Jul 12, 2018 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs [Prelims + Mains Focus] - 12th July 2018

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs (Prelims + Mains Focus)- 12th July 2018 Archives (PRELIMS+MAINS FOCUS) Section 377 of Indian Penal Code Part of: GS Prelims and Mains II – Social issue; Indian Polity In news: In previous article we read that SC soon to decide constitutionality of Section 377. Whether Section 377 stood in conformity with Articles 21 (right to life), 19 (right to liberty) and 14 (right to equality) of the Constitution or is it illegal. Govt. leaves decision on Section 377 to the court This time, the court was not confining its ambit merely to LGBTQ or sexual orientation. It is examining the aspect of two consenting adults who should not be liable for criminal action for their relationship. In other words, whether the relationship between two consenting adults is itself a manifestation of Article 21? Adultery must remain a punishable offence Part of: GS Prelims and Mains II – Social issue; Governance In news: On question of whether Adultery should remain a punishable offence, the Centre said - ‘Dropping it from IPC will erode the sanctity of marriage and can be detrimental to the intrinsic Indian ethos’. Section 497 of IPC deals with provision punishing adultery. It supports, safeguards and protects the institution of marriage” considering the “unique structure and culture of Indian society.” Centre has argued that striking down Section 497 would destroy the fabric of society itself. Net Neutrality: In news: Government has approved the principle of net neutrality. The move will ensure open and free Internet in India. Telecom and Internet service providers must treat all data on the Internet equally, and not discriminate or charge differently by user, content, site, platform, or application. They cannot engage in practices such as blocking, slowing down or granting preferential speeds to any content. Do you know? The Telecom Commission (TC) — which is the highest decision-making body in the Department of Telecom (DoT) — approved the recommendation made by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) eight months ago. TRAI, in November 2017, batted in favour of Net neutrality. Important value additions: The Telecom Commission is responsible for: Formulating the policy of Department of Telecommunications for approval of the Government; Preparing the budget for the Department of Telecommunications for each financial year and getting it approved by the Government; Implementation of Government's policy in all matters concerning telecommunication. Animal in news: Nilgiri tahr Part of: Prelims - Environment and Biodiversity; Animal Conservation Pic: https://i.ytimg.com/vi/EQbG6_oZlRI/maxresdefault.jpg Key pointers: IUCN Status: Endangered The present distribution of the Nilgiri tahr is limited to approximately 5% of the Western Ghats in southern India, in Kerala and Tamil Nadu in southern India. It is found only in high altitudes in India’s Western Ghats The endangered wild goat could lose approximately 60% of its habitat, starting from the 2030s. (due to Climate change) Largest of the 3 tahr species State animal of Tamil nadu. Threats - habitat loss, overgrazing, illegal hunting (MAINS FOCUS) SOCIAL/ENVIRONMENT TOPIC: General Studies 2 Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States and the performance of these schemes; mechanisms, laws, institutions and bodies constituted for the protection and betterment of these vulnerable sections Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources. General Studies 3 Government Budgeting Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment. Environment and Pollution In-house air pollution Introduction: For many decades, it was one of the globe’s most underappreciated health menaces:  household pollution in developing countries, much of it smoke from cooking fires. The dangerous smoke — from wood, dung, kerosene or charcoal fires used by 3 billion people in villages and slums across Africa, Central America and Asia — was estimated by health officials to shorten millions of lives every year. Choice of cooking fuel The choice of cooking fuel in households (especially rural) has a huge impact on living conditions especially for women and children. Factors such as socio-economic (availability and easy access, also determined by household income and price of fuel, education and awareness), culture or lifestyle, and, to a large extent, government policies also influence cooking fuel choice. Affordable, reliable and clean energy for cooking is essential not only for reducing health and environmental impacts but also helping women to do more productive work and developing the rural economy. Comparing the options Among the various fuel options available (firewood, pellet, biogas, kerosene, liquefied petroleum gas or LPG, piped natural gas or PNG) biogas accounts for the lowest effective greenhouse gas emission; PNG and then LPG are next. Pic: https://d39gegkjaqduz9.cloudfront.net/TH/2018/07/12/DEL/Delhi/TH/5_08/78c0aeeb_2238817_101_mr.jpg Biogas and PNG are the best cooking energy options. LPG and kerosene are moderately cleaner. Firewood and pellet are the most polluting. Key facts: Cooking fuels emit substantial amounts of toxic pollutants (respirable particles, carbon monoxide, oxides of nitrogen and sulphur, benzene, formaldehyde and polyaromatic compounds) which contribute to indoor air pollution. Household air pollution causes non-communicable diseases including stroke, ischaemic heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and lung cancer. Close to half of deaths due to pneumonia among children under 5 years of age are caused by particulate matter (soot) inhaled from household air pollution. In households with limited ventilation — common in rural household and semi-urban areas — these pollutants could lead to severe health problems. Initiatives taken to address in-house pollution National level programmes to ensure that most switch to clean cooking fuels have been initiated since the 1980s. National Project on Biogas Development (NPBD) It was launched in 1981-82 by the Ministry of Non-Conventional Energy Sources. Though the socio-economic and environmental impact of biogas is well recognized, NPBD has been receiving public attention and scrutiny in India because of its vast potential on the one hand and its poor performance, high mortality and non-functionality rates on the other. The programme has been hampered by mala fide practices, poor construction material, a lack of maintenance, misrepresentation of achievements and a lack of accountability and follow-up services. Once again, in order to ensure access to clean energy —a key focus area for poverty alleviation —the government launched a flagship programme, Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana in May 2016. Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana It is a scheme of the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas for providing LPG connections to women from Below Poverty Line (BPL) households (with a cumulative target of providing LPG connections to more than eight crore families). Further, the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) has been holding auctions across cities for distribution of gas for cooking through PNG. However, since conventionally, governments have been subsidising LPG and as such a consumption-based subsidy is not available for biogas and PNG, it has led to a preference for LPG over other cleaner, safer, more cost effective and locally available options (biogas in rural areas). Further, LPG import along with large subsidies are a drain on government resources which hamper the focus on other social development programmes. What can work? To promote biogas in rural and semi-urban areas, adopting the service-based enterprise model with suitable resource availability offers a sustainable approach. It will also help self-drive the programme. The model is being successfully implemented in Hoshiarpur, Punjab using a 100 cubic meter biogas plant. The plant supplies clean and piped cooking biogas to 44 households and a school every day. Such models can also generate employment significantly at the grass-root level an important additional benefit of running a biogas programme. Promoting and scaling up PNG in urban areas and making LPG just one of the options to choose from rather than it having an edge over others. To further enable a consumer to freely make cooking fuel choices, consumption-based subsidies need to be replaced with a functional subsidy that is provided on the basis of household income levels and local variables. Possibility of leakages must also be eliminated by ensuring that subsidies of any kind are provided only through direct benefit transfer. Such an approach will provide a neutral thrust and promotion to different types of cooking fuels on the basis of their original virtues. As India takes a long-term view on sustainability and energy security, it is important to create an environment where its citizens are aware of the options and make their energy choices based on the nature of the fuel and not because of socio-economic constraints. Connecting the dots: Why having an LPG or PNG connection important for woman empowerment? In this regard, do you think Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana can make a difference? Examine. Also discuss its other advantages. SOCIAL/NATIONAL TOPIC: General Studies 2 Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States and the performance of these schemes; mechanisms, laws, institutions and bodies constituted for the protection and betterment of these vulnerable sections Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources. Can death penalty alone deter drug trafficking and smuggling? Introduction: Punjab government recently recommended to the Union government the death penalty for first time offenders convicted for drug trafficking and smuggling. The below article tries to assess - whether such harsher punishments can help States to deal with drug problem? Currently, the law on drugs is covered by the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 (NDPS Act). Deterrence by harsh punishments has consistently failed, especially in the context of the NDPS Act. About Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 (NDPS Act) The Act’s primary objective is to deter drug trafficking. The law contains every trick in the book to meet the above objective - strict liability offences, mandatory minimum sentences, even the death penalty for certain repeat offences, to name a few. The system has responded to the law by maintaining a high rate of conviction and imprisonment. In 2015, 41.7% of all prisoners in Punjab were in jail for various offences related to this law. The conviction rate recorded for NDPS cases in Patiala for the same year was 90.7%. Punjab continues to be plagued by drug-related deaths, as recently as June when 23 persons died of drug-related causes. Do you know? The death penalty was introduced in the NDPS Act in 1989, to deter narco-terrorism. The legislators even at that time believed that the only way to tackle the growing drug menace was to incorporate the harshest possible punishments in the law. Flaws in the NDPS Act? Offences involving commercial quantities of drugs The law provides a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years for offences involving commercial quantities of drugs. In other words, people found with commercial quantities of drugs were assumed as drug traffickers. It created a situation where many offences involving commercial quantity were, in fact, not trafficking offences at all. As a result, sentencing in pharmaceutical drug cases changed drastically across Punjab. (Unauthorised possession of 20 bottles of cough syrup led to a 10-year prison sentence) Flaw – Given how the law interprets, it is hard to say whether the people imprisoned are traffickers, peddlers, mules or users. Possession alone can lead to conviction Under the law, proving possession alone is sufficient, the prosecution does not have to prove intent to lead to conviction. Since intent is harder to prove than a criminal act alone, strict liability ensures higher convictions. There have been misuse by Punjab police as they rarely examine the intent of the criminal act. Conclusion: The way investigation is conducted right now, it is impossible to tell whether the person is a peddler or smuggler, or an addict feeding his habit. Therefore, Cabinet’s proposal or Punjab government’s recommendation to make the law even harsher is one more attempt to play to the gallery. It may alleviate people’s concerns for the time being, but it will not yield the results. To ensure that traffickers are caught instead of users, the law must make intent an ingredient of offences under the NDPS Act. The burden of proof should be on the prosecution to prove that the accused possessed the drug for a particular purpose. Possession alone should not be sufficient to constitute an offence under the Act. The Act is also blatantly unforgiving of anyone found in possession of any drug. Section 27 of the Act makes consuming any narcotic drug or psychotropic substance a criminal offence. The state should consider decriminalising addiction and developing an effective treatment strategy by consulting experts, partner agencies and users, and allocating adequate resources. Connecting the dots: The problem of drug addiction has become a serious threat in many states of India. What in your opinion are the factors responsible for this menace? Does it portray a worrying picture of India’s internal security preparedness? Critically examine. Drug menace has the capacity to ruin India’s demographic dividend. Can harsher punishments like mandatory imprisonment and death penalty help States to deal with drug problem? Examine. (TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE) Model questions: (You can now post your answers in comment section) Q.1) Which among the following are species endemic to the Western Ghats? Malabar large-spotted civet Lion-tailed macaque Brown palm civet Nilgiri tahr Choose the correct answer using the codes below: 2 and 4 only 1, 2 and 4 2, 3 and 4 1, 2, 3 and 4 Q.2) Consider the following fauna of India: Swamp deer Nilgiri tahr Blackbuck Which of the following groups of animals belongs to the category of endangered species? 1 and 2 only 1 only 2 only 3 only Q.3) Section 497 of the Indian Penal Code is concerned with Offences Relating to Marriage Criminal Breach of Contracts of Service Defamation Offences affecting the Human Body MUST READ The problems with the HECI draft Bill The Hindu Mercenary conservation: on private forests The Hindu Maternity benefits or jobs Indian Express A Needless Controversy Indian Express Who’s watching the regulator? Indian Express Improving city finances is a must for India’s future Livemint Elite education doesn’t guarantee good values Livemint Plugging Asia’s yawning infrastructure gap Livemint

Jul 12, 2018 RSTV Video

RSTV- De-addiction Centres Derailed

De-addiction Centres Derailed Archives In News: An inspection report of close to 100 de-addiction centres was submitted by the Delhi State Legal Services Authority in the High Court. The government has decided to adopt 15 districts in the country on a pilot basis, to implement an intensive action plan for de-addiction and make the districts drug-free, according to the redrafted National Drug Demand Reduction Policy. National Drug Demand Reduction Policy: By Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment The incident: Earlier in the month of June, a 29-year-old man at a drug de-addiction centre in the national capital was allegedly beaten to death by a caretaker and two others, for defecating in the open at the centre. Following the incident, the Hindu had carried a report on the dire conditions of the centre. What is the issue? Rampant irregularities and torture of inmates that are prevalent at New Delhi’s de-addiction centres Ill- treatment of inmates: Subjected to sexual and physical torture, asked to perform sexual favours, and is not allowed to contact their families. Some inmates have allegedly died from the torture they were subjected to Centres lack in basic infrastructure and hygiene, indicating the absence of maintenance and minimum standards of hygiene leading to a majority of inmates having “skin infection or allergy” Bribery, corruption and misuse of authority Lack of trained manpower, administrators and failure in following set procedures Responding to the study, the High Court reportedly said: “The right of basic human dignity of persons desperately in need of care and treatment is being violated with impunity.” The Plan: Integrated and comprehensive action plan would be carried out in the pilot districts initially for a period of one year for reduction in number of drug addicts and make these districts drug free. It also proposed regulation of over the counter sale of sedatives and pain killers with the involvement of departments concerned both at the central as well as the state level Proposes upgrading existing de-addiction centres in these pilot districts to treatment clinics to provide for both inpatient and outpatient treatment facilities De-addiction centres would be set up in 25 factories and major industrial establishments - 25 prisons, 25 juvenile homes and in 25 separate de-addiction centres for women in prisons. The Way Forward Drug Issue Needs to be structured in a manner that is patient friendly and people friendly Structured crime syndicate operated by drug warlord and has political depth as well – the government needs to break it Higher focus need to be provided to States that requires immediate attention Need to understand the factors that are driving them to consume so that we can better design the de-addiction process, and going forward for the rehabilitation process – a course prevention is better than cure and the police has a major role to play as far as the prevention is concerned. Police leadership needs to be taken into consideration and be trained to deal with these issues. Police needs to have absolutely zero tolerance towards drug peddlers and should be made responsible for the menace that is caused by them. Need to start from the beginning: Legal, health and school authorities need to tackle it head on right from the beginning. Focus should be more on prevention. De-addiction centres Budget, training of administrators and the care and empathy of the best de-addiction centres: Need to study the best practices, and replicate it by providing the appropriate training and facilities here. Minimum standard of care should be provided. Right of people should still be the same and not any less than that of people outside that centres. Gross violation of human rights need to be tacked on an immediate basis. Unregulated de-addiction centres which are not equipped to handle this problem should be banned immediately. Strict regulations should be established and zero tolerance towards misdemeanours need to be practiced. These 15 centres should not just be like other centres but should be centres of excellence. Must Read: Link Connecting the Dots: Examine the steps that are being taken by the Government for a better framework for the provision of de-addiction facilities? What are the various ways, according to you, in which this alarming situation can be handled?

Jul 12, 2018 Daily Prelims CA Quiz

UPSC Quiz- 2019 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz [Day 21]

UPSC Quiz- 2019 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz [Day 21] Archives Q.1) Consider the following statements about United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) It has 100 members elected for three-year terms through direct and secret ballot. The Council's Membership is based on equitable geographical distribution. Select the correct statements 1 Only 2 Only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.2) ‘Eighth Schedule’ in the Constitution of India contains Provisions as to the Administration of Tribal Areas in the States of Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram Powers, authority and responsibilities of Panchayats Provisions as to disqualification on ground of defection List of recognized languages Q.3) ‘UN Resolution 2427’, which was in news recently, is associated with Children and armed conflict International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals Maintenance of international peace and security Non-proliferation/Democratic People's Republic of Korea Q.4) ‘Global Innovation Index (GII)’ is published by World Economic Forum World Bank World Intellectual Property Organization World Trade Organisation Q.5) The ‘Horn of Africa’ is bordered with which of the following water bodies? Red Sea Gulf of Guinea Gulf of Aden Select the correct code: 1 and 2 2 and 3 1 and 3 All of the above To Download the Solution - Click here All the Best  IASbaba

Jul 12, 2018 Topper's From IASbaba

Rank 150 Jayendra Kumar on how to crack UPSC while working with IASbaba's ILP Programmme

Dear Aspirants, I am Jayendra Kumar, currently working in Indian Oil Corporation Limited since 2014. I have secured All India Rank 150 in CSE 2017 in my 3rd attempt (failed in first two Prelims). I joined ILP-2016, Integrated Learning Programme and regularly followed 60 days Prelims program and TLP Answer Writing Program. I am sharing my Journey of UPSC with you. My Journey: Introduction: My name is Jayendra Kumar. I belong to Mawai Khurd village of Mahoba district of Uttar Pradesh. My family is associated with agriculture. I completed my primary education from village itself. In 2002, I got admission in Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya Mahoba (JNVM). I completed intermediate from JNVM (10th 89% and 12th 88.6%) in 2009. In 2010, I cleared IIT JEE and got admission in IIT BHU Varanasi in Chemical Engineering. I passed out from IIT BHU in 2014 with DGPA 8.48. Since 2014, I am working in Indian Oil Corporation as a production Engineer. I have secured 150th rank in CSE 2017 conducted by UPSC. My Journey to CSE: I thought to appear in CSE in my first Year (2nd semester) of Graduation and at that time, I had no idea of civil services examination. So I enrolled myself in a foundation course to CSE in a local coaching centre at Varanasi. Classes were in week ends (Saturday and Sunday evening). Upto 3rd year, I was introduced to static portion of general studies and Optional Subject (Public Administration). But knowledge level was not upto the level as demanded in CSE. But at that stage, I knew the syllabus and what to read and what not to. In 4th Year, I focused on Engineering Subjects as I was in need of Job. I could not got job through campus Placement till December 2013 and thus prepared for GATE 2014. I got AIR 166 in Chemical Engineering and was offered job from IOCL, NFL, HPCL, GAIL. I joined IOCL in 2014 itself. Now I started to make building for CSE in the foundation which I had made in the time of graduation. 1st Attempt (2015). I studied basic books (single reading only). I did not join any test series. I got nearly 45 Marks. 2nd attempt (2016): I re-read all basic books for prelims and joined iasbaba.com online Integrated Learning Program (ILP). since I was working in IOCL, I could not followed the programme and only gave test series in last 1 month before prelims. I scored approx. 106 marks and thus failed again in prelims. 3rd Attempt(2017): I re-read again basic and standard books, joined IASbaba Test Series, followed 60 days IASbaba prelims programme, revised all tests twice, made notes of current events from tests.  I cleared the cutoff and thus qualified for CSE (mains) 2017 My Strategy: Prelims: Limiting the sources, Multiple times study of standard books, revision of test series, discussion with friends. Watching videos on ONLYIAS Youtube channel. Mains (Medium: English): I made a notebook and wrote the topics mentioned in syllabus on the top of pages, leaving 2 pages for each topic. I used to write in this copy under the topic which I read, studied in newspaper, magazine etc.. This, I started from 2014 and at the end of prelims 2017, there were notes of mine covering most of topics of syllabus. Result of prelims was declared in last August 2017. Upto that time,  I had covered the most of  topic of GS paper II and III. Topics in which I have lesser or no content, I made google search of topics and read the articles e.g. security. In order to enrich the content of answer I made short notes of Monthly Policy Review (MPR) from prsindia.org site in the month of October 2017, covering last 10 months. After declaration of prelims results I applied for leave in my organisation and got approx.1 month leave in the Breaks. I had earlier joined the vision Ias mains GS online test series. I had given 5 mains GS test before prelims and rest tests were given by me in month of September and October (total 22 tests out of 25). Through the test series, I learned how to frame an answer, finish the paper within the time, enrich the content of answer. Optional Paper: Public Administration I read the standard books, joined Lukman IAS online test series. Due to scarcity of time I used to watch the discussion videos of those tests only in which I scored low. (4 tests videos out of 12). I appeared in all 12 tests. Books and sources I referred: Prelims: Polity: Laxmikant Environment: shankar ias book, down to earth magazine, internet Geography: NCERT 6 to 12. Mrunal videos, Maps History Modern: Rajiv Ahir spectrum, Bipin Chandra (read during graduation only just like a novel) History Medieval: Tamil Nadu 11th book History Ancient:  Tamil Nadu 11th book (only selective reading like Indus valley) S & T:  onlyias videos, internet, current affairs. Art and culture: spectrum (only selected topics), internet. Economics: Mrunal videos, Sanjeev Verma book on Indian economy, economic survey and budget. Current Affairs: IASbaba, onlyias, The Hindu, Livemint Mains: GS: Paper 1:  static portion covered through sources same as prelims, I had paid minimum attention to World History, Art and Culture. Paper 2 and 3: self prepared notes, Economic survey, Budget, 2nd ARC 4th report, 14th finance commission and 7th Pay Commission report summary, MPR on prs, internet . Paper 4: Mrunal notes, only selected topics from Lexicon, ARC 2nd 4th report. Essay: Just wrote 5 essay before 4 days of exam and same evaluated by friend. Time management is very important in order to pay equal attention to both essays in the given time frame. In the month of September and October, I made reading of standard answers of daily 5 questions posted by IASbaba under TLP answer writing programme. As I had limited time, I practised few questions only and made notes of these questions. Optional: 1. Pub Administration by Radhabinod Aribam (cover to cover multiple readings.) 2. Administrative thinkers: Prasad and Prasad (cover to cover), made micro notes of this book. 3. Public Administration: Fadia and Fadia (selective reading) 4. Pub Administration new horizon: Mohit Bhattacharya 5.Restructuring Pub administartion a new look: Mohit Bhattacharya. For detailed strategy, please refer Mr. Ashish Tiwari blog: http://dawnreturns.blogspot.in/2016/06/public-administration-blessing-in.html Test Series: Lukman IAS Online Test Series. My study Plan with Job: After completion of graduation I was clear about the syllabus and which books I have to refer. I limited my resources and made multiple reading of standard books. Since I was in shift duty, there was Maximum 4 hours in a day for self study after the duty. During week end off, study hours were approx 6 to 8 hours. I utilised my leaves in this journey, and used to study 10 to 12 hours in leaves. General Tips for working Professional: 1. Utilise free office time as much you can. 2. Utilise your leaves very judiciously. 3. Consistency in study 4. Avoid frequent public gatherings, relatives functions. 5. Belief in yourself. 6. Hard work. Study at least 1 hours and as maximum as you can. 7. Multiple reading of limited books for each subject. 8. Join online test series both for prelims and mains. 9. Go for short tours with friends, if you feel stress. Interview: Medium: Hindi Board: Dr. Manoj Soni I will share my interview script in a separate blog. Mains Marks: Essay:  137 GS I:    112 GS II:   110 GS III:  131 GS IV:  085 Optional I (Pub Ad): 143 Optional II (Pub Ad): 134 Written Total: 852 Interview: 190 Final Total: 1042 ALL INDIA RANK: 150 Thank you. Jayendra Kumar

Jul 11, 2018 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs [Prelims + Mains Focus] - 11th July 2018

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs (Prelims + Mains Focus)- 11th July 2018 Archives (PRELIMS+MAINS FOCUS) Section 377 of Indian Penal Code Part of: GS Prelims and Mains II – Social issue; Indian Polity In news: Choice of a partner is a person’s fundamental right, and it can be a same-sex partner (says SC judge at hearing on Section 377 case). In Hadiya case (March 2018 judgement), SC held that neither the state nor one’s parents could influence an adult’s choice of partner. That would be a violation of the fundamental right to privacy. Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code is a colonial-era provision which criminalises homosexuality. Hadiya, a Hindu girl from Kerala, converted to Islam and chose to marry a Muslim man. Important Value Addition Background: Section 377 of the IPC states, “Whoever voluntarily has carnal inter­course against the order of nature with any man, woman or animal, shall be punished with 1[imprisonment for life], or with impris­onment of either description for a term which may extend to ten years, and shall also be liable to fine.” This archaic British law dates back to 1861 and criminalises sexual activities against the order of nature and the ambit of this law extends to any sexual union involving penile insertion. In 2009, in a landmark judgment, the Delhi High Court described Section 377 as a violation of the fundamental rights guaranteed by the Constitution. Following this, religious groups moved the Supreme Court for a direction against the verdict. In 2013, Supreme Court overruled the Delhi High Court’s order and reinforced criminalisation of homosexuality stating that Parliament’s job was to scrap laws. This judgment by the apex court was highly criticised by the LGBTQ community in India and was seen as a setback for human rights. Pic: https://iasbaba.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/SECTION_377_COL-min.jpg In January 2018, the Supreme Court said a larger group of judges would re-consider the previous judgment and examine Section 377’s constitutional validity. SC bench to decide constitutionality of Section 377, whether Section 377 stood in conformity with Articles 21 (right to life), 19 (right to liberty) and 14 (right to equality) of the Constitution. Pic: https://d39gegkjaqduz9.cloudfront.net/TH/2018/07/11/DEL/Delhi/TH/5_01/916469a0_2236431_101_mr.jpg Article link: 'Choosing a partner is a person's fundamental right' - Today's Paper ... India and South Korea Part of: GS prelims and mains II – International Relations; India and the World Key pointers: Both the countries pledged to double trade in the next decade The two sides signed 11 MoUs and agreements expanding the 2010 Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement joint vision statement that committed to more military exchanges and enhancing defence projects together FSSAI: ‘The Eat Right Movement’ Part of: GS prelims – Health and social issue; Science and Technology In news: Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) unveiled ‘The Eat Right Movement’, built on two broad pillars of ‘Eat Healthy’ and ‘Eat Safe’. The programme aims to engage and enable citizens to improve their health and well-being by making the right food choices. Its aim is to cut down salt/sugar and oil consumption by 30% in three years We have already read about FSSAI’s Operation Sagar Rani, now ‘The Eat Right Movement’ programme - ‘Eat Healthy’ and ‘Eat Safe’. Do you know? The draft Food Safety and Standards (Labeling and Display) Regulations 2018 made labelling of salt mandatory, introduced a special red labelling for high in fat, sugar or salt (HFSS), introduced front of pack labelling among others. Animal in news: Sloth Bear Part of: Environment and Biodiversity Sloth bears (Melursus ursinus), found only in the Indian subcontinent, were exploited as ‘dancing bears’ in India until the practice was banned in 1972. But it is not illegal in Nepal. (MAINS FOCUS) INTERNATIONAL TOPIC: General Studies 2: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India's interests, Indian diaspora. Important International institutions, agencies and fora- their structure, mandate. Falling UNHRC Introduction: From previous articles, we read that – United States announced its withdrawal from the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) terming it “hypocritical and self-serving.” The withdrawal of the U.S. sent shock waves through the international community, foreign-policy think-tanks and human rights non-governmental organisations. However, some feel this was the right decision and are now advocating withdrawal by other countries; this includes those in India. About UNHRC UNHRC is a United Nations body whose mission is to promote and protect human rights around the world. It is an inter-governmental body within the United Nations system. It meets at the UN Office at Geneva. The headquarters of UNHRC is in Geneva, Switzerland. UNHRC was established by the UN General Assembly in 2006. It is made up of 47 member nations. Analysis of HRC functioning: The commission's record of performance is somewhat mixed. It has done a laudable job of creating an awareness of human rights in the country and sensitizing public servants and political authorities. But its record has been uninspiring in many other spheres of its work and, over the years, there has been a steady decline of its credibility. The main criticism against HRC is that - it is made up of states not known for their human rights records. (who are outstandingly bad violators of human rights - China, Cuba and Jordan) Current members include Saudi Arabia, the Philippines, Pakistan, and the United Kingdom — a few of the 47 states elected by the General Assembly, based on geographic quotas. (increased number of non-Western members) Countries grossly violating human rights are still elected as members to the body. UNHRC’s agenda is considered biased by the US and other countries. The ‘Universal Periodic Review’ process, where all states are scrutinised, is currently in its third cycle (2017-2021). No state is exempt from this process, including Security Council members. The special procedures system of fact-finders and analysts is breaking down under its own weight and lack of rigor in many instances. It has neglected, for instance, Egypt’s draconian four-year crackdown to crush all dissent and Venezuela’s decimation of its once-vibrant democracy. Some of the achievement of Commissions Resolutions adopted by the commission have highlighted most important subjects dealing with - Myanmar’s ethnic cleaning of its Rohingya population, Syria’s targeting of hospitals and other civilian institutions, the Saudi-led coalition’s bombing and starving of Yemeni civilians, and South Sudanese fighters’ slaughter of civilians because of their ethnicity. (including LGBTIQ rights and discrimination on the basis of religion) Another aspect overseen by the HRC is the appointment of special rapporteurs — independent mandate holders — on issues including internal displacement, torture, racial discrimination, as well as country specific mandates. Connecting the dots: ‘Rising humanitarian crisis and afflictions on people pose a serious question on working of international organizations in the name of Human Rights Organizations’. In the light of the statement, critically discuss the role of United Nations Human Rights Commission (UNHRC) and other similar organizations. Do you think such organizations have proved inefficient? “The UNO needs structural and functional reforms that are needed to be infused into as new issues and forces impinge on its functioning”. Comment SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY/DISASTER MANAGEMENT TOPIC: General Studies 3: Achievements of Indians in science & technology; indigenization of technology and developing new technology. Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, robotics, nano-technology, bio-technology and issues relating to intellectual property rights. Disaster and disaster management. Role of Big Data in saving lives Since 1970, more than two million people have been killed by natural disasters, especially in the ‘Ring of Fire’ region around the Pacific Ocean. As per UN report, approximately 43,000 a year have been killed. In 2004 alone, the Indian Ocean tsunami struck 14 countries, and killed more than 18,000 people in India. Pic: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/52/Pacific_Ring_of_Fire.svg/1200px-Pacific_Ring_of_Fire.svg.png Role of Big Data: There is a way to dramatically cut down on the number of people impacted by such disasters, and that is by using data. If we are to save lives and prevent damage to economies, it is critical to identify the most vulnerable populations. Data on these communities can be used to pursue ‘risk-informed development’. For instance, road infrastructure can be built by calculating the intensity of floods and determining the types of materials needed to construct durable roads. India recently embarked on an initiative to establish a comprehensive disaster database system. Now, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), working with partners, has established National Disaster Loss and Damage databases in 16 countries. Data also help identify the gaps and makes recommendations on where to allocate resources to mitigate risks from disasters. For example, flood-resistant roads can only be constructed if governments consider and review data about flood risks. With such information, they can allocate appropriate funds for better road construction. Institution to study risks In 2015, the UNDP partnered with the Tohoku University and Fujitsu decided to create a Global Centre for Disaster Statistics (GCDS). The aim is to gather and crunch ‘big data’ to meet the ambitious targets of the Sendai Framework to reduce the risks from disasters. Fujitsu’s cloud-based ecosystem captures data from a variety of sources, including unstructured sources like social media, high-resolution satellite imagery and drones. Specialised technical institutions like the Tohoku University can crunch and analyse these data sets to provide insights for policymakers about the impacts of disasters. This includes helping to monitor recovery, focussing on early warning, and assessing resilience. Conclusion: Big data also provides a deeper understanding about how an economy is interconnected: how devastation of a rice crop by a disaster can trigger a chain impact across several industries and services, such as transportation, rice-trading, packaging and retail. With such valuable information, governments can anticipate disasters and reduce risks through preventive measures such as early warning systems, safety drills, and resilient infrastructure. Connecting the dots: What is Big Data? Discuss it’s significance and possible applications. (TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE) Model questions: (You can now post your answers in comment section) Q.1) Koushal judgement is related to Disability community Women Harassment Child Labour LGBT community Q.2) Sahyog-HYEOBLYEOG’ is joint exercise between Indian and Japan China CLMV Countries South Korea Q.3) China is bordered with which of the following countries? South Korea Afghanistan Vietnam Select the correct statements 1 and 2 2 and 3 1 and 3 All of the above Q.4) India has negative bilateral trade balance with China Bangladesh Nepal South Korea Select the correct code: 1, 2 and 3 1, 2 and 4 1 and 4 Only All of the above Q.5) Consider the following statements about Universal Periodic Review (UPR) It is established by the Geneva-based UN Human Rights Council (HRC) It is a process in which human rights record of each of the UN’s member countries is peer-reviewed every four or five years The recommendations accepted at the UPR in HRC are binding in nature Select the correct statements 1 and 2 2 and 3 1 and 3 All of the above MUST READ U.K. failed to have a proper conversation on immigration The Hindu Is China meritocratic? Indian Express The only way out Indian Express Sowing Slogans Indian Express Nothing to hide Indian Express Bullet train to start in 2022 Indian Express

Jul 11, 2018 Daily Prelims CA Quiz

UPSC Quiz- 2019 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz [Day 20]

UPSC Quiz- 2019 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz [Day 20] Archives Q.1) 'Price Stabilization Fund' scheme is administered by which of the following Ministries? Food Processing Industries Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Finance Agriculture Q.2) Panmunjom Declaration is associated with Korean Peninsula Iberian Peninsula Yucatan Peninsula Scandinavian Peninsula Q.3) Consider the following statements Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code criminalises homosexuality Suresh Kumar Koushal vs. Naz Foundation Judgement is associated with Section 377 of the IPC Select the correct statements 1 Only 2 Only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.4) UMANG app is associated with Filing RTI online Access to the pan-India e-Gov services from the Central, State, Local Bodies, and Agencies of government Tourism Citizen engagement platform for direct citizen participation in governance Q.5) 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 To Download the Solution - Click here All the Best  IASbaba

Jul 10, 2018 Topper's From IASbaba

Archit Chandak (AIR 184) CSE 2017, IASbaba’s ILP Student (First Batch) shares his Impeccable Prelims Strategy

Rank 184 (CSE-2017) Archit Chandak, shares his Prelims Strategy with IASbaba!! He was our ILP - 2016 (First Batch) Student. You can read his strategy here - Click Here

Jul 10, 2018 RSTV Video

RSTV- Retuning Adoption Policy

Retuning Adoption Policy Archives 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 In News: An inter-ministerial panel headed by external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj has cleared a proposal making district magistrates the final authority to clear child adoption cases, in a bid to quicken a process that is often hit by year-long delays. Present Situation: At present, prospective adoptive parents have to go to civil or family courts to get the final go-ahead after completing all other formalities related to adoption. Though the JJ law mandates that courts have to dispose of adoption cases within two months from the date of filing of application, seldom does it happen. There are cases that have been pending for more than a year also So, why the change: High pendency in civil and family courts, it is not easy to get a date for hearing. The move to empower district magistrates (DMs) would bring down the time to approve adoption cases to two months. How high: 800 to 850 adoption cases are pending in civil and family courts at any given time. Step taken: The panel has cleared the union women and child (WCD) ministry’s proposal to amend the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 and incorporate a clause allowing courts of district magistrate to pass the adoption order. Would it expedite the process? The DM is on the ground implementing the adoption process. The Child Welfare Committees, which does the verification of prospective parents, comes under him. So source verification and other processes can get completed much faster under DMs Will the new process be fraught with risks? In the name of making it more effective and expeditious, it might happen that the law makes children more unprotected in a country where so many children go missing every year. Critics also argue that the solution does not lie in taking away the mandate from one clogged administrative system to another. DMs themselves are a part of 40 – 50 committees and therefore this might not be a priority for them. Either it will just keep getting delayed further and be pushed into the back burner or it will be done hurriedly risking the child’s life. But the state has to ensure that the child is not trafficked and the mere fear that a child may be trafficked does not mean that we should not encourage adoption. The Way Forward: It’s a step towards encouraging adoption which is much needed for couples who do not want to go through the process of bearing a child or for couples who are unable to bear a child. Judicial process is clumped and is under a lot of pressure. There is not enough trained professionals to be able to become a solution to this issue. There is an urgent need to include training as part of the solution. We are one of the few signatories of the Hague Convention so our checks and balances in terms of adoption were put in place. The need today is that of simplification, strengthening and structuring of systems so that the process becomes very transparent, streamlined and easy. It can be more logical and rational. Also, the checks and balances need to be more stringent. Simplification improvement is a continuous process so every now and then we must visit and revisit all these processes all these laws rules and regulation to make it simpler better transparent and efficient Note: The adoption of children is covered by the Juvenile Justice (JJ) Act. Central Adoption Research Authority (CARA): Statutory body to monitor and regulate in-country and inter-country adoptions

Jul 10, 2018 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs [Prelims + Mains Focus] - 10th July 2018

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs (Prelims + Mains Focus)- 10th July 2018 Archives (PRELIMS+MAINS FOCUS) Bringing accessibility and transparency in the administration of justice Part of: GS Mains II – Governance and Justice – transparency & accountability and institutional and other measures; Judiciary reforms In news: Supreme Court is ready to go live on camera while the government mooted a separate TV channel for live-streaming court proceedings. Live-streaming of court proceedings is an extension of the ‘open court’ system. Advantages of live-streaming: Litigants, law students and the public can watch live proceedings as they happen. Live stream would keep a check on lawyers’ conduct inside the courtrooms. With the entire country watching them, there would be fewer interruptions, raised voices and adjournments from the lawyers. Exceptions – No live-streaming of cases involving national security concerns, matrimonial disputes and rape cases, as it affect justice and amount to a violation of the fundamental right to privacy. Article link: SC says it is ready to go live, Centre moots a TV channel Institutions of Eminence Part of: GS Prelims and Mains II – Development and management of social sector In news: Six higher education institutions have been named Institutions of Eminence (IoE) by the Centre. Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru Indian Institutes of Technology, Mumbai IIT, Delhi Jio Institute of the Reliance Foundation Manipal Academy of Higher Education BITS, Pilani (Last three are private institutions) Do you know? An empowered committee, under former Chief Election Commissioner N. Gopalaswami, recommended these institutions. Pic: https://d39gegkjaqduz9.cloudfront.net/TH/2018/07/10/DEL/Delhi/TH/5_01/5b7ed624_2234494_101_mr.jpg Important value additions: The institutions of eminence will have greater autonomy compared to other higher education institutions. They can be free from the clutches of the overarching regulatory regime of bodies such as University Grants Commission (UGC), AICTE, and Medical Council Of India (MCI). More autonomy in designing syllabi and deciding fee structure. Teachers would also be allowed to take up consultancy work among others. Public institutions will get financial support from the human resource development ministry. The private institutions under the project will enjoy two key freedoms: one, they can offer as much salary as they want to their teaching staff; and two, the course fee can be completely market linked. The government institutions, however, will have to follow the UGC scale of pay for permanent employees. For contractual staff including professors on contract, they too can pay as much as they wish. If a new institutions fails to make enough progress in the first 18 to 20 months, then the government will cancel its candidature. And the disqualified institution will be replaced from a reserve list of institutions. World’s largest mobile factory’ in Noida Part of: GS Prelims Key pointers: Modi, Moon inaugurate world’s largest mobile factory’ in Noida Samsung aims to double production, make India export hub Samsung (South Korean electronics) In line with ‘Make in India’ initiative Person in news: percussion maestro Kuzhalmannam Ramakrishnan Part of: GS Prelims – Art and culture Key pointers: Kuzhalmannam Ramakrishnan developed a lightweight version of South Indian percussion instrument mridangam. The patent office of Union government awarded the patent for the design to the innovative product. The Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trademarks has given the patent under ‘drum’ category. Made of steel and fibre, Mr. Ramakrishnan has named the instrument as ‘sadmridangam.’ According to him, the ‘sadmridangam’ weighs lesser than the traditional wooden mridangam but there will be no compromise on the output. “Traditional mridangam is made out of the wood of jackfruit tree and the weight varies between 15 kg and 30 kg. But ‘sadmridangam’ hardly weighs 5 kg.” Tribe in news: Baiga tribe Part of: GS prelims Key points: Baiga tribe : : Madhya Pradesh Two tribal women from Baiga tribe were recently arrested for collecting edible mushrooms from Sarai trees inside Madhya Pradesh's Kanha National Park. The two were found in prohibited area in the forest. ₹809 crore French loan for 15 Smart Cities projects Part of: GS prelims and mains III - Infrastructure Key points: Agence française de développement (AFD), the French development bank, signed a €100 million loan agreement for Smart Cities Mission The loan, which amounts to ₹809 crore, will be given for projects in one of the four sectors: sustainable mobility, public open spaces, urban governance and ICT and organisational innovation in low-income settlements. (MAINS FOCUS) AGRICULTURE/NATIONAL 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: Issues related to direct and indirect farm subsidies and minimum support prices; Public Distribution System- objectives, functioning, limitations, revamping; issues of buffer stocks and food security Agrarian/Rural distress and Rural Development. OECD Assessment: Does India’s Agriculture Policy need a Relook? Introduction Policymakers face twin challenges (with regard to addressing food security concerns) – One, to incentivise farmers to produce more and raise their productivity in a sustainable manner; Two, to ensure that consumers have access to food at affordable prices, especially those belong to the vulnerable sections In order to find a fine balance between these twin objectives, India has followed myriad of policies that impact both producers and consumers. These include – domestic marketing regulations (for example the APMC Act, Essential Commodities Act, ECA); budgetary policies (such as input subsidies); trade policies (such as Minimum Export Prices, MEP or outright export bans and tariff duties); and food subsidies for consumers through the public distribution system However, studies have shown that many of these policies work in complex ways and highly deviated to meet the primarily stated objectives. Therefore, policy-making should be based on more informed and evidence-based research. Highlights of joint study by OECD and ICRIER OECD and ICRIER jointly undertook research over two years to assess the nature of agricultural policies and its impact on producers and consumers. The report includes key policy indicators like - Producer Support Estimates (PSEs) and Consumer Support Estimates (CSEs). The report by OECD and ICRIER estimated PSEs and CSEs over the 17 year period (2000-01 to 2016-17), highlight that – India’s PSE, on average, during 2014-15 to 2016-17 was minus 6 per cent of farm receipts. (India has Negative PSE) India is very much in the minority in this respect as most of the other countries studied by the OECD have positive PSEs. (observe in figure below) Do you know? A positive PSE means that policies have helped producers receive higher revenues than would have been the case otherwise, and negative PSE implies lower revenues for farmers due to the set of policies adopted. Pic: https://images.indianexpress.com/2018/07/opedw.jpg Graph 2 which captures temporal movements of PSE (in percentage) for India also show that – market price support (MPS) is negative whereas, input subsidies are positive Conclusion: (very important) India’s overall PSE (in percentage) is negative to the tune of 14 per cent on average over the entire period from 2000-01 to 2016-17. This indicates that despite positive input subsidies, farmers in India received 14 per cent less revenue due to restrictive trade and marketing policies. The negative PSEs were particularly large during 2007-08 to 2013-14 when benchmark global prices were high but Indian domestic prices were relatively suppressed due to restrictive trade and domestic marketing policies. (In other words, output prices that producers receive, benchmarked against global prices of comparable products was very low). Therefore, we can deduce that there has been a pro-consumer bias in India’s trade and marketing policies, which actually hurts the farmers and lowers their revenues compared to what they would have received otherwise. Policies have failed to meet the objective of - incentivising farmers to raise productivity, building an efficient and sustainable agriculture that augments farmers’ incomes and fostering rural growth and jobs all along the value chain. The way ahead: (important) Policy change is needed to “get the markets right” – by reforming its domestic marketing regulations (ECA and APMC), promoting a competitive national market and upgrading marketing infrastructure. India also needs to review its restrictive export policies for agri-products which have inflicted large negative price support to farmers during the period studied. In order to protect consumers from potential price hikes when global prices are on the rise, switching to an income policy approach through the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) targeted to the vulnerable sections of population would generate better outcomes all round, including for nutrition quality. Indian agriculture and farmers would be much better-off if input subsidies are contained and gradually reduced, and the equivalent savings are channelled simultaneously towards higher investments in agri-R&D, extension, building rural infrastructure for better markets and agri-value chains, as also on better water management to deal with climate change. Given that agriculture is a state subject, a greater degree of coordination is required between the Centre and states, and also across various ministries (for example, agriculture, food, water resources, fertilisers, rural development and food processing) for a more holistic approach towards reforming agriculture. With these policy changes, many of which are already underway, will make Indian agriculture more competitive, more vibrant, sustainable and resilient, and will also augment farmers’ incomes on a sustained basis. Reforms to domestic market regulations and direct benefit transfers for vulnerable sections of the population could be the win-win solution. Connecting the dots: On one hand, Incentivising farmers to produce more and raising their productivity in a sustainable manner and on the other hand ensuring that consumers have access to food at affordable prices, especially those belong to the vulnerable sections – have been important challenges for Indian policymakers. Critically analyze how far India’s agricultural policies have been able to meet above stated objectives.  Also provide suitable suggestions to meet those objectives. INTERNATIONAL TOPIC:General Studies 2: India and its neighbourhood- relations. Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests Topsy-turvy world: Living in uncertain times Introduction: We live in an uncertain time, an age of disruption and much of the world seems to be in a state of bewildering confusion. The world has witnessed major political upheavals; escalating levels of violence; technology has become the biggest disruptor of all; many large firms are being challenged by start-ups; Artificial Intelligence is threatening everything that we are aware of. These breed uncertainty, apart from confusion. Age of disruption Till very recently, North Korea was seen by the U.S., and much of the West, as the principal part of the “axis of evil”. But with recent (simple) meeting in Singapore, U.S. has announced that North Korea no longer poses a nuclear threat, nor is it the “biggest and the most dangerous problem” for the U.S. Russia’s Vladimir Putin is pitted against almost the entire Western world, and is being blamed for an array of human rights violations. Afghanistan is rocked almost daily by terror attacks by the Taliban, the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, or the Islamic State. West Asia is embroiled in several wars. Syria is the worst-affected and has almost ceased to be a state. Tensions between Iran and Saudi Arabia have intensified. Tensions between Israel and the Muslim world have peaked. The war launched by the Saudi Arabia-led alliance of Arab States against Yemen is turning into a war without end. In South Asia, even tiny countries like the Maldives are challenging bigger neighbours like India. Political uncertainty in Europe. Germany, which appeared the most stable of European countries till recently, is in deep crisis politically. France and much of southern Europe are experiencing fluid political situation. Upside-Down World In a world of utter confusion, autocracies or dictatorships have remained more stable, while democracies seem increasingly dysfunctional. Under President Xi Jinping, China, for instance, is making steady progress, despite the occasional dip in economic forecasts. Mr. Xi and the Chinese Communist Party are on achieving several milestones such as – ‘wiping out poverty and becoming a moderately prosperous society by 2021’ (100th anniversary of the founding of the party) a ‘Made in China target to be completed by 2025’ turning ‘China into a fully developed nation by 2049’ (100th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China) Russia is, again, not constrained by contrarian pulls and pressures. It has entered into a strategic relationship with China It is seeking to consolidate its influence in Eurasia It has been able to stand up to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and the West. Its economy is also on the mend. Other dictatorial regimes, such as Turkey, are proving more resilient than democratic regimes across the world, and better able to manage turmoil within and outside their borders. Most democracies, on the other hand, reveal a far from homogeneous state of affairs, with ruling and opposition parties increasingly working at cross purposes. For instance, in Germany’s coalition government, different parties pulling in different directions. In the U.K., for instance, the Conservative and Labour parties face serious internal divisions. In the U.S., both Republicans and Democrats appear in poor shape. Indian democracy, unfortunately, is not an exception. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) currently projects an image of a strong centralised party. Most other parties are split by internal dissensions. Yet, the BJP has been unable to ensure the smooth functioning of Parliament. Concerns for India India’s position in its region is reducing; neighbourhood is bending towards China, with India looking on like a hapless bystander. Neither during the Obama years nor during the current term of Trump administration has a single “big” idea emerged that could take the India-U.S. relationship forward. India has failed to clearly understand the Donald Trump phenomenon and India does not fit into the calculus of Trump’s new paradigm. US insisting India to abide by U.S. sanctions on Iran; postponed the 2+2 dialogue. There are signs of renewed engagement between Pakistan and the U.S. India’s relations with China: Despite the Wuhan summit, our relations with China remain equivocal. The Doklam stand-off has yet to be resolved. U.S. continues to insist that India resile from its commitment to buy the Triumf missile defence systems from Russia. Conclusion: Without a serious debate in Parliament, it would be difficult for the government to reach a consensus on how to deal with this kind of situations. India needs a national consensus to tide over the crisis and withstand U.S. pressure, since succumbing to it would be detrimental to our claims to ‘strategic autonomy’. The time has, hence, come for the government to seek out the Opposition to debate some of these issues inside Parliament, so that foreign policy, at least, remains on an even keel and is not buffeted by the cross-winds of adversarial party politics in the country. In other words, India needs strategic cohesion, and Government-Opposition dialogue is vital for this. Connecting the dots: India needs strategic cohesion, and Government-Opposition dialogue to tackle the growing uncertainity of its foreign policy. Do you agree? Elucidate. What is your assessment of the foreign policy being pursued by the Indian government? Do you perceive any ideological shift? Examine. (TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE) Model questions: (You can now post your answers in comment section) Q.1) Identify the person associated with the following achievements: Leading artist in percussion -South Indian Instruments (Mridangam & Mridu). Introduced 'Mridu', a unique percussion instrument in 2013. Invented sadmridangam Choose the correct answer Vellore Ramabhadran Tiruchi Sankaran Kuzhalmannam Ramakrishnan Bangalore Preetham Q.2) Which of the following is/arepercussion musical instrument used inIndia? Nagara Dhol Sarangi Mridangam Select the correct answer using the codes given below. 1, 2 and 3 only 3 and 4 only 1, 2 and 4 only 1, 2, 3 and 4 Q.3) Consider the following pairs (tribes and associated tiger reserves which they helped in increasing the tiger population) Baiga tribe : : Kanha National Park in M.P. Soligas : : BRT Tiger reserve in Karnataka Choose the correct answer: 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 MUST READ In need of a practical plan: on judicial appointments The Hindu Don’t blame it on WhatsApp: on rumours and lynch mobs   The Hindu Divide and fool The Hindu Here’s how the government plans to use DNA profiles, samples and records Indian Express King of the court Indian Express Raja Mandala: India and the Korean dream Indian Express

Jul 10, 2018 PIB

IASbaba PIB Weekly : Press Information Bureau – 1st July to 7th July, 2018

IASbaba Press Information Bureau 1st to 7th July, 2018 ARCHIVES GS-2 Agreement signed on repatriation of Bru persons to Mizoram (Topic: 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) In a major breakthrough on repatriation of displaced Bru persons from Mizoram since 1997, an agreement has been signed by Government of India, Governments of Mizoram and Tripura and Mizoram Bru Displaced People’s Forum (MBDPF) 5,407 families comprising of 32,876 persons presently in temporary camps in Tripura will repatriate to Mizoram before 30th Sept., 2018 Government of India will provide financial assistance for rehabilitation of Brus in Mizoram and address their issues of security, education, livelihood etc. in consultation with Governments of Mizoram and Tripura. The tribe: Bru (or Reang) tribals inhabit parts of some Northeastern states. In Mizoram, they are largely restricted to Mamit and Kolasib districts. Why 32,000 Bru tribals from Mizoram were stuck in Tripura for 21 years? In 1995, following a clash between Mizos and Brus, the Young Mizo Association and Mizo Students’ Association demanded that Brus be removed from the state’s electoral rolls, contending that the tribe was not indigenous to Mizoram. This led to an armed movement led by the militant outfit Bru National Liberation Front (BNLF), and a political one by the Bru National Union (BNU). On October 21, 1997, BNLF militants killed a forest official in Mizoram, leading to retaliatory ethnic violence. The BNU, which was demanding an autonomous tribal district, claimed that 1,391 Bru houses in 41 villages were burnt down and several people were raped and killed. Mizoram police put the number of homes torched at 325 in 16 villages, and did not confirm rape or murder. A large number of Bru families fled to North Tripura. Thousands of families, with some 30,000 members, were given shelter in six relief camps in Kanchanpur and Panisagar subdivisions. Cabinet approves Accession to WIPO Copyright Treaty, 1996 and WIPO Performance and Phonograms Treaty, 1996 Proposal: It is regarding accession to the WIPO Copyright Treaty and WIPO Performers and Phonograms Treaty which extends coverage of copyright to the internet and digital environment The approval is a step towards the objective laid in the National Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Policy adopted by the Government on 12thMay 2016 which aims to get value for IPRs through commercialization by providing guidance and support to EPR owners about commercial opportunities of e-commerce through Internet and mobile platforms. Meeting the demand of the copyright industries, these treaties will help India: To enable creative right-holders enjoy the fruit of their labour, through international copyright system that can be used to secure a return on the investment made in producing and distributing creative works; To facilitate international protection of domestic rights holder by providing them level-playing field in other countries as India already extends protection to foreign works through the International Copyright order and these treaties will enable Indian right holders to get reciprocal protection abroad; To instil confidence and distribute creative works in digital environment with return on investment; and To spur business growth and contribute to the development of a vibrant creative economy and cultural landscape Berne Convention: The Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works, usually known as the Berne Convention, is an international agreement governing copyright, which was first accepted in Berne, Switzerland, in 1886. The Berne Convention formally mandated several aspects of modern copyright law; it introduced the concept that a copyright exists the moment a work is "fixed", rather than requiring registration. It also enforces a requirement that countries recognize copyrights held by the citizens of all other parties to the convention. Renewal of MoU between the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India & Saudi Organisation for Certified Public Accountants: To promote mutual co-operation framework in the areas of Corporate Governance, Technical Research & Advice, Quality Assurance, Forensic Accounting, issues for Small and Medium Sized Practices (SMPs), Islamic Finance, Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and other subjects of mutual interest related to Accountancy profession Develop a mutually beneficial relationship in the best interest of ICAI members, students and their organizations. Provide an opportunity to the ICAI members to expand their professional horizons and simultaneously ICAI will become an entity to aid and strengthen capacity building of local nationals. Enable ICAI to promote the Accounting and Auditing profession and all matters that might lead to the development of the profession and improve its status. Foster strong working relations between the ICAI & SOCPA thus giving strong professional opportunities to Indian Chartered Accountants in India and more confidence to employers in Eastern Province, thus creating significant employment opportunities for Indian Chartered Accountants. Umbrella Schemes – Relief and Rehabilitation of Migrants and Repatriates Central Assistance for one-time settlement of displaced families from Pak Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) and Chhamb settled in the State of Jammu & Kashmir. Rehabilitation   Package and up-gradation   of infrastructure of the Bangladeshi Enclaves and Cooch Behar District after transfer of enclaves between India and Bangladesh under Land Boundary Agreement Relief assistance to Sri Lankan refugees staying in camps in Tamil Nadu and Odisha Grant-in-Aid to Central Tibetan Relief Committee (CTRC) for five years for administrative and social welfare expenses of Tibetan settlements. Grant-in-Aid to Government of Tripura for maintenance of Brus lodged in relief camps of Tripura. Rehabilitation of Bru/Reang families from Tripura to Mizoram Grant of enhanced relief of Rs. 5.00 lakh per deceased person, who died during 1984 Anti-Sikh Riots Central Scheme for Assistance to Civilian Victims/Family of Victims of Terrorist/Communal/LWE Violence and Cross Border Firing and Mine/IED blasts on Indian Territory' Extension of Scheme of Recapitalization of Regional Rural Banks upto 2019-20: Enable the RRBs to maintain the minimum prescribed Capital to Risk Weighted Assets Ratio (CRAR) of 9 per cent. A strong capital structure and minimum required level of CRAR will ensure financial stability of RRBs which will enable them to play a greater role in financial inclusion and meeting the credit requirements of rural areas. RRBs: RRBs were set up with the objective to provide credit and other facilities, especially to the small and marginal farmers, agricultural labourers, artisans and small entrepreneurs in rural areas for development of agriculture, trade, commerce, industry and other productive activities. RRBs are jointly owned by Government of India, the concerned State Government and Sponsor Banks with the issued capital shared in the proportion of 50%, 15% and 35% respectively. MoU between India and United Kingdom on cooperation in the sphere of Law & Justice and establishing a Joint Consultative Committee DNA Technology (Use and Application) Regulation Bill, 2018: For expanding the application of DNA-based forensic technologies to support and strengthen the justice delivery system of the country. By providing for the mandatory accreditation and regulation of DNA laboratories, the Bill seeks to ensure that with the proposed expanded use of this technology in the country, there is also the assurance that the DNA test results are reliable and the data remain protected from misuse or abuse in terms of the privacy rights of our citizens. Speedier justice delivery Increased conviction rate Bill's provisions will enable the cross-matching between persons who have been reported missing on the one hand and unidentified dead bodies found in various parts of the country on the other, and also for establishing the identity of victims in mass disasters. Revitalising Infrastructure and Systems in Higher Education (RISE) by 2022: Has approved the proposal for expanding the scope of Higher Education Financing Agency (HEFA) by enhancing its capital base to Rs. 10,000 crore and tasking it to mobilise Rs. 1,00,000 crore for Revitalizing Infrastructure and Systems in Education (RISE) by 2022. HEFA: Set up on 31st May 2017 by the Central Government as a Non ­Profit, Non-Banking Financing Company (NBFC) for mobilising extra-budgetary resources for building crucial infrastructure in the higher educational institutions under Central Govt. State-of-the-art labs and research facilities will help in retaining the brightest young minds in India, and will attract Overseas Citizens of India back to Indian universities which will convert brain drain to brain gain. The objectives of RISE by 2022 are: Qualitatively upgrade the research and academic infrastructure in India to global best standards by 2022. Make India into an education hub by making available high quality research infrastructure in Indian higher educational institutions. To allow access of HEFA funding to institutions like Central Universities, AIIMS, IISERs and newly created Institutes of National Importance, without creating any additional burden to the students. To bring greater accountability and speed in execution of infrastructure projects and avoid all cost/time over-runs, moving from the block-grant mode to project-mode for all infrastructure projects. To cater to the requirements of the Kendriya Vidyalayas and Navodaya Vidyalayas, and medical institutions like AIIMSs in a faster time frame. Please Note: cVIGIL: To report violations of Model Code of Conduct (MCC) that comes into effect from the date of announcement of elections and goes on till a day after the polls. By using this app, citizens can immediately report on incidents of misconduct within minutes of having witnessed them and without having to rush to the office of the returning officer to lodge a complaint. Behdienkhlam: 4-day Meghalaya Annual Cultural Festival of the Jaintia tribe, held every year at the small peripheral town of Jowai, Meghalaya. Celebrated in the month of July for good health, property and bumper harvest The non-Christian ‘Pnar’ people who believe either in the traditional faith of ‘Niamtre’ or Hinduism observe this festival. Creation of National Health Stack: Envisages a centralized health record for all citizens of the country in order to streamline the health information and facilitate effective management of the same. The proposed NHS is an approach to address the challenge and seeks to employ latest technology including Big Data Analytics and Machine Learning Artificial Intelligence, a state of the art Policy Mark-up Language and create a unified health identity of citizens - as they navigate across services across levels of care, i.e. Primary, Secondary and Tertiary and also across Public and Private. The innovativeness of the proposed National Health Stack design lies in its ability to leverage a shared public good – a strong digital spine built with a deep understanding of the incentive structures of the system. Once implemented, the National Health Stack will significantly bring down the costs of health protection, converge disparate systems to ensure a cashless and seamlessly integrated experience for the poorest beneficiaries, and promote wellness across the population. Ayushman Bharat Yojana: To develop a wellness focused strategy, ensuring cost effective healthcare for all. The program leverages a two-pronged approach: On the supply side, substantial investments will be made to build 1.5 lakh health and wellness centers offering preventive and primary care; and On the demand side, the Pradhan Mantri-Rashtriya Swasthya Suraksha Mission (PM-RSSM) will create a national insurance cover of up to 5 lakhs per year per family for over 10 crores households, towards secondary and tertiary care. Launch of Web GIS application called ‘Coal Mine Surveillance & Management System (CMSMS): Reporting, monitoring and taking suitable action on unauthorised coal mining activities - location of sites for unauthorised mining can be detected Launch of mobile app called ‘Khan Prahari’: Tool for reporting any activity taking place related to illegal coal mining like rat hole mining, pilferage etc. One can upload geo-tagged photographs of the incident along with textual information directly to the system. Hence, both satellite data and human information will be used to capture information on the unauthorised mining activities. Successful flight testing of Crew Escape System - Technology Demonstrator: ISRO carried out a major technology demonstration today, the first in a series of tests to qualify a Crew Escape System, which is a critical technology relevant for human spaceflight. The Crew Escape System is an emergency escape measure designed to quickly pull the crew module along with the astronauts to a safe distance from the launch vehicle in the event of a launch abort. The first test (Pad Abort Test) demonstrated the safe recovery of the crew module in case of any exigency at the launch pad. Asian Ministerial Conference for Disaster Risk Reduction (AMCDRR): Being held at Ulaan Baatar (capital and largest city of Mongolia) India advocated for greater investment in disaster resilience, mainstreaming disaster resilience in infrastructure development, and improving Early Warning Systems, particularly for recurrent hazards such as heat waves. Emphasized that without mainstreaming of Disaster Risk Reduction in development it will be nearly impossible to achieve the loss reduction targets –in mortality, number of affected people, economic losses and infrastructure losses -- enshrined in the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction. In this regard, work on resilient infrastructure is very strategic and can spawn positive changes more widely. Personality in News: Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee An Indian politician, barrister and academician, who served as Minister for Industry and Supply in Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru's cabinet Founded the right wing nationalist political party Bharatiya Jana Sangh, a predecessor to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), in 1951. Strongly opposed to Article 370 Founder of Bhartiya Janta Party