, 1976 are also being subsumed in the Code. The Code ensures minimum wages along with timely payment of wages to all the employees and workers. Many unorganized sector workers like agricultural workers, painters, persons working in restaurants and dhabas, chowkidars etc. who were out of the ambit of minimum wages will get legislative protection of minimum wages after the bill becomes an Act. It has been ensured in the bill that employees getting monthly salary shall get the salary by 7th of next month, those working on weekly basis shall get the salary on last day of the week and daily wagers should get it on the same day ("Right to Sustenance") There are 12 definitions of wages in the different Labour Laws leading to litigation besides difficulty in its implementation. The definition has been simplified and is expected to reduce litigation and will entail at lesser cost of compliance for an employer. Through Code on Wages, the methodology to fix the minimum wages has been simplified and rationalised by doing away with type of employment as one of the criteria for fixation of minimum wage. Rajya Sabha passes Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill 2019 (Topic: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation) Aim: To improve road safety, facilitate citizens in their dealings with transport departments, strengthen rural transport, public transport and last mile connectivity through automation, computerization and online services. The Bill will provide an efficient, safe and corruption free transport system in the country. Based on the recommendations of the Group of Transport Ministers (GoM) of States constituted by the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (headed by Shri. Yoonus Khan) Road Safety: In the area of road safety, the Bill proposes to increase penalties to act as deterrent against traffic violations.  Stricter provisions are being proposed in respect of offences like juvenile driving, drunken driving, driving without licence, dangerous driving, over-speeding, overloading etc.  Stricter provisions for helmets have been introduced along with provisions for electronic detection of violations. Vehicle Fitness: The Bill mandates automated fitness testing for vehicles.  This would reduce corruption in the transport department while improving the road worthiness of the vehicle. Road Safety Board: The Bill provides for a National Road Safety Board, to be created by the central government through a notification. The Board will advise the central and state governments on all aspects of road safety and traffic management including standards of motor vehicles, registration and licensing of vehicles, standards for road safety, and promotion of new vehicle technology. Protection of Good Samaritan: To help road accident victims, Good Samaritan guidelines have been incorporated in the Bill. The Bill defines a Good Samaritan as a person who renders emergency medical or non-medical assistance to a victim at the scene of an accident, and provides rules to prevent harassment of such a person. Cashless Treatment during Golden Hour: The Bill provides for a scheme for cashless treatment of road accident victims during golden hour. Third Party Insurance: The Bill has included the driver’s attendant in 3rd Party insurance. re will be no cap on liability of insurers. There will be a 10 time increase in insurance compensation, from Rs 50, 000 to Rs 5 lakh. Claim process has been simplified. Insurance firms have to pay claims within a month, if the victim’s family agree to accept Rs 5 lakh compensation. The Bill also increases the minimum compensation for hit and run cases from Rs 25,000 to two lakh rupees in case of death, and from Rs 12,500 to Rs 50,000 in case of grievous injury. Motor Vehicle Accident Fund: The Bill requires the central government to constitute a Motor Vehicle Accident Fund, to provide compulsory insurance cover to all road users in India. It will be utilised for:  treatment of persons injured in road accidents as per the golden hour scheme, compensation to representatives of a person who died in a hit and run accident, compensation to a person grievously hurt in a hit and run accident, and compensation to any other persons as prescribed by the central government. This Fund will be credited through: payment of a nature notified by the central government,  a grant or loan made by the central government, balance of the Solatium Fund (existing fund under the Act to provide compensation for hit and run accidents),or any other source as prescribed the central government. Improving Services using e-Governance: Improving delivery of services to the stakeholders using e-Governance is one of the major focuses of this Bill.  This includes Provision for online driving licenses: The Bill provides for online Learners Licence with mandatory online identity verification Driving test will be computerized to avoid fake D.L.  The Bill will bring transparency in RTO offices. Commercial licenses will be valid upto five instead of three years. Application for renewal can be made one year prior to or after licence lapses. Driver Training Schools will be opened so that more efficient drivers may be available. Process of Vehicle Registration: To improve the registration process for new vehicles, registration at the end of the dealer is being enabled and restrictions have been imposed on temporary registration. To bring harmony of the registration and licensing process, it is proposed to create National Register for Driving Licence and National Register for Vehicle registration through “Vahan” & “Sarathi” platforms. This will facilitate uniformity of the process across the country. Taxi aggregators: The Bill defines aggregators as digital intermediaries or market places which can be used by passengers to connect with a driver for transportation purposes (taxi services). The Bill provides guidelines for Aggregators.  Parliament passes the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Amendment Bill, 2019 (Topic: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation)  The Bill amends the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.  The Act provides special procedures to deal with terrorist activities, among other things. Terrorist acts are committed not by organizations but by individuals: Declaring an organization as a terrorist organization will not stop the individuals behind it. Not designating individuals as terrorists, would give them an opportunity to circumvent the law and they would simply gather under a different name and keep up their terror activities. Only those individuals who participate in terrorist activities, aid those indulging in such activities, propagate the ideology of terrorism and members of known terrorist organizations will be declared as terrorists after this amendment is passed. Who may commit terrorism: Under the Act, the central government may designate an organisation as a terrorist organisation if it: (i) commits or participates in acts of terrorism, (ii) prepares for terrorism, (iii) promotes terrorism, or (iv) is otherwise involved in terrorism.  The Bill additionally empowers the government to designate individuals as terrorists on the same grounds.   Approval for seizure of property by NIA: Under the Act, an investigating officer is required to obtain the prior approval of the Director General of Police to seize properties that may be connected with terrorism.  The Bill adds that if the investigation is conducted by an officer of the National Investigation Agency (NIA), the approval of the Director General of NIA would be required for seizure of such property.   Investigation by NIA: Under the Act, investigation of cases may be conducted by officers of the rank of Deputy Superintendent or Assistant Commissioner of Police or above.  The Bill additionally empowers the officers of the NIA, of the rank of Inspector or above, to investigate cases. Insertion to schedule of treaties: The Act defines terrorist acts to include acts committed within the scope of any of the treaties listed in a schedule to the Act.  The Schedule lists nine treaties, including the Convention for the Suppression of Terrorist Bombings (1997), and the Convention against Taking of Hostages (1979).  The Bill adds another treaty to the list. This is the International Convention for Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism (2005).      Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) launches Atal Community Innovation Centre (ACIC) Program  (Topic: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.) The programme aims at spurring community Innovation in underserved and unserved areas of the country. Through innovation, India can become a USD 5 trillion economy by 2024-25. ACIC can serve as the bridge between the knowledge base existing in communities and the advanced technical ecosystem prevalent in the market base, addressing the needs of society. The ACIC program should be connected to every Panchayati Raj Institutions to help innovators at grassroots level become part of the policy framework and leverage their creativity to translate their products/ services into innovation led commercial utilization for society. Cabinet approves  Extension of term of the commission constituted under Article 340 of the constitution to examine the issue of Sub-categorization within other Backward Classes in the Central List: The proposed extension of tenure shall enable the “Commission” to submit a comprehensive report on the issue of sub-categorization of OBCs, after consultation with various stake holders. Memorandum of Understanding between Indian Space Research Organisation and the Bolivian Space Agency on Cooperation in the Exploration and Uses of Outer Space for peaceful purposes: The signed MoU will provide impetus to explore newer research activities and application possibilities in the field of remote sensing of the earth; satellite communication; satellite navigation; space science and planetary exploration. ISRO Technical Liaison Unit at Moscow:  ISRO will be able to collaborate with Space agencies/industries in Russia and neighbouring countries for mutually synergetic outcomes. ISRO’s Gaganyaan programme requires development of some of the key technologies and establishment of specialized facilities, which are essential to support life in space. Keeping in view the 15th August, 2022 timeline for realization of the Gaganyaan human space programme, it is prudent to avail technical cooperation from International space agencies, who have already demonstrated their technical capabilities in specific areas.  Russia, being one of the space faring nations, it is envisaged to collaborate with Russia extensively in various fields of relevance. Memorandum of Understanding between India and Bahrain on Cooperation in the Exploration and Uses of Outer Space for Peaceful Purposes: The signed MoU will provide impetus to explore newer research activities and application possibilities in the field of remote sensing of the earth; satellite communication; satellite navigation; space science and exploration of outer space. Signing of the UN Convention on International Settlement Agreements resulting from mediation by India: Signing of the Convention will boost the confidence of the investors and shall provide a positive signal to foreign investors about India's commitment to adhere to international practice on Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR). GS-3 ‘Tiger Zinda Hai’ – Release of the Tiger Census Report 2018 (Topic: Environment and Ecology; Biodiversity; Animal Conservation; Protected Areas) Nine long years ago, it was decided in Saint Petersburg, that the target of doubling the tiger population would be 2022. India completed this target four years early. The speed and dedication with which various stake-holders worked to achieve this is remarkable. This is one of the finest examples of 'Sankalp se Siddhi' i.e. achievement through resolve. The report of the tiger census released on Monday showcases a significant achievement for the country’s conservation efforts. India is now home to 2,967 tigers. The last tiger audit in 2014 had counted 2,226 tigers. Even more remarkable is the fact that the latest census shows that the tiger population has increased by more than 100 per cent from 2006, when the numbers of the big cat had hit an all-time low of 1,411 — the animal had been completely wiped out from some reserves such as Sariska in Rajasthan. India is one of the world's largest and most secure habitats with about 3000 tigers. Around three-fourths of the world's population of tiger is found in our country. The number of tigers in Gir Forest there has increased by 27 per cent. Why is a tiger census needed? The tiger sits at the peak of the food chain, and its conservation is important to ensure the well-being of the forest ecosystem. The tiger estimation exercise includes habitat assessment and prey estimation. The numbers reflect the success or failure of conservation efforts. This is an especially important indicator in a fast-growing economy like India where the pressures of development often run counter to the demands of conservation. The Global Tiger Forum, an international collaboration of tiger-bearing countries, has set a goal of doubling the count of wild tigers by 2022. More than 80% of the world’s wild tigers are in India, and it’s crucial to keep track of their numbers. Why should we conserve our tigers? The tiger is at the top of the food chain in several ecosystems and its conservation is important to ensure the health of these habitats. A steep fall in the tiger population could lead to a rise in the herbivore population, which could destroy forests by feeding on trees and plants. The number of tiger reserves has gone up from 28 in 2006 to 50 in 2018. Healthy increases in the population of tigers in these reserves have led to migration outside these protected areas. Several studies have shown that 25 to 30 per cent of the country’s tigers now live outside the core area of national parks. But, isn’t there a flip side to the increase in the tiger population? Yes – as the animals spill out of protected areas, their proximity to human habitats increases. And, when humans and tigers come face to face, the big cats often pose serious threats to humans and their livestock. There have been several reports of human-tiger conflict in the past five years. Where has the tiger population increased the most? The biggest increase has been in Madhya Pradesh — a massive 218 individuals (71%) from 308 in 2014 to 526. In Maharashtra, the number has gone up from 190 to 312 (64%), and in Karnataka, from 406 to 524 (118, or 29%). Uttarakhand has gained over 100 tigers (340 to 442; 30%) However, since tigers keep moving between states, conservationists prefer to talk about tiger numbers in terms of landscapes. India’s five tiger landscapes are:  Shivalik Hills and Gangetic Plains Central Indian Landscape and Eastern Ghats Western Ghats North-East Hills and Brahmaputra Plains The Sundarbans Other countries: The National Tiger Conservation Authority has entered into an agreement with five countries including China and Russia and soon the agreement with other countries will also be finalized. Guatemala is also seeking technical help from us for the Jaguar Conservation there. It will highly impact tourism and means of employment. Therefore, with the protection of tigers, we are also focusing on the creation of environmentally sustainable eco-tourism infrastructure. Any other reasons why the number has gone up:  Increased vigilance  Organised poaching rackets have been all but crushed The increased protection has encouraged the tiger to breed The rehabilitation of villages outside core areas in many parts of the country has led to the availability of more inviolate space for tigers. Also, because estimation exercises have become increasingly more accurate over the years, it is possible that many tigers that eluded enumerators in earlier exercises were counted this time. The Way Forward Only one of the 20 tiger-bearing states has seen a fall in numbers — Chhattisgarh, where the census counted 19 tigers, significantly fewer than the 46 of 2014. The report has cited law and order as the reason — large parts of the state are hit by the Maoist insurgency. Greater conservation efforts are needed in the “critically vulnerable” Northeast hills and Odisha. Urgent need of 24×7 monitoring using technology, management of corridors, building up the frontline capacity, creating village teams for reporting wild animal presence, and, an intersectoral portfolio at the landscape level akin to the “master plan” envisaged for an eco-sensitive zone. Human-tiger interface management demands proactive measures. One cannot allow a big cat to get habituated and then brutally eliminate it. It is a tragic end for our national animal, and a complete travesty of the responsibility reposed on foresters and wildlife experts. Reduction in man-wildlife conflict: Last week, about 250-km from Lucknow, villagers beat to death a mature tigress who had strayed from the Pilibhit Tiger Reserve. The animal had reportedly attacked people, who were working in fields. And, last year, the forest department in Maharashtra’s Yavatmal district gunned down a tigress that had killed at least six people.  These incidents point to a new conservation challenge: Devising wildlife protection models that work outside the tiger reserves.  Today, several corridors that link tiger reserves are sites of infrastructure projects. In fact, on Monday, the Supreme Court quashed the Uttarakhand government’s proposal for a road on a corridor between the Rajaji Tiger Reserve and the Corbett Tiger Reserve. Sustaining the country’s tiger population will, therefore, require a deft balancing of the imperative of conservation with the needs of local people and the demands of infrastructure development. Better Synergy between Ministries: The need of the hour is better synergy with all ministries who are stakeholders in the process. This includes the ministries of Jal Shakti, agriculture, mines, power, road transport and highways, railways, health, home as well as MEA. For instance most reserves and tiger ranges are surrounded by agricultural areas, so it is important for the agriculture ministry to be involved. Apart from the various ministries, involvement of tiger and wildlife conservation experts, NGOs and local communities is important without whom tiger conservation is simply not possible Note:  Pilibhit Tiger Reserve is in Uttar Pradesh Kanha Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve in M.P. Satkosia Tiger Reserve in Odisha (first-ever inter-State tiger translocation project) Parambikulam Tiger Reserve in Kerala Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary in Kerala International Tiger Day is celebrated on 29 July annually to raise awareness about Tiger conservation Project Tiger:  Is a tiger conservation programme launched in April 1973 Reduce factors that lead to the depletion of tiger habitats and to mitigate them by suitable management. The damages done to the habitat were to be rectified so as to facilitate the recovery of the ecosystem to the maximum possible extent. Ensure a viable tiger population for economic, scientific, cultural, aesthetic and ecological values. Please Note: Gambia: A country in West Africa that is almost entirely surrounded by Senegal with the exception of its western coastline along the Atlantic Ocean It is the smallest country within mainland Africa. Situated on both sides of the lower reaches of the Gambia River, the nation's namesake, which flows through the centre of The Gambia and empties into the Atlantic Ocean Bye-elections By-elections are elections conducted to fill elected offices that have become vacant between general elections. This may happen due to Resignation Death or dismissal of the person holding the office until then World Breastfeeding Week The Food and Nutrition Board, Ministry of Women and Child Development, is organizing a number of activities on the theme “Empower Parents, Enable Breastfeeding” during the World Breastfeeding Week (WBW) being observed from 1st to 7th August 2019.  This important nutrition intervention will help in breaking the vicious cycle of malnutrition and aid the Government to achieve National Nutrition Goals and Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 2030. According to WHO, increasing breastfeeding to near-international levels will help in saving more than 800 000 lives every year, the majority being children under 6 months. The focus this year is on protection, promotion, and support of breastfeeding. The objectives of World Breastfeeding Week are: To create awareness among the parents about breastfeeding Encourage parents to adopt breastfeeding Creating awareness about the importance of initiation and exclusive breastfeeding, and adequate and appropriate complementary feeding Providing advocacy material about the importance of breastfeeding. Breastfeeding is important because: It promotes better health for mothers and children alike. It prevents infections like diarrhoea and acute respiratory infections in early infancy and thus reduce infant mortality It decreases the risk of mothers developing breast cancer, ovarian cancer, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease and It protects infants from obesity-related illnesses, diabetes and increases the IQ. The correct norms of infant and young child feeding are: Initiation of Breastfeeding within an hour of birth Exclusive breastfeeding for first six months of life i.e. only breast Milk ‘NO’ other milk, food, drink or water Appropriate and adequate complementary feeding from six months of age while continuing breastfeeding Continued breastfeeding up to the age of two years or beyond Pashmina Products Receive BIS Certification Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has published an Indian Standard for identification, marking and labelling of Pashmina products to certify its purity. The certification will help curb the adulteration of Pashmina and also protect the interests of local artisans and nomads who are the producers of Pashmina raw material. It will also assure the purity of Pashmina for customers. BIS certification of Pashmina will go a long way in discouraging counterfeit or substandard products presently mislabeled and sold as genuine Pashmina in the market. It is a step in the right direction and will ensure better prices for the goat herding community in Ladakh as well as for the local handloom artisans producing genuine Pashmina products, currently a disadvantaged lot due to rampant marketing malpractices. The nomadic Pashmina herders live in the hostile and tough terrain of Changthang and are solely dependent on Pashmina for their livelihood. At present, there are 2400 families rearing 2.5 lakh goats. This initiative of hallmarking Pashmina will protect the interests of these families, motivate the younger generation to continue in this profession as well as encourage more families to take up this occupation. The Changthangi or Pashmina goat, is a special breed of goat indigenous to the high altitude regions of Ladakh in Jammu and Kashmir. They are raised for ultra-fine cashmere wool, known as Pashmina once woven. The Textiles are handspun and were first woven in Kashmir. The Changthangi goat grows a thick, warn undercoat which is the source of Kashmir Pashmina wool – the world’s finest cashmere measuring between 12-15 microns in fiber thickness. These goats are generally domesticated and reared by nomadic communities called the Changpa in the Changthang region of Greater Ladakh. The Changthangi goats have revitalized the economy of Changthang, Leh and Ladakh region. Skills Acquisition and Knowledge Awareness for Livelihood Promotion (SANKALP) Scheme SANKALP is an outcome-oriented centrally sponsored programme of Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE) with a special focus on decentralised planning and quality improvement. It focuses on the overall skilling ecosystem covering both Central & State agencies.  SANKALP aims to implement the mandate of the National Skill Development Mission (NSDM).Under SANKALP four key result areas have been identified viz:  (i) Institutional Strengthening (at National, State & District level) (ii) Quality Assurance Quality Assurance of skill development programs (iii) Inclusion of marginalised population in skill development (iv) Expanding Skills through Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) What have we done so far? 95.47 crores released as 1st year grant to 9 States under Skill India’s Sankalp scheme 11.7 crores cumulatively released to 117 Aspirational Districts (10 lakh each district) A robust IT system namely “Skill India Portal” has also been developed under SANKALP to capture and converge skill data. District Skill Committee (DSC) should play a pivotal role in counselling youth in their districts. Ministry has launched an award to promote skill planning at the district level, namely “District Skill Development Plan (DSDP) Awards”.

Motivational Articles

Creative Guidance – Most important life lessons – Patience – Inspirational Educative Articles

Most important life lessons – Patience: One of the hardest things to understand is the absence of something. Even harder than that is knowing the importance of the absence of something. We can very easily attach meaning to something we can see, touch, smell, taste and experience. It is a lot harder to attach meaning to something that we cannot directly experience. Patience is one such thing. Patience is simply the absence of activity. When there is nothing happening and you can be perfectly alright with that void and empty space of life, you will know what patience is. Patience is not waiting for something. When someone says I am patiently waiting, you can know for sure that the very thing that is missing there is patience. Again, let me repeat it. Patience is not waiting for something. True patience is the ability to experience nothingness. Why is nothingness important – it is important because life is exciting only in bits and pieces. Rest of the time, life is simply a grind – we all know that. How we experience moments of non-excitement is the secret to our patience. When we are fully contented with the experience of being in the present moment, patience will find us. Let us see why patience is important. Patience is important because life is long; it is very long. Just pause for a moment and reflect on all those moments when you lost patience. Reflect on all those moments when you felt your life is absolutely destroyed. Reflect on all those moment when you felt helpless and vulnerable. Reflect on all those moments when you felt there is absolutely no hope for your future.  Just imagine if you had a little more patience to handle all those moments. Just imagine if you could have said that this too shall pass. Patience is the single biggest decider of our happiness and peace of mind. Really, it is that simple. A person who has no patience will land himself in trouble more often than not, simply because he cannot wait – simply because he cannot pause. The difference between happiness and misery is patience. It does not matter where you are, it does not matter what your life situation is – just knowing that life is long can make a world of difference. It is so easy to get caught up in the ebb and flow of the present momentary emotions & desires and forget that life is a continuous flowing stream that is branching in all directions without your permission. There is no way to control the flow of this stream. The best thing that we can do is hang tight and enjoy the ride and remember that the journey is long – there is so much more to experience and enjoy. Next time you feel like you have hit a dead end, if you feel like you have lost it, if you feel like there is no way forward, just remember that life is long and this too shall pass. Just remember that patience is everything. If only we can learn how to hold our breath and let a difficult situation pass us by, if only we can learn to be a little more patient…Life would be so much easier. “This article is a part of the creative endeavor of Meditation Farm and IASBABA.”