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UPSC Quiz - 2019 : IAS Daily Current Affairs Quiz [Day 132]

UPSC Quiz - 2019 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz [Day 132] Archives Q.1) ‘Beresheet Spacecraft’ is being developed by China Israel India USA Q.2) Consider the following statements with respect to ‘Eklavya Model Residential Schools’ As per the budget 2018-19, every block with more than 50% ST population and at least 20,000 tribal persons, will have an Eklavya Model Residential School by the year 2022 It will be affiliated to the Central Boards of Secondary Education only Select the correct code: 1 Only 2 Only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.3) Consider the following statements with respect to ‘IMPRESS Scheme’ It aims to encourage social science research in policy relevant areas so as to provide vital inputs in policy-formulation, implementation and evaluation and is implemented by the Indian Council of Social Science Research It is an initiative of the Ministry of Human Resource Development Select the correct code: 1 Only 2 Only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.4) Consider the following statements with respect to ‘RISE Scheme’ Under the scheme, selected school children from North Eastern States  are brought in close contact with the Indian Institute of Technology (IITs), Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research (IISERs) and National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS) during the vacation period to motivate them to pursue science, technology, engineering and mathematics and to facilitate internship opportunities for the engineering college students in various institutes of national importance. Under the scheme, scholarship is provided to the students having parental income upto Rs. 4.5 lakh per annum, from the North East Region for pursuing general degree, technical and professional degree courses including medical and para-medical courses. Which of the following statements is/are correct? 1 Only 2 Only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.5) Which of the following statements with respect to ‘TARE Scheme’ is/are correct? It offers opportunities for up to 100 PhD students admitted in the Indian institutions for gaining exposure and training in overseas universities / institutions of repute and areas of importance to country for period up to 12 months during their doctoral research. It is aimed to provide fixed grant support to active researchers with good credentials in Mathematical Sciences. It aims at supporting proposals that are conceptually new and risky, and if successful, expected to have a paradigm shifting influence on the S&T.; It aims to tap the latent potential of faculty working in state universities, colleges and private academic institutions who are well trained but have difficulty in pursuing their research due to varied reasons including lack of facilities, funding and guidance. To Download the Solution - Click here All the Best  IASbaba

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

Daily Current Affairs [IAS UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam] – 18th December 2018

Daily Current Affairs [IAS UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam] – 18th December 2018 Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) India-Maldives: $1.4 bn aid package to Maldives Part of: GS Mains II – India and its bilateral ties; International relations In news: India offers $1.4 bn aid package to Maldives to tackle financial crisis. Maldives is facing a debt of $3.2 billion with China. It is expected to boost Male’s global financial standing. Financial assistance will be in the form of budgetary support, currency swap and concessional lines of credit for development programmes. Both sides agree to coordinate maritime policing activities in the Indian Ocean region. Cooperation between both countries is necessary for maintaining stability in the Indian Ocean region. India to support the Maldives in its human-centric development plans. Ujjwala Yojana expansion: LPG scheme to cover poor people Part of: GS Prelims and Mains II – Social/Welfare Issue; Vulnerable section; Government schemes and policies In news: Union Cabinet approved the expansion of the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana, which aims to provide deposit-free LPG connections to all poor households. So far, the scheme targeted the poor and underprivileged so listed in the Socio-Economic and Caste Census, 2011. The mandate of the scheme was to provide LPG connections to eight crore households. Miscellaneous: Go green : : India among countries which have developed, tested and certified the process of using blended bio-jet fuel (produced from Jatropha oil) Cyclone Phethai : : Severe cyclonic storm Phethai hit Andhra Pradesh coastal areas. ISRO phones for fishermen in T.N. : : ISRO has designed the NaVIC (Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System) receivers and 200 of them have been delivered to the State government. The satellite phones will help fishermen involved in deep sea fishing, to assist in their navigation while in the high seas. India’s Vijay Lakshmi Pandit : : was the first woman president of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in 1953 (MAINS FOCUS) SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY/ETHICS TOPIC:General studies 3 and 4 Science and technology, Biotechnology Emerging science and ethics around powerful tools The safety and ethics of gene editing In news: Recently, a Chinese scientist triggered alarm and confusion across the scientific community with the claim that he had edited the DNA of human embryos to create twin baby girls. He also said – the twin baby girls had been born “crying into the world as healthy as any other babies”. The controversial experiment, publicized through the media and videos posted online by He Jiankui of Southern University of Science and Technology of China, was criticized by many scientists worldwide as premature and called “rogue human experimentation.” He Jiankui’s controversial claims He claimed that his experiments produced the first genetically altered babies using gene editing technology. The scientist claims to have used CRISPR/Cas9 technology to alter the DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) of embryos before implanting them into the mother’s womb to make the twin babies resistant to HIV. The unverified claim by He has stoked public fears and renewed apprehensions that babies might one day be “designed”. It raises an urgent need for sound governance and greater public dialogue on gene editing. (For basics on Gene Editing, refer the link - Editing our genes) Potential of gene editing Gene editing has got incredible potential. These technologies hold the promise of curing any human genetic disease. Switzerland-based CRISPR Therapeutics and Switzerland-based CRISPR Therapeutics, with labs in Massachusetts, and Boston-based Vertex Pharmaceuticals have recently launched human trials of an experimental CRISPR-Cas9 therapy for b-thalassemia, a blood disorder that decreases the production of haemoglobin, an iron-containing protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen. An oncologist at China’s Sichuan University was the first to edit human cells to treat lung cancer in 2016. China is also attempting to halt disease progression in patients with oesophageal cancer by manipulating a piece of DNA in white blood cells. Possible pitfalls of gene editing The unverified claim by He came on the eve of an international summit dedicated to discussing the emerging science and ethics around powerful tools that give scientists unprecedented potential to tweak traits and eliminate genetic diseases — but that have raised fears of “designer babies.” By editing the DNA of human embryos, scientists change not just the genes in a single person, but also their potential offspring — in effect, altering the human species. While it is illegal to deliberately alter the genes of human embryos in India, in the US, and many other countries, the legal position on gene editing in China is less clear. The broader scientific community condemned the lack of transparency in the development, review, and conduct of clinical procedures for He’s experiment. Do you know? Difference between genome editing (GE) and genetic modification (GM) Many are not aware of how genome editing (GE) is different from the genetic modification (GM) While GM involves permanent integration of a foreign gene into the host genome, GE only involves manipulating the endogenous gene without inserting a foreign DNA. Conclusion Two notable failings of He Jiankui’s experiment were the inability to obtain consent from the participants of the trial, and the highly questionable ethical standards implemented to protect the welfare and rights of the research subjects. Gene editing experiments may prove to be a blessing for parents carrying disease-causing mutations to have their own children, yet these interventions raise crucial safety and efficiency concerns leading to what scientists and doctors call off-target mutations and mosaicism. Since the results of He’s experiment have not been published or peer reviewed, some experts fear that his effort might not have been screened for off-target effects and mosaicism, therefore putting the twins’ health at risk. Crucial questions need to be asked with regards to fragmented legal frameworks, unclear regulatory practices, ambiguous policy advances and voluntary measures governing gene-editing technologies at national and international levels. Considering the rapid pace of genome editing, the existing overarching governance frameworks in India and elsewhere need urgent examination and development. Connecting the dots: Considering the rapid pace of genome editing, the existing overarching governance frameworks in India and elsewhere need urgent examination and development. Examine. “Gene Therapy offers a wide range of prospects for humans.” Comment. What is gene editing? Elaborate in the light of Crisper cas9 and respective examples of application of gene editing technology. ENVIRONMENT TOPIC:General studies 2 and 3 Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India's interests. Important International institutions, agencies and fora- their structure, mandate. Environment conservation – Climate change and Global warming COP24 Katowice conference and the rulebook Introduction In previous news articles, we read that 196 countries finalised a rulebook for the 2015 Paris Agreement during COP24 UN Climate Change Conference 2018 in Katowice, Poland. The finalisation paves the way for implementation of the Paris Agreement, which is supposed to replace the existing Kyoto Protocol in 2020. The creation of the rulebook has been hailed as an important step that has breathed life into the Paris Agreement. The below article provides assessment – Whether the deal reached in Katowice is enough? Whether the rulebook is a flawed document? COP24 Katowice conference outcomes: It was primarily about the rulebook. Other important discussions were – About the need to step up climate actions in the light of several studies that pointed out that current level of actions were insufficient to hold the global average temperature within 2°C above pre-industrial levels. It was expected that the countries would give some indication of their willingness to do more that what they were currently committed to, and would agree to start a process towards that. But that did not happen. The absence of any indication towards increasing “ambition” of climate actions was one major disappointment of the Katowice conference. Article 6 of the Paris Agreement which talks about setting up a market mechanism for trading of carbon emissions – (failed). It could not be agreed upon and had to be deferred for until next year. Developing countries argued that their unused carbon credits should be considered valid in the new market mechanism that was being created, something that the developed countries opposed strongly. The developed countries questioned the authenticity of the unused carbon credits, pointing to weak verification mechanisms of the Kyoto Protocol that allowed dubious projects to claim carbon credits. The developed countries also argued that some of the proposals being put forward by Brazil for the carbon markets would lead to double-counting of emission reductions. With no side willing to concede ground, there was no option but to defer the discussion over carbon markets to next year, while allowing for the rest of the rulebook to be finalised. What is in the rulebook? Steps (provided by Paris Agreement) that countries need to take in the fight against climate change, to keep the global average temperatures “well below” 2°C from pre-industrial times. The rulebook prescribes how to do those things, and how each of them would be measured and verified. Article 4 of the 2015 Paris Agreement mandates nationally determined contributions (NDCs) by countries. The rulebook seeks to address what should be in these pledges. The rulebook specifies what actions can be included in the action plan, how and when the member countries should submit them to the UN climate body. Further, the Paris Agreement asks every member nation to submit information about their greenhouse gas emissions every two years. The rulebook specifies which gases to measure, what methodologies and standards to apply while measuring them, and the kinds of information to be included in their submissions. The rulebook provides what kinds of financial flows — loans, concessions, grants — can be classified as ‘climate finance’, which developed countries are supposed to provide to developing countries to help them deal with climate change. It also specifies how they should be accounted for, and the kind of information about them needed to be submitted. The rulebook contains various other processes and guidelines needed for implementing the other provisions of the Paris Agreement. In short, it holds the operational details of the Paris Agreement. Do you know? Paris Agreement is just 27 pages long while the rulebook is spread over 133 pages, and is not yet complete. The rulebook is a dynamic document, meaning new rules can be added, or existing rules amended. While welcoming the finalisation of the rulebook, India and many other developing countries rued the fact that the “balance” that they would have liked to see in the agreement was missing. Key issues of concern for the poorest and developing nations were diluted or postponed. The details on funding and building capacity have been postponed. References to “equity” in the draft rule book were erased by the U.S. delegation. In spite of these problems, a single rulebook for all countries has been produced and will serve as a foundation for more detailed rules and structures. (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) Cultivation of HT cotton (Herbicide Tolerant) has been recently banned in four states by Supreme Court. Which of the following statements is/are correct regarding it? HT cotton is also known as BG III cotton. It contains Round – up Ready and Round – up Flux (RRF) gene. The herbicide-resistant gene in HT cotton can spread through pollen into biodiversity system leading to transformation of weeds into super weeds. Select the code from following: 1 only 2 and 3 1 and 3 All of the above Q.2) The CRISPR-Cas system often in news is related to? Rice Intensification Gene Editing Space Research Cyber Attack Q.3) Maldives has FTA with which of the following countries? India China Singapore Select the correct code: 1 and 2 2 Only 2 and 3 1 and 3 Q.4) Maldives is a member of Organisation of Islamic Cooperation Commonwealth of Nations Select the correct code: 1 Only 2 Only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.5) Consider the following statements about "NavIC" It is aimed at providing Satellite-based Navigation services with accuracy and integrity required for civil aviation applications and to provide better Air Traffic Management over Indian Airspace It is based on the Indian Regional Navigational Satellite System (IRNSS) Select the correct statements 1 Only 2 Only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 MUST READ NOTA: Not a decisive factor The Hindu Making every citizen an auditor The Hindu Raja Mandala: Time for Techplomacy Indian Express Lessons in bigotry Indian Express The illiberal dogma of ‘liberal economics’ Livemint The brute power behind China’s South China Sea grab Livemint The rise of anti-tech activism and white-collar protest Livemint

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

Daily Current Affairs [IAS UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam] – 17th December 2018

Daily Current Affairs [IAS UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam] – 17th December 2018 Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) Animal in news: Pangolin Part of: Prelims - Environment and Biodiversity; Animal Conservation In news: The pangolin, which can be found all over India, seems doomed because of its scales, which are said to have medicinal value and are more expensive than gold, are sheared ruthlessly. Its meat too is in demand in China. Illegal trade continues not just in parts where there are tigers but also in parts where there are musk deer, otter, mongoose and other animals. It is an insectivore, feeding on ants and termites, digging them out of mounds and logs using its long claws, which are as long as its fore limbs. It is nocturnal and rests in deep burrows during the day. Pangolins are the most trafficked mammals in the world, despite an international ban on their trade.They are trafficked both for their meat, and the unfounded belief that their keratinous scales have medical properties used in traditional medicine. IUCN Conservation status: Endangered Animal in news: Great Indian Bustard Part of: Prelims - Environment and Biodiversity; Animal Conservation In news: One of the rarest species and undoubtedly one of the most endangered is the Great Indian Bustard, which is the State bird of Rajasthan. Endemic to Jaisalmer and Pokhran, its habitat was severely damaged by the nuclear tests in 1974 and 1998. Once widely spotted across 11 Indian states, but their numbers now stand at 60 in Rajasthan and the world population of the bird may be just 80. In Gujarat, not a single adult male has been sited. Power lines are pushing out the birds. Apart from power lines (high voltage ones, running above the ground), loss of grassland are the reasons behind the decline. IUCN Conservation status: Critically Endangered About the GIB: The GIB is a heavy bird, weighing 15-16 kg. The GIB is a flagship species of the grassland; it determines the health of the grasslands, on which many other species of birds and animals, and even the dairy industry is dependent on. Loss of grassland — the habitat of the GIB — is primary cause: There is unhindered grazing and installing of windmills and power stations on grasslands, thereby encroaching upon the breeding and wintering ground of the GIB. Large parcels of grassland are converted to agricultural land. The changing agricultural pattern that is moving away from traditional crops is another reason. With the disappearance of the traditional Bajra and Jowar crops, whose by-products served as fodder, their food has been on the decline. An increase in the use of pesticides has further depleted the population of insects like the beetle, which the GIB and other birds feed on. Tiger Conservation Part of: Prelims - Environment and Biodiversity; Animal Conservation In news: India recorded 95 tiger deaths in 2018, 41 outside reserves National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) chief says many animals venture into habitations, which increases the possibility of human-animal conflicts and results in deaths Pic: https://d39gegkjaqduz9.cloudfront.net/TH/2018/12/17/DEL/Delhi/TH/5_07/c330e616_2599668_101_mr.jpg Do you know? The NTCA maintains the official database of tiger mortality in the country, and compiles figures from reports sent by different States on the basis of recovery of bodies or seizure of body parts. Nikshay Poshan Yojana (NPY) Part of: Prelims and Mains GS Paper II- Heath/Social issue; Government interventions and schemes In news: Nikshay Poshan Yojana (NPY) – is a direct benefit transfer (DBT) scheme for nutritional support to Tuberculosis (TB) patients. It was rolled out from April this year and has made very slow progress. Of the 18 lakh registered TB patients across the country, barely 26% of the beneficiary pool, have received cash transfer so far. This is because many of the rural poor either do not have a bank account or are migrant patients, whose bank accounts are difficult to be captured. However, the incentives can be distributed in Cash (but implementation is poor) Do you know? All notified TB patients are beneficiaries of the scheme. Financial incentive of Rs.500/- per month for each notified TB patient for duration for which the patient is on anti-TB treatment. The scheme is registered under Direct Benefit Transfer. The incentives can be distributed in Cash (only via DBT preferably through Aadhaar enabled bank accounts) or in-kind. The scheme is a centrally sponsored scheme under National Health Mission (NHM). Financial norms of NHM in terms of cost sharing, are applicable to the scheme. ISRO’s GSAT-7A to add muscle to Air Force Part of: GS Prelims and Mains III – Defence; Science and Technology In news: Military communication satellite GSAT-7A to be launched on Dec. 19 from Sriharikota It is expected to add a new space-based dimension to the way Indian Air Force interlinks, operates and communicates with its aircraft. Although all Indian communication satellites offer capacity to the armed forces, GSAT-7A will be the first one built primarily for the IAF to qualitatively unify its assets and improve combined, common intelligence during operations. Pic: https://d39gegkjaqduz9.cloudfront.net/TH/2018/12/17/DEL/Delhi/TH/5_07/c330e616_2599669_101_mr.jpg Do you know? Since August 2013, the Navy has a satellite largely for its use, the GSAT-7, for similarly linking its ships to command on land. Information Fusion Centre (IFC) Part of: GS Prelims and Mains III – Defence and Security In news: Navy to formally inaugurate the Information Fusion Centre (IFC) for the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). Through this Centre, information on “white shipping”, or commercial shipping, will be exchanged with countries in the region to improve maritime domain awareness in the Indian Ocean. IFC-IOR is established with the vision of strengthening maritime security in the region and beyond and and act as a maritime information hub. IFC has been established at the Navy’s Information Management and Analysis Centre (IMAC) in Gurugram. Do you know? Navy’s Information Management and Analysis Centre (IMAC) is the single point centre linking all the coastal radar chains to generate a seamless real-time picture of the nearly 7,500-km coastline. Around 21 countries that have already signed white shipping information exchange agreements are IFC partners. Trans Regional Maritime Network (T-RMN) In a related development, India has signed the ascension agreement to the Trans Regional Maritime Network (T-RMN) which facilitates information exchange on the movement of commercial traffic on the high seas. The multilateral construct comprises of 30 countries and is steered by Italy. COP24 Katowice climate summit Part of: GS Prelims and Mains III – Environment and Ecology; Climate Change In news: Nations struck a deal to breathe life into the landmark 2015 Paris climate treaty after marathon UN talks that failed to match the ambition the most vulnerable countries need to avert dangerous global warming. Delegates from nearly 200 states finalised a common rule book designed to deliver on the Paris goals of limiting global temperature rises to well below 2°Celsius. Rule book will help to track how countries are doing, whether they are actually doing what they say they are doing. Miscellaneous: The TMSME segment (Traders, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises) has seen job losses of 35 lakh in the last four-and-half years, according to a survey by the All India Manufacturers’ Organisation (AIMO). Bt cotton seed probe In news: In India, Bt cotton seeds of Bollgard-I (since 2002) with Cry1Ac gene and Bollgard-II (since 2006) with Cry2Ab gene are approved for sale on a commercial scale. A company needs the approval of the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) to commercially produce genetically modified seeds. Bt cotton seeds with HTTG are not approved by the GEAC. However, as per the report from the Central Institute of Cotton Research (CICR), Nagpur, five branded Bt cotton seeds namely Jadu, ATM, Balbhadra, Arjun and Krishna-gold were found with HTTG. (The Maharashtra State government has requested a CBI probe.) Person in news: Geeta S. Iyengar Renowned yoga exponent, Geeta S. Iyengar passed away She was the eldest daughter of legendary yoga guru B.K.S. Iyengar She is described as the world’s “leading female yoga exponent” and a “pioneer” who blazed a trail for women in yoga. Her book, Yoga: A Gem For Women, became the primer for women across the world and was translated into half-a-dozen European languages. (MAINS FOCUS) NATIONAL/SECURITY TOPIC:General studies 2 and 3 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. India and its neighbours; Bilateral ties Security issues NRC and its implications for India’s ties with its neighbours In news: The last date for filing claims and objections for Assam’s National Register of Citizens (NRC) has been extended by the Supreme Court to December 31, from December 15. About NRC We have already read about NRC from previous articles/monthly magazine that – It is the register containing names of Indian Citizens. It was prepared first in 1951 after the conduct of the Census of 1951. It is used to identify who is a bona fide Indian citizen and those who fail to enlist in the register will be deemed illegal migrants. Drawbacks: Political, economic and humanitarian consequences. Implications for India’s ties with its neighbours, particularly Bangladesh. The ruling establishment in India maintains that the NRC is an administrative task overseen by the Supreme Court, and not a political gambit. However, some members of the ruling party have been making hateful anti-migration and anti-Bangladeshi comments that reflect poorly on the prevalent positive relationship between Bangladesh and India. Significance of NRC: Those settled in Indian territory without legal jurisdiction pose a threat to national security. Therefore, it is an important milestone in dealing with the influx of illegal migrants from Bangladesh into that state. It puts to rest wild speculations about the extent of the illegal migrant population in Assam and the resulting polarization that political parties have been exploiting to make electoral gains. Indians in Bangladesh There are legal as well as illegal Indian immigrants in Bangladesh too. According to 2009 estimates, more than 500,000 Indians were working in Bangladesh. More recently, Bangladesh was reported to be among the highest source of remittances to India, behind the United Arab Emirates, the U.S., Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the U.K. However, most of the Indians are employed in advantageous jobs in Bangladesh while Bangladeshis in India are largely employed in low-paying jobs. Why India should play safe with Bangladesh? Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina has addressed all of India’s security and connectivity concerns, from driving out the Northeastern rebels to providing India transit facilities. On the security front, it has cooperated in India’s crackdown on insurgents. Bangladesh is crucial to the success of India’s Look East (now ‘Act East’) policy. Annual bilateral trade is set to cross the $9 billion mark, making it India’s biggest trading partner in South Asia. In addition, Bangladesh has facilitated connectivity with the Northeast by allowing the use of Chittagong and Mongla ports. Bangladesh is already upset at India’s failure to deliver on a promised settlement for sharing the waters of Teesta and about non-tariff barriers on Bangladeshi exports. Bangladesh accepted 52 illegals but there is no way it could accept lakhs and millions.   Bangladesh has maintained its status quo that - “NRC was India’s internal problem.” Therefore, by pressuring Hasina on this issue, India cannot afford to drive a trusted ally into China’s welcoming arms. Neighbourhood first policy The current government has proclaimed ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy. However, the reality speaks quite differently. Nepal, once a time-tested ally, has tilted towards China since the 2015 Nepal blockade barring the entry of fuel, medicine and other vital supplies and holding the state to a literal siege. Nepal now has been given access to four Chinese ports at Tianjin, Shenzhen, Lianyungang and Zhanjiang in addition to its dry (land) ports at Lanzhou, Lhasa and Xigatse, as well as roads to these facilities, ending India’s monopoly to its trading routes. The India-Bhutan relationship has also been strained ever since India temporarily withdrew subsidies on cooking gas and kerosene in 2013, constraining bilateral ties. Bhutan aspire's to affirm its sovereignty.  It has, for instance, stepped out of India’s diplomatic influence, as evidenced by its withdrawal from the Bangladesh-Bhutan-India-Nepal (BBIN) motor vehicles agreement. The India-China power play has also cast its shadow over Sri Lanka and the Maldives in the last few years. Against this backdrop of China making inroads into South Asia and India’s backyard, Bangladesh has so far been the most trusted ally of India. The NRC issue threatens to disturb the equilibrium in India-Bangladesh ties. More importantly, it could also have a negative impact on present Bangladesh government chances in the impending general elections and add to the list of grievances voters have against the Awami League government. That is the last thing the Indian leadership would want to happen in one of its closest allies in the neighbourhood. Therefore, any plans for deportation of those not on the NRC list are not only politically imprudent but also risk inciting unrest across the region. Previous similar exercises have not been effective and only resulted in alienating individuals from their natural rights. Connecting the dots: Do you think the ongoing exercise of NRC can affect Indo-Bangladesh relations?  Examine. ETHICS/ SOCIAL ISSUE TOPIC:Essay, General studies 1 and 4 Political philosophies – their forms and effect on the society. Social empowerment, communalism, regionalism & secularism. (Ethics) Human Values – lessons from the lives and teachings of great leaders, reformers and administrators (Ethics) Contributions of moral thinkers and philosophers from India and world. For a more equitable future About: René Cassin, the French legal scholar, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts in drafting the final version of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948. However, René Cassin was inspired by the core idea of French philosopher Jacques Maritain’s optimistic philosophy (which helped him to draft the final version) French philosopher Jacques Maritain is well-known for his most influential writings on the topic of universal human rights. In his famous book, Man and the State, Jacques Maritain drew attention to the universal essence of human rights above ideologies. Martian was deeply concerned with the political and philosophical situations of Europe and the world post World War II and during the Cold War. Maritain played a central role in providing philosophical and religious foundations to the drafting of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, passed by the UN General Assembly in December 1948. He was right to underline that a dignified life was based on the establishment of the basic needs and rights of every individual independent of his or her race, language, culture, religion or nationality. He believed that states and peoples can discuss practical issues and arrive at mutual agreements despite ideological differences. In his speech to the UNESCO General Council in 1947, Maritain asked the key question about the challenge of overcoming obstacles posed by diverse cultures and ideological differences throughout human history. “How can we imagine an agreement of minds between men who come from the four corners of the globe and who not only belong to different cultures and civilisations, but are of antagonistic spiritual associations and schools of thought?” Jacques Maritain and René Cassin were aware that it is through the four foundational blocks of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights – “dignity, liberty, equality, and brotherhood”. By “dignity”, Cassin referred to all the values which were shared by individuals beyond their sex, race, creed and religion. As for “liberty”, he emphasised on rights related to individual life, liberty and personal security. Under “equality”, Cassin understood rights related to the public sphere and political participation. Under “brotherhood” were economic, social and cultural rights. Do you know? Out of then 58 members of the United Nations, only 48 ratified the universal declaration while Saudi Arabia, South Africa, the Soviet Union, Poland, Ukraine, Yugoslavia, Byelorussia and Czechoslovakia abstained, because they were worried that the moral appeal of the document would endanger the sanctity of their domestic laws and regulations. Consequently, despite Maritain’s call for the universality of human rights and Cassin’s insistence on their indivisibility, the Cold War rivalry between the two blocks and the admission of the newly independent states in the UN, ended with the adoption of two covenants in 1966 on civil and political rights, on the one hand, and, economic and social rights, on the other hand. In crux, the Universal Declaration is considered as a lantern of hope for a more equitable future. The philosophy of human rights continues to propel humanity into the future. Therefore, if the lessons of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights are not learned, and if we do not consider the past 70 years, which separate us from the foundation of this monumental document as a positive journey; the future generations will have great difficulties in overcoming the challenges of the next 70 years. Connecting the dots: The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1948, holds lessons for a more equitable future. 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) Despite strict laws, the illegal trade of ‘Pangolin’ is threatening the very existence of the species. What is the status of India Pangolin under IUCN? Near Threatened Least Concern Endangered Extinct in the Wild Q.2) Wildlife Protection Act 1972, gives varying degrees of protection. Under this regard which animals are prohibited for Poaching, smuggling and illegal trade by any person as per provisions provided by law? Great Indian Bustard Himalayan Brown Bear Flying fox Select the correct answer using the code given below: 1 and 2 only 2 and 3 only 1 only 3 only Q.3) Consider the following statements with respect to Nikshay Poshan Yojana (NPY) It is established under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 It is jointly funded by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) Which of the following statements is/are correct? Only 1 Only 2 Both 1 and 2 None of the above Q.4) Information Management and Analysis Centre (IMAC) and Information Fusion Centre (IFC) for the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) is located in - Greater Noida Goa Hyderabad Gurugram Q.5) Consider the following statements about ‘Pangolins’ Their bodies are covered in hard, keratin scales. They are now extinct in India They are nocturnal in nature Select the correct statements 1 and 2 2 and 3 1 and 3 All of the above MUST READ Widening Gulf The Hindu The numbers game The Hindu How food prices lost their bite Indian Express The Court’s voice Indian Express No time left to waste on waste Livemint The safety and ethics of gene editing Livemint

AIR

All India Radio (AIR) IAS UPSC - Awareness and treatment of Diabetes

Awareness and treatment of Diabetes ARCHIVES Search 20th November, 2018 Public Speak here: http://www.newsonair.com/Audio-Archive-Search.aspx 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 Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States and the performance of these schemes World Diabetes Day 2018-2019: Theme is ‘The Family and Diabetes’ Why is Diabetes worrisome? Diabetes mellitus is a major clinical and public health problem accounting for 4.6 million deaths annually world-wide. According to the International Diabetes Federation, around 366 million people globally are currently estimated to have diabetes, of which 80% live in low and middle income countries. The more worrisome fact is that about 50% of those with diabetes remain undiagnosed. India’s diabetes burden has more than doubled between 1990 and 2016, with the total number of cases going up from 26 million to 65 million. The death rate due to diabetes increased by 131 per cent, found a study published in Lancet Global Health. The prevalence of diabetes in adults above 20 years increased from 5.5 per cent in 1990 to 7.7 per cent in 2016, the paper found. The disability-adjusted life years (DALY) rate for diabetes increased in India by 39.6 per cent — the highest increase among major non-communicable diseases. The prevalence of diabetes in adults above 20 years increased from 5.5 per cent in 1990 to 7.7 per cent in 2016. Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/health/india-prevalence-of-diabetes-lancet-global-health-study-5353496/ Diabetes is a “high maintenance” disease that leads to severe damage to the heart, kidneys and eyes apart from risk of gangrene if mismanaged. Given the state of the public health system in the country, and the fact that the poor have to pay for healthcare, the findings must be treated as a distress signal on an urgent basis. Given that people in rural areas and poorer communities in cities are unable to access care earlier, they would be more prone to advanced complications such as renal failure and blindness due to retinopathy. Since 70% of the population lives in rural areas, even a small increase in percentage of people suffering from diabetes adds up to a large number of people who need sustained medical attention but have access to poor health services. Risk Factors Junk Food & Lack of exercise: For many poorer people in cities, nutritionally well-balanced food may not be within their means. Eating “junk food” is thus not a matter of choice or taste as much as affordability. Higher income levels, less physically demanding occupations and increased availability of mechanised transport and household appliances among urban dwellers to possibly explain the higher incidence of the disease in urban areas. The pressure of commuting long distances to work and the need to use the public transport system is also not a matter of choice for urban poor. These issues lead to the build-up of stress—another factor that is among the causes of the disease. Asian Indians progress faster through the pre-diabetes stage than those of other ethnic groups. Also, as in other countries where diabetes is spreading rapidly, in India too, recreational physical activity is very low, more so, among women from all sections. High BMI was the most important risk factor contributing to diabetes in India. Targeting overweight might offer the best results in slowing down the rising trend in diabetes across India. The prevalence of overweight adults aged 20 years or older in India doubled from 1990 to 2016, with an increase observed in every state of India. Other risk factors include tobacco use, occupational exposure to second-hand smoke, low physical activity and alcohol use. Warning signs of Diabetes A major cause of blindness, kidney failure, heart attacks, stroke, and lower limb amputation, it is important to recognise the signs of diabetes early on so that risks related to this disease could be averted. Frequent urination: Often, when there is excess glucose present in the blood, as is the case with type 2 diabetes, the kidneys respond to it by flushing the excess glucose out of the system through urine. This results in frequent urination. Increased thirst and dry mouth: Frequent urination caused by diabetes can leave the body dehydrated. Consequently, one may develop a dry mouth and feel thirsty more often. Unexpected weight loss: In the case of type 2 diabetes, cells do not get enough glucose, which may trigger weight loss. Constant hunger: Diabetes may keep the sugar from your food from reaching your cells, which might lead to constant hunger. Blurred vision: Blurred vision occurs when there are rapid changes in your blood sugar levels – from low to high or vice versa – and the eye muscles have not yet adapted to it.  Blurred vision is one of the early warning signs of diabetes. Fatigue: Fatigue is a symptom often associated with conditions related to blood sugar levels. With diabetes, poor blood sugar control typically results in hyperglycemia or high blood sugar, which can result in fatigue. In India National Programme for Prevention and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases and Stroke: Aims at preventing diabetes through behaviour and lifestyle changes, early diagnosis and management, and increasing health system capacity. Awareness is the first step to any kind of change. More funding for research, better public support for legislation issues. More understanding and empathy. Less blame and shame. Education is one of the key components in ensuring better treatment and control of diabetes. There is also evidence to show that increasing knowledge regarding diabetes and its complications has significant benefits including increase in compliance to treatment, thereby decreasing the complications associated with diabetes. Knowing symptoms of type 1 can be life-saving when a diagnosis is right around the corner. If you’re at risk for type 2, education can help prevent or delay the progression of the disease (in cases where you’re able to do that). While it cannot be cured completely, diabetes can be curbed to a large extent with the help of proper medical assistance, diet and regular exercise. Community involvement: The government, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), the medical community and diabetics will have to join hands to ensure that community involvement is encouraged. Better access to nutritious food and facilities for physical recreational activities, more long-term policy interventions that go beyond packaging and advertising of fast food as well as health care policies along with peaceful life approach would help in containing the spread of diabetes in the country at an alarming rate in the country Connecting the Dots: Can Ayushman Bharat make a dent in India’s diabetes trajectory? Discuss. While diabetes is usually seen as a concern for better-off section of society, a recent study conducted by ICMR and Ministry of Health and Family Welfare highlights a surprising trend of increase in diabetes among poor. Discuss the factors driving such trend and steps that should should be taken to prevent this epidemic spread among poor.

Daily Prelims CA Quiz

UPSC Quiz - 2019 : IAS Daily Current Affairs Quiz [Day 131]

UPSC Quiz - 2019 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz [Day 131] Archives Q.1) Consider the following statements about ‘Annavitran Portal’ It has been implemented to display electronic transactions made through ePoS devices for distribution of subsidized foodgrains to beneficiaries. It is under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution 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 ‘Integrated Management of Public Distribution System (IM-PDS)’ It is aimed at de-duplication of ration cards/beneficiary It is a central sector scheme Select the correct statements 1 Only 2 Only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.3) Consider the following statements about ‘e-FRRO’ It provides visa related services to foreigners It is launched by Ministry of External Affairs Select the correct code: 1 Only 2 Only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.4) The term “Mehram” with respect to Haj Pilgrimage means Nocturnal Travel Male Companion Obligatory Religious Prayer Practice from abstaining from food and drink Q.5) Consider the following statements with respect to ‘Pradhan mantri Jan Vikas Karykram’ It is aimed at socio-economic-educational empowerment of Minorities and other weaker sections of the society 100 Minority Concentration Districts have been selected under the scheme Select the correct statements 1 Only 2 Only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 To Download the Solution - Click here All the Best  IASbaba

Motivational Articles

Creative Guidance – Focus is everything – Inspirational Educative Articles

Focus is Everything: The difference between success and failure is focus. Our ability to pick a task and stay with it as long as it takes; even when it is boring and uninteresting, is true focus. Our mind is a constant pleasure seeking mechanism. It wants to be stimulated all the time with something interesting. This nature of the mind makes it difficult to focus. Focus takes a lot of self-introspection. Only when you have made a firm decision about doing something, only when you have fully understood the consequences of not getting to it, only when you have understood the pain and suffering associated with not getting what you are striving for, you can fully direct your attention to focus on what you need the most. Success is a very simple phenomenon. Pick the routine of activities that lead to success and just stick with it. Fight all distractions that take you away from your task. Decide to be boring, decide to be miserable, and decide to remain unexcited about all the things happening around you. That is all success is. One of the biggest distractions we need to face, especially in today’s day and age is digital distraction. It is so easy to get lost in all of our youtube videos, facebooks and twitters. It is so easy to forget that we have a goal to attain to. It is so easy, in today’s times to forget the purpose of your life and make somebody else’s life your business. Always remember that you are paying the most precious commodity for all your entertainment; you are paying your time. Nothing, absolutely nothing is free in this world. If you think you are getting something for free, think about it twice. Reflect on what exactly is it costing you to get something for free. With today’s technology and communication channels, a lot of information and entertainment is simply available for free. You can spend the rest of your life in front of youtube and you will still have not exhausted all the free entertainment that is available there. There is simply too much of free stuff available for us now. But they are in reality not free. You have to spend your time, and that is the catch. Tremendous focus is required to step away from all our entertainments and distractions. There is a time to work, there is a time to play and there is a time to be entertained. Never there is a time for all these three things to coexist. There is a phase in our lives when we simply cannot afford to be entertained. Knowing that phase of life is extremely important. Not that entertainment is all that bad, but it doesn’t serve any purpose to us if we are filled with certain dreams and desires. If you have already concluded that you will not work towards certain things, you simply want to live and enjoy life, then it is perfectly fine. But when you have chosen to accomplish something extraordinary, you simply cannot afford to lose your focus. “This article is a part of the creative endeavor of Inner Revolution and IASBABA.”

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

Daily Current Affairs [IAS UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam] – 15th December 2018

Daily Current Affairs [IAS UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam] – 15th December 2018 Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) Jammu & Kashmir legislation to stop ‘sextortion’ of women Part of: GS Mains II – Social/Welfare issue; Women violence issue In news: J&K has become the first State in the country to bring a law to prevent people in power from exploiting subordinates sexually. Governor Satya Pal Malik’s administration in Jammu & Kashmir approved an amendment to the Ranbir Penal Code (RPC), to insert a section to provide for the offence of “sextortion.” The new law explicitly bans sexual exploitation of women by those in positions of authority, having a fiduciary relationship, or a public servant. Terming the offence as “Sextortion”, the amendments will “bring sextortion at par with similar offences prescribed under the Ranbir Penal Code and amendment is being made in the Prevention of Corruption Act to amend the definition of misconduct and to provide that demand for sexual favours would also constitute misconduct within the meaning of Section 5.” 10 die after taking temple ‘prasadam’ Part of: GS prelims and Mains II – Health and social issue In news: At least 10 people died and over 60 were hospitalised after consuming ‘prasadam’ distributed at a temple in Karnataka. Do you know? The FSSAI had set a deadline of September 1, 2019 for temples to start following the regulations under the Food Safety and Standards Act of India 2006, as well as the Food Safety (Licensing and Registration) Rules. (Food safety @Temples) The food safety commissioner said that every temple has to secure a licence or registration in order to sell ‘prasadam’ through temple counters. Temple authorities have to ensure that the storerooms and temple areas where food is cooked maintain hygiene standards under Food Safety and Standards Act. Also the water used for cooking it should be safe and must be tested periodically and the certificate on water safety kept for perusal. How Food Safety Management System can ensure quality Prasad? By Standardizing prasad ingredients and manufacturing process to improve its shelf-life and safety Vendors to be trained in food safety, hygiene; persuaded to apply for licence By encouraging self-audit to ensure that ingredients used in prasad are safe Food handlers to be trained in good manufacturing practices; to be educated about personal hygiene and using protective clothing, such as aprons, gloves By introducing rotational system for food stock to ensure first-expired-first-out; strengthening documentation and record keeping so that the stock can be traced Mandating management of wastes, such as flowers, fruits and vegetables, in such a way that they do not affect food safety Sri Lanka political crisis Part of: GS Mains II – International Affairs In news: We know that a constitutional crisis began in Sri Lanka when President Maithripala Sirisena abruptly sacked then Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and replaced him with Rajapaksa. Sirisena appointed Mahinda Rajapaksa as prime minister before formally dismissing the incumbent Ranil Wickremesinghe, resulting in two concurrent prime ministers. Wickremesinghe and the United National Party (UNP) viewed the appointment as illegal, and he refused to resign. Role of Judiciary Political crisis in the island nation ended. Mahinda Rajapaksa decided to “step down” after the Supreme Court refused to stay an earlier appeal court order restraining him and his purported Cabinet from functioning in office. Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court took firm stand and ruled dissolution of Parliament unconstitutional. Mr. Rajapaksa’s resignation may pave the way for the installation of a government that enjoys a majority in Parliament. Miscellaneous: INS Sunayna INS Sunayna, Navy's offshore patrol vessel, has been deployed in the Gulf of Aden to carry out anti-piracy patrols. The vigilance exercised by the Navy ships reiterates “India’s commitment towards ensuring safe seas for Indian as well as international seafarers in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR)”. International effort to combat piracy in the Gulf of Aden and the East Coast of Somalia involves participation of many countries such as India, China, Japan, United States, Russia and Pakistan and the European Union nations. AGRICULTURE/ENVIRONMENT TOPIC:General studies 3 Agriculture and Impact of Climate Change International organisations and reports on climate change and its mitigation Environment and climate change Workforce in Indian economy and Agriculture Impact of Global warming on Agriculture: Farming in a warming world Introduction: The impact of climatic change and associated socio-economic vulnerability are now widely recognised and experienced across the globe. The Sixth Assessment Report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) on “Global Warming at 1.5°C” distinctly propagates the need to strengthen and enhance existing coping capacity and to remain committed to the objectives of the Paris Agreement. IPCC 6th Assessment Report: Highlights World has become 1°C warmer because of human activities It has caused greater frequency of extremes and obstruction to the normal functioning of ecosystems. If world had become 2°C warmer, a catastrophic situation would have created. Impact of Climate Change and Global Warming on Agriculture Sector According to the report, India, with its diverse agro-climatic settings, is one of the most vulnerable countries. Indigenous populations and local communities dependent on agricultural or coastal livelihoods are very vulnerable to the climate impacts. Its agriculture ecosystem, distinguished by high monsoon dependence, and with 85% small and marginal landholdings, is highly sensitive to weather abnormalities. The Nation has already witnessed less than normal rainfall during the last four years, with 2014 and 2015 declared as drought years. Even the recent monsoon season ended with a rainfall deficit of 9%, which was just short of drought conditions. Research is also confirming an escalation in heat waves, in turn affecting crops, aquatic systems and livestock. (Lancet report warns about heatwave exposure surge) The Economic Survey 2017-18 has estimated farm income losses between 15% and 18% on average, which could rise to 20%-25% for unirrigated areas without any policy interventions. These projections underline the need for strategic change in dealing with climate change in agriculture. Steps needed: Foster the process of climate adaptation in agriculture which involves reshaping responses across both the micro- and macro-level decision-making culture. At the micro-level, By providing effective climate assessments and promoting climate resilient technologies. Climate exposure can be reduced through agronomic management practices such as inter and multiple cropping and crop-rotation; shift to non-farm activities; insurance covers; up-scaling techniques such as solar pumps, drip irrigation and sprinklers. Very small segment of agricultural households utilised crop insurance due to a lack of sufficient awareness and knowledge. Hence there is an urgent need to educate farmers, reorient Krishi Vigyan Kendras and other grass-root organisations with specific and more funds about climate change and risk-coping measures. At the macro-level, Climate adaptation actions are to be mainstreamed in the current developmental framework and closely intertwined with rural developmental interventions. Effective systematic adaptation planning and resource conservation practices. Identification of several barriers that prevent up-scaling efforts and adaptation by farmers. Key interventions Expansion of extension facilities, improving irrigation efficiency, promotion of satellite-enabled agriculture risk management, creating micro-level agro-advisories, providing customised real time data, and capacity building of stakeholders are some initiatives towards building greater resilience in agriculture. Interventions such as the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, Soil Heath Card, Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana, National Agriculture Market, or e-NAM, and other rural development programmes are positive interventions that can address the vulnerability of farmers and rural households. Climate and adaptation schemes such as the National Innovations on Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA), the National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA), the National Adaptation Fund, and the State Action Plan on Climate Change (SAPCC). Connecting the dots: How does climate change and global warming affect the agricultural sector in India? Also suggest some key interventions and steps to be taken in this regard. WELFARE/ECONOMY 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 Avoid loan waivers Introduction: The below article assesses why farm loan waivers are not a suitable option to address the rural distress. With ‘rural distress’ likely being the single most important poll issue in the coming general election, the political response to it is may be to announce a holistic or selective farm loan waivers. Why farm loan waivers worst solution for rural crisis? According to RBI data – The share of loans (of less than ₹2 lakh), typically taken by small farmers, accounts for less than 40 per cent of total farm credit. About 13 per cent of total agri credit was made up by loans of ₹1 crore or more. Crop loans disbursed to agriculturists leave out tenant farmers. The rise of tenant farming among small and marginal farmers also coincides with growing fragmentation of land. In addition, most of these cheap loans, taken at 4 per cent interest rate, are availed of by owners of warehouses, food processors and manufacturers of fertiliser and farm equipment. Categories under ‘Priority sector lending’ have been relaxed over the years to include a range of above mentioned sundry commercial activities. (thanks to the powerful interest groups in rural India who tend to ensure that such loans are categorised under ‘priority sector’ lending) Crux – Loan waivers will merely end up aiding these interest groups. We all know that, In India’s hierarchical rural order, the disadvantaged are unable to access insurance, welfare and loan schemes managed by multiple agencies. Most of these schemes are manipulated by landed interests in collusion with government and bank officials. Therefore, given it makes sense to shift to direct income support for farmers as a major form of agrarian intervention (rather than loan waivers). Bankers and the Reserve Bank (RBI) have often expressed concern that debt waivers can wreck credit culture. Do you know? Telangana has shown the way with its Rythu Bandhu scheme, and reaped handsome political dividends. The State has allocated ₹12,000 crore this financial year for the transfer of ₹8,000 per acre over two crop seasons to an estimated 58.33 lakh farmers. Under this scheme, farmers will directly get financial support twice every year to maximise agricultural production and productivity. They will get investment support of Rs 8,000 per acre every year (Rs. 4000 each for monsoon and Rabi season) as crop investment support. Conclusion: The farmers’ agitation and other political forces must take a cue from this development. Rural India needs better markets and market access, infrastructure and, above all, policies that recognise socio-economic inequities. Connecting the dots: Are farm loan waivers justifiable for betterment of farmers? Analyse. Loan waivers for the farms isn’t a good strategy to address the rural distress. Comment.  (TLP Answer) Loan waivers have become a political tool which is inimical to the Indian economy. Critically comment. (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 with respect to Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) It is established under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution is administrative ministry for the implementation of FSSAI Which of the following statements is/are correct? Only 1 Only 2 Both 1 and 2 None of the above Q.2) The Gulf of Aden, the extension of the Indian Ocean located between Africa and Asia forms a natural sea link between: Red Sea and Suez Canal Red Sea and Arabian Sea Suez Canal and Arabian Sea Persian Gulf and Red Sea Q.3) Consider the following statements about Gulf of Aden It is located between Yemen and Somalia Bab-el-Mandeb connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden Select the correct statements 1 Only 2 Only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.4) The ‘Horn of Africa’ is bordered with which of the following water bodies? Red Sea Gulf of Guinea Gulf of Aden Select the correct code: 1 and 2 2 and 3 1 and 3 All of the above MUST READ The warning signs are loud and clear The Hindu Ground Zero | Being Bru in Mizoram The Hindu The needless hype around AI Business Line Untangling the National Pension Scheme Business Line

AIR

All India Radio (AIR) IAS UPSC - Safe Childhood Strong Nation

Safe Childhood Strong Nation ARCHIVES Search 4th December, 2018 Public Speak here: http://www.newsonair.com/Audio-Archive-Search.aspx TOPIC: General Studies 2 Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States and the performance of these schemes Violence against children is violence against humanity and society. Dignity of a child is very important and when it is lost in childhood, everything is shattered. Our silence is shocking. While we have successfully brought in children-specific legislations such as the Prevention of Children from Sexual Offences Act 2012 (POCSO) and the amended Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act 2015, our performance in creating robust and reliable preventive response systems has been markedly poor. The spate of brutal crimes against children demonstrates that our collective approach to child safety in schools remains ad hoc, laissez-faire and poorly monitored, highlighting the lack of both soft and hard preventive infrastructure. Key Statistics Every six minutes, a child goes missing. More than 4.5 lakh children have been victims of trafficking, bought, sold for commercial and sexual exploitation. Over 50% children in India were subjected to one or another form of physical abuse. More boys are abused physically than girls. In 94.8 percent of cases, children were raped by someone known to them, according to data collected by the National Crime Records Bureau. The number of child abuse cases registered under Prevention of Sexual Offences against Children (POCSO) Act rose from 8,904 in the year 2014 to 14,913 in 2015. Uttar Pradesh led the highest number of child abuse cases with 3,078 followed by Madhya Pradesh with 1,687 cases, Tamil Nadu with 1,544 cases, Karnataka with 1,480 cases and Gujarat by 1,416 cases Provision related to Children in “Constitution of India” Article 14 and 15 Article 21A. The State shall provide free and compulsory education to all children of the age of six to fourteen years in such manner as the State may, by law, determine. Article 24. No child below the age of fourteen years shall be employed to work in any factory or mine or engaged in any other hazardous employment. Article 39. The State shall, in particular, direct its policy towards securing— that children are given opportunities and facilities to develop in a healthy manner and in conditions of freedom and dignity and that childhood and youth are protected against exploitation and against moral and material abandonment. Article 45. The State shall endeavour to provide, within a period of ten years from the commencement of this Constitution, for free and compulsory education for all children until they complete the age of fourteen years. Article 51A. It shall be the duty of every citizens of India- who is a parent or guardian to provide opportunities for education to his child or, as the case may be, ward between the age of six and fourteen years] National Policy for Children 2013 To “build a preventive and responsive child protection system and promote effective enforcement of punitive legislative and administrative measures against all forms of child abuse and neglect”. The Policy recognises every person below the age of eighteen years as a child and covers all children within the territory and jurisdiction of the country. It recognizes that a multi-sectoral and multidimensional approach is necessary to secure the rights of children. The Policy has identified four key priority areas: Survival Health and nutrition Education and development Protection and participation Prevention of Children from Sexual Offences Act 2012 (POCSO) The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO Act) was enacted in 2012 to address the growing sexual violence against children and the inability of the Indian Penal Code to deal with this concern. The Act provides – A graded classification of sexual offences against children Prescribes higher mandatory minimum sentences for such crimes Mandates several processes and safeguards to ensure a child-friendly trial such as the designation of “special courts” Child-friendly process of recording victim testimony Provision of compensation Protection of the identity of the child, etc. The Act also contains extensive mandates for procedures to be followed by the police, magistrates and medical personnel handling victims of child sexual abuse. Although more than five years have elapsed since it came into force, the system is replete with failures and shortcomings. Protection in Schools The ministry has comprehensive guidelines that take into consideration physical infrastructure such as separate and age-appropriate toilets to safeguard children in school. These also take into account issues related to a school’s staff such as background checks and mental make-up. However, these guidelines need to be made mandatory and compliance must be made non-negotiable. The policy should emphasise ‘gatekeeping’ to ensure that the recruitment of both teaching and non-teaching staff is done after thorough police verification and psycho-social assessment. Many private and government-aided schools already follow this process, but it must now become compulsory for all. It should also be mandatory for schools to enrol trained counsellors who can both prevent and detect abuse of children — this could be an existing teacher who has undergone the requisite training or a separate counsellor. In addition, all teachers need to be sensitised about child abuse, taught to recognise it and made aware of laws such as the POCSO Act which makes reporting such acts compulsory. Sessions with children on safety and prevention of abuse ought to become part of the curriculum. They need to have a designated point of contact and rest assured that there is a safe space where they can speak and be heard. An open dialogue involving all three stakeholders (schools, parents and the Government) can go a long way towards creating the right ecosystem for building preventive response mechanisms. Parents need to realise that even though they have entrusted their children to the school, the safety of their child is a collective responsibility. Sexual offence: Why do the perpetrators choose children as targets? Many child abuse cases go unreported because the victim is traumatised and therefore reluctant to confide in anyone. In a majority of the cases, the family of the victim may not want to confront the abuser if he or she is an influential family member or an influential person in society, for the fear of backlash or shame. To ensure a safe childhood – Way Forward Nobel laureate Kailash Satyarthi Policy initiatives Institutional mechanism in place Education Capacity building to eradicate the social evil Accountability of the authorities in particular and citizens in general Technological interventions Societal engagement Safety should begin at home: There is a need to reform education – to guide them during their exploration years, to make them understand about the right ethical behaviour and to make them understand between good touch and bad touch. As in most of the cases, rape is committed by people known to child such as relatives, and neighbours, there is an urgent need for the family to be sensitised, and the deep-rooted attitudes that view them as inferior to men need to be also tacked with. Law is not vengeance – it is meant to punish, to deter, and to reform In order to provide an effective response, it is imperative to analyse the present system and understand why it has failed. The low rates of conviction do not even have the effect of creating a fear of accountability in the first place. Our investigation needs to be quick and scientific. Instead of pursuing drastic remedies, we need to urgently devise ways to bolster the existing criminal justice and child protection systems and ensure higher convictions, higher reporting of offences, put in place preventive strategies, and address a large number of systemic and operational gaps. Victims should be provided with proper counselling at different stages, for life. Nobel laureate Kailash Satyarthi has advocated setting up a national children’s tribunal, on the lines of the National Green Tribunal (NGT), to deal with cases of crime against children in a time-bound and expeditious manner. Must Read: Link 1 + Link 2 Connecting the Dots: Investment in children is an investment in the future. Discuss There is an urgent need of an argument for a culture of moral responsibility and accountability among our institutions, as opposed to the prevalent culture of superficial, convenient responses. Critically examine. Numerous legislations regarding ‘Rights of children’ in India have failed to tap the real essence of ‘Right to have a Childhood’. In the light of the statement critically discuss how effective the Indian legislations have been in securing the ‘Rights of children’?

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

Daily Current Affairs [IAS UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam] – 14th December 2018

Daily Current Affairs [IAS UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam] – 14th December 2018 Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) Punganur cow Part of: GS Prelims and Mains III – Animal conservation; Agriculture/Livestock In news: Punganur cow is considered one of the world’s smallest breeds of cattle. The breed is on the verge of extinction, due to cross-breeding conducted by farmers. Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the Animal Genetic Resources list the breed as facing extinction. The Punganur cow is diminutive, with a height of 70 cm to 90 cm and weighing around 115 to 200 kg. In comparison, the famous Ongole bull stands tall at 1.70 metres and weighs 500 kg. Both breeds trace their origins to Andhra Pradesh. Animal genetics and breeding scientists are now engaged in efforts to save the unique breed from extinction. Do you know? Gir - This breed is highest producer of milk among all breeds in India. Sahiwal - This cow is also called ‘Red Gold’ and identified by its prominent red colour. Rathi, Tharparkar, Dhanni, Deoni, Hariana, Ongole, Nimari, Hallikar, Vechur (smallest cattle in the world) Umblachery - The bulls are used in the sport of Jallikattu or bull-taming Migratory birds at Chilika face flu threat Part of: GS Prelims and Mains II and III – Health issue; Animal conservation; Bird Sanctuary in news In news: Lakhs of migratory birds at Chilika are facing a threat to their lives following the detection of avian influenza virus barely a few kilometres away from the Nalabana Bird Sanctuary. Samples have tested positive for H5N1 virus. Avian influenza Avian influenza refers to the disease caused by infection with avian (bird) influenza (flu) Type A viruses. These viruses occur naturally among wild aquatic birds worldwide and can infect domestic poultry and other bird and animal species. Avian flu viruses do not normally infect humans. However, sporadic human infections with avian flu viruses have occurred. Groundwater extraction will invite a fee Part of: GS Prelims and Mains II and III – Conservation of Water; Government policies and schemes In news: In a bid to promote conservation of groundwater, the Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA) has notified a water conservation fee (WCF). Industries will need to pay on groundwater extraction starting from June 2019. Do you know? As per the CGWA notification, industries extracting groundwater, including mining-dewatering units and those that use groundwater for packaged drinking water, will need to apply for a no-objection certificate (NOC) from the government. Individual households that draw groundwater using a delivery pipe of a greater than 1” diameter, too, will need to pay a WCF. However, the agriculture sector — the largest consumer of groundwater in the country — will be exempt from the fees. Important facts: In India, extracted groundwater is mainly used for irrigation and accounts for about 228 BCM (billion cubic metre) — or about 90% of the annual groundwater extraction. The rest, 25 BCM, is drawn for drinking, domestic and industrial uses. India is the largest user of groundwater in the world, and accounts for about 25% of the global water extraction. Lack of basic rights for the aged a concern: SC Part of: GS Prelims and Mains II – Social issue; Government schemes and policies; Fundamental Rights In news: Supreme Court has expressed its disappointment over lack of basic rights and inadequate welfare provided to senior citizens and the aged. The court said it was a statutory right of every aged person under the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act of 2007 to be provided dignity, health and shelter. All the three are important components which make the fundamental right to life under Article 21. Do you know? The Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act makes it obligatory for children or relatives to provide maintenance to senior citizens and parents. It also provides for the setting up of old age homes by State governments. Lack of knowledge of rights, the inherent inability of the elderly to approach a tribunal for recourse under the law, and poor implementation of the Act by various State governments are other concerns The increase in the number of elderly people in the country calls for responsible policies and programmes for their protection and care. Indian Scenario India is expected to be home to 300 million elderly people by 2050 18 per cent of the population is going to be over 60 years of age by 2050 In India, about 50 per cent of the elderly are being financially dependent on others Most of the elderly have been turned out from their homes, or have lost a partner, or just can’t manage to live on their own anymore Elderly Population need to thrive not just survive It is time India pay heed to the problems of those who are old, else the country will be faced with a large incidence of degenerative diseases, accompanied with serious gaps in the geriatric medical ecosystem, a changing joint family structure, the lack of ‘grey-friendliness’ in public spaces, transport, housing, and a virtually non-existing policy framework to tackle these issues. The court directed that the Centre should prepare a plan of action for giving publicity to the provisions of 2007 Act and ensure that the State governments carry out and execute the provisions of the law. SC bats for rights of death row convicts Part of: GS Mains II – Social issue; Fundamental Rights In news: According to a recent judgment by the Supreme Court – Death row convicts should be allowed to meet with family, friends, lawyers and mental health professionals for a “reasonable period of time with reasonable frequency” like any other prisoner. It is part of their fundamental right to dignity and equality. The court said prison manuals or laws depriving condemned prisoners of their basic rights should be nixed. The court banked on generalities, referring to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and reiterated that right to life includes the “right to live with human dignity.” India, Russia to boost joint production in defence Part of: GS Prelims and Mains II and III – India and Russia; International Relations; Defence In news: 18th meeting of the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Military Technical Cooperation (IRIGC-MTC) took place recently. India and Russia have agreed on ways to simplify export clearances to take forward joint manufacturing in defence. Focus – expanding military-to-military and defence industrial engagement. Both Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSU) and private sector to manufacture spares for Russian systems in India. (MAINS FOCUS) NATIONAL/POLITY TOPIC:General studies 2  Separation of powers between various organs dispute redressal mechanisms and institutions. Structure, organization and functioning of the Executive and the Judiciary Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. Need for an effective ‘Legal Culture’ to maintain judicial independence Introduction: The below article deals with assessment of whether Indian Judiciary is really free from political influence? According to the author there are series of instances where judges outright favour particular political affiliations. Therefore, the author stresses for the need for an effective ‘Legal Culture’ to maintain Judicial independence (free from political influence). Once a Judge takes an oath to uphold the Constitution, his/her past connections or inclinations, should not weigh in their decision making process. Independence of Judiciary We know that our Constitution is designed to ensure that judges can do their work “independent” of government influence: fixed salaries security of tenure and an appointments process that is insulated from executive control Independence, however, means something more. It also requires that judges perform their constitutional role independent of personal biases, political and moral beliefs, and partisan ideologies. While adjudicating, a judge should not turn into a politician. At all times, he/she is bound to maintain primary fidelity to the law and the Constitution: to the text of legal instruments, to the canons of legal interpretation, and to the body of judicial precedent that holds the field – These are crucial checks upon judicial power. ‘Role of Legal Culture’ Judicial independence depends on judges recognising that law and adjudication must remain autonomous from partisan politics in important ways. Judges need to be insulated from any external control; they should be accountable only to themselves, and their own sense of the limits of their constitutional role. However, accountability only to oneself is a very weak form of constraint. The temptation to overstep is always immense, more so when such immense power has been placed in one’s own hands. Therefore, it is here that “legal culture” plays a critical role in establishing judicial accountability. A Legal Culture – which has a set of unwritten, but clearly established, norms that determine what is or is not acceptable in the process of adjudication. A Legal Culture – which has not sprung up out of a vacuum, but created and nurtured by judges, lawyers, legal academics, the press and the citizenry. The roots of the crisis and where the legal culture got exactly failed? Post Independence During the first 17 years of India’s republic, by and large, the Supreme Court reposed faith in Parliament. Most MPs were freedom fighters, and the court trusted them. But as amendment after amendment was used to undo the core values of the Constitution, the court had to apply the brakes in 1967. The court refused to trust elected representatives with the amendment process, and ruled that fundamental rights could not be curtailed except by the Constituent Assembly. 1980s In the 1980s, there was a rapid expansion of judicial power. Supreme Court began to dispense with procedural checks upon its power. Some of these steps were important and necessary, such as allowing “public interest” cases to be filed on behalf of those who were unable to access the courts. However, other steps were double-edged swords, such as diluting the evidentiary standards required to prove disputed facts, and vastly expanding the courts’ discretion to shape and fashion remedies. (for complete justice) The 1980s Supreme Court was highly praised for this. Judges were painted as crusading heroes. 1990s and 2000s By the 1990s and the 2000s, under the misleading label of “judicial activism”, the court was beginning to engage in a host of administrative activities, from managing welfare schemes to “beautifying cities” to overseeing anti-corruption initiatives. The constitutional court had become a Supreme ‘Administrative’ Court. This, too, was justified on the altar of necessity: politicians were corrupt, bureaucrats were inefficient, and things didn’t move. Someone had to come and clean it all up. Judiciary was viewed as an infallible solution to all social problems. In other words, the Judiciary was considered to be flawless, incapable of making mistakes or being wrong. Is Indian Judiciary really flawless? Is it free from political influence? Some of the judgments show that Judiciary has failed to maintain its legal culture and has many times sided with government’s agenda – Recent Meghalaya High Court Judge Justice S.R. Sen's ill-advised and ill-judged remarks (had some sort of biasness towards current government or political posturing) A judge, who wrapped up in patriotic zeal, did not stop to think whether he is authorised to compel all cinema halls in the nation to play the national anthem. Another did not consider whether he has the power to mandate that every student in Tamil Nadu must study the Tirukkural. Judiciary taking over the entire process of preparing a National Register of Citizens (NRC). The record of the courts in protecting civil rights has also been a mixed one. In far too many cases, courts have tended to defer to the executive and the government. Courts simply missed the thought whether the Constitution ever contemplated a task such as this to fall within the judicial domain. Conclusion Above judgments like the national anthem order, the Tirukkural order, the NRC process, and Justice Sen’s recent foray – raise an altogether more frightening prospect: that of an “executive court”. **An “executive court” – is a court whose moral and political compass finds itself in alignment with the government of the day, and one that has no compunctions in navigating only according to that compass. Instead of checking and limiting government power, an executive court finds itself marching in lockstep with the government, and being used to set the seal of its prestige upon more controversial parts of the government’s agenda. Connecting the dots: Do you think Indian Judiciary is really free from political influence? Is it really independent and flawless? Critically analyze. “Legal culture” plays a critical role in establishing judicial accountability and judicial independence. Substantiate. ECONOMY TOPIC:General studies 3 Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment. MSMEs: Changing the Indian state from bully to ally Introduction Policy makers often romanticize MSMEs over large employers because it believes that MSMEs are a source of massive job creation, are the salvation of less-skilled job seekers, and embody solid middle-class values. However, MSMEs view the Indian state as a bully rather than an ally, because of its 60,000-plus employer compliance universe that changes 5,000-plus times a year and 3,300-plus possible filings for enterprises. Therefore, there is a need for massive regulatory rationalization, simplification and digitalization because no MSME can possibly keep track of 60,000 plus regulatory compliances. Pic: https://www.livemint.com/r/LiveMint/Period2/2018/12/14/Photos/Processed/opinionchart.jpg India’s next wave of Ease of Doing Business (EODB)  should have three vectors— rationalization (cutting down the number of laws), simplification (cutting down the number of compliances and filings) and digitization (architecting for true paperless, presence-less and cashless). Rationalization could start with clustering the 44 labour laws into a single labour code. Simplification would include replacing our 25-plus different numbers issued by various government arms to every employer with a unique enterprise number (an Aadhaar for enterprises). Finally, we must move away from the current approach to digitization as a website and shift to open architecture-based API frameworks, where multiple players compete in providing services to employers. Other concerns: MSMEs remain, by their predominantly informal nature, vulnerable to structural and cyclical shocks, at times with persistent effects. Some of the critical issues that hamper their development were absence of access to easy finance and credit instruments, serious regulatory constraints, lack of access to modern and affordable technology, lack of basic infrastructure, lack of access to modern marketing and distribution networks, shortage of skilled labour and inflexible and archaic labour laws. The micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) have been impacted adversely by the twin shocks of demonetisation and goods and services tax (GST). Conclusion: India is expected to emerge as one of the leading economies in the world over the next decade and the Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSME) segment is expected to play a significant role. The development of this segment is extremely critical to meet the national imperatives of financial inclusion and generation of significant levels of employment across urban, rurban and rural areas across the country. Further, it can nurture and support development of new age entrepreneurs who have the potential to create globally competitive businesses from India. Connecting the dots: Explain in brief the significance of MSMEs in Indian economy. Also discuss the challenges faced by the MSME sector in India. (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) H5N1 is often in news. It is concerned with which of the following diseases? Avian Influenza Swine Flu Tuberculosis Pneumonia Q.2) Famous breeds – Punganur, Ongole, Nimari, Hallikar, Vechur relates to – Cow Buffalo Sheep Goat Q.3) The practice of mating of animals of the same breed, having no common ancestors, is called In-breeding Cross-breeding Out-crossing Interspecific hybridization Q.4) The spread of Avian Influenza in Odisha is in news. Consider the following statements with respect to Avian Influenza: It is a viral infection spread from bird to bird. A particular strain of H5N1 virus is believed to cause avian influenza. Human beings catch bird flu by close contact with birds or bird droppings. Which of the statements given above are correct? 1 and 2 only 2 and 3 only 1 and 3 only 1, 2, and 3 Q.5) Mangalajodi, the second largest hotspot for birds is on the banks of Chilika Lake Pangong lake Dal Lake Pulikat Lake Q.6) It is said that the one issue which highlights the need to unify the Central Water Commission and the Central Ground Water Board is the drying up of peninsular rivers, the single most important cause of which is Climate Change Over-extraction of groundwater Construction of excessive number of dams Excess population in the peninsular region MUST READ The anatomy of a police station The Hindu Is it time to abolish the death penalty? The Hindu How Governor’s rule and President’s rule set J&K apart from other states Indian Express The anti-argumentative Indian Indian Express  Panacea that isn’t Indian Express The political roots of falling wage growth Livemint

Daily Prelims CA Quiz

UPSC Quiz - 2019 : IAS Daily Current Affairs Quiz [Day 130]

UPSC Quiz - 2019 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz [Day 130] Archives Q.1) Consider the following statements with respect to ‘Shram Suvidha Portal’ It is developed by the Ministry of Labour & Employment It was developed to bring transparency and accountability in enforcement of labour laws and ease complexity of compliance 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 ‘Pradhan Mantri Rojgar Protsahan Yojana (PMRPY)’ It incentivises employers for generation of new employment, where Government of India will be paying the full employer's contribution towards EPF & EPS both It is targeted for employees earning wages less than Rs 5,000/- per month Select the correct statements 1 Only 2 Only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.3) The ‘HELP’ and ‘OLAP’ Policy is associated with Exploration and production of conventional as well as non-conventional Hydrocarbon resources Hybrid and Electric Vehicles Eco-Sensitive Zones and Environmental Impact Assessment Women Safety Q.4) Consider the following statements with respect to ‘Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY)’ It provides deposit-free LPG connections to women belonging to the Below Poverty Line (BPL) families It is aimed at rationalizing LPG subsidies based on approach to cut subsidy leakages, but not subsidies themselves Select the correct statements 1 Only 2 Only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.5) Consider the following statements with respect to ‘Advanced Motor Fuels (AMF)’ It is one of the International Energy Agency’s (IEA) transportation related Technology Collaboration Programmes It provides an international platform for co-operation to promote cleaner and more energy efficient fuels and vehicle technologies Select the correct statements 1 Only 2 Only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 To Download the Solution - Click here All the Best  IASbaba

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