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IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs 6th Oct, 2017

IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 6th Oct 2017 Archives NATIONAL TOPIC: General Studies 2: Functions and responsibilities of the Union and the States, issues and challenges pertaining to the federal structure, devolution of powers and finances up to local levels and challenges therein. India and its International relations. 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, Indian diaspora. Involving States in foreign diplomacy Background: The concept of competitive federalism, particularly in matters of foreign affairs, was on display in Kerala during the five-day visit of the Sharjah ruler, Sultan bin Mohammed Al-Qasimi. Apart from holding discussions with the Sultan on trade and commercial cooperation and presenting a road map on joint projects between Kerala and Sharjah, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan announced at a convocation ceremony of the Calicut University to confer a D.Litt on the Sultan that the ruler had agreed to release 149 Indian prisoners from Sharjah jails. Although traditionalists may argue that foreign affairs are in the exclusive domain of the Union government, the successful outcome of the meet has been widely applauded. Greater inclusion of States in policymaking: The optimal use of such linkages is what Mr. Modi envisaged in the BJP manifesto: “Team India shall not be limited to the Prime Minister-led team in Delhi, but will also include Chief Ministers and other functionaries as equal partners.” Modi is acutely aware of the need for inclusion of State governments in foreign policymaking, particularly in matters relating to trade and investment. He had visited Japan, China and Singapore and seen for himself the potential for the States to play a role in securing the best deals for themselves within the overall policy of the Central government. In his earlier stint as Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, Chandrababu Naidu negotiated with foreign governments to make Hyderabad an IT capital, prompting even presidents and prime ministers to visit the city on state visits. Given his personal reputation, the Government of India invited Mr. Naidu to lead an Indian delegation on IT. The policy of countries like the U.S. and China to encourage their State governments to take economic delegations to foreign countries and even to establish their own trading offices abroad has been the model. Government's policy encouraging State's involvement: The government claims that the basic mechanism for the States to play an important role in not only implementing foreign policy, but also in formulating it has been established. The Ministry of External Affairs now has a States division, which keeps in touch with the States to assist them in building bridges with the countries in which they have a special interest on account of proximity or the presence of diaspora from that State. IFS officers have been asked to choose a State each to understand its special requirements and to advise them. States' leader's interest at the cost of national interest: Pandit Nehru wrote letters to the Chief Ministers, explaining certain aspects of foreign policy, but did not solicit their views, though they could ask questions or make suggestions. As regional parties began to exert influence at the national level, States began to dictate terms even in foreign policy. The States exercised veto on crucial issues, making it difficult for the Prime Minister to have his way in formulating policy. The Chief Minister of West Bengal stopped then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh from signing an agreement on sharing of Teesta waters with Bangladesh after the agreement was negotiated. Political parties in Tamil Nadu not only insisted that India should support the U.S. resolution against Sri Lanka in the Human Rights Council, but also stopped the Prime Minister from attending a Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) on the ground that Sri Lanka was not safeguarding the interests of the Tamil minority. Kerala itself had insisted that the Italian marines who killed two fishermen should be tried in India and punished here, causing a rift in India’s relations with the European Union. In all these cases, the larger interests of India on the global scene were sacrificed to make life easier for the leaders of the States concerned. Even strategic and security issues were ignored in the process. Half-hearted measures: The promise that States would be involved more in foreign affairs has not been kept as yet as the moves made so far are half-hearted. A State's division in the Ministry of External Affairs, by itself, cannot make a difference in policymaking. Way forward: A new structure, in which the States are fully represented, should be established and the Ministry of External Affairs should have offices in key States. Think tanks should be established in States to facilitate policy options and to provide inputs to the States and the Centre. A new architecture needs to be devised to involve the States in issues identified as crucial to them. A major change in mindset is necessary to accomplish it. The States must also develop expertise on foreign affairs to be able to take responsible decisions in their interaction with foreign lands Conclusion: States' diplomacy can be made successful by a deliberate allocation of responsibilities to the State and the Centre. The above-mentioned steps must be implemented on urgent basis. Connecting the dots: Discuss how the concept of competitive federalism, particularly in matters of foreign affairs is evolving. What are the challenges being faced and what needs to be done given the benefits of such an engagement? GOVERNANCE TOPIC: General Studies 2: Role of civil services in a democracy. Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability and institutional and other measures. Reforming Civil Services Background: India is at the confluence of two trends that are fundamentally challenging the world: The rise of Asia, with the growing importance of the Asian consumer, and digitisation. The Asian consumer’s rise between 2010 and 2020 will in dollar terms add a new United States to global consumption. Digitisation (ubiquitous connectivity, unlimited storage, massive and growing computing power, enormous growth in data, artificial intelligence, robotics, blockchain, computer capable mobile handsets) is profoundly changing not just how people live and interact, but also how businesses and governments are, or will need to be in future. The modern era’s need for specialisation fundamentally challenges Macaulay’s notions of a well-rounded generalist on which the Indian civil service was founded. How should our bureaucracy evolve to navigate the challenge? Our government is spread thin. It is understaffed when compared with governments in developed countries and many important government departments are staffed by people who do not have the requisite skills to discharge their increasingly specialised jobs. Issues: Lost attractiveness: It is widely recognised that the prestige of the service has fallen since the 1991 reforms — the reduced controls and the accompanying reduction in licensing reduced their power. Reforms also saw the emergence of alternative professions in the private sector whose pay was considerably higher. The equation between the politician and the bureaucrat also changed decisively in favour of the politician. The service, therefore, lost a lot of its attractiveness. The recruitment examination: Though extremely competitive, is not targeted. Candidates can choose any two subjects and have one common general knowledge paper. Thus, people who get in are from different backgrounds. The nature of jobs that are performed in the state secretariat and the Centre encompass disparate departments (education, health, finance, public works department, urban development etc). Many of these require specialists like accountants, town planners, environmental experts, economists, architects, management degree holders et. Generalists today perform all these different roles. Skill mismatch: All the officers get a year-long training at their respective academies and then are posted to a district. They get trained to become good administrators. In today’s highly specialised world, it does not prepare them well for many of the roles they are expected to perform in the secretariat, whether in the state or at the Centre. After a few years in the state secretariat, there is a race among them to get the jobs at the Centre. Further, most jobs in the states are not as attractive as the posting in Delhi. It shows that the best officers prefer to do jobs for which they have not been explicitly trained rather than do the jobs they are actually good at in the states. The skills and aptitude required to work as a district magistrate are different from that required to work as a joint secretary at the Centre. Way ahead: We need to move away from the colonial paradigm. We need to staff specialised ministries, at the Centre or in the state, with people with the requisite skills irrespective of how bright they are. The time has come to set up a high-powered committee to work out the correct bureaucratic structure for India. This is urgent. Conclusion: To make this century an Indian century we need the state to be able to address the challenges we face and facilitate the changes we need. This requires a qualified and effective bureaucracy. We expect them to do what they were never trained to do in an increasingly specialised, complex and changing world. We need to fix this now. Connecting the dots: The rise of Asia and digitisation have resulted into new challenges. To tackle it we need a change in the way administrative system works in India. In this light discuss the need of reforming the civil services. Also read: Civil Services reforms: The need for lateral entry MUST READ Protecting the street vendors The Hindu Tri-service integration or consolidation The Hindu Does India need a bullet train? The Hindu Partners, naturally Indian Express What the new cricket laws tell us? Livemint The instrumental harms of inequality Livemint Let's be realistic about Aadhaar Business Line  

Daily Prelims CA Quiz

UPSC Quiz- 2017 : IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs Quiz [Day 57]

UPSC Quiz- 2017 : IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs Quiz [Day 57] Archives Q.1) Consider the following statements An Extradition Treaty is a mutually agreed text signed and ratified by two Governments. An Extradition Arrangement is made in the absence of an Extradition Treaty on the assurance of reciprocity including under an International Convention. Select the correct statements 1 Only 2 Only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.2) Choppiness index refers to Financial Markets IP Generation Agricultural Output of G20 nations Misuse of public power for private benefit Q.3) Which of the following statements is/are correct? GSTR 1 contains details of all outward supplies GSTR 2 is a monthly return with the summarized details of sales, purchases, sales during the month along with the amount of GST liability Both (a) and (b) Neither (a) nor (b)  Q.4) Which of the following organisations are associated with ‘The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2017’? Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) World Food Programme (WFP) World Health Organization (WHO) Select the correct code: 1, 3, 4 and 5 2, 3, 4 and 5 1, 3 and 5 All of the above Q.5) Global Slavery Index is published by International Labour Organization (ILO) Walk Free Foundation Oxfam International World Trade Organisation (WTO) To Download the Solution - Click here All The Best  IASbaba

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs 5th Oct, 2017

IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 5th Oct 2017 Archives NATIONAL TOPIC: General Studies 2: Issues relating to development and management of Social sector or Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources. Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. 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. A Low Learning trap Background: An unacceptably large number of Indian children are attending school but not learning enough. Now, research shows that this is not just an Indian problem but a global epidemic that threatens several low- and middle-income countries across the globe. A global epidemic: New estimates from the Unesco Institute for Statistics (UIS) indicate that about 617 million children or six out of every 10 children are not achieving minimum proficiency levels in reading and mathematics. The numbers are the worst for sub-Saharan Africa where, according to UIS data, about 88% of children are not able to read properly or do simple math by the time they finish middle school. South and central Asia comes a close second, with 81% of children in the region not learning the basic minimum. In rural India, the latest edition of the “Annual State of Education Report” (Aser) shows that only 47.8% of class V students can read a class II-level text and only 43% of class VIII students can do class V-level arithmetic. A moral crisis and not just learning crisis: In its annual “World Development Report”, released late last month, the World Bank describes this as not just a “learning crisis” but a “moral crisis”—amplifying inequalities between and within nations. International assessments of literacy and numeracy have consistently shown that students from low-income countries perform worse than those from high-income countries. Even top performers from strong middle-income countries are ranked below their rich country peers, and are struggling to catch up. The World Bank report points to Indonesia, which has significantly improved its performance in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) over the last 10-15 years—and yet, at its 2003-15 rate, will still take another five decades to reach the developed world’s average score for mathematics and another seven decades for reading. Learning crisis despite high enrolment levels: The learning crisis comes at a time when enrolment levels have increased across the board. India has achieved near-universal enrolment and, globally, the gap between children attending school in developed and developing countries is closing. So, access to education has improved but the quality of education hasn’t. Why do some systems succeed while others fail? Lack of resources may be one of the reason behing such failure. But at the same time there are the success stories of post-war South Korea, or of Vietnam and Peru, Malaysia and Tanzania—which have only recently improved learning outcomes. Essentially, because the latter aren’t able to effectively integrate their key elements. The World Bank lists four such elements—students, teachers, school administration and school infrastructure. If any one malfunctions, the entire system is threatened. Fixing the ecosystem means tackling each element individually and collectively. The students: If children come to school sick or hungry, or if parents aren’t able to care for them, not just after birth but also in the womb, then their learning levels will be adversely affected. Dealing with it: Early interventions targeting pregnant women, new mothers and their infants can be particularly effective. India’s integrated child development services scheme and the mid-day meal scheme are good examples. The teachers: The importance of teachers’ skills and capabilities receive little attention. Most developing countries struggle to attract the best and the brightest to their schools even when pay is competitive. Teachers, once hired, are given almost no training or professional development support, leaving them ill-equipped in the classroom. Education systems also rarely offer incentives to improve pedagogical skills, and instead add non-teaching responsibilities. In Ethiopia and Guatemala, only one-third of the total instructional time was used for teaching. In India, teachers from government schools double up as census workers and election officers. School administration: School principals and school managements also suffer from similar problems. A 2015 study by Stanford University showed that better management produced better educational outcomes, and schools with greater autonomy did especially well (explaining at least in part the success of the UK academies and the US charter schools). In the developing world, school managements are rarely empowered or incentivized to improve learning outcomes. In terms of school infrastructure, the relationship between learning levels and learning aids and tools such as laptops and laboratories is often overemphasized. Several studies have shown that similar investments can produce vastly different outcomes, depending on how the investment is utilized. For example, one assessment of Brazil’s One Laptop Per Child scheme showed that more than 40% of teachers rarely used the devices in classrooms. A disproportionate focus on such inputs, and, by extension, inadequate attention towards outcomes, is one of the most important reasons why India’s right to education legislation has performed below potential. Way ahead: For there to be a shift in policy and practice, one has to start with assessing outcomes. This is the World Bank’s top recommendation for making education systems more effective. Conclusion: The ASER survey has highlighted the issues and there’s a long way to go. India finds itself at the bottom of the pile in any of the international assessments. Assessing, measuring and benchmarking performance is the first step. Ultimately, breaking out of the low learning trap will require planned action and evidence-based policymaking. Connecting the dots: An unacceptably large number of Indian children are attending school but not learning enough. The issue of low learning trap is not just with Indian but is a global epidemic. The need of the hour is planned action and evidence-based policymaking. Discuss. INTERNATIONAL TOPIC: General studies 2: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests. Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests Important International institutions, agencies and fora- their structure, mandate. Nuclear deal with Iran: In question Background: West Asia is in a period of heightened uncertainty. Regional powers are scrambling to fill the vacuum created by the steady dismantling of the Islamic State’s sham caliphate across Syria and Iraq. Kurds, buoyed by their pivotal position in this race to Raqqa, have held an independence referendum, annoying Iraqi, Turkish and Iranian neighbours. Turkey continues its authoritarian descent, as its relations with Europe worsen by the day. In the Persian Gulf, a crisis within the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), pitting Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates against Qatar, has entered its sixth month, with no sign of resolution. Within Saudi Arabia, the young and ambitious heir to the throne, Mohammed bin Salman, is experimenting with an unpredictable mix of reform and repression. The JCPOA: The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), a nuclear deal agreed between Iran and six major powers is in its second year now. Significance: It recognised Iran’s right to enrich uranium in exchange for a battery of tough, but time-bound, limits on nuclear activity. It helped defused a crisis that had burned since the 1990s, threatening to spiral into a war in the 2010s. Critics of the agreement: The conservative forces in Israel, the Arab world, and the U.S. have denounced the agreement. They complained that it did not address Iran’s non-nuclear behaviour, such as support for Hezbollah and other militant organisations, and that the “sunset” clauses, which progressively relax the constraints on Iran over the next three decades, were too generous. Donald Trump has called the deal “one of the worst and most one-sided transactions the United States has ever entered into”. Mr. Trump and members of his administration have repeatedly, but falsely, claimed that Iran is violating the agreement. In case US denies the agreement: The U.K., France, Germany and the European Union have all expressed their categorical support. If the U.S. re-imposes so-called secondary sanctions, which cover foreign companies, Europe would most likely take legal and diplomatic steps to protect its substantial commerce with Iran, even at the cost of a transatlantic crisis. China, Iran’s main trading partner, and Russia, Iran’s military ally in Syria, would defy U.S. sanctions with even greater enthusiasm. In short, it would be virtually impossible to rebuild today the broad, multinational sanctions regime that helped push Iran to the negotiating table during 2013-15. Futility of war: Not only would a war fail to eradicate Iran’s nuclear know-how, it would have far-reaching regional consequences. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards could unleash Shia militia against U.S. troops in Iraq, and expand support to Afghan insurgents just as Mr. Trump’s surge gets underway. Saudi-Iran tensions would increase. The risks of a U.S.-Russia confrontation in West Asia would jump dramatically. Abrogation of the JCPOA would be devastating for Washington’s credibility in future diplomacy. All this would have negative implications for India. While Indian imports of Iranian oil have been falling regardless, the Chabahar project, scheduled for completion next year, could face fresh obstacles. Iran-Pakistan relations may also shift unpredictably, and in ways that work against Indian interests. Connecting the dots: West Asia is facing a period of heightened uncertainty. In such a scenario the abrogation of JCPOA deal would only complicate matters. Critically analyze. US president Donald Trump is too critical about the nuclear deal between Iran and six major powers including US. In case the deal is not abrogated by US it would have negative implications for India. In this light discuss how India can get benefitted by collaborating wit European powers, Russia and China on the issue. MUST READ The telecom battle lines The Hindu Taking aim at the messenger The Hindu The terms of consent The Hindu Coal fired projections The Hindu A new dalit hero Indian Express Cariappa for Jammu and Kashmir Indian Express Do rural migrants favour class or caste in the city Livemint The Rohingyas pose a regional challenge Business Line  

Daily Prelims CA Quiz

UPSC Quiz- 2017 : IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs Quiz [Day 56]

UPSC Quiz- 2017 : IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs Quiz [Day 56] Archives Q.1) Ministry of Water resources has approved setting up of a Turtle sanctuary in Allahabad. Consider the following statements It will be set up under Namami Gange Programme It would include development of River Biodiversity Park at confluence of Ganga, Yamuna and Mythical Saraswati Select the correct statements 1 Only 2 Only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.2) Which of the following statements about INS Chakra is/are correct? It is a Shardul class amphibious warship It is on a 10-year lease period from Russia Select the correct statements 1 Only 2 Only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.3) Project Monitoring Information System (PMIS) mobile app was launched by National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) Ministry of Coal Department of Public Enterprises Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion Q.4) Which of the following statements about BIRAC is/are correct? It is under the aegis of Department of Biotechnology (DBT) The National Biopharma Mission will be implemented by BIRAC Both (a) and (b) Neither (a) nor (b) Q.5) India’s Million Death Study’ is associated with Bhopal gas tragedy Female foeticide Extrajudicial execution None of the above To Download the Solution - Click here All The Best  IASbaba

AIR

All India Radio (AIR) : Disinvestment of Air India

Disinvestment of Air India ARCHIVES Search 29th June 2017 http://www.newsonair.com/Main_Audio_Bulletins_Search.aspx TOPIC: General Studies 2 Infrastructure: General Studies 3 Infrastructure: Airports In news: Air India, the national carrier, is once again up for disinvestment. Air India has a total debt of around ₹52,000 crore which comprises of ₹22,000 crore as aircraft loan and the rest as working capital loan and other liabilities. It is not yet clear how much the government wants to offload- whether it will fully exit Air India or it will retain a minority stake is yet to be decided. Air India came into existence in 1932 as starter airline. It was nationalised in 1953. Why it makes sense? For many years the government had been considering the option that whether Air India should be helped in coming out of its current situation or disinvested. This is not first instance. In 2000 also it was tried for disinvestment but it was not materialised due to lack of political will. At that time, the Tatas, the actual promoters of airlines, wanted to buy it back along with Singapore Airlines. Now this time, Air India cannot make a turnaround without disinvestment. Air India is operational today because previous government had given a bailout package of Rs. 25000 crore. Today the situation is once again that currently it is in debt of 50000 crore. So out of the choice to run the company, to allow to change its working and to disinvest, the last option is the most rational one. It has been not able to change or improve its situation in financial health in last few years so the debt and losses are growing. If this time there is no disinvestment of Air India, it will be difficult even to disinvest the company in future. So it’s a right step in right direction. Enough political will for disinvestment now? The ministry of civil aviation is not completely in favour of this decision. The ministry believes that if the government is going to write off debt, then why not let the airline run. But now the time for that is gone. What is process of disinvestment? A committee of Group of Ministers, headed by finance minister will prepare a roadmap according to which the disinvestment process will go. NITI Ayog has also proposed that Air India should be completely given in private hands. But before that, following steps should be undertaken Identify the assets of 5 subsidiaries of Air India, out of which, 3 are profit making. So these can be divested with a favourable price. Identify Rs. 25000-30000 crore worth of physical assets of Air India and get the maximum possible from them. Identify good buyers Once the best of all is done, then there will a situation where there will be best price for Air India. That would be the time to decide the best company to take over Air India in terms of giving best price. Air India express, Air India transport services and Allianz air are profit making. By selling them, the government can realise Rs. 20000 crore rupees. Air India is sitting on huge land parcel. This can be divested which can also generate sizeable amount of money. Thus, the government should focus on this and not on how much to keep it with itself. Why government should get best price? Air India has 140 aircrafts, operates in 41 international destination, goes to 72 domestic destination, has 14% share in domestic market and 17% share in international market running from India. Thus, it will get best price for such a huge airline. This is true that every airline would like to take over a company in healthy state of affairs which is not the case with Air India. So it is necessary to bring it to best possible state and then divest it. Way forward Some may say it is distress sale as the airlines is sold after stripping off all assets. However, it shouldn’t matter what kind of sale it is at this juncture. The final goal should be proper disinvestment of Air India which should take place by 2018. GOM has to decide whether it is distress sale, of debt write off or asset realisation. Some sections of the government feel that foreign investors shouldn’t be allowed as it is national airline, pride of country and foreigners shouldn’t be running it after privatisation. This is despite the fact that government of India has now opened up Indian airlines to foreign airlines after keeping them away for 25 years. Since then, 49% equity a foreign carrier was allowed to take in Indian carrier. In 2016, the rules were amended with 100% overtake by the foreign carrier in participation with foreign funds and foreign investors. Hence, the government wouldn’t be restricting the foreign players to bid in the process. India is a destination where record FDI is coming. There were apprehensions a few years back about foreign companies coming into Indian businesses but right now there is no reason why they shouldn’t be allowed to participate in this disinvestment process. Many foreign companies are working in critical sectors such as telecom. So, it is possible in Air India also. It comes without any doubt that national interest in terms of security will be taken care of during the process of disinvestment. In brief, the journey 1932: Founded by J.R.D. Tata as Tata Airlines – country’s first scheduled airline 1946: Tata Airlines became a public limited company under the name of Air India 1948: Government of India acquires 49% stake in the company; starts international operation under brand of Air India International 1953: Air Corporation Act enacted to nationalise all existing airline assets and Indian Airline Corporation (domestic operations) and Air India International were established 1962: Air India International named as Air India 1994: Air Corporation Act repealed to allow private airlines to operate on domestic routes; Air India, Indian Airlines converted into Limited Companies under Companies Act, 1956 2000: Previous NDA govt drops privatisation plan after deciding to sell 51% of equity of Indian Airlines and 60% of Air India 2007: Erstwhile Air India and Indian Airline were merged into single entity named as National Aviation Company of India Limited (NACIL) 2010: NACIL renamed as Air India Limited 2012: UPA govt rule out AI privatisation; Turnaround plan to infuse over Rs 30,000 crore till 2021 approved 2017: NDA govt approves in-principle approval of Air India's disinvestment Connecting the dots: The disinvestment process is a proof of government realising its true role in democracy. What is this role and how does it affect the democratic functioning? Critically analyse.

MindMaps

IASbaba’s MINDMAP : Issue - Police Reforms

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

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs 4th Oct, 2017

IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 4th Oct 2017 Archives SECURITY TOPIC: General Studies 3: Government Budgeting. Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment. Defence reforms- Important guidelines to be followed Background: Recently, a series of defence reforms which will result in the ‘redeployment and restructuring of approximately 57,000 posts of officers/JCOs/ORs and civilians' were announced. The reforms are aimed at ‘enhancing Combat Capability & Rebalancing Defence Expenditure of the armed forces with an aim to increase the “teeth to tail ratio”.’ Initial approval has been given for 65 of a total of 99 recommendations pertaining to the Indian Army. This will begin with the closure of 39 military farms in a time bound manner. The reforms are expected to be completed by December 31, 2019. Security threats and challenges: There are clearly discernible security threats and challenges that continue to adversely affect India’s security. These are a result of unresolved borders and continuing inimical actions by adversaries. Given the history of four major wars fought by India and its adversaries, the country has no option but to deter a future war and, in case deterrence fails, remain prepared to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity. Security beyond borders: The security forces must build and retain the capability of protecting India’s core national interests beyond its borders. These include: The safety of Indians working in regions like West Asia. Protection of economic and energy supply lines and assets. Contribution to international responsibilities like United Nations (UN) peacekeeping and anti-piracy operations. Humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) missions. Sub-conventional challenges: In addition to the external threats and responsibilities are sub-conventional challenges like terrorism and insurgency, which have necessitated the active employment of a substantially large force, both army and central police. Some of these deployments are also focused towards Pakistan that manifests itself in a variety of forms to include terrorism. Further, challenges like economic and cyber warfare go beyond the traditional realm of security. All of these necessitate the deployment of “soldiers” with different skill-sets to fight the adversary in these non-traditional domains. War, as a result, is increasingly assuming hybrid forms, and has been waged successfully by countries like Pakistan and China against India for a number of years. The threat presented by Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICN) and cyber-attacks on security and critical infrastructure have therefore become a challenge for trained professionals fighting the adversary, often unseen and unheard by a vast majority of Indians. Thus, the nature of threats and challenges has undergone a transformation in the recent past and transcend the traditional notions of security. This necessiates that the instruments of the state required to fight the “enemy” also need to diversify, given the means and tools that an adversary like Pakistan is employing. Issues: The existing concept of defence is individual service centric, where each service largely plans and operates within its particular silo. Similarly, the counter terrorism approach too remains distinct to each arm of the state, with cooperation occurring at best at the functional level to achieve a basic level of cohesion. The lack of unity of effort and consequently a failure to achieve economy of effort. The lack of joint planning, joint training, and joint equipment (which includes procurement) affects both efficiency and economy. The fight often tends to centre around allocation of funds and numbers of senior ranks that must at least be protected if not enlarged, rather than finding the optimum solution for the challenge at hand. Way ahead: When this reality is transposed upon the reforms being effected, it indicates the direction that security planning needs to take. Even as the enhancement of the teeth to tail ratio remains critical, its implementation without addressing the simultaneous challenge of services functioning in silos will yield only limited benefits. The decision to cut down numbers must be linked with synergised efficiencies amongst the Ministry of Defence (MoD), affiliated Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs), Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and the three services. The streamlining of logistics initiated will remain sub-optimal unless the exercise is undertaken as a tri-service, ordnance factory and quality assurance related endeavour. Even as some areas will continue to remain distinct, greater efficiencies and economy should be created through greater cohesion. The cutting down of numbers from amongst the logistic support elements has to be accompanied by joint services establishments to achieve economies of scale. The ongoing reforms cannot be limited to the three services alone. It must also include the MoD as well as the entire national security architecture with a view to building an overarching organisation that can cohesively address the challenge of hybrid wars. The emergence of threats in cyber and space, should therefore become the basis for creation of a cyber and space commands, with a capability of both defensive and offensive actions. This too is a field which relates to the larger concept of security, rather than the one represented by the three services alone. Reforms must be holistic and homogenous. Any attempt at piecemeal implementation is unlikely to yield the desired benefits and dividends. Past experience with defence reforms has clearly indicated that success has only been achieved when reforms benefit from the professional advice of the services and are backed by the willingness of the political establishment to enforce implementation. The existing resistance within the services and the civilian bureaucracy is unlikely to allow reforms that affect their status and the size of their establishments. It is for the political leadership to take the onus and responsibility of leading such an effort. It is also for political leaders to outline national security concerns and envisaged capabilities, for which the security agencies must thereafter provide a blueprint. The success of defence reforms hinges on the availability of financial resources. The scope and size of reforms must be tailored to the needs of specific modernisation targets, even if these are achieved sequentially rather than concurrently. The armed forces need a structure and size which enables them to fight a faster paced, shorter and more efficient limited war. This demands a very different equipment profile, as also an efficient logistical support base. Since the funding for modernisation is likely to remain at existing levels of approximately 1.55 per cent, as a percentage of GDP, the obvious conclusion is to re-prioritise resources towards the challenges actually being faced. This includes limited wars in the conventional domain, terrorism, and non-traditional security challenges like HADR and cyber attacks. The government should take up for implementation the recommendations that have been successively made by the Arun Singh, Kargil Review and Naresh Chandra Committees. It is equally important to assess what remains pending for implementation because the seeds of major military change might just be found amongst recommendations that are yet to be taken up for implementation. Conclusion: The above guidelines must become the basis for undertaking major structural changes of the kind that has been visualised. While pushing through the ongoing reforms, the government must assess the pitfalls of similar reforms in the past. The opportunity to transform the national security structure does not present itself often. Connecting the dots: Recently the government has introduced certain defence reforms. What are these reforms. Discuss the major threats and security challenges faced by India and on what bases defence reforms should be carried out. Also read: First phase of reforms in armed forces ECONOMICS TOPIC: General studies 3: Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways, etc. Investment models. General studies 2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. Revitalizing PPPs Background: India’s infrastructure deficit continues to persist despite the relative catch-up in recent years. The Asian Development Bank, in its report titled “Meeting Asia’s Infrastructure Needs”, has estimated that $4.36 trillion is needed to fix India’s infrastructure deficit by 2030. More than $300 billion of spending every year is required for the next 13 years, as compared to recent spend rates of $120 billion per year, much of this has to come from the private sector. Difficult circumstances: Weakening economic growth and the debt overhang problem have constrained both the capacity and flow of private investment in asset creation. Even the successful awards in roads, rail, airports and other infrastructure segments have been mired in implementation challenges, affecting the private sector’s capacity to invest afresh. Broad estimates indicate that the private arm of public-private partnerships (PPPs) will need to contribute at least $90 billion every year for the next 10 years, entailing a potential borrowing of at least $55-60 billion a year. That is quite a large sum for the stretched balance sheets of lenders and investors. Limited capability of the government: The difficult circumstances have prompted the government to step in and increase public expenditure on infrastructure but by all counts the private sector will need to play a key role. India’s debt-to-gross domestic product ratio is relatively high (65%) and with already stretched finances, the government’s ability to fund new assets will remain constrained. Revitalizing PPPs: The government needs to hit the reset button on PPPs to address core issues. Three aspects need immediate attention— Restructuring PPP contracts through an objective process: Many of the base contracts were drawn up in a different era. That has changed, with disruptions in many forms overtaking every sector. It has become impossible to foresee factors that would have a significant impact on the performance over a long-term contract period. Way ahead: The Kelkar committee recommendations in 2015 are worth reflecting on. These are not matters of negotiation of terms; deep changes and redrafts of concession contracts would be needed based on evolving asset risk profiles, market conditions, technology impacts, investor appetite and bankability. Broadening and deepening access to long-term credit: On credit, the situation has aggravated sharply, with the non-performing assets (NPAs) of domestic lenders mounting. While the international credit and financing market is an avenue, high-quality sponsors and assets remain few. Poor project preparation also remains an issue. Without adequate preparedness and appropriate risk allocation, large capital pools remain out of access. Bonds have worked very well overseas as a source of project finance, given their relative advantages over commercial bank debt, but the corporate or municipal bond market in India is still not deep enough to support long-term credit and refinancing commitments, unless backed by sovereign guarantees, which are difficult to come by. High project risks, poor entity rating and regulatory uncertainties also make yield-based structures difficult to implement. Way ahead: Market making assumes greater significance in this context. Financial institutions like India Infrastructure Finance Co. Ltd and the National Infrastructure Investment Fund (NIIF) should lead the market-making role by securing foreign capital and providing equity support to critical infrastructure projects. Tightening procurement processes and timelines: Elongated timelines due to lack of institutional capacity in the project-award process have been hurting. Single-window clearance has rarely worked and inability to resolve disputes during the implementation stage quickly has been a big deterrent for high-quality investors. The whole value-for-money principle that favours PPPs over traditional public sector procurement is defeated with time and cost overruns resulting from delayed pre-development and procurement activities. As a case in point, the Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) transaction took nearly a decade to complete from the time the first master plan was prepared and three years to identify the successful bidder after the tenders were invited. Way ahead: Experience reveals that strong leadership can make a big difference. The Delhi Metro is a good example of how projects can and should be implemented. It had to deal with all kinds of issues typical of large projects—land acquisition, utility shifting, rehabilitation of displaced land owners, migrant workers, construction and engineering challenges, procurement risks and multiple stakeholders—and still came out on top. The same quality of leadership is required for all mega projects, whether implemented by the government or its agencies or by the private sector, and needs to be nurtured and encouraged. Connecting the dots: The Asian Development Bank, in its report titled “Meeting Asia’s Infrastructure Needs”, has estimated that $4.36 trillion is needed to fix India’s infrastructure deficit by 2030. In this light dizcuss the importance of revitalizing PPPs and also how it can be done. MUST READ The west puts conditions, the east helps The Hindu In need of psycho-economic boost The Hindu The cold facts The Hindu Awaiting police reforms The Hindu Not without justice Indian Express The missed opportunity to reimagine India Livemint Smart highways are the road to the future Business Line  

Daily Prelims CA Quiz

UPSC Quiz- 2017 : IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs Quiz [Day 55]

UPSC Quiz- 2017 : IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs Quiz [Day 55] Archives Q.1) Flexi fare scheme is concerned with Broadband Internet Railways Allocation of Coal Blocks None of the above Q.2) Julio Ribeiro Committee is associated with Merger Of seven Associate Banks with State Bank of India Computerization of Banking Industry and Public Sector Disinvestment Small scale industries and Trade Policy Reform Police reforms Q.3) Consider the following statements about Catalonia It is a geographic area in Eastern and South-eastern Europe with various and disputed borders It is bordered by the Adriatic Sea on the northwest, the Ionian Sea on the southwest Select the correct statements 1 Only 2 Only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.4) India’s first LIGO (Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory) laboratory will be set up in which of the following states? Maharashtra Gujarat Karnataka Madhya Pradesh  Q.5) Which of the following statements about H1N1 virus is/are correct? It was detected for the first time in India It does not spread from exposure to an infected person Both (a) and (b) Neither (a) nor (b) To Download the Solution - Click here All The Best  IASbaba

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs 3rd Oct, 2017

IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 3rd Oct 2017 Archives INFRASTRUCTURE/DISASTER MANAGEMENT TOPIC: General Studies 3 Infrastructure Disaster and disaster management. Fixing Infrastructure gaps In News: The stampede at Mumbai’s Elphinstone Road suburban station foot over-bridge claimed 23 lives. Need for fixing gaps: The risk of such a tragedy occurring, particularly on the 45-year-old foot over-bridge, was well known to both the Railways as well as commuters. To be fair, the Railways had recognised, albeit belatedly, that it needed to address the inadequacy of the infrastructure. Fault line: Construction of a new bridge had been cleared by former railway minister Suresh Prabhu about two years ago, but ironically tenders for its construction were floated only on the day of the tragedy. The blame for the tragedy must squarely lie with the Railways bureaucracy. Way forward: The tragedy has served as a wake-up call for the Railways and the new railway minister Piyush Goyal has acted with urgency to announce a host of new infrastructure projects that will make passenger movement at Mumbai’s suburban stations easier. The announcements including 92 escalators and several foot over-bridges are welcome and the minister should ensure that these projects are not delayed or the quality of work compromised. But a city like Mumbai where over 7.5 million passengers use the suburban services everyday, needs much more than these escalators and overbridges. It needs a modern mass rapid transit system. It also needs a modern approach to traffic management. Adequate entry and exit points to facilitate crowd movement as well as crowd management need to be a priority. The Delhi Metro does a reasonably good job with marshals and Central Industrial Security Force guards on the platforms and concourse and by restricting access to the station if required. The Delhi Metro has the advantage of being a modern infrastructure unlike the Mumbai suburban service which dates back to the colonial era. The long-term solution to crowding is to augment facilities at regular intervals and build in redundancy into all new projects to handle growth. For urban and suburban mass transit projects, it is also necessary to have increased and ongoing coordination between different agencies to plan and augment infrastructure. For instance, the Mumbai suburban service cannot be just a Railway project —the municipal corporations and town planners need to be closely associated with it to develop the areas around the stations and prevent choking by people and road transport. Above all, there has to be a razor-sharp focus on execution. It will not be out of place to suggest that citizens’ participation is also required to keep transit systems tragedy-free. And that should not be limited to just demanding improved amenities such as escalators and lifts to enable faster movement from one platform to another in train stations and make stations and trains more accessible for the differently-abled. Citizens should also be aware that their behaviour can avert or trigger a tragedy. Connecting the dots: Mumbai’s Elphinstone tragedy is a grim reminder that there is a robust need for recognizing the significance of cities and the need to invest in building their physical and civic character. Elucidate. Stampedes in India have become a common problem these days and are the consequences of human activities labeling it as manmade disaster. Suggest few mitigation strategies to avoid the losses that occur during such stampedes? NATIONAL/AGRICULTURE TOPIC: General Studies 2 Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. General Studies 3 Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment. Major crops cropping patterns in various parts of the country, different types of irrigation and irrigation systems storage, transport and marketing of agricultural produce and issues and related constraints; e-technology in the aid of farmers. A four-point agenda for farm revival Need of agriculture reform: Private sector is yet to harness the business potential of agriculture and allied sectors in India. The dilemma arises in the absence of enough policy enablers to ensure private participation despite the promising potential. Land fragmentation has resulted in poor yields and productivity, making the sector unviable for small farmers. What needs to be done? Solving this crisis and reforming the sector will involve re-organisation of key factors of farm production — land, labour, capital and technology. What makes such a comprehensive relook at agriculture imperative is the fact that 49 per cent of the national workforce and 64 per cent of the rural work force still depend on the sector for a living, even though the share of the sector in the overall GDP has shrunk massively from around 45 per cent in the 1950s to about 16 per cent today. Long-term leasing laws: The primary challenge is low productivity due to fragmented land holdings. Today, about 85 per cent of all land holdings belong to small and marginal farm categories of less than 2 hectares. This has hindered infusion of technology (use of hybrid varieties and farming techniques) and discouraged capital investment (in irrigation and mechanisation). The only way to overcome this challenge is by facilitating a legal framework to consolidate these holdings in to larger operational units through “long term leasing of farmland without alienating the land ownership — as has been introduced by Rajasthan, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh and Punjab. This policy reform can be a game changer as also suggested by Niti Aayog in the Model Land Leasing Act — no change in ownership and no tenancy rights, land reverts back upon expiry of lease. Long-term leasing can facilitate the entry of the private sector into agriculture to infuse much needed energy in the form of: crop diversification Introduction of high-value crops Increased mechanisation and Introduction of new farming techniques and technologies. Conclusion: These partnerships may not just impact productivity but have a substantial influence on farmer income as well. Industry also stands to gain by getting access to assured supply of commodities for their processing and marketing operations. Connecting the dots: Elaborate on what changes should be made in our agricultural policy so as to solve the challenges of land fragmentation and improve the livelihood of farmers. Discuss the associated advantages of long term leasing of farmland without alienating the land ownership. How does this augment rural farm income? Discuss. MUST READ A rapid test to diagnose Zika and dengue Hindu Chauvinist winds over India Hindu Urban upgrade to smart governance Hindu The numbers game Hindu Lingayat leap of faith Indian Express Award Wapasi 2.0 Indian Express Raja Mandala: India and Djibouti’s geopolitical scrum Indian Express Missing the point of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan Livemint Should India hold $400 billion of forex reserves? Livemint Tough balancing act for the MPC  Business Line

PIB

IASbaba PIB Weekly : Press Information Bureau - 24th Sep to 1st Oct, 2017

IASbaba PIB Weekly: Press Information Bureau - 24th Sep to 1st Oct, 2017 ARCHIVES GS-2 My Home-My Neighborhood (Ghar Bi Saaf-Pados Bhi Saaf) campaign (Topic: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation) Objective: As solid waste management in cities is the major challenges in urban areas, there is a need to convert the ‘individual connect’ with sanitation demand into ‘social connect’ to ensure the success of the solid waste management chain through collective action. Components of the campaign – Segregation of waste at source Compost making from wet waste within the premises/neighborhood/area Recycling of dry waste Freeing the neighborhood from open defecation and open urination Motivating the residents of neighborhood against throwing garbage in open spaces Adopting a nearby park or open place for collection and waste segregation. Impact – Substantial reduction in the quantum of solid waste sent to landfill Enabling better performance of Waste-to –Compost and Waste-to-Energy plants Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY) (Topic: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation) Part of the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM), tasked with the dual objectives of adding diversity to the incomes of rural poor families and cater to the career aspirations of rural youth According to Census 2011, India has 55 million potential workers between the ages of 15 and 35 years in rural areas. At the same time, the world is expected to face a shortage of 57 million workers by 2020. This presents a historic opportunity for India to transform its demographic surplus into a demographic dividend. Enable Poor and Marginalized to Access Benefits: Demand led skill training at no cost to the rural poor Inclusive Program Design: Mandatory coverage of socially disadvantaged groups (SC/ST 50%; Minority 15%; Women 33%) Shifting Emphasis from Training to Career Progression: Pioneers in providing incentives for job retention, career progression and foreign placements Greater Support for Placed Candidates: Post-placement support, migration support and alumni network Proactive Approach to Build Placement Partnerships: Guaranteed Placement for at least 75% trained candidates Enhancing the Capacity of Implementation Partners: Nurturing new training service providers and developing their skills Regional Focus: Greater emphasis on projects for poor rural youth in Jammu and Kashmir (HIMAYAT), the North-East region and 27 Left-Wing Extremist (LWE) districts (ROSHINI) Standards-led Delivery: All program activities are subject to Standard Operating Procedures that are not open to interpretation by local inspectors. All inspections are supported by geo-tagged, time stamped videos/photographs Must Read: Link 1 + Link 2 + Link 3 + Link 4 Must Solve: Link 1 + Link 2 SAUBHAGYA Yojana (Topic: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation) What: The Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojna – Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched a Rs 16,320-crore scheme to supply electricity to all households by December 2018, providing free connections to the poor and at very low cost to others. This marks a natural transition of government policy from electrification of villages to connecting households. Access to electricity to all willing households Substitution to kerosene Improvement in educational services Improvement in health services Improvement in communications Improvement in public safety Increased job opportunities Better quality of life, especially for women, in daily chores Note: Government will use Socio Economic and Caste Census (SECC) 2011 data to identify the beneficiaries for free electricity connections. Un-electrified households not covered under the SECC data would also be provided electricity connections under the scheme on payment of Rs 500 which will be recovered by DISCOMs in 10 installments through electricity bill. Nodal Agency: The Rural Electrification Corporation Limited PENCIL Portal (Topic: Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources) What: An electronic platform for effective enforcement for ‘no child labour’ policy  developed by Ministry of Labour and Employment Need: To create a robust implementing and monitoring mechanism for both enforcement of the legislative provisions and effective implementation of the NCLP. It is important due to the fact that the subject of Labour falls in the concurrent list and enforcement to a large extent depends of respective State Governments. This online portal will connect Central Government to State Government, District and to all Project Societies and would provide a mechanism for implementation. PENCIL Portal has following components: Child Tracking System Complaint Corner State Government National Child Labour Project Convergence Government has embarked on a holistic and multi-pronged approach to eliminate child labour from the country in a phased manner. Child Labour (Prohibition & Regulation) Amendment Act, 2016 – Came into force with effect from 1st September, 2016. Employment of a child below 14 years is completely prohibited in any occupation or processes. This is a historic progression since the inception of the Act in 1986, when a complete ban in engaging children below 14 years is foreseen as a reality by this amendment First time the age of child is linked with the age of the child in the Right of Children to free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 For the first time the definition of adolescent has been introduced and the ambit of the Act is enhanced to include adolescent in the age group of 14-18 years. The amendment prohibits the employment of adolescent in hazardous occupations and processes. National Child Labour Project (NCLP) Scheme – initiated in 1988 to rehabilitate working children by Eliminating all forms of child labour through identification Withdrawal of all children in the Project Area from child labour Preparing children withdrawn from work for mainstream education along with vocational training Haifa Day (Topic: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests) Haifa: In Northern Israel Every year on September 23, the Indian Army celebrates ‘Haifa Day’ to commemorate the war dead during the Battle of Haifa, considered as one of the bravely-contested battles of World War I. Owing to its rail and harbour, Israeli port city of Haifa was a strategic supply base. In addition to Haifa, the Allied Forces also engineered a plan to annexe Nazareth and Damascus in present-day Israel and Syria. On September 23, 1918, the 15th (Imperial Service) Cavalry Brigade comprising lancers from the regiments of princely states of Jodhpur and Mysore inflicted heavy assault on positions held by Ottoman Turks in and around the city of Haifa. Eventually, the Indian cavalry brigades fighting under the leadership of British General Edmund Allenby helped liberate Haifa from the clutches of the Turkish-German forces. A total of 1,350 German and Ottoman prisoners were captured by the two Indian regiments. The Teen Murti memorial was constructed in 1922 in the memory of the Indian soldiers from three princely states namely Jodhpur, Hyderabad and Mysore who served present day Gaza strip, Israel and Palestine during the World War I under British India Army. Note: Modi will be the first-ever Indian Prime Minister to visit Israel, aimed at strengthening diplomatic ties with the Jewish nation. Read: Battle of Haifa 3rd Joint Ministerial Review of the India-Korea Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) (Topic: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests) Progress of the CEPA was reviewed, and had extensive discussions on trade and economic corporation issues between the two countries. Both countries should endeavour to finalize the CEPA upgrading negotiations at the earliest, within 2018 to the extent possible. The Ministers agreed on the importance of co-operation in the field of standardization and conformity assessment and developing mutual recognition agreements of arrangements of conformity assessment between the two countries. The Ministers shared the view that the two countries can take the lead in the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution if the new, lower–cost technological competitiveness of India is combined with Korea’s mass production capabilities. Ministers agreed to establish a join future strategy group with a mission to identify areas of high–end technological co-operation between the two countries, as a way to realize the vision of co-leadership in the era of the Fourth Industries Revolution Commended the two countries’ dedication to the expansion of power generation from renewable resources and agreed to co-operate to mutually support the national goal of renewable and reliable energy expansion. The Ministers agreed that, to attract foreign investment, it is critical to create pioneering success stories to nudge second movers and increase by a more diverse range of entrepreneurs. In this regard, both sides agreed to consider favourably the requests made in the Joint Committee meeting, with regard to investment cooperation of the two countries. In addition, both sides agreed to the continued support of KOREA PLUS in India, to Korean investors. Cabinet approves Agreement on “Cooperation in the field of Information, Communication and Media” between India and Ethiopia (Topic: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests) Aims to harness the growing power of Information, Communication and Media for information dissemination and enhancing outreach between the two countries for inclusive development Enhance people to people contact through exchange programmes Provide an opportunity for both the nations to share best practices and new innovations in the field of Information, Communication & Media. Encourage cooperation between mass media tools such as radio, print media, TV, social media etc. to provide more opportunities to the people of both the nations and create public accountability. The Agreement, through an institutional framework will facilitate exchange of delegations, personnel between the two nations, providing them opportunities to learn from each other’s best practices, bringing in equity and inclusiveness. GS-3 Electronic Negotiable Warehouse Receipt (e-NWR) System (Topic: Transport and marketing of agricultural produce and issues and related constraints; e-technology in the aid of farmers, Issues of buffer stocks and food security) This initiative would revolutionise the marketing of agricultural commodities and help farmers realize better price for their produce which will be a step towards doubling the farmers’ income by 2022 as well as Digital India mission. Will provide no chances of any tempering, mutilation, fudging, loss or damage and with no possibility of any multiple financing Facilitate an easy pledge financing by banks and other financial institutions Smooth trading on various trading centres like commodity exchanges, electronic National Agriculture Markets (e-NAM) and other electronic platforms. Will save expenditure in logistics as the stocks could be traded through multiple buyers without physical movement and can be even split for partial transfer or withdrawal Would enhance WDRA’s regulatory functions and bring greater fiduciary trust among banks, depositors and the trade on the e-NWR system Minimum Support Price for Minor Forest Produce (Topic: Issues related to direct and indirect farm subsidies and minimum support prices) Minor Forest Produce (MFP) is a major source of livelihood for tribals who belong to the poorest of the poor section of society – Majority of 100 million tribals depend on MFPs for food, fodder, shelter, medicines and cash income – it provides them critical subsistence during the lean seasons, particularly for primitive tribal groups such as hunter gatherers, and the landless. Tribals derive 20-40% of their annual income from MFP on which they spend major portion of their time. This activity has strong linkage to women’s financial empowerment as most of the MFPs are collected and used / sold by women. MFP sector has the potential to create about 10 million workday’s jobs annually in the country Scheme: Providing fair price for the MFP collected by tribals through Minimum Support price (MSP) Objective: Providing fair price to MFP gatherers, enhance their income level and ensure sustainable harvesting of MFPs Seeks to establish a framework to ensure fair prices for the produce collected by them, assurance of buying at a particular price, primary processing, storage, transportation etc while ensuring sustainability of the resource base Envisages training of tribal MFP gatherers on sustainable harvesting and value addition activities including facilitation for marketing of the produces so that natural resources can be optimally utilized in a sustainable manner Seeks to institutionalize various medium & long term aspects of sustainable collection, value addition, market infrastructure development, knowledge base expansion of MFPs, market intelligence development etc. Strengthening the bargaining power of Gram Sabhas / Panchayats India Joins Race in 5G Ecosystem, Constitutes High Level Forum on 5G India 2020 (Topic: Telecom) 5G has been conceived as a foundation for expanding the potential of the Networked Society and India is at the cusp of a next generation of wireless technology 5G. It provides an opportunity for industry to reach out to global markets, and consumers to gain with the economies of scale. Economic benefits from the 5G technology Increasing GDP Creating Employment Digitizing the economy The primary goals of the forum are to achieve: Early deployment of 5G in India A globally competitive product development and manufacturing ecosystem targeting 50% of India market and 10% of global market over next 5 to 7 years. The forum will complement the eco-system by focused actions in the following areas: Research Ecosystem – for IPR development, standards development and proof of concepts through research projects, PPP projects, testbeds and pilot roll-outs. Regulatory Framework – including spectrum assignments and a start-up friendly regulatory environment to enable leap-frog and embracing of innovative technologies. Inclusive Business environment – with special focus on investment incentives favourable to start-ups and innovators and enablement of Venture capitalists. A vibrant eco-system of research built around 5G that encompasses Industry, Government and Academia will further strengthen the MAKE (& DESIGN) in INDIA initiatives to enable: Design and manufacture of 5G technologies, products and solutions in India; 5G start-ups that enable this design and manufacturing capabilities; Generation of IPR backing the above designs; India based companies should have some essential IPR in the 5G standard; Manufacture of 5G chipsets, this may require massive investments; Appropriate testbeds and technology platforms to enable and help Indian technical ecosystem to have an edge in 5G; Accelerated deployment of next generation ubiquitous ultra-high broadband infrastructure with 100% coverage of 10 Gbps across urban India and 1 Gbps across Rural India. India Hosts Global Wildlife Programme to Address Illegal Wildlife Trade (Topic: Conservation) Theme: Peoples’ participation in wildlife conservation In an attempt to address illegal wildlife trade across 19 countries of Asia and Africa, India is hosting the Global Wildlife Programme (GWP) jointly with World Bank and United Nations Development Programme. The meeting will bring about strengthened cooperation between India and the 18 GWP countries in better management of wildlife habitats and minimizing human-wildlife conflict situations. It will also enable India to strengthen its enforcement mechanism to control illicit trade. The GWP will hold discussions on management of wildlife habitat, securing sustainable community livelihood, enhancing enforcement, monitoring, cooperation to reduce wildlife crimes such as poaching and related threats. The proposed outcomes include: Reiterating Mahatma Gandhi principles to the world (the Conference coincides with Gandhi Jayanti and UN International Day of Non- Violence on October 2, 2017) Take leadership in Wildlife Conservation by showcasing India’s conservation models for Asiatic lion, single horn rhino, tiger and Asiatic elephants Consolidating “people’s participation for wildlife conservation” Need to strongly address unaccounted black money generated through illegal wildlife trade at global market Sensitise stakeholders like Governments, corporate, banks, public sectors, media, youth etc for investments in wildlife conservation and develop sustainable models for wildlife conservation thorough peoples’ participation in 19 GWP countries. Please Note: India has registered a significant decline in Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) – IMR of India has declined by three points (8% decline), from 37 per 1000 live births in 2015 to 34 per 1000 live births in 2016, compared to two points decline last year. India also recorded a major drop in birth cohort, which has for the first time come down to below 25 million. India has registered 90000 fewer infant deaths in 2016 as compared to 2015. The total number of estimated infant deaths have come down from 930000 (9.3 Lakhs) in 2015 to 840000 (8.4 lakhs) in 2016. The gender gap in India for child survival is reducing steadily. The gender difference between female and male IMR has now reduced to <10%, giving a major boost to the ‘Beti Bachao Beti Padhao’ scheme Note: Make a list of all the schemes of the Government that have contributed towards this achievement and read them in detail – Daily News Analysis on IASbaba. Rural Self Employment Training Institutes (RSETI) – An initiative of Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) to have dedicated infrastructure in each district of the country to impart training and skill upgradation of rural youth geared towards entrepreneurship development. It is being managed by banks with active co-operation from the Government of India and State Governments. Divyang Sarathi – The accessible and comprehensive mobile application for easy dissemination of information to ‘Divyangjans’ India ranked second amongst the countries with highest increase in contribution to high-quality scientific research just next to China. India, 60th globally, is the top-ranked economy in central and southern Asia and has outperformed on innovation relative to its GDP per capita for seven years in a row. India has shown improvements in most areas, including in infrastructure, business sophistication, knowledge and technology and creative outputs. PRAGATI - the ICT-based, multi-modal platform for Pro-Active Governance and Timely Implementation Kandla Port has been renamed as Deendayal Port – located on the Gulf of Kutch in Gujarat. 11th October: Birth anniversary of Jai Prakash Narain and Nanaji Deshmukh (joined the Gramodaya Movement) “Hunar Hub” – Ministry of Minority Affairs working to establish “Hunar Hub” across the country to provide a platform to master artisans and craftsmen to display as well sell their products Antyodaya Diwas – Celebrated on 25th September to mark the birth anniversary of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay, one of the great thinker and philosopher of the nationalist movement of the country One of the key leaders of Bharatiya Jana Sangh from which the BJP later emerged, and launched the weekly Panchjanya and the daily Swadesh Message: Reaching person in the last line to build a developed and just India Must Read: Contribution of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay in Indian Politics Solve: Question National Dairy Project (NDP) aims to increase the productivity of milch animals which will lead to increase in milk production for meeting growing demand for milk. The purpose of NDP-1 is to help in increasing the productivity of milch animals and thereby increase the milk production to meet the growing demand of milk and to provide more assistance to rural milk producers for more market access, including organized milk processing sector. The purpose of the Dairy Infrastructure Development Fund (DIDF) is to establish an effective mechanism for creating a basic structure for milk cooling at village level and installing electronic equipment for milk adulteration, manufacturing/modernization/processing facilities and for procuring milk. Educational institutes would set up for value-added products for milk unions/milk producers companies. Women of India Organic Festival: To celebrate and promote women entrepreneurs and farmers in the organic sector from across India – Theme:  Good for Women; Good for India; Good for You – to highlight the health and environmental advantages of organic goods, provide a platform for women engaged in it and boost the development of sustainable and easily accessible sales outlets for women producers from the remotest corners of India. International Solar Alliance – The ISA is an Indian initiative jointly launched by the Prime Minister of India and the President of France on 30 November 2015 at Paris, on the sidelines of COP-21. It aims at addressing obstacles to deployment at scale of solar energy through better harmonization and aggregation of demand from solar rich countries lying fully or partially between the Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn. Till date 40 countries have signed and 11 countries have ratified the Framework Agreement of the ISA. With ratifications by 15 countries, the ISA will become a treaty based inter-governmental international organization. Three programmes launched under the ISA – Affordable finance at scale, Scaling solar applications for agricultural use, and Scaling Solar Mini Grids Common Risk Mitigating Mechanism (CRMM) – The objective of the mechanism is de-risking and reducing the financial cost of solar projects in the ISA member countries. The instrument will help diversify and pool risks on mutual public resources and unlock significant investments Roll Out of ARPAN Version 3.0 for Defence Security Corps – Will ease personal documentation and all issues related to their progression Consists of seven modules facilitates end to end human resource, financial management of Junior Commissioned Officers and Other Ranks with major functional advantages of timely processing of postings, promotions, release of salary, publication of personal occurrences and processing of pension has been rolled out by DCOAS (IS &T) for the Defence Security Corps. Provides valuable data for decision and policy making for the Defence Security Corps Directorate Defence Security Corps troops would be able to access their service profiles, statement of accounts and adjustment of allowances at par with the troops of Indian Army The software has been developed by Tech Mahindra. Cabinet approves – Enhancement of age of superannuation of doctors other than Central Health Service (CHS) doctors to 65 years Inter-bank Local Currency Credit Line Agreement by EXIM Bank under BRICS Interbank Cooperation mechanism – Signing of the Agreement will position Exim Bank in the international platform along with large development finance institutions, like CDS, VEB and BNDES. At an appropriate time, Exim Bank, leveraging this umbrella agreement, could enter into bilateral agreement with any of these member institutions to raise resources for its business. As and when an opportunity arises for co-financing in commercial terms, by any two member institutions (say India and South Africa), lending in single currency by both the institutions would also be possible. Signing of Cooperation Memorandum relating to Credit Ratings by EXIM Bank under BRICS Interbank Cooperation mechanism – It would enable sharing of credit ratings amongst the BRICS member banks, based on the request received from another bank. This would be an ideal mechanism to mitigate the credit risks associated with cross-border financing. In future, such a mechanism could also serve as pre-cursor to the proposal of having an alternate rating agency by BRICS nations. Signing and ratification of the Bilateral Investment Treaty between India and Belarus on investments – The agreement is expected to improve the confidence of the investors resulting in an increase in FDI and Overseas Director Investment (ODI) opportunities and this will have a positive impact on employment generation. The signing and ratification of a BIT between the two countries will work as a strategic initiative as Belarus is the member of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU). India has already initiated the BIT text with the Kyrgyz Republic and is in talks with the Russian Federation for a new BIT, based on the Model BIT text. The first ever India Mobile Congress 2017 – DoT’s first ever Mobile, Internet and Technology event in India – the industry association of mobile and telecom operators and internet companies will be a congregation to display, discuss, unveil, imbibe, educate and recognise the importance of the global and Indian telecommunications, mobile, internet, connectivity and digital services sector to the world. Cabinet approves umbrella scheme of Modernisation of Police Forces – to boost the capability and efficiency of Central and State Police Forces by modernizing them. Two CSIR technologies that are being dedicated to the nation on the occasion of conclusion of platinum jubilee year celebrations of CSIR – Hand-held milk tester that will allow us to more easily identify adulterants in milk Waterless Chrome-Tanning Technology that eliminates the use of water in two processes before and after tanning – and also reduces the solids dissolved in wastewater during tanning Other major contributions of CSIR: Anaerobic digester – is making a big difference to the Swachh Bharat mission, as it converts biodegradable kitchen waste to biogas and manure that can be used for family kitchen gardens. Each anaerobic digester has the capacity to convert up to three kg waste per day and produce 400 litre of biogas, which can be used as a clean fuel. DivyaNayan - a reading device for the visually challenged Must Revise: Mudra Scheme Must Read: Link 1 + Link 2 Must Solve: Question 1 UDAY Scheme UJALA Scheme

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