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IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs [Prelims + Mains Focus] - 21st April 2018

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs (Prelims + Mains Focus)- 21st April 2018 Archives (PRELIMS+MAINS FOCUS) Death penalty for rape of girls under 12 Part of: Mains GS Paper I, II- Social issues, Government interventions Key pointers: The Union Cabinet has approved promulgation of an Ordinance to provide death penalty for rapists of girls below 12 years. The Criminal Law (Amendment) Ordinance provides for stringent punishment of a jail term of minimum 20 years or life imprisonment or death for rape of a girl under 12 years. In the case of a gang rape of a girl below 12 years, there will be a punishment of life in jail or a death sentence. For the crime of a rape of a girl under 16 years, minimum punishment has been increased from 10 years to 20 years, which is expandable to imprisonment for rest of life. Minimum punishment in case of rape of women has also been increased from rigorous imprisonment of 7 years to 10 years, extendable to life imprisonment. The Ordinance also provides for speedy investigation and trial which needs to be compulsorily completed within two months. There will also be no provision for anticipatory bail for a person accused of rape or gang rape of a girl under 16 years. Article link: Click here (MAINS FOCUS) NATIONAL TOPIC: General Studies 1: Social empowerment General Studies 2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States and the performance of these schemes. Dilution of Atrocities Act: A cause of concern Introduction: The Supreme Court, in its recent judgment in Subhash Kashinath Mahajan v. State of Maharashtra, has stirred up a debate which is bound to impact the law and policy on the prohibition of the practice of untouchability and prevention of atrocities against Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) in India. Reference article: Dilution of Prevention of Atrocities Act, 1989: SC judgement As per the data: The empirical question of whether the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 is really being misused by the filing of false cases (which is the basis for the judgment) needs to be addressed by looking at the available data. National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data show that 5,347 false cases involving SCs and 912 false cases involving STs were registered in 2016. However, it should be noted that these constituted only 9% and 10%, respectively, of the total number of cases that were to be investigated by the police in that year. This would suggest that only about one out of 10 cases filed is false. Thus, there appears to be little evidence that the Act is being rampantly misused. On the contrary, there is plenty of evidence to support the view that the SCs/STs are victims of rising crime each year. NCRB data show that in the past 10 years, crimes against SCs have risen by 51% (27,070 cases in 2006 and 40,801 crimes in 2016 were reported). Against STs it was by 13% (5,791 in 2006 and 6,568 cases in 2016 were reported). Thus, there is much empirical evidence to support the stand that the Act needs to be strengthened — not weakened. Inadequate enforcement: Legislation on untouchability and atrocities against SCs/STs arguably constitutes a radical departure from the usual approach of the criminal justice system. Unlike other offences, untouchability is an offence under the Constitution — Article 17 prescribes that ‘the enforcement of any disability arising out of untouchability shall be an offence punishable in accordance with law’. Despite the laws, it is generally accepted that Article 17 has not succeeded in achieving its mandate largely due to inadequate enforcement, in turn leading to low conviction rates and a huge pendency of cases. Consequently, the legislative trend has been to progressively make the penal law tougher. In 2016, several amendments were introduced to strengthen the 1989 Act such as: Including more acts as atrocities. Increasing the quantum of punishment for the offences defined as atrocities. Imposing an enhanced duty on public servants such as police officers who are required to enforce the Act. Constituting special and exclusive courts to try offences under the Act. Introducing time limits for investigation and trial. Providing enhanced state machinery for arrest. Investigation and trial. Using presumptions to make convictions easier; and detailed regulation of the rights of victims and witnesses under the Act. A study of the constitutional and legislative history relating to SCs/STs would reveal a unique jurisprudence that has evolved on the subject, which mandates a radically different and stronger approach to be adopted by the criminal justice system. In this context, the recent decision by the Supreme Court might be seen to run counter to the legislative trend of making the untouchability and atrocities laws harsher and tougher rather than softer. Way ahead: The ruling on anticipatory bail is to be welcomed as protecting the accused from needless arrest and humiliation and to protecting human rights. Ordinary police powers of registering a first information report and making arrests in cognisable cases should be whittled down in atrocity cases is a matter of deliberation. False and frivolous complaints filed under untouchability legislation could also have been dealt with by other means which include directions for prompt investigation and prosecution of such offences by the police and others under the Indian Penal Code, 1860. Conclusion: The appropriate step would be to leave the task of maintaining a delicate balance between the enforcement of penal laws and the protection of civil liberties to Parliament, the body entrusted with the task of making our laws. Connecting the dots: Dilution of Prevention of Atrocities Act, 1989 by the Supreme Court goes against empirical evidence of crimes against scheduled castes and tribes. Discuss the need of Parliament to intervene so as to maintain a balance between the enforcement of penal laws and the protection of civil liberties. ECONOMY TOPIC: General Studies 3: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment. General Studies 2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. Reforming private sector banks Introduction: The recent banking scams have underlined the issues of propriety and governance. What started off as a problem with PSBs has come a full circle with the focus now shifted to private banks (ICICI case). Any kind of financial crisis offers an opportunity for introspection where rules can be reformulated to bring them in sync with the new order. It is necessary to continuously revisit systems, laws and practices and bring them up to date. Concerns: The banking scams have brought to focus not just the lack of transparency in the functioning of banks but also that of audit and inspection practices. Also, the allocation of responsibility for identifying and ensuring remedial action is not clear and needs to be delineated now. Clear lines of thought need to be put down and the new rules should be formulated so that there is less ambiguity in future. Banks’ perspective First, in a private bank who is to uphold the moral responsibilty- the CEO, or executive Board members or the non-executive Board members? Whenever there is a conflict of interest, it has to be clear as to which executives are to be held accountable. If it is the CEO who is accountable, then does that imply that none of his relatives can have any credit dealings with the concerned bank. This seems unreasonable. Way out: One way to get around the above problem would be to disclose the financial dealings of the relatives, if any, in the Annual Report or the bank’s web site.By making such disclosures upfront, the bank can ensure that no questions are raised in future. Hence greater transparency is the key to avoiding such ‘conflict of interest’ issues. The performance of bankers has come under the lens. Can the central bank or the government have a say in the salary package of a private company? The answer is probably ‘no’ because in the private sector Boards take a call on this issue. This should be debated and the rules must be clearly laid out. The tenure of the CEO is always open to debate. Allowing anyone to carry on for more than a term of say five years is a call taken by shareholders or Boards. But allowing such extensions also lead to creation of power centres affecting the grooming of second rung leaders. Ironically in PSBs, CEOs have short terms as they get their positions closer to retirement while in private banks they begin their tenures at an early age – and can often get a stint of more than a decade before they retire. Regulator’s perspective From the regulator’s side, the issues that need to be addressed are: The responsibility of the Boards should be clear on issues of governance and any deviance from regulation or conflict of interest should be discussed at this level. The presence of a nominee director of the regulator on the Board, though controversial, is justified as he is the ‘ear of the public’ and ensures that all compliances are in order. When audit reports are carried out on banks, the lacunae or important findings should be made public so that everyone is aware of them. It can be put up on the web site of the regulator or the concerned bank. As a practice of good governance, the regulators too should disclose on their web sites the names of the relatives of the senior officials who are employed with the regulated entities. This will add to transparency in operations of the system. Conclusion: It is the right time to take the necessary action in revising the rules and regulations concerning the functioning of banks, their boards and CEOs. Rather than getting obsessed with moral issues, a practical way would be to strengthen the regulatory framework and review it every two years based on the banks’ response. Connecting the dots: The recent banking scams have underlined the issues of propriety and governance. What started off as a problem with PSBs has come a full circle with the focus now shifted to private banks. It is the right time to take the necessary action in revising the rules and regulations concerning the functioning of banks, their boards and CEOs. Discuss. MUST READ Conscience call The Hindu Mission impossible The Hindu The constitution was founded on these Indian Express Commonwealth 2.0 Business Line

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs [Prelims + Mains Focus] - 20th April 2018

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs (Prelims + Mains Focus)- 20th April 2018 Archives (PRELIMS+MAINS FOCUS) Key recommendations of Law Commission on BCCI Part of: Mains GS Paper II- Government interventions Key pointers: Pic credit: http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/article23597123.ece/alternates/FREE_660/th18-LAW-COMMISGU33R1OO41jpgjpg The board and all its member cricket associations should be brought under the Right to Information law regime. The 90-year-old Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) should be declared a public body. The board’s monopolistic activities, directly and indirectly, affect the fundamental rights of citizens, players, and other functionaries. A private citizen should be able to move the highest court against the BCCI for any violation of his fundamental rights. The BCCI exercises ‘state-like’ powers in the regulation of cricket, and thus, comes under the definition of ‘state.’ The BCCI virtually acts as a National Sports Federation (NSF). The commission recommended that the Ministry website should explicitly mention BCCI in the list of NSFs. This would automatically bring it within the purview of the RTI Act. Concerns: The commission said the board has been “flying under the radar of public scrutiny and encouraged an environment of opacity and non-accountability.” It has created “an impression in the minds of the general public that corruption and other forms of malpractices are adversely affecting one of the most popular sports played in India.” BCCI is a “limb of the state”: The commission pointed out that- The cricket board, as an entity, is permitted de facto by the state to represent the country at the international stage. It selects the Indian cricket team. The selected players wear the national colours and are the recipients of Arjuna awards. The ICC recognises BCCI as the ‘official’ body representing India. The Law Commission was led by former Supreme Court judge, Justice B.S. Chauhan. Article link: Click here India-UK: Bilateral meet Part of: Mains GS Paper II- International relations Key pointers: India and the UK will build on the recommendations of a joint trade review to reduce barriers. Prime Minister Narendra Modi pledged that there would be no dilution in the importance of the UK to India post-Brexit The two sides signed a statement of shared values, emphasising support for a “global outlook and commitment to rules based international system”. As part of the bilateral agreement, Indian firms will make investments of about £1 billion in UK. Britain and India agreed to forge a new India-UK Trade Partnership, building on the trade review carried out over the past year, focussing on life sciences, IT, food and drink. A UK-India Tech Partnership, and research partnership was also agreed upon. The joint statement: “We share a global outlook and commitment to a rules-based international system that strongly opposes unilateral actions that seek to undermine that system through force or coercion,” said the joint statement from the Prime Ministers. It also pledged to work with other countries in the Commonwealth on issues ranging from cybersecurity to plastic pollution and climate change. The visit is the third bilateral between the two Prime Ministers since 2015, as Britain has sought to emphasise the potential for growth in trade with non-EU partners once Britain leaves the EU. Article link: Click here (MAINS FOCUS) DEFENCE/SECURITY TOPIC: General Studies 3: Security challenges and their management in border areas; linkages of organized crime with terrorism. Role of external state and non-state actors in creating challenges to internal security. General Studies 2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. Setting up of Defence Planning Committee: A significant policy reform Introduction: In a significant defence policy reform, the government, has revamped the existing defence planning system by establishing a Defence Planning Committee (DPC) under the chairmanship of the National Security Adviser (NSA). This new institutional mechanism, set up as a permanent body, is intended to “facilitate a comprehensive and integrated planning for defence matters” – a vital ingredient in defence preparedness. Comprehensive and integrated planning was missing in the mechanism set up in the early 2000s in the wake of the Kargil conflict. The new measure is likely to have a far reaching consequence on the way defence planning is undertaken and on defence preparedness. Salient Features of the New Mechanism: The heart of the new institutional mechanism is the all-powerful DPC with the NSA at the helm. The Committee has a cross-section of members drawn from the higher echelons of the civil and military services including the three service chiefs, the Defence Secretary, Foreign Secretary, and Secretary (Expenditure) of the Ministry of Finance (MoF). Besides, the NSA is empowered to co-opt other members as and when required. The charter of duties of the DPC is two-fold. To analyse and evaluate all relevant inputs relating to defence planning, which includes- the national defence and security priorities, foreign policy imperatives, relevant strategic and security-related doctrines, defence acquisition and infrastructure development plans, including the 15-year Long-Term Integrated Perspective Plan (LTIPP), defence technology and development of the Indian defence industry and global technological advancement. To prepare at least five different sets of drafts including: -> National security strategy, strategic defence review and doctrines; -> International defence engagement strategy; -> Roadmap to build defence manufacturing eco-system; -> Strategy to boost defence exports; and -> Prioritised capability development plans for the armed forces over different time-frames in consonance with the overall priorities, strategies and likely resource flows. In order to assist the functioning of the DPC, the new mechanism provides for four sub-committees, one each on Policy and Strategy, Plans and Capability Development, Defence Diplomacy, and Defence Manufacturing Eco-System. The reports of the DPC are to be submitted to the Defence Minister and further approval are to be taken as required. Present system: It was thought that the creation of the post of Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) as the ultimate arbitrator of all requirements of the armed forces including the planning aspects would bridge a key gap in the existing defence planning mechanism. With the CDS not finding favour with successive political dispensations, the existing system of planning is perceived to have given way to the parochial interests of various stakeholders. This has had an adverse impact not only on how security threats were perceived by various security organs, but also on how scarce resources are distributed among the services and within the various branches of each service. The existing planning process has had very little control on aspects like indigenisation and self-reliance in defence procurement matters. Conclusion: With the powerful DPC in place and the NSA assuming the role of de facto CDS for all practical purposes other than in operational matters, the defence planning process is expected to become more rational as well as provide a much needed boost to defence preparedness. The DPC is expected to clearly articulate the key national security/ defence/ military goals as well as prioritise defence and security requirements as per the likely available resources while at the same time providing adequate focus on emerging security challenges, technological advancements, and establishing a strong indigenous defence manufacturing base. Connecting the dots: The establishment of Defence Planning Committee recently, will have a far-reaching consequence on the way defence planning is undertaken and on defence preparedness. Discuss. NATIONAL TOPIC: General studies 2: Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections 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 or Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources General studies 3: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment. Inclusive growth and issues arising from it. Skill Development Indicators: Evidence based policy implementation Background: Skill development has emerged as a key strategy to realize the potential of a young workforce with an average age of 29, by enhancing their employability. The National Skill Development Mission launched by the Union government envisions skilling at scale with speed and standards, with a focus on strengthening institutional training, infrastructure, convergence, training of trainers, overseas employment, sustainable livelihoods and leveraging public infrastructure. The national policy for skill development and entrepreneurship 2015 provides an enabling framework to realize this vision. The policy framework outlines the paradigms and enablers to realize the potential of India’s demographic advantage by addressing challenges such as aspirations and mobilization of youth, quality and relevance of training; access to training, inclusivity and leveraging available technology. Recognition of prior learning (RPL) has been introduced in India to facilitate an assessment and certification of the skills acquired by the individual through experience, observation and self-learning in order to give him/her an edge in career advancement. Several challenges remain for skill development in India: The proportion of the formally trained in India is low at 4.69% of the total workforce compared to countries like Germany (75%) and South Korea (96%). The mismatch between skill, academic training and employment has widened, leading to a situation where, on one hand, employers are unable to find appropriately trained people, and on the other, the youth are unable to find employment that they aspire for. The latest India Skill Report indicates that only about 45.6% of the youth coming out of educational institutions are employable. In order to address the mismatch between supply and demand, it is necessary to harmonize youth aspirations with industry demand and the training offered by training institutes. Need to develop skill development indicators (SDIs): The significant variation in demographic profile necessitates local interventions. Southern states like Goa, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala have a higher median age, between the range of 29-31 years, due to early fertility transitions, and will soon be ageing. Hinterland states such as Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Rajasthan have a low median age between 20 and 22 years. Thus, this northern belt will have a rising working age population. This requires addressing skill challenges of access, equity, relevance and financing differently. Availability of real-time data on challenges faced by a region/area/district/state, identification of sectors requiring skilled manpower, and demand-supply match,will help assess the outcomes of various interventions undertaken thus far so that the future course of policy action can be planned or modified. Example: International efforts to develop indicators for skill development: The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) established the world indicators of skills for employment (WISE). The WISE framework includes a focus on contextual factors in a country, such as the- Gross domestic product (GDP), population, employment in informal sector. Factors affecting skill acquisition, such as educational attainment, literacy rate, enrolment ratios, vocational programme, participation in training/apprenticeship. Factors affecting skill requirement, such as employment share by level of education, occupation, incidence of self-employment, skill use and outcomes in terms of growth in GDP, labour productivity, employment rate, earnings, etc. Adapting from this framework, indicators must be developed to address challenges such matching skills across sectors/regions to realize the potential of our youth and the working population. Benefits of SDIs: SDIs would improve the effectiveness of various platforms set-up by the ministry of skill development and entrepreneurship. They would also enable the states to evaluate and compete with their own past performance and facilitate sharing of best practices across different sectors and states/union territories. They would help assess the match between employers’ needs and future labour market opportunities and based on the assessment of existing policy initiatives and their outcomes, the future course of policy action could be planned or modified. The indicators can be classified under four broad parameters: The parameter of access would measure the capacity and outreach of the programmes. Relevance would measure the ease of entry to the labour market with an enhanced employability. Equity will measure the equal accessibility of the opportunity to all and quality will evaluate whether the training imparted meets the required standard of employability. The parameter of finance would measure the cost-effectiveness of the funding provided. The dearth of reliable data is a pressing challenge in developing these indicators. There is a need to generate data leading up to the labour market. This can be done by systematically including key questions on skills in employment-unemployment surveys. Once the indicators are finalized, an index can be built, ranking the states based on their performance outcomes. Conclusion: With the advent of the fourth industrial revolution, it needs to be ensured that our youth manage the shifts in skill requirements. The need of the hour is to build evidence that can redirect policy solutions to address the constraints, make policy inclusive and sustainable according to the demographic context of each state in order to fully realize the potential of youth and ensure optimum income and employment for the workforce. Connecting the dots: Despite several initiatives, skill development in India is not taking at a pace as expected. Discuss how local interventions based on evidence, skill development indicators, will help. MUST READ Marginalised from school The Hindu Under scrutiny The Hindu It isn't judge vs judge Indian Express The myth of appeasement Indian Express Demographic dividend, growth and jobs Livemint

AIR

All India Radio (AIR) : Market Reforms in Agriculture

Market Reforms in Agriculture ARCHIVES Search 26th March, 2018 Spotlight here: http://www.newsonair.com/Main_Audio_Bulletins_Search.aspx TOPIC: General Studies 3: Issues related to direct and indirect farm subsidies and minimum support prices Inclusive growth and issues arising from it. General Studies 2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States and the performance of these schemes; mechanisms, laws, institutions and bodies constituted for the protection and betterment of these vulnerable sections Agricultural Reforms It is the need of the hour to ensure that our farmers get fair price. MSP is to be 1.5 times the cost of production which includes a whole stock of reforms. Biggest Challenge: Earlier the focus was on food security and nutritional security. But now the government is also thinking about livelihood security and has taken various initiatives. Just ensuring that the farmer gets the MSP is not enough. Farmers should not be dependent on government’s help on providing them the MSP. It has to be earned in the market place. When we talk about market places, there are various challenges that the farmer faces – Travelling to sell the produce to faraway places i.e., long distance with higher transportation costs Not getting a good price in the market leading to distress sale Produce being sold at throwaway prices No assurance of the buyer of the produce The produce getting spoilt if they are perishable This has led the government to come up with the concept of 20,000 rural markets – Grameen Hats, with minimum infrastructure to reduce losses. These local markets will be linked to the wholesale markets, largely to avoid middlemen. There are also plans to link it to the global market. The Dalwai Committee on Doubling Farmers’ Income has pointed out that the share of farmers in consumer’s price is very low; it generally varies from 15 to 40 per cent. Studies conducted by the International Food Policy Research Institute and World Bank have confirmed this. The dominant role of middlemen among others is primarily responsible for farmers not realising a reasonable price for their produce, lowering farm income and profitability. This was recognised by the 12th Plan’s Working Group on Agriculture Marketing (2011). The agriculture markets are crowded with middlemen and commission agents. As pointed out by Ramesh Chand, in Punjab, there are as many as 22,000 commission agents and innumerable middlemen in each market. According to Ashok Gulati, former chairman of the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices, commission agents in Delhi charge exorbitant fees ranging from 6 per cent to 15 per cent. Operation Green: The idea behind Operation Greens is to double the income of farmers by end of 2022. Operation is essentially a price fixation scheme that aims to ensure farmers are given the right price for their produce. It aims to promote farmer producers organisations, agri-logistics, processing facilities and professional management. The operation aims to aid farmers and help control and limit the erratic fluctuations in the prices of onions, potatoes and tomatoes. Focus is also on cluster based production and from those clusters how a farmer should be linked with it via SPOs. There is a need to do away with the middlemen. States play an extremely important role here as agriculture is a State subject. Unless they make some crucial legislature changes, no change is going to happen. There is a need to adopt the APMC Act. 502 markets have been linked with eNAM with very good results. Different kind of systems, storage model should be devised according to their characteristics. Farmers need to explore all the options – right from processing to ensuring diversification while growing crops. He/She should be able to do primary processing at the farm – grading, sorting will fetch a better price. The real challenge is to change the nature of the market – a single unified pan-India market. We need to devise a set procurement model along with the States but we also need to link it to the public distribution system. With better prices, what is also important is better access to the market. States need to support some of the reforms and be a part of the e-NAM initiative. e-NAM could help to break this logjam – it is a virtual market. All the markets will be linked through the platform Infrastructure facilities like quality testing Storage facilities if the produce are not sold at that time Can get a loan even on the produce stored Can choose where he sells his products, in a different state where he might get better returns The Way Forward Production and marketing should march together in order to benefit farmers and consumers. Farmers need to be empowered to decide when, where, to whom and at what price to sell. There is a need to scrape the culture of adjusting middlemen in agriculture Market reforms need to be designed to control the food inflation due to the seasonal spike in prices of perishable commodities Centre needs to empower states in revamping the agricultural marketing sector. Almost 40 per cent of all fruits and vegetables are lost annually in India between the grower and the consumer mainly due to lack of storage facilities, a weak transportation system and bad roads. Climate change is expected to make the situation worse. States alone cannot revamp the agricultural marketing sector, primarily due to paucity of funds and technology. Private investment on a massive scale needs to be invited to upgrade and build large storage and warehousing systems that are climate resilient. Note: PM Krishi Sampada Yojana: To create world class food processing infrastructure. This will leverage investment of 5 billion dollar investment, benefit 2 million farmers and create more than half a million jobs. It incorporates ongoing schemes such as Mega Food Parks, Integrated Cold Chain and Value Addition Infrastructure, etc. and also new schemes like Infrastructure for Agro-processing Clusters, Creation of Backward and Forward Linkages, Creation / Expansion of Food Processing & Preservation Capacities. Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH): For the holistic growth of the horticulture sector covering fruits, vegetables, root & tuber crops, mushrooms, spices, flowers, aromatic plants, coconut, cashew, cocoa and bamboo. Promote holistic growth of horticulture sector, including bamboo and coconut through area based regionally differentiated strategies, which includes research, technology promotion, extension, post-harvest management, processing and marketing, in consonance with comparative advantage of each State/region and its diverse agro-climatic features; Encourage aggregation of farmers into farmer groups like FIGs/FPOs and FPCs to bring economy of scale and scope. Enhance horticulture production, augment farmers, income and strengthen nutritional security; Improve productivity by way of quality germplasm, planting material and water use efficiency through Micro Irrigation. Support skill development and create employment generation opportunities for rural youth in horticulture and post harvest management, especially in the cold chain sector Connecting the Dots: Examine the factors behind the ongoing agrarian crisis in India. Discuss the reforms required to address it. Agricultural reforms need to see the light of the day. Discuss.

IASbaba’s 60 Day Plan- Prelims Test 2018 SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY & CURRENT AFFAIRS [Day 37]

Hello Friends,  The 60 Days Training has finally begun:) Before any competition, there is a preparatory phase. That phase involves a lot of sessions on strengths and weaknesses. Throughout the preparatory phase, the athletes train in a gradual manner. In the last phase, just before the actual competition, the training is done so as to sharpen their skills. This training requires complete focus and dedication. In this phase, the athletes do not try anything new or train in a new fashion rather focus on sharpening of skills, focusing on strength and precision. Similarly, the upcoming 60 days, is like the last phase (training session), just before the actual competition. Here, the focus should be on sharpening the concepts, consolidating the knowledge base and solidifying the learning with loads and loads of revision. CLICK HERE TO READ FULL DETAILS AND SOLVE QUESTIONS

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs [Prelims + Mains Focus] - 19th April 2018

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs (Prelims + Mains Focus)- 19th April 2018 Archives (PRELIMS+MAINS FOCUS) Poshan Abhiyaan to cover 550 districts Part of: Mains GS Paper II- Government interventions Key pointers: The government has extended its ambitious Poshan Abhiyaan to 235 additional districts in its second phase taking the total of districts covered by the national nutrition mission so far to 550 districts. The additional districts to be covered during the current financial year were decided on the basis of the level of stunting prevalent in district as well as to ensure those districts affected by left wing extremism and those declared aspirational districts by NITI Aayog left out in the first phase covered. About the mission: The Rs. 9,000-crore mission will strive to reduce stunting, under-nutrition, and low birth weight by 2 per cent and anaemia (among young children, women and adolescent girls) by 3 per cent annually over the three-year mission period. Anganwadi supervisors have been roped in for the mission. The focus of the Abhiyaan is on the first 1000 days of the child and preventive care for adolescent girls, women and mothers. Home-based Care for Young Child(HBYC) would be a crucial component of the Abhiyaan. In HBYC, ASHAs supported by Anganwadi workers will visit the homes of children aged between 3 to 15 months and sensitise mothers on energy density and diet of child, he said. Article link: Click here Renewable Energy Sector: Missed the target again Part of: Mains GS Paper III- Energy Security Key pointers: The renewable energy sector has missed its capacity addition target for the second year in a row. Against the target of 14,450 MW for 2017-18, the new capacity addition from all major segments stood at 11,754 MW, effectively achieving only 81 per cent of the target for the year ended March 31. As of March 31, the total grid-interactive installed capacity in the renewable energy sector stood at 69,022 MW. Statistics: Solar (ground-mounted) saw new capacity addition of about 9,010 MW, marginally higher than the the target of 9,000 MW. The rooftop solar segment added only 353 MW against the target of 1,000 MW. New bio-power capacity addition stood at 519 MW against the target of 340 MW. Small hydro power added a new capacity of 106 MW, higher than the target of 100 MW. FY18 proved to be a challenging year for wind power, with the sector adding one of the lowest annual capacities in the recent years. Against the target of 4,000 MW, this segment added just 1,766 MW. Article link: Click here NATIONAL TOPIC : General Studies 3: Infrastructure: Energy Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment. Rural Electrification: Where we stand and What more needs to be done? Introduction: Despite having 16% of the global population, India’s share in global energy use is only 4.2% and in global electricity consumption, 3.5%. Access to affordable electricity for each and every household is a necessary condition for social and economic development. Rural electrification has received attention in the development agenda mostly in the last one-and-a-half decades. Government schemes: In 2005, the Central government launched the Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana (RGGVY) which subsumed all other ongoing schemes related to rural electrification. The scheme focused on electrification of villages through implementation of decentralized distributed generation (DDG). RGGVY was later included in the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana (DDUGJY) (recently renamed the Saubhagya scheme), which additionally focuses on feeder separation, improvement of sub-transmission and distribution network, and metering to reduce losses. All these schemes have delivered results and now only a few villages are left that have yet to achieve the target of 100% electrification. Effects of energy poverty: Lack of access to energy at home and for income-generating activities is associated with- Higher levels of poverty. Low productivity. Heavy workload. Women’s safety issues. Energy poverty affects women and girls more as they have to bear the primary responsibility for collecting firewood, cooking and other domestic work. These tasks expose them to negative health impacts and increase their domestic and reproductive burdens. Missed educational opportunities. High exposure to health risks. Latest statistics on rural electrification: As per the latest government statistics, only 910 villages are yet to be electrified, which account for 5% of India’s un-electrified villages (as on April 2015), excluding some uninhabited villages. However, the performance of rural household electrification is not that encouraging. Around 35 million households—approximately 11% of the total rural households—are yet to be electrified. Reliability and quality of power supply: Remains a concern The success of rural electrification should not be measured only on the basis of connections provided, but also on the basis of provision of reliable and quality power supply during peak hours. Both of these are still persistent problems faced by a majority of India’s rural households. As per the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) recommended “Energy Plus” approach, supply of electricity only for lighting is a necessary but not sufficient condition for rural livelihood development. This framework emphasizes on energy access in combination with productive use of electricity for income generation and livelihood upliftment. Ensuring productive use of electricity: To use electricity directly for income-generation activities, ownership of appliances plays an important role. Market availability, financial and technical assistance. Appliance ownership, in turn, depends on the household’s economic status and on the quality and availability of power supply. The issue of high cost of power supply to rural areas: As a majority of the rural households cannot afford high cost supply, utilities are reluctant to supply the required quality and quantity of electricity in these areas. This is apart from the issue of capacity constraint in terms of power generation/purchase. Solution: However, implementing some appropriate measures such as smart meters, infrastructure development, franchisee arrangements with local self-help-groups (for more effective billing, monitoring and collection) may improve the situation to some extent. The Saubhagya scheme: Aims to improve environment, public health, education and connectivity with the help of last-mile power connections across India along with prviding electricity connections to over 40 million families in rural and urban areas by December. Households out of reach of the national electricity grid are proposed to be provided with solar power packs along with battery banks with the Rural  Electrification Corporation as the nodal agency. The Saubhagya scheme will help India, the world’s third-largest energy consumer after the US and China, meet its global climate change commitments as electricity will substitute kerosene for lighting. It will also help improve education, health, and connectivity apart from having a multiplier effect on increased economic activities and job creation. What more needs to be done? There is a need to explore the role of rural electrification in promoting gender equality, which, along with women empowerment, is an integral part of inclusive development and sustainable development goals (SDGs). None of the energy access programmes in India have incorporated gender equality in what they hope to achieve. As India is currently focusing on the achievement of SDGs, women-centric energy access programmes will contribute more effectively in achievement of various SDGs such as Goal 1 (no poverty), Goal 3 (good health and well-being), Goal 5 (gender equality) and Goal 7 (affordable and clean energy). Conclusion: Various government schemes have delivered results and now only a few villages are left that have yet to achieve the target of 100% electrification. A major step ahead will be ensuring productive usage of electricity and incorporating the objective of gender equality in electricity related schemes. Connecting the dots: While we come a way long in electrification of rural areas. Two major focus areas, going ahead, should be- A need to explore the role of rural electrification in promoting gender equality and to ensure reliability and quality of power supply. Discuss. INTERNATIONAL TOPIC:General Studies 2: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests India and UK: Evolving relationship Introduction: Both India and US are undergoing changes. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s reforms are transforming India, and Brexit enables the UK to set its own trade and investment agenda. At the same time, technology is changing the nature of the opportunities UK and Indian businesses see. These changes offer an exciting opportunity to transform the UK-India relationship. UK India Businesses: Businesses from both countries are big investors in each other’s country. Since 2000, the UK has been the largest G20 investor in India, investing £17.5 billion. British companies now employ a staggering 800,000 people in India, representing one in 20 jobs in India’s organised private sector. There is a similarly positive story on Indian investment into the UK. There are around 800 Indian businesses in the UK, employing 110,000, and every year India is in the top 5 countries investing in the UK. The volume and nature of investment has changed: More UK businesses are investing in India — the number of UK businesses in India has more than doubled since 2000. The range of sectors attracting UK investment has shifted. Advanced manufacturing, financial and professional services have remained top for decades, but the 21st century has seen strong growth in sectors such as education, retail, consumer goods, life sciences, healthcare, and infrastructure. The investment relationship is generating ever-more successful R&D partnerships across a wide range of sectors. The success is down to the interplay between governments, businesses, and universities/research institutions. Examples: The £50 million Newton Bhabha Fund co-created by the UK and Indian governments is stimulating UK and Indian scientific research into finding solutions to the challenges facing India’s economic development and social welfare. There are industry-academia partnerships, for example, Tata Motors-owned JLR and the Warwick Manufacturing group at Warwick University are opening the largest automotive R&D facility in Europe this year. Industry-industry partnerships: These include a partnership between UK insurance major, Bupa, and Indian firms Practo and 1mg. Together, they have created an easy to access and customised holistic healthcare plan that brings health cover for Indians who currently can’t access insurance and, therefore, quality healthcare. The Rolls Royce-TCS partnership to explore the applications of IoT in expanding Rolls Royce’s manufacturing. This is the exciting place where Make in India meets Digital India. Where India meets the UK. Positive changes ahead: As the UK and India forge more manufacturing and technology partnerships, there will be a greater geographical spread, with more UK businesses going into cities like Pune, Ahmedabad, Indore and Coimbatore to connect with their strong, well-developed industrial clusters. Indian investment into the UK, should also see a change, with Indian companies plugging into the UK’s manufacturing regions, particularly across the midlands, and in cities like Sheffield and Manchester. What more can be done? The governments can do following to spur bilateral activity. For instance, a continued focus on the ease of doing business in India will make a big difference. Tackling non-tariff barriers through the Governments’ Joint Trade Review, and Extending “accelerator” programmes supporting SMEs, such as the Access India Programme which is backed by the Indian Government and the Urban Gateway which is supported by the UK Government. Conclusion: The two countries should celebrate the scale and holistic nature of the existing bilateral relationship, at the same time they also need to focus on how that relationship needs to evolve. New technologies should be at the heart of this evolution. Connecting the dots: Both India and US are undergoing changes. Businesses from both countries are big investors in each other’s country. It is time the two governments focus on how the relationship needs to evolve. Discuss. MUST READ The soft power of India The Hindu In Xi'an, BRI's city of hope The Hindu A larger Dalit public sphere Indian Express Undo the wrong Indian Express Skill development indicators are a necessity Livemint 

IASbaba’s 60 Day Plan- Prelims Test 2018 HISTORY & CURRENT AFFAIRS [Day 36]

Hello Friends,  The 60 Days Training has finally begun:) Before any competition, there is a preparatory phase. That phase involves a lot of sessions on strengths and weaknesses. Throughout the preparatory phase, the athletes train in a gradual manner. In the last phase, just before the actual competition, the training is done so as to sharpen their skills. This training requires complete focus and dedication. In this phase, the athletes do not try anything new or train in a new fashion rather focus on sharpening of skills, focusing on strength and precision. Similarly, the upcoming 60 days, is like the last phase (training session), just before the actual competition. Here, the focus should be on sharpening the concepts, consolidating the knowledge base and solidifying the learning with loads and loads of revision. CLICK HERE TO READ FULL DETAILS AND SOLVE QUESTIONS

RSTV Video

RSTV- The Big Picture : China: The Doors Are Opening

China: The Doors Are Opening Archives TOPIC: General Studies 2: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests In News: China has announced that they will open the country’s economy further and lower import tariffs on products including cars – struck a conciliatory tone on the rising trade tensions between China and the United States. China would also be raising the foreign ownership limit in the automobile sector and push previously announced measures to open the financial sector. Xi’s comments sent stock markets and the U.S. dollar higher on hopes of a compromise that could avert a trade war. Background: This comes amid rising trade tensions between China and United States following a week of escalating tariff threats, popped by US frustration with China's trade and intellectual property policies. Why: After Russian diplomats were asked to leave, there has been a sharp decline in the Russian ruble The Trump administration had imposed tariffs on nearly 1,300 items in the Chinese market to reduce the trade deficits. There is a worry that some of the other Western allies of the United States and Trump might follow suit and impose additional tariffs on Chinese goods. The recent 19 Party Congress and the two sessions - NPC as well as CPPCC sessions which reiterated the domestic consumption innovation as well as restructuring of the economy from manufacturing to the services There is a need for Chinese economy to reinvent itself. With the global financial crisis, the China model of export orientation is no longer the answer, so they have shifted in their plans towards domestic consumption. They're projecting themselves as a leading technological power. And so there is a need for heavy investments and artificial intelligence, for which China will have to become much more open in terms of ideas and competition. Impact on India: There will be some positive impact for Indian exporters as there'll be space created for them in China. The investment proportion needs to be increased. This will boost our Make in India programme. Tourism has been partly increased from roughly about one lakh to about nine lakhs after the e-visas have been instituted. So this is one area that the opening of the Chinese economy towards the Indian side could also probably contribute. Chinese company have come and put up shop in in the manufacturing sector. For example Pune and Ahmedabad, who have been identified in 2014, but not much progress has actually taken place. The Chinese labor costs are also increasing. Any move to offer better access in pharmaceuticals, agriculture, marine items and information technology would help India, which has been able to supply mostly raw inputs to the giant neighbour. China’s plan to better protect intellectual property rights could encourage Indian pharma companies to set up shop there. Conclusion We have to have some incremental approach in our production where we need to increase our export basket. We must look at trade in a much more coherent fashion. If people mentioned pharmaceuticals, practically all the precursor materials for Indian pharmaceuticals come from China. So the active ingredients in the antibiotics, the chemicals, they all come from China and in fact we are the gainers because we are getting the source material from manufacturing the high-value products and exporting them to the United States elsewhere. We should look at this as an opportunity rather than as a threat. Must Read: Link 1 + Link 2 + Link 3 + Link 4

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs [Prelims + Mains Focus] - 18th April 2018

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs (Prelims + Mains Focus)- 18th April 2018 Archives (PRELIMS+MAINS FOCUS) Law Commission recommends holding of simultaneous elections Part of: Mains GS Paper II- Indian polity Key pointers: Pic credits: http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/article23579189.ece/alternates/FREE_660/TH17-SC-SIMULTAGBP3QQSTR1jpgjpg A draft white paper released by the Law Commission of India recommends holding of simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and the Assemblies, possibly in 2019. It suggests amending the Constitution, Representation of the People Act of 1951 and the Rules of Procedure of the Lok Sabha and Assemblies, to realise this objective. The commission was headed by former Supreme Court judge Justice B.S. Chauhan. The commission says simultaneous elections were held in the country during the first two decades after Independence up to 1967. Dissolution of certain Assemblies in 1968 and 1969 followed by the dissolution of the Lok Sabha led to the “disruption of the conduct of simultaneous elections.” Article link: Click here India-Sweden: PM's visit to Sweden Part of: Mains GS Paper II- International relations Key pointers: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Swedish counterpart has agreed upon a joint action plan (JAP) for both countries to take forward a wide range of initiatives in defence, trade and investment, counterterrorism, renewable energy, smart cities, women’s skill development, space and science and healthcare. Characterising the JAP as a “win-win partnership” for New Delhi and Stockholm, Mr. Modi underscored the critical role of the defence sector and security initiatives as a pillar of the bilateral relationship. On counterterrorism, Mr. Modi and Mr. Löfven emphasised that the global counterterrorism legal framework should be regularly updated to address the changing threat of terrorism with strength. Under the Sweden-India Innovation Partnership for a Sustainable Future, the Swedish government will kick start Innovation Partnership by providing up to 50 million Swedish kronor (over $59 million) for innovation cooperation in the field of smart cities and sustainability. Article link: Click here Kaladan Multimodal Project: Ongoing work Part of: Mains GS Paper II, III- International relations, Infrastructure Key pointers: After years of delay, India has finally kicked off the construction of the 109-km road project that connects Paletwa river terminal to Zorinpui on the Mizoram border in Myanmar, as part of the $484-million Kaladan Multimodal project. The Rs. 1,600-crore road project passes through dense forests and hilly areas. On completion, the project will help connect Mizoram with the Sittwe Port in Rakhine State of Myanmar. India has already completed the rest of the Kaladan project work in Myanmar. This includes the construction of the Sittwe Port on Lakadan river mouth in Rakhine, construction of a river terminal 158 upstream at Paletwa and dredging of the Kaladan river. On the Indian side, work is on to extend the Aizawl-Saiha National Highway to the international border at Zorinpui. Also, a Rs. 6,000-crore project is under way for four-laning the 300-km highway from Myanmar border to Aizawl to ensure the faster movement of goods. Completion of the Paletwa-Zorinpui road holds the key to operationalise the Kaladan multi-modal project. Article link: Click here Task force on natural gas: India and US Part of: Mains GS Paper II, III- International relations, Energy security Key pointers: India and the US has announced the formation of a task force on natural gas aimed at increasing the share of gas in India’s primary energy mix. Under the US-India Energy Partnership, the US and India will pursue four primary pillars of cooperation. These are oil and gas, power and energy efficiency, renewable energy and sustainable growth, and coal. The newly set up task force will have a team of US and Indian industry experts with a mandate to propose, develop, and convey, innovative policy recommendations to Government of India in support of its vision for natural gas in the economy of India. The work of the task force is expected to advance the strategic and economic interests of both the nations. Article link: Click here (MAINS FOCUS) INTERNATIONAL TOPIC: General Studies 2: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests Reset of India's neighborhood policy Introduction: The government’s foreign policy moves over the past few months represent a profound shift in its thinking about the neighborhood.  On the mend: The “reset” with China: The trigger for the rapprochement between the two neighbours was the peaceful resolution of the Doklam standoff and Mr. Modi’s meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Xiamen last year. To begin with, the government has taken care not to respond with any heat to reports of the Chinese build-up at Doklam. Keeping its responses cool, New Delhi has been repeating that the Doklam standoff point is untouched and Chinese construction on their side of the boundary is “not a threat” to India. The government has also gone to some lengths to tone down planned celebrations marking the anniversary of the Dalai Lama’s arrival from Tibet. New Delhi and Beijing have now embarked on a flurry of high-level visits that are meant to lead up to a summit meeting between the two leaders; they may even meet more than once. The shift has given rise to speculation that the two sides are intent on making significant progress in smoothening ties on outstanding issues such as boundary negotiations and also narrowing the trade deficit. In South Asian region: This flexibility is also mirrored in the government’s dealings in the South Asian region. With Maldives: Despite several appeals by the Maldivian opposition, and nudges from the U.S., the Modi government decided not to exert hard power in bringing Maldives President Abdulla Yameen around after he declared a state of emergency in the country. Nor did it engage China in a confrontation when Mr. Yameen sought Beijing’s support in this regard. The government remained silent as Male went a step further and held discussions with Pakistan’s Army Chief, Gen. on joint patrolling of its Exclusive Economic Zone, an area of operation in the Indian Ocean considered to be India’s domain.  With Nepal: Instead of seeing red when Prime Minister K.P. Oli made it clear that he would step up engagement with China in infrastructure development, India rolled out the red carpet for him earlier this month. Nor did India raise concern over Nepal’s Constitution which had sparked the confrontation between India and Nepal in 2015-16. Bhutan and Bangladesh: There has also been outreach to Bhutan and Bangladesh in recent weeks. Both Bhutan and Bangladesh are to hold elections this year, and with incumbent governments more favourably disposed to New Delhi than their challengers in the opposition, the results will have an impact on India’s influence in these countries as well. Quiet progress with Pakistan: This year, the government admitted in Parliament for the first time that National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval had met his Pakistani counterpart, as a part of “established channels of communications at various levels” between the two sides in the past few years, post-Pathankot. Meanwhile, the resolution of the standoff over the treatment of diplomats in Delhi and Islamabad indicates that neither government has the appetite for escalation at this point. The next steps: Overall it seems that India’s hard power strategy in the region is being replaced with a more conciliatory one. However, the next steps will be defined not by a quiet or defensive approach to redefining India’s foreign policy in the region, but with a more bold and proactive one. The reset with China will work only if there are transactional dividends for both New Delhi and Beijing. Two issues on which both governments can show flexibility are China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and India’s bid for Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) membership. On the NSG, China could remove its block to India’s membership by adopting a more inclusive approach within the nuclear export control organisation. The goodwill from such a move would propel India-China relations forward. On the BRI, if there is political will on both sides, they needn’t look too far for creative solutions around India’s three concerns: on territorial integrity, transparency of projects and their sustainability. Territorial integrity- The solution is contained in a proposal under consideration — to extend the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) to Afghanistan. The shift from the CPEC to what could be called PACE or the Pakistan-Afghanistan-China Economic corridor would necessitate a shift away from projects in Gilgit-Baltistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Those projects may still be built and funded by China, but then would not constitute a part of the BRI route; as a result, India’s concerns on sovereignty could be dispensed with. Several countries, from Europe to Central and East Asia, are now echoing India’s concerns about the environmental and debt trap risks that BRI projects pose. India could take the lead in creating an international template for infrastructure and connectivity proposals, one that would seek to engage China and other donor countries in a structured approach towards debt financing. This would win India goodwill in the neighbourhood too, where every other country (apart from Bhutan) has signed on to the BRI but has felt alienated by India’s rigid opposition to the initiative. SAARC re-engagement: The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) summit is to take place this year, with Pakistan as the host. India's decision on attending the meeting should be rational. Afghanistan, which supported India’s move to pull out of the SAARC summit in Islamabad in 2016 following the Uri attacks, is engaging with Pakistan again. Sri Lanka and Nepal, both sympathetic to India’s outrage over Uri, are pushing for a summit this year. Connecting the dots: The government’s foreign policy moves in recent times represent a profound shift in its thinking about the neighborhood. Discuss. INTERNATIONAL TOPIC:General Studies 2: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests India's interest in re-energised Commonwealth Introduction: The Commonwealth Summit is to be held this week in London. The Indian debate on the future of the forum has certainly changed. After decades of ignoring it, Delhi now believes that a rejuvenated Commonwealth could lend greater depth to India’s global outreach. Background: When Jawaharlal Nehru decided to join the Commonwealth after Independence, many expressed deep discomfort with what they saw as a needless affiliation with the former colonial power. Nehru, however, stood steadfast in his commitment to the Commonwealth. For him, it was a valuable political and economic link to a major Western power during the Cold War. While both Indira and Rajiv saw some utility in India’s membership of the Commonwealth, India’s growing divergence with Britain and the West during the Cold War and an inward economic orientation severely limited Delhi’s possibilities with the forum. As Britain itself turned to Europe, the Commonwealth began to lose much of its lustre in London. When India opened up to the world, politically and economically, after the Cold War, with its focus on the US and China on the one hand and South Asia on the other, the Commonwealth simply fell off India’s mental map. Delhi’s renewed interest in the Commonwealth: It has been long overdue. It is based on common sense. At a moment when India's global interests are expanding, the pragmatists in Delhi argue, India must make the best use of all available multilateral forums, including the Commonwealth. Way ahead: The Commonwealth needs to give up its “prescriptive approach” on rights. The focus should be on bringing greater economic prosperity for the peoples of the forum through an enhanced trade and investment relationship. The Commonwealth could devote considerable energies towards the promotion of sustainable development and maritime security, which pose existential challenges to the many small and island states in the forum. The Commonwealth can become more valuable to its member states if it directs its aid and assistance to a few major priority areas rather than spreading its resources on a range of issues. India can and must do a lot of things in re-energising the Commonwealth. The government's emphasis must be on strengthening India’s contribution to the Commonwealth. As the soon-to-be largest economy in the forum, India can significantly increase its levels of economic assistance, give more to the maintenance of the Secretariat, boost the current efforts on capacity building, and above all, open its economy to facilitate trade liberalisation across the Commonwealth. Reviving the Commonwealth is not about India taking over from Britain. It is about reordering the relationship between Delhi and London. Although the relations between India and Britain have significantly improved, Britain is yet to do what most other Western powers have done. It is to recognise that India’s rise is in their own national interests. Britain has remained somewhat hesitant to align with India on the regional issues in the Subcontinent and beyond. A significant change in that direction could help transform the bilateral relationship as well as the Commonwealth. Conclusion: Many British intellectuals are warning against the illusion that the Commonwealth can be a substitute for the European Union. There is no reason for India to be drawn into that internal argument in Britain. What matters for India is the terms of engagement that are on offer for a new British relationship with India and the Commonwealth in the changed domestic and international context. Negotiating favourable terms is what that should matter for Delhi. Connecting the dots: A rejuvenated Commonwealth could lend greater depth to India’s global outreach. Discuss. MUST READ The new South Asia The Hindu Clamour for death The Hindu A nation of innovation Indian Express India lives in her villages not districts Livemint The confounding Syrian conflict Business Line

MindMaps

IASbaba’s MINDMAP : Issue – India's Legal System

IASbaba’s MINDMAP : Issue – India's Legal System Archives NOTE – Instructions to download Mind Maps/Images Right Click on the image and ‘Open in a new tab’ Remove/Delete the resolution part from the URl. Eg. “-1024×869” and Press Enter/Load Again Afterwards the URL will look something like this – “iasbaba.com/…./…/..-IASbaba.jpg” Right Click and Save As/Download (You’ll get the maximum resolution)

IASbaba’s 60 Day Plan- Prelims Test 2018 HISTORY & CURRENT AFFAIRS [Day 35]

Hello Friends,  The 60 Days Training has finally begun:) Before any competition, there is a preparatory phase. That phase involves a lot of sessions on strengths and weaknesses. Throughout the preparatory phase, the athletes train in a gradual manner. In the last phase, just before the actual competition, the training is done so as to sharpen their skills. This training requires complete focus and dedication. In this phase, the athletes do not try anything new or train in a new fashion rather focus on sharpening of skills, focusing on strength and precision. Similarly, the upcoming 60 days, is like the last phase (training session), just before the actual competition. Here, the focus should be on sharpening the concepts, consolidating the knowledge base and solidifying the learning with loads and loads of revision. CLICK HERE TO READ FULL DETAILS AND SOLVE QUESTIONS