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IAS UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 16th October 2019 Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) Nobel laureate Michael Kremer’s India Link Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains II - Education In News Kremer’s non-profit advisory service -Precision Agriculture for Development (PAD)- has helped 6 lakh farmers Randomised controlled trials – the research for which the Nobel was awarded – showed that a low-cost mobile phone based agriculture consulting service, developed by PAD led to an annual income growth of about ₹7,000 per farmer. When farmers could call a helpline for real-time expert advice on sowing and irrigation decisions and inputs such as seeds, fertilizers and pesticides, yields rose by 28% for those producing cumin and 8.6% for those growing cotton in Gujarat, PAD India began work with 2,000 cotton farmers in Gujarat in 2016, and now reaches six lakh farmers across the country, with the biggest contingent of 5.25 lakh coming from Odisha. Working with the Coffee Board of India, PAD India has connected 15,000 coffee growers in Karnataka to hydrologists and agronomists over the last year, with a plan to ramp up numbers to 50,000 farmers. Nationwide, PAD India projects get 800-1,000 calls a day, with answers being provided within two hours to 72% of queries. PM-JAY health scheme Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains II - Health In News Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Chhattisgarh, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh have emerged as the top performing States of Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana Nearly Rs7,901 crore has been availed under the scheme for secondary and tertiary level treatments Half-a-crore hospital treatments have been provided and there are 9 hospital admissions every minute across India More than 60% of the amount spent has been on tertiary care. Cardiology, Orthopaedics, Radiation Oncology, Cardio-thoracic and Vascular Surgery, and Urology have emerged as the top tertiary specialities. About PM-JAY PM-JAY is the flagship scheme of the government with an aim to bring quality healthcare to around 50 crore poor and vulnerable Indians. The scheme gives annual healthcare benefits of up to ₹5 lakh for every entitled family. The scheme has resulted in saving of over ₹12,000 crore to the beneficiary families in the past one year of its operations. REMBRANDT Part of: GS Prelims and Mains GS-I – Art & Culture In News In 2019, India and the Netherlands will commemorate Rembrandt’s 350th death anniversary with a showcase that will celebrate the two countries’ culture and heritage. Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn (1606 – 1669) was a Dutch draughtsman, painter and printmaker. He is generally considered one of the greatest visual artists in the history of art and the most important in Dutch art history. Rembrandt was interested in Mughal miniatures, especially around the 1650s. He made 25 drawings based on Mughal miniatures from India during 1656 to 1661, at the height of his career. This is in spite of the fact that the Dutch artist never set foot on Indian soil. These miniatures include paintings of Shah Jahan, Akbar, Jahangir and Dara Shikoh. They may also have influenced the costumes and other aspects of his works. KAYAKALP AWARDS Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains II - Health In News Union Health Minister gave away Kayakalp awards to Public and Private Health Facilities for high standards of sanitation and hygiene. Kayakalp awards were launched by Union Health Ministry in 2015 as part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan to felicitate Public Health Facilities (PHCs) for maintaining high standards of sanitation and hygiene. Objective isto inculcate culture of cleanliness for gaining the trust and confidence of community in these facilities. The Union Health Ministry grants the awards through the National Health Mission. PHOSPHORESCENCE Part of: GS Prelims and Mains GS-III – Science & Technology In News A novel security ink that emits intense red colour when exposed to 254 nm wavelength UV and emits green colour soon after the UV source is turned off has been synthesised by a team of researchers from the Delhi-based National Physical Laboratory (CSIR-NPL). The emission of red is due to fluorescence while green is due to phosphorescence phenomenon. This is the first report of an ink that contains two pigments that emit different colours at very different wavelengths when exposed to UV light of a particular wavelength The ink has the potential to be used as a security feature on currency notes and passports. Phosphorescence It is a type of photoluminescence related to fluorescence. Unlike fluorescence, a phosphorescent material does not immediately re-emit the radiation it absorbs. In certain materials, absorbed radiation is re-emitted at a lower intensity for up to several hours after the original excitation. Everyday examples of phosphorescent materials are the glow-in-the-dark toys that glow after being charged with a bright light such as in any normal reading or room light Pic: https://d39gegkjaqduz9.cloudfront.net/TH/2019/10/13/VIS/Visakhapatnam/TH/5_13/0fea5b9e_3258936_1_mr.jpg (MAINS FOCUS) POLITY TOPIC: General Studies 2: Structure, organization and functioning of the Executive and the Judiciary National Judicial Appointments Commission Context: Four years ago, on October 16, 2015, the Supreme Court (SC) struck down as unconstitutional an amendment to the Constitution establishing the National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC). The amendment and the corresponding law were challenged by the Supreme Court Advocates-on-Record Association (SCAORA) believing, rightly, that the amendment would violate the basic structure of the Constitution by depriving the judiciary of its independence. Do you know? The right to select judges to the Supreme Court was taken upon itself by the apex court in 1993 and revalidated in a 1998 judgment (Third Judges case). The current government tried to change that with the passage of a law on the National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC), but the law was shot down — again by the Supreme Court. NJAC was struck down by the SC because it would have compromised the independence of the CJI and given a role to the government in the appointment of judges. Unlike in the U.S. where judges are appointed by the President and are known to be leaning towards the Democrats or Republicans, Indian judges are not supposed to have any political affiliation. Do you know? The Collegium includes the five senior-most judges of the Supreme Court, who collectively constitute the selection panel for judicial appointments to the Supreme Court (and the three senior-most judges when it comes to the High Courts). India is one of the few countries where judges have the last word on judicial appointments, through the mechanism of the Collegium. The Collegium itself is not mentioned in the text of the Constitution. It arose out of a judgment of the Supreme Court, and in response to increased executive interference in judicial appointments, particularly during Indira Gandhi’s regime. Therefore, the Collegium began life as a tool to secure and guarantee the independence of the judiciary. “National Judicial Appointments Commission”, which was suggested as an alternative to Collegium system. But NJAC was struck down by the SC in 2015. What was the proposed composition of the NJAC? The CJI was the chair, ex officio, and along with him were the next two senior judges. The Union Minister of Law and Justice was an ex officio member along with two eminent persons. They were to recommend persons for appointment as judges of the SC and high courts and the transfer of judges of the high courts (including chief justices) Why was NJAC struck down by the SC? SC bench had held that judicial primacy in appointments was the only constitutionally-authorised way of securing/ensuring judicial independence against an increasingly powerful political executive. However, the Collegium had come under increasing criticism, because of its opacity and perceived notion that judicial appointments were too often made in an ad hoc and arbitrary manner. SC too acknowledged the above criticism and vowed to evolve a system where concerns of transparency will be addressed. A small step towards this was made during Dipak Misra’s tenure as CJI, when the resolutions of the Collegium began to be published online. In his NJAC judgment (2015), Justice J.S. Khehar discussed the issue of reciprocity at length in striking down the commission. Justice Khehar preferred exclusion of the political executive from the appointment of judges as a feeling of gratitude towards the government impacts the independence of the judiciary. It was for this very reason that even B.R. Ambedkar wanted to insulate the judiciary from political pressures. Recent developments: CJI had written to the law minister that 43 recommendations made by the collegium were pending with the government and the vacancies in the high courts were to the extent of about 37 per cent. the collegium recommended that Justice Irshad Ali be made a permanent judge of the Allahabad High Court, government rejected the recommendation (without furnishing any reason or justification) Connecting the dots: The unconstitutional NJAC is rearing its head and is now Frankenstein’s monster. Critically analyze. POLITY TOPIC: General Studies 2: Indian Constitution- historical underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments, significant provisions and basic structure One nation one language Context Recently, on the occasion of Hindi Divas, the Union Minister of Home Affairs held that if one language can do the work of uniting the country, then it is the most spoken language, Hindi. Why? It is important to have a language of the whole country which should become the identity of India globally. Hindi can unite the country since it is the most spoken language. There is a huge influence of English on the citizens of India. Background The Constituent Assembly of India adopted Hindi written in Devnagari Script along with English as the official language of the country on September 14, 1949, under Article 343(1). Article 351 gives power to the Union Government to issue a directive for the development of the Hindi language. The Hindi language is one of the 22 languages of the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution of India. The imposition of Hindi was contested in many non-Hindi states, especially in the southern state of Tamil Nadu. Violent protests broke out in southern India leading the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, to introduce the ‘Official Languages Act’ in 1963, which assured the continuation of English along with Hindi as the official language of the Union of India. Criticisms: People across India—particularly in the East and the South—Hindi is not the language of choice of most people. It is a language of convenience. An evened out version of Hindi would be a disaster for Hindi itself. It would destroy its multiple identities, many of them quite charming. It will compromise our many wonderful regional languages, the languages that give us our identity, our sense of belonging. Bangladesh case: Bangladesh was liberated by a handful of brave Bengali students who raised the flag of protest when the attempt was made to impose Urdu, the language of political power in West Pakistan, on them. Way Forward Rethink the three-language policy(Kothari committee), which exists just on paper now. Try other ways to foster national unity than imposing a language.. A united nation has to have space for diversity and India is united in its diversity. Conclusion: A Tamilian needs to be a Tamilian first. A Maharashtrian needs to be a Maharashtrian first. A Naga needs to be a Naga first before he understands what being an Indian is. Our identities are defined by the language we are born into, the culture we inherit, the myths we grew up with, the stories we heard from our grandparents in the language they spoke. Nothing can ever replace that. Certainly not an Aadhar card. Nor a national language. Connecting the dots : Playing with language is akin to playing with fire. Analyse It is a fallacy to imagine that we need a common language to feel connected. Justify. (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 Pradhan Mantri Jan AarogyaYojana (PM-JAY) PM-JAY is the world’s largest government funded healthcare program,with an aim to bring quality healthcare to around 50 crore poor and vulnerable Indians. The scheme gives annual healthcare benefits of up to ₹5lakh for every entitled family per year, for secondary and tertiary care hospitalization. PMJAY will provide cashless and paperless access to services for the beneficiary at the point of service. Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct? 1 and 2 only 2and 3 only 1 and 3 only 1,2 and 3 Q.2)Consider the following statements about Kayakalp Awards Kayakalp awards were launched by Union Health Ministry in 2015 as part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan It was instituted to felicitate Public Health Facilities (PHCs) for maintaining high standards of sanitation and hygiene. The Objective of the awards is to inculcate culture of cleanliness for gaining the trust and confidence of community in these facilities. Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct? 1 and 2 only 2 and 3 only 1 and 3 only 1,2 and 3 Q.3)Consider the following statements The Differences Between Fluorescence and Phosphorescenceis that fluorescence emits light immediately after photon adsorption, whereas there is a delay with phosphorescence Everyday examples of phosphorescent materials are the glow-in-the-dark toys, stickers, paint, wristwatch and clock dials that glow after being charged with a bright light Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 MUST READ Another grim reminder: On IMF's GDP projections The Hindu Lynching, the scourge of new India The Hindu A cost-effective way to power generation The Hindu Nobel’s literary constraints The Hindu Those who denigrate Mahatma’s legacy today must answer: Is it possible to imagine India without Gandhi? IE
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IAS UPSC Current Affairs Magazine SEPTEMBER 2019 ARCHIVES Hello Friends, This is the 52nd edition of IASbaba’s Current Affairs Monthly Magazine. Current Affairs for UPSC Civil Services Examination is an important factor in this preparation. An effort towards making your Current Affairs for IAS UPSC Preparation qualitative. We hope you make the best use of it! This edition covers all important current affairs issues that were in news for the month of SEPTEMBER 2019 DOWNLOAD THE MAGAZINE- CLICK HERE
UN’s Financial Crisis Archives TOPIC: General Studies 2 Role of UN; International organization In News: The United Nations is running a deficit of $230 million, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has said, and may run out of money by the end of October. In a letter for the 37,000 employees at the UN secretariat, Guterres said unspecified "additional stop-gap measures" would have to be taken to ensure salaries and entitlements are paid. To cut costs, Guterres mentioned postponing conferences and meetings and reducing services, while also restricting official travel to only essential activities and taking measures to save energy. Meetings canceled. Escalators stopped. Official travel limited. U.N. documents delayed. Air conditioning and heating reduced. Limits on interpretation to the U.N.’s six official languages. And the fountain outside U.N. headquarters paid for by U.S. school children and opened in 1952 shut down. These are some of the measures Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has ordered effective Monday at all U.N. facilities and operations around the world to deal with the United Nations’ worst cash crisis in nearly a decade. There are 193 member states in the UN, but only 129 have paid their regular contributions to the budget. The UN's regular budget for the year is $5.4 billion and it is separate from the peacekeeping budget of $6.5 billion. India paid up its $23.25 million dues for the regular budget on January 30 itself, one of the few countries to pay up on time. While India has been among the few countries to have fully paid its dues to the UN on time, the UN owed India $38 million, among the highest it has to pay to any country, for peacekeeping operations as of March 2019. The United States is simultaneously the largest donor and the largest debtor. One of the reasons for the shortfall is the US, which funds 22 per cent of the UN's regular budget amounting $674 million, not having paid up in full so far. The United States owes $381 million from prior budgets and $674 million for the regular budget, according to figures provided by the US mission to the United Nations. It also owes more than $2.6 billion for active peacekeeping missions. Brazil is second in line in unpaid dues for the regular budget, owing $ 143 million, followed by Argentina which owes $51.57 million, Mexico $36 million, Iran $26.96 million, Venezuela $17.29 million and South Korea $9.8 million. What has the practice been? The practice of meeting the cash requirement of active missions by dipping into the cash pool of closed peacekeeping missions and delaying reimbursements to Police and Troop Contributing Countries, creates a false sense of financial soundness. This approach of creative accounting in managing a financial crisis has never worked and never will. It appears that the countries that owe arrears are somewhat insured from the impact of their inaction. India's assertion that the practice of delaying payments to TCCs while other contractual obligations are met, impacts the UN's ability to maintain honest agreements with TCCs on other aspects of the peacekeeping While sufficient cash has been made available in the pool of closed peacekeeping mission accounts for reimbursing the Troop and Police Contributing Countries in accordance with the agreements signed with them, this cash has been diverted to managing the liquidity crisis of the active peacekeeping missions and at times shortfall in the Regular Budget, thereby deferring resolution to the pressing problem. The United Nations is now effectively borrowing for prolonged periods from troop- and police-contributing countries. Many of them are low-income countries for which that imposes a significant financial burden. At the same time, the Organisation is asking those same countries to do more to train their personnel and improve the quality of their equipment, all while operating in increasingly challenging environments. The United Nations, however, is not fulfilling its obligation towards them in a timely manner. Conclusion A sustainable solution to the financial crisis would only emerge when member states begin to honour their budgetary obligations in full and on time. If member-states do not meet their budgetary obligations, then at least in the context of future peacekeeping operations we see two emerging situations – one, where even with the available cash pool Troop Contributing Countries would not be reimbursed on time and two, missions will close with a cash deficit, without fully reimbursing the Troop and Police Contributing Countries. While the UN is working to become more effective, nimble, accountable, transparent and efficient, the success of the organisation’s efforts depends not only on the internal efforts of the Secretariat, but also on the support of Member States and on the predictability and adequacy of their financial contributions to UN programmes and activities. Connecting the Dots: Analyse the financial crisis in the UN. Suggest solutions to go past this situation.
IAS UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 15th October 2019 Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) Economics Nobel Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains III - Economy In News The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has decided to award the 2019 Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel, popularly called the Nobel Prize in Economics, to Abhijit Banerjee, Esther Duflo, and Michael Kremer They were awarded “for their experimental approach to alleviating global poverty” The experiment-based approach of the laureates involved dividing an issue into smaller and more manageable questions They have shown that smaller and more precise questions are often best answered through carefully designed experiments among the people who are the most affected In the mid-1990s Dr Kremer and his colleagues demonstrated how powerful this approach can be when they used field experiments to test a range of interventions that could improve school results in Western Kenya Impact on Policy Research surrounding remedial tutoring provided arguments for large-scale support programmes that have now reached more than five million children in India Their studies showed that deworming provides clear health benefits for school children but also that parents are very price sensitive. This led the WHO to recommend that medicine should be distributed for free to over 800 million school children living in areas where over 20% of them have a specific type of parasitic worm infection Their studies paved way for heavy subsidies for preventive healthcare that have been introduced in many countries Mother tongue for preschool Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains II - Education In News The first-ever preschool curriculum was released by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) The NCERT’s new curriculum is aimed at all pre-school education, defined as the education of 3 to 6-year-olds, whether at anganwadis, nursery schools, kindergartens, playschools or Montessori schools. It recommends that Children between the ages of three and six years should be taught in their own mother tongues Also, the focus on learning should be through play instead of being subjected to rote learning, tests and examinations. The draft National Education Policy has recommended that the Right to Education Act be extended to students in the three years of preschool before Class I. Cataract major cause of blindness above 50 Part of: GS Prelims and GS Mains II - Health In News According to the National Blindness and Visual Impairment Survey of India (2015-19), Cataract is the principal cause of blindness for people above 50 years in India The barriers to accessing treatment include the following — no one to accompany [the patient], seasonal preferences, and financial constraints. Cataract is the cause for 66.2% cases of blindness, 80.7% cases of severe visual impairment, and 70.2% cases of moderate visual impairment in the age group. Also, blindness is more pronounced among illiterate (3.23%) than literates (0.43%) and more prevalent in the rural population (2.14%) than urban (1.80%) What makes this worse for India is the fact that approximately 93% of cases of blindness and 96.2% visual impairment cases in this age group were avoidable. About Cataract A cataract is a clouding of the lens in the eye which leads to a decrease in vision. Cataracts often develop slowly and can affect one or both eyes. Symptoms may include faded colors, blurry or double vision, halos around light, trouble with bright lights, and trouble seeing at night SARAS Aajeevika Mela Part of: GS Prelims and Mains GS-II – Self-Help Groups In News It is an initiative by the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM). Its objective is to bring the rural women SHGs formed with support of DAY-NRLM, under one platform to show-case their skills, sell their products and help them build linkages with bulk buyers. Through this mela, rural SHG women get vital national level exposure to understand the demand and taste of urban customers. It is organised by Council for Advancement of People’s Action and Rural Technology (CAPART), marketing arm of Ministry of Rural Development. Typhoon Hagibis Part of: GS Prelims and Mains GS-I - Geography In News Hagibis, which means "speed" in the Philippine language, is a super typhoon swirling around Japan. It made landfall in Izu Peninsula, south-west of Tokyo and moved up the east coast. It led to Chikuma river breaching their banks inundating residential neighbourhoods and the torrential rain triggered landslides. The typhoon caused a total of 48 landslides in 12 prefectures and at the storm's peak, more than seven million people were placed under non-compulsory evacuation orders. After it made its landfall, a magnitude 5.7 earthquake shook Tokyo shortly after. Hurricanes, cyclones and typhoonsare all basically the same thing, but are given different names depending on where they appear. Hurricanes are tropical storms that form over the North Atlantic Ocean and Northeast Pacific. Cyclones are formed over the South Pacific and Indian Ocean. Typhoons are formed over the Northwest Pacific Ocean. willy-willy are formed in south-west Australia. FASTags will work as Aadhaar, track vehicles Part of: GS Prelims and Mains GS-II - Governance In News ‘A FASTag uses Radio Frequency Identification technology to make cashless payments through a prepaid account linked to it. The tag is fixed to the windscreen of a vehicle and an RFID antenna in the canopy of the toll gate scans the QR code and the tag identification number, following which the boom barrier lifts to allow a vehicle to pass through it without the need for a vehicle to stop. A FASTag is linked to a bank account. When a vehicle passes through a toll, an SMS with date, time and place of transaction will be sent to the owner of the vehicle. The master data of all transactions will be with the concessionaire of the toll booth concerned, along with the bank with which the owner has registered the FASTag and the National Payments Corporation of India FASTags are likely to reduce the nation’s GDP loss by bringing down loss of fuel while waiting at toll plazas. Cameras at toll booths will take photos of passengers in a vehicle, which can be useful for the Ministry of Home Affairs as there will be a record of a vehicle’s movement. The Union Government has appealed to all the States to adopt the technology so that the entire system could come under the National Electronic Toll Collection programme (MAINS FOCUS) ECONOMY TOPIC: General Studies 3: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment. Inclusive growth and issues arising from it. Experimental approach to alleviating global poverty Image: https://s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/images.deccanchronicle.com/dc-Cover-cfguljvgh1bcoi56r407saqpo2-20191014154018.Medi.jpeg The 2019 Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel has been awarded jointly to Abhijit Banerjee, Esther Duflo and Michael Kremer “for their experimental approach to alleviating global poverty”. The three adopted an evidence-based approach to apply theory to real-life situations using randomised trials and assessing the outcomes. The effort was to understand the impact of interventions to achieve desirable outcomes. The approach is derived from the concept of clinical trials in the pharmaceuticals industry. “new experiment-based” approach: The “new, powerful tool” employed by the Laureates is the use of Randomised Control Trials (or RCTs). So if one wanted to understand whether providing a mobile vaccination van and/or a sack of grains would incentivise villagers to vaccinate their kids, then under an RCT, village households would be divided into four groups. Group A would be provided with a mobile vaccination van facility, Group B would be given a sack of foodgrains, Group C would get both, and Group D would get neither. Households would be chosen at random to ensure there was no bias, and that any difference in vaccination levels was essentially because of the “intervention”. Group D is called the “control” group while others are called “treatment” groups. Such an experiment would not only show whether a policy initiative works, but would also provide a measure of the difference it brings about. It would also show what happens when more than one initiatives are combined. This would help policymakers to have the evidence before they choose a policy. Critics: Angus Deaton, the winner of the Economics Nobel in 2015, who said “randomisation does not equalise two groups”, and warned against over-reliance on RCTs to frame policies. While randomly assigning people or households makes it likely that the groups are equivalent, randomisation “cannot guarantee” it. That’s because one group may perform differently from the other, not because of the “treatment” that it has been given, but because it has more women or more educated people in it. More fundamentally, RCTs do not guarantee if something that worked in Kerala will work in Bihar, or if something that worked for a small group will also work at scale. Case study: some years ago would explain the concept better. Despite immunisation being free, women were not bringing in their children for the vaccination shot. The two MIT economists decided to give a bag of pulses free to women who brought their babies for vaccination. Word soon spread and the rate of immunisation shot up in the region. Conclusion: Governments across the world, including in India, spend big money on social schemes without the vaguest of ideas on whether their objectives have been met. The field-work based approach that these economists have perfected has revolutionised the field of development economics and made it more relevant in policy making. The government would do well to borrow from the research of these laureates to understand the impact of its several schemes, and where necessary, tweak them to derive maximum benefit for the thousands of crores of rupees that it spends. Connecting the dots: New experiment-based approach has transformed development economics. Justify ECONOMY TOPIC: General Studies 3: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment. Inclusive growth and issues arising from it. Financial stability and the RBI Context: The slowing of the economy suggests that the central bank’s stance on inflation may have impacted growth Recent measures taken by MPC: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) cut the repo rate or key lending rate by 25 basis points while maintaining an accommodative stance. The reverse repo rate was reduced to 4.9%. The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) also cuts GDP growth forecast for the current fiscal year 2019-20 to 6.1% from 6.9% earlier. A repo rate cut allows banks to reduce interest rates for consumers and lowers equal monthly instalments on home loans, car loans and personal loans. Central banks around the world are loosening monetary policy to offset a global slowdown made worse by U.S.-China trade tensions RBI will take a fresh look at cooperative bank regulations and take it up with the government The RBI has allowed domestic banks to freely offer foreign exchange (forex) prices to NRIs The continuing slowdown warrants intensified efforts to restore the growth momentum. On the crisis in the Punjab & Maharashtra Cooperative Bank (PMC), the RBI governor said one incident cannot be and should not be used to generalise the health of the co-operative banking sector. PCA (Prompt Corrective Action) is an opportunity for the bank to correct itself. Appealed members of the public and all depositors that our banking system remains sound and stable, there is no reason for unnecessary panic. RBI has decided to create a separate category of NBFC, viz., Non-Banking Financial Company-Micro Finance Institution (NBFC-MFI). It acknowledged “the negative output gap has widened further” Negative output gap: A negative output gap indicates surplus capacity in the economy. A widening of this gap means the industry is unable to use much of its capacity due to poor demand. What is Prompt Corrective Action? To ensure that banks don't go bust, RBI has put in place some trigger points to assess, monitor, control and take corrective actions on banks which are weak and troubled. The process or mechanism under which such actions are taken is known as Prompt Corrective Action, or PCA. Present scenario: Inflation is well within the target giving space to the RBI to focus on growth Crude oil prices are back in the comfort zone, retreating from the spike in mid-September, and food prices are projected to remain soft on the back of a good monsoon. Central bank in west: Reflects two things: the political power of financial interests in the U.S. economy and the global intellectual influence of the American economic model. This model revolves around the goal of maximum creation of wealth by private individuals unimpeded by societal objectives. No equal distribution The objective of ensuring stability of the economy is allowed to come in the way of private individuals pursuing wealth enhancement. This model requires of the government only one action, namely, the control of inflation. Inflation: Unanticipated inflation is the problem for producers, as it has the potential to derail their profit calculations. If fully anticipated, can harm holders of financial assets yielding fixed incomes by eroding their wealth. Borrowers on the other hand are better off with inflation as the real value of their outstanding loans is now less. This can be tackled through inflation-indexation, the practice is not widespread. This leaves owners of financial wealth averse to inflation. Indexation is a technique to adjust income payments by means of a price index, in order to maintain the purchasing power of the public after inflation, while deindexation is the unwinding of indexation. Inflation control: When inflation control is implemented via monetary policy it results in higher interest rates. Managers of financial wealth lobby for such a policy on behalf of their clients. This lobbying is the origin of the policy of inflation targeting. Inflation targeting by the central bank involves use of the interest rate to keep inflation under control. it let go of the employment objective and central bank is not accountable for unemployment in situations where growth, employment and inflation are jointly determined, inflation-targeting via the interest rate can lower inflation only by suppressing growth This is the mechanism by which inflation-targeting inevitably lowers growth. Way forward: Public regulation, which sets limits to private activity, is rejected as an unnecessary interference in beneficial activity that maximises social gain, and is therefore to be avoided Conclusion: Governments across the world, including in India, spend big money on social schemes without the vaguest of ideas on whether their objectives have been met. The field-work based approach that these economists have perfected has revolutionised the field of development economics and made it more relevant in policy making. The government would do well to borrow from the research of these laureates to understand the impact of its several schemes, and where necessary, tweak them to derive maximum benefit for the thousands of crores of rupees that it spends. Connecting the dots: The slowing of the economy suggests that the central bank’s stance on inflation may have impacted growth. Analyse (TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE) Model questions: (You can now post your answers in comment section) Note: Featured Comments and comments Up-voted by IASbaba are the “correct answers”. IASbaba App users – Team IASbaba will provide correct answers in comment section. Kindly refer to it and update your answers. Q.1) FASTag often seen in the news is related to which of the following area? Tiger census E-governance tracking Toll collection None of the above Q.2)Consider the following statements about SARAS Aajeevika Mela It is an initiative by the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM). Its objective is to bring the rural women SHGs formed with support of DAY-NRLM, under one platform to show-case their skills, sell their products and help them build linkages with bulk buyers. It is organised by NITI Aayog in collaboration with NABARD and state governments Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct? 1 and 2 only 2 and 3 only 1 and 3 only 1,2 and 3 Q.3)Consider the following statements about The Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences Sveriges Riksbank (Sweden’s central bank) established the Prize in Economic Sciences in 1968, in Memory of Alfred Nobel, founder of the Nobel Prize The 2019 prize was awarded to three scholars for their experimental approach to alleviating global poverty Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 MUST READ Looking beyond the Rafale The Hindu Is India still a minimally decent society? The Hindu Framing laws for outer space The Hindu India needs to pay close attention to deepening of Nepal-China cooperation IE Abhijit Banerjee, Esther Duflo and Michael Kremer introduced a paradigm shift in approach to alleviating poverty IE
Syria Crisis - US Backs out Archives TOPIC: General studies 2 Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests Important International institutions, agencies and fora- their structure, mandate. In News: US President Donald Trump has casted his decision to abandon Kurdish fighters in Syria as fulfilling a campaign promise to withdraw from "endless war" in the Middle East, even as Republican critics and others said he was sacrificing a US ally and undermining American credibility. Trump declared US troops would step aside for an expected Turkish attack on the Kurds, who have fought alongside Americans for years, but he then threatened to destroy Turkey’s economy if they went too far. Even Trump's staunchest Republican congressional allies expressed outrage at the prospect of abandoning Syrian Kurds who had fought the Islamic State group with American arms and advice. Trump said he understood criticism from fellow GOP leaders but disagreed. He said he could also name supporters, but he didn't. Pentagon and State Department officials held out the possibility of persuading Turkey to abandon its expected invasion. U.S. officials said they had seen no indication that Turkey had begun a military operation by late Monday. What is exactly happening? Turkey has long wanted to move across the border into northern Syria, where it sees the Syrian Kurdish forces (specifically the People’s Protection Unit, or YPG, which forms the bulk of the Syrian Democratic Forces) as tied to to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), separatists that Turkey considers a terrorist group. The PKK has waged an insurgency against Turkey for decades, and it’s allied with the Syrian Kurdish forces across the border — which has long put Turkey on edge. Turkey has two main goals in northeast Syria: to drive the Kurdish YPG militia which it deems a security threat away from its border, and to create a space inside Syria where 2 million Syria refugees currently hosted in Turkey can be settled. An economic downturn in Turkey is increasing domestic pressure on Erdogan to resettle 2 million of the 3.6 million people the country has taken in. But the Kurds that Turkey sees as a threat are Washington’s most critical partner on the ground in Syria. Kurdish fighters fought on the front lines against ISIS; they’ve received backing for years, including US technical and intelligence assistance and air support. This put the US in an awkward position from the start — between a NATO ally in Turkey on the one hand and its most reliable partners in fighting (and detaining) the Islamic State on the other. So what was the step taken? In response, in August, the US and Turkey agreed to a security mechanism designed to ease tensions between Turkey and the Syrian Kurds. In Starting in September, the US and Turkey began running joint patrols and the US helped push back some Syrian Kurdish forces from the Turkish border, including destroying their fortifications, to help create a smaller buffer zone in Syria. Basically, it was establishing a “safe zone” step by step, and without the potential violence that a Turkish invasion would unleash. The Pentagon promoted these efforts. But Erdogan had evidently started to get a bit impatient with this approach. The Turkish president apparently found a sympathetic partner in Trump, who’s notoriously skeptical of US troop commitments overseas and may have his own domestic political reasons for doubling down on a promise to end America’s entanglements abroad Implications of the US deciding to pull out of Syria: A new conflict, shifting alliances, and a possible ISIS resurgence This directive — which apparently blindsided allies and lawmakers and national security officials alike — leaves the American-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), largely made up of Kurdish civilians and Kurdish troops who led the fight against ISIS on the ground in Syria, at the mercy of Turkish forces. In doing so, the US is jeopardizing its partners on the ground and unleashing unpredictable consequences for Syria, now in its eighth year of war. For many, Monday’s announcement looks a bit like a repeat of what happened in December 2018, when Trump abruptly announced he was pulling all troops out of Syria over the objections of the Pentagon, including his then-Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis, who ultimately resigned over the decision. Trump, in that instance, partially walked back his pronouncement, leaving a troop contingent in the country, in part because of Turkey’s threat to the Kurds across the border. And it’s not just troops who are at risk if Turkey invades, it’s also Kurdish civilians who could be massacred in any assault. About 1.7 million Kurds live in the north-eastern region of Syria, though that area is larger than Erdogan’s planned 18-20 mile “safe zone.” Still, the United Nations has already warned of the possibility of mass displacement and mass slaughter in the wake of such an operation by Turkey. Kurdish forces have established relative peace and security in their region of northeastern Syria after years of fighting ISIS; Turkey’s encroachment threatens to upend it all. The Kurdish forces have also vowed that, if Turkey invades, it will do what is necessary to protect its people and its troops. That opens up the possibility that Syrian Kurds will look elsewhere for protection, and that likely ally is Bashar al-Assad, the ruthless Syrian dictator, who with help from Russia and Iran is trying to retake all of Syria. The Kurds, who control a swath of land in northeastern Syria, have not ruled out making a deal with Assad if the US abandons them, which could potentially return a huge chunk of Syria back to the government’s control. At the same time, diplomats are alarmed at Turkey’s plan to resettle millions of Syrians, which they fear could amount to “demographic engineering” if ethnic Arabs are encouraged to establish themselves in Kurdish-majority villages and towns. They also worry that some people might be coerced into returning against their will. Turkey’s action along Syrian border could result in a break out of prisons guarding Islamic State (IS) detainees. This attack will definitely reduce and weaken the guarding system for those Daesh (Arabic acronym for IS)militants in the prisons. This could lead to their escape or to behaviours that may get out of the control of the security forces. A prison struck by Turkish shelling holds “the most dangerous criminals from more than 60 nationalities” and Turkey’s attacks on its prisons risked “a catastrophe”. Current State Turkey Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in an address to his party’s officials, claimed that as many as 109 ‘terrorists’ (a reference to Kurdish fighters) were killed since Ankara launched an attack. Erdogan also warned that if the European countries continue to label its military incursion in Syria as an occupation, Ankara will release the 3.6 million Syrian refugees in their country to Europe. Turkey launched airstrikes, fired artillery and began a ground offensive against Kurdish fighters in northern Syria, after US troops pulled back from the area, paving the way for an assault on forces that have long been allied with the United States. India “We are deeply concerned at the unilateral military offensive by Turkey in north-east Syria. Turkey’s actions can undermine stability in the region and the fight against terrorism,” the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement. The confusion over Trump’s Syria policy on Monday also damages the US’s credibility, revealing it to be an unreliable and disorganized international partner. That will have consequences beyond Syria. Connecting the dots: Critically evaluate the Donald Trump’s decision to pull U.S. troops out of Syria. Should global institutions interfere in the internal affairs of a country if there are allegations of human rights violations? Substantiate your viewpoint.
UPSC Quiz - 2020: IAS Daily Current Affairs Quiz Day 92 Archives Important Note Don't forget to post your marks in the comment section. Also, let us know if you enjoyed today's test :) To take the Test - Click Here
Bilateral Relations between India and Bangladesh ARCHIVES Search 5th October 2019 here http://www.newsonair.com/Main_Audio_Bulletins_Search.aspx TOPIC: General Studies 2 India and its neighbourhood- relations. Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests In News: India and Bangladesh have hailed bilateral ties as ‘model good neighbourliness’ as the two sides signed seven agreements and the prime ministers of the two countries inaugurated three projects to deepen their partnership. MoU between the University of Hyderabad and University of Dhaka Renewal of the cultural exchange programme One of the three projects jointly inaugurated by India and Bangladesh allows India to buy liquefied petroleum gas from Bangladesh for consumption in India’s northeastern state of Tripura. The LPG will be transported by Bangladeshi trucks to the Indian state cutting down transport times and costs. Inauguration of a skill development centre that will provide basic as well as advanced training some 200-300 Bangladeshi youth on an annual basis for employment in the small and medium scale industry sectors. MoU for providing a Coastal Surveillance System Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) on the use of Bangladesh’s Chattogram and Mongla ports for movement of goods to and from India MoU on withdrawal of 1.82 cusecs of water from the Feni river by India for a drinking water supply scheme for Sabroom town in Tripura India would supply a fifth tranche of humanitarian assistance to support Bangladesh’s efforts to shelter the Rohingya in temporary camps in Cox’s Bazar. This tranche will comprise tents, relief and rescue material, and 1,000 sewing machines for skill development among Rohingya women. India has completed a first project to build 250 houses in Rakhine, and is now preparing to implement another set of socio-economic development projects there. The leaders have also emphasised the importance of effective border management to ensure a “tranquil, stable and crime- free border”. As a step towards this goal, the leaders directed their respective border forces to complete border fencing at all pending sectors at the earliest. They also agreed to expedite work towards drawing upon the $500 million Defence Line of Credit extended by India, the implementation arrangements for which were finalised in April 2019. The PMs inaugurated the following projects by video link: Import of bulk LPG from Bangladesh Inauguration of the Vivekananda Bhaban students hostel at the Ramakrishna Mission in Dhaka Inauguration of the Bangladesh-India Professional Skill Development Institute (BIPSDI) at the Institution of Diploma Engineers Bangladesh, Khulna Why is Bangladesh important? Bangladesh is growing at a rapid 8% annually; its economy has grown by a huge 188% since 2009. Its per capita income is around $ 2,000, and the value of its exports to India crossed $1 billion in 2019, a year-on-year growth of 52%. Hasina wants Bangladesh to rise from being a Least Developed Country (LDC) to a Developing Country by 2021, and a developed country by 2041. Both India and Bangladesh are now looking at a bilateral Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). Since 2009, Bangladesh and India have peacefully navigated many contested issues that had remained unresolved since 1947. Delhi needs to do more to protect and deepen ties with Dhaka For decades, India has faced difficulty in accessing the Northeast of the country, having to negotiate the so-called chicken’s neck in North Bengal. The friendly government in Dhaka, with an assured political mandate, has more flexiblility in giving access to India’s Northeast through Bangladeshi territory. Several insecurities of the past are fading. The Ganga Waters Agreement had removed what had appeared to be an intractable problem permanently vitiating the relationship. The Land and Maritime Boundary Agreements, approached by different means, were of mutual benefit. but… Bangladesh would seem to have comprehensively addressed Indian concerns with regard to support to militant elements in the North-east, for long an area of Indian concern. On its part, India continues to be unable to deliver on Teesta. The Ganga Barrage project in Bangladesh carries economic advantages as well as political overtones, but has not been addressed with suitable despatch by India to enable Bangladesh to obtain external funding. Delay in implementation of the BBIN (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal initiative) is inexplicable. Even if India is not chiefly responsible, one may have expected greater attention. It remains unclear how the NRC saga will ultimately play out in Indian politics, and the implications it might have for Bangladesh. For now, it has definitely added an extreme level of suspicion about India among ordinary Bangladeshis. And while Prime Minister Modi has assured Prime Minister Hasina during a meeting at the UN that the NRC will have no implications for Bangladesh, this commitment needs continuous reiteration, because an element of noise has been added to the partnership. In a world where building walls and distrusting neighbours have become the international norm, Prime Ministers Hasina and Modi are likely to demonstrate that forward-looking partnerships on equal terms are possible when bilateral ties are rooted in trust, and a common vision of peace and economic progress. Note: Bangladesh shares land borders with India to the west, north and the east and Myanmar to the east, whereas the Bay of Bengal lies to its south. Indian states Assam, Tripura, Mizoram, Meghalaya, and West Bengal share the India-Bangladesh border. In 1971, the Bangladesh Liberation War broke out between East Pakistan and West Pakistan; India intervened in December 1971 on behalf of East Pakistan and helped secure East Pakistan’s independence from Pakistan as the country of Bangladesh. Teesta River that rises in the eastern Himalayas, flows through the Indian states of West Bengal and Sikkim through Bangladesh and enters the Bay of Bengal. The National Register of Citizens (NRC) has left out 1.9 million Assamese from the list with a group labelled as “illegal immigrants from Bangladesh” living in Assam post-1971.(Bangladesh refuses) Must read: China’s role in Bangladesh while shaping its ties with Dhaka Connecting the Dots: The creation of Bangladesh in 1971 changed India’s geopolitics forever. Elucidate. Having so many unresolved issues and irritants with Bangladesh, India’s approach towards her eastern neighbour must be carefully calibrated. Comment. The India-Bangladesh Land boundary agreement (LBA) is more than the diplomatic exercise of maintaining good relations between both the nations.” Examine the significance and implications of the agreement in the light of the statement. “When it comes to national boundaries; regionalism should not get a veto over the larger goal of national integration and development.” Comment on the developments in the India-Bangladesh LBA since its inception in the light of Centre-state relations.
Press Information Bureau (PIB) IAS UPSC – 7th October to 13th October, 2019 ARCHIVES GS-2 Defence Relationship: India & France (Topic: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests) Addressing the Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of French Defence Industries in Paris, Shri Rajnath Singh called upon the French companies for collaboration to modernise India’s shipyards and defence platforms by infusion of technology and asked them to make India its base for production of defence equipment not only for India’s large market but also for export to other countries. He applauded the French companies for regularly participating in DefExpos organised in India with great energy and enthusiasm. He extended a special invitation to French firms to participate in DefExpo, which will be held in Lucknow from February 05 to 08, 2020. He highlighted India’s substantial requirement of Aero engines both in civil and military domains. He requested French OEMs to consider exploring development of an Aero engine complex on government -to- government basis saying French companies could leverage from advantages in India such as low wages and availability of technical manpower. Cabinet approves MoUs signed between India and Foreign Broadcasters in the field of Radio and Television: The MoUs with the Foreign Broadcasters will help: Public broadcaster in exploring new visions; New Strategies to address the demands of new technologies and stiff competition; Media liberalization; and Globalization Major Impact: Broadcasting of programmes to be obtained through mutual exchange, co-production will lead to equity and inclusiveness among viewer/listeners of DD and AIR. Exchanges of technical Know-how, expertise and training of manpower would help the public broadcaster to meet the emerging challenges in the field of broadcasting. Relaxation of Aadhaar seeding of data of the beneficiaries under Pradhan Mantri KisanSamman Nidhi (PM-Kisan): The scheme provides income support of Rs 6,000 per year to landholding families, subject to certain exclusions. The amount is released in three 4-monthly instalments of Rs 2,000 each directly to the bank accounts of the beneficiaries through DBT mode. It has not been possible to get 100% Aadhaar seeding for release of funds as per the prescribed time schedule before release of instalments after 1st August, 2019. Since the farmers are still gearing up for Rabi season, they are in dire need of money to take care of various farming activities like procurement of seeds, preparation of soil and other associated activities like irrigation, maintenance and mobilization of machinery and tools. Over and above these pressing needs, the just started festive season will put further stress on the financial condition of the poor farmers' households in the country. Non-seeding of beneficiaries' details with Aadhaar number will delay the release of further instalments and will cause discontentment among the farmers. Therefore, the mandatory requirement of Aadhaar seeding for release of benefits after 1st August, 2019 has been relaxed till 30th November, 2019. This will enable immediate release of benefits to a large number of farmers who are not able to avail the same due this requirement. Cabinet apprised of the Progress under National Health Mission (NHM) and Decisions of the EPC and MSG of NHM There has been acceleration in decline of Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR), Under Five Mortality Rate (U5MR) and the IMR since the launch of the NRHM/NHM. At the current rate of decline, India should able to reach its SDG target (MMR-70, U5MR-25) much before the due year i.e. 2030. India was the biggest success story amongst Malaria endemic countries in the World, in bringing down the Malaria cases and deaths which have declined by 49.09% and 50.52% in 2013 respectively compared to 2017. Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme (RNTCP) has been significantly strengthened and intensified. A total of 1,180 CBNAAT machines across all districts have been installed which provides rapid and accurate diagnosis for TB including drug resistant TB. This has resulted in three-fold increased use of CBNAAT over the past year. Due to the intensified efforts, there is 16% jump in identification of new cases in one year. Universal drug sensitive cases also increased by 54%. Newer drug regimen of Bedaquiline and Delaminide and nutrition support to all the TB patients for the duration of the treatment has been rolled throughout the country. In 2018-19, 52744 AB-HWCs were approved against which 17149 HWCs were operationalized against the target of 15000.A total of 1, 81,267 Health workers which included ASHAs, MPHWs, Staff Nurses and PHC-MOs were trained on NCDs during 2018-19. The states have initiated activities to operationalize the HWCs. Amongst the new vaccines, Tetanus and adult Diphtheria (Td) vaccine replaced Tetanus Toxoid (TT) vaccine under universal immunization programme in 2018 to ensure Diphtheria immunity among adults. In 2018, Measles-Rubella (MR) vaccination drive was conducted in 17 additional States, thereby covering 30.50 Crores children till March 2019. During 2018-19, Rotavirus vaccine (RVV) was introduced in additional two States. Till today, all the States/UTs are covered with RVV. During 2018-19, Pneumococcal Conjugated Vaccine (PCV) was expanded to MP, Haryana and the remaining districts of Bihar, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. The routine and recurring incentives of ASHAs got increased from 1000 per month to 2000 per month. ASHAs and ASHA Facilitators were provided the cover of Pradhan Mantri Jevan Jyoti BeemaYojna (Premium of Rs. 330 contributed by Gol) and Pradhan Mantri Suraksha BeemaYojna (Premium of Rs.12 contributed by Gol). Anaemia Mukt Bharat (AMB) Abhiyaan was launched under POSHAN Abhiyaan in April 2018. The untied funds amount was increased from Rs, 20,000 to Rs 50,000 for sub health Centres transformed to HWCs. Home Based Care for Young Child (HBYC) programme was introduced under POSHAN Abhiyaan. The scheme for awarding States/UTs/Districts for achieving disease free status in TB/Leprosy/Malaria/Kala-Azar/Lymphatic-Filariasis/Cataract was approved. This will allow certification of the districts/ states as Disease Free ahead of the national certification and promote healthy competition among states and districts, similar to ODF districts and states. National Viral Hepatitis Control Programme was approved for prevention, management and treatment of Hepatitis to A, B, C and E and rollout was initiated. This would benefit an estimated 5 crore patients of Hepatitis. 1990-2013 2013-2016 MMR Decline rate per 1 Lakh live births 5.3% 8% IMR Decline Rate per 1 Lakh births 2.8% 4.7% Under 5 Mortality Decline Rate 3.9% 6.6% Malaria Annual Parasite incidence (API) per 1,000 population 0.64 in 2017 0.30 in 2018 Inclusion of 5,300 DP families of Jammu & Kashmir-1947 who initially opted to move outside the State of Jammu & Kashmir but later on returned and settled in the State of Jammu & Kashmir, in the Rehabilitation Package approved by the Cabinet on 30.11.2016 for Displaced Families PoJK and Chhamb under the PM’s Development Package 2015 for Jammu & Kashmir The approval will enable such DP Families to become eligible to get one-time financial assistance of Rs 5.5 Lakhs under the existing scheme, and in turn, be able to get some sustained income which the existing scheme is aimed at. It will enable them to earn a reasonable monthly income and be part of mainstream economic activities. This will also upgrade the Government’s capacity to respond effectively to such DP families need of financial assistance. Requirement of funds will be met out of the already sanctioned funds for the existing scheme. Launch of WHO India Country Cooperation Strategy 2019–2023 (Topic: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests) The Country Cooperation Strategy (CCS) provides a strategic roadmap for WHO to work with the Government of India towards achieving its health sector goals, in improving the health of its population and bringing in transformative changes in the health sector. Four areas identified for strategic cooperation of WHO with the country encompass: To accelerate progress on UHC To promote health and wellness by addressing determinants of health To protect the population better against health emergencies To enhance India’s global leadership in health Besides the health priorities detailed in the strategy, focus needs to be given on other equally pertinent health areas of environmental and occupational health, accidents and road injuries, and good nutrition and food safety. The implementation of this CCS will build on the remarkable successes in public health that India has demonstrated to the world. It’s a great opportunity to showcase India as a model to the world in initiatives such as digital health, access to quality medicines and medical products, comprehensive hepatitis control program and Ayushman Bharat. The India CCS is one of the first that fully aligns itself with the newly adopted WHO 13th General Programme of Work and its 'triple billion' targets, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and WHO South-East Asia Region’s eight Flagship Priorities. It captures the work of the United Nations Sustainable Development Framework for 2018–2022. The CCS outlines how WHO can support the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare and other allied Ministries to drive impact at the country level. The strategy document builds on other key strategic policy documents including India’s National Health Policy 2017, the many pathbreaking initiatives India has introduced — from Ayushman Bharat to its National Viral Hepatitis programme and promotion of digital health amongst others. ADB, India sign $190 million loan for improving road connectivity in Rajasthan (Topic: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests) The Asian Development Bank and the Government of India yesterday signed a $190 million loan to upgrade 754 kilometres of state highways and major district roads (MDRs) to two-lane or intermediate-lane standards that will benefit about 26 million people in 14 districts of Rajasthan. The Tranche 1 loan of $220 million under the Programme, signed in July 2017, upgraded about 1,000 km of state roads. Tranche 2 roads pass through mostly rural areas of Rajasthan that lack reliable connectivity and will help improve access to health, education facilities and markets leading to increased job opportunities. To promote operational efficiencies and innovations, the project will encourage participation of private sector through Hybrid Annuity Mode and engineering procurement construction (EPC) contracts. The ADB value-addition will consist in financing part of the construction costs for the annuity-based public private partnership (PPP) concessions and EPC contracts and ensure good governance during project implementation, particularly on procurement and safeguards. The annuity-based PPP model attracts private sector financing to address capital investment requirements, where a proportion of initial capital expenditure is paid during construction while the balance is serviced by annuity payments during the operation and maintenance phase. The toll collection rights will remain with the state public works department to bring sustainability in operation and maintenance of the project. For the benefit of commuters and pedestrians, particularly women and children, the project provides for constructing more than 200 bus stops, 70 km of hard shoulder, and 2 km of raised sidewalk on project roads. 2nd India-China Informal Summit (Topic: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests) The two Leaders had an in-depth exchange of views in a friendly atmosphere on overarching, long-term and strategic issues of global and regional importance. They also shared their respective approaches towards national development. They evaluated the direction of bilateral relations in a positive light and discussed how India-China bilateral interaction can be deepened to reflect the growing role of both countries on the global stage. International: Both Leaders shared the view that the international situation is witnessing significant readjustment. They were of the view that India and China share the common objective of working for a peaceful, secure and prosperous world in which all countries can pursue their development within a rules-based international order. They reiterated the consensus reached during the first Informal Summit in Wuhan, China in April 2018, that India and China are factors for stability in the current international landscape and that both side will prudently manage their differences and not allow differences on any issue to become disputes. The Leaders recognized that India and China have a common interest in preserving and advancing a rules-based and inclusive international order, including through reforms that reflect the new realities of the 21st Century. Both agreed that it is important to support and strengthen the rules-based multilateral trading system at a time when globally agreed trade practices and norms are being selectively questioned. India and China will continue to work together for open and inclusive trade arrangements that will benefit all countries. Both Leaders also underscored the important efforts being made in their respective countries to address global developmental challenges, including climate change and the Sustainable Development Goals. They emphasized that their individual efforts in this regard would help the international community achieve the targets. Terrorism: Both Leaders are concerned that terrorism continues to pose a common threat. As countries that are large and diverse, they recognized the importance of continuing to make joint efforts to ensure that the international community strengthens the framework against training, financing and supporting terrorist groups throughout the world and on a non-discriminatory basis. They shared the view that an open, inclusive, prosperous and stable environment in the region is important to ensure the prosperity and stability of the region. They also agreed on the importance of concluding negotiations for a mutually-beneficial and balanced Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership. Culture: As important contemporary civilizations with great traditions, both Leaders deemed it important to enhance dialogue in order to foster cultural understanding between the two peoples. Both Leaders also agreed that, as major civilizations in history, they can work together to enhance greater dialogue and understanding between cultures and civilizations in other parts of the world. The two Leaders exchanged views on the age-old commercial linkages and people-to-people contacts between India and China in the past two millennia, including significant maritime contacts. In this regard the two leaders agreed on establishment of sister-state relations between Tamil Nadu and Fujian Province, exploring the possibility of establishing an academy to study links between Mahabalipuram and Fujian province on the lines of the experience between Ajanta and Dunhuang and conducting research on maritime links between China and India in view of our extensive contacts over the centuries. Development: The two Leaders shared their mutual vision on goals for development of their respective economies. They agreed that the simultaneous development of India and China presents mutually-beneficial opportunities. The two sides will continue to adopt a positive, pragmatic and open attitude and to enhance appreciation of each other’s policies and actions in line with the general direction of their friendship and cooperation. In this regard, they also agreed to continue to enhance strategic communication on all matters of mutual interest, and to continue the momentum of high-level exchanges by making full use of dialogue mechanisms. Bilateral Relations: The leaders were of the view that the positive direction of ties had opened up possibilities for taking bilateral relations to greater heights. They agreed that this endeavor also required strong public support in both countries. In this context the two Leaders have decided to designate 2020 as Year of India-China Cultural and People to People Exchanges and agreed that the 70th anniversary of the establishment of India-China relations in 2020 will be fully utilized to deepen exchanges at all levels including between their respective legislatures, political parties, cultural and youth organizations and militaries. To celebrate the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations the two countries will organize 70 activities including a conference on a ship voyage that will trace the historical connect between the two civilizations. In pursuit of their efforts to further deepen economic cooperation and to enhance their closer development partnership, the two Leaders have decided to establish a High-Level Economic and Trade Dialogue mechanism with the objective of achieving enhanced trade and commercial relations, as well as to better balance the trade between the two countries. They have also agreed to encourage mutual investments in identified sectors through the development of a Manufacturing Partnership and tasked their officials to develop this idea at the first meeting of the High-Level Economic and Trade Dialogue. Boundaries: The two Leaders have exchanged views on outstanding issues, including on the boundary question. They have welcomed the work of the Special Representatives and urged them to continue their efforts to arrive at a mutually-agreed framework for a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable settlement based on Political Parameters and Guiding Principles that were agreed by the two sides in 2005. They reiterated their understanding that efforts will continue to be made to ensure peace and tranquility in the border areas, and that both sides will continue to work on additional Confidence Building Measures in pursuit of this objective. GS-3 Launch of Low cost device for ocean states forecast and mapping potential fishing zones (Topic: Disaster Management) For seamless and effective dissemination of emergency information and communication on disaster warnings, Potential Fishing Zones (PFZ) and Ocean States Forecasts (OSF) to fishermen, the Government launched the Gagan Enabled Mariner’s Instrument for Navigation and Information (GEMINI) device. Ocean State Forecasts include the forecasts on winds, waves, ocean currents, water temperature, etc. at every 6 hrs on daily basis for next 5 days helping fishermen in maximizing their earnings, ensuring safety and in planning of fishing activities. Though the advisories and forecasts are disseminated through multiple communication modes, none of them could provide such information, including the disaster warnings when the fishermen move away from the coast beyond 10-12 km (typical ranges of mobile phones and VHF). That remained as a major limitation in disseminating the information to fishermen who go in the sea beyond 50 nautical miles; sometimes up to 300 nautical miles and beyond to conduct multiday fishing. This lacuna was severely felt during the Ockhi cyclone in 2017, when fishermen went out, for deep sea fishing before the onset of the cyclone and could not be informed about the developing cyclone. This communication gap resulted in loss of life, serious injuries to those rescued and severe damages to fishing boats and fishing gear. To overcome this difficulty, Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS), an autonomous body under the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) joined hands with Airports Authority of India (AAI) to utilize the GAGAN (GPS Aided Geo Augmented Navigation) satellite system to transmit the PFZ, OSF and disaster warnings to fishermen with GAGAN system consisting of three geosynchronous satellites (GSAT-8, GSAT-10 and GSAT-15). GAGAN foot-print covers the entire Indian Ocean round the clock. To receive the messages transmitted through the GAGAN satellites, INCOIS together with AAI developed a low-cost GAGAN system-enabled GEMINI (GAGAN Enabled Mariner's Instrument for Navigation and Information) device and electronically designed and manufactured by a private industry M/S Acord, Bangalore under Make in India Program. The GEMINI device receives and transfers the data received from GAGAN satellite/s to a mobile through Bluetooth communication. A mobile application developed by INCOIS decodes and displays the information in nine regional languages. MNRE refutes reports expressing doubt on India’s renewable energy target (Topic: Energy) The Target: 1,75,000 MW by the year 2022 In some of the recent media reports apprehensions have been raised whether India would be able to achieve 1,75,000 MW renewable power installed capacity target by the year 2022. All these have cited the CRISIL report of September 2019. However, the doubts are ill-founded and not reflective of the status on the ground and plans ahead. By the end of September 2019, India has installed more than 82,580 MW of renewable energy capacity with around 31,150 MW of capacity under various stages of installation. Thus, by the first quarter of 2021, India would have installed more than 1,13,000 MWof renewable power capacity. This would constitute nearly 65 per cent of the targeted capacity. Besides this, around 39,000 MWof renewable power capacity is at various stages of bidding which would be installed by September 2021, taking the percentage of installed capacity to over 87 percentage of the targeted capacity. With only 23,000 MW of renewable power capacity left to bid, India is confident that the target of installing 1,75,000 MW of renewable power capacity will not only be met but exceeded. India’s renewable power capacity has increased from 34000 MW to 82,580 MW recording 138 percent growth. Globally, India stands 5th in solar power, 4th in wind power, and 4th in total renewable power installed capacity. If large hydro included, India stands 3rd in renewable power capacity globally. India’s renewable energy programme is much beyond production of electricity and covers a basket of applications including use of solar thermal energy for cooling, heating, drying and other industrial applications. Renewable energy has emerged as a true multi-benefit system, combining ecological necessities with domestic priorities, economic and job creation opportunities. Central Public Sector Undertaking (CPSU) Scheme Phase-ll For setting up 12,000 MW grid-connected SPV Power Projects, by the Government Producers with Viability Gap Funding (VGF) support of Rs. 8,580 crore for self-use or use by Government or Government entities, both Central and State Governments The Scheme mandates use of both SPV cells and modules manufactured domestically as per specifications and testing requirements. PM-KUSUM (Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Surakshaevem Utthan Mahabhiyan) scheme To be implemented over next four years for de-dieselization of the farm sector and increasing farmers’ energy independence and income. Under the scheme, India has plans to provide 1.75 million stand-alone solar agriculture pumps and carry out solarisation of 1 million grid connected agriculture pumps by the year 2022. Under the same scheme, Government is also encouraging farmers to set up small solar plants of the size of 500 KW to 2 MW on barren lands for their additional income. Three components combined, the scheme aims to add a solar capacity of 25,750 MW by 2022. The total central financial support provided under the scheme would be Rs. 34,422 crore. Roof Top Solar Phase-II programme SRISTI (Sustainable Rooftop Implementation for Solar Transfiguration of India) scheme For accelerated deployment of solar roof top systems in the country Under this scheme Central Financial Assistance for 4000 MW of small roof top capacity and incentives to Distribution Companies for 18,000 MW capacity by 2022 have been provided. These schemes will also act as catalyst for adding solar cell and module manufacturing capacity in India. Further, the Tariff Policy is being revised to ensure timely adoption of tariffs. Please Note Joint Military Exercise DHARMA GUARDIAN-219etw: Between India and Japan First ever ‘India International Cooperatives Trade Fair’ in Delhi: Aimed at achieving the goal of doubling farmers’ income Kayakalp awards: Given to Public and Private Health Facilities for high standards of sanitation and hygiene Launch of Pradhan Mantri Innovative Learning Programme (PMILP)- ‘DHRUV’ The objective of the Pradhan Mantri Innovative Learning Programme program would be to allow talented students to realize their full potential and contribute to society. In centres of excellence across the country, gifted children will be mentored and nurtured by renowned experts in different areas, so that they can reach their full potential. It is expected that many of the students selected will reach the highest levels in their chosen fields and bring laurels to their community, State and Nation The programme will be called DHRUV (after the Pole Star) and every student to be called ‘DHRUV TARA’. The students will thus both shine through their achievements and light a path for others to follow. It will cover two areas i.e. Science and Performing Arts.There will be 60 students in all, 30 from each area.The 60 students come from across the country The students will be broadly from classes 9 to 12, from all schools including government and private. This is only the first phase of the programme which will be expanded gradually to other fields like creative writing etc. Launch of Mahatma Gandhi National Fellowship Programme with IIM Bangalore To boost skill development at the district level, the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) signed a contract with the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Bangalore for introducing a two-year fellowship programme Mahatma Gandhi National Fellowship (MGNF) programme. Designed under Skills Acquisition and Knowledge Awareness for Livelihood Promotion (SANKALP) the fellowship aims to address the challenge of non-availability of personnel for implementation of various programmes at national, state and district levels. Fellows in the two-year blended programme with academic module at IIM-B & district emersion program will train with district administration officials Programme aims to provide academic inputs and field experience to understand and contribute to the creation of a district level skill development ecosystem Programme launched in 75 districts across Gujarat, Karnataka, Meghalaya, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand Launched by the Government in January 2018, SANKALP is a World Bank loan assisted project that aims to strengthen institutional mechanisms for skill development and increase access to quality and market-relevant training for youth across the country. Four key result areas have been identified under SANKALP viz: (i) Institutional Strengthening; (ii) Quality Assurance; (iii) Inclusion; and (iv) Expanding Skills through PPPs India and Comoros: Seeking to expand bilateral relations in various fields, India and Comoros today signed 6 MoUs including one on defence cooperation. Other MoUs sought to cement cooperation in the fields of health and medicine, arts and culture and tele-education (e-Vidya Bharati) and tele-medicine (e-Arogya Bharati). MoUs on exemption of Visa for Diplomatic and Official Passport holders for short visits and protocol on foreign office consultation were also signed. Comoros is an island country in the Indian Ocean located at the northern end of the Mozambique Channel off the eastern coast of Africa between northeastern Mozambique, the French region of Mayotte, and northwestern Madagascar. The capital and largest city in Comoros is Moroni. The religion of the majority of the population is Sunni Islam. Launch of Ganga Aamantran A unique initiative to connect with Ganga’s Stakeholders The ‘Ganga Aamantran Abhiyan’ is a pioneering and historic exploratory open-water rafting and kayaking expedition on the Ganga River to be held between 10th October 2019 to 11 November 2019. Starting at Devprayag and culminating at Ganga Sagar, the expedition will cover the entire streatch of over 2500 kms of the Ganga River. This is the first ever effort by National Mission for Clean Ganga to raft across the entire stretch of the river and also the longest ever social campaign undertaken through an adventure sporting activity to spread the message of River Rejuvenation and Water Conservation on a massive scale. The expedition will draw attention to the ecological challenges being faced by Ganga. The expedition will encompass the five Ganga basin states including Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Bihar and West Bengal with stops at Rishikesh, Haridwar, Kanpur, Allahabad, Varanasi, Patna, Sonepur and Kolkata. The team, during the expedition will take up public awareness campaign on the locations at which they will stop. They will organise mass cleaning drives, interact with students of the village/city and will further the message of river conservation. Launch of eDantseva website and mobile application The first ever national digital platform on oral health information and knowledge dissemination e-DantSeva will reach out to more than one billion people with one click in the form of a dedicated website and mobile application Poor oral health affects growth negatively in all aspects of human development Braille booklet and Voice over on Oral Health Education for the visually impaired individuals, along with the oral health posters for pregnant women and children was also released Dental caries/cavities and periodontal disease remain the two most prevalent dental diseases of the Indian population and dental infections have a potential for serious diseases/infections. This initiative of the Ministry with AIIMS and other stakeholders aims to sensitize the public about the significance of maintaining optimum oral health and equips them with the tools and knowledge to do so, including awareness on the nearest oral health service facility. India announces TAP for 5 African Countries on World Cotton Day In the five year long second phase, the programme will be scaled up in size and coverage and will be introduced in five additional countries, namely Mali, Ghana, Togo, Zambia and Tanzania. The Cotton TAP programme will now cover 11 African countries including the C4 (Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad and Mali). India implemented a Technical Assistance Programme (TAP) for cotton in 6 African countries, namely – Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad, Malawi, Nigeria and Uganda from 2012 to 2018. India is also engaging meaningfully in providing assistance to strengthen both the agriculture and textile part of the cotton value chain in Africa through training and capacity-building of farmers, scientists, government officials and industry representatives and through the creation of cotton-related infrastructure. As one of the world’s largest producers and consumers of cotton, India supports the World Cotton Day as an opportunity to recognise the significance of cotton as a global commodity, and, more importantly, as a source of livelihood for millions of small and marginal farmers in developing countries. As a country of 8 million small and marginal cotton farmers, India is sensitive to the challenges faced by the cotton sector in developing countries and India has been a proponent for the elimination of asymmetries and imbalances in the WTO agreements that lead to a distortion of global cotton markets. On Environment To control stubble burning, the government has given more than 20 thousand machines to farmers in Punjab and Haryana at a cost of about Rs.1150 crore Launch of green fire crackers with green logo and QR coding system, and is aimed at reducing pollution and health risks Emulating the best dust management practices from Delhi Metro has led to pollution reduction and presently there is nearly 5 lakh MT waste which is being processed as Recycled Aggregate/Brick base. India to shift to BS VI vehicular emission norms by April next year Bharat Stage Six (BS VI), is a revolutionary step in the transformation of fuels. There has been 80% reduction in Particulate Matter emissions and 30% reduction in Nitrogen Oxides emissions in BS IV heavy duty diesel vehicles compared with BS III norms. Nearly ₹60,000 Cr were spent on switching over to BS VI fuels. The country will shift to BS VI vehicular emission norms from BS IV by April 2020. BS VI petrol/diesel is already available in Delhi/NCR Personality in News Maharaja Jayachamaraja Wadiyar of Mysore He is the 25th Maharaja of the Kingdom of Mysore, was an exceptional ruler and able administrator. He was also a noted philosopher, music exponent, political thinker and philanthropist. When India won independence, he was the first among the rulers of India’s princely states to accept the Instrument of Accession. The Maharaja signed it on 9th August, 1947 and the Union Government accepted it on 16th August. He should be thus regarded as the icon of India’s transition to democracy. His pioneering contribution to the unity and integrity of the newly independent nation will never be forgotten. Maharaja Jayachamaraja Wadiyar was not only an exceptional scholar of Indian philosophy himself but also promoted scholarship through the ‘Jayachamaraja Grantha Ratna Mala’. His support for entrepreneurship is also an inspiring story. As the ruler of the Mysore state, he actively encouraged the establishment of an industrial facility in Bengaluru by a company called Hindustan Aircraft in 1940 which become Hindustan Aeronautics. Maharaja gifted the magnificent Cheluvamba Mansion in Mysore to the Government to start the Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI). He said that Maharaja’s similar donations helped the government set up the National Tuberculosis Institute in Bangalore and the All India Institute of Speech and Hearing at Mysore. Jayaprakash Narayan Part of the All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) Jayaprakash Narayan (JP), whose 117th birth anniversary falls on October 11, was among the twelve apostles of the Mahatma and had been a front-soldier during the Indian freedom struggle. In this fight, JP imbibed a combination of ahimsa and aggression. His call for ‘sampoorna kranti’ or total revolution to fight against rampant corruption, unemployment and systematic weakening of democratic institutions back in 1974, and the subsequent events, led to the imposition of the infamous Emergency. It eventually paved the way for a realignment of political forces in the country and gave a new direction to the politics of the country, with far-reaching ramifications. He firmly believed that youngsters should be in the forefront of changing the system. Those entrenched in power, the status quoists, would naturally resist any change, but only the energy and force of youth can bring about revolutionary transformation – this was his firm belief. And that’s precisely what happened in the seventies. After blessing the Nav Nirman Andolan in Gujarat, where people had risen against the corrupt state government, JP mobilised students in Bihar to fight against authoritarianism and corruption. He had such a mesmerising influence on the political scene that under his mentorship a host of splinter parties of the Congress, like Congress (O), Jana Sangh and Swatantra Party, and other socialists came together to form the Janata Party. He could have easily occupied the top post during the Janata regime. Although people clamoured for his leadership, he said that power was not his aim. He participated in the freedom struggle and led the Quit India movement in 1942 in the absence of senior leaders. He remained detached from electoral politics after Independence, but as such was not indifferent to politics. He also took active part in Vinoba Bhave’s Bhoodan movement. The legacy of JP is akin to that of the Mahatma and echoes him on issues that have cropped up in the post-Gandhi era. All of them are topical and in JP’s own words: Freedom “Freedom became one of the beacon lights of my life and it has remained so ever since… Above all it meant freedom of the human personality, freedom of the mind, freedom of the spirit. This freedom has become a passion of my life and I shall not see it compromised for food, for security, for prosperity, for the glory of the state or for anything else.” Democracy “India’s democracy is to rise storey by storey from the foundation, consisting of self-governing, self-sufficient, agro-industrial, urbo-rural local communities — gram sabha, panchayat samiti and zilla parishad—that would form the base of Vidhan Sabhas and the Lok Sabha. These politico-economic institutions will regulate the use of natural resources for the good of the community and the nation. Development “Idea of development envisages independent India as sui generis, a society unlike any other, in a class of its own that would not follow the western pattern of mega industrialisation, urbanisation and individuation. India’s would be agro-based people’s economy that would chart out a distinct course in economic growth, which would be need-based, human-scale and balanced while conserving nature and livelihoods. Such a ‘development’ process would be democratic and decentralised. The best development model for India is diversified, democratic decentralised and value-added agriculture as the root, manufacturing small/medium industries as trunk and branches and widespread service sector as a canopy. The almost universal tendency for a centralised political, economic model, and social system that is associated with both of them should be abandoned.” Communalism “Although almost every religious community had its own brand of communalism, Hindu communalism was more pernicious than the others because Hindu communalism can easily masquerade as Indian nationalism and denounce all opposition to it as being anti-national.” Hindutva “Those who attempt to equate India with Hindus and Indian history with Hindu history are only detracting from the greatness of India and the glory of Indian history and civilisation. Such person, paradoxical though this may seem, are in reality the enemies of Hinduism itself and the Hindus. Not only do they degrade the noble religion and destroy its catholicity and spirit of tolerance and harmony, but they also weaken and sunder the fabric of the nation, of which Hindus form such a vast majority.” Hindu Rashtra “In ‘the long struggle for national freedom there emerged a clear enough concept of a single, composite, non-sectarian Indian nationhood’. All those who spoke about divisive and sectarian nationalism were therefore outside the pale of this nationalism, evolved during the freedom struggle. The hostile and alienating nationalism we hear about today is antithetical to the ethos of freedom struggle and against the belief of all those who helped it evolve.”
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