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Daily Current Affairs IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 29th July 2019

IAS UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 29th July 2019 Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) RCEP negotiations Part of: GS Prelims and Mains GS- II – International Relations In News: Australia is leading a negotiation team of RCEP countries so as to convince India to commit to the deal (Free Trade Agreement) by this year end. About RCEP: Regional Comprehensive Cooperation agreement – is a proposed free trade agreement between 10 members of ASEAN and its five FTA partners (China, India, Australia, Japan, New Zealand) RCEP negotiation was formally launched in 2012, whose member states together account for 3.4 billion people and approximately 40% of world’s GDP. Do you know? Members of Indian Industry are resisting RCEP due to following concerns  Flooding of the market with Chinese goods impacting domestic manufacturers Lack of access to Indian services in the RCEP countries (Services is India’s strong area and has huge potential to tap into RCEP market) Cyber security - Agent Smith Part of: Mains GS III- Challenges to internal security through communication networks In News: Agent Smith is the latest malware to creep into android phones. This malware can replace apps on android phones with malicious versions without the user’s knowledge. As of now Agent Smith is only infiltrating mobile phones with the intention of throwing up advertisements (sudden rise) for other apps. However, once the malware has control over a cell phone, it can do anything, including stealing banking details or other sensitive data, liable to its misuse. It is estimated to have already impacted 25 million devices, Indian constituting nearly 60% of them. Users are thus advised against downloading third party apps and keep their operating system updated. Railway reforms Part of: Mains GS III- Infrastructure: Railways In News Government is contemplating to start import of complete train sets from foreign suppliers if they agreed to establish the coach manufacturing facility in India. Railways would evolve standard eligibility criteria for propulsion systems as was done by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs that operates the Metro Railway. Do You Know? Centre plans to corporatize production units of Indian railways like - Integral Coach Factory in Chennai (Largest such facility in the world) , Modern Coach Factory in Rae Bareli, and Rail Coach Factory in Kapurthala. Corporatization is the process of transforming government assets into corporations. In this case, the production units of Indian Railways will be converted into government-owned company Advantages of corporatization: Managerial autonomy, superior operational efficiency, attract investments, bring in start-of-the-art technology and export capability Opposition to Corporatization: Opposition by trade unions due to increased vulnerability of their jobs, considered as first step of privatization which would increase cost for consumers Himalayan conclave at Mussorie Part of: GS Prelims and Mains GS II-  issues and challenges pertaining to the federal structure In News Himalayan states gathered together and made the following demands to the centre A separate Union ministry to deal with problems endemic to them A green bonus in recognition of their contribution to environment conservation. Rationale behind such demands Most of the country’s rivers originate in the Himalayan states and thus they have to play significant role in water conservation efforts Also large part of their land fell into eco-sensitive zones where developmental activities are severely restricted A green bonus is thus needed to compensation for their disadvantages Do You Know? 11 Himalayan states of India are - Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakahand, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Assam, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagalaland, Tripura, Mizoram and Manipur Ministry of Jal Shakti was formed in May 2019 so as to holistically resolve water crisis Jal Shakti Abhiyan (JSA) to be started from September 2019 is a time-bound, mission-mode water conservation campaign. JSA will focus on five aspects –  Water conservation and rainwater harvesting Renovation of traditional and other water bodies Reuse of water and recharging of structures watershed development, and Intensive afforestation Hurdles in Colistin ban Part of: GS Prelims and Mains GS III-  Economics of animal-rearing.  In News Kerala is gearing to implement the Union Ministry’s ban on Colistin and its formulations, for food producing animals, poultry, aqua farming and animal feed supplements. However, the actual implementation of the ban is fraught with challenges due to lack of any control on the imports of Colistin from China Do you know? Colistin is a valuable, last-resort antibiotic that saves lives in critical care units.  Off-late there has been rise in patients who have exhibited resistance to this drug (ineffective against pathogens) Colistin is highly misused in poultry industry as a growth promoter which is one of reason for increasing antibiotic resistance in India The poultry market in increasing in India due to poultry integration, a kind of contract farming wherein integrators supply chicks, feed, veterinary aid, medication and other  inputs to farmers and then buy back the birds after five weeks. (MAINS FOCUS) SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY TOPIC: General Studies 3 Awareness in the fields of IT Science and Technology- developments and their applications and effects in everyday life Achievements of Indians in science & technology; indigenization of technology and developing new technology. Ban or regulate crypto currency? Context An inter-ministerial committee (IMC) that was set up to assess the viability of virtual currencies has recommended that India should ban private crypto currencies such as Bitcoin.  Concerns: Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said the government doesn’t consider them legal tender.  The Reserve Bank of India has repeatedly warned the public of the risks associated with dealing with cryptocurrencies.  There have been cases of consumers being defrauded, including in India. What are virtual currencies? A virtual currency is a digital representation of value that can be digitally traded and functions as a medium of exchange, and/ or a unit of account, and/or  a store of value,  But, unlike fiat currency like the rupee, it is not legal tender and does not have the backing of a government. A cryptocurrency is a subset of virtual currencies, and is decentralised, and protected by cryptography. There are block chains which are online registers and through these online registers, people can actually buy these currencies and mine the currencies and use them as instrument of exchange. There are about 9-10 crypto currencies in the world right now.  Bitcoins is the largest cryptocurrency in the world because they are computer generated currencies and the codes are completely secret, so nobody masters it. Bitcoin, Litecoin, Ripple, Ethereum, PPcoin, Dogecoin, Coinye, Namecoin etc. are some of the examples of cryptocurrencies. Important terms related to cryptocurrency: Distributed Ledger Technologies DLT refers to technologies that involve the use of independent computers (also referred to as nodes) to record, share, and synchronise transactions in their respective electronic ledgers. All virtual currencies use DLT. Blockchain technology It is a specific kind of DLT that came to prominence after Bitcoin, a cryptocurrency that used it, became popular. Cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin use codes to encrypt transactions and stack them up in blocks, creating Blockchains.  It is the use of codes that differentiates cryptocurrencies from other virtual currencies Transactions A transfer of funds between two digital wallets is called a transaction. That transaction gets submitted to a public ledger and awaits confirmation. Mining In simple terms, mining is the process of confirming transactions and adding them to a public ledger. In order to add a transaction to the ledger, the “miner” must solve an increasingly-complex computational problem (like a mathematical puzzle). Benefits of cryptocurrencies Ownership: Cryptocurrencies hold the promise of making it easier to transfer funds directly between two parties in a transaction, without the need for a trusted third party such as a bank or credit card company Low transaction fee: Fund transfers are done with minimal processing fees, allowing users to avoid the steep fees charged by most banks and financial institutions for wire transfers. Identity Protection: Paying with credit/debit cards requires submitting sensitive banking information that could be stolen or compromised. Cryptocurrency can be sent directly to a recipient without any information other than total amount you want to send. Risk-free for sellers: Payments using Cryptocurrency can’t be reversed, which means merchants don’t have to worry about stopped payments. The blockchain makes it difficult for you to be defrauded. Demerits of Cryptocurrency Accessibility: Since cryptocurrency mining and transactions can only happen on network, illiterate people will find it difficult to understand the working mechanism. Also rural areas that do not have access to internet will not be able to perform cryptocurrency transactions. Threat of hacking: using bitcoins, providing a data structure for this ledger that is exposed to a limited threat from hackers and can be copied across all computers running Bitcoin software Volatility: Cryptocurrency exchange rates can vary greatly, which means the amount you pay or receive one day could be wildly different next day. What is the IMC’s view on DLT and cryptocurrencies? The first thing to understand is that the IMC recognises the potential of DLT and Blockchain.  The IMC accepts that internationally, the application of DLT is being explored in the areas of trade finance, mortgage loan applications, digital identity management or KYC requirements, cross-border fund transfers and clearing and settlement systems.  To that extent, it recommends the Department of Economic Affairs (within the Finance Ministry) to take necessary measures to facilitate the use of DLT in the entire financial field after identifying its uses.  The IMC also recommends that regulators — RBI, SEBI, IRDA, PFRDA, and IBBI — explore evolving appropriate regulations for development of DLT in their respective areas. The IMC’s view is that it “would be advisable to have an open mind regarding the introduction of an official digital currency in India”.  It noted that the RBI Act has the enabling provisions to permit the central government to approve a “Central Bank Digital Currency” (CBDC) as legal tender in India. Second, scaling up such a currency system over a large population would require crippling levels of energy resources. Currencies such as Bitcoin require humongous processing power.  According to a report by the Bank of International Settlement, Bitcoin processing already uses as much energy as is used by Switzerland; it called this an environmental disaster. Third, the IMC is worried that if private cryptocurrencies are allowed to function as legal tender, the RBI would lose control over the monetary policy and financial stability, as it would not be able to keep a tab on the money supply in the economy Fourth, the anonymity of private digital currencies make them vulnerable to money laundering and use in terrorist financing activities while making law enforcement difficult. Fifth, there is no grievance redressal mechanism in such a system, as all transactions are irreversible. The inter-ministerial committee believes it is, going so far as to draft a law that mandates a fine and imprisonment of up to 10 years for the offences of mining, generating, holding, selling, dealing in, transferring, disposing of, or issuing cryptocurrencies. Conclusion: An outright ban on cryptocurrency may not be a good idea. If new currency is popular, it would be wise to take note of it, accept the advent of technology, recognize the rise in popularity of cryptocurrency and then introduce safeguard, measures and regulatory structure by which people do not feel that they should have something to fall back on. The government will see opportunities for revenues as large number of people have made gains through cryptocurrency. Connecting the dots: Cryptocurrencies are bound to fail as a medium of exchange for its speculative nature and digital existence. Comment. What are crytpocurrencies ? what are the risks associated with crytptocurrency?Discuss India’s stand on cryptocurrencies. SECURITY/BORDER MANAGEMENT TOPIC: General Studies 3 Role of external state and non-state actors in creating challenges to internal security. Security challenges and their management in border areas Army’s first Integrated Battle Groups Context: The new concept of Integrated Battle Groups (IBGs) which the Army plans to create as part of overall force transformation is close to implementation, More about Integrated Battle Groups (IBGs): IBGs are brigade-sized, agile, self-sufficient combat formations, which can swiftly launch strikes against adversary in case of hostilities. IBG would be tailor-made based on Threat, Terrain and Task and resources will be allotted based on the three T s. The IBGs will also be defensive and offensive.  While the offensive IBGs would quickly mobilise and make thrust into enemy territory for strikes Defensive IBGs would hold ground at vulnerable points or where enemy action is expected. The concept of IBGs has already been test-bedded by 9 Corps.  They will be able to mobilise within 12-48 hrs based on the location They need to be light so they will be low on logistics, A command is the largest static formation of the Army spread across a defined geography, a corps is the largest mobile formation. Typically each corps has about three brigades.  The idea is to reorganise them into IBGs which are brigade-sized units but have all the essential elements like infantry, armoured, artillery and air defence embedded together based on the three Ts An IBG operating in a desert needs to be constituted differently from an IBG operating in the mountains. Army Chief Gen Bipin Rawat has initiated four major studies to undertake overall transformation of the force. Aim: The aim is holistic integration to enhance the operational and functional efficiency, optimise budget expenditure, facilitate force modernisation and address aspirations. Restructuring of Army Headquarters Force restructuring which includes creation of Integrated Battle Groups (IBG) The cadre review of officers and  Review of the terms and conditions of Junior Commissioned Officers and Other Ranks Conclusion The overall transformation will also see a reduction in the size of the 1.3 million Army After the Parliament attack, the Indian military undertook massive mobilisation but the formations which were deep inside took weeks to mobilise losing the element of surprise. IBG Groups to be structured by end of next month Connecting the dots: What in your opinion should be the selection principle in critical organisations like defence? Critically evaluate. Do you think that the Integrated battle groups serves the purpose in overall transformation of the force. Critically 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) Which of the following countries are part to RCEP negotiations Which of the above statement(s) is/are correct? China USA  Japan Singapore South Korea Select the correct answer from the codes given below 1,2 and 3 only 1,2,3 and 4 only 1,3,4 and 5 only 1,3 and 4 only Q.2) Agent Smith recently seen in news is related to which of the following? Espionage Humanoid robot Mobile malware AI application for Crime reporting Q.3) Which of the following statements is/are correct? Integral Coach Factory in Chennai is the largest coach making facility in the world Metro Railway comes under Ministry of Road Transport and Highways Select the correct answer from the codes given below 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.4) Arrange the following cities from South to North? Chennai Rae Bareli Varanasi Kapurthala Patiala Select the correct answer from the codes given below 1-2-3-4-5 1-3-2-4-5 1-3-2-5-4 1-2-3-5-4 Q.5) Which of the following statements is/are correct? Ministry of Jal Shakti was formed by merging Ministry of Water resources, River development and Ganga rejuvenation and Ministry of Drinking water and sanitation Water is under the concurrent list of Indian Constitution Select the correct answer from the codes given below 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 MUST READ Sexism in Parliament The Hindu Governing India through fiscal math The Hindu Respecting reproductive choice The Hindu The digital identification parade Indian Express In Good Faith: The Divine Patriarchy Indian Express

Daily Prelims CA Quiz

UPSC Quiz - 2020 : IAS Daily Current Affairs Quiz Day 36

UPSC Quiz - 2020 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz Day 36 Archives Q.1) Consider the following statements India has been allotted a site of 75,000 sq. km. in the Central Indian Ocean Basin (CIOB) by the UN International Sea Bed Authority for exploitation of polymetallic nodules (PMN). India has an Exclusive Economic zone spread over 2.2 Million sq.kms Select the correct statements 1 Only 2 Only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.2) Consider the following about O-SMART scheme: It is a mission to promote millet cultivation ‘as we move towards climate-smart agriculture in the wake of frequent droughts’. The scheme is being piloted by the Union earth sciences ministry. Select the correct statements 1 Only 2 Only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.3) Which of the following best describes the term ‘Gig Economy’ which is sometimes seen in the news? It is an economy with high prevalence of failing start ups It is characterized by prevalence of short term contracts and freelance work It is characterized by export oriented manufacturing It is characterized by high prevalence of permanent jobs in organized sector Q.4) Consider the following statements with respect to ‘International Seabed Authority (ISA)’ It is an organization established by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. It has its headquarters in Kingston, Jamaica. 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 ‘Polymetallic nodules’ They are rock concretions on the sea bottom formed of concentric layers of iron and manganese hydroxides around a core They are only found in the central Pacific Ocean Select the corrects statements 1 Only 2 Only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 To Download the Solution - Click here All the Best  IASbaba

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RSTV IAS UPSC – Data & Privacy: How Safe Are Apps?

Data & Privacy: How Safe Are Apps? Archives TOPIC: General studies 2 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; mechanisms, laws, institutions and bodies constituted for the protection and betterment of these vulnerable sections In News: Faceapp, an image-editing app has caught the imagination of everyone from New York to Sydney; from Brussels to Chennai and beyond. There are millions of people, including several in India, who are transforming their current photo, using the apps age filter to see what they will look like when they are old. And these people are also sharing these photos on social media. The problem, however, is that just with any other app that uses personal data such as a photo, there are privacy concerns around FaceApp.  Privacy Concerns A number of people have raised concerns, including a US senator who wants the app investigated by the FBI for possible data misuse.  The primary issue seems to be a clause in the terms and conditions of FaceApp. This clause says users give FaceApp "a perpetual, irrevocable, nonexclusive, royalty-free, worldwide, fully-paid, transferable sub-licensable license" to use photos they upload. Similar fears were raised when the trend of #10yearchallenge went viral on Facebook in January this year. In this people uploaded their photos from 10 years earlier to show how they changed. Especially since FaceApp do not require users to log and 99 per cent don’t (as per data by FaceApp), there is no way to relate which photo belongs to whom. In short, there is no way to identify a person. So this can be classified as anonymised data used for training machine learning algorithms, but of very limited use otherwise. What is more worrying is that the app uploads pictures to the cloud rather than storing locally, which according to the company helps with the performance and traffic. FaceApp said in a statement that “most” images are deleted from their servers within 48 hours of upload, though there is no clarity on whether photos are deleted from the AWS and Google Cloud that the company uses as well. However, there are other apps that do the same to overcome the lack of processing power in certain devices. The looming question of data privacy More and more people and organisations are online, leaving digital footprints every step of the way. Taken together, this data trail is a much sought-after commodity, monetised by businesses. It can also prove to be destructive in the wrong hands. Individuals, organisations and the government scramble to safeguard personal data and privacy in the age of the internet. Cases: Case 1: The issue of privacy breach came to light once again when Union minister for road transport and highways Nitin Gadkari stated in response to a question in the Rajya Sabha on July 10 that the government had given 87 private companies and 32 government entities access to the ministry’s Vahan (vehicle registration) and Sarathi (driving licence) database for a sum of ₹65 crore. Case 2: Early in March this year, cybersecurity researcher Bob Diachenko from Germany discovered that over 12.5 million Indian women’s medical records were available online without a password. Despite being alerted, the ministry of health and family welfare took its time to get CERT (Computer Emergency Response Team), the country’s nodal agency for cybersecurity, to fix the issue. Details related to ultrasound scans, pregnancy complications and abortions, among others, were on view for three whole weeks, in a major breach of privacy and doctor-patient confidentiality. Case 3: In June 2018, 2.5 lakh students’ names, phone numbers and roll numbers for NEET, the medical college entrance exam, were available for sale online. Aadhaar-related leaks are frequently reported in India, with cooking gas supplier Indane alone blamed for outing millions of numbers through two different leaks. How does the breach of data affect the ordinary citizen?  Outed bank details can lead to financial fraud Mark sheets can trigger cyber-bullying Private information can be the basis for blackmail or other criminal activities Private data out in the open can also spark psychological problems.  Being the target of focused advertising can be a menace. Companies can use a person’s data, such as search history, for instance, to know more about the person, and thereby target him or her with customised ads. What should consumers be aware of? Google recently admitted that its employees were listening to the ambient data collected by the Google Home personal assistant device, purportedly to help improve the AI, or artificial intelligence, software used by them. Since this data is collected without the user’s knowledge, it raises security and surveillance concerns. Criminals can, for instance, potentially hack security cameras to break into homes and offices. Even more terrifyingly, hackers can take control of your unsecured devices and deny you access by taking down portions of the internet through what is known as DDoS (distributed denial of service) attacks. When downloading any new app, users get permission-dialogue boxes, requesting for access to media and document libraries, your camera and microphone. Read carefully and take a stance on what permissions you may or may not be granting. Some apps end up linking up with apps which are in turn linked with banking apps, so be mindful. One shouldn’t use social media accounts to link-up with any third-party apps. For example, if you use Facebook to log into an app such as FaceApp, they may be able to gain access to device details, or even behaviour patterns. Any data you voluntarily or involuntarily supply can then be used by the app (maliciously or otherwise) or sold as data. There needs to be a framework for privacy and data protection and access to data; where it is stored is not important. Even the EU GDPR does not mandate localisation. Framework with enforcement is the need of the day. It is time to look at consumption patterns when it comes to technology, switch to safer alternatives, practise self-control and avoid over-sharing. While technology makes almost every aspect of one’s life more convenient, that comfort comes at a price. If you aren’t paying for a product, or an app in this case, you’re probably the product being sold. Note:  Srikrishna Committee made recommendations to the government for the data protection bill. An important judgement in 2017 in the context of data privacy is the Supreme Court of India’s recognition of privacy as a fundamental right. Must Read: Assessment: Justice B.N. Srikrishna Committee recommendations   Essay Topics:  FaceApp was a test. We didn't pass. Information and data are the new oil of the 21st century. Connecting the Dots: A law cannot fix what is broken in technology – Comment. Data security has assumed significant importance in the digitized world due to rising cybercrimes. The justice B.N Srikrishna Committee Report addresses issues related to data security. What, in your view, are the strengths and weaknesses of the Report relating the protection of personal data in cyberspace? Data protection is one of the key elements for a robust cyber policy. Analyse.

AIR

All India Radio (AIR) IAS UPSC - Government’s Initiatives for a Robust Fishery Sector

Government’s initiatives for a robust fishery sector ARCHIVES Search 10th July, 2019 Spotlight here: http://www.newsonair.com/Main_Audio_Bulletins_Search.aspx        TOPIC: General Studies 2 Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population – Fishermen communities General studies 3  Issues related to Fisheries Sector In News: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has announced a new scheme to promote processing in fishery sector and allocated an estimated Rs 3,737 crore for the newly carved out Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying.  Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying The new ministry was formed in order to promote the allied farm sector that has huge potential to help achieve the government's target of doubling farmers' income by 2022.  Creating a separate department for fisheries in the Union government is a significant step. Fisheries are the primary source of livelihood for several communities.  A concentrated effort by an independent department could help the government achieve its objective of doubling farmers’ income, provided its policies address the challenge of sustainability. Of the total budget allocated to the new ministry, Rs 2,932.25 crore is estimated to be spent on various schemes to promote animal husbandry and dairying, while Rs 804.75 crore for fisheries sector in the current fiscal. Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY)  Will be established under the Department of Fisheries for a robust fisheries management framework  Will address critical gaps in the value chain, including infrastructure, modernisation, traceability, production, productivity, post-harvest management, and quality control  India and Fishery India is the world’s second-largest fish producer with exports worth more than Rs 47,000 crore. Fisheries are the country’s single-largest agriculture export, with a growth rate of 6 to 10 per cent in the past five years. Its significance is underscored by the fact that the growth rate of the farm sector in the same period is around 2.5 per cent. The 'fisheries and aquaculture sector' is recognized as the sunshine sector in Indian agriculture. It stimulates growth of number of subsidiary industries and is the source of livelihood for a large section of economically backward population, especially fishermen, of the country. It helps in increasing food supply, generating adequate employment opportunities and raising nutritional level. It has a huge export potential and is a big source of foreign exchange earnings for the country. Fishery is basically a State subject and the primary responsibility for its development mainly rests with the State Governments. The Challenge However, like in rest of the world, India’s fisheries sector faces the challenge of sustainability. The Food and Agriculture Organisation’s State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture reports note that nearly 90 per cent of the global marine fish stocks have either been fully-exploited, or over-fished or depleted to an extent that recovery may not be biologically possible. In order to meet the ever-increasing demand for animal protein, global fish production should touch 196 million tonnes by 2025 — it currently stands at 171 million tonnes. But India has the potential to bridge this gap provided it concentrates on aquaculture — fish farming. The country has a comparative advantage in this respect. It has a marine fisher population of 3.5 million; 10.5 million people are engaged in inland fishery and fish farming. However, the productivity in both sectors is low — in terms of per fisher, per boat and per farm. In Norway, a fisherman/farmer catches/produces 250 kg per day while the Indian average is four to five kg. However, the performance of this sector in India is impressive when one compares it with the average growth of the fisheries sector all over the world.  Neel Kranti (Blue Revolution) plan to triple the country’s earning from fish exports; aims at increasing fish production by 50 per cent to 15.2 million tons and triple the export earnings through the same to Rs 1 lakh crore by year 2020.  The scheme adopted a two-pronged approach: Sustainable capture fishery to harness marine and inland water resources and expanding the horizon of fish farming through increased coverage, enhanced productivity, species diversification and better market returns. A new Blue Revolution is an achievable target. But if the lessons from the first Blue Revolution between 1987 and 1997 are not learnt then the new Blue Revolution can become counterproductive. The Blue Revolution 2.0 will succeed only if its growth revolves around sustainable forms of aquaculture. The Way Forward India’s aquaculture sector, however, has the potential to upstage China and, in the process, create greater employment opportunities, increase the volume of exports, strengthen the rural economy and contribute substantially to the country’s GDP. But, to raise its game, India will need fresh strategies or rather a 2030 Master Plan for this important sector – Lay special thrust on increasing productivity in inland fisheries along with full utilisation of the country’s deep sea fishing potential.  It is true that China has the innate advantage of more than twice the coastal line of India and has larger areas of inland water resources and reservoirs. But, that should not deter India because it has one of the largest Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) areas of over 2 million sq km compared to China’s 0.88 million sq km. The development of EEZ calls for new systems and large-scale deployment of offshore aquaculture activities of high value species.  Ocean ranching is one area which will yield rich social dividends, without damaging the ecosystem. India also needs a single uniform national data on marine fisheries because authentic data truly reflect ground realities which in turn help in efficient planning for the future.’ Leveraging tech China has already brought in 5G technology to its offshore aquaculture activities to increase output and promote tourism. A few dedicated satellites for the management of fisheries is required. Further, stringent laws and their enforcement ensuring habitat protection should be part of the 2030 Master Plan, as also a quality policy protecting the names of specific species uniquely linked to the country’s geography using geographical indication (GI). India’s approach to inland fisheries too needs a dynamic policy shift to align with the 2030 Master Plan because the sector continues to suffer from under-utilisation and poor yield stemming from traditional fish culture practices.  For better utilisation of our coastal, brackish and inland resources, India needs to create broodstock banks for the diversification of cultivable species. It also needs to introduce cost-effective open-pond re-circulatory system and integrated multi-tropic, multi-species farming. Biosecurity, aquamimicry and biofloc are other innovative aquaculture practices which can be put into use to achieve higher yields at reduced cost. Farm upgradation and automation using AI/IOT, instrumentation, sensors, underwater telemetry and other cyber-physical systems of production are important for the industry. The country should also look at the cultivation of macro and microalgae since it requires limited space. Growing at 10 times the rate of terrestrial plants, algae matures quickly and results in a comparatively higher yield. Additionally, the nutritional value of algae supports its potential use as a main ingredient in feeds. This will take away the dependence on fish meal for production of animal feeds. Increased area of cultivation and yield is one thing while product marketing is another. Achieving the former would be of no use if the products are not market-ready. It is here we need to factor in processing and value addition. Currently, India does value addition only to a negligible 10 per cent of the total catch while the rest is sold as a commodity, susceptible to the exploitation of the primary producers by the middlemen. Role of logistics Food processing and marketing cannot become complete in the absence of logistics. A robust logistics support requires complementary infrastructural facilities like cold chain and storage facilities to handle peak harvests.  Creation of cold chains can help reduce spoilage losses which are currently at 30-35 per cent. Marketing infrastructure and cloud-based market intelligence should also be put in place. India should also take the lead in empowering the discernible fish fans across the world by allowing them to trace the back history of the fish it cultivates as to how they were grown, what they were fed with and the methods by which they were caught and processed. It means a quality certification authenticating globally accepted good management practices involving the twin elements of sustainability and traceability both for the marine and inland sectors. Sustainability being the pivot of 2030 Master Plan, there should also be efforts to integrate aquaculture and agriculture to boost farmers’ income.  Conclusion: The Economic Survey 2018-19 has called for "greater emphasis" on allied sectors with a major focus on dairy, poultry, fisheries and rearing of small ruminants in order to transform the rural economy. Bringing allied sector such as fisheries in focus can help the development of fishing communities and fisheries as an occupation.  India exported fish worth ₹45,000 crore in 2017-18 and has the potential to scale up this figure to ₹4,50,000 crore. Also the world’s appetite for fish and fish-related products is growing steadily and the $232-billion industry is expanding at a rate of 6 per cent annually. But, the country needs a definite roadmap, a clutter-free direction, and loads of fresh ideas to navigate its way to reach the goal of the new Blue Revolution. Note: Marine capture fishery comprises largely of small fishermen who operate traditional boats — either non-motorised vessels or boats with a basic outboard motor. These vessels cannot operate beyond near shore waters. High value species such as tuna cannot be caught by fishermen who use these vessels. This means that while the near-shore coastal waters are highly overfished, the high value fish stock proliferates in the deep seas. New National Policy on Marine Fisheries The new policy provides guidance for promoting ‘Blue Growth Initiative’ which focus on ushering ‘Blue Revolution’. The policy talks of introducing deep-sea fishing vessels and assisting fishing communities to convert their vessels and gears for the waters beyond. The policy envisages intensive fish farming through increased stocking of seed, better feed quality and diversification of species. Innovative practices such as re-circulatory aquaculture system aim to realise the goal of more crop per drop. The government has invested in hatcheries to meet the ever-increasing demand for good quality fish seed. Productivity of freshwater fish farms and productivity of brackish water coastal aquaculture has gone up. Fisheries and Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund The investment of Rs 3,000 crore in the Blue Revolution is being supplemented through the Rs 7,523-crore Fisheries and Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund. This will meet the capital investment requirement of this sector. Challenges and issues facing the fisheries development  Lack of accurate data on assessment of fishery resources and their potential in terms of fish production Slow development of sustainable technologies for fin and shell fish culture Low yield optimisation Harvest and post-harvest operations Landing and berthing facilities for fishing vessels Welfare of fishermen Connecting the Dots: Fishing and fishermen communities are closely aligned with farming and are crucial to rural India. Examine. Examine the bottlenecks associated with the current Fisheries Sector in India. Also suggest ways to address them. What is Blue Revolution? Examine why the creation of a separate Fisheries Department is significant.

IAS UPSC Current Affairs Magazine JUNE 2019

IAS UPSC Current Affairs Magazine JUNE 2019 ARCHIVES Hello Friends, This is the 49th 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 JUNE 2019 DOWNLOAD THE MAGAZINE- CLICK HERE

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Creative Guidance – Most important life lessons - Growth – Inspirational Educative Articles

Most important life lessons - Growth: Entire life is a learning process and yet there will always be a few learnings that can be categorized as universal and absolutely necessary. Of all the things that we can learn from life, what are some of the most important of all? Life is a very personal experience. It might sound clichéd, but it is a fact; a fact very few people fully understand and acknowledge. When we study life as ‘the life’, there is very little we can learn from it, but when we study life as ‘my life’ the learning is never ending. Let us step away from all the fixed ideas and concepts of life and try and understand life from an individual’s point of view; that is the only point of view that matters, everything else is simply conceptual with very little significance. The first lesson of life is ‘growth’. As far as the individual is concerned, nothing defines life better than the word ‘growth’. The single biggest driving force of an individual is growth; if you are not growing, you are not living. Growing has to be the single biggest priority of life. Growing has to be foundation of life. What growth are we talking about here? Is it just physical growth, financial growth? No. We have to grow in every way possible in order to live life to the fullest; we have to grow physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually and of course financially. When growth is the foundation of life, the way we approach our life changes completely; our attitude towards life changes. Instead of looking at life as reaching to some destination, we will accept that changing and growing is an integral part of life. We are not here to reach somewhere, we are here to grow. If we have to grow, then we need to keep learning. If growing is central to life, then learning becomes the most important aspect of life. This is where people get truly separated. Those who look at life as some kind of destination will get tired of learning and those who look at life as a continuous process of growing, value learning more than anything else and will continue to learn for the rest of their lives. This makes a huge difference. When faced with difficulties and challenges, nothing comes to our rescue like the right attitude. The ultimate right approach towards life is looking at it as a continuous learning process. From inside out, from the point of view of the individual, from your point of view, life is simply a process of growing. We will look at other lessons of life next week…. “This article is a part of the creative endeavor of Meditation Farm and IASBABA.”

Important Articles

IASbaba's POLITICAL SCIENCE and INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS (PSIR) OPTIONAL CLASSES to Start from 5th August 2019 (Monday)

IASbaba's POLITICAL SCIENCE and INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS (PSIR) OPTIONAL CLASSES to Start from 5th August 2019 (Monday) POLITICAL SCIENCE and INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS (PSIR) OPTIONAL  Thank you for the overwhelming response we received for the Orientation Session which was held on 6th July, 2019. Choosing optional for Civil services mains exam is extremely crucial job. If you have decided that POLITICAL SCIENCE AND INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS is the subject for you, you have taken the right decision…!!!! The classes will be taken by Mr. Rahul Saigaonker, a topper himself in Political Science in UPSC 2016, MTech from NITK Surathkal, (MA Pol Sci). He has keen interest in 21st century Public policy issues and has 5 years of teaching experience. PSIR is undoubtedly a good subject to choose as an optional. We have few things to reinforce your faith in your decision. You may like to read the following points that will strengthen your conviction about PSIR: PSIR is highly relevant and interesting subject with reference to a career in civil services. PSIR is also a high scoring subject in UPSC mains. PSIR has huge overlap with GS syllabus. For instance, Paper I part B of PSIR totally overlaps with Indian polity and governance. Paper II of PSIR will help one in preparing for IR for general studies. Various political thinkers we study in PSIR will help immensely in ethics paper also. PSIR will greatly help in developing better perspectives for Essay paper and Personality test.   FEATURES OF THE PROGRAMME: Special focus on coverage of contemporary theories and commentaries especially in Paper-1 Part-A and Paper-2 Part-A. Weekly Tests and dedicated focus on answer writing. Discussion of previous year UPSC question papers. Optional Test Series including 10 Tests (6 Sectional & 4 Mock). To Download the Schedule (Tentative) -> CLICK HERE OUR APPROACH: This course has been specially designed for those who are interested in opting Political Science as optional. (No need of prior academic background of the subject). We will provide comprehensive study material as class lecture notes and there will, also be printed notes of basic material of the subject. The course will put exclusive focus on understanding basic notions and theories in PSIR clearly. Our classes will help students, in connecting and correlating different concepts and theories which is extremely necessary in UPSC mains. There will be extraordinary attention on answer writing with continuous feedback and improvement. There will be weekly One on One discussion with mentor. The focus will be on bringing conceptual clarity and answer writing especially for first time aspirants so that they can compete with experienced candidates on equal footing in Mains 2020.   Please Note that, The OPTIONAL Programme will include Test Series and One-One Mentorship!! Duration of the Class: August 2019 to December 2019  (4.5-5 MONTHS) Timings: Classes will be held on WEEKDAYS ONLY.  It will be held 5 day's a week (Monday to Friday) from 2.30 pm-5 pm VENUE: PSIR Optional Classes will be held in Chandra Layout Centre. No. 1443/1444, Above Carzspa, 80 Ft. Main Road, Ganapathi Circle, Chandra Layout, Bengaluru- 560040   MODE OF ADMISSION : PAYMENT LINK -> CLICK HERE (Fees = 28,000 + Tax(18%) = 33,040 Rs) Your payment confirms your admission! Once the payment is done, you can take the print copy of online payment and come to centre along with 2 passport sized photographs, Aadhar card or 10th standard marks card and fill the application form. (OR) You can directly come to the office and make the payment and confirm your admission.   OFFICE ADDRESS : Admission can be done at 2 Centres ! Vijayanagar Centre: 1737/ 37, MRCR Layout, Vijayanagar Service Road, Vijaynagar, Bengaluru-5660040 Landmark: Vijayanagar Metro station or Above Apple Showroom Chandra Layout Centre: No. 1443/1444, Above Carzspa, 80 Ft. Main Road, Ganapathi Circle, Chandra Layout, Bengaluru- 560040 FOR QUERIES: You can also reach us on Email: offline@iasbaba.com Contact No.: 9035077800/8861246222 (10 AM to 5.30 PM)   Thank You IASbaba

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IASbaba's GEOGRAPHY OPTIONAL CLASSES to Start from 5th August 2019 (Monday)

IASbaba's GEOGRAPHY OPTIONAL CLASSES to Start from 5th August 2019 (Monday)   GEOGRAPHY OPTIONAL    Thank you for the overwhelming response we received for the Orientation Session which was held on 20th July, 2019. We will be starting off with GEOGRAPHY OPTIONAL OFFLINE CLASSES from 5th August 2019 (Monday). The Classes will be taken by Atyab Ali Zaidi Sir (One of the highest scorers in Geography in the year 2012 and 2013), an Alumni of NIT Allahabad, Chemical Engineering and Associated with IASBABA since its inception. He has been mentoring UPSC aspirants since past 5 years and many of his students have qualified this prestigious exam with flying colours.  The testimony of the quality of the classes is the following feedback comments provided by the students of the last year’s batch. FEEDBACK of Geography Optional Class:                             The purpose of this write up is twofold- to help you understand the merits of Geography as an optional and share the details of the comprehensive Geography Offline Classroom Programme. But before we let you know the merits of Geography as an optional, please remove the notions and biases from your mind that might have developed as a result of your discussions on various online forums and maybe with your friends and seniors. UPSC doesn’t intentionally “butcher” a subject. All the optionals have their distinct advantages and drawbacks but by no stretch of imagination would UPSC give preference to one optional over the other. What may happen though is that some optionals might have scored more than the others in a particular year but that trend gets reversed also. That is the unpredictability of the Civil Services Examination that we have to live with. In fact, till the time optionals remain a part of CSE, this unpredictability will remain. So, learn to live with it rather than blaming it. Most of the times, the answers to one’s failure or unexpected performance lies within and not externally. So the message is clear for all the sceptics- before blaming UPSC for its so called “bias” for or against any optional, try to find the reasons of not doing well by looking inward! So coming to the point, let us enumerate the merits of Geography as an optional to help you decide whether it’s the subject for you: 1. Geography is scoring: If you maintain the essence of Geography in your answers, it will definitely fetch you good marks in Mains. 2. Geography is interesting: You will have a fun ride with geography as most of the concepts relate to the physical and social environment of which you are an integral part. 3. Geography has maximum overlap with GS syllabus: If you prepare Geography optional, more than 30-40% of your GS syllabus is automatically prepared. Moreover, you develop better perspectives for Essay paper and interview as well. 4. Geography is logic driven and scientific: Unlike some other humanities subjects, study of Geography entails logic, scientific theories and empirical evidences. This makes Geography easy to understand and apply. 5. Geography has abundance of sources to refer: There is no dearth of quality materials and good books in Geography. You don’t have to dig too much into bookstores to find good books on Geography. Now, having discussed the merits, let us tell you what we have in store for your optional preparation. If you have already decided to choose Geography as your optional, we are pleased to offer 14 weeks of complete end to end guidance for Geography optional in the form of our comprehensive Offline Guidance Programme. The basic features of the programme are: Each session will comprise of intensive conceptual learning, discussion on previous year questions, quizzes, discussions etc. Master the technique of using the 6 tools of Geography to score really high in Mains. Value add notes(VAN) and Synopsis on selected topics. You can download the Tentative SCHEDULE - CLICK HERE Please Note that, The OPTIONAL Programme will include Test Series and One-One Mentorship!! Duration of the Class: August 2019 to November 2019  (4 MONTHS) Timings: Classes will be held on WEEKDAYS ONLY.  It will be held 3 day's a week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday) from 2.30 pm-5.30 pm VENUE: Geography Optional Classes will be held in Hampinagar (RPC Layout) Centre. No.364, 5th Main, Hampinagar,  Vijayanagar II Stage, Bangalore 560 040. Land mark: Between Hampinagar (RPC Layout) Post Office and Coffee day.   MODE OF ADMISSION : PAYMENT LINK -> CLICK HERE (Fees = 28,000 + Tax(18%) = 33,040 Rs) Your payment confirms your admission! Once the payment is done, you can take the print copy of online payment and come to centre along with 2 passport sized photographs, Aadhar card or 10th standard marks card and fill the application form. (OR) You can directly come to the office and make the payment and confirm your admission.   OFFICE ADDRESS : Admission can be done at 2 Centres ! Vijayanagar Centre: 1737/ 37, MRCR Layout, Vijayanagar Service Road, Vijaynagar, Bengaluru-5660040 Landmark: Vijayanagar Metro station or Above Apple Showroom Chandra Layout Centre: No. 1443/1444, Above Carzspa, 80 Ft. Main Road, Ganapathi Circle, Chandra Layout, Bengaluru- 560040 FOR QUERIES: You can also reach us on Email: offline@iasbaba.com Contact No.: 9035077800/9868111860 (10 AM to 5.30 PM)   Thank You IASbaba

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IASbaba's KANNADA LITERATURE OPTIONAL CLASSES to Start from 5th August 2019 (Monday)

IASbaba's KANNADA LITERATURE OPTIONAL CLASSES to Start from 5th August 2019 (Monday)   KANNADA LITERATURE OPTIONAL Thank you for the overwhelming response we received for the Orientation Session which was held on 7th July, 2019.  The Kannada Literature OPTIONAL classes will be conducted by a renowned faculty Dr.Rakesh.E.S MSc, PhD. (a Topper himself in Kannada Literature in UPSC 2008, 2010). He has been guiding, teaching and mentoring students since 2010. Famously called by the students fraternity as a one-stop destination for Kannada literature Optional subject. His rich experience in teaching, his depth of understanding the subject and his interpretation skills in literary context has helped many students to get into the All India Services, Central Services and State Civil services. The one-one discussion sessions of Dr.Rakesh is well appreciated across by the students fraternity because of its fruitfulness with respect to doubt solving nature. His list of successful students includes Sachin.K (AIR-652, 2018) Ashok (AIR-711, 2019) Chanappa IPS, GuruPrasad IRS, Anoop Shetty IPS, Vishnu Gowda IRPS, Dyamappa IRS and many more!   KEY HIGHLIGHTS of the Class guidance Programme: 1) The optional subject Kannada literature will be taught in the philosophical and Literary context to ensure,the students develop the critical analytical ability while writing answers. 2) The techniques of answer writing in the PAPER-2 by utilising the principles and ideologies mentioned in the PAPER-1 will be taught in the class room sessions. 3) Since many students from non literary backgrounds (Science & Commerce graduates) are opting for kannada literature for in depth understanding of the subject in a comprehensive way and to solve the doubts, the class room teaching involves discussions and debates. 4) The study materials(Notes) issued in the class room includes • Critical analysis of the best books • Notes of the Mysore University • Model answers of the selected candidates of UPSC. 5) Unit Tests will be conducted after completion of each unit of the syllabus (Total 8 tests from both the Paper's will be conducted).To enhance the answer writing capability of the students discussion sessions are held after evaluating the papers. 6) Since Personality test is a part of the examination process to infuse philosophies & thoughts through literature, guest lecturers will be taken by senior writers and intellectuals. 7) Interaction sessions with the successful candidates (Topper’s) of the UPSC exam is part of the class room teaching programme.   Please Note that, The OPTIONAL Programme will include Test Series and One-One Mentorship!! Duration of the Class: August 2019 to October 2019  (3 MONTHS) Timings: Classes will be held on WEEKDAYS ONLY.  It will be held 5 day's a week (Monday-Friday) from 2pm-4.30 pm VENUE: Kannada Literature Optional Classes will be held in Vijayanagar Centre. 1737/ 37, MRCR Layout, Vijayanagar Service Road, Vijaynagar, Bengaluru-5660040. Landmark: Vijayanagar Metro station or Above Apple Showroom   MODE OF ADMISSION : PAYMENT LINK -> CLICK HERE (Fees = 25,000 + Tax(18%) = 29,500 Rs) Your payment confirms your admission! Once the payment is done, you can take the print copy of online payment and come to centre along with 2 passport sized photographs, Aadhar card or 10th standard marks card and fill the application form. (OR) You can directly come to the office and make the payment and confirm your admission.   OFFICE ADDRESS : Admission can be done at 2 Centres ! Vijayanagar Centre: 1737/ 37, MRCR Layout, Vijayanagar Service Road, Vijaynagar, Bengaluru-5660040 Landmark: Vijayanagar Metro station or Above Apple Showroom Chandra Layout Centre: No. 1443/1444, Above Carzspa, 80 Ft. Main Road, Ganapathi Circle, Chandra Layout, Bengaluru- 560040 FOR QUERIES: You can also reach us on Email: offline@iasbaba.com Contact No.: 9035077800/9731936913 (10 AM to 5.30 PM)   Thank You IASbaba

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IASbaba's SOCIOLOGY OPTIONAL CLASSES to Start from 3rd August 2019 (Saturday)

IASbaba's SOCIOLOGY OPTIONAL CLASSES to Start from 3rd August 2019 (Saturday) SOCIOLOGY OPTIONAL    Firstly, Thank you for the overwhelming response we received for the Orientation Session which was held on 6th July, 2019.  We will be starting off with SOCIOLOGY OPTIONAL OFFLINE CLASSES from 3rd August 2019 (Saturday). The classes will be taken by Dr. Vamshi Krishna Sir (a Topper himself in Sociology in UPSC 2014, 2015), BDS, M.A (Sociology) Working as Assistant Administrative officer at CSIR NAL. Associated with IASBABA since its inception. Dr.Vamshi writes on social issues on blogs. Regular contributor to Research gate and Academia.edu on social issues useful for researchers and social scientists. You can read REVIEWS of his classes - Link 1, Link 2   FEATURES OF THE PROGRAMME: The duration of the program would be from August 2019 to February 2020 (7 MONTHS) Notes will be dictated in easy answer writing format and value-added notes (VAN) would be provided. (Includes contemporary case studies, extra concepts, Govt. Schemes etc.) 10 Mains tests with a mix of sectional and Full length including discussion, evaluation and feedback Complete coverage of topics with focus on contemporary trends to inculcate Sociological Imagination necessary to tackle any type of Question in the examination. The focus will be on paper 2 where the majority of students face a problem [lack of material, application of paper 1 concepts, dynamic part (current affairs). One on One discussion with mentor with focus on Answer writing improvement. The focus will be on building sociological concepts and answer writing especially for first time aspirants with focus on competing with experienced candidates on equal footing in Mains 2020.   Please Note that, The OPTIONAL Programme will include Test Series and One-One Mentorship!! Duration of the Class: August 2019 to February 2020 (7 MONTHS) Timings: Classes will be held on WEEKENDS ONLY (to facilitate even working professionals). Initially it will be held only on Saturday's, once students get acclimatized with the classes, it will be Saturdays/Sundays (10am-5pm) VENUE: Sociology Optional Classes will be held in Hampinagar (RPC Layout) Centre. No.364, 5th Main, Hampinagar,  Vijayanagar II Stage, Bangalore 560 040. Land mark: Between Hampinagar (RPC Layout) Post Office and Coffee day.   MODE OF ADMISSION : PAYMENT LINK -> CLICK HERE (Fees = 28,000 + Tax = 33,040 Rs) Your payment confirms your admission! Once the payment is done, you can take the print copy of online payment and come to centre along with 2 passport sized photographs, Aadhar card or 10th standard marks card and fill the application form. (OR) You can directly come to the office and make the payment and confirm your admission.   OFFICE ADDRESS : Admission can be done at 2 Centres ! Vijayanagar Centre: 1737/ 37, MRCR Layout, Vijayanagar Service Road, Vijaynagar, Bengaluru-5660040 Landmark: Vijayanagar Metro station or Above Apple Showroom Chandra Layout Centre: No. 1443/1444, Above Carzspa, 80 Ft. Main Road, Ganapathi Circle, Chandra Layout, Bengaluru- 560040 FOR QUERIES: You can also reach us on Email: offline@iasbaba.com Contact No.: 9035077800/9966152157 (10 AM to 5.30 PM)   Thank You IASbaba