IAS Baba

Apr 20, 2018 AIR

All India Radio (AIR) : Market Reforms in Agriculture

Market Reforms in Agriculture ARCHIVES Search 26th March, 2018 Spotlight here: http://www.newsonair.com/Main_Audio_Bulletins_Search.aspx TOPIC: General Studies 3: Issues related to direct and indirect farm subsidies and minimum support prices Inclusive growth and issues arising from it. General Studies 2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States and the performance of these schemes; mechanisms, laws, institutions and bodies constituted for the protection and betterment of these vulnerable sections Agricultural Reforms It is the need of the hour to ensure that our farmers get fair price. MSP is to be 1.5 times the cost of production which includes a whole stock of reforms. Biggest Challenge: Earlier the focus was on food security and nutritional security. But now the government is also thinking about livelihood security and has taken various initiatives. Just ensuring that the farmer gets the MSP is not enough. Farmers should not be dependent on government’s help on providing them the MSP. It has to be earned in the market place. When we talk about market places, there are various challenges that the farmer faces – Travelling to sell the produce to faraway places i.e., long distance with higher transportation costs Not getting a good price in the market leading to distress sale Produce being sold at throwaway prices No assurance of the buyer of the produce The produce getting spoilt if they are perishable This has led the government to come up with the concept of 20,000 rural markets – Grameen Hats, with minimum infrastructure to reduce losses. These local markets will be linked to the wholesale markets, largely to avoid middlemen. There are also plans to link it to the global market. The Dalwai Committee on Doubling Farmers’ Income has pointed out that the share of farmers in consumer’s price is very low; it generally varies from 15 to 40 per cent. Studies conducted by the International Food Policy Research Institute and World Bank have confirmed this. The dominant role of middlemen among others is primarily responsible for farmers not realising a reasonable price for their produce, lowering farm income and profitability. This was recognised by the 12th Plan’s Working Group on Agriculture Marketing (2011). The agriculture markets are crowded with middlemen and commission agents. As pointed out by Ramesh Chand, in Punjab, there are as many as 22,000 commission agents and innumerable middlemen in each market. According to Ashok Gulati, former chairman of the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices, commission agents in Delhi charge exorbitant fees ranging from 6 per cent to 15 per cent. Operation Green: The idea behind Operation Greens is to double the income of farmers by end of 2022. Operation is essentially a price fixation scheme that aims to ensure farmers are given the right price for their produce. It aims to promote farmer producers organisations, agri-logistics, processing facilities and professional management. The operation aims to aid farmers and help control and limit the erratic fluctuations in the prices of onions, potatoes and tomatoes. Focus is also on cluster based production and from those clusters how a farmer should be linked with it via SPOs. There is a need to do away with the middlemen. States play an extremely important role here as agriculture is a State subject. Unless they make some crucial legislature changes, no change is going to happen. There is a need to adopt the APMC Act. 502 markets have been linked with eNAM with very good results. Different kind of systems, storage model should be devised according to their characteristics. Farmers need to explore all the options – right from processing to ensuring diversification while growing crops. He/She should be able to do primary processing at the farm – grading, sorting will fetch a better price. The real challenge is to change the nature of the market – a single unified pan-India market. We need to devise a set procurement model along with the States but we also need to link it to the public distribution system. With better prices, what is also important is better access to the market. States need to support some of the reforms and be a part of the e-NAM initiative. e-NAM could help to break this logjam – it is a virtual market. All the markets will be linked through the platform Infrastructure facilities like quality testing Storage facilities if the produce are not sold at that time Can get a loan even on the produce stored Can choose where he sells his products, in a different state where he might get better returns The Way Forward Production and marketing should march together in order to benefit farmers and consumers. Farmers need to be empowered to decide when, where, to whom and at what price to sell. There is a need to scrape the culture of adjusting middlemen in agriculture Market reforms need to be designed to control the food inflation due to the seasonal spike in prices of perishable commodities Centre needs to empower states in revamping the agricultural marketing sector. Almost 40 per cent of all fruits and vegetables are lost annually in India between the grower and the consumer mainly due to lack of storage facilities, a weak transportation system and bad roads. Climate change is expected to make the situation worse. States alone cannot revamp the agricultural marketing sector, primarily due to paucity of funds and technology. Private investment on a massive scale needs to be invited to upgrade and build large storage and warehousing systems that are climate resilient. Note: PM Krishi Sampada Yojana: To create world class food processing infrastructure. This will leverage investment of 5 billion dollar investment, benefit 2 million farmers and create more than half a million jobs. It incorporates ongoing schemes such as Mega Food Parks, Integrated Cold Chain and Value Addition Infrastructure, etc. and also new schemes like Infrastructure for Agro-processing Clusters, Creation of Backward and Forward Linkages, Creation / Expansion of Food Processing & Preservation Capacities. Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH): For the holistic growth of the horticulture sector covering fruits, vegetables, root & tuber crops, mushrooms, spices, flowers, aromatic plants, coconut, cashew, cocoa and bamboo. Promote holistic growth of horticulture sector, including bamboo and coconut through area based regionally differentiated strategies, which includes research, technology promotion, extension, post-harvest management, processing and marketing, in consonance with comparative advantage of each State/region and its diverse agro-climatic features; Encourage aggregation of farmers into farmer groups like FIGs/FPOs and FPCs to bring economy of scale and scope. Enhance horticulture production, augment farmers, income and strengthen nutritional security; Improve productivity by way of quality germplasm, planting material and water use efficiency through Micro Irrigation. Support skill development and create employment generation opportunities for rural youth in horticulture and post harvest management, especially in the cold chain sector Connecting the Dots: Examine the factors behind the ongoing agrarian crisis in India. Discuss the reforms required to address it. Agricultural reforms need to see the light of the day. Discuss.

Apr 20, 2018

IASbaba’s 60 Day Plan- Prelims Test 2018 SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY & CURRENT AFFAIRS [Day 37]

Hello Friends, The 60 Days Training has finally begun:) Before any competition, there is a preparatory phase. That phase involves a lot of sessions on strengths and weaknesses. Throughout the preparatory phase, the athletes train in a gradual manner. In the last phase, just before the actual competition, the training is done so as to sharpen their skills. This training requires complete focus and dedication. In this phase, the athletes do not try anything new or train in a new fashion rather focus on sharpening of skills, focusing on strength and precision. Similarly, the upcoming 60 days, is like the last phase (training session), just before the actual competition. Here, the focus should be on sharpening the concepts, consolidating the knowledge base and solidifying the learning with loads and loads of revision. CLICK HERE TO READ FULL DETAILS AND SOLVE QUESTIONS

Apr 19, 2018 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

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

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs (Prelims + Mains Focus)- 19th April 2018 Archives (PRELIMS+MAINS FOCUS) Poshan Abhiyaan to cover 550 districts Part of: Mains GS Paper II- Government interventions Key pointers: The government has extended its ambitious Poshan Abhiyaan to 235 additional districts in its second phase taking the total of districts covered by the national nutrition mission so far to 550 districts. The additional districts to be covered during the current financial year were decided on the basis of the level of stunting prevalent in district as well as to ensure those districts affected by left wing extremism and those declared aspirational districts by NITI Aayog left out in the first phase covered. About the mission: The Rs. 9,000-crore mission will strive to reduce stunting, under-nutrition, and low birth weight by 2 per cent and anaemia (among young children, women and adolescent girls) by 3 per cent annually over the three-year mission period. Anganwadi supervisors have been roped in for the mission. The focus of the Abhiyaan is on the first 1000 days of the child and preventive care for adolescent girls, women and mothers. Home-based Care for Young Child(HBYC) would be a crucial component of the Abhiyaan. In HBYC, ASHAs supported by Anganwadi workers will visit the homes of children aged between 3 to 15 months and sensitise mothers on energy density and diet of child, he said. Article link: Click here Renewable Energy Sector: Missed the target again Part of: Mains GS Paper III- Energy Security Key pointers: The renewable energy sector has missed its capacity addition target for the second year in a row. Against the target of 14,450 MW for 2017-18, the new capacity addition from all major segments stood at 11,754 MW, effectively achieving only 81 per cent of the target for the year ended March 31. As of March 31, the total grid-interactive installed capacity in the renewable energy sector stood at 69,022 MW. Statistics: Solar (ground-mounted) saw new capacity addition of about 9,010 MW, marginally higher than the the target of 9,000 MW. The rooftop solar segment added only 353 MW against the target of 1,000 MW. New bio-power capacity addition stood at 519 MW against the target of 340 MW. Small hydro power added a new capacity of 106 MW, higher than the target of 100 MW. FY18 proved to be a challenging year for wind power, with the sector adding one of the lowest annual capacities in the recent years. Against the target of 4,000 MW, this segment added just 1,766 MW. Article link: Click here NATIONAL TOPIC : General Studies 3: Infrastructure: Energy Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment. Rural Electrification: Where we stand and What more needs to be done? Introduction: Despite having 16% of the global population, India’s share in global energy use is only 4.2% and in global electricity consumption, 3.5%. Access to affordable electricity for each and every household is a necessary condition for social and economic development. Rural electrification has received attention in the development agenda mostly in the last one-and-a-half decades. Government schemes: In 2005, the Central government launched the Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana (RGGVY) which subsumed all other ongoing schemes related to rural electrification. The scheme focused on electrification of villages through implementation of decentralized distributed generation (DDG). RGGVY was later included in the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana (DDUGJY) (recently renamed the Saubhagya scheme), which additionally focuses on feeder separation, improvement of sub-transmission and distribution network, and metering to reduce losses. All these schemes have delivered results and now only a few villages are left that have yet to achieve the target of 100% electrification. Effects of energy poverty: Lack of access to energy at home and for income-generating activities is associated with- Higher levels of poverty. Low productivity. Heavy workload. Women’s safety issues. Energy poverty affects women and girls more as they have to bear the primary responsibility for collecting firewood, cooking and other domestic work. These tasks expose them to negative health impacts and increase their domestic and reproductive burdens. Missed educational opportunities. High exposure to health risks. Latest statistics on rural electrification: As per the latest government statistics, only 910 villages are yet to be electrified, which account for 5% of India’s un-electrified villages (as on April 2015), excluding some uninhabited villages. However, the performance of rural household electrification is not that encouraging. Around 35 million households—approximately 11% of the total rural households—are yet to be electrified. Reliability and quality of power supply: Remains a concern The success of rural electrification should not be measured only on the basis of connections provided, but also on the basis of provision of reliable and quality power supply during peak hours. Both of these are still persistent problems faced by a majority of India’s rural households. As per the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) recommended “Energy Plus” approach, supply of electricity only for lighting is a necessary but not sufficient condition for rural livelihood development. This framework emphasizes on energy access in combination with productive use of electricity for income generation and livelihood upliftment. Ensuring productive use of electricity: To use electricity directly for income-generation activities, ownership of appliances plays an important role. Market availability, financial and technical assistance. Appliance ownership, in turn, depends on the household’s economic status and on the quality and availability of power supply. The issue of high cost of power supply to rural areas: As a majority of the rural households cannot afford high cost supply, utilities are reluctant to supply the required quality and quantity of electricity in these areas. This is apart from the issue of capacity constraint in terms of power generation/purchase. Solution: However, implementing some appropriate measures such as smart meters, infrastructure development, franchisee arrangements with local self-help-groups (for more effective billing, monitoring and collection) may improve the situation to some extent. The Saubhagya scheme: Aims to improve environment, public health, education and connectivity with the help of last-mile power connections across India along with prviding electricity connections to over 40 million families in rural and urban areas by December. Households out of reach of the national electricity grid are proposed to be provided with solar power packs along with battery banks with the Rural Electrification Corporation as the nodal agency. The Saubhagya scheme will help India, the world’s third-largest energy consumer after the US and China, meet its global climate change commitments as electricity will substitute kerosene for lighting. It will also help improve education, health, and connectivity apart from having a multiplier effect on increased economic activities and job creation. What more needs to be done? There is a need to explore the role of rural electrification in promoting gender equality, which, along with women empowerment, is an integral part of inclusive development and sustainable development goals (SDGs). None of the energy access programmes in India have incorporated gender equality in what they hope to achieve. As India is currently focusing on the achievement of SDGs, women-centric energy access programmes will contribute more effectively in achievement of various SDGs such as Goal 1 (no poverty), Goal 3 (good health and well-being), Goal 5 (gender equality) and Goal 7 (affordable and clean energy). Conclusion: Various government schemes have delivered results and now only a few villages are left that have yet to achieve the target of 100% electrification. A major step ahead will be ensuring productive usage of electricity and incorporating the objective of gender equality in electricity related schemes. Connecting the dots: While we come a way long in electrification of rural areas. Two major focus areas, going ahead, should be- A need to explore the role of rural electrification in promoting gender equality and to ensure reliability and quality of power supply. 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 India and UK: Evolving relationship Introduction: Both India and US are undergoing changes. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s reforms are transforming India, and Brexit enables the UK to set its own trade and investment agenda. At the same time, technology is changing the nature of the opportunities UK and Indian businesses see. These changes offer an exciting opportunity to transform the UK-India relationship. UK India Businesses: Businesses from both countries are big investors in each other’s country. Since 2000, the UK has been the largest G20 investor in India, investing £17.5 billion. British companies now employ a staggering 800,000 people in India, representing one in 20 jobs in India’s organised private sector. There is a similarly positive story on Indian investment into the UK. There are around 800 Indian businesses in the UK, employing 110,000, and every year India is in the top 5 countries investing in the UK. The volume and nature of investment has changed: More UK businesses are investing in India — the number of UK businesses in India has more than doubled since 2000. The range of sectors attracting UK investment has shifted. Advanced manufacturing, financial and professional services have remained top for decades, but the 21st century has seen strong growth in sectors such as education, retail, consumer goods, life sciences, healthcare, and infrastructure. The investment relationship is generating ever-more successful R&D partnerships across a wide range of sectors. The success is down to the interplay between governments, businesses, and universities/research institutions. Examples: The £50 million Newton Bhabha Fund co-created by the UK and Indian governments is stimulating UK and Indian scientific research into finding solutions to the challenges facing India’s economic development and social welfare. There are industry-academia partnerships, for example, Tata Motors-owned JLR and the Warwick Manufacturing group at Warwick University are opening the largest automotive R&D facility in Europe this year. Industry-industry partnerships: These include a partnership between UK insurance major, Bupa, and Indian firms Practo and 1mg. Together, they have created an easy to access and customised holistic healthcare plan that brings health cover for Indians who currently can’t access insurance and, therefore, quality healthcare. The Rolls Royce-TCS partnership to explore the applications of IoT in expanding Rolls Royce’s manufacturing. This is the exciting place where Make in India meets Digital India. Where India meets the UK. Positive changes ahead: As the UK and India forge more manufacturing and technology partnerships, there will be a greater geographical spread, with more UK businesses going into cities like Pune, Ahmedabad, Indore and Coimbatore to connect with their strong, well-developed industrial clusters. Indian investment into the UK, should also see a change, with Indian companies plugging into the UK’s manufacturing regions, particularly across the midlands, and in cities like Sheffield and Manchester. What more can be done? The governments can do following to spur bilateral activity. For instance, a continued focus on the ease of doing business in India will make a big difference. Tackling non-tariff barriers through the Governments’ Joint Trade Review, and Extending “accelerator” programmes supporting SMEs, such as the Access India Programme which is backed by the Indian Government and the Urban Gateway which is supported by the UK Government. Conclusion: The two countries should celebrate the scale and holistic nature of the existing bilateral relationship, at the same time they also need to focus on how that relationship needs to evolve. New technologies should be at the heart of this evolution. Connecting the dots: Both India and US are undergoing changes. Businesses from both countries are big investors in each other’s country. It is time the two governments focus on how the relationship needs to evolve. Discuss. MUST READ The soft power of India The Hindu In Xi'an, BRI's city of hope The Hindu A larger Dalit public sphere Indian Express Undo the wrong Indian Express Skill development indicators are a necessity Livemint

Apr 19, 2018

IASbaba’s 60 Day Plan- Prelims Test 2018 HISTORY & CURRENT AFFAIRS [Day 36]

Apr 18, 2018 RSTV Video

RSTV- The Big Picture : China: The Doors Are Opening

China: The Doors Are Opening Archives TOPIC: General Studies 2: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests In News: China has announced that they will open the country’s economy further and lower import tariffs on products including cars – struck a conciliatory tone on the rising trade tensions between China and the United States. China would also be raising the foreign ownership limit in the automobile sector and push previously announced measures to open the financial sector. Xi’s comments sent stock markets and the U.S. dollar higher on hopes of a compromise that could avert a trade war. Background: This comes amid rising trade tensions between China and United States following a week of escalating tariff threats, popped by US frustration with China's trade and intellectual property policies. Why: After Russian diplomats were asked to leave, there has been a sharp decline in the Russian ruble The Trump administration had imposed tariffs on nearly 1,300 items in the Chinese market to reduce the trade deficits. There is a worry that some of the other Western allies of the United States and Trump might follow suit and impose additional tariffs on Chinese goods. The recent 19 Party Congress and the two sessions - NPC as well as CPPCC sessions which reiterated the domestic consumption innovation as well as restructuring of the economy from manufacturing to the services There is a need for Chinese economy to reinvent itself. With the global financial crisis, the China model of export orientation is no longer the answer, so they have shifted in their plans towards domestic consumption. They're projecting themselves as a leading technological power. And so there is a need for heavy investments and artificial intelligence, for which China will have to become much more open in terms of ideas and competition. Impact on India: There will be some positive impact for Indian exporters as there'll be space created for them in China. The investment proportion needs to be increased. This will boost our Make in India programme. Tourism has been partly increased from roughly about one lakh to about nine lakhs after the e-visas have been instituted. So this is one area that the opening of the Chinese economy towards the Indian side could also probably contribute. Chinese company have come and put up shop in in the manufacturing sector. For example Pune and Ahmedabad, who have been identified in 2014, but not much progress has actually taken place. The Chinese labor costs are also increasing. Any move to offer better access in pharmaceuticals, agriculture, marine items and information technology would help India, which has been able to supply mostly raw inputs to the giant neighbour. China’s plan to better protect intellectual property rights could encourage Indian pharma companies to set up shop there. Conclusion We have to have some incremental approach in our production where we need to increase our export basket. We must look at trade in a much more coherent fashion. If people mentioned pharmaceuticals, practically all the precursor materials for Indian pharmaceuticals come from China. So the active ingredients in the antibiotics, the chemicals, they all come from China and in fact we are the gainers because we are getting the source material from manufacturing the high-value products and exporting them to the United States elsewhere. We should look at this as an opportunity rather than as a threat. Must Read: Link 1 + Link 2 + Link 3 + Link 4

Apr 18, 2018 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs [Prelims + Mains Focus] - 18th April 2018

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs (Prelims + Mains Focus)- 18th April 2018 Archives (PRELIMS+MAINS FOCUS) Law Commission recommends holding of simultaneous elections Part of: Mains GS Paper II- Indian polity Key pointers: Pic credits: http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/article23579189.ece/alternates/FREE_660/TH17-SC-SIMULTAGBP3QQSTR1jpgjpg A draft white paper released by the Law Commission of India recommends holding of simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and the Assemblies, possibly in 2019. It suggests amending the Constitution, Representation of the People Act of 1951 and the Rules of Procedure of the Lok Sabha and Assemblies, to realise this objective. The commission was headed by former Supreme Court judge Justice B.S. Chauhan. The commission says simultaneous elections were held in the country during the first two decades after Independence up to 1967. Dissolution of certain Assemblies in 1968 and 1969 followed by the dissolution of the Lok Sabha led to the “disruption of the conduct of simultaneous elections.” Article link: Click here India-Sweden: PM's visit to Sweden Part of: Mains GS Paper II- International relations Key pointers: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Swedish counterpart has agreed upon a joint action plan (JAP) for both countries to take forward a wide range of initiatives in defence, trade and investment, counterterrorism, renewable energy, smart cities, women’s skill development, space and science and healthcare. Characterising the JAP as a “win-win partnership” for New Delhi and Stockholm, Mr. Modi underscored the critical role of the defence sector and security initiatives as a pillar of the bilateral relationship. On counterterrorism, Mr. Modi and Mr. Löfven emphasised that the global counterterrorism legal framework should be regularly updated to address the changing threat of terrorism with strength. Under the Sweden-India Innovation Partnership for a Sustainable Future, the Swedish government will kick start Innovation Partnership by providing up to 50 million Swedish kronor (over $59 million) for innovation cooperation in the field of smart cities and sustainability. Article link: Click here Kaladan Multimodal Project: Ongoing work Part of: Mains GS Paper II, III- International relations, Infrastructure Key pointers: After years of delay, India has finally kicked off the construction of the 109-km road project that connects Paletwa river terminal to Zorinpui on the Mizoram border in Myanmar, as part of the $484-million Kaladan Multimodal project. The Rs. 1,600-crore road project passes through dense forests and hilly areas. On completion, the project will help connect Mizoram with the Sittwe Port in Rakhine State of Myanmar. India has already completed the rest of the Kaladan project work in Myanmar. This includes the construction of the Sittwe Port on Lakadan river mouth in Rakhine, construction of a river terminal 158 upstream at Paletwa and dredging of the Kaladan river. On the Indian side, work is on to extend the Aizawl-Saiha National Highway to the international border at Zorinpui. Also, a Rs. 6,000-crore project is under way for four-laning the 300-km highway from Myanmar border to Aizawl to ensure the faster movement of goods. Completion of the Paletwa-Zorinpui road holds the key to operationalise the Kaladan multi-modal project. Article link: Click here Task force on natural gas: India and US Part of: Mains GS Paper II, III- International relations, Energy security Key pointers: India and the US has announced the formation of a task force on natural gas aimed at increasing the share of gas in India’s primary energy mix. Under the US-India Energy Partnership, the US and India will pursue four primary pillars of cooperation. These are oil and gas, power and energy efficiency, renewable energy and sustainable growth, and coal. The newly set up task force will have a team of US and Indian industry experts with a mandate to propose, develop, and convey, innovative policy recommendations to Government of India in support of its vision for natural gas in the economy of India. The work of the task force is expected to advance the strategic and economic interests of both the nations. Article link: Click here (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 Reset of India's neighborhood policy Introduction: The government’s foreign policy moves over the past few months represent a profound shift in its thinking about the neighborhood. On the mend: The “reset” with China: The trigger for the rapprochement between the two neighbours was the peaceful resolution of the Doklam standoff and Mr. Modi’s meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Xiamen last year. To begin with, the government has taken care not to respond with any heat to reports of the Chinese build-up at Doklam. Keeping its responses cool, New Delhi has been repeating that the Doklam standoff point is untouched and Chinese construction on their side of the boundary is “not a threat” to India. The government has also gone to some lengths to tone down planned celebrations marking the anniversary of the Dalai Lama’s arrival from Tibet. New Delhi and Beijing have now embarked on a flurry of high-level visits that are meant to lead up to a summit meeting between the two leaders; they may even meet more than once. The shift has given rise to speculation that the two sides are intent on making significant progress in smoothening ties on outstanding issues such as boundary negotiations and also narrowing the trade deficit. In South Asian region: This flexibility is also mirrored in the government’s dealings in the South Asian region. With Maldives: Despite several appeals by the Maldivian opposition, and nudges from the U.S., the Modi government decided not to exert hard power in bringing Maldives President Abdulla Yameen around after he declared a state of emergency in the country. Nor did it engage China in a confrontation when Mr. Yameen sought Beijing’s support in this regard. The government remained silent as Male went a step further and held discussions with Pakistan’s Army Chief, Gen. on joint patrolling of its Exclusive Economic Zone, an area of operation in the Indian Ocean considered to be India’s domain. With Nepal: Instead of seeing red when Prime Minister K.P. Oli made it clear that he would step up engagement with China in infrastructure development, India rolled out the red carpet for him earlier this month. Nor did India raise concern over Nepal’s Constitution which had sparked the confrontation between India and Nepal in 2015-16. Bhutan and Bangladesh: There has also been outreach to Bhutan and Bangladesh in recent weeks. Both Bhutan and Bangladesh are to hold elections this year, and with incumbent governments more favourably disposed to New Delhi than their challengers in the opposition, the results will have an impact on India’s influence in these countries as well. Quiet progress with Pakistan: This year, the government admitted in Parliament for the first time that National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval had met his Pakistani counterpart, as a part of “established channels of communications at various levels” between the two sides in the past few years, post-Pathankot. Meanwhile, the resolution of the standoff over the treatment of diplomats in Delhi and Islamabad indicates that neither government has the appetite for escalation at this point. The next steps: Overall it seems that India’s hard power strategy in the region is being replaced with a more conciliatory one. However, the next steps will be defined not by a quiet or defensive approach to redefining India’s foreign policy in the region, but with a more bold and proactive one. The reset with China will work only if there are transactional dividends for both New Delhi and Beijing. Two issues on which both governments can show flexibility are China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and India’s bid for Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) membership. On the NSG, China could remove its block to India’s membership by adopting a more inclusive approach within the nuclear export control organisation. The goodwill from such a move would propel India-China relations forward. On the BRI, if there is political will on both sides, they needn’t look too far for creative solutions around India’s three concerns: on territorial integrity, transparency of projects and their sustainability. Territorial integrity- The solution is contained in a proposal under consideration — to extend the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) to Afghanistan. The shift from the CPEC to what could be called PACE or the Pakistan-Afghanistan-China Economic corridor would necessitate a shift away from projects in Gilgit-Baltistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Those projects may still be built and funded by China, but then would not constitute a part of the BRI route; as a result, India’s concerns on sovereignty could be dispensed with. Several countries, from Europe to Central and East Asia, are now echoing India’s concerns about the environmental and debt trap risks that BRI projects pose. India could take the lead in creating an international template for infrastructure and connectivity proposals, one that would seek to engage China and other donor countries in a structured approach towards debt financing. This would win India goodwill in the neighbourhood too, where every other country (apart from Bhutan) has signed on to the BRI but has felt alienated by India’s rigid opposition to the initiative. SAARC re-engagement: The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) summit is to take place this year, with Pakistan as the host. India's decision on attending the meeting should be rational. Afghanistan, which supported India’s move to pull out of the SAARC summit in Islamabad in 2016 following the Uri attacks, is engaging with Pakistan again. Sri Lanka and Nepal, both sympathetic to India’s outrage over Uri, are pushing for a summit this year. Connecting the dots: The government’s foreign policy moves in recent times represent a profound shift in its thinking about the neighborhood. 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 India's interest in re-energised Commonwealth Introduction: The Commonwealth Summit is to be held this week in London. The Indian debate on the future of the forum has certainly changed. After decades of ignoring it, Delhi now believes that a rejuvenated Commonwealth could lend greater depth to India’s global outreach. Background: When Jawaharlal Nehru decided to join the Commonwealth after Independence, many expressed deep discomfort with what they saw as a needless affiliation with the former colonial power. Nehru, however, stood steadfast in his commitment to the Commonwealth. For him, it was a valuable political and economic link to a major Western power during the Cold War. While both Indira and Rajiv saw some utility in India’s membership of the Commonwealth, India’s growing divergence with Britain and the West during the Cold War and an inward economic orientation severely limited Delhi’s possibilities with the forum. As Britain itself turned to Europe, the Commonwealth began to lose much of its lustre in London. When India opened up to the world, politically and economically, after the Cold War, with its focus on the US and China on the one hand and South Asia on the other, the Commonwealth simply fell off India’s mental map. Delhi’s renewed interest in the Commonwealth: It has been long overdue. It is based on common sense. At a moment when India's global interests are expanding, the pragmatists in Delhi argue, India must make the best use of all available multilateral forums, including the Commonwealth. Way ahead: The Commonwealth needs to give up its “prescriptive approach” on rights. The focus should be on bringing greater economic prosperity for the peoples of the forum through an enhanced trade and investment relationship. The Commonwealth could devote considerable energies towards the promotion of sustainable development and maritime security, which pose existential challenges to the many small and island states in the forum. The Commonwealth can become more valuable to its member states if it directs its aid and assistance to a few major priority areas rather than spreading its resources on a range of issues. India can and must do a lot of things in re-energising the Commonwealth. The government's emphasis must be on strengthening India’s contribution to the Commonwealth. As the soon-to-be largest economy in the forum, India can significantly increase its levels of economic assistance, give more to the maintenance of the Secretariat, boost the current efforts on capacity building, and above all, open its economy to facilitate trade liberalisation across the Commonwealth. Reviving the Commonwealth is not about India taking over from Britain. It is about reordering the relationship between Delhi and London. Although the relations between India and Britain have significantly improved, Britain is yet to do what most other Western powers have done. It is to recognise that India’s rise is in their own national interests. Britain has remained somewhat hesitant to align with India on the regional issues in the Subcontinent and beyond. A significant change in that direction could help transform the bilateral relationship as well as the Commonwealth. Conclusion: Many British intellectuals are warning against the illusion that the Commonwealth can be a substitute for the European Union. There is no reason for India to be drawn into that internal argument in Britain. What matters for India is the terms of engagement that are on offer for a new British relationship with India and the Commonwealth in the changed domestic and international context. Negotiating favourable terms is what that should matter for Delhi. Connecting the dots: A rejuvenated Commonwealth could lend greater depth to India’s global outreach. Discuss. MUST READ The new South Asia The Hindu Clamour for death The Hindu A nation of innovation Indian Express India lives in her villages not districts Livemint The confounding Syrian conflict Business Line

Apr 18, 2018 MindMaps

IASbaba’s MINDMAP : Issue – India's Legal System

IASbaba’s MINDMAP : Issue – India's Legal System 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)

Apr 18, 2018

IASbaba’s 60 Day Plan- Prelims Test 2018 HISTORY & CURRENT AFFAIRS [Day 35]

Apr 17, 2018 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs [Prelims + Mains Focus] - 17th April 2018

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs (Prelims + Mains Focus)- 17th April 2018 Archives (PRELIMS+MAINS FOCUS) Sustaining seafood exports to EU Part of: Mains GS Paper II- Governance, Internal Security Key pointers: To ensure continued demand for seafood from the European Union, India will showcase the new measures implemented by it to improve vigilance and testing to assure the bloc that all steps were being taken to ensure that consignments meet the required quality standards. The EU is one of India’s top buyers of shrimps. Information on the traceability software for seafood has been implemented and new methods have been put in place to carry out inspections. Background: The EU has expressed its dissatisfaction with exports from India by tightening its rules on inspections and black-listing. India’s marine food exporters have been arguing that the EU’s decision to increase the sample size from 10 per cent to 50 per cent for testing the seafood consignments from India, while keeping it at 10 per cent for other countries such as Vietnam and Bangladesh was unfair. The EU accounts for about 18 per cent of marine exports from India with Belgium, the Netherlands and Spain being among the top buyers. Article link: Click here (MAINS FOCUS) NATIONAL TOPIC: General Studies 2: Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections. Issues relating to poverty and hunger. General Studies 3: Inclusive growth and issues arising from it. Planning for internal migration due to climate change Background: The Syrian and Rohingya crises exemplified the typical conditions under which people are forcibly displaced: war, political persecution, economic instability and repression. Still, most of the world’s migration is internal, i.e. within the same country. Among the tens of millions displaced in 2015, 21.3 million were refugees, but 40.8 million were internally displaced. People usually change their homes to improve household income, for marriage or other purposes relating to family. Climate change and migration: With climate change, its worsening slow onset effects such as droughts, effects from sea level rise and water shortages, will cause many more to leave their homes and move to safer places. Such migration may be a choice in the initial stages; for instance, a young member may travel to a city close by during a drought to increase his or her family’s income. But as the stress becomes more severe, the decision to move may be forced. An ongoing process- The gradual rise in sea levels wherein people are compelled to leave their island nations in the Pacific and Indian Oceans and become climate exiles is one such ongoing process that will likely increase out-migration over time. The “Groundswell: Preparing for Internal Climate Migration” report by the World Bank: Estimates that in Latin America, South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa over 143 million people would be forced to move within borders by 2050 as a result of slow onset climate events alone In the worst-case scenario, about 40 million of these migrants would be in South Asia, which is the most populous of the regions studied, with a number of climate change effects anticipated. South Asian (Indian) context: South Asia is characterised by rain-fed farmland in large parts of the region. With variability in the monsoons and warmer temperatures, crop failures will lead to migration from the Gangetic plains and from the rice-growing northeast of Bangladesh and the inundated coasts. While people normally gravitate to big cities, those along the coast such as Mumbai, Chennai, Chittagong and Dhaka will themselves be vulnerable to storm surges and other effects from sea level rise. The poor would be the worst affected by these slow onset events and most of them would migrate out of rural areas to nearby urban settlements, which would be cities and the peri-urban surroundings. “Hotspots” of in and out migration would be stressed for natural resources, public services and livelihoods. In India, there are already signs of unplanned and frontier-led growth in peri-urban areas. The implications of these internal migrations will be significant for development in the areas and for the lives of these people. What needs to be done? Understanding migration patterns, getting better socioeconomic data on migration and preparing in advance through appropriate planning is critical. Reducing GHG emissions is of utmost urgency, although that seems to be taking place at a pace determined by geopolitical as well as local initiatives. Integrating internal migration with ongoing development planning is vital. The peri-urban areas, which are expected to be hot spots, already show problems of water shortage, waste management, nutritional deficiency, limited services such as health and education, and poor infrastructure. Ecosystems, part of the natural resources in peri-urban areas, ought to be protected as “special ecological zones”, so that as urban settlements expand, they don’t eat into ecosystem services. Skill building, job training and other opportunities for education and jobs for locals and migrants would also have to become a focal point. Rights for those who are forced to migrate would be fundamental in these preparations, as studies and experience have shown that ignoring issues of social justice and equity in adaptation can lead to serious governance failure. Connecting the dots: The problem of internal migration is bound to increase with ongoing climate change. The implications of these internal migrations will be significant for development in the areas and for the lives of these people. Discuss. Also suggest measures to face the challenge. ECONOMY TOPIC: General Studies 3: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment. General Studies 2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. Reaching the 5T mark: Transforming Agriculture, Manufacturing and Services Background: Last month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke of India becoming a “Five Trillion Dollar” economy. How soon we can reach the 5T mark? What growth rate is required? What changes we need to introduce? Current size of the economy: There are two measures of GDP — at constant prices (2011-12) and current prices. Currently, India’s GVA is $1.8 trillion, GDP at constant price $2 trillion, and GDP at current price $1.8 trillion. World Bank says India’s GDP is expected to grow at 7.3 per cent in 2018-19. The RBI’s figure is 7.4 per cent. The GDP at current prices will reach 5T in 2027 at this growth rate. So if we sustain the base growth rate of 7.4 per cent, we will become a 5T economy within ten years. However, an ambitious agenda of change can push growth rates upwards. But achieving such high growth will require exceptional structural changes in all sectors of the economy. How to reach 5T? To reach 5T, we need to shift our perspective from policy to projects. Select sectoral initiatives can be converted into 100 projects. Each to be led by a competent leader with proven skills. The regular bureaucracy would facilitate the job of the project leader, who will be free to choose her team. Transforming Agriculture: By setting up a thousand world-class farms across the country Most farmers do not have the capacity or means to benefit from the existing schemes. A new model can be tried- where farmers learn to be productive by working in association with a professional firm which takes care of farming, marketing, and exports. The implementation will cover less than one per cent of the arable land and cost no money to the government. To implement, the government will need to identify 1,000 agriculture development regions (ADRs) each with a minimum area of 200 sq. km. State governments will take this land on a 10-year lease from the willing farmers. In return, the State governments will assess a farmer’s 10-year income and agree to pay double the amount in annual instalments. Farmers will remain the landowners. Next, the States will invite corporate farming ventures (CFVs) to work on each of the ADRs for 10 years. In return, CFVs will pay the money that the States promised to pay the farmers. The CFVs will apply modern techniques and investments to produce and market high-quality products. Farmers may work on the land and imbibe the right practices. Soon, the best practices will spread to adjoining areas. The model will turn millions of farmers into smart and prosperous entrepreneurs. ADRs will contribute substantially to production and exports. Transforming manufacturing: Challenge- Trade war-like situation emerging between the US and China, and MNCs looking for alternative manufacturing locations. India has to focus on setting manufacturing ecosystem for the skill and labour intensive product groups like machinery. This skill and labour-intensive products group can absorb part of surplus people from the agriculture or informal sector. Successful operations would require sector-specific policies and inviting an anchor firm for each major product group. Flexible labour laws are an essential precondition for large-scale manufacturing. Over 70 per cent of India’s exports come from the manufacturing sector. New manufacturing operations will allow India to become part of a few global value chains and help in raising exports to a trillion dollar mark. Transforming services: Services contribute to 56.5 per cent of GDP but create only 30 per cent of jobs. So far, IT sector has been the star, exporting over 80 per cent of its $150 billion turnover. As over 50 per cent of IT revenues come from the US, the future looks challenging with Trump at the helm. Way ahead: As over 40 per cent of the IT jobs India does will disappear due to automation, the sector needs to develop expertise in IOT, AI, and their applications. Travel and tourism, health, and professional services can be the other star service sectors. Better delivery of infrastructure, education and essential services would also create a large number of jobs and growth. The travel and tourism sector created 40 million jobs and contributed a significant 10 per cent to GDP. Considering the variety of experiences India offers, the sector can grow manifold with project-driven investments in budget hotels, medical tourism, tourist safety, and top 100 attractions. India as a global healthcare jobs provider can be another big story. Global healthcare and wellness is a $8 trillion industry, which would require over 100 million health workers in the next 15 years. The construction sector’s potential is largely untapped. It has slowed in the past two years but remains big with over 8 per cent share in GDP. It is the largest job-generating sector after Agriculture. The sector lacks transparency, and millions of buyers stand cheated in the hands of builders every year. Ensuring transparency and ease will revive the sector attracting FDI and create millions of new jobs. Connecting the dots: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, recently, spoke of India becoming a “Five Trillion Dollar” economy. Suggest what changes we need to introduce to achieve the goal at the earliest. Transforming agriculture, manufacturing and services sectors in a project mode can help India reach the goal of 5 trillion economy soon. Analyze. MUST READ It's time to replace the UGC Act The Hindu Towards a regional reset The Hindu A Post-fact conflict Indian Express India's grand illusion of a reset with China Livemint Let not my country awake to such bigotry Business Line

Apr 17, 2018 RSTV Video

RSTV- The Big Picture : The Korea Summit

The Korea Summit Archives TOPIC: General Studies 2 India and its neighbourhood- 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 In News: The leaders of North and South Korea will meet on April 27 for the first time since 2007. The landmark meeting between President Moon Jae-in and Kim Jong Un will be held at Freedom House on the southern side of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). The summit will be seen as a victory for Moon, who has long been pushing hard for diplomatic relations with North Korea. He said at his swearing-in ceremony in 2017 "for peace on the Korean Peninsula, I will do everything that I can do." A summit on April 27 will be only the third time that the leaders of the divided Koreas have met in the 65 years since the end of the Korean War. It comes in sharp contrast to 2017 when the peninsula appeared to be barreling toward conflict, with Kim overseeing a string of missile and nuclear tests and Trump promising "fire and fury" as Pyongyang threatened Guam, Hawaii and even the US mainland. Image Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2018/03/28/asia/south-korea-north-korea-talks-intl/index.html What has led to this? A realization has dawned upon South Korea to reach out peacefully to North Korea, and not to contain and change the regime. North Korea has reciprocated very well. Kim Jong Un has emerged as the best strategist of all the major powers that were playing this game. He has been able to manage China, US, North Korea. This inter-Korean dialogue is definitely welcome given the earlier circumstances from the last few decades. Two pronged Approach Inter-Korean relationship: Two leaders are willing to come together, and resume and update the sunshine policy followed in and before 2007. Denuclearization: There is a widespread belief that North Korea is prepared to denuclearize, but the North Korean leader has in fact not agreed to give up his nuclear weapons. Though there might be a buildup towards denuclearization. The way this summit would shape up, would lay the foundation of it. But the probable demands of North Korea might be – American troop should get out of South Korea Cease military exercise between America and South Korea Long standing demand of their maritime boundary between North & South Korea, which is extremely unfair to North Korea, should be renegotiated Role of U.S.A Trump has suddenly accepted Kim Jong-Un’s offer of a summit. This stunning development has raised hopes that a resolution of the North Korean nuclear challenges that have plagued the United States and its allies for a quarter of a century could be in the offing. He and his administration should reflect carefully and ask whether the “deal” they seek is really within reach Why: Kim may be hoping to offer President Trump a “freeze” of the North’s nuclear testing program that the U.S. president could then point to as the outcome of the summit. What would it mean: A “freeze” on the testing of North Korean nuclear weapons would leave the nuclear threat to our allies, our overseas bases, and the U.S. homeland in place. It would allow Pyongyang to continue to produce fissile material for nuclear weapons, build new nuclear weapons and missile delivery systems, improve its nuclear weapons and missiles through non-kinetic testing, and even construct additional facilities to produce more nuclear materials. Must Read: Link 1 Connecting the Dots: Why did the USA become involved in the Korean war? Discuss the consequences of the involvement.

Posts