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Jul 27, 2019 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

Daily Current Affairs IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 27th July 2019

IAS UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 27th July 2019 Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) Inter-state water cooperation Part of: GS Prelims and Mains GS- II - issues and challenges pertaining to the federal structure. In News Punjab will reline its Ferozepur feeder for the Indira Gandhi Canal (IGC)system, so as to increase its water carrying capacity Do you know? IGC previously known as the Rajasthan Canal aims to bring Himalayan rivers (Sutlej & Beas) flowing in Punjab to arid regions of Rajasthan IGC is the longest canal in India which traverses through states of Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan IGC is considered as a major step in reclaiming the Thar Desert and checking desertification of fertile areas However, excessive irrigation and intensive agriculture have caused new environmental problems like water-logging caused by increased seepage from canal and increase in salinity of ground water. Measures to improve quality of Education Part of: Mains GS II- Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Education In News Substandard teacher training colleges to be shut down The National Council for Teacher Education(NCTE) has begun the process, as recommended by draft National Educational Policy A reduction in quantity is needed to boost quality – India produces 19.5 lakh teachers every year, though the annual requirement is less than 3 lakh Other measures required to improve Teacher education To choose 700 colleges — at least one per district — as model teacher training institutions so as to guide other such institutes Review the outdated curriculum of teacher training through Inclusion of more practical component Incorporate digital technological advances into teaching method Child centric curriculum Launch of the four-year integrated B.Ed programmes Do you know? NCTE is a statutory body under NCTE Act,1993. Earlier it used to function as advisory body under NCERT NCTE functions for the central as well as state governments on all matter with regard to the Teacher Education Private member’s bill Part of: GS Prelims and Mains GS II- Parliament In News Private member bill was introduced in the Rajya Sabha to amend Representation of People’s Act, which makes two key proposals One, the current per candidate expenditure limit of ₹70 lakh for Lok Sabha election should be lifted Two, there should be state funding to ensure a “cleaner polity”, which is a public good. Reasons for such amendments Capping of expenditure is like prohibition which is counter-productive as it pushes the elections expenditure underground This leads to vicious cycle of black money, cronyism, corruption and criminalisation of politics. State funding of elections addresses the unfair advantages enjoyed by National Political Parties vis-à-vis regional parties Do You know? A bill introduced by a legislator who is not a part of executive is called Private member bill Only 14 private members bill have been passed by both House and become law in the history of Indian Parliament. The last such bill was the Supreme Court (enlargement of criminal appellate jurisdiction) Bill passed in 1970 Pic: https://static.toiimg.com/photo/imgsize-,msid-47046357/47046357.jpg Rise of China Part of: GS Prelims and Mains GS II- International Politics In News China and Cambodia have signed a secret agreement that allows Beijing exclusive use of Ream Naval base of Cambodia located in Gulf of Thailand This will be China’s first dedicated naval staging facility in South East Asia Do You Know? China has proposed to build Kra Canal that would connect the Gulf of Thailand with the Andaman Sea across the Kra Isthmus in southern Thailand. All these initiatives are to counter the USA’s dominance of Malacca Strait – important shipping lane which carries about 25% of the world's traded goods South China Sea dispute involves contesting claims, both maritime and islands, by 7 countries viz. Brunei, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam. Pic: https://d39gegkjaqduz9.cloudfront.net/TH/2019/07/27/CNI/Chennai/TH/5_16/6a017006_7f4ff3bf_101_mr.jpg (MAINS FOCUS) POLITY TOPIC: General studies 2 Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. Structure, organization and functioning of the Executive and the Judiciary Ministries and Departments of the Government; pressure groups and formal/informal associations and their role in the Polity. Parliament & State Legislatures – structure, functioning, conduct of business, powers & privileges & issues arising out of these Private Bill urges state election funding Context: Equating the expenditure limit on election expenses with prohibition, Congress MP Rajeev Gowda on Friday moved a private member’s Bill in the Rajya Sabha that seeks removal of the limit and state funding of elections as part of reforms to the way polls are financed in India. Concerns: The limit of funding was counterproductive and only helped those with black money to bribe individual voters and crippled honest candidates, What is private member bill in the parliament? Private member’s bills are piloted by non-Minister MPs. Their purpose is to draw the government’s attention to what individual MPs see as issues and gaps in the existing legal framework, which require legislative intervention. Who are private members? Any MP who is not a Minister is referred to as a private member. Parliament’s key role is to debate and make laws. Both Ministers and private members contribute to the law making process. Bills introduced by Ministers are referred to as government bills. They are backed by the government, and reflect its legislative agenda. Procedure for introducing private member bill in parliament: The admissibility of a private member’s Bill is decided by the Rajya Sabha Chairman and in the case of Lok Sabha, it is the Speaker; the procedure is roughly the same for both Houses. The Member must give at least a month’s notice before the Bill can be listed for introduction; the House secretariat examines it for compliance with constitutional provisions and rules on legislation before listing. Up to 1997, private members could introduce up to three Bills in a week. This led to a piling up of Bills that were introduced but never discussed; Chairman K R Narayanan, therefore, capped the number of private member’s Bills to three per session. While government Bills can be introduced and discussed on any day, private member’s Bills can be introduced and discussed only on Fridays. Private member’s Bills have been introduced and discussed in Rajya Sabha on 20 days in the last three years Upon conclusion of the discussion, the Member piloting the Bill can either withdraw it on the request of the Minister concerned, or he may choose to press ahead with its passage. In the latter case, the Bill is put to vote and, if the private member gets the support of the House, it is passed. Private member bills introduced till now: In 1977, Rajya Sabha passed a private member’s Bill to amend the Aligarh Muslim University Act. The Bill then went to the sixth Lok Sabha, where it lapsed with the dissolution of the House in 1979. In 2015, Rajya Sabha passed The Rights of Transgender Persons Bill, 2014 as a private member’s Bill. The Bill is now pending before Lok Sabha. The last time a private member’s Bill was passed by both Houses was in 1970, which was the Supreme Court (Enlargement of Criminal Appellate Jurisdiction) Bill, 1968. Fourteen private member’s Bills, five of which were introduced in Rajya Sabha, have become law so far. Some of the important legislations among them include 26th amendment, which related to abolition of privy purses and 61st amendment, which reduced the voting age from 21 to 18. Some important laws that were introduced as private member bills The first private member bill to become a law was the Muslim Wakfs Bill, 1952 aimed to provide better governance and administration of wakfs, it was introduced by Syed Mohammed Ahmed Kasmi in the Lok Sabha and was passed in 1954. Proceedings of Legislature (Protection of Publication) Bill, 1956, brought by Feroze Gandhi in the Lok Sabha; The Salaries and Allowances of Members of Parliament (Amendment) Bill, 1964, introduced by Raghunath Singh in the Lok Sabha and The Indian Penal Code (Amendment) Bill, 1967 introduced by Diwan Chaman Lall in the Rajya Sabha. What is state funding of Elections ? The idea of state funding of elections is a concept designed to reduce corruption by funding elections with government money as opposed to individual campaign contributions. Many recommend that state funding of elections can be the best way to achieve transparency in political funding. It is also believed that state funding is a natural and necessary cost of democracy. It brings new and growing parties in par with the established parties, thus ensuring fair elections. If parties and candidates are financed with only private funds, economical inequalities in the society might translate into political inequalities in government. State funding of elections – Past recommendations: Indrajit Gupta Committee on State Funding of Elections (1998): Endorsed state funding of elections in order to establish a fair playing field for parties with less money. The Committee recommended two limitations to state funding. Firstly, that state funds should be given only to national and state parties allotted a symbol and not to independent candidates. Secondly, that in the short-term state funding should only be given in kind, in the form of certain facilities to the recognized political parties and their candidates. Law Commission Report on Reform of the Electoral Laws (1999): it strongly recommended that the appropriate regulatory framework be put in place with regard to political parties before state funding of elections is attempted. Ethics in Governance, a report of the Second Administrative Reforms Commission (2008):Recommended partial state funding of elections for the purpose of reducing "illegitimate and unnecessary funding" of elections expenses. National Commission to Review the Working of the Constitution, 2001: Did not endorse state funding of elections but concurred with the 1999 Law Commission report that the appropriate framework for regulation of political parties would need to be implemented before state funding is considered. What are the challenges of state funding? In theory, State funding would provide a level playing field for political parties and cut out money power from the equation, but in practice, things may not work out so linearly. India collects only about 16% of GDP as a tax. The state expenditure on many essential public goods such as primary health care and public health engineering is very small. Given this situation, the public resources have to be channeled towards and not diverted from such essential services, and that too to finance something that already gets abundantly financed. Further, the state funding of elections will not prevent parties from lobbying and getting undisclosed supplementary private funding, with associated implications. Therefore State funding is not the solution to the opaque funding of politics in India. Congress MP Mr. Gowda’s Arguments about state election funding: He raised the discussion on the Representation of the People (Amendment) Bill with two key proposals. The current per candidate expenditure limit of ₹70 lakh should be lifted and There should be state funding to ensure a “cleaner polity”, which is a public good. He argued that instead of imposing a limit, transparency should be brought in. All the expenses should be put in the public domain. The candidates should be allowed to legitimately raise funds Political parties too needed resources and the country simply refused to recognise the amount of money spent in elections. He proposed a National Election Fund, under which each political party could be allotted funds according to their recent electoral performance. Conclusion: Partial State funding of elections as Indrajeet Gupta Committee recommended way back in 1998 can be a solution. Experiences of the countries having partial and complete state funding should be used to derive some formula for state-based funding of political parties in India. Strong disclosure norms, strict statutory limits on election expenses and ceiling on corporate donations to political parties can further strengthen the Electoral System in India Connecting the dots: What are various electoral and political funding reforms which need to be under taken to bring in transparency and accountability in the Indian political environment. Describe. Why only few private member bills became laws despite of more number of bills introduce in parliament? Explain. SECURITY TOPIC: General studies 3 Security challenges and their management in border areas; linkages of organized crime with terrorism The terrorist tag Context: India needs tough laws to combat terror, but the proposed amendments could be misused Concerns: The idea of designating an individual as a terrorist, as the latest amendments to the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act propose to do, may appear offensive. However, designating an individual as a terrorist raises serious constitutional questions and has the potential for misuse. There is no set procedure for designating an individual a terrorist What is terrorism? Terrorism is the systematic use of violence to create a general climate of fear in a population and thereby to bring about a particular political or social objective. Adverse consequences of a terrorist tag: Terrorist tag may be worse for individuals than for organisations. Individuals may be subjected to arrest and detention; even after obtaining bail from the courts, They may have their travel and movements restricted, besides carrying the taint. A wrongful designation will cause irreparable damage to a person’s reputation, career and livelihood. The Lok Sabha has passed the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Amendment Bill, 2019. The Bill amends the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, providing special procedures to deal with terrorist activities, individuals and groups that foster terrorism in India. The Bill is yet to be tabled in the Rajya Sabha. Key Features of the Bill It empowers the government to designate individuals as terrorists if the person commits or participates in acts of terrorism, prepares for terrorism, Promotes terrorism or is otherwise involved in terrorism. This has been done as it is seen that when a terrorist organization is banned, its members form a new organization to spread terrorism. The law allows the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to go to any state without taking permission from state police concerned for checking anti-terror activities. Under the Act, an investigating officer is required to obtain the prior approval of the Director General of Police to seize properties that may be connected with terrorism. The Bill adds that if the investigation is conducted by an officer of the National Investigation Agency (NIA), the approval of the Director General of NIA would be required for seizure of such property. Under the Act, investigation of cases may be conducted by officers of the rank of Deputy Superintendent or Assistant Commissioner of Police or above. The Bill additionally empowers the officers of the NIA, of the rank of Inspector or above, to investigate cases. The Bill adds another treaty to the list. This is the International Convention for Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism (2005). Opposition has said that the bill provisions were against the federal structure of the country Under the Congress government led by former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) was originally passed in 1967. Eventually, amendments were brought in 2004, 2008,2013 Conclusion While none will question the need for stringent laws that show ‘zero tolerance’ towards terrorism, the government should be mindful of its obligations to preserve fundamental rights while enacting legislation on the subject. States must ensure that any measure taken to combat terrorism must comply with all obligations under international human rights, refugee and humanitarian law. Connecting the dots Do you think terrorism poses a great threat to globalisation? Critically examine Is terrorism a feature of democratic society or consequence of governmental use of terror as a political weapon? 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) Consider the following statements regarding Indira Gandhi Canal It is the longest operating canal system in India It passes through states of Himachal Pradesh, Punjab and Rajasthan Previously it was named as Rajasthan canal Which of the above statement(s) is/are correct? 1 and 2 only 2 and 3 only 1 and 3 only 1,2 and 3 Q.2) Which of the following bills are considered as Private member bill? Bill introduced by member of legislature belonging to opposition party Bill introduced by member belonging to ruling party, not a part of government Bill introduced by a Minister Bill introduced by an Independent Member of Legislature Select the correct answer from the codes given below 1 only 1 and 4 only 1,2 and 4 only 2 and 3 only Q.3) Belt and Road initiative is associated with which country/grouping? China ASEAN SAARC USA Q.4) Arrange the following seas from south to north South China Sea East China Sea Sea of Japan Yellow sea Select the correct answer from the codes given below 1-2-3-4 1-2-4-3 2-1-3-4 2-1-4-3 MUST READ It is time we recognised that survey data cannot be interpreted in the way it used to be Indian Express Aadhaar must sync with voter IDs to empower citizens Indian Express Andhra Pradesh’s quota for locals hurts federal spirit Financial Express A clutch of MNCs committing to climate action is laudable, more should emulate them Financial Express India could have a drug-resistance cure Financial Express

Jul 26, 2019 AIR

All India Radio (AIR) IAS UPSC - Defence production and Make in India

Defence production and Make in India ARCHIVES Search 21st June 2019 Spotlight here: http://www.newsonair.com/Main_Audio_Bulletins_Search.aspx TOPIC: General Studies 2: Union Budget General studies 3: Security challenges and their management; linkages of organized crime with terrorism Challenges to internal security Linkages between development and spread of extremism. In News: The allocation for defence in the Union Budget remained unchanged from the interim Budget. A Defence Budget or Military Budget is the amount of financial resources allocated by a government for raising and maintaining its armed forces and its personnel or other methods essential for defence purposes. Though no country dares to ignore major budgetary allocation for its defence forces, there are two aspects for this too: Some suggest that military expenditure is a boost to local economies besides safety against external aggression. However, another argument that comes up against the allocation is that maintaining military expenditure is a drag on the development. According to Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, the US leads in defence spend in the world with about $648 billion followed by China ($250 billion), Saudi Arabia ($67.6 billion and India ($66.5 billion). Highlights of Defence Budget in 2019-20 The defence budget for 2019-20 stands at ₹3.19 lakh crore, excluding defence pensions which stood at ₹1.12 lakh crore. The allocation made in the Union Budget is an increase of 6.87 per cent over revised estimates of Rs 2.98 lakh crore given in 2018-19. This is the first time the defence budget of the country has crossed the ₹3 lakh crore mark, which is only a logical progression. Capital allocations, which funds the purchase of new weapons and equipment for modernisation, remains at Rs 1.08 trillion, or just one quarter of the total Defence budget. Defence spending is falling in percentage terms even though all military purchases are now subject to GST The total defence allocation of ₹4,31,010.79 crore, including defence pensions, accounts for 15.47% of the total Central government expenditure for the 2019-20. This year’s allocation is 6.87% higher than the revised estimates of last year. However, it is a meagre hike, considering the mega defence tenders lined up as part of military modernisation. It doesn’t cover the revenue expenditure, committed liabilities in some cases, inflation and currency fluctuation. This is a worrisome scenario for the much-needed military modernisation as India has signed big ticket defence deals with several countries in the last few years and the current capital allocation doesn’t even cater for payments to the committed liabilities. There would be barely any money left for new procurements that have been lined up and it is a major worry for the Services. The Forces The Air Force got 38% of the ₹1.03 lakh crore capital component which comes to ₹39,303 crore. Yet, this is unlikely to suffice, with the IAF paying annual instalments for the Rafale fighters which will start joining the fleet this year; and for ongoing purchases of Sukhoi-30MKI and Tejas fighters and upgrades to its Mirage 2000 and Jaguar fleets. The 1.26 million-strong army, which includes 85 per cent of the military’s manpower and is in combat round the year, has been allocated Rs 31,815 crore, or 29 per cent of the modernisation budget. The 83,500-strong navy has been allocated Rs 25,656 crore for modernisation, or about 24 per cent of the capital budget. This includes Rs 2,500 crore for the Coast Guard. Navy planners will struggle to fund the planned purchase of six conventional submarines and a second indigenous aircraft carrier. Payments are also being made for the first indigenous carrier, INS Vikrant, which Cochin Shipyard promises to deliver by 2021. Customs duty exemption Defence has an immediate requirement of modernisation and upgradation. For this purpose, import of defence equipment that are not being manufactured in India are being exempted from the basic customs duty. The customs duty exemption is a small relief for the Services which have approached the government over the customs and Goods and Services Tax (GST) that add a significant cost to defence imports. This will have an impact of augmenting the defence budget by approximately ₹25,000 crore on account of savings in expenditure on customs duty over the next five years. Conclusion To provide greater momentum to the modernisation of the armed forces, there is a need to enhance defence spending. To overcome the constraints, the government may have to get more creative in how it generates the funds. A case in point being, the MoD, being the largest landholder in the government, sits on vast tracts of land measuring 1.73 million acres. A large portion of this land is unused or under-used. Given that much of the land is in prime areas, its judicious commercial exploitation, while keeping security concerns in view, would generate resources, which, in turn, could be channelled for modernisation. For optimisation of resources, MoD has already started implementing some of the recommendations of the Committee of Experts (CoE) it had set up under the chairmanship of Lt. Gen. (Retd.) D.B. Shekatkar with the mandate of suggesting measures to “enhance combat capability and rebalance defence expenditure”. The implementation of the pending reforms measures suggested by the CoE may be expedited to achieve the intended objectives. Must Read: Defence Preparedness in India Defence Industrial Corridor Connecting the Dots: The size of the Defence Budget also reflects the country's ability to fund military activities. Comment.

Jul 26, 2019 Daily Prelims CA Quiz

UPSC Quiz - 2020 : IAS Daily Current Affairs Quiz Day 35

UPSC Quiz - 2020 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz Day 35 Archives Q.1) Consider the following statements with respect to ‘NavIC’ It consists of three satellites located in geostationary orbit (GEO) and four satellites are in inclined geosynchronous orbit (GSO). It covers India and a region extending 1,500 km around it. Select the correct statements 1 Only 2 Only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.2) Which of the following statements is/are correct? The share of India in global textile exports is over 33%. Textile sector exports contribution in India’s total exports is around 25%. Select the correct statements 1 Only 2 Only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.3) ‘POSHAN Abhiyaan’ is aimed at reducing The level of stunting in children (0-6 years) Under-nutrition in children (0-6 years) Anaemia among young children (6-59 months) Select the correct code: 1 and 2 2 and 3 1 and 3 All of the above Q.4) Consider the following statements with respect to ‘Van Dhan Vikas Karyakram’ It aims to tap into the traditional knowledge and skill sets of tribal people by adding technology and Information Technology for upgradation of output at each stage and to convert the tribal wisdom into a remunerative economic activity. Implementation of Van Dhan Vikas Karyakram is done through Khadi and Village Industries Commission. Select the correct statements 1 Only 2 Only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.5) ‘Saudi Arabia’ is not bordered by Yemen Oman Iran Kuwait To Download the Solution - Click here All the Best IASbaba

Jul 26, 2019 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

Daily Current Affairs IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 26th July 2019

IAS UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 26th July 2019 Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) Drug Menace Part of: Mains GS-I - Population and associated issues, poverty and developmental issues In News Northern States decided to set up joint working group to effectively combat drug menace in the region The joint group would undertake joint operations at inter-state borders, strengthen information sharing on drugs and drug dealers for effective crackdown against them Punjab, Rajasthan, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Jammu & Kashmir, Delhi and UT of Chandigarh are part of this group The joint group would initiate a major awareness program and strive to make eradication of drugs a people’s movement Issues/Impact of Drug Abuse India is in close proximity to the Golden Crescent (Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan) as well as the Golden Triangle (Myanmar, Laos and Thailand) makes it vulnerable to drug trafficking. Wastage of economic potential/productivity of young population as drug abuse leads to physical, psychological, moral and intellectual decay Increase in crime and violence rates – leading to domestic violence against women and child abuse Increase in health burden of State - Increase in incidences of HIV, hepatitis B and C and tuberculosis due to narcotics addiction BRICS Foreign ministers meet Part of: GS Prelims and Mains GS-II -Important International institutions. In News Foreign Ministers of BRICS meeting to take place in Rio de Janerio The goal is to prepare for the summit of the BRICS leaders, scheduled in November at Brasilia, Brazil’s capital city Digital economy - 5G and data localisation- will dominate the BRICS foreign ministers meeting Do you know? US has banned Chinese telecom company Huawei (forerunner in 5G technology) on allegations of theft of Intellectual property, financial fraud and National security risk India is yet to clarify whether it will include Huawei in its trials of 5G equipment scheduled to start in September Data localisation – RBI has passed guidelines that financial data pertaining to Indians is stored only in Indian servers BRICS is an informal grouping of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa formed in 2006 BRICS countries represent 41% of global population and together contribute nearly 23% of gross world product Overseas Sovereign bonds Part of: Mains GS-II - Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization, of resources In News PMO has asked the Finance Ministry to conduct a detailed survey on the issuance of overseas sovereign bonds in light of criticism raised by experts The government had announced in the 2019-20 budget to raise a portion of gross borrowing by issuing overseas sovereign bond What is Overseas foreign bond? A sovereign bond is a specific debt instrument issued by the government. It promises to pay the buyer a certain amount of interest for a stipulated number of years and repay the face value on maturity. When sovereign bonds are denominated in foreign currency and can be settled in foreign markets, it is generally referred to as Foreign sovereign bonds Criticism of Foreign Sovereign bonds A government bond issued in foreign currency (mostly in US dollars) shifts the currency risk (exchange rate risk) from investor to issuer (in this case, the government) It makes the nation reliant on foreign inflows and vulnerable to global uncertainties Merits of Foreign Sovereign Bonds Indian government’s debt to GDP ratio (~68%) is not very high, the exchange rate is stable, and foreign exchange reserves are high – Thus, there is Macro-economic stability to absorb any global shocks Also, foreign investors’ holdings in Indian debt has been low (3.6% of outstanding government securities) – thus scope for expansion of foreign debt Indian government’s domestic borrowing is crowding out private investment, thus tapping into foreign funds frees up credit space for domestic private investors It may facilitate the inclusion of India’s government bonds in the global debt indices which would also improve the attractiveness of rupee-denominated sovereign bonds. The rates at which the government borrows overseas will act as a yardstick for pricing of other corporate bonds, helping India Inc to raise money overseas Miscellaneous News Dracaena cambodiana : India’s first dragon blood-oozing tree Researchers have discovered Dracaena cambodiana, a dragon tree species in West Karbi Anglong, Assam. The plant yields dragon’s blood — a bright red resin used since ancient times as medicine, body oil, varnish, incense and dye Several antifungal and antibacterial compounds, antioxidants, flavonoids, etc., have been extracted from various parts of the plant. (MAINS FOCUS) POLITY/GOVERNANCE TOPIC: General studies 2 INTER-STATE RIVER WATER DISPUTES Functions and responsibilities of the Union and the States, issues and challenges pertaining to the federal structure, devolution of powers and finances up to local levels and challenges therein. Separation of powers between various organs dispute redressal mechanisms and institutions. Single tribunal to settle inter-state water disputes Context: The Inter-State River Water Disputes (Amendment) Bill, 2019, which seeks to amend the Inter-State River Water Disputes Act, 1956, proposes setting up of a Central tribunal. Concerns Setting up a tribunal, and awarding of the case, can take anything between six and 20 years There are nine tribunals. Four tribunals took 10-28 years to deliver their awards. There is no time-frame to adjudicate disputes, and tribunals are extended indefinitely. Inter- state river water disputes: The Inter-State River Water Disputes are one of the most contiguous issues in the Indian federalism today. In extreme cases, it may hamper the relationship between the different states. India's Federal Water Institutions The relevant provisions of the Indian Constitution are Entry 17 of State Listdeals with water i.e. water supply, irrigation, canal, drainage, embankments, water storage and water power. Entry 56 of Union List empowers the Union Government for the regulation and development of inter-state rivers and river valleys to the extent declared by Parliament to be expedient in the public interest. According to Article 262, in case of disputes relating to waters: Parliament may by law provide for the adjudication of any dispute or complaint with respect to the use, distribution or control of the waters of, or in, any inter-State river or river valley. Parliament may, by law provide that neither the Supreme Court nor any other court shall exercise jurisdiction in respect of any such dispute or complaint as mentioned above. Parliament has enacted two laws according to Article 262: 1) River Board Act, 1956 The purpose of this Act was to enable the Union Government to create Boards for Interstate Rivers and river valleys in consultation with State Governments. The objective of Boards is to advise on the inter-state basin to prepare development scheme and to prevent the emergence of conflicts. Note: Till date, no river board as per above Act has been created. 2) Inter-State Water Dispute Act, 1956 Provisions of the Act: In case, if a particular state or states approach to Union Government for the constitution of the tribunal: Central Government should try to resolve the matter by consultation among the aggrieved states. In case, if it does not work, then it may constitute the tribunal. Note: Supreme Court shall not question the Award or formula given by tribunal but it can question the working of the tribunal Mechanism of Inter-State River Water Disputes Resolution The resolution of water dispute is governed by the Inter-State Water Disputes Act, 1956. According to its provisions, if a State Government makes a request regarding any water dispute and the Central Government is of opinion that the water dispute cannot be settled by negotiations, then a Water Disputes Tribunal is constituted for the adjudication of the water dispute. The act was amended in 2002, to include the major recommendations of the Sarkaria Commission. The amendments mandated a one year time frame to setup the water disputes tribunal and also a 3 year time frame to give a decision Major interstate river water disputes River (s) States Ravi and Beas Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan Narmada Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan Krishna Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Telangana Vamsadhara Andhra Pradesh & Odisha Cauvery Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry Godavari Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha Mahanadi Chhattisgarh, Odisha Mahadayi Goa, Maharashtra, Karnataka Periyar Tamil Nadu, Kerala Issues with the Inter State River Water Dispute Act, 1956 Under this Act, a separate Tribunal has to be established for each dispute. There are eight inter-state water dispute tribunals, including the Ravi and Beas Waters Tribunal and Krishna River Water Dispute Tribunal. Currently there is no time limit for adjudication or publication of reports. Only three of the eight tribunals have actually given awards accepted by the states. Tribunals like those on the Cauvery and Ravi Beas have been in existence for over 26 and 30 years respectively without any award. There is no upper age limit for the chairman or the members. The disputes’ resolution generally has not been effective- Disputes have recurred, there have been long delays in adjudication and States have not complied with verdicts of tribunals. Delays in resolving the water disputes Extreme delays have been a very costly feature of the process of resolving inter-state water disputes in India. There have been three components or dimensions of delay. There has been extreme delay in constituting tribunals .For example: In the case of Cauvery dispute, two of the basin states, Tamil Nadu and Kerala had asked for reference to a tribunal back in the 1970s. The tribunal was constituted only in 1990, after the Supreme Court mediated Tribunals have taken long periods of time to give their awards. For example :It took nine years from reference in the case of the Narmada Tribunal, four years in the case of the Krishna Tribunal and ten years in the case of the Godavari Tribunal. There have been delays in notifying the orders of tribunals in the Government of India’s official gazette; this has resulted in delays and uncertainty in enforcement. For example: The process took three years in the case of the Krishna Award and one year in the case of the Godavari Award. These delays naturally tend to complicate the dispute settlement process Provisions of the Inter-State River Water Disputes(amendment bill)2019: The new Bill proposes to reduce the time it takes to constitute a tribunal by forming a permanent agency, comprising benches that will be permitted to hear more than one dispute. The total time period for adjudication of a water dispute by the Tribunal has been fixed at a maximum of four-and-a-half years. The decision of the Bench of the Tribunal shall be final and binding on the states with no requirement of the publication in the Official Gazette. Conclusion Current Indian water-dispute settlement mechanisms are ambiguous and opaque. A cooperative bargaining framework suggests that water can be shared efficiently, with compensating transfers as necessary, if initial water rights are well-defined, and if institutions to facilitate and implement cooperative agreements are in place. Delay in the dimension of agreement over water can encourage inefficient, non-cooperative investments in dams, irrigation, etc. Connecting the dots: Can the setting up of a single tribunal help in resolving river water sharing issues? Discuss. Inter-state river water disputes have remained a contentious issue post-independence. Can you suggest few measures to address those? Is politicisation of inter-state water disputes contributing to change in tribunals' functioning? Give your opinions Inter-State River Water Disputes in India: Is it time for a new mechanism rather than tribunals? elucidate. POPULATION TOPIC: General studies 1 Population and associated issues General studies 2 Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources. Population control Context: On July 11, World Population Day, a Union Minister expressed alarm, in a Tweet, over what he called the “population explosion” in the country, wanting all political parties to enact population control laws and annulling the voting rights of those having more than two children Concerns A large and growing population is at the root of a nation’s problems as more and more people chase fewer and fewer resources The damage done when mishandling issues of population growth is long lasting. What does Economic survey 2018-19 says about population control? The Survey notes that India is set to witness a “sharp slowdown in population growth in the next two decades”. States with high population growth are also the ones with the lowest per capita availability of hospital beds. What’s the fact? The fact is that by the 2030s, some States will start transitioning to an ageing society as part of a well-studied process of “demographic transition” which sees nations slowly move toward a stable population as fertility rates fall with an improvement in social and economic development indices over time. Dangers of population explosion: A large and growing population is at the root of a nation’s problems as more and more people chase fewer and fewer resources. It does not take much to whip up public sentiment which in turn can quickly degenerate into a deep class or religious conflict that pits the poor, the weak, the downtrodden and the minorities against the more privileged sections. Population policies: Population Policies formulated to address the unmet needs for contraception, health care infrastructure, and health personnel, and to provide integrated service delivery for basic reproductive and child health care. The main objective is to achieve a stable population at a level consistent with the requirements of sustainable economic growth, social development, and environmental protection. India is the first country in the world to begin a population control programme in 1952. It emphasized the use of natural devices for family planning. The National Population Policy (NPP) 2000 provides a policy framework of achieving goals and prioritizing strategies during the next decade to meet the reproductive and child health needs of the people of India along with the target to achieve the net replacement levels (Total Fertility Rate). It aims at stable population by 2045. It was forward-looking National Population Policy (NPP)which was introduced in 2000 when Atal Bihari Vajpayee was the Prime Minister. The following national socio-demographic goals were formulated to be achieved by 2010: The 'total fertility rate' to be reduced to 2.1. The high class birth control services had to be made available publically so that the standard of two children could be adopted. The infant mortality rate had to be reduced to 30 per thousand. The mother mortality rate had also to be reduced to below 100 per one lakh. The late marriage of girls had to be encouraged. The essence of NPP(2000) Voluntary and informed choice and consent of citizens while availing of reproductive health care services” Target free approach in administering family planning services Argument of NPP The lifecycle framework” which looks to the health and nutrition needs of mother and child not merely during pregnancy and child birth but “right from the time of conception till the child grows and carrying on till the adolescent stage and further This argument is not about denying services but about offering choices and a range of services to mother and child on the clear understanding that the demographic dividend can work to support growth and drive opportunity for ordinary people only when the population is healthy. Crucial connections Family health, child survival and the number of children a woman has are closely tied to the levels of health and education of the parents, and in particular the woman So the poorer the couple, the more the children they tend to have. The poor tend to have more children because child survival is low, son preference remains high, children lend a helping hand in economic activity for poorer households and so support the economic as well as emotional needs of the family. What does National Family Health Survey-4 (2015-16) says in this context? It says that there is depth of the connections between health, education and inequality women in the lowest wealth quintile have an average of 1.6 more children than women in the highest wealth quintile wealthiest total fertility rate is 1.5 compare to that of the poorest which was 3.2 children Women with no schooling have an average 3.1 children, compared with 1.7 children for women with 12 or more years of schooling. Conclusion Turning this into a problem that needs to be controlled is exactly the kind of phraseology, mind set and possibly action that will spell doom for the nation. It will undo all the good work that has been done and set the stage for a weaker and poorer health delivery system — exactly the opposite of what a scheme such as Ayushman Bharat seeks to achieve. Today, as many as 23 States and Union Territories, including all the States in the south region, already have fertility below the replacement level of 2.1 children per woman. So, support rather than control works. Connecting the dots Population truly becomes a thriving resource; the life blood of a growing economy. Elucidate Does India have a population policy? What are its objectives? What is the need of having a population policy? Elucidate. (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) Golden crescent and Golden Triangle often seen in news is related to which context Astronomy and Constellations International geo-politics Quantum Physics Drug Menace Q.2) Arrange the following international institutions/groupings in the chronological order of their founding year SAARC BRICS BIMSTEC ASEAN IBSA Select the correct answer from the codes given below 4-1-3-2-5 4-1-3-5-2 1-4-2-5-3 4-3-1-5-2 Q.3) Justice BN Srikrishna committee recently seen in news deals with which of the following? Data protection Surplus reserves of RBI Surplus reserves of SEBI Foreign Sovereign Bonds Q.4) Consider the following with respect to Masala Bonds Masala bonds are bonds issued outside India but denominated in Indian Rupees, rather than the local currency The currency risk/exchange rate risk lies with the issuer of the bonds Which of the following statements is/are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 MUST READ The terrorist tag: on the latest amendments to the NIA Act The Hindu How to make the Surrogacy Bill more inclusive? The Hindu Making national legislatures more gender-balanced The Hindu Constitutional guarantees that bind J&K; with the Indian Union cannot be unilaterally discarded Indian Express Explained: Why India is indeed a ‘tariff king’ Financial Express A balance between fiscal prudence and investment-driven growth is needed Financial Express Improvement in innovation index is great, but India must do more Financial Express

Jul 25, 2019 AIR

All India Radio (AIR) IAS UPSC - Significance of Jal Shakti Abhiyan

Significance of Jal Shakti Abhiyan ARCHIVES Search 8th 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 General studies 3: Conservation, Environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment. Water Pollution, Wastewater management In news: Inspired by the Hon’ble Prime Minister’s impetus on Jal Sanchay, the Jal Shakti Abhiyan (JSA) is a time-bound, mission-mode water conservation campaign. Ensuring India’s water security and providing access to safe and adequate drinking water to all Indians is a priority of the government. The Jal Shakti ministry will look at the management of country’s water resources and water supply in an integrated and holistic manner, and will work with states to ensure Har Ghar Jal (piped water supply) to all rural households by 2024 under the Jal Jeevan Mission During the campaign, officers, groundwater experts and scientists from the Government of India will work together with state and district officials in India’s most water-stressed districts for water conservation and water resource management by focusing on accelerated implementation of five target intervention. The JSA aims at making water conservation a Jan Andolan through asset creation and extensive communication. Nodal agency for Urban Renewal: Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs The JSA will run in two Phases: Phase 1 from 1st July to 15th September 2019 for all States and Union Territories Phase 2 from 1st October to 30th November 2019 for States and UTs receiving the retreating monsoon (Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Puducherry and Tamil Nadu). As many as 600 million people are already estimated to face “high-to-extreme” water stress every year. Why was it required? One Ministry will lead to one integrated data management system and understanding the gaps present. The need of the hour is the creation of water availability data from various resources on both quality and quantity at one platform. Intervention Areas Water conservation and rainwater harvesting Renovation of traditional and other water bodies/tanks Reuse and recharge structures Watershed development Intensive afforestation Development of Block and District Water Conservation Plans (To be integrated with the District Irrigation Plans) Krishi Vigyan Kendra Melas to promote efficient water use for irrigation (Per Drop More Crop), and better choice of crops for water conservation Urban Waste Water Reuse: In urban areas, plans/approvals with time-bound targets to be developed for waste water reuse for industrial and agriculture purposes. Municipalities to pass by-laws for the separation of grey water and black water. Every urban local body has been asked to first constitute a rainwater harvesting cell which would monitor ground water extraction, water harvesting potential of the city and oversee projects on rainwater harvesting. Scientists and IITs to be mobilised at the national level to support the teams 3D Village Contour Mapping: 3D Village Contour Maps may be created and made accessible for efficient planning of interventions Budget 2019 India: The Jal Shakti Ministry, which is executing the government’s mission to provide clean and piped drinking water to every household in the country, has been earmarked Rs 28,261.59 crore in the budget 2019-20. The Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation and Ministry of Water Resources and Ganga Rejuvenation have been merged into the Jal Shakti Ministry. The National River Conservation Directorate (NRCD), which was under the purview of Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC), will also be brought under this umbrella. It majorly implements pollution abatement works in polluted stretches of various rivers under the National River Conservation Plan (NRCP) and provides assistance to various state governments in this sector. So far it has covered 33 rivers in 76 towns of 15 states. The government has also identified 1,592 blocks which are critical and over exploited, spread across 256 districts for the Jal Shakti Abhiyan. Besides using funds available under various Schemes, the government will also explore possibility of using additional funds available under the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) for this purpose. Causes of Water Scarcity Overuse of Water: Undeveloped countries’ per capita water consumption is far more than developing and poor countries. An average U.S. family wastes 13,000 gallons of water every year. Geographical distribution: Usage depends on availability of water; Canadian households use an average of 91 US gallons each day, while American households use just over 100 gallons. Contrast this to Israel, where water supplies are limited, which uses an average of only 36 gallons per household per day. Pollution of Water: 80 percent of wastewater from human activities is discharged into waterways without any pollution removal. Bangalore water crisis was due to pollution in city’s lakes and rapid urbanisation. Conflict: Water stress in Yemen, Syria, and Iraq are examples of water crisis due to conflicts. War disrupts the infrastructure as well as administration. Distance: Areas that are considered to be desert, or areas that are secluded deal with water scarcity because they just aren’t close to anywhere that has water. Women in sub-Saharan Africa collectively spend about 40 billion hours a year collecting water. This significantly impacts their employment opportunities. Drought: A drought is an area which is not getting enough rainfall to be able to sustain the life that is residing there. Some areas are in perpetual drought, whereas other areas may be dealing with a drought on occasion. Some examples of it are from India itself, Marathwada region in Maharashtra is usually under drought conditions throughout the year. Another classic example is the recent water crisis in Cape Town, South Africa, major reason here was drought. Climate Change: Due to climate change and rising temperature there is change in global weather pattern and monsoon. Leading to drying up of rivers and reservoirs. Floods too affect the usability of water. Note: SDG-6: Ensuring universal access to safe and affordable drinking water for all by 2030 Water-stressed districts: Districts with critical or over-exploited groundwater levels as per the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) 2017. For states without critical and over-exploited groundwater levels, districts with the least availability of groundwater in comparison to the rest of the districts in the state have been selected. Water stress and water scarcity Water stress is the difficulty of obtaining sources of fresh water for use during a period of time and may result in further depletion and deterioration of available water resources. Water scarcity involves water stress, water shortage or deficits, and water crisis. Water scarcity can be due to physical water scarcity and economic water scarcity. Physical water scarcity refers to a situation where natural water resources are unable to meet a region’s demand and economic water scarcity is a result of poor water management resources. The latter is found more often to be the cause of countries or regions experiencing water scarcity, as most countries or regions lack the means to provide water in an accessible manner. Must Read: Tackling water-crisis being faced by India Connecting the Dots: Will the backlog and bad history of the old ministries let the new Jal Shakti perform better? Examine. How severe is the problem of groundwater contamination in India? What are its most causative factors?

Jul 25, 2019 Daily Prelims CA Quiz

UPSC Quiz - 2020 : IAS Daily Current Affairs Quiz Day 34

UPSC Quiz - 2020 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz Day 34 Archives Q.1) Consider the following statements with respect to ‘IndSpaceEx’ It is being conducted to identify key challenges and shortfalls if a conflict escalates in space dimension It is being conducted by the tri-Service integrated defence staff under the defence ministry Select the correct statements 1 Only 2 Only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.2) ‘Distributed ledger technology (DLT)’ is primarily associated with Blockchain Genome Sequencing Internet of Things Virtual Reality Q.3) Consider the following statements with respect to ‘SPPEL Scheme’ The scheme was instituted by Ministry of Human Resource Development The objective of the Scheme is to document and archive the country’s languages that have become endangered or likely to be endangered in the near future Select the correct statements 1 Only 2 Only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.4) ‘Nandankanan Zoological Park’ was in news recently. Where is it located? Odisha Andhra Pradesh Kerala Tamil Nadu Q.5) The ‘Model Concessionaire Agreement (MCA)’ is associated with Public Private Partnership (PPP) Goods and Services Tax (GST) Initial Public Offering (IPO) Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) To Download the Solution - Click here All the Best IASbaba

Jul 25, 2019 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

Daily Current Affairs IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 25th July 2019

IAS UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 25th July 2019 Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) Reservation in Private Jobs Part of: Mains GS-II - Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors In News: Andhra Pradesh becomes First State to Reserve 75% Private Jobs for Local Youths According to the new law, if a company does not find the necessary skills in locals, then it will need to train them in association with the state government, The law is applicable to all industrial units, factories, joint ventures and PPP projects. The step is positive in that it promotes local hiring This helps in addressing the discontent among native youth about loss of jobs to migrant labour from other states (like UP, Bihar) Issues It is against the spirit of free-market economy If required skills are not found in local youth, then industries have to skill them increasing their cost of operations This will discourage major industries from outside the state to set up its unit in the state of AP Similar laws are proposed in other states like Madhya Pradesh, which cumulatively impacts the unity of India and freedom of its citizens (Article 19(1)(d), 19(1)(e),19(1)(g)) Prandhan Mantri Laghu Vyapari Maan-dhan Yojana (PMLVMDY) Part of: Mains GS-II - Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States and the performance of these schemes. In News: The centre’s pension scheme for small traders (PMLVMDY) has been notified and being introduced on trial basis from this week The scheme assures a minimum monthly pension of Rs. 3,000/- month after attaining the age of 60 years Who can enrol for this scheme? All small shopkeepers and self-employed persons as well as the retail traders with GST turnover below Rs. 1.5 crore and age between 18-40 years Potential of the Scheme? The scheme would benefit more than 5 crore small shopkeepers and traders. Simplified process of enrolment- based on self-declaration as no documents are required except Aadhaar and bank account. Interested persons can enrol themselves through more than 3.25 lakh Common Service Centres spread across the country. Government of India will make matching contribution in the subscribers’ account LIC has been chosen as pension fund for this scheme. Do you know? Only 7.4% of the working age population in India is covered under a pension program( 65% for Germany & 31% for Brazil) according to the 2017 WEF’s report on Global Human Capital. Demographically, India will transition slowly from a 'young' to a 'greying' country, where persons above the age of 60 would increase from 8.9% of the population now to 19.4% by 2050 Ramadorai Committee on Household finances – India is sitting on a ticking pension time bomb, whereby demographic dividend can become demographic concern Concerns associated with Sugarcane Industry Part of: Mains GS-III - Issues related to direct and indirect farm subsidies and MSP In News Centre has decided to halt the trend of rising MSP for Sugarcane Centre also to expand the buffer stock of sugar Why such decisions? To correct the demand-supply imbalances – estimated production of sugar this year is 32.95 million, whereas domestic demand is just 26 million tonnes. To Stabilise retail prices – bumper harvest combined with high rates of recovery of sugar from sugarcane leading to glut in supply leading to crash in prices To Reduce payment arrears from mills to farmers - Centre announces the minimum price that mills must pay to sugar cane cultivators (large vote bank- hence subject to populism leading to loss for mill owners) India rises in global innovation ranking Part of: GS Prelims and Mains GS-III - Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization, of resources, growth, development. In news: India has improved from its previous year rank of 57 to 52 in the Global Innovation Index 2019 There has been consistent improvement in past few years - 81 in 2015, which rose to 66 in 2016, 60 in 2017 and 57 in 2018. Major innovation drivers are ICT services exports, graduates in science and engineering, the quality of universities, gross capital formation and creative goods exports The report is brought out by the UN World Intellectual Property Organisation, INSEAD and CII Miscellaneous News Milkyway’s violent birth decoded Our galaxy Milkyway merged with another small galaxy nearly 10 billion years ago, according to studies based on data from Gaia space observatory This collision increased our galaxy’s mass by about a quarter and triggered a period of accelerated star formation lasting about 2 to 4 billion years, Galaxies of all types began to form soon after Big Bang explosion (marked the beginning of Universe some 13.8 billion years ago) Gaia is a space observatory of the European Space Agency, launched in 2013 Pic: https://th.thgim.com/sci-tech/science/55thu1/article28701512.ece/alternates/FREE_660/THJC-SPACE-MILKYWAY (MAINS FOCUS) POLITY TOPIC: General studies 2 Indian Constitution- historical underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments, significant provisions and basic structure. Functions and responsibilities of the Union and the States, issues and challenges pertaining to the federal structure, devolution of powers and finances up to local levels and challenges therein. Parliament and State Legislatures – structure, functioning, conduct of business, powers & privileges and issues arising out of these. The limits of anti-defection Concerns: The prolonged political crisis in Karnataka has demonstrated the ways in which the nearly 35-year-old anti-defection law can be used and abused. Context The political crisis that began in Karnataka with the resignation of 15 MLAs that took five days and multiple missed deadlines to be put to vote This underscored the tortuous working of India’s anti-defection law and threw up a range of associated legal and constitutional questions. The incident calls for an interpretation of the three provisions of the Constitution: Article 190 (vacation of seats), Article 164 (1B), and the Xth schedule of the Constitution. Anti-defection law: The seeds of the anti-defection law were sown after the general elections in 1967. Anti-defection provisions in India were first introduced in 1985 through the 52nd amendment to the Constitution. It lays down the process by which legislators may be disqualified on grounds of defection by the Presiding Officer of a legislature based on a petition by any other member of the House. The practice so far is that courts do not interfere until a decision regarding disqualification is taken The anti-defection law does not specify a timeframe for Speakers to decide on defection proceedings. When the politics demanded, Speakers were either quick to pass judgment on defection proceedings or delayed acting on them for years on end. Grounds of disqualification under Anti-Defection law: A legislator is deemed to have defected if he either voluntarily gives up the membership of his party or disobeys the directives of the party leadership on a vote. This implies that a legislator defying (abstaining or voting against) the party whip on any issue can lose his membership of the House. The law applies to both Parliament and state assemblies. Exceptions under the law: Legislators may change their party without the risk of disqualification in certain circumstances. The law allows a party to merge with or into another party provided that at least two-thirds of its legislators are in favour of the merger The amendment, by which the Tenth Schedule was inserted in the Constitution, did three broad things. Firstly, it made legislators liable to be penalised for their conduct both inside (voting against the whip of the party) and outside (making speeches, etc.) the legislature — the penalty being the loss of their seats in Parliament or the state legislatures. Secondly, it protected legislators from disqualification in cases where there was a split (with 1/3rd of members splitting) or merger (with 2/3rds of members merging) of a legislature party with another political party. Thirdly, it made the Presiding Officer of the concerned legislature the sole arbiter of defection proceedings Early attempts at a law to find the solution to the defections: The first one was made by Indira’s Home Minister Uma Shankar Dikshit in 1973; The second,in 1978, by Shanti Bhushan, Minister for Law and Justice in the Janata Party government of Morarji Desai. The third attempt which was successful —was made in 1985, after the Congress won more than 400 seats in Lok Sabha in the aftermath of Indira’s assassination. The 2003 Amendment The last step in the legislative journey of the anti-defection law came in 2003. A Constitution Amendment Bill was introduced in Parliament by the government of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to address some of the issues with the law. A committee headed by Pranab Mukherjee examined the Bill. Pranab Mukherjee Committee observations: It is observed that the lure of office of profit plays dominant part in the political horse-trading resulting in spate of defections and counter defections. The one-third split provision which offered protection to defectors was deleted from the law on the committee’s recommendation. The 2003 Amendment also incorporated the 1967 advice of the Y B Chavan committee in limiting the size of the Council of Ministers, and preventing defecting legislators from joining the Council of Ministers until their re-election. Way Forward: Politicians found loopholes in this law and used it for their own benefit. It is high time that a watchdog should be provided to our Parliament and there is a need for our constitutional pundits to revisit the issue to combat the menace of corruption and defection which has eroded the values of democracy. There is need to build a political consensus so that the room for political and policy expression in parliament for an individual member is expanded. Conclusion The anti-defection law seeks to provide a stable government by ensuring the legislators do not switch sides. However, this law also restricts a legislator from voting in line with his conscience, judgement and interests of his electorate. Such a situation impedes the oversight function of the legislature over the government, by ensuring that members vote based on the decisions taken by the party leadership, and not what their constituents would like them to vote for. The long drawn-out events in the Karnataka Vidhan Sabha have shown that even after three decades, the anti-defection law has not been able to stop political defections Connecting the dots: Discuss the concerns against anti-defection laws suggest the possible reforms that can be made to anti-defection law? Even after three decades, the anti-defection law has not been able to stop political defections. Critically analyse the given statement? HEALTH TOPIC: General studies 2 Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. Healthcare system needs more healing hands Context: The fault lines of the Indian healthcare system, especially those of our understaffed and under-skilled health workforce, are in urgent need of repair Concerns: The Supreme Court has averred that health is a human right, while expressing its anguish at the spate of child deaths in Muzaffarpur. The tragedy in Bihar comes at a time when doctors and patients are locked in an aggressively adversarial relationship across the country. These are strict reminders that we need to urgently repair the fault lines in our health system. One of the major drawback is in terms of lack of health care workforce. How many health workers do we need? As per Millennium Development Goals (MDGs ): The minimum number of health workers needed per 1,000 populations is 22 as per world health organisation. The services includes maternal and child health as well as major infectious diseases. India’s National Health Mission too pursued the restricted MDG agenda, in which nearly 80% of population health needs were unaddressed. As per Sustainable development Goals(SDG): The minimum number of health workers needed per 1,000 population are 44.5 as per WHO. This was based on 12 health indicators and the need to deliver universal health coverage. The services include non-communicable diseases, mental health and other conditions. About WHO: World Health Organisation is a specialised agency of UN Established in 1948 HQ : Geneva, Switzerland It is concerned with international public health It acts as coordinating authority on international public health India is a founder member of WHO. It is a member of UN Development Group (UNDP). Recent statistics from National Sample Survey of 2016: Qualified allopathic doctors are overall 4.5 per 10, 000 Population, but only 1 per 11,000 in the public sector. The ratio of nurses and midwives to doctors is 1.7, while it should be at least 3:1 India needs 2.5 million midwives, there are a total of only 1.3 million nurses overall, with many of them lacking adequate midwifery skills. Midwifery has been subsumed under general nursing, after independence. How do we overcome these challenges? The reconstituted Medical Council of India, with a nominated Board of Governors, is doing a commendable job in reforming a moribund regulatory system of medical education. It proposes now to permit consortia of large private institutions of repute to start medical colleges or even partner with existing medical colleges to train more undergraduate students. It is necessary to upgrade district hospitals in these states and make them robust training facilities for undergraduate and postgraduate medical and nursing education as well as allied health professional training The National Health Mission should consider recruiting fresh medical graduates into a 3-year short service commission to provide for flexibility in posting to underserved states and areas. There is a need to revive midwifery training programmes to full potential by enhancing scale, skills, scope, social status and salaries. Digital technology, with decision support systems, management algorithms and tele-consulting, can greatly amplify their effectiveness. Advanced clinical nursing, needed for multiple specialities, can be developed by starting diplomas and fellowships affiliated to the NBE. Conclusion: There are far less healthcare providers than needed and those available are severely maldistributed across states, and between rural and urban areas. As the number of health workers raises and the country’s health system needs are saturated, the surplus may also invigorate the global health workforce as countries with ageing populations and shrinking workforce stretch their hands to seek support from India’s demographic bounty. But till then, India and Bihar first. Connecting the dots: Discuss the challenges faced by health care system in India. Suggest the measures to address the challenges While the private sector dominates healthcare delivery across the country, a majority of the population living below the poverty line (BPL) continues to rely on the under-financed and short-staffed public sector for its healthcare needs, as a result of which these remain unmet. Comment. Also suggest ideas to improve the status of public healthcare in India. “Health is a Human Right”. Elucidate the statement Discuss the goals and objectives of National health policy 2017 (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) Prandhan Mantri Laghu Vyapari Maan-dhan Yojana is being implemented by which ministry? Ministry of Labour and employment Finance Ministry Ministry of Human Resource development Ministry of Skill development and entrepreneurship Q.2) Global Innovation Index is brought out by IMF World Bank World Economic Forum UN World Intellectual Property Organisation Q.3) Fair and remunerative Prices for sugarcane is approved by Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs Commission for agricultural costs and committee Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers welfare Prime Minister’s Office Q.4) Tarun Ramadorai Committee constituted by RBI dealt with which of the following issue? Household Finance Financial inclusion Cryptocurrency Impact of Demonetisation Q.5) Gaia space observatory belongs to which space agency? ChinaNational Space Administration Indian Space Research Organisation NASA European Space Agency MUST READ Draft New Education Policy offers contentious remedies for a structural malady in medical studies The Hindu Having the last word on ‘population control’ The Hindu India's shifting strategic concerns The Hindu Making Chennai a water-wise city The Hindu Share of the state Indian Express Explained: What are sovereign bonds, and what are their risks and rewards? Indian Express Ailing healthcare system needs more healing hands Financial Express Agricultural growth needs warehousing reforms Financial Express

Jul 24, 2019 RSTV Video

RSTV IAS UPSC – AERA (Amendment) Bill, 2019

AERA (Amendment) Bill, 2019 Archives TOPIC: General Studies 2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. General Studies 3: Mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment In News: Rajya Sabha passed the Airports Economic Regulatory Authority of India (Amendment) Bill, 2019, and the Bill is now pending in Lok Sabha. The Bill amends the Airports Economic Regulatory Authority of India Act, 2008. The Act established the Airports Economic Regulatory Authority of India (AERA). Role of AERA Few years back, private players started operating civilian airports. Typically, airports run the risk of becoming a monopoly because cities usually have one civilian airport which controls all aeronautical services in that area. To ensure that private airport operators do not misuse their monopoly, the need for an independent tariff regulator in the airport sector was felt. Consequently, the Airports Economic Regulatory Authority of India Act, 2008 (AERA Act) was passed which set up AERA. Before AERA was set up, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) fixed the aeronautical charges for the airports under its control and prescribed performance standards for all airports and monitored them. Various committees had noted that AAI performed the role of airport operator as well as the regulator, which resulted in conflict of interest. Further, there was a natural monopoly in airports and air traffic control. In order to regulate the growing competition in the airline industry, and to provide a level playing field among different categories of airports, AERA was set up. AERA regulates tariffs and other charges (development fee and passenger service fee) for aeronautical services (air traffic management, landing and parking of aircraft, ground handling services) at major airports (Major airports include civilian airports with annual traffic above 15 lakh passengers). For the remaining airports, tariffs are determined by the Airports Authority of India (AAI), which is a body under the Ministry of Civil Aviation that also operates airports. It also monitors the performance standard of services across these airports. The Bill seeks to amend – Definition of major airports: Currently, the AERA Act defines a major airport as one with annual passenger traffic over 15 lakh, or any other airports as notified by the central government. The Bill increases the threshold of annual passenger traffic for major airports to over 35 lakh. The exponential growth of the sector has put tremendous pressure on AERA, while its resources are limited. Therefore, if too many airports come under the purview of AERA, it will not be able to perform its functions efficiently. Tariff determination by AERA: Under the Act, AERA is responsible for determining the: (i) Tariff for aeronautical services every five years, (ii) Development fees (iii) Passengers service fee It can also amend the tariffs in the interim period. The Bill adds that AERA will not determine: (i) Tariff (ii) Tariff structures (iii) Development fees, in certain cases. These cases include those where such tariff amounts were a part of the bid document on the basis of which the airport operations were awarded. AERA will be consulted (by the concessioning authority, the Ministry of Civil Aviation) before incorporating such tariffs in the bid document, and such tariffs must be notified. Concerns: If the challenge for AERA is availability of limited resources, the question is whether this problem may be resolved by reducing its jurisdiction (as the Bill is doing), or by improving its capacity. It may be argued that instead of strengthening the role of the regulator, its purview is being reduced. Plus this amendment does not serve the interest of consumers. Note: India’s 100th airport: Pakyong, about 30 km from Gangtok Must Read: What Ails Aviation Sector Aviation Flying For All National Green Aviation Policy Upgradation of Airports in North East

Jul 24, 2019 Daily Prelims CA Quiz

UPSC Quiz - 2020 : IAS Daily Current Affairs Quiz Day 33

UPSC Quiz - 2020 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz Day 33 Archives Q.1) Consider the following statements with respect to ‘Bhabha Kavach’ It is jointly being developed by India and Israel It is an anti-missile system to protect the military installations at the India-Pakistan border Select the correct statements 1 Only 2 Only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.2) Consider the following statements with respect to ‘JATAN’ It is used for creating digital collections in various museums and digital archival tools that are used in background for managing National Portal and Digital Repository for Indian Museums. It is developed by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). Select the correct statements 1 Only 2 Only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.3) ‘Motihari-Amlekhgunj Petroleum Products Pipeline’ is associated with India and Nepal Bhutan Bangladesh Myanmar Q.4) The annual Joint Military Exercise ‘Hand-in-Hand’ between India and China Sri Lanka Nepal Bhutan Q.5) ‘Inn Din massacre’ is associated with Myanmar Sudan Hong Kong Venezuela To Download the Solution - Click here All the Best IASbaba

Jul 24, 2019 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

Daily Current Affairs IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 24th July 2019

IAS UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 24th July 2019 Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) Measles-Rubella Vaccination Part of: GS Prelims and Mains II – Health issue Key pointers: Measles-Rubella vaccination drive started in Rajasthan to cover 2.26 crore children up to 15 years of age. Measles and rubella are contagious viral infections preventable by vaccine and best known by its distinctive red rash. The drive helps in achieving the UN SDG target of reducing Child (under 5 years) Mortality rate to 25 or less per 1000 live births by 2030. Do you know? India accounted for 36% of deaths of the world’s children by measles. To achieve full immunization coverage for all children and pregnant women at a rapid pace, the Government of India launched “Mission Indradhanush” in December 2014. Under Mission Indradhanush vaccination is being provided against eight vaccine-preventable diseases nationally, i.e. Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus, Polio, Measles, severe form of Childhood Tuberculosis, Hepatitis B, meningitis & pneumonia caused by Haemophilus influenza type B; and against Rotavirus Diarrhea and Japanese Encephalitis in selected states and districts respectively Opposition to privatization of Ordinance Factory Part of: GS Mains II and III – Government schemes and policies; Defence In News: West Bengal CM has written to PM opposing government’s initiative to privatise Indian Ordnance Factory Pros of Privatization Privatisation will lead to increase in efficiency of the operations of factories It will help modernise the domestic weapon and ammunition manufacturing process This will encourage private sector participation in Defence industry (Make in India scheme) and helps spur jobs & investment Disinvestment in these firms will lead to revenue earnings for government Issues with Privatization Strategic sector such as defence equipment manufacturing should remain under the control of government in the interest of National Security and defence of country Ordnance Factory Board, with its 41 factories across India employs around 1.6 lakh officers. Their employment and pension aspects needs to be taken care of Do you know? Ordnance Factory board was founded in 1775 with its HQ in Kolkatta to make military weapons and ammunition It is under Ministry of Defence It is considered to be the world’s largest government set-up for manufacturing arms and ammunition. Water-grid project in Maratwada Part of: GS Prelims and Mains I and III – Geography; Water conservation In news: Maratwada region of Maharasthra Pic: https://skymetweather.com/content/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Maharashtra.jpg Context: Maratwada, has traditionally been a low-rainfall area primarily due because of its geography – lies in rain shadow region of western ghats The grid project aims to create an integrated piped network to supply water for drinking, industrial and agricultural purposes all through the year. The work would be taken up on hybrid annuity model, which involves an investment by private players also. Do you know ? During 2016 drought, a train named Jaldhoot supplied more than 70 lakh litres of water to Latur in Maratwada region Hybrid annuity means that the government makes an upfront of 40% of the project cost and pays a fixed annual installment(annuity) for certain years for operation and maintenance (reduces traffic risk), while 60% of project cost is borne private player. Government in process of finalising OTC drug policy Part of: GS Prelims and Mains II – Health issue; Government schemes and policies In news: The practice of self-medication is rampant in India Over-the-counter (OTC) drugs are medicines sold directly to a consumer without a need of prescription from a healthcare professional In the absence of a legal framework, chemists are selling some commonly used ‘prescription only’ drugs like paracetamol as well as other drugs over the counter Thus, lack of well-defined regulation for OTC medicines is impacting patient safety Drugs that are known to have negligible side effects can be classified as OTC so that access to them becomes easy and wide. When drugs for common viral infections, sore throat, acidity, indigestion, nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, injury, cuts, wounds, burns, acne etc are made available under OTC, people will get access to the right medication Concerns Rise of antibiotic resistance due to use of over-the-counter drugs An antibiotic is a drug meant to treat a bacterial infection. This will further strengthen the practice of self-medication Do you know? The Union health ministry’s Anti-Microbial Resistance awareness campaign urges people not to use medicines marked with a red vertical line, including antibiotics, without a doctor’s prescription – Red Line Campaign Miscellaneous: Growth Forecast reduced IMF cuts India’s growth forecast for 2019-20 from 7.3% to 7% The reduction is primarily due to weaker-than-expected outlook for domestic demand The growth engine of an economy is said to run on four wheels – Private consumption expenditure (domestic demand), private investment, government expenditure and exports World Economic Outlook report is released by IMF (MAINS FOCUS) NATIONAL/HEALTH ISSUE TOPIC: General studies 2 Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources Issues and policies related to health Important International institutions, agencies and fora- their structure, mandate Loosening strength in anti-AIDS march Context The commitment to end the AIDS pandemic by 2030 needs strong and fearless leadership Concerns The Joint UN programme on AIDS, commonly known as UNAIDS, is facing one of the worst challenges afflicting the global AIDS response Appointment a new executive director after the departure of Michel Sidibé in May 2019 on the recommendation of the programme. The commitment to end AIDS by 2030 is ambitious but not impossible to achieve because every year there are about 1.7 million new infections. About UNAIDS: UNAIDS is leading the global effort to end AIDS as a public health threat by 2030 as part of the Sustainable Development Goals. It started operations in 1996 UNAIDS provides the strategic direction, advocacy, coordination and technical support needed to catalyse and connect leadership from governments, the private sector and communities to deliver life-saving HIV services. Achievements of UNAIDS: It has successfully mobilised world opinion to mount an exceptional response to an epidemic. The slashing of prices of AIDS drugs by Indian generics have brought treatment within the reach of many countries by the Creation of GFATM. Preventing mother-to-child transmission of HIV has become an achievable goal by 2020. Challenges to reach the goal to end AIDS pandemic by 2030: The organisation has started to falter in its strategy. Regions such as Eastern Europe and Central Asia and West Asia are nowhere near reaching the goal of ending AIDS. It is forgotten that AIDS affects the poor, the marginalised and criminalised communities in accessing the ‘test and treat’ programmes. Funding for non-governmental organisations and community-based organisations working on prevention has been gradually decreased. The weakening of country leadership of UNAIDS in many high-prevalence countries. Suggestions The strategy to end AIDS should go back to the World Health Organisation (WHO) where it originally belonged to some 25 years ago. And that the new executive director should be equipped with an exit strategy to wind up the organisation. The new executive director has to work relentlessly to place prevention of the epidemic and empowering communities at the centre of global response. The new executive director should strive for the strengthening of organisation presence at country level. Conclusion: The commitment to end AIDS by 2030 is ambitious but not impossible to achieve. We need to re-energise UNAIDS with a strong and fearless leadership from a person of high integrity and commitment along with a sincere effort to remove the deadwood from the organisation. Connecting the dots: What is HIV and how is it a life threatening disease? How has India battled against HIV? Critically examine. Elaborate on the Policy actions initiated by the government w.r.t. HIV AIDS and the necessary concerns associated. Highlight the provisions of the recent legislation ‘AIDS affects the poor, the marginalised and criminalised communities’. Discuss the challenges and solutions with respect to the statement. EDUCATION TOPIC: General studies 2 Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Education How not to educate India? Context Draft National Education Policy ignores key issues of learning Draft National Education Policy: The draft of New National Education Policy has been recently submitted by the Committee led by the Chairman Dr. Kasturirangan on education policy. Need for DNEP The extant National Policy on Education, 1986 modified in 1992 required changes to meet the contemporary and futuristic needs of India's large youth population. A New Education Policy is designed to meet the changing dynamics of the requirements in terms of quality education, innovation and research. The policy aims at making India a knowledge superpower by equipping students with the necessary skills and knowledge. It also focuses on eliminating the shortage of manpower in science, technology, academics and industry. The Draft Policy is built on the foundational pillars of Access, Equity, Quality, Affordability and Accountability. Why we should know about DNEP? It has implications for India’s ability to reap its “demographic dividend”. Accelerated economic development is dependent upon youthful labour force, this can be achieved only by investments in human development, including education. Key changes proposed in DNEP The committee has proposed to rename the Ministry of Human Resource Development as Ministry of Education (MoE). Curriculum - In school education, a major reconfiguration of curricular and pedagogical structure was proposed. The policy calls for an Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) as an integral part of school education. A 5+3+3+4 curricular and pedagogical structure based on cognitive and socio-emotional developmental stages of children was proposed. RTE Act - The committee recommends Extension of Right to Education Act 2009 to cover children of ages 3 to 18 (currently, 6-14). The committee proposes for massive transformation in teacher education. Institution - A new apex body Rashtriya Shiksha Ayog is proposed. The National Research Foundation, an apex body, is proposed for creating a strong research culture National Higher Education Regulatory Authority will be the only regulator for all higher education including professional education UGC is to be transformed to Higher Education Grants Commission (HEGC). The policy proposes to create an accreditation eco-system led by a revamped NAAC (National Assessment and Accreditation Council). Language - Promotion of Indian and classical languages and setting up three new National Institutes for Pali, Persian and Prakrit were proposed. Indian Institute of Translation and Interpretation (IITI) has been recommended. The policy called for the proper implementation of the three-language formula (dating back to 1968) in schools across the country. Accordingly, students in Hindi-speaking states should learn a modern Indian language, apart from Hindi and English. Issues not addressed in DNEP Five issues that the draft must consider incorporating: 1. Financing of education This report lost an opportunity to discuss the advantages of public investments in elementary and high school education that generate “public good”, as against the university-level policy focus on promoting “private good 2. Privatisation- Reckless and unregulated private schools and colleges, besides compromising on quality, will only increase (not reduce) social inequalities in India.. 3. Technology (ICT) as a leveler and equity enhancer 4. English as a medium of instruction This issue was discussed that too mostly by undermining the role and importance of the English language. 5. The state’s responsibility in educating the masses. What can be done? Education reform must focus on certain fundamental principles like personalised learning, literacy and numeracy, scientific temper that promotes competition and collaboration Technological platforms must be immediately harnessed to impart equitable access at primary, elementary and high school levels and to increase the quality of education Regular assessment of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan. A new “public-private-partnership” model will succeed in achieving the objectives of quality, affordability and equality of access. It should emphasise enough the role and importance of state governments in imparting education to the masses. Conclusion: Education is a powerful instrument for reducing poverty and inequality; and it enhances competitiveness in the global economy. Ensuring access to quality education for all is central to the economic and social development of India, according to the World Bank. Connecting the dots: Discuss unique features of the draft National Education Policy, 2019. Also comment on the challenges in implementation of suggested recommendations? Education is a powerful instrument for reducing poverty and inequality- 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) Measles and Rubella diseases are caused due to Bacteria Virus Fungus Protozoan parasite Plasmodium. Q.2) Ordnance Factory board comes under which ministry Ministry of Heavy industries Department of Border Management, Ministry of Home Affairs Ministry of Defence Prime Minister’s Office Q.3) Redline campaign is associated with Following of Traffic signals Railway crossing and signal Anti-microbial resistance HIV/Aids prevention and awareness Q.4) World Economic Outlook report is released by IMF World Bank Federal Bank of USA World Economic Forum Q.5) Hybrid Annuity Model is a mix of which of the PPP models EPC – Engineering Procurement and Construction BOT – Build Operate Transfer DBFO – Design Build Finance Operate BOO – Build Own Operate Select the correct answer from codes given below 1 and 2 only 1,2 and 3 Only 1 and 3 only 1 and 4 only MUST READ A bridge across the India-Pakistan abyss The Hindu Making the water-guzzling thermal plants accountable The Hindu The complexities of Naga identity The Hindu The change triangle Indian Express India’s trajectory: An innovation powerhouse Financial Express Agricultural growth needs warehousing reforms Financial Express

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