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

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs (Prelims + Mains Focus)- 21st July 2018 Archives (PRELIMS+MAINS FOCUS) RBI on cryptocurrency Part of: GS Prelims and Mains III – Indian Economy; Cyber security In news: RBI said dealing in cryptocurrency would encourage illegal transactions. Cryptocurrencies are “a stateless digital currency” in which encryption techniques are used for trading and these ‘currencies’ operate independently of a Central bank like the RBI, “rendering them immune from government interference.” Do you know? A committee headed by Dinesh Sharma has been set up by the Centre to deal with issues relating to cryptocurrencies. Crypto Currencies Crypto Currencies or Virtual Currencies are type of unregulated digital money. They are mainly decentralised peer-to-peer system, and transacted between users directly, without an intermediary. These transactions are verified by network nodes and recorded in public distributed ledger called blockchain. They are neither issued by central bank/public authority, nor is necessarily attached to fiat currency, but is used and accepted among the members of a specific virtual community. They are being transferred, stored or traded electronically. Example - Bitcoin, Litecoin, Darkcoin, Peercoin, Dogecoin, Primecoin etc WhatsApp to cap number of forwards to five chats per user Part of: GS mains – Security issues; Welfare In news: To address the profusion of fake news being spread through forwards, and the government’s growing discontent with WhatsApp in tackling the issue, the messaging platform is experimenting with a limit on the number of chats a message can be forwarded to. In India, WhatsApp is trying a limit of five chats, as against 20 for the rest of the world. The current limit is 250 chats. Pic: https://d39gegkjaqduz9.cloudfront.net/TH/2018/07/21/DEL/Delhi/TH/5_07/8637fd77_2261085_101_mr.jpg India and Africa ties Part of: GS Prelims and Mains II – International relations and India and the world In news: PM Modi to attend BRICS summit in South Africa and also visit Uganda and Rwanda India and Rwanda India to sign a defence framework agreement with Rwanda   The defence agreement is expected to enhance ties between the two countries, which became Strategic Partners in January 2017 Other areas of cooperation - dairy cooperation, leather exports, agriculture and cultural ties PM Modi to visit the genocide memorial centre in Kigali, remembering the one million Rwandans killed in the Hutu-Tutsi conflict during the 1994 pogrom. India was expected to enhance the Lines of Credit for Rwanda, which have already topped $400 million for development cooperation. India has yet to set up a long-promised embassy in Kigali, despite specific promise to do so Map work: Locate and observe the following: Rwanda doesn’t touch Indian Ocean It is a land-locked country Located a few degrees south of the Equator, Rwanda is bordered by Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Rwanda is in the African Great Lakes region and is highly elevated; its geography is dominated by mountains in the west and savanna to the east, with numerous lakes throughout the country. African Great Lakes located around the Great Rift Valley - Lake Victoria to Lake Kivu Pic: https://cdn.britannica.com/700x450/95/7195-004-DD38439B.jpg SRIMAN: ‘Rent-a-lab’ policy Part of: GS Prelims and Mains III – Science and Tech; Government policies and schemes In news: The government has proposed a new policy that could transform scientific instruments in government labs into lucrative assets generating a steady rental income. It plans to lease out time on scientific instruments to researchers across the country. The policy, called the Scientific Research Infrastructure Management and Networks (SRIMAN) would not apply to strategic sectors (MAINS FOCUS) NATION/WELFARE 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; mechanisms, laws, institutions and Bodies constituted for the protection and betterment of these vulnerable sections. Assessment of March 2018 SC Verdict on SCs/STs  Atrocities Act Introduction: March 2018 Supreme Court verdict on framing guidelines on how to deal with a person accused under the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, said – “An innocent should not be punished. There should not be terror in society… We do not want any member of the Scheduled Castes (SCs)/Scheduled Tribes (STs) to be deprived of his rights.” And the verdict called for “an inbuilt provision” to protect those falsely accused innocent people under the Act. Fast recap: We earlier have read that - The SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act protects SCs and STs against discrimination and atrocities. However, the SC/ST act can never be called a successful legislation. Dalits and Tribals still face discrimination. On the other side, there is widespread concern over misuse of the provisions of the Act against innocent persons. (with regard to automatic arrests of those accused under the Act) As per the Supreme Court of India, the SC/ST act has become an instrument of “blackmail” and is being used by some to exact “vengeance” and satisfy vested interests. Therefore, the demand for “an inbuilt provision” to protect those falsely accused under the Act was raised – first by a parliamentary committee in December 2014 and now in March 2018, the apex court did so. Concern: All the three organs of the state are united with regard to this demand and this marks the collapse of the constitutional scheme to protect the weaker sections. One, because the judgment is concerned with a limited aspect of the Act — protecting innocent officers and employees in government and private sectors from the misuse of the Act Two, as judgment conveys a false and dangerous message that the Atrocities Act is “a charter for exploitation or oppression,” and “an instrument of blackmail or to wreak personal vengeance”. Critics to SC verdict argue that – One must consider why a fence was put up in the first place before pulling it down? court appears to have mistaken a large number of acquittals in atrocities cases to be false cases there is no precise data on the scale and extent to which the Act has been misused by SC/ST employees a single case got transformed itself into a judicial exercise of policymaking in a surprising manner The SC court had all the power to initiate suo motu proceedings to examine the issue, or refer the matter to a larger bench. This could have enabled the court as well as the government to delve into the relevant facts and data. But the Court failed to do so. The court’s single-minded mission was to end “terror in society”. Do you know? Article 338 in the Constitution of India deals with Special Officer for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes etc Article also says - the Union and every State Government shall consult the Commission [National Commission for Scheduled Castes] on all major policy matters affecting Scheduled Castes. Article 338A, which created the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes, provides the same procedure in case of STs. Constitution (123rd Amendment) seeks to create the new National Commission for Backward Classes under a new Article 338B, also has such provision. Therefore, when the court wears the policy-making hat in matters related to SC/STs, it too is constitutionally-bound to consult these commissions. Conclusion: The task of balancing the rights of innocent persons facing false accusations and the need to accord legitimacy to the Atrocities Act requires compassion, equanimity, reverence for the Constitution and awareness so even impromptu (unarranged or unplanned) comments from the top court will acquire the force of law. Unfortunately, the March 20 verdict lost that balance. Connecting the dots The Supreme Court has recently diluted the SC and ST Act, 1989. Discuss the rationale behind. Do you think the judgment needs a review? Analyze. WELFARE/WOMEN 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; mechanisms, laws, institutions and Bodies constituted for the protection and betterment of these vulnerable sections. Crime against women-data and its flaws In news- Recently the Thomson Reuters Foundation put out the results of its 2018 The World’s Most Dangerous Countries for Women survey.  It found India to be the most dangerous country in the world for women. Introduction The data on the status of women, following an international survey suggest that India to be the most dangerous country in the world for women. The recent social media and news debate shows that India is asking all the wrong questions about sexual crime and misunderstanding its answers too. Amidst all the political reactions, some analysts examined the data and concluded that by international comparison, India cannot be the world’s most dangerous. Do you know? The survey conducted by Thomson Reuters Foundation about The World’s Most Dangerous Countries for Women took into consideration 5 key areas. They are: Healthcare economic resources and discrimination customary practices sexual violence and harassment non-sexual violence and human trafficking India, which was ranked fourth most dangerous in 2011, is now the world’s most dangerous country for women. What are the concerns about sexual crime in India? In December 2012, a student was gang-raped in a Delhi bus and left to die, this horrific incident later turned to be the watershed moment for women’s rights. Public displays of misogyny and sexism have not abated but public disapproval of it is now far stronger. In India support for victims remains contingent upon other allegiances — religious, for instance. Findings of the report and its lacunae India has not evolved much on the use and misunderstanding of data on sexual crime. The problem is two-fold: There is the part that official data is not taking into its account, and the part that it is misunderstood. It is fair to accept that in a deeply patriarchal and often violent country, women might fear speaking out about sexual crime, and also fear reporting it to the police. But the Delhi gang rape incident of 2012 has changed things on the ground to an extent. There is increased awareness in addition to reporting of sexual crimes. In this regard, the Thomson Reuters Foundation’s note that crimes against women grew between 2007 and 2016 in India might actually be capturing some progressive rather than regressive trends. In a recent household survey it was found that less than 1% of sexual crime was reported to the police and 98% of the sexual violence women experienced was by their husbands even while marital rape is not recognised as a crime in India. All the official data captured isn’t necessarily about crime. In an analysis of the cases decided by Delhi local courts it was found that most of it relates to cases involving consensual sex between sometimes inter-religious or inter-caste couples, matches set by the couples themselves often to their families’ disapproval. The enduring issue of some men being charged with rape after a “breach of promise to marry”, yet another example of the price on a woman’s “chastity” — have had the opposite effect of under-reporting; it inflated the number of rape cases to an unspecifiable extent. Way ahead The above mentioned issues do not add up to the positive image. If there is some “over-reporting” of rape in India, it stems from the deep discomfort the country continues to have over women’s sexual autonomy. Now it is time for us to look into the question If Indian women are really free? And it’s no more about whether Indian women are safe. Connecting the dots: That India is considered as one of the most dangerous counties in the world for women, is a matter of serious introspection. In this regard, examine the factors that have led to this perception and also the possible remedial measures.   (TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE) Model questions: (You can now post your answers in comment section) Q.1) Below given are the countries which forms East African Community (EAC). Select the country/countries that touches Indian Ocean: Kenya Tanzania Uganda Rwanda Burundi Choose the appropriate code: 1 and 2 only 1, 4 and 5 only 2, 4 and 5 only 3 only Q.2) African Great Lakes Region consists of Burundi Tanzania Uganda Zimbabwe Select the correct code: 1, 2 and 3 2, 3 and 4 1, 3 and 4 1, 2 and 4 Q.3) Which among the following is the first Country in the world to adopt a Cryptocurrency as Its Official Currency? Japan Germany San Marino Marshall Islands Q.4) Consider the following statements about Bitcoin regulations in India It is considered as a commodity derivative Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) is the regulatory body for cryptocurrencies Select the correct statements 1 Only 2 Only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.5) Consider the following statements about Cryptocurrency It is a digital or virtual currency that uses cryptography for security. It is not a legal tender in India Bitcoin is a type of cryptocurrency Select the correct statements 1 and 2 2 and 3 1 and 3 All of the above MUST READ Onus on the CBI: on the case against P. Chidambaram The Hindu Counting the tiger: on India’s fourth national tiger census The Hindu   A higher abdication Indian Express Minority & the party Indian Express Jobs and votes Indian Express

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IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

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

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs (Prelims + Mains Focus)- 20th July 2018 Archives (PRELIMS+MAINS FOCUS) About No-Confidence Motion Part of: GS Prelims and Mains II – Indian Polity; Parliament Key Pointers: What is a No-Confidence Motion? According to the rules of the Indian Parliament, a government must always have majority support in the Lok Sabha in order to remain in power. This means that the government must demonstrate its strength on the floor of the House. If a member of the House feels that the government does not enjoy this majority, then they can move a ‘no-confidence’ motion. A minimum of 50 members have to accept the motion. If not, then the motion fails and the member who moved the motion is informed about it. If the motion is accepted, then the onus is on the government to defeat the motion in order to prove its majority. If it is passed by the House, then the council of ministers has to resign. Conversely, the prime minister can also move a ‘confidence’ motion in order to prove the strength of the government in the Lok Sabha. Israel adopts Jewish nation law Part of: GS Prelims and Mains II – International Affairs In news: Israel’s Parliament adopted a law defining the country as the nation state of the Jewish people. This move has provoked fears that it could lead to discrimination against Arabs. Arab lawmakers and Palestinians called the law “racist” and said it legalised “apartheid” The legislation, adopted by Israel’s parliament makes Hebrew the country’s national language and defines the establishment of Jewish communities as being in the national interest. Arabic, previously considered an official language, was granted only special status. Legislation stipulates only Jews have right of self-determination in the country Article 371A of the Indian Constitution: Special status to Nagaland Part of: GS Prelims and Mains - Indian Polity Key pointers: Article 371 (A) is a special provision granted to the state of Nagaland as a partial fulfillment of the 1960 agreement that later created the State in 1963. In this regard not only the customary law, social practice and belief of the people of Nagaland but also the resources of the state is verdantly remain safeguarded from the intervention of the union government and its various policies unless the State Assembly so decides by resolution. The part XXI of the Indian Constitution Article 371(A) - Special provision with respect to the State of Nagaland states that – Notwithstanding anything in this Constitution, – No Act of Parliament in respect of – religious or social practices of the Nagas, Naga customary law and procedure, administration of civil and criminal justice involving decisions according to Naga customary law, ownership and transfer of land and its resources, shall apply to the State of Nagaland unless the Legislative Assembly of Nagaland by a resolution so decides; The Governor of Nagaland shall have special responsibility with respect to law and order in the State of Nagaland for so long as in his opinion internal disturbances occurring in the Naga Hills-Tuensang Area immediately before the formation of that State continue therein or in any part thereof and in the discharge of his functions in relation thereto the Governor shall, after consulting the Council of Ministers, exercise his individual judgment as to the action to be taken. India to expand polar research to Arctic Three decades after its first mission to Antarctica, the Indian government now focusing priorities to the other pole — the Arctic. It has renamed the National Centre for Antarctic and Ocean Research (NCAOR) as National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research. About National Centre for Antarctic and Ocean Research (NCAOR) Since 1998, NCAOR is charged with conducting expeditions to India’s base stations to the continent. Do you know? Countries bordering the Arctic Ocean are: Russia, Norway, Iceland, Greenland, Canada and the United States. India is in talks with some of the Arctic circle countries to establish new observation systems in Arctic region. Currently, India only has one Arctic observation station near Norway. India has three bases in Antarctica. India is already an observer at the Arctic Council — a forum of countries that decides on managing the region’s resources and popular livelihood and, in 2015, set up an underground observatory, called IndARC, at the Kongsfjorden fjord, half way between Norway and the North Pole. IndArc is the country’s first moored-underwater observatory in the Artic. 2018 BRICS Media Forum, South Africa Key decisions at BRICS forum: decision to establish a BRICS Media Academy and a BRICS news portal theme — ‘Fostering an Inclusive, Just World Order’ Forum to commemorate former South African President Nelson Mandela’s 100th birth anniversary Miscellaneous: Japan start-up is developing the world’s first artificial meteor shower. ALE, based in Tokyo, is in the final stages of developing two micro-satellites that will release tiny balls that glow brightly as they enter the atmosphere, simulating a meteor shower. Each satellite will be able to carry 400 tiny balls whose chemical formula is a closely-guarded secret. Ejected from the satellite, the balls will glow as they plunge through the atmosphere. [caption id="attachment_42509" align="aligncenter" width="550"] Fireball in Leonid meteor shower. Image taken from Anza-Borrego desert, CA. Nov 17, 1998. Meteors, or shooting stars, are particles of dust that enter the Earth's atmosphere at speeds of 35-95 kilometers per second. The Leonid meteor shower occurs every y[/caption] Pic: https://d39gegkjaqduz9.cloudfront.net/TH/2018/07/20/DEL/Delhi/TH/5_18/b16b299b_2258291_1_mr.jpg Animal in news: Dhole Part of: Prelims - Environment and Biodiversity; Animal Conservation Key pointers Dhole - Indian wild dog IUCN Status : Endangered Dhole is already extinct in about 10 Asian countries It is a canid native to Central, South and Southeast Asia less than 2,500 individuals surviving in the wild globally Factors contributing to this decline include habitat loss, loss of prey, competition with other species, persecution due to livestock predation and disease transfer from domestic dogs. They occur in most of India south of the Ganges, particularly in the Central Indian Highlands and the Western and Eastern Ghats. In northeast India, it is present in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, and West Bengal and in the Indo-Gangetic Plain's Terai region. Dhole populations in the Himalaya and northwest India are fragmented. (MAINS FOCUS) NATIONAL/WELFARE 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 Inclusive growth and issues arising from it. Plight of farmers Introduction: The below article presents the failures of present regime, especially with regard to farmers and rural development. There has been a successive sluggish agricultural growth during this NDA regime. Agricultural production suffered due to consecutive droughts. Data on farmer suicides has not been released from more than 2 years. Farmers of India have expressed their vote of no confidence against this government. Status under NDA regime: unmet promises Government has failed to act on any of its major election promises in 2014. Failed to give highest priority to agricultural growth Failed to increase farmers income Failed to  give highest priority to rural development Economic Survey 2018 had also highlighted that farmers’ real income has “remained stagnant”. The concrete promise of higher public investment in agriculture did not materialise and in fact it has declined in terms of its share of GDP. The new farm insurance scheme, the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, has consumed thrice as much money as earlier schemes without either increasing the proportion of farmers who benefited from it, or giving a fair claim to the farmers. The promise of “welfare measures” — for farmers above 60, small farmers and farm labourers — was forgotten. The National Land Use Policy was never enacted. The Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) Act was not reformed. The next big promise was of ensuring “50% profit over the cost of production” to the farmers. After refusing to implement this promise on 2015, the government shifted the goalpost in the 2018 Budget by changing the definition of cost of production for the purpose of calculating the Minimum Support Price (MSP). Here again the Government failed to fulfil its promise of “cost+50%” as MSP, it did not even maintain the routine annual increase in MSP. Even the recent hike in MSP this year is lower than the year-on-year increase announced by the previous UPA government in 2008-09. The government’s failure to implement the MSP that it announced forced the farmers into distress sale of Kharif and Rabi crops in 2017-18. Lackadaisical response by the government to nationwide droughts in 2014-15 and 2015-16 Revision of eligibility cap for compensation and cuts in contribution to States from the National Disaster Relief Fund. Poor response to declaration of drought, improvement in ration delivery, or response to drinking water crisis government’s lack of political will in implementing the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) Modi government’s ill-advised and shoddily implemented policy of demonetisation dealt a severe blow to agricultural markets, especially to fruit and vegetable markets, just when the farmers were recovering from the consecutive droughts. Government’s crude attempt to regulate livestock market by imposing ban on livestock movement and its protection to those guilty of lynching the suspected “cow smugglers” has disrupted livestock economic cycle, leading to loss of income on the one hand and aggravation of the widespread problem of animals destroying crops on the other. Government has diluted the Forest Rights Act and various other environmental and forest conservation laws substantially in order to help the transfer of common land and water resources from the adivasis to industry. Conclusion: All these have hit the rural poor in general and farm labourers in particular. This government has justly acquired the reputation of being the most anti-farmer government in the history of independent India. Connecting the dots The condition of farm sector and farmers is stubbornly stagnated despite several support measures. What could be the possible reasons for it? Analyze each reason and suggest alternative, if any. With farmers’ agitations and suicide on rise, India is surely facing an agrarian crisis. Discuss the root cause of the crisis. Also elaborate on what changes should be made in our agricultural policy so as to improve the livelihood of farmers as well as to ensure food security. ECONOMY TOPIC: General Studies 3 Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment. Government Budgeting State of state government finances Introduction State governments collectively spend much more than the Union government every year, but state budgets do not attract the attention they deserve. However, at the aggregate level, the state of state government finances has wider implications. Reserve Bank of India (RBI) recently released annual study of state government finances. It shows that states missed the fiscal deficit target of 3% of gross domestic product (GDP) for the third year in a row. The fiscal deficit of states is estimated to be at 3.1% of GDP in 2017-18. This higher fiscal deficit at the state level in recent years has moderated the benefit of fiscal consolidation by the Central government. Do you know? After the implementation of the fiscal responsibility and budget management rules (FRBM) in the last decade, state governments improved their finances significantly. What is FRBM act?  (FRBM) became an Act in 2003. The objective of the Act is to ensure inter-generational equity in fiscal management, long run macroeconomic stability, better coordination between fiscal and monetary policy, and transparency in fiscal operation of the Government. The FRBM rule specifies reduction of fiscal deficit to 3% of the GDP by 2008-09 with annual reduction target of 0.3% of GDP per year by the Central government. Similarly, revenue deficit has to be reduced by 0.5% of the GDP per year with complete elimination to be achieved by 2008-09. It is the responsibility of the government to adhere to these targets. The Finance Minister has to explain the reasons and suggest corrective actions to be taken, in case of breach. FRBM Act provides a legal institutional framework for fiscal consolidation. It is now mandatory for the Central government to take measures to reduce fiscal deficit, to eliminate revenue deficit and to generate revenue surplus in the subsequent years. The Act binds not only the present government but also the future Government to adhere to the path of fiscal consolidation. The Government can move away from the path of fiscal consolidation only in case of natural calamity, national security and other exceptional grounds which Central Government may specify. Further, the Act prohibits borrowing by the government from the Reserve Bank of India, thereby, making monetary policy independent of fiscal policy. The Act bans the purchase of primary issues of the Central Government securities by the RBI after 2006, preventing monetization of government deficit. The Act also requires the government to lay before the parliament three policy statements in each financial year namely Medium Term Fiscal Policy Statement; Fiscal Policy Strategy Statement and Macroeconomic Framework Policy Statement. To impart fiscal discipline at the state level, the Twelfth Finance Commission gave incentives to states through conditional debt restructuring and interest rate relief for introducing Fiscal Responsibility Legislations (FRLs). All the states have implemented their own FRLs. Why there is shortfall in the finances recently? The deterioration in 2015-16 and 2016-17 was largely due to the takeover of debt of power distribution companies under the Ujwal Discom Assurance Yojana (Uday) scheme, government finances in the last fiscal were affected by factors such as a shortfall in revenue, implementation of pay commission recommendations and farm loan waivers.  Fiscal slippage in recent years has also led to deterioration in the quality of expenditure, with a rise in revenue expenditure which means that higher fiscal deficits have not augmented state capacity, which can push growth. Expenditure on loan waivers cost state governments’ budget to the extent of 0.32% of GDP. It also affects the ability of the state to undertake capital expenditure which can affect growth in the medium term. State governments are increasingly raising resources from the bond market; higher issuance can complicate fiscal management. This could further raise the cost of borrowing and affect their ability to undertake development work. The proportion of state deficits in the general government deficit has gone up in recent years. Large general government borrowing keeps interest rates elevated and affects private investment. The way ahead The states have to resist populist farm loan waivers so that their finances could be in much better shape. Instead the governments can provide world class logistical infrastructure in the form of transport, adequate cold storage facilities, and better price discovery and so on The government needs to significantly improve its tax to GDP ratio to be able to serve its running cost without borrowing and thus maintain a primary surplus. Primary deficit remains vulnerability for India. It signifies India’s state and Central governments are not collecting enough revenue to cover their running costs. India needs better fiscal management at both the state and Central levels to avoid crowding out the private sector. This will enable higher investment and help attain higher sustainable growth. (TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE) Model questions: (You can now post your answers in comment section) Q.1) Which of the following country is not a member of this council? Canada United states of America Estonia Finland Q.2) Consider the following countries: Denmark Japan Russian Federation United Kingdom United States of America Which of the above are the members of the ‘Arctic Council’? 1, 2 and 3 1, 3 and 5 2, 3 and 4 1, 4 and 5 Q.3) ____________ is situated at 66½° south of the equator Arctic Circle Tropic of Capricorn Antarctic Circle Tropic of Cancer Q.4) Consider the following statements: A no-confidence motion need not state the reasons on which it is based, unlike a censure motion. There is no mention of a No-Confidence Motion in the Constitution of India. The Leader of the Opposition decides whether a No-Confidence Motion is in order or not. A No-Confidence Motion is moved only against the Council of Ministers Choose the correct statement/s from the code below. 1 and 3 only 2, 3 and 4 1, 2 and 3 1, 2 and 4 Q.5) Consider the following and select the correct match: Article 371-A:  Special provision for Nagaland Article 371-C: Special provision for Assam Article 371- G: Special provision for Mizoram Select the correct code 1 only 2 and 3 1 and 3 1, 2 and 3 MUST READ Should WhatsApp be held accountable for lynchings? The Hindu Dangerous law: on Israel’s ‘nation state’ law The Hindu Lynching & the law The Hindu Making it difficult to ‘Other’ the Muslim The Hindu Mandela’s forgiveness Indian Express Diluting a right Indian Express The MSP Illusion Indian Express A lesson from Arunachal Pradesh Indian Express

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RSTV- Delhi: Statehood and Beyond

Delhi: Statehood and Beyond Archives TOPIC: General Studies 2: Indian Constitution- historical underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments, significant provisions & basic structure In News: In a landmark verdict on the power tussle between the Delhi government and the Centre, a five-judge bench of the Supreme Court today unanimously held that Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal does not have independent decision making powers, and is bound to act on the aid and advice of the Council of Ministers. Though seen as a Union Territory, Delhi was created as a separate category, with an elected Assembly with powers to enact laws in all matters falling under the State and Concurrent lists, with the exception of public order, police and land. This gave it a status higher than other UTs. Rational of the SC: It would go against the basic structure of the Constitution; specifically the basic features of representative democracy and federalism. What does it imply? There is no independent authority vested with the LG to take independent decisions as well as LG cannot even act as an "obstructionist". All decisions of the Council of Ministers, who are elected representatives of the people of Delhi, must be communicated to the LG but that does not mean his concurrence is required. Court has read the lieutenant governor’s power to differ with the Delhi government “on any matter” to mean a matter of exception and not a matter of course. The lieutenant governor cannot simply differ with the elected government and seek to have their way on areas of the Delhi government’s competence. Rather, in exceptional circumstances, the lieutenant governor, after consultation with the council of ministers to resolve any differences, can refer such a matter to the President in accordance with the proviso to clause (4) of Article 239-AA. Why is there a demand for full statehood for Delhi? Avoid multiplicity of authorities: Statehood will bring control of administration under one umbrella – the state government, led by the CM and his Council of Ministers. Plan Delhi’s Development efficiently: Delhi government claims that its lack of control over public order, police and land hinders its ability to efficiently plan Delhi’s development. Do away with confusion: Multiplicity of agencies makes it complex for citizens to hold the authorities accountable. How will statehood transform Delhi? The Lieutenant Governor will be replaced by the Governor. If Delhi attains full statehood, Delhi police will come under the Government of Delhi, which means the Delhi government will be held accountable for the crime figures in the capital. Full statehood would ensure that all agencies presently under the Central government will become answerable to the Government of Delhi and indirectly to the people of Delhi. Statehood will allow the Government of Delhi to recruit its own cadre of officers to run the administration, just like how other states do. Downside: Full statehood would impact the finances of Delhi. Infrastructural projects currently taken care of by the Centre will have to be financed by the state government. This could mean additional tax burden on the people of Delhi. Note: Article 239AA: Introduced by the 69th amendment to the Constitution Incorporated in the Constitution in the year 1992 – Suggested by Balakrishnan Committee’s report This Article creates a ‘special’ constitutional set up for Delhi Constitutionally, LG is appointed by the President of India, on the advice of the Central government. The government of Delhi, led by the CM, enjoys the powers and privileges offered to all other States in India, but public order, police and land are out of its purview. It is the LG who exercises his powers in matters concerning these three departments (“in consultation with the Chief Minister, if it is so provided under any order issued by the President under Article 239 of the Constitution”). All decisions made by the Legislative Assembly require the Lt Governor’s approval. If there is a difference of opinion between the Assembly and the Lt Governor, the matter is referred to the President. Article 239AA (3) (b) of the Constitution lends significant power to the Centre. Since Delhi is the national capital, Parliament has powers to enact laws on any subject impacting Delhi’s governance. The Government of Delhi has no say in the recruitment and services of officials (bureaucrats). They report to the Lt. Governor. Conclusion: The Union and its units should embrace a collaborative federal architecture for co-existence and inter-dependence. The principle of collaborative federalism and constitutional balance needs to be upheld - the administrator as per rules has to be apprised of each decision taken by a minister or council of ministers and difference of opinion must meet the standards of constitutional trust and morality,. “The element of trust is an imperative between constitutional functionaries” so that their governments “can work in accordance with constitutional norms”. Connecting the Dots: Discuss the essentials of the 69th Constitutional Amendment Act and anomalies, if any that have led to recent reported conflicts between the elected representatives and the institution of the Lieutenant Governor in the administration of Delhi. Do you think that this will give rise to a new trend in the functioning of the Indian federal politics? (CSE Mains-2016)

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STRATEGIC SESSION ON MAINS 2018- ILP/AIPTS Students of IASbaba Invited!

Hello Friends,  We are happy to announce the surprise for our ILP/AIPTS Students who have qualified Prelims and preparing for Mains 2018. We have decided to conduct a strategic session on Mains Answer Writing for our ILP/AIPTS students preparing for Mains 2018.  ILP/AIPTS Students of any batch (2016, 2017 and 2018) FOCUS OF THE SESSION A detailed discussion on General Studies Papers, 1 to 4 including Essay. After this session, you will be able to focus on key areas to improve the richness of the answers. How to prepare any issue with key concepts and high points in mind. How to produce them in exam pressure etc. The Session is FREE for ILP/AIPTS students. Kindly fill the given form.  FILL THE FORM HERE Note The session is open to aspirants (ILP/AIPTS) willing to come to Bangalore for the same. There won't be any video recording or online streaming. Details of Date, Venue and Timing will be communicated to the students after they fill the given form (within few days) REGARDING MAINS ANSWER WRITING, C2C PROGRAMME If you are willing to join C2C for Mains Answer Writing, visit our Chandra Layout Center and enrol for the same. 3rd floor, J J Towers, 8TH CROSS, CHANDRA LAYOUT, BENGALURU-560040. LANDMARK: OPPOSITE TO CHANDRA LAYOUT BUS STAND ABOVE SBI BANK Thank You IASbaba

Daily Prelims CA Quiz

UPSC Quiz- 2019 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz [Day 27]

UPSC Quiz- 2019 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz [Day 27] Archives Q.1) Consider the following statements about ‘Madhubani Paintings’ It is practised by people in Bihar and is done using twigs, fingers, brushes and even matchsticks. It was given the coveted GI (Geographical Indication) status in 2006 Select the correct statements 1 Only 2 Only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.2) Consider the following statements about ‘Dhole’ High populations of Dholes are found in the Western Ghats and central Indian forests They are listed as ‘Least Concern’ under the IUCN Red List Select the correct code: 1 Only 2 Only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.3) “Ganga Vriksharopan Abhiyan” was launchd in which of the following states? Odisha Jharkhand West Bengal Select the correct code: 1 and 2 2 and 3 1 and 3 All of the above Q.4) The term ‘Frankenfixation’ refers to Technology to fix carbon dioxide (CO2) into the soil Tool used to identify tumours Use of neem-coated urea Recapitalisation of Public Sector Banks Q.5) SAFAR System is concerned with Connecting tier 2 & tier 3 cities through airways Tourism Air Quality Mines Allocation To Download the Solution - Click here All the Best  IASbaba

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

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

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs (Prelims + Mains Focus)- 19th July 2018 Archives (PRELIMS+MAINS FOCUS) Sabarimala temple ban unreasonable: SC Part of: GS Mains II – Fundamental Rights; role of Judiciary; Discrimination; Society and Secularism In news: The Supreme Court of India has repeatedly struck down discriminatory religious practices, the latest of which is the woman’s right to enter the famous Sabarimala temple. Issue: women aged between 10 and 50 were banned from entering a temple because they are considered ‘impure’ (due to menstrual cycle) SC’s verdict: The SC Bench was supposed to decide whether Rule 3 (b) of the Kerala Hindu Places of Public Worship (Authorisation of Entry) Rules, 1965 allows a ‘religious denomination’ to ban entry of women between the age of 10 to 50 years. If so, does this amount to discrimination and violation of the fundamental rights to equality and gender justice. SC bench has said - exclusion of women aged between 10 and 50 from entering a temple because they are considered ‘impure’ amounts to the practice of untouchability, a social evil abolished by law. Sabarimala temple drew funds from the Consolidated Fund, had people coming from all over the world and thus, qualified to be called a “public place of worship.” Therefore, ‘exclusion of women amounts to the practice of untouchability’ CJI quoted Article 25 (1) which mandates freedom of conscience and right to practise religion. “All persons are equally entitled to freedom of conscience and the right freely to profess, practise and propagate religion…” Important Value Additions: Tradition in conflict with the constitution: Preventing women’s entry to the Sabarimala temple with an irrational and obsolete notion of “purity” clearly offends the equality clauses in the Constitution. It denotes a patriarchal and partisan approach. The entry prohibition takes away the woman’s right against discrimination guaranteed under Article 15(1) of the Constitution. It curtails her religious freedom assured by Article 25(1). Prohibition of women’s entry to the shrine solely on the basis of womanhood and the biological features associated with womanhood is derogatory to women, which Article 51A(e) aims to renounce. The classification based on age is, in essence, an act of discrimination based on sex. Dr. B. R. Ambedkar famously said that public temples, like public roads and schools, are places meant for public access and so the question of entry is, essentially, a question of equality. The managerial rights of religious authorities under Article 26(b) of the Constitution cannot override the individual woman’s religious freedom guaranteed under Article 25(1). The former is intended to safeguard, not annihilate, the latter. Pic: https://d39gegkjaqduz9.cloudfront.net/TH/2018/07/19/DEL/Delhi/TH/5_07/dc27cb64_2255677_101_mr.jpg Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue Part of: GS Prelims and Mains III – Environment and Biodiversity In news: The revised proposal for the construction of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue in the Arabian Sea has received environmental clearance (EC) from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC). However, the height of the statue has been reduced to 126 metres from the originally proposed 190 metres. Fair and remunerative price (FRP) for sugar cane raised Part of: GS Prelims and Mains III - Indian economy and agriculture; Farmer’s income In news: Centre has raised the fair and remunerative price (FRP) for sugar cane for the next season to ₹275 a quintal at a 10% recovery rate. This is the minimum price that mills must pay farmers. The decision was approved by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs at its meeting chaired by Prime Minister. Mill owners say the current FRP is “unaffordable”. Value addition: What is the difference between FRP (fair and renumerative price) and MSP (minimum support price)? Minimum Support Price (MSP) is a form of market intervention by the Government of India to insure agricultural producers against any sharp fall in farm prices. The minimum support prices are announced by the Government of India at the beginning of the sowing season for certain crops on the basis of the recommendations of the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP). MSP is price fixed by Government of India to protect the producer - farmers - against excessive fall in price during bumper production years. The minimum support prices are a guarantee price for their produce from the Government. FRP is the minimum price that the sugar mills have to pay to farmers. It is supposed to signal to farmers the need to plant more or less cane for the coming year. In MSP the farmer is paid a sum which is 50% more than the input costs. There are different methods of calculation of the input costs. Some methods take into consideration the lease rate of the land, the labour cost invested by the farmer working himself on farming, the intrest coat of the loan etc etc. The Fair and Remunerative Pricing is used in sugarcane industry to replace the MSP. This is based on the Rangarajan Commitee report of reorganising the sugarcane industry. The commitee found that in the production of sugar 70% of the input cost is sugarcane. In FRP the farmer is paid 70% of the total turnover of the company if only the sugar turnover is considered and 75% of the total turnover if other products like bagasse and molasses etc are also considered. This FRP method is useful in times when the sugar prices are high but the FRP method ask the sugar companies to pay the farmer the MSP for sugar when the sugar and hence sugarcane price is low. This is adversely affect the financial health of the sugar factories in times of low sugar prices where the companies has to pay the MSP even though the sugar prices are low. (MAINS FOCUS) In pursuit to avoid deaths of Languages About: Among various deaths, the deaths of Dalits and tribals who are trapped by hunger and humiliation; the death of a tree or a forest sacrificed at the altar of development – are mourned but not spoken about. Similarly, the death of language is literally shrouded in silence. Concern: languages spiraling toward extinction The world’s indigenous languages are under threat of disappearing, with one language dying every two weeks and many more at risk. Language is an important part of any society, because it enables people to communicate and express themselves. When a language dies out, future generations lose a vital part of the culture that is necessary to completely understand it. This makes language a vulnerable aspect of cultural heritage, and it becomes especially important to preserve it. Impact of policy instruments Death of language too is a form of violence. Large parts of culture get exterminated through slight shifts in policy instruments than through armed conflicts. The destruction of culture can be caused by something as small as a bureaucrat’s benign decision. Even a well-intentioned language census can do much damage. Note: The below article tries to assess how the Census of India has failed to adequately reflect the linguistic composition of the country and why there should is a need for good policy action. Background: Missing the crucial link Over the last many decades, successive governments in India have carried out a decadal census. The 1931 Census was a landmark as it collected information on caste and community. War disrupted the exercise in 1941 and during 1951 census, the new Indian republic was too busy. It was during the 1961 census that languages in the country were enumerated in full. India learnt that a total of 1,652 mother tongues were being spoken. However, in 1971 census, using ill-founded logic, this figure was pegged at only 109. (as only those languages who had more than 10,000 speakers were recognized and respected) This practice, which had neither scientific basis nor was a fair decision, continued in upcoming censuses. Do you know? The language enumeration takes place in the first year of every decade.  a However, the findings are made public about seven years later as the processing of language data is far more time consuming than handling economic or scientific data. How recent Census has failed again? Earlier this month, the Census of India made public the language data based on the 2011 Census. It took into account 120 crore speakers of a very large number of languages. Language division of the Census office deserves praise but the data presented leaves behind a trail of questions. During the census, citizens submitted 19,569 names of mother tongues. Based on previous linguistic and sociological information, the authorities decided that of these, 18,200 did not match “logically” with known information. Only a total of 1,369 names were picked as “being names of languages” , therefore, leaving out the rest (nearly 60 lakhs citizens) And because of the classification regime, their linguistic citizenship has been dropped. In addition to the 1,369 “mother tongue” names shortlisted, there were 1,474 other mother tongue names and these are placed under generic label - "Others" The classification system has not been able to identify what or which languages these are and so they have been silenced by having an innocuous label slapped on them. The 1,369 mother tongue have been grouped further under a total of 121 “group labels”, which have been presented as “Languages”. Of these, 22 are languages included in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution, called “Scheduled Languages”. The remainder, 99, are “Non-scheduled Languages”. However, what is worrying is most of the groupings are forced. For instance, under the heading “Hindi”, there are nearly 50 other languages. Bhojpuri (spoken by more than 5 crore people, and with its own cinema, theatre, literature, vocabulary and style) comes under “Hindi”. Under Hindi too is the nearly 3 crore population from Rajasthan with its own independent languages. The Powari/Pawri of tribals in Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh too has been added. Even the Kumauni of Uttarakhand has been yoked to Hindi. There is a similar and inflated figure for Sanskrit. Census has classified a total of 2,59,678 Indians as who speak English as their “mother tongue” – which is a sign of semantics disaster. (Semantics refers to the branch of study within linguistics that deals with language) Role of UNESCO in protecting and promoting languages From time to time, UNESCO tries to highlight the key role that language plays in widening access to education, protecting livelihoods and preserving culture and knowledge traditions. In 1999/2000 – it proclaimed and observed February 21 as International Mother Language Day In 2001 – the ‘Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity’ accepted the principle of “Safeguarding the linguistic heritage of humanity and giving support to expression, creation and dissemination in the greatest possible number of languages.” UNESCO has also launched a linguistic diversity network and supported research. It has also brought out an Atlas of the World’s Languages in Danger, which highlights the central place of language in the world’s heritage. However, our language census has failed to be in consistent with these ideas and principles. Conclusion: Census in India should adequately reflect the linguistic composition of the country. It is not good practice when data helps neither educators nor policy makers or the speakers of languages themselves. The Census, a massive exercise that consumes so much time and energy, needs to see how it can help in a greater inclusion of the marginal communities, how our intangible heritage can be preserved, and how India’s linguistic diversity can become an integral part of our national pride. Connecting the dots Why is it important to preserve and promote India’s local and tribal languages? Also examine the initiatives taken in this direction. ECONOMY TOPIC: General Studies 3 Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment. Inclusive growth and issues arising from it. Is the time ripe for third wave of banking reforms in India? Introduction India carried out nationalization of its Banks in 1969 and 1980 with the stated objective of ‘controlling the commanding heights of the economy’. As a result eighty percentage (20) banks were nationalised and brought into the fold of government. Access to banking for the poor was the main aim and rural development was the focus. This culminated in the establishment of new institutions such as NABARD AND SIDBI. But they have not been successful in meeting the true ends as they act more as banks for the governments doing more treasury business than banking for the target groups. Next phase of big bang reforms started when the Narasimhan committee recommendations were accepted which resulted in the privatization of banks to induce competition. Banks competed alright but not for serving the unserved population, rather for profits. Technology was introduced. The costs of technology being huge, they had to be recovered from the customers. Charges for services started rising. Internet facilities were introduced. Convenience banking and convenience charges became the order of the day. Issues with the Indian banking Technology became the master and banks became servants. Huge numbers of complaints started and banking Ombudsman had to be appointed by the regulator. Banks were supposed to be financial intermediaries but this intermediation was taken to the extreme, introducing universal banking providing for sale of third party products. The year 2014 saw the ‘Jandhan’ as new avatar of ‘no-frill’ savings bank accounts. Credit to the needy sectors and persons showed signs of improvement but for a short period. The vitality of financial sector was lost during the last ten years with irresponsible lending to corporate houses, several at the behest of government and vested interests resulting in unsustainable non-performing loans currently standing at Rs 10 lakh crore.  Mechanical application of accountability to credit decisions has left bank managers shy of taking normal business risks. This has led to committee decisions on credit to large conglomerates making no one accountable for their failure. The central issue of banking today is reducing government ownership in banks. With 82% of the total banking in public space, the government is the active owner. Its omnipresent role results in conflict of interests. The bureaucracy and the political system have developed a vested interest in maintaining the status quo – over 60% of the work of the banking division in the Ministry of Finance relates to Parliament work, a largely unproductive use of time. Do you know? SARFAESI Act 2002: SARFAESI Act or Securitisation and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Securities Interest Act, 2002 lets the banks as well as other financial institutions of India auction commercial or residential properties for the purpose of loan recovery. ARC, the first asset reconstruction company, was established under this act.   The SARFAESI Act, 2002 was framed to allow the financial houses to assess the asset quality in different ways. In other words, the act was made to identify and rectify the problem of Non-Performing Assets (NPAs) through multiple mechanisms.  The SARFAESI Act provides provisions in details for the formation and actions of Asset Securitization Companies as well as Reconstruction Companies. The act details the scope of capital requirements, funding and activities. Reserve Bank of India regulates the institutions established under the SARFAESI Act.  The Act, to insulate assets in a legal way, addresses the financial assets of banks and other secured creditors. According to multiple provisions under the act, the financial institutions enjoy the rights and power to handle different types of bad asset issues. The prime objectives of the SARFAESI Act under Insolvency Law In India are as follows: The Act details the procedures for NPAs’ transfer to the asset reconstruction companies for the purpose of asset reconstruction.  The Act specifies the legal framework for scanning activities in India. The Act confers powers to the financial institutions to take custody of the immovable property, which is charged or hypothecated, for debt recovery. The Act imposes the security interest without any intervention from the court.    IBC CODE 2016 The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 (IBC) is the bankruptcy law of India which seeks to consolidate the existing framework by creating a single law for insolvency and bankruptcy. The bankruptcy code is a one stop solution for resolving insolvencies which at present is a long process and does not offer an economically viable arrangement Insolvency Resolution: The Code outlines separate insolvency resolution processes for individuals, companies and partnership firms. The process may be initiated by either the debtor or the creditors. A maximum time limit, for completion of the insolvency resolution process, has been set for corporates and individuals. For companies, the process will have to be completed in 180 days, which may be extended by 90 days, if a majority of the creditors agree. For start-ups (other than partnership firms), small companies and other companies (with asset less than Rs. 1 crore), resolution process would be completed within 90 days of initiation of request which may be extended by 45 days. Insolvency regulator: The Code establishes the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India, to oversee the insolvency proceedings in the country and regulate the entities registered under it. The Board will have 10 members, including representatives from the Ministries of Finance and Law, and the Reserve Bank of India. Insolvency professionals: The insolvency process will be managed by licensed professionals. These professionals will also control the assets of the debtor during the insolvency process. Bankruptcy and Insolvency Adjudicator: The Code proposes two separate tribunals to oversee the process of insolvency resolution, for individuals and companies: The National Company Law Tribunal for Companies and Limited Liability Partnership firms The Debt Recovery Tribunal for individuals and partnerships. The way ahead Single dwelling house of any small enterprise should be prevented from Sarfaesi proceedings in regard to micro enterprises, particularly when the bank did not cover the loan under the Credit Guarantee Fund Trust for Micro and Small Enterprises (CGTMSE) Let the ownership take responsibility for all the lapses and regulator admitting to laxity. The ICAI should work on realistic accounting policies and accounting standards and disclosure norms. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) should restart the bank inspections, as in the 1980s when a few large advances and branches were also being inspected. Prompt action should follow on lapses noticed. Governance improvement in banks should be the main agenda on the reforms. The RBI should stop sending its persons to the Boards of Banks. The board should review its performance once in six months against the director’s own commitment each year. Vigorous media campaigns should be conducted and supporting measures assuring service to every type of customer on time and at transparent cost by GOI and RBI to fill the trust deficit gap. Safety, security, easy access at affordable cost of both deposit and credit services should reign supreme on the reform agenda. The RBI may appoint a high-level committee of a few of the past governors and reputed economists excluding bureaucrats to come up with a reform agenda within the next three months. Connecting the dots What is the Twin Balance Sheet (TBS) challenge? How can the new Indian Bankruptcy Code (IBC) and the announcement of recapitalisation package for Public Sector Banks (PSBs) address the same? Elaborate. (TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE) Model questions: (You can now post your answers in comment section) Q.1) The case of Ban on ‘menstruating women’ in Sabarimala Temple violates women’s rights under Article 14, 16 and 25 Article 15, 17, 25 Article 14, 17 and 18 Article 14, 18, 21 Q.2) Which of the following Fundamental Rights are available only to Indian Citizens? Equal opportunity in Public employment. No discrimination on the ground of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth. Protection of language and script Right to establish and administer educational institutions Select the code from below: 1, 2 and 3 2, 3 and 4 1, 3 and 4 All of the above Q.3) In India, Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) is used for: Pulses Sugarcane Bamboo Gram Q.4) Consider the following rights provided to the linguistic minorities in the Constitution. Which of these fall under the category of ‘Separate Domain’? Right to administer educational institutions of their choice Provision for facilities for instruction in mother-tongue at primary stage Provision for a Special Officer for Linguistic Minorities Select the correct code 1 and 2 2 and 3 1 and 3 1, 2 and 3 MUST READ The tough road to academic excellence The Hindu A fishy matter: on the formaldehyde contamination of fish The Hindu Restoring faith in EVMs The Hindu The Wuhan breakthrough The Hindu The mob that hates Indian Express The Liberal Victimhood Indian Express On crime against women, bad questions, poor answers Indian Express Happiness begets happiness Indian Express

RSTV Video

RSTV- Iran: Friendship at Stake?

Iran: Friendship at Stake? Archives TOPIC: General Studies 2 Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests In News: Iran criticised India for not fulfilling its promise of making investments in expansion of the strategically located Chabahar port and said New Delhi will stand to lose "special privileges" if it cuts import of Iranian oil. Background: The US has told India and other countries to cut oil imports from Iran to "zero" by November 4 or face sanctions. Iran will end the privileges being provided to India if it tries to source oil from countries like Saudi Arabia, Russia, Iraq, the US and others to offset cuts in Iranian oil. As for the US sanctions on oil import from Iran: Iran has been a reliable energy partner for India and follows a "rationale pricing" of oil which ensures the interest of both consumers and suppliers. Chabahar Port – A Golden Opportunity The Chabahar port is considered as a gateway to golden opportunities for trade by India, Iran and Afghanistan with central Asian countries in the wake of Pakistan denying transit access to New Delhi. It can be a major link for trade with war-ravaged Afghanistan. In May 2016, India, Iran and Afghanistan had inked a pact which entailed establishment of Transit and Transport Corridor among the three countries using Chabahar Port as one of the regional hubs for sea transportation in Iran, besides multi-modal transport of goods and passengers across the Key Points: On the Gulf of Oman; the only oceanic port of the country. Easily accessible from India’s western coast and is increasingly seen as a counter to Pakistan’s Gwadar Port, being developed with Chinese investment Jointly being developed by India, Iran and Afghanistan In the 1980s, during the Iran-Iraq war, it was developed as a strategic-economic port “Chabahar” literally means a place where all four seasons of the year are like spring. To make it a commercially and strategically viable option, Indian policymakers will have to use the Chabahar project as a lynchpin to integrate it with its larger connectivity project — the International North South Transport Corridor (INSTC). The INSTC, initiated in 2000 by Russia, India and Iran, is a multi-modal transportation route linking the Indian Ocean and the Persian Gulf to the Caspian Sea via Iran, and onward to northern Europe via St Petersburg in Russia. The INSTC envisages the movement of goods from Mumbai, India to Bandar Abbas, Iran, by sea, from Bandar Abbas to Bandar-e-Anzali, an Iranian port on the Caspian Sea, by road, from Bandar-e-Anzali to Astrakhan, a Caspian port in the Russian Federation, by ship across the Caspian Sea, and thereafter into the Russian Federation and further into Europe by Russian Railways. Conclusion: If India sticks to its own part of the national interests of security energy, they will be able to face the pressure from the United States and stand on its own ground. India is now seen as an important player in terms of foreign policy so a little more of gut is required at this stage to respond to situation. Iran understands the difficulties of India in dealing with the unstable energy market and it has done and will do it's best to ensure security of supply to India while offering various flexibility measures which facilitates our bilateral trade in particular. The relation between the two countries goes back in history and we have to foster this relation in the near future. It is important to work together to immunise the relationship between the two countries through adoption of necessary instruments and mechanisms. Note: Iran is India's third-largest oil supplier after Iraq and Saudi Arabia. Iran has offered refiners incentives including almost-free shipping and an enhanced credit period on oil sales. Must Read: Link 1 + Link 2 Connecting the Dots: What should be India’s approach to Iran keeping in mind the recalibrated stance of the US in the region? Discuss.

Daily Prelims CA Quiz

UPSC Quiz- 2019 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz [Day 26]

UPSC Quiz- 2019 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz [Day 26] Archives Q.1) Consider the following statements According to National Family Health Survey (NFHS) 2015-16 nearly 27% girls were married off before they turned 18. According to the NFHS 2015-16, nearly 8%  girls in the 15-19 age group had already become mothers or pregnant. Select the correct statements 1 Only 2 Only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.2) Consider the following statements A Bail-in occurs when outside investors, rescue a borrower by injecting money to help make debt payments. A bail-out occurs when the borrower's creditors are forced to bear some of the burden by having a portion of their debt written off. Both (a) and (b) Neither (a) nor (b) Q.3) Consider the following statements about Hydrocarbon Exploration and Licensing Policy (HELP) It does not distinguish between shallow water fields and deep/ultra-deep water fields The producer price of gas is fixed administratively by the Government Select the correct statements 1 Only 2 Only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.4) Global Entry Programme expedites the screening and processing of low-risk, international travellers entering the European Union Scandinavia United States of America ASEAN Q.5) The Cotonou Agreement is a treaty between European Union and ASEAN Japan and Russia MERCOSUR and European Union None of the above To Download the Solution - Click here All the Best  IASbaba

Daily Prelims CA Quiz

UPSC Quiz- 2019 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz [Day 25]

UPSC Quiz- 2019 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz [Day 25] Archives Q.1) Consider the following statement about ‘Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS)’ It was constituted in the wake of the 9/11 World Trade Centre Attack It is under the aegis of Ministry of Civil Aviation It lays down Aviation Security Standards in accordance to Chicago Convention of International civil aviation organization (ICAO) Select the correct code: 1 and 2 2 and 3 1 and 3 All of the above Q.2) Consider the following statements about ‘EV30@30 Campaign’ It sets a collective aspirational goal to reach 30% sales share for electric vehicles by 2030 NITI Aayog has put together this campaign to promote ‘FAME India Scheme’ Select the correct statements 1 Only 2 Only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.3) Consider the following statements about World Customs Organization (WCO) It is an intergovernmental organisation based in Geneva The Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System is developed and maintained by the WCO Select the correct statements 1 Only 2 Only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.4) Consider the following statements about Hague Abduction Convention It is a multilateral treaty developed by the UN that provides an expeditious method to return a child internationally abducted by a parent from one member country to another The Convention applies only to children under the age of 16 Select the correct statements 1 Only 2 Only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.5) 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 To Download the Solution - Click here All the Best  IASbaba

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