YOJANA & KURUKSHETRA Magazine: SEPTEMBER 2018
Archives Friends, Here we are with the SEPTEMBER 2018, edition of Yojana and Kurukshetra. Yojana/Kurukshetra: SEPTEMBER 2018 – Download
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Creative Guidance – Memory and Belief – Inspirational Educative Articles
Memory and Belief: How often have you reflected on the connection between memory and belief? Probably, not very often; memory and belief appear to be two very different unrelated topics. There is however a deep connection between the two; a connection that can prove to be very crucial in helping us to remember or forget things. Memory and belief are two parts of the same thing. Memory is the visible part of a belief that is hidden underneath it. We can look at it with an example of a ball. The surface of the ball that is visible on the outside is memory and the inner space that gives a ball its shape and identity is belief. A ball cannot exist if it is only made up of the outer. The inner emptiness is what gives its true identity. In the same way, our memories are nothing without the supporting belief system. It is our belief systems that give shape, size and structure to our memory. What we remember is simply a result of what we already believe. This might sound a bit difficult to grasp initially but eventually we can see the connection. Let us take an example. Let us say we decide to take a vacation and travel to some far away unknown place. Let us decide to keep a diary to describe the experiences of this trip. If we all were to come back and read from our individual diaries, obviously we will find totally different interpretation of seemingly same experiences. This might not surprise us much, but it should. When we have all gone on the same trip, visiting similar places, eating similar food and staying in similar places, what is it that is separating our narrations? What is the differentiating factor of our experiences? The differentiating factor is Belief. We have all had similar memories of the experience, but our underlying belief system has made us to interpret the events differently. Another very important thing we can notice is that each one of us will be able to recollect certain aspects of the trip better than the other. One of us might remember the food better than the accommodations; the other might remember people and faces better. What we remember is again simply a result of our underlying belief systems. If just a few days of a trip are subjected to the influence of our beliefs, then how much influence does belief have on the process of learning and preparing for an examination? At the end of a few months or a few years of preparation our mind is only filled with the memory of those things that we have chosen to remember. Rest is simply forgotten. The implication of this understanding is very deep. If you can pay close attention to your belief systems, you will get a better understanding of how you remember things. By changing a few belief systems you can drastically improve your ability to remember things. A small shift in our core belief systems can bring about a sea change in our memory and in our ability to record, store and recollect information. “This article is a part of the creative endeavor of The Ahamo Movement and IASBABA.”
IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs [Prelims + Mains Focus] - 05th October 2018
IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs (Prelims + Mains Focus)- 05th October 2018 Archives (PRELIMS+MAINS FOCUS) “Digi Yatra” facility Part of: GS Prelims and Mains III – Infrastructure; Role of Digital Technology In news: The government unveiled the Digi Yatra initiative under which the flyers can soon use facial recognition technology to enter the airport. Travellers can skip long queues and zip through various check points at airports. Digi Yatra initiative also has biometric-enabled digital processing technique that would enable travellers to enter the airport building by scanning a QR code on their mobile phones, after undergoing facial recognition. Pic: https://d39gegkjaqduz9.cloudfront.net/TH/2018/10/05/DEL/Delhi/TH/5_07/16a69a38_2436748_101_mr.jpg Sensex tumbles Part of: GS Prelims and Mains III – Indian economy and issues related to it In news: The bears continue to tighten their grip on the markets, and the BSE Sensex and NSE Nifty both opened with heavy losses. Below are some of the factors that are spurring on market volatility: Fall in the rupee Surging oil prices Rising bond yields Foreign capital outflows - Overseas investors pulling out Highly fragile investor sentiment Rohingya handed over to Myanmar Part of: GS Mains II and III – International relations and Internal Security; India and its neighbours; Refugee issues In news: Seven Rohingya Muslim men, arrested in 2012 for illegally entering Assam, were officially handed over to Myanmar authorities at Manipur’s border town Moreh. The Centre told the Supreme Court that the action to repatriate the seven Rohingya Muslims was taken in due course of law and in the interest of the country. The Assam government had made the arrangements for their repatriation through an immigration check point in Manipur. Pic: https://d39gegkjaqduz9.cloudfront.net/TH/2018/10/05/DEL/Delhi/TH/5_11/f73179ba_282083_13_mr.jpg Saudi Arabia to invest in oil refinery in Gwadar Part of: GS Mains II and III – International relations In news: Saudi Arabia to invest in a new oil refinery in Pakistan’s growing deep-sea port of Gwadar Gwadar’s port is being developed as part of the $60 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), an ambitious plan to build energy and transport links connecting the western Chinese region of Xinjiang with the Arabian Sea via Pakistan, as part of Beijing’s broader Belt and Road initiative. Gwadar is part of Pakistan’s mineral rich southwestern Balochistan province. India ranked 5th in pictorial warning on tobacco products Part of: GS Prelims and Mains II – Health issue In news: India has been ranked fifth in the listing of countries that have pictorial health warning on tobacco products. à (According to ‘the Cigarette Package Health Warnings: International Status Report’, released recently by the Canadian Cancer Society) Country is making tremendous progress towards creating public awareness on the health hazards of tobacco abuse. The current pictorial warnings on both sides of all packets of cigarettes, bidis and all forms of chewing tobacco products in India came into effect in April 2016 on the direction of the Rajasthan High Court and, subsequently, the Supreme Court of India. Do you know? East Timor is ranked first with 85% of the front and 100% of the back of the packaging being used for pictorial warnings. Nepal follows with 90% coverage on both sides. Indian packaging has the warning on 85% of both sides. The report found that 118 countries and territories have now made picture health warnings on cigarette packages mandatory, up from 100 in 2016. Canada was the first to insist on picture health warnings in 2001. India is the only SAARC country to have a Quit-Line number on tobacco products and the fourth in Asia after Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore. Government of India for the first time introduced Quit-Line number to be printed on all tobacco products. (MAINS FOCUS) ENVIRONMENT TOPIC: General Studies 3 Environment protection and Bio diversity conservation National parks, wild life sanctuaries, etc. Next steps at Gir: On deaths of lions Introduction The magnificent Asiatic lion is under threat. Twenty-three lions have died in as many days in the eastern part of Gujarat’s Gir sanctuary. Preliminary reports said that the cats have been killed by disease, most likely to be infectious. Some others have died due to poisoning and infighting. While mass mortalities in wildlife are always a cause for concern, this case is even more worrisome as the big cat population in Gujarat is the last of the Asiatic lions in the wild. In 2013, the Supreme Court had issued an order that lions from Gujarat be relocated to the Kuno sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh as a check against the threat of epidemic. The Supreme Court, noting that the death of so many lions was a serious matter, asked the Central government to look into it. Why SC asked for relocation? Asiatic lion has been restricted to only one single habitat, i.e. the Gir National Forest and its surrounding areas and an outbreak of possible epidemic or natural calamity might wipe off the entire species. A smaller population with limited genetic strength are more vulnerable to diseases and other catastrophes in comparison to large and widespread population. 30% of the lion population in Tanzania’s Serengeti was killed due to an outbreak of canine distemper, a viral disease that affects animals. Why relocation not done yet? Gujarat’s response to this was that lions are now spread over the Greater Gir region and this reduces the threat. It has also had an intense, managerial response to the disease — when ill, lions are routinely picked up, medically treated, and then released. Even wild animals are subject to State politics. Gujarat has been unwilling to part with its lions, calling them “its pride” in an affidavit. Debate: natural or artificial conservation? Wildlife conservation concerns itself with maintaining ecological processes and reducing threats to endangered species. It does not entail treating wild animals for disease (in the way domestic animals are) as this can go against the processes of natural selection. Treating wild animals appears to be a caring thing to do. But it is not conducive to the ‘natural’ process of life and death, and ultimately compromises immunity. Another celebrity example of this kind of management was Machli, the tigress from Ranthambhore in Rajasthan. Known as the world’s most photographed tigress. She lived for 20 years before her death in 2016. This is because she was treated medically, and often fed artificially. When wild animals go extinct locally, they are reintroduced — as in the case of tigers in Sariska, Rajasthan. When hungry, they are fed artificially, and even provided salts as supplements, an example being the Hangul (Red deer) population in Dachigam, Jammu and Kashmir. In other parts of India, wild animals are funnelled through artificial trenches, barriers and fences. This is wildlife conservation in the age of man, where protected areas sometimes resemble zoos. Yet even the most flexible of conservationists would agree that intensive artificial medical treatment of wild animals does not augur well for long-term sustainability. The role of wildlife managers should be to reduce unnatural threats, not unnaturally prolong life. While Gujarat has done a good job of conserving its lions, it should also turn its attention to reducing the drivers of disease, which includes controlling feral dog populations. On metapopulations Gujarat submitted before the Supreme Court that one of the reasons it did not want to part with the lions was because there are metapopulations in the State. Metapopulations may be geographically separate but have interactions and an exchange of individuals. Gujarat had said to the Supreme Court that the current Asiatic lion population is not a single population confined to one place. It consists of “metapopulation" spread over several locations within the Greater Gir Region. Crucially though, these areas are connected to each other and this does not address the main concern of creating geographically distant populations. Way forward Gujarat should work towards colonising new habitats outside the Gir landscape within the State. However, there are spatial limitations in this industrialised State. An option is the Barda wildlife sanctuary. But Barda is close to Gir, and this cannot be confused with creating isolated populations. It would simply mean increasing suitable lion range from its present, much smaller area. There is no getting around the fact that a geographically separate population of Asiatic lions needs to be created. A good track record for lion conservation does not in any way preclude a good long-term strategy. Connecting the dots: The recent lion deaths in Gir sanctuary are more worrisome as the big cat population in Gujarat is the last of the Asiatic lions in the wild. What are the possible steps you would suggest for conservation of Asiatic lion population? NATIONAL/AGRICULTURE TOPIC: General Studies 3 Agriculture and issues related to it Indian economy Fields of concern — on MSP for kharif crops Introduction The government approved an increase in the MSP offered for rabi crops. The latest hikes are generous, even if they are moderate compared to those fixed for the kharif crop. The hikes were announced a day after thousands of angry farmers descended on New Delhi, stopped only by the use of water cannons and teargas. This is the latest in a long string of instances that signals the existence of underlying agrarian distress. Some stats By way of comparison, the highest increase over the previous kharif season’s MSP was 52.5% for the cereal ragi. Now the highest season-on-season hike for the rabi crops is 20.6% for safflower. The MSP for wheat has been raised 6.1%, or ₹105 a quintal. For mustard, gram and masur dal, the increases are between 5% and 5.3%. The government says that with these prices, it has delivered on its promise that farmers will get a price at least 150% above their cost of production, and that their incomes will be doubled over time. Concerns It is not merely the lack of adequate prices for farm output that has led to restiveness — the rise in costs of inputs such as fertilizers and diesel is also a reason for this. India’s farm sector has multiple stress points, and ground-level procurement often does not take place at stipulated support prices. Barring paddy and, to a lesser extent, wheat, the MSP formula doesn’t work for most crops in the absence of substantial direct procurement by the government. Market prices for cotton are currently close to the MSP, but this is largely because of traders betting that export demand will rise due to the U.S.-China trade war. Way forward A robust mechanism that actually helps farmers get the declared MSP for a crop is being pursued through a price deficiency payment scheme and a private procurement plan. This mechanism is still in a nascent stage and is not adequate. There needs to be a holistic reboot of the agriculture sector, particularly to address the restrictive trading policies and excessive government interventions that deter productivity enhancements. Connecting the dots: Higher minimum support prices often do not translate into better returns for farmers. 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) Chabahar Port is considered to be of utmost strategic importance for India. Which of the statements are correct regarding Chabahar Port? It is being developed by India in Afghanistan. Once the Chabahar Port is operational, India can bypass Pakistan to reach Central Asian Market. India is also developing 500 km railway link connecting Chabahar to Zahedan (Iran – Afghanistan border). Select the code from below: 1 and 2 2 and 3 1 and 3 All of the above Q.2) Consider the following: Gwadar port is the only port in Iran that has the direct access to ocean located in close proximity to Gulf of Oman The Gwadar port will help India to bypass Pakistan and open up a route to land-locked Afghanistan and Central Asia With Gwadar port India hopes to compete with the Chinese, who are building Chabahar port, in Pakistani Baluchistan. Select the correct answer 1 and 2 only 2 and 3 only 1 and 3 only None of the above Q.3) Brent index is concerned with Eco-friendly status of processed foods Crude oil prices Energy efficiency status of electrical goods Gold future prices Q.4) Which of the following activities have been prohibited by ‘The Cigarettes and other Tobacco Products act 2003’? Smoking in all public places Direct and indirect advertisement Sale of cigarettes and other tobacco products to minors Sale of cigarettes and other tobacco products within 100 yards of any educational institution. Select the code from following: 1, 2 and 3 2, 3 and 4 1, 3 and 4 All of the above Q.5) Which of the following states has recently become the first state of the country to bar sellers from displaying tobacco products in the open? Haryana Punjab Rajasthan Madhya Pradesh MUST READ A manifesto of dissent The Hindu Eyes on India The Hindu Unjoined dots of a scheme Indian Express The price is wrong Indian Express Structural defects in the financial system and real economy Livemint Testing times for Indian policymakers Livemint Data privacy can aid innovation Livemint
UPSC Quiz- 2019 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz [Day 81]
UPSC Quiz- 2019 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz [Day 81] Archives Q.1) ‘Sahyog HOP TAC -2018’, is a joint exercise of Coast Guards of India and Laos Vietnam Thailand Singapore Q.2) ‘RE-INVEST’ is a global platform to explore strategies for development and deployment of Dam Safety Zero Budget Natural Farming Renewables Desalination of seawater Q.3) ‘De-notified tribes' refers to Tribes which were earlier classified as criminal tribes Tribes which are aboriginals Nomadic tribes Tribes practising shifting cultivation Q.4) In the parlance of financial investments, which of the following statements is/are correct? A bull market is one where prices are rising A bear market is one where prices are falling Both A and B Neither A nor B Q.5) Which of the following are correct with respect to election of Vice president in India? He is elected by people directly He is elected by the members of Rajya Sabha only He is elected by the members of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha He is elected by the members of Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha and State Legislatures To Download the Solution - Click here All the Best IASbaba
IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs [Prelims + Mains Focus] - 04th October 2018
IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs (Prelims + Mains Focus)- 04th October 2018 Archives (PRELIMS+MAINS FOCUS) Rafale and the S-400 air defence system deal Part of: GS Prelims and Mains II and III – Defence and Security; International Relations In news: The acquisition of the Rafale fighter jets and the S-400 air defence system will go a long way in addressing the depleting squadron strength of the Indian Air Force (IAF). India and Russia are expected to conclude an agreement for five regiments of the S-400 Triumf air defence system. However, the US has urged India to forgo S-400 missile deal with Russia, warning that the deal could attract American sanctions. We have already read that, US’s domestic law requires its administration to impose CAATSA (Countering America’s Adversaries through Sanctions Act) sanctions on any country that has “significant transactions” with Iran, North Korea or Russia. Will President Trump waive these sanctions? Pic: https://d39gegkjaqduz9.cloudfront.net/TH/2018/10/04/CNI/Chennai/TH/5_11/9f3264f5_5861d707_101_mr.jpg Lagoon villas for Lakshadweep soon Part of: GS Prelims and Mains I and III – Geography; Tourism and Infrastructure In news: NITI Aayog plans to boost island tourism (especially Lakshadweep and Andaman and Nicobar Islands) Government plans to make Lakshadweep - a popular alternative to leading destinations such as Mauritius and Maldives Government to grant licenses to build villas and attract tourists from across the globe. These will mainly be eco-cottages, for which private players can bid to build. NITI Aayog, along with other stakeholders, including the Island Development Agency (IDA), which is chaired by Home Minister Rajnath Singh, is conducting a technical feasibility study. Persons in news: Frances H Arnold, George P Smith and Gregory P Winter In news: Frances H Arnold, George P Smith and Gregory P Winter win Nobel prize in chemistry. Briton and two Americans honoured for using evolutionary principles to develop proteins that have been used in new drugs and medical treatments. Pic: https://d39gegkjaqduz9.cloudfront.net/TH/2018/10/04/CNI/Chennai/TH/5_12/ab791998_2f705151_101_mr.jpg ‘Jewel of Roman Empire’ faces danger In news: UNESCO declared Sabratha to be at risk in 2016, mainly due to damage caused by armed groups The world heritage site is classified as “endangered” by UNESCO. Locals say snipers positioned themselves at the top of the amphitheatre, once a jewel of the Roman Empire. About Sabratha Sabratha is one of three former cities that constituted Roman Tripolitania. (The others are Oea — modern-day Tripoli — and Leptis Magna in western Libya that was one of the sites categorised as endangered by UNESCO two years ago.) It is located west of Tripoli, in Libya. It was an ancient Carthaginian city on the coast of north Africa. It lies on the Mediterranean coast about 70 km west of modern Tripoli. The extant archaeological site was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1982. Do you know? Since the toppling and killing of Libya’s dictator Muammar Qadhafi in a 2011 uprising, Sabratha has become a key departure point for illegal migration. Smugglers and militias have profited amply from a chronic security vacuum. It is from the long and deserted shores a few km from ancient Sabratha that most migrants start their perilous boat journeys towards Europe. (MAINS FOCUS) NATIONAL TOPIC: General Studies 2 Governance Government policies and issues arising out of their design and implementation General studies 3 Security issues Economy and technological advances A flight path with obstacles Introduction Up until the end of August, flying a drone was mostly illegal in India. With the publication of the drone regulations in late August, the Ministry of Civil Aviation has attempted to give some structure to the development of drone infrastructure in India. Potential benefits of drone tech Drones can be used in various sectors, especially in Agriculture for observing soil condition, weather, time of the year and other information helps analyse and to take corrective measures where necessary. A successful example of this is, Sensefly, a Swiss drone manufacturer, has customers around the world whose use of drones has resulted in higher yield and significantly lower usage of fertilizers and herbicides. China’s drone economy — manufacturing and development — will be worth $9 billion in 2020, while the U.S’s commercial drone market is expected to be $2.05 billion by 2023. There is much potential for India to tap in terms of economic value on the use of drones in areas such as transport management, disaster management, agriculture, etc. The drone policy India’s regulations separate drones into five categories — nano, micro, small, medium and large. There is very little regulation for flying a nano up to 50 metres height, except for not flying near airports, military sites or in segregated airspace. From the micro category onwards a unique identification number (UIN) is mandatory for each drone Once the UIN is obtained, operators have to apply for an Unmanned Aircraft Operator Permit (UAOP). Air space has been partitioned into Red Zone (flying not permitted), Yellow Zone (controlled airspace), and Green Zone (automatic permission). (Note: For more details on drone policy click here: Regulations for Drones) Policy contradictions While announcing the publication of drone guidelines, Civil Aviation Minister made two contradicting statements. For one, he estimated the potential of the “drone market” in India to be $1 trillion. And in the next he said India’s security environment necessitated extra precautions. It is with such a heavy eye on the precautions that the regulations have been drafted, that flying a drone is a task wrapped tightly in immense paperwork. There is a long list of documentation including security clearances from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in several cases. To fly a micro drone below 200 ft, users have to intimate the local police station 24 hours prior. Manufacturers of drones as well as technologists and researchers making applications using drones have to test fly these frequently, often several times a day. In an effort to make things slightly easy, the regulation provides a list of identified areas for testing and demonstration. Flying drones in these areas comes with less paperwork. However, the locations provided are so far from technology and development hubs that it is unclear how practical these will be. In Karnataka, for example, the identified areas are Chitradurga, Coorg and Ganimangala village (which does not even appear on Google maps), all of which are around 200 km from Bengaluru entailing nearly four hours of travel one way. With so many government authorities involved in allowing permission and keeping an eye, it is inevitable that operators could be slapped easily with real and perceived violations. The structure of these regulations makes the possibility of a red tape-free flight very slim. Way forward The security and privacy risks of allowing drones to fly in an unregulated manner are high. It may be recalled that in August, a drone was used in an attack on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro during a public meeting. However, if India is to reach even the fraction of the $1 trillion potential, it needs to figure out a more balanced manner of regulation. The current rules are a start, but only in the sense that they free all drones from their previous illegality. The real impact of drones will be in the many applications they will be put to, Agriculture is just one such. They are likely to be the disaster prevention systems, rescue operation leaders, and even public transport providers in the not too distant future. Missing out on working on these applications early enough will likely have serious repercussions to India’s future competitiveness in the field. Filing a series of applications in multiple copies and waiting for various government departments to respond is not the best way to get started. Connecting the dots: India’s drone use policy makes the possibility of a red tape-free flight very slim. Critically comment. ENVIRONMENT TOPIC: General Studies 3 Environment protection and conservation Indian traditional practices for conservation of environment In harmony with Mother Nature Introduction The United Nations honoured PM Narendra Modi with the Champions of the Earth Award. He feels that this award is not for an individual. Instead, it is recognition of the Indian culture and values, which have always placed emphasis on living in harmony with Mother Nature. It was a proud moment for every Indian to see India’s proactive role in mitigating climate change being acknowledged and appreciated by the United Nations. Human and Nature Human beings and nature have a very special relationship. Mother Nature has nurtured and nourished us. The first civilisations were established on the banks of rivers. Societies that live in harmony with nature flourish and prosper. Today, human society stands at an important crossroads. The path that we take hereon will not only determine our well-being but also that of the generations who will inhabit our planet after us. The imbalances between our greed and necessities have led to grave ecological imbalances. We can either accept this, go ahead with things as if it is business as usual, or we can take corrective actions. Positive change: Three things will determine how we as a society can bring a positive change. The first is internal consciousness. For that, there is no better place to look than our glorious past. Respect for nature is at the core of India’s traditions. The Atharvaveda contains the Prithvi Sukta, which contains unparalleled knowledge about nature and the environment. It is beautifully written in Atharvaveda: Salutations to Mother Earth. In Her is woven together Ocean and River Waters; in Her is contained Food which She manifests when ploughed; In Her indeed is alive all Lives; May She bestow us with that Life. The ancients write about the Panch Tatvas – Prithvi (Earth), Vayu (Air), Jal (Water), Agni (Fire), Akash (Sky) – and how our life systems are based on the harmonious functioning of these elements. The elements of nature are manifestations of divinity. Mahatma Gandhi wrote extensively on the environment and even practised a lifestyle where compassion towards the environment was essential. He propounded the Doctrine of Trusteeship, which places the onus on us, the present generation, to ensure that our coming generations inherit a clean planet. He called for sustainable consumption so that the world does not face a resource crunch. Leading lifestyles that are harmonious and sustainable are a part of our ethos. Once we realise how we are flag bearers of a rich tradition, it will automatically have a positive impact on our actions. The second aspect is public awareness. We need to talk, write, debate, discuss and deliberate as much as possible on questions relating to the environment. At the same time, it is vital to encourage research and innovation on subjects relating to the environment. This is when more people will know about the pressing challenges of our times and ways to mitigate them. When we as a society are aware of our strong links with environmental conservation and talk about it regularly, we will automatically be proactive in working towards a sustainable environment. Proactiveness is the third facet of bringing a positive change. We see this proactiveness in the Swachh Bharat Mission, which is directly linked to a sustainable future. With the blessings of the people of India, over 85 million households now have access to toilets for the first time. Over 400 million Indians no longer have to defecate in the open. Sanitation coverage is up from 39% to 95%. These are landmark efforts in the quest of reducing the strain on our natural surroundings. We see this proactiveness in the success of the Ujjwala Yojana, which has significantly reduced indoor air pollution due to unhealthy cooking practices that were causing respiratory diseases. Till date, over five crore Ujjwala connections have been distributed, thus ensuring a better and cleaner life for the women and their families. India is moving at a quick pace in cleaning its rivers. The Ganga, which is India’s lifeline, had become polluted in several parts. The Namami Gange Mission is changing this historical wrong. Emphasis is being given to proper treatment of sewage. At the core of our urban development initiatives such as AMRUT and the Smart Cities Mission is the need to balance urban growth with environmental care. The over 13 crore soil health cards distributed to farmers are helping them make informed decisions that will boost their productivity and improve the health of our land, which helps the coming generations. We have integrated objectives of Skill India in the environment sector and launched the schemes, including Green Skill Development Programme for skilling about seven million youth in environment, forestry, wildlife and climate change sectors by 2021. This will go a long way in creating numerous opportunities for skilled jobs and entrepreneurships in the environment sector. Our country is devoting unparalleled attention to new and renewable sources of energy. Over the last four years, this sector has become more accessible and affordable. The Ujala Yojana has led to the distribution of nearly 31 crore LED bulbs. The costs of LED bulbs have reduced and so have the electricity bills and the CO2 emissions. India’s proactiveness is seen internationally. India remained at the forefront of the COP-21 negotiations in Paris in 2015. In March 2018, world leaders of several countries converged in New Delhi to mark the start of the International Solar Alliance, an endeavour to harness the rich potential of solar energy and bring together all nations that are blessed with solar power. Climate justice While the world is talking about climate change, the call for climate justice has also reverberated from India. Climate justice is about safeguarding the rights and interests of the poor and marginalised sections of society, who are often the biggest sufferers from the menace of climate change. Conclusion Our actions today will have an impact on human civilisation much beyond our time. It is up to us to take on the mantle of global responsibility towards a sustainable future. The world needs to shift to a paradigm of environmental philosophy that is anchored in environmental consciousness rather than merely in government regulations. All those individuals and organisations who are working assiduously in this direction, deserve compliments. They have become the harbingers of a monumental change in our society. Connecting the dots: Indian culture and values have always placed emphasis on living in harmony with Mother Nature. 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) Oil and natural gas is not found in Andaman and Nicobar basin Lakshadweep basin Saurashtra Kachh basin Ganga basin Q.2) Which of the following statements are correct differences between Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and Lakshadweep Islands? Lakshadweep islands are of coral origin only while Andaman & Nicobar (A&N) Islands are of volcanic origin only. The average height of Lakshadweep islands above sea level is much lesser than A&N islands. Andaman and Nicobar islands have higher biodiversity than Lakshadweep islands. Select the code from below: 1 and 2 2 and 3 1 and 3 All of the above Q.3) Consider the following statements: 15th Finance Commission have the mandate to recommend grant of special category status (SCS) to States. Article 280 of the Indian Constitution defines the scope and functions of the commission. The qualifications of the members of commission are not specified in the Constitution. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? 1 and 2 only 2 and 3 only 3 only 1, 2 and 3 Q.4) Sabratha, one of three former cities that constituted Roman Tripolitania is located in - Libya Syria Lebanon Albania Q.5) Fifteenth Finance Commission (FCC) is headed by – Preetham Reddy Y V Reddy NK Singh Mihir Shah MUST READ The scope of constitutional morality The Hindu The creamy layer of social justice The Hindu No sweeping change — on Swachh Bharat Mission The Hindu The Uncovered Last Mile Indian Express The green state of mind Indian Express What the majority missed Indian Express When a woman points a finger at the powerful man Livemint Second Brexit referendum: a double-edged sword? Livemint
RSTV - Pending Cases: Way Forward
Pending Cases: Way Forward Archives TOPIC: General Studies 2 Structure, organization and functioning of the Executive and the Judiciary In News: According to the National Judicial Data Grid, around 23 lakh cases, which are over a decade old, are pending in various subordinate courts of the country. These cases constitute 8.29 per cent of the total nearly 2.50 crore cases pending in the lower courts. Of these, nearly 6 lakh cases are civil in nature and nearly 17 lakh are criminal in nature. According to National Judicial Data Grid (NJDG), the five states which account for the highest pendency are Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Bihar and Gujarat India has only 15 judges per million people, then Chief Justice of India Altamas Kabir said in 2013. That is a far cry from the 50 judges per million population recommended by the Law Commission in 2008 in its 120th report. It also pales in comparison to per capita judge availability in developed countries. The National Judicial Data Grid By: The e-Committee of the Supreme Court Aim: To provide data on cases pending in the district courts across the country It is a part of the on-going e-Courts Integrated Mission Mode Project, and the NJDG works as a monitoring tool to identify, manage and reduce pendency of cases. The burden of pending cases Citizens are poorly served by the state twice over: once when their access to the law exists more in name than in fact, and the second time when they are deprived of the benefits of economic growth that has been hamstrung by clogged courts. Not enough Judges: The present judge strength is insufficient to deal with a huge figure of pendency of cases – 4,954 judges’ posts vacant when the sanctioned strength of judicial officers was 21,324 Archaic laws: The archaic laws that fill up the statute books, faulty or vague drafting of laws and their multiple interpretations by various courts An increase in certain crimes such as crimes against women and increase in the reporting of criminal activities, have both contributed to rise in the workload of the judiciary. Poor manpower and crumbling infrastructure, coupled with a boom in litigation Lack of modernisation and digitisation Judges are paid little compared with lawyers, which has led to a steady decline in the calibre of those hearing cases. To add to the burden, lawyers frequently use delaying tactics such as routinely appealing against verdicts, or saying they are sick or failing to show up in court. The legal logjam has led to overcrowded prisons, with more than 68% of the prison population still on remand. Some prisons are more than two or three times over capacity. What could be the possible solutions? CJIs Letter A framework be put in place whereby each High Court every month takes stock of cases filed and disposed there as well as in subordinate courts. The CJI has requested the HC to prepare an action plan with cut-off dates for disposal of 10 and five year-old cases and such plans have to be continuously monitored by the committee at the level of HC and subordinate courts in the light of experience and new ideas. At the same time efforts must be made to ensure that at least the overall disposal matches with the overall institution (filing) of cases. The new mechanism must be put in place in addition to the arrears committees set up earlier to formulate steps to reduce pendency at high and district courts. Continuing formative assessment is the key to strengthen and reinforce the justice delivery system. It is essential to align a process-oriented approach with a result-oriented approach in an effort to build core processes into strength and achieve the desired goal Other Reforms Judicial case management: Here, the court sets a timetable for the case and the judge actively monitors progress. This marks a fundamental shift in the management of cases—the responsibility for which moves from the litigants and their lawyers to the court. Strict guidelines for the grant of adjournments, curtailing vacation time in the higher judiciary, reducing the time for oral arguments unless the case involves a complicated question of law, and framing clear and decisive judgements to avoid further litigation The courts should also seriously consider incorporating technology into the system; digitizing courts records, leveraging Artificial Intelligence to assist judges and lawyers. Better pay and services for the Judges are also important Unlike a bureaucrat or politician, whose work is primarily to sanction or implement government policy through an army of officers, judicial decision-making is a complex, time-consuming process. It directly affects the rights and livelihoods of persons, which in turn requires hearings on facts, legal precedent and the arguments of lawyers of both parties. Therefore, the problems that judiciary is facing needs to be taken up in an urgent manner. Please Note: Civil cases: Usually involves private disputes between persons or organisations Criminal cases: Involves an action that is considered to be harmful to society as a whole. In criminal trials, the process itself is a punishment. Many under-trial prisoners end up doing their entire sentence without getting a full trial Connecting the Dots: The role of a robust judiciary in a nation’s development is pivotal. Discuss. The result of these never-ending cases is a crisis of faith in the legal system. Do you agree? Discuss. In the absence of speedy justice, vigilantism thrives. Examine.
UPSC Quiz- 2019 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz [Day 80]
UPSC Quiz- 2019 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz [Day 80] Archives Q.1) The ‘São Paulo Round’ is associated with Asia Pacific Trade Agreement Global System of Trade Preferences Broad based Trade and Investment Agreement Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Q.2) Which of the following statements is/are correct? India and Pakistan have no formal trade agreement. India has granted Most Favoured Nation (MFN) Status to Pakistan Both (a) and (b) Neither (a) nor (b) Q.3) MERCOSUR is a trading bloc in East Africa South America West Africa Scandinavia Q.4) ‘South African Customs Union (SACU)’ comprises of Lesotho Swaziland Botswana Select the correct code: 1 and 2 2 and 3 1 and 3 All of the above Q.5) Which of the following countries is part of European Free Trade Association (EFTA)? Liechtenstein Monaco Luxembourg Select the correct code: 1 and 2 2 and 3 1 and 3 1 Only To Download the Solution - Click here All the Best IASbaba
IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs [Prelims + Mains Focus] - 03rd October 2018
IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs (Prelims + Mains Focus)- 03rd October 2018 Archives (PRELIMS+MAINS FOCUS) International Sanitation Convention Part of: GS Prelims and Mains II and III – Environment and Ecology; Health In News: PM Modi addressed an international sanitation convention on the fourth anniversary of the cleanliness mission. He said - India was taking the lead on the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal on sanitation and was on course to fulfil its commitments 11 years early. More than 94% of rural households across the country have now been declared open defecation free in comparison to just 39% when the mission was launched four years ago. Modi also said that the membership of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) — so far restricted to countries between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn — would be expanded to include all member countries of the United Nations. He urged world leaders to move towards a future of ‘one world, one sun, one grid’ in which countries around the world would share electricity so that none is without it. About Sustainable Development Goals (Fast Recap) 17 SDGs were adopted by UN member nations in 2015. The deadline to meet them is 2030. How to remember all 17 Goals? I Can HELP Yes, “I Can HELP” is your answer I2 1. Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure 2. Inequality Can5 3. Clean water and Sanitation 4. Clean Energy 5. Climate Change 6. Cities and Communities 7. Consumption and Production H2 8. Hunger 9. Health E3 10. Education 11. Equality 12. Economic Growth, Decent Work L2 13. Life below water 14. Life on land P3 15. Poverty 16. Peace and Justice 17. Partnerships for the Goals Champions of the Earth Award Part of: GS Prelims and Mains III – Environment and Ecology In news: United Nations Environment Programme honours PM Modi with United Nation's Top Environmental Award - Champions of the Earth The UN recognised Modi with its highest environmental honor in the policy leadership category for his efforts to eliminate all single use plastic in India by 2022. President of France, Emmanuel Macron has also been awarded in the same category for his work on the Global Pact for the Environment. They were selected for their pioneering work in championing the International Solar Alliance. Do you know? India and France had together launched the ISA on sidelines of the UN climate conference (COP21) in Paris in 2015. The ISA is an inter-governmental body of solar rich nations whose objective is to galvanise actions for increasing solar power footprints in 121 potential member countries across the globe. The ISA is headquartered in Gurugram near New Delhi in India. India's Cochin International Airport - the world's first fully solar-powered airport - is also selected for the award. It is selected in the Entrepreneurial Vision category for its leadership in the use of sustainable energy. The annual 'Champions of the Earth' prize is awarded to outstanding leaders from government, civil society and the private sector whose actions have had a positive impact on the environment. UNESCO Global Geopark Network status Part of: GS Prelims and Mains I and III – India Art, Culture and Heritage; Heritage sites; Tourism In news: Geological Survey chooses heritage locations in Maharashtra and Karnataka for UNESCO site status. Heritage locations Lonar Lake – An ancient circular lake created by a meteorite strike in Maharashtra Mary’s Island and Malpe beach – A hexagonal mosaic of basaltic rocks in an island off Udupi – The above heritage locations are poised to become global geoparks. Criteria to become Geopark: An aspiring Global Geopark must have – a dedicated website, a corporate identity, comprehensive management plan, protection plans, finance, and partnerships for it to be accepted. Do you know? The Geopark tag is akin to that of a ‘World Heritage Site’ for historical monuments that can bring India’s famed geological features to the global stage. (50,000 years old) Lonar lake is the only known meteorite crater in basaltic rock and is world famous. Mary’s island is a unique phenomenon that has been preserved well - estimated to be an 88-million-year-old formation that goes back to a time when Greater India broke away from Madagascar. Odisha launches own food security scheme Part of: GS Prelims and Mains II – Centre State Relations; Government schemes and policies for welfare of people In news: The Naveen Patnaik government launched its own food security scheme on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti. The scheme is expected to benefit 25 lakh people who were left out of the National Food Security Act. The State government had decided to launch its own food security scheme after the Centre did not respond to its request to add additional beneficiaries under the NFSA. Toilet-for-all: WHO calls for more investment Part of: GS Prelims and Mains II – Role of International organisations; Health issue In news: Vice-President M. Venkaiah Naidu inaugurated the world’s largest dome at the Maharashtra Institute of Technology (MIT)’s World Peace University (MIT-WPU) campus at Loni Kalbhor on the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. The dome is built atop the MIT World Peace Library and the World Peace Prayer Hall, which are named after the 13th century poet-saint and philosopher Dnyaneshwar — a pivotal figure of the Bhakti movement in Maharashtra. World Health Organization (WHO) recently launched its first global guidelines on sanitation and health. WHO said that by adopting its new guidelines, countries can significantly reduce diarrhoeal deaths due to unsafe water and poor sanitation and hygiene. Do you know? Worldwide, 2.3 billion people lack basic sanitation (with almost half of them forced to defecate in the open). They are among the 4.5 billion without access to safely managed sanitation services – in other words a toilet connected to a sewer or pit or septic tank that treats human waste. Sanitation is a fundamental foundation of human health and development and underpins the core mission of WHO and ministries of health worldwide. The WHO developed the new guidelines on sanitation and health because current sanitation programmes are not achieving anticipated health gains and there is a lack of authoritative health-based guidance on sanitation. India sends relief material to Indonesia Part of: GS Prelims and Mains Paper III- Disaster management; International Relations In news: IAF aircraft and naval ships on the way to tsunami-hit Palu The Navy has diverted its ships INS Tir, Sujata and Shardul on deployment to Singapore to Palu in Indonesia. The IAF has deployed one C-130J and one C-17 transport aircraft to ferry medical teams and relief material. Indians to be hit by U.K. immigration plan Part of: GS Mains II – International Relations; India and the World In news: Under the new system, immigrants will be able to bring their immediate families only if they are sponsored by employers The move would be the biggest shake-up of Britain’s immigration system in decades. Under the existing system, employees are able to bring family members with them if they meet certain criteria, including crossing a certain salary threshold. The system is already extremely restrictive for workers from India and this is going to make it even more so. Laser pioneers win Physics Nobel Persons in news In news: Three scientists won the Nobel Physics Prize for inventing optical lasers that have paved the way for advanced precision instruments used in corrective eye surgery. Arthur Ashkin of the U.S., Gerard Mourou of France and Donna Strickland of Canada Ashkin, 96, was honoured for his invention of “optical tweezers” that grab particles, atoms, viruses and other living cells with their laser beam fingers. With this he was able to use the radiation pressure of light to move physical objects Mourou, 74, and Ms. Strickland ,59 won for helping develop a method to generate ultra-short optical pulses, “the shortest and most intense laser pulses ever created by mankind. Their technique is now used in corrective eye surgery. (MAINS FOCUS) NATIONAL TOPIC: General Studies 1, 2 and 4 Persons in history, India after independence Social justice, empowerment of vulnerable sections of the society Ethics and integrity, leadership qualities Why Shastri matters today Introduction The nation must not only pay homage to its leaders on their birth and death anniversaries, but also make the younger generation aware of their stellar contribution to the good of the country. One such statesman is Lal Bahadur Shastri, who is remembered every year along with the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi, on October 2. The man of integrity Like millions of Indians, Shastri drew inspiration from the Mahatma and plunged into the freedom struggle when he was in his teens. More than 60 years ago, Shastri showed what probity and integrity in public life are all about. Following a train accident at Ariyalur in Tamil Nadu, in which more than 140 people were killed, he resigned as railway minister taking moral responsibility for the incident. Lauding him for his integrity, the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru said that he was accepting his resignation because it would set an example in constitutional propriety, although Shastri was in no way responsible for it. A rational and moral personality He displayed a broad outlook at a very young age and dropped his caste-based surname when he was in the seventh standard. His progressive attitude came to the fore when he asked for khadi cloth and a spinning wheel as dowry. His maiden Independence Day speech in 1964 is as relevant today as it was then. Shastri observed: “We can win respect in the world only if we are strong internally and can banish poverty and unemployment from our country. Above all, we need national unity. Communal, provincial and linguistic conflicts weaken the country. Therefore, we have to forge national unity. I appeal to all to work for national unity and usher in a social revolution to make our country strong. In the ultimate analysis, the strength of the country does not lie in its material wealth alone. It requires people like Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and Rabindranath Tagore. It requires the force of character and moral strength. I appeal to our young men to inculcate discipline in themselves discipline and work for the unity and advancement of the nation”. His stress on character and moral strength acquire special significance today, when we see all-round degeneration of values in various fields. Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan During the Indo-Pakistan war in 1965, Shastri gave the immortal slogan, “Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan,” which continues to inspire every Indian even today. During his prime ministerial tenure, which unfortunately was cut short by his untimely death, Shastri boosted the morale of the nation by leading India to victory over Pakistan. His vision for self-sufficiency in foodgrains led to sowing the seeds of the Green Revolution, and promotion of the White Revolution. The country owes it to him in no small measure that we are self-sufficient in foodgrains production today. During his speech at death anniversary of Swami Dayanand Saraswati he said : “The nation cannot afford to relax. It is difficult to say what the future holds for us. Pakistan had not yet given up her policy of aggression. The duty of the nation is therefore clear. The country’s defences have to be strengthened. The people should spare no efforts to strengthen the defences. Side-by-side, food production has to be increased. Food self-sufficiency is as important as a strong defence system. It was for this reason that I raised the slogan, ‘Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan’. The kisan is as much a soldier as the jawan”. Many years later, former Prime Minister A B Vajpayee added “Jai Vigyan” to Shastri’s slogan in order to hail achievements of Indian scientists. Country's interests first Shastri placed the country’s interests above everything else. Although he was wedded to the principles of peace, Shastri showed that he was made of sterner mettle when it came to protecting India’s unity and integrity. His response was swift and decisive in ordering the Indian armed forces to retaliate against Pakistan’s unprovoked aggression. Shastri’s love for the motherland was evident when he responded to Mahatma Gandhi’s call to join the Non-Cooperation Movement at the young age of 16. An incident from his life shows that he was a man of deeds. Before appealing to the countrymen to skip one meal a week in the wake of the foodgrain shortage, he implemented the measure at his house. His appeal had an electrifying impact and many households across the country responded positively to his call. A visionary man His humane quality was reflected in another instance. As Uttar Pradesh’s Minister of Police and Transport, he ordered that the police should use water jets instead of lathis to control unruly crowds. The fact that Shastri was the first transport minister to open the post of bus conductors to women showed how forward-looking he was. His visionary outlook is reflected in the observations he had made at a rural projects meet in Delhi in 1964. “We must inject new elements in the services. Let us introduce professors, economists, teachers, engineers and others, even outsiders, so that there is some freshness, a real exchange of views, a meeting of different approaches,” he said. Perhaps, the government’s decision to open 10 senior civil services positions for lateral entry is in line with this philosophy. Conclusion The present times require every Indian to emulate the simplicity, humility, humanism, austerity, hard work, dedication and nationalism displayed by the unassuming second prime minister of India. Following his ideals would be a fitting tribute to him on his birth anniversary. The nation must always remember the contributions of leaders such as Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, B R Ambedkar, Lal Bahadur Shastri and Syama Prasad Mookerjee and many others, in independent India. Connecting the dots: What are the contributions of Lal Bahadur Shastri to post-Independent India’s polity and economy? Do you think he is relevant in today’s time? NATIONAL/DISASTER MANAGEMENT TOPIC: General Studies 1 Physical Geography of India Earthquakes and their causes General Studies 3 Environment conservation Disaster management Studying fault lines Introduction Recent Kerala floods started the debates and studies about dams and resrviors, and their sesimic effects. Even very small reservoirs impounding water seasonally can cause deformation in the neighbouring region. Such deformation may add to the stress of a nearby fault, which if already critically stressed, can trigger an earthquake. Prone areas of reservoirs induced seismic activity A 6.3-magnitude earthquake near the Koyna dam that struck in December 1967, killing about 180 people, occurred about five years after it was built. Many smaller quakes occur each year. Based on Global Positioning System and satellite data, a team of researchers led by Vineet Gahalaut of the National Centre for Seismology, found crustal deformation in four reservoirs — Koyna, Tehri, Ukai, and Dharoi. These are of varying sizes and are located in different geological zones in India. There are no reports of any earthquake from the other three reservoirs. But that does not mean there are no earthquakes. It is just that we don’t have adequate seismic monitoring network to collect data in these places. Study on seismic activity induced by reservoirs In two papers published recently in the journal Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, the researchers concluded that there is “no lower threshold on the size of the reservoir to cause deformation” in the surrounding area. The researchers found that the eastern block of the Koyna-Warna fault zone is moving about 0.7 mm faster per year than the western block. Such anomalous motion adds stress to the fault, leading to earthquakes. Differences in the rock composition could be causing the differential movement. Lubricating the fault The strength of the fault reduces when the reservoirs are full. Impounding of water causes stress, and the water that percolates from the reservoir lubricates the fault, thus reducing the frictional force, leading to reduced strength of the fault or even aiding the fault to fail, causing an earthquake. In addition to deformation caused by loading of the reservoir, tectonic movement of crustal plates causes stress build-up. The fault fails, causing an earthquake, when the combined stress caused by the two factors crosses a critical point. Conclusion Along with disaster management and Environment conservation, there is need to invest in Research and developments. Integrated approach for R&D in related fields like civil engineering, environment and ecology, seismology, etc. can help in mitigating the negative effects of large infrastructure projects. Connecting the dots: What is reservoir induced seismic activity? Explain with examples; also suggest some measures to mitigate the disasters. (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: India and France had together launched the ISA on sidelines of the UN climate conference (COP21) in Paris in 2016. The ISA is an inter-governmental body of solar rich nations whose objective is to galvanise actions for increasing solar power footprints in 121 potential member countries across the globe. The ISA is headquartered in Gurugram near New Delhi in India. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? 1 and 3 only 1 and 2 only 2 and 3 only 1, 2 and 3 Q.2) Which of the following programmes are under the International Solar Alliance? Scaling Solar Applications for Agricultural Use Affordable Finance at Scale Scaling Solar Mini Grids Select the correct code: 1 and 2 2 and 3 1 and 3 All of the above Q.3) Which among the following heritage sites were chose by Geological Survey recently for UNESCO Global Geopark Network status? Rani ki vav Lonar Lake Mary’s Island Pattadakal Choose correct answer: 1 and 2 only 2 and 3 only 2 and 4 only 1 and 3 only Q.4) Consider the following statements about ‘Lonar Lake’ It is a caldera lake It is a saline lake created during the Pleistocene Select the correct statements 1 Only 2 Only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.5) Recently, Vice-President M. Venkaiah Naidu inaugurated the world’s largest dome at – Karnataka Andhra Pradesh Maharashtra Gujarat MUST READ In the court of last resort The Hindu A flight path with obstacles The Hindu ‘Swachh Bharat has become a people’s movement’ The Hindu In bad company Indian Express A Cure Called Inclusion Indian Express From Plate to Plough: Get smarter on the farm Indian Express The Mahatma’s economics Indian Express Indian agriculture’s problem of scale Livemint Blended finance for meeting the SDGs Livemint
IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs [Prelims + Mains Focus] - 02nd October 2018
IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs (Prelims + Mains Focus)- 02nd October 2018 Archives (PRELIMS+MAINS FOCUS) IL&FS Crisis and role of National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) Part of: GS Prelims and Mains III – Indian Economy and related issues About: IL&FS Group sent shock waves through credit markets when it began missing debt repayments. The IL&FS, India's leading infrastructure finance company, is facing a serious liquidity crisis and has failed to make over a dozen payments. IL&FS’ problems could threaten India’s economic growth as lenders cut exposure to non-banking finance companies (NBFCs) or shadow banks. More concerning is that potential defaults at so-called shadow banks could cripple many mutual funds that are heavily invested in their commercial paper. In news: Government intervenes in the IL&FS crisis. The government moved National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) to supersede the IL&FS board and change the company management. The company is listed as “systemically important” by the Reserve Bank of India, and with over ₹1,15,000 crore of assets and ₹91,000 crore of debt, it is too big to fail. The interlinkages between IL&FS and other financial sector entities such as banks, mutual funds and infrastructure players are too strong and the company would have taken them all down with it if it were allowed to fail. Do you know? About National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) The Central Government has constituted National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) under section 408 of the Companies Act, 2013 (18 of 2013) w.e.f. 01st June 2016. NCLT is a quasi-judicial body, exercising equitable jurisdiction, which was earlier being exercised by the High Court or the Central Government. The Tribunal has powers to regulate its own procedures. The establishment of the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) consolidates the corporate jurisdiction of the following authorities: Company Law Board Board for Industrial and Financial Reconstruction. The Appellate Authority for Industrial and Financial Reconstruction. Jurisdiction and powers relating to winding up restructuring and other such provisions, vested in the High Courts. Powers of NCLT The NCLT has been empowered to exercise the following powers: Most of the powers of the Company Law Board under the Companies Act, 1956. All the powers of BIFR for revival and rehabilitation of sick industrial companies; Power of High Court in the matters of mergers, demergers, amalgamations, winding up, etc.; Power to order repayment of deposits accepted by Non-Banking Financial Companies as provided in section 45QA of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934; Power to wind up companies; Power to Review its own orders. The NCLT shall have powers and jurisdiction of the Board for Industrial and Financial Reconstruction (BIFR), the Appellate Authority for Industrial and Financial Reconstruction (AAIFR), Company Law Board, High Courts relating to compromises, arrangements, mergers, amalgamations and reconstruction of companies, winding up etc. Thus, multiplicity of litigation before various courts or quasi-judicial bodies or forums have been sought to be avoided. The powers of the NCLT shall be exercised by the Benches constituted by its President. Gir sees 21 lion deaths in 19 days Part of: GS Prelims and Mains III – Animal conservation; Biodiversity In news: As many as 21 lions have died in Gujarat’s Gir forest since September 12. Gir is considered as only abode of Asiatic lions in the world. Gir is home to India's entire population of around 500 wild Asiatic lions. Reason - Infighting and infections in liver and kidney are the main causes for the recent death of lions. Relentless development near Gir — roads through the forest in the 1,400-square kilometre-wildlife sanctuary, expanding villages and illegal mining — is also forcing animal-human proximity. Do you know? IUCN Status: Endangered The lion is one of five pantherine cats inhabiting India, along with the Bengal tiger, Indian leopard, snow leopard and clouded leopard. It was also known as "Indian lion" and "Persian lion". Early Warning for Tsunami and Earthquake Part of: GS Prelims and Mains III - Disaster management About– Indian Tsunami Early Warning Centre (ITEWC), which is based at & operated by Indian National Center for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS), Hyderabad has all necessary infrastructure and capabilities to give tsunami advisories to India as well as to Indian Ocean countries. Working of ITEWC ITEWC is providing tsunami warnings and related services to all countries in the Indian Ocean Rim (24 Countries) beyond fully serving the India’s coastline / Islands. The centre is capable of detecting tsunamigenic earthquakes occurring in the Indian Ocean as well as in the Global Oceans within 10 minutes of their occurrence. Key inputs for developing strategic plan for addressing issues of Climate Change impacts on the Himalayan ecosystem. As soon as the earthquake is detected, warning centre transmits information about location of earthquake, its magnitude, depth and other characters of the event. In news: Though ITEWC scientists detected the earthquake on the Pacific Ocean bed, they failed to detect any unusual activity in the oceanic buoys and sea level tide gauges. Scientists puzzled by ‘peculiar’ tsunami, which struck Palu, Indonesia. India and China: “Wuhan spirit” Part of: GS Prelims and Mains II – India and its neighbours; International Relations In news: After the Wuhan summit, mutual confidence between China and India was promoted. Experts and academicians feel – “China and India can cooperate under two-plus-one formula” to bring development in countries such as Maldives, Afghanistan and Nepal. The 2+1 mechanism (Wuhan Spirit) was proposed by China at Wuhan, where New Delhi and Beijing would coordinate their responses while engaging a third country in South Asia. The mechanism can enhance mutual trust between China and India and may also prevent other South Asian countries from being caught in between. Person in news: Justice Gogoi In news: Justice Gogoi will take over on October 3 as India’s 46th Chief Justice of India and the first top judge from Assam. Person in news: Gita Gopinath In news: International Monetary Fund (IMF) appointed India-born Gita Gopinath as Economic Counsellor and Director of the IMF’s Research Department. Person in news: Tasuku Honjo and James Allison In news: S.-Japanese pair win Nobel Medicine Prize Two immunologists, James Allison of the U.S. and Tasuku Honjo of Japan, won the 2018 Nobel Medicine Prize for research into how the body’s natural defences can fight cancer. Unique research: They figured out how to help the patient’s own immune system tackle the cancer more quickly. Do you know? T-cells are a type of white blood cell that play a central role in the body’s natural immunity to disease. CTLA-4 (cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4) is a protein receptor that, functioning as an immune checkpoint, downregulates immune responses. (MAINS FOCUS) NATIONAL TOPIC: Paper I: Essay General Studies 1: Personalities in Indian national movements General Studies 4: Ethics; Indian thinkers and philosophers Gandhi: Philosophy and significance in present times Introduction The world prepares to celebrate Mahatma Gandhi’s 150th birth anniversary in 2019, also mourning the 70th anniversary of his assassination in January 1948. Opinions and views about his person and his non-violent technique of struggle remain deeply divided. For some, he was a puritanical, conservative critique of modernity. For them he created and perpetuated unrealistic and confused ideas about economic development and technological progress For his admirers, Gandhi was a man of spiritual truthfulness and democratic action, both at the public and personal levels, with a unique method of struggle that combined political pragmatism with ethical integrity. Some among these admirers evaluate Gandhi’s impact on human history as being as significant as that of Jesus, Buddha and Karl Marx. Two Gandhis In the minds of people around the world, Gandhi represents two different and contradictory characters. The first Gandhi is the political Gandhi who fought against British colonialism and is the father of the modern Indian nation. This is the man Albert Einstein lauded as “a leader of his people, unsupported by any outward authority, a politician whose success rests not upon craft nor the mastery of technical devices, but simply on the convincing power of his personality.” The second Gandhi is the Ashramic Gandhi who is more of a mystic than a politician, who used fasting as a method of struggle, and who Rabindranath Tagore considered as the “Mahatma”, the “Great Soul”. Quest for spiritual cause; Satya In Gandhi’s autobiography, The Story of My Experiments with Truth, one can find the idea that life is nothing but a spiritual experience with truth, and a struggle against all forms of untruth and injustice. As such, Gandhi claimed that his life was his message, simply because he extended his practice of satyagraha to all walks of life. Gandhi, in short, was a leader looking for a spiritual cause. He found it, of course, in his non-violence and, ultimately, in independence for India. Truth, Satya, was the central axis of the Gandhian system of thought and practice. For Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, everything turned on Truth — satyagraha, swaraj, ahimsa, ashram, brahmacharya, yajna, charkha, khadi, and finally, moksha itself. Gandhi's life and ideas arranged around the axial principle of Truth: “Truth is not merely that which we are expected to speak and follow. It is that which alone is, it is that of which all things are made, it is that which subsists by its own power, which alone is eternal.” Truth alone triumphs? An example is the on-going controversy in the United States about the proposed appointment of Federal Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court as the nominee of the Republican Party, even as he stands accused of sexually assaulting a lady, when they were both teenagers. Outcome hinges exactly on the truth of her testimony versus his defence. Only one can be true. When Truth is rendered negotiable and dispensable, the balance of justice is disastrously upset. Arguably Americans, too, could have recourse to Gandhi, though perhaps not in the way that we in India might. Gandhi strained to hear the “small, still voice” within himself, the voice belonging to one he called “antaryami”, “atma” or “God” — an inner prompt, the self as a guide and a compass – so that he could keep moving ever closer to Truth. It was this voice that he followed, sometimes to the bafflement of others who could not hear it. This was the voice that made him undertake life-threatening fasts his health wouldn’t permit; withdraw from active politics at the most crucial junctures of India’s anti-colonial struggle; and many other decisions which are still difficult for us to understand. Even close and loyal associates like Jawaharlal Nehru and Vallabhbhai Patel were often confounded by Gandhi’s actions and decisions; more sceptical and antagonistic peers like M.A. Jinnah and B.R. Ambedkar couldn’t make sense of his motivations at all. No power on earth is able to steer Gandhi away from his self-charted path towards Truth. “The strangest experiment” was Gandhi’s move to have his young grand-niece Manu sleep next to him, as he travelled through ravaged Hindu and Muslim settlements in Bihar and Bengal during the height of communal violence on the eve of Partition. No matter what the reactions of his colleagues, for Gandhi it was not strange, precisely because it was one of his ‘experiments with truth’. Home and the world Of late, many musicians in south India have faced vicious attacks from rightwing Hindutva groups for singing hymns and psalms, thereby allegedly hijacking “Hindu” Carnatic music for “Christian” evangelical aims. This despite the fact that the violin, central to the Carnatic system in modern times, is a European gift to Indian music. Both Christian and Muslim religious lyrics and poetry have been a constitutive part of the Carnatic repertoire throughout the 20th century. Gandhi made great use of the Bible in his prayers, teachings, writings and Ashram liturgies. He was often accused of being a crypto-Christian. However, he flatly refused to give preference to the Vedas over the Bible. He is no Sanatani Hindu who is narrow, bigoted and considers evil to be good if it has the sanction of antiquity and is to be found supported in any Sanskrit book. Just before the Kristallnacht (an incident known as “Kristallnacht”, Nazis in Germany torched synagogues, vandalized Jewish homes, schools and businesses and killed close to 100 Jews), Gandhi advised European Jews to relocate to Palestine and make it their homeland only with the cooperation and goodwill of native Arabs, and not otherwise. This appalled even sympathetic Jews like Buber and Magnes, who had admired and supported Gandhi at the time of the Salt March in 1930, before the Nazi takeover of Germany. But now the tables are turned, and a rightwing Israeli state under Benjamin Netanyahu seems hell-bent on exterminating the Palestinians. Gandhi’s counter-intuitive Truth informs the civil disobedience, passive resistance and non-violent protest of both Arab and Jewish activists who oppose the continuing occupation and takeover of dwindling and defenceless Palestinian territories by bellicose Israeli forces. Gandhi a political thinker and a social reformer There is more to Gandhi which makes him a political thinker and a relevant social reformer. Gandhi was a dialogical thinker who was open to other horizons of thinking. He firmly believed that the spirit of genuine reciprocity and solidarity is not just a moral requirement, but also a geopolitical necessity. Gandhi rejected the idea that there is one privileged path to god. He also believed that all religious traditions are an unstable mixture of truth and error. He encouraged inter-religious and inter-cultural dialogue, so that individuals could see their faith and culture in a comparative and critical reflection of the other. As such, Gandhi considered interculturalism as a call for simultaneous awareness of commonalities, acceptance of differences, and recognition of shared values. Interestingly, Gandhi was a political thinker and a social practitioner who was constantly experimenting with modes of comparative and cross-border cultural constellations. In Gandhi’s political thinking, the experience of freedom derives not only from constitutional rights but mainly from the diverse modes of participation of the individual in a common humanity. Today, many around the world consider Gandhian ideas as impractical, not to say utopian. Gandhian ethics of social and political reconstruction are more relevant than ever, since they represent an act of self-transformation of humanity rather than an illusory dream of a political leader. Gandhi wanted to change the values that govern the social, political and economic activities in human society. Gandhi believed that decentralised politics and an egalitarian economy function better at the level of micro-communities, where citizens can operate in relations of reciprocity and mutuality. For him, it was clear that neither society nor the individual can live without a moral vision of the world. Gandhi had his moral and political dreams of changing humanity. Conclusion There are ample events and incidents insisting that we can continue to consult Gandhi on all manner of issues that may trouble our individual or collective conscience. Truth is the key to Gandhi’s philosophy, and we rely on Gandhi even decades after his death and long after his supposed lapse into political irrelevance. To be sure, Gandhi certainly deserves the honour as a courageous fighter, a deep thinker, and a great leader of men and ideas. Gandhi was a man of experimentation, a man who insisted on the quest for truth. Therefore, it should not come to us as a surprise that the literal meaning of satyagraha is “asserting for truth”. As a dreamer who looked for a harmonious universe, Gandhi was a hedgehog, but as a pragmatist who had a devastating sense of reality, he was a fox who knew many things about the insane world of human beings filled with hatred, revenge, greed for power and violence. Connecting the dots: Throw light on the significance of the thoughts of Mahatma Gandhi in the present times. (UPSC 2018: GS I; 10 marks) (Note: Above article has been prepared by analysing two lead editorials, “The voice that is great within us” and “Gandhi: a fox or a hedgehog?” Case studies given in the article will be help full to prove the relevance of Gandhi in present times.) ENVIRONMENT TOPIC: General Studies 3 Government policies and issues arising out of their design and implementation Environment pollution, control and mitigation Up in the air Introduction The onset of the winter season has come to be associated with toxic atmospheric pollution in north India. This year will be a crucial test for a scheme piloted by the Union government to address the winter haze. Causes of winter pollution in Delhi The road dust and pollution from heavy vehicles are primarily responsible for the noxious pall that sets on Delhi and other urban centres. The burning of paddy stubble by farmers to clear their fields for the next crop is considered to be responsible for 20% of the smog. Given Delhi’s geography, low wind speeds and a spike in local pollution (from vehicles, biomass burning, firecrackers, etc.) raise the particulate matter count dramatically during winter. Government Steps To address this, and under directions from the Supreme Court-constituted Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority, or EPCA, the Centre is partnering with Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh to provide farmers with a range of mechanised implements to clear their fields of paddy crop residue to prepare for sowing wheat. There is a 50% subsidy to farmers, and a 75% waiver to cooperative societies, agencies that rent out equipment, farmers’ interest groups or gram panchayats to buy such machines. States have got nearly Rs. 650 crore to help farmers buy subsidised equipment such as Happy Seeder, paddy straw choppers and Zero Till Drill. Punjab, which of the three States has the largest acreage under paddy, has a target of procuring 24,315 machines by October 15. A task force, headed by the Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister and comprising Environment Ministry officials and Chief Secretaries of these States, have been meeting since January to prepare for the winter. Concerns Reports suggest that many farmers, particularly those with land holdings of less than 5 acres, remain sceptical of the efficiency of these machines. Among their concerns is whether these machines will affect productivity. Many have told officials that they are worried there could be damage to the soil. Ironically, it was technology that contributed to the problem in the first place. The rising cost of labour nudged farmers to adopt mechanised equipment that, while efficient, left behind much longer stalks of paddy than what the traditional practice of removing them by hand did. Way forward Just making technological tools available may not be enough; there needs to be proactive engagement to both persuade and reassure farmers. The greater availability of machines and the zero-tolerance policy need to be seen as works in progress to derive lessons on how to refine the crop-clearing process in an ecologically sound manner. There must also be a sense of proportion, as 80% of the atmospheric pollution in Delhi in winter draws from sources other than burning stubble. To be effective, the fight against pollution must necessarily be broad-based. Connecting the dots: What are the causes of air pollution in Delhi, during winter season? Suggest measures to control it, also mention steps taken by central and local administration. (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) National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) is appellate tribunal for which of the following? Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India Competition Commission of India (CCI) National Company Law Tribunal(s) All the above Q.2) Consider the following statements about National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) It is under the Ministry of Law and Justice It replaced the Company Law Board (CLB) It is set up at Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata and Chennai only Which of the following statement(s) is/are correct? Only 1 1 and 2 Only 2 1 and 3 Q.3) Consider the following statements with reference to Asiatic Lion: The species are listed as ‘Critically Endangered’ on IUCN Red List. The lions face threat from poaching and habitat fragmentation. Currently, these are protected only in the Gir National Park. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? 1 and 3 Only 1 Only 2 1,2 and 3 Q.4) Consider the following statements about Indian National Center for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) It is under the aegis of Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) It is a permanent member of the Indian delegation to Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO Select the correct statements 1 Only 2 Only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.5) Which of the following correctly defines ‘swell waves’? High waves generated by high tide during Spring Tide. High waves generated during Tsunamis. Collection of waves produced by storm winds raging hundreds of miles out to sea. Waves at the beach produced by change in local winds Q.6) Consider the following statements about Tsunami The speed of tsunami waves depends on ocean depth rather than the distance from the source of the wave. These are generated by high magnitude earthquakes in the ocean floors or violent under sea volcanic eruptions or by massive undersea landslides. Select the correct answer using the codes below: 1 only 2 only 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 MUST READ The voice that is great within us The Hindu Up in the air — on stubble burning The Hindu The algebra of dissent The Hindu Gandhi for the young Indian Express Why Shastri matters today Indian Express Creating an India Consensus for growth Livemint How Swachh Bharat created disruption Livemint
UPSC Quiz- 2019 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz [Day 79]
UPSC Quiz- 2019 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz [Day 79] Archives Q.1) Consider the following statements about ‘Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI)’ It is an indicator of the economic health of the manufacturing sector The PMI is based on new orders, inventory levels, production, supplier deliveries and the employment environment A PMI of more than 50 represents contraction of the manufacturing sector when compared to the previous month Which of the following statements is/are correct? 1 Only 1 and 2 2 and 3 All of the above Q.2) ‘Variable Infiltration Capacity Model’ which was in news recently is associated with Ethanol Blending Reverse Osmosis Solar Energy Soil Moisture Q.3) Consider the following statements about ‘Asian Development Bank (ADB)’ ADB raises funds through bond issues on the world's capital markets. ADB is an official United Nations Observer. ADB provides direct financial assistance to private sector companies, for projects that have clear social benefits beyond the financial rate of return. Select the correct statements 1 and 2 2 and 1 and 3 All of the above Q.4) Consider the following statements about ‘Black Spotted Turtles’ It is classified as vulnerable by the IUCN Red List of threatened species. It is native to South Asia Select the correct code: 1 Only 2 Only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.5) ‘Agricultural Marketing & Farm Friendly Reforms Index’ is released by NITI Aayog Indian Council of Agricultural Research NABARD The Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN To Download the Solution - Click here All the Best IASbaba