IAS Baba

Jun 26, 2017

IASbaba’s Integrated Learning Programme (ILP) 2018 and All India Prelims Test Series (ONLINE & OFFLINE Tests - GS and CSAT in English & Hindi)

ILP 2018/Prelims Test Series - To make the Online Payment - Click Here Dear Friends, So the wait is over friends! It is only our 3rd edition of ILP (by the way, we couldn’t celebrate our 2nd anniversary on 18th June as it coincided with prelims!) but the kind of anticipation that we have witnessed in the past few days has been simply unprecedented. We have received hundreds of queries about the launch, structure and features of ILP this year. For Civil Services aspirants, the launch of ILP every year brings in new energy and motivation. More than anyone else, the aspirants residing in the remotest parts of the country now feel that they have a chance. IASbaba feels proud to have played a part in building this confidence. The reach of ILP and as a result the points of success has crossed the boundaries of coaching hubs of India. The success of aspirants like Saumya Pandey (Rank 4) and Dinesh Kumar (Rank 6) and others in the final list bear testimony to this fact. We hope that this year too, ILP plays an even better role in the success of aspirants. For us, ILP is empowerment! We were blessed with a hit ratio of 68 + in UPSC Prelims 2017, 70+ hit ratio in UPSC Prelims 2016. One of the few unprecedented things in UPSC learning!!! You can call it beginner’s luck. We want to believe it our GOOD KARMA. Even 70% adherence to our ILP program had people clearing UPSC prelims easily. Testimonials : 2017 ILP Students The feedback of ILP 2016 has steepened our learning curve– http://iasbaba.com/2016/08/upsc-gs-prelims-question-paper-2016-iasbaba/ The sheer amount of planning that goes into finalising the micro-plan, preparing the value added notes (VAN) and framing the tests is enormous. At the same time, your participation and stories of successful followers of this unique initiative inspires us to work and plan even better. What follows now is detailed account of ILP, its structure, features and modalities. Go through these details carefully and feel free to ask questions. INTEGRATED LEARNING PROGRAMME (ILP)-2018 You need to remember that this is not only a PRELIMS TEST SERIES. It is a complete package which will enable/guide you qualitatively/quantitatively through the process of Civil Services Examination. When you subscribe to our ILP-2018 programme, you will have huge expectations on us. On the similar lines, we too have a few expectations like Complete Dedication Consistency Courage to “walk that extra mile” Faith in our program Components of ILP-2018 Programme: ILP 2018 is an integrated programme that will run from 31st July 2017 to 30th September 2018 (14 months). ILP will cover Prelims and Mains in an integrated manner 35 TESTS for Prelims: Block Wise + Revision Tests + Subject Wise + Full Mocks- A total of 35 High Quality Tests MAINS MOCK and SYNOPSIS- End of Every Month VALUE ADD NOTES & MIND-MAPS- Prelims and Mains Special Feature: BABAPEDIA- For Current Affairs - It will cover all important issues of the day from sources like The Hindu, Indian Express, PIB among others. FORUM - connect with Peers; Co-Learn; people with similar Optionals can form a group, share notes, docs etc. QUESTION & ANSWER Section for Discussions & to clear your Doubts! NOTE: One can join All India Test Series for more and more practice. But do not join it in the initial days. Be regular, follow ILP consistently and before few months of Prelims, can join it for practice and assessment. IMPORTANT INSTRUCTIONS: The programme will Start from 31st July, 2017 A new platform will be provided for the subscribed users. This Platform will be activated 1 week before the programme starts. All India Test Series is NOT included in ILP-2018 Plan is prepared such that sufficient time is given for Mains and your Optional You have to simultaneously prepare notes from the content updated on Babapedia. This is to ensure your consistency and regularity with the plan. Economic Survey and India Year Book will be covered in Tests and important issues from them in the respective Value Adds too. We will provide most of the Value Add for Mains well before Prelims and the remaining Value Add will be given post Prelims accordingly. Common mistakes by an aspirant Irregularity in following the plan Aspirants download the test and keep it for future (least productive) Irregularity in making notes Missing out on current affairs updates Least revision in between the plan Structure of the Program -ILP 2018: The complete program is divided into BLOCKS and each block consists of 10 Days. In each block, sufficient time is provided to focus on Optional and Mains in parallel. ILP 2018 has been designed considering “WORKING PROFESSIONALS” as well. At the end of each Block there will be an objective test with easy to moderate questions, which will help you judge your understanding of the topics covered. As the number of BLOCK increases, the sources and topics will intensify and will require complete dedication, sincerity and concentration from your side. You can check the ILP 2017 Interface Here- Click Sample: 2018 ILP - Block 1 PLAN 2018 ILP - Block 2 PLAN VALUE ADD NOTES & MIND-MAPS Click on the image to see complete File Polity Click to Download Economy Click to Download History Click to Download MAINS MOCK & SYNOPSIS Click to Download BABAPEDIA ALL INDIA PRELIMS TEST SERIES 2018 in Hindi and English There has been a huge demand to start Prelims Only Test Series (Both OFFLINE & ONLINE) on the lines of quality of 60 Day Programme from aspirants especially non-fresher’s. When we started our website, we used to provide content in Hindi too (Daily Current Affairs, TLP, Quiz etc.) keeping the interests of our fellow Hindi medium aspirants. But then, we had to stop mid-way, because of lack of resources. Ever since then, we were getting many mails to start of atleast Test Series in Hindi. Though CSAT is a qualifying examination but many are finding it difficult to qualify due to lack of practice. We intend to provide sufficient qualitative tests to prepare you well enough to qualify it. It will be included in the test series. So here we are with new Programme catering to the demand of CSAT, Offline Test Series and Hindi Medium aspirants. Features of ALL INDIA PRELIMS TEST SERIES 2018 Total 41 Tests inclusive of GS Paper I and CSAT Paper II. Full Length Test- GS Paper I (31 Tests - inclusive of Subject-wise and Mock test) and CSAT Paper II (10 Full Length Tests) CSAT Tests will start from January 2018- Two Tests Per Month Topic Wise Syllabus for each Test with detailed Solutions and sources to follow Medium of the Test, both in ENGLISH and HINDI The Tests will be held both ONLINE and OFFLINE (Classroom) Note- Please note that OFFLINE Test will be held in Bangalore only! Check out the Quality and Nature of Prelims Test Series and Solution- Click Here Sample Plan for ALL INDIA PRELIMS TEST SERIES: Note- Full Plan will be released before 15 Days of the start of the Test Series PAYMENT or ENROLLMENT for ILP 2018 & All India Prelims Test Series SUBSCRIPTION FEE: Integrated Learning Program (ILP) 2018 - Prelims, Mains, Interview - 9999 (Inclusive of Tax) ONLINE (ENGLISH) - All India Prelims Test Series -2018 (31 GS, 10 CSAT = 41 Tests) - 6999 (Inclusive of Tax) ONLINE (HINDI) -All India Prelims Test Series -2018 (31 GS, 10 CSAT = 41 Tests) - 6999 (Inclusive of Tax) OFFLINE (ENGLISH) Test Series -2018 (31 GS, 10 CSAT = 41 Tests) - 8999 (Inclusive of Tax) OFFLINE (HINDI) -Test Series -2018 (31 GS, 10 CSAT = 41 Tests) - 8999 (Inclusive of Tax) Note- Please note that OFFLINE Test will be held in Bangalore only! Online Payment - To make the Online Payment - Click Here NOTE: After the successful payment, please check you email (SPAM and JUNK FOLDERS TOO). You will receive an acknowledgment for the fees paid. Also you can Download the PDF after successful payment, it contains your ID and Password. Offline Payment Details: Please mail us the acknowledgment at ilp@iasbaba.com if making offline payment. Bank details BANK Name CANARA BANK BANK BRANCH BANGALORE KLE SOCIETY ACCOUNT NAME IASBABA ACCOUNT NUMBER 8418201003785 IFSC CODE CNRB0008418 ACCOUNT TYPE CURRENT ACCOUNT For those who subscribe to ILP-2018 or All India Prelims Test Series and Pay the Fee: ID and Password will be generated automatically Login platform will be activated 1 week before the program starts (the programme starts from 31st July) Complete Plan will be available on the platform For any query related to ILP 2018 and Prelims Test Series contact us at ilp@iasbaba.com If you restrict yourself to one source and stick to a plan with full effort and trust- You will clear it in a single attempt and won’t have to repeat the process. Yes, this we say with full confidence for our ILP program. Because it is a pedagogic program which is integrated and holistic in nature. On an ending note, we reiterate our AIM - “to help an aspirant preparing in the remotest part of the country to secure Rank 1” We are the ship and you are the sailor. We will make sure that the ship is strongly built to sail you through all the up’s and down’s in the journey. But finally it is YOU, the sailor who has to manoeuvre and reach your destination! Come let’s start our journey together! All the Best :) IASbaba Team

Jun 26, 2017 PIB

IASbaba Press Information Bureau (PIB) - 29th May to 4th June , 2017

IASbaba Press Information Bureau 29th May to 4th June 2017 ARCHIVES GS-1 Ministry of Earth Sciences to launch ‘Deep Ocean Mission’ by January 2018 (Topic: Distribution of key natural resources across the world (including South Asia and the Indian sub-continent)) What: the ‘Deep Ocean Mission’ will improve India’s position in ocean research field. Polymetallic nodules The program on Poly metallic nodules was initiated at CSIR-NIO with the collection of the first nodule sample from Arabian Sea on board the first Research Vessel Gaveshani in 1981. India was the first country in the world to have been given the Pioneer Area for exploration of deep-sea mineral viz. Polymetallic nodules in the Central Indian Ocean Basin in 1987. Subsequently, Environment Impact Assessment studies for nodule mining, development of metal extraction process, and development of mining technology have been taken up under the national program on Polymetallic nodules funded by Ministry of Earth Sciences. Based on the resource evaluation, India has now retained an area of 75,000 sq km with an estimated resource of about 100 million tons of strategic metals such Copper, Nickel, Cobalt besides Manganese and Iron. National Commission for Scheduled Tribes and National Commission for Scheduled Caste (Topic: Social empowerment, communalism, regionalism & secularism, Salient features of Indian Society, Diversity of India. Appointment to various Constitutional posts, powers, functions and responsibilities of various Constitutional Bodies.) What: Certain Communities suffering from Extreme Social & Economic Backwardness- like Untouchability Primitive Agri-Practices, Lack of Infrastructural facilities, Geographical Isolation- needed special consideration for safeguarding their interests. These communities were notified as Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes as per provisions of Art. 341(1) and 342(1) of the Constitution respectively. Background: In order to ensure that the safeguards are properly implemented the Constitution on its inception, provided for appointment of a special office under Article 338 of the Constitution to investigate all matters relating to the safeguards provided for Scheduled Castes & Scheduled Tribes. These commissions report to the President of India. In pursuance of this provision a Special Officer known as the Commissioner for Scheduled Castes & Scheduled Tribes was appointed for the first time in 1950. Art 338 was amended (46th CAA) as it was felt that the office of the Commissioner for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes was not enough to monitor the safeguards provided to SCs & STs. Here, the single member Special Officer was replaced by multi-member system, called the Commission for SCs & STs The National Commission for SCs & STs came into being consequent upon the 65th Amendment Bill, 1990 In the 89th Amendment of the Constitution it was decided to have a separate National Commission for Scheduled Castes & separate National Commission for Scheduled Tribes which came into effect from 2004. NCSC- Major functions under art 338 To investigate and monitor all matters relating to the safeguards provided for the Scheduled Castes under constitution or any other law To inquire into specific complaints with respect to the deprivation of rights and safeguards of SCs To participate and advise on the planning process of socio-economic development of SCs To annually present report to the President To make in such reports recommendations as to the measures that should be taken by the Union or any State for the effective implementation of those safeguards and other measures for the protection, welfare and socio-economic development of SCs NCST The National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) was established by amending Article 338 and inserting a new Article 338A in the Constitution through the Constitution (89th Amendment) Act, 2003. The term of office of Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson and each member is three years from the date of assumption of charge. Chairperson has been given rank of Union Cabinet Minister. Major functions of commission under 338A To investigate & Monitor matters relating to Safeguards provided for STs under the Constitution or under other laws To inquire into specific complaints relating to Rights & Safeguards of STs To participate and Advise in the Planning Process relating to Socio-economic development of STs To annually present report to the President To discharge such other functions in relation to STs as the President may, subject to the provisions of any law made by Parliament, by rule specify In news: NCST has expressed its displeasure over the slow progress on the issue of displacement of tribals due to Roukela Steel Plant. NCST also expressed its displeasure over the non issue of Pattas for the agricultural and residential land issued to the displaced tribals and directed the District administration to issue these Pattas immediately. The commission directed the Union Steel Ministry to constitute a high level committee under a Joint Secretary to investigate that whether the land acquired for the steel plant was handed over to any cooperative society or private organisation and if so, whether the prior permission of the Govt was obtained or not. The committee should also investigate that how much land is being utilised by the steel plant. Urga Kanjur (Topic: Culture, Literature) What: 'Urga Kanjur' is a sacred Tibetan Buddhist text. In news: PM of India presented it to the head priest of the Datsan Gunzechoinei Buddhist Temple, St Petersburg. The Urga edition of the Tibetan Kanjur was unknown till 1955 when one Prof Raghu Vira brought to India its complete set of 104 volumes with a volume containing the catalogue. It was presented to him by Mongolian prime minister as a unique bibliographic rarity. GS-2 Darwaza Band (Topics: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.) What: For promotion of toilet usage across the country’s villages, the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation has come out with an aggressive new campaign called Darwaza Band. The campaign has been supported by the World Bank and is being rolled out countrywide immediately after the launch. It is designed to encourage behaviour change in men who have toilets but are not using them. Behaviour change has been the focus of Swachh Bharat Mission, which is being pursued through a countrywide comprehensive IEC (Information-Education-Communication) programme. Communication campaigns have been taken up both, at the central and State levels, for promoting sustained use of toilets and for sustaining the Open Defecation Free status achieved. SPARROWS-ITS (Topics: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.) In news: In accordance with the Government of India’s policy to introduce online Annual Performance Appraisal Report (APAR) for Group ‘A’ services, the SPARROW-ITS (Smart Performance Appraisal Report Recording Online Window) was launched. The APARs would be generated and transmitted online to the concerned officers for filling up of the self appraisal. The officer can then submit the self appraisal online through Digitally Signed Signature (DSC) or through E-sign. The subsequent processes of reporting and reviewing would also be done online by the Reporting and Reviewing Officer by using DSC or E-sign. Significance The idea of switch over from manual to online system is to ensure ready access of APAR dossier by the authorized users, preventing loss of APARs in transition, address the issues of ante-dating, remarks recorded by the Reporting Authorities without dates, etc. It brings in transparency into the APAR management system. The APAR dossiers are readily available for promotions at various levels which used to get delayed for want of updated APARs. INAM-Pro + (Topics: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.) What: INAM-Pro+ is an upgraded version of INAM-Pro, the web portal designed by National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (NHIDCL), launched by Ministry of Road Transport & Highways. It is a web platform for Sale and Purchase of Construction Material and Service INAM-Pro has been highly acclaimed by the construction industry and IT sector and has also been recognized and listed in the Book-on-Innovations "New Beginning". It initially dealt in cement. Following the success with cement, the portal has recently been upgraded as INAM-Pro+ to include the A to Z of construction materials, equipments/machinery and services like purchase/hiring/lease of new/used products and services in the domains of Construction Materials viz, cement, steel, bitumen, stone aggregates, concrete, bricks, wood, sanitary items, paint etc. Soil Health Card scheme (Topics: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.) Importance: Soil Health Card helps in increasing the productivity and reduced the cost of production 93% samples for Soil Health Card tested so far Background: it was initiated for farmers in 2015. Soil Health Card provides information to farmers on nutrient status of their soil along with recommendations on appropriate dosage of nutrients for improving soil health and its fertility. GS-3 Severe cylone Mora (Topic: Disaster and disaster management.) What: Bangladesh has evacuated at least 350,000 people as a Cyclone Mora lashed coastal areas. It raised its storm danger signal to the highest level of 10. The cyclone was expected to weaken in Bangladesh by late morning as it moved inland towards India where authorities have warned of heavy rain in the northeastern states of Tripura, Mizoram, Manipur, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh. Severe cyclone If the sustained winds around the centre reach 118 km/h (gusts in excess 165 km/h). then the system is called a severe tropical cyclone. These are referred to as hurricanes or typhoons in other countries. The circular eye or centre of a tropical cyclone is an area characterised by light winds and often by clear skies. Tropical cyclone intensity is defined by the maximum mean wind speed over open flat land or water. Tropical Cyclone Category System Category 1 A Category 1 cyclone's strongest winds are GALES with typical gusts over open flat land of 90 - 125 km/h. Negligible house damage. Damage to some crops, trees and caravans Category 2 A Category 2 cyclone's strongest winds are DESTRUCTIVE winds with typical gusts over open flat land of 125 - 164 km/h. Minor house damage. Significant damage to signs, trees and caravans. Risk of power failure. Category 3 A Category 3 cyclone's strongest winds are VERY DESTRUCTIVE winds with typical gusts over open flat land of 165 - 224 km/h. Some roof and structural damage. Some caravans destroyed. Power failures likely. These winds correspond to the highest category on the Beaufort scale, Beaufort 12 (Hurricane). Category 4 A Category 4 cyclone's strongest winds are VERY DESTRUCTIVE winds with typical gusts over open flat land of 225 - 279 km/h. Significant roofing loss and structural damage. Many caravans destroyed. Dangerous airborne debris. Widespread power failures. Category 5 A Category 5 cyclone's strongest winds are VERY DESTRUCTIVE winds with typical gusts over open flat land of more than 280 km/h. Extremely dangerous with widespread destruction. Global Tropical Cyclone Terminology Australian name Australian category US* US Saffir-Simpson category scale* NW Pacific Arabian Sea /Bay of Bengal SW Indian Ocean South Pacific (East of 160E) Tropical low - Tropical depression - Tropical depression Depression or severe depression Tropical depression Tropical depression Tropical cyclone 1 Tropical storm - Tropical storm Cyclonic storm Moderate tropical storm Tropical cyclone (Gale) Tropical cyclone 2 Tropical storm - Severe tropical storm Severe cyclonic storm Severe tropical storm Tropical cyclone (Storm) Severe tropical Cyclone 3 Hurricane 1 Typhoon Very severe cyclonic storm Tropical cyclone Tropical cyclone (Hurricane) Severe tropical cyclone 4 Hurricane 2 - 3 Typhoon Very severe cyclonic storm Intense tropical cyclone Tropical cyclone (Hurricane) Severe tropical cyclone 5 Hurricane 4 - 5 Typhoon Super cyclonic storm Very intense tropical cyclone Tropical cyclone (Hurricane) Waterways in North-east (Topic: Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways etc.) What: Of the 106 new National Waterways that were notified in April 2016 under the National Waterways Act, 2016, 19 are in the North East. These include NW- 16 (river Barak) NW- 95 (river Subansiri) NW- 39 (river Ganol) NW- 93 (river Simsang) NW- 101 (river Tizu and Zungki) NW- 31 (Dhansiri) NW- 62 (river Lohit) NW- 106 (river Umngot) NW- 18 (river Beki) Some salient features River Brahmaputra connects the North East with Kolkata through the Indo-Bangladesh Protocol (IBP) route. The IBP route offers a seamless connectivity between NW- 1 (Allahabad – Haldia) and ports in Bangladesh via NW- 2 (Pandu, Assam). Along with river Brahmaputra, river Barak too provides inland water transit between India and Bangladesh through Pandu, Karimganj and Silghat (Assam) and Bangladesh's Narayanganj, Khulna, Mongla, Sirajganj and Ashuganj.

Jun 26, 2017 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs 26th June, 2017

IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 26th June 2017 Archives NATIONAL TOPIC: General Studies 2 Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. General Studies 3 Science and Technology‐ developments and their applications and effects in everyday life Blockchain Voting Introduction: Allegations of EVM tampering by political parties have certainly planted seeds of mistrust among the people. Studies allege that EVMs have hardware and software vulnerabilities that can be exploited to commit election malpractices. Contemporary and emerging technologies seek to address the core incompetencies in the infrastructure of the voting system through advances in networking and encryption methods. An emerging technology called blockchain is in various stages of implementation across the world for voting and other public services. Blockchain technology-An introduction: Blockchain can be thought of as a public account ledger, an immutable, transparent and permanent one. Each transaction is recorded and stored in the ledger that is out on a public bulletin board. Every transaction adds a block to the chain of transactions and each one is evaluated by every user based on algorithms they’ve agreed upon. Rather than being kept in single location, a copy of the blockchain is stored on every user’s server so that a user cannot alter it without other users finding out. Even though blockchain was conceived for financial transactions, its characteristics make it an apt solution that can support voting systems. Due to its unique attributes of trust, transparency and immutability, such a system is expected to mitigate issues like vote manipulation in political processes. Blockchain voting- How it works? In blockchain voting, each transaction is similar to a vote and through the use of multiple blockchains along with public key encryption, the voting process is secured while protecting the anonymity of voters. The votes can then be randomized more than three times in the digital ballot box so that voters’ identities are not revealed. After the polls are closed, a separate blockchain application is created for the counting of votes in the digital ballot box. That blockchain should match the public bulletin board’s blockchain, proving that the online voting system has operated correctly. Blockchains are transparent and designed to have a decentralized authority which ensures that control is not in one hand and the process is visible to the public always. Further, the audit trail of the transactions combined with public key encryption solves the issue of auditability. Examples from across the world: Some countries are already experimenting with blockchain technology in voting processes and for delivering public services. Australia has declared its plan for using blockchain in voting and began projects for prototyping the technology a couple of years ago. In 2014, Denmark’s Liberal Alliance political party voted in a blockchain-based system for its internal elections. Such systems have also been adopted in Norway and Spain. Malta with a small population of 450,000, is about to embrace blockchain in land registry, voting and other national services. In South Korea, a community government used the blockchain platform in a local funding ballot where around 9,000 votes were submitted. The platform made use of smart contracts to facilitate the voting process. Blocko, the Korean firm that developed the platform, claims that the technology, developed in-house, helped register data, including voters’ information, voting contents and more, on a blockchain. Indian context: In India, given the deep penetration of cellphones and the unique identification (Aadhaar) system, blockchain could be a practical and feasible tool to fight voter fraud and alleviate vote authentication and validation concerns. Aadhaar cards and electronic-know your customer (e-KYC) norms are already becoming mainstream. These critical infrastructure components can be leveraged to implement blockchain solutions in voting and public services such as land registrations, public-private contracts and other service level agreements (SLA). The technology sector is also responding positively by increasing investments and resources. For instance, around 32 blockchain firms were founded in India in 2016, up from 23 founded before 2016, according to a fintech report by PwC. The Reserve Bank of India’s research arm has also developed proof of concepts with a few banks on blockchain, and it said in its white paper that “the results are quite encouraging, giving comfort and confidence in the implementability of blockchain technology”. The proactive study and prototyping of emerging technologies creates an encouraging environment for other independent government agencies to venture out and experiment. Conclusion: Keeping in mind the emerging and potential threats to the current voting system, it is essential to experiment with new technologies that can potentially secure the system. Conducting research, building proof of concepts and end-to-end pilots by leveraging the burgeoning activity in blockchain technology can be undertaken by the ECI. Given the favourable conditions of improved infrastructure and interest, the time is ripe for the ECI to explore blockchain technology as a future alternative to EVMs. Connecting the dots: Recent allegations of EVM tampering must be dealt with seriously as free and fair elections is bedrock of Indian democracy. Discuss how technology like Blockchain can be used to make EVMs tamper proof. Also read: Recent controversy regarding Electronic Voting Machine(EVMs) NATIONAL TOPIC: 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. Smart City Mission: Challenges and Way ahead In news: The Union Ministry of Urban Development’s ministry recently released its fourth list under the Smart City Mission, taking the total number of cities picked under the Centre’s flagship project to 90 — 10 more cities will be included in the project. Background: Smart Cities can be defined as “places where information technology is combined with infrastructure, architecture, everyday objects, and our own bodies to address social, economic, and environmental problems”. One of the stated objectives of the Smart City Mission is to act as a corrective to a lopsided developmental pattern. The mission intends to “create employment and enhance incomes for all, especially the poor and disadvantaged leading to inclusive cities”. Official data shows that merely half of the urban households have water connections, a third have no toilets, the national average for sewage network coverage is a low 12 per cent, and on an average only about 10 per cent of the municipal solid waste is segregated. Public transportation and public schools and hospitals are woefully disproportionate to the population densities within cities. Issues: Although India’s Smart Cities Mission has identified more than 20 priority areas, interventions by the respective agencies are weak. The emphasis on inclusive development has been diluted. Only 26 of the cities selected last week have plans to provide affordable housing, education and medical facilities. Smart city plans have also not found a way to deal with recurring problems. For instance, Aizawl, which found a place in the urban development ministry’s latest list, was in the grip of a severe water crisis in the third week of this month. The shortage was caused by damages to water pipelines by floods — a problem which the city has not yet addressed effectively. Guwahati, amongst the earliest to be included in the smart city list, also has no effective plan to deal with floods that ravage it every year. The path chosen to leapfrog to the level of urbanisation in the developed nations can lead to creation of uneven geographies. For urban planners, a greater concern is an urbanisation process that accords primacy to technology — a field where the private sector has unchallenged monopoly — over the basic needs of the city. Plans and models till now that show that almost 80 per cent of the funds are being channelized to less than three per cent area of many mission cities. These are mostly well-off enclaves that already have decent infrastructure in place and are more likely to yield a dividend for private investors. The government does have plans to promote start-ups and infrastructure projects. But these projects are concentrated in tiny pockets in the selected cities — nearly 80 per cent of the Centre’s funds are skewed towards them. For example, in Pune, from where Prime Minister flagged off the Smart City projects last year, around 75 per cent of the investment will be used for the development of a 3.6 sq km area in the Aundh-Baner-Balewadi pocket, which comprises a little more than 1 per cent of the city’s total area. Unless this urban entropy is addressed first, an overbearing emphasis on application of digital technology or developing smaller areas in an attempt at instant urbanism can have disastrous socio-spatial consequences. The Smart City mission bypasses democratic processes by executing projects through Special Purpose Vehicles wherein private corporations can have up to 40 per cent share-holding. Way ahead: The Centre has adopted a ‘managed urbanisation’ approach in the chosen cities, with the powers of municipal councils delegated to a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV), under the Companies Act, that will act in its own wisdom. Given that this is the model adopted by the two-year-old Mission, the Centre must present a status report on what the SPVs have achieved so far. Any serious attempt at improving the quality of life in cities would depend on how governments approach data. It would be smart, for instance, to use sensors to estimate the flow of vehicles and pedestrians, and create smartphone applications for the public to report on a variety of parameters. Making such data open would enable citizens’ groups to themselves come up with analyses to help city administrators make decisions, boost transparency and make officials accountable. Example- Making street-level waste management data public would lead to a heat map of the worst sites, compelling managers to solve the problem. Access to special funding should make it mandatory for all public transport providers — city bus corporations, Metro Rail and suburban trains — to provide real-time passenger information in the form of open data, an inexpensive global standard that raises both access and efficiency through smartphone applications. The city development plans should be aligned with some of the government’s employment-generating initiatives, such as Make In India. It is alright to overlay the city’s infrastructure with technology but, for starters, adequate infrastructure must be in place at a city-wide level. Creation of Smart Cities is a welcome step, but in the process of urbanisation gentrification should not take place. Conclusion: The ideology that guides the smart cities plan should recognise that the vibrant life of cities depends on variety and enabling environments, rather than a mere technology-led vision. Pollution-free commons, walkability and easy mobility, with a base of reliable civic services, is the smart way to go. As the Centre finalises the list of cities, it needs to remind itself of the original goal of the Smart City Mission — making cities inclusive. Connecting the dots: The most important objective of Smart City Mission was to bring in inclusiveness within the city. However the model adopted may lead to gentrification instead. Discuss. MUST READ Restricting protests, stifling dissent Hindu New colors of the white house Hindu Last wicket stand Hindu Whose privilege Hindu For innovations sake Indian Express Reforming the income tax tribunal Livemint The lessons of Travis Kalanick's fall Livemint The global economy in 2067 Livemint UPI for whom? Business Line

Jun 25, 2017 Motivational Articles

Creative Guidance – NLP Learning Strategy Modeling – Inspirational & Educative Articles

NLP Learning Strategy Modeling: Continuing our understanding of NLP learning strategies let us explore a marvellous and applicable concept of NLP modeling. Modeling in NLP is a way of observing other people and their actions to model successful behavioural patterns. Modelling is the underlying principle feature of NLP and its enormous success. According to NLP behaviour can be modelled from others. NLP Modeling is a process of observing, recording and practising successful behavioural patterns exhibited by those who have succeeded before us in our chosen endeavour. Each and every successful person has practised a set of successful routine of actions and behaviour patterns that has led to his success. Modeling is a process of identifying, patterning and exhibiting those behaviours. Here is a wonderful story of Tony Robbins, a life coach who uses his NLP techniques to help Andre Agassi. He tells what it was like working with tennis legend Andre Agassi in 1993 when Agassi fell from the world's No. 1 spot and then suffered a wrist injury. When they met, Agassi told Robbins that he'd been spending time working on his swing mechanics, especially in relation to his recovering wrist. "I sit down with him and I said, 'Andre ... think of a time you hit the tennis ball perfectly,'" Robbins tells Ferris. "I got him in that state ... and I said to him, 'You feel that?' And he goes, 'Yeah.' I said, 'Listen, are you thinking about your wrist?' And he says, 'No.' And I said, 'How the hell did you think you'd ever get back to that peak form by focusing on your wrist?'" Robbins references the science of habit formation, in which the brain creates paths for certain repeated actions. He was getting Agassi to tap into this pattern and ignore distractions, like focusing on how his wrist moved, which is something he had never done when he was playing at his peak. Agassi recovered and says that Robbins is an ultimate ‘Life Coach’ The same principle that applied to Agassi applies to any other professional who has fallen off from peak performance. According to Robbins, however, the ability to recover is innate. "I will find ... what specific pattern will hook them back up again to that part of their brain where it's effortless," Robbins says. "To that part of the brain where they don't even think." “The articles are a copyright of The Ahamo Movement and IASBABA.”

Jun 24, 2017 Important Articles

VERY IMPORTANT UPDATE on ILP 2018, All India Prelims Test Series on the Lines of 60 Days Plan, CSAT and Surprise for HINDI Medium Aspirants-Are You Ready to Crack UPSC in One Year With Us, freshers or

Hello Friends, You can crack UPSC in the very first attempt! Yes and that too without staying in Delhi . This was the dream of IASbaba! Saumya Pandey (Rank 4) and Dinesh (Rank 6) in Top 10 CSE 2016 have achieved it along with countless others in the Final List from ILP Programme and you can be one too! Rank 6- Dinesh Rank 4- Saumya Pandey We have been getting numerous emails daily enquiring about the Test Series for Prelims and details about ILP programme 2018, asking about when we are going to start it? Since Prelims is over, aspirants must be very much in need to know the details and follow ups. This post is the confirmation about all the queries and a glimpse of what our future ILP-2018 will be like, new programmes and what to expect in few days when we launch it. If you restrict yourself to one source and stick to a plan with full effort and trust- You will clear it in a single attempt and won’t have to repeat the process. Yes, this we say with full confidence for our ILP program. Because it is a pedagogic program which is integrated and holistic in nature. INTEGRATED LEARNING PROGRAMME (ILP)-2018 The enrollment for ILP will start from 26th June, 2017 Coming to the question of what does ILP contain. Most of you are already familiar. Yet we are putting out the unique features of the unique program INCLUSIONS A daily based Plan. A unique change that ILP will be having this time the planning will be based on Topic Wise learning rather than Book wise along with sources to follow. You will be given access to separate platform where you can interact among peers and discuss issues .This is a separate universe in itself. Plan will contain things to prepare for Prelims and Mains (GS 1, GS 2, GS3, GS4). We will cover all overlapping topics on prelims and mains well before Prelims exam and most of the mains topics also. Precise Value Add Notes will be given for relevant topics-Both Prelims and Mains (GS 1, GS 2, GS3, GS4). Babapedia for Current Affairs- This time Babapedia will also have special issues, topic wise for Mains other than prelims. Importance of Babapedia- Collate the daily read in just 4-5 pages (max 40 points) from The Hindu, PIB and Indian Express for Prelims. There will be Weekly Prelims Tests based on the plan and revision tests as well once a significant portion of a subject is completed. Mains Mock and Synopsis- Every fortnight, you will be given Mains Questions to practice based on topics completed in the plan. You can write answers and share on platform, participate in peer reviews and then match it to improve the content and presentation from the synopsis we provide. REMARKS ILP 2017 and Babapedia’s Importance- You can cross check with any of our ILP users about its worth in 2017 Prelims examination. On several requests from our ILP users, we will be sharing the screenshots of all the direct hits (not mere keywords without any context from the content covered) in Prelims 2017 from ILP-2017 with the launch of ILP-2018 Full Plan details. You aspirants are the smartest and can clearly see through. This exam requires smart learning and perspective building. And our programme provides you the same ingredients without breaking your heads. It allows you to focus, be on toes and revise more and more. Faith and trust is equally important when you are following something with heart. Believe in your decision. To build it, we will be providing you the glimpse with the launch. Another big surprise from IASbaba this time is that we are launching a separate ALL INDIA PRELIMS TEST SERIES 2018 on the lines of Quality of 60 Days- Hindi and English Both There has been severe demands to start Prelims Only Test Series on the lines of quality of 60 Day Plan from aspirants usually non-fresher. So here we are with new Programme for the same. Features Full Length Test- A total of 30 Tests of GS, Paper I Topic Wise Syllabus for each Test not book wise with detailed sources to follow This test series should be more than enough to crack Prelims comfortably if you are not a fresher. Surprise- We are going to introduce a very innovative method this time. Sample will be disclosed with the launch in few days. CSAT- PAPER II of Prelims Examination We are planning to introduce CSAT Test Series this year. Though CSAT is a qualifying examination but many are finding it difficult to qualify due to lack of practice. We intend to provide sufficient qualitative tests to prepare you well enough to qualify it. It will be included in the test series.There will be at least 10 CSAT tests. CSAT tests will be part of All India Prelims Test Series. Ending Note We hope this post would put an end to the plethora of mails we have been receiving on ILP -2018 and Test Series for Prelims. Wait for 26 June to get Full Plan with Samples and subscribe to our ILP and Prelims Test Series! Let The Countdown Begins :) Motivation is What Gets You Started and Commitment is What Keeps You Going At IASbaba, you won't have to worry about both because we connect with each one of you by heart :) Comment below if you are committed. Let's Do it Together! P.S- TLP Mains ONLINE- Coming Tomorrow :) IASbaba

Jun 24, 2017 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs 24th June, 2017

IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 24th June 2017 Archives NATIONAL TOPIC: General Studies 1 Poverty and developmental issues, urbanization, their problems and their remedies General Studies 2 Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. Issues relating to poverty and hunger. Urban agriculture: Building food-smart cities Introduction: By 2030, it is projected that 60 per cent of the population in developing countries will live in cities. Cities have a strategic role to play in developing sustainable food systems and promoting healthy diets. As India progresses towards a rapid phase of urbanisation, attempts are being made to build urban agricultural systems. About Urban agriculture: Urban agriculture, urban farming, or urban gardening is the practice of cultivating, processing, and distributing food in or around a village, town, or city. Urban agriculture can also involve animal husbandry, aquaculture, agroforestry, urban beekeeping, and horticulture. Urban agriculture can be practised on private land such as terraces or backyards of residences, on public land such as parks, conservation areas, along the roads, streams and railway lines and on semi-public land such as schoolyards and grounds of educational and health facilities. Urban agriculture uses resources such as organic waste as compost and waste water for irrigation. Community gardens, farms in city blocks, vertical farms based on hydroponics or aeroponics and aquaculture are some smart urban agriculture models. Challenges in feeding cities: Resource scarcity, Unsustainable production and consumption patterns, and food loss and waste. Climate change: The conventional system requires trucks to crisscross the country delivering food, while releasing greenhouse gases. Rural farms can also require clearing huge swaths of forest land for crops. Rapid urbanisation in the developing world is accompanied by a rapid increase in urban poverty and urban food insecurity. This scenario is worsened by food inflation, now a global phenomenon, and one that is likely to continue. For the urban poor, expenses on food comprise a large share of their total expenditure, but they are mostly dependent on the vagaries of informal employment The International Food Policy Research Institute’s 2017 Global Food Policy Report highlights how rapid urbanisation brings unique challenges to rural and urban areas, and strong linkages between these sectors can help achieve SDG-2 (end hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture). Urbanisation comes with challenges to agriculture and nutrition. Higher urban incomes are associated with a dietary transition to more animal-sourced food, fats and oil, refined grains, and fruits and vegetables, which requires more intensive use of natural resources. Urban lifestyles tend to increase consumption of processed foods and the urban poor are often limited to cheap unhealthy foods. At the same time, as urban population grows, hunger and under-nutrition will also increase in urban areas. Urban agriculture as the solution: Bringing agriculture into cities can lower food-related greenhouse gas emissions. The practice could provide city residents easier access to fresh produce. Consumers, especially the urban poor, can enjoy access to fresh produce at better prices. Providing access to healthy foods in neighborhoods that lack it, as well as economic stimulation, community engagement, and significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. The practice of urban agriculture promotes economic development through food production, builds social capital, community well-being and civic engagement. Urban agriculture can be a sustainable strategy to reduce urban poverty, food insecurity and enhance urban environmental management. It contributes to poverty alleviation, social inclusion of the poor, women empowerment, productive use of vacant plots and reuse of urban waste. Urban growers can sell directly by avoiding intermediaries and spend less time on transport, packaging and storage. Further, urban agriculture can create employment opportunities for disadvantaged groups. Apart from the benefits to the economy, urban agriculture stimulates the development of related micro-enterprises. Greater access to produce could help improve the diet of city residents, and replacing pavement with soil could help abate water runoff, for example. The importance of urban agriculture is also being recognised by various organisations such as the United Nations-Habitat and FAO (Food and Agriculture Organisation). Challenges: Inattentiveness in practising urban agriculture may cause health and environmental risks such as use of contaminated land, inappropriate use of pesticides or raw organic manure leaking into water sources. Increasing pollution, and contamination of the city’s waste water with industrial effluents is a major constraint to the continued viability of irrigated farming and aquaculture in urban and peri-urban areas. While city-grown vegetables can have a slightly lower environmental impact than those grown thousands of miles away, horticulture has never been the real problem. It's not apples and tomatoes that are responsible for most of the diet's greenhouse gas emissions; it's animals- meat and dairy products. Thus the focus should not only be on growing vegeatbles. What needs to be done? Policy making: Due to the multi-dimensional nature of urban agriculture, policy development and action planning for it should involve multiple stakeholders from sectors such as agriculture, health, waste management and community development. As being incorporated in urban planning approaches in the United Nation’s Sustainable Cities programme. Urban agriculture policies can consider a combination of social, economic and environmental aspects. From the social angle, subsistence agriculture can form part of the livelihood strategies of urban households. The economic angle is primarily market-oriented urban agriculture, involving small-scale, family-based initiatives and larger-scale entrepreneurial farms, run by private investors or producer associations. The environment management factor lies in nutrient recycling, adoption of agro-ecological production methods, eco-sanitation and waste management. Incorporating urban agriculture into the policies and systems of every city will play an important role in unleashing its full potential. Demarcating zones: Cities can facilitate the access to urban spaces by having demarcated zones, similar to Pretoria and Beijing. Making an inventory of the available vacant open land within the city by community mapping or GIS-based data and by analysing its suitability for agriculture will be a good starting point for enhancing access to land for urban farming. Giving short- or medium-term leases to organised groups of urban producers for gardening purposes can also help. Clearly earmarking zones and avoiding unscientific intervention where only urban agriculture suited to local conditions and resource availability is practised can reduce possible health and environmental risks. Conclusion: Urban agriculture has the potential to become a vibrant economic sector that quickly adapts to changing conditions and demands, intensifying its productivity and diversifying its functions for the city. Its future will depend on its contributions to the development of a sustainable and resilient city that is inclusive, food-secure, productive and healthy, thus establishing food-smart cities. Urban agriculture, although not a solution to food insecurity, has the potential to provide millions with access to food and nutrition. Connecting the dots: About 377 million people from India’s total population of 1.21 billion are urban dwellers. With more than 10 million people migrating to cities and towns every year, the total urban population is expected to reach about 600 million by 2031.As. Discuss how with urbanisation the health and nutrition issues of urban residents especially the urban poor is bound to increase. Critically analyze how urban agriculture can be part of the solution to this problem. NATIONAL TOPIC: General studies 2 Parliament and State Legislatures – structure, functioning, conduct of business, powers & privileges and issues arising out of these. Anti-defection law- Faces a new threat In news: After the assembly elections in 2014, a troubling situation has emerged in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. As of date, 27 legislators are alleged to have defected from various parties to the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) since 2014. The speaker, S Madhusudhana Chary, himself a member of the TRS, has not taken any decision on the disqualification petitions filed against these MLAs over these three years. Likewise, in Andhra Pradesh, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) in power has been able to get 21 MLAs from the Yuvajana Shramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) to defect to it, without suffering disqualification. Here too, Speaker Kodela Siva Prasada Rao, a member of the TDP, has taken no decision on the disqualification petitions. The question that "does the Tenth Schedule, in its present form, strike the right balance between the freedoms of the legislator and the need for respecting democratic mandates and processes?" has emerged again. A new threat to anti-defection law: The events in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh show that the anti-defection law faces a new, devastating threat. The speakers in these two states refused to perform their constitutional duties under the law by not taking a decision as to the disqualification of a member of legislative assembly (MLA) within reasonable time. This means that an MLA, who has otherwise violated the Tenth Schedule by “defecting” to another political party, will not suffer the legal consequence of disqualification for such “defection,” but instead will continue to enjoy her seat. This effectively renders the anti-defection law irrelevant. This new modus operandi to defeat the anti-defection law seems to avoid any possible judicial review. About anti-defection law: The (Fifty-Second Amendment) Act, 1985 introduced the Tenth Schedule to the Constitution. The ostensible reason for the introduction of the Tenth Schedule was to curb the so-called “aaya-ram-gaya-ram” practices of Indian legislators. The inspiration for this moniker is said to be Gaya Lal, a Haryana MLA who changed parties thrice in the space of one fortnight in 1967 while retaining his seat as an MLA. Defections thereafter reached such epidemic proportions that the stability of some state governments was always in question, distracting from any semblance of good governance. The Tenth Schedule was offered as the solution to this issue. However, In its 32 years of existence, political parties and legislators have come up with creative ways of avoiding the rigours of the law. Loophole in the law: Non-Partisan Speaker- By a narrow majority of three to two, a Constitution Bench held in the Kihoto Hollohan case that the Tenth Schedule was largely valid, but read down paragraph 7 which tried to exclude judicial review of the speaker’s decision on disqualification. The minority judgment raised concern about its reliance on the position of the speaker to make an impartial adjudication when the post clearly was a partisan one. Subsequent years have proved the minority judgment right as speakers have only become more partisan. The speakers’ inaction in both the states is the latest manifestation of the underlying problem highlighted by the minority judgment in the Kihoto Hollohan case—the partisan role of the speaker. The key question in the above case is whether a high court or the Supreme Court can order the speaker to take a decision on such disqualification petitions. Fixing the anti-defection law: It is perhaps time to reconsider the anti-defection law. The anti-defection law should be restricted only to votes on the budget and confidence/no-confidence motions. Simply voting against the party whip should not be a sufficient cause for disqualification. The disqualification in case of defection should be as a matter of course and not involve any discretion or decision-making on the part of the speaker. While the Supreme Court has placed much faith in the neutrality and sanctity of the office of the speaker, the reality is that the office is increasingly becoming partisan. Thus, the role ole of the speaker under the law should be carefully scrutinized. Conclusion: The above changes are necessary since what has taken place in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh is probably being watched with interest by political parties around the country. Given that most ideas concerning governance in India, good or bad, have travelled from the states to the centre, the day may not be far when the central government is formed through an illegitimate majority gained only by flagrant violation of the Tenth Schedule. Connecting the dots: Out of many challenges anti-defection law faces a major one is its reliance on non-partisan role of speaker which increasingly is becoming partisan. Analyze. Also read: Anti-defection Law- Liberate the legislator MUST READ The anonymous addicts Hindu Mandsaur- The farmer's story Hindu Engaging Pyongyang Hindu India- US and a five point plan Indian Express Home truths abroad Indian Express A new low Indian Express Redraw the line Indian Express Lengthening the shadows on the hills Indian Express

Jun 23, 2017 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs 23rd June, 2017

IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 23rd June 2017 Archives INTERNAL SECCURITY/NATIONAL TOPIC: General Studies 3 Security challenges and their management in border areas; linkages of organized crime with terrorism. Role of external state and non-state actors in creating challenges to internal security. General Studies 2 India and its neighbourhood- relations. National Security: Threats and Challenges Geo-politics, strategic and technological developments keep adding uncertainties and new dimensions to national security. The lone wolf attacks have become the new normal of security threats. The nature of conflicts and the objectives of war are also changing. We have new combat theatres, such as cyber and space. Collaboration agreements among terror outfits are increasing, with signs of greater sophistication in the means and methods to perpetuate terror. Radicalisation via the Internet has attained a whole new dimension. Propaganda via the Internet today involves far more than mere recruitment imperatives. Nevertheless, a far more dangerous aspect today is the arrival of ‘Internet-enabled’ terrorism. Security challenges for India: External security: India has a difficult neighbourhood and a full spectrum of security challenges. We have over 4,900 km (4056+740+110) long unresolved borders with two major neighbours. Both are nuclear armed. Over the years, they have established a strong strategic nexus/alliance against India. In the last few years, China has extended its claim to the whole of Arunachal Pradesh. Already occupying Aksai Chin and Shaksgam part of Gilgit-Baltistan. The China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), if and when it succeeds, will be a regional game-changer. It would affect our relationship not only with Pakistan, but also with Central Asia, and even Afghanistan. As for Pakistan, the legacy of Partition continues to fuel its unremitting animosity towards India. Kashmir and terrorism are only an expression. An increasingly dysfunctional state like Pakistan, run by generals and increasingly wracked by religious extremism, will not make peace with India. China has been equipping Pakistan with strategic and conventional military capabilities. With CPEC we will see more Chinese armed forces will enter Pakistan to protect their assets and personnel. The US will continue to provide support to Pakistan, so long as it remains entangled in Afghanistan. The developing Russia-Pakistan military bonhomie indicates that India can no longer take Russia for granted. It is not Pakistan alone. There will be challenges from neighbouring countries where China offers a counterweight. Virtually all our neighbours support China’s OBOR project, and its entry into SAARC. We can expect a greater presence of Chinese Navy in the Indian Ocean. Internal Security: On the internal security front, much more worrisome today are the new, emerging vulnerabilities. Growing unemployment, the increasing ethnic, caste, communal divides, the worsening Centre-state relations, and politicisation of every socio-economic issue have ignited more fires lately and caused serious and more frequent law and order situations. Partisan politics over national security issues — with media exploiting it for TRPs with the multiplier effect of social media — is getting the armed forces into political cross-fire. Non- traditional security challenges facing India: The lack of strategic and security awareness of our ruling elite- India lacks a strategic culture. Partisan politics over national security issues which includes drawing the armed forces into political cross-fire. We lack strategic interest, vision, or security policies. Our political leaders take little interest in long-term strategic and security issues other than rhetorical and emotional sound-bites. Yet another challenge is our defence management. The requirement to re-organise the Ministry of Defence, its business rules and appointment of a CDS (Chief of defence staff) has been talked of ever since the Kargil war. This has been recommended by the Kargil Review Committee in 1999, the Group of Ministers in 2002, and the Naresh Chandra Committee in 2012. Way ahead: We need to design and produce a major proportion of the hardware required by our armed forces. We now have an elaborate Defence Procurement Procedure (DPP-2016), with the newly approved strategic partnership model which will enable private players to make big tickets defence systems. We thus need to build our defence industrial base, We require frequent updating of weapons, equipment, revision of security concepts and doctrines, greater level of jointmanship and synergy, and much faster decision-making. In recent years, cyber and space domains have added yet another complexity. The entire command and control mechanism of the government is dependent on space satellites and IT facilities. Therefore, any military cyber war infrastructure should work in close coordination with the National Information Board. It is essential to develop, prioritise and optimally employ inter-services capabilities and promote jointness in the armed forces. Conclusion: India’s security challenges are less traditional war threats, more diffused and ambiguous. What is worrisome currently is not just the external threats, but India’s weakening from inside: Weakening institutions, poor governance, sharpening political, social and ethnic divides, internal security, and our lack of strategic vision and thinking. Countering national security challenges and decision-making can no longer be dealt with in silos. These challenges require multi-disciplinary vertical and lateral consultations, and much faster decision-making. Connecting the dots: Geo-politics, strategic and technological developments have added uncertainties and new dimensions to India's national security. Discuss major threats and challenges faced by India when it comes to national security. INTERNATIONAL TOPIC: General Studies 2: India and its International relations. Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests. Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests, Indian diaspora. India-US trade potential Introduction: In the coming decades, Asia will be the growth engine for the world, and India will be one of the fastest growing large economies contributing to that growth. This presents an immense market for U.S. goods and services, and an opportunity for India to benefit from greater trade and investment – leading to employment and growth for both countries. We need to put in place the necessary policy frameworks that give confidence and certainty to the private sector. There is significant scope to develop a cooperative India-US trade relationship that expands bilateral economic ties. Key concerns: The bilateral deficit Trade barriers such as tariffs on goods and enforcement of intellectual property rights. New Delhi is concerned with the inward orientation of the US under Trump. Advantages India provides to US: India is reforming and simplifying its policy regime, particularly its inside-the-border trade measures. India’s tariff regime on average is less restrictive than commonly presumed. Conventional data considerably overestimates India’s applied tariffs. For instance, while the World Trade Organization (WTO) estimate for average applied most-favoured nation (MFN) tariffs for India is above 13%, a forthcoming paper from Brookings India shows that the weighted average MFN tariff for India is less than 4%. The demand from India’s growing middle class is slated to become the second-largest in the world within 10 years. This increase would create significant opportunity for US trade and employment. An example is the estimated 104,000 US jobs created by a recent order of Boeing aircraft from an Indian private airline. According to McKinsey, a $1.1 trillion capital investment in India’s cities is necessary to meet projected demand for urban services. Economic negotiations with India are never easy, but given India is poised to surpass the U.S. economy in purchasing power parity terms by 2040, forging greater economic ties and creating a more level playing field for U.S. firms is absolutely in the United States’ economic interest. Way ahead: To effectively engage in mutually beneficial talks, the US needs to recognize and address India’s concerns about American trade policy. India should address a number of US concerns by extending the application of good governance principles—including timely and transparent decision-making—being implemented in a bid to improve India’s ranking in the global ease of doing business index. The US should aim to better the standards and technical barriers it applies to Indian exports in precisely the manner it demands of India’s similar practices. We need not have a general focus on trade policy, but we need to identify and direct efforts at particular items with high tariffs, or those non-tariff measures that are not yet subject to reform. To get better access to the growing demand, a larger focus has to be on regulatory coherence and cooperation, standards, policies and cooperation pertaining to emerging technologies such as digital, and conditions affecting investment. The progress may be aimed at methods that range from soft legal results (guidelines, understandings, agreed mechanisms to support small and medium enterprises in both economies) to hard law (tariff decreases in key products of interest to each nation). This could be facilitated by agreeing on innovative methods that combine flexibilities with discipline and provide relief in times of import surges, a concern reflected in both countries. This would be needed more for results embodying hard law, rather than soft law. There should be a start of negotiations for a Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT), realizing that a bilateral arrangement could be less contentious. Providing safeguards to U.S. businesses through a BIT could open up new lines of investment, which would be valuable for workers in the U.S. and India. Much can be discussed as a part of an innovation agenda, and there is a ready-made platform in the Global Entrepreneurship Summit, which the U.S. and India are co-hosting later this year, to focus on those efforts. India’s concerns regarding US trade policies will need to be addressed to improve the possibility of mutually beneficial access to India’s markets. An important element to successful progress on trade is to ensure that each side operates on more comprehensive knowledge and a greater appreciation of prevailing situations and trends. For instance, India is instituting substantial reforms in both non-tariff measures and investment regimes. Conclusion: India and the US could show significant results in trade areas by establishing a common platform to address specific concerns in areas that require administrative solutions or better information flows between the two. Focusing on possible solutions that are more within reach, while continuing efforts to address the major concerns, is more likely to create better opportunities and more win-win situations for both India and the US. Such an approach is a pragmatic response to the challenges of making significant progress on trade. This approach will reduce the focus on more politically contentious issues, such as India’s demands for improved access to the US market for its workers, or US interests in seeing major decreases in India’s tariffs across the board. Connecting the dots: India-Us trade relation holds huge potential. However the key to tap this potential lies in focusing on reaping low hanging fruits rather than trying to address major concerns. Discuss. MUST READ Inclusion in the backward class Hindu Keeping the sixth repubic on track Hindu Debunking myths about cattle rules Hindu The clean up begins Hindu Terror virtually Indian Express Why the F16 deal isn't game changer? Livemint Are farm loan waivers really so bad? Livemint Why consumers should welcome GST? Business Line Hapless farmers and clueless policies Business Line

Jun 22, 2017 PIB

IASbaba Press Information Bureau (PIB) - 21st May to 28th May , 2017

IASbaba Press Information Bureau (PIB) – 21st May to 28th May 2017 ARCHIVES GS-2 Proposal to increase seats in Sikkim Legislative Assembly (Topic: Salient features of Indian Society, Diversity of India.) In 2016, SC had directed MHA to decision in matter of ‘Reservation of Seats for Limboo and Tamang community in Sikkim Legislative Assembly meetings. After consultations, it was decided that seats in SLA should be increased from 32 to 40 and provide 5 seats for Limboo and Tamang community. The proposal requires amendments to sec 7(1A) of RPA 1950 whereby total number of seats to be filled by persons chosen by direct elections shall have 40 members in place of existing 32 members. There will be amendments to second schedule to RPA 1950 where there will be 40 seats, reserving 5 for Limboo and Tamang while existing reservations of Bhutias, Lepchas, SCs and Sanghas. Section A of RPA 1951 will be amended to provide that, in case of a seat reserved for Limboo and Tamang tribe, he is to be member of Limboo and Tamang tribe specified in Representation of Sikkim subjects Act, 1974 and elector or an assembly constituency in state. SEWA App (Topics: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.) What: Ministry for Power, Coal, New & Renewable Energy and Mines launched the Saral Eindhan Vitaran Application (SEVA) App. It is developed in-house by Coal India Limited (CIL) for power sector consumers. SEVA is a part of ‘Digital India’ initiative, which is aimed at increasing the Consumer Connect as well as the Transparency and Accountability in Coal dispatch. With this app, the common man would be able to hold the Government accountable for the coal linkage allocations and would be able to check any pilferage or inefficiencies in coal consumption for power generation. This would, in turn, lead to rationalization of coal linkages and finally reduction in the power prices in the country. In near future , non-power sector mines would also be added in this App. Software Procurement Policy (Topics: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.) What: The transformation under the overall Digital India initiative is creating huge opportunities for involvement of industry/private sector, mainly providers of IT/IT enabled systems and services. However, various concerns have been raised from time to time by the industry relating to their engagements (and contracts) with government funded projects. These issues include terms of payments, acceptance criteria, service level agreement and change management etc. Model RFP There was a need of a model RFP to guide all the organizations across governments, so as to avoid all variations, vagaries and uncertainties. Hence, a model RFP has been attempted based on intensive deliberations with the industry and other stakeholders. Major features Level playing field, to all stakeholders by defining appropriate pre-qualification and technical evaluation criterion. Aligning legal terms and conditions with the requirements of the IT Industry Template for scope of work and service level agreements Change request mechanisms Dispute resolution Standard contractual terms & conditions Standardization of Intellectual property rights Capping the liability, penalty and liquidated damages Making payment terms, objective and easier, for industry and Government Department Guidance on simplifying payment related conditions Incorporating the Exchange rate variations Converging Government schemes like Make in India / Preference for Domestically Manufactured Electronic Goods (PMA), provisions for Start-ups and MSMEs Leveraging latest technologies like cloud, mobiles, etc. Aligned with the General Financial Rule 2017 Adherence to the latest standards Digital India Corporation (Topics: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.) Digital India Corporation (DIC) will lead and guide in realizing the vision, objectives and goals of the Digital India program. It will provide the strategic support to Ministries/Departments of Centre/States for carrying forward the mission of Digital India by way of Capacity Building for e-Governance projects, promoting best practises, encouraging Public-Private Partnerships (PPP), nurturing innovation and technology in various domains. Broad responsibilities include Provide leadership and support to Government of India through MEITY Support MEITY in all its initiatives with policy and implementation related issues Support crafting progressive e-Governance strategies, to promote Accountability, Efficiency, Efficacy and Transparency. Source and make available specialized technically skilled manpower for hardware, software, networks, cyber security and laws, standards, quality and testing etc. In ICT domain to Ministries/Deptts Promote innovation and evolve models for empowerment of citizens Establish the National e-Governance Academy and to put in place an institutional mechanism for capacity building of government and its agencies GS-3 Dhola-Sadiya: A Bridge of New Hope for the North East (Topic: Infrastructure) Dhola- Sadiya Bridge in Assam is a 9.15 kilometre bridge built over river Lohit, a tributary of the Brahmaputra, linking Dhola to Sadiya in Assam. Till now, the only means to cross the Brahmaputra at this location has been by ferry only in day-time and even this is not possible during floods. The last bridge over the Brahmaputra was the Kalia Bhomora Bridge at Tejpur. The Dhola-Sadiya bridge will fill a huge connectivity gap that has existed in the region. The bridge will also reduce the distance from Rupai on NH- 37 in Assam to Meka/Roing on NH-52 in Arunachal Pradesh by 165 KM. The travel time between the two places will come down from the current six hours to just one hour – a total five hour reduction. This will result in saving of petrol and diesel worth Rs 10 Lakh per day.

Jun 22, 2017 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs 22nd June, 2017

IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 22nd June 2017 Archives INTERNATIONAL TOPIC: General Studies 2 India and its neighborhood- relations. Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests. Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests, Indian diaspora. Important International institutions, agencies and fora- their structure, mandate. 20 years of BIMSTEC: Hopes and Apprehensions In news: On June 06 this year, the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) completed 20 years of its establishment. About BIMSTEC: Comprising of Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Nepal and Bhutan, BIMSTEC is home to 1.5 billion people, accounting for approximately 21 per cent of the world population, and a combined GDP of US$ 2.5 trillion. The growth rate sustained by the BIMSTEC countries is around six per cent per annum. Initially known as the Bangladesh-India-Sri Lanka-Thailand Economic Cooperation (BIST-EC), it was formed after representatives from the aforesaid four countries met at Bangkok in June 1997. With Myanmar joining the grouping as a full member in December the same year, the ‘BIST-EC’ was renamed as ‘BIMST-EC’. In February 2004, when Nepal and Bhutan too joined, the grouping was renamed as the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation or BIMSTEC. So far, BIMSTEC has held three summit meetings. The first one was held in Thailand in 2004, seven years after the establishment of the grouping; the second one was held four years later in India in 2008, and the third one six years later in Myanmar in 2014. The fourth summit meeting is expected to take place later this year in Nepal, the current Chair of BIMSTEC. Objectives: According to the June 1997 ‘Declaration on the Establishment of the Bangladesh-India-Sri Lanka-Thailand Economic Cooperation (BIST-EC)’, also known as the Bangkok Declaration, the founding objectives of the sub-regional initiative were: Creating an enabling environment for rapid economic development of the sub-region. Encouraging the spirit of equality and partnership, promoting active collaboration and mutual assistance in the areas of common interests of the member countries. Accelerating support for each other in the fields of education, science and technology, etc. Recent developments: Recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his message on the 20th anniversary of the establishment of BIMSTEC, described the sub-regional grouping as “a natural platform” to fulfill India’s “key foreign policy priorities of ‘Neighbourhood First’ and ‘Act East’”. Earlier in October 2016, India had hosted the BIMSTEC members at Goa during the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) Outreach Summit. It was viewed as a pragmatic step on India’s part, demonstrating its potential to play the role of a regional leader, an aspiration which was instrumental in transforming its ‘Look East’ into ‘Act East’ policy. The BRICS-BIMSTEC Outreach Summit is believed to have given BIMSTEC its due importance by inviting its members to participate in a larger platform comprising five major emerging economies of the world. Within few months of the Goa Summit, India hosted the first meeting of the BIMSTEC National Security Chiefs in New Delhi in March 2017. Potential of BIMSTEC: BIMSTEC provided opportunities to all its member countries For India, the establishment of BIMSTEC, was an opportunity, besides the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), to engage with Southeast Asia, at least partially. BIMSTEC provided scope for direct connectivity with Southeast Asia via Northeast India and Myanmar. Counter-terrorism and anti-insurgency cooperation with Myanmar and other members, potential access to alternative energy resources in Myanmar as well as economic opportunities available in the ASEAN region had evoked sufficient interest. Besides India, other members too considered it as an important mechanism to achieve their national goals and regional aspirations. Myanmar, for example, became a member at a time when the junta in the country was facing serious international criticism. Membership in regional and sub-regional groupings like ASEAN and BIMSTEC provided its military rulers an opportunity to gain some sort of recognition among the regional stakeholders. Thailand, on the other hand, was looking for an opportunity to enhance its trade and connectivity with the South Asian countries under the ambit of its ‘Look West’ policy. So, in a way, India’s ‘Look East’ and Thailand’s ‘Look West’ policy complemented each other within the ambit of BIMSTEC. The ongoing India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway and the India-Myanmar Kaladan Multimodal Transit Transport Project are expected to further augment connectivity and economic cooperation in the sub-region and beyond. Countries like Sri Lanka considered BIMSTEC as an opportunity to engage with the economically booming Southeast Asian countries, especially after several failed attempts to join ASEAN in the decade prior to the establishment of BIMSTEC. For the land-blocked countries like Nepal and Bhutan, BIMSTEC holds the prospect of enhancing their connectivity with the rest of the region. Challenges: BIMSTEC does not seem to have made much progress. Despite its huge potential in terms of enhancing regional cooperation between parts of South and Southeast Asia, BIMSTEC has long suffered from lack of resources and proper coordination among its member states. India, the largest member of the grouping, has often been criticised for not providing a strong leadership to BIMSTEC. Both Thailand and Myanmar are criticised for having ignored BIMSTEC in favour of ASEAN. Absence of a permanent secretariat for a long time and lack of commitment to invest in several priority areas identified by the member states were seen as some of the key institutional factors holding the BIMSTEC back. It took 17 long years for BIMSTEC to finally establish its permanent secretariat in Dhaka in 2014. The ‘noodle bowl effect’ of regionalism too was at work as formation of another sub-regional initiative, the Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar (BCIM) Forum, with the proactive membership of China, created more doubts about the exclusive potential of BIMSTEC. Renewed Interest: India has been clearly signaling its renewed interest in BIMSTEC. India is already the lead country for four priority sectors, namely, transportation and communication, environment and disaster management, tourism, and counter-terrorism and trans-national crime. In an effort to strengthen sub-regional cooperation on combating terrorism and trans-national crime, the BIMSTEC member states are trying to implement a convention on anti-terrorism. Except for Nepal and Bhutan, all member states of BIMSTEC have ratified it. BIMSTEC is now trying to sign a Convention on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters. Progress made in other sectors are- India hosting a working group meeting to finalise the BIMSTEC Motor Vehicles Agreement, finalisation of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Grid Interconnection to facilitate electricity trade in the sub-region, and a meeting of BIMSTEC Trade Negotiating Committee to fast-track the process of trade facilitation in the region. The declaration issued at the Goa Summit had also stated that BIMSTEC needs to have a Coastal Shipping Agreement to allow the member states to trade freely within the sub-region. It is noteworthy that between 2002 and 2014, the intra-BIMSTEC trade registered a very marginal growth, from 3.6 to 4.3 per cent only. A former Thai ambassador described it as a ‘complimentary organisation’ which can support the people in the region. Way ahead: For BIMSTEC to become an enabler of regional cooperation, it will have to evolve as an organisation that works through a bottom-up rather than a top-down approach. The people-centric approach seems to be the best as BIMSTEC seriously lags behind ASEAN and other regional organisations in terms of people-to-people contacts. Also, the organisation needs to focus on fewer priority areas for purpose of better implementation. It needs to undertake projects that are economically feasible and result-driven. This would add to the credibility of BIMSTEC. Finally, since the BIMSTEC region is notable for its diversity, the member states need to build on the regional synergies and work towards utilising the available resources in the most optimal manner. This would help build a stronger and a more dynamic BIMSTEC. Conclusion: In today’s context, the possibility of enhancing physical, digital and people-to-people connectivity in the sub-region is huge. Similarly, the potential to tap the vast energy resources and scope for intra-regional trade and investment too is enormous. BIMSTEC member nations must work on in a cooperative manner to take advantage of huge potential BIMSTEC offers. Connecting the dots: The year 2017 marked twenty years of BIMSTEC. Critically analyze the progress the grouping has made and elaborate on scope as well as challenges faced by the grouping. BIMSTEC as a sub-regional grouping provides tremendous scope for cooperation and growth for its member nations. However the grouping is yet to realise its true potential. Discuss. ENVIRONMENT TOPIC: General Studies 3 Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment Rivers as a living entity: Implications and Challenges Background: With a view to conserve the rivers Ganga and Yamuna, the Uttarakhand High Court in its March 20, 2017 judgement, declared the two rivers as living entities having status of legal persons and having all corresponding rights, duties and liabilities. The judgement also identified three officials as the human face to protect, preserve and conserve these rivers, who are bound to promote their health and well being. The court also observed that the rivers are the source of physical and spiritual sustenance of people from time immemorial, that these ‘rivers are breathing, living and sustaining the communities from mountains to sea’ and that such declaration as legal persons is needed to protect the faith in of society. Following this precedent, the Madhya Pradesh government also took a decision in May this year to declare river ‘Narmada’ as a living person with all attendant rights. Implications of the judgement: Post the High Court judgement, these two rivers can claim ‘right to life’ following the Fundamental Rights provisions of the Indian Constitution, and can theoretically enforce the same. An obvious implication is that the two rivers should not be irretrievably polluted. It is illegal now for anyone to "harm" these living entities. Now that they are considered 'living entities', Ganga, Yamuna, and their tributaries hold the same legal rights as a person. In the eyes of law, they will be seen as "a legal or juristic person". The ruling means that Ganga and Yamuna are essentially like minors -- incapable of holding or using the property -- and need to be placed under the care of a manager and/or a guardian. These caretakers will be responsible for ensuring the rivers are not misused, abused or misappropriated for personal use. Challenges: Providing a sustainable ecosystem is the need of the hour. The polluters who are liable to be sanctioned in court proceedings are however many: industrial units, municipal authorities, local bodies, millions of villages, and so on. This is definitely a vast challenge. There are millions of players who are involved. The industries and utilities of local bodies are the point sources of pollution and millions of farmers alongside the rivers are the non- point sources of pollution. The challenge before the policy makers is how to bring all the players on the same page for not polluting the rivers. For instance, the industrial units should discharge industrial effluents into rivers after proper treatment or even take steps for ‘Zero liquid discharge’ . The regulatory machinery for ensuring the same has weak capacity to deliver today. ‘Online data monitoring’ at sewage discharge points of an industrial unit or utility has been thought of, but its proper implementation is a big challenge. Similarly, in the case of local bodies, it is often difficult to prevent the municipal sewage from polluting the river water. In a country where open defecators pose the biggest challenge, absence of proper sewer network and subsequent non-treatment of municipal sewage, especially in urban areas, aggravate the problem in the context of polluting the river Ganga and Yamuna. In this context, the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan programme is a right step forward, but its lesser emphasis on faecal sludge management is a matter of concern. Several questions like- How can a river or its constituents, with no voice of their own, ensure such rights, or demand justice should they be violated? Who would be the beneficiary of compensatory action?- remains to be answered. As far as cleaning of rivers is concerned, there exists political will at least at the central level, but its absence has been noticed in all States through which the two rivers flow. Way out: Overall, the perception is that only governments are mandated or supposed to ensure clean rivers. The public at large, civil societies, and industrial stakeholders, are important stakeholders for achieving such objectives. And thus the civil society must come together to protect the rivers. Attention should also be given to reviewing the existing policy and legislative initiatives: for example, adoption and implementation of laws such as the Uttarakhand Flood Zoning Act 2012 by the participating States would also help in restoring the health of the rivers by creating ‘room’ for them. Conclusion: Nevertheless, the Uttarakhand court’s judgement is an important step in the right direction for ensuring clean rivers. Its time policy makers, civil society and more importantly central and state administration fall in line. Connecting the dots: Discuss the implications of Uttarakhand High Court judgment declaring River Ganga as a living entity. Also elaborate on challenges in ensuring clean rivers. Also Read: Rivers as a living being MUST READ A moment for realism Hindu The high cost of ageing Hindu Mental health and the university Hindu Jailing a judge Hindu If Donald Trump-Narendra Modi talk climate Indian Express The moral retreat Indian Express Bans- Do they work at all? Livemint Avoid the temptation to overregulate telecom Livemint Advancing cooperation in higher education Livemint India's increasing green growth Livemint India's high logistics cost Business Line

Jun 22, 2017 RSTV Video

The Big Picture - Importance of Modi-Merkel Meet in the Changing Global Scene

Importance of Modi-Merkel meet in the changing global scene Archives TOPIC: General Studies 2 Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India's interests Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India's interests PM of India recently signed eight major agreements with German Chancellor. India is looking at outcome oriented momentum at India-Germany ties and quantum jump especially in economic ties. German Chancellor has long cultivated relations with India and stresses that Germany and EU must compete with new emerging economic giants. She has also said that Germany cannot completely depend on traditional allies like USA and Britain in age of new US president and Brexit. Importance of India and Germany today The people of both nations have displayed that desires of both governments is to develop ‘middle power cooperation’. It is a time when USA is becoming unpredictable and China more assertive, and hence a lot of other countries in middle are thinking of stepping up into gaps created. Germany is the most powerful and wealthiest of the EU nations and India being dominant player in South Asia and Indian Ocean region are looking to work with each other more intently. Germany needs to look elsewhere apart from traditional allies. It has also mentioned that china insisted Germany to endorse OBOR initially and then later on disagree with certain agreements. Trade and investment- India and Germany are a win-win proposition for both countries by coming together in several of initiatives taken by GoI like Make in India, Skill India, Smart cities, infrastructure, Digital India etc. where Germany has great competence. There have been problems between two nations regarding bilateral trade and investment negotiations which started in 2007. At that time, it was thought to conclude negotiations in two years. But they are still on. Thus, there is a need to conclude these agreements as soon as possible considering the fact that both the nations now need each other to develop themselves. Bilateral investment treaties have also been cancelled by India and new draft submitted by India is not found acceptable by EU. Hence, these critical aspects of trade relations between two nations need an energetic boost. However, now India has initiated reforms with GST, bankruptcy code, is also a largest recipient of FDI and its fast growing nature economy. This will help developed countries to look at India as an attractive investment destination. At present, 1600 German companies are working in India and 60 joint ventures with India. 25 working groups are operational. With their interactions and deliberations, there is a lot of potential in future. The investment opportunities are also high in India. The German MSMEs had traditionally five radius mile concept which they have not looked beyond. This can provided fillip to develop the relationship. Also, uncertainty about America can be motivation for Germany. Security France, UK, Germany have suffered from terrorist attacks and India has been a victim of terrorism. Thus, there is a need for two countries to cooperate and collaborate to deal with the menace of terrorism. Strategic partnership As Germany gets disillusioned with Trump’s America, it is looking around for partners. India has also been looking around for development and sustainable partners since a while and is closely related to Japan, Australia etc. Thus, it is an opportunity where middle powers can get together. India and Germany have been on same wavelength, whether it is about Indian Ocean region, South China Sea, in terms of freedom of avigation, importance of award by UNCLOS. A strategic relations doesn’t exist for now between both countries. Take for example Japan. Japan has now made a committed official decision across its parties and government to try and build up India as an economy and as an Asian power for strategic reasons. It is for them about balancing china and other issues. They are investing millions of dollars to build infrastructure, develop projects with India in third countries, Japanese companies have come here even if not making a profit. Germany in many ways is similar to Japan- WWII legacy, has a pacifist constitution, generally being reluctant to play global role. Thus, Germany can also follow the footsteps of Japan or walk on similar lines. With Germany, Indian government is hoping to transform the relation. Germany is sceptical about India somewhere as India is a reluctant free trader. Due to large population and need to create jobs, many times India has taken two steps forward and one step backward. This is the reason why RCEP has not yet borne fruit. The concept of proving jobs, getting up the manufacturing ladder from 17-18% to 25% etc. is finding a difficult terrain in India. If the markets will be opened, then Make in India project will suffer the most. Thus, there are all these issues to deal with. China is more attractive as far as Europe is concerned. Germany was never really interested in India and India had own problems in region. Now, going forward, India has an opportunity to develop a partnership with Germany. The OBOR initiative has been termed as ‘new colonial enterprise’ as it is sino-centric road arrangement. It means that all belts and all roads lead to china. Climate change With US withdrawing from it, India and China are looked as future strong partners to uphold the paris agreement. India has ambitious programmes in renewable energy. In this area, India and Germany have a bright future. German companies are looking forward to India’s large market with USA and China’s stand on globalisation. Germany in India The paradox of indo-German relationship has been, despite hardly any political problems, the trade remains modest at 17 billion USD whereas with China it is 10times. This limits the degree of interest which Germany has on the trade and economic front. The Germans are keen to have government to government defence procurement agreement like with France. But with India there are certain challenges- The Germans have been reticent in transfer of technology Offset clause The German export control regime which has statutory restrictions about transfer of weaponry to conflict prone areas. Civil nuclear cooperation Nuclear safety is an area where both countries can have equal cooperation with each other. Conclusion The relevance and importance of Germany has grown in the eyes of India considering the state of EU today. German chancellor has bright prospect in winning the election. Indian PM has tried to give a nudge to India-EU FTA but it is still not moved forward. But there are positive hopes in the direction as Germany and India are both in favour of globalisation and keeping trade open. Indo-German development is more of an incremental type of progress than transformative. In the era of unspecified times, all the major players are simultaneously engaging all major players. Each relationship is going to have its own dynamism and momentum. With Germany, it is important to maintain slow and steady consolidation and keep on emphasising that India is a strong opportunity. Connecting the dots: India and Germany have been not natural partners but they have immense opportunity to grow together in the present times considering the global scenario in regarding various aspects. Discuss the potential growth areas for both the nations.

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