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IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs (Prelims + Mains Focus)- 30th March 2018 Archives (PRELIMS+MAINS FOCUS) Mobile internet users in India to reach 478 million by June Part of: Mains GS Paper III- Inclusive growth Key pointers: The number of mobile Internet users in India is likely to reach 478 million by June said the report titled “Mobile Internet in India 2017”, published jointly by the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) and KANTAR-IMRB. The report attributed the popularity of mobile Internet in the country to its affordability. It said: “Urban India witnessed an estimated 18.64 per cent year-on-year rise, while rural India witnessed an estimated growth of 15.03 per cent during the same period (December 2016 to December 2017).” The report estimates that there are 291 million urban mobile Internet users and 187 million rural users as on December 2017. NTP (National Telecom Policy) 2018 with focus on new technologies like 5G is expected to promote better quality data services at more affordable prices and can be expected to help address the digital divides and promote internet penetration in the rural areas via mobile internet. Article link: Click here (MAINS FOCUS) ECONOMY/INFRASTRUCTURE 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: Infrastructure Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment. Making Inland Water Transport viable by engaging private sector Background: India has nearly 14,500 km of navigable waterways, yet inland water transport (IWT) accounts for less than 1 per cent of its freight traffic, compared with ~35 per cent in Bangladesh and ~20 per cent in Germany. This is despite IWT’s better cost arithmetic and materially less polluting nature. The cost of transporting one tonne freight over 1 km by waterway is Rs. 1.19 compared with Rs. 2.28 and Rs. 1.41 by road and rail, respectively. And the cost of developing an inland waterway is barely 10 per cent of a four-lane highway of similar capacity. Recent moves by the government: The government has passed an amendment to the Central Road Fund Act, 2000, proposing to allocate 2.5 per cent of the funds collected for development of waterways. The budget for next fiscal has allocated Rs. 228 crore to the sector and allowed the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) to raise Rs. 1,000 crore from the capital market. Challenge: The sector’s investment requirements are ~ Rs. 90,000 crore over the next few years to develop navigable routes, connectivity infrastructure to and from hinterland, terminals, vessels and repairing facilities. Way ahead: Public private partnership is the need of the hour. Given IWT’s nascence, the government and IWAI need to work on two channels to draw private players in- Development of physical infrastructure: The government should focus on developing navigation, channel operation and maintenance, and external connectivity infrastructure. Private players can undertake terminal development, cargo and passenger handling, and building low-draft vessels and related repair facilities. Policy level interventions: Incentivizing cargo transport through inland waterways is required to ensure there is enough freight to make physical infrastructure development viable, the following measures can be taken: Offering incentives, including tax subsidies, for transporting a portion of industry cargo through IWT. The Government can mandate/incentivise industries in the proximity of national waterways to use this mode for a portion of their shipments. Public sector entities such as Food Corporation of India, power plants and refineries can be similarly mandated. Higher road taxes can be levied on transportation of coal and inflammable material over longer distances because they are harmful to environment or pose a danger to those in proximity. Many waterways run parallel to transportation corridors and urban centres. For synergy, the government can promote industrial corridors along riverbanks and foster waterways-based industrialisation. Capital dredging, along with different waterways, will also offer opportunities to reclaim land along riverbanks. In many States, there are ferry services on national waterways, but these are mostly unorganised country boats. Terminal facilities are also woefully inadequate. Along with passenger terminal development, the government needs to offer financial support to ferry operators to improve safety and facilitate insurance coverage. The Centre and States need to join hands to package and market river tourism in a big way to trigger a virtuous cycle. Resolving the protocol route issue with Bangladesh: This is critical to the sector’s development. Indo-Bangladesh joint dredging projects in on river Yamuna and on river Kushiyara in Bangladesh have been long delayed. Completion of these projects will enable movement of larger vessels from Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh to Sadiya in Assam through Bangladesh and crank up waterways cargo traffic. Conclusion: A holistic and concerted effort can change India’s transportation landscape, de-congest arterial roads, and even improve quality of life across geographies. The above-mentioned policy interventions thus should be done on priority basis. Connecting the dots: The government has taken various steps for the development of Inland Water Transport system. However, to make it viable the private sector should be engaged. For this adequate policy interventions should be made. Discuss. NATIONAL TOPIC: General Studies 2: Development processes and the development industry the role of NGOs, SHGs, various groups and associations, donors, charities, institutional and other stakeholders. General Studies 3: Indian Economy and issue Inclusive growth and issues arising from it. Happiness in India: World Happiness Report Introduction: In the UN’s World Happiness Report, published a few days ago, reveals Finland, Norway and Denmark bagged the first three positions, the remaining Scandinavian countries (Sweden and Iceland) found themselves in the top ten rankings. India on the other hand is ranked terribly low (133 out of 156 countries) alongside some Sub-Saharan African countries, dropping 11 spots from last year. Most of the emerging economies — Mexico (24), Brazil (28), Argentina (29), Malaysia (35), Russia (59), China (86) — are placed far ahead of India. All the South Asian countries also ranked better compared to their big brother. Measuring happiness: The World Happiness Report cannot correctly measure the subjective feeling of pleasure and comfort, let alone happiness. This index is basically an appraisal of the general well-being of a nation rather than an indicator of personal happiness as many misunderstand. Besides measures of prosperity such as income and healthy life expectancy, the key variables that are used to ascertain happiness are generosity, having social support in times of trouble, and freedom to make life choices. Another important variable is trust, which is measured by the absence of corruption in business and government. Unhappy India How could we explain India’s awful performance among otherwise comparable countries? There is no single or simple explanation, but it is worth taking a critical look at the underpinning reasons through the prism of happiness variables. The following five points are not answers, but pointers to the making of the ‘Great Indian Happiness Tragedy’. Despite being one of the fastest growing economies, India remains a non-egalitarian country, with burgeoning levels of economic inequality. An Oxfam survey in 2017 has revealed that India’s richest 1 per cent has cornered almost 73 per cent of the total wealth created in the country. India’s public health spending is well below the global average (just 1.4 per cent of GDP), leaving the deprived millions to pitiable public healthcare facilities. Oddly enough, even the well-off Indian professional class, who can afford expensive private healthcare, are not guaranteed a long, healthy and happy life. The shocking case of the early fading physicians in Kerala, the so-called most socially advanced State in India, signifies how scary the emerging situation is. India has failed in building a trustworthy social support system, helping people when they are in real trouble. An atrocious incident was recently reported from Uttar Pradesh, where a team of patrolling policemen lets two teenage victims of an accident bleed to death as they “didn’t want blood to stain their car seats”. A perfect example of how little people can trust the state machinery. India’s political system and business establishments are unable to manage big cash flows in a sustainable, responsible and transparent way. Corrupt and fraudulent practices still hold the key as exemplified in the Nirav Modi episode and similar occurrences. The timid Indian response towards the Asia’s most vulnerable refugees, despite being a country that once welcomed Tibetans and Sri Lankans, illustrates that generosity and altruism are giving way to pseudo-nationalism and self-obsession. Conclusion: Certain conceptual and methodological lacunae do exist in the Happiness Index. But it clearly exposes the deep-seated flaws in our social foundations making any grand claim for an imminent ‘advanced’ India as nothing more than a wild fantasy narrative. Connecting the dots: UN's World Happiness Report though has few flaws exposes deep seated flaws in our social foundations. Discuss. MUST READ Should gambling be legalised The Hindu Time to reach out across the border The Hindu Tackling prejudice The Hindu The working class in the gig economy Livemint Is the NEXT panacea for medical education? Livemint CBSE needs to redeem itself, right now Business Line
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
Are We Drinking Plastic? Archives In news: A research conducted by Orb Media (the first global tap water survey of plastic pollution) reveals the presence of plastic fibers 100 microns or greater in size, in the water of nearly every location they tested. New Delhi was a part of this research as well. The findings suggested that a person who drinks a litre of bottled water a day might be consuming tens of thousands of microplastic particles each year. Key Points: India’s water bottle industry regulated by: BIS + FDA 93% bottled water brands contaminated (contain tiny pieces of plastic) globally. Valued at $147 billion per year, bottled water is the fastest-growing beverage market in the world. As per the WHO, packaged drinking water is a lifeline for many of the 2.1 billion people worldwide who lack access to safe tap water. According to WHO officials, there is no evidence that the consumption of microplastic fibers has an impact on human health, but it remains an emerging area of concern. Why should we care – Microplastics have been shown to absorb toxic chemicals linked to cancer and other illnesses, and then release them when consumed by fish and mammals. Plastic is all but indestructible – it doesn’t biodegrade; rather, it only breaks down into smaller pieces of itself, even down to particles in nanometer scale — one-one thousandth of one-one thousandth of a millimeter. Studies show particles of that size can migrate through the intestinal wall and travel to the lymph nodes and other bodily organs. Conclusion: “Since the problem of plastic was created exclusively by human beings through our indifference, it can be solved by human beings by paying attention to it. Now what we need is a determination to get it done — before it gets us.” – Muhammad Yunus, the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize laureate. Plastic Management: The only way to keep plastic out of the air, water, and soil is to radically rethink its design, uses, sale, and disposal. Creating new non-polluting materials for everyday usage Source: https://orbmedia.org/stories/plus-plastic Must Read: Link 1 Connecting the Dots: People have the right to accurate and relevant information about the quality and safety of any product they consume. Discuss the statement in the context of the recent findings.
IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs (Prelims + Mains Focus)- 29th March 2018 Archives (PRELIMS+MAINS FOCUS) 'e-Tribes:Tribes India' Initiative Part of: Mains GS Paper II- Government interventions Key pointers: The government has recently launched 'e-Tribes:Tribes India', an initiative for digital commerce at Tribes India outlet at Mahadev Road. It included launch of e-commerce portal of TRIFED, www.tribesindia.com and M-commerce, android app 'Tribes India'. The Tribes India banner was launched on Snapdeal, Amazon, Paytm and GeM for the marketing of tribal products through these e-commerce portals. With this, more than 55,000 tribal artisans connected to TRIFED will get access to local as well as international markets. TRIBES India organisation has set up an ambitious retail sales target of Rs 100 crores to be achieved during 2018-19 with the help of e-commerce. Article link: Click here India signs the Host Country agreement with the ISA Part of: Mains GS Paper III- Energy Security Key pointers: The International Solar Alliance (ISA) and the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) have signed the Host Country Agreement. The Agreement will give ISA a juridical personality and gives it power to contract, to acquire and dispose off movable and immovable properties, to institute and defend legal proceedings. Under this agreement, ISA shall enjoy such privileges, applicable tax concessions and immunities as are necessary for ISA's Headquarter to independently discharge its function and programmes. Background: The main objective of ISA is to undertake joint efforts required to reduce the cost of finance and the cost of technology for massive deployment of solar energy and pave the way for future technologies adapted to the needs of 121 countries lying fully or partially between the Tropics. ISA has presently four ongoing programmes: Scaling Solar Applications for Agricultural Use, Affordable Finance at Scale, Scaling Solar Mini Grids and Scaling Solar Rooftop catering to the needs of solar energy in specific areas. The ISA is the first international intergovernmental treaty based organization to be headquartered in India. Article link: Click here (MAINS FOCUS) HEALTHCARE TOPIC: General Studies 2 Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health Development processes and the development industry the role of NGOs, SHGs, various groups and associations, donors, charities, institutional and other stakeholders Eliminating TB in India by 2025: Is possible Introduction: With about 2.8 million cases, India is unfortunately the tuberculosis capital of the world. While the annual incidence has reduced from 289 persons per 100,000 in year 2000 to 217 per 100,000 in 2015, eliminating TB would necessitate a dramatic reduction to less than 1 person per 10,00,000. The ‘End TB Summit’: The Prime Minister launched a campaign to eliminate the disease by 2025, five years ahead of the global deadline. Steps taken by the Government to escalate the fight against TB: Launch of a new National Strategic Plan in 2017. The thrice-weekly treatment regimen has also been changed to a daily fixed-dose drug regimen. In Budget 2018-19, Rs. 600 crore was allocated for providing nutritional support to TB patients. What more needs to be done? Apart from scaling up access to new diagnostics and drugs, we need to- Address the determinants of TB. Combat social stigma. Engage private practitioners. Strengthen research. Addressing the determinants of TB: Various factors, including overcrowding, poor hygiene, malnutrition and lack of access to clean cooking fuels, contribute to India’s enormous TB burden. According to the National Family Health Survey-4 (NFHS-4), the prevalence of medically treated TB increases with more people sleeping in a room. Similarly, among households that depend on straw, shrubs or grass for cooking, TB prevalence was as high as 567 persons per 100,000 compared to 206 per 100,000 for households that use clean fuels. How to address? Several flagship programmes of the Government including the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana, Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, Housing for All, and the National Nutrition Mission have a critical role to play in preventing TB. Communities will also need to be engaged for reversing tobacco use and alcoholism, key drivers of the TB epidemic, through the health and wellness centres announced in the budget. Integrating private sector Over 50 per cent of TB patients are treated by private practitioners. Patients often visit multiple private providers before reaching a Directly Observed Treatment Short-Course (DOTS) centre. Issue: Delayed diagnosis and initiation of treatment not only jeopardises the patient’s chances of making a timely recovery but also increases the risk of transmission to others. Further, there is considerable heterogeneity in the knowledge levels of private practitioners about the protocols for TB diagnosis and treatment. Step taken: TB was declared a notifiable disease in 2012, following which reporting by the private sector increased to 14.8 cases per 100,000 population in 2015, compared to only 0.3 per 100,000 in 2013. To increase the notification rates further, the Health ministry has taken a landmark decision to make non-reporting of TB patients a punishable offence. Moving ahead: Developing a comprehensive set of national guidelines could strengthen private sector engagement in TB. Efforts should be made to map and categorise private practitioners based on the nature of their education, experience and services provided. Strengthening research: We urgently require rapid and cost-effective point-of-care devices that can be deployed for TB diagnosis in different settings across the country. Additionally, new drug regimens are necessary for responding to the spread of drug-resistant strains as is an effective vaccine for preventing TB in adults. Operational research for optimising service delivery is also critical because it is often the case that diagnostics and drugs do not reach those who need them the most. The India TB Research and Development Corporation launched in 2016 must play a pivotal role in accelerating these efforts. Ending social stigma: TB is not a health issue alone. It is a broader societal challenge. Patients often hesitate to seek treatment or deny their condition altogether for fear of losing social standing. The consequence is that TB becomes a death sentence for many even though it is a fully curable illness. Women are disproportionately affected with estimates suggesting that 100,000 Indian women are asked to leave their homes every year after being diagnosed with TB. What needs to be done? Mass awareness campaigns like ‘TB Harega Desh Jeetega’ can play an important role in breaking social taboos. Local communication channels such as community radios and street plays must also be leveraged. Children should be engaged through anganwadis and schools for disseminating accurate messages about TB to their families. Conclusion: Eliminating TB by 2025 is a stretch goal no doubt but one that is not impossible if the public and private sectors come together to make the requisite investments in financing, research, human resource and technology. If anything, setting a target that is five years ahead of the global deadline signals much needed intent and ambition. Connecting the dots: The government has launched a campaign to eliminate TB by 2025, five years ahead of the global deadline. Despite the challenges involved, it is possible to do so. Discuss. NATIONAL TOPIC: General Studies 1 Social empowerment 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. Dilution of the Prevention of Atrocities Act, 1989: SC judgement In news: The Supreme Court in its recent judgement has diluted the stringent provision of denial of anticipatory bail in the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989. The judgement states that public servants and private employees can only be arrested after a preliminary inquiry — that in the case of a public servant the appointing authority must give permission in writing (in the case of the public in general, the SSP’s permission is needed) — and that a magistrate can extend arrest only after written permission is secured and anticipatory bail must be given unless a prima facie case of crimes is made out. Issue: The appointing authority is hardly expected to give in writing permission to arrest his junior. If the appointing authority happens to be of the same caste or if the employee concerned enjoys a good rapport with him, he may not give permission at all. Political pressure may also be brought on the appointing authority or the SSP not to give permission to arrest the accused. Situation of Dalits in India: India has over 180 million Dalits. A crime is committed against a Dalit every 15 minutes. Six Dalit women are raped every day. Over the last 10 years (2007-2017), there has been a 66% growth in crime against Dalits. The NCRB data show that the rape of Dalit women has doubled in the last 10 years. The figures represent only a tip of the iceberg since most Dalits do not register cases for fear of retaliation by higher castes. Even if a case reaches court, the most likely outcome is acquittal due to caste biases at every stage. Rationale behind exclusion of anticipatory bail: In the Statement of Objects and Reasons of the Prevention of Atrocities Act, Parliament had clearly noted that when Dalits assert their rights, vested interests try to terrorise them. Accordingly, keeping in view the special nature of crimes against Dalits, anticipatory bail was excluded. Moreover, constitutionality of this exclusion had been upheld by a five-judge bench of the apex court in Kartar Singh. Issues with the judgment: The court has deviated from the established judicial opinion on the subject. The Supreme Court had clearly said that anticipatory bail provision for the first time was introduced in 1973 and it is merely a limited statutory right and not part of right to life and personal liberty under Article 21. Also, Section 22 of the SC/ST Act already protects public servants from prosecution if they acted in ‘good faith’. If there is concern about the ‘presumption of innocence’ of the accused, the protection of anticipatory bail should be extended to the accused in all cases and under all statutes. Conclusion: The judgment will have a chilling effect on the already underreported crimes against Dalits. And thus, must be reviewed. Connecting the dots: The Supreme Court has recently diluted the SC and ST Act, 1989. Discuss the rationale behind. DO you think the judgement needs a review? Analyze. 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IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs (Prelims + Mains Focus)- 28th March 2018 Archives (PRELIMS+MAINS FOCUS) SC verdict on honor killing Part of: Mains GS Paper I- Social issues Key pointers: Pic credit: http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/article23368420.ece/alternates/FREE_660/th27-SC-KHAP--MGBQ3MNBQ01jpgjpg Coming down heavily on crimes committed in the name of honour, the Supreme Court recently upheld the choice of consenting adults to love and marry as a part of their fundamental rights. The apex court said, “Honour killing guillotines individual liberty, freedom of choice and one’s own perception of choice.” The court held that the consent of the family, community or clan is not necessary. It issued a set of guidelines for authorities to safeguard young couples under threat for marrying outside their caste or religion. Article link: Click here COMCASA: 2nd defence foundational agreement with US to be signed soon Part of: Mains GS Paper II- International relations Key pointers: India may soon sign the second defence foundational pact with the US — the Communications, Compatibility, Security Agreement (COMCASA). The pact will enable Indian military to obtain critical, secure and encrypted defence technologies from the other country. Being a ‘Major Defence Partner’ of the US, it is imperative for India to sign the mandatory three foundational pacts which allows greater interoperability between critical technologies and smooth facilitation of classified information. So far, India has signed only one out of the three foundational agreements, called the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA). It enables access to each other’s military facilities for purposes of refuelling and replenishment. The three foundational agreements are- LEMOA, COMCASA and Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement for Geo-spatial Cooperation (BECA). Article link: Click here (MAINS FOCUS) ENVIRONMENT TOPIC: General Studies 3: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment The Namami Gange Project: An assessment Background: Rapid population growth, urbanisation, and industrial development have raised the levels of domestic as well as industrial pollutants in Ganga waters. According to July 2013 estimates of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), fecal coliform levels, biological oxygen demand, chemical oxygen demand, and a range of carcinogenic chemicals remain well-above acceptable drinking and bathing quality levels in all stretches of the river after it descends from the mountains. Initiatives taken: The government launched the Namami Gange Programme, an integrated conservation mission with a budget of Rs. 20,000 crore to accomplish the objectives of effective abatement of pollution, conservation and rejuvenation of the Ganga. The project covers eight states and seeks to fully connect all 1,632 Gram Panchayats along the Ganga to a sanitation system by 2022. There have been many well-funded programs to combat pollution in past too. In 1985, the Ganga Action Plan (GAP) was launched to fund the establishment of sewage treatment plants and other large-scale pollution mitigation technologies. The plan was ultimately extended to other rivers through the National River Conservation Programme (NRCP). Poor progress of the Namami Gange Project: CAG's findings According to a new report from the CAG, the new push to clean the Ganga is not delivering results. The audit team sampled 87 projects (73 ongoing, 13 completed, and one abandoned). The auditors’ findings are quite startling. The Government had only used $260 million of the $1.05 billion earmarked for the flagship programme between April 2015 and March 2017. All of the projects studied had a consistent list of problems: unused funds, an absence of a long-term plan, and delays in taking concrete action. None of the efforts made have been particularly effective. Each round of evaluations provides a standard list of issues emerges: Delays in reviewing projects. Poor inter-agency cooperation. Funding imbalances across sites. An inability to keep pace with growing pollution loads. As a result, none of the policies has had any visible impact on water quality. Governance system exists: India has strong environmental laws: the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974; the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Cess Act, 1977; and the Environment Protection Act, 1986. There is also a large enforcement apparatus. Water quality is monitored and regulated by the environment ministry, the CPCB, and the associated State Pollution Control Boards. Where do India’s water policies go wrong? In India’s electoral democracy, there is little space for environmental policy. Pollution has rarely been an electoral issue. Employment, economic growth, and poverty alleviation are more urgent. Elected leaders have few incentives to take on either the big polluters (which include the government’s own companies and power stations) or the small-scale firms in industrial clusters that serve as vote-banks. High levels of regulation have created an elaborate system of rent-seeking. There are efforts to build sewage treatment plants (STPs), even though vast segments of the population along the Ganga does not yet have access to sanitation. The way India’s environmental programmes are designed and implemented. The system is currently extraordinarily top-heavy. In 2014 “Ganga Manthan” was held where stakeholders from all levels of society were invited to submit suggestions on how the Ganga could be restored. In the subsequent years, however, there has been little follow-up. There is almost no mention of civil society or citizen participation, particularly for monitoring and sustainability of the operations. Way ahead: Real solutions require shared responsibility between the state and the people. We need to prioritise citizen engagement. To encourage above we need more publicly available data, and more local analysis of this data. There is also a need for more education and awareness on the health effects of pollution, as well as the causes of pollution. Efforts need to me made catch agricultural and industrial waste before they run into the river. The government should take a comprehensive look at the interconnection between policies such as subsidies, electricity consumption, power use patterns, industrial development, and urbanisation plans. Conclusion: A comprehensive policy for cleaning Ganga requires creativity, innovation, discipline, transparency and strong leadership. The cleanup of the Thames in London and the Rhine flowing through Europe suggest this is possible. Connecting the dots: Various initiatives have been taken by the governments to clean river Ganga. An analysis of these initiatives shows poor progress. Discuss in light of present report by the CAG on the Namami Gange project. For the Namami Gange project to succeed it is required that the government takes a comprehensive look at the issues involved and stakeholder participation is ensured. Discuss. NATIONAL TOPIC: General Studies 1: Urbanization, their problems and their remedies. General Studies 2: Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability, e-governance- applications, models, successes, limitations, and potential; Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. Indian cities failing to becomes engines of growth: Reasons behind Introduction: The decline in the quality of life in leading Indian cities is the result of two linked factors. While the cities (result of in-migration) are getting bigger by the day, in the last three years (2015-17) 20-odd leading Indian cities have progressed at a snail’s pace in improving their level of governance. Because of this they remain far behind not just leading global cities like London and New York but also a city in a developing country, such as Johannesburg. The above is takeaway from Janaagraha’s fifth and latest Annual Survey of Indian City Systems (ASICS), 2017. The ASICS score: On a scale of 0 to 10, it gives a measure of the health of a city’s governance and ability to deliver on quality of life. The scores for Indian cities come in the 3.0 to 5.1 range, whereas both London and New York score 8.8, and Johannesburg 7.6. In the last three years, the average score of Indian cities has barely moved from 3.4 to 3.9. The survey notes that- A large part of the missing policy initiative to set things right must come from State governments. Unfortunately, the Centre has not been able to make much of an impact. According the survey, the “smart cities” initiative has made hardly any impact and the AMRUT programme just about a little. Reasons behind: Case Studies- Mumbai Many of the urban reforms envisaged in AMRUT have not been carried out. Mumbai’s average per capita capital expenditure for the last three years has gone down despite its robust revenue stream. Despite carrying a gargantuan commuter load, it has no comprehensive mobility plan. Its mayor is still indirectly elected and for a 2.5-year term, when the norm is five. Bengaluru Declined from rank 12 in 2015 to 23 in 2017. It is growing rapidly but (deficiency one) does not have a resilience strategy. It lacks a sanitation and mobility plan. The Town Hall lacks autonomy for approval of its budgetary process. The mayor is indirectly elected and that too for only a year. Chandigarh Occupies the second lowest rank of 22 (one down from 21 in 2015). It has hardly any urban local government worth the name. The share of its own revenue in its total expenditure is next to zero. Only nine of the 18 functions listed in the 74th amendment to the Constitution empowering urban local government have been devolved to the municipal body. Pune: On the other hand It has gone from fourth to first position in the last three years. One, it has undertaken some AMRUT reforms. Two, it has improved the share of its own revenue in total expenditure and raised the average per capita capital expenditure for the last three years. Three, it has made available online municipal staff data and a roadmap for digital governance. Conclusion: Successive ASICS surveys have highlighted what needs doing for India to have a sustainable urban growth engine. Urban local government has to be empowered, professionally run and have a mechanism whereby an involved citizenry can claim ownership and demand answers. The rest will follow, with or without smart solutions. Connecting the dots: Indian cities have failed to become growth engines. Discuss reasons behind and suggest measures moving forward. MUST READ The game changer for higher education The Hindu One misstep too many Indian Express Forest rights and wrongs Indian Express The hidden pitfalls of digital regulation Livemint Justice cannot be blind to economy Business Line
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
NPA in Banking Sector ARCHIVES Search 6th March, 2018 Spotlight here: http://www.newsonair.com/Main_Audio_Bulletins_Search.aspx TOPIC: General Studies 2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation; Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability General Studies 3: Indian Economy and issues relating to mobilization of resources, growth, development In News: The non-performing assets (NPAs) in the Indian banking system have become a big concern – posing a threat to the stability of the country’s financial system and the economy. India has been ranked fifth on the list of countries with the highest Non-Performing Assets (NPAs), by CARE Ratings. What is NPA? NPA in terms of RBI regulations result out of non-payment of interest for a period of 90 days or non-payment of principle amount for 90 days or more. So beyond that point, it is called Non-Performing Asset. The loan is taken by the company on its assets from the bank. When the asset is not performing because they become doubtful and NPAs from doubtful become bad loans. A glimpse into the history: The problem name NPA is not of recent origin. Few years back, India suffered from a huge infrastructuregap and the banking sector was encouraged to get themselves into a lending spree for companies willing to undertake various projects. Public Sector Banks were actually pushed to provide loans for projects that were floated largely by the private sector. The following have caused distress in the banks’ assets and have played part in the mounting NPAs - Prolonged downturn in the world economy, Falling commodity prices, Lack of due diligence and adherence to rules (inadequate and poor risk assessment of the proposals by the banks) Complex workings of the bureaucracy, Typical bureaucratic red tape, Long delays and gestation periods of several infrastructure projects, Delays in land acquisition and Politically inspired agitations The NPA “SAMADHAN” Project Resolution process must move on smoothly – and not be stalled by long drawn legal wrangling’s. Longer the delay, the resolution of assets will be postponed further. The capital that is blocked in the NPA would not yield anything and will continue remaining stressed. It is important to recognize that even if we could resolve quickly, no matter the amount of “haircut” there exists a major upside for both the economy and the bank: Economy: 1000 of stalled projects will come back contributing to the growth and positive GDP evaluation Bank: As they have been provided for 100% for the stressed assets, at leasttheir financialhealthwould turn better. Issues causing moral hazard: Do we allow promoters who have made these assets stressed, to bid directly or indirectly for the same projects? Government has taken a decision that promoters who have stressed assets to their book of accounts should not be allowed to bid for any further stressed asset. Resolution process must be pragmatic –Rules must be clear upfront. Tricky questions should not be allowed to clout and delay the process of resolution. Correct procedures should be followed. The Way Forward: Post resolving stressed assets, there is no guarantee that it will not come up again.To prevent a recurrence of such failure, it is important to reform not just governance, but also regulatory oversight. The failures of banking regulation must be addressed and checks and balances created. Consolidation could be the first step for stringer balance sheet but the next step should be to reduce government’s stake to below 49% so that the banks can work without any political influence. Need to be mindful of the 4 Rs — ‘Recognition’ of assets close to their true value ‘Recapitalisation’ or infusion of equity for banks to protect their capital ‘Resolution’ in the form of selling underlying stressed assets ‘Reform’, through the right future incentives for the private sector and corporates to ensure there is no repeat of the twin balance sheet syndrome. Connecting the Dots: What is Non-Performing Assets (NPA)? Why are they detrimental for the economy? Examine. NPAs or stressed assets have adversely affected the banking system in India. In this light, identify the factors that have led to this status and also examine the steps taken by the Government and the RBI to address the same. Which major sectors contribute the maximum to bad loans or NPAs in India? What is the way out? Analyse.
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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
